Training 11/2 to 11/8

11/2 Monday: 7.6 miles in 57 minutes

I actually felt pretty good today....I guess a day off with do that for you. Got in some trail running along the Shawsheen river.

11/3 Tuesday: 8 miles in 60 minutes

Felt really good again today. I got in more running along the Shawsheen river. Did 8 x 20 sec strides after the run.

11/4 Wednesday: 8 miles in 52 minutes

Went to the track at Philips Andover. Got in 15 minutes of warm up and then hit the track. I did 800's as follows 2:50, 2:45, 2:40, 2:35, 2:30 with 60 seconds rest. Followed by 4 x 400 at 70 to 72 seconds with 90 seconds rest. The legs were not to happy with the last couple 800's and the 400's. They tightened up a bit and I was dumb enough to just keep doing the workout. Did another 15 minutes of cool down after the workout. Later my hamstrings and right calf were pretty tight and I had some sore to the touch spots.

11/5 Thursday: 6 miles in 44 minutes

Legs feel pretty bad......I never should have done yesterdays workout.

11/6 Friday: OFF

11/7 Saturday: 4 miles in 29 minutes

Felt OK, and legs felt better, but still pretty tight.

11/8 Sunday: 15.6 miles in 94 minutes

I did 2.5 miles of warm up and then the Seacoast Half Marathon, 13.1 miles, in 1:14:43 for 3rd place. Race report to follow soon!

Total Miles: 49.2 miles

Week started out pretty good with a couple of good runs. Then I over did it on the track on Wednesday. I am pretty sure I never should have done that work out. The legs were still recovering from the marathon and I pushed them when I should have been resting them. Seacoast was still a good time as always! I will post the race report with all the details soon.

Training 10/26 to 11/1

10/26 Monday: 4 miles in 32 minutes

Very, very easy. I was very stiff at first...then legs felt better as the run went on

10/27 Tuesday: 7 miles in 53 minutes

Still very stiff when starting the run, then things got better again

10/28 Wednesday: 7 miles in 53 minutes

Legs are feeling much better. But I remained very cautious and tried not to push things.

10/29 Thursday: 7.1 miles in 46 minutes

Progression run. Started with 1 mile easy then dropped the pace each mile. Going, 7:00, 6:40, 6:30, 6:20, 6:05, 5:50. I felt pretty good, and the legs held up OK. This was a good test to see where I am after the marathon and my leg issues.

10/30 Friday: 8.2 miles in 60 minutes

Felt OK today. Feeling a little bit stiff from yesterdays effort.

10/31 Saturday: 13.2 miles in 87 minutes

15 minutes easy followed by 10 minutes at 6 min pace, 2 min easy, 9 min at 6 min pace, 3 min easy, 8 min at 6 min pace, 4 min easy. Then 3 x 4 min at 5:30 pace with 3 min rest. Felt OK for most of this run....except for the 5:30 pace sections which caused my hamstrings and right calf to tighten up a bit.

11/1 Sunday: OFF

Rest and relax a bit to try to help out my tight legs

Total Miles: 46.5 miles

This was a decent week back. Felt OK, but I might have over done it with the effort on Saturday. I still think I will be OK to run Seacoast Half Marathon next Sunday. I will be there either way, its a great race, and a good time!

Recovery 10/19 to 10/25

I came off of the marathon with my legs actually feeling really good. Probably because I was in really good shape, and I didn't run all that fast and beat up my legs. This was the best I have ever felt after a marathon, except for my left hamstring, which was pretty much a mess. I decided that a couple days off were in order and that I would try running again on Wednesday. This was a big mistake. I made it about 1/2 mile before an intense stabbing pain came back to my left hamstring. That was pretty much the end of that run....and any hope of running for the rest of this week.

I decided to really work on my hamstring over the rest of the week. I have been using the heating pad every night and trying to stretch and message the area when I have the time. The hope was that if I really worked on the hamstring maybe I could get back out running next week and have a chance at running the Seacoast half marathon on November 8th.

Baystate Marathon

I apologize for this blog being so late. The reason being is that this race turned out to be a disaster for me. The weather and cold temperatures were not good for my tight hamstrings and as a result brought back an injury that I have been fighting for a good part of this year.

Got up at 5am to get some food in my stomach before heading to Lowell for the race. The weather at this point was alright. It was cold, but there was no rain.....yet. We all knew it was coming, it was just a matter of when. Heather, Caitlyn, and I drove over to Lowell and arrived at about 7:00am and parked in the garage. I then headed over to the Tsongas arena to meet up with coach Dave and some of my teammates. Before long we were heading back to the garage to put on our racing shoes. We did a quick warm up over to the starting area and did some strides and suck as we tried to stay warm. It was cold.......but still no rain.

At last the race started. I went out pretty conservative. I really wanted to be strong in the 2nd half of the race and reel people in as they faded. A bunch of people went out pretty strong and I settled in with Jim Johnson. First mile went by in 5:52, this was good. Not to fast and not too slow. This kept up for a while with Jim and I clicking off miles a little under 6 minute pace for the first 15 miles of the race. I was feeling great, so strong, so controlled, happy to have someone to run with. I was pretty sure this was going to be a great race. Until I hit the 8th mile and I felt something starting to go wrong. It was my left hamstring, the same one that put me out of commission for a couple weeks earlier in the year. At first it was just tightness, I thought no problem...this will go away. It did not, it only got worse. By the time I hit about 10 miles It was starting to get a bit painful, with a stabbing feeling on each stride. I knew I was in trouble, I actually told Jim I wasn't sure I was going to make it. I tried everything to try to get it to lossen up, even pick ups, changing up my stride, nothing was working. I wasn't slowing down yet, but I knew I would soon if the hamstring kept this up. I thought about dropping out at the half way point, knowing coach and Heather would be there. But I kept thinking, what if it loosens up? I can't quit after all this work I have put in! I swore I would never drop out of a race! So I kept going. I hung in there with Jim till about 15 miles.....then things just started getting worse. The stabbing pain in my hamstring was really starting to effect my stride and I was grimacing with each step. At some point it had finally started raining too.....I have no idea when, but now I was soaked, cold, and not having a good time. So I backed if off a little, the stabbing pain would ease a bit, then get worse, so I would back off more. Before I knew it, I was slowing down quite a bit and my race was pretty much over. It was going to be a long painful run back in from there. So I kept running and backing off as the pain got worse, just trying to survive till the end. I also knew that Heather would be up ahead at the 22 mile mark. Once I reached her I convinced her to run with me for a while. It was the best thing to happen to me that day. I was cold, wet, miserable, and just wanted some company. Heather kept me company till the 25 mile mark and then cut off to see me finish. I finished out the race and just wanted to get somewhere dry and warm. I was shivering uncontrollably and my left hamstring was cramping up bad and it was killing me. It was a most miserable experience.

