After yesterday's reveal that I would not be making my 1350-mile goal for 2021, I thought I would stick to some negativity and mention that I did not complete nor attempt a marathon this season.

This is disappointing, especially as the early portion of the year seemed as though I was in really good shape.  But, stuff happens.

The takeaway from this past year is to not rest, and get it while you can.  I kept thinking that I had plenty of time in the fall to marathon over-and-over again.  The plain truth was from mid-May on I had all sorts of odd injuries that kept me from longer running.

I plan on not waiting around so much going forward, that is for sure.

As my running miles have been difficult to accumulate due to the achilles-tendon and ankle-tendon issues, I believe it is time to wind things back and take a rest.

I am in the exact middle-year of a five-year plan to move from 1200 to 1500 miles per-year;  I wrote the schedule at the beginning of this season (January 14th, 2021).

I believe it would have been possible to grit things out, and keep going, but at the expense of 2022 starting on a bad foot/leg.  Right now, I am at 1239.7-miles for the year, so I have not done poorly.  The first half of the year was going fantastically.

The snags I hit were as follows:

• Fractured Wrist & Tendon/Ligament damage to left hand due to dog attack while running, May 11th.
• Badly fractured left big toe, July 13th.
• Left Ankle/Achilles Tendon issues, October 14th.
• Hours at work have been excessive.
• We have taken on the remodel of both of our bathrooms in November and December.

Taking the next couple weeks to rest, rehab and rebound for the start of 2022 seems like the best idea right now, physically and mentally.

Weekly Weigh In while involved with the 61-Day Challenge - 209.2 lbs.  

Holding steady despite the gummed up ankle and achilles tendon (limited running).

Music 2021...

Effort #19,  "The Needle and the Damage Done"...  Not finished yet with Neil Young classics, my friend the Rev. King remains diligent.

What Played in Ed's Head -- 

Music listened to for the time-period  November 1st through November 30th, 2021:

"High Points" along trails during November, 2021... 

• West Suffield Mountain, Metacomet Trail, West Suffield, Connecticut
• Peak/Copper Mountain, Metacomet Ridge, West Suffield, CT
• Stony Hill, McLean Game Refuge, Granby, CT
• Drake Mountain, Southwick, MA
• Sodom Mountan, Southwick, MA
• Chaugham Peak, Peoples State Forest, Barkhamsted, CT
• Saddle Ball Mountain, Mt Greylock Range, Adams, MA
• Mt. Greylock, Adams, MA

How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?

Satchel Paige

4-miles along the New England Trail from Phelps Road south (on Metacomet).

6-mile run in McLean Refuge at a decent speed for the first 3-miles, and slowing from that point with the ankle acting up.

Weekly Weigh In while involved with the 61-Day Challenge - 210.1 lbs.  

Not too bad as I went off the "Challenge" for the Thanksgiving Break (and a bit after).

Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #14 for 2021...

"The The Wyncherly Woman", by Ross MacDonald, published in 1961.

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Sharing a video "Mysterious Stone Sites of the Hudson Valley".

 

My friend the Rev King sent me this wonderful picture from his first official wedding ceremony...

I like the new suit!

On this day in Marathon History...

  

McLean Game Refuge & Holcomb Farm Marathon

November 29th, 2019 - Granby & Simsbury, Connecticut

McLean Game Refuge & Holcomb Farm Marathon day in Granby and Simsbury, Connecticut.  

Not a lot of build-up for this, I was thinking an attempt at the Bullitt Reservation / DAR / Williamsburg Route, but two cars are necessary for that attempt and I had but one today.  I would be solo.

I got a good running start at just a little after 9:00 a.m., with two water plants plus the refill opportunity at my vehicle which was returned to around mile 8 or so.  

Rambled through McLean to the beginnings of the hills (Westledge, Pilfershire, West Mountain, Eddy, and Weed Hill) at 12.5-miles at 5.5-mph (which was an incredible pace for me).

Once the hills were finished, and I entered into Holcomb Farm Trails, I was still at 5-mph, which had me feeling really energized.  I was moving really well, running strong on everything other than the long steady climb up Westledge, the steepest portions of Eddy, and then the bushwhack type footing up Weed Hill.

Things slowed a bit through Holcomb, especially once crossing Simsbury Road.  The trail from there to the re-entry into McLean proper hasn't seen much traffic, had many leaves covering the roots, and I was beginning to tire.

I hung on to complete the 25.6-miles (gps measured, so this should be easily over 26.2) in 5:13:00.  Just dipped under 5 mph average to a 4.9.  Awesome performance on my third marathon of 2019, and 57th overall.

Out to Dismal  Brook with intentions of verifying I still knew the way to Sodom Mountain from the south.

Found the way easily, as well as some of the alternative trails out of Dismal.

Ended with a total of 6.5-miles, with the last two being on the road.