PLR ShamRock & Roll 5K 2025

New Haven, CT

Sunday, March 2, 2025

My third time running PLR, and unfortunately by far my worst performance.  A few ancillary factors, so let's dive into that.

Arrived with plenty of time to check in at Toad's Place and go for a warm-up.  As usual, the environment inside Toad's Place was fun with a band playing classic rock.  The check-in process was quick and efficient, and was the shirt pickup*.  (*Tangentially related, the shirt this year was not good due to a huge iron-on decal of the logo at top of this post.  These big iron-on decals have rubbed and irritated my skin in the past, so I promptly designated this shirt as a warm-up shirt to toss/donate at the start of upcoming NYC Half.)

The biggest issue this year was the weather.  Looking across all three years I have run the race:

• 2023:  39°F, 5mph wind
• 2024:  49°, 8mph wind
• 2025:  20°, 13mph wind

Went out for my 2-mile on-course warm-up run in a windchill of 11°F.  Brrr!  Made the decision then that today would not be a singlet day.  (Note Matt Sweeney did actually wear a singlet during the race, and no arm-sleeves.  He must've been cold.  Or tough.)  Back to the car to strip down to a black long-sleeve, Striders singlet over the long-sleeve, and shorts, changed into race shoes, and then hid just inside the doorway of Toad's Place until race start minus five minutes.  I had plenty of company hiding indoors!

Race time:  It's hard for me to say much positive about my race itself (even writing this three weeks later!), so here's the short and dirty:

Lined up probably five rows back, and since we were packed in tight, I actually got a little respite from the wind.  Chatted with a few fellow Striders, and that seemed to pass the time.  The gun went off, and there was the usual craziness of so many runners passing me while I simultaneously passed so many others, but after the first two turns (just under 1/2 mile) runners thinned out a bit and I had plenty of room to run.

Once we got onto Whitney Avenue, where we would be running most of the race, the headwind was just nasty.  My face and even my teeth were cold out there!  Can't remember that sensation before.  I did pass teammate Dave G, but didn't see others I recognized and didn't have anyone to try to pace off.  Mile 1 split 6-flat.  Ugh.  My slowest split in the past two years I ran was a 5:47.  I chalked it up to running into the headwind, and told myself subsequent splits would be faster.

I saw the front runners coming back towards me just as I turned off to start the short lollipop four quick turns before reversing course.  That all went by very quickly.  Back onto Whitney Ave headed southbound, I was ready for a fast tailwind that I didn't really feel.  I felt the wind was sometimes gusting at us.  Maybe some crosswinds or swirling?  At any rate, Mile 2 split was a very ugly and disappointing 6:24.

But that third mile is going to be really quick, right?  Nope.  I was still pushing hard, and remember actually passing a few runners in the final stretch, but that third mile was a 6:07.  The 6:07 final split was less disappointing to me than making the final turn to the finish and seeing the finishing clock flash "19:xx".  

Final result:  19:21, 78th overall of 1,107, 2nd of 43 in age group.  Average pace 6:15.  Full results here.

After results the prior two years of 17:39 and 17:45, I didn't even break 19 or even come close.  Just so disappointing.  Certainly the cold and wind were factors, but that's a lot to explain due to the weather.  Or is it due to me slowing down with age?  Or both?

I was so cold at the finish that I ran back to the car, started the engine, and blasted the heat in an effort to warm up my cold toes and fingers before my intended cool-down and return to Toad's Place for food, classic rock, and awards.  But rather than sit there idling the engine, I decided to just drive.  I'm cold, disappointed to the point of embarrassment over my performance, and I don't need more awards "stuff".  Back on I-95 North, I decided to stop and fuel at Madison Coffee Shop, and since I was warmed up enough in the car I finally went for a short cooldown along the shore in Madison. Finished with a coffee and bagel back at Madison Coffee House.

Colchester Half Marathon 2025

Colchester, CT

Saturday, February 22, 2025

This would be my second time running this race, with the first being in 2022, when I ran a 1:22:30 and snagged 3rd place.  I had no expectations for a repeat of either, and told myself maybe 3-5 minutes slower today.

I arrived at the Bacon Academy host site with an hour to spare.  Check-in was quick and efficient, giving me plenty of time for bathroom and laying out my race kit to be ready to go post warm-up.  Temp during warm-up was 23°F with probably a 10mph headwind.  I felt cold even in my quarter-zip and was second guessing whether a singlet really made sense today, especially for a non-goal race.  I turned around at Colchester Elementary School a mile out, and then felt warm in the sun and tailwind, so singlet it is!

