2018 Year End Wrap Up

Entering 2018, I set myself two goals: stay healthy and PR at every distance.  I didn't achieve either goal, but that's fine.  After Dublin, a minor back injury turned into a major one, resulting in my first day(s) off since April 28, 2017.  I'd had a few minor injuries earlier in the year, but this was significant and resulted in six very frustrating days off.  It was the exact type of injury I try to avoid.

That being said, I still ran for 359 out of 365 days of the year while tallying up just over 5000 miles.  I also set PRs for the mile, 5 mile, 10k, 10 mile, half marathon, and marathon - missing out on only the 3k and the 5k.  Dang!  So close!!

Ending the year with that type of injury obviously puts a damper on things, but I'm back to running and seeing bits of fitness return here and there.  And if I'm able to PR in six distances during the next year, I'll certainly be happy.

With that in mind, my 2019 goals: stay healthy and PR at every distance!



I realize this is a lot of data, but it's the remaining stuff:

8-Oct		MLR Easy		1:20:09		10.05		AM: 10m at whatever.
		Easy		0:59:52		7.5		PM: 7+ at 8 per, with Eli for a good chunk.  Feeling pretty tired in general.
9-Oct		Easy		1:04:16		8.12		AM: 8+ at 7:55/mile.  Tired.
		Tempo + Harvard Track		1:49:00		15.55		PM: 10k tempo home, moderate to track, drills and strides.  1600/(1000/600)x2/1600.  Felt reasonably cooked by the end.
10-Oct		Easy Easy		1:07:00		8.11		AM: 8+ SLOW.  Really warm with a  high dew point.  Legs not crazy sore, but just couldn't move quick, nor did I need to.
		Easy Easy		0:48:52		5.54		PM: 5+slooow with Raleigh.
11-Oct		Easy		1:05:39		8.31		AM: 8+ commute at 7:54/mile.
		95%MP 10k Tempo		0:47:55		7.08		PM: Tempoish home.  6.3m at 95% MP and a cool down with Raleigh.  Averaged 6:42/mile for the whole thing.
12-Oct		Easy		0:39:04		5.29		AM: Picked up the car and drove to work.  5+ averaging 7:24/mile.  It's nice running without a backpack.
		Easy		0:53:39		7.08		PM: 7+ commute averaging 7:34/mile.
13-Oct		Easy & Strides		0:36:55		5.02		AM: A quick 5m plus 5 Poplar strides.  Averaged 7:21/mile.
		Off/Golf		0:00:00		0		PM: Golfed for 5+ hours for Dad's 70th.  Good times!
14-Oct		Paddy's 3m PS		0:51:00		7.42		AM: 10th place in 15:59.  Not a great race, but not terrible.  I had too much in the tank at the finish, and I felt like I should've been 20 seconds faster.
		5m Tempo		0:32:09		5.41		PM: 5m+ tempo averaging 5:58/mile.  Final bit was a little slower due to crossing the road.  A good double today.
15-Oct		Recovery Commute		1:05:00		8.42		AM: 8+ at 7:47/mile.
		Easy & Raleigh		0:53:52		7.04		PM: 7+ Raleigh at 7:39/mile.
16-Oct		Easyish		1:00:00		8.02		AM: 8+ at 7:32 mile.
		10k Tempo & Track		1:37:00		14.24		PM: 10k tempo in 38min followed by track workout.  2 x 1m/800x2/200x2. 10k, 5k, mile pacing.  Was going to be 4 x 800, but I started to feel tight and with the volume already high, I decided to run two quickish 200s to try and stay smooth.  Last high volume high quality workout.
17-Oct		Very Easy		1:04:00		8.01		AM: 8+ very easy.
		Easy		0:43:57		5.68		PM: 5+ easy.
18-Oct		Easy		0:37:37		5		AM: 5m at 7:31/mile.  Early meeting.
		Easyish		0:46:32		6.38		PM: 6+ at 7:17/mile.
19-Oct		Moderate		0:56:53		8.14		AM: 8+ at 6:58/mile.  Wanted to go a little quicker, but the back pack was a little heavy and the legs were meh.  Oh well.
		Easy		0:49:14		6.50		PM: 6+ at 7:30ish.  Busy Charles River with the rowers!
20-Oct		Easy		0:48:23		6.36		AM: 6+ on the Cape doing cleanup and stuff.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
21-Oct		MLR		1:33:00		12.35		AM: 12+ at Battle Road at an easyish 7:34/mile with Kevin.
		Easy		0:37:01		4		PM: 4m shakeout with Eli and Raleigh.
22-Oct		Easy		0:37:55		5.03		AM: 5m easy at 7:31/mile.
		Easy		0:48:12		6.04		PM: 6+ home and early voting!
23-Oct		Easy		0:40:06		5.18		AM: 5+ easy at 7:44/mile.
		Easyish		0:39:38		5.56		PM: 5+ easyish at 7:08/mile.
24-Oct		Easy		0:39:41		5.53		AM: 5+ easy at 7:10/mile.
		Easy		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
25-Oct		Easy		0:37:36		5.01		AM: 5+ easy at 7:30/mile.
