On Saturday I a ran 30K, with a 2 mile warm up so I had my fifth 20 miler on Saturday. I set out for my 6th 20+ today with a 22 mile goal and easy pace on the agenda. I could still feel the effects of Saturday, but I did not push the pace and most of the stiff sore feeling I had disapeared after a couple of miles.
I live in a beautiful area and this morning when I finally got myself out the door it was clear, and crisp about 60 degrees. My favorite long route goes through the town of Montegue, Massachusetts. This is comfortable enclave of artsy types living in a classic old New England village. Their is a large used book store called the Book Mill in an old wooden mill building over the Mill River here. There is an attatched cafe that operates independently from the bookstore, but two coexist well together. This is 7.5 miles into my run,and I made it a goal today to make a coffee stop here.
It was so peaceful, so wonderful there. A large cup of french roast, and chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting made my all too brief stay there truelly nice. I will ride my bicycle up here one day before I go back to work (October 17th), and spend a few hours with a good book some great coffee and a wonderful knosh.
Oh yhea, I ran a lot too. After about 2o minutes I was back on the road running easy. Around 14 miles I realised that I was running late for the cable guy to come to reduce us to the most basic service. We use the internet more than the TV now for entertainment so we will keep the high speed internet (but we are going to DSL from Cable, so we will save a little there also).
I picked up the pace at 14 miles and that felt easy. I was running at about 7:45 pace for about 2 more miles, then I slowed down again. I was dragging at the end the of the run. I finished 22 miles in 3:15 of running time. Very slow at the end. I missed the cable guy by about five minutes, according to his reciept for work completed. Apparently he did not need me here.
This month is on track to be my longest month of running ever. am hoping for 240 t 250 miles for the month, then taper.
Keep your shoes on the road,
Mark
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
30 Kilometers
I took two rest days instead of one before Saturday's 30K. My legs were still wobbly Thursday so I decided to rest another day. That gave me 45 miles for the week.
Saturday morning 3:45 A.M. my alarm goes off and I roll out of bed, drag my self downstairs, hit the on button on the coffee maker, climb in to my running clothes, and toss every thing on the dining room table in to my backpack. 4:20 A.M. - I am in my car and driving. I packed the car the night before so I should have every thing I need for the today and tomorrow.
My destination is the East Coast Tune Up 30K in Lynn, Massachusetts. The directions are good and I am there in just over two hours. This race seemed to be the perfect race for me to try out my marathon strategy of running at a 6:58 pace. This course is similar to Mystic Places, mostly flat seashore, some hills, and lots of twists and turns through the neighborhoods.
The course begins and ends at the North Shore Community College in Lynn. It takes the runners out for some truelly beautiful seaside running in Nahant and Little Nahant. Hurricane Ophelia was making its way up the coast and was supposed to dump heavy rain on us, but we got lucky. The temperature was about 63, heavy overcast, and a slight spray in the air.
The runners who planned on finishing in over three hours had the option of starting the race at 7:30, the rest of the field got under way at 8:30. 313 runners finished the 18.6 mile course. Most runners were preparing for fall marathons but many were just out for a long challenging run.
The course meandered it's way south to the former Islands of Nahant and Little Nahant. It is an out and back course with some beautiful shoreside scenery. The first mile of the run is through city streets, but then the runners find them selves on the a concrete board walk for two miles. On Nahant the course is hilly with its most spectacular views on a rocky penisular owned by Northeastern University.
As a marathon tune up for me it was extremely valuable race. If I learn any thing from this race it is how difficult it still can be to pace yourself on a long fast course. Those early miles seem so easy. My goal was to head out at a 6:58 pace and to see what happens. Mile one, 6:38 (too fast). Mile 2 6:41 (too fast). The first seven miles were way too fast. I began to fade in the final miles. I finished in 2:11:41, for a 7:04 pace, and 22/313 overall.
