Weekly Log 28-Nov-11 to 4-Dec-11

Monday: Rest day. 
My legs thanked me for not running as I could feel it in my calves walking up five flights of stairs.

Tuesday:  11 miles
A beautiful warm morning.  My path out was 4 miles following the Pawcatuck River upstream via Watch Hill Road to Beach Street and eventually Margin and Main until reaching the new ice skating rink downtown that I have yet to try.  While I generally prefer quiet country roads, there is something neat about running downtown in the early morning before the people and traffic congregate. 
Continued out of downtown along High Street to Canal.  Followed much of the now defunct Knights of Columbus 5K route out and back through the North End.  This was usually a brisk November race followed by chowder indoors at the K of C hall.  Stopped at the Y to have a drink at the bubbler - are these still called bubblers, or am I dating myself?
A quick run through Wilcox Park, past the duck pond, gazebo, library, and fountain, before running along Elm Street, and then up the Wells Street hill past the hospital and finish line of another recently defunct race, the Healthy Harvest 5K.  Did this race end because of conflicts with the Misquamicut bi- and triathlons, or because people didn't like the unusual finish going up a steep hill?  Ended the run on the short Mastuxet Brook Greenway trail, part of the Westerly Land Trust.  7:15 pace.

Wednesday:  5 miles
Links Passage/Rockridge loop.  4 quick miles @ 6:32 pace, followed by a cooldown mile.  Balmy 52^o at 4:30AM.

Thursday:  3 miles
Three slow, cold miles in Misquamicut on this brisk first day of December.  Tired and dragging this morning; glad the weekend almost here.  Highlight was looking up at the amazing stars in the clear sky.

Friday:  6 miles
Took a vacation day.  Planned to catch up on sleep and then go out for a longer run.  My employer and IT brethren in India had a different idea, and thought my time would be better spent waking me up at 4AM to work on computer production problems for the next few hours on my day off.  Arggh!  I need a job where they pay me to run, organize road races, coach youth running, etc.
Managed a late afternoon run on deserted Atlantic Ave towards Weekapaug, took one of the public shoreline right-of-ways to the ocean.  Ran along the water's edge enjoying the sunset.  Had the entire beach to myself, except two hardy souls out walking with their dog who wanted to join me on my run.

Saturday:  16 miles
Another great long run with Muddy and Jonny.  Much of the run was on dirt roads in North Stonington, CT that I had never run on.  I was told there is just one small hill (or at least that's what I chose to hear), but Muddy's trail description integrity was called into question when this uphill climb dragged on for miles and we crossed above the tree line into a frozen tundra.  What, me, exaggerate?  Seriously, it was what I as a flat-lander would describe as hilly, but I need that and really enjoyed the run.

Sunday:  10 miles

Erica Canalway Trail

Morning:  Utica, NY, home of the famed Utica Boilermaker 15-K, where over 10,000 runners toe the line each summer.    Was at a family party the night before, and needed to run off the excesses of good food and drink.  Found "Utica Roadrunners" running club online, and was excited to see they have "Sunday morning breakfast runs" each Sunday at a different member's house and welcome out-of-towners, until I found they start at a rather late hour of 9AM.  Back on the Internet, I found the Erie Canalway Trail, a 13 mile section of paved and crushed stone pathway where the eventual goal is to have a contiguous pathway along the Mohawk River/Erie Canal from Buffalo to Albany (300+ miles).  The start of this section of trail was only about 1/10 of a mile from my hotel, so it was perfect for me.  I went out at sunrise and had the trail to myself.  It started out in a busy area from a marina, but quickly went past marshes and fields.  At one point, the trail crossed over an old canal lock and at another over an old train track.  There was ice on the sides of the trail in places, but I felt comfortable running in shorts so I guess the temperature was somewhere near freezing.  Stopped once to climb a small lookout tower overlooking a marsh with much fowl in the water.  Wished I had more time, but six miles was what I could fit in.

Afternoon:  Back in RI, I ran four miles at dusk with my son on a combination of roads and trails.  He sprinted past me in the last section home, and my tired legs didn't want to go any faster.  I hope he has that level of energy for next weekend's Christmas 10-K.

Weekly mileage total:  51 miles
Another 50+ mile week, back to back!  Really happy with the miles and how I feel.