WHERE ARE WE GOING?
Graford, Texas
WHEN?
Saturday, April 27
WHY?
Possum Kingdom Trail Run (in my case, the 52-mile event)
NO REALLY, WHY?
The Year of Stupid rolls on with 52-mile runs on back-to-back Saturdays. This is not a race I'm going to win, but I figure that everything I do will make me stronger for when something comes down the line that means more to me.
WHO ELSE IS GOING?
There are 25 people signed up to run 3 17.35-mile loops. The 55K has 52 entrants and the 20K has 123.
WHAT'S THE FORECAST?
It'll be a warm one, starting in the low 60s and finishing near 80. I presume there will be plenty of shade, or it will be a very long day.
HOW DO WE WIN?
I can still feel the double marathon in my legs a little bit, but my effort is much lower on trails anyway so it shouldn't make much of a difference. The first goal, as always, is to finish without getting hurt. Beyond that, if I can get through this in 10 hours I will be very, very pleased.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Race review: Blue Ridge Marathon
ENOUGH WITH THE SMALL TALK. HOW'D IT GO?
I survived America's Toughest (Double) Road Marathon, moseying along with a small group in 4:45 before working my butt off to run the official race in 4:56:52.
DID YOU WIN?
No, but I didn't plan to, either. The results won't show the asterisk indicating I ran the double, so my 260th-place finish (out of 429) will look pretty out of place compared to my other results. I was 195th of 286 men and 34th of 42 in my age group (at least 2 of the guys behind me were doublers as well).
HOW'D THAT HAPPEN?
The incredible events in Watertown, Mass., on Friday night let me get a very rare few hours of pre-race sleep -- an effort that was wasted when the alarm went off at 1:30 a.m. to direct me to downtown Roanoke. I chatted with a few of the other 15 or so folks running the unofficial marathon and found a variety of resumes: One had just run Boston, a couple had done Western States, others had never gone past 26.2 miles or 50K.
We headed out at 2:30 at an easy, non-competitive pace, generously walking the uphills and coming back down at whatever speed was comfortable (I ran the downhills pretty seriously since restraint would probably wreck my quads and make a long day even longer). I took in the views where I could and noted that Roanoke looked a lot bigger than what I expected.
After mile 20 or so, the group started to break up a bit. I was in between folks, not far behind the 4 or 5 leading the way. I was hoping I might have some extra time between races to tend to my feet and take in some more calories, but about a mile from the finish we stopped to let everyone catch up so that we could run it in as a group. With 20 minutes until the official race start, I only had time to move my bag from someone's car to the bag drop, take a potty break, and line up to go again.
I felt pretty good heading out the second time, but when we got to the first climb I found that my threshold for walk breaks had weakened substantially. Another doubler passed me and I commented that mile 28 was a lot tougher than mile 2. Knowing the course, though, made the climbs a lot easier to manage. I tried to just keep marching and enjoying the view from the mountains.
My goal for the official race was to finish in about the same time as the unofficial race, and through 15 miles or so I was pretty close to that target. Climbing up Peakwood, though, that pretty much went out the window, and I ignored the watch until about 4 miles remained and I realized I needed to keep moving purposefully to come in under 5 hours. I kept the walk breaks to a minimum, which was easier to do with all the hills behind me, but didn't feel completely safe until I was into the final mile. My wife was waiting for me about 50 yards from the finish, handing my daughter to me over the railing for the last dash to the line.
WHAT ELSE?
Running 52.4 road miles up and down mountains is hard work, but it's made much easier with the kind of support we had, especially for the first go-round. One of the runners' wives served as a mobile aid station captain, driving her SUV to various points on the course and meeting us with water, Gatorade, pretzels and so on. A couple residents put tables out in front of their houses with veggie broth, cookies and other items, and a car met us at mile 20 with donuts. That just floored me.
I ditched my gloves early in the official race and then later wished I had them back. Virginia's mountains are tiny compared to the Western U.S. but there's still a noticeable drop in temperature and increase in wind once you get on top of them. I had packed another, cooler shirt to change into for the second 26.2 but was stymied by having to repin my bib. That worked out to my advantage.
SPLITS?
8:59
9:56
12:42
10:59
9:39
14:30
14:00
10:26
8:43
11:30
11:33
12:46
14:27
9:15
9:22
12:06
12:47
15:45
13:08
9:30
10:45
11:17
11:26
11:37
10:44
9:51 pace last .94
OK, WHAT ABOUT THE REAL REASON WE ALL RUN, THE STUFF?
