Taming That Gremlin

John Bingham writes well about listening to and ultimately dealing with the little voice runner's always hear. The voice that sometimes is helpful but sometimes is that of the gremlin.

I'm talking about that little voice that whispers what it thinks you should be doing. Sometimes the voice is called your conscience, when it thinks what you're doing isn't right. But there's another voice that many of us hear. I know I do, or at least I used to. This is the voice of the Gremlin. This is the voice that tells you whatever you're doing isn't good enough, that you should be able to run faster or farther, and that simply enjoying yourself is no reason to keep running. The Gremlin tells you that no matter how much you've improved your life or your running, you still have a long way to go.

...

The next time you hear yourself thinking that a run isn't good enough, far enough, or fast enough, listen carefully to that voice. Ignoring it won't make it go away. Listen to it, thank it for its opinion, and then forget it.

Good advice for all runners. The gremlin is there. Recognize it and forget it!

Read the full article here.

Falmouth 2005

Yes, it was hot and humid. But you know, for a run under those circumstances, I would not hesitate to do it again there. The organization/coordination of the volunteers to fill the water stops, the Falmouth residents (summer or permanent) who had their hoses out, who had orange slices out, who were clapping and cheering you on was just wonderful. It is truly an experience!

I know of one runner who hesitated to take a break and walk because there were some many people watching, she felt embarrassed. Walking at a water stop is okay though. You want to make sure that you get a good portion of the water inside and dump the remainder on the head and back of the neck.

Remember being told to always where a hat in winter time? That 90% of your heat escapes through your head? Well, it is true and that same heat will try to escape in summer also. Hence, the importance of hats. Hence, putting some water on your head to help cool it off. Putting some water on the back of your neck to help cool off that critical junction point.

With the heat and humidity, the race became a workout. I dropped my target pace down and ran comfortably to finish. There were about 1800 folks in front of me and another 5700 behind me so it was a decent performance for a good workout in these conditions.

To race this course would be a challenge. The crowd and staggered start would provide some real tactical opportunities. One would need to be in the front of their color's corral. One would need navigate carefully through the crowd to gain some running room and then be careful to maintain the pace. Fortunately, the mile markers are well done. There are big clocks running the elapsed time (for the first seeded starters). Assuming you have your own watch, you can check your splits against the official clock. I was fortunate to have my watch be only one second off the official time taken by the chip.

The course itself is challenging but not overly so. The first 2.5 miles or so are rolling through wooded country roads, fairly narrow that twist and bend this way and that. This stretch goes by very quickly. Then you break out into the open running parallel to the beach. The sun was hidden by the overcast on this day. There was something of a breeze coming over our shoulders. At least, it was not against us. At about 4.5 miles, the course turned into the final portion more like city streets, buildings on both sides, some turns but more spread apart, left then right, then right again and soon you are at the 6 mile, then the 10K markers before you make the final turn, climb the final hill ( a respectable one coming at this point but not a real elevation), top out and then cover the last .5 mile down gradually into the finish.

My thanks to all those who helped to make the Falmouth Road Race a great event!

Falmouth Hotspot

Found an internet hotspot, Coffee Obsession, conveniently located near where we are staying here in Falmouth. The Palmer House Inn is a wonderful B&B. I highly recommend it.

Falmouth is itself a hotspot, with temps in the 80's and high humidity. This is not good for running fast or long, both of which I was planning to do on Sunday. Sounds like it will be long and slow.

Drove the course twice yesterday when we arrived. The first time I guessed wrong on the turn coming out of Woods Hole and found the 2 mile marker but not the 1 mile. The second time around found the 1 mile marker.

This is a challenging course. The first 2 and half or so miles are rolling, mostly tree shaded roads but fairly narrow so it will be tight running in the crowd. The course then flattens for the stretch along the beach. This section is wide open to sun and breeze. Hopefully they will be kind to us tomorrow.

After the 4 mile mark, we get back into turns and sections in the residential sections before heading up a hill after the 10K mark. This hill, not a really big one, comes down gradually to the finish.

Weather and crowd will be factors. I will go slower (because of the weather) and look to talk more with my compatriots in the crowd. This should help the time go by quick enough.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Have a good run!

Falmouth Road Race Weekend

Heading to the Cape for the road race... maybe I'll catch some WiFi somewhere but otherwise, I'll provide updates on the other side of the weekend!

Have a good run!

Two down - two to go

Ran the 200 M at the meet last night, apparently it was not the week for the 400 M. I elected to run the 200 as I had not been able to get a good split in previous workouts. Good split being able to break 30 for the 200. If I can break 30, then I feel confident I can get close to 60 for 400.

It was warm. The humidity in New England this summer has been about as bad I recall. It makes it easier to warm up (takes less time) but makes it harder to run well.

I was pleased with my 28.9 time. That was okay! Not great, I would have been happier to go faster but this works. So next week is the final meet. Here's hoping for better weather.

Tonight was the Pub Run 5K. The car temp gauge said it was 96. It was humid at 7:00PM when we started. I started well but did not hold the pace finishing in a respectable 23:30.

The conversation with the group after the race made it a good night.

Now the long run on Sunday at Falmouth. The weather is supposed to be hot/humid again. Oh well, since it is my first time there, anything I do will be a PR so we'll take it easy and see what happens.

Have a good run...

The FIRST Training Plan - Detailed Marathon Prep

For the FIRST Training posted previously, here is a detailed version of the training for a marathon.

The FIRST Training Plan
The FIRST marathon program includes three running workouts per week—a speed workout, a tempo run, and a long run. Here’s the full, 16-week marathon training program. Participants are also encouraged to cross-train for 40 to 45 minutes on two other days per week.
Week	Tuesday Speed	Thursday Tempo	Saturday Long
1	8x400 meters	3 miles	10 miles
2	4x1200m	5 miles	12 miles
3	6x800m	7 miles	13 miles
4	3x1600m	3 miles	10 miles
5	10x400m	5 miles	14 miles
6	5x1200m	5 miles	15 miles
7	7x800m	8 miles	17 miles
8	3x1600m	10 miles	13 miles
9	12x400m	3 miles	18 miles
10	8x800m	5 miles	15 miles
11	4x1600m	8 miles	20 miles
12	12x400m	5 miles	15 miles
13	6x1200m	5 miles	20 miles
14	7x800m	4 miles	15 miles
15	3x1600m	8 miles	10 miles
16	30 min easy w 5x60s	20 min easy w 3 or 4 pickups	Marathon
The FIRST Paces
The training paces recommended by the FIRST program are somewhat faster than those recommended by other training plans. Of course, with just three running days a week, you should be well rested for each workout. Here are the paces you’ll need to run, each expressed relative to your current 10-K race pace.
Long Run			10-K pace + 60 to 75 seconds/mile
Long Tempo			10-K + 30 to 35 seconds
Mid Tempo			10-K + 15 to 20 seconds
Short Tempo			10-K pace
1600m Repeats			10-K - 35 to 40 seconds
1200m Repeats			10-K - 40 to 45 seconds
800m Repeats			10-K - 45 to 50 seconds
400m Repeats			10-K - 55 to 60 seconds

The Less is More Running Plan

From Runner's World and the writing of Amby Burfoot, I find this alternative running plan that I like a whole lot.

