4/26/10- 5/2/10

Mon 4/26/10 AM 5.2 miles in 38:52. PM 5.8 miles in 48:45. 11 miles total

Tues 4/27/10 AM 8.0 miles in 1:00:13 out and back to Derry rail trail

Wed 4/28/10 AM 6 miles easy warmup / 10 x 1:00 @ 5:00 - 5:15 pace with 30 second rest covered 2.36 miles in 14:31/ 1.64 mile warmdown (10.0 total miles 1:16:42)

PM 4.25 miles in 32:37 (14.0 for the day)

Thur 4/29/10 PM 8 mile run on The Rivah course w/ MQ (59:15)

Fri 4/30/10 No run...big mistake.

Sat 5/1/10 AM 3.1 mile warmup Dover Footbridge 5k course/ 3.1 mile race 17:09 (529/532/533/35) 2nd master /9th overall race report to follow/ 3.1 mile warmdown

9.3 miles

Sun 5/2/10 AM 15 miles solo on roads of Derry and Salem (2:05:00)

65 miles for week

Delta Dental 5k (Concord NH)

Friday evening, MQ and I decided to race in the Delta Dental 5k in Concord NH on the campus of New Hampshire Technical Institute (NHTI). This is the 3rd race of the Concord Area Race Series (CARS). Neither MQ nor I are involved in the series but felt it would be a good opportunity to race against some new people and see how fit we are.

As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, we bumped into Chris Mahoney (Whirlaway) and Heather Searles (Whirlaway) who had just returned from an extended trip to Ireland due to the volcano in Iceland. Both are CARS regulars. At the registration table, I bumped into Scotty Clarke (CMS) and soon after Rod Viens (CMS). We all gathered together for an easy 3 mile warmup over the course. The course is run over the campus of NHTI and offers a combination grass, trails and roads. Its pretty flat save for a couple of hills. One at the 3k mark and the other at about the 3.5k mark.

The conditions were cool and windy. Not ideal for fast times but not too bad either.

I wore my Innov8 230's which I got this week. I put myself at the front as the first 1/4 mile is winding and narrow. I wanted to get out without any incidents. Soon after the gun, I found myself in the top 10 as the lead runners went out pretty fast. MQ was near the front pack and Rod Viens and Scott Clarke (two masters who are battling for CARS points) were about 4-5 seconds ahead as we approached some trails that led us to some grass fields (soccer) which brought us out to the main road of the campus. The course was well marked as it offered both kilo markers and mile markers. The first markers were confusing because the 1k appeared long based on my split (3:40) and the split given at mile 1 was incorrect because it was announced as 5:04 and my watch read 5:21. At any rate, I was in about 12th place at the mile but was only 3-4 seconds behind Viens and Clarke. After the soccer field portion, the remainder of the course was on the roads of the campus. At about 2k, I passed 3 runners and ran directly behind the top 2 masters the entire race and was only separated by 4 seconds most of the time. At 3k there is a short little bump of a hill and I felt like I was gaining on them but on the downhill to the 2 mile mark, they seemed to pick it up a bit. I hit the duece in 11:04 (5:43 into the wind) and the course goes through a tunnel called the Root Canal (Delta Dental has an office within the campus). The tunnel brings you under the main road and then the course jumps back on the main road and brings you to the hill featured at mile 2. It was at this point when I figured I was running even with Scott and Rod and got an idea to get up even with them and make a race of it. The uphill was effortless and the downhill felt very good so I put in a hard surge and decided to pass the two of them. It was precisely at the 4k mark and I would hold them off the entire way in just barely holding off Scott. It required a great deal of a push to do so and I had to throw in a couple of hard surges to make sure they would not come back to me. My split at 3 miles was 16:20 (5:16) and the last .10 took 33 seconds. My finishing time was 16:54. Top in age group. Top master. CMS took the team title (Me, Rod and Sam Wood) MQ finished 4th in a PR 16:12. Another great effort from him as he was only 13 seconds from 2nd place.

Up front, UNH grad Scott McGrath won the men's division in a new course record, 15:49. On the women's side, Abby Gosling of Meredith ran 19:08.

Results

Above picture taken from Concord Monitor shows the tight start.

Top photo also from Concord Monitor is of winner, Scott McGrath breaking the tape in a new course record.

Things I Like About the Boston Marathon

Random thoughts about the 114th Boston Marathon...

Things I like about the Boston Marathon

The tradition. 114 years speaks for itself.

The competition. Course record by Robert Cheruiyot (2:05:52) breaking the other Robert Cheruiyiot's record. Unbelievable women's race as well as it takes 2:26:11 to win it.

Heartbreak Hill. The 3 hills which make up this infamous stretch which puts a hurt on any runner.

Qualifying standard/Charity Exemption. Everyone has earned their way in to this race.

Locals running well. Jim Johnson (Salem NH 2:30:00) 55 year old Reno Stirrat (Dorchester 2:42:27) Steve Wolfe, John Gorman, Scotty Graham, Tom Licciardello and Nancy Corsaro extending amazing streaks.

The crowd of fans. Cheering and supporting all runners. Getting to enjoy it with my wife, Monica.

Things I Don't Like About the Boston Marathon

Runners who dress up in costumes. I saw Minnie Mouse and Super Mario and don't get it.

Entry fee. $250 is a bit steep.

Not having the guts to run it. Maybe next year.

