December 22nd through December 28th-Spreading Christmas Cheer

Sunday-40 minute swim at the Y.  Had to get an early one in today and opted to hit the pool since I've been so sore lately.  As I'm about to start my swim, I go to put my goggles on and the back band immediately rips.  I tried to come up with a make shift fix, but it just wasn't happening.  I decided I'd just tough and try to swim with my head above the water.  After a few minutes of my struggle, an older gentlemen named Doug stopped his workout and asked me if I wanted to borrow a pair of goggles?  I immediately responded, "Absolutely, I'd be most appreciative."  He then tells me that if he finishes his workout first, that I could just leave the goggles at the front desk when I leave. I responded, "Oh no, I want to make sure you get them back, I'll give them to you if you get out first."  He told, "No way, finish your workout and leave them up there."  Sure enough.  I had a nice swim thanks to Doug as he spread his Christmas Cheer!!

Monday-
am..3 miles light..still sore and achy..probably 8 minute + pace.
pm..Christmas Group Light Run-10k..starting off this run in the rain, but it was totally worth it.  I really enjoyed the sites and roads of Pawcatuck.  Thanks Boumenot for hosting!  Good fun having Gazelle, Gazelle Jr. & Johnny E. out there.
(9)

Tuesday: SHS Distance Project Christmas Eve Workout..
Warmup
2X800, 1X400, 1X800, 1X400
(2:28, 2:28, 70, 2:31, 67)
Cooldown
(6)

Kind of cool to workout with some enthusiastic high distance runners.  I was trying to preach the importance of consistency with paces and staying relaxed during repeats to the kids.  It seems like they listen, but aren't always able to translate it to their training.  Originally I had planned for there to be more volume in this workout, but everyone was cashed in after the first few sets.  With wind on track and more seasonal temps, I decided it would be best to cut the workout short.  Since the coach was winded as well, it certainly didn't take much to cut this one down.  Overall, I was happy with the work that the kids put in.

Wednesday: Christmas Get My Fix 5 miler on local roads.  Had afternoon Christmas at my parents and then headed out to FL in the pm.

Thursday: easy 4 miler in Lake Worth, FL..huge temperature change that I welcomed!

Friday: 4 miles of running in between circuits at John Prince Park Fit Trail w/Shara.  When I visited FL in 2012, I found out that these little trails are all over South, FL.  They are usually a mile loop on gravel or mulch with various stations throughout.  Did a series of pullups, pushups, body weight squats, dips, jumping jacks, etc..challenging and fun.  Hit Fort Lauderdale in the afternoon and took a quick dip in the ocean.

Saturday: 6 miler with 8X400 mixed in on a soccer field..just based times off of 70 second efforts.
In the afternoon, I went on a "Gator Hunt" in the northern Everglades.  Ended up seeing 7 gators.

Gator Hunting!

Less than 8 feet away!

Sunday: Okeehelee Fit Trail Circuits with Shara including 3 miles of running.

Fit Trail

More Okeeheelee..neat place.

Once we finished, I shot out for a "hardish" mile on the cedar packed trail..hit it in 5:25.
After the mile, I spotted the only hill I could find in Florida and decided on doing a few strides up it. (4+)







Totals:
Run Miles: 8X, 38 miles
Lulu's Miles: 0
Swim: 1X, 40 minutes
Bike: 0
Other: 3 hours/5 miles of canoeing in the Glades.

December 15th through December 21st

Sunday-after my travels, I ran 6 miles with 8 hill pops.

Monday-45 minute spin.

Tuesday-8 mile snow run.  We had early dismissal from school, so I was home by 1 pm.  What to do?  Watch Christmas movies? Sleep?...no way, go out and play in the snow.  Ran on local roads before deserting to the Weekapaug Sand Trail (one of my favorite spots to go during a storm).  I ran out on the sand trail and ran back on the beach before heading home.

Wednesday-
a.m. 3 miles on the treadmill easy

p.m. SHS Distance Project.
Helped monitor and advise the kids while they did their drills.  Due to the track being covered with snow, I figured out a nice 200m loop for us to do repeats after consulting with a senior on the team. Warmed up a mile..then 4X400, 4X200..all hard.  As a "special surprise" for the kids, I set up two teams and had them run a 5X200 relay against each other.  Short cooldown before a team stretch. Good fun, but tweaked my hamstring a bit on an icy patch.
(4-5)

Thursday-430 Club w/Boumenot & Gazelle..4.5 miles

Friday-Workout w/Gazelle and Boumenot.  Did the 5-4-3-2-1-30 workout..On my end, effort was up, speed felt down.  I was pretty beat by the end of this one.  Prior run, on-the-run, and post run soreness.  Good workout though.  Boumenot brought us sight seeing on the warmdown.  It was a different kind of sight seeing adventure than the ones we go on in the summer. (9.5)

Saturday-4 miles light in Milford, CT with Shara and Lu. Warm on this first day of winter! Very sore all around and my back is all swelled up.

Synopsis: Quality week that was really hectic with work, holiday parties, and track practice.  With my back really acting up and a lightly strained hamstring, I'm feeling pretty banged up.

Totals:
Run: 7X, 40 miles
Lulu: 1X, 4 miles
Swim: 0
Bike: 1X, 45 minutes
Core/stretch: 1X 20 minutes

December 8th through 14th

Sunday-Hot Chocolate 5k, 16:50, 13th

Results

Always wanted to do this race...frigid temps, rolling hills, Christmas Party the night before, Calf/Ankle issues...I'll take it.  Hope to provide a better race report soon.

(6)

Monday-SHS Distance Practice
After monitoring all of the kids do drills, I took the distance kids out for a mile warmup.  From there we jumped into 6X400 w/100 walk, 200 jog, 100 walk rest.  I preached consistency to the kids.  Old guy splits: 65, 66, 65, 66, 66, 64...led the kids in some stretching routines post run.  In the ongoing saga of my running health, I now am rocking a pretty solid cold/sinus thing.
(4.5 miles)

Tuesday-didn't expect it, but today turned out to be a snow day.  I haven't been feeling well and needed to get some Christmas shopping done, so today turned out to be a great opportunity.  Banged out 7 easy miles on Weekapaug Roads.
-20 minutes of core work

Wednesday-6+..ran from my house down through the Weekapaug Sand Trail and back.  I timed it right and had the opportunity to watch the sun go down as I ran down the trail.  Feeling some soreness from earlier in the week.  On a positive note, my cold is getting better. Stretched post run-20 minutes.

Thursday-SHS Distance Practice
5 miles..
Mile warmup, 4X800 on partially snow covered track..229-232 range.
15 minute cooldown..followed by some core work.
WTAC Holiday Party.

Friday-had my buddy's wedding to go to in Dedham, MA.  Between working out some car issues with Shara and being in New Haven most of the day, I somehow snuck in a 3 miler during a brief travel break in Westerly.

Saturday-6 miles in the snow from my house down through the Weekapaug sand trail and back. With snow coming much earlier than expected down in CT, I had to hold off on bringing Shara home until Sunday..had to bail on the Christmas 10k-sorry WTAC, I'm sure you guys did well without me.


Running: 7X, 37 miles
Lulu:0
Swim/Bike: 0
Core: 2X. 40 minutes

December 1st through 7th-Hot Chocolate

Sunday-8 mile beach loop..ran pretty hard, but comfortably at a little over 6 minute pace.
That annoying left ankle was bugging me at the start of the run.  The rain and wind came down the second half of the run.

Monday-OFF.  With ankle issue, it was a good day to take a seat.  Truth is, I didn't have time to run anyway.  Went to an awesome UCONN game vs. Florida..Huskies won on a buzzer beater!

Tuesday-SHS Track Distance Project-Day 1
The Indoor Track Coach at my school approached me a few weeks ago about coaching the distance runners as a volunteer.  Wanting to help out, but not overcommit, I offered my services for at least one practice a week and that I would put together a training program for the kids.  My only stipulation: I get to workout with them.  Deal!
1 mile warmup
2X600m-148
2X400m-68
2X300m-49-50
2X200m-32ish
(3)
Solid, consistent workout.  I really enjoyed the kids positive attitudes, strong work ethic, and drive. The only negative part of the day was the pain/swelling in the outside of my  left ankle.
Did some core work/stretching after practice (planks, abs, etc).

Wednesday-Swim at the Y..variety of lap swimming, drills, etc.  With on-going ankle calf swelling and soreness, it was time to throw down another 0 for the run.  This was the best alternative I could come up with.

Thursday-Very reluctant to run today with my swollen ankle/calf.
I figured I'd go to HELL Field and do a little workout.  Warmup mile.
4X1000 322, 323, 322, 319 w/short 1 minute breaks
3 mile warmdown...got more sore and tight.  Not sure how I'll be for Sunday..oh well.
(7)

Friday-4 miles on my treadmill at home...this run was a complete struggle...even at 715 to 720 pace on a flat plain in a controlled environment..sore and tired.  I stretched out afterwards and have been icing.

