Sun 12/30 - double, 80 minutes easy total

AM - 40 minutes easy, Tiger Drive. Overnight white hell descended in all its fury. Enough depth of snow to effectively close the trails to running for the foreseeable future. Stayed on the streets that were more clear, given the typically atrocious job the Maynard DPW did plowing. Not as sore from yesterday as I would have expected, although calf is tight for sure. Not going anywhere near fast enough to aggravate it though.

PM - 40 minutes easy, Levittown. Somewhat worse footing than the morning run route. The realization became clear during the day that running on the streets is the new reality. After last year's non-winter winter this is not the most pleasant thing. The winter road loops are relatively safe but also quite boring. Chilly temps, windy all day but they were subsiding somewhat by the time I got started.

Sat 12/29 - AM 60 minutes incl. track mile

First track race in six months, first indoor track race in a lot longer, and first try at the mile in even longer than that. I think the last mile I raced was two years ago as part of a 3k/mile double. I was able to run within .08 of my seed time so a qualified success, although the all-important time to hit is 4:33. Spent most of the morning obsessing over the state of the calf and wondering if it would hold up to the strain after the past few days of quasi-setbacks thanks to slippery conditions. This gnawing worry lasted right until the gun went off in fact. However, it wasn't an issue during the race, although it did stiffen up some afterward. Right hammie also continues to be pinched, piriformis involved as well I think. The race itself was mostly metronomic. I'd like to think the last quarter was a little quicker but if so it wasn't by much. Immediately fell into a rhythm of 34.5-35 second laps. Given the nature of the competition (i.e. young and stupid for the most part) this meant I started near the back and found myself chasing only the leader with a lap to go. Got passed with 100 to go, not that it mattered as I was just trying to squeeze out a little more speed at that point. Hopefully the last lap was under 34. Woke up feeling kind of flat and not especially well-rested, caffeine helped with this but I can certainly put myself in a better position for the next try at this distance in 3 weeks. The fact that the next meet is on Sunday also helps.

Fri 12/28 - 40 minutes

Back to Levittown, dry roads this time though. Able to do some short pickups towards the end thanks to the sure footing. Alas the damage may have been done yesterday, really rueing that run last night. Slipping just enough to tweak the calf such that it felt like garbage all day at work. Somewhat better after doing some compressions before the run, followed by more of same afterward. Flatness typical of Friday, haven't been getting to bed quite early enough of late.

Thu 12/27 - PM 40 minutes

Winter St. to Levittown via Summerhill. Awoke to atrocious conditions with heavy rain falling on the snow that started last night. In other words, three inches of slushy white lead underfoot. Rain stopped by midday but then as a final fuck you from the storm system snow flurries passed through during the evening incl. when I went out to run. Just enough to stick to the wet and slushy surfaces, even plowed roads, and create slippery conditions. Exactly what the right calf didn't need. Should have stuck to the treadmill or taken the zero, as the calf was tweaked without going into full-blown spasm by the end of the run. I had wanted to do some strides today but I knew better to even try picking up the pace given what was underfoot. Ugh.

Wed 12/26 - PM 60 minutes easy

Area 51. Feeling more flat than I had anticipated, took a while for this fact to sink in. As such, forced the issue for almost half the run before realizing I needed to tone it down. In addition the right leg as a whole felt like crap, tweaked and pinched from top to bottom really. TA muscle sore again, IT band twinging as well. High hamstring still stuck, although not as bad as yesterday. I wanted to do some short pickups on the way in, soldiered on with this although in hindsight it might not have been the best idea. Didn't pull anything (like the calf) so a qualified success. Not exactly flying though. Conditions were on their way down the drain while I was on the trail, flakes starting to fly with an ill wind rising.

Tue 12/25 - AM 50 minutes easy

Area 51. Slow putter before breakfast. Right hammie sore, more so than I would like. Range of motion noticeably reduced. Calf a little stiff and tight but in better shape than the hammie at the moment. Some snow on the ground but not enough to create any footing issues.

Mon 12/24 - double, 85 minutes total incl. 5x(1000,200)

AM - 30 minutes easy. Easy shakeout, barely awake. Breeze picking up as the morning went along.

PM - 55 minutes incl. 5 sets of the 1000-200 jog-200-200 jog workout I've come to enjoy so much. Took a long nap after lunch, still a bit groggy heading out the front door. As cold as it's been for a track workout this year, but thankfully the wind died down. Checked the watch after the first km rep, seeing how slow it was, then ignored the watch the rest of the way. Tried to pick up the pace within each repeat and from beginning to end as well. Felt like I might stall out on the fourth set but in hindsight this wasn't the case. Recoveries were all under a minute, some closer to 50 seconds even, which was the big surprise as I was expecting to see the recovery time creep upward toward the end.

3:34.3 - 38.7
3:32.0 - 37.5
3:26.5 - 36.8
3:24.5 - 36.6
3:23.8 - 36.8

ran the last 100m in 18.5 as well, the whole thing went in 29:22. Calf felt fine during the workout, somewhat stiff afterward though.

Sun 12/23 - AM 85 minutes

Lincoln Woods. What passes for a long run at the moment. Started out easy, stayed that way for a while but eventually the paced increased somewhat. Towards the end did a sort-of windup although not in a truly sustained fashion. Some slipping on leaves and landing on hidden rocks of course. Legs held up fairly well despite this. Weather reasonably fair, modest winds and temps a bit above freezing.

Sat 12/22 - double, 75 minutes

AM - 35 minutes easy. Pre-breakfast shakeout. Stiff of course but all the joints in reasonable working order, even on the right side. Lashed by sleet for the first 15 minutes, not pleasant.

PM - 40 minutes, Walden woods. Two laps around the pond. Some trepidation in the dark but avoided tripping on anything. Right lower leg (calf and TA) felt surprisingly good.

Frfi 12/21 - 60 minutes incl. 3x220, 2x330, 550, 2x330, 3x220, 600

After what happened with the tibialis anterior yesterday, the fact I was able to complete this workout is borderline miraculous. Certainly I didn't have much optimism going in, not sure if I'd be able to do much more than jog. The attachment of the TA got progressively tighter during the warmup, but felt better after doing some compressions on the belly of the muscle. Tightened up again during drills, again a few compressions helped release the strain. Fully prepared to cut bait at any time during the workout but in the end it wasn't necessary. The workout itself is one I haven't done for a long long time, one that I appreciate though for the relentless 90 second recoveries between every rep. This makes it imperative not to overdo it early. I found it hit me a little harder than I would have liked on the 550, and really not looking to the 330 that came just after it, but overall kept it together. Took 9 minutes or so between the last 220 and the 600 (meters, not yards for this final repeat). I had vague notions of running negative splits, winding it up with each lap but instead went through the first 200 in around 34 and ended up averaging that for the whole thing. If anything I might have tailed off the last lap but at least it felt smooth. Splits:

35.2, 35.6, 35.6
53.1, 53.6
90.5
52.3, 53.2
34.0, 34.1, 34.2

1:42

Worth noting that the recovery was a 1.5 lap jog in lane zero, and while it was just under 90 seconds before the 550, it was just over 90 afterward. Not at all surprising.

Thu 12/20 - PM 60 minutes easy

Area 51. An exercise in frustration capped off with an "epic fail" of the calf area. Felt okay at the start, found out after 10 minutes that the batteries in the headlamp were dead. Having my heart set on hitting the trails, I went back and replaced them, then stepped out the door a second time and took a more direct route to the woods. The replacement batteries crapped out after less than 10 minutes on the trails, hopefully not a sign that the headlamp is defective. By this time I was past the point of no return and muddled along with the moonlight for illumination. No major stumbles, in the end it served mainly to keep the pace slow so as not to trip on anything. Despite feeling progressively less energetic as time wore on, I wanted to do a few quick strides on the way in. First one felt slow and awkward, then two more with the tib anterior getting tighter and tighter until it locked in full-on spasm. Limped home the last minute or two cursing my idiocy. While it wasn't the calf that went it was certainly the underlying cause, as the tib anterior and peroneal have had to pick up the slack and as a result have become tight and easily fatigued. Spent plenty of time with the stick doing compressions on the peroneal, very tender and sore but productive. The stiffness in the ankle that has emerged of late was reduced for sure. Nevertheless tomorrow's workout is doubtful at best, we'll see.

Wed 12/19 - PM 55 minutes easy

Area 51. Stiff and sore, as expected. Most of the aftermath in the right side of course, TFL, hammie and calf. So pretty much the entire leg. Felt better after a thorough stretching/strengthening routine afterward.

Tue 12/18 - PM 60 minutes incl. mile, 3(3x440)

First workout on an indoor track in almost a year, and first workout that wasn't threshold oriented in quite a while. Splits:

5:05.2 (2:34.8/2:30.4)
5R
70.0/71.6/71.5
4.5R
76.4/76.5/75.0
4.5R
70.8/70.6/70.7

Planning on easing into the swing of things with a mile that was to start at around 80 seconds for the first quarter and then drop from there. Instead I hit the first lap in around 37 and was left to adjust the pace from there. While the pace did eventually get faster it wasn't as gradual as I had planned, more of a distinct transition from first half to second. Looking to go 71-2 for first and last set of 440s with the slower middle set around 76. Lap and a half jog between each rep. Of course the first one went too quickly. Felt the beginnings of a twinge on the sixth rep which was quite worrisome, ready to pull the plug at the first hint of trouble on the final set but it wasn't necessary. Similar to the short reps last week, the consistency in splits on the final set evidence that I was about at my limit of manageable turnover. I actually thought the final rep would be a little quicker.

Mon 12/17 - PM 65 minutes easy

Area 51. Awoke this morning to ice on top of a thin layer of packed snow covering everything. Not much better upon getting home from work. Still too attached to the trails to think of going anywhere else, laced up the screw shoes as a result. In general, the footing was best on the ice-encrusted grass or dirt roads, while sidewalks and some streets were borderline treacherous. Screw shoes not quite as effective as I would have liked. Even if I had any ideas of pushing the pace the footing took care of that and required a slow deliberate approach. Realized after 45 minutes or so that the legs were being affected by the slippery footing esp. the right hammie and I would need to bail and get back on pavement. Once back on clear roads I did a series of short pickups on the way in as well. Calf held up reasonably well to all this, although the left one got a little aggravated as well from the slipping around.

