2023 to 2024

 2023 Year in Review

Overall, 2023 was a pretty good year of running and sport for me.  

The Start-

I started off the year with with a stubborn heel injury that shut me down from mid January well into March.  As April came around, I was not very fit but resumed some training.  While it took me some time to regain fitness, I jumped into some races (Clamdigger and the Mystic 10K) where I struggled but still enjoyed being a participant.  As the summer came about, I had some additional time to train and continued to work on my fitness and even incorporated some long runs.  

Color Run Fun

Clamdigger 2023

Mystic 10k

Summer-The summer marked some additional personal change for me as we added Teddy to Team B and I made a job change when I had the opportunity to move back to the high school level.  The summer included more racing and some sufferfests.  I suffered through the fun Waterman Eco Challenge and The Blessing of the Fleet.  I didn't feel trained well for either race, but would definitely do both races again in a heart beat.  I ended up running some shorter races (Run4Kerri and Bottone Mile) with better results that helped give me some confidence. Lastly, I jumped into the Niantic Triathlon and had a favorable result considering I didn't train on the bike at all.  I was most pumped to run sub 5 mile in the mile at Bottone with no speed work at my ripe old age..haha.

Niantic Bay & Run4Kerri 2023

Fall-

With my move to back to the high school, my work start time changed by well over an hour and Shara and my running routines started earlier and became tighter.  Prior to the start of our new plan, I was nervous about how it would all play out and how we would fit running in but it has worked out just fine.  The downside of the earlier running is increased tiredness and fatigue but it works out with our busy life.  As for racing, I jumped into the Surftown, Tarzan Brown, and L'il L'il Rhody.  The Surftown was another tough one with crazy humidity and the other races were good fun.  As I moved through the summer until the end of the year, I remained relatively healthy running wise, which was a huge win.  As I compose this post, I'm still working on healing from the shingles, which came upon me in early December.  The shingles have given me a reality check when it comes to health and feeling good and not taking my health for granted.  

Tarzan Brown 2023

Supporting a fast marathoner at Hartford



What Went Well

-Routine.  

-Wearing big, cushy shoes (Asics Gel Nimbus 25)

-Light Stretching

-Jumping into races.  It is motivating even if I'm not always happy with the results

-Attending Fun Runs in the summer.  They are great family events and it is very enjoyable to see our kids run.

-Shara's accomplishments and strong racing.  Some of her highlights included very strong races at Run4Kerri, Surftown, Hartford Marathon, and the Niantic Jingle Bell 5k.  She PRd at Hartford and Niantic.  It's especially remarkable considering how busy she is.  I'm motivated by her strong will, talent, and toughness.

-I ran 1501 miles, which is the most since 2018.  

-Running friends who continue to do remarkable things- Jeff W. completing an IRONMAN and running strong races almost every time he toes the line and Jeff V., who continues to run very strong when he races and for his organization and positive impact with his RWYC group.

Areas to Improve

-I need to spend more time on flexibility, mobility, and strength

-I used to swim 1X a week and that fell way off this year.

-Finding time to do speed work without injuring myself

-Learning how to recover better.  I historically struggle in this area and my tight window of workout time doesn't help.

-Trying to find the motivation to do long runs.  I struggle in this area.

Goals for 2024

-Stay injury free. I need to be especially careful in the winter (especially January) based on my history.

-Run a few 5ks.  I did not run a single 5k in 2023.  It's hard to believe considering it is my favorite distance but there aren't that many good ones around anymore.

-Run some longer races.  It'll be dependent upon my health, fitness, and motivation.  Ideally, a half marathon or two..next level would be a marathon..but I'm not sure where I am with that.

-Teach Teddy how to run.  Continue to do shorter runs with Riley and keep Lulu active and as healthy as possible (she can no longer run anymore due to an ACL tear).

-Do a triathlon..even if I don't train for it.

-Work on my Areas to Improve

Happy New Year! Wishing anyone reading this a healthy and fun year ahead.

