6/25/18 to 7/22/18: Four Weeks of Base-ish

Another four weeks of hodge-podge training, but the mileage is there.  The only drop being a mini vacation the week of July 4th (breaking a string of 100+ mile weeks), but it was good timing and allowed for good recovery during a week of hot & humid weather and lot so of good family time.

I haven't had any good races, but nothing is going particularly poorly either.  I really wish I could be in the same type of shape I was in prior to Boston, but I've come to accept that after the marathon I go back to base mode and it's good for me in the long run.  I'll eat whatever I want, enjoy myself, and just focus on getting in mileage with workouts/tempos/hills thrown in at whatever mix happens to work with my schedule.

One thing this summer is doing...moving too fast!!  I can't believe we're nearing the end of July.  Elizabeth and I have been super busy, and the time to think about mapping out my marathon training for Dublin is fast approaching, if not already here.  Thankfully, I'm confident in my base...I just want maybe a little more time to enjoy summer food & drink!

Here it is:

25-Jun		MLR		1:15:54		10.07		AM: 10+ at 7:32/mile, and this felt easy too.  Good sign.
		Easy		0:57:51		7.15		PM: Run home then met Eli & Raleigh for some easie cheezy.
26-Jun		Harvard Track & Commute		1:20:40		11.05		AM: 4xmile at 10k pace plus commuting.
		Easy & Ultimate		0:49:12		6.31		PM: Commute home and ultimate.  Averaged 7:48/mile and felt off for both the run and the game.
27-Jun		Easy		1:08:22		8.43		AM: 8+ feeling under the weather.  Averaged 8ish.
		Easy		0:49:34		6.35		PM: 6m commute at
28-Jun		Easy		1:02:00		8.26		AM: 8m commute in downpouring rain.  Better than in the humidity.
		Speedwork		1:30:00		11.2		PM: Commute home, (400/300/200)x3 followed by Bugbee Pub
29-Jun		Easy		1:00:00		8		AM: 8m commute settling into the 7:30s.  Garmin battery pooped out.
		Easy		0:48:00		6.23		PM: Commute home at 7:47/mile.
30-Jun		Fresh Pond One Lapper		0:42:00		6.09		AM: Ran and won the Fresh Pond one lapper.  Took it out in 5:30, followed by 5:45, and a quicker final half mile.  Not bad for a hot morning.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Chillin and grillin.
1-Jul		Battle Road		2:05:00		16.25		AM: Holy smokes that was tough.  Super hot and humid.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Pretty much a family reunion in Plympton!  Mike, Matt, Dave, and all the neieces and nephews.  Played some wiffleball and bball.  I still got it.
2-Jul		Easy		1:07:13		8.45		AM: 8m commute easy.
		Easy		0:57:37		7.33		PM: 7m commute easy.
3-Jul		OUCH		1:18:33		10.09		AM: 10m commute.  Not easy!  Really soupy.
		BRUTAL		0:38:52		5		Noon: Ran to get the car and do some packing at lunch, and the heat index was something like 110 degrees.  One of the toughest 'easy' runs ever.
4-Jul		Easyish		0:44:47		6.2		AM: A bit quick for an easy run.  7:13/mile.  Another soupy morning, but able to take a dip in the pool in Plympton right after.  Felt nice.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Family fun time!!  Bball, wiffleball, tomfoolery.
