MDay -21 -- Sun. Aug. 30

Feeling tired and stiff, but out for the SRRC run. Again nine people there, on a somewhat cooler morning: Christine D, Savanna, Nick, John, Andy, Jay, Bill, Jim F and me. I was planning on 6-8 easy, per Bill and Andy's advice yesterday. Jay wanted 10, but said he'd add a loop to our 8. Andy and Christine did rail trail out and back, as she's avoiding hard surfaces (apparently at brisk pace: 7:25s). We did an Enfield, starting up OldSpfld -- where Bill and John attacked the hill and I enjoyed the show from a distance. Then down Jabish, long pull up Enfield (Savanna bailed at 9, aiming for a shorter run as she has her first 1/2 next week) w/ Jim, and catch up w/ the others at Brandywine (which they'd sprinted for, natch). Three went down through Sheffield, but Nick joined Jim and me going straight back. Down to 202, over to Allen, on to Hamilton (lost Jim briefly) and along Hamilton, Jackson, Howard (trailing Nick at that point, as he was easing off) and 202 back to Checkers. Looped a bit behind to get to exactly 9 miles, thus:

Time: 1:11:03
Distance: 9 miles
Pace: 7:54s

Comments: we started quite slow, over 8:00s, so it took a few quick miles near the end to make the average sub-8. A solid negative split, and a good set of miles after yesterday. But I'm looking forward to tomorrow's rest/bike ride.

MDay -22 -- Sat. Aug. 29

Massive thanks to the guys from SRRC -- Bill arranged the run today, and Andy came along, and Jay showed up for support mid-way (he was on a bike, but came by). It was rainy, but no downpours, and while it was cool it wasn't cold. Bill picked me up at 9, and we drove to the Station Rd parking spot. Andy appeared and we set out. I wore a rain shell, but didn't put the hood up; we were all in shorts, too. Plan was 8 warmup + 8 pace + 4 whatever. Warm up was StationRd, Shays, 116 up to Amherst, down Main to SE, then back along to SoAmherst and Station Rd again back to cars. Bill called laps, and we started a bit quick, then backed off. There were some hilly bits, but nothing serious. Bill reports the overall thus:

Warmup 8 miles @ 1:00'42" = 7'35"/M

So a bit quick, but it felt very controlled, no strain. Next, off on the pace training: 4 miles out on the rail trail towards the mall, then back again. Bill kept laps, but didn't tell me times, just whether we were fast (quicker than 7:40) or slow. He let me lead so I was trying to gauge the pace: it was very difficult, but the results were progressively better. Tripped over a fallen tree at midpoint, saved from sprawling by Andy's outreached hand, but otherwise no incidents. Bill led for the latter half of this, and we got a really good rhythm going. Here's his data report on the 8 mile pace workout:

M1 - 7'30"
M2 - 7'57"
M3 - 7'48"
M4 - 7'40"
M5 - 7'53"
M6 - 7'38"
M7 - 7'43"
M8 - 7'40"
total - 8 miles @ 1:01'47" = 7'43"/M

Felt really good at the end of it, so for our last loop we attacked the hill on StationRd, then back down WWright past the rail trail to Wilson, then back and do the rail trail section to NoSt again. Felt so good that I picked up the pace and then went for it at the end, outsprinted by Andy but managing a decent spurt. Bill had figured this would be a cool down...

4 miles cool-down @ 27'48" = 6'57"/M

OVERALL
Time: 2:30:17
Distance: 20 miles (I got 19.85 by mapmyrun, but I'll take Bill's data)
Pace: 7:31s

Comment: amazing! I had instant hunger queasiness with the sprint at the end, but otherwise I felt incredibly good. Totally wiped out later in the day, but very encouraging overall. Three weeks to go. よ〜し！！ This is also a double PB: distance in one run, and weekly distance (62 miles). Maybe also duration, but I'm not sure on that.

MDay -23 -- Fri. Aug. 28

Schedule says rest day. Tomorrow morning, the 20 miler. Something to think about.

