Big River Trail Half 2015

Here is my very late recap of the April 4th, 2015 Big River Trail Half - dubbed the unofficial Rhode Island Trail Championship by race director Mike Galoob. 

This is always my favorite and most anticipated race in the South County 4th Season Race Series.  Like all the races in the series, I have an intimate knowledge of the trails and the course.  Further, the longer distance, tougher terrain, and hills all cater to my running strengths.  I couldn't really guess what place I might finish in this year's version, but I knew that I would run well.  Last year I was third - a couple minutes behind my brother Greg and Bob Jackman, and just ahead of Muddy and Steve Brightman.  All four of them would be in attendance, as well as road speedster Eric Lonergan and trail/ultra champ Ben Nephew.  Theoretically, I could run a fantastic race and still finish behind every single one of those guys.  However, it was slightly possible that my trail training since the snow melted, coupled with my winter running miles could propel me to the top, even finishing ahead of my brother (not running much) for the first time.  I was excited to see how the race played out. 

I spent the afternoon before the race helping Mike mark the course with Muddy.  The course had to be rerouted in the places that were still holding a lot of snow.  A lot of the trails were dry and in great shape.  After two and a half hours, Muddy and I called it a day.  Mike spent another few hours out there, and seemed very excited about the new course.  He added more up and down on the technical ridge trails.  I couldn't wait to see what it was like. 

Finally it was race day.  The usual suspects were in attendance including all the guys mentioned above.  The weather was excellent - low 50's, sunny, and windy.  I did a short warm up with Greg, Muddy, and Seth.  I made sure to pay attention to Mike's description of the course, since I wasn't exactly sure where it went.  Mike ended up using about a thousand flags, and numerous signs.  This was going to be great.  I ditched my singlet at the last minute (knowing my body was still not acclimated to "warm" temperatures).  Mike gave me the honor of starting the siren on his command and the race was off. 

Sidebar: By now, you probably know what happened with the race.  There is a great article on Level Renner here explaining the goings on of the day.  Luckily, I was familiar enough with the course to keep some people on track and maintain some semblance of a race. 

At the start, an unknown tall young runner took off way faster than everybody else.  Maybe he was doing the 10K (same start and same course for the first few miles).  No one seemed too threatened, and the rest of us all hung back.  I found myself in second as we jumped onto the single track 1/4 of a mile in. 

 

Photos by Scott Mason

 

 

 

This is where the only patch of snow remained on the course.  The lead guy was already slowing down, and Greg quickly pushed by to take the lead.  He was not messing around.  He immediately got a lead and no one tried to reel him in.  I also passed the tall young guy and found myself leading the chase pack for the next mile.  As we crested the hill and finished up the trail known as Foster's Folly, I was passed by first Bob Jackman, and then Eric, Brightman, and Ben.  I guess I went out a little too fast and was temporarily paying the price for it.  I stuck with them and continued on.  As we approached the wider double track along the pond (2+ miles in), there was Greg confused by which way he should go.  Oh no!  Sabotage again.  This happened last year.  Mike had run the course right before the start and everything was fine.  This was very recent.  I was furious.  I shouted go left, but because of the confusion, he opted to wait up for us (he had a 30 second lead).  Fueled by adrenaline I led the group along the unmarked course.  I took a left I had helped mark and clear just yesterday, and it was littered with branches and small trees dragged across it.  This was intentional and I was really pissed.  The good news was that the top 7 were all together and going the correct way.  I could only hope that maybe Seth and Jeff were close enough behind to see which way we went. 

 

I was now leading the way for a very talented group of runners.  I was running hard (hoping not too hard).  Greg was always right on my heels or shoulder.  I knew if he could count on the trail being marked, he would go past me.  No one else made the move to either.  I continued to just push the technical single track, working the hills to the best of my ability.  Finally, we reached the one aid station.  I was thirsty and opted to stop quickly and drink water.  Some followed suit, but others took the sharp icy turn without pausing.  I scrambled to get back with them, sprinting hard on some gnarly terrain.  I was now in 5th or 6th position, but we were still all together.  At the large puddle, Scott Mason was there snapping pictures and little did we know, a fascinating video as well.  You must watch it.  The course goes through it twice (leaders come back through at the 7:30 mark).  

 

Video

Photo by Scott Mason

After the puddle, we now were on trails that I was unfamiliar with.  Greg and Eric pulled away from the rest of us a bit.  I was feeling winded, and worried that this is where we would get strung out, and I possibly might get left behind.  This also where the many ups and downs on the ridge began.  I hoped that my hill training would pay off, and others would soon get tired too.  As I swiftly descended a twisty trail, again there was confusion at the pond double track.  Greg and Eric didn't know which way to go (no flags), I shouted to go left, and they did, keeping a lead on the rest of us.  But, the course quickly veered left onto a switchback single track and again I had to direct them the right way.  Greg was frustrated, and after some more flag trickery, I again was out front leading the way.  I was on one of my favorite trails in the park.  I again had the adrenaline rush of anger plus the excitement of being in front.  I pushed the pace, hoping this exhausting hill climb would derail the train.  I couldn't tell what was happening behind me however.  Greg was always right with me, which felt comforting in some sort of brotherly way.  I could hear others, but not sure if everyone was still together or not.  The course on this section was super fun.  We ran on ledges, over and through rocks, endless twists and turns, and of course hills.  I understood Mike's excitement about his creation. 

We splashed through the big puddle again and headed towards the beaver dam.  I was nervous because the terrain was getting easier and this would favor the faster guys behind me.  Greg moved up along side of me briefly when we ran into Scott Mason again. 

