Sara Wittmeyer’s Blog

This is the first really nice weekend we’ve had in months in Missouri. Today it is supposed to be almost 60 degrees. My lungs and legs are loving getting to spend some time outdoors. I feel like I really get to stretch my legs when I’m outside versus on the treadmill or at the track. Although running is probably physically easier on a treadmill because you don’t have the wind resistance and you’re on a moving surface, I still end up going faster when I’m running outside. I think the combination of the gym temperature, the short running surface, and the monotony of my surroundings just slow me down when I’m on the treadmill.

I have noticed a negative change in the way I feel though, since I have been doing my runs outside. My joints miss the padded treadmill surface. My foot and knees aren’t used to the pounding on the pavement and the concrete sidewalks. In Columbia we have an amazing trail system. It’s accessible, well-maintained, and it stretches across the state so you could run forever! The surface is mostly pea sized gravel. It’s quite nice to run and bike on. But I really like running on the roads for a couple reasons: I am more motivated when I know people can see me. I keep a better pace and there’s no chance I’m going to walk if I am running in public where my students, colleagues, and just random folks can see me. My biggest problem with the trails though is they are completely flat. The MKT Trail gets its name from the MKT Railroad. Tuesday, I ran a lot of the hilliest parts of Columbia, then did a couple miles on the trails so I could get a mix. Since then, I’ve stayed on the roads. A number of my running friends do the trails and then they’ll compensate for the flat surface by doing a brutal 8 mile hill routine once a week. I’m beginning to think I may have to experiment with this option. Last night my knees, left hip, and foot woke me up several times with a shooting pain.