Thoughts on 2017 Running Year

2017 was an interesting year for me.  While I still ran seven half marathons, I focused more on the 5k.  I ran surprising PRs in both the 5k and 10k while maintaining a good pace in the half marathon.  W and I have a lot of life changes coming up and I figured this would be my last year running in 15+ races.

2017 Race Totals

5k- 9
10k- 1
12.5k- 1
Half Marathon- 7

Grand total of 133.55 miles in races.

Favorite races

• ONU Polar Bear Indoor Half Marathon- I enjoyed this one just as much as 2016 and am schedule to do it again in 2018.  I chipped off over a minute and hope to come in near 1:40 next time.  The cross country and track teams do a great job to make this one fun.
• Ohio Road Runners Club Half Marathon- No surprise here.  This was my sixth time running my favorite race.  
• Capital City Half Marathon- The weather made this one nerve wracking at the end, but the fast course more than made up for it.  I came close to getting a PR at this one.  
• Heartland 5k- I got a new 5k PR of 19:39 at this race in nearby Lexington.  I actually really enjoyed the course as over a quarter of it is on bike path and the few hills through town helped to break it up.
• Columbus Half Marathon- This one was run at Alum Creek in nearby Delaware.  I came into it with zero expectations and came out of it with a sub-1:40.  The course is pretty scenic with enough variety to keep things interesting.
• Mohican 5k- This was a surprising first place finish for me this year.  The course is a flat and fast out and back mostly on a bike path.  The small hills at the end were killer but I really enjoyed this race.
• Amish Country Half Marathon- My slowest time came at this one but who cares?  This is a fun race at which you get the opportunity to "conquer the hills".  It's tough but the organization is outstanding.

Let's look at my goals for the year.

• Set another new half marathon PR.  I am signed up for the ORRRC Half again.  I've PR'd three times at that race and I know the course like the back of my hand.   I came close a few times but couldn't get past 1:36.  I very much doubt I'll break this any time soon.
• Break 1:35 in the half marathon.  See above.
• Set a new 5k PR.  Let's try this one again.  I set a new PR with a 19:39 and followed it up with a 19:42 two weeks later.  I finished the year with three sub-20:00s, compared to only two all-time entering 2017.
• Run 6-7 half marathons and start to focus more on local 5ks.   I ran seven half marathons and nine 5ks.  That's a rarity for me.
• Find a trail 5k in the area.  I ran the 12.5k Super Bull Trail over in Wooster in March.  It was tough and my shoelaces were frozen at the end but it was a blast!
• A new 5k PR for W.  W ran a few 5ks but hasn't been able to consistently train.

2018 Running Goals

• Run 3-5 half marathons.  This would get me to 70 overall.
• Shoot for 19:30 in the 5k.  This is lofty but I think I can do it in the right conditions.
• Run 750 miles in 2018.  I've been over 1000 the past several years but I won't be able to maintain it.
• Win one or two local 5ks.  If I'm going to focus on that distance, I feel this is possible.

Amish Country Half Marathon

I finished my 2017 racing season with the same race from the end of 2016.  For whatever reason, the Amish Country half in Berlin felt much more difficult this time around.  I had a slower than usual time at it last year and wasn't expecting a lot going in.  I was only looking for a good hard run and the burning legs afterward. 

I got to Hiland High School in plenty of time for the race start.  It was cool again this year but without the rain.  I toyed with the idea of not wearing my Columbus Marathon jacket, then decided to keep it since there was a breeze.  Overall, I was thrilled the weather was cooperating.

Miles 1-5: My data from my GPS watch got deleted so I don't have splits for this one.  We started out with a lap on the track before heading south and hitting some country roads.  The hills here felt much worse than last year, particularly the downhills in the first two miles.  It just felt like we were going too fast.  This despite the fact I ran with the 1:45 pace group for most of the race.  I remember my splits were all over the place as they were last year.  I wasn't feeling bad by any means but this is a tough race to pace.  The views, however, are really cool.  There's no traffic to worry about and many of the Amish are out to see the race.  It's really a nice experience.

Miles 6-10: Miles 6-7 are tough.  I mean really tough.  The hills continue and there is one that seems to go forever.  It's also one thing to up a hill, it's another to go up one that winds on the way up.  It kills the quads.  Then you get the downhill that almost feels worse.  I was still with the 1:45 pace leader during this section.  Several other runners and I were going back and forth which seems pretty pointless now.  We headed east as we continued on our loop course, then turned north a mile or two down the road.  The section heading north is hilly but not as bad as the previous section.  The problem is that your quads are already destroyed by this point.  I was trying to hang in for a 1:45 finish.

Miles 11-13.1: You know what's coming if you read last year's post.  The loop finishes with a long and gradual uphill along State Route 39.  This makes up for the relatively flat portion we just finished.  We go up, then get a nice downhill, then a steeper uphill to the school.  I was done by the end of this and knew I would be just shy of my goal time.  We headed to the school for a finish lap around the track and I hit the mat in 1:45:39.  That's not a bad time and it was good enough for 37/222 overall.  I did enjoy the race and may even run it again next year.  It's a great way to burn off the Thanksgiving dinner!

Things are looking similar to the past year as I am taking a break after this race and getting back to it at the Ohio Northern University Indoor Half Marathon at the end of next month.  In the meantime, I will be back with this year's review and thoughts.

Next race: ONU Polar Bear Indoor Half Marathon- Ada, OH

Inland Trail Half Marathon

I'm a few weeks past this race and have my next in about a week.  This one is run in Elyria, about an hour and a half away, and has been on my list for a few years.  The description reminded me of the ORRRC Half so I've been wanting to give it a try.  It's run on the Inland Trail which covers a good portion of northern Ohio.  I used to run it all the time in Fremont.  However, the course was changed last year and features far less bike path than before.  I guess a lot of runners complained of the monotony. 

