I’m exactly on track with my training, but I got seriously behind my posting goal, so this covers a lot of ground—again, mostly for my own future reference. (I actually drafted this a few weeks ago but wanted to look through photos to remember extra details, so it’s kind of like scrap-booking – trailing the event by a lot; publish date to match the last run covered, 9/9/2018, but actually posted on 10/7)
The long run for week 7 was the Faxon Law New Haven Road Race 20K which should get its own race report. So just some numbers (skipping the splits as they’re not that interesting) and a few highlights. Thank goodness for Runkeeper and CityStrides (which has the weather details) for helping me remember!
- Week 4 (8/6-12): total ~20 (3.6/3.3/5 – Bridge of Flowers 8K/8)
Average resting heart rate per Fitbit: 56
Weight: 116
CityStrides coverage of Northampton: 41%?
Long run: 8.03 miles; avg HR 136; time 1:41 ; average pace 12:38
On the shorter runs I re-found a house on Round Hill with actual lotuses in the (small) water garden front yard. I think it’s on Bancroft Road and I want to remember to visit it periodically! An amazing plant!
The long run was a white sky day, humid but cooler than it had been. One of the neighborhoods I’ve been exploring is Baystate Village, which has a very welcoming focal point:
- Week 5 (8/13-19): total ~ 22.5 (5.5/3.3/3.3/10.4)
Avg resting HR: 57
Weight: 115.5
CityStrides coverage of Northampton: 44%?
Long run: 10.4 miles; avg HR 142; time 2:06; average pace 12:10
I’d been waiting for a long-enough run to cover Northampton streets at the very southern edge, along route 10 and the Easthampton border. Cooler and less humid–great day for a run. I was noticing the smell of the potato, corn, and squash fields, and I found a little fenced plot growing bitter melon!
- Week 6 (8/21-26): total ~25 (5.3/4.3/4.3/11.1)
Avg resting HR: 55
Weight: ? (traveling)
CityStrides coverage of Northampton: 48%
Long run: 11.09 miles; avg HR 137; time 2:29; average pace 13:28 (took a lot of pictures)
We were traveling to visit family for a few weeks, so this was a long run in Washington DC. I got up before dawn to try to avoid the worst heat and humidity; it was still pretty bad, but I got to see the sunrise from the Lincoln Memorial, explore the gardens around the Smithsonian, some of the Hirshhorn, and the United States Botanic Garden (not the gated bits, since it was closed, but the outskirts and Bartholdi Park). Saw so many other runners! I also took a little detour into the grounds of the Canadian Embassy, which had cool sculpture and fountains, and saw some temporary Burning Man installations as part of the Renwick’s exhibit. Very tired by the time I got back.
- Week 7 (8/27-9/3, long run a day late to catch the race and avoid a travel day): total ~27 (4.3/6.1/4.3/12.4 – New Haven Road Race 20K)
Avg resting HR: 58
Weight: 118 (traveled and ate a lot!)
CityStrides coverage of Northampton: no progress, was traveling
Long run: 20K; avg HR 166; time 2:27:12; average pace 11:59. So hot and humid! Details in a separate post! Shorter runs around Wilmington and on Wrightsville Beach, really lovely - Week 8 (9/4-9/9, Tue-Sun): total ~29 (4.3/6/4.2/14.6)
Avg resting HR: 56
Weight: 115.5
CityStrides coverage of Northampton: 52%!!!
Long run: 14.66 miles; avg HR 147; time 3:04; average pace 12:33
My chance to knock off a lot more streets in a new neighborhood. I was intimidated by the distance; this is a threshold (more than a half-marathon) I’ve only crossed twice before. And I’ve been having some nagging pain in my right foot and an inflamed toe on the same foot that hurt during the night. But it was the first really cool and dry run I’ve had, I fueled well with switchel (molasses, apple cider vinegar, and lime juice) and dates, and it went smoothly. Good and tired, but not totally beat, and that’s well over half the marathon distance.
