keeping it real

No run today, but yesterday (Sat.) managed another short pre-breakfast run, same route but starting at the Poulin entry to the trails and running trail as far as the transfer station. Felt okay, if a bit warm:

Time: 27:43
Speed: 7.66 mph
Distance: 3.54 miles

Comment: slightly longer as I cut down on the warmdown portion; slightly slower because of the trail section. It's hard to make pace there, for sure, though working hard on trails will make running roads seem much easier -- something to look forward to when I'm feeling back in the groove.

restart run

Just a quick before brunch run to get things going again after being sick (so much for the Spring break effect). My local basic 5k, with a little warm down distance added after.

Time: 23:00
Speed: 8.13 mph
Distance: 3.12 miles

Comment: just the sort of run I'd like to do daily, aside from distance running. It's much warmer now, and cooling down takes a while, but it felt fine enough. It somehow thaws out my back, and while the running was nearly all on roads, I managed to take to the verges (as equestrians do, IIRC) to vary it a little. Verges--sand, these days, but spring and green growth are on the way :-)

short evening run

Saturday March 18, while not feeling very champ, managed to head out after 6 and do a hil run. Partly because again a week had gone by, I wasn't concerned about time, etc., just getting out there. Drove to Gulf Rd and parked a bit up the hill, past North. Cold, windy (but not bad on the sheltered lane) and gathering gloom--but nantonaku headed first down the hill, then up to the fork; took a right and up to Packardsville, then left and along to Gulf again and all the way down. Accidentally stopped the clock at 3.29 miles, so measured it afterwards in the car and estimated the time.

Time: 42:00
Speed: 7.14 mph
Distance: 5 miles

Comment: Having been troubled by very sore back since standing for over an hour at mtg on Wed., I wasn't sure how this would be -- but the run seemed to reach in and relax the muscles. Felt much better after. As I ran I was thinking of Tim, about to do his first half-marathon (Sunday a.m. UK time). I coldn't do one right now, but with spring break I'll be able to train up a bit, I think.

Backpost 2 - Sun. March 12

Cross training day! F and I did some parkour-inspired scrambling in the chills of Holland Glen; it was (I discovered that evening and the next day) amazingly strenuous, but excellent fun! Using my arms and reaching and leaping: lots of unfamiliar aches, but good ones. Thankfully no ankle (or other) glitches. We went out mid afternoon and spent about 40 minutes doing a loop of the trial, with many sidetrips -- foolishly I thought I was good for a run at the end and decided to run home. Had barely started when I realised I was knackered, but plugged on, going the most direct route (M+M, Federal, 9, S+S, etc.):

Time: 25:56
Speed: 7.58 mph
Distance: 3.28 miles

Comment: a run less than 24 hours since previous = recipe for discomfort. Still, did one mile at decent pace, 7:18 for the third mile.

Definitely time to get back to multiple runs a week. Spring Break's coming up, yosh!

Backpost 1 - Sat. March 11

Dragged myself out again, after another week of no running -- well, the day was fine, in fact, and I was happy to run, but I know now that once a week is just not as pleasant as running regularly. Changing that is another story, I guess; for now, here's the run that I _did_ manage. Took the snowmobile trail from Geo Hannum, carefully, then last bit of Hamilton to Bay--down the hill and on to Metacomet, then to the town lake and back up past Tilton's, home via S & S. Aiming at about 10K, but happy even if a bit short:

Time: 46:49
Speed: 7.86 mph
Distance: 6.14 miles

Comment: started off around 5 p.m., unsure where to head, and not wanting to overdo it, so this was not a power run. It felt fine, but unfamiliar. Made best time of 7:03 in the third mile; in good form I'd be getting best time in the 4th or 5th mile. Ouf!

Busy weekend

Well, by my current erratic measure. 6 miles or so run on Saturday and a Freerun (with F) followed by a 3 mile run on Sunday. So now I ache, and I'm perversely busy and not cheerful (long story, sort of; better in the other blog); but I'll post this note here to remind me, and then add times and distances when I get back to the main computer (freeloading on F's eMac here). Tara.

久しぶりに Bike ride

A family mini-hike (with guests, youngest being a tiny 4) was a pleasant stretch on Sunday afternoon after the 8 miler, but then I got to ride the tall one's bike home as he opted for a ride in the van. So about 5.25 miles of rail trail, mainly firm but occasionally muddy sand: a good workout, and my back seems not to have been affected. Makes me remember I need to fix my own bike to be ready for moments I can use it. The ride took about 25 minutes, which is not fast but without suspension on the bike it was fast enough for me.

Weekend 8+

Finally managed to get out again on Saturday March 4, afternoon; very nice sunny and dry conditions, though still cold/windy enough to warrant full gear w/earwarmers. F dropped me off at one end of Cordner, which I ran up and then a repeat of remainder of my last run, doing at the end what I had done then at the start. Felt pretty good once warmed up, and aimed for a steady rather than swift pace. Here's how it looked:

Time: 1:03:44
Speed: 7.73 mph
Distance: 8.22 miles

Comment: eight is a much better distance for coming off a week of not running. I still feel the need for good hills, though this run at least started with a hill and the rail trail done south-north is mainly slightly uphill. Managed a couple of faster bits, and the footing was soft in places, so variety of pace and ground was more or less achieved. Roll on milder evenings though!