May 27 - Rest Day; May 28 - 5.2 Miles Ran

I decided to take Memorial Day off from running.  The combination of nice weather, a cookout and my 5 year-old nephew waking me up way too early all factored into the decision.  I actually ended up taking a much needed power nap Monday afternoon.  Rest is part of training, right?

I thought I might have back to back days off because I had to work late yesterday (Tue) and the weather didn't look to promising on my drive home, but I was able to get out for 5.2 miles after 7pm.  I ran the Day Pond loop with 4 laps around the pond.  It was very pleasant, in the high 50's.  I know people are looking forward to the upcoming heat wave (90 degrees forecast for Thu through Sat) but anything in the 50's is perfect for 4 miles or more.

I completed miles 573-577 (unsponsored).

Today's (Mon's) Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/28

Tu

7:10p

5.2

40:32:00

7:47:42

58f

6

577.3

May 26 - 5 Miles Ran in Monroe

Went for a run at my Dad's in Monroe on Sunday.  I ran from Turkey Roost Road down to Sandy Hook Elementary (the old Chalk Hill), then back down Turkey Roost to Hammertown, Wheeler and Greiser and back.  This is my third time at SHE on my journey to 1,000 miles, and for the first time the grounds were open to the public.  I stopped and took a few photos of the area--quite a blast from the past.  I have fuzzy memories of chaotic activities in the back of the building.  I also spent hours in high school kicking soccer balls off the high wall on the side of the building.  That side was not paved back in the day and it became my training ground as it was only about a half mile from the house on Turkey Roost.

I completed miles 568-572 (unsponsored).  It was great to get the run in and then join the Bresnahan clan for burgers, chicken, lamb chops (Dad's special recipe) and a few beers (need to carbo load for the next run).

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/26

Su

4:30p

5.0

39:18:00

7:51:36

60f

6

572.1

My Old Soccer Training Grounds

Back of SHE - it was crazy back here circa 1977-79!

Great to think of old Chalk Hill as a place to heal

For my Fawn Hollow friends

May 25 - 5 Miles Ran

I took a picture of the gloves I wore on April 23 and made the promise that I was hanging them up for the season.  If you care to go back to the post from that day, you will see the New York Jets' logo on the gloves.  Well, in the spirit of the Jets' coach Rex Ryan, I have failed to keep my promise.  With the first day of the Memorial Weekend raw and rainy, and with temps in the mid 40's and 20 mph winds, I broke out the mighty mittens yet again.  I actually heard a large tree falling in the woods about a quarter mile from my house.  Fire up the grill, it's summer time!

I ran 3 laps around Day Pond with a 1/2 mile extension on Church St. in Colchester.  I'm glad I went out because the rest of the day has been a drag.  I guess I needed to unplug a little but now I'm faced with a bored 12 year old daughter and a house in shambles with Ellie returning from a girls weekend tomorrow night.  Time to rally!

I completed miles 563-567 (unsponsored).

Today's Log:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/25

Sa

6:00p

5.0

38:30:00

7:42:00

43f

6

567.1

May 24 - 10 Miles Ran

Knowing Ellie would be away Thur-Sun, I started strategizing about how to get my miles in earlier in the week.  I didn't want to leave a long run for the weekend because it would likely interfere with a Daddy-Daughter activity or require that Shea be home alone for an extended period.  I decided that I would get my long run in today before I headed to work.  The timing had to be spot on to make it work, and amazingly, I can report that the plan was executed to a T.  

I got Shea on the bus at 6:25am and started out on a 10 mile run at 6:40.  The run took about one hour eighteen minutes, leaving me with a precious 25 minutes to cool down and get ready for work.  I hit my desk at 9 am, right at our office start time.

I ran the Cato Corner loop with one lap around Day Pond.  My comfort level fluctuated; I had a particularly rough time on the steep hill on Cato leading up to Prospect St.  Overall I felt surprisingly strong after having run 4.5 miles less than 12 hours before.

I completed miles 153-162 (unsponsored).

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/24

F

6:45a

10.0

1:17:55

7:47:30

55f

7

562.1

May 23 - 4.5 Miles Ran

Very pleased to get a run in on a near complete washout day.  I wasn't raining when I got home from work around 6pm, so I made dinner for Shea (Ellie is away on a 4-day girls weekend), and headed out for the run.  Though the skies looked threatening, not a drop came down.  I felt pretty tired and stiff starting out, but picked up steam as the run went on and like many times lately felt really strong over the last few miles.

