52 Weeks, 52 Race - Race 4 30th Annual FARC NJ Winter Race Series #4

And here I go again on my own.
Going down the only road I've ever known...
...For 5Ks in January...Aside from the one in Tamaques Park...

So maybe Whitesnake did it better the first time around.  It's a catchy little ditty and I can't say I'm much of a song writer.  From my body of work, I can't say I'm much of a writer at all.  I do seem to be adequate at self-publication via the internet and looking at my recent increased volume of work I'm at least becoming consistent.  My 52 Weeks 52 Races goal has definitely given me an easier opportunity to write about a rather boring subject repeatedly.  I can't imagine many folks want to read about some dude running 5Ks rather slowly.  Who wants to read my brief rants regarding a middle aged man with a very passing resemblance to the Hulkster?
Probably my mom and maybe Baconlb...
Whoever is reading out there, I ran another 5K this past Sunday.  It was Race 4 for both me and the FARC NJ Winter Race Series.  It was also a frigid day for both me and the FARC NJ Winter Race Series.  The entire preceding week had been especially frigid starting at the bottom in single digits on Monday and Tuesday.  It eventually worked its way up into double digits and eventually the 20s and 30s.  My office neighbor mentioned we may have gotten acclimated after hitting rock bottom right away and she may have been right.  It was still cold.

Oooh a car thermometer photo!  How original!

Even with the low temperatures, it did feel remarkably bearable during my run in the cold.  I was not one of the brave souls in shorts and a t-shirt or the nut job in cloth shorts and a tank top.  I had googled what to wear while running in the cold.  The internet experts did not recommend either of those outfits.  I got by with my trusty Under Armour spandex (Baconlb calls the bottom leggings, but I disagree), a pair of Nike wind pants and an LL Bean pullover designed to be warm and breathable.

And of course...

Go Indians!

Where would I be without my Waynesboro Indians shirt?  I'd prefer not to know.  Four races down and   I plan on repping the Indians at least 47 more times.

As for the race itself, the location and the course were the exact same as my previous three visits.  

Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRun

The run was the exact same 2.5 laps along the main road and path through the woods in Michael J. Tighe Park.  My time was pretty close to the same as well. A little slower but not unacceptable.  One major difference was the absence of my budding archenemy - The Goober.  Maybe he was sick or busy or unwilling to brave the cold.  Maybe he saw my blog posts and his feelings were hurt.  Whatever it was, he was not there to beat me on Sunday.  He was not there to answer the bell so I am going to count this one as a draw in the score books.  Showing up is at least one requirement for winning, but I refuse to accept a forfeit.  I'll have to wait for another day to beat him. 

You need to be afraid, Goober.

Despite the frigid cold, monotonous locale and course, and the lack of Goober I'm finished with 4 races.  I'm one-thirteenth of the way to 52 races.  Only 48 more to go!

52 Weeks, 52 Races - Race 3: 30th Annual FARC Winter Race Series 5K #3

This is becoming a common sight on Sunday mornings in 2013.

Go Indians!

My Waynesboro Football shirt soaked in sweat with a racing bib pinned to the front of it.  This photo was after Race 3 of 52: FARC NJ Winter Race Series #3.  I ran the first race but missed the second one because I overslept. 

Overslept and I missed out on race #3 of 52. I took @baconlb to The Turning Point - Westfield for breakfast.
— PoMiFoS (@PoMiFoS) January 13, 2013

Let me tell you, the Turning Point is definitely worth missing a 5K or two.  I had the Big Easy Benny - Eggs Benedict with a spicy New Orleans twist over cornbread instead of an English Muffin.  It's probably the exact opposite of a 5K or any other kind of physical activity.  If you need a delicious breakfast in New Jersey, you should visit one of the Turning Point's multiple locations.  I just wouldn't make a habit of it or you'll weight 300 lbs.  

With that thought, back to running...

PoMiFoS Race 3 got bumped back a week  from  FARC NJ Winter Race Series #2 to FARC NJ Winter Race Series #3.  The day of Race 3 was a beautiful, warm and sunny January day with a high in the 50s.  It was the nicest day of the year and the run was much more crowded than the previous race I attended.  And resplendent in a bright, yellow t-shirt was the man quickly becoming my nemesis...  

The Goober!

Say your prayers and take your vitamins!

And the race was on...
And that son of a bitch beat me again!  He was definitely having an off day because I swear to God I saw him walk at one point but he was not off enough for me to beat him.  This 'rivalry' is becoming decidedly one-sided.  Maybe he is saying his prayers and taking his vitamins better than me.  Maybe I'm just slow.  Whatever the cause, he's beaten me all 3 runs this year.
At least I have 3 done!
I only have 49 to go!
Sunday will be frigid...
Race 4 may be much more difficult...

52 Weeks, 52 Races - Race 2: 30th Annual FARC Winter Race Series 5K #1

Oooh, look kids, a blog named Pics of Me in Front of Stuff without pictures of the author in front of anything.

But I am glad you're here since I let my doman name lapse and now picsofmeinfrontofstuff.com is some kind of adult website.  I could purchase the domain name again...for $69...

My blogging problems aside, I did manage to squeeze a second race out of my busy social calendar and  tired feet.  The Freehold Area Running Club (FARC) sponsors the Winter Race Series 5K in Michael J. Tighe Park the first 5 weeks of the year.  

