Sunday, 4/30/2017 to Saturday, 5/6/2017 - Flower City Half

I ran 5 times this week, 41.05 miles.

Sunday, 4/30/2017: 2 runs of 2 and 13.2 miles, 43F, 58% RH, 12 mph N wind, wind chill 36F, overcast with a light sprinkle in the middle.

I got up when my alarm went off at 5:10 AM. Race day, baby! My eighth Flower City Half was today's race. I had my usual pre-race bowl of cereal and banana. I washed the dishes that had soaked overnight before I went upstairs to change into my race gear. The temp was going to be low 40s and there was a bit of a wind. I went outside to feel the temperature for myself. Boom ... it was tights and long sleeve tech weather. I chose my old CW-X tights,  a plain yellow long sleeve tech, my yellow Brooks beanie and my heavy running gloves. I arrived down to my usual parking lot at the corner of Court St and Exchange Blvd at 6:30 AM after a 20 minute drive.

I visited a secluded upstairs bathroom in the Blue Cross Arena where I took care of business and had a bout of 10 sneezes. I got out for a nice and easy warm-up run of 2 miles at 8:01 pace, link here (a bit of a weird GPS track at the start). I took off my yellow Brooks jacket and stashed it in the trunk of the Cruze when I got back.

I did something I usually don't do .... I had a gel before the race. A tasty Maple Syrup Gel from Slopeside Syrup, link here! Mmm!

An awesome photo of Darth Vader on his new leg ... photo courtesy of Kim Smith of Fleet Feet Rochester

Darth Vader had been given permission to start 45 minutes early. Kim Smith captured this picture as he walked away. He completed the Flower City Half 5:06:33 later. Ellen, Boots and anyone who was around gave him a proper welcome!

I ambled up to the start line and settled in about 20 feet behind the 1:45 pace sign. I waited for the start when Ellen yelled out to the runners walking up the start line to "Get out of the road!".


And ... we were off! It took about 30 seconds (actually 26) before I got up to the start line as we began a slow shuffle, walk, slow run, a jockey for position and then finally up to speed during the first 1/4 mile.

The start ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

A long line of runners starting the Flower City Half  ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

The race proceeded as I had visualized the night before. Mile 1 was the Susan B Anthony House on Madison St (Failure is Impossible!), mile 2 was Frontier Field and mile 3 was Main St (I offered encouragement to Darth Vader who was walking the FCH with his new prosthetic leg).

I'm the yellow blob in the background somewhere on Main St ... photo courtesy of Game Face Media

Mile 4 was East Ave (I hiked up my sleeves at mile 4.5), mile 5 was Park Ave (a light rain started and I put my sunglasses on top of my head), mile 6 was S Goodman St (I had a Hammer Gel and water just past mile 6 without walking and didn't litter), mile 7 was Highland Park (I endured the ups and enjoyed the downs), mile 8 was just inside Mt Hope Cemetery (I endured the run up the cobblestone path and the hills in the early section, stretched out in the latter section), mile 9 was still in the Mt Hope Cemetery and mile 10 was just outside the Mt Hope Cemetery (only a 5K to go!).

Somewhere on the Genesee Riverway Trail ... photo courtesy of Game Face Media

Mile 11 was on the Genesee River Trail on the east side of the Genesee (I saw a Rochester Running Company sign with my name on it) and mile 12 was just before the Ford St Bridge (there was a string accompaniment under the bridge ... then over the bridge and down Exchange Blvd with about 0.9 mile to go). Stream of consciousness now: push the pace (but not too much) ... start picking off runners ... push the pace (a bit more) ... see the I-490 overpass ... push the pace (a bit more) ... hear the crowd ... mile 13 ... in the finish chute ...sprint ... look up and see the clock just before 1:43 ... harder ... and done with 13.2 miles in 1:43:00 according to my Garmin Forerunner 220. I took and wore the Flower City Half and Four Season Challenge medals with pride. I was quite happy with my race effort ... I had not walked and felt strong practically the whole way! Nice!

Straining for the finish line ... photo courtesy of Game Face Media

Crossing the finish line ... photo courtesy of Game Face Media

Just after the finish line ... photo courtesy of Game Face Media

Taken at the Blue Cross Arena by a fellow runner

I got a cup of water, ended my eCrumb to my wife and kids and stretched. I hit a rumble of thunder and made my way inside the Blue Cross Arena. I hit the post-race grub line for 2 pieces of pizza and 2 cookies. I learned that it had started to pour outside and thought of the runners that were still out there. I purposely left my free beer ticket at home so I wouldn't be tempted as I sipped water to quench my thirst.

I was wet and cold by the time I walked in the rain to the Cruze. I changed into my nicely earned Flower City Half 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover and yellow Brooks jacket while I ran the heater full blast. It really poured on the way home. I had to slow to about 45 mph and put my wipers on double time at one point. I earned my two mugs of coffee. Christine also made french toast out of cinnamon bread ... mmm!

