Week of 1/19 to 1/25

1/19 Monday: 8.3 miles in 60 minutes

Easing running around Westford in my new Hoka One One Cliftons. I think I am liking the feel of these shoes!

1/20 Tuesday: 9.5 miles in 69 minutes

With the recent thaw/rain I decided to check out the Battle Road Trail to see if it was run-able. It was in pretty good shape and I was glad to be able to get off the roads for a bit. It was still icy here and there, and the ground was pretty soft in spots, but it was better than the roads. 

1/14 Wednesday: AM 5 miles in 38 minutes PM: 8.2 in 54 minutes

AM: Not what I was looking for here, but its what I could get in while at home with a sick baby.

PM: Late workout outside in the dark dodging icy shoulders. Did 2 miles warm up, then right into quarter on quarter off x 8. Goal was to try to hit 5:00 pace for the on parts and then keep the off pace honest (7:00). The work out felt good and my GAP adjusted paces were right around 6:00 for the total miles during the workout. Second run in the Hoka's, I am pretty sure these things rock! 

1/15 Thursday: 11 miles in 72 minutes

Running at home on the treadmill. Braveheart was on so the run actually went by pretty quick!

1/16 Friday: 5 miles in 39 minutes

Easy recovery run around the neighborhoods in Westford.

1/17 Saturday: 7 miles in 54 minutes

Very easy running on the treadmill at home trying to avoid any slip and falls outside on the slick roads. Trying to make sure I am fresh for the race tomorrow

1/18 Sunday: 16 miles in 1 hour and 55 minutes

Today I headed down to Harvard for the GBTC Invite Mile. Got in a 3 mile warm up and then the waiting started. There were multiple heats of the mile including elite, masters and open men's and women's. My heat was towards the end. I tried to stay loose with some jogging and strides. Soon enough we were lined up and ready to go. In my heat were a few familiar faces including Steve Dowsett and CMS teammate Scott Leslie, both of whom had faster seed times then me (4:37). So I figured I could key off of them during the race. We got off pretty quick and got through the first 200 in 33 and change, it felt quick! the 400 went by in 67 high, which was a bit faster than my goal, but really only by a second or two. I tried to relax a bit and hold position, but I was feeling really awkward and like I was fighting myself a bit out there. I hit 800 in 2:17 which I was happy with, now it was time to hold it through the next quarter, then push it home. The problem was I couldn't hold on to it! I felt out of sorts over the next quarter and I knew I was losing it a bit out there. I also think this is where I got by Steve Dowsett who was having a bit of a rough one. But also where I was losing ground on others including Scott Leslie. I have no idea what my next quarter split was, but if I had to guess I was running 70's at that point. I did manage to put together a bit of a kick in the last quarter to get past Alex Hall, but I also got passed by another guy. I finished in 4:37, right on my seed time. Still I was a bit disappointed as I ran 4:37 a few weeks back at BU. I did feel flatter coming into this race as I have upped the miles and workouts though. So I can't be too disappointed, but I was really hoping to run 4:35-4:33. After the race I headed out for some running along the Charles River.  I got in another 12 miles to top of a good longer mileage day.

Total Miles: 70.0

Week of 1/12 to 1/18

1/12 Monday: 8.6 miles in 62 minutes

Easing running around Lexington. Temperatures were nice, but the roads and side walks were slick! 

1/13 Tuesday: 9.4 miles in 65 minutes

Workout on the treadmill. I did 3 x mile with half mile rest. warmed up 2.5 miles with a few pick up strides then into the mile repeats at 5:18 pace (approx 10k pace) with half mile rest at 7:30 pace. then another few miles of coll down. First rep felt a bit fast, but the next couple felt more relaxed once I got use to going that fast on the treadmill.

1/14 Wednesday: 9 miles in 64 minutes

Today was an easy run from the town fields near my daughters daycare. Did an out and back that let me pick up a couple Strava segments on the way with a reasonable effort. Felt pretty good, but my hands ended up pretty cold towards the end of the run. Need some thicker gloves!

1/15 Thursday: 11 miles in 74 minutes

Easy first 6 miles then progression from 6:38 to 5:52 over the next five miles. Very slick roads out there! Surprised I stayed upright the whole way. Solid run!

1/16 Friday: 5 miles in 39 minutes

Easy recovery run on the treadmill at work.

1/17 Saturday: AM: 8.5 miles in 57 minutes PM: 4 miles in 32 minutes

AM: Treadmill tempo at home. I did an easy 3 miles of warm up with a few shakeout strides.  Then I went right into 4 miles of tempo paced running.  Hit the four miles in 5:42, 5:39, 5:36, 5:33 and felt pretty solid doing it. I did another 1.5 miles of cool down. All completed while watching Mall Cop on the TV.

PM: Easy recovery run on the treadmill at home.

1/18 Sunday: 15 miles in 1 hour and 51 minutes

Very relaxed long run from home. I tried to keep the pace very easy and just enjoy the run. All was good till the last few miles when all of a sudden I felt like I was bonking out. I was able to maintain the pace and actually increase it just to get the run over.  But I was feeling loopy and mind was all over the place and the legs were heavy. I am not sure I ate enough food the day before. I also doubled for the first time in a long time on Saturday.

Total Miles: 70.5

Week of 1/5 to 1/11

1/5 Monday: 7 miles in 53 minutes

Easing running on the treadmill at home. Too cold outside

1/6 Tuesday: 8 miles in 60 minutes

Easy running on the treadmill at work. Still too cold outside

1/7 Wednesday: 8 miles in 56 minutes

I was going to do this workout outside but everything turned into a sheet of ice. Did 8 x 400 on the treadmill at the gym. Warmed up 2.5 miles with a few shakeout strides then right into the 400's. Did all of them at 5:00 flat pace with 400m rest (7:40 - 8:00 pace). Then a couple miles cool down.

1/8 Thursday: 11 miles in 81 minutes

Late night treadmill run at home.

1/9 Friday: 4.5 miles in 36 minutes

Very easy run on the treadmill at home.

1/10 Saturday: 9.5 miles in 63 minutes

Ran the 5k Resolution Run 2 Kick Cancer in Lexington, MA. It was sunny but very cold with a bit of a breeze. Warmed up by running the course and then took shelter in the field house for some stretching and to get my racing flats on. Headed over to the starting line and soon we were off and running. I had company for about the first half mile, which I ran very relaxed and then it was time to push the pace down. The first mile was pretty much dead flat and I went through in a split of 5:24. The next mile went right through downtown Lexington, slightly down hill and then slightly up hill and had a bit of a tail wind. Hit 2 miles in 10:28 (5:04 Mile Split). The third mile has a little bit of up and a little bit of down, then a little bit of up and into a head wind to finish up. At this point I had a spectator yell to me "Take it easy....there is no one in sight" which was great news.....but no reason to take it easy. I pressed on and hit 3 miles in 15:46 (5:18 Mile Split) and I hit the finish line in 16:19 (33 sec last 0.1) winning the race by over a minute (Results). I was very happy with the effort and I felt very controlled and relaxed for almost the whole race. This was a good confidence builder and hopefully a sign of faster racing to come!

1/11 Sunday: 16 miles in one hour and 55 minutes

Long run around Westford. Did a little bit of exploring and ran a nice big loop around town. Felt good and the legs even felt good after yesterdays race.

Total Miles: 64.0