10/18/15 to 10/24/15: Break on Through

The past four months or so have felt like I've been at a plateau.  I am not sure that I even noticed any small incremental gains either.  Four month's is not really a long time, and the summer months makes any actual 'plateau' hard to gauge, but nonetheless it feels like I haven't been improving recently.

For the past few weeks now, I've kept the mileage at 100+.  My hodge-podge training plan didn't call for higher mileage, it just sort of happened and I've kept it going.  Those weeks have included Lone Gull 10k, Bernie's 3m, Warner 5m, and most recently the Paddy's 3m.  I would say that the first three races were all underwhelming to disappointing.  Finally on Sunday, I felt like I had a bit of a break through.

So why not continue the high mileage?  Week six of 100+ in the books...

stuff:

18-Oct		Paddy's 3m		1:03:15		8.64		Paddy's 3m in 16:04 for 7th overall.  A very good race.  Things are moving in the right direction.
19-Oct		Moderate/Moderate		2:10:11		17.22		AM: 7+ in 7:20per. PM: 10+ at 7:40/mile
20-Oct		Easy/Intervals		3:09:38		24.26		AM: 7m at 7:40. PM: 6m commute, 2+ to and from the track.  800/1200x2/600x4, 800@5K, 1200@5-8K, 600@5K/3K/5K pace
21-Oct		Easy/Easy+WW		1:29:24		11.23		AM: 5+ at 8min. PM: 6+ commute home followed up with 30 minutes of an 'old man' workout.
22-Oct		Easy/Tempo		0:54:56		18.94		AM: 7+ at 7:45. PM: 6+ commute followed by a 2-lap tempo at Fresh Pond - 5m at 6:35ish.  Pitch black by the time I started the second lap.  Great smell of autumn, and the bats came out to eat the final mosquitoes as  I finished.  Felt quicker, but with no light, I was slowed by being extra cautious with footing.
23-Oct		Easy/Moderate		1:38:57		13.2		AM: 7m at about 7:50/mile. PM: 6+ at about 7:20/mile.
24-Oct		Tempo		0:46:33		7.18		AM: Fresh Pond 2-lapper averaging about 5:50.  Probably shouldn't have run so hard, but I just wanted to get my miles done and over with.

Tuesday Splits:

800-2:38.48

1200-4:14.22

1200-4:15.69

600-1:58.06

600-1:57.58

600-1:56.6

600-1:55.11

Total: 100.67

2015 Paddy's Pub Shillelagh Shuffle Race Report

For the third weekend in a row, I laced up my shoes to race and this third and final race was the Paddy's Shilaleigh Shuffle 3 Miler in West Newton - the final race in the NE Runner Pub Series (their write up).

With the increased mileage the past month+, the morning of the race was the first time in quite a while that I didn't wake up with an achy Achilles, or tight calves - a good start to the day.  After a cup of coffee and some granola Eli and I hopped in the car with Raleigh in the back and made our way to the race with enough time for a lengthy warm up.  I think I've determined that I require about a 4m warm up in order to race well.  Long enough to get the muscles warm, work out any aches and pains, and to burn through nervous energy.  It was a bit chilly on race morning, but with an 11:30 start time the sun brought the mercury up enough to stick with simply a singlet and shorts.

On the straightaway at the start/finish area, I did a handful of strides and noticed that my legs felt very good.  I lined up next to Terry and Kevin, and with over 1800 runners - this was a packed race!  Terry, btw, had on a cool yellow singlet indicating he was a man to be reckon with.  Per usual.

My goal for the race was to run hard, don't look at my splits, and just race.  I was hoping to hang close to the leaders and just see what happened.  When the gun went off, I went out hard for the straightaway, then settled in to a hard pace.  I was with the leaders for maybe a third of a mile, and TJ and a guy in a blue singlet went out really hard.  I wasn't going to stick with them, but there were plenty of guys around me, so I stayed at my hard pace.  I wasn't red-lining during the first mile, but it certainly felt like a dang good hard effort.  I was somewhere in the top 10 when I hit the mile marker at 5:18.  Oddly enough, in my head I was thinking it would be nice to run under 10:40 for the first two miles, which I'm not sure if I've ever done.  That preoccupied my mind for a very short time, until I snapped out of it and got a feel for the runners around me.  The lead group of four had a sizable lead, with a chase pack of three not far behind.  They were followed by myself and Andrew Holmes, and then there was a small gap behind us.

