Monday, March 30, 2009

Ashland to Boston



On Saturday it was a picture perfect to run so I headed out to Hopkinton there were hundreds of others with the same idea as there was a steady stream of runners from the start all the way in as I drove the course until Heartbreak Hill.

I park near the train station in Newton and headed out to Ashland. I got to the above sign about near 11:50 am by this time there were only a handful of runners.

I made it to Wellesly Free Library, just after 10 miles for me, in 90 min. I had a quart of Gatorade for my water stop. On to Newton and the "Hill" and made it to the sign that welcomes you to Boston in under 3 hours. I went as far as Cleavand Circle then back to the car in just under 4 hours in total the loop not bad considering the 2 breaks and getting lost on the way back to car added at least 1 mile to my 24 mile planned run.

MM2

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Tueday - Friday

Was a better week with able to do a good treadmill workout Tuesday did a 2 mile warm -up then was going to do 2 miles at 7:30 repeats with a rest, but was feeling good so hammered out 8.1 miles in a hour most ever, finished with a cool down of 2 more. 12 miles in 95 min.

Wednesday was going to the MVS monthly meeting so I biked to work for first time this year was cold in am 30 degrees but near 60 at 5 pm. 16 miles each way with new bike in 50 min.

Thursday on the Stair Master for 12 miles in 92 min.

Friday swam 1 mile in 40 and biked for 10 miles in 40 then went home to rest for Saturday Long Run Ashland - Boston.

MM2

Week 14 Recap

Monday - swim 1 mile 45 min.
Sunday - 16 miles - 2.5 hours, swim 1 mile in 35 min.
Saturday - bike 50 min 18 miles
Friday: 11 miles in 85 min. Swim 2 miles in 75 min.
Thursday: rest went to see Bill Rogers
Wednesday: 9 miles in 70 min.
Tuesday: Bike for 1 hour steady pace 18 miles.

Low mileage due to recovery from knee soreness fron New Bedford.

Still got in 36 miles with some good cross training.

MM2

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Went to The Bill Rogers Store



As you can see from this picture it has been a tough week.
Saturday:50 minutes on the bike did 12 sets of 2 min hard 1 min recovery 18 miles.
Friday: 11 miles in 85 min. Swim 2 miles in 75 min.
Thursday: rest went to see Bill Rogers
Wednesday: 9 miles in 70 min.
Tuesday: Bike for 1 hour steady pace 18 miles.

Week 13 Recap

Monday - swim 1 mile 40 min.
Sunday - 15 miles - 2 hours, swim 2 miles in 1:15
Saturday - 8 miles in 70 min.
Friday - 8 miles - 70 min. swim 2 miles 80 min.
Thursday - 10 miles 80 min. swim 1.5 miles 1:05
Wednesday - 5 miles on in 50 min. swim 1 miles in 35 min.
Tuesday - 6 miles at AHS indoor track in 60 min

52 miles in 7 hours 30 min for an 8:40/ mile ave.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Sunday New Bedford 1/2 Marathon






Have to thank Jim Johnson, who did not race today because of injury, for all pictures of me from New Bedford. He sent them with a note that I was over dressed. I was just happy to be running it at all as our driver of car pool was no where to be found 20 minutes before race and he strolls back to car and he says whats the hurry we got hour+. He did not spring ahead his running watch. Doh.

The race for me was OK as still nursing a slight hamstring and tender knee from last weeks 60 miles. Splits were 7:45, 8:00, 8:15, 8, 7:45,7:45, 7:45, 7:45, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8:25 for last 1.1 for a time of 1:43:25, 15 minutes 1 second better than last year. I was 845/1951 runners,89/157 in my age group.

The race was won by the PAT TARPY the same winner as the 10 miler last month at the Jones in Amherst.

The good news for me was able to "win" carpool race so to speak as I beat my 2 fellow group C runners: I caught George at final hill was somewhat surprised since his prerace estimate was 1:35 whereas mine was 1:45. Jeff was never in the running as he pulled his hamstring doing track less than 2 weeks ago (He did it the same way I did trying to do fast laps on that tiny indoor oval at AHS).

Afterwards ate and headed back to Andover. Picked up car and rested until went to BSC for a swin workout at 8pm did 1.5 miles in 55 minutes.

Then when I got home did something that really might come back and bite me as I signed up for the Mount Washington Lottery. I must still be on that high, I am going to have nightmares about: "it is only 1 hill".

MM2

Saturday, March 14, 2009

This week was on Easy Street


I took this picture last Sunday during the run around Salem N.H. and did not realise how appropriate it would ably to this week after last weeks 60+ miles I did go to The Sports Spa in Woburn, MA to get a great massage from Mike Toomey. After that I literally was on Easy Street the rest of week on Tuesday night was last indoor track session at AHS. So even tho was a little sore from both the high mileage and the once over by Mike. I waddled tru 6 Miles in 60 min. Not going to but the workout down since I was back of my last years Group H running about 8min/mile pace. Wednesday was a short jog of 5 miles in 50 min. Thursday did get back on the mill for 10 miles in 80 min. Friday did a 2 mile swim in 80 min. plus hit the StairMaster for 8 miles in 70 min. Today easy 3 miles in am. followed by a strength/core workout in the pm and 5 miles in 40 min. on the StairMaster.

