FRIDAY
8 AM - Westboro - 8 miles, 1:00:00.
SATURDAY
8:20 AM - Westboro - 8 miles, 1:00:00.
6 x 20-second strides afterward.
SUNDAY
10 AM - Cambridge - 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.
The possibility of the 5K I mentioned in my last post became a reality this morning as I invaded the People's Republic of Cambridge for a road racing war more commonly known as the An Ras Mor. It was my first snow-free contest of 2009 and to be honest I thought it went pretty well. I fell a few ticks short of taking home the win, but I'm happy with the effort I put forth and proud that I stuck my nose in there from the start of the race and mixed it up with a few moves in the middle. In the end I couldn't finish the job and the time was slower than spectacular, but this is a definite step in the right direction and a solid start to the spring season. Hats off to Dan Smith on a well-run race and Brendan Prindiville on an excellent effort to finish third.
I don't know what's next as far as races are concerned but the general idea is to bag a few more weeks of consistent training and take it from there. As far as the immediate future is concerned, it involves my couch, the TV and a cup of tea. Take it easy.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
In-n-Out
10:30 AM - Millbury - 11 miles, 1:15:00.
17:00 warmup, 36:00 cooldown. Tempo Run - 22:00, 4.1 miles.
Due to the observance of Evacuation Day on Tuesday practice was pushed back a day this week, and as such yours truly was ringing out customers at the store rather than running around the track with his teammates. Probably for the better, anyway, given I was still stuck in a tired time warp after my weekend on the West Coast. Kevin e-mailed me workout options of 2 x 2-mile or a 4-mile "in/out" tempo run and I chose the latter option, with a twist. Rather than take a lot of turns on the track, I retreated to a traffic-free bike path and tempoed for 22 minutes, switching up the intensity every 5 minutes and 30 seconds rather than trying to hit specific splits of 5:30/5:10/5:30/5:10 as assigned by the man in charge. When all was said and done I covered 4.186 miles, which works out to an average pace of 5:20 or so per mile, so I think it's safe to say I hit the nail on the head with this one. Easy does it the next two days with the possibility of a racing a flat 5K on Sunday in Cambridge. Stay tuned.
17:00 warmup, 36:00 cooldown. Tempo Run - 22:00, 4.1 miles.
Due to the observance of Evacuation Day on Tuesday practice was pushed back a day this week, and as such yours truly was ringing out customers at the store rather than running around the track with his teammates. Probably for the better, anyway, given I was still stuck in a tired time warp after my weekend on the West Coast. Kevin e-mailed me workout options of 2 x 2-mile or a 4-mile "in/out" tempo run and I chose the latter option, with a twist. Rather than take a lot of turns on the track, I retreated to a traffic-free bike path and tempoed for 22 minutes, switching up the intensity every 5 minutes and 30 seconds rather than trying to hit specific splits of 5:30/5:10/5:30/5:10 as assigned by the man in charge. When all was said and done I covered 4.186 miles, which works out to an average pace of 5:20 or so per mile, so I think it's safe to say I hit the nail on the head with this one. Easy does it the next two days with the possibility of a racing a flat 5K on Sunday in Cambridge. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Sleepless Since Seattle
THURSDAY, March 12
OFF
FRIDAY
6:40 AM - Seattle - 8 mi, 1:00:00.
SATURDAY
7:00 AM - Seattle - 8 mi, 1:00:00.
SUNDAY
7:40 AM - Seattle - 9 miles.
23:00 warmup, 17:00 cooldown
St. Pat's Dash (10th place, 20:41 - 3.9 miles)
MONDAY
1:30 PM - Worcester - 15 miles, 1:45:00.
10 x 1:00 pickups w/4:00 float in between.
TUESDAY
8:20 AM - Westboro - 6 miles, 45:00.
WEDNESDAY
8:30 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Avg HR: 130
Seattle was, in a word, fun. Of course, there was also a bit of work involved but even that had its share of fun moments. Each day was a little different, but you could count on two things: it started with a run and ended with some fun. To fill the gaps in between there was a tour of Brooks headquarters on one day and a five-and-a-half hour exchange of ideas amongst the 25 different dealers in attendance on another. Lots of coffee was sipped, many beers were drank and more than a few friendships were forged. It was a great weekend. Professionally, I met folks from all around the country with a vast array of experience and insight on the ins and outs of our industry, and I took home with me a wealth of information and ideas that I hope to implement at the store in an effort to improve what is already a pretty efficient operation. It was also pretty wild to see where the behind-the-scenes business goes down at Brooks headquarters. Think heaven for a Shoe Guy. Personally, I made a lot of new friends who share a peculiar passion for running shoes, and good times were had by all when the day's duties were fulfilled.
On the training side of things, I feel like I've been going through the motions for the past week or so. Traveling across two time zones, combined with a lack of sleep and piss-poor recovery will have that effect, I guess. While in Seattle I ran in the St. Patrick's Day Dash on Sunday morning, and given the conditions -- my own, as well as the wacky weather -- I'm not all that upset with the result. I finished 10th in an announced field of 15,000, a total tally that seems more than a little bit high to me. There was neither an official distance posted nor mile markers on the course, but a few guys from our group had 3.9 miles on their Garmins so that's what I'm going with, not that it matters. I ran hard and got in a good effort, and I can live with that.
OFF
FRIDAY
6:40 AM - Seattle - 8 mi, 1:00:00.
SATURDAY
7:00 AM - Seattle - 8 mi, 1:00:00.
