Well, I sure did luck out with the timing of being able to run again. After a very snowy December and January, I have had clear conditions to start back up again in February. I really appreciate a clear shoulder when I am running at 5 a.m. I am starting very slowly--6 miles, 8 miles, and 10 miles this week. I will top out at 6 miles on Sunday and back off a bit, using the build for three weeks and do 10% of the highest-week's mileage on week 4.

My strategy is to build up to 10 miles as a high-mileage day before our big local race, the 10-mile Mountain Goat on May 3. Then I'll start building mileage for the Ottawa Half (if I am up to it). Some days when I am slated to swim, I feel like running instead. It's actually a good thing I am training for a tri, because it forces me to not run like an idiot during this base-building phase.