5-Jul		Easy		1:00:34		8.04		AM: 8m easyish.  7:32/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Really good food with Mike and Dave & Kathy down for a quick visit.  Another fun day.
6-Jul		Easy		0:47:16		6.38		AM: 6+ at 7:25/mile.  Sneaking
		Off		0:00:00		0		Off.
7-Jul		Easy		1:04:33		8.42		AM:
		Beach!		0:30:00		0.86		PM: Beach walkin'!
8-Jul		Wellfleet 5m		0:26:55		4.89		AM: Wellfleet '5' Miler.  2nd place.  Decent weather, but warm in the sun on the way back.  Got put in the hurt locker on the second to last hill, then he made mincemeat out of me on the final ascent.
		Stuff		1:00:00		5.38		PM: Warm up/Cool down, plus beach walkin' again.
9-Jul		Easyish		1:07:37		9.03		AM: 9m commute at 7:29/mile.  Skewed slightly thanks to the half mile with Raleigh.  Legs felt good this morning and I wish I could've gone longer.
		Easyish		0:47:09		5.8		PM: Whoa!  GI issues were bad combined with 90+ heat.
10-Jul		Harvard Track		1:14:32		10.12		AM: 2 x 2m at Harvard track.  Averaged probably 5:55/mile for the reps, but was feeling the sun and warmth.  Plus, not quite right after yesterday's episode.
		Commute & Ultimate		0:50:46		6.3		PM: Commute home at 8per & ultimate.
11-Jul		Easy		1:10:41		9.1		AM: 9+ at 7:46.
		Easy		1:04:20		8.03		PM: 8m at 8per.
12-Jul		Easy		1:03:57		8.22		AM: 8+ at 7:47/mile.
		Hills & Bugbee Pub		1:41:12		12.01		PM: Commute home and 8 repeats in Belmont followed by Bugbee Pub!
13-Jul		Easy		1:07:55		8.51		AM: 8+ at 8per.
		Easy		0:31:21		4.1		PM: 4m squeezing in the run.  Averaged 7:39/mile.
14-Jul		Short Tempo		0:26:13		4.07		AM: Fresh Pond 1 lapper.  Gotta do better.
		Off		0:00:00		0		Off.
15-Jul		Battle Road		2:22:37		18.29		AM: 18+ long run at battle road averaging
		Off		0:00:00		0		Off.
16-Jul		MLR Moderate		1:15:17		10.01		AM: 10+ at 7:31/mile.  Felt pretty good.
		Easy		0:49:55		6.48		PM: 6+ at 7:42/mile.
17-Jul		Easy		1:07:37		8.25		AM: 8+ at 8:12/mile, skewed by the slow pooch.
		Tempo		0:40:34		6.32		PM: Impromptu tempo due to the lightning.  Averaged 6:25/mile with a slow first mile.
18-Jul		Easy		0:41:09		5.46		AM: Short commute due to meeting.  Averaged 7:32/mile.
		Easy		0:57:21		7.35		PM: 7m at lunch with a work event tonight.  Averaged 7:48/mile.
19-Jul		Easy		1:01:18		8.24		AM: 8+ commute at 7:26/mile.  Felt good running, but not so much otherwise.
		Easy		0:52:49		7.02		Noon: 7+ at 7:31/mile.  Actually a bit quicker as I ran the final half mile with Raleigh.
		Ultimate		0:46:56		0		PM: Ultimate!  Played the whole game, not wise, but no subs…probably 3m worth of running.
20-Jul		Easy		0:31:58		4.09		AM: 4+ at a relaxed pace.
		Friday Night Lights 10k		0:34:43		6.2		PM:  9th in 34:43.  Not the worst.  It was a little warm and I ran very evenly.
		Warm up/Cool Down		0:30:00		3.6		PM:  9th in 34:43.  Not the worst.  It was a little warm and I ran very evenly.
21-Jul		Truro Trails		0:47:49		6.05		AM: Snuck in a Truro Trail run as we got down to the Cape early.  Did about 4 hours of cleanup and lanscaping.
		Shakeout		0:31:58		4.09		PM: 4m shakeout at 8ish.
22-Jul		Battle Road		2:22:29		18.08		AM: Rainy Battle Road.  18m at 7:50ish with a few pickups.
		Off/Nap		0:00:00		0		PM: Got in a fantastic nap!

