2018 Westport Summer Series 8.4M: Race Photos & Results

It was a soggy morning to run a race, much less run a hilly one!  The Westport Summer Series 8.4 Miler is one of my favorite courses.  It's a challenging course (roller coaster like may be an apt description).  But toss in 98% humidity at the start and it becomes more of a survival challenge - ha!

As for the race itself, I went out too fast - realizing by mile 3 that holding an 8 minute pace was wishful thinking!  My 1:10:38 (unofficial), 8:16 pace, was actually about 30 seconds slower than my 2017 finish!  There were a few stray drops of rain during miles 7 and 8.  Having felt like we were running under water most of the course, it was hardly noticeable!

Here are the race results from Westport Road Runners.

2018 Westport Summer Series 5K: Race Photos & Results

What a great morning to run a 5K or 5 Miler?  That was my dilemma when I woke up because which race, the Norwalk Summer Series 5 Miler or Westport Summer Series 5K, was still an open question.  Ultimately it was the shorter distance - haha -that led to Westport and Longshore Country Club and lining up for the 5K.  Truth be told, my legs were still a bit sore from the "speed work" at Van Cortlandt Park Thursday night!

As for the race itself, I managed to squeak out a 21:37, 6:59 pace, unofficially.  When then the results were posted, it became 21:39 (losing 2 seconds, officially) and the pace being adjusted upward to 7:06 - because the officially measured distance worked out to 3.04 miles!  Yikes, so much for my sub-7 on a short 5K course - haha :D

Time aside, running at Longshore and along Compo Beach on a gorgeous Saturday morning is wonderful!

Here are the official race results from the Westport Road Runners.

2017 Westport Summer Series 10 Miler: Race Photos & Results

Fall weather came to the Westport Summer Series 10 Miler this morning.  The chilly start was probably the coolest weather I can remember for this race!  When I left the house it was 50 degrees outside (and I immediately went back inside to grab my windbreaker)!  The temperature was much warmer when I arrived at Staples -- but it was great running weather :D

As for the race itself, while my time goal was a sub-1:20, I came pretty close to sneaking in under 1:18!  Maybe the weather was a plus after all.  When I saw the clock at the straightaway to the finish line, it had just turned 1:17:50 - and despite the old college try, I couldn't sprint fast enough to cover the remaining distance in 9 seconds - it took a whopping 16 seconds!  Nevertheless I was very happy with the 1:18:06 , 7:49 pace (with my sub 1:10 glory days long gone - haha)!

Here are the race results from HiTek Racing.

As usual, thank to Tony for great photo of the start!

2017 Westport Summer Series 8.4 Miler: Race Photos & Results

It was a tough, soupy morning to run a hilly course!  Burying Hill Beach was the start/finish of the eighth race of the Westport Summer Series.  When I got out of my car and walked over to sign up, the humidity was 98% - and it didn't go much lower during the race!  It's probably not an exaggeration to say this was probably the most humid race day of the summer (and we've quite a few humid races)!

As for the race itself - it was my first Westport Summer Series race of the Summer.  I've been doing the Norwalk Summer Series Races this year.  Will do the 10 Miler on Labor Day weekend, which will edge my total up to two of the ten races :O

I finished in just over 1:10 (1:10:02!) - an 8:18 pace.  Given that I finished (and resisted urge to walk some of the hills - especially in Mile 6), what seemed like a swim at some points - I am very happy :D

Here are the race results from the Westport Road Runners.

2015 Westport Summer Series 10 Miler: Race Photos & Results

The above photo of the Westport Summer Series 10 mile start is from Tony's tablet.  I didn't take any this morning (except a post-race selfie and parking lot shot of the finish).  As for the race itself, we had fantastic weather - and a female course record was set!

I came in well under my sub 1:20 target (1:19:35, 7:58 pace) - but that was a minute+ off last summer's 1:18:23!  Still, I was more than pleased with that finish!

Next up is the Norwalk Half Marathon next weekend (unless I get a race in on Labor Day).

