This was a fantastic local race about ten minutes from home. The event was held at the Ohio Bird Sanctuary, which is a beautiful local gem of Richland County.
We've had a lot of things going on in our lives and I haven't been able to run much let alone race. This one had a 2 miler and 4 miler. I opted for the 2 because of the lack of training and because I've ran the trails before. There are some very difficult hills, switchbacks, bridge crossings, and low lying areas by the Clearfork River. I was thankful for opting for the two miler, as we had heavy rains the night before and a light rain the morning of the event. Couple that with the slick bridges and fallen leaves. That's a recipe for some slipping and sliding!
We headed out from the sanctuary and made a counter clockwise loop through the northern part of the grounds. This first section had some nice up-downs right from the get go and it was hard to keep your footing. The bridge crossings proved to be very tough, but the race organizers did a great job to keep everyone safe by putting chicken wire down to help with the footing. Nice touch!
I started out near the front pack. It was difficult to tell where I was at in the race since there was a longer distance. I figured more of the serious runners were running the double loop four miler. We hit the low lying part of the race about halfway through and it got soggy! This portion is just feet from the river and the rainwater had made for some nice puddles. I've said it before, but I love this part of trail running. It becomes playing instead of racing.
The pack had thinned out and I passed two runners as we went for the southern loop. This part of the race was very tough, regardless of it only being a two mile race. The hills were not straight and I had to watch out for sticks, leaves, branches, and roots. There's no real zoning out in a trail race. The final quarter mile or so was all uphill and it was rough getting back onto grass after being on the trail so long. I almost slipped with the first step I took back on the wet grass. The ground then leveled off and I hit the finish line in 18:38. Not a bad time for a tough trail race in the rain. I was surprised to find that I was the first two miler to finish! As I suspected, the four miler was indeed faster as there were two or three runners in front of me running the four. I'll take the win, though! The best part was the prize; a bird feeder! I like getting things I can actually use.
The next race is set for Thanksgiving morning. It will be my last one for the year and probably the last one for quite some time. W and I are expecting our first child in late December or early January so that will obviously be a huge life change. But we are looking forward to it!
Next race: Mansfield Lexington Turkey Trot 5k- Lexington, OH
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Friday, October 26, 2018
Mohican 5k
Two posts in one day! Let's get caught up on this blog!
The Mohican 5k is a race I somehow won last year. I had no such aspirations this year. That was good because it was a much faster field. I still had a blast as this is one of the best organized local races. There's plenty of parking at the race, a well marked course, great volunteers, great weather, and a fun time.
We started by heading south on Wally Road toward State Route 3. This is a great way to start the race as it's flat and fast. This part of the state is actually very hilly, but the organizers have carved out a nice fast course. I felt good from the start but, surprise, started out too fast. I tried to hang with some high school kids which could have been disastrous. We turned west onto the bike path right next to SR 3 for a long straightaway. This turns into one of those "zone out and run" type of races. I had around a 6:25 for the first mile. Let's all say it together: Way too fast!
I passed one or two runners here and then found myself right where I needed to be. I guessed I was around sixth or seventh place. That was a good place to be on next to no training in the two weeks leading up to this race. We turned around to head back the way we came and I tried to keep up a good pace. The second mile was probably around 7:00 which was closer to where I should have started. I still felt pretty good and wanted to finish with a solid time.
The third mile is pretty cool as we finish up with the straightaway and then, instead of turning back on Wally Road, continue on the bike path next to the river. It winds around a bit to the finish and is a very pretty section. I was able to pass one runner in this area which is a great way to finish. I crossed the line with a very respectable time of 21:10. I'll take that on zero training. My effort was good enough for 7/77 overall and third in my age group. The age group award is a very nice pint glass with the race logo. This is after finally receiving my age group award from the Sweetcorn Festival in July, also a pint glass!
This was a great race and I'm happy I was able to run it again this year. Like I mentioned in my previous post, running has not been a priority for well over a month. It's been a struggle to get out twice a week for a couple miles. Regardless, I've signed up for a trail race tomorrow. It's two miles (there was a four mile option) but I know these trails are tough.
Next race: Hoot and Scoot Trail Race at the Ohio Bird Sanctuary- Mansfield, OH
The Mohican 5k is a race I somehow won last year. I had no such aspirations this year. That was good because it was a much faster field. I still had a blast as this is one of the best organized local races. There's plenty of parking at the race, a well marked course, great volunteers, great weather, and a fun time.
We started by heading south on Wally Road toward State Route 3. This is a great way to start the race as it's flat and fast. This part of the state is actually very hilly, but the organizers have carved out a nice fast course. I felt good from the start but, surprise, started out too fast. I tried to hang with some high school kids which could have been disastrous. We turned west onto the bike path right next to SR 3 for a long straightaway. This turns into one of those "zone out and run" type of races. I had around a 6:25 for the first mile. Let's all say it together: Way too fast!
I passed one or two runners here and then found myself right where I needed to be. I guessed I was around sixth or seventh place. That was a good place to be on next to no training in the two weeks leading up to this race. We turned around to head back the way we came and I tried to keep up a good pace. The second mile was probably around 7:00 which was closer to where I should have started. I still felt pretty good and wanted to finish with a solid time.
The third mile is pretty cool as we finish up with the straightaway and then, instead of turning back on Wally Road, continue on the bike path next to the river. It winds around a bit to the finish and is a very pretty section. I was able to pass one runner in this area which is a great way to finish. I crossed the line with a very respectable time of 21:10. I'll take that on zero training. My effort was good enough for 7/77 overall and third in my age group. The age group award is a very nice pint glass with the race logo. This is after finally receiving my age group award from the Sweetcorn Festival in July, also a pint glass!
