Amherst Trails

Time: 52:25
Distance: 7.5

I was finally feeling decent and ready to sweat it out. It has been annoying to be in Amherst the last few days and not get in a good run, so I went right to some of the trails around the Bike Path and Amherst College. I even jumped in the river near Stanley Street.

I was feeling very positive and my lungs weren't too congested, which was nice. My left hip flexor was again worse than I would've liked it, but I did stretch it out well after the run. I'm assuming everything is no faster than 7:00 right now. I timed the first mile in months for the last bit of this run and (admittedly picking up the pace a little bit) ran just under 6:30.

South East Street Fartlek

Time: 47:00
Distance: 7 mi.
Map

Target: easy fartlek to get the legs going a bit
Workout: 8 x 2:00 hard / 1:00 easy

After driving back to Amherst, I got in another run. My parents had my running shoes, however, so I had to throw on some old Streak XC flats for this one. That turned out to be fine, and it was fun to have some lighter shoes on for the harder effort. I don't know how fast I was running in the hard sections, particularly because I'm fairly tired from the last few days with friends and family, but it was definitely sub-tempo pace at least. I started out trying to run on the bike path, but unlike during the last snow, it had not really been cleared. As a result, I just ended up going out and back on South East Street.

Warren Wright, Bike Path

Time: 60:35
Distance: 8.5 mi.
Map


It was over 55 degrees and raining, which melted all of the snow on the bike path

Early morning run in Amherst. Luckily the temperature has gone up 50 degrees in the last two days, so it wasn't too bad. My legs are shot from the last few days, though, so I went very easy.

North Amherst, Puffer's Pond

Time: 92:23
Distance: 14 mi.
Map

I was bored. I went running for a while.

Music: Wolf Parade, Apologies to the Queen Mary and At Mount Zoomer

ARHS Alumni Thanksgiving Run

Time: 37:00 (?)
Distance: 5 mi.

Annual Amherst High School cross country alumni Thanksgiving run from the Keene residence. We did a loop on Mill Lane, the bike path and back through the South Amherst common. I'm turning the corner on being sick.

UMass, Amherst College

Time: 68:40
Distance: 10.25 mi.
Map

Finally feeling decent by the afternoon to get a run in. I ran out to UMass on the bike path and then ran back through the center of town and Amherst College. I felt okay throughout the run and it was good to sweat it out a bit and cough my throat clear. Unfortunately, by the evening it was clear that I was starting to feel pretty sick again.

Today's release of Chinese Democracy inspired me to listen to some classic Guns N' Roses on Live Era: '87-'93 during the run. It is clear why there were serious tensions in the band during the Use Your Illusion tour even beyond strong personalities and drug addiction. The 8-minute version of "Move to the City," one of GNR's oldest songs, features full big band backing, including long horn and sax solos--clearly a reflection of Axl's interest in moving the band in a more grandiose direction. A lot of the rest of the material compiled for the rest of the album is GNR at their best, though, including a rousing sing-along version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." I was two years old when they formed... I'm not sure if that makes me really old or them really old.

Bike Path Farm Loop

Time: 70:30
Distance: 11 mi.
Map


Dry cornfields along the side of Moody Bridge Road, about 6 miles into the run

Morning run with a slight variation of a run that I did this summer. There were actually two main differences between the two runs: first, that day had a heat advisory and this morning was 30 degrees as I was heading out the door; second, I went back Moody Bridge and Pomeroy instead of past Mill River. Due to the cold weather and some wind coming across the farm fields my legs were a bit stiff the whole way. My right glute and hip flexor were a bit tired and getting sore by the end of the run. I got the pace going a little bit, averaging 6:25 for the whole run, and running the Station Road mile in 6:10.

I listened to Wolf Parade's 2005 album Apologies to the Queen Mary straight through, as well as the first half of At Mount Zoomer, which came out earlier this year. I haven't really given the new album a chance yet, but I was pleasantly surprised with what I heard today--particularly Call It A Ritual.

Back From Northampton

Time: 63:30
Distance: 9.5 mi.
Map


The bridge at the Northampton end of the bike path

Fairly easy distance run back from Northampton where I was dropping off my parents' car to get repaired. I started the first mile on the bike path, before heading over towards Moody Bridge Road. It was nice to zone out mentally on the time/distance knowing that I just had to make it home. The hammy felt surprisingly good, probably assisted by 30 minutes of heated seats before the run.

Bike Path

Time: 60:00
Distance: 9 mi.
Map

Easy evening run from the house out-and-back on the bike path. It was getting dark on the way out, and there was a great sunset over some of the South Amherst hills, but it was nearly pitch-black on the way back. Good thing I've run this bike path and the trail that leads to it many times.

I did finally bust out a new pair of shoes (more Nike Air Zoom Elite 3s), as my old ones were just over 500 miles... more than I've put on the Elites before, and probably more than they should be used.

Right hamstring tight throughout the run.

Bike Path

Time: 30:00
Distance: 4 mi.

Easy early morning jog down Woodlot to the bike path and back. My calves are still very sore, but it was good to get a little bit loose.

Bike Path

Time: 61:12
Distance: 9 mi.

Felt good enough in the morning to get a run in then. Trying to put together a knock-down-drag-out long run didn't make much sense, so I decided on 60 minutes of feeling good. I pretty much accomplished that much, at least, including getting in a few 6:15-ish miles on the way back.

Groff Park, AC Trails Loop

Time: 51:38
Distance: 7 mi.

