Mon 12/31 - double, 75 minutes total

AM - 45 minutes easy, Levittown. Snow overnight, thankfully not as much as was forecast. Temps warm enough that it was already turning to slush, some sloppy footing as a result. Went directly from running to shoveling.

PM - 30 minutes on the treadmill, 4.3 miles. 7.9 to 9.3 mph. No desire to go out on the roads as side streets were starting to freeze over. Left hammie a bit sore but felt better after some direct pressure.

Sun 12/30 - AM just under 1:40, easy to medium

The loop I ended up running went like this and included some of the nicer stretches of road in Concord and Sudbury. I don't know that I'd be saying that if it were windy olut but it wasn't and in fact conditions were quite mild. After the past two days of harder running I held back somewhat on today's run, although I was able to fit in six strides in the last mile. Some soreness in right hammie but it didn't affect my stride noticeably.

Sat 12/29 - AM, then PM 80 minutes incl. 3k-1600 double

First crack at faster track running in a long time, and first double in an even longer time. I envisioned running the first 2400m of the 3k at 36/lap and then pick it up substantially for the last 3 laps, with the idea being that 36s would feel relaxed enough to be 5k pace. This ended up being the case more or less, although it felt a bit rushed early on. Legs felt stiff and creaky on the pokey 20 minute warmup, a little better after drills and strides. Splits a bit fast through 1600 (4:46 evenly split), it felt like a controlled deceleration for the next 800m which went in 2:25. Picked it up on the antepenultimate lap as planned, hoping to do the last 600 in under 1:40 but after a 34 I realized I couldn't go any faster. Held this pace the rest of the way for a final time of 8:53.20. This was followed by a dry scratchy throat and then a coughing fit, most unwelcome. Hopefully just a reaction to the dry air.

Cooldown after the 3k was another 20 minute crawl followed by a long wait, almost 3 hours in fact. After sitting around for most of that time I found my legs feeling quite flat and heavy even after a brief jog and some strides to wake them up. After the 3k I had fixed upon trying to run 34s and maybe shading 4:30 with a kick, but I knew I'd be dogmeat if I went out too hard. Leading off I was toe-to-toe with 8 young whippersnappers (i.e. idiots) who thought nothing of dropping the first 200 in 31 seconds even though none of them had any chance of running faster than 4:20. Knowing what was coming didn't make it any less demoralizing as I hit 200 in just under 33, DFL by 3 yards. Got to 800 in 2:16 (67,69) at which point I was strictly thinking one lap at a time. Third quarter was the pits, legs felt heavier with each step and I was going nowhere in the field even as the morning glories began their inevitable fade. Hit 1200 in 3:27 which was appalling, but also provided needed focus as I picked it up immediately and kept it up through the finish. Ability to respond under duress somewhat makes up for getting stuck in the third lap doldrums. Finished the leg in just under 4:33 which is realistically about all I was capable of today. Final cooldown was a very easy 15 minutes. Overall the experience was worthwhile as I got the feedback I was looking for.

Fri 12/28 - AM 90 minutes in Wellesley

Went along with the kiddies on a route that wound its way through the outskirts of Weston and eventually over to the NW corner of Wellesley before heading back via Washington Street. 6 strides at the end as well. Started slowly but not as slowly as I would have liked. Planned on picking up the pace the last 30 minutes which I did and then some, mainly to teach the most overeager of the kids a lesson after their too-fast start to things. Whether this approach has any value is debatable. Pushing pretty hard the last 15 minutes in part to see just how much they would take before cracking. It ended up being more than I expected. Sunny mild morning.

Thu 12/27 - double, 90 minutes total

AM - 45 minutes very easy, Levittown. Feeling some soreness in the right hammie after last night. This and the slippery layer of slush coating everything kept the stride short and the pace very relaxed.

PM - 45 minutes easy, Tiger Drive to Longfellow loop. Right leg better after laying low all day and some massage as well. After rain in the afternoon, more slush in the evening, so roads still less than optimal.

Wed 12/26 - double, 90 minutes total incl. 6x800

AM - 3m in 22 minutes on the treadmill as a morning shakeout. Some stiffness in legs to start but it dissipated relatively quickly.

PM RLTAC 6x800 with 2.5R. First appearance of the old standby. I wanted to run the repeats progressively faster, and came upon the idea of running each pair at the same target time. While legs felt kind of flat on the warmup and resting pulse seemed high earlier in the afternoon, 72-71-70 pace for the successive couplets seemed reasonable. This turned out to be just a bit fast for the beginning of the workout but not the end. Splits as follows:

2:25
2:24.4
2:22.4
2:22.9
2:20.1
2:20.2

Overall the effort was under control, although the last two required a great deal of focus. On the last one I made a conscious effort to squeeze out a bit more effort on each successive lap and yet ran them all in 35 seconds regardless. Finished the workout quite tired but not totally destroyed. I can tell the paces of these reps are right in the 3k-5k wheelhouse which is what I wanted to determine. Warmup and cooldown both outside, cooldown was quite slow.

Tue 12/25 - double, just under 90 minutes total

AM - 45 minutes easy, Levittown. Moving somewhat stiffly the first 20 minutes or so, then a little better, then some stomach issues which forced a pit stop five minutes from home. Right hammie feeling much better today.

PM - 45 minutes, to and from 10 Spencer via rt. 27 and Prospect. Feeling much more spry than in the morning, as usual. Some soreness in adductors left over from yesterday's ice removal work in the driveway, which required a lot of down-chops. Moving well throughout, with some strides near the end. Temps above freezing again today.

Mon 12/24 - PM just under an hour, Levittown to Longfellow Loop

Skirted the near reaches of each area, not feeling up for much more than that. Moving well at first, then wilted at about 30 minutes before recovering somewhat. Right hammie stuck somewhat along with left hip. Warmer day left roads dry except for places where the snowmelt had refroze. More ablation to come.

Sun 12/23 - AM just under 1:40 with 6 strides at the end

With any and all trails buried in snow, I picked a route that went into Action via Piper Road over to W. Acton center and then out Willow road into Stow, back via Crescent and White Pond Roads. Despite some lingering soreness in right hammie and quad from Friday, moving pretty well most of the run. A little shorter time-wise than what I was planning on but I was "pleasantly tired" by the end. Ran in dank cool conditions, temp was on the rise as the day went on.

Sat 12/22 - double, 1:40 total

AM - 45 minutes easy, Summerhill to Levittown. Expecting some soreness after last night's workout but not as bad as feared. Roads getting better but still slipper snow in places. Sidewalks a mess by and large. Chill dank morning.

PM - 55 minutes easy, Longfellow loop. Some tightness above left iliac crest. Some ablation during the day, but footing still varies from place to place. An ongoing theme for the foreseeable future.

Fri 12/21 - PM 70 minutes, RLTAC incl. 8k faster/slower

Every step indoors, after yesterday this was a no-brainer. 3 mile warmup on the treadmill, drills and and strides, followed by the long-awaited return of the in/out 8k. Aiming to run 5:08/5:32, actual splits for each successive 1600 were as follows:

5:09.5
5:30.2
5:06.8
5:27.4
5:03.7 (last 800 2:30)

overall time of just under 26:18. A solid effort on the whole, a bit tiring near the end as expected. While the contrast wasn't quite as extreme between the faster and slower segments, it was sufficient to allow for recovery of sorts. Took turns every 800m with the pace, I ended up with the first half of each mile. No left ankle issues to speak of during or after the workout which was a relief. Cooldown was 20 minutes very slow on the floor.

Thu 12/20 - PM 25 minutes easy, Roxbury

two laps around the Madison Park area before the kiddies' meet, mainly on Tremont and New Dudley. Awful awful awful conditions, snow showers started overnight and simply never stopped. I had no desire to go on the treadmill as I'll be on it tomorrow, so I stumbled around on slippery sidewalks instead. Unable to move faster than a crawl, wind-driven snow made it even more forgettable than yesterday's run. On the bright side, left ankle not nearly as sore as it was yesterday. No time to go for a second run after the meet as it was still snowing and I had to shovel out the driveway. Again.

Wed 12/19 - PM just under 60 minutes easy/very easy

Negotiated a route through Brookline and the Fens, searching out clear sidewalks with only partial success. Ice and packed snow all over, not fun at all. After getting home last night, left ankle became stiff and sore and this persisted through the day at work. Especially sore on stairs, very worrisome. Took a good 15 minutes or so to loosen up at all during the run, slippery uneven ice sections didn't treat it well. Soreness is located in a spot lower than where it had been sore recently, medial side beneath the talus. Another in a long string of left leg issues that goes back to September.

Tue 12/18 - RLTAC 2(800, 800, 1600)

Once again, I arrived at the track with no intention of running even a step outdoors. Warmup and cooldown were both 3 miles in 21 minutes on the treadmill, run in identical fashion. A no-brainer given the state of the sidewalks outside. After drills and strides, the workout was as follows:

first set:
2:25, 2:26, 4:55 (even split)

second set:
2:26.5, 2:24, 4:52 (2:26.5, 2:25.5)

recovery was 2.5 minutes between 800s and 3.5 before and after the 1600s. Overall the workout went well and everything was under control. I decided to go out on a bit of a limb on the final 1600 and was able to hit the number without undue extra effort, although it did take a 72 final 400 to do it. I had been leaning toward tacking on a pair of quarters at the end, but the left hip started tightening up after the last 800. Prior to that it felt fine. Not nearly as stiff as last Tuesday, esp. on the cooldown. In hindsight, assuming the hip would have held up I definitely could have tacked on a third 800 to the first set at this pace.

Mon 12/17 - PM just over 60 minutes, Longfellow loop

Roads socked in with ice and packed snow, no real end in sight. Screw shoes a must, although the traction was still far from ideal. Despite this fact, moving pretty well. I would have liked to extend the run further but there wasn't time. Seven strides on the way in.

Sun 12/16 - double, 85 minutes total

AM - 7 miles on the treadmill in just under 49 minutes post-shoveling. Snowing furiously outside which made this the only option. Road race I had entered was cancelled, no surprise there but disappointing nonetheless. Speed between 7.5 and 9.5 mph.

PM - 35 minutes in Levittown. Not especially motivated for this one but got it in anyway. I thought waiting until the evening would give the plows a chance to work their magic. They did, but the snow changed to rain and left the streets in an icy state as the temp dropped. Went with the screw shoes but there were sections that were too slippery for them.

Sat 12/15 - AM 60 minutes very easy Longfellow loop

A relaxed morning jog, some soreness in hip from last night but nothing like as bad as it felt on Wednesday. Roads in Sudbury no more clear than they were last night due to cold temps and little direct sun. Planned on doing a double today, but the back half went by the boards as I was feeling tired from errands all day.

Fri 12/14 - PM just over 60 minutes, Levittown incl. 6x4 minute pickups

RLTAC closed, blessing in disguise with regards to the left TFL not being further aggravated. I had planned on doing this session on the Longfellow loop but location scouting showed snow removal there was woefully inadequate. Back to Levittown which was 95% clear. Warmup jog just over 15 minutes and then right into the repeats. Last pickup of the six was actually five minutes instead of four as I was feeling pretty good. One minute recoveries between each, making the workout more of a tempo/threshold effort. Overall it felt under control, some stiffness in left hip but nothing that bad. Cooldown jog 15+ minutes.

Thu 12/13 - 55 minutes easy, Levittown

Squeezed in this run between rounds of shoveling snow from a quick-hitter that left close to 10 inches of relatively fluffy snow in Maynard. Treadmill was there as an option but I wanted to see the snow, as it were, plus I'm planning on being on the treadmill/inside tomorrow anyway.

