I took 66,436 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, 1/6/2019: 3778 steps during the day, rest day.
I pulled "Dad, please take me grocery shopping" duty today. I took my old son, Michael, to the Macedon Walmart first. Easy peasy. Then I took my daughter, Karen, to Love's Furniture in Newark, the Newark Walmart, the Newark Wegmans and then the Newark Pizza Hut for pizza (1/2 off when ordered online until 1/8/2019). Karen found a nice sale on a couch to replace her old couch. I was back up to Rochester by 4 PM so I could watch the end of the Chargers - Baltimore and all of the Eagles - Bears. Yahoo to the Chargers and Eagles for winning outright!
Monday, 1/7/2019: 6319 steps during the day, rest day
Tuesday, 1/8/2019: 8997 steps during the day, rest day
My darling wife, Christine, called and said she felt sick so I bagged my run and went to Wegmans to pick up supper and some Ginger Ale.
Wednesday, 1/9/2019: 16357 steps during the day, 6.45 miles, 52:06, 8:04 pace, 166 avg cadence, 34F, 80% RH, 20 mph WNW wind, wind chill 23F, overcast
I got out for a somewhat rare run before lunch run. I wanted to get in my run before it was forecast to snow in the evening. It was a bit cold and windy so I added my balaclava to my usual winter running clothes. Everyone probably knows by now what they are, lol! I started a bit easy on the way out and then pushed it a bit on the way back. My splits were: 8:12, 8:14, 8:10, 8:07, 7:59, 7:50 and 7:17 over the last 0.45 mile.
One thing I got to remember is look out for traffic at the Lee - Lexington intersection! I didn't look at the light and got fixated on a car that was turning right from Lexington onto Lee. Well ... I was standing in the road on Lexington and its light had just turned green! I noticed that ... said "Crap!" ... and sprinted across Lexington. Luckily the car in the first lane and turning lane stayed put and no one was speeding through the second lane that I sprinted across! I talked a bit to myself as I continued south on Lee Rd ... "Man, that was stupid, Doug! You gotta have situational awareness!" I paid a LOT more attention to intersections both on the way out and way back.
Thursday, 1/10/2019: 11640 steps during the day, 5.05 miles, 41:45, 8:16 pace, 165 avg cadence, 21F, 71% RH, 20 mph NW wind, wind chill 6F, overcast
Yes ... it was cold and bone-chilling windy but ... it was Thursday and I run on Thursdays. So ... I did. Some would say I was stupid ... but I do what I do. I wore the usual and wished I had more clothing: CW-X tights, Darn Tough socks, long sleeve tech, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, balaclava, Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves. I did wish I had my old ski mittens but my hands did warm up ... eventually. I headed out to my usual haunt after work ... the Greece Arcadia High School. I wore my NT360 vest and headlamp from Ebay since it was getting dark. I set up a nice and easy pace to start out. I knew the turn onto Janes Rd into the wind would be cold ... yeah, it was definitely chilly! I endured it for 1.5 miles before I turned around to head back. I noticed that I ran at least 50 seconds/mile faster with the wind at the back (mile 2 vs mile 4)! You can notice it on my splits: 8:16, 8:46, 18:6, 7:55 and 8:06.
Friday, 1/11/2019: 6658 steps during the day, rest day.
Joy ... my first Ricoh pay period of the week. It's great to have a raise of about $20 per period and have my Aetna Silver healthcare got up about $50 per pay period. Joy ... it's like treading water and losing ground every year.
Saturday, 1/12/2019: 12687 steps during the day, 2 runs of 1.6 and 5.08 miles, 21F, 62% RH, 3 mph N wind, overcast
Today's race was my seventh Freezeroo #3 (a 10K race at Casey Park in 2013 - 49:06 and then 5 mile race at Pinewood Ponds for the past 6 years; 2014 - 37:04, 2015 - 36:43, 2016 - 36:18, 2017 - 37:42 and 2018 - 41:46). The weather this Saturday morning was a lot better than last year's Freezeroo #3 which was the morning after a snow storm (14F, 10 mph N wind, wind chill 1F) with only 64 runners. Note: the Freezeroo link is to last year's Freezeroo series since the GRTC website has not been updated for quite some time.
I slept in until 7:30 AM. I had my pre-race bowl of cereal and banana before I started to get ready around 8:25 AM. It was a bit colder so I brought my ski mitten so I would be ready for anything. I decided on the tried and true: CW-X tights, Darn Tough socks, white 2014-2015 Freezeroo long sleeve tech, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, balaclava, Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves. Boring, I know ... but it works for me. I got to the race venue at 9:15 AM. I got out for a 1.6 mile warm up run at 8:53 pace, link here. The early start runner went by as I was heading back in.
I lined up next to Andy Ciaio like usual. Prem Kumar and Heather Patterson were in front and Bill Crowe was slightly behind me. I fired off a RoadID eCrumb in case my wife and kids were tracking me. And ... we were off! I got up to race pace quickly. It was only a 5 mile race so I tried to hold back on the first mile. I think I did with a 7:37 mile. I tried to hold my pace and then picked it up a bit. I started to pick off some runners during miles 3, 4 and 5. I started to sprint as I turned back into the park. I saw the digital clock under 39 ... done in 38:42, 7:37 pace, 170 avg cadence, according to my Garmin. I was a bit out of breath but I soon recovered.
Side note: I ran for almost 2 miles before I realized that I had forgotten to turn on my MP3 player and earbud (I only wear one). I have run maybe 3 road races with them. I think I ran this race better without them. I think I concentrated on my breathing and gait better without music.
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| Post race selfie after Freezeroo #3 |
