A month of running

I plan to follow a 16-week training regiment to build up to the Philadelphia Marathon. The plan recommends that I shuold be running 15 - 20 miles per week for at least a month prior to launching into the official training schedule. So, guess what? The one month starts now. Or yesterday actually. And guess what else? I didn't run yesterday. And today I stuffed myself with cheeseburgers and baked beens and potatoe salad and cookies and ambrosia and watched fireworks at a family Fourth of July celebration until 10:20.

And then guess what. I ran! Two miles I ran -- uphill -- at 10:30 PM. I wore my reflective bib, carried my battery-less flashlight and ran along Route 9 from my house to Peter's house. And then made him drive me home.

It's bizarre running at night. It feels like being chased. Usually pretty energizing, although tonight I felt pretty heavy and hot. (It's muggy.) But, it's 2.2 miles I don't have to run tomorrow. One has to start somewhere.

Week 1

• Monday, July 3, 2006: 0 miles | :c P
• Tuesday | 2.3 miles | night run, 20:09 (did I mention it was uphill?)
• Wednesday | 7 miles | 1:05 | hilly course (High Street loop)
• Thursday | 0 miles | Went to Jacob's Pillow with Mom, Dad and Rebecca
  
• Friday | 5 miles | 45 minutes | hilly
• Saturday | 3 miles | 27 minutes
• Sunday | 3 miles | 30 minutes (maybe a little more than 3?)
• Week 1 total = 20.3 (hurray!)

Week 2

• Monday, July 10, 2006: 0 miles | :c P
• Tuesday | 4 miles | SMAC 5K (plus 1 mile warm-up) 26:42 (51st out of 70) -- hilly course, muggy day
• Wednesday | 4 miles | in gym
• Thursday | 0 miles | worked until 10:00 PM
• Friday | 3 miles | with Donald
  
• Saturday | 8.1 miles | with Donald
• Sunday | 2 miles | gym
• Week 2 total = 21.1 (hurray!)

Week 3

• Monday, July 17, 2006 | 0 miles | :c P
• Tuesday | 4.5 miles | SMAC 5K (plus 1.5 mile warm-up) 26:02 (38th out of 61) -- wicked hot.
• Wednesday | 4 miles | bike path from the YMCA to Look Park and back
• Thursday | 3 miles
• Friday | 0 miles | :c P
• Saturday | 7.2 | Race! 10K Meadow Run, Old Deerfield (plus 1 mile warm-up) | race time: 53.30 (course was long)
• Sunday | 2 miles | gym
• Week 3 total = 20.7 (hurray!)

Week 4

• Monday, July 24, 2006 | 5 miles | ran from home to YMCA (with some bushwacking)
• Tuesday | 4 miles | SMAC 5K (plus 1.5 mile warm-up) 25:43 (43rd out of76.)
• Wednesday | 0 miles? | :c P
• Thursday | 0 miles | :c P
• Friday | 0 miles | :c P
• Saturday | 6 miles | round the lake at camp | 55 minutes
• Sunday | 4.6 miles | 43 minutes
  
• Week 4 total = 19.6

Week 5

• Monday, July 31, 2006 | 5 miles | ran from home to YMCA pretty durn fast
• Tuesday | 4 miles | SMAC 5K (plus 1.5 mile warm-up) 25:12 (22nd out of 40.)
• Wed/Thursday | 0 miles | :c P
• Friday | 8.5 miles | 81 minutes
• Saturday | 0 miles | :c P
• Sunday | 6 miles | 53 minutes (charged the hills around the lake)
• Week 5 total = 23.5

Week 6

• Monday, August 7, 2006 | 3 miles
  
• Tuesday | 4.5 miles | SMAC 5K (plus 1.5 mile warm-up) 24:21 -- finally broke 8 min/mile. (42nd out of 91.)
• Wed| 0 miles | :c P
• Thursday | 6 miles | beutiful evening run at camp - up 143, East Windsor, down August Smith
• Friday | 2 miles
• Saturday | off
• Sunday | 13.6 miles! | w/DP in Central Park. Slow, but felt pretty good.
• Week 6 total = 29.1

Week 7

• Monday, August 14, 2006 | off (leg workout in gym)
  
• Tuesday | 4 miles | SMAC 5K (plus 1.5 mile warm-up) 24:31 -- slower but still under 8 min/mile. (42nd out of 91.)
• Wed | 7 miles | 59:01 | ran a smokin pace in the dark (time includes having to stop and crawl over rough roads in the dark.)
  
• Thursday | 0 miles | off (saw Tallis Scholars at Tanglewood)
• Friday | 12.5 miles | 2 hours | with Dad in Haydenville
• Saturday | 0 miles | all day MRI Board Retreat
• Sunday | 3.5
• Week 7 total = 27

Week 8

• Monday, August 21, 2006 | 5 miles
  
• Tuesday | 6 miles | SMAC 5K (plus 1.5 mile warm-up and cool down) 24:00 -- best time yet
• Wed | 0 miles |
  
• Thursday | 0 miles | off
  
• Friday | 5.8 miles | 54 minutes | with Dad in Hinsdale (around 143 loop)
  
• Saturday | 0 miles | Cummington Fair
  
• Sunday | 14 miles | Mt. Toby Trail Run
  
• Week 8 total = 30.8

Week 9 (miserable cold)

• Thursday, August 31 | 7 miles | fastest loop yet 1:59
  
• Friday | 5.5 miles | cheshire bike path
  
• Sunday | 15 miles | Mt. Toby Trail Run
  
• Week 9 total = 27.5

Week 10

• Monday, September 4, 2006 | 4 miles | recovery run along river
• Tuesday | 6 miles | SMAC 5K (plus 1.5 mile warm-up and cool-down) | 24:28
  
• Wednesday | 4 easy miles | with a last-days-of-summer dip in the river
  
• Thursday | 5 miles | ran in the pitch dark on the bike path, through the woods, in the full moon.
• Sunday | 12+ miles | w/ mom on the Cheshire bike path | friggin awful!
• Week 10 total = 31.5

Week 11

• Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2006 | 7 miles around the block | 59:34
• Wednesday | 5-miles | left foot in significant pain
• Thursday | off
• Friday | got Cortisone shots in foot
• Saturday | off
• Sunday | Josh Billings Runaground | 8-miles (6 race, 2 warm-up) | 49:20
• Week 11 total = 20 :cP
  

What are your favorite Onion headlines?

I'll post a few Onion favorites, but I really want to hear yours...so comment!

In no particular order:

• Gmail User Pities Hotmail User
• Gun Owner Ready for Them
• Church Group Offers Homosexual New Life In Closet
• Sixth Grader Begins Work On Pony Trilogy
• Kim Jong-Il Doesn't Know How He Keeps Winning Lottery
• Bush Calls Cabinet Meeting To Get Story Straight
• NASA Completely Forgot Probe Was Returning Today
• Foster Mom A Total Cunt
• Cocky Attempt To Operate ATM In Spanish Backfires
• Local Puppet Ignores Repeated Audience Dragon Warnings
• Let Us Freak. (By Smoove B)
• Fourth-Graders' Button-Making-Machine Privileges Suspended Indefinitely

So Dark the Con of Mac

For all my fellow converted Mac-fanatics, check out Apple Dei.


I've been a card carrying member of the iCult for a few years now, proselytizing shamelessly, converting at least three friends. In fact, I just ordered an iMac for my office today!

I think I found my way here from Ishbadiddle, though now I can't find where the mention was.