		Ireland		0:00:00		0		PM: Flight to Dublin!
26-Oct		Ireland		0:36:09		4.09		AM: 4+ exploring with Eli and Kevin.
		Ireland		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
27-Oct		Ireland		0:41:13		4.53		AM: 4+ exploring again.
		Ireland		0:00:00		0		PM: Off. Italian dinner was good!
28-Oct		Dublin Marathon		2:43:01		26.2		AM: 2:43:01.  Dublin is PR city!
		Dublin Marathon		0:11:00		1.27		AM: Warm up to the race.
29-Oct		Ireland		0:40:36		4.33		AM: Easy exploring.
		Ireland		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
30-Oct		Ireland		1:33:00		10.46		AM: Run to Dalkey!
		Ireland		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
31-Oct		Ireland		0:37:17		4.28		AM: Easy exploring.
		Ireland		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
1-Nov		Ireland		0:31:09		4.01		AM: Easy exploring.
		Paris		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
2-Nov		Paris		1:04:00		7.35		AM: Easy exploring.
		Paris		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
3-Nov		Paris		0:35:27		4.04		AM: Easy exploring.
		Paris		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
4-Nov		Paris		1:01:00		6.53		AM: Easy exploring.
		Paris		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
5-Nov		Paris		0:33:48		4.34		AM: Easy exploring.
		Paris		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
6-Nov		Moderate		0:59:00		8.1		AM: A few laps around Fresh Pond.  Feels good to be home - that was an exhausting trip!  Lots of fun though!
		Moderate		0:58:38		8.14		PM: Dropped the car off with Elizabeth and ran home from there in the rain.  8+ at 7:12/mile.
7-Nov		Easy		1:09:00		9.13		AM: 9+ at 7:36/mile.  Legs were feeling terrible.  Surprised to be running mostly low 7s.  Head cold that started on the 3rd is still lingering.
		Easy		1:06:00		8.15		PM: 8+ Easy.
8-Nov		Easy		1:10:00		9.19		AM: 9+ easy, but the legs are tired.
		Moderate		1:26:00		11.41		PM: Commute home and a 3m 'primer' with Terry.  Super dark around Fresh Pond even with the headlamp.  Glad it was short, footing was precarious.
9-Nov		Easy		1:04:00		8.18		AM: 8+ at around 7:50ish.  This cold is lingering and my legs kind of feel it too, I think.
		Easy		0:52:12		6.27		PM: Commute home.
10-Nov		Easy		1:16:00		10.05		AM: Easy with Eli and Neil.  Eli skipped the final ~6m.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
11-Nov		Truro Trails				18.03		AM: 18m with Neil on the trails.  Good stuff!  Left hamstring got very tight and lower back was achy, but not crazy bad.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Drive home.
12-Nov		Easy		1:04:00		8		AM: 8m with sinus infection and lower back tightness.  Back is not well.  This sucked.
		Very Easy		0:50:08		6		Noon:  Ran home due to sickness and back.  Back was meh, but not crazy bad until the evening.  WTF.
13-Nov		Very Easy		0:38:35		4.1		AM: Started jog to work, but back was like exploding shards of glass.  Eff.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Took a muscle relaxer and napped.
14-Nov		Very Easy		0:44:34		5		AM: Back effing sucks.
		Meh		1:04:00		7.52		PM: Back sucks, but was feeling mildly ok so I went just a smidge longer than planned.
15-Nov		Meh		0:49:13		5.64		AM: Back effing sucks again.  Hopefully just a morning tightness thing.
		Ok		0:00:00		10.14		PM: Back felt slightly better, but not great.
16-Nov		WTF!		0:00:00		0		AM: I think I was overzealous with a stretch or something.  First two steps were lightening bolts of pain.
		GD!		0:00:00		0		PM:  Whatever I did was bad.  Can't stand up, can't walk.  The streak ends, and even worse is the potential long term injury.
17-Nov		Nope		0:00:00		0		AM: Holy fuck this sucks.
		Nope		0:00:00		0		PM: I'd love to be able to stand up.
18-Nov		Nope		0:00:00		0		AM: Some improvement throughout the morning.
		Nope		0:00:00		0		PM: Definite improvement.  Can stand on my own and walk.  Obviously a ways to go.
19-Nov		Nope		0:00:00		0		AM: Slight improvement.
		Nope		0:00:00		0		PM: Same.
20-Nov		Nope		0:00:00		0		AM: Same.
		Nope		0:00:00		0		PM: Same.
21-Nov		Nope		0:00:00		0		AM: Same.
		Nope		0:00:00		0		PM: Same.