The goal of this race for me was to set a pace for a the Mystic Places Marathon. I also know that I have to work at being in control of my pace from the beginning of the race. Had this been an actual marathon I would have been road kill by 26 miles.
Food. The food was good. Lots of cookies, banannas, yogurts, bagels, Tylenol 8 Hour...
If you have a fall marathon on your calendar next year it is worth doing this race just for the practice of running your goal pace, or setting your goal pace. I will be heading out at a 7:05 pace at Mystic Places and see what happens to me.
Saturday morning 3:45 A.M. my alarm goes off and I roll out of bed, drag my self downstairs, hit the on button on the coffee maker, climb in to my running clothes, and toss every thing on the dining room table in to my backpack. 4:20 A.M. - I am in my car and driving. I packed the car the night before so I should have every thing I need for the today and tomorrow.
My destination is the East Coast Tune Up 30K in Lynn, Massachusetts. The directions are good and I am there in just over two hours. This race seemed to be the perfect race for me to try out my marathon strategy of running at a 6:58 pace. This course is similar to Mystic Places, mostly flat seashore, some hills, and lots of twists and turns through the neighborhoods.
The course begins and ends at the North Shore Community College in Lynn. It takes the runners out for some truelly beautiful seaside running in Nahant and Little Nahant. Hurricane Ophelia was making its way up the coast and was supposed to dump heavy rain on us, but we got lucky. The temperature was about 63, heavy overcast, and a slight spray in the air.
The runners who planned on finishing in over three hours had the option of starting the race at 7:30, the rest of the field got under way at 8:30. 313 runners finished the 18.6 mile course. Most runners were preparing for fall marathons but many were just out for a long challenging run.
The course meandered it's way south to the former Islands of Nahant and Little Nahant. It is an out and back course with some beautiful shoreside scenery. The first mile of the run is through city streets, but then the runners find them selves on the a concrete board walk for two miles. On Nahant the course is hilly with its most spectacular views on a rocky penisular owned by Northeastern University.
As a marathon tune up for me it was extremely valuable race. If I learn any thing from this race it is how difficult it still can be to pace yourself on a long fast course. Those early miles seem so easy. My goal was to head out at a 6:58 pace and to see what happens. Mile one, 6:38 (too fast). Mile 2 6:41 (too fast). The first seven miles were way too fast. I began to fade in the final miles. I finished in 2:11:41, for a 7:04 pace, and 22/313 overall.
The goal of this race for me was to set a pace for a the Mystic Places Marathon. I also know that I have to work at being in control of my pace from the beginning of the race. Had this been an actual marathon I would have been road kill by 26 miles.
Food. The food was good. Lots of cookies, banannas, yogurts, bagels, Tylenol 8 Hour...
If you have a fall marathon on your calendar next year it is worth doing this race just for the practice of running your goal pace, or setting your goal pace. I will be heading out at a 7:05 pace at Mystic Places and see what happens to me.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Wobbly Feet
Yesterday's five miles were deliberately slow, following a nautilus round and some warm up time on an eliptical trainer. This morning my feet are wobbly. Too many miles last week, and I have a 30K on Saturday. I did a wobbly five miler this morning on flat ground. Very slow, sore muscles, no damage. I have back off for the next two days.
I am doing my best not to call FAF back and just accept the job, but I want to go down to Milikowski (open house, greenhouse supplier) tomorrow to talk to any growers who may be there. I just talked with my neighbor Hiedi about why I am around with so much free time. That has made me want to call FAF back also.
The training plan for tomorrow through Sunday .
Tomorrow - five more slow.
Friday - No Mileage.
Saturday - Fall Marathon Tune Up 30K - Lynne, MA- Goals - 2:09:38 (6:58 pace), 2:10:13 (7:00 pace), 2:11:08 (7:03 pace)
Sunday - Nephew Bobby's Wedding - 0 mileage, lots of food, good.
