2019 Boston Buildup 20K: Race Photos & Results

It may have been a small miracle, but I somehow managed to run the Boston Buildup 20K this morning.  Given that I had no voice to speak of when I woke up (from all the coughing I had done through the night), I was inclined to skip it.  But since I hadn't run either of the first 2 races in the series during January - and, more importantly, I would probably have gone running later in the day - just got in the car and drove to Fairfield.

I was glad I did!  Despite the cold (I wore my jacket over my running clothes), finished in a sliver under 1:42 (1:42:59 - to be precise), an 8:12 pace.  Then my Iphone immediately died after I turned off Strava - so no pictures (the starting line photo is thanks to Tony!).

Here is the link to the official results at Athlinks.  One very cool thing I hadn't realized was that a finisher's certificate was available.  So there is mine - haha :D

February 2018 Race Schedule

February has seems to have snuck up on me.  My race schedule for this month is still something of a work in progress.  The only definite item so far is the running the 3rd Boston Buildup race (20K) next weekend.  There are a couple probable ones as well - including the "Looper" bowl (a/k/a Leatherman's loop) this weekend - instead of the NYRR's Gridiron 4 Miler and the Stratford's "Last Chance for Romance" 3 Miler (a/k/a the "Sweetheart").  The Stratford race is a bit late in the month, hence the "Last Chance" :D


That one also conflicts with the Colchester Half - one of my favorite events!  But I'll go with the shorter distance because I seriously thinking of running the Hyannis Marathon the next day.  That one is all about the logistics.  If the travel to and from gets worked out, count me in!


Another race that's in the probable category is the VCTC "Tough Love" 2 x 2M Relay in Van Cortland Park next weekend.  It's the day before the Buildup 20K, but if I can line up a partner to run it with me - again, count me in!


Finally, the major question mark for this month is what to do the weekend of 17/18?  There are a couple of options I'm looking at right now, but nothing definite at this point. 


Caveats as above, here's how it looks so far:


2/4 - Looper Bowl 10K
2/10 - VCTC Tough Love 2x2M Relay
2/11 - Boston Buildup 20K
2/17-18 - ???
2/24 - Stratford "Last Chance for Romance" 3M
2/25 - Hyannis Marathon?

2018 Boston Buildup 15K: Race Photos & Results

We had great weather this morning to run the Barlow Mountain 15k (a/k/a Boston Buildup race #2).  Somehow adding the word "Mountain" gives a better sense of the "hills" on the course.  Although it was the snowy/icy roads that started in mile 4 of the out and back course that were the real surprise out there (enough of a curve ball that I would have liked my trail shoes)!  The first (and last) 3 miles were dry and very runnable.


As for the race itself, I was very happy with my 1:14:29, 8:00 pace, because I hit my target pace (8 minutes) completely by happenstance!  For some reason my MapMyRun/Strava apps decided to go silent and not give me any feedback during the race.  So I ran mile mark to mile mark without any timing.  And, given the self-imposed "slowdown" over the ice patches, I suspect that my time could have been marginally better.


Next week is a toss-up between the Run Around Manhattan and a new Marathon on Long Island.  Tossed into the mix is the forecast for rain - ugh.  If it's really pouring, may wimp out on the long ones and opt for the Taconic Freezer 5k instead - an appropriate (e.g. sane) distance to run in the rain. haha


Here are the official results from ClubCt.

                                          Great shot of start - thanks Tony!

2018 Boston Buildup 10K: Race Photos & Results

Hard to reconcile running in shorts on Friday afternoon and the return of Arctic conditions this morning!  I'm thankful for the 10:00 AM start for this race (the other Boston Buildup races go off at 9 AM) because I was on the fence till the last minute.  Finally I dragged myself into the car and drove over to Rowayton.  I'd run at least 6 miles today one way or another so, I reasoned, might at well socialize a little while doing the mileage :D

As for the race itself, my 48:26, 7:48 pace, was a bit off my 48:00 minute target.  But I had no leg speed to speak of (and spent most of mile 1 getting warm) - so all in all, was pretty happy.  And, as and added bonus, I got to run fast (relatively speaking) - a nice break from training mileage!

Since the 10K was postponed from last Sunday, the second Boston Buildup race (15K) in Ridgefield is on deck for next weekend.  The 15k is typically the coldest one of the series, but after this morning it may need to settle for second coldest of 2018 :O

Here are the official results from ClubCt.

2016 Boston Build-up 15k: Race Photos & Results

Great morning for a hilly 15k.  To put the course in perspective, it could go by the Barlow Mountain 15k.  Either way, I love running this race (but really can't say the same about driving all the way up to Ridgefield to run it). 

My 1:15:34, 8:07 pace, was well off my target of a sub-8 minute pace (which I did hold for the first 10k).  It was even off my goal of a sub 1:15.  It was a solid 2 minutes slower than my 2015 race.  But given the lack of speed work and my low mileage base over the last few months, I'm happy with it!

Here are the official race results from ClubCt.

The rest of my photos are up on Facebook.

2015 boston buildup 25k: race photos & results

 

 

i almost didn't make it to the boston buildup 25k this morning.  not because i ran the Colchester half the day before (even thought it's been a while since i've done this particular double), but rather the weather forecast for snow made the thought of driving to norwalk very iffy.  until the weather forecast pushed back the start of snow until noon last night, i didn't want to do the drive.

