Three trail races – half marathon, 10K, 5K. Two short breaks – if you run fast enough. One morning. That is the idea behind the Trail Dawgs Triple Crown Trail Run. http://www.triplecrowntrailrun.org/
I arrived at White Clay Creek State Park in Newark, DE without incident just before 7 in the morning. I had a half an hour to get my race bib and packet and get settled before the start of race #1 – the half marathon. Not long after I arrived and received by race bib, my parents, who drove all night to run the third and final race of the day, pulled up. We said our hellos, hit the restroom, chatted for a bit and then it was time for me to line up for the half.
All the runners congregated at the top of a grassy hill next to the picnic area and waited as the race director first spray painted a line in the grass (the starting line) and briefed us on some pre-race instructions – run, follow the red then blue pie plates, enjoy the stream crossings and have fun. Then we were running!
It was in the 40s and overcast so I made the decision to pin my race bib with my three small tear away tags, one for each race, to my running skirt rather than my tank top or long sleeve shirt. I made the right decision, even though it did warm up slightly about half way through the half, we weren’t out in the sun for long and the long sleeves were nice in the shade of the trees and slight breeze.
We started the half bunched up but soon entered the woods so the single track trail forced us in to a single-file line. About a half mile in to the race I found myself behind an older gentleman with a navy headband and black calf compression-sleeves. He was setting a nice pace so I fell in line behind in and stayed there until mile 3.
The full marathon started 10 minutes after the half so I was expecting to be passed by marathon runners all day and the full marathon leader came ripping down the trail about 22 minutes after we started (only 10 after he did…he was flying) and there was a steady stream of “on your lefts” and “runner passings” for the rest of the race.
Around mile 3, we came to a creek crossing and I lost my pacer in the shuffle across the water. The water was about knee high and quite cold. I made it through without slipping and only noticed my wet shoes and socks for a few minutes after I got back on the trail. However, note to self, investigate wool socks, they will probably be more comfortable and dry faster.
The next four miles I followed the red pie plates, occasionally passing people but usually getting passed by the marathoners and walking up the steeper hills but keeping a steady pace on the downhills and flat bits. We hit a few aid stations along the way where I grabbed either water or Gatorade depending on how I was feeling (usually water) and a handful of goldfish crackers at each. This section of the trail also brought us out in to some fields for short periods and it was nice to warm up (and dry out a bit) in the sun. I was also on the look out for blue pie plates that signaled that we were on our way back toward the finish.
Before too long, I found the blue pie plates and got a little kick in my stride that always comes when I know I’m on my way back. Over the hills, through the woods…and over the fallen trees and through the mud…to the finish line we ran.
Around Mile 10 we circled back to the creek and by this time the water was higher than mid-thigh and even reached the bottom of my running skirt. The water was still cold but it actually felt great on my tired legs.
I reached this point after about 1 hour and 52 minutes of running and if I had just been running the half, I would have felt great about my time. However, I had a 10K to run in 38 minutes and I was hoping to have a break between the races. Over 3 miles of trails in 38 minutes was going to be rough. I knew I had to save something for the two other races I would be running but I also didn’t want to start the 10K late (its allowed but my goal for the day was to start all three races on time). I pushed just slightly on the flats (felt good) and downhills (felt, not as, good). I ran some of the smaller up hills but there was a long-ish climb about halfway between the creek and the finish line that seemed to go on forever. I power hiked up that hill, praying to see the top soon.
Finally, the top came and I took off, knowing that the finish line had to be close. I ran in to mud, deceptively hidden under the grass and my shoes were soaked for the third time that race. Sploosh! Sploosh! I didn’t even try to avoid the puddles.
I was listening hard for the cheers that would mean the finish line was, pushing the pace, watching my time. I had hoped to finish the half in 2:15 but that time came and went sometime in the mud. Then, up ahead, a dirt-bare hill, through the trees and the final turn before the finish. Just as I reached the top of that hill, with a few fans cheering on the runners, one shouted, “Final turn. Go catch him!” There was a tall guy about 10 seconds ahead me and my initial thought was, “No way. I have to run two more races today” but then my competitive spirit got the better of me and I slowly reeled him in as we made our way to the finish. At the last second, I felt bad about blowing past this guy right at the line so I slowed a bit and we crossed the line at the same time – 2 hours and 25 minutes.
Thank goodness that’s over, I thought. But, of course it wasn’t and the 10K race was lined up right next to the half marathon finish line so I let the volunteers tear off my half marathon tag, found my parents, sipped some water, told them I was feeling tired but OK, took off my long sleeve shirt and got in line for the 10K start, which I expected any second.
Four minutes and 19 seconds after finishing the half, I started running the 10K. I was tired and I was having some pain on the outside of my left knee (Where did that come from?) but I was having fun. The 10K course was the last three miles of the half course, running back out to the creek crossing and then cutting back to the first three miles of the half course. It was fun running the opposite direction of the full and half marathoners still running, giving them encouragement. It is one of the things I adore about trail runners, everyone is supportive – I said as many “good jobs,” “keep it ups,” and “looking strongs” as were said to me.
