Miscellaneous ramblings:
- For a while, the second presidential debate was scheduled to be virtual (due to Trump's positive COVID test) before being scrapped altogether, and I figured that would make history. I was shocked to learn that sixty years ago this month, there was a virtual debate, when JFK debated from JFK and Nixon from LA.
- Frustrating to continue to see so many races cancel or go virtual. Finally signed up for two fall half-marathons so at least I have something on the race docket to plan for and look forward to: Updated race schedule.
Monday: 0
Tuesday: 0 run, 2 walk
Trail maintenance at Grills Preserve. Led a group clearing the low-lying, overgrown white trail just east of Big Hill.
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| Rest in peace, Eddie Van Halen |
Wednesday: 10
Progression run 'round the pond. Started at 7:45/mile, and intended to chop off roughly 15 seconds each mile for 8 miles, and then 2 miles cool-down. What I didn't build into the plan was that there was a stiff wind out of the west, and my hardest and fastest miles would be into a good headwind. Poor planning.
The first six miles went according to plan and I was down to roughly a 6:30 pace. Mile 7 was a battle to get anything lower and I finished the mile at 6:26 while talking myself out of continuing. I somehow fought the urge to quit and while Mile 8 was a near sprint effort for me, I only eked out a 6:19. So the numbers may not be there, but the effort was.
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| Oh, come on. Yet another virtual race? Cap the race for COVID, take the required precautions, and put on a safe race outdoors. Very disappointing. Looks like now the closest Thanksgiving Day morning races (that really are happening) are Cumberland and East Providence. |
Thursday: 7
Wahaneeta course reconnaissance with Brady. Also added on about 4 miles in Woody Hill. Saw absolutely no one out there. Trails are in great shape, and the CCC will take care of a few trimming tasks I laid out for both Wahaneeta and Moorehouse Preserves.
Friday: 9
Quiet work day before the holiday weekend. Left the "office" early and went for an afternoon run with Brady at Grills. Usual route from Hopkinton side into Westerly, and basically running the perimeter of both preserves. For the first time (I think?) I actually read the rules on the kiosk at the Hopkinton side and was thrilled to see "Dogs must be on leash OR under voice command of their handler.". Yes! Left the leash in the car. We encountered one person on Hopkinton side, and then in Westerly a couple with two dogs on leashes. I didn't really even have to use my voice as Brady just stayed by my side on both occasions and didn't bother with either the humans or canines.
Really a beautiful fall afternoon on the trails. I love having leaves and pine-needle covered trails, and the crisp air of fall. It was quite warm for me at about 60°, but that humidity is gone. The only downside is that I brought home a tick and only noticed it when going in the shower. Ugh.
Saturday: 6 run, 2 hike
Westerly High School XC course setup, marking, and breakdown. I had taken on this position and recruited several of my WTAC colleagues back when we devised the new course and moved it to Bradford Preserve (2016?), and then announced last year that I would "retire" at the end of the season, to make way for others to take the torch. Didn't quite work out that way for different reasons, and that's just fine as I have the time and energy, and others stepped up to the plate as well, including the coaches marking the field, Schane setting up the start/finish flags and Justin P and I marking the trail portions. The reality is that the course trail has become so established that it really requires a minimum of maintenance and marking these days.
Late afternoon Jana and I took Brady for a 2-mile hike in Hopkinton's Canonchet Preserves. There are some really interesting boulders and stone foundations in there, which are great to see. There are also some interesting dam and rivers but those are just completely dried up.
Sunday: 14
Pachaug Trail Race prep. Ran the 1/2 marathon course with Brady. Only got off course twice, and even then recognized it right away and got back on course, thanks to Strava routes. That Strava route builder feature in of itself pays for the Strava subscription itself, not even including the Strava beacon feature where Jana was getting live updates exactly where I was in case something went wrong (injured, lost, etc). This is from a cheapskate that skated free on Strava for years, while obviously it's a business and valuable tool that costs money to develop and maintain.
Last year I missed the Pachaug Trail Races completely as they were already sold out. This year I got in by the skin of my teeth, as I snagged the second to the last opening (the full has a few slots, as does the 50K still, in case you have a hankering!). Chatted with Crutch, who helps to organize this race, and then studied his Strava map and ended up creating as a Strava route. I brought (electronically) a PDF trail map, a description of course turns, and the aforementioned Strava route, but in the end I only needed the latter, and never even looked at the former two during the run.
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| This Strava route builder is a great tool. The blue outline is the route I built, and the solid blue line showing my progress thus far and a confidence check that I'm still on the course. |
Here is a pictorial overview of the course and today's run:
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| The first mile of the course has a short dirt road section and then goes right into the climb up Mt Misery. It's only two 100' climbs, but it's the steepness that had be panting as well. Note to self: get out for a short warm-up before race start. |
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| After Mt Misery and a double-track, Mile 3 is this rocky uphill climb that goes on for a while. |
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| Little cairns like this are pretty cool! |
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| I saw so many of these red arrows that I mistakenly thought it was laying out the course. Paid for it here when I followed the arrow instead of taking a right onto Pachaug Trail, but again I quickly caught the error on Strava routes and back-tracked. (Mile 3) |
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| This fun mowed grass section is part of the Nehantic Trail that Matthew and I missed a left turn on during a run earlier this year. (Mile 5.) |
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| This pine forest section was a blast! You had to pay attention with the fallen leaves and pine needles, but really well blazed. (Mile 7) |
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| And the road goes on forever... Or so it seems. It's actually a mile long, but after this, save for 1/4 mile asphalt, you're done with roads. (Mile 8) |
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| Hell Hollow Pond 1st of 2 water holes for Brady. (Mile 9) |
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| Loved this pine forest single-track section, on the way back now, headed south to finish. (Mile 10) |
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| Final water hole. He scampered down the rocks and jumped right in! (Mile 12) |
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| And here's the type of scampering we're doing at this point. It'll be interesting to see how the old and by then tired legs will do navigating this towards end of race. (Mile 12) |
Wore my Nathan hydration pack as I didn't know how many watering holes there would be for Brady, or where they'd be. This ended up being a good move, as there were only two along the half-marathon route. I had to stop a number of times anyway to check the route and where we were, but I was in no hurry and all worked out well. Stopped and talked to a trail runner (Dan Phillips) who was out there getting ready for the 50K in two weeks. That was a good chat. The next one wasn't, as it was a guy and his wife who were out looking for their horse that got free and didn't come home overnight, and they were clearly emotionally distraught.
Weekly mileage: 46 run, 4 walk
Weekly synopsis: Right around my weekly mileage goal of 50. Got in a number of trail runs, volunteered two days for trail and high school XC efforts, respectively, and ran a road workout. So all good in my book. I want to keep up one medium long-run and one workout effort per week through my November half, at least.
Weekly highlight: Today's Pachaug run, for sure.
Weekly lowlight: Two consecutive zeros early in week, one planned, one lazy.
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