Help me, Clarence! Get me back!

New target race, new blog.

I am now training for the Clarence Demar Marathon on 9/30 in New Hampshire. That's my fifth state - only 45 to go! No, I'm not really planning on doing the 50 state thing.

I expect to take a pretty relaxed attitude to training this summer. I have been in recovery mode since my 5/27 marathon in Vermont, and so far have 5 miles this week, and this would be the 1st week of 16 prior to the race. Next week will be short mileage too - I have a full calendar, what with awards nights and high school graduation, etc. Then the week after, things will open up, because I will have my early mornings free again with the end of the school year. Yay! That works out pretty well from a resting up standpoint anyway.

I'm thinking I will do some cycling again this summer - enjoyed it too much last summer to skip it now. And I'm just going to play it by ear. Should be fun.

I also plan on running some shorter races this summer. I missed that last summer.

"Coach says, 'Everytime a bell rings, someone got a PR.'"

ounce wrote:"Coach says, 'Everytime a bell rings, someone got a PR.'"

The factory where the bell that Zuzu heard in the movie was manufactured was a few miles from my house, and burned down this Memorial Day weekend, probably from a lightning strike: http://articles.courant.com/2012-05-27/community/hc-east-hampton-bell-factory-fire-20120527_1_fire-departments-hazardous-materials-paul-shipman

Enjoy the training Michael. This is a small race. There's only about 200 who'll run and there'll be minimal spectators watching. There were times when I was completely alone hoping I was going the right way. But I really enjoyed the race. Watch out for the hill around mile 22.

Alex Kubacki wrote:Enjoy the training Michael. This is a small race. There's only about 200 who'll run and there'll be minimal spectators watching. There were times when I was completely alone hoping I was going the right way. But I really enjoyed the race. Watch out for the hill around mile 22.

Thanks Alex. I doubt I will mind the absence of well-meaning spectators telling me that I'm looking good, when I know otherwise! And I do appreciate the warning about that hill!

Got home early enough to go for a nice run by my house before it got dark on a beautiful June evening here. I decided to do something different and head up to the abandoned RR right of way, which is less than a quarter mile from my house. It's the same old RR that they turned into a rails to trail deal starting in the next town over, that I run on a lot (the Airline Trail), but this part is not improved. It is much more of a trail run, and you really have to take it easy and watch where you're going, dodge around giant puddles, under half-fallen trees, down steep embankments, up steep inclines, etc. I rarely do this route, but it was fun to do. And then it took me into the Y camp nearby, which is pretty, and it turned into sort of a cross country run around the soccer fields and parking areas, then back, and up the hilly road and back home.
Five miles at a nice slow 9:49 average pace. Good deal.

Can't wait to hear all about Clarence! Don't push the recovery, Michael as you have plenty of time.

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Can't wait to hear all about Clarence! Don't push the recovery, Michael as you have plenty of time.

Thanks Michele. I am trying to restrain myself!

Decided to get the run done early today. Hard to say what the weather is going to do, but rain is more likely later rather than earlier. I got a few extremely light sprinkles, but that was it. I headed out to do maybe 10, depending on how I felt.
I didn't wear the garmin. When I wore it in the marathon, it rubbed my wristbone raw, and that is still not completely healed up. I've been wearing it on my other wrist, but that just feels too strange to me. And I know the distances on the rail trail, where I was running, so I just wore the stop watch.
I decided to ignore the splits for a while and just run by feel. That was really nice. I ran the first out and back, which brought me to six miles. I was feeling tired at that point, even though I was not running very fast, and I knew if I went to 10 I'd be wiped, so I decided to just do another couple and call it a day at 8. That was a good call. Legs were tired at that point and I was ready to be done. Averaged 9:11 per.
Easy bike ride tomorrow.
Yard work today, but nothing too serious (the rain will restrain me!).
Lots of chores to get done - want to get the bike rack on the car, go get the tires inflated to the proper inflation, go to the cleaners...

I like your plan for the summer, Michael! Mix it up, have some fun and keep it stress-free. That sounds like a great way to recharge the batteries.

Mark B wrote:I like your plan for the summer, Michael! Mix it up, have some fun and keep it stress-free. That sounds like a great way to recharge the batteries.

That sounds about right - thx Mark.

I decided to take the bike up to the rail trail (on the bike rack, not riding over there) to avoid a lot of hill work. I was looking for a nice, steady, not-too-hilly ride. Kind of hard to do around here. It was a beautiful morning for it.
The hybrid is pretty much made for this ride. I road part of the trail on a road bike once, and it was really unpleasant. At the same time, you don't need a mountain bike for this one. It's mostly stone dust, but sometimes breaks down to some plain old dirt or sandy soil. Traction gets just a little tricky in spots, and it gets washed out enough to get a washboard effect.
It's always slower than a paved surface, but I wasn't looking for speed.
Wasn't sure how far I was going to go. Wanted to get in at least 15 and thought I'd probably cap it out at about 20. I took it easy on the pace, and when I got to the turning point to round it off to 20, I went a little further, and figured I'd make it a nice 22. Then, when I was approaching the end, I thought I'd make it a 2 hour ride, so headed back out the other way a little, then I decided since I was so close to 25, I'd just to that. And so that's what I did. Felt good. I hit the gas the last mile and a half, which is all slightly downhill, and that felt good.
Then I got on the lawn tractor and spent a long time cutting grass. I need to use the trimmer, too, but am not that motivated now. Feel more like I could use a nap!
Busy week ahead. Tomorrow night we have to have our family photo taken, Tuesday I have a meeting in the evening at our church, Wednesday we have 8th grade awards night, and Thursday is high school graduation (and my daughter is the valedictorian!). I'll squeeze a run or two in there somewhere, maybe...

ounce wrote:"Coach says, 'Everytime a bell rings, someone got a PR.'"

