Saturday or Sunday, depending on a race or the weather.

This past weekend, I was tempted but decided NOT to race.

I thought I might run the Rabbit Ramble 4 miler like I did last year.  You get a shirt and gloves & I won my age group. But I have raced the past 3 weekends and I felt that I should relax and run 12 miles.  (Ha ha..relax & 12 miles in the same sentence.)

I also could go to my FRW Training Group run on Saturday which I have missed the past 3 weekends that I was racing and then continue running until I completed 12 miles.

Then there was the weather forecast.

Will winter ever end??

So I went back and forth and finally decided to do my long run on Sunday.

Well, Saturday was not rainy or snowy as predicted but it was cold and so windy…40 mph wind gusts.

Instead of running, I spent the afternoon with my mentee, Amanda and her 2 sons.  I hadn’t seen them since Christmas. They played on the playground in the park and then we went to an Easter Egg hunt. I was soooo cold!

Today I was determined to get my 12 mile run done.  I asked Judy who I ran with last weekend to accompany me on part of it.

It was cold in the 30s but 20s with the windchill (Yes, It is April!!) but not as windy as yesterday. I got to the bike path early to run 4 miles before she arrived.

I headed west toward lock 7.  It was sunny but boy was it windy.

Then I turned around at mile 2 and I was actually warm running with the sun in my face.

I actually had a decent run despite the wind and the walking at about a 10 minute/mile pace.

When I got back to my car, I changed my hat, gloves and took off my fleece vest.

Judy was already there waiting, I’m glad she came. I did not feel like running 8 more miles alone.

We tackled 8 miles slowly. 4 miles out and then back heading in the opposite direction from my earlier run.

It was a nice to have someone to chat with while running. Judy may run slower but she runs at a more steady pace.  I, on the other hand, run faster and tire myself out and have to walk.  In the end, we finished together and stayed together most of the run.

The sun started to go in but the wind had died down quite a bit. I made the right decision running those 4 mile earlier.

12 miles done!  After a long hot shower, I enjoyed a nice Easter dinner with my hubby, mil and 2 stepsons.

2 weeks to go!!! Ready or not, Asbury Park, we I come!

Happy Running! Does the weather influence when you do your long runs? Did you run this past weekend?