I passed the two mile mark with a 5:24 second mile, and I noticed that the group of three ahead of me had strung out just a little bit.  I could see a BAA runner, then a Whirlaway runner, and they were close enough to provide a bit of a carrot to chase while Holmes was probably about 5-10 meters behind me providing ample motivation to keep the pace hard.  Or as Kevin put it, "fear behind, hope ahead."...so poetic!

I think I did a good job of focusing more on effort than pace and the third and final mile was tough, but, oddly, relaxed.  I took note of how far ahead Doug Martyn, the Whirlaway runner, was and increased my pace to close the once sizable gap before we hit the final straight.  The gap was closing, but I was also running out of real estate and I was probably 10 meters back by the time we turned on to the final straight.  When I was finally pulling even, we were very close to the finish and I increased the pace just a bit more.  Martyn must not have heard me coming, and by the time I passed him I had a gained enough momentum at just the right time and he didn't have room or time to react.  We finished with the same finishing time, 16:05 - but the timing of my kick worked in my favor.

7th overall in a large field, and a 17 second improvement from the 3 miler two weeks ago.  I'll take it!

Splits:
5:18.66
5:24.63
5:17.40
5.93

Results
Scott Mason Photography

A great showing this year by CSU in the Pub series:
Final Pub Series Standings Men (4th overall for me)
Final Pub Series Standings Women (7th overall for Eli)

10/11/15 to 10/17/15: Holding Steady

Long story short - I'm holding steady at 100+ and staying healthy.

Here it is:

Long Run		1:51:59		14.08		AM: Rest. PM: Long run, 14+ at about 7:55.  Some slower middle miles thanks to Raleigh.
Easy/Easy		1:35:45		12.43		AM: 7+ at 7:30. PM: 5m at 7:50.
Easy/Intervals		3:06:55		23.6		AM: 7+ at 7:50. PM: 800, 1000, 1200, 600x2, 400x2, 200x2 (5400) 800,1000@5K, 1200@5-8K, 600@3K, 400,200@ Mile pace 2 min/easy 200 rest
Easy/Easy+WW		1:42:32		13.2		AM: 7+ at 7:45. PM: 6+ at 7:45.  Followed that with whiskey workout Wednesday.
Easy/Tempo+200s		2:21:06		18.05		AM: 7+ at 7:40. PM: 11+ at 7:30 w/a 1 lap tempo averaging 6:10 and 4x200.
Easy/Easy		1:40:37		13.2		AM: 7m at 7:45. PM: 6+ at 7:40. Ran through all the Head of the Charles stuff.  Fun, but too crowded.
Easy		0:46:27		6.15		AM: Just an easy couple of laps around Fresh Pond.

Tuesday Splits:

800-2:42.32

1000-3:24.08

1200-4:14.56

600-1:56.08

600-1:56.84

400-1:13.62

400-1:11.38

200-32.94

200-30.38

Thursday's 200s:

200-36.37

200-35.09

200-35.12

200-34.68

Total: 100.71

2015 Warner Fall Foliage 5 Miler Race Report

Another quick write up...

Up in Warner, NH for family farm day, this race has become part of that tradition.  And it doesn't hurt that I won last year - so it stays on the race calendar.

I forced Eli to wake up early so that we could get in a decent warm up, and we were fortunate that it was very temperate weather compared to past years.  We got in 4+ along with a few strides and light drills, and I took a spot at the front of the crowd while Eli was more comfortable hanging a few rows back.

The first mile went out reasonably quick, and there were a handful of guys around me that didn't race last year - I had the feeling that they weren't going to be fading from a fast start though.  I'm not sure why, but I felt very winded and empty-legged during the first mile.  I tried to just stick with the two guys that were taking it out hard though, and we were already a little bit strung out at the first mile. 

The second mile takes you off of a main road and through a neighborhood, and eventually a covered bridge.  I slowed a bit here while one runner created a big gap before we hit Bean Road.  Almost immediately after hitting the base of the Bean Road hill, the guy I had been running with started to pull away.  With no hill work lately, I felt the burn!  I kept the legs churning though, and did a lot of, "make it to that point...ok, now make it to that point..."

Once I crested the hill, the guy in first had a large lead, but the guy in second was making up ground.  I lost a lot of time on the hill, and worked to make up some time on the flat-ish straightaway.  All of us seemed to remain a bit slowed though.  Trying to regain our form after that hill was tough.