6:26 Splits:

Mile - 5:32

Mile - 5:31

Mile - 5:32

Mile - 5:29

6/28 Splits:

400-1:11.4

300-54.1

200-35.6

400-1:12.9

300-53.6

200-34.7

400-1:12.3

300-52.6

200-32.7

7/10 Splits:

2m - 11:54

2m - 11:37

Totals: 105.39, 71.04, 103.58, 101.24

2018 Ocean to Bay 5 Miler / BHZ 5k / Wellfleet 5 Miler - Race Reports

Better late than never!!

Ocean to Bay 5 Miler

I first ran this race in 2016, and I ended up winning that year against some stiff competition in tough weather.  I won again last year, and that set me up for an attempt at a three-peat this year.  Obviously I think I'm a little bit lucky that none of the local elite happen to be signing up for this race, but I still need to show up, run hard, and be healthy.  So I was eager to notch three in a row.

Both Elizabeth and I got in a good warm up, and I tried to coax her to the front of the line, but with no luck.  The weather was warm and sunny, but not very humid, so I wasn't concerned there.  I went fairly hard off the front and slung shot around the bend to take advantage of the short downhill at the start.  I was basically all alone right away, and settled into a rhythm quickly getting through the first mile in 5:24 and it felt easy.  Since I was alone for the remainder of the race, I really focused on good form since I've had some nagging injuries, and though I wasn't super happy with the overall pace, I did bring home the win.  That snagged me a nice Jobi Pottery mug for my efforts, and you can bet I'll be back next year!

