Nahant 30K

Drove the 5 minutes to Lynn/Nahant Beach yesterday to run the 30k. The weather actually turned out to be pretty good for running, given the wind held off. I really didn't change anything eating or hydrating wise. Got up at 7am drank a cup of coffee, ate two pop tarts and drove over. I proceeded to register, eat 2 bananas and drink one small bottled water, hit the porta john 10 minutes before the start and felt ready to go. Really didn't warm up much, maybe 5-10 minutes of easy jogging. My plan was to go through the 10mile @ 1:15 (7:30pace) and see how I felt. I took a look at my watch at 5 miles, was right on pace and I hit the 10 mile at 1:14, and felt strong. This was a tune up run for Manchester, I worked on even pacing and hitting the water stops for gatorade/water. I didn't use any gels (because I didn't have any). This course was all up and down and turns so I think it beat you up a bit, I picked it up over the last 5 miles and passed a few people, but my legs were feeling it. I am pleased with the result and have a pretty good guage on my fitness level. I'll hit a 20 miler this weekend and get some long slow distance in.

Charlestown Track 8x800

Nice day, slight breeze, 200 jog between . 1 mile warm up 1 mile cool down
1-3:10
2-3:16
3-3:07
4-3:13
5-3:11
6-3:12
7-3:08
8-3:03

Nahant 5 miler

Had a decent race Sunday in Nahant. My wife and kids were there cheering me on my birthday. The course was fairly hilly, so I am pleased with my time, basically within 3 sec/ mile pace of the 4 miler I ran on the 4th of July (which was a fairly flat course) so I think my fitness level and speed has been improving. I was trailed the whole race by some guy who passed me in the last 1/4 mile and I just didn't have anything in the tank to hold him off. Pretty typical for me, I've always been able to push well through the middle, but never much a finisher.

CTown Track 6x800

Felt good throughout, probably went a little easy for the 1st half not knowing how I would feel. Did these with a 200 jog between (about 1 min 15 sec). Did about a 1 mile warm up and 1 mile cool down jogging to and from the track. I like these workouts, in a half hour you definately feel like you've worked hard. I am gonna have to get a new watch with more than a 10 lap memory if I keep progressing with these workouts.
1-3:12
2-3:18
3-3:14
4-3:12
5-3:12
6-3:07

Charlestown Track 4x800

Did a "track workout" I'm sure real runners would laugh, but I got stuck at work late, so my 9 miler was out of the question. Wanted to do something quick and not a total waste of time, so I ran the mile from work to the track in Charlestown and blasted this workout in 15min. I am looking forward to the day when I can write that I did 8x800. Was planning on doing an 8k race on Revere Beach this morning, was raining hard this morning, race cost 25 bucks-you do the math I said screw it. 16 mile Long run tomorrow, weather looks great.
4x800 w/ 60sec jog between/ 1mile warmup/1mile cool down
1-3:12
2-3:15
3-3:07
4-3:05

Another 32 mile week

Having some great runs lately. I went on a 14.5 mile run Monday and it felt great. Probably has to do with the fact it is the first run I've done over 11 miles when it hasn't been 100% humidity and the high 80's in a while. This week should see a step up in mileage and I actually feel like these last 3 weeks of 30 miles a week (plus 3 commutes to work each week) have probably helped me step up to some 35-45 weeks and utimately (3) 50-60 mile weeks. After the 14.5 mile run I felt great the next day and decided not to go on an easy 5 miler, and just use the day to recover. I have developed a rule based on aches and pains-take a rest day or cross train day after 4 consecutive days of running. I'd like to stick with this for at least the next 4 weeks. My problem is I run when I have the time and due to my schedule I take it when I can, so if I have two or 3 days back to back with some extra time I'll end up doing 3 higher mileage days. In the past this has led to me doing 50 miles a week and doing 40-45 of those miles on three back to back days. Over the next two months I am going to be trying to avoid this.

Home Improvements

Missed my long run again this Sunday as I was knee deep in redoing my kitchen. My inlaws took the kids for the weekend, so I dug in Friday night and removed the walls, the cabinets, and the countertops. On Sunday my kitchen sink was in my living room so I had to push and get the kitchen to a workable condition before my kids came home Sunday night. Another sub par mileage week but I no longer have laminate marble walls and a dropped ceiling in my kitchen. Someone wrote a date on the back of the old cabinets 10/82, figure that is a pretty accurate date of the last renovation. Nice! I did get a nice 11 mile run with my wife on her bike through Swampscott and Marblehead Friday night before the chaos began. Can I manage to break 40 miles this week? We'll see.