Oh marathon, how you tempt me! Constantly teasing me with possibilities!!! What a distance it is though, isn't it? I love the mile, I love the 10k, all of it. But the marathon is really something else. The training is a big part of it, with the big volume workouts and the sense of accomplishment combined with fatigue that each effort affords. In this buildup, I had a few workouts in particular that were especially satisfying (in the runner-masochist sense): 10 x 1mile at half marathon pace, 10k tempos at mp followed by a hard track workout, special blocks, 18 miles at mp, etc. Most efforts left me a little concerned that I wasn't where I needed to be. But when race day finally arrived, I felt prepared.
The days leading up to the race the weather forecast looked ugly. Elizabeth and I stayed in Plympton the night prior to the race, and we arrived to an overcast and windy Cape Cod fall day. I wasn't too nervous; the temps were reasonable and that had been my main concern. I bumped into Terry and Sue on my way back to Elizabeth, and we chatted for a bit. Then Terry and I sat in the car for fifteen minutes or so before jogging to the start line to warm up. The wind was blowing, but it looked like the rain would hold off for the majority of the race - and that proved to be the case. Elizabeth jogged with me as we searched for a short porto line with no luck, and eventually I made my way to the starting line to do some very limited drills and a couple of strides. I was a row or two back from the start of the line, and before I knew it we were off.
My goal was to settle into the low 6s and hopefully find a pack to run with. The first three miles were in the low 5:50s, and I felt comfortable and confident that it wasn't too too fast, but I still wanted to settle into something slightly slower. In that third mile I let myself fall back from a pack of eight or so, and then ran a bit with an SRR and CRC runner before once again feeling like maybe they were going a bit too quick. The next few miles were along the coast and into a head wind and I was struggling to find a rhythm. I could feel my calves and hamstrings tightening up, and felt it was fart too early for that. Admittedly, I was very concerned at how I was feeling overall. I was telling myself that the same thing happened in Dublin and I'd be fine, but the wind was really pushing against me and the effort had started to feel very uneven. After passing Sue and Kyler around the ten mile turnaround, I was starting to think it might be a day to drop out. I'd also been getting passed by a handful of runners, and that wasn't helping.
It's worth noting that miles 6 and 8 were wind-impacted slow miles of 6:33 and slow 6:21. To have splits that slow that early had me thinking there was no chance at my initial goal for the day. I knew that after dealing with the wind for the first ~10 miles or so, I should have more favorable weather after the turnaround so I did quite a bit of self bargaining. My confidence was a little shaky, and even though I didn't feel great, I tried to get myself into a rhythm of low 6s. It felt a forced at first, but each mile became a little more comfortable.
At the halfway mark, I was a little surprised to see the clock say 1:20:22 or so, but a little discouraged. Mentally, I was thinking that this set me up for a potential PR and after feeling sluggish it was still a good split, but it still made my goal feel just out of reach. The way the wind was blowing and when the hills would hit, it would be a tough negative split.
I passed the Whirlaway cheering crew a couple of times and was buoyed by the support as I pressed on. Each time I saw my split, I felt a little bit more encouraged at where I was at. Miles 14 through 18 were 6:00, 5:59, 6:03, 5:59, and 6:00. The 18th mile is when I passed Elizabeth, and I handed off my gloves and really started to think I had a shot. I no longer felt sluggish, and I was away from the shore, so I didn't feel the effects of any wind. I figured now was as good a time as any to make a go for it.
I started to press just a little bit during mile 19, and then mile 20 had the biggest hill of the day. That was the point that I ended up re-passing a bunch of runners that had passed me in the previous ~10 miles. Mile 19 was a quick 5:53, and mile 20 was a rock solid 5:59 with the hill. Miles 21 through 23 were rollers with an awkward turnaround, but my oxygen deprived math told me I would be under 2:40 and I had room to spare (5:57, 5:54, 6:06). The 24th mile was on the bike path and was a beautifully gradual downhill that would have been a great spot to bank a lot of time, but heading back towards the coast it was more like a whirling wind tunnel. More of a cross wind than a headwind, but on another day this could've been much faster. Still, at 5:49, it was my fastest mile of the day.
At the tail end of the 24th mile, I was both confident and fearful. I counted roughly 55 seconds of cushion, and felt like I was on the cusp of being under 2:39. Instead, I was met by an absolutely brutal headwind. I've yet to find any pictures from race day that show the wind in all its might, but mighty it was! On Surf Drive, the wind was coming off of the ocean, and sending a mix of rain and ocean spray into my face. I could feel myself getting pushed around and felt certain this would spell doom for the day. For a moment, I allowed myself to think, "well, at least I'll get a PR"...but as soon as the thought entered my head, I answered back with some choice words. With just over two miles to go, I told myself to allow in all of the suffering. I looked ahead and put a target on the back of whatever runner was ahead of me. Just close that gap...then focus on the next runner...then the next.
I saw my watch read off 6:25, and I was vocally disappointed, angry, and uneasy. I wasn't quite sure how much longer I would need to fight the wind, but if I had another 6:2x mile, I would be in danger of the dreaded 2:40:0X. I started to recognize the landmarks from the Almost 5-Miler, and realized I was awfully close to the finish. I started to pick up the pace, and nearly suffered a cramp so I backed off slightly, and realized I needed to be just a little cautious and as I took the final left and saw the finish line I picked it up again and watched the clock tick. I entered the shoot and had a huge wave of exhilaration as I passed the line in 2:39:42.
Not bad for a hack runner!
https://www.strava.com/activities/2821527722
Showing posts with label Race Report. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Race Report. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
2019 Boston Marathon Race Report
Riding out to Hopkinton the day of the Boston Marathon is always fun. Even last year, with the cold gray rain. But, I have to admit, on the morning of April 15th, as Elizabeth and I made our way to Neil's to pack the Subaru with runners...we drove through rain causing near zero visibility, significant flooding, and lightning & thunder. YIKES! This was just a pre-race blip on the radar screen, right? It would pass before the gun sounded, right? Right! As our group of runners arrived at the staging area, and then on to our friendly neighborhood pre-race hangout, the rain began to let up just in time.
On the walk towards the corrals we bumped into Caroline & Amory, chatted it up, talked about how we felt and if we were going to go for it...making little note of the weather that was now clearing up. Even I was thinking it could end up being quite a nice day, but the forecast was all over the place - so I was more focused on controlling what I could control. And my plan was to let the first few miles be whatever they were going to be, then whatever pace I hit for mile 5 is what I would stick to. The first few miles can be unpredictable - whether it's too crowded, or the crowd pulls me out too quick. I don't think you can go out so quick that you sabotage your race unless you really focus on being stupid. I wasn't doing that...I ended up with a few miles at 6:0X, but nothing crazy.
