MHM -82/evening twelve-- Tue. July 20

Late start again, not home till 8 pm. Weather seems less bug-supportive than normal, so w/ flashlight & water head for railtrail straight from development, then through state school and past DnD though BHS (back way) to OldSpfld, then rejoin railtrail down to NoWash and head down, crossing Bardwell all the way to Barrett; across to NoLib and head back up towards town: go all the way, right up into town center and down 202 to 9, then stop clock when I reach the supermarket, thus:

Time: 1:30:45
Distance: 12.29 miles
Pace: 7:23s

Comment: slow start (8:10) and keep it steady, aiming for sub-7:30s once I'm warmed up (after 5 miles). Final mile is easiest, a sub-7, just. Sore ankles all round, but felt pretty good overall. A marathon pace run, I was thinking.

MHM -83/trackwork -- Mon. July 19

Worried about achilles most of the day, but seem more or less safe by the time I get home, and decide to play it safe with a track session. Clouding up, but head off via GeoHannum, Jackson, and state school to get some warmup miles in: go very gently, 2.67 miles at 8:10 pace. Then stretch at track, just as rain starts to come down. Goal is 20 laps, 5 miles, running constantly a bit wide to make sure the miles are good. Rain gets heavier, along with thunder and lightning -- keep ear out for how far away it is, as I feel a bit exposed. Get through first three miles and I'm already soaked (running sans top, which starts to get a bit cooler than planned...). Decide to slosh on anyhow, with track now heavily puddled and [road] shoes v. full of water. Keep pace even, with only the last couple of laps a bit faster, then pick up clock (which I'd left running by the track) and get a drink and finish PB sandwich before heading home the way I'd come -- goal was to complete 10 miles, which was accomplished as I passed AustinG. Rain of course stopping by this point...

Time: 1:16:18
Distance: 10.18 miles
Pace: 7:30s

Comment: despite feeling slow most of the time, the track work must have been solid, 7:20s or so, given the average time overall. N.B. the digivice recorded NONE of the track miles, as I wasn't carrying it -- it should show 5.18 miles, and the same time.

MHM -84/Bikeride -- Sun. July 18

Just too tired after a busy social Saturday to get up in time for 8:00, so ended up skipping SRRC run (ouf!). Not feeling very brilliant, either, after an afternoon in the office (left achilles v. sore), so opted for bike ride instead. AImed for another stretch of the powerline trails, hoping for less abrupt hills and some good clear trails. GeoHannum > Jackson > state school > rail trail behind Checkers; all the way down to 181 > Michael Sears > Bardwell > South > Railroad > entry point to the powerline trail. Made good time getting down there, and then slogged along the trail -- with some wet/muddy patches -- across SoLib and on through a cool gorge cut for a rail line to the intersection with South street -- but then a dead end. Carry bike up onto road, and look around for a way ahead, but nothing, so decide to head back (not v. sure where I am): up South to SoWash, up across West, then across Bardwell to NoWash, then take the trail on left in through woods to join Jabish canal; follow that back up to rejoin NoWash at the underpass, and up road from there all the way to town center, then home again via 202 and 9.

BikeRide = 19.67 miles in 1:26:00 @ 13.7 mph.

Comment: exhilarating as ever, and a good bit muddy. Short, but still a useful workout.

MHM -85/closeout -- Sat. July 17

Very much in my mind was getting to the week's mileage: had to run a.m., on the heels of last night's late run, and it's been a long week. But with the trip coming up soon there's no time to slack off. So, out with no route in mind but knowing I need 11.3 miles to hit 55. Head down to water plant, do moderate stretch session, then up trails to Underwood (jumping over new concrete barriers at the trail exit) and to 202, then right all the way to Barton: up the big hill, to Oak Ridge, steady and trying to stay in shade, then to Summit and back down to 202 that way; right and up to Underwood again, through back to GeoHannum, but need more miles, so add a Hamilton 5K from there, feeling pretty tired by this point. Pick up from the exit from Allen to 9, and make good pace along 9, running all the way to Greenwich to get this:

Time: 1:25:58
Distance: 11.36 miles
Pace: 7:34s

Comment: started slow, with both achilles tendons just sore, and feeling very end of week. But some good moments too, and I've only got a 10 miler to do tomorrow. Barefooted the last bit home again, after stopping clock; hope this is helping something too.

