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