Davenport, IA

North High School

Run Time: 59:04 + 1-lap kick

Sunny, but cold and windy. Too nice to not run, not too nice to run. The track was deserted – my favorite. I normally do not travel on Sundays, but this week I have to be home Thursday, so I drove to the location of my first sales visit and enjoyed a work-free evening at the hotel.

I got back onto my modified Prefontaine program. For my three running sessions, I ran a little faster each time. For the first 10 minutes, I was just short of 4 laps outer lane. For the second 10 minutes, I was just over 4 laps outer lane. For the third set, I was just over 4 laps outer lane, but the run time was only 9:06. The 1-lap kick was actually a little shower than that set. I was shot at that point.

It felt good to work that hard, to breathe that hard. It felt even better to know I actually ran faster the second set, and even faster the third set. Kicking it up for one lap is one thing. Kicking it up for four laps is tough. I nearly coughed up a lung a few minutes after the run. I think I still have some leftover respiratory matter from my recent cold – or I did, anyway.

I have a lot of travel planned for the next 2 months. After I drive home Thursday from Des Moines, Barb and I drive right back to Storm Lake, Iowa, the next day for a funeral service. After we drive back home Sunday, I fly out the next morning to Minnesota for a week. After I get back from that, we have back-to-back road trips to see the kids – Alex and Rachel in NC, Samantha, Sophie, and Kevin in Ohio. Then I have a few days at home before a 2-week sales trip to WY/MT/SK/AB/ID.

I am just looking forward to the Spring weather. I am looking forward to running in shorts. I am looking forward to driving with the sunroof open. I am looking forward to no piles of dirty snow in the hotel parking lot. I am looking forward to green fields. Road travel in the winter in the Northern U.S. is no fun. I like fun. Bring on the sun.