time to rest

wednesday

new york city in 7 weeks

Been knocked out the past couple of days, a combination of fatigue and the heat.  The past couple of weeks of training culminating with last Saturday’s half and subsequent workouts in this current heat wave we’re having along with a busy week at work did me in.  The sore throat was a sign I needed to recover a little, and that’s what I’m doing.  Will play it ear the next couple of days in hopes of being ready for Sunday’s XC race.  A good dress rehearsal for taper time.

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improvising

sunday

5 miles again, nice and easy, getting back into the swing.  Can feel some effects of the marathon in the ankles and the quads a little, but feeling reasonably well.  Will keep the miles and pace consistent through the week with a little pick up in the middle of the week, if I’m feeling up to it.  Tentatively planning on a road race next Saturday to get one in before New York. This is uncharted territory, a bit of informed improvising as I go.

chicago to new york

saturday

5 easy enjoyable miles to the museum and back, the same run as yesterday to test the legs.  They passed the test and felt good, we’re on our way to getting ready for New York next month.

The 4 days this week of vacation and recovery from running have been great.  That I had a strong 2nd half in the Chicago Marathon seems to be a big reason I’m recovering well.  Will try to have a longer post regarding Chicago.

off the path

monday

What a culture shock, just went from the Woodlawn neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, the cradle of community activism, to the Magnificent Mile here in downtown, a bastion of upscale shopping. Seems like every other person walking around is wearing a Chicago Marathon shirt, I’m glad I didn’t wear mine today.

Earlier in the day walked off the marathon effects, visiting Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood, a homebase for one of my heroes, Saul Alinsky, perhaps the founder of modern American community organizing, organized Eastern European immigrants early on, then African American migrants from the south, in Chicago’s meatpacking neighborhoods depicted in Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle. As a former community organizer and developer, this is a pilgrimage for me to see Alinsky’s spot and his school, the U of Chicago up the street.

Usually travels to other cities are limited, but had a couple extra days here to go off the beaten path, this is a treat.

chicago!

chicago marathon

Ok, looks like it’s official. A good run today, 2:47:20, 434 overall, 8th and top American in my age group. A so so 1st half, better 2nd half. Had some tough competitors in the group, feeling even better about it now seeing the results, lessening the soreness…more later after the celebration!

on the eve of chicago

saturday

@ the marathon expo to pick up race packet and number – these big expos are always so frenetic – stayed just long enough to take this ‘before’ pic, we’ll have to see what the ‘after’ photo looks like tomorrow,,,

tapering and packing

thursday

Took yesterday off from running after a busy last-day-before-vacation day, the body needed it.  A good night’s sleep, then got in a light 6 mile run this afternoon just to get the legs going, possibly the last run before the marathon, as I’ll be busy settling in in Chicago and with the Expo.  Mostly done with packing, flying out tomorrow afternoon from Buffalo. The posts will be brief between now and Sunday, trying to conserve energy for the Run.

new phase

tuesday

Track workout tonight with the club, 2 x 2 mile tempo run @ around 6:30 minute mile pace.  Others were running it faster, but my goal was a moderately hard pace to get the legs moving a bit and to visualize Chicago.  Made sure to keep the intensity level low and save the mental energy for Sunday. The taper has reached a new phase tonight – the last workout before the race and the last day of work tomorrow before the start of vacation.  The idea of the marathon is starting to sink in now. The next phase will be Friday when I’ll be in Chicago