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I was impressed it was the 30th annual such series.  Interesting fact: FARC is also a Colombian Marxist-Leninist revolutionary guerilla organization.  The Freehold FARC is a much less politically extreme group.  Given Freehold FARC Winter Race Series 5K's regularity (weekly), vicinity (30 minute drive), relatively late start time (10 AM) and low price ($5) the pros greatly outweighed the cons (lack of t-shirt).  January 6th was also significantly improved over January 1st because there I was not suffering from nausea, cold sweats, or headaches from any NYE festivities.   The race itself was rather ordinary, just 2 loops of varying length around the park.  I assumed most of the runners were members of the club or fellow New Years Resolutioners.  There was one other participant from the Hangover 5K.  He was easy to pick out because the best description for him I could use was a loud goober.  Think long blonde hair, thinning on top with a blonde mustache (think natural blonde, unathletic Hulk Hogan) speaking in a manner I associate with Lenny from Of Mice and Men and the Abominable Snowman from Looney Tunes.  

I'm going to run a 5K, George.  I'm going to run it and finish it and drink some Gatorade at the end, George.

Baconlb and I had both noticed him at the Hangover 5K and I texted her immediately upon arrival at Michael J. Tighe Park to tell her I had seen the Goober.  She warned me to keep a safe distance from him because he had crossed the finished line dripping with sweat (not unlike me), spitting (very unlike me), and with a mustache full of snot (completely unlike me).  Naturally about halfway through the 5K, I caught up to him.  I tried to pull away him to avoid his 'splash' zone but damned if he didn't keep pace...and then pass me and pull away during the last half mile.

Great,  the Goober beat me.  I am slower than out-of-shape Hulk Hogan. 

Whatcha gonna do, BROTHER, when the Goober goes running by you?!  

According to Baconlb he finished way ahead of me at the Hangover 5K as well.  Even though I subtracted ~ 2 minutes off of my time from Race 1 to Race 2 the Goober still smoked me.
Son of a Bitch.
I guess I need to get my ass on the treadmill.

52 Weeks, 52 Races - Race 1: CJRRC Hangover 5K - Tamaques Park - Westfield, NJ

I've been known to make goals that may or may not be feasible, possible, or even plausible.  I like to think big, but sometimes I think too big, spread myself too thin, and accomplish nothing.  You may or not may not have seen my goals for 2011.  That was good sport, but words are wind.
Yes, I love A Song of Fire and Ice, so what?!
This year's big, hairy audacious goal (BHAG)  is to run 52 races of any length and type though probably predominantly 5Ks in 52 weeks.  That's 52 races in a year for those of you who can't do the conversion. Given the time it takes to run a race and the cost to run then, I feel it's a pretty big, hairy, and audacious.  Let's not forget the first 12 weeks and the last 4 weeks tend to be rather cold, there are usually a number of mercilessly hot ones even in NJ.  Let's also not forget that I work full time and I'm also working on my PhD in chemistry.  I have a lot on my plate and running is just filling it up more.
So if this was to happen at all, it had to start early.  I could think of no earlier time than noon on New Year's Day.  Well, I guess I could have done one of those midnight runs but I planned on keeping my streak of inebriated NYE's intact.  It stretches back at least 10 year's now and I don't plan on ending it.  Luckily, Baconlb is the best girlfriend a blogger/runner/chemist/PhD student could have and she was more than willing to watch me punish myself at noon on New Year's Day.  She was both more sober than me and not committed to running anything.
She had planned a surprise birthday party for my 31st birthday at the Westfield 5 mile Turkey Trot in the same location.  

SURPRISE!

Look at all of those candles!

The picture was actually taken at The Office in Westfield following the race, but it was still my birthday and the best birthday party I have ever had so I'm going to include it.  This is my blog and I do what I want.

Here's me feeding Don because I wanted to.

Both the Turkey Trot and the Hangover 5K guided us through the area surrounding Tamaques Reservation in Westfield, NJ.


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Westfield is where the rich folks live in Union County.  Several of my real world job bosses live in Westfield.  I don't live in Westfield but I aspire to.  In regards to the running, both races started with what I am estimating to be 0.75 mile loop around the park about one and a half times.  During the beginning of both times I wondered to myself if we would only be doing laps around the park.  We did not.  The courses wound their way through the lovely suburban neighborhoods.  During both runs, I passed someone who had been injured and was lying on the ground while they were attended to by event staff.  Both times I wore the same Waynesboro Football T-Shirt. (The coaching staff are Friends of PoMiFoS. I was invited to join the staff as 'Mental Toughness' Coach.  The commute was too long so I had to decline.)

Go Indians!

The big Asian guy and the drum stick head band were only at the Turkey Trot.  Note the special number Baconlb got me for the race on my 31st birthday!
Overall, I enjoyed running around the Tamaques Reservation area.  Like most of Central NJ, the area is pretty flat which allows for quick times.  I felt pretty good about my time considering the circumstances for both runs.  The Turkey Trot was one of the longer runs I had attempted since the Tough Mudder more than a month prior.  The Hangover 5K featured me with a hangover.  While Baconlb waited for me at the finish line she heard about someone having trouble along the side of the course.  She assumed it was me vomiting.  Given the cold sweats and headache I had during the drive I can't blame her.  The Hangover 5K was just one tiny step this year.  Hopefully it continues with 51 more!

I'm the big gray blob that appears to be waving