Rochester Runner of the Year

Only two races left in the Rochester Runner of the Year series (sponsored by GRTC). First up is a 5k in downtown Rochester, the East Avenue Grocery Run, held on November 4. The last race in the series is the Race with Grace 10k, held in Greece, NY on Thanksgiving morning.

It took me a long time to learn that competition sometimes comes down to who shows up and runs the race, stays healthy and motivated. Thinking about how you would have finished in a race if so and so competed isn't relevant. You compete against yourself and who is there on that day. In that vein our Sal's group is doing pretty well against Rochester area runners.

Jan has completed five races in the series (4 is minimum, 6 maximum out of 12) and I've done six, so we are eligible for an award if we finish in the top five in our age group. Currently Jan is third and could finish anywhere from third-sixth in her group. I am second and could finish from second to fifth.

Pete is second in his age group, but could finish from second-fifth. Eileen is fourth and if she finishes the next two series races will be at least top five. Mike W is in seventh, but if he runs the next two series races and finishes in the top three or better could possibly make it to a top five spot.

I find the RROY series a nice motivator to measure myself against myself, really. Can I stay healthy all year, since the races run from March - November? There are a variety of distances, from 1 mile to the half-marathon, a good method to discover which distances you are best at. Can I maintain my speed compared to the previous year if the same course is used? Speed is all relative since my 5k per mile pace times are about the same as my marathon per mile pace from ten years ago. But on the other hand, I'm sixty and have been a "runner" since I was twenty-three. Normal society would consider that amazing or weird, depending on who you are talking to. 

And so I continue to run, albeit slower, since it usually feels good and I'm able to.

Sal's RROY Domination!

In spite of an Executive Committee member and her husband being out of state celebrating the birth of their first grandchild, Sal's Racing Team members earned enough points to finish in the top five or higher in the annual Rochester Runner of the Year series.

Mike Weinpress finished second in the 60-64 group and Pete Leonard second in the 70-74 group. Jan was third in the 55-59 group, Eileen fourth in the 60-64 group and I squeezed into fifth place in the 55-59 group. Jennifer Katz (we have to have one youngster) finished fifth in the 25-29 group.

Man we have gotten old. But still kind of fast.

In the last race in the series, Race with Grace 10k, Jennifer won her age group. Jan finished 7th, earning four points. The father/daughter team of Lou and Jennifer finished in third place, winning another award. Jan and I were 7/28 in the husband/wife division. My daughter Andrea finished her first road 10k.

Below are some photographs from the East Avenue Grocery Run, Scare Brain Cancer Away 5k, and the Medved 5k at Frontier Field.

Eileen Grocery Run

Lou - Grocery Run

Mike M Grocery Run

Jan Grocery Run

Mike M Scare Brain Cancer

Mike M Medved 5k

Mike W Grocery Run

Mike W Scare Brain Cancer

Pete Medved 5k

Pete Scare Brain Cancer

Pete Scare Brain Cancer

RROY Standings

Sal's runners are doing pretty well in the Rochester Runner of the Year series. Jan moved up to 7th place in the 50-54 age group (top 5 get awards), Al zoomed into 14th after his 5th place finish in the Medved 5k for the 50-54 group. I finally got on the board after three non-top ten finishes and am 26th place! Yea for me!

MikeidontcareaboutrroythisyearW is tied with Loooiiiiee for 22nd in the 55-59 group and Cousin Ken Katz is in contention in the same group for a top five finish! Jen K is in 21st place in a tough group, but no one in that age group has completed four races yet so the field is wide open.

PickleJuicePete took over first with an age group victory in the 65-69 division. New Roger is holding on to fourth place.

There are two keys to doing well in the RROY series; Be fast and run as many of the races as possible because you never know who will show up race day and the more RROY races you run the better chance you have at scoring points. Four is the minimum to be eligible for prizes but your best six races count for total points.

Next race is July 3rd, the Fairport 5miler. I will be working the race so come out and run, maybe I'll pull your timing chip off at the end?

Weekend of Races

Dick W. and Frank Q participated in the Spring Classic Duathlon at Mendon Ponds on Saturday. Frank won his age group and Dick finished second in the Formula 1 distance, 2m run/10m bike/1m run/10m bike/2 mile run. They were led around the bike course by an excellent lead driver (me).

Saturday was also the Aurora House 5 mile race in Spencerport. Mike W and Al V. finished way up in the standings with 46 runners in the race. It was a tight race between the two training buddies until MW stopped for a Barton's Hot Dog at the 3 mile point. MW still came close to catching Al but had some indigestion from the extra hot sauce he lathered on his dog.

Sunday was the third race in the RROY series, the Lilac 10k. New Roger (Roger O'Dell) won his age division with Pete in second place. Jen K. picked up a few points and finished in the top 10% of her age group, 6th place. Jan finished 9th in her group and got 2 points. I finished the race. So glad I didn't work as much as usual at the Duathlon on Saturday so I could run 4 minutes slower than expected. I was able to continue my streak of non-scoring in this year's RROY series with my 12th place age group finish.
I think the heat (70+ degrees at the start) and high humidity effected many runners. Going up Elmwood Avenue felt like running inside an oven, no shade, little breeze, hot roads. I thought it would never end.

Spring Forward 15k

Photo courtesy of Barb Boutillier from FF.

A crisp spring day greeted runners at the Fleet Feet Sports Spring Forward 15k on Sunday, March 28.

The hilly course is always challenging, at least for slugs like me. I always think training on the old 10k kick course in the village of Spencerport is great for hill running. Then I get to a race at Mendon Ponds and learn what hills really are! Maybe I'm just getting too old?

New Roger, Roger Odell, had the race of the day from our Sals group. He won the 65-69 age group in 1:11:35, a 7:42 pace, picking up 10 RROY points. Lou, after running about 18 miles the day before, cruised through the race in an 8:13 pace and got 2 RROY points. Jan, beginning a comeback from injury, received 3 RROY points.

RROY

Congratulations to our Sals runners who are officially Rochester Runner of the Year age group winners! Mike W and Eileen W each finished in fourth place, Lou K finished fifth and Pete L finished second. Once again the westside dominates!

Race With Grace 10k

When I first ran Race with Grace race I had almost a full head of hair, including a beard and mustache. Think of Forrest Gump ("Now you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows")running across America, but with a little bit more style to his hair. Though the only wind I blow is after a heavy meal and usually clears out a room.

I have had the honor of completing 17 of the 18 times this race has been run. My race times now are what used to be a tempo run (43:22). But, I'm still at it and managed to somehow get third in my age group out of 61 and earning some valuable RROY points. Even better was beating MW and other members of the Breakfast Club!

Mytriathlete wife was 9/43, with a 50:11 (8:05pace). LouImsofastandskinnyK set a 40 second pr, 6/45 in age group. Our daughter Amanda came up from Kissimmee, wore 7 layers of clothes to stay warm and also finished the race.

Of course the afternoon was filled with food, wine and later, a walk to make room for desserts. Yes, desserts. Why have just one?