Sunday, 2/21/2016 to Saturday, 2/27/2016 - Freeezeroo #6

I ran 4 times this week, 20.63 miles.

Sunday, 2/21/2016: Rest day ... say it isn't so!

Yes ... I just didn't feel it. So I stayed in and wished I was running all day ... which made me a bit irritable all day.

Monday, 2/22/2016: Another rest day ... trying to get back on the Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday schedule.

Tuesday, 2/23/2016: 8.25 miles, 1:08:34, 8:19, 30F, 8% RH, 10 mph NE wind, wind chill 21F, overcast.

Garmin Connect Activity for Cobbs Hill workout

I loaded my running gear into the Equinox when I left for work ... boom. I dressed at work (Brooks tights, short sleeve tech and Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover), headed straight over to Cobbs Hill and parked at Fleet Feet Ridgeway. I got there, got ready (Brooks beanie, heavy running gloves and headlamp) and got out there early around 5:40 PM. I suffered through the uphill up Culver Rd and Highland Ave to Cobbs Hill and then did 2 Ys. I started running loops and eased into a higher gear to do 4. Then it was back to the Equinox via the long way (Highland Ave, Cobbs Hill Dr, Hillside Dr and Norris Dr) back. Boom ... 8.25 miles. My splits were: 8:54, 8:32, 8:19, 8:18, 8:07, 7:57, 8:08, 8:00 and 8:08 over the last 0.25 mile.

Wednesday, 2/24/2016: Rest day.

I was really tired so I went to bed fairly early 10:15 PM. My alarm at 5:30 AM goes off whether I am rested or not ... and usually it's not. I could probably catch another 30 minutes of shuteye but I like getting up, watching some news, catching up on email and Facebook while enjoying a leisurely mug of coffee.

Thursday, 2/25/2016: 4 miles on the dreadmill at 8:45 pace

I had my gear loaded in the Equinox so I could run right after work. I dressed at work so I was all ready. But ... a late snow/ice crusting plus lots of wind that started around 4 PM led me to think better of running outside. I thought about just running around Rochester Tech Park (where I was) or driving over to Cobbs Hill but I just went home. I thought about running from home but I just thought it was too dangerous. I turned out that I was correct ... A driver on Atlantic Ave was killed in a traffic accident at 6 PM when another driver lost control and crossed the center line. I went to the complex fitness center for the first time. There were 4 treadmills, 2 ellipticals, 2 rucumbent bicycles, a pulley/weight gym and some free weights. I settled for 2 miles at 8:34 pace, 10 minutes on the bicycle, 2 more miles at 9:00 pace and a bit of free weights.

Friday: 2/26/2016: Rest day ... the usual before a race morning,

Saturday, 2/27/2016: 2 runs of 2.1 and 6.28 miles, 28F, 63% RH, 9 mph SSW wind, wind chill 20F, partly cloudy.

Freezeroo #6 was held out at Casey Park in Ontario NY. I hadn't race out here in 2 years so I didn't really remember the course. I left my darling wife, Christine, home in bed. I got up early, had my usual pre-race cereal with banana, dressed (Brooks tights, short sleeve tech, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve tech) and got out early. I arrived at the race venue just after 9 AM in plenty of time for the 10 AM start. Prem Kumar parked right next to me so we headed out for a nice and easy 2.1 mile warmup run, link here. I had plenty of time still before the race to hit the head and stretch a bit. I saw some of the usuals: Bill Beyerbach, Tim Dwyer, Bill Murphy, Tom Butler (who had a shirt on), Amy Lord, Tina Pellegrin and the legendary Charlie Sabatine. I lined up in my usual spot a bit to the right and about 10 yards behind the start line. I lined up next to Prem and Andy Ciaio.

The start ... photo courtesy of Tim Matthews

A bit after the start - courtesy of Tim Matthews

And ... we were off! I got up to speed quickly. I allowed faster runners to pass me. Prem and Andy were in sight. Bill Beyerbach passed me at about 1/2 mile. Mile 1 passed in 6:53. I concentrated on just running a bit under flat out. I said "Hi" to the early starters that I knew (Bill Murphy, Tina, Charlie, Tom and Amy).

Somewhere ... photo courtesy of Tim Matthews

I passed Prem during mile 4 and Bill Beyerbach just after mile 5. The last mile seemed to last forever. I couldn't gain on the person in front but no one gained on me either.

I'm probably grimacing - courtesy of Tim Matthews

Done ... just over 46 seconds. I headed over to the lodge and had a bit of apple cider, 2 donuts and 2 pieces of pizza. I stayed for the awards since I knew that I would get third in my M55-59 series age group and received $10. Tim Dwyer won my age group and Bill Beyerbach won his M60-64 age group.

My race results were 46:03, 39th out of 152 overall, 28th out of 101 series, 3rd out of 8 in my M55-59 series age group and 3rd out of 12 in my M55-59 Freezeroo series overall (best 3 out of 5 races) M55-59 age group. My splits were: 6:53, 7:10, 16, 26, 49, 20 and 6:40 over the last 0.28 mile.

Soon enough I was home zipping a couple of mugs of coffee alongside my darling wife, Christine. We got out for her Tons of Fun weigh in at Fleet Feet Ridgeway. It wasn't a good week for her ... i.e. she gained weight. Then we headed over to New Nails to get a touch up on her nails. They are long, sexy and sharp ... just the way she likes them!