W and I went to Hawaii on our honeymoon. It was just as spectacular as advertised! We climbed to the top of Diamond Head, took submarine and helicopter tours, went to the beach, and ate some great food. Being the sick runner that I am, I found this race only two miles from our hotel. I considered running the half marathon but I simply cannot handle heat and humidity. I opted for the 10k, a rare distance for me, instead.
I figured this would be a low-key race but, who cares, it's Hawaii! There were a few little oddities but nothing major. The views were good but my performance was lackluster. I haven't had that one CRAP race yet this year. This one qualifies. Certainly the travel, heat and humidity affected me in this one. But the worst part is that I abandoned my race plan and stunk up the joint.
Miles 1-3: We started out on a side road near some beach resorts. This was the typical road race type of thing to settle in prior to the nice views. We ran down several straightaways only to double back and head the other way. You could tell this was just to build up mileage but it was fine. I started out WAY TOO FAST. My goal was to place in my age group but I started out in third place for the first mile. I could tell the humidity was going to be killer but ignored it at first. We hit the only hill on the course and made our way out to the main highway. We were then treated to ocean views about three miles in to the race. Here are the first three splits: 6:52, 7:10, 7:51. Yeah, it got bad in a hurry.
Miles 4-6.2: Things really fell apart and I just focused on having fun and enjoying the views. I was running really slow for a 10k and, honestly, pretty slow for a half marathon. I tried to keep in position for an age group award but had a feeling it wouldn't happen. The course was very cool with views of the water. But it changed with about 1 to 1.5 miles left in the race. We moved off the waterfront trail into hotel parking areas. That's not exactly what I envisioned when signing up for this one! It was odd and actually kind of difficult to figure out where you were to go. I wound up on the wrong side of the straightaway at the finish, though that only cost me a few seconds. I did finish pretty hard. Here are the last three splits: 8:04, 8:28, 7:30. My final time was 47:07 which was good enough for 12/173 overall and 4/22 in my age group. I missed placing by a mere nine seconds which just drives me nuts.
My next race is a new distance for me and one that sounds fun!
Next race: Wooster Brick Run 25K- Wooster, OH
Showing posts with label 10k. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 10k. Show all posts
Sunday, October 9, 2016
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Flying Pig 10k and 5k
We did get a chance to take some pictures at the expo. GF even got one with a flying pig!
10k
I headed to Great American Ballpark for the start of the 10k. GF stayed in the hotel to get some extra sleep prior to the 5k. The weather was perfect at the 8:00 start with overcast skies and temps in the high 40s. I lined up in Corral B and we started right on time.
Miles 1-3- The first half of the course was beautiful. We made our way around the stadium and headed over the first bridge to cross over to Kentucky. I started out with a 8:38 first mile and I'm guessing I was pretty steady from there. My GPS had conked out so I was going by feel. The course meandered through Newport prior to the next bridge taking us back into Cincinnati. The course was very pretty during this stretch. We had a few hills but nothing major. I felt great and knew I would get a great time. I was around 24:30 at the halfway point.
Miles 4-6.2- We passed back by the stadium and made our way around a nearby downtown area. This part of the course wasn't nearly as scenic and was just kind of bland. I was still having fun, though. We did hit one major hill during mile 4, at which point I quickly called GF to make sure she got her wake up call. I'm pretty sure she found that both funny and horrifying!
I was able to use the downhills during the final section to pick up the pace some, even though I wasn't technically racing, and finish with a great time of 49:10. Overall, a great race! I quickly collected my first medal of the day and headed back to the hotel to pick up GF.
5k
GF has done an amazing job training for the Flying Pig 5k. She was set on beating her previous best of 47 and change. She's been killing it on her training runs and we recently found that short bursts really work well for her. She was nervous before the race, but I knew GF would get a new PR at this one.
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| GF before the race! |
The second mile was very dull. It was a flat straightaway, but it at least provided some opportunities for GF to fit in some short bursts. I could tell roughly half way into the race that she had a PR in the bag. She was just over 22 minutes at the halfway mark and was doing a great job. We hit another uphill in the downtown area around the two mile mark. She again hit the mile in around 14:44. Very steady splits!