Race morning started rough as the forecast called for scattered thunderstorms.  I saw lightning strikes toward Elyria on the way up and pulled over to make sure the race was still on.  The rain stopped soon after I picked up my packet.  I checked the weather again and it looked like we could get the race in, though I'm not sure about the marathoners on the course.  The temperature was also high for early November with temps near 60 at the start.

We headed out from the Murray Ridge School for a loop around the west side of Elyria.  I felt good from the start but didn't want to overdo it.  I ran with a couple marathoners who were trying to stick near a 7:40 pace.  We ran together for about the first 6-7 miles.  The first and only hill hit during the fifth mile, but it wasn't terribly long or steep.  Again, I felt good and was just running on feel since my half training has suffered this Fall.  My splits were amazingly consistent over the first five miles.  Here are the splits: 7:34, 7:35, 7:33, 7:37, 7:33.  I'm not sure if I've ever ran the first miles in a half marathon in such consistent times.

I was surprised that we were still on the road this late in the race and underestimated how much they must have changed the course.  The other two runners I was with agreed that they thought we would be on the bike path by mile 5 or so.  We finally hit it near the 7.5 mile mark.  Again, I'm surprised by the small amount of distance on the path.  If you plan on doing that, maybe go on and off the path a few times to completely break up the monotony.  ORRRC does this with a short bit on the path at mile 2.  I finally left the two full marathoners at mile 8 and just focused on my pace.  I was counting the number of returning half marathoners and guessed I was close to the top ten.  My pace was still consistent, but I did slow down a bit during this stretch.  Here are miles 5-10: 7:37, 7:38, 7:25, 7:47,7:40.  Not bad times but I was starting to feel the race.

We hit the turnaround at mile 10 and headed back to the school for the finish.  I caught up to another runner who I chatted with during the final miles.  We were both shooting for 1:40 times and focused on pushing each other.  There's not much to say as we just stayed on the path until the final half mile or so.  We pushed each other to the school and finished very strong.  My time was a surprising 1:39:53.  Here are the final three splits: 7:39, 7:33, 7:36.

What was more surprising than my time is I took 8/76 overall and second in my age group!  I was very happy to place in my age group, but I'm more thrilled to break 1:40 for the fifth time in a row.  I don't think I'll be so lucky at my next race.

Next race: Amish Country Half Marathon- Berlin, OH

Mohican 5k

W and I have had a very busy Fall and I've fallen behind on the blog again.  I found this smaller 5k down in nearby Loudonville and decided to try it instead of a half.  My training has been so-so, but it had been a while since I last ran a race.  I was surprised to see the course looked flat, which is not what you are expecting near Mohican State Park.

I did my usual "I don't feel like doing this today" thing that morning.  W is used to it and told me to have fun.  She really knows how to handle my quirks when it comes to running.  I headed to Loudonville and got there in plenty of time for a mile warm-up.  The weather has been surprisingly warm and it felt humid out, too.  We're not used to October humidity in Ohio!  It looked like around 100 runners at the start line and I head toward the front.

We took off on road from a small village park and headed southeast toward Route 3.  This portion was maybe 3/4 mile long and I felt good from the start.  I tucked in to fourth place for this first section and just tried to hold on for an age group win.  The three runners in front of me looked like they were in high school, so I just tried to keep up with them.  We turned onto a bike path running parallel to Route 3 and headed south to the turnaround.  My first mile came in at a solid 6:27, though I was aiming for just shy of 7:00.  I somehow passed two runners at about 1.5 miles in and found myself in second place.  The first runner had taken off strong and I just worked on maintaining a good pace.  We hit the turnaround I was just over a 20:00 pace.  The first runner was still ahead but I noticed I had gained some ground.

I knew I had the age group thing in the bag and decided to see what I had left in the tank.  I could also tell the leader was losing some steam and I still felt great.  My second mile clocked in at a good 6:45 pace so I hadn't slowed down too much.  The leader was really losing steam and I caught up to him just after the two mile mark.  We ran together for a short time and I made my move with 3/4 mile to go.  The bike path took a short downhill and I flew down that to create a bit of separation.  The last 1/4 mile was tough, but somehow, someway, I was able to cruise in for a surprising first place finish!  My final mile was a shocking 6:18 and my overall time was 20:25.  Not bad at all for a last minute 5k!

I might run another 5k in December but now it's time to refocus on my favorite distance.

Next race: Inland Trail Half Marathon- Elyria, OH

Fall Trail Run Half Marathon

It’s been almost a month since my last race and motivation has been an issue.  I don’t have another race until mid-October as W and I have intense work responsibilities right now.  I should be back to normal in November and hope to finish the year strong.

The last race was the Fall Trail Run in Millersburg.  I ran this one in 2014 and was not terribly impressed, but simply wanted to run a half on Labor Day weekend this year.  W and I spent about five days in Traverse City, Michigan prior this race and I was able to get some nice running around the lake.  Couple that with cooler temps and I knew I could run a fast time on a very flat and fast course.

This one is very low-key and is completely on the bike path.  There are no major road crossings and you can really just zone out and run.  Parts of it remind me of the ORRRC Marathon but with fewer runners.  I found myself completely alone for the majority of the race, making it feel like an intense training run rather than a race.  Here is my full report.

Miles 1-5: This race has a really odd start.  We begin by heading north on the path for not quite a half mile before turning around and heading back the other way.  I think this is done to avoid the road crossings we would have to go through if we simply went south.  The turnaround didn’t seem as quick as it did in 2014 and I immediately had the feeling the course would be long.  Like I mentioned earlier, this race was small with only 48 runners in the half (there was also a 10k and 5k).  I passed a few runners after the first mile and a half and was alone from then on.  This might have been a problem if the weather hadn’t cooperated, but it was a perfect cool day with temps in the low 50s.  I felt great and took in the sights.  The course was much prettier than I remembered as the entire course is tree-lined with an occasional marsh/pond.  The first five clicked off easily.  Here are the splits: 1 (7:38), 2 (7:30), 3 (7:30), 4 (7:38), 5 (7:30).  Those are some very consistent splits.

