Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Back on the horse - Wed May 30th

5mi/35 min in Pisgah with Griffin. It was great to run again out in the forest with Griffin. I still had some lingering mild soreness in my legs. Mentally, I'm in a good spot with VCM. I learned some things and I can't wait to start really getting after it. I plan on getting back into lifting and doing doubles. I'm really itching to trail race too.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Vermont City Marathon

I'll let my miles tell the story. It was a tough day.
1mi - 5:34 - Running with Fyffe and Ferenc. Feel great. This is awesome!
2mi - 5:29 - downhill through the city. Loving life.
3/4mi - 11:09 - missed my 3mile mark. Ferenc pulling away from me. Fyffe dropping back a little. Running solo.
5mi - 5:40
6mi - 5:47 - heading uphill on the belt way. Feel great!
7/8mi - 11:13 - on the belt way. Hi Jen! Leaders looking good. Passed by a relay guy.
9/10mi - 11:22 (56:16) Feeling good. Nate brigham caught me and we ran together.
11mi - 5:37 - back through downtown high 5 Goupil and McKnight. I'm super pumped. Feel relaxed and confident. I'm gonna run a big pr today!
12mi - 5:49 through neighborhoods. High5 some kids. Nate brigham pulls away. Not worried feeling decent.
13mi - 5:54 - Am I starting to get slower? Hmmm. This could be a bad sign.
14mi - 5:53 - wind in my face near the lake. Saw an osprey. Getting a little worried that I am running the same effort but they are not 5:40's. This could be a bad omen. Don't panic. Breathing is relaxed.
15mi - 6:04 - Wtf? I'm over 6. I start thinking bad thoughts. My legs are getting heavy and the big hill is looming in front of me.
16mi - 6:24 - big hill. Drummers are awesome. I point at them and give them the thumbs up. I wish they were higher up the hill. Legs heavy but it's a hill I'll recover on the flats like I always do. Right?
17mi - 6:15 - Are you shitting me? I'm still in the 6's? My legs are officially fatigued. I still have 9 miles to go. I expected this at 24miles not 17. I now know for sure my race is over. Nobody is passing me though. Weird. I will drop out. There is no way I can finish.
18/19mi - 12:50 - I was gonna drop at 18 then 19. Too many people cheering for me though. The neighborhoods are hell. I am hot and thirsty and my friggin hips are killing me. I can't take the ice pops because they're not at an official aid station and I don't want to get dq'd even though I'm definitely dropping at 20. I gotta be smart. My legs are killing me and I want to live to fight another day. Where is that 20mile mark?
20mi - 7:07 (1:58:13) - I start walking into this aid station. Thank god. I can finally quit. The last 3 miles have been hell. I'm death marching. People start cheering for me. "Go #6! You look great!" Shit. I can't drop here. There are too nany people. I'll slog onward to mile 21- where there will be less people and I can drop out with a little dignity. My legs are fried and feel worse than dog shit.
21mi - 7:32 - my vision is a little blurry my hamstring cramped my stomach is a little upset, but I finally made it. I can now drop out. I'm a total failure and a big pussy. What a joke. Me an invited athlete? Ha! Well at least I can dropare out and the misery right here at this mile mark with almost no people. The people. They cheer and tell me I look strong and great and amazing. Those lying assholes! I think one even said that they were proud of me. Shit. I can't drop here. I better run on to 22mi to drop. There is no way I can finish. 5 miles will destroy my body.
22mi - 8:05 - my legs cramped again. I'm here the place to finally end this suffer-fest shit show. I walk into the aid station grab 3 cups of water and pour them on my head. The volunteers go nuts. I guzzle two Gatorade cups at once. They hoot and holler. I pour more water on my head then head off for the finish.
23mi - 7:46 - on the bike path. Hurting but not going to quit.
24mi - 7:24 - I'm having fun. Smiling from ear to ear. Legs destroyed spirits lifted.
25mi - 6:50 - This is awesome. I think about Elijah and I tell him there is no quit in this mo fo!
26mi - 6:48 - Kasie Enman flies by me in this mile. I tell her great job. She's tough! Almost done.
26.2 - 1:25 (2:44:07) 21st place. Wow glad to be done. First thing I see is Ferenc being interviewed and he's smiling so i know he had a good day. Matty p won and we chatted a while. Then I waited with Jason Porter for Jen to finish. I was pumped to see her break 4 hrs. I ran slow but had a great time and I will be back!

