I am way behind with this blog. The Houston Half Marathon & Relay was two weeks ago and I have the Cleveland Fall Classic next week. Time to get blogging!
This was my second time visiting Houston. I went for the LaPorte Half Marathon (that dreaded bridge!) last December and had so much fun that I decided to go down for the Houston Half Marathon. The best part is that I was able to visit family again! It doesn't get much better than that. You know what else? The weather was perfect! It felt like Ohio in the fall rather than Houston. It was actually in the mid-40s when we headed out. That is cold for Houston but perfect for me.
The race started near downtown at a small park right off the highway. The pre-race atmosphere reminded me of the Columbus Marathon but with fewer runners. I chose this race because it's the largest city in which I've run a race, but it's not congested due to there being around 3000 runners. That's a good size race without the hassle of getting to the start line, finding the gear check area, etc. It was still dark when we began the race at 7am and we made our way through the downtown area on a short loop. This was a very cool part of the race. The skyscrapers were still lit up and we were running on the road in downtown Houston. How many times do you get that opportunity? The roads were of course wide enough to accommodate the runners and there was none of the congestion that you can experience in these races. I was a bit disheartened by my pace, though. I was going at about 9:15 per mile for the first three miles, but I felt like I was going more at a 8:30 pace. Thankfully that would change.
We then started heading west away from the downtown area. This race had a lot of straightaways, which sounds boring, but it actually helps not having to worry about running the tangents. My pace felt good and I noticed I was hitting some sub-9:00 miles during the long straightaway, slowly chipping away some time. This portion was along the highway, so there wasn't anything too scenic. By the time we hit mile 7, I was well on pace for my 13th straight sub-2:00 half marathon.
Next up were some parks for a few miles. This was a nice portion of the race and it broke up the monotony some. I picked it up quite a bit around mile 8 or so as my gel from mile 6 was starting to do its job. The pace felt surprisingly good, especially considering I ran a great race at the Dayton Corridor Classic two weeks prior. We headed out of the parks and back to the main straightaway. I was at a 1:25 at the ten mile mark.
The last 3.1 was pretty uneventful. I didn't have too many people around me so I just tried to maintain my pace. The race stats show that I was 7:44 pace for the final five miles or so. I'm guessing the last few miles were around a 7:30 pace. Pretty darn good for me. The final mile was a complete blur and I was able to pass a few people and hit the finish in a respectable 1:48.25, good enough for my third fastest half.
Training has been spotty since the race. It's mostly been maintenance runs on the trails and trying to stay fresh for the next half, which will be my third in a five week period.
Next race: Cleveland Fall Classic Half Marathon- Strongsville, OH
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Dayton River Corridor Classic Half Marathon
I headed back to Dayton this past weekend to run the River Corridor Classic Half with some friends. It was well worth the drive, though there were some snags that we'll get to. I ran this race in 2010 and almost PRd at the time. The race is very flat, running along the Miami River and through several parks near downtown Dayton. The course changes slightly every year due to the never ending construction in Dayton, but it looked pretty similar to the 2010 course.
The drive to Dayton on Saturday was lovely as ever <sarcasm> and I got into town a little later than I meant to. Packet pickup was a breeze at one of the local running stores. The shirt is a nice New Balance tech tee. The 2010 shirts were odd because the sleeves seriously looked like wings. They were huge. The new shirts are pretty snazzy. I ran a few errands (i.e. spent tons of money at Trader Joe's) and then made my way to nearby Xenia to stay with a friend. The race didn't start until 9:00 on Sunday, so I didn't even get up until around 7:00, which was nice. As always, I got to the race, at UD Arena, around an hour before the start.
The forecast called for warm temps for Ohio in mid-October and wind. The temperature was a bit too high for me and I built a good sweat only a mile in to the race, but the wind was the real story of the race. Running on the path next to the river, lower than street level, made for a wind tunnel. It wasn't bad for the first half of the race as it was to our backs. Let's not worry about splits during this race because there was a miscommunication between the organizers and those guiding the runners. I was running with four others just after a mile in, when we passed someone shouting out times. 13:27. Umm...what the heck? We all looked at each other and said, "That can't be the two mile mark," but that's what they were claiming. I'm usually around 17:30-18:00 for the first two miles. Someone with a Garmin shouted out that we were actually a mile and a half in to the race. The other mile markers came in roughly a half mile off and most people are saying we were anywhere from .4 to .5 off. Regardless, I was running a great race for the first half. I was at around the 8 mile mark (7.5) an hour into the race. That would normally be PR territory for me, but I knew I could not count this as a PR. It does make up for the extra half mile at the Air Force Half Marathon, though.
