"And isn't all our purpose in the things we can't avoid, isn't it a wonder and isn't it a waste isn't it to sacrifice the things you can't replace and isn't it a wonder oh isn't it a joy, isn't all our purpose in the things we can't avoid, how lonely how lonely do I have to be to mean anything to you? how lonely how lonely do I have to be to mean anything to you?, woah woah, don't hold me, don't hold me if I'm not the thing that you're terrified to lose"
How Lonely-Kingfishr
Ye can keep a wee Fenian bastard down......but ye can't keep a wee Fenian bastard down for long......back at it this week w/ a bang and right on time as there are nine weekends of races in the next twelve weeks, two in October, four in November and three in December...... wee Fenian bastard start yer feckin' engine!!
Monday October 5th, when I worked at the hospital between 99 & 20 I was no stranger to running home to either Port Richmond between 99 & 06 and West Philly between 06 & 20 so now that circumstances have dictated I need to revisit that I laced em up again to get back into the auld routine albeit on a new route home.As the proverbial "Crow Flies" I could make a right coming out of work, hang another right on Chestnut St and run the three miles between 16th St and home......only issue w/ that is the number of feckin' red lights I'd probably encounter on route not to mention all the pedestrian traffic.....SO I opted for a more "runner friendly" route, 16th St to the Ben Franklin Parkway and up towards the Art Museum, left onto the Schuylkill River Trail and head west towards Greys Ferry Avenue bridge.I hit mile 4 as I crested the top of the bridge and opted to stop there and walk, but the walk home revealed I could squeeze out another mile which would be the plan moving forward.34.40.2 off 8.40 mile pace w/ splits of:8.45-8.43-8.40-8.30 in a comfortable 68 degrees.Far from earth shattering but a nice start off a fortnites lay off and diminishing splits to boot.......when it starts getting colder there'll be a Guinness cap for that feather!!!!!
Tuesday October 6th Mile 5 came in as I hit the corner of 50th and Springfield, there's probably not enough real estate from there to my corner to squeeze out an extra 1/2 mile......w/out having to loop loops etc but since I was logging 5 milers when I was getting up at the crack of dawn earlier this year 5 miles will do for now.42,47.3 off 8.33 mile pace,no diminishing splits today, in fact it was the polar opposite no thanks to a reckless opening split of 8.11 I went:8.18-8.25-8.33-9.19.........gassed as fuck on that last mile.64 degrees and sunshine again,need to make the most of these conditions this month come November the clocks go back and I'll be running in the dark so me and all the other members of the running fraternity are making the proverbial hay while the sun shines this month
Wednesday October 7th Fuck sake{wise up mate.......Kneecap fans will understand that reference!} 69 degrees I should've kept my running vests/sleeveless running shirts out instead of switching to short sleeves but given October can be running attire roulette maybe switching to short sleeves wasn't the worst thing I could do......less we forget come November I'll probably pulling long sleeves/ 1/2 zip tops & 3/4 length bottoms out of mothballs so......Shaved 44 seconds off of yesterdays time w/ a 42.03.6 off 8.25 mile pace thanks to splits of:8.21-8.25_8.19=8.20-8.38.I'd already committed to only running Mon,Tue,Wed this week but moving forwards the plan is Monday through Thursday weather and work permitting then it's either my weekend race/races or a Sunday long run to hopefully round out a five day week.Having started the week at 8.40 mile pace and dropped it down to 8.25 mile pace is pleasing, losing two weeks of training shouldn't undo all the hard work and mileage I've put in this year since Jan 5th....if anything the rest should benefit me......runners don't subscribe to the less is more mindset but sometimes that's what the Docter ordered.
Saturday October 10th The first of the ten remaining races of the Wee Fenian Bastard Golden Jubilee tour and it was back to the Camden River Front for the second of my up and back 10ks along the Delaware River between the Wiggins Park Marina and the Ben Franklin bridge and back ......four times ........god love anyone and there are several runners who commit to doing the 1/2 marathon on that route, I think it's eight and a half up and backs.........fuck dat! The organizers of these races prefer anyone doing the 1/2 marathon to do the 7.30am start, given we are running along a path that is narrow enough and is a shared public space there are three waves, 7.30am, 8am 8.30am and judging from the fact only one other runner from the 7.30am wave crossed the finish line after I got done would indicate almost everyone else in the opening wave had opted for the 1/2 marathon......kudos to the girl in he second wave who ran the 5k and was a minute or two behind me.....granted I began half an hour b4 her but she only ran up and back twice I did 4......both of us were running by ourselves in fairness.Remarkably my fastest 10k this season in 48.20.3 off 7.48 mile pace thanks to splits of:7.36-7.43-7.40-7.59=7.52-7.59-1.30, conditions helped,at 7.30am it was a comfortable 54 degrees,I forget what the temps were when I ran here on July 25th but I remember dripping in sweat after I finished at the Philly 10 on Aug 23rd it was 68 degrees w/ 91% humidity and at the Freedom 10k on Sept 7th it was 64 degrees w/ 82% humidity.this was also the 70th 10k of my career, I still remember my 10k debut in Wimbledon on Sept 11th 1983 a month after my hero Eamonn Coghlan had won gold in the first World Athletic Championships over 5,000m in Helsinki
Not a bad week if I say so meself, at he risk of repeating meself I said a week ago maybe the two weeks off was a blessing period but also given my busier than usual Fall race schedule the auld less is more mindset would be a benefit,full steam ahead now this week to next Sundays Market Street 5 miler and hopefully medal #13 for the season and medal # 282 for the career.
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