I realize that I never updated my blog with the results from the Run Like the Dickens 5k here in Tiffin. The race was early in December and there's not a whole lot to report. I ran a decent race but certainly not my best effort. The race ran on the north end of town along the Sandusky River on a simple out and back course. The second portion didn't feel the greatest but I still finished in 21:10, good enough for second in my age group. A rather ho-hum finish to a very good year.
2012 was a very good running year for me, despite the move from Dayton to Tiffin taking up a lot of my energy halfway through the year. I completed ten half marathons, six 5ks, and three races of other various distances. I also broke my half marathon PR on three separate occasions. Here's a look at my thoughts on 2012:
Favorite races
ORRRC Half Marathon- This is one of the best (and cheapest) races you will ever find. The organization is top notch and I set a huge PR when I ran this in March.
Twin Creek 10k Trail Run- I was covered in muck from all the rain during this extremely difficult trail race, but it was an absolute blast to compete in this one.
Capital City Half Marathon- I love running in Columbus! This was the second PR I set during the year, but I'm certainly hoping for cooler weather at this one next year.
Old Port Half Marathon- I traveled to Portland, Maine for this one and didn't regret it one bit. The course was gorgeous and the post-race atmosphere was the best I've seen.
Carey Twilight 5k- Running outside in a thunderstorm? Why not? This was actually a blast of a race and one I plan to do each year.
Houston Half Marathon- It's always fun to visit family in Houston. The race itself was very well organized and smallish for one in such a big city. Running through downtown Houston as the sun was rising was a definite highlight.
Cleveland Fall Classic Half Marathon- I set my PR of 1:41:50 at this one, despite forgetting my timing chip and starting the race a few minutes late. The course was decent with a double look and I was in a zone.
Toughest races
Somerset Stampede Half Marathon- Hands down the toughest half marathon I've ever done. Up, down, up, down for 13.1 miles. And these weren't easy hills. Running a solid 1:50:06 gave me the confidence to run three straight sub-1:50 half marathons in the fall.
Twin Creek 10k Trail Run- See above. Slipping and almost falling for about an hour.
What's planned for 2013?
I'm signed up for the Run the Bluegrass Half Marathon in Lexington, KY, Capital City Half in Columbus, and Rock 'n' Roll Cleveland Half. I'm considering going to Florida in either March or sometime in October, which will probably involve a race of some type. I also plan on running half marathons during the summer in an effort to stay in shape rather than taking those hot days off. We'll see how it goes. My main goal is to break 1:40 in the half.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Cleveland Fall Classic Half Marathon
This low-key half marathon filled my final half marathon spot for 2012. It started off disastrous and somehow shifted into my best half marathon performance.
The weather was perfect. High 30s at the start with no wind. I showed up at the race with a fellow running friend who was running his second half. Everything was timed out perfectly. We were walking to the park, Mill Stream Run Reservation in Strongsville, when I had one of those moments I've only heard about. Where's my timing chip? Oh, it's not on me. I should probably have that. So I ran back the car (almost a sprint), put on my timing chip and sprinted back to the race only to hear the gun go off. I was about three minutes late to the start. And, despite having a timing chip, there was not an actual timing mat at the start. Great. I'm three minutes in the hole and this thing just started.
So I did what I knew at the time would be stupid. I ran hard. Right out of the gate. I just wanted to make up some time and still try for a sub-1:50, which would mean running a PR type race. The first few miles ticked by much faster than they should. As you know, I usually try for 9 minute miles for the first few. But I ran several sub-8 minute miles right off. I was passing people like I never had in a half marathon, but I really had nowhere to go but up after the late start. The three minutes were made up within the first three miles. How long could I keep up that pace? Being the last half for my season, I decided to keep going at that pace.
We looped around the park and I held steady with 8:00 miles. It was feeling pretty good, but I figured mile 8 would be my crisis point for this race. I had gone out way too fast. I finally caught up with my fellow runner somewhere between miles 5 and 6. He was running a great race so I stayed with him for a bit before taking off again. 8 minute miles were still clicking by.
I knew mile 8 would be the crisis point. It was. I slowed down quite a bit as we began our second loop around the park. While it's understandable that we have limited trails through this park, it seems like two loops could easily be avoided. Plus, it a lot of it was one big straightaway. Nice for times, not for scenery. I slowed down for about a mile or so before picking it up again. My time at the 10 mile mark was 1:17. That is way faster than my normal pace. I picked it up again as a PR became a definite possibility, though my actual time versus gun time would be about three minutes off.
We looped back around for the last few miles and I continued passing people. The finish line didn't come into view until about a quarter left in the race. I gave it everything I had left and crossed the mat at 1:41:50 according to my watch. That's a PR by almost four minutes! My gun time was still in the PR range at 1:44:57. My age group place was 9/32 and overall 89/565. That's a nice way to finish the season! One more 5k left in 2012.
Next race: Run Like the Dickens- Tiffin, OH
The weather was perfect. High 30s at the start with no wind. I showed up at the race with a fellow running friend who was running his second half. Everything was timed out perfectly. We were walking to the park, Mill Stream Run Reservation in Strongsville, when I had one of those moments I've only heard about. Where's my timing chip? Oh, it's not on me. I should probably have that. So I ran back the car (almost a sprint), put on my timing chip and sprinted back to the race only to hear the gun go off. I was about three minutes late to the start. And, despite having a timing chip, there was not an actual timing mat at the start. Great. I'm three minutes in the hole and this thing just started.
So I did what I knew at the time would be stupid. I ran hard. Right out of the gate. I just wanted to make up some time and still try for a sub-1:50, which would mean running a PR type race. The first few miles ticked by much faster than they should. As you know, I usually try for 9 minute miles for the first few. But I ran several sub-8 minute miles right off. I was passing people like I never had in a half marathon, but I really had nowhere to go but up after the late start. The three minutes were made up within the first three miles. How long could I keep up that pace? Being the last half for my season, I decided to keep going at that pace.
We looped around the park and I held steady with 8:00 miles. It was feeling pretty good, but I figured mile 8 would be my crisis point for this race. I had gone out way too fast. I finally caught up with my fellow runner somewhere between miles 5 and 6. He was running a great race so I stayed with him for a bit before taking off again. 8 minute miles were still clicking by.
I knew mile 8 would be the crisis point. It was. I slowed down quite a bit as we began our second loop around the park. While it's understandable that we have limited trails through this park, it seems like two loops could easily be avoided. Plus, it a lot of it was one big straightaway. Nice for times, not for scenery. I slowed down for about a mile or so before picking it up again. My time at the 10 mile mark was 1:17. That is way faster than my normal pace. I picked it up again as a PR became a definite possibility, though my actual time versus gun time would be about three minutes off.
We looped back around for the last few miles and I continued passing people. The finish line didn't come into view until about a quarter left in the race. I gave it everything I had left and crossed the mat at 1:41:50 according to my watch. That's a PR by almost four minutes! My gun time was still in the PR range at 1:44:57. My age group place was 9/32 and overall 89/565. That's a nice way to finish the season! One more 5k left in 2012.
Next race: Run Like the Dickens- Tiffin, OH
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Houston Half Marathon
I am way behind with this blog. The Houston Half Marathon & Relay was two weeks ago and I have the Cleveland Fall Classic next week. Time to get blogging!
This was my second time visiting Houston. I went for the LaPorte Half Marathon (that dreaded bridge!) last December and had so much fun that I decided to go down for the Houston Half Marathon. The best part is that I was able to visit family again! It doesn't get much better than that. You know what else? The weather was perfect! It felt like Ohio in the fall rather than Houston. It was actually in the mid-40s when we headed out. That is cold for Houston but perfect for me.
The race started near downtown at a small park right off the highway. The pre-race atmosphere reminded me of the Columbus Marathon but with fewer runners. I chose this race because it's the largest city in which I've run a race, but it's not congested due to there being around 3000 runners. That's a good size race without the hassle of getting to the start line, finding the gear check area, etc. It was still dark when we began the race at 7am and we made our way through the downtown area on a short loop. This was a very cool part of the race. The skyscrapers were still lit up and we were running on the road in downtown Houston. How many times do you get that opportunity? The roads were of course wide enough to accommodate the runners and there was none of the congestion that you can experience in these races. I was a bit disheartened by my pace, though. I was going at about 9:15 per mile for the first three miles, but I felt like I was going more at a 8:30 pace. Thankfully that would change.
We then started heading west away from the downtown area. This race had a lot of straightaways, which sounds boring, but it actually helps not having to worry about running the tangents. My pace felt good and I noticed I was hitting some sub-9:00 miles during the long straightaway, slowly chipping away some time. This portion was along the highway, so there wasn't anything too scenic. By the time we hit mile 7, I was well on pace for my 13th straight sub-2:00 half marathon.
Next up were some parks for a few miles. This was a nice portion of the race and it broke up the monotony some. I picked it up quite a bit around mile 8 or so as my gel from mile 6 was starting to do its job. The pace felt surprisingly good, especially considering I ran a great race at the Dayton Corridor Classic two weeks prior. We headed out of the parks and back to the main straightaway. I was at a 1:25 at the ten mile mark.
The last 3.1 was pretty uneventful. I didn't have too many people around me so I just tried to maintain my pace. The race stats show that I was 7:44 pace for the final five miles or so. I'm guessing the last few miles were around a 7:30 pace. Pretty darn good for me. The final mile was a complete blur and I was able to pass a few people and hit the finish in a respectable 1:48.25, good enough for my third fastest half.
Training has been spotty since the race. It's mostly been maintenance runs on the trails and trying to stay fresh for the next half, which will be my third in a five week period.
Next race: Cleveland Fall Classic Half Marathon- Strongsville, OH
This was my second time visiting Houston. I went for the LaPorte Half Marathon (that dreaded bridge!) last December and had so much fun that I decided to go down for the Houston Half Marathon. The best part is that I was able to visit family again! It doesn't get much better than that. You know what else? The weather was perfect! It felt like Ohio in the fall rather than Houston. It was actually in the mid-40s when we headed out. That is cold for Houston but perfect for me.
