Sunday, June 17th
Happy Father's Day to my blog following Dad's out there!
I'm especially thankful for my Dad today and everyday. Whenever I have ever needed anything, he has always been there for me. In the world of running, he was a mentor to me when I first started up. He used to go for runs with me, do short hill sprints, and attend weekly club races with me back in the day. Competitively, he ran track during his sophomore year at Chicopee High School (also my alma mater) and banged out a 2:01 in the 800m that year. Work obligations prevented him from competing after that season.
5+ Easy warmup with the girls, followed by 8X400m with 45 second rest.
74, 73, 71, 71, 71, 69, 70, 68
Short warmdown home.
After having the achilles pain yesterday and last night, I contemplated taking today completely off. I couldn't help myself and decided to give it a shot. After warming up, I didn't feel too much aggravation so I jumped into the workout. I specifically didn't push too hard because I do not want to make matters worse and did not feel any aggravation while running hard.
Monday, June 18th
6.7 miles...I measured this bad boy on USATF to find out pacing.
I did the first 2.5 with Kelsey through the neighborhoods. I had been wondering what kind of paces we have been hitting on these runs. Sure enough, we averaged 7:30s right through. Nice to see!
I did the remaining 4.2 miles from my house down towards the beach. Averaged 6:10s for this..solid effort.
I know most of you guys out there roll with your space watches. I haven't turned over to the dark side just yet. So when I get curious about distances and pacing, I check out USATF Running Routes.
Tuesday, June 19th
A.M.-3.5 miles..
With a modified work schedule, I was able to throw in a morning scamper down to Weekapaug Beach and back home. I stopped at the beach for a minute to enjoy the waves and scenery. As I sat there, I envisioned someone bringing me a nice coffee to enjoy before I headed back up the hill. That thought remained an illusion and I headed back home for a large cup of the good stuff.
P.M.-4 miles
Jog down to Hell Field with Kelsey for a little work.
4X400, 4X200
74, 73, 70, 69, 32, 31, 32, 31
Jog Home
My 400 splits were almost identical to Sunday. I noticed it takes my body a little time to get going. I usually need at least one repeat to get into my groove. I ran the 200s hard. Truth is, I really don't have an idea if they are a little less than 200m or possible more. The effort matches up.
Wednesday, June 20th
Part I: 3.5 mile afternoon jaunt to Misquamicut Beach to meet Kelsey after I got out of work. I ran at a solid clip throughout the run, but couldn't wait to take a plunge in the ocean and then lay out for a few minutes before heading back home.
Part II: 4 miles
Tom McCoy Fun Run.
Mile warmup
17:23
After the run, I headed down to the ocean for another plunge...awesome.
I love the spirit of these events and it's also always nice to see the WTAC crew!
Kelsey: 22:37
Dave: 24:03
Thursday, June 21st
Planned 0..
Rather than running today, I did a whole bunch of yard work and landscaping..digging, planting, cutting...good fun. I followed that up with an evening boat ride and back yard fire. Although my miles are low this week, I've been feeling pretty beat.
Friday, June 22nd
7 miles easy
First part of run with Kelsey through neighborhoods and shot down to towards the beach for the second half of the run..the humidity was intense. There were not too many people out there today.
Saturday, June 23rd
7 miles..49 minutes..
First few miles with Kelsey, followed up by a progressively harder run on my own. I finished up the run up with 4X 250m hill pick-ups. Just prior to starting my mini-workout, I considered tanking it and running home. I then thought of the epic run of Muddy and Mike tackling the Presidential Traverse and sucked it up. I was really hot by the end of this one and happy to come home to some air conditioning.
Weekly Mileage: 40 miles
I didn't run too many miles this week, but did get solid workouts into the mix. Despite just hitting 40 miles, I felt pretty tired by the end of the week. It may be my body's reaction to the heat.
Highlight of the week: The Fun Run was fun! One of these weeks I'd like to try one of the Stonington Village Runs with Jeff and Mike B.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
June 10th through June 16th
Sunday, June 10th
7++ miles
Did first park of the run with Kelsey & Co. Followed that run up with 3.8 miles hard at 5:50 pace on the roads. After the very easy first part of the run, I wanted to hammer, so I went for it. Hot and fun.
Followed this one up with some beach time, serious mowing, and core work.
Monday, June 11th
8 miles
First 2 with the girls, followed up by doing another 6 down through the Weekapaug Sand Trail. I was pretty sore by the end of this one.
Tuesday, June 12th
6 miles.
