40th Falmouth Road Race -- Triumph!!!

My alarm went off at 3:30 am so that I could get up and get ready to drive the hour and a half to Falmouth for the 40th running of the Falmouth Road Race.  I had heard nightmare stories about the traffic getting into Falmouth on race day.  I didn't want to take any chances.  I knew if I left my house around 4:00 am, I would get down there in time to find a parking spot close to the buses and I could take a nap in my car and not be stressed out before the start.

I arrived at 5:35 a.m. and parked at the Mullen-Hall School which was a very short walk to the buses.  Once I parked and stretched out in my car to nap, the rain started.  It was a very heavy rain.  I dug around the back of my car and found some trash bags figuring if it didn't let up by race time, I would at least stay dry until the gun went off.  I then took a good nap setting the alarm on my Blackberry for 7:00 a.m.

The alarm went off and I awoke to the continuing sound of rain.  It hadn't let up at all.  I ripped holes in the trash bag for my head and arms.  I put my IPod in a plastic bag and stuffed it in my fanny pack and headed out into the rain to walk over to the buses.  As I walked with the rest of the runners, the rain started to let up.  My makeshift raincoat kept me dry as I walked over to  Lawrence Middle School where the buses would take me over to the starting line area in Woods Hole. 

I have to say the buses were run very efficiently and we got to the starting area quickly.  We had a short walk over to the Woods Hole Community Center near the drawbridge on Water Street.  The rain started to pick up a bit again.  I found a little covered area that had a couple of people in it trying to stay dry.  I went in and sat on the ground and hoped the rain would subside before race time.  Since, I had two and a half hours before the race, I turned on my IPod and catnapped in the covered area.  It was very peaceful and I was able to rest thoroughly until the crowds picked up and it got closer to race time. 

Finally at 9:15 the rain stopped.  I was happy about that fact and glad that we would be running under overcast skies.  It was still very humid and the temperature was over 80 degrees.  But, it was going to be much better than running in a driving rain.  I was slotted in Corral 3 and the second wave of starters.  The first wave went off at 10:10 am and we finally got to move up to the starting line.  It was crowded since there were over 12,000 runners packed into the little narrow street.  I reminded me of Main Street in Hopkinton where the Boston Marathon starts. 

We started at 10:20 am.  I had heard that you shouldn't shoot for a personal best in this race because of the narrow streets and large number of racers.  I decided to let the first mile happen at whatever speed I could muster and then see if I could pick up the pace as the race progressed.  I still wanted to try and run an 8:30 per mile average pace.  I knew I was trained for it.  I just wasn't sure if the course and crowds would allow me to reach that goal.  I told myself to just let the race unfold and enjoy one of the most beautiful courses in the running world.

The first mile was hilly and narrow and wound through a tree lined neighborhood.  Despite the rains, the crowds were out and loud as we ran along Church Street.  I was looking forward to seeing the Nobska Lighthouse just past the first mile marker.  The Nobska Light was first built in 1828  and later rebuilt in 1876.  It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Nobska Point Light Station in 1987.  It is a very beautiful lighthouse and overlooks the Vineyard Sound.  I punched my Garmin as I passed the mile marker and had run the first mile in 9:11.

We only had a short glimpse of the sound as we headed back into a tree lined neighborhood.  The crowds were still pretty thick.  But, I noticed that the rolling hills were causing problems for some of the runners.  I took advantage of my hill training and wove my way through the slower runners.  It was allowing me to pick up my pace slightly.  I felt absolutely great during the second mile and finished it in 8:22.  I thought maybe I would be able to hit my goal.  It was still early though.