Hammetts leading the way.  Photo by Scott Mason

 

 

We continued on, crossing the tricky beaver dam.  I was still leading the way, although that was to be short lived.  First, I slipped and was about to fall into a large puddle when my brother caught me from behind and kept me upright.  That was cool.  But then, he and Eric went by me, soon to be followed by Brightman.  Jackman was right on my heels too.  The next mile or so was a blur.  It was very hilly, but good footing.  I can't remember if Bob passed me and I passed him back, or if we just stayed close together for a while.  Eventually I was able to create space between us.  Brightman was ahead of me by a few seconds, and Greg and Eric appeared to have disappeared.  Then we hit the craziest trail in Big River - the mtn bikers call it Nutz. 

 

 

Bojo had shown me this trail last summer and I had run it again on my own.  It is a faint, seldom used, mountain bike trail that winds its way over exposed rock ledges.  It is ridiculously twisty and technical, with a few very short steep up and downs.  It was getting later in the race.  I was feeling tired, but relatively strong.  I wasn't worried about blowing up anymore.  I caught up to Brightman about halfway on Nutz, and then made a strong move to pass by him.  I was very worried about him countering, so I tried to keep pushing hard on the tricky stuff.  In the meantime, I was also not only seeing Greg and Eric, but gaining on them.  This was very exciting!  After exiting Nutz, the terrain was a little easier to negotiate.  I realized that I wasn't pushing myself hard, and talked myself into not giving in.  I began sprinting, especially when it came apparent that the end of the race was near (I wasn't always sure how much was left).  It appeared that I was creating some serious space between myself and Brightman. 

 

A little over a mile left.  Photo by Scott Mason

 

 

We reached the last single track (Foster's Folly again, but in the opposite direction).  There was some slower traffic (lost 10Kers and halfers) to negotiate as well as the tricky terrain.  Greg and Eric seemed very close (15 seconds ahead?) and I shouted up to Greg for encouragement and to let him know there was only about a mile left (he didn't hear what I said).  Despite not seeing anyone behind me, I was paranoid someone else was finishing strong behind me.  I was recklessly sprinting, falling to my knees twice.  Finally, I made the final turn onto the wide double track. I could see Greg ahead of me and no one behind me.  I sprinted through the finish line in 3rd place, 1:23:52.  Eric Lonergan won in 1:23:17, followed by Greg in 1:23:24.  Confusing results here.  I ended up 14 seconds ahead of Brightman.  We were followed by Ben Nephew 1:24:53, Bob Jackman 1:26:58, and Muddy 1:29:19.  Unfortunately, no one else completed the course correctly I believe.  Luckily, everyone seemed upbeat about a wonderful day in the woods and I was excited to have been able to race with my brother and fast friends.  The new course is an absolute blast!  I hope that everyone will get to experience it next year.  

Catching Up - The Return of Trails

I'm really having trouble finding time to blog with my current workload, but here is a review of the past few weeks.  I hope to post a Big River Half report as well. 

Week of 3-23-15 to 3-29-15

M 3/23: 10 hilly road miles (snow on Pardon Joslin climb) in 1:09:14. 
T  3/24: 10 miles at Calf Pasture Point.  3 x messy 2.2M loop of beach, snowy trail, and snowy bike path. 5 minute jog between loops. Simulation of possible Brrr-lingame trail race conditions.  Last lap was my 2nd fastest ever.  Total time: 1:15:54. 
W 3/25: 10 miles at Ryan Park.  First real trail run since mid January.  Total time: 1:18:29. 
T  3/26:  6 miles at Rome Point.  Character building.  Miserable conditions. Trails were mostly icy glaciers with some muddy bare spots. I fell hard twice within the first 6 minutes. Almost fell a bunch more times. Cold damp wind on the beach heading south, caught in a shower on the way back. Cut run short, but should be tapering for Sunday anyway.  Total time: 47:39. 
F 3/27:  7 miles in Burlingame from my house.  Snow free trails!  Total time: 53:56. 
S 3/28:  5 miles in Burlingame.  Wet trails, but fun.  Total time: 40:58. 
S 3/29:  14 miles.  Brrr-lingame 10M trail race.  See separate write up here. 

Comment: The trails are coming back!  Good race.  Feeling confident about fitness at next week's Big River Trail Half.  Low overall mileage because of race. 

This week:  62 miles
Last Week: 78 miles
YTD:        851 miles
March:      263 miles

Making a comeback! 

 

Week of 3-31-15 to 4-5-15

M 3/30: 9 miles in Big River.  Disappointing amount of snow still around in the lower, darker spots.  The ridge is snow free and awesome.  Total time: 1:11:42. 
T 3/31: 13 miles on hilly roads.  I parked at Cuttyhunk and then ran the Nooseneck 18K course.  The weather was great and I was having fun.  I turned this into a progression.  882' of climbing.  13.1 miles in 1:26:30.  6:27 grade adjusted average pace. 

W 4/1:  8 miles in Ryan Park.  Recovery run in 1:04:16. 
T  4/2:  7 miles in Big River.  Warm, dry, and relatively snow-free.  1 hour.  2 more miles running with the kids (on bike) at night. 

Visiting the horses at Gooseberry Farm

 

F  4/3: 10 miles in Big River.  Marking the course with Muddy and Galoob for 2.5 hours.  Total running time of 1:23:41. 

Perfect trail conditions for the race. 

S  4/4:  16 miles.  Big River Trail Half Marathon race.  Masterpiece of a course by Mike Galoob thwarted by malicious flag and sign removal.  I kept the lead pack of 7 on course.  So fun and challenging. Surprisingly close to the top 2 at the end.  3rd overall in 1:23:52.  One mile of roads to/from horse lessons with my kids (riding their bikes to the farm up the road). 
S  4/5: 0 - Happy Spring celebration with extended family.  Forced myself not to run, but was tempted! 