Another advantage of the 10K course is that I had already run the course once so it felt familiar. Just run to the creek and then come back, I told myself. That’s all.
As I took off for the start of the 10K, I told my parents to start the 5K on time and I would try to catch up with them if I didn’t finish the 10K on time, which seemed more and more likely. However, I knew I’d be upset with myself if I didn’t make it for the start of their race and I really want to run (or at least, start) with them so I used that as motivation to push through the 10K. I walked the bigger uphills but I kept a steady, strong pace the rest of the time.
Finally, I came out of the woods, power hiked up the last, grassy hill, saw the finish line and ran. I finished race #2 in 1 hour 11 minutes, just as the race director announced that there were only three minutes to go before the start of the 5K. My mom came running over, “you made it, we’re just lining up over here.” I joined the crowd for the 5K start feeling tired but thrilled that I had achieved my goal.
And then we were off and running the final race of the day. Dad was running a run / walk schedule but Mom was going to see how much she could run. I told her I would let her pull me along and for a half mile that plan worked out great. However, we came to the first hill and I knew I had to walk so I watched her ran away from me. I kept an eye on her but after the turn for the 5K cut off I lost sight of her. Oh well, I’ll see her at the finish.
I ran along the, now familiar, trails, enjoying the lack of pressure and time-crunch of this last race. I took my time and just went by feel, happy to not once glance at my watch. As I got closer to the finish, I caught sight of Mom up ahead quite a ways just as I hit the mud. I toyed with the idea of just taking it easy but then I decided that, if I could, I’d like to cross the finish line together. I picked up the pace and slowly reeled her in, finally catching up with her about a half mile to the finish. We ran up the last hill, made the final turn and saw the finish line. We decided to pick up the pace to squeak in under 40 minutes.
We grabbed some water and went back to the finish line to cheer Dad in for his finish. We didn’t have long to wait and he soon came out of the woods, running strong. “Yay, go Dad! Looking good! Finish strong!”
Everyone had a good race and I couldn’t have been happier that they came so far just to run a race with me. Eating our hamburger and hot dogs, chatting about our different races – when we walked or didn’t, who we passed, where we ran through the mud, leapt over logs and almost got lost – I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the race and celebrate the day.
Trail Dawgs Triple Crown Trail Race Result – 4 hours 25 minutes, including three races and the two short breaks in between
Pros:
• Gorgeous trails to run along
• Well marked course
• Excellent volunteers
• BBQ at the end was delicious
• Perfect running weather – 50ish and overcast
• Fun, unique race set up – something to for everyone
Cons:
• If I have to have one, and its minor, I wish the shirt was more distinct and not cotton. I’d rather let the shirt do the bragging for me that I had run 3 races in one afternoon.
Showing posts with label half marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label half marathon. Show all posts
Monday, May 2, 2011
Monday, November 9, 2009
GCF Inaugural Half Marathon – Race Report
The perfect day – these are the only words that come to mind to describe my race at the GCF Inaugural Half Marathon. The PERFECT day.
The morning turned out to be an ideal fall morning to run a race – cool and clear with temperatures in the 40s (rising slowly but steadily all day – 50s by the end of the race and 70s by the afternoon). We couldn’t have asked for better race conditions. However, my race story starts before the morning dawned.
With the race starting at 7 am and the metro not opening until 7 am, I was trying to figure out how to get to the race without having to resort to driving. I hate driving in the city and although it wouldn’t have been bad getting in since it was so early, I was hoping to avoid the drive back after the race. Mike offered to wake up early to drive me in and drop me off at the race site. It was tempting to take him up on the offer but I know he would have hated waking up that early so I let him off the hook (but major points for offering!).
That left the bike or the power of my own two feet and since I had come to terms with the fact that I wouldn’t be breaking any PRs (see here and here) for the race I made the decision to run to the race. At my 10K two months ago, I finally came around to the idea of warming up before a race so the run to the race would serve as an extended warm-up - uhm, 6.25 miles to be exact.
I left the house at 5:30 and had an hour and a half to make it to the race site, pick up my race packet and check my bag. I was a little worried about making it on time so I was running just a bit faster than my easy pace. As the day dawned and I realized just what I had gotten myself in to – I would be running 19 miles that day, the longest I’ve run (by far) since the marathon in May. I just shook my head and laughed at the stunt I was pulling but I had already committed. The only option was to go with the flow, anticipate the blow up I was sure to experience on the half marathon course and come to terms with it in the hopes of alleviating any disappointment. Just Run, I told myself, Just Run.
Doing just that, I got to the start area at 6:30 (whoa! I covered 6.25 miles in 1 hour and 1 minute, which equals a sub-10 minute pace. Oops, so much for a warm-up…that’s marathon pace!). I quickly found my packet, put on my bib, threw my gloves and ID in my bag, checked it and hit the bathroom line. With all that done, I took the time to stretch out from my run to the race and soak up my surroundings.
There were 2000+ people running the race that morning, add to that the race organizers and volunteers and you get quite a lot of people out and about in the early morning hours to support an amazing cause. It felt great to be a part of something charitable even if I was doing it for my own reasons. It gave me a good feeling for the race ahead. From the start, throughout the race, all the way to the finish festival, the GCF put on a great race with excellent organization. Amazing! (Even more so considering it was an inaugural event).
