Friday, April 24, 2009

Blue Hills Revisited

This weekend I am returning to the Blue Hills Reservation for the Colonial Road Runners' 4th Annual Fox Trot 10 mile trail race. I did this race back in 2007 finishing 16th overall and 2nd in my age group running 1:07:54. One month later I was injured and developed some medical problems that kept me from running a single step for over 8 months.

I'm running again but I'm not able to train with the same intensity I had pre-injury. I have slowed considerably an will be lucky to come within 30 minutes of my previous time in this Sunday's Race. That doesn't deter me though. I'm happy that I'm still able to plod along at any pace. It's not that I've lowered bar for myself, it's just that I have to be realistic with my training and racing goals given my ongoing health problems.

My goals for the race are simple:

  1. Don't get hurt. Not as easy as it sounds. I trip and fall a lot ;-) plus I am still dealing with a weak/injured right ankle.

  2. Score some points in the Eastern New England Trail Race Series. The Fox Trot is the 3rd race on the 2009 schedule but it will be my first ENE race this season.

  3. Have fun. My pals Kevin and Rob with be running as well. I hope our respective running paces will at least keep us running together for some of the race.

  4. Go for pancakes after the race.

Hey, a man's got to eat!

6 comments:

  1. Good luck Dan! That 2007 performance was a serious time!!

    I hear you about just wanting to get out there...I'm still racing even though I'm having issues... just can't bring myself to take time away from racing...even if I'm not running as fast as this time last year...

    Best of luck.

    - JJ

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  2. Dan,good luck and enjoy yourself! It's a new running era, so you need to establish new PRs. The old with the old, the new with the new:) Ana

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  3. I hear ya Dan! I am cautiously optimistic, and with the weather being warmer than usual, I think it will be a fun race. I just read the field is full at 250, so it will be busy out there! I am still feeling some remnants of the long run Monday, so we'll see. I am just excited that I get to race this weekend, and again the following weekend, AND again the next weekend. Though the GAC is the only race I am nervous about... See Ya Sunday!

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  4. JJ, I think if you're able to forget about pace for a while and just enjoy the fact that you are doing something you love, you realize running slower isn't the end of the world.

    AM, that my plan. Set some newer but slower PRs. Is that allowed?

    RR, it's going to be a hot one out there. Don't worry about the GAC race. You'll be fine.

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  5. Hope you have a great run, Dan. I'll be looking for a report. My times aren't at all what they used to be either. I struggle with that sometimes, but then I tell myself to celebrate what I can do now! Not always easy to do, but I knew I was doing well with it when I was literally jumping up and down after last year's Vermont 50 saying, "yay, only 45 minutes slower than last time I did it!"

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  6. Hi Dan, Have a great time on the Blue Hills! I'll be getting all muddy in NH with the moooses..or is that meises or mooooooose? Will miss pancakes! It's gong to be HOT! I just spent 4 hours officiating a track meet. I am crispy chicken, so relieved that we're all going into the woods.
    Rob, you will be fine at the 6 hour run. just don't go out too fast. I can help you go painfully slow on the first laps.
    chow chow and nurse the ankle Dan.!!!

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