Usually I'm not a fan of the grade adjusted pace on Strava, but I think that paints a reasonable picture of how I graded my effort. For the first eleven miles, I was essentially hovering around a 6:15 pace. The entire time I was trying to focus on how I felt, and at no time did I think "hey, I feel great!" My legs were just a little stiff, and I generally just felt uncomfortable. I could tell early on that it was a lot warmer than it seemed during our walk to the starting line. The temps weren't too bad, but it was sneaky humid, and at some point during those early miles the sun peaked its head out and I could tell it would require a major adjustment if it remained sunny. Thankfully, it was just a brief break in the clouds.
During the 12th mile, I started to feel like I needed to dial it back. My legs felt a little cranky, and I was caked in sweat - and while I was a ways away from cramping I knew it could turn into one of those lead-leg days in an instant. I took one of my electrolyte tabs earlier then planned and dialed it back, stopping very quickly to relieve myself (only cost me something like 18 seconds!).
I think I did a good job of maintaining that adjusted pace as well. It's frustrating to dial it back at the halfway mark, but after a big adjustment during the 13th mile down to 6:43, I then settled back into what I would call 6:2X/mile effort. This was a tough day though. I never felt great, and I could just tell that the humidity was an x-factor. I took another electrolyte tablet around mile 18 or so, and then again at 22. I'm not sure if that's the exact time frame, but it's close enough. I normally will take 1 tablet, but I just kept feeling like my legs were at risk of cramping.
I was focused on just a steady effort up Heartbreak, and made it through the Newton hills feeling solid. It would be a tough final 10k, but I felt like I was in the right rhythm. My quads were beat up, but nothing too crazy. And the right glute that has prevented me from sitting at work since February was a total non-issue! My left hamstring though, which was an issue in Dublin, reared it's head once again. I held form so as not to cause any injury though. And I passed a bunch of familiar face once I was past BC and onto Beacon. And oddly enough, I was feeling the best I had all day! Relatively speaking that is, which is to say not great but better than usual at the 22 mile point.
That stretch of miles 24 through 26 is awfully deceptive. You feel so close to the finish, but you aren't. I picked up the pace thinking that was the case, and man did it hurt! I was in the 6:20s and maintaining though, so it was the right effort. As I started to approach the '1 mile to go' mark, I took a minute to compose myself. I took inventory of the legs, the hamstrings, the calves. I was doing ok. So once I passed that marker, I decided I'd try and hammer it home. I had been passed by a few buddies about a half mile prior, and as I hit the gas I passed them back and continued onward. As I took the right on Hereford left on Boylston I was moving very well and hugging the turn. The crowds felt like they were right on top of me and I was letting the adrenaline pull me a long. There was a moment of quiet and, while I feel like a bit of a dork for admitting this, I totally let out a massive yell to the crowd. I don't know where it came from, but it got the response I needed. I could see some spectators looking directly at me and though I couldn't register faces I could see the waves. One little kid reach out for a high five, and I couldn't get over so I did phantom high five and thumbs up. Turns out it was one of Elizabeth's co-workers and his daughter!
This wasn't the race I hoped for when I started to plan for it shortly after Dublin, but after seemingly endless little/major setbacks, I'm happy with the performance.
Official Time: 2:48:18
Strava
Garmin
On the walk towards the corrals we bumped into Caroline & Amory, chatted it up, talked about how we felt and if we were going to go for it...making little note of the weather that was now clearing up. Even I was thinking it could end up being quite a nice day, but the forecast was all over the place - so I was more focused on controlling what I could control. And my plan was to let the first few miles be whatever they were going to be, then whatever pace I hit for mile 5 is what I would stick to. The first few miles can be unpredictable - whether it's too crowded, or the crowd pulls me out too quick. I don't think you can go out so quick that you sabotage your race unless you really focus on being stupid. I wasn't doing that...I ended up with a few miles at 6:0X, but nothing crazy.
Usually I'm not a fan of the grade adjusted pace on Strava, but I think that paints a reasonable picture of how I graded my effort. For the first eleven miles, I was essentially hovering around a 6:15 pace. The entire time I was trying to focus on how I felt, and at no time did I think "hey, I feel great!" My legs were just a little stiff, and I generally just felt uncomfortable. I could tell early on that it was a lot warmer than it seemed during our walk to the starting line. The temps weren't too bad, but it was sneaky humid, and at some point during those early miles the sun peaked its head out and I could tell it would require a major adjustment if it remained sunny. Thankfully, it was just a brief break in the clouds.
During the 12th mile, I started to feel like I needed to dial it back. My legs felt a little cranky, and I was caked in sweat - and while I was a ways away from cramping I knew it could turn into one of those lead-leg days in an instant. I took one of my electrolyte tabs earlier then planned and dialed it back, stopping very quickly to relieve myself (only cost me something like 18 seconds!).
I think I did a good job of maintaining that adjusted pace as well. It's frustrating to dial it back at the halfway mark, but after a big adjustment during the 13th mile down to 6:43, I then settled back into what I would call 6:2X/mile effort. This was a tough day though. I never felt great, and I could just tell that the humidity was an x-factor. I took another electrolyte tablet around mile 18 or so, and then again at 22. I'm not sure if that's the exact time frame, but it's close enough. I normally will take 1 tablet, but I just kept feeling like my legs were at risk of cramping.
I was focused on just a steady effort up Heartbreak, and made it through the Newton hills feeling solid. It would be a tough final 10k, but I felt like I was in the right rhythm. My quads were beat up, but nothing too crazy. And the right glute that has prevented me from sitting at work since February was a total non-issue! My left hamstring though, which was an issue in Dublin, reared it's head once again. I held form so as not to cause any injury though. And I passed a bunch of familiar face once I was past BC and onto Beacon. And oddly enough, I was feeling the best I had all day! Relatively speaking that is, which is to say not great but better than usual at the 22 mile point.
That stretch of miles 24 through 26 is awfully deceptive. You feel so close to the finish, but you aren't. I picked up the pace thinking that was the case, and man did it hurt! I was in the 6:20s and maintaining though, so it was the right effort. As I started to approach the '1 mile to go' mark, I took a minute to compose myself. I took inventory of the legs, the hamstrings, the calves. I was doing ok. So once I passed that marker, I decided I'd try and hammer it home. I had been passed by a few buddies about a half mile prior, and as I hit the gas I passed them back and continued onward. As I took the right on Hereford left on Boylston I was moving very well and hugging the turn. The crowds felt like they were right on top of me and I was letting the adrenaline pull me a long. There was a moment of quiet and, while I feel like a bit of a dork for admitting this, I totally let out a massive yell to the crowd. I don't know where it came from, but it got the response I needed. I could see some spectators looking directly at me and though I couldn't register faces I could see the waves. One little kid reach out for a high five, and I couldn't get over so I did phantom high five and thumbs up. Turns out it was one of Elizabeth's co-workers and his daughter!
This wasn't the race I hoped for when I started to plan for it shortly after Dublin, but after seemingly endless little/major setbacks, I'm happy with the performance.