This was a great race and I'm happy I was able to run it again this year. Like I mentioned in my previous post, running has not been a priority for well over a month. It's been a struggle to get out twice a week for a couple miles. Regardless, I've signed up for a trail race tomorrow. It's two miles (there was a four mile option) but I know these trails are tough.
Next race: Hoot and Scoot Trail Race at the Ohio Bird Sanctuary- Mansfield, OH
Mid Ohio 13er
Wow. I have never been almost two months behind on this blog. We have had a lot of things come up in the last six weeks. To say life is hectic is an understatement. I've been down to about 5 miles per week over this period. Seriously. I'm thankful I can at least go out for a couple easy miles to clear my head every once in a while.
The Mid Ohio 13er is a local race here in Mansfield that I ran in 2016. This year's came about a week before things got wild in our lives, so I was at least decently trained for it. Race day was difficult. It was pretty cool and rainy during the entire event. I was plagued with GI issues throughout the last five miles or so. It was a well run race but I didn't bring my A-game.
Rather than refer back to my splits, I'll give you a quick breakdown of this race.
Miles 1-5: We started out from downtown Mansfield and I immediately felt "off". My splits were in the 7:45-8:00 range, which is fine, but I simply felt that I couldn't sustain it. The course was the reverse of 2016 and so we started off with a long uphill on Marion Avenue. It goes on for a long time before leveling off around mile 2 when we turned south on Cook Road. The lead cyclist took a wrong turn somewhere in this area which led to a short course. My watch showed it being short by about 1/3 of a mile. The massive hill that we ran up in 2016 was replaced by a wicked downhill. It was tough on the quads as we were only four miles into the race at this point. My pace was great during this section. I was nailing 7:00-7:15 for about 3 miles. We headed north on the B&O Trail soon after the downhill and would remain on it for a long time.
Miles 6-10: The trail portion was a great change of pace. It heads in a semi-circle around Mansfield and we were heading toward its terminus in North Lake Park. This is a long section of the path with little to no elevation change and good scenery. We remained on it until the 10 mile marker. Some light rain started coming down during this portion. Unfortunately, my GI issues started here and remained for the rest of the race. My time was still good, but I found myself trying to bank time rather than run consistent splits. By the time we hit North Lake Park, I knew I was in trouble.
Miles 11-13.1: Just try to hang on. This was my mantra during the last few miles. My GI issues were getting worse than just about any race I've done. And of course the race started going up and down to make it more uncomfortable. I sprinkled in a few 20 second walk breaks to try and compose myself for the finish. We weaved south through Middle and South Parks (nice scenery this late in a race) before turning east to the finish. We finally got to Park Avenue for the LONG downhill finish into downtown. The crowds during this section were out in full force. This race is definitely getting some fans! I tried to turn it on for the finish and got in with a very respectable 1:36:07 finishing time. I was pretty shocked by the time considering the issues I was having during this race. I still would have had a sub-1:38 had the course been on the mark. My time was good enough for 10/93 overall and 3/14 in my age group. Not bad at all!
I was hoping to get in one more half marathon this year but other things have prevented that from happening. I have no idea when my next half will be. Running 71 of them since 2009 is something I never thought would happen and I'm very proud of it. In the meantime, I had a 5k last last month and am looking forward to a two mile (?) trail race tomorrow.
Next race: Mohican 5k- Loudonville, OH
The Mid Ohio 13er is a local race here in Mansfield that I ran in 2016. This year's came about a week before things got wild in our lives, so I was at least decently trained for it. Race day was difficult. It was pretty cool and rainy during the entire event. I was plagued with GI issues throughout the last five miles or so. It was a well run race but I didn't bring my A-game.
Rather than refer back to my splits, I'll give you a quick breakdown of this race.
Miles 1-5: We started out from downtown Mansfield and I immediately felt "off". My splits were in the 7:45-8:00 range, which is fine, but I simply felt that I couldn't sustain it. The course was the reverse of 2016 and so we started off with a long uphill on Marion Avenue. It goes on for a long time before leveling off around mile 2 when we turned south on Cook Road. The lead cyclist took a wrong turn somewhere in this area which led to a short course. My watch showed it being short by about 1/3 of a mile. The massive hill that we ran up in 2016 was replaced by a wicked downhill. It was tough on the quads as we were only four miles into the race at this point. My pace was great during this section. I was nailing 7:00-7:15 for about 3 miles. We headed north on the B&O Trail soon after the downhill and would remain on it for a long time.
Miles 6-10: The trail portion was a great change of pace. It heads in a semi-circle around Mansfield and we were heading toward its terminus in North Lake Park. This is a long section of the path with little to no elevation change and good scenery. We remained on it until the 10 mile marker. Some light rain started coming down during this portion. Unfortunately, my GI issues started here and remained for the rest of the race. My time was still good, but I found myself trying to bank time rather than run consistent splits. By the time we hit North Lake Park, I knew I was in trouble.
