Easy Gait

Mission accomplished. Good quality week of training with the most mileage put in with 21 days to go until race day. The schedule gets easier from here on out. 90 next week, then 60, then 50 and the race will be upon us. I do believe it is starting to come around as the volume or the workouts just don't seem to bother me all that much. They are just something I have to do rather than fire myself up for this huge effort. Hopefully the legs are under me and I will be ready to race hard.

Today was a long run in the ARWR with christy mae, mario, pete, and brad. It was cats and dogs and pretty cold for the end of march. In like a lion, out like a lion I guess.

Training Log

Monday 23
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 7.20 mi @ 51:43 (7:10 pace)
Training Run 6:00:00 PM - 7.00 mi @ 50:30 (7:12 pace)
Tuesday 24
Running Workout 12:00:00 AM - 6 x 1600 m - - 12.50 mi
Training Run 6:20:00 AM - 7.50 mi @ 54:14 (7:13 pace)
Training Run 11:45:00 AM - 5.20 mi @ 37:00 (7:06 pace)
Wednesday 25
Training Run 6:15:00 AM - 7.50 mi @ 54:14 (7:13 pace)
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 7.20 mi @ 51:40 (7:10 pace)
Thursday 26
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 7.20 mi @ 51:33 (7:09 pace)
Training Run 5:30:00 PM - 10.50 mi @ 1:03:54 (6:05 pace)
Friday 27
Training Run 6:50:00 AM - 7.00 mi @ 52:15 (7:27 pace)
Training Run 6:00:00 PM - 6.00 mi @ 39:00 (6:30 pace)
Saturday 28
Running Workout 8:00:00 AM - Marathon Pace Run - - 22.75 mi @ 2:18:38.00 (6:05 pace)
Sunday 29
Running Workout 8:30:00 AM - Long Run - - 13.50 mi @ 1:35:36.00 (7:04 pace)
TOTALS
Running: 121.05 mi

That's all I got.

Posted by Ryan at 1:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Out for my last significant piece of marathon work on the course today. Solo effort from 7 miles to 21. Originally was just going to be to 20 for 1/2 marathon effort but can't just stop at the bottom of heart break hill. I am philosophically opposed to such actions therefore up I went. Finished with 14 miles in 1:18:29 for an average of 5:38.5 pace. Not bad considering the head wind, solo effort, car/truck dodging that had to be done. My be aggressive mantra was almost the end of me at the 128 intersection with route 16 and the centre st/comm ave intersection. I was in a drivers way for about .5 seconds and that is obviously time he is never going to get back. Oh well, I guess the newtonites see this every weekend and get sick of it but it isn't like I was gallowalking through the intersection. There was a gap, and through it I went. A lot of angry drivers at 8:00 am on Saturday.

Warm-up to seven miles. 7-21 at pmp 5:35 pace.

Data:

1. 7.14
2. 7.06
3. 6.58
4. 7.06
5. 6.45
6. 7.09
7. 7.01 49:23 warm-up
8. 5:25 (oops, don't do that on race day)
9. 5.43
10. 5.39
11. 5.31
12. 5.35
13. 5.29
14. 5.33
15. 5.38
16. 5.34
17. 5.45 (Hill over 128 from newton lower falls)
18. 5.40 (Good tempo up first Comm. Ave. hill)
19. 5.41 (thought I brought it back to 5:35)
20. 5.46 (Centre st. Hill)
21. 5.55 2:08:22 (Heartbreak Hill)
22. 6.37
22.5 3.37 2:18:38

Solid work. There was a headwind the entire way.
Could have used some company on the hills for sure but the solo concentration probably helped for the inevitable lonely sections I will hit on Patriots day.

That's all I got.

Posted by Ryan at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Quality is the word for this week and next week. Starting tonight at Reggie Lewis with a solid 1600m workout indoors. Last workout of the season at Reggie Lewis.

6 x 1600m with 2:30 rest between. The plan was 2 @ 4.52, 2 @ 4.50, 2 @ 4.48.
Why do we make plans? So we can deviate from them.

Watch Data:

1. 4.49
2. 4.51
3. 4.48
4. 4.51
5. 4.47
6. 4.47

I had some help on 3 of the 6 with Mario and JeffPa diving in for the first 800m. Those felt a lot easier than the solo ones as always. Felt really smooth and controlled on the track and got in a good rhythm early to carry through the first 4. Only had to dig in for the last 2. Really had to focus on the last 600m of the last 1600m because it was starting drift a little. Regained concentration and finished strong so it was nice to catch that little lapse.

Good group at the track tonight. We had a big crew and GBTC was there so it almost seemed like a college track practice. A lot of groups doing different stuff. No rail on the inside was nice as well. Makes the track seem smaller for some odd reason.

