Twas the Night Before a Marathon

Twas the night before the marathon, when all through the hotel
Not a runner was stirring, not even a Sal.
Their tights were hung by the closet with care,
In hopes that St. Lou would soon be there.
The runners were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of p.r's danced in their heads.
And Jan in her flannel and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long pre-race nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Straining my hamstring and passing gas.
The moon shown clear on the parking lot below
When, what should appear,
But St. Lou and his eight fast marathoners.
With the little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Lou and his team,
More rapid than Kenyans they came
And St. Lou whistled and shouted their names!
Now Radcliffe,now Hall, now Rupp and Goucher!
On Samuleson, on Salazar, on Rodgers and Shorter!
To the top of the balcony! To the top of the hotel!
Now sprint away! Sprint away! Sprint away all!
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each fast foot
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
In the door St. Lou came with a bound.
He was dressed all in Brooks, from his head to his foot
And his clothes were all sweaty from running amok
A bundle of shoes he had flung on his back,
And he looked a Fleet Feet employee, just coming from the back.
The last bit of a Hammerbar he held tight in his mouth,
and the crumbs stuck to his beard for a later snack.
St. Lou had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
St. Lou was chubby and plump, a right jolly old runner,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
St. Lou spoke not a word, but went straight to work,
And filled all the tights, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, out the door he then closed.
St. Lou sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all sprinted, like the Olympic 200.
But I heard St. Lou exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
Happy marathons to all and to all a good night!

Holiday Wishes

If they let us Sal's embraces all cultures, though we understand some people prefer to keep their distance. In that spirit I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Agnostic season.
This is my gift list for people in our group and others who are welcome to run with us on the historic Erie Canal path.
Mike W. - Super Goggles that allow him to see all roots, rocks, pennies and other objects he continually trips over. Maybe if Mike's feet came off the ground by more than an inch this wouldn't be a problem? These goggles should also allow him to enjoy the scenery while trail running and snowshoeing.
Coach Rick - a 6'5" center who can shoot, rebound and play defense. They just aren't growing the tall boys out in Bergen country. Maybe Rick could recruit from Africa like the colleges do?
Lou K - The speed to stay one step in front of his daughter for at least one more year. Good luck with that!
Joanne K. - Completion of her first 13.1 mile race. Why? Because she can!
Eileen - A summer trip to Lake Placid so you can enter I.M. 2011. Ouch, that hurt Mike. Stop slapping me!
Boots and Ellen - There are still one or two weekends where FF/Yellowjacket isn't timing, c'mon pick up the slack!
Jan - a healthy achilles tendon.
Mike May - a new trail to race, one with plenty of trees, hills, water, and single-track. Maybe Muddy Sneaker is in your future?
Frank and Pete - Less hair on your heads. No, I will never stop being jealous.
Andy - fun in Texas, relaxation from eons at Kodak, and many miles to run.
Dick W.-Hmmm, tough. Already won his age group when completing his first 1/2 IM. Another guy with great hair. Damn. Okay, coal for his stocking. Sorry.

See you all on the roads, or maybe the trails? "Well, keep your nose in the wind, and your eyes along the skyline." Del Gue.

Weigh-In

Began at 173lbs. two weeks ago. Lost one pound the first week. I felt skinnier three days later for some reason and weighed myself again, up 6 pounds! How is that possible? So I weighed myself the next day, still at 178! Okay, this is ridiculous, so I didn't drink any wine or beer for two out of the next four days. It was tough to take such a drastic measure, but the sacrifice would be worth it, I hoped.
I weighed myself today, Sunday, December 13, 169.5lbs. Of course that was after working at a race for 4 hours, riding my bike an hour and lifting weights, but hey, it counts, right?
Well, maybe not.
Okay, okay, I'll weigh myself for real Monday morning and see what it really is. I hope Lou and Mike are home eating M&M's right now.

Lou Wins?

The pressure is on Lou now to be the first to lose 10lbs. Good luck Lou. As soon as I finish this glass of merlot and chocolate chip cookie I'm joining you with the diet plan.

RROY

Congratulations to our Sals runners who are officially Rochester Runner of the Year age group winners! Mike W and Eileen W each finished in fourth place, Lou K finished fifth and Pete L finished second. Once again the westside dominates!

Three Large Men

As I sit at my desk this Tuesday, eating York peppermint patties at 9:45am, I'm reminded that Lou, Mike and I compared our current weight on Saturday's run. Apparently the three of us have gained about ten pounds each in the past few months. It's no wonder I feel like a cinnamon roll with legs when running.
Now that it's December 1, I've decided to get serious about losing my bulkiness (as soon as I finish this last peppermint patty). Please vote on which of the three of us is most likely to lose 10 pounds by January 30 and once again become lightning fast.

Leftovers

My favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. A race with 1,000 of my closest friends, daughters all home, two boyfriends visiting from afar, food for twenty though there are only six of us for dinner, electrical and computer issues and swine flu. Can it get any better than this?
Jan, who hasn't run in four weeks due to achilles tendinitis, throws off her body cast and runs sub-9 minute miles to try and secure a top 5 RROY spot. We think she missed it by 3 points for the season. Rats. But she did finish in the top 3 in her age group!
The 10k was my longest run of the month, due to some lingering hamstring issues, but I managed to squeeze by fellow Sal's runner Rick Merritt, who hadn't run in 2 weeks, for a solid 48 minute finish, only 4 minutes slower than last year (insert sarcasm here). Of course Rick, new head coach of the soon to be state champion Byron-Bergen basketball team was wearing fifteen pounds of cotton, Chuck Taylor high top sneakers from high school and dribbling a basketball with each hand the entire course, but a win is a win. We Sals people count them any way we can.
Oh, and then there was the youngster, Jen Katz, the one who told me during the race, "I'm a bit tired from the marathon I ran four days ago, see ya!" Yes, she beat me by at least a minute.
Reportedly Lou, in training to race Boit in the 100 yard dash, hit Mike W with a turkey leg as the gun went off so he could take the coveted 1 mile split honors, a scintillating 6:23! Mike, savoring the turkey for 3 miles, then sped up and ended up the top Sal's runner for the day and secured a top five RROY spot.
Eileen imsofantasticallyfast W ran an awesome time and garnered at top 5 RROY spot, as well as a 3rd place RWG placing.
The computer issues? Well, the boyfriends, who are electrical and computer geniuses, have cleaned up my hard drive, taught me how to download music, erased all my porn (damn) and made a machine I think is an original PC from Bill Gates garage days run a lot faster.
The swine flu victim seems to be Stacy, who traveled from Portland to be with us and brought along the disease. Don't get it. If you can get a vaccine, do it.

Upstate XC @ FingerLakes CC

Fleet Feet Women's and Men's Teams

Dogs?

If you look closely in the blog photo introducing Salsmiles, Mike and Lou are walking down the canal path, each with a dog on a leash, Mikes Molly and Lou's Teddy. The owners and dogs are all wearing Yankee shirts and caps.

Reasons why Mike and Lou need a dog:
1. The little dog paws come off the ground as much as Mike and Lou's feet while running, making them feel empowered.
2. What better protection when walking on the canal path than a cockapoo and a, ...well, whatever Teddy is (small and hairy).
3. When Mike and Lou make their wives angry and aren't allowed to sleep in the same bed anymore, they each have a dog to cuddle with on the couch.
4. Dogs like to get up at 5am, Mike and Lou like to run at 5am.
5. Teddy and Molly like to chase squirrels, Mike and Lou are nuts.
6. Eileen and Joanne said so.

Cross-country Rules?

Courtesy of MW:
Blast those rigid X-Country rules. Here’s my suggestions for alternate divisions which most of them coincidentally I qualify for:

· First and foremost the Men Vets Follicly Challenged Division.
· Men Vets Who Should Wear More Clothes
· Men Masters Who Get Scared They Soon Will Look Like the Vets
· Men Vets Who Frequently Fall
· Men Vets With No Article of Clothes That Match
· Men Vets Whining Division
· Clueless Men Vets
· Men Vets Who Eat Their Weight Worth of Post Race Treats
· Men Vets Who Make Noises When They Run…Sleep…Read the Paper…Breathe…
· Women Vets Who Look Like They Could Be In the Women Open Division (never miss an opportunity to kiss up) Go Fleet Feet!

