Saturday, November 29, 2008

NOT-SO-LONG DISTANCE 2008 - Race #31
RT Turkey Run 5 Mile
Saturday, November 29, 2008

the short version:

the third year I've run this one, and this year on a new course along the Irondequoit Lakeside Trail rather than on the roads and trails of Mendon Ponds Park, so in some ways a guaranteed PR. Between the new, all-pavement course and my lower distance training this fall, this was another tough one - legs felt tight and cramping for much of the run. Overall a decent time for me for the distance - 52 min 25 sec - but not last year's 48 minutes. Still, a good way to spend some time on a grey Saturday morning in late November - and I got to run someplace new too!

the longer version:

When I first saw Camp Eastman in Irondequoit listed as the venue for this one, I thought it was a typo... but as more info became available it became clear they had changed the race course. I really liked the old course - Mendon is a beautiful place to run (after all, I did 5 races there this year) and the mix of pavement and trail appealed to me. But Ann and I had seen parts of the Irondequoit Lakeside Trail last spring and summer, so I was also looking forward to running someplace new...

The drive to a new race site is always a bit nerve-wracking, but the trip to the shore of Lake Ontario in Irondequoit was uneventful, even downright easy. Found a parking place right away and headed into the heated cabin (ah, luxury!) to pick up my race number and T-shirt. Then I headed down to the shore of the lake to look for a port-o-potty and get a few pictures while warming my legs up a bit before the run. Needless to say the breeze off the lake was more than a bit chilly!

A few minutes before it was time to start we all clustered around the starting line up on the road through Camp Eastman. The RD's comments were brief - a warning about ice and snow on the bridge over Tamarack Swamp and a brief description of the course - and then with a "Runners ready - GO!" off we went down the road.

Lots of gradual downhill for the first mile and a half and tough going - my legs just did not want to loosen up. There were a handful of us at the back, and the group was small enough that I didn't think I'd be seeing too many folks running near me... a couple behind, a couple ahead, and the rest passing me on their way back to the finish line. The bridge did look pretty slippery but fortunately the right edge was fairly clear, and then the fun began - a long climb up the hill on the other side of the swamp. I kept a pretty steady pace and only stopped once near the top to regroup and grab a sip of water.

Once at the top it was a short run down the path and then around a half mile loop through a local neighborhood, then back on the path to backtrack on the way to the finish. Legs started to feel a little better on the long downhill, and I started to close the distance between me and three runners not too far ahead. Over the bridge and then more fun - running back up what had been downhills on the way out. I pushed but not too hard - since I'd never run this path before I didn't want to blow up before the last half mile or so.

During the last mile I gradually picked up my pace and managed to pass all three of the folks in front of me, though the last one was a close thing - I had to really push hard for the last quarter mile to pass her. I'd hoped to break 50 minutes, but not this time. Still, 52:25 isn't a bad time at all for me, especially on an unfamiliar course and given the lack of distance I've put in this fall.

After that I staggered back to the car and changed into a warmer, drier top. I was going to head straight home, but when I got in the car my lower legs started seizing up so I drove down the road a little ways and walked out onto the beach. I was initially disappointed to see that the swans were gone from the lakes in Durand Park, but then I realized that the white spots I was seeing out in Lake Ontario were swans - eight in all. They seemed to be enjoying cruising around out there; I'm pretty sure several of them were asleep with their heads tucked under their wings! Guess it was a good day to be a swan on the lake. As for me, as much as I enjoyed the beach, the lake, and the swans... I enjoyed the warm house, hot shower, and lunch waiting for me at home even more!

JMH

2008 Event Totals
Run 260.7 mi / 59 hr 13 min
Bike 68.4 mi / 4 hr 59 min
Snowshoe 45.7 mi / 13 hr 19 min

states visited: CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, PA, RI, VT
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