2021-22

 2021 in Review

2021 was one of my poorest running years ever.  After battling injuries in 2020, my achilles and knee presented even more challenges in 2021.  It ended up getting bad enough that I decided to shut it down on January 21st after both injury issues were really wrecking havoc on my running and until March 30th with a whooping 1.5 miler.  From March 30th through the summer wasn't drastically better with a series of starts and stops and probably an average of 13-15 miles of running a week.  As the fall came around, things slowly and gradually improved.  I'm glad to report that I finished the year with a few 30 mile weeks, which hopefully bodes well for my 2022 running.

So how did I cope?

When my running down, I knew I'd lose my mind with boredom if I just rode the stationary bike in my basement for x amount of time everyday and maybe did some PT stretches.  To challenge myself, I did a modified version of P90x that took out any plyometrics and explosive lower body work.  I mixed in regular weight lighting and the stationary bike in the routine.  P90x was challenging and relatively fun and I was thankful it carried me well into the spring.

2020 to 21 comparison

Totals	Run	Bike	Swim
2020	1171 miles	1127 miles	36798 yds January through mid March
2021	825 miles	1431 miles	41054 yds Late July-December

* I don't keep track of hours of weight/PT work I complete but I bet time spent on these activities would dominate 2021 for me.

Accomplishments/Things that Went Well

• WTAC Tom McCoy Fun Runs: I ran every single fun run this past year for the first time ever.  Shara and the girls were weekly participants as well.  While I didn't set out to make every run, I definitely started to aim for it as the season moved along.  I had some dicey weeks (i.e. not being able to run for 6/7 days before one of the Wednesdays and running after giving blood) but I made it!  I can't say I ran fast down at the beach this year but I sure did have fun and enjoyed all of the events and even jumped in the Bottone Mile.
• P90x. Explained above.
• Regular PT exercises.  My knee and achilles still kick up but I have been able to manage both enough as of late to enjoy running again.
• Family Support/Encouragement-we try to incorporate the girls into as many activities as possible.  They'll even ask me how my run was on some mornings when they wake up.
• Getting at it early.  It's not always easy but it's my window.
• Completing "The Murph" on Memorial Day Weekend.  With 90X, I figured 2021 gave me a perfect chance to complete this cross fit challenge.  I even bought a weighted vest for the event.  I hope to continue this challenge again and reflecting on it reminds me I need to keep up with some of the training principles.
• The Clamdigger 5k in. 18:14.  No, this time isn't fast or impressive but it gave me hope I could still run relatively fast considering it came off almost no running over the past few months.
• Running with Riley and Lulu.  My loyal friends are still willing to go out there daily with me.  I monitor conditions when I run them (mostly for heat).  I'm lucky to have them and that they like running.
• Inspiring friends.  Jeff, Chris, and JV for their accomplishments, dedication, and hard work.
• Doing a DIY TRI with Chris & Mike.  When plans to compete it other official TRIs fell apart, we planned this out in September at Burlingame. I had to ride this bad boy on my hybrid but it was still a blast.

Plans/Goals for 2022

• Run more.  It would be a sign that I'm able to manage my injury issues.
• Push myself at least 1X a week while running.
• Continue incorporating strength training
• Continue to involve the girls and dogs in my running
• Swim 1x/week.  Such a great activity, just hard to stay disciplined to keep at it.
• Enjoy my girls 
• Run, bike, swim with friends. 
• Complete more DIY Tris and fun multi-sport events
• Keep up with my running when the new baby arrives while enjoying her
• Do The Murph Workout at least once.
• Keep it fun.

Year in Pictures

   

Fun Runs

                                                                BI on a tandem.  Fun day!

                                                                Shara after running the Bobby Doyle Race

                                                                Pell Bridge Race.  Tough logistics and super early but fun.

                                                                    Mystic Turkey Trot

                                                                   Team B and Mikey B

Wishing everyone a healthy and wonderful 2022!

