Sunday, 6/16/2013 to Saturday, 6/22/2013 - Medved 5K to Cure ALS & Airport 5K

I ran 7 times for 24.67 miles, 2 were warmups, 2 were cooldowns
I biked 1 time for 15.1 miles.

Sunday, 6/16/2013: 3 runs of 1.05, 3.15, 1.5 miles, 66F, 64% RH, a real light mist and a bit of breeze.

Christine's stomach didn't feel good so I went solo down to Frontier Field to run the Medved 5K to Cure ALS. I pulled into Kodak's Lot D around 7:45 with plenty of time to spare for the 8:30 AM start. I toyed with the idea of running a sub 20 minute 5K. How sweet would that be?

Garmin Connect Activity for Warmup before the Medved 5K to Cure ALS

I headed out for a really nice and easy 1.05 mile warmup run at 8:00 pace. I also did some strides before the  race. I lined up in my usual spot next to Bill Beyerbach about 5 yards behind the younger, faster runners. I saw a station wagon that had a timing clock in the back window so the lead runners could know their time.

The start!

Becky Duberry on her way to a 20:15

Bill Beyerbach on his way to a 20:41

That's me to the right. I recognized my Sehgahunda 2010 scar  and my blue RoadID.

I had remarked to Becky Duberry before the race that I wanted to draft off her so she could suck me into a sub 20 minute 5K. She laughed and said that it wasn't a guarantee to follow her. I started out fast and found Becky. I did stay with her for about a mile which passed in 6:24. I couldn't hold the pace and Bill Beyerbach passed me shortly after as did a few other runners. I continued running and gutted out the race. Miles 2 and 3 passed in 6:56 and 7:08. I knew that just seeing Frontier Field meant that I still had about 1/4 to 1/2 mile to go. I saw the timing clock in the station wagon click 20:00 just before I entered the back of Frontier Field so I knew that no PR was in sight. I emerged into the outfield warning track and ran hard into the finish at home plate, running a 6:30 pace.

Up ahead of me, Bill had run a 5K PR of 20:41. I congratulated him and made my way to some much needed water. I did OK. I ran a 21:26, 6:55 pace, link here. I was 2nd out of 26 in my M55-59 age group, link here. Bill and I went 1-2 in the M 55-59 age group, which continued our streak of him running faster the past 4 races (McMullen Mile, Fast and Furriest 10K, Dirt Cheap #3 and Medved 5K to Cure ALS). I did say to him that maybe I should start drafting him. He suggested that we both need to start doing some speedwork. I agreed since I just couldn't hold the pace that I wanted. I had no pain but my fitness wasn't there. I need to run smarter races and not start out too hot. I do remember that I had this problem last summer.

The good news is that we have 5 more Rochester Runner of the Year 5Ks going up (Airport 5K next weekend, Sodus Point Lighthouse 5K on July 4th, Bergen 5K on 8/10, James Francis / Andrea Kafahl 5k on 8/24 and Photo Finish 5K on 10/5). Lots of time to improve our 5K speed.

Garmin Connect Activity for Cooldown after the Medved 5K to Cure ALS

Bill and I made it out after the race for a really nice and easy 1.5 mile cooldown at 9:45 pace.

Later I enjoyed coffee, a bagel and watching the US Open for hours upon hours on Father's Day and then Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs. My honey, Christine, had fallen asleep so dinner was leftover BBQ ribs and fries ... mmm!

Monday, 6/17/2013: 15.1 mile bike, 1:09:07, 13.2 mph, 73F, 57% RH, sunny, calm

Garmin Connect Activity for 15.1 mile bike along both sides of the Genesee River

I dilly-dallied but I really needed to get out. I wanted to do speedwork on Tuesday so I just hit the road and rode my usual both sides of the Genesee River route. My max speed was 23.5 mph down Chapel Hill Drive, 32.3 mph down Seneca Park Ave and 23.9 mph down Thomas Ave. Dinner was past 9 PM. My darling Christine cooked up a couple of bacon covered tenderloins ... mmm!

Tuesday, 6/18/2013: Rest day.

I could have gone out for a run but ... Christine and I had to kiss and make up after a bit of disagreement. Afterward ... we made it out to Pearlevision in Webster to pick up our new eyeglasses. We each got a set of indoor glasses and sunglasses. My first foray into lined bifocals is ... meh. When I read from a LCD that is 14" inches away I see a blur in either the top distance lense or the bottom reading lense. So I either have to live with it, look over my glasses or take them off. It's kind of frustating. The sunglasses are the same story. Looking out and driving is fine. Glancing inside the car yields a blur ... like looking at the speedmeter.

