Sunday, 6/8/2014 to Saturday, 6/14/2014 - Dirt Cheap #3

I ran 5 times this week, 22.27 miles.

Sunday, 6/8/2014: Rest day.

I felt like a slug by not running today. I read everyone's exploits on Facebook while resting my legs from yesterday's Mendon Mauler 12. The Keuka Tri was held, results here. 38 finished the Du, 170 finished the Intermediate Tri and 220 finished the Short Tri. Locals Dan Gilbin won his 50-54 age group in the Intermediate Tri, Dave Kudla finished the Short Tri in 1:21:30 and Bob Hamilton finished the Short Tri in 1:50:13. The Tour de Cure Rochester was held with over 2000 bicyclists rode in the various distances of 3, 15, 25, 40, 62.5 and 100 miles and rose close to 1 million dollars, news links here. here, and here. The Lake Placid Marathon and Half Marathon were held, results here. 318 runners finished the Full; Courtney Abeln finished in 5:53:53) and 1005 finished the Half; Jim McLaughlin in 1:38:57, Brian Andrews in 1:50:20, Jeff Rose in 1:56:27, Jady Simmons in 2:20:07, Ellen Boettrich in 2:35:42 and Beth Springar in 3:02:01  Lots of runners, bicyclists and multisport athletes were out and about!

Yesterday, Prem Kumar asked me after the Mendon Mauler 12 how I get motivated to race so much. A decent question which deserves a decent answer. Well ... I just love to compete. I do like placing in my age group which is easier because I am older and still kind of fast. This will get harder as younger guys age up into my 55-59 age group. But still I love to compete and see what I am capable of.

Monday, 6/9/2014: 2 runs of 3.1 and 5 miles, 73F, 61% RH, 5 mph ENE wind, overcast.

Mondays are usually a rest day but I took Sunday off instead ... so after a bit of couch time I got out there. I plan on resting Tuesday, then racing Dirt Cheap #3 on Wednesday.

Garmin Connect Activity for Just a 5K

I found that my thighs were tight for the first two miles. I guess the Mendon Mauler 12 on Saturday beat me up more than I thought. I knew I didn't have it to last at this pace for my usual 10K run so I stopped at 5K to rest, hydrate and stretch for a minute. My splits were: 7:51, 7:39, 7:37 and 6:52 over the last 0.1 mile.

Garmin Connect Activity for A nice and easy 5 miles

I was still out there and needed to get back home so I struck up a nice and easy pace to get more miles. I thought about continuing on to get another 10K but opted for 5 miles. My splits were: 8:07, 8:06, 8:15, 8:12 and 8:06. It was amazing how a 20 or so second pace difference felt so much easier.

Tuesday, 6/10/2014: Rest day ... per usual the day before a race.

Wednesday, 6/11/2014: 2 runs of 1.1 and Dirt Cheap #3 of 3.47 miles, 82F, 58% RH, 10 mph N wind, overcast and more.

It was Dirt Cheap #3 so it was down to Lucien Morin Park for my darling wife, Christine, and I on an overcast Wednesday night. There was a forecast of rain and thunderstorms. Christine threw in some Lloyds ribs into the crockpot before we left. We got down to MacGregor's Grill and Taproom next door a hour early so we found a parking spot easily.

I got out for a nice and not so easy 1.1 mile warmup run before the race, link here. I just went out 0.55 miles to the top of the first hill and back. Dirt Cheap #3 and #6 held at Lucien Morin Park are the shortest in length but the hardest of the Dirt Cheaps because of the constant ups and downs, narrow trails, roots, rocks ... plus it can become a mud pit if it rains like it did way back in 2009. I had some water, cooled down a bit, kissed my wife for luck, asked her to meet me at the finish line with some water and headed to the start line. I said "Hi" to fellow runners Bill Beyerbach, Andy Ciaio, Tom Butler, Amy Lord (who luckily decided on Salomon Speedcross trail shoes), Jim Roche, Jim McLaughlin and Todd Sappen Sr.

This Dirt Cheap went off in 3 waves: men 44 and under at 6:30, women 44 and under at 6:35 and everyone over 45 at 6:40. Soon it was everyone, 45 and over ... the "geezers" ... err, our turn. It started to pour for about 20 seconds just before the race before it subsided for a while.


And ... we were off! I wanted to blast out for the 1/4 mile down the stone road to the sharp left turn into single track but I held back a bit. I knew that the trail would soon leap uphill for about 1/4 mile.

Just into the single track - taken by Kim Smith

I started passing slower women at about 0.4 miles in and was in constant pass mode or just waiting to pass for a lot of the race. There were some areas where you just couldn't pass. Up, down, sideways with what seems very little level trail.

I swear I was going in the right direction! - taken by Kim Smith

One ... two ... three miles. It started to rain and then pour about midway into the race. The trail became muddy, slippery, dark and more dangerous. So I slowed way down to be safe and concentrated on safe passes if need be and safe footing. The downhill to the finish line was treacherous. And ... done in 37:48! Christine was more than a bit damp and waiting for me with her water bottle. Thank you, honey! Shortly after, it started to pour for 10 solid minutes. Most of the runners who finished took refuge under tents. We met up with Bill Beyerbach,  who finished in 35:25, after the race.

We left without going into McGregor's when it started to downpour again. Back at the apartment we had ribs and potato salad to eat while we watched "The Monuments Men" off of OnDemand. Tasty ribs and a nice movie!

I caught up on the results and Facebook. I did OK, I was 63rd out of 333, link here. I was 2nd (to Bill Beyerbach) out of 9 in our M55-59 age group, link here. I did count on the results page that I passed a lot of women 44 and under ... 94! One of the disadvantages of starting in the third wave.

Thursday, 7/12/2014: Rest day ... off, on like usual.

Friday, 7/13/2014: 9.6 miles, 1:15:18, 7:51 pace, 72F, 65% RH, 10 mph WNW wind, partly cloudy.

I seriously thought of just bagging this run. I had my customary cereal but just dawdled for a while. I didn't want to do a long run on Saturday morning with a race on Sunday morning, especially a Rochester Runner of the Year race so ... I just got up and got out there.

Garmin Connect Activity for A nice and easy run on the usual route

I stuck up a nice and easy pace on my usual 10K route. I didn't bring water but I decided to stretch the run but adding another loop down Titus Ave to Winona Blvd. My splits were: 7:56, 7:49, 7:48, 7:43, 7:46, 7:45, 8:01, 7:50, 7:53 and 7:56 over the last 0.6 miles. I was certainly thirsty when I got done ... but another run was in the books.

Saturday, 7/14/2014: Rest day

A nice and relaxing day. I puttered and tried to organize some of my stuff in the apartment along with doing 3 loads of laundry. My darling wife, Christine, and I enjoyed a nice, relaxing and a bit romantic day.