Passionate Runner

The Jordan Road well

2009-11-26T09:07:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite routes in Franklin runs along Jordan Road. I prefer to come in from Chestnut St. It is a set of rolling hills until you reach this well. Just passed, about a 100 meters or so, the road declines finally and stretches out to RT 140.

Time to go to the family well give thanks and draw sustenance. Enjoy!, originally uploaded by shersteve.

I find it very symbolic to 'go to the well' just before the peak of the climb. This is a good run and one I come back to frequently.

(1) What is your favorite run? Why?

(2) On this Thanksgiving Day, it will soon be time to go to the family well, give thanks, and draw sustenance. Enjoy!

Six miles for Sunday

2009-11-22T11:51:00.000-05:00

A great weather day to run. I created a semi-new route combining pieces of other routes to get a longer one in today. Longer in that I wanted more than 5 which I had been doing the past couple of Sundays and a change of scenery.

As it was Sunday, going out along 140 wouldn't be too bad. The traffic was much lighter this morning than it would be on a Saturday or evening time period. Heading out from Parmenter to 140 starts out mostly downhill and then I end up working up gradually pretty much all the way back. Good for a work out.

Note: while the distance is calculated at 7, I rendezvoused with Dolores at Cafe Dolce for coffee and the walk home. A good six miler for today!

Parmenter - 7 miles
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Leave no buddy behind!

Pink leg day

2009-10-18T16:56:00.000-04:00

My run this morning was very wet. My shirts weighed quite a bit when I got home. The temperature was in the 40's but it felt like in the 30's. My legs were pink when I finished. Not due to any special support for #breastcancer, (I do support #breastcancer) today was purely from the weather conditions.

With my return to a work schedule, I need to figure out how to get back to running regularly. It was easy to do three days a week with the time schedule all of my own making. Now, with winter approaching, it is dark early, dark late, and colder. No fun there, just complications.

I just need to juggle my priorities and make time for running.

In memory only

2009-09-27T11:12:00.000-04:00

I choose a different six mile route to run today. I had called this the MelDivas 6 as it used to start downtown at the MelDivas Coffeeshop but it has been closed for almost 2 years now. Fortunately, Cafe Dolce has opened right across the street so the route mileages still apply. So MelDivas is in memory only.

It was raining as I started and raining a little as I finished but most of the run was without the rain.

MelDiva_6_Mile
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300 miles this year!

2009-08-30T11:04:00.000-04:00

The heat has broken finally. The remains of Tropical Storm/Depression Danny left behind plenty of liquid and now we have a cool spell coming. Just in time to get some good runs in.

I had gotten to the track Friday for the first time in awhile. I did some easy strides up and down steps in increments of 100 meters (100-200-300-400-400-300-200-100). It felt good to stretch the legs out. It was also good to feel pleasantly tired for the remainder of the day.

I ran 5 this morning choosing a good rolling course. I ran slower than I thought I might although considering I did the track on Friday and this was the first long run since the beginning of the month, it was a decent one.

Turned out to be a milestone in that I ran my 300th mile this year during the run this morning. The return to conditioning is well underway. With some New England autumn weather to look forward to, I should be able to get some good runs in.

Don't like the humidity

2009-08-25T11:51:00.002-04:00

Yes, humidity is very high on my running "Don't like" listing. Actually, the only thing higher on the listing is not running at all.

So I do.
Under duress.

With

appropriate clothing
appropriate hydration
a shortened or shaded route
earlier in the day (or even later in the dark)

and it is not that bad after all. A good workout is going to generate some sweat anyway. Running in humidity just means you get wetter sooner. But as some said, you only get wet once.

Just two easy miles for the log today. I didn't run last Thu or Sun. I really have missed my last two long Sunday runs due to the heat/humidity and quite hopeful that this weekend, I'll be able to get a good run in.

What do you do to run in the heat?

6 miles today

2009-08-02T15:46:00.002-04:00

6 miles completed juice and coffee at Cafe Dolce will pick me up for the walk ho, originally uploaded by shersteve.

I did a 6 mile run today and rendezvoused with Dolores and her walk to met at Cafe Dolce. The juice and coffee will pick me up for the walk home together.

Note: these flowers were in the hanging basket outside Cafe Dolce

the summer breeze feels so good

2009-07-26T19:31:00.002-04:00

the summer breeze feels so good, originally uploaded by shersteve.

Altered my route today due to the high humidity. I shortened the length and changed to one where there was lots of tree cover. I was hoping the shade would help and it did. The course change did add a big element of more hills but that was the price to pay today.

I took a couple of stretch and water breaks, lengthening one to Twitter about the hope for rain. It turned out to be a passing cloud, nothing more than that.

I added a stop at the Dunkin Donuts on the last stretch to enjoy a nice coolatta but alas their machine was down and nothing of that sort was available. I passed on the coffee as it was already too hot.

Walking the final stretch home by Spruce Pond, I enjoyed the breeze. You can see evidence of it in the ripples on the water surface.

