Christmas 10k

Newport Christmas 10k
December 13, 2015
36:00, 6th
Results

In a continued theme of running races I've always wanted to do this fall, add the Newport Christmas 10k to the list.  Here's why I've always wanted to run this one:
1. The distance and team competition. 10ks are rare these days and it's a great racing distance to test your fitness.
2. Venue.  The course runs a long some beautiful areas of Newport that I often visited as a kid while on vacation (Fort Adams, Ocean Drive, Brenton Point).
3. The season.  I'm a sucker for holiday races..
4. The Brick Alley Pub.  One of my favorite restaurants in Newport.  Regardless of the race outcome, it would be fun to hang with my WTAC teammates afterwards.

Pre-race
Warmed up with Shara prior to the race and hung out with WTAC mates, Mikey B and Gazelle. Temperatures were unseasonably warm so I opted to run in a singlet. My goal/hope on the day was to run sub 36:00 minutes.  While getting ready to line up at the start, this guy was looking at me funny so I wished him good luck.  He then asked me if I ran for Westfield State and if my name was Tommy.  Sure enough, it was Marc LeBlanc, a very solid runner and old frenemy, I ran against who attended the University of Southern Maine.  We quickly exchanged some pleasantries and he told he remembers many of the epic battles we had back in the day.

First 5k
The gun went of without anyone really being ready for it.  I established a steady pace and quickly settled in behind Turtle, Dave Principe.  The pace was comfortably hard and I didn't want to blast out and pay for it on the back of the course.  I tried to make a few moves on Principe but he countered every one of them.  Other trying to establish a solid pace and enjoying the scenery, the first 5k was smooth and uneventful.  I believe my splits were 5:36, 5:40, and 5:42.

Second 5k
As soon as I hit the 5k course, I felt like the race needed to end.  After all, my nickname is Tommy 5k.  I found the second half of the race to be a struggle.  There were some small hills to battle and wind off the ocean (Note: it could have been much worse) to battle.  It felt like Principe was pulling further and further away and my splits were slowing down.  Instead of being the hunter, I felt like I was being hunted.  Instead of fixating on who was behind me, I focused on trying to keep pace to still be able to break 36.  It would definitely be a close one.. I think my second 5k splits were 5:57, 6:07, and 5:55.  After finally ducking out of the wind, I was closing in on the last mile of the course. Unfortunately, I didn't have any gas left in the tank.  Strugglefest.  Pushing up the final hill by Rogers High School, I tried to keep running hard to push through the finish.  I crossed the line in 36:00...close but didn't meet my time goal.

Post-race
-I ran into LeBlanc again and found out he won the race in 34:30.  Nice job!
-The Gazelle finished strong and won the Senior Division in 36:50.  The guys is amazing.
-Shara ran a huge PR of 38:14 to win the women's race and place 9th overall.  She ran a 4 minute PR.  Amazing.
-Nice to see Mikey B. back in the game and racing after a fall filled with injurt.
-A bunch of us WTACers ran BLS up the hill to the finish.  She must have been so irritated with us.
-A large WTAC turnout for lunch at the Brick Alley Pub to conclude a great day in Newport.
-I was really happy for Shara and did not want to sulk and complain about my time to her.  The race was a nice test of fitness and a fun day.  Hopefully I'll keep getting better-consistency is the key.

Mr. & Mrs. Shara
(Photo courtesy of someone in the parking lot)

Shara and three fools
(Photo courtesy of Shara)

Team WTAC..minus a few. Fun day.
(Photo courtesy of Jana)

Pie Run Recap

Newport Pie Run 5 miler
November 26, 2015
Results
29:32

To add to my fall list of races and endurance events that I've always wanted to do, add the Newport Pie Run 5 miler to the list.  Here's why:

1. I love the idea of any Thanksgiving race.  It's a great opportunity to  celebrate being "thankful" for running, fire up some competitive juices, and burning some calories before indulging in a great meal with family.

2. The opportunity to run a race in Newport.  After vacationing and/or living in Rhode Island my entire life, I've never race in one of the coolest areas of the state.

3. I haven't run a Thanksgiving Day Race since 1996. Wilbraham Turkey Trot with my brother.

Back to my report--
Leading up the race, things weren't going well.  I had a really bad cold the week before the race and was still feeling major fatigue and remnants of congestion.  Prior to the race, I told myself just to relax, keep an open mind, and see what happens.  Shara and I warmed up for about a mile running into the wind.  Many notable local runners were on the line as we waited for the gun.

1st half of the race
As the gun went off, I was able to get a solid start before settling in.  Like any big race, there were a ton of runners who flew out.  I didn't really know the course well but could already tell wind would be a serious factor.  Within a half mile of the race, I settled in behind former RI runner, Zac Kudlak, who I had met racing in 2006 when I used to visit my family on weekends.   I sat behind Zac for a short period of time as he negotiated through the wind and decided it was time for me to do some of the work.  I told Zac to tuck in behind me and I'd carry us for a while {I remember him being a nice guy}.  Zac appreciated the gesture and let me know that we would get a break once we turned later on down the road.  Once the turn arrived, the wind did in fact let up for a bit and Zac and Kaela O'Neil pulled away from me.  I reminded myself to keep an open mind but I really wasn't feeling strong. Now running on Sachusett Point Road, I carried on.  As I ran towards the turnaround, the leaders started to run by in the opposite direction and split my attention between the two runners not too far ahead of me and the elites, who looked like they battling the wind after the turnaround.  "Oh boy, something to look forward to," I thought to myself.

2nd half of the race
At the turnaround at 2.7 miles, I could now see the runners who were behind me.  My immediate thought was this would give me the opportunity to see who was hunting me and how strong they looked.  At about 30 seconds back, there looked to be a small pack of dudes running together. Luckily, none of the them looked really strong.  Facing the wind, I continued to carry on as I approached the "monster" hill of the day {Jonny warned me about this hill when we talked last week}.  Looking at the hill, it looked manageable.  Add the fact that the hill was fairly steep,  it carried on for awhile, and the wind was blasting, it turned out to be down right brutal.  Once I crested the top of the hill, I was welcomed by the 4 mile marker.  While I was pretty tired, I did feel a big of a recharge as the course was now on a slight downhill and the wind wasn't as bad.  I crossed the line with no one around in 29:32*.

*Results list a runner finishing 2 seconds ahead of me..not sure how this came about, can only guess he finished behind me but started further back (chip time).

Post race thoughts
-Shara ran another great race and finished as the 4th female, 30th overall in 31:24.
-Disappointing performance-I wanted to run sub 29 but can't say I'm completely shocked considering how I was feeling leading up to the race.
-Splits: 5:39, 5:52 (wind), 5:46,  6:18 (wind & hill-very poor), 5:32
-Would I do this race again? Absolutely.  I didn't run well and don't love the course but liked the atmosphere, early start time, and competition.  Shara enjoyed it as well.
-Still fixated on my 2015 running funk.  I'm concerned about a drop off in performance but consistency is the key.  Prior to September, I had a poor year of injuries and running.  I just need to stay healthy, consistent, and have fun.
-I'm thankful my wife enjoys this kind of stuff, allows me to do it, and runs herself.

