June 10 and 11 - Rest Days; June 12 - 4.5 Miles Ran

Too much rain = too much rest!  I needed a day off on Monday after back to back 10 milers, but I wanted to get back out there yesterday.  With the rain and a busy day including preparations for Ellie's birthday, it turned out to be another rest day.

Today, however, I'm back on track.  I just finished an awesome 4.5 mile run.  With temps in the low 60's, the sun out and a nice steady breeze, it was a beautiful morning to run.  I hope to get back into a regular routine from here on in.  I should be able to get the mileage back on pace as I have an 18 mile run planned for this weekend.  Maybe I'll do it on Sat, which is my birthday.  Probably a desperate attempt to feel more like 28 than 48!

I completed miles 643-46 (unsponsored) this morning.

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

6/12

W

6:45a

4.5

34:23:00

7:38:27

60f

7

646.5

June 9 - 10 Miles Ran in Southie

I had a great run in South Boston this morning.  I didn't feel very strong after 10 miles on Sat and overeating a bit at niece Hannah's graduation party, but with great weather and scenery around Boston Harbor, it was a fun day on the road.  I ran from the Seaport Hotel near the fish pier down Summer St. to Southie, around Castle Island, down Columbus by the lagoon beaches and back for 10 miles.  I felt really sluggish but with the flat terrain my pace was similar to Sat's hard run in hilly Colchester.

I completed miles 633-642 (unsponsored), and increased my mileage per day since Jan. 1 to a shade over 4.

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

6/9

Su

9:30a

10.0

1:17:11

7:43:06

70f

7

642.0

Starting out at the Seaport Hotel

Cruiseliner off of the Summer St. Bridge at the 1 mile mark

Great burgers and fries at Sully's (but not during a run!)

Statue at Castle Island, 3 mile mark

Castle Island - Old Harbor panorama 

Looking back across Pleasure Bay at Boston

Pleasure Bay 

Beach off of Columbus Rd. at 4 mile mark

June 6 and 7 - Rest Days; June 8 - 10 Miles Ran

Unfortunately I got out of my routine this week and had my first consecutive days off from running since March 7-8.  I didn't mind taking Th off after 4 pretty hard days of running, but I was not pleased about Fri.  It would have been a ridiculous run in the pouring rain, but I worry about getting too comfortable taking days off.  I don't know if this applies to most runners, but when I fall out of the running routine, I tend to eat worse, sleep less and be generally less productive.  So Th was Chinese food and the NBA Finals, and Fri was pizza and the Bruins game.  Fortunately, today was a 3 cups of water, a piece of toast and a 10 mile run.  A good run up in Boston tomorrow (niece's HS graduation party) and I'll be right back on track.  In fact, if I can put in 8 miles, I will increase my average miles per day to the greatest amount for the year (an even 4.0).  We'll see if the party atmosphere up in Boston derails my plans.  (When the Bruins won it a couple years ago my brother-in-law from Southie made a fake life-sized Stanley Cup and took it bar-hopping until the B's were knocked out of the playoffs the next year).

I ran one loop around Day Pond (2.6 miles) and the Rt. 149-Cato Corner-Rt. 16 course (7.4 miles) for a total of 10.  The weather was beautiful--mid 60's with a nice breeze.  Despite bad fuel in the tank, I felt strong and ran at a decent pace.  I completed miles 623-632 (unsponsored).  The next sponsored mile is number 665 by Robin Wildman.  I can't wait to get there--it's always better to run with or for someone!

Lastly, my friend Lindsay Knauf was featured on the SportzEdge program on Ch. 8 WTNH at 11pm last night.  As many blog followers here know, Lindsay is running 26 races this year, one for each person lost at Sandy Hook Elementary.  I will try to find a link to the piece--it was well done.  Part of the interview was done at the Sprint for Monroe race.  I met up with Lindsay after the race and she said she was trying to find me to talk to the WTHN reporter about 10004chase.  So she's a runner, a philanthropist and now a publicist!  Thanks Lindsay! You can follow her blog at 26in2013forSandyHook.blogspot.com.