Between mile two and three you run by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI).  You can see a few of the buildings from the road.  The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution was founded in 1930 joining the thriving ocean science community in the village of Woods Hole that at the time included the Marine Biological Laboratory and the National Marine Fisheries Service.  Eighty-two years later, the WHOI community numbers over 1,000, including scientific and technical staff, ships’ crew and officers, and a variety of scientific, service, and administrative support staff, as well as about 130 Joint Program students.  The goal of WHOI is to help advance research and understanding of the ocean and its role in shaping and sustaining the planet.   I made a mental note to come back to Woods Hole in the future to take a tour of the Institute.  I punched my Garmin as I passed the third mile marker and had run it at an 8:21 pace.  Things were looking up.

The fourth mile was absolutely beautiful.  We were running along Surf Drive with the Vineyard Sound to our right.  Since it was windy, the sea was choppy.  It looked like a really nice beach to come and hang out on in the summer.  I am sure if I had not been focused on the race,  I could have seen Martha's Vineyard across the sound.  I really enjoyed this portion of the course.  It was 1.5 miles of scenic beauty.  When I passed mile marker number 4, I had run a 7:57 mile.  The crowds had started to thin and I was able to find a comfortable running pace.  I had 3 miles to go with some rolling hills and I was feeling great.

We turned left onto Shore Street at about 4.4 miles and headed up into the neighborhoods again.  The crowds were really starting to thicken in this area.  They were really great at encouraging the runners.  Since the Falmouth Road Race puts your name on your bib number, I heard a few people yell "Go Ted!" which was nice.  The runners were definitely thinning out and I was able to keep a very steady pace.  I hit mile marker 5 and had clocked an 8:16 mile. 

Mile five to mile six runs around Falmouth Harbor.  The crowds are really thick here which is nice.  But, the roads are narrower than Surf Drive.  This meant I was having to dodge around runners more than I had the last 4 miles.  It was started to get pretty hot as there was no breeze.  The race provided water stops which I took advantage of at this point and walked through them to get as much hydration as possible.  I finished the sixth mile in 9:04.  I was mad at myself for having dropped off the pace.  It didn't matter though, I had 1 mile to go and I was going to kill that last hill before the finish line.  

I passed the 10K mark and was at 54:30.  I had a real chance to break 1 hour.  The hill that so many people were talking about at the starting line was steep.  I took it in stride and pushed myself up and over it.  I passed so many people on that hill.  It made me thankful for the hills around Westborough.  When I crested the hill I could see the finish line.  I let it all out and ran as fast as I could passing people along the way.  I crossed the finish line in an official time of 59:59 -- an 8:34 pace!  I had run the last mile in 7:50.  I was really pleased with my effort and results.  It just goes to show that if you don't stress yourself out and let the race come to you great results will follow.

According to the race results, 10,612 runners crossed the finish line.  The winner of the race finished in 31:59 which is an average pace of 4:34 per mile.  Now that is fast!  I finished 2,315th overall which was in the top 20% of all racers (actually 21.8%).  I finished 1,578th out of the 5,193 men who finished the race which is the top 30%.  I am so proud of myself for training hard and reaping the rewards.  I will be turning 51 in a couple of weeks and I think I have many more years of racing ahead.  I am training smart, eating right (mostly) and having a lot of fun out there on the roads. 

July 30 – 6.10 miles (54:31, 8:55 pace)

July 31 – 3.20 miles (24:43, 7:43 pace) – Speed Work
August 2 – 5.50 miles (47:24, 8:37 pace) – Tempo Run
August 3 – 6.10 miles (55:24, 9:04 pace)
August 4 – 7.20 miles (1:05:26, 9:05 pace)
August 5 – 8.40 miles (1:17:59, 9:17 pace)
August 6 – 5.10 miles (45:56, 9:00 pace)
August 7 – 3.10 miles (28:37, 9:14 pace)
August 9 – 6.20 miles (54:09, 8:44 pace)
August 12 – 7.00 miles (59:59, 8:34 pace)

Total Miles: 57.9 miles

2012 YTD Miles: 937.8 miles

My Next Adventure - The 40th Annual Falmouth Road Race

On August 12, I will be running my next road race.  I was selected in the lottery to participate in the 40th running of the New Balance Falmouth Road Race.  I have read about this road race every year since moving to Massachusetts in 2008.  It is one of New England's more famous races.  I have to admit I never heard about it when I lived elsewhere in the country.  But, since moving here, I have found it is extremely popular and people try each year to win a spot in the race through the lottery.  More people apply for places than can be accommodated in the race, so a lottery is held to select the field of runners. I made my application during the short window of time back in early May.  Much to my surprise, I was selected on my first try.

