2015 Year in Review

This was certainly one of my best running years.  My half marathon PR dropped several times, I won a few races, and enjoyed training/racing with FW.  I meant to scale back my race schedule and somehow managed to increase it.  I also didn't have any single "man, that was terrible" races.  Heck, I even had the "opportunity" to run a solid half marathon in 17 degree weather.

Here are my thoughts on 2015:

2015 Race Totals

5k- 9
4 Miler- 2
Half Marathon- 11
1 10k, 1 7k, 1 17k
Grand total of 201 miles in races

Highlights

• PR'd three times in the half marathon.  These happened at the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Half, Three Creeks Half, and Ohio River Road Runners Half.
• Ran only my second sub-20:00 5k at the Ontario Liberty 5k (19:52).
• I ran my first double by doing the 5k and half marathon at Rock 'n' Roll Arizona.  Then I completed the Skyline 3-Way Challenge by running the 5k, 10k and half marathon at the Flying Pig.
• Added states twelve (Arizona) and thirteen (Rhode Island).
• This was an awards heavy year for me.  I won three more races, bringing my grand total to six, by winning the Liwiro La Malawi 5k, Great Mohican 17k, and Lifesaver 5k.  I came in second at the FIT Fright 5k in Norwalk.  I placed in a couple half marathons, too, by getting second in my age group at the Three Creeks Half and third at the Medina Half.
• I had a blast training with FW this year and she made significant strides by beating her 5k PR twice, first at the Flying Pig then at the Kingwood 5k.
• FW continues to fight plantar fasciitis but she's hanging in there.  She's working very hard on the elliptical, stationary bike, treadmill, and some light lifting.  I'm very curious to see how she does once spring gets here.
• I also enjoyed the support I received from FW throughout the year.  She went to so many races (not always in great weather) to support me.  I know it can't be fun to watch a race start and then wait around for over an hour and a half.  You're the best, FW!

Favorite Races

• Rock 'n' Roll Arizona 5k/Half Marathon- This was a terrific destination race and I ran a surprisingly ran a new PR at the time.  The course is scenic and you could not ask for better weather!
• Ohio River Road Runners Club Half Marathon- The ORRRC race winds up on my list year after year.  This was my fourth time running it and second time I PR'd.  FW and I enjoyed a nice weekend in nearby Yellow Springs which made the experience even better.  If you are looking for a well organized race, look no further!
• Flying Pig Skyline 3-Way- The entire experience was wonderful at the Flying Pig.  The 10k was more enjoyable than most and following it up by running the 5k with FW was even better.  Plus, FW ran a then-PR.  The next day's half marathon was the most challenging of the year, but I may have had more fun than all the others.
• Private Heath Warner Memorial 4 Miler- This one was a shocker!  We had beautiful weather for late May and I ran an insane 25:51.  The course was pretty nice and the organization was top notch.
• Medina Half Marathon- A late addition to my 2015 schedule, the Medina Half was a blast.  FW enjoyed the town square with a great coffee shop and farmer's market.  I enjoyed the course, even though there was an insane amount of turns.  This was also only the third time I placed in a half marathon.
• Kingwood 5k- FW ran a PR and had a great time doing it!  Kingwood is a really cool place to hold a race and we plan on doing it again.
• Akron Half Marathon- This one marked my 50th half marathon and I could not have picked a better race to celebrate the accomplishment.  The organization is some of the best I've seen.  It has a big-city feel without all the hassle.

2016 Goals

• Set a new half marathon PR.  My current PR is 1:36:24.  With that in mind...
• Break 1:35 in the half marathon.
• Set a new 5k PR.  My current best is 19:42.  This one may be a bit too unrealistic, but I think I can do it on the right course in the right conditions.
• Run 7-8 half marathons.  We have a wedding to plan but I think this is still realistic.
• Run a trail half marathon if my schedule allows.
• I would love for FW to set a new 5k PR.  She made some excellent strides this year.  She'll be good if the plantar doesn't keep coming back.
• Find a 5 miler (or above) for FW.  She came very close by running the Shawshank Hustle 7k and that was in miserable conditions.

Next race: Ohio Northern University Polar Bear Indoor Half Marathon- Ada, OH

Lifesaver 5k

My final 2015 race summed up one of my most solid years of running.  I've had a lot of good things happen this year, including half marathon PRs, a few wins, placing at several halves, a sub-20 5k, and more. 

This race was in nearby Mifflin at Charles Mill Lake and it was a beautiful day.  We had some very strange weather for an Ohio December.  It was over 50 degrees at the start of the race and most runners, including myself, were wearing shorts and t-shirts.  It was very enjoyable for FW, as the weather was great and she was able to see me at several points on the course.

We started out with a quick loop around the campground area and, man, the hills were much more than expected!  They were rollers but I had no choice but to fly down them early on.  There was a 10k running the same course, so it was very difficult to tell where I was at in the race.  I started out with the top five people but I was thinking they were 10kers.  We looped around and back to the start line where we headed out a peninsula in the lake.  My first mile came in WAY too fast at 6:04. 

The peninsula portion was flatter and very scenic with good views of the lake.  I got a side cramp at about the 1.5 mile mark that really hurt me the rest of the race.  I actually walked for a bit because it was affecting my stride.  The second mile came in at a much slower 7:01.  I probably should have started at that pace but the first hills got me.  We finished the peninsula and made our way to the third loop by running out towards the highway.  I saw the 10kers coming back and realized I was the first 5k runner.  As I made my turn and came back it took a while to see the next 5k runner.  So I knew I had my third win of the year in the bag and kicked it in as much as I could.  I high-fived FW as I made the turn to the finish line and hit the mat in 20:46. This is another fast 5k for me!  More importantly it was my sixth ever first place finish!  I received a nice trophy for my efforts.

2015 has been a great running year.  I'll have my end of year thoughts posted in a week or so.  I'm signed up for three half marathons in 2016 with more to be added soon.  The first one is my first indoor half.

Next race: Ohio Northern University Polar Bear Indoor Half Marathon- Ada, OH

Flying Feather 4 Miler

FW (Future Wife!) and I headed down to Dublin on Thanksgiving for the Flying Feather 4 Miler.  I ran this one last year and posted a good time just under 30 minutes.  This year we used the race to see how FW is doing after getting back into an exercise routine.  She had a very good day!

Getting to the race was a piece of cake.  We parked at the same high school as last year and immediately jumped on one of the shuttle buses to the start.  One complaint: We got there very early to pick up our packets but The Club at Corazon was not open for runners to warm up.  This was one of the best things about last year's race as it was pretty chilly out.  I can't imagine why it wasn't open this year but it was very disappointing.  I mean, really, poor FW had to try to warm up on her own!

 

But we did get a picture with the race mascot!

 

On to the race!

We started near the end so FW could get into a rhythm and not start too fast.  She had the goal of getting in under 1:20.  We jogged for a bit at the start and then settled into a brisk walk/jog for much of the race.  FW hit the tangents well and was really working hard.  This course has a TON of turns for the first two miles or so.  We hit the first mile in 17:48.  That was well within range of her 1:20 goal but we knew she'd have to pace during the second mile.  We continued winding around some VERY nice neighborhoods near Glacier Ridge Park and just enjoyed the decent weather for a Thanksgiving morning.  FW was still working hard but not feeling bad.  We hit the second mile in 17:54, still well within reach of her goal for the day.  I started thinking she could actually break 1:10 if she continued at this pace.

We finally made our way into Glacier Ridge Park at about the 2.25 mile mark.  This part of the course is a bit more scenic which we enjoyed.  There's still a bit of winding around during this section but not as much.  FW started springkkling in more jogging during this section .  Her time was starting to look better and better.  We passed quite a few people during this part of the race, too.  I think FW has a similar strategy as I do, as she didn't like getting caught up in large groups and would speed up to pass them.  She hit the third mile in 17:17.  She really sped up during the final mile as we had a nice, long straightaway to the finish.  She used some downhills to her advantage and jogged down, took a break, and jogged down the next one.  We made a turn toward the finish and finished hard with a 16:05 final mile, good enough for a 1:09:14 final time!  This was obviously much faster than she thought she would run at this race and I couldn't be prouder!  

