T Minus 4 Days: Sean Collier Run (4/16/15)

Sean Collier, MIT and Somerville police officer
killed in the line of duty by the Tsarnaevs 4/18/15

Two years ago on the Thursday night after the marathon, our club was at a vigil for the victims at Somerville City Hall.  Afterward, there were murmurs about a shooting at MIT.  Our friend who is a Cambridge cop, had to work a double shift that night.  There was a carjacking by the expected terrorists (which later turned out to happen across the street from my parents house!).  In the morning, we were on lockdown and the area around Urvi's apartment was cordoned off because it was near the Tsarnaev's apartment. 

In remembrance of the MIT police officer, Sean Collier, who was killed SRR now dedicates the Thursday Night Run before the marathon to him.  

We also have a big Pasta meal after the run and SRR gets a group picture of all the members running Boston.

Somerville Class of 2015 

Story on Fox 25 about the Sean Collier Run


Bike


Since Baske Ostarije was stolen, I've been riding Ajax Telemon to and from work.  This is annoying and hard for a multiplicity of reasons:

- I feel unsafe in traffic hunched over;
- I don't have saddlebags so I have to wear a backpack;
- It's a little dangerous in rain with the narrow slick tires; and,
- I pop tires in the city on it all the time.

Sure enough, this morning I had a popped tire.  So I had to go back to the house and repair it.  Add 15 minutes to my morning!

Weather update: 

Monday's forecast is now on the 5-Day weather forecast! Now the chance of PM rain is 90%.  But the temp is supposed to be between 48°F and 50°F.

T Minus 5 Days: The Taxman Cometh (4/15/15)

So, today, still obsessing about the weather.  (Now Mondy's forecast is 51F with 80% chance of PM rain.)

And, I actually have no workouts or runs today.  I'll walk to and from Harvard Yard for class but that's it.

I also watched several videos of the marathon:

5 more days.

T Minus 6 Days: Souvlaki & The Lou Ristaino Workout (4/14/15)

6 days away until the Boston Marathon!

Today's plan is to:

1) Run "The Lou":

Thanks to Coach Joe O'Leary, the Somerville Road Runners has a Tuesday before marathon track workout.  "The Lou" (or "Lou Riggatoni" or "Lou Rissoto") is a workout designed by local runner and coach - Lou Ristaino. It has become, for Somerville Road Runners', THE rite of passage for a marathon.  Several years ago, at the New England championship track meet, Lou told me he had figured out the workout as one where you achieve three thingsdo "something" for nervous energy, don't kill yourself, and keep your body fluid in the week leading up to your big race.

"The Lou" workout:
800m warm-up

4800m continous, with the first 800 at goal Marathon Pace and each successive 800 four seconds faster:

800 @ 3:32

800 @ 3:28

800 @ 3:24

800 @ 3:20

800 @ 3:16

800 @ 3:12

1600 cooldown.

Meanwhile in actual existing workouts.

2) Continue to obsess over the weather forecast: 

At Noon, the forecast saiad: High of 55 with 50% chance of showers in the PM; three and a half hours later, it hadn't changed.

3) Carb up #1 meal: Pork Souvlaki with Potatoes

mmmm... Pork and Potatoes

1 lb. of ground pork

3 Tbsp of 365 souvlaki spice mix

1 egg

1/4 cup panko 

1 lb of russet potatoes sliced

a- Preheat oven at 400°F

b- Chop up potatoes, put in greased pan with olive oil and spread herbs de Provence

c- Place in oven

d- Combine pork, spices, egg and panko

e- Form around kabob skewers into 4-6 long sausages

f- place on greased cooking sheet

g- Place in oven, bake 25 minutes.

dill yogurt sauce: plain greek yogurt; lime juice; dried dill.

T minus 7 days: The Boston Memorial Run (4/13/15)

One week out from my first Boston Marathon.  It's been a long time coming and here in the final week it's time to obsess over things I cannot control.  So I intend to do three things today that can help me.

1.  The Boston Marathon Memorial run - For the third year Somerville Road Runners will hold its memorial run during its Monday BurRun.  So I'll do some easy miles, jog there, have a pint with the boys, run the 5k and jog back.

2.  Watch the replay of Paris-Roubaix - Hell of the North - on the channel that was up until very recently called Versus.

3.  Obsess about the weather on Next Monday.  When I woke up this morning they predicted a high of 58°F, mostly sunny with 10% chance of rain and gentle breeze from the W.  At 4:30 pm, the prediction had changed to 59°F, partly cloudy with a 20% chance of rain and heavier breeze but from the SE.

Photos by Tom Cole