Here are the race results from Westport Road Runners.

august 2015 race schedule

it's strange posting an august race schedule when i'm heading back to kuala lumpur and will basically miss the first two weekends of the month as i fly there and back!  plus, the only race i've actually registered for is the nyrr france run 8k on the last weekend of the month.  that essentially leaves two weekends to plan for.

each of those weekends is an opportunity for a summer series race, first in westport and then in norwalk. i'm inclined to do the 6.85 miler and 11 miler, respectively, since i haven't done one in either town all summer!  the norwalk 11 miler should be interesting because i want to run the "all out for autism" 5k in new canaan the night before (a running way to celebrate my birthday) :D

and, in keeping with the notion of summer favorites that i haven't done yet, once my summer session class ends on august 13, will try and run a waveny xc and van cortlandt park series race over the following tuesday and thursday nights.

don't know if i'll get them all in, but here's how shapes up so far:

8/15 - westport summer series, 6.85 miles
8/18 - waveny xc summer series
8/20 - van cortlant park xc summer series
8/21 - "all out for autism" 5k
8/22 - norwalk summer series 11 miler
8/29 - nyrr france run 8k

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

june 2015 race schedule

summer is officially here - even though today's weather is something of a retreat from the hot, humid conditions we had this weekend!  this month kicks off with a non-race - so to speak.  wednesday, june 3 is national running day.   there are running inspired events everywhere to mark it.  i'm hoping to get over to the nyrr and pick up one of the bandanas they're handing out!

this weekend, i'll be back at central park for the nyrr retro 4 miler.  on the heels of the healthy kidney 10k on Saturday, it's been a while since i've done back to back nyrr races! the retro 4 miler will be race number 6 on the road to 9+1 for the 2016 nyc marathon.

the following weekend starts off with "cook your buns" 3 miler in greenwich friday night.  i'm tempted to put this in the tentative column because the next morning i'm driving down to brooklyn for the good shepherd 5k in marine park.  this is a trip down memory lane, to my old neighborhood.  i've done this one a couple of times - but it's been at least a decade since i've run it!

the 2015 norwalk summer series kicks off the following saturday - with a pair of one mile races also scheduled for the same day (greenburgh in the morning and new canaan at night).  while the greenburgh mile is one of my all time favorite races, i'll probably do the norwalk + new canaan combo that day.  if there's anything left in the tank (figuratively and literally), i'll drive over to rowayton the next morning for the fathers day fun runs :D

on the last weekend of the month, it may be a trip back to central park for the front runners 5 miler.  i haven't nailed that one down yet, but i'd like to get another nyrr point - and bring my total up to 7 - and then look for a race to volunteer at for my +1 requirement.

here's how it looks so far.

6/7 - nyrr retro 4 miler
6/12 - cook your buns 3 miler
6/13 - good shepherd 5k
6/20 - norwalk summer series 3 miler
6/20 - new canaan mile
6/21 - rowayton fathers day fun run
6/27 - nyrr front runners 5 miler

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

p.s. - i forgot to mention waveny xc summer series (tues. nights) and westport summer series (sat. mornings) which kick off during june.  hopefully i'll run a couple of those too :D

2014 westport summer series 10 miler: race photos & results

in what must be deja vu - i finished the westport summer series 10 miler in 1:18:21 this morning - it was the same time that i ran last year.  and, to make it even more of a instant replay - i won a shirt in the post-race raffle, just like i did last summer!

but where the weather was insufferably humid last year, this time around we had great running conditions.  hopefully, the humidity stay low for the new haven 20k on monday - yet another repeat of the 2013 labor day weekend schedule. 

her are the race results from the westport road runners .

the rest of my photos are up on facebook.

2014 westport summer series 8.4 miler: race photos & results

the westport summer series 8.4 miler was the only race i had planned on running this weekend - until tuesday, when i had the chance to run the bristol half marathon tomorrow.  so it turned into a back to back race weekend!

the 8.4 miler is the only summer series race that starts and finishes at burying hill beach.  given the half marathon tomorrow, i ran it pretty much as a training run.  i wanted to average an 8 minute pace over the hilly course.  my 1:06:10 came in just under 8 minutes, with a 7:53 pace.

hopefully i won't pay to heavy a price tomorrow - stay tuned!

i'll add a link to the results once they're posted.   

 

here are the rest of my photos up on facebook.

2014 westport summer series 3.1 miler: race photos & results

what a difference a day makes - the nasty weather we had on thursday and friday finally left and was replaced with some excellent running conditions for the 2nd westport summer series race.  it was the 5k which started and finished at the long shore country club.  what a difference a year makes because last year's edition was run under the more typical sweltering summer heat!

in a somewhat of a surprise, my 21:28 was a solid 4 seconds faster than my 2013 finish!  it was actually my fastest 5k since my 21:25 at the greenwich alliance turkey trot last november.  given my inability to get over to the track for some speedwork so far this season - i'm more than happy with it :D

here are the race results from westport road runners.

next up a change of town -- the norwalk summer series 5 miler next weekend.  as always, if you're at that one... say hello!