5:24
5:41
5:57 (WTF!?)
5:45
5:53

Strava


BHZ 5k

I ran and won the inaugural BHZ 5k this past February, but with this being a Pub Series race, I knew that both my course record and win streak likely wouldn't last.  I hoped for a brutally hot and humid day, but no luck there - weather was humid, but not unreasonable.  I went out quick off the gun to help guide some youngsters safely around the corner and found myself leading the pack.  I led for roughly 1/3 of a mile before turning off the main road and into the neighborhoods.  At that point the eventual winner, TJ, Chris, Curley, Kramer, and another guy broke away.  I passed the first mile in about 5:22, and felt like I was working pretty hard (there's a decent hill during mile 1).  I tried to keep my effort even and not lose contact.  After the turnaround, I had a good view of the race ahead of me, and I was basically in no man's land.  There is a gentle downhill at the end of mile two and start of mile three, so I worked that section really well.  I ended up catching ChrisK and he seemed to be working hard, but in order to catch anyone else I felt like I needed to work with someone, so I think I mumbled something about "work together, catch group."  Chris stuck right with me as I passed him and we made our way back on the main road.  We were closing the gap on Curley, Joyce, and Kramer, but running out of real estate.  I realized it was basically between Chris and I for the 6th spot, and the battle ensued.  I backed off just a bit with a quarter mile to go, to try and get on Chris's shoulder, but that was a mistake.  Once I did that, I couldn't get back into a higher gear and he created a gap that I wouldn't close.  Still, this was a solid result for me.

5:22
5:17
5:11
45s

Coolrunning
Strava


Wellfleet 5 Miler

Another 'defending champ' race!  Last year was a very hard fought battle, and is probably one of the best races I've had.

I didn't see any familiar faces from the previous two years, and so I planned to just go out and find my rhythm.  I got out quick in 5:19 and had someone trailing me just a few meters back, but I couldn't see if it was one person or a pack.  I kept my head forward and tried to stay steady.  Mile two was a solid 5:34 on rolling terrain.  The weather was reasonable, with a little bit of wind, but no clouds - so I could feel the sun pretty good during mile three as I ascending a long steep hill towards a turnaround.  I thought the 5:45 third mile was too slow, but looking back it's very reasonable with that climb.  Once I made my way back down the same hill, I knew I was in for a battle.  A younger runner (20 year old) was right on my shoulder, and I could tell that he was going to test me.  On the 2nd to last hill he made a move to accelerate past me and I was able to react and keep him on my shoulder.  I pushed hard on the downhill to try and create a gap, but nothing opened up.  So, on the flat I slowed a hair to get on his shoulder.  He was running well, and accelerated 10 meters before the final hill.  I tried to cover the move, but he continued his move to the top of the hill and left me in the dust.  His form looked rock solid too - no head bob or rocking shoulders accelerating uphill...I knew I was cooked!

I was comfortably in second place, so I focused on running hard and getting my form in check as I was looking ugly trying to cover that final move.  I was happy to see the 5:26 mile four, and 5:30 pace for the fifth (short) mile.  Unfortunately I couldn't repeat, but two 2nd place finishes and a win in my three Wellfleet 5-miler appearances isn't too bad.  Next year!

5:19
5:34
5:45
5:26
4:53 (5:30 pace)

Strava
Coolrunning

6/4/18 to 6/24/18: Racing into Shape

I'll do a separate post for the Ocean to Bay 5 Miler and BHZ 5k for the race reports, but the training for the past three weeks has been trending in the right direction.  The knee and hip had been an issue, but they are currently not a concern.  Good health seems to be coming at the right time too.  I'm tentatively targeting the Friday Night Lights 10k as my next serious race.  Though I'll probably hop in another race between now and then, I'd love to get in a good month's worth of training.  We'll see how it goes, since summer tends to throw a lot of obstacles in the way.