Shara Here

 Hi Everyone,

This is Shara. I am no writer, but am definitely a blogger wannabe. I am pretty sure I have a blog somewhere on the internet, but it only has 1 post. So, when Tommy suggested I write a "guest" post on his I wasn't sure if I would accept, but here I am writing about my 2020 year in review. 

I wouldn't say I have ever gone into a new year with any athletic goals. Before Tommy and I had kids I knew I wanted to run a marathon, do a half ironman, and travel back to South Africa. I didn't have a specific year when these "goals" had to be accomplished by, however these 3 goals were accomplished before we welcomed Haley into the world in 2017. I ran my first marathon, Hartford Marathon, in 2014, I completed my first ironman in 2015, and I unexpectedly traveled back to South Africa in 2016 to celebrate my Granny's 90th birthday (I was pregnant at the time so I just snuck that in). It was special being able to share the news with her in person. I also managed to complete my second marathon, Boston Marathon, in 2016. That being said, I would say the only year I went into having a goal would be 2016. I knew I would be running the Boston Marathon that April and began my training on January 1, 2016 with a half marathon training run with Tommy. So, I don't have any goals to reflect back on, but I can reflect on 2020 through statistics Strava provides.

As for everyone, 2020 brought a lot of hardship and trying times. Despite all the heartache and loss that the whole world felt during 2020 I cannot be more grateful for the gift of time. Time to slow down, time to spend with my special family, time to breathe and think about what is really important in my life, time to run and be active more, and most importantly, time to watch my 2 girls grow and flourish during the 6 months we were home with them. I will never get that time with them again. Yes, did I lose my patience more than I wanted, but I am forever grateful for the memories we were able to make together. 

I am no techy and don't study Strava very much, but I will try my best to provide some fun statistics from my year. January to March didn't involve too much exercise due to my family commitments and work schedule. However, I was able to sneak out on Thursdays and Fridays to run a quick 5k before picking the girls up from Mary's. I loved these 2 days of "me" time. I then would run my usual 5 miles on Saturday and Sunday. However, when schools shut down mid march, my running and working out opportunity increased. I can not 100% say for sure that I worked out everyday since we shut down mid march, but I am pretty confident I did some form of exercise each day since then.

Running:

Total miles run: 1200.2 miles

My best 5k effort: 19:00 (Jeff Vuono's "Run away from 2020")

My best mile time: 5:41 (8/1 at Ninigret with Tommy)

Total time spent running: 146h 14m

Total number of runs: 333

Swimming: Tommy and I had a good thing going with our weekly swim dates. 

Total yards swum: 10,849 yards

Total time spent swimming: 2h 35m

Total number of swims: 7

Some athletic highlights from the year: (in no particular order)

• Haley's weekly fun runs in the summer
• Double stroller family runs. From April till September/October we went on 1 family stroller run a week
• Sneaking out for some runs with Tommy, including dragging him out on 12/30 to run 2 miles with me so I could get 1200 miles for the year
• Running a few miles "hard" - either after Haley's fun run on Wednesdays in the summer or at Ninigret with Tommy after a family stroller run
• Doing some "bush" running with Tommy to prepare me for L'il Rhody
• Running the small L'il Rhody Race - my one and only race for 2020. And I must take a moment to compliment the team that put the race on. I can only imagine the hardships they all went through to put on such a successful race. It was most enjoyable to participate in it. Congrats to Jeff and the rest of the team/volunteers. And thank you for allowing me to run a race in 2020. 
• Paddle boarding with Tommy
• Our weekly swim dates to the Y before the shut down mid march. These started around November of 2019
• The 2 fun "races" organized by Jeff Vuono and the RWYC group. The first one on Thanksgiving - pouring with rain, but a ton of fun. And thanks to Kevin for the local honey. We are thoroughly enjoying it. And the second one, "Run away from 2020" on 12/27. This was a cold one, but also a lot of fun. For both of these races, my body definitely wasn't used to running hard.
• Running 2kms around our yard in support of my friends and family in South Africa who were not allowed to leave their properties for 3 weeks. It was fun seeing some of their runs being done up and down their driveways - huge kudos to them. My one friends, Jade, even trained for a virtual Comrades Marathon in her driveway. In her words, "Thank goodness I have a long driveway."
• Going to a few RWYC runs on Sundays. I hope to go to more in 2021. 
• Being reunited with running with Riley and Lulu
• Running on the beach from Weekapaug to Watch Hill and back with Tommy