Miles 11-13.1: Just try to hang on. This was my mantra during the last few miles. My GI issues were getting worse than just about any race I've done. And of course the race started going up and down to make it more uncomfortable. I sprinkled in a few 20 second walk breaks to try and compose myself for the finish. We weaved south through Middle and South Parks (nice scenery this late in a race) before turning east to the finish. We finally got to Park Avenue for the LONG downhill finish into downtown. The crowds during this section were out in full force. This race is definitely getting some fans! I tried to turn it on for the finish and got in with a very respectable 1:36:07 finishing time. I was pretty shocked by the time considering the issues I was having during this race. I still would have had a sub-1:38 had the course been on the mark. My time was good enough for 10/93 overall and 3/14 in my age group. Not bad at all!
I was hoping to get in one more half marathon this year but other things have prevented that from happening. I have no idea when my next half will be. Running 71 of them since 2009 is something I never thought would happen and I'm very proud of it. In the meantime, I had a 5k last last month and am looking forward to a two mile (?) trail race tomorrow.
Next race: Mohican 5k- Loudonville, OH
Friday, August 24, 2018
Heart & Sole Half Marathon- Half Marathon #70
It's been a while since I've hit one of these milestones. I have maybe two more half marathons this year and W and I are expecting our first child. It will be a while until I hit 80 or even 75. I always think back to how I started running half marathons in 2009 and am always amazed when I hit a number like this one. It's been a blast!
I ran this race back in 2014 and had a good showing. Despite it being 45 minutes away in Wooster, I haven't ran it since then. The short driving distance, 7:30 start time, and inexpensive cost make this one a winner.
I came in with no real goals as I haven't ran a half since the Flying Pig. My training has actually been pretty good recently as I got a 7 and 9 miler in during the weeks leading up to the race. But I also remembered this race being quite hilly and very humid with the August race date. Let's get to it.
Miles 1-5: My GPS continues to be a pain so I have no splits for this race. We headed north from downtown on a slight incline. I felt loose early on and tried to keep at a conservative pace. Most of the race heads through residential areas with various levels of hills. I should say, none of these are massive hills. There's just a lot of them and they slowly wear you down. I looked at my watch a few times and guessed I was just under 8:00 miles for the first few miles. It felt good until we headed east for a long loop through a residential area. This section is up-down, up-down. Again, it's not major but it is enough to hurt.
Miles 6-10: We finally ended this residential section and headed for a long straightaway north of town. This is the most dull section of the race but it is easy to zone out. We then head east for a bit prior to doing a long loop through a city park. This is probably the best part of the course as the rollers aren't bad and the park is at least pretty. It breaks up the monotony some. My miles were more in the 7:35-7:40 range during this section. The course then doubles back and we run the same course in reverse on the way back to town. This does include that unfortunate residential area which seems much worse on the way back. I did slow to a walk for a few minutes during the return. The temperature was decent throughout the race but the humidity was awful.
Miles 11-13.1: Just hold on for a good finish. This was really all I was thinking. We did get a nice net downhill to the finish on the return. But man did it seem long! The final mile was probably the worst because you can see the finish for a long time. I thought I might be able to finish around 1:40 but the finish kept looking farther away. I was able to kick it in for a nice finish of 1:41:20. This beat my time from 2014 by more than two minutes. I finished 24/113 overall.
This was a challenging but good race. I certainly enjoyed myself and simply thought "This is number 70" several times throughout the event.
Next race: Mid Ohio 13er Half Marathon- Mansfield, OH
Friday, July 27, 2018
Sweetcorn Festival 5k
This small race was held in Mt. Gilead which is about a half hour from home. It featured a 10k with prize money, but I knew I wasn't fast enough to compete with the folks running that one. I simply wanted a good, hard 5k.
I got to the race in plenty of time and saw off and on rain in the forecast. It was a bit cooler so I figured this might be a better race than the last few. We headed out to the meager start line and I made my way to the third line of people. There were certainly some fast looking runners and I assumed most were after the prize money, which was more than you would think for a small town race. My GPS watch has been giving me fits and I kept it on the watch function to at least get a sense of my pace. The cloudy day wasn't helping it any.
We headed north before making a turn west about a quarter mile into the race. A lot of people took off at a fast clip and I just tried to maintain what felt good. I figured I started in about tenth place overall, but that's with the 10k runners so I figured I was in the top five for the 5k. We went up some residential streets and into the country for a bit before heading back north for the loop. My first mile clocked in around 6:15-6:20 which was faster than I wanted. But I felt good and tried to maintain that pace.
We continued through residential areas before heading east past the high school. There were two younger runners in front of me and I worked on closing the 50 meter gap between us. My pace was solid and I'm guessing I was around 6:30 or so for the last mile. I was also pretty sure the course was going to be slightly short. Still, I felt really good and was enjoying myself for a change. We made it past the school and started south toward another residential area and the finish. I finally caught the two runners in front of me and made it past them with a half mile or so left. I then turned expecting to see the finish further away and was shocked to see it so close. I guessed the course measured 3 miles even rather than 3.1. I was able to finish strong and hit the finish line in a surprising time of 20:08.
I did go to MapMyRun later to chart the course and it came up to 3.1 miles. For some reason it felt short so I take that as a good sign. I can count it as my fastest 5k for the year and it came on very little training. I did finish 3/34 overall and first in my age group. The only complaint I have is the handling of the awards. Many of us were hanging around after the race. I finally heard, after almost an hour, that awards were going to be mailed out. That's all well and good (and preferred) but better notice would have been appreciated.
My next race will be my 70th half marathon, unless I decide to do a 5k next weekend.
