Sunday, 10/16/2016 to Saturday, 10/22/2016 - Scare Brain Cancer Away 5K

I ran 5 times for 30.22 miles this week.

Sunday, 10/16/2016: 12.2 miles, 1:45:08, 8:37 pace, 64F, 73% RH, 12 mph SW wind, mostly cloudy.


I didn't get out as early as I wanted but I did get out at 8:24 AM. It was 26F warmer than the morning before so I just wore my Brooks shorts and an old short sleeve tech. I carried my 20 ounce hand bottle. I set up a nice and easy pace. I should have turned around at 4 miles but went on for 6 miles before I turned around. I think I didn't hydrate well. I lapsed into a run/walk after mile 10. I had lost 5.5 pounds when I weighed myself after the run .. so I added a donut to my coffee re-hydration. My splits were: 8:20, 8:13, 8:14, 8:24, 8:19. 8:46, 8:30, 8:34, 8:38, 8:59, 8:50, 9:39 and 9:01 over the last 0.2 mile.

I managed to get out and vacuum out the Cruze and Equinox just after noon and got back inside at 1:45 PM ... I hadn't done it in about a year so there was a lot of dirt and debris. My darling wife, Christine, had set up the DVR to tape the 49er - Bills game so I could fast forward through all the commercials. That was so sweet! The Bills pounded them 45-16, link here.

Well ... here it is. I blogged that I made a lifestyle change on my 59th birthday a month ago. I gave up alcohol. I have done this before with some success for a few months and then not so much success. It is time to face up to the fact that I have been a binge drinker for a number of years. I said (OK, typed) it. Alcohol is expensive and just empty calories.

The result? Christine and I have lost about 5 pounds over the past month. I range between 160 and 165 now instead of 165 and 170 pounds. I just have to keep on walking past the liquor store on the way into Wegmans and past the beer when I am in Wegmans. Please wish me well.

Monday, 10/17/2016: Rest day ... well deserved after 11.38 miles on Saturday and 12.2 miles on Sunday.

Tuesday, 10/18/2016: 6.8 miles, 57:41, 8:29 pace, 79F, 58% RH, 11 mph SW wind, overcast.


It was Tuesday ... so I loaded my running gear into the Equinox so I could run right after work. I changed there and ended up going home before I headed out. I struck up a nice and steady pace and just meandered. I headed right when I got down to the end of Greenleaf Rd onto Beach Ave and headed out to the end of the pier and back before eventually looping back. It was a bit warm and breezy. I took a swig of water out of my 20 ounce hand bottle at miles 2, 4 and 6 like usual. My splits were: 8:29, 8:32, 8:38, 8:44, 8:18, 8:25 and 8:25 over the last 0.8 mile.

Wednesday, 10/19/2016: Rest day ... with ribs, yams and banana bread for supper! Mmm!!!

Thursday, 10/20/2016: 6.6 miles, 54:50, 8:18 pace, 55F, 94% RH, 9 mph E wind, real light sprinkles.



It was Thursday and the forecast called for rain all day. I loaded my running into Equinox like usual but added a long sleeve tech and added a towel and shampoo. So ... I kind of played hooky and took a pre-lunch run. It was barely sprinkling so I got more wet from sweat than I did from the sprinkles. My splits were: 8:38, 7:55, 8:24, 8:32, 8:33, 8:08 and 7:47 over the last 0.6 mile.

I don't particularly like running from this work building but a run is a run. I think I can count how many times I have done this on my fingers. Though I am thinking of running on Tuesdays and Thursday during the day this winter if possible so that I can run during the daylight.

Friday, 10/21/2016: Rest day ... the usual before a race the next morning.

Saturday, 10/22/2016: 2 runs of 1.49 and 3.12 miles, 43F, 87% RH, 10 mph NW wind, wind chill 37F, overcast.

I "slept in" until 6 AM. This was my third Scare Brain Cancer Away 5K (2014 in 21:06 and 2015 in 21:08) and my 7th out of  the 10 GRTC Rochester Runner of the Year races run so far in 2016. The race start was 9 AM so I didn't start to get ready until 7 AM. I puttered around while I ate my usual pre-race bowl of cereal with banana. It was a bit cold so I dug out my old CW-X tights and Brooks beanie along with a long sleeve tech, short sleeve tech and heavy running gloves. I kissed my darling wife, Christine, good-bye and left around 7:40 AM for the short 20 minute drive to East Rochester. I have run this course a number of times ... a flat and fast 5K course. It was a bit of a scrum to get my bib. I ended up with a day of bib since they couldn't find my pre-registered bib. I got out for a warmup run of 1.6 miles at 8:08 pace, link here. The pace is approximate since I didn't turn off my Garmin until I took off my Brooks jacket and swigged some water when I stopped at the Equinox. I saw Prem Kumar and Andy Ciaio before the race.


I knew the start at this race is kind of tight so I lined to the left behind the faster runners and not to the right which would have been behind some young kids. The race was a bit late in starting. And ... we were off! I got up to speed well. I had to weave a bit to avoid some road grates in the first 200 yards. Prem and Andy were up ahead along with Tony Gingello. Then the race was just a controlled and painful sprint like all 5Ks. I noticed that I was chasing a group of 4 women in the last half of the race.The course was a bit slick, leaf covered and torn up with some road construction on the sides so it was best to run in the middle of the road. I passed by the two water stations without taking any water. I passed one of the 4 women in the last quarter mile. I could see that the time was going to be under 22 ... and .... done! I got some water right away. I wandered out to the Equinox to get my Brooks jacket since I knew I would get cold once I cooled down.

Just after the start. Tony is off to the left of me in the orange. Photo courtesy of Tim Matthew of https://runnerpics.shuttlefly.com.

The four women in front of me about 1/2 mile before the finish. Photo courtesy of Tim Matthew of https://runnerpics.shuttlefly.com.

A few seconds later. Photo courtesy of Tim Matthew of https://runnerpics.shuttlefly.com.

This race always has good food afterward. I had a small piece of pizza along with a chunk of tuna sub. I took a look at the race results posted on the cafeteria wall. I ran a 21:46. Officially, I was 48th out of 453, results here. I was 2nd in my M 55-59 age group, results here. My splits were: 6:56, 7:18 (the usual slower mile 2), 6:52 and 6:33 over the last 0.12 mile. Prem ran a 20:53, Andy ran a 20:59 and Tony ran a 21:19. Tony told me he will be 70 in 5 months.

I stopped at Wegmans on my way home to pick up two donuts. Soon I was upstairs with my honey and a couple of mugs of coffee while we ate breakfast in bed and watched a bit of TV. A nice and very enjoyable day ensued.