Saturday 8/1/15

Still on Long Island. Pretty much a carbon copy of my run on Friday with an extra 2 miles tacked on to the end. Same route over to Belmont State Park with loops around Belmont Lake. Temps were in the high 80's again, but the humidity wasn't as bad as Thursday. I felt surprisingly good today considering we spent the whole day at a pool party after staying up until 3 am last night with the wedding. This made me feel a bit better about my fitness which I had been slightly worried about since my poor runs on Wednesday and Thursday. 73:52 for 12 miles.

Friday 7/31/15

I believe today was the first time this year when it was 90 degrees when I went for my run. Surprisingly, today felt more comfortable than yesterday. It rained last night which broke the humidity, so while it was really hot with the sun beating down, the run felt easy in comparison to yesterday. I did the same route as yesterday which looped around Belmont Lake, but I only did 10 miles. Alie and I are heading to a wedding this afternoon, and I didn't see any reason to kill myself in the heat today. Overall, felt pretty good. Right hamstring is still a bit of an issue though. 10 miles in 60:57.

Thursday 7/30/15

We drove up to Long Island for the weekend today, and I went out for my run once we got there. Another tough run today as temps were in the high 80's and the humidity was crazy. I ran over to Belmont State Park and got in 6 miles on the mix of packed gravel and paved paths. By the time I got to the park, the heat was already getting to me, and I had to back off normal training pace. Thankfully, the woods along Belmont Lake offer shade around half of the lake which helped a bit. Still a bit of a struggle though. Tried not to push things. 74:53 for 12 miles.

Wednesday 7/26/15

Really tough run today. I was working from home, and I had to get out for my run at lunch time due to my schedule. As a result, it was in the high 80's when I went for my run, the sun was beating down, and the humidity was a silent killer. As soon as I stepped outside, I knew it was going to be a tough run. I kept things steady at a normal training pace for the first 2 miles before backing off once I started to worry about my ability to finish the run. From mile 4 on, the pace got progressively slower, and there wasn't much I could do about it. By the end, I was really just happy to finish the run. I even had to cut the run half a mile short as I took the quick way home once leaving the Charles. On the upside, things never really fell apart. I kind of just slowly faded down to 7 min pace. Trying not to put too much stock into the run today. This was definitely the result of the heat/ humidity and 2 hard efforts over 3 days. 72:35 for 11 miles.

Tuesday 7/29/15 - Track workout (6 x 1K)

Headed over to the track behind Reggie Lewis after work for practice with GBTC. 4 mile warm up with the team at 7 minute pace then over to the track for the workout. As outdoor track season is now officially over for the club, there are only two training groups: the cross country group and the fall marathon group. With fewer sub-groups, I'll have more people to train with which I'm pretty excited about. That wasn't quite the case today though. A bunch of people were taking a light week or two after the end of the track season, so we only had about 5 people running the 6 x 1000m workout with 400m jogging rest. Splits below.

3:03, 3:02, 3:04, 3:05, 3:05, 3:05

Overall, I feel kind of "meh" about this workout. I was coming off a race that I was really happy with, and while this workout wasn't bad, it wasn't spectacular either. Just bland in comparison. I was running alone during the first 4 intervals, and I slowly started to fall off my goal pace of 3:02-3:03. When you put them all together, it doesn't even equal sub 15 for 5K, so nothing to get excited about. I suppose I probably should have gone for 8 x 1K at 3:05 - 3:06.

One thing that I will take some solace in is the fact that I was able to hold 3:05 pace for the last two splits. I was feeling gassed after the 4th interval, but I was able to hold it together. Having teammates to run with really helped me there. A few of the guys stepped up there splits from 3:10 to 3:05 for the last two which put some pressure on me to run 3:05. Without them right behind me, I probably would have fallen off the pace.

Mile cool down on the track with a few of the guys before running back to the North End for 14 miles on the day.

Monday 7/28/15

Standard 11 mile loop today. Felt really good for the day after a race. Stayed relaxed during the run and didn't push things, but still ended up running 6:0X pace which felt fairly easy. Hoping that my hamstring is good enough to do a track workout tomorrow at GBTC practice. 69:54 for 11.5.

York Days 5K - Sunday 7/26/15

Today was the 4th stop of the Seacoast Road Race Series, so we made our way to York, Maine bright and early this morning. When I rolled out of bed at 5 am, I was cursing the 8 am start time, but once we got on the road, it felt like a blessing. That early in the morning, temps were in the low 60s, and with the cloud cover and light rain that was falling, it only got up to about 65 degrees by race time. I was pumped for the great racing conditions. Although I wasn't feeling super confident coming into the race after taking 4 of the last 6 days off due to a sore hamstring, my leg was feeling pretty good when I got up this morning, and I wanted to take advantage of the good running weather.

Coming into the race, I wasn't sure what to expect from myself. My last 5K was back in May when I ran a 16:04 at Redhook. I was confident that I'd be well below that mark, but I didn't have much else to go on. Based on my training, I thought that I'd be happy with 15:30. Competition was also a question. I assumed Derrick Hamel would be there to continue chasing points for the overall race series, but with Jim Johnson out due to injury,  I didn't really know who my competition would be for this race. You just never know who is going to show up to these seacoast races. I'm glad I forgot to check last year's results, or I may have psyched myself out when I saw that Nate Jenkins won the race in 2014.

When we got to York High School, I grabbed my bid and did a 2 mile warm up on the course. The course is the same as when I ran here back in 2013, but it felt good to re-familiarize myself. Despite some small rolling hills, the course is actually really fast. The uphills are semi-steep but short while the downhills are very gradual which allows you to take full advantage. After the warm up, I stretched, switched into my racing flats, did a few drills, and headed to the start line. As soon as I got to the start line, I saw Nate Jenkins and immediately thought "looks like I'm racing for second place". The idea of just trying to maintain my lead in the overall seacoast series started to creep into my head, but I tried to push that thought away and focus on running a decent race. I brightened up a bit I reminded myself that the weather was perfect, and I would have someone to chase. Maybe there was a shot at running a good time.

There were a bunch of young kids on the start line, and I had a bit of trouble trying to find a spot. I was able to squeeze in, and after the singing of the national anthem by men's ensemble - The Bow Tie Guys, we were off

100 meters or so after the start

A couple of younger kids jumped out for the early lead

Thanks to Alie and my Mom for all the great pics!

Stride for stride with Nate Jenkins... no big deal

After about 200 meters or so, Nate and I overtook the younger kids who started off with a sprint, and we ran side by side for the first mile. About half a mile into the race, I asked Nate what time he was looking to run today, and he replied with "I'll be as happy as a pig in shit if I run 15:30 today" which gave me a good laugh. 5:01 mile split (according to Garmin) for the first mile which is mostly flat with a bit of up hill in the second half. The biggest "hill" on the course comes about half way through the race. It is only about 100 meters long, but it gains most of the elevation for the course. From the top of the hill on, the course is a nice gradual downhill. I gained a step or two on Nate going up the hill and briefly tested the waters of picking up the pace. I didn't really think I was going to drop him, but I thought it was worth a shot since I was feeling good. He tucked in behind me until the 2 mile mark when he retook the lead. Split for the second mile was 4:54. Just after the 2 mile mark, Nate started picking up the pace. Since age is on my side, I wasn't all that surprised that he would try to drop me with a mile to go. I tucked in behind him and tried to focus on maintaining contact. As we turned onto the road that runs along York Beach, I was struggling to stay with him, and he could tell. He put in a few bursts of speed which gave him a couple yards on me, but I was able to pull it back together. I retook the lead with 500 meters to go and started my kick with 400 meters to go. When I finally chanced a glance back, I realized that I had created a bit of separation, but I kept getting the feeling that he was going to come back on me. 

Final stretch. About 50 meters left.

First race in the Greater Boston jersey!

Thanks again to Alie and my mom for all the great pics!

With 5 meters to go, I was still worried that Nate was going to pull up next to me haha. 

