Too Many Zeros For My Liking

November 28th-Thursday: An Aerobic(Hilly) 4mi.-(32:50) at Abenaki with Mom and Dad + Wilson at 1:49pm-sore+tight calves after

November 29th-Friday: A good 7mi.-(55:59) on the bike path at 3:45pm

November 30th-Saturday: 5mi.-(41:34) on the path with Seth at 4:01pm

December 1st-Sunday: An easy 6mi.-(50:16) on the path with Seth at 4:02pm
25mi. For The Week

December 2nd-Monday: An easy 3mi.-(23:42) at 7:59pm

December 3rd-Tuesday: 3mi.-(NT) at 5pm

December 4th-Wednesday: 4mi.-(34:40)@3% incline at least-PF-7:20ish-pm

December 5th-Thursday: 3mi.-(26:05)@3% incline-PF at 10:32pm

December 6th-Friday: 3mi.-(25:01) in the new Brooks Pureflow 2's at 9:14pm on the road

December 7th-Saturday: Got out for an easy-paced 7mi.-(60:23) on the path at 4:32pm

December 8th-Sunday: Ran a nice 5mi.-(40:52) in the Brooks again on the path at 3:59pm
28mi. For The Week

December 9th-Monday: 4mi.-(33:40)@3.5% incline at 9:40pm

December 10th-Tuesday: 0

December 11th-Wednesday: 5mi.-(41:18)@3.5% incline

December 12th-Thursday: 3mi.-(25:24)@3.5% incline

December 13th-Friday: 0

December 14th-Saturday: 0

December 15th-Sunday: 0
12mi. For The Week

December 16th-Monday: 0

December 17th-Tuesday: 4mi.-(33:31)@3.5% with 3min.@5.5%

December 18th-Wednesday: 0

December 19th-Thursday: 0

December 20th-Friday: 0

December 21st-Saturday: 5mi.-(1.5wu-12:40, and a hilly 4mi. race-25:32-6:23 pace)

December 22nd-Sunday: 0
9.5mi. For The Week

December 23rd-Monday: 0

December 24th-Tuesday: 0

December 25th-Wednesday: 4mi.-(34:41) with Kurt in the dark

December 26th-Thursday: 0

December 27th-Friday: 0

December 28th-Saturday: 4mi.-(33:28) on my own from home

December 29th-Sunday: 4mi.-(32:00) same as above^^^
12mi. For The Week

December 30th-Monday: 0

The Past Couple Months

October 10th-Thursday: Out for 4mi.-(31:02) at 7:42pm

October 11th-Friday: Ran 4mi.-(31:08) at 7:43pm

October 12th-Saturday: 5 Mile Race at NHTI this morning-(1.5-12:40, 5 race-31:51, and 1.5-12:36) for 8mi. total

October 13th-Sunday: Got in 5mi-(40:46) at 5:29pm
25mi. for the week

October 14th-Monday: 3mi.-(25:50) at 6:46pm

October 15th-Tuesday: 4mi.-(31:52) at 6:48pm

October 16th-Wednesday: 3mi.-(21:56) at 8:05pm

October 17th-Thursday: Off

October 18th-Friday: Off

October 19th-Saturday: Easy 3mi.-NT

October 20th-Sunday: Granite State 10!-(1.5-12:32, 10-64:52!, and 1-10:16-bit sore lol) for 12.5mi. total and 25th place overall
25.5mi. for the week

October 21st-Monday: Off

October 22nd-Tuesday: Off

October 23rd-Wednesday: Off

October 24th-Thursday: Off

October 25th-Friday: 4mi.-NT

October 26th-Saturday: Off

October 27th-Sunday: White Mountain Millers Half Marathon-(1-8:42, 13.1-1:26:23-New PR by 2:21!) for 14mi. total
18mi. for the week

October 28th-Monday: Off

October 29th-Tuesday: Off

October 30th-Wednesday: Off

October 31st-Thursday: Off
75.5mi. for October

November 1st-Friday: Easy 3mi.-NT in town of Wolfeboro at night

November 2nd-Saturday: 4mi.-(32:01)

November 3rd-Sunday: 5mi.-(36:XX)
12mi. for the week

November 4th-Monday: Off

November 5th-Tuesday: 3mi.-(23:21) at 5:42pm

November 6th-Wednesday: Off

November 7th-Thursday: Off

November 8th-Friday: Off

November 9th-Saturday: Off

November 10th-Sunday: Out for a solid 8mi.-(59:48) on the bike path
11mi. for the week

November 11th-Monday: Off

November 12th-Tuesday: 7mi.-(58:XX)@3% incline on the treadmill at PF

November 13th-Wednesday: Off

November 14th-Thursday: Off

November 15th-Friday: Off

November 16th-Saturday: Off

November 17th-Sunday: 6mi.-(46:50) with Seth at 3:30ish-pm
13mi. for the week

November 18th-Monday: Off

November 19th-Tuesday: 4mi.-(33:40ish)@3% incline on the treadmill at PF

November 20th-Wednesday: Off

November 21st-Thursday: 4mi.-(31:42)@3% incline at 11:38pm at PF

November 22nd-Friday: Off

November 23rd-Saturday: Turkey Trot-(1.5wu, and 5k race-18:48) for 3rd overall :)

November 24th-Sunday: Off
12.5mi for the week

November 25th-Monday: Off

November 26th-Tuesday: Easy 3mi.-(26ish)@3% incline at PF

November 27th-Wednesday: Off

The Past Month

September 2nd-Monday: Out for an easy 4mi.-(31:48) at 10:51am on the bike path. .5mi.-(5:04) bf after

September 3rd-Tuesday: Off

September 4th-Wednesday: Ran 7mi.-(56:48) at 7:02pm

September 5th-Thursday: Off

September 6th-Friday: Friendly Kitchen 5k-Goal-Sub 18:20-(1wu-NA and 5k race-18:56) for 7th place overall

September 7th-Saturday: Hiked/Ran for 18+ miles with Josh. NO summits...frustrating, but a great day for a hike.

September 8th-Sunday: Off
15mi. for the week + an intense hike 

September 9th-Monday: Ran 3mi.-(24:35) at 6:05pm

September 10th-Tuesday: Out for 5mi.-(39:51) at 7:43pm

September 11th-Wednesday: Off

September 12th-Thursday: Off

September 13th-Friday: Off

September 14th-Saturday: Oyster River XC Meet in the morning. Got in a solid 12mi. total for the day-(1wu-8:08; 1-during Seth's race; and then 10mi.-75:58 after on my own)...mostly on the highway..tough mentally.

September 15th-Sunday: An easy 4mi.-(32ish) on the treadmill at PF
24mi. for the week

September 16th-Monday: Out for 8mi.-(62:05)  with the guys at 4:05pm

September 17th-Tuesday: Off

September 18th-Wednesday: Off

September 19th-Thursday: 8.5mi-(60:02) with the guys at 4:03pm

September 20th-Friday: Off

September 21st-Saturday: Easy 2mi.-(NA) at Gordon XC Meet

September 22nd-Sunday: Ran an easy 3mi.-(24:41) at 9:19am
21.5mi. for the week

September 23rd-Monday: Got in 7.5mi.-(54:05) at 4:13pm with the guys....gi issues right around 6mi. into it cost me 20min.

September 24th-Tuesday: Off

September 25th-Wednesday: Off

September 26th-Thursday: Off

September 27th-Friday: Out for 4mi.-(30:44) at 7:25pm

September 28th-Saturday: Ran 12mi. total-(2wu-16:48; 15min.-stretching; 10-70:24...I was cruising :) felt good for the most part) on the bike path

September 29th-Sunday: Easy 3mi.-(23:58) at 6:24pm
26.5mi. for the week

September 30th-Monday: 8mi. total at practice-(6-46:42; 5min. break; 2-14:54)

October 1st-Tuesday: Off

October 2nd-Wednesday: Off

October 3rd-Thursday: Off

October 4th-Friday: Ran 4mi.-(31:XX) at PF on treadmill

October 5th-Saturday: Hiked/Ran Mt. Chocorua with Dan and Kurt. 7.6mi.(ran 3mi.) fast downhill. Ascent-1:38ish. Descent-54min :)

October 6th-Sunday: Off
15mi. for the week

October 7th-Monday: Off

October 8th-Tuesday: Got in an easy 4mi.-(32:55) at PF

October 9th-Wednesday: Off

Too Many Days Off For August

August 17th-Saturday: Day off

August 18th-Sunday: Day off 
14mi. for the week

August 19th-Monday: Got out for 3mi.-(24:56) at 6:02pm

August 20th-Tuesday: Ran 4mi-(28:26) at 2:49pm

August 21st-Wednesday: Day off

August 22nd-Thursday: Out for 3mi.-(25:04) at 8:23pm

August 23rd-Friday: Got in 4mi.-(32:02) at 4:58pm

August 24th-Saturday: Barnstead 5k-(1.5wu-12:50ish, strides, dynamics, stretching, 5k race-18:25(5:57/mile pace), 1.5cd-NT) I'm pretty happy with this race :) I felt real good and in control for the first 2.7mi. Battled it out with Kurt and Shane some near the end. They came out on top though nearly tying eachother, but Kurt edged out in front at the line. 6mi. total for the day

August 25th-Sunday: Day off
20mi. for the week

August 26th-Monday: Day off

August 27th-Tuesday: Day off

August 28th-Wednesday: Day off

August 29th-Thursday: Day off

August 30th-Friday: Ran 6mi-(47:35) at 7:15pm...feeling pretty bad that this had been my only run all week.

