Let There (Still) Be Light

"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me": Elton John

Today was early dismissal at the school I work at, followed by a workshop called "Handle With Care," where we learn how to handle our students with care should it be necessary. In other words, should a student decide to grab, scratch, spit, choke, or bite us, we now have literature and about 15 minutes of actual training so far to handle the situation. We actually don't have any "problem childs" in our school, the high school, but we are already preparing for next year when we will be getting more "challenging (aka violent) students. So for the next 6 months, we will periodically be learning and practicing our Handle With Care moves. Oh joy. Anyhow, at 2:45 p.m., 15 minutes early, I was able to execute THE Duck and Roll maneuver. If you don't know what a Duck and Roll maneuver is, go back and read it in one of my earlier blogs. Driving home, I was feeling good about the possibility of running during daylight. At home, I went to WTNH.com, as usual, and decided that since it was 35 degrees, and a "Feels Like" 35 degrees, that my normal cold weather gear would be worn. I also was discouraged that sunset was at 4:21 p.m. That meant since I planned on running the Linear Trail, I now had 45 minutes to get changed, drive the 3 miles to the trail, and run before the sun disappeared. I arrived at the trail at 3:50, leaving me just 30 minutes of light. My planned 5 mile run would have to be 4 miles instead. I decided to see if I could keep my streak of averaging less than an 8 minute mile pace intact. Off I went, and at blue #1, my time was 8:13. As usual, my first mile was (hopefully) going to be my worst. I was contemplating whether or not not stretching beforehand may have been a foolhardy decision. At about the mile and a half point, I suddenly felt loose and my pace felt strong. At blue #2, my time was 16:13, which means mile 2 was in eight minutes. I turned and headed back, and quickened my pace. At blue #3, my time was 24:13, which meant another 8 minute mile, but that I also needed to run a 7:46 or better last mile to have a sub 8 minute pace. I went into "Locomotive mode," where I breath short, quick breaths like a train whistle, pump my arms more, and try to increase my stride length. Feeling energetic the entire time, my 4th and final mile was run at a 7:33 pace, for a total time of 31:46 (7:56/M pace). It is my third consecutive run averaging better than an 8 minute per mile pace. Best of all, I was done before the sun had set.

All I want For Christmas is...

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11239292&cm_mmc=BCEmail_363-_-FOCUS-_-9-_-GarminForerunner305

8 p.m. update..took "Ace" to the vet today. My $25 Meriden Humane Society cat cost me an additional $150. He has a respiratory infection and a yeast infection in both ears. I guess that explains why he sounds like Darth Vadar when he breathes, and shakes his head so much I'm afraid he'll get whiplash. So I have 2 different medications to give to him twice a day for 10 days. I had forgotten how much fun it is to try to give a cat medication with a syringe. The shower door looks weird with a pink amoixcillin streak on it. My black work pants have some nice "air holes" in them. Note to self: Wear gloves when giving cat medications. Cat claws tear through fingers easily. Cuts on fingers bleed a LOT. I told my wife and daughter that I'll need some help giving Ace his meds for the next 10 days. I'm still waiting for a response. Note to self: Closest I'll get to owning the Garmin Forerunner 305 is looking at a picture of it.

Life is Good

"I feel good, I knew that I would, now" I Feel Good: James Brown

I got out of work today with good intentions. I was determined to run 5 miles, since it was "warm" (almost 50 degrees), and I had the night off from working at Weight Watchers. I arrived home and was pleasantly surprised to see that my wife had put out the holiday decorations outside of our home. I had actually forgotten that she had taken the day off. I rushed inside, knowing that I had less than an hour before sunset. My lovely wife was putting up our artificial tree, and I had intentions of performing a "duck and roll" to our bedroom and changing into my running gear. My wife had other ideas. She asked for help solving the case of the one strand of lights that didn't work. It's not that I didn't try to help. But every solution I'd come up with was met with the comment "I already tried that." Finally I did what every good husband of 27 years does. I shut up and listened. Long story short, 20 minutes later she had the lights working. And I had my freedom to go change my clothes, now with about 20 minutes to go before sunset. I walked towards my bedroom, and was met by my son exiting the kitchen in his power wheelchair. He asked me if I would do his albuterol treatments with him. Obviously I couldn't tell him "No." Besides, family always comes first. Albuterol treatment completed, I looked outside. Darkness greeted me, but I didn't greet it back. As I've said before, I hate running in the dark. I weighed my options: Wimp out (not really an option, since new cat has vet appt. tomorrow, so I won't be running); run original goal of 5 miles; or since I don't like running after sunset, cut my run back to 3 miles. A 3 mile run was my decision. I dressed, did my stretches, put on my cool glowing, highly visible at night armband, grabbed my music, and headed outside. I looked in the sky, and noticed how beautiful it looked: moon shining brightly, venus nearby, and a few other visible stars. It was a "Life is good" moment. Suddenly, it was going to be alright running in the dark, and with streetlight lit roads. Mile 1 was an 8:16 mile, followed by a 7:50 mile 2, and (drum roll please) a 7:23 3rd mile. Total time: 23:29, or a 7:49 per mile average pace.

