I took x steps this week according to my Pebble 2 HR smart watch.
Sunday, 4/15/2018: 1331 steps during the day, rest day.
Yes, a rest day. I just stayed inside all day. The ice, rain and wind just took the running mojo out of my body. I did take the opportunity to wash all my running gear. I felt bad but I couldn't get started. I have the Flower City Half next Sunday so I will definitely make up for this running holiday.
Monday, 4/16/2018: 7821 steps during the day, rest day.
It was a busy day but I kept track of the runners that I knew that were running the Boston Marathon. via the BAA app. The conditions there were challenging with temps in the 40s, rain and a strong headwind out of the east. My smartwatch kept gently buzzing in the late morning and early afternoon with updates as each running passed each 5K strip and the finish.
A US woman, Desiree Linden (wiki here), won in 2:39:54! 7 of the first 8 women were from the US! A Japanese runner, Yuki Kawauchi (wiki here), won in 2:15:58. He is known as the "citizen runner" who holds a full time job. Lots of links: Desiree Linden wins one for the pluggers, Unknown runners at the Boston Marathon, Boston Marathon mens winner, Bill Rodgers wanted Yuki Kawauchi to run Boston, Worst weather days in Boston Marathon history and even a Boston Globe link of Shalane Flanagan going to a porta-potty for about 10 seconds mid race (lol!). A link of top finishers is here. Sarah Chichester (sister to Tim Chichester of Mount Morris) didn't start with the elites and finshed 5th in 2:45:23 ... then went back to NYC and worked a 10 hour shift as a nurse the next day!
I followed 7 runners in the BAA app (Jason "Jmac" McElwain in 3:10:28, Tim Dwyer in 3:35:38, Kevin Clinefelter in 3:28:43, Heather Patterson in 3:34;11, Wendy Abbott in 3:38:56, Bill Crowe in 4:11:22 and Mary Crowe in 4:31:52). There were other runners from Rochester but I didn't have a list and knew these runners were there off the top of my head. I read a lot of Facebook comments from them and other runners about the conditions. Wow! I just can't imagine running in a poncho (like Heather did), in the rain and into a headwind the entire way into Boston!
I would love to qualify and run Boston just once. I am in the M 60-64 age group so my qualifying time in 3:55. You really have to run about 5 minutes under to make sure that you are not in the bubble that don't get in. But ... first I have that pesky requirement of qualifying with a 3:50! Well ... I am signed up for the Empire State Marathon in Syracuse on October 14. Who knows what will happen? I have some time to train for it. Here is a list of best marathons to qualify for Boston that Runner's World compiled, link here.
Tuesday, 4/17/2018: 7650 steps during the day, rest day.
Life got in the way of running as it sometimes does. I had asked my youngest son, David, to do his own taxes this year. Well ... his calculations had him owing the IRS and also owing NYS. He forwarded his W-2 and told me about his 1095-C (which he lost). My calculations on taxact.com and OLT.com concurred with the IRS but differed on NYS. So he filed an extension with the IRS and I filed his NY for him. He definitely owes me a dinner at the Ponderosa in Geneva. Mmm! I can almost taste that steak!
Christine got out and did a lot of stuff that needed to be done with the '14 Cruze. She went to Bob Johnson Chevy and got its oil changed (down to 1%), its 30K (6K late) checkup, the driver's window fixed (the belt was off its track) and the NYS inspection. Then she went to the Irondequoit DMV to pay the registration. A pricey outing but stuff needed to be done. Nice!
Wednesday, 4/18/2018: 18968 steps during the day, 9.35 miles, 1:18:00 (estimated), 8:20 pace (estimated), 37F, 70% RH, 16 mph W wind, wind chill 28F, overcast.
