Week of February 22nd to 28th, 2016

Monday:
0mi.  I hiked twice in Pisgah with Griffin and Jen for 30min each.  My left hip is sore.

Tuesday:
8mi/60min on the Athen's trails with Ferenc and Lena.  Good run.  Wore the micro-spikes.  Walked 1hr with Griffin in the morning and lifted weights. 

Wednesday:
1mi + drills and lifted weights at the YMCA.  Played 50min of indoor soccer at night in our first league game.  Holy crap!  We're playing in an 18+ league and everyone on our team is over 30.  The team we were playing was all young, fast and skilled.  We tied 1-1.  I played fullback the whole game and I was very busy!  A tie felt like a win against this team.  I'm gonna be sore!

Thursday:
8mi/1:10 in Pisgah with Thomas.  The trails were insanely icy.  I didn't wear micro-spikes because the first half of the run was on mostly open trails but then it got ridiculous.  We slipped and slid but managed to stay mostly upright.  Tough run.  The streams were raging from the rain the night before.  I'm sore from last night's soccer game.

Friday:
0mi.  Drove down to RI and visited my mom in the hospital after her hip replacement surgery.  She seems to be doing well.  Went on a couple 20min walks in the woods.  Found an owl pellet with my dad.

Saturday:
11mi*/1:20 - Belleville Pond 10k trail race - 41:01 (6:36) 7th place.
Well, I knew it would happen.  Jonny and Muddy kicked my arse in this race.  I hung with Jonny with Muddy sitting on my heels for the first 2 miles and it was very uncomfortable.  Jonny pulled away on a grassy hill where Scott Mason was snapping photos.  Muddy went around me and I knew that was it.  They pulled away and left me in the dust.  I was hit by two gunmen on the grassy knoll. I got passed a mile later by a guy in orange.  I could see Jonny leading Muddy on the long carriage road section again but I knew they were way too far ahead.  I managed to hold off a late charging Chris Fox at the end of the race to take 7th place.  It was one of the most exhausting races I've run.  I'm terribly out of running shape and the results showed it.  A lot of people would probably elect not to race if they were this out of shape but I wanted to get on the line and test myself.  I also felt that Jonny had earned the right to kick my butt.  He's been putting in big miles and doing speed workouts.  He deserved to crush me.  It didn't seem fair to dodge him and sit the race out.  I wanted to try to stick with him and hopefully unleash some sort of kick, but he's just way too fit.  Muddy also.  I'm happy those guys are running so well.  I tip my hat to their hard work. 

Sunday:
0mi.  I hiked an hour in the Calhoun Forest in Gilsum, NH with Jen and Griffin.  We found two owl pellets.  One was large and mostly grey fur with 3 toe nails.  I'm guessing it was a barred owl that yarped up a squirrel.  The next one was tiny.  It had a little rodent skull and bones with matted fur.  It was so small it had to be a norther saw-whet owl.  I'm hooked on finding owl pellets now. 
My body is sore from the race.

Total for the week:
28mi.  I had "fun" at the race on Saturday.  The indoor soccer game was a blast.  I can't wait for our next game.