I Think I've Figured it Out

"It used to seem to me, That my life ran on too fast, And I had to take it slowly, Just to make the good parts last, But when you're born to run, It's so hard to just slow down" : Steve Winwood: Back in the High Life

Yes, I ran last Friday (3 miles: 24:51; 8:17/M) and Saturday (6 miles: 51:44; 8:37/M), but overall both days were uneventful, so therefore no posts. I believe I was experiencing PMRRLS (Post Manchester Road Race Letdown Syndrome). Sunday I woke up with wicked back pain, which I've finally learned means to slow down and take a day or two off from running. Plus our first visible snow and sleet since last March was another omen not to run. Monday, as usual, was my full time job as a Teacher's Assistant, the weekly boring 3:00 meeting, followed by a 7 mile drive home, and racing around the house like a maniac for 30 minutes trying to shave, freshen up, check on our new cat "Ace," then driving 7 miles back to Wallingford to work at Weight Watchers from 5-7 p.m. As far as Ace goes, I adopted him last Friday from the Meriden Humane Society. I gave up waiting for the Branford Pound to process my application for the 27 lb. cat I saw there a week and a half ago. So of course there was a message from them on our answering machine telling me I could go there and adopt him. As much as I want him, it's not going to happen. Ace is 1 1/2 years old, and an orange and white tabby. He and I were hitting it off well until last night, when I accidentally stepped on his foot. Now he runs and hides whenever he sees me coming. Great...I was the Grim Reaper a few weeks ago with our 16 year old cat, so to help ease my guilt I adopt macho, humane society cat room bully Ace, who now won't give me the time of day. Reminds me of my single days when I'd always strike out with the ladies. It should be fun on Thursday trying to find him, talk him into going into a cat carrier without ripping me apart with his claws, and driving him to the vet for his check-up. That brings me to today. I cut a deal with myself to run a comfortable 3 miles on my road course. Sorta like ease myself back into running, even though my back has been fine since Sunday afternoon. I was feeling tired, having been up since 3:30 a.m., and it was now 4 p.m. So I "cheated" and chugged a 16oz. ERev energy drink to give me a boost. It was cold, so I went the full attire of hat, gloves, long sleeves, running pants, etc. I didn't even bother to check WTNH.com to see the temperature, nor did I stretch. I was being defiant, since I didn't want to run but felt obligated to run since I had the previous 2 days off. My first mile is mainly uphill, but surprisingly I felt good even though I was planning on taking it easy. I hit mile 1 at 8:16, which was about 30 seconds faster than I had planned. Damn energy drink was working too well! The next mile was easy, and I passed my 2 mile mailbox at 16:06, or a 7:50 2nd mile. Ridiculous! This was a take it easy run? Actually it was, since everything felt effortless. At that point I said "Screw it," and went into a full sprint. Seven minutes and twenty seconds later, I was finished. Total time was 23:26, or a 7:48 per mile pace. I think I've figured it out. Cooler weather plus less frequency of running equals faster times when I do run. It only took me two years to realize this....better late than never.

It Doesn't Get Any Better Than Manchester...

"I can see clearly now, the rain is gone, I can see all obstacles in my way, Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind, It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) Sun-Shiny day." I Can See Clearly Now: Johnny Nash

