Sunday, 9/7/2014 to Saturday, 9/13/2014 - Black Diamond Express 15K, Dirt Cheap #3, Stop the Trafficking Stage Race

I ran 8 times this week, 26.64 miles.

Sunday, 9/7/2014: 2 runs of 1.6 and the Black Diamond Express 15K of 9.38 miles, 66F, 60% RH, 7 mph WNW wind, sunny

I was running the Black Diamond Express 15K today but the race didn't start until 11AM so I got to sleep in. I tried to wake up my darling wife, Christine, but she said she needed her sleep so I quietly got ready, geared up and headed out to the race start out in Mendon. I had to Google and print the directions since I had never done this race. I got there about 45 minutes before the race started.

The course was a simple out and back on the Lehigh Valley Trail. There was a 5K which started at 11:05AM. I got out for a nice 1.6 mile warmup run, link here.


The start was signaled by a musket volley ... a first. And ... we were off! There was a mishap at the start. Someone cut in front of Andy Ciaio, he stopped. then someone hit his heel and down he went.

The start ...

I started off cleanly and was 6th and in front of Beth DiCiantis (who took overall female in 1:07:18) for a wee bit. Perhaps I went out too fast with a 7:06 first mile ... I never do that ... yeah sure! Soon she and Andy Ciaio (who won his M40-49 age group in 1:06:38) passed. I ran well for about 4 miles. My feet started to hurt and I started to walk/run during miles 6, 7, 8 and 9. I played leapfrog with a guy. He would run ahead and walk. I would pass him and walk. Then he would run and pass me. He ended up passing me and stayed ahead until the finish. I was happy to break 1:13 with a 1:12:56, 7:47 pace. My splits were: 7:06, 7:23, 7:29, 7:48, 7:40, 8:20, 8:19, 8:17, 7:58 and 6:58 over the last 0.38 mile.

I was tired so I ambled over to where the food was and ate a banana, 4 doughnut holes and had some chocolate milk. I did OK. I was 14th out of 54, link here. I was 5th out of 10 in my M50-59 age group, link here. I always want to go faster ... but that was what I had today.

I really need to buy new road and trail shoes. My current pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS14 road shes which I bought back in 9/1/2013 have 648 miles on them. I am just going to pony up and buy new road and trails shoes. My Salomon SpeedCross 3 trail shoes which I received free from winning a Dirt Cheap raffle way back in 2012 have 652 miles on them.

I checked out the results of the Finger Lakes Triathlon. Here are the results of the people that I know:

http://results.score-this.com/SearchresultsPageMS5split.html?raceid=20140907FLTR


Later Christine and I went out to Scottsville to see my youngest son, David, ... and watch some football on his landlord's 50 inch HDTV. We brought the meat (hamburgers and hot dogs) and he supplied the buns. He turned out quite the grillmaster. The hots and hamburgs were quite tasty! Plus ... the Buffalo Bills won their season opener at the Chicago Bears, 23-20 in OT, link here! Wonders may never cease ... yet the Bills do have a way of swooning in the latter half of the NFL season.

Monday, 9/8/2014 and Tuesday, 9/9/2014: Rest days after and before a race ... gotta rest and conserve my energy.

Wednesday, 9/10/2014: 2 runs of 1.25 and Dirt Cheap #6 of 3.03 miles, 75F, 65% RH, 13 mph SSE wind, overcast.

Today was the funeral of RPD officer Daryl Pierson, links here, here, here, here and here. Ellen Brenner wrote a piece on her Fleet Feet Beat blog page, link here.

Tonight's race was Dirt Cheap #6 of the year down at Lucien Morin Park next to MacGregor's on Empire Blvd. My darling wife, Christine, was on the fence about going and ultimately decided not to go. So .. I geared and headed down solo. I got there in plenty of time for a prime parking spot. I saw lots of trail runners that I knew: Andy Ciaio, Prem Kumar, Chris O'Brien, Joe Ciecierega, Tina Pellegrin, Jim Roche, Jim McLaughlin and many others. I quietly got ready. I headed out for a nice and easy warmup run of 1.25 miles at 9:36 pace, link here. This Dirt Cheap is shortest but the hardest with lots of up and down along with lots of roots, rocks and thorns to look out for.


I had 14 minutes to wait before the start of the race once I came back. I think I cooled down too much but ... off we went! I tried to blast down the stone road until the first left turn into the woods. Bill Beyerbach was ahead ... I lost sight of him quickly.

I was nipping on Todd's heels as we raced down the stone road to the left turn into single track - taken by Kim Smith

Somewhere in the middle of the race - taken by Kim Smith

Then it was up and down, left and right. My legs were going well ... my lungs not so much. I think I lasted about a mile before I had to walk a hill and let some faster runners ahead. Some of them were Chris O'Brien, Andy Ciaio, Joe Ciecierega and Todd Sappen Sr. I do tend to rabbit and pay for it later in races. I settled into a slower pace, then started to just keep in the same group I was in. I walked a few of the steep hills. I did catch Todd on an uphill with about 1/2 mile to go. And done in 31:54! The race was over quickly after just 3.03 miles, 10:37 pace. This race is usually around 3.5 miles. I did OK. I was 31st out of 242, link here. I was 3rd out of 4(?) in my M55-59 age group, link here. Bill finished 15th in 29:36, Andy finished 21st in 30:32, Joe finished 24th in 30:53, Todd finished 37th in 32:04, Prem finished 45th in 32:54, Jim McLaughlin finished 51st in 33:13 and Tina finished 214th in 56:10

I quickly went to the car for some water and a towel. I changed my shirt before I went into MacGregor's for the post race grub and the awards.