I ran 3 laps around Day Pond, completing miles 548-552 (unsponsored).

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/23

Th

7:10p

4.5

34:17:00

7:37:07

65f

7

552.1

May 22 - 4.8 Miles Ran

I felt pretty strong Wed morning and the rain held off so I was able to get good 4.8 mile run in.  I ran the Pinebrook loop before a long day at work.

I completed miles 543-47 (unsponsored).

Today's (Wed) Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/22

W

7:15a

4.8

36:14:00

7:32:55

60f

8

547.6

May 20 - Rest Day; May 21 - 4.5 Miles Ran

Though I felt great during my 14 mile run on Sunday, it left me pretty run down Monday and even a little this morning.  However, after a mile warmup today, I started feel okay and ended up having a decent 4.5 mile run.  I ran 3 laps around Day Pond.  It was my first run of the year in humid air which helped me loosen up more quickly.

I completed miles 539-542 (unsponsored).  Looks like some unsettled weather tomorrow and Thursday, and I have all meetings until late evening tomorrow--hopefully it won't be raining in the early morning as that would appear to be only chance to get out tomorrow.

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/21

Tu

7:15a

4.5

35:06:00

7:48:00

65f

7

542.8

May 19 - 14 Miles Ran

I was able to recover enough from Shea's birthday extravaganza to get out for a long run.  It was kind of a gut check run, with steady rain falling the entire time.  Two thoughts helped pull me off the couch: first, Chase not letting a shower stop him from a good time outdoors, and second, Jason Lester running 40+ miles a day regardless of the weather.  He's already tweeted about running an entire day through a dust storm!  I would imagine he has some hills to run as well, as the Rocky Mountains are between him and the east coast.

I planned to do this run as an slow jog but I ended up feeling great and was able to run way faster than I thought possible.  I started off with 2 miles on the Bacon Academy track in Colchester, ran my 10 mile course, and finished with about a half a mile back on the track.  The rest of the mileage consisted of the distance from Norwich Ave. (where the 10 mile course starts) and the track.

I completed miles 525-538.  My sister Beth sponsored miles 525, 526 and half of 527.  Thanks Beth!

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/19

Su

3:30p

14.0

1:47:37

7:41:13

60f

7

538.3

Smile if you survived 14 miles and your daughter's sleepover party!

Thanks for Helping Me Reach the Halfway Mark!

I made a donation today on behalf of the people who joined me last weekend for the virtual run to celebrate the 500 mile mark.  The following people Raced4Chase last weekend:

Juli Giampoalo - 4 miles on Sat
Paul McCormack (brother-in-law)--?? in South Boston, MA
Vicki Pernek-3.25 miles on Sat in Ocala, FL
Kim Snipes-Westfall - ?? in Lawrenceville, GA
Bill Gergely and friend- 4 miles on Sun. in Charlotte, NC
Robert Jen-1.7 miles--Sat (at 1 a.m.!) in the Boston area
Beth (Bresnahan) McGuire (sister) - 3.1 miles on Sun (Run Like a Mother Race)
Ellie Bresnahan (the Mrs.) - 2.7 miles on Sun.
Len Gutman-1 mile on Sat. in NYC
Julie Sczesniak and her niece - 3.1 miles on Sat. in St. Louis, MO (Girls on the Run 5K)
Bridget Garrity-1.5 miles on Sat. (in the rain, sorry!)

That's $13 more for the Chase Fund--thank you!  I listed all non-CT locations to show the geographic reach of our little piece of the Race4Chase team: CT, MA, NY, MO, NC, GA and FL--amazing!  I hope to get this group back together, virtually or in person, when I hit the 1,000 mile mark.  Thanks for your support!

If anyone else ran a mile or more last weekend and wants to join the 500 mile group, let me know!

May 18 - Shea's Sleepover Party - A Marathon of a Different Kind

It's hard for me to call yesterday (Sat.) a "Rest Day", though it was a day off from running.  Shea hosted a sleepover party for her 12th birthday, and the Bresnahan grounds required extensive spring cleaning.  I managed to get a 5 mile run in on Fri., but used the rest of the day on yard work.  I was out in the yard at 6am on Sat., but after weeding, digging, mulching and pressure washing, I was still in yard work mode when her friends began arriving at 2pm.   I then moved into event coordinator mode, picking up balloons, candles, a new microwave over (don't ask, it's complicated) and other party-related items.  I caught my first breath about 6pm after a 12-hour scramble.  I actually wondered at one point who had the more grueling 12 hour stretch, me or Jason Lester (www.r-u-n.us)!