Sun 12/16 - AM 80 minutes easy

Area 51. Relaxed and sedate effort, got kind of a late start and not particularly alert the first half hour or so. Awoke this morning to gray skies and an ill breeze blowing, which became stronger as the morning went along. I paid for not wearing enough hand protection, frozen fingers the last 20 minutes which was increasingly unpleasant. Calf stiff but could be much worse.

Sat 12/15 - double, 85 minutes total incl. 8k progression run

AM - 30 minutes very easy. Pre-breakfast shakeout, legs more stiff than I would like even factoring in the early hour.

PM - 55 minutes incl. 8k progression on the track. Not looking forward to getting out of bed from an afternoon nap and doing this workout due to both the cold weather and tight right calf. As bundled up as I've been for a track workout, who knows to what extent this effects the effort expended but every bit of it was necessary. Calf felt like garbage the first few minutes of the warmup but became better after that. Other than two dicey moments where I felt a possible twinge it held up. As for the workout, the plan was to go 90-88-86-84-82 for pace/lap for each 1600. Came in a second or two under for most of it, to wit:

5:57
5:49
5:42
5:35
5:24

effort was quite controlled for the first twelve laps, then noticeably more strenuous for the penultimate 1600. The final 1600 was pushing the red line esp. the last two laps. 14:39/13:48 for each half of the thing. As has been the case with track sessions this fall the numbers don't exactly impress but it got done at least.

Fri 12/14 - PM 55 minutes

Area 51. Took some time to get out the door, typical Friday fatigue. Moving better than yesterday, which isn't saying that much. Short pickups on the way in as well. Hamstring feeling much less restricted. Calf feeling no better though, the spasm holds on tenaciously. Trying to do more stretching during the day at work to counteract the tightness overall. Chilly but with no real wind to speak of.

Thu 12/13 - PM 50 minutes very easy

Relaxed glacially slow putter along the Charles. Right hammie stuck pretty firmly after yesterday, calf stiff of course. Shuffling along, very little range of motion really for at least the first half hour. Somewhat milder than yesterday, fair weather holding steady for now.

Wed 12/12 - PM 55 minutes incl. 3x1600, 4(200,100)

Not the most impressive of track sessions, but it'll have to do given the context. In favoring the calf during the day walking around, I strained or wrenched the TFL and IT band on that side, such that I had to get on the foam roller for 10 minutes as soon as I got home. This helped a great deal but it was still twinging during the warmup and a couple of "off" steps during the workout itself resulted in lovely shooting pains over the trochanter. Had to focus on keeping a short tight stride cycle. Chilly conditions, hardly any wind thankfully but temps cold enough that I was as bundled up as I'll ever be for a track workout in tights and multiple layers up top. Not feeling especially energetic, looking to get a mixed workout of threshold followed by turnover. The 1600s were all negative split but wholly mediocre in terms of time, 5:32 followed by a pair of 5:29s. Each one started with a lap in the 85 second range, running on feel to start and this is what smooth controlled relaxed cruising felt like. Pushing it down to 80 or so on the last lap was another level entirely, alas. Less control and more breathing hard. 300m jog between each rep, followed by a 6 minute or so break before doing 4 sets of shorter faster stuff. 300 jog after each 200, 200 jog after each 100 such that each set was two laps total. Splits:

35.6/17.8
35.5/17.7
35.9/17.8
35.4/17.7

the uniformity is suggestive of the fact that I couldn't have gone much faster without coming apart at the seams. Recovery intervals were just as consistent, although a bit slower on the final set. Happily the calf held together through all this, only mild twinges during the second 1600. The left one was a bit sore after the workout though.

Tue 12/11 - PM 70 minutes

Area 51. Moving better than expected much of the way. Did some short pickups on the way in. Calf still stiff, more so after the run than during but holding it together. Wind subsided with the sunset which made the conditions a lot more comfortable.

Mon 12/10 - double, 75 minutes easy

AM - 35 minutes easy, Area 51. No work today thanks to the car being in the shop. After yesterday's effort, hoping to nurse the calf along with jogging. Plenty of direct pressure and cross fiber friction on it afterward. Fairly late start, took a while to drag myself out of bed.

PM - 40 minutes, Area 51. Started easy, eventually pace quickened a bit. Calf is tight of course but overall felt a little better than I thought it would after yesterday. Still a mess though. Not exactly the most heroic double ever, but the late start for the morning run meant a late start for this run as well. Warmer in the evening than it was in the morning with mild air coming through during the day. Lots of ground fog.

Sun 12/9 - AM 60 minutes incl. 5k road race

The 2012 sandbagging season comes to a close. Busier than it probably should have been but I'm unable to resist the lure of cheaply earned prize money and merch. Having won this race at a canter the past two years I was hoping for a repeat but it wasn't to be. It only takes one and one showed up, became clear by the mile mark that he wasn't going anywhere. By about halfway a gap of a couple of seconds was established. I harbored hopes of rallying on the gradual hill just after 2 miles, but didn't reel him in nearly enough and ended up getting stomped on in the last 400m. The fastest I've run on this course and likely the fastest I'll ever do. Calf hung in there well enough after feeling stiff on the warmup slipping on wet leaves and rocks in the Stony Brook trails. Didn't notice it during the race though and not acting up on me too badly during the cooldown. However, progressively stiffened up over the rest of the afternoon. Relatively mild temperatures, some wind but not a determining factor.

Sat 12/8 - AM 55 minutes easy

Area 51. Yet another jog in the woods, given I'm unable to do much else given the state of the right calf. Feels like it's getting somewhat better, worked on some pretty notable adhesions last night, but at the same time the difference between how the right and left feel is notable. And quite frustrating. Had vague notions of running again in the evening but similar to recent weekends, lost all interest and motivation following an afternoon nap. Had to wait out passing showers before heading out the door, gray and damp morning.

Fri 12/7 - PM 60 minutes very easy

Lincoln woods. Quite the gloomfest between the gathering darkness (earliest sunset of the year I believe), rain that was just starting to fall, Friday fatigue, and of course the right calf which hasn't responded well to Wednesday's workout. Theoretically I was going to do hill drills today or tomorrow but it's become clear they need to be shelved for the time being. Pace petered out to a near crawl near the last 15 minutes or so. Lots of direct pressure and cross fiber friction on the calf afterward.

Thu 12/6 - PM 70 minutes easy

Area 51. Predictably tired and sore, calf feeling frayed and vulnerable with pretty much every step. A real treat. Battery in my headlamp went out while on White Pond road in the refuge proper, which meant I had to stick to roads the rest of the run. The wind that plagued me yesterday was gone, but colder temps as well. Pace slowed toward the end if anything.

Wed 12/5 - PM 60 minutes incl. 8x1000

A slog. Feeling much more flat and tired than I had expected to, took a while to get out the door. Calf felt better after the work I did on it the past two days but still not close to being right. To top things off, the weather turned with the mild air mass pushed out during the morning, and colder drier conditions taking its place. With this of course was a persistent NNW wind that as ever, picked up in intensity as the workout progressed. In light of all these factors, made a conscious effort not to overdo it early on with the pace. The splits reflected this, as in they were slooow:

3:31.2
3:30.5
3:29.9
3:32.1
3:28.3
3:27.3
3:26.7
3:26

all the rest intervals were just under a minute until the last one. Even though I arranged it such that the wind was at my back on three of the five straightaways of each rep, having to cut through it on the other two more than made up for it and got extremely tiresome the second half of the workout. As I figured it would, the calf got fatigued by the end and was starting to twinge on the very slow and short cooldown.

Tue 12/4 - PM 75 minutes easy

Area 51. Nice recovery run, felt better by the end than I did at the start which was the hope going in. Calf in particular loosened up a great deal. The conditions were quite mild and favorable, would have been nice to sneak in a workout of some kind but I'm not nearly ready for it after Sunday's race. Tomorrow promises to be less hospitable for such things but no choice really.

Mon 12/3 - PM 55 minutes easy

Lincoln woods. Dragged the stiff and tight calf through a set of ill-advised drills on Pine Hill, which was not the best idea in hindsight. More direct pressure and compressions afterward of course. This will certainly circumscribe what I'll be able to accomplish in training this winter, yippee. Feeling quite flat as well, which kept the pace slow throughout. Very mild conditions with mostly clear skies, enough clouds on the horizon to create a postcard sunset as I was nearing the end of the run.

Sun 12/2 - AM 60 minutes incl. 5k road race

In a downcast mood going in to this stop on the endless sandbag tour thanks to the calf, which I was concerned about reaggravating. Successfully able to whistle past the graveyard in that regard, although I could feel it start to stiffen up on the cooldown. The race itself was more of a breeze than I thought, took the lead around 800m, had a good size lead by halfway and spent the rest of the time playing keep away with the occasional semi-surge but mostly trying to float with the minimum effort required. Mile splits of 5:03, 5:08, and 5:12. Course was totally flat, to an impressive degree with no wind to speak of. With temps warming through the morning the conditions were actually close to ideal which explains the fast time.

Sat 12/1 - AM 50 minutes easy

Area 51. Yet another easy run in the woods, although I was able to do strides near the end without further aggravating the calf. I'm becoming somewhat obsessed with it, to put it mildly. More direct pressure after the run which certainly helps but only goes so far. I may even break out the ice pack soon which is a modality I should be using far more than I do. Awoke to snow on the ground, of course adding another layer of worry given the potential for slipping around. Avoided any catastrophes in that regard though. Chilly and dank all morning.

Fri 11/30 - AM 55 minutes easy

Area 51. Unable to get to work thanks to unexpected car trouble, wound up sleeping in a bit late then heading out for what was supposed to be a pre-breakfast shakeout. A bit longer than that though in the end. In the back of my mind I think I knew this was the only run I'd be doing today although I harbored vague ideas of doing some kind of leg prep session in the afternoon. Between the calf which continues to feel quite vulnerable, the cold with a sharp breeze, and overall tiredness I bagged it and took a long nap in the afternoon instead. I'd like to chalk it up to discretion but more like paying the piper.