August 31st-Saturday: Day off
Only 69mi. for August
1178mi. for the year so far 

September 1st-Sunday: Out for 5mi.-(37:24) on my own at 8:47am on the bike path. Felt okay. Ran another 5mi.-(38:46) at 12:39pm with Seth and Kurt on the path. Felt pretty good overall. 
16mi. for the week

Trying To Balance Work And Running

August 5th-Monday: Speed workout with Kurt at 12:52pm-(1.5wu-12:52; dynamics and striders; 6x800-2:53, 2:51, 2:53, 2:52, 2:48, and 2:45(Kurt threw down a 2:34 for the last one); 1.5cd-13:20). I was happy with it for the most part :) Out for another 4mi.-(32:00) with Seth at 5:34pm

August 6th-Tuesday: Day off

August 7th-Wednesday: Day off-(1st day at the new job)

August 8th-Thursday: Day off

August 9th-Friday: Got in an okay 3mi.-(25:01) at 9:25pm

August 10th-Saturday: Alton 5k at 9am in 19:15. Kurt beat me by 11 seconds. Seth came in at 20:38-good for the amount of training completed this summer :) Virtually no warm up...just jogged down the road and back...like 2-3min. pretty bad...I didn't have enough time pre-race. No cool down after this one.

August 11th-Sunday: Day off-pretty sore
A measly 16mi. for the week

August 12th-Monday: 5:30ish wake up. Out for 6mi.-51:04 at 5:52am---such a zombie run

August 13th-Tuesday: Day off

August 14th-Wednesday: Day off

August 15th-Thursday: 6:40am wake up. Work 7:30-3pm. Got through 4mi.-(31:10) at 4:44pm before dinner. Didn't feel good.

August 16th-Friday: 6:30am wake up. Shorter day at work-(7:30-12:30pm). Took a 30min. nap at 3ish. Ran 4mi.-(33:18) at 8:17pm...felt pretty good overall.

Getting Motivated Again

July 24th-Wednesday: Day off

July 25th-Thursday: Got out for a hilly 8mi.-(62:45) at 2:55pm

July 26th-Friday: Met up with Chris for a good 5mi.-(37:56) on the Luti course at 5:09pm

July 27th-Saturday: Day off

July 28th-Sunday: Ran 5mi.-(38:45) at 12:45pm
28mi. for the week

July 29th-Monday: Changed up and out for 5mi.-(38:12) at 1:57pm. I also ran .5bf-5:25ish

July 30th-Tuesday: Day off

July 31st-Wednesday: Ran 4mi.-(32:08) at 12:56pm and another 6mi.-(46:48) at 5:12pm with Chris.
119mi. for July

August 1st-Thursday: Out for 5mi.-(42:26) on my own at 7:40pm

August 2nd-Friday: Got in an easy 5mi.-(40:20) at 8:10pm

August 3rd-Saturday: Ran 3mi.-(24:52) at 9:53am

August 4th-Sunday: Day off 
28mi. for the week again

Bill Luti 5 Miler

July 15th (Monday): Ran 6mi.-(approx. 49:22-GPS problems) with Kurt at 6:48pm

July 16th (Tuesday): Day off

July 17th (Wednesday): Out for 6mi. total-(1st 3mi.-23:00....about a 23min. break....2nd 3mi.-22:42---total time-45:42). It was really hot out....90+degrees....hosed down halfway through the run and then after at home

July 18th (Thursday): Got in an easy 3mi.-(24:32) at 8:33pm in the new New Balance shoes without insoles...felt okay

July 19th (Friday): Ran an easy 3mi.-(24:28) at 10:35am in NB with insoles...felt better :)

July 20th (Saturday): Bill Luti 5 Miler in the morning. Started at 8:36am-7mi.-(1.5wu-12:27, strides, 5mi. race-32:54..1st mile was 5:45ish...slowed down so much...felt so out of it physically and mentally, .5cd-5:30ish..very slow)...worst 5 mile race in a couple years as far as time goes.

July 21st (Sunday): Day off
25mi. for the week

July 22nd (Monday): Out for 5mi.-(40:41) at 2:22pm...felt okay...recovering from a cold

July 23rd (Tuesday): Got in an easy 5mi.-(41:18) at 11:40am...felt better and nicer weather

5 Mile Race This Upcoming Weekend

July 8th (Monday): Out for 5mi.-(38:02) at 11:52am. It was very hot out! I definitely was dehydrated after the first 2-3mi. of the run. I need to run earlier!

July 9th (Tuesday): Day off

July 10th (Wednesday): Got in 10mi.-(79:46) at 3:27pm. No breaks. It started raining just after 4mi. for 10min. or so and then poured for the last 2mi. :)

July 11th (Thursday): Ran 6mi.-(51:06) at 12:18pm. I felt pretty drained.

July 12th (Friday): Out for 3mi.-(25:52) at 10:51am. 

July 13th (Saturday): Started the workout at 8:30pm. 6mi. total-(2mi. wu, 3mi. tempo-18:58, and 1mi. cd)---total time-(44:28)

July 14th (Sunday): Got in an easy 3mi.-(NT) at 7:45ish am. Ran in my Skechers...beat up my knees, but I barely had any heel pain.   
33mi. for the week
                             

Low-Key Week

July 1st (Monday): Ended up with the day off from work. Got in 4mi.-(33:55) around the trails at the tech at 1:23pm...my legs felt pretty heavy.

July 2nd (Tuesday): Ran 7mi.-(52:48) at 12:10pm

July 3rd (Wednesday): Walked for 1/2 a mile with Liz and then we ran 1.3mi. together :)

July 4th (Thursday): Took the day off from running.

July 5th (Friday): Out for 5mi.-(40:52) at 10:49am

July 6th (Saturday): Ran 2mi.-20:40 with Liz at 3:19pm :)

July 7th (Sunday): Took the day off from running. Beach in the afternoon :)
Only 18mi. for the week...I guess I needed it to reorganize my thoughts about training and racing for the rest of the year.

Feeling Strong And Focused

June 24th (Monday): Work 9:15am-5:40pm. Took the day off from running.

June 25th (Tuesday): Ran a workout at 7:31pm-(3mi. wu-23:25, drills+strides, 8x800 w/45-55sec rest-2:57, 2:54, 2:53, 2:54, 2:56, 2:54, 2:56, and 2:53, 2mi. cd-16:32) done at 8:52pm. 9mi. total on the day

June 26th (Wednesday): Took the day off from running.

June 27th (Thursday): Got in 10mi.-(78:01) at 6:24pm....didn't feel good after 7.5mi.

June 28th (Friday): Out for 3mi.-(25:28) at 12:29pm. Ran another 4mi.-(31:58) at 5:58pm...felt reallyy good :) .5mi.-(5:12) barefoot after on the bike path

June 29th (Saturday): Workout on the bike path-(3mi. wu-24:56, 6min. stretching break, 6mi. faster-41:02,  5min. water break, 5mi. cd-42:08-was bonking in the last couple of miles) Started at 1:32pm...done at 3:32pm. 14mi. total on the day

June 30th (Sunday): Took a good 90+min. nap during the afternoon. Out for an easy 3mi.-(24:40) at 6:36pm
A solid 43mi. for the week on 5 days of training
168mi. for June...making progress

Putting In The Work

June 10th (Monday): Got in 5mi.-(41:25) at 2:10pm...day off from work...pretty low key

June 11th (Tuesday): Out for a workout right after getting back from work...7mi. total-(2mi. wu on the track-15:38, drills+pick ups, 2mi. tempo on the track-12:50, and a 3mi. cd on the roads-24:21)..started it at 5:32pm. It was raining most of the time.

June 12th (Wednesday): Ran 3mi.-(23:38) at 11:57am. Hiked a mountain in the afternoon with Liz :)---about 3mi. round trip. Wet and slippery for most of the way. Very windy at the top, but we found some shelter and took a few pictures.