2 mile warmup with the girls..dropped them off at the house and then went to work.
10X250m hill repeats/jog down hill rest.
4X100m downhill strides
Solid strength workout, the quads are going to be upset with me tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 13th
0..tired.
Thursday, June 14th
11
Phase 1: 3 mile neighborhood run with the girls
Phase 2: 8.5 Misquamicut Loop from my house. Kelsey jumped on the bike and I led chase on foot. I started off feeling good and felt progressively worse as the run moved along. My body felt tired, back hurt, and my turnover was poor (I know, I'm a complainer).
On a positive note, the weather was warm and nice! Without too many people around, the Misquamicut scene was very enjoyable on this lovely afternoon. I also figured out that I averaged 6:23 pace throughout the run.
As I moved towards the end of this run, I couldn't wait to get home.
Phase 3: Ate sushi and enjoyed an adult beverage.
Friday, June 15th
A.M.-8+ mile scamper with the Gazelle from my house down to Weekapaug and over to Misquamicut State Beach. We came back on the roads at a comfortable, but solid pace. Very fun and as an extra bonus Jeff had my WTAC singlet for me when we finished up. I love this early morning stuff even though everyone else probably thinks we are just a couple of crazies!!
P.M.-Easy 3 miler with Kelsey.
Saturday, June 16th
7++++ last afternoon reversal run from yesterday. After 5 minutes of easy running, I threw a mini-workout of 10X 1 minute hard/easy on the roads together. Overall, I felt strong and fast throughout the workout. Running on flat roads with a nice tail wind didn't hurt either. I finished the workout right at 25 minutes at the Misquamicut State Beach Bath House, which provided me with a nice water break at the bubbler. After a couple of minds, I headed out to the beach to do a recovery run home. Unfortunately, the tide and crowds didn't play work well with my intentions so I back out to the roads. I was able to maintain a nice pace back with the wind in my house, but my achilles started to scream at me.
Of note: while doing the hard portions I had someone fist pumping out the window at me. Clearly, this is a sign that it is the summer season in Misquamicut.
Weekly Mileage: 50
Very solid week. I was tired for much of the week, but am happy with my mileage. I'm going to proceed with caution with my achilles, but hope to put together another solid effort next week. I'd like to fit in a Tom McCoy Fun Run on Wednesday and some kind of long effort next weekend.
7++ miles
Did first park of the run with Kelsey & Co. Followed that run up with 3.8 miles hard at 5:50 pace on the roads. After the very easy first part of the run, I wanted to hammer, so I went for it. Hot and fun.
Followed this one up with some beach time, serious mowing, and core work.
Monday, June 11th
8 miles
First 2 with the girls, followed up by doing another 6 down through the Weekapaug Sand Trail. I was pretty sore by the end of this one.
Tuesday, June 12th
6 miles.
2 mile warmup with the girls..dropped them off at the house and then went to work.
10X250m hill repeats/jog down hill rest.
4X100m downhill strides
Solid strength workout, the quads are going to be upset with me tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 13th
0..tired.
Thursday, June 14th
11
Phase 1: 3 mile neighborhood run with the girls
Phase 2: 8.5 Misquamicut Loop from my house. Kelsey jumped on the bike and I led chase on foot. I started off feeling good and felt progressively worse as the run moved along. My body felt tired, back hurt, and my turnover was poor (I know, I'm a complainer).
On a positive note, the weather was warm and nice! Without too many people around, the Misquamicut scene was very enjoyable on this lovely afternoon. I also figured out that I averaged 6:23 pace throughout the run.
As I moved towards the end of this run, I couldn't wait to get home.
Phase 3: Ate sushi and enjoyed an adult beverage.
Friday, June 15th
A.M.-8+ mile scamper with the Gazelle from my house down to Weekapaug and over to Misquamicut State Beach. We came back on the roads at a comfortable, but solid pace. Very fun and as an extra bonus Jeff had my WTAC singlet for me when we finished up. I love this early morning stuff even though everyone else probably thinks we are just a couple of crazies!!
P.M.-Easy 3 miler with Kelsey.
Saturday, June 16th
7++++ last afternoon reversal run from yesterday. After 5 minutes of easy running, I threw a mini-workout of 10X 1 minute hard/easy on the roads together. Overall, I felt strong and fast throughout the workout. Running on flat roads with a nice tail wind didn't hurt either. I finished the workout right at 25 minutes at the Misquamicut State Beach Bath House, which provided me with a nice water break at the bubbler. After a couple of minds, I headed out to the beach to do a recovery run home. Unfortunately, the tide and crowds didn't play work well with my intentions so I back out to the roads. I was able to maintain a nice pace back with the wind in my house, but my achilles started to scream at me.