The side streets of Levittown were traffic-free, some more plowed than others. In general, the entire neighborhood was better-suited for skiing than running. Chose the yaktrax over screw shoes for traction, nothing short of snowshoes would have ensured sure footing though. The worst of the snow finished as I was finishing up, there were a few moments of wind-driven white blindness prior to that. These conditions were not the best for the left TFL, which I'm fairly convinced is the locus/cause of the inflammation in the iliac crest.

Wed 12/12 - PM 70 minutes very easy/easy, Brookline/Boston

Loop from Coolidge Corner to the Fens and along the river before heading back via Comm Ave. Left hip was very sore and awkwardly stiff all day at work. TFL inflamed, limping around on it. Not looking forward to the first five minutes of the run and it was as expected a teeth-gritting experience. The worst of the pain subsided quicker than I thought, although it never loosened up to the point where it felt good. I used the lax ball to find a large area of adhesion/spasm in the left lat muscle near the affected area. Hard to say if this is the root cause of the problems along the iliac crest or just collateral damage. Getting at the crux of the sore area is more problematic, both due to leverage and not wanting to further aggravate a swollen area. The stiffness and soreness in the left iliac crest looks like it will be an ongoing theme with the day after RLTAC workouts. Hopefully it remains manageable with stretching and massage. Chilly evening with a blustery NW wind after a warmer morning and afternoon. More white hell coming tomorrow.

Tue 12/11 - 75 minutes RLTAC incl. 1600, 3(3x400)

Cold rain and icy sidewalks had me inside again for the entire workout. 5k warmup on the treadmill, followed by drills. 1600 went in 4:56 (2:29,2:27) and felt relatively smooth and under control. Last 400 was 73 as I picked it up a bit without undue extra effort. After a five minute jog, the rest of the workout went as follows:

first set: 68.1, 68.8, 67.8

4:30 jog

second set: 72.7, 73, 72.9

4:30 jog

third set: 68.6, 68.4, 68.2

Rest between 400s was the requisite 90 seconds, although I shorted it a bit the second set. These were the numbers I was shooting for going in, and were well-chosen targets. The first set felt surprsingly relaxed, if a bit fast for 3k pace, while the second set was very much under control and felt like 5k pace. All the treadmill running recently has smoothed out my stride as always.

The third set two things happened to keep me from going any faster than 68--cumulative fatigue (first lap of each was slower than in the first set) but also the left hip got sore, right below the iliac crest where various muscles attach. I was able to adjust for it and finish the workout, but it was tender afterward and will likely feel terrible tomorrow. After the first workout indoors last week I was worried this would become a recurrent problem, but things seemed much better following last Friday's workout. Certainly running tight counterclockwise turns isn't the best thing for it. The fact that the soreness wasn't an issue until the third set suggests that faster speeds and fatigue play a role. Short slow 10 minute cooldown on the floor.

Mon 12/10 - PM treadmill, 6 miles in just over 42 minutes

With last night's sleet/ice pellet storm leaving sidewalks and side streets a hockey rink combined with getting home late, the treadmill became the only option. Speed between 7.5 an 9.2 mph, a couple of breaks at 15 minute intervals to attend to kitchen stuff. Breaking the run into three digestible bits certainly made it easier.

Sun 12/9 - PM 105 minutes easy to medium

Chose a route on the fly that included a good chunk of old haunts in Acton incl. Indian Village and Windsor Ave, over to Tempo triangle via Mt. Hope and back via White Pond Rd to Summerhill. Not feeling especially spry, much of the run was at a relatively modest pace as a result. Did some strides at the end by which time I was good and tired. Ambient conditions perilously close to being dank, overcast and temp hovering around freezing. Not especially inspiring.

Sat 12/8 - double, 1:30 total

AM - 30 minutes very easy in Wellesley. The first couple of minutes were not pleasant at all. Legs creaky and stiff, and left hip flexor area sore and inflamed from last night's workout. Loosened up somewhat by the end but the pace never got past a jog.

PM - 60 minutes easy, Longfellow loop. Feeling better than the morning, no surprise there, but still capable of easy recovery pace only. With afternoon temps above freezing for the first time in almost a week, there was some welcome ablation of the hardened snowpack. Not that it matters with more snow/sleet in the forecast.

Fri 12/7 - PM RLTAC 75 minutes incl. 3(400,400,800)

Like Tuesday, ran every step indoors, as a snow shower made the sidewalks quite slippery and thoroughly unappealing. 5k warmup on the treadmill followed by a set of drills. Splits on the workout as follows:

first set:
70.9
69.8
2:26.7 (73/73.7)

second set:
68.7
69.2
2:24.7 (73.2/71.5)

third set:
69.3
69.3
2:26.3 (73.4/72.9)

1.5R between 400s, 2R before the 800s and 2.5R after each 800. Consistent and a bit quicker than what I thought would be running, although the 400s were too fast overall which left me sapped for the 800s somewhat. Tried to run negative splits on the 800s after the first one. Legs a little rubbery on the final rep and definitely tired when it was all over. Cooldown 20 minutes very easy on the floor.

Thu 12/6 - PM 75 minutes, Longfellow loop

Took the full tour of McMansionville for the first time which was a hoot. Also hit the Loker-Ruddock extension. Left hip felt like garbage all day at work, I knew the first few minutes of the run would be a chore and they were. Thankfully it loosened up somewhat after that although never pain-free. Hopefully it will remain manageable from here on out. I was able to do strides at the end which was more than could be said yesterday. Moving fairly well at times, the mantra helped. Many of the roads were in worse shape than I had expected. Continued colder than normal temps, three days now of 24/7 below freezing. Given this I should have expected the icy patches on the side streets.

Wed 12/5 - just under 60 minutes, Levittown

All but the last few minutes of the run were quite easy, picked it up to a moderate pace for the run down Main St. near the end. Left hip obnoxiously sore all day at work and for the most part, it remained so during the run. Most definitely aggravated from last night's workout on the track. As such, this doesn't bode well because it was sore as a bastard. Swelling just above iliac crest, tenderness and spasm both above and below this spot. Fingers tightly crossed going forward. Continued cold but not as windy today which makes a big difference. Some of the side streets in better shape than others.

Tue 12/5 - PM RLTAC 75 minutes incl. 2(8x200)

The weather and footing outside continue to be frightful, no real end in sight. Lots of ice underfoot to go along with colder than normal temps and a wind chill. I knew from the moment I parked my car that I would be doing all my running indoors. Warmed up on the treadmill (no longer so wretched after the day off yesterday), 4 miles in 29 minutes, followed by a set of drills and then two sets of 8x200 with 100 float (crawl). Five minutes recovery jog between sets. I took splits w/o looking at the watch, running on feel. It could have felt better quite frankly. Legs felt somewhat clunky and awkward, beyond what I would expect for any readjustment to running indoors. Left hammie was sore on the warmup as well and I didn't want to tweak it any worse. Nature of the workout forced me to find a sustainable level of turnover which was a little less than what I had thought myself capable of. The numbers bear this out:

first set
8:12.6 avg. rep 35.8 interval 25.8
second set
8:18.8 avg. rep 36.0 interval 26.3

the intervals slowed down to the 27 second range towards the end of the second set as I squeezed out every last drop of recovery from a scant 100m jog. I knew the first set was just a bit quick, but overall it was fairly consistent.

Cooldown was 25+ minutes on the floor and treadmill, followed by stretching. Left hip felt somewhat sore afterward, as it has off and on since the end of September.

Mon 12/3 - off

first day off in a while, although there have been some light days sprinkled in there as well. White hell arrived overnight, snow followed by rain which made for a mess everywhere. Perfect conditions for a run on the treadmill but I couldn't bring myself to use the wretched thing. Got home late , feeling tired and sore after the weekend's efforts. Combined with the other factors taking the day off was a no-brainer.

Sun 12/2 - AM 1:45 round trip to bakery

Took it easy on the trip out which involved various stops as well. Checked out the paths behind Woodlawn Cemetery for the first time in years, and found some of them fading from disuse or eliminated by sprawl. So much for nostalgia. Gradually picked up the pace on the way back, more to get it over with than anything else. The weather wasn't as miserable as last night but no picnic either. Continued cold and overcast. The approaching storm's presence is palpable.

Sat 12/1 - double, 1:45 total incl. 5x5 minute reps

AM - just over 40 minutes easy, a morning shakeout. Legs have bounced back somewhat from how they felt last night, thankfully. Cold with an intense NW wind.

PM - just over an hour, Longfellow loop. Warmup just under 20 minutes then 5x5 min. pickups with 2 minute recoveries. Resting pulse on the high side much of the afternoon, had reservations about doing the workout this evening. It went well enough despite this, although legs felt a little rubbery at the start of the last rep. Despicable wind chill to go along with the coldest night of the season so far which enlivened the proceedings.

Fri 11/30 - PM 35 minutes very easy

The bill came due today as my legs felt like absolute garbage from jump street. The listlessness spread from the legs to everywhere else within 10 minutes or so. Planning on a shorter run anyway but I shortened it even more as a result. Colder conditions have arrived incl. wind chill. More of that to look forward to tomorrow.

Thu 11/29 - PM 70 minutes round trip to TJs

About 35 minutes for both legs of the trip. What with the net elevation gain on the trip back plus the extra weight of groceries I was carrying, the effort was definitely a bit quicker on the way back. Given the hard effort yesterday, legs felt much better than expected. Left ankle was distressingly sore all day at work but I didn't notice it while running. Both calves are awfully tight and that might be a factor here as well. Warmer today and dank.

Wed 11/28 - PM just over 70 minutes incl. tempo sandwich

After a warmup jog of just over 15 minutes, 12 minutes tempo, 3R, 8x1 minute pickups with 1 minute recoveries, 3R, 12 minutes tempo. All of it on the side streets of Levittown. Not feeling especially motivated or fresh in the legs at the outset, I had my doubts about my ability to complete this session going in. Original plan was to do the 1 minute reps on a hill, I'm glad I skipped that part because it probably would have put me under. As it was, the initial 12 minute chunk started off relatively slowly and I worked my way into it. The short reps felt good for turnover if nothing else. Legs feeling heavy on the final tempo segment, esp. at about the halfway mark, but I was able to keep it together by focusing on maintaining a compact efficient stride. Overall it came off better than expected. Cold but calm conditions, a wind tonight would have made things miserable in the extreme. Left medial shin area, just above the ankle, has been a little sore lately, possibly from rolling it on slippery leaves Sunday but it also could be just an overuse thing. Not noticing it once I get going but it will bear watching.

Tue 11/27 - PM 70 minutes medium

Parker to River to Stow road, back via White Pond to Track road. 5 strides on the way in. Moving well at times, although it felt like I was overdoing it at times as well. Less stiffness today than yesterday in the legs, but calves were surprisingly sore. Seasonably cool temps and breezy this evening.

Mon 11/26 - Pm 55 minutes very easy, Brookline/JP

out and back loop that included a lap around Jamaica Pond. Hammies not feeling so hot at all after yesterday, esp. the right. Did a lot of chair-edge compressions on it during the day at work which helped some. Putting off tomorrow's workout until Wednesday. Same temps today as yesterday, but it was wet and fairly dank out, not especially pleasant.

