Log Cabin 10k...1/25-1/31

After checking in with Nate on my last few weeks he suggested I do a race to check my fitness. The only 10k I could find was the low key NMC Log cabin 10k in Fitchburg. I had done this race back in Feb of 1988(33:50) and I remember thinking it was short. I was glad to hear they had made the distance legit since then. It is all uphill for 3.1 then all down back. I started out comfortably fast with another guy for almost a mile, when he asked me which way the course went, and I knew he was about to put the hammer down. I then ran alone for the rest of the race trying to keep the guy in sight. I hit the turn in 18:20 and thought I was gaining on him but then he really picked it up and was gone. At the turn I noticed a very good Master runner Ted McMahon tracking me down. He had beaten me by a good 2 minutes last year at New Bedford. I was surprised to be ahead of him, and ran pretty hard back although I was starting to tighten up in the cold wind with shorts on. I ended up 2nd in 35:39 with a new 40+ PR, and I am pretty happy with the time considering my milage and running in the cold. I expect to be much faster by August for the Bridge of Flowers 10k.
Weekly Training
Mon 6 mi easy on treadmill
Tues am 6.2 mi JA 48:50 w/bob,brian
pm 6.5 with cooper easy
Wed 10.5 mi 7mi then 8x200 hill repeats 7:45/mi for the run
Thur 6.2 JA 46:40 w/bob, Mike
Fri 14mi 1 st 6 with cooper then 8 more at 7:45/mi
Sat 13.5 mi 6 with cooper then 7.5 more easy 8+/mi
Sun 17mi 6.5 mi w/u , log cabin race, then 4.5 w/d
Totals 80 mi Year 371 January=371(biggest month ever)

Training 1/18-1/24

Mon 10 mi mostly easy w/ 6x150 strides after snowplowing
Tues 6.5 mi easy w/cooper in the snow
Wed 0 day off, very tired from 3 days of snow plowing,removal
Thur 18mi , 10mi at 7:20/mi then 5x150 strides followed by 6.5 easy w/cooper
Fri 11 mi 7:45/mi
Sat 17mi Lydiard tempo day 3.5mi/wu, 3.5 wd, Hit the 1st mile in 5:45 a little too aggressive but ran the 9.8 loop in 58:31 (5:59) pace. I had to work a bit harder than last week with more clothing on, but was still 52 seconds faster than last week.
Sun am 15 mi 1st 10 at 7:50 pace, last 5 at 6:40
pm 6.5 mi with cooper easy
Total 84 miles Year=291 miles
I already have more miles this month than any other in over 20yrs with 1 week still to go. If we do not get snow this week I plan on pushing the limits some more!

Bigger,Better, Faster 1/11-1/17

Mon 10 mi from home 7:10/mi


Tues am 6.2 JA w/Bob,Brian 49:50


Pm 6.5 mi w/cooper(dog) slow


Wed 11.5 mi from home 8 mi at 7:15/mi then 6x200 hill repeats


Thur 13 mi 7:40/mi


Fri 10+ from home very slow 8:20/mi


Sat 17 mi Lydiard tempo day .3.5 miles easy warm up...then 10 tempo,Hit 1st mile in 5:55 and again struggled to slow down so I just kept going. Planned for 8 miles but felt so good I did 10mi at 6:07/mi. It is a pretty good feeling running PR type pace for a Tempo run, on a very hilly loop. I had a lot more in the tank and was fully recovered on downhills. I ran the 1st 8 mile loop over 2 minutes faster than I ever have. Ran 3.5 easy warm down.

Sun 16 miles 1st 6 w/cooper then 10 more at 7:45/mi

Total 90 miles Year 207

This is 2 of the best weeks I have had yet. The increased miles have not made me overly tired yet. I am hopeful I can still do more.

training 1/4-1/10/10 With a Rebel Yell...More more more

Mon 7.5 miles...treadmill after work all night

Tues am 8 mi...2 solo then JA w/Bob in 48:40

Pm 6 mi easy dragging the dog along

Wed 12 mi...Lydiard tempo day, objective 8mi at 6:50 pace. Hit 1st mi in 6:15 and could not seem to slow down Ran 8 in 51:05 (6:23/mi) . ran another 3.5 after. 1st fast run in a month and it felt real real easy.