Official Time: 2:48:18
Strava
Garmin
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
2018 Dublin City Marathon Race Report - An Irritating 2 Seconds
This past winter, Kevin decided he wanted company on his next and definitely probably last stupid never again marathon. Being the good friend that I am, I was obliged to join him...I'm not sure why, but I think bourbon may have been involved...
We had an easy flight into Dublin, and full day to settle in to our AirBnB. On race morning, both Kevin and I woke up early enough to have a light breakfast and a shot or two of espresso. We were sitting around counting down the time when I noticed there was a discrepancy between the time on my watch & phone vs the clocks in the house. Oops! Good thing it wasn't the other way around! So, after one more hour of nervous waiting, we made our way outside for an easy 1-mile jog to the starting area.
It was a chilly morning, but as we waited in the corral the body heat from the hundreds of runners surrounding us made for a comfortable wait. We were one or two rows from the front of the buffer zone, when the race officials removed the rope to allow us to move forward to the starting line. Somehow we found ourselves about 20 rows back from the front just prior to the start! I wasn't nearly as nervous as Kevin prior to the start, but when that happened I was ticked off since we'd arrived early enough to get into a good position.
Once the race started Kevin and I were immediately separated by the tightly packed crowd of runners. I felt like I was barely moving for the first mile or so, but in reality my pace was yo-yo-ing as I tried to find open space. After the first mile or two I was able to find the space needed to try and settle in.
For whatever reason, it took me quite awhile to to get into any type of groove. I saw my mile splits ticking off and I was generally in the low 6-minute range, but by mile 5 my calves and hamstrings were a little bit tight and had me concerned about late race cramping. That mild sensitivity likely worked in my favor - instead of being concerned that I wasn't quite at goal pace, I remained focused on staying relaxed and never pressed the issue. I had a Flanagan moment and stopped at mile 10 for a quick bathroom break, but my split was still 6:26, so...not bad! After rolling through Phoenix Park, I settled into a good rhythm for the next 12-14 miles.
At the halfway mark, Elizabeth and Mariani had walked a good 45 minutes to cheer on Kevin and I. I ditched some of my layers, and felt good cruising on through. Still not feeling totally confident about avoiding muscle cramps, I wasn't pressing the issue. In years past, my marathon mantra has been "always be willing to loosen the screws, and don't tighten them until after mile 20." In effect, I think that boils down to racing on feel. So, this year without thinking much about it, I think I did a good job of really paying attention to the signs my body was sending me.
Around mile 22 or 23, I was starting to really feel my left hamstring. I didn't fear cramps any longer, however the attachment point has been an issue for quite some time now, and I was starting to feel like an ice pick was scraping the bone...fun stuff! It wasn't hampering my gait too much, but it definitely had an effect on the later stages of the race.
Not counting my bathroom break mile, I had my slowest split of the race at mile 24. My feet were really beat up in addition to the hamstring, and while this was a mostly downhill mile I still split a 6:21. This is the more frustrating part of my race, because if not for my feet feeling blasted I would've been able to hammer this mile. I felt great as far as my cardio and breathing were concerned, but my body wasn't in that same state.
Sometime around this point I started to do the math on my finishing time...but, my math was a bit fuzzy. I knew after that last split I had absolutely no chance of breaking 2:40. Instead I couldn't tell if I was in danger of missing out on breaking 2:45 or not. After a couple minutes of bad math I decided to just compartmentalize the pain and get as dialed in as I could - after all, it was only ~2 miles to go.
The final stretch from mile 24 to the finish went past where we were staying, and so I passed Elizabeth and Mariani again for the final time - though I'm not sure if I heard anything or not. I was focused on trying to get the last bit of speed out of my body, and I was passing runners in bunches at this point - then finally crossing the finishing mat in a time of 2:43:01...if only I had known, I could've found 2 more seconds somewhere!!
Conclusion: This is finally a marathon PR that I'm fairly happy with. I'm in no way disappointed, but....there is still some meat on that bone!
Splits:
6:20
5:57
6:10
6:03
6:02
6:09
6:16
6:04
6:08
6:26
6:18
6:08
6:11
6:19
6:10
6:15
6:09
6:00
6:04
6:09
6:10
6:11
6:13
6:21
6:17
6:00
2:22 (garmin showed the final distance as .42)
Final: 2:43:01
Place: 137, and 3rd American Male (makes it sound a little better, doesn't it?)
Garmin
Strava
We had an easy flight into Dublin, and full day to settle in to our AirBnB. On race morning, both Kevin and I woke up early enough to have a light breakfast and a shot or two of espresso. We were sitting around counting down the time when I noticed there was a discrepancy between the time on my watch & phone vs the clocks in the house. Oops! Good thing it wasn't the other way around! So, after one more hour of nervous waiting, we made our way outside for an easy 1-mile jog to the starting area.
It was a chilly morning, but as we waited in the corral the body heat from the hundreds of runners surrounding us made for a comfortable wait. We were one or two rows from the front of the buffer zone, when the race officials removed the rope to allow us to move forward to the starting line. Somehow we found ourselves about 20 rows back from the front just prior to the start! I wasn't nearly as nervous as Kevin prior to the start, but when that happened I was ticked off since we'd arrived early enough to get into a good position.
Once the race started Kevin and I were immediately separated by the tightly packed crowd of runners. I felt like I was barely moving for the first mile or so, but in reality my pace was yo-yo-ing as I tried to find open space. After the first mile or two I was able to find the space needed to try and settle in.
For whatever reason, it took me quite awhile to to get into any type of groove. I saw my mile splits ticking off and I was generally in the low 6-minute range, but by mile 5 my calves and hamstrings were a little bit tight and had me concerned about late race cramping. That mild sensitivity likely worked in my favor - instead of being concerned that I wasn't quite at goal pace, I remained focused on staying relaxed and never pressed the issue. I had a Flanagan moment and stopped at mile 10 for a quick bathroom break, but my split was still 6:26, so...not bad! After rolling through Phoenix Park, I settled into a good rhythm for the next 12-14 miles.
At the halfway mark, Elizabeth and Mariani had walked a good 45 minutes to cheer on Kevin and I. I ditched some of my layers, and felt good cruising on through. Still not feeling totally confident about avoiding muscle cramps, I wasn't pressing the issue. In years past, my marathon mantra has been "always be willing to loosen the screws, and don't tighten them until after mile 20." In effect, I think that boils down to racing on feel. So, this year without thinking much about it, I think I did a good job of really paying attention to the signs my body was sending me.
Around mile 22 or 23, I was starting to really feel my left hamstring. I didn't fear cramps any longer, however the attachment point has been an issue for quite some time now, and I was starting to feel like an ice pick was scraping the bone...fun stuff! It wasn't hampering my gait too much, but it definitely had an effect on the later stages of the race.