The basic plan calls for three days of running and two or more days of cross training. The running days are one long distance, one track workout, and one paced/tempo distance run. Generally the days would be spread over the week as Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday/Sunday.

The Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) marathon program was born, in a sense, when Bill Pierce and Scott Murr decided to enter a few triathlons way back in the mid-1980s. Just one problem: They hit the wall when they added biking and swimming to their running. The demands of three-sport training were too much, so they cut back their running from six days a week to four. To their surprise, they didn't slow down in local road races. So they cut back to three days of running. "Lo and behold, our 10-K, half-marathon, and marathon times didn't suffer at all," says Pierce. "The more we discussed this--and we discussed it a lot--the more we became convinced that a three-day program, with some cross-training, was enough to maintain our running fitness."

I like the plan for a number of reasons:

It abides by the hard/easy rule. If you do a hard workout one day, you need to go easy the next. Your body simply needs time to rebuild/repair the muscles that were exercised on the hard day. Without the recovery (i.e. easy workout) including sleep and nutrition, the body will ultimately break down. It will. The question is when.

It touches the three major elements of all most every training plan I have seen. You need to work on your speed (i.e. the track workout), you need to build up your basic strength (i.e. distance workout), you need to practice running at pace for good distances (i.e. the paced/tempo run).

The plan is flexible enough to adapt to other race types and not just the marathon. I expect you could develop a mean 5K time with this plan. Someone could develop a mean 10K time. You can go up the ladder of races and do well by this plan. And while this is focused on distance running, this could be adapted for shorter distances as well.

In the fall of 2003, FIRST launched its training program. Applicants were told they would have to undergo pre- and postprogram physiological testing in Furman's Human Performance Lab, and run three very specific running workouts each week. There were no restrictions on additional running or cross-training workouts, and there was no "final exam" test race. The postprogram lab tests showed that subjects had improved their running economy by two percent, their maximal oxygen uptake by 4.8 percent and their lactate-threshold running pace by 4.4 percent. In other words, the three workouts had led to better fitness and race potential. FIRST was off and running.

Yes, not only does this plan meet most basic requirements for good training programs. It also has some real scientific test results to back it up. These kinds of improvements do not happen by chance. It takes work, hard work, careful planning, and execution to maintain the discipline to allow for the recovery, stay on track and perform. There is no reason why you can not do this.

The FIRST folks did another study in the fall of 2004. This time recruiting 25 folks for a marathon. They maintained the three day running routine and were encouraged to do two days of cross training.

How did they do? All 21 finished, with 15 setting personal bests. Four of the six who didn't set PRs ran faster than their most recent marathon. "It was so exhilarating to watch them come in, and it was quite a relief, too," says Pierce. "When you're responsible for 21 people who cut back their marathon training because you told them to, well, that can make you a little nervous." What's more, as postrace lab testing showed, the FIRST participants had improved their maximal oxygen uptake by an average of 4.2 percent and their lactate threshold running speed by 2.3 percent. Bonus: They also reduced their body fat by an average of 8.7 percent. "We think the results show that our program was a big success," says Pierce. "Our people didn't get hurt, and most ran their best-ever marathon. I think we showed that you can teach people to train more efficiently."

These are good numbers. Yes, the group was selected. They had one major qualification, all of the runners had to be capable of running ten miles. But for the study purposes, that was fine. The plan as mentioned before is flexible and adaptable for the race of your choice.

The 8 basic rules of the FIRST plan are as follows:

1. Run Efficiently, Run for Life
2. Run Three Times a Week...And No More
3. Build Your Long Run to 20 Miles
4. Run Three Different Kinds of Tempo Runs
5. Put More Variety in Your Speedwork
6. Cross-Train Twice a Week...Hard
7. Don't Try to Make up for Lost Time
8. Follow a 3-Week Taper

I am modifying my running plan to go this way. I will cut out one day, coming down from four to three but mileage and effort should gradually increase.

I already do a long run but as I am not gearing for a marathon, I do not think I will end up with a 20 mile run. I will go higher than the 10 I currently can do, up at least to 13-15.

Instead of the hill workout one day and the track workout another day, I'll bring them together. Focusing on the track while the weather is still good then pick some local roads for the appropriate distance needed to the repeats when the track is no longer an option. The local roads by nature will include some hills if not inclines and declines to help add that element to the plan.

The paced or tempo run is something I currently do alone. It will be good to see if others are willing to give this a try and join me for the run.

So what do you think? Will you give it a try?

If you would like some help "personalizing" this plan for your own goals, let me know.



You can read the full Runner's World article here.
You can visit the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training website here.

Good Sunday Run

The weather was cooperative today. Approximately mid-60's, no humidity to speak of. A good day to run. Three other Pacers joined me for the 10K fun run this morning. Plenty of chatter kept us going through the first 3 or so miles, then we hit the long incline up King Street and the chatter slowed (realistically stopped) as we focused on the task at hand.

I am very familiar with this stretch of King and stayed on the left side as the road bent coming to the Rt 495 crossing. The others moved across the street and then ended up coming back to my side as the road bent back past the Parmenter School and we headed into the last mile. I had to stop briefly as I picked up some glass that stuck to the bottom of my shoe. Once that was handled, I was able to resume my stride.

Felt good after the run. My hamstrings were tight but no knee tightness (IT Band) which has been lingering recently. My adjusted running is allowing enough recovery to avoid further complications (I hope). I walked Saturday and did my Narcessian set of lifting to help provide some cross training (and save the legs). One casualty of this adjustment is a drop in the mileage (from 20-25 to 10-15) but the quality is good so I will not allow that factor to drive my thought and make me change back at this time.

