Wandering Around Big River

Tour of Big River Management Area

Weekly Log: 2.20.17 - 2.26.17

Monday - 0 miles

I woke up in our Littleton hotel with a painful lower back.  Guess the pack I used up Mt Liberty is the culprit.  So no follow-up hike today.  We did stop at a sport shop on the way out of town and I scored a pair of Dion running shoes at 40% off.  Probably won't have a chance to use 'em this season but now I'm ready for next winter.

Too bad the snow disappeared while I was away!

Tuesday - East Providence, RI - 6.8 miles

Man, it's hard to get back into the swing of things in dumpy East Providence.  I enjoy the mountains so.  Wish I lived up there.  Back is still sore from Sunday but running didn't seem to aggrivate it.  I ended up going over to the East Bay bikepath in Riverside and shambling through 7ish miles.  The lane was mostly clear.  A few spots still had a goodly amount of snow but there was always a clear section.  Not much to say other than I got it done.

Wednesday - Johnston, RI - 8 miles

6:00 minutes of planks (longest - 3:06)

With Amanda off this week I get a couple early morning runs and this one led me to the Snake Den.  I went with the Speedcross which was a wise choice.  The first trails of the day were caked in icy snow and hard going.  The postholing and shitty trail conditions wore my ankles/calves out quick.  Surprisingly things improved with the Connector trail as the snow became very soft and I could just run through it.  A surprise: a new bridge has been built on the Connector trail so it's no longer necessary to traverse that downed tree!  Once on the other side I usually found a clear path on the trail to run but there was still plenty of snow and it wore me down.  I ventured over towards Route 295 which ate up time and after a swampy bushwack I was forced to take roads back to the car.

Thursday - 0 miles

My ankles are chewed up from yesterday.  Despite the 60 degree temps outside, I decided to take the day off to let my legs heal.  Grrr.

Friday - West Greenwich, RI - 7.2 miles

I left the house real early intent on getting in some decent time in Big River.  My left ankle was hurting on the outside but I chalked it up to rolling it several times on Wednesday.  At first it looked like it was going to be a great run but once I hit single track I came upon pine and pine bent over on the trail.  In fact the whole place had taken a beating - lots of big trees/branches were down and the little ones had just keeled over from winter.  I backtracked to the dirt roads but after 1.5 miles I felt pain in my ankle.  Damnit!  This was a bummer but I still had an hour and a half to kill before heading to work.  I just followed the New London turnpike to the quarry and then turned around.  Nice morning (if a little chilly in just a tech shirt) but now I definitely need to be smart and take several days off.  Then it'll be just pavement for a while.  Bah.

Saturday - 0 miles

Sunday - 0 miles

5:30 minutes of planks (longest 2:35)

Weekly Log:22 miles
Year to Date: 302 miles

King of a chumpy week in the end.  My ankle still hurt at times over the weekend so I'm assuming I just rolled it worse than I thought on Wednesday.  I plan to rest it early next week as well and hopefully it will mend quickly.

Weekly Log: 1.30.17 - 2.5.17

Monday - Seekonk, MA - 6 miles

6:30 minutes of planks (longest - 3:02)

My calves and hamstrings are pretty sore after a weekend of hiking in the Whites.  I picked up a pair of NB Vazees up in North Conway and wanted to try them out. I opted for quiet country roads of Seekonk.  Legs warmed up soon enough and this ended up being a great, relaxing run.

Tuesday - 0 miles

6 minutes of planks (longest - 3:12)

No run today.  Was going to yoga but chumped out.  Just as well as I had to leave early and deal with a bunch of bullshit traffic thanks to the snow.

Wednesday - West Greenwich, RI - 7 miles

7 minutes of planks (longest - 4:04)
165 push-ups (standard/wide) 30/30/25/30/25/25

Early last year I did planks 5-6 times a week and I hit a 4 minute plank in by the end of March.  I continued to plank inconsistently through July hitting a high water mark of 5:12.  Then things fell apart.  But with the new year I've tried to get back into the habit of doing them every morning.  This was my first 4 minute plank since last July.  The consistency is paying off.

The upside of yesterday's snow was that I got to Big River this morning for a great trail run.  Just enough snow to make it fun but not too much to be a pain to slog through.  Couple fat bike tire tracks already out there.  Did a loop around Carr Pond.  Great way to start the day.

Thursday - East Providence, RI - 6.1 miles

6 minutes of planks (longest - 3:12)

Was intending to make it a track day (would've been three weeks in a row) but the Seekonk High track was covered in snow.  Dejected, I went over to the Ten Mile River bikepath.  It was mostly clear of snow but had some crunchy parts.  But the damage was done - any interest in speedwork vanished and I slogged my way through this run.  By the midway mark I had no motivation left but luckily I had no choice but to run in order to get back to my car.  Best thing I can say about this run was that I got it done.