Sun 11/25 - PM 1:45 Lincoln woods incl. 12x200 w/200 jog

Over to Emerson Field via Sandy Pond in a little under an hour. Didn't bother to time the 200s, no point to it but the 12 laps total took about 20 minutes to complete. Took a much more direct route back, not feeling nearly so spry as the trip over. Less tired than last night's run, but the hammie/hip flexor area feeling tight and sore on both sides. Much warmer than the past two days but the wind was just as noisome, only from a different direction i.e. SSW. Seemed like I slipped on the leaves a lot more today than on Friday's run. Possibly a result of the legs being less able to cope with the uneven footing due to reasons mentioned above. Back on roads tomorrow.

Sat 11/24 - double, 1:50 total, both easy

AM - just over an hour, Pratt's Brook to rail bed. With a detour to check out the Grace superfund site, always nostalgic as I grew up right next door. Took it very easy, legs stiff and I had some trouble getting out of bed. Various stops along the way. Clear and cold, mostly due to the continued NW wind.

PM - just over 45 minutes, Longfellow loop. 8 strides on the way in. I had hoped that after laying low all afternoon I'd be able to roll along much more smoothly in the evening than during the morning run. While I did feel more loose and alert, still not quite what I had hoped for and I had to dial back on the intensity of the run as a result. Strides lacked a certain pop as well. Overall feeling somewhat tired from recent efforts. Wind subsided during the day which made things a lot more comfortable for running.

Fri 11/23 - PM just under 90 minutes, Walden woods

Back on the familiar, now leaf-covered, trails for the first time in a while. Somewhat concerned about the footing, despite some slips it wasn't as bad as expected. Moving better as the run progressed and finished with four strides. Clear cold windy day as the NW wind took over. Right hip flexor sore afterwards. Left goosefoot still somewhat sore but not debilitating which was a relief.

Thu 11/22 - double, 90 minutes total incl. 5k road race

AM - 25 minute or so warmup, 5k in 16:00, 10 minute cooldown. Ran about what I thought I would be capable of which is somewhat edifying even if the time is depressingly mediocre. Warmup was very slow as it took time for the tight sore goosefoot to loosen up at all. I was concerned how it would feel in the race but as ever once the gun went off, the focus was elsewhere. From a tactical standpoint I ran quite well, held back a bit on the slightly uphill first mile and then moved up to the lead group by 2.5m. As I rolled up to the leader's shoulder the eventual winner made an aggressive move that I wasn't able to cover completely, but the two of us got clear and maintaining the second spot was no problem. No mile markers that I could tell but I was running on feel anyway and didn't bother to start the watch. Cool humid conditions.

PM - just under 45 minutes very easy. Needed a shakeout after the cooldown this morning was cut short. Shuffling along, energy level pretty low after the race this morning and a long day yesterday. Goosefoot stiff and sore, alarmingly so at times near the end of the run. Definitely inflamed. I did some cross-fiber friction on the VMO and adductor area after the run which seemed to help, but the next few days will tell the tale.

Wed 11/21 - PM 75 minutes easy/med

A mostly flat loop in the Brookline/Brighton area with a stretch along the river. Left goosefoot (aka pes ansurinus) was feeling ominously sore all day, thankfully it loosened up relatively quickly. Currently there are five different problem areas in my left leg between the hip and knee. This from the leg that has typically been problem-free compared to the right side. I definitely did something to the right side back in September, still dealing with the aftermath. Despite this pace got going to a fairly decent level, although the sore leg prevented me from doing strides. Cool damp evening, similar to last night.

Tue 11/20 - PM 60 minutes

Full circuit of Levittown then Summerhill and Tiger Drive. Started off relatively spry, but around 45 minutes I started to wilt and rapidly lost it from there. Cut the run short from a planned 80 minutes or soUnderlying tiredness still very much there despite a reasonably good night's rest. The two nights before left a mark. Left hip/lower back felt like crap much of the day, then during and after the run the left PA started twinging in a most unwelcome way. Lately both hip flexors have been feeling somewhat reminiscent of the way they were six years ago, when serious muscle imbalances were diagnosed in my core. I may have to get bck on the swiss ball again.

Mon 11/19 - PM 60 minutes easy

Tried a seldom-visited area, Powers Rd. to Maynard Farm and King's Grant to start. Powers has a bit more traffic than I would like but it has potential as another area for winter road loops. Taking it easy a no-brainer today, for many different reasons. Left hammie/hip/lower back area sore again, similar to the aftermath of Mayor's Cup but thankfully not as severe this time. I keep thinking whatever is plaguing me in that region is water under the bridge when the soreness and tightness subside, then a long hard effort comes along and it comes right back. Stretching and some direct pressure on the sore points seems to be dealing the symptoms and not the cause, whatever that is. Also tired, again, after another insomniac episode, second night in a row. Not as bad as Saturday night, no afternoon nap to blame but rather the beginnings of a dry scratchy throat. Spending a good chunk of a cold day yesterday standing and runnign around outside might have had something to do with it. Hoping fervently against coming down with anything right now, it would absolutely ruin me.

Sun 11/18 - AM 80 minutes incl. Franklin Park 10k in 33:21

Another disappointing effort. Of the various factors contributing to it, succumbing to exhaustion yesterday afternoon and taking a two plus hour nap was a fatal error. I realized this for the umpteenth time when I was lying in bed awake at 3 AM, four hours after going to bed last night at the usual time. Ingested as much caffeine as I felt comfortable with before the race and gave it a go anyway. After an opening mile of 5:03 that I thought would be more like 5:10, things slowed right down to 5:30 pace and stayed in that range the rest of the way. 2 miles just over 10:30, 5k 16:40, 4 miles 21:30ish, 8k 26:52. Hit numbers slightly faster than the crapfest that was Mayor's Cup, but I'd have to be running backwards to go any slower than that dog of a race. As I had been feeling better in the two weeks leading up to this race after taking a week easy to let the left hamstring heal after Mayor's Cup, I thought I'd be capable of something more respectable. Hard to say how much the insomniac disaster affected things, but the underlying flatness was palpable. Went through the motions of a race effort, felt like I was running hard. Fell back through the pack from 2-5 miles anyway. Still I was able to make a conscious effort the last kilo which enabled me to pass back one person. Whoopee. Not taking a long nap the day before a race is such a no-brainer, I knew the moment I woke up yesterday afternoon that I was in all likelihood screwed. Better question is why I was tired enough on a Saturday to take a nap like that. It feels like one step forward three steps back with the persistent feeling of exhaustion, which in turn kills me when it's time to run hard. Various left leg/hip/back issues also not helping, not at the level of a full-blown injury but still a nuisance. Some combination of these has left me racing at what was my tempo pace two months ago. Two years ago I ran this race a minute faster on a day where it was more slippery underfoot than today. The frustration continues.

Sat 11/17 - PM 35 minutes easy/medium

with strides at the end. Felt smooth enough, although I was feeling tired most of the day today. Left hip/back sore again, not something I notice much while running but more so afterwards. Still not sure what the root cause is, and it had been feeling better lately but the issue was obviously still lurking.

Fri 11/16 - PM just under 70 minutes, round trip to TJs

35 minutes out, 32 on the return trip. Still dealing with some tightness in right hip flexor and general stiffness early on, this worked itself out after 15 minutes or so and from then on I was moving fairly well. Return trip was quicker from the get-go. Overall legs felt much better than yesterday, which isn't saying much but I'll take it. Cold and windy all day, more seasonable conditions for this time of year.

the route to TJ's, 4.8 miles

Thu 11/15 - PM just under 70 minutes easy, Sudbury

Mossman to McMansionville and back via Longfellow loop. As expected, legs felt like garbage and right hip flexor in particular. This precluded me from doing any strides, but not overdoing it on the pace was no problem at all. Hoping to bounce back in the coming days, took the time to stretch afterwards. Rained hard most of the afternoon, by the time I started the showers had passed, leaving dank and slightly warmer than usual conditions.

Wed 11/14 - PM 75 minutes incl. Comm Ave hill repeats

6 trips from bottom to top followed by 6 shorter reps, ca. 200m, where I arbitrarily chose a manhole cover as the stopping point. First long hill was 1:55, next four were all between 1:51 and 1:52, the last one 1:49.6 which took more effort than I would have liked. Recoveries back down ranged from just under 2:30 to just over 2:40, last two recoveries were the slowest as I was dawdling a bit under the strain of the effort. Shorter hills were all 37-38 getting slightly faster towards the end, with recoveries consistently over a minute. Right hip flexor felt like garbage upon starting the warmup and never really loosened up fully, which was disappointing as the area had been feeling better yesterday. It will be interesting to see where it's at tomorrow. A bit more of a headwind compared to the last time I ran these, not as warm but still unseasonably warm for this time of year.

Tue 11/13 - PM just under 70 minutes

Started in Levittown, headed over to Longfellow loop. Very similar pattern to yesterday's run with a stop at 45 minutes, four strides on the way in. If anything today was faster-paced than yesterday, lately the pace on runs like this has gotten quicker. Had to make a conscious effort to hold back at times. Hopefully I'm not frying myself by doing this, but so far there's been no downturn in motivation or energy level so I'll continue to play it by ear. Hill repeats scheduled for today will be done tomorrow, as there'll still be plenty of time to recover for Sunday.

Mon 11/12 - PM just under 70 minutes, Area 51

Moving at a medium intensity most of the way, with a longish break at 45 minutes and four strides on the way in. I had considered going a little further but decided to hold back a bit on the volume today. Some residual soreness from Saturday's workout, incl. tightness on left knee, but nothing major. Still on the cold side but not as windy as it has been which is a welcome relief.

Sun 11/11 - AM just under 105 minutes, round trip to bakery

Took a while to get going, legs stiff and sore to start. Cold as well. Eventually loosened up as things also warmed up. As such, the return trip was 10 minutes faster even though I did it with 4 pounds of bread on my back. Same route as the TJ run only with a couple extra miles on the rail bed tacked on. The rail bed is in rough shape in places, had to take it slow at times.

Sat 11/10 - PM 90 minutes incl. repeats at Franklin Park

First mile of the FP course in 4:58, 3.5R, then 4x3 minutes (2R) 4x2 minutes (1.5R), 4x1 minute (1R). I spent 6+ hours at the park today, most of it watching the races, with the workout squeezed in between. Cold with a bitter NNE wind, which made things much more uncomfortable than I would have predicted or preferred. Thankfully the workout itself coincided with the warmest part of the day. Despite some concern that I'd be low on energy after the morning spent standing around freezing, I was able to complete the long workout. The mile was supposed to be race pace, I'm assuming 10k race pace, in which case it certainly wasn't. Still a worthwhile exercise as I now know what too fast feels like for next Sunday. As expected, the 3 minute reps were a real slog after the fast mile, but as the reps got shorter and farther removed from the start of the session I was moving relatively better. Cooldown was very slow as I was wiped out. After Tuesday's underwhelming workout I had doubts about my fitness, but resting better seems to have helped in the interim. I like doing workouts like this in the park and it's a shame we don't do them more often.

Fri 11/9 - PM 65 minutes medium

Parker road to River Street then on to S. Acton road and back via White Pond and Summerhill. Four strides on the way in. Played out like a shorter version of yesterday's run, similar in terms of intensity. Feeling somewhat better today right from the get-go, tried to hold back a bit early on. Running at the upper end of comfortable at times in the last half hour. this left me a bit depleted for the strides at the end, not that I mind simulating the feeling of picking up the speed when tired. Similar conditions as yesterday as well, only a mild breeze.