Comment: Awesome race and a great workout early in the week.  Lower overall mileage due to the Half and a forced rest day.  Time to focus on Wapack on May 9th. 

This week: 65 miles
Last week: 62 miles
YTD:       916 miles
March:     285 miles

Week of 4-6-15 to 4-12-15

M 4/6: 9 miles in Big River.  Back to repeat some of the fun new course trails.  Total time: 1:13:31 with a good amount of climbing. 
T 4/7: 13 miles of trail hill repeats.  Done in the rain.  Ran repeats on Cuttyhunk trails, loose rock climb on Stony Lane (unimproved dirt rd), and Pardon Joslin Rd (unimproved dirt rd).  Logged over 1,500' of elevation gain in 1:34:29. 

W 4/8: 9 miles on the Quonset bike path.  5K workout.  Wasn't sure I would do this, but wanted to get in some fast miles.  2 mile warm up in 15:51 and then 5K east to west on the bike path.  I purposely didn't look at my watch.  I just tried to run hard but under control while maintaining good form.  Was very happy with the result of 17:16.  It was wind aided, but I wasn't racing.  My grade adjusted pace (couple of tiny hills on the path) was 5:30.  30 minute cool down followed. 
T 4/9: 11 miles on mostly hilly dirt roads.  Fun route on slightly sketchy back roads.  Lots of good climbing in 1:21:00. 

F 4/10: 8 miles of wet technical trails in Big River.  More ridge running and figuring out the new Half course.  Total time: 1:05:05 with more climbing. 
S 4/11: 15 miles in Burlingame.  2 hour long run encompassing the hilly double track of the northern section and the super techy stuff of the eastern quadrant.  Sunny and dry mid afternoon run.  With temps in the 60's I opted for no shirt.  Great run.  Legs got tired near the end, but they should be.  Over 1,100' of climbing.  2 miles in the morning running with my kids on bikes in Burlingame. 
S 4/12: 9 miles.  Clamdigger 5 Mile road race in Misquamicut and Weekapaug.  I got there early to help out my club (WTAC).  I knew I would end up running either the 5M or 5K even though I was dead tired.  Garvin talked me into the 5 Miler and I just ran a steady hard pace.  Strong headwind the last two miles.  I didn't pay attention to my watch as I wasn't concerned with my time.  However, I was a little disappointed with the 29:34 result.  If I hadn't run long on Saturday, my hope was to run about 5:40 pace and finish sub 28:30.  No big deal. 

Comment: Huge week of training for Wapack.  Lots of technical trails and hills.  According to Strava, over 4,500' for the week.  Going to try and keep it up for the rest of April. 

This week:76 miles
Last week: 65 miles
YTD:       992 miles
April:       119 miles

Brrr-lingame 10 Mile Trail Race 2015

Last Sunday was the fourth annual installment of the Brrr-lingame Trail Race.  The race had already been postponed two weeks because of poor course conditions, and after some good melting, I awoke to a fresh coating of snow on the ground and on the trees.  I wasn't discouraged however, because I had spent the previous four days on trails in southern RI, and knew that the trail conditions were steadily improving, and a new inch of snow would probably disappear by lunchtime.  It helped me solidify my shoe choice for the race - xc spikes.  On Wednesday I had run ten miles in Ryan Park with them and my legs held up very well.  The traction they provided on the mixed bag of mud, snow, ice, and leaves was impressive.  The Burlingame campground trails (where the race was held) have very few stones and no exposed rocky sections, which would be dangerous for the spikes.  I was excited to have my shoe choice. 

Ten miles is a really fun distance on trails.  I just try to go as hard as I can the entire time.  I was hoping that all my winter miles and even the last few days of running on actual trails would help my position in this race.  Despite the smaller than usual crowd (probably due to being rescheduled and also the icy roads the morning of), most of the usual suspects were in attendance.  I wanted to run my own race, but I also wanted to stick with the lead pack if possible, thinking that I had a decent shot at a podium finish.  The team competition was also shaping up to be  a good battle between my club (WTAC) and the Rhode Runners.  Local road speedster Eric Lonergan showed up, and of course Steve Brightman was there.  It seemed that if Chris Garvin and I could run well and keep the team battle (top 3) even, it would come down to our teammate Jeff Walker and Rhode Runner Chris Fox.  Jeff had beat him at the snowy Belleville 10K, but Chris finished ahead of Jeff at last year's Li'l Rhody 8 Miler.  I was excited to race! 

After a warm up with Jeff and Chris and chatting up the usual suspects, it was finally time to strip down to my singlet and short shorts for the race.  Despite the chilly temperature (25 degrees when I first arrived an hour early), the late March sun felt warm.  I also wore a hat and gloves, but probably could have gone without either.  I lined up front next to Brightman behind the starting line drawn in the snow.  The mood was light, even though soon we'd all be running our hearts out trying to outduel one another.  Ready, set, go and off we went across the snowy field. 

Sharing a laugh with Garvin at the start.  Photo by Scott Mason

 

 



No one took the race out hard.  I thought that Lonergan or Brightman might do this.  Instead, I found myself in a lead single file pack of five as we jumped onto the single track.  I was fourth behind Lonergan, Brightman, and Bob Jackman.  Garvin was on my heals.  The pace felt pretty good.  Challenging, but not out of control.  After about a mile, the three ahead of me created some space.  Clearly they were picking up the pace, and I wasn't interested in killing myself (yet).  I told Garvin to let me know when he wanted to pass me.  I figured he might get antsy and want to keep contact with the leaders.  He said he was good for now.  The trails were in decent shape - mostly a thin layer of new snow with pockets of older deeper stuff.  For now, the ground was frozen too.  I was happy with my shoe choice. 