Thu 11/29 - PM 60 minutes easy

Lincoln woods, with drills on Pine Hill. Treading lightly and gingerly with the calf flareup from Tuesday's workout. Held up through the drills but very tight and stiff. Just barely beat the darkness today, started just in time.

Wed 11/28 - PM 70 minutes easy

Area 51. Very relaxed at the start, made sure to keep it that way throughout. Despite this, the right calf started twinging late in the run after not reacting well to yesterday's workout. I'm constantly underestimating the degree to which the fucking thing can be reaggravated, and how problematic it is once that's happened. Ugh. Did compressions on it afterward which hopefully will have some beneficial effect.

Tue 11/27 - PM 60 minutes incl. 10-8-6-4-2-1 minute pickups

Levittown. Revisiting a standby workout, done before at this time of year in this neighborhood. Went with 5-4-3-2-1 minute recoveries between reps which is a little much at the start but seemed like the best move. Feeling a bit pooped at the outset, the longer reps felt like they were on the slower side as a result. Warmed to the task as the reps got shorter, not exactly surprising. Right calf started twinging on the last two reps, as the fatigue mounted and speed increased. Light drizzle to go with cold temps but very little wind thankfully or else it would have been pure misery.

Mon 11/26 - PM 60 minutes

Lincoln woods, with drills on Pine Hill. Fewer leaves on the route I chose today, shorter run, so less leg fatigue. Right hammie remains a bit stiff and tight. Got started as early as I could but still didn't quite beat the sunset. Even with a headlamp, which I didn't have, these aren't the easiest trails to negotiate in the dark.

Sun 11/25 - AM 85 minutes

Lincoln woods. Originally thought I would do a threshold run on the Longfellow Loop, but after the travel this weekend I could tell that wasn't happening. In hindsight I would have had to cut it short. I should have stuck with the flatter gentler trails of Area 51, but wanted to get a little variety and figured my opportunities to run here are diminishing with the onset of winter. Between the leaves and the rolling terrain I was slipping much more than I would have liked which of course led to legs tired before they should have been. I couldn't help noticing that the coaching season has had the effect of recalibrating notions of training volume. This was the average day's length of effort a few months back, now counts as the week's long run. Such as it is. Dismal NW wind blowing stronger as the morning progressed made for a difficult time figuring out what to wear.

Sat 11/24 - AM 45 minutes easy

Up before the sun for an easy jog out and back on the main drag in Fishkill. Regrettably, I started out with the wind at my back, a decision I was regretting at the turnaround. The wind wasn't too strong but it was cold enough to make a difference. Feeling spry enough even with the early start to do a few strides on the way in. Later on did a fair amount of running back and forth at the races, back and forth and up and down Bowdoin Park. The final time I'll be doing that for a good long while.

Fri 11/23 - double, 70 minutes total

AM - 45 minutes easy, Area 51. Pre-breakfast shakeout. Great morning to be outside, sublime even, no wind with frost melting and sublimating all over.

PM - 30 minutes, Bowdoin Park. jogged most of the course and then a few strides from the starting line. In need of a shakeout after the long van ride. Some soreness/stiffness in right medial knee, near goosefoot. Pleasant afternoon, mild for this time of year.

Thu 11/22 - AM 80 minutes incl. 5k road race

Unexpected win given lateness of last night's bedtime and earliness of the start time. Putting a bow on the NVGP, which required merely finishing the race, anything beyond that is gravy. Pleasantly surprised with how relaxed the pace was up front at the start, and found myself leading by the mile mark (about 5:20) without wanting to. I was thinking about making a move as early as halfway, but I was relieved of the lead by the halfway mark and fell into second as we dropped the rest of the field by mile 2. By this point I was starting to feel like I was reaching my limit and vulnerable to being dropped. Surprisingly, instead of delivering the coup de grace the guy leading sort of stalled, once with maybe 600 to go and again with less than 400 to go. I took this as an invitation to go and held the surge long enough that I was in the clear by 50m to go. Felt pretty good to change gears, such as it was. Felt like it took something out of me do it, although that may have been the underlying tiredness. Chilly morning, but the sun showed up just before the start and made a difference. Cooldown happened in two chunks, before and after awards. Enjoyed a nice putter on the rail trail for 25 minutes or so on the second part.

Wed 11/21 - PM 60 minutes easy

Lincoln woods. Squeezed in a run as the shadows lengthened. Able to get in hill drills before sunset which was the intention from the get-go. Pace tailed off near the end, running low on energy at that point. Very relaxed throughout.

Tue 11/20 - PM 45 minutes

Area 51. Chose to keep it short today, not overly tired or anything but not feeling like doing anything longer or more involved. I considered running some 200s on the track but thought better of it and did short pickups on the way in instead. These felt pretty good, although right hammie remains stubbornly stuck. Warmer today during the day, although the temp of course dropped noticeably with the sunset.

Mon 11/19 - PM 65 minutes

Area 51. Happily, I didn't feel nearly as flat or sore as expected after yesterday. Started out at a mellow recovery pace which gradually sped up over the course of the run. Some tightness in right hammie but calves feel none the worse for wear. Pattern of cool days and chilly nights with little wind once the sun sets has continued for days now.

Sun 11/18 - AM 65 minutes incl. 5k road race

The fall sandbag series continues. Unable to resist the lure of the loot. I had felt some misgivings about toeing the line again after last weekend's draining experience in Portsmouth. All the driving across the state the past two days did nothing to ameliorate this. The cynical goal of today was to dip under the CR by as little as possible. I wasn't at all optimistic about this happening during the warmup, as I realized I should have accounted for the inevitable sea breeze when the course runs right along the shoreline. Flags snapping, mostly a crosswind but plenty of exposure to make it feel like a headwind both coming and going on the out and back layout. Not feeling that energetic either. All this created a fair amount of nervousness which got taken out on the first mile. Trying to stay relaxed and not overdo it I still went through in just over 5 minutes. Given that the course was almost dead flat I figured the time was in the bag so long as there was no blowup. Still concerned about the effect the wind would have so I continued to keep the pressure on the second mile which was more like 5:15. Realized with about 600 to go that I was going to be coming in well ahead of schedule. Slowed down a fair amount in the final run-in but not as much as I would have liked. Legs held up reasonably well to the effort, some stiffness in right hammie beforehand but nothing that bothered me during the race itself. Cooldown happened in two chunks, plenty of breaks to check out the local flavor.

Sat 11/17 - double, 60 minutes total

AM - 30 minutes very easy. Pre-breakfast shakeout in Northfield, rt. 10 to Merrifield road. Stiff and lethargic after a less than restful night in a hotel room that could double as a sauna. Meanwhile, awoke to frost everywhere.

PM - 30 minutes easy. Vague notions of doing hill drills but it wasn't happening. Fried after all the driving yesterday and today. Desperately in need of a good night's rest.

Fri 11/16 - PM 45 minutes easy

Out and back along the Norwottuck RT. Straight from work to Northampton ahead of tomorrow's kiddie meet.  I am very ready for the coaching season to be over. Time enough to squeeze in an easy jog thankfully. Calves somewhat sore after yesterday's workout but the left one much improved from where it was last night.

Thu 11/15 - PM 60 minutes incl. 5x(1000,200)

Revisiting the workout I first tried back in early October; cruise km, jog 200, 200 "fast", jog 200, repeat. Its structure is appealing to my sensibilities for sure. Five times through the cycle this time, as opposed to four back then when I was dealing with a super late start and the lingering effects of a head cold. Hoping to progress the pace on the kilos, not checking pace en route though so it was up to judging by feel. Speaking of which, felt a bit overextended on the second one which had me momentarily concerned about whether or not I'd have to cut the thing short. Perhaps still warming to the task or something as I was able to get it all done. Somewhat surprised to see the splits afterward as I didn't think the pace was dropping all that much from rep to rep. Recoveries remained relatively consistent. 200s also consistent, lack of turnover quite apparent even though this isn't the session for that really. Chilly but again no wind to speak of thankfully so I didn't have to get too bundled up. Calves still somewhat tweaked, esp. the left one which I noticed right away after the first rep. Further complicated things by straining it stepping on an unseen curb edge in the dark after the workout was done. It was throbbing after that.

3:34.2 53.8 37.5 54.8 - 6:00.3
3:33.2 54.0 38.3 56.3 - 6:01.9
3:26.2 55.2 37.0 54.5 - 5:52.8
3:24.1 53.2 37.2 53.7 - 5:48.2
3:20.9 55.3 36.4 48.1 - 5:40.5  last 100 18.1
8k total 29:23.6

Wed 11/14 - PM 45 minutes easy

Area 51. Less soreness in the legs today than yesterday, but another easy day definitely what was needed after a long day at work and feeling flat overall. Clear and cold, but wind slacked off after sunset which made it much more bearable.

Tue 11/13 - PM 70 minutes easy

Area 51. Dreaded DOMS struck both calves today, particularly the left one which was an unpleasant surprise. The up and down yesterday didn't help any of course. Made it a no-brainer to tread lightly and go slowly today. Took some time but eventually legs came around a bit. Rain passed through earlier in the afternoon, thankfully all done by the time I hit the trail. Much cooler than yesterday with the front having passed through.

Mon 11/12 - AM 50 minutes easy

Northfield Mountain. The perfect chaser after yesterday, gamboling up and down the ridge with a bunch of mostly overeager adolescents. Both high hamstrings feel sore and pinched, reminiscent of how they felt after the marathon last year. So creaky after sitting in the car for 2 hours I wasn't sure my legs would work, but the initial stiffness went away surprisingly soon after hobbling the first 100m or so. Jogged the race course, then a break, then 20+ minutes more. Took a long nap after lunch, very tired after all the driving the past two days.

