Spring Weekend

No running this weekend, but I spent three hours raking and mowing my 1/2 acre, and for good measure replaced the gutters, and screens on the porch and kitchen doors. I can still see Lake Champlain from the porch (the green isn't fully back on the trees) so I sat for an hour and nursed a Molson Canadian after packing away the yard tools. Not a bad way to spend a late Saturday afternoon, especially with temps in the mid-80s.

Running tonight, fingers crossed that no crises intervene.

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.

Social!

I took a nice run with PR on Sunday. He and his family swung by the house for a visit and we squeaked in a nice little trot. I think that it will be interesting to read his post about the run and compare them -- I see that it's up, but haven't read it. I guy I worked with when I was a kid used to say: "We're all going to the same place, but won't share the same experience . . . "

I totally enjoyed running with PR and talking along the route. It was a nice quiet Sunday. With the Pats just ending and the Sox just starting my town was fairly ghostly. I didn't get in a family run this weekend, but this was a great social experience. I really enjoy running with other folks, sharing the experience and connecting. We talked about work mostly, but it wasn't rancorous -- it was a good brainstorming talking about options and things that we do, could do, would like to do. It's been a while since we've been together and it was great to share a run -- something I don't think we've ever done. Remember PR, your next run is Tuesday -- shoot for another 30 minutes. It was very cool and I thank you for going out with me.

I'm working on a patio in my yard and moved so much dirt today and have so much more to do in the coming days I'm not sure how much running I'll get in this week -- 5 hours of digging sort of knock the run out of you. I may shoot for some shorter more mellow runs but we'll see -- I need to move like 5 more cubic yards of dirt tomorrow as well as spread a ton of gravel. I actually need to spread two tons, but I'll probably get the second ton down on Wednesday and then start spreading sand . . . maybe that counts as cross training?

Mint Juleps

Time: 33:10
Avg HR: 155
Peak HR: 175
Distance: 4.02 miles
Start Time: 8:39 AM
Training Effect: 4.6
Temp: mid-40s
Date: 5/6/07

Legged out another four on Sunday. It didn't feel that good but the time was there.
I intended on going long(er) on Saturday but multi-projects prevented that. Then the Kentucky Derby and the obligatory Mint Julep happened at 6ish. I was feeling the Julep with every step -- Juleps go down easy, but they extract a price the next day.

Anyway, did the run, then worked my tail off the rest of the day -- finishing a carpentry project with my Father, helping Mrs. Agricola finish a rocking project of her own that have the front beds looking amazing, then mowing the lawn. It was a busy, active, excellent day -- that we capped off with dinner with neighbors and a Martini . . . luckily Monday was an off day!

Weekend Work

Sunday April 1, 2007

So, on Sunday I took my first run in a week, and the first run of my 36th year. It was six years ago yesterday that I actually started running and I've more or less kept up with it despite some rough times the past couple of years. I didn't operate my watch/HR-monitor correctly so I have no useful data to share except to say that I did my usual shorter run of 3.3 miles somewhere in the 30-sub-30 range. It felt good and I was glad to have finally shaken my cold enough to go for a run. I'm still all congested, and scratchy in the throat, but I sucked it up.

Saturday March 31, 2007

I didn't run on Saturday but I did spend the day thatching my lawn and my Dad's lawn over the course of a very physical 4 hours of power-thatching, raking, lugging barrels and emptying the bed of a pick-up truck. It was a beautiful day to be outside and great weather for manual labor. If you don't think 4 hours of yard work is hard work I invite you over next year to help . . . the lawn needs to be thatched before the forsythia bloom, and, oh yeah, I also spread my first batch of fertilizer this season. Spring is here.