Monday, August 21, 2023

A Change of Pace

My posts have been "few and far between!"  And yes, some runners -- me included -- can become "determined" in an effort to keep complete lists of their running watch data.  But this post will be different today!!  Today is really all we have ... and I think today it would be better simply to skip all the listing of runs made since July 23.  Instead, I feel like sharing my running has been going well -- and that various other parts of life seem to also be coming together as they say.  Yesterday, following a farther than normal 6.47 mile run, I was tempted to stay home rather than go to an event my manager from work had said he and his wife and kids were going to go to.  Not having had any lunch yet following my mid-afternoon run, it somehow seemed like a better idea to be a little more social than I usually am, and to "change the pace' of my otherwise not very eventful day!

So, at 4:00 pm I found myself at (the very large) Roger's Field in my next door town of Devens.  It was "Devens Day" and the 3rd year of festivities -- which again included many vendors, GREAT music and food -- followed by what turned out to be one super impressive August 19th fireworks display.  I found my work friends there. We all watched the fireworks in awe on many blankets up close to where the crew launched them.

 
 
The following day was Sunday, August 20.  I put in 11 miles of hill running in Harvard.  My time was 1:50:01.  Pace was exactly 10:00/mile.  
 
 
 
This coming Saturday, August 26th, I'll be running with the New England 65+ Running Club in my second Race.  This one will be the 10 miler in Auburn/Manchester, NH
 
 
This picture above is a repeat image of the masters runners in our group prior to the August 13th Bobby Doyle 5 Mile race in Narragansett, RI,  Our team placed 1st in the USATF-NE race for the 70-99 division.  There were 26 runners in that division.  My pace was 8:44/mile.
From left to right, we have:  Mike Lozan, Susan Lovering, Bob Roemer, me, John Puleo, Steve Cryer, Bill Pine and Robert Randall.

 
 
 
 


Sunday, July 23, 2023

12 Days! July 12 to 23

Wednesday July 12 - rest day

Thursday July 13 - Biked 10.19 miles - ave 9.9 mph - max 22.6 mph

Thursday July 13 - Ran 6.5 miles - 11:15 pace  

Friday July 14

Saturday July 15 - Walked with Concord Group 3.9 miles

Saturday July 15 - Biked 15.01 miles - ave 10.5 mph - max 31.9 mph

Saturday July 15 - Ran 4.5 miles - 10:04 pace

Sunday July 16 - Ran 4.04 miles - 10:32 pace

Monday July 17 - Ran 5.0 miles - 9:50 pace

Tuesday July 18 -

Wednesday July 19 - Ran 6.51 miles - 10:25 pace

Thursday July 20 - Ran 3.18 miles - 11:32 pace

Friday July 21 - Ran 3.01 miles - 10:14 pace

Saturday July 22 - Walked with Concord Group 3.03 miles

Saturday July 22 - Biked 22.61 miles - ave 10.1 mph - 1,532 ascent

Sunday July 23 - Ran 7.0 miles -  10:01 pace

It was a busy week (and 1/2) and few pictures were taken!  Looking back on my phone, I see I took some on July 16th here at home following my run. It was a memorable day - and a memorable run.  Sometimes pictures "add" to memorable days!  This first one is of my perennial oriental poppy (now far past it's blooming) with an "infestation of little "Johnny Jump Up" flowers within and around it.  They always "look at you" -- or so they say.  The next picture. although not very picturesque, is of some white mushrooms now growing in a large newly sodded area in front of our building.

I've since updated today's post to include both my 7 mile run and 5 additional pictures (at the end) of one particular perennial garden very close to where I live. 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 


 

 



 

 


Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Taking To the Hills

 https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/11537471226

Above link - today's 10.33 mile bike ride on Harvard Hills at 11.4 ave mph

Elevation change was 598 feet.  Temp 81 degrees.  Ave HR = 105 bpm.

This ride was followed by a 5.0 mile run in Ayer at 10:03 ave pace.  The average HR was 137 bpm.  Vo2 Max was 38% (maximum oxygen uptake).  Temp 82 degrees on hot sun.  Humidity 51% 

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/11537888862

Later in the day (after a nap!) I took these pictures in Pirone Park.