Sun 11/11 - AM 85 minutes incl. half marathon

Not the effort I was anticipating months ago when I entered this race, figuring it would be the capstone of the fall racing season. Instead, it became a cynical exercise in road whoring, in that regard no different from all the other races I've done in the past few months. After running the somewhat hilly 10 miler in late July at the end of a day at work, I felt it was reasonable to think I could maintain a similar pace on the flatter layout of this race given a few months to train for it. Instead, the coaching schedule worked its pernicious magic on me and I toed the line worn down. Not that the fall sandbag tour helped any of course, or the lingering issue with right calf that had its anniversary today. Clicked off three 5:30s to start following the eventual winner. Knew that this pace felt too strenuous and that the underlying fatigue was already asserting itself, but persisted in the hope the guy might die worse than I would in the later stages. Started to lose contact after 4 miles, pace slowed to mid 5:40s through 8. At that point I was completely alone and moved into place-holding mode. Next three miles went in 18 minutes, with the calf starting to twinge soon after 10. This made me scale the pace back progressively over the last two miles in an effort to avoid any disasters. More than get it over with mode, this was truly running cooldown pace before reaching the line. By the last 200m I was jogging it in. No shame really but the missed opportunity was a bummer. Squaring the demands of the coaching schedule with training doesn't get any easier with age. Had I forced the issue and somehow avoided straining the calf again, the time wouldn't have been any faster than 1:15. Striking to see just how much I've regressed since the end of the summer. It'll be interesting to see how long it takes to recover from it.

Sat 11/10 - PM 35 minutes

Similar to yesterday's run in most aspects other than length. Tired as usual, early wakeup time for the kiddies' meet not helping in that regard.

Fri 11/9 - PM 65 minutes

Brookline to downtown and back, in three distinct parts with breaks interspersed. 30 minutes, then 20 or so, then 15. Pace on the first two segments was borderline hammerfest, last bit was slower and more measured. Calf continues to be just a little bit off, but enough to put me in a downcast frame of mind. It takes so little to tweak it and then it's off forever it seems.

Thu 11/8 - 70 minutes easy

Area 51. What passes for a longish run in the current fatigued state. Started slow, eventually moving a little bit better in the last 15 minutes or so. Calf tweaked from wearing different shoes to work, very frustrating. Weather dismal but not nearly as bad as yesterday thank goodness.

Wed 11/7 - off

Planning for a few days now to take a zero today, in light of underlying fatigue. The forecast of stormy weather, which came to pass in spades, didn't dissuade me. Gusty winds with blowing snow made the decision an easy one.

Tue 11/6 - PM 55 minutes easy

Area 51. Had some difficulty getting out the door. Not adjusting well to the chilly conditions and tired as well, of course. Started slow and gradually felt a little better as the run went along. Still not exactly flying at any point. I had thought about doing something on the track since the next two days look exceedingly poor from a weather standpoint, but between the cold temps I haven't adjusted to and the underlying fatigue it was a no-brainer to go with active recovery instead.

Mon 11/5 - PM 50 minutes easy

Area 51. Got a late start, feeling pooped as per usual, cut the length of the run short. This will likely be a common theme for a week or two. Surprisingly uncomfortable conditions, cold temps with enough wind for there to be a wind chill that had me doubling back to put on more clothes before I got too far from the doorstep. Calf is tight, still paying for wearing the wrong shoes to work (not the run mind you) on Friday.

Sun 11/4 - AM 50 minutes incl. 5k road race

Flat and dull, not unexpectedly. Spent the "extra hour" from setting the clocks back sleeping in, and then some. Once I got to the race site, not feeling much in the way of motivation to warm up. A stiff wind didn't help much on that count. Spent the entire race in second place. Any chance of winning was over pretty much instantly, although I kept the delusion alive for 800m or so before turning my focus to what was behind instead of what was in front. Seemed like the next guy was closer than I would have liked, found at the turnaround that I had about 25 seconds cushion. Spent the second, downhill half of the course playing keep away. The last 800 I eased back in stages until it was more of a steady pace. In hindsight I could have shut it down sooner but who cares. Mile splits were 5:15, 5:45 and 5:30ish. Given the wind was as usual in our faces most of the first half, these splits don't quite reflect how much more effort I put into the front end. Calf was somewhat tight warming up, didn't bother me much while racing or cooling down but remains stiff. As obnoxious as the out and back, up then down course is this event has grown on me. Cooldown was on the short side.

Sat 11/3 - double, 80 minutes total

AM - 25 minutes easy. Pre-breakfast shakeout. Right calf tight and stiff. Still, feeling better overall than yesterday.

PM - 55 minutes easy, Lincoln woods. Against my better judgment, I gave hill drills a try and happily it went well. Both calves tight but I didn't strain anything and got some resistance work in. Napped away much of the afternoon, feeling quite flat and tired.

Fri 11/2 - PM 35 minutes easy

Planned on a shorter run, but not this short. Surprisingly flat and listless, even taking into account the usual Friday fatigue. I had also planned on doing hill drills but the calf was twinging ominously so I had to take a pass on that as well.

Thu 11/1 - PM 60 minutes easy

Area 51. Easy recovery run and a chance to see what the storm wrought in the woods as well. Not as many downed trees as I thought, but I was traipsing around back there in the dark so I may have missed some. Right hammie remains tweaked, although it didn't bother me in yesterday's workout in any material way. Left ankle quite stiff during the day at work, likely thanks to going right to bed w/o stretching after yesterday's workout. Cooler windy conditions during the day but the wind was coming out of the SW so it didn't drop much at all after sunset.

Wed 10/31 - PM 65 minutes incl. 5k-4k-3k

I appear to have found the ceiling for duration of a threshold track workout, that being 12k worth of stuff. Fixated on progressing km by km, within that framework the possibilities are of course endless. Decided on longer reps for purposes of focus. Some concern during the 5k that I dropped the pace too much the second km but I was able to drop the pace straight through. By the end of each rep it was no longer a tempo, but still manageable. Splits:

3:44/3:38/3:33/3:27/3:23
3.5R
3:36/3:31/3:27/3:21
3R
3:30/3:24/3:20

Cooler weather than the past two days, but once again almost perfectly still, no wind to speak of.

Tue 10/30 - PM 75 minutes

Lincoln woods. Another day off from work thanks to the aftermath of the storm, i.e. downed trees and powerlines. I thought about running in Area 51 again just to do a before/after comparison but the chance to run in the trails in Lincoln was too good to pass up. Curious to see how many trees had fallen in the woods, not as many as I was expecting really. I wanted to pick up the pace in the second half of the run but the right hammie which is stuck more or less prevented that from happening. I did try to do some short quick strides toward the end despite this, made it through in one piece. Unusually warm conditions for this time of year, warm air mass in place for now soon to be replaced by a cooler one.

Mon 10/29 - AM 1:45 easy

Area 51 via Track Road and Sudbury Road. Work called off thanks to the storm, forecast for strengthening winds over the course of the day meant starting early as possible was the way to go. Still somewhat windy and rainy when I went but nothing unmanageable, more annoying than anything else. It did pick up in intensity the last 10 minutes or so I was outside. Some gusts nearly took my hat for a ride, but not cold enough for the rain to be a source of misery. Run itself was straight recovery after yesterday. Calf tight and fairly sore.

Sun 10/28 - AM 70 minutes incl. 10k road race

Not a bad effort all things considered. Feeling somewhat flat as usual waking up in the morning, not an enthusiastic warmup either. The race was much more competitive overall than it has been in the past few years, thankfully being old has its benefits as all I cared about going in was winning the age group. Course was basically two miles gradual downhill, close to ideal for blasting out, then 1.5 miles or so rolling, then mostly uphill to the five mile split before it flattened out for the rest of the way. Splits reflected this unsurprisingly. First two in just under 5:10 apiece despite running into a headwind thanks to the approaching mega-storm. Safely ensconced within the pack for this stretch. Next mile around 5:30, then 5:20, 5:45, and another 5:20. The fourth mile seemed a little short but who knows. Sat on the main age group competition waiting for the uphill grind in the second half of the race where he popped himself as expected. Last mile was holding the spot. Longer cooldown than warmup, easy jog on nearby trails. Calf stiff afterward.

Sat 10/27 - double, 85 minutes easy total

AM - 25 minutes easy, if not very easy. Pre-breakfast shakeout/crawl. Still, feeling a little better than yesterday after sleeping a bit more last night. Dense ground fog made for a quaint atmosphere if nothing else.

PM - 60 minutes easy, Walden woods with drills on Pine Hill. Feeling somewhat better than the morning but still nothing to write home about. Something of a trudge for the most part, but a relaxed one at least. Somewhat warm and vaguely sticky. The real weather fun may start as early as tomorrow night though.

Fri 10/26 - PM 35 minutes very easy

Had something a little more substantial in mind but much like Tuesday, even strides weren't happening thanks to very low energy level and sore right hammie. Cut the length of the run short in fact. DOMS from Wednesday's workout would appear to be at work as the legs felt worse today than yesterday.

Thu 10/25 - 60 minutes easy

Area 51. I had thought about going longer but realized soon after starting out that it was wishful thinking. Not enough time or energy for it. The exhaustion is accumulating, similar to last year of course, and not at all unexpectedly given the grind of the coaching schedule. No marathon to recover from this year though. Right hammie and calf both somewhat stuck after yesterday's workout.

Wed 10/24 - PM 70 minutes incl. 2x(3k, 2k, 1k)

Despite still feeling somewhat rundown and stiff-legged, went to the track for the longest threshold session so far this fall. 600 jog after each 3k, 400 after each 2k. About 5 minutes between sets, most of that time spent in the portajohn. This recovery was on the long side for a workout such as this but it certainly facilitated negative splitting, as seen below:

3:44.3/3:32.8/3:27.5
3:32.8/3:24
3:19.1

3:35.5/3:27.9/3:22.4
3:29.4/3:20.6
3:18

The longer reps started under control and finished at an entirely different level of exertion. Starting to feel right calf during the second set, which continued after the workout was over. Did some compressions on it afterward which seemed to help. Very good conditions once again for this type of thing, cool with no wind to speak of.

Tue 10/23 - PM 70 minutes easy

Area 51. Easy putter in the dark, necessarily so after getting hit by a wave of exhaustion in late afternoon. I had wanted to do strides on the way in but it simply wasn't happening due to both lack of energy and sore legs. Felt like crap in other words. Hoping to get in a decent threshold session tomorrow so live to fight another day.

Mon 10/22 - PM 60 minutes

Out and back on the aqueduct in Weston. Started out a bit quick, then settled into a relatively relaxed groove for most of the rest of the way. Right leg dragging a bit, dragging a bit in general as well after getting home somewhat late last night. Still no complaints what with being able to get the run in before darkness fell. Relatively mild, yesterday's wind continued into the early afternoon but was softening into a breeze by the time I got started.

