Miscellaneous rambling:
- Pretty psyched that we have over 200 runners signed up for Clamdigger. If this holds, we could have the largest turnout in 22 years, when 235 finished the race in 2001.
- Four weeks to Providence Marathon. I'm no where near in shape the way I was at Detroit Marathon last fall, with my mileage much less and my weight about 5 pounds heavier. I'd like to get one easy 20ish, then taper and see what happens.
- Post-Providence I plan (hope?) to get back onto the trails, as I'll be eight weeks out to my ultra.
- Also time to get back to swimming and biking before my insanity in September (Ironman).
- I was initially psyched to learn that AC/DC will be having its first concert this fall since 2015, until I saw this "Power Trip" concert in CA is a 3-day show with multiple bands and ticket prices alone starting at $600 (exclusive of airfare and pricey hotel options, most at $3k and up packages).
- Reminds to buy tickets for the Foreigner Farewell Tour, coming to New England late summer.
- Speaking of things going away, we're down to 2 tris left in RI now, and it looks like On Your Left racing is down from about 5 tris total to just one. Looks like I'll need to look to neighboring states this summer, perhaps including the Thursday night biweekly Terramuggus series.
- Finally, what is with the huge bibs that some races are giving out know?
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| L: Hugely tall bib that barely fits on my torso Center: (Newport half) Normal size bib R: (Laugavegur) Small bib is plenty big enough |
Monday: 1
Westerly, RI.
Sick. Leaving the race yesterday, I was having sniffles on the way home. By late afternoon and evening, I was sick with just common cold symptoms. Thought I felt much better this morning, so after the one errand I needed to I went to Avondale Preserve, but just felt out of it with body aches and that medicine-head feeling.
Tuesday: 1 walk, 5 run
AM: Westerly, RI. CCC. Finished clearing at historic Larkin foundation. For this season anyway. Also positioned a small bog bridge into place in a perennially muddy and wet location.
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| On a muddy spot on the yellow trail. It looks narrow, but should be fine to run over. The mud was ankle deep. |
PM: Charlestown, RI. Very warm day, likely the warmest thus far in 2023. 62°F at start of run. I feared late afternoon would be a very busy time for people out walking, running, and biking, and tried to think of somewhere on roads that might be quiet. Settled on dirt roads of Burlingame North and lucked out with only one other person encountered. Stopped thrice to let Brady drink from streams.
Wednesday: 4
Woke up for my planned long run. Had oatmeal and a bagel, and got some work done while waiting for digestion and a mid-morning run start. Checked my calendar and noticed that I completely forgot that I had a Finance Committee meeting at 11am. Ugh. Thought about wrangling my way out, but that's not fair, especially on a last minute notice. It turns out there were already two committee members absent, and my presence determined whether or not we had a quorum to meet with the accounting firm.
No long run today. Due only to my own poor planning.
Stonington, CT
By late afternoon, as usual, I had lost all motivation. Went to Barn Island and ran dirt roads with Brady in drizzle and wind. Blah.
Thursday: 5 run, 4 walk
Charlestown, RI. Ran with Brady on Burlingame campground roads. As I'm currently confined to roads with my injured ankle, I've enjoyed running this loop during the past couple of months, as the roads are gated and closed. For one more week, that is. Sigh.
Exeter, RI. Thursday WLT hike series. Mount Tom. I was pretty surprised to see this on the list, as the trail is quite technical and would definitely turn some of the regulars away. But not the seven that showed up (eight if you count Brady). Fortunately, none of today's attendees had any issue at all with going up the wet rocks and keeping up the pace, and one was in his early 80s.
Friday: 20
Hopkinton, RI. Had two morning meetings. I thought I retired? Anyway, the second meeting was in Richmond, I knew I wanted to get in a long run and the weather would be conducive, so the night before I mapped out a 20-miler that started/finished kind of on the way back home (Black Farm). I just love the Strava route creation feature. That alone is well worth the subscription cost, never mind the heat maps and other cool features.
Started at Black Farm, where I was surprised to see the small parking lot almost full. Thought about going somewhere else, but I already had the route downloaded and ready to go, so I maneuvered my car around to fit one more in and still give people room to get their cars out.
Almost immediately on the run, the PM attacked. Fortunately, I was running in a very rural area and I had brought supplies. 'Nuff said. Although it did make me wonder what do city slickers do in the same situation when nature calls, and, well, there's no natural places around and not exactly a lot of public restrooms either?
Ran 4 easy, and then started my MP block, with target miles 6:20ish. First mile was 5:48, which sounds ridiculous until you factor in that there was a 140' drop. Next 6 successive miles were much closer to target: 6:13, 6:18, 6:21, 6:12, 6:09, 6:20. In hindsight, I should've broken up my blocks better, but I was kind of making it up as I went along (the MP miles, not the course). Ran 3 easy, but the rollers were wearing me down. Followed by two more at "MP", but by now I was hitting more 60' hills, was 15 miles in, and didn't have it. 6:31 and 6:34. Four "easy" to finish, but that included a 180' climb. Had never run on Nichols Lane before, but that is a short but steep hill with sections over 20% grade.
Saturday: 8
Exeter, RI. Went to Arcadia check station to run my new "usual" route while my ankle heals. Had no idea why the parking lot was overflowing with cars parked along Route 165 as well. (It was the first day of fishing season, but I didn't realize it until later.) Getting out of the car to find a bunch of smokers and drinkers early in the morning pushed me to quickly get out of lot and onto Mount Tom Trail, and away from the people and smoke.
Easy recovery run with Brady. Time passed quickly.
Sunday: 11
Voluntown, CT. Easter morning dirt road run with Matthew and Brady at Pachaug State Forest. Oddly my first run of the year in Voluntown. Nice morning for a run with temps in the 30s, sunny, and no wind.
Weekly mileage: 55 run, 5 walk
Weekly synopsis: Not well executed when 15 of this week's miles were in the first four days of the week and 40 in the last three. Got it done, but just didn't plan this out well at well.
Weekly highlight: Getting in a hard 20-miler.
Weekly lowlight: Poor planning on my part. This coming week is supposed to be very warm, so I'll need to make a better effort to get out there and run in the morning before I lose my window or motivation.
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