 

 

Monday, July 10, 2023

Sluggish Monday 2 Mile Run After the Rain

 It was a slow run tonight.  Dinner came late and it felt like a chore to get it done.  I'd been thinking about skipping it on account of the steady evening rain.  The puddles outside my window were no longer being sprinkled upon -- and the evening sky was brightening a bit before dark.  So, the 11:59 pace for a 2 mile out-and-back run was good enough for me today.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/11533022123

It was dark when I got back to the apartment and I was wondering how my phone's flashlight might work out for some picture taking -- for tonight's post.  Aside from some "jiggle" in the images, these longer-than-desired exposures worked out fairly well.  One is of my wet rose bush.  The other (also taken tonight) is of an "indeterminate" cherry tomato plant given to me by my astronomy friend, Marsha. 


 
 

 

 

Sunday, July 9, 2023

BayState 2023

I've entered the 35th Annual Baystate Half Marathon.  It will be on Sunday, October 15th this year -- about 3 months away.

It seems my hamstring has recovered over the last 3 months to the point where I can begin to think about ramping up mileage again.

Working three days a week has turned out to help with strengthening the legs more, so the idea of trying to meet or exceed my 2021 Baystate Half performance in Lowell later this year will be a good goal.  The race in 2021 went well.  I placed 1st out of 16 in my AG with a 9:08 pace for 13.1 miles.  I'll be 2 years older then and it will be slightly tougher since I am still in the same AG.  The time to match will be 1:59:34.


 Workouts since my last post on 7/4 were as follows:

Wed July 5 - rest

Thur July 6 - Biked 4.66 miles at 9.2 mph 

Thur July 6 - Ran 4.0 miles at 9:52 pace at Harvard track

Thur July 6 - Biked 4.85 miles at 9.5 mph

Fri July 7 - Walked 1.0 mile at 24:02 pace

Sat July 8 - Walked 2.83 miles with Concord group at 22:05 pace

Sat July 8 - Biked 4.77 miles at 8.7 mph

Sat July 8 - Ran 3.0 miles at 10:08 pace at Harvard track

Sat July 8 - Biked 4.70 miles at 9.1 mph

Sun July 9 - Ran 5.0 miles on Ayer roads at 10:14 pace

Weekly Summary:  20.0 running, 19.75 biking, 3.83 walking

 






Tuesday, July 4, 2023

A New Drawing Takes Form

 https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/11485776565  biked 4.98 miles

 https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/11486181031 ran 4 miles 10:23 pace

 https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/11486491300 biked home 5.26 miles

No nature pictures today.  Just a list of workouts.  It was a muggy 4th of July.  I considered a rest day from running, but decided to ride to the track in Harvard to put in a workout.  I added a bit to a new drawing started a few days ago.


 

 





 

 

Monday, July 3, 2023

Pre-4th of July Color on my 4 Mile Run

 https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/11481370682

Today's 4 mile out-and-back run after work was good.  Pace was reasonable.  I tried to keep it even and steady -- and slightly slower overall because  of a planned mileage increase from12 (last week) to 18 this week.  It was a hot evening!  82 degrees, but it felt like 85.  

At exactly mile 1 (and 3) of this 4 mile run I passed this annual flower bed planted a few weeks ago for a bank.  Each year they do a pretty nice job with an "explosion" of color.  Very appropriate here, since tomorrow is the 4th of July!



Sunday, July 2, 2023

17 Days

This will be a simple post in list format.  It covers the last 17 days.  The bold numbers in blue are links for the respective workouts.  Any number which is not blue or bold doesn't have a workout link.  Most days without entries were work days.

1.  Friday, June 16 

2.  Saturday, June 17 - 2.77 mile walk w/ Concord Runners / Walkers

3a.  Sunday, June 18 - Biked 4.91 miles

3b.  Sunday, June 18 - Ran 4.01 miles @ 10:13 pace

3c.  Sunday, June 18 - Biked 4.7 miles

4.  Monday, June 19

 First tiger Lily to bloom

5a. Tuesday, June 20 - Biked 4.7

5b. Tuesday, June 20 - Ran 4 miles @ 9:42 pace

5c.  Tuesday, June 20 - Biked ~ 4.7 miles (unrecorded)