Next race: Heart and Sole Half Marathon- Wooster, OH
I got to the race in plenty of time and saw off and on rain in the forecast. It was a bit cooler so I figured this might be a better race than the last few. We headed out to the meager start line and I made my way to the third line of people. There were certainly some fast looking runners and I assumed most were after the prize money, which was more than you would think for a small town race. My GPS watch has been giving me fits and I kept it on the watch function to at least get a sense of my pace. The cloudy day wasn't helping it any.
We headed north before making a turn west about a quarter mile into the race. A lot of people took off at a fast clip and I just tried to maintain what felt good. I figured I started in about tenth place overall, but that's with the 10k runners so I figured I was in the top five for the 5k. We went up some residential streets and into the country for a bit before heading back north for the loop. My first mile clocked in around 6:15-6:20 which was faster than I wanted. But I felt good and tried to maintain that pace.
We continued through residential areas before heading east past the high school. There were two younger runners in front of me and I worked on closing the 50 meter gap between us. My pace was solid and I'm guessing I was around 6:30 or so for the last mile. I was also pretty sure the course was going to be slightly short. Still, I felt really good and was enjoying myself for a change. We made it past the school and started south toward another residential area and the finish. I finally caught the two runners in front of me and made it past them with a half mile or so left. I then turned expecting to see the finish further away and was shocked to see it so close. I guessed the course measured 3 miles even rather than 3.1. I was able to finish strong and hit the finish line in a surprising time of 20:08.
I did go to MapMyRun later to chart the course and it came up to 3.1 miles. For some reason it felt short so I take that as a good sign. I can count it as my fastest 5k for the year and it came on very little training. I did finish 3/34 overall and first in my age group. The only complaint I have is the handling of the awards. Many of us were hanging around after the race. I finally heard, after almost an hour, that awards were going to be mailed out. That's all well and good (and preferred) but better notice would have been appreciated.
My next race will be my 70th half marathon, unless I decide to do a 5k next weekend.
Next race: Heart and Sole Half Marathon- Wooster, OH
Friday, July 13, 2018
Ontario Liberty 5k
This is the second race this year that started and finished at Ontario High School which is about half a mile from home. I love easy logistics. The course is the same one from the Childhood Cancer 5k back in May. It was just as tough as that one as the high for the day was just over 90 and the humidity was awful.
My only goal for this one was to place in my age group. There are a ton of high school kids at this race with most of the Ontario High runners in attendance. It's one of the more popular races in Richland County and gets around 150 people each year. I ran it in 2015, posting a sub-20:00, and last year with W.
I don't have splits for this as my New Balance GPS watch is really acting up. It was a clear day and I couldn't get a signal. Time to replace it.
I lined up for the start in the third row, allowing the kids to have space, and planned to stay in that neck of the woods for the remainder. We started out going north by the high school and I felt ok. The weather was going to be a factor, but I started out slow enough to know conk out late in the race. We hit Milligan Road for the long downhill portion of the race. I passed a couple younger runners right before the first mile marker. I believe I stayed in that position for the rest of the race. This downhill portion also allowed some shade if you ran on the left side of the road. It made a huge difference! We then headed for the lollipop loop around the east end of Marshall Park which is a dull stretch. I did look at my watch for a rough update and saw I was around 14 minutes at the two mile mark. That's right where I wanted to be as I was shooting for something around 21 minutes at this race.
Then the hills hit. I train a lot on this course since it's close to home. It never ceases to amaze me how this hill seems to take FOREVER. Ever time it seems to flatten out, another incline starts. It's not steep, it's long. I simply maintained my position until we finally made it out and back to the high school. I was able to kick it in for a nice finish with an overall time of 21:10. This effort was good enough for 9th overall and second in my age group, which included a nice trophy!
I'm still sticking to my plan of racing less. One a month, on average, is realistic right now.
Next race: Sweetcorn Festival 5k- Mt. Gilead, OH
My only goal for this one was to place in my age group. There are a ton of high school kids at this race with most of the Ontario High runners in attendance. It's one of the more popular races in Richland County and gets around 150 people each year. I ran it in 2015, posting a sub-20:00, and last year with W.
I don't have splits for this as my New Balance GPS watch is really acting up. It was a clear day and I couldn't get a signal. Time to replace it.
I lined up for the start in the third row, allowing the kids to have space, and planned to stay in that neck of the woods for the remainder. We started out going north by the high school and I felt ok. The weather was going to be a factor, but I started out slow enough to know conk out late in the race. We hit Milligan Road for the long downhill portion of the race. I passed a couple younger runners right before the first mile marker. I believe I stayed in that position for the rest of the race. This downhill portion also allowed some shade if you ran on the left side of the road. It made a huge difference! We then headed for the lollipop loop around the east end of Marshall Park which is a dull stretch. I did look at my watch for a rough update and saw I was around 14 minutes at the two mile mark. That's right where I wanted to be as I was shooting for something around 21 minutes at this race.
Then the hills hit. I train a lot on this course since it's close to home. It never ceases to amaze me how this hill seems to take FOREVER. Ever time it seems to flatten out, another incline starts. It's not steep, it's long. I simply maintained my position until we finally made it out and back to the high school. I was able to kick it in for a nice finish with an overall time of 21:10. This effort was good enough for 9th overall and second in my age group, which included a nice trophy!
I'm still sticking to my plan of racing less. One a month, on average, is realistic right now.
Next race: Sweetcorn Festival 5k- Mt. Gilead, OH
Friday, June 22, 2018
Run to Remember 5k
I'm behind on the blog again as W and I recently returned from vacation. This Memorial Day race was in nearby Shelby and I am really enjoying the local race scene. It's getting more difficult to get up early and drive somewhere for a race as I'm just too dang tired.