The story goes that Tommy Leonard, an avid runner and popular bartender in Boston and Falmouth, closed his bar to watch Frank Shorter in the Olympic Marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympics.  Leonard like the rest of the country was interested because Shorter was in contention to be the first American to win the Olympic Marathon since 1908. After Shorter won the marathon Leonard was quoted as saying "Wouldn't it be fantastic if we could get Frank Shorter to run in a race on Cape Cod?" One year later, in the summer of 1973, with the help of a local high school track coach John Carroll, and the town's recreation director Rich Sherman, the first Falmouth Road Race was run by approximately 100 people. The next year there were 445 runners.  Finally in 1975, Leonard's dream came true when Frank Shorter came to Falmouth and joined 850 other runners in the race.  Now 40 years later, I will line up with 12,800 other runners to participate in one of the best non-marathon races in the country.

According to the race's website:

The race is seven miles long and begins in front of the Woods Hole Community Center, near the drawbridge on Water Street. The first three miles are narrow, hilly, winding tree-shaded roads, while the last four miles are open on the flat right next to Martha's Vineyard Sound. A small steep hill lets you know that you are beginning the last half-mile of the race. Once you crest the hill it is "all downhill" to the finish.

I have been training on hills to try and prepare myself for the early hills.  I would like to run the race at an 8:45 per mile pace.  This would mean I would finish in 61 minutes.  I am not sure whether or not I will be able to hit my pace as I suspect the narrow course will limit my ability to hit any pace as there are so many runners.  If I start off and find that this is the case,  I will just run the best pace I can and just have a good time.  I am hoping that the estimated 75,000 spectators who line the course will make it feel like the Boston Marathon which will make it an absolutely enjoyable race.  No matter how I fast I finish, I am going to relish the experience which is really what this sport is all about.

July 9 – 3.10 miles (26:48, 8:39 pace)
July 10 – 3.10 miles (23:48, 7:41 pace)
July 13 – 6.10 miles (53:01, 8:42 pace)
July 15 – 5.10 miles (44:41, 8:46 pace)
July 16 – 3.20 miles (24:46, 7:44 pace) – Speed Work
July 19 – 5.20 miles (41:45, 8:02 pace) – Tempo Run
July 20 – 6.20 miles (54:12, 8:45 pace)
July 21 – 9.20 miles (1:21:09, 8:49 pace)
July 23 – 5.30 miles (47:25, 8:57 pace)
July 24 – 3.20 miles (24:50, 7:45 pace) – Speed Work
July 26 – 5.20 miles (41:29, 7:59 pace) – Tempo Run

July 27 – 6.10 miles (54:48, 8:59 pace)
July 28 – 8.60 miles (1:19:13, 9:12 pace)
July 29 – 9.10 miles (1:19:07, 8:42 pace)

Total Miles: 78.7 miles
2012 YTD Miles: 879.9 miles

2012 Green Mountain Relay - The Howlin' Haulin' Huffin' Herd

On June 22nd, I met up with my friends Jason, Brooks and Tim to head up to Smugglers Notch Resort.  We wanted to get on the road early so we could have some dinner up there and rest before our next adventure race -- The Green Mountain Relay.  We got on the road and made really good time arriving at the resort in time to have a nice dinner and to get settled into our condo to wait for the other 8 runners from The Howlin' Haulin' Huffin' Herd to arrive.  The team chose to stay up at Smugglers Notch as it was very close to the starting line in Jeffersonville, VT and allowed us to get a good night's sleep before the start of a potentially 36 hours race.

