Heart & Sole Half Marathon- Half Marathon #70

It's been a while since I've hit one of these milestones.  I have maybe two more half marathons this year and W and I are expecting our first child.  It will be a while until I hit 80 or even 75.  I always think back to how I started running half marathons in 2009 and am always amazed when I hit a number like this one.  It's been a blast!

I ran this race back in 2014 and had a good showing.  Despite it being 45 minutes away in Wooster, I haven't ran it since then.  The short driving distance, 7:30 start time, and inexpensive cost make this one a winner. 

I came in with no real goals as I haven't ran a half since the Flying Pig.  My training has actually been pretty good recently as I got a 7 and 9 miler in during the weeks leading up to the race.  But I also remembered this race being quite hilly and very humid with the August race date.  Let's get to it.

Miles 1-5: My GPS continues to be a pain so I have no splits for this race.  We headed north from downtown on a slight incline.  I felt loose early on and tried to keep at a conservative pace.  Most of the race heads through residential areas with various levels of hills.  I should say, none of these are massive hills.  There's just a lot of them and they slowly wear you down.  I looked at my watch a few times and guessed I was just under 8:00 miles for the first few miles.  It felt good until we headed east for a long loop through a residential area.  This section is up-down, up-down.  Again, it's not major but it is enough to hurt. 

Miles 6-10:  We finally ended this residential section and headed for a long straightaway north of town.  This is the most dull section of the race but it is easy to zone out.  We then head east for a bit prior to doing a long loop through a city park.  This is probably the best part of the course as the rollers aren't bad and the park is at least pretty.  It breaks up the monotony some.  My miles were more in the 7:35-7:40 range during this section.  The course then doubles back and we run the same course in reverse on the way back to town.  This does include that unfortunate residential area which seems much worse on the way back.  I did slow to a walk for a few minutes during the return.  The temperature was decent throughout the race but the humidity was awful. 

Miles 11-13.1:  Just hold on for a good finish.  This was really all I was thinking.  We did get a nice net downhill to the finish on the return.  But man did it seem long!  The final mile was probably the worst because you can see the finish for a long time.  I thought I might be able to finish around 1:40 but the finish kept looking farther away.  I was able to kick it in for a nice finish of 1:41:20.  This beat my time from 2014 by more than two minutes.  I finished 24/113 overall. 

This was a challenging but good race.  I certainly enjoyed myself and simply thought "This is number 70" several times throughout the event. 

Next race: Mid Ohio 13er Half Marathon- Mansfield, OH

Sweetcorn Festival 5k

This small race was held in Mt. Gilead which is about a half hour from home.  It featured a 10k with prize money, but I knew I wasn't fast enough to compete with the folks running that one.  I simply wanted a good, hard 5k. 

I got to the race in plenty of time and saw off and on rain in the forecast.  It was a bit cooler so I figured this might be a better race than the last few.  We headed out to the meager start line and I made my way to the third line of people.  There were certainly some fast looking runners and I assumed most were after the prize money, which was more than you would think for a small town race.  My GPS watch has been giving me fits and I kept it on the watch function to at least get a sense of my pace.  The cloudy day wasn't helping it any. 

We headed north before making a turn west about a quarter mile into the race.  A lot of people took off at a fast clip and I just tried to maintain what felt good.  I figured I started in about tenth place overall, but that's with the 10k runners so I figured I was in the top five for the 5k.  We went up some residential streets and into the country for a bit before heading back north for the loop.  My first mile clocked in around 6:15-6:20 which was faster than I wanted.  But I felt good and tried to maintain that pace.

We continued through residential areas before heading east past the high school.  There were two younger runners in front of me and I worked on closing the 50 meter gap between us.  My pace was solid and I'm guessing I was around 6:30 or so for the last mile.  I was also pretty sure the course was going to be slightly short.  Still, I felt really good and was enjoying myself for a change.  We made it past the school and started south toward another residential area and the finish.  I finally caught the two runners in front of me and made it past them with a half mile or so left.  I then turned expecting to see the finish further away and was shocked to see it so close.  I guessed the course measured 3 miles even rather than 3.1.  I was able to finish strong and hit the finish line in a surprising time of 20:08.

I did go to MapMyRun later to chart the course and it came up to 3.1 miles.  For some reason it felt short so I take that as a good sign.  I can count it as my fastest 5k for the year and it came on very little training.  I did finish 3/34 overall and first in my age group.  The only complaint I have is the handling of the awards.  Many of us were hanging around after the race.  I finally heard, after almost an hour, that awards were going to be mailed out.  That's all well and good (and preferred) but better notice would have been appreciated.

My next race will be my 70th half marathon, unless I decide to do a 5k next weekend.

Next race: Heart and Sole Half Marathon- Wooster, OH

Ontario Liberty 5k

This is the second race this year that started and finished at Ontario High School which is about half a mile from home.  I love easy logistics.  The course is the same one from the Childhood Cancer 5k back in May.  It was just as tough as that one as the high for the day was just over 90 and the humidity was awful.

