Boston Marathon training - week 3 report

A sore tendon above my left ankle has left me a little cautious this week. Between that and the holidays, I decided to skip 3 of the 6 scheduled runs this week, pulled out the foam roller SPRI 36 " x 6 " Full Round Foam Roller - FR-366 (Google Affiliate Ad) and spent more time than usual stretching (something I should have been doing more of the past couple weeks):

• Monday, December 24th: 11 miles
• Tuesday, December 25th: 0 miles
• Wednesday, December 26th: 5 miles
• Thursday, December 27th: 0 miles
• Friday, December 28th: 0 miles
• Saturday, December 29th: 15 miles

Concluded the week with the 15 mile run shown in the map below, including exploration of the Upper Charles River Trail system.

For those interested in exploring the Hopkinton side of the Upper Charles Trail, see this notice from the Hopkinton Trails Club:  

• Sunday, January 6, 1PM: Hughes property hike. This town-owned property is being considered for a portion of the Upper Charles trail route. We'll follow existing trails from Hayden Rowe to Joseph Road and check out the woods in this area. The walk will start at 192 Hayden Rowe Street, Hopkinton.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated to my marathon fundraising for Hopkinton Special Education Advisory Council. Your generosity inspires me. Read more and donate on my fundraising page!

Boston Marathon Training - Week 2 Report

A successful week 2 of Boston Marathon training concluded with welcome light snow flurries at the end of a 16 mile run this morning. 

• Monday, December 17: 7.5 miles
• Tuesday, December 18: 12 miles
• Wednesday, December 19: 5 miles
• Thursday, December 20: 9 miles
• Friday, December 21: 5.13 miles
• Saturday, December 22: 16.35 miles

Thank you to everyone who has already donated to my marathon fundraising for Hopkinton Special Education Advisory Council. Your generosity inspires me. Read more and donate on my fundraising page!

Do you run if it rains?

Enjoyed a 12 mile run in the cold pouring rain. Repeating 5 repetitions around the mile loop road would have become visually monotonous, but fortunately it was too dark to see that early in the morning.

Week 1 report

Marathon training went like clock work this week. My runs started between 5:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. each day, totaling 55.1 miles run for the week.

• Monday: 9.8 miles
• Tuesday, 11 miles
• Wednesday, 5.3 miles
• Thursday, 9 miles
• Friday, 5 miles
• Saturday: 15 miles (shown below)

Thank you to everyone who has already donated to my marathon fundraising for Hopkinton Special Education Advisory Council. Your generosity inspires me. Read more and donate on my fundraising page!

What is SPEAC? Hopkins Principal Explains

This week's Hopkins School Family Update featured Hopkins School Principal Greg Martineau's comments about SPEAC, reprinted here with his permission:

Each year I like to highlight SPEAC and share a little bit about SPEAC’s goal, mission, and how to join the group.  First, SPEAC is a group of dedicated parent and guardian volunteers who work with the school district to ensure that all children with special needs and learning disabilities are educated effectively.   SPEAC’s mission centers on a belief in the importance of each child’s education and that there’s always room to improve and learn.  To this end, SPEAC works to establish programs, bring in guest speakers, meet and communicate with building and district leaders, and provide community outreach programs.

During my brief  tenure at Hopkins, I have found SPEAC to be an excellent organization, with a wealth of ideas, information, and parenting experience. I’ve appreciated the group’s proactive approach and advocacy for all students.  Now, another great attribute of the group is that it’s an inclusive group; all parents are welcome to join.  In fact on their web site, they write:

SPEAC membership is open to any and all parties.  You do not have to have a child with special needs to join.  If your child, or you know a child who, has trouble reading, understanding math, has a definitive disability or an undiagnosed, but definitive presence of a disability, organizational or attention difficulties, join SPEAC to learn more about these and other areas in the developing child.

I’d encourage you, if you have not already, to take a closer look at SPEAC by visiting their website at http://www.speacofhopkinton.org/home, and signing up for their listserv communications.  Again, it’s another great Hopkinton organization that benefits students and parents.

Respectfully,

Greg Martineau

Ready, Set, Ready.

Capped off the week with an early morning Saturday half marathon distance run around Hopkinton, Holliston and Ashland.  Ready to start the 18-week training plan for Boston on Monday.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated to my marathon fundraising for Hopkinton Special Education Advisory Council. Your generosity inspires me. Read more and donate on my fundraising page!

Time to get serious: 18 weeks until marathon weekend

Many runners training for the Boston Marathon follow an 18-week training plan.  Well, 18 weeks starts on Monday December 10th, just a few days away.  As mentioned in an earlier post, I'm following the 18-week plan in Advanced Marathoning By Pfitzinger, Pete/ Douglas, Scott (Google Affiliate Ad). 

Last year I followed the same plan, but used the "up to 55 miles per week" version.  This year, I'm stepping it up a bit, and following the 18-week plan that calls for distances ranging from 55 to 70 miles per week.  To prepare, I've been gradually ramping up my weekly running distance to 45 miles per week (today, the weekly tally stands at 36 and I'm planning a 9+ mile run Saturday morning to cap off the week.  Next week will be 55 miles, with daily runs ranging from 5 miles on the low end to a 15 mile long run. 

Now it's going to start to get interesting! Or, as said by Navin Johnson, the character played by Steve Martin in the film comedy, "The Jerk,"  "Things are going to start happening to me now."

JERK 26TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION BY MARTIN,STEVE (DVD) (Google Affiliate Ad),

Naked runner reported!

Runners World reports a naked runner in Springfield, MA.  For the record: I am from Springfield, and I am a runner, but I run fully clothed, and my blog clearly proves that I have been running in Hopkinton early in the morning!

Picture of me, Finishing a Run This Morning - in Hopkinton, MA: 

Story About an Elusive Naked Runner - in Springfield, MA: 

http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/naked-runner-reported-springfield-ma

Springfield, Massachusetts (Google Affiliate Ad)

Thank you to everyone who has already donated to my marathon fundraising for Special Education. Your generosity inspires me. Read more and donate on my fundraising page!

8 mile run

Here's my typical Wednesday morning run, about 8 miles starting at 6 a.m., usually with one or more other runners starting at nearby Collelas, a family owned supermarket.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated to my marathon fundraising for Special Education. Your generosity inspires me. Read more and donate on my fundraising page!

Why do I run?

Why do I run? I have never been able to craft a one line response, but these comments from New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof come close to what running does for me as well.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated to my marathon fundraising for Special Education. I am blown away by your generosity. Read more and donate on my fundraising page!

Trails

This run included a mile and a half stretch of traffic free running on the new Legacy Farms Road and cleared rail bed trail from there to Prestwick Drive near the town center.  Wouldn't it be great to advance more pedestrian connections like this where you live? 

New England: More Than 30 Rail Trails from Maine to Connecticut (Google Affiliate Ad)

Ready to make your end of year tax deductible donation to my marathon charity? Read more and donate on my fundraising page!