Wet, Rainy, Icy...Beautiful.

Sunday's weather was not looking so great, but as usual, when you finally got out there, it wasn't too bad. It did make it a bit more challenging, but when we made it onto the trail, the footing was better. I started off with my regular 5 mile loop before meeting the Sunday group at 9.  The roads were pretty slick in spots, and George St and North Lincoln were especially tough.  It wasn't as cold as I had thought it would be, but the rain and sleet were starting to come down a little harder. Back at Brewbakers, I was able to persuade the group to hit the rail trail in order to stay off the roads as much as possible. Nick and I started out, and were soon joined by Jeff. I think we were all thinking of doing about 10 miles, but on the way up towards the dump, it was going so well that we all decided to keep going to the bridge.  The trees gave us a little shelter from the elements, the footing was good, and the conversation helped the miles go by easy.  On the way back we ran past Boj and Goupil looking strong. I stopped to say hi to Beth and Andy later on, and Jeff decided he would make me pay to try to catch back up with them.  The last 1/2 mile or so, past The Colony Mill, was the most brutal part.  I had decided to try to kick it up at the end, and it was like running with a parachute thru freezing sprinklers.  I was running about as hard as I could and I seemed to be hardly moving. I don't know what it is, but sometimes once you make the decision to head out, the worse things get the more fun it becomes.
All in all, it was a good week for me, and feel like I am in a good place to start training.
Here are the week's totals.

MONDAY : 3 mi @ gym, light workout
TUESDAY : 9 mi
WEDNESDAY : 8 mi w/ track workout
THURSDAY : 2 mi w/ Frankie, 3 mi@ gym & Nautilus

FRIDAY : 5 mi FART (8 runners, 1 in a stroller)
SATURDAY:
SUNDAY : 18 mi

TOTAL : 48 mi 

Next week, about the same, with the start of the Run Less, Run Faster Training Schedule.  Track, Tempo and Long Runs will be hard. 

Wednesday Workout, My Own Wagon Train

Well, I sort of felt like Cleavon Little's character on the wagon train in Blazing Saddles,

"-Well, back in ’56, my folks and I were part of this long wagon train movin’ West. Well, not exactly part of it. You might say we was bringin’ up the rear when suddenly, from out of the West came the entire Sioux nation. And let me tell you baby, they was open for business."

While everyone else was running in a pack, I was left to my own devices, and I had a pretty good workout. Things almost never seem to go as planned, and while I had wanted to do 6 x 800, I felt kinda wiped out in the middle of the second rep. Since I didn't need to convince anyone else to change but me, on the fly I went with 4 x 800/400. I kept all the rests to about 1:20, and that gave me a bit of a chance to fully recover after the 4s. My times were good and consistent for me, and I felt strong most of the way thru. I had wanted to keep all my 800s under 3:00, and I was close. It just gives me something to shoot for next time.

Here are the results:
2:56 / 1:26 / 2:59 / 1:28
3:02 / 1:24 / 3:00 / 1:23

Keeping with the movie theme, we'll call the 17 M titles No Country For Old Men, as the two oldest (Clint and Me) took the surprise crowns. It seemed like no one really wanted the first one, or at least no one was willing to make a break too soon. I felt a nudge in my back from Goupil, "Now. Go now!" he whispered. And while Justin and Greg were eyeing each others every twitch, I took off. I know Justin had a tough week, so maybe I didn't take him at his best. Plus when he turned and saw it was me, not Goupil making the move, I could see the instant calculations going on in his head that if he took me down he would look like the Grinch in Whoville. But hey, a win is a win. The second title was a much more competitive event, with all the big guns firing. A couple of fake kicks got everyones pace moving, when all of a sudden Clint busts out, determined not to be caught. Greg made a valiant effort towards the end, but it was Clint at the tape.
Armadillos was a lot of fun afterwards, and it was great to see Mark doing so well and in such good spirits after his accident. Plus, I think Boj Nick Cashed everyone at the table. Just for him, here's the link to the deer audio clip. Warning, not suitable for young children, which most of us are, so it's perfect. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBa0blUoE8U&feature=related

