Motivated to Succeed

3:00 PM - Temp was around 82-84 and near 100% humidity! We couldn't go running today really because of errands and it was simply dangerous out there. We opted to take Harry (my youngest brother) who is up here for a few days up Monument Mountain for a hike. We stopped at the top a bit and then Emm and I showed him where I proposed. :) We had fun and coming down we all ran and raced and just had a really fun time! Emm and Harry could both make killer mountain runners! Order of finish was Emmy, Harry a close second, and then old man Sir Farts McGee bringing up the rear. Oh to be a young whipper snapper again haha! On the way home we stopped off at Clapp Park because I've been meaning to figure out just how long their cinder track that goes around the field is. I would like to do some speed work or self-aided long runs on it. It ended up being exactly .36 miles long. Any of you ultra runners, is .36 just plain crazy to try to do long runs on? It's only a mile from the house which is nice. I could run to and from it.

10:00 AM - Long day of errands planned. Today feels like the first day that it hasn't been 90-100% humidity in like three weeks! I went with Harry to Clapp Park and we played some frisbee and then ran together. I gave him mega props since he was wearing skateboard shoes, basketball shorts and two tshirts. He did a full 3 miles with me!! So proud of him!

Total Time: 26:50 Total Distance: 3.0 miles Average Pace: 8:56

7:00 PM - Later this evening it cooled down to around 68 degrees!!! Went jogging with Emm and Harry at the bike trail. We couldn't find the bike rack to save our lives yesterday and I just sold my bike rack to Su who is moving to Florida tomorrow with Rocco. Thankfully I found our second one amidst a stack of plastic bins. Harry rode my bike as Emm and I ran. I had fun, minus all of the heartburn. Couldn't figure what it was from except the Parmesean and Herb chips that Harry and I had eaten. Blargh! I pushed through it though and ran a tempo mile the last mile. Started to pick it up and was really flying, running the last .2 @ 5:49 pace! Felt awesome.

Total Time: 45:18 Total Distance: 5.20 miles Average Pace: 8:43

12:00 PM - Went running with Harry down at the bike trail today while Emmy was at work. He rode my road bike as I ran. I told him to go off exploring and I just kind of cruised. Thought about a lot of things including a fall marathon. Decided to register for the 2010 10/10/10 Mohawk Hudson River Marathon. I love the course and it is where I ran my first marathon. I truly feel it will be the place where I BQ if I ever do. I need to get serious about training and try to push for it. I figure if I train right I will at least shatter my marathon PR of like 4:27:56. At least... I hope! I am about 40 lbs heavier than I was when I ran that marathon, but arguably about 40lbs heavier of muscle! I say.. bring it!

• Mile 1: 8:41
• Mile 2: 8:19
• Mile 3: 8:24
• Mile 4: 8:24
• Mile 5: 8:20
• Mile 6: 7:33

10:00 AM - Went running at the bike trail while Harry stayed home and watched part of the Brazil/Netherlands world cup match. Got home in time to see the sick double header goal! Brazil just totally self destructed in the second half! My run on the bike path was good. An awful lot of people out but after a mile it thinned out. I am going to try to do most of my long weekend runs on the bike path to get ready and to better gauge pacing for the marathon as about 20 miles of the marathon is on the bike path. Thoughts on this? Also I thought about BQ time of 3:10:59, which I think is 7:09 pace? I don't really see myself ever being able to sustain that for a marathon, but I would be happy with a respectable finish and/or beating my mom's PR of 3:42 or my dad's of 4:02.

• Mile 1: 8:22
• Mile 2: 8:07
• Mile 3: 8:00
• Mile 4: 8:01
• Mile 5: 7:44
• Mile 6: 7:17

Total Time: 47:55 Total Distance: 6.06 miles Average Pace: 7:55

7:00 PM - Emma had to work at BWAC after a full day at the spa. Oii. But Harry is still up and we went with her. Harry and I played racquet ball and tennis (I lost 6 games to 5 in tennis). I did 1.50 miles on the dreadmill and worked on cadence. 180 steps per minute is tough at 8:00-8:30 pace. I could only get up to 160 or so without feeling really silly. Will continue to work on this.

9:00 AM - A loop up at Olivia's Lookout. Was a "star" for five seconds as two different groups of young girlscouts it looked like were hiking up as I was coming down. I was hitting solid 7:30 pace coming down today and I am really getting better at negotiating descents on O.L. Scared one group and the first group gave me a round of applause and said way to go! Total was around 31:00. Hope to go running later with Emmy when she gets out of work!

6:00 PM - SAW MY FIRST EVER BLACK BEAR!! Went to Olivia's with Emm and Harry. Harry was going to hike and Emm and I were jogging. I was a bit ahead of Emm when I came around this turn going uphill and I see what looked like a 5.5-6' tall young man dressed in a black hoodie and skull cap jump off the trail. I stopped and looked closer and saw it scramble on all 4s up the embankment and realized, "OH boy! A BEAR!" Turned and ran back down grabbing Emm and Harry with me. We got to the parking lot and Emm warned a guy but he was going mountain biking and said he sees them all the time. We opted to go up to Ice Glen instead down in Stockbridge. Beautiful weather. Lots of traffic as James Taylor opened at Tanglewood tonight. On our hike up to the fire tower Emm pointed out an OWL! CooL! I hear them at Olivia's but never see them. Then another flew in and we heard a third one. Pretty darn neat! Ran most of the way down. About 1 hour for the 3 mile hikes.