Sunday, 8/27/2017 to Saturday, 9/2/2017 - Summerfest 12K

I ran 5 times this week, 37.17 miles.

Sunday, 8/27/2017: 14675 steps during the day, 9.35 miles, 1:19:07, 8:28 pace, 64F, 68% RH, 3 mph N wind, partly cloudy.


I got out late for the second day in a row. My darling wife, Christine, needed a hug before I left so I obliged her. I decided to test my left ankle a bit more by going out longer. It loosened up quickly but ... a right hip discomfort set in around mile 8. It wasn't a sharp pain but I think it would have headed that way soon ... **** (fill in the blank)! My splits were: 8:31, 8:14, 8:15, 8:23, 8:29, 8:24, 8:21, 8:35, 9:03, and 8:15 over the last 0.35 mile. Maybe next weekend I can chance a 20 mile run.

I relaxed afterward with a mug of coffee and one of Christine's breakfast squares that she made up on Thursday. Mmm! Later I got downstairs to the basement and straightened a bit while I did a load of sheets and pillowcases from the second bedroom. I really need to spend some quality time in the basement just sorting and throwing away old crap that I do not need to keep lugging around anymore. So many things to do ... so little time.

There were other athletes out there being awesome. The Green Lakes Endurance Run 50K (the 100K is on hiatus until 2018) was held out at Green Lakes State Park in Fayetteville NY. 77 runners finished, results here.

Monday, 8/28/2017: 4440 steps during the day, rest day.

Tuesday, 8/29/2017: 16475 steps during the day, 7.55 miles, 1:02:59, 8:19 pace, 73F, 44% RH, 9 mph SE wind, partly cloudy.


I could have bagged this run very easily. I walked around at work at 4 PM yawning because I was tired plus my left ankle twinged a bit when I walked. But ... I didn't. I run on Tuesdays so I got dressed just before 5 PM so I could leave right away and drove out to Greece Arcadia High School for my usual Island Cottage and Janes run. I didn't know what to expect as I set out ... I thought that some sort of right hip pain would ensue eventually. But ... it didn't and I had a pretty good run. I concentrated on hitting with the middle of my feet not the heels. It was excellent weather for a run ... not too hot, not too cold, not too humidity and not too sunny! My splits were: 8:20, 8:18, 8:16, 8:25, 8:19, 8:19, 8:18, and 8:17 over the last 0.55 mile. Now, if I could hold this pace for an entire marathon ... which I know I can't.

Wednesday, 8/30/2017: 4267 steps during the day, rest day.

Thursday, 8/31/2017: 19802 steps during the day, 10.65 miles, 1:28:52, 8:21 pace, 64F, 52% RH, 12 mph N wind, partly cloudy.


I didn't want to go gentle into the end of the month of August so I went out for a long run. I took a hour of PTO, dressed after work and went to my usual (of late) running haunt at Greece Acadia High School. I decided to add a second time up and down of Jane would add another 3 miles to my usual Island Cottage - Janes route of 7.55 miles. I set out at a nice and steady pace along with concentrating on striking with my mid sole instead of my heel. I shortened my stride but increased my pace a bit to keep a good pace. My left ankle loosened up after 1 mile but did twinge a bit at mile 8 but went away. It felt good though. My splits were: 8:07, 8:17, 8:17, 8:14, 8:21, 8:32, 8:22, 8:24, 8:20, 8:27, and 8:32 over the last 0.65 mile. I hydrated like usual at every 2 miles. Pretty consistent.

Stats for the month of August and so far in 2017:

I biked twice during the month for 40 miles ((20 miles on 8/6 and 20 miles on 8/13).
I ran 18 times during the month for 146.22 miles, 8.12 miles/run.
I ran one race during the month (Dirt Cheap #5 on 8/16).
I took 334,384 steps during the month.

I have run 150 times during 2017 so far for 1080.75 miles, 7.21 miles/run.

What's on tap for September? A bit of marathon training and 4 races (Summerfest 12K on 9/2, Dirt Cheap #6 on 9/6, the Rochester Half on 9/17 and the Heather Boyum 5K on 9/23).

Friday, 9/1/2017: 2480 steps during the day, rest day (the usual the day before a race).

I surprised my darling wife, Christine, by taking the day off. We had a nice but late breakfast and then busied ourselves watching a ton of DVR'ed episodes of "The Librarians". I took breaks occasionally while I also busied myself doing 6 loads of laundry. I even got the nipple blood off of a yellow 2015 Sauerkraut 20K tech shirt (a lot of pre-wash sprays with Oxi Clean Max Clean were involved)!

Saturday, 9/2/2017: 16039 steps during the day, 2 runs of 2.22 and 9.5 miles, 52F, 76% RH, 3 mph SSE wind, sunny.