Not Dark Yet, But it's Gettin' There

I got a little bit of an earlier start on the rail trail today, but it was still pitch dark for the last 2 miles or so. It was a little cold, and the wind in town was strong, but protected by the trees, the trail was great. It was frozen solid though, and the ruts made the footing dicey in spots. I was able to run fairly well up to the dump, but the darkness really slowed me down on the way back. When I usually have about a 1 min/mile difference, today it was almost exactly the same. 37 up, 36 down. It sure feels good to still be out on the trails. Even with the slower times, I know the uneven footing makes me a stronger runner. Plus it's great to be out in the woods.

Mmmm... Hot Chocolate. Damn...20:04

The Hot Chocolate Run in Northampton was a lot of fun, but I was hoping to break 20 minutes, and I just missed. The course was kinda hard, with a hill right at the start, and then a bit of a grade for the first mile. The middle mile was good, and I picked up a little ground, but then there was a hill with a head wind at the start of mile 3. I cruised after the hill for most of the last mile, and I felt pretty good, but then we made the turn for the finish onto the hill from the start, and it was a little to steep for me to let it fly down. All in all I felt good about the race, but I would have liked to been under 20. Something to shoot for next time. And it should be noted that this was the first official race for team FART. It was good to see the team affiliation on Cool Running. Andy came in 4th. I don't think CMS has anything to worry about with FART.
It was a good week besides the race. I got in my best mileage since Boston, and nothing hurts. Roma and I have been trying to get out early in the morning for a few miles to tucker out her new puppy. They aren't the fastest miles I do, but hey, it got me over 40. Plus we have been hitting the gym a couple of nights each week. The Y in Greenfield just got a new 10 person jacuzzi, and it opens tomorrow. More incentive to cross train.

Here's last weeks totals:
MONDAY :
TUESDAY : 9 mi
WEDNESDAY : 8 mi, w/ track workout
THURSDAY : 2 mi, in huraches w/Roma & Frankie
FRIDAY : 7 mi, w/ light gym workout
SATURDAY:2 mi am w/Roma & Frankie,5.5 mi pm
SUNDAY : 12 mi, w/ 5K (20:04)

TOTAL : 45.5 mi
Last Week : 37 mi
Next Week Goal ; 40-45 mi / 3 gym work outs / 6 X 800 <3:00 at track

Wednesday Workout

It was cold, windy and rainy at the track, but there was still a good turn out, and I was glad to be out there. I didn't really have a plan as to what I was going to do, but I thought just some 4's and 2's would be good because of the wind. Turning the corner to the home stretch was killer, like running into a wall of pelting rain. I kept my recovery times short, in order to maximize such a short workout, about 45 sec for the 400s, and 30 sec for the 200s. I ended up doing 4 X 400, 4 X200, then 2 more of each. 3600 m of speed work on such a miserable day was easily as good psychologically as it was physically.

Here are the results
400s
1:27 / 1:28 / 1:26 / 1:24
200s
38 /39 /36 / 39 (wind aided, fast one was trying to keep pace with Wilson Perez)
400s
1:27 /1:27
200s
39 / 37

It was a dark and stormy night, when out of the inky shadows (implied Click & Clack).... Goupil cruises to his first 17M title of the fall/winter season. I was hoping for a shot at the second round, but with the rain and darkness, it made conditions too difficult for me to see the mark. Plus, it seems as though someone moved a mailbox into the running lane to slow down any unsuspecting runners(me). My specs were so fogged and wet that I couldn't even tell who took the title. Any help?
Again, Armadillo's was act@&**y a good time as usual.