I ended up finishing 18th overall in 2:41:58 (6:11 pace). My worst marathon time ever and no where near what I wanted to run. I know I was in great shape and felt great till hamstring issues cause my race to be lost. The cold and wet weather did not help matters. Once the hamstring started going there was no way I was going to get them to calm down in that weather. See my splits below:

Mile 01) 5:52

Mile 02) 5:42 (11:34)

Mile 03) 5:50 (17:25)

Mile 04) 5:50 (23:15)

Mile 05) 5:46 (29:02)

Mile 06) 5:51 (34:53)

Mile 07) 5:48 (40:41)

Mile 08) 5:45 (46:27)

Mile 09) 5:43 (52:11)

Mile 10) 5:39 (57:51)

Mile 11) 5:50 (1:03:41)

Mile 12) 5:49 (1:09:31)

Mile 13) 5:57 (1:15:29)

Mile 14) 5:57 (1:21:20)

Mile 15) 6:00 (1:27:20)

Mile 16) 6:10 (1:33:31)

Mile 17) 6:24 (1:39:55)

Mile 18) 6:29 (1:46:24)

Mile 19) 6:37 (1:53:01)

Mile 20) 6:48 (1:59:49)

Mile 21) 6:41 (2:06:30)

Mile 22) 6:45 (2:13:15)

Mile 23) 7:03 (2:20:19)

Mile 24) 6:50 (2:27:08)
Mile 25) 6:42 (2:33:51)

Mile 26) 6:41 (2:40:32)

last .2) 1:26 (2:41:58)

I do want to congratulate the my teammate, race winner, and New England Marathon Champion Brandon Newbould who ran a great race and came from behind to take the win! The Whirlaway team as a whole also had a great day coming in 2nd as a open team and winning the masters and Seniors divisions. Nice job guys!! I also want to thank all the Whirlaway guys who were out there on the course supporting those of us who were racing. It didn't matter that it was cold and wet, you guys came out to support your teammates and it is greatly appreciated!

Last week before Baystate Marathon

10/12 Monday: OFF

This was not going to be a day off. But I decided a day off from running to rest up would be good. The work for the marathon is done, "The hay is in the barn" as they say. Time to freshen up the legs and get ready to race!

10/13 Tuesday: 5 miles in 38 minutes

Very easy run. Felt a bit fresher today. Not as heavy as I have been feeling. I had a good talk with Coach Fernando today about nutrition, race goals, strategy, and execution. Its time to start visualizing success and getting myself mentally ready for the challenges of running 26.2 miles.

10/14 Wednesday: 7 miles in 50 minutes

Did this run pretty early in the morning before work. I did a very easy 2 miles of warm up then hit the track for 3 x 800 with 200m in 90 sec rest. Did each interval in 2:40. I then took 1 lap rest then did 1 mile in 5:40.

I will be heading the The Sports Spa this afternoon for a pre-race massage to work out any crap in the legs and get them ready to run fast!

Took an Epsom salt bath later this evening

10/15 Thursday: 5 miles in 39 minutes

Real easy run today. Felt a bit better, not as heavy or tight today. Really starting to think about the race....trying to visualize success!

10/16 Friday: OFF

No running today. Rest and relaxation.

10/17 Saturday: 3 miles in 23 minutes

Real easy run this morning followed by 6 x 12 second strides. Still not feeling very fresh...I think a lot of it is nerves. I hope I am ready tomorrow when the gun goes off!

10/18 Sunday: Baystate Marathon

Warmed up for a mile. Then 26.2 miles in 2:41:58 for 18th place. Race report will be up soon.

Total: 47 miles

The week leading up to the race was good. I thought that I was well prepared and ready to run well. The only thing that was bothering me was some tightness in my hamstrings (but they

always seem a bit tight to me). I guess I should have paid more attention to them as my hamstrings are what cost me at the marathon. More details about the race to follow in my race report.

The next week will be recovery, some days off and then some very light running. I am still planning on racing Seacoast half marathon on November 8th. That's if I recover well and the hamstrings feel good. If not I will just got up and use the race as a training run.

Training 10/5 to 10/11

10/5 Monday: 8.1 miles in 60 minutes

10/6 Tuesday: 10 miles in 65 minutes

2.5 miles of warm up at the track. Then 2000m in 6:30 goal was alternating 75 sec and 85 sec laps. Took 1 lap rest then did 8 x 800m with a goal pace of 2:30 with 90 sec rest. All of the 800's were 2:28 to 2:30. Felt OK, the effort did not seem hard, but I felt sluggish.

10/7 Wednesday: 7.2 miles in 54 minutes

10/8 Thursday: 6 miles in 67 minutes

10/9 Friday: 7.1 miles in 54 minutes

10/10 Saturday: 12 miles in 82 minutes

Easy 5 miles, followed by 4 miles at 5:35 pace, three miles easy. Felt OK, but not easy.

10/11 Sunday: 7 miles in 53 minutes

Total: 57.4 miles

First week of bringing the mileage down a bit. I am feeling OK, but not rested or fresh. I hope the next week of taper really gets my legs feeling good. Onlt one week till Baystate!

Training 9/28 to 10/4

9/28 Monday: 9 miles in 67 minutes

9/29 Tuesday: AM: 9.5 miles in 70 minutes PM: 4.2 miles in 30 minutes

9/30 Wednesday: 10 miles in 67 minutes

3 mile warm up at the track. Then I did 5 x mile with 60 seconds rest in between each mile. My splits were 5:09, 5:08, 5:07, 5:08, and 5:07. I was very happy with this workout and felt pretty solid throughout. Kept the rest right to the 60 seconds too. 2 mile cool down.

10/1 Thursday: 9.2 miles in 68 minutes

10/2 Friday: 8 miles in 60 minutes

10/3 Saturday: 18.1 miles in 1 hour 58 minutes

Went to Bristol for the New Hampshire Marathon and 10k. Heather was running the 10k. So I did this run out on the Marathon course which goes around Newfound Lake. Did 5 miles easy, then 5 miles at 5:48 pace, 60 sec rest, then 5 miles at 5:41 pace, then 3.1 miles of cool down. Felt OK, not great. Heather came in 2nd in the 10K....Nice job!

10/4 Sunday: 8 miles in 60 minutes

Ran this up in campton NH with Heather. Nice easy run.

Total Miles: 76 miles

This was a much better week than last week when I got sick and missed a run and a workout. This week I had two good workouts and some good mileage. Two weeks till Baystate!

Training 9/21 to 9/27

9/21 Monday: 8 miles in 61 minutes

9/22 Tuesday: 10.3 miles in 76 minutes

Did 6 x 15 second strides at end of run. Really felt pretty bad. Tired, sore, slow...not good.

9/23 Wednesday: OFF

Woke up felling like hell. Sick, sick, sick. Must have got to close to Jim Johnson while at Lone Gull. No Running today. This is not how I wanted this week to go especially after having a bad race on Sunday

9/24 Thursday: 5 miles in 36 minutes

Felt well enough in the afternoon to just get outside and run a bit.

9/25 Friday: 8.6 miles in 66 minutes

Ran over in Winnekenni with Heather and Emily. Did two loops of the lake. Felling much better today...just stuffed up.

9/26 Saturday: 23 miles in 2 hours 39 minutes

This is what I needed. I had a great run. Felt good at the end and finished up strong. Took water and gels twice during run. Finished with a smile on my face!

9/27 Sunday: 8.1 miles in 60 minutes

An easy run with Heather....who thought it would be fun to pick up the pace while I had tired legs from the day before.