June 13th (Thursday): 7:25am wake up. Changed up and out for an easy 3mi.-(25:06) just to shake out the legs. Got in another 5mi.-(40:54) at 7:40pm in the rain

June 14th (Friday): A nice and easy 4mi.-(33:30) run at 7:43pm

June 15th (Saturday): 9:36am-(1.5mi. wu-12:28, drills + a couple striders, 9.4mi.---(according to my GPS watch) race-62:35, .5mi. cd-4:30)-11mi. total for the day...went through the 1st 5mi. of the race feeling good in 32ish..first 5k was right around 19:30

June 16th (Sunday): Out for an easy 7mi.-(58:10) with Kurt on the bike path. I wasn't too sore...just felt sluggish.
45mi. for the week

June 17th (Monday): Got in 3mi.-26:08 at 8:34am and another 3mi.-(24:21) at 7:00pm

June 18th (Tuesday): 5:17pm workout-(1mi. wu-7:48, dyamics, 1mi. of hill pick ups-6:30, 5mi.-6x3min. hard-2min. easy for rest and some more after for 34:24)-7mi. total for the day

June 19th (Wednesday): An easy 4mi.-(33:05) at 7:50am before work

June 20th (Thursday): Took the day off from running after a 20-day streak.

June 21st (Friday): An easy 4mi.-(33:36) at 8:55am

June 22nd (Saturday): Took another day off from running...not feeling motivated+trying to heal up my Achilles tendon even though it's minor

June 23rd (Sunday): Out for 7mi.-(55:20) at 11:10am. It was pretty humid and around 80 degrees out.
Only 28mi. for the week

A Good End To The Week

June 8th (Saturday): Got in 6mi.-(50:25) at 12:54pm. I went out to the trails by the water tower. It was nice to do some technical running and steeper than usual hill climbing.

June 9th (Sunday): 7:15ish wake up. Ran an easy 8mi.-(64:24) mostly on the packed, dirt bike path at 7:33am...back to shower and then to eat some breakfast. Hiked up Mt. Major with Liz and Adam(left us on the way down) around 1:40pm. Kurt and Seth came along, but they were on their own..running a couple miles before ascending the mountain and then a couple more after descending. Very nice weather for it and great views at the top! :)
41mi. for the week and a nice hike with my amazing girlfriend to complete it :)

A Few Strides In The Right Direction

June 3rd (Monday): 6:15ish wake up. Changed and out for 4mi.-(31:45) at 6:41am

June 4th (Tuesday): Ran 3mi.-(24:38) at 7:16am. A nice, cool run for a change :) It has been too hot and humid lately.

June 5th (Wednesday): Out for 4mi.-(33:56-last half of a mile was barefoot) at 6:15am

June 6th (Thursday): Got in a solid, even-paced 10mi.-(74:08) at 7:29pm. I was 37:30ish through 5...ran a nice negative split on the way back with a 36:38. Went out to the paved bike path that goes along 89. I was just about the only one out there. I usually have g.i. tract problems on longer runs so this was a big confidence booster! :)

June 7th (Friday): Out for an easy 6mi.-(48:36) at 6:48pm through the rainy streets around where I live. Worked around 39hrs. this week :) I already have 27mi. so far...just need another 18 split up between Sat. and Sun. to reach my weekly quota.

The Constant Struggle

May 27th (Monday): Track workout with Kurt at 12:30pm. 2mi. wu-17ish, drills, striders, 3x1200m-4:15, 4:19, and 4:27 with 400m jog as rest, and just over 3mi. for a cd-26ish. 8mi. total for the day

May 28th (Tuesday): Ran 5mi.-41:44 at 7:34pm. Long day at work.

May 29th (Wednesday): Took the day off from running.

May 30th (Thursday): Took the day off from running. The struggle to fit in running with work has definitely been a problem lately. I need to get in some runs next week before work if I'm going to be over 40mi. for the week.

May 31st (Friday): Got in 3mi.-(24:42) at 8:35pm.

June 1st (Saturday): Over The River And Through The Woods 5k-(2mi. wu-17:00, drills, a strider or two, and 3.1mi. race-19:20 for 10th place overall) It was BOILING out for this one...at least 80 degrees at the start..more like 90 by the finish. My calves were tight and twitching after..no cooldown.

June 2nd (Sunday): Out for 6mi.-(47:20) at the tech at 11:58am. I just ran 6 loops around the XC course. The shade and nice breeze were very much needed.
27mi. for the week-going for 45mi. this next week :)

The Last Two Weeks

May 13th (Monday): Took the day off from running. Work 8:30-5:30.

May 14th (Tuesday): 5:50am wake up. Ran 4mi.-(32:58) at 6:12am. Work 7:30-5:45. Subway for lunch. Got in another 4mi.-(30:20) after a nice nap. Felt really smooth and focused :)

May 15th (Wednesday): 6:05am wake up. Out for 3mi.-(24:35) at 6:30am. Work 7:30-12:50. A relaxing rest of the day...very low key.

May 16th (Thursday): Ran 4mi.-(32:05) at 6:20am. Got in another 4mi.-(30:28) at 7:44pm

May 17th (Friday): Took the day off from running.

May 18th (Saturday): Ran 6mi.-(44:27) at 1:48pm in North Conway after the Wilderness Invitational. A good, hilly run.

May 19th (Sunday): Got in 16mi.-(2:05:46---6min. break after the first 6mi.(w/Kurt) and then another 6min. break after the 2nd 6mi. for GU brew, stretching, and half a banana) at 1:26pm. All completed on the bike path..felt in control :)
41mi. for the week

May 20th (Monday): Took the day off from running.

May 21st (Tuesday): 9-hour work day. Ran 4mi.-(31:18) at 8:32pm

May 22nd (Wednesday): Took the day off from running. I woke up around 4am with a horrible stomach bug. Stayed in bed for most of the day.

May 23rd (Thursday): Out for an easy 5mi.-(39:08) at 7:42pm..felt sluggish during the last couple of miles

May 24th (Friday): I originally planned on doing 2x2mi.@6:25ish pace with 3-5min. break in between repeats. After the first 4 laps or so, I decided to just keep going past 2mi. I ended up running 12 laps (3mi.) in 18:35 and it felt pretty comfortable for the most part..definitely a good sign. windy with a light rain. 2mi. wu-(15:52) and 3mi. cd-(24:50)-started to feel it during the cd. 8mi. total for the day :)

May 25th (Saturday): Took the day off from running.-laziness=no excuse

May 26th (Sunday): Ran 5mi.-(38:36) at 11:18am on the bike path by myself. Out for another 4mi.-(32:25) at 6:28pm-felt heavy
26mi. for the week

Feeling Good, Time To Ramp Up The Mileage

May 6th (Monday): Got up and ran 3mi.-(25:21) at 6:35am. Out for another 3mi.-(25:28) at 7:50pm

May 7th (Tuesday): Took the day off from running.

May 8th (Wednesday): Took the day off from running.

May 9th (Thursday): Out of bed around 5:50am and out for 7mi.-(57:12) at 6:06am. Work 8:06am-6:40pm

May 10th (Friday): Took the day off from running. Work 8:36am-4:20pm

May 11th (Saturday): 9:35am wake up. Ran 6mi.-(47:10) at 12:15pm.

May 12th (Sunday-Mother's Day): left around 7:45am to go home for the day. Ran 5mi.-(35:52) at 8:52am on the bike path. Got in another 5mi.-(40:45) with Kurt.
29mi. for the week-not what I was hoping for, but still good on only 4 days of running

Catching Up

April 15th: Ran 6mi.-(46:54) at 7:32pm. I've been feeling unmotivated lately. This is me catching up on my blog though so that's progress!

April 16th: Went to a GSRT track workout at 5:15pm. (1mi. wu, strides + drills, 1x1600-5:30, 4x400-77, 80, 79, and 72, 2x200-NT, 2mi. cd)---7mi. total

April 17th: Took the day off from running.

April 18th: Ran 3mi.-(25:30) at 7:46pm after a 9hr. work day.

April 19th: NHTI 5K at 6pm.-(1.3mi. wu, striders, 3.2mi.-race-18:27, 2.5mi. cd-23:02)---7mi. total

April 20th: Got in 6mi. of running throughout the day at the MV Invitational. Ran around 2.8mi. with Seth.

April 21st: Red's Shoe Barn 5-Miler-(1.8mi. wu, 5mi. race-30:29-PR! :), .5mi. cd)---7mi. total
36mi. for the week

April 22nd: Ran 6mi.-(48:56) at 7:24pm

April 23rd: Took the day off from running.

April 24th: Got in 7mi.-(53:08) at 1:30pm.

April 25th: Took the day off from running.

April 26th: Took the day off from running.

April 27th: Ran around the Coe-Brown loop a few times for 3mi. while watching the events. There was some great competition out there today! Seth PR'd in the mile with a 5:18 and nailed 4th place in his heat! :)

April 28th: Muddy Moose "14"-Miler-(I got 13.5mi. on my GPS watch, 1.5mi. wu-12:40, no cd)---15mi. total for the day. I felt so drained after this race. It's definitely the toughest race that I've done in my life so far. It took everything I had to keep my legs moving in the last few miles. I should have brought some kind of energy food with me and a water bottle. I stopped at a couple water stations on the way back at 9mi. and then 11mi. in. I think I was just really dehydrated and my body shut down. I felt better after getting some food down and taking a nap.
31mi. for the week

April 29th: Took the day off from running.