As mentioned previously, I have 4 races coming up in a span of 8 days and need to maintain fresh legs. The races are shorter overall (400, 5K, 7.1 miles, and 1 mile) than the previous 4 races in 10 days (then they were all 5K or better). I have done the prework required on the hills, the track and good distance. So the tapering now is really appropriate. I will get the mileage back after this stretch in preparation for the race-a-month routine I look forward to in Sep, Oct, and Nov.

My mind set will be as critical as keeping my legs fresh. I am focused and need to remain that way without going overboard. Life presents plenty of opportunity for dissonance. I need to let it slide by me.

I hope your running is going well! If you need someone to talk about it, whether you want to adjust your plans or just need re-enforcement on how you are going, let me know.

Summer Sizzler Results

I ran the 400 tonight at the Summer Sizzler meet at Franklin High School. It was warm but I have run in warmer weather this summer. I was assigned the 4th or outside lane in the open heat, all the other runners were inside (and behind) me due to the staggered start. I was not worried. I have run in all lanes at one time or another. They stayed there. I did not hear them coming at all. And when I reached the finish line, they were not close. I managed to finish well in 64.9 This was down one second from a couple of weeks ago. But still off what I want to do. I know I have at least a 62 in these legs. I'd like to think I can get below 60 but time is already running out this summer.

Next week would be the last chance. The following week, the Pacers hold their Grand Prix mile at the same track meet. I prepared for that by running the 1000 also tonight. I ran a good 6:00 mile pace; going through the half at 3:00 and finishing at 3:44. Not bad at all.

I will be adjusting my mileage and effort to stay healthy and keep the legs fresh. They did feel good once I had warmed up tonight. I want to get some distance in this weekend. I have the 400 again next Wednesday, followed by the next Pub Run on Thursday and then the Falmouth Road Race on Sunday, closing out with the Grand Prix mile the 17th.

This is a busy stretch of running coming up with some key performance opportunities. My head is in the right place. Now I need to keep the legs fresh and we'll see what happens.

Happy trails to you!

Running Chart YTD 2005

Running Chart YTD 2005
Originally uploaded by shersteve.

Another milestone as I recorded 602 miles for the year to date with my run today. This years mileage now exceeds all the four prior years.

One month left in the summer and a very busy one at that: Three opportunities for the 400 (possibly less as they aren't doing the 400 each week). One more Pub Run (8/10). The Falmouth Road Race (8/14). The club Grand Prix mile (8/17).

Time to taper a little. Need to keep the legs fresh and avoid injury. Need to pay extra attention to walking, recovering on days off, and stretching post run.

I hope your summer running is going well.

Good Article from Active.com

I agree with these ten items.

Buttermilk Falls State Park

Visiting Ithaca today, I found this park close to the hotel and decided to try running on the trails to get the workout in for the day. My daughter, preparing for the fall high school cross country season, was ready to run as well. We decided to try the Rim trail and return the Gorge trail. It was a mistake to try running it. The trail footing was okay, the elevation rise was too steep for what we were prepared to do, especially with other hikers on the trail. We did make it up and down with a good fast hiking pace. The Larch Meadow trail was flatter and a grassy mile loop mostly through some woods. This was much better for us to run on. And run we did.

Comparing what we saw to the web site photo, we may have been at the wrong place. The water shown in the picture clearly was not present today. The drought being experienced in the Midwest may be having an effect here. An excuse to some back sometime in the late spring to see what the water flow is like then. It may be more like what is in the photo.

A good workout on different terrain. Not quite the mileage total that the log book will like but some good memories and stories to take their place.

Quick recap

Let's see, where did I leave off?

The first 400 at the meet on Wednesday 7/13 was a 65.8. Even though I had taken it easy the night before, it was not enough. My legs just did not have it. I will need to adjust for the next time.

The second "pub run" was a good one. I ran relatively even splits (7:20, 7:30, 7:20) and ran 23:12 for the 5K.

I ran twice during my visit to Chicagoland on the weekend of 7/15-7/18. We had a nice walk in the Morain Hills park and almost went back to run some of the loops. Instead I stayed closer to my brother's house and ran through the Cuba Meadows Preserve. It was about 90 and humid so I decided to follow Falstaff's advice (discretion is the better part of valor) and limited my runs to about 4-5 miles both days.

It was still humid on Tuesday for the hill workout and while I participated, I only did the warm up/warm down loops to meet with the group.

The prep for Wednesday's meet was for naught as the event schedule changed, and even though the 400 was advertised for the six week series, it was to happen on this night. Oh well, not the end of the world. Thursday was a good track workout. I might end up missing the next meet so I'll just have more time to prepare for the next time.

End of recap....

The hardest thing

Good hill workout tonight. I feel a little guilty in that I did not push as hard as I normally would. I have the first of the track meets tomorrow night. My first crack at the 400. But a good workout overall and good conversation with the smaller than normal group.

At one point in the warm down run, one of my running poems crafted many years ago came up out of the depths of the archives. I found it cool to have come up from memory so quickly like that. Well, I'll admit that I had been thinking of it off and on and had even gone looking for a written copy of it but I was unsuccessful in that effort which may have got the mind to working its wonders.

While I still remember it:

The hardest thing
is the getting up
out of
the soft easy chair

walking to the hall
to reach for my
shirt and shorts

once that far
yesterday's lingering sweat
takes over

Any day you can run is a good day, enjoy it!

Vacation week - recap

The trip to central Pennsylvania provided the opportunity for a couple of good runs over new terrain twice this week. On our way into Weikert, I had marked out what I thought would be the five mile mark and set to run to that last Sunday. I made it there and back again, 39 minutes out, 41 minutes back but it wasn't exactly five miles. The spot turned out to be 4.5 miles away for a total run of nine miles. Close, and all-in-all a good run. Rolling farm country. Tree covered ridges along the perimeter.

On Wednesday, I ran to the 2.5 mile mark I had noted when measuring the Sunday run. The same rolling farm country but shorter distance made for a different run. The weather was cooler so that also helped. I went out in 22 minutes and came back in 21. A good run.

On Thursday, I did 8 x 100 meter pickups at the track and then a good 200. The weather was cooler still (about 50 degrees) and I was cautious warming up and striding to see that I was good and loose before turning on some speed.