FW has started getting into a groove again but she's starting to get some plantar fasciitis again.  We're hoping she'll be able to do the elliptical and stationary bike over the winter to build up her cardio.  

The final race for 2015 will be a local 5k.

Next race: Project Lifesaver 5k- Mifflin, OH

 

Second Sole Made in America Half Marathon

My final half marathon for 2015 was at the Second Sole Made in America Half in Massillon, OH.  We experienced very mild weather for this time of year as the days leading to the race were in the high 70s.  But not on race day!  It was a cold thirty degrees when I left Mansfield at 6:00 on race morning.  This wouldn't normally worry me but I didn't have time to acclimate to colder temperatures yet.  Despite running with pants (for maybe only the third or fourth time ever), I ran a great race and had a good time.  I also ran this one with a good friend, making it a great way to finish my eleventh half of the year.  My only goal for the race was to stay in the 1:45 range.

Packet pickup was a breeze as there was a trailer set up outside the Massillon Recreation Center.  Parking was abundant and I was able to quickly grab my bib and go back to the car to warm-up.  My friend met me there and we did our best to stay warm prior to the start.  Thankfully, there was no wind and the sun came out before the race.  We headed over to the start, about a block away, and chatted prior to the start.

Miles 1-5: We started out on a slight downhill and made our way through a very long straightaway.  My friend and I started out at about a 8:30 pace.  I wanted to help him settle into a nice pace as this was his only race of the year.  I felt pretty good and headed out after the two mile mark to make up some time.  This part of the course had the only hills but they were simple rollers.  It was also not very scenic until we came to the Towpath Trail about four miles into the race.  Then the race got fun as the trail was crushed limestone which felt great!  Plus, the fall foliage looked really cool as we continued farther from town.  Here are the splits for the first five: 1 (8:29), 2 (7:50), 3 (7:45), 4 (7:20), 5 (7:22).  I started out well on pace for a 1:45 or better.

Miles 6-10: I don't have the mile splits for this portion of the race.  After looking at the race site it appears I stuck around a 7:20-7:30 pace.  We hit the bike path on the return back to Massillon and were still treated with crushed limestone trail for a bit before hitting the bike path.  I tucked in with a group of runners for a bit and tried to focus on each mile.  I had been crapping out on a lot of long runs prior to this race but it didn't happen here.

Miles 11-13.1: More of the same bike path.  It felt a lot warmer during the last stretch of this race and I actually rolled up the sleeves on my running jacket.  I felt good and passed five or so people during the past few miles.  The sun felt good and it turned into a beautiful day for a run.  I was able to run a very solid final 5k and finished in 1:42:40, good enough for 85/453 overall.

This race is pretty well organized except for the finish.  I could not find any fruit but there were Subway sandwiches because this race was part of the Subway Ohio Challenge Series. I have very mixed thoughts on the series, but would it be difficult to offer up some fruit or granola bars after a half marathon?  The other issue is that the start and finish were about one mile apart.  My friend (who ran a great race!) and I walked the bike path back to the car and were very thankful it wasn't colder out.  Other than these little glitches I'm looking forward to running this one again next year.

The next race was a dual effort with GF (who is now FW for Future Wife!) on Thanksgiving morning.

Next race: Flying Feather 4 Miler- Dublin, OH

FIT Fright Challenge 5k

This was a very late addition to my running schedule.  GF and I have been extremely busy the past few months and I didn't have any races scheduled in October.  We had a rare free Saturday morning last week and I decided to sign up for this one in nearby Norwalk.  I'm very happy I gave it a shot as the result was very surprising.

Everyone knows I put minimum effort into training for a 5k.  I normally have a half marathon soon after, so I have to keep my focus on that goal.  This one was no different as my next half is in a couple days.  This was also my first 5k in over three months.  So I did a few three milers at a good pace and came in just hoping for the best.  My left hip has been giving me some issues, too, though it doesn't seem to be affecting my running.

This race started at Veterans Memorial Lake Park in Norwalk.  The scenery was gorgeous for a fall run.  We've also had very mild weather for late fall, so the overall experience was very nice for this time of year.  On to my thoughts.

I lined up near the front of the meager start line as it didn't look like there were too many people looking to race.  Many folks were dressed up for Halloween, giving this race a different laid back feel.  We started by running a trail between two of the park lakes.  A few younger folks started out in front for the first half mile or so.  Ah, youth.  I started out at a good pace and looked to maintain steady splits throughout the race.  It took little time for me and another runner to pull out in front of everyone and make it a two person race.  My first mile came in at 6:42.  We wound through the park and made a few short loops.  The scenery was great throughout as it was either wooded areas or open areas with views of the lakes.  It continued being a two person race, though I would occasionally pass him for a bit, then he'd pass me for a bit.  I think we both decided to give up on that and run step for step for a bit.  The second mile came in at 6:55.  I think this picture shows that I was working my butt off.

I made my "move" early in the final mile because I knew I would not have much of a kick left.  My pace was just too fast compared to my training.  I passed the other runner as we made our way back to the thin strip between the two lakes.  But I didn't build much of a cushion and he was able to stay about 5-10 meters behind me as we headed downhill to the finish.  I tried to hold on but he passed me with a .1 mile left and won by six seconds.  Disappointing as it is to lose a race at the very end, I'm still very happy with my finishing time of 20:25.  This ties my fourth fastest 5k time.  I also just realized that three of my five fastest 5k times have happened in 2015.  That's a surprise.

This race gave me a bit of extra confidence going into Sunday's half marathon.  Massillon will be my last half marathon of the year.

Next race: Made in America Half Marathon- Massillon, OH

Akron Half Marathon- Half Marathon #50!

GF and I celebrated a huge milestone last month as I ran my 50th half marathon!  I couldn't have picked a better race for this accomplishment.  The Akron Half Marathon was perfectly organized, the weather was gorgeous, the swag was terrific, and I had a great time!  GF would like to add that this is a VERY spectator-friendly race.  She was able to see me at four different points in the race and only had to walk a few blocks.  She saw the start, the 6 mile mark, 11 mile mark, and the finish.  GF rated this as one of the most enjoyable events she's attended with me.  If you are looking for a race in NE Ohio, look no further.

Obviously, it has been quite some time since this race and I haven't updated the blog because I haven't entered a race in a long time.  I'll add my basic thoughts to this one as it was more about finishing half #50 than anything else.

We had a bit of a snafu on the way to the race.  GF asked me the day prior if I had ever missed a race for any reason.  I said, "Of course not!  I plan ahead and get to each race with time to spare".  Until this race.  I mistakenly kept thinking it started at 7:30 when it actually started at 7:00.  We got to the parking garage, which is right at the start line, at about 6:40.  I figured we had plenty of time, so we waited a few minutes before making our way to the start...just in time to see Corral C taking off.  Whoops!  I figured I had plenty of time since the race was chip timed, so I had GF snap a few pre-race pictures and then took off at the end of Corral C.  What's amazing to me is that we were able to park right next to the start line 20 minutes before the race!

On to my report:

Miles 1-5: Well, my GPS would not start since I had no time to wait around.  I ran this one without that benefit, but I actually enjoyed running by feel.  The problem was I spent the first 4-5 miles dodging people due to my late start.  We headed north on a nice, long straightaway.  I believe we headed the opposite way when I ran the full back in 2013, so I enjoyed running a slightly different course.  The crowd in Akron is surprisingly good and it makes a medium city race feel like a big city one.  I believe I was right on pace at around 8:00 per mile after the first five.

Miles 6-10: We made our way back toward downtown with and headed east to the University of Akron campus.  This portion was much more enjoyable than in '13 as it seemed we ran through more of the campus and a lot of students were out cheering.  GF saw me early in this portion but I missed her as it was still very crowded.  I still felt very good during this portion of the race and continued running 8:00 pace.  We made our way south out of the campus and then headed back north towards downtown once again.

Miles 11-13.1:  GF saw me once again at mile 11 and I actually saw her this time.  I did my goofy fist-pump and high-fived her.  We had a few rolling hills as we ran through downtown and made a short loop to the minor league baseball stadium for the finish.  Again, I was really enjoying myself and basking in the glory of finishing my 50th half marathon.  We finished in the stadium and I collected my medal and finishing gift, which was a great pair of running socks!  My finishing time was 1:43:35, good enough for 356/4111 overall and 37/279 in my age group.  Not a bad day!

