2012 Running Year in Review

Well, it has been a while since I posted anything. If you are a faithful follower, I am sorry. My New Year's Resolution is to post more often than I did in 2012. There was so much going in last year that I just did not find the spare time to blog about my running life. If change was the theme of my year in 2012, it is going to be even more of a theme in 2013. 2012 was the year Beverly and I became empty nesters. This year holds even greater change as we move to Phoenix, Arizona where I am starting my new job at Sprouts Farmers Markets as the Senior Vice President of Business Development. Before I explain that change, I wanted to look back on my year of running.

2012 started off with my continuing to train hard for the 116th Boston Marathon. I had really high hopes of breaking 4 hours again. My training was going really well and I felt great. Mother Nature had different ideas for me that day. As you know race day was one of the hottest Boston Marathons in its history. I chose to run it despite the heat and knowing I would not be setting any personal bests on that day. As I look back, I am very proud of having run it and finished without any major mishaps. And more importantly, I was able to raise over $17,000 for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

I will admit that I had some motivation issues after the Boston Marathon. I was finding it hard to get back into my running routine after the race. It felt like all of that training had been wasted. The weather had trumped my preparedness and I began to doubt my skills. I knew I needed to find another goal that would reinvigorate my running and help get me back on track. I found two races that would get me pumped up to train -- The Green Mountain Relay and the Falmouth Road Race. One was a team effort to race over 200 miles in the Green Mountains of Vermont and the other was one of New England's most famous road races.

I got back into the swing of things and found that my body quickly got back into form. Both of these races helped give me back my running mojo. The Green Mountain Relay was so much fun. The course was one of the most beautiful I have ever had the pleasure of running. We had perfect weather the whole weekend and the team crushed it finishing in 30 hours. This team was made up mostly of members from the MassDash where we almost didn't finish before the cut off time. I was so excited about our performance that it renewed my faith in my rigorous training regimen.

I capped off my summer with the 40th Falmouth Road Race. As you know if you follow my blog, I had one of my best road race performances ever. I was warned that I could not expect to run fast or set any PR. Instead of worrying about what the naysayers were telling me, I relied on my training and decided to just have fun. The result was a PR for that distance and one of my best per mile paces in all of my racing. I guess the pundits are wrong when they say that your best years of running are behind you when you pass age 40.

I finished the year with a 10 mile trail race in Framingham, MA. I signed up to run the 2012 Busa Bushwack Trail Race. I had run only one pervious trail race which meant I had no real experience. All I can say is that I had the best time despite falling several times. I finished in a respectable time and now want to try and find more trail races in the future. Despite the difficulty of the terrain, it took much less of a toll on my body than a typical road race. I definitely see more off road runs in my future. Overall it was a great year in my running life.

Now my both my personal and running life are going to change again as I head out to Phoenix on Monday. I had an excellent job that I enjoyed at Staples for almost 11 years. But there comes a time when I need new challenge. Much like my running life, I need to challenge myself in my career or I feel like I am just wasting time. So, I started to look for a new challenge where I could take on the key leadership role in another retailer or restaurant chain’s store growth. I found that opportunity with Sprouts Farmers Market.

“Sprouts is a neighborhood grocery store with the feel of an old-fashioned farmers market. Our bright, friendly stores are filled with everyday staples and specialty items at a great value. You’ll find mountains of fresh fruits and vegetables, barrels of wholesome grains, nuts and sweets, full-service deli, meat and seafood counters—complete with homemade burgers and sausages. Roam around our spacious aisles and you’ll find fresh baked goods, eclectic beer and wine, gourmet cheese, sensibly-priced vitamins and supplements, and thousands of natural, organic and gluten-free groceries. Our friendly and knowledgeable team members are here to help you make healthier choices that are better for you and your budget.” (from Sprouts.com)

I am now sitting in the key real estate leadership role and cannot be more excited about the challenge ahead. I am going to be learning and growing in my profession which is invigorating. Even so, I am going to miss all of the friends I made here in Massachusetts. But, I know one thing and that is that “true friendship is when two friends can walk in different directions, yet remain side by side”. I am confident that all of my friends remain by my side as I head off on this new adventure.