Marine Corp Marathon

Still one of my favorite marathons, even though I ran the 10k instead. No one organizes a race like the Marines. In spite of having a few more important things to do, like fight two wars, they made all of us feel special.

Joanne and I ran the 10k, arriving a bit early to the start as I was particularly worried about the metro and crowds. Fortunately it was a fairly nice morning and we stayed reasonably warm inside our fashion conscious garbage bags. After a couple of quick port-o-john trips we hid out in the metro tunnel for awhile, until security shooed us away. The announcer kept saying 7400+ runners had registered for the 10k, but I had no problem finding space to warmup or getting into a corral and about 30 yards from the start line. Joanne, a bit nervous for her first 10k, was further back in the crowd.
The Howitzer went off and we quickly left the Mall and the Washington Monument and headed towards the Jefferson Memorial. We ran across a bridge over the Potomac (the bridge had hills) and headed left towards Crystal city. When we turned back towards the finish we passed the Pentagon before finishing at the Iwo Jima monument near the Arlington National Cemetery.
The race, though a little more rolling than I expected, turned out well. Joanne ran a great time for her first 10k. I was a bit slower than expected, but somehow finished in the top 5% overall, with 5000+ finishers. I think the fast people ran in the marathon.
The gang of five, Mike May, Mike W., Eileen W. Lou K, and Jan M, ran the full marathon, starting near the cemetery, through Rosslyn, Georgetown, the endless island, the Mall, Crystal City and back to Iwo Jima monument. Everyone finished, with Eileen setting a pr by 20 minutes or so. It is not an easy course, with a few hills, especially in the opening 8 miles.
Our hotel, especially the location, was fantastic, about 3-400 yards from the finish (Virginian Suites). Every room included a full kitchen.
This was Jan's 5th MCM, I think we will be back in a couple of years so I can get my fifth finish.

XC at Ithaca

Good Luck to the Fleet Feet teams of Rochester competing at Ithaca College this weekend. The weather looks awesome and I'm sure there will be some great races! Here is my version of the course description that was sent earlier in an email. Sorry I can't be at the race, but Prez. Obama is calling me to DC. :)

The course is challenging, another 6k. The start area quickly shrinks to a 3 person wide path and heads uphill. Don't get sucked in here, relax, get up the hill, and you will pass many people who went out too fast and are now gasping for air. After a mile or so of some flat, small up and downs, you get to Mt. Everest. This is pretty much single track up a steep hillside, many people walked this, but it will slow everyone down even if you are running, unless you are part billy-goat. Work the hill but keep it under control. At the top you have at least a mile of flat and downhill to the finish, you can press it here and pass lots of people who misjudged the hills. The last 2-300 yards are downhill and flat to the finish, near where you started. Let it rip. Spikes, if you have them, would be helpful.

Marine Corp Marathon

It's off to our nation's capitol for a contingent of Sal's runners. Joanne and I will attempt to complete the "fun" run, a 10k beginning in the mall near the Washington Monument and taking us past several other scenic sights before finishing at the Iwo Jima monument.

Mike W, Eileen, Lou, Jan, Mike M. and Lou's cousin will be racing the marathon. They get the full tour of Arlington, DC, Crystal City, and the Pentagon before finishing at Iwo Jima. The weather looks great for a race on Sunday. This will be Jan's 5th MCM and I think MW's 3rd.

If anyone is interested in tracking a marathoner, here is the link to signup.

Squirrel Whisperer

There are runners who store their new shoe collection under the bed for safe keeping. Some runners have cubbyholes in their closet filled with untouched shoes. Others might have a special spot in a recreation room or mudroom.

Then there is the "squirrel whisperer (sw)". Our yard is filled with squirrels, constantly zig-zagging around carrying nuts and acorns from one location to another for winter storage. Of course squirrels are so stupid they don't remember where the new location is within a day, but they seem to be happy being able to move the food nonetheless. Annoyingly the squirrels dig up my newly planted flower bulbs. The purchase of a bb gun has crossed my mind. But, our resident SW seems to attract squirrels without any problem and I would feel bad shooting one of her "pets".

The SW's mind may be changing though and coming over to the dark side. Not only has she been chased down the road by squirrels, a few days ago she went in our garage to choose a pair of running shoes. Mind you, the garage doors are constantly kept closed, and at night, locked. This particular morning the SW put her foot gingerly into a shoe (always being afraid of spiders, love squirrels, hates spiders) and found a present inside! One of her furry buddies had left an acorn in her running shoe!

Isn't that nice of her squirrel friends to think she might need a nut for energy while running?

Half an Ironman Anyone?

Quickly catching on to a money-making scheme, Ironman USA has added a bunch of new 1/2 Ironman races to their franchise. IM recently added races in Boulder, Colorado, New Hampshire (formerly Mooseman), Miami, Syracuse (are you kidding-that is a destination people want to travel to?), Texas, and for you world travelers, Singapore. As of today there are 35 1/2 IM races.

The cost is only $200-$250 to register, so get ready to throw your money down. All of which is not to say that I didn't attempt one, and may again someday, but, well, I'm jealous, okay? Once again I didn't come up with the idea and spread it across the world. Damn. I guess this makes Musselman and Tupper Lake bargains, since they "only" charge $140 or so?

XC Race at Grand Island

The second race in the Upstate NY series will be on Sunday, October 11 at 11:00am at Beaver Island State Park, part of Grand Island.
Pete Glavin tells me there will be no park entrance fee on race day. From Spencerport it is estimated to be a 90 minute drive.

The race distance is 6k (about 3.7 miles). I'm told it should be a flat as a pancake course. My goal is to set up the FF tent at least one hour before the race begins. We will have drinks and some food for FF team members. At this point it looks like we should have full teams for scoring in all of our divisions.

XC Race Report Jamesville Beach

Thank you to everyone who represented and ran for our Fleet Feet team on Saturday. It was a perfect day to run cross-country on the two-loop 5k course. I really appreciate and have respect for our team members who ran the 1/2 marathon or marathon the week before, and a couple who did the Highlander Bike tours on top of the races. Awesome that you came out and ran with us. We also had at least three people who continued the weekend by racing at the FingerLakes Triathlon on Sunday!
Check Pete Glavin's Upstate NY Cross-Country web site for complete finishing times and places.

To those of you who witnessed my meltdown and temper tantrum before the race, I'm sorry. Thanks to everyone who assisted in carrying stuff to our site and set up the tent. You are all great and I appreciate the understanding.

A quick explanation is that I arrived at the race site about 15 minutes later than desired, through no one's fault but my own. But then we had to park at least 1/2 mile from all the other team captain's parking area. When I asked about this I was told I could not move in order to unload stuff. Let's just say I was a bit upset, but got a great warmup running to the car, getting all the stuff out, and running back with the tent. Some friends helped carry the shirts and food, staying far back as the steam from my head created a localized warming effect.

As to the race, I thought we did well. Mary Lee was first in the women's 40-49 age group with a great time of 22:33. Brenda Reeb was our other finisher in that age group. Terry Christo was 3rd in the 50-59 division with a time of 22:24. Our Vet women's team with Terry, Jan and Eileen earned two points and finished in fourth place out of six.

The men were led by Marty Coffey in a nice time of 20:15 and our 40-49 team finished fourth. Carl Palmer, Alan McAllister, Sean Hendrick,Ken Rhoda and Richard Doe completed our team.

Our men's vet team was short one runner and didn't score. But, Frank Quattrone ran a nice race, in 21:14, followed by Mike Weinpress, myself and Lou Katz.

My goals for the next race:
1. Leave earlier and be set up at least 1 hour before the race starts.
2. Run faster.
3. Have complete teams in all divisions.
4. Beat GVH (don't tell them)
5. Don't have a temper tantrum.
6. Remember everyone's name (we need to have a meet and greet, though I think most of you did that on your own).
7. I like the support everyone seemed to have for teammates and found it nice to know other FF people were all around me. This might sound weird, but I mean it.