April 30th: Took the day off from running.
117mi. for April and 686mi. for the 1st 4 months of the year :)

May 1st: Went for a nice morning run at 6:50am, 3mi.-(24:44). Out for another 5mi.-(36:18) after classes at 1:08pm

May 2nd: Took the day off from running.

May 3rd: Took the day off from running.

May 4th: Ironheart 5K-(1.9mi.-15:12 wu, 3.15mi. race-18:34, and 1mi.-8:35 cd for 6mi. total)

May 5th: Ran 10mi.-(8.5mi. and then 25min. of walking and using the facilities, another 1.5mi. to get back---total time was 78:26, excluding the break) at 4:56pm. I went out the long way to the bike path that runs along 89. Great running weather today!
24mi. for the week

Another Down Week

April 8th: Out for an easy 5mi.-(39:45) at 7:00pm. I'm glad I got myself out the door.

April 9th: Ran 8.5mi.-(62:42) at 4:08pm with Nacho. We started at Memorial Field and headed out to a bike path I had barely ran on before because of snow. It was a good route and run. One big tree was blocking the pathway.

April 10th: Took the day off from running.

April 11th: Took the day off from running.

April 12th: Took the day off from running.

April 13th: Took the day off from running---laziness. I could have ran since my foot felt fine. I don't remember taking the 10th off, but I must of because there is no record that I ran. I think I was swamped with homework. Oh well, mini vacation. Diving back into it this upcoming week.

April 14th: Ran 3mi.-(23:10) at 9:16am. Out for another 7.5mi.-(55:20) at 12:42pm with Kurt. I threw in a faster mile-(6:16) after 5mi. where I progressively sped up. Some foot tightness later on, but not too bad.
24mi. for the week

Rest Week

April 6th: S.E.A. 5k race report:
7mi. total---(1.75mi. wu-14:28, 3.15mi. race-18:10, .7mi. cd-6:58; 1.5mi.-12:52 after getting back to my place at 11:56am)
I started off in 3rd place for the first 200-400 meters. 5-7 guys went by me within the 1st mile. I didn't feel all that good after the 1st mile. I didn't have any fight left in me. My foot was bothering me in the last mile, but I still managed to tie my PR from this past December. Plantar fascia was really tight after, just ran a slow and short cooldown. I ended up getting 12th overall-(next guy was 10sec. in front of me, Tyler was 21sec. ahead, and Nacho finished 1:25 ahead of me...I only beat the first female by 9sec. and I took 8sec. off last year's time) I'm bummed about this one, but my foot is the only thing holding me back at this point. 1st mile split-5:35, 2nd mile split-5:50, 3rd mile split-6:00, and 45sec. for the last .15mi.

April 7th: Ran 7mi.-(53:28) with Kurt in the afternoon.
26mi. for the week

Most Days Off This Year

April 1st: Took the day off from running just to rest the legs.

April 2nd: Ran 10mi.-(80:28) at 12:12pm. I had to stop after 7.5mi. for 5min. to stretch and walk around because of intense plantar fascia pain. I ran the rest slowly, @8:30/mi. pace. I was clicking off 7:40's before that. My shoes have definitely come to the end of their good use. I got back and my new training shoes were near the door. Score! :) Running warehouse is by far the best when it comes to free fast shipping and returns if needed.

April 3rd: Took the day off from running because of my foot. It makes me limp a little. I'm bummed. I don't know if I'll be able to race on Saturday. I was really looking forward to this particular race.

April 4th: Took the day off from running. Foot is getting better.

April 5th: Ran 2mi.-(16:24) at 4:40pm after work.

End Of A Strong Month

March 31st: Ran 6mi.-(NT) at 11:20am. It was really slow, like @8:30/mi. pace. I was super sore, especially my left plantar fascia.
49mi. for the week and 202.5mi. for March :)

Making Good Progress This Year

March 25th: Took the day off from running. Needed the rest day.

March 26th: Changed up and out for 3mi.-(25:06) at 10:18am. Ran another 7mi.-(52:55) at 6:08pm.

March 27th: Portsmouth ladder with Perry and Tyler. 200, 400, 600, 800, 800, 600, 400, 200(Continuous cycle) with same distance which counted as the rest. Got in 9mi. total-(2mi.-16:28, 6min.-stretching break, 1mi.-8:08, 3min.-stretching break, 6mi.-44:04 w/7min. break after 5.1mi.) at 2:04pm. Good workout for this Saturday's upcoming race.

March 28th: Ran 3mi.-(25:48) at 11:44am. Out for another 6mi.-(47:32) at 6:21pm

March 29th: No class this morning :) Got in 3mi.-(24:48) at 11:14am. Ran another 3mi.-(23:29) at 4:44pm

March 30th: 7:20am wake up. Gilmanton 5k Road Race today! Breakfast and some stretching before heading out at 8:10am. Smooth 32min. drive. 9mi. total-(1.5mi. wu-13:38, a few striders and a quick drill, 3.14mi.-tough race-19:04, 1.5mi. cd-12:18, drove back, and then ran 3mi. easy-25:16)
Gilmanton 5k Road Race Report:
Took off at a good pace. I found myself in the lead for a brief while, and then Dave Dunham took the lead for the first 3k with 4 guys tailing him. I was in 9th or 10th place after the 1st mile split-5:28. Most of it was downhill. I stayed in the same position through the 2nd mile split-5:38 and I was still feeling good at that point. The Hill was soon thereafter which ruined my pace. I definitely need more hill work. I couldn't get my legs going again at the same speed after it flattened out then started going downhill. Tim Cox passed me in the last kilometer. 3rd mile split-7:10(ouchh). I kicked it in to finish within half a second of Tim. 11th place overall and 3rd in age group when not counting 1st place overall(Nacho). Thankfully, I took 58sec. off of last year's time. DD finished 2nd, just a few seconds behind Nacho. Kurt finished in 19:40(he took 48sec. off of last year).
I have some work to do before next week's flat and fast 5k...most likely a track workout.

Keeping Goals In Focus

March 18th: Got in 3mi.-(25:20) on the treadmill at home in the morning. It was really boring, but I preferred the set up over freezing my face off outside. Another 6mi.-(50:52) at 6:45pm

March 19th: Took the day off from running. I guess Tuesdays are bad days for running lately. It snowed all day, and classes were cancelled for those who had them.

March 20th: I ran back from dropping off the car to get the exhaust fixed. Added on another 4.8mi. for an even 8mi.-(65:22) at 1:40pm.

March 21st: Changed up and out for 4mi.-(33:22) at 12:32pm

March 22nd: Got in 5mi.-(41:48) at 11:08am

March 23rd: 6:10am wake up. Peterborough Winter Chiller 10k today. Met up with Perry and Tyler at the Tech at 7:15. We carpooled and I drove. Smooth ride with no issues, easy to find. Race registration was in an EMS. Race started across the road at ConVal High School. Ran 8mi.-(1mi.-NT wu, 5.94mi. race-39:01, 1.1mi.-NT cd) It ended up being .3mi. short of a 10k. I lead going down the first hill because I knew a packed snowmobile trail was coming. It was slow going once I hit the trail with next to no traction on my Kinvaras. Opted to not wear my flats because I didn't have time beforehand to change into them. I was probably better off not wearing them anyways. I was in 3rd place for most of the race. I got passed by two people in the last 2mi. because of wicked bad cramping up near my ribs..diaphragm cramping, I think, or just upper abdominis. Finished in 5th place overall and 1st in my age group when 2nd+3rd place overall aren't included. I got some Cadbury cream mini chocolate eggs in the raffle. Uneventful drive back. Stopped and got gas in Hillsborough.

March 24th: Ran 3mi.-(24:16) at 11:52am in hometown. Out for another 7mi.-(53:50) down 109 and back with Kurt at 4:38pm. A longer mileage day with some easy running. My left Achilles tendon was tender all day. Went in the hot tub later on after the 2nd run to aid with recovery. Felt good. The CARS series starts this upcoming Saturday in Gilmanton. I'm not sure if I'll go. I really disliked it last year, but my hamstrings and quads were in rough shape the day before and day of. I'll decide 2-3 days before.
44mi. for the week 

Low Mileage Week

March 11th: I ran 5mi.-(NT) from home with a Garmin to keep track of my heart rate. It seemed to stay right around 135bpm at an 8min. per mile pace. Seems good to me. I'm way behind in posting my running progress. I'll just to have to stay more on top of it from now on.

March 12th: Took the day off from running. I just didn't have the motivation to get out, and I thought my legs could use the rest.

