Shufflin' Along

Another Sunday,another 12 miler along the river,another 50 mile week.
Also another glorious day in October to be out getting my long run in,as long as mother nature keeps sending them,I'll keep taking them.
For those not from "these parts" the above picture is of Kelly Drive just at the end of Boathouse Row,trust me this photo wasn't taken on a Sunday morning as it's always crowded w/ runners,joggers,walkers,cyclists,roller bladers,people w/ strollers etc,I've always enjoyed my runs along the river in the almost 24 years since I moved here and hope to continue to do so.

Felt weird to be home for the weekend,technically I was home last weekend but w/ Lynn and Chris in town I spent little time at home,the weekend b4 I was in Syracuse,the weekend b4 I was in New York and this coming weekend I'll be in Rochester.
I would've liked a weekend at home w/ my feet up relaxing and making inroads into my laundry list of dvr's shows but this wasn't the weekend for it,asides from my 3x2 mile repeats and Sunday long run there were the domestic chores that needed taking care of,food shopping,laundry and somehow I found time to squeeze in a movie.

"50/50" was playing at The Riverview which is my least favourite cinema to go to,mainly due to the hike it takes to get there w/out a car but I wanted to see it so I switched running shoes for hiking boots and made the trek into South Philly to see it.
It was an enjoyable movie,it's hard to make a comedy about Cancer but the movie does a stellar job of being funny w/out trivializing the illness,kudos to the writers and directors for that and hats off to Gordon Joseph Levitt,Seth Rogan,Anna Kendrick and Anjelica Huston for their roles.

On the way home I made the rare move of putting the ipod on shuffle and seeing what would come streaming through my ear buds next,I was pleasantly rewarded w/ the following:
Sex(Extended Version) Berlin
They Dance Alone Sting
Life's What You Make It(Live Version) Talk Talk
Fade To Grey Real Life
Numb/Encore Linkin Park & Jay Z
39 The Cure
Do Re Me,So Far So Good Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine
First Goodbye Scritti Polliti
MLK U2
How Was It For You? James
Lady W/ The Spinning Head U2
Underneath The Stars The Cure

The Return Of The Thin White Duke

After a 3 week race induced hiatus from my Saturday date w/ vertigo.....or as I like to call it 3x2 mile repeats it was back to the track at Temple this morning for my second to last crack at them b4 the November 6th Bridge Run 10k in 3 weeks time.
While the sun might've been shining there was a strong breeze swirling across the track when I arrive at 10.20am,how strong you ask?....at the northeast corner of the track there are two poles w/ what look like miniature jet propellers on them my guess is they are a wind gauge of some sort,anywho those suckers were working overtime this morning I doubt they stopped rotating the entire time I was there this morning.
Following my mile warm up it was time to shed the long sleeve warm up and three quarter length bottoms don my flats and have at it a 9th time since I first began this workout a week b4 Worlds all the way back at the beginning of July (July 2nd)

#1 repeat 1.21.0.-1.24.7.-1.26.0.-1.24.3.-1.26.6.-1.25.4.-1.22.0-1.15.1-11.05.5.
An ok start,I came through the opening mile in 5.36.2. which told me a 4th sub 11 repeat probably wasn't going to happen but a negative split of 5.36/5.29 gave me a semi respectable 11.05.5.,when I opened in 11.05.8. on September 10th I could only muster 11.20.3. and 11.49.7. on #2 and #3,how much stronger am I now some 5 weeks later?

#2 repeat 1.20.5.-1.23.6.-1.24.8.-1.25.3.-1.25.3.-1.25.8.-1.26.9.-1.19.3.-11.11.8.
Coming through the mile in 5.34.3. it looked like I might challenge my opening 11.05.5. but somehow it managed to get away from me,I'm not sure I've ever strung together three almost identical splits like I did on laps 4,5 and 6.

#3 repeat 1.21.0.-1.25.0.-1.25.1.-1.27.3.-1.26.4.-1.26.0.-1.27.2.-1.14.0.-11.12.3.
Well if nothing else at least I was consistent,not just on #3 but throughout the entire 24 laps,if I could've keep laps 4 and 7 at 1.26 and not 1.27 I would've crept under the 11.11.8. on #2

While obviously disappointed I couldn't duplicate my previous outing(10.48.3. 10.54.5. 10.43.4.) that came as a result of 6 weeks of consistent chipping away at the previous weeks times it would be naive to think a three week absence from repeats would afford me the luxury of steeping back in where I left off,not to mention having to cope w/ a very strong headwind throughout most of the entire workout.
That said this still represents my second best set of splits on this workout and unlike the Sept 10th drop off after opening in 11.05.8. today I hung in there.