Finished off in 15:10 for the overall win. Final mile split was 4:46 which meant we negative split each mile. I'm really happy with the time. It was 20 seconds faster than I was expecting and 3 seconds faster than I ran here back in 2013 under similar conditions. Granted, I didn't have Nate Jenkins pushing me that year. It would be a 2 second road PR for me, but I am hesitate to consider it one because the course isn't certified. My watch had the race at just a touch over 3.1, but you never know. 

Shout out to Leslie O'Dell for her overall win on the women's side. It seems like she is the female winner in every race that I run : ) 

Full Results can be found here, and Dan Doyon did a write up for Seacoast Online which can be found here. 

Unfortunately, Alie's quest to run the Seacoast Series ended today. She's been in a walking cast for the last few weeks because the swelling in her foot wasn't going down. It's getting better, but it was too soon for her to race. As a result, she was on picture duty today. While she did a great job, I came back to find a bunch of pictures like the below on my phone as well haha. No idea what she was doing while I was running. Apparently, she was a bit bored. 

Catching Up

Finally caught up on my last 2 weeks or so of blog posts. It was a busy month at work, and I never got around to updating everything after some off days from running. Recap: one really good long run, a couple of standard base builders, one hill/trail run up in North Conway, four off days with no running, and two 6 milers to get back into the swing of things after the off days. Race report from York Days coming.

Saturday 7/25/15

Off Day. A bit of an unplanned off day. I was up in the air about whether or not I wanted to get in another easy 6 miler again today. I had to head back to NH for my best friend's Jack and Jill wedding shower, so my only chance to run would have been first thing in the morning. My hamstring was a bit tight when I got out bed, and I opted for a rest day going into York Days tomorrow.

Friday 7/24/15

Got out for another easy 6 miler. Hamstring felt pretty good again today. No reason to push things with the York Days 5K in 2 days though. 40:28 for 6.5 miles.

Thursday 7/23/15

Took things very easy today. I'm starting to worry a bit about whether or not I'll be ready to race on Sunday, but I'm much more concerned about staying healthy. This seems to be the point in my training when I push too hard and end up with an injury that prevents me from training all together. My hamstring was feeling really good today though, so I decided to get out for an easy 6 miler. Things felt a bit tight in the beginning, but overall, it went pretty well. 43:15 for 6.75 miles.

Wednesday 7/22/15

Another Off Day. Feels like the hamstring/pelvis is getting better though.

Tuesday 7/21/15

Another Off Day. Still waiting to see how things progress with my hamstring/pelvis. Trying to do some thing differently at work and at home to help correct the issue. I'm seeing some improvement. Surprisingly, these offs days are going over pretty well. Usually, I can't think about anything up running at a time like this, but it hasn't been bothering my all that much. I probably needed some time off anyway. I've been in my build up since about mid March after all.

Monday 7/20/15

Off Day. My right hamstring has been bothering me for the last couple of days, and it really started to get bad after my run yesterday. So, I decided to take a few days off. The feeling in my hamstring and pelvis seems very similar to an issue I had back in August of 2013 which cost me about a month of training, and I definitely want to avoid that.

Sunday 7/19/15

Standard 11 mile loop around the Charles. Fairly slow pace. Not feeling all that great. Right hamstring was a bit sore. 71:55 for 11.5 miles.

Saturday 7/18/15

I went up to North Conway, NH this weekend to celebrate my sister's birthday, and I was able to get out for a run in the middle of the day on Saturday while her kids took a nap. I kept the pace pretty easy, but the hills in North Conway/Bartlett can be fairly challenging for someone like me who is used to running along the Charles River which is completely flat. We were staying at a condo in a very hilly section of Bartlett NH, and my 8 mile run had over 1,000 feet of elevation. I decided to embrace it by running over to Diana's Bath and doing 2+ miles on the trail up and passed the small waterfalls there. The trail was pretty easy to run as far as hiking trails go, but it was still really fun. 52:59 for 8.25 miles.

Friday 7/17/15

Standard 11 mile loop around the Charles. Took things a bit easier today after the long run yesterday. 71:43 for 11.5.

Thursday 7/16/15

Got out for a solid long run today. After not being able to get a long run in last weekend, I really wanted to get one in mid-week since I won't be able to this weekend either. Thankfully, things worked out. Weather was perfect for running today in the mid 60s, and I ended up absolutely cruising with what felt like no effort at all. I started off easy for the first two miles which still ended up being 6 flat pace. From there on, I either hit just about the same split as the previous mile or I negative split. It was just one of those days when everything seemed to be clicking. By the last 5 miles, I was knocking out 5:45s without really pushing. Really happy about today's run. 1:29:29 for 15.25 miles.

Wednesday 7/15/15

Standard 11 mile run around the Charles. Kept things pretty relaxed and was still able to maintain 6:10-6:15 without any issues. 70:50 for 11.5 miles.

Tuesday 7/14/15 - 5x1K, 2x800, 4x200 Track Workout

After work, I took the T over to the Madison Park track behind the Reggie Lewis Center for practice with the GBTC. Everyone met in the parking lot, and we chatted for a bit before heading out for a 3.75 mi warm up at 7:10 pace which included a quick pit stop at the Reggie Lewis Center. Once we got back to the track, I did a few drills and joined up with a group doing the 10K workout which was 5 x 1K with 400m jogging rest, 2 x 800 with 200m jogging rest, then 4 x 200m with 200m jogging rest. Splits below.

1,000s: 2:59, 2:59, 3:01, 3:02, 3:02
800s: 2:26, 2:26
200s: 32, 32, 32, 32

After a couple of down days and coming into the workout feeling a bit off, I was pleased with the outcome. I was able to put in a solid effort and hit the splits I should be hitting right now. As far as splits go, the 1Ks and 800s weren't quite what was in the original workout plan, but after the first two 1Ks, they were part of my "adjusted workout" plan haha. There was another guy doing 1Ks to start his workout before switching to 600s to sharpen up as he gets ready for a race, so I decided to run my 1Ks with him. Unfortunately, he was looking to split 72 second quarters in those 1Ks which is faster than I should have been looking to do them, but if I didn't run with him, I'd be suck in no mans land. So, I decided to just go for it. We split 2:59s for the two 1Ks which weren't too bad. The small problem was that when he switched to 600s, I was left to finish up the last three 1Ks by myself. I backed off slightly for those so that I would actually be able to finish the workout, but I tried to keep them pretty close to 3:00.

The 1Ks took a lot out of me, and I knew I wouldn't have the strength left to pick up the pace in the 800s as originally planned for this workout. Instead, I decided to try and hold the 1K pace I had been putting in. Not a great substitute, but I was able to do it. Once I got into the 200s, I started catch my second wind, and I felt pretty good for the remainder of the workout.

After the workout, I joined a few other members of the team for a mile+ cool down on the track before I made my way back to my apartment at ancient marathoner pace. 15 miles on the day. 

Monday 7/13/15

Off Day. Not really planned, but it also wasn't due to a specific injury or issue. Just the overall feeling that an off day was required. The work I did on my apartment over the weekend took a lot out of me, and my legs could use the rest to get ready for the workout tomorrow.

Sunday 7/12/15

Spent another day overhauling the apartment. Today was the downstairs hallway. It was easier than the bathroom yesterday, but the project still look a long time. By the end of the day, my heel wasn't feeling so hot, and my legs were beat too. My plan of a 16 mile run was out the window, but I headed out anyway to see how much I could get in. It was apparent earlier on that I would need to cut the run short. Alternating between standing up and crouching down all day made my heel pretty sore and sucked the energy out of my legs. I probably could have pushed through an 8-10 miler, but I opted to call the run after a slow 10K. Not a great day, but not the end of the world either. 10K in 40:34. On the upside, the downstairs of our apartment is looking pretty good.

Saturday 7/11/15

I spent the day doing a complete overhaul on the bathroom in my apartment. It took quite a while, but it's starting to look pretty good. As a result, I was a bit tired for my run tonight. I got a late start which was probably a good thing since it was so hot, but it was still over 85 degrees at 7pm when I did my run. No major issues, but the run was a bit slower than normal training pace. I started off very conservative at 6:30 pace for the first 5 miles before loosening up over the second half of the run and dropping into the 6:15 range. Overall, I felt pretty good if a bit tired. 72:47 for 11.5 miles.