Sun 10/21 - AM 80 minutes incl. 5k road race

Mediocre effort at best. The A game was nowhere to be found, feeling too flat from the moment I started the warmup. Dead flat course on Day Blvd., basically identical to the race I did here in July. With the wind at our backs on the way out, cruised through the mile in around 5:00 without undue effort. Soon after that the eventual winner went by me and I had hopes of hanging with him when we turned around and headed back into the wind. Unable to make this stick though, when I got to the turnaround contact had been lost and was consigned to spending the second half of the race being crushed by the wind. It became clear by mile 2 that closing the gap wasn't happening and I was feeling the effort more keenly than I would have liked anyway, so the remainder of the race was a holding action. Consolation prize was the age group win, vultured in fine fashion. Cooldown an easy 45 minutes around Castle Island with nice views of the ocean and tides and more big winds as well. Right calf got tight towards the end of the cooldown, unwelcome but not surprising.

Sat 10/20 - AM 75 minutes

Lincoln woods, ran mostly easy for an hour by myself and then 15 minutes of jogging with the kiddies showing them the up and down loop in Mt. Misery they were doing for their workout. Stayed up too late last night for no good reason, feeling somewhat groggy as a result. The muggy overcast of yesterday continued into the morning but by the time I had done it was breaking up and the conditions were improving by the minute with things drying out. Did me no good while I was out there though, trails carpeted with wet leaves. Still preferable to running most anyplace else.

Fri 10/19 - PM 80 minutes

First quasi-double of the fall season, maybe the only one. Started things off with a 35 minute out and back in Weston with the kiddies, something of a blah route. About an hour or so after finishing this, I was on the trails in Lincoln. Threw in a set of hill drills, something I was thinking of doing tomorrow but seeing the opportunity to do it today it was a no-brainer. Right calf is tight from the workout and the patella tendon area is still somewhat sore, but neither is debilitating. Finished just before the daylight failed but didn't quite finish before the forecast rains arrived, in full gullywasher mode. Sticky and quite gross all afternoon leading up to this.

Thu 10/18 - PM 50 minutes

30+ minutes on the roads in Weston, then three flat-out sprints on the grass, and finally 15 minutes more on the grass in bare feet. This all went much better than I was expecting given how sore the right patellar tendon and area around it was during the day. Definitely some mild inflammation in there but hopefully nothing that will blow up on me. Clear breezy day.

Wed 10/17 - 70 minutes incl. 5x2k

The workout I was planning on doing yesterday, bumped back. In hindsight a no-brainer, as I had much more energy today and the conditions were more favorable. No wind to speak of and a cool night made it easy to get in a decent groove. Also got in an honest to goodness warmup and cooldown this time unlike a week ago. Some tightness and soreness below right knee the first two reps, no idea where this came from but given it's the right leg it's surely related to all the other things that are tweaked on that side. Modest pace on the reps but the idea was to pick it up on the second half of each one. 400 jog between each rep which came out to about 2 minutes. Splits:

3:40/3:31 - 7:11
3:32/3:27 - 6:59
3:34/3:24 - 6:58
3:33/3:17 - 6:50
3:33/3:17 - 6:50

the uniformity over the last two suggests water had found its level.

Tue 10/16 - off

Oh well. I had every intention of doing a threshold rep session this evening but I realized upon arriving home that it wasn't happening. The past three days having a good deal to do with it of course, still fried from the weekend and Sunday's long nap made getting to bed Sunday night more difficult. Which led to accumulated sleep deficit yesterday and today. Bulled through yesterday, not so much today. Chilly conditions and a persistent NW breeze didn't make me any more motivated either. Missing my mid-afternoon free time block right about now.

Mon 10/15 - PM 70 minutes easy

Mostly out and back along the aqueduct in Weston and Wayland, with a loop on Surrey/Country/Highland thrown in at the end for deviation from the horizontal. Feeling pretty good until the calf started twinging on the hills. Did some direct pressure and compressions on it after dinner, felt better but still tight. What else is new. Much warmer today than the past couple of days, with a gusty SW wind to go along with it.

Sun 10/14 - PM 75 minutes easy

Walden woods. Far too ambitious plans of doing a much longer run in the morning went right by the wayside, as I slept in and woke up to obnoxiously heavy rain showers. Kidding myself that I'd be in any condition to do anything this morning after going directly from the race yesterday morning to the kiddies' meet that involved standing around for a good five hours or so in decidedly cool conditions. Decided to wait out the rain with a forecast of warmer temps later in the day. Waiting in this case means going back to sleep for the bulk of the afternoon. Quite groggy upon waking up from that nap, made for a pokey start to the run. Started just a bit later than I would have liked which meant gathering darkness put an end to things, but it was nice to take an easy jaunt through the woods. Right hammie still somewhat stuck. As predicted, it was much warmer by mid-afternoon, somewhat sticky even thanks to the rain and SW winds.

Sat 10/13 - AM 60 minutes incl. 5k road race

Another sandbagging visit to Plymouth. After a decent night's rest, feeling more energetic than yesterday although that isn't saying much. Warmed up on the course, something I'm glad I did because it rolled relentlessly. No major hills but very little flat ground to speak of, and knowing what to expect was helpful. Noticed my old pal Titus while finishing off the warmup, not exactly thrilled to see him. I had no desire to lead but found myself in that spot, though not working overly hard to do it. After the first 4 minutes or so it was just the two of us. Covered a surge just after a mile, tucked in for a time and figured I would try to make one decisive counterpunch in the final half mile. Instead, I pulled away without trying to before two miles on one of the short steep climbs. From there on out did enough to maintain advantage without killing myself. Didn't bother to take splits so the final time was a pleasant surprise but that who knows if the course is accurate. Conditions more like November than October with a chilly wind and cold temps following the first frost of the season overnight.

Fri 10/12 - PM 60 minutes easy

Area 51. In desperate need of a recovery run after the past few days of shorter quicker stuff. Worth putting off the run until after sunset. Too tired anyway to do anything but an easy jog. Despite the lack of energy and a stuck right hammie I was able to do some short strides (short being the new default for strides) on the way in. On the nippy side with a persistent NW breeze.

Thu 10/11 - PM 40 minutes

The "less is more" program continues. Ran with the kiddies out and back along the aqueduct. To my great surprise there was no all out sprint at the end. Overall the pace wasn't what I would call easy but it was reasonable and somewhat relaxed. Yesterday's extremely minimal cooldown didn't result in any undue soreness today thankfully. Sunny day with a fairly chilly and quite persistent NW wind blowing much of the afternoon.

Wed 10/10 - PM 40 minutes incl 2x4k

Something better than nothing, as they say. After a delightful afternoon spent getting drenched in a miserable rain at the kiddies' meet, parked next to the Maynard track at just before 7. Parked at the track in Maynard because I knew if I parked in my driveway I wouldn't be making it up the street. Warmup consisted of jogging 200m around the track while trying to decide what the hell I was going to do for some type of threshold workout. Settled on 2x4k in the midst of doing the first 4k. Very well thought-out in advance, the super late start had me quite frazzled and rushing about mindlessly. Soon after settling on the number and distance of reps, decided to pick up the pace with each km. Planning on taking splits at each kilo for later reference but I missed the line on the first split. As a result took splits at 1600 and 3200 instead for the first rep. Splits as follows:

5:58
5:38
2:44 (14:20 tot)

3 minute recovery then the second one, which I was able to split each km:

3:38
3:30
3:25
3:17 (13:50 tot)

Considering I wasn't checking the watch after the second lap or so of each rep, the cutdown in pace went as well as I could have hoped. Working hard but not killing myself by the end of each one. Cooldown not quite as brief as the warmup but still not exactly optimal, on the order of 6 minutes or so. Aforementioned rain had finally stopped by the time I got going after a day of obnoxious showers, with a NW wind starting to scoop things out.

Tue 10/9 - PM 50 minutes easy

Area 51. Still tired but maybe not as much as the past couple of days. Took it easy throughout, but happily I was able to do some short pickups/strides on the way in which is all I was hoping for. Right hammie stuck more than I had anticipated, a leftover from Sunday no doubt.

Mon 10/8 - double, 90 minutes easy total

AM - 25 minutes easy. Another pre-breakfast shakeout. Not as sore as I expected to be after yesterday.

PM - 65 minutes easy, Area 51. Hit the trail after a long afternoon nap. Much of the run was in the darkness thanks to the later start. Right hammie a bit stuck, calf somewhat sore, but overall not terribly so. Still tired though and that seems unlikely to change in the near future.

Sun 10/7 - AM 75 minutes incl. 5k xc race

Another one-meet cross country season at Wayland. Feeling flat and listless from the moment I woke up. The coaching season exhaustion is beginning to get its claws into me and combined with the always extended convalescence from illness, it was hardly a surprise. Warmup was certainly a decent amount, but didn't feel fully awake or ready to go no matter what. The first 1200m of the race felt much more difficult than it should have, before things stabilized somewhat. Spent the last two miles of the race in no-man's land. Thought for a time I was bringing in a group up ahead but that was pure delusion. Course layout different from last year FWIW. I prefer the way it was this year despite the slower time for me. Finished feeling more tired than spent. Right hammie still twinging a bit but the calf held up to the ups and downs of the course as well as I could have hoped. Longish cooldown on the trails of the Greenways. Thankfully, the predicted driving rain didn't materialize, overcast and humid but on the cool side.

Sat 10/6 - double, 75 minutes total

AM - 30 minutes easy, Area 51 outskirts. Quite slow at the start, quite stiff from yesterday's rollercoasterish run. Picked it up markedly in the last 10 minutes mainly to get to the bathroom. Tired.

PM - 45 minutes, Area 51. Two mini-progressions in effect, one lasting 25 minutes then 20 with a break in between at the culvert. Slept away a good chunk of the afternoon, still sort of groggy. Somewhat sticky and kind of warm for this time of year. Right hammie somewhat stuck.