I've already finished ten half marathons in 2015 and achieved my goal of getting to 50 overall.  The last one for the year is in a little over a week.  This has not been my usual October as I haven't raced at all.  To remedy that, I'll be doing a 5k this weekend to prep for the half marathon.

Next race: FIT Fright Challenge 5k- Norwalk, OH

YOLO Festival of Races Half Marathon

GF and I made the long trek back to my stomping grounds for a wedding this past weekend.  It was tiring but a lot of fun.  We spent the time in Sidney and Piqua (yes, those scenic areas) so I naturally looked for a race in the vicinity.  Luckily, I stumbled upon this race in nearby Greenville and signed up.  This one counted as my 49th half marathon.

Lesson learned: Do NOT sign up for a race right after a long wedding day on Labor Day weekend.  We spent all day Saturday with the wedding festivities and the near 90 degree heat.  We were beat Saturday night and had to turn around and get up at 5:30 the next morning.  Have I mentioned recently how GF is the best?  She is patient beyond words.

On to the race.  This one was put on by the same timing company that did the Shawshank Hustle 7k that I despised.  I'm now convinced that the venue was the problem with that race because this one was one of the most well organized smaller half marathons I've had the pleasure to run.  There were two other races, a 5k and 15k, going on at the same time.  The organizers and volunteers were exceptional.  If you are looking for a well organized, small half marathon, look no further.  I would put the organization close to the Ohio River Road Runners Club Half which is my favorite race.  The water stops were well stocked.  The route was very, very well marked.  The medal is awesome!  It was a great event.

Miles 1-5: I started out pretty strong because the temperature was in the mid-60s at the start.  My goal was to get at least 7 miles in before the inevitable warm-up.  We started with half a lap on the high school track before exiting the stadium and running down some streets near the school.  There were a lot of turns on this course, similar to the Medina Half Marathon.  We made our way toward the Darke County Fairgrounds and ran through a few of the trails there.  The first half of the course was rather ho-hum.  There were several nicer residential areas but mostly it was a typical small town tour.  I don't have exact splits for this race as my watch did not save the data.  Most of the early miles were in the 7:45 range.

Miles 6-10: I definitely slowed down and had up and down miles during this section.  The issue with my legs crapping out has not subsided, though it is improving.  I sprinkled in a few walk breaks when we went through the fairgrounds.  The best part of the course was when we made our way through downtown Greenville.  The course support was very good here and the downtown is very nice.  I was in a larger group of runners at this point, too, which made it feel more like a race.  The course merged with the 15k runners for a short time prior to veering off to another neighborhood for a short loop, then coming back to where the 15k runners came through.  We continued north toward the finish and hit a nice bike path.  The shade felt wonderful as the temperature had risen a lot.  I was sprinkling in a lot more walking.My pace was still decent, but the walk breaks took there toll as I was in the 8:00-8:30 range for this portion of the course.

Miles 11-13.1: We then made our way back to the finish, but first we ran through the Treaty of Greenville State Park.  This is a small, but gorgeous, state park to run through.  Plenty of trees and a small pond with a fountain make this a great running location.  One more residential development and we finally made our way back to the finish on the track.  I felt good these last few miles and powered through for a respectable 1:45:20.  I finished 13/118 overall and placed 2/6 in my age group.  Not bad for my second slowest half of 2015.  I really can't say enough about how well the organizers did with this race.  It won't be on my list for next year but only because it's too far of a drive.  I would highly recommend it to anyone near the Greenville area.

The next race will be my 50th half marathon.  That's hard to imagine since I only started running these in 2009.  It should be a great day!

Next race: Akron Half Marathon- Akron, OH

East Bay Half Marathon

GF and I went on vacation to Boston and the Cape Cod area a few weeks ago.  We had a blast!  There was so much to do as we took in the beaches, Fenway Park, a whale watch, and the historic sites.  Naturally, I had a half marathon, #48 for me, on the docket right after we got there.  We stayed a few nights near Providence so I could run the East Bay Half Marathon in East Providence, RI.  This counts as my thirteenth state in which I've ran a half or full marathon.  My performance was lackluster, though I would have been thrilled with the time last year.  I've had an issue in my left hip that may or may not stem from my IT band issue a few years back.  You remember, the one I didn't give much time at all to heal?  Yeah, that one.

Miles 1-5: We started off from Pierce Field in East Providence and ran through some residential areas.  It was nothing too scenic but it was a lovely day.  It was starting to heat up earlier than I'm used to.  I started off at a conservative pace that I just couldn't quite beat and ran most of the race with or near the same fellow runners.  I really liked the size of the race (286) as there was no congestion yet I was never running alone.  The first five was mostly straight as we made our way south along the Narragansett Bay before turning around and heading back north.  We didn't really have much view of the water during this first section.  Here are my first five splits: 1 (7:46), 2 (8:24), 3 (7:52), 4 (7:40), 5 (8:02).  The splits aren't bad by any means, but I really was all over the map with my times.

Miles 6-10:  We meandered through some more residential areas during miles 6 and 7.  I was simply trying to hold on to my pace as my legs were feeling dead.  I went back and forth with a group of ten runners or so.  I'd pass, then walk for a bit, they'd pass, then I'd catch back up.  It went like that for quite some time as I simply could not get into a groove.  We finally made our way to the bike path and were rewarded with views of the Narragansett Bay and downtown Providence further to the north.  This was what I was looking forward to and it didn't disappoint.  Here are the second five splits: 6 (7:51), 7 (7:55), 8 (8:33), 9 (8:15), 10 (7:47).  Again, these splits aren't bad just inconsistent.

Miles 11-13.2: I was wildly inconsistent during the final portion of the race.  Miles 11 and 12 felt horrible and I just wanted to be done.  We continued heading north near a small park and then turned around to head back south to Pierce Stadium.  This was actually quite hilly.  I was really struggling and walked a good portion of mile 12 as the 9:02 split shows.  Once we were done with the hill, we headed east back to the finish.  We finished with a 3/4 lap on the track which I always enjoy.  I also get to see GF doing a celebratory dance at the finish.  Here are the last few splits: 11 (8:05), 12 (9:02), 13 (7:30), 13.2 (1:15).  My final time was a respectable 1:45:56, good enough for 45/286 overall.  This was my slowest time of the year by almost six minutes, but I was simply happy to hang in there and run a respectable pace.

Training has been slow and inconsistent ever since this race.  I'm trying to start slow and build up but 8:00/mile has been my normal training pace all year.  It's tough to change that.  The next race should be a fun one and will count as number 49 for me.  I'll hit big #50 in Akron at the end of September.

Next race: Yolo Family of Races Half Marathon- Greenville, OH

Great Mohican 19k...err...17k

I ran a terrific race at the Great Mohican 17k at nearby Pleasant Hill Lake a few weeks ago and still have not posted my race report.  The race was fun, but there were definitely some big areas in which the experience could improve.  I had signed up for the 19k but road construction forced the organizers to make it a 17k.  No big deal as that was out of their hands.  However, the race was so small it was kind of weird.  The main events were the triathlon and duathlon, which had 22 and 2 participants, respectively.  The 19k had only 7 participants.  There's quite a running community in the Mansfield and Wooster areas, so it seems like some better advertising would help. 

My main problem with this race were the water stops was that there was only one water stop.  Seriously.  A ten and a half mile race in early August had only one water stop.  I was going to bring a water bottle with me but the organizers said there were two stops.  The only one I saw was at the 3 1/2 mile mark, leaving 7 miles without any water.  I made it, but I do wonder how the others in this race fared.

We headed out from the beach area to start the race and I settled into an easy pace.  My main goal was to run a nice, easy pace and use it as training for the upcoming East Bay Half Marathon.  I tucked in behind the two lead runners for the first couple miles, as we wound our way away from the park and onto some country roads.  The hills were simple rollers at this point.  I decided to make a move and humor myself by taking the lead early on.  I was on my own from then on.