Of note: while doing the hard portions I had someone fist pumping out the window at me. Clearly, this is a sign that it is the summer season in Misquamicut.
Weekly Mileage: 50
Very solid week. I was tired for much of the week, but am happy with my mileage. I'm going to proceed with caution with my achilles, but hope to put together another solid effort next week. I'd like to fit in a Tom McCoy Fun Run on Wednesday and some kind of long effort next weekend.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
June 3rd through June 9th
Sunday, June 3rd
17 mile trail romp with the WTAC Crew/Trail Gods (Jonny, Jeff, Muddy Puddin, Mike B.). Once again, we crossed into a bunch of places that my feet had never touched before.
Here is a are some places we covered: Riverwood Preserve, Whitely Preserve, Potter Hill Road, Westerly Town Forest, and added in some roads for good measure.
Great run overall. While cruising through Potter Hill, we threw in 6X3 telephone poles hard/2 telephone poles easy. At the culmination of this set, we climbed up Potter Hill to the Town Forest. Good fun! I felt strong throughout the run and did not tire as we moved towards the end.
As a side note, congrats to Mike G. and Puddin' for tearing up The Race to Grow 5k (yes, we warmed Muddy up for his later effort).
3 additional miles with Kelsey & Lulu on the Weekpaug Roads..followed by some mowing.
Monday, June 4th
Sore
6.5 miles
First part of the run w/ the girls, followed by 4 miles on the treadmill in under 25 minutes.
Sore after too...Was Potter Hill Quadzilla for me?
Tuesday, June 5th
If I didn't know that I will not be able to run on Thursday, I would have taken today.
7 miles
First part of the run was an easy jog with the girls, followed up with 4X35 seconds hard/1 minute easy, 1:15 hard. 1 minute easy.
Landed myself some Asics 2170s from Olympia Sports. They only had my size in a wide width, but I really couldn't tell the difference once I put my orthotics in. I was able to get a small discount on the shoes, so I decided not to be too picky.
Wednesday, June 6th
General soreness improved, but feeling some random foot pain..
2 mile warmup
HELL Field Workout:
1 mile: 5:09
4X400: 72,71, 68, 69
Took one minute rest after each rep.
Kelsey and Lulu actually jumped in for the 4X400.
The dog ran two 400s with me (71, 68).
It started to pour in the middle of the workout, but the rain was enjoyable.
Truth be told, I stole this workout from Mike G. If I wasn't racing Saturday, I would have thrown in the 200s at the end.
1 mile cooldown
Thursday, June 7th
0
Planned off day and no time with work today anyway.
Go Celtics-Beat the HEAT!
Friday, June 8th
4 mile jog with Kelsey and Lu down to the beach.
Saturday, June 9th
Matty Siravo 5k, 16:33, 2nd.
Results
Humid morning race on the grounds of URI campus. Ended up having to take the race out myself for the first mile and then was chewed up by a Northeastern University Track Runner. The course was flat, but confusing with multiple turnarounds at various cones at the mile markers.
With some solid college runners in the race, I was disappointed that no other runners took the bait during the first mile. I believe in tactical racing, but am typically not one to sit back and see how things pan out.
I ran as hard as I could in this one. The bottom line is that the race winner was clearly better than me. He ran a smart, tactical race, and seemed very strong throughout. Could I have run a little faster if I didn't go out so hard? Maybe. Do I regret taking the race out and trying to run as I fast as I could? Not even a little bit.
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift," Steve Prefontaine.
Cool day: My cousin Kerry, who was down visiting from MA and recently starting running, ran the race in 31:37. Kelsey ran a 21:54 and wasn't loving the heat. Meanwhile, Dave ran a 23:08 and is working on getting into the 22s.
Not the best course, but a nice atmosphere.
Weekly Mileage:
46
17 mile trail romp with the WTAC Crew/Trail Gods (Jonny, Jeff, Muddy Puddin, Mike B.). Once again, we crossed into a bunch of places that my feet had never touched before.
Here is a are some places we covered: Riverwood Preserve, Whitely Preserve, Potter Hill Road, Westerly Town Forest, and added in some roads for good measure.
