I’ve been shirking my recap duties, I know. Here are a few quick hits from last week’s run.
Ill-prepared: Not enough Gu, no maps… what do you wantfrom a guy coming back from vacation.
Humidity-palooza: A hurricane goes by threatening rain and wind and tropical humidity. The sun’s shining and there’s a gentle breeze but somehow we still get the tropical humidity.
Two English Guys meet. For the first time English Dave who we’ve known for years and UK Wayne who we’ve known for months finally crossed paths and met. And for those of us that feel stupid because we can’t tell if someone is from the UK or Australia, Dave did ask Wayne “Are you from the UK?” when he heard him speaking.
It’s all in the sales pitch. Brian Slater’s New Englander complaining about the hill from Grimsby’s to Spot Pond was in stark contrast to Wayne’s “isn’t this a lovely a hill” which almost made is sound like we should be enjoying it.
Why am I running with all these fast people? When I got to Spot Pond I noticed I was running with the wrong crowd. Joe, BrianS, BrianG, Mary, Wayne, Dave… this isn’t a good way for me to start a 14 mile run.
Water stop 1: Ice cold Gatorade thanks to the Cossette’s cooler in Carol’s car. I lingered long enough to lose the front pack and settle in to the second group out.
Turkeys! The front group reported a live wildlife sighting, a rafter of turkeys along Franklin St. Yes, a group of turkeys is called a rafter.
Chinese Turtle? Also sighted along the way was a turtle… although upon closer inspection it was a discarded chinese food container.
How can I possibly be running with Judi? Heading across Cross St, to one side I had one of my usual running companions, Mike. On the other side though was Judi. These people are giving me a false sense of speediness.
Hollywood’s got nothing on our long run routes. The conversation Judi and I made on our way to Horn Pond included a discussion of movie filming on our long run routes. This week we started out passing the Melrose Bank Building on the corner of Main and West Foster St where the Ben Affleck will be filming a bank robbery scene for an upcoming movie. Next week’s run through Breakheart will take us by the shooting location for Fury Vengenace starring Brendan Fraser and Brooke Shields.
Water Stop 2. More Gatorade, more water to replace the fluids that have soaked every bit of my running clothes.
Glistening Muscle Man and the Traffic Director Guy, like clockwork these two regulars will be found circling the pond. The sweat glazed muscle man, shirtless and fully flexed was spotted twice as we circled the pond, both times lugging those powerful arms of his motionless by his side. In sharp contrast the traffic director guy was spotted frantically waving his arms to alert all of us runners that we could run by… which we would have done anyway.
Cross Street is the longest street evah! This straight, somewhat flat, unshaded mile long road seemed to go on for ever. Especially for Rachelle who wasn’t feeling well and had the pleasure of watching the endless stream of unhappy runners trudge by her.
The Forest Street Hill… at least its shady. The climb isn’t fun but the chance to get out of the sun and feel a cooling breeze through the trees made it worth it. Plus you have to admit, each time it gets just a little easier, doesn’t it?
Water Stop 3: With moisture dripping off of us, one last chance to replenish before the last 4 mile stint of the run.
Marble to Summer to Franklin… unless you’re following Nick. Pretty much straight from the water stop to Franklin St. If you were running with Nick though he took you down Park St and up Main St to add a little more on to the mileage on what was shaping up to be a tough enough run as it is. A reminder, review the route, bring a map, don’t follow Nick.
Why did the runner cross Franklin St? Because it was shadier over there. Actually now it shadier over the other side. If we weren’t sweating enough in cool humid temperatures, the stretch along Franklin St was sunny and hot. Along the two miles of roadway it seemed like the shady side of the street switched sides every 50 yards which kept the question alive in my head, is it worth running all the way across the street to get out of the sun. Laziness beat out over coolness as I opted to hug the right side of the road the whole way. Others reported opting for coolness though. In the end, looking tired and worn, it looked like we all made the wrong decision.
Main St has no shade… I’m melting! The home stretch from Franklin St to Brueggers along Main St took the shade option off the table. Nothing but sunshine through the last mile, which I have to say seems so much longer at the end of a long run.
Done, soaked in sweat but done. Most looked like they had just been swimming in their running clothes when the walked into Brueggers after the run. Quite a challenge for an “easy week”.
Too @$%&*# hot for words….geez that was just plain awful. Company great, as always, but that was just brutally hot, humid, steamy and painful-and I am really trying hard to sugar coat it. Please let’s have none of that tomorrow.
Hey!
It was only .84 of mile more & Andrew didn’t seem to mind but we were cooked by the time we reached the corner of Franklin & Perkins!
Reminder to myself, don’t add extra mileage on hot, humid days!