Sunday, 10/2/2016 to Saturday, 10/8/2016

I ran 3 times this week, 33.3 miles.

Sunday, 10/2/2016: 20.05 miles. 3:01:41, 9:04 pace, 57F, 94% RH, 4 mph SW wind, partly cloudy.


Well, I have a half marathon route that I have done eight times. Now, I have a twenty mile loop that I just did. It can be easily be made into a 26.2 mile loop also. I had a pre-run bowl of cereal and banana, dressed, filled up my HammerGel flask with (what else?) HammerGel, put 1.5 liters of water into my hydration vest, kissed Christine goodbye and headed out.

I struck up a nice and easy 8:30-ish pace and headed out. I kept up that pace pretty much for the first 10 miles. I saw a girl running the other way at mile 2 and passed (and scared) a guy with headphones (!) at mile 5. I passed 13.1 miles in 1:54:30. Then ... it was a struggle past mile 14 per usual. I have to be able to get past mile 14 to be able to run a 3:50 marathon anytime when I am in the M 60-64 age group so I can run Boston. I think it will be a struggle but one that I plan to win. Anyway, I lapsed into a run/walk from mile 14 on. I was on my usual hydrate every 2 from mile 4 onward and take HammerGel every 4 past mile 6 onward. I didn't hydrate at mile 18 or take HammerGel (my bad). I have to work on my mental mojo but I did get 20 miles in without much trouble. What doesn't kill me makes me stronger. My splits were: 8:31, 8:32, 8:29, 8:39, 8:35, 8:34, 8:45, 8:47, 8:43, 8:54, 9:10, 8:51, 8:59, 8:57, 9:48, 9:13, 9:15, 10:01, 11:04 and 9:26.

I lost 3.7 pounds before and after the run. I was a bit stiff for about 4 hours afterward. Much of it was spent with my feet up drinking a couple mugs of coffee along with a bagel and half a pizza. Update: I gained them all back by Tuesday.

I virtually stalked Jim McLaughlin at the Kona Ironman, link here. He did his 15th Ironman in 13:40:46 with a 2.4 mile swim of 1:35:22, a 112 mile bike of 6:31:44 and a marathon of 5:21:22.

Later, Christine and I went to Rochester General Hospital to see my cousin, Lea Ann Sawyer who was there with a blood clot in her left leg. She had endured several painful treatments but should be going home on Monday or Tuesday. RGH certainly is big.

Monday, 10/3/2016: Rest day ... I was a bit gimpy.

Tuesday, 10/4/2016: 6.25 miles, 52:05, 8:20 pace, 68F, 68% RH, 11 mph E wind, partly cloudy

Garmin Connect Activity for A nice and steady 10K

It's Tuesday, so I ran whether I was a wee bit gimpy still or not. My body didn't like it at first but my will kept it in line. I tried a really nice and easy pace but ... I ended up going my normal pace. I just did an out and back on the paved LOSP trail near the townhouse and then on Island Cottage. My splits were: 8:45, 8:31, 8:09, 8:12, 8:12, 8:15 and 7:45 over the last 0.25 mile. My tech shirt was dripping when I got done ... nice!

Wednesday, 10/5/2016: Rest day ... moving on ...

Thursday, 10/6/2016: 7 miles, 57:11, 8:08 pace, 72F, 61% RH, 6 mph NE wind, sunny


It was Thursday and I know what I do on Thursdays. I ran. I liked not being on the road but I don't like out and backs too much either so I mixed it up and did a new keyhole loop with some LOSP and some road that turned out to be 7 miles. I started a bit slow and then picked up the pace. Another beautiful October evening as the sun set! My splits were: 8:26, 8:10, 8:14, 8:12, 7:45, 7:47 and 7:53. I was dripping afterward ... sweet!

Friday, 10/7/2016, and Saturday, 10/8/2016: Rest day.

Friday was a true rest day and Saturday was a "should have run" day. Saturday should have also "get something done around the townhouse" day but instead I felt like a slug while I trolled Facebook reacting to all the vile that I read about Trump's "grab them by the pussy" audio from 2005. I felt slimed and depressed afterward. I did enjoy reading about all the running exploits on Saturday: Scarecrow 5K (results here), CanLake 50, Kona Ironman and Louisville Ironman.