Sunday, 8/28/11: 7.58 miles, 1:34:50, 10:46 pace, 70F, cloudy, windy, multiple stops, no pain.
Garmin Connect Activity for Durand Eastman Park run
I headed out to Durand Eastman Park for a run with the Fleet Feet Endurance Team. Rochester was feeling minor effects of Hurricane (then Tropical Storm) Irene. Namely, it was cloudy and there was a stiff north wind that really whipped up the waves on Lake Ontario. About 30 runners showed up. I stayed with the lead group. We ran really nice and easy as we explored the many trails. I had an option to run another 5 miles but chose to just head up to the west end of the beach and ran back on the beach to add another couple more miles. There were a couple of wind surfers running on the surf, it looked like they were having fun!
Monday, 8/29/11: Rest day.
CJ and I did laundry after work. My Casio G'zOne Commando came today via FedEx. I activated it, downloaded my contacts using Backup Assistant, set up Yahoo, Gmail and Facebook, and paired my Bluetooth. It will take a bit of getting used to.
Tuesday, 8/30/11: 7.8 miles, 1:04:48, 8:18 pace, 74F, sunny, calm, not so humid, no pain.
Garmin Connect Activity for 4x1000m repeat with 400m recovery
CJ and I headed down to Fleet Feet for the usual speed workout up on Cobbs Hill Reservoir. I warmed up running up to the hill nice and easy. The workout was 1000m repeats with 400m recovery. I did 4 loops. My times were around 4:00 (I had trouble with the lap button), 4:12, 4:12 and 4:13. I took the long way back. I started nice and easy, then started to push it a bit. CJ walked up to the corner of Monroe and Highland and back. Hopefully she will find her Nike+ soon.
Wednesday, 8/31/11: Rest day.
Just your average rest day. I watched Killers, a NetFlix Instant movie on my new phone. Kinda cool ... I had to hook up headphones.
I ran 100.71 miles during the month of August
9 races, 55.8 racing miles, in the month of August
16 days out of 31 days, 6.3 miles/run.
To the end of August 2011: 122 runs out 242 days, 765 miles, 6.3 miles/run
Thursday, 9/1/11: Another average rest day.
Friday, 9/2/11: 4.2 miles 33:35, 7:58 pace, 85F, sunny, calm, humid, no stops, no pain.
Garmin Connect Activity for FF Happy Hour run
I just had to run so I headed down to Fleet Feet for packet pickup for tomorrow's Summerfest 12K and also CJ's 5K and for the usual Happy Hour run. Only 5 other runners showed up so per usual, I was on my own. I tried to hold back and for the most part succeeded. I was dripping wet when I got done ... it was very muggy.
Saturday, 9/3/11: 1:00:41, 8:09 pace, 82F, sunny, calm, muggy, 4 walks, no pain.
The start ...
Just after the start ...
Just before the turn back onto Douglas Rd ...
Gritting my teeth for the finish!
Christine (henceforth CJ is Christine) and I headed down to our home away from home, Mendon Ponds Park, for the Fleet Feet Summerfest. I ran the 12K. The conditions were brutal ... just like at the Hamlin Half. I went out a bit fast like always, a 6:58 first mile. I was passed by Bill, Wilt and Heather just before the first mile. John passed me when I walked through the water stop at mile 2. I walked through the other two water stops to make sure I stayed hydrated ... I did not handle the heat and humidity well. I soldiered on, Wendy passed me around mile 6 but I kept her in view. I kept on running and crossed the line in under 1:01, a 24 second PR from last year. I had wanted to break one hour but I considered it a good effort considering the conditions. I finished 65th out of 325, results here. I was 6th out of 25 in my age group, results here. Christine walked/ran the 5K in 56:43, results here. She may have finished last but she told herself that she was going to finish. She lapped the people that weren't there!
Ellen, the race director, calling in the racers!
I had asked Ellen, the race director, if I could make a special announcement before the awards ceremony. I had not expected her to hand me the microphone. I managed to ask Christine to join me. I told her (and everyone else) that we had been together since Summerfest 2009 2 years minus 2 days ago after being separated 32 years ago, then I asked her to marry me. She was crying (she said she was sweating) as she said yes! Everyone thought it was so sweet! She was completely surprised that I had asked her to marry me so publicly! I can keep a secret!
Asking Christine to marry me!
Ellen gave us 2 tickets to tonight's Red Wings game. On the way home we stopped at Starbucks. When Christine mentioned that I had asked her to marry me, they gave us free coffee! She called her 2 kids, father and 2 brothers while she sipped her iced tea. I called my 3 kids, ex, brother and sister when we got home. A nice bath and shower helped cool us down from all the excitement.
Later, we went to Red Wings game. We ate supper there, then settled in the excellent front row seats down the first base side that a Fleet Feet Brooks Racing Team member donated. It was an excellent game. The Red Wings fell behind 3-0 early but rallied to tie in the 7th, go ahead 6-3 in the 8th and win by going 1-2-3 in the top of the 9th, link here. We enjoyed the post game fireworks before celebrating our new status of being engaged!!
