Slattery's and Training 11/16-11/22

mon 5 miles easy around the farm and soccer fields
Tues 6.2 JA loop with Brian 46:30
Wed off
Thur off
Fri off , I had to force myself to take 3 days in a row off. Although I had to change a hydrolic line on my loader and was crumpled up like a pretzel underneath it for 5 hours making most of my body ache for the next two days.
Sat 4 miles 7:45 pace from home
Sun 10 total 3 mi w/u, race slatterys, 2+ cool down to watch Paula finish her first 5 miler
Total 25 year=2230 2nd lowest week this year

Slattery's Turkey Trot.
I have done this race sporatically for the last 25 years, and love seeing the old faces I haven't seen in years. This is a fun race for an old guy, racing against several high schoolers who tend to go out too fast and make me feel younger passing them along the way. I lined up with several CMS runners and went out slow with Kevin McCusker for the 1st mile 5:30. I then began passing several runners for the next mile and a half until I reached the 2nd woman Roisin McGettigan. I passed her and within a 1/2 mile she passed me back and I was stuck 1 second behind her for the rest of the race. I thought for sure I could out kick her but it seems my "get down" speed is still trapped in 1989. I finished 19th 28:54, 3rd master, I won a turkey (which was donated to a homless shelter) and ran 45 seconds faster than last year. I know I can run faster, but I will take this PR for now! I am really looking forward to cranking up my milage again starting next week.

Training 11/2 - 11/15

week of 11/2 - 11/8
mon off
tues 6.2 49:02 JA loop
wed off
thur 6.2 47:20 JA loop w/Bob
fri off
sat 4 real easy from home
Sun 13.5 NEXC champs 28:57 splits 5:20,11:20,17: ,23:20. 3 w/u 5.5 in 2 runs after
total 30 miles year=2174.5
rested and took it easy all week, trying to have my best race. It didn't work but I had a great fall anyway.
Week of 11/9-11/15
Mon 4 easy around farm. My body is real real tired and sore. right hammy is killing me
tues 6.2 47:10 JA loop w/Bob and Brian. Stuggled badly to keep up
wed off
thur 6 2 with Bob then 4 with Bob and Mike
fri 6.5 Tried to do a track wo. 5x 1mile in 5:35 with 400rest did 1 in 5:45 and was completely wiped out. 3 wu 2 c/d
sat off
sun 8 ran the same loop from home as last sunday only 20 minutes slower ran 8:20/mi pace and stopped 4 times to streach hammy. Still Pretty tired.
total 30.5 year=2205
My body really needs some rest. I tweaked my right hammy at Mayors cup and it seems to be getting worse. I am going to try to run easy this week and race Slattery's on sunday and then run easy for a while to get my legs back! I have raced more this fall than I have in 14 years, and I feel completely fried!

New England XC Championships, series wrap up

Photos courtesy of Krissy K

Sunday I ran in the New England XC championships at Franklin Park. I got there real early and met some more new teamates and was real excited to compete on a full Masters Team. As we did our warm up I noticed the course was in perfect condition for fast times. When we lined up in our boxes I saw another group of CMS runners gather and we ended up with 12 runners! Outstanding participation for a cross country race. At the start of the race I felt pretty good and hit the first mile around 5:20 and was in sight of teamates Scott Clark and Dave Q. From that point on I couldn't seem to get any momentum and felt like I was jogging but I couldn't go any faster. Runner after runner passed me, several who I hadn't lost to all fall, and I had no response! I gave everything I had on the final kick and actually passed 1 runner. I finished in 28:56 for a new 40+pr, but a hollow one. I really expected to be low 28 or under today and I am not sure what the problem was. On the plus side I think CMS did very well against really tough competition, I have never seen so many fast old guys in one race. I met lots of new people over the course of the fall and love the comradarie of the CMS runners.

Back in August when I was struggling to fit in my long runs for the Baystate Marathon, I decided to skip the marathon and find a different goal for the fall. I picked out the cross country series because I love the sport and knew my friend and former HS teamate Jaime Aubuchon was doing it also. It is very ironic the series would come down to me and Jaime as our Leominster HS team never won anything and was 0-13 our senior year! Although I am pleased with most of my races this fall, I feel my times and efforts have slipped since the first race in August at Carlisle. I really felt I would be able to get faster from then, but each race I struggled more and more. I think I run better off higher milage for some reason. I am going to run Slattery's and a 5k on Thanksgiving to try to get some new 40+ PRs . Then figure out how to train going forward to take the next step up to get where I want to be.

Training 10/26-11/1/09

mon. 6miles real easy on trails around farm, hamstrings real sore
tues JA loop solo again real easy 50:10
wed off I felt like my body needed it today
thur track 3mi w/u 2 x 2miles w/400rest...11:09 (5:30,5:39) (3:30rest)
11:32(5:45,5:47)(3:00 rest) then 1mile with 200hard, 200easy (51)35(65)35(67)34(64)34...6:28 last mile. I tried to do the 200 easy under a minute but it was near impossible to recover.
fri 9.5 from home to farm to move tractor back...7:40/mi
sat off
sun 10.5mi After talking with Nate last sunday he had me do a tempo today of 8-10 miles at 90-100% marathon pace (6:30-6:53) After the 1st mile in 6:18 my legs were tight but I was running fast without much trouble so I decided to keep it up at that pace. I hit all splits faster than I have in the last 3 years and finished 7.5 in 46:42 (6:14/mi) over a very hilly loop. I have to check the loop again, it could be .1 off but still a very good effort. 3 miles easy c/d.
Total 43 miles
October 194 miles
year 2144.5

my goal next week is to rest and run real easy to have a great race at the NEXC Championships!