river st.-longfellow bridge loop

distance: 6.69 miles (click here for route)
time: 59:40 (8:52-min-miles)
weather: 34F, overcast, wet
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, banana-chocolate chip muffin, cup of coffee, glass of water.

river st.-newton hills-finish line-bu bridge

distance: 21.51 miles (this morning's route)
time: 3 hrs. 23 mins., 24 secs. (9:26 min-miles)
weather: 44F, overcast
surface: asphalt, nice stretches of dirt along the newton hills
music: run mix 7 (3.29.09)
pre-run eats: banana, apple, toast with peanutbutter, yogurt, cup of coffee, glass of water (1 packet of strawberry goo on the road, along with four fuel-belt containers of gatorade).

kinnaird st.-longfellow loop

distance: 6.69 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:01:01 (9:06-min-miles)
weather: 39F, overcast, wet
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 4 (the pogues' rum, sodomy and the lash)
pre-run eats: banana, banana-chocolate chip muffin, energy beans, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Patrick! Thanks, Sophie! Click here to be just like them!

kinnaird st.-science loop

distance: 7.82 miles (click here for route)
time: 1:07:10 (8:34-min-miles)
weather: 34F, windy
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 4 (the pogues' rum, sodomy and the lash)
pre-run eats: apple, banana, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.

kinnaird st.-science museum

distance: 8.19 miles (click here for this morning's route)
time: 1:12:03 (8:47-min-miles)
weather: 24F, windy, emerging sunshine
surface: asphalt and dirt
music: run mix 4 (the pogues' rum, sodomy and the lash)
pre-run eats: banana, yogurt, cup of coffee, glass of water

jay st.-science museum-eliot bridge

distance: 10.85 miles (click here for this morning's route)
time: 1:37:35 (8:58-min-miles)
weather: 33F, overcast, windy
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 4 (the pogues' rum, sodomy and the lash; saw them at HOB this weekend, fantastic show)
pre-run eats: banana, toast with peanut butter, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Alan and Barbara!

kinnaird st.-mt.auburn st. ext

distance: 10.89 miles (click here for this morning's route)
time: 1:40:25 (9:12-min-miles)
weather: 29F, sunshine
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 5 (2.28.09)
pre-run eats: banana, yogurt, strip of beef jerky, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Florence! Thanks, Lilla!

cross-country team run

(photos by david proctor)

Ran with members of BU's cross-country team, most of them twenty years my junior; they wore butterfly shorts and T-shirts and looked like they'd stepped off the cover of Runners World. Even their veins had muscles. I showed up in wind pants, four top layers, and hat and gloves. Might as well have been wearing a shawl on my lap. I mostly kept up with them, even though I'm sure they were taking it easy (6 min.-miles is more their speed). Great bunch of guys, fun running with the pack.

this morning's route
distance: 4.12 miles
time: 31mins., 39 secs. (7:39 min-miles)
weather: 39F, emerging sunshine
surface: asphalt, and dirt
music: none
pre-run eats: banana, apple, banana-chocolate chip muffin, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Thanks, Leggetts!

running-song slut

I recently found the perfect running song: “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’” by the Scissor Sisters. I stumbled onto one of their concerts on TV, and within minutes I was scouring the Web for a download. Now, when I’m striding along the Esplanade and I hear that piano pounding, the relentless high-octane drumbeat, the exuberant disco falsetto, I find myself trying to catch up with my own feet. I hit repeat again and again. I’m flying into the ether, the shaved-off seconds scattering behind me like spores. But I know this athletic romance won’t last. It can’t. I’ll get to know the lyrics too well, the musical bridges and chord changes will wear thin, all of the surprise bled dry. And before long, I’ll start skipping it, already trolling for the next musical thrill. Yep, I’m officially a running-song slut. click here to read the rest.