The course for the half marathon was three, 4+ mile loops. I have never run a loop course before so I was skeptical on how it would turn out. Would I get bored? Would I get tired of making almost all left turns (and in this case many of them 180 degree turns)? Would I be able to convince my legs to run the same route again and again when they were tired? As the gun went off and the race got underway, these questions dissipated because I quickly found a groove.
From the very first step I was in the zone and because the crowd was relatively small, especially for a DC race, it quickly thinned out and there was hardly any bobbing and weaving. Maybe the 6.25 mile, marathon pace warm-up wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Just after the 3rd mile, I hit a water stop and gulped down a Powerade. I was feeling good but concerned I couldn’t keep up the pace for the ten miles that I had ahead of me. Rather than hitting the lap button on my watch at the mile markers, I decided to continue with my “Just Run” motto and only concern myself with time after each loop. I hit the first loop in 37:xx minutes.
OK, that’s under a 9 minute pace....and I was hoping I would be able to maintain a 10 minute pace considering my 6.25 mile warm-up. But can I keep this up? I was feeling good and figured there was nothing I could do about it now, I might as well keep going until the wall came crashing down on me. I might as well get as far as I could before that happened. Going through the second loop, I started to get tired and could feel the miles on my legs – Mile 6 of the race was my Mile 12 for the day, etc. Amazingly I made it through that loop – Mile 9 (my Mile 15, oy!), one more loop to go. Just hold on, I told myself.
I didn’t even look at my watch. I didn’t want to know (turns out it was 36:xx – my fastest loop). I just hit the button and kept running. Damn the watch. Damn my time. Damn the miles I had run before the race. Just Run.
I hit Mile 10, only three more to go, and saw the official race clock read 1:26:xx and with a quick calculation my whole outlook on the race changed: even if I slowed down to 10 minute miles, if I could do better than that slower pace for the next 3 miles, the next 30 minutes, I would come across the line in 1:56:xx – that’s a PR! With that realization, I was totally reinvigorated. If I could get a PR even if slowed down, imagine how much I could smash my previous time (1:58:29) if I kept my faster pace. Now I was on a mission. Forget the wall, forget slowing down; I was going to get this done.
With each mile marker I hit, I did a quick calculation and with each calculation I projected my finish time to be faster and faster. Finally, I made the turn down Pennsylvania Avenue for the last time and I knew I was going to do it. My legs were tired but finishing at a fast pace wouldn’t be a problem. I ran and ran down Pennsylvania for what seemed like miles but it was only about ¾ a mile long. I heard the crowd and announcer at the finish line and I tried to pick up my pace. However, there was no kick left in my legs but they were machine-like in that they had zeroed in a pace and could go at that pace forever. Finally, with the finish line getting closer and closer I was able to read the clock at the 13 mile marker – 1:52:01 it read.
I had one minute to run .1 miles in order to be a 1:52 half marathoner. That is all that matter. I had to cross the line before the clock read 1:53:00. I ran strong and as I came close to the line, the announcer said, “…and here comes, Becki… [seriously, he announced my name and I pumped my fist]…she definitely knows how to celebrate, Becki in the white hat and the pretty ponytail getting it done.” I did it – 1:52:38!!!
I was the 115th woman to cross the finish line out of 549 and 48th in my age group.
In a word – PERFECT!
I wore my race shirt for the rest of the day with pride. I am only slightly sore today but in a good way. I believe I’ve recently experienced a break-through in my running and this half marathon performance is proof. Running that race and especially crossing that finish line, shattering my previous PR by 5 minutes made me want to scream, “AHHHH, I Love Running.”
Pros:
Excellent Start, Course and Finish Organization
Loop course – wouldn’t want to do a loop course for all my races but it worked for me at this race
Great cause w/ enthusiastic runners, volunteers, and organizers
Nice race shirt (even if it is cotton)
Cons:
Due to early start time (which I love), it is not metro accessible for the start (though I did metro home)
Expensive for a half ($75!)
No convenient packet pick up (i.e. metro accessible) other than race day
It is never a problem for me but there were no bathrooms on the course, only at the start/finish way off the course.
The morning turned out to be an ideal fall morning to run a race – cool and clear with temperatures in the 40s (rising slowly but steadily all day – 50s by the end of the race and 70s by the afternoon). We couldn’t have asked for better race conditions. However, my race story starts before the morning dawned.
With the race starting at 7 am and the metro not opening until 7 am, I was trying to figure out how to get to the race without having to resort to driving. I hate driving in the city and although it wouldn’t have been bad getting in since it was so early, I was hoping to avoid the drive back after the race. Mike offered to wake up early to drive me in and drop me off at the race site. It was tempting to take him up on the offer but I know he would have hated waking up that early so I let him off the hook (but major points for offering!).
That left the bike or the power of my own two feet and since I had come to terms with the fact that I wouldn’t be breaking any PRs (see here and here) for the race I made the decision to run to the race. At my 10K two months ago, I finally came around to the idea of warming up before a race so the run to the race would serve as an extended warm-up - uhm, 6.25 miles to be exact.