Great run overall. While cruising through Potter Hill, we threw in 6X3 telephone poles hard/2 telephone poles easy. At the culmination of this set, we climbed up Potter Hill to the Town Forest. Good fun! I felt strong throughout the run and did not tire as we moved towards the end.
As a side note, congrats to Mike G. and Puddin' for tearing up The Race to Grow 5k (yes, we warmed Muddy up for his later effort).
3 additional miles with Kelsey & Lulu on the Weekpaug Roads..followed by some mowing.
Monday, June 4th
Sore
6.5 miles
First part of the run w/ the girls, followed by 4 miles on the treadmill in under 25 minutes.
Sore after too...Was Potter Hill Quadzilla for me?
Tuesday, June 5th
If I didn't know that I will not be able to run on Thursday, I would have taken today.
7 miles
First part of the run was an easy jog with the girls, followed up with 4X35 seconds hard/1 minute easy, 1:15 hard. 1 minute easy.
Landed myself some Asics 2170s from Olympia Sports. They only had my size in a wide width, but I really couldn't tell the difference once I put my orthotics in. I was able to get a small discount on the shoes, so I decided not to be too picky.
Wednesday, June 6th
General soreness improved, but feeling some random foot pain..
2 mile warmup
HELL Field Workout:
1 mile: 5:09
4X400: 72,71, 68, 69
Took one minute rest after each rep.
Kelsey and Lulu actually jumped in for the 4X400.
The dog ran two 400s with me (71, 68).
It started to pour in the middle of the workout, but the rain was enjoyable.
Truth be told, I stole this workout from Mike G. If I wasn't racing Saturday, I would have thrown in the 200s at the end.
1 mile cooldown
Thursday, June 7th
0
Planned off day and no time with work today anyway.
Go Celtics-Beat the HEAT!
Friday, June 8th
4 mile jog with Kelsey and Lu down to the beach.
Saturday, June 9th
Matty Siravo 5k, 16:33, 2nd.
Results
Humid morning race on the grounds of URI campus. Ended up having to take the race out myself for the first mile and then was chewed up by a Northeastern University Track Runner. The course was flat, but confusing with multiple turnarounds at various cones at the mile markers.
With some solid college runners in the race, I was disappointed that no other runners took the bait during the first mile. I believe in tactical racing, but am typically not one to sit back and see how things pan out.
I ran as hard as I could in this one. The bottom line is that the race winner was clearly better than me. He ran a smart, tactical race, and seemed very strong throughout. Could I have run a little faster if I didn't go out so hard? Maybe. Do I regret taking the race out and trying to run as I fast as I could? Not even a little bit.
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift," Steve Prefontaine.
Cool day: My cousin Kerry, who was down visiting from MA and recently starting running, ran the race in 31:37. Kelsey ran a 21:54 and wasn't loving the heat. Meanwhile, Dave ran a 23:08 and is working on getting into the 22s.
Not the best course, but a nice atmosphere.
Weekly Mileage:
46
Monday, May 28, 2012
May 28th through June 2nd
Sunday, May 27th
Monday, May 28th
16 miles in Burlingame with the Gazelle. Early morning jaunt after a very late night. We hit up the first 5 miles of the Lil Rhody Run Around and then ventured off track. We had fun, hammered out some miles, ended up lost, and finished on the roads. After about 90 minutes, I was feeling somewhat disoriented. While the trails are always more fun, I was happy to play it safe and finish on the roads. Somehow Gazelle and I were able to run pretty hard right up until we finished. Great run and effort.
Note to self: Bring a water pack on these long summer trail runs.
Tuesday, May 29th
6+ miles on Weekapaug roads. First part with Kelsey and second half on my own. Felt this run!
Wednesday, May 30st
0..off day..did some mowing.
Thursday, May 31st
"No Time" Workout
2 mile warm-up w/Kelsey and Lu
8X400
76-74-73-72-69-70-70-68..w/short rest.
1 mile cooldown
Friday, June 1st
7 miles with Gazelle from my house, through the Weekapaug roads, and down to the sand trail.
As I was waiting for the Gazelle to get to my house, I suddenly noticed blinking lights and a man on a bike. I thought to myself, "Could it be?" Sure enough it was him. We immediately started the run at a solid pace. It was pretty neat to see the sun come up and run on the beach...all before the work day even started. Awesome run!
Jeff headed back out on the bike to knock out more miles.
This quote sums up how the WTAC does it:
"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle (Jeff) wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."
Saturday, June 2nd
8ish
A not so fun weather day...
Threw down a 5-4-3-2-1-30 sec workout.