On Saturday, I ran with my daughter for an easy four miles through town and then went on to add on another two mile loop for a total of six for the day.

Today there were four of us for the Pacer's ten mile group (there were seven others for the six mile run). I managed to stay with the other three until about the four mile mark when they started to pick up the pace. I left out a one mile loop at the five mile mark and turned back to finish the course with four miles to go. I knew that with four to go, getting ahead of the other three would help to keep my pace up so they would not catch me before the finish. If I had stayed behind them, I would have continued to loose contact with them and ended up running slower (and one less mile) but the pace/effort was more important than the extra mile. I did slow somewhat but managed to stay enough on pace so that they did not catch me.

The first open track meet at the high school comes up on Wednesday. My first shot at running the 400. There will be five more times to meet my goal. Hopefully, I will meet it without needing to use all six attempts. Based upon what I have done thus far, it may still take a couple of tries. It will depend on how fresh I am coming into Wednesday.

With the Pacers hill workout scheduled for Tuesday's I may have to adjust what I would do there at least once. We'll see how it goes.

I hope your running finds you healthy and fresh.

If not, what can you change to be fresh for a run?

If you would like some suggestions, post a comment or send me an email.

Enjoy!

Friday night

Track work out last night went well. Only a couple of weeks until the summer open meets start on July 13th. That will bring the first of 6 opportunities to run the 400 M and meet or exceed my goal time. Ran 6 x 200's last night. Felt pretty good. Stayed strong through the six repeats. Did not drop as fast as I wanted to but I started at 33, dropped to 32 for the next 2 and then to 31 for the last three. Not bad for the first time on the track in three weeks.

Will need to do some 100's before coming back to the track. Need to try and get the legs turning quicker. Will work that into one or more of my runs in the next couple of days.

Heading out of town for a bit. To the wilds of central PA to visit some friends there. Will have new roads and territory to explore.

Catch you later. Happy running!

Good Hill Workout Summary

Active.com has a good hill workout summary at this link.

I missed the weekly hill workout with the Pacers this week. My wife and I went to see James Taylor in concert at the Tweeter Center. I managed to get up early and get in a three mile run before catching the train to head to work in Boston. So it was not a "lost" running day.

Our workout is fairly repetitive but open for varying speeds and efforts. I have found another location that has a good one mile loop with a nice up and down hill portion. This loop would make for some good workouts over the one mile distance. As folks get into marathon training mode, this would be a good alternative.

The advantage our current location has is the two sides of the hill (one shorter, one longer than the other) is good for the group. We can do each side at our pace, gather at the top and recover down together to share the reinforcement and encouragement we all need to make it back up again.

MIT Weblog Survey

Interesting survey... I wonder what the results will tell us?

Follow the link to join the survey... the more the better the data

Another warm day, another milestone

Yes, 70 degrees at 6:30 AM. Not a good thing for a long run today. Oh well.

I felt good for the first 7, then lost contact with the pack and slowed pace but hung on to finish the 10 mile run scheduled for today. The small water bottle I carried with me provided some refreshment, wetting my whistle, and some cooled my head. I switched hands carrying it to help concentrate on stride and rhythm. It gradually lost weight and was easier to carry as the miles clicked away.

As I drove home from our rendezvous point I noticed some things in the neighborhood that I did not see as I was coming through to finish. In particular, a new lawn got sprayed with that green stuff that will spout grass seed in a couple of days. Some of the spray came right out across the sidewalk into the road, and it either happened after I passed, or I guess I was really focusing on the finish and not being observant of the changes in the neighborhood. Hard to miss.

This week's mileage tallies out for over 500 miles for the year to date. At this rate, a plus 1000 mile year is very possible.

May the roads/trails be kind to you!

From Curt Rosengren at The Occupational Adventure

Staying motivated can be one of the hardest parts of creating a career that really lights you up. It's not an overnight, push-button process. It takes time and effort for it to unfold, and it's really easy to stray off the path, especially if you're doing it alone (versus working with someone like me).

Taking a look at what motivates you and building that into your process can help. What motivates you? Is it competition? Is it somehow keeping score? Is it rewarding yourself for your efforts?

So what is your motivation to run? to run well?

Do you have a race in mind?

What is your short term goal?
What is your long term goal?

10 miles is easy in this weather

Yes, nice today in New England. 48 degrees as I head out the door this morning to join the Pacers for the 10 mile run today. Last week it was already 79 and humid at this time. Oh, it was so much easier to run today.

Now, the 10 miler was still work but it was worth it. Good pacing overall, I even felt I could pick it up a bit for the finish. This caps a 25 mile week, including Thursday's pub run, yesterday's race (3rd overall 5K time). Into a new groove running wise. A few weeks of these 10 milers will pay off in dropping down a notch on the pace chart as my strength builds and I can hold the race pace longer.

My thanks to the Pacer buddies who came out to run today and especially those who did the 10 to keep me company.

Keep on running!

Quick recap

The weather has stayed cool and overcast with showers here and there. Quite a break from the oven we had been in.

Thursday was our first Pub Run. It was originally a simple affair for our club. Rendezvous at a tavern in nearby Wrentham, run a loop or two there and finish the evening with some conversation, food and liquid refreshment. A conversation or two took place and before we knew it, another club (the Wampanoag Road Runners) were joining us for an event now part of a "Summer Series" posted out on Cool Running.

It was fun. About 35 of us ran, some faster than others, some more competitive than others. I did my thing running with a team mate for the 5K loop, then another one joined me for 2 more miles before we rejoined the group for the promised conversation, food and liquid refreshment.

A good workout and a good night overall!

Grateful for the weather break

Yes, the weather turned here in New England today. And quickly. Dropping from mid-80's to mid-50's in a few hours.

It was a good thing it did. I was dreading tonight's hill work out in the heat. After running three races last week (yes, that was a bit much) and then 10 miles on Sunday in the heat, I was not sure how it would go tonight.

But it felt like a different day! Almost considered breaking out the long sleeve shirt.

Sprinting to good health

From AOL Health although ultimately from WebMD, comes the result of this study that

Just six minutes of intense exercise a week can keep people as fit as three hour-long jogs, Canadian researchers report in the June issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology.

