Four Courts Four Miler - Race Report

Regardless of whether I am in the middle of training for a marathon or not, I enjoy running local races. Races that do not involve travel on my part. Races, for all intents and purposes, right outside my door. The Four Courts Four Miler is just such a race.

It was the inaugural event this year put on by Pacers, a local running store, and sponsored by Ireland’s Four Courts, a local Irish pub-style restaurant in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. You can’t tell by the photo above but everything about this race was green and Irish.

As I mentioned previously, I was a little nervous going in to the race. Running had not been going as well as I had liked and logic would usually dictate that a runner who is already tired and possibly facing the specter of overtraining shouldn’t try to find an answer in racing and pushing their running. It sounds like I am court disaster and maybe, I was? I don’t know.

What I do know is that something clicked at the race.

It felt good to be in that crowd of fellow, green bedecked runners. The drizzling rain didn’t seem to phase any of us once the race started (beforehand is another story – it was pouring rain for the hour or so before the race meant that me and my loyal cheering section were soaked on the walk to the race). I was passing the Mile 1 marker before I knew it and nearly to the half way point of this four mile race before I even felt like I was even pushing the pace. Everything felt easy and that was such a relief after weeks of legs o’ lead.

Around the 2.5 mile point, I was “leapt” by the leprechaun. One of the fun parts of this race was that one of the super speedy Pacer-sponsored runners (turns out he is also Irish) started the race 8 minutes after the start gun. For every runner he beat to the finish line (or “leapt” if you will) the running store would donate a dollar to a local charity. I was hoping to be in Mile 3 by the time he passed me but in the middle of the race it didn’t even matter. Running felt good. My pace felt right. I was relaxed but still focused on racing hard (quite the contradiction, I know). Being beat by a local elite runner was of no consequence to me because I was having a great race.

The other catch to this race was that the first mile was downhill, the next two miles were more or less flat, and the final mile was up, up, uphill. However, I wasn’t worried for two reasons. One, I love running hills and as long as I didn’t flatline my legs during the first three miles I would be able to pass runners left and right going uphill. Two, I run this hilly section (although it feels like a mile long hill, it is actually two hills with a very brief flat-ish section in the middle) several times a week.

I passed the Mile 3 marker and took the hill in stride, keeping my legs turnover short but quick and my breathing steady. While everyone else slowed down, I picked up the pace. My second half split was actually faster than my first half split, which is not the norm for a course with this downhill/uphill profile.

As I raced toward the finish line, I spotted two runners between me and the end and I told myself to do whatever I could to pass them. I charged. I kicked. I sprinted. As much as one can charge, kick and sprint while running up a reasonably steep hill, I gave it all I had. I beat one of the two runners solidly. The other one was just ahead of me as we crossed the line; he had saved a little for the end and I wasn’t expecting it.

It felt so good to cross that finish line. It was a real confidence booster to look down at my watch and realize I had beaten the goal I had set for myself. As I was catching my breath, my fans (husband, Mom and Dad) found me and then I found the water. We didn’t stick around for the end of the race or the after party (although it did look like a bunch of fun) because we had plans for the rest of the day.

I am feeling much more positive about Nashville after this race. It feels so good to be back!

Splits (kinda – I didn’t hit the lap button on my watch so I’m working from memory)
Mile 1 – I didn’t want to look.
Mile 2 – 17 minutes and some change, right on target
Mile 3 – 25 minutes and some change, woohoo, doing better than target
Mile 4 – 34:27, a minute and a half better than I was expecting and a faster split than the first half

Pros:

• Local (for me) and walkable to start/finish
• Nice shirt – tech fabric with the Kiss Me I’m A Runner slogan. Love it!
• Great race management
• Hilly finish – yes, this can be a positive attribute to a race

Cons:

• Nothing really – a great small, local race

A Little Nervous

It’s been a strong week of running for me this past week. Last Sunday ended up being a beautiful day, perfect for an 18 mile long run. Monday through today, I’ve hit each one of my scheduled runs. I’ve felt a bit tired from the higher mileages but when my runs started I felt energized.

This weekend’s long run is supposed to be a cut back week before next week’s 20 miler. However, I’ve decided to throw in a little wrinkle for myself; a race – Four Courts Four Miler.

I haven’t raced since November at the GCF Half Marathon and I’m a little nervous about tomorrow’s race. Truthfully, I’m not quite sure why.

I’ve fallen off my pace a little bit compared to what I was running before I got a little sidelined by injury and weather in February but that’s no reason to be scared right? Also, the race is downhill during the first half but Uphill during the last half – 2 miles down, 2 miles back up. Again, I love running hills, that shouldn’t be causing anxiety. Except for the recent dry spell, I race often since the local running scene is so active and this race is super convenient. Nothing to be too concerned about.

And yet, I’m a little nervous.

Daily Dozen:
10 miles run commute

So Whose Legs Have I Been Running On?

My legs have felt more like my own this week than they have in previous weeks. Running hasn’t been such a struggle and my pace is improving without extra effort on my part. In fact, three of my 5 runs this week have actually been in the 10s for an average overall pace, rather than the 11s I was seeing last week and the week before.

It’s better than just an improvement in pace though. My legs are feeling better; not so much like they had been dipped in wet cement. What a relief.

I had nearly resigned myself to the slower pace and the leaden legs, wondering if I should curtail all of my running plans for the year. Maybe I will run/walk the marathon in April since I had already signed up and call it quits for the rest of the year, I thought.

Honestly, I was surprisingly OK with that idea. Not that I would prefer to have my tentative plans spoiled by a silly overuse injury (I should have known better – my paces, especially on the long runs were just too fast. I’m not at 10 minute miles yet. I knew better but was dazzles by the specter of single digit pace. I’ll get there but I’m not breaking through just yet) and the snow. Yet, delaying my plans and living to race another year was more important to me.

I am determined to be a life long runner. I want to be pushing my kids in a jogging stroller just as much as I want to be winning age group awards when I’m 70 just because I was the only 70 year-old to show up.

I am back to feeling optimistic about not only the upcoming training and marathon but also the rest of my running life.

Daily Dozen:
10 miles run commute