Monday, March 22, 2010

Week ending 3/21, Stinker in New Bedford

Well another race I could not wait to get to all winter, the New Bedford Half Marathon. After just 2 miles, I couldn't wait to get home. Last year I ran my 1st Half Marathon here and did fairly well (1:19:18) and was really looking forward to running sub 6 for the whole thing this year. I woke up with a slightly sore throat and some congestion, but didn't think it would be a big deal, the course is flat and you don't max out up any hills. After the 2 mile mark (11:56) I was already off last year by 30 seconds and starting to lose people fast and furious. I could not take a deep breath and my legs felt tight and sore. I thought hard about just stopping but wasn't quite sure how many Masters runners we had in the race, so I jogged on to the finish while being passed by roughly 300 people. I am not too concerned because I know I am in better shape than last year, although I have been in a funk since mid february. I am a little worried that this congestion may be from my allergies that I have seem to developed late in life. (a farmer with allergies is not good) I usually struggle with them in April, and this seems a little early. I hope they are not getting worse and I can find some meds that work to help me when I am running.
Mon 2 miles , spent most of the day watching the farm's epic flood
Tues 6.2 JA loop easy 48:30
Wed 7.5 Doyle field, 2.5 w/u then 3 hard on the track 17:25 last 200 in 35, 2 w/d , felt a little stiff and akward.
Thur am 6 JA easy
pm 6 miles to move tractor
Fri 3.5 easy
Sat 7.5 mi to move tractor, then probably 2 miles sprinting up and down my street, teaching my daughter to ride a bike. Her expression when she finally got it, was awesome. It was one of those moments in life that make me thankful to be a dad!
Sun 16+ , 3 mi w/u, New Bedford stinker in 1:31:45, no need to warm down.
Total 55 miles Year = 770.5

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

week ending 3/14, Lost in the Flood

Mon 11 mi Ran to pick up my Loader and stopped at Doyle Field for the 1st time this year. Lane 1 was the only one fully clear of snow. Did 2 miles on the track with 6x150 strides and last quater in 74.
Tues 6.2 JA loop 47:30 with grp
Wed 15+, goal 4x 2mile w/3:00 rest at Half marathon pace. Felt like crap 4 mile w/u then 11:47(3:00)11:45(2:56)11:54, really was not feeling great today but was suprised to be 48 seconds faster than last July when I did the same workout, 2.5 w/d
Thur am 6.2 JA loop 42:56. fastest we have ever run this as a group (I have done 41:26 solo)
PM 6.5 easy with cooper
Fri 6 treadmill home sick with my daughter, both with head colds
Sat 12.5 in cold cold rain, coughing up technicolor spitballs along the way
Sun 6.5 could not do any more in the cold miserable rain
Total 69 miles year=715.5
I had some great pictures of the biggest flood to hit our farm since 1987, but the bonehead that I am, I forgot to put the memory card in the camera!

Friday, March 12, 2010

Week ending 3/7, Shreading like an old man

Mon 3/1, 10.5 pretty sore from Dh Jones

Tues am 6.2 JA loop with group 49:00

pm 6.5 slow with cooper

Wed 13 mi at 7:30 pace

Thur 6.5 easy with cooper before heading to Okemo mnt for my annual snowboard wknd with my friends and old teammates at WVU

Fri 9+

Ran 2 with My friend Tom Dion (former Falmouth High standout) he bagged out after 2 as we were both way hung over from too many beers. I looked up the mountain and decided to do what any CMS runner worth his salt would do...run the fucker! I picked though every road I could find for about 3 painful miles until I could no longer see anymore houses up the hill. Some of the roads were so steep I could not believe cars can drive them in winter! The run back down was even more tricky as my legs were really beat. Had a tough time on the snowboard after as my legs were shot!

Sat 4 +

Ran 2 miles with Tom and my friends Paul and Cory. There was a time when I was the one who did the token 2 miles on these trips, it seems strange now to be the only one running these days. My friends Tom and Paul have both had serious surgery on ankles, Achilles or knees, and I am thankful, although much slower than them, to have never needed to go under the knife to keep running. Spent the rest of the day struggling on the snowboard again trying desperately to keep the guys in sight down the mnt.

SUN 2.5 very early with Tom before his flight back home. Shins very sore from Snowboarding

Total 52 miles( getting back up but still no workouts this week)

year = 646.5

Monday, March 1, 2010

DH Jones week ending 2/28

Mon 8 easy, foot stiff

Tues 6 easy foot better

Wed off snow plow

Thur 6.2 JA loop 47:10 foot much better

Fri 4.5 with 3 strides

Sat off

Sun 16+, 3.5 wu/race 1:00:52/ 3 wd, splits(5:33,5:27,6:15,6:15,6:15,6:05,5:50,6:05,6:30,6:37)

Total 41 miles year=594.5 Feb = 223.5

The DH Jones 10 mile was a race I have been looking forward to for several months. I really thought the way my Tempo's have been going, I would be Taking down my 10 mile PR Today. After just 4 miles I realized this was not going to be my day. I seem to struggle with any distance over 10k. As the distance of the race increases, my times seem to really slide downward. I am not sure if it is my lack of running longer races; this is only the 7th or 8th 10 miler I have ever run, I have only done one half marathon that didn't include a triathlon, and 7 Marathons, although I have yet to fully run the whole thing. I am sure the answer lies somewhere between my ears because I could not have trained harder than I did for this. I have to marvel at guys like Dan Verrington, Reno Stirrat, John Barbor, Norm Larson. No matter the distance, age, time of year they are consistantly at the top of the results. I guess that is what separates great runners from guys like me who struggle to be average.

On the bright side CMS had a great showing, 2nd in the open div, and 1st in the Masters division. It is going to be a great battle for 1st with Wirlaway this year. In the end I did run a 40+ PR by 53 seconds and I averted an injury disaster by taking the last 2 weeks mostly off. I can now look forward to training hard again, keeping the faith in my plan of high miles, and well maybe I can talk my wife into heading to Newburyport in July to bag my 10 mile PR!