Juice for Life 5K, Englewood, July 31

Note: I mistakenly published this post on Saturday, before it was finished.  Here is the complete race report...


The pre-race atmosphere in MacKay Park was jubilant.  A DJ played funky, danceable R&B tunes including a few by Prince.  There were protein bars, bananas and bagels.  The staff and runners were friendly.  The post-race celebration even had pizza.  Bless their hearts, the Market Place and juice and food cafe did a commendable job organizing its first 5K for the community.

But there was one extremely glaring oversight at the first Juice for Life 5K in Englewood on July 31, and it is a shame because everything else about this race was well-presented and enjoyable.   

Plus, it is hard to gripe when I ran my second fastest 5K ever (hot on the heels of my PR in June and my excellent showing at the Sunset Classic) and even completely won the darn race.

Still, the one problem was a big one - the course was not marked at all.  Let me repeat that:  

The course...

...was not marked...

...at all.

Luckily, I have learned my lesson from previous races that I have run while still in their nascent stages and I emailed the race director for a course map a week prior.  This is what I received...

After studying it, there were still some questionable turns that were not clear on the map.  So on race day I tried to find a race volunteer who could help answer a few questions.  Nobody knew anything about where to make the first turn and where the turn off from Van Brunt Street was.

A feeling of dread crept over me at the start line as I looked around - Oh god, what if I end up leading the pack and have no idea where I am going?

At the go signal, we ran west on Englewood Avenue and those of us at the front of the pack had to make a quick decision, turning right at Elmore Avenue.  From that map, no one could tell if the turn was there or at the next block, but either way, we ended up on Lafayette Avenue with a left turn onto West Palisade Avenue.  Later, we would determine that it should have been the next block, thereby cutting out two-tenths of a mile.

I broke away from the pack into the lead, hoping for the best, but the next turn was confusing.  I knew it was a right onto Van Brunt, but the sign was much farther up than the street and I had my eyes on the sign, not realizing I had actually passed the street and was already at the railroad tracks when I heard someone behind me yell, "Right turn!"

"Shit!" I exclaimed, remembering how a blown turn cost me what would have been my first win at a 10K in 2010, and watching five other guys make the turn before I got back to the proper intersection.  Later, I would calculate that I lost about 15 seconds.

I would not, however, stand to lose my lead, so I pushed hard on Van Brunt and somehow made it to the front as we turned left onto Linden Avenue (which was confirmed by runner-up John Milone, whom I assume called out the previous turn), for the loop around Jackson Street and Forest Avenue.  After getting back on Van Brunt heading toward the next loop (around Nordhoff Place and the Crowne Plaza), a teenager (possibly Ben Tenenbaum) was clearly trying to pull ahead of me.  He got up next to me, but was clearly losing too much steam in the process - grunting and groaning as he tried to keep up.

On the straightaway along Van Brunt, now heading north with no more turns until the home stretch on Englewood Avenue, I passed the runners heading south toward the loop and saw Gloria who was running in the mid-pack and cheered me on as I passed.  Later, she told me that the kid behind me looked like he was completely fatigued as I pulled farther away.  The humidity was high and it was getting hotter - the poor kid just could not hack it.

And by the time I hit the turn toward the finish, I felt like I could not anymore either, so I dug deep, not knowing how far behind me the second place runner was, and rallied to the finish where I broke the tape under a clock that read 16:44.  I knew I had run fast, but I also knew there was no way I ran that fast.

When I found out the true distance - 2.9 miles - I did some extrapolation, but also subtracted the 15 seconds I lost at the first Van Brunt turn, calculating my time to be 17:37, only one second off from my PR a month earlier.  Plus, you know, I won.  But again, I could not feel like it was a true win (nor a true time) because of all that went wrong.

This could potentially be a wonderful race, especially since the vibe continued to be excellent as the runners came into the finish (Gloria finished beautifully, with what would be a PR, even with the missed distance added back in!).  Runners cheered for other runners and everyone came through the finish smiling.

But, lordy, they have got to improve the course logistics!  Even spray-painted arrows on the street would have been helpful.  Hopefully next year, they will do something about that - so there can be more next years.


Results (based on the shortened course): http://www.bestrace.com/results/16/160731JC5.HTM

Running on Phish tour, Summer 2016

Because the Sunset Classic took place on the day after the Phish shows at the Mann, I did no running in the Philadelphia area.  It was nice to not worry about packing running clothes and getting my training done on hot post-show mornings.  On the other hand, it was a bummer because running while on vacation is a treat - enjoying new scenery makes training runs more enjoyable and exciting than usual. 

