NORFOLK PUB 10 MILER

Wow, am I slowing down. The race billing was hilly and it lived up to it, but it wasn't really super impossible by any measurement. Late tough hills are not my strength and mile 8 got me here like mile 7 has in the New Milford 8 miler and some other hills I've tried to block out. I will admit to the following progression by mile 3, race it, make it a good workout, enjoy a scenic long run, just finish and don't be last. I think the downhills have taken out my quads for the next week.

Onto the Boston buildup series or at least the 10K. It's snowing like hell, maybe a little recovery snowshoeing tomorrow.

The slowdown -- ups and downs

After a year of PW's (opposite of PR's) I had a really good 7 1/2 miles mostly uphill on Saturday, followed by a terribly swollen knee. All of a sudden slow wasn't so bad, but not running, crap! Sunday it was gone (the swelling not the knee) and I went from layoff panic to an easy 8 1/2. I should have rested but I had to know. The world is back in order and slower seems OK now.

But next year a new training plan and new hope.

Orange County Jingle Jog 12/6/09

Very cool race, fresh snow on the ground and ice and snow on all the trees. Add in a scenic course and away we go. The elevation profile on the race website made me think it was hillier than it was so I didn't really start to run at near threshold until 3 miles. Not good in a 7K, but that just left more time to enjoy the course. This one will go on my list of races I want to return to again and again, sorta like the Sterling School Swamp Devil that was cancelled this year, the Norwalk Y summer sizzler that disappeared a couple of years ago, and the Midland run, gone forever. Nice to add one back in.