Everything seems to be coming around.
Time for some pasta and roasted vegetables.

That's all I got.

Posted by Ryan at 9:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Another week of solid mileage. Nothing heroic but it was all of good quality with no real dawdling for any of it.

Yesterday was a workout in lincoln that I hoped would have gone a bit better on the second loop but the wind on the two up hill miles conspired against me.

2x Lincoln Tempo Loop with 5 minutes rest between.
1st at Marathon Pace, 2nd 20 seconds per mile faster

1st

1 5.33
2 5.42
3 5.33
.6 3.13
4.6 5.20
25.23
5.19 rest
2nd
1 5.11
2 5.28
3 5.25
.6 3.04
4.6 5.07
24:18

Felt pretty tired. Was hoping to get some help on the workout but no one was around. Could have used some urging the second loop. Fell asleep twice and had to snap myself out of it.

Here is this weeks mileage. One more week right around here and then I will start to come down.

Monday 16
Training Run 12:00:00 AM - 7.20 mi @ 53:35 (7:26 pace)
Training Run 6:00:00 PM - 4.50 mi @ 30:00 (6:40 pace)
Tuesday 17
Training Run 6:00:00 AM - 4.80 mi @ 33:10 (6:54 pace)
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 7.20 mi @ 51:29 (7:09 pace)
Wednesday 18
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 5.00 mi @ 36:12 (7:14 pace)
Running Workout 6:00:00 PM - 4 X 3200 - - 8.00 mi @ 41:10.00 (5:08 pace)
Thursday 19
Training Run 6:15:00 AM - 6.00 mi @ 42:03 (7:00 pace)
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 8.00 mi @ 55:55 (6:59 pace)
Friday 20
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 7.20 mi @ 52:02 (7:13 pace)
Training Run 5:20:00 PM - 7.00 mi @ 52:32 (7:30 pace)
Saturday 21
Running Workout 9:00:00 AM - Tempo Run - - 9.20 mi @ 49:41.00 (5:24 pace)
Training Run 6:00:00 PM - 7.00 mi @ 51:30 (7:21 pace)
Sunday 22
Running Workout 9:00:00 AM - Long Run - - 19.00 mi @ 2:12:17.00 (6:57 pace)
TOTALS
Running: 113.7 mi

This makes it 5 weeks in row at 100+. Not sure what that means but hopefully it means I am getting stronger and the marathon will be begging for mercy this year.

That's all I got.

Posted by Ryan at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What the hell? Seriously, what the hell is going on? Today, I worked a full 9.5 hour day, ran 5 at lunch with justin, and a did a workout. If I felt 1/3 this good saturday Gate would have gone soooooooo much better it is not even funny.

Tonight was 4 x 3200 meters with 90 seconds rest. Kevin made sure caution was used in the first two because of the weekend effort so the first two were cast in stone at 5:15 pace. I held to that to make sure I could at least finish the workout, and didn't even take a breath. 5:15 felt so easy and smooth it was scary. On saturday, 5:15 made my legs feel like they were going to spin off and I would die legless on the road if I kept it up. We even picked up the pace of the last two rather effortlessly. Tonight I just cruised along with the BAA crew for some, solo for others, Matt Ely carried some of the load, and we just finished it up driving at the end. I just don't know why it was so easy tonight and so hard Saturday. Must be the travel. Yeah yeah, that's it. Sitting on the plane tuckered me out. That is my excuse and I am sticking to it.

Here is the data from the watch:

1. 5.13 5.14 10.28 1.45
2. 5.12 5.16 10.28 1.33
3. 5.06 5.07 10.13 1.36
4. 5.03 4.58 10.01

Time for bed.
That's all I got.

Posted by Ryan at 10:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I just don't know. Just can not for the life of me figure out what in the hell happened down in Jacksonville this weekend. I used to travel so well for races. They used to be a big deal for me and I could always get up for them and post a good solid race no matter what the issue. This weekend was the complete opposite. I could have done a 2 x lake boon tempo in 5:15 pace by myself and saved a lot of money and embarrassment. The engine just would not fire. I spent two hours in the refuge today running around trying to figure out what in the world happened out there. I have been doing solid workouts (not setting the world on fire but nothing you would throw back in disgust), the mileage has been good, the legs have felt good, have not been sick, have not been working any more than usual. Just could not fire the engine. It is a very troublesome issue because this was my last tune up for Boston on the schedule and if the motor will not start on command, it could be another long day on 135 for me.

