Marathon #19 is over, including the four months of training leading up to it. What's next?
But here is a glimpse in to what's really on the docket for the next 4+ months:
Monday: 5
Buttermilk Falls State Park, Ithaca, NY. After touring Ithaca College today as the start of a spring vacation trip visiting prospective colleges with Matthew, went for a run. Not the elevation gain I was looking for two days after a marathon, but how could I pass up destination running? Besides, this featured gorgeous scenery and was part of the Cayuga 50 course.
Tuesday: 10
AM: 5 miles at Cayuga Waterfront Trail, Ithaca. Dawn run on bike paths along the lake.
PM: 5 miles at Green Lake State Park, Syracuse. All trails, mix of wooded and open field terrain.
Wednesday: 6
Metacomet and Robert Frost trails, within the Mt. Holyoke Range State Park,Amherst, MA. After visiting UMass Amherst for the day, went to "The Notch" Visitor Center to start our run. This is the same site of the start of the Seven Sisters Trail Race, although it goes in the opposite direction.
First up right off the bat is a grueling 500' climb up Mount Norwottock. Matthew led, and I was kind of hoping he would take a break part way up. No such luck. We did take a break at the top of the mountain, where two girls were picnicking. Continued on to the Horse Caves, which purportedly provided shelter for rebels during the Shay's Rebellion. The rest of the run was flatter, although certainly not flat, as we had worked out a loop using the great trail map we picked up at the Visitors Center. Really cool place to run!
Thursday: 5
Solo run in Woody North. It's always fun to run in the Woody. Got my feet soaked crossing the dam on the return.
Friday: 7
Rainy, Mystic road loop from the Mystic Y with Matthew, punctuated with a little bit of trail in between to avoid much of Route 49.
Saturday: 10
Fun, twisty, single-track run with Muddy at Bluff Point and Haley State Parks. It's fun once in a while to get off that popular main loop and explore the single-track.
Sunday: 8
Solo trail workout at Duval, followed up by a cool-down at Charlestown Moraine Preserve.
Duval: Pushed every uphill, panting much of the way. Duval has many features, including dirt trails, rock scree, ridges, ocean overlooks, and pine forests. What DuVal does NOT have is flat trails! Good workout that has to be beneficial in my quest to become stronger on uphills.
CMP: Drove past here recently, and wanted to come back to explore. It was much smaller than I imagined, with a single loop trail of 0.8 miles, although there are plans (according to info at the kiosk) to add an additional trail.
Weekly Mileage: 53
Weekly Synopsis: Best marathon recovery ever! Granted some of it had to with being away and wanting to make the most of destination running, but still, looking back since I started tracking weekly mileage electronically, this is the biggest post-marathon mileage week by far:
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| Remember the commercials back in the late '80s, where Super Bowl winners were asked what they were going to do next, and they replied, "I'm going to Disney World!"? Yeah, that's not happening. |
But here is a glimpse in to what's really on the docket for the next 4+ months:
- High focus: A number of fun trail races, including hills and mountains.
- Medium focus: Triathlon season. Less than in past years, and no Ironman to totally wipe me out, but probably a few fun sprint distances.
- Low focus: Road races. Still running my go-to races, including RI State Police 5k next weekend, but not many planned road races. After last summer's brutal heat, I may take a wait and see approach to summer races.
Monday: 5
Buttermilk Falls State Park, Ithaca, NY. After touring Ithaca College today as the start of a spring vacation trip visiting prospective colleges with Matthew, went for a run. Not the elevation gain I was looking for two days after a marathon, but how could I pass up destination running? Besides, this featured gorgeous scenery and was part of the Cayuga 50 course.
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| View from Ithaca College overlooking Cayuga Lake. The picture does not do this justice, as it is one of the most beautiful college campuses I have ever seen. |
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| Buttermilk Falls State Park Can you spot Matthew? He's a speck of blue running way out ahead of the old man. |
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| The main portion of Buttermilk Falls. Spectacular! |
Tuesday: 10
AM: 5 miles at Cayuga Waterfront Trail, Ithaca. Dawn run on bike paths along the lake.
PM: 5 miles at Green Lake State Park, Syracuse. All trails, mix of wooded and open field terrain.
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| Green Lake: a mix of dirt trails and ... |
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| ... cross-country trails through fields. |
Wednesday: 6
Metacomet and Robert Frost trails, within the Mt. Holyoke Range State Park,Amherst, MA. After visiting UMass Amherst for the day, went to "The Notch" Visitor Center to start our run. This is the same site of the start of the Seven Sisters Trail Race, although it goes in the opposite direction.
First up right off the bat is a grueling 500' climb up Mount Norwottock. Matthew led, and I was kind of hoping he would take a break part way up. No such luck. We did take a break at the top of the mountain, where two girls were picnicking. Continued on to the Horse Caves, which purportedly provided shelter for rebels during the Shay's Rebellion. The rest of the run was flatter, although certainly not flat, as we had worked out a loop using the great trail map we picked up at the Visitors Center. Really cool place to run!
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| Tough footing on the uphill climb! |
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| Views from the top of Mt Norwottock |
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| Horse Caves. See the white blazes in the middle? Yes, the trail goes BETWEEN those two boulders! |
Thursday: 5
Solo run in Woody North. It's always fun to run in the Woody. Got my feet soaked crossing the dam on the return.
Friday: 7
Rainy, Mystic road loop from the Mystic Y with Matthew, punctuated with a little bit of trail in between to avoid much of Route 49.
Saturday: 10
Fun, twisty, single-track run with Muddy at Bluff Point and Haley State Parks. It's fun once in a while to get off that popular main loop and explore the single-track.
Sunday: 8
Solo trail workout at Duval, followed up by a cool-down at Charlestown Moraine Preserve.
Duval: Pushed every uphill, panting much of the way. Duval has many features, including dirt trails, rock scree, ridges, ocean overlooks, and pine forests. What DuVal does NOT have is flat trails! Good workout that has to be beneficial in my quest to become stronger on uphills.
CMP: Drove past here recently, and wanted to come back to explore. It was much smaller than I imagined, with a single loop trail of 0.8 miles, although there are plans (according to info at the kiosk) to add an additional trail.
Weekly Mileage: 53
Weekly Synopsis: Best marathon recovery ever! Granted some of it had to with being away and wanting to make the most of destination running, but still, looking back since I started tracking weekly mileage electronically, this is the biggest post-marathon mileage week by far:
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| Highest post-marathon weekly mileage. |
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| It's rare for me to make the WTAC club leaderboard at all, but 53 miles and 5,208' elevation the week after a marathon is more than I had envisioned! Feeling great. |
Amazing post marathon week!
ReplyDeleteNice week! Gazelles belong on trails! Glad you got to check out Ithaca with Matthew, and part of the CT50 course. It's an incredible place, cant wait to get over there again (5 weeks out!). And the 7 Sisters area, you guys were busy! Technical and awesome, great week you had :)
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