22-Nov		Easy		0:33:10		4.04		AM: Very cautious.  Just up and down Sheffield Park.
		Thanksgiving		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
23-Nov		Easy		1:02:00		6.48		AM: 6+, some with Matt, some with Eli and Raleigh.  Again - very easy.
		Work Holiday		0:00:00		0
24-Nov		Easy		0:41:30		5.19		AM: Fresh Pond, a few with Tyler during his cool down.  Went a little quicker than I otherwise would have, but I felt ok.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Mostly off, but did some core and range of motion stuff.
25-Nov		Battle Road		1:25:00		10.06
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Mostly off, but did some core and range of motion stuff.
26-Nov		Easy		0:52:13		6.3		AM: 6+ easy.  Not much range of motion.
		Easy + Hillsish		0:57:54		7.15		PM: Commute home then 5 hill bounds.  Kept them very easy, but wanted to do something to wake up what feel like dead legs.  Followed that up with an hour+ workout.
27-Nov		Easy		0:59:05		7.09		AM: 7+ easy.
		Easy		1:02:00		8.1		PM: 8+ with 5 short hill bounds.
28-Nov		Easy		1:15:00		9.12		AM: 9+ easy.
		Easy		0:52:49		6.32		PM: 6+ easy.
29-Nov		Easy		0:51:09		6.42		AM: 6+ commute at whatever.
		BU Track		1:15:00		11.65		PM: Commute home & track.  (800/600/400/200)x2, 600/400/200.  5k/3k/mile pacing with 200 meter rest.  Splits were slow, and I felt gassed, but at least the back wasn't an issue.  Left hamstring was though.
30-Nov		Easy		0:44:54		5.43		AM: Raleigh and an easy commute.  Felt less sore than expected.  Feel like the back is five or so days away from not being a concern, but the left hamstring might be a longer term nagging thing.
		Easy		0:47:45		6		PM:  Commute home at whatever.
1-Dec		Moderate		0:37:37		5.33		AM: ~4m progression, but on the easy easy side.  7min down to 6:30 - just looking to test out the back.  Wasn't bad.
		CSU Annual Party		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
2-Dec		MLR		1:18:00		10.03		AM: 10m in the cold and rain.  Skipped Battle Road because this weather seemed to be a little risky with the back.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: I ended up doing some raking after the run, and the heavy wet leaves made this an extra dumb idea.  Back tightened up.
3-Dec		Walking		0:40:00		2.14		AM: 2m walk into work.
		VERY Easy		0:56:04		6		PM: Back loosened up throughout the day, and I Was able to do 6m very slow.  Met up with Eli & Raleigh as well.
4-Dec		Easy		0:50:19		6.33		AM: Really surprised to be able to do a 6+ commute at under 8min pace after how the back felt Monday morning.
		Easy MLR		1:20:00		10.1		PM: 10+ on the easier side, but still quicker than expected after meeting up with Eli & Raleigh for a bit.
5-Dec		Easy		1:03:00		8.02		AM: Normal 8m commute…nice to feel routine.
		Easy + Pub Series		0:57:19		7.11		PM: Easy commute home with a little added mileage giving Raleigh a quick jog then off to the Pub Series year end party at Doyle's.
6-Dec		Easy		1:04:00		8.14		AM: 8m commute easy at 7:53/mile.
		BU Track		1:28:00		11.24		PM: Commute home and track.  800/1000/800/600x3 at mostly 10k to 5kish pace.  Started the workout off very easy. Left hamstring has been bunk since the marathon and I hoped starting slow would warm it up...it felt ok, but the left calf tightened up so I called it a night a little early. Still some good work and I can feel the fitness wanting to come back.
7-Dec		Recovery		0:59:18		7.11		AM: 7+ slow.  Back felt pretty good, but the legs were a bit wiped out.
		Easy		0:39:06		5.03		PM: 5+ feeling pretty good, then off to Eli's work holiday party.
8-Dec		Assault on Mt Hood		0:21:50		3.47		AM: 17th place in 21:50.  Back tightened up right away on the opening straight, and I ran super cautious, but this was dumb.  Still….we won some nutcrackers!
		WU/CD		0:42:41		4.76		AM: Warm up and cool down mileage.
9-Dec		Recovery Shuffle		0:31:19		3.1		AM: I knew last night this would potentially be the case.  Back was tight enough that I just did this easy run with Eli and Raleigh.  Really frustrating to have a setback the second weekend in a row.
		Off/Injury		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