In hindsight, the whole trip was a mistake. We thought we would be able to travel on Thursday but could not get the Friday off. That put us in Jacksonville at 11:00 the night before the 8:30 race. That could explain running 5:05's instead of 5:00's but doesn't come close to the train wreck that was my Gate River 15k. The other thing was I thought it was going to be a team competition like the team competitions we have up here in New England for USATFNE. Not exactly. We did not have a chance against the guys who were putting teams together. When the team definition was defined as loosely as it was, you had people sponsored by different companies, not even registered to "teams" and just thrown together elites calling themselves teams. I think NBB came in last in the team competition. When all the planes were booked and hotels were settled the rules came out so it was a little late to pull out two weeks before the race and leave the team in the lurch. Needless to say, this was my last trip down to Jacksonville. The good news is Roland ran a blistering 15k with a 46:23 and is looking fit to tear up the track outdoors. I on the other hand just barely avoided being tracked down the first female.

I would post the data if it was so depressing. To put it in perspective:

On a perfectly flat course, in although a touch humid, 50 degree overcast weather, I ran 15k in 49:47. On a hilly mountainous course, in winter weather, with two miles of the course covered in ice and snow, I ran 52:40. I can't figure it out either.

Monday 9
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 8.10 mi @ 56:08 (6:55 pace)
Training Run 5:00:00 PM - 6.80 mi @ 46:35 (6:51 pace)
Tuesday 10
Training Run 12:00:00 PM - 5.20 mi @ 35:40 (6:51 pace)
Running Workout 6:00:00 PM - 1600 - 12 x 400 - - 11.00 mi
Wednesday 11
Training Run 6:15:00 AM - 8.10 mi @ 57:36 (7:06 pace)
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 9.20 mi @ 1:05:13 (7:05 pace)
Thursday 12
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 8.50 mi @ 58:11 (6:50 pace)
Training Run 5:45:00 PM - 6.80 mi @ 47:12 (6:56 pace)
Friday 13
Training Run 6:15:00 AM - 7.20 mi @ 51:24 (7:08 pace)
Training Run 2:30:00 PM - 3.20 mi @ 23:14 (7:15 pace)
Saturday 14
Running Competition 8:30:00 AM - Gate River 15k (Road Race) 15K Road Race @ 49:47.00 (5:20 pace) Place: 60
Sunday 15
Running Workout 2:30:00 PM - Long Run - - 17.10 mi @ 2:00:02.00 (7:01 pace)
TOTALS
Running: 106.53 mi

The good news is the trails are clearing so at least no one will see how friggin slow I am running anymore.

That's all I got.

Posted by Ryan at 8:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This was supposed to be a 125 mile week. Every day that I was scheduled to do the longer type days to get me there, I felt something a little off. Sore left achilles, tight right knee, or tight posterior tib. My hamstring hurt after Wednesdays workout but went away on the nights shakeout. Nothing really you could classify as pain or an injury but enough to think that pushing it would be dumb. So another 110 mile week. If things are calmer this week I will try to bump it up a bit but I do not want to get injured so it will be a play as you go week.

The good news is Christy and I got on the course again yesterday. Ran Beacon from Cleveland circle to 16, 16 to comm ave, worked all the hills to mile 24, turned around and cooled down back to the cars and the NBB workout.

No Missed workouts, no missed runs, but 4 of the runs were chopped off from scheduled distance.

You can examine the data for yourself and make up your own mind.
Here it is:

Monday 2
Training Run 11:00:00 AM - 7.30 mi @ 50:00 (6:50 pace)
Training Run 6:00:00 PM - 6.50 mi @ 48:34 (7:28 pace)
Tuesday 3
Training Run 12:00:00 AM - 7.40 mi @ 52:34 (7:06 pace)
Training Run 5:30:00 PM - 6.40 mi @ 44:22 (6:55 pace)
Wednesday 4
Training Run 10:25:00 AM - 11.00 mi @ 1:08:18 (6:12 pace)
Training Run 5:30:00 PM - 7.00 mi @ 49:24 (7:03 pace)
Thursday 5
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 8.50 mi @ 59:45 (7:01 pace)
Training Run 5:30:00 PM - 6.50 mi @ 46 (07 pace)
Friday 6
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 8.50 mi @ 58:49 (6:55 pace)
Training Run 4:30:00 PM - 6.50 mi @ 45:46 (7:02 pace)
Saturday 7
Running Workout 7:30:00 AM - Squires Run - - 18.00 mi @ 1:56:00.00 (6:26 pace)
Sunday 8
Running Workout 9:30:00 AM - Long Run - - 13.00 mi @ 1:30:38.00 (6:58 pace)
Training Run 5:30:00 PM - 5.10 mi @ 34:04 (6:40 pace)
TOTALS
Running: 111.7 mi

Big weekend coming up as we are sending a team down to Florida for Saturdays Gate River Run in JaXonville which is the 15k national championships. Been speaking with the race director the past week and field is going to be extremely strong. Be good to see how my fitness stacks up against some of the best distance runners in the country. Should be interesting. An no taper at all for this one so it will be done on all strength. Boston is the goal and we will stay focused on that.

