What happened to summer? (part 3)

For the most part, August & the first half of September have been uneventful.  With only 6 races, and 1 t-shirt, none of it has been anything outstanding.  My concentration has been on training for the half marathon in Montreal later this month.

The one t-shirt that I got was an interesting race; The Wilbraham Peach Sundae 5K.  Back in the day it was part of the Wilbraham Peach Festival, and was a 5 mile race.  Well, once again, the times are changing and the decided to make this a shorter race.  As I said, my concentration is on the half marathon, so that day I needed more miles. To pack in the miles, I did a 1.8 mile warm-up, and a 2.7 mile cool down.  Those two coupled with the 5K gave me 7.6 for the day.  Not too bad, and to top it off I ran the 5K in 24:08… my second fastest of the year.

As I ran in the “dog days of summer”, I kept telling myself that this will all pay off in the cooler weather of the New England Autumn.  Now it’s time to see if this philosophy is a good one.  If all goes right, I’d like to have a 1:55:00 to 1:58:00 in Montreal, but as long as I’m under 2:15:00 I won’t be upset.

Running is really secondary on this trip.  The main thing is that Brenda & I enjoy the vacation, and our 17^th Anniversary.  Right back to the same city where we spent our honeymoon.

What happened to summer? (Part 2)

July was the start of a new race series.  Granby, MA had a 5 week series of 3.1 mile cross country races to benefit the Granby Athletic Association.  In addition to the 5K, they also had kid races of 1 mile and 100 yards (depending on age).

An application was brought in to work, and I thought it would be fun to run a new course one week.  So, on the first night, I showed-up (along with 14 others) and ran.  What a nice (and tough) course.  Part of it was on grassy fields, and part was on horse trails in the woods.  This reminded me why I loved cross-country in high school.

The series was a points series, and with the way I liked the course, I had to come back for the next four weeks.  Persistence paid off.  I was able to win my division, and my friend Katie (who got me to run the series) was able to win her division also.

My next big event of summer was the Shipyard/Old Port HalfMarathon in Portland, Maine.  The weather was a little more humid than I would have liked, but the temperature was nearly perfect.  If everything went perfect, I was shooting for a 1:55:00.  My “satisfied” time was 2:10:00.

The way that they ran this race was a little different.  Two waves at the start.  Women first, and about 18 minutes later the men.  The split in time was based upon the median finish times of men and women in the half marathon according to a report by Running USA.  This would have been great except for the fact that they had a delay in getting a police car back to the start line to lead the men.  We ended up starting about 30 minutes behind, rather than 18.

The first three miles were way too fast for the pace I wanted (8:05, 8:11, and 8:15).  Either this was going to be a spectacular race, or I would pay later.  The course was relatively flat, and I continued to keep a good pace for the next two miles (8:41 & 8:46).  Still on pace to under 1:50. Miles 6 thru 9, I slowed a bit (9:03 to 9:34), but at mile 9, I was still on pace to a 1:55… then the wheels fell off.  I “BONKED” at about 9.25 miles.

The last four miles were just a matter of me keeping myself going forward, and staying under that 2:10.  As long as I met that goal, I’d be satisfied.  The last half mile, I was able to keep a slow jog without walking, and in the end I finished with a 2:07:28. Not my best of worst… just somewhere in between.

Along the way, I heard a phrase that I now try to keep in my mind, and use to help motivate some of my friend that may be afraid of running in a race out of fear of finishing last.  “Dead Last is better than Did Not Finish, which trumps Did Not Start”.  It’s not how fast of slow you are, It’s about the courage to try.

What happened to summer? (Part 1)

Wow, where the heck did the summer go?!?!?  The last entry to my blog was before the fourth of July, and that seems like it was just yesterday.  So, what have I been up to…

 The third of July was my first in a series of races this summer.  Some were big, some were small, some fast, some slow, each race that I run has its own uniqueness.  This one was the biggest of the summer. 