Thanks Shara!

Avondale 5k

Avondale 5k

November 8, 2015

17:23, 1st

Results

This happened to be the 4th installment of the Westerly Land Trust's Setting the Pace for Conservation 5k.  Due to injury I was unable to compete in 2014 and was looking forward to this race because it was close to home and I like the course.  Despite the fact that I don't run too many trails, I do admire the efforts of this group around town with land conservation and an affinity for preserving nature.  After a recent decent performance at the Monster Dash 5k, I had higher expectations for myself than I had originally planned out.  Ideally, I wanted to crack 17 and if I could not crack 17, I wanted to run better than 17:09 (my time at that race).  The morning was a bit chilly and windy but we had overall good conditions to run.  I warmed up for about two miles with Shara and Gazelle before getting into racing gear and heading to the starting line.   Shara had also been really strong and came pretty close to cracking 19 at the Monster Dash so I expected a big day for her.

The Race

The gun went quickly went off and I was able to start strong off the line.  My main competition for the day would be Gazelle and Jeff Duda.  {Matthew, glad you were still in season for this race.  We wouldn't have provided you any competition anyway}.  As we started out, Gazelle and I encouraged Duda to dig in with us.  Jeff tucked in right behind me and I could tell he was running strong and aggressively.  I joked with him and Duda that I could see how it is and that I'd do all the work for them!  Gazelle and I headed out of the preserve and I felt like we were really pushing.  Not being sure of our first mile split, I was running based off effort and competition but man did it feel like we were running fast.  Turning off Watch Hill Road and onto Avondale Road we were struck with a strong headwind that felt like it really slowed things down.  By the time we turned onto Champlin Drive, I was gassed but happy for a reprieve from the wind.  Feeling tired and slow, the Gazelle was riding me like a dog on a meat truck.  I was officially running scared.  He passed me right before the cul-de-sack turn and I thought it was over.  Somehow I was able to pull back up to Jeff and just wanted to stay as close to him as I could.  Eventually I was able to pass the Iron Gazelle again but I was cautious about trying to run much harder as I wasn't sure if he'd strike back.  By the time we made it back into the preserve, I hoped to have a little lead on him.  I didn't want to be running neck and neck with not much to go.  I ended up crossing the line in 17:23 and the Gazelle crossed in 17:32 (an impressive run and new PR). Duda crossed in 18:07 in 3rd and not long after Shara came through in a big PR at 18:44, which was good 1st female and 4th overall.

I was happy to take the overall win and hold off Jeff.  I didn't end up meeting my time goals and left disappointed in my time because it was about 40 seconds slower than two years ago.  Big congrats to Shara and Gazelle on their PRs!

Monster Dash 5k

October 25, 2015
Providence Monster Dash
Results 17:09, 3rd

Halloween happens to be one of my favorite holidays.  Ever since being a little kid, I've loved the fun this holiday brings and enjoy throwing on a goofy costume and having some good laughs.  With the Charlestown Halloween Hustle 5k ending, the opportunity to participate in another halloween type pace really appealed to me.  Add into the mix that I've always wanted to run a road race in Providence and here we have the Providence Monster Dash 5k.  I even convinced Shara, who is not a fan of costumes, masks, or dressing up, to join me for the race and run in a matching Batman/Batwoman get up with me.

Upon arrival to the race, we checked in to grab our race numbers at the Wild Colonial Tavern and then headed out on a warmup.  I wanted to warmup a little longer than normal (approximately 2 miles) so my knee would feel good for the start.  We watched the kids race and then headed to the starting line.  While lining up I came across strong RI runner, Steve Brightman.  Steve and I greeted each other and he asked me if I was going to run sub 17.  I said that would be great, but not to count on me as my fitness wasn't that great.  I mentioned the goal of finishing under 17:30 was most reasonable for me.

The gun went off and we shot off.  Brightman was dressed as Steve Prefontaine and he did a great job impersonating him by taking a strong lead right off the gun.  As Steve ran in 1st, I had a couple of other dudes to battle with.  I kept my eye on Steve but also reminded myself to run my own race. Shortly after a mile, we entered the RIPTA tunnel, which was pitch black and filled with spooky characters who jumped out at runners as we ran by.  While I thoroughly enjoyed the theme and antics of these characters, the scariest thing I came across in the tunnel was the incline.  We kept climbing and climbing.  By the time I came out of the tunnel, I felt gassed.  I guess this is the payment I get for running beach roads.  We ran back down the tunnel and I was in recovery mode.  Leaving the tunnel, I got passed by a young dude without a costume who was wearing real deal racing garb.  He looked pretty strong and I wasn't sure if he was going after Brightman next, who was not too far off.  I still felt like I was running a decent race and wanted to finish strong.  I came across the line in 17:09 in 3rd place overall. While I would have loved to crack 17, I was still pleasantly surprised by my time. Not outstanding but a step in the right direction.

Shara crossed the line as the 1st female in 19:04.  A new PR and a very strong race.  We both enjoyed racing in Providence and the atmosphere.  One of the most enjoyable parts of my race was hearing spectators, "Go, Batman."

BoldrDash & Pumpkins

After a long season of trying to prepare and race triathlons, I was really excited to do a couple of low stakes races just for run.  Shara and I have always talked about doing an adventure race and the stars aligned this year for us to give BoldRDash a shot.  We agreed to do the race together and appreciated how close the race is to home (Note: Most Tough Mudders are in other states).  The second race we'd be doing would take place Columbus Day Weekend and it was a WTAC race.  The Run for the Pumpkins 5k was changing venues to Bradford Preserve and would be a trail run.  I'm truly a horrible trail runner but actually like running trails and felt like I needed to support the club and Jeff on this one.  My only expectations for both races was simply to have fun and not get hurt.

BoldrDash- 4 mile obstacle race.
October 3, 2015
57:33, 14th and 15th/804
Results
Some of the obstacles

We started off in the "elite" heat of the BoldRDash.  Having never done one of these races before, I certainly did not consider myself an elite.  The weather for the race was windy and cold, but knowing we would be running up and down the hills and working through obstacles, I actually welcomes the conditions.  I found some of the obstacles to be really challenging (i.e. some of the rope climbs were difficult with balance).  Other obstacles were just fun..jumping around in a potato sack, carrying rocks up and down hills. monkey bars, etc.  There were a ton of mud pits, single track trails, and even a couple of streams to run through.  I simply hung with Shara (1st Overall Female on the day) and enjoyed the atmosphere.  Loved the finish: crawling through a watery mud pit under ropes.  Neither of us felt really tired aerobically but other body areas were sore from all of the lifting.  Post race: changed up quickly and grabbed my complimentary beverage.

The big question I received after this race was, "Would you do it again?"  My answer is absolutely.  I found the event to definitely be a physical challenge and it was fun.  It's clearly different than any regular race I've ever done.  Would I ever take one of these races really serious?  Probably not.  I do think there is high potential for injury in these events if you are careless.

