Sunday, 1/20/2019 to Saturday, 1/26/2019 - Freezeroo #4

I ran 5 times: 16.07 miles.
I took 61.621 steps according to my Pebble 2 HR smart watch.

Common abbreviations: OMEP is my Orange Mud Endurance Pack, NT360 is my NoxGear 
Tracer360 vest, UWRG is my usual winter running gear: CW-X tights, Darn Tough socks, long sleeve tech, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, balaclava and Brooks beanie.

Sunday, 1/20/2019: 6607 steps during the day, 2.12 miles. 55:02, 25:56 pace, 93 avg cadence, 9F, 86% RH, 13 mph WNW wind, wind chill -7F, overcast with light snow


The snow storm had left 12 inches of snow outside by the time I got outside and it was still lightly snowing. It was cold so I upped my wardrobe: CW-X tights, GRTC shorts, Darn Tough socks, 2 long sleeve tech shirts, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, balaclava, Brooks beanie, GRTC scarf, ski mittens and googles. I wore my blue Salomon SpeedCross 3 trail shoes. They do have over 800 miles and they do have holes in them ... oh well. I took out the garbage before I put on my snowshoes so I really knew how cold and windy it was. Then ... I stepped around the townhouse into the wind. OK ... it was cold. Walking the snow took quite an effort. Step ... sink ... lift foot up ... step ... sink ... lift foot up ... repeat. Did I mention it was cold? The worst was when I turned into the wind. Walking so slow meant I was out for quite a while.

My Dion snow shoes

I was more than ready to come inside when I got done. I took off my snowshoes outside, came inside, took off off my trail shoes and went straight upstairs to the bedroom to peel off my cold and wet clothes. My socks were wet from the holes in the trail shoes so my feet were a bit cold. Then I went straight into a warm shower and a slighter hotter bath. I dressed and then went downstairs for some hot coffee. Man ... that snowshoe walk was gnarly on Facebook but maybe wasn't such a great idea in real life! My splits were: 20:26, 22:07 and 25:49 over the last 0.12 mile.

Then it was time to watch the NFL Conference Finals. I had some skin in this game ... I was rooting for the Saints in the Rams - Saints game and for the Chiefs in the Pats - Chief game. I was disappointed in both games. Yeah .. the refs seemed to be a bit too much of a deciding factor.

The Saints were tied with Rams late in the 4th quarter when a critical pass interference call by Nickell Robey-Coleman on Tommylee Lewis was blown. It was clear that Lewis was pushed before the ball arrived. The Saints would have had a first down on the 6 yard line, killed the clock, kicked the winning FG with little to no time left and gone to the Super Bowl. ... but the flag was not thrown and the Saints kick a FG. The Rams still had plenty of time to kick a FG to tie the game and force OT. The Rams went on to win by a FG, 34-31, to go to the Super Bowl. Links here and here

The fourth quarter of the Chiefs - Pats game turned into a shooting match with 38 points scored (24 points by KC and 14 by the Pats) and 4 lead changes. Granted that the Chiefs had a porous defense and almost no pass rush in the fourth quarter while gave Brady all day to throw the ball and dissect the Chiefs secondary. Well, the Chiefs did the same to the Pats by scoring 31 second half points after being down 14-0 at half. Here are 12 pivotal plays in the fourth quarter, link here. Here are a few "roughing the passer" calls on Brady, link here and here. My oldest son, Michael, sent a crude joke over Messenger about it: "Brady could have rough sex with Gisele and the ref would burst in and throw a flag." The refs do seem to protect Brady a bit too much. The game went to OT and the Pats won by winning the coin toss, moving the ball downfield by converting 3 3rd and long situations and then scoring the TD for the win, 37-31. Tony Romo, a former Dallas QB who was calling the game on TV predicted several Pats plays before they happened, link here. The Pats are now 3-0 by winning the coin toss and winning playoff OT games, link here. Perhaps a rule change to allow the other team in a playoff OT game to get a chance after the first team scores a TD would be in order.

The NFL is looking into this reactively rather than pro-actively as usual, links here and here. The bright lights of the games that decide what teams go to the Super Bowl will do that. There might be an expansion of what type of calls can be challenged (like pass interference).

Monday, 1/21/2019: 6884 steps during the day, rest day.

Brrr!!! It was 1F when I stepped outside this morning with a wind chill below zero. The forecasted high was 10F. So ... I dug out my Craft baselayer and wore it instead of a white T-shirt under my dress shirt. I also dug out my boots and wore them until I got to B601 around noon. My GRTC scarf came in handy too. Running pays off some days!

It was Martin Luther Kings so luckily the roads were pretty deserted because there weren't too many lane markers to aid in driving to work on the Parkway, I-390S, 104W or Manitou Rd. The roads were much better on the way home.

Tuesday, 1/22/2019: 13747 steps during the day, 5.05 miles, 45:00, 8:54 pace, 21F, 63% RH, 6 mph SSE wind, wind chill 13F, mostly cloudy

It was a bit warmer so I just wore the usual winter running gear: no scarf, no balaclava, no googles. It was almost dark so I wore my NT360 lighted vest and my headlamp from eBay. I thought the shoulders of Island Cottage and Janes Rd would be plowed better ... I was wrong. I set up a slow and steady pace. Sometimes I found myself running a bit too close to the white line than I liked and other times I ran farther to the left but was slipping and sliding a bit more than I liked. Other times the cars didn't move over as much as I would have liked. I just went down Island Cottage to Janes Rd and out Janes Rd to Long Pond Rd and back. The whole run made me nervous ... but I got it done without mishap. I was close to get done and off the road. My splits were: 8:36, 8:46, 8:51, 8:57 and 9:23.