SUNDAY
7:40 AM - Seattle - 9 miles.
23:00 warmup, 17:00 cooldown
St. Pat's Dash (10th place, 20:41 - 3.9 miles)
MONDAY
1:30 PM - Worcester - 15 miles, 1:45:00.
10 x 1:00 pickups w/4:00 float in between.
TUESDAY
8:20 AM - Westboro - 6 miles, 45:00.
WEDNESDAY
8:30 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Avg HR: 130
Seattle was, in a word, fun. Of course, there was also a bit of work involved but even that had its share of fun moments. Each day was a little different, but you could count on two things: it started with a run and ended with some fun. To fill the gaps in between there was a tour of Brooks headquarters on one day and a five-and-a-half hour exchange of ideas amongst the 25 different dealers in attendance on another. Lots of coffee was sipped, many beers were drank and more than a few friendships were forged. It was a great weekend. Professionally, I met folks from all around the country with a vast array of experience and insight on the ins and outs of our industry, and I took home with me a wealth of information and ideas that I hope to implement at the store in an effort to improve what is already a pretty efficient operation. It was also pretty wild to see where the behind-the-scenes business goes down at Brooks headquarters. Think heaven for a Shoe Guy. Personally, I made a lot of new friends who share a peculiar passion for running shoes, and good times were had by all when the day's duties were fulfilled.
On the training side of things, I feel like I've been going through the motions for the past week or so. Traveling across two time zones, combined with a lack of sleep and piss-poor recovery will have that effect, I guess. While in Seattle I ran in the St. Patrick's Day Dash on Sunday morning, and given the conditions -- my own, as well as the wacky weather -- I'm not all that upset with the result. I finished 10th in an announced field of 15,000, a total tally that seems more than a little bit high to me. There was neither an official distance posted nor mile markers on the course, but a few guys from our group had 3.9 miles on their Garmins so that's what I'm going with, not that it matters. I ran hard and got in a good effort, and I can live with that.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Missing Material
If it's any consolation to those of you check in here regularly, I haven't even updated my personal training log since last Wednesday. It's been a busy week of work-related craziness from East Coast to West Coast and back, and there's no signs of it letting up anytime in the near future. This is by no means a bad thing; in fact, it's a very good problem to have. That said, I'll stop the excuse parade right there and promise to post some fresh reading material for ya'll mañana. Sit tight, and good night.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Funny Business
TUESDAY
8:30 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Average HR: 135-140. Stretching afterward.
6:30 PM - RLTAC - 10 miles.
Track Workout: Mile @ 4:50 w/5:00 recovery; 2 x [4 x 400m @ 68-70 w/1:00 recovery between reps, 4-5:00 recovery between sets]
22:00 warmup, 22:00 cooldown.
4:48.05 (5:04 recovery); 71.01 (55.39), 68.69 (59.99), 68.84 (60.41), 69.43 (4:44); 70.61 (60.01), 68.68 (65.96), 70.08 (56.07), 70.68.
WEDNESDAY
8:25 AM - BSC - Bike, 35:00.
65-70% effort. Stretching afterward.
6:45 PM - Auburn - 7 miles, 52:00.
Kevin Tilton is right, I'm no fun. I know, I know, it's hard to believe, blah, blah, blah, but it's true. As much as it hurts to admit that, I'd be doing the blogosphere a huge disservice to sit here and try to convince my readership otherwise at 10:30 on a Wednesday night. The writing, or lack thereof, is on the wall. Not to mention I've still gotta pack and get my ass to bed at a halfway decent hour, all in an effort to have so much fun over the next four days that when I get back from Seattle the words "Mario" and "no fun" will never eeeeever again be mentioned in the same comment on this blog. See ya on Monday.
8:30 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Average HR: 135-140. Stretching afterward.
6:30 PM - RLTAC - 10 miles.
Track Workout: Mile @ 4:50 w/5:00 recovery; 2 x [4 x 400m @ 68-70 w/1:00 recovery between reps, 4-5:00 recovery between sets]
22:00 warmup, 22:00 cooldown.
4:48.05 (5:04 recovery); 71.01 (55.39), 68.69 (59.99), 68.84 (60.41), 69.43 (4:44); 70.61 (60.01), 68.68 (65.96), 70.08 (56.07), 70.68.
WEDNESDAY
8:25 AM - BSC - Bike, 35:00.
65-70% effort. Stretching afterward.
6:45 PM - Auburn - 7 miles, 52:00.
Kevin Tilton is right, I'm no fun. I know, I know, it's hard to believe, blah, blah, blah, but it's true. As much as it hurts to admit that, I'd be doing the blogosphere a huge disservice to sit here and try to convince my readership otherwise at 10:30 on a Wednesday night. The writing, or lack thereof, is on the wall. Not to mention I've still gotta pack and get my ass to bed at a halfway decent hour, all in an effort to have so much fun over the next four days that when I get back from Seattle the words "Mario" and "no fun" will never eeeeever again be mentioned in the same comment on this blog. See ya on Monday.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Senseless Snow
11:30 AM - Auburn - 8 miles, 1:00:00.
6 x 20-second strides, 5 x 12-second hill charges.
Clad in a jacket, tights, hat and gloves, I snuck out of the house for an easy hour in between the snow falls this morning, a nonsensical endeavor if there ever was one given that I was running in shorts and a t-shirt the past two days. This has been the never ending winter from hell and I think I speak for every distance runner in New England when I say that I can't wait for the final flake to hit the ground so we can be done with this shit for the season. Tomorrow I'll keep my act indoors with a short spin on the bike before work and a trip to the track later on in the day. In the words of this guy, that's all I got.