2021? I am not sure what is in store for me this year. I do know I am looking forward to continuing to enjoy my running - solo, with the dogs, with Tommy, with the whole family, and some group runs. I am really starting to enjoy my running and feeling more like myself again after starting our family. I hope there are some race opportunities in 2021, including some longer events. A marathon? I am not sure if that is in line for me this year, but hopefully a half. One of my long term goals is to get to Boston one year with Tommy - hopefully this will happen for us sometime in the near future. My biggest goal for 2021 is to try and be active everyday, whether it is running, core/stretching (I don't track this on Strava, I think I should start), swimming, biking. Most importantly, I hope to continue to enjoy my health and ability to exercise. I don't want to take my health and ability for granted, but rather to find joy in it on a daily basis. 

I hope you have enjoyed journeying with my through my 2020 year. Maybe there will be more "guest" appearances this year. Who knows? Stay healthy, safe, and keep up the good work!

Some highlights in picture form

Tommy running a hard mile at Ninigret after a family double stroller run

Haley running in one of her weekly fun runs this summer

Enjoying lots of family walks

Tommy running along side Haley as she rides her big girl bike. 

Completing the 5 mile Clamdigger course Family Style

"2k for SA" - supporting my SA friends and family

2020 to 2021

 2020: The Year That Wasn't-We've read in on news sites, heard it on TV, and discussed it over and over with family and friends, but 2020 is a year that most of us would like to forget.  Walking into the year, none of us planned for or were prepared to live through a pandemic.  The pandemic led to so much loss-lives, jobs, relationships, mental/physical well being, opportunities for socializing, and the cancellation of just about EVERYTHING.  While the cancellation of most races out there was sad and disappointing to many of us, it was a small scale loss in the grand scheme of things. With all of these shutdowns, social distancing, and risks, my main fitness goal changed to just remaining active.  While I have continued to battle injury issues throughout the year, I absolutely stayed active.  So let's get to those measurable goals that I posted at the start of 2020.  Here goes...

Goal Assessment

-Since I didn't race many regular distances, the best measuring stick I have is the 5k.  I still love the 5k over any other race distance and would like to try to run them fast for as long as I possibly can.  GOAL NOT ASSESSED.

-Stay active almost every day of the year.  It shouldn't be that hard.  Besides my love of running, I have plenty of other activities that can keep me going. GOAL ACHIEVED.  I'm pretty sure I was active in some form almost every day.  That fitness or activity may not translate to many run miles but I definitely included a variety of activities (Running, Biking, Swimming, Weights, Core, Stretching)

-Speaking of staying active, I'd like to do another Sprint TRI, swim race, and go skiing a few times in 2020. PARTIALLY MET.  Shara and I did get to ski at least once before the COVID shut down.  The TRI never happened.

-Complete the WTAC Clamshell. NOT MET

-Run sub 5 or as close to sub 5 as possible in the mile. MET.  Ran 5:00 flat during a hard mile mile on 7/26 at Ninigret.
-Go for stroller runs with the girls and continue running with Riley and Lulu. MET.  I ran with all of them and thoroughly enjoyed it.
-Continue running races with Shara and compete in team racing with the WTAC. NOT MET
-Swim 1x a week. Was on track through March, NOT MET    

Goal Synopsis: I felt like I was completing a teacher evaluation or filling out a report card while assessing those goals. COVID led to many NOT METs or NOT ASSESSED.  It's funny how quickly plans, goals, and things can change in a split second.  If 2020 taught us anything, it's that you can't get fixated on things that you can't control.  Full disclaimer: There are some goals that I could have done better with on here, regardless of the COVID.