Thu 11/8 - PM 85 minutes, Longfellow loop extended

Nursing something of a grudge after the past two days of crappy running, I wanted to take out my frustrations this evening. Legs feeling a bit better but still experiencing soreness in right hip flexor/adductor area, which has also migrated on down to the right PA. No real surprise there, and the pain is not acute but more of an annoyance. Started somewhat slowly but still quicker than yesterday from the get-go, gradually ramped it up in stages until taking a bathroom break at just over an hour. Mixed in seven pickups on the way in over the last 20 minutes. Strides felt decent enough but the recent strain on the right side makes it harder to generate turnover. Explored every nook and cranny of the Longfellow loop area, incl. forays into McMansionville and Mossman road. Seasonably chilly but without much wind (unlike last night), which overall made for pleasant conditions.

Wed 11/7 - PM 60 minutes easy, Brookline/Allston

Both legs felt like garbage from first step to the last, which put a damper on the proceedings. More sore and dinged up than I had expected (hoped) after yesterday's rather modest workout. As such, I cut the length of the run short when it became apparent they weren't going to loosen up or feel any better. Right hip flexor/sartorius feels like I may have strained it, something else to add to the litany of woe. I want my legs back, the ones I had from July through September. Much drier today than yesterday with the NW wind picking up to make things uncomfortably chilly.

Tue 11/6 - PM 80 minutes incl. 6400m cutdown in 22:43

After a 25 minute warmup and drills, successive 1600 splits of 5:55, 5:45, 5:35, and 5:28. The last number tells the story as I too quickly reached the point at which I couldn't maintain the pace progression anymore. From the beginning, every pace felt 10 sec/mile faster than what it actually was. Worth noting here that six weeks ago I was able to run the hilly 4.6m course in Lincoln at a much faster overall pace without undue stress. Still feeling flat, still tired, still running poorly. A couple of days feeling decent don't make up for the three shitty weeks preceding them. I had planned on doing either an 8k cutdown with the last mile @5:15 or the 6400m cutdown followed by 4x400. As it turns out I did neither. Attempted a 400 after a five minute break, rolled through 200 in just over 37 and it felt much harder than that. Combined with ongoing stomach issues that bugged me during the warmup and a sore right hip flexor and some lingering soreness in the left hammie, it was an easy call to bag it. This left me with a decidedly unimpressive result for the workout. Got to bed early last night feeling good and tired, yet I slept fitfully for no good reason whatsoever. Conditions for the workout were favorable for this time of year, no wind to speak of and chilly but not too cold. Cooldown was a crawl, negligible knee lift due to core fatigue and soreness.

Mon 11/5 - PM round trip to TJs, 70 minutes

Forget to get the sushi over the weekend, thus the repeat of last Wednesday's run. The biggest difference being that the trip was 10+ minutes faster this time around. While not feeling as smooth as yesterday evening's run, I was able to get moving esp. towards the end. Had to hold back at times so as not to get ahead of myself in advance of tomorrow's workout. All the superslow running last week has left me with some pent-up energy. After some tightness the first 10 minutes or so, left hammie felt reasonably good the rest of the way. I may have overdone it on the post-run stretching last night, after this evening's run I stuck to compressions on the area.

Sun 11/4 - double, 1:50 total

AM - just under 60 minutes easy, Lincoln woods. Felt relatively spry and alert for all of five minutes and it was all downhill from there. Tired and listless, much like Thursday but in this case in the morning. Cut the run short and it couldn't end soon enough. Slept fitfully last nightand I think this is what did me in. This evening will tell the tale.

PM - 50 minutes, Longfellow loop, with six strides on the way in. Complete opposite of the morning's run, moving well from the get-go and gliding right along. Added to the pace and sustained a strong efort until just after 30 minutes, then slowed it down so I could do some strides to cap things off. The strides were pain-free for all intents and purposes, a positive sign even if the legs felt a bit weak when trying to generate turnover. All this thanks to laying low and taking a nap in the afternoon. Despite some lingering soreness in iliac crest area, I think I'm ready to start running workouts again.

Sat 11/3 - double, 90 minutes total

AM - just under 45 minutes in Area 51. Stiff-legged to start, no longer forced to run without knee lift but left hammie not whole again either. As has been the pattern for a few days now, things felt better after 15-20 minutes. Got the run in just before the rain started falling. Thought about extending the run to an hour plus but decided to save something for the evening to see if my legs feel better from the get-go.

PM - just over 45 minutes, Longfellow loop. Spent the day inside resting, and also got some work in on the psoas which felt tight as a drum. Legs felt better than in the morning, still not there with the left hammie but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Waited until the rain finally pulled away to start the run, blustery and cold but the worst of it was over.

Fri 11/2 - PM just under 70 minutes, Brookline/JP

Another day of easy running, although I think there may finally be some appreciable headway in terms of the left hammie. Still not entirely right, but I'm able to run with a little bit of knee lift w/o undue discomfort. As expected, going easy and leaving it alone (other than massage/compressions) have helped. Remains to be seen how and when I'm going to be able to do faster running and not reaggravate it. Breezy and cool, ill wind blowing all day as what's left of a hurricane churns its way up the coast towards NE. Tomorrow, lots of rain.

Thu 11/1 - PM 45 minutes, Area 51

Listless and tired, surprisingly so. Cut the length of the run short when it became apparent things weren't going to change in that department, fog never cleared. Hammie maybe just a bit better than yesterday, in fact I tried to run with a little actual knee lift the last 10 minutes. It may or may not have been a good idea, time will tell. Many many compressions afterwards plus some work on the lower back as well. I keep finding pinched spots and adhesions in the area day after day.

Wed 10/31 - PM 80+ minutes, round trip to TJs

Improvement in left hammie has leveled off somewhat since yesterday as compared to the previous 24 hours, as a result ran at the same shambling jog. Still unable to do anything faster without reaggravating problem areas. As it is, lower back just above ilium got sore on the return leg of the trip as I was carrying a few pounds of groceries. Warmer this evening than the previous two nights.

Tue 10/30 - PM 85 minutes, Track Road to Area 51

very easy once again, perhaps not quite as slow as yesterday's run but not much quicker either. Left high hammie feels better today than yesterday, not really saying much given how stuck it was yesterday. Still no knee lift whatsoever. Area around ilium and lower back feeling pinched and sore as they have since the last week of September. Can't put my finger on exactly what I did to the whole area at that time, but it's been a problem ever since.

Mon 10/29 - PM just over 60 minutes, Longfellow loop

very easy today, in fact superslow most if not all of the way, as a result of the high left hammie shriveling up into a ball of spasm overnight. I felt it tightening up last night but didn't think it would be as bad as it was in the morning. Limping around most of the day at work, I had doubts as to the advisability of running at all but that turned out to be overblown. So long as I didn't run with any knee lift whatsoever I was fine. Just a minor caveat there. I didn't see this one coming at all, as I didn't feel anything overly out of sorts yesterday. I suppose the leg issues could have played a role in the turdburger of a race I had but I doubt it. Now it's just easy easy running and waiting until it comes around. Hopefully a quick turnaround.

Sun 10/28 - PM 65 minutes incl. Mayor's Cup in 27:10

The time is a personal worst on the FP 8k, for whatever time comparisons in cross country are worth. In terms of quality of effort, a more valid measure for this event and course, today's comes in ahead only of the times I've dropped out. Woke up less than refreshed after hanging in until the end of another 4+ hour world series game, very stupid of course (and a big fuck you to Fox while I'm on the subject for the late start time, extended commercial breaks, inane taco talk, and useless commentators). After the mini-taper of the past few days, legs felt okay but not great, although the soreness in the hammies returned with surprising intensity afterwards. Splits of 5:00 (too fast but I didn't realize it at the time), 10:35, 16:47 at 5k, and 21:47 at 4 miles. People started passing me after the first trip up the hill and after two miles I continued to sink like a stone relative to the field despite trying to hang with various people who passed by at a rate slow enough to stay in contact. The split times indicate this, I never threw in the towel but was unable to muster any kind of stick-to-itiveness. Lit up by 4 people in the last 150m and utterly powerless to do anything about it, as the extremely shallow well was completely dried up by then. Of course, I was able to catch my breath and walk out of the chute while those four were still gasping with hands on knees, which says it all in terms of how I was unable to tap into whatever fitness I have developed recently. Further emphasizing how poor this race was is the fact that it was a relatively fast day, the course was firm and mostly dry with no traction issues although the wind was gusting strongly enough to slow the times a bit. Six weeks ago, with the same weather and course conditions as today, I would have run under 26.

The slide that started about a month ago continues unabated, each race since Labor Day has been worse than the one before. Unlike the half-marathon, there was no $300 check to serve as solace for running like a dog. The effort in the local yokel Maynard road race seems like it was done a million years ago by a different person. In truth it was a different person as evidenced by the fact that the two times we did the "classic" Lincoln tempo this fall I ran a faster pace with less effort than today. Coming home from the AZ vacation more tired than when I left helped grease the skids to exhasution, since then (and before then) it's the same old story of staying up too late. As ever, the tired strung-out mess I'm in is my own fault and things can be turned around, which begins and ends with getting to bed earlier. Although there's also the matter of the ill-advised pilates-type exercise I added to the stretching routine about the time things really went south, in hindsight it's making my hammies feel worse and it's past time to stop doing it.

Sat 10/27 - PM 40 minutes, incl. drills and strides

Easy shakeout ahead of tomorrow's race. Strides not as numerous or as intense as those from Thursday, after how sore my hammies were yesterday. Drills helped loosen things up. Massive slugabed morning, took forever to get going. Rainy, windy and warm all day.

Fri 10/26 - PM 40 minutes easy

Cut the length of the run short as I was feeling tired and listless. Cut out strides as the left leg, esp. hammie, didn't react as well as I would have hoped to yesterday's strides. Other than that, right on schedule for Sunday and beyond. Tiredness continues, sleeping more this week than I have been for the past few, but still not enough.

Thu 10/25 - PM 50+ minutes easy Area 51

Stumbled along the patrol road in the dark w/o headlamp, part of a 40 minute warmup for doing strides on the track in racing flats. Planning on running 200s but there was a game on so I stuck to 150s. Left hip/back/leg complex feels a bit better than it has been recently but still far from what it should be. I did something to my lower back/oblique area and I think it's driving a lot of the problems I've been having with the left leg, on top of the strain suffered running on the hill in the dark. The adhesions return as quickly as I try to massage them away. This made the bulk of the run and the first few strides somewhat uncomfortable, felt better after loosening up. Much cooler night as compared to recent conditions.

Wed 10/24 - PM 60 minutes easy, Area 51

It took a long time to get going this evening, not especially motivated after feeling tired on the drive home from work. Stepped out the door planning on only 45 minutes or so, but stretched it out to an hour once I was able to get rolling. That being a relative term, moving at a slow pace after last night's workout. Some stiffness in legs but range of motion in left hammie is as good as I could hope for. Unseasonable warmth has been replaced by dank overcast with temps in the 50s, on and off showers as well. Not the best weather in the world but better than the muggies.

