Sunday, 2/13/11 to 2/19/11

 I ran 5 times this week, 22.27 miles.

Sun, 2/13/11: Rest day.

CJ and I woke up in Canton OH. We headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame after breakfast. We wandered through the exhibits and took pics. You might think that I am a Buffalo Bills fan and Chris is a Cleveland Browns fan ...

  

 

 

 

Then we headed to Ravenna OH to see her father and brother, Bill. We ate lunch and celebrated his 90th birthday. He told lots of good stories about his WWII days as a supply sergeant in the Pacific. We headed back to Rochester around 4PM and arrived safely home at 9PM.

 

Chris and her father

Chris's brother, Bill, (on the right) and I

Meanwhile, back in Rochester ... kudos to those who braved the 34F waters of Lake Ontario in the Polar Plunge, link here.

Mon, 2/14/11: 5.4 miles, 43:49, 8:07 pace, 32F, cloudy, windy, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Out to the Zoo plus 2 times around the pond

I needed to run and got out after 6PM. I took it nice and easy because it was around freezing. There was a bit of black ice but I just slid a bit. A nice recovery run just to get the joints moving. A nice, romantic Valentine's Day evening ensued.

Tue, 2/15/11: 5 miles, 41:17, 8:15 pace, 22F, clear, calm, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Cobbs Hill run, 2 Y's

CJ and I got in some quality stretching when I got home so we got a late start. We went down to Fleet Feet and got a quality parking spot. The Monroe Ave sidewalk was icier than usual. I went nice and easy up, did 2 Y's, then nice and easy back. No worries, nice workout.

Wed, 2/16/11: 2.67 miles, 25:39, 9:36 pace, 43F, clear, calm, no stops, no pain.

Before the start

The start!

The finish!

CJ and I headed down to Cobb Hill for Snow Cheap #5. It was a warm (relatively) night with a full moon. The snow was mushy with just a wee bit of ice up in the woods. I got out fast and got passed a bit by some faster runners. I stayed behind a guy with snowshoes most of the way ... he packed down the snow for me. I ran well, 27th overall. I was 20th out of 83 no snowshoe runers, results here. I was 1st out of 8 in my 50-59 age group, results here.

Thu, 2/17/11: Rest day.

A very much warmer day ... around 50F. A lot of the snow is melting. Winter will return but not right now. CJ and I had a nice supper ... spiral baked ham, baked potato, green beans and salad. Yummmmm!

Fri, 2/18/11: 5 miles, 38:42, 7:44 pace, 42F, clear, windy, 1 traffic stop, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Happy Hour run plus 1 loop

CJ and I headed down to Fleet Feet for the usual Happy Hour run. It was getting colder and quite windy. I ran on my Brooks Adrenaline GTS10s for the first time in a while. I ran easy at first, then harder ... a sweet run. CJ walked 2.44 miles. Afterward, CJ made up cheese ravioli and meatballs for supper. Yummy!

Sat, 2/19/11: 4.2 miles, 35:47, 8:31 pace, 20F, snowy, windy, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Backward Kimstock run

Winter returned to Rochester overnight while we were sleeping. In the afternoon I headed out to Newark to pick up my father's mail, Lyons to see him at the Wayne County Nursing Home and then back to Newark to see my daughter.

Then, CJ and I headed down to Fleet Feet to participate in Kimstock, Kim running for 24 hours on a treadmill to raise money for the Rochester General Hospital Cardiac Unit. We were there when she passed the 50 mile mark just before 10 hours. But before we headed out for a backward Happy Hour run. Sane people would have stayed in the store but ... out we went! Yes, it was cold, snowy and windy ... perfect weather for a run deep into the cold wind and snow on Monroe Ave, maybe? The turn down Highland Ave and back toward the store was a bit warmer after I got warmed up. I wore my Yaks and took it nice and easy. CJ walked 2.64 miles and got rid of her headache for a bit.

Sunday, 2/6/11 to Saturday, 2/12/11

I ran 3 times this week, 13.0 miles

Sun, 2/6/11: 3.1 miles, 23:11, 7:29 pace, 28F, cloudy, calm, no stops, no pain.


CJ and I headed down to Hopkinton's Point at Mendon Ponds Parkfor the Rochester Roots 5K. I ran well. The road was snow covered and a bit slushy in spots. I finished 8th out of 99, results here. I finished 2nd out of 15 in my age group, results here. CJ walked/ran the 5K also, she finished in 54:42, a PR for her! Way to go!

Sun, 2/6/11: 4 miles, 53:55, 13:29 pace, 28F, cloudy, calm, walked some hills, no pain.

