Snow and cold returns to RI. Important for me to keep up the fitness, so I expect to be outside getting at it.
Monday: 9
Morning: MLK Day run around Winnapaug Pond with FiveK. Barely conversational pace at average 6:31 pace.
Afternoon: 900 yard swim at Y.
Tuesday: 0
After running 80 miles in 8 days (a record for me), needed a complete rest day.
Wednesday: 8
Morning: After shoveling out my driveway, 10-degree run in the newly fallen snow with FiveK. Three miles of trails in Champlin (really fun!), followed by snow covered roads in Misquamicut. By the time we finished up, the temperature had risen all the way to ... 11 degrees!
Afternoon: 45-minute spin class with FiveK at the Y.
Thursday: 5
Friday: 11
Morning: 8 degrees. 6.5 miles with the 430 Club with the usual suspects in Weekapaug. Couldn't hang with FiveK and Mike B today; felt like they were really pushing the pace, but in fact it was me that just running much slower when I'm all bundled up.
Afternoon: 4.5 miles. Warmed up to the teens, and I was itching to get back outside. Headed to Wahaneeta / Woody Hill. Tough going in the snow, but a lot of fun.
Saturday: 20
Was planning out a solo long run, as the next two weekends I have races. Got an e-mail from Jonny that he and Muddy were planning a 10-miler in Charlestown, so I opted to get there an hour early to run 8 solo first. Warm morning (30 degrees) but extremely windy with 30+ mph winds. Very dark run north of Route 1, on Old Coach Road where I went past Seth's house at 5:30am and should've dragged him out of bed, next up towards Garvin-ville, where apparently he was catching Zs as well, south on Shannock Road and back to Charlestown Beach Road where I met up with Jonny, Muddy, and Mike B for a 6:30 group run.
I thought my body was warmed up after running an hour already, but running Charlestown Beach Road out to the breachway was absolutely brutal, with flying sand and snow stinging my bare legs and face. Once we turned 180 degrees at breachway and went with the wind, all was good. Out to Moonstone Beach, and back via Matunuck Schoolhouse Road. Jonny parted ways, and the three remaining ran 2+ miles local roads, closing out 20.3 miles for me.
We went across the street to a local bakery for hot coffee and a scone, and met and sat with a very inspiring couple: For Meg's 60th birthday this year, she is doing the PumpkinMan Half Ironman in Maine. Andrew, 62, will be running the Ocean's Run Half Marathon with us this March and has put in an entry for NYC Marathon this fall.
Sunday: 7
Easy afternoon recovery run from the Y through Pawcatuck, up to Springbrook School and back through the North End. 21 degrees. Got chastised along the route for wearing shorts in the cold; must've been someone's mother.
Followed up with 900 yards in the pool, and then a rest in the sauna.
Weekly totals:
Run: 60 miles
Bike: 45 minutes of spin
Swim: 2 sessions, 1.0 mile total
Monday: 9
Morning: MLK Day run around Winnapaug Pond with FiveK. Barely conversational pace at average 6:31 pace.
Afternoon: 900 yard swim at Y.
Tuesday: 0
After running 80 miles in 8 days (a record for me), needed a complete rest day.
Wednesday: 8
Morning: After shoveling out my driveway, 10-degree run in the newly fallen snow with FiveK. Three miles of trails in Champlin (really fun!), followed by snow covered roads in Misquamicut. By the time we finished up, the temperature had risen all the way to ... 11 degrees!
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| FiveK coming up the green trail: awesome fun in the snow |
 |
| Same scene: me |
 |
| First day with the new "Yaktrax Run": steel carbide studs up front, wire coils in back |
Thursday: 5
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| Yep, it's cold! This is winter in RI; time to "man up" and get out there |
 |
| No shorts and singlet today! Back from my beach run, Mark snickered when he saw me come in and asked, "Are you suicidal?" |
Morning: 8 degrees. 6.5 miles with the 430 Club with the usual suspects in Weekapaug. Couldn't hang with FiveK and Mike B today; felt like they were really pushing the pace, but in fact it was me that just running much slower when I'm all bundled up.
Afternoon: 4.5 miles. Warmed up to the teens, and I was itching to get back outside. Headed to Wahaneeta / Woody Hill. Tough going in the snow, but a lot of fun.
 |
| Came across this gem: a new trail marker (on tree at left) denoting a new set of trails: the "Perimeter Trail" |
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| Winter in all its beauty and majesty: Making virgin tracks in the snow across a frozen stream crossing. (I'm waiting for the snow-hater and winter-hater comments, but I'll take this serenity and peacefulness over a 90 degree day any day) |
Was planning out a solo long run, as the next two weekends I have races. Got an e-mail from Jonny that he and Muddy were planning a 10-miler in Charlestown, so I opted to get there an hour early to run 8 solo first. Warm morning (30 degrees) but extremely windy with 30+ mph winds. Very dark run north of Route 1, on Old Coach Road where I went past Seth's house at 5:30am and should've dragged him out of bed, next up towards Garvin-ville, where apparently he was catching Zs as well, south on Shannock Road and back to Charlestown Beach Road where I met up with Jonny, Muddy, and Mike B for a 6:30 group run.
I thought my body was warmed up after running an hour already, but running Charlestown Beach Road out to the breachway was absolutely brutal, with flying sand and snow stinging my bare legs and face. Once we turned 180 degrees at breachway and went with the wind, all was good. Out to Moonstone Beach, and back via Matunuck Schoolhouse Road. Jonny parted ways, and the three remaining ran 2+ miles local roads, closing out 20.3 miles for me.
We went across the street to a local bakery for hot coffee and a scone, and met and sat with a very inspiring couple: For Meg's 60th birthday this year, she is doing the PumpkinMan Half Ironman in Maine. Andrew, 62, will be running the Ocean's Run Half Marathon with us this March and has put in an entry for NYC Marathon this fall.
Sunday: 7
Easy afternoon recovery run from the Y through Pawcatuck, up to Springbrook School and back through the North End. 21 degrees. Got chastised along the route for wearing shorts in the cold; must've been someone's mother.
Followed up with 900 yards in the pool, and then a rest in the sauna.
Weekly totals:
Run: 60 miles
Bike: 45 minutes of spin
Swim: 2 sessions, 1.0 mile total
Cold temps won't stop the Gazelle. How do you like the Yaktrax Run? I just got the Yaktrax Pro and they sucked ass. Kept coming up over my toes. They will be returned promptly.
ReplyDeleteYaktrax run - will try them out a bit more, especially on icy conditions, and get back to you. No issues with them coming up over toes.
DeleteApparently Gazelles like their dens chilly too-- 56.3 degrees as an inside temperature?!? I thought I was "cool" keeping my thermostat at 64. Wow!
ReplyDeleteI don't like giving extra money to National Grid (natural gas heat). Nights we set the thermostat upstairs (sleeping area) to 58, nice and cool for sleeping, and 55 downstairs. Evening hours only (dinner, TV, reading newspaper/tablet, etc) we set the downstairs to 64 degrees, only for about 4 hours per day.
Deletenext race, do me a favor - bundled up :)
ReplyDeleteThe residents of Garvin-ville thank you for your pre-dawn quietude while in the neighborhood. We are very cranky before 7 AM.
ReplyDeleteWe might need to start more long runs from the spot across from the bakery! The scones are awesome and the bakers were very runner friendly. Nice week!
ReplyDelete