With the humidity and circling shore winds, this workout was a tough one. I intended to get a quality effort in and throw some hills into the mix to make it a really good workout at the end. The hills weren't happening. Sucking wind with rain pouring down, I decided to cash it in and head home.
About an hour later, Kelsey and I ran an easy three from Misquamicut Beach and through some parts of the Tom McCoy Fun Run course. Good times.
pALS 5k: 16:30, 1st place
http://www.coolrunning.com/results/12/ma/May27_pALS5k_set1.shtml
To start things off, I was very happy with my time today. I ran pretty evenly the whole way and felt comfortable out there. As an added bonus in this one, I had my significant other out there today, along with my brother Steve, and Kelsey's Dad, Dave. My brother rarely runs and mentioned prior to the start of the race that he had only ran 3 times in the last three months. Considering his training and the conditions, it was pretty cool to see him run 23 and change out there. My brother also happens to be the guy who introduced to this great sport and addiction.
No big award for winning, just a medal and I'll take that..happy with my time and the company I had at the race.
Kelsey: 21:44
Dave: 23:39
Steve: 23:45
(5)
Pros:
-Hit my goal of getting back down to 16:30 for a 5k
-Solid, consistent pace
-ran in race flats and they helped
-Good fun had
-Nice to have "my people" out there
Cons:
-Strained my right calf in the second mile (hope there are no lingering effects)
-Didn't have enough time to warm-up (luckily it was hot out there, so a little over a mile gave me enough time to work up a sweat).
Monday, May 28th
16 miles in Burlingame with the Gazelle. Early morning jaunt after a very late night. We hit up the first 5 miles of the Lil Rhody Run Around and then ventured off track. We had fun, hammered out some miles, ended up lost, and finished on the roads. After about 90 minutes, I was feeling somewhat disoriented. While the trails are always more fun, I was happy to play it safe and finish on the roads. Somehow Gazelle and I were able to run pretty hard right up until we finished. Great run and effort.
Note to self: Bring a water pack on these long summer trail runs.
Tuesday, May 29th
6+ miles on Weekapaug roads. First part with Kelsey and second half on my own. Felt this run!
Wednesday, May 30st
0..off day..did some mowing.
Thursday, May 31st
"No Time" Workout
2 mile warm-up w/Kelsey and Lu
8X400
76-74-73-72-69-70-70-68..w/short rest.
1 mile cooldown
Friday, June 1st
7 miles with Gazelle from my house, through the Weekapaug roads, and down to the sand trail.
As I was waiting for the Gazelle to get to my house, I suddenly noticed blinking lights and a man on a bike. I thought to myself, "Could it be?" Sure enough it was him. We immediately started the run at a solid pace. It was pretty neat to see the sun come up and run on the beach...all before the work day even started. Awesome run!
Jeff headed back out on the bike to knock out more miles.
This quote sums up how the WTAC does it:
"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle (Jeff) wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."
- Unknown
Saturday, June 2nd
8ish
A not so fun weather day...
Threw down a 5-4-3-2-1-30 sec workout.
With the humidity and circling shore winds, this workout was a tough one. I intended to get a quality effort in and throw some hills into the mix to make it a really good workout at the end. The hills weren't happening. Sucking wind with rain pouring down, I decided to cash it in and head home.
About an hour later, Kelsey and I ran an easy three from Misquamicut Beach and through some parts of the Tom McCoy Fun Run course. Good times.
Weekly Miles: 47
This week stands as one of my best training weeks of 2012 and arguably, my best week since 2006. Positive takeaways from this past week: getting back to 16:30 in the 5k (and hungry to get faster), a really solid long run, and some really fun running in general.
This week stands as one of my best training weeks of 2012 and arguably, my best week since 2006. Positive takeaways from this past week: getting back to 16:30 in the 5k (and hungry to get faster), a really solid long run, and some really fun running in general.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
May 20th through May 26th
Sunday, May 20th
6 miles of jogging
On a beautiful Sunday morning, I found myself up in East Providence visiting Kelsey's Mom and Dad. After a nice breakfast of eggs and waffles, we set plans to head out for a jaunt on the 10 Mile River Greenway. As we headed outside, Kelsey's mom jumped on her bike, I checked Lulu's collar to make sure it was secure, and Kelsey and Dave were looking around in the yard. In an instant without time to even see it coming, the neighbor's nasty Bullmastiff blasted into the yard and latched right on to Lulu's neck. Without even thinking about it, I jumped right right to the mix and did what I needed to do to save my dog. Kelsey tried to help and got knocked into her mom's bike and scratched up by the dog. Dave ended up having to kick the dog. Luckily, Lulu was able to get out of the attack unscathed. Kelsey and I took some scrapes, but ended up fine as well. The neighbor, who was in her yard and witnessed the whole thing, came over after to tell us that everyone is okay and that the whole thing took place because Lulu is a "nervous" dog. I was infuriated by the whole thing and did my best not to tell the neighbor what I really thought. I'll certainly have my guard up the next time I run into that dog. After cleaning ourselves up, we left Lulu home and headed off for a very easy jaunt.