Total miles: 63 miles

Not the best week in the world. I came off of Lone Gull pretty flat then got sick and took a day of from running. Mileage was low and I did not get in any workouts. The good news was that my 23 mile long run on Saturday went awesome and I felt great. Three more weeks till Baystate Marathon....I need to get in one more really good week then it will be time to taper :)

Lone Gull 10k USATFNE Championships 9/20/09

This race report is very overdue......for many reasons. Last week I was sick, my computer at home died, and most of all I did not want to write about this race.

On Sunday September 20th Heather, Caitlyn, and I headed to Gloucester for the USATFNE 10k championships at the Lone Gull 10k. We got there nice and early and got a good parking spot in the Good Harbor Beach parking area. This is a beautiful beach as you can see in the picture to the left. The goal for this race was to run hard and fast! Go after a PR (sub 32:34) and see what kind of shape all my hard work has left me in. I really wanted to run a good race and have a good performance.

After a quick warm up with some teammates, I got changed into my singlet and racing shoes and started heading over towards the starting area which was a good distance away....about halfway there I noticed something.....I had forgot my timing chip!!! I had about 6 minutes to get my chip and back to the start. So I got in a little bit of "tempo" work as I ran back to the car and back to the start. I got to the starting line just in time for the 9am start just to find out it was going to be delayed for a few minutes. Man that was stupid.....not a good way to start out.

After a few minutes of delay the race went off. Pretty quickly I settled in with a group of Whirlaway teammates Brandon Newbould, Joe Navas, Dan Princic, and Pat Ard. The pace felt quick, but comfortable. We went by the first mile in 5:00......quick but not surprising considering the competition at this race. Over the next mile I stayed with this group of teammates and we passed the 2 mile mark in 5:13. The next mile I let Dan and Brandon pull away a bit while I stayed with Joe and Jon Healey. The third mile went by in 5:08, and the half way mark (5k) in 15:57. At this point I was feeling worked but I was also very excited with how things were going...I was on my way to a good one! The next mile had a few hills and I was working to stay with Joe, we went by the 4 mile mark in 5:22....a bit off pace, but from everyone I talked to this was the slowest mile for everyone. A bit after the 4 mile mark I started getting a cramp in my side...yes...a side stitch. I can't remember the last time I had a side stitch......isn't that for out of shape people? Over the next mile I tried to fight it off, but each breath I took made it worse and worse....soon Joe was gone and soon other runners started passing me. The fifth mile went by in 5:20....total time was 26:04. I still had 6 minutes and 30 seconds to cover the last 1.2 miles and get to the finish line and get a PR. If I could run another 5:25 pace the rest of the way I could make it. Well........it was not to be. I cover the 6th mile in a very ugly 5:36 and the last .2 miles in 70 seconds to finish 33rd overall in 32:49. Lots of people went by me in the last 1.2 miles including Pat who ended up running a great race. The last part of this race was torture, my side stitch just got worse as I tried to fight it. each breathe felt like someone was stabbing me in the ribs......not being able to breathe all that well....not so good for trying to run fast and deliver oxygen to those working muscles. It was tough watching my race go to crap and losing a great shot at a PR.

I was really disappointed with this race for a while. After having some time to let it settle in, I believe this was not that bad of a result. Even though I had a hellish last 2 miles or so I was still only 15 seconds short of my PR and it was still my 3rd fastest 10k ever. I never really felt like my legs were hurting, I really feel that if it wasn't for that cramp I would be writing about a PR right now. I know I can run faster than this, and I know I am in good shape, its just that I wanted a good confidence booster before running Baystate in a few weeks. I still think I can run a good marathon and attack my marathon PR there in a few weeks.

Splits:

1st mile: 5:00
2nd mile: 5:13
3rd mile: 5:08
5k split: 15:57
4th mile: 5:22
5th mile: 5:20
6th mile: 5:36
last 0.2: 70 seconds

Total: 32:49

Results

Article

I want to say congratulations to Heather who once again had a great race!!! She finished 18th overall for woman running 38:53 in her Whirlaway debut!

Training 9/14 to 9/20

Sorry this is so late. I have been sick this week and my computer at home died. Lone Gull race report will be put up ASAP.

9/14 Monday: 8 miles in 60 minutes

9/15 Tuesday: AM: 9.3 miles in 70 minutes PM: 3.9 miles in 30 minutes

Evening run was late. Ran on the treadmill for the first time in a very long while. I still hate the damn thing.

9/16 Wednesday: 12.5 miles in 80 minutes

25 minute warm up at the track. Did 4 sets of 3x400m in 70-72 seconds (60 sec rest) 400m in 70-72 seconds right into 3 laps at 85 second pace. I did all 400s in 70 or 71 and hit the 85 second laps right on or just a couple seconds fast for the total of three laps. Felt pretty good. It was dark out by the time I finished up. Just in time for Philips Andover security to tell me the track closed at dark. Did 20 minutes of warm down.

9/17 Thursday: 8.1 miles in 62 minutes

This was a pretty easy run with Seth. Felt ok coming off the workout, just a bit heavy.

9/18 Friday: Planned Day Off

9/19 Saturday: 6 miles in 46 minutes

9/20 Sunday: 14 miles in 94 minutes

Lone Gull 10k. Warmed up for 2.5 miles. Ran 10k in 32:49 and cooled down for 5.3 miles. Will write a race report ASAP with details.

Total Mileage: 61.8

A good week. Mileage was down a bit due to the planned day off to get ready for Lone Gull 10k. I was not real happy with my race. But overall it could have been worse. I still have a couple weeks of work ahead me before i start my tapper for the marathon.

Run to The Rock

On Saturday Heather and I were up real early to make the trek down to Plymouth MA for the Run to The Rock. This event is pretty cool, you have three races, a 5k, a 10k, and a half marathon which all start at the same time in different parts of town and run towards downtown. The finish line for all three races is right at Plymouth Rock. The finish area is right on the waterfront which is a great venue for the post race cookout and awards ceremony.

Heather dropped me off at the half marathon start and she headed off to the 10k start. I checked in and got my number and then it was time to head out for my warm up. It was raining pretty good as it had been all morning. The goal today was to get in a long mileage day and a good workout during the race. So my warm up was 5 miles easy on the first part of the course, I felt pretty good warming up despite the very wet conditions. While warming up I ran into Dan Yifru, he is training for Chicago and is a very good runner. I also knew that Steve Infacelli was running the half, so I knew the field of runners would be pretty solid at the front. After my warm up I got changed into my flats and headed to the starting line. There I chatted with Steve and Dan to find out that we were all looking to run a workout as we are all preparing for a fall marathon. My goal for this "race" was to keep a pace around 5:40-5:45 for the first 7 to 8 miles of the race then pick it up a little bit to close out the race strong. This course is rolling hills almost the whole way, so if I could keep my goal pace on this course I would be very happy.

