3/15/10 - 3/21/10

Mon 3/15/10 Easy 48 minutes 6.25 miles

Tue 3/16/10 AM 64 minute run (8.5 miles) out and back to Derry 15 min ice bath

Wed 3/17/10 AM 65 minute run (8.5 miles) out to Derry Rail Trail

Thur 3/18/10 AM 64 minute run out to Weber Forest in Derry then up Drew Rd turned around at 32:30 (8.75 miles)

Fri 3/19/10 AM 60 minute run easy out and back on Derry prep course (7.5 miles)

Sat 3/20/10 AM 45 minute run easy (5.75 miles)

Sun 3/21/22 15 minute warmup (2.0 miles)/ New Bedford Half Marathon 1:17:31/ 14 minute warmdown (1.5 miles) 16.6 miles

61.85 miles for week

3/8/10 - 3/14/10

Mon 3/8/10 1 hr 10 min 30 second evening run (9.5 miles)

Tue 3/9/10 AM 32 minutes out to Drew Rd turned around and did 2 sets of 3 x 90 seconds at 5:40-5:45 pace with 30 seconds rest in between each interval and 60 seconds between each set. Back in 25:00. 57 total minutes running (8.5 miles) For good measure, about one mile from finishing after a 4 minute rest from the workout, I timed a measured quarter mile and hit 76 seconds.

PM Weight training unloading RDM

Wed 3/10/10 AM 1:02:26 run (8.25) 34 minutes out to Derry Rail via Island Pond

back in 28:26 sore early but felt strong at end.

Thur 3/11/10 1:18:24 out and back to Drew Rd plus additional running through trails of Weber Forest. I am calling this 11 as I finished well under 7:00 pace and felt strong throughout the run. Finished up with six 20 second strides w/ 40 seconds in between.

PM Weight training unloading World Imports and Corsicana bedding.

Fri 3/12/10 AM Covered 7 miles in 52:44 searching for every blade of grass and patch of sand.

Sat 3/13/10 AM 1:03:29 with MQ from DV's house 1st 43:00 w/ DV and DD. Bradford Country Club front 9 plus. (8.5 miles)

Sun 3/14/10 AM 58:39 in hard rain and wind out and back to Derry Rail (8.0 miles)

finished last 1.5 miles w/ 3 x 20/40 feeling really good and ran measured 1/4 in 78 seconds while going through a puddle that reminded me of the Boston Tea Party at Canobie Lake Park. Best week of training all year.

60.75 miles for week.

Week ending 3/7/10

Mon 3/1/10 50 minute spin on Bianchi

Tue 3/2/10 70 minute run on Derry Prep (9.5)

Wed 3/3/10 AM 25 minute spin on Bianchi PM 41:30 spin on Bianchi

Thur 3/4/10 68 minute run into Derry covered miles 4-7 on Prep course (9.0)

Fri 3/5/10 8 mile run in 57:25 after 1st 30 minutes did 5 x 2:00 at 5:45 pace w/ 2:00 rest

Sat 3/6/10 AM 1:01:30 out and back to Derry Rail trail via Gulf and Island Pond (8)

PM 35:30 easy run (4.5)

Sun 3/7/10 40 minute easy run (5.5)

44.5 miles 6 runs 5 days 2 days on bike

DH Jones 10 mile (USATF-NE Championships)

After a stressful couple of weeks, the Q household got back to normal and I got the green light to race the first Grand Prix race of 2010. With Double J driving out to Amherst (thanks, JJ) along with brother MQ we enjoyed the ride and met up with the CMS family at race headquarters. Last year the Jones 10 was a master's PR performance so I had good course knowledge and positive memories to help out with race strategy. The plan was to try to break 58 minutes (5:48) and see if I could help score for the team. I knew going in to the race that I was not 100 % mentally and was a bit physically drained but whenever you arrive at one of these races, the atmosphere allows you to gather some extra special reserve and the competitiveness within you is easily tapped.

All the best runners were in attendance and the weather was perfect (for Feb 28th) so no more excuses to not race hard. At the gun, the lead pack raced away as I tried to not get too caught up and held back to hit the mile in about 5:40. I actually passed Dan V (DV) as he was racing "conservatively" early and was aiming to hit 57:30 or better. The 2nd mile is quick and is difficult to hold back with all the downhill. DV passed me for good on the 1st big downhill but I kept close contact with him until mile 5. I hit mile 2 in about 11:00 and felt okay and actually looked forward to the next 3 miles of challenging uphill and dirt road. My split at mile 3 was 17:00 so I was on target for 58:00 and I was having no real problems and I was in contact with several runners who have always beaten me so I was encouraged to be in the position I was at this point in the race. Mile 4 was a bit of a grind (missed split) and I was starting to feel the effort around midway (29:30).