10-Dec		Easy Easy		1:07:00		8.15		AM: 8m commute very easy.
		Easy		0:52:06		6.26		PM: 6m commute easy again, but feeling some improvement.
11-Dec		Easy		1:04:05		8.04		AM: 8m commute at just under 8min per.  Back has some tightness, but it's not too bad.  Left hamstring is still annoying though.
		Easy		0:57:53		7.12		PM: Commute & Raleigh at 8ish.  Felt good except for the left hamstring.
12-Dec		Easy		1:08:00		8.35		AM: Raleigh and commute as usual.  Slower at 8+.
		BU Track		1:25:00		11.35		PM: Commute and BU.  800/1m x 3.  Just not ready for fast stuff, but this was ok.  Left hamstring was what held me up.  Back is eh, ok.
13-Dec		Easy		1:07:00		8.01		AM: slow slow.
		Easy		0:57:59		6.82		PM: No ibuprofen and felt ok.
14-Dec		Easy		1:06:00		8.07		AM: Raleigh and commute at around 8:15.  Raleigh skews it.
		Easy		0:39:53		4.28		Noon: New coworker run.  Easy shakeout.
		Easy		0:50:55		6.2		PM: Commute home.  Still going slow to keep things in check.
15-Dec		FP Tempo		0:49:44		7.06		AM: Fresh Pond 2 lapper.  Averaged probably 6:30 to 6:40.  Legs did not want to open up at all.  Oh well.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
16-Dec		Battle Road		2:08:00		16.2		AM: Battle Road.  16+ at just under 8min.  Left hamstring was very uncomfortable, but the back was pretty good.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
17-Dec		Easy		1:04:40		8.15		AM: 8m commute at just under 8min per.
		Easy		1:11:00		8.45		PM: Commute and FP with Eli and Raleigh.  Pace skewed, so whatever.
18-Dec		Easy		1:08:00		8.13		AM: SLOW.  Sick of this pace.
		Easy		0:51:50		6.75		PM: Commute and running with 4-packs and cheese.  Those sound like good nicknames, but they're not.
19-Dec		Easy		0:40:57		5.02		AM: Slow and short to the monthly meeting.
		Moderate & Hills		1:17:00		9.9		PM: Commute at a little bit quicker, averaging just under 7min per.  Then over to Appleton with Brian, Eli, and Terry for hill repeats.  A solid evening of work.
20-Dec		Easy		1:09:00		8.66		AM: Easy, but under 8min per finally.  Nothing is feeling great, but nothing is too bad.
		BU Track		0:52:32		6.23		PM: Commute & Raleigh running.
21-Dec		Easy		1:04:00		8.11		AM: Morning slog, but just under 8 again.
		Easyish		0:46:55		6.35		PM: Commute home in shorts!  Did a few pickups to see if I'd be ok for BU.  Stride was all funky, so it's just not worth it really.
22-Dec		FP Tempo		0:54:12		8.15		AM: Fresh Pond two lapper much quicker this time around.  Averaged about 5:55 for 5m.  Moving in the right direction.
		Shakeout		0:21:04		2.2		PM: 2+ very slow, but a great shakeout.
23-Dec		Battle Road		2:00:07		15.27		AM: 15+ w/CSU crew at 7:52/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
24-Dec		Work Holiday		1:05:00		8.28		AM: 8+ commute at whatever.
		Work Holiday		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
25-Dec		MLR Tempoish		1:08:00		10.08		AM: 10+ at 6:49/mile.  This was a solid MLR where I dialed in the pace gradually.  The hamstring was meh, and the back was ok, but the stride is still funky.
		Christmas		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
26-Dec		Easy		0:46:23		5.4		AM: 5+ slow at whatever.  I was just really tired the whole time.  Took a long nap afterward.  Might be fighting a cold.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
27-Dec		MLR Moderate		1:27:00		12.1		AM: 12+ with most of it at a good moderate pace.  Averaged 7:16/mile for the whole thing.
		Easy		0:39:54		5.05		PM: 5+ easy.
28-Dec		Easy		0:38:05		5.12		AM: 5+ easy.
		Moderate		1:00:00		8.38		PM: 8+ in significant rain and wind.  Averaged 7:10/mile and was moving fairly well.
29-Dec		MLR Easy		1:22:00		10.1		AM: 10+ easy.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off..
30-Dec		Long Run w/Moderate Miles		2:09:00		17.39		AM: Long run in Cambridge after the ferry & drive.  First mile easy, next 12 at a moderate clip averaging around 7 per, then the final bit with Elizabeth.
		Off				0		PM: Off.
31-Dec		Easy		1:04:00		8.04		AM: 8+ commute at whatever.
		Moderate		1:01:00		8.23		PM: 8+ commute home after meeting up w/MikeMazz.  Good stuff!

