Busy Runner

Although the clouds and rain are overall a big bummer, they make for a great run. Today was the New Charles River Run, a flat lovely 7.5M run from Cambridge to Watertown and back. Again I had a successful race, with around a 9:15 pace. The start was really packed and a little slow but as things opened up I was going at a decent clip. This is in no small part to the fact that I spoke with a fellow TNT runner in the first mile or so, and we really pushed each other along. Thanks Paul! It was also nice to chat along the course, something I haven't done too much of, but enjoyed very much.

As for the rest of this week, I have to say I really needed to push myself to get going. I didn't skip any workouts but there were a few times I was ready to (I'm looking at you post-work Friday run on the treadmill, and Wednesday night run after eating turkey sausage, swiss chard and pasta dinner. Note to self: sausage is definitely not a good pre-run meal).

I also managed to keep up with cross training, although my one sort-of injury/ache was from spinning on Thursday. Since I am a newbie, I forget my settings on the bike, and managed to start too low and with the seat too far back. Ow my hip. It seems fine now but really ached for a couple of days.

Now I am off to write some thank you emails to those who have donated recently - I'm lucky to know such generous people! Go here to donate if you haven't already. :)

Fantastic Running Weekend

I've been continuing my training pretty religiously, with x-training and building up mileage, and I can actually see that it is paying off! Although it wasn't a great beach weekend, it sure was an awesome running weekend, cool and overcast. I enjoyed a relaxing ten miler in Matunuck (at my in-laws beach shack), and then my fastest 5k yet, 26:38 on Sunday!

On my ten mile run I found my way to the Trustom Pond Refuge, where I did some trail running and wildlife watching. Getting up at 6am (when I actually saw the sun for the only time this weekend!!) has its perks. I saw deer bounding through the woods, a snapping turtle trying to find his way back in the water, chipmunks, bunnies, squirrels, and a lot of birds. Speaking of the birds, I really need to get myself a field guide to birds, because I am a great big nerd. By the time I was heading back to the beach the fog had rolled in, but I am pretty sure my last mile was my fastest.

Sunday was perfect for a good fast race (Will Speck Memorial Race in Cranston, RI). It was a rolling course and I bested my last 5k time (which was way back in February) by almost 3 minutes - from 29:17 to 26:38. Training pays off! In some sort of freak occurrence this wound up being 8th in my age group. Woo!

Very little running in London

I think visiting my friends in the UK was a sound enough excuse to not run all that much over the past few days. I did have a short 40 minute run around Hackney, a few laps around London Fields, topped off with delicious salad from the lovely Broadway Market. Broadway Market makes my little farmer's markets around Boston look absolutely pathetic, to say the least. So many bakers, cheese mongers, veg stands, and so so soooo many local meats and fish. I now realize having one meat guy, 4 veg stands, and one baker does not make a top market.

So I did it.

10 miles yesterday... a run from my house to Fresh Pond and back. Just a trip down to Davis Sq., on the bike trail to Rindge Ave., down the busy parkway for a bit and around the reservoir. I had only run there once before (for a race), and I really enjoyed it this time around! Dogs were rolling in the mud, kids were on bikes, wildflowers were in bloom, and there were a number of water fountains en route. Unfortunately this run was only around 8.5 miles, leaving me with 1.5 miles to run around my neighborhood. This would be OK except that my house is practically surrounded on all sides by hills, and I had already just run up to my 'hood and was pretty wiped out. I knew if I went in any direction I would have to go down a hill and come back up. It was my most difficult run yet! I'm sure I'll be eating those words in a few weeks. I'll run this route again for sure, but next time take two spins around Fresh Pond so I can run (or walk) into my driveway and be done with it.

This weekend I also went to the Team in Training kick-off. Everyone was very nice, and I was happy to hear that I am ahead of the game in terms of mileage. Being my type-A self I would have never signed up for the program with no mileage under my belt. I know plenty of people do this (and do it well) but it would totally freak me out. The coach said to stay at the mileage I am at now and wait for them to catch up with me - sounds good! 10 miles was hard so I'm happy to stay there until July. I'm going to have to start concentrating on cross-training too. Yoga doesn't count! So sad. Spinning may be in my future?