Training Log Archive: PG

Bike trails near Eaglebrook (loop from parking on Keets Road, climbing first). Gentle pace, suited my mood.

West Point this coming weekend. Not real excited about going orienteering, but looking forward to the rest of the weekend.

Late afternoon, a little bit on the back side of Mt. Toby, from the gate. Energy OK, one little twinge in my left calf, will have to be careful, ie. take a cart the next couple of times. :-)

And in the morning, a very brisk walk around the course on a very brisk morning, barely 40 and strong winds out of the northwest. Game was good, despite tough conditions.

To the center of town and back, flat except for the driveway. Just a little bit of soreness in the quads, big improvement overnight. Must have been the extra helpings of birth cake and champagne.

Pace was not too swift, though upon reflection it seems it was almost race pace. :-)

Nice trip to Litchfield. Came down yesterday afternoon, stopping at Bradley to pick up my brother, whose plane just made it in before the storm hit. Glad I wasn't the one up there.

Then picked up my sister at mom's house and off to the town library for a short ceremony as part of naming a room after her. She was involved with the library for many many years, from ordinary volunteer to board president. It was wet out, and she does much better in the morning than late afternoon, so we will take her up for a short visit next time I'm in town.



Then back home to celebrate my sister's 75th birthday. Lina had made a proper cake, champagne and lively conversation flowed. Good vibes.

And then a moment to see if my judgment was good, or not.

I had a birthday present for her, but it needed the proper presentation. And the presentation was to the effect that my sister more than any of us cared about family history, and keeping things (photos, jewelry, whatever) from the past. And that I thought she should have something from me.

She said she had the Wheaties box. Well, then she should have a second thing.

Then I gave her the card, that had to be read first, and it said -- "This was hard-earned. I hope you will like this memento of your younger brother. Happy 75th."

And then she unwrapped the present, my finisher's medal from Boston on Monday.

The reaction was all that I had hoped for. Surprised, thrilled, delighted. Was it OK if she could put it on? Gave me several big hugs. And I think I was enjoying the moment as much as she was.

You never know in life. People can be so different. Reactions can be positive or negative. You just never know. So when things work out even better than you hope.... :-)

C • :-) 7

So, an update from Robin. So far the following has come in --

For the junior team: $7,933.79
For the ski-O team: $257.00
For the senior team: $337.00
Total: $8,527.79

This includes donations from several folks who I don't think pledged anything but just sent money in -- Sandy Fillebrown, Ed Despard, Niels Lyng-Olsen, Rudy Schwarz, Edward Niemann, Jeff Saeger and Judy Karpinski. Which is totally cool.

Also several others who gave more than they pledged. Which is also totally cool.

And there are still a few outstanding, winding their way to OUSA via the Pony Express.

It's not to late to pitch in. There is still the match, which makes it a great time to donate as everything gets doubled. As long as OUSA/Robin gets the money by Tuesday (April 28).

Thanks again to everyone who has been part of this. It has been totally cool.

And, yes, I sent my pledge in. With great pleasure.

A few random thoughts from Monday...

-- Was breaking 4 hours there for the taking, just had to go a little faster at the end? Nope, no way, wasn't going to happen. I think when I passed 24 I was at 3:42, 2.2 miles to go. Easy, just 8-minute pace. Hah. Forget about it almost immediately.

-- Demographics of the runners sure has changed in 20 years. So many more women, young ones too, though I guess from my perspective they're almost all young. Also, the demographics of the student body at Wellesley College, out in force as usual to cheer despite the rain, was much more multi-cultural than it used to be.

-- Lots of security, as expected. But all seemed to be done in both a professional and friendly way.

-- Unbelievable number of cheerful volunteers on a day when it was more miserable to be standing than running.

-- Just passed 30 km, a couple of unexpected cheers, there were Jeff and Judy. Had me smiling for quite a while.

