Monday, 3/23/2015 to Saturday, 3/28/2015 - Spring Forward 15K

I ran 3 times during these 6 days, 16.62 miles

Monday, 3/23/2015: Rest day ... naturally after running the Syracuse Marathon the previous day.

Tuesday, 3/24/2015: Another rest day.

I thought about going out but I had a strange twinge of pain that came and went in my right hip and leg when I walked. So ... I didn't. Probably a wise move.

Wednesday, 3/25/2015: 6.2 miles, 51:01, 8:13 pace, 43F, 81% RH, 12 mph SSW wind, wind chill 36F, overcast

I needed to get out so I brought most of my running gear to work. That way I could just change at work and go directly to Cobbs Hill for a much needed hill workout. It was a bit cold for shorts that's what I wore. I hoped I would warm up (and I did).

Garmin Connect Activity for Cobbs Hill workout: 1 loop, 3 Ys, 1 loop

I got to Fleet Feet Armory around 5:30PM. There was lots of people there already ... probably WalkFit and No-Bo types. I got out before them and headed up Culver Rd, Monroe Ave and Highland Ave to Cobbs Hill like I have done so many times before. I was a bit stiff on the run up and the first loop. Then I decided to do 3 Ys and finish with another loop. The road was soon populated with runners and walkers of various abilities. A few knew me. And ... done! Another 10K in the running journal. Maybe next time I will concentrate on running harder up the hills and resting on the run down the hills.

Thursday, 3/26/2015: Rest day

My darling wife, Christine, and I had a 4:30PM dentist appointment at Dr. Randy Raetz, aka the Running Dentist. We went directly to the Crab Shack for supper as we usually do ... so it was a  rest day.

Friday, 3/27/2015: Rest before a race day

As usual, I rested the day before a race the next morning. I will admit that I watched "Eight Legged Freaks" not once but twice before hitting the sack early. My alarm was set for 5:30AM.

Saturday, 3/28/2015: 2 runs of 1 and Spring Forward 15K (9.42 miles), 18F, 73% RH, 9 mph N wind, wind chill 7F, overcast, real light snow

I was awake a bit before the alarm went off at 5:30AM. My darling wife, Christine, had slept the night on the couch since she wanted me to get my rest. She does have the ability to snore and I am a light sleeper. I got up and did the usual on race mornings: the dishes from the previous night, ate my bowl of cereal with banana, did my duty in the bathroom, checked the temp, dressed appropriately, kissed Christine goodbye and hit the road. I was greeted to slippery roads since about 2 inches of fluffy snow had fallen during the night. The traffic down to Mendon Ponds Park (MPP) was a bit challenging but I handled it. I did pass one car that was doing 35 in a  55. Doing 45 I could have handled. I got down to MPP around 7:10AM. The Beach parking lot near Stewart Lodge was already practically full. I parked on the inbound entrance road up near Douglas Rd. I was getting ready to head down to Stewart Lodge when I noticed a traffic tieup. Cars were trying to get in and out on a 1 WAY road at the same time! About 10 cars couldn't read signs and went out the inbound road ... arrggh!

I mingled down at Stewart Lodge for a while before I got out a 1 mile warmup run at 8:18 pace, link here. It was cold, windy and a light snow was falling. The road conditions were slushy and slippery. I wore my New Balance 860 road shoes so I was a bit concerned about my traction during the race. I kind of wished that I had worn my Salomon SpeedCross 3 trail shoes but I had not brought them ... oops!

I mingled down at the start. I saw Mark Herberger, Prem Kumar, Andy Ciaio and Bill Sandow before the start. And ... we were off!

This race started down the outbound road of the Beach parking lot and goes up Douglas Rd to Pond Rd. I started a bit too fast as I kept pace with Andy Ciaio and Bill Sandow for the first mile. The rolling hills of Mendon were unending as usual. I handled them for the first three miles easily but ... then not so much.

I think this was taken on Canfield Rd. I was trying to maintain a run as best I could.

I just couldn't keep up my pace and had to resort to a run/tiny walk for a lot of the hills. The roads were slippery. We couldn't run on the shoulder and had to find clear tracks in the road or even on the other side of the road. I kept going and finished the race with a sprint down the icy road to the finish line at Stewart Lodge. And ... done with 13.42 miles in 1:15:24. My splits were: 7:21, 7:44, 7:36, 8:05, 8:05, 8:29, 8:34, 8:31, 7:58 and 7:21 over the last 0.42 miles.

I quickly got inside Stewart Lodge and had some water and a couple of bananas. The place was crowded so I just pulled on my Snow Cheap hoodie and left to go home.

My fingertips were getting white as I stripped, hung up my wet gear and headed to the bathroom for a hot shower. It was kind of weird washing and then toweling off while my fingers were tingling as they warmed up. But they pinked up and life went on. Coffee, couch and vegging soon ensued.

Yellowjacketracing.com/results soon had the results up. I did OK. I was 81st of 400, link here. I was 10th out of 29 in my M55-59 age group, link here. Bill Sandown finished in 1:08:49. Mark Herberger finished in 1:11:50. Andy Ciaio finished in 1:14:30. Prem Kumar finished in 1:16:25. I noticed that this was my 9th consecutive Spring Forward 15K ... wow!