Running Virtually

Meet Nova, my rescue dog. Having a new (young) pet is more work than not. But the joy of shared time on the trail is totally worth it. Happy New Year!

109. JFK 50-mile race recap A summary of my 50-mile ultramarathon that starts in Boonsboro and ends in Williamsport, Maryland. Join my friends Igor, Mac, Jordan, and Brian for a grand adventure. Two corrections:This is episode 109 (error in the intro)&Upon review, my heart rate was actually in the 170's for the first hour. It hit 190 bpm, but not for a sustained period. All good. Happy trails my friends.

Hello friends, it's been too long. Life is treating me very well. Just Plain Dave is back with a recap of my summer races including the: Narragansett Run Club 5K in Blackstone Boulevard; and the Ragnar Trail Relay at Mt. Ascutney (Vermont). A preview of up-coming events: pacing at the Grindstone 100M, pacing at the Massive Midstate Ultra, and running the JFK 50M. Life is busy (all good). This podcast will be on hiatus for a couple months.

A brief recap of my 10-hour and 40-mile ultra race at the Last Human Standing event. A wacky interlude with a flying squirrel! And a final farewell to my trusted companion, Westminster Abbey a.k.a. Brown dog.

Recap of a perfect day to spectate at the Boston Marathon, a little too warm & dry for peak running performance. And I saw bats feeding at sunset on a warm spring evening. #runwithjoy #bostonmarathon

Recap of highlights of the 20 trail runs completed between December & March 2024. A great success and good fun as a team endeavor.

Learning important life lessons from my 14-year-old brown dog sidekick. Sharing an update on the Border Patrol Challenge, some fun snowy trails and some flood damaged challenging trails. And a brief memorial to a good friend Bob Devlin, who passed away this week. Bob was an positive influence on me in my running journey. Rest in peace, Bob.

Thoughts on my winter trail running challenge: 20 routes along the CT & RI border and the benefits of being part of a team. Comments on the importance of unscheduled, unobligated time 'just hanging out (credit to The NYT Ezra Klein show with Champlain College professor Sheila Liming). And a bonus summary of family fun around the holidays. Merry Christmas and seasons greetings.

A few brief thoughts in the week leading up to the MCM race weekend, my travels in Washington DC and a recap of the race. It was warm & humid, but I got the most out of my day. #marathon #runwiththemarines #theextramilepodcast

I had the joyful opputunity to cheer and spectate at the Ronald McDonald House, women's 5K race in Providence. A highlight was seeing Kathrine Switzer, and her "Fearless 261" crew. Also I recommend a podcast about shared memories of Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield: The Memory Palace (by Nate DeMeo. Episode title: "Wake." And finally a recap of the Blackstone River Greenway challenge adventure race that took place at the end of September in central Massachusetts. https://overcast.fm/+8UKwPkfqc. #Running #Cycling #Paddling #GreenwayChallenge2023

#ADU #AnchorDownUntra #trailrunning #Running #TrueNorthRacing

A brief recap of the Manchester to Monadnock, 50-mile ultra marathon. A discussion of how positioning oneself for changes in your environment, in work and life, and in Running is the way to give yourself the best chance for success. And an observation on making connections with those around us, and the signals we give when wearing headphones or not.

Summary and highlights of my 50km trail race, the TARC (Trail Animals Running Club) Spring Classic. And observations from my spectating at the Boston Marathon. Saturday visit and dinner with friends on Boylston Street near the finish line, and my day of cheering at Mile-14 in Wellesley.

Childlike enthusiasm for next week's Boston Marathon; a brief recap of the joy of the CT / RI Border Patrol Challenge; and hunting for sparks of joy and wonder ... must be the opposite of humanity's negativity bias.

A summary of the 5-person trek around the 26M Pachaug-Nehantic Loop in eastern Connecticut. Plus a summary of an article by Charlotte Grysolle (NeuroStretch website), with lessons learned from the "Huberman Lab Podcast." Andrew Huberman, PhD, is a professor of neurobiology at the Stanford School of Medicine.

