Bret

AM - just under 4.5 miles with Dan on the trails with Finn - a crisp 44 degrees with some patchy fog which cleared for a nice daybreak horizon as we made our way eastward off the hill at Summit.  

AM - easy 3.25 miles with Finn. 

AM - 3.75 miles with Dan and the dogs.   About 1.5 miles into the run, Dan seemed to have a hamstring pull - quickly and unexpectedly - and severe enough he had to stop and walk.  I walked with him for a bit, and then he urged me to get a few miles in as he walked back to his house.   We were not running quickly or on uneven terrain, and we'd really already warmed up into the run - so this was surprising.  He had taken yesterday off from running and done a workout on the Peleton bike - so perhaps that was the source of the issue.  We talked after I finished and he planned to get into a doctor.  

AM - 3 miles on the treadmill - it was raining and 43 degrees outside.  

AM - 3.25 miles with Finn before work.  

AM - 3 miles from Delaney's place in Brooklyn along the East River - running NYC marathon tomorrow with Richie. 

2021 New York City Marathon -  This race was not on my radar two weeks ago - but Richie who I have known now for nearly 20 years and have run literally all over the world with in races and training runs reached out to me as a long time donor for Team for Kids and offered me a spot in the event along with several other of his friends who were running as well.  He's very generous and keeps people connected and over the years from time to time, he's gotten either me or my daughter into the race (which is difficult to do under the lottery system).  He's also very sentimental and wants get folks together to enjoy the race weekend.  Some years it is his old high school cross country team friends and other years it is coworkers or friends from his neighborhood.   

This year was particularly special because one of Richie's old high school runner teammates, Anthony - who I got to meet and run a few times with, tragically was killed in a cycling accident late this summer.   Richie was very close to him, and his family who live in Pennsylvania.   At the funeral, Anthony's son, Danny who is a senior at UVA and a very good runner in his own right - told Richie that he wanted to run a marathon in his Dad's memory.   So Richie had a part in making that happen at NY this year.

We all met on Saturday evening for a big family style dinner at an Italian restaurant in NYC and I got to meet Danny and to reconnect with Richie's old high school friends, several of whom I have run with in the past - but who were not running this year.  It was the nice to meet Danny - talk to him about his dad and to connect with a few other new participants in this year's event.  

Because of Richie's long time donor status, he was invited to a shakeout run with Meb Keflezighi - on Friday morning before the race.  We've each met and talked to Meb before, but because of the small group who were invited to the shakeout run, Richie got to spend some time talking to Meb - and the even exchanged phone numbers.  Turns out Meb moved to the Tampa area where Richie is located.

On the morning of the race as we were exiting the Team for Kids tent, Meb who had given a short speech to the runners a little earlier, walked over to Richie calling him by name, to wish him good luck in the race - which prompted Richie to introduce everyone to Meb including Danny - and he told Meb the story of Danny and of the loss of his father.   Meb was so moved by the story - he leaned in for a hug with Danny and told him that when he was running today, to think of his dad and how proud he would be.   You could not have scripted it better - and certainly you could have orchestrated that meeting, but it was completely unplanned and so authentic - and emotional.   

Danny had a great day - and ran 2:58 in his debut marathon.  Yes, I am certain that his dad would have been very proud.

Anyway....My race - which was less important in my view, was decent, with a little trouble in the second half due to dehydration.  Richie and I tried to run with each other.  And we were feeling very good at about 7:50 pace for the first half - some miles faster than that, some a bit slower.  We enjoyed the scene over the bridge and the crowds in Brooklyn.  The day was cool at the start, but there was bright sunshine.  

My youngest daughter lives in Brooklyn now, and the race course literally goes along the cross street (Bedford) to her apartment just about mile 11.   My middle daughter from Boston, travelled down and they were assembled to cheer for us as we got to her neighborhood.   Richie deposited a hooded sweatshirt with them, as they were planning to hop on the subway and meet us at the finish.  

Shortly after we arrived at the halfway mark, my heart-rate shot up to 168 going over the Pulaski Bridge and I got concerned, and told Richie I needed to back off the pace a bit.   We slowed to a little over 8 min pace, and then as we started up the 59th Street Bridge at mile 15 - we fist bumped and he took off - hoping to run a BQ which we were slightly slower than he needed at that point.  

My pace up 1st Avenue was around 8:15 to 8:20 but when I got to mile 20 and the Willis Ave Bridge, my HR hit 170 and I think that's when I started having trouble with leg cramps.   Dehydration perhaps from the bright sunshine, and not taking in enough fluids on the cool day, resulted in leg spasms that would cause me to stop and walk to keep the cramps from locking up. The last 10k was pretty much stop and start running/walking to manage the cramping.   Not very enjoyable.  But I persevered and made it across the finish for the 11th time in NYC.   

