Summer has officially arrived! That also means I've changed the blog header pics, and my usual challenge goes out to see who can identify all the race locations first. Happy summer!
Monday: 0
Head timer duties at Hershey Track Meet at CHS. Matthew took a 1st in both 800 (2:30) and 1600 (5:34) and advances to the state level.
Tuesday:
6 miles. Stonington Fun Runs week #4. Warm-up with Matthew and Mike B. During the run, I spotted a "Smuttynose" shirt, and as this is a marathon I'm considering, I ran with the guy and peppered him with questions. By then Mike B was long gone ahead and I hoofed to catch up with him. 6:43 / 6:37 / 5:58, 20:02 overall.
Wednesday:
6 miles. Pretty pathetic pace and distance, but the purpose was to spray-paint fluorescent green arrows on the Fun Run course.
3 miles. Westerly Fun Runs week #2. I hung with the lead pack (Nick, Jonny, Muddy) for 1 mile and crossed Mile 1 in 5:34. Totally unsustainable and Muddy and I backed off. Passed Muddy on 2nd mile (you know he's not up to speed if I'm passing him) and finished the next 2 miles at 6:01 and 5:50 to finish in a 18:15 overall. Nick in 1st, Jonny 2nd, and somehow Matthew pulled a new PR on this course - 19:01.
Thursday:
6 miles. JP Morgan Corporate Challenge, Boston. Seth roped me into running this one. The logistics and timing (7:15 race start with 12,000 runners, getting home after 11PM) are less than desirable, but this is the race that got me a paid trip to finals in Singapore two years back.
Met up with Seth at my office about 5PM, and we meandered out to Boston Common for a warm-up, company picture, and then to get as near to the starting line as possible 40 minutes before race start to get a good position.
Took it out fast off the starting line at 5:38 first mile. Too fast, in fact, as next two miles were 5:53 and 5:59. Flat fast course on a multi-lane main road (Commonwealth Ave) closed to traffic - I should have been able to take the last 2 miles faster, but happy with overall time of 20:25 (5:50 pace), which was a PR for me of 36 seconds. Seth was right behind me 10 seconds later.
80th out of 12,000.
Friday:
21 miles on the 21st of June. Summer Solstice!
Morning: 16 miles. Woke up at 4AM on 4 hours sleep. Stared at the ceiling for 15 minutes, then decided I might as well get up and run - we'll leave the beauty sleep to Critchlery. Left the house at 4:30AM, ran the beach from Misquamicut to Weekapaug. Met up with the guys. Thought they were all throwing rocks at me, but it turned out only to be Boumenot. Figures!
Six of us (Muddy, Jonny, newbie Chris, FiveK, Mike B, and I) ran out to Quonnie Breachway and back the sand trail. Next Atlantic Ave to Town Beach and back to Weekapaug on the beach. Ran home solo to make 16 miles. Awesome fun!
Midday: 5 miles. Summer Solstice running continued with Muddy. The two of us ran one of my favorite places - the Town Forest. Overgrown in a few places reminds me to contact the Town Manager again and ask if WTAC guys can help clear a few spots, or whether the town has maintenance plans.
Saturday:
36 miles. Left at 5:45AM, met up at FiveK's place for the route he had picked out: Dunn's Corners to Bradford, 216 to Chase Hill Road, crossing over Route 3 back into Westerly on local roads to Potter Hill climb, through downtown, Watch Hill, to Weekapaug and back.
FiveK flew up Chase Hill Road and left me in the dust. That woke me up and I pushed harder and earlier on Potter Hill climb. Downtown was still deserted when we rode through middle of the road at 7AM - who is still sleeping at this hour? From Watch Hill, we pushed it hard on two flat stretches: Ocean View Highway, and then Atlantic out to Weekapaug. Thought I had nothing left on the last one, so I was thrilled to average 23mph on the Atlantic section. Coasted through Weekapaug on fumes, and Tom treated us to iced coffees. Short cool-down back to the house. Awesome ride.
3 miles. Barefoot run from Town Beach to Weekapaug Breachway and back, with Matthew and FiveK. No Crutch or Boumenot sightings at Seaside.
1/2 mile (?). Town Beach to Windjammer back with FiveK. Fairly easy swim. Arms fried.