The race started near downtown at a small park right off the highway. The pre-race atmosphere reminded me of the Columbus Marathon but with fewer runners. I chose this race because it's the largest city in which I've run a race, but it's not congested due to there being around 3000 runners. That's a good size race without the hassle of getting to the start line, finding the gear check area, etc. It was still dark when we began the race at 7am and we made our way through the downtown area on a short loop. This was a very cool part of the race. The skyscrapers were still lit up and we were running on the road in downtown Houston. How many times do you get that opportunity? The roads were of course wide enough to accommodate the runners and there was none of the congestion that you can experience in these races. I was a bit disheartened by my pace, though. I was going at about 9:15 per mile for the first three miles, but I felt like I was going more at a 8:30 pace. Thankfully that would change.
We then started heading west away from the downtown area. This race had a lot of straightaways, which sounds boring, but it actually helps not having to worry about running the tangents. My pace felt good and I noticed I was hitting some sub-9:00 miles during the long straightaway, slowly chipping away some time. This portion was along the highway, so there wasn't anything too scenic. By the time we hit mile 7, I was well on pace for my 13th straight sub-2:00 half marathon.
Next up were some parks for a few miles. This was a nice portion of the race and it broke up the monotony some. I picked it up quite a bit around mile 8 or so as my gel from mile 6 was starting to do its job. The pace felt surprisingly good, especially considering I ran a great race at the Dayton Corridor Classic two weeks prior. We headed out of the parks and back to the main straightaway. I was at a 1:25 at the ten mile mark.
The last 3.1 was pretty uneventful. I didn't have too many people around me so I just tried to maintain my pace. The race stats show that I was 7:44 pace for the final five miles or so. I'm guessing the last few miles were around a 7:30 pace. Pretty darn good for me. The final mile was a complete blur and I was able to pass a few people and hit the finish in a respectable 1:48.25, good enough for my third fastest half.
Training has been spotty since the race. It's mostly been maintenance runs on the trails and trying to stay fresh for the next half, which will be my third in a five week period.
Next race: Cleveland Fall Classic Half Marathon- Strongsville, OH
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Dayton River Corridor Classic Half Marathon
I headed back to Dayton this past weekend to run the River Corridor Classic Half with some friends. It was well worth the drive, though there were some snags that we'll get to. I ran this race in 2010 and almost PRd at the time. The race is very flat, running along the Miami River and through several parks near downtown Dayton. The course changes slightly every year due to the never ending construction in Dayton, but it looked pretty similar to the 2010 course.
The drive to Dayton on Saturday was lovely as ever <sarcasm> and I got into town a little later than I meant to. Packet pickup was a breeze at one of the local running stores. The shirt is a nice New Balance tech tee. The 2010 shirts were odd because the sleeves seriously looked like wings. They were huge. The new shirts are pretty snazzy. I ran a few errands (i.e. spent tons of money at Trader Joe's) and then made my way to nearby Xenia to stay with a friend. The race didn't start until 9:00 on Sunday, so I didn't even get up until around 7:00, which was nice. As always, I got to the race, at UD Arena, around an hour before the start.
The forecast called for warm temps for Ohio in mid-October and wind. The temperature was a bit too high for me and I built a good sweat only a mile in to the race, but the wind was the real story of the race. Running on the path next to the river, lower than street level, made for a wind tunnel. It wasn't bad for the first half of the race as it was to our backs. Let's not worry about splits during this race because there was a miscommunication between the organizers and those guiding the runners. I was running with four others just after a mile in, when we passed someone shouting out times. 13:27. Umm...what the heck? We all looked at each other and said, "That can't be the two mile mark," but that's what they were claiming. I'm usually around 17:30-18:00 for the first two miles. Someone with a Garmin shouted out that we were actually a mile and a half in to the race. The other mile markers came in roughly a half mile off and most people are saying we were anywhere from .4 to .5 off. Regardless, I was running a great race for the first half. I was at around the 8 mile mark (7.5) an hour into the race. That would normally be PR territory for me, but I knew I could not count this as a PR. It does make up for the extra half mile at the Air Force Half Marathon, though.
We ran through several parks and the trees were blocking the wind. So far, it wasn't much of a factor. Until we made our way back to the bike path at around mile 9. Good God. That wind was relentless. Seriously. It was like being smacked in the face for the final four miles. I also remembered this being the ugliest part of the course, which didn't help at all. The path is lower than street level and there's really nothing to look at. Kudos to the volunteers who worked this section. How they were able to hand us water/Gatorade without being blown away is beyond me. Again, I didn't really pay attention to my splits during this stretch. I was more concerned with getting out of the wind. We finally made our way up to the street with a half mile left and I was (barely) able to finish strong with a 1:44:43. That would be a PR for me but not since the course was short. I'm actually not upset about it all. I would still have broken 1:50 with the extra .4 or .5, which would be my third fastest time. That's pretty good considering my lackluster training the past few months. Next up is another out of state race.
Next race: Houston Half Marathon- Houston, TX
The drive to Dayton on Saturday was lovely as ever <sarcasm> and I got into town a little later than I meant to. Packet pickup was a breeze at one of the local running stores. The shirt is a nice New Balance tech tee. The 2010 shirts were odd because the sleeves seriously looked like wings. They were huge. The new shirts are pretty snazzy. I ran a few errands (i.e. spent tons of money at Trader Joe's) and then made my way to nearby Xenia to stay with a friend. The race didn't start until 9:00 on Sunday, so I didn't even get up until around 7:00, which was nice. As always, I got to the race, at UD Arena, around an hour before the start.
The forecast called for warm temps for Ohio in mid-October and wind. The temperature was a bit too high for me and I built a good sweat only a mile in to the race, but the wind was the real story of the race. Running on the path next to the river, lower than street level, made for a wind tunnel. It wasn't bad for the first half of the race as it was to our backs. Let's not worry about splits during this race because there was a miscommunication between the organizers and those guiding the runners. I was running with four others just after a mile in, when we passed someone shouting out times. 13:27. Umm...what the heck? We all looked at each other and said, "That can't be the two mile mark," but that's what they were claiming. I'm usually around 17:30-18:00 for the first two miles. Someone with a Garmin shouted out that we were actually a mile and a half in to the race. The other mile markers came in roughly a half mile off and most people are saying we were anywhere from .4 to .5 off. Regardless, I was running a great race for the first half. I was at around the 8 mile mark (7.5) an hour into the race. That would normally be PR territory for me, but I knew I could not count this as a PR. It does make up for the extra half mile at the Air Force Half Marathon, though.
We ran through several parks and the trees were blocking the wind. So far, it wasn't much of a factor. Until we made our way back to the bike path at around mile 9. Good God. That wind was relentless. Seriously. It was like being smacked in the face for the final four miles. I also remembered this being the ugliest part of the course, which didn't help at all. The path is lower than street level and there's really nothing to look at. Kudos to the volunteers who worked this section. How they were able to hand us water/Gatorade without being blown away is beyond me. Again, I didn't really pay attention to my splits during this stretch. I was more concerned with getting out of the wind. We finally made our way up to the street with a half mile left and I was (barely) able to finish strong with a 1:44:43. That would be a PR for me but not since the course was short. I'm actually not upset about it all. I would still have broken 1:50 with the extra .4 or .5, which would be my third fastest time. That's pretty good considering my lackluster training the past few months. Next up is another out of state race.
Next race: Houston Half Marathon- Houston, TX
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Tiffin Fire Department 5k
I ran a race in town last week and, yes, I am a week behind on posting. This seems to be the trend with my races recently. Perhaps I just need time to reflect.
The race was held at Hedges-Boyer park here in Tiffin and was very well organized. The organizers weren't planning for the 300+ people (just under 300 for the 5k, some more for the 1 mile walk) who showed up, but I really thought they did a tremendous job. The weather was perfect as we seem to actually be getting fall weather this year. Not much to put down here but let's get to my report.
I started roughly right in the middle of the pack since I was looking for a nice, hard run but not really looking to race. That changed. We started off and I noticed the leaders going at what looked like a conservative pace, especially considering how flat it is around here. I felt pretty good and decided to make my way to where the first group was and see how long I could hold that pace. We ran through the park and into town, hitting the first mile in 6:34. That's way too fast for me. Usually I'm around 7:00. But I decided to hold on and keep going. We soon made our way up town to the turnaround and back. Most of this race was made up of two long straightaways. No problems having to worry about running the tangents, which is nice. I was feeling some fatigue when we hit the 2 mile mark, but my time (12:40) made me keep going at the same pace. The first straightaway seemed a lot longer on the way back. Imagine that! We made our way back to the park, wound through the park on the paved path, and I hit the finish in 20:47. This is, by far, my best 5k time this year. I've been lucky to get into the 21s this year. My time was good enough for seventh overall and second in my age group. More importantly, it gave me some extra confidence heading into a two half marathon October.
Next race: Dayton River Corridor Classic Half Marathon- Dayton, OH
The race was held at Hedges-Boyer park here in Tiffin and was very well organized. The organizers weren't planning for the 300+ people (just under 300 for the 5k, some more for the 1 mile walk) who showed up, but I really thought they did a tremendous job. The weather was perfect as we seem to actually be getting fall weather this year. Not much to put down here but let's get to my report.
I started roughly right in the middle of the pack since I was looking for a nice, hard run but not really looking to race. That changed. We started off and I noticed the leaders going at what looked like a conservative pace, especially considering how flat it is around here. I felt pretty good and decided to make my way to where the first group was and see how long I could hold that pace. We ran through the park and into town, hitting the first mile in 6:34. That's way too fast for me. Usually I'm around 7:00. But I decided to hold on and keep going. We soon made our way up town to the turnaround and back. Most of this race was made up of two long straightaways. No problems having to worry about running the tangents, which is nice. I was feeling some fatigue when we hit the 2 mile mark, but my time (12:40) made me keep going at the same pace. The first straightaway seemed a lot longer on the way back. Imagine that! We made our way back to the park, wound through the park on the paved path, and I hit the finish in 20:47. This is, by far, my best 5k time this year. I've been lucky to get into the 21s this year. My time was good enough for seventh overall and second in my age group. More importantly, it gave me some extra confidence heading into a two half marathon October.