Let me know what kind of food/drink you want for after the race. Last time we had gatorade, water, danish, cookies, bananas. The cookies seemed to be the favorite.

Next race, Sunday, October 11, 11am, 6k in distance (about 3.8 miles). It's about a 90 minute drive from Spencerport. Jan and I can pick up two people at the LeRoy tollbooth area if anyone wants a ride.

Beaver Island State Park
2136 West Oakfield Road
Grand Island, NY 14072

Top Ten Reasons to Love XC Running

10. No cars to worry about when running.
9. Beautiful scenery (if you can look and not trip over a root while running)
8. Variety of terrain, short steep uphills, long gradual uphills, the ridiculous hill at the FLCC course 3 miles into it, at a time when you are already hurting.
7. Did I mention there might be hills? Oh, and you can sprint hard and go around a corner and lose competitors in the trees.
6. Your finishing place is important even if you are in the bottom 30% of racers.
5. Another excuse to shop at your favorite running store (Fleet Feet, right?) for the right gear.
4. Spikes make you feel fast even if you aren't and they come in cool colors.
3. Why should the kids in high school have all the fun?
2. It's fun to travel to new areas to run.
1. Listening to Mike W. complain.

Running and Injury

It is difficult to update a blog about running when you can't run, especially when the injury continues to dog you for a few weeks.

I'm too paranoid to say my injury is totally healed now, but I did run for the second day in a row yesterday. An amazing four miles at a speedy(?) sub-9 minute pace!

Tonight, I hope, is my last deep tissue sports massage at Canalside Massage in Pittsford. Three treatments in three weeks, lots of rest from running (I could bike and swim with the hamstring and adductor issues) and maybe I'm on the way, and will feel like writing again.

Upstate NY Cross-Country

The annual Upstate NY cross-country series is set to begin on Saturday, September 19, at Jamesville Beach st park, southeast of Syracuse. The races continue as follows;
October 10: Grand Island State Park
October 25: Ithaca College (confirmed) 11:00am
November 1: Seneca Park (Rochester) 11:00am
November 15: Finger Lakes CC (Championship Day) Women's 6K @ 10:30, Men's 8k at
11:15am.
Fleet Feet Sports of Rochester is sponsoring teams of men and women for the Masters and Senior divisions this year. In 2008 our Senior men's team finished third overall in the series.
More information about the series will be presented on this blog as the series progresses.

Running Injuries

The mental stages of healing;

1. Shock and disappointment that you can't continue running.
2. Erroneous belief that you will heal overnight and be back running the next day.
3. Rest, ice and heat will heal anything.
4. Advil, aspirin or another pain relieving drug will allow you to run.
5. The pain will go away after you run slowly for a mile or so and miraculously you will be well again.
6. After a week, wondering if a doctor, chiropracter, massage therapist, faith healer, or voodoo doll will get you back on the road?
7. You give up and turn to Southern Comfort on the rocks.
8. It feels okay, I think I'll run.
9. Damn, is this ever going to heal?
10. Maybe today is the day, and for some unknown reason you run pain free. Finally!

(I haven't hit stage 10 yet)

Ask Dr. Twinkle Toes

Dear Dr. Twinkle,

As a new runner, I'm wondering if you can tell me some of the items that are really necessary to carry while running? TIA, Newbiewankanobee

Well Newbiewan,

This is indeed an interesting question and one I'm glad you raised, especially after the experience a longtime runner, who I know quite well, had in Lake Placid during a recent vacation. Seems this runner left his chalet on a 40 minute or so run, not really sure of the direction he was headed. Knowing he would be back soon, this runner chose not to carry water, a map, check roads before hand, or take a secret stash of toilet paper. Big mistake.
It's amazing how quickly intestinal distress can grab hold of you on a run. For many of us the ability to just "hold it" is weak. You need a bathroom and you need it now, no matter how tightly you squeeze the buttocks area, there is no relief. Add on the pressure of not really knowing how far you are from the cabin, due to poor planning on your part, and you have the tools for a major disaster.
When you head into the woods (one nice thing about being in Lake Placid, lots of trees) and you have no t.p., what will you do? Grab some leaves? No, probably most are some poisonous variety and you are no nature guide, don't risk poison ivy on the privates, that's bad. Your only choice is to take off the socks, yes, I know they are your favorite pair, but face it, you are a dummy and this is an emergency, I'm sure no one will notice you left with socks and came back with none.
In short Newbiewankanobee, never leave home without t.p., no matter how short the run!

Tereza Macel

Lake Placid IM female winner Tereza Macel was in the chalet next to us at the Swiss Acres Inn! Her husband, coach (brother), mother and father also came to the race.
Interestingly, her name was never mentioned before the race as one of the favorites. Tereza was the first pro (male or female) out of the water, in a time of 50:48, then biked the hilly course in 5:13, an average of 21.4mph, and ran a 3:20 marathon (7:39per mile). She had a large lead going in to the run and won by 12 minutes, also finishing 12th overall.
The morning after the race I talked with her husband and asked if she won. He said, "well, she had a good race". I said, "she won, right?". "Yes, yes she did win, but how did your wife do, she ran the race, right?", "it is so great, Tereza gets to take a nap, workout for hours a day, but people like your wife, they are the real stories, working full-time and still completing one of these events."
The whole family was great. When I asked if Tereza would mind signing the race poster for Jan, he immediately went to the chalet and brought her out. Tereza was really nice and now we have a poster that will be framed and proudly hung on our wall. We also have a person to really cheer on when IM Hawaii takes place in October.
It's nice to meet a champion and family who are so supportive.

Ironman Jan!

After a 2.4 mile lake swim with 2300 of her closest friends, 112 miles of biking on "rolling hills", and a mere 26.2 miles of running, Jan finished the Lake Placid Ironman.
There are many variations of a champion. Obviously the first man or woman across the line is a champion. Then there are people like Jan (actually not, she is pretty unique). Think about what a normal fifty year old woman is like in America. That is not Jan. Married soon after her 19th birthday, first daughter before turning 20, another at age 22 and a third at 25. Work, college, work, college, work and college together until earning a masters degree.
Four years ago a desire to learn about triathlons began with friends Lou and Eileen attending the Fleet Feet Tri-community college. A few sprint races, then entry into Louisville IM. Two attempts, two dnf's in the scorching heat of Louisville, but still Jan didn't give up her dream of completing an IM. So, she made it into Lake Placid and a year of training proved finally proved successful as we heard the words we had all been dreaming about,

"JAN MCCULLOUGH, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!"

IM Pre-Race Lake Placid

Amanda, Jan and I arrived at our "chalet" in Lake Placid on Thursday. It's a convenient location, kitchenette (no stove), great view, so is working pretty well. The chalet is actually a longer version of a KOA cabin next to the Swiss Acres Inn, but I love sitting on the porch and looking at the mountains in the distance.
Friday morning I got up early and biked one loop of the IM course, a total of 60 miles. It went fairly well. Then Jan and I swam .5 miles in Mirror Lake. Then Jan and I biked 13.5 miles. The Pinot Grigio and beer helped me recover. There are benefits to being a supporter and not a racer!
Saturday was a day of Jan prepping her bags for transition. Amanda helped with that process while I tried not to hyperventilate from my own stupid pre-race nerves, and I'm not racing! Jan, Amanda and I went to the Gatorade practice swim. Amanda eventually warmed up (no wetsuit) and we did about 4-500 yards in the lake. Jan and I then went for another 400 yard swim. Jan seems to be comfortable in the water. Swimming in the lake is nice if you can keep your head in check. The wetsuit also helps.
There are athletes all over the town, of course. On Thursday Jan and Amanda were driving back from the store and saw a biker get hit by a stupid driver. He was going down hill, probably 25-30mph, and the driver said she didn't hit him. Amanda, fortunately a paramedic, was the first to him and made the biker lay still as his back hurt. The cops and ambulance came soon and backboarded him. Hopefully he will have a quick recovery.
We will be up around 4:10am on Sunday, as Jan needs to get set in transition, body marked (the best volunteer job ever!), and over to the swim start.
Hopefully Amanda and I can give updates throughout race day.