Nov. 5 – 5.20 miles (46:01, 8:49 pace)
Nov. 6 – 3.10 miles (24:41, 7:58 pace) – Speed Work
Nov. 8 – 6.20 miles (49:36, 8:00 pace) – Tempo Run
Nov. 9 – 5.20 miles (40:01, 7:42 pace) – Speed Work
Nov. 10 – 7.10 miles (1:00:57, 8:34 pace)
Nov. 7 – 10.10 miles (1:28:55, 8:49 pace)
Nov. 12 – 6.20 miles (56:56, 9:14 pace)
Nov. 16 – 5.40 miles (47:12, 8:44 pace)
Nov. 18 – 8.10 miles (1:13:08, 9:05 pace)
Nov. 19 – 6.20 miles (57:04, 9:12 pace)
Nov. 21 – 5.10 miles (45:54, 9:00 pace)

Nov. 23 – 10.10 miles (1:29:13, 8:50 pace)

Nov. 24 – 7.10 miles (1:04:06, 9:05 pace)

Nov. 26 – 3.10 miles (24:42, 7:55 pace) – Speed Work

Nov. 28 – 6.10 miles (56:23, 9:14 pace)

Nov. 30 – 6.20 miles (55:23, 8:57 pace)

Dec. 2 – 8.20 miles (1:12:25, 8:49 pace)

Dec. 10 – 6.10 miles (55:16, 9:05 pace)

Dec. 12 – 6.20 miles (54:32, 8:48 pace)

Dec. 14 – 6.20 miles (55:50, 8:57 pace)

Dec. 16 – 9.10 miles (1:19:25, 8:44 pace)

Dec. 18 – 3.20 miles (24:28, 7:42 pace) – Speed Work

Dec. 20 – 5.20 miles (41:38, 8:00 pace) – Tempo Run

Dec. 21 – 6.10 miles (56:39, 9:14 pace)

Dec. 22 – 8.20 miles (1:09:02, 8:27 pace)

Dec. 23 – 10.10 miles (1:29:12, 8:49 pace)

Dec. 24 – 6.20 miles (56:27, 9:05 pace)

Dec. 25 – 3.10 miles (24:03, 7:48 pace) – Speed Work

Total Miles: 234.2 miles

2012 Total Miles: 1,498.5 miles

My Trail Racing Experience (2012 Busa Bushwack Trail Race)

Several years ago, I was looking for a different running experience because I had grown tired of road running. My brother who lives out in Santee, CA suggested we try a trail race at Mission Trail Park. It was going to be a 9 miler through the park. I don't remember a lot about that race other than that it was challenging and fun at the same time. I moved out here to Westborough, MA shortly after running that race and never thought about another trail race until 2 months ago when a friend suggested I sign up for the Greater Framingham Running Club's Busa Bushwhack Trail Race.

I thought about it for a few days and then decided to do it. I wanted a different challenge. I had been keeping my mileage up and was feeling well trained to tackle a 10 mile trail race. My friend and I chose to sign up for the 10 mile race rather than the 5.3 miler. I mean…we are seasoned runners. 5.3 miles wouldn't be enough of a challenge. It is amazing what runners will talk themselves into when there is more than one discussing a given race. I figured the distance and the hills on the route wouldn't be impossible to conquer as I had been running hills on my normal training runs. What I didn't think about were the rocks, roots and dead leaves on the trail and how that might affect my speed and well being.

I kept up my training runs on the weeks leading up to the race. I made sure that all of my routes had several difficult hills to simulate the terrain of the upcoming race. I did my speed work as well. So when I arrived at the starting line to begin the race, I felt prepared and excited about the race. I had set absolutely no goal for myself in the race. I wanted to finish and not be bleeding at the end. Plus since it was the first time I was running this race I was assured of a PR. I knew it was going to be a great run.

The first 3/10 of a mile was on a neighborhood street that led to the entrance to the Raymond J Callahan State Park. Callahan State Park is an 820-acre wooded park. It has seven miles of marked trails and is used for activities like fishing, hiking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. The entrance we were filing through was off of Major Hale Dr. It was so narrow that the runners had to stop and go through the gate single file before heading up the single track trail. It was a little bit of an annoyance but did not really affect anyone's time.

Once I got onto the trail, I started to pick my way past the slower runners and tackled the first of several easy hills. The trail was strewn with rocks, branches, leaf litter and even a few exposed roots. I kept telling myself to pay attention to the ground to avoid tripping and falling. I am glad to say that after 4 miles I had had a couple of stumbles but no wipe outs. Of course as I had that thought my foot clipped a root and I sprawled out onto the trail more embarrassed than hurt. I brushed myself off and started off again telling myself to pay better attention.