 

thankfully the snow held off - though there were a handful of flurries at the start!  i ran the entire race with the thought of getting in the miles before it started to come down.  that may be why i kept it under 8 minute miles - haha.  as it turned out i ran a 2:03:33, 7:57 pace.  that was well off the 1:58 i ran last year - but i didn't run a half marathon the day before that one!

 

overall i was more than happy with the outcome.  the 7:57 pace was just a few seconds slower than the 7:53 pace i ran at colchester.  no leg speed to speak of, but very consistent miles all around.  ironically, the toughest part of the day was crossing the ice covered field after the race - to get back to silvermine!

 

here are the race results from clubct.

 

 

 

here are the rest of my photos up on facebook.

2015 boston buildup 20k: race photos & results

the weather held out long enough to get in the boston buildup 20k this morning - and the temperature was above freezing as a bonus :D

as for my performance over the hilly 12.4 miles - i missed my target of a sub 1:40 by a minute (1:40:58, 8:06 pace).  that was a solid 3 minutes slower than my time last year.  but i was still happy with the outcome - especially getting in the miles. 

it capped my third straight 50+ mile week.  since the drop off in weekly mileage last fall, my goal for the first couple of month of 2015 is rebuild my mileage base.  so far so good, with a 220 mile january and february starting strong :D

next up: a double with the van cortlandt track club's valentines day relay and the taconic's freezer 5 miler next weekend.

here are the race results from clubct.

february 2015 race schedule

the february race schedule kicked off yesterday, with the taconic rr freezer 5k at fdr park.  it was actually a double weekend - as saturday ended january with a 3 hour run in valley stream long island.  this month might end in a similar way because the colchester half is on the 28th and the boston buildup 25k is the following day, march 1. haven't done that double in a few years; so should be an interesting weekend :D

this weekend is the 3rd race of the boston buildup winter series - the 20k in fairfield.  even with the start in fairfield for the last few years, mentally i still associate this one with the southport train station - where it tradionally started and finished!

the following weekend is a new race.  the van cortlandt track club is putting on a valentine's day couples relay.  in a break with tradition, will not be heading up to stratford, ct, for the sweetheart run.  just as well because road construction has reconfigured the traditional 4 mile loop.  instead, will run the 2 mile loop at van cortlandt park.  the next day will head back to fdr park for the second freezer 5 race - the 5 miler.

last but not least is the lake waramug polar bear run - a 7.6 mile loop of the the lake.  this one is iffy because it's a long drive and if the weather doesn't assist, may opt for running closer to home. i'll keep my fingers crossed because it's been a long time since i've done this one.

here's how it looks so far:

2/1 - trrc freezer 5k
2/8 - boston buildup 20k
2/14 - vctc valentine's day tough love relay
2/15 - trrc freezer 5m
2/22 - polar bear run, 7.6m
2/28 - colchester half marathon

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

2015 boston buildup 15k: race photos & results

given the snow on saturday (and the forecast of a blizzard to come) we had relatively great weather to run the boston buildup 15k this morning.  except for a decent patch of black ice on the hill we climb around 3.5 miles, road conditions were fine - and it was sunny to boot :D

as for the race itself, i was very pleased with my 1:13:37, 7:54 pace.  my only goal was to bring it in under 1:15 - and i managed it (w/out any leg speed to speak of).  i actually went out too fast - with a pair of sub-7:30 miles.  but i knew that the mid-course hills would bring it back down to a more realistic number in short order.  in fact, my 10k split was 49 minutes - the 7:54 pace  i would hold for the final 5k :D

next up - the broadway ultras society 3 hour run next saturday.

here are the race results from clubct.

 

 

 here are the rest of my photos up on facebook.  thanks to tony for the start photo - and ted for getting me at the finish :D

2014 boston buildup 25k: race photos & results

after such tough winter conditions for the first 3 races, we got to run the 25k - the 4th and final race of the 2014 boston buildup winter series - in practically balmy conditions.  i ran in shorts, something i haven't done in months.  with all the snow on the ground it felt surreal :D

as for the race itself, i was very happy with my 1:58:50 (1:58:53 official), 7:39 pace.  it was well under my target of a sub-2:00 finish!  that goal was really a stretch because i had hoped to run 7:50 miles (roughly 2:01 finish) and found myself running 7:30 miles.  i was able to hold that pace for 13 miles before my pace flagged into the 7:50's.  to say my performance was a surprise would be a tremendous understatement (especially since it was well under my 2:10:29 from 2013)!

i'll post a short race report in the next day or so.

here are the race results from clubct.

 

 

here are the rest of my photos up on facebook.

2014 boston buildup 20k: race photos & results

 

 the boston buildup 20k got underway - after two weather related postponements - with some fantastic running weather.  "it was worth the wait" for a race that normally kicks off in frigid conditions!  as a consequence, the 25k (scheduled for next weekend) will likely be pushed back a week to avoid back to back races.

 

i was more than pleased with my 1:38:03 because it came in well under my 1:40 target!  my goal was to run 8:00 minute miles over the hilly course, on the heels of a 15 mile training run the day before (in lieu of a drive to colchester for the half marathon).  as it turned out, my at 10 miles was 1:19:27 (a 7:56 pace) -- and i managed to pick up it up enough for the last 2.4 miles that i brought down the overall pace to 7:53!

 

here are the race results from clubct.

 

 

 

here are the rest of my race photos up on facebook.