6 x 20-second strides, 5 x 12-second hill charges.
Clad in a jacket, tights, hat and gloves, I snuck out of the house for an easy hour in between the snow falls this morning, a nonsensical endeavor if there ever was one given that I was running in shorts and a t-shirt the past two days. This has been the never ending winter from hell and I think I speak for every distance runner in New England when I say that I can't wait for the final flake to hit the ground so we can be done with this shit for the season. Tomorrow I'll keep my act indoors with a short spin on the bike before work and a trip to the track later on in the day. In the words of this guy, that's all I got.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Electric Feel
THURSDAY
8:45 AM - Auburn - 9 miles, 1:05:00.
FRIDAY
8:05 AM - Westboro - 8 miles, 55:00.
4 x 35-second hill charges; 20-minute steady tempo @ ~5:30 pace.
SATURDAY
8:05 AM - Westboro - 8 miles, 1:01:00.
SUNDAY
9:45 AM - Hudson/Marlboro/Sudbury - 13 miles, 1:31:00.
First off, I'd like to apologize to Brian, the apparently anything-but-disgruntled guy who reads my blog from the Government Printing Office in Washington, DC. I was operating under the false premise that all federal employees are dissatisfied and under-appreciated laborers. From now on I will keep any unfounded assumptions to myself.
As for my actual training, this was the first week in about a month that I would classify as 'good'. I got in three solid sessions and totaled 6.75 hours (57 miles) running and an insufficient hour and 20 minutes on the bike for just over 8 hours of total training. This is actually a significant improvement over anything I've put up in the last three weeks so I'll keep the complaints to minimum and try to keep the ball rolling instead.
Lastly, I'm heading to the heart of the Pacific Northwest later this week for the Brooks Sports Symposium, which will culminate in the St. Patrick's Day Dash through the streets of downtown Seattle a few hours before I head home on Sunday. I'm not sure how strong the field will be or how I'm gonna be feeling after the serious business of bullshitting about running shoes over the course of a couple days, but I do know I will run hard for no less than 3.75 miles regardless of who shows and how much fun I had the night(s) before the race.
8:45 AM - Auburn - 9 miles, 1:05:00.
FRIDAY
8:05 AM - Westboro - 8 miles, 55:00.
4 x 35-second hill charges; 20-minute steady tempo @ ~5:30 pace.
SATURDAY
8:05 AM - Westboro - 8 miles, 1:01:00.
SUNDAY
9:45 AM - Hudson/Marlboro/Sudbury - 13 miles, 1:31:00.
First off, I'd like to apologize to Brian, the apparently anything-but-disgruntled guy who reads my blog from the Government Printing Office in Washington, DC. I was operating under the false premise that all federal employees are dissatisfied and under-appreciated laborers. From now on I will keep any unfounded assumptions to myself.
As for my actual training, this was the first week in about a month that I would classify as 'good'. I got in three solid sessions and totaled 6.75 hours (57 miles) running and an insufficient hour and 20 minutes on the bike for just over 8 hours of total training. This is actually a significant improvement over anything I've put up in the last three weeks so I'll keep the complaints to minimum and try to keep the ball rolling instead.
Lastly, I'm heading to the heart of the Pacific Northwest later this week for the Brooks Sports Symposium, which will culminate in the St. Patrick's Day Dash through the streets of downtown Seattle a few hours before I head home on Sunday. I'm not sure how strong the field will be or how I'm gonna be feeling after the serious business of bullshitting about running shoes over the course of a couple days, but I do know I will run hard for no less than 3.75 miles regardless of who shows and how much fun I had the night(s) before the race.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Hit me!
TUESDAY
8:40 AM - BSC - Bike, 20:00
130-35 bpm seated, 145-50 out of the saddle.
Stretch afterward.
7:20 PM - RLTAC - 10 miles.
Track Workout: 5 x 1,200m @ 3:45-48 w/1:00 recovery; 2 x 200m @ 31-32 w/1:15 recovery.
22:00 warmup, 23:00 cooldown.
3:49.58 (1:03 recovery), 3:48.37 (57.25), 3:48.79 (1:02), 3:46.70 (1:04), 3:45.10; 31.17 (1:15), 31.16.
WEDNESDAY
7:40 PM - BSC - Bike, 1:00:00.
130-140 bpm seated, 145-155 out of the saddle.
Full stretch afterward.
This blog has been getting in the neighborhood of 142 or so visits a day on average since Sunday, which sitemeter tells me can be attributed to a variety of factors, ranging from regular referrals by way of other blogs (with Kelrock and DoubleJ leading the charge) to search engine inquires for everything from "Mario runs" to "Brandon Moen calls."
Don't ask, because I don't have an answer for you.
Anyway, on a normal day the usual traffic pattern yields an average of 100 or so hits, many of whom come from friends, internet stalkers or disgruntled government employees in a Washington, DC printing office who otherwise have nothing better to do when federal documents are coming off the press. And believe it or not, people are checking in from Tewksbury, Tupelo, Tasmania and everywhere in between. Yes, folks, the dailyrunaround has indeed gone global. This blows my mind! There's nothing on this site other than some useless numbers, boring banter, lots of links and the occasional off-the-wall rant, and even those have been few and very far between of late. That said, I'm happy to be getting the hits. Keep 'em coming!