You get a shirt. The "expo", which was just a few tables set up in a small room, had a few giveaway items such as zippered bags and gels. The medal is a good one, though I wish the sponsor name were the size of the race name and vice versa:
WHAT'S NEXT?
Possum Kingdom Trail Run (52M), Saturday.
I survived America's Toughest (Double) Road Marathon, moseying along with a small group in 4:45 before working my butt off to run the official race in 4:56:52.
DID YOU WIN?
No, but I didn't plan to, either. The results won't show the asterisk indicating I ran the double, so my 260th-place finish (out of 429) will look pretty out of place compared to my other results. I was 195th of 286 men and 34th of 42 in my age group (at least 2 of the guys behind me were doublers as well).
HOW'D THAT HAPPEN?
The incredible events in Watertown, Mass., on Friday night let me get a very rare few hours of pre-race sleep -- an effort that was wasted when the alarm went off at 1:30 a.m. to direct me to downtown Roanoke. I chatted with a few of the other 15 or so folks running the unofficial marathon and found a variety of resumes: One had just run Boston, a couple had done Western States, others had never gone past 26.2 miles or 50K.
We headed out at 2:30 at an easy, non-competitive pace, generously walking the uphills and coming back down at whatever speed was comfortable (I ran the downhills pretty seriously since restraint would probably wreck my quads and make a long day even longer). I took in the views where I could and noted that Roanoke looked a lot bigger than what I expected.
After mile 20 or so, the group started to break up a bit. I was in between folks, not far behind the 4 or 5 leading the way. I was hoping I might have some extra time between races to tend to my feet and take in some more calories, but about a mile from the finish we stopped to let everyone catch up so that we could run it in as a group. With 20 minutes until the official race start, I only had time to move my bag from someone's car to the bag drop, take a potty break, and line up to go again.
I felt pretty good heading out the second time, but when we got to the first climb I found that my threshold for walk breaks had weakened substantially. Another doubler passed me and I commented that mile 28 was a lot tougher than mile 2. Knowing the course, though, made the climbs a lot easier to manage. I tried to just keep marching and enjoying the view from the mountains.
My goal for the official race was to finish in about the same time as the unofficial race, and through 15 miles or so I was pretty close to that target. Climbing up Peakwood, though, that pretty much went out the window, and I ignored the watch until about 4 miles remained and I realized I needed to keep moving purposefully to come in under 5 hours. I kept the walk breaks to a minimum, which was easier to do with all the hills behind me, but didn't feel completely safe until I was into the final mile. My wife was waiting for me about 50 yards from the finish, handing my daughter to me over the railing for the last dash to the line.
WHAT ELSE?
Running 52.4 road miles up and down mountains is hard work, but it's made much easier with the kind of support we had, especially for the first go-round. One of the runners' wives served as a mobile aid station captain, driving her SUV to various points on the course and meeting us with water, Gatorade, pretzels and so on. A couple residents put tables out in front of their houses with veggie broth, cookies and other items, and a car met us at mile 20 with donuts. That just floored me.
I ditched my gloves early in the official race and then later wished I had them back. Virginia's mountains are tiny compared to the Western U.S. but there's still a noticeable drop in temperature and increase in wind once you get on top of them. I had packed another, cooler shirt to change into for the second 26.2 but was stymied by having to repin my bib. That worked out to my advantage.
SPLITS?
8:59
9:56
12:42
10:59
9:39
14:30
14:00
10:26
8:43
11:30
11:33
12:46
14:27
9:15
9:22
12:06
12:47
15:45
13:08
9:30
10:45
11:17
11:26
11:37
10:44
9:51 pace last .94
OK, WHAT ABOUT THE REAL REASON WE ALL RUN, THE STUFF?
You get a shirt. The "expo", which was just a few tables set up in a small room, had a few giveaway items such as zippered bags and gels. The medal is a good one, though I wish the sponsor name were the size of the race name and vice versa:
Possum Kingdom Trail Run (52M), Saturday.
Monday, April 15, 2013
On Boston
I'm not worried about the runners. There aren't a lot of emotionally weak folks lining up to run marathons, and certainly not to run them fast enough to get to Boston. One after another, tweets rolled in from runners vowing not just to persevere but to focus their energies and redouble their efforts. If you're driven by competition with others, you'd better get your ass in gear.
