The 2017 that wasn't?

I wasn't going to do any "year end" post, but I liked the stat section of Jeff Walker's blog, so I decided to copy him a bit!  This was not a great year of running for me.  I never felt like I was ready to run a good race and just managed to get through the USATF-NE Grand Prix Series!  At least that was the one goal I had for the year and I accomplished it.  Here are some numbers for my year...as close as I could figure!

Grog & Dog win # 8

• Races run: 19
• Race breakdown by terrain: Road - 13, Trail - 2, Indoor Track - 1, CX - 3
• Race wins: 1
• Miles run: 2,494.2 mi - Lowest year since 2013
• Elevation run: 76,398 ft
• Most elevation gain in a single run: 1,669 ft
• Time run: 307h 43m
• Days run: 306
• Lowest mileage week: 9.4 (pneumonia)
• Highest mileage week: 91.3 (S-S) - 90.9 (M-S)
• Highest mileage day: 26.7 (marathon and WU)
• Longest running streak: 39 days
• Longest non-running streak: 3 days
• Number of segment CRs: 5
• Number of states run in: 5
• Number of countries run in: 2
• Run furthest from home: Mexico

CMS @ Ribfest

Me & myself!

TNT Thanksgiving Day Group Run

So what's up for 2018?  I kinda don't know.  I really don't know where to put my focus.  I will be going back to the Krispy Kreme Challnege for the 4th year in a row in February.  The USATF-NE GP starts up in March at New Bedford and then the Boston Tune-up 15k.  I guess right now those are the races I should be gearing up for.

Later in the year there are more GP race.  Dave wants to run a Spring marathon, but I am still up in the air on focusing on doing that.

There may be an adventure run in August and then I am sure I will do a Fall marathon.

I guess in general, I would like to just be in better running shape this year and race more....but race while in shape instead of feeling like I am always fighting to get in shape!

Also....I will be doing more cyclocross races this year.  I am in the process of acquiring a bike and I have been supplementing my runs with some trainer rides.  I am hoping jumping on the trainer after runs will help with some leg strength, help my fat-ass lose some weight and of course get me cyclocross race ready come the Summer/Fall!

2015 Year in Review

Since I haven’t done much blogging, which I guess is normal…I thought I would do a short year in review. Here are my top 5 “best races” of 2015. Best races in my opinion, might be hitting a goal or over performing or maybe just doing something different!

Here are my top 5 races of 2015 in order from 5 to 1.

#5 – Wicked 20 Miler

For me this race was a huge confidence boost. It was just over 4 weeks before the Baystate Marathon and I went out with a goal of running marathon goal pace (6:06) which would be a 2:40 marathon. It was a super humid day, but I was able to hook up with one other runner after 5 miles and we worked together through around 15, before he pulled away and I held on to break 2 hours, sub 6 min pace. I was super excited to run negative splits and to feel great doing it. I had to work those last 5 miles, but it gave me the confidence I needed n the last few weeks before Baystate to believe I actually could break 2:40. Running this race was definitely the best decision I made pre Baystate.

#4 – Krispy Kreme Challenge

What can I say about The KKC? You just need to read my blog post about it. It was a long talked about trip and it finally happened. The cool thing is…I will be going back again this year! I hope to run about the same as last year and eat a bit faster. I am not sure how I am going to accomplish this…but I am going to try like hell!

#3 – Grog & Dog Jog

The Grog. This was my 8th Grog and Dog Jog. In 2014 my team lost by a single bite, no joke…it literally came down to a bite. This year I wasn’t messing around and made sure to get the best team I could. We went on to completely destroy the competition, running 3 mins faster than 2014. It was great to be back on top. This was our 7th win in 8 years! The Grog is always a fun time!

#2 – Ragnar Trail Relay New England

This was a race I got super excited about. I went on a tear trying to recruit every Rhode Island trail runner I could. I wanted to show the rest of New England that Rhode Islanders can run trails…even relatively hilly ones. In the end, the team ended up being pretty much me and a bunch of WTACers. We were sponsored by Foolproof Brewing Company and had a great time running hard, drinking a bunch of beers and completely destroying the competition. We won by over 3 hours...yes HOURS. It was pretty awesome and difficult and I am very glad we did it. We pushed ourselves in so many different ways.

