SRRC long run - Sun. Nov. 28

Late again, this time as I had to move Alex's car as mine was boxed in. Found Ken and Bill there, so we set off--chilly, but no wind to speak of--and then discussed distance. Ken and I were planning 8-ish, but Bill was aiming for 16. Again, an interesting route (one we'd done at my prompt a while back, Jan. 10 this year in fact) so I couldn't resist. Ouf. All together along the rail trail to NoWash, keeping a very gentle pace; feeling okay. Cross Bardwell and down as far as Barrett, then across to NoLib where Ken heads back up to town. Bill and I move on steadily, to Bardwell and then river, then trail through the factory parking lot and across 181 to enter the main trail. Head along keeping a steady pace, chatting mostly; out on the other end and up the hill, both keeping pretty even, then choose Cold Spring along to Cordner, down to 181, then experiment: take the unknown left hoping to connect into the rail trail--it leads to Sports Haven Mobile Home Park, where we talk in passing to a couple of inhabitants who are ambiguous about the trail. Turns out the river blocking it is wide, somewhat deep, and iced on both sides. While I'm dithering, Bill just plunges in, so I follow: it gets to about knee height and then we're over and sloshing up the hill on the other side. Ice-bath awesome!! Rejoin main trail by Jabish canal, then along to rail trail and back to OldSpfld, then divert to come back through BHS to get to the 16 miles Bill wanted. I'd forgotten my GPS in the rush, but here's Bill's data:

Time: 2:18:57
Distance: 16.54 miles
Pace: 8:24s

Comment: Easy pace, but that was long; definitely tired afterwards, but happy to have worked out kinks from yesterday and started the week with good mileage. Sleep a couple of hours after getting home...

Talking Turkey - Sat. Nov. 27

Car-pooled with Ken (me driving), stopping for gas and DnD on the way. Get a bit turned around in Holyoke (again!) and end up approaching a different way, so drive right up to the Elks Lodge and park up there. Check in -- nice crowd as ever, say hi to Sri -- then head out for a warmup few miles around the reservoir. Ken, just back from Florida, is feeling the chill -- it's not quite as windy as last year, but still cold. We do just over a mile, then turn round after stretching, but there's only 9 minutes to go, so I leave Ken and book it back past the start to the car to change. Opt for shorts and t-shirt, but gloves and hat (nicely warm from racing back to the car!). At the gun, get a bit stuck in traffic, so go to the side and sprint up to the opening pack. Move up to behind Abby M but quickly realise she's going too fast for me: 5K pace, and I need to be conservative to avoid numbleg.

So drop back and find a useful pace, 6:15 for the first two miles. A bit risky, but feels right. Trying to stay with or ahead of another female runner (not familiar -- figure her for a traveller from eastern MA or NY), but eventually she gets away: my mile 3 is a tad slower, more of a 6:20+, though I keep her in sight. Then start to feel the wind as we repeat the opening section: hard work, and that mile is a 6:47. Now I'm with another female runner and a bigger guy, and they're teaming as we tussle. First they pass, then I pass, and I start to hear Mike L's distinctive cough -- the four of us are clustered for a bit, then I get a bit ahead again and look round to check it's him--say "Hi Mike" and find myself smiling and relaxing. Suddenly another gear, and though it's a mile and a half to go I open stride a bit, attacking the uphill slopes, and focus on the guy ahead. Mile 5 is another 6:15 or so, and then last mile and I start to push: finally reel in the guy ahead and go for the end, managing a sub-6:00 last mile as I pass him.

After crossing the line, dry heave, but it passes; all in all, feel pretty good really. Came in 41st, 9/191 in M40-49; pretty satisfying. Here's the data:

Time: 37:48 (GPS 37:50)
Distance: 6 miles (5.97)
Pace: 6:18s (6:20s)

Comment: Congratulated the 2nd place woman, as I was impressed by her run and we'd had a bit of a to and fro (though she was a bit "Who are you?"); then the woman who came in behind me, 3rd placer, who was as I suspected one of the locallyrun photographers! Very nice, and she was first in her age group: impressive. Sure enough she grabbed a camera and started working once she'd eaten. Ken came in a bit later (not so happy with his time, but it's his first go on this course), and I chatted with Mike L and Rich C, then headed off for a cooldown (though it was chilly enough that I grabbed my fleece first!) -- saw Rob L briefly (he too not so happy with his time, though of course it was *fast*) and then headed round the causeways a bit, before looping back to get in line for food. FABULOUS clam chowder, and a generous portion, plus other eats; chatted with Ken, then headed off home -- to do some chores, eat more, and then s l e e p for a couple of hours. Total mileage for the day = 11.14.