Got back for a final bathroom stop, changed into racing shoes and racing attire, and headed to the start.  Quick catch up with Dave Goodrich and David Cowles, and then took the line.  To my left, I saw "Super" Mario Vazquez and I motioned to Dave Goodrich that I think I know who will win today's race!

Race start:  It was a quick two-command "Set ... Go!" and we were off.  About a 1/2 mile in I came up on and passed Dave Goodrich.  In the distance looking up a hill I saw Super Mario way up following the lead cop car, and then a long gap until a small pack of runners.  As expected, I felt really cold on my face, bare arms, and bare shoulders, but I knew from experience and my warm-up that conditions would improve after about a mile and a half.  

Rolling hills (Miles 2-6):  Turning out of the direct headwind, I was no longer cold.  I was with a group of 3-4 for the next few miles, and we alternated positions as I would pass them on the downhills and then they would easily retake me on the uphills.  

Steep hills (Miles 6-9.5):  Turning left onto a steep (and icy!) uphill, the quartet passed me and with the exception of the trailing runner, I would not see them again until the finishing line.  It was nice to see the RD at the top of the steep icy hill, and he was saying that "this was the ice I was talking about" as he was slapping hands with runners passing him.  Note to self that I realized I didn't listen to anything he said in pre-race announcement, and as that is probably the case of the majority of runners, I need to continue to trim down my own remarks when I am serving as RD.

My quartet was gone, but I had a new (and much worse) nemesis that I would go back and forth with for the next few miles:  a youngish guy who was blasting out country music.  Ugh.  Might as well blow diesel exhaust into my face while I'm running uphill; not sure which would be worse.  I would just get far enough ahead of him on downhills that I couldn't hear his country music anymore, and then up the next hill, I heard his country music blaring long before I saw him and he'd pass me.  This was repeated a number of times, much to my chagrin.  I'm sure some runners don't like my AC/DC (although I can't understand why!), but the difference is I'm not playing, never mind blasting, any music while I'm running.

Just before the end of Mile 9, we start a 250' drop and I was oh so glad to pass the country music guy and pull away from him and his music for the final time.

Ice (Miles 9.5-11):  Miles 10 and 11 are net downhill and in 2022 I ran these miles in a blazing (for me) 5:41 and 6:03.  Not this year.  Not even close.  6:29 and 6:59, respectively.  Almost a minute slower.  Yes, I naturally slowed on the ice, and that explains some, but certainly not all of the huge difference.

Very icy in this section of the race course!

Uphill finish (Mile 11-Finish):  Turned off the dirt/ice country roads, for a 2-mile uphill headwind pavement finish.  About 180' climb to the finish.  Just nothing left, as I ran low 7s.  I crossed the finish line and was announced as the first 60+ and first Rhode Islander.

Finishing strides. 
Free race photo (which is always nice!).

Final result:  1:30:41, 25th out of 326, 1st in age group.  Full results here.

Went for a solo cooldown, and then joined a few running friends inside to take part of the feast.  Well organized race.  Not my best performance.

Quite the spread of food!  Vegetable lasagna (there was a 
meat option as well), potatoes au gratin, sautéed vegetables,
and of course I also went up for a brownie and ice cream!
(There was pizza and several soups that I didn't have room
to sample, but if you went away hungry from this race, it
was your own fault.)

Winter Wonderland 5-Miler

Milford, CT

Sunday, January 26, 2025

I'm relatively new to the USATF-CT circuit, as this only my third year, but every two years a new slate of races is chosen for the road grand prix, and there were several new entries this year:

Writing this over a month post-race makes it hard to remember details.  Checked in at the school, got my bib, and went out for a 2-mile warm-up, plus a few strides.

31°F as the 365 of us crossed the starting line as the gun went off.  I went through the first mile in 5:43.  It was net downhill, but still too fast.  Competitor Brett Stoeffler went by, and as he did, I told him I'm glad I'm not in his age group anymore (he's still in his 50s).  He told me to come along and we could work together.  Sounded good, but I didn't have it.

I struggled over the remaining four miles, never coming close to dipping under 6 minutes again.  As a result, it was pretty frustrating watching so many runners pass me.  About four miles in, I remember watching a guy in shorts over tights pass me.  Ugh.  This was not a fast course, with about 20 turns and many rolling hills, but I knew that beforehand and figured I would somewhere around 31 minutes.

Finishing in a chip time of 32:06 was much slower than I had planned.  

Final result:  Gun time 32:08, chip time 32:06.  49th overall of 365.  1st in age group.  Full results here.

Went for a 2-mile cooldown, and then came back inside the school for awards.  They had two different hot soups, chicken noodle and lentil.  That was very much appreciated!

Nice mug for age group award