We ran through several parks and the trees were blocking the wind. So far, it wasn't much of a factor. Until we made our way back to the bike path at around mile 9. Good God. That wind was relentless. Seriously. It was like being smacked in the face for the final four miles. I also remembered this being the ugliest part of the course, which didn't help at all. The path is lower than street level and there's really nothing to look at. Kudos to the volunteers who worked this section. How they were able to hand us water/Gatorade without being blown away is beyond me. Again, I didn't really pay attention to my splits during this stretch. I was more concerned with getting out of the wind. We finally made our way up to the street with a half mile left and I was (barely) able to finish strong with a 1:44:43. That would be a PR for me but not since the course was short. I'm actually not upset about it all. I would still have broken 1:50 with the extra .4 or .5, which would be my third fastest time. That's pretty good considering my lackluster training the past few months. Next up is another out of state race.
Next race: Houston Half Marathon- Houston, TX
The drive to Dayton on Saturday was lovely as ever <sarcasm> and I got into town a little later than I meant to. Packet pickup was a breeze at one of the local running stores. The shirt is a nice New Balance tech tee. The 2010 shirts were odd because the sleeves seriously looked like wings. They were huge. The new shirts are pretty snazzy. I ran a few errands (i.e. spent tons of money at Trader Joe's) and then made my way to nearby Xenia to stay with a friend. The race didn't start until 9:00 on Sunday, so I didn't even get up until around 7:00, which was nice. As always, I got to the race, at UD Arena, around an hour before the start.
The forecast called for warm temps for Ohio in mid-October and wind. The temperature was a bit too high for me and I built a good sweat only a mile in to the race, but the wind was the real story of the race. Running on the path next to the river, lower than street level, made for a wind tunnel. It wasn't bad for the first half of the race as it was to our backs. Let's not worry about splits during this race because there was a miscommunication between the organizers and those guiding the runners. I was running with four others just after a mile in, when we passed someone shouting out times. 13:27. Umm...what the heck? We all looked at each other and said, "That can't be the two mile mark," but that's what they were claiming. I'm usually around 17:30-18:00 for the first two miles. Someone with a Garmin shouted out that we were actually a mile and a half in to the race. The other mile markers came in roughly a half mile off and most people are saying we were anywhere from .4 to .5 off. Regardless, I was running a great race for the first half. I was at around the 8 mile mark (7.5) an hour into the race. That would normally be PR territory for me, but I knew I could not count this as a PR. It does make up for the extra half mile at the Air Force Half Marathon, though.
We ran through several parks and the trees were blocking the wind. So far, it wasn't much of a factor. Until we made our way back to the bike path at around mile 9. Good God. That wind was relentless. Seriously. It was like being smacked in the face for the final four miles. I also remembered this being the ugliest part of the course, which didn't help at all. The path is lower than street level and there's really nothing to look at. Kudos to the volunteers who worked this section. How they were able to hand us water/Gatorade without being blown away is beyond me. Again, I didn't really pay attention to my splits during this stretch. I was more concerned with getting out of the wind. We finally made our way up to the street with a half mile left and I was (barely) able to finish strong with a 1:44:43. That would be a PR for me but not since the course was short. I'm actually not upset about it all. I would still have broken 1:50 with the extra .4 or .5, which would be my third fastest time. That's pretty good considering my lackluster training the past few months. Next up is another out of state race.
Next race: Houston Half Marathon- Houston, TX
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Tiffin Fire Department 5k
I ran a race in town last week and, yes, I am a week behind on posting. This seems to be the trend with my races recently. Perhaps I just need time to reflect.
The race was held at Hedges-Boyer park here in Tiffin and was very well organized. The organizers weren't planning for the 300+ people (just under 300 for the 5k, some more for the 1 mile walk) who showed up, but I really thought they did a tremendous job. The weather was perfect as we seem to actually be getting fall weather this year. Not much to put down here but let's get to my report.