Post BoldrDash..dissapointed that we didn't have more mud on us

Run for the Pumpkins Trail 5k
October 10, 2015
21:58, 6th/111 (My slowest 5k..ever!)
Results

The Run for the Pumpkins race has existed in Westerly for quite some time.  It used to be solely organized by the Town of Westerly's Recreation Department and over the past few years the race has really been organized by the WTAC.  Prior to this year, I had never run the race and it was a road 5k. For one reason or another, the Pumpkins never fit into my schedule until this year.  Funny thing is, the race now involved trail running.   With all of Jeff's personal efforts to re-organize this year and make it happen, I felt like I had to support it--no matter how bad of a trail runner I am.

While I did not expect a good performance at this race and was simply "running" it, I really enjoyed the fall atmosphere.  My Mom and Dad came to spectate and mentioned to me that the venue  reminded them of my high school and college cross country days.  I totally shared their sentiment.  As for the race, it was my goal to try to stay out of the way.  I knew Matthew, Justin, Jonny, and Jeff would be up there and battling it out in the race.  After about a mile of the race, I was completely out of contention and out for a fall run.  Overall, I really enjoyed the course because it wasn't crazy technical and it was fun.  Shara pulled off another strong win in the women's race and the WTAC boys front loaded the top spots.  Congrats to Matthew on the win, Justin (3), Jonny (4), Jeff (5), and the club on a great new event.

The Gazelle and me

Shara for the win!  This pumpkin sits on my steps

OCY

OCY Tri-9/20/2015
1:09:04, 2nd
Results

The OCY Tri would serve as my final TRI of the season and important race to me.  I was hoping to finish on a strong note and was interested to see how I would fare on a quick hometown course.  As far a pre-race expectations, I was hoping for a Top 5 finish.  I knew previous race runner and friend Jeff Duda would be competing and figured he should have the top spot locked down.  I also knew that Shara would have a really good chance at taking the women's race and knew she had recovered well from Firmman.  I was also interested to see how Jeff Walker would do in the Duathlon and figured he'd have a strong day out there.

With an 8:30 am start, it felt like I was sleeping in compared to most TRIs.  We arrived to the Town Beach shortly before 7:30 am, picked up our numbers and chops, and set up in transition.  Shara and I went for a mile warmup and joined up with Duda.  While warming up, we all talked about how slow we felt.  I kind of laughed at this thought to myself thinking about what the two of them might do to their respective competitors.  After arriving back from the warmup, I put my wetsuit on and took a look at the surf with Shara.  We hung out for the national anthem, which was led by a Coast Guard guard, and then made the trek down to the start.

Swim- 1/2 mile: 10:33
I lined up for the swim with Duda.  We chatted a little about the tide and then it was go time.  I tried to get a clean start in the water and reminded myself to swim my own race.  Like run races, many swimmers fly out at the beginning of a race and quickly drop off.  If I over exerted early, I figured oxygen debt would quickly set in and my form would fall apart.  I rounded the first buoy and spotted 3-5 swimmers ahead of me.  Based off positioning, I knew Duda was way out there.  Swimming along, I felt an up and down sensation from the current.  I tried to keep a watch on the other competitors and was starting to feel taxed as I moved towards the final buoy.  Still having Duda and another swimmer in my sights ahead of me, I tried to swim really hard into the shore and make up as much time as I could.  I ran out of the water and headed towards T1.

T1: 1:14
Always struggle with the transition, not just getting wetsuit off, but getting bike shoes on and out of transition.  Oh well.

Bike-14 miles: 39:28
After mounting my bike on Atlantic Ave, I was feeling spent from the swim.  I tried to get into a groove and slowly found it.  Riding out onto Atlantic Avenue, it felt nice to ride on such familiar roads.  Unfortunately, I felt like I was in no man's land for most of the ride.  I just reminded myself to keep trying to ride hard and see where I end up towards the end of the ride.  A couple of miles into the second lap of the bike course I was passed by a guy.  When he passed me, I told myself to keep him in contact or at least in sight.  Throughout the rest of the second lap, I tried to keep this guy in my sights as we passed other triathletes who were on their first lap.  The remainder of my ride was uneventful and I met my goal of keeping near the guy.

T2: :54 seconds..had trouble slipping into my run shoes and getting my TRI belt on.

Run-3 miles: 16:59
Heading into the final leg, a spectator or course official let me know that I was in 4th place.  I knew that 1st place was not within my reach with Duda's super swim and awesome biking ability.  But 2nd or 3rd?  It was possible.  Leaving transition, I was running mad.  The next two guys were a little up the road from me and I wanted to get them both.  I knew if I ran too aggressively, that I could end up paying dearly.  Within a very short period of time, I was able to pass both guys at once.  After passing them, I tried to widen the gap and before I knew it, I saw Duda approaching the 2 mile mark of the course.  We exchanged greetings (he claims I gave him a grunt) and tried to hammer on.  Duda looked really comfortable and I was happy for him.  As for me, I still wanted to widen the gap and ran it home fairly hard.  I crossed the finish line in 2nd place overall and felt really strong.

After finishing up, I met up with my parents to see Shara finish and hammer home a strong 2nd place after competing in the Firmman Half Iron last weekend.  It was also cool to find out that Gazelle won the duathlon.  OCY was a hometown sweep.  This race marks the official end of my TRI season. Despite some knee issues that impacted my running, it was a fun, successful TRI season.  I'm looking forward to the 2016 TRI Season and already have some goals for next year.

Happy with 2016 TRI Season

Schonning 5k

August 25, 2015

Roger Schonning 5k

17:30, 3rd

Results

Westerly Sun Article

The Schonning 5k is one of those races that is pretty much locked into my calendar every year.  It's a great race but the real reason I run this one is to support Steve, son of the man who the race is held in honor of and a good friend of mine.  After a poor performance at Battle of Stonington 5k, I was not feeling too confident about my abilities going into this one.  Quite frankly, I thought about the race being over well before I got there.  It wasn't so much the suffering of racing that was bothering me, it was my diminishing performance.  

Pre-race

I came directly from work to the Westerly Y to get ready for the race.  Arriving a little after 5 pm, the race chute and timing was all ready to go and I found teammate and friend, Mike B. hanging out in the parking lot as he prepared for the race.  Shara, who was women's defending champ, would be joining me at the race after making a quick stop home from work.  After a brief warmup with the usual suspects, it was almost race time.

The race

As the gun went off, I tried to settle in a smooth yet steady pace.  Based off my current fitness, I knew I needed to be careful not to go out too hard as I knew I'd pay for it.  Sizing up competition, I noticed Matthew Walker, who I predicted to win the race,  his Dad and my friend, Jeff (Gazelle), a younger dude with headphones, and Mike Tammaro from the NRA.