Happy New Year! I'm happy to share my spring 2023 race plans and goal race, the Manchester-to-Monadnock ultra. I've signed up for customized coaching with Coach Chris Twiggs. And my winter trail running calendar is full with the RI / CT Border Patrol Challenge.

Very interesting observations of a pilot whale carcass that was washed ashore on a Cape Cod beach. Plus some gratitude and observations around the Hanukkah and Christmas Holidays. Wishing you all good health, peace, and joy in the new year!

Life update as I find my place after two months in Providence. A short recap of my 48-mile run at the HamsterWheel ultra in New Boston, NH. I broke the Rule: don't try new things on race day! Everything worked out well. Finish with a summary of some of brown dog's new k9 friends. There are lots of dogs in the city. Happy trails!

Summary and recap of my goal race for the year. On October 22, 2022, I ran the Rhode Island Trail Classic on the Vin Gormley Trail in Burlingame State Park in Charlestown, RI. I completed 6 loops for a total of 45 miles. A perfect autumn day to spend in the woods.

Perfect September Sunday for a social training run with friends. Lots of talk about the Berlin marathon and Eliud Kipchoge's 2:01:09 world record. And thoughts about the long time I've lived in my neighborhood.

Life update: Life is good. Change is good. Plus a recap of the big The Extra Mile Podcast community gathering at the Bird-in-Hand half marathon in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

I had the most energizing, excellent, exuberant, exhilarating time as a VOLUNTEER at the 2022 Anchor Down Ultra. And I provide a 5-minute update on my current life status. SPOILER: my life is in FLUX! Cover photo image: jp dave and pro-trail runner (and great guy) Patrick Caron.

Summer escape to the lakes and mountains of Massachusetts, Vermont, and The Adirondacks in upstate New York. Recap of hikes on Mount Watatic, Baker Mountain and The Giant's Nubble.

My injury is behind me. I share a recap and summary of three runs with friends (social runs) during the week of June 13, 2022. 'Gansett Brewery Wednesday Club Run, friends at my house Saturday morning, and a windy & rainy Sunday on Cape Cod to celebrate Fathers Day.

Recap and quasi race report from the Flying Pig race weekend in Cincinnati. A most excellent gathering of friends to celebrate the Spring season and joys of 15,000 people working toward a common goal. Shout out to: Kevin G, Duane H, Chris R, Tim C, Shelly L, and Nate W. I ran a half marathon using the Galloway run-walk-run method.

I attended a pre-race panel discussion and learned about some other runners' perspectives. I also share a recap of my glorious day as a spectator at the Boston Marathon. And because I can't stop thinking about community, a discussion of the "Town Meeting" episode of another podcast called 'Rumblestrip.' #rumblestrip #bostonMarathon #TheRunningChannel

Community is important. As family and friends, we have so much more in common compared with our minor differences. That includes story-telling runners from the opposite side of globe. Audio file includes live read of "Just Plain Dave's Greatest Run Ever" with all credit to the Dirt Church Radio podcast produced by Matt Raymont and Eugene Bingham. #dirtchurchradio #anchordownultra

Observations on a foggy morning, musing in the limits of my perception and brown dog's abilities are greater than mine. And ... I'm working through rest and recovery to help my injured left heel get better.

Idea credit to Brittany Hambleton (6 lessons we can learn from our dogs, Canadian Running: January 26, 2022). My spin on the "running lessons" I can learn from my trusty 4-legged companion. Plus a short summary of a TARC group run at Blue Hills, and an update to my race calendar. I'll be running the Flying Pig marathon in Cincinnati on May 1, 2022.

January 1, 2022, marks the 10th anniversary of restarting my running journey. Happy memory of the Eagle Brook Saloon 5km race in 2012. // Thoughts on why reading the news every day probably isn't worth my time. Is it curated knowledge-filled content? Or is it clickbait? // Practice with a purpose. Whether it's running or learning a new skill. Approaching that time with a focus and a purpose is the way to make real progress. Hat tip to Coach LaMothe from the good old days.