Miles 6-10:  I was clicking off the mileage but started having mild GI issues during this section.  I stopped off at the turnaround point in the middle of mile 8.  I lost about a minute here but still felt I could get in under 1:40.  It was nice to FINALLY see some other runners as we passed each other near the turnaround.  Everyone was really friendly and encouraging to each other.  I think this is especially noticeable at these smaller races.  Around mile 9 or so I stopped seeing other runners and zoned out again.  The still cool weather was making my legs feel great this late in a half.  Here are the splits: 6 (7:22), 7 (7:20), 8 (8:25), 9 (7:22), 10 (7:25).

Miles 11-13:  Not much to say!  More bike path!  Some 10k runners were still out so I was able to encourage them as I continued on.  I was certain the course was going to be long by quite a bit and I was correct.  My watch measured it at 13.4 at the finish, so it was off by a wide margin.  Even though I had a feeling that it was long, I still knew I could just get in with another sub-1:40.  The last mile flew by as I passed some more 10k runners and finally hit the finish with a solid 1:39:31.  Not bad at all!  The final splits were: 11 (7:22), 12 (7:15), 13 (6:55).  This was good enough for 9/48 overall.  I’m very happy with that result since these smaller races can often bring out very fast, local runners. 

The next one isn’t for a while yet and is a 5k instead of a half. 

Next race: Mohican 5k- Loudonville, OH

Columbus Half Marathon

No, this is not THE Columbus Half Marathon, but rather an older and smaller version held in the summer.  It's moved several times and this year was held in beautiful Alum Creek State Park near Delaware.  Despite not being the big city version, I actually enjoyed the course and crew far more.

This race did require an early wake up time of 4:30.  Ugh.  W stayed at home as I wanted her to rest and didn't anticipate much for her to do at the park.  I got to Alum Creek at about 6:30 for the 7:05 start.  We finally got some much needed cooler weather with highs in the mid-70s.  It was in the low 60s with a slight breeze in the morning which felt great.  I warmed up a bit and headed to the start line.

Miles 1-5: I've focused in on the 5k for the past three months and haven't ran anything over seven miles.  The strategy was to ease into this one and shoot for 8:00 miles.  If I felt great, go.  If not, try to finish around 1:45 which I can normally do on a bad day.  We started out with a loop in the enormous parking lot before heading out the road.  That took up about a mile as we headed for the loop course around Alum Creek Reservoir.  I felt good right from the beginning and settled in to a nice 8:00 pace.  The coolest part of the race was just after mile two when we ran over the dam.  It was a pretty smooth trail surface and it gave us some great views of the lake.  This portion lasted about a mile before we hit Africa Road and headed north.  Here are the splits for the first five: 1 (8:01), 2 (7:48), 3 (7:42), 4 (7:54), 5 (7:54).  The consistency during this first section was a good sign.

Miles 6-10: We continued north and I ran a couple miles with a runner who was training for the Columbus Marathon in October.  She was aiming for 8:00 miles so we chatted for a bit.  The Africa Road portion was definitely a net uphill.  I was still feeling good and would soon speed up.  I hadn't run more than seven miles in a single run since the Capital City Half Marathon, so I wasn't sure if I could keep a strong pace or not.  I made my move just shy of mile 7, as we headed west over a cool bridge over the lake.  I passed 4-5 people during this section of the course and knew I was holding my own.  We finished the bridge and headed south on Old State Road at about the 8 1/2 mile mark.  This final portion of the race was definitely a net downhill.  The grade was never too noticeable, but my pace was great.  I started pacing a much younger runner who had a strong pace.  We went back and forth for the duration and I was feeling really good about my splits.  Here are miles 6-10: 6 (7:56), 7 (7:30), 8 (7:17), 9 (7:26), 10 (7:13).  While I sped up considerably, there was still some consistency to these splits.

Miles 11-13.1: The course continued at a very slight downhill.  There's not much to say about the scenery.  The lake was too far away and the most exciting thing was that the trees were shading us the whole way.  My fellow runner and I kept going back and forth until we entered the parking lot for a final loop.  I finally passed him and I knew I had a solid time.  Here are the final splits: 11 (7:10), 12 (7:12), 13 (6:48).  I hit the finish line in a surprising time of 1:38:41, good enough for 25th overall!  I was pretty shocked with this time considering my focus had not been on the half at all this summer.

For once, I'm not at all sure what the next race will be.  I'm looking at a couple on Labor Day weekend but we will see.

Plymouth Fireman's Festival 10k

On to my 10k for 2017.  I tend to do one 10k each year as a change of pace, though I've never felt very comfortable at this distance.  The 5k is short enough to not require much thinking and the half marathon pace is something I feel confident about.  But the 10k is just an awkward one for me.  The last one I ran (Maui) went downhill for me in a hurry as I started out too fast.

This race was very, very small.  There were only nine of us in the 10k and twenty-five in the 5k.  That's small.  The course was pretty simple as we started in the center of town, made a semi-circle going north to west, west on Baseline Rd., south on a county road, and then back.  I was very surprised with the course.  It was a lot hillier than I expected from the Plymouth area.

We started out through town and the two top runners went out at a ridiculous pace.  I came out too fast as we made our way to Baseline Road and had to slow down.  The first mile was in 6:29 and the second in 6:48.  That's way too fast for me, though I started out in third place and was able to maintain.