Another race next Saturday, Masters 5k xc in Rochester means I only have one more crack at the 3x2 mile repeat on October 29th b4 the Bridge Run,let's hope for a lot less wind that Saturday and the same level of consistency as today

There Must Be An Irish Pub In Tallinn

"You dust the bottles on the bar counter you're writing screenplays on the side
Three nights a week can keep a girl workin sometimes it's good to lose your pride
These things we do to keep the flame burning and write our fire in the sky
Another day to see the wheel turning another avenue to try
It's in the luck of the draw baby the natural law
Forget those movies you saw little baby it's in the luck of the draw,the natural law"

Luck Of The Draw-Bonnie Raitt

Yes folks we're heading to Estonia,given the choices of Turkey,Bosnia,Montenegro or Estonia Ireland drew Estonia in the Euro 2012 playoffs this morning in Poland which is one of the two choices I would have made,Turkey in Istanbul will be hostile as all hell,Bosnia pushed France all the way in their qualifying group and only lost out on top spot by a single point,that left Montenegro or Estonia,neither are push overs but given Ireland's 1.4 playoff record since 95{losses to Holland,Belgium,Turkey and France and one victory over Iran in 01 to reach the 02 World Cup finals}we needed a slice of luck and got it w/ a trip to Estonia on November 11th and the return leg at home in Dublin on November 15th.

Another grey and overcast evening as I ran my 6 miles to put me at 30 miles for the week going into my rest day tomorrow{heading over to The Keswick at Glenside to get Howard Jones tickets for next Thursday}we'll have to wait and see what Saturday brings and my 3x2mile repeats.

Europe, After The Rain

"It's time to walk again it's time to make our way through the fountained squares and the collonades
Your dress is shimmering,your voice is hiding things when you say I've hardly changed
In europe after the rain when the nights are warm and the summer sways"

Europe After The Rain-John Foxx

The first autumnal day I've felt this fall,grey and overcast w/ the heavy threat of rain,so much so that I opted for my baseball cap and jacket but managed to get the recovery run in b4 the rain fell,the rib cage issue didn't play up today but on a recovery run it really shouldn't,tomorrow will be an easy 6 miler and Friday is my rest day so we'll have to wait to see what Saturdays 3x2 mile repeats bring regarding this rib cage issue.

After losing to Wales in the Rugby World Cup quarter finals on Saturday Ireland has something to cheer in soccer,needing a draw last nite in Dublin vs Armenia "Gio's Green & White Army" reached the Euro 2012 playoffs w/ a 2.1 win to put them in Thursdays playoff draw along w/ Portugal,Croatia,Czech Republic,Turkey,Bosnia,Montenegro and Estonia,anyone of them will be difficult,we've been spared Portugal,Croatia and Czech Rep as along w/ them Ireland they are the seeded teams so it's either a trip to Turkey,Bosnia,Montenegro or Estonia on November 12th b4 the return leg at home in Dublin on November 15th,we'll know for sure tomorrow morning at 7am when they make the draw where "the boys in green"are heading I just hope where ever it is there's enough Guinness!!!

Sometimes A Really Good Idea.........

A frustrating evening{at least on the running front}thanks to some sort of stitch like pain under my right rib cage.
I experienced this once b4,it came out of nowhere,hung a round for a few days then disappeared, I'd like it to disappear again now.
It showed up on Sunday early into my easy 12 mile run,at first I though I hadn't given myself enough time to digest breakfast so didn't read too much into it,it showed up again yesterday on my easy 8 miler and it raised a flag,throughout the day today I could feel what ever this thing is even when I wasn't running and for a while I contemplated pushing back my hard 8 miler till tomorrow I figured going for it today was as good a plan as any so I went for it.

3.24 at Cedar & CCP b4 clocking 8.28 at Baltimore Ave,I was 14 seconds behind last weeks split and feeling like I was running compromised compared to last week.
13.22 at Whitby Ave b4 making the turn in 23.55,68 seconds behind last weeks turnaround split.
I already knew I wasn't going to be able to get close to last weeks 44.57.4. and while I didn't throw in the towel I was guilty of not being 100% focused so I wasn't surprised to see my splits continue to slip away from me,35.08 at Whitby Ave,40.08 at Baltimore Ave and 45.45 at CCP and Cedar b4 clocking 49.10.6. at the finish.
Remarkably not my slowest run over the last 7 hard 8 milers,my last hard 8 b4 last week was a 49.16.3. on Sept 13th and when I began these hard 8 milers I opened in 49.46.1.

I'm frustrated that w/ only three quality hard 8 milers left b4 the Bridge Run 10k I pissed this one away but it was something out of my control so I won't beat myself up too much,fingers crossed whatever this rib cage issue is it goes away and soon.

A Blast From The Past

A nice easy 8 miler today to not only kick off the week but also get any residual gunk out of my legs from Saturdays St Clare 5m xc.
No race this week so back to the conventional week of training,8,8,8,6,8,12 w/ the intention of tomorrow being a hard 8 and Saturday being a return to 3x2 mile repeats.