MDay -24 -- Thu. Aug. 27

Schedule called for a track session with 8 miles, but I figure a hill run is okay instead, and I don't even need 8 miles for the week. After work stopped off at MeetinghouseRd, a bit late (7:40) and in gathering gloom headed down the loop-ended out and back course that Mark and I have done many times. Cool and dry, very nice for running. Felt stiff, and the digivice was having trouble keeping a lock. Stopped after a mile, run at a slow pace, stretched, then continued up the hill. Good hard run, harder than I remembered, and dark enough that I was a bit concerned about footing at the top on the dirt road. But then back down again, much faster (clock had one mile as well below 6:00!) and back almost feeling my way on the last rough section to the parking area again, thus:

Time: 58:07
Distance: 7.5 miles
Pace: 7:45s

Comments: take off the first slow mile and the average pace was more like 7:25s. Definitely another hard run, and now I'm set for the last long one on Saturday. Then, taper...

MDay -25 -- Wed. Aug. 26

Schedule called for 8+ miles, and I dithered about routes, but after GeoHannum->railtrail->Jackson, I did my one mile stretch session and then set off down Howard to hit the rail trail and then Jabish (retracing my Monday bike ride and a run last week). Aiming for an MPace run, easy enough at first given the gentle terrain; stopped clock at about 5 miles so I could ford the canal overflow with shoes off -- didn't fancy running with wet shoes as I have cuts on two toes. Then restart and reach teh road section, up 21 and into OldSpfld along as far as the HS, up through there and then through the State school to head down Jackson to GeoHannum and up the hill as far as the baseball field. Results:

Time: 1:19:43
Distance: 10.32 miles
Pace: 7:44s

Comments: Hot, but drier than last week; quite nice. A bit sore, as this was less than 24 hrs from last run. Still, for MPace, I'll take 7:44 (it may still be a bit optimistic, but it's a target).

MDay -26 -- Tue. Aug. 25

Schedule was for an 8 miler, but complication: it was beach day! Well, nothing wrong with a run along the beach, so that's what I did. Mapped out the distance from Salisbury, at the mouth of the Merrimack (our spot of choice) north as far as the next river. This turned out to be about 5 miles -- longer than I'd planned, but fair enough, and easy not to get lost. It was a bit later than I'd planned, too, as we left home late due to work email. Two hour plus drive, so it was 1 p.m. when I jogged off, in very full sun, but not too hot (mid-80s), and with a nice sea-breeze.

Out along the road exit of the reservation (stopping at one mile to stretch), then down to Salisbury Beach, under the pier, and off north. Mainly firm sand, and managed to stay just above the waves (beach very crowded due to high tide) except at one spot. Pace was quick for some reason, and I stopped once I reached the rocks at the next river. Then back via roads, simply for the change and to avoid the crowds on the beach. Feeling a bit tired/sore at that point, but plugged on; back into the reservation and stopped clock there. Stretched again, then jogged gently back the last mile and a half, for these results:

Time: 1:06:53 + 10:06
Distance: 9.02 miles + 1.23 miles
Pace: 7:25s and slower

Comments: somehow felt like a bit more pace today, though it made for a different kind of soreness a the end. Had no water bottle, which was unfortunate, but had good water right before and after the run. Double digits, so only need single digits tomorrow. Nice!

MDay -27 -- Mon. Aug 24

Schedule says rest day, and I'm happily going to take it.

ETA -- got out for a 13 mile bike ride, varied pace and mainly trails. Nice for a change!

MDay -28 -- Sun. Aug. 23

Four weeks to go! Feeling sleepy after an early starts, so really needed company today. Good crowd at DnD, all milling outside for some reason: Jay (running again now), Bill, Andy, Amy, Steve L., John, Savanna, and another college student 女性 from Smith ex-BHS (with a wrist in a cast--keen cyclist, apparently). Add me and almost double digit turnout (well, include Yarrow and you get 10!).