I rested for a bit then put on snowshoes for the first time. I went out and ran the Rochester Roots 4 mile Snowshoe Run, twice around a 2 mile loop. The first quarter mile was congested with trail shoe and snowshoe runners all jockeying for position in foot deep snow ... plus I was trying to figure out how to run in snowshoes. I settled down, remembering that I had to run with my feet farther apart so I wouldn't clip my ankles ... which I still did occasionally. All in all, it was kind of fun ... definitely slower than running in trail shoes. I ran the first loop in 27:30 and the second loop in 26:25. I finished 15th out of 41, results here.

The start ...

 The finish ... I was exhausted and thirsty!

After we got home, a nice lunch and afternoon nap ensued. We got up in time to watch an exciting Super Bowl between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, link here ... the commercials were quite good too, link here. All in all, a very busy and satisfying weekend!

Mon, 2/7/11: Rest day.

CJ and I did laundry, nice to have clean clothes ...

Tue, 2/8/11: 6 miles, 54:05, 8:41 pace, 11F, light snow, windy, 2 traffic stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Cobbs Hill run, 4 loops

Yes, it was only 11F out ... but I headed down to Fleet Feetfor the usual Cobbs Hill run. About 40 fellow Winter Warriors were there. The sidewalk up and back from Cobbs Hill was kind of plowed ... I took it easy. I did loops around the reservior instead of Y's just to be different. I dressed warmly ... almost too much but I just unzipped a bit ... sweet!

Wed, 2/9/11: Rest day.

CJ and I chilled. I converted "The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl" album to MP3, then we watched some DVR'ed episodes of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and Castle.

Thu, 2/10/11: Another rest day.

I really wanted to run but I just didn't want to fight sub-zero windchills. Good things did happen though. I scored a slot in the Muddy Sneaker on April 16th, lottery results here. I never run it before. Plus the Lakers beat the Celtics in Boston, 92-86, link here. Turnabout is fair play, eh? The Lakers are 3-0 on their 7 game road trip so far.

Fri, 2/11/11: 5.9 miles, 47:30, 8:08 pace, 20F, clear, calm, 1 traffic stop, no pain.

Garmin Connect for FF Happy Hour run + 2 loops

CJ and I headed down to Fleet Feet for the usual Happy Hour run. I ran easy at first and added 2 loops. It was kinda of warm, 20F, the warmest it had been for a bit. It's amazing but it seemed warm! I ran by the LED speed sign on Highland Ave and got it cranked to between 8 and 9 mph, lol! The upper Monroe Ave sidewalk was icy but manageable. I had to slow down a bit but I still did OK.

Sat, 2/12/11: 8 miles, 1:01:36,  7:42 pace, 25F, cloudy, light snow, a bit windy, no pain.


I headed out to Greece for Freezeroo #5, an 8 miler. I started out fast, 7:10 first mile. The first four miles are under 7:30 pace. When I hit Edgemere Drive, I ran into a 20 mph headwind which slowed and tired me out. I walked for about 100 feet at mile 6. After a bit I realized that I was near the end and gutted it out to the finish. I was 66th out of 216, results here. I was 8th out of 28 in my age group, results here.

 Along Edgemere Drive ... with at least a 20mph headwind!

Turning for the finish!

After a nice nap, CJ and I went out to Canton OH. By the time we got out here, I was grouchy ... my left hip and knee ached. Tomorrow we will visit the NFL Hall of Fame and visit her father in Ravenna OH for his 90th birthday.

Sunday, 1/30/11 to Saturday, 2/5/11

I ran 4 times this week, 21.65 miles.

Month of January: 100.04 miles, 19 runs, 5.3 miles/run

Sun, 1/30/11: Rest day.

After the company party the night before, CJ and I were at the Millennnium Hotel in Buffalo. We made it out into the cold just before checkout at 11AM. We did some tourist stuff as long as we were there ... we saw the American Falls from the Niagara Falls Observation Tower and from Goat Island.

 

 

Next we saw the Niagara Power Project Power Vista exhibit.

Then we drove home on Route 104 ... the scenic route. A downer was watching the last 16 minutes of the Lakers - Celtics game in LA ... the Lakers lost 96-109 despite Kobe's 41, link here. The Lakers seem to have to lost a step compared to the NBA's elite teams ... which does not bode well when it comes to the playoffs.

Mon, 1/31/11: 7 miles, 57:05, 8:09 pace, 13F, clear, a bit windy, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Out to the Zoo and 3 times around the pond

I wanted to get up to 100 miles for the month of January so out I set forth. I ran out on my usual run ... a bit icier than usual. I was dressed very well for the cold and warmed up quickly. The run passed smoothly, my mind zoned out and concentrated on my footing, my gait and my breathing. A very sweet run!