Next race: Dayton River Corridor Classic Half Marathon- Dayton, OH
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Air Force Half Marathon
I ran half marathon number twenty last weekend at the Air Force Half Marathon in Dayton. My first experience with this race was last year when I ran a then-PR of 1:50.01. This year I had no aspirations of running a PR and simply wanted to run a good, hard race.
Friday went well as I made the trek from Tiffin to Dayton for the expo at the Nutter Center. This is my favorite race expo, surpassing even the Columbus Marathon. There are so many cool vendors there, many of which I haven't seen at any races. Packet pickup was a breeze which speaks to the organization of this race. I visited with some Dayton friends during the day and stayed with a friend in nearby Xenia the night before the race.
Race morning was cool and I made the drive to the Air Force base at 6:00. Even though the half marathon didn't start until 8:30, it was best to get there early as parking can be a nightmare otherwise. I sat in the car and read on my Kindle until about 7:30 or so. The long walk to the race start was enough to warm me up and I felt ready to go.
I started the race at a very conservative pace, knocking the first few miles out at a 9:10 pace. You know that my training has been very inconsistent this year if you've been following the blog. I didn't want to even have a shot at a PR because I knew I would die during the late miles if I went out fast. But things were about to become very interesting.
Somewhere during mile 4 we made a right hand turn that I didn't recall from last year's race. Races are bound to have little changes from year to year, so I thought nothing of it. A race official then came running towards us calling out that the half marathoners were going the wrong way. That's right. The leaders took a right turn when the shouldn't have and, to my recollection, there wasn't a sign telling us where to go. Those in the front of the pack ran about an extra two miles. I'm pretty sure I did an extra half mile or so, which got to me as my only goal for the race was to break two hours.
We turned around and made up the ground, but it was an absolute nightmare with marathoners trying to pass us and all of us merging back with the other half marathoners. I tried to settle into a good pace after this fiasco, but I never quite felt right. All I kept thinking about is that I have roughly four and a half minutes to make up. I stopped taking split times after the turnaround since my time wasn't accurate. The first few miles after that were decent but not great. I did take a gel at mile 6 and that gave me a little boost. Looking at my watch, I knew a sub-2 was still attainable as long as I didn't do anything stupid.
The hill at mile 8 wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered it from last year's race. The downhill helped and we made our way behind Wright State University. This stretch didn't seem as long as last year either. I started taking Gatorade during this stretch and felt pretty good for the last few miles. I picked up the pace at mile 10 and was able to hold it until the finish. Final time (with the turnaround)- 1:56.05
I'm pretty happy with my final time, especially considering the turnaround. The race is taking a lot of hits for this problem. There was a similar issue in the full marathon last year. I'm not terribly upset about it, but I'm obviously not pleased either. This was my second time doing this race and it is a long drive from Tiffin. I'll probably consider doing the Akron Marathon next year in place of this race.
Next race: Tiffin Firefighters 5k- Tiffin, OH
Friday went well as I made the trek from Tiffin to Dayton for the expo at the Nutter Center. This is my favorite race expo, surpassing even the Columbus Marathon. There are so many cool vendors there, many of which I haven't seen at any races. Packet pickup was a breeze which speaks to the organization of this race. I visited with some Dayton friends during the day and stayed with a friend in nearby Xenia the night before the race.
Race morning was cool and I made the drive to the Air Force base at 6:00. Even though the half marathon didn't start until 8:30, it was best to get there early as parking can be a nightmare otherwise. I sat in the car and read on my Kindle until about 7:30 or so. The long walk to the race start was enough to warm me up and I felt ready to go.
I started the race at a very conservative pace, knocking the first few miles out at a 9:10 pace. You know that my training has been very inconsistent this year if you've been following the blog. I didn't want to even have a shot at a PR because I knew I would die during the late miles if I went out fast. But things were about to become very interesting.
Somewhere during mile 4 we made a right hand turn that I didn't recall from last year's race. Races are bound to have little changes from year to year, so I thought nothing of it. A race official then came running towards us calling out that the half marathoners were going the wrong way. That's right. The leaders took a right turn when the shouldn't have and, to my recollection, there wasn't a sign telling us where to go. Those in the front of the pack ran about an extra two miles. I'm pretty sure I did an extra half mile or so, which got to me as my only goal for the race was to break two hours.
We turned around and made up the ground, but it was an absolute nightmare with marathoners trying to pass us and all of us merging back with the other half marathoners. I tried to settle into a good pace after this fiasco, but I never quite felt right. All I kept thinking about is that I have roughly four and a half minutes to make up. I stopped taking split times after the turnaround since my time wasn't accurate. The first few miles after that were decent but not great. I did take a gel at mile 6 and that gave me a little boost. Looking at my watch, I knew a sub-2 was still attainable as long as I didn't do anything stupid.
The hill at mile 8 wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered it from last year's race. The downhill helped and we made our way behind Wright State University. This stretch didn't seem as long as last year either. I started taking Gatorade during this stretch and felt pretty good for the last few miles. I picked up the pace at mile 10 and was able to hold it until the finish. Final time (with the turnaround)- 1:56.05
I'm pretty happy with my final time, especially considering the turnaround. The race is taking a lot of hits for this problem. There was a similar issue in the full marathon last year. I'm not terribly upset about it, but I'm obviously not pleased either. This was my second time doing this race and it is a long drive from Tiffin. I'll probably consider doing the Akron Marathon next year in place of this race.
Next race: Tiffin Firefighters 5k- Tiffin, OH
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Somerset Stampede Half Marathon
I checked the weather report earlier in the week and quickly signed up for this small race in Somerset Center, Michigan. It was a comfortable 50 degrees at the start of the race which is unheard of in mid-August. This race game me a chance to knock off my ninth state and get a tune-up in for the Air Force Half Marathon next month. And this little race was only $20.
The morning started early as I left Tiffin a little after 4 to make the trek to Somerset Center. I was amazed at how cool it felt outside. Perfect running weather for any time of year. I arrived at Somerset Beach Campground with about an hour to spare. This gave me plenty of time to stretch out and check out the course map. The race is billed as scenic and one of the toughest half marathons in the state of Michigan. It was a very scenic race around the countryside and it was definitely tough. In fact, this was the toughest half marathon course I've completed.
We started out at 7:30 and made our way through the campground area to the first of many dirt roads. This was one of the great things about this race. We ran on asphalt some, but most of the race was on dirt roads and even some trails. The hills started in right away. And they never stopped! Most of them were rolling but some were pretty steep. I clocked in at 9:00 for the first mile, 18:12 for the second, and then an inexplicable 28:25 followed by 33:37. The mile markers were obviously off, so I stopped paying attention to split times and focused on how I felt. And it felt rough for the first five miles or so. The constant ups and downs are something I'm just not accustomed to running.
We continued on some trails during mile 5 and back to dirt roads. The course was scenic and there were very, very few cars. It was simply a nice crisp morning. I took a gel at mile 5 and it helped. Mile 6 felt pretty good and I started to run a lot faster around mile 7, despite the never-ending hills. I got into a battle with another runner at mile 8 that went on for about two miles or so. He led for a bit, then I led, then we just ran together for a short time. I finally left him somewhere during mile 10 and passed a few others along the way. The mile 10 split time showed up at 1:23 but I knew that was impossible on this course. 1:26-1:27 is more likely.
The last three miles went by in a blur. There was one major hill during mile 11, then we made our way to a nice trail that wound its way around the campground. The soft surface was a nice change because my body was feeling all those hills. I finished hard down the final straightaway and came in at 1:50.06. This is my fourth fastest half marathon time but I'm a bit skeptical. I did feel like I ran one of my best races of the year, but those hills definitely work against you. The mile markers were off at times, so I wonder if the course was a bit short. Regardless, it wouldn't have been more than a few minutes slower, so my sub-2 hour half marathon streak has been extended to ten! This is the confidence boost I need going into the Air Force Half next month. I'm hoping to run a sub-1:50 at that race.
Next race: Air Force Half Marathon- Dayton, OH
The morning started early as I left Tiffin a little after 4 to make the trek to Somerset Center. I was amazed at how cool it felt outside. Perfect running weather for any time of year. I arrived at Somerset Beach Campground with about an hour to spare. This gave me plenty of time to stretch out and check out the course map. The race is billed as scenic and one of the toughest half marathons in the state of Michigan. It was a very scenic race around the countryside and it was definitely tough. In fact, this was the toughest half marathon course I've completed.
We started out at 7:30 and made our way through the campground area to the first of many dirt roads. This was one of the great things about this race. We ran on asphalt some, but most of the race was on dirt roads and even some trails. The hills started in right away. And they never stopped! Most of them were rolling but some were pretty steep. I clocked in at 9:00 for the first mile, 18:12 for the second, and then an inexplicable 28:25 followed by 33:37. The mile markers were obviously off, so I stopped paying attention to split times and focused on how I felt. And it felt rough for the first five miles or so. The constant ups and downs are something I'm just not accustomed to running.
We continued on some trails during mile 5 and back to dirt roads. The course was scenic and there were very, very few cars. It was simply a nice crisp morning. I took a gel at mile 5 and it helped. Mile 6 felt pretty good and I started to run a lot faster around mile 7, despite the never-ending hills. I got into a battle with another runner at mile 8 that went on for about two miles or so. He led for a bit, then I led, then we just ran together for a short time. I finally left him somewhere during mile 10 and passed a few others along the way. The mile 10 split time showed up at 1:23 but I knew that was impossible on this course. 1:26-1:27 is more likely.