My only goal for this one was to place in my age group.  There are a ton of high school kids at this race with most of the Ontario High runners in attendance.  It's one of the more popular races in Richland County and gets around 150 people each year.  I ran it in 2015, posting a sub-20:00, and last year with W. 

I don't have splits for this as my New Balance GPS watch is really acting up.  It was a clear day and I couldn't get a signal.  Time to replace it.

I lined up for the start in the third row, allowing the kids to have space, and planned to stay in that neck of the woods for the remainder.  We started out going north by the high school and I felt ok.  The weather was going to be a factor, but I started out slow enough to know conk out late in the race.  We hit Milligan Road for the long downhill portion of the race.  I passed a couple younger runners right before the first mile marker.  I believe I stayed in that position for the rest of the race.  This downhill portion also allowed some shade if you ran on the left side of the road.  It made a huge difference!  We then headed for the lollipop loop around the east end of Marshall Park which is a dull stretch.  I did look at my watch for a rough update and saw I was around 14 minutes at the two mile mark.  That's right where I wanted to be as I was shooting for something around 21 minutes at this race. 

Then the hills hit.  I train a lot on this course since it's close to home.  It never ceases to amaze me how this hill seems to take FOREVER.  Ever time it seems to flatten out, another incline starts.  It's not steep, it's long.  I simply maintained my position until we finally made it out and back to the high school.  I was able to kick it in for a nice finish with an overall time of 21:10.  This effort was good enough for 9th overall and second in my age group, which included a nice trophy!

I'm still sticking to my plan of racing less.  One a month, on average, is realistic right now.

Next race: Sweetcorn Festival 5k- Mt. Gilead, OH

Run to Remember 5k

I'm behind on the blog again as W and I recently returned from vacation.  This Memorial Day race was in nearby Shelby and I am really enjoying the local race scene.  It's getting more difficult to get up early and drive somewhere for a race as I'm just too dang tired.  

This was a much smaller race than I was hoping for but it was well organized.  I chose the 5k even though a 10k was also offered.  The heat and humidity was awful a couple hours BEFORE the start so I knew it would be tough.  

I started near the front for the start as we ran maybe twenty yards before turning south through town.  Why do some races begin with these immediate turns?  It makes it really difficult at the start of a race.  I felt good from the beginning but wasn't sure what I would have in me.  The sun was just beating down on us.  We began weaving around town in a counter-clockwise loop about a half mile into the race.  I was in second place, though I wasn't sure if the leader was in the 5k (he was).  The first mile came in a blistering 6:14.  I knew this was too fast and there was no way to keep up that pace.  The second mile was more my speed as we continued back to Main Street.  We did get to run around Seltzer Park which offered a tiny bit of shade.  Another runner passed me near the end of the second mile and he looked like he had plenty in the tank.  The 10k runners broke off here and I could see the two in front of me were both in my race.  A quick look behind me showed nobody close so I pulled off the gas slightly.  I was already beat!  The second mile came in at 6:44 so I was still running a respectable pace.

There's not much to say about the final leg of the race.  The second runner was well ahead of me and I kept well ahead of the next group.  I kept a slightly slower pace as there was no point in killing myself.  We headed back to downtown and made a quick turn for the finish.  The last mile was 7:00 with an overall time of 20:28.  That was good enough for 3/57 overall.  Not a bad showing and I'm now in a lull between races.

Next race: Ontario Liberty 5k- Ontario, OH

Childhood Cancer 5k

I added this one late as I had the morning free and the race started and finished about a half mile from home.  You can't beat such convenience.  The proceeds went to Akron Children's Hospital which is a great cause and organization.

The race started at 10:00 and it was already muggy.  I run this course several times a week and know how tough the hills can be during the second half.  Did that stop me from starting out too fast?  If you guessed yes then you haven't been reading this blog for long.

We started at Ontario High School for a nice straightaway.  I came out in the top three and quickly moved to second place.  I recognized the eventual winner and knew I couldn't catch him and simply tried to maintain second.  We then turned east on Milligan Road for the best downhill portion you can imagine.  It's a steady and long downhill that doesn't completely ruin the quads.  I felt good but realized my error as I finished the first mile in 6:05.  Shocker.

It was getting increasingly humid as we headed south and back around through Marshall Park.  I tried to keep up the pace through the park and chanced looking back.  The next runner was at least a minute behind me and the first place runner was at least a minute ahead.  I was right where I needed to be.  The second mile came in at 6:30, though I knew that would end once we turned back onto Milligan and headed up the hill.  I was right.  There are rolling hills combined with a gradual uphill on this portion.  I was shot by this point and just hanging on for a good time.  I actually walked up one of the rollers to conserve energy for the finish.  We finally made our way back to the straightaway leading to the school.  I didn't push the pace, as there was no reason to, and hit the third mile in 7:25.  My overall time was a respectable 20:50.  That was good enough for the age group win and 2/77 overall.  Not bad for a last minute race.

I'm going with a quick turnaround and doing it again with a local 5k on Memorial Day.