Tue, 2/1/11: 6.1 miles, 51:40, 8:26 pace, 19F, cloudy, a real light snow, a bit windy, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Cobbs Hill run, 3 Y's

I don't hibernate in the winter ... so I headed down to Fleet Feet for the usual Cobbs Hill run. I did the usual 3 Y's. The Monroe Ave sidewalk was pretty greasy on the way up and way back, Cobbs Hill was fine.

Wed, 2/2/11: 2.65 miles, 32:16, 12:11 pace, 18F, cloudy, a light snow, walked a few hills, no pain.


I headed down to Cobbs Hill for Snow Cheap #4. Saner people would have stayed home ... but then I'm a runner. 183 other runners were there ... I was in fine company. The snow out in the open was at least 8 to 12 inches deep, in the woods it was thankfully less. The start was a bit of a scrum, I ran on the outside to pass ... while I had the energy. I settled into a rhythm and got in with the same runners for the majority of the race. It was a fun race, I felt pretty good throughout. Sweet! I finished 36th out of 116 in the no snowshoes category, results here. I was 3rd out of 8 in my age group, results here.

Thu, 2/3/11: Rest day.

CJ got her baking mojo and baked 4 loaves of homemade bread ... yum! Later, after a nice siesta, we stayed up to watch the Lakers play the Spurs ... sadly, the Lakers lost on a tip-in at the buzzer, 89-88, link here.

Fri, 2/4/11: 5.9 miles, 47:14, 8:00 pace, 22F, clear, calm, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Happy Hour run + 2 loops

CJ and I headed down to Fleet Feet for the Friday night Happy Hour run. I started out easy, looking at the tiny crescent moon in the old moon's arms. I concentrated on my form, pushing through and swinging my arms. I added 2 loops around the Cobbs Hill reservoir. The run down around the Monroe Ave sidewalk was icy so I had to slow down. Still I was amazed at how easy and faster I seem to be running compared to last year.

Sat, 2/5/11: Rest day.

A busy day for sure. I got my hair cut then headed out to Newark to get my father's mail and to see my daughter. After lunch, CJ and I went down to the Blue Cross to watch the Rochester Knighthawks play the Philadelphia Wings. The Knighthawks got their home mojo back, winning 11-6, link here. Thanks to groupon.com for the half price tickets!

Later, we sipped some Red Stag Black Cherry bourbon. Mmmm!

Sunday, 1/23/11 to Saturday, 1/29/11

I ran 4 times this week, 19.1 miles.

Sun, 1/23/11: 3.1 miles, 22:14, 7:10 pace, 9F, partly cloudy, a bit windy, no stops, no pain.


Yes, it was cold, single digit cold! But there was a race ... so we headed down to Powder Mills Park for Polar Cat #3, a 5K. I dressed warmly: 3 tech tops, tights and pants. I forgot my Brooks jacket so I put on my Newark Turkey Day sweatshirt as an outer layer. The race started smoothly, I fell into a groove and held it the entire way. The road was a bit slick but not too bad. I had nothing left at the end. I ran well, 11th out of 46, results here. I was 2nd out of 6 in my age group, results here.

Getting to and from Powder Mill Park was exciting but not the kind you would want! The slick roads almost caught us. On the way down we almost got sideswiped at the 104E-590S split by someone wanted to merge over to 104E without looking. On the way back we almost got hit by a car that lost it on 590N as we tried to merge onto 590N from 490W. Luckily I was able to brake without losing control and watch the car spin in front of us from left to the right off the road. We got home the rest of the way safely.

Later, after a lazy afternoon, we watched the Packers-Bears game and the Steelers-Jets game. Both winning teams built a lead and kept it ... setting up a Packers-Steelers SuperBowl.

Mon, 1/24/11: Rest day. Later in the day, I felt some mild lower ab pain during work so I just took a rest day.

Tue: 1/25/11: Another rest day. I didn't sleep well. As a result I had a headache all day. I probably could have run but I just didn't feel it. I stayed in.

Wed, 1/26/11: 6.5 miles, 52:23, 8:04 pace, 30F, cloudy, really light snow, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Out to the Zoo and 3 times around the pond

I so needed to run. After a bit I headed out for a nice run. I concentrated on rolling off and stretching out with as many strides as I could instead of plodding. A nice run, nice pace, sweet!

Fri, 1/28/11: 4.1 miles, 26F, no stops, no pain.