After the opening 1/2 mile, a bunch of us were jockeying for position and it seemed like no one wanted to make a move.  I knew Gazelle was not afraid to push the pace and certainly is not one to let others do the work for them out there.  As for Matthew, I knew he was getting faster and faster and that he had a very solid summer of training.  I thought the headphones dude would drop and was concerned about Tammaro sitting on me and making a move at an opportune time.  As for me, I was concerned about getting dropped and my low running fitness.    We basically ran in a pack until the turnout around cone which is more than a mile into the race.  After the cone, I remember Matthew making a small break with Tammaro, Headphones, me, and Gazelle in tow.  I knew I needed to run as smart as possible and do my best not to let Tammaro or Headphones get a big gap on me.  I also needed to watch out for Gazelle, who very nearly took me down at the BOS.  Running back towards town and with less than a mile to go, I was able to pass Headphones.  At this point in the race, I disregarded the fact that he was wearing headphones and respected his running.  Unfortunately, I was never able to catch up to Tammaro.  In the end, Matthew took it, Tammaro grabbed 2nd, and I crossed the line in 3rd at 17:30.  

Post race

A little over a minute and a half after finishing, Shara cruised in at 19:10 to become the repeat women's winner and owner of a new 5k PR.  Mikey B. finished shortly after her to win his division.

We took a brief group warmdown, chatted it up with friends, and ate a little food before the awards ceremony.  On a personal level, I was somewhat pleased with my race.  Here's why: 1. I ran 30 seconds faster than the Battle, 2. My pace was consistent, 3. I really haven't been running much (not going to run sub 17 off 12 miles a week.  Shara had another strong win and her ability continues to amaze me.  It was also pretty cool to see Matthew Walker take the win..it's been fun to see him progress and he earned the victory.  Jeff and Mike both ran strong and it was a great family event held in honor of a friend's Dad right in Westerly.  Moving forward, I'm hoping to continue to strengthen my knees and run a little more this fall so I can run some better 5k times and live up to my name.

Strong showing by WTAC

RW Olympic Recap

Sunday, August 23, 2015
Rhode Warrior Olympic Distance Triathlon
RESULTS..scroll down for the olympic race
2:58:04, 2nd overall


With my well chronicled and often complained about knee issues of the past year, the Rhode Warrior Olympic Triathlon was scheduled to be my BIG race of the race.  When I say BIG, I'm referring to distance.  The thought of completing a half iron or even half marathon does not cross my mind.  As I've transitioned more towards triathlon and this particular race had me excited.  Based off the advertised distances (1 mile swim, 30 mile bike, and 6.5 mile run), I figured this race would match my strengths.  Training has been fun.  To ward off further knee injury and to keep my sanity, I've biked more this summer than ever.  My swim, which isn't fantastic, is competitive.  As for the run, my training is limited but I can tough it over most other triathletes.

Race day
Being a home town race, Shara and I slept in (4:45 am wake-up).  We quickly ate breakfast, did one final gear check, and headed down to Misquamicut for battle.  While setting up in transition, we ran into friend and teammate (what evcr did come of the proposed team competition?), Jeff Walker.  After all of our gear was set, Jeff and I went off for a very, easy warmup jog.  My knee was already talking to me--great!  While walking down to the swim with Shara, Jeff, and Super Fan, Mikey B., we all noticed that the swim distance seemed especially far.  I tried not to say too much about it because I did not want to psych any of us out.

Going into battle

Team WTAC

The SHARK and I..right before go time

Swim, 43:06, distance unknown

Before I knew, it was go time.  All of the men were starting in one wave, which really excited me because I'd know exactly where I'd stand throughout the race.  Shortly into the swim, my goggles filled with water.  This caused me some panic as I wear contacts and wanted to see as well as possible throughout the race.  Since the swim was on the long side, I decided it would be in my best interest to stop and fix those bad boys.  Unfortunately, my goggle issue carried on throughout the swim and I had to fix and re-adjust them at least 3 or 4 times.  Swimming along, it felt like I was going no where. Was I having a really tough, slow day in the water?  The only way I could tell was to gauge myself
off other competitors.  I was passing others rather than being passed, which was good for me mentally.  However, the flow of the current definitely changed.  In my head, I gave thought to what seemed to be a longer distance swim and a changing current.  Rather than dwelling on something I could not control, I swam on.  Focus.  Keep trying to catch people.  Spot buoys.  I kept moving.  As I was approaching the final buoy, I was suddenly passed by another competitor or possibly a fast moving shark.  This person/fish swam by me with authority.  I popped my head out of the water and sure enough...it was Shara (who started her swim a full 5 minutes after me)!  I put my head back in the water and tried to maintain my form.  I wanted to stay with Shara but it was pointless.  She is a far superior swimmer to me and I needed to focus on my own race.  You go, girl!  Before I knew it, I was out of the after and off to T1.

T1

Bike-ask Fast Finishes timing services
As I ran out of transition and mounted on my bike, I was a little bit in panic mode.  My wife had at least a minute or two on me and she started 5 minutes behind me.  In overall contention, I had no idea where I stood.  Heading out on Bradford Road, I caught up to Shara, offered her well wishes (No, really, I did), and let her know that I was in trouble and had a ton of time to make up on her.  After cruising along the bike course, it was time to head out on the dreaded Tomaquag Road.  While this road is almost completely free of traffic, I can't stand the bumps and road surfaces.  Riding on the road is anti-climatic and I just wanted to get off it.  The second half of the ride went by quickly and I felt strong.  I think I was passed by two riders and tried to keep them close enough where I could strike back at them on the run.  Towards the end of the ride coming down Shore Road and trying to cross Winnapaug Road, I had to come to a complete stop due to traffic.  A police officer was assigned to stop traffic but he was not ready for me. {*I later found out that the same officer had Shara and a bunch of other competitors ride down Winnapaug Road instead of following the proposed course.  There probably should have been a race official at that point so the officer could solely focus on traffic}.  Coming off the bike, I dismounted, drank some water, and felt pretty good.

Run, 6.5 miles, 40:35
Starting the run, I wanted to immediately get into a controlled, steady pace.  As I was leaving transition, Marc Burbelo was right in front of me.  I asked myself, "How and when did he get in front of me?"  As I passed Marc, I offered him well wishes and picked off another competitor whom I hadn't seen before in the race.  After passing a few competitors at the start of the run, I really did not see anyone else for quite a while.  While my legs were holding up pretty good, I was parched and could tell dehydration was looming.  I literally stopped at every water stop the rest of the way.  In some places I drank two drinks just to get water back into my system.  With about a 1 1/2 to go I came up on one last competitor.  Since it was a game of survival at this point, I carefully passed him and wished him well.  The final mile I was completely solo.  I crossed the line in 2nd place overall!

Post race
Shara came in shortly after I finished. She was 4th overall and beat the next women by 18 minutes!!  I was very proud of her win and overall performance.  On a side note- I was also happy that I was able to put 3 minutes between her and I.  I won't go down without a fight!  Despite all of the logistical nightmares with the long swim and current, issues on the bike course, and humidity, it was a great day for both of us.  Shara dominated and it was my highest placing in a triathlon ever.  I was also happy that my knee withstood the 6.5 mile run.

Post race.  Happy with results.

Other notes:
-It turns out Marc Burbelo and a group of other competitors were also led off course on the bike.  While coming back into the Misquamicut area they were directed back down Weekapaug Road by a race official.  Unfortunately, Marc was DQd.  I felt bad for him as it wasn't his fault and he self reported to the race director what happened.