Friday 7/10/15

11 mile loop around the Charles. Felt surprisingly good today. I thought it might be a bit hot today, but we got a break from the humidity. A few scattered clouds also offered some shade from the sun. Did push the effort, but I found myself cruising along at 6:0X pace. 11.5 in 69:19.

Thursday 7/9/15 - 17 x 30 second Pick Ups

I feel like I recovered from the track workout quickly this week, and with the good running weather, I decided to add a few 30 second pick ups into my run. I got out for my run at 6:30 pm, and it was a comfortable 68 degrees and cloudy. The humidity and heat finally broke, and today felt like a fall afternoon in comparison to the past few days. I felt relaxed at 6:10 pace through the first 6 miles before switching to 30 seconds on / 30 seconds off for the next 3 miles. The plan was 15 pick ups with the on at 5:00 pace and the off at 6:00. I tried to focus on staying relaxed during the pick ups and didn't push the effort too hard. I was able to hit the paces without too much trouble and added on 2 extra pick ups since it worked out to be almost exactly 3 miles. My splits during those miles were 5:35, 5:31, 5:34. I took the last 2.5 miles of the run easy, but I didn't need to back off of normal training pace all that much. 11.5 miles in 70:04.

Wednesday 7/8/15

It was a hot one out there today. I ran straight from work at 5pm, and temps were still over 80. I also felt a bit heavy after eating too much during the day, and the going was slow. My legs weren't really sore from the workout yesterday, but they also didn't have any snap to them. Overall, it wasn't a bad run. I just kind of felt like I was lumbering along for most of it. I averaged around 6:20 pace which was really all that I could manage, but it didn't really take a lot out of me. We went out to Pub Trivia right after I got back from my run, and I didn't feel worn out or anything. So, not really an easy day, but not a hard day either. 11.5 miles in 72:59.

Tuesday 7/7/15 - 4x800 + 8x400 track workout

After work, I took the T over to the Madison Park track behind the Reggie Lewis Center for practice with the GBTC. Everyone met in the parking lot, and we chatted for a bit before heading out for a 3.25 mi warm up at 7:00 pace which included a quick pit stop at the Reggie Lewis Center. Once we got back to the track, I did a few drills and joined up with a group during the 10K workout which was 4 x 800m followed by 6-8 x 400m with 200m jogging rest in between. Splits below.

800s: 2:25, 2:26, 2:26, 2:26
400s: 72, 72, 71, 71, 70, 70, 72, 72

Overall, I was very pleased with the effort. I was a bit disappointed that the workout was so similar to last week, but as many of the guys are prepping for Club Nationals this weekend, I don't think they wanted to change things up too much. Regardless, it was a solid workout, and for me, it varied from last because I didn't have Adam to run with. He opted to run 1000s at an easier effort so that he wouldn't take anything away from the upcoming race this weekend. He ran just off my shoulder for the first 800, but after that, I was more or less alone during the repeats. Thankfully, I did have a few guys to run with on 200m rest. Erik Hinrichsen (coming of a great race at the Loon Mountain Race which served as the NE Championship this year) and Ian Neill (who ran the Boston Marathon this year and is prepping for the Chicago Marathon) were both doing the 10K workout as well, and they caught up and jogged with me during the rests so.

This workout took quite a bit out of me, and I was very happy that I was able to maintain the splits without anyone else to share the pace load with. I goofed up a bit on the last two 400s, but I wasn't all that worried about it. I had been considering finishing my workout after 6 x 400 which is why I ramped up to 70 second quarters for repeats 5 and 6. After that, Erik ended his workout, and I was on the verge of ending mine when I realized that Ian was going to follow through with the last 2 400s. I decided to join him, but I also made sure that I didn't push beyond my limit. I couldn't maintain 2 more 70 second splits, so I backed off to 72s. When I finished up, I was really glad that I did the final 2.

After the workout, we joined a few other members of the team for a mile cool down on the track before I made my way back to my apartment at ancient marathoner pace. I followed the same route as last week which goes down Tremont, cuts through Bay Bay to Boylston, over to the Commons, then on to Faneuil Hall enroute to the North End. 13.25 miles on the day. 

Monday 7/6/15

Easier 11 mile loop around the Charles. With a workout planned for tomorrow and some tightness I've been feeling in my right hamstring, I didn't want to push the pace today. Early on, I resigned myself to a slower effort and actually ran with a small water bottle which I almost never do. It seemed humid, and with the the sun out and temps in the mid 70s, I figured it might feel a bit hot. Heat was never really an issue though. There was a slightly cooling breeze, and some cloud cover came in which meant the sun wasn't beating down. That was good because the water bottle turned out to be a waste of time. It was particularly cold to start with, and it warmed up almost immediately which meant it wasn't refreshing at all. So, all it really did was throw off my arm swing and increase the effort. In the future, I'll probably only use it for 85+, and I'll make sure it is actually cold next time around.

The run itself wasn't too bad. Not great though. I felt heavy over the last 5 miles and probably couldn't have increased the effort if I wanted to. Thankfully, it was supposed to be an easy day. 11.75 miles in 74:00.

Point of Interest: I came across Puma filming their new running commercial today. They put out an open casting call to Boston runners last week, and everyone was talking about it although no one knew which company it was for at the time. They were offering $1000 a day for 2 days of filming, and it hinted that you'd be able to keep the kit. The problem was that they were filming on a Monday and Tuesday when most people had already taken a day off on Friday. I probably would have applied if it hadn't been for that fact. They were filming in Charleston in Paul Revere Park by the foot bridge which would have been extremely convenient for me if I had done it, but as I didn't, it was simply an annoyance since I had to wait for them to take a break from filming before I could cross the foot bridge.

Sunday 7/5/15

I waited until we were back in Boston to get my run in today which turned out to be a good idea. I woke up still a bit sore from yesterday's long run, and waiting to run at 5pm gave me plenty of time to recover. I thought today would be a bit of a slog, but it actually didn't turn out too bad. I felt fine holding 6:10 - 6:15 pace without too much effort. My right hamstring was a bit tight at times, but it didn't seem like anything major. I'll probably take an easier day tomorrow to make sure I'm not pushing that too hard going into the workout on Tuesday. 11.5 miles in 71:13.

Saturday 7/4/15

I did my run earlier than usual today in the hopes that I'd be able to enjoy the rest of the day's festivities without missing much. Unfortunately, today was also the best day in my schedule for a solid long run. 

I've had a minor head cold over the past 2 days, and I woke up feeling a bit ragged. Not awful. Just a bit sore with a headache. I ate a protein bar and sat around digesting for a bit as everyone else started waking up. After about a half an hour, I changed, stretched, and got out for my run. 

My route was similar to yesterday. I ran 2 miles through the neighborhoods and down Main Street in Chatham as I made my way to the bike path. It was still early and a bit overcast, so there weren't as many people along the bike path today. However, there were a ton of people hanging around when I hit the sections of the path that crossed over the roads. The Chatham 4th of July Parade was going on, and apparently, it's a pretty big deal. Thankfully, I didn't really have any issues running. The bike path zigged and zagged around the area where the parade was going on, but only crossed over the parade route once. On my way out, the parade hadn't gotten to that point yet, so no problem there. On the way back, however, I did have to stop for a bit. After a minute or so, I was able to cross in between the floats and continue on my way. 

As for the run itself, it wasn't all that pretty. I felt okay for the first 10 miles at 6:20 pace, but my form started to fall apart over the last 6 miles. My headache was starting to bother me. I felt a dehydrated, and I was really low on energy for the last three miles. It's not all that surprising through since the only things I ate and drank from when I woke up until when I ran was a clif bar and half a glass of water, and I didn't intake anything during the run. This is a good lesson for next time. I can't just power through an early morning long run with zero fuel because it suits my schedule and I didn't want to carry a water bottle. 

I managed to hold on to 6:30 - 6:40 pace over the last 6 miles, but by the time I finished up, I was feeling pretty weak. I couldn't do much more than sit there while a drank a couple bottles of water. I was finally able to pull myself into the shower about 20 minutes later. When I got out, I was somehow freezing despite the fact that it was already 70+ degrees outside and my shower had been hot. I don't know what happened. It may have just been my head cold, but I got straight back into bed and immediately fell asleep for an hour or so. I woke up feeling a bit better, but it took me a few hours to really recover. I definitely won't be taking these long runs so lightly in the future. 16 miles in 1:42.19. 