Please consider sponsoring my boston marathon charity effort, on behalf of the michael carter lisnow respite center. click here for more info.

this morning's route
distance: 7.19 miles
time: 1 hr. 01mins., 45 secs. (8:32 min-miles)
weather: 35F, emerging sunshine
surface: asphalt, and gorgeous, nicely packed dirt
music: run mix 5 (2.28.09)
pre-run eats: banana, apple, cup of coffee, glass of water

kinnaird st.-north. beacon st. bridge

distance: 7.35 miles (click here for this morning's route)
time: 1:05:58 (8:55-min-miles)
weather: 30F, emerging sun
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 5 (2.28.09)
pre-run eats: yogurt, mini banana-chocolate chip muffin, cup of coffee, glass of water.

the front twenty-two point three

distance: 22.33 miles (this morning's route)
time: 3 hrs. 37 mins., 33 secs. (9:43 min-miles)
weather: 36-49F, mostly sunny, windy
surface: asphalt, nice stretches of dirt along the newton hills
music: none
pre-run eats: banana, apple, mini banana-chocolate chip muffin, cup of coffee, 2 glasses of water (1 packet of strawberry goo on the road, along with four fuel-belt containers of gatorade).

western ave.-longfellow bridge

distance: 7.65 miles (click here for this morning's route)
time: 1:06:47 (8:40-min-miles)
weather: 29F, emerging sun
surface: asphalt, dirt
music: run mix 5 (2.28.09)
pre-run eats: apple, banana, cup of coffee, glass of water.

river street-science museum out-and-back

distance: 8.19 miles (click here for this morning's route)
time: 1:13:12 (8:55-min-miles)
weather: 36F, rainy
surface: asphalt
music: run mix 5 (2.28.09)
pre-run eats: apple, banana, cup of coffee, glass of water

Thanks, Bari!

kinnaird st.-science museum out-and-back

distance: 8.19 miles (click here for this morning's route)
time: 1:16:12 (9:17-min-miles)
weather: 32F, cloudy
surface: asphalt, dirt (a mix of soft and hard pack)
music: run mix 5 (2.28.09)
pre-run eats: apple, banana, cup of coffee, glass of water

Thanks, Bill! Thanks, Maggie!

the back ten (and then some)

distance: 21.51 miles, my longest yet (this morning's route)
time: 3 hrs. 20 mins., 46 secs. (9:18 min-miles)
weather: 53F, partly-to-mostly sunny, windy
surface: asphalt, nice stretches of dirt along the newton hills
music: run mix 5 (2.28.09)
pre-run eats: banana, apple, yogurt, cup of coffee, glass of water (1 packet of strawberry goo on the road, along with four fuel-belt containers of gatorade).

Thanks, Cathy! Thanks, Shea (my first-two-timer)!

Please consider sponsoring my boston marathon charity effort, on behalf of the michael carter lisnow respite center. click here for more info.

jay street-longfellow bridge

distance: 7.19 miles (this morning's route)
time: 1 hr. 03mins., 03 secs. (8:45 min-miles)
weather: 37F, partly sunny
surface: asphalt, some crusty snow and ice on the cambridge side
music: run mix 5 (2.28.09)
pre-run eats: banana, yogurt, cup of coffee, glass of water

river street-science musuem loop

click here for a globe piece on marathon-training this winter in the big bean, which has been particularly icy, snowy and cold.

distance: 7.82 miles (this morning's route)
time: 1 hr. 11mins., 511 secs. (9:05 min-miles)
weather: 21F, sunny
surface: asphalt, some crusty snow and ice on the cambridge side
music: run mix 5 (2.28.09)
pre-run eats: banana, yogurt, cup of coffee, glass of water

marathon man (without a plan)

Click here for my second marathon-training installment for bu today.

distance: 8.19 miles (click here for this morning's route)
time: 71 mins. (8:39 min.-miles)
weather: 22F, slight wind, sun
surface: asphalt and dirt
music: music: run mix 5 (2.28.09)
pre-run eats: apple, banana, cup of coffee, glass of water.

Please consider sponsoring my boston marathon charity effort, on behalf of the michael carter lisnow respite center. click here for more info.

Thanks, Nate! Thanks, Judith!

science museum out-and-back

distance: 8.19 miles (click here for this morning's route)
time: 1:10:54 (8:36-min-miles)
weather: 27F, windy, spitting snow
surface: asphalt, dirt (a mix of mud and hard pack)
music: run mix 5 (2.28.09)
pre-run eats: apple, banana, two Advil, cup of coffee.

finally starting to feel like a real marathoner-in-training; logged 60 miles over the past week