Boggy trailslog -- Sat. August 30

Wanted to get a run in before SRRC, as I'm thinking about the Half we're doing next w/e. A bit late for a long one, as I didn't get out till nearly noon, so planned a Holland glen via the trail way. Started via road to keep it shorter: 9 to Federal, down to the railway, then hit the trail. Okay until the isthmus between Lake and Channel Drives: halfway along this the trail bottom disappeared and it was maybe 18 in. deep water with smelly mud on the sides and bottom. Not sure if it was beavers of the trail bottom had gotten below water level and had filled up via a rodent hole leak or something, but I didn't want to turn back so I sploshed on. Soggy feet for the rest of the run, of course. Fine from there out to 9, crossed over and went up the Glen okay -- rain last night and muggy cloudy weather made the rocks and trail (recently reblazed) tricky, but okay. Turned round at the top and back down the other side, crossed 9 again and back to the Robt Frost/M&M trail intersection, where I tried the blue blazes instead. Got a bit stuck at several points and ended up running along the railway as there's really no other way around the water. Then I tried to do a bit more on the old embankment next to Federal, but again got slowed down by brush. Ended up doing the remainder by road, up to 9 and home from there. Stopped the clock just after the supermarket:

Time: 1:07:25
Distance: 7.34 miles
Speed: 6.5 mph

Comment: Like a real cross country run -- how'm I going to get my shoes dry for tomorrow?! (not a chance, I suspect). Got pretty mosquito bitten too, it being pretty muggy, though the sun came out as I arrived home. Good plugging training, I guess; there was one sub-7 mile in there (and 2-3 over 9!)

After dark shortie -- Thu. August 28

After spending 220 miles in the car (to RPI and back) I wanted to run, despite needing to get lots of work done and feeling very blah. In the end my head was too tired to do useful work, so on getting home after some office time I got set and headed out just before 9 p.m. It was well dark, and cloudy, so no stars or moon, and at times I got a bit blinded by house lights; it was muggy too, but all in all (as ever) I was happier out than in. Down to Hamilton, along to Bay, down to Allen, up over 9 to 202 and then VFW road to 9, left round to 202 again and back up to VFW road to finish coming down there and cross over into GeoHannum.

Time: 32:40
Distance: 4.59 miles
Speed: 8.4 mph

Comment: Short but those hills are always good, and I got a bit of a stretch on 202 and VFW.

Strides in the dark -- Tue. August 26

A useful day at the office needed a good ending, and I knew I'd not be able to run Wed. evening, so I went out once I got home. It was cool and nice to run, under a big and brightly starry sky -- going along the open bit just before the farmhouse at the end of Rural Rd I ran looking upwards, and it felt as if I could have run on up into the sky, leaving the horizon way below, running on into outer space. Marvelous, and I wish I could have captured it somehow to share.

Headed down GeoHannum and straight along it, on to Batchelor/School (Stebbins) where I went left to 202, then left again up to Boardman. Pushing fairly hard rather than jogging, aiming to be at sub-7s for at least the first 5 miles. Boardman to GeoHannum and straight up the hill to get back to the start, stopping the clock when 8 miles rolled round:

Time: 55:37
Distance: 8.01 miles
Speed: 8.6 mph

Comment: a good hard solo run on an easy course, almost at my 'speed' pace. Lovely night, all told.

SRRC run -- Sun. August 24

After missing out on the RedFire farm 5K because of trouble Friday night (up till 3 trying to figure out the fridge's problem) and getting further tired in tag sale clean up on Sat. p.m., I was not in brill shape on Sunday. Still, a 6-8 miler would be useful, I thought, so off by bike (car also needs fixing) to D&D for 10 a.m., to find Dawn and Lisa and Andy already there. We turned out to be the only ones, so it was 2 + 2. Andy was up for a hill run, so we took off to do Barton, via the start we used when we did Summit (see May 18 and 25 this year). Took a nice sub 8 pace, second mile a bit quicker as usual once we got talking, and then we were heading up the hill. Kept a steady pace, though and Andy dropped back a bit, as he's not done much hill work recently. At the top finally, and then down Oak Ridge the long way to Summit, where we headed right down to Turkey Hill, and then right on to find our way out to 21, then left back towards 202, but we cut through a trail by the gym to come out at the CHCS track, and then on to target. A bit longer than planned:

Time: 1:14:52
Distance: 9.82 miles
Speed: 7.9 mph

Comment: sunny hot day, not much shade going up the hill, but pleasant all the same. Pushed a bit on the uphill, so I'll be sore, but a worthwhile run. Counts as stamina despite the overall pace, as some of it was on trail, and I alternated pushing up the hills and backing off on the flats and downslopes.

