Black Lizard / Vintage Crime #15 for 2021...

"Black Wings has My Angel", by Elliot Chaze, published in 1953.

Cover Image

Alt Cover Image

Alt Cover Image

Alt Cover Image

Alt Cover Image

Alt Cover Image

Video "Take a Hike!  Roadside Ecology with Tom Wessels" from Concord, NH".

 

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.

Cover Image

Alt Cover Image

Alt Cover Image

Alt Cover Image

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!