Insert token (entry) here

So it's been well over a week since my last entry, I still haven't posted any pictures from my trip to Oregon and in general I've haven't been very good about updating this site on a regular basis. I have been running, however, so let's hope this token training entry to end the week can hold everyone over until I catch the blogging bug again.

After a brief two-week "break" from training, I'm back on the horse yet again, or more appropriately, back on the track as of two Tuesdays ago. My first workout on the oval in over a year was short-n-sweet -- 3 sets of 400-400-800, starting at 74-second pace for the first set and dropping the average lap pace one second per set as the workout progressed. No, it wasn't mind-blowing fast, but it wasn't supposed to be. Just "molding the tissues" as Bob Sevene matter-of-factly put it to me 2-1/2 years ago.

It was back to the track last Friday night after work for a 4-mile tempo run in the rain, goal pace of 80-82 seconds a lap. I completed the 16-lap tour of Westboro High's 1/4-mile raceway in 21:28, splitting miles of 5:28, 5:24, 5:21, 5:15 along the way. Why tempo 4 miles on the track, you might be wondering. I'm less likely to fuck it up that way, plain and simple.

This past Sunday I hit the trails with Greg for an hour and 50 minutes, which was a good run even though the two of us felt equally shitty. Greg's back at it after a winter sabbatical from running, so it was nice to catch up with him as well as have someone to share my misery with on the best network of trails in Central Mass. west of Carrara's house.

Speaking of Carrara, I finally got to work out with the man again for the first time since my left leg shit out on me back in early February. We hit the Bentley track two days ago, along with Sir Justin Maloney and Marky Mark Mayall, for 3 sets of 1200/800 with 2:30 recovery after the 12's and 3:30 between sets. Kevin called for 73-ish pace and for the most part we obliged. For all you number crunchers out there, the splits looked something like this...

3:42.00, 2:25.86
3:41.00, 2:24.93
3:39.36, 2:22.96

This was a solid session, made all that much more productive by the presence of the group. The four of us did a nice job of sharing the workload, which made hitting splits that much easier for everyone involved. To be honest, I do a very shitty job of getting myself up for workouts on my own, so having the luxury of a group to work out with on a weekly basis is huge for me. Of course, because of my inconsistent schedule I can't always make it to practice, but that's something I'm trying to change. Bottom line is I race better when I train consistently, so I've gotta make it to practice more consistently. It's a lot easier to push a workout back a day, bow out of one early or otherwise call it a day when it's just you and your own watch out there. Not so much when someone else is holding the watch and two or three other guys will have no qualms about running you over if the pace starts lagging.

Groups work. See Hanson's, old-school GBTC, Zap Fitness, a Kenyan or Ethiopian training camp, Team USA (insert location here) or any successful collegiate program if you need further proof.

OK, end rant. The week is finally over and I'm off to Burlington, VT for a few days of R&R - relaxation and a relay. Might be a while till I chime in again, but then again maybe not. You just never know - hell, I never know.