Monday, May 21st
6 miles.
I decided I need to get some "quality" work in today. With the usual time limits, I knew I could get a quick, bang for your buck workout in so I decided to do a ladder workout.
I did a 5H-4H-3H-2H-1H-30sH-30sH-1H-2H ladder.
Overall, I felt pretty strong and efficient out there today. I'm hoping to get one more workout in on Wednesday. I'm hopeful that some quality work will improve my running economy and help me get some of those times down.
Tuesday, May 22nd
7 miles..Weekapaug Roads..first three with Kelsey down by the Overlook. Next 4+ on my own, cranked the last couple of miles. Back sore.
Wednesday, May 23rd
2 mile warmup
4X800 w/1 minute rest, 2X400 w/1 minute rest, 2X200 w/30 sec rest
236, 232, 233, 229, 71, 70, 32, 31
2 mile cooldown
Threw down another solid workout at HELL field. Kept the rest short and tried to remain economical throughout the workout. After the third 800, I started to feel the wheels come off. At that point, I wondered if the workout was going spiral more and more downward. Surprisingly I rebounded nicely and finished up on a positive note. Crawled back home.
I will be dropping a big ole' 0 tomorrow.
Thursday, May 24th
0 Planned off day.
Coached my school's Unified Track Team at their big meet in Fairfield, CT. Unified Track is mix of regular athletes and athletes with various disabilities. Pretty cool and inspiring to see these kids perform. It's even better to the smiles on their faces when they get medals and proudly wear them to school the next day. Good stuff.
Friday, May 25th
8 miles with Gazelle in Champlain Trails and then shot down to Misquamicut Beach for a few more miles. It was very fun running the beach and neat to see people geared up for Memorial Day Weekend. With Jeff racing on Saturday, I can honestly say we kept things in control. "Gazellousquet" pace will have to hold tight for a few more days. Great run and great conversation.
Saturday, May 26th
7 miles..I think today's run was really 6.89763234, but it is much easier just to call it 7.
I ditched my initial plan to hit up Grills bright and early to sleep in a bit. I then did a bunch of chores and decided to take my run to the beach. Ran down to Dunes Beach and proceeded to the Westerly Town Beach before retreating back to the roads and home. I kept the pace under control again today with the hopes of saving energy for a solid 5k tomorrow morning. People were pouring out to the beaches in hope for some sun and summer.
Now it is on to mowing, more mowing, and house work..
Weekly Miles: 41
Even without a longer run in there, I was happy with my training this week. Getting in more quality workouts will hopefully help me move towards my goal of some faster race times (times comparable or in the ballpark of my glory days). As for next week, my plans are to run a fast 5k Sunday, long run Monday, and get a few quality efforts in later in the week. Let's keep moving forward.
6 miles of jogging
On a beautiful Sunday morning, I found myself up in East Providence visiting Kelsey's Mom and Dad. After a nice breakfast of eggs and waffles, we set plans to head out for a jaunt on the 10 Mile River Greenway. As we headed outside, Kelsey's mom jumped on her bike, I checked Lulu's collar to make sure it was secure, and Kelsey and Dave were looking around in the yard. In an instant without time to even see it coming, the neighbor's nasty Bullmastiff blasted into the yard and latched right on to Lulu's neck. Without even thinking about it, I jumped right right to the mix and did what I needed to do to save my dog. Kelsey tried to help and got knocked into her mom's bike and scratched up by the dog. Dave ended up having to kick the dog. Luckily, Lulu was able to get out of the attack unscathed. Kelsey and I took some scrapes, but ended up fine as well. The neighbor, who was in her yard and witnessed the whole thing, came over after to tell us that everyone is okay and that the whole thing took place because Lulu is a "nervous" dog. I was infuriated by the whole thing and did my best not to tell the neighbor what I really thought. I'll certainly have my guard up the next time I run into that dog. After cleaning ourselves up, we left Lulu home and headed off for a very easy jaunt.