I left the house at 5:30 and had an hour and a half to make it to the race site, pick up my race packet and check my bag. I was a little worried about making it on time so I was running just a bit faster than my easy pace. As the day dawned and I realized just what I had gotten myself in to – I would be running 19 miles that day, the longest I’ve run (by far) since the marathon in May. I just shook my head and laughed at the stunt I was pulling but I had already committed. The only option was to go with the flow, anticipate the blow up I was sure to experience on the half marathon course and come to terms with it in the hopes of alleviating any disappointment. Just Run, I told myself, Just Run.
Doing just that, I got to the start area at 6:30 (whoa! I covered 6.25 miles in 1 hour and 1 minute, which equals a sub-10 minute pace. Oops, so much for a warm-up…that’s marathon pace!). I quickly found my packet, put on my bib, threw my gloves and ID in my bag, checked it and hit the bathroom line. With all that done, I took the time to stretch out from my run to the race and soak up my surroundings.
There were 2000+ people running the race that morning, add to that the race organizers and volunteers and you get quite a lot of people out and about in the early morning hours to support an amazing cause. It felt great to be a part of something charitable even if I was doing it for my own reasons. It gave me a good feeling for the race ahead. From the start, throughout the race, all the way to the finish festival, the GCF put on a great race with excellent organization. Amazing! (Even more so considering it was an inaugural event).
The course for the half marathon was three, 4+ mile loops. I have never run a loop course before so I was skeptical on how it would turn out. Would I get bored? Would I get tired of making almost all left turns (and in this case many of them 180 degree turns)? Would I be able to convince my legs to run the same route again and again when they were tired? As the gun went off and the race got underway, these questions dissipated because I quickly found a groove.
From the very first step I was in the zone and because the crowd was relatively small, especially for a DC race, it quickly thinned out and there was hardly any bobbing and weaving. Maybe the 6.25 mile, marathon pace warm-up wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Just after the 3rd mile, I hit a water stop and gulped down a Powerade. I was feeling good but concerned I couldn’t keep up the pace for the ten miles that I had ahead of me. Rather than hitting the lap button on my watch at the mile markers, I decided to continue with my “Just Run” motto and only concern myself with time after each loop. I hit the first loop in 37:xx minutes.
OK, that’s under a 9 minute pace....and I was hoping I would be able to maintain a 10 minute pace considering my 6.25 mile warm-up. But can I keep this up? I was feeling good and figured there was nothing I could do about it now, I might as well keep going until the wall came crashing down on me. I might as well get as far as I could before that happened. Going through the second loop, I started to get tired and could feel the miles on my legs – Mile 6 of the race was my Mile 12 for the day, etc. Amazingly I made it through that loop – Mile 9 (my Mile 15, oy!), one more loop to go. Just hold on, I told myself.
I didn’t even look at my watch. I didn’t want to know (turns out it was 36:xx – my fastest loop). I just hit the button and kept running. Damn the watch. Damn my time. Damn the miles I had run before the race. Just Run.
I hit Mile 10, only three more to go, and saw the official race clock read 1:26:xx and with a quick calculation my whole outlook on the race changed: even if I slowed down to 10 minute miles, if I could do better than that slower pace for the next 3 miles, the next 30 minutes, I would come across the line in 1:56:xx – that’s a PR! With that realization, I was totally reinvigorated. If I could get a PR even if slowed down, imagine how much I could smash my previous time (1:58:29) if I kept my faster pace. Now I was on a mission. Forget the wall, forget slowing down; I was going to get this done.
With each mile marker I hit, I did a quick calculation and with each calculation I projected my finish time to be faster and faster. Finally, I made the turn down Pennsylvania Avenue for the last time and I knew I was going to do it. My legs were tired but finishing at a fast pace wouldn’t be a problem. I ran and ran down Pennsylvania for what seemed like miles but it was only about ¾ a mile long. I heard the crowd and announcer at the finish line and I tried to pick up my pace. However, there was no kick left in my legs but they were machine-like in that they had zeroed in a pace and could go at that pace forever. Finally, with the finish line getting closer and closer I was able to read the clock at the 13 mile marker – 1:52:01 it read.
I had one minute to run .1 miles in order to be a 1:52 half marathoner. That is all that matter. I had to cross the line before the clock read 1:53:00. I ran strong and as I came close to the line, the announcer said, “…and here comes, Becki… [seriously, he announced my name and I pumped my fist]…she definitely knows how to celebrate, Becki in the white hat and the pretty ponytail getting it done.” I did it – 1:52:38!!!
I was the 115th woman to cross the finish line out of 549 and 48th in my age group.
In a word – PERFECT!
I wore my race shirt for the rest of the day with pride. I am only slightly sore today but in a good way. I believe I’ve recently experienced a break-through in my running and this half marathon performance is proof. Running that race and especially crossing that finish line, shattering my previous PR by 5 minutes made me want to scream, “AHHHH, I Love Running.”
Pros:
Excellent Start, Course and Finish Organization
Loop course – wouldn’t want to do a loop course for all my races but it worked for me at this race
Great cause w/ enthusiastic runners, volunteers, and organizers
Nice race shirt (even if it is cotton)
Cons:
Due to early start time (which I love), it is not metro accessible for the start (though I did metro home)
Expensive for a half ($75!)