Anyways:

4-Jun		Easy		1:12:00		9.06		AM: 9+ at 7:45ish after a slow first mile with Raleigh.  Left hip a little bit achey, and right knee sensative - no compression on it today though.
		Moderate		0:52:00		7.21		PM: Quickish at around 7:15/mile.
5-Jun		Easy		1:10:00		9.02		AM: 9+ at 7:50/mile.
		Easy		0:48:00		6.3		PM: 6+ at 7:40/mile.  Skipped track initially due to everything running late, but I was actually really tired and my left hip seems to have tendonitis, so probably for the best…still bummed though.
6-Jun		Easy		0:41:00		5.06		AM: 5m left at 6am.  That's too damn early.
		MLR Moderate				12.13		PM: 12+ w/10m at probably 6:45/mile then final 2m with Raleigh.  Felt a little wonky here and there, but for the most part I was ok once I got going - hence the impromtu MLR.
7-Jun		MLR Easy		1:19:23		10.1		AM: 10+ commute at 7:50/mile.  No ibuprofen and felt ok considering yesterday was a decent effort.  Right knee improving and left hip joint takes awhile to warm up.
		Easy & Ultimate		0:56:45		7.07		PM: Skipped the Adrian Martinez Classic, which was a bummer, but I'm just not where I would like to be.  Ran home, played ultimate, drove to Truro.  Still a long night.
8-Jun		Easyish		1:00:28		8.01		AM: 8m at 7:33/mile.  Not bad!
		Easy		0:36:24		4.62		PM: 4m lunch run at 7:53/mile.
9-Jun		MLR		1:17:00		10.07		AM: 10m at 7:39/mile.  Ran to pick up the beach and transfer station stickers then added on.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Surf and turf with the family!  Goooood food!
10-Jun		Ocean to Bay		0:28:42		5		AM: 1st place! Three-peat!  Slowest time yet though…
		Etc		1:00:00		6.47		PM: Warm up + cool down + shakeoutish…
11-Jun		MLR		1:19:39		10.44		AM:  Got to bed early, so was able to get out early for a nice MLR.  10+ at 7:38/mile.  Right knee feels close to 100%.  Left hip/leg is ok after a warm up and trending in the right direction.
		Easy		0:56:50		7.14		PM: 7+ at 7:57/mile.
12-Jun		Easy		1:09:02		8.58		AM: Run Raleigh then commute.  8+ at 8min per.
		Commute & Track		1:40:09		13.06		PM: Ran home, then to track w/Raleigh.  (1200/600)x3/400.  Never felt like I loosened up, but very happy to be back on the track.  Very windy too, so that was beneficial in keeping me mentally focused on just relaxing.  Oddly, calves still feel kind of crampish at the end of workouts.
13-Jun		Easy		1:09:20		8.41		AM: 8+ super slow.  Really tired and legs were mush.  Averaged 8:14/mile.
		Easy		0:50:42		6.24		PM:  Gah, really tired.  Regular commute at around 8per.
14-Jun		Easy		1:03:52		8.03		AM: Still a little tired, but not as bad.  8+ at 7:50ish after a slow first couple of miles the legs warmed up for lower 7s.
		Commute & Ultimate * Cool Down		1:23:00		10.81		PM: Total mileage looks tame, but this was an exhausting evening.  Ran home, to ultimate, played, ran to TJs, and didn't eat until about 10pm.  Right knee is about 95% and left leg is improving, but probably 70%.
15-Jun		Easy		1:03:15		8		AM: 8m commute at 7:54/mile.
		Easy		0:51:00		6.22		PM: 6+ and some w/Eli and Raleigh.
16-Jun		Easy		0:38:39		5.47		AM: 5m total, with Fresh Pond 1 lapper (winner winner!).  Averaged ~5:45 for the 2.5m.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
17-Jun		Battle Road		2:00:04		16.28		AM: Battle Road w/Kevin.  Skipped the Grand Prix.  Averaged 7:23/mile and felt pretty good.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
18-Jun		Easy		1:06:51		8.42		AM: 8m commute at just under 8per.
		Easy		0:48:53		6.3		PM: 6+ at 7:46/mile.
19-Jun		Easy		1:06:32		8.42		AM: 8m commute at 7:54/mile.
		Harvard Track		1:44:50		13.3		PM: (1000/200)x4/400x2.  All splits were a bit slow, but I got through it which was important for today.
20-Jun		Easy		0:44:51		5.42		AM: Early meeting so a shorter commute.  Also slower to keep the legs from getting too cooked.
		Easy		0:52:41		6.43		PM: 6+ slow again.
21-Jun		Short Speed		1:02:36		8.28		AM: 8+ at 7:34/mile.  Went to the track and did 5 x 400 at around 1:15 per quarter.
		Easy		1:05:29		8.68		PM: 8+ at 7:33/mile.  Legs felt pretty good.
22-Jun		Recovery		0:57:39		6.36		AM: 6+ fairly slow with Raleigh in tow.  Good recovery though.
		Easy		0:59:31		8.02		PM: 8+ at 7:25/mile.  Feels like I have a normal stride!
23-Jun		Easy		0:50:38		6.5		AM: 6+ very easy at 7:47/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
24-Jun		BHZ 5k PS		0:16:37		3.18		AM: BHZ 5k.  7th overall with a good battle with ChrisK.  I eased back with 350 or so to go, in an attempt to go on his shoulder, and then couldn't get the legs back.  My kick sucked, but this was a great effort and a great move in the right direction.
		Warm up, Cool down, Shakeout		1:27:00		11.05		This includes 5m warm up, 1+ c/d, and 4+ evening shakeout.