Thur am 8.5 mi...2 solo then JA w/Bob in 49:30

Pm 4.5 mi easy with more Dog torture

Fri 9 mi real easy 8:20/mi

swim 520 yds, 1st time in the pool since last April

Sat 13 mi Ran 8 at 7:15/mi then did 8x150 strides followed with 3.5 c/d with the dog

Sun 16.5 mi, ran 3.5 with Rick then another 13 with the group easy

Total 84.5 miles 1 swim 520yd

This is my biggest week since Sept 9, 1990 , Most of my training partners think I am completely nuts but I could have run another 20 miles without any trouble. I feel great and hope I can have a whole winter of weeks like this!

4 weeks of training...climbing the milage ladder

Week of Dec 7 - 13 , 50 miles, 2 days off, long run 14, 1 set of strides
Week of Dec 14 -20 , 43 miles, 3 days off, long run 14, 2 sets of strides
Week of Dec 21 -27, 60 miles, 1 day off, long run 14, 1 set of strides
Week of Dec 28 - Jan3, 66 miles, 0 off, long run 12, 1 set of strides

I hope to keep an average of 70 per week for the next 3-4 months and see how high I can comfortably get my mileage.

2009 Totals 2492 miles 6.8/day 3rd highest year ever. 80 days off
Lifetime 23,957
4 months had the highest miles ever for them
January 256, February 261, March 264, June 215
14 races and 1 solo track time trial gave me 8 40+ pr's
5k Wayland 17:29
6K carlise 20:06
8k franklin park 28:57
5mi Slattery's 28:54
10k Doyle field track 37:32
12K Bedford 44:35
10 mi DHJones 1:01:45
13.1 New Bedford 1:19:18 also all time PR
I also won the USATF Masters Cross Country series making 2009 my best year so far as a master and I remained injury free for the whole year!
Looking for an even better 2010 starting in February at DH Jones

Mill Cities Relay, week ending 12/6/09

I traveled up to Nashua for the second year in a row to the 1st leg of the Mill Cities Relay, for the NMC. I was not sure I would be able to make the start of the race as the weather was calling for snow and I need to snowplow. My day began at 2 a.m. when the snow stopped and I could hopefully get my stops done in time to head up to Nashua. Luckily we had less than 2" of snow and I was able to reach Nashua in plenty of time, much to the relief of my teamates who were deciding which one of them was going to have to do 2 legs! I wasn't sure what to expect with 2hrs sleep, and my legs tend to cramp up after snowplowing. As the brick dropped for the start I started slowly and my legs felt supprisingly good.
I began passing people and picked off 10 or 12 runners during the 5.65 mile leg and finished 8th in 32:45, 1:20 faster than last year. Our Coed masters team ended up 3rd in our division...good enough for a brick.
I ran back to the start after and for the first time my hamstring wasn't sore at all after a hard effort. I am definately ready for more miles and rested and hungry to train again.

week of 11/30 - 12/6
mon 0
tues 6.2 JA w/bob and brian 48:10
wed o
thur 10 from home 7:30/mi
fri 0 (work)
sat 10 easy 8:00/mi
sun 13 mill cities 32:45 for 5.65, 8th pl
Total 39 miles year=2305

Ayer Firefighters 5k and Training?

Photo: warmer days on the farm!

The Ayer Firefighters 5k on Thanksgiving was the race I had been hoping to break 17 minutes on this year. I ran 17:27 last year and was in much better shape this year. I am in the last week of mostly resting and did not run since Slattery's on Sunday. My hamstring is starting to feel much better and after warming up with Jaime I though I was ready to pop one more 40+ PR this year. I lined up with Jaime and Andy McCarron, and the race seemed to go out pretty fast. I tried to keep Andy in sight for the first mile and looked at the clock at 1 mile and saw 4:40, and began to panic until I looked at my watch and

read 5:40 which was 20 seconds slower than last year. I then got passed by Jaime and a few young guys, and realized my attempt to break 17 was out the window. Jaime got 20 yards ahead and I tried to focus on running hard but relaxed and at 2 miles I had caught and passed Jaime again. I hit 2 miles in 11:25 and by the 3 mile turn I was trying to put as much distance on Jaime as possible as he still has 2 minute 800 speed. Luckily the finish is downhill and I was able to hold off Jaime and another 40+ guy for a close finish. I finished 9th behind Andy in 17:46. After talking with several people, the consensus was the course seemed longer this year. The race director mentioned during the Awards about it being 400 feet or so longer this year, adding several 90 degree turns. I have now reached the end of my fitness and I am looking forward to serious Base training and no important races until DH Jones in February.

Training Nov 23- 29
M-W 0
Thur 9 mi ayer 5k 17:46
1+ mi at home
fri 8 mi 7:30/mi
sat 8 mi 7:30/mi
Sun 10 mi 7:40/mi
Total 36 miles Year=2266