This was a much smaller race than I was hoping for but it was well organized. I chose the 5k even though a 10k was also offered. The heat and humidity was awful a couple hours BEFORE the start so I knew it would be tough.
I started near the front for the start as we ran maybe twenty yards before turning south through town. Why do some races begin with these immediate turns? It makes it really difficult at the start of a race. I felt good from the beginning but wasn't sure what I would have in me. The sun was just beating down on us. We began weaving around town in a counter-clockwise loop about a half mile into the race. I was in second place, though I wasn't sure if the leader was in the 5k (he was). The first mile came in a blistering 6:14. I knew this was too fast and there was no way to keep up that pace. The second mile was more my speed as we continued back to Main Street. We did get to run around Seltzer Park which offered a tiny bit of shade. Another runner passed me near the end of the second mile and he looked like he had plenty in the tank. The 10k runners broke off here and I could see the two in front of me were both in my race. A quick look behind me showed nobody close so I pulled off the gas slightly. I was already beat! The second mile came in at 6:44 so I was still running a respectable pace.
There's not much to say about the final leg of the race. The second runner was well ahead of me and I kept well ahead of the next group. I kept a slightly slower pace as there was no point in killing myself. We headed back to downtown and made a quick turn for the finish. The last mile was 7:00 with an overall time of 20:28. That was good enough for 3/57 overall. Not a bad showing and I'm now in a lull between races.
Next race: Ontario Liberty 5k- Ontario, OH
Friday, May 25, 2018
Childhood Cancer 5k
I added this one late as I had the morning free and the race started and finished about a half mile from home. You can't beat such convenience. The proceeds went to Akron Children's Hospital which is a great cause and organization.
The race started at 10:00 and it was already muggy. I run this course several times a week and know how tough the hills can be during the second half. Did that stop me from starting out too fast? If you guessed yes then you haven't been reading this blog for long.
We started at Ontario High School for a nice straightaway. I came out in the top three and quickly moved to second place. I recognized the eventual winner and knew I couldn't catch him and simply tried to maintain second. We then turned east on Milligan Road for the best downhill portion you can imagine. It's a steady and long downhill that doesn't completely ruin the quads. I felt good but realized my error as I finished the first mile in 6:05. Shocker.
It was getting increasingly humid as we headed south and back around through Marshall Park. I tried to keep up the pace through the park and chanced looking back. The next runner was at least a minute behind me and the first place runner was at least a minute ahead. I was right where I needed to be. The second mile came in at 6:30, though I knew that would end once we turned back onto Milligan and headed up the hill. I was right. There are rolling hills combined with a gradual uphill on this portion. I was shot by this point and just hanging on for a good time. I actually walked up one of the rollers to conserve energy for the finish. We finally made our way back to the straightaway leading to the school. I didn't push the pace, as there was no reason to, and hit the third mile in 7:25. My overall time was a respectable 20:50. That was good enough for the age group win and 2/77 overall. Not bad for a last minute race.
I'm going with a quick turnaround and doing it again with a local 5k on Memorial Day.
Next race: A Run to Remember 5k- Shelby, OH
The race started at 10:00 and it was already muggy. I run this course several times a week and know how tough the hills can be during the second half. Did that stop me from starting out too fast? If you guessed yes then you haven't been reading this blog for long.
We started at Ontario High School for a nice straightaway. I came out in the top three and quickly moved to second place. I recognized the eventual winner and knew I couldn't catch him and simply tried to maintain second. We then turned east on Milligan Road for the best downhill portion you can imagine. It's a steady and long downhill that doesn't completely ruin the quads. I felt good but realized my error as I finished the first mile in 6:05. Shocker.
It was getting increasingly humid as we headed south and back around through Marshall Park. I tried to keep up the pace through the park and chanced looking back. The next runner was at least a minute behind me and the first place runner was at least a minute ahead. I was right where I needed to be. The second mile came in at 6:30, though I knew that would end once we turned back onto Milligan and headed up the hill. I was right. There are rolling hills combined with a gradual uphill on this portion. I was shot by this point and just hanging on for a good time. I actually walked up one of the rollers to conserve energy for the finish. We finally made our way back to the straightaway leading to the school. I didn't push the pace, as there was no reason to, and hit the third mile in 7:25. My overall time was a respectable 20:50. That was good enough for the age group win and 2/77 overall. Not bad for a last minute race.
I'm going with a quick turnaround and doing it again with a local 5k on Memorial Day.
Next race: A Run to Remember 5k- Shelby, OH
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Flying Pig Half Marathon
Miles 1-5: We started off from Paul Brown Stadium and headed east before crossing a bridge into Kentucky. I think this is a cool part of the race as you hit one of the highlights early on. Plus you get a slight elevation change running toward the river and then up and down the bridge. It's a good way to break into the run. We then headed into Newport, Kentucky and headed west along the river. I felt good during these early miles but held back knowing what was waiting later on. We then hit another bridge heading back to Ohio and kept heading north to downtown Cincinnati. You get a nice variety during the first five miles by starting at the stadium, hitting the bridge, going through Newport, and heading back over the river and into downtown. I was feeling great and nailing some nice splits. Here are the splits for the first five: 7:34, 7:44, 7:37, 7:24, and 7:20.