I headed down to Fleet Feet for the usual Happy Hou run, only backwards since it was the last Friday night of the month. I ran without my Garmin. I started out slow ... around 8:30 pace, I sped up after the hills ... around 7:45 pace, I guess. It felt good ... a bit tight across my lower abs at first until after a mile or so.

Sat, 1/29/11: 6.385 miles, 48:22, 7:35 pace, 25F, 2 short walks up a hill, mild lower ab pain.


CJ and I headed down to Powder Mill Park for Freezeroo #4, a 6.385 miler. The start was somewhat marred by some idiot who was speeding down Park Rd and hit a runner ... no injuries, thank goodness. Arguments and a wrestling match ensued I was told. The police were called but I don't know what came out of it, if anything. The start was fast ... a 7:10 first mile. The course soon got hilly but did have some good downhills. I did walk for a tiny bit twice to catch my breath. I didn't have anything left at the end and got nipped by Chris W. I did pretty well, 58th out of 215, results here. I was 4th out of 23 in my age group, results here.

Later, after a nice rest and a bit of ice, CJ and I shuffled off to Buffalo for my company's 40th anniversary party. We didn't have anyone to sit with ... but made our own fun.

Sunday, 1/16/11 to Saturday, 1/22/11

I ran 5 times this week, 23.35 miles.

Sun, 1/16/11: 6.7 miles 59:57, 8:57 pace, 19F, cloudy, windy with a wind chill, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Out to get the Sunday paper via the Zoo and 3 times around the pond

I got out the door around 9:30AM. The first step is always the hardest ... especially with it's cold and windy. I took it slow out to the Seneca Park Zoo and then 3 times around the pond. On the way back I stopped to get the Sunday paper from the two guys who sell it from the back of a minivan near the Dunking Donuts. A hot chocolate was very welcome when I got inside!

Lazed around the rest of the day ... watched the Bears-SeaHawks, then Jets-Patriots, converted some albums to MP3s. It's amazing how some of my albums have just one good song on them.

Mon, 1/17/11: Rest day.

It was COLD this morning ... -4F! It did warm up during the day to above 20F but definitely a cold start. After a long Monday of work CJ and I eventually did our laundry.

Tue, 1/18/11: 6.2 miles, 50:23, 8:09 pace, 40F, light mist, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Cobbs run, 3 Y's

I headed down to Fleet Feet for the usual Cobbs Hill run. I started out slow up the slushy Monroe Ave sidewalk, then amped it up a bit up and down the 3 Y's, then back down. CJ and I missed connecting up before I headed out so she missed the workout.

Wed, 1/19/11: 2.8 miles, 29:48, 10:31 pace, 25F, light snow, walked a few hills, no pain until after.


CJ and I headed down to Cobbs Hill for Snow Cheap #3. This time I remembered my YakTrax Pros. I started out a bit slow but soon picked out a groove. There wasn't as much ice but a lot more snow than I expected. Running through 4 to 6 inches of snows is hard work. I appreciated the hard packed snow! I did well, 30th out of 115, results here. I was 2nd out of 10 in my age group, results here. I won a Fleet Feet white hat at the post race raffle. Afterward I had some lower ab pain so I sat down with an ice pack while I watched the Lakers play the Mavericks on ESPN. I don't get to watch the Lakers very often ... the Mavericks ended their 6 game losing streak on the strength of a 30-17 3rd quarter. Interesting media notes about Kobe and the Lakers, link here. Even though the Lakers have won 8 out of their last 10, they are only 5-6 against teams with winning records this season so far.

Fri, 1/21/11: 4.15 miles, 33:44, 8:08 pace, 16F, cloudy, windy, 2 traffic stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Happy Hour run

Sure, it was 16F, windy with a wind chill around 0F or below, did CJ and I stay in with our feet up? No ... we headed down to Fleet Feet for the usual Happy Hour run along with around 30 other crazy runners. I bought a pair of running gloves before we headed out. The field test went well, they kept my hands a lot warmer than my old mittens. I can also use them while I am driving. I headed out a bit hard like usual. A couple kept pace with me, one was lost on Cobbs Hill drive, the other toasted me on the run down Monroe Ave. A faster runner on a Friday night ... interesting! CJ walked 2 miles! All in all, sweet! Something a lot of other people would not even consider ... but the Winter Warriors just go out and do it! Sweet!

Sat, 1/22/11: 3.5 miles on the treadmill.

CJ and I managed to make it out to Planet Fitness. I ran 3.5 miles on the treadmill, did a short upper body circuit and a bit on the bike. CJ did 23.4 miles on the bike. Later, after a supper of leftover chicken and pork, we watched The Bourne Identity.

Sunday, 1/9/11 to Saturday, 1/15/11

I ran 5 times this week, 27.7 miles.