The wedding will be nice. It will be the first time in several years that the family comes together with out some one dieing.
Keep running folks, you're a harder target if you are moving.
Mark
I am doing my best not to call FAF back and just accept the job, but I want to go down to Milikowski (open house, greenhouse supplier) tomorrow to talk to any growers who may be there. I just talked with my neighbor Hiedi about why I am around with so much free time. That has made me want to call FAF back also.
The training plan for tomorrow through Sunday .
Tomorrow - five more slow.
Friday - No Mileage.
Saturday - Fall Marathon Tune Up 30K - Lynne, MA- Goals - 2:09:38 (6:58 pace), 2:10:13 (7:00 pace), 2:11:08 (7:03 pace)
Sunday - Nephew Bobby's Wedding - 0 mileage, lots of food, good.
The wedding will be nice. It will be the first time in several years that the family comes together with out some one dieing.
Keep running folks, you're a harder target if you are moving.
Mark
Running a Week Later
A week ago I was shocked to find out that I no longer had employment, but was rather relieved to know that I be getting a much needed rest. The possibilities for getting in some serious training miles did actually occur to me, almost immediately.
I have logged 71 miles in the last seven days, that may be a record. Today I managed to get in two runs for 15 miles. I ran a slow 8 miles in the morning from the Y in to Turners Falls and back. The plan was to return to the Y for seven miles in on a tread mill, and a round of nautilus. I was not able to pull off the nautilus but I did get my mileage in on the treadmill, 7.2 miles in 50 minutes. So 15 for the day.
The job hunting stuff may be coming to a quick close. I have had two interviews this week. The first job is right on in terms of what I want to do, this grower wants me to take over their perennial range growing six pacts, quarts, gallons of finished plants. I can do that. The interesting part of this job comes in their future plans to offer perennial liners (plug trays) along with their well established line of annuals. I would grow the liners and run the perennial propagation.
Should be fun.
The second interview was interesting, but I do not want to grow strawberries.
Here are my miles at this point since the great labor day sacking.
Tuesday - 25 very hilly miles to figure out what I am going to doduring this job hunting period.Wednesday - 0 milesThursday - 6 miles one good hillyFriday Night - 12 miles in the Pelham Hills after 9:00 P.M.Saturday - 0 milesSunday - 13.1 miles flatMonday morning - 8 miles slowMonday noon - Job interview, very good offer for new positionat FAFMonday Afternoon - 7.2 miles on the treadmill at the Y, a fast 50minutesTotal for 7 days = 71.3 miles
Tuesday, slow - five mile
Keep your feet on the road,
Mark
I have logged 71 miles in the last seven days, that may be a record. Today I managed to get in two runs for 15 miles. I ran a slow 8 miles in the morning from the Y in to Turners Falls and back. The plan was to return to the Y for seven miles in on a tread mill, and a round of nautilus. I was not able to pull off the nautilus but I did get my mileage in on the treadmill, 7.2 miles in 50 minutes. So 15 for the day.
The job hunting stuff may be coming to a quick close. I have had two interviews this week. The first job is right on in terms of what I want to do, this grower wants me to take over their perennial range growing six pacts, quarts, gallons of finished plants. I can do that. The interesting part of this job comes in their future plans to offer perennial liners (plug trays) along with their well established line of annuals. I would grow the liners and run the perennial propagation.
Should be fun.
The second interview was interesting, but I do not want to grow strawberries.
Here are my miles at this point since the great labor day sacking.
