Surftown Half! Marathon Training Week 5...9-9 to 9-15

Here we go again!  September is here and that means cooler temps, and longer runs, leading up to much longer races.  Our calendar is now highlighted with a half marathon this weekend, a full trail marathon in four weeks, and an ultra marathon four weeks after that...and some shorter races sprinkled in for good measure.  Didn't I say I was lowering the number of races I was doing in 2013???  I'm at 21 now, with at least 6 more on the schedule???

This will be the third year of the Surftown Half.  I ran this as my very first half marathon two years ago, and ran it again last year, results below:

2011 - 2:12:04 @10:05 avg., #587 of 818
2012 - 1:56:10 @  8:52 avg., #496 of 1261

Since then I set my PR at the Ocean's Run at a 1:49, but I think I can do better this weekend.  I have a game plan, carefully crafted, and I plan on sticking to it for better or worse.  I talked to Gazelle today and he seemed to be in agreement, but game day is always a fickle and evolving thing...and my goal?  Getting those 9 minutes shaved off the 1:49, which is possible but pushing it?  But it's a goal, and I have to have a goal for these types of races...looking forward to it, though!  Big WTAC group going to this, can't wait!!!

Monday, 9-9 - 5 Miles (Trail/Road Mix) - Wheeler trails, local roads.  Soph's at soccer, so I run.  Started with a short run on the trails, then skipped around the neighborhood behind the school, into the village, and back onto the trails to complete the run.  Added a 200M sprint (for me) on the dirt track, and felt good, especially with the weather in the upper 60s...perfecto!



Tuesday, 9-10 - 3 Miles (Beach) - Charlie Stavros Beach Run.  Ran from Westerly Town Beach to breachway with Leanne N. to set turnaround cone, cheer and take pictures, then walk/jog back to the start of the Charlie Stavros Memorial "On the Beach" run.  Charlie Stavros was a WTAC member, fast local runner, owner of an epic handlebar moustache and avid supporter of the local scene, who tragically passed away during a race some years ago.  This race has been run for over 30 years, and was named in his honor after his passing.  I didn't have the honor of meeting him, but he sounded like a very cool guy based on the kind words and enthusiasm from our locals for running a race in his name.

I showed up for the race feeling good, but not particularly ready to race, as I've got the Surftown on my mind...Jeff needed a "Conemaster" (my term!) to work the turnaround on the out-and-back, so I volunteered, along with Westerly track coach Leanne.  Nice easy run to the halfway point, got to chat about running, training, her husband Ryan's fundraising for T1 diabetes (fundraiser link below, and a truly great cause), and local stuff.  Cool.  What's also cool is seeing runners over a mile down the beach, and being able to identify some of them as they approached by their stride/style.  Everyone's a snowflake, right?  I knew FiveK and Chris G. would be out front, but I could see a third runner with them...hey, is that Mike G.???  Sure enough, and the three of them looked smooth at the turn...

Lead group approaching, what a great night for a run!

Chris G., swinging wide at the turn

FiveK and Mike G.

I'm actually glad that I didn't race?  Did I say that?  I don't often get to spectate and cheer runners on, and I had a great evening meeting some new people and touching base with some others I hadn't seen in a while.  Was able to snap quite a few pictures at the race, and some came out pretty nice, in spite of the odd lighting and angle of the Sun.  Good stuff.  Should have some posted on the WTAC Facebook page soon.  After the last runner made the turn, we made our way back to the pavilion, and paid tribute to Charlie Stavros and his family, who were in attendance, and announced the winners of the race.  Great way to cap off the Tom McCoy series, and I received four membership renewals for the club, and some-body, who goes by BLS, is now our newest WTAC member!!!  Awesome!  Can't wait to send out her welcome letter :)

Gorgeous sunset, as we wrapped up the summer running season:

Sunset over 'Squammy...

Ryan's fundraising website, raising camp tuition money for kids with Type 1 diabetes so they can go to a camp with other kids who share the same disease, to learn about it and share their experiences, and have fun at the same time!  Here's the link to Ryan's website:

http://diabetic-cyclist.weebly.com/nyc-marathon-fundraiser.html

Wednesday, 9-11 - 3.5 Miles (Roads) - Local roads, 80+ degrees and 70+ dewpoint.  Sweatfest this morning.  I knew it was going to be ridiculous today, so I went for a short run before karate class.  Drenched would describe me after the first 10 minutes?  Dewpoint in the upper 70s???  Did some pole-to-pole speedwork (just a little), and finished fast, but didn't have much more than that.  Had to outrun the skeeters though, there's EEE-positive mosquitoes in my 'hood...Karate was bruising and awesome.  Great workouts.  Looking forward to cooler temp this weekend for Surftown...

Thursday, 9-12 - 2 Miles (Trail/Dirt Track) - Short spin at Wheeler while waiting for soccer practice to finish.  SURF!!!  After a horrifically long flat spell, I checked the buoys this morning and there was fresh chest high groundswell filling in, so I headed out to Point Judith.  Surfed Conant Ave. for three hours with a handful of people out, so stoked to get back in the water, felt great!  Headed home, changed up and went to pick Sophia up from practice, and did a short trail run, and dipped my toe into some track work.  Out here in the sticks, it's a dirt/gravel track, but it was fun to go slow for half, fast for half.  Can't wait for this front to move through, though, and cool things off!  Too muggy out there...



Friday, 9-13 - 0 Miles Running, 3 Hours Surfing - Headed to Point Judith again, and what's this?  The wind has gone completely slack, and there's waist to chest glassy waves coming in at Conant Ave. with NOBODY OUT.  Miracle!  Ended up trading waves for over an hour with some dude on a shortboard, and my nephew came down from college to meet me.  Great day, and it never got crowded.  Arms were jello when I got out, and I had a rock embedded in my middle right toe, under the skin???  I'd jumped off a wave, and when I landed, my foot scraped the rocks on the ocean floor.  Waited till I got home to dig it out.  Small, just a pebble, but bled pretty good!

Saturday, 9-14 - 2.5 Miles (Roads) - Pre-Surftown Shakeout, Westerly.  Went down to pick up my race packet for Surftown, and possibly meet up with Mike B. (who was gone minutes before me).  Steady stream of people coming and going, as this is now a sold out event at 1800 runners, and that's just for the Half Marathon...hey, who's that working the shirt pickup?  Muddy Puddin'???  I'll take a medium, my good sir!

Decided on a short "shake the nerves out" run downtown, not because I'm nervous about the race (really not!  I was pooping myself two years ago for this, my first half, but now it's a regular distance I do so I'm not concerned with finishing or performing poorly); rather, I have a goal in mind and I'm nervous about not hitting it.  I'll have fun either way, but I want to hit my target.  If you see me with strange numbers written on my hands on race day, there you go...my target time reminders...

Pre-race Bling!  BLS would approve :)

This times 21 gets me to my goal...

Sunday, 9-15 - 15+ Miles (Road) - Surftown Half Marathon, and a huge PR.  Separate post shortly...