Sunday, 9/17/2017 - Rochester Half

An epic day deserves its own blog post! This will be a long post with lots of pictures. Everyone has a camera nowadays!

Sunday, 9/17/2017: 25736 steps during the day, 2 runs of 2.05 and 13.21 miles, 61F (start), 100% RH, 4 mph SW wind, partly cloudy.

Today's race was the Rochester Half Marathon, the last race in the Four Seasons Challenge (the link explains the 2018 version). I completed what will now be called the Road 52.4. I had signed up for way back in October 2016. SPOILER: I finished so I earned my third straight Four Seasons Challenge medal!

I was up with the alarm went off at 4:55 AM. I was glad that I had laid out my running gear the night before so I could just slip into it. I went downstairs and had my usual pre-race bowl of cereal and banana. I did smell the milk before I poured it ... I really should mark the date I buy it on the jug. I had given my darling wife, Christine, the morning off so she could sleep in. I geared up with a full 20 ounce water bottle, full Hammer Gel flask and heather blue Rochester Marathon short sleeve tech shirt (for later after I earned it), kissed her goodbye and headed out the door in the pre-dawn darkness at 5:50 AM. The sky was pretty ... Venus was next a sliver of the crescent moon aka the old moon in the new moon's arms. I wore Balega socks, yellow calf sleeves, black shorts and an old white Rochester Marathon short sleeve tech shirt.

A Rochester Police Department (RPD) car was at the intersection of Lake Ave and Maplewood Drive (the start was down there) and a truck was lying cones on Lake Ave. I was down to the finish line at Frontier Field around 6:05 AM. There really wasn't too much traffic for some reason.

The finish line at 6 AM waiting for finishers

I grabbed my sunglasses from my running bag and realized that I didn't remember to make sure that I had packed a bottle of water to drink after my warm up run. Luckily I rummaged through my running bag and found one. I hit the head at Frontier Field and then boarded a school bus for the 5 minute ride down to the start. I was down there by 6:30 AM just like I wanted. There were runners and volunteers bustling around with more runners coming by the busload and being dropped off by the minute.

I met up with Andy Ciaio who was running the full for the second year in a row and Prem Kumar who was running the half. I went out with Prem for a slow and easy 2.05 mile warm up run at 9:40 pace just to pass the time, link here. I learned that he had paced the 4 hour marathon runners down at the Erie Marathon last weekend and was going to run a difficult 10 mile race down in Virginia next weekend. He does get around! I downed my bottle of water. It was humid so I was a bit drippy with sweat.

It's all smiles before the race!

Ellen was doing her pre-race announcements and remarked about the sunrise so I went over and took a picture and a selfie of the start line.

The sunrise looking out over the Genesee River

I chatted with Roger Dahl as I lined up for the start. He was glad that I was leaving the M 55-59 age group, lol! I fired off my RoadID eCrumb app so that my wife and kids could track me and got my Garmin Forerunner 220 (DC Rainmaker review here) all ready. Then ... Ellen gave her usual boisterous "Goooooo!!!!" and off we went!


I got up to speed sort of quickly. There was one tight spot but everything opened up as we ran down Maplewood Drive. I ran with Roger for the first mile or so. The Rochester Fire Department had the large US flag hanging over the road just before Lake Ave.

Bridge View Drive passing under the Veterans Memorial Brige about 1/2 mile in ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

Running under the US Flag on Maplewood Drive at mile 1 ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

I tried to hold my pace back and succeeded with a 8:00 first mile pace. Then we ran down Lake Ave past the Holy Sepulchre and Riverside Cemeteries, mile 2. We took the entrance to the Genesee Riverway Trail and Turning Point Park. I crossed the 5K timing strip at 24:14, 7:49 pace (a bit fast). I was running well and it was a downhill so ... no matter. I don't think ... I just run.

A line of runners and their reflections on the boardwalk in Turning Point Park along with a seagull ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

We hit mile 4 just as we climbed out of the boardwalk along the Genesee River. I took shorter steps as I ran up Petten Street back to Lake Ave ... mile 5. Tom Butler yelled "Hi Doug!" as I passed him. He had run a 50K last weekend. Then it was over the O'Rorke Bridge and onto Thomas Ave. This was the first major hill. I was a bit demoralized when the 1:45 pace leader and his group passed me. I did walk for about 50 feet while I collected myself. I crossed the 10K timing strip in 49:44 (25:30 second 5K, 8:14 pace), 8:01 pace. I was doing pretty well. We turned onto St Paul Blvd and I heard the trombone player playing the "Theme from Rocky" ... always a favorite running song. The route on St Paul Blvd was a bit long with miles 7, 8 and 9. I remember seeing a kid holding a sign "Keep it up, keep it up ... That's what she said" ... I chuckled. I also saw a shirt with the logo "Sore Not Sorry".

