F**kin' New England Weather!

One of the things I've noticed since becoming a more serious runner is that I've become acutely aware of the weather, but at the same time less concerned with how it will impact me. I know... it sounds a bit of an oxymoron, but New England winters do make your skin thick. Nonetheless, these last two weeks have really tested my patience. Since I've lived here for 7 years now, I think I've earned the right to a paragraph of reproach.

Here's a summary of the weather over the last two weeks:
Nice, rain, rain then windy, cold, really cold, heavy snow, very windy, nice, heavy rain, windy, nice, rain, heavy rain, windy. We got fall, winter, and spring covered in two weeks, no? As a result, I've gone through my entire running wardrobe. Usually the weather doesn't bother me, but there were three runs in particular that I was not prepared for. I ran home from work one day and grabbed shorts and T thinking it was going to be a nice day, but instead was greeted with a steady cold headwind along the Charles River. The next time was on a cool-down run after intervals at MIT. I had brought my jacket knowing it was raining, but on the way back I was faced with the choice of staying dry and overheating, or staying cool but getting wet. I chose to get wet... no soaked. The last was an out and back run up in Maine... there was some intense wind gusts following the weekend's snowstorm and I spent the out portion running at what felt like 8:00 pace, but in reality was closer to a 9:00 pace. It felt like I was "pissin' into the wind" (as the Irish say), and wind was so loud I could barely hear myself breathing. Anyway, that's enough protesting from me. I've aired my wet laundry....

Weather aside, this has been the most consistent two weeks of this training cycle and I finally put in a 60+ mile week.
Mon: no pool run, 30 min. core work-out
Tue: 10 miles, 3x(800,400,800) @ 5:34, forgot shorts so running with shirtless with sweats; looked ridiculous
Wed: 30 min. pool run, 30 min. core work; 7.7 miles @ 7:27, parts against a bone-chilling headwind
Thu: 6.8 miles @ 7:39; moderate run
Fri: off
Sat: 7.3 miles @ 8:3, easy run in the snow near Sunday River
Sun: 11 miles @ 7:5, longish run in Newry, ME, ridiculous headwind
Total: 42.7 miles

Mon: AM - 30 min. pool run, PM - 5.9 miles @ 7:40 on the treadmill, 30 min. core work
Tue: 11.4 miles including 4x2000m @ 5:50, tough workout, no bounce in the legs
Wed: 7.7 miles @ 7:38, very comfortable run after yesterdays workout
Thu: 10 miles w/ 8 miles @ 6:30, great MP workout, some 6:20s, but slowed with the headwind
Fri: off
Sat: 3.1 miles @ 6:54, cruising on this run, good shake out run in preparation for Sunday's long run.
Sun: 23 miles @ 7:11, long run starting in Hopkinton, fast, tempo from 10-15, then eased back on the hills. Hills were tougher than two weeks ago.
Total - 61 miles

I'm psyched to be back over 60 miles and I believe I'm in great shape for Boston. This next week will be a lighter week as I look ahead to New Bedford. I PRed here last year, and I hope to do it again this year. Its a fair and moderately challenging course. The first 4 miles are hilly, followed by 5 miles of gradual downhill. After mile 9, in the peninsula, we usually get a pretty solid headwind, and the last mile is uphill, with the last 200m or so a straight shot to the finish line. I'd like to start in the 6:20s for the 1st 4 miles, drop down to a 6:00s for the miles 5-9, and then try to hold 6:15 for miles 10-12 before giving it all I have over the last part of the course. This should get me something in the 1:21s. If I'm feeling really good, I may shoot for the 1:20s.

Six weeks to Boston!