As the race went off four of us went right to the front. Steve, Dan, a guy I didn't know, and myself led out race and into the down hill first mile. Things were pretty comfortable and everyone seemed good with the pace. The first mile past in 5:34 with Dan and Steve leading our group of four. This was a touch fast but it was OK as most of the mile was downhill. The next mile we settled in and started hitting the rolling hills that this course has plenty of. Our next mile passed in 5:49. We all stayed together as we made our way to the third mile which passed in 5:55. It was here that I went to the front, I figured that I wanted a pace a bit closer to 5:40, so I picked it up a bit expecting at least Steve and Dan if not all three guys to come along. Before I knew it there was a small gap and I was on my own. Not exactly what I wanted, but I felt comfortable so I went with it. I figured this would be a good test of my concentration and pacing abilities while on my own. The fourth mile went by in 5:30. I was surprised it was that fast but I felt great. The rest of the race was pretty much uneventful. I even picked it up at the end and finished very strong, which I was very excited about. My splits are below.

Mile 1: 5:35

Mile 2: 5:49
Mile 3: 5:56
Mile 4: 5:31

Mile 5: 5:32

Mile 6: 5:40
Mile 7: 5:33

Mile 8: 5:35
Mile 9: 5:37

Mile 10: 5:40

Mile 11: 5:42

Mile 12: 5:28

Mile 13: 5:19

Mile 13.1: 0:31

Total time 1:13:29

Also want to say congratulations to Heather on a great race and a new PR for 10k! This despite being led off course half way through the race and running a bit of extra mileage. Nice job "girling" the whole men's field!

Article

Results

I do feel the need to mention that this race had some issues this year. Runners on both the half marathon and 10k courses were either led off course or ran off course due to lack of course marking or lack of volunteers at turns. There were also a number of water stops that had no volunteers. The good news is I talked to the race director and she was more than happy to hear my concerns and the concerns of others. I hope that she can work to bring this race up to the proper standards in the future because it could be a great event!

Training 9/7 to 9/13

9/7 Monday: 10 miles in 74 minutes

9/8 Tuesday: 12.9 miles in 85 minutes

3 miles warm up then hit the track for 2.5 miles in 13:07 (5:14 pace) 1 lap rest 2x2000m in 6:20 and 6:22 1 lap rest after each, 1200 in 4:00 (80 sec / lap), 1 lap rest, 4x400 69-70 sec with 60 sec rest. Did most of this work out with Jon Healey. Then it was off to the trails for 2.4 miles of cool down with Jon and Heather.

9/9 Wednesday: 9 miles in 67 minutes

9/10 Thursday: 9.3 miles in 70 minutes

I was suppose to run another 40 minutes later this day, but I decided against it. It was late and my knee had been acting up a bit.

9/11 Friday: 7.7 miles in 58 minutes

Did 6 x 20 sec strides after the run.

9/12 Saturday: 20.7 miles in 2 hours 11 minutes

Went to Plymouth for the Run to The Rock half marathon. Did 5 miles warm up 13.1 miles in 1:13:29 and another 2.6 miles warm down. See race report for all the details (Race report to be posted soon)

9/13 Sunday: 7.7 miles in 60 minutes

Real easy run with Heather. Legs actually felt OK. A little tight and heavy but no soreness at all.

Total: 77.3 miles

A really good week of running with a really good "race" on Saturday. The race felt very smooth and relaxed. Next week the mileage will drop a bit as I get ready for the Lone Gull 10K. This is a USATFNE Championship event. I hope to run a good race there and set a PR. (Sub 32:34).

Training 8/31 to 9/6

8/31 Monday: 10 miles in 76 minutes

This was my last run in Miami and the run I felt best on while here....of course I have started to adjust to this weather just in time to leave. Well, after a nice break its time to head home.

9/1 Tuesday: 13 miles in 86 minutes

25 minute warm up at the track. Then 5 x 1000 in 3:09-3:11 with 90 seconds rest. 1 x 1000 in 3:10 right into 3 laps at 5:44 pace, one lap rest, 3 x 1000 in 3:09-3:11 90 seconds rest, 5 x 400 in 72-73 with 200m rest in 90 seconds. Warmed down for 16 minutes. This workout was a bit of a struggle after being in the heat and humidity of Miami and travelling Monday night. But I got it done.

9/2 Wednesday: 8.8 miles in 67 minutes

After running I headed north with Heather to do some hiking in the Whites. We decided to do the Hancocks, two peaks I still needed to bag in my quest to hike all 48 4000 footers in NH. In total it was about 10 miles of hiking with many water crossings and some steep climbs and descents. It was a beautiful day and it was great to be outside enjoying whats left of summer.

9/3 Thursday: AM: 9 miles in 69 minutes PM: 4 miles in 32 minutes

Got in my 4 miler while at the Atkinson Road Race. I was there to support a good cause and cheer on Heather to a 2nd place finish. Nice Job Heather!

9/4 Friday: 12 miles in 78 minutes

Went out for 3 miles easy then into 7 miles at 5:46 pace overall. Started out around 5:50 pace and worked down to about 5:40 pace. Felt pretty good on this one.

9/5 Saturday: 18 miles in 2 hours 14 minutes

Just an easy long run this week. Felt OK most of the run, but that last few miles hurt a bit....just got tired and heavy...probably a result of yesterdays workout.

9/6 Sunday: 8 miles in 60 minutes

Total Miles: 83

A very nice week of running. Came back from Miami a bit tired, but bounced back after a couple days. Mileage for the week was solid and I got in some good workouts. My next race will be this Saturday at the Run to The Rock. I will be running the half marathon as a Marathon paced workout.

Training 8/24 to 8/30

Monday 8/24: 10 miles in 73 minutes

Last three minutes of this run was a pickup down to 5:10 pace.

Tuesday 8/25: 12 miles in 76 minutes

25 minutes of warm up. 7 laps at 77 second pace, 2 :30 rest 4 laps as 77, 87, 77, 87, then 90 seconds rest. 6 laps at 77 second pace, 2:30 rest, 3 laps as 77,87,77, then 90 seconds rest. 5 laps at 77 second pace. 16 minutes cool down. Felt pretty good during this workout. Hit all goal time and felt pretty comfortable doing it.

Wednesday 8/26: 8 miles in 61 minutes

Thursday 8/27: 13.5 miles in 90 minutes

Ran easy for 30 minutes then started a set of 1 minute pick ups with 1 minute rest. Did 18 pick ups. Felt pretty good.

Friday 8/28: 9 miles in 68 minutes

Easy run. Flew to Miami later that night for a long weekend at Miami Beach.

Saturday 8/29: 20.5 miles in 2 hours 34 minutes

Got up a bit early and went out for a run along Miami Beach with Seth Williams. It was already way hot and humid. Kept Seth as company for the first 8 miles then I was on my own. This run was pretty rough with no protection from the sun. The only thing that saved me was water fountains and showers along the board walk. Got it done....but I was toast at the end. So glad I don't have to run in those conditions at home.

Sunday 8/30: 8 miles in 61 minutes

Started my run with Seth and Heather, they turned back after a few miles. I don't blame them....its way to hot for this running stuff. Struggled through another hot humid run along the board walk. Went out exploring Miami Beach later that night....its a crazy place!

Totals: 81 miles

Another very good week of running, in fact I have actually put together a very good month of running. I just need to keep up the good work. Next "race" will be Run to The Rock on September 12th. This is a small local road race back in my hometown of Plymouth Mass. This will probably be run as some sort of marathon workout.

