Newton hills, part one

So today we tackled the first of the Newton hills--but more on that later.

Let me catch you up. Picture it: Cambridge, two weeks ago. I finally decide to take my training seriously, and do 5 of my 6 scheduled workouts (all of my runs, but only one of my cross-trainings). All of a sudden, disaster strikes: Thanksgiving!!! Nooooo....!!! A short week with a messed-up schedule, far too much planning and shopping and prepping and hanging out before everyone goes away...and the runs just didn't happen. Then I went home and ran with my dad a couple of times, which was great except for the black ice! Oh--and I forgot--my run in Wellesley last week was ridiculously cold and windy and miserable. But no ice yet in these parts, so we're ok for the moment.
Back to the story--only one run during the week this week, but I did develop an "action plan" (I keep telling my students to make "action plans" and I think they think I'm nuts). The plan is this: long run on Saturday, recovery run on Sunday, rest on Monday, run to work on Tuesday (I can leave my stuff there on Monday afternoon!), crosstrain Wednesday, and run with Katie on Thursday nights. I'm supposed to crosstrain on Fridays as well, but I do need to eat and sleep and hang out occasionally.
This morning was pretty cold too, but no wind at all. We had a brief stretching clinic, then headed out towards Newton--the first time we've started out by heading forward on the marathon course instead of backward. The catch is this: at around mile 17 on the course, which is near where we start, there's a big (big!) downhill. This will be tricky on race day, because we'll have tired legs, and because it comes only 3 or 4 miles before Heartbreak Hill. Today it was tricky because after our 6 mile run, we had to run back UP it. I didn't do so well, to be honest. I need a lot more exercise in my life if I'm going to be able to do this thing. Running to work on Tuesdays will help--I really feel that doing the scheduling properly will make a big difference.
After our run, we went by the Marathon Sports in Wellesley, where they had 20% off everything, plus a free pair of running socks with shoe purchase. Folks, as some of you know, I've been a Saucony girl since I started running--I've had 4 pairs so far. And yet today, I bought (prepare yourselves!) a pair of Nikes. Nikes! Me! I know! But they're so roomy in the toebox, and a little bit firmer underfoot than my Sauconys, which I find weird but oddly reassuring. And the new version of my old shoes are so narrow that I'd have to amputate some toes. And I like my toes. So I bought the Nikes. The Nike "Zoom" to be exact. Roll your eyes if you like, but at least I still have all my toes.