The Finish at the 50 is a relatively new race, and it's unique in the fact that you finish at the 50 yard line of Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA.  Home of the New England Patriots!!   It’s now in its third year, and this year they offered a 5K, as well as the 10K that’s been around since the beginning.  Last year, I ran the 10K, and I was doing the same this year, so I had a goal… beat last year’s time.  This year, they made a few changes, race time was at 6:30PM as opposed to 10:00AM, and with two races (both starting at the same time) there were twice the amount of people.  I had hoped that the temperature would be a little cooler, but not this time.  86 degrees at 6:30PM, and there was 50-70% humidity.  CRAP!

The race started, and unfortunately most beginner runners don’t realize that you don’t need to start in the front, unless you do a 6-minute mile or less. Now, I only run about a 7:30-8:30 myself, so I start mid pack.  This is especially true when they have pace signs posted.  The first mile sucked!  That’s about how long it took to weed out the slower runners (some of who were walking after less than ½ mile).

In the end, I had a minor amount of success, and finished about a minute ahead of last year.

Four days later, it was time for another 5K.  This one was in Holyoke, MA at the Ashley Reservoir.  This is one of my favorite running locations.  The Jonno Gray 5K is a first year race that was set –up in the memory of a local athlete that suddenly passed away this past winter from an undetected cardiac flaw.

What a difference a few days makes. Another evening race, but the weather was more cooperative this time.  I pushed as much as my body would let me, and the result was a season best 23:57.

When it all comes together...

Another two weeks gone, and what have I done?  Just set a new best time (as a master) in the 10K.

The race was on Fathers’ Day in Springfield, MA (with most of the course in Longmeadow).  It was the 34^th annual running of the JCC Fathers’ Day Race.  This was one of my favorite races back in the day.  This picture is from the same race back in 1982. (Yes, that's me in shape & with hair)

The morning was near perfect weather 55 degrees with about 70% humidity.  I love cool weather with a little humidity.  Usually when it’s like this, I don’t need a water stop for a 5K or 10K.  The race started, and I settled into a comfortable pace, I had a goal of breaking 8:00 per mile pace.  Mile 1, my time was 7:43 and I felt good.  Each mile, I slowed a bit, but not as bad as I thought I might.  The splits for the next 3 miles were also under 8 (7:47, 7:52, 7:57).  Now I had a little time in my favor, and as long as I didn’t implode I could reach my goal.  Mile 5 was my first over 8:00 at 8:08, and mile 6 was a little slower at 8:13.  I pushed in to the finish, and was clocked at a 49:03… 1:52 better than my previous best!  A new MPR (masters personal record).

I took it easy since then, because I know I have a busy July.  At least three races in the first three weeks, including the Finish at the 50, which finishes at the home of the New England Patriots.   As well as the Shipyard/Old Port Half Marathon in which I’m hoping to go under 1:55:00.

Have a happy Fourth of July!

Sh** Happens.

Another weekend, another race.  Today’s race was the Taste of the Valley 5K.  Taste of the Valley is one of the many food festivals that happen in Western Mass, and anytime there’s food, I’m interested.

The race starts & finishes around the West Springfield town common, and has one climb that’s slightly more than a half mile in length.  Luckily the hill is in the first mile, so there’s plenty of recovery time.  My goal was to break 24 minutes, but with a sore knee this morning I was just hoping to run pain free.

During my warm-up it felt good, but continued to hurt if I was standing still or walking.  The race started, and I felt good.  I slowed a little on the uphill, but still managed to make the first mile in 8:00.  Now it was time to pick it up.  I managed to run negative splits for the day (8:00, 7:53, & 7:42).  I finished in 24:16.  Not exactly what I had hoped for, but it’s my best 5K time since January 1^st.

