Sunday, 2/17/2019 to Saturday, 2/23/2019 - Freezeroo #6

I ran 5 times: 28.46 miles.
I took 77,145 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, 2/17/2019: 14536 steps during the day, 10.45 miles, 1:26:43, 8:18 pace, avg cadence 165, 23F, 68% RH, 10 mph E wind, wind chill 13F, overcast with flakes of snow

I almost got up early enough to think about doing a Round the Bay run ... but Christine had other plans for me. But ... long runs don't get done by themselves so I did get out later to take back the Redbox plus almost 10 more miles. I set up a nice and steady pace to start out. I did take a few tiny walk breaks when the cold wind took the wind out of my sails. Did I mention that it was a bit cold and windy? My splits were: 8:42, 8:07, 8:11, 8:08, 8:09, 8:31, 8:04, 8:01, 8:08, 8:25 and 7:59 over the last 0.45 mile.

Monday, 2/18/2019: 7210 steps during the day.

Tuesday, 2/19/2019: 13233 steps during the day, 5.05 miles, 47:06, 8:20 pace, avg cadence 163, 20F, 78% RH, 3 mph SSW wind, wind chill 15F, partly cloudy

It was Tuesday ... so I ran. It was winter break week up at Greece Arcadia High School so the parking lot was quite desolate when I got there around 5:20 PM. It was quite light out so I didn't turn on my NT360 lighted vest and forgot to bring my headlamp from eBay (both kind of bad ideas by the time I got back). I pushed the pace a bit since I was worried about my 2018 Cruze being one of two cars in the GAHS parking lot. The parking lot had a lot more cars when I got back. My splits were: 8:09, 8:24, 8:21, 8:12 and 8:35.

I saw the Super Snow Moon rising above the trees as I drove home. It was the biggest and brightest full moon of 2019 ... it did look a bit bigger.

Wednesday, 2/20/2019: 7296 steps during the day, rest day.

Thursday, 2/21/2019: 16598 steps during the day, 7.45 miles, 1:02:29, 8:23 pace, avg cadence 162, 37F, 59% RH, 17 mph W wind, wind chill 27F, mostly cloudy.

I was only at 74 miles for the month before this run so a bit longer run after work today. It's going to be a struggle to get to 100 miles in February. I got dressed just I got out of work and drove to Greece Arcadia High School like usual. I didn't dawdle and started up around 5:20 PM. The sun was still above the horizon but I had my NT360 lighted vest already lit and headlamp from eBay at the ready. I didn't have the "cars can't see me" at twilight excuse. So ... I set up a steady pace and got it done. It was hard to turn left on Island Cottage to push to 7.45 miles instead of turning right for 5 miles before I can be stubborn (and stupid too) sometimes. I turned on my headlamp when I headed back on Island Cottage ... getting it done. My splits were: 7:58, 8:42, 8:18, 8:08, 8:07, 8:13, 8:37 and 8:38 over the last 0.45 mile. It is amazing how much the west wind can slow you down when you are running into it!

Friday, 2/22/2019: 6574 steps during the day, rest day.

Saturday, 2/23/2019: 11698 steps during the day, 2 runs of 1.15 and 4.36 miles, avg cadence 169, 30F, 64% RH, 7 mph SSE wind, wind chill 26F, sunny.

Note to self: save your blog post that you wrote about this day before you click to another Opera tab and then shut down your laptop.so you don't have to write it again!!!

Today's race was my ninth Freezeroo #6. This was the third year out at the White House lodge in Webster on the 2 loops of 2.2 mile course. Freezeroo #6 (like all the other Freezeroo races except #2) has had various venues and distances over the years. Here are my previous times, distances and venues: 2010 - 52:02, 2011 - 45:13, 2012 - 46:35 on a 10K course in Churchville; 2013 - 23:11 on the 5K course at the Northstar Christian Academy in Gates; 2014 - 46:39, 2016 - 46:03 on a 10K course at Casey Park; 2017 - 31:20, 2018 - 32:31 on the 4.4 mile course in Webster.

I was up around 7 AM and did the usual puttering around before I started to get ready. It was 30F so I knew what to wear and what to bring just in case. I was out to the White House lodge at the corner of Holt and Lake out in Webster by 9:15 AM. I snagged a parking spot 50 feet from the door ... score! I was predictable and wore: CW-X tights, Darn Tough socks, long sleeve tech, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, Brooks beanie, sunglasses and ski mittens. I chose not to carry water or listen to music on my one earbud (I don't wear two ever).

I got my bib inside the lodge and got out for a little 1.15 mile warm up run at 8:56 pace, link here. The start was a bit disorganized. Carolyn Kriesen just blew a whistle and yelled "Go!". Luckily I had already sent my eCrumb and had my Garmin all ready. And ... we were off!

I don't particularly like running with my back to traffic but that is how this 2 loops of 2.2 mile course is set up. So ... we were bunched out into the right side of Lake Rd for almost the whole way to our first turn. Andy Ciaio caught up to me around the 1.5 mile mark. His comment was "the things we do for free pizza" before he moved ahead of me. Loop 1 passed in 16:50. I tried to keep the same pace for loop 2 but slowed a little bit to 16:56. I passed a couple of runners in the last 1/4 mile and crossed the line in 4.36 miles, 43:50, 7:44 pace according to my Garmin. My official time was 43:46. My splits were: 7:44, 7:43, 8:01, 7:50 and 7:03 over the last 0.36 mile.

Andy Ciaio (in the red) and I at mile 2 of loop 1 ... photo courtesy of Tim Matthews of https://runnerpics.shuttlefly.com

I walked across Lake Rd and went into the lodge. The pizza hadn't arrived yet so I had 3 donuts and some apple cider. There was only garlic and veggie pizza so I passed on any pizza. I stuck around for the series awards. I was third in the 2018-2019 Freezeroo series M 60-64 age group so I won $10. Hourglassworks.com had the results up soon after I got home. I finished 51st out of 146, link here. I was 4th out of 8 in my M 60-64 age group, link here. I was 3rd out of 8 in the Freezeroo series M 60-64 age group, link here.

Walking back to the White House lodge ... what a unique race in Salem MA!

3rd place in the 2018-2019 Freezeroo series M 60-64 age group award - $10

I saw these guys about 1/2 mile east of the Swing Bridge on Lake Rd getting ready to ride motorcycles on Irondequoit Bay.

My darling wife, Christine, and I weren't finished with our day though. I puttered around a bit, took a shower and packed a bit before we took a brief trip. My hotels.com account which requires 10 nights to get a free night had 9 nights. My nights were going to start to expire on 3/4/19 so ... we had to stay somewhere. We chose Waterloo. Why Waterloo? Well ... it's close, it has a casino nearby and it has museums. We chose to stay at the Hampton Inn in between Waterloo and Seneca Falls. We did dawdle and we didn't get to our hotel until 4 PM so we couldn't go to any museums. We just had supper at Parker's Grille & Tap in Seneca Falls. Our meal (Chicken Finger Sub for me and Fresh Water Perch Filet for Christine) didn't agree with either of us. I swear we should just eat what we have had and enjoyed (BLT for me and Beef on Weck for Christine) at Parker's rather than try something new just for the sake of trying something new. So ... an upset stomach put any romance out the window for the evening. The king size bed was quite comfy though.