As for the main subject matter of this site, my training, it's finally starting to rebound after a fickle February. The sickness has subsided, my mouth is no longer a mess and I've begun the process of re-establishing some sort of regular routine. It's never easy. Practice has been productive the last few weeks and my outlook is optimistic heading into the spring season. We've got a good group of guys fixed on running fast times on the track this summer and I'm definitely feeding off that energy and excitement. Last night, Phil, Chris and I did a couple fast(er) 200's at the end of the workout and I had one of those "remember when" moments that took me back to the days when a 4:15 mile and a 14:50 5K fell into the Bad Day category. On the one hand, I hate looking back at when running fast was something I did without thinking twice about it, but on the other, I like looking in the rearview mirror every so often to remind myself that with a little redirection I can travel down that same road again, perhaps even faster than I did before.
8:40 AM - BSC - Bike, 20:00
130-35 bpm seated, 145-50 out of the saddle.
Stretch afterward.
7:20 PM - RLTAC - 10 miles.
Track Workout: 5 x 1,200m @ 3:45-48 w/1:00 recovery; 2 x 200m @ 31-32 w/1:15 recovery.
22:00 warmup, 23:00 cooldown.
3:49.58 (1:03 recovery), 3:48.37 (57.25), 3:48.79 (1:02), 3:46.70 (1:04), 3:45.10; 31.17 (1:15), 31.16.
WEDNESDAY
7:40 PM - BSC - Bike, 1:00:00.
130-140 bpm seated, 145-155 out of the saddle.
Full stretch afterward.
This blog has been getting in the neighborhood of 142 or so visits a day on average since Sunday, which sitemeter tells me can be attributed to a variety of factors, ranging from regular referrals by way of other blogs (with Kelrock and DoubleJ leading the charge) to search engine inquires for everything from "Mario runs" to "Brandon Moen calls."
Don't ask, because I don't have an answer for you.
Anyway, on a normal day the usual traffic pattern yields an average of 100 or so hits, many of whom come from friends, internet stalkers or disgruntled government employees in a Washington, DC printing office who otherwise have nothing better to do when federal documents are coming off the press. And believe it or not, people are checking in from Tewksbury, Tupelo, Tasmania and everywhere in between. Yes, folks, the dailyrunaround has indeed gone global. This blows my mind! There's nothing on this site other than some useless numbers, boring banter, lots of links and the occasional off-the-wall rant, and even those have been few and very far between of late. That said, I'm happy to be getting the hits. Keep 'em coming!
As for the main subject matter of this site, my training, it's finally starting to rebound after a fickle February. The sickness has subsided, my mouth is no longer a mess and I've begun the process of re-establishing some sort of regular routine. It's never easy. Practice has been productive the last few weeks and my outlook is optimistic heading into the spring season. We've got a good group of guys fixed on running fast times on the track this summer and I'm definitely feeding off that energy and excitement. Last night, Phil, Chris and I did a couple fast(er) 200's at the end of the workout and I had one of those "remember when" moments that took me back to the days when a 4:15 mile and a 14:50 5K fell into the Bad Day category. On the one hand, I hate looking back at when running fast was something I did without thinking twice about it, but on the other, I like looking in the rearview mirror every so often to remind myself that with a little redirection I can travel down that same road again, perhaps even faster than I did before.
Monday, March 02, 2009
Kel Rocks!
1:30 PM - Auburn - 8 miles, 1:03:00.
The above quote is attributed to the Irish-sounding fella manning the lone water stop just before the 2-mile mark of yesterday's Claddagh Pub Classic in lowly Lawrence. It made for a good chuckle at the summit of a steep hill, a small sampling of the ascent up Mt. Washington, according to my tour guide yesterday, Double J. As far as the play-by-play from the race, it can pretty much be summed up like this: The starter said "Go" and Double J, myself and some other dude possibly named Dave separated ourselves from the field within the first 200 meters. After hitting the first mile in a dead-on-nuts split of 5:30, it was just Double J and I covering ground at a talkatively hard effort till the 3-mile mark, where I cut all communication ties and made some half-assed attempt at a move that did nothing but kick up some extra snow off the ground. The two of us passed back by the Claddagh Pub, told each other to be careful as we took three left turns over the course of a quarter mile and when all was said and done the always generous Double J let me have it in the homestretch. End of story.
Ideal racing conditions for early March.
Elsewhere on the racing scene this past weekend, NBB Boston mates Rebecca Donaghue and Jenn Donovan tore up the track in the 3K at Reggie over the weekend, posting PR's of 9:01 and 9:15, respectively, at the USATF Indoor Championships. Regardless of where she's racing, Rebecca's been ripping it up for the last year and Jenn was just getting back from an Irish adventure where she rocked a road race, killed a cross country contest and drank lots of genuine Guiness. Good stuff from those gals.
Ripping it up on the roads, or more appropriately, shuffling along in the snow, the dynamic duo of Ryan and Christy Carrara took first and second, respectively, yesterday at the rollercoaster ride around the Wachusett Reservoir more commonly known as Stu's 30K. Despite PR Running's donation of a bunch of bags and a shitload of swag I was not in attendance, but for a fantastic firsthand account of the event, you can direct your attention here.
