The roads have no soul. On a really good running day, aka: a day on the trails, I can be happy. I am satisfied socially when Bimblers are present 🙂 spiritually soaking in the “beauty all around me” and physically pushing my limits to build a stronger body. Lately, I have done a few long road runs, many of the miles alone. Out there on the road, after mile 15 or so, my friends are gone, and nothing is pretty. At that point, it is just me, and the only measure of whether or not it will be a “good run” is whether or not I push myself hard enough to get closer to “race ready”. The funny thing is that when I started running, I thought “that’s what it’s all about”. How naive I was!
Happy Trails!
PS: If you MUST run the roads, and you must run some miles alone, and you must get a “good workout” for your efforts, you would be hard-pressed to find a better area than Downhill & Ultra’s neighborhood. All hills, all the time. Ouch! 🙂
I have been running on roads too. They are different, but not soul-less.
I also run my first 8-10 miles early, slowly, and in solitude. Later on the same run, I plan my route and its timing to run with friends- relying heavily on their conversation, and the promise of an after-run coffee, to pull me through the tougher miles.
I applaud your dedication, gentlemen! But the necessity for excessive road-running has simplified my frequently-fraught decision-making about racing….No race=no need for race-readiness=no (or not much) road running! Sayonara Seneca!