AM - 3 miles shakeout with Finn very early before heading into work.   Surprisingly not that sore and the run was nice.

AM - just under 4 miles with Finn out Dinsmore and back through the old golf course - Fall colors are approaching their peak I think.   Not very sore, but took it very easy too.  

AM - 4 miles with Finn in the neighborhood before my workday started.   Cool fall morning with a nice sunrise.  Legs felt a bit dead this morning - perhaps some delayed onset of muscle soreness without the actual soreness - just no life.  

AM - met up with Dan on the trails with the dogs to test out Dan's injured hamstring.  His PT told him he could consider walk/run at the end of this week; he's got a strain; not a tear.   We ended up walking most of the 3 miles because each time he attempted run a few hundred yards he felt some pain/pulling.   So it was nice to catch up and chat.   When I got back to the house I did a quick 3 miles on the treadmill - to squeeze it in before my first call of the day.  

AM - 4 miles with Finn on a cool damp/foggy morning after some overnight rains.  I got the flu vaccine and the Covid booster yesterday.  Legs felt kinda dead this morning.  Not sure if that's still hangover from the marathon over the weekend or related to the vaccinations.  

AM - 4.5 miles with Finn- still feeling the vaccine achiness.  

AM - 6 miles with Finn on the first freeze of the season - lots of frost covering lawns and fields at sunrise - very pretty.   Felt much improved with the initial vaccination side effects having subsided.   

AM - 5 miles with Finn before my workday started. 

AM - took Finn down to the trails and ran a little over 5 miles at daybreak.   Still cool in the upper 30's but not as "cold" as the last few days.   

AM - 5 miles with Finn around the golf course - trees are about 50% bare now and the colors of the leave that remain are deep reds and browns.  Pleasant sunrise on a crisp morning.  

AM -  a little over 5 miles with Finn in neighborhood and a little bit on the golf course.  Hamstring has been tight/slightly painful for a few days.   Will take some more time for yoga/stretching after my runs this week.  

AM - just 4 this morning with Finn - temps right around freezing - went to the Falcons Thursday night game and got in a little later (but not too late, as there was no need to stay much past half-time).   Left hamstring is still tight and a bit painful if I open up with any type of real pace - so I have been keeping the effort light and doing lots of stretching and yoga.   I suspect I am a little dinged-up as a result of 2 marathons in 4 weeks.  

AM- very easy 3 miles with Dan and Greg and the dogs.  Dan said he was "released" from his PT to do a walk/run on his hamstring.  This seemed to work fine, until it did not. Around 2.5 miles he felt some sharp pain and had to walk it in, unfortunately.   Good to catch up with the guys after too many weeks, nonetheless. 

AM - 4 miles with Finn in the neighborhood and partially on the golf course.   Left hamstring has some lingering soreness - not sure if it is origin is from running, or not stretching enough, or from the new non-statin medication that I have been prescribed. 

AM - 6 miles on the treadmill on a rainy morning.  Just did not want to run in the cold rain today.  Did a short pull on the rowing machine afterwards.  

AM - 5.5 miles with Finn on a much colder morning - 28 degrees - but not much wind - so it was actually not really uncomfortable at all.  

AM - 5.25 miles with Finn.  Felt much colder this morning - even though the temperature was about the same.   My two youngest girls came into town for the holiday, along with my in-laws.  The last group arrives this evening - Tracy's brother and our nephew and his wife.   Love this holiday.  

AM - 5k run with my family and Finn around the neighborhood - only 3 of us decided to go this year and we opted not to awake super early to do the Atlanta Thanksgiving day 5k.   But we had a nice relaxed pace and conversation.  Riley's recovery from a foot stress fracture is coming along well with no symptoms today in her new Hokas.  Delaney was in much better fitness than she expected - but she lives in Brooklyn now and is walking much more having sold her car and she's been playing soccer with a local coed league.  I made cinnamon rolls and maple rolls for breakfast afterward and enjoyed coffee with the rest of our house guests watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.  

Happy Thanksgiving!
 

AM  5.5 miles with Finn- chilly windy morning 

AM - 3 miles with Finn and Riley.  Her foot stress fracture seems to be healed and so we just ran easy and walked in intervals to keep from doing too much too soon.  

AM - 3 miles with Riley before she heads home later today.  It was nice to get a few runs in with her during the holiday week.   

AM - 5.25 miles with Finn around the neighborhood before sunrise.  Cold to start, but warmed nicely.   Got these smartwool gloves a few days ago - and once warmed-up they are really nice at keeping my hands warm, but they are thin, and not too bulky.   

AM - got a late start and only time for 4 miles - chilly cold this morning in the upper 20's.  Tracy is driving her folks home to WV today and I needed to help load the car to see them off.