Base eight -- Fri. Nov. 26

Looking to get back to building a mileage base (even with two weeks of semester to go, might as well use this vacation week to get a jumpstart), so even with the Talking Turkey tomorrow I wanted to fit in 8 miles today. Tried a new variation on the local roads, moderately hilly: GeoHannum and rail trail to state school (stretch) then out past police station to 202, right to 21 and along as far as Turkey Hill, then right up Summit; down the other side to 202 and left as far as Boardman, then in as far as Rural, and home via GeoHannum. Damp, misty on the higher ground, but mild, though I kept hat on and multiple layers until the very end. Data:

Time: 1:06:14
Distance: 8.66 miles
Pace: 7:39s

Comment: slow start, aiming to avoid stress with the race tomorrow, but on the downhills it was easy to open up stride a bit. Hopefully this won't leave me too knackered for tomorrow -- I'm still a bit short on sleep. We'll see.

Morning shortie -- Thu. Nov. 25

Home too late and tired on Wed. to run, so out before the drive to Delmar for a quick one. Chilly, still ice on puddles; decide to mix it up a bit even on a short run: GeoHannum to rail trail to state school (stretch) then to Checkers and into rail trail again to OldSpfld, right to BHS (past the warm up for the Thanksgiving Day game, go Nick!-- said hi to his mother, in passing) and then cross 202 to enter the picnic trail, round past Wallace Pond to come out eventually back on GeoHannum, and then up homewards:

Time: 48:51
Distance: 6.21 miles
Pace: 7:52s

Comment: Felt much more fluid than I'd expected -- good after-effects of Sunday's long run. Then spent the rest of the day sitting, driving or eating; not so good, but it was a pleasantly social day.

SRRC long run -- Sun. Nov. 21

Showed up at DnD almost late (early start, but delayed at last minute by R breaking bottle in basement!) to find Bill, Andy, Amy, and Nick (Ken still in Florida). Bill immediately suggests 14 miles, and I think he's kidding-but no, and he's got a nice route planned, so I cave and join him. We all go together at first, along 202 to Howard, then up Jackson to common, back to 202 and down Jabish, then up old Enfield to Juckett. Andy, Amy and Nick turn around at gate at top of Juckett, and Bill and I go on: trail all the way to Gate 8 lane, then up to 202 and cross; head to Knight's Pond and down to Munsell, then back to 202 and straight along all the way to town center, then down Maple, under 202 and finish at DnD. Even longer than Bill planned:

Time: 1:58:54
Distance: 14.22
Pace: 8:22s

Comment: perfect day for it and a nice easy pace round an excellent route -- felt great once I was warmed up and am very glad I went along! Bill's GPS combined with mapmyrun to register 14.5 miles, but I'll take the shorter distance.

Evening shortie -- Sat. Nov. 20

After a crazy busy week at work (way too little sleep!) I spent the day in New Haven taking grads to book exhibits at Yale. Home by 7, so time for a quick run to make this a two run week. . . Chilly, clear and very moonlit evening, so head down to water plant to stretch, then along GeoHannum to Boardman, up Eskett to 202, down to Boardman and then all the way home. Hat, gloves, two layers and a windcheater, but shorts: temp. was probably 30 or so. Data:

Time: 54:09
Distance: 6.71 miles
Pace: 8:04s

Comment: gently done, feeling a bit stiff, but finally warmed up toward the end. Worried about bruised right heel (from a stone on bare feet the day before), but no problem in the end

Monson Memorial Classic half -- Sun. Nov. 14

Another beautiful day. After a rather boozy Sat. evening (guests over, with wine and then Galliano's), a feast of Indian-style marinated lamb, and a short night, I was maybe not in the best shape. But, what can you do? So, to Ken's by 10:30 and when Bill joined us we headed out. Arrived and picked up our registrations packs (nice shirts: black, technical), then with Ken to DnD so he can get a sandwich. Then we all headed out for a short warmup (just over a mile), then stretch some. Meet up with tons of people, including Landry, Dawn F, Mike L, Rich C, Billy R and others. Amble to the start and plan to go with Bill and Mike -- both of whom are first-timers on this course -- at 7:00s or so.

GO: take it steady, and all goes more or less according to plan for a while. The hills are just as tough as I remember them, but I'm able to keep close to Bill mostly, Mike too. *No* inclination to bust out and go faster: it's just too hard later in the race, that much I know. I have gatorade for energy, but I can still tank if I go too fast.