The final mile presented a few downhills which really helped. I reminded GF that there were Skyline Coneys available at the finish (because I was also getting hungry) and she sped up. :) She did an excellent job over the last quarter mile and really kicked it in for a strong finish of 45:27. The course came in long at around 3.17, so I'm certain she did 3.1 in under 45:00. That's a huge PR for GF! We were both thrilled by her effort.
Oh, and we did have a few coneys!
Next up is the final race in the 3-Way Challenge, tomorrow morning's half marathon.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Fremont Indoor 10k/Road Apple Run 5k
I am well over a month behind on this blog as I've already completed two races. Yet another job change and move is my excuse this time. I recently relocated to Mansfield, OH, which should open up yet more race opportunities. It's exciting to be within an hour or so of Columbus, Canton, Akron, and the Cleveland area. Plenty of races to be had!
The first one this year was the Fremont Indoor 10k. This was a fun race held at the Fremont YMCA. We saw about four inches of snow the morning of the race, so making the trek from Tiffin (this was a few weeks prior to the move) was a chore. But racing indoors, in shorts and a T-shirt, in early February made the trip worth it. There's not much to report as we simply ran 56 laps around the indoor track. There were multiple heats to accommodate the 60-70 runners and I found myself in the first heat. I started off conservatively and trailed a fellow runner for the first three miles. Splits were even the entire way. I made a move at mile four and made for the leader. He was extremely quick and I was never able to make up much ground on him, but still came in with a solid 44:44, which would actually be my 10k PR! I won't count it as such since it was an indoor race.
The second race was near Ashland at the Road Apple Run 5k. This was held at Crestview schools. It was organized pretty well and featured an out and back course. We started at the parking lot and made our way north away from the school. My training had been mediocre at best with the frigid winter we've had in Ohio, so I started out with a conservative pace for this 5k. But I did pass quite a few people during the first half of the race and was near 11:30 at the halfway mark. We had gone down a few hills on the way out, so I knew it would be a struggle on the way back. I tucked in behind a few other runners for a half mile or so before passing them and then did it again with another group. The final 100 meters was a sprint between me and another runner, but he got the best of me on this day. I ran a respectable 22:28, good enough for 19/237 overall. Not bad.
I'm signed up for the ORRRC Half Marathon next month, my third time running that race. I may run a 5k or 10k in nearby Lucas next week, but the jury's out. Hopefully, I can keep up with this blog!
The first one this year was the Fremont Indoor 10k. This was a fun race held at the Fremont YMCA. We saw about four inches of snow the morning of the race, so making the trek from Tiffin (this was a few weeks prior to the move) was a chore. But racing indoors, in shorts and a T-shirt, in early February made the trip worth it. There's not much to report as we simply ran 56 laps around the indoor track. There were multiple heats to accommodate the 60-70 runners and I found myself in the first heat. I started off conservatively and trailed a fellow runner for the first three miles. Splits were even the entire way. I made a move at mile four and made for the leader. He was extremely quick and I was never able to make up much ground on him, but still came in with a solid 44:44, which would actually be my 10k PR! I won't count it as such since it was an indoor race.
The second race was near Ashland at the Road Apple Run 5k. This was held at Crestview schools. It was organized pretty well and featured an out and back course. We started at the parking lot and made our way north away from the school. My training had been mediocre at best with the frigid winter we've had in Ohio, so I started out with a conservative pace for this 5k. But I did pass quite a few people during the first half of the race and was near 11:30 at the halfway mark. We had gone down a few hills on the way out, so I knew it would be a struggle on the way back. I tucked in behind a few other runners for a half mile or so before passing them and then did it again with another group. The final 100 meters was a sprint between me and another runner, but he got the best of me on this day. I ran a respectable 22:28, good enough for 19/237 overall. Not bad.
I'm signed up for the ORRRC Half Marathon next month, my third time running that race. I may run a 5k or 10k in nearby Lucas next week, but the jury's out. Hopefully, I can keep up with this blog!
