Update -- Peaked Mountain

They finally posted the results from that run, with nice big picture of the finish line. Only 36 finishers (I think 38 or 39 started). Take a look here.

Sunday Trails -- Oct. 29

Mark came by and we set off on a dry, breezy afternoon, with 4 p.m. looking like the 5 p.m. it had been the day before. Aiming for a 'walking the right of way' run, combined with a loop around Holland glen, we set off into the trails and followed all the way to the M&M trail turn off, then followed it and crossed 9 to go up Holland Glen. A couple of new trees down, and so much leaf cover on the trail that we had to really hunt for blazes. The brook was gushing busily, and up at the top the waterfall looked really impressive (despite it's being quite small, when you get up close). We stumbled back down the wide side, losing the trail occasionally, and then followed M&M the way we'd come, as far back to Federal. Then the increasing dark and tired ankles prompted a road run home, Federal and 9, with a very solid 7:30 for the sixth mile after the slow and tough first five miles of trail. Dark by the time we got home--walked it from the bottom of Clark.

Time: 1:18:18
Speed: 6.0 mph
Distance: 7.79

Comment: A good run and then cocoa and tea -- perfect day! All in all I felt very good, even the day after the day before. Great training run for Monson, if only we can do it again next Sunday.

Solo Soaking -- Sat. Oct. 28

Another long week w/ no chance to get out, and Friday evening I'd caved to the desire to stay warm and well-fed indoors. Not feeling 100% (minor cold-type virus?) but after a pleasant Saturday, mild and blustery, I was set to go after doing choir duty. Unfortunately, the church became an ark as a stunning downpour came through, so I figured I'd be getting well wet, not just sprinkled, when I headed out. Sho nuff, though it was clear and breezy when I set out, the ominous clouds coming in from the west brought another round of great wetness, just as I was trying to find my way up the trail from 9. Oy. After getting totally drenched I dried off running back through drier breezes, and it wasn't too cold. The route would have been more trail if it hadn't been getting dark too. I took GeoHannum to the field, trails along to Hamilton, crossed it and extra trail to Bay, then uphill to Allen, then left on 9 down to the trail entrance opposite the kennels; up the trail (getting a bit lost--leaf cover makes it hard to see) and right on the old town road back to Allen, then over the crest to cross 202 and all the way to old Enfield; right down to 9, zig around the tractor dealer and up that road to the town common, then along main road/202 to 9 and home. Stopped the clock at the Sports Shed, I think, happy with about eight and a half miles.

Time: 1:06:28
Speed: 7.7 mph
Distance: 8.57 miles

Comments: well, after a near week off, I'm happy enough. Second mile, all road and a mix of up and downhill, was 5:54. The next one, stumbling up the trail in the rain, and getting a bit lost, was a 10:24. Felt good at 6 miles, ready for another 6, though by 8 miles I was pretty bushed (and sore nippled!). Still need to get a couple of long runs in before the Monson, somehow.

Peaked Mountain 7K (?!) -- Sun. Oct. 22

One of the runs included my over ambitious fall season plan, and I'd be intending to let it pass. But on meeting with Ivan G. on Friday, and hearing he too had a run he was going to do despite lack of prep time, I said I'd give it a shot. It was my first time to the place, and the information ended up being a bit misleading. The Friends of the Res. (organisers) had posted 3.8 miles, so a long 5K+, starting at 9:30. But when I found my way there (slightly overshot at first -- it is practically in Connecticut, but I still went too far) I learned that it was to be 4.4 miles and starting at 10:00. The Peaked (pron. w/ two sylls) Mountain reserve was really lovely, and it looked to be a perfect day, sunny and not too chilly. Having warmed up with a mile or so I then hung around a bit and warmed up some more, watching the few dozen other runners arrive. I think there were 38 in the end, a very small crowd. An undiscovered run, so nice, must do it again next year w/ Mark . . . I thought. When we started I think I see one reason people might not choose this one-- the first mile was just brutal, like the mean hill in the Shelburne Falls run only on trails. Kind of like the Holland Glen run I've got, the one I shared with Mark the other day. Well, one chap went off at almost a sprint, but then petered out on the slope, and the rest just chugged up as best we could. I couldn't see who was out front, but a couple of cyclist types (multo spandex, club pattern shirts, muscly) I passed -- slowly-- going up then passed me as we neared the top, but then on the turn down I passed them again. The rest of the race--down the hill, along the road, into a field and round a lake, then back along the road to the parking lot--was me trying to keep ahead of them. Got some distance at first, but round the lake I could hear them closing (I think it was just one) and I figured that even if they passed I'd probably be in the top five, so I wasn't minding. But along the road i was still ahead, and then at the end I had just a bit left, and he didn't. Retched a bit after the line, but that was partly because the last 100 yards was mainly uphill (shades of the Cave Hill run). Came in second with a 31:50.

