Wonderland

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from TedVilla

Ski day

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from TedVilla

The Hiatus Ends

Eleven days. Eleven days. I finally got back on the road today, emerging from two weeks of crazy work, and a great weekend of skiing.
The weather was nasty, but the runner was nastier. At least I got out again, and feel great. Even a lousy run is great, sometimes. I needed to get out as I had
reached the end of my ability to not run and still maintain sanity -- I can get really grumpy when I don't run.
Back at it. Finally.

Posted via email from Cherry Blossom Ten

A Couple

I got in a good run on Friday at my parents' house. It's a route I haven't run in a while and it felt good. Just a smidge over 4, and I did it quickly.
I'd intended a bigger weekend, but sort of vegged on Saturday which spilled into Sunday. I didn't get out Saturday -- the Olympics and some beer and popcorn side-tracked me.
I did get out today, but went shorter that I'd planned. I did get to run with Red C. and it was great. We went out late and did 4.55 (I need to add in a bit more on that route to get it up to where I thought it was, which was 5. Having a buddy to run with was huge -- it wasn't too cold but it was windy and gray and it was sort of blah. Running with someone was great. I'm not too stressed out about the miles -- I'll get them in. Just running, that's all.

Posted via email from Cherry Blossom Ten

Finding The Stroke

As we all know sometimes ballplayers get in a slump. They lose their stroke. The only thing to do is to keep on swinging, keep on taking your cuts. Well, today I came out of my slump.
I found my stroke again. I also achieved a really nice level of flow that I've not reached in months -- surprisingly so. I headed out today in a poor mood -- angry, mainly. Sometimes anger is good for a run, sometimes it blows it up. You go out too hard to burn off the aggression and whatever hormones, and amino acids and residue of your fit are coursing through your veins amps you up early and leaves you flat later and it ends up being a lousy run. Today, I went out just to burn off the substances and see what would happen.I settled into a comfortable rhythm early and just ran -- it was a lope, really. Everything came together, and nothing bothered me. Stop for a light, or to wait for traffic while crossing a street? No worries. Run along some icy stuff -- why not slide it, it's fun. Shoe untied -- tie it. I'd pick right up where I left off. Right into my lope, right into my zone. It was fluid. I found my stroke and reached that state of comfort and exertion that is very rare. It felt great. I came back in a good mood, with my anger dissipated. With sadness (which I think is the flip-side of anger) abated. I fed off the energy of my emotion and burned it steadily along the course. Ah yes, running as therapy. I found my stroke. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Posted via email from Cherry Blossom Ten

Up & Down

Not sure what it is, but my training runs have been very up and down these past few weeks. I think I need the adrenaline of races to help me -- but no adrenaline is to be found as I grind it out solos through the streets of suburban Boston. Oh well. Spring is on the way -- today was mid-30s, bluebird and lovely. Tomorrow forecasts to be a bear. Winter returns. Pitchers and catchers report soon, this weekend maybe. Almost there. I think I can I think I can I think I can.

Posted via email from Cherry Blossom Ten

Race Report: Super Sunday 10K

I headed out on a beautiful bluebird of a day to run the Marathon Sports Super Sunday 5k/10K race. Held along the Boston waterfront this race is only in it's third year and it is well attended, and, like Marathon Sports other races, very well run. This years course was very similar to last year's except that we started at 390 Congress St which was much more roomy and comfortable for the large field. Last year we started from in front of the Harpoon Brewery and it was a little crowded -- so that was a good move. This year's race also went off on time which was appreciated because it was only about 20F with a stiff breeze.

The course wound its way through the rapidly changing Boston waterfront, down Congress St and back, around the new courthouse, by ICA etc. The course was pancake flat as is to be expected on harbor roads and quite fast. The field was quick -- lots of Boston trainers I think -- and trending young. One of my favorite sites on the course is the tiny Our Lady of Safe Passage Chapel -- located between two huge parking lots and across from some very new, sleek glass office buildings (the thought of the value of that property is astounding -- it's diagonally across the street from 56).

<br /><small>View Larger Map</small>

I ran a nice first half, 23:43 or something and felt pretty good coming into the second half (the race was a couple of loops of the same course). Out to mile four was a nice tail wind, but mile 4-5 was right back into a stiff headwind, and I sort of flagged on this leg and recorded what was probably my slowest mile ~7:55 (39:35). The buildings broke the wind around this point and I dug down and worked a bit harder. I crossed 6 miles at just about 46 even and finished around 46:43, I think, it was definitely below 47 which was cool but the official results will be posted and I'll know for sure tonight. I had a nice kick through the last .2 and was working hard down the home stretch and trying to catch a guy who was in front of me. He picked it up too and held me off by a step. After we crossed the finish line he turned to me with a huge grin and said "thanks for pushing me!" and shook my hand -- that was cool. I had a huge rush at the end of this and totally felt that ever elusive runner's high, It was fun. I remembered why I love to run.

Posted via web from Cherry Blossom Ten

Race tent super Sunday 5/10k

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Posted via email from TedVilla

Commute

I went out just before dinner yesterday. I ran 4.2 miles or so. I felt pretty good. I'm having trouble with pace right now, but it was the best run I've had in a while.
Will try and get out today, too.
tv

Posted via email from Cherry Blossom Ten

February Begins

So, February begins with a run, about 4 miles at 3:30 PM. I had a morning-mid-afternoon meeting north of boston, came home and hit it after a PBJ and some pretzels. It felt OK, not great, still shaking off January.
Big headwind on the way out, and a nice tali wind on the way home (I'm big on out and backs). The weekend was tough between frigid temps and zero routine. I'll catch up to it this week and we'll get rolling.
Inspiration is at an ebb, but it's coming back, I'll work into it just through repetition -- I'm finding myself jonesing for the run if I don't get it in and that's a good sign. today's run while not great left me energized and focused and amped up (though my goal of getting work done this evening is not panning out... I don't feel like working tonight).

Posted via email from Cherry Blossom Ten