WEEK 38: 23 miles and over 1000 miles this year...

Monday
Stationary bike x 35 minutes, core, Cold-Whirlpool

Tuesday
OFF - too busy blogging!

Wednesday
Spin + 3mi TM + core; felt good except some R ITBAND pain after 2.5 miles...got get after that.

Thursday
Spin + 3mi TM; uh-oh R ITBand- holy crap that hurts!

Friday
AM: 3.5mi back ashuelot rd, ITBand at 3...
AM2: 6.5 miles KSC railtrail, still feeling wonky, ITBand ok to 6 miles tho....LOG 10miles for the day

Saturday
0

Sunday
7 miles in Pisgah with Griffin (Horseshoe-Lily Pond-No. Ponds-Reservoir)

Hike Mt. Monadnock with Greg, Mark, and Mary.

Miles: 23
Previous week: 22

WEEK SUMMARY:
Another low mileage week so not much to talk about.  Still trying to resolve foot (heel spur) and now IT Band issues post-Pisgah and neutral shoe experiment.  Shouldn't take long I hope.  Made it up Mondanock without too much of a problem.

This week, get back in the gym for some weightlifting and get more miles!  Friday was a good "double" even if the runs were only a couple hours apart.   I should do that more often....although already missed this morning. oops.  It's so dark out!  Anyway, long run thursday morning and a 5K saturday and another long run sunday should be a good base to work around.

Looking forward to fall trail races...Monroe, Baystate HM (Road), Groton, Hairy Gorilla, Lil Rhody...I love the fall!!!!! It's a process...and I love it!

Pisgah Mtn 23K Trail Run and 9 seconds to spare

Finally, after a year of waiting, it was the day to run in the Pisgah Mtn 23K race.  I had worked registration and finish line last year when a friend (Sontag) told me about this race and that he was running the 50K.  I had to see what it was all about and by the end of the day knew I had to be a part of it as a runner this year - and set up a website for them!  (Plus I met a very cute runner-man that day- I knew I had to get to know him somehow...)

This week was ho-hum, but brewing with anticipation.  I had run the course 3 weeks ago (just the trails) in 2:15 so set my goal at 2:30 (remember that).  I decided I needed to take the roads into the park slowly and conceded that I would walk part of Pisgah Ridge.  So, with a beautiful day unfolding and a little nausea in my belly, we were off. 

I took the roads slowly (about 1.8 miles to the trails)...too slowly...in fact when I entered the park I felt as if I was sweeping the course already.   My legs felt good, my bottom did not.  I spent the next 8 miles trying to speed up but was abruptly stopped by the urge to have a bowel movement!  Even the downhills were interrupted by this sensation because I couldn't really relax and just go with it - or it would have just gone.  Oh well, maybe it was nerves or something I ate, in any case it cost me a few minutes for sure and I am not seasoned enough to know if it wouldve been better to just pull off the trail and take my first dump in the woods or just run a little slower!  I guess we'll never know- I'm sure you think you know too much already. 

Anyway, I got to the bottom of Pisgah Ridge via Reservoir Trail in 1:09 (I think...I can't find my watch) and was surprised how quickly this spot came up - in my head anyway.  I stopped, had some water (maybe that would help my tummy), and a GU.  I was feeling better and knew I had some climbing to do, but I do love this trail along the water.  I tried to focus on that as I knew what was coming.  I did walk some of the ridge but really not as much as I thought I might have to.  A man came thru and I tried to stay with him.  He was real smooth on the downhill and would lose me, but I seemed to catch up on the flat and uphill.  That made me feel better.  This part of the park is always new to me no matter how much I run it.  There were hills I swear were not there before and it's always seems so long to get to Kilburn. 

Finally, we came to the Kilburn aid station and I stopped for water and another GU.  Steve stopped too.  This is a part of my training runs that I don't particularly like- the uphill road to Kilburn parking.  Luckily, Steve was chatty and took my mind off it and I felt good - my stomach felt better and I could pick it up a little.  Of course this is also when I noticed I had strained my hip flexor and tweeked my knee, but not bad enough to stop.  We got up to the parking and chatted up Davis and he dropped me for awhile after the downhill in there.  I had only run this section a couple times this summer but knew I was looking for a junction sign to indicate Winchester Road- and man was I thirsty!  Well I saw a sign and my watch said 2 hours so I briefly had visions of a 2:20 finish, but this was not the right sign and I reached Winchester Rd at 2:18....crap.  I could see Steve turn onto the road and I took off down the trail to catch him.  Surprisingly I did, past him with some words of encouragement from him, and almost felt good hitting the dirt road and then pavement (about 1.2 miles of road to finish).  I knew there was a hill just past Gregs house and it did slow me, but I didn't walk.  Somehow this section is a blur and I came through the finishers shoot at 2:29:51.  Goal achieved.