What worries me are the spectators, the volunteers, the sponsors... all the people who involve themselves peripherally with running and make events happen. And I worry about the runners' families and friends, whose encouragement allows the sport to flourish. Will today drive these people away, or give them pause, or soften their support for this lifestyle with which so many of us primarily identify ourselves?
No one runs alone. There's a partner at home watching the kids, or a stranger cheering from the sidewalk, or a finish-line worker handing out medals, or a police officer blocking traffic at an intersection, or a chiropractor with his name on the back of a race T-shirt. There are fifty million people in this country who run, but so many more who make running happen.
My message to them is this: We need you, now more than ever. Please do not be afraid. The cowards can't touch the runners; don't let them get you either. We will continue to run; we need you to continue to make running happen.
What worries me are the spectators, the volunteers, the sponsors... all the people who involve themselves peripherally with running and make events happen. And I worry about the runners' families and friends, whose encouragement allows the sport to flourish. Will today drive these people away, or give them pause, or soften their support for this lifestyle with which so many of us primarily identify ourselves?
No one runs alone. There's a partner at home watching the kids, or a stranger cheering from the sidewalk, or a finish-line worker handing out medals, or a police officer blocking traffic at an intersection, or a chiropractor with his name on the back of a race T-shirt. There are fifty million people in this country who run, but so many more who make running happen.
My message to them is this: We need you, now more than ever. Please do not be afraid. The cowards can't touch the runners; don't let them get you either. We will continue to run; we need you to continue to make running happen.
Race preview: Blue Ridge Marathon
WHERE ARE WE GOING?
Roanoke, Va.
WHEN?
Saturday, April 20
WHY?
Blue Ridge Marathon... or more specifically, the Official Unofficial Double Blue Ridge Marathon (a small group of runners, myself included, will gather at the start at 2:30 a.m. to run the course before the actual race begins at 7:35)
NO REALLY, WHY?
It's a side trip on a family vacation and will let me cross Virginia off my 50 states list, something I couldn't get done at Old Dominion last year. As a bonus, running the 26.2-mile warm-up lets me claim a considerable discount on the registration fee. Score!
WHO ELSE IS GOING?
The marathon had about 300 finishers last year. It looks like I'll have a dozen or so of them joining me for the warm-up.
WHAT'S THE FORECAST?
The weather should be pretty fantastic with a morning low of 45 and an afternoon high of 62. There's a chance of a thunderstorm late on Friday; hopefully it won't be any later than that.
HOW DO WE WIN?
Running a marathon makes it tough to run another marathon immediately afterward. It doesn't help that each marathon has 3,600-plus feet of elevation gain, the reason Blue Ridge is called the toughest road marathon in the country. I'm planning on another race the following weekend so my level of success will be determined by whether I enter the 52-mile trail race, the paved trail marathon, or neither.
Roanoke, Va.
WHEN?
Saturday, April 20
WHY?
Blue Ridge Marathon... or more specifically, the Official Unofficial Double Blue Ridge Marathon (a small group of runners, myself included, will gather at the start at 2:30 a.m. to run the course before the actual race begins at 7:35)
NO REALLY, WHY?
It's a side trip on a family vacation and will let me cross Virginia off my 50 states list, something I couldn't get done at Old Dominion last year. As a bonus, running the 26.2-mile warm-up lets me claim a considerable discount on the registration fee. Score!
WHO ELSE IS GOING?
The marathon had about 300 finishers last year. It looks like I'll have a dozen or so of them joining me for the warm-up.
WHAT'S THE FORECAST?
The weather should be pretty fantastic with a morning low of 45 and an afternoon high of 62. There's a chance of a thunderstorm late on Friday; hopefully it won't be any later than that.
HOW DO WE WIN?
Running a marathon makes it tough to run another marathon immediately afterward. It doesn't help that each marathon has 3,600-plus feet of elevation gain, the reason Blue Ridge is called the toughest road marathon in the country. I'm planning on another race the following weekend so my level of success will be determined by whether I enter the 52-mile trail race, the paved trail marathon, or neither.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Race review: Fairview Half Marathon
ENOUGH WITH THE SMALL TALK. HOW'D IT GO?
Best race ever. No, really, I ran my best race ever, taking down my PR in my 19th half marathon by 1 second to 1:29:12.
DID YOU WIN?
I was 2nd of 574 overall, 2nd of 211 men and 1st of 29 in my age group. This was my first half marathon age group win since I won the 2010 Boo Run outright. I lamented on Twitter before the race that I'd need an other-worldly effort just to place in the top 3, based on a view of who had registered. A couple guys ran with their wives or paced slower pace groups, but indeed, the guys in M35-39 placed 2-3-4-6 overall.
