Sunday, June 30, 2013

Sunday, 6/23/2013 to Saturday, 6/29/2013 - Charlie's Old Goat Trail Run

I ran 6 times this week, 28.03 miles, one was a warmup of 1.3 miles.
I biked once this week, 21.2 miles

Sunday, 6/23/2013: 2 runs of 3.5 and 2.5 miles, 1 bike of 21.2 miles

I woke up around 8:30AM. I knew I wanted to get out but I dilly-dallied again. I should have gotten out before it got hot but I didn't. I surfed the web and followed 4 triathletes that I knew that were out at Syracuse 70.3. All four of them; Katie Myszka, Tim Dywer, Dan Giblin and Kim Levitsky were done with the swim and bike just after noon. I got ready, left my bike on the bike rack and set out.

Garmin Connect Activity for Around the block

It was hot and humid, 86F and 62% RH, sunny and a bit breezy when I set out for just a run around the block of 3.5 miles. I took it nice and easy, 8:17 pace. I was dripping with sweat while I had lots of trouble with my bike lock. It was a cheap lock and broke.

Garmin Connect Activity for 15 mile bike on both sides of the Genesee River

It had warmed up to 88F and 55% RH. I set out on my usual 15 miles both sides of the Genesee River route. But when I was down on Chapel Hill Drive I found that I had not turned on my Garmin. So I headed back home which turned out to be 6.2 miles according to mapmyrun.com. I turned on my Garmin once I got back and headed back out. There was a breeze but if I stopped I started to sweat. I stopped about halfway and had a gel and a bit of water. My average speed was 11.3 mph and maximum speed was 27.2 mph. My water had warmed up in the water bottle on my bike. Once I got back to the car and plopped my bike on the car rack. I kind of put the bike lock around the bike to make it look like it was locked, had a bit of water and headed back out.

Garmin Connect Activity for Up and down Seneca Ave

It had warmed up again to 90F, 52% RH. My right knee was a bit locked up so I was hobbling a bit at the start. I was not setting any speed records. As I headed up Seneca Ave I revised my run to just up and down Seneca Ave. I found out that the water in my hand bottle that I had stowed in the car as I went out on the bike was hot and undrinkable. I went into a run/walk. I ran in the sun and walked in the shade. I got back to the car and put my bike away in the storage unit.

I headed up to the apartment. Christine asked me how I was. I groaned and did what I needed to do. I went for cold water in the refrigerator. Then I got in front of a fan. Then I started putting cold water into the bathtub. Ahhhhhhh!!! Soon I felt a bit human and a bit talkative. I asked Christine for a sandwich and coffee. Soon I felt more human.

I was not very smart ... actually, kind of stupid! It was hot and humid. I didn't have proper water. I didn't take in enough nutrition. But I survived. Lesson learned? Most likely ... not!

Here are the results of people that I knew out at Syracuse 70.3: Katie Myszka in 5:37:54, Tim Dywer in 5:36:20, Dan Giblin in 5:29:19 and and Kim Levitsky in 7:37:08.

Later, Christine and I went out for supper at Salvatore's. Mostly because we wanted to go somewhere that had air conditioning. We watched Nik Wallenda walk a tightrope across the Grand Canyon, actually 1500 feet over the Little Colorada River Gorge, link here.

Monday, 6/24/2013: Rest day.

Nothing to see here. I went to bed around 9:15 PM ... which is really early for me. I was dog tired.

Tuesday, 6/25/2013: run of 4.75 miles (estimated), 81F, 68% RH, sunny, a bit breezy

I needed a speed workout so I headed down to Cobbs Hill for the Tuesday night Fleet Feet variety. I ran up 1.05 miles from Starbuck's where I left my car. True, there was one there and yes, I did it. But ... maybe next time the distance between the cones will be MEASURED? I asked and was told it's about 200 meters. But ... according to my Garmin it wasn't even one-tenth of a mile. If the same thing happens next time I will do my own workout. I want to know my speedwork distance. Anyway, I did 10 of them and my fastest was 462 feet in 24.23 seconds. I ran 1.95 miles once around the reservoir and back to Starbucks for a cooldown.

I stopped by Wegmans on the way home and picked up rotisserie chicken and shrimp for supper. I was tired and in bed by 10 PM.

