I Run

Seven Sisters Trail Race 2011

2011-05-08T17:47:00.007-04:00

Last weekend (5/1/2011) I ran the Seven Sisters Trail Race in Amherst, MA. Or rather, I walked it briskly. It's pretty tough to find a stretch of trail here where you can open it up to actually run. Plus, 200 plus runners on a single track trail means that you're going at the pace of the person in front of you for much of the way. Since I'd never done this race before, I was content to just follow the crowd. It's a good thing I did because if I'd gone out any faster, I would have had a much tougher time finishing. I was happy enough until the turnaround at mile 6 and for a couple of miles after that, but then my legs started cramping. The downhill sections were sort of excruciating, with the sharp rocks and all just waiting for my legs to buckle. Still, I managed to get to the end without falling, which on this course is no easy thing. Next year maybe I won't be so conservative.

Results

One of the flatter, less rock strewn sections of the course.

Asics Speedstar 5 (Spiderman shoes)

2011-02-06T21:36:00.003-05:00

I've been running in two pairs of Asics Speedstar 3s for well over a year, so it was about time to get another pair of shoes. I totally missed the Speedstar 4 because I really like the 3s and kept running in them until the soles were threatening to expose my socks. I got the 5s a couple of days ago and used them literally for the first time at a 4 mile race. At first, they felt a bit tight but so did the 3s when I first got them. When my daughters saw them they immediately said they looked like Spiderman's shoes. Actually, Spiderman wears boots, so nyah! But I could see the resemblance to the web crawler's attire. The 5s feel a little narrower in the toe box, but the fit is quite nice, like a glove or slipper. In the race they performed just like I would have expected the 3s to do, maybe even better. I took them out for a 20 miler today and had no problems except that the roads were really wet and slushy, and when I got home my feet were drenched. That was a little unexpected since I would have thought some of the moisture would have escaped through the upper. I'll have to keep an eye on that to see if that's an issue when warmer weather arrives.

Greenfield Sleigh Bell Run coming up!

2011-01-30T17:09:00.002-05:00

This is a low-key 4 mile race. I've run it twice, and both times it's been pretty chilly. So be prepared. First part is a hill up to the Highland Park area; second part is back down the hill.

Details (from SMAC):

8:45 – 9:30AM at the Greenfield Public Library, LeVanway Meeting Room, 402 Main Street. Enter at the back of the Library.

PARKING Public Lot - Main St, or behind YMCA & Franklin County Courthouse (Hope St.)

ENTRY FEE $15.00 if pre-registered by 3:00PM Friday, January 21, 2011 $20.00 on race day. Youth under the age of 18 are half price.

COURSE Starts & ends on Hope St.-Scenic course through Highland Park Area

AMENITIES Winter Carnival T-shirts (and sleigh bell bracelet!) for the first 75 entrants.

Age-group awards & post–race refreshments at the LeVanway Meeting Room. Dress up to show your Winter Carnival Spirit! Prize for best outfit!

Application

Course map

Brattleboro Turkey Trot 2010

2010-11-19T21:22:00.003-05:00

Time to trot off your turkey. Or rather, trot before your turkey..or tofu, if you're not of the carnivorous persuasion. Sign up here!

http://www.redcloverrovers.com/

Savage running

2010-07-10T13:23:00.007-04:00

It's raining, and it's hot. Not so ideal for road running, but great fun out on the trails. It's the kind of run who have to immerse yourself into, damn the discomforts. Run like a savage. I took the longer trail around Sweet Pond State Park. It didn't take long for the deer flies to find me, so had to take off my shirt to use it as a swatter. It was soaked anyway. In weather like this you don't run so much as plod, head down against the rain so it streams off the visor of your cap and not onto your face. Toward the far end of the pond I took a breather. The rain had let up, but I was saturated with the fluids of clouds, sweat glands, and whatever drips and oozes in a humid forest. I heard a commotion ahead of me, just over a knoll. My civilized thought processes were numbed and in my Neanderthal state of mind I saw something zoom up the hill just twenty feet from where I stood. "Ooh, antelope. Yum!", my caveman brain said. It was really a small white tailed deer. There was another commotion, another blur of fur. "Ooh, wolf. Not so yum." It was really a coyote. I think. Then the civilized brain kicked in. That deer was moving pretty fast. That coyote was moving pretty fast too. But that deer was probably twice as fast as that coyote. I, on the other hand, am three times as slow as the coyote, at my fastest. It's not going to catch that deer, but it's probably already caught my scent. Time to go. I ran the last part of the trail to the road a tad faster than I usually do. I picked up a stick with a pointy end and held on to it. Not that I'm paranoid - coyotes are pretty shy - but just in case. Anyway, not something you see every day.