NOTE: Check out and attend if you can the Atkinson Road Race this Thursday September 3rd. This race will benefit among other great things Mark Kimball, a local runner and teammate of mine who was hit my a car while running on June 10th. Please read this article about his accident and recovery. Please encourage anyone you know to go and race this Thursday in Atkinson NH.

Training 8/17 to 8/23

Monday 8/17: Planned day off. No running

Tuesday 8/18: 10.8 miles in 74 minutes

Early morning run. Did 12 x 1 minute pickups with 1 minute rest between each pickup. Felt pretty good.

Wednesday 8/19: 6 miles in about 45-46 minutes

Very easy run. Went with no watch so the time is a guess.

Thursday 8/20: AM: 4 miles in 31 minutes PM: 12.5 miles in 81 minutes

AM run with Heather, very easy. PM Saunders at Rye 10k. Warmed up 2.3 miles, 6.2 mile race in 32:46, 4 miles cool down. See race report below for all the details.

Friday 8/21: 8 miles in 62 minutes

Saturday 8/22: 21 miles in 2 hours and 26 minutes

Very early morning run, out the door at 5:45am to beat the heat. 10 miles easy in 74 minutes, next 5 miles in 32:55 (6:35 pace), next 5 miles in 29:50 (5:58 pace), 1 mile easy. Then it was off to the White Mountains to attend a wedding at the Mt Washington Hotel. It was a good time!

Sunday 8/23: 7 miles in 53 minutes

Ran with Heather at Lake Kenoza on the trails. Trying to beat the heat by staying in the woods.

Total: 69.3 miles

This was a very nice week. I got in a planned day off, a very good race, and I still got in about 70 miles of running with a nice long run workout on Saturday. Starting to feel strong, things are starting to come together well, just need to keep at it and stay healthy.

Saunders at Rye Harbor 10k

Thursday I headed up to Rye NH for the Saunders at Rye Harbor 10K (Part of the Seacoast Road Race Series). The drive up was real nice as the last few miles are right along the coast. It really is a very beautiful area. Parking for the race was a bit tough as it was all on street parking, but I got there early enough to get a spot about a third of a mile from the start finish area. As I walked over to the registration area and met up with some friends and teammates that were running. After grabbing my number and stuff I went out for a warm up with Jim Johnson, Seth Williams, Pat Ard, Kevin Alliette and Dave Quintal. After changing into racing gear it was off to the starting line. At the starting line I ran into a couple other Whirlaway runners in Chris Hamel and Dan Princic. So the Whirlaway had a very nice team there with Pat, Seth, Chris, Dan and myself. A couple of other fast faces at the starting line included Sam Wood and John Mentzer, who has been tearing it up lately.

The race went off and a large pack of about 9-10 guys together through about the mile, which went by in 5:07. This was the last split I got till the 1 mile to go split, yes I forgot my watch. The group was being led by John, Jim, and Kevin. Over the next mile, which is a very slight up hill, the lead group was down to John, Jim, Kevin, Dan, and myself. This group stayed together till about the 3 mile mark, which is right after a short up hill, It was here that some moves were made. John and Dan went to the front followed by Jim and Kevin, I started to go out the back door a bit. I did not feel bad, but I was not able to cover the moves and stay in contact. From here on out the course is down hill to flat, making for a very fast second half of the course. From my position in 5th place I watched the race unfold in front of me. Over the next 2 miles John continued to lead and dictate the pace, Dan fell off the lead and Kevin went after John with Jim chasing not to far behind. I was in chase mode, but I did not feel like I was making up much ground. Turning into the last mile plus of the race along the ocean, I could see that I was catching up to Dan, John was still in first followed closely by Kevin, with Jim in 3rd a ways back then Dan in 4th and myself in 5th. I went by the 1 mile to go (5.2 miles into the race) split in 27:30. It was only at this point that I realized I was actually running a pretty good race and had a good shot at getting under 33 minutes, which I had only done 3 times. I really tried to pick it up and catch up to Dan....but it was not to be. I made up a ton of ground but I ended up finishing 5 seconds in back of Dan in 32:46.

I was pretty happy with this race, 32:46 is my second fastest 10k ever and this result shows that the hard training is starting to payoff. The Whirlaway team also had a very nice showing with Dan Princic in 4th place, Myself in 5th place, Pat Ard in 6th place, Chris Hamel in 7th place, and Seth Williams in 10th place. Also want to give some props to Jim Johnson, the crazy guy runs 2-3 races a week and is still killing it every time out. He had a great race in running 32:20 for 3rd place.

SeaCoast Online Article

Results

Race winner John Mentzer

Training 8/10 to 8/16

8/10 Monday: AM: 8 miles in 60 minutes PM: 4.7 miles in 35 minutes

Very easy on both runs today. Did my evening run with Heather.

8/11 Tuesday: AM: 4.3 miles in 33 minutes PM: 13 miles in 89 minutes

Easy run in the morning. Track in the evening. 25 minutes of warm up followed by 800m in 2:35 90 seconds rest, 800m in 2:35 directly into 1200m at 87-90 second pace (went 4:21) 90 seconds rest into 5 x 1000m, goal pace of 77 seconds a lap (about 5:10 pace) with 90 seconds rest. Did all five with in a couple of seconds of the 3:13 goal time. After the 90 seconds rest did 800m in 2:30 with 90 seconds rest, then 800m in 2:30 directly into 1200m at 87-90 second pace (went 4:23)

8/12 Wednesday: 7 miles in 52 minutes

8/13 Thursday: 10 miles in 63:30

This was a progression run. Started with 3 miles at around 7 minutes pace, then 3 miles at 6:10 to 6:20 pace, then 4 miles at 6:00 to 6:10 pace. I kept all miles in the goal pace zones except my last 2 miles. I got lazy and lost my concentration during mile 9 and put up a 6:12...just a bit slower than it should have been. So I put a bit more effort into the pace in the last mile and went way too fast by running 5:42.

8/14 Friday: 9.6 miles in 70 minutes

8/15 Saturday: 16.4 miles in 1 hour and 52 minutes

This run did not go as planned. Plan was to run 5 miles easy, 5 miles at 6 minute pace, 1 mile easy, then 5 miles at 5:50 pace. I got outside a bit later than I wanted and it was already getting way too hot for this kind of run. I got in the 5 miles easy and then the 5 miles at 6 minutes pace, but by the time I was done with that part I was sweating bad and suffering pretty good in the hot and humid air...so I decided to make some adjustments and get in what I could. The rest of my work out after the one mile easy went. One mile at 5:50, half mile easy, 1 mile at 5:50, half mile easy, 1 mile at 5:50 pace, then easy running back home....which was barely running at all....it might have qualified as a walk back home. It took me forever to stop sweating, I was dizzy, and felt nauseous. Totally awesome. So I decided to take an ice bath after, not only for my legs, but just to cool me off. Jumped on the scale before getting in the ice bath.....126.2 pounds!!! I left the house at just over 132 pounds.

After trying to melt myself outside, Heather and I went to Jaffery NH for the The 20th Annual Jaffrey Festival of Fireworks. It claims to be the most amazing display of fireworks in New England! I would have to agree! It was actually pretty awesome. If you like fireworks check it out.