Not counting my bathroom break mile, I had my slowest split of the race at mile 24. My feet were really beat up in addition to the hamstring, and while this was a mostly downhill mile I still split a 6:21. This is the more frustrating part of my race, because if not for my feet feeling blasted I would've been able to hammer this mile. I felt great as far as my cardio and breathing were concerned, but my body wasn't in that same state.Sometime around this point I started to do the math on my finishing time...but, my math was a bit fuzzy. I knew after that last split I had absolutely no chance of breaking 2:40. Instead I couldn't tell if I was in danger of missing out on breaking 2:45 or not. After a couple minutes of bad math I decided to just compartmentalize the pain and get as dialed in as I could - after all, it was only ~2 miles to go.
The final stretch from mile 24 to the finish went past where we were staying, and so I passed Elizabeth and Mariani again for the final time - though I'm not sure if I heard anything or not. I was focused on trying to get the last bit of speed out of my body, and I was passing runners in bunches at this point - then finally crossing the finishing mat in a time of 2:43:01...if only I had known, I could've found 2 more seconds somewhere!!
Conclusion: This is finally a marathon PR that I'm fairly happy with. I'm in no way disappointed, but....there is still some meat on that bone!
Splits:
6:20
5:57
6:10
6:03
6:02
6:09
6:166:04
6:08
6:26
6:18
6:08
6:11
6:19
6:10
6:15
6:09
6:00
6:04
6:09
6:10
6:11
6:13
6:21
6:17
6:00
2:22 (garmin showed the final distance as .42)
Final: 2:43:01
Place: 137, and 3rd American Male (makes it sound a little better, doesn't it?)
Garmin
Strava
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
2018 Lone Gull 10k Race Report
This was a beautiful day to run hard. Elizabeth elected to stay home, while I carpooled with Terry, Bill and Rahul up to Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester. The ride up provided a good opportunity to talk goals, weather, upcoming races, and in general get amped up for the race. I didn't get quite the long warm up I was looking for, but it was enough to have me feeling ready to roll, with adequate drills and strides. As always, it was fun to have a big CSU crew during warm ups.
The course was slightly different from previous years, and after the gun went off we were going up a short & fairly steep hill that in years past would be the final stretch. That first quarter mile, I was primarily focused on not getting tangled up; we were squeezed in tight at the start. As the pack stretched out I fell into rhythm and tried to find my target pace of 5:25/mile. I wasn't looking at my watch for feedback, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the clock hit 5:25 on the dot as I passed the first mile marker.
SRR runner Patrick Haneberg had overtaken the group I was in at the early part of mile two, but ended up yo-yoing just a bit and he settled back into the pack. I was running evenly and soon found myself leading a group of about six or seven runners. I was happily surprised to pass the second mile marker in 5:25 on the dot - good pacing so far!
With the new course, I didn't know what to expect. It wasn't too hilly, but it wasn't flat either and I felt myself working hard when the pack approached a short but steep hill as we neared the 5k mark. I was worried that the I could potentially lose contact on the hill. Instead, as the runners around me shortened their stride up the hill, I seemed to power up it and I found myself back at the front of the pack. My garmin read 5:30 for the third mile and I took note that my 5k split according to the race clock was 17:02. It would be a challenge to hit my 'A' goal for the day.
I didn't want to let up, and cresting that short hill gave me confidence that I was running well relative to the pack. There were a few moments during the 4th and 5th miles when the pack surged ahead of me, and then slowed to come back. I stayed steady and remained in contact on the first surge, and when they came back (or I surged to catch up?) I kept the pace even. We passed the 4th and 5th miles in 5:16 and 5:30 respectively (could be a garmin error or elevation?).
During the final stretch to the finish the pack splintered. There were two runners who started to pull away, but not by a significant margin. As we were on the 'pre-straightaway' I worked extremely hard to catch up, and as we turned towards the long stretch to the finish we passed a lot of runners battling home. One of the additional benefits of running in that pack was that each of us wanted to beat the other just that little bit more. I'm not sure how it all ended up except that a Green Mountain runner was able to outlast me to the finish by just a hair.
But since I finished in 33:51, I didn't really care as much about my overall place considering the depth of the Grand Prix.
1m - 5:25
2m - 5:25
3m - 5:30
4m - 5:16
5m - 5:30
6m - 5:20
.29m (garmin) - 1:21
Final time: 33:51
Overall: 57th Place
NER Photo
The course was slightly different from previous years, and after the gun went off we were going up a short & fairly steep hill that in years past would be the final stretch. That first quarter mile, I was primarily focused on not getting tangled up; we were squeezed in tight at the start. As the pack stretched out I fell into rhythm and tried to find my target pace of 5:25/mile. I wasn't looking at my watch for feedback, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the clock hit 5:25 on the dot as I passed the first mile marker.
SRR runner Patrick Haneberg had overtaken the group I was in at the early part of mile two, but ended up yo-yoing just a bit and he settled back into the pack. I was running evenly and soon found myself leading a group of about six or seven runners. I was happily surprised to pass the second mile marker in 5:25 on the dot - good pacing so far!
With the new course, I didn't know what to expect. It wasn't too hilly, but it wasn't flat either and I felt myself working hard when the pack approached a short but steep hill as we neared the 5k mark. I was worried that the I could potentially lose contact on the hill. Instead, as the runners around me shortened their stride up the hill, I seemed to power up it and I found myself back at the front of the pack. My garmin read 5:30 for the third mile and I took note that my 5k split according to the race clock was 17:02. It would be a challenge to hit my 'A' goal for the day.
I didn't want to let up, and cresting that short hill gave me confidence that I was running well relative to the pack. There were a few moments during the 4th and 5th miles when the pack surged ahead of me, and then slowed to come back. I stayed steady and remained in contact on the first surge, and when they came back (or I surged to catch up?) I kept the pace even. We passed the 4th and 5th miles in 5:16 and 5:30 respectively (could be a garmin error or elevation?).
During the final stretch to the finish the pack splintered. There were two runners who started to pull away, but not by a significant margin. As we were on the 'pre-straightaway' I worked extremely hard to catch up, and as we turned towards the long stretch to the finish we passed a lot of runners battling home. One of the additional benefits of running in that pack was that each of us wanted to beat the other just that little bit more. I'm not sure how it all ended up except that a Green Mountain runner was able to outlast me to the finish by just a hair.
But since I finished in 33:51, I didn't really care as much about my overall place considering the depth of the Grand Prix.
1m - 5:25
2m - 5:25
3m - 5:30
4m - 5:16
5m - 5:30
6m - 5:20
.29m (garmin) - 1:21
Final time: 33:51
Overall: 57th Place
NER Photo
Monday, October 1, 2018
2018 Bernie's Run 3m Race Report
The course takes you out and into an industrial park parking lot before doubling back, and I was out well off the gun, though, not with the leaders who hammered a 4:48 first mile. I ran alongside my old rival A.Holmes and we ran an evenly paced first mile in ~5:12. This race was actually the start of our friendly rivalry a few years ago, and as Holmes made a move up the short hill just past the one mile marker it had a familiar feel to it. I thought he may pull away at that point, but I accelerated just enough and his gap remained steady.
