Sunday, 10/1/2017 to Saturday, 10/7/2017

I ran 2 times this week, 12.6 miles.
I took 50,746 steps this week according to my Pebble 2 HR smart watch.

Sunday, 10/1/2017: 1109 steps during the day, rest day.

Lot of athletes were out there doing what they do: the Hilton Apple Derby 5 mile race in Hilton, the Running with the Angels 5K/10K, the Autumn Classic Duathlon down in Mendon Ponds Park and the Wine Glass Half and Full Marathon down in Corning.

Me? I ... was a slug. The only reason I got over 1000 steps was due to going to Wegmans before the Bills - Falcons game. I think most of upstate NY was waiting for the shoe to drop and the Bill lose a close one ... especially with the Falcons driving in the red zone with time running out. But .. that 4th and 1 pass dropped incomplete and the Bills won 23-17, link here.

Yes, I am still watching the NFL. The athletes who kneel during the national anthem are kneeling, not to disrespect the flag or veterans but to bring attention to racial inequality and police brutality in this country. I personally don't like it but they have the right to protest and I support that.

Monday, 10/2/2017: 7109 steps during the day, rest day.

I thought about running but I'm glad I didn't. My darling wife, Christine, called me just as I was headed out the door to go home and asked me to pick up barbecue sauce ... she was cooking ribs! Mmm!

Tuesday, 10/3/2017: 16844 steps during the day, 7.55 miles, 1:03:56, 8:28 pace, 79F, 39% RH, calm, sunny.


It was Tuesday ... so I ran. I headed out to my usual starting point as of late, Greece Arcadia High School for my usual IC and Janes run. I just concentrated on being nice, steady and not heel striking as much. My splits were: 8:01, 8:22, 8:23, 8:32, 8:33, 8:39, 8:35 and 8:46 over the last 0.55 mile.

I thought about the upcoming Empire State Marathon. Christine and I will head out on Saturday for packet pickup, tour the Expo and to scope out the course. I have decided to wear my old Garmin Forerunner 310XT for the race. Reason? It's old school way of toggling between the screens so I can get to the Virtual Partner screen amnual pdf link here. The Garmin Forerunner 220 that I normally wear does NOT (at least that I can find here) have this feature! I want to set Virtual Partner for my desired 8:45 pace ... and just let the race happen. I plan to be ahead of my Virtual Partner when I finish the ESM!

Wednesday, 10/4/2017: 3133 steps during the day, rest day.

Thursday, 10/5/2017: 12078 steps during the day, 5.05 miles, 41:43, 8:15 pace, 72F, 4% RH, 11 mph W wind, sunny.


I got out for my last run before the ESM on Sunday. I changed after work, went to Greece Arcadia High School, fired up my Garmin Forerunner 310XT, fired off an eCrumb and set forth. I kept my 310XT on the Virtual Partner screen. I kept a nice and steady pace as I just ran a short 5 miles. I finished 0.29 miles and 2:33 ahead of my Virtual Partner who was "running" a 8:45 pace. I know I can't keep a 8:15 pace pace for a full marathon but I will be happy as long as I don't finish behind my Virtual Partner's 8:45 pace. My splits were:

Friday, 10/6/2017: 5484 steps during the day, rest day.

Saturday, 10/7/2017: 4989 steps during the day, rest day.

My darling wife, Christine, and I went out to Syracuse to the NBT Bank Stadium for the Empire State Marathon Expo. What a lame expo! I picked up my bib and my nice burnt orange ESM long sleeve tech shirt. But ... I guess I am spoiled by a Fleet Fleet Sports Expo where you have about 10 vendors. Here ... none and you can only buy more ESM merchandise. I am glad we went though because we learned that the direct route from the west (exit 38 from the NYS Thruway) to the NBT Bank Stadium was going to be closed at 6 AM tomorrow morning. So ... we scoped out a way to get there using 690 East and exiting at Hiawatha Blvd. Then we scoped out a way for Christine to get to Long Branch Park to see me at miles 5, 11.5 and 21 during the marathon. Hopefully I will see her. It would be nice to see a friendly face at an out of town marathon ... particularly at mile 21!

So ... all locked and loaded for the ESM tomorrow. I went to bed around 10 AM with my alarm set for 4:30 AM. I made sure that I had everything that I thought I would need in my running bag before I shut my eyes: Garmin Forerunner 310XT, 2 full flasks of Hammer Gel, shorts, 2 full Nathan SpeedDraw Plus flasks of water, a white Rochester Marathon short sleeve tech shirt, a pair of new Beluga socks and sunglasses.