Were There Rocks in My Socks??

"Running on - running on empty, Running on - running blind, Running on - running into the sun, But Im running behind" Jackson Browne, Running on Empty

Cheshire Linear Trail...cloudy, drizzly, a blah kinda day. BUT, warm enough (55 degrees) to wear a t-shirt and shorts. Instead of feeling like I had rockets in my pockets, it felt as if I had rocks in my socks. I really wanted to go for a ten mile run today, just because. As I started my run, it just didn't feel as comfortable as it usually does. Maybe running the previous four days had taken a toll on the pep in my step. At least I had company. Families, joggers, and walkers were still on the trail despite the weather. Fortunately it wasn't as busy as it usually is on a Saturday. (The trail starts in Cheshire, the town I live in, and continues through Hamden and into New Haven, where it ends. It's about 8 miles one way. More info. is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmington_Canal_Trail.) During my first mile, and into my second mile I determined that today was not going to be a 10 mile day. I felt that 8 miles wasn't in the cards either. So I reluctantly turned around at the blue spray painted "3" in Hamden, and headed back towards Cheshire, planning on running a 6 miler. But heading back I actually started to feel better... kinda like I had marbles instead of rocks in my socks. I made a deal with myself that if I still felt like this at the end, that I would turn around and run to the one mile marker and back again, for a total of 8 miles. Well, I did, and I did. So, bottom line is a 1:10.19 (8:47/M) 8 mile run today.

Fourth Day in a Row

"On the seven seas there was a phantom ship acoming, Shinin' in the dead of night, I heard the crew a hummin' Tunes that sounded like the Rolling Stones and Leonard Cohen. But they didn't know the words, So I assumed that they was foreign." Electric Light Orchestra, Illusions in G-Major

I have to recommend a song to download into your Ipod. It's "Illusions in G Major" by the Electric Light Orchestra a.k.a. ELO. It's located on their "Eldorado" album, yes album, from way back in the 70's. It wasn't a single, but it was the "B" side of one of their singles. If you never owned a "45," then you have no clue what I'm talking about. Anyhow, if you can find it, download it. It's guaranteed to put some "pep into your step." If anyone actually reads this and has songs that are more recent to recommend to me, please do so. Being stuck in the 70's music wise is difficult sometimes.
OK, yesterday I skipped Happy Hour at Humphrey's and came home. I did what my co-worker Jim calls the "Duck and roll," meaning at exactly 3 p.m. I signed out, sprinted to my car, and drove home. This helped me avoid the possibility of my other co-workers, most who are younger, hot looking women, talking me into going out for "Just one drink." As all of you know, there's no such thing at Happy Hour as "Just one drink." One delicious tasting Sam Adams develops into having "Just one more," which leads to several just one mores, which leads to going to Mickey D's on the way home for the double cheeseburger and two regular fries off the dollar menu, which leads to driving home with one hand on the wheel, and the other hand stuffing the double cheeseburger and fries into my mouth. What's really cool is that any fries that don't make it to my mouth become "floor food," meaning they sit on the floor of my car for future consumption. Yes, I have eaten floor food in the past.
Well, before I finally went out for a run, I did everything I could to NOT go out for a run. The cats food dish needed food and water, I separated the laundry and washed a load, I folded and put away the clothes in the dryer, I checked the messages on the answering machine...you get the idea. By the time I was done stalling, it was nearly dark. Had I not procrastinated, I would have run 5 miles. Instead, I ran four miles, on the first running route I created here in Cheshire. It was once again warm enough to wear shorts and a t-shirt (Yea!), and I ran a 32:37 (8:07/M). I'm noticing a pattern this week: all my times are very close as far as pace per mile, which makes me extremely happy. Plus it's pretty much effortless. Today I'm planning on running somewhere between 6 and 10 miles on the Linear Trail. I always look forward to the weekend and my Linear Trail runs. More later...

And I Wonder, Still I Wonder, Who'll Stop the Rain

"Let it rain, let it rain, Let it rain, rain, rain." Eric Clapton

Nope, I wasn't going to let the rain keep me from running. After all, I'm encouraged by the fact that my bathroom scale was MUCH kinder to me this morning: 180 lbs. I'll take it, considering it was mooing at me on Monday as I weighed in at 183.5. I decided to cut back my distance to 3 miles, since 5 minutes before I went outside I could hear the rain pounding on my skylights. Fortunately when I started my run it had stopped. So I ran my 3 mile course the regular way, having learned my lesson yesterday. The worst part was the final mile, when I headed north and was met with a faceful of rain. The rain kept me company until I finished. Running in the dark, in the rain, and wearing glasses that I have to keep wiping off isn't fun. Anyhow, enough complaining. My time of 24:24 (8:08/M) was better than expected...life is good.

