January 30th - Training - Chelmsford, MA - 19

Continuing right on schedule with my training for Boston, I found myself on another long Sunday morning run with great people. This week, I found myself running along with Jess, Linda, Karen, and Dave T through the town to Chelmsford, MA. We were going to be running through Jess's neck of the woods. She had taken it upon herself to map out a nice 18 miler and she did so to the very last step.

We left the Costa abode at 9:10 AM and made our way towards our double loop course (two 8 mile loops =16 miles) with a little add on at about mile 2.75 that would give us an additional 2 miles to make 18. I have to say, I do like this course. There wasn't much traffic and the roads were pretty good for the amount of snow we had received the week prior.

I again had no idea where I was going on this run so I stuck with Linda and Jess. Our goal pace for the day was 10 min./miles for the day and well, that goal never seems to be met. We can never stay on that pace. Some of us go too fast and others go a bit slower. It constantly changes. We can never keep up the steady 10 minute pace. Today was no different.

At about mile 12 is where this run begins to get really fun (for me anyway). At this point in time, I am averaging about a 9:55 min./mile pace and am feeling good. Probably due to the wonderful water stops Jess had left for us. They had signs and everything. Simply amazing. All Jason, Fil, Glenn and the other GLRRs had was yellow snow according to Jason. Kudos Jess!

By this time I am now familiar with the course as we are in the middle of the second loop. As Linda and I approach our second to last water stop, we see Karen and Dave T. heading out to finish their run. Linda and I cruse to the water stop, get some water, Gatorade and a GU. Jess reaches us and we give her some water as we know that we have one water stop and two hills to go. Luckily, only one of them is bad.

Linda for about the third time today mentions the fact that we are going too fast and need to slow down, yet she is the one in front of us. I don't know exactly how us running behind her (chasing her) is making her run "too fast". Jess and I chuckle and tell her, "Well slow down!" She laughs and the three of us continue on our run.

At this time, my legs are loose, I feel hydrated, and full of energy. I am forced to be the "line leader" as we are now forced to run in a single file line on Acton Rd. (Rt. 27) and Linda and Jess are right behind me. With the cars passing us constantly, I can hardly hear Linda's footsteps behind me. We turn onto Elm Street and it gets MUCH quieter. Linda is still pretty close behind me as my watch goes off at mile 14. I look at the split and it is 9:24.85! WOW! I feel great and decided that I am going to try another negative split for mile 15.

Mile 15 flies by at 8:30.79 and now Linda has fallen back and I can no longer see Jess as I am too far ahead. I am still feeling great! Can I do another negative split I wondered? Mile 16 is reached and my split for this mile is 7:40! WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING?!

I still have 2 miles to go and am killing myself. Jess and Linda are now nowhere in sight and all I can think is "Can I catch Dave and Karen?" That becomes my mission. I make a 10 second pit-stop to get a sip of water and Gatorade before taking off up the one bad hill that is left. I get up to the top and cruse down the other side of it. I am about to take my second to last left turn ahead and I can see Dave and Karen at the top of the final hill. "I can do it," I told myself.

I push as hard as I can to catch them essentially sprinting up the final hill and pass them right at the Chelmsford town line on Lowell Street. Coincidence? I think not! I run pass them and decide to finish the run strong. I hit mile 17 with a split of 7:22.97! This is madness!

The last mile is mostly downhill so I slow down a hair and run mile 18 with a split of 7:49.7 for fear of killing my knees. After-all, I still have to referee 3 soccer games tonight in Bow. I made it back to Jess's and got a little stretch in before doing a cool down to go get Jess and Linda. As Dave and Karen show up, I start my cool down run and see Linda at about 1/3 mile. I run past Linda saying great job and to finish strong. I continue on to catch up with Jess. I meet up with her at about a half a mile and finish my cool down with her and run her home.

Once we make it to Jess's house we are all excited as we now get to enjoy another wonderful breakfast thanks to the ladies. I did my part and enjoyed every bite of it as usual. Nothing like running off 2,200+ calories and then eating a big breakfast. God I love my Sunday morning runs!