Friday 7/3/15

Alie and I drove down to Cape Cod for the 4th of July this morning. Our friend Derek's family has a house on the ocean in Chatham, and he invited us down for the weekend (shout out to the Missert Family for letting us stay in your beautiful home this weekend). We left at 7:30 AM and didn't get there until 11:00 AM. What would usually be an hour and 45 minute trip turns into 3 and half hours around the 4th of July as everyone floods to the cape. We got there in plenty of time to enjoy the day though.

It was difficult to put on my running shoes and get out for my run when Alie headed to the beach to meet everyone, but I forced myself to get on with it. I had heard there were some good bike paths that travel along the entire length of the cape, and I decided to check them out. The house we were staying at was only about 2 miles from an entrance to the path, so I was able to get in a decent amount of my run on the path itself which was awesome. The weather was beautiful today at a sunny 75 degrees, and there were quite a few bikers out of the path. Traffic wasn't an issue though since there are very few walkers on these paths unlike the Charles River paths. It also gave me a chance to run some hills.

There weren't any major hills, but there were constant rollers which was a great change of pace from the Charles. I did slow down a bit as the run went on into the last two miles when the heat and hills started to get to me, but I'm not too worried about it. I decided to forgo the tempo run this weekend because I felt like I was pushing a bit too hard, and today was meant to be just a normal run if not a bit on the easier side. Overall, it was a great run. 12 miles in 74:08.

Thursday 7/2/15

Another hot one. I think that is going to be the narrative for a while as July starts. Met up with Vasilis for a relaxed loop around the Charles. I wouldn't really call it an easy run though. We kept the pace around 6:20, but for me, it was one of those runs where you some how feel worse two days after the workout despite feeling fine the day after the workout. It wasn't terrible or anything though. It was just a bit of an effort for me to hold what would usually be an easy pace. Overall good run. 11.5 miles in 72:36.

Wednesday 7/1/15

11 mile loop around the Charles. A slightly upset stomach and 80 degree heat made for a slow finish to my run today. I started off fairly well at 6:10 pace which faded into 6:15 then 6:30 for the last three miles. It wasn't a big deal since I am coming off a work out and 14+ miles yesterday, so I didn't need to push the pace today. The last few miles were a bit unpleasant though. I had been hoping to do a tempo tomorrow, but after today, I think I may take a semi-easy day and push the tempo into the weekend. 71:50 for 11.5 miles.

Monthly Recap - June 2015

Days Run - 28 out of 30
Total Miles Run - 325.9
Average Run Length - 11.24 miles
Average Mile Pace (excluding workouts, tempos, pick ups and races) - 6:15
Track Workouts - 4
Runs with Pick Ups - 1
Tempo Runs - 1
Races - 1
Wins - 1
Most Common Run - 11+ mile Charles River Loop (11 times)
Doubles: 1


Mile Pace Chart for June (excluding workouts, tempos, pick ups and races):

I'm really happy the work that I put in this month. I was able to run on 28 out of 30 days, and I feel like I've finally got my heel issue under control as I've found some solutions to help manage it. My average mile pace increased slightly, but that is due to the fact that I took some easy slow runs instead of taking days off. I was also able to increase my average run length without much difficulty. I can feel my endurance getting better, and my track workouts in the second half of this month have been very promising. I did have a poor showing at my only race this month regardless of the fact that I won, but I don't think that is indicative of my progress. I feel like I am only 4-6 weeks and 5-10 pounds away from PR shape. 

Tuesday 6/30/15 - (800,400,400) x4 track workout

After work, I took the T over to the Madison Park track behind the Reggie Lewis Center for practice with the GBTC. Everyone met in the parking lot, and we chatted for a bit before heading out for a 3.5 mi warm up at 6:45 pace which included a quick pit stop at the Reggie Lewis Center. It's really nice having the RLC right there so you can use the bathroom and what not before the workout. Once we got back to the track, Adam Pacheck and I then did a few drills and got right into the 10K workout which was (800m,400m,400m) x4 with 200m jogging rest in between. Splits below.

2:26, 72, 71, 2:25, 71, 71, 2:23, 70, 70, 2:23, 70, 62

The workout went really well, and I felt great through out. I was also able to pull my weight this week as I alternated the pacing duty with Adam. The goal was to hit 2:26 for the first couple 800s and 71-72 for the first couple 400s then bring the pace down slightly over the second half of the workout if we were feeling good. We hit the splits perfectly, and I didn't have any trouble maintaining the effort. When we came up to the last 400, we were debating whether or not to run another set, but instead, we decided to just put the hammer down on the final 400. We had already done over 5 miles of solid effort on the track, and I felt like a hard 400 would be a fitting end. Taking into account the short rest, I'm really happy with this workout. 

After the workout, we joined a few other members of the team for a 1.75 mile cool down on the track before I made my way back to my apartment. I was still feeling good, so I decided to jog back to the North End again. I took a much more direct route this time though and saved myself a mile or two. While running down Tremont isn't as fun as running through the Fens to Fenway and Comm Ave, I was glad to get home a bit quicker. 14.25 miles on the day. 

Monday 6/29/15

Solo 11 mile loop around the Charles. The last four days have been pretty slow runs (excluding the 4 miles run during the tempo), so I wanted to get back to a more normal training pace. I didn't push things too hard though because I'm hoping to get in a track workout tomorrow. The weather was pretty nice for running at 70 degrees and overcast. Granted, it was a bit humid. 6:0X pace felt fairly relaxed, and I didn't have any issues maintaining it throughout the run. After I finished, I actually felt really good about the run. None of my splits were above 6:09, and I didn't feel like I needed to press the effort at all in the second half to maintain pace. 11.75 miles in 71:05.

Sunday 6/28/15

I tagged along with Vasilis today as he drove over to Lincoln, MA to meet up with John Drago and Dan Biales for a long run. John works at EY with Vasilis, and both John and Dan are Bentley Alumni who now run for New Balance Boston. Since Vasilis is considering joining NBB, it seemed like a good idea to get out for a run in their normal practice area. There are a ton of trails in the Walden Pond State Reservation Area, and we trekked all through those woods. We were crisscrossing all over the place. John and Dan have been practicing there since college, and they seemed to know the trails like the back of their hands. If Vasilis and I were alone, we would probably still be lost out there.

The trails were soaked from the rain last night which had carried over into today and was still coming down. Thankfully, it wasn't pouring anymore, and the precipitation was more of a constant mist during the run. The run was still pretty enjoyable though. I haven't done much trail running since college, and it was nice to change things up. My watch didn't provide accurate pace or distance due to the trees, but the effort was easy and conversational. There were a couple of rolling hills, but no major climbs. Although wet, the run was largely uneventful aside from when Vasilis slipped and did a superman through the mud towards the end (he was fine if a bit dirty). The run actually seemed to pass by quickly, and we were done before I knew it. I'm not sure on the actual distance, but the NBB guys seemed confident that it was 15+ miles which is supported by the overall time of the run which was an hour and 40 minutes.

Saturday 6/27/15 - 4 mile tempo

With no race or track workout planned for this weekend, I decided to put in my first tempo run of the year, and I dragged Vasilis along. We did an easy 2 mile warm up at 6:50 pace then got right into the tempo when we hit the Storrow Drive side of the Charles River Esplanade. The plan was 4 miles at 5:10 pace. I feel like I'm in good enough shape that I need to start focusing on 5:00 pace and lower for this type of workout, but I wanted to prove to myself that I had 5:10 under control after my poor performance at Market Square Day. Since the workout was my idea, I set the pace and came through the first mile just a bit quick at 5:05. I let the pace settle into 5:09 during the second mile and still felt good. During the third mile, I was starting to feel the effort but held the pace without over stretching. Vasilis dropped back a bit at that point, but I was glad for the company in the first half of the workout. Having him looming behind me also kept me honest during the second half of the workout. I would have felt like a jackass if I pushed the pace too hard early on and was then unable to hit the goal pace in the last two miles. Thankfully, my splits were fairly consistent as I came through miles 3 and 4 in 5:12 and 5:09. Mile 4 actually felt really good and gave me a lot of confidence about how my fitness is progressing. The remainder of the run was an easy cool down at 7:00 pace along the Cambridge side of the Charles. 11.25 miles in 71:57.