The course wasn't too scenic and it was constant up-down, up-down.  Seriously, these hills were killers.  The only race I have done with tougher hills was last year's Mad Half Marathon in Vermont.  This one was constant hills.  The worst part was that I had to fly downhill each time as many of the hills were so steep you couldn't go down at an easy pace.  I walked up many of them and flew down the other side which kept my time respectable.  I was hovering around 8-9 minutes per mile.  I don't have exact splits for this race.

We made a long loop on country roads before making our way back to State Route 95, taking us back to the lake.  I kept looking behind me but couldn't see anyone.  I really eased off the gas over the last two miles as I knew I had the win and wanted to save my legs.  I spotted ever encouraging GF at the finish and high-fived her on the way in.  My finishing time was 1:20:20 which isn't far off of my normal half marathon pace.  The downhills really helped me gain time because I walked A TON in this one.  This counted as my fifth road race victory and I did get a very nice personalized plaque for my efforts. GF and I were able to take a dip in the lake after the race.  That helped my legs immensely!  Next on the docket is state number 13.

Next race: East Bay Half Marathon- East Providence, RI

Shawshank Hustle 7k

GF's plantar fasciitis has improved dramatically the past few weeks, so we went forward with our plan to run the Shawshank Hustle 7k last weekend.  This is the longest race GF has ever competed in and she did a great job despite the numerous snags of this one.

I'm usually pretty forgiving of first year races.  This one had way too many snags for me to consider giving it another shot.  There was way too much confusion about the race distance.  It was listed as a 7k for the longest time, then it was listed as a 4 miler, then I saw stuff listing it as a 7k again.  Seriously.  If you visit the website now (after the race!) it's listed as a 4 miler.  Then there was the busing situation.  Good grief.  We got to the pick-up site, which was about two miles away, with over an hour to spare.  Should be plenty of time, right?  Wrong.  They had a few buses available and we waited for over an hour.  They even moved the start back to 9:00 from 8:30 and there were still people waiting to be bused.  Plus, it was so packed at the reformatory that you could hardly move, making the first mile of the race a total cluster.  The race was capped at 3000 and I'm honestly not sure if the organizers visited the site beforehand to see if it could accommodate that number.  Getting a bus on the way back took another 45 minutes or so.  I've been checking the event Facebook page and people are saying everyone should have been there earlier.  I don't like waiting around for 2-3 hours before a race.  One hour should be plenty of time.  Finally, the water stops.  The first one was around 2 miles into the race.  The second was a half mile after that.  And that was it.  That's dangerous for folks on a hot day in July.  I get this was more of a "theme" race with with the Shawshank theme but it was poorly organized.

Now, the race itself.  The start was a cluster with an uphill right out of the gate.  We then turned toward Mansfield and made our way downtown.  We had a few nice downhills early on and GF did some light jogging during these sections.  She actually wasn't far off her usual pace for the first two miles.  Her plantar felt good for the first few miles, too.  We turned again onto Main Street and made our way south into downtown.  If you know downtown Mansfield, you know this is a huge uphill and it was quite a battle. I grabbed GF a water at the top of the hill and checked how she was doing.  So far, so good.  I could tell she was having a fun time. 

We hit the turnaround and got the nice downhill after all that uphill.  GF was still looking good as we hit the second water station.  She did start to feel the plantar a little bit on the downhill which didn't surprise us.  The varied terrain probably helped her out but a steep downhill wasn't the best thing for her.  We made our way back out of town and I requested regular progress reports.  We turned back toward the reformatory for the last big hill and GF certainly felt this one.  I kept reminding her that this was the last hill left and that she had this one in the bag.  After turning and heading back toward the reformatory, she wanted to try to jog the rest of the way to the finish.  I grabbed her hand (just in case) and we ran to the finish.  For her longest race ever, GF finished in 1:19:07.  She was 1373/1695 overall for the women's division, plus she beat a hundred or so of the guys.  Her pace actually wasn't far off her 5k effort.

I'm extremely proud of how well GF did at this race after battling plantar for well over a month.  She's turned the corner and we're looking at scheduling her a 5k in September or October.  Next up for me is an odd distance that I actually completed this morning.

Next race: Great Mohican 17k- Perrysville, OH

Ontario Liberty 5k

I can't believe it's been two weeks since this race and I'm just now getting to my (brief) race report.  The short of it is that I ran a great race on a relatively short course in perfect conditions.  This was originally going to be a PR attempt for GF, but she's still battling a case of plantar fasciitis.  So I decided to try for a sub-20:00 race only one week after a solid 5k in Tiro.

We started out from the Ontario High School and I tried to keep with the front pack.  That was a no-go as this was an insanely fast 5k.  I tucked in with the second group which was still flying.  The race was made up of some nice straightaways with a few minor rolling hills.  I felt great but came out way too fast.  The first mile clocked in at 5:52.  I'm not even sure when the last time is I've clocked a sub-6:00 mile in a 5k.  Maybe never.  The second mile was also very fast as we made a few turns and made our way through Marshall Park.  I was in a small group of 4-5 runners and was desperately trying to hold on.  The second mile came in at 6:08, despite the fact that the only actual hill was near the end of this mile.  We continued our way through Marshall Park before making a turn back toward the high school.  There wasn't anyone I could catch in front of me, nor was there anyone on my heels during this last mile.  I really wish there would have been as I might have run a PR.  Still, I hurried toward the finish, high-fived a celebrating GF, and made my way to the line in 19:52.  This is only the second time I've broken 20:00 in a 5k!  I finished 9/148 overall and first in my age group.  I can mark another 2015 running goal off my list.

 GF is still battling plantar but she's improving.  She's working on the elliptical and the stationary bike to keep her cardio up and we've gone for a few walks.  We are doing the Shawshank Hustle here in Mansfield this coming Saturday and it looks like she'll have to walk a good portion of it.  We're hoping to find her another 5k in the near future.

Next race: Shawshank Hustle 4 Miler- Mansfield, OH

Tiro-Auburn Firefighter's Festival 5k

GF and I headed to the tiny hamlet of Tiro for an evening 5k.  I ran this one last year and it was one of my fastest.  Last year's weather conditions were much worse than this year's experience.  It was in the high-80s and sunny last year.  This year it was in the low-70s and overcast with some light rain during the last half of the race.  This year's race was also much smaller than last year's race and I'm really hoping they continue to hold it in the future.  The folks who were there all looked like serious runners.  I was a bit nervous at the start.

We made our way to the meager start line in the center of town and took off.  The first half mile was a gradual downhill and I started out very fast.  I tucked in with the lead pack and tried to hold it from there.  There were five of us in this pack until the eventual winner took off like a gazelle.  The course was nothing special as we wound down country roads.  I hit the first mile in an amazing 6:09.  That's certainly PR territory for me but I knew I could not sustain that pace.  I passed one runner during the second mile as we continued on.  I was just under ten minutes at the turnaround point but was feeling the effort.  We started back to Tiro and I hit the second mile in 12:48.  Finally, the typical side cramp I get in these evening races reared its ugly head and I simply tried to keep moving.  I was holding steady in fourth place.  Two runners were gaining on me as I made my way back to the first straightaway.  I gave it whatever I had left and hit the finish in 20:09.  This is my second fastest 5k ever!  I barely held on for fourth overall and first in my age group.  The age group award was awesome this year as I received a $15 Dick's Sporting Goods gift card!  GF and I promptly made our way to the festival's food tent and made short work out of a lot of food.

Considering the lack of training for shorter races, I'm very happy with my time.  I'm seriously considering going after a PR at my next 5k.  The next one on the docket is a GF PR attempt at the Ontario Fourth of July 5k this coming weekend.  Unfortunately, GF has been battling a case of plantar fasciitis and we're waiting to see if she can compete.

Next race: Ontario Fourth of July 5k- Ontario, OH

Kingwood 5K

GF and I ran the Kingwood 5k at the nearby Kingwood Center in Mansfield.  This is one of GF's favorite places as the site includes a myriad of flowers and other plants.  We used this as a PR attempt for GF, despite her recent training being up and down.  The temperatures held at a reasonable level for mid-June but the humidity was high.