Weighing myself I found I lost about 7 pounds of water weight. I have been hydrating myself all afternoon and am not quite back to normal yet. Good excuse for a second beer today!

What is the lesson from running in the heat?

Adjust to the conditions. I ran slower, took a shadier course, and carried water. All things that Amby Burfoot covers in his recent Runner's World article on running in the heat. It is good advice to follow.

May the roads and trails be kind to you!

Misty day

2009-06-21T10:54:00.002-04:00

Sunday, Father's Day, out for a good run to ultimately rendezvous with Dolores at Dunkin Donuts for coffee and walk the last bit home together.

She went her way to meet at time certain. I went mine. She walked. I ran. Would the calculations work out correctly? I spent too much time worrying about that on the run. It was distracting me from focusing on the stride, keeping a good pace, working the up slopes and cruising down slopes, letting gravity provide the extra boost.

It did work out. We arrived within a couple of minutes of each other. The mist timed itself to make a bigger appearance as we left with coffee in hand to walk the home stretch. Enough to coat my glasses making it harder to see. This is one of the reasons I run without my glasses. I carry them in a glasses case with a hook and tucked into the band of my shorts. Light enough not to bother me on the run. Handy enough if they are needed to really see what's happening around me.

I hope your run today was a good one!

there be days

2009-06-09T09:55:00.002-04:00

When you just don't feel like running (last Sunday)

When you feel like running forever (today)

When the hills don't matter (today)

When the hills do seem insurmountable (last Sunday)

When you reach a good milestone (today, 202 miles year to date)

When you achieve a milestone (everyday)

Parmenter 5K results

2009-05-31T12:32:00.002-04:00

Not a bad run for starting out too quickly. When I hit the first mile in about 7:00, I knew I was going to be in trouble. That normally would be a good pace, but I knew I had not done the work to keep that pace going. I slacked off to about 9:00 and then came on stronger in the 3rd mile. It helped that the course was all through my neighborhood. I knew the streets well.

I come up Peck or Wachusetts to King to finish all runs anyway. Coming up Peck to King was an advantage mentally and I caught a couple of places there. The final turn on Wachusetts coming into the front of the Parmenter School was a nice down slope so I could stretch it out and leverage gravity. I needed it by that point.

I did finish about 40 seconds better than the 5K at the St Patrick's Race in Providence. A good improvement for the amount of work I have done to date.

I need longer runs on Sat/Sun and some good track work to continue to work on building the pace strength. The pace is there, the strength is not (yet).

The official results are available at Cool Running

Parmenter 5K Run/Walk 5/31/09

2009-05-29T08:30:00.000-04:00

The web site for the Parmenter 5K Run/Walk can be found here

On the web site you'll find links to the course map, a registration form to print out and other race details.

The other son John also left his shoe

2009-05-27T10:24:00.002-04:00

The other son John also left his shoe, originally uploaded by shersteve.

I found one shoe the other day on Union St in Franklin.

Running this morning, I saw one along RT 140 but I was in stride and didn't want to stop. I turned the corner onto King St heading on the home stretch and saw this second shoe. It made a pair with the one on RT 140. I had to stop for this one now.

If CSI: Franklin were involved, I could speculate that the boy, strapped into his car seat, sitting by the back window of an SUV, playing with his shoe managed to take one off and either accidentally or intentionally it went out the window. This one on King St was the first. As he realized what he had done, he went to take off the second one and tossed that also. That was the second shoe along RT 140.

By the time, they arrived where they were going, the mother was left with a son with no shoes and no idea where they went.

I had a good run avoiding the rain today.

Three shoes in less than a week? Creative kids or inattentive parents?

Milestone Sunday

2009-05-25T09:04:00.004-04:00

I achieved a good milestone with the 6 mile run on Sunday. I have run 51 days this year which while it is ten less than all of last year, has allowed me to cover 4 more miles than last year. It is only May.

Good bye last year! We've left you behind for sure now.

Thank you ankle brace. Keep up the good work!

We have miles to go before the year ends!

Are you on track to do what you need to today?

2009-05-21T10:45:00.002-04:00

Are you on track to do what you need to today or did you leave a sock at the sta, originally uploaded by shersteve.

Hopefully, you did not leave a sock at the starting line?

Down at the track for my pace workout this morning, I saw one sock near the starting line and another about 20 yards away. I guess it was warm and they decided to remove them.

Socks are good to absorb sweat and reduce friction which can create blisters. Yes, there are arguments for running barefoot too but that doesn't work very well in an urban environment.

Bottom line: be prepared for your workout. Make it a good one!

Mount St lesson

2009-05-13T16:32:00.002-04:00

no matter how steep the hill you still take it a step at a time, originally uploaded by shersteve.

No matter how steep the hill you still take it a step at a time. This is especially true for Mount Street. It has a sharp slope. Fortunately, it is less than a half-mile long.

It demands attention.

Pick 'em up, pick 'em up!
One step at a time and soon you can hear the peacocks crowing as the take the slight bend to the right.

Soon, you'll turn right on Upper Union and just a little more of an up slope until you crest by the water tank.