Various distances planned; I wanted 12, but Bill said 13, so I agreed, but begged off Barton hill (tendons too sore). Rail trail start, good pace with Steve and Andy up front. All the way to the end, then Bill and I headed up MSears while the others did 181. Up past the orchards, out onto 9, then left along to Enfield: up there to Allen, and down there to 202, then straight back down to cross 9 and head up into town. Mileage was a bit more than planned, and Bill picked up pace as we headed up the hill; tough but I got into it, and then I was towing him as we got to Jackson, which we went down to Howard, then along and through the underpass to get back to start at just over 14 miles with a strong finish:

Time: 1:50:57
Distance: 14.11 miles
Pace: 7:52s

Comment: Bill's reaction? "Steve, you're ready for that marathon." Most encouraging, as I'm pretty knackered all the time right now, but he says that's normal. He also agreed to accompany on my last long run, the only 20 miler I've got time for. I'd planned Thursday, but I'm happy to move it to next Sat. to get his company and expertise. And then, the taper begins...

MDay -29 -- Sat. Aug. 22

Another dead muggy day after an airless night, so slow starting; it was almost 11 a.m. when I set off for the scheduled 12 miler (down from 15 after I added up mileage for the week and found I was ahead -- phew!). Headed down the railtrail (with bugspray on), with a stretch session at the one mile mark, crossing Jackson. Lots of puddles, but good surface, not cloggy; turned left at Jabish canal, upstream towards 181--very peaceful. Right at 181, to Cordner; then up to Sabin, right past yellow house and Cold Spring to MSears, along to 181 again, and then cross to rail trail, to follow it home from there, stopping clock on Jackson before walking up the trail to the development:

Time: 1:37:21
Distance: 12.34 miles
Pace: 7:53s

Comment: pace was not bad considering terrain, etc. I wasn't pushing, but aimed at a negative split, which I got, given the early miles being 8:00s. Pretty tired at the end; nothing specific, just sort of generally. Added it all up and found the week's mileage was a new PB, 56.04. One more big week to go before the taper...

MDay -30 -- Fri. Aug. 21

Switch to morning so I'm ready for weekend: schedule said 45 min. tempo run for 8 miles: feeling very stiff and a bit sore, but game for the 8 mile bit. Head off just after 10, airless muggy day, sunny too, so aim for shade. To GeoHannum and into rail trail, then stop on Jackson to stretch. No GPS device, left it at work, so time with cell phone. Start stopwatch after stretches: on to Howard, then back into rail trail, along to underpass, and then switch to Jabish Canal heading to 21. No sense of time, and not aiming to push here; keep it steady as far as the road, then slowly open up a bit. Sun was tough (no sunscreen), but better once I'm on OldSpfld; decide to take the shorter way home, not via school but back on trail, and push through on to Howard and then stop clock just by Stone Soup farm. Jogged home (tree down on rail line! -- call in to DPW), then calculated distance on web. Details:

Time: 9 + 1:06:40
Distance: 1 + 8.75 miles
Pace: 9 & 7:37s

Comment: after a very gentle start, I must have picked up pace quite a bit. Given how much trail there was, I think the last couple of miles came close to tempo. So, okay for now. One more run for the week, and I should be back at full mileage again.

MDay -31 -- Thu. Aug. 20

Brought Friday's schedule forward (so we could go and see Ponyo!), so REST DAY.

MDay -32 -- Wed. Aug. 19

Revised schedule a bit to compensate for the biking interval, so today called for an easy long run of 13 miles. I ended up mis-remembering the toughness of Gulf hill, so easy is not what it felt like, but the pace was reasonable, at least. Went out just before 7 p.m., the heat not so intense but muggy as ever. Rather than face the uphill on 202, I went out to 9 and then along to Federal, down the hill towards Gulf that way. Took a small part of the rail trail from Cheryl Circle to Federal, then started on the long uphill. Gulf all the way, veering left on to NGulf and round to Packardville, then take a right back towards Meads Corner. The uphill was tough, but I kept it steady, worrying a bit about achilles tendon wear. Startled a snake (who then startled the heck out of me!) midway across the pond causeway, and another even bigger one further on; running out of water by the time I got to 202, and feeling hungry (should have eaten before going out for more than double digits). Downhill helps: pick up pace a bit, aiming to end up with a decent negative split. Head back via VFW road, and come to 13.1 just by the supermarket:

Time: 1:43:49
Distance: 13.11 miles
Pace: 7:55s

Comment: Felt pretty hard at the end, as I'd pushed a bit to go from a first half at about 8:10s to the eventual overall average of 7:55s. Still, the mileage is good, and the hills were an unplanned bonus.

