Weekly Log 5-Dec-11 to 11-Dec-11

Monday:  Planned rest day

Tuesday:  14 miles
After a long day working in the concrete jungle of Beantown, this fun escapade was just what the doctor ordered.  Ran Atlantic Ave from Misquamicut to Weekapaug.  Mile 2 @ 5:54, Mile 4 @ 5:58, other miles slow.  I won't be able to sustain that pace for 10K on Sunday, but it was good to push it in bursts.  At the Weekapaug breachway bridge, paused and paid the workers a compliment on how the bridge was coming along.  Amazing what a compliment does; they thanked me for it and started chatting on the various work they've done and explained how it's slated to open next week - great news after almost 3 months of closure!
The run continued onto the beach:  4.9 miles from Weekapaug all the way to Watch Hill.  The tide was lower than running with Muddy & Jonny a few weeks back, so I could stay close to the waterline the whole way.  Miscued a wave coming close to me halfway into run, and my efforts to outrun it were futile as the wave swept over both my legs.  Considered quitting and turning around, but the weather was so warm in upper 50s and I was having so much fun I continued.  As I left the beach at Watch Hill for 4 miles of roads back to home, the rain that had started felt good in this unreal warm weather.

Wednesday:  goose egg
The alarm clock kept calling, but the warm and comfortable bed won over running this morning. L

Thursday:  double goose egg
Pounding rain and gale force winds at 4:30AM.  Not today.  Normally two days of back to back not running could set me into a depressing funk, but I'm still riding high energy over two back-to-back 50+ mile weeks, and should be backing off a little for Sunday's 10K anyway.

Friday:  5 miles
Easy run in the dark.

Saturday:  5 miles
Mixed roads and trails on a more seasonable run in the upper 30s.

Sunday:  9 miles

Christmas 10K Finish

Christmas 10K in Newport.  Clear, sunny day in mid-30s.  I lined up with my son about 10-15 rows back from the starting line.  We had a quick chat, wished each other luck, and the gun went off.  Between ice covering the road 1/4 mile in, and 100+ people in front of me, I was very surprised to see my first mile split was 6:03.  Not having run many 10Ks, I didn't know what pace to expect, but felt this was much too fast for me and backed off to a more comfortable 6:15 pace.  Miles 2 through 5 were along the ocean and absolutely beautiful.  Last year there was frigid seawater spraying up over us and a wicked headwind, but this year was enjoyable.  I passed someone at Mile 3, who saw my shirt (left) and struck up a conversation with me on Surftown Half, which is run on my home turf.  Finished in 38:29, good for 17th place, and 2 1/2 minutes off my PR!
Mile splits:  6:03, 6:15, 6:14, 6:15, 6:19, 6:21, 6:06 - 0.2 portion
Went immediately back onto the course to find my son, who out of 500 participants, was the youngest at age 12, and finished admirably.  Caught up with fellow runners Muddy and Jonny, who finished 6th and 10th overall.

Weekly mileage total:  33 miles
It's neat that 33 miles was actually a low mileage week, with the two weeks being 50+ miles.  Last race of the year coming up Sunday at Old Mountain Field, Wakefield.