Sun, 1/9/11: 6.8 miles, 20F, windy, 1 stop, mild left hip pain.

It was cold outside and warm inside. Part of me wanted to just stay inside. But the part of me that needed to run won out. I got out around 9:45AM. I wore the usual plus my YakTrax Pros. I ended up at the Seneca Park Zoo and ran around the pond three times. I forgot to turn on my Garmin until I was past the pedestrian bridge. I ran nice and easy, maybe 8:40 pace. I warmed up after a while, but the wind was still chilly and brisk! I felt some mild left hip pain. I think I will start wearing my IT Bands again.

Mon, 1/10/11: Rest day.

CJ and I spent a relaxing evening at home. I fiddled with my USB turntable. Who knew that Audacity defaults to recording in Mono? Luckily, I only recorded an album (The Cars - Panorama) and a half (Pat Benatar - Seven the Hard Way) before I figured out that this was wrong and how to set it to stereo.

Tue, 1/11/11: 6.2 miles, , 8:07 pace, 20F, clear, a bit windy, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Cobbs Hill run, 3 Y's

CJ and I went down to Fleet Feet for the usual Cobbs Hill run. The sidewalk on Monroe Ave was the usual ice/snow mix. I ran a bit hard, a bit slow 8:07 pace. CJ walked/ran 3.3 miles, 16:39 pace. I got my first Winter Warrior swag, a Puma keychain with a light.

Then we headed out to Henrietta to see the movie "Hood to Coast". A pretty good running movie about the 1000+ teams that run the 196 mile Hood to Coast relay.

Wed, 1/12/11: Rest day.

CJ and I spent a relaxing evening together. I converted the album Aerosmith - Get Your Wings to MP3.

Thu, 1/13/11: 6.5 miles, 53:31, 8:14 pace, 19F, clear, a bit windy, 1 stop at the top of the hill, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Out to the Zoo and three times around the pond

I needed to run, I wanted to stay on the couch ... so after a bit I went out. I put on my YakTrax Pros and headed out to the Seneca Park Zoo and around the pond three times. I ran nice and easy, trying to concentrate on my stride. It was a bit cold at the start but I warmed up by mile 2.

I went to bed at 10PM which is highly unusual for me. I needed sleep and wake up without the alarm at 6:30AM very refreshed.

Fri, 1/14/11: 5.1 miles, 40:53:, 7:57 pace, 18F, clear, calm, 1 stop, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Happy Hour run + 1 loop

I went down to Fleet Feet for the usual Happy Hour run, I added a loop around around the Cobbs Hill reservoir. I ran nice and easy, but still fast I guess.

Sat, 1/15/11: 3.1 miles, 22:24, 7:14 pace, 25F, cloudy, light snow, no stops, no pain.



I headed out to Camp Eastman for Freezeroo #3 without my Garmin, I made up a map using RunningAhead to show the course. I had not run this race in 4 years. It was just as twisty as I remembered it. There was a light snow falling, the roads were greasy and slick, with not much traction. I just ran, tried to let not too many people pass me, didn't have much left at the finish. I was 45th out of 239, results here. I was 5th out of 34 in my age group, results here.

A lazy afternoon ensued. I recorded more albums to MP3 ... Bad Company's Straight Shooter and Aerosmith's Draw The Line. I also watched a bit of Steelers-Ravens and Packers-Falcons with some classic Arnold in Predator. Then I stayed up late and watched Matthew Broderick in Godzilla.

Sunday, 1/2/11 to Saturday, 1/8/11

I ran 3 times this week, 14.4 miles.

Sun, 1/2/11: Rest day after 2 days of running 19.5 miles.

CJ and I lazed around. We "Bonded" with 3 Bond movies from the BBCAmerica "007 in 11": Dr. No, From Russia with Love and Goldfinger, link to Wikipedia here. Then we watched a bit of Lady Chatterly. We went to bed late and couldn't get to sleep ... so it was a late night. Morning will come early ... coffee will help.

Mon, 1/3/11: Rest day.

The first day back after the New Year. I had wanted to run but ran out of time. I got a free promo code from Redbox so we watched Salt with Angelina Jolie.

I figured out a way to prevent my running journal from getting trashed. I use Microsoft's free SyncToy to back up the Running folder from my flash drive to my hard drive. Then I use SugarSync to back up my hard drive Running folder, since SugarSync will not backup a flash drive. It was kind of cool to watch my Running file being backed up into "the cloud". Now all I have to do it to remember to run SyncToy once a week.