Fri 10/5 - PM 40 minutes

Progression run of sorts in Weston. Ash to Wellesley St, on to Chestnut then up and over Highland and back to the school. In the neighborhood of 6 miles. Started relatively relaxed although not exactly what I would call easy. Very gradually picked it up until reaching Highland when the effort increased more dramatically. Felt reasonably good although congestion continues and made breathing more of a chore than it needed to be. The gloomy overcast finally broke during the day, still a bit sticky but a much nicer afternoon to be outside than the past few days.

Thu 10/4 - PM 45 minutes very easy

Area 51. Exhausted, unsurprisingly. A bit late getting to bed last night the main culprit. Obligated to take a brief nap before heading out the door which only made me feel more out of it at the outset. Right hammie and left adductor sore from yesterday, but calf feels okay. Not as warm as yesterday but just as humid, drizzling and spitting rain most the day in fact. Dreary weather continues.

Wed 10/3 - PM 55 minutes incl. 4x(1000, 200)

Another post-kiddie meet quick hitter workout. Had my doubts about doing it right up until moments before the first repeat, with the right calf feeling swollen and sore after yesterday's hill drills. Definitely a mistake doing them. Cold is on the way out but congestion remains and of course copious amounts of snot, which made breathing more of a chore than it needed to be. Similar workout to a few weeks ago, only 1000 instead of 1200 for the long rep. 200 jog between the faster bits, for a 1600m total for each set. Decided after the first set to stop at 4, in deference to convalescent condition and late starting time. Took splits but didn't check them until afterward. I was surprised to see the numbers:

3:29/37.7
3:25/37.5
3:21.3/36.7
3:20.6/36.8

Not trying to cut the pace down like that but it certainly works. Humidity was horrendous all day, drizzling on and off.

Tue 10/2 - PM 65 minutes easy

Lincoln woods. Not planning on running on the trails today but the opportunity presented itself, I would have been foolish to pass it up. Also not planning on doing hill drills, but I should have passed them up as the right calf is in no condition for that kind of thing right now. As it was, it stiffened up and right knee also sore afterward from altering the movement pattern. Rained most of the day incl. a good chunk of the run, but on the warm side.

Mon 10/1 - PM 55 minutes

Weston, to and from the neighborhood off Highland which has hills aplenty. Two times around a loop just longer than two miles, then a shorter loop before heading back. Between the tight calf and sleeping less than I would have liked thanks to nasal congestion I was expecting to feel like hell but it wasn't so bad at all. Not sure to what degree this was supposed to be a workout for the kiddies, as breaks were taken between each loop but the admonition was to take it easy. Which of course they didn't really do, at least the ones I was with. The "cooldown" back to the school was more of a distinct windup followed by the obligatory sprint through the parking lot. I suppose when you have all those sets of bench press to do, getting back quickly is of the essence. Pleasant afternoon with a bit of a breeze.

Sun 9/30 - PM 80 minutes very easy

Walden woods. Very ambivalent about doing anything today with the ongoing cold symptoms, incl. obnoxious congestion. Calf also very stiff. After a long afternoon nap, felt somewhat better. Decided to take a very easy jog in the woods, hoping it would clear the breathing passages without putting me under. After spending most of the last day in bed, I was also needed to get outside for at least a little while. The dissipation of the overcast gloom helped make this possible, much more favorable conditions than what we've been experiencing since Friday morning.

Sat 9/29 - AM 70 minutes incl. 10 mile road race

Not a fun experience between the ongoing cold symptoms, sore calf, and continued gross weather. Feeling listless from the moment I woke up, even though I slept better than expected given the sore throat that usually keeps me tossing and turning. Lack of motivation continued right up to the start of the race, as warmup was perfunctory at best. After cruising through last year's edition of this race at marathon pace and still winning with ease, I had hoped the field would be just as mediocre this time around but no dice. Ran as quick as I felt comfortable with to try and burn everyone off, still got passed at 3 miles ascending one of the gradual hills in the first half of the race. Gave up on winning right there and spent the rest of the race trying to hold onto second without killing myself or straining the calf. After getting through 6 miles in around 34 minutes, the next three miles were each over 6 minutes as the course turned uphill in earnest. Realized to my chagrin with 2k to go that I was being stalked, and even though it made absolutely no difference in the grand scheme of things, I picked up the pace drastically on the last mile to hold the guy off. The gradual downhill nature of that last mile makes it go by quickly no matter what but I ripped it off in 5:18. I wish I could say the previous slower miles were a tempo effort but given the elevation gain they certainly weren't. The amount of effort put forth wasn't immediately apparent, but when I tried to do a cooldown afterward I found it impossible to move at even a slow jog. Thus it became more walking than running. Went home as soon as humanly possible and took the first of two long afternoon naps. Calf felt stiff the rest of the day. I'm sure this will delay the full recovery from what currently ails me but hey, at least the NVGP is in the bag.

FRI 9/28 - PM 30 minutes easy

Dismal jog in gross conditions. Exhausted all day at work thanks to the stupid sore throat which of course kept me from getting anything resembling a decent night's sleep. Took a long while to get out the door when I finally made it home. Rained off and on but more on all day, and of course one of the heavier showers rolled through in the midst of my quite short run. Calf feels stiff and tight, stuck in the not quite injured but not all there purgatory for the time being. Not looking forward to tomorrow at all.

Thu 9/27 - off

Planning on doing something light, decided to take the zero instead after the kiddies' meet was done. Still feeling flat, and with a dry scratchy throat all day as well.

Wed 9/26 - PM 80 minutes easy plus 20 minutes in Walden

No practice today which allowed me to reenact, one last time, the summer routine of heading over to Lincoln post-work. Also recreated the part of the routine where I take a nap in the car, a long one. Still paying the piper for the weekend and Monday's hard effort. Feeling quite flat for the first 40 minutes of the run and only marginally better after that. Some life in the legs post-pond but overall just feeling tired throughout. Pond is definitely at wetsuit temps, not that I have one to wear. White-fingered for a couple of hours afterward. Breezy like the last couple of days but overcast and sticky as well, stealthily gross in fact.

Tue 9/25 - PM 70 minutes very easy

Lincoln woods. Fully ignoring the effect of the past two days, I had been planning on actually doing a threshold workout today. Thankfully it occurred to me at the last minute that wouldn't be a good idea. With just enough daylight left I headed over to the woods instead. Feeling somewhat put upon between work and coaching so the time spent on the trails was much needed just for decompressing. Started slow and got slower as things went along and it became clear how tired I was. Right calf stiff thanks to low profile shoes. Still sunny and breezy, although with some humidity creeping into the picture.

Mon 9/24 - PM 75 minutes

Weston, with the kiddies. Ran a very similar route two weeks ago, aqueduct to Rice, on to Love Lane and Highland. This time went a little longer but it took less time because the pace got super stupid after an initial 30 minutes that was quite relaxed. In the interest of recovery from yesterday's effort (such as it was) I should have taken it easier, the option presented itself, but the morbid curiosity was too much, I had to see what an adolescent pissing contest looked like up close. Fascinating stuff, various surges unsurprisingly corresponding to flat or downhill stretches with the obligatory final sprint for the last 100m or so. Calf still tight but feels under control, not that I did anything to help matters. Dry, sunny breezy conditions, rapidly cooling as the sun started to set.

Sun 9/23 - PM 60 minutes incl. 5k road race plus 15 minutes in Long Lake

Vaguely unsatisfactory effort, not exactly in a place to put my best foot forward to begin with though. Slept in after yesterday's long day. Knew from the get-go I was more than a bit fried from all the driving and the early wakeup after late bedtime Friday night. Because of the odd starting time (2:30) I tried to eat an early, lighter lunch but it was neither early enough nor light enough apparently, because I was still digesting it when it came time to warm up. Course is typical of Littleton, hills and rolls aplenty. Most significant climb in the first mile. Not expecting much in the way of competition, I wouldn't have done the race in the first place if it weren't part of the NVGP, but there was prize money for winning so I was prepared for at least one or two decent folks to show up. The presence of Littleton HS athletes in their team uniforms became a source of confusion when their coach decided to run the race also wearing the LHS strip. A little odd but to each their own. I was left wondering who this very mature looking HS kid was, but still decided to try a strategy that I figured would work on a high schooler on this course. That would be blast the initial hilly mile and hope it destroyed him more than me. Turns out the kid I was racing was in fact a grown man and this gambit failed rather spectacularly. My breathing was labored and I was well beyond myself by the time he calmly re-passed me after I made my move. Soon after I gave up. Mile splits around 5:00 for the first and then 5:30 or so for the next two. I'd like to say I was just coasting but it was a little more effort than that. Right calf held up to all this although it was feeling fairly stiff on the warmup. With a good amount of direct pressure and compressions later in the day I'm hopeful the worst is behind me for this flareup. On the cooldown, stopped for a dip in Long Lake which was nice except for the coating of slime that I came out with. Sunny, breezy and kind of cool overall.

Sat 9/22 - double, 90 minutes total plus 20 minutes in Walden

AM - 50 minutes very easy. Out and back shuffle down Main St. in Fishkill, as boring as it gets. Didn't get much sleep last night, unsurprisingly. Right ankle feels locked up, whether this is caused by tight calf or causing is anyone's guess.

PM - 40 minutes easy plus 20 minutes in Walden. Got back from the trip to NY earlier than expected, with time enough to make it over to the pond before closing time. Humid enough during the day to make the dip more welcome than I thought it would be. Water is cooling off though, as it steadily recedes.

Fri 9/21 - PM 30 minutes

Two 15 minute chunks in the dark on and around Main St. in Fishkill, as boring a spot as it gets. Shakeout after a long drive, though thankfully not quite as long as the same drive a year ago in pounding rain. Much cooler and drier this time around. Calf feels tight and right ankle vaguely locked after all the sitting at the gas pedal all afternoon.

Thu 9/20 - PM 65 minutes easy

Area 51. Dead on my feet after a long day. Thought I might run with the kiddies but they weren't doing much running and I arrived late to their practice. Waited until getting home instead. Started slow and probably got slower. Right calf tight and stiff but no real twinges. Cool enough that I went with a long sleeve shirt and didn't regret it.