Miles 6-10: The downtown Cincinnati portion is always fun. I like the experience of going through a major metropolitan downtown in the middle of the road. It's not an experience you can have too often. I felt good as we headed northeast out of downtown and into the hilly section of the course. It's nothing major until about halfway through mile 6 when you get a gradual hill followed by some more pronounced inclines. I love the section near Crohn Conservatory as you continue going up. Once you peak the hill there is a leveling off during which you can see downtown. It's very pretty in the morning, plus you know the worst of the hills are over. There are few up-downs sprinkled in this section of town but nothing major. Then you begin the descent back into town which is a great way to make up some time. I kept my pace conservative during this section. I crapped out some during the last mile in 2016 because I flew downhill during miles 10 and 11. Here are the next five splits: 7:26, 7:38, 7:20, 7:08, and 7:28.
Miles 11-13.1: Still feeling great! I figured at this point that a sub-1:40 was realistic and just wanted to bank some more time. The last 5k went extremely fast and I still felt relatively good. This portion is tough as you fly into downtown then have a strange little out and back on Fifth Street, I believe. It's not long but it's an odd little section of the course. I then made my way back south towards the river before heading west for the finish. I kicked it in and actually hit a 6:35 during the final mile! It felt great and I finished very hard. The final splits were 7:01, 6:51 and 6:35. Insanely fast at the end! The course measured long at 13.4 miles, but I still cruised in for my best Pig at 1:37:40! That took almost two minutes off my 2016 time. I finished 225/12073 overall which is a great showing.
This makes half marathon number 69 for me. Believe it or not, I haven't decided what my 70th half marathon will be. I should probably decide soon as I'd like to get it in this summer. Between now and then I have some 5ks planned.
Next race: Childhood Cancer 5k- Ontario, OH
Sunday, May 6, 2018
Cooper Tire Centennial 5 Miler
I had a free Saturday and decided to see what races were out there. There was nothing shorter than an hour away, so I chose this one in Findlay since I've ran numerous races in that city. Plus a five miler is something totally different for me. I had to look back at this blog to find the results for the 2012 Frostbite Five Miler, the only other one I've ran. My time for that was 38:45 so I was very sure I would get a five miler PR at this one.
The race began and ended at the Findlay High School track which was a nice facility. The weather, however, was way too cool for late April. The temperature was in the low 40s with a strong wind. I figured it would be breezy in pancake flat Findlay but it was more than expected. It looked like we would have a nice tailwind going south but then vice versa on the way back on this out and back course. The race wasn't the biggest, and there was a 5k attached, so I lined up in the fourth line or so for the start.
I felt great from the start and jumped into the top eight or so. We headed south toward the Cooper Tire plant on a pretty straightforward course. The wind wasn't terrible during the first half. The first mile clicked by in a fast 6:33. I passed a couple runners during the second mile, but it was tough to gauge where I was until the 5k runners turned around. I saw three of them turn around and I knew I was in the top five. The only hill was in this section but it wasn't much. The second mile was a still fast 6:47 and I still felt great.
We turned east for a short jaunt by the tire plant before turning back around and heading back. There's not much to report on as it's the same course in reverse. I could tell I was actually in the top three at this point and knew I could hold it. The third mile was a 6:55 and the fourth was a surprising 6:52. I really felt that I slowed down slightly here due to the wind but I was wrong. I finally started feeling the race as we started the fifth mile and headed back for a finish on the Findlay track. I finished strong but didn't have anyone behind or in front of me to push me. The final mile came in 6:55 and I finished with an overall time of 34:02. That is a minute faster than I thought I could run on my best day! I did indeed finish third overall and second in my age group.
This was a nice change of pace race that I really enjoyed. The organization was great and there's not a thing I would change. Next up is one of my favorite half marathons.
Next race: Flying Pig Half Marathon- Cincinnati, OH
Saturday, April 7, 2018
Bunny Buster 5k
I ran this small 5k at the Ashland YMCA last week. I'm enjoying these local 5ks a lot more than I would have expected a couple years ago. However, I did start to get a mild cold the night before with a bad sore throat. Race morning was rough as I actually contemplated scratching from the race. I went back and forth about it several times, similar to last year's Kilt and Kolor Run, and finally decided to try it out and take it easy.
The weather was decent with temps in the high 30's to low 40's but the wind was strong. We started on a side street near the YMCA and I headed out at what I thought was a conservative pace. There were maybe 4-5 people ahead of me at the start and I just tried run strong and place in my age group. We headed west toward downtown and then headed north for a bit. I felt surprisingly good but was horrified by the 6:23 for the first mile. I was aiming for around 7:00.
We then headed east on some side streets. I passed a few runners during the second mile and kept up a nice pace. The roads and sidewalks were a bit uneven during this section but nothing too bad. The eventual female winner was right ahead of me and I kept pace with her for the remainder of the race. There were two people behind us by maybe 50 meters or so. I usually slow down quite a bit during the second mile of a fast race. Here I actually ran a 6:29 to keep up the solid pace. Not bad.
There wasn't much to report during the return to the YMCA. We did have some confusion at a turn. We were supposed to cross the street but still head straight. One of the guides told us to turn left and then corrected it a few seconds later. It probably only cost us a few seconds, but I did hear some other runners say they headed the wrong way for a bit. The female winner passed me at the three mile mark which came in at 6:49. I finished strong down the grassy finish to a solid 20:09. I believe this is my sixth fastest 5k! Not bad for almost scratching. This effort placed me 3/66 overall and first in my age group.
