Trail Race Week! Week of 3-1 to 3-23

Trails are finally clear, which means more trails, less roads...looking forward to the Brrr-lingame race this weekend, and ramping up my distance/elevation, as I'm about 11 weeks out from the 50...looks like I'm riding solo to Ithaca, as Lori cringed at the drive time (approx. 6 hours), and the fact that on race day, I'll be gone for the entire day.  Bummer.  I haven't seen Ithaca since I was a kid, but I remember it vividly, and can't wait to check it out!  My big thing this week is going to be elevation gain, as much as I can get around here, to replicate the gain in Ithaca as much as possible.  I sure as Hell wouldn't be doing myself any favors by running flat stuff until June...

This is always in the back of my mind.  CT50 elevation profile...

Monday, 3-17 - 0 Miles.  Happy St. Patrick's Day!  1 hour karate today, and my scheduled rest day.

Tuesday, 3-18 - 4 Miles (Trail) - Lantern Hill.  4 miles of technical and hilly Lantern, 30 degrees out with bright sunshine.  Everyone has their go-to set of trails, and this is mine...today was the Pequots' Red trail and the Narragansett Blue trail, times three.  Good stuff!

Shadow shot (and fat fingers)

The mellow part of the trail...

Looking eastward toward Wintechog Hill

Wednesday, 3-19 - 2.6 Miles (Trail) - Cossaduck Hill, North Stonington.  Spent all GD morning clearing out the second floor, as we're finally having our carpets replaced (I hate Berber like Mike B. hates Winter).  4 hours in, I find out there was a paperwork error on their end, easily fixed, but that no, your install won't be until tomorrow.  I already took the beds apart!  Curse you, carpet bastards!!!  So my remedy was to go find a good hill to run, and with the short window I had, Cossaduck Hill fit the bill.  It's a 6/10 mile segment (I'd call it the bastard stepchild of the road segment that's not 200 yards away), and I PR'd my time on it, and moved in behind Jonny, Muddy and Galoob, and ahead of some dudes from Mystic.  Cool.  Back at the truck, decided to do some up and backs on the first really steep, technical section, and put in a good effort.  Short and sweet run, and all my aggravation went away...so happy that all the trails are clear, there will be some serious trail miles racked up this year!



Thursday and Friday, 2-20 to 2-21 - 0 Miles - Carpet dudes early in the a.m., with me furiously moving everything out of the upstairs.  Left in the afternoon for Boston to see Patton Oswalt at the Wilbur Theater.  If you ever have a chance to see Patton, please do.  One of the best comedy shows we've ever seen.  Dinner, drinks, and lunch the next day at the Oyster House, the "Oldest Restaurant in America."  Awesome!

Saturday, 2-22 - Brrr-lingame 10 Mile Trail Race - 10+ Miles (see separate post).