Friday - Smithfield, RI - 7.5 miles

5 minutes of planks (longest - 2:37)

Got over to Wolf Hill for an early run.  Plenty of snow on the trails here and it made for an enjoyable time.  Sought out the biggest hills there - definitely need to get back to consistent hill work.  Chilly in the mid 20s but I dressed appropriately for once and really enjoyed this one.

Saturday - 0 miles

6 minutes of planks (longest - 3:10)

Sunday - West Greenwich, RI - 16.1 miles

Ran mostly dirt roads along the New London Turnpike.  Started on the west side of Big River and took the turnpike out of the management area and south.  A few pavement sections but otherwise all dirt.  I veered off onto another dirt road towards the end and turned around at the 8 mile mark.  It was mostly downhill on the way back so I was able to pick up the pace a bit.  Good long run.

Weekly Mileage: 42.7 miles
Year to Date: 201.6 miles

Weekly Log: 1.9.17 - 1.15.17

Monday - East Providence, RI - 7.1 miles

5:30 minutes of planks (longest - 2:32)

BRRR.  It was a brisk 20 degrees outside but luckily the city didn't get as much snow as South County.  I went over to the 10 Mile River bikepath.  As with last winter they plowed the first 1/2 mile of it.  After that there were plenty of tracks in the snow.  I broke trail in the woods for a bit and then returned to the bike path and followed some of the most well trod paths.  Running in fresh snow wasn't too bad but I was getting a good amount in my shoes. It was tough work at times and I certainly wasn't cold by the end of the run.

Tuesday - Charlestown, RI - 7 miles

4:20 minutes of planks (longest - 2:19)

There was no heat in the office so I got to work from home today.  Rejoice!  Wasn't sure about the snow/traction in the woods so I opted to run along the beach.  Tide was very low.  Left ankle was very sore for the second half of this one - I think from the slope of the beach.  While playing video games at night my left calf seized up something awful.

Wednesday - East Providence, RI - 4.2 miles

4 minutes of planks (longest - 2:00)

My calf is very sore to the touch today.  But I thought a short easy jog might help warm it up.  Speaking of warm - it was 52 degrees outside today!  The snow from the weekend storm is pretty much all gone now.  Did four miles on the East Bay bike path.  Calf ached throughout.  I should do some foam rolling tonight.

Thursday - 0 miles

5 minutes of planks (longest - 2:31)

My calf didn't feel much better after yesterday's run (big surprise) so I decided to be reasonable and take a rest day today.  Friggin' 60 degrees outside.

Friday - East Providence, RI - 8.7 miles

4:15 planks (longest: 1:55)

I decided to run the loop up around Pawtucket and over to Blackstone Blvd.  I meant for it to be a slow run but my body was responding right off the bat so I kept it up.  I was fighting the wind early on but once I began the return trip I pushed the pace on the Blackstone running path.  I kept it up to the office and ended up with a pretty good progression run.

Saturday - 0 miles

3:50 planks (longest: 1:45)

It wasn't until I got home last night that I realized that I had a pretty nasty blood blister on my fourth toe.  Apparently the Hoka's really cramped my little toes together.  It was painful to walk with for a little while but I got used to it eventually.  Hopefully running with it won't be an issue.

Sunday - West Greenwich, RI - 15 miles

4:00 minutes planks (longest: 2:03)

Early morning running plans fell apart and then I lost motivation and played Grand Theft Auto.  By midday I had to take Ezri to my parents and that perked me up for a long run.  I decided to go with Big River and stick to almost all trails.  The parking lot at Greasy Joe's was packed with cars.  Mostly mountain bikers I'm guessing but I also encountered many hikers with dogs.  I did a big counterclockwise loop, sticking to the New London Turnpike until I was past Hopkins Hill Road.  Then I took twisty trails that ran along the ponds and waterways of Big River.  Sawmill and the BR Expressway brought me over to the Hopkins Hill parking lot and it wasn't until I approached Carr Pond that I began to feel the effects of the long run.  A fun run overall and I need to keep these long efforts up as my legs were toast later in the day.

Weekly Mileage: 42 miles

Year to Date: 78.8 miles

Weekly Log: 9.21.15 - 9.27.15

October is practically here and with it comes a cornucopia of big fall races.  I've not set my sights on any 50ks this year.  I feel like my lack of long runs is pretty apparent in my fitness and I'm wary to go out for a very long trail race.  Plus my schedule is already book with stuff so my options are limited.  I'm actually looking towards Bob Jackman's 6 Hour Ultra in the beginning of November.  I've been interested in it before but other fall races have always taken priority.  With lowered personal expectations, perhaps this is the year to give it a shot.

Monday - East Providence, RI - 5 miles

My calves were still sore from seizing up two nights prior plus yesterday's shortened trail run in Arcadia.  I almost bailed on today's lunch run but willed myself out to the Ten Mile River Bikepath for a few easy miles.  Still the legs have no pep though they loosened up a bit as I went.