Evening Enfield Eight -- Wed. August 20

After work when I had thought I'd be giving a lecture, so a bonus day, and nicely timed. Headed out into cool early autumn dusk: it being too late for a run up the bigger hill (Summit), I figured a full Enfield would do for both hills and distance. So, GeoHannum to Hamilton and down to Allen, do the full Allen to Enfield, then left as far as the gate (proper dark by then, so no Quabbin view to run to), turn around and push a bit on the way down to 9, cross right over and add Jabish hill to the quota. Then across the common and back down 202, eventually stopping the clock just after the supermart, thus:

Time: 57:13
Distance: 8.02 miles
Speed: 8.4 mph

Comment: pushed myself a bit up the hills a bit, keeping pace below 8s, and managed 3 sub-7s on the downhill and flat. Sore right calf, but no significant numbness. Good workout all round; too cool for the cold bath option, but I think that led to a bit more soreness after. Hmm.

SRRC looong run -- Sun. August 17

First group meet in a while, and definitely ready for a double digit run today, at least emotionally, even if maybe not quite yet physically. Fortunately Jay and Bill both there (also Savannah, Lisa, and Dawn, who ran together a shorter run), and they were planning a long hill run. I suggested going the back way to Quabbin Tower, and they were game, though we didn't know how far it would be -- guessed between 12 and 15 roundtrip.

Set off in bright sun, low 80s perhaps, but after going over the common and down Jabish we hit shade along Enfield; followed to the gates and headed right down Earl(e)y, all the way to Blue Meadow--this was a *beautiful* bit to run, for sure-- then along past the Visitor Center (stopped for water top-up) and then across the dam and up the hill. At that point the other two went for it a bit, and it was Jay's day; I was tailing both by 30+ seconds at the top. Jogged up the tower, then enjoyed the breeze for a few minutes and headed back, with 8.2 miles done on the outbound.

This time I felt fine and they tailed a bit, so that I lost track of them and thought they must have exited the Quabbin the other way. We'd agreed to go back on 9 but not specified which way, so figuring if I hurried I'd catch them on the main road I made a v. quick stop for more water and headed out, but no sign of them. Headed back towards town wondering how far ahead they were, but there are no long vistas so they might have been only a minute or two ahead. Getting somewhat sore and very glad of the water as I reached 11 and then 12 miles, I was glad to see the Jeep dealers and head into Jabish. The hill was a slog, but I noticed the half marathon distance pass at about 1hr 40 mins -- fair enough, and up over the top of town and down finally to the goal at DnD, thus:

Time: 1:53:41
Distance: 14.82 miles
Speed: 7.8 mph

Comment: welcome back to the long ones, yahoo! On the way back, I put in a couple of sub-7s, which is nice too. This was a good run, and I felt fine-- very stiff, but not tired, really pumped at the end; Jay mentioned similar. It turned out, AIH, that I was the one ahead -- they had come back the same way and were tailing me!! They came in several minutes later, after I was afraid they had gone back to look for me. LOLz. Also, a pointer from Coach J on cooldown etc. was to take an ice bath before showering. I figured I'd try it instead of ibuprofen, and sat in cold water for 5 minutes cooling off my legs. Seems to have helped.

Quick bike -- Sat. August 16

This morning Ivan and Christi's wedding, wonderful event, and I met another runner or two there, unsurprisingly. This evening I made a quick bike foray out with R, some trail and some road. Just short, but good for him and it got me at least moving a bit:

6.03 miles @ 6.3 mph in just under an hour.

Cross training, in several senses.

Rainy evening Five -- Fri. August 15

After a mid-week camping trip with no running (but a couple of dips in the ocean) and a workaday Friday I got home in time for an evening run, just as the rain really started. Changed and waited, but by 7:40 I chose last daylight over possible dry, and headed out with a waterproof on under my reflector vest (it was too cool to go out with jut a shirt). Headed down GeoHannum and back up towards town, then through the state school and up 202 to the lights at the common, crossed over and down Jabish to the Jeep dealers and back along 9; distance was still a bit short so veered off to add VFW road, and stopped the clock at the big store just after the target of 5 miles:

Time: 34:48
Distance: 5.01 miles
Speed: 8.6 mph

Comment: incredibly sore calves as I started, just painful, but they felt better on the uphill. Breathing felt plenty strong and I seem to have gotten a bit of natural pace back after the incredible slowness I noticed on the BOF day (my warm-up then was 1.7 miles in 14 minutes, and it didn't feel like i was going too easily). Just have to hope the pain moves away as I get back into more weekly miles. Since I won't be able to make the Peach Run on Sunday, this Fiver will have to do me, and at sub-35:00 on a solo run I'm happy enough.