Is there a catch? Of course. Those six minutes come from four 30-second bursts of all-out effort with four-minute rests in between each sprint. This "sprint interval training" adds up to three 20-minute sessions a week, says Martin J. Gibala, PhD, associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

So if you are wavering out there about whether to do the hill workouts or the track intervals, here is more evidence that these workouts do pay off.

The idea of sprint interval training is at least 70 years old. Elite athletes often train this way. But this elite training technique has only recently come under scientific scrutiny. How well can it work? Gibala and colleagues looked at the effect of just a few training sessions.

They enrolled 18 college students in their study. All were "recreationally active," although none of these 21- to 27-year-old students was engaged in any kind of structured athletic training. All the students practiced using a special stationary bicycle used to test fitness capacity.

After the practice sessions, half the students got two weeks off. The other half did six sessions of sprint interval training over the same two weeks. What happened?

Those who didn't train didn't improve. But just those six sessions of sprint interval training increased the students' endurance capacity by 100%. And tests showed that their muscles were burning oxygen much more efficiently.

If you just want to maintain your health, as the call to arms from Halley indicates needs to be done, then do some speed work.

If you want to improve your running, your performance in any race distance, short or long, you need to do some speed work.

If you would like details on what program to do for your circumstance, please contact me and I can work something out for you.

Happy running!

Self Induced Passion

Found this reference to reinforce the point I was making yesterday:

The idea is to shift your mindset about exercise from "I should exercise" or "I have to exercise" to "I want to exercise". The author identifies four ingredients for intrinsic motivation: vision, mastery, flow and energy.

Vision is about imagining yourself as the person you want to be, whether that is an exerciser, or a healthy eater or whatever it is you want to change about yourself. As you know, you are what you think, so if you start thinking of yourself as the person you want to be NOW (even if you don't feel like it!) eventually you will become that person!

Thanks Beth (Elisabeth Freeman)! Read the full article here.

Norfolk Race Results

My third race this week was also hot (in the 80's) but in the morning (9:00 AM start) and along country roads on a rolling course so it was better than it could have been had the race been held later in the day. I was not expecting a third PR although I was hoping for it.

You can do a lot with your imagination. It is the first step to getting beyond what you have done before. You need to think about it. You need to imagine it. In my high school and college days when I high jumped, the preparation also included the visualization in my mind of making the leap over the bar and falling onto the mats. If I could not visualize the successful leap, it did not happen.

The visualization, the imagination, fosters the execution. Practice (i.e. workouts, which are aptly named) help you to execute at that performance level that you will need to do come race time. Successful execution in practice will lead to successful performances come race day.

The mind and body need to be operating together. So there will be days when they almost come together, days when they perfectly come together (and you wants lots of these), and days when they just don't make it together.

The reality of the third race this week struck. The body would not maintain the goal pace and I slowed each mile. It was still a good workout. I still learned something from the race. I know I need to work on my strength. The race performances confirmed that for me. I was not able to run negative splits. However, the week was still a success (three good races, 2 PR's).

Some good workouts to look forward to over the next week before another race next Saturday. Hopefully, the weather will be cooler for that one. If not, we'll certainly be better prepared for the heat.

Happy running!

Hollis Race Results

The race in Hollis was a good one. Well organized with markers on each of the half mile marks, it made keeping track of your pace very easy. It was advertised as a down hill race but was really more of a rolling course, gradually down but with up rolls in it along the way.

I ran well keeping close to pace long the way and getting a PR for the 5K distance. Full results are located on Cool Running.

Two races down this week, one to go.

JPMorganChase Corporate Challenge

The JPMorganChase Corporate Challenge race in Boston was the event of the day. 12,000 runners hit the streets at 7:15 PM with the temperature still in the upper 80’s for their individual 3.5 mile jaunt out Commonwealth Ave to Kenmore Square and back to the Boston Common. This is always a crowded race but I managed to get a good spot about 30 feet from the starting line. As opposed to previous years where I was passing walkers in the first mile, I was making my way at a comfortable pace, only getting passed by some faster runners, as I made my way through the first mile in about 7:40. This pace was a little fast for the heat but otherwise right in the range where I wanted to be. The water bottle that I brought with me for my pre-race preparations, I decided not to discard and instead made use of it during the race, taking sips along the way as my mouth got dry. This also helped me maintain pace (gain time) as I stayed away from the water stops and avoided the inevitable slow down for the water cup exchange.

I missed seeing the sign for the two mile mark but was at 23:20 for three miles (just off my finish time for the previous 5K race I had run). I maintained stride and pace coming into the finish, no need to pick it up and show off here. This performance was already a personal record (PR) for me and I have two more races remaining to run this week.

My final time of 27:18 was just over a minute better than my previous bests of 28:20 and 28:22 for this race.

The amazing part of the race was I knew one other Norfolk County Pacer was running as well with his company. I did not know what color shirt his company team had so I had little hope of really finding him. Standing in the group before the start, I was looking around trying to see if I might find him. I recognized a running cap just in front of me that was similar to his and as I looked closer the body type was also a match. Stepping forward, I started to hear the conversation and the voice was a match. Yes, of all the places to find a running buddy, right in front of me at the start. How about finding that needle in the haystack of 12,000 runners?

A 6 Minute Difference - Janet Furman Bowman

This article by Cynthia Gorney in the June 2005 issue of Runner's World touches on a delicate issue. The subtitle is a little more revealing: "Ever wonder how much faster (or slower) you'd run if you were the opposite sex? Janet Furman Bowman may be the only runner in America who knows."

The running performance change has been over two minutes per mile slower as Janet than he/she was as Jim. The person who runs as Janet today once ran a 5:05 mile, 17:02 5K, and a 3:01 marathon. The article covers the changes he and his friends in the Tamalpa Running Club in Marin County, California went through as he changed from a male to a female.

In this day of drug testing and drug evasions, this article was enlightening in showing another side to the story. Usually, it is a male or female taking hormone treatments to boost their performance. Here the sexual transformation from a male to a female was dealt with in a sensitive manner.

For the full story, read here.

Good Workout Tonight

We had a good group of Pacers out on the track tonight. Effectively worked in two groups. One did 4 x 800, the other did two sets of 3 x 400. Each person worked on their pace and generally found someone to either run with or key off. Good work and good encouragement for each other. This makes it a whole lot easier to do.

A subset of the group ran a 3 mile loop in the neighborhood after. Nice weather for running, not too hot, not too cool. Some breeze but not hindering.

Looking forward to more days like this!