After the race, I took advantage of the $5 food voucher that came with the entry, and had a pulled pork sandwich from “The Ultimate BBQ”.  I followed that up with a fruit cup from “EdibleArrangements” and a “Be Hoppy IPA” from Wormtown Brewery in Worcester, MA

All in all, it was a great day, with one exception.  After the race, I discovered that what I felt hitting the brim of my visor wasn’t an acorn or anything from the tree, it was a gift from one of the little birdies… Sh** Happens!

Two more races done...

… Or hard training runs?  It all depends on how you look at it.  After tweaking my hamstring on the May sixth, I’ve been cautiously picking the speeds at which I’ve been running.  I had two races on the calendar that I wanted to run, and I had already paid the entry fees, so away I went.

First up was at Holyoke Community College.  The HCC Cougar Crawl is for the college’s literacy programs, and takes place on the college campus.  For those that don’t know the campus, it’s got a “few” hills.  The course was confusing, with a lot of twists and turns (I think some people in front of me missed a couple and mad the course shorter).  For the amount of hills (and my heart rate) I ran a respectable 26:21 (8:29/mile).

Now as long as my leg held up, I could try and push the next race.  This was the 11^th Arterial Challenge in Humarock, MA, and benefits the Brain Aneurysm Foundation.  I’ve been going to the race/walk for 9 years now, and I’ve run for the past 7.  This is a cause that’s near and dear to me and my wife. 

My goal for the BAF race was to break 8:00 per mile.  It was conceivable, because this is a flat, fast course, with one small hill at the halfway point.  I ran a 7:48, and 8:00 for the first two miles.  I was on pace, but I was slowing.  Then, one of the other runners told me not to fade, and stick with her.  I did, she helped pace me to a 7:44 in mile 3, and I finished with a 24:21 (7:51).  This was what I wanted, and no pain after the race.

After the race, I walked about another quarter mile, took my shoes off, and stepped into the Atlantic.  The earliest that I can ever remember stepping foot into the ocean!

Now it’s time to start training for the Shipyard Old Port Half Marathon, but there’ll be several other races before that.

A First for Brenda

Another weekend, another run.  Saturday, Bren & I headed up to Kringle Candle in Bernardston, MA  for the 2^nd annual Kringle Candle Chase.  The race is a benefit for the Jill E. Harrington Hanzalik Memorial Fund. 

With me still trying to recover from Boston, I wanted a nice easy run, and knowing myself, if I ran at my speed, I’d probably run too fast.

So I talked Bren into running her first every 5K!!  Running & walking the whole way was enjoyable for me, and it felt amazing to be with my wife all the way.  We finished in 38:30, not bad for her first time!

After the race, we headed over to the Kringle Candle store, and proceeded to buy a few candles for the house.  Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

A Noble Race

This weekend’s run was a 5K in Westfield for Noble Hospital. This was the 28^th Annual Run for a Noble Cause.  The course starts & ends at Stanley Park, and it’s very flat.  With the exception of one hairpin turn, this is a course for a personal best.

Being that it’s only two weeks after Boston, I chose to run but not to race.  This was only my second time out in the last two weeks, and I’ve had either a head cold, of allergies for the last few days, so I thought it best not to push too hard.

This year the Air Guard decided to support a team.  Being that I wasn’t racing, I opted to run independently, but it was great having a few friends running.  Jeff, Glenda, Tony, Kyle, Rob & Billy made up the team, and did well (second team).  This was Glenda’s first race, and she took second female overall.  The results are available at coolrunning.com

As I said before, I chose to not push too hard, and I was happy with an 8:02 pace (24:58). 

Boston Marathon

I had to wait a few days before posting this, so that I could let the “moment” sink in.

I DID IT!  I ran the Boston Marathon!

Well, I use the term “ran” very loosely, but I did it.  5 hours, 21 minutes, 46 seconds in 87 degree heat.  With temperatures that hot, I did a lot of walking.