Splits:
5:13
5:20
5:13
Final: 15:58, good for 5th place. Good showing by CSUers all around.
After the hill leveled out, we both passed a younger runner(s) and the battle for 5th place was on. With Klucznic a good 20 seconds ahead of us, and no one behind it turned out to be just like old times.
We turned and weaved through the neighborhood's pot-holed streets, and while Holmes kept his foot on the pedal I was able to keep the gap small. As we made the left turn off of the dirt road, I came up close on his heels before making a fairly hard move. We passed the two mile mark, which was well short of the actual two miles, and I kept my ear out for footsteps. I had created a gap, but Holmes was still right there.
We turned and weaved through the neighborhood's pot-holed streets, and while Holmes kept his foot on the pedal I was able to keep the gap small. As we made the left turn off of the dirt road, I came up close on his heels before making a fairly hard move. We passed the two mile mark, which was well short of the actual two miles, and I kept my ear out for footsteps. I had created a gap, but Holmes was still right there.
After making another turn, I saw that I had a ~10 meter gap on him. I stayed steady for a few short time before making another hard push. I heard him breathing hard and knew he wasn't giving in, likely trying to keep it close for a finishing kick. I kept pressing for a minute longer before easing back as we neared the final turn. That extra minute created enough of a gap for me to comfortably cruise into the finish without testing my higher gears (if they're even there during marathon training!). It was a great battle, and has me looking forward to Paddy's!
Splits:
5:13
5:20
5:13
Final: 15:58, good for 5th place. Good showing by CSUers all around.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Race Reports: Liam McGuire ~5m, Reggae Ramble, and Corrib 5k
Liam McGuire's Almost 5-Miler
Just over two weeks after Boston, Elizabeth and I went to Falmouth for the 2nd race in the New England Runner Pub Series. Liam's is an interesting course in that it is purposefully just under 5 miles, and I would say it's a fair course with some small rollers, but nothing too bad. I was not nearly recovered for this race, so I had to take a couple ibuprofen to deal with some aches and pains. That took care of those issues, but my legs still had no pop and my pre-race strides felt pathetic.
All that being considered, I was pretty happy to bust out a 5:21 for the first mile. I was doing my best to keep things under control, and this felt very easy - so that was encouraging. Entering the second mile, Pickleseimer caught up to me and we ran together for a little bit and were even able to chat and have a quick laugh for the NERunner camera crew. Pickle would soon pull away though, and I was left a little bit in no man's land.
Throughout the middle miles I kept the effort right, and closed the gap on two runner's ahead of me. Brendan Meehan runs for GBTC, and I caught up to him along the coast - he too was recovering from Boston. And I then kept an eye on Pickleseimer and another runner who he was battling with. After we turned back inland, Pickleseimer had overtaken the youngin' and was well ahead. I made a quick surge to close that gap and remained there for about 20 seconds before making a hard move. I wondered briefly if I could catch up to Pickle, but my mental math told me there simply wasn't enough real estate.
I finished in 27:12, averaging 5:32/mile - good for 6th place and I was actually happy with that considering how beat up I've been.
Splits:
5:21
5:27
5:41
5:30
5:12 (5:26/mile pace)
Results
Strava
Great CSU contingent for this race as usual, and the post-run hangout was fantastic.
Reggae Ramble
I've always been interested in these Thursday night races along the Charles. I'll be commuting home and see the race getting setup, and on some evenings I'll get home a little late and see the post race party going on. On this night, I got home from my commute and made a last minute decision to just go ahead and sign up.
By the time I lined up to race, I already had 16+ miles in my legs from the morning & evening commutes. I also remained banged up having to cut any recent track workouts short. So...I wasn't super confident, but I needed to get out and run hard for my mental health.
I went out very relaxed, and the leader and Mike Quintal went out quick for the first half mile and built up a 7-10s lead. I settled in, and at that point the gap stayed roughly the same. I tried to pick up the pace for the final mile, hoping the leader went out too hard, but he looked comfortable. If I caught him, I'm sure he would've had plenty in the tank. I was pleased with the effort though, and can't complain about the time or the place.
Splits:
5:18
5:26
5:21
32s
Results
Strava
Very fun post race event on the Charles, and the band was fantastic!
Corrib Pub 5k
Well, this one was kind of a stinker. On one hand, I shouldn't complain because I've been treading water while battling injuries...on the other...it's worse than last year and that's very frustrating since it was such a nice day compared to last year's sufferfest of heat & humidity.
I've really been struggling with feeling good as of late, so once again I took it out conservatively. Last year my opening mile was 5:10, compared to 5:21 this year. I was quickly in a bit of no man's land, with plenty of people ahead of me. Mile two is a bit uphill, and though I haven't been feeling fast I have been feeling like I have plenty of stamina. So I worked the hills on the course pretty good, and that's where I made up most of the ground on the runners that went out quicker for the first mile.
Mile two is a good climb and that was run in 5:33. During the third mile, I was doing my best to close the gap on Pickleseimer, who seems to be just out of reach as of late - and I just didn't have it. My effort remained where I think it needs to be, and I ran 5:21 for the third mile. The final part of the course is very downhill, which wasn't a good thing for me on this day, since that puts a pounding on my right knee. Since I wasn't catching anyone nor being caught, I tried to stay smooth with a high turnover. I finished in 7th place in a time of 17:01 (long course).
Splits:
5:21
5:33
5:21
46s
Results
Strava
Elizabeth ran 20:44, and had an excellent race. On a slightly flatter and certified course, and I think she can break 20min. All she needs is to decide to do some training!
Just over two weeks after Boston, Elizabeth and I went to Falmouth for the 2nd race in the New England Runner Pub Series. Liam's is an interesting course in that it is purposefully just under 5 miles, and I would say it's a fair course with some small rollers, but nothing too bad. I was not nearly recovered for this race, so I had to take a couple ibuprofen to deal with some aches and pains. That took care of those issues, but my legs still had no pop and my pre-race strides felt pathetic.
All that being considered, I was pretty happy to bust out a 5:21 for the first mile. I was doing my best to keep things under control, and this felt very easy - so that was encouraging. Entering the second mile, Pickleseimer caught up to me and we ran together for a little bit and were even able to chat and have a quick laugh for the NERunner camera crew. Pickle would soon pull away though, and I was left a little bit in no man's land.
Throughout the middle miles I kept the effort right, and closed the gap on two runner's ahead of me. Brendan Meehan runs for GBTC, and I caught up to him along the coast - he too was recovering from Boston. And I then kept an eye on Pickleseimer and another runner who he was battling with. After we turned back inland, Pickleseimer had overtaken the youngin' and was well ahead. I made a quick surge to close that gap and remained there for about 20 seconds before making a hard move. I wondered briefly if I could catch up to Pickle, but my mental math told me there simply wasn't enough real estate.
I finished in 27:12, averaging 5:32/mile - good for 6th place and I was actually happy with that considering how beat up I've been.