With travel this weekend, I'll miss the group run Sunday. Then next week is the big race week; big in that there are three races; Tue, Thu and Sat.

The week after that is our first pub run. We will meet at a nearby pub, run a loop (or two) and finish with some liquid refreshments. So I won't be back on the track for three weeks!

Wow, time does fly when you are having fun!

Good Hill Workout

Joined with other Pacers for our normal hill workout Tuesday.

Coming off my first ten mile run on Sunday, I was not sure how my legs would be for the workout. I was very pleased with what I was able to do overall. I was careful to run negative splits and did that successfully. Next time, I want to go negative splits again but start off a bit faster and maintain the same time drop from split to split. That should help with building my strength.

Happy running!

Sharpen the saw

I like the 7 Habits of Highly Successful People. I was fortunate to hear Dr. Covey speak at a conference many years ago. I keep a small sticker with the seven habits on my daily notebook as a handy reminder.

At the end of this full weekend, sharpen the saw comes readily to mind. I need my rest. A short but full week remains.

• Hill workout Tuesday night, track workout Thursday night.
• Fly to the Baltimore area Friday.
• Find somewhere to run in the morning Saturday.
• Drive to Shepardstown, WV and stay overnight there.
• Find somewhere to run in the morning Sunday before returning home.

Almost anything is possible when one is prepared for it, and rest (i.e. sleep) is a key component of preparation.

The weekly view of recent years

weekly_chart_ytd_20050529
Originally uploaded by shersteve.

This shows the same period of recent years but with the miles by week.

The vacations stick out. The injury periods more so.

The long road back to this fitness level has been gradual and successful.

The way to the next level of fitness will be as gradual and hopefully as successful.

May the wind be at your back and the roads/trail kind to you!

Running Chart YTD May 2005

Running Chart YTD May 2005
Originally uploaded by shersteve.

Milestone day today. Ran 10 miles for the first time in over 20 years. So time to celebrate, maybe take a nap this afternoon. Certainly keep moving just enough to keep the liquids at hand; water, juice, some coffee for now. A good cold one later.

This chart reflects the steady progress that I have made recently with a yearly view of the numbers.

Thanks to the Pacers for the help/inspiration to do it today. I wish all a good family weekend!

Speak easy - the talk test

Another article from the March Runner's World is worth highlighting here. I have used this for most of my 30 plus years running and it works. When advising someone who is just starting to run, or when keeping tabs on a group running together, the talk test is a quick and easy way to find out if you are going too fast or just fast enough.

If you can carry an almost normal conversation, you are doing okay.
If you can not, then you are going too fast.

The article by John Hanc goes into more details including references to a study at the Univ. of Wisconsin-LaCrosse using the Pledge of Allegiance. A good read.

So when doing a speed workout, don't expect to carry on a conversation.
When running real easy, you should be able to converse normally.
And on a good paced run, the conversation may be continued but in a stop and pause manner.

Enjoy the run!

Rules to guide your running success

I was catching up to the March issue of Runner's World. Yes, I got behind and actually out of sequence as I found both the March and June issues in my bag today. I have been traveling by car to work more frequently (rather than taking the train) and I miss the training reading time. So heading home for this long weekend, there was no better reason than trying to catch up.

March was a good issue. I like this article by Dagny Scott Barrios in particular as it lists the 10 Laws to follow when coming back from injury, but really I think these rules of running should apply all the time.

The rules are listed here with my comments in italics. For additional details follow the link to Runner's World.

1 - Increase mileage gradually
no more than 10% per week

2 - Increase intensity gradually
I had not worked out a percent, Dagny calls for no more than 2-3%

3 - Increase mileage before speed
yes, always put the mileage in before switching to work on speed

4 - Alternate hard efforts with rest
hard/easy is something to live by, especially as you get older, the body needs its recovery time

5 - Pay attention to early warning signs
listen to your body with more than your ears, it will tell you whatever you need to know, it may takes some time to understand what it is telling you, but listen so you can eventually put two and two together

6 - Wear the right running shoes
yes, good fit, good support is imperative. I also go back to something once attributed to John Wooden (great basketball coach for UCLA), I tie my shoes with the right shoelace over the left. It is a little thing but it is part of the mindset, do right always.

7 - Mix it up
variety is the spice of life but by having a routine, you can adjust it or break it. With no routine, there is no adjustment needed but there also won't be the benchmarks needed to determine progress

8 - Increase your flexibility and strength
just because you run doesn't mean you are fit. Pay attention to your upper body. Arm strength actually helps maintain your speed and rhythm.

9 - Vary your workouts and terrain
if you run a loop course is especially important to alternate sides of the road, or run the course the opposite way the next time to avoid an imbalance by running on the same side of the crown in the road. Remember that concrete is harder than asphalt, asphalt is harder than dirt, dirt is harder than grass...

10 - Fuel properly
in addition to fuel (read diet) I would also add to obtain proper sleep

These should help to avoid injury and ensure a good run whenever you lace up those shoes!

NC Pacer workout for Thursday 5/26/05

I won't make the track workout (rain or otherwise) as I have a school event conflict. I will try to get my own run in some how, worse case with the long weekend, I'll go Friday instead of tomorrow.

Anyway, for those who do the track workout, here is the assignment:

minimum half mile warm up
400
600
800
600
400
minimum half mile warm down

Remember to remain consistent at your pace. You should know what it is at least having run some of the workouts previously. If not, run the 400 see how it goes and then maintain the pace for the other intervals.

Pace requires practice.
Pace requires discipline.

You can do it.
Enjoy!

Weather woes

I benefit from a scheduled off day today. New England is in the middle of a slow moving nor'easter that is blowing heavy winds and driving rain. It is rather depressing.

One benefit is that for those who thought that they might like to live in the Pacific Northwest, they get to try it out here without having to move.

The Pacers got together for the normal hill work last night. It was breezy and misty but not bad overall. Once into the mile warm up, most of us were warm enough and the hill work was good.

Scheduled for some track pace work on Thursday but more rain is in the forecast so we'll see what happens.

Track or no track workout, running is on the schedule, rain or no rain. Just do it!

Race day reflections

Yes, the race day came and went quickly. The weather held. It was overcast, threatening but the rain stayed away. It was cool and raw, high 40's low 50's, so I wore my good long sleeve weather and team t-shirt over it.

The Norfolk County Pacers team had a real good turnout, members running, members volunteering and family members volunteering.