MHM -86/shortie -- Fri. July 16

Home later than usual, on another hot and muggy day (broken by a spectacular thunderstorm for a few tens of minutes). Head out for a donut run, as I've got 18+ miles to do for the week. Down to water plant, but too buggy to stop, so roll on down GeoHannum all the way to Rural, then round to Boardman and go right to 202, p to Eskett, back to Boardman and then homewards, running right up to the development-- steady pace all the way:

Time: 53:02
Distance: 7.03 miles
Pace: 7:33s

Comment: this makes tomorrow easier, but man it's muggy--just dripping all over, even after a short run. Didn't carry water, drank before and after -- worked out okay, but 7 miles is probably the furthest I'd be happy with that way.

MHM -87/late ten -- Thu. July 15

Exam (by Skype) in morning, so an evening outing, starting a bit late (very tired from the long day before w/ the drive and all). Muggy if not exactly hot-hot; head out for a simple Baggs lane run w/ variation, thus: GeoHannum (stretch briefly, but too buggy to stay) - Boardman - Eskett - 202 - Chicopee - School - back across 202 (choking/retching on inhaled bugs as I go) to GeoHannum - Rural - Boardman and up to home. Start easy (7:40s) and only after 5 miles loosen up a bit and move for 7:30 average; after getting that for the first hour, nudge pace up despite the uphills and end up thus, stopping clock at AustinG:

Time: 1:15:52
Distance: 10.31 miles
Pace: 7:22s

Comment: satisfying, after a slow start, to get this pace without any real tempo attempt. One of the remaining two runs of the week will have tempo or track in it.

MHM -88/Gulf -- Wed. July 14

Felt like a challenge after the rest day, and went out early as I had to drive to Troy later in day. Out before 8 a.m. for a basic Gulf hill route, but start via Hamilton (F had done a 5K plus even earlier). GeoHannum-Hamilton-Allen-9-Federal, all the way to the turn back across 9 to go up Gulf. Keep pace easy, starting with 8:10s, and after getting stride, slow down again as necessary on the uphill, which feels steeper than I remember! Out at the top and pick up a bit along Packardville and the big pond, then down Gold to Munsell, and start to open up a bit. Miles 10, 11, 12 and 13 all sub-7:00s, if only just, and admittedly with a hill assist, as I stride down 202 to VFW and then in towards home. Totals:

Time: 1:41:12
Distance: 13.12 miles
Pace: 7:43

Comment: aiming to conserve energy on this one, with the drive ahead, so the overall pace was pretty gentle, but good value with the longish stretch at the end, and the hill climb was good method if not toughness practice. Second half marathon distance this week. As is becoming habit, did final stretch after stopping clock with no shoes.

MHM -89/Rest -- Tue. July 13

Both busy and tired -- the bike ride felt good, but I guess it took it out of me. That and this weather.

MHM -90/Bikeride -- Mon. July 12

Head out after getting home at 6:15 and eating a bit; aim for Puffer's Pond, but not to swim (don't want to take backpack). Try hilly route out: round DB mart to 202, all the way up to Packardville, then along all the way to Pelham Rd, but cross right over into Mtghouse Rd and back along to Pelham center, then into Amherst, going right at lights up to Strong, then across to EPleasant, along to the end, and then to the pond. Stop for a wade in the rather warm water, then back round pond to the trail leading to MIll River rec area and H.O.T.; down to UMA and through campus (stopping at gym to refill water), then take bike trail to DnD at BigY and get a gatorade; then rail trail home, with light fading but otherwise no problems. Up Orchard and Federal for last sections, feeling pretty good to the end.

Bikeride = 30.25 miles in 2:01 @ 15 mph.

Comment: plenty of uphill -- total of 1100+ feet, apparently, and same descent, concentrated into the outbound part of the route. Definitely slower and thirstier on the second part, but not worn out. Good step up, I think, though this is probably about as long as I can afford for a regular exercise session...