Wednesday, 1/23/2019: 8479 steps during the day, rest day.

Thursday, 1/24/2019: 5243 steps during the day, rest day (blah)

I had all my gear but there was some crusty wet snow and I didn't really want to dare the shoulders on Island Cottage and Janes like I did on Tuesday. I had a thought of testing out my new Brooks Adrenaline GTS18 road shoes and Saloman SpeedCross 4 trail shoes that I bought from HolaBird Sports a couple of weeks ago. I do occasionally hit the treadmill at the Greenleaf Meadows exercise room when it is really cold and/or crappy outside. Well ... I got home, I sat down, I ate pasta with meatballs ... end of that idea for that night. Whatever.

I also looked for my missing balaclava. I had last seen it after I took it off after a snowshoe walk on Sunday ... but it was nowhere to found. I checked the stairs, gym bags, under the bed and in the car. I also back walked where I had parked and the locker room where I had changed the next day.

Friday, 1/25/2019: 10464 steps during the day, treadmill day.

I don't normally run the night before a race the next day. But I had a pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS18 road shoes and Salomon SpeedCross 4 trail shoes that I bought from Holabird Sports a few weeks ago that needed to be test worn. It was cold and windy so a trip to one of the Greenleaf Meadows treadmills in their exercise room was in order. The Salmon SpeedCross 4 trail shoes in size 12.5 (because of the slightly narrower toe box) were first. I only did 1.5 miles but I did vary the incline from 0 to 12.5%. I started at 6 mph (10:00 pace)and slowed to 5 mph (12:00 pace) as the incline increased. The Brooks Adrenaline GTS18 road shoes in size 12 were last. I just ran 1.5 miles at 7 mph (8:34 pace). The room was warm so I was sweating by the time I got done. Mission accomplished ... new shoes test worn and a mild workout (10 push ups and 20 sit ups).

Saturday, 1/26/2019: 10397 steps during the day, 2 runs of 1.0 and 4.9 miles, 14F, 67% RH, 9 mph W wind, wind chill 2F, sunny.

I slept in until just after 7 AM. There was little need to rush. That is a nice thing about the Freezeroo races starting at 10 AM. Today's race was Freezeroo #4 out in Victor at Victor Municipal Town Park for the third year. The distance of Freezeroo #4 has varied over the 9 years I have run it: 6.385 miles at Powder Mill Park with the big hill before mile 5 in 2011 (48:22), 2012 (47:07), 2013 (50:11), 2014 (50:43); 5.9 miles at Powder Mill Park in 2015 (44:04), 6.34 miles at Powder Mill Park in 2016 (47:21) and 4.88 miles at Victor Municipal Park in 2017 (36:26) and 2018 (37:21).

Google Maps had the drive down to the race venue at 37 minutes. I had an idea of where to check for my balaclava while I was driving. I checked the inside right pocket of my winter coat after I stopped ... voila! My missing balaclava ... right when I really needed it! Why I put it there I don't know.

I went into the lodge to stash my gym bag and pick up my bib. I got out for a 1 mile out and back warm up run at 8:21 pace link here. It was cold so I wore my CW-X tights, GRTC shorts, Darn Tough socks, short sleeve tech, long sleeve tech, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, balaclava, Brooks beanie, GRTC neck gaiter, ski mittens and sunglasses. I lined next to Andy Ciaio. Prem Kumar was ahead ... like usual.

And ... we were off! I got up to race pace quickly. The course out to the Brace Rd was flat but the road up CR 41 was rolling hill (mostly up). It did slow me a bit. I got my breathing under control and sucked it up the rest of the way. I concentrated on keeping my position ... left on E Victor Rd at mile 3 ... slight left onto Break of Day Rd ... right back onto Brace Rd at mile 4 ... the turn back into the park ahead ... push ... time clock below 38 ... and done in 37:52, 7:44 pace. The mileage was a bit light at 4.90 miles ... oh well. Prem ran a 34:48 and Andy ran a 36:32.

Heading back into the park ... photo courtesy of Tim Matthews of https://runnerpics.shuttlefly.com

Post race selfie ... sunny, cold and a bit of wind!

I went into the lodge and changed out of my damp upper clothing. The post race food was excellent ... a piece of pizza, two cinnamon muffins and a slice of bagel with cream cheese.

Hourglassworks.com had the results up before I got home at noon. I did OK. I was 42nd out of 129, link here. I was 2nd out of 8 in my M 60-64 age group, link here. My average cadence was 171. My splits were: 7:43, 8:14, 7:40, 7:37 and 7:24 over the last 0.90 mile.

My lovely wife, Christine, was a birthday girl today. She was born back in 1959 so she turned 61. Andy told me to say "Happy 29th birthday" to her, lol! The GRTC banquet was held tonight but I opted to save the $25 and take my wife out to the Texas Roadhouse on W Ridge Rd. We got there around 5:30 PM and the place was packed! We had called ahead and had a reservation so we only waited 15 minutes to be seated. I had the full slab of ribs with a baked potato and buttered corn while Christine had the sirloin tips with mashed potatoes. All I can say is Mmmm!

Prem Kumar sent me a picture of the 2019 GRTC Rochester Runner of the Year races.

Before ...

After!!!

I watched a bit of sports during the evening. The Syracuse Orangemen traveled down to play #10 Virginia Tech. Cuse lost 78-56, link here. I saw this loss coming so I changed over to the NBA game, Warrior vs Celtics from Boston. This was a lot closer. The Warriors won 115-111, link here. Curry made 2 free throws at the end so the Warriors won by 4 points and covered the 3.5 points spread ... nice!