10/23 - PM 80 minutes incl. 10x Comm Ave hill

A solid effort after feeling flat and tired at work all day. Warmed up very slowly for 20 minutes, with left leg feeling better than in previous days although not 100%. Given the length of the workout it was a no-brainer to start conservatively and hold something back early on. In that vein, I tried to maintain the same level of effort on the botton half of the hill throughout the workout, with any drop in time on later reps to come on the upper reaches. Also a no-brainer to run on the road next to the median "path," saving my legs the beating they would have gotten on the ruts. First rep was the slowest in 1:55, last rep was the fastest in 1:48.5 with #9 at 1:51 and 2-8 all within a second +/- of 1:53. Last four were the fastest which is when the effort became more focused. Continued warmth with disgustingly high humidity and gusty winds which were mostly at my back. Recoveries ranged from 2:32-2:41, i.e. slower than the last time I did reps on this hill. Some twinges in right adductor in the latter stages, but overall legs held up in one piece.

Mon 10/22 - PM just under 80 minutes, Area 51

Much of the run today was a chore, combination of fatigue and continued issues with left leg. Everything is pinched, muscles above iliac crest particularly. Hammie stuck, reduced range of motion. Had to trudge along as a result. As was the case yesterday, some loosening up after about an hour of running, at which point I was able to do six controlled strides on the way in. Many many compressions on the hamstring as well as lower back/iliac crest after the run. Warm weather continues, muggy as well. If I wanted to live in Atlanta I'd move there.

Sun 10/21 - AM just over 90 minutes, Lincoln woods

Started out quite stiff and crotchety, feeling it all up and down left leg. Last night I found some big-time adhesions in my lower back on that side, could be the root cause of the issues lower down or could be caused by them. Some hopeful signs in that the last 30 minutes of the run felt the best, which is another way of saying that it took over half the run to loosen up. What with tib atnerior not feeling as acutely sore as it was a few days ago, I'm hopefully past the worst of it with all this nonsense. Unseasnably warm temps continue, but much drier today which made for a nice day to be outside.

Sat 10/20 - double incl. Lincoln tempo in 24:34

AM - "classic" tempo w/splits of 5:15, 5:27, 5:27, 3:13 and 5:12 (2:44, 2:38). A flat and desultory effort. Woke up tired from a week of not sleeping enough with various sorenesses up and down my left leg. I figured it would be best to run a similar pace to last time we did this course when it was very warm and humid. Not as warm this morning as four weeks ago but the humidity was atrocious. Plans of a relatively relaxed start went out the window as we hit the mailbox in 2:33, way way too fast. The subgroup I ended up with backed off on the hills after that, feeling relaxed but tired. I'd like to think I had the good sense not to push it and respond to various stupid moves that were made, but underlying fatigue removed any choice I had in the matter. 15 second rule went out the window for the last mile, just playing out the string. Better yet, stomach issues became an increasingly pressing problem to the point where the last half mile I was fully clenched and worried more about where I could relieve myself in private after the finish than hitting any kind of pace. Not sure what it was I ate that brought this nonsense about, but it persisted most of the rest of the day.

PM - 40 minutes easy in Area 51. A shakeout before stretching, I had debated the wisdom of a second run after feeling so flat this morning, but after sleeping away most of the afternoon I felt up for it. In hindsight it was worthwhile, loosened up some tight spots on the left leg and got in a good stretch afterwards.

Fri 10/19 - PM 65 minutes, Area 51

Dragging all day at work, feeling the blahs upon getting home. Rain and unseasonably warm temps didn't help the mood any, thankfully the cobwebs cleared somewhat after 15 minutes or so. Some strides coming in but not able to really let loose due to left leg soreness. Tib anterior continues to be sore, though not as bad during the day as it was yesterday. The issue is not isolated, I've been dealing with adhesions and stuck spots from the ilium on down for a few weeks now. Straining the left hammie made it all worse of course. Current pain feels a lot like part of the whole shin deal that put me under back in the spring, still waiting for the other shoe to drop and medial pain to show up but so far it's all been on the lateral side of the tibia. As usual, getting out of the hole will take much longer than it took for the soreness to show itself. Continuing on with strengthening exercises.

Thu 10/18 - PM 95 minutes, Walden woods

Left tib. anterior felt like absolute garbage all day at work, ominously similar to the way it felt in May when I had the shinsplints flareup. Not even sure if I'd be able to get in a run, hoping it would loosen up which thankfully it did. By the end of the run I was able to do a few strides, although a mild soreness was ever-present. Very humid as morning fog gave way to sticky overcast conditions. Unseasonably warm. Leaves are changing in earnest. Got in a good stretch, adding in the anti-shinsplint exercises to be safe as long as tib anterior soreness persists.

Wed 10/17 - PM 75 minutes, incl. 4800m tempo and 2(400, 300, 200)

Did the workout on the track after a 20+ minute warmup. Much better energy level than yesterday after a better night's sleep, but left leg problematic from the word go. High hammie felt stuck during the warmup, took time to do some compressions on it and the ilium area before diving in with the workout. The hammie felt better after this but for the rest of the workout the lateral left calf area felt like garbage esp. when pushing off. The two areas are of course related and the soreness shared among them is no coincidence.

Aiming for 5:30 pace on the 3m tempo, but the groove I settled into was a bit faster and I stayed with it, consistent splits of 5:25, 5:23, and 5:24. 5:30 probably would have been a true tempo effort, what I ended up running felt relaxed enough but not necessarily sustainable for 10-13 miles, which is my simplified definition of tempo pace. 5 minute recovery after this and then did two sets of "turnover" where I planned on going 500-300-200 all at 18 sec/100m (i.e. 72 pace). The first rep felt strained and so tiring that I bailed at 400 instead and 5-3-2 became 4-3-2, with recovery time equal to the time I had just run, with a lap jog between the two sets. In hindsight I should have tacked on a 100 to each set but such creative thinking was not happening in the moment. Hit the planned pace or just a bit quicker but it was by no means easy. Not straining but working really hard. I was reminded that I haven't been doing strides enough lately. I thought about doing a third set but mindful of Saturday's workout and how the left leg had been feeling, I chose to end it after two. Near-perfect conditions, calm with mild temps. Took some time to stretch before cooling down, left leg tightened up anyway and lateral calf/tib anterior area was sore the rest of the evening. It will bear watching.

Tue 10/16 - PM 30 minutes easy

Went out to warmup for a planned workout and realized quite quickly that I had nothing. Feeling decent enough all day at work, but the flatness not a real surprise after the red-eye followed by two nights of staying up too late. Deeply tired right now, the vacation was pleasant enough but it didn't help in that respect. I'll try the workout again on Wednesday, we'll see.

Mon 10/15 - PM 80 minutes, Area 51

Took a roundabout route that included a side trip to the Fairbank center, as I was scouting the length of the trip to the pool I plan on using for aquajogging now that the pond is no longer a comfortable option. Despite sore hammies, right calf, and tight IT band on the right side, feeling a definite bounce in the stride which can be ascribed both to the day off and also of course being back in a more oxygen-rich environment. Did some strides on the way in.

Sun 10/14 - off

Chalk it up the red-eye and having to do errands all afternoon. Sleeping on a plane again impossible, although this time it wasn't for lack of tiredness or from being overly anxious on the plane but rather the damnably uncomfortable seat. I was due a day off anyway. The trip to Flagstaff was a nice getaway, the GC hike was fairly epic, and the choice to forgo doing any workouts while there was quite on purpose. I had it coming after the half-marathon. Didn't sleep as well or as much as I would have liked over the course of the week which was the only disappointing aspect of my time there. Probably going back in April.

Sat 10/13 - AM 90 minutes easy, Sinclair Wash to Ft. Tuthill

pre-breakfast run, very stiff and achy to start. Left high hammie in particular feeling stuck, not able to get as full a range of motion with left hip as a result for most of the run. Out-and-back putter for the last day in Flagstaff. Felt like a different person after stretching after the run.

Fri 10/12- AM 2 hours, AZ trail to Fisher Point and back

Not to be denied, I made to the vista even though it left me a dehydrated mess the last 40 minutes. Tried to take a different route on the way out, got a bit lost and found myself 4.5 miles from the desired scenic overlook at 45 minutes into the run. Spent almost all of what effort I had left in reaching that point, with about 7 miles left to get back. Despite taking walking breaks, I stopped running for good about a mile away, too fried to continue. The terrain wasn't that challenging, but I wasn't feeling that spry at any point. Having fluids would have helped immensely, but I didn't think the run would take that long. Map distances look to be a bit sketchy in places, compared to the signs on the trail.

Thu 10/11 - double, 1:50 total

AM - 90 minutes, Arizona trail to FR 301. Intended to go as far as Fisher Point but going too slow and feeling too tired to make it, so I had to turn back early. Legs sore and tired, as is the rest of me. Made for an uninspired effort. In need of more rest. Sunny, breezy morning, warm but not hot.

PM - 20 minutes very easy, Lone Tree to Lumberjack Stadium. A shakeout for stretching. Still flat and tired.

Wed 10/10 - double, 1:35 total

AM - 35 minutes in Sedona on the Courthouse Butte/Bell Rock trail. Legs felt okay until I hit the first short downhill (of many) and my I felt my quads. Not that bad after loosening up however. Overall felt better than I ever thought I would after yesterday. Much warmer in Sedona than at the higher elevations.

PM - 60 minutes, Buffalo Park to Oldham. Trying to go easy on my legs a bit with a relatively flat loop. Felt quite tired to start, got moving a bit after halfway, then tired again near the end. Feeling some twinges in adductors.

Tue 10/9 - AM Grand Canyon hike, 4.5 hours incl. 90 minutes of running

Bright Angel trail down, South Kaibab trail back up. Including the stretch of the Rim trail to get from car to trailhead, estimated 17 miles total. 6800' to start, 2400' at the river, 7200' at the end. I had originally planned on a shorter route that cut out the last 2000' or so of descending to/climbing from the river, but being stuck behind the world's most stubborn mule train leader forced me to walk along, staring at a mule's ass, for 3+ miles. This after three other mule trains stopped to let me pass. Stupid cowboy jerk. The senior citizen I ended up walking with was heading to the river and back for the 14th time, in blatant defiance of the first edict laid out here, so I figured I could do something similar. After finally getting around Wilford Brimley and his cheeky band of mule-riding, shit-eating southern tourists at Indian Springs, ran down for the next 40 minutes or so through spectacular scenery of the inner canyon and along the river and over the bridges. Started back up planning on running for 15-20 minutes at a time with 5 minute walkig breaks. This plan lasted until the second walking break ended, I tried to start running again and couldn't move after two minutes. The last 4 miles or so were almost entirely walking, becoming increasingly more strung out and dehydrated all the while. Packed all manner of calories, they barely lasted me. Refilled the camelbak twice, but didn't refill it enough the second time at the river. As a result had a near-Margaret Bradley experience (without the getting lost part, thank goodness) on the way up when the water ran out sooner than I would have liked. Finished as dehydrated as I've ever been. It's difficult to explain how relentlessly hard it was to get up from the river via the S. Kaibab trail. I know people run such things but I have no idea how. The ascent broke me thoroughly, a brisk walk was all I could manage near the end.

Mon 10/8 - AM 100 minutes very easy, Observatory Mesa

Feeling tired, legs still sore from Saturday. Took a leisurely stroll as a result, barely picked up the pace from very easy to easy near the end. Still, felt pretty tired by the end. Clear, sunny, and windy, mark it down for the rest of the week. Had an afternoon run planned but pulse remained high after a post-lunch nap, so there was no point. Planning on visiting the canyon tomorrow, it should be warmer there.

Sun 10/7 - double, 2 hours total

AM - 80 minutes very easy, Campbell Mesa. As expected, barely able to move after spending yesterday morning racing and the afternoon/evening/night traveling across the country. Woke up to temps about 50 degrees cooler than what I ran in yesterday. Got bored after an hour and cut the loop I had planned short, otherwise I would have been out there puttering even longer. Matching set of sore tender hamstrings today, not surprisingly. Quads sore too.

