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Sunday morning long run... at WILLIAMS!

October 22, 2017 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Comments:
When I was a college student, 9:30am on a Sunday morning felt like the freaking crack of dawn. But now that I live across the street from a construction site that starts drilling into concrete about approximate 7:08 every morning, it feels luxurious. I joined Tristin Colaizzi's group for a long run along what I once regarded as the most boring loop in all of Williamstown: Rt 43-Oblong Road-Rt 7. But I think that's because I'd often done that run in the winter when all the trails were snowed in and the trees bare or did it as a very painful neverending tempo run (see Julia and Zeke's thoughts on that score from earlier this season). This time of year that route is gorgeous! Parts of it are on dirt roads in heavily forested areas with spectacular leaves. I mean truly amazing. There was one section where the trees form this foliage tunnel and you're bathed in light dancing off a dozen different autumnal hues. I feel so lucky to have been in the Berkshires at the peak of leaf season, and what's more to have warm clear weather all weekend long.

The pace was a bit taxing at times, and I was definitely feeling my calves after yesterday's questionable foray into spikes. Fortunately, I had chosen that group mainly because my old assistant coach Dusty Lopez was running in it, and he opted to turn off at 9-1/2 miles when we got to his house, about 2/3 of the way through the loop. He lives on a gorgeous leaf-strewn cul-de-sac. Tristan and another undergrad stopped in to use the bathroom, while I stopped to say his to Dusty's wife Caitlin and their three kids and ended up getting fed scrambled eggs and acorn squash from the local farm share, playing with some toddlers, talking with some of my college teammates who were staying with them for the weekend, getting a ride back to campus.... yeah, I never actually finished the run, but I hadn't really been planning on staying with the group after that point anyway since they were planning to start a "progression" to paces well beyond my current stamina. Nevertheless, I did join the team for a second breakfast when I got back to campus, chatting with Julia Gunther and a senior on the women's team whose name I never learned for a good half hour before grabbing an ice cream for the road and heading back to Boston. Griffin Colaizzi materialized too at one point during brunch, and I saw Zeke in a group going the other way during the run, so I really had everything I wanted in a Sunday morning long run - good miles, good leaves, and good pals. And good food of course. Most importantly, chocolate ice cream.