No convenient packet pick up (i.e. metro accessible) other than race day
It is never a problem for me but there were no bathrooms on the course, only at the start/finish way off the course.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Impulse Racing – Good or Bad?
The GCF Half Marathon; I’ve be contemplating running the race for weeks. I’ve even told everyone I was running it but I never committed to it until this morning. I’m not even sure what made up my mind. All I know is that I sat down at my computer this morning and just signed up. I forked over my money and that was that.
I haven’t trained for this race and I don’t really even feel like “racing” this race. I’ve been running faster paces lately and I’ve had an awesome streak of PRs in my last three races – 5K, 10K, 10 miles – in that order. It means I’m due for a PR at the next distance; the half marathon. However, I’m just not sure I’m feeling it.
One the one hand, I signed up for the race because I wanted to do 13 miles anyway this weekend so why not contribute to a great cause and run with thousands of other runners (plus it is an inaugural race…I enjoy doing inaugural races for some reason). The race is right in DC so no traveling is required; I will just need to get up a bit earlier than I normally would have on for a long run.
And yet…
There is still that fire inside of me that is chiding me for taking it easy – if I went out there and followed my training, I know I could PR by 2 minutes or more. Why not go for it? It’ll be a cool, early November morning; the conditions could not be better. Am I holding myself back?
BUT…
Is it smart? I just came off a poorly run hard race that left my legs feeling a little dead last week. Is this inviting injury? What’s the right move? Am I capable of making that decision on race day – will I be able to listen to my body and back off if I need to?
I’m not totally convinced that racing on impulse is always a good thing. Either way, it’s a good cause and I’ll have fun no matter what. Just Run….just run.
Daily Dozen:
4 miles @ easy, recovery pace
Strength Training (I’m motivated by push-ups lately – 100 in a day) @ lunch hour
I haven’t trained for this race and I don’t really even feel like “racing” this race. I’ve been running faster paces lately and I’ve had an awesome streak of PRs in my last three races – 5K, 10K, 10 miles – in that order. It means I’m due for a PR at the next distance; the half marathon. However, I’m just not sure I’m feeling it.
One the one hand, I signed up for the race because I wanted to do 13 miles anyway this weekend so why not contribute to a great cause and run with thousands of other runners (plus it is an inaugural race…I enjoy doing inaugural races for some reason). The race is right in DC so no traveling is required; I will just need to get up a bit earlier than I normally would have on for a long run.
And yet…
There is still that fire inside of me that is chiding me for taking it easy – if I went out there and followed my training, I know I could PR by 2 minutes or more. Why not go for it? It’ll be a cool, early November morning; the conditions could not be better. Am I holding myself back?
BUT…
Is it smart? I just came off a poorly run hard race that left my legs feeling a little dead last week. Is this inviting injury? What’s the right move? Am I capable of making that decision on race day – will I be able to listen to my body and back off if I need to?
I’m not totally convinced that racing on impulse is always a good thing. Either way, it’s a good cause and I’ll have fun no matter what. Just Run….just run.
Daily Dozen:
4 miles @ easy, recovery pace
Strength Training (I’m motivated by push-ups lately – 100 in a day) @ lunch hour
Monday, May 18, 2009
Pacers Running Festival - Half Marathon - Race Report
Even though this race is run practically right outside my door, it took me awhile to sign up for it.
First, Pacers, a local running store, in year's past put on a 10K at the beginning of May with a challenging one mile climb to the finish. It was a tough ending but I always enjoyed the race. I was disappointed that instead of the 10K this year, Pacers decided to replace it with a Half Marathon/5K and eliminated the tough climb at the end. Wusses!
Well, that's how I felt at first. I looked forward to the 10K and was bummed that it had been taken away (from me). Out of spite, I was reluctant to embrace the new event.
Looking at my training schedule, I noticed I was scheduled to run 12 miles the weekend of the new race so my feelings of betrayal quickly faded to excitement as I realized I could get in a good training run on a supported course. I'm not one to resist a race, especially one so conveniently located.
This year, the new Running Festival had a Mother's Day theme so I convinced my Mother-in-Law to sign up for the 5K and we could participate in the "Mom and Me" challenge. She would do the 5K and I would run the Half. Our times combined would be ranked with other such teams. In turn, she convinced her daughter (my sister-in-law) to do the race as well so they could walk it together. It was a great way to celebrate Mother's Day in such an active way, to see so many mothers and their children, young and old, out celebrating the beautiful day was encouraging.
The half marathoners began their race a half hour before the 5K participants so I said good-bye to my family and waited for the race to start. Standing in the large crowd of runners at the beginning of races I was amazed that there could be so many area runners when comparatively the bike paths are practically deserted in the mornings when I run.
There was a slight delay at the start but soon enough we were off and running, with a downhill first mile as we ran from Clarendon to Rosslyn and then on to the highways around the Pentagon. I felt very sluggish at first but I told myself to just relax, it was just a training run and I would find a groove in time.
