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

May 31 - 16.1 Miles Ran

In one of his early tweets from his journey across American (www.r-u-n.us), Jason Lester asked, "I ran 45 miles in a dust storm...what did you do today?"  Well, I can't compete with that, but after Fri morning I can ask "I ran a marathon over the last two mornings before work, what did you do before work on Th and Fri?"  (That's a rhetorical question, though it would be pretty funny to hear some responses!)

I am ramping up my mileage in the hope that I can get ready for a marathon later in the year, and this week called for a 16 mile run.  With the Race4Chase run in Monroe this Sunday, I didn't want to put in this mileage on Sat before the race, so Fri morning was my only option.  A lot had to go right for this run to happen, and amazingly, it did.  I spent Th night getting my gear together: I need a hydration system for anything over 8 miles, and my Camelbak pack needed a little attention, as did my running shoes (still wet from the previous day's run).   I was also hooked on the Mets game as they closed out a 4-game sweep of the Yanks, and the Heat-Pacers game starting at 8:30pm.  I managed to pull myself away from the TV and went to bed at 10pm, knowing I needed to be on the road no later than 5:30am.  Lo and behold the internal clock was working and I was able to make it happen.

I took it pretty slow, with 14 miles having been my previous longest run of the year, and having run 10 the morning before.  Here's the route:

Cemetery Rd
Day Pond (2 laps + 1 extra straight away (3.8 miles)
Rt. 149
Pine
Pinebrook
Rt. 16
Cemetery Rd (4.2 miles, 8 total)
Rt. 149
Pine
Cato Corner
Prospect Hill
Davidson
Mill Lane
Scoefield
Rt. 16
Cemetery Road (8.1 miles, 16.1 total)

Some stats from the run:

Total time, 2 hours, 17 mins, 50 seconds; Time started: 5:30am; Time completed: 7:47am; Shea's bus sightings: 2; Appeals for Chase to push me on: 5-6; thoughts of how Jason Lester can run 30 more miles than this, everyday: 2-3

I completed miles 588-603.  I took me 84 miles, but I finally reached another sponsored mile.  Mile 527 was sponsored by my sister (actually half of it) and mile 601 was sponsored by Kevin Farkas.  Thanks Kevin!  May was a great month for running...I hit the 500 mile mark on May 11 and 600 on May 31.  Feels like that month in which you get the extra paycheck!

I'm looking forward to seeing Steve and Becky and the rest of the Race4Chase team in Monroe on Sunday.  I may have some mileage withdrawal running a 5K, so if anyone is up for some extra miles after the race, just let me know!

Today's (Fri) Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/31

F

5:30a

16.1

2:17:50

8:33:40

70f

8

603.5

Geared up for a morning 16-miler!

May 29 - Carnival!; May 30 - 10 Miles Ran

Having taken Monday off during a family visit to Monroe on Memorial Day, I was not planning on taking Wed off, but I could not get out before work or at lunch time, and Shea had her heart set on going to the Colchester Carnival (fun, but not quite Rio).  So instead of an evening 5 miler it was a night of Shea running around with her friends and Dad hangin' with the Carnies.

Not wanting to fall behind on mileage, I put in 10.1 miles before work on Th.  I ran one lap around Day Pond to Rt. 149 (2 miles) and then to Cato Corner, Prospect Hill, Davidson, Mill Lane, Scofield Rd and Rt. 16 back to Cemetery Rd. (8.1 miles).  I felt pretty good, and was happy to get out before the heat set in.

I completed miles 578-587 (unsponsored), and made up for at least some of the carnival food I ate the night before.

Today's (Th) Line:

Date

DoW

ToD

Distance

Time

Min/Mile

Notes

Effort

Total Miles

5/30

Th

6:40a

10.1

1:20:20

7:57:14

65f

6

587.4

NOT Carnival in Colchester!

Who Need Pageantry When You Have "Cliff Hanger"!