-I know the ride was 30 miles and the run was 6.5.  The swim was definitely long.  How long exactly?  We may never never know..plus I don't wear a Garmin for TRIs.

-The race results still aren't perfect.  The only split that matches in my results is my swim.  The overall time was correct as well, but my transitions, bike, and run don't really exist.  It's frustrating because all triathletes want to know how they stacked up against the competition.  We may never know.  I do know that I completed the run in 40:35, which is about 6:15 pace.  I used my Timex to figure it out.

-Congratulations to Gazelle on finishing a grueling half iron and still placing in his age group.  It was a brutal day out there.

Block Island

Block Island Triathlon
August 1, 2015
Results


This would be my third "go around" with the Block Island Triathlon.  My history with this race goes back to August 2012 when I was hanging out on The Block with the cousin for his bachelor party and ran into Jeff Walker and Steve Schonning right after they finished the race.  I told myself that day, "Next year, I want to do this thing."  Having never done a triathlon before, I thought it would be a cool event to try.  Fast forward three years, I'm now consistently doing TRIs and love the training for the sport.  Up until a few weeks before the 2015 installment of the race, it didn't look like this race was going to happen for me.  After a final convincing email thread from Jeff and Chris Garwin, I talked Shara into signing up for the thing on our plane ride home from our honeymoon.


Pre-Race
We took the 6 am ferry over with the WTAC crew.  We had plenty of time to set up in transition and check out conditions.  While the weather may have been hot, conditions were nearly perfect for a triathlon.  Warming up for the race with a jog, I needed to determine how I would run the race due to high tide.  Options included running on thick sand or on a pitched drop.  Talked things over with Shara, Jeff, and Matthew and figured I'd base it off conditions during the run portion.


Swim-7:37, 8th
After a disappointing swim last week, it was my hope that I'd have a strong swim today.  As my wave went off, I worked to get a clean jump into the water so I could get good positioning.   A minute or two of the swim passed and I was feeling smooth.  There was only one guy in my wave ahead of me and I tried to stay as close to him as possible.  Before I knew it, I was almost out of the water and still feeling good. 


T1:1:31, 14th not bad for me!


Bike-38:19, 34th
 I was somewhat nervous about the bike portion of this race.  Knowing the course is hilly, I feared a really poor ride that would greatly impact my overall standing in the race.  Shortly after I was out on the bike, the eventual race winner, John Hirsch, went cruising by me.  I didn't make much of him passing me since I knew he was a far superior cyclist.  I continued to ride on and had a feeling in the back of my mind that my friend and teammate, Chris, would be next to blow by me on the bike.  Sure enough, Chris came.  We offered one another quick words of encouragement and he was off.  In the back of mind, it was highly unlikely that I'd see Chris again in the race.  I continued to ride the rolling course and put my best effort forward.  At various parts of the ride, I became frustrated with traffic out on the course.  A series of slow downs and hairy situations came about and I wanted to focus on the race.  Oh well, it's Block Island. 


T2: hadn't taken water or any nutrition at this point and needed to drink some Gatorade.  I was parched.  Threw on my race belt and off to the most dreaded part of this race--a high tide beach run.


Run-25:13-4th
Going into the run, my biggest concern was my knee.  My running volume has been really low and I knew I needed to gauge my expectations.  One of my main goals going into the race was to remain unscathed on a difficult beach run.  It took me a few minutes to get acclimated to running on a slanted surface.  I started to settle into a groove and was passing a few of the guys who ripped past me on the last portion of the bike.  It's always a confidence booster to catch these guys since it really stinks not to be able to respond to them on the bike.  As I worked to get to the half way point of the run, Shara came blazing by and I knew she was the 1st women.  Awesome!  Keeping on, I felt over heated and slow.  On the upside, I knew the only competitors I needed to worry about on the run were my teammates and one of them was already in front of me.  After turning the flag, I worked my way back to the Benson Beach and wanted to finish strong.  I crossed the finish line and couldn't wait to get water.  I immediately drank 3 or 4 cups of water and someone told me they thought I was 3 or 4th.  At that point, I wasn't sure what to make of the finish due to the staggered start.


Post race
I finished 3rd overall, my highest placing in a TRI ever.  Shara won* the women's race, which was really cool.  Chris landed himself a strong 2nd place overall and was only beat by a professional athlete and 7X race winner.  Jeff finished 7th overall and had the #2 run on the day.  Jeff, I dream of landing a 7th place finish in a TRI in my 50s.  Matthew landed a strong 30th place overall and rocked the run.  Polly finished 112th and had a strong finish in her division.  After awards and shower, the WTAC Crew grabbed lunch and enjoyed a few more hours on the island before heading home on the 3:30 fast ferry.


Thoughts
-Pumped for Shara with her overall win in the race. *Initially Shara was not interested in this race due to the beach run.  I'm hopeful her win and the allure of The Block will make her want to come back in future years.
-I was happy with my 3rd place overall finish, which was my highest ever in a TRI.  I'm not sure if I'll ever place higher so I better enjoy it.
-Had one of my best swims in a race to date
-Disappointed in my riding.  I can't blame my bike anymore.  This one is on me.  I need to keep working on the bike to get stronger and more efficient.  Looking for any tips insights to do so.
-Happy to report I did not have increased pain after the run.  Ice and ibuprofen help.  I wasn't especially impressed with my run.  However, with my current volume of running, I'm not sure how much better I could have done.  Running and competing pain free is more important at this point.
-In general, it was just an awesome day competing and hanging out my WTAC friends on the Block (Jeff, Steve, Chris, Katie, Matthew, Polly, Garv's kids, and Shara-she's my friend, right?).

Great people, great day!

 

Fat Clam

The Fat Clam Sprint Triathlon
July 25, 2015


Results
7th/190
1st 30-34

Pre-Race
Woke up at 430 am to eat some breakfast and double check I had all of my race gear ready.  Shara and I decided we wanted to be out of the house by 530 am to make the trek up to Camp Westwood in Coventry. We arrived at the venue nice and early, picked up our chips and bibs, and set up our gear in transition.  With some extra time on our hands, we decided to check out the temperature of the pond.  The pond felt like bath water.   Shara and I began to contemplate the idea of not wearing wetsuits.  Knowing the wetsuit would offer me some extra buoyancy, I had a decision to make.  On the flip side, my transition out of the wetsuit isn't exactly smooth either.  In the end, I decided to wear no wetsuit.  After my BIG decision, we went down to the beach and waited for the race to start.

Swim-10:46, Rank 34
As I lined up for the swim, I tried to plan out the path I wanted to take.  I took a look at the way the current was flowing, proximity of the buoys, and sized up my competition. Go Time!  I ran into the water, took a quick dive in, and tried to surge to get good position.  Every which way I swam, I ran into someone.  I opted to swim in a straight line and hoped the field would spread out.  Swimming around some of the various buoys, I couldn't see a thing through my goggles.  They were all fogged up.  I told myself to just swim hard and keep pushing.  In reality, I was struggling.  From an effort standpoint, I was giving it my all.  Approach the end of the swim, I knew I was not where I wanted to be.  I ran out of the water and gassed.  Huffing and puffing, I knew that I needed to put the swim behind me and start a new race on the bike.