March 13th: Went out for 5mi.-(40:12) at 1:04pm.

March 14th: Changed up and out for a solid 10.5mi.-(1:24:26) at 5:56pm over a hilly route. There was a freak blizzard section from 6.5mi.-7.5mi. My face went numb and I could barely see where I was going. It was still a great run though! :)

March 15th: Ran 3mi.-(25:28) at 10:04am. Short and easy day.

March 16th: Got out for 11mi.-(1:21:28) at 4:52pm. Very good run! I felt controlled throughout, and it was at a better pace than my 10.5mi. on the 14th.

March 17th: Ran 7mi.-(56:24) with Kurt, just like last Sunday. Unfortunately, I felt a lot more drained today. I have some serious running to do this week and the next. I need to hit 220+mi. for the month.
41.5mi. for the week

First Race In Awhile, It Went Really Well

March 7th: Got in 8mi.-(1:03:32) at 11:32am.

March 8th: Easy day. Out for 3mi.-(25:50) at 6:25am. Class wasn't delayed, but teacher was 25min. late because she was stuck behind an accident. Another 3mi.-(23:48) at 4: with 4 striders(40-60 steps) during the last mile. Thankfully, I felt pretty smooth :) Now I just need a good night's sleep and I should be ready to run fast in the morning.

March 9th: Race day! Awww yeahhh! 9mi.-(2mi.-16:54 wu, 2 striders, 3mi.-16:56 race, 2mi.-15:52 cd, and then another 2mi.-16:32 after the awards ceremony)
Spring Ahead 3 Miler Race Report:
Nathan Huppe and Andrew Kwiatkowski went straight to the front with Nate leading. I don't think he was passed once in the whole race. Next year...next year. Anyways, I took off at a solid pace while keeping in control. I was in 7th place through the first half of a mile. I worked my way up into 5th, trying to keep in range of Dan who was in 4th at the time. The 1st mile split was 5:25 with Dan a good 5 seconds in front of me. I really tried to keep pace through the 2nd mile, but I still felt fairly strong. The 2nd mile split was 5:50. I got right up to Dan's shoulder around 2.1mi. Jim who was in 6th went by me at this time and Dan picked it up, thinking it was me about to go by him. I didn't have much of a kick left at 2.6mi. I finished in 6th place overall and 1st in my age group with a 16:56-(6 seconds behind Dan and a 1:01 improvement over last year with a 3rd mile split of 5:41). My Soleus 1.0 GPS watch can be a little off sometimes though. Andrew ended up finishing in 3rd place after being passed by Nacho in the last half of the race. The training in the past 2 months has really paid off. This race bodes well for this year as far as PR's go. I've really been paying attention to how my body feels and taking rest days when needed.

March 10th: Ran 3mi.-(25:16) at 12:45pm. Another 6mi.-(47:24-an out and back route) at 6:22pm with Kurt. Just tried to take it easy today. I was pretty sore from the race.
50mi. for the week :)

Planning On Racing Soon

March 1st: Got in a short run of 4mi.-(32:38) at 6:25am before class. Felt good to be out running early. I have a hard time getting up before 7am most days. African fable/proverb:
"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning, a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up, you'd better be running."
I need to keep this in mind.

March 2nd: Ran 3mi.-(24:36) at 11:32am. Took a 15min. break to drink some water, down a GU, and stretch out my legs. Jogged for a bit and then right into 5mi.-(35:32---1mi.-5:41, .3mi. rest, 1mi.-6:16, and another 3.7mi.) My planned on 3x1mi. workout didn't happen. I just didn't have the drive today, and I went out too fast on the first one.

March 3rd: Out for 6mi.-(49:02) at 1:25pm. Ran the first 3mi. with Kurt and Seth. We stayed pretty much together the whole time. It was good to run with them! I continued on for another 3mi. by myself. I get sick of running on my own all the time. It gets old fast. I need to find a training partner in the area where I'm staying or something. Someone who is serious about the sport that can push me, but  at the same time, not bury me. A down week for sure with the 2 days I took off mid-week.
36mi. for the week

March 4th: 8:10ish wake up. Got in 3mi.-(25:28) at 8:30ish on the treadmill at home.

March 5th: 3mi.-(24:56) at 10:24am. Ran 6mi-(averaging 7:50min. pace) on a treadmill at the school. Took a 5min. break after 3.6mi. to figure out the weird system on the treadmill and also to stretch. Running quote:
"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you have been running for 20 years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, and no membership card to get. You just run.-John Bingham

March 6th: 7:15am wake up. Got ready for the day. Classes until 12:50. Met up with Perry, Chris, Isha, and Catie for a run. Ended up running 6mi.-(1mi.-(NT) and 5mi.-(39:44) Chris, Perry, and myself did some fartleks on Appleton. It was good to get some speed play in even though I was feeling sluggish and heavy. I'm hoping to race this Saturday. I'm not sure if I will yet though. Back to my place to shower and study. Dinner and the rest of the night with Liz :) We had green beans, pasta, and some bread for me. Ice cream for dessert. Of course, it was all delicious.

Just Missed 200mi. For February

February 26th: Going to bed late messed up my planned morning schedule, but it happens. Felt rundown. Took a day off from running.

February 27th: Took another day off from running. Snowed and rained all day. Classes were cancelled.

February 28th: Ran a solid 10mi.-(1:16:25) at 11:40am in shorts and I only had a banana + some water beforehand. I felt very focused and in control. It was nice out, 42 degrees. Great run!
188.5mi. for February :)

End Of A Good Week, Start Of Another

February 21st: Ran 9mi.-(1:17:08) at 6:18pm. This is the worst run of the year so far. I had stomach cramps from 5-9mi., just gutted it out and got back feeling weak/sick. I think I was dehydrated along with not having eaten enough throughout the day. My blood sugar levels were out of whack. Immediately drank some water and ate something upon completion of the run.

February 22nd: Ran 6mi.-(40:41) at 5:15pm. Cruising. I felt really good on this one. A solid, faster than usual effort. A good confidence booster to say the least! :) Got back and did some core work.

February 23rd: Big mileage day. 6mi.-(47:14) at 11:52am. I met up with Dan for a solid 7mi.-(50:58) at 4:44pm. He's in good shape. He ran 14.5mi. earlier in the day averaging around 7min. pace. It shows a lot for his fitness level to be able to run another 7mi. with me at a good pace in the course of the same day.Took a 10min. break while talking with Dan and then ran another 2mi.-(17:10) on my own after he left as a cooldown.

February 24th: 8:20am wake up. Changed up and out for 2mi.-(18:28) at 8:58am through the snowy streets. The footing was bad, I just kept slipping. Skipped out on my planned 2nd run because it got worse throughout the day. I am so done with the snow. I would be perfectly fine with only seeing snow 3 weeks out of the entire year. That would be pretty awesome :)
53mi. for the week

February 25th: Ran 3mi.-(24:18) at 10:18am. Got out for another 5mi.-(39:32) at 7:14pm. I felt fairly good. I saw this on fb awhile back. "Running has always been a relief and a sanctuary-something that makes me feel good, both physically and mentally. For me it's not so much about the health benefits. Those are great, but I believe that the best thing about running is the joy it brings to life."-Kara Goucher
She sums it up very well. Late to bed.

Looking Ahead To The Racing Season

February 17th: 8:50am wake up. 4mi.-(33:45) at 11:00am. It was snowing out the whole time, but the padding on the pavement was kind of nice. Went by quickly. I decided to skip my 2nd 6mi. run today because my head cold got worse. I think it was a good decision. Pancakes, french toast, and bacon for dinner. Delicious. Took some Nyquil before bed and passed out.
50.5mi. for the week

February 18th: 9:20am wake up. Slept really well :) I had a slight cold so I stayed inside today and ran 3mi.-(25:10) on the treadmill at 12:50pm. It was bitter cold out most of the day with the wind chill. Another 4mi.-(33:30) at 6:20pm on the treadmill as well. Chop suey for dinner with a bagel. A bowl of cereal and double chocolate brownies for dessert with cold milk. More deliciousness :)

February 19th: Packed up and left around 10:00am. Skipped lunch and studied in the afternoon for an exam tomorrow. 6mi.-(46:58) at 4:40pm. Didn't feel all that good.

February 20th: 7:05am wake up. Breakfast and out the door by 7:40. Classes in the morning/afternoon with one exam. I'm not sure how I did. I feel fairly good about it though. 2mi. wu-(16:50) and then 6mi.-(46:28) all on a treadmill at 3:15pm. Took 3-5min. after my wu to stretch. I didn't feel like running outside today. Treadmills seem to be softer on my legs than the constant pounding on pavement. It makes sense, but I want to make sure I'm still getting in a good workout. Steak, sauteed onions, and corn for dinner with Liz :) It was really good! The corn, not so much. I could have had more of the steak and onions though.