Saturday-4 miles with Shara & Lulu in Watch Hill..felt better than Friday..ankle/calf still funky.

Totals:
Run: 5X, 26 miles
Lulu's miles: 1X, 4 miles
Swim: 1X, 1 mile
Core/Stretch: 2X, 40 minutes
Ice: 4-5X this week with frozen vegetable packs.

November 24th through November 30th-Thanksgiving

Sunday: Mews Gear N Beer 5k,  17:00, 8th
Results

The annual Mews Gear N Beer 5k stands out as my favorite race.  The 14th installment of this race called for frigid temperatures and wind.  While I wasn't thrilled about the conditions, I told myself it could be worse (rain, ice, even colder temps).  After arriving at the race, I hung out in the Crutchmobile with Mike and Woolley.  We did an easy mile warmup, threw off our sweats, and headed out to the starting line.  As the gun went off, nobody wanted to take the race out.  With some serious talent up front, I was a bit taken aback my this lack of action.  I decided to settle in and just battle with the pack.  We hit the first mile in 5:30 and I was disappointed with the split.  Reminding myself of the conditions, I decided to just run the race.  Use strategy, don't give up, see what happens..throughout the second mile, I remained in a dog fight with the same group, but we started passing some people along the way.  With less than a mile to go, I knew the biggest challenge ahead would be climbing up that nasty hill and trying to finish strong.  Unfortunately for me, the battle continued on the hill. Once I reached the top, I felt pretty good and now stood in for my final battle of four guys.  Coming down the hill, I had one of my strongest sprints of the year and held off the other guys.  Once I figured out that I ran 17 flat, I was disappointed that my time wasn't under 17 and that I didn't chase down the two guys in front of me.  After walking through the finish area, I congratulated Galoob and Woolley on the monster races they ran.  Shortly thereafter, Crutch shot through the finish line.  It turned out Crutch ended up getting jammed up in the beginning and had to go off with runners in the 32 minute range.  Getting stuck in the crowd ruined Crutch's chances of going after a fast time and I felt bad for him.  We ran a quick warmdown, grabbed some beers, and headed off for some warmth.  I'll be back next year and I better be under 17 minutes!  Fun day with fun people.
(6)

Monday-6 miles..local roads, beach

Tuesday-Swim: 15 minutes, Spin Class (45 minutes)

Wednesday-am.430 Club on a nasty, windy, rainy morning with Gazelle.  If anyone saw us out there, I have no doubt they would have questioned our sanity. (5+)
pm-2 miles on the treadmill and strength workout w/Shara.

Thursday-4 miles solo + 3.5 more w/the girls.
(7.5)

Friday-Black Friday Hill Pops X6 (2.5 miles)
Haley Farm/Bluff Point Exploration with Shara & Lulu (5 miles)
(7.5)

Saturday-12 mile trail run w/ Gazelle, Boumenot, Crutch, Galoob, and Puddin in Yawgoog/Green Falls.  I enjoy the group runs with the crew, but really struggle on any technical trails.  Even with my Garwin brace, my left ankle was really bothering me on the technical parts.  Great views, cool area!  Post run, the outside of my left ankle was all swelled up and I didn't even roll it!

Totals:
Mileage: 47 (highest for 2013)
Lulu: 2X, 8 miles
Swim: 1X, 15 minutes
Spin: 1X, 45 minutes
Core: 1X, 30 minutes

November 17th through 23rd-Surviving Li'l Rhody

Sunday-WTAC Li'l Rhody Runaround. 50:24, 12th
Li'l Rhody Results
Li'l Rhody is my club's signature race.  Being a committed member of the club, I felt obliged to run this race.  As an added bonus, my favorite race, the Mews 5k, is not conflicting this year.  Not being a good trail runner and being injury prone, I was very nervous about running this one.  Going in, my goal was to finish unscathed.  I wanted to run somewhat hard, but had no intentions of killing myself on the technical trails.  After a mile or so, I was locked in behind Gazelle Walker and this tall dude, who I later found out was accomplished local runner Brian McNeice.  Throughout the race nothing overly eventful happened.  On the non-technical parts, I felt really good, while I quickly fatigued when the terrain became difficult.  I happily finished behind Gazelle, while holding off McNeice.  After the race, I enjoyed some homemade soup and chatted with other runners.  Having run tons of races over the years, this one stands out as a unique race.  The soup, stove fires, and park make this race a really neat experience for any runner.  Congrats to various WTAC runners who ran strong races!  On another positive note, we ended up with a record number of participants.  Very cool. (10)

Monday-Swim

Tuesday-5 mile run, strength work

Workout Wednesday-10 miles w/ Gazelle incorporating 5X400 and 5X200 at HELL Field.
Solid one.

Thursday-am 5 miles at 430 w/Gazelle-Hospital Loop from his crib.
pm-4 miles really easy w/Lu

Friday-Random.
2+ miles on the treadmill easy
10 minutes on the bike
15 minutes of swimming

Saturday-5 miles w/Lulu and Shara easy

Totals:
Miles:7x, 41
Lulu: 2X, 9 miles
Swim, 2X, ? distance
Bike: 0X
Cor: 2X

November 10th through November 16th- I hate winter.

Sunday-Avondale 5k..officially called Setting the Pace for Conservation 5k.
Results 16:45, 1st

I've always loved the scenery of Avondale and appreciate the efforts of the Land Trust.  Being a road warrior and with the locale of this one so close to home, it is a must run for me.  As I watched the morning weather forecast, I knew today was going to be a windy one.  I was hoping for a strong showing at this race, but knew the wind would play a factor as it swirled around at 20 mph.

After warming up with Gazelle and the young guns, it was time to roll.  After the gun went off, I tried to settle in at a brisk yet controllable pace.  Approaching the mile, my watch beeped at indicated a 5:07 mile. Yikes!  I immediately told myself to calm down and try to run a smooth 2nd mile so I didn't totally lose it for mile three.  As I worked through mile 2, I was starting to feel the impact of the wind and early hard pace.  I hit the second mile in 5:22.  The worst part of the race was about to begin for me.  Rather than closing out the race in a strong final mile, I ran it in around 5:30.  I'm not sure if it was the wind, lost focus, or just from going out too hard.  I finished the race and felt pretty strong.  Immediately upon finishing, I watched my WTAC teammates come through and cheered some of the other runners on.  As I caught my breath, my parents congratulated me on the win.  Shortly after saying good job, my Dad reminded me that it was only a matter of time before the younger guys take me down.  In a Gazelle-like fashion, I responded, "Totally agree, but today is not that day."  I'll take em when I can get them!

Fun day, race, and atmosphere. (6)

Later on...50 burpees, 50 squats, 50 crunches, 40, 30, 20, 10...took me 25 minutes and it was brutal.

Monday:
am-4+ mile run on local roads trying out ankle brace.
pm-3 mile run with Shara and Lulu in Avondale (7)

Tuesday: 45 minute spin class at the Y.

Workout Wednesday: Warmup, 5X800/400 with half distance jog recoveries with Gazelle at HELL Field.  Cold air filled the atmosphere and my lungs were screaming.  Ran consistent times throughout the workout.  Including the warmup, workout, recoveries, and warmdown, we covered 10 miles on this one, which also qualifies as a long run for me!  Especially impressed by Gazelle's performance as he hammered the Lil Rhody course in the AM.

Thursday: 7 miles on local roads and incorporated some loops on Weekapaug Golf Course in the dark.  I had the headlamp for this one and my bursitis was acting up throughout.

Friday: 4 miles with Lulu at an easy pace on local roads.  Bursitis is still annoying me.

Saturday: 4+ miles with Lulu on local roads on a warm morning.  31 minutes. Enjoyed the warmer air.  Still not planning on racing at Lil Rhody..looking forward to the event/experience, but nervous about getting hurt on the trails.

Totals:
Run:7X, 38 miles
Lulu: 3X, 11 miles
Bike: 45 minute spin
Swim: 0
Core: 25 minutes

November 3rd through November 9th

Sunday-11 mile trail run incorporating the Lil Rhody Runaround Course with WTAC Crew (Gazelle, Garwin, Boumenot, Puddin', Seth, etc.).  It was very fun to tackle the trails with this group.  We kept things at a nice, easy pace throughout.  I had multiple ankle rolls on my left side.  While I certainly enjoyed this run,  I'm concerned about running hard on the technical trails.  I'll certainly be running Lil Rhody, but may just use it as a training run.

Monday-7 miles..ran my first 5 miles with Lulu..finished with some hill pops and a Gazelle sighting.

Tuesday-Swim at the Y.

