I don't know how it has happened, but a number of things have come together for me this week. I got really inspired to run a few days ago. I think it was gradually building for a while, but I finally glanced through Ian's training logs on Monday and that tipped the balance. I was so inspired, it actually reminded me of how I felt about running for the first 2-3 years at Caltech. I suppose last year, with the end of Caltech in sight, injury problems galore, and a variety of other things, I had lost a lot of the motivation I had for running. I'll always be a runner and enjoy running. The dream, however, that if you run enough miles and training hard/smart enough, you can improve by leaps and bounds beyond what you imagined, has revisited me once more. It's incredible. I don't see it too often in other runners, but for some people it's there and you can just see that glimmer in their eye when they talk about running and getting fast.
And then, as though the stars had aligned. I get an email on the dormant Dudley house running club list from a fellow G1 saying that she is hoping to restart the Harvard running club and was holding a meeting on Wednesday. I called up Dave and we showed up on Wednesday to a small gathering of people. There are only 8 in the Harvard running club now, but I'm sure the numbers will climb. There was talk of going to club XC nationals in CT. Life is kinda exciting again.
Monday - 10/11/2010 - Nice moderate/easy run east along the Charles to BU and across the BU bridge. I found the outdoor exercise station and did some light abs and balancing stuff. I could feel the last 3 days of running, but otherwise it felt good.
Miles: 6
Tuesday - 10/12/2010 - Easy run west along the Charles, I think. I actually remember frighteningly little from this run, except that I was going quite easy.R achilles a bit sore, left shin muscle thing tight.
Miles: 5.4
Wednesday - 10/13/2010 - First meeting of the hopefully restarted Harvard running club. Dave, myself, Athena (she's fast!), and some guy name will or jim or ryan or something. Ran west along the charles to the arsenal street bridge and back on the otherside, finding some very nice grass. Dave was pushing the pace and none of us had the courage to slow down, so it ended up being 5ish miles at tempo pace, which for me now is around 7 - 7:15 pace. Tired but excited. Some post-workout glow going on. Also, ran by my adviser escaping lab at 4:30 pm.
Miles: 7.3
Thursday- 10/14/2010 - Showed up to the Malkin Gym right as the church bells were chiming 4 p.m. I was so impressed by my timeliness that I was shocked to see no one there. I waited for around ten minutes, and figured either they already left or they were actually meeting at 430. I left on a short easy run East along the Charles to that park thing and back. Then I saw Dave and Athena just leaving when I got back, right around 430. Turns out they met at 415 and waited 15 minutes for me. Oops. Well, a step in the right direction. Later in the evening, I joined the Doyle group: http://www.physics.harvard.edu/people/facpages/doyle.htm .
Miles: 4.8
Friday - 10/15/2010 - Cold and rainy. Ran the longish way to Cambridge Commons and did 5 laps. Felt fairly good actually once I warmed up.
Miles: 3.2
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Hints of being in shape.
I think it might actually be happening, just maybe.
10/4/2010 - Homework is stressful. I should fix that.
Miles:0
10/5/2010 - Some Laps at cambridge commons in the rain. Running again is not too shabby. Tired though.
Miles:2.5
10/6/2010 - 5 Laps at Cambridge commons in the mist. Felt okay, kinda crummy.
Miles: 2.7
10/7/2010 - Mid day run with Janine just as the weather cleared. Was pretty nice actually.
Miles: 4.1
10/8/2010 - An nice easy run along the river. Somewhat sleepy but feeling pretty good. I finished one of the loops and decided I wanted to run fast, so I did two 400m intervals at 1500m pace along the river. Felt good!
Miles: 5.2
10/9/2010 - Beautiful morning long run with Rosen west along the Charles. The weather was perfect January in Pasadena weather, with bright sun sparkling off the river. Somewhat sleepy after having trouble falling asleep last night , kinda sick, faded some mid run, but finished feeling good, quite good in fact. Then an afternoon escape of civilization for some climbing in western mass. A great day!
Miles: 7.8
10/10/10 - Regretfully off, but probably for the best. Had a good chat with Chieffers.
Miles: 0
Weekly Miles: 22
Perhaps some more even mileage this coming week, pending sleep of course.
10/4/2010 - Homework is stressful. I should fix that.
Miles:0
10/5/2010 - Some Laps at cambridge commons in the rain. Running again is not too shabby. Tired though.
Miles:2.5
10/6/2010 - 5 Laps at Cambridge commons in the mist. Felt okay, kinda crummy.
Miles: 2.7
10/7/2010 - Mid day run with Janine just as the weather cleared. Was pretty nice actually.
Miles: 4.1
10/8/2010 - An nice easy run along the river. Somewhat sleepy but feeling pretty good. I finished one of the loops and decided I wanted to run fast, so I did two 400m intervals at 1500m pace along the river. Felt good!