Staying Focused

February 12th: 8:05am wake up. Changed up and out for 3mi.-(25:14) at 8:34. It was nice out, no gloves. Half a meatball sub, Clif bar, and package of trail mix for lunch. 6.5mi.-(47:42-10min. wu, 15x1min. on;off, and 7:42min. cool down) at 4:35pm. I threw some layers off after the wu, extra top, gloves, and hat. Just cruised. My stomach was bothering me towards the end, but I kind of expected that to happen. 9.5mi. on the day. Up until 12am studying A&P I PowerPoint slides.

February 13th: 7:10am wake up. Packed running apparel and ate breakfast. Normal grape nuts, bagel, and banana. Headed out for classes. A&P I Exam at 12pm. Felt like I did okay, won't know until the grades are posted. Changed up and ran 2mi.-(17:36) by myself at 1:56pm. Man was I stiff. Stretched and waited around for people to show up for about 22min. and then we carpooled to a quieter running area with less snow. Out for 7.5mi. at 2:44pm with Perry and Chris(we went out together for just over 30min.; Chris and I took off on the way back, negative splitting by 6min.; hit 6:33, 6:18, and 6:17; it was mostly downhill, but still fast), I added on another 2.5mi. to make it an even 10mi.-(1:18:24). It was great to run with Chris. He has broken 26min. for 8k, definitely inspiring. 12mi. total for the day.

February 14th: 5mi.-44:02 at 11:38. Back to shower and eat. I was certainly hungry. Valentine's Day shopping. Spent the rest of the day with Liz :)

February 15th: 7:10am wake up. Got ready and had breakfast. Made it to class with time to spare. Exam this upcoming Wednesday..yayyy. Drove Liz to work and back later on because she was out of a vehicle for the day. 5mi.-42:55 at 11:35am. I was going to double today, but I just didn't have the motivation...really tired all day.

February 16th: 10:20am wake up. Had a nightmare right before waking...very unsettling. Mouth and throat were really dry, drank some water before changing and heading out for 3mi.-(24:40) at 10:58. Really nice out yet again. Ran in shorts with only a running top and hat. I've run in thermal tights so much that short are a nice change! Core work, push ups, and squats when I got back. Shower and then breakfast/lunch. Planned on workout of 7mi. at 4:54pm. 2mi.-(16:55 wu, dove right into the mile repeats-6:05, 6:00, and 5:45..3min. jog in between for approximately .32mi. rest, 1.5mi.-13:25). I was pretty beat after, but I had some left in the tank for the last repeat. Feeling good about my training this week! 10 miles total on the day.

Blizzard Of 2013

February 7th: 3mi.-(25:10) at 1:10pm. Another 4mi.-(30:18-9min. wu, 4x3min. on;off fartleks, .7mi. cd) at 7:08pm. Low-key day other than the running and some studying.

February 8th: 6:50am wake up. Class wasn't cancelled this morning. Got ready and had breakfast before heading out. Lecture 8-9:25. 9:30-11ish in a computer lab working on things/assignments with Liz. 4mi.-(33:38) at 12:02pm. It had already started snowing before I began. Lots of snow expected. A nice rest of the day with Liz :)

February 9th: French toast, a cupcake, turkey bacon, and cereal for breakfast. I didn't really eat lunch. Probably why I passed out so easily around 2:50pm for a quick nap. Took the day off from running. Shoveled snow for a good 3+hrs. throughout the day though! We got over 2 feet...crazyyyy. It should start melting next week though so that's good! :) The weather was against me today.

February 10th: 4mi.-(33:32) at 11:28am. I was planning on running again, but I ended up being too tired. Took a nap in the afternoon because I felt so low. My back was pretty sore from shoveling yesterday. I studied A&P I for awhile in the pm to get myself ready for the first exam on Wednesday. I'm happy that the material seems to be clicking with me. We'll see how it goes. Bed by 11:45pm, but I don't think I fell asleep until 12:30ish. Woke up at 6:29am...weird...went back to sleep. 40 miles for the week. Not what I had planned, but I needed the rest. 

February 11th: 8:05am wake up. My back is a lot better today :) Changed up for a run. 5 mi.-(41:48) at 8:34am. There was some heavy snow coming down in the last few miles. We got enough snow this past weekend! Back to shower and have breakfast. Oatmeal with brown sugar, a bagel with peanut butter, and a banana. I was out of milk so I couldn't have cereal. Just the single run today. The road conditions were horrible for most of the day. I'm glad I got it done first thing in the morning. Planning for a great week of training! Looking ahead to March. Strength workout after dinner. Curling, push ups, and squats. 3 sets of each with 3min. rest in between.

Impending Snowstorm

February 4th: 8:40am wake up. Ran 5mi-(42:45) at 9:08am. It was cold and unwelcoming out and I was sore from the previous day's speedwork.  I'm glad I wore my face mask because it was windy during parts. Back to shower, eat breakfast, and pack up. Left by 10:45. Lecture 12-1:45pm with a short break and then Lab 2-3:42. Bumped into Matt and Hattie when I was leaving. It was nice to talk to them...hadn't seen either of them in awhile. Went grocery shopping right after: 7 bananas, 7 apples, 6 cinnamon-raisin bagels, loaf of oatmeal bread, broccoli, 2 boxes of pasta, 1/2 gallon of milk, Wishbone Italian dressing, cookies, a couple frozen bags of dinner, and I forgot to get a salad+Clif bars. Oh well. Easy day of running after a solid 50-mile week. Made one of the frozen bags for dinner: Voila Beef Stir Fry with broccoli. I was still hungry so I had 2 pieces of oatmeal bread with peanut butter along with 1/2 a cup of oatmeal with brown sugar. Pretty good :)

February 5th: 3 mi.-(25:42) at 10:56am. Another 5 mi.-(38:34)-(1mi. wu, 4x3min. on;off, and .7mi. cd) at 4:56pm. I'm planning on Tuesdays being my tempo/fartlek days and Saturdays being my speed workout days, but the impending snowstorm this weekend could change that. I really do need to get in some mile repeats for racing if I'm going to be competitive this year.

February 6th: 6:50am wake up. Got ready for school, ate breakfast, and out the door by 7:35. Half a sub, a Clif bar, and a granola bar for lunch. 12 mi.-(1:35:18) with 17 minutes of waiting around for Nacho to show up though. I ran 4 miles, waited around, ran another .5mi, waited some more, ran another .5mi., and then he showed up. Ran another 5.5mi. with him and Matt L. along with 1.5mi. that I added on by myself. I started at 1:56pm. Didn't finish until 3:49. My goal is to run 12mi. averaging under 8min. pace next week with only a few minutes break for stretching if needed after 2-3 miles. Green beans, slices of onion, and eggs all cooked together along with some well-cooked broccoli for dinner, thanks to Liz! It was delicious :)

Starting February Right!

February 1st: 7:27am wake up. Overslept by 30min. I could have sworn I set my alarm. Oh well. Out the door within 13min. Grabbed a banana and bagel for the drive. Made it to class with time to spare. Teacher was late by 5min. Lecture: 8-9:20. Computer lab with Liz: 9:30-10:30ish. Had a couple bowls of cereal and an apple. Took a nap: 12:40-2:15. Ran 8mi.-(66:05) at 2:45pm with a 15min. break just after 4mi.-(33:40) because my stomach was really bothering me. Used the restroom and drank some water. Out for another 4mi.-(32:25)...felt a lot better. Weights and push ups after along with a shower. Had a bowl of cereal and a sandwich during the PM along with chicken wings that Liz bought later on :)

February 2nd: 9:40am wake up. Went on my laptop for an hour. Changed up for my 1st run and had a banana...was out the door at 11am. 3mi-(25:18)...felt easy. Stretched and then made some breakfast: 1/2 cup of oatmeal with light brown sugar and syrup, a bagel with butter and the same sugar, a gala apple, and some water. PB&J...1 1/2 sandwiches with some water. Another 6mi.-(46:12) at 4:36pm. Bloody nose towards the end of the run. I felt dehydrated after getting back. Drank a lot of water. Showered and did some homework. Washed dishes while making dinner by myself: a package of ramen noodles and half a box of rice pilaf with black beans + salsa all mixed together. Snacked on milk chocolate chips after.