We started out with a long straightaway and a turnaround near the high school.  GF was able to start off at a terrific pace as there was more room to operate than at her last 5k.  She actually started off much faster than I had anticipated by sprinkling in some fast bursts.  This worked well for her at the Flying Pig and it worked even better at this race.  We were trying to hang with the second larger group of runners and GF did a great job of doing so.  Her first mile came in at 14:20.  That's a full minute faster than I wanted her to go out! 

The bike path was the next section on the course and we were on there for a while.  GF was still sprinkling in some fast bursts, but she was certainly feeling the effects of the first mile.  She passed some people and kept them behind her during this second mile, keeping her just behind the second larger group.  We made our way to North Lake Park for a nice loop before heading back toward the path.  Her second mile came in at 14:24 so she hadn't slowed by much. 

We continued down the bike path toward the Kingwood Center and GF was feeling her efforts.  She slowed some here, but I told her to just keep moving and save some for the finish.  This part of the course was mentally tough as we knew we had almost a mile to go before turning.  We also had a nice hill to contend with as we made our way back to Kingwood.  The third mile came in at 15:30 as GF sprinted downhill into the Kingwood Center and crossed the line at 45:23.  This makes a new PR for GF by 4 seconds!  This was a bit shocking as, again, her training leading up to this one was so-so.  Her next attempt is coming on the Fourth of July, but first I have a 5k in nearby Tiro.

Next race: Tiro-Auburn Firefighter's Festival 5k

Medina Half Marathon

My final half marathon for the first half of 2015 was a fun one in nearby Medina, OH.  This race is only in its third year, but the terrific organization makes you think this one has been around for a long time.  My only complaint is there was no race day packet pickup.  For a smaller race, this was a bit irritating.  I had to drive there on Friday afternoon and turn around and get up at 4:30 the next morning for the race.  Other than that, I was pleased with this one.

GF and I made the trek a bit after 5:00 for the early 6:45 start.  I was thankful for the early start as the sun came out and it warmed up quickly not too long after I finished the race.  The half marathon started and ended in Medina's downtown square.  The added bonus was the fantastic farmer's market that was up and running by the time I finished.  GF and I had a blast at this event.

I had no real goals for this race other than finishing under 1:45.  My body is very beat up after the ridiculous amount of racing I've done this year.  I really should back off but it's just too much fun!  I met up with a few other Half Fanatics prior to the race which was also fun.  Finally, I lined up near the 1:50 pace team and we were off.

Miles 1-5: This race was billed as tough and hilly.  The hills were mostly rollers and the first half of the course didn't present any problems.  The first two miles were actually downhill and I took off at a good pace.  I had a slight issue with my watch as I had forgotten to delete some previous data, so my splits start around .1 to .15 into the race as I had to clear data.  I felt very good during the first five as we made our way around the north end of town and made our way in a semi-circle to the east side.  We ran through plenty of nice residential areas and the roads were blocked off.  I started off well and immediately began thinking of a sub-1:40 race.  Here are the first five:  1 (7:27), 2 (7:02), 3 (7:15), 4 (7:13), 5 (7:30).  The splits are fairly consistent but I knew the second half of the course would be tougher.

Miles 6-10: We continued along the east part of town and I remembered what I had seen on the course map.  This course had more turns than any other half marathon I've completed.  It was constant turning and it was very difficult to hit all the tangents.  I felt like I did an excellent job, but I do hope they tweak this course next year.  The longest portion was on a small bike path for roughly 3/4 mile or so.  I was still enjoying the course, though.  I was right where I needed to be as I wasn't being passed nor was I passing many runners.  The residential areas were pretty and the few people who were out were very supportive.  However, I was starting to feel the rolling hills and the humidity late in the course, as you can see from my splits.  Here are the second five: 6 (7:23), 7 (7:32), 8 (7:22), 9 (7:20), 10 (8:28).  Mile 10 was a rough one, but I was still able to get to 10 in about 1:15.

Miles 11-Finish: I was really slowing down and sprinkling in some walking breaks at times.  A few runners were near me so I focused on beating them.  I knew I had a good time in the bag, but I really wanted to hit my sixth sub-1:40 for the year.  Here are the last few miles: 11 (8:10), 12 (7:52), 13 (6:58).  I was able to pass two runners and actually had a great thirteenth mile.  I cruised to the finish in a terrific 1:38:46 which was good enough for 31/886 overall.  I saw GF as I approached the finish and sprinted over to give her a high five.  The pictures from the race are great as you can see the exact moment I spotted her and grinned.

Surprisingly, I placed in my age group at 3/48.  This is only the third time I've placed in my age group for a half and the second time this year.

Thankfully, I am taking a two month break from half marathons and will focus on some summer 5ks.  GF is training for her next 5k, but she's been feeling under the weather recently.  She still churned out a good three miler this morning and I think she'll surprise herself next Saturday.  We're going to focus on a July 4th 5k for her next PR attempt.

Next race: Kingwood 5k- Mansfield, OH

Future Running Goals

I've been thinking a lot about my future running goals.  For a change of pace, it would be fun for me to get these goals down and (hopefully) check them off one by one.  Here are my future running goals.

1. Run a half marathon in half the states. 

I know the Fifty Staters Club is extremely popular.  But, let's face it, there are some states that I just don't care to spend money traveling to just to get in another race.  Half the states is doable and doesn't break the bank travel-wise.  So far, I've ran either a marathon or half marathon in 12 states.  The states in which I've completed races are Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Texas, Arizona, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Vermont, and Maine.  Rhode Island is the next one on my list.  West Virginia would be an easy one that I should do soon.

2. Run in 50 and, much later, 100 half marathons.

I've been moving at an amazing clip over the past four years.  My current race schedule sets up the Akron Half Marathon to be my 50th and I have 2-3 more after that to finish off the year.

3. Run another sub-20:00 5k

I've accomplished this once in my life.  After the last four miler, I know I can hit a sub-20:00, though it would have to be in perfect conditions.

4. Run the Pikes Peak Ascent

This one is pretty crazy since it would be hard for me to train here in NE Ohio.  Still, I wouldn't care a bit about my time.  I would just want to finish.

5. Try another full marathon

I have nothing to prove, but I would like to give the full marathon one more go.  I'm much faster than I was when I ran the 2013 Akron Marathon or my PR effort at the 2011 Columbus Marathon.  If I can train properly for one, I think I could get a 3:40-3:50 full marathon, if not faster.

6. Attempt a 50k

I have absolutely no aspirations of trying a 50 or 100 miler.  But the 50k ultra-distance is doable. 

7. Run a sub-1:35 half marathon

I am so close on this one.  This year has produced three half marathon PRs as I brought my time down to a 1:36:24.  This goal may be off the list by the end of the year.

Private Heath Warner Memorial Four Miler

GF and I made the trek to Massillon for this four miler.  I had to skip last week's 5k due to illness and found this race online.  I'm glad I did because this was very well organized and I had more fun than expected.  The temperature was in the low 40s at the start which certainly helped.

We started out from the Massillon YMCA and I went out at a strong pace.  I actually went out at a 5k PR type pace.  There weren't many hills on the course, surprising for Massillon, and I took full advantage of the low temps.  The leaders took off at a ridiculous pace.  I was with the second wave and hit the first mile in 6:17.  That's a fast mile for me!  I battled with another runner over the next two miles which kept me focused.  The course wound around a nice park during the last two and a half miles or so.  A two miler was going on at the same time and they veered off around this point.  I kept going back and forth with the other runner and there wasn't many people near us.  The second and third miles came in at 6:31 and 6:45.  I would have ran my second fastest 5k had this race not been a four miler.  Pretty crazy considering I have not spent any time training for these shorter distances this year.

The final mile included a couple minor hills as we doubled back to the 2 mile/4 mile split.  The 4 milers stayed straight this time and wound toward the finish.  My battle with the other runner ended halfway through mile 4, but another runner overtook both of us at the same time.  I still knew I had a solid race in the bag and focused on finishing strong.  I finished in an amazing 25:51, so that last mile came in at just over 6 minutes.  My effort was good enough for 10/235 overall and first in my age group, making it a two medal day.  I was very impressed with the organization of this race and plan on doing it again next year.  GF and I even got in a two miler to help her with her training!

