Rafters 5 miler w/ SRRC -- Sun. April 27

Met up at Bill W's place and car pooled in to Rafters. Met up with Ivan, and later Mark. Total of 12 SRRC folks in the DunkinDonuts T-shirts -- pretty awesome (though we were to lost the team race in the end). Did a mile or more warming up, then waited till the 10:30 off. Aiming to run 7s, with Ivan and Jim for company, but by the end of mile 1 (6:55 or so) I seemed to be on my own so I pushed a bit. Second mile quicker, 6:20, then the third was uphill by the dorms, for a 7:20. Mile 4 was closer to 6:30 I think, and then the last one with lots of downhill was just under 6--chased all the way by Sri B (chap who lost his shoe in the Snowstorm 10 K this winter). Felt pretty good, came in 12th, finishing with a burst that felt pretty good:

Time: 33:01
Distance: 5 miles
Speed: 9.1 mph

Comment: 5 milers are always a satisfying challenge, and this one really pushes you -- amazingly hilly, really. And Rafters puts on a brilliant grill afterwards (I had a burger and a hotdog, and that's just the main course). Definitely again next year.

Push USA 5K -- Sat. April 26

First time for this charity run around campus. Gorgeous morning and arrived in good time, met up with Ivan at the registration table and then we ran just over a mile ot warm up. Amazed at how young everyone was! Lined up and away with a few people out fast, and I figured I'd push the first mile a bit as it had no uphills to speak of. Anti-clockwise round campus from the Haigis Mall, a familiar enough route. On the back straight started to feel the pace, as well as wind in face, but plugged on and staved off a pursuer as we headed round past my parking lot and back up Fearing. Just ahead as we turned into campus, and then powered the last bit to come in with a fair time, thus:

Time: 20:54
Distance: 3.1 miles
Speed: 9.3 mph

Comment: felt like running again! It's good to get back this far, for sure. No official time or places recorded, apparently (Ivan and I left before any announcement), but I was probably in the top 10-15. Good enough. Nice eats afterwards too!

Solo 5 miles -- Tue. April 22

Home after dark, though that's a late hour now, and out on a balmy evening for a shortened Enfield. Feeling quite good after Sunday, probably because the pace then was mild. Start this one slowly, but then push a bit (for my current condition, anyway -- aiming for 8+ mph). Head out to 9, along down to Allen and up over to 202, cross and up other side, then right on Enfield and down to 9 again, and home directly. Numbleg starts halfway along the last stretch of 9, but slow a bit and run through it, stopping the clock at Quabbin stores enfin (having covered my 5 plus miles). Data:

Time: 39:13
Distance: 5.49 miles
Speed: 8.4 mph

Comment: this was my first pushing run since the back trouble. It felt hard, but if I'm moving up that's fine. In the back of my mind, that data sheet that said I should be doing speed training at 6:00 pace. . .

SRRC run-- Sun. April 20

Another Sunday, fortunately another run. A week of insane busy-ness, with EAC as my guest and all, but managed to sleep a bit of catchup on Saturday p.m., so headed off to D&D at a run to arrive just in time for 10. Part one done, and then caught my breath, chatted with Mark and Jim; Jason there, but racing in NY that night, so no outing for him. Two women, the one who did the Wilbraham Peach run and Dawn from Mt Holyoke/DanaW. She joined the three of us on our first bit, then peeled off. We went out for 7-8, starting through the HS and then going right on Old Springfield out to 21, left all the way down to the JB canal, and back up that to the rail trail and along there to our start. Mark tripped as we crossed back over OldSpringfield, got a good grasing on knees and one hand -- pretty rough. I stopped the clock, and then we pushed on again after a little break. After a drink and chat we parted and I go tmy extra mile plus, running home. Here's the combined totals:

Time: 1:21:44
Distance: 10.13 miles
Speed: 7.44 mph

Comment: finally back into double digits. I'll be sore, but it'll be worth it.

