Week of 10-21 to 10-27...Halloween Hot pursuit week!

From out of the Pumpkins run, in all its hilly 5K glory, to the HHP 5K and its utter flatness, this will be quite the running week.  I'm also slated to run some, most or all of my friend Nicole's last long run (20 miles) this Thursday, before she starts to taper before her first marathon next month.  Good times...the weather's also supposed to cool dramatically, which Mike B. should be thrilled about...

My previous times for this race are as follows:

2012:  25th of 98,   22:52 @ 7:52 pace
2010:  65th of 152, 25:28 @ 8:12 pace

Should be fun!

Monday, 10-21 - 3 Miles (Trails/Roads) - Beebe Pond Preserve trails and neighboring roads, Noank, CT.  My daughter's game was at a school bordering this preserve, which I've run once and had forgotten how technical parts of it were.  Gorgeous scenery around the pond, which is a saltwater pond bordering Beebe Cove, and I was able to make it to the trailhead, loop the pond and make it back just in time for the game...

Nice time to run the pond...

Scene from the trail...

Tuesday, 10-22 - 6 Miles (Roads) - Westerly/Pawcatuck roads, killin' time.  Dropped the wife's car off for an oil change, and got to it.  Easy, steady pace with a couple good hills tossed in, and the fast finish from the fishmonger on the hill to the service station...yeah, I said fishmonger!  Been waiting to drop that gem since our trip to England years ago.  Fishmongers rule.

Scenic fountain in Wilcox Park, Westerly...

Wednesday/Thursday, 10-23 and 10-24 - 0 Miles.  1 hour bruising karate class, and purposely took a zero today, in anticipation of running Nicole's 20 mile last long run on Thursday before her marathon taper.  Unfortunately, she has to take a few days off so the long run plans got scrapped for Thursday, so get well Nicole!

Friday, 10-25 - 6+ Miles (Trails) - Mt. Misery and more, Pachaug State Forest, with Jim H.  Temp read 34 degrees when we set out this morning, so out came the hat and gloves.  Nice brisk run in the woods on a bright, sunny day!

We're parked down there somewhere...

Saturday, 10-26 - 5 Miles - (Trails/Some Road) - Lantern Hill double up and back.  Started the elevation challenge with some good stuff.  Muddy did 14 on the Nehantic today, I feel stood up!  That's my turf...but I'm getting mine, so to speak.  Good elevation, then a super flat 5K tomorrow, should equal a PR?  It's on my mind, for sure...




Sunday, 10-27 - 7+ Miles (Roads/some Trail) - Warmup, Cooldown, and Charlestown FOP 5K "Halloween Hot Pursuit", RI. 

15th of 92, 21:02 officially, results here:

 http://www.coolrunning.com/results/13/ri/Oct27_Charle_set1.shtml

That's a PR!  It's also 1:50 faster than last year's result, and getting me dangerously close to the sub-21 minute 5K mark.  Pretty stoked, and have to say it was a great day all around for the WTAC, who had 9 of the top 15 spots?  Awesome.  Got to Ninigret Park plenty early, and ran most of the course with the crew as a warmup.  There was a brisk breeze blowing, but the Sun was out and 2 miles into the warmup I got a text that Beth was past the 20K mark at the Marine Corps Marathon...awesome!

The race started and I went out at a good pace - mile one was my fastest, but my splits were pretty even throughout.  The only blip on the radar was a dude wearing headphones who cut me off twice at the first "lollipop" loop right at the beginning of the race, another reason I'm against headphones...I finished well, although I could have started my kick sooner!  Good cooldown with the crew on trails at Ninigret, and good food served up after the race.  9th year of this race, and they said there will be a 10th year, so I'll definitely be there!  Great day :)