Tue, 1/4/11: 6.1 miles, 48:02, 7:52 pace, 30F, cloudy, a bit windy, real light snow, no stops, a bit of left hip pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Cobbs Hill run, 3 Y's

CJ and I went down to Fleet Feetfor the usual Cobbs Hill run. I ran the usual 3 Y's. I ran a bit hard with my tights. I was a bit astonished with the pace. CJ had to sign up as a Winter Warrior newbie. She walked/ran 1/2 Y, 4 miles. Doubly sweet!

After a nice dinner of rotisserie chicken, leftover Jumpin John rice, leftover sweet potatoes and salad, we watched a NetFlix DVD, The Karate Kid with Jackie Chan. A nice flick!

Wed, 1/5/11: 2.5 miles, 24:24, 9:50 pace, 20F, clear, a bit windy, crawled up some steep hills, no pain.


CJ and I headed down to Cobbs Hill for Snow Cheap #2. It was a bit cold at the start. I started fast but the faster runners passed me after a bit. This course was icy in spots and more hilly than #1. I forgot my YakTrax's so I was pretty careful and didn't fall. I did tweak my left ankle a slight bit plus I have a bit of left side pain, but nothing to worry about. There were some injuries. One man took a fall, suffered a head gash and required a trip to the ER. I saw another woman with an ice pack. I warmed up, passed a couple of runners and finished 37th out of 134, results here. I was 3rd out of 9 in my 50-59 age group, results here.

Thu, 1/6/11: Rest day. CJ and I eventually went out and picked up her car from our mechanic, Russell. He fixed the power steering receiver line.

Fri, 1/7/11: 5.8 miles, 44:35, 7:41 pace, 18F, night, clear, a bit windy, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Happy Hour run + 2 loops

CJ and I went down to Fleet Feet for the usual Happy Hour run. I went the usual 4.1 mile route plus 2 loops around the Cobbs Hill reservoir. I was careful initially for ice on the snow covered roads near Fleet Feet but soon the roads were pretty clear. I ran kind of hard, I warmed up around 2.5 miles. I added 2 loops, then jetted down Monroe Ave. I was quite amazed at my pace ... but maybe I was cold? CJ had asthma due to the cold and turned around at Elmwood Ave.

Sat, 1/8/11: Rest day.

Went out to Newark to see my two youngest kids, then out to Lyons to see my father at the Wayne County Nursing Home. I got back in time to see the end of the Saints-SeaHawks game, link here and all of the Jets-Colts game, link here. A nailbiter for the Jets and a heartbreaker for the Colts!

Sunday, 12/26/10 to Saturday, 1/1/11

I ran 4 times this week, 30.5 miles.

Sun, 12/26: Rest day.

Mon, 12/27: 5 miles, treadmill, 3 miles at 7 mph, 1 mile at 7.5 mph, 1/2 mile at 8 mph, 1/4 mile at 8.5 mph, 1/4 mile at 9 mph.

It was a cold and blustery day, 20F with winds of 10 to 30 mph. I just didn't want to run and be chilled to the bone. CJ and I got out around 5PM to Planet Fitness. I ran 5 miles on the treadmill, Then I rode 2 miles on the bike. CJ rode 23.4 miles on the bike.

Tue, 12/28: 6 miles, 48:38, 8:07 pace, 27F, night, breezy, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for FF Cobb's Hill run, 3 Y's

I went down to the usual Fleet Feet Cobbs Hillrun. I did the usual 6 miles, 3 Y's. The difference was that I wore my new Brooks Nightlife jacket and CW-X Insulator Stabilyx Running Tights. The tights seemed to make a difference, I felt like I could run forever.

I have been reconstructing my running spreadsheet for the past month from a year old backup that I found ... it is finally up to date using my blog. I hereby resolve to make more frequent backups! I joined SugarSync, an online backup which provides 5GB worth of free backup space.

Wed, 12/29: Rest day. I thought of going out for a run but I just didn't feel it.

Thu, 12/30: Rest day. CJ and I went out to the local Wegmans to pick up supplies for our New Year's Eve dinner. We decided to buy 2 live lobsters. Later CJ screamed when she noticed they were looking up at her from the bag!

Fri, 12/31: 12 miles, 1:45:46, 8:48 pace, 48F, left hip pain at the end.
I ran 14 out of 31 days in December, 100.3 miles, 7.2 miles/run.
I ran 159 out of 365 days in 2010, 1038.9 miles, 6.5 miles/run.
I ran 33 races in 2010, 225 miles.