After the first long straightaway, we headed south for another one.  The hills here were surprising.  Nothing awful, but they were enough to hurt after the fast start.  My third mile came up to 7:26.  That's better.  We turned around and headed right back the way we came.  The second place runner was well ahead of me and the fourth was well behind.  I do find these quiet pockets in races.  My pace was more consistent as we went, too.  The fourth mile came in at 7:12 and the fifth in 7:35.  We headed back towards town and I was really feeling this race.  Again, I looked around and there was no one near me.

Finally, we made our way back to town and went around the west side.  This included one nice downhill at which I gained a few seconds.  Another downhill into the finish gave me a new 10k PR of 44:06!  That takes off almost a minute and a half from my previous PR, set in 2013, and gives me my second new PR of the year.

Up next is a new half marathon for me.

Next race: Columbus Half Marathon- Delaware, OH

North Fairfield Lions Street Fair 5k

This was one of those "I've got the itch to race" runs for me.  North Fairfield is a tiny burg about 40 minutes from home.  W wanted to go to this one, so we got up a bit earlier than we would like on a Saturday and headed out.

The town is basically two roads intersecting with a few homes and very small businesses.  I haven't done many of these tiny races as I used to, but really enjoyed doing them when I lived in the Dayton area.  There's a certain charm and you get to see some hidden areas of the state.  The race started at the village park, which was actually much nicer and bigger than I would have guessed.

The weather was perfect for mid-July.  It was high 60s, cloudy, with a cool breeze.  I felt decent coming in and thought I might be able to beat my last 5k in Galion.  We headed to the meager start line and headed out on the out and back course.

I felt great from the get-go but tried to not get carried away.  The course was pretty flat with a few very small rollers.  I started in the top five and just held steady there.  A runner who I met and ran a warm-up with earlier was running the same pace, so we just ran together for the majority of this one.  We hit the cones for the first mile in 6:25.  Right on pace for a nice race.  We passed one runner and made our way into a tie for third.

There were two high school runners in front of us and we both thought we might have a chance to catch them.  But my will to run a PR type race lowered when we hit the turnaround.  My watch showed 1.47 miles.  Crap.  This was going to be a short race.  We both slowed down a bit, though still hit the second mile in 6:24.  When the heck is my second mile faster than the first in a 5k?  I can't think of many times at all.  I still knew it was worth pushing for a good time and passed my fellow runner to get into third place.  The return to the park was a net downhill which helped me at the end.  I finished with a 19:05(!) but my GPS showed the course at 2.96 miles.  I'm guess I would have been around 19:45, so I'll go ahead and count this as my third sub-20:00 of the year.  That's more than all other years combined!

I did finish in third overall, out of probably thirty-some runners, and finished first in my age group.  Next up is the dreaded 10k distance.  I've been running better 5ks than ever before, so I am hopeful that will translate to a 10k PR.

Next race: Plymouth Fireman's Festival 10k- Plymouth, OH

Ontario Liberty 5k

I'm very late on getting to this one done and my next race is tomorrow.  How many times have I started a post with that sentence?

This was another of W's races for the year.  A friend of hers walked it with us, which I think made it much easier for W.  She came into it with as much training as the Kingwood 5k so she was nervous.  The race starts at Ontario High School which is about a half mile from our house.  I'm coming to terms with the fact that easier logistics makes for a more enjoyable time.  The weather helped as it was cool with a light rain.  The day before was very humid so we lucked out.

We started out with a long straightaway on Shelby-Ontario Road.  This race was much more competitive than when I ran it two year's ago.  There were only a few walkers in this one.  The three of us started with some light jogging before switching to walking when we turned on to Milligan Road.  This is the best downhill portion of the race and a great way to build up time.  W looked very comfortable.  The conversation was greatly helping her.

I didn't have my watch so there are no splits.  I could tell that W was going to break her time from Kingwood by a good margin.  We went around the park in a loop and back to Milligan.  W did sprinkle in some more jogging at the turnaround point.  She was having fun!  We turned back on Milligan and (remember that earlier downhill?) had to contend with the uphill.  We then turned back toward the school for one last jog into the finish.

W finished with a final time of 51:54.  That chips off almost three minutes from Kingwood!  On little training and a tougher course that's not bad.  I think W is done with 5ks for a little while and will probably hit one in September.  My next one is tomorrow and looks to be very small.

Next race: North Fairfield Lions Street Fair 5k- North Fairfield, OH

Avita Moving Hearts and Soles 5k

I ran this nice local race over in Galion last weekend.  The weather has warmed up, so my 5k times are going to be slower than the blazing fast (for me) times I've been running.  I felt pretty confident going into this one.  I haven't had the dead legs feeling this year that I normally get this time of year.

The race started at the Avita Orthopedic Center in Galion, about a 15 minute drive from the house.  While I'll always prefer the half marathon, I do like the easier logistics of running local 5ks.  There's no real driving, no hotels or restaurants, the registration is cheaper, and I'm more competitive at this distance.

I did not have my GPS watch with me for this one and ran solely on feel.

We started out heading west on Hosford Road.  There were a few rolling hills sprinkled in the first stretch.  This helped my time out a bit.  I started out in the second group of people, as there were some fast looking high school kids in this one.  That's one negative to summer races.  We turned south at the next road for another straightaway.  I caught a few people in this stretch and knew I was in the top ten.  My first mile was probably around 6:30 or so.  It felt faster than it should be considering the heat.

The second mile was dull.  We turned around and headed down a LONG straightaway.  There were very few hills and no real scenery.  I went back and forth with another runner, but both of us wound up where we began.  Nobody was passing me and I wasn't passing anyone.  I guess that's how you know you're in the right place!  We turned around again and headed back toward Hosford Road.  Prior to getting there, we headed through a small residential area to break up the monotony.  I was feeling the heat and was certainly slowing down.