Musselman Sprint

Eileen and I had a great time at the 2009 Musselman Sprint Triathlon, with Eileen capturing a second place finish in her age group!
750yd swim in the canal, 16 mile bike, 5k run.

Pre-race










Finished swim!
Start of bike leg. Finally off to run.


Next year's Musselman is July 10,11.

Domestique

"In Italy and Spain, the term gregario (a soldier of the Roman legions, "one into the group" is used, while in Belgium and the Netherlands the term knecht ("servant") is used." (from Wikipedia, an extremely reliable web resource. Besides, if it's on the Internet, it must be true!).

One of the most famous Domestique's is George Hincapie, who played a large role in support of Lance Armstrong and his 7 Tour de France championships (George on left, Lance on right in photo).



Sometimes I feel like Eileen and I are domestiques for Jan. We don't ride with her for 100 miles, but team up or accompany Jan on shorter (20-60 mile) rides. Before rides I mix our bottles of Heed, Sustained Energy, get the Hammer Bars and gels, and make sure there is enough Endurolytes for both of us. Many times I plan the routes, Jan may not even know exactly where we are going until the turn is coming up.

Do you think George mopped Lance's floors or cleaned his tub? I wonder if George cooked many of the team dinners or had to do the dishes? As a teammate, did George mow Lance's lawn and pull weeds? Probably not.

Maybe I should put together a resume and apply for next year's Tour as a domestique? Of course I may have to learn how to ride up a mountain or take part in a team time trial riding at 30mph. There should be a masters division in the Tour. Why not have teams of over 40+ and 50+ age riders? Now that would be fair. Excuse me while I go write a letter to the head of the Tour de France.
Posted by Mike at 1:13 PM
Labels: Domestique, George Hincapie, Lance Armstrong

Dynasty Ends!

As the nation celebrated its' birthday and fireworks were being prepped to grace the sky, our local running universe was shaken by the defeat of Lou by his daughter, Jennifer. The torch has been passed down.

Maybe if the course had been an accurate 5 miles, instead of 5.1 Lou could have won? No, wait, Lou was behind the entire time. Well, maybe if Lou had biked to the course first, as in past years, his old man legs would have had a higher cadence during the race? Hmmm, probably not.

Oh, face it, Lou got his behind kicked. He might be King of the House, but he is no longer the fastest runner. Congratulations Jennifer!

Babe

"Yes, I am an actor."
"Ooh, I knew it, I told you so Scott." "Yea, so what's his name?" "Oh, you know, it's, umm, well he was in the movie Babe, and ...ummm "The Longest Yard".
"Hey, you're right, I know, you're ummm James Cromwell?"

"You got it, and I'm standing in front of the public restroom with my wetsuit half on showing off my 69 year old pecs, waiting to swim in Mirror Lake at Lake Placid!" Dumb asses.

If I have to semi-resemble an actor, can't it be someone sexy, like Sean Connery or maybe someone younger like Matt Damon? I really don't appreciate being thought of as 17 years older than I am.

Hey, maybe I can get a job as his stunt double?

Sal's Crushes Competition!

The Medved 5k at Frontier Field, held on Father's Day, June 21, saw a bevy of Sal's runners earn RROY points.

In the 50-54 male group, Al finished 1/48, MW 4th, MM 8th. In the 55-59 male group, Lou was 8/31. Pete was 2/12 in the 65+ group, Jan 5/22 in the 45-49 group, Eileen 4/9 in the 50-54 RROY group and 5/14 in the 55-59 for the race (don't ask). Jen (Lou's daughter) also picked up a point finishing 10/26 in the tough 20-24 group.

The RROY series results haven't been updated yet, but I'm sure many of us will be moving up in the overall standings.

Attack Squirrels in Spencerport?

One of members, we will call her Jan,likes to bike early in the morning (5:30am for gosh sakes, crazy!) with equally nutty Eileen. This morning Jan almost had an accident on her bike as a squirrel darted across the road, not unusual, but this squirrel was carrying a jar of peanut butter!
Neither the squirrel nor Jan knew exactly what to do. They both changed direction, darting from one side of the road to the other trying desperately to avoid a collision, with the squirrel at a huge disadvantage due to the weight of the jar.
Finally the poor squirrel dropped the jar and scampered to the nearest tree. Hey, wait, that jar of PB sitting on our kitchen counter when I was making toast this morning, that wasn't..?

Jan insists the squirrel must have had too much coffee.

Biking Around the Lake

If two numbskulls take a right turn and race down a hill on their bikes, wondering why the rest of the group isn't following, will anyone care? I had a bad feeling something was amiss as we passed the Bristol Harbor golf course, which I had never seen on previous rides near Canandaigua Lake. But Mike and I were having so much fun, riding at 35 mph even with brakes pumping on and off, that we continued.

We reached the bottom and that's when Mike heard his phone. Jan had left a message, they were on the opposite end of Seneca Point Rd, waiting for our return. They had screamed at us to stop, but we couldn't hear with the wind whizzing past our ears. It was my fault, direction guy, even with a highlighted map I chose the wrong way to turn. We began to snake our way up the mountain, yes it was a hill going down, but a 9% grade going up is a mountain. Mike walked for a bit, but I was able to bike, albeit slowly, back and forth across and gradually up the mountain. After I pulled 50 yards ahead, Mike got back on his bike, but pulled an Artie Johnson and fell over. "C'mon, stop playing around Mike", I yelled. "But I'm bleeding!" Mike said. "Don't make me come back down this mountain you baby, get up and ride". Oh yeah, I'm tough.

Eventually Mike got on his bike and powered up the road. Well, pushed the pedals and slowly inched his way along. A few golfers stopped and shook their clubs at us. Evidently our swearing had disturbed their swings. Fifteen or more minutes after taking the wrong turn we finally re-joined our peloton. I think they had lunch while we were gone.

We continued on our way back to Canandaigua and Kershaw Park, ending a beautiful day with a swim in the 66 degree water, two of us opting to end the swim fairly quickly.

Racing the Mile

Several Sal's racers competed in the Charlie McMullen memorial mile race held at Nazareth College on Thursday, June 11. This was a Rochester Runner of the Year race and by my calculations it appears all of us picked up points!

In the women's 50-54 group, Eileen ran a fantastic 7:23.7 and finished in 3rd place, good for 8 RROY points. In the men's 65+ group Pete ran a 6:53.3 and finished 1st. Roger H. finished 2nd in 60-64 running a 6:22. In the 45-49 group, Mike May ran a 6:13.3, good enough for 6th. In the 55-59 group, Andy ran a 6:34.3 and Lou a 6:50.7, for 9th and 10th places. In the men's 50-54 group Mike W ran a scintillating 5:59.79, good enough for 3rd place and 8 RROY points, while I ran a 6:20.6, for 9th place.

Top ten in a RROY race score points.

Full results are at Yen Timing.

Keuka Lake Battleathon

Our three SuperHeroes, Wonder Woman, Ageless Wonder and He Makes Us Wonder.

Our online poll prediction of Eileen winning the Keuka Lake Triathlon proved to be wrong, as MW splashed and crashed through the waves and 60 degree water of Keuka Lake, powered among the hills on his Banana Seat bike and knocked Lou down during the run to score a victory by the slimmest of margins.


Strong rumors are floating through the western New York triathlon community that MW spiked Eileen's and Lou's nutritional supplement drinks at the Toga party the night before the race.
We have heard this will be Lou's last night of dorm living as he can no longer take the late (almost 10:00pm!) parties.

There was some redemption, as Eileen was the one to come away with a trophy, placing a strong second in her age group. Congratulations to our three triathletes!

Fly By Night Duathlon

The Porsche cars sped around the Watkins Glen Track, one race after another. It was neat walking through the starting area with the cars lined up and drivers strapped in. I felt better about spending money on our hobby after seeing what some people must spend with the Porsche cars, especially when they crack up.

The Fly by Night Duathlon began at 6:15pm, with our transition area in pit row. The 200 or so athletes started together on a 1.8 mile loop through the campground area. The 10.2 mile bike ride was three loops of the race track, which has some significant rolling hills. The race was a blast.

