Monday 1/31/11

AM 30 minutes on the bianchi then 50 minute 13 second run on the roads (7 miles).


PM 30 minutes on the bianchi steady spinning

Sunday 1/30/11

AM 2 hour run. Felt pretty good. Turned around at the very top of Providence Hill Road in Atkinson (NH) which was precisely the 1 hour mark. Ran by Craig Fram as he was traveling the opposite way. I don't think he recognized me as he was listening to his ipod. 16 miles. 50 miles for week with 6 days running. The snow has made a bit of an impact on mileage but the cycling is helping out with the hamstring.

Saturday 1/29/11

70 minutes. 9.5 miles.

Friday 1/28/11

AM 72 minutes on roads. 9.5 miles.

Thursday 1/27/11

PM Shoveled in the AM so it was onto the bianchi for a 75 minute spin. Solid effort incorporating a little climbing but mostly spinning on the saddle for the first 60 minutes. I did 5 x 1:00 hard (over 120 rpm) with :30 rest the between the 60th and 68th minute and spun easy until the 75 minute mark.

Wednesday 1/26/11

AM 40:00 spin on the bianchi. 3 x 10 minutes on saddle/ 3 minutes off saddle. 1 min easy spin at end. 52 ring entire way. Above 100 rpm on saddle/above 75 rpm off.

Then ran out in 23:20 (3.25 miles) and back in 20:17 (3.25 miles). 6.5 miles in 43:37.

Tuesday 1/25/11

AM Easy 40 minutes in snow. 5 miles.

Monday 1/24/11

AM 30:22 on bianchi alternating climbing and easy spinning. 30:22 (4 miles on roads) cold.

PM 32 minutes on the bianchi. Pretty quick stuff with limited climbing. Did 8 x 30 seconds w/ 30 seconds rest final 8 minutes.

Sunday 1/23/11

AM 1:45:00 (14.5 miles) over portions of Prep 16 course as I followed the race. At mile 8, Patrick Moulton had about a minute lead over BAA teammate Joshua Ferenc followed closely by CMS's Jim Johnson. A pack of 3 was pursuing JJ. Brother Michael Q was amongst the pack in his inaugural 16 miler. 57 miles for week plus a little cycling.

Saturday 1/22/11

AM 1:38:51. 13 miles. Ran out to Prep 11.5 mile mark and back. Bumped into Tom Parker who was running the entire course and will be racing tomorrow.

Friday 1/21/11

Shoveled for 4 hours. I don't agree with some people who think this type of activity is akin to a core workout. Snow sucks and so does shoveling. No run. No ride. 0 miles. Winter sucks.

Thursday 1/20/11

AM 64 minutes using Yaktrax. Ran 32 minutes out to about 5 mile mark of Prep 16 and 32 minutes back. Anyone racing on Sunday will be in for a difficult course and will be going through potentially slippery conditions. 8.5 miles. My running needs a jump start. I feel very slow.

Wednesday 1/19/11

AM Icy 3 miler (24:46) using Yaktrax. Then icy/slushy 6 miler (50:48) using Yaktrax. 9 miles.

Tuesday 1/18/11

AM Snowy 48 minute run. 6.5 miles.

PM 60 minute spin on bianchi mostly in small ring (1st 20 minutes) but every once in awhile put it into big ring (next 25 minutes) and climbed then finished off spinning in big ring (final 15 minutes).

Monday 1/17/11

AM 60 minutes on the bike. Started off climbing 1 minute/spinning 1 minute and built it up to 3 min climb/7 min spin. Then ran 46 minutes (6 miles).

PM Another 60 minute spin. Excellent effort 12 x 90 second climb/3:30 spin well over 100 rpm entire way.

Sunday 1/16/11

AM 90 minutes solo on Derry Prep course. 12.5 miles

56 miles for the week on 6 days.

1 cycle for 1 hour.

I need more work.

Saturday 1/15/11

PM 68:07 after work through the streets of North Andover solo. Felt decent as I probably ran 9 miles. Glad to get in a run.

Friday 1/14/11

AM 24 minutes (3 miles) then 46 minutes (6 miles). Easy. No Yaktrax. Slippery first and last mile each run. Left leg okay. A bit better. Going to try to spin later this evening. 9 miles.

Thursday 1/13/11

PM One hour spinning on the bianchi. 10 minutes small ring/5 minutes big ring. This is in an effort to overcome some left leg/hip/hammy issues. Hopefully the cycling (in addition to 60 + miles/week) will strengthen me enough for the upcoming season and I won't end up on the disabled list. For those of you who think cycling is mind numbing, you must have a mind for it to get numb.