What went well in 2020

• I continued to find ways to incorporate my family into my running (Shara, the girls, and the dogs).  I try to appreciate every time I run the stroller and get the opportunity to run with Riley and Lulu.  To mix things up a bit this past fall, Shara was even willing to do some trail or "bush" running with me.
• Running early.  While this is not a change from recent years, I've continued to live by the motto, "the earlier, the better."  To meet my various commitments on work days, those early runs pay dividends even when it isn't always fun to get out of bed or the door in the morning.
• Haley's Fun Runs.  With WTAC Kids Fun Runs cancelled due to COVID, we came up with this fun idea and Haley was usually game most weeks to participate by running a 1/2 mile around the block.  Various fans, including her grandparents, Mikey B & family, and The Gazelle appeared at these runs.  The adults usually closed out Haley's fun runs with a hard mile or easy run.  It was especially fun when Mike and Jeff joined me and we ran down to the beach to float in the waves and enjoy the summer.
• WTACs drive to put on safe events.  Although I only made it the L'il L'il Rhody (aka the short race), I offer up a huge kudos to the club for putting on fun runs, the Bottone Mile, and fall trail series during these crazy times.  I can't imagine the effort it took to meet regulations, keep things safe, create an authentic race experience, communicate with stakeholders, and break even in costs.  As for the L'il Rhody short race, it was fun, super organized, and definitely safe.
• RWYC.  A big shout out to Jeff V. for organizing this group and holding these weekly socially distanced runs.  While the group is not new, I remain especially impressed by it's inclusiveness.  Run as fast or as slow as you want and you will always find a warm and friendly group of running enthusiast to at least start with you.  The atmosphere and camaraderie are great!  Jeff was even kind enough to put on a couple of self timed  "pickup" 5ks on Thanksgiving and for the holidays.  I had a blast running 18:00 on Thanksgiving in the pouring rain and then 17:47 2 days after Christmas as we "Ran Away from 2020."  Group members provided swag in a few different ways at these fun events.
• My basement.  This area became a key workout spot for me in 2020 and will likely remain that way for the time being.
• Jeff's blog.  A big shout out to Jeff for maintaining his weekly blog.  I thoroughly enjoy reading about his adventures and experiences throughout the year.  *Disclaimer: this is a shameless ploy to encourage him to keep his blog running!

2020: By the numbers

Running miles: 1171

# of runs: 273

Time spent running: 135 hours, 41 minutes

Swimming distance: 36,798 yards

# of swims: 23

Time spent swimming: 10 hours, 36 minutes

*Ended with COVID in March.

Biking distance: 1127 miles

# of rides: 107

Time spent: 59 hours, 19 minutes

*Most of the miles weren't spent on the roads, they were spent on short 20 minute rides in my basement on off running days or when I battle injury.

                                             Fake Clamdigger 2020.  5 mile double stroller cruise

        Haley's fun runs were a huge success.  Hoping the WTAC Kids Fun Runs will be back next  summer.

                                  Convinced Shara to run the length of Misquamicut and back this past summer.

                                                    My Main Guy.  Riley is always up for a run.

                                 Lulu still enjoys getting out there and can run pretty fast when she wants.  