We finally made our way back to Hosford and I was able to finish somewhat fast.  I tried to catch the other runner from earlier but with no luck.  After turning back to the orthopedic center, I was able to hit the finish line in 20:43.  This was good enough for 7/194 overall and second in my age group.  Not a bad outing.

The next one actually occurred a few days ago.  W ran in her second 5k of the year and had a very good effort!

Next race: Ontario Liberty 5k- Ontario, OH

Kingwood Center 5k

W and I did our first race together last weekend.  We have ran the Kingwood Center 5k together the past few years as this amazing place holds a lot of meaning for us.  We had our first date there in 2014 and were married there this past September.  It's certainly W's favorite place in Mansfield as the gardens there are spectacular!

W's training has been inconsistent at best this year.  She was very nervous going into this one.  She did have two things going for her: the heat wasn't nearly as bad as last year and there were no cicadas!  If you look at last year's race, the cicadas were dive-bombing us during the whole thing.  It was no fun at all.

This year's race was in much better temps, though still warm, and it was just an overall nice day.  W had the goal of getting the race in under the one hour mark.  I had a feeling she could beat her time from last year of 55:48.  We started near the back of the pack, but W wanted to start off with some jogging.  That surprised me and she did a good job of starting strong.  We did the usual weird loop in the high school parking lot and made our way toward the B&O Bike Trail.  W was keeping up a strong pace and finished the first mile in just over 17:00.

We continued walking at a brisk pace.  I was walking at a pace just faster than what W was comfortable at, which I'm pretty sure she noticed.  We continued on the bike path as the winners were circling back past us.  North Lake Park offers a change of pace in this race as we head off the path for a quick lap around the lake.  W was still going strong and was doing much better than last year.  The geese weren't out like they usually are at the park.  We finished our loop and hit the second mile marker soon after getting back on the bike path.  W had a slightly slower second mile but was still on pace.

The third mile is primarily on the path.  We were both feeling the heat as the sun had come out from behind the clouds.  W was trying to slow down a bit but I kept her on pace.  She let me know she wasn't pleased with that!  We finally made our way off the path to the Kingwood Center for a loop around the east side of the grounds to the downhill finish.  W finished hard and came in with a final time of 54:17.  She took a minute and a half off her time from last year!  With no training!

Needless to say, I am very proud of W for gutting it out.  She has earned a break and will walk at the upcoming Liberty 5k in Ontario.  I have one 5k between now and then.

Next race: Moving Hearts and Soles 5k- Galion, OH

1LT Michael L Runyan 5k

Shocker of shockers, I am behind on the blog again.  W and I just did a 5k this weekend, but I still have to get to my report of the Michael L Runyan 5k in nearby Ashland.

This race was very well done in memoriam of Michael Runyan, who died serving the country in Afghanistan.  His family has organized this race at Ashland University for the past seven years.  The words before the race were moving and served well to remind everyone of what Memorial Day means.  I can't think of a better tribute.

The race itself was challenging and surprising.  The temperature was higher than the recent Heartland 5k.  I felt great going in and knew I could run a decent time.

We started out with a half lap at the Ashland U track prior to hitting a long straightaway through a residential area.  I started with the lead pack of five or so runners.  This quickly spread out as the top two runners took off and the third place runner kept a good pace in front of me.  There was one small hill near the beginning but not many the rest of the way.  That's surprising in Ashland.  We headed north at the one mile mark for the lollipop portion of the course.  My first mile came in at about 6:15 (I don't have the exact splits).  Very fast and I was feeling more beat than the Heartland 5k.  We continued around another residential area and headed back toward the start.  I kept gaining on the third place runner only for him to speed up any time I got next to him.  He eventually sped up leaving me in fourth place.  The fifth place runner was still far behind me.  The second mile clocked in at 6:40.  I was thinking that I *might* be able to come in under 20:00.

The final mile was rough as the sun came out from behind some clouds.  This warmed things up quite a bit.  I just tried to hang on and hit the last hill prior to turning off toward the university.  A quick lap around the track and I had somehow managed another sub-20:00 5k.  My final time was 19:42, good enough for 4/119 overall and 1/5 in my age group.

I only had two sub-20:00 5ks EVER prior to this year.  Now I have them in back-to-back races.  More importantly, I've been enjoying running some 5ks this year.  Next up is a race with W.

Next race: Kingwood Center 5k- Mansfield, OH

Heartland 5k

I'm a bit behind (I know, shocker) and need to catch up prior to this week's 5k.  The Heartland 5k took place in nearby Lexington and utilized the bike path and some village streets.  I felt really good going into this one and was looking for around 20:00 or the usually elusive sub-20:00.

The temperature was very good at race time at about 50 degrees.  It got much warmer as the day went on, but it stayed very nice during the race.  I took a pre-race jog around Heartland Church, the race venue, which is something I normally don't do prior to a 5k.  The thought process is that I normally don't do an actual warm-up and then wind up going out too fast.  This strategy worked as you'll soon see.

I lined up near the front of the meager start line.  Two high school age runners were up there, so I lined up with them and hoped for the best.  The gun went off and we headed around the church on a grassy path and then to the bike path soon after.  I felt very good and kept up with the other two runners, settling into third place.  We headed out on a long straightaway on the bike path and I just put it on auto-pilot.  There was plenty of shade and I was able to keep nice and cool during the early part of the race.  We turned off the path and headed toward a residential area at the one mile mark.  The first mile clocked in at a fast 6:08.