I won't bother with splits or totals.

2018 Dublin City Marathon Race Report - An Irritating 2 Seconds

This past winter, Kevin decided he wanted company on his next and definitely probably last stupid never again marathon.  Being the good friend that I am, I was obliged to join him...I'm not sure why, but I think bourbon may have been involved...


We had an easy flight into Dublin, and full day to settle in to our AirBnB.  On race morning, both Kevin and I woke up early enough to have a light breakfast and a shot or two of espresso.  We were sitting around counting down the time when I noticed there was a discrepancy between the time on my watch & phone vs the clocks in the house.  Oops!  Good thing it wasn't the other way around!  So, after one more hour of nervous waiting, we made our way outside for an easy 1-mile jog to the starting area.

It was a chilly morning, but as we waited in the corral the body heat from the hundreds of runners surrounding us made for a comfortable wait.  We were one or two rows from the front of the buffer zone, when the race officials removed the rope to allow us to move forward to the starting line.  Somehow we found ourselves about 20 rows back from the front just prior to the start!  I wasn't nearly as nervous as Kevin prior to the start, but when that happened I was ticked off since we'd arrived early enough to get into a good position.

Once the race started Kevin and I were immediately separated by the tightly packed crowd of runners.  I felt like I was barely moving for the first mile or so, but in reality my pace was yo-yo-ing as I tried to find open space.  After the first mile or two I was able to find the space needed to try and settle in.

For whatever reason, it took me quite awhile to to get into any type of groove.  I saw my mile splits ticking off and I was generally in the low 6-minute range, but by mile 5 my calves and hamstrings were a little bit tight and had me concerned about late race cramping.  That mild sensitivity likely worked in my favor - instead of being concerned that I wasn't quite at goal pace, I remained focused on staying relaxed and never pressed the issue.  I had a Flanagan moment and stopped at mile 10 for a quick bathroom break, but my split was still 6:26, so...not bad!  After rolling through Phoenix Park, I settled into a good rhythm for the next 12-14 miles.

At the halfway mark, Elizabeth and Mariani had walked a good 45 minutes to cheer on Kevin and I.  I ditched some of my layers, and felt good cruising on through.  Still not feeling totally confident about avoiding muscle cramps, I wasn't pressing the issue.  In years past, my marathon mantra has been "always be willing to loosen the screws, and don't tighten them until after mile 20."  In effect, I think that boils down to racing on feel.  So, this year without thinking much about it, I think I did a good job of really paying attention to the signs my body was sending me.