Workout Wednesday-met with Gazelle and did some work today in Avondale.
2X 1 mile w/2:30 rest, 2X800 w/2 minute rest, 5X30 sec H/E.
Warmdown..(7)

Thursday-
a.m. 4:30 4 miler with Gazelle on windy, rain soaked Westerly roads...good stuff!
p.m 2.8 mile trot with Lulu in the rain before WTAC Meeting.

Friday-6 miler on Woody Hill Trails with Gazelle, Crutch, Muddin, Matthew, and Johnny E.  Saw the "fort" for the first time while Muddy and Gazelle sparred over who had claim to it.  We finished this one up in the dark.  Great way to end the work week.

Saturday-4 miles with Lulu and Shara..light.

Totals:
Miles: 41
Lulu: 12 miles
Swim: 1X, 40 minutes
Core: 20 minutes

October 27th through November 2nd-Good Stuff

Sunday-Charlestown FOP 5k, 16:27 2nd
RESULTS

Big day for me.  As my audience knows, I love 5ks.  I love the feel, the strategy (none), and the length.  For one reason or another, I hadn't run this race since it's inaugural year, 2005.  I also happened to win the race that year in 16:05.  Since then, my running career has been a roller coaster ride.  The one constant has been my love of the sport.  I haven't come close to that 16:06 since 2006. Since my 2010 running resurrection, I hadn't run a time under 16:30.  Lately, I've had self doubt about running faster times again.  After today's race, I'm ecstatic since I now know I can still get under 16:30 on a good day.  Now, 16:20 would be really nice..

Other Good Stuff:
Jonny- 17:04 PR
Gazelle-17:33 PR
Rhody Seth-17:57 PR
Matthew-18:59 (after racing middle school championships the day before)
Boumenot-19:06-strong showing and continuing in comeback from injury.
Shara-20:01 PR and overall female winner.
Crutch-21:02 and yet another PR

WTAC put on a good show today.

Courtesy of Jana Walker

Monday-7 miles with Lulu.  Who's running who?

Tuesday-SHS Track Work with Gazelle

10X400

6 on the track, 4 on the field..200 rest

Very solid and consistent.  Gazelle gave me a hard push on the last one.

Wednesday: Swim at the Y

Thursday-Rain Show in Champlain..46 minutes, 6 miles

Was I really that slow?  Fun to be in the trails.. I struggled as usual.

Friday-

a.m. 20 minutes of core work

p.m.3 miles hard.

601, 5:53, 5:47

Saturday-

a.m. 4 miles with Shara and Lulu in Milford.

p.m. 3 additional Weekapaug miles

Totals:

Miles: 7X, 36 miles

Lulu: 2X, 8 miles

Swim: 1X, 40 minutes

Core: 1X, 20 minutes

October 20th through October 26th

Sunday-a.m. 3.5 miles in Chicopee State Park with my cousin Pat and our dogs.  I used to run in this park on almost a daily basis (yes, I ran trails all the time, hard to believe I know).  As I ran around the park, I had many fond memories of high school running, college training, post collegiate workouts, and coaching experiences.  It was kind of funny how I could remember every root, turn, or little bump.  Even with a variety of trails and hills, I noticed a huge difference between terrain in Western Massachusetts versus the rocks and roots of RI.   The weather and foliage were perfect.  Great fun, great run!

Chicopee State Park..my old stomping grounds.  Great place to train.

p.m. 3 miles on local roads.

Monday-6 miles completely on the beach with Lulu..7 minute pace throughout.
Tons of fisherman throughout the beach..this run was a big stress reliever after an awesome day at the office.

Tuesday-1 mile + swim at the Y.

Workout Wednesday w/ Gazelle at Ninigret
2X800, 2X600, 2X400, 2X200, followed by 10X30/30
Great workout..8 miles

Thursday-6 miles on local roads..easier since tendonitis is killing.

Friday-6 miles of trails in Woody Hill.  Needed to mix it up and was glad to run a few trails.

Saturday-4.5 miles on local roads with Shara and Lulu..nice and easy..tendonitis was calmer today.
Stretched for a short bit after.

Totals:
Run: 7X, 36 miles
Lulu: 3X, 15 miles
Swim, 1X, 1+ miles
Bike: 0

October 13th through October 19th

Sunday-feeling the effects of trail running today..sore
6 miles..ran local roads with Shara & Lulu.
Made a stop at HELL Field for a quick 4X400..70, 71, 68, 67
Fast splits for me on this field.

Monday-still sore in the legs.
5+ miles easy on the beach with Shara and Lulu.  It was arguably the nicest day of the year to run on the beach with great temps, weather, and a very flat surface.  Thought I might see Boumenot out there, but not enough sights around.

Tuesday-17 mile bike ride through Avondale, Watch Hill, and Misquamicut on a beautiful afternoon. As usual, wind was a factor.  Post run-finally finished spreading loam and seed on my lawn.

Wednesday-7 miler...did my 5-4-3-2-1  workout.  Solid paces throughout.  My legs were tired from yesterday's ride, which really made part of the run feel like a race simulation.

Thursday-Run to Lu..6 miler.
Ran from my house down to the beach and to my parents to pick up Lulu.  After throwing the leash on Lulu, we ran an additional 2.5 home.  Beautiful weather on a nice afternoon.

Friday-30 minute swim at the Y.  Included some drills and 50s..my form and ability remains poor but it was a solid workout.  After the swim, I hit the weights for 20 minutes...did some bench work, lat pulldowns, and abs.  Good stuff.

Saturday-11 miler with Gazelle and Boumenot..started at Westerly Y and ran down to Barn Island through the trails and back.  I call this run Duck Hunt since we ran into a bunch of hunters.  Which Way? didn't have orange on and I think Gazelle was trying to use him as bait.

Totals:
Run Miles: 5X, 35 miles
Lulu: 3X, 13 miles
Swim: 1X, 3/4 mile
Bike: 1X, 17 miles
Core: 2X, 40 minutes

October 6th through October 12th

Sunday-Ocean's Road 10k..35:48, 2nd
Results
Very fun race and great distance.  Being a point-to-point race, a headwind was a factor for most of the race. My splits showed it: 552, 554, 557, 552, 537, & 535.  I wasn't happy with my time, but enjoyed the race, course, and atmosphere.  Nice showing by Boumenot in 41:04 (2nd in division) and Shara in 41:50 (3rd female).  I hate the wind like Boumenot hates winter!

Monday-3 mile run followed by core work in my basement (planks, bench press, rows, etc)

Tuesday-40 minute swim and 20 minutes on the stationary bike at the Y.

Wednesday-Meadowridge Bumps..7 miles.

Thursday-4.5 mile trot with Lulu on local roads..6:30 pace

Friday-Trip Back to the Trails with Gazelle in Woody Hill..7 miles.  Great run.

Saturday-8 miles in Grills Preserve with Team WTAC.  It was very cool to be running trails with the group.  It reminded me of my days as an XC runner.  Glad to be part of this group.

3 miles with Shara and Lulu on local roads. Followed up with some core stuff.

Totals:
Miles: 7X, 40 miles (one of the highest mileage weeks of my year)
Lulu Miles: 2X, 8 miles
Swim: 1X, 1 mile
Bike: 1X 20 minutes
Core: 2X, 40 minutes

September 29th through October 5th

Sunday-Running with the Lions 5k
Results

Like Gazelle, I made a real last minute decision to run this one.  After three bowls of cereal and a big cup of coffee, I decided to give this one a go.  Warmed up with Shara, Gazelle, and Matthew for about a mile and determined that the wind would factor into the first half of today's race.  After seeing my parents and their boxers, it was go time.  1.5 out, 1.5 back..as expected, running into the wind down and with it at our backs for the ride home.  I crossed the line in 17:02..on the slow side, but considering my intentions for the day, I'll take.  Shara won the women's race in 4th overall at 20:24.  Coolest part of the entire race was having Gazelle, Matthew, and Shara round out the top 4.  Nice post race spread and a $25 gift card to Paddy's that is going straight to my Summer '14 Fun Account.

Monday-Who's Running Who with Lu?  4 + miles.. Last mile at low 6 pace..added on a couple of more miles solo..

Tuesday-Burlingame Workout with Gazelle..
1x1600
2X800
2X400
Jog rests, hot and humid, felt tired and trashed.
This qualifies as trail running for me!

Wednesday-40 minutes of swimming...no idea how long but assume over a mile.

Thursday-Quick workout of HELL Field..4X400..72, 72, 71, 70...
5 additional miles.
Sore left hip. Stretched after.
(6)

Friday-pm: 20 minute swim at Y.  Did some chores and ran 3 easy miles with Lulu.  Tired and sore.

Saturday-4.5 miles of slogging aimlessly on local roads in the humidity.  I ended up running faster than I intended..guess it's not the worse thing in the world.  Spent a good chunk of the rest of the day working on my lawn.

