Thursday, September 10, 2009

Reincarnation Notice

No, the daily runaround hasn't risen from the dead, but part of it has survived and given birth to a new blog at www.mariofraioli.com. Check it out!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Death Notice

The daily runaround is dead - not mostly dead, or even slightly alive - but all dead, so I suggest you start searching through old posts to see if you can come up with any loose change.

This car hasn't come to a screeching halt, but rather the wheels have gradually fallen off over the last month to the point where the vehicle has just stopped running altogether. I feel terrible that this has happened, and happened the way it did, but quite honestly the motivation to make this page live up to its catchy name just isn't there anymore. I tried to keep the battery charged recently by posting my weekly training log, but let's face it, there's not much excitement in numbers. It's the words I once weaved so wonderfully that made the magic here, but unfortunately I won't be pulling any new tricks out of my hat anytime soon.

That said, I will not bury this blog. I'll keep the casket open so that anyone who wants to get a look at what once was the daily runaround can do so on their own time. And who knows, maybe this thing is really just cryogenically frozen and will eventually come back to life someday. Not likely, but crazier shit has happened.

Thanks for reading.

the daily runaround, 1.1.06-4.16.09

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Training: April 5-11

SUNDAY
8:55 AM - Hudson - 15 miles, 1:48:00.
4 x 20-second strides.

MONDAY
9:40 AM - West Hill - 8 miles, 1:00:00.
6 x 20-second strides.
7:45 PM - Yoga, 1:30:00.

TUESDAY
8:25 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00
3 x 2:30 @ 75% effort w/2:30 recovery.
6:00 PM - Bentley - 12 miles.
Track Workout: 1,600m @ 4:50; 4 x 400m @ 68; 4 x 300m @ 50; 4 x 200m @ 32.
27:00 warmup, 28:00 cooldown.
4:49.87 (4:14.27 recovery); 67.13 (1:20.87), 65.7 (1:21.04), 65.84 (1:26.52), 65.21 (4:29.8); 48.25 (1:10.75), 48.31 (1:11.88), 47.62 (1:09.02), 48.54 (4:00.02); 31.99 (57.36), 32.14 (51.68), 31.73 (50.88), 31.82.

WEDNESDAY
OFF - Rest.


THURSDAY
10:15 AM - Hopedale - 10 miles, 1:12:00.

FRIDAY
8 AM - Westboro - 8 miles, 1:00:00.
8 x 100m strides.

SATURDAY
7:40 AM - Marathon Course - 10 miles, 1:05:55.
Tempo Run: 5 miles @ 5:15-20 pace.
24:00 warmup, 15:00 cooldown.
5:15.76, 5:35.88, 5:18.36, 5:25.5, 5:20.2 - 26:55.70.

TOTALS: Run - 63 miles, 7:37:55. Bike - 30:00. Yoga - 1:30:00.

Good week, again. I'm very happy with the overall consistency of my training right now as things are slowly but surely starting to fall into place. The plan for the foreseeable future is to get my feet wet on the track at Brown in two weeks time and then go back to work for a while. I've got about 8 weeks until the real racing season gets going and I feel confident that by June I can round into pretty solid shape. I'm super psyched to have a real good group of guys and gals to work out with on a weekly basis and the energy amongst the entire crew is infectious and exciting.

Speaking of excitement, the most famous marathon on the planet is now only a week away. There's an awesome American field lined up, as well as a handful of local favorites ready to run fast. I'll be parked at Mile 23 with a whole host of others yelling for this guy, his wifey and a few other friends taking the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Beantown. Should be a fun-filled weekend!

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Training: March 29-April 4

SUNDAY
8:45 AM - Hudson - 13 miles, 1:35:00.

MONDAY
10 AM - Auburn - 8 miles, 1:00.
6 x 20-second strides.
5:10 PM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Avg. HR: 125.

TUESDAY
8:15 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Avg. HR: 131.
6:00 PM - Bentley - 12 miles.
Workout: 5-mile "in/out" tempo run, alternating miles @ 5:12/5:28.
26:00 warmup, 26:00 cooldown.
5:13.04, 5:28.06, 5:13.01, 5:27.18, 5:10.93 - 26:32. 6 x 100m strides afterward.

WEDNESDAY
OFF - Rest.

THURSDAY
10:40 AM - Westboro Trails - 10 miles, 1:15:00.

FRIDAY
8 AM - Westboro - 8 miles, 1:00:00.
6 x 100m strides.

SATURDAY
7:45 AM - Westboro - 10 miles.
Workout: 800 @ 2:30, 10-minute tempo run @ 5:15 pace, 800 @ 2:28, 10-minute tempo run @ 5:15 pace, 800 @ 2:26. 800's on the track, tempo portions on the road. 2 minutes recovery between all intervals.
17:00 warmup, 17:00 cooldown.
2:24.61, 2:25.99, 2:23.64 for the 800's on the track; 5:15-ish effort for the tempo runs.

