November 30 to December 3

November 30-  45 minutes in pool ; 20 swim and 25 run

 December 1-  Rest

December 2- 2.2 miles in 27 minutes  in the FSML roads, cold and rainy and tired legs

December 3-

When the rain finally subsided today, I went over to the cinder track for an “After Rain Run”.  I have always found these moments to be the most exhilarating. It had been raining for probably six or seven hours. The air was fresh and clear. The temperature hovered around 45°. The cinder track surface was forgiving but not soft or mushy.  I very quickly decided that this was going to be a meaningful run. I pushed on for 5 miles  in 62 minutes with 18 speed segments and relished every moment along  the way.  When I checked the stats on my computer after the run, I noted that as the time per mile got faster along the way my heart rate got lower simultaneously.  I conclude from that data that my aerobic fitness is improving.  But most of all I am thankful that at age 79 I can experience such a wonderful moment on a Saturday afternoon in December.

Stats –

Weight  – 144lbs

Sleep – 10 average

HR – 54

Diet – 9

Legs and feet are without any issues.

November 21st to 29th

21st- Rest

22nd- 30 minutes in pool, run and swim

23rd-  2.5 miles in 31:45  with 2 x 120m SS

24th- Thanksgiving: eat and drink and “March of the Wooden So1ldiers” and football

25th- 60 varied minutes at club; bike, elliptical, treadmill, pool run and swim + whirlpool  🙂

26th- Rest

27th- 2.1 at FSML in 24:40

28th- 1.5 on cinders with 8 x 100m SS

29th- Rest tight legs

Stats are solid and steady.

November 12th to 20th

” Motivation is a skill. It can be learned and practiced.”      Amby  Burfoot

Looking back at my calendar over the last 9 days, I was surprised and pleased to note that I got some work done on seven of those days.

Starting on Saturday the 12th I ran 3.6 miles in 54 minutes on Jackson roads.

On Sunday I ran 2.4 miles in 30 minutes on Jackson roads.

On Monday I ran 4 miles in 46 minutes on the Jackson roads.

On Tuesday I was tired and rested.

On Wednesday I ran  2+ miles and included four times 100m Speed segments.

On Thursday as the weather turned cold I ran 40 minutes on the treadmill.

On Friday I did a lot of walking but no running.

On Saturday I ran and swam in the pool for 30 minutes and then had a hot whirlpool.

On a cold, blustery Sunday I ran 3.3 miles on the Jackson roads in  43 minutes.

Stats are holding up well.

Six races in six weeks concluding with an 8K has taken its toll. Show a week of R and R is in order. I will need to set some new racing goals for the winter and make a plan to be ready for the Senior Nationals by the time we get to July.

Ran the 8K race very comfortably today and had a surprisingly good time of 52:35. 10:31 Average per mile. The goal was only to finish. So, I never pushed the pace at any point during the race. No negative affects on the body yet. But we will find out more tomorrow I’m sure.

November 5, Saturday

Excited and anxious about competing with Shore AC tomorrow in New Brunswick at the New Jersey state championship 8k. Have been walking for three days. Hopefully, legs will be light.

October 31, Monday-   Happy Halloween

After a days rest I went out on a cloudy afternoon to the cinder track to do some Elegant 8’s. It is a workout that Rich Refi and I put together at Hillsborough High School about 15 years ago. We had our  cross country team do comfortable 800m repeats on the grass as a recovery after a hard race.  We 1st called them Lazy 8’s. But then decided that it presented a negative connotation, so we changed the name to Elegant 8’s.  The kids would always run progressively quicker as the workout proceeded.  It’s served the duel goals of getting in a decent day’s work and being emotionally positive for the athletes.  After my old high school warm-up of 1000m  jog, stretching and 5 times 100m straight-a-ways, I got to work with a target of 5:00 per 800m.  I am confident I achieved both those goals today when I ran 4x 800 meters in 4:48, 4:38, 4:30 and 4:20.  The 17 year olds usually did 8. But I think 4 was enough for the 79 year-old.

Stats-

Weight = 145lb🌟

Diet = 9🍌🍒🍓🍏🍐🍇

Sleep = 10😎

Heart rate = steady at 54bpm   ❤

Legs and feet have no complaints, just good tired.😊

October 29, Saturday

On another stunning Saturday morning I ran a 5K at Tatum Park, number five in the autumn series of six.  I had two goals for today. The first was to use this Saturday race as a hill workout. I vowed to attack every Hill on the very mountainous Tatum Park course. Throughout the race I did manage to do that and my legs held up very well. My finishing time was 31:13.  I was surprised and a bit disappointed when I read that time. I was thinking to myself that I’m getting slower every week and not liking it very much. Now, I did get a covid-19 booster shot on Monday which made me quite fatigued on Tuesday and Wednesday, and I did not do any form of workout until Thursday at the clubhouse.  I went through about one hour in motion on the bike, the elliptical machine and the treadmill all in very moderate effort. On Friday I walked a great deal but that is all. A week like that usually makes my legs light and leads to a positive performance on Saturday. That is why my 31 minute time was so disappointing. But when I looked back at my times at Tatum Park in previous years I realized that I ran a pretty okay time. In 2020 I ran 30:36 and in 2021 I ran 32:27.  So, today’s time was over a minute faster than last year and only 30 seconds off two years ago. Not so bad after all!  One to go!

The second goal of the day was to hustle over to Monroe  Township and watch the sectional races at Thomson Park. I had a keen interest in a number of the races , and everybody that I was rooting for had to successful day .

My grand-nephew, Ryan, competing for Howell Township had a personal best at Thompson Park in the final cross country race of his career.

I was excited to watch boys from Liberty High School, a team I coached  with over the last 5 years, finish 4th in the Group III Central Jersey Championship. That is the best performance by a Liberty team in history. I could not be happier for coaches Todd and Jim  for the great performance they got from the boys this year.

And finally, coach Rich Refi’s Hillsborough girls ran a terrific race to finish second  in the Group IV Central Jersey Sectional Championship to continue their outstanding season.

Plus along the way I was able to spend some quality time with a few of my friends from the cross country world that had not seen in quite a while.

Truly, it was a delightful way to spend an October Saturday.  🙂   🙂

Stats- Everything is as it should be.

October 22, Saturday

On another strikingly beautiful autumn Saturday I completed 5K number four in the six part fall Shore AC cross country series. The Thompson Park course in Lincroft was another that lures you in with a comfortable mile one and then piles on hills in mile two and three.  Checking previous Thompson Park runs, I discovered that I am adding about 30 seconds each year to my total time.  I guess each year takes a toll.  

But there was good stuff too. I completed the first mile in 8:30. I haven’t done that in a while. For the first mile and a half I had that wonderful feeling that I was actually racing. The hills in the middle, both short and long inclines, took the measure of my legs. But in the final 1200m I was able to attack the hills with some intensity. Plus I did maintain my form and had a strong finish in 29:32.  I left Thompson Park with a smile and the realization of how fortunate I am to be able to do this.

Today I spent an hour alone at the clubhouse pool stretching in the hot tub, running, swimming and luxuriating.

Happy with stats!