Twenty in Metro Boston

Alright boys, I took some time between calls today (I mean really, what do you do with 10 minutes of down time) and created this 20 miler through Metro Boston. It encompasses parts of current training runs for me, a section of the Boston Marathon from Wellesley to BC (including Heartbreak Hill) and then a jaunt through Brighton to the Charles River and ends at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade -- if you want to push it to 21 you can head to Museum of Science. Here's the route, who's in? I'm targeting either 4/25 or 5/2. You can parts, all, or just say no. There are places to bail, and places to join. With a bit of coordination you could do the last 10, or only the first five... it could be a fun run.

Duly Noted

One thing I really enjoy about running is that nearly every run teaches me something. It may as simple as teaching me that I'm feeling good, or maybe feeling a little out of sorts, or maybe that certain things are not great running fuel. Today taught me that running with both boys in the stroller, on a windy day, while still feeling the effects of my run in New Bedford was not a great decision. Tough run, pretty much unmitigated misery all the way through, with some brief respites as Child 2 chatted with me about this and that. Mark it in the books, but it was a grind, and my hammy is not feeling great right now.

I was up in time to go out in the AM, but just couldn't motivate, so it's sort of a bummer. Oh, well, got the run in at least.

RUnning Buddies

I took full advantage of the gorgeous day and headed out in the late morning with two of my favorite running buddies: Child 2 & Child 3. We headed out on our usual stroller run route and I felt pretty good at the usual turn around that I pushed it out to the turn around that makes it a 5.4 mile run (depends on the mapping tool I use). Rather than turn right around Child 2 inquired about where the turnaround road went. So, after a brief pause to drink some water we headed down the turnaround road on a little running adventure. We crossed a couple of small streams and paused to look at them -- Child 2 loves "bubbling brooks."

The loop eventually brought us back to the center of town and we headed home on the road we went out on. Total distance was just shy of 6 (5.88) which may be my longest stroller run. I felt good throughout, though I was sucking wind at the end -- i was coming back harder than I went out. WE sprinted downtown to see the train come through, and generally had a fine time. Child 2 chatted with me throughout and Child 3 was chattering and making noises and pointing at everything he saw. It was a fun run. Getting ready for 10 - 11 tomorrow.

Weekend

I got out for a quick 4+ on Friday evening while at my parents' house. I hadn't run the route in a long time, so it was fun to run it. While the run didn't feel as awesome as Thursday's it was still pretty nice. I covered the ground quickly and was back fast enough that my father said, that was a short run. That felt goo.

We'd intended to go out on Saturday but ended up vegetating.

Sunday I ran with BR on his Birthday -- the families got together and I dragged him out for a 4.5. I'd been planning on doing a tenner, but wasn't in the mood. It was windy and cold and gray and blah: classic February. We had a great run and it was really great to run with a friend.

Mellow Sunday

Way to go FA! Sounds like you had an awesome experience in your half. Way to finish strong! Congratulations!

Took a mellow Sunday run with PR. It was a gorgeous day and fun to run with a friend. He wore an old pair of my shoes, and soldiered very nicely despite the fact that they were too narrow.
It was just a nice run on a nice day with a good friend. Afterward, the families headed out for a nature walk around a pond and next to the Charles. Good day.

Back At It

I took the week off after the CCM Relay. It was good to take a little break and it permitted me to wait out the time change. Unlike Bennu, I just can't motivate to run in the pre-dawn dark, though it's all in my head because the one that I got in with C2 I did enjoy (and so did he).

Well, that's fixed now because it's fairly bright by 6:30 so no more excuses. I did 5 yesterday with C1. She rode in the stroller and we ran on the Cape. It was a gorgeous, blustery day and she fell asleep somewhere along the route. It was very cool. I covered the 5 in 47 flat -- not at all my fastest for that route/distance but it's OK. I battled a stiff headwind for a bunch of it and we stopped to look at the Bass River as well. It was a nice run with my daughter on a beautiful day and that's all that really matters.

I'm looking to get back to a Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday cycle in anticipation of marathon training. Not sure about the mileage, 20 would be nice, but it's more about getting on the cycle.

Stay Frosty

My morning started at 5 AM when Child Two came into our room with a chill, and Child Three started nicking for his feeding. I had planned on running today and when I couldn't C2 back to bed and his volume kept rising I figured I'd take him with me. It took nearly an hour to get him ready and motivated -- mainly about using the potty before departing. We did our downtown route (4.75 miles) in just under 40 minutes.

With all of the preamble resolved I bundled him up and off we went. He was totally fascinated that we were running in the dark (it had been darker about 20 minutes before we departed with a sky full of stars. I've been having major issues getting out these mornings because it's DARK. Initially, everything was covered in frost and it lent a ghostly air to everything-- it was amazing. It got prettier though as the sun came up and the sky lightened. The trees started blazing and the frost was sparkling. When we got home C2 told Mrs. A that "we ran in the dark and then the sun came up!"

Long run today

Hit the road with another friend who is running the CCM Relay and I went out kind of slow since I did something to my lower back (due to Yoga). The whole run felt slower than usual, but I knew I was pushing myself and that felt good. After 4.5 I was ready to walk the rest, but that is the great thing about having a running buddy to keep you moving. Plus, he is a little quicker than me so I had to work to stay ahead or slightly even with him. I didn't think we went over 5.5 miles and had finished in 45:40. But I went to Gmaps and found out that it was really 6. So I am pretty excited about the push through the wall when I thought that the run was not going very well. Anyways, it bodes well for the relay and I am looking forward to running with all of you.

Cheers and have a great night.

The Whole World

The moon was descending in the western sky when Child Two and I hit the road at 6:45 today.  He saw it and started asking a torrent of questions about the moon and the Earth and the globes and the whole world:

Is the moon ever the globe?  Where's the whole world?  Will you show me the whole world?  Hello trees.  Hello wall.  Hello leaves . . . .

It was great and we did our usual stroller-loop (4.78 miles) in just under 40, and did the back quicker than the out even with a stop to unfurl the sun visor for C2 -- we were heading directly into the rising sun.  The weather was crisp and at one point while putting down the visor with the sun was at my back I was steaming in the sunlight and he asked me if I had dust coming off of me.  I love running with my kids.

Another One

I'd planned on taking today off but mid-way through my workday yesterday I got the urge to go out and run on Friday, so I did.  I was on the road by 6:45 AM or so with Child Two in the stroller and we went out for our usual route.  I'd planned on 45 minutes but was feeling slow and only did 40.  I've got a little mental block against longer runs right now and hope to break out of that this weekend.  I'm not running tomorrow -- 5 runs including Sunday's tri-run is a nice total and I'm up around 18 miles for the week.  I'm going to try and do a trail ride tomorrow morning, we'll see how motivated I am to leave the the hearth and kin folk on a Saturday morning.

I'm actually a bit excited about the inspiration because I'm getting to a point where I want to go out and do something active, and actually feel the need to be active so this is a good thing.  I hope that I can perpetuate this inspiration to be physical.

Great Running Buddy

I went out this AM with one of my best and favorite running buddies. He chatters the whole time, sings, runs with friends who also talk to me, makes observations and is generally enthused about everything that he sees around him. Child Two came with me and we did our 40 minute out and back loop. It was a bit later than normal for us -- about 6:55 after set-up of the stroller etc. but we were done by 7:35.

One of the things that I really like about running and running at different times is the different traffic patterns, runners etc. It's interesting to see how much more traffic there is at 7:15 as opposed to 6:55; to see who is an early morning runner versus a later runner. I like to note the different patterns and it keeps things interesting.