Last but certainly not least, congrats to the Comeback Kid, Keith Kelly, on a super stretch of races over the past week back on the Emerald Isle. A year ago at about this time, I remember sitting in the store sipping coffee with Sir Kelrock, brooding over the bad timing of my before-Boston injury and talking about his own developing destruction that would eventually have him on an operating table instead of the starting line at the World Cross Country Championships later in the month. I went beyond ballistic last week when I saw the results of the Armagh and the Ras and about lost it again over the weekend when I heard the news of victory at the Irish Cross Country Championships. Any injured athlete can relate to and respect the rocky road Keith has continued to travel, even when it looked like it would never lead anywhere, but personally I couldn't be happier for a guy who is genuine, grounded and brings an energy every day that is both infectious and inspiring; for a guy, who after hearing of my Mom's sudden passing last July, offered to take a few unpaid hours out of his day and unselfishly drove all the way up from Providence to cover a shift at the store so my co-workers could attend the services. By way of his recent win, Kelrock has regained the respect of a world-class athlete, but victory aside, he'll always be respected as a world-class dude.
"Eh, these guys don't need water, they're eatin' snow!"
The above quote is attributed to the Irish-sounding fella manning the lone water stop just before the 2-mile mark of yesterday's Claddagh Pub Classic in lowly Lawrence. It made for a good chuckle at the summit of a steep hill, a small sampling of the ascent up Mt. Washington, according to my tour guide yesterday, Double J. As far as the play-by-play from the race, it can pretty much be summed up like this: The starter said "Go" and Double J, myself and some other dude possibly named Dave separated ourselves from the field within the first 200 meters. After hitting the first mile in a dead-on-nuts split of 5:30, it was just Double J and I covering ground at a talkatively hard effort till the 3-mile mark, where I cut all communication ties and made some half-assed attempt at a move that did nothing but kick up some extra snow off the ground. The two of us passed back by the Claddagh Pub, told each other to be careful as we took three left turns over the course of a quarter mile and when all was said and done the always generous Double J let me have it in the homestretch. End of story.
Ideal racing conditions for early March. Elsewhere on the racing scene this past weekend, NBB Boston mates Rebecca Donaghue and Jenn Donovan tore up the track in the 3K at Reggie over the weekend, posting PR's of 9:01 and 9:15, respectively, at the USATF Indoor Championships. Regardless of where she's racing, Rebecca's been ripping it up for the last year and Jenn was just getting back from an Irish adventure where she rocked a road race, killed a cross country contest and drank lots of genuine Guiness. Good stuff from those gals.
Ripping it up on the roads, or more appropriately, shuffling along in the snow, the dynamic duo of Ryan and Christy Carrara took first and second, respectively, yesterday at the rollercoaster ride around the Wachusett Reservoir more commonly known as Stu's 30K. Despite PR Running's donation of a bunch of bags and a shitload of swag I was not in attendance, but for a fantastic firsthand account of the event, you can direct your attention here.Last but certainly not least, congrats to the Comeback Kid, Keith Kelly, on a super stretch of races over the past week back on the Emerald Isle. A year ago at about this time, I remember sitting in the store sipping coffee with Sir Kelrock, brooding over the bad timing of my before-Boston injury and talking about his own developing destruction that would eventually have him on an operating table instead of the starting line at the World Cross Country Championships later in the month. I went beyond ballistic last week when I saw the results of the Armagh and the Ras and about lost it again over the weekend when I heard the news of victory at the Irish Cross Country Championships. Any injured athlete can relate to and respect the rocky road Keith has continued to travel, even when it looked like it would never lead anywhere, but personally I couldn't be happier for a guy who is genuine, grounded and brings an energy every day that is both infectious and inspiring; for a guy, who after hearing of my Mom's sudden passing last July, offered to take a few unpaid hours out of his day and unselfishly drove all the way up from Providence to cover a shift at the store so my co-workers could attend the services. By way of his recent win, Kelrock has regained the respect of a world-class athlete, but victory aside, he'll always be respected as a world-class dude.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Time To Pretend
FRIDAY
7:50 AM - Westboro - 9 miles, 1:03:00.
8 x 200m w/200m jog recovery in 33.58, 33.96, 34.23, 33.59, 33.37, 34.03, 34.06, 32.64.
6 x 10-second hill charges.
SATURDAY
7:30 AM - Auburn - 8 miles, 1:00:00.
SUNDAY
11:00 AM - Lawrence - 10 miles.
Claddagh Pub 4-Miler (1st, 21:36)
20:00 warmup, 24:00 cooldown.
4:35 PM - Auburn - 4 miles, 32:00.
The drugs finally started working their magic on Friday and the last couple days (and nights) have been sleep-filled and pain-free. I woke up this morning and decided on a whim to head up to Lawrence and run the Claddagh Pub 4-miler since the weather over the next couple days looks like it will be on the whiter side of shitty. I'll go into more detail about the race tomorrow when I am snowed in and have nothing better to do. In the meantime, enjoy the music.
7:50 AM - Westboro - 9 miles, 1:03:00.
8 x 200m w/200m jog recovery in 33.58, 33.96, 34.23, 33.59, 33.37, 34.03, 34.06, 32.64.
6 x 10-second hill charges.
SATURDAY
7:30 AM - Auburn - 8 miles, 1:00:00.
SUNDAY
11:00 AM - Lawrence - 10 miles.
Claddagh Pub 4-Miler (1st, 21:36)
20:00 warmup, 24:00 cooldown.
4:35 PM - Auburn - 4 miles, 32:00.
The drugs finally started working their magic on Friday and the last couple days (and nights) have been sleep-filled and pain-free. I woke up this morning and decided on a whim to head up to Lawrence and run the Claddagh Pub 4-miler since the weather over the next couple days looks like it will be on the whiter side of shitty. I'll go into more detail about the race tomorrow when I am snowed in and have nothing better to do. In the meantime, enjoy the music.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tooth Talk
12:35 PM - Auburn - 4 miles, 30:00.