Easy morning run out the bike path to the Misty Bottom trail and Groff Park, back to the Amherst College trails.

Moody Bridge, Bike Path Loop

Time: 105:42
Distance: 16.75
Map


Bridge over the bike path near Amherst College

Looking to get going with more steady-paced long runs I did a loop that included 7 miles back towards the house on the Amherst Rail Trail bike path. To get out there I ran out on Moody Bridge Road to Bay Road and across Route 9. I was shooting to connect with the bike path on West Street, but went one road early by accident and had to head up Route 9 one block to get to the right spot. I thought there were mile markers all the way out on the bike path, but could only find the last three. Once I turned onto the bike path I also tried out eating a Clif Shot Gel packet over the course of about 5 minutes, which went surprisingly well.

The first part of the run, to the bike path, was 8+ miles averaging 6:32 pace. The second part on the bike path, exactly 7.0 miles, was 6:04 pace (last three miles in 5:58, 5:56, 5:49). Finally I jogged up the steep hill on Station Road and finished the last mile in Amherst Woods under 6:10.

Also, Jilane sent me a LetsRun thread with some Duckberg All-Stars shout-outs.

Bike Path, Echo Hill Trails

Time: 76:00
Distance: 10.5 mi.

Easy morning run with John Tyson again. I headed out the door thinking that I was going to run 90 minutes, but the stiffness in my legs from getting on the track yesterday informed me otherwise. I did 30 minutes on the bike path before meeting up with John, and then we looped around the Echo Hill Trails, which were a little muddy, but not too bad. Maybe I'll do that mid-long run tomorrow.

Bike Path, AC Track, Amherst Center

Time: 82:51
Distance: 12.5 mi.

Target: light track work, something like 8 x 200m in ~33s
Workout: 3 x 200m, 2 x 400m, 3 x 200m; 34.0, 33.4, 33.5, 68.0, 67.5, 33.9, 32.6, 31.8

I ran over to the Amherst College track on the bike path with John Tyson who then headed on his run. I did this run more to break up the monotony of my training more than anything else, but it will be good to get used to some faster running again as well. I was just generally shooting for turning my legs over but after three 200s which felt as fast as I could comfortably go but not as far as I could go, I decided to mix it up. My legs were very much not ready for this, but this is how it starts I suppose. Particular tightness in my right hamstring, hip, and lower back.

The "cool down" was through town and past the high school and then to Stanley Street, Wentworth Farm and Old Farm Road. The water in the river near Stanley Street was higher than I have ever seen it, covering all of the beach and getting relatively close to the bridge. I couldn't help but jump in.

Stanley Street Loop, Trails Loop

Time: 93:00
Distance: 13.5 mi.

I met Ian and Tyson again, in the morning this time. I got out to do the Stanley Street loop before meeting them both at Ian's house, which got me 32 minutes. We then connected a bunch of trails segments together in Amherst Woods, over Mount Castor, by Groff Park and back by Amherst College and Stanley Street. Back to my house that was just over 60 minutes. I felt surprisingly good running over 60 minutes during the run, but afterwards am definitely tired. Happy about getting a longer effort in, and I will probably shoot for something similar on Sunday.

Bike Path Farm Loop

Time: 70:00
Distance: 10.5 mi.
Map


The Bike Path nearing 5 miles

This was a fairly good run and could definitely be used again in the future. Especially with the first 5 miles on the Bike Path, this is one of the flatest runs around here. I really had to just get out there, despite the fact that it was... really hot:

THE HEAT ADVISORY INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...AMHERST...NORTHAMPTON... TAUNTON...FOSTER AND SMITHFIELD.

THIS AFTERNOONS HIGH TEMPERATURES NEAR RECORD LEVELS IN THE MID AND UPPER 90S IN COMBINATION WITH 65 DEGREE DEW POINT TEMPERATURES WILL RESULT IN HEAT INDEX VALUES TO RISE TO AROUND 100.

AVOID PROLONGED WORK IN THE SUN OR POORLY VENTILATED AREAS. SUNBURN MAKES THE JOB OF HEAT DISSIPATION THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT. ALSO...DRINK PLENTY OF WATER AND TRY TO STAY IN AN AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT. AVOID ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. HEAT CRAMPS...IF NOT ACTED UPON... CAN LEAD TO HEAT EXHAUSTION OR POSSIBLY HEAT STROKE...WHICH IS A SEVERE MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

A HEAT ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN HIGH HUMIDITIES ARE EXPECTED TO COMBINE WITH HOT TEMPERATURES RESULTING IN HEAT INDICES OF 100 DEGREES OR GREATER. AVOID PROLONGED WORK IN THE SUN OR IN POORLY VENTILATED AREAS. ALSO...DRINK PLENTY OF WATER AND TRY TO STAY IN AN AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT.

Bike Path, AC Trails, Stanley St.

Time: 36:00
Distance: 5.25 mi.
Map

Easy afternoon run. My hamstrings are both VERY tight still. This is a good loop.

Short Rosen Loop

Time: 60:00
Distance: 8.5 mi.
Map

Started with Jilane in Amherst Woods before she headed out on the east section of the bike path. I did a short version of the Rosen Loop coming back that same way.

Bike Path, South Amherst Trails

Time: 50:00
Distance: 7.5 mi.

Easy run from our house in Amherst to on the Bike Path (which some guy told me is closed for the next few weeks? yeah, right). I went to the Amherst College trails, and then down to the trails off Shays and near Pomeroy and Potwine. Pretty beat when I got back, but I wasn't running too slow.