Totals: Run - 61 miles, 7:19. Bike - 1:00. Second solid week in a row! Got in a good long run in some shitty weather with Carrara & Co. on Sunday and nailed Tuesday and Saturday's workouts right on the head. Took Wednesday completely off for no good reason but didn't lose any sleep over it. Actually, for what it's worth, I bagged 8 hours of sweet shuteye that night instead of waking up early to make the wheel on the bike go round and round. I'm very happy with my overall consistency since March 1 and am really excited to see what I can do on the track this summer.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Wave Ridin'

In an effort to be succinct, but mainly due to my own general laziness, the last week of training is summarized below. It was solid seven-day stretch complete with one good race, two nice workouts and two hours in the saddle, which is double any previous weekly total I've put up on the bike since early February. There are no foreseeable races on the horizon but I'd like to string together a few more weeks of training similar to this one before I lace up the spikes again in earnest come June. I'm riding a wave of good energy at the moment and hope that with proper balance I can stay on the board for a good while longer.

But enough about me and a little more on a few of my fast teammates this weekend at races around the world. Rebecca ripped it up at the World XC Championships in Amman, Jordan with a 36th-place finish, while Jenn topped the field in the 5K and Laura started off her season with a solid third-place showing in the steeplechase down at the Raleigh Relays in North Carolina. Fast women, indeed.

Sunday, 10:00 AM - 10.5 miles.
23:00 warmup, 32:00 cooldown.
An Ras Mor 5K (2nd, 15:31)
4:05 PM - Lake Park - 4.5 miles, 35:00.

Monday, 10:15 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Steady 65-70% effort. Full stretching circuit afterward.
2:30 PM - Auburn - 10 miles, 1:16:00.

Tuesday, 8:30 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Avg. HR: 128
6:20 PM - RLTAC - 10 miles.
Track Workout: 6 x 800m @ 2:26 w/2:30 recovery.
21:00 warmup, 23:00 cooldown.
2:24.33 (2:40.27 recovery), 2:25.01 (2:30.32), 2:23.51 (2:18.55), 2:24.75 (2:25.69), 2:25.13 (2:31.98) 2:21.71.

Wednesday, 7:55 AM - BSC - Bike, 1:00.
Avg. HR: 130

Thursday, 11:20 AM - Westboro - 8 miles, 1:00:00.
6 x 100m strides @ WHS track.

Friday, 8:05 AM - Westboro - 9 miles, 1:04:00.

Saturday, 7:45 AM - Westboro - 10 miles.
Track Workout: 4 x 2K w/400 jog recovery. Start at tempo pace (~5:20) and bring it down with each interval.
16:00 warmup, 15:00 cooldown.
6:36.7 (2:47.26 recovery), 6:32.46 (2:44.41), 6:24.57 (2:56.69), 6:07.52. Went through the mile in 5:19, 5:14, 5:08, 4:56, respectively.

Totals: Run - 62 miles, 7:10. Bike - 2:00.

Battling it out with BP during Mile 3 last Sunday.
(Photo courtesy of Ted Tyler)

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Crazy 8's

TUESDAY
8:30 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Avg. HR: 128

6:20 PM - RLTAC - 10 miles.
Track Workout: 6 x 800m @ 2:26 w/2:30 recovery.
21:00 warmup, 23:00 cooldown.
2:24.33 (2:40.27 recovery), 2:25.01 (2:30.32), 2:23.51 (2:18.55), 2:24.75 (2:25.69), 2:25.13 (2:31.98) 2:21.71.

WEDNESDAY
7:55 AM - BSC - Bike, 1:00.
Avg. HR: 130

THURSDAY
11:20 AM - Westboro - 8 miles, 1:00:00.
6 x 100m strides @ WHS track.

Lately it's seems that there just aren't enough hours in the day to do all the things I'd like to get done, including keeping this space up to date. And since it's 9:47 PM and I've got about half a dozen other things I'd like cross of my list before bed, I'll make this quick.

In short, the last three and a half weeks of training have been steady and solid. Mileage has been good and workouts have been going well. I could probably stand to kick up the cross training a bit but like I said, there are only 24 hours in a day and I'd like to spend at least 7 of them in bed when time allows.

As far as the last few days are concerned, Tuesday's track session was an encouraging effort given that I was able to average 3-4 seconds faster per 800 than I did during a shorter version of the same workout 9 weeks ago. I've still got a ways to go to get where I'd like to be but I'm making my way there one workout at a time. It's exciting to see my times dropping, recovery quickening and fitness improving. Progress is good!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Wind-Wind Situation

10:15 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Steady 65-70% effort. Full stretch afterward.

2:30 PM - Auburn - 10 miles, 1:16:00.

Easy run along the wind-strewn roads of A-town this afternoon with this gal, who unselfishly drove all the way in from Brighton just to serve as my wind-blocker for an hour. What a teammate!

OK, so maybe that's a slight exaggeration and she actually made the trek west to visit her mom in Auburn for the afternoon, and I just so happened to have the day off from work and we were able to squeeze in a run, but that's besides the point. Minor details and circumstances aside, that's what you get with an NB Boston teammate -- someone who's willing to go the extra 41 miles to run with you on a windy day. So if you're an unattached open athlete within driving distance of Boston and looking to run fast with a bunch of dedicated teammates who will serve as training partners and wind blockers, as well as potential roommates, possible co-workers, maybe even your husband or wife, but definitely a good group of friends, then get in touch with us.

This message brought to you by NB Boston. Copyright, 2009.