Totals
Run: 6X, 31 miles
Lulu: 3X, 9 miles
Swim: 2X, 1.5 mile
Bike: 0 (bad)
Core: 20 minutes throughout the week of stretching.

September 22nd through September 28th

Sunday: OCY Tri
Results
Very happy with my finish, especially my bike and run.  Thanks to all of supporters out there..
Especially Gazelle, for calming me down at the start as I nearly missed the race!
Fun day, good people, great atmosphere.

Monday: just under 7 miles..6:40 pace..heavy legs after the tri

Tuesday: 40 minutes of swimming at the Y.

Wednesday: 6.5 mile run..
First part of this run was with Lulu and she decided to drop a sub 6 minute mile.  After I dropped her off, I decided to do a couple of more miles at sub 6 pace.  Fun.

Thursday: Ninigret Workout with Gazelle
3X1000
3X400
3X200
All times very consistent, one lap recovery

Fast warmdown on Nature Trails with Gazelle.
(9)

Friday: 4 miles on local roads..legs very heavy and sore.

Saturday: am. 16 mile bike ride on Shore Road, through Watch Hill, and back home through Misquamicut.  Fall was definitely in the air.  With my soreness on Friday, I decided to bail on a group trail run.  Being cautious about not getting hurt.

pm. light 3 miler with Lulu

Totals:
Run: 6X, 32 miles
Lulu: 4X, 16 miles
Swim: 2X, 1 mile +
Bike: 2X, 31 miles

September 15th through September 21st

I didn't run Surftown, but need to take the chance to give some quick props to the WTAC Crew.
Muddy-great time and very impressive win at a big race!
Gazelle-on another PR and for racing hard competitions almost every weekend.
Also congrats to: Matthew, Crutch, Boumenot, Rhody Seth on great races and fast times.

Sunday-5 miles incorporating some fast one minute efforts in the last mile.
Feeling post wedding effects on this one..

Monday: Swim with Schonning from the Town Beach.  I felt tired in the water today but felt like we were moving at a solid clip.  With temperatures starting to drop, this will be one of my last swims of the year.  Took Lulu out for an afternoon 3.5 mile trot around Weekapaug.

Tuesday:17 mile bike ride, followed by 3.5 mile run with Lulu.
This was probably the last brick of the year for me.  I didn't feel particularly fast but worked hard.

Wednesday: Ninigret Beater with Gazelle
4X800 on short recovery (235, 234, 234, 230)
Jog Break
2X400 (70 70), 2X200 (35 sec guesstimates)
Warmdown on nature trails

The workout, cool air, setting, and camaraderie made this workout a really fun one.  Reminded me of being an XC runner.  Hope to get consistent with Workout Wednesdays.

Thursday: 6.5 mile run w/Lulu.  42 minutes

Friday: Brick with Gazelle..
22 miles on the bike, 2.5 mile run...felt pretty good.  Our last brick of the season.

Saturday: 4 mile light run w/Lulu before OCY..27 minutes



Totals:
Run: 3X, 33 miles
Lulu's miles: 3X, 12 miles
Swim: 1X, 3/4 mile
Bike: 1X, 17 miles
Core:

September 8th through September 14th

**Sorry for my shortness blog readers, just haven't had time to write much.

Sunday-a.m. Easy 5 miles in Milford, CT with Lulu and a lady friend
p.m; 1/4 mile swim..got my butt kicked by a girl.

Monday-40 minute swim from Town Beach.  Solid swim-tiring on the swim back.
Did a little core work before bed.

Tuesday-WTAC Charlie Stavros 3 mile Beach Run. 16:49, 3rd
Very fun..great running all around by Team WTAC.
Congrats to Galoob on the win, Chris on a very strong effort, Gazelle & Schooning for doing it (just completed Firmman/Aquabike respectively), and Matthew for putting fear in all of the old guys hearts.

3 mile warmup, 1 mile group cooldown that included my parents Boxer, Mickey.

Wednesday-25 mile bike ride with Schonning and Gazelle.
Covered some strong segments..also took a few parts easier.
Fun

Thursday-6 mile run on local roads.

Friday-20 minute swim at the Y incorporating some 50s in there.
5 miler through Watch Hill with Gazelle and Matthew as they prepped for Surftown.  We hammered the one hill by the Ocean House.

Saturday-Part 1: Meadowridge Wake Up Call..hill accels.
Part 2: 4 miler with Shara and Lulu down to the beach and back.
6+

Totals:
Run Miles: 5X, 30 miles
Lulu's Miles: 2X 9 miles
Swim: 3X, 1 3/4 miles
Bike: 1X, 25 miles
Core: 1X, 20 minutes

September 1st through September 7th

Sunday-a.m. very humid 3 miler with Lulu
p.m. 4 mile Avondale run

Monday-15 minute "training" swim from Weekapaug Beach.  I had all good intentions for this one, but it turned out to be a complete disaster.  Jellyfish completely infested these ocean waters.  When I wasn't swimming through the nasty jelly things, I was swimming right into huge clumps of their remnants.  It was itchy and miserable, but better than no swim at all.  After finishing the swim, I went for a 6+ miler with a lady friend.

Tuesday: 40 minute swim...definitely 1+ mile

Wednesday: 7 mile run..hit a local Strava segment hard..then did 6X400m at HELL Field..solid day.

Thursday: Mowed lawn after work and followed up with a 3.5 mile run with Lulu for a 30 minute spin on the stationery bike and dinner.

Friday: 4 mile shakedown with Lulu.

Saturday: a.m. NK5K, 16:57, 3rd
Results

Quick synopsis
-Very cool race, free adult beverage for all 21+ post race
-Well organized, despite the course measuring out to be just under 3.2.
-Congrats to Crutch on yet another PR (21:36) and John Hammett on taking the 70+ division
-Team WTAC Win.
-Happy to be nipping at Kevin O'Neil's heels towards the end of the race.  I've always had a ton of respect for that dude.
-Winner Eric Lonergan ran strong and showed what a class act he is post race.
-Overall, I felt comfortable pretty the entire race.  I didn't run a blazing time but think I would have been about 10 seconds faster if it was right on 3.1.
(6)

                                                                       WTAC!

p.m. 2.5 mile run in Milford, CT.

Totals:
Run Miles: 8X, 36 miles (one of my biggest mile weeks of the year)
Lulu's miles: 2X, 6 miles
Swim: 2X, 2000 yds
Bike: 1X, 30 minutes on stationery bike
Core: 0

August 25th through August 31st.

Sunday-a.m.5+ miles..did an out-an-back run from my house towards Misquamicut.  Threw in some minute hard/minute easy segments.  Felt queasy and sick at the end of the run.  I think I can attribute it between not letting my breakfast digest and running hard.
p.m. 2+ miles with Lulu on local roads at a more chilled pace.

Monday-Swim at the Y..35 minutes of total swimming..mix of drills, 4X50, etc.  Good stuff.

Tuesday-6 miles..5 of those miles in the book on Strava..approx. 40 minutes..local roads.

Wednesday-Schonning 5k, 16:49, 1st Results
Huge WTAC Turnout!  Strong performances all around.  I was especially impressed by the young guns..Matthew Walker and Jonny Eckel.  Being friends with Steve Schonning, I was especially pleased with the win.  The course was a little short, but I'm happy with this one regardless.  Fun event.

Thursday-Brick Workout with Gazelle.
16+ mile bike w/Gazelle-had a strong, wind aided effort on an Atlantic Ave. Strava segment.
2.5 mile run that we brought Lulu along for..solid workout and I felt pretty tired at the end.

Friday-6+ miles..just under 40 minutes..solid effort.

Saturday-Gazelle Country Hill Session-53 mile ride..
Over 2000 ft of climbing.  This ride was definitely challenging and I could feel it in the legs, especially when walking down stairs in the evening.  We finished the ride by taking a much needed iced coffee break at Dave's-thanks for the treat Gazelle!  Fun ride, good stuff.

Totals:
Run: 6X, 27 miles
Lulu: 3X, 6 miles
Swim: 1X, 1 mile
Bike: 2X, 69 miles
Core/Stretch: almost none..

Synopsis: Very busy week with school back at full speed.  I wish I could have swam more and need to do so with the OCT Tri still coming up.  I was happy with my bike and run training this week. It's also been good to get Lulu out there a bit more, even as the humidity is still lurking.

August 18th through August 24th--Reality

This week is going to be a but of a challenge with a more structured work schedule.  After a great summer of training, I now to do more planning to fit essential workouts in.

Sunday-Boogie Woogie Mile.  According to Strava, I covered the mile in 4:52.  The total time of the run was 5:22 with a 1.1. mile distance.  Not sure on accuracy, but it was a confidence builder regardless.  I probably should have warmed up before, but I just had urge to run it..so I did.

Ran an additional 4 miles on local roads with two of my lady friends..one of them being four legged..30 minutes.

