2017 Norwalk Summer Series 9 Miler: Race Photos & Results

What a difference a threatened rainstorm - thankfully averted - can make!  Arriving at Calf Pasture Beach for the Norwalk Summer Series 9 Miler (with a few drops of drizzle as I drove there via I-95, to remind that the rain gods were still in the neighborhood) - it was windy and cool! Not shivering cool, but enough to remind us that Fall was just around the corner :O

As for the race itself, this is another tough double loop.  I'm not a fan of double loop courses - and hilly loops done twice can be daunting!  At the start Don even mentioned a graceful exit for runners too beat up after the first one (skip the second one) - but the weather was too good for that this year.  I managed a 1:10:11, 7:48 pace - that 11 seconds kept me from a sub 1:10 finish (and I kiddingly blame the 5k in Central Park Thursday night for the missing finishing kick).

Still, any finish on that course (in any weather) is a solid run!  As is the Mother's Day 10k which also starts and finishes here - but tours the other side of Norwalk (in one loop) :D

Next up - the 11 Miler at Silvermine on Saturday, August 12th.

Here are the official results from Lightfoot Runners.

Once again, thanks to Tony for the great photo of the start!

2017 NYRR R-U-N 5K: Race Photos & Results

The 2017 edition of the R-U-N 5k in Central Park (as distinguished from its Prospect Park cousin) was hot and humid - even at the 7 PM start.  The heat/humidity was 78/78 on the walk over to the start on West Drive, from race central (which at roughly 10 blocks, was almost a quarter of the race distance)! 

Despite the heat/humidity it was fun running in the park at night!  And Peter Caiccia, during his pre-race announcements let slip a "good morning" runners - just to see if we were actually paying attention :D

As for the race itself, it was a crowded first mile (I was at the end of the first wave, corrals A-C, and it took me a solid minute to cross the start line.  I ran just under 7 minutes for that first mile, and that was all the speed there was before the humidity took its toll.  My 23:17, 7:30 pace finish, was a huge relief!  The last mile turned into a real slog for me :(

Still, it was great fun to be out there!  This was scored race #6 for me, leaving just 3 more to go and the +1 to qualify for 2018 :D

Here are the official race results from NYRR.

Next NYRR race  Club Team 5 Miler to kick off August!

2017 NYRR R-U-N 5K: Packet Pick-up

I picked up my race shirt and bib for the R-U-N 5K after work yesterday.  Not only is a 5K a not often seen distance for NYRR races, but it's an evening race as well (another rarity, so to speak).  Last year the R-U-N 5K was held in August - and, instead of a shirt, plastic race pint glasses were given out!

This will be my 6th scored NYRR of the year (7th race, coming off last weekend's unscored and untimed Long Training Run).

As always, if you're at this one - say hello!

2017 NYRR Long Training Run #1 - 15 Miler

This morning I ran the NYRR Long Training Run #1 - coincidentally, I volunteered at this race last summer.  It was my was my 6th NYRR race of the year, albeit a non-qualifying (and non-scored) one.  So I still need 4 more races +1 to qualify for the 2017 NYC Marathon.

This run was originally planned as a 20 miler - but yesterday it was announced that the oppressive weather conditions had it shortened to a 15 miler.  I had mixed feelings about that since I wanted to run the full 20 - but this morning I was more than satisfied with the 15 miles.  It was pretty tough out there.  In the 3/4 miles from train to baggage to corral - I was already drenched in sweat!

So the 2:12:24, 8:39 pace, on my Strava was pretty surprising!  Even more so was the total distance clocked in at 15.3 miles!  Interestingly, the run was set to be called at 9:30 (again because of the heat and humidity).  But, as I was approaching the finish, the announcer was already alerting runners that the race was officially called (20 minutes early).  Be that as it may (and probably the right call) - this event didn't close out - and from the look at the start, a few participates may have opted to skip it entirely :O

Before :O

After :D

2017 Norwalk Summer Series 7 Miler: Race Photos & Results

Soupy, humid (but surprisingly cooler) conditions for the Norwalk Summer Series 7 Miler this morning.  After the first mile or so, felt like running underwater for the rest of the race! I was just able to squeak in under 54 minutes with a 53:59, 7:43 pace :D

Next up is the 9 Miler on July 29th.  That one is a bit tricky for me because the next day is the Escarpment Trail Run!  I've only done that back to back duo once - and really on the fence about trying it again :O

Here are the official results from Lightfoot Runners.

Thanks again to Tony for the great photo of the start!

2017 Taconic Road Runners Putnam County Classic: Race Photos & Results

 

Fantastic weather for the Putnam County Classic this morning.  The classic, now more than 40 years strong, is an 8 mile loop of Lake Mahopac.  Instead of the wet, sticky, humid conditions that normally hang over this 4th of July race, it was unseasonably cool and dry!  There were just under 350 finishers!

I didn't run it this year, instead volunteered :D

Here are the official results from Taconic Road Runners.

and, better still, here are the TRRC race photos!

July 2017 Race Schedule

July kicked off yesterday - with the second race in the Norwalk Summer Series, the 5 Miler!  It was a soupy morning to run any distance - but typical July weather :O

The 4th of July is the Putnam County Classic 8 Miler.  It's a Taconic RR race, which like most years, I will be volunteering at (especially food prep) - instead of running :D

The other races on this month's schedule that I'm registered for include two more Summer Series races in Norwalk.  The 7 Miler on 7/15 and the 9 Miler on 7/29.  I'm a bit concerned about doing the 9 Miler because it's the day before the Escarpment Trail Run!  I've done that combo once before (maybe a decade ago) - and it made running the Escarpment a wee bit tougher than it needed to be!  So I'm, reluctantly, on the fence about the 9 Miler this year.

A pair of Central Park races are on deck this month as well.  For fun is the silly Underwear Run, a 1.7 mile loop of the lower park, on Friday night 7/14.  It's actually part of the kickoff for the 2017 edition of the NYC Tri (which I'm not doing).  The second Central Park race is also at night, the NYRR R-U-N 5K (also an unusual distance for NYRR/Central Park).

Aside from those races, I'm also hoping to run (finally) the B.U.S. PJ Run on Saturday night 7/22.  I've wanted to participate in this one for years - but I wasn't able to swing it.  This year it looks doable! 

Here's how it looks so far:

7/1 - Norwalk 5 Miler
7/4 - Putnam County Classic [volunteer]
7/14 - Underwear Run, 1.7M
7/15 - Norwalk 7 Miler
7/22 - B.U.S. PJ Run (6 Hour)
7/29 - Norwalk 9 Miler
7/30 - Escarpment Trail Run, 30K

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

2017 Norwalk Summer Series 5 Miler: Race Photos & Results

 

Hot, humid morning for the second race in the 2017 Norwalk Summer Series.  The 5 miler is also the 2nd and last full loop course of the series.  The remaining courses all include double loop variations. 

 

This was my 3rd 5 Miler in a month - and came close (but no cigar), in being the fastest.  But the perfect weather conditions and Central Park gave me a 38:08 at the Retro 5 Miler that kicked off the month of June.  But my 38:25 this morning was a solid 2 minutes faster than the 40:29 at the rain soaked Front Runners LBGT Pride Run last week :D

 

I'm happy with all of them!

 

Here are the official results from Lightfoot Runners.  Next race in the Summer Series, the 7 Miler, is on July 15.