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Run the Res 10k
This past weekend was the Run the Res 10k in Fostoria, Ohio. If you've been following the blog, you know about my aversion to 10ks. I can't really explain it. If I make a mistake in a 5k, I can get through it because it's just 3.1 miles. But a mistake in a 10k can be disastrous. The weird thing is that I had placed in my only 10k attempts (BOSS Summer Run in 2002, Ralph Wade in 2011, and Twin Creek Trail in 2012). The reason I ran this one is because it was placed perfectly in between the Run the Bluegrass Half Marathon and Capital City Half Marathon. Pretty perfect for training purposes. My goal was simply to break 50 minutes.
The race started at 2pm at Community Park (I think that's right) in Fostoria. The 5k option started at the same time as the 10k, which made it difficult pacing-wise. I started out way too fast as we made our way around two of Fostoria's reservoirs. It was a very pretty run and very flat for the first half or so. The 5k runners definitely threw me off and I started out with a 7:19 for the first mile. That's not far off from how I start 5ks, so I knew this would be tough. We continued around the way we came and I was still picking people off as we hit the second mile marker. I was still at 15 minutes and change, despite trying desperately to slow down.
Finally, the 10k and 5k split up around 2.5 miles in the race. We made our way up two bridges that consisted of major inclines. I was finally able to assess the situation as I made my way down for a long straightaway heading outside of town. There were some runners in front of me, but not many. My best bet were two groups of two people each. But they were up there a ways. I hit the third mile marker in 23 minutes and change. Still too fast, but at this point I was prepared for some pain.
The next few miles were very uneventful. Two long straightaways on some country roads. It did start raining lightly, which helped to cool things down some. I passed the first group of two runners at the four mile mark. Despite starting too fast, I still felt pretty good and looked to pick off the next two people. The turnaround was just past the four mile mark and we made our way back to town. I gained on the next two runners and caught up to them at the five mile mark, which I crossed in 38 minutes and change. The second of the two challenged me for the next half mile, but I picked up the pace as we made our way up the bridge. I'm a proponent of going hard on the uphills. If you're passing someone, they'll see that you still have some strength left. After that, it was the final push down the bridge and the last half mile to the finish line. I crossed the finish in 45:35, good enough for a new 10k PR!
I didn't place in this race, but still finished a strong 14/64 overall. Despite starting out too strong, this race taught me that I can a little harder in the early miles of future half marathons.
There were no plans for running a race this weekend, but I decided to sign up for one after the events in Boston on Monday. I'm sure there will be plenty of runners there in support and I plan to use this one as an expensive training run for Capital City. I urge you all to make donations to One Fund Boston and to keep those who were effected in your thoughts.
Next race: Hoover Hustle 10 Miler- Westerville, OH
The race started at 2pm at Community Park (I think that's right) in Fostoria. The 5k option started at the same time as the 10k, which made it difficult pacing-wise. I started out way too fast as we made our way around two of Fostoria's reservoirs. It was a very pretty run and very flat for the first half or so. The 5k runners definitely threw me off and I started out with a 7:19 for the first mile. That's not far off from how I start 5ks, so I knew this would be tough. We continued around the way we came and I was still picking people off as we hit the second mile marker. I was still at 15 minutes and change, despite trying desperately to slow down.
Finally, the 10k and 5k split up around 2.5 miles in the race. We made our way up two bridges that consisted of major inclines. I was finally able to assess the situation as I made my way down for a long straightaway heading outside of town. There were some runners in front of me, but not many. My best bet were two groups of two people each. But they were up there a ways. I hit the third mile marker in 23 minutes and change. Still too fast, but at this point I was prepared for some pain.
The next few miles were very uneventful. Two long straightaways on some country roads. It did start raining lightly, which helped to cool things down some. I passed the first group of two runners at the four mile mark. Despite starting too fast, I still felt pretty good and looked to pick off the next two people. The turnaround was just past the four mile mark and we made our way back to town. I gained on the next two runners and caught up to them at the five mile mark, which I crossed in 38 minutes and change. The second of the two challenged me for the next half mile, but I picked up the pace as we made our way up the bridge. I'm a proponent of going hard on the uphills. If you're passing someone, they'll see that you still have some strength left. After that, it was the final push down the bridge and the last half mile to the finish line. I crossed the finish in 45:35, good enough for a new 10k PR!
I didn't place in this race, but still finished a strong 14/64 overall. Despite starting out too strong, this race taught me that I can a little harder in the early miles of future half marathons.