Monday-1+ mile swim at the Y.  Did a long warmup and drills.  The highlight of the day (for me anyway) 4X50 on a minute all under 40 seconds a go.

Tuesday-Battle of Stonington 5k, 6th place, 17:06
Felt tired, flat, and slow.
A great turnout by Team WTAC and general fun atmosphere.  Grabbed a drink with the team and my parents on the Dog Watch deck afterwards.  My philosophy on my performance from this one is that sometimes you have good days and sometimes you have bad days.
(5)

Wednesday-Final WTAC Tom McCoy Fun Run and Kids' Awards Night
2+ mile warmup with Connor & Mike Boumenot and Muddy Puddin'
1 mile race: 4:52..happy with this after last night's debacle.
2+ mile warmdown with Schonning
(5)

Another fun night-running the mile, chatting with WTAC teammates, and watching the kids get their awards.  Sad to see summer go away.


Thursday-Late afternoon noon ride with Gazelle...25 miles.
Very solid workout with some good climbs.  Struggled trying to battle the wind on Atlantic towards the end of the ride.

Friday-a.m.5 mile run with the 445 Club from Weekapaug Breachway.   The most impressive feat of the morning took place when two teenage WTAC athletes, Matthew Walker and Jonny Eckel, showed up. I was very impressed by their dedication and willingness to jump into this craziness. Beautiful morning and we took a quick dip in front of Seaside before going off to work.

p.m. 3 mile jaunt with Lulu.

Saturday-47 mile ride with Gazelle, who affectionately named the ride Tommy 5k's pick-Hills, Hills, and Headwinds on Strava.  We had a very good ride today and really got it all in-endurance, hills, and speed.  On a disappointing note, Strava ripped us off on a nasty Westbound Atlantic Ave segment.  It's fine though..we knew were cruising through this section.  Very fun ride.

Totals:
Run: 5X, 23 miles
Lulu's Miles: 2X, 6 miles
Swim: 1X, 1 mile
Bike:2X, 72 miles
Stretch/Core: not much.

August 11th through August 17th

Sunday-pushups, pullups, abs..
4 miles easy w/Lulu at 7:15 pace.

Monday-woke up with a sore throat and headache.  Hi, Ragweed!
a.m. swim
p.m. 17 mile ride on local roads...put together a nice segment on Ocean View Highway that I was happy with. Feeling worse and headachy after ride.

Tuesday-a.m. Sorry Boumenot!  Cancelled on track workout, still not feeling good
p.m. 3 mile run and 45 minute spin class at the Y.  Still feeling funky, but trying to tough it out.

Wednesday-am..1 mile swim with Schonning, Duda, Orlando, and Western Mass Guy Hutch.  Despite how I was feeling physically, I probably had my best swim of the year.  Finished up with a light 3 mile jog on the beach.

pm. Napped after work, felt groggy and headachy, but wasn't missing out on one of the last WTAC Fun Runs of the year.  Warmed up with Boumenot..ran 17:27 while wheezing most of the time.  It was my fastest run of the season at these runs.  Thrilled with the result, but can't make sense of it.  Running is weird.  Cooled down with Muddy. (5)

Thursday-6 mile run..did the last 2 at a light pace with Lulu.  Not sure of pace.
About an hour later went for a 10 mile light spin on my hybrid through Misquamicut.
Landed some meds from the doc and hope to be feeling like myself soon.

Friday-Started things off with a solid 7 miler at 5 am with Boumenot.  As we finished the run, I joined Steve Schonning for a mile swim.  Great start to a great day.

Saturday-55 mile ride with Gazelle from his place, through Stonington,out to the North Stonington hills, onto Cossaduck Hill (the nastiest hill I've ever rode on), to Griswold up to 165, past Buttonwood Farms, into Voluntown, and back 49.  This ride was a monster and it was awesome!!! I think Gazelle is plenty strong to tackle Firmman on the bike.  If I ever expect to really improve on the bike, I need to keep doing these rides.  Neck was quite sore on the left side by the end of the ride.
*Longest ride Ever

"I chew up 5k runners and spit them out."

Crutch Country..well worth the view

Totals:
Run Miles: 6X, 28 miles
Lulu's miles: 2X, 6 miles
Swim: 3X, 4500 yds
Bike: 4X, 97 miles (equivalent with spin) *Most riding ever..
Core/Stretch/Strength: 1X, 20 minutes

August 4th through August 10th

Sunday: 6.5 mile recovery run on local, 7:45 pace.
Later in the day, 1 mile on the beach with Boumenot.

Monday: a.m. 20 mile bike ride, mix of hills on country roads and beach roads.
p.m. 1/2 mile ocean swim

Tuesday: a.m.  445 Track Workout at WHS with Boumenot.
7X400 w/400 recovery..splits ranged from 77 to 70.
1X200 in 30 seconds at the end.

My alarm never went off and I almost slept through the workout.  I jumped out of bed at 4:38, texted Mike, and busted over to the track.  I swear I was half asleep when I started running but didn't want to miss this one.  Meanwhile in North Stonington, Wakey Wakey probably popped open one of his eyes right at 445 and laughed at me as he worked on his beauty rest. Knowing that summer is nearing it's end, I know I'll be limited to only a few more of these fun early morning workouts.

Maybe Wakey Wakey has the right idea!

p.m. 4 miles on local roads..first 3 on my own, last mile with Lulu.

Wednesday: am-52 mile ride with Schonning and Duda..
Very humbling ride, found out what it is like to try to ride with the big boys.
Averaged 19.2 mph
Climbed 1581 ft.
Time: 2 hrs, 40 minutes
Longest ride ever

pm-WTAC Tom McCoy Fun Run, 17:37
Warmed up with Boumenot and Jonny Eckel for about a mile.  Throughout the warmup and before the run, I felt tired and flat.  After helping out with the kids' run and recording times, I threw on my headphones and hoped to get an honest run in so I could help out with timing.  Once the run got going, I hung with the lead pack and figured they'd drop me like a bad habit.  With a half mile to go, I sat in 5th place and was pretty happy with my effort after my morning ride.  I was able to pick off a few more guys and finished strong.  Very happy with the effort.
(4)


Thursday: am-3/4 of a mile swim from the Town Beach with Schonning.  It was really choppy out there today and I think I drank a gallon of salt water.  With the chop, I couldn't get into much of a rhythm.

pm-5 mile run on local roads..I felt beat..not sure of pace.

Friday:am- Swim at the Y..not sure of exact yards, but did some solid volume for me and felt strong.
Highlight of the workout..3X50 on a minute..all reps sub 40..
pm-3+ miles in the rain.

Saturday: am- 2 mile barefoot beach run on the thick sand of Weekapaug Beach with Lulu, my cousin Pat, and his dog Lily.
pm-3+ miles from Misquamicut.

Totals:
Running: 8X, 33 miles
Lulu's Running: 3X, 5+ miles
Lulu's Swim: 1X in the ocean and she was not a happy camper.
Swim: 3X, 2 1/4 mile
Bike: 2X, 72 miles
Core: 1X 15 minutes of stretching.

July 28th through August 3rd...TRI Time!!

Sunday-Crabman Sprint Triathlon in Matunuck
Results  23/433

Since my high school days I've always wanted to do a triathlon.  As a runner and fitness freak, I've been impressed by people who compete in triathlons.  It's not easy to be able to swim, bike, and run well.  In the beginning of 2013, I set out to complete the Block Island Tri.  After training with various WTAC Athletes, primarily Gazelle Walker, my enthusiasm for the sport increased and I signed up for the Crabman.  On Saturday, I picked up my race number and swag and put all of my gear together at night for my early morning Sunday adventure.  The coolest part of the whole endeavor was that I had my "home boys" to race with (Thank you Gazelle, Captain Crutch, Mark, Matthew, & Dave).

After cruising down to the race at 5 am with Crutch (yes, Wakey Wakey was up bright and early), I got marked up, set up my transition area, and took a short warmup run and talked strategy with Gazelle. Prior to the start of the race, I was slightly nervous in a good way and wondered how it would all come together for me?

Looks like we have a new member!!

I hung with the crew before the start and before I knew it, my wave was off on the swim. Upon entering the ocean, my goggles immediately filled with water and I frantically tightened them up and pushed the swim.  As I tried to progress through the water, I felt constant kicks and grabs.  On some occasions, I was also the guy grabbing and trying not to kick anyone.  I felt strong in the water, but also felt like I could have went a bit quicker (the crowd didn't help).  As I got out of the water, I realized I was in a pretty good spot.  "Sweet!"  I ran up the beach, saw my parents and gave them a thumbs up, and shot off to T1 as quickly as possible.  As I flipped off my wetsuit and switched up my gear, I immediately realized my transition was anything but smooth.  Oh well, first tri...get after it on the bike.