Splits:
5:21
5:27
5:41
5:30
5:12 (5:26/mile pace)
Results
Strava
Great CSU contingent for this race as usual, and the post-run hangout was fantastic.
Reggae Ramble
I've always been interested in these Thursday night races along the Charles. I'll be commuting home and see the race getting setup, and on some evenings I'll get home a little late and see the post race party going on. On this night, I got home from my commute and made a last minute decision to just go ahead and sign up.
By the time I lined up to race, I already had 16+ miles in my legs from the morning & evening commutes. I also remained banged up having to cut any recent track workouts short. So...I wasn't super confident, but I needed to get out and run hard for my mental health.
I went out very relaxed, and the leader and Mike Quintal went out quick for the first half mile and built up a 7-10s lead. I settled in, and at that point the gap stayed roughly the same. I tried to pick up the pace for the final mile, hoping the leader went out too hard, but he looked comfortable. If I caught him, I'm sure he would've had plenty in the tank. I was pleased with the effort though, and can't complain about the time or the place.
Splits:
5:18
5:26
5:21
32s
Results
Strava
Very fun post race event on the Charles, and the band was fantastic!
Corrib Pub 5k
Well, this one was kind of a stinker. On one hand, I shouldn't complain because I've been treading water while battling injuries...on the other...it's worse than last year and that's very frustrating since it was such a nice day compared to last year's sufferfest of heat & humidity.
I've really been struggling with feeling good as of late, so once again I took it out conservatively. Last year my opening mile was 5:10, compared to 5:21 this year. I was quickly in a bit of no man's land, with plenty of people ahead of me. Mile two is a bit uphill, and though I haven't been feeling fast I have been feeling like I have plenty of stamina. So I worked the hills on the course pretty good, and that's where I made up most of the ground on the runners that went out quicker for the first mile.
Mile two is a good climb and that was run in 5:33. During the third mile, I was doing my best to close the gap on Pickleseimer, who seems to be just out of reach as of late - and I just didn't have it. My effort remained where I think it needs to be, and I ran 5:21 for the third mile. The final part of the course is very downhill, which wasn't a good thing for me on this day, since that puts a pounding on my right knee. Since I wasn't catching anyone nor being caught, I tried to stay smooth with a high turnover. I finished in 7th place in a time of 17:01 (long course).
Splits:
5:21
5:33
5:21
46s
Results
Strava
Elizabeth ran 20:44, and had an excellent race. On a slightly flatter and certified course, and I think she can break 20min. All she needs is to decide to do some training!
Friday, April 20, 2018
2018 Boston Marathon Race Report
Where oh where do I begin? I suppose I'll start with Friday, the 6th of April when I managed to hurt my back/SI joint doing a standard easy post-run routine. The week prior to Boston I tried my best to do massage and mobility exercises to fix the issue, but I fear that I simply made it worse.
Pre-race emails with Neil, Terry, and Danny were focused on the weather - but I looked at the forecast and somehow made up my mind it wouldn't be that different from 2015. The morning of the race, I was still more focused on my back than anything else. The weather on race morning, well...it was that different. And focusing primarily on my back would prove to be a disastrous mistake.
For a quick look into how disastrous...look at the picture to the left, then add a winter hat, arm warmers, and gloves. On April 16th, that was not enough for me. Still, as I sat in Neil's van heading out to Hopkinton, I was thinking, "dang injured back, what terrible timing!" And well, that was true also, but I was about to run 26.2 miles in 38 degree temps with lashing winds and torrential downpours and I was practically naked.
Our group was fortunate enough to have access to a home in Hopkinton, so pre-race I was lying on stranger's living room floor staying warm, dry, and ingesting ibuprofen.
On the line both Neil and noticed that Mike Wardian would be the guide for a blind runner who was aiming to break 2:30. They looked brutally cold, since they were doing interviews outside for the previous 30 minutes, and Neil and I gave them both our extra hand warmers. That seemed to help them out for the brief moments we had to await the start.
Just prior to the gun going off, I told Neil that I was terrified of a DNF...
Once the gun did go off, Neil and I did a good job of moving forward with the crowd. We were content to be a little slow for mile one before we had some space to accelerate and get down to what would hopefully be a sustainable pace. So after a slow 6:37 first mile, we settled into roughly 6:15/mile.
While Neil looked bouncy and eager to rock, I was feeling much different. The pace actually felt incredibly easy on my lungs. Unfortunately, my entire core felt out of whack. My lower back remained total bunk, and my left hip flexor started to tighten up as well. Somewhere between 5 and 7 miles I started to lose contact with Neil. I could see him continue to increase the gap, and I was making a concerted effort not to look at my splits and just get to another mental marker on the course.
By mile 9, Danny had caught up to me, and he looked extremely strong. He asked how I was doing and I gave him the honest assessment of "not great." He asked if there was anything he could do to help, which there wasn't. So, I just told him he looked strong and to keep kicking ass. It was around this time that I started to really feel cold and my hands were starting to hurt. With my back feeling like crap, and now my hands going painfully numb I told myself to just get halfway and then I'd assess whether or not to drop out.
Each wave of freezing cold rain sent me into a deeper and deeper funk. I passed through Natick and the Wellesley scream tunnel and I was actually moving well(ish), but I was feeling just awful. Finally, just before the Rt. 95 overpass I had to stop and pee, and I had a strong feeling that this could end my race. I was fighting to hold off a shiver and my hands felt like they would explode. Once I left the porto though, I hadn't seized up, but I was still very very cold. I thought - just get to the Newton Hills and I'll consider dropping out once I see Elizabeth.
As I took the right at the firehouse, I heard, "yeah! Go Patrick!" And I turned my head to see Nick and Al Fisher. I immediately stopped and ran towards them, to which they said, "oh no, Patrick keep going, you don't have to stop!" I was hurting badly and asked if I could borrow their gloves. They were more than happy to...but I think they were still a little confused at what I was doing. So I held my hands up and said, "Nick, I need you right now." In retrospect, this is pretty funny, but in the moment I had completely lost the use of my hands. So he had to take off my gloves, and we struggled to try and get their gloves on my hands, but my fingers were stuck in a g-chord like position. In my head, I had assumed this would shortly be it for me, so I said thanks anyways and ran off to find Elizabeth and likely drop out.
(It's worth mentioning that before the race, I told Elizabeth she didn't have to meet me at the Newton hills if she didn't want since the weather was so bad.) I made my way towards Heartbreak and heard a lot of familiar voices cheering me from the sidelines. I passed Jon and he offered me anything to help, but I made some joke and kept moving - which was so so so dumb. But, I was desperately looking for Elizabeth and a spot to make my decision. In the back of my head I think I knew she wouldn't be ther
e though. I was chilled to the bone and this type of weather causes her Reynaud's to go crazy. So, I was looking and looking and blowing into my hands and looking, and putting my hands under my arms and looking and looking...and then I was through the hills and into BC.