Tuesday - 25 very hilly miles to figure out what I am going to doduring this job hunting period.Wednesday - 0 milesThursday - 6 miles one good hillyFriday Night - 12 miles in the Pelham Hills after 9:00 P.M.Saturday - 0 milesSunday - 13.1 miles flatMonday morning - 8 miles slowMonday noon - Job interview, very good offer for new positionat FAFMonday Afternoon - 7.2 miles on the treadmill at the Y, a fast 50minutesTotal for 7 days = 71.3 miles
Tuesday, slow - five mile
Keep your feet on the road,
Mark
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Later in the Week
Thursday I was up a little after 5:00AM so that I could head off to the Y. A ten minute warm up on the elliptical trainer, then I was on to the nautilus machines. I did my round on the machines and off to a weight watchers meeting. I am still within two lbs. of my 160 target so I am in good graces with watchers of weight. My goal is to drop back to my previous weight of 153 or less before my October 23rd marathon. Later in the afternoon I ran a hilly loop for 5.7 miles. I am still not doing my speed work, but it has been a week.
Thursday morning 10:30, Lisa and I meet our financial planner to go over pur finances now that I am between positions. That gets done.
The rest of the day I am calling more people who I think can help me find a new job. I call Nourse Farms because they are losing their grower to his home in the Midwest. Tim Nourse is out but the receptionist thinks that he will want to talk to me.
I get an email from Donna asking if I am interested in another late night run of 10 to 14 miles Friday. Lisa says okay since it means I will not be doing a similar run on Friday morning. Face time with the spouse is a good thing.
Friday night at 8:30 I meet Donna, and we head out to the bicycle trail parking lot on Station Road. We run up hill for most of 7 miles into the Pelham Hills while she tells me about her recent 100 miler, the Cascade Trails 100. If this were Donna's Blog tonight's entry would be much more interesting than our 12 mile run in to the Pelham Hills. Donna is a running beast (this is a compliment she pays to other distance runners). Two weeks ago while I was running the Mt. Toby 14 miler, she was finishing the Cascades 100 16 seconds under 24 hours. She took three days off from her running, I took off four days. Tuesday I cranked out 25 miles, Monday she ran 28. Beastly running, beastly.
It was a great evenning for a run. We ran on mostly empty, unlit backroads and some dirt roads. It was a circle of sorts, with steep climbs and descents. A woman walking her dog commented on our resemblance to miners with our headlamps.
This time of unemployment will be great for running, and running will get me through this time.
Keep running folks.
Thursday morning 10:30, Lisa and I meet our financial planner to go over pur finances now that I am between positions. That gets done.
The rest of the day I am calling more people who I think can help me find a new job. I call Nourse Farms because they are losing their grower to his home in the Midwest. Tim Nourse is out but the receptionist thinks that he will want to talk to me.
I get an email from Donna asking if I am interested in another late night run of 10 to 14 miles Friday. Lisa says okay since it means I will not be doing a similar run on Friday morning. Face time with the spouse is a good thing.
Friday night at 8:30 I meet Donna, and we head out to the bicycle trail parking lot on Station Road. We run up hill for most of 7 miles into the Pelham Hills while she tells me about her recent 100 miler, the Cascade Trails 100. If this were Donna's Blog tonight's entry would be much more interesting than our 12 mile run in to the Pelham Hills. Donna is a running beast (this is a compliment she pays to other distance runners). Two weeks ago while I was running the Mt. Toby 14 miler, she was finishing the Cascades 100 16 seconds under 24 hours. She took three days off from her running, I took off four days. Tuesday I cranked out 25 miles, Monday she ran 28. Beastly running, beastly.
It was a great evenning for a run. We ran on mostly empty, unlit backroads and some dirt roads. It was a circle of sorts, with steep climbs and descents. A woman walking her dog commented on our resemblance to miners with our headlamps.
This time of unemployment will be great for running, and running will get me through this time.
Keep running folks.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
25 Hilly Miles Today
So, I ran 25 miles today, maybe more. My Garmin 201 lost me under the trees that shade route 47 in Sunderland and Montegue. This unemployment thing could be great for my fall training.
I had a fantastic running day. I did a hilly 21 mile loop through the nieghboring towns of Sunderland, Montegue, Greenfield, and back to Deerfield. I added a run up a local ridge called Poet's Seat, and then headed through downtown Greenfield. I am pretty sure that this added about 4 miles to the run, the Garmin lost me again. Total running time, 3:34:50. Total time 3:55.