The experience was overwhelming right from the start.  I’ve been in big races, but this was unbelievable.  From the “Runners’ Village” to the starting corrals was about three quarters of a mile.  A nice walk to warm up, then at 10:00 AM the gun went off.  The elite runners and wave 1 went first, followed by wave 2 at 10:20, and finally they called for those of us in wave 3.  Gradually the corrals started moving, and I was in the last wave, and last corral.  I crossed the start line around 10:50 AM, and away we went!

The crowds were amazing.  Almost every step of the way there were people cheering.  For as many people as there were running, there wasn’t that much bumping into others.  The first couple of water stops were congested to say the least, but by the four mile point, things started spacing out nicely.  Now it was time to start into a nice rhythm.  

I walked through most of the water stops while running in between them, and at about 11.5 miles, I stopped for a photo op, water, and an ice-cold rag (Thanks to Amanda from work!)  This helped carry me into Wellesley, and was that amazing!!  Wellesley College is now my FAVORITE college in the world.  There were so many young ladies cheering, screaming, high-fiving, and collecting kisses.  I high-fived as many as I could, had this been 25 years ago, I would have been giving out the kisses!  The excitement in this area gave you a boost of energy, and next thing you knew, it was half way complete.

The second half was another story.  Even though there were lots of spectators along the course, cheering each and every one of us on, you could tell that the weather was getting to us all.  There were more and more people walking, and the pace was gradually getting slower.  To keep my mind occupied, I now started counting down the miles.

Soon enough we were past the Newton hills (heartbreak hill included), down into Cleveland Circle, and our first view of the Hancock Building.  One of the highlights of my day came at mile 24, when I was running side-by-side with Tedy Bruschi of the New England Patriots.  Next thing you knew I could see the Citgo sign & Fenway Park… ALMOST THERE!

I made it through the final two turns, and there’s just about a half mile remaining.  This is where it was hard to hold back the emotions.  Once I saw the 26 mile mark, I knew I had to run the last two tenths.  Finally… I did it…  5:21:46.

The Final Countdown

As I write this, there is only 36 hours left until the start of the 2012 Boston Marathon.  This will be my first marathon in over 25 years, and I have to say that I'm a little nervous.  Not about the actual run, but about the weather conditions.  Normally this time of year, the highs in New England are in the mid to high 50's, but not on Marathon Monday.  This year's forcast calls for a high of 87 degrees.  Yikes!  So much for any time predictions, my goal is just going to be to finish.

Today, Brenda & I went in to Boston for the fitness expo, and race packet pick-up.  I've been to several of these events with the half marathons that I've run, but this by far was the busiest.  They had booths from every major running company, and we may have purchased a little more than we expected.

After spending some time (and money) at the expo, we looked for a place to grab a bite and brew.  Right next door was the Atlantic Beer Garden.  Perfect!  We sat at the bar, grabbed a couple of appetizers, and drank down a couple pints of Sam Adams Boston 26.2 Brew.  A beer that was specially crafted for this year's marathon.

A great day with my honey, and hopefully a great start to a sucessful Marathon Weekend.

Boston or Bust!

The countdown continues...

6 days to go 'til Boston.  This week will be the longest week, with the most uncertainty that I can imagine.

I've done everything that I could, but is it enough?  I feel that my training was on par with the plan that I had, but how will I feel on Monday?  What will the weather bring?  Yesterday & today, the forcast for Monday went from 65 w/ showers, to 84 and sunny, and then to 74 with partial clouds.  How the heck do you prepare for that?

One of the things that I hate, is sitting around and waiting.  That's what this week is all about.  Wait and see what the weather will do.  Don't do too much training, sit around and get some rest, save the legs.

This is why I love HALF-marathons.  They're easier to train for, the taper in the last week isn't so drastic, and the anxiety of the week leading up to the race isn't anything like I'm already feeling.  Man, I can't wait until Monday.

10 Days Left

10 Days, that's all that's left.  Boston is in just 10 days!  This week's been another good training week.  The half marathon on Sunday, an easy 4-miler on Tuesday, and a 5K last night.

