July 7 - 10.5 Miles Ran in Lunenburg, VT

I got up early to see the sunrise over the lake on the last day of our vacation, and then headed out for a 10.5 mile run around Neal Pond.  It was a beautiful morning, with a slight breeze and mild temps (low 60's).  I ran down Pond Hill Road, up Bobbin Mill and Colby Roads, and then down Monahan to the other side of the lake.  In 48 years of going to Neal Pond (which we call the lake), I don't remember viewing the lake from the other side.

The entire camp was still asleep when I returned.  Being hyped up from the run and looking for company, I started cooking bacon, a sure-fired way to get the masses out of the sack.

I completed miles 769-778 (unsponsored) and then made my way back to CT to be greeted by the sweltering weather (expected low tonite is 77 degrees).  It's going to be tough not to be able to jump in the cool lake water after my runs.  And to not be eating mounds of bacon every morning.

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

7/7

Su

5:50a

10.5

1:27:32

8:20:11

65f

6

778.8

Panorama of Neal Pond around 5am

Worth giving up a couple hours of sleep!

Lunenburg Green at 2.5 mile mark

Sunrise over Uncle Jerry's house at 5 mile mark 

The "other" side of the lake at the 6.5 mile mark

July 2 - Rest Day; July 3 - 8.6 Miles; July 4 - 5.5 Miles; July 5 - 4.2 Miles (Happy Birthday Kennedy Ott!)

I have internet access at the Weeks Library in Lancaster, NH for the next 3 minutes.  Great runs and pics up in the Northeast Kingdom, which I will post when I'm back home in CT.  I ran 4.2 miles today, including one for Brady Ott, who's Mom reserved today's mile for his bday.

Total miles up to 768.3.

Okay, back on line at the McDonalds in Lancaster.  I've had some nice runs in the hills around my sister's camp on Neal Pond in Lunenburg, VT.

Monday July 1st:

I was able to get back on the horse for 6.7 miles Monday, July 1 after the long run last Sat.  I ran from camp down into Lunenburg, enjoying the steep downhill run towards Gilman, VT until I had to turn around an head back.  I was very happy with my recovery and felt fairly comfortable on the run.  Pics from Mon's run:

Starting off at sister Beth's camp

Up Boys Camp Road

Original Bresnahan camp

Tough 4/10ths of a mile to the top of Boys Camp Road

 Bustling downtown Lunenburg

Church at the Lunenburg Green

Reward for a good run...a jump in the lake (but try not to scare the fish away)

Tuesday July 2nd:

Family activities and the search for internet access in the Northeast Kingdom resulted in a rest day on Tue July 2.

Wednesday July 3rd:

On Wed, I ran up Bobbin Mill Road to the point where it heads out to Rt. 2, for a total of 8.6 miles, near the Colby house:

Thursday July 4th

I ran 5.5 miles on Th, the 4th of July, including a 0.8 mile stretch with my 5-year-old nephew Kevin.  I asked him if he wanted to run up the camp driveway with me but he thought I meant up to the top of the access road, and when he has something in his head, it's going to happen.  So me and little bugger trudged up the steep 4/10ths of a mile to the camp road (with only 3 short breaks) and he sprinted down the hill the entire way back, arms flailing to keep his balance.  I think I may have a future running partner, as long I can hold up my end of the bargain as the years pass.

Nephew Kevin (5) and I get ready for our 4th of July jog

Passed the spring well where the Bresnahan clan got it's drinking water in year's past 

Another tough hill on Pond Hill Rd.

Water that (ultimately) strengthens the immune system

Tug Mt....time to turn around and head back to camp!

Friday, July 5th (Happy Birthday Kennedy Ott!) 

I ran down to the end of Pond Hill Road near the Lunenburg Green for 4.2 miles on Fri.  This run has been on my mind for months--I promised Megan Ott that I'd run a mile for her daughter Kennedy on her birthday, July 5th.  I almost missed her brother's birthday mile back on February 27 (see post from that day for my misadventure!) so I didn't want to have another close call.  I didn't take any photos on this run, but we did take a nice family photo (with everyone smiling at once, unheard of) and we saw the most incredible rainbow on the 4th before the lake's boat parade.  

