Dirt Cheap Stage Race 2013

I ran 5 times in 2 days, Dirt Cheap Stage Race (DCSR), 19.94 miles

Saturday, 11/9/2013: DCSR 2013 - Race #1, two runs of 0.5 and 3.13 miles.

I woke up around 6:40 AM. My darling Christine wasn't feeling well. She had a headache and stomachache. She is still recovering from a sinus infection. I kissed her and quietly got ready. I knew I was going to run two races so I packed some extra warm clothes to wear in between and afterward if I needed them. I found my heavy running gloves before I left. I got down to Mendon Ponds Park around 8:25 AM. I parked at the horse parking lot at the corner of Douglas and Pond Rd and took a nice and easy 1/2 mile warmup run at 8:14 pace up to the race site.

Garmin Connect Activity for 0.5 mile warmup before DCSR 2013 - Race #1

I got up to the race site about 10 minutes before the start. One of the readers of my blog introduced himself before the race. Wow, people read me!



The weather for this race was 39F, 65% RH, overcast and calm. So I dressed in my CW-X tights, Brooks Racing Team T-shirt, arm warmers, heavy running gloves and orange hat. This race was a time trial with runners going off from the start every 5 seconds. My bib number was 29 so I didn't have long to wait. I passed some runners and was passed by some runners like usual on a time trial race. The course was pretty hilly with an uphill start and major hills at mile 1 and mile 2. Boots was giving us encouragement on top of the second hill. Laura Church and her dog, Saz, were at the hard right turn that I had run right past in two of the previous four DCSR race #1 that I have run. I thanked her as I took the hard right. I walked the major hills that I had to and just flat out ran as best I could. I was pleased to see that the clock was under 29 when I finished. I knew that I had set a course PR since I had checked my year by year race spreadsheet before I left this morning ... actually a 1:19 minute course PR from 2010. I don't know how I did it but ... nice!

Trying not to fall at the finish!

Not exactly the best selfie I have ever taken ... this one is after race #1

I stuck around for a bit and cooled down while I watched other runners come in. I got cold and walked the 1/2 mile back to the car. There was food at Stewart Lodge so I drove over. When I was walking up another reader of my blog introduced herself. Again ... wow! 

Mmm ... pancakes and a banana!

I got some chow: pancakes and a banana. I didn't want to eat too much but I needed some nutrition. I hung out for a while and warmed up in front of the fireplace. Mmm ... warmth!

Oh ... I did pretty OK on race #1. I finished in 28:33 and was 43rd out of 168, link here. I was 5th out of 23 in the DSCR series, 5th out of 25 overall, in my wide M50-59 age group.

Saturday, 11/9/2013: DCSR 2013 - Race #2, 2 runs of 1.2 and 4.71 miles.

I got out to Devil's Bathtub where race #2 was held around 11:30 AM. I got a great parking spot up at the top and just hung out in the car for a hour. I got out for a nice 1.2 mile warmup run at 8:53 pace. I got back from my warmup with just 5 minutes left so I quickly drank some water, took off my jacket and changed my heavy running gloves and beanie to my light running gloves and lucky orange hat.

Garmin Connect for 1.2 mile warmup before DCSR 2013 - Race #2

The weather had warmed 45F, 53% RH, overcast and a bit windy. I have run this course a lot. I looked at my year by year race spreadsheet and found that this was my 15th time on this course, 10 times in this direction. Five years of Dirt Cheap Trails Races and now my fifth DCSR, wow!

The start of race #2 ... trying not to trip.

The mass start to the left of the parking lot went well. I was soon up to speed and running pretty well. I went off course for a bit before the bog. I saw that the bog was kind of dry so I took a chance and ran through it rather than up a bit higher on a twisty and rooty path. Well ... all went well until I went through a soggy patch and sank up to my knee. I almost lost my right shoe but pulled it out. My left hamstring started to hurt a bit so I took it easier the rest of the way. I went off course for a bit again but quickly found the flags. I almost lost my right shoe again in another muddy patch. I saw Boots twice at the top of Cardiac Hill, once on each side. Soon I started to hear music and Ellen Brenner's voice as she announced finishers. I knew that I needed to save a bit for the infamous stair finish. I was definitely gritting my teeth when I was taking my last steps to finished in 45:09, lol! I was totally out of breath when I got done and headed straight for the water. Two hot dogs and a couple cookies hit the spot afterward. I found that my tights, socks and trail shoes were covered with mud.

Just 20 feet to go in race #2!

A selfie at Devil's Bathtub after race #2

A runner coming up the infamous stairs

My shoes, socks and tights may not look muddy but they were caked with mud!