-- Every time I passed another 5K point (plus the halfway point), where there was the electronic stuff on the road to record your time, I thought about how it was flashing up on computer screens, trying to imagine the reactions of anyone watching. Very surreal. Also very cool knowing that, in effect, I wasn't alone.

-- Bill Rogers, winner many decades ago, had someone comment on how hard it must be to run to the marathon, out there for a little over 2 hours. No, he said, the ones who have it hard are the ones out there for 4 hours. I have a better understanding of what he meant.

-- Overall, it is just a great experience. This was my fourth time. It is a rite of passage for New England runners. I didn't run it more often just because there were so many other adventures out there -- orienteering, trail running, ultras -- and you have to choose. But deciding to go back after all these years, it unleashed a flow of memories, all good. It is a wonderful experience -- the course, the history, the crowds, the challenge, and finally the finish. Along the way a lot of sweat. Also, toward the end, a tear or two.

-- The only downside was missing the Billygoat, first time. But life is about making choices. I had my moments of doubt as to whether I was doing the right thing. But then how everything transpired with the support for the juniors, well, there was no doubt at all. But I still missed the Billygoat.

Now, Wednesday morning, the quads are still sore as can be, but the rest of me seems fine. And they will be better in a couple of days.

And then I will have to start thinking about what the next adventure might be.... :-)

Event: 119th Boston Marathon
 

Event: Boston Marathon
 

Two things related to the fundraising effort. The first is something that I won't persue, but if you add the mile-plus from our bus to the start and the walk to bus from the finish, you end up with 28 miles for the day. But I'll leave that one alone. :-)

The other is a major new player in this junior fundraising effort, and that new player is my mom.

Not that she knows about this, though I will try to explain it to her, with no expectation that she will understand. But she has a history of supporting the National Team, as far back as when WOC was in Australia in 1985. She has been a life member of OUSA for a long time. And I'm sure she would approve.

Anyway, mom will match (dollar for dollar) all donations as long as those donations are received by the OUSA office by next Tuesday, April 28. So send in your pledges ASAP, and we can really get a good number for the juniors.

Thinking about this kept me smiling for many miles.

C • WOW 4

Boston. A day where you see what you're made of. A day of mixed emotions -- fear, anxiety, self-doubt, all those for sure, but also perserverance, stubbornness, resolve, all ending in this amazing exhiliration at the finish. Saying over and over to myself, I made it, I made it, I made it.

Because I was so terribly unprepared. Injury, therefore lack of training, plus old legs that are just getting worse and worse. So it is a test, to run as smart a race as possible.

And on that front I think I succeeded really well.

It may look like I went out too fast and paid the price in the last ten miles. I don't think so. The plan was to run as comfortably as possible as far as possible. The mantra was "relax,"" said over and over and over. The pace just happened. Was I going too fast? I don't think so -- never breathing hard, I doubt my heart rate was ever over 130-135.

The hills start at 16. I knew I'd be walking then, for sure. The question was how much before that the legs would give out. And amazingly, they didn't.

16-21 is the Newton hills. I knew the pace there would slow as I walked a lot, but I got through those miles at just a little over 10-minute pace, not the 11s or 12s I was expecting.

And then the last 5+ down into Boston. The legs were toast, as expected. So you just grit your teeth and run as much as you can, again trying to hang onto 10-minute pace. As the miles slowly count down. all the time hoping nothing goes wrong.

25, almost there you want to celebrate, but not yet. Finally the turn on to Boylston Street, and pass 26, and a couple more minutes and its over.

Intense satisfaction. And a race that in retrospect felt like I'd run it just as smart as I possibly could. And that is not so bad :-)

And it all goes back to the juniors A moment of inspiration led to an idea that saved my race. I could not fail to start. I Intended to do everything I could to finish, including being prepared to suffer a lot more. I really wanted to beat 4;15. And all of this because so many of you had raised your hand and said, Count me in.

It has been a remarkable and wonderful day, better than I could have possibly imagined. Thank you all for making it possible.

C • Well done! 13