Sunday, 1/1/2023 to Saturday, 1/7/2023 - Freezeroo #2 & Freezeroo #3

I walked 2 this week, 3.0 miles.

I ran 7 times this week, 28.06 miles.

I didn't bike indoors this week.

I didn't bike outdoors this week.

I took 70,740 steps this week according to my Garmin Venu smartwatch.

My Venu gives me steps, heart rate, hours slept and floors climbed (take those last 2 data points with a grain of salt). My Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer scale gives my weight.

WALKING/RUNNING/BIKING: I am back to short walks (1.5 miles), runs (< 6.2 miles) or bike rides (< 20 miles). A run or a bike is better than a walk in my 65-year-old mind but any exercise is good in the end.

BTW, I am on a 921 day streak of either a walk, run or bike of greater than 1 mile (as of Saturday night, 12/31). There were more than a few days when a mile was all I could walk or limp.

Sunday, 1/1/2023

14651 steps, 42/140 resting/max HR, 7:36 hours sleep, 181.1 pounds, 54 floors climbed

Today's race was Freezeroo #2. It was my 13th. I know the course well. It seems that the rolling hills of Mendon and the miles get longer every year. I knew the drill ... get to Stewart Lodge around 9:10 AM, get my bib, get in a practice run and get racing at 10 AM. So ... I did. I did get in my warm up run a bit late so I had only 3 minutes before the race. The KROC weather was 39F, 86% RH, 9 mph W wind, wind chill 33F, cloudy.

Run: 0.85 mile, 7:57, 9:18 pace, 35 feet elevation gain, 114/124 avg/max HR, 157/185 avg/max cadence

Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS20 grey - 725.77 miles

Run: 7.58 miles, 1:05:31, 8:39 pace, 312 feet elevation gain, 132/145 avg/max HR, 161/174 avg/max cadence

Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS20 grey - 733.35 miles

And ... we were off! I settled into what I thought was a sensible race pace. I held it for about 3 miles. Then .... I got overheated or tired or something ... and lapsed into a run/walk for most of the rest of the race. I guess the rolling hills of Mendon just got to me. Maybe I can't race rolling hills if I don't run hills. I know I don't run hills on my runs around Greece.

I looked a bit tired here at the corner of Pond Rd and Douglas Rd (around mile 4)

I did OK, I guess. My official time was 1:05:33. I was 79th out of 222, 1st out of 7 in my M 65-69 age group, link here. My splits were 8:04, 8:29, 8:27, 8:58, 9:03, 8:50, 9:02, 7:58 over the last 0.58 mile.

Monday, 1/2/2023

8785 steps, 47/140 resting/max HR, 179.7 pounds, 32 floors climbed

Run: 4.55 miles, 39:44, 8:44 pace, 64 feet elevation gain, 132/142 avg/max HR, 160/167 avg/max cadence, 41F, 87% RH 3 mph NW wind, cloudy

Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS20 grey - 737.90 miles

I got out for a run on my "Out by the pier and around" route. It was 41F so I wore shorts, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves. I set up an easy pace. My right thigh hurt for a bit ... then both thighs hurt until mile 3. I thought about going for a 10K but I wanted the ache to stop. So I headed for home. It's all good. A nice run ... no matter the aches. My splits were 8:58, 8:40, 8:46, 8:40 and 8:26 over the last 0.55 mile.

I watched the Bills - Bengals game ... and it was eventually canceled. The score was 3-7 when Damar Hamlin (wiki here) fell from cardiac arrest on the field after a tackle. The game was halted while medical staff worked on him and the announcers tried to fill time and ABC showed commercials. The Bills flew back to Buffalo and the NFL considered the game to be canceled and would not be made up. 

UPDATE: The Bills, the Bills Mafia, the NFL and the USA pulled for Damar. He stayed in Cincinnati and he made steady progress, came out of a coma, had his breathing tube removed and was speaking within several days and sent home to a Buffalo hospital. He posted from there during the Bills game the next Sunday against the Dolphins and went home the next day.

Tuesday, 1/3/2023

8127 steps, 44/110 resting/max HR, 7:00 hours sleep, 181.5 pounds, 12 floors climbed

Walk: 1.5 miles, 20:04, 13:18 pace, 12 feet elevation gain, 88/103 avg/max HR, 122 avg cadence, 37F, 93% RH, 7 mph E wind, wind chill 33F, cloudy

Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS20 grey - 739.41 miles

I got out for a well needed walk on my usual "Out to Ling Rd" route. I thought about the Buffalo Bill, Damar Hamlin, who is in a Cincinnati hospital fighting for his life.