The course itself left a little to be desired with several twists, turns, out-and-backs, and double-backs as the race organizers managed to squeeze 13.1 miles out of an area without ever getting more than 4 miles from the finish line. As a result of retracing our steps constantly, the mile marker placement (or lack thereof) was not consistent or as clear as I would have liked. There were few spectators but the course marshals and volunteers at the aid stations brought a welcomed enthusiasm and spirit.
My favorite part of the course was the long, steady climb up the road to the Air Force Memorial, then loop through the Memorial grounds and back down. I know a lot of people struggled with this part as it was later in the race (Mile 7 - 8) but it felt good to conquer that hill and be rewarded with a run by the Memorial.
Miles 11 through 13, finally finished with all the turns was a straight shot down the highway to the finish line in Rosslyn. However, the wind really started to pick up at this point and I was faced with over 2 miles of a constant and strong headwind. At first, I was almost defeated (the last time I faced off against the wind in a race, it quickly and assuredly kicked my butt) but I told myself that I was a stronger runner now and I could handle a little wind. To my surprise, the mental pep talk worked and although it was a struggle and harder than I would have liked the last few miles of the half to be, I kept going at a strong and steady pace.
As I started getting close to the finish line, I was pleased to see that the finish line would be slightly uphill and rounding the last turn - I charged!! I finished strong and happy.
I quickly met up with the family and heard about the 5K from my MIL. They had a good time out on the course. I snagged some food and water and we headed home. It was a good day.
Splits (sorta):
Miles 1-3 : 29:37
Mile 4 : 9:03
Mile 5 : 9:33
Mile 6 : 9:44
Mile 7-8 : 19:15
Mile 9 : 9:04
Mile 10-11 : 19:05
Mile 12-13: 18:35
Finish : 0:50
Chip Time : 2:04:46
Average Pace : 9:31
The Spiering "Mom & Me" team placed 6th with a combined time of 2:57:03.
Happy Mother's Day to all Moms!
First, Pacers, a local running store, in year's past put on a 10K at the beginning of May with a challenging one mile climb to the finish. It was a tough ending but I always enjoyed the race. I was disappointed that instead of the 10K this year, Pacers decided to replace it with a Half Marathon/5K and eliminated the tough climb at the end. Wusses!
Well, that's how I felt at first. I looked forward to the 10K and was bummed that it had been taken away (from me). Out of spite, I was reluctant to embrace the new event.
Looking at my training schedule, I noticed I was scheduled to run 12 miles the weekend of the new race so my feelings of betrayal quickly faded to excitement as I realized I could get in a good training run on a supported course. I'm not one to resist a race, especially one so conveniently located.
This year, the new Running Festival had a Mother's Day theme so I convinced my Mother-in-Law to sign up for the 5K and we could participate in the "Mom and Me" challenge. She would do the 5K and I would run the Half. Our times combined would be ranked with other such teams. In turn, she convinced her daughter (my sister-in-law) to do the race as well so they could walk it together. It was a great way to celebrate Mother's Day in such an active way, to see so many mothers and their children, young and old, out celebrating the beautiful day was encouraging.
The half marathoners began their race a half hour before the 5K participants so I said good-bye to my family and waited for the race to start. Standing in the large crowd of runners at the beginning of races I was amazed that there could be so many area runners when comparatively the bike paths are practically deserted in the mornings when I run.
There was a slight delay at the start but soon enough we were off and running, with a downhill first mile as we ran from Clarendon to Rosslyn and then on to the highways around the Pentagon. I felt very sluggish at first but I told myself to just relax, it was just a training run and I would find a groove in time.
The course itself left a little to be desired with several twists, turns, out-and-backs, and double-backs as the race organizers managed to squeeze 13.1 miles out of an area without ever getting more than 4 miles from the finish line. As a result of retracing our steps constantly, the mile marker placement (or lack thereof) was not consistent or as clear as I would have liked. There were few spectators but the course marshals and volunteers at the aid stations brought a welcomed enthusiasm and spirit.
My favorite part of the course was the long, steady climb up the road to the Air Force Memorial, then loop through the Memorial grounds and back down. I know a lot of people struggled with this part as it was later in the race (Mile 7 - 8) but it felt good to conquer that hill and be rewarded with a run by the Memorial.
Miles 11 through 13, finally finished with all the turns was a straight shot down the highway to the finish line in Rosslyn. However, the wind really started to pick up at this point and I was faced with over 2 miles of a constant and strong headwind. At first, I was almost defeated (the last time I faced off against the wind in a race, it quickly and assuredly kicked my butt) but I told myself that I was a stronger runner now and I could handle a little wind. To my surprise, the mental pep talk worked and although it was a struggle and harder than I would have liked the last few miles of the half to be, I kept going at a strong and steady pace.
As I started getting close to the finish line, I was pleased to see that the finish line would be slightly uphill and rounding the last turn - I charged!! I finished strong and happy.
I quickly met up with the family and heard about the 5K from my MIL. They had a good time out on the course. I snagged some food and water and we headed home. It was a good day.