I was cold so I headed home with my left hamstring aching. It hurt lifting my left leg to use the brake. When I got home I draped a towel on the floor to catch the mud so I could strip and get out of my running gear. Mud would have been everywhere if I hadn't. An immediate hot shower and bath really helped me feel human. My darling Christine helped by giving me a hot Bed Buddy to try to soothe my left hamstring. You heat it in the microwave and it can get quite hot ... yes, really hot. So I had to experiment with how long I left it in. It did feel good when I put my left hamstring on it.

Oh, I did OK in race #2. I finished in 45:09 and was 51st out of 182, link here. I was 5th out of 23 in the DCSR series, 5th out of 28 overall, in my wide M50-59 age group.

Sunday, 11/10/2013: DCSR 2013 - Race #3, 10.4 miles estimated, 1:47:18, 10:40 pace, 45F, overcast, windy

I woke up around 6:30AM like usual. Christine was on the couch again because she was restless and knew that she was going to snore. She still had a sinus headache and felt like crap. I did the dishes from yesterday and quietly got ready. I ate my usual cereal with banana along with orange juice. I put on my backup tights since my CW-X tights were still muddy. I also found a pair of old trail shoes since my ones from yesterday were still wet. I wore my Brooks Racing Team t-shirt, armwarmers along with my heavy running gloves and beanie. I wore my Salomon/Camelbak hydration vest. However, I forgot to bring my Garmin Forerunner 310XT. I didn't figure that out until I got down to the Beach parking lot of Mendon Ponds Park around 8:30AM.

Oh, well. I hung out in Stewart Lodge for a while before the race and ran around a bit to warmup before the race. I set up Map My Run and sent out a RoadID eCrumb to my wife and kids just before the race started.


This Garmin map is from 2011. It's just to show the course.

The start of race #3 ... just 10.4 miles to go!

This was my fifth DCSR race #3 so I knew that I needed to start out nice and easy. I settled in to run behind a group of runners and stayed off and on with them for several miles. I did my usual walk the hills I had to walk and then ran the flats and downs. The audio from my Map My Run app did let me know time and distance along the run. The weather was great for running ... nice and cool with a nice wind. I took some gulps of Hammer Gel at miles 4 and 9. Boots was at the top of what he said was the last hill before the finish around mile 9.5. I knew that the finish was near and just kept on running. There wasn't any music coming from the finish nor was Ellen announcing the finishers when I got to the finish. I kept digging up to the finish and crossed in 1:47:18. Wow! My second fastest DCSR race #3!

Wearing my new DCSR hoodie after completing race #3!

I quickly got some water and soon was wearing my well earned and coveted DCSR blue hoodie. Ellen told everyone that the only the person that earned the hoodie could wear it. I stuck around for the awards ... well, I was a bit exhausted too!

Oh, I ran pretty well in race #3. I finished in 1:47:18, 60th out of 178, link here. I was 7th out of 24 in the DCSR series, 9th out of 33 overall in my wide M50-59 age group. Overall, I was 49th out of 163 overall in the DCSR series, link here. I was 6th out of 23 in the DCSR series in my M50-59 age group, link here.

I met up with Bill Beyerbach afterward who invited me to breakfast at Panera Bread at the Twelve Corners in Brighton. We caught up on our running exploits. Bill had been a spectator down at the NYC marathon last weekend and ran the Marine Corp marathon down in DC two weeks ago.

Soon though I was home and greeted my darling Christine with a kiss. I made her a cup of coffee and bagel, then settled down to catch up on Facebook and watch the Bills (now 3-7) lose to Pittsburgh (now 3-6), 23-10, link here. Life is kind of predictable for the Bills and their fans who root for them ... no matter what sanity tells them!

Later I headed down to Medved in Pittsford for the Trail Runner of the Year (TROY) series award ceremony. I had run 6 of their 8 events (Muddy Sneaker, Medved Madness, Charlie's Old Goat, 0 SPF Trail Half Marathon, Dam Good Trail Race and Mendon Ponds 50K). I missed Virgil Crest and Out of Bounds this year. I was 13th with 280 points out of 400, link here. Eventually around 50 people were there. Free pizza and baked goods were a good appetizer. I met up with Bill Beyerbach again. I learned what eight races were on their 2014 schedule.

The Trail Runner of the Year 2014 races!

Then I went out for some groceries at the Wegmans on Ridge and Culver. I had to go back when I forgot a bag with a couple of dressings and coffee creamer. Luckily someone had found it and turned it over to the service desk. On the way home I went to KFC to get a $10 bucket of 10 chicken pieces for supper ... I swear the chicken they make is addictive!

I did not identify the two new readers to the blog. Some people do mind, some don't. Me ... I don't. If you Google my name you will find at least 5 pages of race results plus other info. So I am out there.

All in all, I have done a lot of running in the past nine days since the Mendon Ponds Trail Run 50K. A quick look at the blog over the past couple of weeks will show: runs of 31.61, 5, 0.5, 3.13, 1.2, 4.71 and 10.4 miles for a total of 56.55 miles. I think I will take it easy for a couple of days!