Last night's run was the first in this year's weekly series hosted by Empire One Running Club (EORC).  EORC hosts two different weekly series, as well as several other races during the year.  The Thursday night races take place at Ashley Reservoir in Holyoke, MA.  The Res makes for a very scenic run, and it's used for many of my easier training runs.  Mostly flat, part in the woods, and part along the water.  Usually, you'll see Canada Geese around the Res, and they keep to themselves except when they're protecting their young.

My training for the 5K was supposed to be a "tempo" run, and my training plan sugested a 9 minute pace.  Well, that went out the window in the first mile (which I ran in 8:25).  The best part was that I didn't feel like I was pushing.  So, I kept at a comfortable pace, and ran 8:15 for each of the next two miles.

I ran harder than I wanted, but I'm still feeling good.  Note to self... no more running races if I want to run easy.

Oleksak Half Marathon

Today was the Oleksak Half Marathon in Westfield, MA.  13.1 miles through a hilly Westfield/Southwick.  The first 4 miles are pretty much all uphill, with the rest gradually bringing you back down.  Here's a link to the course map on "Map My Run", and you can see the elevation change.

I was using this race as a tune-up for Boston in two weeks, so I decided to pace my friend Kyle.  This was his first half, and he wanted to be below 2:10.  Based upon the training runs that we've had, I suggested a 9:30 pace, which would bring him in at about 2:04:30.  This was our goal.  As long as we could make it through the uphill, and be within a minute of our goal, ther should be no prolem making up the difference on the downhills.

When the race began, we tried to be as conservative as we could.  We hit the first mile in 9:37, right where we wanted.  Through 4 miles we were only 20 seconds behind our goal, and at 5 miles, we were only 3 seconds behind.  Now, as long as we could keep our pace for 8 more miles, we'd be golden.  Mile 6 was mostly downhill, and this gave us the edge that we needed (8:55 mile).  Keeping Kyle going, we finished with a 2:03:59 (official time) and a 2:03:32 on our watches.  We gave up 27 seconds by starting in the back of the field.

Also, a congratulations goes out to Rob & Maureen (two more co-workers) who finished their first half marathons today.

We got our medals!! Well, they're actually wood because of the sponsor being a lumber yard, but that's one of the best things about this race... One of a kind, hand made medals!



New purchase...

18 days and counting.  That's all, only 18 more days.  Well, my longest pre-marathon run is complete, and this weekend, I have a "tune-up" race.  The Oleksak Half Marathon in Westfield, then it's all 3-6 mile runs until race day.

Saturday during my 20 miler, I had a problem with my Garmin GPS.  The battery had almost run out.  Now it's supposed to have a 6 hour battery life, but it was dying after a 3 1/2 hour run.  "Great", I thought, "How the heck is this thing going to last 4 1/2 to 5 hrs in Boston?"  Well, I talked it over with Brenda & we decided it's time for me to get a new one (just to be safe).  After a little bit of research, I decided on the Garmin 310.  This is basically what I already had, but with a heavy duty battery.  Expected battery life is 20 hours.  It's actually designed for Ironman training.  A little more than what I need, but as Tim Allen always said... "More Power!!"

I'll try it out tomorrow on a 3-5 mile run, and I don't think there'll be a problem.

The Longest Run...

To quote the Eagles "You can go the distance, We'll find out in the long run".  Today was the day.  The LONG run.  This was the final test before Boston.  A 20 mile run along the Norwottuk Rail Trail.  This would be a bigger challenge due to my PT test yesterday.  Sore abs from the sit-ups, and how would my legs respond after the 11:06 mile and a half.

I met my friends Rob & Chris at the Northampton end of the trail, and proceeded to run the distance to the Belchertown end (10 miles) and back.  Taking a couple of walking breaks (one at an hour, and one at two) I made it through the first 15-16 miles with no problems.  The last 4-5 were a bit tougher.  3:26:45 later, and I was done.  Both literally and figuratively.  Once I got back home, I spent an equal amount of time on the couch before I could muster any energy to move around the house.