The girls conked out around midnight (watching Back to the Future, interesting), which was actually a little earlier than anticipated.  I got to sleep around 1am, and woke up today all kinds of stiff (the lightly-used yard work muscle group was on fire).  I hoped to get a 14-mile run in this weekend, but that looks dubious at the moment (noon on Sun.).  I need to get some miles in, however, or I will have had 3 out of the last 4 days off.  Will post the outcome later today.  Meanwhile, here are some pics of the party for your viewing pleasure:

May 16 - Rest Day; May 17 - 5 Miles Ran, 2.5 Miles Sponsored

I took Thursday off but just finished a nice 5 mile run on the Pinebrook Loop today (Fri).  The weather is perfect, mid 60's with light winds.  My sister Beth McGuire chimed in with sponsorship of 2.5 miles--thanks Beth!.  I'll give you miles 525, 526 and half of 527 which I should get to tomorrow if I can squeeze in a run before Shea's 12th Birthday Sleepover Extravaganza.  I want to do a long run but I am worried that will result in late day nap which will result in me covered in silly string or worse.  We'll see.

I completed miles 520-524 today.  For those following Jason Lester's run across America for Chase and other causes (www.r-u-n.us), he just pulled ahead of me today.  Jason's covered 545 miles in 12 days whereas I've been at this since Jan. 1 (137 days)!  Pretty safe bet that it won't be much of a race from here (Jason's doing about 43 miles/day v. my 3.8).  It will be amazing to meet him when he arrives in Sandy Hook, probably sometime in mid to late July.

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/17

F

1:00p

5.0

38:56:00

7:47:12

65f

5

524.3

May 15 - 5 Miles Ran at the Track

Got to the track this morning and put in 5 miles as follows:

1 mile warm up (7:39/mi)

3 x 1600m (with 400m jog in between)
6:15/mi
6:17/mi
6:22/mi

800m cool down

Ridiculously cold for May but it felt nice after I warmed up.  Sometimes I wish I was part of a running group to get through low motivation days, but most of the time I prefer to run on my own schedule according to how I feel that particular day.  I think I just need to do a race; it's much easier to put in some hard running in the race environment.

I completed miles 515-519 (unsponsored) today.

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/15

W

7:00a

5.0

n/a

n/a

45f

9

519.3

May 14 - 6.2 Miles Ran, Happy Birthday Shea!

Quick post before heading off to work.  Ran 6.2 via Day Pond and Pinebrook loops.  Felt great, actually enjoyed 40 degrees (sorry beachcombers).  Great family morning--Shea is excited about turning 12 today.  "I'm officially a tween" she proudly declared.

I completed miles 509-514.  Miles 509-511 were sponsored by Len Gutman, who is prepping for a 32 mile non-stop walk around Manhattan later this year.  Len has been a great supporter of the Race4Chase cause--many thanks for his commitment.

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/14

Tu

6:55a

6.2

47:17:00

7:37:35

42f

8

514.3

May 12 - Rest Day; May 13 - 4.1 Miles Ran, About 36 less than Jason Lester

I took Sunday off, though I feel like I did about 10 miles worth of yard work!  (No, I'm not counting that towards the total).  My sore and stiff yard work muscle group be damned, I ran 4.1 miles around Day Pond this morning, covering miles 505-508.

While 500 miles ain't bad, do you know who the the real long-distance champ is on the Race4Chase team?  Check out Jason Lester, a Nike-sponsored ultra runner who has covered over 350 miles in 7 days!  SEVEN DAYS!  He's trekking the country, 3,100 miles over the next couple of months, raising money for a number of causes, including the Chase Fund.  More later, but for now, check out Jason's progress at:

http://www.r-u-n.us

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/13

M

6:45a

4.1

33:55:00

8:16:20

48f

5

508.1

May 11 - 10.3 Miles Ran, Halfway Home!

Ran 10.3 this morning in the light rain.  A lot to blog about but not much time right now.  I'll add to this post a little later.

OK, I'm the first one up on Mother's Day and have a little time to update the blog.  The weather folks predicted that yesterday (Sat) was going to be a complete washout so I was unsure of whether I would be able to get a long run in.  At about 10am, after some hydrating and procrastinating, I decided to go for it as the rain had mostly held off.  I really hoped to complete the run by noon because thundershowers were predicted for the afternoon and I didn't want to finish my run doing the Electric Slide.

