Indoors and Outdoors and on a Hilly Route

You've been out there on the salty roads, I know. You've been training in your reflective vest and intimidating balaclava, hitting the hills, leaving piles of dirt on the rug where your shoes melt post-run.

But not me. The harpies have lured me to the flat, smooth, climate-controlled treadmill this season where I RARELY select the hilly route. But yesterday taught me a lesson.

Sue (right), Cathy (middle) and I
ran the Baraboo Winterfest 5k
on Saturday. Sunshine, no wind,
and temps hitting 40s, nice. But
hills!

I joined two mellow girlfriends for a local 5k this weekend. Despite our mutual promises of "an easy run" with an 11-minute pace, even in the three short miles there were grades that prodded me to my toes, tweaked my glutes, and told me, "girl, you need to be training some hills." Uneven surfaces and gravelly shoulders worked my feet in new ways, left my soles tired.

Whoa, eye-opening. Glad I did the run, it leads me to three resolutions:

1.  Include at least one run each week outdoors, on gritty rollers.
2.  Add balance exercises to strengthen ankles and feet. (Back to the one-legged-standing-on-a-pillow therapy I was doing last summer.)  
3. Religiously do downward dog to keep heals limber. 

Well, I'll try. Hmm. I'll let you know if this lesson sticks.