Time To Run

As I prepared for my Xmas trip, I did some internet searching for running groups in the Boston area. Imagine my surprise when I came across a group based in Abington which is where we would be staying. The Colonial Road Runners website showed they had a group training run on Saturdays and a winter fun run series on Sundays. I sent an email to the address on the site and I got a reply to come and join them. Friday night a rainstorm hit the Boston area with rain being forecast through at least midday on Saturday. I wasn't sure anyone was going to show on Saturday morning but figured I would go check it out and if no one showed then I could legitimately take a rest day since I had done the hard run the day before. So I pull into the parking lot of the meeting place a few minutes before 8 and there is one car there. However in the next few minutes several more cars pull up and people get out. Keep in mind that there is a steady rain going though it is unseasonably warm by New England standards. I got out and introduced myself and ended up going on a nice 6 mile run with a great group of people. 10 of us were out there in the rain on a day where normally I wouldn't have even thought about running outdoors in California. The course they ran went by one of the members houses who wasn't with us that day but he did leave a trashcan out that had a gallon of water and papercups for us to get a drink along the way. I was very impressed by the dedication of the group and could sense that none of them thought it was any big deal to get out and run that day. I was soaked but very exhilirated as I finished up back at the school and enjoyed standing in the rain for a few more minutes before getting in the car to leave. Many thanks to the Colonial Road Runners for a great run! I plan on joining them tomorrow for their winter fun run and again next Saturday for a group run before coming home.

Posted by Jeff at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Our family got away to Massachusetts to visit my inlaws. I had mentally prepared myself for cold weather and planned on following my half marathon training plan as closely as possible though I did put an extra week in the schedule to allow for a "do over" week. We arrived Tuesday morning and went for my first run on Wednesday. My plan called for 2 1mile intervals at 10k pace and 6 200's at 5k pace. I haven't invested in a Garmin yet as the kids presents and other things keep getting ahead of it on the financial list but went out and used time to estimate the intervals. I did a warmup mile which I figured would take 9 minutes and then my first mile interval for which I ran at what I thought was 10k pace for 7:30. I followed that pattern for the rest of my interval workout estimating my interval distances by the time I thought they should take. An 800 recovery meant a 4:30 recovery and so on.... I am usually pretty obsessive about the exactness of workouts but in a way it was kind of liberating not being able to worry about it. I figure the important thing is I am getting a workout in and actually from what I measure in the car it is coming out pretty well. Oh yeah, the weather has been nice (about 40 out when I run mid morning) so it has felt good to bundle up a little and get into the crisp air.

I did the interval workout Wednesday then an easy 4 mile run on Thursday around a loop I measured out. Friday called for a tempo type run with the first part being 4 miles at half marathon pace. So I trucked around the loop after warming up trying to push it but not quite race and ended up with 31:15 which felt about right on. I recovered for 4.5 minutes then did a mile at what I though was 10k pace by running harder for 7:30. After warmup and cooldown with some strides thrown in there it ended up being 8 miles in just under 66 minutes. It was a hard workout but a rewarding one to complete. I am especially enjoying the 40ish temperatures!

Posted by Jeff at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)