Friday 6/26/15

Vasilis and I did more easy city running today. We kept the pace a bit more honest today in the 6:30 range, but the effort was still pretty relaxed. We ran passed the Boston Common as we went down Beacon Street then cut over to loop around the Fens before making our way to the Emerald Necklace. There was some traffic to negotiate, but it wasn't too bad. I wouldn't want to do this run every day, but the atmosphere is cool every once in a while. My legs were feeling back to normal today, and I felt great during the run. A couple of easy days definitely paid off. Hoping to get a tempo run in tomorrow. 11.5 miles in 74:09

Thursday 6/25/15

I've found myself a midst a fairly high mileage week with a solid track workout and could definitely use an easy day or two. Vasilis was in a similar situation after a workout on Wednesday, so we headed over to Southie and did a bit of easy city running. The pace ranged from 6:40 to over 7:00 at times when foot traffic or stop lights slowed things down a bit. However, I never felt like the pace was too easy. Towards the end of the run, I was actually sucking wind a bit. I'm really glad we took things slow today. If I had tried to do a run at normal training pace, I think the wheels would have fallen off halfway through. Overall, the run was fun though. It wasn't really a strugglefest or anything. I also haven't spent much time in Southie, so it was cool to run through there and over to Castle Island including a lap on the Head Island Causeway which runs around Pleasure Bay. 10.75 miles in 73:33.

Wednesday 6/24/15

Solo 11 mile loop around the Charles. Legs felt pretty tired to start of the run, and I thought it was going to end up being a tough one. Thankfully, things started to loosen up after about a mile and a half, and the run went really well. I felt great at 6:10 pace and didn't have any issues. I did back off the pace a bit over the last two miles, but it was more about preservation than a feeling of discomfort. 11.5 in 71:03.

Tuesday 6/24/15 - 8 x 800 track workout

After two years of holding back from joining a track club, I decided it was finally time, and I joined the Greater Boston Track Club last week. Tonight was my first scheduled practice with the team, but unfortunately, the weather report wasn't really cooperating. All of the reports I looked at showed 100% chance of thunder storms and 20+ mph winds. So, I wasn't all that surprised when I learned that practice was cancelled. Although none of the coaches were going to the track, a few of the team members were going to give the workout a shot. I took a look outside at 6:00 and decided to head over to the Madison Park track behind the Reggie Lewis Center where GBTC holds their practices. I packed light and planned on running in the rain as long as the lightning held off. I assumed that the distance team did a group warm up, so rather than running to the track, I took the T to Ruggles and walked over.

I was there a bit early, and with the rain was holding off, I was optimistic that we'd be able to get a good workout in. I hung out around the track for a bit and did some stretching until the first members of the middle distance/sprinting group arrived. They let me know that the distance guys usually met in the parking lot before their workout. I jogged over but missed them. Not a big deal. I just did my own 2.5 mile warm up around the track. As I was warming up, I actually got a bit nervous. It has been such a long time since I've done a track workout in a group, and I was worried I was going to embarrass myself by having a bad workout or something. It didn't help that I had eaten to much during the day, and my stomach wasn't feeling great.

The distance guys came back from their warm up shortly after I finished mine. I introduced myself as the new guy, everyone was really nice as we chatted for a bit, then we got right into the workout. There were 7-8 guys doing a 10K workout while a couple others were doing a 4 mile tempo. I opted for the 10K workout which was (800 at 10K pace, 400 jogging rest, 800 at 5K pace, 400 jogging rest) x 4. Eight 800s total with four at 10K pace and four at 5K pace. We all started at the same time, but the group quickly started to separate as a number of the guys are focused on longer distances and were running slower splits. Adam Pacheck and Michael Carlone said there were looking to do splits between 2:20 - 2:30, so I went along with them. My splits below.

800s at 10K pace: 2:30, 2:32, 2:31, 2:27
800s at 5K pace: 2:21, 2:27, 2:27, 2:24

The rain ended up holding off for the entire night. I never felt a drop. The sun was even out at times. Granted, you could see the thunder clouds off in the distance. With no rain, the workout felt hot and muggy. Temps were in the 80s and the humidity was way up there. Surprisingly, I didn't feel like it effected me as much as usual. Adam was splitting most of the repeats 3 - 4 seconds faster than I was, so I just let him dictate the pace while trying to keep the gap consistent. I got a bit aggressive during the first 5k pace 800, but I settled things down and felt really good throughout the workout.

After the workout, I jogged around the track for a mile with the rest of the team before making my way back to the North End. My stomach wasn't feeling great, but I needed to get a few more miles in for my cool down. I figured that I'd jog to Fenway and grab the T from there or something but, I ended up just jogging all the way back to the North End. I didn't really want to get on the T in running clothes while dripping sweat. Thankfully, my stomach, legs and heel held up well, but I did have to take things very slow. I was also cursing myself for not thinking to bring water to practice. I'll definitely have to do that next time. After 4 miles, I was getting pretty dehydrated, so I swung by Alie's for a quick drink before finally making it back to the North End at about 9:15. Overall, great workout and feeling really upbeat. 13.5 miles on the day.

Monday 6/22/15

Standard base building 11 mile loop around the Charles. I'm planning on running a track workout tomorrow, and after two long runs this weekend, I wanted to take today's run a bit easy. Unfortunately, I didn't really commit to the easy run, and I got a bit carried away. I didn't push things too hard at 6:05 pace, but I wasn't really holding back like I should have. It was a beautiful day in the mid 70s which felt warm but not too hot. Legs and heel felt good. My ipod shuffle died today, and I'll have to buy a new one. This seems to happen every 4-6 months because I'm not overly concerned with them getting wet during runs. Thankfully, they are fairly cheap. It's just a matter of actually getting to the store to buy a new one. 11.5 in 69:41.

Sunday 6/21/15

It felt weird not having to worry about doing a track workout or race this weekend. I also wasn't worn out at all from my "long run" yesterday. I'll probably need to up the mileage on those runs to 14-15 miles if things continue to go well. So, I decided to make it a "long weekend". It was pouring when we left OOB, but by the time we got back to Boston, most of the rain had passed. When I did my run later in the afternoon, the weather was actually pretty nice for running. It was a bit warm in the 70s, but the sun wasn't beating down with the overcast skies. The run went really well, and 6:10 felt comfortable. It was a solid effort, but I didn't feel like I was pushing things too much. 13.5 in 83:15.

Saturday 6/20/15

Had a great run this morning along the coast of Old Orchard Beach, Maine. I didn't actually do any beach running though. I just followed the roads that run along the coast. These roads don't follow the coast as closely as places like Falmouth, but the sea breeze was nice after yesterday's hot run. I got out before 8am, and temps were still around 60 which was awesome. It gradually heated up throughout the run, but overall, you couldn't ask for better weather for a Saturday morning long run. The run itself went well as I was able to hold 6:15 pace without much effort. Legs and heel felt good. After the run, I soaked in the ocean for a bit which was cold but felt great on my legs. 13.1 miles in 81:28.

Friday 6/19/15

Definitely a hot one out there today. I got home from work early and set out for my run at 2pm since we would be driving up to Old Orchard Beach, Maine once Alie got out of work. The draw back was that the sun was beating down and temps were around 80. I knew it was going to be a tough run, so I took the pace easy. I was also still recovering from the workout Wednesday night, and a slower run was welcome. By the end of the run, there was nothing easy about it as splitting miles in the mid 6:20s was difficult. Overall, everything was fine though. The heat just got to me. 11.40 miles in 72:12.

Thursday 6/18/2015

Standard solo base builder today. Early in the run, I feared that it might be an uncomfortable one. My legs weren't sore, but they felt as heavy as logs after yesterday's workout. Thankfully, things loosened up after a mile or two, and it wasn't a bad run as I felt steady at 6:15 pace. Towards the end, my lower back tightened up a bit, and I slowed down slightly. It didn't seem like anything major though. 11.25 miles in 70:47.