*Side note: Not wearing the wetsuit was a big mistake.  I also wonder if the my tri shirt created some extra drag (I could definitely feel water entering the shirt).  Lesson learned.

T1-1:03, fastest ever since I didn't have to drop the wetsuit.

Bike-40:02, Rank 23
Pre-race reports of the bike course had me concerned.  I heard the hills on the course were relentless.  After a long trot from transition to the start of the bike course, I mounted on the bike and took off.  The early part of the bike course was downhill.  Competitors were flying.  I was getting passed by a few guys but tried to maintain a steady pace.  After a few miles, the hills began.  Pre-race reports of the bike course were true: relentless.  While I don't consider myself a climber, I was started to pick off some riders on the hills.  Mentally, this was good for me.  The course continued to roll.  Riding along towards the last quarter of the bike course, I thought I was getting another flat.  I slowed up a tad and looked at my back wheel.  It looked fine.  I'm just paranoid about getting a flat after my last race and recent issues on the road. Back on pace again, I was starting to pick off more riders at the end of the ride.  I pulled back into Camp Westwood and shot towards transition.

T2: :45 

Run-18:45, Rank 3
Like Gazelle, Matthew, and Shara, run time is my time in a TRI.  I was really worried about the run.  With my recent knee issues, I was unsure how my knee would respond after completing the first two disciplines of a TRI.  With a very low volume of running lately between my injury and honeymoon, I wasn't sure what to expect.  I knew I'd do okay but did not expect to have my regular advantage.  Running out of transition, I tried to settle into a solid pace.  Feeling taxed from the swim and ride, I wanted to be in control on the run.  Right before the mile, I caught up with the Gazelle.  We exchanged some words of encouragement and tried to pick off runners.  Since Gazelle hammered the  Blessing the night before, I was especially impressed by how strong he looked.  He gave me a little push in the run, which really helped.  BLS, who was also volunteering,  cheered us on as she manned a water stop (Thanks Beth).  Before I knew it, I was headed into the woods for the last 3/4 of a mile of the run course.  Entering the trails, I immediately slowed down trying to avoid the various rocks and roots.  After surviving the trails, the final portion of the run was on the road and I tried to crank it in.  The run was uneventful and I finished strong.

Pros: NO leg pain, no flats, AG win, enjoyed the challenging course, Shara took 2nd, Gazelle & Matthew AG wins, fun day
Cons: struggled in the swim, wish my bike was faster

WTAC Crew..strong showing all around. Photo courtesy of Schonning

 

Congrats Shara on finishing 2nd place overall for females!

Married Man-7/10/15

As I write this post, I now sit as a married man.  I feel very fortunate to have found a truly outstanding, beautiful, athletic, and understanding girl in Shara.  Throughout my final weeks of single life, I'm very thankful to my WTAC and triathlon buds for celebrating my last days as a single man.  I'm most appreciative of the advice offered (Just say, "Yes, dear, or yes, ma'am" and go from there).  In an effort not to incriminate myself or any of my buds, I'll withhold other recommendations offered!

Wedding Day Swim, Run, and Mimosas. Couldn't think of a better start to my wedding day

My brother Steve and best man.

Swim

Beach trot

Surprise Stag Party!  Thanks B for organizing.

June 22-June 28

So far-
Run:1X, 5 miles
Swim: 2X, 3800 yd
Bike: 3X, 95 miles(includes a spin session)


Injury Update
Pain and irritation continue in my knee.  I've figured out that the main trigger point is right below my knee.  If I press on the trigger point hard, I can feel a streak of pain right down my leg. After some consultation and a brief exam from Shara's bridesmaid, who is training to be a chiropractor and visiting us, she's concluding I have tendonitis in my knee.  Treatment recommendations include rest, ice, foam rolling, and putting pressure on the area.  She told me to do what I can and listen to my body.

As pathetic as my running is right now, I am going to stay on course with my plan.  I'll pick my spots of when I can run (most likely one or twice a week) and supplement with swimming, biking, and core.  Up to this point, it's been a down year of training and racing for me.  Despite the frustration,I'm looking at this year as an opportunity to improve my swimming and biking skills. 

*For those of who have followed my injury reports/complaining for the past year, the tendonitis is actually on the opposite knee of where I experienced problems last year.  I'm assuming the area of injury has been aggravated from compensation.

June 15-21

Run: 4X, 15 miles
Bike: 4X, 65 miles
Swim: 3X, 4000 yds

Highs:
-Enjoyed participating in WTAC Tom McCoy Fun Run Wednesday
-Not many swim yards, but still happy with progress

Lows:
-Lingering leg/knee issues.  Lots of current pain on the anterior side of my left leg..not fun.
-DNF at OMG Sprint Tri.  After a solid start to my race in the swim, I flatted out on a grooved road in the zero visibility pouring rain.  I also neglected to bring a tube with me in case of this situation.   A sprint race is over if you land a flat but it would have been nice to change it and try to ride it in.  Lesson learned.  Shara ran a great race.  Gazelle-crashed, flatted and still finished.  Way to persevere. 

June 8-14

Totals:
Bike: 3X, 92 miles
Swim: 3X, 6960 yds
Run: 1X, 3.5 miles
Weights/Core Work: 1X, 45 minutes

Really happy with my bike and swim miles.  I guess that is the upside of my running shutdown.

Observations:
-Fun Saturday group ride with some nice charges at various points
-Did my first open water swim of the season with a BGAME Sunday morning swim.  The water was pretty warm but I did not enjoy not being able to see the bottom.  It also felt weird to do sighting. I'm glad I was able to get one in before racing.
-Went for my longest swim ever-3000m.  A normal day for Shara or Duda but I was happy with it.
-Went for my first run on Sunday in 11 days with a 3.5 miler.  Pace felt okay-still some lingering soreness on inside of left knee and outside of left calf.

June 1-7 Ups and Downs

6/1-6/7

Ups and Downs

Run: 2X, 14 miles
5 and 9 milers

Down
Both runs were at a solid but not pressing pace.  Over the last month or so I've been experiencing discomfort/slight pain in both of my knees and the outside of my right calf.  Symptoms of runner's knee.  While I've continued to push on with this "irritation", I feel this discomfort while walking, getting up from a chair, and doing up/down stairs.  It's gotten to the point where I don't even enjoy running right now because it's uncomfortable.  Therefore, I've concluded it's best to shut my running down until I don't feel any irritation/pain while doing normal life activities.  I'm still not happy that I can't run, but I'm totally cool with my decision.  Doing the same thing is just going to make matters worse.

Ups
Swim: 3X, 5800yds
In one of these efforts, I went for my longest swim ever.

Bike: 2X, 84 miles
14 and 70 mile rides
I went for a 70 miler effort with Duda on Saturday.  While planning it out, we agreed to a comfortably hard pace.  In reality, we rode at a hard pace (at least for me).  Over the ride, I averaged over 18 mph and we hit some serious climbs.  Very happy with this ride.  Longest ride ever.