I started roughly right in the middle of the pack since I was looking for a nice, hard run but not really looking to race. That changed. We started off and I noticed the leaders going at what looked like a conservative pace, especially considering how flat it is around here. I felt pretty good and decided to make my way to where the first group was and see how long I could hold that pace. We ran through the park and into town, hitting the first mile in 6:34. That's way too fast for me. Usually I'm around 7:00. But I decided to hold on and keep going. We soon made our way up town to the turnaround and back. Most of this race was made up of two long straightaways. No problems having to worry about running the tangents, which is nice. I was feeling some fatigue when we hit the 2 mile mark, but my time (12:40) made me keep going at the same pace. The first straightaway seemed a lot longer on the way back. Imagine that! We made our way back to the park, wound through the park on the paved path, and I hit the finish in 20:47. This is, by far, my best 5k time this year. I've been lucky to get into the 21s this year. My time was good enough for seventh overall and second in my age group. More importantly, it gave me some extra confidence heading into a two half marathon October.
Next race: Dayton River Corridor Classic Half Marathon- Dayton, OH
The race was held at Hedges-Boyer park here in Tiffin and was very well organized. The organizers weren't planning for the 300+ people (just under 300 for the 5k, some more for the 1 mile walk) who showed up, but I really thought they did a tremendous job. The weather was perfect as we seem to actually be getting fall weather this year. Not much to put down here but let's get to my report.
I started roughly right in the middle of the pack since I was looking for a nice, hard run but not really looking to race. That changed. We started off and I noticed the leaders going at what looked like a conservative pace, especially considering how flat it is around here. I felt pretty good and decided to make my way to where the first group was and see how long I could hold that pace. We ran through the park and into town, hitting the first mile in 6:34. That's way too fast for me. Usually I'm around 7:00. But I decided to hold on and keep going. We soon made our way up town to the turnaround and back. Most of this race was made up of two long straightaways. No problems having to worry about running the tangents, which is nice. I was feeling some fatigue when we hit the 2 mile mark, but my time (12:40) made me keep going at the same pace. The first straightaway seemed a lot longer on the way back. Imagine that! We made our way back to the park, wound through the park on the paved path, and I hit the finish in 20:47. This is, by far, my best 5k time this year. I've been lucky to get into the 21s this year. My time was good enough for seventh overall and second in my age group. More importantly, it gave me some extra confidence heading into a two half marathon October.
Next race: Dayton River Corridor Classic Half Marathon- Dayton, OH
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Air Force Half Marathon
I ran half marathon number twenty last weekend at the Air Force Half Marathon in Dayton. My first experience with this race was last year when I ran a then-PR of 1:50.01. This year I had no aspirations of running a PR and simply wanted to run a good, hard race.
Friday went well as I made the trek from Tiffin to Dayton for the expo at the Nutter Center. This is my favorite race expo, surpassing even the Columbus Marathon. There are so many cool vendors there, many of which I haven't seen at any races. Packet pickup was a breeze which speaks to the organization of this race. I visited with some Dayton friends during the day and stayed with a friend in nearby Xenia the night before the race.
Race morning was cool and I made the drive to the Air Force base at 6:00. Even though the half marathon didn't start until 8:30, it was best to get there early as parking can be a nightmare otherwise. I sat in the car and read on my Kindle until about 7:30 or so. The long walk to the race start was enough to warm me up and I felt ready to go.
I started the race at a very conservative pace, knocking the first few miles out at a 9:10 pace. You know that my training has been very inconsistent this year if you've been following the blog. I didn't want to even have a shot at a PR because I knew I would die during the late miles if I went out fast. But things were about to become very interesting.
Somewhere during mile 4 we made a right hand turn that I didn't recall from last year's race. Races are bound to have little changes from year to year, so I thought nothing of it. A race official then came running towards us calling out that the half marathoners were going the wrong way. That's right. The leaders took a right turn when the shouldn't have and, to my recollection, there wasn't a sign telling us where to go. Those in the front of the pack ran about an extra two miles. I'm pretty sure I did an extra half mile or so, which got to me as my only goal for the race was to break two hours.
We turned around and made up the ground, but it was an absolute nightmare with marathoners trying to pass us and all of us merging back with the other half marathoners. I tried to settle into a good pace after this fiasco, but I never quite felt right. All I kept thinking about is that I have roughly four and a half minutes to make up. I stopped taking split times after the turnaround since my time wasn't accurate. The first few miles after that were decent but not great. I did take a gel at mile 6 and that gave me a little boost. Looking at my watch, I knew a sub-2 was still attainable as long as I didn't do anything stupid.