Run To The Dump In The Dark

I got a late start on my run Tuesday, and I ended up running up to the dump and back in almost total darkness. Not quite epic by Boj's standards, but challenging. It was obviously a bit slower than I had wanted to run, but it is sure a great way to stay focused. I even found it a little addicting. Even though I know if I run on trails in the dark too often I am almost certain to get hurt, it was compelling and almost hypnotic.
I had a fairly good week of running. Nothing too crazy, but nothing hurts, so that is good. I feel like I am just getting my base together, with a little bit of speed and tempo stuff thrown in, and in 2 weeks start some more sustained and serious training.

Here are the weekly totals:

MONDAY :
TUESDAY : 5 mi w/ core workout
WEDNESDAY : 4 mi, at the gym
THURSDAY : 9mi, w/4.5mi race(29:15)
FRIDAY : 4mi, at gym & workout
SATURDAY :
SUNDAY : 15 mi

TOTAL : 37 mi
LAST WEEK : 38 mi

Cranberry Run

It turned out to be a really nice morning for the Cranberry run. It was a little chilly, but fine in shorts after warming up. I showed up early with a few pots of coffee, and saw Justin and George getting ready to warm up, so I tagged along. It was a short and fast warmup for me, with a hill added to get the blood pumping, but I felt good afterwards. I met Michael and Jeff Petrovitch for their first races ever. It was a great turn out, and quite crowded at the start. I felt good as the gun went off, no pains to speak of. Within about 200 yards or so, I was running next to Ockle Johnson. He and I are pretty evenly matched, and we ran together for the first mile or two, until about North Lincoln street. I felt good, and was cruising, pushing it a little for me. I passed a few runners in the next mile, and turned on to the bike path only to see what looked like the same kid from last year, who I had passed at just about the same spot. He's 12, from St. Joe's, and he runs with what looks like an effortless style. I had been running stride for stride since Rule street with what turned out to be the 2nd place woman, and we were making a little ground on the kid. But I gotta tell you, it's a little disheartening to be chasing a 12 year old for a mile and a half and hardly make up any ground. Up Washington Street, and I started to feel like I was running out of gas a bit, but not the kid. He ended up beating me by about 10 seconds. My time was 29:14, about 15 seconds faster than last year, so I guess I gotta be thankful for that. But it sure would have been nice to pass that kid. I turned around at the finish, and Ockle came in right behind me.
Jeff and Michael were gunning for Newt, with Jeff talking it up for a few days. But this time it was the seasoned veteran taking it to the young upstarts, beating the two of them soundly by between 2-4 minutes. It was great to see both of them out there, and they are both enthusiastic to run more consistently.
I didn't do much of a cool down, and then I headed back to Brewbakers for some coffee with a few runners and anyone else who happened in. It was a very nice way to relax after the race, and a way to say thanks to a few of the people who inspire me in so many different ways. I hope everyone out there, runners and others, had a great Thanksgiving.
And Happy Birthday, Michael.

Saturday & Sunday Runs

A good run on the Rail Trail on Saturday, up to the dump. The first 2 miles or so are always just a warm up, then it's a good 2 1/2 miles past Hurricane. The light was just starting to fade, but I was feeling good. I cruised up in 37:30, about a 8:05 pace. Certainly not blistering, but it felt steady with the slight incline. I took just a short break to watch the sky over the dump, always something of a spiritual moment, and headed back to see if I could make it back in 1:10 total. I felt as good as I have in a long time, and really tried to push it the last mile or so. I ended up at 1:10:15, so it was 32:45 for the return trip, about 7:05. Again, not blistering, but good for me right now. I would like to see if I can get the route down to 1 hour, 33 up, 27 back. I only need to drop a minute per mile. Doable by spring if all goes well.

On Sunday I was tired, both from the previous afternoon, and last night I helped install benches in the cafe till about midnight. Spent the night on the couch, then woke up at 6:30 when the morning person came into work. Newt showed up at 8:00, and he and I went out to do the Cranberry Run course before the usual Sunday group showed up. The group headed up to the waterfall off Old Concord Road, and it was a nice, easy pace for about 6 miles or so.