Tuesday - Smithfield, RI - 7 miles

140 push-ups (standard/diamond/wide) 30/20/35/25/30

I returned to Wolf Hill for another meandering run on some of my favorite trails.  I discovered a couple new trails that seemed well groomed though they just led to houses.  Good run but again the last two miles were on trashed legs.

Wednesday - 0 miles

Definitely needed a day off to rest the legs.

Thursday - Exeter, RI - 11 miles

I wanted to get a decent amount of miles in the morning so I decided to stick to mostly roads.  I thought upon a run around the perimeter of Big River West that incorporated the dirt roads of the New London Turnpike and Sawmill Roads.  This turned out to be a good route but again by the time I reached the halfway point my legs began to ache.  Division and Hopkins Hill Road also suffered from fast moving traffic which was a pain to deal with.  Any thoughts of tacking on a little trail work near Tarbox Pond was gone by the time I passed it.

Friday - Providence, RI - 8 miles

200 push-ups (standard/military/wide) 35/25/35/35/30/40

I bailed on a second run yesterday before band practice which put my arbitrary 50 mile week goal in jeopardy.  I was determined to get 8 miles at lunch and also work in some hills.  Over the bridge I went and ran the roads over by Rochambeau Ave.  Once again, I was feeling good for most of the run but after mile six I ran out of energy and took a couple breaks while I stretched out my angry calves.

Saturday - 0 miles

Sunday - North Kingstown, RI - 13 miles

I had grand plans for a long run that took me from Quonset over to Hopkins Hill Road via Stony Lane and then back again via Frenchtown Road.  I knew that with my recent tired legs this 19 mile route was ambitious/stupid but I felt compelled to try anyway.  I had mapped out a 13 mile bailout option and once the climbs started on Stony Lane I knew I'd be using it.  The legs just had no pep and the climbing made my calves ache.  Even with the bailout option it was still a long slog of a loop and I took several breaks to stretch out the calves.  A frustrating run that left me dispirited.

Weekly Mileage: 44.3 miles
Year to Date: 1,479.6 miles

Well my legs have been junk all week.  I guess I've no choice but to decrease the mileage next week and give them some time to rest.  I really need to be more consistent with the foam rolling too.  Sunday's aborted longer run made me question any sort of longer race, even the RI 6 Hour.  So we'll see.

Weekly Log: 7.13.15 - 7.19.15

Run with the Beavers week!  Not counting Ragnar it's been a while since I had a long trail race and this will be my third time running the Beavers 10 Miler.  It promises to be a good time.

In other news my band Hip Bobsha has finished our first album.  It's an EP with six tracks and you should check it out here!

Monday - East Providence, RI - 5.3 miles

220 push-ups (standard/military/wide) 40/30/40/40/25/45

I decided at the last moment to head to the Ten Mile River bike path for some nice and easy miles.  My legs were pretty beat from yesterday's long run in Burlingame and my janky knee was a little achy.  Annoying but it didn't make itself known on the run.  Very hot out there.  Back at the parking lot I saw some dude heading out to walk his dude with a gray parrot perched on his arm.  Go get 'em guy.

Tuesday - Providence, RI - 8.4 miles

Ab Ripper X (15 minutes)

Another hot one and I set out to beat my self up with some time on College Hill.  I know I need to rest up for the Beaver race but I've got it in my head to complete this Strava elevation challenge which requires over 16k feet of elevation gain for the month of July.  Not sure that I have it in me but I want to take a fair stab at it.  To that end. I wandered over to College Hill and meandered up and down the brutal roads.  The heat and hills wore me out by mile 6 and I was glad I brought a water bottle.  About 900 feet of elevation on this run but it felt like more.

Wednesday - Charlestown, RI - 8.7 miles

235 push-ups (standard/decline/wide) 45/30/40/40/40/40

I was working from home so in the morning I ran down to Charlestown Beach.  It was humid and foggy and the sun was a blur up in the sky.  Pretty cool.  I wanted to jump in the water but the waves were pretty big and I'm not a great swimmer.  I opted to just run down the beach a bit before heading back to the house.  Once back across Route 1, I went up to the hills above my house and ran the roads there for another 1.5 miles (the elevation challenge can't be ignored after all) and then cut through the woods back to my place.  I was a complete sweaty mess by the end of this run.  Grabbed about 400 feet from those neighborhood roads so if I'm serious about completing this challenge I have a feeling I'll be heading back to those hills for some repeats.

Thursday - West Greenwich, RI - 5.2 miles

Okay, time to actually take it easy in preparation for Saturday's race. I stopped at Big River West on the way in to the office and did some easy miles.  I was just going to follow the dirt roads for the whole run but I veered off early to explore a trail.  It was muddy twisty turny fun but I dutifully turned back at 2.5 miles.