SRRC run -- Sun. April 13

Setting off late to run to DnD, but happily Bill was driving by and he gave me a ride, so we arrived on time. Mark also appeared, felicitously; in the end we had 6 guys and 2 ladies. Of guys there were the fast three (Bill, Andy, Jason) and then me, Mark, and a guy new to me called Jim: a few to ten years older than me, done marathons, wicked fast in his youth (5K = 33 mins) and looking to work back up to a sub-forty 10k. Has trained indoors on treadmills till now! So, ladies did trails, and we all headed up over town center to 9 and then along as far as Sabin. Followed that toward the orchards, then we left the fast guys by diving right down Cordner and back along 181 to the canal; turned in there to hook through to the rail trail, now ahead of the fast guys who'd gone all the way to 181. Rain was getting a bit heavy toward the end, but it was a nice gentle-ish run; long for all three of us, but the right time to try it. Here's how it ended:

Time:1:10:41
Distance: 8.48 miles
Speed: 7.2 mph

Comment: definitely getting back into it a bit now. I was happy of the ride home, but this felt right, and I'm good for a bit more pace and a bit more distance now. Not that I'll have any time this week, urg!

Sunny five -- Sat. April 12

Couldn't drag myself in for the 5K on campus at 8 a.m., but by 10:00 or so feeling woken up, and after a walk in the woods with F I ran home from the railtrail end at WarrenWright. Trailed it all the way along to the town beach, dodging puddles occasionally but with nice surface mainly. Then headed back to connect across to Bay and follow that up to 9 and run as far as the old milestone. I was aiming to get 5+ miles, and that was plenty. Here's the data:

Time: 43:48
Distance: 5.69 miles
Speed: 7.8 mph

Comment: still in a holding pattern, but aiming to build up distances a little even if I'm only running w/e days. This one felt tough, though it was a gorgeous sunny morning; quite hot even. Shorts and T-shirt by the end, quite a change.

SRRC run -- Sun. April 6

My first one in ages, it seems, and also the first one at the new location--our start and finish point is now the 202 D&D, so we're "runnin on dunkin." To save carpark space, I took the option of running over there, retracing the first bit of yesterday's run (which I'd timed in prep for exactly that). That was part 1. Then once we'd gathered I told the distance chaps I was not up for much, just 3~5. Everyone was keen to do a trail, so we all started together, and split into three groups: the speedsters went down to 181 and back (plus something at the end?), I went to the NoWashington junction and followed the road back, and the other three (onna futari and Rob L) turned round at the NoWash junction. I headed up the road to Old Springfld, then down and back into BHS grounds so I could loop back past our old startpoint at the police station. Noone else was back, so after stopping the clock I then looped into the trails again and came up behind Rob et al. We took our table and chatted (Rob bought me a coffee -- I'd forgotten cash, doh!), then when the distance chaps arrived (at 1 hr 20 or so) I headed out for my part 3, the run home. Here's the combined results:

Time: 59:02
Distance: 7.46 miles
Speed: 7.58 mph

Comment: definitely feeling like I can climb back into it from here. Not much prospect of any running this week (hellish busy!!) but two weekend runs next w/e will be a good next step . . .

Backpost 3/Short rail trailer -- Sat. April 5

Still being a bit tentative, but headed out for a midday short one on a lovely sunny spring day. Damp but passable on the trails. Headed to the trail straight in and along to duck under 202, then out past Dunkin Donuts and into the schools out the other side then loop back into the trail and back as far as the Jackson crossing; then a bit of road, following Jackson down to GeoHannum, stopping the clock then. Nice shortish run:

Time: 32:37
Distance: 4.37 miles
Speed: 8.0 mph

Comment: this one ended up a good pace, running 7:30s, which felt good. Slowly slowly, work my way back.

Backpost 2/Solo 5K -- Sun. March 29

Ten days after the first attempt at recovery, with spring finally really showing signs, I headed out for an easy 5K. Not able to make the SRRC morning run, but this was a daylight run at least. From home, a reverse Hamilton (out past S&S and along 9, then down to Hamilton), with the clock stopped just past 5K though there was still a bit to go:

Time: 25:58
Distance: 3.19 miles
Speed: 7.6 mph

Comment: I was being very cautious, but this seemed to go off fine. The real test was how I felt the next day: turned out to be fine. Phew!

Backpost 1/Campus laps -- Tue. March 18

This was my first effort at getting back to running, and while it felt great, the results were pretty disastrous. I met Mark for a couple of campus laps, and we ran as planned, two laps. But for whatever reason, the next day first my back and then my shoulders (intercostals on the right) went into chronic spasm so I couldn't do anything. Muscle relaxants for the rest of the week, with the attendant dopiness and bed rest; it also gave me a bit of an aversion to trying again. Here's the details of the pleasant but ill-fated run, which consisted of two laps on a chill evening:

Time: 36:40
Distance: 4.42 miles
Speed: 7.2 mph

Comment: Not sure why such a pleasant run, barely under 8s on level terrain, messed up my back so much. Other factors involved, no doubt.