After the race, though, I was back on the road with Phish, with my weekend in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.  As in previous years, I stayed in Colonie, a suburb of Albany about 30 minutes away from Saratoga.  In addition to its giant mall, it boasts a lovely park called the Crossings of Colonie.  Snaking around the ponds, playgrounds, lawns, fields, and rambles, are 6.5 miles of pedestrian paths.  With a three-mile run on Saturday and a 35-minute tempo run (keeping a sub-6 pace in the middle third!) on Monday, I used all of it.

The following weekend, Gloria and I stayed in Milldale, Conn., outside of Hartford.   I recalled from fall tour 2013 that there was a canal towpath and rail trail that had started in nearby Cheshire (about four miles south) and spanned all the way south to Yale University in New Haven.  To my absolute delight, we discovered that the trail, called the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, continues to be improved and extended (currently finished up to Southington, but planned to go all the way into Massachusetts!) and passed within walking distance of our Econo Lodge.  

On Saturday afternoon (on only a little bit of sleep after that long night in Massachusetts), we ran six miles together along the trail (three south and back).  Gloria runs at a slower pace than I do, so it was nice to take it easy for a change, especially to take in the surroundings.  On Sunday, I did a three-mile run (heading north for 1.5 miles and back) at my own pace while Gloria did a two-mile run at hers.  

I hope our travels bring us back to that area of Connecticut again as they complete more and more of this wonderful project!

The Crossings at Colonie

With Gloria, post-run

Phish at Xfinity Theatre, Hartford, CT, July 9, 2016

After the debacle of Great Woods (Xfinity Center, whatever), I had hoped that Gloria and I could have a much better overall experience the following night in Hartford at the Meadows Music Theatre (Xfinity Theatre, seriously…ugh).  This was to be my 127th Phish show, but my last of the tour, so it had to hold me over for several months.  It was also Gloria's second show and I really, really wanted her to come away on a positive note.  

What we got exceeded both of our expectations...and my favorite show of the tour.  

Me and Gloria, pre-show

Right from the rare "Pigtail" opener (only the third time played and I saw the first one on 12/28/2010), I suspected we would be in for a treat.  I was hoping for some danceable tunes so Gloria could enjoy getting down and letting loose, and "The Moma Dance" and "Halley's Comet" fit the bill nicely.  Even the faster rock of "Birds of a Feather", the slower funk of "Meat", and the classic-rock stomp of "Free" kept our bodies moving.  

"Pigtail"

None of the jams veered to far away and were generally short and tight, but with great effect.  There is nothing quite like a well-played, song-driven first set.  It reminded me of 12/30/1994 - a first set that looks unremarkable on paper but is of the utmost quality.  The staccato rhythms of "Vultures" and the infrequently played ballad "Let Me Lie" (which, along with "Pigtail" sees much more action with the Trey Anastasio Band) had the group playing with ease, so when the best "Julius" I have heard in a long time ended, the set could have ended and I would have been happy.

But Phish being Phish, they surprised everyone and blasted into a killer "You Enjoy Myself" - the first Set One appearance of the song in two years.  Everything was right in the world for 18 glorious minutes as all composed parts were played with precision, Mike Gordon and Trey did their trampoline choreography, Trey played the synthetic Marimba Lumina percussion, and Page McConnell and Mike swapped places (I have never seen Page play electric bass!).  The set ended beautifully.

Picking up where they left off, the second set started with a fantastic "Down With Disease" that was as long at the "YEM", and the band simply refused to let up as a super-funky "Sand" had Page doing what he does best as he stood up to play his clavinet (as they say, when Page gets up, you gets down).

There was more rocking to be had with "Carini" after a lovely "Tela".  The only low point was the coda to "Twenty Years Later" which often has trouble lifting off in its odd-time-signature coda which simply meandered around for way too long.

The "Run Like an Antelope" recovery had Gloria commenting about the great buildup.  Once again, the set could have ended there and no one would have gone home unhappy.  But unlike the first set, the final number, "Backwards Down the Number Line", had a shaky start and was extremely subdued, almost perfunctory.

"Run Like an Antelope"

The last time "The Lizards" was played, it was the encore of (1/2/2016), so I am sure everyone was as surprised as I was that its return was in the same slot.  No complaints here - especially because that ending section gets me every time.  To follow that up with a high-flying, big-climaxing, show-closing "Loving Cup", was the best way to rest any doubt that this show could redeem the badness that surrounded the previous night's show.  

With all of my expectations met - amazing playing, easier parking situation, and Gloria's satisfaction with the night - I was content to go home after my seven show run.  It was yet another summer tour to remember.

Phish at Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA, July 8, 2016

Ah, the former Great Woods - a lovely little Massachusetts amphitheater set away from the state's major cities, with a setup that includes great sight lines and easy to-and-fro for bathrooms and beers. 

