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Friday, February 7, 2014

Running Log

I've been running for 16 years now and, for all but the first two years, I've kept a running log to track each and every one of my workouts.  Occasionally, I'll crack open some of my old logs to compare training notes from year to year.  See what worked, and more importantly, what didn't. It's kind of fun to look back and look at where you were then, compared to where you are now.  Except, of course,  when you come to the stunning realization that despite the fact that you're working harder than ever, your times are getting slower and slower.

Heck, if I knew that in 2008-2009 I was going to be at the apex of my running career I would have planted a flag at the top of that mountain, or something! :)

Anyway, here are some of the high/low lites from the last 16 years - as seen through the pages of my of running logs.  Each year has my approximate miles per week (mpw) for that year, important race results, life happening, log notes in "bold italics" and current race PR's in RED. I hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane just as much as I did.


1998
23 mpw – first full year of running – ran most of year in Nike “high top” sneakers.

1999

27 mpw – 2 marathons in 4:31 & 3:49 @ Boston and NY – 1 Half in 1:49 @ North Shore.

2000

30 mpw – 2 marathons – set 12 min PR – 3:19 @ Baystate, July 2: 26.2 mile run in 3:34 on Baystate Course during 47 mile week, Next day 3x1m track workout, 3 days after that 10m race in 1:10 - “tired legs”.    ...Wonder why?

2001

33 mpw – 3 marathons 3:27 – 3:34 @ Hyannis, Boston & Baystate - Divorce, Jan 7: 26.2 mile run in 3:34 on Baystate course during 51 mile week - “big miles = big smiles” 2 weeks later Boston Prep, 2 more weeks Stew Chase, 3 more weeks Hyannis Marathon - 3:27, 2 weeks later Melrose 1/2, 2 more weeks Eastern States, 3 more weeks Boston Marathon – 3:33.     ... Funny to see that a 50m week was "big" for me back then.

2002

31 mpw – “off year” from marathons – set 5 min Half PR @ Hyannis – Calf Injury, Jun 16: First Mount Washington 41:52 (11:01) – “stopped race at halfway due to freezing fog”, Dec 8: Mill Cities Relay ran first leg of first place Mens Open Team.     ... Last year with NSS.

2003

37 mpw - 1 marathon – set 6 min PR – 3:13 @ Clarence Demar, Jul 29: Fastest ever Yankee Homecoming 10m - 1:06:23 – “I hate this f-ing race”, Nov 23: Set new 5m PR of 30:00 (6:00) at Slattery’s - First year of running with GCS.    ... 10 years later and I still hate YH

2004

41 mpw - 2 marathons – set 6 min PR – 3:07 @ Baystate, Hyannis Half – 1:23:58 (6:24), Eastern States 10m 1:01:22 (6:08), Cape Ann 25k – 1:45 (6:45), Baystate – 3:07:47 (7:10) – “finally a BQ!”    ... First big breakthrough year.

2005

49 mpw - 2 marathons – first marathon DNF @ Baystate - Bought House, Millenium Mile - 4:42, Boston Prep 16 – 1:48:24 (6:46), Stu’s 30k – 2:06:09 (6:46), Eastern States 20m - 2:10:28 (6:31), set new marathon PR at Boston 3:07:16, Leg 7 at Winny – hilly 8.5m 54:10 (6:22), Hangover 10k – 36:45 (5:55)     ... Big jump in mileage - some good results, some bad.

2006

44 mpw - “off year” from marathons - Mountain Running – New Baby, Mar 5: First ever “Pack Attack” 18m out and back run in 2:24, 3 days later 8x800 in 2:45, 4 days later set new 5k PR in 17:54 (5:47), May 6: Foothealth 5k in 18:45 (6:03), 1 day later HP 16m run in 1:52 (6:48) PR, Completed all 7 mountain races (goat) including 1:32:42 PR at Mount Washington.    ... Some "off" year!