Fuuny!

It was a crazy week. I had two nights with meetings, an awards night and a HS graduation. My daughter was the valedictorian, so the grad was a big deal. I suppose I could have snuck in a run on one of the nights, but it would have been tough. Anyway, with school over Thursday, I figured I could return to morning weekday runs on Friday. But I slept in instead! Probably a good move.
I ran Saturday for the first time in a week. I wasn't sure how far I was going to go when I started, though I was committed to at least 10 miles, and maybe as far as 13.1. I started out real slow. Still getting over the marathon three weeks prior, and hadn't run for a week. Good move, because I ended even slower! 12 miles at a leisurely pace (9:55). Even so, was dog-tired at the end. But it was all good. Then I spent the rest of the day getting the above-ground pool's filter and pump set up, connected, good to go, etc. I do hate that job. But it's done, so that's good.
Went to church this morning, then put the two window AC units in (supposed to be hot here later in the week, so last chance), did a little yard work, then off for a bike ride. I decided to do the backroads, which are real hilly (elevation chart below). I have no speed on the bike (did 27.3 miles at an average pace of 11 mph), but no matter. It was a good workout on a beautiful day. Wasn't planning on going quite that far, but had to detour about half way out (downed power lines! not sure why - no bad weather here - closed the road - I wasn't going back up the nasty hill the way I'd come down, so had to cycle a bit farther north than planned). Nice ride.
When I got home, my wife and kids (four teenagers) were making me a really, really nice Father's Day dinner. Best dinner I've had in a long time. Good thing the 27 mile bike ride made me hungry!
This week I need to get back to morning midweek runs, and start establishing some regularity again. I have plenty of time (race in 9/30), but once a week isn't going to get it done!

Back to morning mid-week training runs today - and it was a great morning for it. Headed out for a five miler at 6 sharp and it was cloudy and cool. That's the last we'll have of that, as the heat moves in for the next couple of days. Headed up the hill and got in a nice, easy five at an average pace of 9:11.

I still feel slow, but it all seems fine.

My second child is off to UConn orientation yesterday and today. My older one spent the night out.

Just two kids at home - place seems empty!

You tucked it away in there in the middle of a post but CONGRATS on your daughter being valedictorian! That's a tremendous accomplishment. You must be so proud. When my daughter was 6 or so, I told her that if she ends up being valedictorian she could have any kind of car as a graduation gift. "Any kind?" she keeps double checking with me these days? Yup, any kind. So from time to time we'll see a Ferrari or Bentley on the the road while we are driving somewhere and she'll tell me she's considering that as her car. Gulp. I really should have qualified that promise. She's only in 5th grade so I have some time to save up. I hope she ends up being #2 in the class!

Thanks, I am very proud of her! Watch out - your daughter sounds smart enough to get a lambo!!

Congrats on the graduation and on your daughter being the valedictorian - that is quite the accomplishment - I know having one who just graduated. Where is your daughter going to school in the fall?

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Congrats on the graduation and on your daughter being the valedictorian - that is quite the accomplishment - I know having one who just graduated. Where is your daughter going to school in the fall?

Thanks! UConn honors program. She had orientation there the last two days.

5 more miles this morning. Pace was almost exactly the same as yesterday (9:10). I chose a different route - headed right out my driveway instead of left, to avoid the big hill the other way for the first mile. Still managed to do a big hill starting right at 2.0, and it is pretty steep. Slowed me down but didn't cause me any problems. Otherwise, course was rolling. A little too much traffic for my tastes on this route, which is why I usually don't go this way, but it was nice to change it up.
I need to pay some attention to diet. It's not so much what I eat (though that too often includes things I shouldn't eat), but all the munching I've been doing in the evenings since the marathon. I just need to do some different things! Summer is here, so I think I just will...

Michael Enright wrote:

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Congrats on the graduation and on your daughter being the valedictorian - that is quite the accomplishment - I know having one who just graduated. Where is your daughter going to school in the fall?

Thanks! UConn honors program. She had orientation there the last two days.

Very cool. My daughter has a summer friend from Danbury who will attend UConn in the fall as well. We don't think she is in the honors college, though.

It's a good school, and seems to be headed in the right direction academically. Plus, it's close by and that makes my wife happy. Plus, as valedictorian, she gets a tuition waiver!

Really hot and humid here the last couple of days - near or at the records for the days. Didn't run yesterday - body needed a rest and I was dealing with a problem.
Still hot and sticky this morning, but not bad for a summer early morning run. Warm, still, humid. There is a flying insect here that likes the sweat, and will fly around my head as I run in more wooded areas, usually, and try to land on my ears and neck. Makes me crazy. I swat at it, flailing my hands occasionally. I'm sure I look like a nut. Good thing is they don't bite.
5 miles on my standard hilly route, averaged right at 9:09 for the run. Sweaty!
Probably just do a real easy bike ride tomorrow if I get a chance (forecast calls for some rain early in the day - and I'm not sure what else I have to do tomorrow).
I'm planning on running the Fairfield Half on Sunday. Just planning on doing that as a real easy training run. Clearly, I am not ready for any race paces just yet.

Yeah it's been a fun couple of days running in this weather. Have fun on Sunday.

Alex Kubacki wrote:Yeah it's been a fun couple of days running in this weather. Have fun on Sunday.

Thanks Alex. Looks like the weekend weather will improve quite a bit!