The rest of the team arrived around 10:30 pm or so.  Jason, Brooks and I had been enjoying a nice bottle of Argentinean Malbec.  Everyone was really pumped up for the race.  So they opened the second bottle and had some wine with us.  We talked about the legs and what we could expect to see on the course.  We knew that this relay was a small one with less than 30 teams participating.  This meant we would be running on the road without any other runners in sight most of the time.  For those who had never run an adventure race, I tried to calm any fears they had which seemed to help.  We turned in after agreeing to be up at 6:00 am to head over to the starting line to turn in the final paperwork before our 7:30 am start time.

Surprisingly everyone was up on time and we loaded the vans with our snacks, water, duffels, etc.  Then we decorated our vans with various sayings and our runners’ names.  I put “Dude…Where’s My Runner?” on the back window of my van thinking it would be funny.  We all got a good laugh out of it.  Unfortunately, it was prophetic.  We then jumped in the vans and headed up to Jeffersonville to the starting line area.

We checked in with the race officials and were good to go.  We all stood around stretching and nibbling on some of the snack food while we waited for the official start.  It turned out that there were only 26 teams in the race.  This meant the 7:30 am start had a total of 3 teams starting.  Kent was our first runner and took off at the gun.  My van was Van 1 so we had to head out to meet him at the transition area. 

Our first four runners were Kent, Jason, Vanessa and Brooks. They all had great runs.  We were at 3 hours and 48 minutes which was a 9:11 per mile pace.  This was starting to look like we were going to have a really good race.  I was runner number 5 on the team and had the three most difficult legs in the race.  Not sure why I signed up for runner 5.  Regardless, I had trained on hills to make sure I was ready for my three legs.  Unfortunately, no amount of hill training would help me if I missed a turn.  Which is exactly what happened on my first leg.

Brooks came in and handed off to me.  I took off hoping to hold a 9:00 to 9:15 pace for this leg.  It was 8.2 miles.  The first 2 miles would have me going uphill gaining 400 feet of elevation. Then a little over a mile of downhill before heading back up hill gaining 500 feet over 1.5 miles.  Then the last 3.7 miles were downhill losing about 700 feet.  I knew if I could push over the hills, I could pick up time on the downhill section.  I had a plan in place and thought I knew the route. 

The first turn was 0.7 of a mile and I was looking for the turn or street sign that would tell me where to turn.  I was running along past 0.7 mile and noticed none of the street signs were the right street.  When I got to about 1.2 miles since heading out, I knew I had missed the turn.  I stopped to look at the map I had and couldn’t figure out where I went wrong.  Just then a car pulled over and the woman driving said, “Are you running the relay?”  I said yes and she told me I was going the wrong way and to follow her. 

I followed her car back to where the turn was and then noticed the sign.  I was pretty mad at myself because I had just added a mile to my run but more importantly added a good 9 minutes or so to my time.  I started to push my pace a little harder than I should to try and make up some of the lost time.  Despite the pressure I was putting on myself, I was really enjoying the route.  I got to run over the Gold Brook Covered Bridge and then up the hill where my team was waiting for me with some water and encouraging words.  They got a laugh at my going the wrong way since I am a trained real estate professional and should have a good sense of direction.

I kept going feeling pretty good.  When I reached the biggest hill, I shortened my stride and just kept going.  When I got to a turn before the final ascent, I noticed Vanessa was standing at the turn.  Apparently they were worried I would miss it.  She pointed out the horse that was watching me and then gave me another sip of water.  The rest of the team cheered me on and I pushed on.  What I didn’t know is that Jason had Vanessa run behind me like a groupie and got this very funny shot.  I was totally oblivious to what was happening as I was focused on the run.