There were no plans for running a race this weekend, but I decided to sign up for one after the events in Boston on Monday. I'm sure there will be plenty of runners there in support and I plan to use this one as an expensive training run for Capital City. I urge you all to make donations to One Fund Boston and to keep those who were effected in your thoughts.
Next race: Hoover Hustle 10 Miler- Westerville, OH
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Twin Creek 10K+ Trail Run
This was only my second trail race and third 10K. To say I was a bit nervous about this one is an understatement. It's been very dry for well over a week now but it started raining an hour before the race and never let up. My first trail run was nice because it wasn't on a very technical trail. This one was nothing but hills, steep climbs, turns, and stream crossings. The rain made for some very messy spots and everyone I saw, including me, came close to wiping out several times. Plus the course was closer to 6.5 miles. But I have never had more fun running trails before!
I arrived at Twin Creek at 9:00 to sign up and stretch out. This is another ORRRC race so I didn't have to pay. I spent most of the hour in my car because the rain really let loose. Finally made my way to the start at about 15 minutes to the start just to get acclimated to the conditions. The mid-50s temperature was perfect but the rain was really cold. I didn't wear a watch and the miles weren't marked, so I'll just highlight the key points for this race.
We were thrown right into the fire with a steep downhill to start the race. It gave us a chance to see what the conditions were going to be like for the rest of the race. Sloppy. Very sloppy. We wound our way to the first steep uphill climb which everyone walked up. It would have been challenging in good conditions, but it was downright frightening in the torrential rain. Then we continued climbing, running downhill and winding our way through the park to where the pond is located. There were several short climbs here which required you to grab a branch and make your way to the top. The area was definitely scenic and I loved the view of the pond and the river. This was the turnaround point and we made our way back to the park entrance. The major climbs were out of the way, except for a hill that zigzagged all the way up. Most of the race was single track, making it difficult to pass anyone. You really had to know that you could pass the person and stay in front of them. I trailed another runner for about 10 minutes before finally passing him. We went down a steep hill, crossed a stream, and made our way back up. Somebody behind me a ways was flying down the hill which is crazy in a race like this. I had a feeling he would be pooped on the uphill and I was right. The last two miles were fairly straightforward with no major climbs, just muck. But the final quarter mile was just mean. Straight uphill to the finish line. I finished in 1:00.13 which was actually my goal before the rain started. I was very surprised to find that I placed third in my age group.
This race reminded me why trail running is such a different beast. But it's definitely fun. My legs were covered in mud. I was wet and cold. But I loved every minute of it.
I'm not 100% sure what my next race is going to be. If I feel up to it I'll be running in the Sugar Maple 5k on Saturday. If not, the Capital City Half Marathon will be next.
I arrived at Twin Creek at 9:00 to sign up and stretch out. This is another ORRRC race so I didn't have to pay. I spent most of the hour in my car because the rain really let loose. Finally made my way to the start at about 15 minutes to the start just to get acclimated to the conditions. The mid-50s temperature was perfect but the rain was really cold. I didn't wear a watch and the miles weren't marked, so I'll just highlight the key points for this race.
We were thrown right into the fire with a steep downhill to start the race. It gave us a chance to see what the conditions were going to be like for the rest of the race. Sloppy. Very sloppy. We wound our way to the first steep uphill climb which everyone walked up. It would have been challenging in good conditions, but it was downright frightening in the torrential rain. Then we continued climbing, running downhill and winding our way through the park to where the pond is located. There were several short climbs here which required you to grab a branch and make your way to the top. The area was definitely scenic and I loved the view of the pond and the river. This was the turnaround point and we made our way back to the park entrance. The major climbs were out of the way, except for a hill that zigzagged all the way up. Most of the race was single track, making it difficult to pass anyone. You really had to know that you could pass the person and stay in front of them. I trailed another runner for about 10 minutes before finally passing him. We went down a steep hill, crossed a stream, and made our way back up. Somebody behind me a ways was flying down the hill which is crazy in a race like this. I had a feeling he would be pooped on the uphill and I was right. The last two miles were fairly straightforward with no major climbs, just muck. But the final quarter mile was just mean. Straight uphill to the finish line. I finished in 1:00.13 which was actually my goal before the rain started. I was very surprised to find that I placed third in my age group.