PM - 40 minutes, Sinclair Wash to Lone Tree. Still very easy, not quite as sore as the morning. Stretching helped with that. Very windy all day I'm noticing.

Sat 10/6 - AM 100 minutes total incl. Applefest half marathon in 1:16

Where to begin with this nonsense. For the first time in about six tries I actually won the race and the loot that goes with it. Not the triumphal march I expected. Woke up feeling a bit fatigued, not that confident in the depth of the well from which to draw. Tossing and turning Thursday night didn't help matters. Of more importance was the fact that yesterday's warm day became today's steambath, temps that ended up in the mid-80s with humidity. Warmest day ever for this race. Then of course there was the left hammie, felt worrisome upon waking up but thankfully loosened up some while warming up. Combination of the leg and the adverse weather had me thinking very conservatively, held back on the effort at first which in hindsight wasn't conservative enough, but did the job. Ended up leading from 4 miles onward, and lead only expanded until the last mile. This despite the fact that after reaching five miles in just under 28 minutes (feeling very relaxed) and nine in just under 51(still relaxed, but tired), I brought it home at 6:10-6:15 pace over the last four mostly uphill miles. Just wilted, had anyone bothered to run who was any good at all I would have been left in their dust. In more humane conditions I certainly could have run a minute or so faster but undeniably, another lackluster effort, what with feeling tired on the starting line. Finished, took a cold shower, jogged for 10 minutes (a mile, tops) and took another cold shower. Proceeded to take my enormous fruit basket and get the hell out of there. On to FLG.

Fri 10/5 - PM 35 minutes, Walden woods plus 24 minutes in Walden

Easy run, left hammie continues to be an area of concern. It's better than it was two days ago, but not close to whole. Not entirely sure about getting through a hilly half-marathon on it to be honest. The timing of this latest ding couldn't be worse. Did some very tentative strides near the end, nothing snapped but again, it could certainly feel better. Today was in all likelihood my last dip in the pond for the year, although with air temps like they have been, who knows. So warm today that the water was a welcome relief.

Thu 10/4 -PM 65 minutes, Walden woods plus 20 minutes in Walden

In a foul mood all day at work due to the left hammie feeling like garbage. Fearing the worst when it came time to run, but thankfully it has improved somewhat over yesterday. All the compressions had something to do with it, although the immediate aftermath didn't feel so great. Took it quite easy at first, able to move with a little more range of motion after 30 minutes or so. Still not going hard at all at any point, except for maybe in the water and that doesn't really count. I would have liked to do some strides but that was off the table, hopefully tomorrow. Not approaching Saturday's race in the fashion I would prefer, expectations will likely have to be tempered accordingly.

Wed 10/3 - PM 45 minutes very easy, Walden Woods plus 20 minutes in Walden

Left hammie feels awful, completely gummed up and stuck after yesterday's workout. Planning to run a little longer but that wasn't happening. Extremely frustrating, unable to get any kind of range of motion while on dry land. Even better, the tightness is fairly diffuse along much of the length of the back of my leg. It will improve by Saturday, but if it doesn't improve drastically the race will be more of a chore than it needs to be. Post-run I spent the time I would normally use for stretching doing many many compressions using the edge of a chair. I know in my bones what the root cause is, stumbling in the dark on the rutted bumpy "path" up the hill on Comm Ave last Tuesday. It's just not suitable for running hard in the dark, not knowing what your foot's going to land on because you can't see a damn thing with the car headlights shining directly in your face. I hate that fucking path, at least at night. Although it's not much better in daylight quite frankly.

Tue 10/2 - PM 80 minutes incl. 6x4 minutes with 2R

Longish warmup with a break to do drills on the MHS track, then over to the Longfellow loop. Much to my chagrin, left hammie back to feeling like crap after it seemed improved yesterday. Gummed up and twinging on the warmup, did some last-minute compressions that helped a bit but still had to take care not to overextend with my stride and strain it further. Tried on each repeat to leave a little effort for the last minute, this worked out for the most part although I wilted a bit on the final repeat. Very slow, and short, cooldown with minimal knee lift, protecting hammie. Warmish evening, warmer still in coming days.

Mon 10/1 - PM 65 minutes, Area 51

Flat run, started easy and kept it under control as I felt better after 20 minutes or so. Six strideds on the way in that felt better than expected given how tired and sore I was yesterday. Felt pooped all day at work, the relaxed effort hit the spot. Left hammie feelign better, some tightness and soreness in right hammie early on. Cool breezy day.

Sun 9/30 - double, 1:50 total plus 20 minutes in Walden

AM - 60 minutes very easy, Lincoln woods. Cut the run short, barely awake and left hammie gummed up with very little effective range of motion. Had it been just one or the other I would likely have soldiered on but the two of them together made a compelling case to not bother wasting my time.

PM - 50 minutes easy, Concord center to Walden via Fairyland plus 20 minutes in the pond. I found some sticking points just below left ilium that helped alleviate some of the issues with the left hammie, a welcome relief. Due to a relentlessly cool and breezy day, I had decided to skip the aquajogging today but I was unable to stay away. The water is still reasonable, but coming out of it to air temps below 65 degrees and fading daylight is problematic.

Sat 9/29 - double incl. 5 mile tempo in 27:00 plus 21 minutes in Walden

AM - 60 minutes or so incl. just under 5 miles in 27:00 on the point-to-point Linclon tempo loop that was supposed to be a full 8 miles at 5:30 pace. A frustratingly flat effort, working too hard for this pace and I knew after 3.5 that I wouldn't be making it the planned 8 which would include the rest of the "classic" tempo. Rather than feeling like half-marathon pace, it felt like an effort I couldn't maintain for 10 miles if I had to, which is not indicative of my fitness right now. Mile splits of 5:34 and 5:24, then a matter of conjecture from 2 to 4. I kept track of the first (uphill) mile of the classic route that we reached at about 3.4 miles in. This mile was 5:24 which was faster than I would have expected or wanted. Sucked along by the rest of the group that picked it up to where we were going just a bit too fast for me after 2. This brought the flatness to the fore. Falling into the too late bedtime trap, esp. since Tuesday. In addition, after using the pond the last three days in an attempt reduce the amount of pounding on my legs, the hard effort today brought out every ding and dent sustained stumbling on the hill Tuesday. Particularly feeling the left hammie, where a phantom strain developed that I'm convinced has its roots in the worst stumble of them all the other night. Cooler drier air mass brought with it the usual NW wind, which was fairly strong at times. This didn't help either.

PM - 30 minutes very easy to and from pond plus 21 minutes in the pond. Left hammie definitely stuck, had to go easy on stretching it, did some work on the area after the run.

Fri 9/28 - PM 45 minutes, Walden woods plus 24 minutes in Walden

Cut back on the length of the run today both to ensure time to stretch thoroughly before darkness and the onset of bugs, and to hopefully feel more spry for tomorrow's tempo run. Humid air mass finally cleared out today, still sunny so it was a nice combo of warm and dry.

Thu 9/27 - PM 75 minutes, Walden woods plus 20 minutes in the pond

After the initial stiffness wore off, the pace was much more crisp today than yesterday's slog. Almost bit off more than I could chew but backed off a bit around 45 minutes so I wouldn't be fried for the weekend. About 10 degrees cooler than yesterday but the humidity increased so it was just as uncomfortable and the pond was just as inviting.

Wed 9/26 - PM 70 minutes plus 30 minutes in Walden

The combination of stiff sore legs and 90 degree temps with attendant filthy humid air made for a very easy run, cleaved evenly in two parts by the time spent in the pond. A no-brainer to structure things this way, as always in conditions like today's the pond was both refreshing and necessary. Right adductor took the brunt of a couple of stumbles last night on the hill and so it was twinging much of the way. No knee issues yesterday or today, looks like that can be put to bed.

Tue 9/25 - PM 80 minutes incl. 8xComm Ave hill

Following a 25 minute warmup that took the better part of an hour, ran the hill "bench to bench." First rep was 1:58, last 1:53, all others inthe 1:54-5 range. Recoveries consistently in the 2:25 range except for a 30 second wait at the bottom before the sixth. Numbers totally arbitrary, went a few yards further than where the bench at the top used to be. I may have finally figured out how to do this infernal workout properly as I made a conscious effort to run a negative split effort, hanging back until just past halfway and then trying to move out as it leveled off. The patient approach worked very well for me. Really no other way to approach a hill this long. Speaking of infernal, a hot and windy evening. Less-than-optimal air quality led to airway soreness. Cooldown a crawl, ran out of energy on top of the breathing issues.

Mon 9/24 - PM 70 minutes, Walden woods plus 21 minutes in Walden

Feeling rather spry today, I had planned on taking it easy throughout but the pace was quicker than that. Had to check myself a few times lest it get too hard given what is likely on tap for tomorrow. Knee was just a bit tight near the end but no pain. Left hip has been sore in an odd way for a few days now, like a hip pointer or something, but it loosens up with time and responds to hands-on treatment. Continued warm temps during the day, cools off quick once the sun goes down.

Sun 9/23 - double, 2 hours total plus 20 minutes in Walden

AM - 1:45 easy in Lincoln woods. Straight recovery after yesterday. Knee started twinging somewhere soon after the hour mark, not very painful as the pace was sufficiently slow as to not require much knee lift. Warm again today but not as humid as yesterday, thankfully.

PM - 15 minutes jog plus 20 minutes in the pond. Parked as close as possible to the pond w/o having to pay. Got in the water just after sunset for a twilight dip. Water felt quite comfortable after the warmth of the day.

Sat 9/22 - 95 minutes including Lincoln tempo, plus 25 minutes in Walden

AM - 65 minutes incl. the "classic" Lincoln tempo in 24:24. Splits of 5:22, 5:22, 5:23 (that one felt a little slow), 3:12 and 5:05 (2:38/2:27). Despite the metronomic precision of the first three miles, a feat never before accomplished, and the fact that it felt under control, the effort overall was abit beyond tempo. I had neither the need nor the desire to force the issue from 3 miles to the finish, thus the 15 second rule for the last mile was broken. Woke up less than refreshed, morning pulse on the high side. A muggy warm morning to boot. Keeping up this kind of effort for 13 miles in two weeks' time is another matter entirely, I'll need to be better rested to pull it off. Abbreviated cooldown. Knee felt fine throughout the warmup and tempo, some soreness on the cooldown and then feeling the tightness afterwards.

PM - 30 minutes very easy to and from the pond with 25 minutes in the pond. Barely moving due to stiffness from the morning workout. Cross-currents in the pond a total pain, shoved me way offline. Felt more humid this evening than at any time during the day.

Fri 9/21 - PM 70 minutes, Walden woods plus 21 minutes in Walden

Legs still feeling stiff, likely DOMS from the hills Wednesday and not having time to stretch after yesterday's run didn't help. Knee soreness vaguely insinuated itself after 40 minutes but not to the degree that it did yesterday. Strides on the way in again like yesterday w/o undue discomfort. Tomorrow's effort will be the test of that. Not quite as warm today, took just a bit of the old courage to jump in the water. It's definitely gotten cooler.