The next race is at a distance I haven't ran in six years, the five miler. I didn't really race then so I'm expecting a PR.
Next race: Cooper Tire Centennial 5 Miler- Findlay, OH
The weather was decent with temps in the high 30's to low 40's but the wind was strong. We started on a side street near the YMCA and I headed out at what I thought was a conservative pace. There were maybe 4-5 people ahead of me at the start and I just tried run strong and place in my age group. We headed west toward downtown and then headed north for a bit. I felt surprisingly good but was horrified by the 6:23 for the first mile. I was aiming for around 7:00.
We then headed east on some side streets. I passed a few runners during the second mile and kept up a nice pace. The roads and sidewalks were a bit uneven during this section but nothing too bad. The eventual female winner was right ahead of me and I kept pace with her for the remainder of the race. There were two people behind us by maybe 50 meters or so. I usually slow down quite a bit during the second mile of a fast race. Here I actually ran a 6:29 to keep up the solid pace. Not bad.
There wasn't much to report during the return to the YMCA. We did have some confusion at a turn. We were supposed to cross the street but still head straight. One of the guides told us to turn left and then corrected it a few seconds later. It probably only cost us a few seconds, but I did hear some other runners say they headed the wrong way for a bit. The female winner passed me at the three mile mark which came in at 6:49. I finished strong down the grassy finish to a solid 20:09. I believe this is my sixth fastest 5k! Not bad for almost scratching. This effort placed me 3/66 overall and first in my age group.
The next race is at a distance I haven't ran in six years, the five miler. I didn't really race then so I'm expecting a PR.
Next race: Cooper Tire Centennial 5 Miler- Findlay, OH
Monday, March 12, 2018
Road Apple Run 5k
I finally decided upon my next race and went with this repeat from 2014. The race is a simple out and back at Crestview High School, roughly a half hour from home. I'm understanding the appeal of nearby races more every year.
W came along for this one too. She had to listen to my usual "not sure how I'll do at this one" speech at the start. She countered by reminding me that I say that every time. Well then.
Over 200 runners (this is a very popular race) lined up at the start and were sent down the long straightaway. Like I said earlier, I ran this one in 2014. It was actually my first race when I moved here. I wasn't in the best shape then and knew I could do nbetter this time. I started off a bit too strong and found myself in a pack of high school runners. That's either really good or really bad. I knew I was in the top ten and just wanted to maintain. The few hills were minimal but I still felt iffy around the mile mark. Should I stop and walk for a bit? That actually crossed my mind as I hit one mile in 6:21. Way too fast considering the wind was right in my face.
I did pass one person during the second mile near the turnaround mark. I instantly felt better as the wind was now to my back. The hills didn't feel too bad either. I kept up a nice pace and hit the second mile in 7:08. Not too bad, but I really wanted to speed up some during that last mile. We kept heading south on the same country road. The only change came with a little less than a half mile as we turned into the school complex for the finish. I was very close to the next runner but couldn't quite pass them. I was able to kick it in during this last half mile and it felt great. I hit the third mile in 6:40, which is closer to where I should have been for all three. The finish came (complete with catching W at the finish) in 20:46, good enough for 6/218 overall and first in my age group.
I'm extremely happy with this time and really believe I can hit a sub-20:00 sometime this year. Next up is the same distance in a few weeks.
Next race: Bunny Buster 5k- Ashland, OH
W came along for this one too. She had to listen to my usual "not sure how I'll do at this one" speech at the start. She countered by reminding me that I say that every time. Well then.
Over 200 runners (this is a very popular race) lined up at the start and were sent down the long straightaway. Like I said earlier, I ran this one in 2014. It was actually my first race when I moved here. I wasn't in the best shape then and knew I could do nbetter this time. I started off a bit too strong and found myself in a pack of high school runners. That's either really good or really bad. I knew I was in the top ten and just wanted to maintain. The few hills were minimal but I still felt iffy around the mile mark. Should I stop and walk for a bit? That actually crossed my mind as I hit one mile in 6:21. Way too fast considering the wind was right in my face.
I did pass one person during the second mile near the turnaround mark. I instantly felt better as the wind was now to my back. The hills didn't feel too bad either. I kept up a nice pace and hit the second mile in 7:08. Not too bad, but I really wanted to speed up some during that last mile. We kept heading south on the same country road. The only change came with a little less than a half mile as we turned into the school complex for the finish. I was very close to the next runner but couldn't quite pass them. I was able to kick it in during this last half mile and it felt great. I hit the third mile in 6:40, which is closer to where I should have been for all three. The finish came (complete with catching W at the finish) in 20:46, good enough for 6/218 overall and first in my age group.
I'm extremely happy with this time and really believe I can hit a sub-20:00 sometime this year. Next up is the same distance in a few weeks.
Next race: Bunny Buster 5k- Ashland, OH
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
ONU Polar Bear Indoor Half Marathon
I ran the Ohio Northern University Polar Bear Indoor Half Marathon for the third time a couple weekends ago. If you've read my previous posts you have heard that this is a very fun race. 105 laps on an indoor 200 meter track doesn't sound like fun, but the student athletes who count the laps and cheer you on make this a terrific event.
W and I stayed on campus at The Inn at Ohio Northern again. This is a great facility with a nice restaurant. Ada, OH is only a bit over an hour from us but it's worth spending the extra money to stay overnight. The Sports Center where the event is held is a mere five minutes away. The convenience is worth it.
