Long Run: Out on Bail
Massive nor'easter arrived Friday night. In the wee hours of Saturday morning I awoke to the wind blowing off the ocean and encountering the walls of my house. I didn't know it was the wee hours however. I squinted across the room and misread the clock.
What I thought read "4:00" actually was "2:30". Maybe I dreamed this sequence. In any event, I consciously decided to lay in bed another 1/2 hour and then get out for my hour run. For some reason, I was awake to the prospect of getting out and into the storm for the run.
So 30 minutes later I crawled out of bed only to discover it's actually 3:00am. But I'm awake and ready to go - so out the door into the howling storm. It was warmer than I thought it'd be and the snow was mixed with ice and rain. I worked hard for my 8:46 pace. The snow was up over my spikes and the wind was relentless and the ice stung the face. The neatest thing was this: since the storm was a ground level, all of the light from the streetlights was trapped and refracted by the ice and snow in the air. This caused Eastport to be enveloped entirely in a grey gloom. So here it was, 3:30 in the morning and the I could see perfectly - no shadows or dark roads.
After an hour, I logged 6.85 miles. I didn't feel overly tired, but I couldn't go any faster for the weather. The heart rate only averaged 143 even though I thought it would be higher due to the tough footing. So glad I went out when I did. The storm raged on during the day and turned to rain. All that snow was now melting into one big slush puddle.
And this slush puddle was filling my basement. I went down there at some point and found polar bears doing the backstroke in my cellar.
What happens is the drain under the street freezes but the surface precip turns to water and suddenly everything backs up. And it backs up fast! Before you know it, the furnace submerges and the electrical panel is threatened. I know - it's happened before. Bucket after bucket up and over the bulkhead wall. Bend, lift, throw! Bend, lift, throw! Bend, lift, throw!
Hundreds of bucketfuls of water later and my back was tired. I was soaked through and chilled to the bone. So this morning, there was no long run. The back still hurts but I think I'll be ok for an easy 90 minutes tomorrow.
Happy to have 76 miles last week. This week I lose my 20 for the long run so I'll be down in the 50's.
What I thought read "4:00" actually was "2:30". Maybe I dreamed this sequence. In any event, I consciously decided to lay in bed another 1/2 hour and then get out for my hour run. For some reason, I was awake to the prospect of getting out and into the storm for the run.
So 30 minutes later I crawled out of bed only to discover it's actually 3:00am. But I'm awake and ready to go - so out the door into the howling storm. It was warmer than I thought it'd be and the snow was mixed with ice and rain. I worked hard for my 8:46 pace. The snow was up over my spikes and the wind was relentless and the ice stung the face. The neatest thing was this: since the storm was a ground level, all of the light from the streetlights was trapped and refracted by the ice and snow in the air. This caused Eastport to be enveloped entirely in a grey gloom. So here it was, 3:30 in the morning and the I could see perfectly - no shadows or dark roads.
After an hour, I logged 6.85 miles. I didn't feel overly tired, but I couldn't go any faster for the weather. The heart rate only averaged 143 even though I thought it would be higher due to the tough footing. So glad I went out when I did. The storm raged on during the day and turned to rain. All that snow was now melting into one big slush puddle.
And this slush puddle was filling my basement. I went down there at some point and found polar bears doing the backstroke in my cellar.
What happens is the drain under the street freezes but the surface precip turns to water and suddenly everything backs up. And it backs up fast! Before you know it, the furnace submerges and the electrical panel is threatened. I know - it's happened before. Bucket after bucket up and over the bulkhead wall. Bend, lift, throw! Bend, lift, throw! Bend, lift, throw!
Hundreds of bucketfuls of water later and my back was tired. I was soaked through and chilled to the bone. So this morning, there was no long run. The back still hurts but I think I'll be ok for an easy 90 minutes tomorrow.
Happy to have 76 miles last week. This week I lose my 20 for the long run so I'll be down in the 50's.
posted by Andrew at 5:17 PM
4 Comments:
Good God man, that's some weekend. Reading Candace Karu's column about running in Maine (Running Times) made me think of you.
Sorry to hear about the flooded basement, and I hope for brighter times ahead. I'm glad to see the 70+ miles for the week too, you'll be back in fine form soon.
Ok, now I get it! I'm always slow with getting your jokes... We had part of our lower driveway and road in front of the house washed away. Have a great week!
That flooding reminds me of many childhood memories growing up in the farmhouse. We'd have to bail out our basement at least once or twice in the spring.
Seeing your 75 miles reminds me I have a way to go.
Great job.
Oh, man - what a weekend. I can't even imagine bailing water for that long ...
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