MVP Health Care Rochester Half-Marathon

The Rochester Half-Marathon (or fun-run) took place in conjunction with the marathon on Sunday, September 23. Perfect running weather greeted us, around 45 at the start and maybe 52 for the finish. It was great to not have to worry so much about dehydrating!

Several Sals runners did the race as training for a later fall marathon, led by the inscrutable Mike Weinpress at a 7:45/mile average, 1:41 finish and 6/50 in age group. Jen Katz finished in 1:43:20, 8/169 age group (wow). I had a 1:47:08, 8:11 pace 12/50 age group, Lou Katz a 1:53:30, 6/33 age group, 8:40 pace. Pete Leonard a 2:03, 4/20 age group, one second behind his daughter Sarah who was 66/169 age group.

As a Fleet Feet team member I enjoyed the special privilege of a semi-private port-o-john near the start line! This was amazing. They had two employees guarding the loo and as people waited 30 deep in line at the other johns I went right in. Life was beautiful. I even had a pre-race smile!

The past few years I have worked the race for YellowJacket Racing (timing, start/finish line management) from 3 or 3:30am-3pm or so. Running was much easier. Next up, more training for the Marine Corps Marathon in DC on October 28. We are quickly losing training time.

On The Run Video

I don't remember how I came across this video a couple of weeks ago, but it is worth watching even at 19 minutes long. On The Run is about Arthur Lydiard and some of the men and women runners he trained in New Zealand. This was filmed in 1979. It is professionally done, the music, video and interviews are all interesting. It's a great way to stay motivated during some heavy training you may be doing or are considering attempting.
Pay particular attention to the hill training and the mountains that Jack Foster is doing. The last two or three minutes are worth forwarding to if you don't want to watch the entire movie. Marathoner Jack Foster (he ran a 2:11 after the age of 40), is sprinting down the scree pile of a mountain.
The link is here.

Sunday, Buffalo Bills

I grew up a staunch Baltimore Colts fan. No, not the Ravens, not Indianapolis. The Baltimore Colts, Johnny Unitas one of the greatest quarterbacks in history, many other all-pros. As a kid I could name all 50+ players on the team each year, bench warmers and starters.

Then a greedy owner decided it was better to move the team to Indy. WTF. I was crushed. Now who do I cheer for? The Buffalo Bills. It's a form of torture, self-abuse. After the first game this season, a horrible loss to the Jets in which it appeared the Bills could've cared less about playing, I decided that was it. I was no longer going to waste three hours every Sunday watching these losers. With this goal I made a list this morning of what I could do instead and have been checking things off.

1. Fix curtain rods in sunroom.
2. Wash my wife's car, vacuum it and check fluids.
3. Take inventory of my running shoes, clean them and organize.
4. Begin the long project of cleaning all the windows in my house.
5. Bake some apple crisp.
6. Begin the gigantic Sunday crossword puzzle.
7. Finish the photo and written inventory of household goods in case of nuclear attack.
8. Continue reading Biggest Loser trainer Bob Harper's book, "The Skinny Rules".
9. Eat a relaxing lunch without fretting over the game.
10. Follow my fantasy football team (yes, I'm one of those people, I don't play computer games, never really enjoyed pinball machines, but being a pretend football owner is fun).

My wife watches the Bills. She is a more devoted fan than me, so I'm not completely done with them, but Sunday with Buffalo is not going to rule my time.

New York Yankees

I have seen many New York Yankee innings this year. If you own a television with cable access it's difficult not to watch the Yankees. They have their own channel, YES, and if not televised there will be on ABC or ESPN, or FOX or an affiliate of one of those stations. Here are a few observations I've made about the team recently;


Ten Things about the Yankees;

1. Swisher needs to start getting hits!

2. I want to be the bubble gum supplier for them

3. OR the sunflower seeds supplier?

4. Never make me the dugout janitor

5. They need to find a starting pitcher who can last more than 5 innings…because

6. ...Their bullpen is average

7. Can A-rod possibly jam anything more in his mouth?

8. Why doesn’t A-rod ever swing at the first pitch? Ever.

9. Is Jeter juiced? If Yanks make playoffs he is league MVP.

10. Ichiro could be a world class sprinter.

Early Morning Running

Things I recently learned about early morning running ( to many people running at 7:30am doesn’t seem to constitute running in the morning). Comments in italics by one of the early crew.


1. It’s really dark out

It’s is going to get darker, too. But when it is dark your clothes don’t have to match .

2. Recently “improved” roads without street lights are dangerous

Agree. At least the sidewalks are not sticking up like before.

3. Port-O-Johns need night lights

Get up a few, just a few minutes earlier for a warm cup of coffee or tea you can take care of business at home.

4. There is comfort in running laps around known areas (amity-west avenue block)

Agree. But think of the witty conversations you could have with us.

5. Bedtime gets earlier, 9:30pm last night. I feel like an 8 year old.

10:00 to 5:00. Seven solid hours of sleep. As long as you are on the same cycle as Jan who cares when you go to bed?

6. The alarm clock is still scary

The day after I retire, I am setting my clock for 5 AM and when it goes off I am throwing it in the back yard.

7. I wake up throughout the night wondering if the alarm is going off soon.

You were getting up to go to the bathroom anyway.

8. Pace is slow, about 30 seconds a mile slower than normal. But it still seems fast.

That changes once you get into a rhythm.

9. I forget throughout the day that I already worked it. It’s nice when I remember, oh yeah, I could run in the afternoon, but I don’t have to.

Gives you more time for cross training or bourbon sipping.

10. Am I really burning extra calories all day long? Maybe, but it doesn’t matter since now I am grazing food like a cow in the pasture.

You are burning extra calories all day plus you can graze and maintain your weight. Better to bring healthy stuff to work to graze on rather than snacking after your run, eat dinner, desert, and snack until midnight.

Ride and Tie

The big race for Andrea (my daughter) and her running partner Samm is Sunday at the Big South Fork Ride and Tie race in Jamestown, Tennessee. They will team up with a horse and do an 8 mile relay through the trails of the Recreation area.
Participants usually run for a mile or two while the other teammate rides. He/she dismounts and begins running. When the other runner catches up to where the horse is tied up in the woods, they jump on until passing the teammate.
This course is quite hilly, so it should be a good challenge. Typical finishing times for 8 miles is 1.5-2.5 hours. All three team members need to be across the finish line before the official time is recorded.
This is a link to a Runner's World article on a father/daughter team.

Photo from an unknown race.

I can see Lou and Mike W. teaming up for a race like this, except they will use a mule in honor of the Erie Canal. Of course her name will be Sal and the first race will be 15 miles (think of the song).

Lake Placid

I ran, Jan biked (injured foot), we swam once, ate often, shopped, hiked, drove up Whiteface Mtn, drank Ubu beer (and others), took a Lake Placid boat tour to see homes we will never be able to afford to even rent for a week and generally had a good time for four nights.

Tandem Kayak, Mirror Lake, Jan in back telling me what to do.

Almost to top of Whiteface. 57 degrees, 25mph winds. (80 down below)

View from Mt Baker, near Saranac Lake.

Covered Bridge in Jay NY.

Jan, top of Whiteface, Lake Placid in distance.