Sunday, 3/20/2016: 10.2 miles, 1:24:28, 8:17, 36F, 37% RH, 5 mph NE wind, wind chill 31F, partly cloudy
Garmin Connect Activity for A fast MTD preview run
I wanted my darling wife, Christine, to have another whack at the Mind the Ducks course so we headed out to North Ponds Park in Webster. She headed out while I was still gearing up. I set out at a quick pace because it was cold with a cold wind. I passed her the second time just as she finished her first loop. She said that she was cold and was going to the Equinox. I continued on for 8 more loops. My splits were: 8:18, 8:04, 8:04, 8:17, 8:11, 8:07, 8:22, 8:25,8: 33, 8:28 and 8:12 over the last 0.2 mile. This pace is definitely NOT what I will run during MTD but I was cold and needed to run fast to keep warm. She said that the cold wind hurt her lungs but was glad that she got out for a mile. I surprised Christine with brownies and coffee afterwards.
Monday, 3/21/2016: Rest day
Tuesday, 3/22/2016: 6.2 miles, 51:20, 8:16 pace, 52F, 40% RH, 8 mph SSW wind, overcast
Garmin Connect Activity for 10K around the RTP
I almost bagged this run. I was tired and hungry during the day. I checked the weather forecast and saw that the weather for the next day was worse in the afternoon (cold/windy/rain/sleet) so ... I found the energy to get out and get it done. I had all my running gear in the Equinox so I dressed at RTP-B6, bagged the drive to Cobbs Hill for a hill workout and just ran where I was. I struck up a nice and easy pace and just did a 10K. My splits were: 8:21, 8:10, 8:36, 8:5, 8:15, 8:14 and 8:00 over the last 0.2 mile. Boom, done.
Wednesday, 3/23/2016 to Friday, 3/25/2016: Rest days
I should have gotten out Thursday but didn't. I just felt like a slug.
Saturday, 3/26/2016: 2 runs of 1 and Spring Forward 15K, 27F, 93% RH, calm, light overcast.
I "slept in" until 6 AM, had my usual pre-race bowl of cereal and banana, dressed for the weather, kissed my wife goodbye and headed down to Mendon Ponds Park for my tenth (yes, tenth) Spring Forward 15K. I saw a couple of deer cross Lake Shore Blvd a couple of hundred yards ahead of me as I drove but no worries. I arrived around 7:25 AM and parked up on Douglas Rd in between the Beach parking entrance and the Stewart Lodge entrance ... so I would pass the Cruze on the way to the finish. I packed a "go" bag with the Spring Foward tech shirt, my Brooks jacket and a bottle of water for after the race. I noticed that I had almost no water stashed in my running bag. I headed down to Stewart Lodge to stash the "go" bag and prepped for the race. I dressed like usual: my Brooks tights, short sleeve tech, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves. I didn't carry water or wear my sunglasses. It was cold and overcast but calm as a bell.
I got out for a nice and easy warmup run of 1 mile at 8:21 pace, link here. It was 8 minutes before the race and I needed water so I raided my "go" bag for water and then walked to the start line at the exit of the Beach parking lot. I met up with Andy Ciaio and settled in my usual spot ... right side about 10 yards behind the leaders.
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| The start of the 15K ... photo courtesy of Kim Smith of Fleet Feet Rochester |
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| Mile 1 ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester |
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| Mile 5 looking down ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester |
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| Mile 5 looking up ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester |
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| Turning the corner from Canfield Rd to Douglas Rd with just over 1/2 mile to go ... photo courtesy of Kim Smith of Fleet Feet Rochester |
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| Ellen broke out her bunny ears ... unknown photographer |
I quickly had some water and then ambled in to have a couple of hot dogs. I checked the results, 56th and 4th in my age group so I changed into my dry clothes and headed up to the Cruze to head home. Another excellent race by Yellow Jacket Racing ... thanks to everyone involved! Rochester is fortunate to have YJR ... they are the best!
A couple of mugs of coffee ensued along with uploading my FR220 to my usual running websites (Garmin, Runningahead, Dailymile and Strava). I did OK, with my third fastest Spring Forward of ten, a 1:11:14, 56th out of 467, link here. I was 4th out of 32 in my M55-59 age group by 13 seconds, link here or here. My splits were: 7:18, 7:28, 7:18, 7:28, 7:33, 7:51, 7:55, 8:14, 7:40 and 6:54 over the last 0.36 mile.
Soon .. my darling wife, Christine, and I started to get ready to go to OH for Easter to see Christine's father and family in Ravenna OH. We had reservations at the Microtel in Streetsboro OH waiting for our arrival. I've been married to Christine for almost 4 years now so I knew better than to hurry her up. I just worked on getting myself ready. She beat me at getting ready again. She just is ... boom ... ready. I think she just throws everything in a couple of suitcases and ... boom, she's ready! We started around 3 PM and got out to the Microtel just before 8 PM with a short stop at Fleet Feet Ridgeway for her Tons of Fun weigh-in and a stop in OH for fuel. We packed our swimming suits but were disappointed when we got there and saw a "Swimming Pool Closed for Season" sign.
We met up with her daughter, Beth, and her finance, Nick, for supper at the Happy Moose Bar and Grill for some well needed supper. Soon ... zzzzzzz out in OH!