After we hit the end of Bean Road and turned back towards the finish, I started to feel pretty good.  I was working hard, and I felt it - but my legs were nice and stretched out.  Unfortunately, I didn't make up much ground on the guys in 1st and 2nd.  I used a telephone pole to count their lead, and I got them from ~22 seconds to around ~15, but I worked hard to do that.  Once we hit the big downhill towards the finish, they turned a tight corner and put on the jets.  Since they were around the corner, I didn't see them make that move, and by the time I did they took back the time I worked for and then some.

The hill is steep enough and their lead was big enough that I simply stayed in control.  I worry about clipping a toe or something on that hill, and my position was pretty set at that point with maybe a half mile to go.

In the end, I finished a respectable third.  Meanwhile though, Elizabeth was the top women overall.  So at least there was one Bugbee winner on this day!

Splits:

5:29.12

5:46.21

6:53.18

5:54.62

5:24.49

5.38 seconds

Results

2015 Bernie's Run 3m Race Report

Ahhhh!  I'm way behind on race reports, so I'm going to make this one quick...

Me and Eli showed up with plenty of time to get in a good warm up.  I ended up doing a bit on my own, a bit Eli, a bit with Terry, and a bit with Kevin.  We passed Jon Waldron and the timing wasn't quite right so he kept on with his warm up, which after reading some of his blog posts seems like it's been a new routine.  And effective - Good to hear!

Lining up, I was on the front line, and I don't know why Pickleman is always a row or two back....Anyways, we were waiting just a little bit too long and I was starting to get cold, as it was pretty windy and chilly.  It worked out fine though, and the gun went off and I did my best to get out of the fray and into some open space.  A guy in a tight fitting Under Armour shirt was hanging with the front pack....working HARD!  He didn't last long.  Gotta pace yourself my man!

The course takes you out and into an industrial park parking lot before doubling back, and I was in a good position and able to get a peak back at other runners.  Pickleman passed me at some point, but other than that, I was basically holding steady.  I knew this distance could perhaps favor Andrew Holmes, who beat me at the 5k to start the Pub Series, but since then I've been able to get out quick and hold position.  Today would be a battle though.

After passing the mile mark, there is the tiniest of hills.  One that during warm ups made me question my memory leading up to the race - had I really called this a hill last year?  Once we crested the 'hill', I realized I had a decent line of runners behind me.  It was a windy day, and I was the lead windbreaker.  Fun.  After a pretty big gust of wind, I moved to the side to see if anyone else wanted to take the duty, and Holmes was just behind me.  I think he assumed I was just stepping to the side to get a look around.  At first I didn't slow, and he stayed at basically the same pace.  Then I slowed just a tiny bit to tuck in, and he made a move to push the pace right when he saw me slow.  It caught me off guard just a bit and I had to really focus to keep a rope on him.  Darn you Holmes!

The guys ahead of us were well ahead of us, so this was the battle for fourth.

We turned and weaved through the neighborhood's pot-holed streets, and all the while Holmes kept his foot on the pedal.  I worked through a bit of a rough patch, but I stayed close.  As we made one of the final sharp turns toward the finish I made a quick and subtle move to tuck onto the inside of the turn, and accelerated.  I was working hard, but under control and I could tell that the 2nd mile had been some work for him while he tried to drop me.  Thankfully, I had held on and worked out of the rough spot, and I was able to create a gap.

The mileage has been paying off lately, and I think this race was the start of it.  It's not a crazy fast time based on past results, but without any type of taper I'm very pleased with these results.

Splits:
5:27.24
5:27.73
5:27.97

Final: 16:21, good for 4th place.  Good showing by CSUers all around.


A great post race party as well, and I learned that an HFC, dood, Cory also reads the blog.  What up Cory!  One of, I dunno, 6 or 7 now...HA!  Comment if you have a blog too and include a link.

10/4/15 to 10/10/15: Two Races / Four in a Row

The week started with the Bernie's 5k in Dedham, and it finished with the Warner 5 Miler - both will get their own race report.

In between, I did a surprising amount of quality.  First was the track workout on Tuesday, then on Thursday I did about eight miles of tempo (split into two sessions), and followed that with 200s over at Danehy.  My legs did not feel fast for the 200s, but I didn't expect them to.  Around this time last year is when I started to work in some mile training, and I have been planning to do the same this year.  I think I may need another 200 meter repeat session before transitioning to 400's, but that has yet to be determined.

My legs have held up very well to the 100 mile weeks, and I haven't decided what my best course of action is.  I generally believe that as long as I'm able to continue to get in workouts and stay healthy, then the higher mileage is the best way to go.  That being said, I have been doing patch work training.  Perhaps it doesn't make a difference exactly what I do as long as I mix in different types of training and stay healthy.  But I would like to think about it some more.

