Tomorrow I head north for a week.
New Hampshire is like a second home to me. Although a Baystater by birth, the neighbor to the north has always appealed to me, especially this time of year. New Hampshire in October is quintessential autumn; text-book fall. I've never known autumn to be anything else. The colors are unworldly; hunting vest oranges mixed with firetruck reds and the brilliant yellows of birch trees. Throwing leaves in the air and letting out hearty laughs. The cool air and sunny skies. The cold nights. Bucolic pastures crisscrossed by ancient stone walls from yesteryear. Apple picking. Apple core throwing. Lapping streams. Bull moose. Cold beer. Warm fires. It is brilliant. Soothing. It pacifies me.
I don't have any solid plans during my vacation except for a Fall Foliage Festival on Saturday and some much needed adventuring & exploring in the wilderness. Perhaps a trek up (and down) Mt Washington might be in order. Mingling with locals? You bet ya! I'll begin to run again after a week long hiatus. A run every other day or every two days. I'm hoping the hip pain will be gone. Easy, scenic running. Running in New Hampshire is super. Long dirt roads that run for miles below a canopy of color. Eventually you'll appear in an orchard filled with ripe pumpkins as far as you can see. There are cold lakes to soak weary legs after the run. When I'm done soaking, I'll go fishing.
Okay, on to some "hard running" information. That's why anyone comes here. It's not to get visual images of me geeking around in New Hampshire...
Below is a progression of my 10 Mile race times over the past 2 years:
Oct 2006 - 53:22 (Army)
Apr 2007 - 52:53 (Cherry Blossom)
Apr 2008 - 52:37 (Cherry Blossom)
Oct 2008 - 52:26 (Army)
Approximately one minute in two years. Unfortunately, success most likely won't at that rate during the years that come. Or maybe I'll get lucky? Before I retire I'd like to run 51:29. It is definitely my favorite race distance.
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