At about mile 6 (or some downhill around that point) is when I discovered the tank was near empty as Reno Stirrrat, Jason Porter and Mark Hudson (all Whirlaway) screamed by me like I was standing still and I had no response in me. I tried to maintain contact but was having no success and was beginning to become concerned about breaking an hour. The only consolation was that the final 5 miles of this race is (in my opinion) quicker than the first 5. At mile 6-7 I came upon and passed teammate Kevin Tilton who was struggling with side stitch issues. I thought it might of been ankle issues so I told him to save it for a later race. I was wrong because by the time I got to mile 8 and was battling Greater Boston's Ray Davie, Kevin flew up the hill by us and was running strong. He put on over a minute over the final 2 uphill miles on me and all I could think of was what Mount Washington would be like come June. I really tried hard to bring it in as fast as I could to the finish but was not having much success as runners came up and passed me one by one. In the final stretch I got outkicked by another Whirlaway runner, Mike Platt. Exhausted at the finish I hit the line in 58:52 (34 seconds slower than last year).

Last 2 weeks (2/15-2/28/10) and Feb totals

For the few that follow this blog, by now you have come to realize that I blog on a limited basis. Family and other life issues (which we all have) take priority and blogging (which equals running) becomes a secondary matter. With that being said, here is a quick summary, without explanation, of my past two weeks of training.

2/15 no run

2/16 7 miles 55 minutes

2/17 10 miles 80 minutes of running 5 x 440 uphill in snow wearing Yaktracks 90 seconds 3 minute rest between each followed by 5 x 220 in 43 (uphill/Yaktracks) 90 rest

2/18 no run

2/19 no run

2/20 12 miles 1:30:00

2/21 8.5 miles 1:04:30

week total 37.5 miles 4 days

After this week, I was considering not racing at DH Jones but things got back to normal and this allowed for better training for 2/22-2/27 so I entered DH Jones but still felt like I took a few steps back.

2/22 9 miles 1:08:00

2/23 5 miles 32:30

2/24 8.5 miles 1:01:17

2/25 9 miles 1:03:00

2/26 3.5 miles 30:00

2/27 8 miles w/ MQ in snow 1:02:00

2/28 3 warmup/ 10 mile race 58:52 / 3 mile warmdown

59 total miles for week 7 days / 1 race

Total miles for February 195.6 24:35:00

Week ending 2/14/10

Another decent week which included two workouts and one race. Here is the quick summary:

Mon 2/8/10 8 miles 1:04:00 easy

Tue 2/9/10 8.8 miles in 1:03:30 which included 4 x 1/2 mile uphill repeats at 2:58 w/3:00 rest

Wed 2/10/10 8.5 in 1:04 20 minutes on grass

Thur 2/11/10 8 miles which included 8 x 1/4 at 80 seconds w/80 seconds rest

Fri 2/12/10 2 miles easy very sore

Sat 2/13/10 3 warmup/ 5 mile race 28:18/3 warmdown

Sun 2/14/10 8 easy miles in 1:08

54.2 for week 6:49:25 of running

Bradford Valentine 5 mile

Saturday morning I traveled over to Bradford, MA to race in the 19th Annual Valentine 5 mile/6k road race. This is another local road race which has an incredible tradition. It is also another race which I have never competed in before which is amazing since I lived on the course (Salem St) for 5 years. After bumping into Reno Stirrat and his wife Susan and Double D (Dave Dunham) and his wife Cathy, I travelled over to Dan Verrington's house which is at about the 1/3 of a mile mark. Dan and his wife, Martha, open up their doors for a few of us to warmup/warmdown and get ready to race. After walking to the start with Dan (so he could get his bib #) we went out for a 24 minute warmup and got ready to race. I was feeling good considering I did not decide to race until 7:30 AM but with a 10:00 start and clear skies with a nice strong wind I felt pretty good. My workouts over the past week had been good and I definately was not overraced. In fact, this was my first "road race" since Thanksgiving.

I got out really good (leading for about 100 yards) until the big guns showed up (Double J, Matt Germain, Joshua Gordon, snowshoe ace /RI resident Bob Jackman, Chris Mahoney and Dan V.) I thought about going with them but knew that would be a bad decision. Dan V. gapped me pretty quickly but I just tried to maintain enough contact hoping I could reel him back in at some future point. I hit mile 1 in 5:25 and was probably 10 seconds behind the lead pack and about 5 seconds behind Dan. Basically, the entire race was chasing Dan and just trying not to lose any more contact with him. MQ was at Carter's Ice Cream stand "filming the race" offering encouragement. Mile 2 was reached in 10:58 (5:33) and the course starts to get hilly and the wind was pretty strong. I felt real strong on the uphills and actually thought I could catch Dan (who was glancing back at every turn and I would offer a wave :))

At the Bradford CC, the 5 mile race meets up with the 6k race (very similar to the Feaster 5 when the 8k meets the 5k at 3.5). This is mile 3 (16:52) so my split was 5:54 (uphill w/ wind) and I was entertaining thoughts of catching Dan but he must of matched every surge I had. I really worked the climb at 3 miles and I think this is where we were closest to each other as we made a right turn towards the 4 mile mark. Dan hit the 4 mile mark in around 22:25 because he said he needed a 5:35 to break 28:00. I hit the 4 mile mark in 22:32 so I was only 7 seconds back but I was starting to feel the effort a bit with each stride. I kept pushing all the way to the end and finished in 28:18 ( 2 seconds off my PR) and 13 seconds off Dan V. He finished a bit stronger than me and seemed to have more on the downhill finish. Mile 5 was 5:46. 7 th place overall / 2nd master.