Socially distant

Odd times still 2 months deep into the COVID-19 shelter in place isolation here in Massachusetts. Races, group workouts, Sunday long runs, social fun runs seem like a thing of the distant past. Mask up or be ridiculed by society. I have only run with a covering over the yap once. Lasted for 3 miles before snot and moisture suffocated me. That was just yesterday actually. Pulled it down to wear it like an Abe Lincoln beard for the 2nd half of the run.

Seems like we may be turning a corner however. Warmer May weather has been teasing. Yet mother nature gives us snow flurries yesterday, May 9th. Good times. I have seen big groups biking and a few pairs of runners in recent weeks. Good to see. Gives hope. Some light.

I ran all 7 days this past week. First time. Long time. A high water mark of 32 miles, the most I have run in a week since a 40 mile week last May, almost a year ago. Kind of a big deal, silently, a win, during what I would say is a fair commitment to at least 5 days of running per week and no less than 4 miles if the sneakers are tied on and a GPS device timing me on my wrist in the past 90 days.

Virtual runs....was not really getting into it. I did manage to get my ass to an outdoor track, 1st time in a long time (year and a half?) to run a mile to see where I was fitness wise. I was reminded, after sucking wind 200 meters into a 100 second quarter mile that I was OUT OF SHAPE. Each step and stride was mechanically not pretty. A lot of 9 minute paced runs in recent months. A week later I ran the similar 6:39 mile on the Swampscott High Track. Well, maybe a second quicker the second time around. The motivation for the mile on April 20th was the virtual 26 X 1 mile, er, Marathon that CMS was partaking in for fun with other clubs around New England.

I was actually grateful for the "virtual" opportunity. It gave me some incentive or motivation to run hard. Made me think real hard on where a local track is and or at least one that had a fence short enough for me to clear.

Since then, been pretty blah, but went back to run a lap or two but got wigged out by a crowd of fitness seekers, walkers, dogs, crowding the oval. Bye, bye. Back to the isolated side walk and trails of solitude.

Lynn Woods is allowing runners to do a Virtual run anytime between May 4 and May 17. Run the 2.5 mile Goat Path or the Gate to Gate 5.0 mile run, solo. Start and finish at the Steel Gate on Great Woods Road. This is where the old Wednesday evening races used to start and finish.

I ran the 2.49 mile Goat Path run last week and broke 20 minutes, was glad to get under 7 minute pace but needed a lot of downhill in the last mile plus to accomplish the sub 7's average. Put a smile on my face. Trying to hustle the trails took my mind off the knee. The knee felt decent until slowing to 9's.

I may give it another rip in the next week. Here's to the virtual. For now, that is all. We. Have.

Classy 3 Mile Fun Run

I walked over to Rolley’s Tavern to sign up for this 3 mile road race that sends all proceeds to support the Lynn Classical Girls Track Team. I caught up with Stephen Martin (race director) and Bill Mullen (all things Lynn Woods Running) as we joked about the night’s snow that put about four inches of white stuff on the city. By late morning, the main roads were down to wet pavement. 

I ran a mile and a half warm up with Nakri Dao before lining up on Broadway Street for the start. It was sunny and around 37 degrees. I jumped into 5^th place early on. By the time I reached the mile, Nakri went by followed by Joe O'Leary a minute later. They would put nothing but road between them and I. I got clipped at the very end of the 3 mile course by one more runner. I finished up in 8^th place with a time of 21:20. My mile splits were 6:36, 7:07, 7:19 for the GPS measured 3:04 miles (7:00 / mile average). I grabbed my gear after the race and ended up running home to take care of the days errands.

2020 Classy 3 Mile Fun Run results

Nakri and I before the race
Photo by Mike Fitzgerald

With Stephen Martin and Bill Mullen

Wicked Frosty Four

10AM start for this one in Salem that goes out to the Salem Willows and back. Mile 1 went by in 7:07 and fell to a 7:22. Took my eye off the ball there while the knee did not feel so great. Now heading back toward the finish for the next two miles, did not regroup against folks that passed me earlier in the Willows. 7:56 and 7:39 for the last two miles losing at least ten finishing spots from 2 to 3 miles. 30:22 finish time. The good news for the day was having Dave Dunham in action. Finished not too far behind me after he started at the back of the race. Here is to good health for 2020. 

2020 Wicked Frosty Four photos by KrissyK 2020 Wicked Frosty Four Photos

Run A Latke 5K - Swampscott

Nice downhill start out to Humphrey Street had the legs rolling quicker into mile 1, 6:39. I got some encouragement from a fellow competitor in the hills of Puritan running away from the Ocean views. A Soul Sister passed us. Mile two was on Humphrey Street (7:06) and I lost some strides to those two. Thought I would have a sprint from the church at the last hill for the last 400m but nadda, nothing. Mile 3 was a 7:08 split. GPS gave me 6:57 pace for the 5K for the 9th place finish but North Shore Timing mat to mat gave me seven even. Not bad.

Good spread of veggies, tuna, bagels, latke, et cetera inside. Photos by Krissy. 

Festivus 5K

1 mile warm up on Pickering Wharf with Ian Edwards from Finz. First time running this race. Got the scoop and course layout from Krissy who ran or took photos years ago. Weather was decent, some head wind when heading north. Pretty even splits around 7:11 to 7:20. A few hills broke me but it all evened out in the end. No cool down, stayed in Finz for water and a banana. Overall fun event with plenty of Sienfeld Festivus or ugly Christmas Sweater themes going on. 22:24 for the 5K. 

Thanks for the Trails 5K before a root canal

Woke up and did not want to run alone on this Friday after Thanksgiving. Drove the Rabbit Pickup (big red) over to Patton Park in Hamilton arriving 20 minutes before the 10AM start. I was 4th here last year, running 18:XX. Fun cross country race with a nice hill in the last mile. Temps in the low 40's but the sun was warm if not feeling the wind. Warmed up for about a mile and got over to the start line.

About 150 runners working the Turkey off from yesterday. I settled in after the horn behind Jenn Brooks (CMS / Team Gloucester). I was huffing and puffing all the way. Lost a few spots in the 2nd mile and then two more in the last 3/4 of a mile. Still had fun, pace feeling quicker than 24 hours ago in Lynn with the Lynne's Kids 3 mile. I finished with a time of 22:38.5, 33rd place. 6th out of 16 in the 40-49 age group. GPS measured out to 3.03 miles, compared to the 3.02 mile road race yesterday. Todays splits were 7:01, 7:22 and 8:06. And yes, getting a root canal this afternoon. Good times! Results

Video

Pictures!

Lynne's Kids Turkey Trot

First race since the DNF at the Masters New England XC Championships on Nov 3rd. Took two weeks off since then and ran 1 mile, 2.5, and 2.7 miles in the Monday through Wednesday this week. Krissy was walking with her mom.  The morning rain stopped. I ran over to the race and grabbed my number 5 minutes before the 9:30 AM start.

I saw the gang, Jay Euzikonis, Nakri Dao, Dennis Floyd, Stephen Martin, and Kenny Noyes. Nakri, in the same boat as me, not running a lot, ran with me as we looped around Flax Pond and passed two women after 2 miles. I ignored the watch splits, ran on feel. Breathing heavy, knees held up OK finishing 13th and a time of 23:22 next to Nakri. Dennis took the win! Results