Injury Report

The ankle is healing. I'm on it and using it a frequently and strenuously. I worked outside a bunch last weekend -- I bundled it up in the air cast and tied it inside of a boot and it treated me pretty well while I raked etc. It was tender in the evenings.
I've dropped the air cast and am now only wrapping it in an Ace Bandage. I think the air cast was hurting more than helping, and bruising the bone a bit; it also gave me a rash . . . itchy and sort of gross.

My hope was to go running this weekend but I'm not sure it will happen -- I crossed a street yesterday by running/moving briskly in the crosswalk and it hurt . . . so, we'll see. It's good that I can walk, work and move around with only minor pain, running may be too much of a pounding, but I'll make the call on Sunday which is the day I'd planned to take it for a spin -- probably only a couple of miles, but I really want to get back out there.

On the Shelf and Thanks

Hey guys, thanks for your kind words. We're all doing well, my uncle's funeral is over and life continues. I'm going to commit myself to be there in some way for his son -- I can't imagine being 17, getting ready to graduate from HS, and losing your father.

I'm currently on the shelf with my bum ankle . . . it's healing, and I'm actually finding that being on it, though leaving it tender and sore at the end of the day, is helping it to get better because it feels more flexible and the swelling is not as great as it had beeen when I was ensconced on the couch. One thing helping recovery is that I've been icing it a ton at night. I've perfected my ice method -- one side for 30 minutes, then the other, and repeat for 2 hours. I think I'll be on the shelf for a couple of weeks which is a bummer because I was having some amazing runs, and the run when I hurt myself was no exception. I've been having some intense, emotional runs and the workouts have been very mentally and emotionally cathartic. I can't wait to get back to it. As far as your comment about "life interweaving our posts" VTR, we've woven running etc. into each of our lives -- we carry our life with us every time we run and running provides a time to reflect.

Thanks again, gentlemen, your support means a lot. Happy Thanksgiving, we've got much for which to be thankful.

Running and Crying

The light was out by 10 PM and the alarm was set for 5:30 -- I was ready to go out and get 5 miles this morning before Mrs. Agricola's early morning meeting (7 AM . . . ). I was having trouble sleeping, I was tossing and turning and I couldn't get comfortable. The phone rang at 11 PM. It was my brother. He told me that my Great-Uncle, Tim, had died that evening from cardiac arrest. He had been sick for about three weeks with a baffling array of ailments that left him essentially non-compis-mentis and unable to communicate with his family and his doctors. While sad and not the desired outcome his death was probably for the best. I lay in the dark pondering the death of yet another family member when the phone rang again, it was my mother. We spoke briefly. She was crying. Mrs. Agricola and I chatted for a bit before sleep finally overtook both of us around midnight.

I didn't hear my alarm until 5:40. I rolled out of the rack and got dressed, determined to get some miles in and to dedicate them to my uncle. The time I lost forced me to start cutting back on my distance. I was picking up my pace and huffing a bit as I came up a long false flat (which I ever realized was a false flat until today), looking at my watch and considering what piece of my route to cut out when I stepped on a piece of asphalt that turned my ankle and sent my flying. I rolled in the street for bit clutching my ankle. Then moved to the strip of grass between street and sidewalk, cursing a blue streak through gritted teeth. I leaned over on my side and noticed that my head was about 6 inches from a piece of dog-poop . . . even in the midst of this there was some humor to be had.

The dog poop inspired to stand up and head for home -- this run was done. I was about 2.25 miles out, I'd been running for about 19 minutes, but could get back home in about 1.6. I walked for a bit and tried to run. No dice. I walked a bit more, a bit further then ran up a hill. The pain wasn't bad but I didn't like how I was favoring my bum tire so stopped. I came to a point about 7/10s from my house, with a cutout up the road that would shorten it a bit more and I decided to run.

I made this decision at the bottom of the hill that I sometimes mention kicks my butt a bit, and I ran it with a bum tire but a pretty good stride. I started thinking about all that had transpired since 11 PM the night prior, but mainly about my uncle and his family -- despite being in his mid-late-70s, he had a 17 year old son getting ready to graduate from high school . . . and there I was, running and crying. I could barely see, my eyes were filled with tears that started running down my cheeks and I sobbed as I strode a very familiar section of road. I was thinking about what to say about my uncle, and this is what I came up with:

He was a good doctor, a good husband, he loved his son fiercely. He was a good man.

There really is nothing more to say.

Roadrunner & Coyote

Time: 27:04
Avg HR: 156
Peak HR: 176
Calories: 450
Distance: 3.3
Start Time: 6:08 AM
Training Effect: 3.7
Temp: Chilly
Date: 11/14/07

Yesterday was my day, but it was rainy and drizzly and I was a wimp and bailed -- I couldn't figure if it was going to pour or keep spritzing and I missed my run. I rolled out of bed today at 5:50 AM, sucked it up even though it was dark and cold, and was on the road by 6:08 AM. I had to get out early and keep it short because today was technically Mrs. Agricola's morning and I want to do 5 tomorrow (my scheduled day) so I had to get back in time for her to get in her workout (Mrs. A, coincidentally ran her longest distance this past weekend in a very nice Saturday effort).

Anyway, it was pretty dark, but the sky was lighting up in the East with the sunrise. A lady was walking a couple of dogs and I said "hello" to her as I started my run. I took a few strides, looked up and saw a coyote running very fast away from me, across the street that our street intersects, and down a hilly driveway into somebody's yard. I crossed the street to see if I could see him but he was gone into the dark woods. It was very cool, and I was surprised to see the coyote at that hour. The last time I'd seen him he was waking the neighborhood after getting into it with a cat that lives down the street -- I think the coyote lost that exchange, it must be a tough cat.