Crowley Brothers 10K Road Race - Report

2010-06-13T15:09:00.008-04:00

Web site: http://www.crowleyroadrace.com/
Results: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/10/vt/Jun13_Crowle_set4.shtml
Rutland Herald article: http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20100614/SPORTS/6140322

I've wanted to do this race for a couple of years, but never had a chance to get up to Rutland before now. Since I wasn't staying overnight nearby, I had to get up at 4:00 AM to make my coffee, have something to eat, and take a shower. It was raining here in Guilford, but as I made my way north, the rain stopped and it was just cloudy (but a bit humid). I got to Rutland a few minutes before 7:00 and was able to find a place to park very easily, within site of the finish line. Since Crowley is a point-to-point course from Proctor to Rutland, you either have to get somebody to drop you off in Proctor or take one of the school buses that shuttle runners to the 5K and 10K starting lines. Or, if you're training for a marathon and want to make Crowley part of a medium long run, I suppose you could just park in Rutland and run up to Proctor. Maybe next year. I took the bus (just like Boston!). I didn't bring anything with me so I wasn't really paying attention as to whether you could bring a bag and have it bussed back down to the finish. After getting off the bus in Proctor, I got my bib at the gazebo in the park, then ran across the street to the OMYA building to use the restroom. Proctor is a gorgeous village with lots of stonework, particularly marble, so I took the opportunity to do a short warmup run. As I ran easily up a side street to a short trail that led to a quarry, Bill Rodgers (yes, that Bill Rodgers!) passed me going the other way. Bill has been participating in this race for the past few years, and last year he even got Joan Benoit Samuelson to join him. The race started a few minutes late as one more bus hadn't arrived on time, but then we were off up a short hill and over the stone bridge to Route 3. I really wasn't sure what pace to keep since I was just two weeks away from having done the Vermont City Marathon, so I just went with how I felt. The course uses at least three side roads that run parallel to Route 3, so you're not on a state highway for the whole time. There are some smallish hills (for Vermont), but the course is what I would consider almost flat. The stretch down into downtown Rutland has some gentle downhill parts where you could really open it up if you have anything left. I came in at 43:54 (or thereabouts), which is a 10K record for me. At the finish there was plenty of water, bananas, and bagels for replenishment. In addition to the plaques awarded to the top finishers, there was a raffle with lots of items up for grabs if you were lucky enough to get your number called. I was lucky and got a pair of marble salt and pepper shakers. This is an honest, well organized race that I'm sure I'll do again (but maybe next time I'll stay in Rutland the night before). And apparently, Crowley will be adding a half marathon next year, which should be great fun!

Vermont City Marathon 2010

2010-06-02T16:20:00.005-04:00

What a great marathon this is! The spectators at the Vermont City Marathon are really motivating. Since the course is like a figure eight (or a four leaf clover), you get to cross the starting point four times where most of the spectators are located. But even out on the course (even way out on the bike path) there are folks cheering you on. What a fun race, even though my legs really took a beating with cramps during the final 6 miles.

So...Boston 2011? Maybe.

Girls on the Run sponsored a port-a-potty!

Red Clover Rovers Fun Runs 2010

2010-04-30T10:15:00.004-04:00

The fun runs have begun. See here for more information:

Red Clover Rovers

This blog has moved

2010-03-04T08:52:00.001-05:00

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Jones 10 Miler - Report

2010-02-28T21:01:00.004-05:00

I figured I'd cut my marathon training mileage down a bit this past week to taper for the Jones 10 Miler, but a nasty nor'easter forced me to really cut back. I managed to get in just two six milers and a four before the race, but that was fine. My legs felt fresh. The temperature outdoors was perfect, 30s to almost 40, I think. Lots of runners this year (691 total, though it seemed like 1000). I hit the two mile mark in 13:19, which was way too fast for me. Fortunately, I then hit a hill which slowed me down quite a bit. The mud and downhills during the middle of the race were a blast. The final two miles were a slog, since you go up the hills you came down at the start. I still managed to come in a minute faster than last year, so I think the marathon mileage is helping. Still need to work on speed, though, since my goal was a 7:00 flat pace. Pizza, soup, yogurt, and other vittles were served up at the end of this well organized race.

