Running "In the Zone"

This morning's plan was an hour run from our house. We have a 7.0 mile route that we LOVE that takes us a little longer than an hour, so that's what was on tap for today. Because a good part of the route is on trail, through woods, we really needed to wait for daylight, so that meant not actually starting our run till about 7:10. So be it.

The route follows the Lake to Lake trail, around Larsen Lake, out to Phantom Lake, around Phantom Lake, and then back. I love this route because it takes us away from traffic, and because the path around Phantom Lake is so beautiful, and so varied. The 2.6 mile loop that circles Phantom Lake also has 4 or 5 really good hills, and it feels really good to run strong through the whole route. Plus, the distance is the perfect amount to feel like you'e really gotten a good run, but its not so long that its not doable during the week.

So that was our route today. As evidenced by the ever-later sunrise, we're in the full grip of Fall, and it was overcast & brisk this morning- about 50 degrees. It was actually really quite nice running weather, and I was feeling very good. Luckily, I had my conscience, Jason, running along side me, reminding me to keep my effort in the Zone 1/ Zone 2 range, keeping our pace just under 10's.

Somedays when we run together, we chat the whole time. Somedays we chat intermittently. Somedays, we don't talk hardly at all - and today was one of those days. It seemed by the time we got around the lake and headed back that I could hardly remember having run the loop at all - I was in the "zone". I felt good, and my mind just wandered - it was almost as if I wasn't there. It was sort of meditative. I rarely get that feeling when I'm running (it happens all the time when I'm swimming, I think it has something to do with the sensory deprivation) but when I do, it can be so ...peaceful.