Wednesday, 1/4/2023

9511 steps, 43/137 resting/max HR, 180.0 pounds, 17 floors climbed

Run: 4.45 miles, 39:13, 8:49 pace, 68 feet elevation gain, 125/140 avg/max HR, 162/170 avg/max cadence, 37F, 100% RH, calm, overcast with light fog

Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS20 grey - 743.86 miles

I was very tired last night and went to bed early. I got at 7.5 hours of sleep. I still felt a bit sluggish when I started out for a run on my usual "Out by the pier and around" route. I could have cut it short to a 5K but I was stubborn and ran onward. It was calm and a bit foggy. My splits were 9:06, 8:50, 8:49, 8:46 and 8:10 over the last 0.45 mile.

Thursday 1/5/2023

10539 steps, 42/137 resting/max HR, 7:04 hours sleep, 178.8 pounds, 17 floors climbed

Run: 4.55 miles, 40:27, 8:54 pace, 63 feet elevation gain, 125/139 resting/max HR, 161/170 avg/max cadence, 37F, 75% RH, 15 mph WSW wind, wind chill 29F, partly cloudy

Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS20 grey - 748.41 miles

I got out for a run on my usual "Out by the pier and around" route. A chilly wind definitely made think ill of my choice but I eventually warmed up. My splits were 9:05, 8:45, 8:53, 9:03 and 8:32 over the last 0.55 mile. 

Friday, 1/6/2023

8059 steps, 41/95 resting/max HR, 7:06 hours sleep, 180.5 pounds, 9 floors climbed

Walk: 1.5 miles. 20:50, 13:53 pace, 3 feet elevation gain, 82/92 avg/max HR, 122/134 avg/max cadence, 36F, 93% RH, 6 mph WSW wind, wind chill 31F, light mist

Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS20 grey - 749.91 miles

I got out for my usual walk the day before a race on my "Out to Ling Rd" route. My splits were 13:44 and 14:12 over the last 0.5 mile.

Saturday, 1/7/2023

11068 steps, 42/147 resting/max HR, 8:24 hours sleep, 182.2 pounds, 14 floors climbed

Today's race was Freezeroo #3. It's a 5 mile race out in Spencerport. I knew that course well like all the recent Freezeroo courses. I got up at 6:30 AM, puttered around a bit. It was a bit above freezing so I dressed in my usual Brooks tights, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves.

I got to the race venue around 9:10 AM just north of Spencerport on route 259. I got my race bib, geared up and got out for a 1 mile warm up run

Run: 1 mile, 9:34, 9:33 pace, 26 feet elevation gain, 112/122 avg/max HR, 152/161 avg/max cadence, 34F, 100% RH, 8 mph W wind, wind chill 28F, overcast

Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS20 grey - 750.91 miles

I got done with my warm up run about 4 minutes before the race start. It was just enough time to retie my shoe laces and to exchange tripping over our shoe stories with Bill Crow (we had both done it twice in the start of a race during our race careers). I met up with the usual runners: Joe, Tina, Prem, Andy and his wife Laura.

Run: 5.08 miles, 41:28, 8:10 pace, 76 feet elevation gain, 138/149 avg/max HR, 164/173 avg/max cadence, 34F, 100% RH, 6 mph WNW wind, wind chill 29F, overcast with a bit of ice pellets

Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS20 grey - 755.99 miles

And ... we were off! I rabbited a bit in the first mile at 8:02. I slowed a very little and kept running. It just seemed so great to run! I've been running for over 18 years ... it's still feels good! I came up on a woman runner that I had been following at the end ... I could have passed her at the line but I let her go. I was happy with my effort. I stayed for a while and ate some grapes, a bagel and 4 cookie along with the coffee that I had brought in a travel mug.

I did OK. My official time was 41:27. I was 54th out of 136, 1st out of 7 in my M 65-69 age group, overall results here and age group results here. My splits were 8:03, 8:14, 8:12, 8:18, 8:06 and 7:07 over the last 0.08 mile.

There was another race going on at the same time. It was the Winter Warrior 1/2 and 1/4 Marathon and Relay down at MCC in Henrietta where it all began in 2016. There were 156 finishers in the 1/2, link here and 203 finishers in the 1/4 Marathon, link here. I have interesting memories of this race. The first at MCC with lots of pissed drivers trying to exit while we circled MCC and the next 3 years at RTP. I remember 2018 when it was 3F, wind chill -13F and I locked my keys in my car and my darling wife, Christine, had to drive down to rescue me. Ahh ... good times and good stories!