Wednesday 6/17/15 - 8 x 1000 track workout

Vasilis and I headed over to the Charlestown High School track for a workout today. We met up in the North End and jogged over into Charlestown as our warm up. Vasilis switched into spikes (I was already in my Flyknit Ones), we did a few quick drills, and then we got right into the workout. The plan was to run some fairly quick 1000s. Neither of us have had a training partner during a track workout in a while (it had actually been since college for me), and we were both looking to do some faster paces since we had someone to run with. I hadn't done any work below 5 minute pace yet this year, so I was content with trying to dip a bit below 75 second quarters to shake off the rust. The goal going into the workout was to start off around 5 minute pace (3:07 for 1000) and judge the effort from there. Rest was a 200m jog followed by 30 - 45 second standing rest. So, more or less, it was a full rest. Splits below.

1000s - 3:02, 3:03, 3:07, 3:05, 3:03, 3:05, 3:03, 2:52.

We alternated taking the lead every 400 meters, and the first one was mine. There wasn't much wind, but it was nice having someone else leading half the workout so you didn't have to think about the pace the whole time. I got a bit excited on that first 400 which resulted in the first 1000 being a bit quicker than planned. Trying to compensate, I slowed the pace down in the 3rd repeat, but we sped things back up after that to a comfortable zone of 3:03 - 3:05. It was definitely a solid effort, but I didn't feel like I had to go to the well until the final 1000 when we decided to drop the hammer for a bit of fun. We ran at a normal pace for the first 600m and split 1:48, then went pretty much all out over the last 400m for a final quarter of 64.

We were both feeling the effort as we cooled down around Charlestown at ancient marathoner pace. I was hoping for a slightly longer cool down to make up some miles, but I could only manage 2.5. My stomach was beginning to fight me, and I figured there was no reason to push it just to get in some junk miles. Overall, great workout. It felt good to get on the track with another runner and push the effort a bit. 10.25 miles on the day.

Tuesday 6/16/15

Got out for an 11 miler with Matt today. I'm considering a track workout for tomorrow, so I kind of wanted to take it relatively easy. Unfortunately, it didn't really play out that way. I know Matt likes to roll a bit faster, so I prepped myself for a quicker pace by clicking off 6:05s on the way to the Harvard Bridge to meet him. He was already waiting when I got there, and I was able to just continue on along the Charles as he joined in. I think it was subconscious, but he started picking up the pace as he stayed ever so slightly ahead of me as we ran side by side. I figured the run would end up being somewhere between 6:05-6:10 pace which I was fine with, but we split 5:57 for that first mile. I felt like we were pushing it a bit but kept going. The effort was easy enough that we were able to chat, but it wasn't the usual conversational pace. The next couple of miles went on in that fashion until we came up on a runner who was doing a similar pace. At that point, the pace dropped to 5:45 - 5:50 as we went around him. Matt finally asked if we could back off the pace a bit when we got to the Harvard Boathouse. I laughed and said that I thought he was the one pushing the pace. I suppose that can happen when you don't really discuss what pace you're looking to run. After that, we backed off to 6:10 - 6:15 which felt more comfortable. Matt headed back to BU shortly after we crossed back over the Harvard Bridge, and I ran the last 2 miles solo. Solid run but may have been a bit aggressive. It was hot at 80 degrees and really humid since the forecasted rain never came. I felt good afterward though, and I didn't feel any issues leg, heel, stomach or otherwise as I walked downtown to see Jurassic World. 11.25 miles in 68:36

Monday 6/15/15

Standard 11 miler around the Charles. It was a bit wet outside after the constant rain all day, but by the time I got out for my run, the precipitation was little more than a light mist. The weather was actually fairly pleasant for running. I kept the pace honest at 6:15, but I didn't push things. I also tried out some new trainers today. I can't remember the last time I had this much trouble finding a pair of running shoes that would work for me. I had been using the Nike Lunarglide series exclusively since college, so it was always just a matter of picking up a pair of the most recent version. I've determined that while the pair of Saucony Kinvara 5 are a great shoe, the cushioning is a bit too light given my stride and heel issue. With their light weight, I think they will be good for tempos and such once I've worn our my Nike Flyknit One. However, I had switched back to my Nike Pegasus 31 for every day training until today when I came across a pair of Nike Pegasus 30 on sale. It is basically the same shoe as the 31, but the interesting thing about this pair was that they were the wide version. I tried them on and they felt great. My feet have always felt a bit too wide in Nike trainers, but I typically just bought a half size bigger to compensate. When I put on the wide pair, I immediately noticed more comfort in my heel, so I decided to give them a shot. I used them on the run today, and they felt pretty good. It could be a bit misleading because I am also coming off of a day with no running, but I feel like this could be a big step in aiding my heel. Overall, I felt pretty good today. 11.4 miles in 71:17.

Sunday 6/14/15

Off day. I was feeling a bit burnt out in the week before Market Square Day, and my heel had been getting worse. So, I figured it was a good idea to take a day off from running even though I was feeling pretty good considering that I had raced the day before.

Market Square Day 10K - 6/13/15

Coming into the Market Square Day 10K this year was a bit of an odd sensation. I wasn't confident in my own abilities, but I also knew that I had a good chance to place well. With Jim Johnson out due to a stress fracture and Andrew Huebner still recovering from surgery, I figured my competition today would be Jonny Wilson and possibly any new runners to this race. I assumed that Jonny would be back since he finished second here in 2013 and 2014. I knew that if he did show up, I'd be racing for second place. He doesn't seem to have bad races, and with my current fitness, it wouldn't be a close competition. However, I did have a feeling it would be unlikely that we'd see any new faces in the front pack. The Hollis Fast 5K was on Thursday night, and since it was part of the New England Grand Prix, a lot of New England's top runners were there. I thought it was unlikely that many, if any, would want to double up and run this race as well. (Leslie O'Dell proved me wrong on that point as she pulled off the double and ran well at both races)

Alie and I headed over to Portsmouth at 7:30, but a stop for a car wash left us running a bit late. We got into Portsmouth and were parked by 8:20 which would usually be plenty of time to pick up numbers and get ready. However, we had to park about half a mile away from the bib pick up. By the time we had our numbers and had everything ready to go, it was already 8:45.... didn't leave myself nearly enough time. I was slightly more upbeat at this point though. When we had grabbed our numbers, I checked the registration list and saw that Jonny wasn't racing today. That meant I might actually have a shot at a win today. 

Alie made her way back to the starting line while I tried to salvage a quick warm up. This is the closest I have ever cut a race. I did a mile at 6:45 pace then stopped at the car quickly to change into my racing flats before jogging to the start. I made it to the start line at 8:58 just as they were making the last announcements. I barely had time to tie my shoes before Andy said "30 seconds until the start of the race". No stretching or strides. Not a great pre-race. 

My plan was to try to run a more even race this year. In 2013, the front pack sat back at a painfully slow pace for the first 4 miles before Jonny and I finally started racing over the last two miles. In 2014, I went out ridiculously fast while chasing Andrew and Jonny which resulted in me falling apart over the last 3 miles. I was hoping that I might be able to hold a more consistent pace this year, and even though I am no where near as fit as the previous 2 years, I thought I may be able to pull out a similar time, hopefully 32:00 - 32:30. So, my goal was to run the first mile in 5:10,  see how things developed, and try to maintain 5:10 - 5:15.  

I got a good start and fell into 5:10 pace easily. No one tried to pull away which was a good sign, but I was a bit surprised by the crowd around me. I wasn't familiar with one of the runners (turned out to be Jason Dedonato), and it looked like he meant business. The female leader was also going stride for stride with me. I assumed she would fall back after an initial sprint, but she was still right next to me about half a mile into the race when Derrick Hamel joined the group our little group that Jason was leading. I greeted Derrick which sparked up a bit of a conversation. The female leader asked want times people were shooting for. I replied and asked what she was looking to run. When she replied "I'd like to be under 34", I knew it had to be Erica Jesseman which she laughed at and confirmed. Honestly, in that first mile, I thought I might be running with her the whole way. She made it look pretty easy out there despite the heat. 