Time: 1:11:25, 7:09 pace

Placement: 262/691, 64/131 age group (M4049)

36th Annual Jones Group Realtors 10 Mile Road Race - 2010 Results

A frigid Sleigh Bell Run

2010-02-06T17:59:00.005-05:00

I suppose that's to be expected in February. But I went with shorts even though it was in the teens. I just feel I run better with my legs uninhibited. But when you're dealing with a wind chill and a frozen butt, I don't think shorts help. The hill for the first half seemed longer than I remember. Maybe time slows down the colder it gets. All I knew was that there were people in front of me and people behind me, breathing hard and wearing bells that jingled in the crisp morning air. Up near the top a spandex bedecked gazelle whipped past me from the other direction - the winner I would guess, who clocked a 21:00 something...yikes. In the end I did come in slower than I felt I was running. I never looked at my watch during the race since there were no mile markers (at least I wasn't looking for them). So my perceived pace was about 6:50 to 6:55. I actually came in at 28:00 and change, so my pace was more like 7:05. Time to make a pace perception adjustment.

2010 Greenfield Winter Carnival Sleigh Bell Run Results

The marathon beckons

2010-02-02T21:15:00.004-05:00

Vermont City Marathon 2010

Running with a cold and a CamelBak

2010-01-31T19:29:00.004-05:00

Our two thermometers - one too hot, the other too cold - averaged yesterday's mid-day temperature at 10F. Urk. I didn't feel like dressing up, so figured I'd run up and down the hall a few bazillion times to get in my workout. Not too bright, especially since I ran it barefoot. So when I woke up this morning, the balls of my feet and my calves were killing me. And my nose was stuffy. That didn't bode well.

Since I was going to shoot for 15 miles today, I figured I should take along my water in the new CamelBak the girls got me for Christmas. This was the first time I'd run with it and after the first mile told myself that if Elly drove by I'd unload it. I felt that it weighed me down. At around two miles I took my first sip. The bite valve was filled with ice, but I managed to chew it down and draw down some water from the pack. I threaded the hose behind the strap across my chest to keep it from freezing any more.

Eventually, my legs felt better, and having water along the way I think helped to keep me energized. When Elly did drive by, I kept the CamelBak. I finished the 15 miles at just under 9 minute pace, which was better than I thought I'd do.

I'm not sure I'll do all my long runs with the CamelBak since I'm afraid that I'd grow dependent on it. On the other hand, having immediate access to water does help to keep my body strong, which means better quality workouts. So maybe.

Jones 10 Miler 2010

2010-01-19T19:13:00.002-05:00

The Jones Group Realtors 10 Mile Race - also known as the Jones 10 Miler - is coming up on February 28, 2010 at 11:00 AM. It starts at the middle school on Chestnut St. in Amherst, MA.

This is a competitive race on a challenging course in a New England winter. Sounds like great fun! See you there!

The Sugarloaf Mountain Athletic Club has more information on registering, etc.

View Larger Map

Perfect running weather at Disney!

2010-01-08T10:54:00.001-05:00

Those from slightly warmer climes might disagree.

http://thedailydisney.com/blog/2010/01/disney-is-urging-runners-to-bundle-up-for-marathon-races/

At this point I'd run it in a singlet and shorts.

Greenfield Winter Carnival Sleigh Bell Run 2010 Coming Up!

2010-01-07T21:51:00.004-05:00

Just passing along some information on this winter run. I ran it last year, and it was pretty chilly but great fun. Dress warmly!

Saturday, February 6, 2010 @ 10:00am

The Greenfield Winter Carnival Sleigh Bell Run is a 4 mile road race sponsored by Silver Screen Design.

The race covers a scenic course starting on Hope Street and running through Highland Park area. Pre-register at Recreation Department or Town Hall or day of race at the Greenfield Public Library, LeVanway Meeting Room from 8:45-9:30am. Enter at the back of the Library.

Age divisions and prizes. First 75 entrants receive t-shirt and sleigh bell bracelets.

$15 pre race entry, $20 race day. Youth under the age of 18 are half price.