I was happy.  I headed down to Kilburn with Erin (who didn't run, but she would have proabably won had she done it) to see how the 50K was panning out.  We met Sontag and Rockstar on the road and the leaders came through...including that cute runner-man I did get to know this year.  He was hurting so I wasn't hurt when he SNAPPED at me for my time- who knew he'd want to chat?!  But he did say (ok, yell) good job and had a brutal few miles left of his own race.  We went back to Glenn and Gina's as they headed into Davis Hill to the finish.  Afterward, we all hung out in the yard to watch the rest of the finishers.  It is such a fun day -I always love to hear how the race unfolded for everyone- thank goodness for blogs too! 

I will post results when they become available...and check out other race reports on the Pisgah site- I'll post them as I find them! http://pisgahmtntrailraces.blogspot.com/

Next year, sub 2:20 for me.  I felt strong, but have to get a little more experience with pushing through the aches and pains (and bathroom issues).  Also, be more aggressive on the road, won't hang out at the water stops for 45 seconds each, and have more trail races under my feet.  Then one day maybe the 50K?!  We'll see.  It's a process...and I love it!

WEEK 37: 22 miles and Pisgah Mtn Trail Race

Monday
Spin (not a good class, ZZzzzzz, had to do my own thing), core, a tiny bit of upper strength...

Tuesday
off

Wednesday
4  mile railtrail

Thursday
Spin - pretty good class. Was too anxious about figuring out if I smelled like skunk and how to rid Gregs house of it to go running! Even my watch stinks!

Friday
4 miles KSC Railtrail, just didn't feel like running! Bad timing for indifference! Returned the Pegasus- just cannot wear a neutral shoe. Medial post me! Wore old Triax today and feet feel better already.

Saturday
pre-race dinner at Glenn and Gina's

Sunday
PISGAH MTN 23K

WEEK SUMMARY
Lower mileage than planned, but I just wasn't feeling it.  Trying to switch to a neutral shoe was really uncomfortable and I am still paying for it.  Can't wait to get my medial posts back!  Of course the focus was Pisgah and by the end of the week I suddenly felt unprepared and very nervous.  But I knew I had a lot of friends running and it was going to be a fun day no matter what.

This week, recover as fast as possible and get a plan together for Baystate in 4 weeks.  Lots of speedwork and back to some more spin classes.  Gotta drop a few pounds I think.  Feel strong though and could have a good race if all goes well.  It's a process....and I love it!

WEEK 36: 32 Miles and a trail 5K

Monday
7 miles in Pisgah with Greg and Griffin, South Woods loop from Horseshoe, not railtrail but "flat for pisgah" (YAH RIGHT, GREG!). Felt tired but good.

Tuesday
Spin + core; GREAT spin class, 75 minutes

Wednesday
Elliptical + core+upper+TM; log 3 miles

Thursday
Yes, I had planned a longer run but I barely got out the door! I haven't taken a day off since the half, my body is annoyed and plantar fascia's on fire. You know it's bad when you check out the river to see if there's enough rocks to make it across and take a mile off your loop! Log 4 miles...kicking and screaming the whole way.

Friday
Railtrail, KSC to Sawyer's crossing bridge, positive split. Gettin' tired....log 6.

Saturday
Jaffrey Firefighters 5K, fun course: railtrail then 1.5ish miles in childrens forest and back on railtrail. 24:15. 2 mile warmup and the course in reverse cooldown...log 8 miles

Sunday
Pisgah with Griffin, 4 unorganized miles....

WEEK SUMMARY
I'm feeling pretty strong, but not exactly fast.  I kinda got creeped out on the Kilburn Loop today and turned around halfway down one side and came back around and down the other side a little.  Just couldn't get into it...maybe it was the dark, chilly morning or the big splash in the water.  Griffin seemed ok so I don't know why I was worried.  In any case, I puttered around a little, hit some of the hills (legs felt good) and called it a day.