Unseasonably warm again today,hell it's mid October I'll wrestle an Alligator to get days like these{see what happens when you blog during "Hart Of Dixie"!!!}in the coming weeks.
While today saw me returning to normal training weeks it was also a day to get back to the tried and tested routine of life,my sister Lynn and brother in law Chris were in Philly over the weekend to visit me on their way to Australia,via Nashville,Argentina and New Zealand,when ever Chris works in Australia they fly west from London and then west back to London.
It's always good to hang w/ any of my family,as I approach the 24 year anniversary of leaving home and coming to America it's nice to connect w/ those guys in person and not over the phone or via the internet,if I didn't appreciate the value of family when I left home at 24 I sure do now at almost 48.
My final words to Lynn and Chris last nite were to give my best wishes to Australia and let them know I'm on my way there in 5 years time for the 2016 WMA C'ships in Perth plus my "guided walkabout" afterwards it's a long way off but I'm already planning for it.

And from the future,to the present and my past after citing Elizabeth Fraser in my Top 20 female vocalists of the 80's my Cocteau Twins songs on my ipod{Heaven Or Las Vegas,Pearly Dew Drops Drop,Sugar Hiccup,Spangle Maker and Song To The Siren technically This Mortal Coil but w/ Liz Fraser on vocals}have been on heavy rotation of late, there's something magical about Liz Fraser's vocals but don't just take my word for it check them out for yourself.

Another Week In The Record Books

Another 12 miler to round out another 50 mile week,for those playing along at home or just interested that's 8 weeks in a row of 50 miles a week and 7 weeks of Sunday 12 milers,obviously last Sundays Masters 5k Road race c'ships in Syracuse meant no 12 miler last week.
Won't lie,I was feeling yesterdays 5m xc race a little but was able to do what needed to be done today,glorious day to be out running period but along by the river in the sunshine in October it's a beautiful thing,each Sunday now in October will get treated like it might be the last as predictably these conditions can't last forever but I'll be grateful for each one I get b4 the long sleeve running shirts,running tights and eventually ski hat,thermal gloves and jacket get pulled out of the closet.

So yesterday,my first cross country race in over two and a half years,I initially though my last xc race was the inaugural Jack St Clare 8k xc race in Dec 08 but upon pulling my xc spikes up from the basement I discovered the D tag from Masters Winter Nationals in Derwood Maryland in Feb 09 still on them.
Why the hiatus from xc? coming off my achilles injury in the summer of 09 I wasn't sure xc was the right terrain to race on in the fall of 09,courses like Belmont and Van Cortlandt have a fair amount of gravel to run on,not exactly achilles tender friendly so I side stepped the 09 xc season and last year after the Syracuse Masters 5k Road race C'ships in early October I shut things down initially for 2 weeks which then became 3 b4 using the end of October and November/early December to build base mileage so no xc races last fall,I was kean to get back to xc this fall and offered to "take one for the team" at the St Clare 5 Miler.

This years race had become a college race w/ several college teams entered,fitting given the race is in honour of former Temple coach Jack St Clare and this years field of 85 runners is a far cry from the 08 race that only attracted maybe a dozen or so runners.
It sure wasn't xc weather,75 degrees and sunny as we took to the starting line at 1pm,frankly after getting soaked in 44 degree temps last week in Syracuse I wasn't complaining!!!
I knew not to get "sucked in" at the start and paced myself through the outside loop and opening mile in 5.38.
Second loop meant going up Parachute which is a lot smoother these days but still a bastard hill to negotiate on the 5k or 5m course,back out of the woods and up Flagpole a second time,after the fustercluck the first time the field had thinned out considerably the second time.

Entering the woods a third time I heard 17.46 for my three mile split,I think I heard 11.58 at 2 miles and while the field had thinned out at least I wasn't in no mans land as I headed down Dark Road towards the refurbished Nursey Hill section.
I was feeling it now but knew I was near to the finish......one more trek up Flagpole,pre race as we jogged the Parachute and Nursery section Chuck mentioned going up Flagpole three times might be tough and while I wasn't dreading it coming out of the woods a final time there was a sense of "fucking ada,Flagpole again!!!"

One runner went by me b4 we exited the woods and while I would've liked to go w/ him my almost 48 year old legs had other ideas,I settled for 50th overall in a field 85 in a time of 31.28.4.
By virtue of this being my first xc 5m race{I have 6 xc 8k races to my credit since 06}it's a pr for what it's worth,I'd like to come back next year a little more xc tough.
To that end there's the Masters 5k xc up in Rochester in 2 weeks time and then maybe a long overdue trip to the Bronx and Van Cortlandt Park in November and then the Brandywine 5k xc just after Thanksgiving b4 calling time on my 11 outdoor season.

A final foot note,if you're in the vicinity of Chestnut Hill College and you see a very disgruntled bunch of runners out there spare a thought for them,GPTC president Bill Kampf is also the coach of Chestnut Hill College and he told them pre race if they didn't beat "a bunch of old guys" from GPTC they'd be doing double workouts.....we finished 8th,they finished 9th.....enjoy those double workouts boys!!!