Despite the double-dose of drugs the dentist prescribed me yesterday I did not sleep well last night, but thankfully I was able to salvage about two hours of straight shuteye after popping some Vitamin I somewhere around the 7 o'clock hour this morning. I woke up feeling pretty crummy, but have certainly seen some signs of progress as the day has developed. I felt so much better an hour after a second 800mg helping of everyone's favorite over-the-counter pain pill that I hit the roads for some much-needed fresh air early this afternoon. It was euphoric, although that may have just been the meds finally fulfilling their obligation. The good news is the swelling under my lower lip has subsided significantly and as of 7:54 PM I'm feeling a lot better and in a much better mood than I was 24 hours ago. Hooray for Happy Pills!
Despite the double-dose of drugs the dentist prescribed me yesterday I did not sleep well last night, but thankfully I was able to salvage about two hours of straight shuteye after popping some Vitamin I somewhere around the 7 o'clock hour this morning. I woke up feeling pretty crummy, but have certainly seen some signs of progress as the day has developed. I felt so much better an hour after a second 800mg helping of everyone's favorite over-the-counter pain pill that I hit the roads for some much-needed fresh air early this afternoon. It was euphoric, although that may have just been the meds finally fulfilling their obligation. The good news is the swelling under my lower lip has subsided significantly and as of 7:54 PM I'm feeling a lot better and in a much better mood than I was 24 hours ago. Hooray for Happy Pills!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Uprooted
TUESDAY
8:40 AM - BSC - Bike, 20:00.
HRM: 125-135 bpm seated, 145-155 out of the saddle.
Full stretch afterward.
6:40 PM - RLTAC - 10 miles.
Track Workout: 3 x [1000m @ 3:05/600m @ 1:48] 2:00 recovery between intervals, 3:00 between sets.
25:00 warmup, 22:00 cooldown.
3:06.64 (1:59.25 recovery), 1:47.99 (2:57.90); 3:05.64 (1:56.31), 1:46.79 (3:05.07); 3:03.89 (1:56.45), 1:48.61.
WEDNESDAY
8:20 AM - BSC - Bike, 40:00.
HRM: 125-135 bpm seated, 145-155 out of the saddle.
In the "How You Don't Want To Spend Your Wednesday Afternoon" category, I had to have an emergency root canal today. An abscessed tooth became infected and needed to be treated before the infection spread like wildfire and my chin "blew up to be the size of a baseball." This was all decided and done within two hours this afternoon. Seven hours post-procedure I'm still in plenty of pain despite a pairing of prescription pills I'm popping every six hours. Here's hoping they work their magic soon so I can get some sleep tonight.
8:40 AM - BSC - Bike, 20:00.
HRM: 125-135 bpm seated, 145-155 out of the saddle.
Full stretch afterward.
6:40 PM - RLTAC - 10 miles.
Track Workout: 3 x [1000m @ 3:05/600m @ 1:48] 2:00 recovery between intervals, 3:00 between sets.
25:00 warmup, 22:00 cooldown.
3:06.64 (1:59.25 recovery), 1:47.99 (2:57.90); 3:05.64 (1:56.31), 1:46.79 (3:05.07); 3:03.89 (1:56.45), 1:48.61.
WEDNESDAY
8:20 AM - BSC - Bike, 40:00.
HRM: 125-135 bpm seated, 145-155 out of the saddle.
In the "How You Don't Want To Spend Your Wednesday Afternoon" category, I had to have an emergency root canal today. An abscessed tooth became infected and needed to be treated before the infection spread like wildfire and my chin "blew up to be the size of a baseball." This was all decided and done within two hours this afternoon. Seven hours post-procedure I'm still in plenty of pain despite a pairing of prescription pills I'm popping every six hours. Here's hoping they work their magic soon so I can get some sleep tonight.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Cu-ed Up
12:00 PM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
65-70% effort throughout.
6:15 PM - Worcester - 7 miles, 50:00.
Tonight was my first time back to the An Cu in over a year for the weekly City Run, where I saw a lot of familiar faces and faced the old familiar challenge of dodging downtown traffic after dark. Got in a steady 3-mile effort in the middle of my 50-minute Monday run, nothing too hard but just enough to elevate the heart rate a little bit.
Speaking of which, I picked up one of these toys today, and the plan is to use it to better gauge my workout efforts, particularly on the bike. This is an entirely new approach for me -- heck, utilizing cross training as a form of training is still a new approach for me -- so it's going to take some figuring out. OK, a lot of figuring out. If anyone has some insight or advice, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
65-70% effort throughout.
6:15 PM - Worcester - 7 miles, 50:00.
Tonight was my first time back to the An Cu in over a year for the weekly City Run, where I saw a lot of familiar faces and faced the old familiar challenge of dodging downtown traffic after dark. Got in a steady 3-mile effort in the middle of my 50-minute Monday run, nothing too hard but just enough to elevate the heart rate a little bit.
Speaking of which, I picked up one of these toys today, and the plan is to use it to better gauge my workout efforts, particularly on the bike. This is an entirely new approach for me -- heck, utilizing cross training as a form of training is still a new approach for me -- so it's going to take some figuring out. OK, a lot of figuring out. If anyone has some insight or advice, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Slow Sunday
SATURDAY
8:20 AM - Westboro - 5 miles, 36:00.
4 x 30-second bursts.