The hill at mile 8 wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered it from last year's race. The downhill helped and we made our way behind Wright State University. This stretch didn't seem as long as last year either. I started taking Gatorade during this stretch and felt pretty good for the last few miles. I picked up the pace at mile 10 and was able to hold it until the finish. Final time (with the turnaround)- 1:56.05
I'm pretty happy with my final time, especially considering the turnaround. The race is taking a lot of hits for this problem. There was a similar issue in the full marathon last year. I'm not terribly upset about it, but I'm obviously not pleased either. This was my second time doing this race and it is a long drive from Tiffin. I'll probably consider doing the Akron Marathon next year in place of this race.
Next race: Tiffin Firefighters 5k- Tiffin, OH
Friday went well as I made the trek from Tiffin to Dayton for the expo at the Nutter Center. This is my favorite race expo, surpassing even the Columbus Marathon. There are so many cool vendors there, many of which I haven't seen at any races. Packet pickup was a breeze which speaks to the organization of this race. I visited with some Dayton friends during the day and stayed with a friend in nearby Xenia the night before the race.
Race morning was cool and I made the drive to the Air Force base at 6:00. Even though the half marathon didn't start until 8:30, it was best to get there early as parking can be a nightmare otherwise. I sat in the car and read on my Kindle until about 7:30 or so. The long walk to the race start was enough to warm me up and I felt ready to go.
I started the race at a very conservative pace, knocking the first few miles out at a 9:10 pace. You know that my training has been very inconsistent this year if you've been following the blog. I didn't want to even have a shot at a PR because I knew I would die during the late miles if I went out fast. But things were about to become very interesting.
Somewhere during mile 4 we made a right hand turn that I didn't recall from last year's race. Races are bound to have little changes from year to year, so I thought nothing of it. A race official then came running towards us calling out that the half marathoners were going the wrong way. That's right. The leaders took a right turn when the shouldn't have and, to my recollection, there wasn't a sign telling us where to go. Those in the front of the pack ran about an extra two miles. I'm pretty sure I did an extra half mile or so, which got to me as my only goal for the race was to break two hours.
We turned around and made up the ground, but it was an absolute nightmare with marathoners trying to pass us and all of us merging back with the other half marathoners. I tried to settle into a good pace after this fiasco, but I never quite felt right. All I kept thinking about is that I have roughly four and a half minutes to make up. I stopped taking split times after the turnaround since my time wasn't accurate. The first few miles after that were decent but not great. I did take a gel at mile 6 and that gave me a little boost. Looking at my watch, I knew a sub-2 was still attainable as long as I didn't do anything stupid.
The hill at mile 8 wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered it from last year's race. The downhill helped and we made our way behind Wright State University. This stretch didn't seem as long as last year either. I started taking Gatorade during this stretch and felt pretty good for the last few miles. I picked up the pace at mile 10 and was able to hold it until the finish. Final time (with the turnaround)- 1:56.05
I'm pretty happy with my final time, especially considering the turnaround. The race is taking a lot of hits for this problem. There was a similar issue in the full marathon last year. I'm not terribly upset about it, but I'm obviously not pleased either. This was my second time doing this race and it is a long drive from Tiffin. I'll probably consider doing the Akron Marathon next year in place of this race.
Next race: Tiffin Firefighters 5k- Tiffin, OH
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Somerset Stampede Half Marathon
I checked the weather report earlier in the week and quickly signed up for this small race in Somerset Center, Michigan. It was a comfortable 50 degrees at the start of the race which is unheard of in mid-August. This race game me a chance to knock off my ninth state and get a tune-up in for the Air Force Half Marathon next month. And this little race was only $20.
The morning started early as I left Tiffin a little after 4 to make the trek to Somerset Center. I was amazed at how cool it felt outside. Perfect running weather for any time of year. I arrived at Somerset Beach Campground with about an hour to spare. This gave me plenty of time to stretch out and check out the course map. The race is billed as scenic and one of the toughest half marathons in the state of Michigan. It was a very scenic race around the countryside and it was definitely tough. In fact, this was the toughest half marathon course I've completed.