Wednesday 1/12/11

3:45 PM Blizzard run. After about 3 hours of shoveling (and more to come later) I ran for 66:48 (out in 33/back in 33;48). Very difficult footing even with the Yaktrax. Used headlamp for safety.

8.75 miles.

Tuesday 1/11/11

AM 30 minutes easy (4 miles) then 40 minutes easy (5 miles). My conditioning is very good but my left leg is giving me trouble. I think I need to get on the bike for awhile and strengthen my quads. Some spinning will also help my turnover and I always feel better when I ride. Less pounding on the legs. 9 miles.

Monday 1/10/11

6:30 PM 1:01:01 in NH. We arrived home late this afternoon. Very easy shakeout run. 8 miles. Headlamp run. Glad to be home.

Sunday 1/9/11

1 PM Long out and back. 1:43:44 total run. Not sure of the exact distance probably a long 14. Made it out to Rio Grand and Gore and came across a HS track and ran a mile in the second lane. As soon as the watch hit 58 minutes I ran back in 45:44. Legs really sore. Ran in Nike Lunar Trainer purchased at a Nike factory outlet in Celebration.

Saturday 1/8/11

AM Had planned on an attempted 2 hour run but stopped after 66 minutes. No specific reason why I stopped. Saw a raccoon at the same spot where I had previously seen the ring-necked black snake. Later on I saw a dead red fox and a huge turtle. Almost as scenic as Animal Kingdom. Today is the Disney Marathon and 1/2 Marathon. 9 miles.

I am a Grandfather

No run as of 3:30 EST but my daughter gave birth to a beautiful girl, Victoria Rose Gonzalez.

Thursday 1/6/11

AM  Steady 66 minutes.  9 miles.  Took a different route as I headed north on Rio Grande and turned around on 17th Street into a residential neighborhood.  Have I mentioned how the routes around here suck for running?

Wednesday 1/5/11

AM 64 minutes in Orlando. Similar course to yesterday but added a loop before heading out to the prison and turned around at the IHOP at I-4 and 33rd St. Trying to run on as much Bermuda grass as possible. Saw a huge black snake when I stopped to take a leak. 9 miles.

Tuesday 1/4/11

PM 56 minute run in Orlando FLA. It is flat as a pancake here but warm as it was in the low 70's during the run and only had a t-shirt/shorts on. Made it out to the Orange County Correctional Facility and turned around then ran around the apartment complex where ER is living. We are in town as she is giving birth to a baby girl. We flew in this morning so glad to get in 8 miles before dinner.

Monday 1/3/11

AM 1st bus stop then 24 EASY minutes (3 miles) then 2nd bus stop and 43 EASY minutes (5 miles). Not very impressive runs but my left hamstring to hip is achy to say the least. Going to have to back off a bit until it recovers. 8 miles.

Hangover 10k (30th Annual)

Anyone who wants to drink warm Bud and jump into the ocean after either a short 5k (or long if you were misdirected) or a 10k with a beach break in the middle then pre-enter the 31st edition of the Salisbury, MA Hangover Classic. Or maybe the course will be different next year as the course seems to change annually. One constant is your bound to wait around for a couple of hours and be told the cash for top 3 masters in the 10k is not being offered, contrary to the website. No food but lots of beer. Just a little venting.

Seriously, as the race goes off, no one knows who is racing which distance as the 5k/10k start together. I just went out as hard as I could and hit the mile in 4:52 (short) I found myself in 8th place as the 5k runners took a left. Mark Gibson (Whirlaway master) was on my tail and I tried to shake him with a couple of surges but he hung in and passed me at about 2 miles (10:32- 5:40). I was feeling pretty good but struggling to hang with him. I hit mile 3 in 16:20 (5:48) and we headed to about 500 yards of difficult (for me) beach running. Jason Porter (Whirlaway master) passed me on the beach and I would chase him all the way to the finish as only 4 seconds separated us. I felt strong at times but couldn't muster anything more as I ran 35;57. I honestly think that I could of run low 35 if not for the beach. I was a bit disappointed in the course design but shook it off and jumped in the ocean to keep with tradition.

Sunday 1/2/11

AM Easy slow 83 minutes. 11 miles.

54 miles / 6 days

Saturday 1/1/11

23 minute warmup/ 10k race in 35:57 splits all messed up due to incorrect 1st mile and rerouting entire 10k field/3rd master/ splits: 452/1032/1620/missed 4/2833/3557 18 minute warmdown

12 miles

race report may follow