2007

53 mpw - 2 marathons – set 2 min PR – 3:05 @ Clarence Demar - Got Married, Feb 10: 21 mile long run, next day new 5k PR in 17:49 (5:45), Apr 30: Wrote “time to get serious”, 6 days later won first race – Foothealth 5k NHGP, Jul 23–28: First 80+ mile week, 5 days later 8m tempo (6:08) – “hurt calf”, Dec 2: Mill Cities 9.3m leg - 58:40 (6:10) PR for course.      ... BTW, I tried the "time to get serious" note a couple more times, haven't won since.

2008

54 mpw - 2 marathons – set 5 min PR @ Baystate, Feb 21: 8m tempo run (6:06), 2 days later 20m run in Hollis, next day 18m run – 80 miles for week, next week 0 miles – “sick and injured”, Mar 29: 14m run in Hollis, next day 24m in (7:18), Apr 9: 4x1m (5:45), Hopkinton 5k - 17:44 (5:43), Baystate - 3:00:22 (6:53), Slattery’s 5m - 29:30 (5:54)   ... Base building from 2007 really paid off this year!

2009

46 mpw – “off year” from marathons - 1 min Half PR @ New Bedford – Knee Injury, Mar 5: 8m tempo run (6:04), 1 week later New Bedford Half – 1:23:05 (6:21), May 23: First Grand Monadnock x2 - 14m trail run, 1 week later Pack 10m - 1:15:53 (7:36) PR, July 26: First ever ultra-marathon 33.3 miles at Pemi Loop 12:53:04 - set 50k PR, Aug 5: 8x800 (2:45), 1 week later 12x400 (1:18), 1 week later hurt knee in bike accident - done for yr.     ... This was they year that I got bit by the "ultra" bug. It's been all downhill since. :)

2010

57 mpw – 1 marathon - 3:13 @ Clarence Demar – New Baby, Mar 7: Hudson 18m hilly run (7:39) - “I’m back”, 1 week later 3m race in 17:46 (5:55), 1 week after that Ethan born – “so tired”, 1 month after that bonk 1 mile into 10k race, Sept 5: Cape Ann 25k – on PR pace then - “stung by bee in mouth”, Sept 26: Clarence Demar Marathon – “1 pee, 1 crap and 2 hurls”    ... Kind of a tough luck year. But, nothing compared to 2011.

2011
48 mpw -“off year” from marathons – Hamstring Injury, Jan 30: hilly Sky Meadow 16m (7:41), 1 week later flat 20m run (7:18), Feb 5, Feb 12 & Feb 19 – 3 straight snowshoe races, Mar 6:  Black Cat 10m – 1:02:10 (6:13) 10m “loop course” PR, Apr 18: 8m tempo run (6:00), next day tore hamstring – done for yr.    ... Least favorite year in my log. Started so promising then spent the rest of the year (post injury) just getting back on track.

2012
60 mpw – 2 marathons – set 50 mile PR @ Stonecat, May 12: Sky Meadow 16m (7:06) 10 min PR, 1 week later Bedford 12k – “died last 3m”, 1 week later Pineland 25k – “legs stopped working at 20k”, 1 week later “PW” at Pack, 1 week later “PW 52 minute 10k” at Newton, took month off to work out knee/hamstring issue. Then, July 21: First Bear Brook Marathon 4:31. July 29-31: run/hike 75 miles of AT (25m per day) 3 months later set 50m PR at Stone Cat 50m – 8:12:10 (9:50)   ... Still struggled mightily with hamstring issues, then it all came together at the end.

2013

56 mpw – 2 marathons - 3:10 @ Baystate, Jan 27: Boston Prep 1:47:45 (6:44) PR, 1 week later 8m tempo (6:10), Feb 21: 4x1m in 5:50, Mar 23: Sky Meadow 16m (7:00) 2 min PR, Apr 6: “Pack Attack” 18m run in 2:18, Completed 7 WMAC mountain races, Jun16-22: First ever 90m week, Jul 7-13: First ever 100m week, Run/hike all 48 of NH 4000 footers in 7.5 days - 225 miles (30m per day).   ... Probably the "funnest" running year I've ever had.

2014

66 mpw (so far) – set 50k PR - Fat Ass 50k - 4:52:30 (9:24), Feb 1: 20m run (7:30), next day 12m run including 5k in 19:41 (6:18) – “worst 5k in 12 years”.    ... despite the really bad 5k time, lots of room for optimism for this year.

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