As expected the downhill was a relief. I really pushed the pace the entire way.  I really wanted to make up the time I lost.  My quads were taking a pounding.  But, I kept the pace brisk and at one point was averaging slightly less than 8 minutes per mile.  As I looked at my Garmin, I knew I was not going to be able to make up the time.  I pulled into the transition area to hand off to Jackie at 83 minutes and 10 seconds.  I had averaged 9:02 per mile.  However, the official time sheet would show my average pace was 10:14 because I had run an extra mile that did not count. 

Jackie finished her run strong.  We had completed the first 6 legs of the race in 5 hours 51 minutes. We had completed 37 miles averaging 9:29 per mile.  We now would be able to rest as Van 2 would be running the next 6 legs.  If they averaged 9 minutes per mile, we had over 6 hours before we had to meet them at the transition area.  We decided to have lunch in Waterbury and to visit Ben & Jerry’s headquarters.  We figured we deserved it.  Once we had our fill of food and ice cream we headed down to Hancock to meet Van 2 and to start our next 6 legs.

Well, Van 2 was right on time.  They finished their last leg a little after 7:30 pm.  They had run 41.5 miles in 6 hours and 5 minutes averaging a blistering 8:48 mile and bringing the team average down to 9:10 per mile.  This made me happy as we were making up some of the lost time from my missing the turn.  Kent headed out and our runners did their thing.  And 2 hours and 12 minutes later it was time for my second run.  I would be running in the dark with my headlamp and reflective vest.  I love to run in the dark as it is very peaceful and soothing.

My next leg (Leg 17) was a 6.6 mile uphill run gaining 753 feet of elevation.  There were no downhill portions.  I started running at about 9:40 pm.  I was determined to do better than my last leg.  The good news was that there was only one turn and it was easily found.  My teammates stopped a couple of times along the route to make sure I had not been eaten by a bear or run over by a motorist.  I felt great the entire run.  The sky was clear and there were at least a million stars in view.  I am always amazed at the night sky when you are far away from civilization.  It is awe inspiring.

I kept my pace very steady and made the turn onto US 4 East/Rte 100 South and headed to the exchange point.  I finished in 1 hour and 51 seconds averaging 9:12 per mile right on my goal pace.  Jackie ran the last leg and we finished our 2^nd set of 6 legs in 4 hours and 4 minutes.  We had run 28.2 miles and averaged 8:39 per mile.  We were really doing well.  The entire team was really getting pumped up.  Van 2 started their next 6 legs and we headed down to the Weston Recreation Area to get some sleep while we waited for Van 2 to finish.  They had 34 miles to run and would be done in about 5 hours.

We got to the recreation area where there was a large field by the tennis courts where we could set up tents and sleep outside.  I had brought a tarp to sleep on as the temperature was only going to be in the mid-40s.  Almost perfect sleeping weather.  Kent, Brooks, Jason and I got into our sleeping bags on the tarp and the girls slept in the van.  We set our alarm for 5:00 am knowing that Van 2 would be coming in around that time.  I have to admit I slept pretty well before Jason woke us up to get ready for Van 2’s arrival.

They arrived right on schedule.  They had run their 34 miles in 5 hours and 8 minutes.  This was a 9:03 pace.  We had run almost 141 miles at this point and were averaging 9 minute miles as a team.  I knew both vans had our toughest runs ahead.  We did get rest and were well hydrated.  But, getting out on the road for your 3^rd run in less than 24 hours is hard no matter how in shape you are and I knew it would be a battle to the finish.  Spirits were high when Kent headed out and Van 2 headed off for some much needed rest.

Kent, Jason, Vanessa and Brooks all had really good runs.  It was now time for my final run of 4.4 miles.  The route would be fairly flat to start before heading up hill.  My run would have me gaining 615 feet of elevation over the 4.4 miles.  I was ready to tackle it.  I headed off hoping to average 9:15 per mile again.  What I didn’t know is how much the first 2 runs had taken out of my legs.  I was running alone until I heard the footsteps of another runner who passed me like I was standing still.  Then another runner passed me and I felt like I was losing ground.  I tried to pick up the pace but the hill was steep and I didn’t have enough gas in the tank to go any faster. 