HOW'D THAT HAPPEN?
I started the race way, way too fast. At one point I heard someone behind me, perhaps Paul, note aloud that he needed to rein it in. I thought that would be a good idea too, but no, there I was in the lead. The eventual winner passed me before the Mile 1 marker, but no one else would the entire way. I knew I was running too fast (6:10 first mile?!) but I didn't feel based on my breathing that I was really taxing myself, so I went with it. I was through 5K in 19:33, only 11 seconds off my PR at that distance -- only in this case I still had 10 miles to go.
Mile 4 headed south, into the wind, and my pace slowed to around where it should have been anyway. Then it was back to the north, and faster once again. I passed 10K in 40:15, 15 seconds below the one good 10K I've ever run. At each turn I'd try to get a peek at how far back the next guy was. It seemed he was always close enough that if he were gaining on me, he'd be by me in no time.
At the aid station at 6.4, I got some encouragement from my Frisco Running Club friends -- well, it was more like all the way down the street, in Hamlin's case. I couldn't falter within view of these guys, now could I? The next runner was 23 seconds back as I crossed the timing mat.
The wind started to hold me up again as I turned back for home, but I was still easily ahead of schedule. I was through 15K in 1:01:35, more than a minute faster than my best for that distance. Mentally I went back and forth between thinking about a PR and thinking about the guy behind me, but both thoughts told me the same thing: Keep running hard.
Turning back onto Greenville at mile 11.5, the headwind hit with its hardest force yet. It was only half a mile to the next turn, but that stretch felt like an eternity. I was running as hard as I could just to keep moving forward. Getting off of that road was a cause for celebration. I closed in on the last out-and-back section of the course and saw the winner go cruising by. As I rounded the turnaround cone, I started counting the gap behind me. Thirteen seconds later, I crossed paths with the next runner. My 26-second edge could still be overcome, so I sped up once again.
On the last street to the finish, I saw no one behind me and relaxed just a little. When the finish-line clock came into view, it said 1:29-something. I had forgotten all about my time, and when I crossed the line and stopped my watch at 1:29:14, 1 second slower than my PR, I was a little ticked; good thing we went by the chip and not my watch.
WHAT ELSE?
The course is unlike most others in this part of the world -- it's by no means in the middle of nowhere, but it is country. Look, houses with actual front yards! The setting is peaceful without feeling lonely, pretty ideal for folks who just like to run.
This was a rare race that sold out but still felt like it could have been much bigger. It was probably a wise move not to overreach with an inaugural event, but I would expect the field size to grow next year, depending on the consent of the local authorities.
SPLITS?
6:10
6:22
6:18
6:52
6:34
6:39
6:29
6:48
7:09
7:04
6:54
7:14
6:57
6:46 pace last .26
OK, WHAT ABOUT THE REAL REASON WE ALL RUN, THE STUFF?
The race packet included a stylish grey tech shirt, a few inserts for local running-related businesses (mine included) and, rather brilliantly, a couple of samples of anti-perspirant and Emergen-C, the latter of which I consumed immediately after the race (you know what long, hard runs do to your immune system). The finisher's medal is bold and heavy in the Active Joe tradition, and age-group winners get a pint glass indicating such:
WHAT'S NEXT?
Double Blue Ridge Marathon, Apr. 20.
Best race ever. No, really, I ran my best race ever, taking down my PR in my 19th half marathon by 1 second to 1:29:12.
DID YOU WIN?
I was 2nd of 574 overall, 2nd of 211 men and 1st of 29 in my age group. This was my first half marathon age group win since I won the 2010 Boo Run outright. I lamented on Twitter before the race that I'd need an other-worldly effort just to place in the top 3, based on a view of who had registered. A couple guys ran with their wives or paced slower pace groups, but indeed, the guys in M35-39 placed 2-3-4-6 overall.
HOW'D THAT HAPPEN?
I started the race way, way too fast. At one point I heard someone behind me, perhaps Paul, note aloud that he needed to rein it in. I thought that would be a good idea too, but no, there I was in the lead. The eventual winner passed me before the Mile 1 marker, but no one else would the entire way. I knew I was running too fast (6:10 first mile?!) but I didn't feel based on my breathing that I was really taxing myself, so I went with it. I was through 5K in 19:33, only 11 seconds off my PR at that distance -- only in this case I still had 10 miles to go.