We ran 1.8, biked 10.2, ran 1.8, biked 10.2 and ran 1.8, finishing in pit row. Dick finished first in his age group, Jan second (one minute from first) and I finished 9/14 in my age group.

I officially can not make fun of Jan and her transition times anymore. She beat me by about a minute overall in transitions. My average time was 30-45 seconds slower than anyone in my age group, which is ridiculous in a duathlon. I could have improved my time by 2-3 minutes just by moving a bit quicker during transitions.
Oh well, next year.

Are We Almost Home?

"No Mike, we are only in Holley, there are still 30 miles to bike". "Why are we going into the wind, I thought you said it would be at our backs?" "I don't want to see the lake, Eileen". "What day is it?"

This is some of the conversation you can expect on a bike ride with Mike W. On a beautiful Monday morning four of us rode from Spencerport through Brockport, Holley, Kendall, Hamlin Beach State Park, Hamlin, before returning home. It turns out I was a little off in my mileage estimate of 44, as we completed over 53 miles.

The ride turned out great and was the farthest Mike has ridden by more than 20 miles. Despite some whining he did great.

Recent Sals Results

Mike and Eileen scored big Rochester Runner of the Year points in the Lilac 10k. This is a tough race to score any points in due to the large number of fast racers who always turn out.

Dick W. finished first in his age group at the Rochester Spring Classic Duathlon held at Mendon Ponds park.

Congratulations to Jennifer K. for completing the Buffalo Marathon (her first) in a time of 3:48. Jen was 6th in her age group - top 20%. Rumor has it Lou, her father, will let Jen sleep inside the house again. Lou reportedly said, "run a sub-4 hour marathon, or continue sleeping on the deck". He's tough.

WDW 1/2 Report

Congratulations to first time 1/2 IM finisher Amanda and 3x finisher Jan at the Florida/Disney World race! A seemingly long swim, followed by 56 miles of flat to rolling hills(12 miles) to flat (into wind)bike course ended with three loops on a suffocating course that blocked any breeze as the temperature rose to the mid-80's.

On my second loop of the run course I caught up with Amanda, who was in the third mile of her first loop. We walked for about 1/2 mile, when I made the ridiculous decision to try and run again. Within 30 feet my left calf cramped worse than ever in my long life. When I sat on the ground the front of the same leg and my foot also began severe cramping. By some miracle we had stopped about 50 yards from a medical area. Two medics came over with ice packs and one began massaging my left leg. Then my right hamstring siezed up. I was screaming in pain. It wasn't pretty. Long story short, my race was done as I was carted off to the main medical area at transition and received 2 bags of fluids through IV.

A big thank you to Amanda, who stayed with me until the cart took me away, then was still able to finish the course. I am so proud of her. It was also fortunate that Andrea was there and made sure I was cared for in the medical tent. I couldn't imagine going through that without her. Thank you for putting up with this old man in a traumatic time.

Top Ten Memories of Florida WDW 1/2 Ironman, in no particular order:

10. Not getting chewed on by gators (but I swear I heard animal noises while I was in that lake)
9. Staying in a Fort Wilderness cabin, so convenient.
8. Screaming like a baby on the race course and medical tent. A life lowpoint.
7. The first 20 miles on the bike, so flat, so fast, so easy.
6. Not reading any newspapers, email, or national news, and yet the world still went on.
5. Having fun at Epcot, even after 6 trips finding things we had never done before.
4. Watching the new Star Trek movie on a rainy Florida day.
3. Taking photos of Flat Stanley and Bethanie on a stick.
2. Hearing that Jan completed the course and being able to watch Amanda finish.
1. Spending the weekend with family, being cheered on by people who stood out in the sun for hours waiting for the three of us. I think it's harder sometimes to be the loving supporter than the participant.

Apologies to Jimmy Buffett

Disney World ½ Ironman (Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffett)

Swimmin' in Bay lake
Watchin' the sun bake
All of those athletes covered in oil
Paddlin' my hands
as quick as I can
Hoping the gators think I’m spoiled

Sweating away again in Disney World
Searchin' for my last bottle of Heed
Some people claim that I look ready to hurl
But I know there’s really no need

Don't know the reason
Came down here this season
Amanda agreed, she’s insane
And we both feel the drain on our brains

Sweating away again in Disney World
Searchin' for my last bottle of Heed
Some people claim that I look ready to hurl
Now I think --- hell, I agree

I blew out my second tube
Stopped at another port-a-john
Blisters on my feet, had to walk on back home
But there's booze in the trailer
And soon it will render
That frozen concoction that helps me forget.

Sweating away again in Disney World
Searchin' for my last bottle of Heed
Andrea claims I can catch Janine
but I’m ready to hurl

Andrea claims that
I can catch Janine
But I know it’s only a dream.

WDW 1/2 Ironman

It's here at last! Sunday, May 17, at sunrise, three McCulloughs will attempt to complete the Florida 70.3 mile event. For Amanda and I, this race is the culmination of months of training and worrying about being able to complete the 1.2 mile swim. Jan is using the race as preparation for her Lake Placid IM in late July and to kick our butts.

Ironman.com is supposed to have updates during the race. Remember that the three of us will probably be starting in separate waves, possibly many minutes apart. I hope to pass Amanda on the bike and Jan on the run.

For big events like this, I've always felt it's important to have three goals.

1. To live. I count the day as successful if I survive the swim with 2,000 people beating on me, gators circling below looking for food and come out of the water before the time cutoff. No wetsuits allowed in the "Tea colored water" (Ironman description of lake). Who picked this damn race!
2. No flats on the bike leg. That simple. If I get a flat I'm going to the side of the road, throwing my helmet, and mangling my bike into a mesh of metal that will fit neatly into a Wegman's canvas bag.
3. Finish the three legs of the race. I don't care how long, who beats me, if the sun is setting. I really do want to finish.

The weather, big surprise, may be a factor. Who knew it would be hot (90+) and humid for race day? I never expected such weather in May (not kidding). So, my only choice is to go all out on the bike and run and finish in under 5 hours. Hah. More likely EMT's will find a rusted bike at mile 39, a blue helmet, black bike shoes, red shirt and black tri-shorts covering a 2 inch deep puddle on the pavement. Sweat-boy meets his end.

Really the week will be a great vacation, seeing two daughters and other relatives, maybe a friend or two. I will try to savor every second of the race. Really. I mean it.

Race Updates

A busy week of racing between May 10-17 for Sal's runners and triathletes. I have been unable to locate complete results, but heard that Joanne (training for her MCM 10k in October) completed the race and Eileen W and Jennifer K finished 3rd in their age groups! Almost 1,000 women completed the race.

Special thanks should go to Mike W, Lou K and Dick W, who volunteered at the race.

Saturday, May 16th, is the Rochester Spring Classic Duathlon at Mendon Ponds Park. Dick W. will be racing along with ?

Sunday is the annual Lilac 10k at Highland Park. Mike and Eileen will be adding to their Rochester Runner of the Year points (we hope). Lou, fighting one old age injury after another, may run the 5k, or the 10k, or may be sitting in a tub of ice watching the race.

In two weeks Jennifer K. will be attempting her first marathon, at Buffalo. Lou registered for the race, but when they didn't send him a practice shirt decided not to run. Lou plans to bike along the course grabbing all the water bottles, gels and gatorade that he can, in order to get a good return on his money. He will also be the first person at the post-race party, stuffing his pockets with bagels and filling his water bottles with free beer.

Thoughts on Life

1. Is it really wrong to practice my freestyle swim stroke when walking around the library at work?

2. We aren't supposed to have a lot of contact with people due to the swine flu. My entire day is spent taking books, dvd's, handing out a bathroom key (yucky) and people breathing/sneezing/coughing on me at the Reference desk. Guess I should retire?

3. Why did New York citizens spend 1.5 billion dollars on Yankee stadium, yet the outfield walls are in too close and one of the tunnels to the field help push the balls further, thus increasing home runs.
Too bad this doesn't seem to help the home team win.

4. Why am I watching more baseball on tv than Lou or Mike, and it's always the Yankees, and they seem to be losing a lot?

5. I really don't like biking into the wind, downhill, and having to pedal just as hard as going up a hill. This doesn't seem fair.