Here tiz:

4-Oct		Bernie's 5k/Easy		1:35:40		12.76		AM: 4+m warm up for the 3m.  Finished 4th in 16:21.  Very pleased. PM: 4+ shakeout, with a few unexpectedly quicker miles after I dropped Raleigh off.
5-Oct		Easy/Moderate		2:11:16		17.51		AM: 7+ commute at 7:37. PM: 10+ w/ 9 at about 7:10.
6-Oct		Easy/Intervals		3:09:40		24.12		AM: 7+ commute at 7:37. PM: Commute home, then to track. 800, (1000, 600) x 3 w/200 surge (5600) 800@5K, 400/200/400@>5K/<5K/>5K, 200/200/200@5K/3K/5K 2 min/easy 200 rest
7-Oct		Easy/Easy		1:47:00		13.2		AM: 7+ commute at 8+. PM: +6 at 8+.
8-Oct		Easy/Tempo+200s		2:19:09		19.15		AM: 7+ at 7:55ish. PM: 5.5 tempo at 6:20, short rest, 2.5m tempo at 5:50.  Jogged to Danehy for 200x10.
9-Oct		Easy		0:33:07		4.2		AM: 7+ at 7:50.
10-Oct		Warner 5 Miler		2:52:16		11.09		AM: Long warm up then Warner 5 Miler in 29:33 good for 3rd place. PM: Actually ran up and down the Bugbee Hill a few times.  This counts!

Tuesday:

800-2:43.51

1000-3:25.10

600-2:00.41

1000-3:27.56

600-2:02.88

1000-3:28.87

600-1:58.70

Thursday:

200-37.58

200-35.70

200-36.09

200-35.06

200-35.79

200-34.83

200-35.22

200-33.38

200-35.19

200-34.72

Rest was about 90 seconds

Total: 102.03

9/27/15 to 10/3/15: Three in a Row

After breaking into new territory last week, I was curious how this week would go.  I'm still in 'hodge podge' training mode, and not focused on specific workouts or mileage - but I am trying to establish my new morning routine of extending the commute to 7 miles.  I have been able to stick with it thus far, and that seems to be driving the new higher weekly mileage.

On a few of the evening commutes I was thoroughly tired, but I have no desire to run my old (and shorter) route home along Mt. Auburn in Watertown.  The Charles may get boring, but there aren't as many intersections and it's nice to have the river on one side as opposed to having that feeling of being surrounded by cars.  It's also been enjoyable watching the local rowers prepare for the Head of The Charles.  Their boats seem to skim along the top of the river, and barely cause a ripple in the water.  It's been a pleasant reminder to keep my form balanced and smooth even when I'm tired...or perhaps especially when I'm tired.

I've said before that back to back is not a dynasty, but this is my first time with three 100+ mile weeks in a row.  I won't call it a dynasty...but I will say - it's not bad for a hack runner!

The stuff:

27-Sep		Long Run		1:54:00		15.09		PM: 15+, 1m easy then averaged probably about 7:20 for the remaining 14.
28-Sep		Easy/Easy		1:58:45		15.27		AM: 7+ at 7:45. PM: 8+ at about 7:50.
29-Sep		Easy/Intervals		3:07:42		23.47		AM: 7+ at 7:50. PM: Commute then intervals.  Very windy day, so I was more focused on effort that making sure I hit exact splits. 800, 1000, 1200, 1000, 800, 600 (5400) 800,1000@5K, 1200@>5K, 600@<5K 2 min/easy 200 rest
30-Sep		Easy/Easy		1:47:00		13.2		AM: 7+ at ~8min. PM: 6+ at ~8min.
1-Oct		Easy/Tempo		2:13:20		17.54		AM: 7+at 7:50ish. PM: 10+ total averaging 7:25.  Includes Fresh Pond 1-lap tempo at around 6:10per with a strong finish.  Felt surprisingly good after a few days of achiness.  Left achilles and right calf are still iffy, but are holding steady.
2-Oct		Easy/Moderate		1:37:48		13.2		AM: 7+ at 7:45. PM: 6+ at 7:10.  Wasn't planning to go quicker, but I focused on quick & light steps, and the left achilles felt a bit better at that pace too.
3-Oct		Easy + Strides		0:31:50		4.25		AM: 4+ at about 7:30.  Garmin was funky, so distance could be off.  Homemade margaritas last night = extra 'tired'…

Splits:

800-2:48.71

1000-3:31.8

1200-4:13.95

1000-3:31.87

800-2:47.32

600-1:52.68

Total: 102.02