February 3rd: 8:12am wake up. Helping out with the local 4mi. race this morning. Real easy 1st run of 3mi.-(25:52) at 8:34am. Showered and headed to the store to pick up some bananas, apples, and a Clif bar. Brought the fruit to the race. Helped with directing runners in the right direction. A couple of my teammates ended up running it. The guy who won was cruising!...22:12-(5:33 per mi. pace). Made we want to be racing. I think I would've had a tough time hanging with him with my current fitness level though. Back to pack up and head home for a day. Uneventful drive. Watched some of the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix on ESPN2. Congrats to Centrowitz for his smooth victory in the mile race and Galen Rupp for his 2nd place effort! Great races, both of them! :) The local track is clear of snow so I ran there for a workout at 5:12pm. It's fairly rare for it to be cleared off at this time of year. Completed a legit 7mi.-(2.25mi. wu-19:40, about 10min. of stretching/dynamics, 1mi.-6:07, 1mi.-5:53, .5mi.-2:49, and 1.75mi. cd-15:25). I took 450m. of rest after the mile repeats. Just jogged it clockwise. The first mile repeat was just getting my legs used to the pace. It was a shock to my system haha. I felt pretty good during the second repeat. I felt controlled. I love that feeling of going fast and not having that feeling of exhaustion half-way or 3/4 of the way through. Brought it home with the 800(.5mi.) repeat. All in all, I feel good about this workout that I completed in the dark by myself. Good conditions with only a light breeze. Back to shower and eat dinner. 3 1/2 slices of pizza and shrimp! Watched some of the game. Weird power outage. At least the players got a break though. Congrats to the 49ers for catching up! The Ravens are full of themselves. Until next year. Bed by 12.
50 miles for the week! BAM!! :)

Finished Up A Good Month Of Training

January 30th: The weather alert system woke me up right before 7am. Classes delayed until 10 because of the icy roads. Yes! Score! Back to sleep. Got up at 9ish. Breakfast and out the door for classes. 10-11:25 lab and then 12-12:50 lecure.10 miles-(1:17:20) at 1:42pm. Stopped to stretch after 2.5mi. and then again after 8.2mi. to talk to Perry. He was doing a ladder of speedwork. It was really foggy out, but nice weather for a long run as far as I'm concerned. Felt pretty good the whole time. I like to do my long run within the first few days of every week. It's better for me to not leave it for the end of the week where I might falter or find a reason to run less. Homework/computer lab from 3:35-5:40. Picked up some ground beef for dinner. Back to make dinner. Ground beef, fettuccine, very good green beans, and a piece of bread. Relaxing night.

January 31st: Woke up to see that most of the snow was already melted. Awesome! I Love when it is above 42 degrees. It was really windy, but I'll take it compared to the 0-32 degrees that has dominated the past month. All of the cold weather was really bogging me down. Refreshing to have a day like today :) Ran in shorts. It had been awhile! Out for 5 miles-(41:38) at 12pm. Homework/computer lab from 3:15-6:15ish with Liz, as I remember it. I originally planned on running another 3 miles around 4:30, but I decided not to as the day went on and I realized how sore I felt. Back to make dinner. 2 cans of soup and fettuccine. No meat tonight. I don't think I fell asleep until 1ish. 178 miles for January :)

First Day Off In Awhile

January 28th: 8:45am wake up. Organized my things for the drive back. I decided to put off my 5 mile planned upon run until later because I was feeling rundown and sore from the previous week's training. Some cereal and a bagel for breakfast. Hot tub for 20ish minutes and shower before heading out. Left for class at 10:30. Lecture 12-1:50 with a short break halfway through and then Lab 2-3:30. I had a Clif bar in between. It started snowing during lecture and it was still coming down pretty good at 4. Picked up some groceries: 6 bananas, 6 gala apples, fresh green beans, a loaf of honey oat bread, 6 banana bread bagels, apple juice, milk, eggs, a roll of mentos, a small bag of milk chocolate chips, a 2 pound bag of light brown sugar, and 4 raisin walnut Clif bars. Got back to my place by 5. I decided to end my running streak of 27 days and opt for a day off. I was beginning to feel like I was obligated to run every day without question. That's not what running is to me and I don't want it to be an obligation. I'm training to improve, not to dig a hole and jump inside. A day off every now and then will be a good thing. A low key night of researching and applying for a job. Garlic Shrimp Voila meal with bread. I made some coffee cake after having dinner. I wanted something hot and sweet for dessert. It was pretty good. Bed by 1am.

January 29th: The weather alert system for school woke me up at 5:53am and then again at 6:05. It was really annoying because I don't even have class on Tuesdays. Back to sleep and up at 9:50. Had a glass of water before an easy 3 miles-(25:15) at 10:30. Showered and had breakfast: banana, apple, coffee cake, and a toasted bagel. Cereal later on at 2.15. I have some messed up eating patterns sometimes. Ate a Clif bar around 5 and two slices of bread at 7:25. Out for another 5 miles-(41:25) at 7:40ish. Felt good. Really bright out because of the moon. Back to shower and eat dinner. Had the leftover garlic shrimp pasta with some bread and a package of ramen noodles. Bed by 12.

A Good End To A Solid Week

January 24th: 5 miles-(42:40) at 2:40pm. Just an easy run the day before my planned-on 10 miler. Liz ordered take out for dinner. I used my whole $25 gift card plus another dollar to pay for it. We got a burger with blue cheese, lettuce, onions, tomato, and french fries with salt and vinegar on the side. As well as 6 chicken wings topped with Parmesan garlic sauce, and a grilled chicken teriyaki wrap with french fries. I ate so much. It was all so good though :D Homework after.

January 25th: Woke up at 6:50am. Had breakfast and out the door by 7:30. Class 8-9:20. Picked up some groceries. I don't remember what I had for lunch. Ran 10 miles-(1:22:58) at 2:15pm. Started off with no real route in mind. I just kept going on different roads, turned around a few times, but still managed to get 10 total. I enjoyed eating dinner with Liz again. Made some beef lomain with teriyaki sauce for dinner later on along with some bread and chicken wings topped with the really good, above-mentioned sauce! :)

January 26th: I felt off until I ran 3 miles-(25:28) at 12:20pm. Bagel, apple, and banana after my run. Showered and packed up my things to head home for the weekend. A ping pong or table tennis, whichever you prefer, filled afternoon. Out for 3 miles-(24:28) at 4:55pm. Back to shower and have dinner. Had some Great steak tips with green beans and sweet potato! :D Adam mixed up some chocolate chip cookies for dessert. I probably ate too many...six or seven I think.

January 27th: Woke up at 8:10am to throw laundry in the dryer. Back to bed until 9. Out the door by 9:25 for an easy 3 miles-(25:40). A couple bowls of cereal for breakfast along with 3 cookies and a banana. A cinnamon raisin bagel and some coffee cake for "lunch". I didn't really feel hungry. Lots of ping pong games throughout the day. I've gotten a lot better! :) Another 5 miles at 4:20ish with Kurt. 1mi. warm up-(8:15), 3mi. fartlek-(1 min. on;off in 19:40--7, 6:25, and 6:15), 1mi. cool down-(8:10). Total time-(36:05). Felt pretty good considering it was 18 degrees out. Kurt kept at my heels the whole way. I'll just have to get faster! Shower and more ping pong. I think I'm obsessed haha. Pizza for dinner. 2 slices of pepperoni and 3 slices of spinach and feta. So good. Watched some of the pro bowl and a show called Columbo. Bed by 12. 46 miles for the week

Getting Colder/Staying Motivated

January 18th: Completed a solid 8 miles-(1:00:56) at 2:30pm. Date night with Liz :) We went and saw Django Unchained at 7pm. It was pretty good. Had some humor thrown in throughout which was much-needed. Long movie for sure though...2hrs. 40min with multiple previews beforehand. Ate a box of Charleston Chews and Junior Mints each, during the movie. Pretty tired after. Bed at an okay time.

January 19th: Ran 3 miles-(23:38) at 1pm. Went out for another 4 miles-(33:18) at 5:30pm. Don't remember exactly where all the time went on Saturday.

January 20th: Very low key day. Didn't feel real good. Took a bit of time to get going. Out for 6 miles-(49:41) at 4:20pm. Nothing exciting for the night...pretty boring actually. 42 miles for the week

January 21st: Ran a faster 5 miles-(37:12) at 12:50pm. Stuck around at my place until 4ish. Packed up my things and dirty laundry. Headed home for the night. Great dinner of homemade meatballs, mashed potatoes, corn, and vegetable soup. Thank you Mother! Brownies made by chef Adam topped with vanilla bean ice cream. Deliciousness. Played a bunch of ping pong...being at home ritual these days. Beat Seth once after he beat me and then got creamed twice by Kurt. I have to practice more. Don't remember when I went to bed...just after 11 I think.

January 22nd: Woke up at 8:40ish and then fell back asleep. Got up at 9:40am. Had a couple bowls of cereal for breakfast. Packed up my things and was out the door by 11am. Arrived for the XC meeting at 12pm. It was only 5-10 minutes. Just about basic things. Free pizza in the student center with Liz. We went to a computer lab for the next 2 hours. Printed off papers for classes, cleaned up my student email inbox, read through syllabuses, and organized things. Felt good to go by 2:45. Walmart was the next destination. Bought a couple binders and some oatmeal raisin walnut Clif bars. Back to my place by 4:30 to make some dinner. three-color Rotini pasta with sweet pepper and onion pasta sauce...Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top to add some more flavor. PB&J sandwich with oatmeal bread as well. Put away clean laundry, vacuumed, and built up some motivation for a cold 5 miles-(39:50) at 8:30. It was hard to get my butt out the door to run today...managed it, nonetheless. 12 degrees out, I believe. Cinnamon raisin bagel after with butter and brown sugar before bed. Bed by 11pm.