We started out at 7:30 and made our way through the campground area to the first of many dirt roads. This was one of the great things about this race. We ran on asphalt some, but most of the race was on dirt roads and even some trails. The hills started in right away. And they never stopped! Most of them were rolling but some were pretty steep. I clocked in at 9:00 for the first mile, 18:12 for the second, and then an inexplicable 28:25 followed by 33:37. The mile markers were obviously off, so I stopped paying attention to split times and focused on how I felt. And it felt rough for the first five miles or so. The constant ups and downs are something I'm just not accustomed to running.
We continued on some trails during mile 5 and back to dirt roads. The course was scenic and there were very, very few cars. It was simply a nice crisp morning. I took a gel at mile 5 and it helped. Mile 6 felt pretty good and I started to run a lot faster around mile 7, despite the never-ending hills. I got into a battle with another runner at mile 8 that went on for about two miles or so. He led for a bit, then I led, then we just ran together for a short time. I finally left him somewhere during mile 10 and passed a few others along the way. The mile 10 split time showed up at 1:23 but I knew that was impossible on this course. 1:26-1:27 is more likely.
The last three miles went by in a blur. There was one major hill during mile 11, then we made our way to a nice trail that wound its way around the campground. The soft surface was a nice change because my body was feeling all those hills. I finished hard down the final straightaway and came in at 1:50.06. This is my fourth fastest half marathon time but I'm a bit skeptical. I did feel like I ran one of my best races of the year, but those hills definitely work against you. The mile markers were off at times, so I wonder if the course was a bit short. Regardless, it wouldn't have been more than a few minutes slower, so my sub-2 hour half marathon streak has been extended to ten! This is the confidence boost I need going into the Air Force Half next month. I'm hoping to run a sub-1:50 at that race.
Next race: Air Force Half Marathon- Dayton, OH
The morning started early as I left Tiffin a little after 4 to make the trek to Somerset Center. I was amazed at how cool it felt outside. Perfect running weather for any time of year. I arrived at Somerset Beach Campground with about an hour to spare. This gave me plenty of time to stretch out and check out the course map. The race is billed as scenic and one of the toughest half marathons in the state of Michigan. It was a very scenic race around the countryside and it was definitely tough. In fact, this was the toughest half marathon course I've completed.
We started out at 7:30 and made our way through the campground area to the first of many dirt roads. This was one of the great things about this race. We ran on asphalt some, but most of the race was on dirt roads and even some trails. The hills started in right away. And they never stopped! Most of them were rolling but some were pretty steep. I clocked in at 9:00 for the first mile, 18:12 for the second, and then an inexplicable 28:25 followed by 33:37. The mile markers were obviously off, so I stopped paying attention to split times and focused on how I felt. And it felt rough for the first five miles or so. The constant ups and downs are something I'm just not accustomed to running.
We continued on some trails during mile 5 and back to dirt roads. The course was scenic and there were very, very few cars. It was simply a nice crisp morning. I took a gel at mile 5 and it helped. Mile 6 felt pretty good and I started to run a lot faster around mile 7, despite the never-ending hills. I got into a battle with another runner at mile 8 that went on for about two miles or so. He led for a bit, then I led, then we just ran together for a short time. I finally left him somewhere during mile 10 and passed a few others along the way. The mile 10 split time showed up at 1:23 but I knew that was impossible on this course. 1:26-1:27 is more likely.
The last three miles went by in a blur. There was one major hill during mile 11, then we made our way to a nice trail that wound its way around the campground. The soft surface was a nice change because my body was feeling all those hills. I finished hard down the final straightaway and came in at 1:50.06. This is my fourth fastest half marathon time but I'm a bit skeptical. I did feel like I ran one of my best races of the year, but those hills definitely work against you. The mile markers were off at times, so I wonder if the course was a bit short. Regardless, it wouldn't have been more than a few minutes slower, so my sub-2 hour half marathon streak has been extended to ten! This is the confidence boost I need going into the Air Force Half next month. I'm hoping to run a sub-1:50 at that race.
Next race: Air Force Half Marathon- Dayton, OH
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Carey Twilight 5k
I'm a week late with this post, but I ran the Carey Twilight 5k last Saturday evening. Due to some thunderstorms moving through the area, it was interesting to say the least. The race itself was much bigger than I was expecting with 250-300 runners. I got to the start later than I meant to and didn't have much time to warm-up.