The last three miles went by in a blur. There was one major hill during mile 11, then we made our way to a nice trail that wound its way around the campground. The soft surface was a nice change because my body was feeling all those hills. I finished hard down the final straightaway and came in at 1:50.06. This is my fourth fastest half marathon time but I'm a bit skeptical. I did feel like I ran one of my best races of the year, but those hills definitely work against you. The mile markers were off at times, so I wonder if the course was a bit short. Regardless, it wouldn't have been more than a few minutes slower, so my sub-2 hour half marathon streak has been extended to ten! This is the confidence boost I need going into the Air Force Half next month. I'm hoping to run a sub-1:50 at that race.
Next race: Air Force Half Marathon- Dayton, OH
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Carey Twilight 5k
I'm a week late with this post, but I ran the Carey Twilight 5k last Saturday evening. Due to some thunderstorms moving through the area, it was interesting to say the least. The race itself was much bigger than I was expecting with 250-300 runners. I got to the start later than I meant to and didn't have much time to warm-up.
The start was the best part of this race. We waited at the start line, looking down the first hill, and saw nothing but dark clouds with lightning in the distance. That was a first for me, despite having ran in 90+ races. The race director stated that he thought we could get the race in and to find cover if it got too bad. Okay. Will do. The nice thing about the weather was that it cooled everything down.
The downhill start was unfortunate because I really wanted to run negative splits in this one. But, of course, I had no choice but to start fast. We made it to the bottom of the hill, made a sharp left turn and entered a very cool park. We did a lap around the park and hit the first mile maker in 7:00. I was feeling pretty good and tried to keep up that pace. The weather was getting worse and we saw some lightning strikes just outside of town. I noticed this as I made my way around a pond. Water+Lightning=Picking up the pace
The second mile wasn't far off the first, clocking in at 14:12. There's not much to say about the course at this point. It was nice running in the evening, but it was your typical 5k through a small town. The line of people spraying hoses in the air along the course were nice. It wasn't really necessary since we were getting some sprinkles anyway. I tried to pick it up on the third mile but the course was mostly uphill at this point. I passed some people and clocked in at a respectable 21:44. Much better than the 23:00 I ran at my last 5k. I waited around for the awards and was pleasantly surprised to receive a nice glass for placing second in my age group.
I've been looking for a half marathon to do because I want to make sure that the Air Force Half next month will be my 20th. I looked at several races and decided on making the drive north to Michigan to get my 9th state.
Next race: Somerset Center Stampede Half Marathon- Somerset Center, MI
The start was the best part of this race. We waited at the start line, looking down the first hill, and saw nothing but dark clouds with lightning in the distance. That was a first for me, despite having ran in 90+ races. The race director stated that he thought we could get the race in and to find cover if it got too bad. Okay. Will do. The nice thing about the weather was that it cooled everything down.
The downhill start was unfortunate because I really wanted to run negative splits in this one. But, of course, I had no choice but to start fast. We made it to the bottom of the hill, made a sharp left turn and entered a very cool park. We did a lap around the park and hit the first mile maker in 7:00. I was feeling pretty good and tried to keep up that pace. The weather was getting worse and we saw some lightning strikes just outside of town. I noticed this as I made my way around a pond. Water+Lightning=Picking up the pace
The second mile wasn't far off the first, clocking in at 14:12. There's not much to say about the course at this point. It was nice running in the evening, but it was your typical 5k through a small town. The line of people spraying hoses in the air along the course were nice. It wasn't really necessary since we were getting some sprinkles anyway. I tried to pick it up on the third mile but the course was mostly uphill at this point. I passed some people and clocked in at a respectable 21:44. Much better than the 23:00 I ran at my last 5k. I waited around for the awards and was pleasantly surprised to receive a nice glass for placing second in my age group.
I've been looking for a half marathon to do because I want to make sure that the Air Force Half next month will be my 20th. I looked at several races and decided on making the drive north to Michigan to get my 9th state.
Next race: Somerset Center Stampede Half Marathon- Somerset Center, MI
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Old Port Half Marathon
I knocked off my eighth state, Maine, a few weeks ago at the Old Port Half Marathon. To say that this race was gorgeous would be an understatement. My performance was better than I expected. Summer training has been hit-or-miss due to the new job and move to NW Ohio.
I explored the city of Portland the day before the race. It was a blast! The Portland Head Light State Park is a very cool place to spend the afternoon. Packet pick up was smooth at the Maine Running Company. I loved the tech shirt and the glass mug I purchased.
Race morning was pretty smooth. I parked at one of the downtown garages and made the half mile trek to the race start along the Eastern Promenade. The first of two snafus occurred as I realized there was no bag check and had to run back to the car to stow my gear. No bag check? Seriously? Not a big deal, but I'm also not a fan. The second snafu was one I was at least aware of. The women's race started at 7:30 with the men's race starting at 7:45. Many people, including myself, were frustrated by this odd bit of race management. First, I want to run early. It's hot outside. Second, what purpose does this serve? Simply have a corral start if you're concerned about people lining up correctly. Many of the people in the second wave (you had some mixing due to people running with loved ones) were frustrated having to dodge some of the runners from the first wave during the second half of the race. Oh well. At least we knew ahead of time.
The second wave headed out and I started a little fast at around 8:00. The scenery and the cool breeze off the ocean felt great. Despite that, I had to dial it back some. We ran along the Eastern Promenade until the first bridge, near the Back Cove. I was feeling good and occasionally took off the headphones to enjoy the sites of Portland. The air felt clean and I just enjoyed being there. We continued our way north parallel to I-295 and hit the second bridge. Again, gorgeous views! My three mile time was just under the 27:00 mark. This is right where I needed to be and I kept it at that pace for the duration.
I loved the trail portion near the 5 mile mark. It was probably only a half mile long or so, but it was definitely a much needed break for the legs. This served as the turnaround point and we made our way back towards Portland. My favorite part of the course was the roughly three mile stretch (around the 7.5 mark to the 10.5 mark) looping around the Back Cove. This was a beautiful part of the course. The legs appreciated the crushed limestone surface this late in the race. Another thing that struck me were the number of people out and about on a Sunday morning. People were out jogging who weren't in the race, cycling, walking, etc. Portland is a very active community and a breath of fresh air.
We then made our way back along the Eastern Promenade towards the finish. I was feeling the race at this point and got into a mini-battle with another guy. He beat me out with about a half mile to go, but we did pass plenty of people along the way. The ending was at the Maine State Pier (very cool) and I came in at 1:54.31. Not a bad time considering the inconsistent training. My sub-2 hour half marathon streak extends to nine!
The post-race festivities were some of the best I've seen. A live band was playing actual music (Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc.). Pizza, fruit, ice cream, and Shipyard Brewing Company Beer were in abundance. Each runner was greeted with a cold towel and sports bottle filled with ice water at the finish. Nice touch. This was a great race and one I'll definitely consider coming to again.
Next race: Carey Twilight 5k- Carey, OH
I explored the city of Portland the day before the race. It was a blast! The Portland Head Light State Park is a very cool place to spend the afternoon. Packet pick up was smooth at the Maine Running Company. I loved the tech shirt and the glass mug I purchased.
Race morning was pretty smooth. I parked at one of the downtown garages and made the half mile trek to the race start along the Eastern Promenade. The first of two snafus occurred as I realized there was no bag check and had to run back to the car to stow my gear. No bag check? Seriously? Not a big deal, but I'm also not a fan. The second snafu was one I was at least aware of. The women's race started at 7:30 with the men's race starting at 7:45. Many people, including myself, were frustrated by this odd bit of race management. First, I want to run early. It's hot outside. Second, what purpose does this serve? Simply have a corral start if you're concerned about people lining up correctly. Many of the people in the second wave (you had some mixing due to people running with loved ones) were frustrated having to dodge some of the runners from the first wave during the second half of the race. Oh well. At least we knew ahead of time.
The second wave headed out and I started a little fast at around 8:00. The scenery and the cool breeze off the ocean felt great. Despite that, I had to dial it back some. We ran along the Eastern Promenade until the first bridge, near the Back Cove. I was feeling good and occasionally took off the headphones to enjoy the sites of Portland. The air felt clean and I just enjoyed being there. We continued our way north parallel to I-295 and hit the second bridge. Again, gorgeous views! My three mile time was just under the 27:00 mark. This is right where I needed to be and I kept it at that pace for the duration.
I loved the trail portion near the 5 mile mark. It was probably only a half mile long or so, but it was definitely a much needed break for the legs. This served as the turnaround point and we made our way back towards Portland. My favorite part of the course was the roughly three mile stretch (around the 7.5 mark to the 10.5 mark) looping around the Back Cove. This was a beautiful part of the course. The legs appreciated the crushed limestone surface this late in the race. Another thing that struck me were the number of people out and about on a Sunday morning. People were out jogging who weren't in the race, cycling, walking, etc. Portland is a very active community and a breath of fresh air.
We then made our way back along the Eastern Promenade towards the finish. I was feeling the race at this point and got into a mini-battle with another guy. He beat me out with about a half mile to go, but we did pass plenty of people along the way. The ending was at the Maine State Pier (very cool) and I came in at 1:54.31. Not a bad time considering the inconsistent training. My sub-2 hour half marathon streak extends to nine!
The post-race festivities were some of the best I've seen. A live band was playing actual music (Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc.). Pizza, fruit, ice cream, and Shipyard Brewing Company Beer were in abundance. Each runner was greeted with a cold towel and sports bottle filled with ice water at the finish. Nice touch. This was a great race and one I'll definitely consider coming to again.
Next race: Carey Twilight 5k- Carey, OH
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Run with the Little Giants 5K
This was my first race since I moved to Northwest Ohio and my twelfth straight on the Fourth of July. The race started and ended near the Fremont Recreation Center and benefited the local high school track team. My training has been pretty lackluster due to the move earlier this month. I've been able to get into a slight groove the past few weeks, but I'm nowhere close to being in tip top shape. Plus it was extremely hot and humid this morning.
The entire race was held on the bike path outside the Rec Center. I don't have much in the way of splits (except for the turnaround) as the miles were not marked. We started out at a very conservative pace due to the heat. I felt decent at the beginning but knew better than to push the pace. Most of the runners were high school/junior high age and I tried to stick with the second pack of runners. I really just wanted to place in my age group and not worry about my time.
