Miscellaneous Rambling:
Planned day off.
Tuesday: 6
Hampton Beach, NH. Took the day off to head up to UNH to pick up Matthew, having just finished up his freshman year. Got up there early, as I didn't want to just drive up, turn around, and drive home. Stopped at Hampton Beach to run, same as the day we dropped him last summer. However, this time instead of a busy beach and warm weather, the place was largely deserted, very few shops open, no one on the beach, 42 degrees, drizzly, and breezy. Going into the wind was tough. Last two miles with the wind I pushed it a little more and ended up with final two splits of 5:53 and 5:45.
Wednesday: 7 run, 16 ride
Run: West Thompson Lake, CT, on way home from working in Wellesley. Last time I was here it was 32 degrees and with my feet soaked, I was pretty cold and aborted my planned 'round the lake run. Today it was warm and 60 degrees, so I could try again. I inadvertently got off the main marked trail west of the lake a few times and was very appreciative of a couple of kindly mountain bikers that repeatedly set me straight. The marked trails east of the lake were easier for me to follow, so I went after and took one CR there.
Ride: Got home and Matthew was ready for a ride. He even got the bikes ready, including mine. Sounds good. Soon after starting, I dropped the chain. Struggled to catch up to Matthew. I felt I was working pretty hard. On Ocean View Highway on way back, I flatted. Ugh. Fixed it and continued on. I only had one spare tube, so hopefully this will last. (It did.) Saw Keith running towards us in Misquamicut; why was he on the sidewalk? Legs really wobbly after this.
Thursday: 0
Hadn't planned to take a zero. Just zero motivation = zero running.
Friday: 4
Easy morning run in Champlin pre-work.
Saturday: 7
Sneaks for Beaks 5K, AKA Clarence Beeks 5K. Misquamicut.
With a price of $37 pre-reg for a local 5K, I wasn't planning on running this. When we got an e-mail that WTAC members could register for $20 and I didn't have anything specific planned, sure, why not? After an initial kerfuffle with beach parking fees, we drove further down to Wuskenau ("new" town beach), parked for free, and walked back. Being a small race, check-in was simple and quick. Went out for a 2-mile warm-up, as it seems I need a longer and longer warm-up these days before the aging legs are ready to go.
Race out: Lined up in the front row. For a local race, it was odd that I knew only the RD, Jim Hahn, as he had run in our Clamdigger, and fellow WTAC members Georgia and Claire. There were a few fast looking runners, and when the "gun" went off (actually, when a timing company woman shouted "Go!"), I quickly settled into 3rd place for the "out" section of the out-and-back. Before the west end of Atlantic Ave, I passed the guy in second. There was a slight headwind, but nothing terrible. Mile 1 split 5:58. On Ocean View Highway, I was reeling in the leader (Michael D, age 30, from MA).
Race back: Right at the turn-around cone, despite being one of my pet peeves in races, I passed Michael and never looked back. Mile 2 split 6:01. I just assumed he was right behind me, but in fact he was slowing to a 6:34 final mile while I was picking it up slightly to a 5:54.
Final results: 19:44, 1st out of 83, 1st in age group. Full results here.
It had been a long time since I had won a race outright, but I don't go to races to win them, and I don't think 54-year-olds should be winning races. I would've been happier if there were some good competition that maybe would've pushed me harder, while I still placed well or won my age group.
Sunday: 29 ride
Weekly mileage: 25 run, 45 ride
Weekly synopsis: I should probably put "25 run" into extra-small font to hide the embarrassment, but at least I get partial redemption for getting out the bike two days. Having said that, I am feeling low motivation this past week, or two, or even three, and am feeling I might benefit from picking a fall marathon and then setting a summer training plan.
Weekly highlight: West Thompson Lake run. Neat place to run, and I had fun exploring the new (to me) single-track trails.
Weekly lowlight: My lethargy. Again.
- This past weekend 187 of 195 countries ratified a new accord aimed at reducing plastics pollution. The United States was not one of them and argued against it. I'm staying out of the political muck, but it's disappointing to see one more agreement good for the global environment, which we pulled out of or failed to ratify. It's OK, because we're the greatest country in the world, and we don't need the rest of the world anyway. (World's largest debtor nation, world's largest exporter of plastics waste, etc.) Getting harder for me to be bullish on the US of A, and concerned with the mess we're leaving to our children. End of rant.
Plastics waste ending up in waterways. Isn't this nice? - On the radio this week, I heard a talk show host reading through the top 10 rock genre songs played at funerals in the UK. I can kind of understand "Stairway to Heaven" being at the top, with its slow ballads and "heaven" being in the title, despite a verse in the song, "There's still time to change the road you're on.". Um, are you sure about that?
