Sunday, October 15, 2023

Sunday, 10/15/2023 to Saturday, 10/21/2023 - Scare Brain Cancer Away 5K

I walked 3 times this week, 5.65 miles.
I ran 5 times this week, 17.49 miles.
I didn't bike this week.
I took 65.238 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 have gotten over a nagging ache in my left hip/hamstring through lots of stretching. So ... I do short walks (1.65 miles), runs (< 5 miles) or bike rides (< 20 miles). A run or a bike is better than a walk in my 66-year-old mind but any exercise is good in the end.

Walk/Run/Bike electronics: Garmin Venu (backup for the bike) and Shockz Air bone conduction headphones (discontinued on the Shockz website).


BTW, I am on a 1208 day steak (3 years, 3 months) of either a walk, run or bike of greater than 1 mile (as of Saturday night, 10/14). There were more than a few days when a mile was all I could walk or limp.

Sunday, 10/15/2023
10:54 hours sleep, 7831 steps, 41/138 avg/max HR, 173.4 pounds, 16 floors climbed
Run: 4.45 miles, 39:38, 8:56 pace, 63 feet elevation gain, 127/142 avg/max HR, 159/171 avg/max cadence, 48F, 87% RH, 10 mph NNW wind, overcast
Shoes: blue Brook Glycerin GTS20 - 238.61 miles
I slept in not once but twice this morning. I woke up around 5:20 AM, read for 30 minutes and then went back to sleep. I woke up again around 7 AM and then back to sleep until 7:50 AM. Our cat, Nebula, was confused, lol. I got up, weighed myself, got dressed, set the time for the coffee and got out there. It was windy and the clouds were weird looking. I set up a nice and easy pace. I set forth on my "Out by the pier and aroound" route. There were about 20 fisherme=n at the inner pier by Bill Gray's. The wind was right in my face when I turned left onto the boardwalk by the pier. I slowed down but kept running forward. I didn't stop ... boom! My splits were 9:12, 8:49, 9:11, 8:50 and 8:18 over the last 0.45 mile.

Monday, 10/16/2023
7454 steps, 45/105 avg/max HR, 174.3 pounds, 7 floors climbed
Walk: 2.35 miles, 31:30, 13:24 pace, 6 feet elevation gain, 92/103 avg/max HR, 122/132 avg/max cadence, 54F, 77% RH, 9 mph N wind, overcast
Shoes: blue Brooks Launch GTS8 - 336.01 miles
I slept in until around 7 AM instead of getting up at 5:20 AM like usual. I didn't get to sleep until after midnight because I watched the NY Giants - Buffalo Bills game. It was a tense game with the Bills picking up an ugly win, 14-9. The NY Giants had two passes into the endzone in the last 10 seconds including one from the 1 yard line with no time left.

So ... I felt out of sorts all day because I hadn't got up and out in the dark at 6 AM. I decided to get out at work (nothing was going on) and walk around the L3Harris B601 parking lot. It was a bit chilly and windy. My splits were 13:29 and 13:23 and 13:14 over the last 0.35 mile.

Tuesday, 10/17/2023
7:48 hours sleep, 14641 steps, 42/139 avg/max HR, 174.8 pounds, 18 floors climbed
Run: 6.25 miles, 54:54, 8:47 pace, 104 feet elevation gain, 132/142 avg/max HR, 159/169 avg/max cadence, 48F, 87% RH, 6 mph W wind, cloudy
Shoes: blue Brooks Glycerin GTS20 shoes - 244.86 miles
I got out for a longer run since my digital scale told me that I had gained 3.5 pounds overnight! So ... I ran a nice and easy 10K in the dark. My headlamp was OK when I started but its battery had faded to almost nothing but the time I got done. Luckily my route had streetlights. My splits were 9:07, 8:45, 8:49, 8:43, 8:41, 8;38 and 8:40 over the last 0.25 mile. Oh ... I lost 1.5 pounds in sweat.

Wednesday, 10/18/2023
8:38 hours sleep, 9540 steps, 42/137 avg/max HR, 175.8 pounds, 14 floors climbed
Run: 3.15 miles, 27:41, 8:47 pace, 63 feet elevation gain, 128/142 avg/max HR, 159/170 avg/max cadence, 50F, 82% RH, 6 mph SW wind, cloudy
Shoes: blue Brooks Glycerin GTS20 - 248.01 miles
I got out a few minutes late so I opted for a 5K run on my "Out to Clematis St". My headlamp was fully charged so I had no issues seeing where I ran. My splits were 9:00, 8:54, 8:33 and 8:04 over the last 0.15 mile.

