10 Mile/10 Day Challenge (day 1)



Right before sundown, headed out for a run two
nights before 10/10 challenge.

As I mentioned in my last post, my training got off track during the holidays.  Then, I attempted to get back on track, and quite honestly still didn't get in all the miles I was supposed to (I hesitate to post a link here to my training plan, because I'm not sure I want anyone to see how much I was supposed to have run compared to what I actually did.  But you can see the 18 week plan here). 

So, I got determined last week and said, "That's it! I'm not going to mess up next week.  I'm still going to do the 10 miles/10 day challenge I had planned on doing."  Unfortunately, after looking at the calendar, I realized I was supposed to be on week 7 and was jumping the gun a little.  Actually, though, I think it makes better since to move week 7 to after week 9 anyway.  So the challenge was on.



My footprints after a 10-mile out and back run two
nights before Day 1 of the challenge.

And as part of the challenge, I decided to take on the Mile-a-teen challenge as well, where I pray for a  different teen (in some cases, non-teens, too) per every mile.  Besides some of the wonderful spiritual benefits of praying for the teens and dedicating a mile to them, this will also provide some accountability and get me through these 10 days.

Then Friday comes, and with it comes snow.  It was very cold, but I decided to run Friday night anyway.  Then I would rest two days before the challenge.  As you can see from the picture, nobody but the coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, and myself had been on this.  Come Monday morning, the trail was still in the same condition.

Oh yeah!  Then Monday morning I wake up and it is -5 degrees outside--the coldest day of the year!  What fun.  I didn't even bother taking a water bottle since my Gatorade turned into a slushy Friday night...when it was 15 degrees warmer.  Instead, I ate snow along the way which is probably not advised, but it kept my mouth moist (I had hydrated pretty good before the run). 

I dressed warm, but couldn't keep the moisture from my sweat and my breath from freezing.  By the time I was done, I looked like this (my clothes were stiff, my nose hair frozen, icicles on my brows and eyelashes).  Yeah! I had a great time...

 

 

Day 1 completed!  Stay tuned for Day 2.