The 1.5 mile mark.  Photo by Scott Mason

 

 

I continued to lead Garvin as we made our way to the ridge.  The three leaders were usually out of view, but it appeared that Jackman was now falling back from the top two guys.  I tried to just run my own pace, but I did like having Garvin behind me to keep pushing myself.  I wondered when he would pass.  Finally as we left the single track and reached the camp road double track (all old snow with post holes - approx. 3 mile mark), he went by me (politely of course).  I was able to relax a bit, but I wanted to make sure I still ran hard.  I made my way through the muddy bog bridge section, keeping Garvin in my sight.  Then we reached the campground and he turned it up a notch.  He was closing in on Jackman the last time I saw them on this lap.  I took a couple of glances back to see if anyone was close behind me and could see no one.  I tried to keep pushing.  Race Director Mike Galoob had thrown in a new wrinkle on the course (an awkward log and rock descent near the beach) that I as I approached, I wasn't sure how to attack.  Scott Mason was there taking pictures, and captured my indecision and confusion rather well. 

 

Confusion at the 4.5 mile mark.  Photo by Scott Mason

more Scott Mason photos from this spot here

 

 

I finished up lap 1 and Mike announced my time as 35 minutes flat.  I was really happy with my effort, but a bit surprised by the time (last year my first lap was sub 33 minutes).  I guess the snow was making a difference.  I could see across the field that Garvin was now ahead of Jackman, and I felt confident that I would catch Jackman soon (he did run a race the day before).  Honestly, I don't usually start the second lap with confidence.  I'm usually already exhausted and ready to finish.  Not today.  I was feeling strong.  I caught up to Bob on the short steep climb in the first mile, and then passed him on a hill in the exact spot Aaron Rome passed me, Bojo, and Jeff three years ago.  I really didn't want him to stick with me, so I kept sprinting until I created a safe distance between us.  I didn't slow down much after that though, as I was still feeling relatively strong.  I would occasionally look back, but I never saw Bob again. I reached the ridge, and ran it really well.  The new snow was melting fast at this point.  I could now see Garvin again, and by the end of the ridge, he saw me and encouraged me on.  Maybe this would be the race where I would finish ahead of him?  Not this race.  He then took off and created a big gap between us.  At one point I thought he must have gone off course.  Where was he?  I did see him again on the long look on the camp road.  I still couldn't see Bob as I then made my way back into the woods at the bog bridges.  I again ran them well and then consciously made myself push hard through the camp cut-throughs.  No point of saving myself now.  I was moving well, even on the snowier spots.  I navigated the tricky spot near the beach much better this lap.  I kept pushing and pushing.  Maybe Chris was running out of steam just up ahead?  One more Scott Mason photo op: 

 

Half mile left.  Photo by Scott Mason

 

 

I never did see Garvin again, but finished up with a good sprint and final time of 1:09:52.  Negative splits!  35:02 first lap, 34:50 second lap.  After congratulating the top finishers, it was then time to see who would win the Jeff Walker/Chris Fox battle.  Despite Jeff's best effort, it ended up being Chris this time.  Rhode Runners won the team competition.  It will come down to next week's Big River Half to decide the series winner.  The individual series winner is also up for grabs.  Should be very interesting!  Thanks to the Galoobs for putting on another fun memorable race.  I was really happy with my performance in this race and I will be expecting bigger things next week.  Until then....



 



Week in Review: 3-16-15 to 3-22-15

Starting to get more serious about the Wapack 21.5 Mile Trail Race coming up in early May.  The race filled up right away, and I'm glad I got in.  No pressure: 

My mileage has been great during this miserable winter, but it's time to focus on climbing and descending.  Unfortunately, I can't do this yet on trails (still too much snow), but I can certainly make sure to mix in good hills in any type of run. 

Monday: 10 miles - Exeter/West Greenwich road loop.  I parked at Cuttyhunk Preserve and then headed north on Hopkins Hill Rd.  I then went left on Henry Brown Rd.  I needed to tack on a bit extra to make the loop exactly 10 miles, so I took a short detour on a road called Orion View.  I've been curious about the view and love the name.  The road is high up, but I couldn't see over the tree line.  I continued on New London Turnpike (paved and dirt) to Falcon Drive.  I headed south to Widow Sweets Rd (curious about this name too).  I was feeling pretty good as I dropped down the dirt hill on Pardon Joslin Rd (the improved section).  When I reached the far end with the big unimproved dirt road climb I was in for a treat.  First there was a snow bank to scale and then I had to "run" on 8" of wet untracked snow.  I stopped numerous times and was huffing and puffing.  According to GPS, my pace dropped to 15 minutes per mile.  I made it up, recovered, and then hustled back to my car.  Total time: 1:13:57 with 578' of elevation gain. 

Tuesday: 11 miles - West/East Greenwich road loop.  I parked at the tennis courts on Frenchtown Rd and then headed up Bates Rd to Hopkins Hill Rd.  Lots of climbing here.  I then continued north to Division Street.  I now had the wind at my back and cruised along to Carrs Pond Rd.  After a good climb the road evened out and then dropped quickly down Middle Road.  I cruised back up the other side to Tillinghast and then returned to my car on Frenchtown.  Good peppy run with most miles in the 6:30's and 6:40's except the first uphill 3.  Total time: 1:15:46 with 626' of elevation gain. 