Even though the race was only a few days ago, I don't remember much of the final miles except how cold I was. My hands were unprotected at that point, and I was just in a totally desperate place. I was looking all around for...I'm not sure what....maybe a familiar face that was wearing giant mittens? But as I looked for help and found none, I was still moving forward. With 5m to go I was shivering uncontrollably and grimacing from the pain in my hands and right arm, which were both numb and pulsating. I was also starting to have shaky vision - not blurred exactly - but it was an increasing concern. I had passed a medical tent that was handing out milar blankets, so I quickly turned to grab one of those. I ran the final 5k with basically no upper body mobility. I was just trying to close that blanket up as best as possible.
Looking at the data from my GPS/heartrate - this is exactly when I started to probably get into a dangerous spot with hypothermia. My heart rate had been steadily in the 150s before dropping to 148 and 139 for the final 2 miles, and then 121 for the final ~half mile. I was not the picture of glory crossing that line...
I rushed through the finish area as quickly as possible, and met up with Elizabeth where she got some good practice for when I'm an old man. I was still shivering when we finally got to Legal's with a good portion of the CSU crew who had a pretty incredible day (both Neil and Danny ran PRs!).
My final time was 2:58 whatever. Who cares.
Strava Data
Garmin Data
MarathonFoto
Pre-race emails with Neil, Terry, and Danny were focused on the weather - but I looked at the forecast and somehow made up my mind it wouldn't be that different from 2015. The morning of the race, I was still more focused on my back than anything else. The weather on race morning, well...it was that different. And focusing primarily on my back would prove to be a disastrous mistake.
For a quick look into how disastrous...look at the picture to the left, then add a winter hat, arm warmers, and gloves. On April 16th, that was not enough for me. Still, as I sat in Neil's van heading out to Hopkinton, I was thinking, "dang injured back, what terrible timing!" And well, that was true also, but I was about to run 26.2 miles in 38 degree temps with lashing winds and torrential downpours and I was practically naked.Our group was fortunate enough to have access to a home in Hopkinton, so pre-race I was lying on stranger's living room floor staying warm, dry, and ingesting ibuprofen.
On the line both Neil and noticed that Mike Wardian would be the guide for a blind runner who was aiming to break 2:30. They looked brutally cold, since they were doing interviews outside for the previous 30 minutes, and Neil and I gave them both our extra hand warmers. That seemed to help them out for the brief moments we had to await the start.
Just prior to the gun going off, I told Neil that I was terrified of a DNF...
Once the gun did go off, Neil and I did a good job of moving forward with the crowd. We were content to be a little slow for mile one before we had some space to accelerate and get down to what would hopefully be a sustainable pace. So after a slow 6:37 first mile, we settled into roughly 6:15/mile.
While Neil looked bouncy and eager to rock, I was feeling much different. The pace actually felt incredibly easy on my lungs. Unfortunately, my entire core felt out of whack. My lower back remained total bunk, and my left hip flexor started to tighten up as well. Somewhere between 5 and 7 miles I started to lose contact with Neil. I could see him continue to increase the gap, and I was making a concerted effort not to look at my splits and just get to another mental marker on the course.
By mile 9, Danny had caught up to me, and he looked extremely strong. He asked how I was doing and I gave him the honest assessment of "not great." He asked if there was anything he could do to help, which there wasn't. So, I just told him he looked strong and to keep kicking ass. It was around this time that I started to really feel cold and my hands were starting to hurt. With my back feeling like crap, and now my hands going painfully numb I told myself to just get halfway and then I'd assess whether or not to drop out.Each wave of freezing cold rain sent me into a deeper and deeper funk. I passed through Natick and the Wellesley scream tunnel and I was actually moving well(ish), but I was feeling just awful. Finally, just before the Rt. 95 overpass I had to stop and pee, and I had a strong feeling that this could end my race. I was fighting to hold off a shiver and my hands felt like they would explode. Once I left the porto though, I hadn't seized up, but I was still very very cold. I thought - just get to the Newton Hills and I'll consider dropping out once I see Elizabeth.
As I took the right at the firehouse, I heard, "yeah! Go Patrick!" And I turned my head to see Nick and Al Fisher. I immediately stopped and ran towards them, to which they said, "oh no, Patrick keep going, you don't have to stop!" I was hurting badly and asked if I could borrow their gloves. They were more than happy to...but I think they were still a little confused at what I was doing. So I held my hands up and said, "Nick, I need you right now." In retrospect, this is pretty funny, but in the moment I had completely lost the use of my hands. So he had to take off my gloves, and we struggled to try and get their gloves on my hands, but my fingers were stuck in a g-chord like position. In my head, I had assumed this would shortly be it for me, so I said thanks anyways and ran off to find Elizabeth and likely drop out.
 |
| Apparently my thumb could function! |
e though. I was chilled to the bone and this type of weather causes her Reynaud's to go crazy. So, I was looking and looking and blowing into my hands and looking, and putting my hands under my arms and looking and looking...and then I was through the hills and into BC.
Even though the race was only a few days ago, I don't remember much of the final miles except how cold I was. My hands were unprotected at that point, and I was just in a totally desperate place. I was looking all around for...I'm not sure what....maybe a familiar face that was wearing giant mittens? But as I looked for help and found none, I was still moving forward. With 5m to go I was shivering uncontrollably and grimacing from the pain in my hands and right arm, which were both numb and pulsating. I was also starting to have shaky vision - not blurred exactly - but it was an increasing concern. I had passed a medical tent that was handing out milar blankets, so I quickly turned to grab one of those. I ran the final 5k with basically no upper body mobility. I was just trying to close that blanket up as best as possible.
Looking at the data from my GPS/heartrate - this is exactly when I started to probably get into a dangerous spot with hypothermia. My heart rate had been steadily in the 150s before dropping to 148 and 139 for the final 2 miles, and then 121 for the final ~half mile. I was not the picture of glory crossing that line...
I rushed through the finish area as quickly as possible, and met up with Elizabeth where she got some good practice for when I'm an old man. I was still shivering when we finally got to Legal's with a good portion of the CSU crew who had a pretty incredible day (both Neil and Danny ran PRs!).
My final time was 2:58 whatever. Who cares.
Strava Data
Garmin Data
MarathonFoto
Thursday, March 1, 2018
2/12/2018 to 2/25/2018: Consistently Consistent & BU Last Chance 1-Mile Race Report
A quick summary of the past two weeks is that I'm certainly feeling like I'm in the middle of marathon training. More detailed...
Tuesday (2/12), in particular, was interesting. I wouldn't call classify it as a special block, but it had that feel to it. I think that day may encapsulate my training philosophy - run often and take what my body gives me...and on that day I felt flat in the morning, but since I felt pretty good in the evening I said 'why not?' and followed that up with an unexpected 8m tempo on my way home from work.
My longer tempo on the 2/17 is also fairly notable. I've been taking a page out of Kevin's marathon training playbook and doing some long tempos on Saturday's prior to Sunday long runs. That's not new, but 10m at 5:58 is new territory. Hopefully it's not a fluke and I can continue to extend the distance while maintaining the pace. The rest of the training is fairly boiler plate, so...