This was an extremely fast mile.  I let off the gas a bit as we made our way through the town on several small village streets.  The only hill of any significance was roughly at the halfway mark but it wasn't very steep.  The other two runners were ahead of me a bit and the next one behind me was maybe 50 meters or so behind.  We made a loop around and headed back toward the path.  The second mile clocked in at another fast 6:32.  I usually crap out on the second mile but a 12:40 after two miles is very fast for me.  We made our way back to the bike path for the final mile.  I knew I didn't have much left, but I wanted to give it a go for a sub-20:00 race.  I focused on maintaining rather than changing my speed at all.  The second place runner was barely ahead of me.  I didn't think I had a chance to catch him and kept working at maintaining pace.  The third mile came in at 6:27.  We finally wound up back at the church and headed back to the grassy path for the finish.  I crossed in third place with a surprising PR of 19:39!

How this happened is beyond me.  I am focusing on shorter races more this year, however, I haven't really been doing speedwork.  The mileage is still there but the speed is not.  I'm obviously thrilled with the result as I had not PR'd in the 5k since 2013.

I'm hoping to keep up this nice streak of solid 5k races.  I have finished the last three 5k races in fourth, second, and third places.  The next one is coming up in just a few days, though the course looks more challenging.

Next race: 1LT Michael L Runyan 5k- Ashland, OH

Capital City Half Marathon

W and I made our way to Columbus for one of my favorite races.  We have gone to the Flying Pig in Cincinnati the past few years, but my work schedule didn't fit it this year.  I know the Cap City course as well as I know the ORRRC Half Marathon as I ran it in 2012, 13, and 14.  I was looking forward to a solid race and a nice time in Columbus.

The weather did not cooperate from the get-go.  We first had to make our way to the "expotique" in the Brewery District.  This was my first clue that something was "off" for this year's race.  It was cool, rainy and miserable for the drive down.  Add to the fact that the upscale "expotique" was in a difficult place to get to didn't help at all.  Then it rained while we were walking from our hotel to dinner.  Not a great start.

Race morning was overcast with temps in the high 50s.  That's not too bad.  But radar showed severe storms in Indiana that looked to be heading straight toward Columbus.  We would just have to wait and see.  W and I made our way to the race start on Front Street and I climbed (almost literally) into Corral A for the start.

We started by going north on Front Street, crossing the river, and then heading north on Olentangy River Road.  I felt great right out of the gate and quickly settled into a good pace.  The sky was still overcast and I was hoping we could get the race in.  This part of the race isn't the most scenic until you get to about mile 4.  We then cross over the Lane Avenue Bridge and hit a bit of OSU campus.  Here are the splits for the first five: 7:07, 7:03, 7:10, 7:05, and 7:22.

This is a quicker part of the course as it's a net downhill down High Street.  There weren't nearly as many spectators as in previous years, as the clouds were beginning to roll in.  I kept a solid pace but didn't overdue it.  I flew down this section in 2014 and paid for it during the last few miles.  One complaint I do have is that the quarter marathon participants merge with the half right before we turn to head east.  This becomes a cluster and it's difficult to hit the tangents.  I did the best I could and was still happy with my pace.  We then turn south and head into German Village.  The splits for the second five: 7:15, 7:18, 7:10, 7:20, and 7:41.

I love the section in German Village as we go right through the middle of town and then around Schiller Park.  If you're not familiar with the part, it's gorgeous.  It was around this point, however, when I heard some rumbling just south of town.  At that point I was concerned that the storm was coming in.  I kicked it in a bit as we headed back north on High Street, then west toward COSI.  The clouds were starting to darken.  We went around COSI and then back to High Street for the finish.  Here are the splits for the last few: 6:56, 7:15, and 7:10.  I finished at 1:36:25, good enough for my second fastest half marathon!  It's bittersweet, though, as I had the course measured at 13.3.  That might have been enough for a PR but it would have been close.  Still, this was my second straight solid half marathon.

The real story of the race began right after I finished.  The runners have to walk around several buildings prior to heading into the post-race area in Columbus Commons.  During my walk the sky opened up and it started raining hard.  Worse still, there was lightning.  Pandemonium.  I ran to the reunion area and W (nor anyone else) was not there.  I ran around as the race organizers first announced they were cutting the course short.  They then called the race about ten minutes later.  I looked for W at our hotel (right next to the Commons) and then came back to the post-race area.  There were still some people trying to finish and others looking to get post-race pizza and beer, but the organizers were telling people to leave.  W and I finally found each other and she told me what happened.

An officer told everyone in the reunion area to seek cover in a parking garage across the street.  W told him that I just finished and would be there in less than a minute.  He still made her go across the street even though there were people milling about everywhere.  You can read more of the stories of people getting caught out on the course, or their gear check bags being sent ACROSS town at the Cap City Facebook page.  I think they took a huge PR hit with how they handled the situation.  I love the course but I'm now not sure I'm coming back.  Regardless, I'm happy getting my second fastest half marathon!

I'm extremely late in posting this and have already ran my next one.  It's a good one.

Next race: Heartland 5k- Lexington, OH

Ohio River Road Runners Club Half Marathon

My favorite race of the year.  W and I weren't sure we would make it to Xenia this year, but we were able to move some things around and come for the race and our annual trip to nearby Yellow Springs.  I'll keep it short since you've seen five other reviews for this race.  As I always say, it's well organized, inexpensive ($35), and just a lot of fun.  The weather cooperated this year, as we had temps in the mid to high 40s and sunny skies.  Perfect running weather.

Let's get to my report:

Miles 1-5: I started out slower than the '15 and '16 races.  We headed out from the YMCA through some nearby neighborhoods for a quick mile and a half loop.  I felt good and was simply thrilled to be running this one again.  I sped up as we got a half mile in or so as I wanted to see what I could do.  As I usually say, I had no designs of running a PR.  This time I stuck with that strategy and just enjoyed the race.  We headed back past the Y for our first look at the bike path.  After maybe a half mile on there, we turn back south to run a semi-circle on some country roads.  I felt great on the few hills and was knocking out sub-8:00 miles easily.  We hit the final downhill as we finished with roads and then headed northeast on the bike path.  Here are the splits: 7:29, 7:15, 7:23, 7:15, 7:22.  You'll see throughout my review that I ran very consistent times.