6. We are supposed to drink 8 glasses of water a day, plus more fluids to offset dehydration from exercise. But if I pee many times a day (which I do), then the tv commercials tell me I need a drug because my friends will leave me behind in the bathroom and continue having fun without me. This makes me sad.
Well, it would make me sad, but most of my friends are long-distance athletes and always drinking and peeing. Sometimes they even find a tree or bush. We have a code; "Leave no pee-er behind".
Who needs drugs with friends like that?

7. Television also tells me I need a drug because I get up at night to pee. Yet I'm supposed to drink all these fluids that have a tendency to make me pee. This is quite a conundrum. If I can't pee so much during the day, I can't pee at night, when exactly am I supposed to relieve myself?
I think the stop-pee drug makers and the bottled water distributors are in business together or it's a government conspiracy.

8. Here's a joke. Two women walk into a bike store. Let's call them Jan and Eileen and the bike store can be named Full Moon Vista.

Jan and Eileen walk into Full Moon Vista during a Women's Only Sales Event. Credit cards in hands, husbands at home, no kids. Jan and Eileen get to ride bikes costing double or triple what they now own. Hmmm. The ladies like the bikes, a lot, what a surprise, the bikes weigh about the same as a chocolate cupcake with vanilla icing. They want to buy the bikes. There is the good angel on their left shoulder, the devil on the right shoulder. What should they do? Hmmm.

Well, we really don't know what they are going to do, time will tell. Where's the punchline? I forgot to write one because this is no joke. Full Moon Vista knows how to market.

Boston Marathon (of course)

The intrepid trio of Sals runners; Mike the 4th, Rickinevermetcottonididntlike and Andyarelativeineverymarathoncity successfully completed the 113th running of the Boston Marathon on Monday.

A cool, but windy, day greeted the runners. Their finishing times were all in the 3:50 range. Congratulations and welcome back to our honored training partners!

I watched quite a bit of the marathon, which was being broadcast live over the internet. The men's and women's races were both exciting as American Ryan Hall took the lead right from the start and Kara Goucher was in the lead pack throughout the women's race and took the lead from about 21-25 miles. Both Americans finished third overall. Kara was 9 seconds behind the winner and Ryan less than a minute.

Mary Poppins

I admit it, if I don't, someone else who happens to have the good fortune to live with me will. Sunday morning was cold. Riding my bike is neat, I love it, but I still have issues with riding in sub 35 degree weather. Go ahead, make fun of me, but that is too darn cold for bike riding. That's why I went downstairs, back to the indoor trainer.

It's been at least four months of riding with Troy Jacobsen's Spinerval series, or following Dennis Moriarty's training. But I needed to ride 56 miles and I was mentally tired of both of them. What was I going to do? Flipping through the channels (yes we still pay for cable), I came to the Family Channel and there was one of my all-time favorite actors, Dick Van Dyke, dressed like a chimney sweep! It was the beginning of Mary Poppins. Perfect timing on my part.

I immediately decided to ride near the cadence and in the gear I want to use at the Disney World 1/2 IM next month, the gear I'm going to catch Jan and Amanda in (no doubt they will beat me out of the water, but that's it). This was fate, I was watching one of the most famous Disney movies of all time on television and I'm going to Disney! During every commercial I pretended I was riding uphill and put the bike into harder gears.

Two hours and forty-six minutes later I had completed the 56 mile bike. For the first time ever I averaged over 20mph for an extended period of time riding indoors. The movie ended as I was picking things up. Perfect, a true fairy-tale ending, it was supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Velocipede

After a complete search of her family tree, it became apparent why Eileen is so good on the bicycle. Apparently Eileen's ancestors were some of the original members of the local Gymnacyclidium, circa 1869. Roads weren't the greatest between Spencerport and Rochester back then. Imagine riding the bike pictured above fifteen miles to a cycling class or race being held in downtown Rochester!

People think it is tough to learn riding with clipless pedals nowadays. They are nothing compared to falling off one of these bikes. I've heard downhills were especially treacherous. Rumor has it Eileen's Great-Great-Great Uncles and Aunts flew down Gillett hill (which was a dirt road until about 1970) with ease. During the annual Spencerport carnival, Velocipede races were held and Eileen's family won fifteen years in a row, in the men's and women's divisions.

The family had unique training techniques, including attaching tow ropes to the Velocipedes and pulling barges along the canal path from Spencerport to Brockport.

So, if you see Eileen flying along the country roads, you'll know that it's a genetic gift and hard training that makes her so good.

YellowJacket Racing

Daniel's 5k Looks like Saturday's race will be a wild, windy affair, with temperatures hovering in the 40 degree range. I can't wait to get out there and work for YellowJacket Racing, timing the race and hoping our equipment doesn't blow away!
Here's a little song that might be going through my head while I work, thanks to Gene Kelly.

I'm working in the rain
Just working in the rain
What a glorious feelin'
I'm happy again
I'm laughing at clouds
So dark up above
The chips are beeping
Give thanks the system is A-Okay,
Let the stormy clouds chase
The runners to a great place
Come on with the rain
I've a smile on my face
I walk down the course
With a happy refrain
Just workin',
Workin' in the rain.

Dancin' in the rain
Dee-ah dee-ah dee-ah
Dee-ah dee-ah dee-ah
I'm happy again!
I'm workin' and dancin' in the rain!

Marine Corp Marathon

Wednesday, April 1 at noon, is the beginning of MCM registration for people living outside of the DC area and didn't get an opportunity to run in an event near there that had special entry.

Thus far four Sals runners have decided to register. Jan, Eileen, Mike W. and Lou. I must admit it was tempting, especially when we were arranging for a hotel, to also consider the marathon. But being of sound mind it seems best that I concentrate on the 10k distance and save another marathon for when I'm more mature.

It will be fun finishing the MCM 10k race, then having time to get cleaned up and watch the finish of the marathon.

Why I Can't Swim

Finally, this morning, I discovered the absolute reason why, after 1000 yards or so, I can barely move through the pool.

Today was the first day of open lap swimming at the new Spencerport pool. Beginning at 8am, Eileen, Jan and I eagerly jumped into the pool for the first leg of the McTri. We were lucky, one of the lifeguards was the fourteen year old daughter of SuperMasterWoodworker/sometime runner/kayaker, Mark. I'm sure she didn't go home and tell the parental units how pitiful I looked in the pool (or out of it).

While Jan and Eileen torpedoed through the water like sharks going after prey, I splashed and slogged along. The longer I swam the more my butt and legs seemed to be sinking. I tried to find my buoy the experts always talk about. I thought about making myself long, floating through the water, extending out. Imagining myself to be Michael Phelps didn't help.

After 1200 measly yards I was reduced to backstroking 25, freestyle 25, and so on, until finally getting to my goal of 1500 yards. On a positive side I only lost 25 seconds or so for every 100 yards when doing the backstroke. Which really only proves how slow I am in the freestyle.

As I was attempting to exit the pool, Jan told me how huge my butt looked. I turned around and ...she was right! My butt grew by about 200 pounds. Somehow my body absorbs much of the water in the pool and accumulates it in my buttal area. (is buttal a word?). Evidently I never noticed this phenomena before. No wonder the bottom half of my body sinks, my arms tire, and breathing becomes difficult.

After the swim the three of us biked 15.7 miles in 28 degree weather, then Jan and I ran 4 miles while Eileen went home to run solo. I don't know how far Eileen the Dolphin swam, but Torpedo Jan went 2000 yards in less time than I swam 1600.

Now I have to search Google and discover how to keep from gaining 200 pounds while swimming.

Spring Marathons?

Strong rumors persist that Sal's members LouIwantmytrophyfrom2008K and MikeIllrunamarathonanywhereloudoesW are running the Buffalo Marathon in May. In addition, Andy, Rick and Mikethe4th are proudly representing us at Boston.

Louwhereismy2008Buffaloshirt's daughter will also be making her marathon debut at Buffalo. Seems Lou told her, "you want to eat in our house, you'll run a marathon, darn it". Lou calls this tough love.