The intersection of St Paul St and Titus Ave ... photo courtesy of John Brind'Amour

The Winoma Blvd section of St Paul St had their usual strong cheering sections. The theme this year was movies. I remember a Star Wars section ... I got a high five from someone dressed as a Jawa. I also remember sections about Disney and the 50s (maybe American Graffiti?). I ran/danced a bit to the 50's twist music as I ran by. I dug out my Hammer Gel flask from my shorts and had two gulps along with a couple squirts of water around mile 9. I was trying to hydrate every 2 miles. We turned right into the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County parking lot. I passed the 15K timing strip just as we neared the road to the Seneca Park Zoo in 1:15:30 (25:46 third 5K, 8:19 pace), 8:07 pace. Then back to the Genesee Riverway Trail. We ran down to, across, and back up from the pedestrian bridge across the Genesee River. Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester was down on the bridge taking pictures and yelled out "Happy birthday, Doug" as I passed! Yep, I was 60 years old plus 1 day!

The pedestrian bridge across the Genesee River ... photo courtesy of Game Face Media

The pedestrian bridge across the Genesee River ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

I was getting affected by the heat and humidity now. There was a 100 yard section where we saw the full marathon runners as they headed back out for their second loop. I slapped a sideways five with Chris Patterson as he ran. He seemed to be running fine and had a smile on his face. I walked a bit of the hill as we went back onto the Genesee Riverway Trail along Bridge View and Maplewood Drive back to the start. The finish was about 2.5 miles away. The trail here was a bit dusty and rooty so I took off my sunglasses to be sure of my footing. The full marathon runners turned at the Maplewood Rose Garden while the half marathon runners went straight across Driving Park Ave, mile 11. My shirt was drenched with sweat and my right nipple was a bit sensitive so I figured I would have blood on my shirt when I got done (I did).

Lower Falls ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

I could hear the Lower Falls on my left as we ran down a short hill and then across a bridge over the Middle Falls. I was running out of energy.

This was taken at 9:04 AM so I think it's Middle Falls ... photo courtesy of Game Face Media

I power walked up the entire Brewer St hill back up to St Paul St. Only 1.5 miles to go! I got back up to as much speed as I could. I passed a few of the runners that had passed me as I walked up the last hill. Mile 12 ... 1.1 miles to go! We crossed Bausch St ... ran past North American Breweries (where they make Genesee Beer) ... right onto Cataract St ... past the Genesee Brew House ... onto the Pont de Rennes bridge ... High Falls on the left (I didn't look or even hear it) ... focus on running (and not stopping) ... I could see the Finish arch ... Platt St ... cross State St ... up Morrie Silver Way ... cross Plymouth Ave N ... in the finish chute ... still 100 yards ... hearing Ellen call my name (priceless!) ... see the clock just past 1:49 ... done around 1:49:15! I took my Rochester Marathon finisher's medal and my last 4 Seasons Challenge medal and put them around my neck. I earned them!

High Falls as seen from the Pont de Rennes bridge ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

Looking down Platt St and the Pont de Rennes Bridge ... photo courtesy of Kim Smith of Fleet Feet Rochester

Morrie Silver Way looking toward the finish arch and line ... photo courtesy of Kim Smith of Fleet Feet Rochester

St Paul St before the intersection of Bausch St & Upper Falls Blvd ... photo courtesy of Game Face Media

Getting real close to the finish ... photo courtesy of Game Face Media

Grimacing on my way to the finish ... photo courtesy of Kim Smith of Fleet Feet Rochester

Ellen Brenner ... the "voice of the Rochester Marathon" ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

Post race selfie showing off the bling

I gulped down 2 cups of water as I exited the chute and then made my road to the food tent. I picked up a piece of pizza, a bag of Fritos and another bottle of water while I pocketed an apple and 2 energy bars. I hit up the chocolate milk tent next door for a bottle of cold chocolate milk, a towel and free picture.

Their chocolate milk was COLD and DELICIOUS!!

I went to the results tent and found that I had finished in a chip time of 1:49:07 and had placed third in my new M 60-64 age group. So I hung around for a while waiting for an award announcement from Ellen. Her amplifier seemed to be cranked up to 11 so I could definitely hear her. I went out to the Cruze to change out of my wet tech shirt into the heather blue 2017 Rochester Marathon short sleeve tech shirt. I consider it bad juju to wear any race shirt before I have earned it. I was right ... my white Rochester Marathon shirt did have blood from my right nipple on it. I know the drill ... take it downstairs when I get home, spray it with copious amounts of Oxi Clean Max Force several times and wash it until it comes out. UPDATE: It came out.