The bike portion was really cool.  I'm happy to say that I didn't get passed by anyone.  I battled with this one guy the entire time.  I was highly impressed by the biking skills of many of the athletes out there.  The bike was the one area where I passed a number of athletes, but was not able to chase any of the big boys down.  Overall, I averaged 21.5 mph on the bike.  I'll take it...for now!!

I ran my bike through the field over to T2 where the biggest transition I had to make was switching my bike shoes to running shoes.  The real deal tri athletes have special laces that save them time from having to tie shoes.  Prior to Crabman, I didn't think this was a big deal and opted to stick with tying my shoelaces.  Lesson learned.

Run time=my time!  I felt surprisingly good coming off the bike.  In my head, I hoped to hammer out the run.  Besides my first mile (5:25), I'm not sure of any of my splits.  I do know that I passed a number of people, but was feeling some fatigue during miles 2 & 3.   Being Tommy 5k, I've never finished a big/long race and it felt really rewarding to cross the finish line.   Shortly after finishing, I felt pretty good and headed back out on the course to cheer on the other guys who were still out there.

While I have some improvements I want to make, I felt really satisfied with my first tri.  Since I enjoyed racing the event and love the training, I'm hooked now.  Running will always be my first love, but I think I found a mistress who I'm really in to!!!  I plan on chasing for CRABS in 2014.

Congratulations/ Thank-yous
Gazelle Walker-for placing in his age group and being a general beast.  Thanks for all of the training tips, your positive attitude, and always pushing me.

Captain Crutch-finishing your first tri.  I knew you had it and you finished really strong.  I also appreciate you picking up my bike and the ride down.  Hope you are back at this one next year!

Mark & Matthew-placing in your age groups.  It's just a matter of time before you go flying by all of us old guys.  We'll go down fighting!

Boumenot-thanks for getting me started by letting me borrow your wetsuit!

Schonning-for all of the tips about swim technique and transitions (it's a work in progress)

Jana-as always, thanks for catching the action with your photos.  It's always nice to view them afterwards.  I know all of the WTAC crew appreciates it.  Also, thanks for getting up at 4:30 to watch a bunch of nuts in their endurance endeavors.

Mom & Dad-thanks for waking up, coming out to cheer us on, and for listening to my non-stop stories about training, racing, and the crew.

Monday-
am-1300 yd swim at the Y.  Complete with the 50s on a minute.
pm-16 mile cruise through Watch Hill on the bike.

Tuesday-
am-3X200-200-400 with Boumenot at WHS..445 style.
Felt kind of flat, but still got a really good workout in.

pm Dog Watch Fun Run 5k, 18:21
Felt completely spent and tired.
On the first lap, Gazelle told me he would stay with me and then would let me go on the second lap.  Truth is, I was toast.  Kept pace on the second lap, but was really feeling it when I finished.
(9)

Wednesday-
am-close to 1 mile swim from Town Beach w/Gazelle, Schonning, and Orlando.  Felt pretty good out there.  Followed up the swim with an easy 3 miles on the beach.

pm-WTAC McCoy Fun Run with Muddy.
Talked Muddy into running 630 pace with me and promised him I would keep things under control.  My main goal tonight was not to push or take the bait with the BI Tri on Saturday.  My plan is to be all rested up for that show.
(9)

Thursday-17 mile bike ride..usually roads..tried to push a Strava segment on Ocean View Highway. Unfortunately, a car stopped to let some golf carts pass..bye, bye awesome Strava segment!

Friday-6th Installment of our weekly Run/Splash with the WTAC Crew.  5+ mile shakedown at close to 8:30 pace on Watch Hill roads and beach.  Nice turnout this morning (Gazelle, Boumenot, Crutch, Matthew, and new guy Chet). We finished the morning off with a light 10 minute swim.  I think I swallowed a gallon of salt water this morning..delicious.

Saturday-BI Triathlon, 1:17:16, 5/326, 1st in age group
Results
1/4 Mile Swim: 9:23, 10th
12 Mike Bike: 40:31, 34th
4 Mile Beach Run: 27:22, 3rd

*Race Report to come


Run Miles: 5X, 32 miles
Lulu's Miles: 0
Swim: 5X, 3800yds
Bike miles: 4X, 56 miles
Core/Stretch/Strength: 1X, 20 minutes

July 21st through July 27th-CRAB Hunting..

CRAB Hunting..

Since the beginning of the year, it's been my goal to complete a spring triathlon or two this year. Well, my time is up and next Sunday is the big day for my first go around in this endeavor.  To my surprise, I've really enjoyed the variety of training and think my body will thank me for it in the long run.  I'm excited and hopeful for the race, but also realize I'm going to get rocked by the big boys.  For now, my goal will be to cover the distance and pick some spots where I can be competitive.  Training goal this week: sharpen up and don't get hurt.


Sunday-a.m. Misquamicut Loop with my cousin Pat, who just turned dirty 30..2.6 miles.7:30 pace
p.m. Since all of my house guests had departed, I was looking to get out on the roads.2.6 miles at a solid clip around 8 pm.
(5)

Monday-1200 yd swim with mixed in drills at the Y.  Chatted it up with frequent tri winner, Jeff Duda, about Saturday.  Afterwards, I went to PT for my IT Band and Tendonitis..kind of depressing but whatever..I'll keep pushing in moderation. Cut up some some trees in my backyard in the afternoon and was too tired/lazy to do anything else afterwards.

Tuesday-
a.m. 445 Club Track Workout with Boumenot.
Prior to one, I really wondered about the weather and our chances of not getting poured on.  Mike and I made a deal that if it was raining heavy when we woke up, we would hold off on the workout.  Checking the radar around 4:25, it looked like we were in the clear with definite precipitation around the Norwich area.  Game on!

Arrived at the track, did a mile warmup, and it was go time.
4X400 w/400 jog recovery (72, 72, 71, 70)
Short walk rest and then a jog to the 200 starting area.
4X200 (33, 32, 31, 31)
(4)

p.m. Dog Watch Fun Run
Mile warmup with Boumenot and my right calf was screaming at me.
Chatted it up with a colleague and my parents prior to the start.  Ended up running with J.P. the entire time and we made a gentleman's deal to keep it comfortable out there..608, 623, 600..no idea of final time..think it was under 19 somewhere.  Enjoyed drinks on the dock with the WTAC Crew!!  Good fun.
(4)

Wednesday-
a.m. approximately 1 mile swim from the Town Beach with Schonning and Orlando.  Finished things off with a 2 mile barefoot jog and splash.

p.m. WTAC Fun Run..18:40..
Just to mix things up, I decided to drop and do 20 push-ups at every mile marker.  This workout kicked my butt!

Post run, I was talking with a vacationing runner who turned out to be a one time qualifier for the US Olympic Trials in the Steeplechase in 96.  He told me he found the fun runs online and thought the WTAC was a pretty awesome club!

Took a quick splash with Boumenot to cool off afterwards.
(5)

Thursday-BOP Ride-17 miles
I really needed to get at least one ride in prior to Sunday's tri.  As the rain started to come down, I contemplated bailing on the ride but decided to "man-up" instead.  The first part of the ride was fast and smooth..the second half was very windy and the rain was picking up.  I decided to call this ride BOP (Bottom of the pile) since I was no KOM on Strava today.  Still happy I rode and I worked hard for it.

Friday-a.m.mile swim with Schonning..did the typical swim from the Town Beach to the A Frame House and back.  Once we arrived back at the beach, we decided to swim out to the buoys and swim fairly hard in..great swim..I still have such a long way to come, but it was good fun.

p.m. 3.3 miles with Lulu..6:40 pace..really humid and my tendonitis was really acting up. Post run stretch.

Saturday-Road Kill Shakeout Run from my parents' house to the Town Beach..3.4 miles..21:52..6:23/mile according to Strava.  After a quick dip in the ocean, hitched a ride home with my parents and headed off to NBX for Crabman packet pick-up.  Ran into Crutch, chatted it up about the race, and grabbed my swag.

Totals:
Run: 8X, 27 miles
Lulu Run Miles: 3.3 miles
Bike: 1X, 17 miles
Swim: 3X, 4000 yds?
Stretch/Strength/PT:2X, 1 hr of PT, 30 minutes of stretching

July 14th through July 20th

Sunday-SAILFEST 5k, 16:43, 5th
Results

I was really on the fence with this one..I needed a race to pump me up..haven't put anything good together or been pumped up to run since the Foot Pursuit..knew the Gazelle family would be running...and was working on meeting up with an old college teammate who was vacationing in the area..enter Sailfest 5k!

When I woke up, I knew the morning was going to be a big ole' hot and humid suffer fest.  Warmed up close to 2 miles with the guys..The race was everything I expected-competitive field, challenging course, and hot.  Overall, I was really pleased with my effort.  I even passed a guy in the fast 3/4 of a mile..felt beat towards the end, but I think everybody did.