Next race: A Run to Remember 5k- Shelby, OH

Flying Pig Half Marathon

W and I made our way to her hometown for one of my favorite races, second only to the ORRRC Half Marathon.  I've ran the Flying Pig twice and had surprisingly good showings at both.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect since I've been lowering the mileage this year.

Miles 1-5: We started off from Paul Brown Stadium and headed east before crossing a bridge into Kentucky.  I think this is a cool part of the race as you hit one of the highlights early on.  Plus you get a slight elevation change running toward the river and then up and down the bridge.  It's a good way to break into the run.  We then headed into Newport, Kentucky and headed west along the river.  I felt good during these early miles but held back knowing what was waiting later on.  We then hit another bridge heading back to Ohio and kept heading north to downtown Cincinnati.  You get a nice variety during the first five miles by starting at the stadium, hitting the bridge, going through Newport, and heading back over the river and into downtown.  I was feeling great and nailing some nice splits.  Here are the splits for the first five: 7:34, 7:44, 7:37, 7:24, and 7:20.

Miles 6-10: The downtown Cincinnati portion is always fun.  I like the experience of going through a major metropolitan downtown in the middle of the road.  It's not an experience you can have too often.  I felt good as we headed northeast out of downtown and into the hilly section of the course.  It's nothing major until about halfway through mile 6 when you get a gradual hill followed by some more pronounced inclines.  I love the section near Crohn Conservatory as you continue going up.  Once you peak the hill there is a leveling off during which you can see downtown.  It's very pretty in the morning, plus you know the worst of the hills are over.  There are few up-downs sprinkled in this section of town but nothing major.  Then you begin the descent back into town which is a great way to make up some time.  I kept my pace conservative during this section.  I crapped out some during the last mile in 2016 because I flew downhill during miles 10 and 11.  Here are the next five splits: 7:26, 7:38, 7:20, 7:08, and 7:28.

Miles 11-13.1: Still feeling great!  I figured at this point that a sub-1:40 was realistic and just wanted to bank some more time.  The last 5k went extremely fast and I still felt relatively good.  This portion is tough as you fly into downtown then have a strange little out and back on Fifth Street, I believe.  It's not long but it's an odd little section of the course.  I then made my way back south towards the river before heading west for the finish.  I kicked it in and actually hit a 6:35 during the final mile!  It felt great and I finished very hard.  The final splits were 7:01, 6:51 and 6:35.  Insanely fast at the end!  The course measured long at 13.4 miles, but I still cruised in for my best Pig at 1:37:40!  That took almost two minutes off my 2016 time.  I finished 225/12073 overall which is a great showing.

This makes half marathon number 69 for me.  Believe it or not, I haven't decided what my 70th half marathon will be.  I should probably decide soon as I'd like to get it in this summer.  Between now and then I have some 5ks planned.

Next race: Childhood Cancer 5k- Ontario, OH

Cooper Tire Centennial 5 Miler

I had a free Saturday and decided to see what races were out there.  There was nothing shorter than an hour away, so I chose this one in Findlay since I've ran numerous races in that city.  Plus a five miler is something totally different for me.  I had to look back at this blog to find the results for the 2012 Frostbite Five Miler, the only other one I've ran.  My time for that was 38:45 so I was very sure I would get a five miler PR at this one.

The race began and ended at the Findlay High School track which was a nice facility.  The weather, however, was way too cool for late April.  The temperature was in the low 40s with a strong wind.  I figured it would be breezy in pancake flat Findlay but it was more than expected.  It looked like we would have a nice tailwind going south but then vice versa on the way back on this out and back course.  The race wasn't the biggest, and there was a 5k attached, so I lined up in the fourth line or so for the start.

I felt great from the start and jumped into the top eight or so.  We headed south toward the Cooper Tire plant on a pretty straightforward course.  The wind wasn't terrible during the first half.  The first mile clicked by in a fast 6:33.  I passed a couple runners during the second mile, but it was tough to gauge where I was until the 5k runners turned around.  I saw three of them turn around and I knew I was in the top five.  The only hill was in this section but it wasn't much.  The second mile was a still fast 6:47 and I still felt great.

We turned east for a short jaunt by the tire plant before turning back around and heading back.  There's not much to report on as it's the same course in reverse.  I could tell I was actually in the top three at this point and knew I could hold it.  The third mile was a 6:55 and the fourth was a surprising 6:52.  I really felt that I slowed down slightly here due to the wind but I was wrong.  I finally started feeling the race as we started the fifth mile and headed back for a finish on the Findlay track.  I finished strong but didn't have anyone behind or in front of me to push me.  The final mile came in 6:55 and I finished with an overall time of 34:02.  That is a minute faster than I thought I could run on my best day!  I did indeed finish third overall and second in my age group.

This was a nice change of pace race that I really enjoyed.  The organization was great and there's not a thing I would change.  Next up is one of my favorite half marathons.

Next race: Flying Pig Half Marathon- Cincinnati, OH