6/12 Splits:

1200-4:11.16

600-1:58.2

1200-4:08.9

600-1:59.3

1200-4:08.7

600-1:59.9

400-1:13.3

6/19 Splits:

1000-3:28.1

200-37.1

1000-3:27.7

200-36.1

1000-3:28.2

200-36.9

1000-3:27.1

200-36.5

400-1:16.7

400-1:13.7

6/21 Splits:

400-1:14.1

400-1:15.1

400-1:12.9

400-1:13.1

400-1:12.2

Totals: 100.12, 108.68, 100.36

Race Reports: Liam McGuire ~5m, Reggae Ramble, and Corrib 5k

Liam McGuire's Almost 5-Miler

Just over two weeks after Boston, Elizabeth and I went to Falmouth for the 2nd race in the New England Runner Pub Series.  Liam's is an interesting course in that it is purposefully just under 5 miles, and I would say it's a fair course with some small rollers, but nothing too bad.  I was not nearly recovered for this race, so I had to take a couple ibuprofen to deal with some aches and pains.  That took care of those issues, but my legs still had no pop and my pre-race strides felt pathetic.

All that being considered, I was pretty happy to bust out a 5:21 for the first mile.  I was doing my best to keep things under control, and this felt very easy - so that was encouraging.  Entering the second mile, Pickleseimer caught up to me and we ran together for a little bit and were even able to chat and have a quick laugh for the NERunner camera crew.  Pickle would soon pull away though, and I was left a little bit in no man's land.

Throughout the middle miles I kept the effort right, and closed the gap on two runner's ahead of me.  Brendan Meehan runs for GBTC, and I caught up to him along the coast - he too was recovering from Boston.  And I then kept an eye on Pickleseimer and another runner who he was battling with.  After we turned back inland, Pickleseimer had overtaken the youngin' and was well ahead.  I made a quick surge to close that gap and remained there for about 20 seconds before making a hard move.  I wondered briefly if I could catch up to Pickle, but my mental math told me there simply wasn't enough real estate.

I finished in 27:12, averaging 5:32/mile - good for 6th place and I was actually happy with that considering how beat up I've been.

Splits:
5:21
5:27
5:41
5:30
5:12 (5:26/mile pace)

Results
Strava

Great CSU contingent for this race as usual, and the post-run hangout was fantastic.


Reggae Ramble

I've always been interested in these Thursday night races along the Charles.  I'll be commuting home and see the race getting setup, and on some evenings I'll get home a little late and see the post race party going on.  On this night, I got home from my commute and made a last minute decision to just go ahead and sign up.

By the time I lined up to race, I already had 16+ miles in my legs from the morning & evening commutes.  I also remained banged up having to cut any recent track workouts short.  So...I wasn't super confident, but I needed to get out and run hard for my mental health.

I went out very relaxed, and the leader and Mike Quintal went out quick for the first half mile and built up a 7-10s lead.  I settled in, and at that point the gap stayed roughly the same.  I tried to pick up the pace for the final mile, hoping the leader went out too hard, but he looked comfortable.  If I caught him, I'm sure he would've had plenty in the tank.  I was pleased with the effort though, and can't complain about the time or the place.

Splits:
5:18
5:26
5:21
32s

Results
Strava

Very fun post race event on the Charles, and the band was fantastic!

Corrib Pub 5k

Well, this one was kind of a stinker.  On one hand, I shouldn't complain because I've been treading water while battling injuries...on the other...it's worse than last year and that's very frustrating since it was such a nice day compared to last year's sufferfest of heat & humidity.

I've really been struggling with feeling good as of late, so once again I took it out conservatively.  Last year my opening mile was 5:10, compared to 5:21 this year.  I was quickly in a bit of no man's land, with plenty of people ahead of me.  Mile two is a bit uphill, and though I haven't been feeling fast I have been feeling like I have plenty of stamina.  So I worked the hills on the course pretty good, and that's where I made up most of the ground on the runners that went out quicker for the first mile.

