The dead blog

For anyone who still looks at this thing you can tell it's pretty much died. I'm thinking this might be a good time to bring it back. I'm not going to bother to backfill the past couple months..because really who cares? Nothing important happened..so instead I will provide some spark notes! 

I continued to train after VCM and ran a few local races. Physically I felt good, mentally I was getting sick of this shit. I made it to the 4th of July ran a sub par race (had no want or will to fight) cooled down with a few friends and expressed I was tired of running. They urged me to keep going but my mind was made up.

This was essential my last run for the month, I transitioned to the gym and started lifting 4-5 days a week. I decide while on vacation to go for a run this was the worst and best thing..I struggled/deathmarched/walked and any other thing that happens when you die!

I got back finally maybe covering 4-4.5 miles layed in the grass and thought what the hell was that shit. It was at this point I realized I needed to do something, as soon as I returned to NY i decided it's time to start running again! Got in a nice run with Eric and Gavs, made the decision I'm gonna train to run shorter stuff again and put the marathon on the back burner! 

Past 3 days

4.5m - 32:40

5m 34:30

5m 32:49 (didn't look at the watch until the last .5) just ran and enjoyed it!! 

Vermont city marathon

Now that I've fully digested what occurred and working my way back into the swing of full training, I figure there is no better time to write my race report.

The goal for this race was simple run a PR and get closer to the year goal of breaking 2:40. I got in an easy mile with Eric prior to heading to the line, caught up with a few friends and tucked into the 3rd row. As the gun went off the lead women were just ahead of me, instead of running with them I decided to keep them close and get into that group a little later. Hit the 2m mark at 12:20 everything felt loose and relaxed, other then my sunglasses fogging up. Decide to ditch them at 2.5 when we passed by Macknight heading to the out and back highway section. We cruised right thru this section, it was cools to see the leaders and how everything was playing out in those early miles. As we got closer to town the gap with the lead women began to close, I gave myself the goal of 11m to get with them. We cruised thru downtown and towards the 10m mark (61:20) the next few miles were run solo trying to bridge the gap. I hit the half way point in 1:21:10 perfect, as I was heading down the bike path I started to noticed some tightness in my right hip. I tried to stay positive with the look of the hills to hopefully shake things out and regain my stride. I'll spare the details of the 2nd half and give the short story..my hip flexer never loosened up and proceeded to only get tighter and spreading down my quad. By 17m I had switched from the goal of a PR to just getting to the finish line. 

Overall - not what I was hoping for I felt very fit going into this race and thought this would play out well. Instead I was left with a sour taste in my mouth and more motivation to build towards the fall!!

Splits

1&2- 12:25

3-5:55

4-5:58

5-6:01

6-6:06

7-6:08

8-6:12

9&10-12:21

11-6:16

12-6:24

13-6:25

14-6:32

15&16-13:41

17-7:14

18-7:02

19-7:44(with a stop)

20-7:28

21&22-15:48

23-7:50

24-7:52

25-7:38 (Eric jumped in)

26.2-8:49

Total - 2:57:58

Week 17

Mon - 5+ (37:01) legs were pretty tired and had to go back to work.

Tues - 10m (62:00) 8m tempo (47:56) legs were still pretty tired. New Pr for the loop..all good signs!! Lifted after

Wed - Am - 5m (40:00) slow moving this morning.

Week 16

Mon - 8m (72:00) WRC ran 3 before did the run with the group and added on. Legs still tired

Tues - 10m (69:30) relaxed workout loop with Eric. Lifting afterwards

Wed- 10m (71:20) 

Thurs - off

Fri - 7m (49:03)

Sat - 25m (2:43:33) with Ferenc and Fyffe (on the bike) did the extended marathon loop. Felt extremely relaxed, Boom!

Sun - 15m (1:51:00) puntney mt trails..legs were a bit tired but nothing to bad. Struggled with the trails/single track most of the run.

Total - 75m (6days)

Wk 15

Mon - am 4.5m (35:20) got out around 530 surprisingly warm out. Chrio afterwards.

Pm - 7.5m (1:00) killed the pace today! 

Tues - 10m (62:19) goal of today was 2x20mim tempo's with 3mins rest. Got in a 10m warm up before the first set (3.41m avg 5:52) felt good, this section has some rollers but mainly flat. The 2nd set has some pretty long gradual climbs and some late down hill (3.37m avg 5:55) jogged off a little over a mile back home. Headed down to lifting afterwards

Wed - am 4+m (34:55) 

Pm 8m (57:30) in saratoga with Eric, Shaun and Megan 

Thurs - 15m (track) headed over to Burnt Hill for my workout. Did the normal 3m warm up loop before getting on the track. It was a bit crowded tonight by ppl so frankly rude ppl. Asked for lane 1 and no one beside the 2 10 year old kids acknowledge. Goal was 8x800/400 alternating with half rest. Other then the annoying ppl in lane 1/2 it was pretty windy on the back stretch. 