I see from Jonny's blog that he's enlisted Mike Galoob into his HammBoner team.  It's sad to see another defection from WTAC and I'm hoping for a repeat of last year's results.

Friday - 0 miles

Saturday - Run with the Beavers 10 Mile Trail Race - 12.9 miles

Official time: 1:11:56.  8th overall.  Report here.

Sunday - 0 miles

My legs are pretty beat up from yesterday's race.  I was content with taking it easy.  Mowing the yard was enough of a workout for me.  Towards the end of the day ol' janky knee made itself known.

Weekly Mileage: 40.6 miles

Year to Date: 1004 miles

Over 1000 miles so far.  It'd be tough to pull off 2000 this year but not impossible.  Just sayin'.

Weekly Log: 5.4.15 - 5.10.15

A new week and the temp is going to be in the 70s.  Forget spring - summer is apparently here!  I took it slightly easier last week and hope to return to above 40 miles this week.  I may even sneak in a race this weekend...

Monday - East Providence, RI - 6.5 miles

Beautiful day!  I waited until later in the work day and then headed over to the Ten Mile River bike path.  I veered off immediately onto any trails I could find.  The path was bumpin'!  There was a bunch of kids doing some sprints.  People were riding bikes and walking their dogs.  Bunch of people fishing.  I ventured onto the nearby train tracks to cross the river and startled a group of teenagers smoking their tweeds.  Haha, sorry whippersnappers!  I ended up following the train tracks to some unfamiliar neighborhood roads and eventually made my way back to the bike path.  It was hot out there but I was feeling good on this relaxing run.

Tuesday - East Providence, RI - 7 miles

Another day, another bike path.  Went over to the East Bay bike path and decided to do a hill workout.  I followed the path for a mile and then ran the road up to Bradley school.  Then back down and ran a nearby trail hill which lead to another good road hill.  I went back and forth between these two hills for a total of six climbs.  I felt I put in a good effort especially considering the heat.  I returned to the office a smelly ogre which offended the womenfolk.  Guess I'll need to get used to dealing with the "sweat issue" again.  Still better than winter.

Wednesday - Seekonk, MA - 3.1 miles

145 push-ups (standard/decline/wide) 30/25/25/25/20/20

I went over to a big box store to scope out some shoes but they didn't have much.  Kinda bummed that I wasted so much of lunch on a pointless errand but I still had time for a short run around the Turner Reservoir.  My feet had been feeling beat up the last few days so it was probably a good idea to rest them anyway.

Thursday - West Greenwich, RI - 7.3 miles

Fortune smiled on me when I found out that Amanda was working from home today.  That meant I could get a run in before work!  Big River seemed a logical place and it had been a while since I had been on the west side.  It was a cool spring morning but I warmed up along with the temp.  A couple army choppers buzzed the woods very low to the ground.  Must have been a training exercise.  I made a nice easy loop of it, not sure exactly of where I was but I knew I'd hit the New London Turnpike eventually.   It was an easy run but I pushed it on the last trail section back up to the lot.  A man with a couple dogs threatened to thwart my segment attempt but I skirted past them and continued on.  Sorry guy.  Grabbed the segment which I'm happy about - segments on the west side are not as competitive as over by Carr Pond (though I'm sure Jackman will be by soon enough to retake this one from me.)

Friday - Providence, RI - 7 miles

170 push-ups (standard) 30/25/30/25/30/30

I decided to head over to College Hill for my run.  I kept the pace easy and went past Brown and down the steep roads towards downtown.  Then back up 'em and to the office.  Fun relaxing run but that climb is serious.  Forget anymore hill workouts at East Bay BP - I had just as much elevation gain on this run from one climb up College Hill!


Saturday - 0 miles

Amanda and I had considered running the Rainbow 5k in Richmond but when the morning came we weren't up for it and bailed in favor of the URI East Farm Festival where we picked up a bunch of plants and vegetables for the yard.

Sunday - South Kingstown/Charlestown, RI - 10.2 miles

Ezri and I went to my mom's for breakfast in the morning.  On the way we stopped at the Kingston train station and did a mile and a half on the bike path.  She did great, jogging most of the way with a few walking breaks.  There's some kind of fitness 5k at Ninigret on the 30th and she really wants to participate.

We had a picnic lunch at our house in the afternoon and then later I went for a run in Burlingame.  This time I parked along King's Factory and did a mix of Vin Gormley, North Camp and Sammy C's.  It was warm and very humid out there.  Started to notice a couple annoying bugs - oh yeah I forgot that's what the warm weather brings.  A fun run but the humidity really wore me down after only 8 miles.

Weekly Mileage: 41.2 miles
Year to Date: 596.6 miles

I'm feeling good and though the knee occasionally is achy I'm overall feeling healthy.  My running fitness is coming along nicely.  Now to get back to longer runs!