Thursday, 10/19/2023
8:48 hours sleep, 10728 steps, 45/140 avg/max HR, 175.9 pounds, 26 floors climbed
Walk: 1.65 miles, 22:04, 13:21 pace, 23 feet elevation gain, 76/88 avg/max HR, 125/191 avg/max cadence, 43F, 81% RH, 3 mph SW wind, clear
Shoes: blue Brooks Glycerin GTS20 - 249.66 miles
I felt very bloated after a lasagna supper last night so I opted for a walk instead of a run this morning. I set up a brisk pace on my usual "Out to Ling Rd" route. It was chilly and windy so I wore shorts, Brooks 1/4 zip long sleeve pullover, Brooks beanie and heavy running gloves (I had to dig them out). My splits were 13:18 and 13:27 over the last 0.65 mile.

Run: 4.46 miles, 38:59, 8:45 pace, 131/145 avg/max HR, 156/165 avg/max cadence, 57F, 63% RH, 8 mph SSW wind, cloudy
Shoes: blue Brooks Glycerin GTS20 - 254.12 miles
I decided to get at noon for a rare weekday run in the daylight. I could actually see something! I had a tiny walk break but I had to get done in 50 minutes (6 minutes before I started to run and 2 minutes to walk at the end) so I pressed on. My splits were 8:59, 8:39, 8:43, 8:47 and 8:23 over the last 0.46 mile.

Friday, 10/20/2023
8:34 hours sleep, 6667 steps, 42/91 avg/max HR, 174.6 pounds, 5 floors climbed
Walk: 1.65 miles, 22:28, 13:37 pace, 8 feet elevation gain, 85/100 avg/max HR, 121/171 avg/max cadence, 57F, 77% RH, 9 mph SSE wind, cloudy
Shoes: blue Brooks Launch GTS8 - 337.66 miles
I got out for a brisk walk on my usual "Out to Ling Rd" route. My splits were 13:35 and 13:40 over the last 0.65 mile.

Saturday, 10/21/2024
9:11 hours sleep, 8377 steps, 41/147 avg/max HR, 12 floors climbed
Today's race was the Scare Brain Cancer 5K, a Rochester Runner of the Year race, held in East Rochester on my favorite course. I have run this course for 7 SBCA 5Ks and 6 Karknocker 5Ks so I know it well. The weather conditions were ideal: 51F, 80% RH, 10 mph W wind, overcast.

I was a bit rushed in the morning, but I got there around 8:20 AM in plenty of time for the 9 AM start. The parking lot was 90% full. A RROY race does bring out the runners! I walked briskly up to get my bib and newest favorite race t-shirt. It was a bit chilly so I changed into a long sleeve tech and heavy running gloves when I got back to the Trax.

Run: 0.5 mile, 4:48, 9:31 pace, 19 feet elevation gain, 106/120 avg/max HR, 151/158 avg/max cadence
Shoes: blue Brooks Glycerin GTS20 - 254.62 shoes
Run: 3.14 miles, 24:58, 7:57 pace, 39 feet elevation gain, 137/151 avg/max HR, 162/172 avg/max cadence
Shoes: blue Brooks Glycerin GTS20 - 257.76 miles
I got out for a 1/2 mile warm up run about 10 minutes before the race. I was a little achy but felt OK. I was met up with Bil Beyerbach and Andy Ciaio before the race. Andy told like he usually does that he will draft off me but ... I usually do that for about 50 yards before he pulls away ... lol. And ... we were off! I started out nice and easy. I held back and just convinced myself that it was only a 5K. Mile 1 passed in 7:59. I could hear the bagpiper at mile 2 about 1/4 mile before I could see him. I knew that the next mile had a few turns. I just gutted them out. Last turn ... I could see the finish ... time under 25(!) ... and done in 24:55 (gun time). I was parched and took several swigs of a pint bottle of water. The SCBA 5K always has a nice spread of food afterward. I ate a 4" turkey sub and took a slice of breakfast pizza for later.

I did pretty well. I was 105th out of 525, 3rd out of 21 in my M 65-69 age group, results here. I got a new favorite SCBA age group glass too. My splits were 7:59, 8:09, 7:44 and 7:37 over the last 0.14 mile.