11/8/2014 - 11/9/2014 - Dirt Cheap Stage Race

I ran 5 times during the Dirt Cheap Stage Race,  miles.

This was my sixth running of the Dirt Cheap Stage Race (DCSR). The DCSR is three races over two day. Race #1 at 9AM on Saturday is a 3.1-ish mile race set out on Pond Rd with runners going out in a time trial every 5 seconds. Race #2 at 1PM on Saturday is a 4.7-ish mile race set out at Devil's Bathtub on the usual Dirt Cheap Trail Race #4 course. Race #3 at 9AM on Sunday is a 11-ish mile race set out at Stewart Lodge that meanders throughout Mendon Ponds Park (MPP).

11/8/2914

I accidentally set the alarm for 6AM instead of 6:45AM so I just laid in bed trying to get back to sleep ... to no avail. My wife, Christine, was already up. She had not slept since 1AM due to her insomnia. I did the dishes from the previous night and then ate my customary cereal with banana along with juice. I looked at the temperature (34F, overcast with a light wind) ... I decided on tights, a medium weight long sleeve tech, short sleeve tech, Brooks jacket, beanie and heavy gloves. Since I was going to be gone for both the first race at 9AM and second race at 1PM I brought along a change of pants, short sleeve tech, 2014 Sehgahunda hoodie, socks and road shoes. I headed out at 8AM for the 20 minute drive down to MPP.

There were a lot of people on the roads in MPP since both No-Bo and HFM were meeting down there. The beach parking lot and both the access and egress roads were full of cars. I checked in at Stewart Lodge and then headed out to the DSCR #1 venue. I had to park about a 1/4 mile away from the race start so I got there about 15 minutes before the race started. I did run up the trail for about a minute and so I didn't really take a mile warmup run like I usually do before a race. I ditched my Brooks jacket before the race. The race conditions were: 36F, 75% RH, 7 mph S wind and overcast.


And I was off! I can't say "we" since it was a time trial start. The Golden Bib runners started first. I was first, then Daniel, then Chris O'Brien, and then Mark. Then it was runners in numerical order. I was in the lead for about 15 seconds before Daniel passed me. I was not running too well since the first 1/2 mile of the course seemed to be all uphill. Chris O'Brien passed me in this section also. I settled down and continued onward. Yes, I walked some hills. I can powerwalk just as fast as I can run up a steep hill and it saves a bit of energy.

I think this was taken on a steep hill ... notice my usual grimace - courtesy of Kim Smith

Three more runners passed me. Then we were back on the 2 way section of the course since it was close to the end. Andy Franks said "Hi" as he passed. I tried to keep pace. Another runner passed about a tenth before the finish. So ... 7 runners physically passed me.

And ... done with 3.15 miles in 29:04, 9:14 pace! I walked over to where Chris O'Brien was hanging with the finishers. He gave me grief about groaning during the uphill where he passed me. Yes, I did groan. Chris had ran the NYC Marathon just 6 days ago also and was still faster than me ... the 21 year age difference might work in his favor, lol. I did well, 37th out of 170, link here. I was 8th out of 22 in my M50-59 age group. Historically, this was my 2nd fastest DCSR #1 (2013-28:33).

Your basic post DCSR #1selfie

I walked back to the car and drove over to Stewart Lodge to eat a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs, several doughnut holes and 2 apples. Then it was off to the Devil's Bathtub to get a prime parking spot on top of the hill about 50 feet from the race start/finish at 11AM. I just surfed Facebook and chilled until 12:30PM.

This time I did get out for a 1.25 mile warmup run before the race, link here. I had to convince myself that it was warm out before I ditched my Brook jacket again.




I lined up in my usual spot ... off to the right about 20 feet from the start line. And ... we were off!

The start of DCSR #2 - courtesy of Kim Smith

I settled in with a nice 7:53 first mile. I followed Beth DeCiantis through the bog area. She seemed to know where the knee deep mudholes were and avoided them by stepping up to the twisty trail off the right now and then. Onward ... I walked the hills I needed to. I can powerwalk as fast as I can run a steep hill most of the time. Then we crossed the bridge to the other side of the pond. I had caught up to Beth again and followed her through the muddy spots over there. I mean ankle deep, shoe sucking mud when I type muddy spots by the way. I had cinched up my laces on my Salomon Speedcross 3 trail shoes so I didn't lose a shoe but I certainly tried! I tried to keep up with her on the flats on the way back to the finish.

(l-r) Beth DeCiantis and Michelle Weiler - courtesy of Kim Smith

Keeping pace - courtesy of Kim Smith

I am not sleepwalking here ... just looking at the ground - courtesy of Kim Smith

Andy Ciaio in light green - courtesy of Kim Smith

My feet were tired and my trail shoes were wet and muddy. I walked up Cardiac Hill ... onward. I concentrated on keeping my position. Then, it was up the infamous Devil's Bathtub stairs to the finish.

And done in 44:06! I did well, 44th out of 187, link here. I was 7th out of 18 in my M50-59 age group. Historically, this was my 3rd fastest DCSR #2 (2010-40:56 and 2011-42:13).

Your basic post DCSR #2 selfie

I hung out for a bit. I fist bumped Beth DeCiantis on her 43:34 finish. Then I congratulated Chris O'Brien on his 42:05 and Andy Ciaio on his 47:13. I ate one hot dog, wiped off as much mud as I could, changed out of my muddy trail shoes into my clean road shoes and motored home. A nice shower and bath really felt nice. So did a hot mug of coffee prepared by my lovely wife, Christine.

