Sunday, 1/19/2014: 2 runs of 5.7 and 5 miles, 25F, 59% RH, wind chill 11F, overcast.
I didn't hesitate as much this morning before heading out around 10:30AM. I dressed with a lighter long sleeve tech since it was a bit warmer and with my sunglasses to keep the wind out of my eyes a bit.
Garmin Connect Activity for Down to the lake
I headed out on my usual 10K course and just up and decided to stretch it north to the lake. I hadn't run there in a while. The shoulders of the main streets were clear while the side streets and sidewalks were better but still mostly snow covered. The wind didn't really bother me since I was mostly going downwind as well as downhill. My splits were: 8;30, 8:19, 8:17, 8:12, 7:42 and 7:50 over the last 0.7 miles. I took a couple pictures at the lake while I walked on the beach and rested a couple of minutes like usual.
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| Just chilling out down at Lake Ontario |
Garmin Connect Activity for Back from the lake
I took the direct route back from the lake. I was going uphill and into the wind so I was a bit slower. The wind really caught me on Titus Ave at one point so I felt I was running in place. It was a bit chilly but I didn't walk. I knew that I would be warm soon enough. My splits were: 8:51, 8:35, 8:36, 8:33 and 8:24. Soon coffee was brewing ... ahhh!
Later, my darling Christine and I were watching the NFL Conference Finals games. The first game was the New England Patriots versus the Denver Broncos out in Denver. Not much of a game, Denver carved them up 26-16, link here. The second game was the San Francisco 49ers versus the Seattle Seahawks. A more exciting game, Seattle won 23-17, link here. I'll be rooting for Denver.
Oh, I opened my Masterlock gym lock! The back story is that I have had that combination lock for over 20 years and always managed to remember the combination. Well ... the last time I had opened it was over two years ago. I wanted to use it the day before when Christine and I wanted to go to LA Fitness (but didn't) to lock up our stuff. Well ... I couldn't remember the combination. I knew a couple of the numbers. I tried various combinations but nothing worked. My darling Christine was patient and even looked up the FAQ on Masterlock, link here. They will send you the combination for a lock if you get a notarized picture of the serial number, it isn't locked to anything and you want to wait 6-8 weeks. Well, the combination just came to me and voila! I wrote down the combination in a couple of locations this time!
Monday, 1/20/2014 to Wednesday, 1/22/2014: Rest days all.
Yes, it got cold ... and yes, I stayed inside. Monday was a true rest day after two days of running so it truly counts as a rest day. The temperature fell by Tuesday night to 7F and the high on Wednesday was 6F. I probably could have gone out since there was almost no wind to bring the wind chill down. I should have gone out Wednesday night ... I was such a wuss!
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| A rare triple sun dog! |
Thursday, 1/23/2014: 6.2 miles, 53:28, 8:36 pace, 9F, 72% RH, wind chill -5F, dark, light snow.
Garmin Connect Activity for 10K out in the cold
I told myself that I needed to run. I told my wife that I needed to run. I told other people that I needed to run. I eCrumbed my wife and my kids when I started to let them know my route in case I froze out running (just kidding about the freezing). Yes, I did dilly-dally. Yes, I put on two long sleeve tech shirts (1 heavy and 1 light), Brooks Nightlife jacket, CW-X tights, GRTC shorts, Damn Tuff socks, Brooks beanie, balaclava, facemask and heavy gloves. I even put in a set of Hothands handwarmers into my heavy gloves. It took a while to get dressed to run. I stepped out ... and it wasn't that bad. Ok ... my face from my forehead to mouth was a bit cold since it was about the only thing that wasn't covered. But that really was only when I was going into the wind. The shoulders of the main streets were OK but just a bit slippery while the sidestreets and sidewalks were snow covered. I took it nice and easy on my usual 10K route. I saw one other runner on Titus Ave and Sean Hendrick saw me on his way home as I turned back onto Seneca Ave. All in all, a good run. My splits were: 8:38, 8:39, 8:21, 8:35, 8:52, 8:39 and 8:28 over the last 0.2 miles. I was glad I went out.
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| Just a bit chilly out! |
Friday, 1/24/2014: Rest day.
A couple of birthday gifts for my darling Christine came today: an ottoman for the couch and a pair of blue fleece leggings for her legs.
Saturday, 1/25/2014: 3 runs of 1.1, 6.44 and 0.7 miles, 21F, 68% RH, wind chill 10F, overcast.
A Freezeroo Saturday morning: up at 7:15AM, get ready and out the door by 8:40AM to get there in plenty of time for the 10AM start. Freezeroo #4 (aka Hearnish 10K) was held out in the Powdermill Park area of Pittsford. It's a tough and hilly course with 445 feet of elevation gain. This was my fourth time running this race.
Garmin Connect Activity for Warmup before Freezeroo #4
I got out for a 1.1 mile warmup run at 8:48 pace, just nice and easy.
I walked the 1/4 mile to the start rather than run it. I milled around waiting for the start and exchanged greetings with Bill Beyerbach, Mark Herberger and Prem Kumar. The usual fast runners were wearing shorts and tank tops ... they know who they were! Me ... I was wearing tights, heavy long sleeve tech, Brooks Racing Team tech, Brooks Nightlife jacket, beanie, balaclava and heavy running gloves.
The race started and I got up to race pace quickly. It was cold and windy but not so bad.
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| Milling around before the start. |
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| Running down Park Rd with Prem soon after the start. |
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| Another shot of running down Park Rd soon after the start. |
I'm in the frame from 1:26 to 1:31.
The first mile on Park Rd was done in 7:14. The gradual hill at mile 2 on East St into the wind was not so good as I took 3 tiny walks to get up it. The downs were appreciated and the ups were endured. The road was snow covered for a little stretch on Probst Rd. The short hill on Miles Cutting Lane was mercifully short. The steep and windy hill on Railroad Mills Rd at mile 4.6 was just as steep as last year. I took 2 tiny walks and then slowed my running down a bit to get up it. Once I got to the top I knew that I only had 1.6 miles to go. Time to stretch out the legs!
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| Other runners were on the course! I saw one cross about 50 yards in front of me. |
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| I think we are turning toward the finish. I know I didn't unzip my jacket until mile 5. |
Garmin Connect Activity for Cooldown after Freezeroo #4
I got right out for a 0.7 mile cooldown run at 8:24 pace.
I warmed up in the Rand Lodge afterward and changed into a dry long sleeve tech when I got chilled. I swapped race stories with Mark, Prem and Bill. Mark finished ahead of me in 47:57 to take 1st in my M55-59 age group, Prem in 54:38 and Bill didn't (?) have a finishing time. I did OK. I was 54th out of 183, link here. I was 2nd out of 11 in my M55-59 age group.
Later I headed back into the cold and snow for the GRTC Annual Awards Banquet. I sat with Tom Butler and his wife, Bill Beyerbach, Patrick Wrobel, Tony Gingello and someone else who I had seen but didn't get his name.
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| Our table: me, Amy, Tom, Bill, Pat, Tony and ? |
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| Mike Viterise - 3rd, me - 2nd and Bill - 1st in the M 55-59 age group in 2013 Rochester Runner of the Year (best 6 out of 12) |
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| Mike Viterise - 3rd, me - 2nd and Bill - 1st in the M 55-59 age group in the 2013 Rochester Runner of the Year (best 6 out of 12 races) |
