Refereeing and getting old!

I'm told that New Hampshire and Vermont are peak this weekend but the leaves are really starting to turn here in good old Massachusetts. The pool this morning had a fairly decent layer so I guess the pool guys will be coming out soon to close her down. That truly is the benchmark for the end of summer. Oh well.

Fall also brings the start of the AAU and Rec League basketball which is good by me as it helps to put some $ in my pocket by refereeing. The only downsides, it really gets tough on the body trying to ref somewhere between 5 to 10 games over a weekend and get in a run (trail or road). But the money is good and I try to consider it like a sprint workout. Last weekend I reverted back to my old habits and didn't stretch AT ALL. Big mistake as I tweaked something in my lower back into my left hamstring. I did a couple runs this week and once I got out a bit it warmed up ok, but the mornings were tough getting up.

 

Well it sucks to get old, but what are you going to do, they haven't found a cure for that yet.

Took this picture yesterday as I was walking down Boylston Street - yup this is the "needs to be painted badly" finish line of the Boston Marathon.  Right around the corner from the hotel I run.  Hopefully I will be running over that in just less of 200 days. 

Be well all - Sank

Another Reason I Love Dogs

On the Road again and I added a Beer of the Week section

Wow what an absolutely crazy 4 days.  Friday involved picking the rosters for 4 youth basketball teams, one being my daughter Hannah's.  Saturday and Sunday was refereeing and more refereeing.  I looked on line to see what the average distance coverered when refereeing a high school game and it said between 3 and 5.  Well I couldnt really see that so I put it in at 2 miles per game and 2.5 for this one beast of a game.  I say beast only in that these were two of the best 17 year old teams in the New England and my partner and I ran our asses off.  Fun game to do though, lots of action above the rim.  Now generally before I started up running a month or so ago, the next day I would be doing my best Walter Brennan imitation limping around the house but I have to say that both Sunday and today I felt pretty damn good.
So tonite I get home a bit late and after doing all the games I decide that I will do a short 2.3 miles.  I was little concerned as I had tightened up a bit as the day progressed sitting in the office chair for a large part of the day, coupled with almost a 90 minute extended ride home but I went out regardless.  As I started the back of my legs were keeping me in check, but as I finished the later part come over a small hill I was pretty happy with my run.  8.25 pace and I thought after last week's run that it was going to be closer to 8.  I guess I have to think that the 7.49 pace was an error somewhere either distance or the watch.  Oh well it gives me something to shoot for, breaking 8 again.
Ok now to the libation part of the blog.  I finally added a Beer of the Week section to the left, along with a past winners section.  Just a place to show what I am drinking at the moment, a different beer related type of post or just a beer that I tried and liked enough to take the time to add it.  If you have one that you particularly like, please send it on over and I will happily try it out.
Be well all - Sank

Watch issue or one hell of a good run?

I get home tonite and decide that I have to start kicking up my base.  Not to mention that I really want to break 100 miles this month (I know not a very worth goal, but we all have to start somewhere).

So I run some afterwork errands and rush into the house to get my stuff on and to do the Old School loop.  It's a 4.17 mile run with a short loop at the end on a fairly busy street, which isnt the best when the sun's going down but I go off regardless.  I stretch out the IT band (boy those exercises are starting to pay some dividends) and off I go. 

Now when I started off I felt pretty good and went out kind of hard, but after 3/4's of a mile I settled in pretty well.  Occassionally I would feel my quads tighten up a little so I would slow down my stride a bit, try to kick out my legs to stretch out a bit, and when they weren't bothering me I would just settle in.  Almost 3/4's of the way done and I am coming down this slight decline and I really felt great.  The stride was great, quick and my breathing was very smooth.  Well to make a short story long, I shut off the watch as I hit the end of the driveway and into the house I go to enter it into my runningahead.com account.  And as I am entering everything I look at my pace and I ran 7:49 miles.  Are you shitting me?   7:49's!!!!!!!!!!!!  I know I felt good and all but to take off that type of time, if and I repeat (in caps) IF that is true I am so psyched right now!

Well I'll take it, short run if any tomorrow.  This weekend is going to be kind of crazy as I ref AAU basketball and I am committed to a bunch of games AND I want to get out on the roads and trails. 

Well if you look in the sky and see a light coming out of the Massachusetts area of the US, it is me glowing from tonite's run.  God I hope that watch was right :)

On a very minor "I am so bumming" note - I missed out on a sweet ebay bid on a Garmin 405cx.  :(

Be well - Sank

It's Official .......

200 Days 'til the 2010 Boston Marathon