Miles 6-10: Not everyone will enjoy this section of the race as it's just bike path, trees, and not much crowd support.  I actually enjoy it as it's a great place to just zone out and run.  I also feel like the cap size (1,500, I believe) is perfect for this race.  I was still feeling good and knocking out consistent splits here.  I wasn't passing as many people as last year but I was still passing a lot.  We made our way to the turnaround portion near Central State University for about .75 mile before turning around and heading back.  This is a great point in the race to see where you are in relation to other runners.  I knew I was in a good position as I didn't see many people heading back as I was still heading out.  We finally turned back to the original portion of the path for our trip back to Xenia.  Here are the splits: 7:33, 7:12, 7:15, 7:17, 7:25.

I actually remember more from this portion than the past two years.  I was really straining to get a PR in both '15 and '16 and was half dead when I hit the finish.  This year I was running hard but not overexerting myself.  The crowd had thinned out and I just enjoyed the run.  I might have passed four or five runners during the final 5k.  We hit the end of the path and ran back up a city street to the Y for the finish.  This last portion is difficult for several reasons.  The first is that this street has quite a few potholes.  The second is that it's all uphill.  It's a difficult stretch.  I saw W near the finish and gave her a high five!  Then I hit the finish line for a very solid 1:36:57.  This was good enough for 60/732 overall.  Here are the final splits: 7:25, 7:25, 7:20.

This race never disappoints.  W and I had a great time and I hope we can go again next year.  I haven't decided on my next race.  I'm signed up for the Capital City Half Marathon on the 29th, but I might run a local 5k a week before.  My training has been very solid the last few weeks, as Spring is in full bloom.

Liwiro la Malawi 5k

I won this local 5k two years ago and decided to give it another go.  W had a previous engagement, so what else would I do with a free Saturday morning?  The field looked tougher as it was up from 58 in 2015 to 95 in 2017.

The race starts at the square in downtown Mansfield, runs up (I do mean up) Park Avenue, before circling back on a lollipop out and back.  The first part of the race is killer but the second part has a nice long downhill.  My previous 5k in Savannah went very well and I was looking for a sub-21:00 effort here.  On to my brief report:

We started from the square and I felt loose right away.  I was with a group of four runners as we made our way up the hill on Park Avenue.  This is the toughest section and I took it very easy.  At least it felt easy as my first mile clocked in at a surprising 6:47.  A younger runner passed me and took the lead.  I tried my usual thing where I close in and stay with someone and watch them panic and take over the lead.  This happened a few times but I couldn't shake him.  We turned off of Park Avenue for another slight uphill before turning back again for the downhill section.  I passed him at around the two mile mark, but only held the lead for a quarter mile or so.  The second mile clocked in at a surprising 6:57.  That's much faster than my normal time in the middle of any 5k.

We continued downhill back to Park Avenue for the finish.  I had to kick it in some as the third runner was not far away.  The eventual winner was just slightly ahead of me, but it was enough for me to settle for second place.  I kicked it in for an amazing 6:13 final mile and finished in 20:48, good enough for second place and another solid 5k time!  I missed winning this one by only six seconds but I'm happy with this time.  I had a good time at Savanah, but that was on a slightly short and very flat course.  This one was much tougher.  I also received a great looking trophy for my efforts.

The next race is my favorite one of the year.  It will be my sixth time running it and W and I plan on spending a day in Yellow Springs after it's over.  The weather looks to be gorgeous with temps in the low-mid 50s.

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

Kilt & Kolor Run 5k

W and I made a long weekend trip to Savannah last week.  It was a beautiful time and I got some great running in at Forsyth Park.  The weather was also perfect with temperatures in the mid-60s to low-70s.  I looked for a half marathon and didn't see anything I wanted to drive to.  This little 5k on nearby Hutchinson Island fit the bill just fine.  It is nice to do something low-key in an unfamiliar city.

I know, I don't do color runs (or similarly gimmicky races).  Thankfully this one offered a clean, timed 5k at 8:00am prior to the color (or kolor) run at 9:00am.  This worked out well as I was able to just run the race and head back well before the main event started.

W and I were both a bit under the weather prior to this trip.  I told her to sit this one out so we could enjoy the rest of the day.  I got up on race morning and laid back down, debating whether to run or not.  In the end, to no one's surprise, I decided to give it a shot.  The venue was only about 15 minutes away from where we were staying and I figured I could gut out a 5k.  My expectations were low and I was really just looking for a decent run.

The course was nothing to write home about.  I was expecting that going in, but it could have been any 5k back home.  We started out with an odd portion on grass for about two hundred yards or so.  Then we made our way around the parking area and out to the main road.  I started out in the top ten and focused on picking off one runner at a time.  The course had a few minor hills and weaved in and out some.  My first mile clocked in at 6:57 which was much faster than expected.  I picked off several runners and found myself in fourth place where I would stay for the remainder.

Overall, I felt really good up to the turnaround.  This was an out and back course so we knew what to expect in the second half.  I slowed down some to 7:07 for the second mile, but I was still firmly entrenched into the fourth spot.  The runner in front was ahead by 100 meters and the one behind me was about the same.  This wasn't the most competitive race as more people were here for the color run.  I slowed down briefly during mile three and then sped back up for the final run through the parking lot and the grassy area.  I was pretty shocked to find I had run a 20:59 which was good enough for 4/72 overall and 1/3 in my age group.  Not a bad effort, though I had the course measuring at 3.04 miles.  Still, I'm pretty happy with this time.