After a little more procrastinating, I headed out to Bacon Academy (Colchester's public high school) where my 10 mile course starts.  As I stretched in the parking lot, the rains came.  I thought I might be in for another epic battle against the elements (see Feb. 9 post-the "Nemo Run"), but the rain was pretty light and actually stopped about halfway through the run.

Going in to the run, I was 6.3 miles from the 500 mile mark.  As I approached the 6-mile mark, I started looking for a landmark to help me remember the moment.  I was starting to trudge up a hill on Levita Road and there isn't much in that stretch other than trees, rocks and telephone poles.  However, right when my watch hit 6.3 miles I looked to my right and saw three trees close together; two large trunks on the outside and one small trunk in the middle.  All I could think of was Steve-Chase-Becky.

As many of you probably know, I invited my Facebook friends and the Race4Chase team to join me for a virtual run on Sat to celebrate reaching the halfway mark.  I also offered today as a rain date, so we may have more participants, but at the moment the following people have either ran or pledged to run a mile for Chase this weekend:

Juli Giampoalo--4 miles
Paul McCormack (brother-in-law)
Vicki Pernek-3.25 miles
Kim Snipes-Westfall
Bill Gergely
Robert Jen-1.7 miles--at 1 a.m.!
Beth (Bresnahan) McGuire (sister)
Ellie Bresnahan (the Mrs.)
Len Gutman-1 mile
Julie Sczesniak and her niece-3.1 miles
Bridget Garrity-1.5 miles

If I've missed anyone, please let me know.

I completed miles 494-504 on the run.  Miles 498-500 were sponsored by Vin Callo-Lyon and his children Tobias and Bella, and mile 501 was sponsored by Kevin Farkas.  Thanks Vin, Tobias, Bella and Kevin for being with me while I reached the halfway mark.

One last note:  Len Gutman from NYC sent me an email thanking me for helping him get his "rear end off the couch" and is now regularly walking 6 miles around Central Park.  He is looking for a greater challenge and is considering doing a 32-mile, non-stop walk around Manhattan.  He is also hoping to join the Race4Chase team for the Fairfield Half-Marathon on June 23.  What a great commitment to a healthy life style, all in honor of Chase.  This is exactly what Steve and Becky were hoping for when they reached out to people to honor their son's spirit.  Thanks Len!

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/11

Sa

10:45a

10.3

1:18:53

7:39:31

60f

7

504.0

Hitting the 500 Mile Mark

May 10 - 4.5 Miles at the Track

Got out to the track for 4.5 miles this morning.  What a beautiful morning!  Bright blue skies, temps in the 60's.  It was great to get the track after a feeling in the doldrums the day before.  I didn't feel very strong but I really enjoyed being out there today.  I ran 2x200m, 2x400m, 1x800m and 1x 1600m.  I was pretty shocked at how slow I am now, with a pretty much full out 200m clocking in at 34 seconds. As a reference, I ran 2:01 in the 800m in high school, which is four 30 sec. 200m's in a row!  So the 16 year old Bresna would be 4 seconds ahead of the 47 year old Bresna after 200m, and the younger Bresna would have another 600m's in him!  Yikes!  Maybe parting my hair in the middle and feathering it back will buy me a few seconds back!

I completed miles 490-493 today.  Tom Smith sponsored 2 miles today, and I assigned him miles 492 and 493.  Thanks Tom, glad to get your miles in on the track today!

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/10

F

6:45a

4.5

n/a

n/a

60f

9

493.7

When did they increase the distance of tracks?  It sure takes me a lot longer to get around them!

Beautiful morning at East Hampton High

May 9 - Rest Day, but Looking Forward to Fairfield in June!

I took a day off from running today.  I think it was a combination of a little fatigue and a case of the blahs.  I really enjoy being out on the road on my runs but the planning part can be a bit of a grind.  I hope I can still shuffle along when I'm retired when I have all day to get my run in.  Of course it may take me all day to do a mile then!

There is good news on the running front even on a day off; the Fairfield Road Race director has agreed to donate $1 for every mile run by a Race4Chase team member (up to $1,000) at the Fairfield 5K on Sat., June 22 or the Fairfield Half Marathon on Sun, June 23.  The Chase Kowalski Memorial Fund site posted the following message about the event:

.................