6.  Wednesday, June 21

7.  Thursday, June 22 - Ran 4.01 miles @ 11:01 pace

8.  Friday, June 23

9.  Saturday, June 24 - 3.13 mile walk w/ Concord Runners / Walkers

 This is 'Young' - proud recipient of the 2023 Mount Washington 

Concord Runners Silver Spoon

10.  Sunday, June 25

11.  Monday, June 26 - Ran 4 miles @ 12:17 pace at 5:10 am

12.  Tuesday, June 27

13.  Wednesday, June 28

14a.  Thursday, June 29 - Biked 4.69 miles 9.4 ave mph

Old poppy seed head with unknown orange perennial

14b.  Thursday, June 29 - Ran 4 miles @ 9:58 pace

14c.  Thursday, June 29 - Biked 4.7 miles 9.6 ave mph

15.  Friday, June 30

16a.  Saturday, July 1 - 3.86 mile walk w/ Concord Runners / Walkers

Chicory found on our walk in Great Meadows, Concord

 

Canadian Geese in Great Meadows, Concord

Our group (some Canadian wildfire smoke present today)

16b.  Saturday, July 1 - Biked 5.01 miles 9.0 ave mph

16c.  Saturday, July 1 - Ran 5 miles @ 10:38 pace

16d.  Saturday, July 1 - Biked 5.15 miles 8.4 ave mph

17.  Sunday, July 2 - Ran 3 miles @ 10:02 pace on roads 

Tiger lily pistil after the rain

 

 

 


Thursday, June 15, 2023

In the Last Nine Days

Work at the store has been steady and, with a slight increase in my hours (1 more per day 3x per week), I've held off from running in these last two days -- to nap after the 8-4 pm day.  Fortunately, the "exercise" at work has been enough to lead to a bit more distance in the last two runs.  I am up to 3 continuous miles now.  Paces have improved and the hamstring pain is not quite as preoccupying as it used to be.  Taking cared to take rest days  -- and to monitor my pace when I do run -- seems to be working.  Knock on wood.

 Tuesday, 6/6 Run - 2.0 miles.  Pace 10:49

Wednesday, 6/7 Run - 2.0 miles.  9:50 pace

Thursday, 6/8 Run - 2.0 miles.  11:58 pace

Friday, 6/9 - Rested

Saturday, 6/10 - Concord Walk 3.17 miles.

Sunday, 6/11 - Skipped

Monday, 6/12 - Skipped


Tuesday, 6/13 - Biked to track to run

Tuesday, 6/13 Run - 3 miles.  Pace 10:40

Tuesday, 6/13 - Biked home from track

Wednesday, 6/14 - Skipped

Today, Thursday, 6/15 -  Biked to track to run

Today, Thursday, 6/15 Run - Ran 5 miles at a 10:05 average pace.  Accidentally ran 1 extra mile!  Didn't see my watch mileage correctly!  Had a good pace today.  No issues.  Pic taken before the run.


 Today, Thursday, 6/15 -  Biked home from track



 

 

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Three Days in a Row!

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday I put in the miles.  Three of them!  Total!  It takes getting used to -- slowing down.  It has it's advantages though -- one being it takes less time to get the "love-hate" relationship I have with running put into perspective and "Done!"  Once completed, life is good again -- or at least better.

Friday's Mile - good run, 10:53 pace

Saturday's Run - cold, slow run on (hard) roads.  felt stiff and ... s l o w. 

Sunday's Run - good run.  cured a bad mood.  pace almost in the 10's

Yesterday - Sunday, was a tough day.  I had the unfortunate experience of completing what felt like a "writing masterpiece" only to find it was rendered "LOCKED UP" on the internet in such a way as to prevent adding all the completed text and imagery.  It's as if the cyber Gods are telling you flat out "Hey fella - You may have nailed your story with all its perfectly cropped, resized and chronologically ordered imagery, but you ain't going here anymore!  I busted this and everything you did since 2021 and this story wont be allowed to have your 32 image summary.  We're done here.  I hope you saved your work, 'cause it ain't going here!"  

Well, it was saved and, yes, I'm over it.  Damn.  Sometimes the God's of creativity stop artist's in their tracks and, well -- they end up literally going TO the track to run the madness out of themselves!

But, back to Saturday!  Earlier, at 8:00 am I met in Concord for a walk with friends.  This picture is one of the walking contingents of the Concord Runners.  Sarah is to the left, followed by Susie, Noreen, Young and her boyfriend to the right.  Young holds some cut Peonies from Sue and Dean's garden (They are off to the right and not visible here). 