I am looking forward to the Cranberry Run on Thursday. And to anyone who is reading this, if you want coffee after the race, stop on by. We will be closed, but I know there will be a few coming by after the race, and the more the merrier. It's on me. There may even be a few day old muffins. Just in case you need a few extra calories on Thanksgiving.

Week Totals for Nov.15 thru Nov.21
MONDAY :
TUESDAY : 5.5 mi.
WEDNESDAY : 8 mi. w/workout
THURSDAY : 3 mi. Plus short gym workout.
FRIDAY : Dylan in Amherst (gotta count as a cross training day)
SATURDAY : 9.5 mi.
SUNDAY : 12 mi.

TOTAL : 38.0 mi.

Wednesday Workout, Twins Take 17M Titles

Well, it seemed like no one else was too satisfied with their workout, but I finally felt like I was turning the corner on the nagging injuries of the last 2 months or so. This was the first actual pain free workout for me since Pisgah. It wasn't too hard, but it felt good to run fast and not worry about pulling anything. I didn't have any plans when we met, but Glenn was doing 200s, so that sounded good to me. I ended up doing 6, then some 400s and then a few more 200s. Andy was doing mile repeats, and I was almost able to keep up with him for is 1st and 3rd lap. The wind was really picking up, and the back stretch was hard enough doing it just once for a 400, so it must have been draining to do it 4 times. He is such a strong runner that it made trying to keep pace with him like running with a metronome.

Here are the results:

6 X 200
39/41/38/39/39/39
4 X 400
1:25/1:24/1:26/1:26
2 X 200
37/38

As expected, Greg was a winner in the 17M contest, but who could have foreseen the first underhanded tactic being taken by his twin (evil twin?). Boj I could understand, but his own brother? Glenn started off early, saying he didn't want to get 'cold'. I think this must be a strategy Greg has seen before, because he didn't want to wait around for any stragglers. At 3:29, "Where's Fyffe and Andy? I dunno, let's just go." He seemed a little too impatient. But by then Glenn had already built too much of a lead. Round two was Greg's chance for redemption, even with a change in course because of darkness. "Do you want me in front? I have a reflective vest on." Seemed like a good natured offer for group safety. Nothing is as it seems. The twins are crafty.
We met afterwards for refreshments, and certainly Armadillo's is, as a matter fact, generally quite fun indeed. It is unquestionably the de facto spot for post run meal and conversation. Really.

Wednesday Workout, and A New Running Group

The Wednesday Workout went a little better this week than last week. It was the first time in a while that I haven't had much pain either in my calf or ribs. Still a bit of tightness, and I didn't feel like I could run all out, but I was able to put in an ok workout, even if it was still a short one. At the start I had planned to do 8 X 400, but on the 7th I could feel some tightness, so I did 4 X 200 to finish up. I kept the rest intervals to about 1/2 time of the previous effort. The shorter reps were a good way to keep it a little loose, while not putting too much of a strain on my calf.
The warm up and cool down went well, even with Greg taking the 17M title for both. He's a tough competitor, and you can tell he's focused when all banter stops with 20-30 yards to go. Even the subtlest maneuver is countered quickly, leaving little chance for a surprise kick. More sophisticated or underhanded tactics may be necessary.

The results were:
400's
1:26 / 1:28 / 1:27 / 1:29 / 1:27 / 1:28
200's
43 / 42 / 41 / 42

A new running group is forming at Brewbakers. Friday Afternoon Running Team, or FART. So far it is just me and a few of the Brewbakers employees, but all are welcome. Distances will be padded and times will be abridged (the Randy System) in order to make it to Happy Hour at one of the local watering holes. Starting time is 3:00. Hope to see lots of running/beer enthusiasts in the coming weeks.