January 23rd: Woke up at 6:50am. Bagel and dry cereal for breakfast. Made sure I had everything that I needed for the day including cold running gear. Class 8-9:20. Clif bar for a snack. Classes 9:40-10:30 and 12-12:50. Lunch in between: half of a meatball sub from Subway. A couple bars after 12 o'clock class because I was hungry/needed energy for a run. Changed up and went out for 7 miles-(55:02) at 2:20pm from the school. Pretty cold out, icicles formed on my eyelashes. Felt like 12 degrees with the sun warming me up slightly. Back to my place to shower and get warm. Rotini left overs and bread with grape jam for dinner. Nose was really bothering me for the remainder of the day. Felt like I had a mild cold. Bed by 12.

Snowstorm & An Easy 5

January 16th: Slow start to the day. 4 miles-(32:18) at 12:40pm in the snowstorm. It was hard to see with constant flurries flying into my eyes and sticking to my eyelashes. Also, it was rather slippery with all the slushy, wet snow on the roads. Stayed in one piece, thankfully. Got back and showered. Had a bagel, banana, and Clif bar. Off to Liz's for the day. Pizza for dinner. Back to my place by 11pm and bed by 12.

January 17th: 5 miles-(42:10) at 11:25am. Showered and then ate a few things. Met up with Liz for the day. Returned Red Box movies. We got some Chinese food for lunch. Potatoes, noodles, and fried rice for me. Felt pretty tired after eating it. Went to the Y to check out membership prices and schedules. I might get one at some point...not sure. Looking for a job at the moment. That's priority over spending money. Vermicelli for dinner. Banana, dried pineapple slices, and an apple for a snack around 10:30. Bed by 12 again. I need to go to sleep sooner so I can wake up earlier.

Base Building

January 10th: 8am wake up. Work...8:45am-4:30pm. A few different things for lunch. Clif bar and rice pilaf with black beans leftover from dinner.Went out for a faster-paced 3 miles-(NT) at 5:15pm. Spent the rest of the night with Liz.

January 11th: 9:20am wake up. 5 miles-(39:51) in the dark at 5:30pm with Kurt. We ran on the bike path/snowmobile trail. It was a bit slippery, but not too bad. We could see fine with our headlamps. Ping pong filled night.

January 12th: Watched Bourne Legacy today. It wasn't bad. He's no Matt Damon though...that's for sure. 8 miles-(1:01:42) by myself at 5:15pm. It was very dark and foggy out. I felt like it was consuming me. Cars and their high beams were/are very annoying. I really dislike the idiots that blare their horns right as they go by. If they only knew how discouraging it is to be blared at. I made it back okay though. Picked up the pace towards the end. Plank competition with part of the family. I got 3rd after holding a normal plank position for 3min. 20sec. Seth was 2nd in just over 4min. and then my dad 20-30sec. later. His record is like 4min. 50sec. I have some work to do. The World Record is like 1hr. 20min. by a 40+ year old man....crazinesss.

January 13th: 9:40am wake up and then immediate breakfast. Woke up really hungry. Played a lot of ping pong throughout the day with brothers. I won a few, but lost many. I need a lesson or something. It gets frustrating when you feel like you aren't improving after a couple of hours of playing off and on. 7 miles-(57:05) in the afternoon at 3:40pm. Packed up my things and clean laundry. Drove to a pizza place to meet up with Liz. Got our Greek pizza again. It was pretty good the second time too! :) 35 miles for the week

January 14th: 10:30am wake up. Felt good to sleep in. Took down lights and cleaned up the room while eating cinnamon oatmeal squares. Changed and headed out for 5 miles-(39:06). Went shopping with Liz at a few different stores. Chilled for the rest of the evening. Cooked up a Ramen for "dinner" haha...munched on some more cinnamon oatmeal squares. I'm looking for 42 miles this week. I need to get in racing shape for this spring. I'll start incorporating some workouts in pretty soon. I'd like to get in 5-7 weeks of good solid training before taking to the starting line.

January 15th: 10:30am wake up again haha. Had some cinnamon oatmeal squares for breakfast and then met up with coaches at 12pm for a run. Didn't head out until 12:15. I felt fairly good so I took off from the start. 7 miles-(56:58) Met up with Liz to get lunch at the mall and walk around/through stores. Finally went grocery shopping tonight and also picked up some contact solution because I was running low. Back to the place to have a cornbread muffin with grape jam, banana, bowl of cinnamon harvest with vanilla almond milk, and an apple later on. Latest Facebook status: what's on my mind?....hmmm. I'd like to travel back in time to when I was a 5 year old running around and making sandcastles on the beach somewhere in Florida...no financial or educational worries and no pressures for the future. Life was very simple. I would do a few things differently, but overall I'm happy with what I've done and how far I've come from that little 5 year old who was so full of energy :)

Past Six Days

January 4th: I really need to keep up with this more! I don't remember everything long enough. I need to write when things are fresh in my mind. Ran the YMCA Resolution 5k course with Tom and Perry around 2:30pm because I had the day off from work with very little to do. I added on a mile after for 4 miles-(No Time). They both raced it the next day. Perry-(19:54) and Tom-(20:33). I've decided not to race until March. I just want to focus on building a base and putting in the miles and time out on the road/trails. I know it will all pay off in the long run if I stay healthy and injury-free.

January 5th: Uneventful day of lounging and researching different things. 7 miles-(58:21) by myself at 12:45pm.

January 6th: 11ish wake up. I headed out for a run at 3:20pm for 8 miles-(1:02:52). Showered and ate something. Went and picked up Liz after to head home for a couple of days. Bed by 1am. 32 miles on the week for 6 days

January 7th: 9:40am wake up. Made some French toast..soo good..and had a banana. Went skating around 12:30pm with part of the family and Liz. It was cold because I wasn't dressed warm enough. I ran 3 miles-(23:02) later in the day at 4:30pm. Black beans smothered in barbecue sauce, white rice, and broccoli all on a roll for dinner. I had two of them. Deliciousness. Bed by 12pm.

January 8th: 8:20am wake up. Had breakfast and packed up. Left by 9:40am. Got to work at 11:30am after bringing Liz to her house. Smooth ride the whole way, but I forgot my gps watch at home. Bummer. 4 miles-(No Time) at 8:45pm. It was pretty mild outside with barely any wind which was nice for a change. I'm loving this "warmer" weather. It's supposed to be above 30 degrees during the day for the next week or so and a couple 40+ degree days. Score!

January 9th: Got up around 10am because I wasn't scheduled to work today. Looking at apartments and reading for most of the day. Changed up and went out for 5 miles-(No Time) on my own at 4:40pm. Back to make dinner and drink some water. I had salsa and chips while simmering some rice pilaf. When the rice was just about done, I heated up a can of black beans. I put the rice, black beans, and some salsa on a flour burrito-sized tortilla. It was actually really good! Applied for another part-time job. Lifted weights and did some core. Showered and then applied to Planet Fitness.

Very Cold Evening Run/Easy 3/Slippery 5

January 1st 2013: 9:30am wake up. 5 miles-(39:31) easy at 5:56pm after traveling back from home in the afternoon. It was very cold and windy. I wore a neck warmer/face mask and it was literally freezing during the last 15min. of the run. Upon getting back, I showered, had something for dinner, and then a relaxing rest of the night.

January 2nd: 8am wake up and out the door for an easy 3 miles-(24:22) at 8:20am. I felt very drained and unmotivated to run, but I got it done. Back to shower, have breakfast, and head to work. Work 9:50am-4:50pm. It was a long day. Time seemed to go by slowly at work. Went out for dinner with Liz. We got a Greek pizza (spinach, feta, onions, tomato, and no sauce). It was really good :) Rented Prometheus to watch with Liz. It was okay. I wouldn't watch it again.

January 3rd: 8:20am wake up. Slept well. French toast and a banana for breakfast. Lounging around for most of the day. Layered up for 5 miles-(40:40) at 3:20pm. Chilly for the first couple of miles, but got warmer as the run progressed. Went up to water tower the longer way from my place. 2 miles to there and then another mile on the slippery, packed down XC trails. I stayed on my feet thanks to some micro-spikes I was wearing. Felt pretty good during and after. It was definitely a refreshing run to say the least. Back to shower and figure out what was going to be for dinner. Ended up getting a movie from Redbox and then picked up some groceries with Liz as well. Macaroni wheels with butter and Parmesan cheese, salad with Italian dressing, and a piece of oatmeal bread made for a good meal. Bed by 11:30pm.