Weekly Log: 3.10.14 - 3.16.14

With Ocean's Run in the rearview mirror, it's time to focus on mileage. I'd like to hit 40+ miles this week and then attempt to hit 50 for the following two weeks.  The Brrr...lingame 10 miler comes right in the middle of this mileage increase but I'll take it as it comes because I really want to get some miles in before I drop off for the Big River Half/Jamestown Bridge 10k double-header.

Monday - Smithfield, RI - 6 miles

Legs are trashed.  The half marathon done beat 'em up.  Jeff approached me last week about doing a run up here after work on Tuesday.  I was eager to show him some of my favorite trails but wanted to check them out first to make sure they were runnable.  Got to work and hey whaddya know, it's snowing again.  In truth, it was very light and enjoyed running in it (hopefully for the last time this season!)  Unfortunately the trails were still in rough shape and the going was tough.  I thought at least the trails with the tire ruts would be alright but the thin new layer of snow made spotting the ice sheets difficult.  And the ice sheets weren't ice sheets anymore.  Now they were puddles with newly frozen surfaces.  I kept breaking through and soaking my shoes.  Abandoning the trails, I ground out a few more miles on the roads.

Tuesday - Charlestown/Smithfield - 8.5 miles

Ab Ripper X (15 minutes) / 160 push-ups (standard/military/wide) 30/25/25/30/20/30

The usual dog jog in the morning.  Then after work I met up with Jeff.  Yesterday morning's run had me concerned about trekking through the woods but luckily the last two days of warmth softened the snow enough to make running through it not too bad.  Of course Jeff was game for anything so I took him on a tour of some of my favorites.  The snow was still quite deep at spots and a few short rests helped break up the slog.  A fun run and I'm glad I finally got to show off these excellent trails to someone.

Wednesday - 0 miles

Argh.  I wanted to do Yoga in the morning.  Really I did.  But I could not will myself to do it.  I am weak.  So today has become an impromptu rest day.  So be it.  This has become a bad habit but I'll get back in the Yoga swing eventually.

Thursday - Ryan Park, North Kingstown, RI - 7.2 miles

More snow this morning.  It wasn't coming down too bad when I dropped Ezri off and I decided to hit up Ryan Park since recent reports suggested the trails down in NK would be in better shape than up in Smithfield.  There was very light layer of snow on the rail bed but they were otherwise clear other than a few crunchy ice spots.  My legs still didn't have much pep in them so I was content to go at an easy pace.  After a couple miles the snow began to pick up.  At the bridge amongst the root run the wind was very strong.  Endless ethereal snow snakes whipped across the remaining ice on the pond - a very cool sight.

While at the ballfield I stopped for a moment to look at the big trail map and realized I had never explored the small park opposite the lot on Lafayette Road.  After running the east side of Ryan Park I checked out these trails.  A small area, it was mostly wide ATV trails but there was another cool powerline section that ran alongside the train tracks (I stopped, hoping to see a train but of course it went by as soon as I left the area.)  There was a ramshackle bridge made out of pallets and mesh wire and I got a creepy yokel vibe from this place (probably been watching too much True Detective.)

Jumped back across Lafayette and spent the last two miles of the run on the west side of the park.  Snow was coming down pretty good now and I was enjoying running in it.  Took the low lying trail next to the pond and it was wet at spots.  Running in this section was a strange sensation.  The ground had been muddy but the night refroze it somewhat - it was like running on crumpled newspaper.  All in all I was happy to get back into the woods.  And even though I'm done with winter I gotta say that running in the snowy conditions was a lot of fun.  But now seriously winter - GET LOST.

Friday - DuVal trails, South Kingstown, RI - 6 miles

Ab Ripper X (15 minutes)

I had a rare chance to work from home (they're final testing the system now that the miserable winter's over.  Great timing!)  Once my shift was over, I headed over to the DuVal trails as it has been awhile.  A couple icy sections but otherwise clear!  A good amount of mud though and I was slippin' in places.  Legs weren't used to the hilly trails and I ran out of time before I got to visit the newest trail section.  Glad to be back in the woods though!

Saturday - 0 miles

Sunday - Burlingame, Charlestown, RI - 13.2 miles

I missed yesterday's group run but I wanted to get over to Burlingame and check out the course for next weekend's race.  I wasn't 100% of the course but I ran across orange flags occasionally so I figure I hit most of it.  It was a groggy morning and I was slow to get started.  The first couple miles were pretty lethargic as I hit up the Kettle Pond trails. Once on the race course I passed a couple older gentlemen that perhaps were doing some recon of their own - one was a fellow named John who I ran with last spring in Burlingame.  I found some pep for the second lap and was content to wrap it up after 13.  The ice breaking up on Watchaug was a cool site.  When I arrived at the beach parking lot there were two cars.  When I returned from my run there were fifteen.  The mountain bikers seemed to be out in force.

Weekly Log:  40.9 miles

Year to Date: 407 miles

I was glad to get back into the woods this week.  I look forward to exploring all my favorite haunts as the weather continues to warm.  And it was a big weekend for some fast WTACers.  Chris Garvin ran a sub 2 minute 800 meter race and I just read that Galoob took the master's division of the New Bedford half in 70 minutes.  These guys are crazy fast!