Monday-5 miles..33.09..nasty heat.

Tuesday-Brick Workout.
16 mile bike through Watch Hill area..50 minutes
3.3 mile run in 19:48.

Wednesday-a.m. 40 minute swim with Gazelle, Schonning, Duda, and Orlando from the Town Beach.
p.m. Mile Warmup/WTAC Tom McCoy Fun Run..17:53..nasty hot, very tired.

Thursday-5+ mile run in oppressive heat...6:18 pace.

Friday-5th Installment of the Beach Run n Splash..6 miles..45:52..
Splashed at Fenway Beach.

Saturday-Hill n Beach Bash Ride w/Gazelle..36 miles. 2:03
We really rocked a Strava segment of this ride..we tied for 3rd out of 239 on a section..pumped about it because my cycling skills aren't the best.

Totals:
Run: 6X, 24 miles
Lulu: 0 miles
Swim: 1X, 1 mile..not enough for the week
Bike: 2X, 52 miles

July 7th through July 13th

Sunday-8 miles with Muddy on Misquamicut roads.  It was only 7 am, but it was still hot and humid.  I think Muddy ended up with a total of 13 miles for his run..the post-run splash/body surf was the highlight of the run.  Post run quick stretch followed by tree cutting.

Monday-16 to 18 mile bike on local roads..took about an hour..didn't measure, just rode.

Tuesday- a.m. Track Workout with Mike (Which Way?) at WHS.
I arrived at approximately 4:45 and Mike already had a mile and a half warmup in the bag.  Does he sleep at all?  We warmed up for another mile and dug in..
600-400-200-600-400-200 w/jog rest
147, 70, 32, 145, 68, 31
Short jogdown..(4)

p.m. Dog Watch Fun Run w/Gazelle & Boumenot
After work I was feeling extra lazy and tired.  The physical therapist "officially" diagnosed me with IT Band Syndrome and tendonitis yesterday.   The idea of taking a nap and laying around sounded really nice.  All of sudden a text message from Gazelle (fresh off of a mountain journey) comes in.."I'm definitely in for Stonington tonight..let me know if you want a ride."  Thinking about it, I figured a few of the WTAC Cats would be down there.  My boy Crutch finally made out it out last week and seemed game to come back this week ("Beers and running talk on the back deck afterward.  Great night.  Love the Borough!  See you all next week!" Crutch's Blog, 7/2/13).  After thinking about hanging out with the Gazelle, Boumenot, and Crutch,  I told myself to man up.  When I arrived, no Crutch!

Warmed up with Gazelle and Boumenot for about a mile.  Gazelle and I agreed to run 6:30s..that didn't happen..ran low 6s and high 5s..finished in 18:15.  Mile hard warmdown w/Gazelle. (5)

Wednesday-a.m. 30 minute ocean swim in my new wetsuit with Gazelle, Schooning, & Larry Orlando. Still working on my form but actually felt strong out there today.  Special thanks to Mike B. for letting me use his wetsuit for the past couple months..much appreciated!

p.m. WTAC Tom McCoy Fun Run 5k, 17:47 1st
Warmed up solo for about a mile.
Trying to control myself I decided to do a workout with this run and do 1 minute hard/1 minute easy.  Hit the mile in 5:30, 2 mile in around 11:15...Played cat and mouse with strong teen runner Nick C.   When I finished my last hard minute on the final turn, I knew Nick was within striking distance and finished it strong.  It's only a matter of time before I'm constantly trying to chase down the kid.   I was really happy with how this workout went.  Mile warmdown with Boumenot..fun stuff!
(5)

Thursday-1200 yd swim at the Y.  In a genius move, I forgot my goggles at home.  Right before arriving at the Y, I realized I didn't have them and figured I'd ask the life guard if there was a pair hanging around..no dice.  It made the swim harder and less fun.  Finished off with 20 minutes of aqua jogging.

I had a late afternoon visit to the physical therapist for my ITB and tendonitis.  I did some exercises and had some therapy on my achilles area.

Friday-Week 4 of Run/Splash with Gazelle.  After a late night, I was looking for a later start!  Gazelle was doing a longish run of about 13 miles.  I met him at the gazebo in Watch Hill for an additional 7+.  While the air was cool, the humidity was up.  Throughout the run, I was looking for any sprinkler I could find to stick my head into.  We ran pretty fast throughout the run and had some good climbs, especially on No Bottom Road.  We hopped onto the beach for the last few miles and cranked out the final mile in 6:15.  We finished the run right in front of Taylor's House...as we cruised down, the guards were looking at us like we were nuts.  Enjoyed a splash in the ocean post run and it felt really good on the legs. 7+

Saturday-BRICK
18 mile easier ride with Gazelle.  We picked up Lulu to run 3+ miles on the rain potion. Ended up getting poured on for a few minutes.

Totals:
Run: 5X, 37 miles
Lulu run miles/walks: 1X, 3 miles
Bike: 1X, 34 miles
Swim: 2X, 2400 yds
Core/Lift/Stretch: 2X, 25 minutes

June 30th through July 6th

Sunday-4+ miles on local roads..6:23/mile. Hot and steamy..can't imagine doing a long run with the real runners.  Post run stretch.

Monday-1300 yd swim at the Westerly Y.  Warmed up 500 yd, 2X50 yd, drills, 2X50 yd, warmdown.  Felt good to be back in the pool.

Tuesday-a.m. track workout with Which Way ( I guess that's his new nickname) and Gazelle.  As I arrived at the WHS track around 4:45 am both of these guys already had over a mile under their belts.  Do they sleep at all?  I'm not really sure.  Anyway, back to the workout.  Mile track warmup.  Followed this up with 4X400 w/400 jog rest, walked 200 m, and then did 4X200 w/200 jog rest.  I was especially pleased with this workout because we were all really consistent.  My splits were the following (400s-72, 70, 69, 68) and (200s-33, 32, 32, 32).  I felt really good throughout and made sure not to overwork.  Mike offered a good reminder not to push the turns and I kept that reminder of back of my head.  Right when we finished the workout, the rain started and I did a very short jog to try to remain loose.  (5)

p.m. 2.5 mile shake-out on local roads since I did warmdown after the workout this morning.  Stretched when I finished.

Wednesday- a.m.-SWIMMING with the BIG boys.  I met Steve Schooning and Jeff Duda at the Town Beach for a 40 minute swim/1 mile + swim.  These guys are legit triathletes and I knew I would struggle to stay near them in the water.  Regardless, I was motivated for the workout and was willing to listen to any tips they could offer.  Entering the water, I immediately noticed the surf was on the rough side and it would be a good opportunity for me to experience the surf while really trying to swim through it.  Steve and Jeff were extremely smooth in the water and it seemed like they were moving effortlessly.  My goal was to just keep them in my sights and remain comfortable.  All in all, it was a really good and fun workout.  I'm really liking this tri stuff even though I'm not good at it.

pm -WTAC Tom McCoy Fun Run..5k..20:50
Warmed up for a mile with JP and then connected up with some other WTAC Cats to do the run at an easy pace.  This group included the Gazelle, New Zealander Ryan, JP, and myself.  It was fun running in the group and chatting it up with other runners along the course.  I was really happy to keep things under control with a morning race coming up. (4)

Thursday-a.m.Quonnie 4 Mile Fun Run on the 4th, 22:31 1st
Results
I can't come up with the last time I ran a race that started at 7:30 a.m.  My pre-race routine was a but different this morning since I didn't wake up early enough to throw down a breakfast.  Instead, I ate a few handfuls of cereal, had some orange juice, and shot over to Quonnie.  Driving into Quonnie, I was trying to spot out arrows and race markers...but nothing.  I ended up pulling into the ballfield where race registration was taking place.  I happened to be one of the first runners to show up. As soon I started warming up, the sweat just poured out of my veins.  I felt I was in a sauna and maybe even went out on a bender the evening before.

Before I knew it, the race director was shooting out commands and the race was underway.   Right from the start, I matched strides with a fast looking young guy and tried to determine what kind of fight I was in for this morning.  After rounding the second corner, the young guy put a little gap between me and him.  Shortly after that, another guy made a move on me and jumped into second place.  Crossing through the first mile in 5:44, I was immediately disappointed.  Not only was I feeling lethargic and slow, but I was in third place.  The front two guys maintained a gap on me and I was becoming more and more frustrated.  If I was hitting fast splits, I could have dealt better, but this was just bad.  After hitting the 2 mile mark in 5:41, the leaders still were in my sights.  I told myself to maintain.  Right around the 3 mile mark, the 2nd place guy came right back to me.  Keeping with my negative thoughts, I figured he was tired but was also conserving himself for a strong finish.  I told myself to forget about him and focused on the lead guy, who the entire community of Quonnie seemed to be cheering on.  Right around the 3 mile mark, I ran neck and neck with the guy.  I could definitely tell he was a college runner and wasn't sure he had much left in the tank.  Instead of letting him hand, I tried to make a gap between the guy and myself.  After pulling slightly away from this dude, I took the lead for good and actually felt really well.  Running on windy roads with frequent turns, I could no longer hear that guy behind me.  Crossing the finish, I took the win in 22:31 and 5:38 pace.