My wife Lisa got MP3 player so she can down load podcasts, books and music. I do not have an IPod, MP3, or 8 track tape player to run with. I do have a pretty good mental MP3. I listen to music in my head (and to the little men who tell me open fire-just kidding) while I run. The songs that are rolling through my brain these days are Wheezer's We Are All On Drugs, Green Day's Holiday, and song from Friday night services at Beit Ahavah.
Good news on the Job front. I have a number of people offering to help me search for a new job. One local nursery is likely to offer me a position, but is also likely that I won't take that job.
Too little money.
I have been getting the word out today that I am looking for work and email messages of support are coming in.
Keep running,
Mark
I had a fantastic running day. I did a hilly 21 mile loop through the nieghboring towns of Sunderland, Montegue, Greenfield, and back to Deerfield. I added a run up a local ridge called Poet's Seat, and then headed through downtown Greenfield. I am pretty sure that this added about 4 miles to the run, the Garmin lost me again. Total running time, 3:34:50. Total time 3:55.
My wife Lisa got MP3 player so she can down load podcasts, books and music. I do not have an IPod, MP3, or 8 track tape player to run with. I do have a pretty good mental MP3. I listen to music in my head (and to the little men who tell me open fire-just kidding) while I run. The songs that are rolling through my brain these days are Wheezer's We Are All On Drugs, Green Day's Holiday, and song from Friday night services at Beit Ahavah.
Good news on the Job front. I have a number of people offering to help me search for a new job. One local nursery is likely to offer me a position, but is also likely that I won't take that job.
Too little money.
I have been getting the word out today that I am looking for work and email messages of support are coming in.
Keep running,
Mark
A Labor Day Irony, or I Have More Time To Train
A funny thing happenned to me on the way to my great career today. Do to a down turn in the Northeast greenhouse industry I was sacked today at work. My former employers have always been open with me. I knew we were hurting from sagging sales and that they had gambled the farm on increasing sales this fall. I am leaving with great references. That will make it easier to get a new job.
From a runner's point of view, this month should be a great month for logging miles.
This weekend I did not go out for 20 miles on Sunday as planned. I got up at 5:00 AM instead of 4:00 AM. I had to check the greenhouses Sunday morning, get in a long run, and spend some quality time with Ben and Lisa. I shorten my run to 13 miles, checked out the greenhouses, and I was home for 9:30 AM. The new plan is to go out for about 25 miles tomorrow (this plan was made before I got sacked today, I was taking Tuesdays off as vacation time this month to get in some mileage and work on the house).
Running thirteen miles on Sunday was definitely shorter than I had planned. Lisa and I went for a 10 mile bike ride on the Norwotick RailTrail with Ben on the back of ny bicycle. We spent the rest of the afternoon in our perennial garden pulling weeds. It was a good day. I guesse my training is paying off in that I felt like I had gotten little exercise all day (13 does not do it any more).
The new plan. Find a new job, and train hard in September for the Mystic Places Marathon.
Keep running folks.
From a runner's point of view, this month should be a great month for logging miles.
This weekend I did not go out for 20 miles on Sunday as planned. I got up at 5:00 AM instead of 4:00 AM. I had to check the greenhouses Sunday morning, get in a long run, and spend some quality time with Ben and Lisa. I shorten my run to 13 miles, checked out the greenhouses, and I was home for 9:30 AM. The new plan is to go out for about 25 miles tomorrow (this plan was made before I got sacked today, I was taking Tuesdays off as vacation time this month to get in some mileage and work on the house).
Running thirteen miles on Sunday was definitely shorter than I had planned. Lisa and I went for a 10 mile bike ride on the Norwotick RailTrail with Ben on the back of ny bicycle. We spent the rest of the afternoon in our perennial garden pulling weeds. It was a good day. I guesse my training is paying off in that I felt like I had gotten little exercise all day (13 does not do it any more).