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

6/8

Sa

10:00a

10.0

1:16:23

7:38:18

65f

8

632.0

June 5 - 5.5 Miles on the Track

I had to drop Shea off early at school for a class trip to Boston so I went down the road to the high school for a track workout.  It was another day of running that started off slow but improved after I warmed up.  The workout consisted of the following:

1600m x 1
1) 6:29 (6:23/mi)

800m x 2
1) 3:05 (5:59/mi)
2) 2:54 (5:41/mi)

400m x 4
1) 1:24 (5:31/mi)
2) 1:24 (5:32/mi)
3) 1:23 (5:25/mi)
4) 1:17 (4:58/mi)

The last quarter mile felt great!  It was a cool morning, which made it comfortable later in the workout.  I felt strong and pushed it down the stretch.

The hard running covered 3 miles, with a 1.25 mile warm up, 0.75 miles total between the hard running and a 0.5 mile cool down for a total of 5.5 miles.  The workout took me through miles 617-622 (unsponsored).  I'd be happy to go back an edit any of these "(unsponsored)" parenthetical references if anyone is so inclined...just sayin'...

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

6/5

W

6:50a

5.5

n/a

n/a

55f

8

622.0

Bacon Academy (Colchester) track 

Lanes are open if anyone wants to run w/me!

June 4 - 5.4 Miles Ran

Got out a little after 7am for a 5.4 mile run.  Crazy weather!  Probably in the high 50's and windy.  Very nice running weather.  I ran the Pinebrook loop but added a little piece of Cato Corner (gotta get that hill in!).  Time to jet off to work...more later.

OK, back from work--not too much more to say about today's run, other than to reiterate that it was a beautiful morning to run.  I completed miles 612-616 (unsponsored).

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

6/4

Tu

7:05a

5.4

42:32:00

7:52:36

58f

6

616.5

June 3 - 4 Miles Ran

I put in 4 miles at lunchtime yesterday (Mon).  I ran from the Anytime Fitness site on Main St. in Glastonbury, up Griswold, Prospect/Forbes St., and two loops on side streets.  I felt a little sluggish after running hard (or at least trying to) at the 5K on Sunday.  I was also lugging around burgers and dogs from the cookout after the race.  But overall I felt pretty good and race a decent pace over the last three miles.

I completed miles 608-611 (unsponsored).

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

6/3 M 1:30p 4.0 28:32:00 7:08:00 78f 8 611.1

June 1 - Day Off; June 2 - Race 4 Chase in Monroe!

I took Saturday off after the 16 miler on Friday and to get a little rest before the Sprint for Monroe 5K on Sunday.  Prerace prep went a little awry, however, as I ended up chowing down on lobsters with my Dad, sister and brother in law at 10pm Sat night.  Lobster, butter and beer went down well on Sat but weren't the best fuel on Sunday.

The race on Sunday was fantastic.  The kids run was hilarious; when they heard the word "go" in the pre-race instructions, well, they went!  Mass confusion was quickly replaced with gritty determination to catch up to the early starters.

I got to see many friendly faces as the Race4Chase team turned out in force.  Even my late-rising Dad made it out for the kids run at 8:30am.  Steve and Becky Kowalski were there to welcome the team; my nephew Kevin (5) ran the kids race; my sister Beth ran the 5K, as did Keith Sullivan and his family, Steve's brother Bob, Lindsay Knauf (26in2013forsandyhook.blogspot.com) and many others.  Michelle Aube's mom introduced herself and said she was going to get people to sponsor miles--nice!  Kevin Grimes and Bob Orzo were there as always to organize things.  Great job by the whole crew.

I ran a half mile to warm up and then the 3.1 mile 5K.  I didn't feel my best (lobster fatigue?) but ended up finishing in 20:54, only 1:37 behind 9-year-old Azaan Dawson--incredible run Azaan!  Check out all the results at:

http://thelastmileracing.com/results/results2013/13monroe.html

I completed miles 604-607 (unsponsored).

Today's Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

6/2	Su	8:45a	0.5	0:00:00	0:00:00	70f	5	604.0
6/2	Su	9:00a	3.1	20:54:00	6:44:31	80f	9	607.1

Race4Chase Run Start 

Nephew Kevin in the zone before the start

Off they go!

Kevin motors along with his Dad

I think this is Azaan--definitely a future star runner

Butterfly pays Becky a visit after the race