So Now What?  With some hope for things to become more normal in 2021, I'm reluctant to set time goals because I'm still unsure about race opportunities.  As I write this blog post, I'm feeling fairly well but have continued to battle bursitis and tendonitis in my right knee.  To maintain progress, I am mindful of how often I run, how long I run, and the surfaces I run on.  I know I need to plan rest and don't want to overdo it one day and then pay for it for a month.  So with COVID precautions, an unclear race calendar in 2021, and on-going injuries, here are some things I hope for in 2021:

• Continue to enjoy fitness activities and the outdoors as much as possible with my family, dogs, and friends.  
• Complete as many WTAC events as possible.  If I'm healthy, maybe even parts of the WTAC trail series will be in my future?
• Run more miles than I did in 2021.  This is not a mileage goal.  It would be more of a sign that I'm healthy.
• Bike, swim, paddle board to supplement my running.
• Enjoy where I live..so that means running on or by the beach, hitting some trails, or hanging out in some of the neat nature areas right in my backyard.
• Continue to work on core strength and running muscles.
• Run as close to 5 minutes or less in a mile and try to run a fast 5k
• Attend RWYC every now and again.

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2021 and a great year of running and endurance adventures ahead.

2019 to 2020

It's been almost a year since I've put up a blog post, so I figured the new year would be a great opportunity to provide some kind of reflection on 2019 and share what I'm hoping and looking forward to for 2020.

2019
Let me get the negative out of the way..
Overall, 2019 was a relatively poor year of running for me.  I started the year with injury and ended the year with injury.  If you are one of my running or endurance buds, you've probably heard me complain about a lingering hamstring issue.  The balky hamstring and a recently new hip issue have held up my training and left me in general discomfort.  Enough discomfort to shut things down? Not as of late.  Enough discomfort to not run long or at a high volume? Absolutely.  Have these issues impacted my race results?  I actually hope so...or maybe I'm just getting older.  To help maintain my current state, I try to stretch, roll a bit, swim 1x a week (been failing at that as of late), and have been getting dry needling.  Will this recovery plan work?  Only time will tell.

Not fun.

After a very tough 2018 (losing my Dad), 2019 brought some sad times for a couple of my friends.  A good friend, college teammate, former coach, and training partner of mine named Kevin had a freak fall from a tree while playing with his kids that left him in paralyzed.  He was fortunate to survive and works very hard daily to try to make physical gains to get parts of his life back. While recently visiting him, he shared with me some of the trials and tribulations of the injury.  One of the most frustrating parts of the injury for him is that hard work and dedication are not always providing immediate results for him.  This frustrates him because hard work always paid off for him as a runner,  professional, husband, dad, and friend.   Here is to hoping 2020 brings Kevin more healing, progress, and hope.   Kevin's story is a reminder to me to appreciate everything I've got...even the injuries and running times that aren't meeting my expectations...the alternatives could be much worse! The second really sad event from 2019 is the sudden loss of BLS.  She was a wonderful, humorous, caring, and spirited individual who was full of life.  She was taken far too soon.  I have no words.

Team B + my teammate and bud, Jay.  Good to see him!

Hanging with my old college teammates and bus, Tim and Jay at the Big Heart 5k held this year in honor of Kevin.

Onto the positive..
-The biggest, most exciting, and positive thing that happened to me in 2019 was the birth of my second daughter, Addy, in March.  I love being a Dad and involving both of my girls in my active, fun lifestyle.

Addy's first run ever!  The family competed in the Bottone Mile together.

-I stayed active.  While my training volume was low, I did some sort of physical activity almost everyday.  Activities included: running, swimming, weights, paddle boarding, core/stretch work, biking, and I even went skiing for the first time in almost a decade this past week.

-I completed basic requirements for the WTAC Clamshell.

-I had a ton of fun running races with Shara and doing events with my WTAC teammates.  Racing with Shara and my running buds really motivates me and increases my interest in various events.