Core/Weights: 2X, 60 minutes
Did some strength work for my legs, hips, and upper body.  Need to keep up with these workouts in order to improve muscular imbalance/get back to some running.

Plan ahead:
-Going to continue my "shut down" from running.  If it hurts, it's not fun or something I can just push through that will go away.  Hoping to start easy when my body tells me it's okay with some shorter distance runs.
-Continue to  bike, swim, lift, and do core work
-OMG Olympic Tri on 6/21.  Thinking of moving down to the sprint distance.  I think I'd be fine on the swim and bike, but it might not be pretty or the best thing for me to muscle out a 10k on no training and with physical issues.

May 25-31

Weekly Update: May 25-31

Run: 4X, 28 miles
Bike: 2X, 59 miles
Swim: 2X, 3200yds
Core: 1X, 20 miles

Highlights/thoughts:
-Another solid Saturday ride with some speed bursts.  I really liked the route as it was a mixture of country roads and beach.  Nice job route planning, Mike B!
-My running days were limited.  In place of more runs, I ran longer.  Monday-8 miles, Wednesday-10 controlled, Thursday-3, Sunday-7.  Throughout the week I had random leg/knee soreness (even during non-running time).  I'm being really careful with my running with the hope of not getting hurt.
-Happy with my 2 swims...just wish I could get more in.
-Still lagging on the racing motivation with running. However, OMG is only three weeks ago.  I'm not sure what kind of TRI shape I'm in, but I'm looking forward to the season.

May 18-24

Run: 5X, 30  miles
Bike: 3X, 84 miles
Swim: 2X, 3200 yds

Synopsis: Better volume than previous weeks.

Positives:
-Happy with bike miles and increased comfort level on my new ride
-Making it into the pool twice
-Doing an 11+ miles long run..

Negatives:
-Low run motivation and desire to race.  Sometimes it nice to just train and build.

Short Update-Weeks of 5/4 and 5/10

Since I've been quite busy with lately, I haven't been blogging as much as I'd like.  As temperatures warm up and we start moving towards summer, I'm trying to ramp up my TRI training.  So here is a quick activity update of the past two weeks:

5/4-5/10
Run: 4X, 20 miles
Ride: 3X, 65 miles
Swim: 1X, 2300 yd

Notes: Happy with the ride miles.  It's nice to finally be out on the bike and trying to get in a weekly long group ride.

5/11-5/17
Run: 4X, 20 miles
Ride: 3X, 86 miles
Swim: 0X, 0

Highlights:
-Ran Murphy's Mad Dash 5k on Saturday.  Pulled off the win on a difficult rolling course. 17:36
Splits: 525, 532, 553.
Shara also landed a strong win in the women's race. It's always cool to land a win as a couple.

Murphy's Mad Dash 5k

 



-Bike miles: With Sunday's 40 mile ride, I had one of my best riding week's ever.  It's tough to get in miles on the bike and it's always a time consuming process.

Lowlight: 0 swim.  Not good for TRI season but did not have time.  Sometimes something has to give.

2015 State Police 5k

Results
17:27, 2nd

The RI State Police 5k is one of my favorites.  I obviously love running 5ks, Gansett, a WTAC Team Event, and the post race atmosphere.

So in honor of the NFL Draft and general disdain in my own performance, I'm going to describe my race in a Belichickian fashion.

"It is what it is"
There are lots of things I can improve upon.

Mile splits were 5:18, 5:39, 5:38.

How I felt:  Slow, sluggish, and struggling.   Felt like I was being hunting, instead of being the hunter.
Still wanted to compete but didn't have any extra gears.  Still happy I ran the race-just want to do better.  I'm hoping good running health (still not where I'd like to be) and training will help me in the future.

Highlights: Big PR for Shara at 19:18, Gazelle ran a strong 18:04 and put himself in good position to get back under 18 at any time, and I thoroughly enjoyed the two cups of ice cream I ate post race.  This race still remains one of my favorites.  Sorry to see Garv have to sit this out with a hip issue.

"It is what it is Tommy 5k"

One big training week...it's all relative..

This past week marked my April break from school.  With massive wedding planning and other things going on, Shara and I had a STAYCATION going on.  With home visitors, a little extra time on my hands, and warmer temperatures, the week provided me with an opportunity to up my training. 
Disclaimer: My big week would serve as a major down week for many of my WTAC teammates.  It's all relative, right?

So here is what the week looked like with some random highlights:
Sunday, 4/12: Clamdigger 5  miler: 29:05, 4th place.
Great WTAC event, ran okay early on, struggled running into the wind the last two miles, fun day despite being irritated with my performance.
7 miles on the day

Monday, 4/13-4 mile recovery run with Shara, Lulu, and Riley at Ninigret.
Spent the majority of the rest of the day digging holes in my parents back yard.

Tuesday, 4/14-2500 yd swim at Y.  Slow
Went into work for a few hours

Wednesday, 4/15-5 miles with Lulu
Lunch at Champlain's and chilled at The Wall in Gansett

Thursday, 4/16-7.5 morning workout in Burlingame Camp Trails with Gazelle.  
4X1000 at T w/ short rests, 4X200.  Would be nice to get consistent with these
Yard work

Friday, 4/17-45 minute spin class, 3 mile easy run with Lulu
Chores and business

Saturday, 4/18-Long Run & T Work with Gazelle and Garvin.
11 miles incorporating 2 T, 1 E, 1 T.  Once again, nice to get work done.  Gazelle and Garv were strong out there.  Ran back from Green Hill to Breachway on the beach.  Followed up run with Scones.
Chores and all of Shara's crew came to my house.

Totals:
Run: 6X, 35 miles
Lulu: 4X, 1  run w/o me.
Swim: 1X, 2500yd
Bike: 1X, 45 minutes
Core: some

Accomplishments:
3 solid run efforts, longest run of the year on 4/18, and highest mileage in quite sometime.

Thanks STAYCATION.

Jamestown Bridge 10k

Results

The Jamestown Bridge 10k is a race I've always wanted to run.  2015 turned out to be the year when running the race finally became a reality with no travel plans, no other races, and no other commitments to interfere.  As my audience well knows, I mostly enjoy running 5ks, but the 10k is actually another distance I like.  Shara, who was also running, actually prefers the longer distances so the 10k works out as a perfect compromise for us. 

Prior to the race, all weather outlets warned of serious winds that could gust to 40 to 50 mph.  Awesome.  Too make matters even better, I've been battling a sinus/cold issue for the past week.  Great day for a race. 

With a very good scouting report from Seth, we arrived at the race nice and early to ensure we'd get good parking and would have plenty of time to warmup and make sure we were set.  After hiding from the wind in the car for about 40 minutes, Shara and I went out for a 10 minute warmup at about 8:15.  After warming up, I tried to get my game face on and focused on the task at hand.  Not feeling too hot, my strategy for the day was to run smart and run my own race (basically follow Seth's scouting report).