 

I was really enjoying the fall leaves (what was left of them) and the solitude of the park. There may have been about 200 runners running the 10 mile route but there were several sections of the race where I was either alone or only in view of 1 or 2 other runners. It was nice to be running a race but having time to get lost in nature and my own thoughts.

 

As I started down a particularly steep hill lost in my thoughts, I noticed my Garmin had loosened on my wrist. I reached over to tighten it when my feet slipped on the leaf litter and down I went again! This time on my butt. My Garmin flew off and I slid about 25 feet down the trail. I gathered myself up and went back up the hill to find my Garmin. I couldn't see it anywhere. Just as I was about to give up a group of runners started down towards me and the lead guy says, "Garmin!” He grabbed it and handed it to me as he went by. I shouted, "Thanks!" He responded, "I should have hit stop so you don't lose time." I chuckled to myself as I headed back down the hill. Now I was bound and determined to not fall again the rest of the way.

 

I only had about 4 miles to go. As I approached the 6 mile point in the race I came upon the toughest hill of the race. Most of the other steep hills, I was able to shorten my stride and keep running. This one was never going to allow me to run any part of it. I tried but ended up walking up it. As I was passing another runner struggling up the hill, she muttered "Who was the sadist that created this route?" I laughed and replied, "I don't know. But we are the masochists who paid to run it!" She didn't even laugh as I crested the hill and left her in her misery.

 

The next couple of miles were mostly downhill and I was really starting to get into a good rhythm. I figured I would be able to get to the flat final portion before we headed back onto Major Hale Drive and really open it up for final push to the finish line. As I reached the level portion of the trail, I started to pick up my pace since I was feeling great. Unfortunately Mother Nature wanted to humble me once more as I clipped a good sized root and was slammed down onto the trail with my right knee hitting a rock with some force. It was really painful as I stood up. Another runner stopped to make sure I was alright. I thanked her and started to walk gingerly down the trail. I was mad at myself for not paying better attention to the trail. I was in pain. Yet, I was determined to run the rest of the way and take my aggravation out on the rest of the trail all the way to the finish line.

 

When I finally emerged from the park onto Major Hale Drive, I picked up speed to the point where I was running at a 7:30 per mile pace. I passed several runners and finally made the turn to the finish line. I crossed it at 1:39:51. My right knee was pretty sore and caused me to limp a little as I headed over to grab some water and a bagel. My time put me 109th out of 166 finishers and 15th out of 19 finishers in my age category (50-59). Not bad considering how many times I crashed and burned along the way and for only my second trail race.

 

I did learn a few things that I will try to remember the next time I run a trail race. Maybe they will help you as well if you decide to take your racing "off-road". They are:

 

1. Wear the Right Running Shoes. I ran in my normal shoes. They worked fine on the leaf litter and packed-dirt path. If I were to make trail running a habit, I might look into trail-running shoes because they provide more protection for my feet.
2. Start Slow. Like any race, I should have started a little slower at the beginning. I think my falls coming later in the race were due to my legs getting fatigued from running on all of the uneven surfaces.
3. Adjust My Stride. The only way to prevent tripping over roots and rocks is to lift my feet — especially my toes — slightly higher than I normally would when running on pavement. 
4. Look Ahead More Often. By looking at the trail about 10 feet ahead I will be able to see the upcoming terrain and avoid any obstacles. Maybe it will allow me to complete the race without falling.
5. Remember that Walking is OK. There are just some hills that are too steep to run. I know that there are experienced trail racers who walk – why can’t I.  

It was really a fun and challenging race. I finished it and despite the final nasty fall I was not bleeding. Mission accomplished! I am planning to add trail races into my running calendar next year. Winter is on its way so the trail running season is effectively over. Spring is only 5 months away and I am sure there will be plenty of opportunities to find a trail race somewhere nearby. If you are in the Framingham area next October, think about joining me for the 2013 Busa Bushwack Trail Race. I will be the guy lying across the trail as you run by.