We continued on the bike path to the Sandusky River. This was a nice part of the course as we made our way over the river, made a left turn, and ran along the river into a park. I clocked in at 11:18 at the turnaround point within the park. It was pretty obvious that I was not going to run anywhere near the 21s at this race. My legs were feeling weaker with every step and the sun beat down on us for the one mile portion after crossing the river and coming back. I actually took water during this race which is something I never do during a 5k. Judging by the number of cups on the path, lots of other runners were doing the same. I tried to finish strong but didn't push it too much. Final time- 23:00
This race was okay but I do have one complaint. There was no water/Gatorade at the finish line. Temperatures climbed near 100 today and it wasn't comfortable at the start of the race. We had to walk back to the Rec Center (about a half mile or so) to find anything to drink. The only thing there was one five gallon jug of Gatorade. That's it. Not acceptable for a race being held in July. Otherwise, the course and most of the organization was fine. I did run well enough to win second place in my age group.
Next Race: Flirt with Dirt Trail 5k- Findlay, OH
The entire race was held on the bike path outside the Rec Center. I don't have much in the way of splits (except for the turnaround) as the miles were not marked. We started out at a very conservative pace due to the heat. I felt decent at the beginning but knew better than to push the pace. Most of the runners were high school/junior high age and I tried to stick with the second pack of runners. I really just wanted to place in my age group and not worry about my time.
We continued on the bike path to the Sandusky River. This was a nice part of the course as we made our way over the river, made a left turn, and ran along the river into a park. I clocked in at 11:18 at the turnaround point within the park. It was pretty obvious that I was not going to run anywhere near the 21s at this race. My legs were feeling weaker with every step and the sun beat down on us for the one mile portion after crossing the river and coming back. I actually took water during this race which is something I never do during a 5k. Judging by the number of cups on the path, lots of other runners were doing the same. I tried to finish strong but didn't push it too much. Final time- 23:00
This race was okay but I do have one complaint. There was no water/Gatorade at the finish line. Temperatures climbed near 100 today and it wasn't comfortable at the start of the race. We had to walk back to the Rec Center (about a half mile or so) to find anything to drink. The only thing there was one five gallon jug of Gatorade. That's it. Not acceptable for a race being held in July. Otherwise, the course and most of the organization was fine. I did run well enough to win second place in my age group.
Next Race: Flirt with Dirt Trail 5k- Findlay, OH
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Sugarcreek 5 Miler
I wanted to do one last race sponsored
by the Ohio River Road Runners Club (read: well organized and free
for members) and this one couldn't have been better! It was held in
the ever-popular Sugarcreek Metro Park near Bellbrook. The technical
trails made for a very interesting trail race. Thankfully, the
footing was a lot better than during the torrential rains we had at
the Twin Creek 10k. But it was still a race full of uphills,
downhills, tree roots, and rocks.
I went straight to the park after work
and was very glad I did. The parking lot was almost full a good hour
before the race start. The race organizers told us that there were
two other group activities going on at the same time, which didn't
surprise me considering the popularity of Sugarcreek. I had plenty
of time to drink some water and stretch out. The stretching out was
especially important due to my lack of sufficient training. I was
really just looking for a nice workout for my last race in the Dayton
area.
I don't have any split times as it's
difficult to mark miles at a trail race. We started out with some
technical trail right off the bat. A winding downhill greeted us at
the start, followed by some winding paths. The hills weren't
terrible but you could tell they were there. I started off at a
conservative pace and simply ramped it up a bit on the downhills.
Overall, I felt great! A tough section came around at roughly two
miles in when we ran a winding downhill, crossed a stream by jumping
on rocks, and then making our way uphill. The uphill was awkard
because it was steep and narrow. Some runners tried running to the
side, while others attempted to climb up using some huge rocks. This
is the kind of stuff that makes trail running fun. You can't simply
zone out and go. You have to look down and constanly watch where you
are going. The halfway point was well marked, so we could get a
sense of where we were on the course. I still felt pretty good but
had an issue arise just past the half way mark. A rock had found its
way into one of the grooves on the bottom of my shoe and was hitting
the ball of my foot. It hurt quite a bit so I considered stopping.
For about a second. My time was still good and I could still run on
it so I tried to forget about it. Note to those reading this blog-
Don't do that! Just stop and take the rock out. My foot was hurting
for a few days after the race. The second half was easier than the first half and I finished strong with a 41.27. Surprisingly, that was good enough for third in my age group, so I'm 3/3 placing in trail races. I will greatly miss these ORRRC races, but I'm excited to run new races in the NW Ohio area.
Next race- Either Team Jenny 5k or Run with the Little Giants 5k, both in Fremont.
Casey Terrell Memorial 5k
I'm late on my race reports due to a
job change coupled with a move. I just moved out of the Dayton
area, but had two races (naturally) before I left. This first one
was a couple of weeks ago in Xenia. I've had great luck running
races in Xenia by placing in the two 5ks I've ran there and getting a
PR at the half marathon. But my training has taken a hit due to this
move. My realistic goal was to just run a good, hard race.
This course was interesting. We
started out by crossing the parking lot at the FOP Lodge to get to a steep and long
downhill toward the bike path. I wanted to start out at a
conservative pace and run negative splits but this start did not
allow for that. I flew down the hill and immediated knew that I was
running way too fast. This was a small 5k with no mile markers, so
I'm not sure what kind of splits I ran, but the first mile was way
too quick. Next, we made our way to the bike path (the same one we
run during the ORRRC Half) for a nice, flat straightaway. I had no
problem with this portion of the race until we got past the halfway
point. I knew I was in the top five, but I wasn't sure if I could
hold this kind of pace. I had stopped passing people and the next
person was a good 50 meters away. Instead, I focused on not getting
passed during the second half of the race. We continued along the
bike path, until roughly the 2.3 mile mark, until we made our way to
that hill again. Except this time we had to make a long trek up this
thing. I struggled uphill and just managed to keep my position. A
quick left turn back into the parking lot and I had a solid 21:29 and
a fourth place finish! Not too bad for managing very little training
over the past few weeks.
I did stick around for the awards and I
did wind up winning my age group. This was a very well organized
race which I would run again if I wasn't out of the area. The goodie
bags actually had useful stuff in them and the snacks after the race
were fantastic. Next up is my last race in the Dayton area.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Geist Half Marathon
The Geist Half Marathon has been on my list for a few years and I finally made the trek over to Indianapolis for this one. I came into this race with very modest goals. The Cap City Half was only two weeks ago and I really struggled with my recovery from that one. My goal was to run around 1:55, have some fun, and call it a day.
I'm pretty amazed at how organized this race is considering it's only five years old. The parking situation worried me, but it there was plenty of parking at the local high school. Buses were taking runners to the start line but I just walked. It was only a mile and good for a warm-up. My race bib was for Corral A as I had qualified for preferred seeding. One problem. I had qualified for Corral C. I was in Corral A with only about 30 other people who looked very, very fast. Hilarious.
We started out by making our way across the lake before starting our trek around. I started much like I did at Cap City with two 8 minute miles. Unlike Cap City, I really felt like crap. I was able to slow down by the time we made it to mile 3. And then I actually walked for a little ways. It wasn't painful, but my legs felt dead and just heavy. I tried stretching out some but it really wasn't until mile 6 until I felt good again. Not much to report. The course itself was gorgeous with great views of the lake and plenty of shade along the way. It was one of the hillier courses I've done this year. There were lots of rolling hills throughout the entire race. I just didn't feel great because of that dead feeling. Again, there were no major goals for this race but that doesn't mean I didn't want to have fun.
Despite the crappy feeling, I was still hitting my splits! I was at 58 minutes at the half way mark and finally starting to enjoy myself. Mile 7 included the steepest climb of the race which seemed to go on forever. My one complaint is that they should actually reverse the course so the runners have shade during the second half. It started getting warmer about 8 miles in and there was no shade. On a positive note, the volunteers at this race were some of the best I've seen at any race. From the police officers blocking traffic to the volunteers at the water stops this was first class all the way.
I hit the 10 mile mark at about 1:27 and felt decent. The sun was really beating down on us at this point. I don't have too much to say about the final 5k. I was really just trying to hang in there. More ups and downs before we hit the final downhill and made our way across the lake (gorgeous) to the Geist Marina for the finish. I finished strong in 1:54.21. The finish line area was really pretty cool. I wish I would have felt like sticking around but I really didn't. Just found a quiet area to stretch, grabbed water and a banana, and found my way to the shuttle buses to head back to the high school (point-to-point course). It wasn't hot until well into the second half of the race but I felt drained. I actually didn't feel good for a few hours after the race which was great with the drive back to Dayton. This race is very well organized and scenic. I would recommend it to anyone.
My next half marathon isn't scheduled until late July as I'll make my way to Portland, Maine for the Old Port Half Marathon. Between now and then I'll be running some 5ks.
I'm pretty amazed at how organized this race is considering it's only five years old. The parking situation worried me, but it there was plenty of parking at the local high school. Buses were taking runners to the start line but I just walked. It was only a mile and good for a warm-up. My race bib was for Corral A as I had qualified for preferred seeding. One problem. I had qualified for Corral C. I was in Corral A with only about 30 other people who looked very, very fast. Hilarious.
We started out by making our way across the lake before starting our trek around. I started much like I did at Cap City with two 8 minute miles. Unlike Cap City, I really felt like crap. I was able to slow down by the time we made it to mile 3. And then I actually walked for a little ways. It wasn't painful, but my legs felt dead and just heavy. I tried stretching out some but it really wasn't until mile 6 until I felt good again. Not much to report. The course itself was gorgeous with great views of the lake and plenty of shade along the way. It was one of the hillier courses I've done this year. There were lots of rolling hills throughout the entire race. I just didn't feel great because of that dead feeling. Again, there were no major goals for this race but that doesn't mean I didn't want to have fun.
