Verity Platt, our two kids, and I headed out to Moravia with the intention of going on a short family run—but when we arrived, it turned out that only Verity and I were willing to get out of the car. So we lined up at the start of the friendly Fillmore 5K with just a few minutes to spare. It was already hot and humid at 9am and the field quickly spread out, with Adrian Haws heading to the horizon. I tried to keep him in view and to sustain the effort, but the last mile was tough, especially the cruelly placed hill just before the finish. I was lucky enough to win a small key lime pie, which went down very well, and it was good to see some familiar FLRC faces—big thanks and respect to Adam, Jesse, and all the volunteers who made sure everyone enjoyed the event.
Earlier this week I ran an unofficial 5K from my house. I am thinking about suggesting a 5K challenge course for next year that starts and ends on my driveway.
Today’s lakefront was warmer and more humid than I thought it would be. I really enjoy the loop by the osprey nest, so I save that loop for last.
After working in the afternoon it was time for the remaining 3 courses in the Tough Tarmac Challenge. I work in the Island building next to Cass so it made the most sense to hit the Lakefront Loop next, then finish the track mile and Run Rabbit up in T-Burg.
My legs were feeling it after nearly 20 miles this morning. The Lakefront Loop turned out to be the only one of the five today that went smoothly with no logistical issues.
Used FLRC’s Trackapalooza 5000m run at the Lansing track to rack up a Lakefront Loops 5K. Followed up with some volunteer lane timing and a trip to Scoops for a delicious way to cap off the day.
I took advantage of a clear schedule this morning to get a run on Lakefront Loops in after dropping off my big kid at Garden Camp🌻. It was a great morning for a run!
I don’t know about you, but I look at my watch and think, “I should be able to leave the house at X.” X comes and goes, so maybe I’ll make it out by Y. Well … if I make it out by Z, I’ll have just enough time to run Lakefront Loops before an appointment. And I did just that.
Yesterday was again my hometown race, the Phelps Krauter 5k. I always have delusions of performing well at this, but again this year I fell flat. I paced for what i wanted to run, instead of where my fitness has me running. At any rate, once you finish you are treated to a Kraut hotdog, and some craft kraut based beer from our local brewery. Next year will be the year!
I ran the Jolly Roger 5k this morning. The funds of which benefit the Palmyra Macedon school choir. I went in with low expectations and really just wanted to get a good VO2 max workout in after a fairly lax week of running. After nearly a half mile in, I was surprisingly in the lead, but had someone so close to my heals I swear I could feel his breath on the back of my neck. We kept climbing the hill and finally made the turnaround at the halfway point, where I somewhat willingly gave up the lead to allow him to set the pace. Since it was an out and back, it makes it easy to assess your position, and the two of us were easily over a minute beyond the third place runner. I continued to shadow him in the same fashion as he did me for the next mile. Every now and then he would noticeably try to put some distance on me, but I was able to maintain a short gap without getting too out of breath. With about a quarter mile left, I started a kick that I knew I was unlikely to maintain. I passed him quickly and he seemingly hadn’t reserved enough in the tank to match the effort. I was just barely able to maintain the kick all the way in and crossed the finish line first with a new PR on my 5k. Had the other runner not been in this race, I likely wouldn’t have pushed near as hard as I did, so I was grateful that he was there to push the pace and force me out of my comfort zone.
A couple hours later, I was at it again for a 4 miler in Bloomfield called the Duvall Farms Goat run. This time with Jodi and the kids in tow. I was expecting more of a cross country style course, but instead it was a very hilly course that was done partially on two major highways. I had enough in the tank to take second overall, and first among the adult age group. I got completely blitzed by a 17yr old who had me three minutes behind him. Since I didn’t get any pictures at the 5k, I am substituting pictures form the 4 miler of me ridiculously holding a goat, and standing on a hay bail podium. At least it was good for a few laughs.
I aged up this past week into the “veteran” category, and admittedly was feeling the psychological weight of 5 decades passing. This at least helped quell some of the anxiety of seeing the hour hand change on my age and gives me some solace that I still might be able to squeeze a little more speed out of me before father time finally shows me the door.
I have been wanting to hit Duck Trails, but the 5K course is right on my way to work/Ithaca. I was hoping to run out some stress, but I ended up slipping in mud and falling hard on the sidewalk less than 0.2 miles in. I was able to finish.
I haven’t been doing many challenge courses lately as I’ve been training for my next marathon. But this morning I needed to add on some extra miles and, although tempted just to do an extra in and out to the base of Taughannock, I instead decided to tack on a Lake Front Loop at the end of my long run. I was trying to simulate the end of the marathon which is likely to be in bright hot Australian sun. Though not quite the distance of a Tough Trails Challenge I did end up with a 25 mile run and over 1000 feet of elevation gain.
There is a 5K race every month at the doorstep of my office in Edinburgh - less than half a mile away. I had hoped to get to the start line of a parkrun (huge in the UK) this weekend but they are much less accessible for me - so instead, I raced Tuesday at lunchtime! The winds were forceful (25-30 mph), which happens a lot here; I felt several times like I was barely moving in headwinds or was going to be blown over sideways by a crosswind. All the same, I made it to the line in 23:50 with splits of 7:30, 7:37, 7:40. Not a PR, but not too far off, and good enough for first woman in the open division.
My prize was this bottle of wine. Weighed down by it, I had to walk rather than run back to work, but my colleagues were very impressed.
I’m only up to 9 minutes of run/walk (or rather, 9x1-minute of running, with 1-minute walks in between) but I can keep going after that long enough to do a 5K, so I figured I’d add Lakefront Loops 5K to the Duck Trails I hiked back in May. Hot enough to break a sweat even with so little running.
Bonus points to any old-timers who recognize the shirt from 1988.
Completed the challenge today in Oneonta at a 5k in remembrance of a close family friend who lost their life to a drug overdose a few years ago. This is a beautiful event that I ahe done for the past 4-5 years. @HopeT came along with me to keep me company on the drive and meet my family!!!