THu 9/20 - PM 80 minutes, GMNWR to Walden, plus 25 minutes in the pond

Legs quite stiff to start as I had expected after yesterday. Easy was the only gear available almost the entire run. Waiting for knee soreness to show up, it took an hour today but that partly may be a result of running with minimal knee lift for so long before that. Still, I was able to do strides at the end without major discomfort, the issue remains manageable for now. My thinking is that how Saturday's workout treats it will say a lot more about how bad it truly is. Still working on the quad trying to find whatever's stuck that must be causing the tightness and soreness over the kneecap itself. Warmer today than yesterday, hot almost, but dry which makes it bearable. The warmer temp made the coolness of the pond more noticeable by contrast.

Wed 9/19 - PM 80 minutes incl. 8xhill repeats, Silver Hill road

Ran on a sinuous stretch of Silver Hill road that I'm guessing is around 550m, first two reps in 1:52, the rest between 1:48 and 1:50. Recoveries all around 2:25 except for the last trip down which was extended due to stomach issues on the seventh rep. Got to the top looking for a place to go but couldn't find anything suitable nearby. Ended up taking a longer rest before the last rep, like 3:30+, and dealing with it. Fastest reps were in the middle, found myself a bit overextended after the fifth one and had to control the effort more. As I had no desire to drive into and out of the city two days in a row, I cast about and found a hill near home that mostly matches the one on Comm Ave in terms of distance and slope. While the stretch of road I used leveled off in the middle, it served the purpose well enough. High Street would have been better, but too much traffic. Like yesterday, I was waiting for knee soreness to show itself, but given the nature of the workout I was also wondering if it would be worse or more debilitating. As it turned out it was the same deal, showed up after about 30 minutes of running and was manageable the rest of the way. A good chunk of my time tomorrow will likely be spent in the water. Warmer today, but still dry and sunny like it has been most of the last month.

Tue 9/18 - PM 70 minutes in Brookline

Ran relatively easy, although the pace picked up in fits and starts after the 40 minute mark. Started from Cleveland Circle and went off into the wilds of South Brookline, avoided getting hopelessly lost as I have in the past in this area. Spent all day at work expecting knee soreness to be a problem, it didn't show up until the 30 minute mark. While manageable, it was sore the rest of the way and particularly noticeable on hills. Still at a loss to understand what exactly I did to bring this about, only that it had something to do with Sunday's effort in flats. I'm thinking the root cause lies with the IT band tightening up. In addition to working on that area I've gone to the old standby of doing straight leg raises. Continued cool and breezy conditions today, third day in a row that felt very autumnal.

Mon 9/17 - PM 70 minutes, Walden woods plus 30 minutes in Walden

Not quite as easy or relaxed as I had planned, not that I forced the issue. Changed things up today by going in the water early, 10 minutes into the run. Not even planning on aquajogging at all originally, as it was a cool breezy day, but my legs were feeling stiff and sore to a degree that I felt it necessary to give them a break. A little chilly for a while after getting out of the water but nothing major. Yesterday's knee tightness was nonexistent in the water but about 20 minutes into the run afterwards it came back and was there to varying degrees the rest of the time. Not entirely certain of the root cause, has to be some tightness/pulling in the quad and/or ITB but it certainly bears watching. Whatever it is, I didn't notice it until the cooldown yesterday.

Sun 9/16 - AM 90 minutes incl. Josh Billings 6m in 32:45

Mile splits of 5:23, 5:26, 5:23, 5:47, 5:21, and 5:25. Mildly disappointing, I was fairly certain I would be around or under 32 minutes this time after last week's hometown throwdown. Conditions were near perfect and my legs felt good. However, the usual problems arose with getting a decent night's rest, and I felt flat and tired from the moment I got out of bed. Mile markers appeared to be accurately placed this time. Took splits on my watch but didn't look as I wanted to try to run on feel instead of possibly getting discouraged by what the numbers were. As such, I ran slower at the outset than in previous efforts and except for the horrendous uphill fourth mile, maintained a more even, albeit slower, pace. The even pacing I like, the slow part not so much. Aforementioned fourth mile buried me, dragged on forever and didn't recover nearly as quickly as I had hoped when the grade leveled off. This doesn't augur well for the half-marathon in three weeks that also features hills late and is more than twice is long to boot. Ran the entire race alone, started well behind the two leaders and well ahead of whoever was in fourth. Right knee alarmingly tight on the cooldown, worked on the quad afterwards and that seemed to make it better.

Josh Billings run leg

Sat 9/15 - AM 75 minutes, Area 51

Took it easy most of the way, escaped any horrible feelings in my legs which was good. Did a few strides on the way in. Wet windy morning.

Fri 9/14 - PM 60 minutes, Walden woods plus 20 minutes in Walden

Today my legs felt the way I had hoped they would feel yesterday. Clunky tightness nowhere to be found, and this is the day after running hill repeats. I doubt that's a causal link. Hopefully they won't feel like garbage tomorrow. Ran some strides on the way in which felt smooth. Warm day with a breeze, which seemed to pick up strength when I was in the water. More cross-current fun. Getting odd looks from kayakers.

THu 9/13 - PM 80 minutes incl. 9x1 minute hill repeats

Legs felt stiff, clumsy and awkward, which is how they've felt all week. This feeling didn't change from the warmup to the cooldown. A quick set of drills as part of the warmup didn't help any. This put a damper on the workout and made things a slog. I had hoped to do 10 reps but it required far more effort to maintain the same speed on the last two reps as the previous seven. Severe clear day with a persistent breeze blowing down the hill, not appreciated.

Wed 9/12 - PM 70 minutes, Walden woods plus 24 minutes in Walden

Another easy day. I may or may not do hill repeats tomorrow, but I knew after five minutes that I wouldn't be doing them today. Legs felt heavy and still a bit sore, but more notably feeling tired and any kind of hard effort wasn't forthcoming. The pond was refreshingly bracing.

Tue 9/11 - PM 70 minutes easy, Area 51

Feeling a little bit better than yesterday, but not as much as I had hoped. Tired on the drive home from work, carried over to the run. Continued dank weather, today the skies opened up for much of the afternoon but it had pretty much subsided by the time I hit the trails. Did a series of controlled (i.e. slow) strides on the way in.

Mon 9/10 - PM 95 minutes, Walden woods plus 20 minutes in Walden

Very easy the entire time, in fact some parts were superslow. Both tired and sore from the weekend's efforts. Both calves quite stiff, which is inevitable after wearing shoes as light and sleek as the 205s. Chose a route over Pine Hill and around Sandy Pond that took longer than expected due to the slow pace, I should have known better. getting into the pond, while not exactly pleasant, wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. Cool dank conditions all day with the ill breeze blowing from the NE. Unable to do post-run stretching due to rapidly deteriorating weather and the gathering darkness which brings out the bugs.

Sun 9/9 - double, approx. 90 minutes total incl. Maynard road race

PM - Maynard road race in 18:01. Mile splits of 5:05, 4:50, and 5:01. Ran the same course in 18:21 in '04 and 18:40 last year. I had hoped to skate through this with a minimum of effort but it wasn't to be when Beauchesne showed up. My heart sank, decided to let him take the pace from the gun while his watch made three separate types of beeping noises. As I was feeling a bit tired from yesterday I figured he'd pull away eventually. However it soon became apparent any kind of hill was hurting him far more than me, plus he was constantly checking his watch, and without much effort I pulled away on the only steep hill of any consequence, even that was a short one. From there it was a series of blind corner surges interspersed with slower breaks until near the end when I knew it was in the bag and could relax. Much faster splits than I had expected. Much cooler day than yesterday with a breeze. I have my doubts about the accuracy of the second mile marker, while the course as a whole is slightly longer than the advertised 3.5 miles--more like 3.6. As can be seen here

later PM - 30 mintues very easy, Lincoln woods. Calf stiffened up some over the course of the afternoon. Continued humid but still cool, which kept me from going in the pond even though I should have.

Sat 9/8 - double, 80 minutes total plus 25 minutes in Walden

AM - 8x3 minutes with 1R on Lincoln Road in Wayland (i.e. the dirt road). Back and forth on a stretch of the road with a gentle roll to it. A controlled effort, based on the fire hydrant that I think is a half mile from the start, they went at about 5:20 pace. Given the continued infernal weather, with a gusty breeze to boot, I'll take it. The short rest ensured that no one overdid it with the pace. Calf a bit stiff on the warmup but not an issue once the workout began in earnest. Hit the wall on the cooldown, tired and dehydrated by that point.

PM - just under 30 minutes very easy to pond and back, with 25 minutes in the water. Calf stiff from the morning, had to tread lightly on it. Hit the water just in time for the much-anticipated late afternoon t-storm which was disappointingly short. Not as cool in its wake as I had hoped, but better than the steambath of earlier in the day.

Fri 9/7 - PM 80 minutes, Walden woods plus 20 minutes in Walden

Thankfully, the worst is past with the strained calf, although it still stiffens up after sitting down for any length of time. After two days of crawling along I had some pent-up energy so the pace was a bit quick even with the sweltering weather. Pond was a welcome relief. Air quality this afternoon was as bad as any day all summer, high ozone caused noticeable airway irritation after the run was over.

Thu 9/6 - PM just under 60 minutes very easy, GMNWR

Left calf continues to be stiff and sore, in fact worse today than it was yesterday. This had better be the nadir. First step out of bed in the morning was an ordeal, barely able to put weight on it. Stiffened up every time I spent any length of time sitting down with leg flexed. First few minutes of the run more limping than running, it did loosen up eventually enough to run but unable to do anything but a very easy pace. Intentionally chose the flattest route possible, any hills would have been problematic as well. Spent a good deal of time before and after stretching to massage the adhesions, made some headway with that but it will still take time to recover. I knew I should have stuck with my own drills the other day.

Wed 9/5 - PM 50 minutes, Walden woods plus 30 minutes in Walden

Had to go very easy both because of feeling flat and more distressingly, due to left calf being quite sore and stiff after straining it last night. Running hard uphill on an uneven surface after straining it doing drills was not a good combo. Hopefully it will come around by the weekend, but today it felt like garbage. Had to significantly shorten stride and avoid hills as much as possible. Put extra time in the water as a result. Cool conditions again today.

Mon 9/4 - PM about an hour, incl. 8x60 seconds on Heartbreak Hill

Feeling tired after a less-than-restful night's sleep, one too many 5k races in Lowell also taking its toll. Quickly reminded of how much I dislike running up this particular hill. Also did some drills beforehand, mildly strained my gastroc running backwards. Glad to get out of there at the end of the workout.

Mon 9/3 - double, just under 2 hours total plus 20 minutes in Walden

AM - just under 90 minutes easy, Track road to Area 51. I was obligated to go quite easy at the start, gradually felt a bit better over the course of the run but never moving that quickly. Warm morning but not intolerable, carried fluids which made things go easier. Active recovery.

PM - to and from pond, the most direct way possible, all that there was time for as I started a bit late. Very easy again.

Sun 9/2 - double, 1:40 total incl. mile/5k road race double in Lowell plus 20 minutes in Walden

AM/PM - Became far too interested in the idea of running a 5k after a mile, to see what it would be like. Not surprisingly the mile felt impossibly fast despite the pedestrian time just under 4:50 and the 5k turned into a deadlegged slog with mile splits of 5:12, 5:17, and 5:30 as the last mile fade continued despite this being a different course than the Good Times layout. Not that it mattered as the goose was overcooked by then anyway. Breezy day, it seemed like it was always a headwind during the 5k despite the various turns and changes of direction. I can definitely say I've gotten running around downtown Lowell out of my system for the time being.