While I wasn't happy with my first few miles, I was really pleased with my finish (i.e. ran my last mile in 5:22).  It was a good lesson learned and moving forward, I will give more thought to just trying to hang in there and see what happens.  1 mile cooldown.  (6)

p.m. Bonus Sightseeing Adventure with Mike B.  As I'm sitting in my chair at the Town Beach, I catch quick glance of this dude running by.  I took a second look and noticed the guy's form and sure enough it's Which Way?!  I watched him for a second and made a quick, impulsive decision to try to catch him and run with him.  We ended up running to around the Pleasant View and back.  It was a fun little trek with many sights to see (both good and bad).  Nice way to add on 3 fun bonus miles.

Friday-Week #3 of the Beach/Splash Friday runs with Gazelle and Which Way.  We started at 5:30 a.m. in Watch Hill.  Initially, we ran quiet roads and ended up hopping on the beach before hoping back on the roads by East Beach.  We finished the run at Napatree and quickly jumped in the water to cool off and body surf.  Ended up running 6 miles total and I came back to Napatree later in the day on the boat.

Saturday-After feeling some serious tightness in my calves and lower legs the night before, I opted for an easier bike ride.  Ended up riding between 18 and 20 miles.  Later in the day, I fit in some pushups and stretching in between chores.

Totals:
Run: 7X, 30+ miles
Lulu miles: 0 (but I did take her for a walk)
Swim: 2X, 2900yds
Bike: 1X, 20 miles
Core/Stretch/Strength: 2X, 60 minutes

Synopsis:
Overall, it was a well balanced week.  I wish I could have made it out on the bike more, but you can't do it all. The 30 miles was the most I've run in months and I was really happy to get in that long swim Wednesday morning.   This next week should be another solid training week.  The week after is going to be hectic.

June 23rd through June 29th

Sunday-I actually slept in for a change..made it to 7:30 am..can't even come up with the last time I slept that late..maybe the long sleep is due to the depressing Bruins loss last night, maybe it's from trying up with the Gazelle...hmm..

3.75 mile loop in the heat...22:55.  I came home mapped it out, did some calculations and figured out I was running 6:06 pace..I'll take it.

Post run stretching and weights..bench press/curl rotation.

Monday-took the hybrid out for a 45 minute ride (sightseeing journey) through Misquamicut.  When it's busy down in Misquamicut, I'm reluctant to go play on the road bike.  Beach traffic and cycling do not mix well.  The scary moment of the day came right as I proceeded through a green  traffic light by the intersection of Winnapaug and Shore Road.  Following the rules of the road, I carefully progressed through the intersection and this lady came really close to taking me out.  I was a but baffled by the whole interaction and was careful not to drop any explicits.  Shortly after, an SUV pulled up aside of me.  I immediately thought to myself, "Here we go!"  Turns out it was Boumenot and his son Connor to my pleasant surprise.  We chatted for a minute and Boumenot opted not to run me down (He said I had nothing to worry about, I'm not in his age group).   The rest of the ride was fun and uneventful.  When I came home, I stretched for a bit.

Tuesday-  a.m. Speed workout with Muddy..2 mile warmup, 8X200m w/200 m jog rest.  Splits were around: 34, 35, 34, 33, 33, 33, 32, 31..1 mile warmdown and then on to my day job!

p.m. Dog Watch Fun Run 5k..around 20 minutes..Mike Boumenot was my wing man tonight..we cruised down to the Borough in the Mustang and then cruised the streets on foot together.  Fun night with a ton of laughs! Mile cooldown.
(10)

Wednesday-WTAC Tom McCoy Fun Run 5k, 17:45 5:37/mile, 3rd
1 mile warmup with Boumenot.  Prior to the run, I was once again contemplating exactly how hard I wanted to run.  On a rather humid night, the Fun Run was packed with talent tonight.  College runner JP, Nick Celico, Muddy, Johnny Miles, Gazelle, Boumenot, and the Junior Gazelle's!!  Throw that line up together and you have yourself a track meet.

Going into this one I had the plan on trying to run even.  I thought to myself, "5:50s would be nice."  As the run went out, JP immediately took command and never looked back.  Young gun Nick was immediately right on my tail.  Jonny took the bait as well as we cruised through the first mile in 531.  The second and slowest mile we hit in 548.  Once we hit Crandall Ave., my heavy legs started to yell at me as the race moved on (I'll blame it on the track workout!). I told Nick to go after it and closed out the last mile in 534.  JP and Nick Celico took care of business tonight.  The young bucks made me feel old and tired.  Mile cooldown with Boumenot, JP, and good girl runner Brandi.

Lazy Thursday-I didn't feel like doing much of anything after work today.  My body kept telling to take a nap instead of working out.  Working out prevailed..push-pull routine (pushup sets, bentover rows, abs), bench routine (bench press, single handed kettlebell rows, medicine ball twists), pull-up routine (pull-ups, curls, abs), and finished off with some stretching.

Friday-Headed off to the Charlestown Breachway with Gazelle and Boumenot for Round 2 of our Friday Beach Run/Ocean Splash sessions.  Prior to the run we made a quick stop by St. James Chapel to see if Muddy Puddin' would be joining us.  We didn't spot him, so we headed down to the beach.  We ran local beach roads that were nice and flat on this humid morning.  Today was especially enjoyable because it didn't feel like anybody really wanted to push the pace.  In the last mile of the run, we all ditched our shoes and ran barefoot down to the beach.  As soon as we finished running, the rain poured down and we hit the water.  On the way home, Mike treated us to some coffees from D & D.  Awesome!  (7.5)

Strength session: push-ups, pullups, shoulder exercises, rows, medicine ball twists..some stretching.

Saturday-42 mile ride with Gazelle from his house, through town, out to Greenhaven Road, to North Main Street, roads/farms/hills of North Stonington, and finally made the trek back home on Rt. 216.  Today's ride was a sufferfest and I enjoyed every minute of it. Besides the start of the ride, we rode rolling hills almost the entire time.  I'm hoping these kind of workouts will help out come tri time.  We hit Dave's Coffee at the end of the ride for some much needed iced.  Sign me up for more of these!

North Stonington Farm Country/Winery

5k can't hang!

Wakey, wakey Crutch!
Someone hit the zzz button

Totals:
Run: 4X, 27 miles
Lulu run: 0
Bike: 2X, 57 miles
Swim: 0
Core/Stretch/Weights: 3X, 70 minutes

Synopsis: Overall, a very good run week.  To my blog followers out there, my mileage may not look like much, but it's the most distance I've covered in awhile.  I'm still feeling the IT Band and bursitis in the heel area.  However, it doesn't feel as irritated as it once did.  For now, I'll take it.  I'm very happy with the distance of my weekly bike ride with Gazelle and quality of my strength workouts.  Despite the fact that I'm not running fast right now, I am enjoying training and the variety of activity.

Downsides:
-I did not get a swim in.
-No run for Lulu (humidity played a factor.

June 16th through June 22nd

Sunday-31 mile ride with Gazelle and Eric Bogdan..
Highlights: Charlestown Hills, Muddy Puddin' sighting, Dave's Coffee
Awesome ride on a nice morning.

Monday-3+ miles at 445.

Tuesday-12 mile bike ride that incorporated 4X400 repeats (74, 72, 72, 70)

Wednesday-1 mile swim in Winnapaug Salt Pond.

Thursday-3 miles at 5 am.

Friday- 8 miles Summer Solstice Run at 5 am with Gazelle, Muddy, Miles, Boumenot, and Chris. It was the longest run I've been on in awhile.  This was one of the funnest runs I've been on in awhile.  Turns out, newbie Chris and I ran against each other a number of times during college.  He told me he ran a best of 1:52 in the 800m..wow, I never quite made it there!  We followed up the run with some body surfing.  Awesome.

WTAC TEAM SOLSTICE

Photos courtesy of Jeff "Gazelle" Walker

Saturday-
a.m.35 mile bike rambler with the Gazelle.   We went from my house to Bradford, to 216, to Chase Hill "Monster" road, crossed Route 3 towards Potter Hill,  headed downtown, shoot off Watch Hill, and then down to Weekapaug.  

We had some really good climbs and efforts on this ride.  

Towards the end of the ride, we stopped at the Weekapaug Innet for some coffees.

p.m. 3 barefoot miles with Gazelle and Matthew (aka. Gazelle Jr.) on the beach.  We followed this up with a 1/2 mile swim.