Weekly Log: 3.30.15 - 4.5.15

March is over!  And Big River Half is here!  I'm looking forward to this race though I know it's going to be a tough challenge for me.

Monday - West Greenwich, RI - 8 miles

130 push-ups (standard/wide/decline) 20/25/15/25/25/20

With the snow retreating I wanted to get a sample of the course before Saturday.  After work I parked at the start of the Big River Half and ran the first half of the course.  Immediately I was greeted with a lot of snow.  The course was definitely not clear.  As I entered the singletrack there were several foot/pawprints to follow and the going wasn't too slow.  A few cleared areas had muddy bogs to contend with.  It was actually trickier to follow the trail where the snow ended as the trail became difficult to see.  Then the footprints ended and I wasn't sure where to go.  I bushwacked a bit and found the trail, now with handy bike tracks to follow.

Plenty of snow at the seesaw near the start

Eventually the snow clears up and leads to some muddy sections

The trail was clear up along Carr Pond but one I got to the southern portion it was back to snow.  I encountered another runner and his dog.  He seemed taken aback to see me.  The run up to the Hopkins Hill Rd parking lot was exhausting.  The ridgeline trail was clear but around mile 5 I realized I had lost the race course.  At this point it was starting to get late so I headed back towards Carr Pond and intended to retrace my steps.  I had to bushwack yet again and found myself on a different trail but luckily I knew that it took me back to the New London Turnpike.  Based on today's run, the race is really going to be a challenge and I don't suspect we'll be seeing any PRs.  We'll see what five days of warmish weather does.

The ridges on both sides of Carr Pond are in good shape

But the climb up "Pinto" to the Hopkins Hill lot is tough

Brought the headlamp "just in case"

Tuesday - East Providence, RI - 5.5 miles

I put my run off until mid-afternoon.  I ate my chili lunch two hours earlier and hoped that would be enough clearance.  At first I felt I made a great mistake but after 1.5 miles things seemed to settle down.  I stuck to roads in a dumpy part of town.  Not a particularly great run but it got the job done.

Wednesday - East Providence, RI - 7 miles

Decided to see if the Ten Mile River Bikepath was back in operation.  I was expecting to still encounter snow but it was almost totally clear.  Huzzah!  I stayed mostly on the path but I jumped off for a short trail section along the reservoir, sneaking around someone's tent.  The I continued on past Slater Park until I reached the end of the bike path.  Turned around and my pace began to creep upward until I was pushing sub-6 for a short time.  Didn't really intend to push the pace but my legs wanted to go faster.  Overall I felt really good on this run and was glad that this bikepath is back in operation!

Thursday - Charlestown, RI - 4 miles

Took the dog out in the dark for a couple miles.  He was a bit of a pill and wanted to keep stopping to sniff and pee.  It was a chilly 30 degrees out there.  This is April?

Friday - 0 miles

115 push-ups (standard) 25/25/25/20/20

Saturday - Big River Half Marathon - 15 miles

Didn't finish the race due to douchenozzles removing flags from the course.  Added more miles to at least make it a decent day.  Separate write-up to follow.

Sunday - Charlestown, RI - 3.5 miles

Hips and quads were very sore from yesterday's effort.  Amanda was happy to let me take the dog out so Oliver and I did an easy few miles.  The Narragansett Trail loop is finally useable and luckily it was dry so I didn't bring a filthy dog home.

Weekly Mileage: 43.2 miles

Year to Date: 395.3

This was my highest mileage week since September 28th! That was the week before NipMuck when I tweaked my knee at the height of my mileage.  It's been a slow road but I feel like I'm getting back to form.  Sucks that this week's race was thwarted by hooligans but it was still a fun time in the woods.  And on that note: trail running is back in full force in Rhode Island!

Weekly Log: 9.22.14 - 9.28.14

Time for MOR MILEZ!!!

Monday - Seekonk, MA - 7.1 miles

Oh my sore calves!  19ish miles on both Friday and Saturday beat 'em up and they're still in rough shape.  Beautiful day though and I want to attempt 60 miles for the week so that meant getting out there.  Mapped out a six mile loop in Seekonk on country roads.  Good run and the calves loosened up as I went.  Tacked on a couple side streets to make it 7.  Beautiful warm day with a steady breeze throughout.

Tuesday - Seekonk, MA - 8.1 miles

43 pull-ups (standard/chin-up/close grip) 6/8/5/6/8/5/5

Calves were feeling better today which was something of a surprise.  I had planned to venture over to College Hill for more hill work but I didn't have the stomach for city traffic.  I did have the stomach for my lunch, gobbling it up at 11:30 in anticipation of a 2 PM run.  I decided to just explore more Seekonk Roads.  I mapped a loop that took me along the perfectly named Country Road.  Turns out it was actually County Road and quite busy - not the idyllic peaceful route I envisioned.