MHM -91/longish -- Sun. July 11

Missed SRRC group as I was taking kids to train for Hartford, but 仕方がない。 Ended up going out after a ton of housework, so already quite warm; started steady, easy pace, but aimed to work up to 7:30s for first hour, and then see what I felt like. Decided to do a reverse of a longer run I did in Boston training (specifically on Feb 18 this year), a loop with Dufresne park as turn around. Out on GeoHannum, all the way to Stebbins, then along to Batchelor and stick with that to the fork at the end. Running after 4 p.m., so not worried about sunburn, but still pretty hot and v. muggy. Also girls phoned several times as I ran, after finding problems with return tix (fortunately I didn't have to do anything in the end). After Batchelor, on to North, then Lyman, coming out onto 202, then across into Dufresne park, looking for water. Stop briefly, disturbing some dope-smoking kids in the shelter there, but no water, so make do with what's left. On along Kendall, on route of Granby 10K, then back to Chicopee and cross 202 again to Boardman, and so back to GeoHannum. Route is a bit short, so up Jackson to the farm and loop around there, then back down to rejoin GeoHannum and stop clock in shade before tunnel, thus:

Time: 1:38:35
Distance: 13.24 miles
Pace: 7:27s

Comment: did this in Feb. bit longer (full 14 miles) and a hair faster, but this was good for a hot day with the 16 miler just two days earlier. Achilles tendons both pretty sore after this, so no run planned for Monday.

MHM -92/Donut+ -- Sat. July 10

Wanting to complete the mileage goal for the week, even though I still felt pretty tired from yesterday, headed out for a basic Rural on a hot afternoon (morning spent driving to Hartford and back). Down GeoHannum all the way to Rural, then along to Boardman, and head back: aiming to go to 6 miles, deviate onto Jackson for a bit, to the DPW site, then turn around and all the way home, thus:

Time: 43:47
Distance: 6.11 miles
Pace: 7:10s

Comment: effectively a donut run, and though I was a bit sore managed to increase pace a bit after first few miles, with a sub-7 on the more uphill section near the end; also, kept clock running through all the uphills, so pace is solid. There endeth a tough week!

MHM -93/long one -- Fri. July 9

Another hot one, and a concatenation of circumstances meant I was running at midday. Busy in early a.m., and on call starting early p.m., so I ended up going out at 11:15 or so hoping for shade in the trails. The temps were down from earlier in the week, and there was a touch of drith in the breeze, so, carrying a very large bottle (1.5 pints) of water, I headed to GeoHannum, down to enter railtrail, and thus to state school to stretch. Then off on a 14 miler or so (I thought) down to the Swift River. Rail trail again, despite some deer fly trouble, stuck with it to the end at 181, then along in the full sunshine to get to MSears--pretty darned hot. Mainly shade on MSears, to Bardwell, and down to Keyes, then part old trail to get to Bondsville (end up in factory yard where old trail went), and cross on to the river trail. Hot enough that shirt is wet, and so now sore nipples become a problem, and yes, deerflies again on the trail. Less breeze here, so they're worse, and it's a long slog by the river there -- finally get out at the other end vaulting barrier and dashing between two grockels to reach Cold Spring road: want to take shirt off to relieve nipple chafe, but even more worried about sunburn. Also water supply is not going to last. . .
Make it up the hill, all the while at a gentle LD pace, and reach the fork w/ Sabin, ready to call a halt as I'm close to the 13 miles, but with a long way to go--then inspired to look at the UMass annex for water. Stop clock, with 12.24 miles in 1:35:35 @ 7:49s, and manage to find water cooler in (unstaffed) store. Refill and brave the sun again, restarting clock. Out on to 9 and home that way, occasionally stopping to get shade; eventually just call it a day, at the MacDonalds, and call R to ask him to bring supplies on bike to meet me. He's not answering, but try again as I hit Quabbin stores, and he answers. Final stretch of running was 35 mins and 4.32 miles, but it was really a sort of cooldown run: combine with the main thus:

Time: 2:10:35
Distance: 16.56 miles
Pace: 7:53s

Comment: well, that's my long run for the week, a bit unexpectedly -- managed to avoid sunburn, but nipples are too sore to wear a shirt Saturday (wonder if there's an elegant solution for this--there's other chafing too that's coming back after a hot muggy week such as we've had...). The running felt okay, apart from that, so overall a success. R coming along with fresh water and a power bar really helped too -- that makes it a 4 pint run!

MHM -94/REST DAY

Too tired and hot to do anything today, and my right ankle outer is sore--foot seems bruised a bit too. So, a day off, and I'll do my remaining 22 miles on Friday and Sat. -- morning Fri. @ 9-10, and then a longer one on Sat., I hope.

