NJ and back again

Last Wednesday I got out for my new 7-8 mile loop from home, down to the center of Wenham, along Cedar Street on the back side of Wenham Lake, to Rte. 97 north to William Fairfield Dr, through the neighborhood there back to Cherry Street back to the center of Wenham and home.

I got up early on Thursday and did the same loop again before we left for New Jersey for an early Christmas celebration. Heather was able to get in a few miles on the treadmill at the same time.

We had planned a Saturday long run together on the rail trails down in Long Valley, but I wasn't sure if there would be any other opportunities to run while we there. To my delight, after we opened presents on Friday, and before dinner with extended family, I was able to sneak out for just under an hour on the hilly roads around Heather's parents' house. In particular, I was pleased to lower my Strava segment CR on the Drakestown Road climb (by 42 seconds, didn't realize until I got home to MA) in my efforts to not exceed my "40-45 minute run" by too much. Averaging under 6:40's for seven and a half miles around my inlaws took some concentration and co-operation from my legs and lungs. I was feeling really good by the end.

Saturday Heather's brother Andrew joined us for 13 miles out and back on the rail trail near their parents' house. It was cold and rainy, but based on what I was seeing, greatly to be preferred to the weather in New England that day. We averaged just over 7:30's, and I think Heather was pretty encouraged about her preparedness for a half marathon that's still over two months away.

I didn't get up early and run on Sunday (Christmas Eve) before we headed home, partly because I wanted to sleep in and partly because my body (my left knee in particular) was begging for a break. I ended up with 54 miles (in 6 days of running) for the week, so the trend continues to be upwards.

Christmas Day was another day off, with joyous reunion with my brother Adam and his family, who we haven't seen since last Christmas (they live outside Charlotte) and a few inches of unexpeccted snow. We did some sledding in the afternoon and I started ruminating on a snowshoe run,

which came to fruition yesterday - six miles on the snow-covered sidewalks and on the relatively untracked forest trails of Hamilton - right from my back porch, which is a rare and lovely thing, particularly in December on the north shore of Boston.