#1 – Baystate Marathon

2:36:15!!! That pretty much sums Baystate up. I ran my first marathon in October of 2003 and have run a ton of them. Up until Baystate, I had only PRd in 2 previous marathons. In 2005 I ran the Hyannis Marathon and ran a 2:46:45...getting passed at 25.5 miles to end up in 2nd place. The next time I PRd was in 2009 at the National Marathon in Washington DC, I didn't feel like I was in shape to try to run under 2:40...but surprised myself with a 2:40:47. About 2 mins after finishing I was pissed that I didn't push harder near the end...thinking I let a great opportunity pass me by. I ran a couple more marathons after National...but started doing more ultras and stopped chasing times. I feel like so many people get caught up in running a Spring and Fall marathon year in and year out, constantly chasing a time...and they get burnt out. I think after running so well at the Pineland Farm 50 Miler in 2014 made me finally want to give the marathon another serious shot. I decided to run Cox in May of 2015, but I had no intentions on trying to break 2:40 or even PR. I just wanted to go out there and have a good solid race and then go for it in the Fall. I pretty much accomplished this. I slowed a bit in the last 3 miles, but I didn't have a full on bonk. I had a pretty serious funk going on after the Ragnar Relay in June and it took me a bit to get my rear in gear....but I was able to string together some pretty solid training and had the perfect day for a race and it finally paid off. I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't pretty emotional crossing that finish line. It was a pretty amazing feeling. 2:40 was one of those goals I thought would never happen...but now I am wondering how much faster I can go!

Honorable mentions:
- Busa Bushwhack Trail Race: 2 weeks after Baystate, winning this race, beating the dude that WON Baystate, along with many other good runners was a super shock to me and a very exciting win.
- Shore to the Pour 3 Mile Beach Race: Awesome race put on by Two Roads Brewing Company, an awesome new race that will be added to the 2016 schedule.
- Fool's Mile: Putting on a Beer Mile at the Foolproof Brewing Company was pretty awesome. The race went well and this year we are going to have a more "official" event!

2016....

What will happen in 2016? I am not 100% sure yet. I ran my first race this past weekend. It went ok...I am fighting some sort of sickness and actually started antibiotics today, so I am hoping to get healthy and ready to roll soon.


The Krispy Kreme Challenge is 2/6/16. I have a little marathon in Boston to run in April...I won't attempt to PR in the marathon there, but still want to go out and have a good solid race. I plan on going back to Baystate in the Fall to see if I can get that marathon time a bit faster. I still really want to run a road 50 Miler, but it probably won't happen in 2016...but I am sure there will be various races thrown in throughout the year to keep things interesting!

2014. It happened

A very late and down and dirty year in review.

My year started with (3) main goals...

Run my best 50 miler ever at Pineland Farms 50 Miler, finish my first 100 miler...as fast as possible and run an even faster 50 miler at the JFK 50 Miler in November to end the year.

How did this all shake out?

Well, Pineland went great.  I ran over a 20 minute PR and was able to kick hard to break 6:30, finishing 6:29:57 and grabbing 2nd place in the process.  It was a great feeling to put together a great race in I think my 5th? 50 miler.

Vermont 100 miler.  Well....I started the race and had horrible quad pain really early in the race.  I was barley moving at 30 miles and finally called it a day at around 58 miles, instead of crawling in the next 40 miles...I went to the Harpoon Brewery for lunch and a refreshment.  Maybe I am not cut out for the real long stuff?

Post BR Trail Race.

After VT 100, I got back at it pretty quickly, wanting to run a decent marathon on the tough Adirondack Marathon course in preparation for JFK.  After Adirondack, I felt pretty burnt out.  The year of pretty consistent training and longer racing had gotten to me.  I decided to pull out of JFK and rest up for a month or so and get refreshed.

So, I finished the year 1 out of 3 for my bigger goals.  But, that doesn't mean other races didn't happen.

Some highlights for me in 2014 were...

Mike Galoob and I at SS Nationals

Winning the relay portion of the National Snowshoe Championship with Mike Galoob and Steve Dowsett.  Handing off to Mike after winning my lead off leg was quite the rush.

Winning my 2nd South County 4th Season Trail Race Series

Surprising myself by running under 16:50 at the Gaspee Days 5k 2 weeks after my 50 miler.

There were some not so great moments as well...mainly losing the Grog & Dog Jog by literally a bite.  We were going for our 7th title in a row...it was a hard loss to swallow ;)

On the Race directing side...The RTB Trail Race and the RI 6 Hour had their best turnouts yet and then there was The Quahog Mile "failure" everyone loved it...but it just didn't work out!

Eating like a Hillbilly at the Grog.

Hillbilly Turtles

2015 is an open year for me.  I am not sure what I will be aiming for.  I did start the new TNT Hard Shell Race Series for Turtles, so I will run at least six of those races. I will remain focused on running the best I can in the trail series...with the longer races coming up, I am a bit more comfortable.

In February, along with my buddy Mark Howard, we will get to run a race that has been on our radar for over three years, the Krispy Kreme Challenge!  It should be awesome.

Beer and coffee with volunteer extraordinaire M. Howard post Quahog Mile 

Dave Principe and I will run the COX Marathon at the beginning of May.  I haven't put much focus specifically on a marathon in a while, so I am hoping for a good showing there.

After May, who knows!  There are so many great races and I would love to do them all....