As the weather is warming up, I'm getting more excited for a spring and summer that will likely be full of running. I went on a five and a half mile run yesterday, and there were still several patches of ice, snow, and puddles, but I don't expect that stuff to get in my way too much longer.
The last few runs I've gone on have had included several "pick-ups", never too scientific, though. Oftentimes, I will run faster until the next patch of ice, or one block, or until a sign or a tree. I usually try to do this around five times per run, but I'm not really counting. I'm not too serious right now, but I have been there in the past.
In 2007 and 2008 I was much more serious about doing a certain number of miles, at a certain pace, with a specific amount of intervals, etc. I always wore a stop watch, and made many trips to a local track. Naturally, in both of those years I had some of my greatest running achievements, running my first 10k, 10 mile, half-marathon and marathon, and also PR-ing in a 5k. In 2008, while training for the marathon, I became a very efficient runner, and was definitely at my peak. One time I went to the track to see how fast I could run one mile, and broke my old PR.. even though I didn't have competition! It didn't surprise me too much, as I knew I was in good shape, but I didn't think that training for a marathon would also help me in the one mile.
I don't know if I'll get back to that level again, but I'm already more serious about running than I have been since 2008 (October 2008 was the Twin Cities Marathon). Maybe I'll do my first ten mile run since then, or do some new races, there are certainly plenty of options!
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