As we cross the main road, I catch up with Bill and advise him about the midpoint hill (Landry had pointed out the same). Joe F and a female runner in yellow also in the cluster at this point. More uphills, and we finally hit that left turn onto what used to be the unmetalled road -- sucking wind a bit there, and then my left shoelace comes undone. Stop quickly, and Mike, Joe and the woman runner all pass by. Ouf. Chase and slowly work back up to pass Joe, the female runner, and start to close on Mike. Before we complete the loop section pass Mike and aim for Bill. Feeling okay, and keen on moving up pace from the 6:57s we'd been doing up as far as 8 miles, aiming now for 6:40s or better. Is that a blister starting? But don't slow down...

On the steep downhill before we head back towards the main road, pass Bill who's in trouble with a sore back. Decide this is go time, and aim to keep the 6:30ish pace -- four more miles? Maybe...

But maybe not. As we start down the main road, mile 10 goes by and I start to feel hints of numbleg. Just hints, but I decide to let off a bit, and not challenge when just after mile 11 first one runner passed (thought it was Bill, and greeted him, but it turned out to be the woman) and then near mile 12 Mike did the same. Blister getting pretty sore, and I'm tired at this point, though rhythm is good and I think it was as much that they increased pace as my fading.

End up crossing the line pushing to keep time under 1:30, which was my overall goal; come in 23rd, pretty satisfying, a good bit ahead of chasers and faster than I've done this course before. Then headed out for a barefoot jog until Ken came in. Ended up with a total of about 15 miles, but here's the official data for the run:

Time: 1:29:35
Distance: 13.1 miles
Pace: 6:51s

Comment: most happy with the consistency and according-to-plan-ness of my splits. Here they are:

1~8 = 6:56, 6:57, 6:42, 6:57, 6:57, 6:56, 7:13 (mile 7, shoelace etc.), 6:42 (catching up, transition)
9~13 = 6:31, 6:33, 6:32; 6:48, 6:38

Funny thing is, I got a blister in the same spot last year. Hmm. Forgot everything at the post race (Bill recovered after a massage, fortunately) and enjoyed a big eat, followed by a long nap on getting home. Mission accomplished.

Pre-race shortie -- Sat. Nov. 13

With the Monson on Sunday, I wasn't up for a long or late run, but *desperately* wanted to get out for something of an excursion. So, after catching up a bit on sleep, then sort of waking self up with a chore o three, I headed out on a fantastic sunny, calm day (can't believe it's November!!) to do a local mainly road run. Down to Austin Gaugin, then into the trail through the Yamaha tunnel, through the crow-crowded woods (noisy protestations!) and along the fields to mad pheasant corner, where (at 1.2+ miles) I did stretches. Then continue by road along GeoHannum, Boardman, to Rural and then round to Stebbins before doubling back and heading homewards, stopping at the baseball field again:

Time: 54:37
Distance: 6.97 miles
Pace: 7:50s

Comment: I did a stretch of barefoot again at the end, gently; added maybe another 1/2 mile (I think I might have had the GPS running, but not sure). Felt pleasant enough physically, and I got properly warmed through. Still not enough miles to go into Monson hard, but at least I broke 20 this week.

Solo SRRC -- Sun. Nov. 7

Chilly windy day again, and distracted by R's efforts to teach us all poker, but off to DnD almost in time -- only to find nobody there. Okay. Wait a while, and almost head home to run from there, but then figure that maybe some folks might be out already (I was two minutes late), so run and check back later. Headed out for a reverse Jabish canal with a quick start: to rail trail (past crews working on the track) and at OldSpfld go right, all the way out to 21, then left and along as far as Bardwell; instead of joining canal immediately, go along Bardwell to NoWash, then up to the little trail on the left that connects back across the wetland to the canal. Forgot to bring GPS, so had phone as timer in car; seemed to have kept a steady pace that far, but heading up the canal was hard work, and I felt I slowed a bit. Up at the top, join rail trail and head back directly, running through as far as the car, stopping the clock. Later measured up on MapMyRun and got this:

Time: 1:02:31
Distance: 8.72
Pace: 7:10

Comment: wow, that was fast, given route and terrain. Running without a clock is supposed to make things a bit easier, slower -- and I was not aiming for pace at any stage, just keeping going. Quite cheering, actually. Still not close to ready for a distance race, so Monson Classic might be a strategy practice run and a social one...

Trail-ish Ten -- Sat. Nov. 6

*Failed* to get up in time for the Jack London 10K trail race in New Hampshire -- just not enough sleep this week, and getting home at 1 am after a l-o-n-g hard Friday to face a 6:30 am start = NOT a good idea. So I forfeited the entry fee ($20, alas) and slept in after turning off the alarm at 6. Found myself waking up only at 11 am, so probably a good idea not to have raced!