A minute or two later, we ran by Andy Schachat, and I believe he said "Eric you got this". But with an Eric, an Erica, and a Derrick in the group, it was difficult to tell which one of us he was actually talking about. We joked about it for a second then ended the conversation and got into some racing. Just before the mile, I noticed the pace was fading to 5:15, so I took over the lead and started to spread things out. Hit the first mile mark right at 5:10. 

Lead pack just before the 1 mile mark. Thanks to my sister Jen for the photos

Shortly after the first mile mark, Derrick pulled up along side me with Jason and Erica a few seconds behind us. That was when I started to really notice how hot and humid it was. The temperature was only in the mid 70s, but the sun was beating down with no cloud cover. On my jog to the start line, I noticed that I felt a bit dehydrated, but there wasn't much I could do about it at that point. By the time we hit the first water stop, I realized I would need to grab some water at a couple of these stops which I can't remember ever doing in a 5K or 10K. I didn't go for that first one because Derrick was in between myself and the volunteers, but I knew I'd be in trouble if I didn't grab something from the next one. We split 5:15 for the second mile, and Derrick took over the lead. He was holding 5:15 pace, so I tucked in behind him.

For the next half a mile, I drifted between being just off his shoulder to being a stride or two back. I made sure not to let the gap grow though. Derrick made a similar move in the Redhook Brewery 5K before falling back, and I was hoping today would be the same. However, a shadow of a doubt did cross my mind. After beating him in the Children's Museum 5K and Redhook Brewery 5K, I thought I had the mental edge on him, and I hadn't been all that focused on racing him coming into Market Square Day. He was putting up a good fight though. About 2 and half miles into the race, we came up on a small hill, and I was able to retake the lead without too much extra effort. I focused on trying to create some separation, and by the time I crested the hill, I couldn't hear foot steps anymore. I knew he was still looming though.

As I came down a hill just before the 3rd mile mark, I chanced a glance back as I made my way around a turn. In the early going, I had been going up the small rolling hills that cover this course a bit faster than Derrick was, but he had consistently taken the downhills faster than I had. After looking back and seeing I still had a 30 meter lead after the biggest downhill on the course, I started to gain some confidence. However, that isn't to say I felt great. The heat was getting to me, and the pace had slowed as I split 5:25 for the 3rd mile. Thankfully, there was a water stop right around mile three, and I grabbed a cup to splash over myself.

At that point, I started to reconsider my strategy slightly. A decent time began to feel less and less likely, and it seemed like it may be smart to start worrying more about the win. Derrick was slill hanging tight 30 meters back, but I thought I could hold on to first place if I was able to keep my pace consistent throughout the rest of the way. I wanted to avoid falling apart and make sure I had a bit left in case Derrick made a late move. So, for the forth mile, I focused I holding 5:25 pace and trying to stay relaxed. I split the forth mile in 5:26 and grabbed more water. I drank half and poured the rest over myself. I'm actually not used to drinking while running, and I didn't feel great for a minute or two afterwards. It wasn't a major issue though and passed quickly. For the last two miles, I put all my effort into holding a steady pace, and I felt like I probably didn't have much left in the tank beyond 5:25 pace. 

Derrick seemed to be stalking me for the entire race. It wasn't until the last mile that the gap started to grow to a comfortable distance. When I hit the 6 mile mark, I finally let myself believe that I had secured the win as I started my kick up the last hill towards Strawberry Banke. 

Credit to Ryan O'Leary of Seacoast Online for this photo. He did a great write up on the race here

Interview over the microphone with Andy Schachat after the race. I always feel a bit awkward during these. 

After my interview with Andy, I headed back out on the course to find Alie who was running her first 10K. I found her with about a mile to go and ran with her until the 6 mile mark. She was a bit mad at me because I told her the course was flat when it does indeed have some rollers. She still ended up crushing it though despite having a severely swollen right foot coming into the race!

My good luck charms cheering the runners on. 

Results below. Full results here

Friday 6/12/15

Off Day. I considered running an easy 7 in the morning before work, but my legs felt stiff. Since I didn't want to run the night before the race, I decided to take a full day off before Market Square Day.

Thursday 6/11/15 - JP Morgan Corporate Challenge

The 2015 Boston edition of the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge was today, and while I wasn't running in it, I did head over to the Boston Common to watch the race. When registration came around in mid-April, I decided not to run because the race date is too close to this year's Market Square Day 10K which is higher in the priority list for me because it is part of the Seacoast Road Race Series. 

Instead of running, I opted to help organize US Bank's team this year. In 2014, I organized the event as well, but that primarily consisted of me signing up US Bank, registering myself, and letting a co-worker know that he could sign up as well. When registration closed in 2014, we only had 2 members on the US Bank team. JPM later called me and gave us an additional 2 spots because a team requires 4 members haha. This year, I actually worked with our Development Network to drum up some interest in the race. It also helped that US Bank was willing to pay the $50 registration fee up front this year. 

In the hour that the 2015 registration was open, we were able to get 9 members signed up for the US Bank team which meant that we would have two full teams for scoring. It's a far cry from the massive teams that companies like Fidelity are able to put together, but I was happy with our increased participation. 

After work, the team hung out in a conference room and "strategized". Most of the team members aren't serious runners, so we really just sat around talking and enjoyed some yogurt, granola bars, bananas etc. I did go over some tips for the start though. Last year, the other members of the team started too far back because they were worried they would get in the way of other runners. However, with 9,000 people in today's race, starting anywhere in the second half of the massive crowd results in very slow going for anyone looking to run 7:00 - 8:30 pace. 

At 6:30, we started to make our way over to the Boston Common for the 7:15 start. We got to the park just in time to hear the announcer say that my time from last year was the time to beat, and my group did a fair bit of whooping and cheering. At 6:50, I parted ways with the team as they headed towards the starting gates while Alie and I headed over to Comm Ave for a good spectating position. We stayed fairly close to the Boston Public Garden so we would be able to see the runners go passed half a mile into the race and with half a mile to go on the out and back course. In addition to supporting the US Bank team, I was also cheering on Vasilis who would be in the running for the overall win. 

A half mile into the race, there was still a big pack up front, but Vasilis was leading the charge. 

When they came back down the other side of Comm Ave with half a mile to go, you could tell the heat was doing some damage on the runners. There wasn't quite a pack anymore as they were strung out, but the top five were still fairly close together in a single file line with 2 - 3 second gaps. Matthew Hillard looked solid as he went by me though, and based on the results, he must have put in a decent kick over the last half mile for a convincing win. Returning from last year and finishing in the top ten this year were Jason Ayr, Jordan Donnelly, Joe Mcgovern, Ryan Carrara, and Timothy Catoggio. Finishing well in this race two years in a row is no small feat. Vasilis had a tough race and ended up in 11th. He described it as "brutal" haha but seemed to be in good spirits. 

On the women's side, Sara Donahue took the win for the third straight year. She was cruising when she ran by me with half a mile to go, and she actually over took Taryn for the lead just as they both went by me. Taryn managed a "great job" for the passing Sara, but it looked like the heat was getting to her. 

Results below. Full results here. 

Men

Women

For my own run, I got out for a late 7 miler. Darkness had fallen and the bugs were out, but at least the heat had died down a bit. Kept the pace nice and relaxed as I try to get my legs and heel ready for Market Square Day on Saturday morning. 7 miles in 46:27.

Wednesday 6/10/15

Got out for an easy 10 mile loop around the Charles today after work. I really tried to hold back on the pace, and I was able to keep it to 6:25 pace. My legs and heel never felt great though. 10 miles in 64:16.

Tuesday 6/9/15

Another standard base builder, but today's run was far more enjoyable than yesterday's since I had some company along the way in the form of Vasilis and Matt. I met up with Vasilis in the North End, and we headed over to the Charles then Harvard Bridge to meet  Matt. We kept the pace easy and conversational since Vasilis will be racing the JPMCC on Thursday night. Matt headed back to BU when we crossed back over Mass Ave, and Vasilis and I finished up the run as Vasilis showed me a 'secret' path back to the North End. Okay, it's not really a secret, but I've lived in the North End for 5 years and had no idea it was there. It also allows you to completely bypass running in front of North Station which is a huge plus. The foot traffic over there can get really annoying even if there isn't a game going on. 11 miles in 71:52.