After taking a shower, and waking myself back up, Bren & I watched the ESPN 30 for 30 special "Into the Wind: The Terry Fox Story".  If you ever get the chance to see this, it is one of the most inspirational stories that I have ever seen.  My 20 miles seem like a drop in the bucket compared to Terry's run.

R.I.P. Little Piggy

With the St. Patrick's Road Race in the rear view mirror, it's time to continue on the road to Boston.  Two easy runs this week (5.1 & 3.0), followed by my P.T. test on Friday, and on the weekend will be the "big one".

It's with a heavy heart that I mention the loss of this past week, Little Piggy #2.  Unfortunately this little piggy couldn't stand the pounding of the long downhill in Holyoke, and the nail decided that it was time to go wee, wee, wee all the way home.  I'll miss you my friend.

Out of respect for anyone reading this, I chose not to include a picture.

Holyoke St. Patrick's Road Race

This weekend started the spring race schedule for Western Massachusetts with the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Road Race.  An icon in the area for running, it’s one of the two “must run” races every year.  Now in its 37^th year, and bigger than ever.  Saturday afternoon, the race had a record breaking 6005 finishers for the 6.2 mile course, and the weather was nearly perfect… Overcast and about 50 degrees (the sun came out to play after the running was complete, and the festivities began.)

Now this year, I had conflicting thoughts on what I should set for a goal.  Should I try to beat my time from two years ago (was I ready for this), or should I pace myself for about a 9 minute mile?  As the start was approaching, I made the decision to just go with what feels good.

Many of my friends/co-workers were also running the race, so I started with a group of about 6, and with the crowds, that quickly faded to two of us.  By mile marker one, I was by myself (as far as knowing anyone around me).  My time was 8:36.  This is where the 2.5 mile uphill began, at mile two, I was still at a 8:39 pace, so I thought “let’s see if I can hold this until the top of the hill, and try for an 8:30 pace overall.

I actually picked-up the pace for mile 3 and 4, and now came the downhill.  I relaxed and let gravity help me (later to find that I ran mile 5 in a 7:22).  One more small uphill, and then it’s down until the finish.  I pushed the hill, and relaxed again.  Turning the corner to see the finish line with one more push into the finish.  As I neared the finish, I could hear names being called out over the PA system, and I heard my name.  The feeling was incredible.

My official finish time was 51:19.1 (8:16 / mile) – 4:15 better than 2010, and I finished 1429 out of 6005.

With another St. Pat’s Race under my belt, it was time for the post race festivities.  Erin go bragh.

St. Patrick's Eve...

I'm sitting here tonight contemplating the week that just passed.  Talk about highs and lows.  Monday, I ran a personal best distance of 17 miles (well at least since my return to running).  As a reward, Bren & I went to Hooters for dinner.  My stomach was a little upset, and I was barely able to eat four wings.  Then that night, I was hit with the stomach bug that's going around.   Boy did that suck! 

I spent literally half of the day on Tuesday sleeping it off, and by about 6:00 at night, I was feeling better.  I guess it truely was a 24-hour bug.  With "respect" to the bug, I didn't run on Wednesday as I had originally planned.

There was no was that I couldn't run until Saturday's race, so Thursday it was an easy 3-mile run just to stretch the legs.

That brings us to tonight, the Eve of the Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Road Race.  This is a MAJOR event in western Massachusetts, and now in it's 37th year averages about 5000-5500 runners a year.  Tonight was the race bib & t-shirt pick-up.  The organizing committee was trying something new this year, and creating a more party like atmosphere.  Live bands for free, and beer for a fee!  Joining in with five others from work, we all had a wee pint or two...

Here's to a great race tommorrow.  And as the blessing goes... "May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind always be at your back..."

