Sunday, 4/5/2015 to Saturday, 4/11/2015 - Mess the Dress

I ran 4 times this week, 24.01 miles.

Sunday, 4/5/2015: 6.2 miles, 48:12, 7:46 pace, 34F, 80% RH, 3 mph WSW wind, overcast, light snow

Garmin Connect Activity for A not so easy 10K

Easter Sunday ... I wasn't an early riser or early runner again today ... but I did get a bit before noon. I had done my long run yesterday so I just did a kind of fast 10K on my usual 10K route. Yes, a light snow on Easter Sunday ... it didn't stick but still a bit not so much like spring. My splits were: 7:53, 7:47, 7:46, 7:44, 7:46, 7:47 and 7:16 over the last 0.2 mile.

Monday, 4/6/2015: Rest day .... yada, yada, yada.

Tuesday, 4/7/2015: 6.2 miles, 1:06:20, 10:41 pace, 43F, 42% RH, 12 mph NW wind, wind chill 36F, overcast.

Garmin Connect Activity for Cobbs Hill workout: 5 Vs, 2 switchbacks and long way back

It's spring ... 43F does not qualify as spring. Sure I know how to dress for 43F but ... it's April! Enough already! Time to learn how to dress again for 50F and gasp ... 60F!

Anyway, it was Tuesday ... I went down to Cobbs Hill to do hills. This time I met up with Bill Beyerbach who wanted to do some hills before his GVH workout at 6PM. We did 3.5 Vs before he took off. I finished off 1.5 more before I headed over to the switchback and found ... no snow or ice! So I did 2 switchbacks to celebrate ... wow! The switchback was a bit steeper than I remembered. I finished by going the long way back to the Equinox at the Fleet Feet Armory. Nice!

Wednesday, 4/8/2015: Rest day.

I helped my darling wife, Christine, do about 1/2 of our long overdue laundry. My tech clothes will be about a full load all by themselves.

Thursday, 4/9/2015: 6.2 miles,

Garmin Connect Activity for Cobbs Hill workout: 5 Vs, 2 switchback and long way back

Another Thursday, another Cobbs Hill workout. I had my running stuff with me, so I changed at work headed straight to Cobbs Hill and parked at Fleet Feet Armory. So .. the usual workout ensued. There weren't too many people on the grass hill or the switchback. Up and down I went. Is it getting any easier? Who knows? When I got home I did see on Facebook that the Sehgahunda Training runners were also on the switchback. They must have started at 6PM. I had already left for the long way back to the Equinox by then.

Friday, 4/10/2015: Rest day.

The usual rest day before a race the next morning. My darling wife, Christine, finished the laundry. Now I just have to do all my tech running gear and all the other work clothes I had not given her.

Saturday, 4/11/2015: 2 runs of 0.5 and Mess the Dress of 4.91 miles,

I was up early like usual to do the dishes of the previous night, had a little breakfast of cereal and banana and then got my darling wife, Christine, out of bed. She resisted but I wanted her to come me run in a dress for my first running of Mess the Dress.

We got out to the race venue, Black Creek Park, around 9AM in plenty of time for the 10AM start. Christine briefly went into the Sunside Lodge but went quickly back out to the Equinox. The indoor noises really bothered her due to her tinnitus. I really like her being with me at races but sometimes it's just easier going by myself ... less hassle, less headaches and fewer discussions. If she would just tell me that she didn't want to go because of a medical issue I would be fine but she usually doesn't.

Anyway, I was dressed in my not so usual gear for running in 41F: my Brooks shorts, black short sleeve tech, light long sleeve tech, heavy gloves, Brooks beanie, Darn Tough socks, my blue Salomon SpeedCross 3 trail shoes and ... a black leapord razorback dress. I had gotten this for Christine about a year ago but it had been too small. It fit me pretty well. Christine was a bit worried but I wouldn't be able to run in it but I tested it out and I thought it was OK. There was plenty of time to wait and also look at what other runners were wearing ... which was a hoot. I did get a few catcalls from other men and women ... lol.

I did get out for a 1/2 mile run to warm up my legs, link here. Soon enough we all walked (I ran) about 1/4 mile to the race start. I met up with Mark Monachino and a reader of my blog, Sarah Hardy. Sarah said that she is reading it for inspiration before she attempts Sehgahunda for the first time this May.

And ... we were off! I settled in near the leaders at first and then ran with Mark for about 1.5 miles before he pulled away. The trail during miles 1 and 2 was very runnable with not so much mud. I stopped to take a breath and let a woman pass me and stayed with her the rest of the way. I later found out that the woman was Katie Ann, 1/2 my age.

Miles 3 and 4 had spots and ankle deep mud and more water. The bottom of my dress got wet and started to stick to my legs so I had grab a bunch of it and hike it up ... lol. I was getting tired and wanted water ... which I didn't have.

Yes, I found some deep mud and water!

The end is soon ... I think!

Onward, onward ... I could see the finish and its roped off chute through a creek and the final hill. Katie Ann missed the chute and I caught up. She ran back and through the chute and passed me like I was standing still as I powered up the final hill. Eric Eagan, the race director, gave me a high five ... done in 44:10!

Katie Ann picking up some speed with me in her sights!

Katie Ann jetting by me at the finish

Eric Eagan and his high five at the finish ... done!

It was a bit cold outside so I went to the Equinox to get my dry clothes and tell Christine that I was done. I changed into a dry top, socks, road shoes and had a bit of a bite to eat. I met up with Sarah and told her about Sehgahunda. I told her: don't fall (done that), don't overhydrate (done that too), good nutrition, good hydration, good pace, good electrolytes and that seeing the finish line twice was sweet. I also told her that I will be doing the Ontario Summit Trail Marathon the weekend after Sehgahunda.

I did pretty well. Officially I finished in 44:31 and was 7th overall out of 117, link here. I was 3rd out of xx in my M50-59 age group. Some fast guys were ahead of me. Mark ran a 43:28. I had a blast and I won $15 gift certificate from RoadID as a door prize. Sweet!

Christine and I stopped at Skip's On The Ridge on the way home for some Western ribs, London Broil and 2 pounds of hamburger. I hung up my wet gear and stuffed my wet trail shoes full of as much newspaper that I could stuff in them. I have another race tomorrow morning and I would like dry trail shoes!

Christine soon was cooking (and making lots of dishes for me to wash) in the kitchen: the ribs, a chili and meatballs. Mmm ... can my darling wife makes delicious ribs!