Unfortunately, it is so poorly run, its corporate namesake, Xfinity, and its promoter, Live Nation, should be utterly ashamed of themselves. I had a horrible traffic experience the first time I was there (8/11/2004), though my second time (7/1/2014) was much better. 

This time was worse than the first, in even more ways, which is a shame because the one element that was not a problem was the band.  Plus, this was my girlfriend Gloria's first Phish show and I wanted her to experience the magic of my favorite band.

Within the first three songs things got shaky - "Party Time" and "Poor Heart" were sloppy, but "46 Days" was good if not great.  Gloria and I did not know that at the time because we missed all three thanks to the stopped-dead traffic jam getting into the place.  I seriously have not had this much trouble getting into a venue since that first Great Woods show and the Coventry nightmare that succeeded it.

Finally parking the car after what seemed like an eternity, I could hear "The Dogs" as it gave way to a truly excellent "Bathtub Gin".  From there, we were in full upswing with Mike Gordon's big rocker "How Many People Are You?" and the bigger rock of "Fuego".  The set had two ballads, "Fast Enough for You" and "Strange Design", both performed beautifully, and perfect for the mildly cool evening (we were in the seating section between the pavilion and the lawn).

"Fast Enough for You"

But it was the jam out of "Cities" that broke free of all convention, even for Phish as Mike Gordon ditched his bass and played guitar while Trey Anastasio played Jon Fishman's Marimba Lumina.  The jam got so weird I could barely follow any sense of beat, structure, or melody.  I can not say it was enjoyable music, but it was interesting to watch.  Closing the set with the second-ever performance of their barbershop quartet rendition of David Bowie's "Space Oddity", the band was on a good roll and left me positively excited for the second set.

Gloria and me having some beverages during the very weird "Cities"

Set Two started with a "Ghost" jam that fulfilled my expectations, including a short major-key bliss jam and some bass bombs.  As if that was not awesome enough, they launched into a 19-minute version of "Light", with an enormous jam that knocked my socks off.  This was shaping up to be a set to remember as "Wolfman's Brother" kicked in.  

But in the middle of a vocal jam (!) during "Wolfman's", the sound disappeared.  

The band played a little longer, so either they were not aware because the stage sound was still operational or they had hoped the problem was temporary.  During that time, Trey joined Fish on drums and Mike played keyboards with Page McConnell.  But it stayed quiet, so the band stopped and eventually left the stage.

After about 15 minutes, they returned, but the mojo was gone.  And so were the exterior lawn speakers, which means that no one outside of the pavilion got the full sound of the show from that point on.  

I guess "Chalk Dust Torture" (during which I went to the bathroom) and "Saw It Again" rocked well enough and "Back on the Train" was nice, but my whole experience was soured with only half the sound that we had before.  I can tell you for certain that "Slave to the Traffic Light" was beautiful but I bet it would have been epic if I could hear it fully.  And with an encore of the rarely played "I Am the Walrus" (the fourth Beatles cover of the tour!), it was mixed feelings all over again - happiness that they played it, frustration that I could not hear it well.

Already a bit pissed about the way things went in the fourth quarter of the show, things got even worse as Gloria and I waited for the traffic jam leaving the venue to finally get moving.  

We waited.  And waited.

An hour had gone by and we had not moved an inch.  We decided to stay in our parking spot, shut the car, put back the seats, and take a nap.  We slept for more than an hour, and when we woke, all the same cars were in the same position as they were before we slept.  How could a venue in its 31st year of operation be so completely inept with traffic control that it would take three hours to leave the parking lot.  

Three hours!  And we still had to drive to the Hartford area where we were staying to be near the next show.  It was a long night.  Worth it?  I am still wondering.  

OK, maybe for that "Light" jam.

Phish at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., July 3, 2016

Never miss a Sunday show, they say, but it sounded like even the band itself could have skipped this one and taken a rest after two great nights.  Three in a row might be too much for Phish these days.

John and me during the first set

On paper, this looks like the kind of show that gives creedence to that motto, though.  I mean, check out the first set:

Set I: The Wedge, Heavy Things, Tube, Sugar Shack, Lawn Boy, Sparkle > Sample in a Jar, It's Ice > Guelah Papyrus, Ocelot > Scent of a Mule, Possum

Truth be told, there did not seem to be much hooking up in this set.  I had wondered if it was just me, so I checked out the fan reviews at phish.net.  Words like "perfunctory", "spent", and "disappointed" dotted the mixed reviews. 