The runs from Wed to Fri covered miles 751-768 (unsponsored).

Today's (July 3-5) Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

7/3	W	10:15a	8.6	1:08:49	8:00:07	78f	7	758.6
7/4	Th	10:35a	5.5	47:25:00	8:37:16	75f	7	764.1
7/5	F	11:30a	4.2	34:01:00	8:05:57	75f	6	768.3

June 29 - 19.7 Miles Ran; June 30 - Rest Day; July 1 - 6.7 Miles Ran

So much to share, so little time.  I am sitting in the Weeks Library in Lancaster, NH, stealing a few precious minutes on the only Wi-fi I can find in the Northeast Kingdom.  I am on vacation until Sunday and unfortunately my blog time will be fairly restricted.  Right at the time when the running has been the best!

I completed 19.7 miles late Sat and early Sun morning as part of the One Run for Boston effort (http://www.onerunforboston.org).  I ran 2 legs, from Bridgeport to Milford and Milford to New Haven for a total of 19.7 miles.  As you might expect with a run covering over 3,000 miles split into over 300 legs, the schedule got a bit off and our Bridgeport leg (#300) got going around 9pm instead of 5:30pm.  This was a blessing as it brought the temperature down, but it also resulted in the Milford to New Haven group (#301) finishing at the New Haven green at 12:10am!

The people on the run were amazing and we were even able to get a short blurb on the local NBC news about Race4Chase:

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/video/#!/on-air/as-seen-on/One-Run-For-Boston-Set-To-Cross-The-Finish-Line/213726141

I got a little rest and then packed up for a 4 hour ride to northern VT (Lunenburg, above St. Johnsbury) on Sunday.  I was able to crank out 6.7 miles on Mon over the rolling hills in Lunenburg.  My cousin Michael told me it is a 1,400 foot climb from the Connecticut River to Neal Pond where we are staying (though I thankfully did not go all the way down to the river!)  I wanted to get 6.7 in because this brought my total mileage for the year up to 750.

I covered miles 724-743 on the One Run trek.  Len Gutman sponsored miles 724-731 of these miles and the rest were unsponsored.  Thanks Len!  I completed miles 744-750 (unsponsored) on Mon's run. I'd like to get a few miles in today but I've spent so much time searching for Wi-fi that the day is getting away from me!

Today's Line (Sat and Mon):

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

6/29

Sa

9:10p

19.7

3:02:54

9:17:03

78f

6

743.3

7/1

M

10:25a

6.7

55:53:00

8:20:27

70f

7

750.0

Leg #300 led by Kelly Gallagher (far right) and powered by Girls Gone Miles

Self-proclaimed local celebrity Chaz addresses the leg 300 team

NBC 30 arrives to cover the event

NBC 30 reporter George Colli interviews Kelly (George was great, really into the event and all the causes)

George interviews Danny Boy Bent, one of the organizers of One Run for  Boston

Officer Matt provided an escort through the dark streets of Milford

Lastlly, the leader of group 300 made the following video our our leg--thanks Kelly!

http://somerandomthursday.blogspot.com/2013/07/im-shipping-up-to-boston-video-of-one.html

June 28 - 4.5 Miles Ran

I made it out a little before 7pm for a nice easy jog before tomorrow's 20 miler.  I tried to run at an 8:30/mi pace to get used to easing back for the long run.  I ran the Day Pond course with 3 laps around the pond and completed miles 720-723, sponsored by Len Gutman.  Thanks for sponsoring these miles Len.  I will cover a bunch more than you've sponsored if all goes as planned tomorrow.