Team WTAC at the Mews post race.
*Missing Shara (she took the photo)

Race Statistics/Facts
*I did 13 races in 2019.
*Shara did 12/13 races with me.  The only race she missed was the Pell Bridge Run ( I remind her of this on the regular).
*I did a TRI for the firs time since 2016 and came in 2nd OA.  I had a very solid day in the water and on the run, not so much on the bike.
*Completed the Swim to Skim 1.2 mile race in Newport on 8/25.  I did in 34:53, which would qualify me for a big swim race that is on my bucket list.
*Wins: 5
*Distance of my races:
5k: 6,  Best time: 17:08 at the Land Trust Race.
1 mile: 1 (pushing the double stroller)
4 miles: 2
Oddball distances:   BRR and Mews races.
*I competed in some races I really wanted to do-Pell Bridge & Mews Race.  I'd definitely consider running both of these again.

Pre-race at the Swim to Skim (another last minute decision)

I finally did the Pell Bridge Run and competed for Team Clean Ocean Access.  Congrats to Chris on the Big W!

We "jumped" into the Wave Tri last minute.

2020
-l'm not going to get into mileage or distance goals because I really don't have them.  Mostly, I'd like to get healthy, feel strong, and run faster than I did in 2019.
-Since I didn't race many regular distances, the best measuring stick I have is the 5k.  I still love the 5k over any other race distance and would like to try to run them fast for as long as I possibly can.
-Stay active almost every day of the year.  It shouldn't be that hard.  Besides my love of running, I have plenty of other activities that can keep me going (see above).
-Speaking of staying active, I'd like to do another Sprint TRI, swim race, and go skiing a few times in 2020.
-Complete the WTAC Clamshell (it'll probably be on my list every year)
-Run sub 5 or as close to sub 5 as possible in the mile.
-Go for stroller runs with the girls and continue running with Riley and Lulu.
-Continue running races with Shara and compete in team racing with the WTAC.
-Swim 1x a week.

Here's to wishing all of my endurance friends as happy and healthy 2020.  Let's go!

My loyal and trust partner, Riley.  Come rain, snow, sleet, or wind, he's ready.  Lulu likes to get out there too.

Most of Team B (minus Addy).

Week of 12/31 to 1/6

Monday, 12/31: 5.3 miles total.  Started off with 3.2 miles with Riley.  Decided to loop from my house down through Weekapaug and back up.  I had a muscle spasm that made my leg give out a bit during the first mile.  As the run progressed, I just continued to feel that nagging for the remainder of the run.  Average pace of 6:22 p/mile.  I then took advantage of having the opportunity to run with all my girls (Shara, Haley in the stroller, and Lulu) for another two miles.  Average pace of 8:50 p/mile.  Regardless of pace, sore.  With this "nerve thing" becoming an on-going and progressing issue, I now realize that it's time to shut it down for a bit before things get worse.

Tuesday, 1/1: Happy New Year! 12 mile ride on the basement spin bike, 35 minutes.  Followed up with core work and stretching for another 25 minutes.  Coach Gazelle was even kind enough to share some exercises that helped him with he was dealing with nerve issues.  To my friend's point, no two injuries are the same, but these might be helpful.

Wednesday, 1/2:  30 minutes of yoga core DVD and strength.  Slow moving sequence or core work and stretching.  Followed up with 3X25 pushups, some of the stretches Gazelle shared with me, and some curls.  Continued on with a 25 minute ride on the spin bike at a low resistance..10.8 miles.

Thursday, 1/3: 15 minutes of strength work at the Y.  Pullups, dips, and single leg body weight squats X3.  Followed up with a 1250 yd swim that took me abut 23 minutes.  It wasn't pretty but I got it done!  Sets of 500, 500, 100, 100, & a 50.

Friday, 1/4: 30 minute of core/strength work off another DVD followed up by 30 minute basement spin, 10.2 miles, low resistance.

Saturday, 1/5: 30 minutes of body weight and band work..most of it off a DVD.  Followed up with 30 minutes of a spin in the basement, covered 10.5 miles.

Sunday, 1/6: Headed to the Y and started with 15 minutes of core work (did 3 continuous sets of the following-plank variation for 1 minute, 8 pullups, and single leg squats.  I then hit the pool for a 1500 yd swim.  Did sets of 2X500, 5X100.  My swim times and water comfort are slowly improving.  I wouldn't call it pretty though.