Sunday, 11/9/2014

Well, another crisp morning for the running of DSCR #3 ... just like yesterday's DCSR #1. I had most of my gear already packed from yesterday so the only mystery was whether my Salomon Speedcross 3 trail shoes had dried out from the mud bath of DCSR #2 from the previous day. I pulled out the newspaper that I had stuffed in there yesterday and ... the insides were dry. The outside were a bit damp but I had a feeling that they would just get wet again. I tried to wake up my darling wife, Christine, and was successful on my third attempt. Well ... a hug and coffee helped convince her. She had a MassageEnvy appointment at 9AM. She said that she might be waiting for me when I got done.

So ... I headed back to MPP. I got there in plenty of time at 8:30AM for the 9AM start. I took a leisurely walk up to Stewart Lodge, stashed my gym bag and got ready. I was stretching when a guy mentioned that he searched for info about this race and found this blog. I chuckled, told him that it was a public service and gave him a few pointers about the course. I got out for a nice and easy 0.5 mile warmup run at 9:08 pace, link here. I cut it a bit close though since I got to the start line only about 2 minutes before the race started. I said "Hi" to Chris O'Brien before the start. I noticed that we were both "Men in Black" again.

And ... we were off! I stuck up a nice and easy trail pace and settled in for a long run. I tried to keep up with Beth DeCiantis like I did for a while yesterday but she was in another gear today and I soon lost sight of her.

Beth DeCiantis - courtesy of Kim Smith

The first 5 miles of the race were on the familiar blue and green trails. Then we crossed to the other side of Canfield Rd and then across S Winmarth Rd over by the horse farm. The trail over here was nice with a few gentle ups and a long gentle down. I was running well.

Somewhere around here Chris O'Brien came up behind me ... which was unusual since I thought he was front of me.

Chris and I running together for a bit - "Men in Black"

He told me that he was pissed at himself for missing a turn about 2 miles back. I knew exactly where he had done it because I had done it 5 years ago. I told him not to worry about it. He pulled ahead when I walked to down a vanilla HammerGel at mile 6.6 just before we crossed Canfield Rd again almost by Route 65. It had warmed up a bit to the mid 40s. I was still running well. I was walking most of the hills and running the downs and flats. The course was heading down towards Devil's Bathtub. I transversed the bog there without sinking knee deep in the mud (always a good thing) and went down the infamous stairs. I saw Boots at the top of the last hill (so he said). He said that there was only a bit more than a mile to the finish. I passed Tina Pellegrin at mile 9.6. She told me that she thought she had broken one of her toes. She was power walking so I knew she would finish. We headed down Cardiac Hill, around Hundred Acre Pond and by the boat launch. I could hear the finish, a bit more mud and then up the last hill to Stewart Lodge.

I was in full grimace as I powered up to the last hill to the finish - courtesy of Barb Boutillier

And ... done in 1:50:28! Boots announced me into the finish. I walked up to Stewart Lodge in a bit of a daze. I stood in line to get my coveted DCSR hoodie. This color this year was yellow. Soon there were an awful lot of DCSR series finisher runners proudly wearing well earned yellow DCSR hoodies ... myself included. I soon enjoyed swapping stories with other runners. I sat at Tom Butler's table. He had brought a sheet cake to celebrate his upcoming 50th birthday ... so I helped him eat it and helped pass out paper plates and forks. My wife did make it. She sat and talked to Tom's wife, Amy. I also talked with Chris O'Brien, Andy Ciaio and Beth DeCiantis who won her 50-59 age group.

Tina Pellegrin

Tom Butler ... the soon  to be 50 year old

A post DCSR #3 selfie while proudly wearing an earned 2014 DCSR hoodie

More proud wearers of the DCSR hoodie - courtesy of Kim Smith

Officially, I did well. I finished 10.54 miles in 1:50:28, 10:29 pace for my third fastest DCSR #3 out of six. I was 60th out of 173, link here. I was 10th out of 19 in my M50-59 age group. I was 7th out of 19 in my DCSR M50-59 age group, link here. I was 39th out of 88 in the DCSR male overall, link here. My splits were: 8:51, 9:12, 11:13, 10:21, 11:09, 10:01, 10:22, 11:18, 12:30 and 9:06 over the last 0.54 mile. 

Yes, I know it's a lot of stats. Yes, I am competitive (perhaps in my own mind). But ... trail running is not all so much about running hard but enjoying the journey and that I did. It was a beautiful morning to spend in MPP with my running friends. So many more people know me than I know them. I am trying. I probably helped them today since I wore my golden bib with my name in big, bold letters ... lol!

We left after a while. I went straight home. I stripped as soon as I got in the door and was all showered, dressed and had a mug of coffee at the ready by the time the Bills vs Chiefs game was on at 1PM. My wife ... went shopping at Target and Wegmans. So ... I had more than a few bags to carry inside when she arrived home.

The Bills put a bit of a downer on western NY when they lost 13-17, link here. The game was close but ... it didn't help when the offense fumbled and the punt returner also fumbled in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs got the 2 TDs that they needed to win. So ... the Bills snatched defeat from the jaws of victory to fall to 5-4. Oh well. I was looking at Facebook updates and pictures of the DCSR anyway.

All in all, another great DCSR! Thank you to Fleet Feet and Yellow Jacket Racing and the volunteers!