2012 norwalk summer series 5 miler: race photos and results

the norwalk summer series wouldn't be the same without heat!  and, as expected, it was hot for the second race in the series - the somewhat hilly 5 miler.  i had hoped to run a 7:30 pace.  i ran a 37:44, 7:33 pace.  with a split of just over 30 minutes for four miles, i had a decent shot at bringing it in under 37:30, but i didn't have anything left for the two hills in the last half mile!  nevertheless, i was still pleased with the outcome :D

here are the race results from hitek.

the great new york 100 mile running exposition

i had a rough go of it yesterday at the great new york 100 mile running exposition.  between the heat and my right ankle i called it quits just after the mile 41 aid station.  i wasn't happy with having to pull out, especially since i was really looking forward to the stretch across southern brooklyn - my old neighborhood.  but when i realized that i was having a hard time keeping up with walkers(!) - i knew it was time to call it day :(

now i have 4 weeks to get my ankle back in business - then it's time to head north for the vermont 100.

"beer here: brewing new york's history" exhibit at the new york historical society

yesterday, albeit it took a me a few weeks, i finally had a chance to visit the "beer here: brewing new york's history" exhibit at the new york historical society. while some of the material was interesting, it wasn't really worth the wait. that's not meant to be harsh, because since the exhibit is display at the historical society - there's an entire building's worth of history to view. i wouldn't make a special trip just to see it.  instead, include it a plan to visit the museum itself.  ironically, the magnificent paintings of "making american taste: narrative art for a new democracy" on exhibit upstairs in dexter hall was far more filling ;O

perhaps "beer here" was over hyped? it started off with hops and water - the basic building blocks of beer. while the artifacts (including what appeared to be a hollowed out log that served as a water pipe) didn't do much for me, i really enjoyed the maps and paintings - especially "cutting ice, rockland lake, ny" which today probably doesn't see much ice harvesting. there were also a couple of fantastic posters, including the huge and imposing "building" of the hell gate brewery!

there was also a bit on the temperance movement and its absurd pinnacle - prohibition.  another fun bit was the roughly 11 minute long film (complete with its own kiddie bench for viewing) on the re-opening of the genesee brewery in rochester, after having been shuttered during the 13 long years of prohibition.  but to end the exhibit with the actual "coronation" gown of the the rheingold girl?  really?

but my biggest grip, if you will, was the utter lack of material on the current craft beer movement - that has single-handedly revived the beer industry in new york (as well as the rest of the country).  to cover the history from birth to its drawn-out death in the 1970's - and leave out its stunning revival is puzzling - to put it mildly.  and yet, the products of the craft beer revolution are on tap in the "beer hall" that serves as the final room of the exhibit.  go figure?

2012 new canaan mile: race photos and results

tonight i ran the new canaan mile. i ran this one a couple of years ago, and one reason to come back is the post race pizza :O a lot of calories for one mile - but i love pizza! i missed my 6:30 target by 9 seconds, but i was still happy with the result.

here are the race results from clubct.

2012 norwalk summer series 3 miler: race photos and results

the 2012 norwalk summer series kicked off this morning with the 3 miler. in a twist, i ran more miles on the track (2 warm-up and 2 cool-down) than i did for the race! i made my sub 21 minute goal with a 20:50, 6:57 pace. as a bonus, i came in 5th in my age group :O

afterwards, rob reminded me that last year the day after the 3 miler we drove up to the mt. greylock trail run. this year will skip the 3 hour drive north and do the rowayton fathers day run instead :D

here are the race results from hitek.

katie's girl scout gold award presentation!

this afternoon katie, together with 8 girls from her troop, were presented with their gold awards.  among all the girls who participate in scouting, only 5% achieve its highest accolade - the gold award (which is, for the boy scouts out there, is the equivalent of achieving eagle scout)!  needless to say, pat and i are extremely proud of her - and all the other girls in her troop (most of whom we've known since the first grade)!

scott jurek "eat & run" book launch at bryant park

this afternoon i went to see scott jurek and company (chris mcdougall, steve friedman and peter sarsgaard) at the bryant park reading room.  scott was there promoting the release of his new book, "eat & run: my unlikely journey to ultrarunning greatness."  he was fresh off a run of the manhattan island perimeter that morning (roughly 32.4 miles).  a few of the runners who accompanied him on that group run were also in attendance.

steve friedman is the co-author of scott's book.  chris mcdougal is the author of "born to run."  while i have met scott a few times over the last couple of years, it was the first time i met chris.  ironically, pat had met chris two years ago at their college reunion!  peter sarsgaard is the director of the forthcoming movie of "born to run."

chris was the moderator of the panel presentation.  briefly introducing the members and they in turn made a few remarks.  questions from the capacity crowd were also taken.  afterwards, copies of "eat & run" plus "born to run" were for sale - and signing, by their respective authors.

it was a fun time (and worth playing hooky from work) :D

an unexpected find: craft beer at the gas station :O

i don't know how common this is, but it was a first for me - a gas station that sold craft beer and growler refills! yesterday, just before we got on the highway for the drive home from katie's field hockey tournament at syracuse university's coyne field, we had to gas up the car.

imagine my surprise to see the sunoco station w/a large "refill your growlers here" sign in the window! inside there were at 6-8 taps with some excellent breweries represented (dogfish head, for example). while the growler station inside a convenience store was something i hadn't run into before, i didn't opt for a growler.

instead, what caught my eye was the "make your own 6 pack" of craft beers for just $9.99! not only did i pick up a couple of local brands (the middle ages syracuse pale ale, ithaca apricot wheat, and the ellicottville blueberry wheat) but i couldn't resist the wells banana bread beer (a british import) :D

june 2012 race schedule

we got a serious preview of the dog days of summer last weekend. hopefully that high heat and humidity won't settle in for june (dealing with it in july and august is tough enough). while i don't normally send much time thinking about the weather... i have a hundred miler on deck at the end of the month. the nyc 100 is the highlight for june. but if we had last weekend's conditions during the weekend of 23-24 june, finishing this one would be a challenge!

no races for me this weekend. i'll be in syracuse, where katie will be playing some field hockey on sunday. instead, my first race of the month will be an old favorite - "cook your buns" 3 miler next friday night. any event that has a post-race bbq is one i'll try hard not to miss :O

that weekend will also be a return to the litchfield hill 7 miler on sunday. it's a race i ran for the first time last summer. this year, i hear, they've switched from cotton tees to tech shirts. the following weekend kicks off the norwalk summer series. the 3 miler is on saturday and two weeks later, on the 30th, is the 5 miler.

another favorite which i've tentatively pencilled in is the summer solstice 15k in new paltz. it's a evening, midweek race, that celebrates the summer solstice. my only hesitancy to commit is the long drive up (and the equally long drive home afterwards). it's definitely a carpool race :D

here's how it looks so far:

6/8 - cook you buns, 3m
6/10 - litchfield hills, 7m
6/16 - norwalk summer series, 3m
6/20 - summer solstice, 15k
6/23 - nyc 100 miler
6/30 - norwalk summer series, 5m

as always, if you're at any of them - say hello!