SRRC (ish) -- Sun. Oct. 25

Head out to DnD a bit early, so do 0.6 of a mile to warm up, then in and wait for company. Bill arrives running, but no sign of anyone else (Andy not v. into running right now だって). So, we head out for a reverse Enfield, first through high school, then up into town, down Jabish and cross to head up Enfield--sunny, slightly chill wind, but we warmed up once out of the wind. Good pace up the hill after a v. gentle start; chatting all the way (about the Run Across Massachusetts 2010, inter alia), we also had to stop on Hamilton to return a stray dachshund (chubby and cheerful, quite cute), then we pushed on to Jackson and Howard, and under 202 to finish up (Bill added a tiny bit to round out the mile):

Time: 1:09:08
Distance: 8.89 miles
Pace: 7:46s

Comment: this was a good follow-up to yesterday, and I felt good (if sleepy at the end). This week, a couple more short ones, then the Monson Half!!

Rainy 8 -- Sat. Oct. 24

Yeah, another week without runs, and at least two flu cases at home, so I'm feeling like a good run outside today. Of course, it's raining too: showers, mainly but a couple of them pretty heavy. Fortunately it's not very cold (mid-50s?) so off in shorts and marathon jacket, and hat and gloves: head out to Hamilton, as if for a regular Enfield, but on crossing the bit of Allen between 9 and 202, head right along 202 back to 9, then left along to Enfield, so now I'm doing a reverse Enfield; come down Allen to 202, then head straight for home, powering along 202 to VFW and across as far as the supermarket, thus:

Time: 58:55
Distance: 8.08 miles
Pace: 7:17s

Comments: first 4 miles were in 31 minutes, so figuring I'd aim for 60 or so to get a negative split, but there were two fast miles (6:15 and 6:29), so a solid negative split. This is a useful course, for future use, I think. Pretty sore at the end, with definite threshhold running, but it felt good.

Peaked Mountain -- Sun. Oct. 18

Didn't manage to get out on Saturday, as Friday night was very late in the office, and I didn't want to impinge on freshness for this race. Unfortunately, the weather tanked: rain, chill breeze, and even eventually sleet. Still, much of this race is in the woods, and it wasn't bad. Lay in a bit, and headed out to Monson at about 9:15; got registered as soon as I arrived, then headed out for a warm-up. Left on Butler, for about 3/4 mile, then stretched and jogged back to find everyone lining up. Took jacket off and put shorts on, but kept long-sleeved fleece on top of t-shirt. Very small crowd again: took off after Mike T., keeping pace but not pushing, and a third guy was right there with me. We all took off up the hill and instantly I felt it: a bit more than I was ready for. Mike was not too far ahead, but gradually I wanted to fade, and chap behind came past. Then at the top I recovered quickly and pushed ahead of him and on the downhill (usual crazy swirl!) gained on Mike and caught him at the bottom. Then as we hit the road his pace was faster (sub 6:30?) and I let him go, but kept position. Stayed fine as we headed into the woods, but the terrain there tired me, and just before the lake I got confused re course, and stopped briefly, allowing chap behind to catch. He was feeling fresher, and he overhauled me in the final woods bit and headed after Mike; I was losing pace. Back on the road (grabbed a swig of water, as despite the rain I needed it) I kept them in sight as #2 gained on #1. I wasn't in contention, but tried to keep pace up. Ended up solidly in third, just matching my pace from two years ago:

Time: 31:50 (digivice)
Distance: 4.5 miles (digivice)
Pace: 7:04s

Comments: Official distance was 4.4 miles, but time is probably right to within a second or two. Given the conditions it's not bad, but I'd like next year to really attack this course. Maybe.
Distance: I also did 1.5 miles before and 2 miles after, gently, so total of 8 miles.

[Backpost] Thu. Oct. 15

Repeat of the course I ran on Monday, a bit later in the evening and raining lightly, pretty chilly. A tiny bit further as I looped further round on Stebbins, but I was feeling stiff after Monday, so the pace was a bit slower overall:

Time: 1:00:42
Distance: 8.06 miles
Pace: 7:32s

Comment: Again a couple of sub-7:00s, and this time I ran without any stops at all. Hopefully this will keep building to my refamiliarisation with speed; felt the numbleg a little bit, as I sort of thought I might. I'm aiming to work through it before the Monson Half, I hope.

[Backpost] Mon. Oct. 12

Finally got out in the evening for a Rural loop, aiming at a tempo run. Started gently, though the downhill kept pace up; stopped and stretched at one mile, then on, picking up on mile 4, then pushing on 5 and 6; then stopping to take off one layer (it was a cold evening!) and run the two more miles home. Route was GeoHannum, Boardman, left on 202, left on Eskett, left on Boardman, then right onto Rural through to GeoHannum, left out to Stebbins, then back all the way home. Here's the overalls:

Time: 59:23
Distance: 8.04 miles
Pace: 7:23s

Comment: Two good sub-7:00s, so I'm happy with the speed here; also a negative split, after pushing on mile 7 as well. Feet and ankles sore afterwards, still. Hm. But little by little, as well as getting frequency back up, I'm hoping to keep picking up the pace. . .

[Backpost] Sat. Oct. 10

[Been so busy at work I've still not got back to regular running, but I'm hoping to break out of that soon. . .]

Saturday run after a week stuck indoors, so aimed long. I wanted to run Mechanic Street over this side of Norwottuck, and the round trip was going to be at least 14 miles, but I felt up to it. Took the shortest route, to 9 then down Bay all the way and along as far as Mechanic; then start up the hill, grabbing some autumn raspberries as I passed (handy!), finding the going tough but still good. Got a bit lost once well up in the woods, but eventually, with some doubling back, made it out on to Batchelor, then back along the usual way, elading to GeoHannum. Starting to feel pretty bushed as I approached, so stopped clock near Rural, then jogged on much more slowly towards home, eventually walking the last bit:

Times: 1:36:57 and 19:06
Distances: 12.25 miles and 2 miles
Paces: 7:55s and 9:33s

Comment: a bit of a bridge too far, this one. Live and learn. It being a holiday weekend, I could at least puch my Sunday run off to Monday.

Club run -- Sun. Oct. 4

Arrived at DnD to find Andy, Amy, and Jay: the former two dressed for biking (Amy with ongoing hip/groin strain, mending slowly, hence no running) and Jay still not running. Chat a while (first time I've seen them since the marathon), then since noone else had showed up, headed out solo. Trail run, puddles notwithstanding; all the way down to 181, not too hard, then back up road to Jabish Canal, heading in there to rejoin railtrail and back to start again:

Time: 1:09:49
Distance: 9.33 miles
Pace: 7:29s

Comment: looking at the details, this was a negative split, just a little, but that's good given that it's downhill on the outbound and uphill back. Felt pretty tired after day before, but this was a worthwhile run. Ankles still very prone to soreness and aches, sides as well as Achilles...

Midweek shortie -- Thu. Oct. 1

Pretty sore Monday and Tuesday, and busy, but Wed. evening thought I might manage a run--ended up arriving home way too late, so Thu. a.m. headed out before going in to work. Not much time and didn't want to risk geting tired, so only a Hamilton loop. Started out on trails to add some warm up: it wasn't mild, and I was in track pants and the Adirondack Marathon top. Came out onto Hamilton at the rail crossing, then along to Bay, down to Allen, up to 9, up along to Bay and down again to return by road all the way, thus:


Time: 33:20
Distance: 4.13 miles
Pace: 8:04s

Comment: worked for what it was, at least. The aim was to move gently, and hit 4 miles/30 mins. It's a (re)start.