I've been lazy...I confess. It's 2 days after I completed the Manchester Road Race, and I'm now finally making an effort to write about it. In very few words, it was great. I woke up at 5 a.m., and ate my usual breakfast of two english muffins with peanut butter and Smart Balance. Gross, I know, but it's a flashback to my youth, when I would eat peanut butter and butter sandwiches. After getting my son showered, shaved, and dressed, I was still on target for my planned driving departure time of 8 a.m. I checked WTNH.com, and was pleased to see that it was still supposed to be "rain free," with a high of around 48 degrees. It was only 29 degrees at that point, so I decided to wear some of my "cheap" running gear, which means my long sleeved wick through shirt ($5.00 on clearance at WalMart this past spring), with a short sleeved wick through shirt (free for competing in a previous 5K race). I also put on shorts and running pants, with the hope of shedding the pants pre-race if the sun was warm enough. I did not bring my mp3 player, since Manchester is the one and only race that the crowd is large and vocal enough to overide the need for music. Their cheering is always music to my ears. I programmed my TomTom, and at 8:05 was on my way for the 45 minute drive. TomTom decided to have me exit what I thought was way too soon, and I found myself driving the last 7 miles along local roads instead of the highway. However, I have since found out that the highway traffic near the road race was backed up, so TomTom actually did me a favor. I guess I have a "psychic" GPS, since it doesn't have the traffic option programmed into it. I arrived at the Manchester Town Hall at 8:45, as planned. I always park there since it's free, away from traffic, about a half mile from the start/finish line, and most importantly a 1/4 mile from Dunkin' Donuts, where I always have my post race coffee. I debated whether to shed my long pants, but decided against it since as I went outside my car I was greeted with a chill in the air. Besides, I figured it was 45 minutes away from the suggested line up time of 9:30, so I still had time to change my mind before the 10:00 start time. I walked towards the start/finish line, which was about a half mile away. Fox 61 news was setting up, and of course I kept my eyes and ears open for any reporters or cameras. Yup, I wanted to be on tv. As I walked down Main Street, towards the start/finish line, I stopped and watched as the fire department hung the traditional HUGE American flag suspended between the end of two firetruck ladders . It is located about a 1/4 mile from the start/finish line. It gives me goosebumps every year to see it. It was still chilly, so I spent the next fifteen minutes walking and slowly running up and down Main Street, while looking for my co-worker Grace, and my son's friends Christine and Julie, who were also running. At 9:15 people were already starting to line up according to their anticipated finishing time. It was now or never as far as returning to my car and adding hat and gloves, or losing long pants. I decided to stay the way I was. I headed for the 35 to 40 minute area, and was disappointed that no one was checking for seeding cards, which as I said in an earlier post, I had. The other time groups were fenced off, and cards were checked there. So my "Under 40 minutes" card was, in effect, worthless. I was soon joined by fathers and their young children, as well as teenagers who were encouraging their friends to cut in and join them. In other words, I was surrounded by "obstacles," meaning slow moving runners who hadn't adequately trained to run the 4.75 miles. At 9:45, I heard someone call my name, and was surprised to see Christine and her sister Julie directly behind me. They told me they had just arrived, and had snuck in under the fence on the side. Again, so much for me having a seeding card! Well, at least I had someone to talk to, and since they were behind me, they were someone elses obstacles! At this point the sun was shining stronger, I was feeling cozy warm, and I was questioning whether or not I was going to be overdressed. As I listened to the pre-race announcements, I was amazed at the number of registered runners: 11,800. A new record. I was thrilled that about 10,000 of them were starting behind me. Finally it was 10:00, everyone sang along to the Star Spangled Banner while facing the flag behind us, and the race began to the music of "God Bless America," as it does every year. I decided to start my stopwatch as I crossed the starting line, so I could have my actual time, or "Net time" as I ran. I took one last look to make sure my "SAI timing tag" was still fastened around my shoelaces. It's a brand new method of timing races, and the nice thing about the tag is it works the same as the timing "chips" that most races use, except you get to keep it afterwards. No more trying to unlace your shoes while you're exhausted so you can return your timing chip. 50 seconds later, I was officially on my way. I immediately headed for the left side of the road, knowing that the first turn is a left and comes quickly. For the most part, people tend to stick to the middle at this point. After some zig-zagging in between and around other runners, I was where I wanted to be. A left turn onto Charter Oak Street, and I knew that soon I would be greeted by all the patrons of the Hungry Tiger bar, whose sole purpose is to drink a lot and cheer for everyone running by. I always make sure I move over to the right side of the street so I can be near them as I pass by. They were not only in front of the bar, but also on the roof, drunk as can be, and cheering everyone on. Somewhere around there I reached the 1 mile mark, and a quick check of my watch revealed... at this point I must confess that my mile split times are a guestimate! I think my time was around 8:15. I knew from previous years that I was off to a GREAT start because 1) I had passed many "obstacles", and 2) a long uphill was just ahead, meaning I could probably pass any remaining obstacles. Running up hills is where I tend to pass others due to my long legs. Miles 1 to 2 consisted of running up the long, gradual hill. As others walked or slowed down, I picked up my pace. Mile 2 time was also a blurr...somewhere around 16:30, or another 8:15 mile. It's a blurr since I was busy cursing myself for forgetting that the steep downhill part of the race doesn't come until after the steep uphill just after mile 2. So I had miscalculated when the uphill part ended, and instead had to kick it into a faster gear in order to attack the steep uphill. All the time I kept reminding myself that I would be rewarded once I reached the top. As I saw the sign for Porter Street, I knew it was time for a left turn, and my reward. The steep, yet fun downhill portion had arrived! I was smiling like the Cheshire Cat, and I passed mile 3 at around 23:50 (7:20 pace mile 2 to 3), meaning my pace per mile was now at 7:57. Just 1 3/4 miles to go, and I was not only going to break 40 minutes, but I was going to SHATTER it!! I had the best runner's high I've ever experienced. Best of all, it was all natural, meaning no energy drinks or energy gel. Just 100% pure adrenaline. I was focusing on the cheering crowd, 5 deep in some places, as well as the beautiful day, bagpipers, and live bands and cd's blaring. Between miles 3 and 4 is a house that every year blasts out the "Theme From Rocky." That is the song as far as getting me psyched. I spaced out and missed the one and only water station. No matter, I was having fun. I never wanted the race to end. I was painfree, breathing easily, and running completely effortless. Mile 4 was reached at around 31:20, meaning a 7:30 mile. Around mile 4 1/2, I saw a camera and a Channel 61 reporter in the crowd. I'm pleased to say that I TIVO'd the race, and can be clearly seen for 3 seconds on Channel 61, from "unofficial gun time" of 35:26 to 35:29. My 3 seconds of road race fame! Shortly thereafter I turned onto Main Street, and headed for the finish. My common sense reminded me that I still had about a half mile to go, and not to start my finishing kick. My uncommon sense said to go for it, since Main Street is wide and has thousands of cheering spectators on both sides. How could I disappoint them?! Besides, I still felt greater than great, and I spotted another Channel 61 camera plus the road race photographer over to the right. I swung out wide, making sure they both had clear shots of me. Well, Channel 61 didn't show Main Street at that moment, so I have to settle for my 3 seconds of fame. I'll find out in a few days how "buff" my race photos are. I know I ran the entire length of Main Street with a smile on my face. The finish line came quickly...too quickly. After 36 minutes, 42 seconds of "net time" running, my journey had ended. Not only had I beaten my goal of finishing in under 40 minutes by 3 plus minutes, I also averaged a 7:43 per mile pace. Along with running and completing 2 marathons, it was my most memorable running experience ever.