 

This picture below is a heavily blooming plant we incorrectly identified last Saturday.  This Saturday's walk included a second visit to the Buttricks Gardens where (below) we saw what is actually something called Baptisia.  Originally we thought it was False Indigo.  Baptisia often is violet in color but this one is a creamy yellow.  I remember this plant (it has distinctive "oval" shaped leaves) from my mother and fathers main garden in Weston, CT.  That one was violet and quite big!  Nice memory.


 
This single flower is a white peony in the Buttricks Garden. The edge of each petal has an interesting thin line of purple-violet.  The actual diameter of this flower is roughly 6-7 inches.  It's in full bloom here.
 

 
Finally we have an image which completely blends in quite nicely with all  this "natural beauty" Ha!  A picture of my own running legs!  I add this only because I was about to (on Sunday afternoon) RUN continuously for the first time in a long time WITHOUT interspersed walking intervals.  I was bored with PT and (frankly) a bit moody about just having "lost" those 3 days of written work on the earlier mentioned  Facebook Album.  Sunday's running link (above) captures the run at the track.  Anyway, this was one of those vein images (no pun intended) one takes -- a selfie of sorts -- which marks a new lease on (in this case) running!

 


 

 




 

 

Thursday, June 1, 2023

I refuse not to Run

This, being a double negative, means I want to run. I DID run!  The whole PT thing, to be quite honest, has left me obsessing about what I can and cannot take as far as "safe" pain levels go.  Heck, I have no idea what is safe and what is not safe.  All I know is that I need to run  -- and I will do "anything" to make it a daily thing.  Six days a week would be ideal.  5 days is ok too, but the only "way" I can see either of those two things happening is if I monitor my own pain rather than try to equate it to some dumb number.  What does 2/10 actually mean??  Maybe I can mentally AND physically take on more than the average person.   My body will tell me what I can and cannot take.  It took 2 years to fully recover from my 2007 hamstring injury (to the point where my speed was fully restored). Yes, I am 74 now and NOT 58. 

So, I broke the PT rules today and skipped my exercises and just got out there on the Harvard track to see what I COULD do -- as far as continuous running goes. No walking between!  Sure it hurt a little, but I just cannot believe any of that "hurt" was bad for me.  I remember doing it this way back in 2007.  Heck, I'm going to see if I can put together 6 miles in 7 days!  There are other times I can walk / stretch, etc.  Ask any good runner if he or she "likes" interrupting a run with walking and I think the majority will say "No."  The solution?  Cut the pace down!  I'm on it . . . 


Today's 1 Mile (Continuous) Run! 

 

 


 

Sunday, May 28, 2023

Too Much Too Soon

 

The following workouts are for May 25, 27 and 28

Thursday's 4.92 Mile Bike Ride to Track

Thursday's 2.15 Mile LEVEL 4 Workout at Track

Thursday's 4.94 Mile Bike Ride Home 

Saturday's 2.04 Mile Walk with Concord Group 

Saturday's 0.53 Mile Walk in Ayer 

Saturday's 0.96 Mile LEVEL 1 Workout at Track 

Sunday's 1 Mile Warmup Walk at Track 

Sunday's 0.95 LEVEL 1 Workout at Track 

Sunday's 1 Mile Cooldown Walk at Track 

Some pictures taken on these days 



 

 

 

Listening to Pain


After rereading the comments at the bottom of the following chart, I am beginning to think I've returned to running at too strenuous a LEVEL.

I'd forgotten it is important NOT to run at a particular level if pain at that level exceeds 2/10    

 
. . . and here is the part I had forgotten to keep in mind while experiencing pain levels of 6/10 while arbitrarily choosing LEVEL 4 to begin my workouts.
 


 
 

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Able to Run!

Well, it was almost imperceptible -- the improvement.  I experimented again with a 1 mile run, again splitting it up into 4 parts - each with a 1/4 mile walk between.  The pain rose to a "manageable" level 6 without any "stabbing" pains.  The pace improved on its own with each 1/4 segment.  Today's first quarter clocked at a 12:44 ave pace.  The 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarter were each slightly better than the previous one.  It appears, at least for now that I am able to safely run with the pain at a 12:09 ave mile pace -- which actually feels like a good thing -- meaning it will possibly work itself out over the long haul.  It hurts, but being able to get the run(s) in for 4-5 days a week may translate into increased distances and maybe even a slightly improved pace

I rode my bike 5 miles to the track to do the run, then 5 miles back home afterword.  5 + 5 = 10 miles. There was a soccer game going on and Lane 1 had sound-recording equipment in it, so I ran in lane 4.  The lap distances were slightly greater than 0.25 miles due to the "wider" lane circles.