Sunday 8/16: 7 miles in 54 minutes

Heather and I went over to Maudslay State Park in an effort to avoid the heat and get in a run in the woods. This is a great park for a run with some awesome trails. It was nice to get off the roads for a bit and enjoy a run in such a nice setting.

Total Miles: 80 miles

Another solid week of running and workouts. The only hicup was Saturdays long run / workout. But I think I made the right move in adjusting for the heat and not trying to kill myself by forcing the workout portion of the run. Next week will be a lower mileage week with one day off. Thursday I will be racing at the Saunders 10k in Rye NH.

Training 8/3 to 8/9

8/3 Monday: AM: 7.8 miles in 60 minutes PM: 4.6 miles in 35 minutes

8/4 Tuesday: 12.3 miles in 83 minutes

25 minute warm up to the Andover High track. 16 x 400m all at 76 seconds except one at 75 seconds and one at 77 seconds. 100m rest in 60 seconds or less between each interval. This went right into 2800m on/off 400's in 78,93,79,92,77,93,78. The faster sections were pretty much right on, the slower sections should have been 90 seconds each. Still pretty good.

8/5 Wednesday: 7 miles in 53 minutes

8/6 Thursday: AM: 9 miles in 68 minutes PM: 6.4 miles in 48 minutes

Very easy morning run. Afternoon run was done on the Merrimack River Trail with Seth Williams. We went out pretty easy and finished up with a solid pace. It was a good run and nice to be off the pavement for a bit.

8/7 Friday: 9.6 miles in 70 minutes

8/8 Saturday: 20 miles in 2 hours 23 minutes plus Ice Bath

Met up with fellow Whirlaway teammates Dan Princic and Mark Hudson for a long run from the Whirlaway. It was early and the weather was actually perfect for a long run, nice and cool with a little bit of a breeze. We headed out through Haverhill, Salem, Plaistow, and Atkinson before finishing back up in Methuen at the Whirlaway. It was a real good run and a good confidence booster. I felt pretty strong for most of the run and my quickest miles were the last few. With this run I put in 91 miles over the last seven days....my highest seven day total ever!

8/9 Sunday: 7 miles in 53 minutes


Total Miles: 83.7

This was really a very good week. I was very happy with my Tuesday workout and the mileage came up nice with out too much trouble. I am tired, but I am not having any issues with the hamstrings or anything else. Next race is Saunders 10k on August 20th

Beach to Beacon 10K

Saturday started early as the alarm went off at 4:30 am. Heather and I were in the car and on our way to Cape Elizabeth Maine by 5:00 am. I was pretty excited for this race. I have always wanted to run the Beach to Beacon 10k and now thanks to Heather surprising me with entry into the race I was going to experience my first Beach to Beacon. The picture to the left is of the Portland Head Light. This is where the race finishes. The goals for this race was to put in a good effort, try to be in the top 50, and get close to or under 33 minutes. Preview Article from B2b Website

We pulled into Cape Elizabeth right on time at about 6:45am and parked about a half mile away from the starting area. Heather and I walked down to the starting area to pick up our numbers and timing D-tags. It was pretty nice out, the temps were still cooler, but the air was still pretty humid. We pick up our numbers and the first thing I notice is that Heather has an elite number and I don't. I was not to happy about that, especially since I knew almost everyone who usually finishes around me had an elite number. So back to the car I headed to get in my warm up. I did a little over 2 miles and it was time to head off to the starting area. Heather and I made our way to the front as far as we could go with out an elite number. Once at the front I ran into and chatted with Tammie Robie and Melissa Donais two of the faster runners from the New England area. The start was delayed a little bit, and it was now starting to get hot, but after the National Anthem and a little talk by Joan Benoit Samuelson herself, we were off and running.


The fist part of this race was just craziness. People were all over the place, high schoolers were weaving in and out of people at 4:30 pace, and there was no where to move. I tried to stay calm and tried to slowly move my way through the crowd and get to the first mile at a reasonable pace. The first mile is slightly down hill to flat, I hit the first mile in 5:17 which was OK, but I thought I should have been a little quicker given the downhill to flat aspect of the course. After the mile I thought I was moving OK, I was passing people and getting myself into a position where I thought I was with the people I should be running with. The only problem was I hit the 2nd mile in 5:24. A little bit slower than I wanted. Just a lack of concentration and knowing what pace I was actually going. A that point I made a conscious effort to put in some work and pick it up a bit. During the third mile I had a small run in with a female elite runner who thought she owned the road. She had decided that it did not matter if I was next to her, she wanted the inside of the corner that we were going around and she took it.....by bumping into me repeatedly until I gave it up and let her have it. I was all set with that, so I surged a bit to get away from her. I hit the 3rd mile in 5:13 and after a short hill the 5k mark in 16:28. So I was on pace for just under 33 minutes which I would have been very happy with. Just after the 5k mark the race goes through downtown area which was packed with people cheering and yelling, it was really pretty cool to see that many people packed into a small area cheering for all the runners. Throughout the next couple of miles I passed a lot of people who had gone out way to fast. During this stretch I caught up with a small group of 3 guys and elite female Sally Meyeroff. This is the group I pretty much stayed with the rest of the way. We hit the 4 mile mark in 5:21. During the next mile our small group worked pretty well together taking turns at the front and pushing to catch a few more people along the way we hit the 5 mile mark in 5:24. The last mile was a tough one for me. The course really starts to roll and the hills, although small, were really starting to wear on me. I did my best and hung in there with the small group I had been working with. Soon we were turning into Fort Williams and heading for the finish. I hit the 6 mile mark in 5:30. The finish of this race is probably one of the coolest I have ever experienced outside a major marathon. You come into the finish on a small paved path surrounded by people. One section feels almost tunnel like with a very high wall on one side with people on top yelling and cheering down at you then you shoot out onto a short grass section surrounded by hundreds of people cheering and into the finish at then Portland Head light. A truly beautiful area. I managed to muster up a bit of a kick and finished the last 0.2 miles in 62 seconds. My total time was 33:12 for 44th place overall. Goals accomplished!


Photo of race winner Ed Muge of Kenya
Splits:

1. 5:17
2. 5:24
3. 5:13
4. 5:21
5. 5:24
6. 5:30
.2 62

Total 33:12


Race Article B2B Website

Results

Overall this was a great day and a great race. I would tell anyone to check this race out. The course is great, its well organized, and the towns people really come out in support of this great event. Just sign up right away. This years race sold out in 2 hours! Also wanted to say congratulations to Heather on her great race. Heather finished as the 30th overall female in 39:40. Nice race!

Week of 7/27 to 8/2

7/27 Monday: 8 miles in 61 minutes

7/28 Tuesday: 12 miles in 81 minutes

Track work with Fernando. 30 minute warm up then into 1 lap (15 sec rest), 2 laps (30 sec rest), 3 laps (45 sec rest), 10 minutes (90 sec rest), 3 laps (45 sec rest), 2 laps (30 sec rest), 1 lap (400 meter jog rest) All work was done at 5:20 pace. After 400 meter rest I did one 1200 as 80 sec, 90 sec, 80 sec, quarters. Did 16 minutes of warm down with Heather.