Mile two is a good climb and that was run in 5:33.  During the third mile, I was doing my best to close the gap on Pickleseimer, who seems to be just out of reach as of late - and I just didn't have it.  My effort remained where I think it needs to be, and I ran 5:21 for the third mile.  The final part of the course is very downhill, which wasn't a good thing for me on this day, since that puts a pounding on my right knee.  Since I wasn't catching anyone nor being caught, I tried to stay smooth with a high turnover.  I finished in 7th place in a time of 17:01 (long course).

Splits:
5:21
5:33
5:21
46s

Results
Strava

Elizabeth ran 20:44, and had an excellent race.  On a slightly flatter and certified course, and I think she can break 20min.  All she needs is to decide to do some training!

5/14/18 to 6/3/18: Treading Water

The past three weeks have felt a lot like treading water.  As one injury subsides, another one creeps up to a level of concern that causes me to back off or skip workouts altogether.  Yesterday at the Corrib 5k this was a bit of a discussion between myself, Jon, and Kevin.  I'm sure most of my complaining about feeling fairly crappy and running super slow look like I'm forcing things too much....and there is certainly truth to that.  I think the consensus is that taking some time off would do me well.  I don't disagree with that, but I also don't think I'm quite to that point.  The problem is usually it's the athlete who can't see when they are at that point.

Jon made a comment about when to be concerned, and essentially when a run simply isn't enjoyable you're probably over doing it (I'm paraphrasing just a bit, I'm sure).  Looking through my log, I see a lot of "meh" and "SLOW!"...because it isn't especially fun to tread water.  That being said, I feel like I'm allowing myself to stay at a level where a bad race isn't that bad.  The downside is that is probably true on the other side of the spectrum where a good race won't be that good.

I'm ~21 weeks away from the Dublin Marathon.  So, I'm not quite at the point where I need to hurry up and get healthy. 

The Stuff:

14-May		MLR		1:15:56		10.06		AM: MLR at 7:33/mile.
		Easy		0:58:48		8.18		PM: 8 total, but 5m at a reasonable cruising speed.  Still a little whacky though.
15-May		Easy		1:08:01		8.34		AM: 8+ at 8:09/mile.  BAH!
		Easy		0:47:10		6.32		PM: 6+ at 7:28/mile.  Still bah.
16-May		Easy & Meeting		0:40:38		5.02		AM: 5m at 7:46/mile.  Early meeting means shorter run.
		Easy		0:49:30		6.37		PM: 6+ at 7:49/mile.  Very Meh.
17-May		Easy		1:04:18		8.03		AM: 8m at 8per.  Easy, but back and whole core just felt way out of whack.
		Reggae Ramble 5k		1:20:00		12.22		PM:  Commute home then back to the river for the last minute decision to run the Reggae Ramble 5k.  2nd Place in 16:38.  I'll take it.  Back and knee are still bothering me, but didn't cause problems for the race.
18-May		Easy		1:06:33		8.4		AM: 8+ at 7:55/mile.
		Easy		1:05:00		9.35		PM: Commute & Raleigh & Lamplighter.  Pace whatever.
19-May		Trails		1:05:58		8.68		AM: Trails of Truro!
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
20-May		Short Long Run		1:52:00		14.44		AM: Long run on the trails, some of it with Eli.  Garmin was weird, so this is a rough number and pace was probably 7:40ish.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Drive home.
21-May		Easy		1:06:13		8.01		AM: Commute SLOW!!!
		Easy		1:15:18		9.08		PM: 9+ commute at 7:30ish w/final miles around Fresh Pond with Eli & Raleigh.
22-May		Easy		1:01:42		7.31		AM: 7+ commute at SLOW!!!
		Easy + Trackish		1:32:25		11.62		PM: Commute home and improvised track with all my aches and pains.  Not worth looking at the splits.
23-May		Easy		1:08:39		8.12		AM: Commute SLOW!!!
		Moderate		0:53:20		7.3		PM: 7+ at 7:18/mile.  5m at a moderate clip of just under 7min miles.
24-May		Easy		1:06:14		8.44		AM: 8+ commute at 7:53/mile.
		Easy		0:55:00		7.36		PM: Commute home at 7:32/mile.
25-May		Easy		1:20:00		10.35		AM: Trails plus a bit with Eli and Raleigh.  Pace whatever.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
26-May		Tempo		0:51:30		7.47		AM: 7+ at a moderate clip.  Averaged 6:54/mile.  I'll take what I can get.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.  Really doing quite a bit of yard work though.
27-May		Long Run		2:00:00		16.17		AM: 16+ trail run with a bunch of it with Dan Chebot, his wife McKenzie, and their friend Scott.  Good to have company, and I hope in the coming weekends Eli can join.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off ish.  Definitely doing yard work that is not easy.
28-May		MLR		1:24:00		11.13		AM: 11+ to try and get in some miles.  Pace about 7:35/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
29-May		Easy		0:37:00		5.02		AM: 5m to work after a 3+ hour drive.  Yeesh.
		Easy		0:50:00		6.36		PM: 6+ at 7:55/mile.  My right knee remains an issue, but the weird stuff going on in my left hip is a new concern.
30-May		Easy		0:54:00		7.24		AM: 7+ commute.  Not sure why I started late and couldn't get my standard 8m in, but such is life.
		MLR Moderate		1:30:00		12.06		PM: Impromptu MLR w/some Raleigh miles.  Averaged around 7min per, skewed by the final 2m with the dog.  No ibu and right knee was a little touch and go.  Left side definitely feels out of whack, but I was happy with this.
31-May		MLR Easy		1:20:00		10.15		AM: Another MLR to squeeze in some miles.  Right knee feels like it's improving, but the hip/IT or whatever it is on my left side is hit and miss.
		Easy & Ultimate		1:05:00		8.36		PM: Commute home and over to ultimate.  Too bad ultimate miles don't count, but the good news is I felt pretty good there.
1-Jun		Easy		1:14:00		9.14		AM: 9+ easy at 8min per.  Not that easy though as my legs feel a little beat up.  Left side feels a bit quieter though.  Super humid.
		Raleigh Lunch Run!		0:18:00		2.12		Noon: Raleigh lunch run, BRO.
		Easy		1:01:00		7.38		PM: Commute home plus a little bit with Raleigh.  Slow going, but that's fine.
2-Jun		Easy		1:02:00		8.02		AM: 8m at 7:44/mile.  Very warm and super humid, but I felt pretty good.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Went to Trillium Beer Garden…should've done the shakeout, but oh well.
3-Jun		AM Shakeout		0:18:00		2.1		AM:  Early shakeout with Raleigh.
		Corrib Pub 5k PS		1:00:00		8.61		Noon:  Corrib Pub 5k.  17 flat for a slightly long course.  7th place and slower than last year.  Not very good.
		Shakeout		0:31:00		4.06		PM: 4m shakeout at 7:38/mile.

