Hill training!

Hill training: Running conditions: Sunday 8 am Irwin, PA 60 degrees light drizzle.  So traveled up to PA to see my in laws for Father's Day.  In the 4 hour drive from Maryland, I was reintroduced to hills and elevation changes.  My ears popped frequently and had a combination feeling of appreciating the beauty and feeling claustrophobic for having hills and valleys so closed in to the roads.  My husband Mike plotted out a course that was between 3 and 4 miles with hills.  I knew it was going to be a challenge, but I thought it would be great to take advantage of the terrain while it was available. The Baltimore Marathon contains 2, 300 ft elevations and I have run relatively flat for nearly 5 years.  This course I thought had a total elevation change of 167 ft.  so in my mind I though no big deal right? So we set off and the first section is down hill...I like this type of warm up. Remembering the coaching same intensity, not necessarily same speed.  It was cool and damp, comparable to what our winter usually is.  We cross the street and head up on lap 1 of 2 of our course and this is what we have ahead:

The first hill was pretty darn steep what I found out was the total course had a 300 ft elevation change total(per my trusty Garmin watch) to the point we had to walk at the really top-wow!! Did we used to run these all the time growing up? We turn the corner thinking we will get a little reprieve, and uh, no...no such case!

This is what it looks like from the top of the loop, by the second lap, it started raining at a pretty good clip-not driving, but definitely not a drizzle!

Around the back end of the loop and less than a half a mile to finish.  If you can tell, the roads here are not remotely conducive to runners, it was like playing Frogger in the rain! It is good that I have pretty good agility skills :)

That great start running down hill also means that the path to the finish is all up hill!

We ran, we walked, we talked and really enjoyed the company of each other, it was not about time, but a nice way to start Father's day with my hubby.  In regards to the hills, I definitely felt this in my hip and ankles, I know I am at the beginning of my base building so this was not for powering up the hills but the increase in total elevation of 1150 ft above sea level was definitely felt in our breathing!  My goal in the next couple weeks despite the craziness of the move and changing hotels and kids birthdays, change of command and moving into our new home is to get 12-16 miles per week.  First week in Maryland: 10 down, 2-6 to go this week!