Times : 2:40/80,2:42/81,2:43/81,2:45/82,2:45/81/2:42/80,2:42/81,2:39/76

After the 5th set everyone was off the track and I felt I was able to lock in. Very happy with this tough workout.

Fri - 10m (72:10) legs were surprising loose today. Was expecting to be pretty sore/tired.

Sat - 11+ (81:20) there it was found the tired legs. Today was tough I was trying to keep it easy but running north of 7:10s felt horrible. Spent some extra time stretching and foam rolling afterwards.

Sun - 14m (1:39) planned for 20m today but didn't happen. Legs were still pretty tired, better then yesterday.

Total - 84m 

Had 2 good workouts, legs were tired the last 2 days of the week but still a very productive week of training.

6 weeks to go!

Wk 14

Mon - 10m (62:17) good tempo run. This is the first tempo I have done on the roads all year, was a bit of a shock to the system.

Tues - Am - 5m (39:10)
Pm - 7m (47:57)

Wed - 14m (track) Goal: 5xMile (530-510) half rest
Headed down to Shen High to meet up with Pete and Ryan, got in 3+ for the warm-up before getting ready for some fun.
Times: 5:32/5:29/5:25/5:27/5:16
Legs were a bit stiff at the start after the first 2 reps I felt I got locked in pretty well, minus the hiccup on the 4th on (got out to slow.)

Thurs - 10m (1:10:49) Solo run in the afternoon before working the PM shift

Fri - Am 3m (22:15)
Pm - 8+ (56:34) Tried to miss the rain, waiting till after going to chiro

Sat - 8m (56:38) Legs were pretty tight but other then that no issues

Sun - 15m (Delmar Dash)
Got in a 3m warm up with the Fleet Feet crew, legs were feeling pretty tight and tired. Figured it was just me over thinking pre-race. Got out relaxed, the first couple miles I was ok. Wanted to try and move up after 2m, noticed quickly that I was already grinding. I tried to close the gap on the guys in front of me but wasn't happening. Overall a good workout for the day.
Got in a nice 7m cooldown with Kristina Gracy as she needed another 10m. Sadly enough my legs felt loose and responsive on the cooldown...guess I just needed some time to warm up.


Total - 80m

Good 2nd week of Marathon training 7 weeks to go

WK 13

Mon - 0m ( planned day off)

Tues - 8m (58:03) good run, called Najem afterwards for a training plan...let the fun begin

Wed - 10m (track workout)
12x300 (goal 50-52)
Hit Shen track, was pretty windy out but good first workout
Times: 54/54/55/56/57/56/54/55/55/55/54/55 (half rest)

Thurs - Am - 3m (23:48)
Pm - 9m (1:01:59)

Fri - 10m (71:00)

Sat - Am - 9m (track) 2x1k,1x800,3x600
w/ fleetfeet crew (times: 316/316/236/156/156/156)
Finished off by pacing Ben thru his last Mile rep
Pm - 3m w/ We Run The Capital group

Sun - Am - 13+ (1:42:11) w/fleetfeet crew
Pm - 5+ (39:13)

Total - 70m (6days)

WK 12

Mon - 6m (52:00) WRC in saratoga...Very nice recovery run

Tues - Am - 3+ (24:48)
PM - 7m (46:42)

Wed - Am 3+ (25:04)
Pm - 7m (52:07) first 3 with Mechaniville high school team

Thurs - 9m (1:01:31)

Fri -7m (50:36) in Keene with Sears and Macknight

Sat - 11m (fast friends 4.5m) (26:13, 6th overall)

Sun - 18m (2:05:10) in VT with Ferenc and Macknight

Total - 72m

1 Good race and some solid miles, need to keep rolling and stay on track

wk 11

Mon -7+ (49:17) steady state run

Tues - 8m (54:02)

Wed - 0m

Thurs - 8m (1:00:59)

Fri - 8m (59:00) in Albany with Jim

Sat - 5m (34:50) in Mass

Sun - 18m (New Bedford Half)

Total - 55m

New Bedford

3/16 - Was the newbedford half marathon, I was feeling pretty relaxed and ready. We got in a easy 3m warm up and headed to the line, within the first mile I was noticing it felt a bit off. I hoped that as we got going that would change and I could get moving. Around 3 miles I got with a group and tried to use them to pull me thru, about a mile later I was falling off the group. I came thru 5m(28:54) slower then DH jones. I knew I needed to charge, I was able to pick it up a bit from 10k - 15k but not enough to make a huge change. Thru the 10m (57:58) I knew I would need to run well the last 5k to break 76 mins. I can tell you now my wheels are somewhere around mile 10 still. The last 5k was brutal, I finished up in 77:39 which I can't be too upset about. This is the fastest half I have run in the past 3 years and considering it was an off day that's not horrible. I looked back at some of my other races that were on days and slower. I know I'm in 74-75 min shape and that showed by the groups I beat at DH Jone running in those ranges. 

Overall it was a tough day at the office but also put more wood in the fire.