Sunday:
12 miles. Morning trail run with Muddy, WhichWay? (newest nickname for our friend Mike B, who annoyed us asking 80,000 times "Which Way?" along the trail, even when there was no direction but straight), and Crutch. Ran from Dunn's Corners up quiet South Woody Hill Road into Woody for a few loops where I made sure to go to 3 highlights: Rock cliff, Woody Hill swamp and dam, and stone fort hangout.
Tried many times to lose "WhichWay?" including giving intentionally false directions, but the guy kept coming back. :) Abandoned any attempt at Swamp Trail today due to likely flooding, but reminded me of my grandiose plans to build "Swamp Bypass Trail". Not until fall, as deer flies imminent with a few early harbingers seen.
Rocked it in Wahaneeta and saw cool new dirt parking lot (yes, I'm excited about a parking lot, as it puts an end to Wahaneeta access issues). Schlepped it back to DC.
Weekly totals:
Run: 51 miles
Bike: 42 miles
Swim: 0.5 miles
Week recap:
Awesome week! Summer has arrived, and our Summer solstice festivities Friday were the highlight of my week. Thanks Muddy and Jonny for arranging! Met a new running friend and inductee into WTAC - Chris. Also, get this (I hope you're sitting down): we even got Critchlery to make a 6AM group run! Seriously! Really high running mileage week for me, especially during tri season. My legs are paying for it at end of weekend, but definitely worth it.
Looking ahead, less racing for me in the next two weeks, but I do hope to repeat the long run / long ride next weekend. Only race in immediate sight is I just signed up for Camire's on 4th of July. Any other takers? Looking longer, I still need to figure out my Half Iron event, and for a fall marathon I'm leaning closer to Smuttynose.
Monday: 0
Head timer duties at Hershey Track Meet at CHS. Matthew took a 1st in both 800 (2:30) and 1600 (5:34) and advances to the state level.
Tuesday:
6 miles. Stonington Fun Runs week #4. Warm-up with Matthew and Mike B. During the run, I spotted a "Smuttynose" shirt, and as this is a marathon I'm considering, I ran with the guy and peppered him with questions. By then Mike B was long gone ahead and I hoofed to catch up with him. 6:43 / 6:37 / 5:58, 20:02 overall.Wednesday:
6 miles. Pretty pathetic pace and distance, but the purpose was to spray-paint fluorescent green arrows on the Fun Run course. 3 miles. Westerly Fun Runs week #2. I hung with the lead pack (Nick, Jonny, Muddy) for 1 mile and crossed Mile 1 in 5:34. Totally unsustainable and Muddy and I backed off. Passed Muddy on 2nd mile (you know he's not up to speed if I'm passing him) and finished the next 2 miles at 6:01 and 5:50 to finish in a 18:15 overall. Nick in 1st, Jonny 2nd, and somehow Matthew pulled a new PR on this course - 19:01.Thursday:
6 miles. JP Morgan Corporate Challenge, Boston. Seth roped me into running this one. The logistics and timing (7:15 race start with 12,000 runners, getting home after 11PM) are less than desirable, but this is the race that got me a paid trip to finals in Singapore two years back. |
| Pre-race in Boston Common |
 |
| Free professional pic from JP Morgan |
Met up with Seth at my office about 5PM, and we meandered out to Boston Common for a warm-up, company picture, and then to get as near to the starting line as possible 40 minutes before race start to get a good position.
 |
| Thousands of runners, but fortunately 4 lanes of road for running |
 |
| Start/finish |
Took it out fast off the starting line at 5:38 first mile. Too fast, in fact, as next two miles were 5:53 and 5:59. Flat fast course on a multi-lane main road (Commonwealth Ave) closed to traffic - I should have been able to take the last 2 miles faster, but happy with overall time of 20:25 (5:50 pace), which was a PR for me of 36 seconds. Seth was right behind me 10 seconds later.
80th out of 12,000.