Wednesday: 10 miles - workout on roads solo.  Yesterday afternoon Garvin took a hill segment from me on South Rd in East Greenwich (a long 1.5 mile hill climb).  I debated all morning if it made any sense to try and get the record back.  First off, I wasn't sure I could.  Secondly, even if I did, was it smart to start a Strava battle with Chris?  I actually ended up texting him right before I left for my lunch run.  He gave me his blessing.  Anyway, the plan was to copy his run, but perhaps make it my standard 10 miles (he ran 7).  Besides beginning with the roughly 10 minute hill sprint, he then did a 20 minute tempo on a gradual downhill section of roads.  I liked the idea of feeling fast again, and doing the same thing, pushing myself hard for 3 miles, taking advantage of the downhill terrain (and the wind at my back).  I began from the park and ride on Rte 2 and reached the bottom of the hill climb after a 1/3 of a mile.  I pushed hard.  I was killing myself effortwise, but I felt like I was running in slow motion.  I kept an eye on my watch and it kept showing a faster average pace than Garvin's record.  I made it to the top and stopped.  It took a few minutes to compose myself.  I got the CR by 14 seconds, averaging 6:33 pace.  I then recovered for a mile (uphill) before reaching the plateau on Shippee Rd.  I then began my three miles hard.  It was rewarding to be pushing myself and seeing a fast average pace on the watch.  Through two miles I was averaging 5:38 pace before the steeper drop down Frenchtown Rd to Rte 2.  I finished up in 16:38 (5:33 pace).  That felt good.  I debated returning down the busy Rte 2 to my car (about a mile), but decided to take the longer, more scenic way.  That meant running back up Frenchtown to Tillinghast.  After a mile and a half, there was a roadblock - emergency vehicles turning away traffic.  I think there was a tree down on the telephone lines.  Ugh.  I turned around and retraced my steps back to Rte 2, then headed down the busy road.  Total time: 1:06:17 with 448' of elevation gain. 

Thursday: 10 miles - NK roads with some snowy Ryan Park trails mixed in.  Recovery day.  I wanted to see if some of the trails in the fields and powerline were clear of snow.  It was a mixed bag, but promising.  I then ran a road loop on tired legs.  I finished up on more trails which was fun.  Total time: 1:17:39. 

Friday: 19 miles - local roads to/from the campground and snowy campground trails.  Happy Spring!  I took the day off for my son's science fair in the early afternoon.  Going for a long run all morning seemed like the thing to do.  Unfortunately it was overcast and cold (mid 20's).  I ran from my house, down Buckeye Brook Rd, to Klondike Rd, to the campground entrance.  I averaged 7:05 pace, but it was mostly downhill and didn't feel that easy today.  After exactly 6 miles to the Brrr-lingame course loop, I began the trails portion.  I would say that the course was about 25% clear of snow, but I was optimistic that a lot more will open up in the next few days.  Some parts were still rather deep with lots of postholes.  The bog bridge section was actually in the best shape of any on the course.  I got lost in the campground, never finding the cut throughs and having to back track and bushwack at times.  I finished the loop in about 45 minutes (not terrible at an easyish pace with old road shoes with no traction).  I did slip twice on icy snow and fell down, but if I had Yaktrax I would have been fine.  I continued on the trails following the NST to the campground entrance.  53 minutes of trail running.  I then took roads back to my house, tacking on a little extra to get to 19 miles for the day.  Lots of uphills, but I managed to get the average pace to 7:06 for the return trip.  I really pushed myself up Buckeye Brook Road.  Total time about 2:23 with about 900' of climbing. 

A good section near the ridge

tough double track

bog bridges almost completely clear

starting area looking good

Saturday: 7 miles - Yaktrax run in the snow on the South County Bike Path.  Not much snow at night, but then surprise snow showers all morning.  My son had a birthday party in the morning in Kingston.  After a crappy drive there, I parked at Curtis Corner Middle School.  I donned tights (I thought I was done with them) and Yaktrax.  The snow was tough as it was in my eyes for the whole way out to the train station.  There was an inch plus of fresh snow to run on which was perfect for the Yaktrax.  My legs were tired and I just wanted to get this run over with.  It was beautiful out though.  The run back was a little easier, but I was still tired.  Total time: 56:15.  As soon as I got home the snow stopped, the sun came out, warmed up quickly, and all the new snow (and then some) melted away by nightfall. 

Sunday: 11 miles - Richmond road loop with 2+ miles of snowy trails with Muddy.  We met up at 8AM at the Richmond Town Hall.  I had a fun loop planned out (more fun if the trails didn't have snow on them).  We ran down to Wilbur Hill Rd and then stayed on the TNC/RI DEM main trails over to Beaver River Rd.  The trails were very snow covered at first, but became less so as we kept climbing.  It still wasn't easy with road shoes.  We then ran roads to Punch Bowl Trail.  Instead of going up the steep hill, we turned left on the old dirt road here.  This of course was mostly covered in snow and felt longer than I remembered.  Finally we reached Hillsdale Rd and headed north.  I'm excited to explore the new state trail system here.  We ran up a good long hill before reaching the intersection with Mountain Rd.  It seems silly to have a road named that around here until you run it.  Long drop down to the river and then a really tough climb back out.  We finished up on Carolina Nooseneck back to our cars.  I had to get home immediately so that my wife could run.  I was jealous that Muddy went back out for more miles.  This loop will be really fun in a month or so when there is no snow and we can explore more trails, but still incorporate the road hills.  Total time: 1:26:54 with 707' of elevation gain. 

Overall: This was a good week.  The road workout was fun and a confidence booster, and the solo long run was good too.  I ended up with a good amount of climbing for the week also.  I'm really itching for clear trails and the weather next week should do the trick for most spots.  I'm excited to race the rescheduled Brrr-lingame 10M Trail Race on Sunday the 29th. 

