I just finished my first major half marathon earlier today and was thrilled with the result. The race takes place at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton. The expo at the Nutter Center was very well done and I had no issues. Same goes for the parking on race day. Most people complain about it, but it's fine if you get there early. I arrived two hours before the half started and got right in. It is about a mile walk from the parking area to the start line by the Air Force Museum, but it's good for a warm-up.
Let's get to the race itself. I came in to this one thinking I would just take it easy. Break two hours, go home, rest up for the Columbus Marathon next month. But the weather was just too perfect and I felt great during this one! Here's the breakdown:
Miles 1-5: The start was a bit of a cluster compared to what I'm used to, but there were around 5,000 in the half. The first part winds around the base itself, so there are very few spectators and nothing too scenic. I started out at my usual pace and hit the first mile in 9:00. The second mile was slightly faster and the third was slightly faster than that. I was feeling pretty good and started flirting with the idea of running a 1:55. We made our way off the base into a few local neighborhoods. I took a gel at mile 4 because I felt that I was running a good pace and wanted to keep that going. I hit the 5 mile mark in 44:22 which is slightly faster that the 45:00 I usually try to hit.
Miles 6-10: Something happened to me around mile 6. I hit the mile marker in 52:26, making it just higher than an 8 minute mile. Granted, there was a downhill here, but an 8 minute mile doesn't happen to me during a half. And I still felt great. So I slowed down just a bit to keep it realistic, but was still running a nice pace. There was a wicked hill just past the 8 mile mark. I slowed down a bit during this stretch and hit the downhill pretty hard. We came in around Wright State University and I hit the 9 mile marker in 1:18.24. Another little hill during mile 10, but I was still at 1:27.13 at the 10 mile mark. Usually I try for a 1:30 at this point. I can safely say that this was when I decided to really push my pace and go for a new PR.
Miles 11-13.1: We hit a few more hills between WSU and the base, but I know the roads around this area very well since I went to WSU. Kept pushing my pace and hit the 11 mile mark in 1:35 and change. My previous personal best is 1:52.57, so I still had to push the pace some to hit that mark. I definitely did that today. Not sure what my 12 mile mark was, but I think it was around 1:42, making it a 7 minute mile! Pretty close to the same for the final mile. We made our way back to the Air Force Museum, made a few turns, and ran underneath the wings of several planes lined up along the finish (awesome). Hit the finish line in 1:50.01, beating my previous best by 2:56! That's a huge PR! My overall place was 578/4661.
I am obviously thrilled with my time with this race. It gives me a new PR and the confidence to try to break 1:50 next year. It also gives me confidence going into next month's Columbus Marathon. I have an easy 5k next week that I decided to sign up for because it's free. Can't pass that up! But I'm pretty focused in on Columbus right now.
Next race: Miami Valley School Run for the Rams- Dayton, OH
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
DeGraff Fire Dept. 5k
Headed to my hometown this weekend for a nice little 5k. This was the second year for this race with last year being a pleasant surprise. I figured it would be a nice little speed workout for the upcoming Air Force Half.
It was nice simply walking from my parents' house to the race start. It was a nice, cool morning with a surprising amount of fog. Not bad race conditions for early September. I met up with a high school friend and we caught up prior to the race start. It's nice coming home occasionally. We lined up at the modest start line and headed out.
The first mile went very fast, but I'm curious about the mile markers. More on that later. We wound through town before making our way outside town. Two runners made their way in front of me and there was nobody immediately behind me. My parents were able to see us about a half mile in as we made our way past their house. Good thing as they were the only spectators! We started hitting the hills during this stretch. They're worse than I remember. My first mile clocked in at 6:11. Way too fast! The second mile was more hills and the turnaround point. This is where things got interesting. I was struggling a bit because of my first start. I also noticed that the 2nd mile was a long time coming. The marker was in the same spot as the 1st marker and I clocked in at 15:35. Huh? No way this is correct. I just focused on where I was as I was holding on to third place. Back by my parents' house, we made our way down the final hill back into town. This little stretch is somewhat downhill with two blocks to go to the finish line. I just kicked it in and crossed the line feeling pretty good. Remember that 15:35? My final time was 20:37. I know I didn't run a 5:02 mile. The course is definitely short as the mile markers are in the same spot, yet we don't finish as far into town as where we start. Something was off, but I still had a good time. Course measured at about 3 miles even, so a 20:37 is still one of my fasted times for the year. I placed 3rd overall and 1st in my age group.