I crested the final portion of the hill and saw my teammates cheering me on.  I pushed it a little harder and with sweat dripping off me I handed off to Jackie.  I had finished my last leg in 45 minutes 42 seconds and averaged 9:27 per mile.  I was actually pleased with my pace as I thought I had really lost it and slowed down.  My totals were 20.2 miles (I had run that extra mile) in 186 minutes at an average pace of 9:12 per mile.  My official per mile pace was 9:41.  I knew I had done what I could with 3 tough legs.  We jumped back into the van to meet Van 2 and cheer Jackie on.

We headed on to wait for Jackie at the top of her hill to see if she needed any water.  She said she was struggling a bit.  So, I told Jason that I would run with her to the top of the hill and then down to the turn.  He, Brooks and Vanessa would run the last portion of the run with her to keep her motivated.  I was tired but felt good enough to help Jackie.  We chatted trying to keep her mind off of the run.  We got to the bottom of the hill and she took off with our teammates.  Kent and I drove up to the transition area to meet Van 2.  I knew Jackie would make it because she is tough.

Sure enough at about 8:15 am, I saw Jackie coming in to the transition area to hand off to Tim.  We were done.  We had covered 24.2 miles in 3 hours and 37 minutes which was an 8:58 per mile pace.  Somehow we got faster in the final legs.  We celebrated being done.  All of us got out of our wet, sweaty clothes so we could go to breakfast before heading to the finish line to run across with our teammates.  My van ran a total of 89.4 miles (excluding my extra mile) in 13 hours and 32 minutes for an average pace of 9:05 minutes per mile.  Not too bad!

We enjoyed a nice breakfast and chatted about the race and our experiences.  It seemed to be unanimous that we would all like to do this race again.  We paid for our food and then drove down to the finish line area which was at Mount Anthony Union Middle School in Bennington, VT.  We got there and Jackie pulled out her big blanket and we all stretched out in the sun.  It was an absolutely beautiful sunny day.  We watched other teams come across and finish while waiting for our last runner Alan to come in.  Finally, Van 2 pulled into the parking area and we knew it was almost over.

Alan finally came into view around 1:40 pm.  He apparently also took a wrong turn and had to double back.  He came up the little hill to the parking area where we met him and ran across the finish line as a team.  The Herd and made it with no injuries and a lot of smiles on our faces.  We all high fived each other and talked excitedly about the experience while munching on the pizza provided by the race.  The best part was that the runners who ran in the Mass Dash last summer felt like we had really run our best race.  It is such a different and more enjoyable experience when you have a full team.  After a while, we split up and headed back home with all those endorphins swimming around in our bodies.  What an experience!  I would love to do it all again next year.

The Howlin' Haulin' Huffin' Herd was 19^th overall.  We had run 197.8 miles in 30 hours and 35 seconds.  We averaged a 9:02 per mile pace as a team.  What is really interesting is how close both vans were in average pace.  This meant we had a well balanced team and had divvied up the legs correctly.  In looking back on the race, my only regret is that wrong turn I took.  Had I not missed the turn we could have come in under 30 hours.  Oh well, there is always next year!

June 17 – 9.20 miles (1:19:28, 8:39 pace)
June 18 – 3.20 miles (28:59, 9:04 pace)
June 19 – 5.20 miles (46:00, 8:51 pace)
June 23 – 9.20 miles (1:23:10, 9:02 pace) – Green Mountain Relay Leg 1
June 23 – 6.60 miles (1:00:51, 9:12 pace) – Green Mountain Relay Leg 2
June 24 – 4.40 miles (45:42, 9:27 pace) – Green Mountain Relay Leg 3
July 5 – 4.20 miles (39:07, 9:19 pace)
July 7 – 6.00 miles (52:49, 8:48 pace)

Total Miles: 48.0 miles
2012 YTD Miles: 801.2 miles

My Next Adventure...200 miles in Vermont

I had to take off time from running due to a severe case of shin splints in my left leg.  It started to manifest itself during the last 3 weeks before I ran the 2012 Boston Marathon.  It would come and go.  So I didn't worry about it too much.  During my taper phase for Boston, it went away completely and I did not feel that pain until I was about 18 miles into the marathon.  It was bearable enough so that I could finish the race.  But, when I returned to running a few days after the marathon, it became worse and worse until I decided to stop for a week and to go see my massage therapist.