Weekly Total: 78 miles
Last Week: 56 miles
Year to Date: 789 miles
March Total: 201 miles

Week in Review: 3-9-15 to 3-15-15

This was a strange week.  My son and daughter began the week still sick and I ended up catching a version of it on Monday night.  Despite feeling not 100%, after a day off, I felt okay running again.  We had three straight days of 50+ degree weather to begin the week.  Lots of rain at the end.  The snow is still sticking around.  So much so that the Brrr-lingame race on Saturday was postponed.  The weather was so miserable on Saturday that I took a second zero for the week.  I rallied on Sunday for a long run. 

Monday: 5 miles - local roads after work, but before dinner.  Both kids home sick and my wife had to go into work for the morning.  My turn was in the afternoon so no run during the day.  I snuck in a quick run when I got home.  My GPS was off until the last mile.  This is somewhat disturbing to me since I was on roads.  I was moving well up and down the hills.  Total time: 33:50.  Began getting sick at night. 

Tuesday: 0 - sick day with my sick kids.  Beautiful weather unfortunately. 

Wednesday: 10 miles - Quonset roads alone.  My whole family was back to school and work today.  I wasn't feeling that peppy, but the weather was sunny and reached 60 degrees.  I decided to try running, knowing that if my body felt terrible, then it was okay to call it quits.  Running felt good which was really encouraging.  I explored the Quonset area roads since the bike path was still buried under snow.  Despite the lack of shelter from the wind, I found some quieter streets that were somewhat enjoyable.  A good place to do some longer tempo runs for sure.  Total time: 1:10:07. 

Thursday: 10 miles - Exeter paved and dirt roads alone.  I mapped out a potential new 10 mile route.  I wasn't sure if one of the roads was really a road, so  I knew I might have to go to plan B.  That's what happened.  I parked at the Queens River Preserve and ran back towards Rte 2.  I then looped around South Rd to Williams Reynolds Rd to Mail Rd.  Since my plan of taking Hog House Hill Rd wasn't going to work (dead end dirt road at a gun club), I decided to go out and back on the dirt Kingstown Road.  I ran 1.5 miles down and then turned around.  Again my watch failed me as the back was a tenth of a mile shorter than the out.  Also my watch was showing a slower pace.  I was running steady throughout the run and I was again frustrated with technology.  I returned to my car on School Land Rd (dirt).  Total time 1:08:02.  Peppy run. 

Friday: 11 miles - Saunderstown hill workout alone.  I made this one up as I went along, first thinking I would do a mix of some hilly roads, shoreline, and mushy trails.  I ended up parking at Rome Point, running up the hill on Rte 1A, and then doing out and backs on the hilly bay side roads.  I was feeling pretty good today, and decided to push really hard on the first steep hill (Plum Point Rd).  I was happy to improve my CR by a couple of seconds.  This sprint took a lot out of me.  I then did the hills on Fleetwood Drive, Plum Beach Road, Champlin Road, and Cottrell Road.  I pushed the ups and tried to keep a steady pace on the flats and descents.  I repeated Plum Beach, Fleetwood, and Plum Point hills on the way back to my car, throwing in a hard last mile just to complete the torture.  Total time: 1:16:37 with 1,332' of climbing. 

Saturday: 0 - it was raining when I awoke and the early morning was my window to run.  I stayed in bed, made French toast for the family, and had a lazy day with the kids. 

Sunday: 20 miles - long run in the Weekapaug area.  I met 7 other guys at FiveK's house for an hour group run.  My plan was then to keep running with whomever was interested.  I had checked out a 3 mile segment in the Shelter Harbor neighborhood that was labeled as a race in Strava (looked like the Davenport's and friends had done it together on July 6th).  I had the idea of running this race segment hard after 10 easy miles.  The group run was fun, although it took quite some time for my legs to warm up.  We finished up 8 miles in exactly an hour and then I headed back out with Muddy.  He joined me for two miles to Shelter Harbor and then I was alone for the rest of the way.  I began running hard.  It was a long straight down hill to the water.  About halfway through I had the thought that I already started the segment wrong.  Doh!  I messed up again and ended up having to turn around at the community dock dead end.  I then did my best to capture the spirit of the segment running up down and back up to the top of the hill.  I was again getting frustrated with my GPS.  Surely I was running much faster than what it was saying.  I was trying so hard.  Anyway, I reached the end and took a moment to catch my breath.  My watch only had me running 2.8 miles.  I totally messed up the segment so I don't really know how I did.  At least the effort was there and I guess that is what counts.  I was feeling energetic after this, but my legs definitely were slowing down.  I made decisions to make my run longer and headed back down to the Weekapaug shoreline.  I decided to throw in another mile plus hard effort (I wasn't sure how long, but I thought there was a segment for the length of Noyes Neck Rd).  I wandered around, watching some big waves being surfed at Point Panic.  I then began my hard push up Noyes Neck Rd after 17 miles of running.  The road ended up being just a little longer than a mile, and I was happy to have my watch show my pace just under 6 minutes.  I regrouped again, and then ran another couple of circuitous miles back to FiveK's house.  Total time: 2:26:06. 

Overall: I was happy with the long run and the hill workout.  I'm glad everyone in my house is back to normal.  I'm impatiently waiting for the snow to melt off the trails. 

Weekly Total: 56 miles
Last Week: 63 miles
Year to Date: 711 miles
March Total:  123 miles

Weekly Snow Log: 3-2-15 to 3-8-15

I began this week with the idea I needed to take things down a notch.  I wasn't happy with how trashed my legs felt last week, and also how slow I was feeling on speed work.  But, for some reason or other (staying off the snowshoes for a few days, no hills on the long run with Muddy, very short easy day Sunday), I began this week feeling much fresher.  Still, my band is playing a show on Saturday night and most of the local guys are running a half marathon on Sunday.  This likely means no long run for me.  I may just head down to the Brrr-lingame course and work on that. 