SUNDAY
9:00 AM - Auburn - 10 miles, 1:13:00.
Don't feel much like writing right now, but my running weekend can best be summed up by saying that I scratched the race and decided to take a couple extra days of easy running to shake what's left of this crazy cold. Finished last week at 46 miles on 6 runs and one whopping hour of cross training. More to come when I start kicking things back up again. Till then, take it easy.
8:20 AM - Westboro - 5 miles, 36:00.
4 x 30-second bursts.
SUNDAY
9:00 AM - Auburn - 10 miles, 1:13:00.
Don't feel much like writing right now, but my running weekend can best be summed up by saying that I scratched the race and decided to take a couple extra days of easy running to shake what's left of this crazy cold. Finished last week at 46 miles on 6 runs and one whopping hour of cross training. More to come when I start kicking things back up again. Till then, take it easy.
Friday, February 20, 2009
(Don't) let it linger...
8:10 AM - Westboro - 7 miles, 50:00.
5 x 2:00 @ 10K-ish effort w/2:00 recovery.
The idea behind this morning's short session was to open up the legs and lungs a little bit to see if I'm going to be ready for a 25-lap tour of Harvard's fieldhouse on Sunday. I've still got two more days to get healthy, but right now the prospect of 5,000 meters around the indoor oval doesn't look too promising. I feel a ton better than I did on Tuesday, but like a bad Cranberries song, this crazy cold still lingers. I'm hoping that I can shake this sucker soon and give it a good go this weekend, but the last thing I want to be doing on Sunday is hacking up a lung in Lane 1 while struggling to slip under 16 minutes. You can feel like shit and still fake your way through the East Bumfuck 5K and call it a tempo run if things start heading south, but it doesn't quite work that way at the USATF-NE Indoor Championhips. And since the main goal is to get an accurate assessment on the current state of my fitness, I want to make sure I'm operating at least close to 100% before I put on my racing flats and thoroughly thrash myself for quarter of an hour. So at this point, I'm just gonna sit back and see what the next couple days bring.
5 x 2:00 @ 10K-ish effort w/2:00 recovery.
The idea behind this morning's short session was to open up the legs and lungs a little bit to see if I'm going to be ready for a 25-lap tour of Harvard's fieldhouse on Sunday. I've still got two more days to get healthy, but right now the prospect of 5,000 meters around the indoor oval doesn't look too promising. I feel a ton better than I did on Tuesday, but like a bad Cranberries song, this crazy cold still lingers. I'm hoping that I can shake this sucker soon and give it a good go this weekend, but the last thing I want to be doing on Sunday is hacking up a lung in Lane 1 while struggling to slip under 16 minutes. You can feel like shit and still fake your way through the East Bumfuck 5K and call it a tempo run if things start heading south, but it doesn't quite work that way at the USATF-NE Indoor Championhips. And since the main goal is to get an accurate assessment on the current state of my fitness, I want to make sure I'm operating at least close to 100% before I put on my racing flats and thoroughly thrash myself for quarter of an hour. So at this point, I'm just gonna sit back and see what the next couple days bring.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Spring Fever
10:00 AM - Westboro - 9 miles, 1:05:00.
Despite the smattering of snow and rain we received last night into the wee hours of this morning, it actually felt somewhat spring-like when I hit the roads of Westboro at the luxuriously late hour of 10 AM. For the first time in about a week my energy levels were good and my attitude optimistic again. Maybe it was the sunshine, maybe not, but it's hard to be happy when you sweat as you sleep, your entire body aches and your head feels like it's going to explode through your eye sockets. Of course, I'm still coughing like a chronic smoker but I'm not sweating through t-shirts and my mucus output has been outstanding the last two days, which I'm taking as sure signs that my body is finally ridding itself of the dreaded disease that's taken up temporary residence inside my respiratory system.
So to sum it all up, today brought about the return of fresh air, good energy, smiles, sunshine and clear snot. Spring is right around the corner!
Despite the smattering of snow and rain we received last night into the wee hours of this morning, it actually felt somewhat spring-like when I hit the roads of Westboro at the luxuriously late hour of 10 AM. For the first time in about a week my energy levels were good and my attitude optimistic again. Maybe it was the sunshine, maybe not, but it's hard to be happy when you sweat as you sleep, your entire body aches and your head feels like it's going to explode through your eye sockets. Of course, I'm still coughing like a chronic smoker but I'm not sweating through t-shirts and my mucus output has been outstanding the last two days, which I'm taking as sure signs that my body is finally ridding itself of the dreaded disease that's taken up temporary residence inside my respiratory system.
So to sum it all up, today brought about the return of fresh air, good energy, smiles, sunshine and clear snot. Spring is right around the corner!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Off Track
TUESDAY
8:25 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Steady 60-65% effort. Full stretch afterward.
6:15 PM - RLTAC - 8 miles.
Track Workout: 2 miles @ 5:15-20 pace, 4 x 400m @ 70-72.
22:00 warmup, 25:00 cooldown.
10:25 - 5:14/5:11. No 400's.
WEDNESDAY
8:15 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Steady 60-65% effort. Full stretch afterward.
The plague is still present and last night's workout let me know it. When 2 miles of tempo work on an indoor track turns out to be a struggle you probably shouldn't have started in the first place. Well, I stubbornly started, and then proceeded to hold on for dear life on the final 5 laps of what should have been a relatively easy interval before it became obvious that I was finished. Four more 400s would have been futile, so I changed shoes, relayered, hit the sidewalks for a slow slog around the block and then headed home.
