Weekly Log 7-16-12 to 7-22-12

Monday: 8.5 miles - Cuttyhunk & Fisherville trails with connecting dirt roads alone.  My plan on this hot day (really high 70+ dewpoint) was to stay close to my car and run about five miles in the woods.  I forgot a water bottle so I just had a mug of water I grabbed from my office sitting in my car.  I parked at Cuttyhunk looking to do a loop and then stop at my car for water, and then do another loop.  My legs felt great and I kept an easy pace.  I kept waiting for the heat, but by the time I reached Stony Lane, I was feeling so good I decided to press on to Fisherville.  After the long descent on the dirt road I did a long loop of trails on the south side.  Again, I was keeping the pace easy and not feeling hot.  I debated doing the north loop, but I didn't want to push my luck.  Instead I ran up the long hill on Pardon Joslin Rd, only feeling hot in the exposed spots at the top.  I then ran down Stony Lane to the end of the dirt road and then turned around and finished up on the trails through Cuttyhunk.  Total time: about 1:08.  Great run in the heat. 

Tuesday: 4+ miles - 8 x home trail loop + 3 x Shumunkawall trail before work.  It supposed to be another scorcher today, and I also may run the Nick Bottone Track Mile tonight, so I decided to get in an early workout and skip the normal midday run.  I repeated my workout from Sunday - one lap up the wall trail on my property and then 4 normal laps on my home trail.  After sucking wind at the top of the wall, my kids joined me for a while.  I enjoyed their company and enthusiasm, as well as the slow pace while I recovered.  After 4 laps I ran down the hill again and back up the wall (barely).  It takes about 2 laps to recover.  I then finished the 4 home laps and then ran the wall one more time, feeling a little better this time at the top.  Fun workout!  Outrageously sweaty afterwards.  Total time: 32:56.  PM - opted for joining my family and friends at the beach rather than the track mile. 

Wednesday: AM - 6 miles - hilly road out and back alone early.  I ran with my new Garmin 610.  The air was soupy (75 degrees, 71 dewpoint).  I ran a hilly out and back that I know the exact mileage markers (by car and online).  The GPS was right on for this road course.  Pretty hard effort, especially the mile uphill on Buckeye Brook Road (6:35) - maybe my fastest ever despite the weather.  Total time 41:00. 



PM - 0.  I headed out on my lunch break in the excessive heat to run a few slow miles in Rome Point  and perhaps swim.  I left a little before 2PM, and it was disgusting out - 98 degrees when I pulled into the parking lot (and 75 degree dew point!!).  I debated my sanity, and then opted to go get an iced coffee instead.  Driving around, it did get up to 100.  Proof: 

Thursday: 15.5 miles - Ryan Park trails (10M) with Wickford roads to/from (5.5M) alone.  I couldn't ask for better running weather in July.  Mid 70's and cloudy (some sun at the end), and lower humidity.  I had a quiet day at the office so I was looking to get a longer effort in today as my week has been rather weak.  What's interesting is how easy it is to run 7:10 - 7:15 pace on flat roads.  Then I enter the woods and the GPS starts struggling even though my pace feels the same and my effort felt harder.  The terrain is pretty easy so my miles should be close to the same pace as on the roads.  Anyway, I know this run is 15.5 miles and the Garmin got up to 14 miles.  Sort of close.  Quiet in the woods except for a couple of older love birds and their poodle that chased me (until I yelled at it).  Some deer flies and no snakes.  Today was a good day.  Total time: 1:49:13. 



Officially registered myself and my brothers for the Run with the Beavers 10M Trail Race coming up next Saturday (the 28th).  Watch out for team Hammett Brothers. 

Friday: AM - 7.3ish miles - DuVal Trail tempo run with Mike G, Ben, and Aaron.  We met up at 6AM.  I was super excited to do this run on one of my favorite trails.  The stated plan was to warm up at a decent pace on the west side and then run the east section at a fast pace out to Red House Road.  Recover, and then run the east section back hard, and finally cooling down on the west side.  My goal was to hold onto the King of the Mountain title....  Anyway, it was a cool dark morning with almost zero deer flies.  After a nice 21 minute warm up it was time to run hard.  I took off right away, not wanting to dilly dally.  I was in a good groove and felt fast.  After about a mile, I was beginning to hear somebody gaining on me which I assumed was Mike.  I pressed on, hammering the uphills and letting it fly on the downhills and flats.  It was Mike and we chatted a little until we reached the end.  We jogged around in circles waiting for Ben and Aaron and then headed back (I was short on time).  Mike began the steep long climb ahead of me and then quickly pulled away.  My legs didn't recover, and I just felt stuck in a slower gear than before.  I kept up a good effort the rest of the way, but it wasn't close to on the way out.  I met up with Mike on Gravelly Hill Road, and Ben soon joined us.  I needed to get home so I left the group and ran as fast as I could back to my car.  Total time: 53:47. 



PM - I planned to do an easy recovery run on the Quonset Bike Path that would get me to 12 miles for the day.  I was in slow recovery mode for a half mile or so, but then I began to feel pretty good.  My second mile was 7:05 and felt easy.  After two more fastish miles (7:07 each), I decided to hop onto the roads and run out to Mount View.  I wanted to take it down a notch and enjoy this section (7:15), but soon I was clipping off low 7's.  I ran the grid of streets in Mount View, scaring a doe and her two fawns (probably eating people's gardens) - they ran off through the neighborhood jumping over fences.  I then jumped onto the Calf Pasture Point road back to my car (6:50), tacking on some extra distance to get an even 18 for the day.  10.7 miles in 1:15:43 (7:06 pace overall). 

Saturday: 0 - first zero after running 121 miles in the previous 12 days.  Errands in the morning before meeting family at the beach and then lobsters at our house at night. 

Sunday: 10 miles - Burlingame trails in the afternoon alone.  Awesome weather today.  After spending the day mostly outside doing chores, I was able to get out on a run at about 2PM.  Mid 70's, dry, and a nice breeze.  My legs (especially my feet and ankles) felt sore in the beginning, and I chugged along at a slow pace before entering the woods off of Burdickville Rd.  After climbing Ledge Trail, my body loosened up, and I locked into a 7:40ish pace.  I really enjoyed the trails I took today, and picked it up especially on the climb by the beaver pond.  Back at my house, I added on the wall trail just for "fun", but I couldn't make it all the way up before switching to hiking.  Fun night afterward in downtown Wakefield: fish tacos, walk, playground, and blueberry ice cream.  Total time: 1:17. 



Overall: I'm really happy with my running this summer.  I'm finding ways to log miles despite the heat by getting in short runs early.  No track, but good tempo work.  Super excited for the 10 mile trail race next Saturday with my brothers.  Must taper a couple of days before.....

Weekly Total: 62 miles
Last Week: 69 miles
Year to Date: 1611 miles