Then it is a good ways down. Let the gravity do all the work. Your legs can stretch out and hug along the soft sand to help cushion the down steps.

A good work out!

I find the Bean delightful on an early morning run #sobcon

2009-05-02T12:08:00.002-04:00

I find the Bean delightful on an early morning run #sobcon, originally uploaded by shersteve.

here in Chicago for SOBCon

Good luck to all the marathoners!

2009-04-20T10:02:00.003-04:00

The men are underway, the women's elite group were off ahead of them, over 26,000 folks running to Boston.

May the roads be kind to you this day!

Once a Runner - now available

2009-04-07T08:30:00.002-04:00

For fans of Once a Runner by John L Parker, you know that it was out of print for a long time and only available here and there via a used book seller. The wait is over. It is now available in hard cover in a new printing.

Here is the link to the Amazon page.

My book review of Once a Runner can be found here

5 miles, felt like 10

2009-04-07T08:10:00.002-04:00

How is that?

I did this route a couple of weeks ago and felt great. Today, I did it but not easily.

Maybe biorhythms do have something to do with it. According to the calculations on a couple of web sites (here and here), they all agree that my physical rhythm is low but rising. Which would make sense.

The charts also showed that two weeks ago, it was much higher. Which also makes sense to have had the great run at that time.

Have you mapped your biorhythms to your runs? How do they work out? Does it make sense?

I cast a long shadow on the early morning run today

2009-03-31T15:31:00.001-04:00

I cast a long shadow in the early morning run today. 3 miles now 100 for the yea, originally uploaded by shersteve.

3 miles in the coolness of the morning brings me to a total of 100 year to date!

No ankle problems.

The workouts will progressively get harder as I work myself into good running condition on the 3-day per week FIRST Plan.

clothing dripping to dry

2009-03-29T14:47:00.002-04:00

Running in the rain is a progressive resistance workout, originally uploaded by shersteve.

I realized that running in the rain is a progressive resistance workout. As I got out of my wet clothing, I realized how much it weighed. That was a lot of water it held, as evidenced by the dark shadow on the floor, the puddle the rain left as it dripped from the clothing.

It was a good 6 mile run today. One of my favorite routes. The rolling hills along Pleasant St provide a short slope up, incentive to maintain stride, hold the pace, keep the rhythm going. Then the road flattens out a bit, allowing for a brief respite before slopping up again. The slope and flat pattern occurs about four times, then you turn into downtown where is rises again and then on King St the last slope before home.

The rain didn't bother me. Didn't really notice it while running other than keeping watch for the road puddles to avoid.

A nice warm shower after getting out of the wet clothes gave me a good start to the day!

In the groove now

2009-03-24T08:15:00.003-04:00

Thanks to a quick stop at the Dunkin Donuts on RT 140, to give an additional meaning to "America Runs on Dunkin", I had a good run this morning.

It was cool and breezy but I managed to head into the breeze for the first mile or so. It was tough to start as I was cold starting and it was a cold breeze but as I warmed up I got closer to the turning point and once the wind was behind me, it felt so much better.

Just after two miles, I realized I wasn't going to make it without a pit stop. Fortunately, Dunkin Donuts had a location along my route today. The bathroom was open so I was in and out quickly. I did turn a few heads with my running stuff on but hey, it's morning. They hadn't had their coffee yet so they may forget about it.

I had estimated the route to be about 4.5 miles. When I mapped it out with MapMyRun, it turned out to be 5. Nice.

It feels good to be back in the groove. The run wasn't taxing. I will be able to get into the real three day workouts according to the FIRST Plan. Today will count as my tempo run. I'll do some track work on Thursday. Then the distance run on Sunday. Two days of light weight work and some walking on one or more days will complete the routine.

Providence: St Pat's Finish Medal

2009-03-22T13:23:00.002-04:00

Providence: St Pat's Finish Medal, originally uploaded by shersteve.

A close up of the finish medal from yesterday's St Pat's 5K Race held down in Providence, RI.

A great event, well executed and for the first time run, it attracted about 2600!

I was waiting patiently for the results to be posted to CoolRunning and shortly after they were, I also received a personalized email with my specific results. Nicely done!

I'll likely return next year. It was a great experience!

St Pat's 5K - Providence, RI

2009-03-21T13:27:00.002-04:00

I ran the St Pat's 5K down in Providence, RI today for a good timed workout. It was a good course, out and back. Slightly uphill going out and then on the turn around but the best part was the slight downhill all the way back.

stpats5k
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Rough estimates for my splits were
first mile - 8:20
second mile - 8:20
third mile - 8:00

See that downhill came in handy!

The gun time at the finish was 26:02. I estimate about 40-45 seconds lost at the start between the gun and crossing the actual starting line. The chip time could come in at about 25:20 if my calculations are correct.

Not worrying much about it. This was a good first workout. I really haven't gotten into speed work yet as I have primarily still been building up the mileage and only in the past couple of weeks did I get 5 miles on Sunday. This result is great considering.

Have a good run today!