Despite the crappy feeling, I was still hitting my splits! I was at 58 minutes at the half way mark and finally starting to enjoy myself. Mile 7 included the steepest climb of the race which seemed to go on forever. My one complaint is that they should actually reverse the course so the runners have shade during the second half. It started getting warmer about 8 miles in and there was no shade. On a positive note, the volunteers at this race were some of the best I've seen at any race. From the police officers blocking traffic to the volunteers at the water stops this was first class all the way.
I hit the 10 mile mark at about 1:27 and felt decent. The sun was really beating down on us at this point. I don't have too much to say about the final 5k. I was really just trying to hang in there. More ups and downs before we hit the final downhill and made our way across the lake (gorgeous) to the Geist Marina for the finish. I finished strong in 1:54.21. The finish line area was really pretty cool. I wish I would have felt like sticking around but I really didn't. Just found a quiet area to stretch, grabbed water and a banana, and found my way to the shuttle buses to head back to the high school (point-to-point course). It wasn't hot until well into the second half of the race but I felt drained. I actually didn't feel good for a few hours after the race which was great with the drive back to Dayton. This race is very well organized and scenic. I would recommend it to anyone.
My next half marathon isn't scheduled until late July as I'll make my way to Portland, Maine for the Old Port Half Marathon. Between now and then I'll be running some 5ks.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Capital City Half Marathon
I always say that I do a great job at races when I'm not coming in too confident and run poorly at those in which I come in looking for a PR. The trend continues. The temperature has been well above average for this time of year over the past week or so and my training has been so-so. I'm over the knee issue that plagued me for about two months, but I did not feel great about the weather. It's been downright miserable on short runs let alone on a 13.1 mile trek. My attitude for this race was to simply enjoy the sites of Columbus (my favorite city to run in) and run around a 1:55.
This race started along the Scioto River in downtown Columbus. It was pretty warm and humid when i made my way to the start at around 7:00. I overheard a lot of people saying they weren't looking to PR because of the weather. Based on the reports I've seen on Facebook, it looks like many runners ran a sub-par race.
We started out along the Scioto and I was amazed at how fast I felt I was going. Too fast. I didn't feel great by any means. I just couldn't slow down without feeling like crap. 8:45-9:00 per mile is my usual pace for the first 5k or so. The first mile clocked in at 7:56. Way too fast. The second mile was more of the same as I came in at 15:52. Even splits but way faster than I meant to go. The 5k came in at just under 24 minutes when I usually try for 26-27. I really don't know why I couldn't slow down during this first part of the race. The race conditions were far from idea. I even started taking water at the second water stop. Speaking of the water stops, I have a serious complaint about them. The volunteers did a wonderful job, especially considering the heat and humidity, but this is the first larger race (13,000) I've done where each water stop was only on one side of the road. This was a nightmare at some stops because of the number of runners. Nobody wants to cut off other runners to run over to the other side of the road for water/Gatorade. The entire race was like that.
I don't remember most of the mile splits past the 5k mark. Most of them were around 8:00-8:10 per mile. We ran over the Lane Ave. bridge, which was pretty cool, and near OSU campus. We didn't see much of this area during last October's Columbus Marathon. It was nice to see a few different areas. The fastest part of the course was going south on High Street, being a nice slight downhill run. I hit the 8 mile mark at about 1:05. Again, much faster than I wanted to run but I was hanging in there. We then took a short detour east away from the downtown area and then back south toward German Village. The ten mile mark came in at 1:20 and change. I've mentioned before that I usually hit it in 1:25-1:30. As opposed to my last half marathon, I did not decide to go all out for a PR but instead opted to simply hold a steady pace.
German Village is a nice area to run through, but I have a complaint about this section of the race. We were to wind our way through town some before heading back up High Street. Right before High Street, we ran maybe a quarter mile or so on a brick street. Maybe it's just me, but I'm sure many runners don't want to be running on a brick street around mile 12 of a half marathon. It wasn't terribly uneven but bad enough. High Street was up next and it was a challenge to finish this race taking the uphill portion of High toward downtown. It was around one mile even, though I heard from many people that the course was closer to 13.25 miles. I believe it because the finish line seemed very far away from the 13 mile marker. At this point I finally realized that a slight PR was a possibility. I gave it everything I had left and crossed the finish line in 1:45.35, a new PR by 9 seconds!
This was a very strange race to get a new PR. The course is definitely fast but the weather conditions made it a challenge. I never hit the runners high that I seem to get whenever I PR either. It never felt easy and I never just glided along. I'm pretty amazed that I ran a new PR, but I'm realizing that this isn't (and shouldn't be) a possibility at each of these races. My next race is definitely one that isn't conducive for fast times so I'm hoping I can just relax and have fun.
Next race: Geist Half Marathon- Indianapolis, IN
This race started along the Scioto River in downtown Columbus. It was pretty warm and humid when i made my way to the start at around 7:00. I overheard a lot of people saying they weren't looking to PR because of the weather. Based on the reports I've seen on Facebook, it looks like many runners ran a sub-par race.
We started out along the Scioto and I was amazed at how fast I felt I was going. Too fast. I didn't feel great by any means. I just couldn't slow down without feeling like crap. 8:45-9:00 per mile is my usual pace for the first 5k or so. The first mile clocked in at 7:56. Way too fast. The second mile was more of the same as I came in at 15:52. Even splits but way faster than I meant to go. The 5k came in at just under 24 minutes when I usually try for 26-27. I really don't know why I couldn't slow down during this first part of the race. The race conditions were far from idea. I even started taking water at the second water stop. Speaking of the water stops, I have a serious complaint about them. The volunteers did a wonderful job, especially considering the heat and humidity, but this is the first larger race (13,000) I've done where each water stop was only on one side of the road. This was a nightmare at some stops because of the number of runners. Nobody wants to cut off other runners to run over to the other side of the road for water/Gatorade. The entire race was like that.
I don't remember most of the mile splits past the 5k mark. Most of them were around 8:00-8:10 per mile. We ran over the Lane Ave. bridge, which was pretty cool, and near OSU campus. We didn't see much of this area during last October's Columbus Marathon. It was nice to see a few different areas. The fastest part of the course was going south on High Street, being a nice slight downhill run. I hit the 8 mile mark at about 1:05. Again, much faster than I wanted to run but I was hanging in there. We then took a short detour east away from the downtown area and then back south toward German Village. The ten mile mark came in at 1:20 and change. I've mentioned before that I usually hit it in 1:25-1:30. As opposed to my last half marathon, I did not decide to go all out for a PR but instead opted to simply hold a steady pace.
German Village is a nice area to run through, but I have a complaint about this section of the race. We were to wind our way through town some before heading back up High Street. Right before High Street, we ran maybe a quarter mile or so on a brick street. Maybe it's just me, but I'm sure many runners don't want to be running on a brick street around mile 12 of a half marathon. It wasn't terribly uneven but bad enough. High Street was up next and it was a challenge to finish this race taking the uphill portion of High toward downtown. It was around one mile even, though I heard from many people that the course was closer to 13.25 miles. I believe it because the finish line seemed very far away from the 13 mile marker. At this point I finally realized that a slight PR was a possibility. I gave it everything I had left and crossed the finish line in 1:45.35, a new PR by 9 seconds!
This was a very strange race to get a new PR. The course is definitely fast but the weather conditions made it a challenge. I never hit the runners high that I seem to get whenever I PR either. It never felt easy and I never just glided along. I'm pretty amazed that I ran a new PR, but I'm realizing that this isn't (and shouldn't be) a possibility at each of these races. My next race is definitely one that isn't conducive for fast times so I'm hoping I can just relax and have fun.
Next race: Geist Half Marathon- Indianapolis, IN
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Sugar Maple 5k
I'm usually not a big fan of racing two weeks in a row, but I've been trying to fit in some speedwork for the upcoming Capital City Half Marathon. It turned out to be a nice race and confidence boost.
I arrived in Bellbrook about an hour before the race. The weather wasn't the greatest, just like last week, but at least it wasn't pouring. The temperature was in the low to mid-40s with a light mist. We were 322 people strong. That shows how popular these ORRRC races are in this area. I came in just hoping for a nice race. 22-23 minutes seemed realistic, especially since I was out with friends the night before and we did not consume anything that could be considered healthy.
The gun went off and we started our trek out of town. I felt great from the beginning with the downhills during the first mile helping out. The pace was fast due to the competitiveness of these ORRRC races. I hung around with the second pack and hit the first mile in 6:58. Not bad at all but a little fast for this early in the year for me. We hit a nice little uphill and went straight down a little country road to the turnaround point. I wasn't passing anyone and nobody was passing me so I was in the right place. The second mile marker came up quickly and I hit it in 14:00. Still hitting 7:00 miles. The last mile seemed long to me but probably due to the long straightaway. The uphills didn't seem to bad. They were enough to feel great on the way down but not enough to feel bad on the way back up. I turned back towards town and hit the third mile in 21:01 with a finishing time of 21:21. My overall place was 50/322. I'm very happy with this race as I didn't start hitting 21s until mid-summer last year.
The Twin Creek 10k and this race have given me quite a bit of confidence heading into my next half marathon. I'm not one for doing much speedwork but it definitely helps.
Next race: Capital City Half Marathon- Columbus, OH
I arrived in Bellbrook about an hour before the race. The weather wasn't the greatest, just like last week, but at least it wasn't pouring. The temperature was in the low to mid-40s with a light mist. We were 322 people strong. That shows how popular these ORRRC races are in this area. I came in just hoping for a nice race. 22-23 minutes seemed realistic, especially since I was out with friends the night before and we did not consume anything that could be considered healthy.
The gun went off and we started our trek out of town. I felt great from the beginning with the downhills during the first mile helping out. The pace was fast due to the competitiveness of these ORRRC races. I hung around with the second pack and hit the first mile in 6:58. Not bad at all but a little fast for this early in the year for me. We hit a nice little uphill and went straight down a little country road to the turnaround point. I wasn't passing anyone and nobody was passing me so I was in the right place. The second mile marker came up quickly and I hit it in 14:00. Still hitting 7:00 miles. The last mile seemed long to me but probably due to the long straightaway. The uphills didn't seem to bad. They were enough to feel great on the way down but not enough to feel bad on the way back up. I turned back towards town and hit the third mile in 21:01 with a finishing time of 21:21. My overall place was 50/322. I'm very happy with this race as I didn't start hitting 21s until mid-summer last year.
