Sunday, April Fool's Day: Spring Forward 15K, 1:09:15, 7:27 pace, 36F, cloudy, no stops, no pain.
Christine and I got out early for the 10th Spring Forward 15K and 2.5 mile run down at Mendon Ponds Park. We got there about 25 minutes early and were astounded by the number of cars that were already parking on the road. We quickly got our stuff together and got going.
I had a bit of a warmup before my 15K ... maybe a 1/4 mile run. I really had no expectations before the race. I had not run the day before and felt a bit off. So when the race started I just started easy and tried to hold back. Bill Beyerbach and Don (from Sehgahunda Training) passed me before mile 1. Heather Danielson passed me a bit after mile 1. I kept on cranking and took a bit of water at the first water stop at mile 1, didn't stop. I saw and heard Kelly Schroeder playing her banjo around mile 3.5. I caught up to Bill Beyerbach around mile 4.5. I motored up and down the rolling hills of Mendon ... the hills were just another obstacle to overcome (Sehgahunda Training mindset, I guess). I took another bit of water at the second water stop at mile 6, didn't stop. The same at the third water stop, didn't stop. I saw Kelly playing her banjo around mile 8 ... initially I thought it was someone else! But I did notice the same zebra boats so I was confused until she cleared it up. I was in the home stretch now. I noticed that my right shoe was untied, hoped I wouldn't trip ... I just kept it going and let it all hang out coming down to the finish. I passed 3 runners in the last 100 yards, 2 women and the M55-59 age group winner, Frank Quattrone. My splits were: 7:07 (started easy ... sure), 7:31, 7:21, 7:21, 7:24, 7:31, 7:36, 7:43, 7:23. My pace over the last 0.3 mile was 6:34. My total time was 1:09:15. I didn't find out until we got home that it was a 1:05 PR over last year ... yeah, baby!!
The camera is about a mile into the race, I appear around 1:50 with my red earwarmer.
 |
Somewhere before mile 3.5 where I took off my red earwarmer. |
 |
| Sprinting for the finish! |
Christine appears at 8:08
We did pretty well. I finished 70th out of 561, link here. I was 8th out of 47 in my M50-54 age group, link here. Christine finished in 43:51, link here. We ate some hot dogs and hung out a bit then headed to the car. We both really had to change into some warm and dry clothes. Some homemade coffee and a donut each from Dunkin Donuts when we got back home really helped too!
More running ... our car was making a squealing noise so I took it to our auto mechanic, Russell.
Garmin Connect Activity for Russell's House to Home
I ran home 3.5 miles at a really nice and easy 8:34 pace in a light rain/snow mix.
Garmin Connect Activity for Home to Russell's House
Russell called with the news that it was just the squealer bar on the front brakes saying "replace the pads and rotors". So I ran to ESL and out to Russell's House in a nice and easy 8:06 pace to retrieve our car.
So ... I ran 16.85 miles on Sunday, nice! My muscles were just achy, not really sore. Christine made up a nice chicken leftover supper while we watched Frozen Planet. Then we watched GCB before we headed to bed ... late on Sunday like usual.
Monday: Rest day ... totally deserved. I was a bit achy but not too bad.
Tuesday: Sehgahunda Training at Cobbs Hill, 46F, cloudy, calm, no pain.
Garmin Connect Activity for Sehgahunda Training at Cobbs Hill - Triple Blast x 3
Christine and I headed down to Fleet Feet Brighton to pickup my Sehgahunda Training tech T-shirt ... sweet! Then we headed down to Cobbs Hill to meet up with the group. Christine stayed in the car ... I think she is coming down with something. The training was different tonight. After a 10 minute warmup run, Mark introduced us the joy of the Triple Blast. A Triple Blast is: charge up the stone path, ease down, charge up the diagonal, ease down, meander over to and charge up the switchback, ease down. I did repeat #1 in 10:38, repeat #2 in 10:37, repeat #3 in 10:51. Kind of consistent. Then I did a 20 minute cooldown run. Nice!
Wednesday, 4/4/12: Sehgahunda Training Tempo run, 1:01:33, 7.9 miles, 7:48 pace, 50F, sunny, a west wind, no stops, no pain.
I know I have been ragging on Kobe Bryant ... well, maybe he just had a bad stretch, maybe it was just matchups but lately he hasn't been knocking 'em down. Kobe scored 40 at home against Golden State on 4/1, Lakers win by 8, link here. Kobe scored 24 at home against New Jersey on 4/3, Lakers win by 4 (after blowing all of a 12 point lead in the 4th quarter, Kobe hits the game winning 3), link here.