Getting Carded is a Good Thing

"I've been standin' here waitin' Mister Postman, So patiently, For just a card, or just a letter" Marvelettes

Just went through yesterday's mail and found this postcard:

Manchester Road Race
192 East Center Street
Manchester, CT 06040

Permits entrance to the under 40 minute starting area.

Line up behind the elite runners in order to give them an unimpeded start.

For safety and efficiency of the start DO NOT give this card to another runner.

This card must be presented before 9:45 A.M. on raceday at the under 40 minute starting area.

Bottom line is, my 39:56 time from last years race paid off. Now I get to start ahead of the people/obstacles that I'm usually zig zagging my way around at the start.

Running Backwards... Sorta

"Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes, Pretty soon now you're gonna get a little older, Time may change me, But I cant trace time" David Bowie

SUCCESS!! First I'd like to say that being able to run wearing shorts and a short sleeved shirt in Connecticut on November 5th was truly a gift. Wednesday is a Weight Watchers work night, so I had planned to go 3 miles. However, I felt great at the end and had a little extra time, so I did 2 laps around the block for an extra mile. My time was decent (33:40; 8:20/M), so I'm happy. I decided to be creative, and run my 3 mile course backwards. OK, I didn't run backwards, but rather ran it in reverse. My reasoning was twofold. First, it would allow me to start with a less hilly first mile, and finish downhill. Second, it would psychologically be a different route to run. Well, stupid me forgot about the STEEPER hill I had to run up for the first quarter mile. That hill is usually part of the downward part of the last quarter mile I run to the finish. Having conquered that and breaking into a sweat much earlier than I anticipated, I was good until halfway through when I saw a nasty hill waiting my ascent..yes, a hill that's normally DOWNHILL. I had an easier time running over it than I thought I would, but I realized at that point that I would have been better off running my route the regular way. Important thing is that I was able to go to work with an official "Runner's High," and that I beat the pouring rain that occurred a half hour after I completed my run. Perhaps I'll step on the scale tomorrow...

That's Not an Earthquake, That's Me Running

"I feel the earth move under my feet" Carole King

3 o'clock didn't come fast enough today. After stepping on my bathroom scale this morning and hearing it scream for mercy (I'm lying, it's a digital scale), I had another "wake-up call." Yes, consuming mass quantities of beer and food this past weekend at Atlantic City certainly expanded my waistline in a hurry. It's not my fault that Harrah's gave my wife a free room. Hey, she turned "50" on Sunday, and we had to celebrate. It IS my fault that I had absolutely no problem taking advantage of the free beer while gambling. A $10 tip ahead of time was adequate motivation for waitress "Tammy" to make sure I never went more than 15 minutes empty handed. So what if it wasn't Sam Adams. After all, Coors Light is my second favorite beer after all. 183.5, yes, 183.5. I like to be 175, I'll accept 179.99. I'm typing it so I have a motivational visual. I need to get serious this week, and I started today. A 41:15 (8:15/M) 5 miler is a good start-no, it's a DAMN good start. I need to make time to run, or run when it's dark (it's now dark by 5 p.m.). OK, 'nuff said. Talk is cheap. As Nike says, I have to "Just do it."

Too Much Eating and Drinking, Not Enough Running

"So Drink To Me Drink To My Health..You Know I Can't Drink Any More." Picasso's Last Words (Drink To Me):Paul McCartney

Well, life's been hectic, but fun. This past Thursday the company my wife works for threw her a surprise 50th birthday celebration. Randee, her co-worker, did a fantastic job sending my wife all over Hamden and Cheshire looking for clues and gifts that eventually led her home. From there I drove the 2 of them to Humphrey's Bar and Grille in Wallingford for her birthday bash. A fun time was had by all. Needless to say, I ate and drank way too much. Friday I had all intentions on going home after work for a 5 mile run and skipping Happy Hour at Humphrey's. After all, I had been there less than 24 hours earlier, right?! WRONG! Peer pressure from co-workers Carissa and Grace changed my mind. So, more beer and food for me, and of course even though I left at a decent time, I didn't go for a run. Saturday I DID go for an 8 mile run. Why 8 miles?? Well, 5 seemed like it would be too short, and 10 seemed like it would be too long. That's always my "Runner's logic." It felt great running the Linear Trail once again. My time was a little slow, 1:11.46 (8:58/M), but I was satisfied with how I felt. No knee or achilles pain. The past 2 days were spent in Atlantic City (Harrah's) with my wife, celebrating her real birthday, which was Sunday. (Details above)