I sat with Chris O'Brien and Bill Beyerbach. We talked about the races we had done and were going to do. We all laughed at Chris's CP3 potty break story at this year's Sehgahunda. He had just the right stuff in his running vest to handle the situation, lol! Bill won our 55-59 series age group, I was second, link here.

Thursday, 9/11/2014 and Friday, 9/12/2014: Rest days after and before a race ... more rest and recuperation after and before a race.

My wife and I headed down to Fleet Feet Armory after work to shoe shop. I bought a new pair of New Balance 860 running shoes in size 13 and Christine bought a pair of Asics Gel-Cumulus 16 in size 11. We also bought some running magnets along a pair of shorts and 2 pairs of socks for Christine. Then we went to the nearby Otter Lodge for dinner and refreshments. We were not impressed with the Otter's limited menu but made due.

Saturday, 9/13/2014: 4 runs of 1.2, 6.12, 3.07 and 0.99 miles, 48F, 87% RH, 5 mph ESE wind. overcast with some light sprinkles.

My alarm was set for 5:55AM ... how I didn't want to get out of bed. But ... I was signed up for the Stop the Trafficking Stage Race, a 10K followed by a 5K followed by a 1 Mile race. So ... up I got, had my usual pre-race bowl of cereal and banana and got dressed. I had bit of trouble deciding what to wear and what to bring since it was around 45F which is kind of cool for a mid September morning. I decided on shorts, a long sleeve tech, short sleeve tech along with light gloves, orange hat and calf sleeves. I brought along my burnt orange Sehgahunda 2014 hoodie for later.

The race was held at the Meridian Centre Park on S Winton Rd by the Erie Canal. I Googled the directions and headed out solo. Christine had wished me a "have fun" and went back to sleep. I got there in plenty of time for a 1.2 mile warmup run, link here. I needed to run to warm up my legs and also to warm up my body ... it was cold. I only knew Prem Kumar and Tom Butler at this race. Prem told me that he had run 10 miles the day before.


The first race was the 10K. And .... we were off! The course was bit of cross country through the park, out onto the canal east out to Clover St and then back. Prem left me in his dust when we started at 7:45AM. I started fast with a 7:16 first mile. I was behind Prem at the turnaround and stayed about 200 yards behind him the entire way. The course had us going down 20 steps at mile 1.5 (I went down the bike ramp) and back up 20 steps on the way back. I fought the urge to walk except for just a wee bit after the stair climb. I thought about saving a bit of energy for the next two race but I ran only one way and pushed to the finish line. And ... done in 45:16. My splits were: 7:16, 7:29, 7:19, 7;31, 7:45, 7:10 and 6.01 over the last 0.12 mile, I did pretty well, 9th overall out of 64, link here. I was 2nd out of 7 in M50-59 age group, link here. Prem finished 8th overall in 43:59 and Tom finished in 1:01:56.

I had a couple of doughnut holes and water while I was waiting before the next race, a 5K. It had started to sprinkle so I ditched my long sleeve tech and put on my Brooks jacket.


The next race started at 9:15AM. And ... we were off! More people signed up for this race. I groaned as I got up to speed. Prem lept ahead again but I stayed in sight of him. This course led us west on the canal path for a mile before turning around. I chased Prem but couldn't catch him. And ... done in 22:45. My splits were: 7:25, 7:29, 7:19 and 6:32 over the last 0.07 mile. I did OK. I was 4th out of 95, link here. I was 1st out of 9 in my M50-59 age group, link here. Prem finished in 22:23 and Tom finished in 30:08.

I had a couple more doughnuts and water before the next race which was a short 1 mile race. My gloves were wet so I went back to the car to get a new pair of gloves. It was still sprinkling.



There were only 12 runners in the 1 mile. And ... we were off. I groaned again as I got up to speed. But it was only 1 mile. The course was through the park with just about 1/4 mile on the canal path. And ... done in 6:59 by my Garmin but 7:05 on the official timing. I did OK. I was 4th out of 12, link here. I was 1st in my M50-59 age group (OK, I was the only one). Prem finished 2nd in 6:52 and Tom finished in 9:19.

I ate a bit more after all the races. A long wait ensued while the results were compiled. Then we were told that there were some mistakes so that the medals would be mailed to us.

Soon I was home. I was chilled to the bone. I shivered as I stripped. I jumped into a hot shower and groaned as the hot water tried to warm me up. I was still shivering so I jumped into bed with my darling wife, Christine. She used shared body warmth to warm me up ... though she got cold in the process. Our apartment heat hasn't been turned on yet. A lazy rest of the day ensued.