MHM -95/Late eight -- Wed. July 7 七夕

Even muggier, somehow, if not technically as hot (hit 97 I think today); feeling a bit slow, headed out for a figure of eight off Boardman, starting very late, after 9, so carrying flashlight as well as reflective and water. Took it slowly, so didn't stop to stretch: Boardman all the way, feeling tired and hungry; came out to 202 and decided to go right, along to School, then headed back in towards GeoHannum--starting to feel a bit better after 4+ miles. At GeoHannum, in as far as Rural, then head through back to Boardman and home from there, with 8+ miles as target. Run as far as AustinG, plus a bit, before stopping clock:

Time: 1:04:06
Distance: 8.4 miles
Pace: 7:38s

Comment: knackered, just completely. Yesterday's run took more out of me than I thought, and two days in this heat haze hasn't helped. Twisted right ankle on a pothole in Boardman near stream. Hopefully not long-lasting...

MHM -96/evening eleven -- Tue. July 6

Temp. hit 100 deg. today, and it was muggy too, but by the time I got home it was a bit more bearable. Headed out pretty late, after 8, as the sun was really setting. Reverse Gulf: out via VFW to 202, then straight up (stretching briefly by the main road) all the way to Gold, in and then up to Knight's pond, getting twilit now but still mainly bugsafe on the road; along feeling slick but comfortable to Gulf, and down the hill -- passing two other guys running up as I headed down. In trail shoes, stepping gently; keep pace easy all the way. Cross 9, still feeling good, and start up Federal; realise I'll hit 12 before home, though goal is only 11. Straight along to rejoin 202 at Tilton's, just enough water left for a swig at the Roadhouse, then home stretch. Stop clock by the supermarket, then go barefoot from there to home. Clock:

Time: 1:28:24
Distance: 11.76 miles
Pace: 7:31s

Comment: given the hill range, and the heat, I'm happy enough with that as a stamina run. Ouf! Also, three time jerks in cars made noises as they drove by -- wimps who need real problems, I guess. Nice, though, was heading into twilight carrying no flashlight (had my reflective vest, however) and enjoying the fireflies at the road's edges all through.

MHM -97/Bikeride -- Mon. July 5

Thanks to my carelessness (didn't notice that it was preregistration only, pick up chips day before), F and I missed out on the Pittsfield 5K; stayed home and did chores instead, then work in p.m., and came home for a bike ride in the evening. Out by 7:20, with a water bottle, and head for the powerlines to see what the trails are like there. Geohannum to Boardman, then cross 202 and enter powerlines there, just a hundred yards from Boardman. Follow straight along til it hits Carver/Rockrimmon, then continue all the way till it diverts into a park (Facing Rock) by the transformer station next to Springfield Res. Find my way out to 21, then up to Old Spfld, in and along to BHS, where I get a drink at the track, then home. So,

Bikeride = 19.03 miles in 1:39 @ 5:12s

Comment: the road portion of this was much faster than the trail: reasons being the insane hilliness and rockiness of the trail, plus mud flats/overgrown puddles and *damned* deerflies. Man, they got me good: face, arms, neck, back, and in my eyes and mind increasingly as I struggled up the hills at a crawl. Bike and shoes mud covered, and frogs scattered everywhere in my wake (didn't run any over, I think, though they squealed plenty!) -- *so* glad to get out into roads at the far side, by the time I go there. Still, I want to do it again -- it was a wearying workout, so satisfying. Good X-training

MHM -98/SRRC -- Sun. July 4

Planning a gentle 8, though game for more, I biked over to DnD to find only Nick there. Waited a bit (in case Rubi appeared), then headed out for a Jabish canal. Gentle pace, indeed, on railtrail to the underpass, then cross to canalside path and head down there, chatting plenty; when we hit 21, pause to stretch, then up 21 and along to OldSpfld, and back along to high school (revitalise flagging Nick w/ some red raspberries, and notice hazels or filberts growing too--to remember for fall!) then out to 202 and push for the end (Nick too), then go past a bit to get a full 8, thus:

Time: 1:06:25
Distance: 8.16 miles
Pace: 8:08s

Comment: a bit short and a bit slow, but it'll do -- aiming for 50 this week, so will need a couple of longer ones still. In the late afternoon, out for a swim at Puffer's pond: once across the narrow bit, for a total of about 250~300 meters. Tiring, but *good* exercise.