Next race: Air Force Half Marathon- Dayton, OH
It was nice simply walking from my parents' house to the race start. It was a nice, cool morning with a surprising amount of fog. Not bad race conditions for early September. I met up with a high school friend and we caught up prior to the race start. It's nice coming home occasionally. We lined up at the modest start line and headed out.
The first mile went very fast, but I'm curious about the mile markers. More on that later. We wound through town before making our way outside town. Two runners made their way in front of me and there was nobody immediately behind me. My parents were able to see us about a half mile in as we made our way past their house. Good thing as they were the only spectators! We started hitting the hills during this stretch. They're worse than I remember. My first mile clocked in at 6:11. Way too fast! The second mile was more hills and the turnaround point. This is where things got interesting. I was struggling a bit because of my first start. I also noticed that the 2nd mile was a long time coming. The marker was in the same spot as the 1st marker and I clocked in at 15:35. Huh? No way this is correct. I just focused on where I was as I was holding on to third place. Back by my parents' house, we made our way down the final hill back into town. This little stretch is somewhat downhill with two blocks to go to the finish line. I just kicked it in and crossed the line feeling pretty good. Remember that 15:35? My final time was 20:37. I know I didn't run a 5:02 mile. The course is definitely short as the mile markers are in the same spot, yet we don't finish as far into town as where we start. Something was off, but I still had a good time. Course measured at about 3 miles even, so a 20:37 is still one of my fasted times for the year. I placed 3rd overall and 1st in my age group.
Next race: Air Force Half Marathon- Dayton, OH
Monday, August 22, 2011
Little Miami Half Marathon
This was a memorable half marathon for me because it was my tenth! Only two short years ago I was training for my very first. How things change in such a short amount of time!
The race itself is very, very small. It begins in Morrow, OH, and takes place on the bike path (there were some rude cyclists included) along the Little Miami River. Despite this being a small, inexpensive race, I really like the medal and tech tee. Well done! It's also nice to be able to park very close to the start line and just hang out before the race. The course itself was a bit dull, but I do a lot of my runs on a similar bike path, so I knew what to expect. I toyed around with trying for a new PR, but it was way too humid to attempt that. On to my breakdown:
Miles 1-5- We started with a quarter mile through the Morrow before hitting the bike path. Within the first couple of miles I noted that my legs felt heavy. I just could not get into a real groove during this whole race. The first mile clocked in at 9:01 and the second clocked in at 18:15 (9:14). I resigned myself to the fact that 9 minute miles would probably be the best I could do. A couple of cyclists came through the first water stop and didn't slow down one bit for runners trying to get water. One shouted out something along the lines of don't get in the way or you will get run over. Umm. Nobody was in the way. I have no problem with cyclists and always run to the far side to allow them to pass, but come on. The race was advertised for quite some time and signs were posted weeks in advance. Have some class. I wish I could say something about the course itself. Not much to say. A bike path, trees on both sides and some views of the river. That's it for 13.1 miles. Anyway, I just kept up with the same pace. The five mile mark came in around 46:15.
Miles 6-10- The six mile mark came in around 55:23. This really isn't far off from what I normally run. I try to hit the half-way point in one hour, so I'm not doing bad considering my legs are still feeling heavy. There is something I'd like to ask about the aid stations. Heed? Really? Does nobody realize that that stuff tastes horrible? I realize we need electrolytes, but how about Powerade or Gatorade? They even had Gatorade at the finish! Heed is just terrible beyond words. I stuck with water instead. The turn-around point was just past the halfway mark and I began to lose track of mile splits after that. I do know that I hit the 10 mile marker in 1:31 and change. I had to kick it in just a bit to ensure I finished in under two hours.