Race Registration

Course Map

Sawmill River Run 10K, 2010 - Report

2010-01-01T17:04:00.004-05:00

The Sawmill River Run in Montague Center, MA is the perfect way to start the new year. This is a no frills, small town race that I'd thought about running in past years but never had the motivation to get up in the morning after a night of staying up way too late. This year, I willed myself to get out of bed with the thought, "If not now, when?" Indeed. It's usually not so easy for me to talk myself into getting up for a winter morning race. But I did also want to check out the Montague Bookmill, which I'd never visited but have heard much about. So I had another reason to go. And after I made coffee, Elly said she'd like to come along as well. So great! We'd have a morning date.

On the way to Montague we missed a turn and wound up on the west side of Greenfield. I knew something wasn't quite right because we had crossed the Connecticut River from the east. So we backtracked and discovered that we needed to turn left in Turners Falls as soon as we crossed the bridge from Route 2. No problem, we still got to Montague with time to spare. After a few miles we passed the Bookmill on the right and then we were at the small village center, where cars were parked along the sides of the road.

Registration was in the Grange building. After I paid and got my bib, I realized that it was probably warm enough for me to run in shorts, which is pretty unusual for January 1. So I went into the back of the van and stripped off my two layers of pants and tights and put on my shorts instead. The roads were still a bit messy from a snow squall we'd had the day before, but that just made it more fun for me.

The first part of the race is pretty flat, and there's a long, straight stretch where you can just settle into a good pace across gorgeous farmland. I wasn't looking for mile markers (if there were any), so I really had no idea how fast or slow I was running unless someone else near me announced their pace. I just knew that I was running hard enough to breath hard, but slow enough to not puke. The last couple of miles feature some hill climbing, but nothing too extreme. There were volunteers out on the course to guide you at the turns, but there were no water stops. Not that you'd need any for a 10K in January (I didn't), but it's something to note if you're used to sucking on water every couple of miles.

The final section of the course is downhill into Montague, so you can really pick up your pace if you have anything left over after the hills. I came in at 44:24, 21st out of 108, which is decent for me. After the race, water, juice, cookies, and baked potatoes with all the fixings are available downstairs in the Grange. After changing into dry clothes, Elly and I then visited the book shop and had a great lunch at the Lady Killigrew cafe.

Results are here.

Brattleboro Turkey Trot 2009

2009-10-29T21:46:00.003-04:00

Just in case Google drops you here when you search for information on the upcoming Brattleboro Turkey Trot, here's where you really want to go to get some information:

Red Clover Rovers web site

There are even results from last year and a simple form to sign up!

Running as spectacle

2009-09-20T22:51:00.004-04:00

Running generally is not a spectator friendly sport. Unless you're sitting on bleachers watching athletes sprint around a track, a fan of road or trail racing does not get to see nearly as much of the action as spectators in other sports. So I can see why many runners and promoters try to notch up the interest and excitement of running by doing outlandish things.

I just finished reading C.C. Pyle's Amazing Foot Race: The True Story of the 1928 Coast-to-Coast Run Across America. It's the story about the well known - some would say notorious - sports promoter C.C. Pyle and his then audacious plan to hold a foot race across the U.S. Pyle was a smooth talker and showman in the style of P.T. Barnum, and his runners were the highlights of his carnival. And Pyle would literally set up carnivals at many towns along the way, complete with freak shows and other attractions devised to lure in spectators (and their cash).

Still, as a spectator, you don't see the runners toil all day through the desert and mountains. You see them come, you see them go. Or you see them start. Or you see them finish. Unless the spectator is running as well (or biking or driving), all there is to see is a few seconds of a runner's course through the race. So as Pyle discovered, some people would show up here and there but not nearly in the numbers he'd hoped for. Running really isn't all that exciting to watch unless you happen to be right at the finish line.

Yet it seems that running has been employed - and still is employed - to raise attention. Dean Karnazes, for example, ran 50 marathons in 50 days "to raise awareness for youth obesity and to get America active." British comedian, Eddie Izzard, ran 43 marathons in 51 days to raise funds for Sport Relief. And Tellman Knudson, of Brattleboro, VT, is running barefoot across the U.S. to raise money for homeless youth.