Saturday morning I raced at the 1st Jaffrey Fire Department 5K.  It was a really neat course that used rail trail and 1.5 miles of  single-track in the Children's Forest.  I was happy with my time- 24:15- and raced smarter in that I didn't blast out at 7 minute pace....although I didn't get my splits. I let things settle and all of a sudden I was passing people who went out too fast and after 3/4 mile I didn't get passed the rest of the way.  The trail part was fun- I gained a lot of ground on the leaders, but ran out of real estate- especially when we got back to the flat railtrail.  I almost got caught in the forest, but it was right at the top of a climb and I dropped him on the downhill and didn't hear him again.  Small race and not very competitive times, but fun to win my age group and be able to pay better attention to the people around me.  I had done a 2 mile warm-up and then Karen and I did the course in reverse afterward, so it was an especially good day for mileage and a good workout. 

I am excited for Pisgah on Sunday! I am going to rest more this week than I probably need to. I will do some spin classes and short runs during the week. My goal is still sub 2:30. Then I need to concentrate on Baystate! Overall, the legs feel good (except for the constant right hamstring pain) and the feet feel quick (probably because my plantar fascia are on fire).  I guess that's running.  It's a process...and I love it!

WEEK 35: 35 miles and Elijiah's Race

Previous weeks miles: 32

Monday
4 miles Ashuelot RailTrail with Griffin.  Wasn't too sore, but tired.

Tuesday
Spin class plus lots of core and a little strength, felt good.  Was going to do treadmill but got too hungry.

Wednesday
10 miles to Coombs Bridge on roads, felt really good even with no water/gels; 9:45 pace on the way out and 9:10 on the way back (includes verry brook hill), Good workout, the new Pegasus felt good except for some plantar fascia tightening in the left foot- will build a slight arch for it at work today.  That happens in the Lunar Swifts too.

Thursday
Migraine hangover.  But I did go to spin class (wouldve been a really good class had I felt better) and did 2 miles on TM (again, had planned more but didn't feel great).  Oh well, adjust.

Friday
Treadmill Speedladder to 6 miles.  Felt good.

Saturday
Woke up and decided to run the Swanzey Half Marathon instead of Pisgah race course; worked the KSC Alumni meet and the day got away from me...0 miles, played fetch with Griffin...she did the running around, but not nearly enough for her liking.

Sunday
Elijiah's Race - Swanzey Covered Bridges Half Marathon; 1:48:22...21 minutes faster than in 2008.

WEEK SUMMARY
Still all over the place with training and planning workouts, I don't know why I can't get organized.  Nonetheless I did get 35 quality miles.  Sunday's race was a last minute decision.  I had planned to run the Pisgah race course again, but decided I had seen enough last sunday!  It made me nervous for the race!

Anyway, I figured I'd get a good workout and just see where I am at with that distance.  I wasn't going for a goal other than sub 1:50 and went out "fast" to see if I could hang on...well, I couldn't.  I am not a 7 minute miler...may never be, but it was fun to try.  So after mile 1 at 7:06 I dropped to my more manageable 8 somethings on the sandy railtrail and went from there.  It went ok, I got real tired in spots but would then have a burst of energy.  I could really tell when my running form was efficient and when it was not. I went back and forth with a guy from about mile 4 all the way to the end.  I'd pass him on the downhills and he'd catch me on the flats.  We kinda worked together a bit.  The water stations were fun for me because my former Monadnock High School athletes and now KSC XC teams were manning them.  It was nice to have personalized cheering when they recognized me!  I didn't keep my mile splits after the first couple, but my 10-mile time was around what I ran in RI a few weeks ago (1:22) and that means the last 3 were pretty slow as I finished at 1:48:22. Twenty minutes faster than 2 years ago and I like that I could decide to go run it on a whim, so I am getting stronger.  I was 4th in my age group (I did let one 30 something get by at the end, but caught another on the way).  Karen was 1st in her age group and ran 1:50! It was a beautiful fall-like day and it was fun to chit-chat with everyone afterward.  It was a good decision to do the race. 

Two-weeks to the Pisagh Race! This week I will get out on the Kilburn loop a couple times and want to get in a spin class or two too.  It's a process...and I love it.