Almost Five

Today I began my 'aerobic training' phase with ~5 miles around my standard loop: including Avery and Jupiter, at an easy ~8:30 pace (42 minutes exactly). I also did 4x12 pushups and 4x12 crunches for good measure. Tomorrow the hills begin - if the rain isn't too bad.

Break Time is Over

Friday I got back to running with a 4 miler at a ~8:15 min/mile pace. I really just wanted to get out and run a little before I hit the hill workout schedule Tuesday. I'll try and get out again either Sunday or Monday - hopefully for a little more distance. Tonight I got back to my scaled-down strength schedule: pushups (2x12s), planks (3 x 30 secs) 4xabs (12 and 24) ankle/heel raises (25 total), shoulders (4x12) and curls (4x12). A little of everything. It doesn't sound like much, but with the work and kids - it's a miracle I can even shave (which I haven't in about 3 days!). With illness and a teething 2 year old - life's felt a little difficult lately. Hopefully I (and my family) can get back into some sorta groove soon. More mundane: hopefully these elite eight games will stop be boring blow outs.

Random Off-Weak Thoughts

So I'm actually excited to not be running for some reason. I've read a lot about running recently, and almost all the experts appear to think that a few weeks off will help more than hurt - at least in the long run. Although I'm feeling better, my head is still pretty congested - so I'm aiming for a Friday run either at work during lunch or out at Bluff Point.

Nevertheless, there is much going on:
1. The IAAF cross country championships are coming up. The link provides a nice write-up, and I find the picture inspiring.

2. I signed-up for what is the big corporate run: the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge. That in itself is also inspiring in that it pretty much defines our team - since no other competitive team races exist. Also interesting because of the recent JP-Bear Sterns news.

3. Random non-training thoughts from yesterday. I went for a walk at lunch, which I realized how much I miss when I run. I noticed houses that I'd never really noticed before, heard the sounds of spring more clearly - was actually stunned by how out of it I apparently am when I'm running. I'll have to make it a point to walk a bit more often. Something else I thought was funny: another runner asked me if I was 'ok' - presuming that I must be injured or sick (which was correct) - still funny. I guess it is weird to see a runner out walking. Finally, yesterday I saw a bald eagle fly over I-95 driving home from work. It was around the Groton resevoir (the link may not work - since I noticed google maps sometimes doesn't do that correctly???). Huge bird - clearly a bald eagle - almost drove off the road looking at it.


4. Two runs coming up which have interesting art work: the James Joyce Ramble on April 27th and the Twilight Trail Run on May 16th. I've never done the Ramble - but apparently it's a pretty big race - with over 1700 finishers last year. The TwTR is pretty small - especially if the weather poor again like last year - but usually ranks as one of my favorites for the year.

Ill This Week

I spent most of this week sick and/or sleep deprived from taking care of my sick 2-year old. Not the best conditions for training. Fortunately I'm ok taking last week and next week slow - before getting back to some 'base' training in April, May,... It helps to be basking in the glow of my best ever 5K. I've been inspired to train less intensely for the next 5 months. I'll be aiming for a solid aerobic base heading into September's 20K - hitting an early August Tri along the way.

Not So Fresh

Today I did 4.3 miles at a steady 8:05 min/mile pace - which actually felt challenging. I wanted to hit Bluff Point after work, but have meetings until the evening - so I decided to squeeze it in at lunch. Windy, again. My legs felt sore yesterday and today - probably from not stretching properly after Saturday's race. However, they seemed to loosen up ok during the run and the new shoes seemed to help my feet. I probably won't do anything now until Wednesday's swim - other than bask in the glow of my 1st place age group finish, and filling out tourney brackets.

O'Niantic 5K

The O'Niantic 5K was today. Results are here. My best 5K race yet: 6:41 min/mile pace. I finished 2/19 in my age group - although the divisions were generously divided into 5 year groups (I would've been 4th in a conventional 30-39 group). Actually, since the race winner, Stephen Herrera won the race - I may actually have 'won' my age group depending on how they did that. In anycase, I left immediately after the race to join my kids and their grandmother at the SE-Connecticut children's museum, where we spent the remainder of the day.

Update: So the day started with a lot of rain. My plan was to take the kids and my mother to Niantic, and have them eat some Dunkin Donuts while I registered and waited for the race to start. However, with the rain I parked near the Children's Museum and ran back to the bike shop to register - then walked the kids (and Mom) to the front of the museum (where they were nice enough to let us in early). I then walked over to the start. I didn't have my watch or GPS - which may actually be a good race strategy - at least for the shorter races. I started way to fast (6:30), but managed to keep it up for 2 miles (13: and change). I struggled the last 1.1 mile, including slowing to a walk part of a hill - but managed to push through for a decent time. I then made my way back to the museum - change a poopy diaper, and change into some non-stinky clothes. Hopefully I wouldn't have missed any good shwag. I then hung out for a great morning until noon before heading back to Mystic. A good morning. And, hey, they did give my first in my age group. I'll immortalize it here, since we won't be seeing this again unless I live to 90 and still have my knees:

New Shoe Run

It's always exciting to lace up a new pair. In this case my 'new' pair is last year's model of the Brooks Adrenaline. I did 4.9 miles in them, and they felt pretty good. Hopefully they'll help the plantar fasciitis. I may be lacing them up for this weekends O'Niantic 5K.

Runs and Books

I started the week with a 4 miler at 4:00 pm, which felt more difficult than it should have. The pacing was 8:04 min/mile - and pretty even throughout. Tomorrow I hope to hit the pool and then try the bike again Wednesday - since Thursday and Friday may not see anything (although there is a race in Niantic Saturday morning!).

Last Friday my wife and I hit the local Borders and I got a few books (Amby Burfoot's "The Runners Guide to the Meaning of Life" and another one called "Why we Run" - front cover art shown). I also picked up the current issue of Running Times - which is actually very good. I think I was hurting for something to flip through - since my RW seemed to be late (of course, it showed up Saturday).

Easy Run

Today at lunch I capped my week of cross training with 4.5 easy/slow miles running with my friend Dave. That brings my 'equivalency' miles to to 12.5. I'll be aiming to do about the same over the next 2 weeks before picking up the training in April. It actually feels hard to pull back the reins on the running - like I'm really being too lazy - but I'm also certain that it should help more than it hurts.

More Swimming and Biking

Last night I logged my longest distance in the pool: 1300 yards ~ 40 minutes of swimming. Included in this was 400 yards with no breaks, which took about 9 minutes. This morning, I road into work for the second time this week. The bike still feels very uncomfortable. My ass actually felt better (numb, but better), but my feet were freezing. I was wearing my Asics running shoes, rather than my Keen work shoes and the cold air froze my toes. I had to stop and walk for about 5 minutes just to get the blood back into them.

Bike In to Work

After missing Sunday's Hare Hop, I decided to do a bit more cross-training and aim for one of the two April races (Salem RR on April 12th or Flanders 5K on April 26th). The plan was to bike into and from work today. I made it in alright, although slower than before and with a supremely sore ass. Lucky for me (and my ass) it's raining out, so I'm having my wife pick me up. Tomorrow night I'll swim and then split Thursday and Friday between another attempt on the bike or a run. My hope is to keep the running to once a week in March and pickup to 2x/week in April. Hopefully I won't lose much speed, but I think the PF needs a break.