Why running? Why not shoot basketballs with your feet while standing on your head, or play table tennis blindfolded and strapped to a donkey? It would certainly be more exciting to watch. Well, running is easy, relatively speaking. You don't need specialized skill to just start running. When you start you may not be a very efficient runner, but you'll get better as Eddie Izzard found out. So there's really no learning curve.

And when you take running out on the road in an ultra-endurance type of way like Pyle's crew, Dean, Eddie, and Tellman you have the potential to reach a very large audience. And anyone who comes out to watch you may think, "Hmm, I could do that". Of course, you need the marketing and funding to make sure people are out there to see you. And to acknowledge and donate to your cause. So you have to have a bit of the showman in yourself like C.C. Pyle because, after all, you are the main attraction.

Pisgah Mountain Trail Race 2009 Coming Up

2009-09-07T22:05:00.003-04:00

This race is fun. In fact, it's the most fun I've ever had during a race. Last year it rained and there was plenty of mud, but it was still a blast. The Pisgah Mountain Trail Race is on Sunday, September 13, 2009 at 8:45 AM. There's a 50K or 23K.

View Pisgah Mountain Trail Race in a larger map

SHAPE

2009-08-19T10:19:00.004-04:00

Oh no...not another running related acronym. The problem is that I can't even remember the acronyms, never mind what they mean. But since I made this one up (I think), I'm more likely to remember it. Especially if I put it on my blog.

OK, so what does SHAPE mean?

Sleep - It's easy to do. Just close your eyes, the earlier the better.

Hydration - The human body is about 2/3 water. Without it, you're less of a person. So drink. But don't overdo it either. It is possible to have too much of a good thing.

Awareness - Be aware of your body, your attitude, and your surroundings. Do what feels good. Slow down if you're going too fast. Look out for bears.

Persistence - It's like brushing your teeth. Just do it, keep at it. You'll feel better in the end.

Energy - Eat fruits and vegetables, nuts and fish, whole grains, and don't worry about the carbs. Have a little meat (or tofu).

That's it. If you can't remember the acronym, ask yourself why you're running. It's to keep in...SHAPE, right? Easy.

Red Clover Rovers Running Club Fun Runs 2009

2009-04-28T22:12:00.003-04:00

Every other Wednesday at 6:30 PM starting April 29. Here's a link to the Fun Run bulletin I got through email.

View Larger Map

Asics Speedstar 3

2009-03-29T12:27:00.006-04:00

The Asics Speedstar 3 feels like the shoe I should have been using all along. Yesterday I put my first 18 miles on these very light shoes. I found that I started out too fast, somewhat like getting in a new car and not realizing that you hit 80 mph until you see blue lights flashing behind you. But going fast in these shoes feels good. The Gel Nimbus 10s I'd been using before feel like bricks compared to the Speedstars. Since I'd done some very fast tempo running the day before, I thought that I might not be able to do my 18-miler at a fast enough pace. But after stopping at home after 10 miles to get a drink, it was not too difficult to push the pace for the final eight miles. During the last couple of miles I did feel some discomfort on my right forefoot, which could be due to the reduced amount of cushioning in these shoes. Or it could be due to the fatigue of two hard runs two days in a row. We'll see how the shoe progresses through the rest of my training period.

Coffee and running

2009-03-26T07:27:00.001-04:00

I knew it! Coffee is good. Coffee is great. Coffee makes me a better runner.

From the NY Times: It's Time to Make a Coffee Run

A change of training plans

2009-03-21T08:23:00.002-04:00

I found that this time around, I was getting nowhere fast with the Pfitzinger 55 mile/18 week marathon training plan. It was taking me far too long to recover from the runs, and I was not even pushing the pace. In fact, my training pace has been about 5 to 10% slower that it has been in previous sessions. So when I attempted to do an 18 mile long run and managed to squeeze out just four very slow miles, something had to change. I'm now trying out the FIRST training program from the Furman Institute of Running. I've read both the praises and criticisms of this program since it was introduced in Runner's World a couple of years ago. There's passion on both sides but I figure, what the heck. It's still running. So far I haven't been able to adequately hit the target paces for the training runs based on my best 5K race time. But since the runs are at a higher intensity I am starting to feel that old endorphin rush I would get when I first started running. The recovery and cross-training days in between the hard efforts help to keep me from over training, which I think is what might have been happening with the Pfitzinger plan. Or maybe it was just time for a change.