The good news is that my massage therapist was able to get my soleus muscle to let loose and stop pulling hard on the back side of the tibia thus relieving the pain.  In fact, I went for a short run the next day and felt 75% better than before I went to see her.  One week later, I was back to normal pain free running.  I was so happy.  The best part of the treatment is that it has allowed me to get back to running at a faster pace comfortably which will come in handy the weekend of June 22 as I join a team of runners in the Green Mountain Relay in Vermont. 

Yep, I am running another one of those crazy adventure races.  The Green Mountain Relay is over 200 miles of bucolic country scenery for the participants to enjoy.  It is always run over or near the summer solstice weekend.  This year the summer solstice is June 20th.   The runners will run through the heart of Vermont's lush green valleys and of course hills, much of it along Route 100, one of Americas most scenic two-lane roadways.  The route is as challenging as it is beautiful, as Vermont is hilly.   What I am most excited about is that we will always have something new to look at along the route: covered bridges, farmland, valley vistas and small villages brimming with charm.

The race is limited to just 100 teams, thus providing runners an intimate, peaceful racing experience.  This year there are only 28 teams meaning we will have the roads to ourselves most of the time.  The starting line is in Jeffersonville, VT about 45 minutes from Burlington.  The finish line is 200 miles south in Bennington, VT.  There are 36 legs and each of our team members will run 3 legs.  I am going to be Runner #5 and will run 19.3 miles.  My legs are rated the most difficult overall of the 12 runners and I can’t wait.  My first leg is 8.2 miles.  The second leg is 6.7 miles and the final leg is 4.4 miles.  I know my team will be cheering me on. 

If you want to check out our finishing time when the race is over, just go to this web site (http://rltrelays.com/index.php/races/green-mountain-relay.html) and look for The Howlin' Haulin' Huffin' Herd.  I will be writing about our experience in my next post.  If you are a serious runner and like camaraderie, these adventure races are the thing to do.  I highly recommend them.

May 14 – 6.10 miles (57:33; 9:26 pace)
May 15 – 3.10 miles (24:24, 7:52 pace)
May 17 –5.10 miles (40:27, 7:56 pace) – Tempo Run
May 18 – 6.20 miles (56:40, 9:09 pace)
May 26 – 4.10 miles (36:14, 8:49 pace)
May 28 – 5.20 miles (44:38, 8:35 pace)
May 29 – 3.20 miles (25:30, 7:58 pace) – Speed Work
May 31 – 5.20 miles (41:31, 7:59 pace) – Tempo Run
June 1 – 6.20 miles (54:10, 8:44 pace)
June 3 – 7.20 miles (1:04:25, 8:57 pace)
June 4 – 5.20 miles (47:30, 9:08 pace)
June 5 – 3.20 miles (25:21, 7:55 pace) – Speed Work
June 6 – 6.20 miles (49:29, 7:59 pace) – Tempo Run
June 8 – 5.10 miles (45:21, 8:53 pace)
June 9 – 8.30 miles (1:13:31, 8:52 pace)
June 10 – 7.20 miles (1:04:31, 8:58 pace)
June 11 – 4.30 miles (39:36, 9:13 pace)
June 12 – 3.10 miles (26:42, 8:37 pace) – Speed Work
June 14 – 6.60 miles (54:11, 8:45 pace)
June 15 – 4.10 miles (36:12, 8:50 pace)
June 16 – 8.20 miles (1:12:11, 8:48 pace)

Total Miles: 113.1 miles
2012 YTD Miles: 753.2 miles