Beginners and Beyond

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RR (pic link added) - HM at Ralph Wilson stadium (Read 68 times)

    link to pic fashion ho albums, I'm at the beginning of the HM ones Wink

     

    Packet picked up on Friday.  Fashion ho outfit laid out.  Trouble sleeping.  Maybe being sponsored by work added to my nerves, but it seemed more like the night before a full than just a local HM.

     

    Clicking the indiglo button on my watch revealed that it was 4:58 AM, 2 minutes before the alarm in the other room would become an annoyance.   It got preemptively shut off, and the next thing I remember was looking at 5:24 and wondering how that happened.  Better hurry now to make a 7:00 start.

     

    The cat ate one of my waffles while I was in the shower, so a light breakfast it was while driving down to civilization.  Dozens of cars were being directed into a gravel lot across from the stadium, and after parking, I shed my hoodie and started a slow warmup to keep from getting chilled in the rain that was falling.

     

    The line eventually got set up about 10 minutes late and finally the horn sounded, with a slightly congested start resulting from having to go through one of those inflatable arches.  The course was fairly simple, winding around the stadium lots, making a wide loop out to the main drag in Orchard Park, through town, and then out and up towards the park where I like to train.  It would then turn back down another more residential street and make a straight shot back to the stadium, finishing through the tunnel and onto the field.

     

    After the first small down and up hill, a guy with a muscled physique pulled ahead, and I let him go... for now.  Plenty of racing left.  Another runner got on my shoulder and asked what I was looking to finish in. 1:20, he said he'd be happy with that.  After telling him that I'd take it easy now and start to do work on the uphill, we continued on in silence, with more footfalls in the background.

     

    Around 2.5 miles, we reeled in Muscles.  The coned-off path was narrow, so we stayed in close formation for a long while, with my new shadow just behind my left shoulder.  I tried to politely go over storm grates and through puddles so as not to cut him off.  There was a patrol car keeping ahead of us as we got into town, and cops at intersections, but they had little to do on a rainy early Saturday morning.

     

    A few small knots of spectators were a nice boost, and then town was behind us and the Ridge was ahead.  Gradual but constant uphill on a route I've run many times.  I focused on not falling off pace, but by watching my splits I already knew that a PR wouldn't be happening today.

     

    Unless this guy tries to surge soon and I have to match it, I'll just run a couple notches below possible blowup territory.

     

    By 6 miles, the hill got a little steeper and I broke free, still feeling good, waving to casual runners and the odd spectator out on their driveway.

     

    7-10 miles was a bit of a grind, running alone now through the most rural part of the course.  I tried to pace myself by thinking back to the earlier miles of my last HM and matching that effort, refusing to look back lest it would cause sabotage.  Water station and traffic volunteers were giving encouragement, and I heard nothing behind.  The rain had tapered off, which was a plus.

     

    Down to the "it's just a 5K now" mind trick.  Keep racing.

     

    Onto Big Tree Road, turning into the stadium lots, around the practice fieldhouse, almost going the wrong way at the only unclear spot on the course.  Finally I indulged in looking back -  no one.

     

    There was the tunnel.  OMG. SO. COOL.  A sharp downhill into the concrete structure, images of NFL Films from days gone by flashing through my mind, bursting into the daylight of the field through a blur of cheerleaders just like every kid dreams about.  The actual finish was on the 50 yard line, but damned if I wasn't going end zone.

     

    I took a knee, looked around at the stadium from a new perspective, and then did the dazed post-distance-race stagger for a bit, with 5Kers already enjoying their beers on the field.  1:22ish (by my watch, the posted finish times seem to be about 90 seconds too fast across the board.)  The 2nd place guy came up and chatted a bit, and we discovered that 3rd place "Muscles" is a conditioning coach for the Bills.

     

    The RD found me, announced my name on the loudspeaker and joked about my having to go right to work after winning the race (he knew that they had let me out of the cage for a little while to come run).  And that's where I went after getting my award.  What a long but fun day.


    Will run for scenery.

      So Jay,  just when was the last you didn't win ?  This is getting kind of freaky.

       

      That last bit about work reminds me of my pizza delivery days.  I had a delivery for a strip club.  The instant I arrived, the bouncer said "phone for you - it's your boss".  He told me I had to be back to the store in 5 minutes, or else.

      Stupid feet!

      Stupid elbow!


      Hip Redux

        All the great racing aside, you are also a great writer!