Today's run was done even with roadblocks put in the way. First, I started to change before I left work so I could run when I got to Greece Arcadia High School. So ... I am pretty much naked and search my running bag for my tights ... nada ... OK, my shorts (it was a bit cold but I would have ran) ... nada. So I got dressed back in my street clothes and drove home. My tights were exactly where I left them in the basement. I hung them up to dry after I washed them on Sunday. So ... I got dressed in my usual "cold" running gear, kissed Christine goodbye and got outside. Then ... I realized that my Garmin Forerunner 220 wasn't fully charged. No matter ... I started out. It binged "Low Battery" within 1/2 mile and died at mile 1. I haven't run "free" without a Garmin in quite a while. I just maintained my pace and did my 15K route out the LOSP trail to Island Cottage and back. I slowed when I had run into the cold west wind. It's APRIL almost a full month into "Spring" and I am still wearing TIGHTS! I guess my pace was around 8:20. The weather data was from the first 1.35 miles when my Garmin was still active.
Thursday, 4/19/2018: 8055 steps during the day, rest day.
OK ... so I wussed out on this run. I had all my gear to go running after work but ... it was snowing ... yet again! Yes ... I was officially a wuss! But ... I need one more run before Sunday's Flower City Half. It didn't really matter whether I did it today or tomorrow.
Friday, 4/20/2018: 12577 steps during the day, 5.05 miles, 41:16, 8:10 pace, 45F, 45% RH, 12 mph NW wind, wind chill 39F, sunny.
Some weather factoids: 120.2 inches of snow so far this winter and a month into "Spring", 21.7 inches above normal, snowiest winter since 2010/2011. 16 days out of 19 days in April have had snow, 7 degrees below normal so far this month.
I got out for a nice out and back from the Greece Arcadia High School after work. It was a bit warmer and I really didn't go slow like some runners would on a taper. I am what I am. My splits were: 8:05, 8:23, 8:19, 8:02 and 8:02.
Saturday, 4/21/2018: 2892 steps during the day, rest day.
Today was dedicated to my late Uncle Gerald who died 4/10 at age 84. Gerald E Spaganberg Sr (obit here) was my mother's sister's husband. My mother's maiden name was Doris Edith Verplank. Shirley married Gerald, had 3 kids (Bobby, Sandy and Jerry). Shirley died in the 70s from breast cancer. I lost regular contact with Gerald after that. He remarried Josephine (Jo) sometime later. The calling hours were held at the Murphy Funeral Home on East Jackson St from 10 AM to 11:30 AM with the funeral afterward followed by interment at the Palmyra Village Cemetery.
I had hoped that my darling wife, Christine, could have joined me today. I wore my suit that Christine bought me along with a white fitted shirt and red tie. I held off while I waited for Christine to get ready until 10:10 AM. Then she gave up trying to find something to wear and told me to go. I got down to the funeral home just before 11 AM.
I said "Hi" to the people I knew. I had a bit of difficulty (as always) telling Sandy and Bill Bastian's 2 oldest daughters apart since they are both tall and have black hair. Jacquie (the oldest daughter) and Fred Rapant have three kids (all 3 years, 7 months apart of each other) aged 6, 4 and almost 3 (I think) and live outside of Boston. Lindsay and Jon Miller live outside of DC. Sandy and Bill's youngest daughter, Mary Beth, is 5' 11" and is a ballerina out in Madison, Wisconsin. Mary Beth with heels was almost as tall as I was. My sister, Diane (who couldn't attend), and I are closest in age to Sandy so that is who I hung around. There is an old picture somewhere of my mother and her sisters Eleanor and Shirley all pregnant at the same time with me, Larry and Sandy respectively. My brother, Don, was there from Syracuse. We spent time chatting for a while. The funeral service was nice. I found the 23rd Psalm quite nice. Don and I were invited to the family burial service out at the Palmyra Village Cemetery where a short service was held. I think Uncle Gerald would have liked the nice sunny day. Then everyone that was left had lunch at the Yellow Mills Diner, TripAdvisor review here, outside of Palmyra. Uncle Gerald used to own this diner back in the 60s and 70s. Don and I had Chicken and Biscuits ... mmm!
I saw my daughter, Karen, at her apartment in Palmyra afterward. I didn't sit down because I didn't want dog or cat hair on my suit. Her puppy, Pooky, had grown a bit and barked at me. Karen told me I made him nervous. I'm not an animal person I guess.