Around mile 22 or 23, I was starting to really feel my left hamstring.  I didn't fear cramps any longer, however the attachment point has been an issue for quite some time now, and I was starting to feel like an ice pick was scraping the bone...fun stuff!  It wasn't hampering my gait too much, but it definitely had an effect on the later stages of the race.

Not counting my bathroom break mile, I had my slowest split of the race at mile 24.  My feet were really beat up in addition to the hamstring, and while this was a mostly downhill mile I still split a 6:21.  This is the more frustrating part of my race, because if not for my feet feeling blasted I would've been able to hammer this mile.  I felt great as far as my cardio and breathing were concerned, but my body wasn't in that same state.

Sometime around this point I started to do the math on my finishing time...but, my math was a bit fuzzy.  I knew after that last split I had absolutely no chance of breaking 2:40.  Instead I couldn't tell if I was in danger of missing out on breaking 2:45 or not.  After a couple minutes of bad math I decided to just compartmentalize the pain and get as dialed in as I could - after all, it was only ~2 miles to go.

The final stretch from mile 24 to the finish went past where we were staying, and so I passed Elizabeth and Mariani again for the final time - though I'm not sure if I heard anything or not.  I was focused on trying to get the last bit of speed out of my body, and I was passing runners in bunches at this point - then finally crossing the finishing mat in a time of 2:43:01...if only I had known, I could've found 2 more seconds somewhere!!

Conclusion:  This is finally a marathon PR that I'm fairly happy with.  I'm in no way disappointed, but....there is still some meat on that bone!

Splits:
6:20
5:57
6:10
6:03
6:02
6:09
6:16
6:04
6:08
6:26
6:18
6:08
6:11
6:19
6:10
6:15
6:09
6:00
6:04
6:09
6:10
6:11
6:13
6:21
6:17
6:00
2:22 (garmin showed the final distance as .42)
Final: 2:43:01
Place: 137, and 3rd American Male (makes it sound a little better, doesn't it?)

Garmin
Strava

Race Photos

2018 Lone Gull 10k Race Report

This was a beautiful day to run hard.  Elizabeth elected to stay home, while I carpooled with Terry, Bill and Rahul up to Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester.  The ride up provided a good opportunity to talk goals, weather, upcoming races, and in general get amped up for the race.  I didn't get quite the long warm up I was looking for, but it was enough to have me feeling ready to roll, with adequate drills and strides.  As always, it was fun to have a big CSU crew during warm ups.

The course was slightly different from previous years, and after the gun went off we were going up a short & fairly steep hill that in years past would be the final stretch.  That first quarter mile, I was primarily focused on not getting tangled up; we were squeezed in tight at the start.  As the pack stretched out I fell into rhythm and tried to find my target pace of 5:25/mile.  I wasn't looking at my watch for feedback, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the clock hit 5:25 on the dot as I passed the first mile marker.

SRR runner Patrick Haneberg had overtaken the group I was in at the early part of mile two, but ended up yo-yoing just a bit and he settled back into the pack.  I was running evenly and soon found myself leading a group of about six or seven runners.  I was happily surprised to pass the second mile marker in 5:25 on the dot - good pacing so far!

With the new course, I didn't know what to expect.  It wasn't too hilly, but it wasn't flat either and I felt myself working hard when the pack approached a short but steep hill as we neared the 5k mark.  I was worried that the I could potentially lose contact on the hill.  Instead, as the runners around me shortened their stride up the hill, I seemed to power up it and I found myself back at the front of the pack.  My garmin read 5:30 for the third mile and I took note that my 5k split according to the race clock was 17:02.  It would be a challenge to hit my 'A' goal for the day.

I didn't want to let up, and cresting that short hill gave me confidence that I was running well relative to the pack.  There were a few moments during the 4th and 5th miles when the pack surged ahead of me, and then slowed to come back.  I stayed steady and remained in contact on the first surge, and when they came back (or I surged to catch up?) I kept the pace even.  We passed the 4th and 5th miles in 5:16 and 5:30 respectively (could be a garmin error or elevation?).