Sunday, May 21 Track Run

Here is a picture of the soccer game at the McCurdy Track as well as an updated picture of my long-awaited Oriental Poppy flower -- still in its "caged" bud phase.

 

 

 




Saturday, May 20, 2023

Scenic Walk in Concord with Noreen, Andy and Jack

 Today's 3.32 mile walk was in Concord.  Four of us split off to go on some scenic, sometimes steep, woodland trails where the footing was so uncertain we had to follow each other less closely and -- if we had them -- use walking sticks for support.  The route we took began from the Monuments in Concord Center and followed Lexington Road past Louisa May Alcott's House (Where 'Little Women' was penned).  We also took Revolutionary Road and visited a fellow runner's [previous] house.  These pictures do not capture the sleep and sometimes slippery grades, although in one picture, there is evidence of "micro-burst damage" a year or two ago.  Many trees were uprooted in the forest. There had been extensive damage to one particular home I had heard about back then when it happened. 

Today's 3.32 Mile Walk




 


Friday, May 19, 2023

A One Mile Run!

It was 3 1/2 weeks ago when I ran a mile.  Today, I felt ready enough to give it another try to see how the left hamstring would hold up.  It was an interesting workout -- revealing to me there's been some improvements during the PT exercises -- which still continue.

I drove to the Harvard track and began by walking a mile on it.  Pain level was hardly detectable -- maybe at about 2/10.  Then, I experimented with four 1/4 mile runs. each followed by a 1/4 mile walk.  The following "negative splits" for the runs told me I am able to continue a slow but steady run while hanging in there with some expected pain (level 6/10)

This 1 mile run (paused 4 times with each 440 for walking) had the following split times:

lap 1 = 4:40 ave pace, 

lap 2 = 3:42 ave pace, 

lap 3 = 2:49 ave pace and

lap 4 = about 2:10 ave pace

The overall average pace was 13:22

 


 
 
 

 

 

 

Thursday, May 18, 2023

An Unexpected Workout!

 This morning I was called into work unexpectedly to fill in for someone "if possible."  I agreed and was pleased actually for a few reason$.  But immediately after agreeing to come in at 9:30 am, I remembered I was without a car!!  I had delivered it last night to a place in Groton for a repair of the air conditioner and a failing right-front wheel bearing.  The bike ride (to work) was 8 miles.  This ride (and the return trip home at 3:00 pm) were not recorded.  

My Garmin (watch) has now been missing for 2 days.  None of today's bike rides (or yesterday's) were recorded with my phone's MapMyRun app either.

For the record, here is an approximation of workouts for the last 3 days

Tue, 5/16 - 10 miles biking and 45 minutes of PT in Harvard.  

Wed, 5/17 - 10 miles biking after work, then at home PT for 1 hour

Thurs, 5/18 - Biked 22.2 miles to and from Littleton, Groton and Ayer while car was in the shop.  Picked it up after work.  AC and wheel bearing are fixed.  Totally spaced my PT appointment in Harvard at 5:45 pm.  Not good!  Very busy day.  Called to leave message about the oversight.  Skipped at home PT exercise tonight to rest.

I took one picture today and several yesterday.  This first one is of the large, expanding bud on the oriental Poppy plant (yesterday)

This next picture is of my peony plant.  It's cream colored flowers seem to be lasting several days now!

 







Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Adjusting Some Colors

 It "came to my attention" that my wooden cage structure was probably an idea which should have been "communicated about" prior to my installation.  I got wind of this yesterday from a neighbor and realized I'd probably gone too far with my "flower-protection device" telling no one what I was up to.  I treat this poppy flower (to be) as a sort of scientific experiment, while I can see others here where I live see it more as a visual eye sore.  So, still, admittedly not wanting to give up my desire to protect this bud from the rabbit (or the squirrel), I decided to "uplift" the cage out of the garden to spray paint the bright pine wood frame a dark shade of gray.  I drove it to a nearby unpaved lot next to some woods to do it this morning.  I returned to the garden about 15 minutes later to re-insert the legs back into the ground.  It remains to be seen how this "remedy" will be seen relative to my attempt to be a bit more compliant here where I live!  One added thing I did yesterday was to repaint the American flag -- which someone else had painted earlier on a sheet of slate.  It had become quite faded.  That looks much better now.