Weekly Log 11-Mar to 17-Mar-2013

Monday:  0
A little sore still after yesterday's half.  Gave the legs a rest and the foot another RICE treatment.

Tuesday:  7
Champlin trails in the pouring rain.  Wind was much less in the woods, but not any drier.  As usual, the worst part was the short road distance home.  Arrived home soaked to the skin, dripping on the floor, and cold and raw.  Did I regret my run? - no way, good real life experience.

Wednesday: 5
Cathartic run after a stressful workday trying to put out fires while shoveling multiple streams of bureaucratic sludge uphill against the tide.  I really needed a run ...
First, I thought of going to the Town Forest, one of my favorite places, but I was going to need something to push me to work harder, so I took a page from the Galoob playbook and ran a 5-mile progression run: 7:31, 6:41, 6:36, 6:28, 5:54.  Mostly quiet streets, except leaving and re-entering downtown.  Relaxed in the Y sauna, and the world is now a better place for the day.  Keep up the running, friends - I know it makes me a happier and healthier person.

Thursday:  6
My earliest "group" run ever.  Some nut case showed up at my house at 4:30AM looking for a run.  Not wanting to let FiveK down, we went out for an honest 6-miler (average 6:45 pace) through Chin Hill, out to the Westerly Hospital, up the Wells St hill where we reminisced about the defunct "Healthy Harvest 5K" race, and East Ave to backroads through Rotary Park and home.
Googled the race and found in 2006, Tom won in it 16:31 and I came in 6th in a distant 18:55, but I had no idea who this guy was back then.  We both have busy meeting-filled days ahead of us today, so I'm glad we were able to get together and hammer this one out to start the day.

Friday:  3
The mileage alone doesn't reflect it, but good steep hill climb workout with exhilarating views.

Mike C and the rock trail he took me on today.  Check out that boulder just
behind him - we were headed up over that next.

Don't know my birds the way Jonny does, but I thought this hawk gliding
over Lantern Hill was cool.  He(?) was perched a few feet from us on
a ledge until we arrived at top.

Wish I had had more time to explore some of the Narragansett Trail that Mike maintains in that neck of the woods, but that will have to be for another day.

Saturday:  4
Springfield, MA.  During a respite between Mark's events at YMCA New England swim championships, got antsy and went out for a short run.  Tom warned me ahead of time about some less than desirable sections, and I think I might have gotten close to some but overall a decent loop around a lake.

Sunday:  22!
Loop 1 (10.5 miles):  Started off solo in the dark at 27 degrees.  Tough getting motivated.  Ran the Y to North Stonington loop.  Brief trail detour into the Flora Whitely Preserve, before crossing into Hopkinton on Laurel, and up into Muddy territory.  Into CT via Anthony Road, and back to Westerly on Boombridge.  Was trying to maintain about a 7:30 LSD pace here, varied depending on hills.
Loop 2 (11.5 miles):  A few minute break at the Y for a planned meet-up with FiveK and getting some water and GU, and we're off again.  Headed south this time, along the Pawcatuck River on the CT side, out to the end of River Road, and wound back along Greenhaven.  Ran this section about 7:00 pace or just slightly under.  We then took a short but nice detour through trails in part of Barn Island Preserve, and we really hit the ground running when we got back on the roads for the last few miles:  miles 20, 21, 22 splits from my watch:  6:33, 6:33, 6:23. [2:37:20]
Was really glad that Tom came along to help push me on the 2nd half of my run, and glad to see him running injury free at present.  Quickly downed a bottle of Gatorade he provided, and then we were off for our next activity:  swimming a few hundred yards at the Y pool.  He's a faster swimmer than he lets on, and any stroke/form improvement will only make him faster at Block Island.  Looking forward to spring and summer!

Weekly mileage total:  47

Weekly recap:  A slight decline in mileage this week, mostly due to traveling time constraints Fri and Sat, but still got some good runs in, including a few with running friends.  We're four weeks out from Boston at this point, so I'll be looking for a lot of road miles again this coming week before I start my taper.