Monday: 1 walk
Post-work walk at Hopkinton Grills with Jana and Brady. Finished up in the dark. No one else out there, except for the hundreds of winter moths in our headlamps.
Tuesday: 5
Actual 80th anniversary date of Pearl Harbor. While I have been to Hawaii once, I didn't get to see much as it was a short and jetlagged layover on a return flight from Japan. On my bucket list to visit before I die (as opposed to places I'll travel to after I die?) is the USS Arizona memorial. "December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy ..." - I have watched the video and heard the powerful words of President FDR so many times the words are permanently etched in my brain.
Late afternoon run with Brady at Yawgoog. Brought our lights, which were needed as dusk faded to dark, but unfortunately Brady's lights didn't make it back. Must have fallen off him at some point, mostly likely when he was behind me. Will try to go back in the morning to find them.
Otherwise, a fun run through the woods. Felt like I was flying, and then I see my pace was 9:25! With about a mile to go, we stopped dead in our tracks as we heard the blood-curdling howls of multiple coyotes. Yikes! Had momentary thoughts of being attacked on our return in the pitch dark, but never saw any of them and don't think they would provoke a 75 pound dog like Brady.
Wednesday: 5
Same run as yesterday, except this time during morning daylight, in a failed attempt to locate Brady's flashing lights.
Thursday: 8
WTAC Jingle Bell Run, including setup and breakdown. Biggest turnout yet for the run, which had over 20 revelers with lights and jingle bells out on the trails. Followed this up with indoor festivities at the annual WTAC holiday party, which was well attended and more than enough food and drink.
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| We had snow on the ground for the Jingle Bell Run! Not much, but it was a nice touch. |
Friday: 6 run, 1 walk
AM: 2 mile shakeout with Brady at Woody Hill
Noon: Annual procuring of the Christmas tree. Hartikka Farms, Voluntown.
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| This year's tree. Brady approves |
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| As far back as I can remember into my youth, part of the allure of getting a Christmas tree has been traipsing through farms, selecting, and hand cutting the tree. |
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| A friend of mind (who puts up a plastic tree each year) recently texted the name of a local store that had pre-cut trees for a good price. I thanked him for thinking of me, and no disrespect, but I want the full natural outdoors in the woods experience, plus a fresh-cut tree. |
Evening: Picked up tomorrow's bib in Niantic, then met Dave for a 4-mile run through Niantic streets, including part of tomorrow's course.
Saturday: 7
Niantic Jingle Bell 5K. Separate write-up to follow.
Sunday: 6
First time running with Tommy 5K since ... so long that I can't remember when. We met up at Ninigret Park playground, and together with Brady and Riley ran a field loop, an Arnolda road loop, and a shortened field loop to get six in. Fun catch up!
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| Set up the tree. In my humble opinion, it came out pretty well. First time ever with the tree in the living room. |
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| My favorite ornament will probably always be this simple plastic blue ornament. Why? Because it's one of the few things I have from my Dad, and it was his ornament from when he was a kid in the '30s and '40s. |
Weekly mileage: 36
Weekly synopsis: Mileage wise, pretty pathetic. Race wise, pretty awesome. I'm three weeks post-Philly now. Post-marathon weeks #1 and #2 saw 21 and 36 miles run, respectively, which I think is fine, but there is no need to have only run 36 miles in fully recovered post-marathon week #3. Until I figure out my spring racing schedule, including a marathon and build-up to it, I should be running a minimum of 50 miles per week to keep the base. In this week alone, I can already see my motivation waning and three pounds packed back on.
Weekly highlight: A fun week, if not very active. With the holiday party and WTAC Jingle Bell run a second, my highlight has to be my truly unexpected fast result at the Niantic Jingle Bell 5K.
Weekly lowlight: Low mileage and low motivation. I have finished out my racing for the year, and it's time to put together a new racing and training plan and stick to it.
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