Today's race was my eighth Summerfest 12K (2009 - 1:02:42, 2010 - 1:01:05, 2011 - 1:00:41, 2013 - 59:23, 2014 - 58:47 and 2015 - 58:03). I ran the Summerfest 5K in 2012 in 22:02 when I was coming back from a left Achilles heel injury. I woke up when my alarm went off at 6:10 AM. It's a good thing I set it. I usually wake up when the sun comes up and the fact that the sun is rising later and later means I'll be setting my alarm for the next several months I guess.

I had my usual pre-race of cereal and banana, dressed quietly, got my running gear together, kissed Christine good-bye and headed out at 7:40 AM. I chose to wear a white Freezeroo long sleeve tech shirt (it was 45F when I woke up), black shorts and calf sleeves. I got down to the Beach parking lot of Mendon Ponds Park (MPP) around 8:10 AM in plenty of time for the 9 AM start. Then I walked up to Stewart Lodge to get my mason jar and bib. I couldn't find my running sunglasses in my running bag when I got back to the Cruze. I didn't let it bother me. I just wore my regular glasses when I got out a nice, if a bit long, warm up run of 2.22 miles at 8:46 pace, link here. I got back to the Cruze for a swig of water about 10 minutes before the start.

Boots (David Boutiller) and Ellen Brenner Boutillier in a calm moment before the race ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

The group of runners that gathered by the Fleet Feet blow-up Start arch seemed a bit small. I figured that some runners were resting today since tomorrow is tbe Oak Tree Half down in Geneseo NY. I lined up behind the little 10 year old, Ari Redack. I read about her in a Democrat and Chronicle article, link here. She is speedy. She has won the Women Run the ROC 5K, Sauerkraut 5K and Shoreline 5K. I got pretty close to the start line, fired up my RoadID to let my wife and kids track me and waited for Ellen to voice her "boisterous GOOOOOO!!".

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

And ... we were off. My mindset before the race was to just take it nice and steady. I tried to concentrate on not going out too hard while trying to not heel strike. Well ... the first mile passed in 7:02 but I felt good so I went with it. I was up near the front ... I counted that I was eighth before everyone stretched out. I was behind Ari by about 100 feet and didn't pass her for another 1/2 mile. She certainly is fast for a 10 year old. The rolling hills of Mendon were ever present though and I did slow down some. I glanced at my Garmin when it buzzed with every mile. I remember seeing a lot of times around 7:30 so I knew I was running well. I did have a 7:58 on one uphill stretch. What? Hills in Mendon? I had my 20 ounce water bottle with me so I blew through the water stops at miles 2, 4 and 6 as I took a couple of squirts of water. I did walk for about 100 feet when I came back into MPP on Canfield Rd just before the 10K flag. I needed to catch my breath. I got back up to whatever running gear I had left as I sucked it up. Get it done ... down Canfield Rd ... take the tangents on the curves ... left onto Douglas Rd ... up the hill by the cobblestone house ... mile 7 flag ... one more hill ... Kevin Clinefelter saying "You got this" as I barely (it seemed to me at the time) ran by him ... turn right down the stone road to the Finish arch ... Ellen calling my name ... done in 56:33 (according to my Garmin)!

Caught in mid air digging for the finish ... photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier of Fleet Feet Rochester

I was parched so I grabbed a couple cups of water before I went into Stewart Lodge for a hot dog and a couple of cookies. I checked my time at a walk up kiosk and found that I officially finished in 56:31, 8th overall and was second in my M 55-59 age group. That time of 56.31 seemed fast and I wondered if it was a lifetime PR (it was!).

I talked a bit with Tom Hawkins, "Mr. Half Marathon" (my nickname for him since he told me he ran 22 half marathons last year). Well ... they took a toll on him. He told me that he ran the Summerfest 5K as he was just getting back in running shape after recovering from Plantar Fasciitis ... ouch! I've never had that (knock on wood) and from what I've heard don't ever want it!

Soon I was back home with Christine. I got my obilatory mug of coffee, put my feet up and uploaded my Garmin data. I learned that I did indeed run a 12K lifetime PR ... I was totally shocked! I thought my lifetime PR setting days were behind me ... my legs still have a bit of spark in them! I didn't set out to set a PR. I just ran nice and steady as I concentrated on my running form in my totally unscientific fashion.

Anyway, I was 8th out of 124, link here. I was 2nd out of 5 in my M 55-59 age group, link here. My splits were: 7:03, 7:39, 7:28, 7:33, 7:41, 7:58, 7:40 and 7:04 over the last 0.50 mile. The last 1/2 mile totally felt like 9:04 instead of 7:04 pace.

Later, I cooked supper! Granted it was easy, two racks of ribs and sweet potatoes. I followed instructions in the kitchen from Christine in the living room (who was suffering from tinnitus). And yes, they tasted very good. Christine did look after them while I went to Wegmans for a bit.