Week of September 29th to October 5th, 2014

Monday:
AM:  3mi/19min on the roads solo.  Feel good.
XC practice:  3mi/23min in Friedsam Forest with xc team. 
PM:  4mi+/33min in Pisgah with Greg E., Champ and Griffin.  Good run, nice little triple today.

Tuesday:
AM:  4mi/28min on the roads solo.  Drills and sprints after.
PM:  10mi/71min in Pisgah with Brett.  Nice run.  Feel a little bit tired.

Wednesday:
0mi.  Lifted weights.  Raining and feeling lazy in the afternoon.

Thursday:
7mi/49min in Pisgah with Greg E., Champ and Griffin.  I started out the morning planning to run but I got a massive migraine and called out sick from work.  I haven't had one in almost 2years.  Not fun.  Puked and lied in my bed in the dark for 4 hours.  Felt a little better in the afternoon for my run.

Friday:
8mi/54min in Pisgah with Ferenc, Lena, Ellie and Griffin.  Feel good.  Fantastic weather.  Dull headache today from my migraine hangover.  Tomorrow race and coach at the Ben Brackett Memorial Invite.

Saturday:
7mi*/46min - Ben Bracket 5K XC - 16:25 (5:17) 2nd place.  I sat behind Jon Allard (KHS) through the mile (5:15).  He looked smooth and relaxed, I felt pretty good.  I thought about just sitting on him and seeing if I could outkick him, but my ego got the better of me.  I decided it was more honorable to break him in the second mile so I surged and created a gap.  I extended the gap to 8 seconds or so, but he started to reel me in after 2 miles.  He caught me and passed me after 2.5mi.  I couldn't latch onto him, he was too strong and I watched him pull away and finish 12seconds ahead of me.  I was happy with my race, but wish I used different tactics.  I definitely was feeling the effects of the strong surge in the second mile.  Still, I'm pleased with the result and my fitness is starting to improve.  I got a very short cool down in with Chris Barry and then it was time to put on my coaching hat.  My kids ran well.  My girls ran out of their minds with 3 in the top 10.  Unfortunately, my number 4 girl was missing and I was missing my 6,7,8 girls as well, so we didn't score as a team in the girls race.  Fun day in the rain.

Sunday:
16mi*/1:53 on the Putney Mtn trails with Ferenc, Brett, Summit, Lena and Ellie.  Fantastic run.  The weather was absolutely glorious!  It was chilly in the 40's to start but the sun was shining.  We saw a Golden Eagle migrating south west, soaring over the valley.  Stopped at the top of Putney Mountain and talked to the hawk watchers and they confirmed our siting.  While talking to them we saw a Cooper's and 5 Sharp-shinned hawks fly over.  Beautiful fall day.

Total for the week:
62miles.  Pretty good week.  The migraine sucked on Thursday, hopefully I won't get anymore of those.  I gotta keep up the green smoothies with ginger!  (I think they help).  I want to double more next week and get some more lifting in.  I need to start doing hill sprints too.