 

Oct. 1 – 6.10 miles (54:53, 8:57 pace)
Oct. 2 – 3.20 miles (24:24, 7:42 pace) – Speed Work
Oct. 4 – 6.30 miles (50:20, 7:56 pace) – Tempo Run
Oct. 5 – 5.10 miles (43:51, 8:36 pace)
Oct. 6 – 7.20 miles (1:04:49, 8:57 pace)
Oct. 7 – 10.10 miles (1:28:55, 8:49 pace)
Oct. 8 – 6.20 miles (56:32, 9:05 pace)
Oct. 9 – 3.20 miles (23:52, 7:28 pace) – Speed Work
Oct. 11 – 6.20 miles (49:33, 8:00 pace) – Tempo Run
Oct. 12 – 6.20 miles (54:28, 8:57 pace)
Oct. 13 – 11.10 miles (1:37:30, 8:47 pace)
Oct. 14 – 8.20 miles (1:13:08, 8:55 pace)
Oct. 15 – 6.20 miles (58:13, 9:23 pace)
Oct. 16 – 3.20 miles (23:56, 7:29 pace) – Speed Work
Oct. 18 – 6.20 miles (49:30, 7:59 pace) – Tempo Run
Oct. 20 – 4.80 miles – Mt. Greylock Backpack
Oct. 21 – 3.40 miles – Mt. Greylock Backpack
Oct. 22 – 6.20 miles (58:54, 9:30 pace)
Oct. 23 – 3.20 miles (23:56, 7:29 pace) – Speed Work
Oct. 25 – 6.20 miles (49:30, 8:00 pace) – Tempo Run
Oct. 26 – 3.50 miles (32:27, 9:17 pace)
Oct. 28 – 10.00 miles (1:39:51, 9:59 pace) – Busa Bushwhack Trail Race
Oct. 29 – 4.20 miles (38:36, 9:14 pace)
Nov. 1 – 6.20 miles (56:21, 9:05 pace)
Nov. 2 – 6.50 miles (58:58, 8:57 pace)
Nov. 3 – 8.10 miles (1:09:10, 8:32 pace)
Nov. 4 – 10.20 miles (1:29:34, 8:47 pace)

Total Miles: 167.2 miles
2012 YTD Miles: 1,264.3 miles

Mara's First 5K Race

My daughter Mara has always been active. She played sports when she was little and then took dance lessons. Later on she was part of her Junior High and High School theater groups. Even with all of this activity, Mara never seemed too interested in running. She would go to her brother Nathan's track meets and came and watched me finish a couple of my marathons. But, she never expressed a real interest in the sport. Therefore I was a bit surprised when she told us after being at TCU for a couple of weeks that she wanted to train to run a half marathon.


Most people who decide to start running set a goal. They may choose to start running with the goal to run at least 1 mile every other day. Or they might go out on the internet and find a "Couch to 5K" training program with the goal to run a 5K with some friends in the near future. It would be that rare person who would suddenly decide that they wanted to run a half marathon having never really trained seriously for any type of road race. I can tell you that when Mara decides to do something, she goes all in. Needless to say I wasn't surprised. Instead I encouraged her to start running gradually and to build up over time.

Being a Disney fanatic, Mara had set her sights on running one of the Disney Halfs. She informed us that she had found a training program on the Disney website and was going to follow that program. Again, we didn't discourage her. We just cautioned her to take it slow. Mara among her other health issues has asthma and acid reflux. Neither of which are conducive to a running lifestyle. But she is 18 years old and doesn't think of these things as barriers to her goal. Mara will just work around them. She always has succeeded when she set her mind to something.

When we would Skype with her, she would always talk about how she was sticking to her workout routines. She would talk excitedly about how "buff" she was getting. It was really great to see how excited she was about this new found hobby. TCU has a newly renovated recreation center. When I was there it was known as the Rickel Building. Now the Rec Center has a purple indoor track, a 12,000-square-feet weight room, an indoor pool, an outdoor pool with a hot tub, a 1,000-square-feet climbing wall and locker rooms with a sauna. Mara goes over there and uses the treadmills and elliptical to get her miles in.

After a few weeks of continuous training, I suggested that she think about signing up for a 5K race near campus so that she could get a feel for what a road race is like before signing up for a half marathon. Surprisingly, she thought that was a good idea. I then asked if she would like to run one when I was going to be visiting her on Parents Weekend. There is always a 5K being run somewhere almost every weekend. She told me that she would like that but cautioned me that she was not as fast as me. I have never thought of myself as fast. I assured her I just wanted to run with her no matter what her pace would be on race day.

We signed up for a small 5K race in Arlington, Texas called the Trailblazer III Two-Fifths Marathon & 5K. It was described as a flat fast course on a trail in River Legacy Park. It said that the 5K course was mostly tree lined which I thought would be really nice. Mara thought so too. The entry fee was only $20 per person and Mara would get her first race T-shirt. I told her just to keep training but to rest at least the two days before the race.