During the final stretch to the finish the pack splintered.  There were two runners who started to pull away, but not by a significant margin.  As we were on the 'pre-straightaway' I worked extremely hard to catch up, and as we turned towards the long stretch to the finish we passed a lot of runners battling home.  One of the additional benefits of running in that pack was that each of us wanted to beat the other just that little bit more.  I'm not sure how it all ended up except that a Green Mountain runner was able to outlast me to the finish by just a hair.

But since I finished in 33:51, I didn't really care as much about my overall place considering the depth of the Grand Prix.

1m - 5:25
2m - 5:25
3m - 5:30
4m - 5:16
5m - 5:30
6m - 5:20
.29m (garmin) - 1:21

Final time: 33:51
Overall: 57th Place
NER Photo

9/17/18 to 10/7/18: Three Weeks of Good Training

The past three weeks have been fantastic.  I only had the chance to get in one good long run, but the workouts have been fantastic meat and potatoes type work.

- The double on the 20th was particularly strong, with 5 miles of tempo work in the morning at a little slower than MP, and 10 miles of tempo work in the evening at MP.  That's a great day of volume at pace.
- The combo workout on the 25th was very challenging, and in brutal conditions.  The rain wasn't nearly as bad as the wind on the back stretch at the Harvard Track.
- Yet another combo workout on the 2nd, with a similar setup to the Tuesday prior.  This time I opted for mile repeats, and the conditions were even more brutal.
- This past Friday may have been the most challenging workout of the cycle.  I started my tempo right from work and it took awhile to feel good.  Running with a backpack isn't a big deal for my normal commute, but it makes running fast a bit awkward.  Once I got home I was able to ditch the pack, and eventually join up with Terry/Amory/Rahul.  I was amazed at how much better I was feeling at the end of this workout vs the beginning.  All in all 14m of work at close to marathon pace.

The stuff:

17-Sep		Easy		1:13:28		9.02		AM: 9m commute keeping it easy at ~8min per.  Bumped into a familiar face that I hadn't met yet - Jimmy.  Good to run with company.
		Easy		1:04:24		8.18		PM: 8m commute plus Raleigh running.  Averaged 7:53/mile.
18-Sep		Easy		1:03:51		8.04		AM: 8m commute at 7:53/mile.
		Harvard Track		1:51:44		13.88		PM: Commute home and then track.  (1600/800/800)x2.  Pacing wasn’t very consistent, but that's fine.  Went well enough.
19-Sep		Very Easy		1:09:01		8.43		AM: 8m commute at 8:11/mile.  Easy recovery.
		Very Easy		0:51:17		6.26		PM: 6m commute at 8:11/mile.  Calves are tight.  Another easy recovery.
20-Sep		5m Tempo		0:40:18		6.14		AM: 5m tempo at about 6:10/mile.
		10m Tempo		1:16:54		12.01		PM: 10m tempo at about 6:05/mile.
21-Sep		Recovery		1:07:17		8.18		AM: 8m commute recovery at 8:13/mile.  Legs feel pretty good considering yesterday's double, but I was certainly tired.
		Easy		0:48:28		6.29		PM: 6+ at 7:42/mile.
22-Sep		Easyish		0:42:46		6.05		AM: 6+ at 7:04/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
23-Sep		Bernie's Run PS		0:15:58		3		AM: Bernie's, 5th place.  Good run.
		Warm up		0:55:00		6.88		W/up + C/down
24-Sep		MLR Moderate		1:12:25		10.07		AM: 10+ at 7:15/mile.  Not a bad MLR, though a little short.
		Easy		0:53:50		7.01		PM: 7m at 7:40/mile.
25-Sep		Easy		1:05:29		8.25		AM: 8m commute at around 7:56/mile.
		Long Workout		1:45:20		16.01		PM: 10k progression at ~95% MP, 3 x 2m at MP.  Solid work.
26-Sep		Recovery		1:07:45		8		AM: 8m commute at around 8:30/mile.  Slow recovery.
		Recovery		0:52:04		6.3		PM: 6+ at 8+.
27-Sep		Easy		1:07:21		8.35		AM: 8+ easy at 8per.
		Progression		0:47:27		7.22		PM: Progression averaging 6:34/mile.  Started at 6:30 down to 6 flat, and never felt good.  First mile 8min as warm up and included in the average.
28-Sep		Easy		0:48:26		6.2		AM: 10k easy at 7:49/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Pamet and Blackfish.
29-Sep		Easy		1:04:00		8.04		AM: 8+ easy at 7:58/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off, drive to Plympton then home.
30-Sep		Lone Gull 10k GP		0:33:51		6.2		AM: Lone Gull 10k in 33:51 for a brand new shiny PR.   Very happy with this race.  Accomplished two goals, 1.) PR, 2.) break 34.
		Warmup/Cooldown		1:10:00		8.78		AM: Warm up and cool down mileage.
1-Oct		MLR		1:16:10		10.14		AM: 10+ at 7:31/mile.  Felt pretty good.
		Easy		0:56:51		7.33		PM: 7+ with a chunk of miles with Eli.  Averaged 7:45/mile.
2-Oct		Easy		1:05:35		8.37		AM: 8+ at 7:50/mile.
		LR Workout		1:38:00		15.02		PM: 10k at ~95% MP, 4 x 1m at 105% MP.  Solid work.  Averaged ~6:30/mile including warm up and cooldown.
3-Oct		Recovery		1:06:35		8.17		AM: 8+ recovery.
		Recovery		0:49:47		6.31		PM: 6+ recovery.
4-Oct		Recovery		1:04:50		8.02		AM: 8+ recovery.
		Commute & Hills		1:29:01		10.34		PM: Commute home, then 5 repeats with Terry and Stephen.  Eli did a tempo on her own.
5-Oct		Easy		1:02:09		8.12		AM: 8+ easy at 7:39/mile.
		LR Tempo		1:30:05		14.26		PM: Tempo home, dropped the bag off, continued, stopped briefly for Terry/Amory/Rahul, then two tempo laps around Fresh Pond.  14+ total averaging 6:19/mile.  Yowza!!
6-Oct		Easy		0:50:47		6.47		AM: 6+ at 7:50/mile.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.
7-Oct		Battle Road		2:36:00		20.25		AM: 20 Battle Road miles with a good CSU crew.  Averaged 7:43/mile, and felt banged up.
		Off		0:00:00		0		PM: Off.

