This week won't be quite as enjoyable as last, since I have race in the middle of the week. I enjoyed a week off from racing, but on December 30, I run my last race of the year, a 3000 at RI Classic. Last year, the competition wasn't as steep in the 3K (winning time: 9:14) as it was in the mile (winning time: 4:21), but the competition looks much stronger this year, and I have to face several rivals, all who are within my speed range but usually end up beating me. While the 9:28 I ran on December 28th wasn't disappointing, I feel I'm in shape to run 9:15, so my main goal is to be right around that. I would still be happy with a sub-9:20 effort, as it would be a PR.
I would love to run the resolution 5K Sunday, but I have a meet the next day so I can't. After 3-4 years of the running the race, I'll have to opt out this year and probably the next few years to come.
Monday: 4 Miles. Six Narragansett repeats. They were chilly at the beginning, but I warmed up quickly. I feel like I'm pushing the hills hard in each workout, but I'm still nowhere near the segment times I ran last year (for Narragansett Ave). Difficulty of Workout: 2/5.
Tuesday: 5 Miles. Nine miles in two days is very low, and I probably won't run much more on Wednesday or Thursday. Unfortunately, we had to run treadmills at practice again and even though it wasn't quite as boring as last time, it was harder (I don't know why, because it was 0.5 mph less) and I was much sweatier. Last indoor season, I hated treadmills in December, disliked them in January, but found them bearable in February. Hopefully, a similar pattern will follow this season and I won't be disappointed when I have to run treadmills later on.
Wednesday: 4 Miles, RI Classic. Ended up running a great race. Felt weak before on two mile of warm-ups, on stretching, on bathroom breaks. Had pasta, pasta soup, and a bagel for breakfast. Had some water too pre-race. I was so nervous, but eventually we ran.
Laps 1-8
It was crowded going out, but I got a good position. I couldn't;t move around much, but was front of the pack. The first 1000 I felt great, keeping a good position towards the front of the pack, mostly in 3rd or 4th. I frequently switched position with a Cumberland runner I knew, and an EG runner I often raced led it out. The entire field was pretty much in a pack for the first mile. After six laps, it was single-file, but everyone was close. I was now behind just the EG and Cumberland runner, and right with them. I made a move to pass the Cumberland runner, who tripped a little over the side boundary over the next lap. We hit the mile in 4:56 and I was in 2nd.
Laps 9-15
Seven to go, and I was right with the leader. I passed for the lead and pushed the pace. I didn't start to feel extremely tired until 800m to go. I pushed the last lap, and even though the 2nd runner started to gain on me, I held him off for a surprising win and big PR of 9:10.
I received a bag pack, a medal, and an interview for my win.
Thursday: 6 Miles, ran Lantern hill trails with Dad, Jeff V, Crutchley, B, and Aaron. A good run, but I was a fan of the technical and rocky steep sections, especially since it was slippery. I liked the downhill road section Crutchley put in, and some of the flatter and wider trails.
Final Yearly Mileage: 1,826 Miles
Friday: 9 Miles at Barn Island. Not as fun as Sunday's run or Thursday's run, but still enjoyed the barn trails, which provided a good mix of single and double track. Same group as yesterday minus Crutch and Vuono. Glad it was nine, as I really need to step up my weekly mileage and this was a good day to do it.
Saturday: 5 Miles. This has been the toughest track workout season yet, and it was no different Saturday the 2nd. We started with 4x600 w/150 seconds recovery: 1:48/1:42/1:42/1:42, then had five minutes recovery before a set of 5x400 w/90 seconds recovery: 68/69/69/68/66. Most felt good, but I began to tire towards the end of both sets. It felt slower and with more recovery than previous workouts. I thought this one wasn't quite as hard, but was certainly challenge at times. Difficulty of Workout: 4/5.
Sunday: 5 Miles. Well, I went and watched the race, getting in a run before it. I planned out a map- two different sets of neighborhood roads, then return on black points trails an Scarborough beach. Got a little lost and ended up running the wrong roads, but still ran most of the route. Only got five, but my thighs felt really tired and weak, something I had noticed yesterday but ignored. Meet tomorrow. Hopefully I'm not running much.
Weekly Total: 38 Miles (Not too bad, and a little suprising given my low distance days)
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