Cool Running has the official results here. The Pacer web site will get into team specifics soon.

The course was good, the first half mile basically up hill, then it flattened out through the turnaround point and stayed flat until the 2 mile marker when it sloped down hill until about a half mile from the finish when it flattened out again.

Recall my previous post on maintaining discipline at the start, I did. I ran negative splits finishing in my second best 5K time. A good workout. A good race to build on.

I also ended up getting 3rd in my age group. I need to do some more analysis but I think the age group winners should be more variable than 3 per category per sex. Come on, with all due respect, two runners in the 70-79 category walked away with awards (and on the one hand, they should just for coming out at that age), yet there was really healthy competition in the 40-49 category (including the overall winner) which "deprived" someone else of getting an award. I would make it a rule that you don't get two awards. If you won the race overall, you don't need to pick up the male age group. My two cents.

What do you think?

Race day approaches

It is early in the season and a race is coming up this weekend. I have had good workouts recently but I am concerned that I may not be able to consider this race as more of a workout than a race. I need to keep my head straight, stay focused and not get caught up in the race hype.

Milestone Day

Yes, a milestone reached today. According to the log book, 366 miles in 70 days so far this year. Which importantly is 2 more miles than all of last year which also took 55 more days to accomplish.

Averaging 5.2 miles per day now versus 2.9 miles last year is a significant factor.

Staying healthy certainly is a major factor. Only two days missed due to a bad cold/flu and nothing missed due to an injury.

Joining the Norfolk County Pacers is the third major factor. Having a good bunch of folks to run with is always a good thing.

If you are not already part of a local running club where you are, you might consider it.

It is a good feeling to know your buddies are running with you!

How do you improve your running?

Stuck in a rut. Need to improve. Need to go farther and faster but not sure how?

Listen up, you're in the right place.

Improvement takes time, so be patient. Work out your plan.

You can increase your mileage gradually or increase your intensity.
Yes, there is a choice. I would not recommend doing both at once.
If you attempt to do both, your body will ultimately have a problem.

I recommend increasing your mileage gradually. No more than 10% per week.
Keeping the pace the same, you can increase your mileage.
If you ran 20 miles last week, then this week you can go 22.
How? Add one mile to two of your longer runs.
Or add both miles to your long run.
But keep the pace the same (or slower if you need to).

Do the same 22 the next week, and the week after.
Get comfortable with the distance at this pace.

Then work to increase the intensity.
You should be stronger now and it should be easier to increase the pace.
Again, go for small increases.

Listen to your body.
It will let you know what you can do.
And if you are listening to it: when to back off, or go forward with the next increment.

By this progression of increasing mileage gradually,
then increasing intensity,
you will find your self running better,
running stronger and improving your race times.

This will work for you.
If it does not, let me know and I will help you.

Pace - What is yours?

I think this is a big question that runners should not avoid.

What is your race pace?
What is your normal workout pace?
I think you need to know.

Where are you today? Where do you want to be?
These are also important questions that knowing your pace will help you answer.

The old adage proclaims: any road will get you there if you do not know where you are going.

I prefer to know where I am as well as where I am going.
Much of the fun is encountered getting there, not just when you have arrived there.

I am currently running about an 8 minute mile for my road work.
(My best recent race was at an average of 7:40 per mile.)

My goal is to get back closer to the 6:00/6:15 mile pace I ran when I was younger for the 5K and 10K races.

I also have a goal to break 60 seconds for 400 meters. (I got down to 65 during last summer of 2003.)

Yes, that is quite a way to go. I think I can do it.

Tuesday is hill work: 1.5 miles hard up hill, 1.5 miles easy recovery with a mile warm up and another mile warm down for a total 5 mile work out. The up hill sections are broken out into six parts. We go up the long side hard (approx. .3 mile), down the short side (approx. .2 mile) easy. Up the short side hard, down the long side easy. Repeat three times.

Thursday has been a good steady distance run of 4-6 miles. The Norfolk County Pacers will start some track workouts this week to start to answer the pace question.

I'll be assisting the runners in finding their pace on the quarter mile track and work on my own pacing as well.

Saturday will be a good distance day and so will Sunday. If I have a race on the weekend, Saturday will be less effort/distance to prepare for the race. With no race, I should be able to gradually cover 14-18 miles over the two days. I am currently at 6 and 8, and working towards 6 and 12.

Four days of good steady effort and three days of rest and recovery in the week.
Currently about 20 miles per week and I want to move that closer to 30.
Staying healthy, with good weather and a cooperative schedule, I think this is doable.

I'll keep you posted.

Some days the motions are enough

Yes, as much as you try, as much as you prepare, there are days you just don't have it.

Tonight was one of those nights. Hill work scheduled with the Pacers.
Half way up the first one, coming around the corner,
tried to shift into the next gear, and there was nothing there.
The legs never got going. There was no "second wind".
There was nothing in the tank.

So you make the best of it. You go through the motions.
You concentrate on your form. On doing what you can.

And then it will be over for that day. You can rest, recover
and enjoy the next day when it will be better.

Book Review: Running with the Buffaloes by Chris Lear

I gotta chuckle when I saw the sponsored links found on the Amazon.com page for this book. AT Cross (the pen company) and cross stitch references popped up. Not exactly the same kind of cross as in "cross country" but a typical computer generated "clueless" mistake. Now, if Arthur Lydiard had written some books on cross stitch that would be a different story.

Chris Lear spent the entire cross country season with the University of Colorado Buffaloes, from opening practice session through to the end of the season NCAA championships. The training miles, the meets, and events outside of the practice sessions interwine to become the story of the season. There are highs and lows. There is drama and tragedy. Life goes on, the team keeps on running.

Cross country is one unique sport where individualism is desired and teamwork is rewarded. As one who has run on several teams in high school and college, Chris has captured the essence of cross country.

The success of the Buffaloes is partly due to the training methodology of the coach, Mark Wetmore. He has built his system upon the work of the great New Zealand coach, Arthur Lydiard. For those on the inside of running, the Lydiard way is not an easy path to success (there are "no" easy roads) but one that if followed, will bring success. It emphasizes building your aerobic capacity. Physiologically, the methodology is sound. As scientific as the methodology is, it needs to be applied with the skill of an artist. The body is a wonderful thing. Get 10-15 healthy bodies together on a team and the coaching experience can be a challenge. However, the moments of success are rewarding.