The start was the best part of this race. We waited at the start line, looking down the first hill, and saw nothing but dark clouds with lightning in the distance. That was a first for me, despite having ran in 90+ races. The race director stated that he thought we could get the race in and to find cover if it got too bad. Okay. Will do. The nice thing about the weather was that it cooled everything down.
The downhill start was unfortunate because I really wanted to run negative splits in this one. But, of course, I had no choice but to start fast. We made it to the bottom of the hill, made a sharp left turn and entered a very cool park. We did a lap around the park and hit the first mile maker in 7:00. I was feeling pretty good and tried to keep up that pace. The weather was getting worse and we saw some lightning strikes just outside of town. I noticed this as I made my way around a pond. Water+Lightning=Picking up the pace
The second mile wasn't far off the first, clocking in at 14:12. There's not much to say about the course at this point. It was nice running in the evening, but it was your typical 5k through a small town. The line of people spraying hoses in the air along the course were nice. It wasn't really necessary since we were getting some sprinkles anyway. I tried to pick it up on the third mile but the course was mostly uphill at this point. I passed some people and clocked in at a respectable 21:44. Much better than the 23:00 I ran at my last 5k. I waited around for the awards and was pleasantly surprised to receive a nice glass for placing second in my age group.
I've been looking for a half marathon to do because I want to make sure that the Air Force Half next month will be my 20th. I looked at several races and decided on making the drive north to Michigan to get my 9th state.
Next race: Somerset Center Stampede Half Marathon- Somerset Center, MI
The start was the best part of this race. We waited at the start line, looking down the first hill, and saw nothing but dark clouds with lightning in the distance. That was a first for me, despite having ran in 90+ races. The race director stated that he thought we could get the race in and to find cover if it got too bad. Okay. Will do. The nice thing about the weather was that it cooled everything down.
The downhill start was unfortunate because I really wanted to run negative splits in this one. But, of course, I had no choice but to start fast. We made it to the bottom of the hill, made a sharp left turn and entered a very cool park. We did a lap around the park and hit the first mile maker in 7:00. I was feeling pretty good and tried to keep up that pace. The weather was getting worse and we saw some lightning strikes just outside of town. I noticed this as I made my way around a pond. Water+Lightning=Picking up the pace
The second mile wasn't far off the first, clocking in at 14:12. There's not much to say about the course at this point. It was nice running in the evening, but it was your typical 5k through a small town. The line of people spraying hoses in the air along the course were nice. It wasn't really necessary since we were getting some sprinkles anyway. I tried to pick it up on the third mile but the course was mostly uphill at this point. I passed some people and clocked in at a respectable 21:44. Much better than the 23:00 I ran at my last 5k. I waited around for the awards and was pleasantly surprised to receive a nice glass for placing second in my age group.
I've been looking for a half marathon to do because I want to make sure that the Air Force Half next month will be my 20th. I looked at several races and decided on making the drive north to Michigan to get my 9th state.
Next race: Somerset Center Stampede Half Marathon- Somerset Center, MI
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Old Port Half Marathon
I knocked off my eighth state, Maine, a few weeks ago at the Old Port Half Marathon. To say that this race was gorgeous would be an understatement. My performance was better than I expected. Summer training has been hit-or-miss due to the new job and move to NW Ohio.
I explored the city of Portland the day before the race. It was a blast! The Portland Head Light State Park is a very cool place to spend the afternoon. Packet pick up was smooth at the Maine Running Company. I loved the tech shirt and the glass mug I purchased.
Race morning was pretty smooth. I parked at one of the downtown garages and made the half mile trek to the race start along the Eastern Promenade. The first of two snafus occurred as I realized there was no bag check and had to run back to the car to stow my gear. No bag check? Seriously? Not a big deal, but I'm also not a fan. The second snafu was one I was at least aware of. The women's race started at 7:30 with the men's race starting at 7:45. Many people, including myself, were frustrated by this odd bit of race management. First, I want to run early. It's hot outside. Second, what purpose does this serve? Simply have a corral start if you're concerned about people lining up correctly. Many of the people in the second wave (you had some mixing due to people running with loved ones) were frustrated having to dodge some of the runners from the first wave during the second half of the race. Oh well. At least we knew ahead of time.