4/19/10 - 4/26/10

Mon 4/19/10 AM 50 easy minutes. (6.0 miles) late AM walked 6 miles while watching marathon

Tue 4/20/10 6:20 AM 37:30 out in 20/in 17:30 (4.80 miles) Bus stop break 8:20 AM 27:49 (3.60 miles) included six 20/40 strides. 7;30 PM 3.36 miles in 29:36 in new innov 230's 11.76 miles for day

Wed 4/21/10 AM 1:03:15 out and back to Derry Rail Trail (off island Pond Rd) turned around at 32:30/in 30:45. Worked every hill pretty hard. This was a hard effort today. (8.6 miles hilly) Also threw in six 20/40's 1.5 miles from finish.

Thur 4/22/10 AM 11 miles in 1:18:30 derry prep backwards loop finished via rail trail

Fri 4/23/10 AM 45;37 (6.0 miles) out in 25/in 20:37 which included 8 x 20/40 strides

covered the 5th mile in 5:43. PM 3 mile warmup over Delta Dental 5k course/ 5k race in 16:54/ 3 mile cooldown (9.0 miles) 15 miles for day splits 5:21/11:04/16:20 (33)

Sat 4/24/10 AM Very easy jog for 56:52 (6.0 miles)

Sun 4/25/10 AM1:32:09 in Harold Parker trails with DV, JQ and MQ. (12.5 miles)

70.86 miles for week.

Merrimack River 10 mile trail race (aka the Rivah)

I was not going to race the Rivah this year because it got the best of me last year putting me on the disabled list for most of early 2009 and sending me into aqua running and cycling training mode for a majority of the spring/summer with bone spur/plantar issues. But, it being a CMS event and co directed by Steve Peterson and Dave Dunham (two fellow ULowell teammates) as well as raising money for track schlarships in memory of our late friend, Tom Chamberas (Chelmsford '81/ULowell '85), the Rivah lured me in again for the 4th straight year.

Going into the race, my training had been very consistent and I have consciously limited my races to better maximize (hopefully) my effort for the future. My plan for the 10 miler was to get as close to my PR of 62:55 (2009) and try to outrace the masters field. Defending champion Dan Verrington was in Wisconsin for the 100k US Championships so Scott Clark (CMS/Keene State '87) stepped in to do battle on the famed Merrimack River out and back course. It was Scott's first run ever on the difficult course and he asked me on our 2 mile warmup what the course was like and I told him what to expect. Its basically 3 flat early miles followed by 4 brutally difficult hilly miles and then 3 flat miles.

Since I am posting this report a few days after the race (and erasing my splits) my recall of mile times is vague but I do remember getting out well and hitting the short mile in 5:17 and the 2 mile in about 11:15 and mile 3 in about 17:35. I was leading the masters and felt really strong heading to the 4th mile (24:15) as we made our way up Power Line Hill. I was in 6th place overall and hit the turnaround in 31:30 (accurate) and had about a 20 second on a fast and strong Scott Clark.

Going back at Power Line Hill, I was feeling the effort and wanted to be careful on the steep descents but also did not want to let up because I had the sense Scott was closing (even though I never looked back). I worked every climb as hard as I could and pressed on. At about mile 8 (eerily familiar to last year's battle w/ Dan V) Scott caught me and encouraged me to go with him which I did until the little uphill you take as you straddle the River (right before the bridge that Steve Wolfe was taking photos). From there until the finish Scott put 22 seconds on me and debuted with a fine 63:13. For the 2nd straight year, I was masters runnerup finishing up in 63:35 (40 seconds off last year's effort). I am really happy with the effort considering my high mileage of late and also with the wind being a bit of a factor (headwind both ways). Also, my splits for the 5 mile were really close (31:30/32:05). I have often thought the final 5 is actually a faster route than the 5 going out and wonder what it would be like if you raced the course backwards. Food for thought.

Up front, Kevin Tilton held off Ben Nephew for the win and CMS runners Tom Brown and Jim Pawlicki both finished in the top 5.

The race was well handled by Peterson and Dunham (with numerous volunteers) and everyone who raced seemed to have a great time enjoying post race bagels and chili and witnessing Petey's antics with prize duties and raffles!

Thanks to JJ, MQ, Scott Mason, Krissy K, Steve Wolfe , Rose W.and Jamie Doucette for their efforts taking pictures and filming the race.

above pictures courtesy of Scott Mason (top) and JJ, located on power line hill coming back

not a pretty sight (the river is pretty, though)

4/12/10 - 4/18/10

Mon 3/12/10 AM 72:17 with Jim Q. (9.5 miles)

Tues 3/13/10 AM 62 min run solo (8.0 miles)

Wed 3/14/10 AM 6 mile warmup followed by 6 x 2:00 @ 5:30 - 5:45 pace (roads) with 1:00 rest (9.5 miles)

Thur 3/15/10 Unplanned day off. 0 miles.

Fri 3/16/10 AM 68:37 (9.25 miles)

Sat 3/17/10 PM 60:00 spin

Sun 3/18/10 AM 1:38:30 w/ J. Quadros (13.0 miles)

4/5/10 - 4/11/10

Mon 4/5/10 AM Solo 45:01 out in 23 in 22 (5.75 miles)

Tues 4/6/10 AM Solo 59:31 out and back (8.25 miles) PM 29:44 out and back on river (3.5 miles)

Wed 4/7/10 AM Easy 33:12 (4.0 miles) PM 82 min run w/ JJ and MQ trails (11.0 miles)

Thur 4/8/10 AM Very easy 60 min run (7.5 miles)

Fri 4/9/10 PM 61 min run in rain w/ MQ on the river met up with Kevin T after turn around (8.0 miles)

Sat 4/10/10 AM 2 mile warmup on river course 10 mile race (63:35) 2 mile cooldown

Sun 4/11/10 Day off 1st one in a while so not concerned about it

62.0 miles for week makes 5 consecutive 60 mile weeks