Weekly Log: 3.24.14 - 3.30.14

BOOM.  Last week of March.  Time soldiers on, faster and faster.  It is a flat circle after all.  I wanted to hit 50 miles last week and I did it.  Now I want to do it again.  Weather and sore feet conspire against me but I shall try my damndest, knowing that next week will be super-light running wise.

This Sunday my band Hip Bobsha will be at Tara's Tipperary Tavern in Matunuck for a rare afternoon show from 3-7 PM.  Get your chores done in the morn and then come on down for music and drinks!

Monday - Smithfield, RI - 7 miles

Back into the woods around the office.  Legs and feet are sore but not too beat up from Brrr-lingame.  Cold enough to break out the tights yet again - enough already!.  Ran a bunch of dirt bike singletrack that had been off-limits due to the oppressive snow cover.  Now the snow was finally gone and I enjoyed exploring these twisty trails again.  My feet said six miles but I extended the run on the footpaths to make it seven.

Tuesday - Big River, West Greenwich, RI - 7 miles

180 push-ups (standard/military/decline/wide) 30/20/10/20/20/20/20/20/20

Between the end of work and picking up Em at dance class, I had time for an hour run in Big River West.  The last time I was here it was really goddamn cold and I had to cut my run short.  This time was much nicer.  Trails were in good shape.  A bit of water/ice here and there and a couple sections still had a surprising amount of hard snowpack but most of the trails were clear.  I headed out on the Log Trail, spent some time on the New London Turnpike and returned to my car via Things that Go Bump in the Night.  I'm looking forward to more runs here as the weather warms.

Wednesday - 0 miles

Rest days are the best days / Now we drink champagne when we're testy - Notorious S.E.T.H.

My legs seem fine after Brrr-lingame followed by three more days of running. But my feet are all beat up.  That nerve twinge on the bottom of my right foot has gotten better but hasn't fully gone away.  And the skin on both my heels has been getting rubbed raw and formed calluses.  I don't feel 'em while running so long as I lather 'em in powder before I put on my socks.  At any rate, this rest day is welcomed.

I tried my Chinook IPA tonight - the results of my troubled first BIAB session.  And...it's good!  Beautiful color, aroma and taste (at two weeks it's a little undercarbed but that'll improve soon.)  I had dumped in a 1/2 pound of sugar at the last minute to boost the gravity to a somewhat reasonable level and it worked out great.  At 4.2% ABV it drinks like one of those session IPAs that are popping up all over the place these days.  It's crisp and hoppy and I couldn't be happier.  I'll bring some to the Big River Half. 

Chinook IPA - First All-Grain Brew!

Thursday - Charlestown/Smithfield, RI - 11.5 miles

Did 4+ miles with the dog in the morning.  I'm sick of this cold weather!

Finally made it back to the North Smithfield track later in the morning after a long hiatus.  The plan was 6 x800.  It was cold and very windy and that nerve twinge on the bottom of my foot acted up almost immediately.  During the warm-up I kept being on the verge of abandoning this workout.  Finally I got started.  Half the track was bathed in sun and going with the wind.  The other half was in shade and against the wind.  Brutal.  Some of the sheet metal advertisements along the wire fence had come loose and would bang loudly when the wind picked up.  The nerve twinge faded as the workout went on, not returning until my cooldown.  I consider it a real mental victory for getting through this workout when I really didn't want to.  I just kept thinking, Okay 1/3 of the way done.  Halfway done.  Only six minutes of hard work left.  Happy to get through this one, especially with the nasty wind.

2:52 / 2:47 / 2:51 / 2:47 / 2:48 / 2:49

Friday - Wolf Hill, Smithfield, RI - 7.3 miles

It finally feels like spring out there!  I decided upon Wolf Hill for my dose of trails and I got about ten steps from the car when I thought better about the compression top I was wearing.  Ended up going with just a T-shirt which proved wise because it was gorgeous out there!  The trails of Wolf Hill were in great shape.  These really are some of my favorite trails.  Wide with plenty of rocks to keep you on your toes.  Great views on the east side of Providence.  Even better views on the quarry side of Glocester.  Some big climbs to keep you honest.  Just a great place to run.

Saturday - Big River, West Greenwich, RI - 17 miles

Met up with Jonny, Muddy and Chris at Greasy Joe's to run the course for next weekend's half marathon.  After a two mile warm-up on the New London Turnpike we headed out.  Pace was manageable but faster than a casual trail run.  Conversation was lively and the run was pleasant but the miles ticked on and we all began to realize what a brutal race this was going to be.  The technical early stuff, the twisty later stuff and the constant hills.  Throughout the course are rolling hills, just wearing you down.  The last few miles of the course were tiring for me and probably a close replica of what I'll be feeling next Saturday.  Once we made it back to the parking lot, I headed back out on my own for another 2.5 miles because I am a slave to my space watch and the arbitrary goal I set for myself.  But in the end this run got me to 50 miles for the week so I'm pleased.  I'll be taking it pretty easy from here on out until I return to Big River next Saturday.  This race should be epic.

Sunday - 0 miles 

My ankles are pretty sore from yesterday's long trail run.  It's funny that I rolled my left one pretty badly during the run but it is my right ankle that feels beat up.  A couple days of rest will be most welcome (especially considering the monsoon outside.)

In the afternoon we had a fun gig at Tara's down in Matunuck (next to the Ocean Mist.)  It was raining pretty hard throughout but there was a good crowd and they seemed to enjoy it.  Amanda and the girls came by for a set which was appreciated.  Hopefully we'll score some more Sunday afternoon gigs there - it was a pleasant experience.

Weekly Mileage: 50.1 miles

Year to Date: 509.9 miles