That's all I got.

Posted by Ryan at 8:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In like a lion.

March 1st of 2009 brings 22 degrees and a nice little snow storm to the New England region for the exact time of the Stu's 30k in our old hometown of Clinton, MA. I love the races CMS and Kevin put on but it would be nice to get good weather for just one of them. Every time I head to central mass for a race it snows, rains, locust infestation, plague, or worse. I do not require sunny skies and 70 degrees but any weather not rated "biblical" would be nice.

I was looking to run 5:50 to 6:00 minute pace but I fell into a 5:46 pace for most of it and that is what I ended up averaging. I was just going to keep it easy and smooth the whole way. I don't believe my legs were torn up at all which was the goal going into the race. Another nice benefit of this race was the sweet prize package courtesy of PR Running. If you need any running related equipment at all stop on in and ask for my main man Mario (who was in a battle with Double J up in Lawerence this morning) and he will hook you up with what ever you need. Today's pull was a nice Timex running watch that has a transmitter and an ipod receiver I can plug into an Ipod (that I don't have) which allows the timex to control track, volume, and stop/start functions. I assume if you own an Ipod and run with one this would be very handy especially in winter when you don't want to take your gloves off to fumble with a touch screen to skip "Endless love" on your playlist and get to "You're gonna go far kid." One of these days I am going to invest in one of them new fangled electronic digital music machines. The haul also included the traditional Stu's sweatshirt with a nice logo designed by the female winner Kim Duclos, a sweet pair of Wrightsock socks and a free 1/2 hour massage. Nice little prize package which I appreciate.

Snowing hard and gusting winds. Just horrible conditions for any sort of pacing or comfort. Ran with a Greater Boston guy for the first 6 miles nice and controlled but I think he had some IT band issues and had to abandon. From there on out I was all alone for the, cold, snowy, windy, remaining 12.6 miles. Did I mention it was cold, snowy, and windy?
Soaked through my shirt and gloves right around 14 miles and it got very uncomfortable. Hamstrings extremely tight at 16 due to shorts and tights getting soaked through there. Same split problems as last year. You would think I would learn the mile markers myself by now but that would be too easy.

1 5.30
2 6.12 11:42
5K 6.28 18:11
4 5.03 23:14
5 5.26 28:40
10K 7.02 35:42
6 4.22 40:05
7 missed
15k 13.27 53:32
10 3.48 57:21
11 5.44 1:03:05
12 5.40 1:08:45
20K 6.14 1:14:59
14 5.24 1:20:23
16 12.07 1:32:31
17 5.27 1:37:59
18 6.44 1:44:44
18.6 3.15 1:47:51

Monday 23
Training Run 5:15:00 AM - 6.00 mi
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 7.40 mi @ 54:11 (7:19 pace)
Tuesday 24
Training Run 6:00:00 AM - 8.00 mi @ 54:32 (6:49 pace)
Training Run 6:00:00 PM - 8.50 mi @ 58:24 (6:52 pace)
Wednesday 25
Training Run 6:00:00 AM - 5.20 mi @ 35:12 (6:46 pace)
Running Workout 6:30:00 PM - 2K-3K-5K-3K-2K - - 9.30 mi @ 48:56.00 (5:15 pace)
Thursday 26
Training Run 6:00:00 AM - 6.50 mi @ 45:00 (6:55 pace)
Training Run 12:00:00 PM - 7.20 mi @ 49:24 (6:51 pace)
Friday 27
Training Run 11:30:00 AM - 7.64 mi @ 52:39 (6:53 pace)
Training Run 4:45:00 PM - 5.10 mi @ 36:08 (7:05 pace)
Saturday 28
Training Run 9:00:00 AM - 6.50 mi @ 44:48 (6:53 pace)
Training Run 4:00:00 PM - 6.55 mi @ 45:08 (6:53 pace)
Sunday 1
Training Run 10:30:00 AM - 5.00 mi
Running Competition 11:00:00 AM - Stu's 30K (Road Race) 30K Road Race @ 1:47:51.00 (5:46 pace) Place: 1
TOTALS
Running: 113.75 mi

Good week of training. 5 more to go until the taper begins. No injuries or illness to date. Let's try to keep it that way.

That's all I got.

Posted by Ryan at 10:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)