I miss track.

Hello! What a glorious weekend in Minnesota. Sunny and 30 above! I saw people running in capris!

Today Mr. B and I traveled to Northfield, Minnesota to watch Day 2 of the MIAC Indoor Track Championships. Many Division III track and cross country athletes are familiar with the facilities at St. Olaf College, and being there today brought back so many memories! I ran my slowest mile and set my mile PR there, ran my first decent collegiate race there, and met some awesome running friends there!

A runner warming up on the upper track.

Now that I am old, I don't know many of the runners from my alma mater, but Mr. B has been an assistant coach for the men's team for a couple years. So, we thought it would be a fun "date". And it was! Our men's and women's team dominated the overall titles, and several athletes had great races. The only two girls I still know (sort of) rocked it out. Here is proof:

Taylor en route to winning the 1k in 2:52 (she won the mile the day before in 4:55!! She also ran 17:00 for 5k earlier this year. So...wow. )

Erin running the 3k (she won in 10:19 after a slow first mile. She has run 17:10 for 5k. I feel slow and old).

As fun as this was, it made me (and Mr.B)  so nostalgic for our track days! Seeing all of these amazing athletes running/jumping/throwing (?) their hearts out made me miss those days so much!! I loved that feeling of finding that last gear and just pushing past competitors and setting a new PR. Or just winning (I never won an individual title but our team won every year!). Of course I don't miss the "track hack" that comes with indoor season- that nagging cough caused by the dryness of the facilities.

Anyway. It was a good day and very good for motivation. When we got home Mr. B and I went for our runs- he went 10 miles and I did a hill workout! It was my first one in...a while. But it felt great. It was about 5 miles total.

Other runs for the week:
Thursday: 5.25 (10 min WU 2 min, 4 min, 6 min, 4 min, 2 min hard)
Friday: 6 (45:00)

I think my weekly total is  28 miles. I'd like to get up to about 60 mpw for the half marathon so I've got a ways to go. It should be easier to get miles in once the weather gets better but in Minnesota..that may never happen.

Have you ever run on an indoor track? Ever been to Northfield (also home to Malt-o-Meal products, so the town smells like brownies all the time)?
Do you like or dislike hills?
- I don't mind them because it is a good workout that is over fast!