Manchester, Manchester, Manchester

"I understand about indecision; But I dont care if I get behind; People livin' in competition; All I want is to have my peace of mind." Peace of Mind: Boston

I know...all I've talked about lately is the Manchester Road Race. Well, guess what I'm going to be talking about today?! No time to run yesterday due to my Weight Watchers job. I really wanted yesterday to be my final run before, you guessed it, the Manchester Road Race. Today I debated for about 2 seconds whether or not I was going to go for a run after work. The rain had gone away, and the sun was shining. I got home, logged into WTNH.com, and discovered that it was 41 degrees, "feels like" 38 degrees. A "heat wave" compared to the temperatures this past week. So, my 2 seconds decision was to go for a run. However, I needed to use common sense since the Manchester Road Race (4.75 miles) is now less than 2 days away. I chose my 3 mile road course. I figured I'd take it easy, enjoy the run, and not worry about my time. As I settled into my pace, it felt so right. Even though the sun had disappeared behind the clouds, the temperature had dropped, and my hands were cold (forgot to wear my gloves), my legs were moving well. I hit my one mile point at 8:26, which was fine since home to mile one is a series of small, annoying hills. Mile one to two I felt so good that I increased my speed. I reached mile 2 at 16:26, or an eight minute 2nd mile. Nice thing was, I still was enjoying my run. Everything was as perfect as it could be. My time for the final mile was 7:45, for a time of 24:11 (8:03/M) for the 3 miles. Well, tomorrow is a day off from running, then "Turkey Day" is the race. Myself and 10,000 other runners and walkers burning calories and having fun doing so. Thanksgiving turkey always tastes so much better after I've run the Manchester Road Race.

I'm Ready For the Manchester Road Race

"Take it easy, take it easy" The Eagles: Take it Easy

An early morning run today. I left my house at 7:45 a.m., and finished back home at around 8:30. Temperature was 20 degrees, "feels like" 13 degrees. After the first couple of miles, I didn't care. I thought my time was going to be slow, meaning around a 9 minute mile pace. I ran the 5 mile route created by my daughter Stephanie, and I wasn't winded, feeling any pain, or struggling at all. It was too easy, therefore my belief of a 9 minute mile pace, especially since I decided I wasn't looking at my stopwatch until I finished. I was shocked when I finished and looked at my watch: 41:29 (8:17/M). I stared in disbelief, and checked it again several times while inside. I thought the cold had numbed my brain cells. Well, needless to say, I'm ready to run the 4.75 mile Manchester Road Race on Thanksgiving. I'm not sure if I'll do another run beforehand...do I really need to?!