GF Training Update

GF is getting back into the swing of things after her amazing Flying Pig effort.  She had solid 1 1/2, 2, and 3 mile runs this week.  Most of her runs have been around 2 miles and we're trying to get back to the same strength she was at for the Flying Pig.  She's set to run the Kingwood 5k here in Mansfield in mid-June.  I'm really hoping she can set her second PR of the year!

Next race: Medina Half Marathon- Medina, OH

Flying Pig Half Marathon

The final stage in the Skyline 3-Way was the Flying Pig Half Marathon.  I was simply having fun with the series and had no designs on making a PR attempt or anything like that.  I was shooting for around 1:45, but I knew getting a decent time on this course would be difficult.  Everything you've heard about the hills at the Flying Pig are true.  The first half was flatter than I thought it would be but the second half was tough!

GF and I made our way to Paul Brown Stadium for the early 6:30 start.  It was a bit tough to get into the corrals (I was in B) since the race was huge. I didn't run into any problems, though, and still left with the second wave.  Here's my report.

Miles 1-5: I felt good at the beginning, considering the previous day's 10k and 5k attempts.  We made our way from Paul Brown Stadium east and crossed into Kentucky.  This part of the course was the same as the 10k.  The Newport section was very pretty and we saw the sun rise within the first couple miles. We made our way back to the Ohio side and headed toward downtown Cincinnati.  I enjoyed the downtown portion as much as any others on the course.  The crowd support was outstanding.  The congestion of the first few miles was gone and I could maneuver.  I was running some very solid splits, too.  Here are the first five: 1 (8:50), 2 (8:05), 3 (7:55), 4 (7:45), 5 (7:40).  I was executing my plan perfectly and slowly chipping away at the time from the first mile.

Miles 6-10: We continued through the downtown area and getting closer to the famous hills the Flying Pig has to offer.  I was still feeling surprisingly great and lowering my time with every step.  Until mile 6.  The hills started and, good grief, were they long and steep.  The first one took a "take no prisoners" approach and was simply cruel.  There seemed to be no end to it and it lasted about 3/4 mile.  The course flattened out for a very brief time and started right in again with another steep hill.  I've done plenty of half marathons with these long hills sprinkled throughout and others that have rolling hills the whole course.  I'll take the rollers any day of the week.  Having such hills smack in the middle of the course is punishment on the quads.  Even looking forward to the eventual downhill didn't really help as I knew my legs would be destroyed before that.  We exited Eden Park during mile 8 and the course leveled off for about two miles.  Here are the splits: 6 (7:03), 7 (7:52), 8 (7:53), 9 (7:25), 10 (7:25).  You can definitely tell the hilly sections from the flat ones.  My splits were still below 8:00 and I knew a sub-1:45 was a definite, despite the fact the course was measuring 1/5 mile long.

Miles 11-13.1: Now we hit the steep downhill portion of the race.  This was actually a tough part as the quads were destroyed and there was no holding back on such steep declines.  I passed a ton of people during this section and just had fun with it.  We briefly went around Eden Park and headed back downtown.  The final mile was close to the same as the 10k finish.  I was feeling great about my time and decided to pump up the crowd during my final sprint to the finish.  GF even got to watch the end of my race, which is a rarity at a race this size.  I hit the finish line in an amazing 1:40:42.  I can't believe I ran such a tough race in a respectable time, especially after running almost 10 miles the previous day. Here are the final splits: 11 (7:08), 12 (6:42), 13 (6:50), 13.1 (2:08).  I finished 442/11,527 overall and 75/623 in my age group.  Not bad at all for such a huge race!  I also finished 98/701 overall in the Skyline 3-Way Challenge.

GF took a few post-race shots and I also took one of the ridiculous amount of medals for the weekend, including an extra for completing the 3-Way Challenge.

I have actually been running every day since The Pig.  That's a surprise and it really shows how much improvement I've made over the past year.  I do have one half marathon at the end of the month, but I'm starting to switch gears for summer 5ks.  GF plans on doing several with me and I'm sure she's going to break her PR several more times.

Next race: Greek Festival 5k- Mansfield, OH

Flying Pig 10k and 5k

The first day of my Skyline 3-Way Challenge went very well.  I was a bit concerned about going out too fast, warm weather, getting a blister on day one, etc.  Everything was just fine and I'm now prepping for the half marathon on Sunday.  Overall, I'm feeling good as I'm not really racing so much as just completing the 3-Way Challenge this weekend.  Saturday was all about GF's 5k PR attempt!

We did get a chance to take some pictures at the expo.  GF even got one with a flying pig!

10k

I headed to Great American Ballpark for the start of the 10k.  GF stayed in the hotel to get some extra sleep prior to the 5k.  The weather was perfect at the 8:00 start with overcast skies and temps in the high 40s.  I lined up in Corral B and we started right on time.

Miles 1-3- The first half of the course was beautiful.  We made our way around the stadium and headed over the first bridge to cross over to Kentucky.  I started out with a 8:38 first mile and I'm guessing I was pretty steady from there.  My GPS had conked out so I was going by feel.  The course meandered through Newport prior to the next bridge taking us back into Cincinnati.  The course was very pretty during this stretch.  We had a few hills but nothing major.  I felt great and knew I would get a great time.  I was around 24:30 at the halfway point.

Miles 4-6.2- We passed back by the stadium and made our way around a nearby downtown area.  This part of the course wasn't nearly as scenic and was just kind of bland.  I was still having fun, though.  We did hit one major hill during mile 4, at which point I quickly called GF to make sure she got her wake up call.  I'm pretty sure she found that both funny and horrifying!

I was able to use the downhills during the final section to pick up the pace some, even though I wasn't technically racing, and finish with a great time of 49:10.  Overall, a great race!  I quickly collected my first medal of the day and headed back to the hotel to pick up GF.

5k

GF has done an amazing job training for the Flying Pig 5k.  She was set on beating her previous best of 47 and change.  She's been killing it on her training runs and we recently found that short bursts really work well for her.  She was nervous before the race, but I knew GF would get a new PR at this one.

GF before the race!

What almost worked against us was the number of participants.  We started off at a good pace, but we really had to pick our spots for GF to fit in her quick bursts.  There were so many people in the 5k that we spent most of the race weaving in and out of people.  But GF started out at a great pace and held it steady the whole time, despite the fact that it was also getting quite warm.  We hit one big hill about a half mile in and GF used the downhill to her advantage.  She hit the first mile in 14:43.  That's about 40 seconds faster than I had set as a goal for her.

The second mile was very dull.  It was a flat straightaway, but it at least provided some opportunities for GF to fit in some short bursts.  I could tell roughly half way into the race that she had a PR in the bag.  She was just over 22 minutes at the halfway mark and was doing a great job.  We hit another uphill in the downtown area around the two mile mark.  She again hit the mile in around 14:44.  Very steady splits!

The final mile presented a few downhills which really helped.  I reminded GF that there were Skyline Coneys available at the finish (because I was also getting hungry) and she sped up.  :)  She did an excellent job over the last quarter mile and really kicked it in for a strong finish of 45:27.   The course came in long at around 3.17, so I'm certain she did 3.1 in under 45:00.  That's a huge PR for GF!  We were both thrilled by her effort.

Oh, and we did have a few coneys!

Next up is the final race in the 3-Way Challenge, tomorrow morning's half marathon.

Earth Day Challenge Half Marathon

I decided to follow up last week's PR effort in Xenia with a nice, easy run at the Earth Day Challenge at Kenyon College in nearby Gambier, OH.  This is only the third time I've ran half marathons on consecutive weekends.  This trick worked for me last year when I followed up the Pro Football HOF Half with the Capital City Half and the Columbus Half with the Buckeye Half.  I certainly was not looking to attempt a PR at a third straight race, but was rather looking for a solid effort prior to running the 3-Way at the Flying Pig Marathon in two weeks.  This also counted as my 45th half marathon effort.

GF did not attend this race (some people need sleep?!) but she did of course do a post (pre?) race dance for me.  GF is the best!  I headed out for the easy 40 minute drive to Gambier and was immediately struck by the beauty of the Kenyon campus.  It's a very cool campus and provided us with some beautiful early miles.  Packet pickup was a breeze inside the athletic center and we soon lined up on the college track.  I spotted a fellow Half Fanatic (I recently joined) and we chatted about upcoming races, including one we're both doing in the Fall.  I'm looking forward to meeting more Half Fanatics at future races.