This race reminded me why trail running is such a different beast. But it's definitely fun. My legs were covered in mud. I was wet and cold. But I loved every minute of it.
I'm not 100% sure what my next race is going to be. If I feel up to it I'll be running in the Sugar Maple 5k on Saturday. If not, the Capital City Half Marathon will be next.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Ralph Wade 10k
As I mentioned in my last post, the 10k distance worries me. I last did a 10k in 2001. It's been a while. The reason for that is that I simply am not sure of how to pace myself for one of these. I've done enough 5ks to know what I'm doing there and I always start out at a conservative pace at half marathons so no worries there. My goal for this race was to simply break 50:00. It seemed like a realistic goal to have.
I made it to Springboro at about 8:15 on Saturday morning. The race didn't start until 9:00 (a little late for my liking in mid-summer) so I had plenty of time to pick up my race packet and stretch out. I was already starting to sweat just walking to the start line. Thankfully the sun wasn't out for most of this race. The course was of the two loop variety, which was actually nice.
We headed out and I started out at a good pace. Not too fast, but fast enough to make my way to front pack of runners. The race had some nice rolling hills. I actually prefer this as it works out different muscles and breaks up the monotony. I clocked in at 7:23 for the first mile. This was a little faster than I wanted so I slowed down some and hit the second mile at 15:05. I felt good through this race and really paced myself well. During the second and third miles I didn't get passed nor did I pass anyone. I was right where I needed to be. The third mile clocked in at 23:12 and I was still feeling pretty good. We made our way back to the start and began our second loop. Midway through the fourth mile I decided to start making a move. I passed a few high school runners and saw the 5k walkers in front of me. Passing some of the 5kers along with a few 10k runners during the hilly section of the fifth mile gave me some extra energy. I missed the fourth split, but the fifth split was roughly 38:25. The last mile was somewhat hilly but I felt like I flew through it. I passed a few people who looked like they could possibly be in my age group (I know one was). The final 200 meters went fast as I outsprinted another 10k runner and several 5k runners. My final time was 47:54.
I'm pretty happy with this time and the results. My place was 15/72 and I finished first in my age group. It did show me that I can probably pick up the pace some during half marathons, but definitely during 5ks. My 5k time has been weak this year and I only have a couple more opportunities to improve upon it. Overall, this was a great race and quite the confidence boost.
Next race: Germanfest 5k- Dayton, OH
I made it to Springboro at about 8:15 on Saturday morning. The race didn't start until 9:00 (a little late for my liking in mid-summer) so I had plenty of time to pick up my race packet and stretch out. I was already starting to sweat just walking to the start line. Thankfully the sun wasn't out for most of this race. The course was of the two loop variety, which was actually nice.
We headed out and I started out at a good pace. Not too fast, but fast enough to make my way to front pack of runners. The race had some nice rolling hills. I actually prefer this as it works out different muscles and breaks up the monotony. I clocked in at 7:23 for the first mile. This was a little faster than I wanted so I slowed down some and hit the second mile at 15:05. I felt good through this race and really paced myself well. During the second and third miles I didn't get passed nor did I pass anyone. I was right where I needed to be. The third mile clocked in at 23:12 and I was still feeling pretty good. We made our way back to the start and began our second loop. Midway through the fourth mile I decided to start making a move. I passed a few high school runners and saw the 5k walkers in front of me. Passing some of the 5kers along with a few 10k runners during the hilly section of the fifth mile gave me some extra energy. I missed the fourth split, but the fifth split was roughly 38:25. The last mile was somewhat hilly but I felt like I flew through it. I passed a few people who looked like they could possibly be in my age group (I know one was). The final 200 meters went fast as I outsprinted another 10k runner and several 5k runners. My final time was 47:54.
I'm pretty happy with this time and the results. My place was 15/72 and I finished first in my age group. It did show me that I can probably pick up the pace some during half marathons, but definitely during 5ks. My 5k time has been weak this year and I only have a couple more opportunities to improve upon it. Overall, this was a great race and quite the confidence boost.
Next race: Germanfest 5k- Dayton, OH
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