Splits (sorta):
Miles 1-3 : 29:37
Mile 4 : 9:03
Mile 5 : 9:33
Mile 6 : 9:44
Mile 7-8 : 19:15
Mile 9 : 9:04
Mile 10-11 : 19:05
Mile 12-13: 18:35
Finish : 0:50
Chip Time : 2:04:46
Average Pace : 9:31
The Spiering "Mom & Me" team placed 6th with a combined time of 2:57:03.
Happy Mother's Day to all Moms!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
National Marathon & Half Marathon, March 21, 2009 – Race Report
I was looking forward to this race. What began as an alcohol-encouraged declaration, “I want to run a half marathon” by a friend’s brother, finally culminated in the actual running of a half marathon.
Although my running partner for the race (a guy, quite appropriately named for this particular event, Myles) had had some foot issues, he had the go ahead to run from a podiatrist. As we stood in the cold pre-dawn dark, waiting for the race to begin, he admitted to being nervous since he had to lay off running for the last week and a half. Oh yeah, he was also nervous because he’d never done anything like this before today!
The race had a fun Start area this year – cheesy, yet oddly motivational pop music, mostly from the 80s was blaring, a chipper and enthusiastic announcer and plenty of room in the corrals.
Myles and I agreed that we would warm-up on the course and settled in to light stretching and general bouncing around as we waited for the race to begin. You see a lot of nervous energy being masked as warm-up/stretching at the beginning of races and back in slower corrals where there seems to be a larger percentage of first-timers, the nervous energy is almost palpable. The anxiety, fear, excitement, it’s infectious. The tension is not based on the live-or-die to hit a certain pace, get a PR or qualify for Boston. The tension, back where we started, based on facing the unknown – will I be able to do this? – seems much more urgent when it refers to making it across a finish line 13.1 or 26.2 miles away instead of can I break a certain pace or time.
Since Myles was running about 10 minute/miles before his injury, our plan was to take it slow (about 10:30 pace) for the first 2 or 3 miles, open it up to 10:00 pace after that and then see how we felt as the race progressed and adjust our pace accordingly. Best laid plans, right?
The gun finally went off but it took us about 5 minutes to get across the start line…and then (finally) we were off! One of the things I like about this race is that the course and water stops aren’t as crowded as other races in the area. It was nice to not have to jostle for position for the first few miles like you do at bigger races in the area (MCM, Army 10 Miler, etc.).
We hit Miles 1 and 2 at around a 10 minute pace but when I looked at my watch for the Mile 3 split, we were speeding up so I purposely slowed us down on the next mile. Oops, Mile 4 ended up being our slowest at around 11 minutes.
The race was going well as we started Mile 5 through the Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan neighborhoods…and some steady-climbing hills, where I got to unleash my hill running demons. This race, since I was pacing someone else and had to be conscious of their effort level as well as my own, made me realize how impatient I am when running hills. I speed up them in order to get them over with sooner and the feeling once you’ve leveled off and conquered the hill just can’t be beat. It is a sense of relief mixed with pride of accomplishment and it always gets me going.
Mile 5 was also are second-fastest mile of the race (I told you, I’m impatient).
Once we finished with the hills, we settled in to a fairly comfortable 9:30 to 9:15 pace through Mile 12. This part of the half marathon went by quickly and without much of note. I had laid off the chatter since Myles wasn’t much of a talker after Mile 4, only announcing the mile markers as we passed them and pointing out water/Gatorade stops. However, when we passed the Mile 10 marker, I turned to Myles and said, “well, you’ve officially run further than you’ve ever run before. How do you feel?” Myles half grunted, “squishy” and we kept running.
I was feeling good when we hit the 12 mile point and turned to Myles, proclaiming, “This is it. One more mile to go,” and with a glint in my eye and devilish grin, “let’s make it our fastest.” I just took off, hoping he would, and could, keep up.
For the rest of that last 1.1 mile, instead of running side by side like we had for the entire race, he was one step behind me and each time he caught up, I pushed it just a little bit more.
We were passing people left and right, just picking ‘em off. It felt great!
As we hit the last mile marker, I pointed out the finish line just around the corner and up a hill and said, “We just have to make it up this last hill to get there. Let’s do it.” Myles sounded a little surprised that the finish line was so close and we charged up the hill. (Race directors in DC, bless them, can be a little sadistic when it comes to ending their races on an uphill climb).
We crossed the finish line, with the announcer saying Myles’ name over the loudspeaker. “And here comes Myles Kitchen. With a name like that, you have to announce it!” We crossed the line in 2 hours 8 minutes, with a second between the two of us.
It felt good to be able to end this long-anticipated race on such a high note. We finished strong. We were able to bask in the after race glow for a while as we found family and friends who had come to cheer us on and get food from the runner’s tent before jumping on the metro, headed for a diner and a well-deserved stack of pancakes.
Race Pros: Proximity to home. Metro opens early. Decent amount of spectators (half only, I hear the second half of the full gets very lonely). Tech tee race shirt.
Race Cons: They ran out of cups at some of the middle mile water stations!! Expo is boring.
Mile Splits (according to my watch):
Miles 1 & 2 20:01 (missed 1st mile marker)
Mile 3 9:40
Mile 4 10:57
Mile 5 8:46 (where did that come from?)