7/29 Wednesday: 7 miles in 54 minutes

7/30 Thursday: 8 miles in 60 minutes

Did a 1 minute pickup at the beginning of miles 3-8.

7/31 Friday: 4 miles in 31 minutes 4 x 15 sec strides during run

8/1 Saturday: 4.5 miles in 35 minutes, 10k in 33:12

Ran Beach to Beacon 10k today. Finished 44th overall in 33:12. Race report to be posted.

8/2 Sunday: 14.3 miles in 105 minutes

Today I went over to Newburyport to check out the High Street mile. It was a great event to watch and something I may have to try out in the future. Congrats to Kevin, Pat, Matt, Brett, Infa, and Shepp, nice job out there! Results

Weeks Total: 64 miles

This was a solid week. The miles were a bit low due to trying to freshen up the legs for the race, but overall it was a good week. The workout on Tuesday went well and the race on Saturday, while not great, was a good indicator of where my fitness is. There is still lots of work to be done in order to get ready for the marathon and the miles and work will increase over the next few weeks.

Putting in the work 7/20 to 7/26

7/20 Monday: 9 miles in 63 minutes

7/21 Tuesday: 13.5 miles in 90 minutes

This was done on a rainy windy day...perfect for a workout! 30 minutes of warm up then hit the track for one 400 meter run in 80 seconds (5:20 pace) to get a feel for the pace. Took 30 seconds rest then started the main workout. Left the track for 3 minutes at 5:20 pace ran a loop right back on to the track and into 400 in 75 seconds (5:00 pace). Then I took 90 seconds rest. This was done 8 times for a total work load of just under 7 miles. The effort was hard and I was pleased with the work load I was able to handle.....a good workout for sure.

7/22 Wednesday: 8 miles in 58 minutes

7/23 Thursday: OFF, took some time to rest and relax the legs.

7/24 Friday: AM: 9 miles in 65 minutes plus 12x15 second hill strides in the rain.

PM: 4 miles in 30 minutes.

Happy 4th Birthday Caitlyn!!!

7/25 Saturday: 18 miles in 121 minutes

I did this run up in Campton NH from my parents house. Ran RT 49 up towards Waterville Valley. I got out early and got this done while it was still cool and there was cloud cover. Did the last 5 miles at 5:45 to 5:50 pace. Felt real good and strong. Even saw a bear during my run!

7/26 Sunday: 8 miles in 59 minutes

Ran up in Campton NH with Heather who totally took advantage of my dead legs and dropped me in the last mile of our run. Felt OK....just tired and heavy from the long run.

Total Miles: 69.5

This was a good week. I was very happy with the workout and the long run. Next week I will be racing at Beach to Beacon 10k in Cape Elizabeth, Maine on Saturday August 1st.

Bill Luti 5 Miler

Saturday had a small group of us heading up to Concord NH for the Bill Luti 5 miler. Along for the race was Heather, Seth, and myself. The weather was looking pretty good for a July race, it was overcast, but still pretty humid. This race always attracts a pretty fast crowd as there is money for the top three. This race also serves as the sixth and final race of the CARS Series. Going into this race I had the lead in the series and only had to make sure nothing bad happened in order to make sure that I held on for the series win and the $250 dollars that come with the series championship.

Before the race I did a very easy two mile warm up. I did not feel that good at all. In the last few weeks I have brought the miles up and added some pretty good workouts....so I kind of expected to feel a bit flat. The goal going into this race was to make sure I win the CARS series, get in a very solid effort, and start working on getting use to racing again. At the starting line I looked around and saw the usual CARS runners including Scott Clark (2nd in Standings) and Dan Verrington (3rd in standings) and a very fast crowd including Mark Miller, Justin Freeman, Jim Johnson, Greg Hammett, Rich Smith and a slew of very fit looking younger guys.

As the race went off a group of three including Justin Freeman, Mark Miller and a younger guy took to the lead right away and quickly established a lead. I stayed steady in the following pack, which was running pretty conservatively for a flat opening mile.....probably because we all knew the 2nd mile had a very significant uphill. We hit the first mile in 5:24, I took a look over my shoulder to see about 12-15 people still in this chase pack.....which seemed like a lot of people. As we hit the hill I moved towards the front along with Jim Johnson, Rich Smith and Greg Hammett. As we hit the top of the hill and made a right hand turn things kind of got shook up, Jim Johnson and Rich Smith went by me. They were moving pretty good so I let them go. I started to push a little bit to open up some space and start dropping some of the group I was with. Going with me was Greg Hammett, Alex McGrath, and Andrew Chalmers. From The top of the hill to the 3 mile mark is all flat and down hill. It also includes going past Bill Luti himself calling out the 2 mile split which went by in 11:00 (5:36 2nd mile).....pretty slow. During this stretch I could see Jim pulling away and Rich was coming back along with the younger guy who was out quick, all while I was swapping places back and forth with Greg and Alex. Just before the three mile mark I lost contact with Alex as he put a small gap on me. I hit 3 miles with a 5:17 mile. At the three mile mark the course heads up again, a long slow climb up out of the St Pauls school grounds. During this mile I managed to get a small gap on Greg, and catch and pass Rich Smith and the younger guy who was out real fast (who looked like he was done at this point). This brought me up to 5th place in the race and just about 10 seconds back of Alex McGrath. I hit the 4th mile mark with a 5:47 split (ouch!! this is slow) At this point I could see that Justin was going to win, Mark Miller was 2nd and Jim was up to 3rd. At this point I just wanted to finish where I was in 5th place. There was no sense in going after Alex and I just wanted to hold off Greg and Rich who I could hear not more than a few seconds back. The last mile went as I wanted, I maintained my place and ran a strong last mile in 5:10, holding off Greg and Rich and finishing in 27:14 for 5th place and securing The CARS Championship.

Results







Pictured: Overall winners Justin Freeman and Jennifer Adams with Bill Luti






1. 26:06 5:14 Justin Freeman 32 M 2 New Hampton NH
2. 26:18 5:16 Mark Miller 28 M 1 Keene NH
3. 26:32 5:19 Jim Johnson 32 M 353 Salem NH
4. 27:08 5:26 Alex McGrath 18 M 226 Marlborough NH
5. 27:14 5:27 Chris Mahoney 31 M 107 Haverhill MA
6. 27:17 5:28 Greg Hammett 31 M 361 Chesterfield NH
7. 27:19 5:28 Rich Smith 39 M 3 Enfield NH
8. 27:27 5:30 Andrew Chalmers 19 M 381 Ashland NH
9. 27:43 5:33 Scott Clark 43 M 5 Gilmanton NH
10. 27:47 5:34 Scott McGrath 22 M 227 Marlborough NH


Capitol Area Race Series (CARS) Results

Men:

1st Chris Mahoney
2nd Scott Clark
3rd Dan Verrington













Women:

1st Heather Searles
2nd Emily Searles
3rd Ann Rasmussen



Picture: Heather Searles receiving a very special plaque for winning the USCAA XC National championship last fall.


Congratulations to Heather for her CARS series championship. I also want to congratulate Emily Searles (Heathers younger sister) on a great 2nd place CARS series finish. She ran a very strong 2nd half of the series to take 2nd place away from Ann Rasmussen. Nice job by you crazy fast Searles sisters!

