Archive for the ‘Daily Runs & Reflections’ Category

REFLECTIONS FROM A ’47 ROADSTER

Posted: July 28, 2015 by coachwestbrook in Daily Runs & Reflections
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JULY 28, 2015 (TUESDAY)

On the Silver Comet Trail this morning for 10.6 miles.  The SCT is one of my favorite running venues in the Atlanta area.  And, it’s not very crowded on a weekday morning.  I ran in the old Brooks Glycerin 9’s which now have 2500+ miles on them…still feeling good, but I can tell that the days for long runs in them are over.  Will they reach 3000 miles?  I think so…in small doses.

I think I’m still recovering from the Vol-State Road Race in which I crashed and burned picking up a DNF (Did Not Finish.)  That was on the heels of a debacle of a finish in the Peach State 300 in May which hit me hard physically and mentally.  In fact, if it wasn’t for my daughter, Season, being with me and helping me in the Peach State over the last 15 miles…I might still be there trying to finish.

I didn’t want to feel that way again, especially in the Vol-State.  But, I could feel it coming on after 250 miles. However, the big problem then was in my back with the lower back hurting with increasing pain with every few steps.  So, I decided to stop…to race again another day.  It’s just that a “DNF” is hard to swallow, especially in one of my favorite races.

I did wear the Altra Paradigm 1.5’s in their first race.  The shoes from a somewhat revolutionary company (based on evolutionary physiology) performed very well.  They held up well…better than the Hoka Clifton’s I had used in the Peach State 300.

So, the good run on the SCT had me thinking of trying to get my running through the recovery and feel good for the next race coming up.  I have a couple of problems to solve that I will be working on in training.  One is biomechanical.  The other, I think, is related to electrolyte levels in the long run.  Hopefully, I can solve those before the next race.

The next race is probably going to be “A Race for the Ages” on Labor Day weekend.  It will be a 24-hour run with some handicapping for those over 60 years of age (me.)

*Richard Westbrook

REFLECTIONS FROM A ’47 ROADSTER

Posted: June 7, 2015 by coachwestbrook in Daily Runs & Reflections
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JUNE 7, 2015 (SUNDAY)

I ran a little over 4 miles today on the same course through the neighborhood that I ran yesterday.  This is the second day of mileage over one-mile-per-day that I’ve done since finishing the Peach State 300 on May 25, Memorial Day.  The recovery is hard.

While running today, I couldn’t help but ponder on my recovery situation…how hard it has been going.  The Peach State 300 was harder than anything I’ve run in recent memory.  Now, recovery is slow.  But, the 4-mile today was a little better than yesterday’s.  I felt more coordinated, and I ran a little faster than yesterday….snail pace yesterday…caterpillar pace today. 

I have been in a mental and physical abyss since the race.  Maybe, I’m climbing out…maybe.  My next race is the Vol-State Road Race which is 314 miles – a few miles longer than Peach State 300 – in July.  I feel that I will be ready for that one and will get through it better than the Peach State…but, in the midst of this 4-mile, I just don’t know.

REFLECTIONS FROM A ’47 ROADSTER

Posted: May 19, 2015 by coachwestbrook in Daily Runs & Reflections
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MAY 19, 2015 (TUESDAY)

I’m in Dahlonega, Georgia the night before the Peach State 300 starts on its way to Tybee Island, Georgia.  I’ve ran one mile the last two days as tapering.  I’m always astonished (and slightly perplexed) about why I feel so uncoordinated and unconditioned in the last few days of tapering down the mileage.  Anyway…so it goes.  The race starts Wednesday morning at 7:00.  If you never hear from me again, I have been eradicated from the human population on planet Earth…died somewhere on a Georgia backroad.

REFLECTIONS FROM A ’47 ROADSTER

Posted: May 1, 2015 by smrtnsasy in Daily Runs & Reflections
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MAY 1, 2015 (FRIDAY)

12+ miles in Iowa City, Iowa for the second day.  Ran yesterday’s course in reverse today, and it was a lot more enjoyable.  Iowa is a great state in which to run.  I ran across it five years ago with my daughter, Season, along as my crew.  It was a super run all the way across.

Running today, I couldn’t help but notice the beautiful landscape in and around the city.  Blooms and green everywhere…and the air has a touch of coolness with the sky holding puffy clouds.

Good running in a beautiful place on a beautiful day in the USA.

REFLECTIONS FROM A ’47 ROADSTER

Posted: April 20, 2015 by coachwestbrook in Daily Runs & Reflections
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APRIL 20, 2015 (MONDAY)

Today’s run, 14+ miles, into Fayetteville was out of ordinary of late…because I didn’t have to run in the rain.  A DRY RUN!  About time!

