Shenanigans! Week of 3-16 to 3-22

After posting a paltry 8 miles running last week, I'm ready to get some good runs in over the next few days...my friend Paul mentioned that there's a 5k in Mystic on Saturday, so I might jump in on that?  Otherwise, just fun runs, and perhaps some trails please???

Monday, 3-16 - 15 Miles (Beach/Road) - Long Watch Hill/Misquamicut beach run, roads to finish.  Got done with karate class and headed to Watch Hill, where I decided to do something long-ish.  Did the Napatree Point out and back, then down to the lighthouse and back, then hopped onto the beach below TS's place and headed east.  Lots of beach access bailout options, but I felt pretty good.  Low tide helped quite a bit, and with a bright Sun above and the wind at my back, I decided to run the entire length of beach to the Weekapaug breachway.  The wind really kicked up out of the west, so when I got to the end of the beach, I thought I'd hop onto the road, and that maybe some of the wind would be blocked by the houses on either side.  Not so.  Spent the last 6 miles running against a stiff headwind.  But hey!  Longest run in quite some time, decent pace, and 45 degrees.  Great start to the new week!

Tuesday, 3-17 - 5 Miles (Beach/Road) - Weekapaug roads and beaches w/Gazelle. - Met Jeff at the breachway, and we combined a beach jaunt with a scoping out of the turns on the Clamdigger course, which still have some icy, snowy corners to negotiate, but those should be gone by race day...right?

Wednesday, 3-18 - 3.5 Miles (Road) - Windblasted Mystic.  Had to swing by Kelley's Pace to grab some supplies, and opted to do a short run in town.  The wind was so strong I actually got out of the truck, got back in the truck, then forced the issue, got out and did the run.  I almost got hurt bad when a real estate sign blew over, then got scooped up by the wind and spun just past my head and lodged in a tree across the street.  Yikes.  Pretty good numbers though!

Thursday, 3-19 - 5.6 Miles (Trail) - Beebe Pond Preserve/Moore Woodlands trails, Noank CT (and Lantern Hill dog jog).  I needed to hit some trails today, just to see how they were looking, and I was rewarded handsomely for my effort:

Tasty!  Found yet another use for a buff, they make a great bandage :)

Postholed on an unmarked stretch of trail, and got chewed up by the crusty ice on top of the snow.  Lots of ice, but there were patchy stretches of ground and I'd say winter is just about done...now about that snow we're supposed to get tomorrow...

Also took Henry for a trail run on the lower Lantern Hill trails, which he enjoyed thoroughly!

Friday, 3-20 - 5 Miles (Beach/Road) - Last (hopefully) snowy run on the beach, Watch Hill.  Got down to WH mid-afternoon, and was rewarded with flying flakes and a deserted beach.  Light winds, and the out-and-back on Napatree was quiet and totally peaceful.  3 miles on the beach was followed by 2 on the roads, and I was passed by exactly one car.  Not bad...

Sat.-Sun. - 0 Miles.  Family time and getting a bunch of things done at the house...but 34 miles for the week?  Not bad!  And I did register for the RI 6hr Ultramarathon in November again, just have to beat my 32 mile mark this time...