I guess I haven't learned my lesson about eating lunch before I run, even if it's several hours prior.  My stomach was churglin' and gurglin' throughout the run and I felt like a big bloated bag of gas.  A decent run otherwise and I suppose in retrospect the 7:30 pace is impressive considering my GI issues.

Wednesday - Coventry, RI - 15.5 miles

My plan was to run long after work before picking up Em from dance.  I was used to doing these runs in the spring when the daylight is always on the increase.  Now it's fall and I knew it'd be dark sooner rather than later.  But I really wanted to work in some trails so I devised a route that started near Big River and was about 50% road, 50% trail.   I brought my headlamp but wasn't thrilled about the idea of running in the woods at night so the route had plenty of bailout options based on lighting.  I parked at the huge Home Deport and after a few minutes of roads I entered Big River.  I intended to follow the Half Marathon course to the Hopkins Hill parking lot but I managed to get off track fairly quickly.  I found Carr Pond soon enough and then followed the course.  There was still plenty of daylight and it increased my resolve to take the New London Turnpike through the west side of Big River.

Lots of activity in Big River on this evening.  I encountered 2 mountain bikers, 2 dirt bikers, a family of three with a dog (that scared the shit out of me when it bounded out of the bushes) and a bunch of folks partying 'round a fire near the Burnt Sawmill Road entrance.  The timing worked out perfectly and it didn't get really dark until I was nearing the end of Burnt Sawmill.  The rest of the run was on unfamiliar roads in the dark.  I had printed out some google maps and was glad I had 'em.  There was a surprising amount of traffic on these Coventry backroads but my strobe light did the trick and warned 'em off.  I ran out of steam with a mile to go and sort of slogged my way through the massive parking lot but otherwise a top notch run.

Thursday - 0 miles

210 push-ups (standard/decline/wide) 40/30/40/30/30/40

No running today - I had an appointment with a podiatrist (conveniently located right below my office.)  Back in July 2013 I had smashed my big toe thanks to dehydrated, sloppy form in Burlingame.  It wasn't a major thing and didn't interfere running but ever since that big toe will ache with a dull pain now and again.  Never that bad but always resurfacing eventually.  So today I went to the foot doc and got some X-rays.   Looks like when I jammed that big toe a tiny bit o' bone chipped off and is now lingering next to the joint, causing the occasional discomfort.  Not much to be done with it now - hopefully at some point it'll just get absorbed into my body.  Science!

Friday - Charlestown/East Providence, RI - 15.7 miles

Dog jog in the early morning.  Easy, warm and breezy.  3.7 miles.

At lunch, I decided to claim the nearby segment on the flat, fast stretch of Waterfront Drive.  It's 1.1 miles long so I meandered around the neighborhood streets for a couple miles and then made my way to the start.  I pushed it but the wind was against me and it was hard going.  Took it easily and I'm pleased with my 5:38 pace.  I wore the more minimal 730s on this run and the bottom of my feet were feeling them - no wonder I've been favoring the 890s lately.  6.7 miles.

Then after work, I went over to the East Bay Bike Path for some easy perfunctory miles.  Not much to say other than at about the 1/4 mark there was this crazy cloud of black flies.  They were so thick you could see them and suddenly they are all over me.  Then a few meters later and I'm through the cloud and there were no more flies.  But my arms and shirt were covered.  Gross.  I had to pass through the bug army again on my way back to the car.

Saturday - 0 miles

Sunday - Richmond, RI - 14.3 miles

Jonny emailed me about an easy run with Galoob in Richmond, checking out some trails in a new open space left by a generous benefactor.  The time and distance seemed right on, thought I knew their approximation of an "easy" run would be moderate for me.  We stuck mostly to wide dirt road trails with a trip along the singletrack of the Beaver River Preserve as well.  There were also about 6.5 road miles, including a bitch of a climb up Old Mountain Road.  After 10 miles I was feeling the effort and my right knee began to hurt which was troubling as normally I don't have knee issues.  Let's chalk it up to the excess mileage for the week.   Fun run with good company to cap this high mileage week, though it was tough by the end.

Weekly Mileage: 60.4 miles
Year to Date: 1491.6 miles

Weekly Log: 8.18.14 - 8.24.14

Monday - East Providence, RI - 5.9 miles

235 push-ups (standard/wide/decline/diamond) 30/40/30/15/30/40/30/20

Decided to explore a bit more off of the Ten Mile River bikepath.  I occurred to me that I could quickly span the river by running over the train tracks.  Luckily these are only used by freight trains and they're few and far between.  I followed a trail along the river on the other side and then discovered some ATV trails which included a tent and other creepy structures out in the woods.  Made my way back to the bike path when my left calf began to really become uncomfortable.  Damn this thing.  I stopped and stretched but it remained sore and a nuisance.  Then nature called.  It was two miles back to the car and it would have been a dubious journey.  Luckily Slater Park has lovely port o' lets and wouldn't you know it, the one I picked was pristine - just cleaned!  Truly the running gods were smiling on me today.  On the way back along the river, I looked over and spied several white swans.  More than several actually.  It was a goddamn swan powwow and there must have been over 100 in the water (plus plenty of ducks taboot.)  So a fun Monday run but the calf thing is annoying.