I also retrieved my wallet and license from the Cruze ... but first I had to find it. It had been dark when I parked it. I used the license and a free beer pull tab from my bib to get a free LaBatt's Premiere Extra Light Lager (4% ABV, 92 calories). A young guy asked me where I got the beer. It turned out to be one of Barry and LouAnn Dingman's kids! LouAnn is my cousin on my mother's side (her father was my mother's brother) Two of their kids and two friends have formed a Mixed Open relay team named "Chafing the Dream!" and placed second, results here. I hung with them for a while until they left.

One woman crossed the finish line in style ... photo courtesy of Kim Smith of Fleet Feet Rochester

I eventually found out where the age group award were being handed out ... just look for a gathering of runners with awards. I picked up mine and found out that they were giving relay awards to the winners only.

I learned from Tim Dwyer that Chris Patterson had a right Achilles issue and was having trouble in the Riverside Cemetery. I later learned from his Apex Performance Running blog that he was running well for 14 miles and then his legs simply couldn't run anymore. He finished in 4:00:02. His right Achilles tendon caused him to lose 2 months of training before the Rochester Marathon. I had a left Achilles tendon issue back in 2012 and it took several months to heal.

My 3rd place M 60-64 age group bling

All the Four Season Challenge (4SC) medals put together and my 2nd place in the M 55-59 age group 4SC series award

I was going to leave but saw Andy Ciaio come out of the finish chute. He looked a bit woozy so I led him over to the chocolate milk tent so he could have some cold refreshment. He told me that he had backed off to a 2 hour half but had gotten overheated during the second half. He finished in 4:28:29. He looked a lot better when I left him as he was going into the food tent. Then I went to the Cruze to go home.

Henry Rueden of De Pere, Wisconsin finishing in 6:27:33 ... photo courtesy of Kim Smith of Fleet Feet Rochester

William Murphy who runs the half and full marathons put on by Mainly Marathons posted about Henry Rueden on Facebook. He remarked that this was Henry's 11th marathon in the 17 days of September! He had run 10 marathons during the Mainly Marathons NW Series and Center of the Nations Series. Wow!

Soon ... after a bit of grocery shopping at ... wait for it ... Wegmans ... I was home with my road shoes off, my feet up and drinking a mug of coffee. Ahh!! I looked up the results and uploaded my Garmin data. I did OK. I finished in 1:49:07 chip time, 1:49:16 gun time, 8:16 pace, 171st out of 1539, overall results here. I was 3rd out of 39 in my M 60-64 age group, age group results here. The timing strips were: 5K - 24:14, 7:49 pace; 10K: 49:44 (second 5K in 25:30, 8:14 pace), 8:01 pace; 15K: 1:15:30 (third 5K in 25:46, 8:19 pace), 8:07 pace. My splits were: 7:50, 7:56, 7:36, 7:41, 8:06, 8:12, 8:02, 8:10, 8:15, 8:32, 9:00, 9:30, 8:02 and 7:33 over the last 0.21 mile.

Yes, there was also a marathon going on. There were 288 individual finishers and 112 teams, results here. There were 450 finishers of the first Rochester 5K held the previous day, results here ... which just so happened to be my 60th birthday.

I did OK on the Four Season Challenge 52.4 Distance side also. I would have 15th out of 78 overall with 7:07:25 total time (assuming the Yellow Jacket Racing fixes the results), link here, and 2nd out of 8 in my M 55-59 age group, (assuming the Yellow Jacket Racing fixes the results), link here.

Some might say that I pay too much attention to the results. You might be right but there is a clock at the finish and I aim to not let it click too much before I get there. Yes, I value the experience and running with people I know but I do try to be competitive in my age group. Everyone who finishes or attempts to finish is a winner.

Rochester Marathon medals at the ready ... photo courtesy of Kim Smith of Fleet Feet Rochester

The 2017 Four Seasons Challenge puzzle pieces all fit together like they're supposed to!

I have completed the 4 Season Challenge three years in a row: 2015 (Winter Warrior Half, Flower City Half, Shoreline Half and Rochester Half), 2016 (Winter Warrior Half, Flower City Half, Shoreline Half and Rochester Full) and 2017 (Winter Warrior Half, Flower City Half, Shoreline Half and Rochester Half).

Yellow Jacket Racing is adding three more variations to the 2018 Four Season Challenge. Besides the familiar (and renamed) Road 52.4 (4 road half marathons) and Road 65.5 (3 road half marathons and the Rochester Marathon); there will be a Road Short (4 5Ks), Trail Short and Trail Long. A new race named Cabin Fever out in Webster on 2/17/2018 will run 3 to 4 and 10 to 13 mile versions will be part of the Trail Short and Trail Long variations. Wow!