Attention all Race4Chase runners! The Race4Chase team, led by Captain Kevin Bresnahan, will be running the Stratton Faxon Fairfield Road Races on June 22nd and 23rd. The race director has agreed to donate $1 for every mile run by a Race4Chase team member in the race. The races include a 5K on the 22nd and a half marathon on the 23rd. Captain Kevin Bresnahan will leading the Race4Chase team in both races. We are hoping for a strong Race4Chase turnout for the 5K on June 22nd. More information about the races can be found at the following link:

http://www.fairfieldhalf.org/

The race director has also added Race 4 Chase to the charities listed on its website and in an email blast send to over 10,000 past participants, and is also working with a contact at the dailyvoice.com to do an article on our cause.

Please consider joining us for the races!

..................

I also want to celebrate the 500 mile mark with the rest of the Race4Chase team so I posted the following message on both my FB and the Fund's pages:

..................

Hey FB Friends--quick update on 1000 Miles for Chase...I'm up to 489.2 miles on the way to 1,000. Check out my blog at 10004chase.blogspot.com for details.

I will do short run tomorrow and hit the halfway mark on Saturday. Let's celebrate the milestone by doing a virtual run together on Saturday--I will donate $1 to the Chase Kowalski Memorial Fund for first 100 people who run/jog/walk 1 mile for Chase on Saturday. If Saturday is a complete washout, a mile on Sunday will count (great way to start off Mothers' Day). Just send me an email, FB message or blog comment to let me know you've logged your mile.

Also, please consider joining the Race4Chase team at the Fairfield Road Races on 6/22 (5K) or 6/23 (half marathon). I am running both races and the director has offered to donate $1 for every mile run by a Race4Chase team member, either at the 5K or half marathon, up to $1,000. More information is posted on the Fund site and my blog.

Thanks and Let's Race4Chase!

..................

Hope you're up for a mile on Sat. or 3 or 13.1 in Fairfield this next month. 

May 7 - 6.2 Miles Ran; May 8 - 4.1 Miles Ran

Quick update before heading out to work.  Ran Day Pond and Pinebrook loop Tuesday morning (6.2 mi.), then Day Pond (2 laps) with the Church St. add on this morning (4.1 mi).  Much milder this morning, got a good sweat.  I completed miles 479-485 on Tuesday and miles 486-489 today.  Creeping up on the half-way mark...10.8 miles to go!

Tuesday's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/7

Tu

6:45a

6.2

50:32:00

8:09:02

50f

7

485.1

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/8

W

7:00a

4.1

31:28:00

7:40:29

60f

8

489.2

May 5 - Rest Day; May 6 - 4.5 Miles Ran

Sunday has been my track day but after 12 miles on Saturday, and with a full day of chores on tap, I decided to take a day off.  I was still pretty stiff this morning, but I loosed up and had a decent 4.5 mile run.  I did 3 laps around Day Pond, which is fast becoming my regular route.

I completed miles 475-478 (unsponsored).

Today's Line;

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/6

M

7:15a

4.5

34:41:00

7:42:27

50f

7

478.9

May 4 - 12 Miles Ran

I've been ramping up the mileage with weekend long runs the last few weeks, and I kept it going with a 12-miler that I just finished.  I ran Day Pond with 3 laps around the pond (4 miles), the Pinebrook loop  (4.2 miles) and then Day Pond again with 2 laps and the jog down Cemetery Road (3.8 miles).  Felt pretty decent overall, though the hills destroyed me.

These extra miles have moved the completion date of the 1,000 miles up to Sept. 19.  I hope to move the date up to August--we'll see if I can keep the pace going.

I completed miles 463-474 (unsponsored).

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/4

Sa

1:00p

12.0

1:35:23

7:56:55

70f

7

474.4

May 3 - 4 Miles Ran, 3 Miles Sponsored

Yes!  Sponsors are back, thanks to Vin Lyon-Callo and his son Tobias and daughter Bella.  Vin sponsored miles 196-200 back on Feb. 3 and now reports that his kids saved up to sponsor one mile each and he has added another mile.  Kids saving up to help others...that's what it's all about!  I assigned mile 498 to Vin, 499 to Tobias and 500 to Bella (we'll worry about filling in the completed but  unsponsored miles-- 54 of them--down the road).  Thanks Vin, Tobias and Bella!

I ran 4 miles in Glastonbury during lunch.  It was another beautiful day, mid 60's with light winds.  I felt very sluggish after my quasi-Midnight Run Thursday night.  However, after a very rough warm-up mile things fell into place and I ran comfortably at a nice clip.  I completed miles 459-462 (unsponsored).

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/3

F

1:15p

4.0

29:56:00

7:29:00

67f

7

462.4