Short Pelham -- Mon. Aug 11

Incredibly sore after the BOF, so no SRRC on Sunday. Then arranged to meet Mark after work on Mon., for one run before going off on the family camping trip. We met at the church in Pelham and started down our 7.5 mile loop run, pleasant pace and chatting plenty. After just over two miles he suggested a turnabout, so we went back, and ended with just over half an hour on a beautiful evening. Well worth it:

Time: 36:43
Distance: 4.2 miles
Speed: 6.8 mph

Comment: Just enough to take the edge of the pain in my legs, as I begin my build up back to form, I hope. At least I'm over the post Erie ride exhaustion. More recovery to follow.

Bridge of Flowers 10K -- Sat. August 9

So different to last year, but I'm glad I did it. Basically I was totally unprepared. No time even to recover from the Erie Canal bike ride properly, let alone get back into some sort of running form. Did it cold, and it hurt. Arrived in good time and managed a mile or two warm up -- it was a lovely day, sunny but cool, if muggy. Met up with Ivan shortly before the start, and figured I'd just aim to finish at a run, and let the pace be what it was.

Very big turnout for this the 30th running, some 1200 people for all the races combined, with 735 in the 10K. We lined up in the 7:00 area, and I thought I'd maybe manage that. Start was a bit delayed, and I got to see a few people from local runs as we waited. The beginning was fine, brisk on the first mile, and then a bit easier on the second as we came back down toward the bridge. Breathing fine and the legs felt okay, just not very fast; the hill was a painful slog; Ivan pulled away and looked very good at that point. I lost him just after the top as he piled it on and I had nothing. At the turnaraound point someone called out position and I was 200 or 201. Fair enough, I thought, but it went pretty bad after that. I found my leg going numb as we came off the grass on to the road, and as we completed mile 5 it was clearly going to get worse not better. People were overtaking in twos and threes, and I started to focus on keeping going--figure I'd still make 250th or so. Down the hill it was great to hear "Chariots of Fire" as usual, and I called out thanks to those guys. Then as we hit the last straight before the bridge I was aiming not to topple off the numb leg, and I had to let people pass -- I called out good luck to Sri Bodkhe who was one of them. As we came off the bridge a couple more overtook me and then I figured that was enough and I just shoulder muscled myself into a sprint on the dead leg to keep the guy behind me from catching. I pushed hard and made the line ahead, then keeled over like a bicycle that has come to a stop.

Nice crew there, they rushed over and were all concerned -- someone took up the place for me in the chute as another official called out my number. I explained it was just numbness and got up, and then walked along to the end. Here's my GPS data, lap by lap: 6:08, 6:20, 8:56, 6:50, 7.07, 7:17; last bit 9.2 mph, or 6:31 pace.

And here's the official result:

Time: 45:09
Distance: 6.2 miles, 10 K
Speed: 8.24 mph

Comment: I came in 230, which was 25/56 for my age group. Fair enough. Ivan really was in good form, and broke his personal best by 30 seconds, so it was a good day to be there. We chatted a bit then I grabbed a big brunch at the post race and headed home. Try again next year.

The B-B-Bike Ride -- 26 July to 5 August

So no running for a while, as I was too busy biking. I'll be putting a post about that whole story in my other blog, but here a few stats:

Start: Hometown MA
Turnaround: Buffalo NY
Endpoint: Delmar NY

Days biking: 11
Miles biked: 1,024
Total hours/mins in motion: 94:05
Average daily miles: 93.01
Average speed while moving: 10.9 mph
Average hours biked daily: 8.5

The trip was done towing a well loaded InStep Quick N EZ Bike Trailer (thanks internets for the pic; I have a few snaps, but not uploaded yet). The two trips I made from the Niagara County Camping Resort, just outside of Lockport, to the Niagara Falls and into Buffalo center I was trailerless, and it was a very pleasant change. On both of those trips, done on consecutive days, I also discovered the amazing tailwind that you pick up heading east. The return trip was definitely easier.

Only one wipeout, and no real harm done beyond bloody scrapes, so a good trip -- but absolutely no time to run, so when I got home I was very out of running shape. See next entry!