Meanwhile ... other runners were out doing awesome stuff. The Muddy Sneaker 20K was held down in the High Tor Wilderness Area in Naples NY with 183 finishers, link here. I have fond memories of the Muddy Sneaker 20K ... I ran it 5 times from 2011 to 2015. It definitely had the steepest and longest downhill trails I have ever had the joy (?) to run on!
Sunday, 4/15/2018: 1331 steps during the day, rest day.
Yes, a rest day. I just stayed inside all day. The ice, rain and wind just took the running mojo out of my body. I did take the opportunity to wash all my running gear. I felt bad but I couldn't get started. I have the Flower City Half next Sunday so I will definitely make up for this running holiday.
Monday, 4/16/2018: 7821 steps during the day, rest day.
It was a busy day but I kept track of the runners that I knew that were running the Boston Marathon. via the BAA app. The conditions there were challenging with temps in the 40s, rain and a strong headwind out of the east. My smartwatch kept gently buzzing in the late morning and early afternoon with updates as each running passed each 5K strip and the finish.
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| Desiree crossing the finish line in 2:39:54 ... Charles Krupa/AP |
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| Yuki Kawauchi wins the 2018 Boston Marathon in 2hr 15min 58sec. Photograph: AFP Contributor#AFP/Getty Images |
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| NBC Sports photo By |
I followed 7 runners in the BAA app (Jason "Jmac" McElwain in 3:10:28, Tim Dwyer in 3:35:38, Kevin Clinefelter in 3:28:43, Heather Patterson in 3:34;11, Wendy Abbott in 3:38:56, Bill Crowe in 4:11:22 and Mary Crowe in 4:31:52). There were other runners from Rochester but I didn't have a list and knew these runners were there off the top of my head. I read a lot of Facebook comments from them and other runners about the conditions. Wow! I just can't imagine running in a poncho (like Heather did), in the rain and into a headwind the entire way into Boston!
I would love to qualify and run Boston just once. I am in the M 60-64 age group so my qualifying time in 3:55. You really have to run about 5 minutes under to make sure that you are not in the bubble that don't get in. But ... first I have that pesky requirement of qualifying with a 3:50! Well ... I am signed up for the Empire State Marathon in Syracuse on October 14. Who knows what will happen? I have some time to train for it. Here is a list of best marathons to qualify for Boston that Runner's World compiled, link here.
Tuesday, 4/17/2018: 7650 steps during the day, rest day.
Life got in the way of running as it sometimes does. I had asked my youngest son, David, to do his own taxes this year. Well ... his calculations had him owing the IRS and also owing NYS. He forwarded his W-2 and told me about his 1095-C (which he lost). My calculations on taxact.com and OLT.com concurred with the IRS but differed on NYS. So he filed an extension with the IRS and I filed his NY for him. He definitely owes me a dinner at the Ponderosa in Geneva. Mmm! I can almost taste that steak!
Christine got out and did a lot of stuff that needed to be done with the '14 Cruze. She went to Bob Johnson Chevy and got its oil changed (down to 1%), its 30K (6K late) checkup, the driver's window fixed (the belt was off its track) and the NYS inspection. Then she went to the Irondequoit DMV to pay the registration. A pricey outing but stuff needed to be done. Nice!
Wednesday, 4/18/2018: 18968 steps during the day, 9.35 miles, 1:18:00 (estimated), 8:20 pace (estimated), 37F, 70% RH, 16 mph W wind, wind chill 28F, overcast.
Today's run was done even with roadblocks put in the way. First, I started to change before I left work so I could run when I got to Greece Arcadia High School. So ... I am pretty much naked and search my running bag for my tights ... nada ... OK, my shorts (it was a bit cold but I would have ran) ... nada. So I got dressed back in my street clothes and drove home. My tights were exactly where I left them in the basement. I hung them up to dry after I washed them on Sunday. So ... I got dressed in my usual "cold" running gear, kissed Christine goodbye and got outside. Then ... I realized that my Garmin Forerunner 220 wasn't fully charged. No matter ... I started out. It binged "Low Battery" within 1/2 mile and died at mile 1. I haven't run "free" without a Garmin in quite a while. I just maintained my pace and did my 15K route out the LOSP trail to Island Cottage and back. I slowed when I had run into the cold west wind. It's APRIL almost a full month into "Spring" and I am still wearing TIGHTS! I guess my pace was around 8:20. The weather data was from the first 1.35 miles when my Garmin was still active.