The plan is to lay low the rest of the week in hopes of racing at Harvard on Sunday. If the dark green crap launching itself from my lungs doesn't turn clear by the weekend, then fuggedaboutit. I learned my lesson last night: don't f*ck with the flu.
8:25 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Steady 60-65% effort. Full stretch afterward.
6:15 PM - RLTAC - 8 miles.
Track Workout: 2 miles @ 5:15-20 pace, 4 x 400m @ 70-72.
22:00 warmup, 25:00 cooldown.
10:25 - 5:14/5:11. No 400's.
WEDNESDAY
8:15 AM - BSC - Bike, 30:00.
Steady 60-65% effort. Full stretch afterward.
The plague is still present and last night's workout let me know it. When 2 miles of tempo work on an indoor track turns out to be a struggle you probably shouldn't have started in the first place. Well, I stubbornly started, and then proceeded to hold on for dear life on the final 5 laps of what should have been a relatively easy interval before it became obvious that I was finished. Four more 400s would have been futile, so I changed shoes, relayered, hit the sidewalks for a slow slog around the block and then headed home.
The plan is to lay low the rest of the week in hopes of racing at Harvard on Sunday. If the dark green crap launching itself from my lungs doesn't turn clear by the weekend, then fuggedaboutit. I learned my lesson last night: don't f*ck with the flu.
Monday, February 16, 2009
He's dead. He can't talk.
FRIDAY
7:55 AM - Westboro - 6 miles, 44:00.
5 x 10-second hill charges.
SATURDAY
OFF
SUNDAY
3:55 PM - Hudson/Stow - 10 miles, 1:10:00.
MONDAY
8:50 AM - Westboro - 7 miles, 50:00.
5 x 10-second hill charges; 5 x 100m strides.
Well, it turns out I'm only mostly dead, which, as we all know, means I'm still slightly alive. I've been riding a rough stretch of sickness since Thursday night, resulting in a bout of reduced training and the subsequent posting that goes along with it. With any luck I'll get back on the horse, and maybe even the track and/or the bike, over the next few days. Right now, though, I'm getting into bed. In the meantime, please refrain from going through my clothes and looking for loose change. Thanks.
7:55 AM - Westboro - 6 miles, 44:00.
5 x 10-second hill charges.
SATURDAY
OFF
SUNDAY
3:55 PM - Hudson/Stow - 10 miles, 1:10:00.
MONDAY
8:50 AM - Westboro - 7 miles, 50:00.
5 x 10-second hill charges; 5 x 100m strides.
Well, it turns out I'm only mostly dead, which, as we all know, means I'm still slightly alive. I've been riding a rough stretch of sickness since Thursday night, resulting in a bout of reduced training and the subsequent posting that goes along with it. With any luck I'll get back on the horse, and maybe even the track and/or the bike, over the next few days. Right now, though, I'm getting into bed. In the meantime, please refrain from going through my clothes and looking for loose change. Thanks.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Gentle Joggle
8:10 AM - Auburn - 8 miles, 1:00:00.
Since returning home from my Blue Ridge retreat on Monday night I've been sleeping like absolute shit, and oddly enough the only thing that doesn't seem to be suffering terribly is my running. The rest of my training -- biking, stretching, core work -- has completely gone to shit. I've pretty much fallen off the bike and I fairly confident the supplemental stuff hasn't totaled 10 minutes since Sunday. Need to change that, pronto.
That out of the way, this morning's gentle joggle around town was nothing short of spectacular. The air was mild, the sun was shining and despite my recent lack of Z's, the energy levels were high. One of those mornings where you just want to run all day. My legs showed no ill effects from yesterday's short speed session on the roads, which is encouraging, especially since I haven't done much in the way of stretching and icing of late.
The next few days are pretty involved as far as work and the such is concerned, but the plan is to get in some sort of sustained effort this weekend and kick up the cross training and preventative maintenance measures if time allows.
Check that. I'll make time allow.
Since returning home from my Blue Ridge retreat on Monday night I've been sleeping like absolute shit, and oddly enough the only thing that doesn't seem to be suffering terribly is my running. The rest of my training -- biking, stretching, core work -- has completely gone to shit. I've pretty much fallen off the bike and I fairly confident the supplemental stuff hasn't totaled 10 minutes since Sunday. Need to change that, pronto.
That out of the way, this morning's gentle joggle around town was nothing short of spectacular. The air was mild, the sun was shining and despite my recent lack of Z's, the energy levels were high. One of those mornings where you just want to run all day. My legs showed no ill effects from yesterday's short speed session on the roads, which is encouraging, especially since I haven't done much in the way of stretching and icing of late.
The next few days are pretty involved as far as work and the such is concerned, but the plan is to get in some sort of sustained effort this weekend and kick up the cross training and preventative maintenance measures if time allows.
Check that. I'll make time allow.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Fill the unforgiving minute...
8:05 AM - Westboro - 9 miles, 1:00:00.
Fartlek: 15 x [1:00 @ 5K-3K effort, 1:00 recovery]
...blah, blah, blah and you'll be a man, my son. Or something like that. Let me check with Kipling on the specifics and I'll get back to you sometime tomorrow. Right now, I'm off to bed. Goodnight.
Fartlek: 15 x [1:00 @ 5K-3K effort, 1:00 recovery]
...blah, blah, blah and you'll be a man, my son. Or something like that. Let me check with Kipling on the specifics and I'll get back to you sometime tomorrow. Right now, I'm off to bed. Goodnight.