Totals:
Run: 1X, 5.3 total
Bike: 4X 42 miles total
Swim: 2X 2750yds total
Weights/Core/Stretch: a ton...every day this week.

Synopsis: shutting "it" down is never easy but with my leg issue progressing I knew it was time.  As much as I love to run, I have to admit that my non-running routine hasn't been that bad.  The core work is challenging and it is fun to get physically stronger.  In running, we are always trying to get fitter or/and faster but rarely have the opportunity to work on everything.  This injury has afforded me that opportunity, which is helping me stay positive while not running.  I do believe the absence of running, increased core work, and regular Gazelle stretching is helping the back of my leg.  While I hope to start running again shortly, I have scheduled a PT assessment for this upcoming week just to check things out and see what is going on.  One thing that really continues to irritate my leg is long periods of sitting, which happened a few times last week in work meetings.   I am hoping that this injury will motivate to at least do a Sprint TRI in 2019 and cause me to focus more on being overall fit instead of just running fit.

Week of 12/24 through 12/30

Monday, 12/24: 7.3 miles with the dogs.  I ran the first 10k with Riley down through Weekapaug and to the Inn Beach.  Ran a bit more in the Weekapaug area before heading home to pick up Lulu for an additional mile.  Back of my leg nagging..

Tuesday, 12/25: 4.1 miles @ 6:29 pace with Riley.  I considered taking the day off to give my leg some rest but it was Christmas so I just had to reward myself with a run.

Wednesday, 12/26: Off day.  Started with 15 minutes of planks, pullups, and abs at the Y. Then proceeded to swim a mile..it wasn't pretty.  Leg even a bit tight in the water.

Thursday, 12/27: 8 mile easy run on Ninigret with Jeff, Matthew, and Sam L.  Ran an average of 7:04 pace.  Enjoyed the company, leg nagged on. Average of 7:04 pace.

Friday, 12/28: 10 mile basement spin-30 minutes.  Followed up with a 35 minute strength workout-barbell squats, single leg body weight squats, pushups, and band work (did super sets with these).  Finished with light stretch.

Saturday, 12/29: 6.2 mile loop with Riley @ 6:39 average pace.  Ran my "trail" loop through the Haversham areabefore looping around through Weekapaug.  Sore all in various spots (notice a theme here?)

Sunday, 12/30: 6.5 miles with Riley.  Ran the first 4.5 from my house, did loops on Weekapaug Golf Course, and then ran to my Mom's to visit her and the dogs.  Let Riley play with the boxers for a bit before running 2 miles home at 6:15 pace.
Fun fact from the run: while running on the golf course, Riley and I came across the partial carcass of some type of big bird (sorry I'm no Muddy when it comes to bird identification).  All "valuable" parts of the bird appeared to be eaten up.  I can only suspect it was one of these critters, that local townies like to rave about that did the damage. *Please note: I don't like coyotes but I am not one of these townies.

Weekly Miles: 32
YTD Miles: 2118
Swim: 1X/1mile
Bike: 1X, 10 miles
Stretch/Core: 2X


Synopsis: While I certainly enjoyed spending the holidays with family, this week was a disappointment in regards to running.  This is normally one of my favorite running weeks of the year with the opportunity to run more than usual with time off.  With this weird, nagging and irritating undiagnosed back of leg pain, I purposely cut back on my mileage.  Running slower or not running at all seems to make no difference on the level of nagging pain.  The cross training gave me something to do but didn't give me the jump start I was hoping to gain.  If anything, the pain increased as the week progressed. No particular stretch seemed to make a difference. As much as I like my physical therapist and want to get better, I'm trying to continue to incorporate rest and less running to see if it improves before seeking additional help.  Not the way I was looking to end the year with my running, but injury is a reality of the sport.  It is what it is.  I'll deal with it.