Join me for a muddy, soggy, rainy hike in Village Park. Brown Dog and I share our observations. Lots of tree fall and damage from recent storms, plus a pinch of geology. The icing on the proverbial cake is chatting with a neighbor on the way home.

A summary of my experience running the 'Falmouth in the Fall' 7-mile road race in mid-November. And a my observations of a few little details in my day-to-day world that put a smile on my face and give me delight. Stopping to notice little delights is a great way to prime our minds for positivity. Happy trails!

Thinking about the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual benefits of spending time in fellowship with friends. Time with friends and running in small groups (2-3 people) or larger gatherings (at a race) is very rejuvenating. I share some of my experiences and observations, but also ideas shared on the podcasts: Dirt Church Radio and Trail Runner Nation. DCR is hosted by Matt & Ray in New Zealand. TRN is hosted by Scott & Don in California. Our running community is much bigger than my local circle of friends. Shout out to Andy Jones Wilkins (AJW) a respected educator, endurance runner, major contributor to 'IRunFar.'

Recap and summary of the 9/11/2021 Bird-in-Hand Half Marathon. Joyful real life meetup with (previously) virtual friends.

My recap of the August 13, 2021, Anchor Down Ultramarathon. My pre-race goal was to run 100 miles in 24 hours. My successful outcome was to run 100 kilometers (62 miles) in just under 14 hours. We had to take what the day would give us. It was an exceptionally hot and humid day. This recap includes a 6-minute pre-race speech by the Race Director, Jason Paganelli (thank you Jason for putting together a wonderful event). I forgot to mention that I ran alone almost the full time, in contrast to years past. All's well that ends well; I finished uninjured. Just one blister on one toe. Happy trails!

When I'm out for a run or walking the brown dog, if I pay attention and look carefully, I often see animals out and about. Deer, coyotes, humming birds and more.

Fruit and berries are nature's candy and near perfect snacks. Eating real foods is so much better than processed snacks. Plus a brief rant on the 365 availability of everything. Our society and culture has made "everything available every day with free next day shipping" feel normal. Do we really need dog treats delivered tomorrow?

Working hard (& driving) to be a part of group runs; some key findings from the book, Burn, by anthropologist Herman Pontzer (click bait: “exercise does not link to weight loss . . . but exercise is REALLY good for you); and unexpected medical risks on marathon race day (risks to society, not the runners). Freakinomucs if Medicine Podcast by Babu Jena.

Spring has arrived in New England. We are along for the ride as nature cycles through a season of rebirth. I’ve had lots of time in nature. And that is a very good thing. I reflect on my DNF (did not finish) at the 2015 Providence Marathon. I learned more lessons from that failure than from many successes.

Hiking at Swansea Village Park with my Brown Dog on a cold clear Spring day. I recently tweaked my back and am in recovery mode. The most important aspect of success in endurance sport (and life) is consistency in practice and training. I learned that most of our skeletal system training benefit is in the 1st ten minutes of exercise. And a highlight in the forest is that the evergreens and Holly trees are showing the first signs of Spring.

A meandering conversation about 5 flavors of snow, the miracle that ice floats on water; and why does melted cheese taste 100-times better than just plain cheese? Chemistry in real life is interesting and cool. The last chapter is about Emil Zatopek, the Czechoslovakian Locomotive. He was one of the greatest distance runners of the 20th century. He innovated interval training. I read an August 1952 article after his three gold medals in the Helsinki Finland olympics. The AP re-released the article when the 2020 Olympics were postponed. Happy trails!

Thank you for your time and attention. Just Plain Dave shares three chapters recorded across the month of January 2021: 1st his experience with the CV19 testing process; 2nd a sunset trail run that got a little spooky in Massasoit State Park, and 3rd a run that finished in a heavy snow squall. I am staying healthy and well, and am very grateful for you all, my friends and family. Happy trails!