Miles 11-13.1- I sprinkled in some harder running here, but it didn't seem to make a huge difference. The legs still felt off. Not horrible, just off. I hit the 12 mile marker in 1:50 and change, so I knew I had to kick a bit more. The last mile felt decent and I was able to finish in 1:59.39.
Not a whole lot to comment on. The food at the end was sub par. Some bagels, bananas and oranges that all looked bad. The Gatorade and water was all I really wanted anyway. I really did this one just to finish my tenth half marathon. Considering some of the rude cyclists and the boring course, I don't plan on doing this one again. Ah well. Again, at least the tech tee and medal are nice!
Next race: DeGraff Fire Dept. 5k- DeGraff, OH
The race itself is very, very small. It begins in Morrow, OH, and takes place on the bike path (there were some rude cyclists included) along the Little Miami River. Despite this being a small, inexpensive race, I really like the medal and tech tee. Well done! It's also nice to be able to park very close to the start line and just hang out before the race. The course itself was a bit dull, but I do a lot of my runs on a similar bike path, so I knew what to expect. I toyed around with trying for a new PR, but it was way too humid to attempt that. On to my breakdown:
Miles 1-5- We started with a quarter mile through the Morrow before hitting the bike path. Within the first couple of miles I noted that my legs felt heavy. I just could not get into a real groove during this whole race. The first mile clocked in at 9:01 and the second clocked in at 18:15 (9:14). I resigned myself to the fact that 9 minute miles would probably be the best I could do. A couple of cyclists came through the first water stop and didn't slow down one bit for runners trying to get water. One shouted out something along the lines of don't get in the way or you will get run over. Umm. Nobody was in the way. I have no problem with cyclists and always run to the far side to allow them to pass, but come on. The race was advertised for quite some time and signs were posted weeks in advance. Have some class. I wish I could say something about the course itself. Not much to say. A bike path, trees on both sides and some views of the river. That's it for 13.1 miles. Anyway, I just kept up with the same pace. The five mile mark came in around 46:15.
Miles 6-10- The six mile mark came in around 55:23. This really isn't far off from what I normally run. I try to hit the half-way point in one hour, so I'm not doing bad considering my legs are still feeling heavy. There is something I'd like to ask about the aid stations. Heed? Really? Does nobody realize that that stuff tastes horrible? I realize we need electrolytes, but how about Powerade or Gatorade? They even had Gatorade at the finish! Heed is just terrible beyond words. I stuck with water instead. The turn-around point was just past the halfway mark and I began to lose track of mile splits after that. I do know that I hit the 10 mile marker in 1:31 and change. I had to kick it in just a bit to ensure I finished in under two hours.
Miles 11-13.1- I sprinkled in some harder running here, but it didn't seem to make a huge difference. The legs still felt off. Not horrible, just off. I hit the 12 mile marker in 1:50 and change, so I knew I had to kick a bit more. The last mile felt decent and I was able to finish in 1:59.39.
Not a whole lot to comment on. The food at the end was sub par. Some bagels, bananas and oranges that all looked bad. The Gatorade and water was all I really wanted anyway. I really did this one just to finish my tenth half marathon. Considering some of the rude cyclists and the boring course, I don't plan on doing this one again. Ah well. Again, at least the tech tee and medal are nice!
Next race: DeGraff Fire Dept. 5k- DeGraff, OH
Saturday, August 13, 2011
GermanFest 5k
This one was a pleasant surprise. The 5k started at Carillon Park in Dayton during GermanFest. I wasn't a big fan of the 6:30 start, but at least it was easy to get there right after work. A free beer after the race didn't hurt either. The course itself was nothing special. We simply ran along the Great Miami Trail on an easy out-and-back. No shade and plenty of sunlight didn't give me much hope of accomplishing much.