Headed out to run at 3 after doing some work. A chilly windy late autumn day, bright enough and dry though the ground was wet enough (quite a lot of rain this week). Decided on a mainly trail run, with Holland Glen in there somewhere: started down GeoHannum past the now-being-dug-up entry to the undiscovered country (grrr!): inspired to enter trail at Austin Gaugan field, and take the upper trail, stopping just before the descent after a mile or so to do stretches. Then down to head out on to Hamilton, but cross over and stay on the trail--rough encounter with a raspberry cane or two, then up Bay and up Allen, across 9 and up to the trail entry to follow the old town road in towards Holland Glen: make good progress, on lovely oak leaf strewn trails, and finally find my way into the blueblazed trail which eventually connects to the Holland Glen trail abut 1/3 of the way up. Then to the waterfall at the top, passing two young hikers coming down, and down the other side; out across 9 and trail all the way (running the right of way) as far as the town beach, then back to Metacomet as mileage was still too low to head home. Enjoyed the road stretch out on to Bay and up all the way to 9, then along to GeoHannum and run all the way past the development to hit 10 miles, thus:

Time: 1:21:56
Distance: 10.01 miles
Pace: 8:11s

Comments: after stopping at Greenwich, shoes off and barefoot home on grass and road: felt *good*! A bit bloodied from the bramble, but felt mainly pretty good. Still, I've definitely fallen off the base I built in the summer; too many weeks of running only Sat/Sun. Time to get building, as there are just 22 weeks until the next (Gansett) marathon -- that gives me 4 weeks of base running. Yo~sh!

SRRC run - Oct. 31

Out at 10 just in case any new runners might show up after the Monster Dash, but no. Bill and Landry had arranged to meet at 11 for a 13 miler, and Ken was doing similar, so I went back at 11 to join them. Double hill route, starting through BHS, along OldSpfld to cross 21 and then up Turkey Hill via RockRimmon, down to Summit road and left out onto 202; left and along to Barton, then up the same hill again from the other side now, and again down to Summit, then *right* this time to head back towards 21. Bill and Landry left us after the first climb, so it was just Ken and me, chatting as we went; finally along OldSpfld again, finishing up through BHS to get this result:

Time: 1:47:38
Distance: 13.24 miles
Pace: 8:08s

Comment: this was a good workout, with 666 feet total climb, in two big climbs. Felt okay, though I'm not as tanked up as I was a few weeks ago. . .

Clapp Memorial Monster Dash -- Oct. 30

After a late night at the office I wasn't exactly up with the lark, but I made it to the library by 9 to offer my help. Set up was all done, but Jennifer W found me a couple of jobs to do, including directing parking traffic. Nick D arrived in good time and we chatted a bit; then Ken, with family; plus lots of others -- a good turn out, over 100 runners and loads of kids for the mini-runs. Got someone to take over for me at traffic point, and headed off for a warm up. Got just over 1.5 miles in, then it was time to go (again nearly missed the start!). Joined F and R briefly, then headed to the front to join Bill: decided I was going to try and run with him for the first mile if I could, just to see what it felt like. . .

Yeah, not such a bright idea. On his shoulder after the first 50 yards, as we head from the library out to the common--no traffic control, so it's a bit interesting! --but then as we head to the other end of the common, it's just too much. Fade back on the corner and two highschoolers pass by; managed Bill's pace for about 1/4 of a mile. Ouf.

Once round the common, we head down Jabish, and I'm aiming to keep close, but as we pass the baseball fields, another guy (older, chap who'd groused about the start time being late; clearly a bit over keen) passes me (unwashed! why do people do that?!). That was the story, place wise, as I stayed in 5th the whole way through. Along Jensen I'm running out of energy, but baseline is solid enough. Overall, it's Bill and one of the HSers who're pulling away, the other three of us staying in relative place. Once we hit 181 at the cemetery, the uphill starts to affect the rear of the young lads, and guy in front of me and I start to gain on him. By the end, guy in front has passed him, and I've closed up, but no room to catch him before the end.

No sense of the overall time (digivice had run out of battery!), but Bill had indeed won with a sub-18:00 time. He and I then go back to meet family members: him, his mother, and me, R. Then run back up with R encouraging him as he flails in his melodramatic way, till he takes off like a rocket with about 400 yards to go~amazing! Then, true to form, he falls spectacularly in the leaves on the last corner. Such a joker -- he ends up just over 34 mins.

It was as very social and pleasant event, with nice eats and chats to finish up. When the results were finally posted, my time was pretty solid, all things considered:

Time: 19:23
Distance: 3.1 miles
Pace: 6:14s

Comments: The speed work was a bit of a shock, and left me sore the next couple of days. Overall, I covered 5 miles in about 38 minutes, so an easy day mileage-wise.