I should mention that I did something at this race that I had never done in my previous 44 half marathons.  I decided to leave my iPod in the car and simply go by feel in this one.  My normal routine is to listen to music during a race of ten miles or more.  It's a security blanket knowing the right song will come on at the right time.  But I sometimes zone out too much and forget to check out the course.  I left the iPod in the car and it didn't have a negative affect on my race at all.

Here's my race report.

Miles 1-5: These were the toughest miles of the race.  We ran around most of the track and headed into campus.  The first mile was a bit of a cluster as the trail was quite narrow and there was a good number or runners.  A half mile in was one of the steepest hills I've had the pleasure of running in quite some time.  It didn't last a long time but you could tell it was there.  We leveled out and headed through the heart of the campus on a gravel path for another half mile or so.  My time was around 8:46 for the first mile, so I was definitely taking it easy early on.  I planned on increasing my pace to 8:00 miles after the course started to open up.  We made a loop through Gambier and hit a lot of rolling hills throughout the first four miles.  Finally, we made our way to the Kokosing Gap Trail, an asphalt bike trail leading out of town, right before the five mile mark.  Here are the first five splits: 1 (8:46), 2 (7:54), 3 (7:20), 4 (7:19), 5 (7:27).  I guess my normal pace is around 7:20-7:30 nowadays.

Miles 6-10: Not much to report on this part of the course.  We stayed on the Kokosing Gap Trail until the turnaround point around 8.5 miles into the race.  This was a pretty bike path as we enjoyed nice views of the Kokosing River.  I was able to pass a few runners until the turnaround point, but things had spread out to the point where it seemed more like a training run.  Here are the splits: 6 (7:14), 7 (7:28), 8 (7:02), 9 (7:25), 10 (7:06).  I seem to have a mile in my normal range and then one twenty seconds or so faster.  I wish I could be more consistent and run them all in the 7:20-7:25 range.

Miles 11-13.1:  We finished up the last portion of the Kokosing Gap Trail and made our way back to Gambier with a mile left.  The course was just as pretty entering Gambier as it was leaving the town.  There was nobody near me, but I was able to push it a bit and cruise in for an excellent time of 1:38:28.  Here are the final splits: 11 (7:11), 12 (7:05), 13 (7:08), 13.1 (1:59).  The course measured a bit long for me, but only about 1/10 mile.  I was 15/213 overall and 6/26 in my age group.

This was an excellent effort at a race I wasn't racing.  I wound up cruising to my fourth fastest half marathon out of 45 attempts.  My current sub-1:50 streak was also extended to ten races.  I'm not sure I'll be keeping that up as Skyline 3-Way at the Flying Pig will be a tough one.

GF Training Update

GF had an extraordinary week!  She completed two mile speedwork sessions and followed them up with a fantastic effort on the bike path yesterday.  GF cruised to a 44:56 for three miles!  She's consistently taking off 15-20 seconds every time we complete a time trial.  I'm very confident she'll shatter her former PR at the Flying Pig in two weeks!

Next race: Flying Pig 5K/10K/Half Marathon- Cincinnati, OH

Ohio River Road Runners Club Half Marathon

GF and I headed to the Dayton area for this small and amazing race in Xenia.  We stayed in Yellow Springs, a funky and fun village just minutes from the race, at the Arthur Morgan House Bed and Breakfast.  This gave the weekend a vacation feel and both GF and I loved the B&B.  Highly recommended!

This is my fourth time running this race as it is my absolute favorite half.  You can check out my reports from 2011, 2012, and 2014.  I always run well here and know the course like the back of my hand.  There are a few rolling hills early in the race, but for the most part this one is flat and fast.  The race is growing, too!  There were 522 runners in the half and 168 in the full for the 2011 running.  Compare that to 990 in the half and 269 in this year's event.  The cost of $25, terrific organization, and the fact that the race is in close proximity to Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus helps.

GF and I arrived about 45 minutes from the start and I was already feeling good.  Usually I'm quite nervous for a goal race, especially considering I had an unexpected PR at the Three Creeks Half Marathon last month.  But I felt good because I had already been on this course.

GF took a few pics to commemorate half number forty-four!

Miles 1-5: I felt very good from the beginning.  We started out from the YMCA and headed north for about a mile or so before making a small loop, heading back by the Y, and out toward the bike path.  I started out strong.  Too strong.  This is a fast portion of the course, but we started in with some hills during the third mile.  There's a brief section on the bike path, then we make our way on some country roads.  The hills  aren't terrible, but they can seem long if you started out too fast.  We loop back to the bike path at mile four and start in on some long, flat straightaways.  Here are the first five splits: 1 (7:17), 2 (6:58!), 3 (7:16), 4 (7:06), 5 (7:17).  I like the looks of miles 1, 3 and 5.  The other two are way too fast for so early in a half.  I was shooting for a PR but wondered how long it would take to crap out.  These splits are much faster than at Three Creeks.

Miles 6-10: I was feeling good but felt those first five.  We continued down the bike path until a left turn onto a different section moving toward Central State University.  I banked some more time here and passed a few runners.  There's a turnaround about 3/4 mile and then we head back.  I was surprised there weren't more people in front of me as the ORRRC races are extremely competitive.  We turned, headed back, and made a right turn back toward Xenia at the nine mile mark.  This is where the wheels started to feel the race.  I actually started sprinkling in some 15 second walk breaks as my quads were killing me.  Here are the splits for miles 6-10: 6 (7:23), 7 (7:06), 8 (7:10), 9 (7:29), 10 (7:28).  You can tell I was slowing down at miles nine and ten, but these are still incredible splits for me in a half.  I knew a PR was still a possibility as I was well under 1:15 at the ten mile mark.

Miles 11-13.1:  I was still feeling this race and sprinkled in a few breaks during mile 11.  The PR was still there, but I was going to have to push my pace during the last mile.  There were a few other runners around, so I simply concentrated on moving forward and trying to pick them off.  We turned back toward the YMCA with about a quarter mile left and made our way uphill to the finish.  I gave it whatever I had left, then kicked it in some more when I saw GF cheering and doing her celebratory dance.  I sprinted across the finish to my third PR of the year!  My splits for the last few miles were: 11 (7:38), 12 (7:46), 13 (6:56!), and 13.1 (1:28).  This gave me a new PR of 1:36:24.

I'm getting ever so close to my goal of 1:35.  This race took a lot out of me as I was pretty incoherent for the rest of the day.  Had I paced properly, I probably could have come in another 30 seconds faster.  Running my third PR of the year when it's only April is pretty amazing.  This new gear feels pretty good!  I'm looking at doing a half as a training run next week and shooting for the 1:45-1:47 range.

GF Training Update

GF continues her quest for a new PR and she is well on her way!  We did a two mile speedwork session and she killed it in 31:00.  We also went out to the bike path in Yellow Springs on Saturday and did a three mile time trial.  She started off a bit fast with a downhill first half.  The second half was at a slight grade but enough to feel it.  She still came in with a personal best of 46:15!  We are both counting down to the Flying Pig and I would not be surprised to see her shatter her personal best.  We're going to go out again a few times this week for some speedwork/time trial sessions.

Next race: Earth Day Challenge Half Marathon- Gambier, OH

Three Creeks Half Marathon

 

Let's have a quick chat, winter.  My last half marathon, the Last Chance for Boston, was in 17 degree weather.   I get it.  It was February in Ohio.  Fair enough.  But you got me sick.  Even worse, you got poor GF sick.  So I signed up for the Three Creeks Half Marathon at Three Rivers Metropark in Groveport in late March.  It could still be cold, sure, but I'm thinking 30s or 40s in the morning.  What did we wake up to?  10 degrees with a couple inches of snow here in Mansfield.  Back off, winter.  

GF and I had a quick chat at 5:00 in the morning as I was seriously considering scratching.  I really wasn't sure if I had it in me to run in such temperatures and also worried about getting sick again.  GF encouraged me to go, but it was way too cold for her to cheer me on and there was no place to wait inside at the park.  She saw me off with her usual post-race dance and I made the trek to Columbus.  The snow didn't hit as far south as Groveport so there were no worries on the course.  You'll see in a little bit that all of this was well worth the effort.