Miles: 5.2
10/9/2010 - Beautiful morning long run with Rosen west along the Charles. The weather was perfect January in Pasadena weather, with bright sun sparkling off the river. Somewhat sleepy after having trouble falling asleep last night , kinda sick, faded some mid run, but finished feeling good, quite good in fact. Then an afternoon escape of civilization for some climbing in western mass. A great day!
Miles: 7.8
10/10/10 - Regretfully off, but probably for the best. Had a good chat with Chieffers.
Miles: 0
Weekly Miles: 22
Perhaps some more even mileage this coming week, pending sleep of course.
Monday, October 4, 2010
The last days of summer
9/27/2010 - Foot still hurting a bit and homework.
Miles: 0
9/28/2010 - Raining today, so I couldn't hold myself from getting out and running some laps under the oak trees at cambridge commons. Running in the rain is our reward for putting in the miles all those other days. It will never cease to be pleasent, enjoyable, cathartic, and confidence inspiring.
Miles: 3.5
9/29/2010 - A nice short run with Jeff around cambridge commons, keeping the foot happy.
Miles: 3.5
9/30/2010 - It didn't look like I'd get around to running, but I was feeling pretty shitty, so I took off for the closest >20 story building I could see. Getting out felt great and for a once in a while I felt like exploring. It was a great warm day, perhaps the last of summer. Made it down into the BU campus, crossed the river at MIT and back. No foot pain either.
Miles: 6
10/1/10 - Rain looming all day. Started out almost 80 degrees, the last hurrah of summer. Wore my blue on white flower print shorts from Thailand and flip flops. The day ended up below 40 by the evening. Kinda felt like running, but didn't get around to it. QFT makes more sense now, though.
0
10/2/10 - A day so nice, I couldn't get any work done. Cool, but bright and sunny. Reminded me of January in Socal. A nice run west along the charles in the afternoon, moderate.
Miles: 6
10/3/10 - A bit hung over and feeling slightly sick, quite cold and windy. Went to the climbing gym. It was worth the hour long trek out there, but I wasn't left for any time for running.
Miles:0
Weekly Miles: 19
I think California is a mindset, not really a place that actually existed. It's a place that's so big and geographically diverse. It begs exploration. Every valley, every mountain, every mile of coastline is different. From Caltech, if you head 100 miles in each cardinal direction, think about where you land. To make it more dramatic, make it late Februrary. Drive 100 miles to the south and you are in San Diego, forever warm and sunny. Drive 100 miles to the North and you in one of the most beautiful high deserts in the US with poppy fields about to bloom and turn the horizon orange. Drive 100 miles to the East and you could be in idyllwild, having a cup of hot chocolate as giant snow flakes fall on towering evergreens. 100 miles to the West, well, you stop somewhere north of Malibu, where rolling green hills dotted with yellow flowers meet the ocean with white sand and palms. This February, if you are in L.A. with a car, try this, one day a weekend for a month.
Miles: 0
9/28/2010 - Raining today, so I couldn't hold myself from getting out and running some laps under the oak trees at cambridge commons. Running in the rain is our reward for putting in the miles all those other days. It will never cease to be pleasent, enjoyable, cathartic, and confidence inspiring.
Miles: 3.5
9/29/2010 - A nice short run with Jeff around cambridge commons, keeping the foot happy.
Miles: 3.5
9/30/2010 - It didn't look like I'd get around to running, but I was feeling pretty shitty, so I took off for the closest >20 story building I could see. Getting out felt great and for a once in a while I felt like exploring. It was a great warm day, perhaps the last of summer. Made it down into the BU campus, crossed the river at MIT and back. No foot pain either.
Miles: 6
10/1/10 - Rain looming all day. Started out almost 80 degrees, the last hurrah of summer. Wore my blue on white flower print shorts from Thailand and flip flops. The day ended up below 40 by the evening. Kinda felt like running, but didn't get around to it. QFT makes more sense now, though.
0
10/2/10 - A day so nice, I couldn't get any work done. Cool, but bright and sunny. Reminded me of January in Socal. A nice run west along the charles in the afternoon, moderate.
Miles: 6
10/3/10 - A bit hung over and feeling slightly sick, quite cold and windy. Went to the climbing gym. It was worth the hour long trek out there, but I wasn't left for any time for running.
Miles:0
Weekly Miles: 19
I think California is a mindset, not really a place that actually existed. It's a place that's so big and geographically diverse. It begs exploration. Every valley, every mountain, every mile of coastline is different. From Caltech, if you head 100 miles in each cardinal direction, think about where you land. To make it more dramatic, make it late Februrary. Drive 100 miles to the south and you are in San Diego, forever warm and sunny. Drive 100 miles to the North and you in one of the most beautiful high deserts in the US with poppy fields about to bloom and turn the horizon orange. Drive 100 miles to the East and you could be in idyllwild, having a cup of hot chocolate as giant snow flakes fall on towering evergreens. 100 miles to the West, well, you stop somewhere north of Malibu, where rolling green hills dotted with yellow flowers meet the ocean with white sand and palms. This February, if you are in L.A. with a car, try this, one day a weekend for a month.
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