Weekly Log: 12.30.13 - 1.5.14

The year wraps up and a new one begins.  Questions abound this week.  With 24 miles to go will I hit 1,800 before the ball drops?  Is this the week that I finally pull the trigger and buy a car?  What does the approaching snowstorm mean for the Old Mountain Field 5k this weekend?  And will my weak ankle hold up on the rooty singletrack?  Perhaps the answers can be found below.

Monday - Smithfield, RI - 20 miles

I came up to work super early and scored a close parking spot.  Any attempt to break 1,800 would require a long run today and I plotted out a course that would be long.  Leaving the parking lot at work, I took the roads down past Bryant. They were pretty icy for the bulk of the run and I had to watch my step - as well as watch out for other cars.  Most of the time I was on backroads so it wasn't a big deal.  I passed the Mowry Woods, the Connor Farm and other assorted unmarked trails.  I stuck to my guns and stayed on the road.  My ankle problems would probably have resurfaced as soon as I entered the woods and besides I was looking to fit as many miles in as I could - the trails would have slowed me down considerably.

The roads were long and quiet with lots of farmland and some fancy houses.  I guess you could call the roads rolling although there were a few monster hills in places.  Took gels at 45 and 90 minutes.  Stopped to piss next to a golf course and snagged a few rogue golfballs.  My pace had been sluggish to start but by the time I was 10 miles in I had settled into a nice 7:30ish rhythm.  Once I was getting close to my car I took a few detours to stretch it out closer to my goal.  I was going to settle for 19 but as I pulled back into Fidelity I saw that I was at 19.5 so of course I had to run a little extra to make it an even 20.  Good run.  Felt great out there and no issues at all with the ankle.  Four miles to 1,800.

 

Tuesday - Smithfield, RI - 4 miles

It's cold out there!  Hat's off to Amanda who walked Oliver in the frigid dark this morning.  Got to work and did a short run on the footpaths to complete the quest.  Legs were pretty tired from 30 miles over the previous two days so I was content to peel off four miles and call it a day.  1800 miles in 2013.  Huzzah and Happy New Year!

Wednesday - 0 miles

Felt groggy and bloated from the copious amounts of beer and food that I engulfed last night.  I was content to do very little for the first day of 2014, though I did bring in lots of firewood for the approaching storm.  Went to the Charlestown Beach and cheered on Amanda and Emme who did the plunge.  Better them than me!

Thursday - Smithfield, RI - 6.4 miles

Father Winter draws nigh!  The storm had only just begun as I made my way up to work and the running conditions were perfect.  I had planned to wear my ankle brace which served me well last winter but of course I forgot it.  Still I cautiously entered the woods - I couldn't resist on a day like today with new fallen snow on the ground.  I felt a dull soreness in my janky ankle at times but it never rolled on me so it turned out to be a good decision.  There was a section under the powerlines where I fell right on my ass - the light fluffy snow hid a sleek sheet of ice and I flailed helplessly for a moment before falling.  Other than that it was a fun run on snow covered singletrack.  My beard was covered in ice by the end - makes me feel like a mountain man.

Friday - Smithfield, RI - 8 miles

45 push-ups (military/standard/wide)

Work put me up at a hotel next to the office and I had visions of heading out in the morning, battling the elements and taking on my familiar trails in a frozen hellscape.  Then I looked out the window at 5:30 AM.  Fuck that noise.  Instead I decided to embark on an even more unfamiliar adventure - the hotel treadmill!  Believe it or not, I've never run on one of these things.  After some tinkering with the levels, I settled on what seemed like a legit pace and began watching the TV.

It was a weird sensation, running in place and adjusting my pace to keep from falling off.  And I wished I had my iPod as there's not much on TV at 5:30 AM.  I messed around with the incline & speed functions and could see how this thing might give you a serious workout.  However I realized that the distance meter was bullshit.  After 7.5 minutes of running it said that I'd gone half a mile.  I'd have to rely on a Hammett-like sense of pace and decided that I was in fact doing 7.5 minute miles.  So basically every 0.5 equaled a mile.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

So I did an hour on this thing and must admit that it wasn't that bad.  Well, almost an hour.  At 58 minutes my left calf began to seize up so I stopped.  A minute too late though as now that calf is pretty sore.  Buggers.  Usually this issue feels better after 24 hours so I don't expect it to be an issue for tomorrow's crazy race.

Saturday - Old Mountain Field 5k

Time: 25:37.  7th overall.  Difficulty: High.  Report here.

Sunday - 0 miles

My back and calves are feeling it after yesterday's slog in the snow.  I'll be taking a zero today.

Weekly Mileage: 44.3 miles

Year to Date: 20.1 miles

Big week as I hit 1,800 miles for 2013.  Also pleased that it was a high mileage week (for me) despite some seriously wintery conditions.  Glad we got the first 4th Season race under our belt and looking forward to the Resolution 5k next week.