Garmin Connect Acttivity for Sehgahunda Training Tempo run
Christine and I headed down to Fleet Feet Ridgeway for my Sehgahunda Training run. Christine didn't feel well so she stayed in the car. My training called for 15 minute warmup, then 10 minute tempo and 5 minutes easy times three, then a 15 minute cooldown. I modified it to 8 minute warmup, then 8 minute tempo around 7:00 pace or better, 4 minute easy times four, then a 12 minute cooldown. A beautiful evening to be out ... nice!
Thursday, 4/5/12: Rest day.
Just your usual rest day except I had a headache from lack of sleep all day. Christine and I did make it out though. Christine went to a massage at Massage Envy which she says I would enjoy. I went to Medved to listen to a talk about their upcoming Endurance Project.
Friday, 4/6/12: Another rest day.
My Sehgahunda Training called for 45 minutes easy but I decided that 8908 steps at work was good enough. I am taking Monday, 4/9/12, off so I was running around to make sure that all the printers that I care for were happy printers ... as much as printers can be, I guess! I started packing early since we are headed for Cuyahoga Falls OH to spend two nights at Christine's daughter's apartment and Ravenna OH for Easter.
Saturday, 4/7/12: Sehgahunda Preview Run #2, 17:05 miles, 3:38:15, 12:49 pace, 40-50F, sunny, a bit breezy at the top, a bit of right hamstring ache.
Christine and I woke up early. Christine didn't pack so fast so ... I just did everything else I could to take the burden off her. We started out around 8:20AM for Check Point #1 on River Rd south of the Mount Morris Dam. I knew I would be late ... but no worries, I would start when I got there. The morning was sunny, cool around 40F with a light breeze when we got down to CP1. This Preview Run was to run down from CP1, turn left on the FLT, up to CP2, down from CP2, turn left on FLT out to CP3 and then back to CP1 without going up to CP2.
I stretched out, got geared up with my Camelbak and GU, kissed Christine and headed down from CP1 at a nice and easy pace. There was mud and gnarly roots for sure. I powered up and down the hills, then up the mile to CP2. I got there in 27:57. I did a GU and took a 2 minute break before I headed back down. Since I came late, I say "Hi" to fellow runners when I encountered them. I took a wrong turn on the way back down ... which ended up to be a shortcut. I caught up to, then passed Boots, Sean and their posse of runners. I forged onward to CP3 which was a good 6 miles away. I remembered to sip my water and have a GU every 40 minutes or so enroute. As time passed I was getting a bit anxious that I had passed the turn up to CP3 but soon I saw runners coming back so I knew I was getting close.
 |
| Just before the turn up to CP3 |
Jim Roche was standing at the bottom of the turn. He pointed left and told me that I was 0.4 miles up to CP3. I got there at 1:50 elapsed time. I was tired and ambled over to her car where I met up with Christine. I had a ham and cheese sandwich, a GU, water, 2 Endurolytes, refilled my Camelbak, kissed Christine and headed back down ... all this in 5 minutes. I knew I was tired so I was more careful about my footing. My right hamstring had started aching but I persevered and continued onward. My hill training helped me out, I powered up and down the hills ... just slower.
Joe and Mark caught up to me and I ran with them for a couple of miles. I left them behind as I motored up the 0.7 run back to CP1. I got there in 3:38, 1:43 after I started back from CP3. I immediately started to eat and ambled onward. I greeted fellow runners as they came up the trail. My muscles ached ... but it was a good ache.
After a bit we got everything together and set out for Cuyahoga Falls, OH for Easter. The first part of my maps.google.com route took us on 406, 436, 305 through some Amish farms, then west on I-86 to Erie, PA. The view of the steep hills surrounding I-86 of the Southern Tier was very scenic. All we could think of was how Boots would love to make a trail race down here. We stopped periodically along the way so I could stretch my aching right hamstring. I walked gingerly but I did walk. We got there around 7PM and ate at our usual haunt, the Wing Warehouse. The steak was passable ... not memorable for sure, but the beer was cold.
As soon as we got to the apartment of Christine's daughter, I tossed down our stuff, said "Good night" and went to bed. It was around 9PM but I was exhausted. I had a fitful night of sleep ... different bed, different lighting but I slept until 9:45AM the next morning.