Wed 9/19 - PM 60 minutes incl. 12-10-8-6-4 minute pickups

Another post-kiddie meet workout session around the Weston athletic fields run entirely on feel. Went with a cutdown in order to get as much time at LT pace done as possible in a given time frame. Feeling flat and tired going in, not exactly relishing the prospect of putting forth any kind of hard effort. In addition, right calf tight and stiff all day at work, feeling more and more like a mild strain. Soldiered on anyway, starting the first repeat after a 7 minute jog warmup. Tried to gradually increase the pace as the end of each rep got closer. Hard to say how successful this was but it felt like it anyway. Recoveries of 4, 3, 2, and 1 minute, kept them short as much to keep things moving along as for any hifalutin physiological reason. As the workout wore on, I warmed to the task and it felt like the pace was picking up from rep to rep. The only glitch was an aggravation of the calf while running around a corner on an uneven cambered surface, felt it twinge and cursed the damn thing for still being problematic. A lurking potential issue from here on out it would appear. Conditions very nice once again, happening as it did in the gathering twilight with the temp starting to drop under mostly clear skies. Much better than the humid mess I was expecting.

Tue 9/18 - PM 40 minutes easy

Area 51. Feeling very tired today, more so than expected. Thought I'd run with the kiddies, that didn't come off. Ended up heading home and taking a nap before heading out. Right calf tight to the point of distraction and remained so for the length of the run. A souvenir of the weekend double I'm afraid. Still able to do some strides, but I made sure not to overdo it on speed or length. Muggy warm conditions all day, some showers in the middle of the day but the worst of the rain hadn't arrived yet by the time I hit the trail.

Mon 9/17 - PM 80 minutes easy plus 20 minutes in Walden

Easy putter in the woods, much needed and appreciated after the weekend's racing. No kiddies' practice for me today so I was able to slide back in to the comfortable summer routine, although the dry comfortable conditions and longer shadows made it clear that summer is in the rearview for all intents and purposes. That routine included a pre-run nap, first one of those in a while which left me loopy for the first 10 minutes or so of the run. Eventually woke up but didn't speed up much if at all. Right leg took the brunt of the past two days, calf tight and hammie twinging. Pond getting cooler but still accessible, still receding as well.

Sun 9/16 - AM 70 minutes incl. 10k road race

Completed the back half of the weekend double in one piece, but something the worse for wear. Arrived with little time to spare for warmup, not particularly motivated either. Realized on the starting line there was only one person to worry about as far as competition goes. Tried to sit on that person and stay relaxed, but the pace was too fast for me to sustain in the second half of the race. Splits reflect this neatly, first 3 miles just under 16:00, lost contact and gave up the chase in the fourth mile (5:40), and proceeded to pack it in for reals the last two miles (11:40). I wish I could say those last two miles felt like a jog but not so much. This same double treated me better last year, but I think the combination of staying up far too late Thursday and overdoing it yesterday set me up for the fade today. In the end it didn't matter any in terms of loot. Sunny and breezy morning, seemed like the wind was constantly in our faces which is to be expected when the course is on the ocean's edge. Cooldown a very easy 20 minute jog back and forth on the beach, just me and the dozens of dogs swarming the place.

Sat 9/15 - double, 2 hours total plus 16 minutes in Walden

AM - 75 minutes incl. Maynard road race. The joys of doing an event that starts a block from my doorstep, never gets old. I vastly overestimated the potential threat posed by the nearest competition, as a result blew through the first mile much faster than necessary. Before the race I came up with the brilliant idea of turning the second half of the race into a 30 second surge/float exercise, thinking this would keep me from overdoing it. While I did indeed do the 30 second thing it was in hindsight more exhausting than simply cruising it in which is what I should have done. Some twinging in high right hammie in the last mile could also be ascribed to the surging. Course a little shorter than last year's version, not that it matters. Warmup and cooldown both about a 30 minute easy jog in the edges of Area 51. Plagued by stomach issues while warming up which required repeated trips to the bathroom, to a disturbing degree in fact. Sunny and pleasant morning, not as humid as yesterday.

PM - 45 minutes very easy plus 16 minutes in Walden. Took the direct route to the boat ramp, starting from the commuter lot unlike yesterday. Very low key effort after the race in the morning, with another race coming up very soon. Cool and dry evening.

Fri 9/14 - PM 30 minutes easy plus 15 minutes in Walden

Dragging major ass, not at all unexpectedly, what with getting to bed extremely late last night after the game. Made it through work and some bike riding at practice feeling fine actually, but it came crashing down soon after. The plan was to get in a set of hill drills before the weekend's racing but I seriously considered going straight home instead. Took a brief nap in the Lincoln commuter lot when it was already getting late, then moved the car closer to the pond because there wouldn't be time to get there and back before it got dark. Extremely heavy-legged and listless to start, which cleared eventually but not until after a very perfunctory and tiring set of drills on Pine Hill. As the humidity has subtly crept back in, it was quite refreshing to get in the pond if only for a short time. The trip back from the pond felt much better and moved a lot quicker. Still dog tired though.

Thu 9/13 - PM 35 minutes

Relatively low-key run with the kiddies, down the aqueduct to Nonesuch pond and back via Radcliffe and Wellesley roads. Things were mellow at the outset, with a break for a brief dip in the pond. Some switch was flipped unbeknownst to me about a half mile out and the pace picked up dramatically. No desperate sprint across the parking lot this time as they're wont to do though. Warm dry day. Later on, did a little light jogging to get to and from the ballyard for one final depressing evening watching the pathetic local nine.

Wed 9/12 - PM 55 minutes incl. 6x(1200, 300)

After an afternoon spent jogging back and forth in the woods next to Waltham HS for the kiddies' meet, went down to the Bentley track and began the workout after a two lap warmup. Took splits for all reps but didn't check them, trying to run on feel alone. 300m jog after each 1200, 200 jog after each 300 making each set five laps. The final set, stretched out the recovery to a full lap and finished with a 400. Switched directions with each set. This workout felt quite good, very relaxed and flowing along throughout. The splits are hardly impressive, 4:16-20 for the 1200s and 57-9 for the 300s, but that hardly matters given that it happened at the end of another long day. Cool and dry conditions, finished in the gathering darkness.

Tue 9/11 - PM 65 minutes easy plus 20 minutes in Walden

Early finish to kiddies' practice today which gave me the opportunity to head over to the pond, an opportunity I wasn't about to pass up. The effect of the past two days is such that I needed to take it easy, time constraints such that an hour was all the time available to run and still make it to the pond and back before sunset. Some stiffness still in right ankle. Sunny, dry crisp day, conditions cooling off as the sun went down.

Mon 9/10 - PM 80 minutes

Longest run in a long while from Weston, down the aqueduct into Wayland, up Rice to Old Conn Path and back into Weston for a jaunt down Love Lane, Highland, Chestnut, Ash. Cut through the rugged trail between Ash and Wellesley to get back to the school. Pace started out a little quick as I got dragged along for the kiddies' pissing contest, always a treat. Once the crowd thinned after 20 minutes or so the pace moderated and was quite reasonable after that. Delightful conditions, dry and sunny. Some stiffness in right ankle but overall not as sore as I thought I'd be following yesterday's progression.

Sun 9/9 - AM 85 minutes incl. 16k progression run

Back to the Longfellow loop for the first time in a good long while. Still feeling the effects of Friday's misadventure, such that getting out of bed was no easy task. Lolligagged around a good chunk of the morning, not exactly looking forward to trying this workout. Today was the only chance to do it though, eventually forced myself out the door. By this time it was late morning and had the weather not been well on the way to changing over to drier cooler conditions it could have been problematic. However, with relatively mild temps and some overcast it wasn't a concern. Thought that the first loop might have been too quick as I was doing it but the pace settled into a groove after that and the final lap things picked up noticeably without killing myself to do it. Splits:

5:58/6:05/2:56
5:58/6:00/2:53
5:57/5:57/2:53
5:50/5:47/2:45

Some soreness in left adductor, not sure what caused it but it didn't bother things at all once warmed up.    Still having difficulty fitting in post-workout stretch and strengthening routine since the resumption of the coaching schedule, too tired to move around much after dinner.

Sat 9/8 - PM 90 minutes easy plus 20 minutes in Walden

Paying the piper for an obscenely late bedtime last night, followed closely by an early wakeup call for the kiddies meet in Newburyport. Quasi-napped on both legs of the hour-plus bus ride, with as little running as necessary at the meet itself to get from start area to mile mark for coaching duties. Putrid humidity remains firmly in place, as a result waited as long as possible before hitting the trail. As expected, felt like dung overall and this made for a dull slog of a run. Dragged myself through a set of tired-ass hill drills only because I knew this would be the one chance all week I'd have to do them. Left heel feeling stiff during this.

Fri 9/7 - PM 45 minutes easy

Dreary traipse around Brookline and Allston before heading over to the ballyard to wait under the bleachers for torrential rains to stop. A shame the rain didn't start sooner because I would have preferred running in that to the putrid humidity that preceded it. The t-storms did nothing to cut the mugginess just lowered the temp a bit. Like last year, early September more trick than treat so far.

Thu 9/6 - PM 60 minutes incl. 6x(3 minute, 1 minute)

First "workout" of any kind since the miserable cutdown session on the track in the rain before DNFing in my last track race. Set the bar decidedly low, aiming for a cruising pace on the 3 minute reps with hopefully a little progression within each, then some kind of turnover on the 1 minute reps to complement the longer slower stuff. One minute recoveries between everything such that each set took 6 minutes to complete. Fairly tired from the outset so plenty tired by the end. I could feel the effort flagging a bit but not to the degree that pulling the plug ever crossed my mind, simply adjusted the effort. Which is to say backed off on the pace a bit on the 3 minute reps. The final 1 minute was on the track and ended up being about 320m which was 20m more than I thought it would be. The previous 1 minute reps weren't at quite that pace I'm guessing. Right hammie didn't give me any trouble, although legs felt flat in general. Temps reasonable but humidity remains sky high, dripping wet by the end. Cooldown a very relaxed 10 minute barefoot jog on the grass. All in all a qualified success.