The venue itself is really nice.  A bike path runs throughout the park and that's what we ran on.  There were just over 100 people in the half, but there was also a 10k and 5k going on at the same time.  After waiting around in my car (heat, glorious heat!) for 45 minutes, I made my way to the start line.

Miles 1-5: I started out near the front pack and felt good right from the start.  My plan was to use this as a training run for the Ohio River Road Runners Club Half Marathon in two weeks.  The goal time was 1:45.  I set a solid pace right out of the gate as we meandered through the park.  It was VERY difficult to hit all the tangents as there were constant turns during the early miles.  I did a solid job but I know I missed some.  Even though I was aiming for 8:00 miles, I was hitting solid splits from the beginning.  Here are the splits for the first five: 1 (7:52), 2 (7:35),  3 (7:23), 4 (7:26), 5 (7:24).  I really like how this looks as I was very consistent after the easy first mile.  37:40 after the first five is a very solid time and over two minutes faster than where I wanted to be.

Miles 6-10: The course was a bit more varied throughout this section as we had pretty good views of one of the streams and some bridge crossings.  One crossing at about the 6 mile mark was pretty steep, especially on the way back.  I popped a gel at the halfway point and was still feeling pretty good.  No designs on a PR, but I started thinking a sub-1:40 was possible.  I also passed a few people during this section of the course and noticed I was in the top 20 as the leaders were coming back from the turnaround point.  My splits were still solid and pretty consistent.  Here are the numbers: 6 (7:43), 7 (7:17), 8 (7:20), 9 (7:05!), 10 (7:24).  Not sure where that 7:05 came from.  Mile 6 was slower because I kept dropping my gel at the water station.  A 1:14:29 at the ten mile mark is unheard of for me and right in PR territory.  I was thinking it was a slight possibility.

Miles 11-13.1: I was struggling over the last few miles.  My legs were feeling heavy as I was not planning on this race being a PR opportunity.  The meandering course and slight hills were wearing on me, too.  I saw a runner about 100 yards in front of me and kept him in my sights for the remainder.  My splits were surprisingly solid: 11 (7:03), 12 (7:18), 13 (7:14), 13.1 (1:01).  I passed the other runner right at the 13 mile marker and sprinted up the last hill to the finish...

...AND A NEW PR!!!  Talk about unexpected.  I finished this race that I almost didn't run with a new PR of 1:37:09.  This breaks the 1:37:28 from the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona and gives me my third sub-1:40 of the year.  I really don't know how I went from aiming for sub-1:50s last year to consistently running sub-1:40s this year.  I finished this one 16/103 overall and 2/13 in my age group.  This is only the second time I've placed in my age group at a half marathon (the first was the 2013 Park 2 Park) and this race was almost double the size.  Next on the docket for me is my favorite race, the Ohio River Road Runners Club Half Marathon.  My goal may still be to try to PR but we'll see.

GF Training Update

GF is doing an outstanding job of prepping for her 5k at the Flying Pig Marathon in May.  We've been on our local bike path a few times since my last update.  She ran a 46:58 at her second one which would be a PR for her!  It was a pretty nice day out and she was in a zone.  This morning we went out again and she did even better!  It was pretty cold, around 31 degrees, with a fierce wind blowing in our faces during the first half.  She still managed to run a 46:25!  She's doing an amazing job and I'm sure she'll PR in May.

Next race: Ohio River Road Runners Club Half Marathon- Xenia, OH

Liwiro la Malawi 5k

I originally had this on my schedule and decided against it after the Last Chance for Boston Half.  Always supportive GF started talking me into doing it last weekend, so I decided on Thursday to go ahead and give it a shot.  The race is set up to provide assistance to orphans at the Kanyenyeva Orphan Care Ministry in Malawi, Africa, which is an excellent cause I'll support.

GF and I arrived in downtown Mansfield about 45 minutes before the start for registration and warm-ups.  The temps were good but the wind was killer.  We waited around inside for as long as we could before making our way to the start.  I didn't really have a goal in mind because my training has been up and down and geared more toward the half marathon distance.  I was actually pretty nervous for this one because I knew the course would be tough. 

We started out from downtown and ran down Park Avenue for the first mile and a half.  I started out behind a couple people and moved into the top three right away.  Then I moved into second place within the first quarter mile.  Nobody was pushing the pace at all, so I tucked in behind the leader for a bit before passing him within the first half mile.  I was by myself for the rest of this one.  The hill on Park Avenue about a half mile in lasted forever!  It blocked the wind but it was tough to keep up a good pace.  I hit the first mile in 7:22 which is right where I wanted to be.  We finally got a slight downhill before a gradual incline again.  I caught up with the lead bike after we turned off of Park for the lollipop portion of the course.  I was feeling good and knew the worst part was over.  We then turned onto Maple for the last slight uphill and then turned again on Marion moving back toward Park.  I was pushing my pace a bit more and hit the two mile mark in 14:20.  I admit I did look back to see where the second place runner was and felt very comfortable with the lead I built up.  I flew down the long downhill leading us back to Park and the finish stretch.  The final stretch was flat, with the wind to my back this time, and I was able to finish with a solid 22:01 and my fourth first place finish!  Talk about an unexpected result!  GF was again doing a celebratory dance for me at the finish, too!

This was a solid race with the upcoming half marathon next week.  My confidence is pretty high and I'm hoping for a 1:45 or so next week.  GF is training for a 5k at the Flying Pig Marathon in May and we went out for a time trial this morning.  It was very cold and poor GF is just getting over a cold.  She still rocked it!  I'm confident she will be able to get a new PR in May.

Next race: Three Creeks Half Marathon- Groveport, OH

Last Chance for Boston Half Marathon

This was a pleasant surprise of a race.  GF and I headed to Dublin for this race that I actually vowed to never again run (see my 2011 report here).  However, I wanted to set up a bunch of races in winter and spring in an attempt to get 10 half marathons in this year.  My report will be slightly different than usual because the course is a one mile loop.  Nothing to report there.  Here are some thoughts on this race:

Pros

This is one of the few half marathon options in Ohio during the winter.

You certainly learn the course after a couple laps.

The "course" is pancake flat.

Spectators (GF!) can watch a LOT of the race.

Accurate splits for every mile of the race.

Cons

It was 17 degrees outside.

It's hard to pace yourself because there are so many races at once.  There's a full, half, 10k, 5k, marathon relay, and half relay.  

It was 17 degrees outside.

While a flat race, the course gets dull pretty quickly.

It was 17 degrees outside.

Did I happen to mention it was 17 degrees?  I did?  Good.  Because it was.  GF reported this to me after the race.  I would have been tempted to put a big ol' DNF after my name had I known that prior to the race.  But I surprisingly warmed up only a couple miles into this one.  GF also wanted to wipe the ice out of my beard every time I passed her.  :)

There's not much to report other than I ran a GREAT race.  Seriously, I'm not sure where this is coming from, other than my amazing GF supporting me at all these races.  I ran splits that looked eerily similar to the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Half Marathon.  It was hard to hit the tangents with all the other races going on, so I had the course at 13.24 miles.  Since I have splits for every single mile, let's look at those.  The race starts .1 mile behind the finish line, so we do that first and then start in on the miles.  That's why lap one is so fast.

Lap 1- 0:57          Lap 2- 7:49           Lap 3- 7:45          Lap 4- 7:36           Lap 5- 7:40

Lap 6- 7:32          Lap 7- 7:44           Lap 8- 7:45          Lap 9- 7:36           Lap 10- 7:30

Lap 11- 7:38        Lap 12- 7:42         Lap 13- 7:27        Lap 14- 7:11

Not bad at all.  I ran consistent times and never had a mile above 7:49.  I was able to run some negative splits toward the end.  My overall time was 1:39:38 which is good enough for my third fastest half and 17/144 overall.  

But it came with a price.  GF was feeling under the weather prior to the race and, after watching roughly half of my race, got worse.  I also got ill (did I mention it was 17 degrees?) but we're both on the mend.  

I originally thought of doing a 5k in March, but instead I'll take a break until my next half at the end of the month.

Next race: Three Creeks Half Marathon- Groveport, OH