Wednesday, 6/26/2013: Rest day

I discovered that Startrek.com had full episodes of all the Star Treks; TOS, ST-TNG, ST-DS9, ST-Voyager and ST-Enterprise. Christine and I watched TOS-Balance of Terror and TOS-The Naked Time.

Thursday, 6/27/2013: run of 9.3 miles, 1:18:05, 8:22 pace, 75F, 83% RH, overcast, calm.

Garmin Connect Activity for 15K around the streets of Irondequoit

I needed a long run so I headed out on my usual 10K route and tacked on some extra. I took it out nice and easy. It was very humid so I stopped once for hydration at mile 4.5. I was drenched with sweat when I got home so I took a quick shower.

Friday, 6/28/2013: Rest day.

I took the morning off so I could attend the graveside service of my ex-wife's father. My ex and our youngest son  appreciated that. Her father, Howard, was a nice man who I always got along with while the ex and I were married. The funeral home put up a tent which was needed since it sprinkled during the service.


Later, Christine and I just spent a quiet evening relaxing. Nothing exceptional ... just the usual.

Saturday, 6/29/2013: 2 runs of 1.3 and 6.68 miles

Christine and I woke up early and had just started to get ready for Charlie's Old Goat down at Gamondagan south of Victor when it started to downpour. Christine thought better of going out and headed back to bed. I thought a couple of times of not going but I was already signed up so out I went. The rain had almost stopped anyway. Down in Victor it had not even rained ... yet.

Garmin Connect Activity for Warmup before Charlie's Old Goat

I got there in plenty of time for a nice 1.3 mile warmup run at 10:06 pace. The weather conditions were 66F, 88% RH, overcast and calm. I noticed that the wood planks that covered some of the boggy sections were slick. Lots of runners that I knew were at this race. Charlie Sabatine, the Race Director, is a popular guy who just happens to be 80 years young.

Just saying "Hi" to Stacy and Tammy before the race



The start!

Winding through the grass before we hit singletrack.
It warmed a bit to 68F, 83% RH, still overcast with dark clouds to the north toward Rochester. Soon we were given the race instructions which included a warning about the wood planks. After the  traditional welcome in Ganondagan and English off we went. New this year was timing by Score-This, the start was a bit farther back and the course meandered a bit on grass trails to spread us out before we ended into singletrack trails. I was running well. I tested a couple of the wood planks and they were slippery so I tried to stay off of them except when there was no other path.

Pre-fall, I think.
Then came a wood plank at mile 2. I hopped on it from the right, slid off and fell down off to the left. I hit the wood plank with the right side of my back. Ouch!!! I yelled and got up. It hurt (definitely an understatement). Runners who saw me fall asked me if I was OK. I walked a bit and found that I could slowly run. I continued onward. I flashed back to Sehgahunda 2010 and my broken rib. I slowed my pace from 9 minute miles to 11 or 12 minute miles. I could have bailed and DNFed but I wasn't in much pain so I just kept going. I was going slower so lots of runners passed me. The creek crossing was over ankle deep this year and the hills afterward were just as steep going up as they were going down. After I crossed back across the creek it started to sprinkle and then a steady rain. I was drenched when I finished. A brief downpour came soon afterward so the runners still out on the course were beyond drenched when they finished.

I was muddier and wetter than I looked.

The aftermath of slipping off the wood plank.
Afterward I was in pain whenever I used my right side ... which you can't really avoid. So I gingerly changed into my dry Charlie's Old Goat tech t-shirt and ate some of the excellent post race fuel. I noticed on the scoring that I finished in 1:13:11, 84th out of 172, link here. I was 9th out of 17 in my M55-59 age group, link here. I was slower and injured but I still finished. I ambled down to the car. It hurt to move and get into the car but I managed and went home.

Christine met me at the car and helped me ... a lot. She helped me take off my clothes, washed me in the shower and toweled me off. I can manage if I try to move by using my left side and bracing myself for the pain that does come. I was kind of OK ... if I didn't move. If I did move ... ouch. We had an early dinner of Lloyd's ribs, rice and salad. I do love ribs! A constant diet of ibuprofen every 4 hours plus a couple of ice packs helped dull the pain.

Anyway, I do like to run trail ... but trails do have their risks! Trust me ... I know!!