Yellow Jacket Racing had trouble posting results due to the severe weather conditions during the latter stage of the Flower City Half. They had to go to their backup systems and video and promised results by the evening. They weren't up by the time I went to bed around 9:30 PM (I was very tired for some reason) but were up when I checked on Monday morning before I went to work ... the timing crew must have had a long day. Here they are: Gun Time: 1:42:58, Chip Time: 1:42:32, 226th out of 2093, 9th out of 70 in my M 55-59 age group, 7:52 pace. My splits: 5K, 273rd, 24:47, 7:59 pace; 10K, 252nd, 49:01, 7:54 pace; 15K, 205th, 1:13:49, 7:56 pace; Finish, 206th, 1:42:58, 7:52 pace. The Flower City Half overall link is here and the age group link is here. My splits were: mile1 - 8:10; mile 2 - 7:40, mile 3 -7:47, mile 4 - 7:30, mile 5 - 7:45, mile 6 - 7:51, mile 7 - 8:12, mile 8 - 8:07, mile 9 - 7:34, mile 10 - 7:48, mile 11 - 7:43, mile 12 - 7:50, mile 13 - 7:43 and 6:36 over the last 0.2 mile. I didn't slow down as much as I thought during mile 7 (Highland Park), during mile 8 (late Highland Park and early Mt Hope Cemetery) and during miles 11 and 12 (east side of the Genesee on the Genesse River Trail).

An obligatory bling pic

I looked at my 8 times (2010 - 1:46:43, 2011 - 1:40:11, 2012 - 1;39:23, 2013 - 1:44:44, 2014 - 1:47:12, 2015 - 1:46:08 and 2016 - 1:43:35) for this race. I found that it was my third fastest FCH ... faster than last year's gun time of 1:43:35, way slower than 2012's obscenely fast 1:39:23 and my time is trending down not up. I guess I have lost a couple of steps since 2012 but I am five years older too, lol!

The Flower City Half was not just about me. I can only give my viewpoint but there were so many other stories that came out of that day. There were 906 runners in the Wegmans 5K held 15 minutes after the half start at 7:30 AM, results here. There were tales on Facebook of so many other runners who perserved through the elements and acheived their goal of reaching the finish line.

Monday, 5/1/2017: Rest day.

A look back at April. I ran 20 times in 30 days totaling 143.74 miles, 7.19 miles/run. Three of those 20 runs were warm ups of 1.2, 0.9 and 2.0 miles before the three races I ran: Dirt Cheap #1, River Run 5K and yesterday's Flower City Half. I biked once for 17.72 miles with an average speed of 12 mph. So far in 2017 I have run 81 times totaling 557.4 miles, 6.88 miles/run.

Tuesday, 5/2/2017: 7.05 miles, 57:42, 8:11 pace, 55F, 62% RH, 10 mph SW wind, overcast.


I went out before lunch because the evening forecast was lots of wind. My legs were stiff for the first full mile so I went out really nice and easy. I picked up the pace on the way back. My splits were: 8:36, 8:22, 8:20, 8:22, 7:59, 8:08 and 7:33.

Wednesday, 5/3/2017: Rest day ... nothing unusual about that!

Thursday, 5./4/2017: 8.65 miles, 1:08:57, 7:58 pace, 55F, 35% RH, 9 mph SSE wind, overcast.


I decided to add a run down Ridgeway Ave to Henpeck Park and then back on the Erie Canal Trail. I mapped it out on www.mapmyrun.com as 8.63 and it was spot on at 8.65 miles! I took it nice and easy. My splits were: 8:20, 7:52, 7:56, 7:37, 8:09, 7:57, 8:09, 8:04 and 7:30 over the last 0.65 mile.

Friday, 5/5/2017: Rest day.

A rest day for me but there were 300 people signed up for the Taco Mile down at Cobbs Hill, results here. There were 206 finishers and 8 DNF. A race like this is not my cup of tea but the pictures looked like a good time was had by all!

Saturday, 5/6/2017: 10.25 miles, 1:25:07, 8:18 pace, 46F, 93% RH, 7 mph W wind, wind chill 43F, overcast.


I wanted to get out early but my darling wife, Christine, had other plans. So ... I was delayed, ;-). A long run doesn't get done by itself ... so I got out there. It was a bit damp and chilly so I wore my Brooks shorts, a long sleeve tech, a short sleeve tech, my light Brooks gloves and orange Fleet Feet hat. I kept to a really steady pace and resisted the urge to push the pace. My splits were: 8:22, 8:15, 8:09, 8:21, 8:19, 8:21, 8:19, 8:18, 8:21, 8:20 and 8:00 over the last 0.25 mile.

I caught with Facebook while I had a bagel (1/2 peanut butter and 1/2 jelly) washed down with the usual couple mugs of coffee. I read and watched a bit on YouTube about Nike's Breaking2, the sub 2 hour marathon attempt last night at the Monza Formula 1 racetrack near Milan, Italy, Runner's World link here and CNN link here. Eluid Kipchoge ran a 2:00:25! It's not an official world record due to the use of pacers but ... still! A 4:36 pace for 26.2 miles!! It was 63 years ago to the day that Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile at 3:59.4, link with video here.

Later, Christine and I got our Star Wars geek on. We watched Star Wars: Episode IV (A New Hope), Episode V (The Empire Strikes Back) and Episode VI (The Return of the Jedi). Christine had set up on our DVR off of TBS. They were the later "special edition" versions. BTW ... Han shot first, not Greedo, link here!