Training Log Archive: bl

A view of Mt. Tom from the Smith College campus (very lower left hand corner of the map)



PM drive to Northampton, arrived around 6pm. Visited Arcadia wildlife refuge,
Smith campus, Childs' park, old Northampton mental hospital grounds & country roads near by. Night at PB's, slept well in tent, only disturbance was the pleasant early morning birdsong (missed Adam's midnight return & early NYT delivery).

Ferns at Arcadia



Sunset color in Childs Park

Fisk loop - needed something of a test since I've just been getting by &
being cautious for some 10 days. So started with a bit of energy. Ran less
than a mile & decided it was ok for a 64 y/o to run w/o tee shirt in Concord burbs/rural as it felt pretty hot (hi 70s) - more sun than shade. First split was around 14' - hard to tell - went uphill ok & high point in this direction is around 2 miles. First exact split was some 15" better than I expected. Couldn't
recall what the third should be - first thought 8.5'ish but when it was clear
it was going to be over 10', then I thought "over 10" but no bells rang.
Home under 14' for total of 52:39 which is completely encouraging. Constant
mild stiffness/soreness and a touch of dysfunctionality at the very end.
Stayed under a tree for a good 5' stretching. Reflected that the quads want
to work & readily bring the legs forward but the hams on the left aren't
willing to do their share pushing forward. Looked up sore area, distal
biceps femoris best correlates. Now to see if any fallout.

Event: CSU Park-O: Sheepfold
 

Long day with unexpected twists & turns. Off to Needham at 1245 for 2p meeting, over around 4:30. Not sure of distance to I 93, maybe 20 miles which took about 75' - formidable traffic, more vehicles than I thought possible & 'merge misery' at clover leaves. Finally 93 around 6:25 pm, ok to make Park O start but went N on 93.... When first exit was #37 and #'s went up, I realized I should have gone south. 93S traffic was bumper to bumper. Mighty disgusted, "go straight home, do not pass go". But maybe 5 miles later, cooled off as initial plan was to go to Carlisle, in part inspired by BP's post-O invite for a beer. The meet notwithstanding, we had a plan of our own to visit Carlisle for anniversary celebration since our relationship began in that area. First stop was a Conservation ponds walk with dogs, a mellow May evening, lots of red wing chatter. Then 251 Fiske (lived there '82-4 &'91-2). I was taking a photo when the owner appeared. We chatted & she invited us in. She was enlightened, amused, intrigued, curious by our account of the place before her time. Then over to BP's house, location only vaguely known, less than a mile away. A lady walking her dog gave us a lead. We spent a nice hour visiting with Bill (eventually returning from orienteering) & Ross. Interesting & memorable way to spend an anniversary eve. Asked Beth just this morning how come I didn't remember what we did last year. "We forgot it."

251 Fiske, winter '83: screen porch (from which we could greet passers-by on the quiet road) to right; Beth bought for $109K



27 years later: sliding glass doors we put in w/wisteria (c. '92), fence we made (just below photo) to replace the above fence now in disrepair, nice add-on deck, screen porch made into a room; a mere roadside "cottage" on 5 boggy acres bought for $525K a few years back

AM DP, went to higher entrance to power line - refresh the view. The sky, a gray smudge of clouds coming from the NE. Rained moderately last night, needed it. Noted again the cutting of sumac by the mystery cutter that can cut 3" thick, around boulders, chew up/spit out what's cut etc.

Ferns filling in at 7 Allen


the other day. Free (and maintenance-free), attractive and back year after year

Luti 5, raining. Can't say I'm missing much this eve - it won't be hot but
won't be nice either - no lingering on a fine May evening. Ran with a bit
more effort than in past week - have to get going soon to see what goes.
Park O tomorrow, BG Sunday. Turned out to be a 'sopper' of a day.

AM DP, gem of a morning. A bit more than walking - cover a tad more distance, less time, dogs =y satisfied.

DP, a little shorter, clouds, cooler. Don't think dogs know when they are short-changed, unless by magnitudes of order. Already May 18th! Tempus fugit.

Noon Water Tower, a 2' loop around Memorial track on the way. Always a left ham "feeling", can't say it held me back but "tired" since track w/o last Tu that left me w/ "ham awareness" Wed; possibly, a bit hypochondriacal or running on 1.7-1.8 legs. But ran up to the Tower thinking this is no different from usual.