I was planning on running a conservative pace for the first mile but this course was way too fast for that. There were also a few little downhills over the first mile. I started just behind the lead pack and came in around 6:45 for the first mile. A little too fast considering the heat and humidity. From there we were on a nice, flat straightaway until the turn around point. The second mile went better than it usually does for me and I just stayed right behind a few runners who I recognized. I've lost to both of them in recent races so I was happy to stay right behind both for a while. The second mile clocked in at 13:45 and I was feeling pretty good. Passed both of my competitors on the second uphill halfway through mile 3. I've always been a proponent of passing people on hills if you have the strength to do so. If you can create some space as you come up over the hill, that can be pretty demoralizing to the person you just passed. I'm all about race strategy since I'm not particularly fast. The final mile went very fast and I hit the finish line at 21:26.
This is the fastest I've ran a 5k this year! My previous fastest for the year was way back in March with a 21:38 at the No Buts About It race. I finished 2nd in my age group and 11/186 overall. I'm clearly thrilled with the result, especially as it gives me a nice confidence boost going into next week's half marathon.
Next race: Little Miami Half Marathon- Morrow, OH
I was planning on running a conservative pace for the first mile but this course was way too fast for that. There were also a few little downhills over the first mile. I started just behind the lead pack and came in around 6:45 for the first mile. A little too fast considering the heat and humidity. From there we were on a nice, flat straightaway until the turn around point. The second mile went better than it usually does for me and I just stayed right behind a few runners who I recognized. I've lost to both of them in recent races so I was happy to stay right behind both for a while. The second mile clocked in at 13:45 and I was feeling pretty good. Passed both of my competitors on the second uphill halfway through mile 3. I've always been a proponent of passing people on hills if you have the strength to do so. If you can create some space as you come up over the hill, that can be pretty demoralizing to the person you just passed. I'm all about race strategy since I'm not particularly fast. The final mile went very fast and I hit the finish line at 21:26.
This is the fastest I've ran a 5k this year! My previous fastest for the year was way back in March with a 21:38 at the No Buts About It race. I finished 2nd in my age group and 11/186 overall. I'm clearly thrilled with the result, especially as it gives me a nice confidence boost going into next week's half marathon.
Next race: Little Miami Half Marathon- Morrow, OH
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
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Carriage Hill 5k
This race took place at Carriage Hill Metropark in Huber Heights on Wednesday. I'm a little behind because I was out of town for a few days. This was my fifth race sponsored by the Ohio River Road Runners Club. Surprisingly, despite doing around 76 races over the years, this was my first ever trail race. Seventy-five percent of my training is on some tough trails so it's surprising that this was my first trail race.
We were supposed to start at 7:00, but there were so many people still needing to register that the start was delayed until 7:15. The race director then told us at the start line that the course was actually 3.4 miles instead of 3.1. I actually think it was around 3.5. That actually took some pressure off so I wouldn't worry about breaking 22 minutes. There was no way I could do so on a longer course in hot, humid weather.
I'll tell you how my first trail race went. Within a half mile it was like falling in love with running all over again. Seriously. The trail wasn't too technical, but there were enough up-downs, tree roots to avoid, branches to duck under, and ruts to dodge to make it fun. There's something different about trail running. It's not glamorous and you can get pretty dirty, but it's a blast.
I don't have splits for this race since there were no mile markers. All I can go on is that I felt great! I ran a conservative pace for the first mile or so. Then I started picking them off one at a time. In a half mile stretch somewhere in the middle portion I passed twelve people. This is what I've been missing with my recent 5ks and I hope it continues. I played back and forth with another runner for quite some time before I was finally able to pass him for good. Battles like that keep you focused on the race and not on the pain. The final mile was fast as I tried to catch up to some runners 75 meters ahead of me. I wasn't able to catch them but it made for a strong finish. My time was 26:07. I was surprised to receive a nice little trophy for finishing 4th in my age group. Not bad at all for my first trail race. I will definitely be running more of these.
The next adventure will be my first 10k since 2002. I'll be honest, this distance scares me. I'm really not sure how to pace myself in a 10k. It will be a challenge.