The new plan. Find a new job, and train hard in September for the Mystic Places Marathon.
Keep running folks.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
The state of things.
The end of summer is finds me reasonably prepared for the distance of a fall marathon, but I have not done the speed work that has shaped my running over the last two years. August has always been my month of incidental speed work, with the usual races putting speed at the fore front of at least 3 weeks. I have run these races again so I am not totally without some speed work. The Yankee Home Coming 10 Miler was first race of the month. I ran it 69:68, more than three and half minutes slower than last year ( I bonked this year in the 90 F heat). The Bridge of Flowers 10K was next on my race card. It was unbelieveably hot and humid for this race. Finished about four minutes slower than last year (but I finished in about the same place overall surrounded by the same runners I usually finish with). I was slow but did not bonk. I kept the speed down when I felt myself over heating. Last week I ran the Mount Toby 14 Mile Trail Run also about two minutes slower than last year. It was raining in the woods on this run. I felt great at the end of this race, but I was still a couple of minutes slower than two years ago. Was it the rain? Am I getting slower?
My goals for September include bagging three more 20 milers (that will give me six 20s for this marathon since the end of July) , and running two races. Tomorrow I am heading out for one of the 20's. The Fall Marathon 30K tune up is my next race in two weeks. I will run this at my marathon pace ( what that will be I am not sure). I would love to run out at a 7 minute pace, but 7:05 looks more likely.
The last race before my taper is the Dave Maynard Memorial Five Miler in Greenfield. This will be a fast run and it should show if my Thursday night treadmill sessions can bring my speed back in time for The Mystic Places Marathon.
No one cares if I run a 3:10 marathon or 3:03, but it matters a hell of alot to me. That is the funny thing about the people I race with. Run 14 miles through the woods, up and down a mountain, in the rain and who really cares if your time varies by a few minutes. Every one I talked with on Sunday cared a great deal how fast they ran, but they were quick to acknowledge the other runners' accomplishments. It is the great thing about this sport that we can be victorious, or feel defeated by a few ticks of the clock. The reality that after nine years of running a 100 races I will never be in danger of actually winning one does not rob me of the thrill of a victory. Nor am I shielded from the disapointment of a race that goes bad. That is a great deal of what makes this worthwhile.
Here is the plan, I have to get up early tomorrow and run 20+ miles and still be available to my family. So it is off to bed and I will be on the road before 5:30 tomorrow.
Run well everyone.
My goals for September include bagging three more 20 milers (that will give me six 20s for this marathon since the end of July) , and running two races. Tomorrow I am heading out for one of the 20's. The Fall Marathon 30K tune up is my next race in two weeks. I will run this at my marathon pace ( what that will be I am not sure). I would love to run out at a 7 minute pace, but 7:05 looks more likely.
The last race before my taper is the Dave Maynard Memorial Five Miler in Greenfield. This will be a fast run and it should show if my Thursday night treadmill sessions can bring my speed back in time for The Mystic Places Marathon.
No one cares if I run a 3:10 marathon or 3:03, but it matters a hell of alot to me. That is the funny thing about the people I race with. Run 14 miles through the woods, up and down a mountain, in the rain and who really cares if your time varies by a few minutes. Every one I talked with on Sunday cared a great deal how fast they ran, but they were quick to acknowledge the other runners' accomplishments. It is the great thing about this sport that we can be victorious, or feel defeated by a few ticks of the clock. The reality that after nine years of running a 100 races I will never be in danger of actually winning one does not rob me of the thrill of a victory. Nor am I shielded from the disapointment of a race that goes bad. That is a great deal of what makes this worthwhile.
Here is the plan, I have to get up early tomorrow and run 20+ miles and still be available to my family. So it is off to bed and I will be on the road before 5:30 tomorrow.
Run well everyone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)