The race was set to start at 8:30 a.m. The Horned Frog football game had been moved from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 a.m. So, Mara and I were a little concerned about running the race, heading back to my in-laws, showering and getting to the game before kick-off. But, we committed to running the race. We got up at 7:15 a.m. and headed up to River Legacy Park to get our race number and to find the starting line. It was definitely a small race which I loved. There were 34 runners in the 5K and many more for the 10 miler (2/5ths Marathon). It was a beautiful morning for a run and we enjoyed hanging out waiting for the start. As we waited, I told Mara that she could now consider herself a real runner. She asked, “Why?” I told her the famous quote, “The difference between a jogger and a runner is an entry blank.” She liked that.

The race director started us a little later than expected. This put a little pressure on us as we didn’t want to miss kick-off. The other issue was that Mara had forgotten to bring her inhaler with her. I told her that we should just take it slow and see how it goes. Her goal was to run it in 45 minutes which was definitely doable. I was just a little concerned about her asthma acting up. The gun finally went off about 9:00 a.m. and we headed out on the trail.

It was a really flat course and tree lined as promised. Even though I wanted to go out slow, the excitement of the race caused us to go a little faster than we wanted and we finished the first mile in a little over 10 minutes. I pulled the pace back a bit. When we got close to 2 miles, Mara was having a little trouble breathing so we took a short walk break and then started running again. We had to take a couple of short walk breaks during the last mile. But when we saw the 3 mile marker, Mara wanted to run hard the last 1/10 of a mile. We picked up the pace and pushed to the finish line.

We finished the race in 35:03 and 11:17 per mile pace. Mara was so excited to have finished and had crushed her goal time by 10 minutes. She was grinning from ear to ear. We got some water and headed to the car so we could get back down to my in-laws to shower. She called her Mom on the way and I could tell how proud she was of her accomplishment. She should be. So many people say they are going to go out and run a 5K race and then chicken out in the end. Mara could have decided not to run when she realized she didn’t have her inhaler. But, Mara is one tough girl and she was going to run this race no matter what.

As a long time runner, I get real pleasure out of helping other runners meet their goals. When I have been at 5K and 10K races in the past, I loved seeing new runners complete their first race. You can see the excitement their eyes as they cross that finish line. They now know the feeling of accomplishment that all of us runners feel when we race no matter how fast or slow we run. Pretty soon they will be doing 5Ks and 10Ks regularly because they have become addicted to a healthy running lifestyle that will facilitate their health and happiness for the rest of their lives. I am sure that Mara has caught the bug and I am looking forward to running a race with her in the future. Do I hear “Turkey Trot!”

Sept. 3 – 6.00 miles (54:17, 9:03 pace)
Sept. 4 – 3.20 miles (24:48, 7:45 pace) – Speed Work
Sept. 6 – 5.10 miles (46:16, 9:04 pace)
Sept. 8 – 9.10 miles (1:19:37, 8:45 pace)
Sept. 9 – 7.10 miles (1:04:49, 9:08 pace)
Sept. 11 – 3.20 miles (25:30, 7:58 pace) – Speed Work
Sept. 13 – 5.20 miles (41:39, 8:01 pace) – Tempo Run
Sept. 14 – 6.10 miles (53:30, 8:46 pace)
Sept. 15 – 9.20 miles (1:22:50, 9:00 pace)
Sept. 16 – 7.20 miles (1:04:17, 8:56 pace)
Sept. 17 – 5.20 miles (46:46, 8:57 pace)
Sept. 18 – 3.20 miles (24:39, 7:42 pace) – Speed Work
Sept. 20 – 5.10 miles (48:14, 9:28 pace)
Sept. 22 – 3.10 miles (35:01, 11:19 pace) – Trailblazer III Two-Fifths Marathon & 5K, Arlington, TX
Sept. 24 – 6.30 miles (55:40, 8:49 pace)
Sept. 25 – 3.20 miles (24:22, 7:37 pace) – Speed Work
Sept. 28 – 5.20 miles (41:40, 8:00 pace) – Tempo Run
Sept. 30 – 6.60 miles (59:03, 8:57 pace)

Total Miles: 99.3 miles
2012 YTD Miles: 1097.1 miles

A Runner's Empty Nest

On August 12, 1991, my wife Beverly's and my life changed with the birth of our son Nathan.  Where we once were a young couple with no real cares or worries in the world, we now had another person to care for.  What we didn't know then was just how challenging raising a child would be for us.  While it was challenging, it has been equally as rewarding.  I can remember wondering how was I going to be able to be the guardian and the caretaker of this tiny, helpless little person who had suddenly appeared into my life.  And more importantly, how was I going to be able to empower him to be able to live a healthy, happy, and successful life?