Miles 1-3
As the gun went off, I quickly settled in behind the pack.  With a quick downhill start and those wicked winds waiting for me, I wanted to expend as little energy as possible.  Sitting in 8th place, I hit the mile mark at 5:28 and felt like I was running easy.  As I climbed the bridge on my way out I passed a few runners and hit the my second mile in a split of 6:08.  When I crest the bridge, I started to see leaders of the 5k working their way up the bridge.  As I watched the leaders go over, I couldn't help but wonder why it looked like they were going so slow.  Crossing into Jamestown, I hit my third mile in 5:43 and sat in a distant 5th place.

Miles 4-6
I expected my suffering to begin on my way back over the bridge, but the Jamestown roads were much windier than I expected.  Moving through the Jamestown roads, I finally was able to "pull up" on another runner-happened to be a guy in a Fuel Belt Jersey (Tom G.).  Shortly after mile 4 (6:02 split), I pulled up on the Fuel Belt dude, who reminded me we only had two big hills to go.  I quickly responded, "Great."  In retrospect, I'm wondering why he didn't say anything about the wind.  Coming out of Jamestown, I started to cross up with 5k runners and the wind was gusting hard. I felt like I was running in slow motion and I hadn't even starting climbing over the bridge yet.  Moving up the bridge, I couldn't spot any of the race leaders with various 5k participants scattered throughout.  At that point, I was no longer competing against anyone, I was competing against the wind.  Battling along, it became harder and harder.  As I was about 300 meters from the crest of the bridge, I seriously contemplated walking.  "It might be faster at this point," I thought to myself.  If anyone passed me, "good for them, more power to them".  Pondering the stop, I couldn't do it.  "I'm a runner, I might be struggling, but I can't give up."  My internal battle at least helped me make it to the crest of the bridge.  Finally, downhill!  Unfortunately, with the fierce winds, running downhill felt like running uphill.  My 5 mile split: 6:57.  No surprise.  I knew the final mile would be really tough.  I thought of Seth's scouting report, save something for the last half mile, it's completely uphill.  With the wind, uphill, and enough suffering for one day, I just wanted to finish.  I already wasn't feeling that great and my time was out the window.  I crossed the finish line in 38:40 and in 4th place. 

Afterwards
I quickly guzzled a water down and then jogged back towards the finish line to see Shara.  I didn't know exactly where Shara was in the race but expected a strong finish from her.  After a very brief wait, Shara came through in a time of 42:25.  She placed as the 1st place women and 9th overall. Very impressive.  Shortly after finishing, she told me she almost PRd!  Wow.  Great race.

Pros: Shara's race, I like the 10k distance, I ran over a bridge, and my knee didn't hurt
Cons: 40+ mph wind gusts, slow time, I felt slow.

Four legged training partners

Most of my runs these days take place with one of my four legged friends below.  After being locked up for most of the day, these guys need a run just about as much as I do.  As soon as Shara or I throw the sneakers on, it's go time!  Most of the runs start off fast and furious.  Lulu runs at more of a natural pace while Riley runs like a mad man.  The fortunate part is they both can run at a solid clip.   While I enjoy running solo on occasion, I usually feel a sense of guilt if I don't bring one of my dogs with me.  Run on my four legged friends!

Lulu and Riley

Comebacks don't always go as planned..

After reading a recent article on Competitor.com about the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Runners, I've been reflecting on my first two months of 2015 training and my comeback from knee and IT band issues.  So it is safe to say that  things aren't going exactly as planned with my training.  The real good news is that I'm able to train and move much better than I could all fall.  I've had some workouts I've been pleased with, initiated racing again, and jumped in on some group runs.  The frustrating news is that the knee pain still exists from time-to-time, I have consistently had an annoying yet tolerable pain on the back of my heel, and I'm very reluctant to increase volume.

As runners and athletes I think we all agree, some running is better than no running.  But c'mon, I've got goals man!  As I think about goals, training, and running comfortably, I constantly think about the "what ifs." What if I could train more and harder?  What if I didn't have these ailments?  What if I had more time to train?  What if I had more ability?  The possibilities are endless.

So instead of focusing on what I can't do, I need to adjust my training expectations to reality.   The reality(at least for the near future) is that I can't run daily, I need to keep volume relatively low, I'm probably not going to bang out rocking times, and I just need to have fun with it.  In order to get better or make things happen I have to keep up with the strengthening exercises, take off days, cross training, stretch (we'll see), and stop comparing myself to others and just have fun doing what I love to do.

Tommy 5k Challenge

As I work to re-gain my running health and fitness, I've struggled with setting any goal other than to be healthy.  While my running health is still my priority, I had to set my sights on something unique.  After doing a recent PT/Strength Routine in my basement, I came up with a great idea..The Tommy 5k Challenge (I never was too keen on talking in the third person so I'll stop here). 

What is it?
Complete a 5k sub 17 and bench press 225 lbs at least once within 7 days of one another.

Why?
It would be pretty cool to throw down some heavy weight and run a respectable 5k in the same time period.

How?
Minimum of 1 to 2 PT/Strength  Sessions per week in my basement
Start doing a weekly speed work/pick-ups again for my runs
Stretch and work on flexible when possible

Time table to complete:
2015

Benchmarks:
17:30 5k at Super 5k on 2/1
1X3/195lbs on the bench on 2/15

At this stage of the game I think the biggest challenge for me will be the 5k.  A few things need to happen in order for me to get faster.  I need to run more, complete speed workouts, be pain free, and run a fairly flat course on a nice day.  If I'm able to achieve this goal, I'll continue to work on my running but will not try to lift much more than 225 for the risk of hurting myself.

If any of you out there would like to jump in on this challenge, please feel free to join me!  You can modify your goal based upon your own needs.  I have the bench in my basement for testing.

Things are getting better.

Super 5k. One of my favorites.

In an effort to prevent my blog followers from utter boredom,  I haven't been posting much lately.  So here is a brief update on my status as a runner and still wannabe triathlete.

-Still going to PT every couple of weeks and I am making progress.  Progress may be slow but it is there.  My physical therapist gave me a pretty cool car analogy today.  Here goes-"When a car is brand new, you don't really have to service it that much.  As the car gets older, you have to start servicing it more to make sure it's running correctly and prevent it from breaking it down.  Think of these exercises as maintenance for your body."

-Super 5k.  17:30.  First race in almost 6 months.  Not an impressive time but I'll certainly take it considering my lack of miles, speed work, and running in general (two weeks prior to the race I only ran a grand total of 7 miles).  Fun to get back out racing with WTAC.

-Running.  Despite some general soreness and tightness in my left knee, I'm doing okay.  Most runs are around 3-5 miles with Shara and the dogs at a solid clip.  Slowly trying to get light speed work in and longer runs up to 8 miles

-Moving forward.  Need to keep doing strengthening and PT exercises.  Stay away from any run longer than 10 miles for a long time..maybe forever!  Don't forget to take off days.  No dreams or aspirations of competing in anything long.  Healthy movement is more important to me. Looking forward to improving my times and getting back under 17 for the 5k.

Sending positive energy!
Tommy 5k