Who am I? I'm a 57 year old runner. I'm 6' 4" and weigh about 172 pounds. I discovered running about 9 years as a way to get out of the house to avoid arguing with my ex wife. I stuck with it through the divorce, after the divorce and now into my second marriage. My darling wife, Christine, found me on Facebook again when she was looking for sponsors for a running event that she was interested in. We had gone out in college way back in 1978 when I went to Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland but had gone our separate ways. She said she found a Facebook picture of me splashing through the water at the 2008 Jensen Stables 12K and wondered if that was me. Well, a question on Facebook chat on 8/27/2009 quickly led to a visit on 9/5/2009. This visit soon led to her moving to Rochester in October 2009 which led to marriage on 11/30/2012.
I continue to run. I started short as all runners do. First one, then two and then three miles at a time.First only when I felt like it and it was sunny. Soon two or three times a week for 15 miles total when it was nice. Then three or four times a week in almost any weather condition for 20 to 25 miles total. Soon, the long run became anything up to 10 miles or more. I have finished the Rochester Marathon twice (3:51:57). I have attempted a trail marathon named Sehgahunda four times, went to the hospital the first two times in 2010 and 2011, finished the next two in 2012 and 2014. I have finished a trail 50K, the Mendon Ponds Trail Race, mostly in the rain, in November 2013. So I have done a few long races.
I guess you could say I am a runner. I wasn't sure about this thing called a "runner's high" when i first began. Now I know it does exist ... I have felt it. Sometimes running is a chore ... and then sometimes you feel like you could run forever.
Anyway ... a look back into 2014
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| Yes, a picture of my feet. The left three black toes are from the 15 mile WTF on 12/13/14. I don't know about the right two. |
I ran 57 races (391 racing miles) in 2014, another PR. I like to say I'm faster than some and slower than others. Those 57 races were split between 32 road races and 25 trail races. The "popular" road race distances were: 12 5Ks, 1 5M, 4 10Ks, 3 15Ks, 1 20K and 3 half marathons. I didn't run a full marathon last year. The trail races were more relaxed and were of various distances up to Sehgahunda's 26.3 miles. I like to race so I spent $1244 on race applications.
I finished 3rd in my 55-59 age group in the 12 race Rochester Runner of the Year (RROY) standings with 48 out 60 points, link here. The rules are explained here. My friends, Bill Beyerbach and Wilt Alston, finished with 53 and 49 points, respectively. I finished 2nd in my 55-59 age group in the 6 race Freezeroo standings, link here.
It's the competition that I like. The act of getting out there and seeing what I can do. A local man wrote an article about winning 4th in his M30-34 RROY age group with a single hard-earned point, link here.
My first race was the Newark Turkey Day 5 Mile way back in 2007. The result of that race is unknown but I still love racing 304 races later.
A look ahead into 2015
What is in store for 2015? Half marathons for one thing. My body right now is more set up for a half marathon than a full marathon. I have already signed up for Fleet Feet's 4 Season Challenge, the Lake Effect Half Marathon in February and the Syracuse Half Marathon in March so that is 6 already. I signed up for the Ontario Summit Trail Marathon on 5/30 instead of Sehgahunda on 5/23 and the new Webster Trail Classic on 6/6/15 instead of the Mendon Mauler basically because I want new challenges. I got a pair of Dion snowshoes for Christmas so I have signed up for some snowshoes races: the Frozen Assets 5K on 1/3/15, the Winterfest 10K on 1/15/15 and maybe the Cast a Shadow on 2/7/15. I have a bicycle so I may sign up for more duathlons (Flower City Du, Fly By Night and Shoreline Du). Will I sign up for as many races as in 2014? Who knows?
I run solo nowadays mostly because it is cheaper and easier just to run as soon as I get out my apartment door. My nice and easy pace of 8:00 to 8:20 minute per mile. Sometimes I run faster. I just get out there and run.
I would like to start using the LA Fitness membership that my darling wife, Christine, dutifully pays every month. I would like to lose about 10 pounds ... though exchanging it for muscle would be OK. I have never been very muscular except in my legs.
That's about it ... Happy New Year!
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