Garmin Connect Activity for Up to Durand Eastman beach

I got out around 11:30AM for the last run of the year. It had warmed up a lot already. I wore my Salamon XT Wings 2 trail shoes, tights, a short sleeve tech top, my Brooks jacket, my Brooks gloves and my orange Fleet Feet hat. It occurred to me that all the running stuff that I wore I had purchased at Fleet Feet. I ran out much harder ... 5 miles at 7:52 pace. I got to the beach at 5.6 miles and took a long walking break. I bonked on the way back as I ran out of energy. As I got closer to home I noticed that my left hip hurt. Maybe I shouldn't have run so far the day before Freezeroo #2.

Anyway, here are some reflections on 2010. My running had its challenges this year. My recovery from hernia surgery in January and breaking my right 5th rib in a fall during the Sehgahunda Trail Marathon around Memorial Day come to mind. But I came back strong recently ... I just put out yearly PRs in the 5K and 5 miles this month. I ran in 33 races, ran 100+ miles 5 out of the past 6 months and reached 1000 miles for the past 3 years.

2010 Trophy Bibs; Flower City Half, Medved Madness 15 Mile, Lilac 10K, Sehgahauda Trail Marathon, Running for the Red 5K, Sauerkraut 20K, Dam Good 14 Mile, Summerfest 12K, Pumpkins in the Park 5K, Polar Cat #1 5K

CJ boiled the two lobsters for dinner. I set the table, made drinks and helped crack the shells. They tasted fabulous! Mmmm! Sounds like a New Year's Eve tradition! I had to use pliers to get the champagne cork off but we toasted to 2011 just seconds after the ball dropped! Sweet! I am so happy that my girlfriend, CJ, is in my life! Happy New Year, everyone!

Sat, 1/1: 7.5 miles, 57:34, 7:41 pace, 50F, cloudy, 1 water stop, 2 mini stops, mild pain in my left hip.

CJ and I headed down to Mendon Ponds Parkfor Freezeroo #2, a 7.5 mile Resolution Run. It was quite warm for New Year's Day. I wore my Brooks Adrenaline GTS10, running tights, a long and short sleeve tech top along with my lucky orange hat and running gloves. I started out fast ... first mile in 7:08, mile 3 in 22:18, mile 5 in 37:10. I walked for 15 seconds or so at the water stop at mile 4, also at mile 5 and going back into the Park. I know that I can walk faster up that hill than running plus I caught a bit of a rest. I passed 2 other runners as I sprinted to the finish line. I felt some mild left hip pain midway through the race ... I ignored it.

I set a lifetime PR by 5 minutes from when I last ran this race in 2009 when it was 8F. Maybe it was the tights, lol! I was 85th out of 367, results here. I was 13th out of 50 in my age group, results here. All the times in the age group results appear to be 13 minutes low. But ... all in all, a sweet way to spend a New Year's Day morning!

CJ and I lazed around the rest of the day. Later she fixed pork chops with apples and stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes, Hoppin John rice, green beans and sauerkraut. Yum, yum!

Sunday, 12/19/10 to Saturday, 12/25/10

I ran 3 times this week, 15.5 miles.

Sun, 12/19: 4.3 miles, 31:31, 7:10 pace, 18F, cloudy, a bit windy, no stop, no pain.

CJ and I went out to Webster for the Polar Cat #2 race. The course was 2 loops of 2.2 miles, actually 4.3 miles. It was a bit chilly and the race started suddenly. I got out well and settled into a 6:47 first mile. I think I was around 16:00 when I came around for lap 2. I held on and finished strong. I was 16th out of 56, results here. I was 2nd out of 7 in my age group, results here. Many thanks to CJ for braving the elements and taking some pics.

Mon, 12/20: Rest day.

CJ and I went out Christmas shopping for my oldest son. We ended up at Target and bought a queen-sized air mattress. He will be home on Thursday and needed a bed to sleep on.

Tue, 12/21: 6.2 miles, 26F, no stops, no pain.

I headed down to Fleet Feet for the usual Cobbs Hill run. I ran the usual 3 Y's with no stops. The run up and down Monroe Ave was a bit slushy, ice and a bit uneven but not if you were careful about where you ran. I didn't start my Garmin until I had run a mile. Oops!

Wed, 12/22: Rest day. I found out that I have 34 Winter Warrior points down at Fleet Feet.

I worked with my new USB turntable. I converted the following albums to MP3s: The Cars - Candy-O, The Cars - The Cars, Boston - Boston. I converted The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band a couple of nights ago. I have gotten hang of it. I use EZ Vinyl Tape Converter initially. I use Audacity to split any tracks that don't get split ... which happens on every side of every album. Then I upload the album to ITunes. Meanwhile I finished up loading my son's laptop.