PM - repeat of yesterday evening's run, only slower and without strides at the end. Took it easy, looking to get into the water more than anything else. Another sunny day to warm the pond, but once the sun started to set the air got cool again.

Sat 9/1 - double, 85 minutes plus 20 minutes in Walden

AM - just over 40 minutes easy, Area 51. Not yet quite awake, so took it easy. Sunny morning but dry and cool with a building breeze.

PM - 45 minutes, Walden woods with 20 minutes in the water. Moving better than in the morning, still nothing spectacular. Got in the water as the sun was setting.

Fri 8/31 - PM 85 minutes, Walden woods plus 20 minutes in Walden

Tired at the end of the week, the fog didn't lift for over an hour of the run. Bottomed out at 50+ minutes, barely moving up Pine Hill. Thinking about bagging the aquajogging but the sticky conditions made me go through with it and I felt better afterwards. The requisite five strides on the way in felt pretty good as a result.

Thu 8/30 - PM 65 minutes, Walden woods plus 20 minutes in Walden

Feeling a bit pooped today, like I expected to feel yesterday. Combined with the highest temps of the week, I decided to cut back on the overall time. The pond was welcome respite under these conditions. Strained right hammie at work as well, shouldn't be a huge deal but twinging nonetheless. Five strides on the way in just like the other runs in Concord this week.

Wed 8/29 - 85 minutes, Walden woods plus 24 minutes in Walden

Went around Farrar pond today for the first time in a while, mainly to keep it fresh. Felt about as good as I could hope for the day after a hard effort. Not moving particularly fast, but not the slow crawl that's sometimes necessary, plus legs not noticeably sore. Some soreness in lower abs/psoas area but not as bad as it had been recently. Spent much of the run looking forward to getting in the water, as the afternoon gave way to higher temps than the past few days. Not terribly humid but still warmer than I'd like.

Tue 8/28 - PM 60 minutes incl. Lowell 5k in 15:56

Last one of the summer on this course, mile splits of 5:01, 5:08 and 5:19. Ran the last .1 in a blazing 28 seconds (typically it's just over 30) as I actually sprinted it this time to slip under the magical 16 minute barrier. Went into this effort with diminished expectations after an insomniac episode last night brought on by a whiff of a pesticide-like smell just as I was drifting off to sleep last night. Like they were running mosquito sprayers in the street or something, whatever it was it left me wide awake for hours. 3 hours of sleep before a day at work and no chance to take a nap either with a meeting after that. Feeling predictably flat while warming up, but once the race started I got into a sustainable rhythm and maintained it. As relaxed as any of these Tuesday night races has felt. Didn't feel overextended the third mile like I did last week. Hopefully this is evidence of increased fitness. It may be the shoes. Favorable conditions once again, not as cool as last week but dry and only a mild breeze.

Mon 8/27 - PM 80 minutes, Walden woods plus 20 minutes in Walden

Very stiff and slow to start, legs feeling beat up from the weekend more than I had expected. Eventually came around to feel a bit better but not really rolling along at any point. Had to take care not to overextend myself. Five somewhat deadlegged strides on the way in. Warm, dry day.

Sun 8/26 - AM just under 2 hours

Same general route as two weeks ago, i.e. Pratt's Brook to Great Hill, through Acton Arb and ABRHS, over to Mt. Hope and back via Rockland Ave. First 45 minutes were a slog, after which I started to feel a bit better and things gradually started picking up. This coincided with clouds coming in and cooling things off. A couple of refueling stops between 45 and 90 minutes and after that I made a conscious effort to lengthen my stride and pick up the pace the last 30 minutes. Had I tried a run of this length at this time yesterday it wouldn't have happened, but the overcast and cooler temps helped make it possible. Still somewhat dehydrated but manageable. Good and tired by the end, legs especially. As such I decided to skip the double for today.

Sat 8/25 - double, 1:50 total plus 20 minutes in Walden

AM 80 minutes incl. 6k xc race @Great Brook - nostalgia factor made this one irresistible to me, alas it's just not as fun to race on the Great Brook trails as it is to train (or ski) them. Abysmal conditions didn't help, already warmer at 8:30 AM than it was yesterday evening when I went for my run. Adverse weather dovetailed with feeling pooped out from the past week of training and Tuesday's effort. After a lackluster 20 minute warmup I knew no great effort was forthcoming and so I held back from the start. Still probably ran too hard but I was able to keep it sane. As such I found myself among people I would usually beat like a drum. Course was of indeterminate length, pace/mile calculations on results would indicate it was 3.7 but I would guess closer to 6k. Course included some short steep hills both up and down and it was too early in the morning for me to pick my way down with any kind of alacrity. Long, slow cooldown which mainly involved finding a spot for a dip that wasn't disgustingly scummy. Thankfully I found it eventually, the best part of the morning by far.

PM 30 minutes very easy to and from the pond plus 20 minutes in the pond. Went as late as possible, in fact sun had set by the time I got out of the water. Conditions improved marginally over earlier in the day but only due to the sun setting, and still disgusting by any measure. SW breeze created annoying current that almost pushed me into the shore.

Fri 8/24 - PM 85 minutes, Walden woods plus 20 minutes in Walden

More seasonable temps returned today, along with the humidity that's been around all week it made for less-than-desirable conditions. I was melting by the hour mark, feeling the onset of dehydration by the time I reached the pond at 75 minutes. Not moving especially well as a result, right down to the 5 lackluster strides on the way in, but the left psoas that's been twinging for the past few days gave me no trouble today. Getting in the pond was nothing short of delightful.

Thu 8/23 - PM 90 minutes in Walden woods plus 24 minutes in Walden

Felt reasonably good other than some continued soreness in left psoas. At times I was feeling general soreness on both sides of lowermost abs. Maintaining balance on the uneven trail surface has a cost. Five strides on the way in, not that much pop in the legs at that point. Still cooler than normal, but just warm enough for humidity to be an annoyance. Pond felt distinctly cooler than the last time I was in it. I find it hard to believe the water temp could drop after three cloudy days.

Wed 8/22 - PM 75 minutes very easy, Area 51

Started quite slowly, gathered just a bit of steam before petering out around the hour mark. Sore from yesterday, left psoas continues to twinge. Not sure if I ever actually pulled it, but the running up and down hills lately must have something to do with it. Another cool and overcast day. Whether it was that or the summer drawing inexorably to a close, the deerflies weren't a problem.

Tue 8/21 - PM 60 minutes incl. Lowell 5k in 15:50

Mile splits of 4:56, 5:01, and (ahem) 5:21. I packed it in somewhat the last mile once I knew the magical sub-16 was in the bag, plus I was feeling at the end of my rope. Conditions tonight were very close to ideal, only a slight breeze to contend with. Cool temps and dry conditions, the autumnal weather continues and it's been great quite frankly. Some stomach issues before and after the race, I'm starting to suspect a dietary connection but it could also be related to nervous jitters. Legs felt good once I did some strides, overall much more present and focused today than on previous runs on this course. One more next week and it's over.

Mon 8/20 - PM 75 minutes easy, Walden woods

Feeling very tired to start today, not a surprise after the weekend. Never really got going as a result, although I did do five strides on the way in that went better than expected. Unable to muster up enough energy or interest to jump in the pond today, cool overcast conditions didn't help.

Sun 8/19 - double, 2:10 total plus 20 minutes in Walden

AM - just under 100 minutes in Northfield/Winchester on the Gunn Mtn. rollercoaster. Started from the boat ramp, over to Burt Hill, up Schofield Mtn. road and finished going up Bolton Road. Another purposeful effort, like Friday afternoon on a tight schedule. This time it was in order to get home in time to run numerous errands. Legs took a while to de-stiffen, but left psoas wasn't an issue at any time during the run which was a relief. Maintained focus through all three major climbs, never felt overextended. Overall a solid effort although a bit short time-wise for a long run. Cool and overcast conditions made it much easier, had things been like they usually are at this time of year it would have been a lot more challenging.

this morning's route

PM - 30 minutes very easy to and from Walden plus 20 minutes in the pond. Legs not as sore as I would have thought after the ups and downs of the morning. The cooler day serves as a preview of what things will be like a month or so from now, at least on dry land. The pond will be a bit cooler by then. As it was, no problem getting in today.

Sat 8/18 - double, 2:10 total, incl. drills and strides

AM Northfield/Winchester 90 minutes, Staddle Hill to Old Wendell - started from Pauchaug Brook boat ramp, ended at the intersection of Old Wendell and So. Mountain road. Passed through the NMH ghost campus en route. Took a while to get going, bathroom break at 50 minutes and soon after, 20 minutes of climbing up Old Wendell. Once again, a thorough ass-kicking, although the cooler temps this morning made the effort easier.

today's route

PM - 40 minutes out and back on the Norwottuck RT, plus drills and strides on the Amherst football field. Moving very stiffly and slowly at first, the drills helped loosen them up and improve their range of motion. Right hammie locked up as well, got somewhat looser. After the morning run, left psoas twinging and at times feeling quite sore.

Fri 8/17 - PM 65 minutes in Northfield

Loop from the library, Birnam to Louisiana Road, up and over Birch Point and down the powerlines to the dirt road that leads back to School street. Extremely focused purposeful running this evening, on a tight schedule all afternoon starting the moment I left work in order to get to the campsite in time. Moving well on the whole, especially the last two miles. Some of the trails were more rutted out than I remember from previous visits.

today's route

Thu 8/16 - PM 75 minutes in Walden woods plus 20 minutes in Walden

Somewhat more spry than yesterday but still not feeling totally chipper. Had to gradually work into it over the course of the run. Six strides on the way in which felt okay. In addition to the relentless march of the work-week I think I'm still feeling the effects of all the training while on vacation and the transition back to the daily grind. Dragging a bit at work as well. Same conditions as yesterday, breezy warm and more humid than I would like but not unbearable.

Wed 8/15 - PM 100 minutes, Walden woods plus 20 minutes in Walden

Slower today than Monday's run in the woods, legs feeling flat and overall tired. Also not navigating the rocks and roots as adroitly. Left hip flexor twinging a bit, I've noticed it before recently toward the end of longer runs but today it was noticeable from early on. Reached the base of Pine Hill at about 80 minutes and the wheels sort of came off on the climb up as pace slowed dramatically until I got to the pond. Slightly warmer and more humid today than yesterday.

Tue 8/14 - PM 60 minutes in Lowell incl. 5k in 16:02

Mile splits of 5:05, 5:05 and 5:22. Felt much better warming up this week than last week, then went out and ran the first mile slower which was an unwelcome surprise. I knew I could make up the difference with an applied effort which is exactly what happened. In fact I knew about what the final time would be once I passed the two mile mark. Recovered much better after the race, cooldown wasn't the shuffle that it has been in previous weeks. The difficulty in getting going early I'll chalk up mostly to the last two days and more generally the lack of speedwork, both of which are entrely by design. I also had an unexpectedly large lunch (free pizza at work) which I was still feeling while warming up. Conditions were almost perfect, dry and still, warm but not hot. I'll go for the magical 16 minute barrier next week.

Mon 8/13 - PM 85 minutes in Walden woods plus 20 minutes in Walden

After a sluggish first five minutes, the cobwebs disappeared and I felt surprisingly good the rest of the way. Had to take care not to overextend myself at about 45 minutes as the pace was starting to get out of hand. Even better was the fact that I had no trouble to speak of with the left ankle on the uneven trail surfaces, something that has been bothering me of late. Finished up feeling quite tired but in a good way, I hope. Fairly dry conditions, a bit on the warm side.