Time: 31:50
Speed: 8.2 mph
Distance: 4.38 miles

Comment: A lovely run, if tough. Great breakfast after and nice people. Prize was nice too -- must bring the family down to hike the trail to the hill top proper (1224 feet; we ran only about a third of the way up).

rambling 10K plus -- Sat Oct. 21

Needed to run, but no real thought on where to go and not so much time I could go out too far. Started out down GeoHannum to the field, then into snowmobile trails (not puddled, well leafed) and along to Hamilton just past the dump, cross onto the other side then onto Bay; turn _up_hill on to 9, left down to 202 and Federal, then dive down towards the town beach -- where of course an actual scheduled run is happening, Project Stretch. Ouf! Run through them, round the lakes and back on Federal again (through a few more tail end Stretchers) and up to do rial trail and Hamilton back home again. Warm sunshine, but chill air, so wearing quite a lot of gear.

Time: 50:17
Speed: 7.9 mph
Distance: 6.65 miles

Comment: strange sort of follow my nose run, but quite satisfying as a workout. Trying not to get too tired because of Peaked Mountain tomorrow. . .

Local 5K basic - Sun. Oct. 15

Sore enough from Saturday that I wanted to run just to stop from seizing up, so I did a road run on the usual GeoHannum and Hamilton route (I think I mixed in a wee bit of trail, but I can't remember now). It was dark and a bit chilly -- running on sweatpants these days.

Time: 22:20
Distance: 3.11 miles
Speed: 8.3 mph

Comment: a stopgap run.

Ten Hard Miles -- Sat. Oct 14

For some reason feeling very tired, and not up to much. But it was the only chance I'd get for a run, so I figured a rail trail to the end and then some other way back. Headed down the trail as per usual, finding it fortunately free of puddles and mudpatches; fairly leafcovered, which while lovely to look at has the disadvantage of hiding rocks. Chugged straight on to the end at 181, then turned back north as far as the Jabish Brook way in; took that and followed back to the trail and then ran until I hit 10 miles (somewhere near the 2020 underpass. Stopped and felt sore, then figured since I was still a way from home I'd do a bit more with no pressure, just jogging. Hence the second entry, finishing the trail heading home the most direct way.

Time: 1:15:16
Speed: 8.2 mph
Distance: 10.3 miles

Then having recovered a bit:

Time: 9:46
Speed: 1.17 miles
Distance: 7.2 mph

Comment: running as intermittently as I am doing now it's very hard to tell how I'm going to feel, especially on long runs. And for me now 10 miles is _long_. Oof. Need to get back to some 12-15 milers, soon -- before the Monson Half at least!

Holiday trail run -- Mon, Oct 9

Was not sure whether I had time to run, but Mark called and so I took that as a sign. We met at 5 pm at Holland Glen; limited time but safe for an hour of good daylight. Started up the glen, feeling great, looped down and crossed 9 onto the M & M, then joined the old rail trail and followed it (with minor road sections) to WW road end of bike trail, then up WW to Orchard, the slow hill back up toward the town lakes. Gorgeous foliage and evening light the whole time. Took a right on Federal to go round the lake and then rejoin rail trail and back to M&M and the cars. Great fun, just right for time and distance. Then Mark joined us for pumpkin pie and tea -- a nice finish.

Time: 1:07:09
Speed: 6.6 mph
Distance: 7.41 miles

Comment: felt great, with a very mild pace and nicely varied inclinations and surfaces. Must do this one again.

Vancouver Bay, 5K-ish, Sat. Oct. 7

Couldn't miss the opportunity to run while I was over here, even though I was busy all daylight hours. Full moon hidden behind clouds and it was almost raining, but mild enough to be okay in only two t-shirts (though the coolth had hints of winter on the way, and again had me thinking about gloves, hats, the whole rigmarole).

Beautiful campus to run on too, but I wanted to shake hands with the Great Flat Ocean, so I headed off the edge of campus to the Pacific Bay Park (I think check name and add URL) and found a road that went down and down to the lights sparkling on the water. It was pretty murky but I could see my way to the beach, climbing over a few rocks and driftwood -- one an escaped log from a commercial load, something like 3-4 ft in diameter and several dozens of feet long.

Got to the water and saw the silhouette of a heron tall as a person standing in the water, fishing; evidently a bit unhappy with my presence, it shifted a bit, and when I dipped my hand in to touch the water it rose complaining and flew off with series of grumbly calls, more crow than seabird (well, I guess it's a river/estuary bird, but still).

Headed back up and then continued away from the dorm to the Asian center and did a last grateful lap round the Nitobe Garden (see LJ for that), and back through campus again to finish.

First run in a week, and it felt a bit odd, but very happy I managed even that.

Time: 28.16
Speed: 8.15 mph
Distance: 3.84 miles

Comment: considering I'd eaten dinner only an hour previously, not bad: maybe I can allow for runs with less digestion time, which would let me squeeze in a few more (probably only short ones, but still).

Postscript:
Here's the way it's been since semester started (total miles run, with the last vacation week for comparison):
(31.7); 11.39; 25.43; 14.01; 12.23; 3.84.
Now it's Sunday, a new week, but I'm on a plane, having got up at 3:10 a.m. and I won't be home until after 10 p.m. No run today.