Training July 13th to 19th

7/13 Monday: 9 miles in 68 minutes

7/14 Tuesday: 11 miles in 73 minutes

Track workout of 2400, 2000, 1200, 800 all @ 5:20 pace. then 1 mile of 200 on 200 off at 35-37 seconds on and 47-50 seconds off. Hit all paces for the intervals with in 2 seconds of goal pace and hit the 200 on and offs right in pace window. Felt pretty good, I am happy with how this workout went.

7/15 Wednesday: 8 miles in 62 minutes

7/16 Thursday: AM: 8.5 miles in 62 minutes

Easy run, after seven miles I did 10 x 15 sec hill strides. Felt ok. Ran another mile back to work after hill strides.

7/16 Thursday: PM: 4 miles in 30 minutes

7/17 Friday: 5 miles in 39 minutes

7/18 Saturday: 12.5 miles total at Bill Luti 5 mile Race

Warm up 2.5 miles in 20 minutes. Raced 5 miles in 27:14, cooled down for 5 miles in 4o minutes. See race report for full details (will be posted later).

7/19 Friday: 8 miles in 63 minutes

Ran around Lake Kenoza with Heather. I did one lower loop with Heather then went around for a second lower loop solo. Felt pretty slow and tired.

Total: 65 Miles

This week was a good one. The miles are coming up and I am getting in some good workouts. I even ran my first race since my Mt. Washington disaster and felt OK. Then on Sunday Heather surprised me with entry into the Beach to Beacon 10k on August 1st. I have wanted to do this race for a very long time and I am very excited to be running it in less than two weeks. Thank you Heather....your the best!

More miles, more smiles 7/6 to 7/12

7/6 Monday: 8 miles easy in 58 minutes

7/7 Tuesday: 12 miles in 82 minutes

30 minutes of warm up, then into 5 x mile @ 5:30 with 1 minute rest. Went 5:34, 5:33, 5:30, 5:29, 5:28, then 20 minute of warm down. I was very happy with how this workout went. Much better than my last attempt at a workout.

7/8 Wednesday: 7 miles in 56 minutes

Ran with Seth Williams along the Merrimack River trail in Andover. Very easy running.

7/9 Thursday: OFF from running

7/10 Friday: 8 miles in 59 minutes

7/11 Saturday: 16 miles in 1 hour 49 minutes

This was what I guess you can call a long progression run. Went 3 miles at about 7:40 pace, next three miles were 7:10 pace, next three miles were 6:40 pace, next three miles were 6:20 pace, took one mile easy at 7:20 ish, then went into three miles at 5:55 pace. I felt pretty good, but certainly worked the last 3 miles. Hamstring and hip felt good!

7/12 Sunday: 7 miles in 52 minutes

Nice easy run with Heather out to Crystal lake in Haverhill. Felt a little tired and heavy from yesterdays longrun.

Total: 58 miles

A very solid week that I am pretty happy with. I had some good workouts and increased the mileage a little bit. The hamstring and hip even felt alright. Next week will be more of the same, increase the mileage a bit and get in another good workout. I will also be running The Bill Luti 5 Miler on Saturday.

Training 6/29 to 7/5

Monday 6/29: 8.5 miles in 60 minutes Easy run

Tuesday 6/30: 11 miles in 75 minutes

Track work: Mile, 4x400, 1200, 4x400, Mile. Did this in 5:38, 82s, 4:04, 80s, 5:36 Hitting all the goal paces that were set out. Felt pretty good and was pretty happy with the effort.

Wednesday 7/1: Off from running.

Did some self PT on the hamstring and hip

Thursday 7/2: 7 miles in 52 minutes.

Easy running then off to the Sports Spa for some treatment on the hamstring and hip.

Friday 7/3: 8 miles in 54 minutes

Ran from NHTI (Home of National Champion Heather Searles) in Concord NH. Did 1 minute pickups at the beginning of miles 4-8.

Saturday 7/4: 14 miles in 101 minutes

Ran From St Pauls School in Concord NH. Was suppose to do 5 miles at 5:40 to 5:50 pace towards the end of the run. Ended up only making it 1.5 miles at pace, then breaking it up with 3 x half mile at pace with 2 minute breaks for a total of 3 miles at goal pace. This was a pretty disappointing workout. I felt awful, tired, slow, heavy. The only good thing to come from this workout was that my hamstring and hip felt OK the whole time. Only a slight tightening towards the end.

Sunday 7/5: 7 miles in 51 minutes

Very easy from my parents house up in Campton NH. Then it was off the Squam Lake for a great day of boating and swimming.

Total Mileage: 55.5 miles

Despite the bad workout on Saturday this was a good week of training. I got in some good mileage and a couple of workouts. The hamstring and hip even felt OK for most of the week. Its getting better each day and with continued attention I feel that I will be 100% again in the next couple weeks. Next week I will bring the mileage up a little bit more and start getting ready for some marathon training. The USATFNE Championship Baystate Marathon is October 18th.

Training Update 6/21 to 6/29

Sunday 6/21: 5 miles 41 minutes.

This was a very easy run with Heather on the trails at St Pauls School. Pretty sluggish and very tight. This was to be expected after running Mt Washington the day before.

Monday 6/22: 7 miles 48 minutes.

Actually felt pretty good, best run I have had since being injured

Tuesday 6/23: 7.1 miles 48 minutes.

2 miles easy, miles 3, 4, 5, 6 in 6:35, 5:56, 6:14, 6:07. 1.1 miles easy. The 4 miles was suppose to be at 6:10 to 6:30 pace. I had trouble finding the pace and felt like I was working to hard to run a pace that should not be all that taxing. Probably still recovering from the Mt Washington effort.

Wednesday 6/24: 8 miles 62 minutes.

Very easy run around the Lake Kenoza trails in Haverhill.

Thursday 6/25: 7.1 miles 47 minutes

2 miles easy, miles 3, 4, 5, 6 in 6:08, 6:13, 6:11, 6:09. 1.1 miles easy. Same work out as Tuesday, except this one felt much easier and nice and smooth. Very happy with how this one went.

Friday 6/26: Day off from running

Saturday 6/27: 12 miles 82 minutes

Did this run from my brothers house down in Hanson, MA. Did a 1 minute pick up at the start of each mile during miles 4 -10. Felt pretty solid and the pick ups felt pretty good. Last couple miles I got a little sluggish and at little bit of tightness in the hamstring. Still very happy with this run...its the longest I have gone in a while.

Sunday 6/28: 5 miles 39 minutes

Ran on the treadmill. Felt a bit tight, but nothing to bad.

Monday 6/29: 8.5 miles 60 minutes

Easy running, did some exploring up in the Plaistow and Atkinson areas. Felt OK on the run, but not great. I think I am still feeling the effects of the 12 miler I did on Saturday


Overall the training is going alright. I am still experiencing some stiffness and tightness in my left hamstring, but it seems to be slowly getting better as time goes by. I have been using a heating pad on it a lot and that seems to really be helping. I just need to be careful these next couple of weeks as I up the volume and get back to some real workouts and longer runs. Hopefully all goes well!


Next race is Bill Luti 5 miler on July 18th. This is the last race in the CARS series.