A good week

Last Sunday I got together with Kevin Marks, a friend from high school I ran into a couple months ago. He runs for acidotic now and recently moved back to Hamilton with his wife and kids. He is training for the Stonecat 50, his first 50-mile race. He just started running again in 2012, after not running since XC in high school (we graduated in '94). Kevin and I met at Bradley Palmer State Park and did a conversational 6 miles on the trails there. We committed to a snowshoe race this winter.

On Monday, I ran with Heather for the second week in a row. My mom came over to keep an eye on things and we did a Cutler loop plus a trip up Scilly's Hill on the HW XC course. A preview of the Gabe's Run course the day after Thanksgiving. Still putting together a team for what will be the 10th and last Gabe's Run in memory of Gabe Pacione. Nothing on facebook yet. Or here.

Tuesday, I ambitiously met up with Nate Jenkins and we did a 10-mile loop from the center of Topsfield on the roads and I got to hear a firsthand account of the '06 Austin Marathon experience. As Nate was wrapping up the story of the final miles of his breakthrough race with the Moultons, I was hanging on in the heat trying to close out the last little climb into the center of Topsfield without getting dropped.

Wednesday, my dad and I went to the Lynn Woods Relay where I got to compete on the CMS Men's Masters team and also see some familiar faces that I hadn't seen in a while.

Thursday, faithful CMS 'mate Joe Shairs met me at Danvers High School for a 9-mile out and back on the rail trail.

Friday we went to Storyland and I had my first day off from running in almost three weeks. My dad surprised us by driving up to meet us right inside the gate.

Saturday I ran seven miles from a friend's cabin in Maine on some quiet hilly roads near Great East Lake.

Today, I met Greg for almost ten miles from Ipswich High School down to Mile Lane (the former Ipswich XC course) and into Willowdale State Forest, then out at Pineswamp Road and back to the high school. An old favorite from another era (2008-2011?).

Right around 50 miles for the second straight week, had an encouraging run at the relays on Wednesday, and got to see a lot of good friends and teammates.