Saturday, May 26th

3mi/21min on the Burlington roads with Fyffe and Ferenc. It was hot out. Did two striders after.

Friday, May 25th

0miles - Had the CVL Track Championships. It was fun. My girls broke their own 4x100 record taking 6th, the boys got 6th in the 4x200.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Ups - Thursday, May 24th

0mi - The workout yesterday did the trick. My legs had been feeling sluggish. Today I was feeling springy. I lowered one of the hoops at school to 8 and a half feet. Then I unloaded on the rim. Tomahawks, reverses, 360's, and the occasional self alley-oop windmill two-hander with maximal knee lift and a backboard slap for good measure. Tapering is going well and the weather forecast is looking better and better. Bring on the marathon, I'm ready for a slam dunk.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Back on track - Wednesday,May 23rd

10mi*/66min - This is the first time in 3 weeks that I've made it to the Wednesday workout. I've had track meets. It was nice to get back out there. Mile - 4x200 - mile (5:36,34 avg,5:38) 200 rest w/Fyffe. Felt nice and easy. Just sharpening for Vermont City. Miller, George, Dan, and Brad there too. Hot and humid.

Tuesday, May 22nd

3mi/24min - in Friedsam w/track team
8mi/52min in Pisgah with Griffin. Felt great out there. Saw a beaver.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Double Bagel-May20-21

I got the good old double bagel, Robert Parish, or snake eyes. Whatever you want to call it. 0 Sun 0 Mon. Last week was a 40 mile week. I guess it's ok. I'm supposed to be tapering. Monday I had a track meet. Sunday I was just being lazy.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Saturday, May 19th Bedford 12k

15mi/1:30 - Bedford 12k - 39:59(5:22) 22nd place.
This was a fairly disappointing race. I was looking forward to running a pr that would be a good confidence booster going in to Vermont City. I felt flat and sluggish on my warm up and my quads were a little sore. I've been messing around with my running form lately and I think that's the reason for the unusual soreness. I know: dumb idea to mess arohnd so close to the marathon. Lesson learned! Seems like a lame excuse for a bad race but I honestly believe it was a factor. During the race I was running with teammates Al Bernier, Mike Quintal, and Kevin Tilton. I had a rough last mile as a train went by me and I couldn't latch on. Al passed me and we yo yo'd a few times before he finally dropped me on the little hill before the track. I did sneak out a 1 second pr and finished 5th for CMS as we won the team title. Jen ran a 9 minute pr! Wow! I'm jealous!

Friday, May 18, 2012

Friday, May 18th

8mi/52min - On the westmoreland tracks with Najem, Ferenc, and the girls. Nice and easy run. Tomorrow I'm racing the Bedford 12k. I will be very disappointed if I don't pr. I ran 40:00 2 years ago. I'm hoping for 39 flat. My legs didn't feel gteat today, but I'm not worried or overly concerned.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Thursday, May 17th

9mi/59min - I was having motivational issues again but I was glad to get it done. It was gorgeous weather out there. I saw 2 beavers out on the Lily Trail.

Wednesday, May 17th

0mi - Had a track meet today. My girls set school records in both relays. Run tomorrow.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Tuesday, May 15th

8mi/51:30 - Thanks to Crazy Larry I got this run in today. I wasn't motivated to run because of the rain. Then I remembered what Crazy Larry asked Nick Cash in college. "Are you gonna be a pu*%y your whole life?" My answer today was "no". I can't remember what Nick Cash answered on that fateful day. Ask Boj. He might actually remember.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Monday, May 14th

0 miles - I was feeling lazy today. My body is a little tired from yesterday's 19 miler. I've been having problem with blogger so I think I'm going to try the one day format.

Last 3 weeks April 23rd - May 13th

April 23-29 69 miles highlights: 16-8-8-4x4 w half rest (4:49,2:23,2:21,72,70,68,64) James Joyce 10k - 32:45 p.r. 9th place April 30-May 6 61miles highlights: 10mi progression run. 58:46(last 1.5 sub5 pace) Chesterfield 5k -16:54 new c.r. (very hilly course) 22miler with 6 at 5:40 pace. Tired from race. Was gonna do 10-12 at mp May 7-13 65miles highlights: 2 14mi runs 19miles with Fyffe in 1:58. Great run!