The Twin Creek 10k and this race have given me quite a bit of confidence heading into my next half marathon. I'm not one for doing much speedwork but it definitely helps.
Next race: Capital City Half Marathon- Columbus, OH
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Twin Creek 10K+ Trail Run
This was only my second trail race and third 10K. To say I was a bit nervous about this one is an understatement. It's been very dry for well over a week now but it started raining an hour before the race and never let up. My first trail run was nice because it wasn't on a very technical trail. This one was nothing but hills, steep climbs, turns, and stream crossings. The rain made for some very messy spots and everyone I saw, including me, came close to wiping out several times. Plus the course was closer to 6.5 miles. But I have never had more fun running trails before!
I arrived at Twin Creek at 9:00 to sign up and stretch out. This is another ORRRC race so I didn't have to pay. I spent most of the hour in my car because the rain really let loose. Finally made my way to the start at about 15 minutes to the start just to get acclimated to the conditions. The mid-50s temperature was perfect but the rain was really cold. I didn't wear a watch and the miles weren't marked, so I'll just highlight the key points for this race.
We were thrown right into the fire with a steep downhill to start the race. It gave us a chance to see what the conditions were going to be like for the rest of the race. Sloppy. Very sloppy. We wound our way to the first steep uphill climb which everyone walked up. It would have been challenging in good conditions, but it was downright frightening in the torrential rain. Then we continued climbing, running downhill and winding our way through the park to where the pond is located. There were several short climbs here which required you to grab a branch and make your way to the top. The area was definitely scenic and I loved the view of the pond and the river. This was the turnaround point and we made our way back to the park entrance. The major climbs were out of the way, except for a hill that zigzagged all the way up. Most of the race was single track, making it difficult to pass anyone. You really had to know that you could pass the person and stay in front of them. I trailed another runner for about 10 minutes before finally passing him. We went down a steep hill, crossed a stream, and made our way back up. Somebody behind me a ways was flying down the hill which is crazy in a race like this. I had a feeling he would be pooped on the uphill and I was right. The last two miles were fairly straightforward with no major climbs, just muck. But the final quarter mile was just mean. Straight uphill to the finish line. I finished in 1:00.13 which was actually my goal before the rain started. I was very surprised to find that I placed third in my age group.
This race reminded me why trail running is such a different beast. But it's definitely fun. My legs were covered in mud. I was wet and cold. But I loved every minute of it.
I'm not 100% sure what my next race is going to be. If I feel up to it I'll be running in the Sugar Maple 5k on Saturday. If not, the Capital City Half Marathon will be next.
I arrived at Twin Creek at 9:00 to sign up and stretch out. This is another ORRRC race so I didn't have to pay. I spent most of the hour in my car because the rain really let loose. Finally made my way to the start at about 15 minutes to the start just to get acclimated to the conditions. The mid-50s temperature was perfect but the rain was really cold. I didn't wear a watch and the miles weren't marked, so I'll just highlight the key points for this race.
We were thrown right into the fire with a steep downhill to start the race. It gave us a chance to see what the conditions were going to be like for the rest of the race. Sloppy. Very sloppy. We wound our way to the first steep uphill climb which everyone walked up. It would have been challenging in good conditions, but it was downright frightening in the torrential rain. Then we continued climbing, running downhill and winding our way through the park to where the pond is located. There were several short climbs here which required you to grab a branch and make your way to the top. The area was definitely scenic and I loved the view of the pond and the river. This was the turnaround point and we made our way back to the park entrance. The major climbs were out of the way, except for a hill that zigzagged all the way up. Most of the race was single track, making it difficult to pass anyone. You really had to know that you could pass the person and stay in front of them. I trailed another runner for about 10 minutes before finally passing him. We went down a steep hill, crossed a stream, and made our way back up. Somebody behind me a ways was flying down the hill which is crazy in a race like this. I had a feeling he would be pooped on the uphill and I was right. The last two miles were fairly straightforward with no major climbs, just muck. But the final quarter mile was just mean. Straight uphill to the finish line. I finished in 1:00.13 which was actually my goal before the rain started. I was very surprised to find that I placed third in my age group.
This race reminded me why trail running is such a different beast. But it's definitely fun. My legs were covered in mud. I was wet and cold. But I loved every minute of it.
I'm not 100% sure what my next race is going to be. If I feel up to it I'll be running in the Sugar Maple 5k on Saturday. If not, the Capital City Half Marathon will be next.
Monday, March 26, 2012
ORRRC Half Marathon
I rarely do the same race twice unless it's 1) one of my absolute favorites, or 2) very close to where I live. The Ohio River Road Runners' Club Half Marathon is both one of my favorites and only a 25 minute drive away from home. I came into this one on minimal training after twisting my knee on a trail run last month. It's nothing major, but it does give me problems after I get to 6 or 7 miles. I haven't been able to do a long run since the Augusta Half Marathon one month ago. This led to me having pretty low expectations going into this race. I was sure I'd have fun, but I only set the goal of keeping my sub-2:00 streak alive. Nothing close to a PR. I didn't even wear a watch because I didn't want to put any pressure on myself. Apparently this is my new recipe for success.
It was a beautiful race morning with temps around 52 degrees with some patchy fog. Last year's race started in freezing conditions so it was nice to be able to warm-up outside rather than inside the Xenia YMCA like last year. I gave myself a solid hour to stretch, walk around a bit and listen to some music. There were four hundred more people in this year's race which is probably due to the extremely mild winter we had. People were actually able to train for a March marathon/half-marathon. The start was a bit more congested than last year, but it was handled very well. We lined up outside the Y to start the race.
Miles 1-5: Not a whole lot to comment on during this first stretch as it's the same course as last year. We made a loop north of the Y and made our way back south to the bike path. I was feeling pretty good and in control of my pace. I don't have many splits since I wasn't wearing a watch. Mile 2 came in at 16:58 so I knew I had actually started faster than I normally do. But I really didn't care because I felt great. We hit the bike path for a quarter mile or so, then on to a country road with a few hills. These were the only hills on the course and they're actually a nice change of pace. I knew where we were on this course at all times since I ran it last year which certainly helped. We made our way back to the bike path just after mile 4 and began the long trek toward the turn around at Central State University.
Miles 6-10: What I'm about to say is something I've repeated on this blog several times. Some races go by without that elusive "runner's high". But once in a while a race comes along in which I feel like the miles are going by effortlessly. This was one of those experiences and it was something I haven't had since the Air Force Half Marathon last September. One of the few clocks in this race is at mile 6. I made a point to look at it because I knew I was running a respectable time. 50:31. What? I'm usually around 54-55 minutes at the 6 mile mark. And I still felt great! But I didn't mess with the idea of a PR just yet. My training had been terrible recently, so I just held at the pace I had been running. We continued on the bike path and made the left hand turn towards Central State. This path is probably 3/4 mile long before turning back around and hitting the 8 mile marker. Then a right turn back to where we came from. I took Gatorade at both aid stations during this section, but I actually jogged through the aid stations which I normally don't do. I won a mini-battle with a few other runners who I was playing back and forth with and noticed I had picked off a few more runners along the way. The 10 mile mark was coming up which is located in the same spot as the 6 mile mark. That meant a clock. At this point I was beyond curious. 1:22 and change!!! My normal ten mile time is around 1:28-1:30. Decision made. I'm going for a new PR!
Mile 11-Finish: I picked it up some after seeing the clock, but I kept it within reason. No sense going for a new PR and bonking two miles down the road. I was feeling good despite my knee aching some. But I absolutely could not cut back on my pace. My goal last year was to break 1:50 and I ran a 1:50.01 at the Air Force Half. It was a new PR, but knowing I was that close to breaking the mark was frustrating. No way was that happening here. We kept up with the bike path until the last mile or so (I even skipped the last water station on the bike path) which finishes in town. Knowing where I was as I stepped off the bike path definitely helped. The last bit is uphill and it was a struggle to finish strong, but I gave it everything I had left. I can't wait to see the photos at the finish line because I had to have looked like a complete idiot. Seeing the time on the clock confirmed a new PR but by much more than I thought.
1:45.44!!! A new PR by over four minutes!
I had to have looked like a little kid when I crossed the mat and threw out the fist pump. But I did remember to stretch out good after the race, unlike some of my previous PR races. After stretching, I got some chicken noodle soup, fruit, water, and Gatorade before leaving. This race is really a bargain at $25. We also received a New Balance tech tee. Much nicer than some of the larger races I've done. I decided against doing a half in April and will focus on the Capital City Half Marathon in May. That race was going to be my PR attempt, so I'm not quite sure where to set the bar for that race. I do have a couple of shorter races for some speedwork to keep April interesting.
Next race: Twin Creek 10K- Germantown, OH
It was a beautiful race morning with temps around 52 degrees with some patchy fog. Last year's race started in freezing conditions so it was nice to be able to warm-up outside rather than inside the Xenia YMCA like last year. I gave myself a solid hour to stretch, walk around a bit and listen to some music. There were four hundred more people in this year's race which is probably due to the extremely mild winter we had. People were actually able to train for a March marathon/half-marathon. The start was a bit more congested than last year, but it was handled very well. We lined up outside the Y to start the race.
Miles 1-5: Not a whole lot to comment on during this first stretch as it's the same course as last year. We made a loop north of the Y and made our way back south to the bike path. I was feeling pretty good and in control of my pace. I don't have many splits since I wasn't wearing a watch. Mile 2 came in at 16:58 so I knew I had actually started faster than I normally do. But I really didn't care because I felt great. We hit the bike path for a quarter mile or so, then on to a country road with a few hills. These were the only hills on the course and they're actually a nice change of pace. I knew where we were on this course at all times since I ran it last year which certainly helped. We made our way back to the bike path just after mile 4 and began the long trek toward the turn around at Central State University.