MDay -33 -- Tue. Aug. 18

Missed a chance at a morning run, so out after work, having arrived home in good time. Well over 90° F today, and pretty muggy. Aim for double digits, but not sure how I'll hold up (heat making me feel pretty washed out). Decide on a rail trail start, so out to GeoHannum, enter the trail (following a motocross bike, judging by trail and smell). Along to Jackson; stretches, then Howard and back to trail, all along as far as the underpass. Dry rough going, and not pushing it; goal is slow M-pace (7:40s or so). Cross road and head off trail and up Jabish Canal path to 181, then right along to Cordner, up (steep) to Sabin and left along to 9. At that point approx 7 miles done, so no need for an Enfield loop; instead, turn left on to Jabish, start up hill, then do Johnson + Jensen loop, with the run around the baseball field added in, and up to common, along and down 202 to 9 and home. Stop clock after 11 miles has gone by, just after the supermarket:

Time: 1:24:44
Distance: 11.15
Pace: 7:36s

Comment: felt pretty steady the whole way, a good pace in varied terrain and with some short but real hills thrown in. After 10 miles let rip on the way from town common, clocking a 6:20 over mile 11 -- useful to stretch out a bit there. Beginning to feel back on track, but so little time left...

MDay -34 -- Mon. Aug. 17

Rest day; missed a chance at biking as I got home from work too late for light.

Not many days now, arg!!

MDay -35 -- Sun. August 16

New week, back onto the training schedule -- FIVE WEEKS left, arg! 何とかなるけど。

Missed SRRC meeting again. Instead, found myself in Delmar, so planned out a route using the old railway trail, hoping that it'd been fixed up since I last biked it. It was just after noon by the time I could get out, having driven up in the a.m., so I took water and had sunscreen on; aiming for 9 miles.

Back streets to the trail, stretch a bit, then off along the ballast-gravel surface (a bit hard on my thin trail shoes), enjoying the slight down gradient and feeling hot but ready to go with it (not pushing pace). After about three miles reach *that bridge* -- alas, more or less unreconstructed. Someone had bolted together the 3-4 loose ties in the open section mid-bridge, but there were still the other two open sections as well as the slightly crumbly sleepers right across. Ouf. Didn't want to risk pausing to think, or look down, just headed right out with careful steps. Very scary, but made it across w/o incident, inshallah, and kept right on going. Phew!

Trail ends up at railyard by SoPearl street, where I couldn't figure a way out: stopped clock and found a playground next to the yard, so with help of trees climbed the 8' chainlink fence and jumped down the other side. Threw water bottle, and it disappeared (temporarily) down a rabbit hole! Banged forearm on something in a heavy landing, but mainly okay. Out of the playground, then along road to McCarty Ave: up the hill and straight across until it intersects with Delaware. VERY hot, and running low on water, plus feeling the sun on bits I'd forgotten to protect. Mmmf.

Back along Delaware, then dive down into glorious shade on the yellow brick road. Down to the river, cross the old bridge and up the other side back to Delaware, seriously looking for water now. Icecream stand has an outside fountain, so stop there to drink and refill bottle, promising to go back later and buy icecream (which I did, with kids :-).

After that, simple run on back streets to home from home. Miss the turnoff near the end, and kind gardener sprays me with hose -- 快適！ Data:

Time: 1:17:25
Distance: 9.69 miles
Pace: 7:59s

Comment: this was *hot* and I was roasted by the end -- still, the running felt good, interesting if difficult terrain in places. Achilles tendon a bit sore, but planning a day off tomorrow after three days on. Good start to the week, I think

MDay -36 -- Sat. August 15

Hot again today, so out as soon as I manage to wake up and clear the decks, around 10. Good shade in places, but hot and bright too: aim for a medium length, on the Eskett/Rural figure of 8 route. Do the shortest option: GeoHannum, Boardman, Eskett, 202, Boardman, Rural, and GeoHannum. To get 7 miles in run all the way back to development, ending up thus:

Time: 54:07
Distance: 7.08 miles
Pace: 7:38s

Comment: pretty even pace throughout, treating this as a stiffer version of an "easy" mileage run (though I think this is going to be my marathon target pace, 7:40s). Brings me to about 33 for the week, which is not awful, but still leaves me a lot to do to get back on to a schedule. Long run tomorrow, in Delmar.

