Monday: 8 miles - Ryan Park trails alone. Back to work after a two week vacation. I spent the day feeling queasy and plowing through piles of paperwork. I needed a break, so despite feeling lousy, I ran. I parked at the athletic fields and did the usual routine, except only running the outer loop of the field trails. I felt like my pace was decent. I can't tell with the space watch. Stomach issues made me walk the last quarter mile back to my car. Glad I ran though. Total time: 57:52.
Tuesday: 6AM 7 miles - CHS track workout alone (planned). I showed up at the track, still dark, and saw Muddy's truck. I thought he was running with Mike and Ben in SK. I looked around the track and couldn't find him. Finally, he emerged from a porta-potty - that's how Muddy rolls. After a 1.5 mile warm up, we agreed to do 400's and 200's: 4x400 8x200 and then possibly some more 400's. My stomach still wasn't feeling that great, and my body felt tight, but I was happy with my performance: 78/76/77/76 35/35/35/35/35/35/36/34 76/77 all with 200 rest except 400 after the set of 200's. The 200's felt really good, and I was pleased with the consistency. My form was fading on the last two 400's, but the times were good. I had to fight the urge to hurl after a few of the intervals, but feeling fine now (later in the afternoon). 1 mile cool down.
1PM 9 miles - Rome Point trails and beach alone. Feeling better - both mentally and physically, I headed out for a run in the fabulous weather. My lower legs felt trashed, but improved vastly by the end. I was enjoying the sights and zoning out when I tripped and fell on rocks and roots - banged both knees and hands, an elbow, and scraped up my abdomen. I need to remember that this is a trail run. Pay attention. Anyway, unfazed, I kept chugging along. I had been staying away from here because of the crowds, but it's getting a lot quieter. The tide was too high to make it to the bridge. Lot's of bird activity near the tidal pond including a flock of a few hundred tree swallows and some really small sandpipers I couldn't indentify. I finished up my zigzagging, including twice running up the "hill". Total time: 1:09:11. 16 miles for the day.
Wednesday: 3 miles - Westerly Fun Run Season Finale 1 Miler - 4th place, 5:23 (or 5:13 on my watch). I showed up a little early and ran a mile warm up with Mike B, fresh off his 5K PR the night before (sub 19!). My legs felt like junk. Tuesday's workout was rough. I still was optimistic that I would feel fine once the race began. The run was only 1 mile so that awards could be handed out afterwards. I got confirmation earlier in the day that at least Jeff would be running it hard (even though he also raced a 5K the day before going sub 18). Tommy 5K was there, looking more like a bodybuilder than a runner (how many pushups is he doing while injured?). He was going to give it a go, but was not planning on anything too speedy. Muddy was in flip flops, and unless he was going minimalist, he was definitely not running. I lined up front next to Jeff and a bunch of teens and tweens. At the start, I shot off to get good position in front of the young kids, and was briefly in second behind one young lad, until Jeff went by me. After the first few hundred meters, my quads and hamstrings felt like garbage, and I relaxed my pace, knowing that it wasn't going to be my day. Tom passed by me, and I was alone in 4th. As they pulled away, I thought about veering off the course, but I was indecisive, and kept running. Eventually, I glanced at my watch, and my "easy" pace was 5:13. That did it. I decided to finish, maybe even push the last quarter mile and see who I could catch. Well, first I got caught by a kid, but then surged to get back in front of him. I was getting close to 3rd place (kid), but he had a final kick to stay comfortably ahead of me. I passed the 1 mile mark according to my GPS at 5:13 (easily a PR for me). 10 seconds later I crossed the line in 5:23. Tom ended up running a low 5 without much effort. Jeff was close to his PR. A really fun event that I wish I was fresher for! 1 mile cool down with Tom and Dave S followed by a jump in the ocean and bodysurfing a couple of waves, before returning for the awards ceremony.
Thursday: 8 miles - Big River trails alone. Mentally, a really great run. My legs still feel junky, but they warmed up on the challenging single track. After 3 or 4 miles, I really picked up my pace, and ran hard the rest of the way. GPS can't find me in the woods and is basically useless except for making fun maps. Total time: 57:10.
Friday: 10.5 miles - Big River trails alone. I explored new trails for the first 45 minutes and then tried to connect them via the paved portion of the New London Turnpike with other trails I know. Well, I messed up, and ran about a mile on the paved road before hitting up trails I knew, but not what I planned. Oh well. Fun exploring the north side of Tarbox Pond. The trails west of Hopkins Hill Rd and north of the New London Turnpike were mostly dirtbike/ATV trails that lead to a giant sand area (RI desert?). There is a certain thrill in exploring and not knowing exactly where you're going to end up. I still haven't touched over half the trails out there. Total time: 1:21.
Saturday: 7 miles - Stoddard, NH hilly dirt/trail run alone. I drove the family up to NH in the morning, and then after a lazy afternoon spent at the pool, I snuck out for a run. I've been kind of missing hill work, so I got exactly what I was looking for - 3.5 miles nonstop uphill and then 3.5 miles downhill. I began the steep climb up Kennedy Brook Rd and was not feeling great right away. Looking at my watch, I was going 6:48 pace, so I shouldn't be feeling great. By the time I reached the 4x4 more technical portion of Kings Highway (about 2 miles in), I had been climbing in the low 7's and feeling rather spent. I continued on in this wilderness. My pace had dropped to mid 8's, but that might have been the GPS. I ventured further than I had ever been, and was surprised that the road kept climbing. Finally I hit an open area that marked the beginning of a long descent, and I decided it was a good place to turn around. At times, I felt like I was flying down the better dirt roads, but my watch only said I was going in the 6's. It felt way faster. I returned to my parents house in time for chromium replacing with my brothers. Total time: 49:29. A great hard effort.
Sunday: 9.5 miles - Stoddard, NH dirt roads alone. I ran again in the morning. I stayed on the "neighborhood" roads. Plenty of climbing, not just nonstop like yesterday. My legs took a few miles to warm up. I enjoyed the pleasant weather and the easier pace. I was still moving pretty fast though, and the hills are challenging. Total time: 1:09:58.
Overall: I feel like I'm not getting any long runs in at all recently, but the weekly mileage is still fine. With summer ending, I'm hoping to get longer runs in. Hopefully, I get one more week on the track too.
Weekly Total: 62 miles
Last Week: 52 miles
Year to Date: 1898 miles
I must agree, Jonathan. TB is one sexy young man. Pushups and sunshine galore!!
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