Wed 9/5 - 65 minutes

Quite a difference from yesterday. I should take days off more often, the effect was certainly salutary. Today was the first of what will likely be many "split sessions" involving running with the kids and then on my own later on before heading home. Went for a 50+ minute run with the kiddies, shockingly at a pace that wasn't all out hammerfest from the get-go. Whether this was done for my benefit or not I don't know, I doubt it, but it was appreciated. Nice road loop with modest roll here and there. Upon returning, supervised the rest of practice for almost an hour before capping things off with 15 minutes or so of barefoot running on the football field with 6 strides at the end done hourglass style. Insects were the only problem, as they were flying about in hordes thick enough to present problems with getting them stuck in my eye. Expecting to be dumped on by the remnants of hurricane Isaac but in fact the rains had passed through in the morning, leaving sunny skies and relatively pleasant conditions, albeit a bit sticky.

Tue 9/4 - off

First zero in a long long while. Something I had been aware of. Occasional very short very light days here and there but no days off for a long time now. I was originally planning on doing an easy run today as well but missed my one and only window after kiddie practice and before heading home. Once home, far too tired and disinterested to lace up the shoes. Combined with dismal muggy conditions, a no-brainer to take the evening off. Right hammie continues to feel off, last night I spent some time doing direct pressure and compressions on it which felt good at the time but I'm not sure what long-term effect it had, if any. Keenly feeling the end of summer and the overhaul of established routines.

Mon 9/3 - AM 70 minutes incl. Mt. Greylock road race

Mediocre effort, but saw it through to the end at least. I had hoped to feel more spry for this thing but in hindsight was kidding myself, flat and lethargic instead. Motivation even to warm up quite low. As such toed the line less than fully ready to go, which is not the way to approach this particular event with the steep sections in the first 3 miles. Felt plodding and slow from the get-go yet ran in the lead from gun to wire which says more about the strength of field than it does my fitness. Rather than force things when the course flattened out somewhat I made the conscious choice to stay under control. I avoided burying myself but didn't set any speed records by doing this. On the plus side, fatigue not nearly as overwhelming at the end as it was a week ago. Even better, the day was a very nice one with mostly clear skies and warm temps. Total contrast from last year's disgusting humidity and gloomy overcast. Enough of a breeze for various hang glider and parasailing maniacs to use the summit as a takeoff point but the wind wasn't strong enough to be more than a mild nuisance while running. Spent a good while at the summit w/o doing any cooldown to speak of, then rode the bike down. Today's race makes six of the last nine years that I've done it. Two times under 54:00 ('04 and '10), last year's dog close to 59, with the other three between 57 and 58 minutes. I was actually expecting a slower time at the top this year given the less than stellar effort.

Sun 9/2 - 80 minutes

Ashuwillticook rail trail, from south to north. I expected this to be straight recovery, given the climbing yesterday and the fatigue from the end of the workweek, but after a pokey first few miles the pace started dropping. Fairly reasonable but then the last 2.5 miles or so it got faster still and at a certain point  it got a lot faster until the last mile plus were close to threshold. Something of a progression in the end. After a break at the Adams end, rode the bike back to the southern end, which was a hammerfest pretty much from the get go. Grinding much too big a gear but couldn't help myself. A bit sticky but got started early enough to avoid the building heat of the day.

Sat 9/1 - PM 1:45

Final run of the summer in Northfield/Winchester, I'd guess. Originally the plan was to head out in the morning and do a loop that included going up and over Gunn Mountain. Feeling so flat and tired yesterday I thought better of it, slept in a bit and took my time getting started in making the trip out. In hindsight the right choice, not too hot or humid and the run was as long and productive as I could have hoped. Loop started down So. Parrish and Staddle Hill, decided at the last minute to go up Louisiana Rd. as far as the reservoir. Then tried to guess my way across the slope to the trailhead near Pine Rd, overshot the mark and found myself bushwhacking a bit to get back to the road. From there headed over to Old Wendell via School and Warwick streets. Able to maintain effort and focus up the climb, and capped things off with a trip to the top of Crag (Craig) Mountain, with a couple of pictures this time. Upload coming soon. Right hammie remains vaguely sore/strained, but not to a debilitating degree.

Northfield Mountain reservoir in the late afternoon sun

Fri 8/31 - PM 80 minutes plus 22 minutes in Walden

Looking forward to this visit to the woods and pond for a couple of days, but when the day did arrive too tired to enjoy it properly. Adjusting to the more rigorous fall schedule is never easy. Hill drills were also part of the plan, and I dutifully did them on Pine Hill even though legs felt flat as can be and energy level was flagging by the time I got to the hill. Prior to all this was a stop at Devil's Staircase, about 45 minutes in when I realized I had maybe bitten off more than I could chew. Hotter today that the past couple of days by a few degrees but the humidity remained relatively low. Now that I'm only able to visit the pond every so often instead of every day, its dropping level is even more apparent. The shore has been receding all summer and things are exposed that I haven't seen exposed for years. I don't see the trend reversing itself for a good while either.

Thu 8/30 - PM 50 minutes

10 minute jogaroo with the kiddies at the start of their practice then 4 strides, and finally another 40+ minutes much later on, most of it at a much faster pace. Every day seems a tempo run for them, but what do I know. Some of the same route as yesterday, but done in the opposite direction. Sunny, warm and relatively dry again today. Right hammie not as bothersome as yesterday but still noticeable.

Wed 8/29 - PM 60 minutes

An hour of relatively uptempo running in Weston, mostly on roads. Aqueduct to Meadowbrook, back via Wellesley Road. Did some biking around the fields beforehand chasing after kiddies running their field loops. Keenly feeling the absence of the pond, it would have been a fantastic afternoon for a dip with dry sunny conditions. My lot is cast though, very little pond time in my future after tomorrow. Right hammie feels off, as it has for much of the summer quite frankly, but never to the extent that it's been debilitating or anything. Still, certain eccentric movements provoke a noticeable twinge. I've been doing some compressions and c.f.f. on the edge of a chair which seems to have some effect at the time but not so much long term.

Tue 8/28 - PM 75 minutes easy plus 22 minutes in Walden

Very apprehensive this morning due to soreness in right foot. Focus of the pain underneath the middle "knuckle" with tingling in my toes. As ever, there are other things involved as I realized when I noticed stiffness in the calf much further up. Did some hands-on work on the calf and it helped to release whatever is wound up/stuck. By mid-afternoon I knew that I'd be able to at least do an easy run in the woods which is exactly what happened. In part the easy effort was in deference to my not being able to sleep well thanks to the foot being sore. Jogging hopefully helped loosen it up further. I had planned on doing hill drills and was even able to pull this off without incident. On top of that, did a few short pickups on the way in which felt well under control. Another disaster averted I guess.

Mon 8/27 - PM 80 minutes plus 24 minutes in Walden

Felt better during the run than I thought I would after yesterday's race up the mountain and subsequent butt-numbing ride home across northern New England. I did make a point to take it easy early on, with an eye towards going straight recovery throughout if necessary, but the pace quickened gradually anyway after a half hour or so. Moderate windup at the end, which was not something I planned on doing. Post-run my right leg and foot let me know that I probably overreached. Soreness in the hammie, feels like a modest strain, but also in the foot esp. lateral side of the ball of the foot. Pronounced soreness there that only got worse as the evening wore on, eventually becoming painful enough to keep me from enjoying a well-deserved night's rest. Extremely frustrating--both the sore foot and the fact it kept me awake when all I wanted to do was sleep. Warm with gradually increasing humidity, by bedtime it reached stultifying levels.

Sun 8/27 - AM 50 minutes incl. 4.3 mile uphill race

Another vaguely unsatisfying race to the top of Vermont. Given the length of the trip, I likely won't be back which is a bummer because it is a nice area to visit. Not as tired as last year coming in, but still feeling fatigued both from lack of sleep during the week and the aforementioned trip up. A year ago I figured I was stuck on mountain time for the week following the return from Colorado. It didn't feel that way this year, but whatever the reasons I've been getting to bed too late on a consistent basis with predictable effects. Warmup was skimpy at best. After starting out foolishly fast last year I tried to hold something back this time around. By about five minutes into the race I could see a lead group of 3 emerging, and see that I'd bury myself if I tried to join them. The rest of the race was mostly a death match with a teenage state nordic ski champ who walked on the steepest switchbacks then surged on the flatter segments. Later on another older wiser nordo blew by both of us, and the guy in third as well.  Never really gave up on it but it was frustrating in that I knew I wasn't in a position to put my best foot forward, and once again the last couple miles became an exercise in getting it over with. The last half mile or so in particular were obnoxiously interminable, and I finished feeling utterly spent. Overall the time was 20 seconds or so faster than last year, in broadly similar conditions (slightly hotter this time not that it made much difference higher up). Despite the fact that none of the 3 guys who beat me a year ago returned, I still didn't crack the money slots and in fact finished one spot lower than a year ago. Whoop de doo. To top it off, I was skunked at the raffle after buying $20 worth of tickets. WTF. Like last year, cooldown was a hike rather than a run, along the long trail and down the steep chute of the Cliff Trail to the gondola, then down the ski slope which I wasn't about to even attempt running. I had vague thoughts of jogging around the parking lot of the lodge but by the time I got there the post-race feed had already started.

Mile splits, FWIW:
7:56
8:40
9:26
9:57

As it got harder, I got slower.

Sat 8/25 - AM 60 minutes easy plus 15 minutes in Walden

The day's running started with a very slow jog directly to the pond. Barely able to move the first few minutes, way too early and way too stiff. Unwelcome excitement was introduced via an enormous insect, must have been a horsefly, that was resting in a spot I stepped next to, it jumped onto my shin and bit for all it was worth. Hurt like a bastard and drew blood, lovely. Moving much better on the return trip from the pond, unsurprisingly. From there, drove down the street to Cat Rock Park for my first ever visit. Did 20 minutes with the kiddies, as ever they sprinted away from me on an "easy" warmup. Then watched them climb the former ski hill multiple times, which I climbed myself once. Which was plenty. Humid but not overly hot given how early it was.

Fri 8/24 - 65 minutes plus 20 minutes in Walden

Another trip around the sun completed. Went a bit longer than originally planned, in large part due to feeling the compulsion to work off a gluttonous pizza lunch. Predictably tired after work, predictably slow at the outset as a result. Drills on Pine Hill before hitting the pond, joints not nearly as sore as on Tuesday although left heel continues to feel tight. Also did pickups on the way in, relatively short if not incredibly fast. Humidity has been gradually building over the course of the week it seems, temp remains tolerable though.