We watched Game 6 of the NBA Finals between the Spurs and the Heat. What a classic game! The Heat were down 5 with 0:28 to go,  tied it up and won the game in OT, 103-100, link here. The series will be decided in Game 7 on Thursday night.

Wednesday, 6/19/2013: 13.7 miles, 2:08:07, 9:21 pace, 66F, 35% RH, sunny, calm.

Garmin Connect Activity for 13.7 mile run on both sides of the Genesee River

I dilly-dallied around again before heading out around 6 PM for a much needed long run. Christine didn't blink when I told her that I would be gone for 2 hours ... sweet! I tested out the High Sierra hydration unit that I bought off of Buy.com. It is pretty minimalistic, has only one small pocket on the back, very light and was only $20. I settled into a very nice and easy pace for this run. My goal was nothing strenuous, just nice and easy miles. The first six miles were in the high eight minute pace. I slowed after I crossed the Genesee River on the O'Rorke bridge. The rest of my miles were in the high nine minute pace. My right Achilles did give me a twinge or two during the last several miles.

My darling Christine was cooking up bacon for her luscious BLTs ... mmm! Then we got caught up in watching John McClane in Live Free or Die Hard.

Thursday, 6/20/2013: Rest day.

Christine and I watched the decisive Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat. What a game! The Heat won 95-88, link here. The game will haunt Tim Duncan and the Spurs for a long time, link here, as he missed 2 point blank shots to tie the game in the last minute. Then Lebron rose up and made the shot that won the game. Christine DVR'd it so I can watch it again.

Also, Abby Wambach of Pittsford broke Mia Hamm's women's soccer record of 158 goals by scoring 4 goals against South Korea in NJ, link here.

Friday, 6/21/2013: Rest day.

I developed a pain in my right leg up near my groin during Friday afternoon so I decided to stay in. Hopefully I will be able to run tomorrow. I was tired so I went to bed early. I slept through a fire truck coming to our parking lot to unlock a car door.

Saturday, 6/22/2013: 3 runs of 0.5, 3.07 and 1.7 miles

I woke up early around 6:30AM for the Airport 5K. I let Christine sleep while I got ready. I didn't know how I would feel but it was a race morning so off I went. I had never run the Airport 5K before ... soon I was there on the Scottsville Road side of the Rochester Airport.

There were some speeches by Maggie Brooks and Abby Wambach before the race.

Maggie Brooks speaking before the race

Abby speaking before the race

Garmin Connect Activity for Warmup before the Airport 5K

.But I did manage to get out for a warmup run. The weather was sunny and humid but there was a bit of an overcast and breeze at the start, 73F and 69% RH.



We lined up on the runway and Abby started us off. She rode in a convertible ahead of the lead runners. I started out in my usual spot beside Bill Beyerbach. This time I kept pace with him during the first mile. Wilt Alston said "Hi!" as he went by. Gradually Bill pulled ahead. I felt no pain in my right leg or right Achilles so I concentrated on my running, breathing and getting it done. One thing about this race was that we always could see the other faster and slower runners as we weaved up and down two runways.

Abby just before she sent us off.

The start!

Bill and I

Runners & walkers on the runway

I did OK. I finished in 20:50, 13 seconds behind the M55-59 age group winner, Bill Beyerbach. Wilt finished in 20:26. I was 56th out of 515, link here. My splits were 6:42, 6:56 and 6:48. I was second out of 14 in my M55-59 age group, link here. Bill has ran faster in 5 straight races now. He is really on a tear!

Airport 5K swag .. I got my bib autographed by Abby!

A great day ... just a bit hot and humid, though! All in all, I need to do some speedwork. I did feel more comfortable at race speed during this race.

Garmin Connect Activity for Cooldown after the Airport 5K

I went out for a cooldown run on the runway with Bill and Jim. We ran at a really nice and easy pace (9:30 ish) on the way out and a bit faster (8:30 ish) on the way back.

Christine and I just hung out the rest of the day. I remember watching a lot of DVR'd shows that Christine had set up: a repeat of Live Free or Die Hard, Planet of the Apes (the 2001 version with Mark Wahlberg) and Red.