Mile 4 headed south, into the wind, and my pace slowed to around where it should have been anyway. Then it was back to the north, and faster once again. I passed 10K in 40:15, 15 seconds below the one good 10K I've ever run. At each turn I'd try to get a peek at how far back the next guy was. It seemed he was always close enough that if he were gaining on me, he'd be by me in no time.
At the aid station at 6.4, I got some encouragement from my Frisco Running Club friends -- well, it was more like all the way down the street, in Hamlin's case. I couldn't falter within view of these guys, now could I? The next runner was 23 seconds back as I crossed the timing mat.
The wind started to hold me up again as I turned back for home, but I was still easily ahead of schedule. I was through 15K in 1:01:35, more than a minute faster than my best for that distance. Mentally I went back and forth between thinking about a PR and thinking about the guy behind me, but both thoughts told me the same thing: Keep running hard.
Turning back onto Greenville at mile 11.5, the headwind hit with its hardest force yet. It was only half a mile to the next turn, but that stretch felt like an eternity. I was running as hard as I could just to keep moving forward. Getting off of that road was a cause for celebration. I closed in on the last out-and-back section of the course and saw the winner go cruising by. As I rounded the turnaround cone, I started counting the gap behind me. Thirteen seconds later, I crossed paths with the next runner. My 26-second edge could still be overcome, so I sped up once again.
On the last street to the finish, I saw no one behind me and relaxed just a little. When the finish-line clock came into view, it said 1:29-something. I had forgotten all about my time, and when I crossed the line and stopped my watch at 1:29:14, 1 second slower than my PR, I was a little ticked; good thing we went by the chip and not my watch.
WHAT ELSE?
The course is unlike most others in this part of the world -- it's by no means in the middle of nowhere, but it is country. Look, houses with actual front yards! The setting is peaceful without feeling lonely, pretty ideal for folks who just like to run.
This was a rare race that sold out but still felt like it could have been much bigger. It was probably a wise move not to overreach with an inaugural event, but I would expect the field size to grow next year, depending on the consent of the local authorities.
SPLITS?
6:10
6:22
6:18
6:52
6:34
6:39
6:29
6:48
7:09
7:04
6:54
7:14
6:57
6:46 pace last .26
OK, WHAT ABOUT THE REAL REASON WE ALL RUN, THE STUFF?
The race packet included a stylish grey tech shirt, a few inserts for local running-related businesses (mine included) and, rather brilliantly, a couple of samples of anti-perspirant and Emergen-C, the latter of which I consumed immediately after the race (you know what long, hard runs do to your immune system). The finisher's medal is bold and heavy in the Active Joe tradition, and age-group winners get a pint glass indicating such:
Double Blue Ridge Marathon, Apr. 20.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Race preview: Fairview Half Marathon
WHERE ARE WE GOING?
Fairview, Texas
WHEN?
Saturday, April 6
WHY?
Fairview Half Marathon
NO REALLY, WHY?
It's an inaugural race, the race director is a friend, I needed something to do... take your pick.
WHO ELSE IS GOING?
The half marathon is sold out with 650 entrants, with another 300 or so running the 5K.
WHAT'S THE FORECAST?
The temperatures should be good, in the mid- to upper 50s, but a healthy southerly breeze will be a challenge on a course that alternates between long north-south segments and short east-west ones.
HOW DO WE WIN?
The lost training time from earlier in the year is close to being a non-factor and probably will have less of an impact on my time than the wind. I don't quite feel in PR shape (1:29) but I think there's at least a 1:33 in these legs. Being in a race is motivation enough for me, but this one will have a little extra because there are inserts for my coaching business in the race packets and a good race might help to make a good first impression.
Fairview, Texas
WHEN?
Saturday, April 6
WHY?
Fairview Half Marathon
NO REALLY, WHY?
It's an inaugural race, the race director is a friend, I needed something to do... take your pick.
WHO ELSE IS GOING?
The half marathon is sold out with 650 entrants, with another 300 or so running the 5K.
WHAT'S THE FORECAST?
The temperatures should be good, in the mid- to upper 50s, but a healthy southerly breeze will be a challenge on a course that alternates between long north-south segments and short east-west ones.
HOW DO WE WIN?
The lost training time from earlier in the year is close to being a non-factor and probably will have less of an impact on my time than the wind. I don't quite feel in PR shape (1:29) but I think there's at least a 1:33 in these legs. Being in a race is motivation enough for me, but this one will have a little extra because there are inserts for my coaching business in the race packets and a good race might help to make a good first impression.
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