Monday: 1 walk, 5 run
Was dreading this day. Difficult day with multiple appointments dealing with final arrangements of my brother's remains.
Westerly, RI. 1-mile walk with Brady at Avondale Preserve at sunset, followed by a 5-mile run in the dark of night with Tommy and Brady. Good conversational therapeutic run that I needed.
Tuesday: 7
Charlestown, RI. Mix of asphalt and dirt roads, and single-track, from Burlingame picnic area.
Wednesday: 10
Charlestown, RI. Back to Burlingame. Burlingame Trail plus Vin Gormley Trail, with Matthew and Brady. A few mountain bikers out there.
Thursday: 10
Mystic, CT. Early morning run with Matthew. I knew this would be a very trying day, and this was as much a run as therapy for me in preparing for the day. Run from Mystic Y south to Enders Island, and then north to Mistuxet.
We buried my brother today. It has been ten days since his untimely and senseless death. One of the toughest days of my life.
Friday: 10
Westerly, RI. Grills Preserve 10-Mile race course with Matthew and Brady. Very windy. A good day for the protection of the woods. Ran into Jeff Huckle on run; good to catch up with him.
With the service over, I had planned to return to work today, but my manager asked me to take another day off as a 3-day weekend looms. That was comforting.
Saturday: 12
Richmond, RI. Ran from Arcadia Y with Matthew. No Brady today, as it was all roads. One of my favorite road running routes as it's on very quiet country roads, including dirt roads in Exeter and Hopkinton. Average 7-flat pace, with faster miles in second half. Felt really good.
Sunday: 8
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| Outdoor temp as we left the house this morning. Brrr. |
Charlestown, RI. Chilly 3° run with Chris, Tommy, Matthew, and Brady. I probably overdressed, but after a couple miles, I was toasty warm. Two layers on bottom, two on top, plus thick socks, thick gloves, and a balaclava. As Chris noted as we were finishing up, time goes by really quickly when you're running with good company (I think he actually said "amazing people"). By the end of the run, it had warmed all the way up to 10°! We finished up with a visit to Dave's Coffee for some more good conversation over a cup of java.
Weekly mileage: 63 run, 1 walk
Weekly synopsis: Everyone grieves and comes to grips with death differently. For me, the conclusion of the graveside service was a first step towards closure. Because I told myself it would be. I'm not so naïve as to think I'm over this horrible incident for good and I know that "time heals all wounds" is a fallacy, but I also know I need to move on with my live, return to some normalcy, and start to engage with people again, especially those relatives and friends closest to me.
As for running, for the second consecutive week, I am again pleasantly surprised I was able to get in 60+ miles in a week fraught with so many raw emotions and difficult death care tasks. It was also the second consecutive week that I had zero workouts and zero long runs. But that changes next week. Because I am telling myself it will change.
Weekly highlight: Sunday's group run with friends, and post-run get-together. Despite being likely to go down as my coldest run of 2022, I was far enough along in my grieving process to really enjoy some more normal conversation and a few laughs. I am grateful for that.
Weekly lowlight: Yeah. I think that one is pretty obvious. No more words.
I'll end this post with two whimsical moments of levity that gave me a smile:
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| My first marathon: Philadelphia in 2003 Before heading down to Philly two months ago for my 21st marathon, I had searched high and low (but not high or low enough, apparently) for this commemorative shirt, as I wanted to wear it to the expo, but I had given it up for lost or accidentally donated to charity with hundreds of other race shirts. --- When I was cleaning up some old clothes today, you can can imagine my elation when I found this "gem"! It's cotton and quite worn, unlike the 2021 tech edition, but it's a keeper! --- Look for the simple pleasures in life. |
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| Don't even think of trying to take my Rudolph (a Christmas gift) away. Brady plays with his squeaking Rudolph frequently now, and I'm not sure if he provides more entertainment for himself or for me! Enjoy life. It beats the alternative. |
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