The sunrise was amazing -- brilliant fiery pink at the horizon fading into pale morning-blue sky into which Venus was rising ahead of the sun. The frost covered everything in a beautiful even coating. It was a a great morning, and a morning that I was glad to be a runner.

In another note, I'm starting a new gig next week that's about 55 miles from my home -- I'm re-entering the freelance world. I'm going to need to get up earlier to get in my runs, so if you see me not posting, get on me -- it's most likely because I'm being a wimp and lazy.

Is my neck red?

I recently went hunting with my father-in-law, his buddy, and his dog Lucy. Like the Mt. Mansfield hike, this was some pure Vermont outdoors exercise. We trudged through fields, brush, and thick woods hunting the elusive, wily pheasant for just over two hours -- a solid workout. I actually got some running in, too, chasing a small hen through the underbrush (she got away). It was a great bonding experience and as I've mentioned in the past when talking about hunting, very primal.

Alright, maybe the birds weren't that elusive. (see photo)

Early "Run"

Sunday was an absolute treat for this relatively new Vermonter. I went with a friend to hike Mt. Mansfield and carve some early season turns on the snowboard. The day was absolute bluebird, not a cloud in the sky, crisp air, 45 degrees. I hiked it in snowboard boots and the trip took about 2 hours from bottom to top. We hit substantial snow about two thirds of the way up, and I was ecstatic. The joy of seeing and being in the snow on the mountain combined with the endorphins (I have to figure they were kicking in) left me feeling like a giddy little kid. I was also feeling very lucky to call such a beautiful spot home.

Anyway, it was a hell of a workout, and my legs were spent by the time I got on the board.

These transitional seasons can be tough. Getting out on snow on November 11 makes it all good in my book.

Veterans' Day Weekend

I got in two nice runs Friday and Sunday evenings, sandwiched around a day of manual labor on Saturday. I was scheduled for a run on Friday AM but I got a wicked headache on the way home Thursday night and was feeling the residuals on Friday morning. I laid low, went to work and then bailed early. Mrs. Agricola had a meeting Friday afternoon and when I got home we had a baby sitter staying with the kids so I took advantage of that situation and got in a good four miler at around 4:45 PM. I felt really good and enjoyed my trot -- covering the distance in 32:57.

I raked and mowed my yard on Saturday and that was a couple of hours of good solid work -- it was my first yard work since building our patio in October.

Sunday I took the kids out for the day -- a Boston Adventure -- while Mrs. A did some freelance work. After coming home I went for a 5er yesterday (5.3 actually, in 42 minutes). It was a beautiful afternoon and I enjoyed this run as well. These have not been my fastest runs but my legs feel good and my wind is decent -- I'm looking forward to a productive winter and hoping to take advantage of the cooler (colder) temps to build up my mileage.

I'd like to make sure to give my thanks and deepest respect to our veterans who have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice to defend this country and all for which it stands.

Starting Over

I finally hit the roads this AM for the first time since the CCM Relay. I did a short jaunt, 3.3 miles in 27:17. It didn't feel great, but it wasn't bad either. Ten days off definitely impacted the wind, but it will come back soon, I'm sure.

It was nice to get out early and have it be light -- I always seem to lose momentum in late October and early November when it's dark in the mornings. It will be nice for a couple of weeks to be running in light and then it will be dark in the mornings as we approach the Solstice so I'm girding myself for that. The sky was crystal clear and everything was covered in frost. Because yesterday was so wet, roofs, and fields (I run by the athletic fields of a local prep school and a community golf course)appeared to be covered in snow. It was magical.

Glad to be back at it, I'll go again on Friday. I need to work up to my goal of doing 20 miles by January which I might clarify a bit: during January I want my weekly mileage to be 20 miles/week and maintain that for the entire month before I start training in February for the VT marathon. Since that marathon is at the end of May beginning training in February would put me on a 16 week training cycle.

Walk In The Woods

My family, Mater and Pater Agricolae, and my brother's family spent the weekend in the White Mountains. It was a belated celebration of my parents' 40th wedding anniversary and it was a great time. My brother and I brought running gear but didn't run (unfortunately). My workout, the first since running the relay was a 4 mile walk in the woods to look at some waterfalls. It was not a fast walk, but I did carry Child One for about 3 of the 4 mile total -- that's got to count for something in a week when I was very lazy. Kudos to VTR for running a 5K -- it was interesting to see that it helped him loosen up. Back at it tomorrow.

My next goal is to log 20 miles/week by January so I have a great base from which to launch my Burlington Marathon Training campaign -- you can never start laying a good foundation too early.

Burton 5K

So, this week is our annual fundraising drive for Chill, Burton's non-profit program that puts kids who wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity onto snowboards at resorts nationwide. We do all sorts of events, like a ping-pong tourney, the boot mile (a mile race in snowboard boots), bake sale, and the above mentioned 5K. Unfortunately for me, the 5K was on Tuesday, two days after the Cape Cod Marathon.

A buddy of mine runs the event, so I participated again this year despite some "tightness" (aka pain) in my calf region. The plan was to run a leisurely pace to work out the leftover kinks from the marathon. Unfortunately, the guy who beat me by a nose last year went out at a killer pace just behind the lead pack, and I had to follow. I actually felt pretty good, and my mantra, "I can do anything" (...after running 26.2), served me well.

I didn't reel the guy in, but I posted a solid time of 21:10 that was good for fourth place overall. It was a fun event that was for a good cause. It was also a nice change of pace from the distance running of the past few months. Plus, my legs felt much better the next day. Bonus.

Later boys.