Next race: Ralph Wade 10k- Springboro, OH
We were supposed to start at 7:00, but there were so many people still needing to register that the start was delayed until 7:15. The race director then told us at the start line that the course was actually 3.4 miles instead of 3.1. I actually think it was around 3.5. That actually took some pressure off so I wouldn't worry about breaking 22 minutes. There was no way I could do so on a longer course in hot, humid weather.
I'll tell you how my first trail race went. Within a half mile it was like falling in love with running all over again. Seriously. The trail wasn't too technical, but there were enough up-downs, tree roots to avoid, branches to duck under, and ruts to dodge to make it fun. There's something different about trail running. It's not glamorous and you can get pretty dirty, but it's a blast.
The next adventure will be my first 10k since 2002. I'll be honest, this distance scares me. I'm really not sure how to pace myself in a 10k. It will be a challenge.
Next race: Ralph Wade 10k- Springboro, OH
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Run for Recovery 5k/Fall Schedule Finalized
I headed up to Troy to finish out this three 5ks in two weeks gauntlet. I always run a race on the 4th, but wanted to relax on the 4th this year. It rained a few hours before the race so it was hot and humid. This race was held at Duke Park and if you ever get the chance, check it out. It is a gorgeous park. Here is my brief race report.
Mile 1- We started by running the inner loop of the bike path for the first mile. It was pretty flat and fast despite the constant turns. I felt great at the beginning and my stride felt pretty good. My goal was to hit the first mile in seven minutes (rather than the ridiculous 6:23 I hit at last week's 5k). I came close as the first mile went by in 6:53.
Mile 2- Slowed down a bit as always, but still felt pretty good. We finished the interior loop and started on the outer loop. There were fewer turns here, which really helped. I started pacing another runner and it soon became a game of cat and mouse. I passed him, he passed me. The second mile clicked off in 7:16 (14:09).
Mile 3- I passed my opponent for the final time and tried to kick it in for the last mile, but the humidity was having none of it. I couldn't really start my kick until the last half mile or so. The third mile went by in just over seven minutes and I hit the finish line in 22:06. Even though I just missed my goal of breaking 22 minutes, I was pretty happy with this time. It seems that getting the kind of times I was getting last year in 5ks just isn't in the cards this year.
This was a pretty good race and very well organized. I really like races that stick with bike paths and off the roads. They had plenty of food afterwards, including brats and burgers. Not too bad at all.
I've finalized my Fall racing schedule and here's what I've signed up for: Little Miami Half Marathon in August, Air Force Half Marathon in September, Columbus Marathon in October, and the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon in November. I may fit in a few 5ks in the Fall, but not as many as last year.
Next race: Carriage Hill 5k- Huber Heights, OH
Mile 1- We started by running the inner loop of the bike path for the first mile. It was pretty flat and fast despite the constant turns. I felt great at the beginning and my stride felt pretty good. My goal was to hit the first mile in seven minutes (rather than the ridiculous 6:23 I hit at last week's 5k). I came close as the first mile went by in 6:53.
Mile 2- Slowed down a bit as always, but still felt pretty good. We finished the interior loop and started on the outer loop. There were fewer turns here, which really helped. I started pacing another runner and it soon became a game of cat and mouse. I passed him, he passed me. The second mile clicked off in 7:16 (14:09).
Mile 3- I passed my opponent for the final time and tried to kick it in for the last mile, but the humidity was having none of it. I couldn't really start my kick until the last half mile or so. The third mile went by in just over seven minutes and I hit the finish line in 22:06. Even though I just missed my goal of breaking 22 minutes, I was pretty happy with this time. It seems that getting the kind of times I was getting last year in 5ks just isn't in the cards this year.
This was a pretty good race and very well organized. I really like races that stick with bike paths and off the roads. They had plenty of food afterwards, including brats and burgers. Not too bad at all.
I've finalized my Fall racing schedule and here's what I've signed up for: Little Miami Half Marathon in August, Air Force Half Marathon in September, Columbus Marathon in October, and the Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon in November. I may fit in a few 5ks in the Fall, but not as many as last year.
Next race: Carriage Hill 5k- Huber Heights, OH
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)