Mile 6 & 7 19:49 (missed 6th mile marker)
Mile 8 9:30
Mile 9 12:36 (potty break)
Mile 10 9:20
Mile 11 9:14
Mile 12 9:15
Mile 13 7:57 (that last mile felt good...Speedy Gonzales good)
Final .1 1:11
Total 2:08:16
Although my running partner for the race (a guy, quite appropriately named for this particular event, Myles) had had some foot issues, he had the go ahead to run from a podiatrist. As we stood in the cold pre-dawn dark, waiting for the race to begin, he admitted to being nervous since he had to lay off running for the last week and a half. Oh yeah, he was also nervous because he’d never done anything like this before today!
The race had a fun Start area this year – cheesy, yet oddly motivational pop music, mostly from the 80s was blaring, a chipper and enthusiastic announcer and plenty of room in the corrals.
Myles and I agreed that we would warm-up on the course and settled in to light stretching and general bouncing around as we waited for the race to begin. You see a lot of nervous energy being masked as warm-up/stretching at the beginning of races and back in slower corrals where there seems to be a larger percentage of first-timers, the nervous energy is almost palpable. The anxiety, fear, excitement, it’s infectious. The tension is not based on the live-or-die to hit a certain pace, get a PR or qualify for Boston. The tension, back where we started, based on facing the unknown – will I be able to do this? – seems much more urgent when it refers to making it across a finish line 13.1 or 26.2 miles away instead of can I break a certain pace or time.
Since Myles was running about 10 minute/miles before his injury, our plan was to take it slow (about 10:30 pace) for the first 2 or 3 miles, open it up to 10:00 pace after that and then see how we felt as the race progressed and adjust our pace accordingly. Best laid plans, right?
The gun finally went off but it took us about 5 minutes to get across the start line…and then (finally) we were off! One of the things I like about this race is that the course and water stops aren’t as crowded as other races in the area. It was nice to not have to jostle for position for the first few miles like you do at bigger races in the area (MCM, Army 10 Miler, etc.).
We hit Miles 1 and 2 at around a 10 minute pace but when I looked at my watch for the Mile 3 split, we were speeding up so I purposely slowed us down on the next mile. Oops, Mile 4 ended up being our slowest at around 11 minutes.
The race was going well as we started Mile 5 through the Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan neighborhoods…and some steady-climbing hills, where I got to unleash my hill running demons. This race, since I was pacing someone else and had to be conscious of their effort level as well as my own, made me realize how impatient I am when running hills. I speed up them in order to get them over with sooner and the feeling once you’ve leveled off and conquered the hill just can’t be beat. It is a sense of relief mixed with pride of accomplishment and it always gets me going.
Mile 5 was also are second-fastest mile of the race (I told you, I’m impatient).
Once we finished with the hills, we settled in to a fairly comfortable 9:30 to 9:15 pace through Mile 12. This part of the half marathon went by quickly and without much of note. I had laid off the chatter since Myles wasn’t much of a talker after Mile 4, only announcing the mile markers as we passed them and pointing out water/Gatorade stops. However, when we passed the Mile 10 marker, I turned to Myles and said, “well, you’ve officially run further than you’ve ever run before. How do you feel?” Myles half grunted, “squishy” and we kept running.
I was feeling good when we hit the 12 mile point and turned to Myles, proclaiming, “This is it. One more mile to go,” and with a glint in my eye and devilish grin, “let’s make it our fastest.” I just took off, hoping he would, and could, keep up.
For the rest of that last 1.1 mile, instead of running side by side like we had for the entire race, he was one step behind me and each time he caught up, I pushed it just a little bit more.
We were passing people left and right, just picking ‘em off. It felt great!
As we hit the last mile marker, I pointed out the finish line just around the corner and up a hill and said, “We just have to make it up this last hill to get there. Let’s do it.” Myles sounded a little surprised that the finish line was so close and we charged up the hill. (Race directors in DC, bless them, can be a little sadistic when it comes to ending their races on an uphill climb).
We crossed the finish line, with the announcer saying Myles’ name over the loudspeaker. “And here comes Myles Kitchen. With a name like that, you have to announce it!” We crossed the line in 2 hours 8 minutes, with a second between the two of us.
It felt good to be able to end this long-anticipated race on such a high note. We finished strong. We were able to bask in the after race glow for a while as we found family and friends who had come to cheer us on and get food from the runner’s tent before jumping on the metro, headed for a diner and a well-deserved stack of pancakes.
Race Pros: Proximity to home. Metro opens early. Decent amount of spectators (half only, I hear the second half of the full gets very lonely). Tech tee race shirt.
Race Cons: They ran out of cups at some of the middle mile water stations!! Expo is boring.
Mile Splits (according to my watch):
Miles 1 & 2 20:01 (missed 1st mile marker)
Mile 3 9:40
Mile 4 10:57
Mile 5 8:46 (where did that come from?)
Mile 6 & 7 19:49 (missed 6th mile marker)
Mile 8 9:30
Mile 9 12:36 (potty break)
Mile 10 9:20
Mile 11 9:14
Mile 12 9:15
Mile 13 7:57 (that last mile felt good...Speedy Gonzales good)
Final .1 1:11
Total 2:08:16
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