I will be joining a handful of other runners in Bridgeport tomorrow to run 2 legs of the One Run for Boston relay http://www.onerunforboston.org).  Interestingly, at 11:30 pm as I type this, the runners are outside of Port Murray, NJ and appear to be about 2 hours behind schedule.  This will turn my 5:30pm-8:20pm run into a 7:30-10:20 run.  This is fine, but if there are further delays I could be looking at a true midnight run!

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

6/28

F

6:50p

4.5

39:26:00

8:45:47

70f

5

723.6

June 27 - 6.7 Miles Ran - Running for Boston this Saturday

I had a good 6.7 mile run this morning.  It was pretty humid but not oppressive at 7am.  I ran the Day Pond and Pinebrook loops.  I tried to run alternating 7 and 8 minute miles after warming up a but hills interfered with the plan.  My laps went as follows:

1 - 9:36/mi (warm up)
2 - 6:49
3 - 8:04
4 - 6:53 (big down hill)
5 - 7:39
6 - 7:21 (medium up hill)
6.7 - 9:32 (cool down)

I completed miles 713-719, sponsored by Matt Colegrove (713-715) and Len Gutman (716-719).  Thanks Matt and Len!

Kris Onofrio, the assistant race director of the Fairfield Road Races, informed me about the One Run for Boston relay race coming through CT this weekend.  Hundreds of runners have carried a GPS enabled baton from Los Angeles to Pennsylvania on the way to Boston as a showing of support for Boston in the aftermath of the marathon bombings.  I have signed up to run the Bridgeport to Milford (8 miles) and the Milford to New Haven (9.5 miles) legs on Saturday.  I hope to put in 20 total miles so I'll have to find another 2.5 somewhere along the way.  Check out the One Run site at:

http://www.onerunforboston.org

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

6/27

Th

7:05a

6.7

53:01:00

7:54:47

75f

8

719.1

June 24 and 25 - Rest Days; June 26 - 4.5 Miles Ran

Mon and Tue were rest days after the tough half marathon on Sun.  I really wanted to get out for 3 or 4 miles on Tue to loosen up, but I was tad sluggish after downing pub fare the night before with my old high school hoop buddies and coach (see pic below).  I was also in full chauffer mode with Shea on her first full day out of school which left no time for running.

I had a great run this morning, however.  Though some soreness remained, I warmed up quickly in the heat in humidity and ran the last 3.5 miles of the 4.5 mile run at about a 7:15/mi clip.  I ran the Day Pond route with 3 loops and completed miles 708-712 which are sponsored by Matt Colegrove.  Thanks again Matt, 3 more of your 20 to go!

Today's Post

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

6/26

W

7:25a

4.5

34:15:00

7:36:40

75f

8

712.4

A full day with my high school hoop buddies--good for laughs, not for running!

June 23 - Fairfield Half Marathon - 16 Miles Sponsored

I'm under a bit of a time crunch so I will have to keep this post brief and update it later, but I had another incredible day of racing for Chase on Sunday at the Fairfield Half Marathon.  In addition to logging 13.1 more miles on the way to 1,000 (plus an extra 0.4 in the warm up :) ), Len Gutman stepped up again and sponsored 16 additional miles, 3 in recognition of the 5K on Sat and 13 for the half on Sunday.

The half was HOTTTTT!  I ran fairly hard for 5 miles but then dialed back a bit and essentially just ran to where ever there was water on the course (to drink or cool off under sprinklers).  My Garmin watch indicated that I ran close to 13.3 miles, which means that I zigzagged 2/10ths of a mile on my watcher witching journeys.

I completed miles 695-707, which were sponsored by Matt Colegrove (695-700 and 702-707) and Kevin Farkas (701).  Matt and Kevin are part of the Masuk Class of 1983 that has shown so much support for the Kowalski's.  Thanks guys!

More later...

Today's (Sun's) Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

6/23	Su	8:15a	0.4	3:44:00	9:20:00	75f	2	694.8
6/23	Su	8:30a	13.1	1:43:36	7:54:30	85f	8	707.9

Recruited new Race 4 Chase members on the shuttle ride to the race

Finishing the race w/ Chase

13.1 more miles in the bank!