Thursday, 4/19/2018: 8055 steps during the day, rest day.
OK ... so I wussed out on this run. I had all my gear to go running after work but ... it was snowing ... yet again! Yes ... I was officially a wuss! But ... I need one more run before Sunday's Flower City Half. It didn't really matter whether I did it today or tomorrow.
Friday, 4/20/2018: 12577 steps during the day, 5.05 miles, 41:16, 8:10 pace, 45F, 45% RH, 12 mph NW wind, wind chill 39F, sunny.
Some weather factoids: 120.2 inches of snow so far this winter and a month into "Spring", 21.7 inches above normal, snowiest winter since 2010/2011. 16 days out of 19 days in April have had snow, 7 degrees below normal so far this month.
I got out for a nice out and back from the Greece Arcadia High School after work. It was a bit warmer and I really didn't go slow like some runners would on a taper. I am what I am. My splits were: 8:05, 8:23, 8:19, 8:02 and 8:02.
Saturday, 4/21/2018: 2892 steps during the day, rest day.
Today was dedicated to my late Uncle Gerald who died 4/10 at age 84. Gerald E Spaganberg Sr (obit here) was my mother's sister's husband. My mother's maiden name was Doris Edith Verplank. Shirley married Gerald, had 3 kids (Bobby, Sandy and Jerry). Shirley died in the 70s from breast cancer. I lost regular contact with Gerald after that. He remarried Josephine (Jo) sometime later. The calling hours were held at the Murphy Funeral Home on East Jackson St from 10 AM to 11:30 AM with the funeral afterward followed by interment at the Palmyra Village Cemetery.
I had hoped that my darling wife, Christine, could have joined me today. I wore my suit that Christine bought me along with a white fitted shirt and red tie. I held off while I waited for Christine to get ready until 10:10 AM. Then she gave up trying to find something to wear and told me to go. I got down to the funeral home just before 11 AM.
I said "Hi" to the people I knew. I had a bit of difficulty (as always) telling Sandy and Bill Bastian's 2 oldest daughters apart since they are both tall and have black hair. Jacquie (the oldest daughter) and Fred Rapant have three kids (all 3 years, 7 months apart of each other) aged 6, 4 and almost 3 (I think) and live outside of Boston. Lindsay and Jon Miller live outside of DC. Sandy and Bill's youngest daughter, Mary Beth, is 5' 11" and is a ballerina out in Madison, Wisconsin. Mary Beth with heels was almost as tall as I was. My sister, Diane (who couldn't attend), and I are closest in age to Sandy so that is who I hung around. There is an old picture somewhere of my mother and her sisters Eleanor and Shirley all pregnant at the same time with me, Larry and Sandy respectively. My brother, Don, was there from Syracuse. We spent time chatting for a while. The funeral service was nice. I found the 23rd Psalm quite nice. Don and I were invited to the family burial service out at the Palmyra Village Cemetery where a short service was held. I think Uncle Gerald would have liked the nice sunny day. Then everyone that was left had lunch at the Yellow Mills Diner, TripAdvisor review here, outside of Palmyra. Uncle Gerald used to own this diner back in the 60s and 70s. Don and I had Chicken and Biscuits ... mmm!
I saw my daughter, Karen, at her apartment in Palmyra afterward. I didn't sit down because I didn't want dog or cat hair on my suit. Her puppy, Pooky, had grown a bit and barked at me. Karen told me I made him nervous. I'm not an animal person I guess.
Meanwhile ... other runners were out doing awesome stuff. The Muddy Sneaker 20K was held down in the High Tor Wilderness Area in Naples NY with 183 finishers, link here. I have fond memories of the Muddy Sneaker 20K ... I ran it 5 times from 2011 to 2015. It definitely had the steepest and longest downhill trails I have ever had the joy (?) to run on!