You get to live these moments with Chris and the Buffaloes. This is a book well worth the time to read.

Enjoy!

Best Wishes for the Boston Marathoners!

The early weather report says it may be in the 70's on Monday, race day.

I hope for all your sake's that Mother Nature does not turn up the heat so much.

Don't overdo the water you drink.

Water is actually quite effective just poured on your head so it can run down your back in the heat.

Run well!


PS - lite blogging alert, heading away from the network for a spell. See you on the other side.

Yes, hill running is good for you!

The Norfolk County Pacers have a Tuesday night hill workout. We generally got 6-10 runners during the winter and hopefully will get some more in the spring through fall day light hours. We start at 6:30 in the parking lot at the top of the hill and do a warm up run down one side, a loop around a couple of blocks through the neighborhood at the bottom to get to the other side and then up and over to our starting point.

The hill has a "long" gradual up section (approx. 3 tenths of a mile). The short side is a little steeper (approx. 2 tenths). Our workout consists of a hard run up the long side, recover the short. Hard up the short, recover the long. We repeat this 3 times.

The total workout is just over 5 miles. 3 miles of hills and the mile loop twice for the warm up and warm down.

I have seen the benefits personally of this training. I took two minutes off my 5K time from November to February.

Catching up to some back issues of Runner's World, I found in the February issue an article by Amby Burfoot with some scientific studies to highlight the benefits of this training.

You can read the full article here.

Some key takeaways for me:

A 1977 article in the European Journal of Applied Physiology concluded that runners who followed an intense six-week program of hard uphill running enjoyed "significant improvements in training distances, anaerobic capacity, and strength."

A chapter in the International Olympic Committee's 1992 book Endurance and Sport reported a study of runners who did 12 weeks of regular training, plus "hill training with 'bounce running.'" After the 12 weeks, the subjects' running economy (or how efficiently they ran) increased by an average of three percent.

Arthur Lydiard had a hill routine that was part of his athletes regular training that is not so different from our NC Pacer Tuesday night workout (we would need to add the short sprints at the bottom of the hills).

Of course, not everyone appreciates hills. Nor can, or should, everyone run hills.

But for those who do, it is worth it!

Overcoming fear and doubt

Can I complete the marathon?

Will I achieve my goal time?

What if ... fill in the blanks ...?

Negative thoughts are not good. They breed easily from one another.
They grow cancerous and dangerous.

What you need to do is to replace every negative thought with a positive one.

As Curt mentions, replace a red balloon with a green balloon.

It can be as simple as The Little Engine That Could.

I think I can.
I think I can.
I know I can!
I know I can!

As Curt mentions:

"You are what you think, so think what you want yourself to be."

Top performance

Runners dream about getting a "runners high". I feel fortunate to have had that a few times in my life. Running was special at each of those moments. Yes, the sensation rivaled sex.

But what brings it on? Can you prepare for it to occur on race day?

It is not likely but always possible.

This posting from Fred Gratzon at The Lazy Way provide this insight:

Top performances flow without any mental interference whatsoever.

We have all experienced that even though we may have mastered all the physical aspects of a sport, we lose the ability to perform them well under pressure. Therefore, it seems to me that teaching how to think (and more importantly how to not think) will bring success more quickly than teaching how to replicate the stroke of a great athlete.

"Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch
course, the space between your ears." Bobby Jones

The hard part is what to think about.
Thinking about nothing is actually the best.

Inspirational Marathon Journey

If you ever needed a little inspirational story to get your heart going and a tear (or more) in the corner of your eyes, read about William Tan. The Boston Sunday Globe Magazine piece reveals:

Tan, it turned out, was interested in blazing a new path: He hoped to do Antarctica as part of an attempt at completing seven marathons on seven continents in 70 days, culminating with Boston one week from tomorrow. Each race would be a fundraiser for charities, including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Jimmy Fund.

William is coming to Boston to complete his task.
William is not your normal runner.
He is competing in a wheelchair!

I applaud his drive, his courage, his passion to succeed.

William, good luck in Boston!

Boston Marathon Prep

Only a week away from the running of the 109th BAA Boston Marathon. A number of folks from the Norfolk County Pacers are planning for this race. Their long runs are behind them now. They are looking to taper in the remaining days.

Simply: tapering is less running, more resting. You should run relaxed. You can go a little faster but the overall effort needs to be less to stay fresh. You need to be ready for what Mother Nature will bring for you on Marathon Monday.

During your runs this week, think through your preparations for the race.
Focus on the positives!
You have accomplished a lot thus far.
You have run long.
You have in all kinds of weather.
Visualize yourself on the course.
Running in control.
Running with encouragement from the crowd.

Put your name somewhere visible. The crowd will shout it out to cheer you on.
Go Jim! Go Scott! Go Sheila!
It would be better to hear "go Todd or Mike"
than "you in the white shirt" !

The Boston Globe Magazine article today focuses on some of the similar preparations by Boston area runners.

Be sure to check out the picture gallery.

Do not get swept away in the emotions of the race.
Run smart.
Make it a race worthy of all the training you have put into it.

Enjoy it!

At one with the world

It is pouring rain, and more rain, today.
I did get a good run in.
Sometimes, the rain helps.

I needed to be warm to get going.
It was 38 and felt like 30 so I wore my tights,
long sleeve top, t-shirt and baseball cap.
Did not want a jacket.
More to wear, more water weight to carry.
Oh, and my old glittens (glove mitten combo).

Did my Jordan Road loop in reverse
from the normal way I run it.
Reverse provides for a different view,
a tougher hill, but a familiar route.

Felt good. Legs loose, strong.
Striding on my toes.
Avoiding puddles.
Cap keeping the rain out of my eyes.

Birds chirping all around.
They're not bothered by the rain.

Cars, vans, trucks
all Saturday morning traffic.
Off the main road finally onto Jordan.
Quieter here. Still birds around
perhaps commenting on my running style
or craziness to be out in the rain.

The miles disappear behind me.
The gutter continues to challenge me
with puddles and road detritus.
Legs still strong coming up the last hill
to the home stretch
this will be a good one.
Overall 3 minutes faster than
I ran this in December (according to the log).

An easy warm down around the block
adds another half mile,
lets the moment of success linger
legs recover, catch my breath
and then finally walk the last
bit to the house and out of the rain.

Remembering Creeley's line:
"... wet with a decent happiness."