Even the kids are sick of the snow

Monday: 10 miles - URI indoor track alone.  I didn't have my snowshoes with me (6" of new snow overnight) and the roads were very sloppy (sunny and melting).  Off to the track it would be.  After working out the tightness in my lower legs, I began feeling really good on this run, and ended up doing my longest run ever inside.  I was cranking out sub 7's with little effort.  This was very encouraging.  2 miles in 13:43, reverse 2 miles in 13:54, reverse 2 miles in 13:20, reverse 2 miles in 12:59, reverse 2 miles in 13:15.  Total time: 1:07:16. 

Tuesday: 15 miles on two runs.  In the AM, I did a workout at the indoor track since I my legs were still feeling good.  I wanted some redemption, but mostly just practice tempo pace.  My plan was 5 x 1 mile with 1 minute recoveries.  The first one did not feel great and I had my doubts.  I rallied, and like the last time I did this workout, the reps got easier as I went along.  Target: 5:52. Results: 5:50/5:49/5:51/5:51/5:48 with 1 minute recoveries. 1 mile WU, .5 mile CD. Total time: 45:15.  In the afternoon, I headed out for some road miles.  I wanted to keep things easy, but still mix in some elevation.  I ended up doing an out and back that incorporated two roughly 250' climbs.  8 miles in 58:09.  Good day! 

Wednesday: 6 miles - URI indoor track in the AM.  My legs are feeling tired, but not trashed.  I kept the pace very easy.  It felt better going in the "wrong" direction on the track, so I did most of the running that way.  Total time: 44:36. 

Thursday: 11 miles - snowshoe run from work on ridiculously snowy roads to/from snowy trails in Ryan Park.  I wasn't driving anywhere in my car as it was buried in 6" of new snow and it was still puking snow out.  I'm not sure what puking snow means, but I think that is what was going on.  I just through my snowshoes on in the parking lot and began running down the road.  I took the trestle connector through town (luckily just tracked by a cross country skier).  I got out to Rte 1, and waited for no cars to cross over to more snowy neighborhood roads.  I then trudged through the hopelessly deep snow into Ryan Park.  Again I followed cross country skies, and eventually found the guy responsible.  The railbed was okay.  I then took side trails on the west side (frustrating), crossed the field (over knee deep) and then ran back along the railbed.  This time I circled the pond and eventually made my way out.  I retraced my tracks on the roads and trestle.  I then stopped to chat with the cross country skier I had been following.  He was interested in how far I had run and what running snowshoes were all about.  It was here I accidentally saved my run.  I then began a new one, this time heading to the snowy coastline of the NK town beach.  Bad idea.  I had to resort to hiking.  I finished up in about 1hr and 34m of snowshoe running.  A new record for me.  I hope I can drive home. 

the old Wickford village trestle - following the xc ski tracks

Friday: 0 - I originally thought this would be a day to double, but things turned out much differently.  First off, my son was home sick for the second day in a row and it was my turn to stay home with him.  Lazy day.  I did some snow shoveling cross training as we ended up getting a total of ten new inches of snow in Charlestown yesterday.  At night I planned to meet early at the Mews (for the WTAC team celebration of our Super 5K victory) for a run, but I needed to pick up band equipment at a friend's house, and then got stuck in URI traffic.  I missed the start of the run.  I debated going out solo, but the temperature was in the low 20's, the sidewalks were a mess, and I opted to sit in my car and wait for my teammates to finish.  Fun time with the crew at dinner. 

my back deck on March 6th!

This is getting ridiculous!

Saturday: 10 miles - snowshoe run in the Burlingame campground with Garvin and Galoob.  We had a plan to meet up in the late morning at 8AM, and I arrived at 7:30 to bag a few early miles.  The camp roads were nicely plowed, so I stuck to them for 3+ miles before meeting up with the guys.  We then headed out on the Brrr-lingame course to pack it down.  Some spots already had snowshoe tracks, and some didn't.  It was exhausting.  Mike left us to go get his bigger snowshoes.  We made it to Vin Gormley Trail, and then bailed to the camp roads.  I had a time deadline, but we were able to run another nice stretch of snowy trail on the way back, running into Mike again.  Total time: 92 minutes. 

I then spent the afternoon prepping for our band's show at the Crown Plaza.  Set up went well, I enjoyed seeing old friends, and had a blast playing with the guys - our first performance since August 2013.  We ended up playing 50 songs non-stop for close to three hours. 

Sunday: 11 miles - Burlingame campground snowshoe with Galoob.  I was able to meet Mike in the late afternoon on this warm sunny day.  The trails were in much better shape today.  Really fun snowshoe running conditions, but still tough.  I did a 32 minute out and back before meeting up with Mike.  We then did the entire loop, except for the single track parts in the campground itself.  We ran snowy camp roads instead.  I let Mike lead which was probably a mistake.  He set an aggressive pace that I "enjoyed" trying to keep up with.  What a great workout.  Total time: 88 minutes. 

Overall: Decent week.  I enjoyed snowshoeing again.  I need to take it easy next week for Saturday's Brrr-lingame race. 

Weekly Total: 63 miles
Last Week: 75 miles
Year to Date: 655 miles
March Total: 67 miles

Weekly Snow Log: 2-23-15 to 3-1-15

it continues....

