For the last two training days I ran on my lunch break. Which put me downtown Springfield. The views are not the trail views I love but it is good to get out of the office.

For day 2 I pick a route that ran down a road I have battled with in the past. This road is long and flat. However in the cold it always seems to have head wind and in the heat it feels like a hairdryer. I picked this road to take on routes that challenge me this year.

Everyone that has been running for a few years has those routes that challenge you. Those routes that your friends like but drive you crazy. I hope by taking them on this year it will make mentally stronger or it might just make me crazy :).

On this day that route was the Phelps route. It is a long industrial road. With a hint of Starbucks frappe in the air from the bottling plant. I took off down this route in the cold with a strong wind coming from the east. Running solo this day made for some good time to clear my head. After 3+ miles I was back at work. I had beat the Phelps route that day. Check out my run here:https://strava.app.link/RTWXHnDnuU

Day 3 was 4+ mile run that took me up through the downtown square to grand street. I was running with a coworker that runs a lot faster than me. He pushed my pace to a sub 8 mile for the first 2.5 miles. He split off and I slowed down.

A short time later he appeared in front of me and ran the last mile or so in with me. Check out my route here: https://strava.app.link/IGJykbBnuU