9/18 splits:

1600-5:33

800-2:41.9

800-2:41.5

1600-5:44

800-2:42.2

800-2:34.6

9/25 splits:

10k - 40:26

2m - 11:50 (10s)

2m - 11:41 (22s)

2m - 11:28 (40s)

10/2 splits:

10k - 39:15

1m - 5:37.4

1m - 5:51.2

1m - 5:47.1

1m - 5:51.4

Totals: 102.36, 100.43, 122.80

2018 Bernie's Run 3m Race Report

The course takes you out and into an industrial park parking lot before doubling back, and I was out well off the gun, though, not with the leaders who hammered a 4:48 first mile.  I ran alongside my old rival A.Holmes and we ran an evenly paced first mile in ~5:12.  This race was actually the start of our friendly rivalry a few years ago, and as Holmes made a move up the short hill just past the one mile marker it had a familiar feel to it.  I thought he may pull away at that point, but I accelerated just enough and his gap remained steady.

After the hill leveled out, we both passed a younger runner(s) and the battle for 5th place was on.  With Klucznic a good 20 seconds ahead of us, and no one behind it turned out to be just like old times.

We turned and weaved through the neighborhood's pot-holed streets, and while Holmes kept his foot on the pedal I was able to keep the gap small.  As we made the left turn off of the dirt road, I came up close on his heels before making a fairly hard move.  We passed the two mile mark, which was well short of the actual two miles, and I kept my ear out for footsteps.  I had created a gap, but Holmes was still right there.

After making another turn, I saw that I had a ~10 meter gap on him.  I stayed steady for a few short time before making another hard push.  I heard him breathing hard and knew he wasn't giving in, likely trying to keep it close for a finishing kick.  I kept pressing for a minute longer before easing back as we neared the final turn.  That extra minute created enough of a gap for me to comfortably cruise into the finish without testing my higher gears (if they're even there during marathon training!).  It was a great battle, and has me looking forward to Paddy's!   

Splits:
5:13
5:20
5:13

Final: 15:58, good for 5th place. Good showing by CSUers all around.

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