Sunday, 3/10/2013: Rest day ... but 64F!
My youngest son needs to buy another car so I headed out to Palmyra for the third time so far. We did find a VW Golf that he liked at Select Euro Cars in Waterloo. I hope that he can get proper financing so he can stop borrowing his mother's car to get to work.
Meanwhile, trouble was brewing back on the homefront. My darling wife, Christine, decided that my pile of stuff that I keep on an open bookcase was unsightly and dusty (among other words). So ... she placed (I say dumped) it into two boxes that greeted me when I got home. I was not pleased ... but went through my stuff while complaining about it. As a result I missed out of enjoying the late afternoon and evening warmth. We kissed and made up in the morning ... though I was still a bit ticked.
Monday, 3/11/2013: 6.2 miles, 52:08, 8:25 pace, 54F, night, windy, no stops, moderate thigh and right Achilles discomfort
Garmin Connect Activity for Usual 10K around the streets of Irondequoit
Christine's hugs or the couch couldn't keep from running ... though she and it tried! I got out there at dusk with lots of reflectivity on ... calf sleeves, tech long sleeve, light gloves and headlamp. I got for a 25:10 first 5K, 8:07 pace. Then ... I started to hurt. My thighs tightened up and then my right Achilles started to ache. I slowed and endured the second 5K, 8:42 pace. I think it was my body still complaining about the 15 mile Run Around the Bay on Saturday ... my longest run of the year so far.
Tuesday, 3/12/2013: Rest day ... just your usual night off from running.
Wednesday, 3/13/2013: 7.5 miles, 1:00:50, 8:07 pace, 28F, overcast, windy, no stops.
Garmin Connect Activity for 7.5 miles around the streets of Irondequoit
What a difference a couple of days made ... winter returned! I really needed to run so I got out to enjoy the daylight. I needed to vent some frustration so I took it out kind of hard for the first 5K, 7:54 pace. I went down and back up Chapel Hill Drive so my next 5K was slower, 8:15 pace. I dropped my pace down a notch the rest of the way as a sort of cooldown. My right Achilles didn't really bother me ... sweet!
Thursday, 3/14/2013: Rest day.
I thought about running but my darling Christine was feeling poorly so I picked up a Papa John's pizza after I picked up my race bib and long sleeve t-shirt from Johnny's Irish Pub for Johnny's Runnin of the Green on Saturday morning. We finally watched our NetFlix DVD, J Edgar ... after 2 months!
Friday, 3/15/2013: 4 miles, 30:13, 7:33 pace, 36F, partly cloudy, windy, no stops.
Garmin Connect Activity for 4 miles around the streets of Irondequoit
I wanted to get out for a short, fast run ... so I did. I want to get some confidence that I could hold a 7:30 pace for Johnny's tomorrow. I went out ... and I did. A short, fast run was what I needed.
Later, Christine cooked up an excellent dinner of fish, mixed vegetables, rice and salad ... yummy! Then we watched Syracuse beat Georgetown in the Big East semis, 58-55 in OT, link here.
Saturday, 3/16/2013: 2 runs of 2 and 5 miles
I had a dream that I was late for a race and had to run in socks! So ... Christine and I got up late but still got down to a great parking spot near the Blue Cross Arena an hour before the 9:30AM start time of the 5 mile Johhny's Runnin' of the Green. The weather was certainly unlike last year's 70+ degrees. Today was 26F, overcast with a slight breeze that cut right through you.
Garmin Connect Activity for Warmup before Johnny's Runnin' of the Green
I caught up with members of the Brooks Racing Team and went out for a nice and slow warmup run. I decided to ditch my jacket before the race. I knew I would warm up .... or at least I hoped I would.
The start line was changed from the narrow confines of last year's one side of Exchange to the narrow confines of Court St. But this time there was the ability of everyone who was slow to pile up in front of everyone who was already at the start. The resultant start was a scrum chock full of slow runners that I had to navigate and squirm around for at least 1/2 mile. I managed to start with and hang with Bill Beyerbach until the Ford St bridge where I took the inside of a turn and left him behind. The first mile passed by in a slow 7:42 as I got up to speed. I slowly tried to catch up to Wendy Abbott who was 100 feet in front. I did get within 30 feet before she negative split me after the turn around.
 |
| Wendy Abbott waving |
 |
| On the way back around mile 3.5 ... just trying to hold my position. |
 |
| Bill Beyerbach |
I did OK with Garmin paces of 7:34, 7:08, 7:11, 7:19 and 7:01. I finished in 36:32 (36:23 according to my Garmin), 7:18 pace. I was 221st out of 2096, link here. I was 9th out of 93 in my M55-59 age group, link here.
I am not in PR shape yet. I have only been running since 2006 and last year I set a lot of lifetime PRs before I got injured. But I think I can drag my 55 year old body back there if I try. My right Achilles just bothers me now and then. I know how to stretch it so I can run. It aches or twinges ... I endure and continue onward. I would say I am 90%.
After the race Christine and I headed over to the Liberty Family Restaurant to have lunch with Bill Beyerbach ... and talk running. Later a nice, leisurely afternoon ensued. Christine cooked up beef brisket, boiled cabbage and carrots for supper. A nice day!
Maybe not so nice for the Syracuse Orange mens basketball team in the Big East Final against Louisville. They were ahead by 16 with 15:30 minutes and ended up losing by 17, 61-78, link here. Ouch!