I needed a photo to make this post more exciting and went to the Buffalo Marathon site. Unbelievable, there is MW grunting his way through last year's 1/2 marathon, desperately trying to catch or beat LK. Mike is wearing a singlet, blue shorts, sunglasses and a hat.

Five Hours +

How do you spend a sick day?

Well, if you aren't too sick, the new preferred method is to ride indoors while watching Coach Troy's Spinerval 100 mile tape. Only 3 dvd's are needed to get through this 5-5:25 hour workout.

Jan insisted for two days this is what I wanted and we would be riding in the basement on Monday. I said, "no, how about 3 hours"? Jan said, "no, you are doing the whole thing with me." "how about 4 hours"? Jan said, "stop whining and get on the bike."

Jan rode 102 miles, I made it less, much less, but then my trainer used to be in the Flintstone's stone age house. Also she is a much better biker. One set of intervals (after 3 1/2 hours of riding) is 12x3 minutes and the second minute of each repetition you stand and pedal in a hard gear. I could do about 15 seconds, Jan did them all.

She is a showoff.

Older Runners

Top 10 things older runners say: (contributed by MW)



1. I need to take it easy. I’m cutting back to 6 days a week.
2. Race starts at 8:00 a.m. !?!?!?? Why so late?
3. My running gear are my only clothes under 10 years old.
4. How come I can’t get a running shoe discount with my AARP card?
5. I ran horribly. I was 2 minutes off my PR…from 20 years ago.
6. I am out of shape. I ran a 20 miler the other day and needed a nap.
7. I was so glad I beat that kid in the race. He was only 40!
8. Do they make these tights with extra support?
9. I hate it when my shirt is older than the winner of the race.
10. I wear a Road ID for 2 reasons, if there is an accident and in case I forget who I am.

Buzzwords 2

Top seven bad things about the ESG snowshoe races:
7. Stopping at every bathroom between Rochester and Lake Placid, makes for a long drive.
6. Sleeping with my head next to the room refrigerator, noisy.
5. Wondering if I drank more wine Saturday, would I have won the gold?
4. The men losing to the women in the board game "Buzzwords". Did someone add wrong? Rematch!!
3. Eating a "quick" lunch at Friendly's (this is an example of sarcasm).
2. Not eating on the way back home, I failed in my tour guide duties.
1. Lou getting hurt in the 200m race after a great 100m and leading the 200m.

I couldn't come up with 10 bad things. It was too nice of a mini-vacation.

Buzzwords

Top ten good things about snowshoeing at Empire State Games in the Adirondacks;
10. Avoiding the blizzard on route 81 Friday
9. Getting to registration early enough to get an official winter hat
8. Great meal at a new Italian restaurant within walking distance of the motel
7. Drinking a few glasses of wine Friday night with friends
6. Watching the Sal's women win 8 Bronze or Silver medals in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 1500m races.
5. Winning a Silver medal in the men's 1500m race & MW winning a Bronze.
4. Eating a great meal at a different Italian restaurant Saturday night.
3. Drinking even more wine in a post-race/dinner party.(carbo loading?)
2. Winning a Silver medal in the men's 5k xc race and EW winning a Bronze.
1. Spending the weekend with a great group of friends!

Snowshoeing at Empire State Games

In the course of the 1500m race your soul is revealed. Five laps around a 300meter- four lane "track" with fifteen or twenty other competitors may not seem like much. Depending on snow conditions the men's masters race is over in 5:45-9 minutes. The women's masters division competitors are done in 7:00-11:00.

When I can see the arteries of my heart beating through my skin,
typically after the first lap because the leaders dragged us out too fast, I know the race has really begun.

By the second lap I'm wondering if I can finish. In the third lap it seems I might black out, my body is blinded by the snow and sun and delirium sets in. With 500 meters left the decision has to be made; How deep are you willing to take the pain? Can you embrace the moment, enjoy being out there at the same time you must make a move NOW and go for a medal or a personal record time? If so, you have to dig and it has to be immediately. Not being a fast-twitch fiber guy I can't wait and hope my opponent will fade. Punish him now, if he's ahead make a decisive move and go by like you have a 100m left. Do not let up at the 1200m mark! The spectators are listening to the breathing, especially yours, it's as if a freight train is coming down the track or a bear is being chased out of the woods by a hunter. Don't let this bother you. Think of Sir Roger Bannister, miler Jim Ryun or Olympian Emil Zatopek. They weren't pretty during the last laps. Why do you care? This is a race, you aren't there for anything but to see how fast you can go. As your legs tighten remember the training, use your arms to propel forward, get up and sprint that last 300m knowing that in 70-90 seconds it is over. You are snowshoeing a faster 1500meters than 98% of the population can run on a track in the summer. It may be crazy, but it's cool.


The big weekend of snowshoe racing is finally upon us. In what may possibly be the last Empire State Winter Games (state budget cuts) the pressure mounts to try and snare a medal.

Saturday begins with the 1500m race, followed by the short sprints, 100m, 200m and 400m. The sprints are held on a 4 lane 300m track around a soccer field in the woods near Paul Smith's College, north of Saranac Lake. It is typically cold (5-15 degrees). Jan and I learned quickly to make sure our vehicle has a full tank of gas so we could stay semi-warm between events and to bring lots of snacks to eat throughout the day.

Sunday at 1:00pm is the cross-country 5k race, usually run near Mt. Van Hoevenburg south of Lake Placid (near the bobsled area). Most of the course is groomed, through the woods, with fairly wide trails, and is rolling hills, not anything super steep and long.

Maniac

"She's a maniac, maniac for triathlons
And she's training like she never trained before
She's a maniac, maniac on the bike
And she's biking like she never biked before"

Jan and I spent the morning after Valentine's Day riding to Coach Troy's three hour excursion of the Lake Placid IM course. I was tired when we were done. But, there was running to do. Of course, why not? We only worked out three hours! Did I mentioned being exhausted?

So we trudged outdoors, Jan bopping along like a rabbit down toward the village, dragging the anchor that was me, along behind. I could not stay up with her and she was not going to slow down. Damn her. It was like running with Frank Q, except instead of one step ahead she was 10-20 yards.

We completed about 5 miles and the remainder of my day was spent lumbering around in my pj's, staying close to the tv and couch. Jan kept moving, but agreed not to workout any more.

Romantic Valentine Day Activities

Top Ten things to do with a special someone:

10. Run an 8 mile race together, like the GRTC Freezeroo in Greece.
9. Bike indoors while watching Matilda on DVD.
8. Swim at the local pool while sharing a lane, even if other lanes are open.
7. Share a Hammer Bar, when you get to the middle, have a long kiss.
6. Buy lotto instant game tickets, don't waste money on a Hallmark card.
5. Hold hands and take a nap on the couch while watching the Nascar race.
4. Eat dinner at home, each of you preparing one part of the meal.
3. Open a nice $8.00 bottle of wine and consume slowly.
2. Give each other a sports massage while eating chocolate and sipping wine.
1. Fall asleep at 10pm because you are too tired from the long workouts, large meal and wine consumption.

GRTC Hall of Fame

Sal's member Dick Withrow received the greatest honor the local running community has, by being named to the Greater Rochester Track Club Hall of Fame! The GRTC banquet, held on January 24, turned into an excellent night as Mike and Mike roasted and honored Dick for his achievements over the years with an awestruck crowd of 140 or so listening intently.

A short list of DW's accomplishments include; GRTC president 4 years during a time of growth of the club to 2,000 members, race director for the Lilac 10k, Human Race 10k, JCC 5k, East Ave. Mile, Freezeroos. Coach at Spencerport, Pittford and Brockport. Super fast runner, including 15+ minute 5k's as a 40 year old, 2:38 marathon, 1:12 half-marathon. Volunteer at hundreds of races through the years. Still competing in xc, triathlons and duathlons, inspiration to many of us.

Sal's Gala

The evening is a blur, but whether that is due to the Appletinis that tasted so good and soothed my throat, or the surprise honor of being chosen Sal's Runner of the Year, I'm not sure.

Our tradition of the past year's honoree selecting the current year award recipient seems to be working well. Mike #4 (really, 4 Mike's in Sal's-weird) gave out awards for most improved to Joanne and Lou K, then presented me with a nice engraved plaque with a photograph of many of our current members. I was/am genuinely touched. Thank you.