My next effort will be back in Mansfield at a race I won two years ago.  I'm expecting it to be tougher this time around as my training has been inconsistent over the past few weeks.

Next race: Liwiro la Malawi 5k- Mansfield, OH

Super Bull Run 12.5K

Well, this was different.  Very different.  It's been several years since I have entered a true trail race.  I got the itch and found this new race in nearby Wooster.  The course sounded very challenging and March is usually a quiet month on my race calendar.  I signed up for this one without taking a good hard look at the course description.  It wasn't until about two weeks prior to the race when I found out there are 8-10 stream crossings.  That would be great in mid-summer but we're talking Ohio in early March.  Naturally it was a bit below thirty degrees at the start.  There was also a 25k and 50k attached to this event.  I can't imagine what those folks went through!

I was actually a bit nervous for this as there are not many trails in this area.  I figured it would be like riding a bike, but I forgot how much concentration it takes to run technical trails.  You can't just zone out like in most road races.  Rocks, roots, and streams are ready to take you out of your comfort zone.  With that in mind, this was more about having fun than racing.  What a novel concept!  I sort of kept splits for the race, but the constant changing terrain made them meaningless.  I'll just post some thoughts on this race.

Miles 1-4: The race started off well as we started in a field and made our way to the dirt trail.  It hadn't rained in a while, so the trails were in excellent shape.  I really felt out of my groove and started near the back of the pack before passing a few people who were running about an 11:00 pace.  We hit a few simple downhills/uphills which us acclimated to the terrain.  Going downhill felt different compared to road races, as you have to do that thing where you put your arms out to the sides to keep your balance.

We hit the first stream crossing in just under one and a half miles.  Good grief, was it ever cold!  It certainly woke me up!  I was worried that the water would make the entire race freezing cold.  My feet actually warmed right up after a half mile or so after the crossing.  We continued up a wicked hill around two miles and everyone was reduced to walking.  I vaguely remember writing about the comradarie at these trail races in the past.  It was on full display here as runners chatted, laughed and cursed at this trail.  This was up there with the Horseshoe Hill 20k I did a few years ago as far as difficulty goes.

The second stream crossing came after some nice downhill and simple trail running.  It was difficult as you had to jump in off the rocks.  One runner in front of me almost went in face first and thankfully recovered.  The worst part was when you got out of the water.  There was water from the faster runners on the rocks and ground after getting out of the crossing, which had frozen.  That was the most dangerous part of this race.  But being a sick person, it was still kind of fun.

Miles 5-7.7:  Mile 5 started out just fine as we made our way around a large field.  We all were able to make up some lost time during this section.  Then we made our way back to the woods and another decent downhill.  Then all heck broke loose.  I'm talking six stream crossings, most about halfway up my calves, in a one mile stretch.  This took whatever spirit I had left.  The first two were somewhat fun.  Then it got progressively worse as my feet just could not warm back up and the water kept going into my shoes.  This was a really rough stretch.  It took the air out of me every time we hit one of these streams.

But that's not all!  After the stream crossings of doom, we had a fun mega-uphill waiting for us.  It felt like we were going at a ninety degree angle up this thing.  And it was so close to the finish!  The race organizers really did a great job fitting in such different terrain with lots of difficulty into a 7.7 mile race.

I finished with a respectable time of 1:24:14 and 15/52 overall.  Not a bad day considering my lack of trail running.

I would HIGHLY recommend this race, but do know what you are getting yourself into.  It's very tough, but you get to run with a great group of people.  Very well done!

W will be joining me at my next one.  We've decided to head south for a few days and I will be doing my second race in Georgia.

Next race: Kilt & Kolor Run 5k- Savannah, GA

ONU Polar Bear Indoor Half Marathon

I decided to kick off my running year the same way as last year.  This indoor race is an interesting experience.  I actually enjoyed it even more than last year as I took a minute off my time!  Yes, it sounds boring to run 105 laps on an indoor college track.  But it really isn't!

W and I stayed at the Inn at Ohio Northern and enjoyed it just as much as last year.  It's a gorgeous inn and it has an excellent restaurant.  There aren't many options in the tiny town of Ada so it's nice to have what you need in one place.

W felt a little under the weather but she fought through it and came to the race on Saturday morning.  The ONU track/cross country teams were again ready to count each runner's laps.  My lap counter did a great job of shouting out ever half mile split to me.  He worked hard to make the race enjoyable, and I greatly appreciated it!

Obviously there is not much to say about the course.  I've now seen it 210 times in two years.  I did adjust to it quicker this year but paid for it later on.  My quads were KILLING ME for the two days following the race.  So many laps on a short track brings about different aches and pains than normal running.  I did start much faster than last year and kept up with the eventual winner.  The race was much more competitive as four of us finished within two minutes of each other.  That fast start came back to bite me some, but I felt pretty comfortable throughout much of the race.  That's surprising considering it had been two months since my last race.

Here are my splits:

Mile 1- 7:20     Mile 2- 7:28     Mile 3- 7:45     Mile 4- 7:43     Mile 5- 7:42     Mile 6- 7:44     Mile 7- 7:53     Mile 8- 7:29     Mile 9- 7:36     Mile 10- 7:43     Mile 11- 7:41     Mile 12- 8:14     Mile 13- 7:32

Final Time- 1:41:06

I took over a minute off last year's time.  That surprises me since I had the long layoff and was pretty inconsistent with my training.  I finished 3/19 overall.  The half marathoners actually outnumbered the full marathoners this year.  I found that interesting, as last year was quite a different story.

I'm in another lull between races.  February was slim pickings and there was nothing that jumped out at me.  I'm going to run a trail race next, which I haven't done in several years.

Next race: Super Bull Trail Championship 12.5K- Wooster, OH