The second wave headed out and I started a little fast at around 8:00. The scenery and the cool breeze off the ocean felt great. Despite that, I had to dial it back some. We ran along the Eastern Promenade until the first bridge, near the Back Cove. I was feeling good and occasionally took off the headphones to enjoy the sites of Portland. The air felt clean and I just enjoyed being there. We continued our way north parallel to I-295 and hit the second bridge. Again, gorgeous views! My three mile time was just under the 27:00 mark. This is right where I needed to be and I kept it at that pace for the duration.
I loved the trail portion near the 5 mile mark. It was probably only a half mile long or so, but it was definitely a much needed break for the legs. This served as the turnaround point and we made our way back towards Portland. My favorite part of the course was the roughly three mile stretch (around the 7.5 mark to the 10.5 mark) looping around the Back Cove. This was a beautiful part of the course. The legs appreciated the crushed limestone surface this late in the race. Another thing that struck me were the number of people out and about on a Sunday morning. People were out jogging who weren't in the race, cycling, walking, etc. Portland is a very active community and a breath of fresh air.
We then made our way back along the Eastern Promenade towards the finish. I was feeling the race at this point and got into a mini-battle with another guy. He beat me out with about a half mile to go, but we did pass plenty of people along the way. The ending was at the Maine State Pier (very cool) and I came in at 1:54.31. Not a bad time considering the inconsistent training. My sub-2 hour half marathon streak extends to nine!
The post-race festivities were some of the best I've seen. A live band was playing actual music (Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc.). Pizza, fruit, ice cream, and Shipyard Brewing Company Beer were in abundance. Each runner was greeted with a cold towel and sports bottle filled with ice water at the finish. Nice touch. This was a great race and one I'll definitely consider coming to again.
Next race: Carey Twilight 5k- Carey, OH
I explored the city of Portland the day before the race. It was a blast! The Portland Head Light State Park is a very cool place to spend the afternoon. Packet pick up was smooth at the Maine Running Company. I loved the tech shirt and the glass mug I purchased.
Race morning was pretty smooth. I parked at one of the downtown garages and made the half mile trek to the race start along the Eastern Promenade. The first of two snafus occurred as I realized there was no bag check and had to run back to the car to stow my gear. No bag check? Seriously? Not a big deal, but I'm also not a fan. The second snafu was one I was at least aware of. The women's race started at 7:30 with the men's race starting at 7:45. Many people, including myself, were frustrated by this odd bit of race management. First, I want to run early. It's hot outside. Second, what purpose does this serve? Simply have a corral start if you're concerned about people lining up correctly. Many of the people in the second wave (you had some mixing due to people running with loved ones) were frustrated having to dodge some of the runners from the first wave during the second half of the race. Oh well. At least we knew ahead of time.
The second wave headed out and I started a little fast at around 8:00. The scenery and the cool breeze off the ocean felt great. Despite that, I had to dial it back some. We ran along the Eastern Promenade until the first bridge, near the Back Cove. I was feeling good and occasionally took off the headphones to enjoy the sites of Portland. The air felt clean and I just enjoyed being there. We continued our way north parallel to I-295 and hit the second bridge. Again, gorgeous views! My three mile time was just under the 27:00 mark. This is right where I needed to be and I kept it at that pace for the duration.
I loved the trail portion near the 5 mile mark. It was probably only a half mile long or so, but it was definitely a much needed break for the legs. This served as the turnaround point and we made our way back towards Portland. My favorite part of the course was the roughly three mile stretch (around the 7.5 mark to the 10.5 mark) looping around the Back Cove. This was a beautiful part of the course. The legs appreciated the crushed limestone surface this late in the race. Another thing that struck me were the number of people out and about on a Sunday morning. People were out jogging who weren't in the race, cycling, walking, etc. Portland is a very active community and a breath of fresh air.
We then made our way back along the Eastern Promenade towards the finish. I was feeling the race at this point and got into a mini-battle with another guy. He beat me out with about a half mile to go, but we did pass plenty of people along the way. The ending was at the Maine State Pier (very cool) and I came in at 1:54.31. Not a bad time considering the inconsistent training. My sub-2 hour half marathon streak extends to nine!
The post-race festivities were some of the best I've seen. A live band was playing actual music (Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc.). Pizza, fruit, ice cream, and Shipyard Brewing Company Beer were in abundance. Each runner was greeted with a cold towel and sports bottle filled with ice water at the finish. Nice touch. This was a great race and one I'll definitely consider coming to again.
Next race: Carey Twilight 5k- Carey, OH
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