Monday 6/8/15

Standard base builder today. Very forgettable run. I got a late start, my stomach wasn't feeling great, and my heel has been acting up a bit (looking into some possible changes to help improve things there). The pace was slow, but it still felt like normal effort since I wasn't feeling so hot. 20 mph winds on the Charles didn't help. I finished up without any major issues though. I'm really looking forward to the end of the week when I can start ramping down the mileage in preparation for Market Square Day on Saturday. I think a few easy/off days may be in order after that. 11 miles in 70:53.

Sunday 6/7/15

Got out for a nice long run today. At 6:0X, the pace was a bit hotter than it needed to be, but thoughts of yesterday's poor workout were still in my head. The weather was perfect as I followed the familiar 11 mile loop out to the Harvard Boathouse and added on a few extra miles down to Charles River Canoe and Kayak. Overall, it was a pretty good run, but concerns about my heel and yesterday's workout are clouding my mood slightly. 13.1 miles in 79:39.

Saturday 6/6/15 - 6 x 1200m

Not an encouraging workout today. I was back in Rochester, so I headed over the Spaulding High School track in the morning. After a 3 mi warm up through the Pines and the surrounding neighborhood at 6:40 pace, I put on my Nike Flyknit Lunar 1+ and got right on the track. My plan was to run a similar workout to the 4 x 1600m 10K workout that I ran last week. However, today's goal was 6 x 1200m at 5:05 pace with 600m rest at 6:00 pace. Since last weeks workout had gone so well in the rain, I thought today would be just as easy with the weather actually cooperating. Unfortunately, things didn't pan out that way. Splits below. I switched the final 600m rest with a 400m rest so that the workout would be exactly 10K.

1200,600,1200,600,1200,600,1200,600,1200,400,1200

1200s: 3:47, 3:51, 3:57, 4:05, 4:09, 4:08
600s: 2:09, 2:18, 2:26, 2:28
400: 1:39
Total for 10K: 34:57

The workout started off well enough as I was able to hit the splits for the first 1200 and rest. The effort felt a bit fast, but I didn't foresee any problems. By the second 1200, I knew that I would need to slow the pace. I had increased the pace from last week's workout (5:10 to 5:05), and during that second 1200, it became clear that I wouldn't be able to hold it. Not a major issue. I backed off to 5:10 which felt hard but not overly so. By the third 1200, I felt like the whole workout had gone out the window. After that, I struggled with the idea of just finishing, and my pace during the rest of the workout dropped dramatically.

I just didn't have it today. My legs felt sluggish and refused to hold the speed. I suppose that is the difference between coming off a day with no running, like I did last week, and coming off an 11+ miler only 12 hours before. I'm really trying to move on from this workout and not think about it, but it did shake my confidence a bit. If you had asked me after last week's workout, I would have said 32 flat wasn't out of the question for the Market Square Day 10K next weekend. After today's workout, I fear that breaking 33:00 could be difficult.

Finished up with a 3 mile cool down at ancient marathoner pace for 12.2 miles on the day.

Friday 6/5/15

Yesterday was the first time in 4 years that I've run with someone on a training run (a college runner visiting BU came up behind me at a traffic light and asked if I wanted to run together). Imagine my surprise this morning when I saw that I had a message on my blog about another runner in the North End looking for a training partner. Vasilis Kariolis, a 3 time winner of the Buffalo, NY edition of the J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge, moved to the North End of Boston this spring and came across my blog post about last year's JPMCC in Boston as he was preparing to run the 2015 JPMCC in Boston next week. He decided to shoot me a message about running together, and before my run today, I replied back that I could always use some company on runs. If there are any other runners in the area looking for a training partner, definitely send me a message.

I headed out on the standard 11 mile loop around the Charles, and as I was heading passed North Station, I saw a runner who looked vaguely like the pictures I had seen of Vasilis when trying to figure out how to reply back to him. I thought there was no way things were going to work out that perfectly, but as I caught up, I became more sure. It turned out to be him, and we ended up running together. The pace was relaxed, and we chatted as we looped around the Charles. He was looking to finish his run by Coolidge Corner, and I decided to tag along for some city running. It's odd because while I live in the North End of Boston, I don't consider my runs true 'city runs' since I spend 80% of the run on the paths along the Charles River. I actually don't think I have run through the city during the last five years expect for the JPMCC last year.

After about 9 miles, I turned around and headed back. I decided to stick with the city run though and made my up Comm Ave to the Boston Common then on to the North End. While I wouldn't want to do this for every run, the change of scenery was nice. I need to branch out a bit more. 11.75 miles in 74:55.

I also tried out some new training shoes today! I feel like the Nike Pegasus 31 are a great shoe, but with my existing heel issue, they just aren't what I was looking for right now. I also had to resign myself to the fact that the Lunarglide series is a no go for me. I tried on a pair of the 6's and the 5's (which I've had multiple pairs of), and the arch just doesn't feel right anymore. I've been looking at a bunch of shoes over the last few weeks and ended up picking up a pair of Saucony Kinvara 5 today. I'm a bit concerned with how light they are, but the cushioning is great. We'll see how things go. They felt great during today's run.

Thursday 6/4/15

Got out for an easy 11 mile loop around the Charles today. Perfect running weather in the mid 60s and sunny. I'm hoping to run a track workout tomorrow or Saturday, so I didn't want to push the run today. I kept my heart rate in the low 140s, and I felt relaxed even though the pace was 6:0X. With about 5 miles left in my run, a runner came up behind me while I was stopped at a traffic light and asked if he could run with me. I agreed, and we ran together for about 3 miles. Turns out Matt is a runner for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (D3 College in California), and he is visiting BU this summer to study. We exchanged info, and I'm looking forward to some company on my runs for a change. 11 miles in 67:04

Wednesday 6/3/15

I had plans at 7pm tonight which didn't really give me time for a full run after work, and since I didn't want to get out for a full run before work, I ran my first double session of the year. As today is also National Running Day, it felt like a good day for it.

AM: I was up for an hour before this run. so it didn't feel quite like the typical morning run slog. I was still a bit stiff though. It didn't really matter because the plan was for a nice easy run. 10k loop around the Charles. This was the first loop I ran after moving into the North End of Boston, and just about every run I did between 2011 -2013 incorporated this loop. While I still run on similar parts of the Charles, I got a bit nostalgic about running the Mass Ave bridge and seeing the familiar smoot measurements. If you aren't familiar with what a smoot is, the lore behind it is pretty funny.
6.2 miles in 38:15.

PM: After work, I got in another run on the same 10k loop that I ran this morning. However, I added in some pick ups after mile three. I didn't really hold back at all in the first three miles as I split 5:55s, so my heart was already north of 150 going into the 30 seconds pick ups. The pick ups went surprisingly well though. I felt comfortable and was able to put in a solid effort. I ran out of real estate on the Charles after 10 pick ups and decided to end it there because I didn't want to start sprinting through the city. Splits for those two miles were 5:30 and 5:28. 6.2 miles in 35:56

Tuesday 6/2/15

Got after it today. The rain finally let up in Boston, but the cold snap decided to stick around. This resulted in a overcast day in the low 50s. Perfect weather for a fast run. I started off the run in what felt like normal pace, and I was surprised to see sub 6:00 for the first 4 miles. I felt relaxed, and my heart rate was below 150. So, I kept rolling at 6:00 pace. The effort was oddly easy until mile 8 when I came into the headwind on the Storrow Drive side of the Charles River. I thought I'd fall off the pace at that point which I did do for miles 8 and 9, but I was able to reel it back in for miles 10 and 11 by picking up the effort slightly. Finished with a 5:49 to cap off my first sub 6 minute training run this year. In previous years, almost every run I did was at 5:40 - 5:50 pace, and while I want to back away from that this year, it is nice to get one in every once in a while. 11 miles in 65:46.