Thu, 12/23: Rest day. I wanted to run but ran out of time. CJ and I picked up my oldest son at the bus station in Rochester and took him out to Newark. He had to take 3 buses to get home from UMass in Amherst MA. CJ and I exchanged gifts. I got her a Brooks Nightlife jacket to go with the one I bought myself and she got me a pair of CW-X Insulator Stabilyx Running Tights that we both got at Fleet Feet, of course. She thinks it might help me recover better.

Fri, 12/24: 5 miles, treadmill, 3 miles @ 8:34, 1.75 @ 8:00, 1/4 @ 7:30.

CJ and I drove out to Cleveland for Christmas. We stayed overnight at a Radisson near the airport. Within 30 minutes of getting there I was on the treadmill. I so needed to run!! I watched National Treasure on USA on the TV to while away the time. We had a king size Sleep Number bed ... I am not a fan. We had an excellent dinner at Cafe Stratos in North Olmsted, then saw her daughter.

Sat, 12/25: Merry Christmas!

CJ and I visited her son and daughter (again) in Bedford then her brother, his family and her father in Revenna. We enjoyed our time together. We headed back at 6:30PM. We got back to Rochester at 11:30PM, unpacked by midnight. Nice trip, nice weather!

Sunday, 12/12/10 to Saturday, 12/18/10

I ran 4 times this week, 19.7 miles

Sun, 12/12: 5 miles, 36:44, 7:21 pace, 40F, cloudy, 3 mini stops, no pain.


CJ and I went out to Spencerport for the first of six Freezeroos. This one was a 5 miler. I went out hard: mile 1 in 6:36 (at least that's what was shouted out), mile 2 in 14:10, mile 3 in 21:04. I broke down a bit in mile 4 and did 3 mini walks to catch my breath. I got back into a slow jog and gutted out to the finish in 36:44 which is my fastest 5 mile of the year and just 5 sec off my lifetime PR back in 2008. I was 48th out of 175, results here. I was 4th out of 23 in my age group, results here.

After we got back, we did the rest of our laundry ... towels, bed sheets and my running clothes. CJ made a nice supper of ribs and sweet potatoes. Amazingly, the Buffalo Bills won the third game of the season against the Cleveland Browns.Mon, 12/13: Rest day. A return to winter, temp fell to 12F with a wind chill of 0F during the day.

Tue, 12/14: 5.5 miles, 46:40, 8:29 pace, 16F, night, light snow, just a bit of a breeze, 1 mini stop, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Out to the Zoo, 2 times around the pond.

Winter fun ... 4 inches of snow fell during the night, 4 more inches fell during the day, in the low teens all day. A truly horrible day to drive. I must have spent at least 2 hours in my car driving between buildings. I had no desire to get back into my car to drive down to Fleet Feet. So after a bit of procrastination I put on my running gear and headed out to the Seneca Park Zoo, then 2 times around the pond and back. I put on the pair of YakTrak Walkers that CJ bought me for traction. I warmed up pretty quickly. A sweet run!

CJ had a mug of hot chocolate ready for me when I got back! We had the usual pasta dinner. Later ... dutch apple pie a la mode! Mmmm!

Wed, 12/15: 2.5 miles, 26:19, 10:32 pace, 22F, night, a bit windy, 1 stop, no pain


CJ and I went down to Cobbs Hill for Snow Cheap #1 with about 180 other fellow runners. I ran in the no showshoes category, just my trail shoes and YakTraks Pro. The start was blinding ... lots of snowshoes kick up lots of snow! I settled into a rhythm once we strung out. I followed a snowshoe runner for a while ... he packed down the snow for me. When a girl passed him I took off after her. We picked off some runners with a nice pace. When we broke into the clear for the finish 3 guys past me like I was standing still. I finished 17th out of 97 runners, results here. I finished 1st out of 8 in my 50-59 age group, results here. Another great event put on by my home around from home, Fleet Feet!

Thu, 12/16: Rest day. I set out our Christmas decorations. CJ helped put up the lights. It looks nice!

Fri, 12/17: 6.7 miles, 54:28, 8:20 pace, 28F, night, a bit windy, no stops, no pain.

Garmin Connect Activity for Out to the Zoo, 3 times around the pond

I needed to run. I thought about heading out to run up Winona but decided that the road would be too slushy. So I went to the tried and true route out to the Seneca Park Zoo and around the pond. The road at the zoo and around the pond was mostly packed snow with some bare patches but very runnable at my pace. Sweet!

Sat, 12/18: Rest day.

Just a lazy day. CJ baked up a pound of bacon while I made the toast, cut the tomato and lettuce. So we had luscious BLTs with apple pie a la mode for dessert.