Norwottuck Rail Trail

Big run today.  After a weekend of “trying” to rest, I had a long run planned for today, 16-17 miles.  Got in touch with my running buddies last night to see who was in.  Only Kyle was going to join me. 

The plan was to run the Norwottuck Rail Trail (Northampton, MA to South Amherst, MA) about 8-8.5 each way.  Kyle would park his truck at one end, ride to the other end with me, and we would run back to his truck.

The weather was cooperating, as well as New England weather does on a March morning.  35 degrees to start, and clear skies (of course it was 65 when I finished about 3 hours later.)

This was the first time either of us had run the trail, so we had only a small idea of what to expect.  The trail didn’t let us down.  Passing through farm land, and the edge of the University of Amherst, the run was very scenic.  Most impressive were the views of the Mount Holyoke Range (aka the Seven Sisters).  The trail was rather busy for a Monday, as we passed walkers, runners, bikers, dog walkers, and even a group of bird watchers (I also got to see two hawks along the run).

As we made it to the parking lot at the far end of the run, I left Kyle for my return leg.  Now came the challenge.  The longest run that I’ve done so far was 14 miles.  This was one would total 17, and the last 8.5 was solo.

The nice thing about this trail is there are no major hills, but it seemed like the whole trail was uphill (both ways).  At about 15 miles, I began to get real tired (not sure if it was more physical, or mental), but kept pushing on.  Then, the railroad bridge came into sight, and I knew I was almost done…  Only another half mile.  Finally I was done!  For about 10 minutes, I just sat in the back of my SUV, and took it all in.  Another personal milestone.

Easy does it...

Today I had another "easy" day of running.  3 miles in the wind, with tired legs.  I have the next two days to rest the legs, then I've got another LONG run on Monday.  This one should be 16-17 miles, but it'll be on a pretty flat course.  More on that in Monday's blog.

Tomorrow, I'm heading over to Fast Feet to hopefully secure my transportation for Boston.  The bus still has a couple of seats available, and it looks like I'll be all set.  I always worry about these thing, until I'm actually paid, and on the list.

With a little more than a month left, I'm starting to feel a little more confident with each run.  Of course my calendar is getting filled as it always does this time of year.  Next wekend is the Holyoke St. Patrick's Road Race, two weeks after that is the Oleksak Half Marathon, and two weeks after that is Boston.  Time to get down & dirty, time to Duck & Run. 

You've got to be kidding...

Getting ready for my run today, I grabbed my Garmin & headed out the door.  The plan was to run an easy three with three of my co-workers.  We started down the road, and I noticed that my Garmin wasn't working right.  There was this message on the screen.  Of course, I had no clue, because I can't read crap without my glasses (Yes, it sucks to get older).  Taking off the watch and handing it to Chris, I found out that the memory in my watch was full.  Really... You've got to be kidding me.

So I ran the half mile back to my office, put on my glasses, and quickly figured out how to clear the memory while keeping the last 3 months of data.  This would've really sucked if I didn't upload the info on a regular basis.  Luckily today, we were just doing one mile loops, so back out the door I went, and caught the group as they finished the first one.

Three laps down, with tired legs from Monday, and I'm done! (3.29 miles, even though I probrably did closer to 4.)  Now... How can I find out how to check the Garmin before I have this happen again.

The Best Laid Plans...

Friday’s run was a nice easy 3-miler, just something to shake off the stress from another long day at work.  Then came the weekend…  another Air Guard weekend.

This weekend’s long run was supposed to be a 16 miler, but there was no way that I could get that in while working.  Luckily, I had Monday off, so I adjusted my schedule a little, and on Sunday morning, I ran 1.5 miles with some of my co-workers that needed help with their fitness test.

So, this morning, I went to Southampton to meet up with Chris & Kyle.  The two of them are newer runners, but they have been right there helping me with all my training since the summer.  Our plan was to run the Manhan Rail Trail from Southampton to The Oxbow in Northampton & back for about 10 miles, and then I’d run the first 3 out and back, solo, for a total of 16 miles.  When I arrived, both of them were looking and shaking their heads.  The trail was still covered with snow from last week’s storms.  Crap!  Time to do some quick thinking.