Tuesday - 0 miles

24 pull-ups w/ assists (standard/chin-up/close grip/wide) 3/6, 4/6, 3/5, 3/5, 3/6, 4/5, 2/4, 2/4

Left calf was very tight all throughout yesterday but a steady diet of foam rolling seemed to help.  Like last week I decided to forgo running today and head over to the Yoga studio for some lunch time stretching.

Wednesday - West Greenwich, RI - 8 miles

After work I hit up Big River via the Hopkins Hill parking lot.  I guess I had left on the Garmin as it had a low battery warning when I turned it on.  After about a mile it died.  I ran a clockwise loop around Carr Pond, running over the ledges before coming across the old chimney.  I tried to find Lower Spider but I think I wound up on Upper Spider instead and soon I found myself on the half marathon course.  Followed the course until it approached the pond and then took my time, exploring the various campsites along the water.  What debauchery must go on here at night.  Oh to be young again!  I just wish they'd pick up their schwaggy beer cans.  I continued on, exploring a trail that led towards Bates Road before returning to my car.  Turns out I still had another 20 minutes so I ventured across the road and down the Big River Expressway.  I jumped off it and took a lovely trail shaded by ferns to the south.  Eventually I heard the voices of nogoodnicks up ahead and turned back to the car.  This was a fun run.  Deer flies were only a sporadic nuisance and the legs felt good.

Thursday - East Providence/North Kingstown, RI - 13.2 miles

Ab Ripper X (15 minutes)
320 push-ups (standard/military/decline/Pike's Press/wide) 40/30/30/20/40/35/30/35/20/40

Very short run at lunchtime on neighborhood roads.  Stopped at a gas station on the way to supplement my lunch.  No calf issues which was good to see.

After work: a longer run at Rome Point.  Started from my buddy's house and took a trail down to the beach.  Not much runnable traction on the beach but I was soon on solid ground.  I ran a bunch of the wooded trails before heading down to the point.  Passed a couple pairs of ladies with multiple dogs a piece.  On my way back, I paused to let the women move to the side.  As they did, a black thing landed on my arm.  I tried to shoo it away and then realized it was a giant black wasp!  So I'm announcing my presence to the ladies as I'm realizing this bug it stuck to me because it's stinging me.  After a long three seconds I swatted the wasp away, sneaked past the people/dogs and was running again with a searing pain in my lower arm.   It hurt like hell and I was only three miles into the run.  I continued on and after a mile the pain subsided - by the time I had hit Hamilton Allenton I had forgotten about it.

My childhood home on Featherbed Lane has switched hands several times since my mom sold it and had been in a state of constant repair for the last ten years.  It looks like progress is finally being made on it which is good to see.  The fish ladder on Featherbed has also finally been repaired (after the serious floods of a few years ago.)  After basking in the memories I headed back towards Plum Point but took a detour down Gilbert Stuart Road.  I pushed the pace a bit on the Snuff Mill hill and then stopped at the Hess to grab something to supplement my dinner.  Two runs and two gas station stops - HA!  Afterwards I hardly felt the wasp sting and could barely tell where the bump was.

Friday - Seekonk, MA - 4 miles

24 pull-ups w/ assists (standard/chin-up/close grip) 3/6, 4/6, 3/4, 3/5, 5/5, 3/5, 3/5

At lunch I ran four easy miles in Seekonk Meadows.  Legs were tired but perked up slightly as the run went on.  Took a digger halfway through.  No major damage but I sure got filthy.

Saturday - 0 miles

Sunday - Charlestown, RI - 10.6 miles

A couple miles with the dog in the morning.  In the afternoon I went over to Watchaug Pond to do a loop on the Vin Gormley trail.  I had meant to take it easy but once I started I felt peppy and decided to push the pace for the loop.  I finished in about 55 minutes which is a pretty good time for me.  Makes me think I can definitely take improve on my 52:51 from last year's Lil Rhody.  This was followed by a short half mile cooldown and then a dip in the pond.  This was supposed to be the day for my long run but doing some would have pushed my weekly mileage up towards 50 and I wanted to stick to my weekly mileage goals.