Splash'n at the Y

Rumor has it that Mr. Mini-Tri (Mike W) creamed the competition (Mrs. Tri-all sports) at Sunday's Carlson Metrocenter Super Bowl Triathlon.

Mr. and Mrs. Mini-t's had excellent swims, as Mr. Mini found it faster to use his legs and run in the pool instead of his usual swimming form of using the legs as anchors.

The bike was super fast, over eight miles in fifteen minutes! Wow! Mr. Mini was able to suck up his pain and maintain a slight lead in in the indoor run to secure a resounding victory. Complete results are here.

Congratulations also to Patty Swimlikeadolphin P for a ninth overall and 2nd place female finish (1st masters).

Mrs. Tri-all sports is considering a new event, rock climbing, snowshoeing and kayaking and you can't take any of the equipment off during the three events.

Bruno

It's a story that must be told. The humiliation may be salved if the confession is made in full.

A man, let's call him IckyMike, finished his swim at the SUNY Bport school and went into the locker room for the usual shower and getting dressed. Another man who happens to be a friend of IckyMike, let's call him Icky2, goes into the same locker facility about 15 minutes later. Seems simple enough. However, Icky2 noticed a mid-twenties guy, who had been in the locker room half-naked before IckyMike and Icky2 went swimming, was wandering around the shower facility.

We will call this man, Bruno. Bruno, who had his choice of 3 shower areas, each with 10 showers, choose to come into the same area as Icky2. Bruno also chose to shower right next to Icky2. This disturbed Icky2 a bit, who refused to speak or make eye contact, though it was obvious Bruno, who was turned directly facing him, was making lots of eye contact. Icky2 felt his personal space was being violated, and uncomfortable all the time he was showering. Finishing much quicker than normal, Icky2 sped to his locker, got dressed and left.

During the next morning's run, when recounting this strange occurrence, IckyMike said something that made the experience worse.... Bruno had done the same thing to him!

Let me make this clear. Bruno, who evidently had been sitting in the locker room for awhile, came into the same shower area as IckyMike, "showered" right next to him, came out, sat back down, then 15 minutes later came in the same shower area, right next to Icky2 and "showered".

I know IckyMike and I, uh Icky2, are pretty buff for balding, 50+ year old guys, but we feel cheapened somehow. This must be how women feel when men stare at them?

Frozen Feet

When the snow has crystallized, Jack Frost has been designing Gothic art on the windows, and the whishhh, whishhh sound of gently trodding across the tundra is replaced by hard Kkkrunch, well, that is when it is cold. Arctic, Siberian cold.

In other words, perfect for snowshoeing? I think not. Nearly a hundred people showed up to race at the Lake Effect Snowshoe Festival though, from sprints to a half-marathon. Hardy souls. Good for them.

Many thanks to Lou "starter" K, Jan, Eileen and Mike who put up with a grumpy, cold old man who became overly stressed over minor details. We received many positive comments regarding the 100m-1500m races. Now many more people are qualified for what may be the last winter Empire State Games.

Lake Effect Snowshoe Festival

Sunday, January 25, is your last chance to qualify locally for the Empire State Games snowshoe races. The Lake Effect Snowshoe Festival, held in Webster, NY, and sponsored by YellowJacket Racing and Fleet Feet Sports has events for all abilities.

Newbies can try a 2 mile trail race. The four mile and 13.1 mile races will qualify you for the ESG 5k race at Lake Placid. Sprints begin at 8:30am, with the 1500m, follwed by the 100m, 200m, and 400m.

Food, a warm lodge, and a great atmosphere will help make this an excellent experience. Plus, many members of Sal's will be on hand timing the sprints!

Empire State Games

Seemingly the last chance for what has been a great tradition in NY, the Empire State Games, will come to an end in 2009. Many newspaper articles has the reason being budget cuts proposed by the Governor, but in reality it seems the true reason is the office of NY State Parks and Recreation unwillingness to oversee the games. Officials in that department would prefer an outside vendor take over the games, which is why, if they continue, the cost will be prohibitive to many participants and exclude masters and veteran athletes.

A good question to ask a legislator is "where exactly are the record dollars received from the lottery games going?" That money paid for a great deal of the ESG, not our tax dollars.

Snowshoe racing, one of the largest participatory sports during the winter games in the Lake Placid area, will continue to grow and survive. Talk is already under way about having a NY Championship race, location to be announced. There is also an excellent chance the USSSA National Championship will be in New York for 2010.

Winterfest Snowshoe

A day made for snowshoe racing greeted us at Mendon Ponds park on Sunday, January 18. Mike, Jan, Eileen and I opted to run the Citizens 5k instead of the USSSA 10k qualifying race. The course was hilly, as expected for Mendon, but fair. 32 snowshoers participated in the 5k. I finished 4/32 in 30:39, Mike ran a 32:47, Eileen a 39:52 and Jan 41:25.

In the difficult 10k Frank Q was 2nd in his age group in 59:08. Fifty-six runners participated in the longer event.

Pineway Ponds Snowshoe Results

A brisk 24 degree day greeted the three mathematically and directionally challenged snowshoe track designers on Saturday. With the anticipation of hundreds, no, thousands, of snowshoers coming to qualify for the Empire State Games, the pressure was almost insurmountable. Fortunately the three collective 50+ year old brains pulled their act together, began thinking like 14 year olds, instead of kindergarten kids, and completed the track in time.

Organizers and participants were blessed with a well-groomed track, thanks to a mysterious snowmobile rider, who came out of the woods, uncorked and swallowed a huge slug of Ugly Mug whiskey, before zipping a dozen times around and silently disappearing back whence he came.

Ten people ran the 1500m, 100m, 200m and 400m events, some of them twice. Track records were set in each event. It was a splendid day for all. Eileen Yeti ran the fastest female times in each event to win the most honorable sprinter award.

Snowshoe Sprints

Saturday, January 10th, will be the first annual(?) Pineway Ponds Empire State Games sprint qualifying races. We have a 300meter track set up on the snow covered fields. The races will begin at 1:00pm. No cost, no shirt, no food, just an accurate course and timing.

The order of events are; 1500m, 100m, 200m, and 400m. People who want to qualify for ESG need to have run two of each race. So, you can either run the races twice this Saturday, or run again at the Lake Effect Snowshoe Festival, sponsored by Fleet Feet sports and Yellowjacket racing on January 25 in Webster.

Frozen Assets

Five went, five registered, five completed the 5k Frozen Assets Snowshoe Race at Hollister State Park, in the beautiful hills surrounding Honeoye Lake on Saturday, January 3.
Lou and Mike finished the race in 32:10 (were they holding hands the entire race?), good enough for 69/156 place. Eileen ran a 39:37, JanMcIlovetofallinthesnow (7 times)39:08 and me, 29:58 49/156.
The 25 degree weather was perfect for snowshoeing and the course was in good condition, though we actually could have used 3-4" more in the woods.
Once we send in our registration forms, we will all be eligible to travel to Lake Placid and compete in the Empire State Winter Games at the end of February.

Pulled a Lou

The first new catchphrase for 2009 is "I pulled a Lou", as in, "while riding my bike on the indoor trainer, the bike came unhitched and I fell over, trapped with my shoes in the pedals".

Lou cried out for his wife, but she said, "if you want to talk to me, stop yelling and come over to the room I'm in". An understandable and reasonable request on her part. Unfortunately Lou was unable to honor the request as he was trapped by the bike. After a fierce struggle involving moaning and whining, Lou managed to get untangled from the mess, recover, and begin cycling again with only his ego damaged.

This morning, to begin the new year, I "pulled a Lou", as somehow my bike let loose from my trainer and I toppled over. Luckily for me I don't have pedals with my feet locked in and was able to pull my foot out of the straps, thereby saving a disasterous complete fall into Mytriathletewife's bike.

As 2009 continues many of us will undoubtedly have bad luck befall us. For this year, just tell anyone you "Pulled a Lou". I'm sure the phrase will catch on and in a few months will sweep the world, or at least Spencerport.