No splits to speak of.

Totals: 105.41, 101.23, 101.75

4/16/18 to 5/13/18: Frustratingly & Patiently Recovering...Sort of

If you read my race report for Boston, then you already know that it didn't exactly go well.  What has been surprising to me, though, is the slow recovery process.  Recovering from a marathon is always tough, but this one was so far below what I think I was/am capable of, I expected the recovery to be rather quick.  Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case.  My back/SI joint was an issue going into the race, and it remains a mild issue...however the list has grown longer.  Now I'm continuing to deal with:

- pain on top of left foot

- peroneal tendonitis

- right knee pain

- left hamstring stuff

- bruised ego

After the two weeks of meh mileage and two weeks back to close to normal, I'm starting to feel a little bit better.  Unfortunately, both the right foot and knee are still requiring some ibuprofen to keep from any flare ups.  Some days it feels absolutely brutal, and others not so bad.  I'm looking forward to that not being the case...

The Stuff!!

16-Apr		Boston Marathon		2:58:08		26.44		AM: This was an incredible amount of suffering.
		Boston Marathon		0:00:00		0		PM: Legal's was fun!
17-Apr		Recovery		0:42:37		5.01		AM: 5m slow.  8:30s.  This was actually a commute home.
		Recovery		0:20:24		2		PM: 2m very easy while Eli did the workout.
18-Apr		Recovery		0:43:07		5.1		AM: 5m slow again.
		Recovery		0:43:33		5.02		PM: 5m slow….again.
19-Apr		Recovery		0:40:49		5		AM: Back isn't so bad.
		Recovery		0:43:39		5.13		PM: 5m easy.
20-Apr		Recovery		0:44:25		5.1		AM: 5m easy.
		Off		0:00		0		PM: Drive to the Cape!
21-Apr		Recovery		0:36		4.15		AM: 4m in the trails with Eli and Raleigh.  Raleigh is slow.
		Off		0:00		0		PM: Off.
22-Apr		Recovery		1:07		8.17		AM: 8m with Eli.  A fun relaxing run through the trails.
		Off		0:00		0		PM: Drive home.
23-Apr		Moderate		1:02		8.3		AM: 8m with some a bit quicker.  Averaged 7:34/mile.
		Moderate		0:59		8.14		PM: 8m tried to move the legs and shake out this crap in the quads.  7:17/mile.
24-Apr		Easy		1:03		8.01		AM: 8m at 7:55/mile.
		Very Easy		0:38:54		4.63		PM: My right foot has had some tendonitis and I thought it was minor, but this hurt quite a bit with zero ibuprofen.  Stopped to walk a few times then just called it quits to be safe.
25-Apr		Easy		1:05:07		8.05		AM: Foot was thankful for the rest last night.  8m at a slow 8:05/mile.
		Easy		0:48:45		6.21		PM: 6m commute at 7:51/mile.
26-Apr		Moderate/Easy		1:00:51		8.02		AM: 8m at 7:35/mile.  Not easy at this pace yet, but this was a good run.  Back is still very tight all day, but doing ok on the runs.
		Work		0:00:00		0		PM: Work event at Trillium Brewery.
27-Apr		Work		0:00:00		0		AM: Work in Worcester at 7am.
		Moderate		0:35:22		5.24		PM: Quicker commute at about 6:45/mile.
28-Apr		Moderate		0:37:12		6.2		AM: A little quicker 10k at 6:50/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
29-Apr		Truro Long Run		2:00:52		16.23		AM: Not a bad long run.  Ran a bit with Eli and Raleigh as well.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
30-Apr		MLR		1:18:01		10.04		AM: Ran a bit longer. 10m at 7:50ish probably.
		Easy		0:48:24		6.37		PM: 6+ at 7:36/mile.
1-May		Easy		1:05:34		8.31		AM: Standard 8m commute.  7:53/mile.
		Harvard Track		1:21:21		10.71		PM: Commute home then to the track where I had to cut the workout short due to calf tightness.  800x4/600.
2-May		Easy		1:08:41		8.4		AM: 8m at 8:11/mile, skewed by Raleigh.
		Easy/Cut it short		0:35:26		4.61		PM: 4+ and I had to cut this short due to my foot.  Dangit!
3-May		Easy		1:11:12		8.64		AM: Stuck with the 8m commute, but it wasn't pretty.
		Easy		0:49:16		6.22		PM: Commute home at 7:55/mile.
4-May		MLR		1:33:34		12.13		AM: MLR at 7:43/mile in Truro.
		Easy		0:39:08		5.08		PM: 5+ at 7:43/mile.
5-May		Easy		0:51:14		6.31		AM: 6+ at 8:07/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
6-May		Liam McGuire's Almost 5m PS		0:27:14		4.96		AM: Liam's.  6th place.  Not bad actually, but not great either.
		Shakeout		1:10:00		8.42		W/up + C/down + Evening Shakeout.
7-May		MLR		1:19:32		10.02		AM: MLR at 7:56/mile.
		Easy		1:07:49		8.54		PM: 8+ commute home at 7:56/mile.  Can't get out of this mild injury funk!!!
8-May		Easy		1:05:12		8.02		AM: 8m on the slower side.
		Harvard Track		1:43:33		13.07		PM: Harvard Track cut short again.  800/1000x2/600x3/200x3/400.
9-May		Easy		1:07:58		8.13		AM: 8m commute at 8:22/mile…huh?  WTF.
		Easy		0:48:44		6.35		PM: 6+ with the knee loosening up a little at 7:40/mile.
10-May		Easy		1:05:50		8.04		AM: 8m at 8:11/mile, skewed by Raleigh.
		Easyish		0:53:52		7.17		PM: 7+ at 7:31/mile.
11-May		Easyish		0:59:46		8.06		AM: 8+ at 7:25/mile.
		Beach Walk		0:27:56		1.13		PM: Nice beach walk at Balston Beach and Brush Valley.
12-May		Long Run		2:06:13		17.1		AM: 17+ at 7:23/mile.  Had some good spots going, and the elevation change that the Truro trails provides, which is something I'm lacking.  Good run.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
13-May		Easy		0:45:22		6.2		AM: 6+ at 7:19/mile.  Not bad, I guess.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.

5/1 Splits: 

800-2:42

800-2:41

800-2:40

800-2:43

600-2:00

5/8 Splits:

800-2:43.3

1000-3:31.4

1000-3:31.0

600-2:00.8

600-1:57.8

600-1:56.5

200-38.5

200-37.9

400-1:14.4

Totals: 71.12, 79.03, 100.2, 101.83