Monday, May 21st
6 miles.
I decided I need to get some "quality" work in today. With the usual time limits, I knew I could get a quick, bang for your buck workout in so I decided to do a ladder workout.
I did a 5H-4H-3H-2H-1H-30sH-30sH-1H-2H ladder.
Overall, I felt pretty strong and efficient out there today. I'm hoping to get one more workout in on Wednesday. I'm hopeful that some quality work will improve my running economy and help me get some of those times down.
Tuesday, May 22nd
7 miles..Weekapaug Roads..first three with Kelsey down by the Overlook. Next 4+ on my own, cranked the last couple of miles. Back sore.
Wednesday, May 23rd
2 mile warmup
4X800 w/1 minute rest, 2X400 w/1 minute rest, 2X200 w/30 sec rest
236, 232, 233, 229, 71, 70, 32, 31
2 mile cooldown
Threw down another solid workout at HELL field. Kept the rest short and tried to remain economical throughout the workout. After the third 800, I started to feel the wheels come off. At that point, I wondered if the workout was going spiral more and more downward. Surprisingly I rebounded nicely and finished up on a positive note. Crawled back home.
I will be dropping a big ole' 0 tomorrow.
Thursday, May 24th
0 Planned off day.
Coached my school's Unified Track Team at their big meet in Fairfield, CT. Unified Track is mix of regular athletes and athletes with various disabilities. Pretty cool and inspiring to see these kids perform. It's even better to the smiles on their faces when they get medals and proudly wear them to school the next day. Good stuff.
Friday, May 25th
8 miles with Gazelle in Champlain Trails and then shot down to Misquamicut Beach for a few more miles. It was very fun running the beach and neat to see people geared up for Memorial Day Weekend. With Jeff racing on Saturday, I can honestly say we kept things in control. "Gazellousquet" pace will have to hold tight for a few more days. Great run and great conversation.
Saturday, May 26th
7 miles..I think today's run was really 6.89763234, but it is much easier just to call it 7.
I ditched my initial plan to hit up Grills bright and early to sleep in a bit. I then did a bunch of chores and decided to take my run to the beach. Ran down to Dunes Beach and proceeded to the Westerly Town Beach before retreating back to the roads and home. I kept the pace under control again today with the hopes of saving energy for a solid 5k tomorrow morning. People were pouring out to the beaches in hope for some sun and summer.
Now it is on to mowing, more mowing, and house work..
Weekly Miles: 41
Even without a longer run in there, I was happy with my training this week. Getting in more quality workouts will hopefully help me move towards my goal of some faster race times (times comparable or in the ballpark of my glory days). As for next week, my plans are to run a fast 5k Sunday, long run Monday, and get a few quality efforts in later in the week. Let's keep moving forward.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
May 13th through May 19th
Sunday, May 13th
A very somber day..received a early morning phone call from my mom to tell me about the unexpected passing of my 34 year old cousin Frank. Frank stood out as one of my favorite cousins for his fun personality and sense of humor. He was also a very caring father to three young kids. I feel very fortunate that I was able to see Frank one last time last Sunday on a visit to my grandma's last weekend.
I'm having a tough time processing this one. Rest in peace buddy.
8 miles of reflection.
Live life to it's fullest my friends.
Monday, May 14th
5 miles, 35 minutes
Very early treadmill run.
I went on a Chinatown Boston Field Trip with my school..ended up developing the symptoms of a stomach virus by mid morning..sick, feverish, and exhausted by night.
Tuesday, May 15th
3 mile jog..took in nice and easy.
I couldn't eat a solid meal, but found a way to get something light in. If I can work, I can still run, right?
Wednesday, May 16th
7 miles down the Weekapaug Sand Trail to Quonnie Breachway and back.
Stomach still sore and body was sluggish, but feeling better.
Thursday, May 17th
6 miles of a trail/road mix. Did some trail blazing right by my house and finished things up with a cruise on Shore Road. Prior to heading out the door, I was hoping to through some "pick-ups" in. Once I started running, my body quickly told me otherwise. I struggled through this run, but still had fun out there. Found a pesky tick crawling around on my back when I came home.
Note to self: time to buy some new kicks.
Friday, May 18th
8+ miles in Champlain trails. Awesome trail romp on a beautiful day.
Saturday, May 19th
6 miles on the roads around my house.
After attending my cousin's services up in Massachusetts, I made sure to check out the beach on a gorgeous late afternoon.