So, that is all there is here on "Easy Street".

MM2

Week 12 Recap

Monday - bike 1 hours, swim 1 mile 40 min.
Sunday - 12 miles - 2 hours, swim 2 miles in 1:15
Saturday - long run 20.2 miles in 2 hours 50 min.
Friday - 11 miles - 92 min. swim 1.5 miles 60 min.
Thursday - 2 miles 20 min. swim 1.5 miles 1:05
Wednesday - 5 miles on treadmill in 40 min. swim 1 miles in 35 min.
Tuesday - 10 miles at AHS indoor track in 80 min

That is the most miles ever in a week 60+ miles in 8hours 42 min.of running worksout to a 8 min 42 sec mile average I should run 60 miles more often(not likely).

MM2

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Hosted Run Picture


On Sunday went to Salem NH to Pat and Rich Grobecker's home I went out with about 10 other Merrimack Valley Striders. I went to this mile marker and 1/2 mile more and back in 2 hours. Came back had some good soup made by Pat and eventually Rich came back from 16 mile run with 3 other runners.

Later I went to BSC in Lexington for some strnth training and a 2 mile swim in 70min.

MM2

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Lots of miles this week

Today was beautiful near 60 degrees so I headed out in shorts to Lowell and did the 10.1 mile loop from the Baystate marathon twice 2:50. Started first 5 miles in 40 min. next 5 in 41, next 5 in 45 next 3 in 24 and stopped for a pit stop at 18 miles in 2:30 and slow jog after the pit stop to bring it home.

Friday did a swim for 2 miles in 1:15. Strength training, then did 11 miles on the StairMaster in 92min.

Thursday did a swim for 1 mile in 40 min., bike 1:10 for 22 miles, jog 2 miles in 20.

Wednesday got a quick strength train then 6 miles in 45 minutes.

Tuesday I did the speed workout on the treadmill to lessen the chance for injury.
I found a good workout online from runners world which had me doing 3x 2 mile repeats with 1/2 mile jog in between, I started at 8min/mile for the first set and got down to 7:30/mile for the final set and the best thing was there was very little pain in any parts of my legs. 10 miles in 80 minutes.

I am almost to 50 miles already this week and there is a hosted run tomorrow in Salem, NH. I am planning on going if I can bet up early enough with the DST starting tonight and losing an hour. Oh well it will be great having sunshine till 7pm time to get the bike out of mothballs.

MM2

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Week 11 Recap and February Totals

Monday - bike 1 hours, swim 1 mile 40 min.
Sunday - 4 miles - 31:19 plus 3 warm-up and cool-down. swim 2 miles in 1:10
Saturday - long run 20 miles in 3 hours, swim 1.5 miles in 1 hour
Friday - 8 miles - 64 min. swim 1.5 miles 60 min.
Thursday - 2 miles 20 min. swim 1.5 miles 1:05
Wednesday - 8 miles on treadmill in 72 min. swim 2 miles in 1:20
Tuesday - 6 miles at AHS indoor track in 60 min.

Well I am finally back to 50 miles for the first time since early January.
February totals were low because of hamstring injury during the first week and a half luckily I have the cross training going. 165 miles in just about 25 hours a 9min/mile average not what it should be but 10 of those miles were on snow shoes.

MM2

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Sunday Claddagh Pub 4-Mile Classic Road Race

Got to this race today with about 1 hour to start.
Grabbed a # and shirt and went back to car trying to figure out what to where on both my feet and shirt, as it had started snowing on the way to Lawrence. I decided against racing flats after my pains of last weeks race and went with the NB 903. I went with a sweatshirt over 3 layers just to be safe as no way was going to break 30 min.today.

I got to the start after 1 mile jog to start and the race went off promptly at 11am. I started 1/2 way back seeding myself where I usually do but was surrounded by way too many people of different racing abilities. Which got me to the first mile in 8:30. The second mile is up 2 hills the first is easy enough but the second just before mile 2 was snow covered and a little slick. Mile 2 was another 8:30 at least there was reason for that one the next mile was all down hill in 7 flat(flying for me) and finished with a 7:19 last mile for a 31:19 for a 109th place finish out of a field of 742. Results
Mario Faraioli beat Jim Johnson by 1 second.

The picture here is at the Pub with Jim J on the left and Michael Quintal on the right of the winner. I did not know Michael and asked him if was DD he took it as a compliment but my appologies to both. He said the time for this race was about the same as last week thru 4 miles so I do not feel so bad about my time as last week was over 33 thru 4.

I did get a 2 mile cooldown in to bring the weekly total over 50.

MM2