         

        So 4-for-4, right?  Hot damn, dude!

         

           

          There was the tunnel.  OMG. SO. COOL.  A sharp downhill into the concrete structure, images of NFL Films from days gone by flashing through my mind, bursting into the daylight of the field through a blur of cheerleaders just like every kid dreams about.  The actual finish was on the 50 yard line, but damned if I wasn't going end zone.

           

           

          Did you also hear the voice of John Facenda narrating your performance?

          I think that extra waffle would've gotten you tht 1:20.

          Great race as always, super fast & well executed.

          Dave


          Trail Monster

            I love that your cat ate your waffle!

             

            Congrats on another win! But where's the pictures?

            2013 races:

            3/17 Shamrock Marathon

            4/20 North Coast 24 Hour

            7/27 Burning RIver 100M

            8/24 Baker 50M

            10/5 Oil Creek (distance to be determined)

             

            My Blog

             

            Brands I Heart:

            FitFluential

            INKnBURN

            Altra Zero Drop

            Awood_Runner


            Smaller By The Day

              +1...pretty much sums up what I was going to say, except I was going to point out that you're darn fast.

               

              I love that your cat ate your waffle!

               

              Congrats on another win! But where's the pictures?

              Improvements

              Weight 100 pounds lost

              5K 31:02 Sept. 2012 / 23:36 Sept. 2013 (Same Course)

              10K 48:59 April 2013

              HM 2:03:56 Nov. 2012 / 1:46:50 March 2013

              MARATHON 3:57:33 Nov. 2013

              Docket_Rocket


                Awesome.  Another win!  Excellent race!

                 

                What, no pictures of the fashion ho outfit?????

                Damaris

                 

                As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

                Fundraising Page

                B-Plus


                  Congrats Jay! Great race.

                  So_Im_a_Runner


                  Go figure

                    Congratulations!  The discipline you show in races is remarkable.  I'm sure knowing this route from training made things feel very comfortable, and it sounds like you really used that to your advantage.  That finish must have given you some chills - very cool.  Great running!

                    Trying to find some more hay to restock the barn

                      So Jay,  just when was the last you didn't win ?  This is getting kind of freaky.

                       

                      That last bit about work reminds me of my pizza delivery days.  I had a delivery for a strip club.  The instant I arrived, the bouncer said "phone for you - it's your boss".  He told me I had to be back to the store in 5 minutes, or else.

                       

                      June 7th or 9th, I'm still not sure that my trail run wasn't led by a phantom. Wink  The streak will definitely end 7/19 at a 4-mile race with big prize money up for grabs -- last year 15 guys ran sub-5:00 pace (And now infamous EPO doper Christian Hesch took the cash for first American).

                      That is awesome about the strip club, should have told the boss that you needed to stick around for your tip, haha.

                       

                      Oski - yes, and I was given bib 444, not sure if that was premeditated. "four for four" Big grin

                       

                      DaveP - of course.  The extra waffle might have been the difference.

                       

                      Banshee and D - I'll add some when they're posted hopefully.

                       

                      Awood and B+ - thanks

                       

                      SIAR - You've got me thinking about that 1:19 now... there's a HM in Erie about a month from now on the exact course used for my upcoming full this fall.  Probably gonna try something stupid fast even if ends in a blowup.

                        Oops. Misplaced postSad

                        B-Plus


                          B-Plus, beautiful sixteen miler.

                           

                          Damaris, good luck with training.

                           

                          jjs22, congratulations! I happy that you were able to have some quality rest, finally.

                           

                          Tom, bravo on the unexpectedly longer run. Yay for a regular schedule.

                           

                          Zelanie, fantastic four-miler. What a nice time with the doggiesSmile

                           

                          SIAR, excellent fourteen. Congratulation on the monthly mileage!

                           

                          Weights, forty-five minutes on the AMT, and forty push-ups are done. I'm happy that today went so well, after the disaster that was last week. Being back in action is making me smileSmile

                           

                          Did we get plucked or were you off coffee for too long?

                            WTF? I could swear that I posted that in the dailies thread. I'm sorry, everyone. I'm off to delete, then post in the appropriate location.

                            Just B.S.


                              Jay you are very talented! big congrats to you!

                              LRB


                                The cat ate one of my waffles while I was in the shower, so a light breakfast it was while driving down to civilization.

                                 

                                ROTFLMAO!

                                 

                                I cannot stop laughing, that is so how cats are!

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