Of course, "flubbed" showed up several times, especially referring to the mess Trey Anastasio made of "Sugar Shack".  I have seen Phish play that song six times, and never have I heard Trey nail that (admittedly difficult) lick.  Beyond that, most of the set seemed uninspired until "Ocelot" surprised me with some excellent soloing by Trey (much as it did on 6/16/2012 in Atlantic City).  "Scent" featured a synthtastic solo by Jon Fishman on his Marimba Lumina and "Possum", well hey, these guys can rock "Possum" in their sleep by now.

And sleep is exactly what it sounded like Trey needed even though, once again, the list for the second set would get any phan all hot and bothered:

Set II: Soul Shakedown Party, The Moma Dance > Twist > Joy > Breath and Burning, Axilla > Theme From the Bottom > Harry Hood > Show of Life

I mean, "Shakedown" and "Show of Life" were played for the first time years (and only the 10th time ever for the former).  So why did they feel lackluster? 

Good thing "The Moma Dance" saved the day with a sprawling jam that should be heard by everyone everywhere, and "Twist" kept things rocking and rolling.  But the sloppiness and lack of focus of the subsequent songs prevented me from truly enjoying "Harry Hood", especially after witnessing one of the best ever just a few nights before.

I made a beeline to the exit during the "Rock and Roll" encore, which was well-played but not strong enough to salvage a so-so show.  While making my escape to the street spot about a mile away where I parked in order to avoid the $10 parking fee and beat the ridiculous traffic, I saw a homemade sign laying on the lawn, dirtied up as if it had not been hoisted over the creator's head for a while.

It read "Never miss a Sunday show".

Phish at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., July 2, 2016

We Phish phans love the unexpected.  That is why we keep going back - you never know what will be in store for any given show.

However, we also love tradition.  There are, of course, the big ones like the Halloween "musical costume" and the letter and word games ensconced in the Dick's set lists.  But there are little ones, too - like "Silent in the Morning" often showing up on New Year's Eve or "The Star Spangled Banner" on July 4 - and it seems there is a new one: "Crowd Control" as the opening song of at least one SPAC show of each run.

Shmaltz brewery in Clifton Park, N.Y.

Shmaltz tasting glass

John, Meredith and Aaron in the SPAC lot

The entrance to SPAC

After spending the afternoon at Shmaltz, an excellent craft brewery in Clifton Park, N.Y., my friends and I were not surprised, yet completely delighted, that the little ditty from 'Undermind' opened the July 2 show, night two of the back-to-back-to-back at SPAC.  After a relatively uneventful "555", my favorite 2.0 jam-vehicle "Seven Below" kicked in and I was ready for some big stuff.  Instead, it gave way to an unexpectedly excellent "Back on the Train" (complete with "Sleeping Monkey" quotes to emphasize the train motif).

"Crowd Control"

The rest of the set was a healthy mix of every era:  They brought some more of the best of 2.0 with "Army of One" (always a treat), "46 Days" (particularly rocking), and the set-closing "Walls of the Cave" (good, but not great - in particular, the blast-off from the F# to the B before the final "silent trees" refrain needs to be huge and it was not).  The original 1997-style slow version of "Water in the Sky" seems to be the norm now and other oldies like "Divided Sky" and "Rift" surely kept the Phish vets happy, while "Martian Monster" (Halloween 2014's most played tune) had Trey Anastasio ditching his guitar for Fishman's Marimba Lumina.

Meredith and me during the first set

Phish had been on a second-set roll lately, so when the funk was dropped on us with "No Men in No Man's Land" as an opener, it was once again time to throw down.  A solid "Fuego" that included some nice exploration at the end gave way to the MVP jam of the night with "Light" (my favorite 3.0 jam vehicle!), which did all the great things a "Light" jam should and could do, including a tease of a previous song ("No Men"). 

Things went a bit south after that, though, as "Golden Age" and "Taste" failed to soar, so it was no time for the oft-bungled "The Horse" (which Trey just stops playing on guitar now, leaving Page McConnell to play the chords on piano) and a strained "Silent in the Morning" in which Trey had great difficulty playing the repeated 16th notes.

Thankfully, "Julius" brought the party back to life in time for a set-closing "A Day in the Life" - the third Beatles cover of the tour (though much more common than "Dear Prudence" and "I Am the Walrus".

The usual 50/50 mix of groans and cheers could be heard for the "Bouncing Around the Room" encore, but I told my friends John and Meredith - "I call 'Antelope'," mostly because many of the first bunch of Phish tapes I owned (shows from 1992 and 1993) had a "Bouncing > Antelope" combo. 

Sure enough, we were treated to an utterly fantastic "Run Like an Antelope" to close what was a mixed bag of a show, with some great (but not classic) high points.