Friday:
21 miles on the 21st of June. Summer Solstice!Morning: 16 miles. Woke up at 4AM on 4 hours sleep. Stared at the ceiling for 15 minutes, then decided I might as well get up and run - we'll leave the beauty sleep to Critchlery. Left the house at 4:30AM, ran the beach from Misquamicut to Weekapaug. Met up with the guys. Thought they were all throwing rocks at me, but it turned out only to be Boumenot. Figures!
 |
| Silhouetted against the first sunrise of the summer |
 |
| Beautiful shoreline on deserted section in Charlestown Thanks Chris for taking pics! |
Six of us (Muddy, Jonny, newbie Chris, FiveK, Mike B, and I) ran out to Quonnie Breachway and back the sand trail. Next Atlantic Ave to Town Beach and back to Weekapaug on the beach. Ran home solo to make 16 miles. Awesome fun!
Midday: 5 miles. Summer Solstice running continued with Muddy. The two of us ran one of my favorite places - the Town Forest. Overgrown in a few places reminds me to contact the Town Manager again and ask if WTAC guys can help clear a few spots, or whether the town has maintenance plans.
Saturday:
36 miles. Left at 5:45AM, met up at FiveK's place for the route he had picked out: Dunn's Corners to Bradford, 216 to Chase Hill Road, crossing over Route 3 back into Westerly on local roads to Potter Hill climb, through downtown, Watch Hill, to Weekapaug and back.FiveK flew up Chase Hill Road and left me in the dust. That woke me up and I pushed harder and earlier on Potter Hill climb. Downtown was still deserted when we rode through middle of the road at 7AM - who is still sleeping at this hour? From Watch Hill, we pushed it hard on two flat stretches: Ocean View Highway, and then Atlantic out to Weekapaug. Thought I had nothing left on the last one, so I was thrilled to average 23mph on the Atlantic section. Coasted through Weekapaug on fumes, and Tom treated us to iced coffees. Short cool-down back to the house. Awesome ride.
3 miles. Barefoot run from Town Beach to Weekapaug Breachway and back, with Matthew and FiveK. No Crutch or Boumenot sightings at Seaside.1/2 mile (?). Town Beach to Windjammer back with FiveK. Fairly easy swim. Arms fried.Sunday:
12 miles. Morning trail run with Muddy, WhichWay? (newest nickname for our friend Mike B, who annoyed us asking 80,000 times "Which Way?" along the trail, even when there was no direction but straight), and Crutch. Ran from Dunn's Corners up quiet South Woody Hill Road into Woody for a few loops where I made sure to go to 3 highlights: Rock cliff, Woody Hill swamp and dam, and stone fort hangout. Tried many times to lose "WhichWay?" including giving intentionally false directions, but the guy kept coming back. :) Abandoned any attempt at Swamp Trail today due to likely flooding, but reminded me of my grandiose plans to build "Swamp Bypass Trail". Not until fall, as deer flies imminent with a few early harbingers seen.
Rocked it in Wahaneeta and saw cool new dirt parking lot (yes, I'm excited about a parking lot, as it puts an end to Wahaneeta access issues). Schlepped it back to DC.
Weekly totals:
Run: 51 miles
Bike: 42 miles
Swim: 0.5 miles
Week recap:
Awesome week! Summer has arrived, and our Summer solstice festivities Friday were the highlight of my week. Thanks Muddy and Jonny for arranging! Met a new running friend and inductee into WTAC - Chris. Also, get this (I hope you're sitting down): we even got Critchlery to make a 6AM group run! Seriously! Really high running mileage week for me, especially during tri season. My legs are paying for it at end of weekend, but definitely worth it.
Looking ahead, less racing for me in the next two weeks, but I do hope to repeat the long run / long ride next weekend. Only race in immediate sight is I just signed up for Camire's on 4th of July. Any other takers? Looking longer, I still need to figure out my Half Iron event, and for a fall marathon I'm leaning closer to Smuttynose.
Good racing with you yesterday. And nice work getting up and running 16 this morning. Mighty!
ReplyDeleteI do need my beauty sleep...and I think I have 5 of the 6?
ReplyDelete1. Crabman
2. Blessing of the Fleet
3. Run4Kerri
4. OCY Tri (the Mystic one?)
5. ??? (I could stalk race results, but no.)
6. Stavros Beach Run
Epic way to start Summer, great job today!
Bottom middle is Camire's 4 on the 4th. Ugh. Miserable conditions, as are nearly all summer races.
ReplyDelete