Weekly Mileage: 41.8 miles
Year to Date: 1,252.5

Weekly Log: 6.16.14 - 6.22.14

Monday - East Providence, RI - 6.1 miles

I decided to return to the East Bay Bike Path, the site of last week's cake incident and try another tempo run, albeit a shorter one.  This attempt went much better with the first couple miles around 6:30 before I was able to kick it up to 6:00 for the next two.  Hot day but the breeze along the bay helped.

The big news today for our clan was that Ezri's leg cast came off!  Huzzah!  It'll still be a few more weeks before she can walk unassisted but at least now she can get wet and go to the beach.

Tuesday - East Providence/West Greenwich, RI - 10 miles

Ab Ripper X (15 minutes)
235 push-ups (standard/decline/wide/diamond) 40/30/40/15/30/25/40/15

At lunch I dropped my car off for an oil change and did 3.5 leisurely miles around town.  It was oppressively hot.  And my oil change was oppressively expensive.  I won't be going there again.

After work, I ventured over to Big River.  It was cooler now and I opted to follow the same trail as last week that skirts Capwell Millpond.  Within a half mile the first deer fly appeared.  Soon one became two and then...well you know.  I wished I had thought to grab my hat out of the car.  With my newly buzzed haircut they were having a field day and my curses grew and grew.  After two miles I threw my shirt over my head and soldiered on.  Now their full onslaught began - one fumbled its way into my mouth and another landed on my cheek and bit.  Fucking shitmisers!  There is no recourse against these bastard creatures.   I took Steeplechase back towards the car and still had some time (if not much will) so I ventured over to the Pine trail which was thankfully not fly territory.  Would have been an enjoyable trail run otherwise but next time I'm going apeshit crazy and bringing duct tape.

Wednesday - East - Providence, RI - miles

Hey guess what?  It's hot as balls again!  Hooooray!  Went over to the Ten Mile River Bikepath intent on doing four easy miles and that's just what I did.  Between the shade of the trees and a near continuous breeze I was never hot and it turned out to be a very pleasant run.

In other news, it's sad to watch my hard won Smithfield Strava segments slowly get whittled away.  I lost one a couple weeks ago and another one was taken from me today.  Soon I will be but a distant memory over there.

Thurday - Seekonk, MA - 7.4 miles

195 push-ups (standard/decline/wide/Pike's press) 40/30/40/15/40/30

Today was a speedwork day and I decided to check out the nearby high school.  I parked near the Turner Reservoir and ran a 1/2 mile of trail until it reached the Seekonk High track.  It was empty except for two women walking.  But it was hot.  I didn't think to bring water, a hat or sunscreen.   Dumbass.  Next time.  Anyway after a few laps as a warm-up I got into it.  My plan was 800s, 400s and then 200s - four of each.  As soon as I started the first 800 my brain started trying to negotiate me down to three but I did not relent.  The track was in full sun but thankfully I had cloud cover for most of the 800s.  However I was baking for the other sets.  School got out just as I was getting there and a bunch of kids came to the track to socialize but soon they retreated to the shade of the concession stand.  I still don't know how fast I'm supposed to be running these things but I gave a hard effort and was spent by the end so that's good enough for me.  For now.

Friday - Caratunk Refuge, Seekonk, MA - 4 miles

Ab Ripper X (15 minutes)

At lunch I went for an easy run in the Caratunk Refuge.  Trails were a lot dryer than the last time I had been there but as I ventured further into the woods I encountered some heavy vegetation at times.  I guess the deeper trails don't get a lot of use or maintenance.  Still I enjoyed the run and the lack of serious bugs.

Saturday - Richmond, RI - 16.4 miles

The original plans for a long group run petered out and I decide on this run at the last minute.  I wanted to explore some more of the North/South trail that was new to me so I parked in the Carolina Management Area and ventured north.  The plan was to follow the trail for 8 miles and then turn around.  Beautiful cool morning - around 55 degrees.  The first 1.5 miles were trail but then I hit charming neighborhood roads.  These were bad but then I came to a busy street.  When I saw the sign for BBQ I realized I was on Route 138.  The trail follows 138 for about a mile which is one mile too many.  Finally I turned onto side streets and ran another two miles of hilly roads.  I was starting to wonder if I'd picked the most road heavy portion of the trail when finally I reentered the woods at 5.5 miles.  I was on trails for most of the rest of the way, eventually passing underneath Interstate 95 and entering the outskirts of Arcadia.

I ran until I hit 8 miles when I encountered a cool river of boulders.  I ventured just beyond them and then began the long return trip.  My legs began to tire but at least it was more downhill than not. Route 138 was just as annoying the second time.  It's too bad that the trail diverts onto roads for four miles but looking at the map I guess it has to navigate around quarries.  I don't know if I'll ever do the whole thing but I enjoyed exploring a couple new sections of trail.  And it was nice not worrying about directions and just following the blue blazes.

Sunday - 0 miles

Weekly Mileage: 48.1 miles

Year to Date: 987.6 miles