No 5k tomorrow - a cast of 5-6000, half runners right through the workplace parking lot. I'll busy myself around the yard as it's not my party this year. 5k's are a dime a dozen even if this the hometown scene, music to boot.

DP from sun of dunes to shade of forest.

Faraway series, photos from elsewhere, #16:
Daisies at Le Mont-Saint Michel, Normandy, France, summer, 1978

PM DP (3 of 'em today but 2 count). Forgot running shorts so couldn't run at lunch. Instead came home, took dogs to power line then did a little straightening up before returning. After work, took a loop around Bog Meadow in Nottingcook. Cotton Tee was too warm. Saw 2 painted turtles, both a bit bigger than a hand, about 10' apart - no camera.

Beth's car wouldn't start, jogged home on the road. Now to deal with it....

Took a look at Hatter's WRE long today for first time, a 'frightful' amount of crisscross - keeping all straight/sorted out (partic 17-18-19) may have best been done by a multitasking mind. Truly a macho blue but that's 21E by definition.

Sad day at wok - heard yesterday that Brent H, just 35, a psychiatrist whose office was right next to mine, died suddenly over weekend. He was a huge man, not so much obese as just plain huge, had severe hypertension and apparently diabetes. Autopsy showed complete occlusion of his LAD coronary. Very peculiar and sad to sit at the med suite table right outside his door (and mine) today and contemplate his absence & significance of it.

Perfect May morning, we played in the "sandbox."



Often wonder when, where & how this sand was made - seashore, sea bottom, desert even, thousands of miles from here, when did "just under the surface" last see a bright blue sky?

Read TT results middle & sprint. Alison didn't let mono hold her back (middle or sprint), Nate Lyons put last week's (?) 2:03 half into thoughtful application, Samantha mp'd (she should speak with me) but aced the sprint, PG (sly old fox:)) put his 'non-running' preparation into play, Childs/Kemp families there in force as was Mikell Platt. Sort of wished I was there - PG's log shows a course I wish I had a shot at. Can visit most anytime - something nice about those woods is lack of summer undergrowth. Could combine with a trip to Manhattan for contrast, possibly even next month - Reid Stow is retuning to NYC 6/17 from 1000 plus days at sea w/o port or aid of any kind. I'd like to witness it - when did anyone else last come into any port, having been so long at sea?

To Garry's to get car post servicing Friday. One smallish stride after another,
bit of a headwind at end, 71F at Grappone's. Had last week's red course on the map - kept spiking controls - now to see what real routes were taken. Managed to spend nearly 50' reading it. Can feel hamstring tho it allows me to go from one place to another.

Interesting to see all the miles for the "hamstrung week" - doesn't suggest "crippleness"...hmmm - all very Slo Go. Doubt (probably use this word since I have a hard time admitting truth/reality) very much a 5k is in store for Wed - don't like to be at starting line unless I'm feeling 100% positive. BG, as damaging as it could be, is different - it warrants presence at the start line.

Looked for the Have a Hart but did not find - it's becoming incumbent - as the chewing has moved considerably to my left.

I've paid more attention to Team Trials than I recall in recent years, must be the AP connection...but I cannot recall TT's outcome last year or was it the year before? Years just cycle repeatedly.

However, today I recalled TT from '78 when I was a team contender: Quabbin Resevoir and Mt. Hermon school were the maps. Fell on a rock at Quabbin, big enough cut (above the knee requiring sutures, Steve Tarry transported me to UMass med center) & Sunday was less than optimal due to the psychological effect (and some physical) of Saturday sutures interfering w/ running.

That '78 TT (as is this) was for a Norwegian WOC, won by Egil Johansen (old memory survives). I'm pretty sure I still have a copy of the '78 Kongsberg map. I aspired to WOC qualifying in that period but my effort was always diluted by the other 2 life competitors: work largely & boat electively (eventually lived on it for 7 years). Spent this weekend working on the boat, mostly varnishing - will be 30 years of ownership this November (and 40 years of age) - it's held up better than I have - it has the potential to last longer....

C • Norwegian gods and goddesses 2