Weekly Miles
43
Needless to say, this was a really challenging week for me but I made sure to get out there as much as I could. In good times or bad, running always provides me with balance and comfort. Some days it is nice to get out there and reflect, while other days it's enjoyable to just bang miles and enjoy the moment.
I'm looking forward to getting back into the normal swing of things and summer. Another busy week coming up, but I'm looking forward to Memorial Day Weekend and a possible 5k to go along with it.
A very somber day..received a early morning phone call from my mom to tell me about the unexpected passing of my 34 year old cousin Frank. Frank stood out as one of my favorite cousins for his fun personality and sense of humor. He was also a very caring father to three young kids. I feel very fortunate that I was able to see Frank one last time last Sunday on a visit to my grandma's last weekend.I'm having a tough time processing this one. Rest in peace buddy.
8 miles of reflection.
Live life to it's fullest my friends.
Monday, May 14th
5 miles, 35 minutes
Very early treadmill run.
I went on a Chinatown Boston Field Trip with my school..ended up developing the symptoms of a stomach virus by mid morning..sick, feverish, and exhausted by night.
Tuesday, May 15th
3 mile jog..took in nice and easy.
I couldn't eat a solid meal, but found a way to get something light in. If I can work, I can still run, right?
Wednesday, May 16th
7 miles down the Weekapaug Sand Trail to Quonnie Breachway and back.
Stomach still sore and body was sluggish, but feeling better.
Thursday, May 17th
6 miles of a trail/road mix. Did some trail blazing right by my house and finished things up with a cruise on Shore Road. Prior to heading out the door, I was hoping to through some "pick-ups" in. Once I started running, my body quickly told me otherwise. I struggled through this run, but still had fun out there. Found a pesky tick crawling around on my back when I came home.
Note to self: time to buy some new kicks.
Friday, May 18th
8+ miles in Champlain trails. Awesome trail romp on a beautiful day.
Saturday, May 19th
6 miles on the roads around my house.
After attending my cousin's services up in Massachusetts, I made sure to check out the beach on a gorgeous late afternoon.
Weekly Miles
43
Needless to say, this was a really challenging week for me but I made sure to get out there as much as I could. In good times or bad, running always provides me with balance and comfort. Some days it is nice to get out there and reflect, while other days it's enjoyable to just bang miles and enjoy the moment.
I'm looking forward to getting back into the normal swing of things and summer. Another busy week coming up, but I'm looking forward to Memorial Day Weekend and a possible 5k to go along with it.
Monday, May 7, 2012
May 6th through May 12th
Sunday, May 6th6 miles
2 miles with the girls on the roads, followed by 4 miles on the Weekapaug Sand Trail. I loved running on the sand trail--the resistance of running though the sand, ocean views, feel of nature, and joy of having those tiny, endangered birds try to dive bomb me throughout the run). Fun!
Congrats to Jeff on his SUB 3 hour finish at the COX Marathon!
Monday, May 7th
9 miles
6 miles of trail romping in Champlain..rolled my ankle a few times, but this run was awesome.
Surprisingly and unexpectedly, I was able to head back out for another 3 miles with the girls.
Tuesday, May 8th
6+ miles
Warmed up for close to a half hour with my female running friends. I then had the bright idea of pulling out some racing flats from 2006 (Old School Asics DS Racers). I placed some super feet insoles inside for a little extra support and then headed down to HELL Field to get some work done.
1200-800-1200-800-400-400 with 1 minute recovery between.
4:06, 2:33, 3:55, 2:33, 71, 69
I was ripped after I completed my first 1200...the pace felt fast and the stride seemed smooth, but my split sucked. After that rep, I was much more focused and really happy with my splits. I need to keep up with these workouts if I ever expect to run better times.
I haven't touched flats in almost six years. I'll definitely give them some consideration come my next 5k.
Keep marching.
Wednesday, May 9th
0-planned off day/no time for anything fun day
Coached Unified Track and had work obligations into the night..
Thursday, May 10th
7 miles on local roads...Kelsey jumped on the bike for the second half of this run..finished strong, but nothing eventful..and back to work at night again..awesome.
Friday, May 11th
4+ miles, shot down to Dunes Beach...did some short sprints on the beach with Lulu as she spazzed out in the sand. Took this run real easy. Weather was awesome...Saturday, May 12th
Block Island Shad Bloom Trail 10k
38:32, 2nd overall.
Very tough race. Fun though.
Weekly Miles:
41
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