Monday: 9 miles - URI indoor track alone.  Back to school for the kids and I decided to just run once in the middle of the day.  It was another cold blah day so I decided to head to the indoor track for some warm miles.  The track was busier than in the mornings, but manageable.  My legs felt trashed from the Saturday long run/workout.  Running on the even track was fine though.  2 miles in 13:47, then reverse 2 miles in 14:14, then reverse 2 miles in 13:39, then reverse 2 miles in 13:21, then reverse 1 mile in 6:27 with 8x100 strides.  Total time: 1:01:30. 

Tuesday: 14 miles on two runs.  First, I ran 6 miles at the indoor track on my way to work.  Boy my legs are still trashed.  Total time: 41:21.  At lunch, I did a snowshoe run at Ryan Park hoping for better conditions than last week.  I did the 10K course, but starting from the Lafayette lot - the only one of the three that a vehicle could get in and out of.  Conditions were okay.  Rte 4 was only tracked by a single cross country skier.  I didn't sink much out there.  The heavily used trails are kind of a mess.  Frozen uneven boot holes are everywhere.  Being on snowshoes helps, but still frustrating.  Overall, I enjoyed being outside in the snow.  What I'm calling 8 miles in 1:05:33. 

Wednesday: 10 miles - Ryan Park snowshoe run.  Another one run day.  It was warm today - low 30's.  Roads were messy with puddles and slush so I opted for a longish snowshoe run back in Ryan Park.  The wet snow on top was better to run on then yesterday.  I saw the cross country skier for the first time.  Guy looked legit.  From Lafayette, I headed down the rail bed and ran some different trails at times.  Some spots were untouched and slow.  I ran around the ball fields and then made my way back to the west side of the park.  I took the new side trail to the pond, but mostly followed the normal trails.  I decided to cross Lafayette and try the powerline and other ATV trails.  Bad decision.  It was so deep and untracked.  A terrible way to finish a 1:23:27 snowshoe run. 

a happy moment on the trail

Thursday: 12 miles on two runs.  My legs were feeling much better and I wanted to try a workout idea I came up with a few weeks ago: a ladder with R and I pace: 200/400/600/800/1000/1000/800/600/400/200.  It seemed fun.  Anyway, I went for it this morning at the URI indoor track.  I did a mile warm up with a few strides and then jumped into the R paced portion: 200/400/600 with equal rest.  I just didn't have the speed in my legs today.  I bailed on the 600 and turned it into a 400.  I then switched to I pace and did the 800.  On the 1000, I bailed again and made it a 800.  I ran 4 800's at I pace and then did 400/400/200 at R.  A broken ladder.  This winter makes me feel slow, but I'm sure it is because snowshoe running is physically demanding and I'm still running a lot of miles.  But I still couldn't help being a bit disappointed.  Results: 36/76/75/2:40/2:41/2:41/2:42/76/76/35 (400 recoveries for everything except 200 for 200's).  Total time: 47:25 for 7 miles.  At lunch I again ran in snowshoes at Ryan Park.  I wasn't looking for much, just some active recovery.  It snowed again briefly midday.  I made it out before it stopped which was fun.  I ran on the west side of the park.  5 miles in 46:04.  Ready for another snowshoe running break. 

Friday: 10 miles - EG/NK road loop.  Nice day - 30 degrees and sunny.  Lots of puddles to splash through, but traffic wasn't too bad.  A decent amount of climbing as well.  Legs feel a little fatigued, but happy with my easy pace felt.  Total time: 1:11:45. 

Saturday: 16 miles - early morning long run with Muddy.  No later in the day start this week - we braved the chill (single digits at the start) and still managed to bang out a quality long run with two, two mile tempo pace blocks.  I'm glad I purchased the balaclava earlier this winter, but annoyed that I've actually had to use it a few times.  We parked at the Charlestown Bakery (unfortunately closed!) and ran roads to and around Green Hill.  At the three mile mark we did the first block of T pace (target is 5:52 pace per mile, but hard to do in the cold).  We had a relatively flat section of road and we managed a 5:59 and 5:46.  It felt relatively good, but not really.  We then got to relax for an hour, running along Card's Pond Rd, out to Deep Hole, and back to check out the bathroom at Trustom (it was open).  After 8 miles, we did the second T pace block.  Muddy got ahead of me after a quarter mile.  My legs just felt like they couldn't move any faster in my tights.  I struggle to a 6:09 first mile, before rallying to a 5:55 second mile.  My legs are officially destroyed.  I winced through a mile cool down (8:17) before stopping at my car.  Luckily I had a time constraint so I couldn't do the full cool down with Muddy.  Total time: 1:52:54

Sunday: 4 miles - Cambridge icy sidewalks in the late morning.  It looked like the storm was coming in faster than forecasted.  My nephew's birthday party was supposed to start at 3:30PM, but we decided to head up as soon as we could and then leave early.  I wasn't sure if I would even run.  I got my chance because there is no street parking in the city due to the snow.  So I had to drop my family off at the house and then park a mile or so away in a big shopping lot.  Luckily I had packed running clothes just in case!  I ran from the parking lot, taking a circuitous route to get to my destination.  Running in a city can be frustrating.  Somehow I avoided having to stop on this run.  On Mass Ave, a group of fast looking runners crossed the street and were a few hundred feet ahead of me.  I picked up my pace, but never closed the gap (I was running 6:45 pace here).  Anyway, a fun little run.  Total time: 28:49.  It was a long ride home (Rte 95 was snow covered most of the way), but no driving troubles. 

Overall: Another good week with a mix of track, roads, and snowshoeing.  I don't feel very speedy, but hopefully I'm stronger than ever.  Next week may be a bit of a cut back, but it depends how I feel. 

Weekly Total: 75 miles
Last Week: 74 miles
Year to Date: 592 miles
February Total: 285 miles
March Total: 4 miles