Week 47(19-25Nov.)

Date        Course&OtherInfo         Dist.(miles)   Time&AvPace   HR(Av/Hi)

19(Mon)   Rest Day - No Activity except 30 mins. Exercises/Stretches and
                                                                            10 lbs. Dumb Bell Lifts.
20(Tue)    Home Exercises/Stretches  ----            30 minutes           ----
21(Wed)  Palisades Interstate Pkwy-Alpine/Englewood,NJ 42 deg.F. 0620hrs.
                Walk                             1.45               29:08@20:07    88bpm
                Jog/Run                         3.22               42:56@13:20  122/139bpm
                Walk                             1.44               27:39@19:10    89bpm
22(Thu)   Ashenfelter 8K Classic-Glen Ridge,NJ  42-50s F.  0900hrs.
               Walk                              1.52               31:36@20:49    73bpm
                Jog                                1.44               No Data            ---
               8K Race                        5.00               43:15@8:42     143bpm
               Walk Cool-Down          1.50                      ----             ---
                 *Run Buddy Aziz(61) beats me by 22 seconds. Getting faster
                                                                 every race and making PRs.
               Results:  Ovl.Pl: 1060 of 2551.   Men70-74: 9 of 19
               Today is Thanksgiving Day-Happy Gobble, Gobble Day.
23(Fri)  On the way to Glen Burnie,MD for North Central Trail Marathon.
24(Sat) 23rd NCTM-Sparks,MD  40sF.Some wind & cloudy  0830hrs.
               Warm-up Jog                1.36               30:03@22:01   134bpm
                Marathon                   26.20             5:00:14@11:28  130/153
               Cool-down - Walk to schoolhouse and refreshments.
               Results:  Ovl.Pl: 349 of 407 finishers.
                             Men 70-99: 2 of 3. (Only a Trio of Old Men)
               Btw, I did four previous NCTM:
                 2004 @ 64 yrs. 3:58:40  Ovl.Pl: 191/361    M60-64: 4/14
                 2005 @ 65  "    4:07:20       "     185/322    M65-69: 1/3
                 2006 @ 66  "    4:08:10       "     178/331         "        2/4
                 2008 @68   "    5:10:50       "     361/413         "        5/8
25(Sun)  No Activity - Rest Day at Home - Body okay, recuperating
                                   with sore muscles particularly thighs & calves.
                     Overall condition = good & feeling fine for an old man.

Week 47 Total Mileage              43.13 miles
Last Week's Y-T-D Total      1344.97   "
Year-to-Date Total                1388.10   "

Recollections from North Central Trail Marathon

I started near the end of the pack of marathoners and ran with a pace of
9 minute + per mile(average) at the early miles up to mile 7. At miles 8 to 15,
pace increased to 10 min. + per mile(av) then to 11 min. + per mile(av) at miles
16 to 21. From miles 22 to finish(26.2), it went up to 12 to 16 min. + per mile.
What a disappointing way to run! I know I should have started slow then
gradually increase speed and do negative splits but I think old and slow guys
like me are hard-headed and can't learn new tricks.

As runners say, I hit the wall or the wall hit me at about mile 18. With the
occasional winds and cold temp(40sF.), I was feeling cold and a bit hungry
(even if I ate 2 GU gels of peanut butter & vanilla at mile 8 & 13.1). At the
turn-around (13.1), the runners started to spread further apart and for those
not used to solitary running while getting tired is not fun but that is part of the
beauty of running this marathon. There is no crowd/audience except at the
start & finish and at the water/food stops on the route. This is where the
right attitude, strong mental frame, being pysched, toughness, determination
and what not comes in, I suppose, to get over the wall and finish a long
distance race.

After a grueling last 8 miles, I made it to the finish line in 5 hours and 14
seconds, 30 minutes over my target time. And even as a dreamer, I'm
contented with my time. The unwanted walking and jogging, affected
my time.There will be other marathons and I'll just have to prepare well,
practice more and train harder for the next one.

As always, the marathon humbles as well as teaches me lots of things like
staying fit and being in shape. Never under estimate doing (26.2miles
/42kms.) a full marathon. I say experience one and find out.