MDay -37 -- Fri. August 14

Dreamt last night that I missed the marathon; just wasn't ready, and couldn't get there. Ouf. Well, mileage was job one today, so once I woke up properly (night disturbed by sick dog; cleaning up and walking her between 5 and 6 a.m. was not helpful, so I crashed again until nearly 9. Out by 11 for an Enfield: very hot day after a cool night, so shade was important. Started on Hamilton, then over Allen (gently), aiming to do 5 miles warmup before looking for a pace; left on Enfield down to the water and round that trail before returning; notice slightly better distance at the 1 hour mark than on the Wed. run. Up Jabish partway, left onto Johnson and then back up Jensen; run round the baseball fields too, then up to common and all the way down 202 and home the usual way, running until 10 miles comes up, then stopping in shade at bottom of Greenwich. Walk and jog through the development home after that.

Time: 1:19:01 (sic! what are the odds of that, two runs in a row?)
Distance: 10. 11 miles
Pace: 7:49s

Comment: didn't feel so good at first, but again, at 5 miles it picked up a bit; also, this run consdierably more hilly than Wednesday's. Coming down 202 I was in the flow, and mile 10 was comfortably sub-7, though that was the only one.

MDay -38 -- Thur. August 13

Very busy day, and just ran out of time for a planned evening outing (ended up at ABC with Dave H instead, our once in a blue moon get together). So call this an R&R day.

MDay -39 -- Wed. August 12

Determined to get some miles on the clock, and feeling a bit more like running again. Out late, after 9, for a Bagg Hill run, but in reverse for a change: GeoHannum all the way to Stebbins, then left out to 202, across and all the way to the Chicopee Rd junction, then back over Bagg Hill and across 202 to Boardman. Slow start, planning to make second half a shade quicker: pace in mid 8:00s is plenty for me right now: five miles in 40+. Find at mile 6 I'm still running at that pace, but then finally feel loosened up and pick up to mid 7:00s, ending up with a fair negative split, thus:

Time: 1:19:01
Distance: 10.03
Pace: 7:53s

Comment: for a mainly flattish course that's a slow pace, but what I needed, and I did feel like I was actually running for the last 4 miles. Stopped clock at railway, then slowly jogged home.

MDay -40 -- Tue. August 11

Sore, busy and tired. Still needing time to recover from the biking, so a rest day.

MDay-41 -- Mon. August 10

Back to an improvised recovery schedule: start easy with a five miler. Rural loop, stretching at Boardman/GeoHannum junction. Stop clock once 5 miles comes up, and then jog most of a mile home.

Time: 39:27
Distance: 5.1 miles
Pace: 7:45s

Comment: Feels a bit weird to run again, but not too bad. Very slow, still under the weather I suspect, not just tired. Ouf. Getting a bit worried about whether I'll be ready . . .

MDay-42 -- Sun. August 9

Definitely a rest day, trying to recover from the bike trip.

MDay-50 through -43 -- Vacation Week

BIKE TRIP from August 1st through August 8th. 120 miles, then 25+, 25+, 25+, then 95, 95, 85, 100.
Very tired and sore at the end -- still ailing a bit from whatever biorhythm low or virus was getting me last week, but a good trip in many ways.

MDay-51 -- Fri. July 31

Last day before the bike trip, and schedule says I've still got a lot of miles to do for the goal: being realistic, aim for a gentle 6-8 miler. Out in reasonable weather, on to 9 and to Tilton's, down Federal and past the lake looking amazing, then Metacomet and back up Bay to Hamilton and cross to Jackson to loop round Stone Soup farm and then home, thus:

Time: 51:08
Distance: 6.79
Pace: 7:32s

Comment: this was a fairly easy-feeling pace, but the rest day helped keep me moving well. End the week with 42 or so miles, instead of the 55 planned. Ouf.

MDay-52 -- Thu. July 30

Considered a short run, but really too tired, so take a rest day instead.