MHM -99/Dam dike dam -- Sat. July 3

Slow getting out, so it's 11 before I head to Quabbin (by car, giving F & R a ride en route). Hot and sunny, but still a dry breeze, fortunately. Park and do pushups but no stretches to speak of; start out gently, a bit creaky: cross dam, round and start up hill. Continue past tower turnoff, and on towards dike; all the fallen trees and debris cleared away, very nice conditions, with just enough shade. Not aiming high, but keep a decent pace, feeling a bit tired all the same (definitely accumulated tiredness); finally get to dike and go round under it and up (steep hill!) then back over dike and head back the same way. Passing the tower road again hold off a bit until the final mile, then start to push, and keep going across the dam to stop at the marker on the police station side:

Time: 1:20:16
Distance: 11.07 miles
Pace: 7:15s

Comment: There's 725' of climb and equal descent in this one; it's tiring. Two of the miles were over 8:00 as I climbed hills, but three were sub-7s, thanks to the downs, with the final mile (mostly flat) the fastest, 6:24. Good enough to complete this week, anyhoo. Then eat and sleep...

MHM -100/morning 7 -- Fri. July 2

Just couldn't get up early, so I'll have to start going to bed earlier. Looks like I need most of 8 hours abed, arg! Maybe it's transitory--but just in case, have to aim for 10:30 bed, or earlier, somehow. とにかく、I was sufficiently woken up by 9, with a nice cup of tea inside, to get out into a sunny but dry morning, very pleasant. Down to water plant to stretch, then off for a regular figure of eight route: to Boardman, out to 202, up to Eskett, round to Boardman and to Rural, then GeoHannum all the way home, stopping clock at AustinG field. Pace was surprisingly quick, against expectation and plans: maybe the bike ride helped (or the track workout). Didn't go to tempo feeling at any time, just ran comfortably, albeit feeling a bit sluggish over first 4-5 miles, but here's the data:

Time: 51:08
Distance: 7.26 miles
Pace: 7:03s

Comment: ran barefoot back from Greenwich, over the grass and then road. Slow but pleasant. Pace for the 7+ miles looks really good -- have to see how I feel for the longer run tomorrow (planning the 11 miler in the Quabbin I couldn't do last week).

MHM -101/Bike - Thu. July 1

A new month and only one race planned: just gotta keep building the base now. Missed a run chance in the morning, so made sure to get home from work with a bit of daylight left. Out on the bike with a route planned and a stopwatch (cellphone), which was partly successful: left at about 8:25, maybe a bit later, out on to 9, heading for Ware, all the way to the River Road turnoff (by the scrap car dealer). Stopped there (just over 17 minutes, 4.8 miles) to gawk at a nice 1954 Pontiac for $500 o.b.o. A bit rusted in places, generally in need of TLC and some minor parts, but apparently all original. Drool, briefly, and wonder who I can tell about it. Then on down River road, a new one to me; all the way to the Swift River bridge, then cross and up Cold Spring hill to Sabin, then out to 9. Stop there (39 minutes, 10.8 miles) to put back light on, but realise I don't have it. Ouf. Continue homewards on 9, carefully -- but forget to restart stopwatch, so mark time on return: 9:23. Working out the whole thing, I get

BIKED 14.15 miles in 58 mins @ 14.64 mph with 400' climb and equal descent.

Comment: the first 4.8 were pretty high intensity, overall, though no sprinting -- just didn't let up. Then kept it fairly solid the whole way. Definitely out of practice, and the climb felt like much more. . .

MHM -102/Track -- Wed. June 30

Missed chance to run in the morning--arg! busy work. But home in time to get a daylit run; had thought of biking, but not enough time for anything decent, so decided to do a track workout, sort of (and only aiming for a donut run, to get over 190 miles for the month of June). Drive to DnD (closed, alas) and then run easy pace to the BHS track via State school: 1.19 miles @ 9:19, then track time: 5 laps at moderate/easy pace, following another runner, who leaves track just as I transition to 4 laps at pace--this gives me a mile at 5:58--then aim to do 4 more laps to finish off, but on lap 4 go barefoot, and enjoy it so much I do two laps that way. Total 14 laps, and total distance/time, including the run from DnD, is (1.19miles + 5600m/3.48 miles) @ 33:04. Then, enjoying barefoot so much I stayed that way--but running pretty slowly, as unlike the track grass and roads are not v predictable. Went back directly to car, for a total of 0.81 miles @ 7:12, giving this grand total:

Time: 40:16
Distance: 5.48 miles
Pace: 7:21s

Comment: the barefoot was a delight (cool dew on the grass on the way back), and the track time was satisfying if not exactly fun. 5:58 for a timed mile is okay as a first marker. Next the two-miler, next week, I think.