Happy holidays and Merry Christmas. First, a random interaction with my neighbor Edith, with “see you tomorrow” familiarity. Second, a random act of kindness on the Wapack Trail and the pleasant neurochemical boost from helping a stranger. Third, a flashback to November 2018 when international travel seemed normal. This 2020 holiday season has me thinking about travel and family, and creating great memories. My trip to Israel in 2018 is a big highlight for me. The recording includes a 20-sec call to prayer, a sound that transports me back to Jerusalem. Happy trails, my friends.

The EDS project took 36 days of consistent effort and big logistical challenges to try to map a route with minimal duplication. Lots of cul-de-sacs and private roads. I am very fortunate for my health and well-being so that I can attempt crazy challenges. /-/ This episode and my whole EDS Project are dedicated to the memory of my Uncle John, who crossed the final finish line in the Ultramarathon that we call life, Rest In Peace.

Update on my “Every Damn Street” running project. 17 runs complete, about 60 percent of the 170 miles of roads in Rehoboth. Comments on some of the critters I’ve seen while out and about. And Happy Thanksgiving to you, my friends.

New goal for the last two months of 2020: “Run Every Street” in my town. 170 miles of roads in 47 square miles. /-/ Does it feel like the world is out to get you? Hanlon’s Razor says that it’s more likely that they just don’t care. Incompetence and apathy are more frequently the explanation for misfortune than bad intentions.

October is a great time to go to the beach in New England. There may be a gale force wind on the Sakonet River (Little Compton, Rhode Island) or glassy smooth conditions on Vineyard Sound (Cape Cod) but life is good when you can enjoy the sun and sand. My brown dog and I enjoyed a long walk at Horseneck Beach in Westport (Massachusetts) while I recorded my recap of the Falmouth Unofficial Road Race brought yo you by the Flying Quahog Running Club.

D&D attempt the 43-mile “Wapack and Back” trail ultramarathon. The adventure was a success, even if the total miles run was “only” 31 miles (50 km). Eight lessons learned to increase the chance for success on your next adventure. Plus some musings on history and perspective, and points of reference. I think it is human nature to think that the world as we see it now is “normal.” It’s always been this way . . . . (This episode dedicated to my Uncle John, who is demonstrating many of the strengths of an ultra endurance athlete in the 1,000+ days since his cancer diagnosis)

Putting to the test, the Ultimate Ultrarunner skill: Dealing with change and adversity with a smile. Join my real life running friends - - the Flying Quahog Running Club - - for an Ultra Grand Adventure. A 41-mile run from my house in southeastern Massachusetts to the beach in Narragansett RI. Adventures are better when shared with friends, even with (especially with) social distancing in the time of Covid. Four friends joined Just Plain Dave for a sunny, summer trek through west bay Rhode Island to spend some time TOGETHER at the beach. Key words: Friends & Together. /-/ FQ is a noncompetitive and inclusive group, most of whom run a little, some of whom run a lot. In a different time or place we would be Hash House Harriers. /-/ A Quahog is a salt water clam, usually not harvested till they are larger than your fist. And it’s pronounced: KO - hog

Run training, using elevation gain as a metric during marathon training. Summary of vert - - elevation gain - - during 2020 monthly training. Feedback from Coach Chris Twiggs on potential benefits of hill training. And Just Plain Dave’s discussion of seven reasons why he includes hill training in his running program. Thank you to Kevin Gwin (The ExtraMile Podcast) and Coach Twiggs (Jeff Galloway training system).

Meandering thoughts from a couple of very long runs. A brief recap of a solo self-supported 50 kilometer run and a Patriots Day hike on Mt. Greylock. Seth Godin commentary on people being bad a making predictions. And a 10-minute recollection about marine geology research from my graduate studies at the University of Hawaii. A simple sound triggered the memory from more than 25 years ago. Happy trails and Aloha.