- Continuing down that same list, I was surprised and literally laughed out loud when I heard that #8 on the list is AC/DC's "Highway to Hell"! Can you imagine blasting that out at a funeral? Maybe I should request that in advance for mine?
Planned day off.
Tuesday: 6
Hampton Beach, NH. Took the day off to head up to UNH to pick up Matthew, having just finished up his freshman year. Got up there early, as I didn't want to just drive up, turn around, and drive home. Stopped at Hampton Beach to run, same as the day we dropped him last summer. However, this time instead of a busy beach and warm weather, the place was largely deserted, very few shops open, no one on the beach, 42 degrees, drizzly, and breezy. Going into the wind was tough. Last two miles with the wind I pushed it a little more and ended up with final two splits of 5:53 and 5:45.
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| This appears to be a functioning payphone (inside a Panera in Lisbon, CT, on way home). ---------- Question 1: When is the last time you saw a functioning payphone? Question 2: When is the last time you actually used a payphone? |
Wednesday: 7 run, 16 ride
Run: West Thompson Lake, CT, on way home from working in Wellesley. Last time I was here it was 32 degrees and with my feet soaked, I was pretty cold and aborted my planned 'round the lake run. Today it was warm and 60 degrees, so I could try again. I inadvertently got off the main marked trail west of the lake a few times and was very appreciative of a couple of kindly mountain bikers that repeatedly set me straight. The marked trails east of the lake were easier for me to follow, so I went after and took one CR there.
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| I unintentionally startled this family when I was rounding the dam on south side of lake, near the start of my run. |
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| Odd markers, but well marked. |
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| Intersections were well marked as well. (Haze from my cracked camera phone lens on left is annoying me.) |
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| Fun, scenic, single-track along the lake. |
Ride: Got home and Matthew was ready for a ride. He even got the bikes ready, including mine. Sounds good. Soon after starting, I dropped the chain. Struggled to catch up to Matthew. I felt I was working pretty hard. On Ocean View Highway on way back, I flatted. Ugh. Fixed it and continued on. I only had one spare tube, so hopefully this will last. (It did.) Saw Keith running towards us in Misquamicut; why was he on the sidewalk? Legs really wobbly after this.
Thursday: 0
Hadn't planned to take a zero. Just zero motivation = zero running.
Friday: 4
Easy morning run in Champlin pre-work.
Saturday: 7
Sneaks for Beaks 5K, AKA Clarence Beeks 5K. Misquamicut.
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| First time running the Beaks 5K. |
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| Phonetically reminds me of Clarence Beeks (Remember the sleazy security guy that frames Winthorpe in "Trading Places"?). |
Race out: Lined up in the front row. For a local race, it was odd that I knew only the RD, Jim Hahn, as he had run in our Clamdigger, and fellow WTAC members Georgia and Claire. There were a few fast looking runners, and when the "gun" went off (actually, when a timing company woman shouted "Go!"), I quickly settled into 3rd place for the "out" section of the out-and-back. Before the west end of Atlantic Ave, I passed the guy in second. There was a slight headwind, but nothing terrible. Mile 1 split 5:58. On Ocean View Highway, I was reeling in the leader (Michael D, age 30, from MA).
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| Race start near Misquamicut State Beach |
Race back: Right at the turn-around cone, despite being one of my pet peeves in races, I passed Michael and never looked back. Mile 2 split 6:01. I just assumed he was right behind me, but in fact he was slowing to a 6:34 final mile while I was picking it up slightly to a 5:54.
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| "Real" finishing photo taken by Jana |
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| "Fake" finishing photo from timing company Racewire. (I say "fake" because they took this after my cool-down, when they asked me to run across the finishing line. I didn't really finish so relaxing and carefree!) |
Final results: 19:44, 1st out of 83, 1st in age group. Full results here.
It had been a long time since I had won a race outright, but I don't go to races to win them, and I don't think 54-year-olds should be winning races. I would've been happier if there were some good competition that maybe would've pushed me harder, while I still placed well or won my age group.
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| I chuckled at this exchange on the 2nd place finisher's Strava post. Sorry? |
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| Post-race party at the Andrea on the beach |
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| Awards included a metal, mug, subscription to NE Runner magazine, and a $35 gift certificate to the Andrea beachside restaurant! |
Sunday: 29 ride
Weekly mileage: 25 run, 45 ride
Weekly synopsis: I should probably put "25 run" into extra-small font to hide the embarrassment, but at least I get partial redemption for getting out the bike two days. Having said that, I am feeling low motivation this past week, or two, or even three, and am feeling I might benefit from picking a fall marathon and then setting a summer training plan.
Weekly highlight: West Thompson Lake run. Neat place to run, and I had fun exploring the new (to me) single-track trails.
Weekly lowlight: My lethargy. Again.
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