Those questions did not get any easier on July 12, 1994 with the birth of our daughter Mara.  Here was this beautiful baby girl who too would need love and caring to grow up into an equally beautiful woman.  I remember looking at her and wondering what she was going to be like when she grew up.  What I didn't know was that raising her would be a wild and furious ride through life.  If I knew then what the ride would be like, I would have buckled in and enjoyed the anticipation of the most wonderful E-ticket ride I could imagine.

Don't get me wrong, both of my children presented parenting challenges in their own way.  They have both grown into happy, healthy and caring individuals who will do great things in this world.  What I  know now is that having children forever changes you.  I found that nothing from their first cries as they enter this world until they leave the nest remains the same.  Everything I thought and cared about changed.  Not only that but my perspective on life and all of my fears and dreams forever changed.  There were always going to be two individuals walking across this planet whose well being would affect me no matter how long I remain in this world.

Fast forward almost 21 years to the day Nathan was born and there I was at Texas Christian University (TCU) moving my baby girl into her dormitory for her freshman year of college.  It was a very strange and almost surreal day.  In August of 1979, I was doing the same thing at the same place.  Time seemed to telescope, where unless I looked in the mirror, I felt like that same 17 year old kid nervous about being on his own for the first time.  I could see that same nervous excitement in Mara as we got her settled in. I was excited for her and at the same time a little sad that she didn't need me as much as she did over the past 18 years.  She was an adult now.

I will admit that when we left Nathan at Tulane two years ago, I felt sad and happy.  I could tell he had picked the right college and was going to be fine.  I also knew that even though our family dynamic was going to be forever changed that day I still had Mara in the house which would help me transition.  But, leaving TCU that day was even harder.  Letting go this time was far more emotionally charged. After all, Mara and I had a special bond in that we both love to entertain others.  I had become so involved in her theater life that I knew I was going to have a hard time transitioning to not be able to see her perform.  I reconciled myself to the fact that Bev and I had done our best to prepare her for this next phase of her life.  So when I hugged her good-bye, I could only think of one thing to say -- "I am proud of you." 

It wasn't until I arrived back home that it truly hit me -- our nest was empty.  Nathan came back with Bev from Texas and was home for a week before he headed back to Tulane.  The house became so quiet and calm without them here.  I wasn't sure how it was going to be for me without them around like they had been for the last 21 years.  I knew that I would really miss them, but with cell phones, text messaging email and Skype, I knew we would be in touch.  I do miss them but I know that we are going to develop a new kind of relationship with them.   Even though they are not under our roof any more, they know we love them and that they will always be our first priority.  That will never change.

So Bev and I enter into the third phase of our life together.  We are older and more settled in our ways maybe.  We have devoted so much of ourselves to raising a family, and much of our communication was directed towards that.  I find myself feeling a strange emptiness that was never there before.  I also find it tough to communicate with Bev in general though not because she is unable to communicate with me.  I think it is just that uncomfortable feeling of not knowing what to talk about that is not related to the kids.  Regardless, I am deeply committed to her and love her as much or more than when we first got married.  I guess I am not sure yet what being a couple again will be for us.  I do know that we have travelled this road together for 27 years and there is nothing to stop us from enjoying the rest of the ride as we find new choices, more freedoms, and new ways of loving each other.

 

Aug. 17 – 4.10 miles (36:44, 8:58 pace)

Aug. 18 – 6.10 miles (53:00, 8:41 pace)
Aug. 19 – 6.10 miles (53:31, 8:47 pace)
Aug. 20 – 5.50 miles (47:38, 8:40 pace)
Aug. 21 – 3.10 miles (24:28, 7:54 pace) – Speed Work
Aug. 23 – 5.10 miles (44:42, 8:46 pace)
Aug. 24 – 6.20 miles (55:55, 9:01 pace)
Aug. 25 – 6.20 miles (55:04, 8:53 pace)
Aug. 31 – 5.20 miles (45:11, 8:41 pace)
Sept. 1 – 6.20 miles (54:24, 8:47 pace)
Sept. 2 – 6.20 miles (54:24, 8:47 pace)

Total Miles: 60.0 miles

2012 YTD Miles: 997.8 miles