Thought of Boston marathoners today.  Wondered how Rusty Burns would be doing running the road into Boston.  Hope he was patient in the beginning miles.

Also, thoughts of fellow Vol-State runner, John Price, running across the USA.  He is in New Mexico and sent some good pictures.  One was a long, straight road stretching as far as the eye could see.  I know he is enjoying the adventure.

REFLECTIONS FROM A ’47 ROADSTER

Posted: April 16, 2015 by coachwestbrook in Daily Runs & Reflections
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APRIL 16, 2015 (THURSDAY)

A rainy day in Georgia, and I was in the house babysitting the 1-year old granddaughter, Rainbow.  My daily run was put off until the afternoon.  The rain had the girl and I in the house, and we played some kitchen soccer after I got some food down her.

The only problem was that in between the laughing and baby giggles, Rainbow would pickup the ball and run into another room.  She would fall down carrying the ball from laughing so hard.  She doesn’t quite understand the game yet.  Or, she has her own game.

Her mom came home, and I went out and ran 11.08 miles.  The timing was really great by putting me out there in the rain.  The day was already cooler so that led me to a cold, wet  run…not one of my favorite things to do.

But, as usual, the run turned out to be better than it should have been.  It was originally planned to be a 10-mile run, but I felt so good I added an extra mile.  

But, I was still cold and soaking wet.

REFLECTIONS FROM A ’47 ROADSTER

Posted: April 4, 2015 by coachwestbrook in Daily Runs & Reflections
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April 4, 2015 (Friday)

On a beautiful spring day in the U.S.A., I had a good 20.30 mile run from home to the northern outskirts of Griffin, GA which would be, I guess, just south of Sunny Side, GA.  The day was bright with a skimmer of clouds.  The temperature was comfortable without the summer’s humidity.

I ran through Lovejoy, Hampton, Sunny Side, and Pomona.  An interesting note was the historical marker in Sunny Side with information on John McIntosh Kell.  He lived and died at his home there and is buried in Griffin.  It noted that his friend, Sidney Lanier, visited there and wrote his poem, Corn.

I thought about that in the last few miles of the run.  I tried to imagine how the area was during that post Civil War era.  My mind brought up Lanier’s poem, The Song Of The Chattahoochee.  I chanted the line from the poem – “Out of the hills of Habersham, Down the valleys of Hall.”  I’ve always thought that was pure Georgia in great poetry since I first heard and read it in school back in the ’50’s in Trion.

Well, that filled my head as I finished my run.  It made the last few miles the best of the run as I ran them at a faster pace.  All-in-all, it was a good day.

Some scenes from the roadster…

New park in Lovejoy, GA

New park in Lovejoy, GA

A roadster in Hampton

A roadster in Hampton

Mural in downtown Hampton

Mural in downtown Hampton

Historical marker in Sunny Side

Historical marker in Sunny Side

Farmland in Sunny Side

Farmland in Sunny Side

REFLECTIONS FROM A ’47 ROADSTER

Posted: March 30, 2015 by coachwestbrook in Daily Runs & Reflections
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March 30, 2015 (Monday)

Today’s run was an easy 6.23 miles in the evening.  And, the evening had a cool edge to it and was enamored with colors bursting out all over.  Spring!

It was an evening run as opposed to my usual morning runs.  The morning was taken with preparation for an afternoon interview with the TV channel 30, Atlanta Public Broadcasting Station.  It was an interview about my running emphasizing the running streak and ultra running.

Trevor Keller, the narrator, asked some good questions and hit on things I had not thought of in a loooong time.  I answered the best I knew how at the time hoping all the time that I didn’t look or sound like a goof.  I’ll have to see the short program, This is Atlanta, which will be just a few minutes long, to see how goofy I actually was.  It is to be aired on April 18.

REFLECTIONS FROM A ’47 ROADSTER

Posted: March 26, 2015 by coachwestbrook in Daily Runs & Reflections
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March 25, 2015

Rut, begone!

REFLECTIONS FROM A ’47 ROADSTER

Posted: March 24, 2015 by coachwestbrook in Daily Runs & Reflections
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March 24, 2015

OK…The run today got me out of the rut of the last few days.  The day was a beautiful day to run with the deep blue sky buffeted by billowy clouds.  The temperature was comfortable for the 16+ miles that I was eager to do.  The Hoka Cliftons took me for a good ride.

Hopefully, I’m out of the rut, but time will tell.  I’ll know more tomorrow.

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