We got to the race about 15 minutes prior to the start which is fine for a race this small. There is a limited number of spots available and it fills up fast. There's a full marathon and it's almost a 50/50 split between the two races (18 in the half, 16 in the full).
I have purposely lowered my mileage this year as W and I have a lot of things going on. I'm trying to stay in the 15 miles per week range. This winter has been especially cold and snowy so training has been so-so and almost entirely on treadmill. I wasn't expecting a lot when we started and just tried to hit consistent splits. The first couple miles felt very good and I just tried to hold on to the 7:30 range for a while. My "goal" was to break 1:45 at this race and I didn't mind banking some time early on.
Running 105 laps on an indoor track does wear out the legs, but thankfully they have the runners change direction every half hour. And the cross country and track teams do a great job of cheering you on. My lap counter was very helpful and made sure to shout out each mile split. Another nice perk is that you can easily bring your own water, sports drink, gels, etc., and place them on one of the 4-5 tables they have around the track. I always grab my bottle on the run and drop it off at one of the next tables. It's nice to bring your own aid instead of hoping for the best (such as lemon lime Gatorade...yuck!).
Back to the race. I had a few slower miles in the middle of the race but that was by design. They were still faster than my slowest portion of last year's race and I never touched the 8:00 mile. I knew the leader was well ahead of me and I had no idea whether I was in second or third place. I really was able to zone out for the most part and just run. Some people may complain about having to constantly pass other runners on a track but it doesn't bother me. It just makes it feel like I'm going faster!
I was able to speed up over the second half of the race and popped a gel. The second half absolutely flew by and I don't remember most of those miles. The whole race seemed much faster and even more enjoyable than last year. The winner crossed in 1:33 and change which is a great time on an indoor track. I just held on for some extra fast final miles and crossed the finish line in 1:39:24!
Here are my splits:
Mile 1- 7:31
Mile 2- 7:28
Mile 3- 7:33
Mile 4- 7:55
Mile 5- 7:40
Mile 6- 7:38
Mile 7- 7:45
Mile 8- 7:20
Mile 9- 7:22
Mile 10- 7:36
Mile 11- 7:20
Mile 12- 7:33
Mile 13- 7:17
These splits are much more consistent than last year's race. I was able to start strong, run a good middle portion of the race, and finish strong. I took off almost two minutes from last year's time! Sometimes (actually...all the time) the low mileage really works in my favor. I had another third place finish (3/18) and I'm quite happy with that. A sub-1:40, especially in a tough indoor race, is a great start to the year.
I'm not quite sure about my next race. There are a few local 5ks and the Super Bull Trail Championships coming up, but I haven't yet decided which race will be next.
W and I stayed on campus at The Inn at Ohio Northern again. This is a great facility with a nice restaurant. Ada, OH is only a bit over an hour from us but it's worth spending the extra money to stay overnight. The Sports Center where the event is held is a mere five minutes away. The convenience is worth it.
We got to the race about 15 minutes prior to the start which is fine for a race this small. There is a limited number of spots available and it fills up fast. There's a full marathon and it's almost a 50/50 split between the two races (18 in the half, 16 in the full).
I have purposely lowered my mileage this year as W and I have a lot of things going on. I'm trying to stay in the 15 miles per week range. This winter has been especially cold and snowy so training has been so-so and almost entirely on treadmill. I wasn't expecting a lot when we started and just tried to hit consistent splits. The first couple miles felt very good and I just tried to hold on to the 7:30 range for a while. My "goal" was to break 1:45 at this race and I didn't mind banking some time early on.
Running 105 laps on an indoor track does wear out the legs, but thankfully they have the runners change direction every half hour. And the cross country and track teams do a great job of cheering you on. My lap counter was very helpful and made sure to shout out each mile split. Another nice perk is that you can easily bring your own water, sports drink, gels, etc., and place them on one of the 4-5 tables they have around the track. I always grab my bottle on the run and drop it off at one of the next tables. It's nice to bring your own aid instead of hoping for the best (such as lemon lime Gatorade...yuck!).
Back to the race. I had a few slower miles in the middle of the race but that was by design. They were still faster than my slowest portion of last year's race and I never touched the 8:00 mile. I knew the leader was well ahead of me and I had no idea whether I was in second or third place. I really was able to zone out for the most part and just run. Some people may complain about having to constantly pass other runners on a track but it doesn't bother me. It just makes it feel like I'm going faster!
I was able to speed up over the second half of the race and popped a gel. The second half absolutely flew by and I don't remember most of those miles. The whole race seemed much faster and even more enjoyable than last year. The winner crossed in 1:33 and change which is a great time on an indoor track. I just held on for some extra fast final miles and crossed the finish line in 1:39:24!
Here are my splits:
Mile 1- 7:31
Mile 2- 7:28
Mile 3- 7:33
Mile 4- 7:55
Mile 5- 7:40
Mile 6- 7:38
Mile 7- 7:45
Mile 8- 7:20
Mile 9- 7:22
Mile 10- 7:36
Mile 11- 7:20
Mile 12- 7:33
Mile 13- 7:17
These splits are much more consistent than last year's race. I was able to start strong, run a good middle portion of the race, and finish strong. I took off almost two minutes from last year's time! Sometimes (actually...all the time) the low mileage really works in my favor. I had another third place finish (3/18) and I'm quite happy with that. A sub-1:40, especially in a tough indoor race, is a great start to the year.
I'm not quite sure about my next race. There are a few local 5ks and the Super Bull Trail Championships coming up, but I haven't yet decided which race will be next.
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