Miles 6-10: What I'm about to say is something I've repeated on this blog several times. Some races go by without that elusive "runner's high". But once in a while a race comes along in which I feel like the miles are going by effortlessly. This was one of those experiences and it was something I haven't had since the Air Force Half Marathon last September. One of the few clocks in this race is at mile 6. I made a point to look at it because I knew I was running a respectable time. 50:31. What? I'm usually around 54-55 minutes at the 6 mile mark. And I still felt great! But I didn't mess with the idea of a PR just yet. My training had been terrible recently, so I just held at the pace I had been running. We continued on the bike path and made the left hand turn towards Central State. This path is probably 3/4 mile long before turning back around and hitting the 8 mile marker. Then a right turn back to where we came from. I took Gatorade at both aid stations during this section, but I actually jogged through the aid stations which I normally don't do. I won a mini-battle with a few other runners who I was playing back and forth with and noticed I had picked off a few more runners along the way. The 10 mile mark was coming up which is located in the same spot as the 6 mile mark. That meant a clock. At this point I was beyond curious. 1:22 and change!!! My normal ten mile time is around 1:28-1:30. Decision made. I'm going for a new PR!
Mile 11-Finish: I picked it up some after seeing the clock, but I kept it within reason. No sense going for a new PR and bonking two miles down the road. I was feeling good despite my knee aching some. But I absolutely could not cut back on my pace. My goal last year was to break 1:50 and I ran a 1:50.01 at the Air Force Half. It was a new PR, but knowing I was that close to breaking the mark was frustrating. No way was that happening here. We kept up with the bike path until the last mile or so (I even skipped the last water station on the bike path) which finishes in town. Knowing where I was as I stepped off the bike path definitely helped. The last bit is uphill and it was a struggle to finish strong, but I gave it everything I had left. I can't wait to see the photos at the finish line because I had to have looked like a complete idiot. Seeing the time on the clock confirmed a new PR but by much more than I thought.
1:45.44!!! A new PR by over four minutes!
I had to have looked like a little kid when I crossed the mat and threw out the fist pump. But I did remember to stretch out good after the race, unlike some of my previous PR races. After stretching, I got some chicken noodle soup, fruit, water, and Gatorade before leaving. This race is really a bargain at $25. We also received a New Balance tech tee. Much nicer than some of the larger races I've done. I decided against doing a half in April and will focus on the Capital City Half Marathon in May. That race was going to be my PR attempt, so I'm not quite sure where to set the bar for that race. I do have a couple of shorter races for some speedwork to keep April interesting.
Next race: Twin Creek 10K- Germantown, OH
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Augusta Half Marathon
I chose this as my get out of Ohio in the winter race for 2012. Of course we've had such a mild winter that temps in Georgia were about the same as here. Oh well.
This race was very, very well organized with excellent communication from the race directors. I did my usual stay a few blocks away from the race thing which works really well when you're in an unfamiliar city. Packet pickup and the race start was held at Enterprise Mill right by the Augusta Canal. This is an actual renovated mill now used for office space and special events. Packet pickup was easy on Saturday. A few local running stores were represented as well as some local marathons. My preference is to go right in and out at these expos (another reason I love smaller races) and go about my business. I was able to check out some historic sites around Augusta and western South Carolina.
Sunday morning was chilly. Almost Ohio chilly. It was around 40 degrees at race start, but with a pretty strong wind. I actually wore a hat, gloves and a long sleeve tech shirt. The first five miles of this race were probably the most eventful of any race I've ever done. We started right outside of Enterprise Mill where my only complaint about this race takes place. The race starts and we immediately have to make a u-turn in about 60 yards. Huh?!!! This made for a very clustered start. They definitely need to change this for next year. We made our way through the scenic downtown area on Broad St. which I highly recommend visiting. It's just a cool downtown with plenty of things going on. The art and history museums are very cool, as is the Augusta Riverwalk along the Savannah River. We then turned away from the downtown area and ran down Walton Way. Now the race is very flat for the first three miles or so. I was at 26:15 for the first three which is just better than my 9 minute usual pace. But then all heck broke loose. Many of the race emails warned us of The Hill. I like some hills in races but this monster was ridiculous. It felt like we were running straight up, then there's a slight turn where we're met with more of the same. I believe it was roughly one mile of this hill if not more. I kept my pace right at 9 minute miles and hit the five mile mark in 45 minutes.
We had the nice downhill that accompanies a rugged uphill and the rest of the race had lots of hills. They were manageable but my quads were definitely feeling it. The second five miles didn't have anything as interesting as the first five until we hit Olmstead Lake at mile 9. This was a very cool part of the race as we made our way around the lake (around 2.5 miles). I hit the 10 mile mark in 1:26. My usual is to hit this in around 1:30 but I've been hitting these faster times the past few half marathons so I definitely need to adjust my goal pace at these races.
The final 3.1 felt pretty fast and I'm surprised with how much I had left. We finished our circuit around the lake and made our way back towards downtown. It was basically one long straightaway which made for a fast finish. I crossed the finish line in 1:51.24. Good enough for my third fastest half! The medal is one of the coolest ones I've earned. The food at the finish was a big disappointment. Bagels, oranges and bananas were pretty much all they offered. This race definitely has the potential to become a premier half marathon in the South. There were roughly 1,100 runners and 24 states represented.
Considering the lack of consistent training (due to odd Ohio weather) and this being my first half of the year, I'm thrilled with this time. My goal of breaking 1:50 this year is definitely a strong possibility with the first attempt coming in one month's time.
Next race: Ohio River Road Runners Club Half Marathon- Xenia, OH
This race was very, very well organized with excellent communication from the race directors. I did my usual stay a few blocks away from the race thing which works really well when you're in an unfamiliar city. Packet pickup and the race start was held at Enterprise Mill right by the Augusta Canal. This is an actual renovated mill now used for office space and special events. Packet pickup was easy on Saturday. A few local running stores were represented as well as some local marathons. My preference is to go right in and out at these expos (another reason I love smaller races) and go about my business. I was able to check out some historic sites around Augusta and western South Carolina.
We had the nice downhill that accompanies a rugged uphill and the rest of the race had lots of hills. They were manageable but my quads were definitely feeling it. The second five miles didn't have anything as interesting as the first five until we hit Olmstead Lake at mile 9. This was a very cool part of the race as we made our way around the lake (around 2.5 miles). I hit the 10 mile mark in 1:26. My usual is to hit this in around 1:30 but I've been hitting these faster times the past few half marathons so I definitely need to adjust my goal pace at these races.
The final 3.1 felt pretty fast and I'm surprised with how much I had left. We finished our circuit around the lake and made our way back towards downtown. It was basically one long straightaway which made for a fast finish. I crossed the finish line in 1:51.24. Good enough for my third fastest half! The medal is one of the coolest ones I've earned. The food at the finish was a big disappointment. Bagels, oranges and bananas were pretty much all they offered. This race definitely has the potential to become a premier half marathon in the South. There were roughly 1,100 runners and 24 states represented.
Considering the lack of consistent training (due to odd Ohio weather) and this being my first half of the year, I'm thrilled with this time. My goal of breaking 1:50 this year is definitely a strong possibility with the first attempt coming in one month's time.
Next race: Ohio River Road Runners Club Half Marathon- Xenia, OH
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Frostbite 5 Miler
I decided to make this my first race of 2012 for a couple reasons- 1) The weather in Ohio has been very nice this winter and today was no exception. Low 40s and sunny. Perfect running weather. 2) I joined the Ohio River Road Runners Club and most of their races are free for members. No brainer. 3) 5 miles is a nice distance to test where I am and to prepare for the Augusta Half Marathon in three weeks.
I didn't come in thinking that I would necessarily race this one more than use it as a tuneup for Augusta. I went out fairly easy in the first mile, which went around Centerville High School and made its way through the surrounding neighborhood. Pretty level first mile and I clocked in around 8:17. The second mile started with a downhill followed by a twisting uphill. I really liked this course because of all the elevation changes. I prefer courses with some rolling hills as it works more of the leg muscles than a flat course. My time was slightly faster for the second mile and I was at 16:20. For coming out easy, I really felt that I was running a nice pace and kicked it up slightly during mile 3. More uphills during this miles we continued making our way through some of the local neighborhoods. I was at 24:10 at mile 3 and was on pace to run a race of nothing but negative splits.
We ran a loop around one neighborhood for mile 4 and I was staying at a good pace. I kept reeling people in and passing them and felt surprisingly good. There was one killer hill as we started the final mile and I passed a few people here. Then we made it back towards the high school and I finished hard, passing five people in the last 200 meters, and clocked in at 38:45. I came in just looking to run this in 42-43 minutes, so I'll take it.
Next race: Augusta Half Marathon- Augusta, GA
I didn't come in thinking that I would necessarily race this one more than use it as a tuneup for Augusta. I went out fairly easy in the first mile, which went around Centerville High School and made its way through the surrounding neighborhood. Pretty level first mile and I clocked in around 8:17. The second mile started with a downhill followed by a twisting uphill. I really liked this course because of all the elevation changes. I prefer courses with some rolling hills as it works more of the leg muscles than a flat course. My time was slightly faster for the second mile and I was at 16:20. For coming out easy, I really felt that I was running a nice pace and kicked it up slightly during mile 3. More uphills during this miles we continued making our way through some of the local neighborhoods. I was at 24:10 at mile 3 and was on pace to run a race of nothing but negative splits.
We ran a loop around one neighborhood for mile 4 and I was staying at a good pace. I kept reeling people in and passing them and felt surprisingly good. There was one killer hill as we started the final mile and I passed a few people here. Then we made it back towards the high school and I finished hard, passing five people in the last 200 meters, and clocked in at 38:45. I came in just looking to run this in 42-43 minutes, so I'll take it.
Next race: Augusta Half Marathon- Augusta, GA
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