Thanks to whoever developed the “maps” app on cel phones.  We quickly picked out a route that we could “start” with.

The first part of the run was about 6.5 miles, and then we were nearly back to the cars.  At this point, we parted ways, and I was venturing out on my own, on roads that I haven’t been on in years.  This was nice, aside from the weather (29 degrees w/10-15 MPH wind).  I had some time to be alone with my thoughts on the “rolling” hill roads of Southampton & Easthampton.  When I got back to the car after this second loop, I was only at 14 miles.  Good enough.  I say only, because I had planned on 16.

Once I got home, and uploaded my Garmin, I looked over my activities and to my surprise, this IS my longest run since I started back running three years ago!  Maybe I just wasn’t meant for 16 today.

A not so easy, easy run.

Today's workout was supposed to be an "easy" three mile run.  Shouldn't be a problem.  I selected the nice flat, one mile loop at work to do.  This is usually my choice on windy afternoons.  Three laps, and we're all set.

Well, after the 10-mile race on Sunday, my legs were still a little heavy.  Not sore, but just heavy.  Then, last night I was crazy enough to stay up and watch the Daytona 500 to its completion.  Result... only four hours of sleep. So in addition to my legs, my mind and the rest of my body were tired.

Completed the run in my usual 9:30 pace, but believe me there was nothing "easy" about this run.  It took the first quarter mile just to get the legs into a rhythm, and the rest of the run I felt like I was towing an anchor.

Next time a NASCAR race goes past 11:00, it's getting shut off.  I need my sleep!

Amherst 10 miler

Today was the 38th annual Jones Group Realtors 10 Mile road race.  This race is affectionately referred to as DH Jones for those of us who remember it from the 1980s.  Back then my target was always to try to break an hour.  I came close a couple of times, but never was able to break that barrier.  Usually after the race, my friends and I ended up with the "DH Jones Shuffle".  It was an unusual walk that resulted from the unrelenting uphills and downhills of the course.

Today was the second time running it in the last three years.  Unfortunately, my work interferes with a few of my weekends, and I missed it last year.

Today, I was running with Chris, a friend from work, and he & I established a goal of 90 minutes.  We usually train at about 9:30-10:00 per mile, so we figure 9:00 pace would be a good challenge.  It certainly was, especially with the hills.  My unofficial results were 1:30:08 (10.03 miles).  this was measured with my garmin, and gives us a 8:59 pace.  WooHoo!!  Of course the timing was not 100 percent accurate.  Chip timing was used, but only to mark your finish.  My official time was 1:30:25 for a 9:03 pace.  Sounds about right, around 15 seconds to cross the start line.

Our friends at Locally Run were there again to provide pictures of all the runners.  The website is a great source of running information for the Western Mass runner.

Here's Chris (114) & I (273) as we are about 1/2 mile from the finish line... it's all downhill from here!

And so it begins...

I've been thinking about starting a blog that deals with my running fora while now.  Finally, I thought, let's do this!

For the next 51 days, my focus is going to be on my preparation for my first Boston Marathon.

Now Boston isn't my first marathon, but it is my first marathon in over 25 years, and it is my first time running the grand daddy of all marathons.

Why haven't I run a marathon in over 25 years?  Well, in 1986 I basically quit running.  I didn't quit being a runner, but I wasn't running.  I kept reading magazines & books about it, but I never seemed to catch the bug, until three years ago.  2008, I made a promise to myself that starting in January 2009 I'd give it a try again.  January 1st, along with all the New Years Resolutioners, I hit the treadmills at the gym.  Started with walking, and gradually started adding in running.

Now over 1500 miles later, "I'm Shipping Up To Boston". Dropkick Murphys