BU Last Chance 1-Mile Race Report!!!!
Back in November, at the TRED weekend, a goal was set. During one of the many group runs, I voiced my intent of running under 4:40 for the mile. Danny mentioned that running under 70s per quarter sounded challenging. I agreed, and said that I wasn't sure I would hit that goal, but I didn't want to rule it out. Great times ensued that weekend, and my goal was officially out in the open.
Both Amory and I had been eyeing the indoor track schedule and had a few meets in mind, and so during those runs we talked about doing some faster running. So, the roughest of framework was put in place: do some a.m. workouts at the Harvard indoor track.
Those workouts and the back and forth emails with Jon & Amory were the foundation. Distance, pace, number of reps, etc...those didn't always line up, but the commitment did. And sending a post-workout summary had the effect of reinforcing the positive takeaways, which was important for both of us since neither of us usually had much pop at 7:30 am. So - a big thanks to Jon & Amory for the company, the feedback, the guidance, etc etc!
As for the race itself...after watching a total 14 runners break the four minute barrier (14!!!??!), I toed the line in the 7th and final heat. Knowing that there would still be some very fast runners in my heat, I went straight to the rail when the gun went off. The first 600 went by quickly, and I was under pace at that point. Shortly after passing the line, there was some carnage on the track as two runners got tripped up and hit the deck. They were courteous enough to fall onto the infield (part self-preservation I'm sure; you don't want to get spiked!), and I had a shot of adrenaline to keep me alert to my surroundings.
I came through 809 meters in something like 2:18/2:19 and I was working hard, but staying fairly even. I was on the heels of another runner and thinking of passing when one of the tripped-up runners came around me. I stuck to him for as long as possible, and started to turn the screws with 400 to go. I think I was almost exactly on pace at that point, if not slightly above, and I didn't want to need a 32 or 33 second final 200. I think I saw 4:05 on the clock as the bell was sounding and I opened up my stride, while holding my final gear in my back pocket. With 100 to go, I imagined Danny on my shoulder on the final rep of a workout (as is so often the case) and went into lane 2 to pass two runners - crossing the line in 4:38.59.
Now...time for 100% focus on the marathon.
The Numbers:
Tuesday (2/12), in particular, was interesting. I wouldn't call classify it as a special block, but it had that feel to it. I think that day may encapsulate my training philosophy - run often and take what my body gives me...and on that day I felt flat in the morning, but since I felt pretty good in the evening I said 'why not?' and followed that up with an unexpected 8m tempo on my way home from work.
My longer tempo on the 2/17 is also fairly notable. I've been taking a page out of Kevin's marathon training playbook and doing some long tempos on Saturday's prior to Sunday long runs. That's not new, but 10m at 5:58 is new territory. Hopefully it's not a fluke and I can continue to extend the distance while maintaining the pace. The rest of the training is fairly boiler plate, so...
BU Last Chance 1-Mile Race Report!!!!
Back in November, at the TRED weekend, a goal was set. During one of the many group runs, I voiced my intent of running under 4:40 for the mile. Danny mentioned that running under 70s per quarter sounded challenging. I agreed, and said that I wasn't sure I would hit that goal, but I didn't want to rule it out. Great times ensued that weekend, and my goal was officially out in the open.
Both Amory and I had been eyeing the indoor track schedule and had a few meets in mind, and so during those runs we talked about doing some faster running. So, the roughest of framework was put in place: do some a.m. workouts at the Harvard indoor track.
Those workouts and the back and forth emails with Jon & Amory were the foundation. Distance, pace, number of reps, etc...those didn't always line up, but the commitment did. And sending a post-workout summary had the effect of reinforcing the positive takeaways, which was important for both of us since neither of us usually had much pop at 7:30 am. So - a big thanks to Jon & Amory for the company, the feedback, the guidance, etc etc!
As for the race itself...after watching a total 14 runners break the four minute barrier (14!!!??!), I toed the line in the 7th and final heat. Knowing that there would still be some very fast runners in my heat, I went straight to the rail when the gun went off. The first 600 went by quickly, and I was under pace at that point. Shortly after passing the line, there was some carnage on the track as two runners got tripped up and hit the deck. They were courteous enough to fall onto the infield (part self-preservation I'm sure; you don't want to get spiked!), and I had a shot of adrenaline to keep me alert to my surroundings.
I came through 809 meters in something like 2:18/2:19 and I was working hard, but staying fairly even. I was on the heels of another runner and thinking of passing when one of the tripped-up runners came around me. I stuck to him for as long as possible, and started to turn the screws with 400 to go. I think I was almost exactly on pace at that point, if not slightly above, and I didn't want to need a 32 or 33 second final 200. I think I saw 4:05 on the clock as the bell was sounding and I opened up my stride, while holding my final gear in my back pocket. With 100 to go, I imagined Danny on my shoulder on the final rep of a workout (as is so often the case) and went into lane 2 to pass two runners - crossing the line in 4:38.59.
Now...time for 100% focus on the marathon.
The Numbers:
| 12-Feb | MLR Moderate | 1:12:36 | 10.16 | AM: 10+ at 7:09/mile. | ||||
| Moderate | 0:57:42 | 8.13 | PM: 8+ at 7:06/mile. | |||||
| 13-Feb | Harvard Track | 1:16:25 | 9.78 | AM: Ran to Harvard for a solo workout. 800x4/200x4. Felt flat the whole time, but stuck it out. Mostly meh, but a solid grinder workout. | ||||
| Longer Tempo | 0:52:51 | 8.14 | PM: Felt not too bad so I went a little quicker for a longer tempo. 8+ at 6:29/mile. | |||||
| 14-Feb | Easy | 1:02:15 | 8.14 | AM: 8+ at 7:39/mile. | ||||
| Easyish | 0:38:10 | 5.22 | PM: 5+ at 7:19/mile to go pick up the Jeep. | |||||
| 15-Feb | Moderate | 0:56:26 | 8.01 | AM: A bit quicker for this 8m. Averaged 7:03/mile to get the run in before driving the Jeep back to work. | ||||
| BU Track | 1:30:00 | 11.8 | PM: 6m home then to BU. 800, 1000x3, 600x3. Not bad. | |||||
| 16-Feb | MLR Easy | 1:15:57 | 10.09 | AM: 10m at 7:32/mile. | ||||
| Easy | 0:39:12 | 5.07 | PM: 5m at 7:44/mile. | |||||
| 17-Feb | Long Tempo | 1:03:00 | 10.46 | AM: 10m at 5:58/mile. A very good workout. Very short warm up and cool down. | ||||
| Off | 0:00:00 | 0 | PM: Off. | |||||
| 18-Feb | MLR | 1:57:37 | 13.14 | AM: CSU Long run slow. | ||||
| Off | 0:00:00 | 0 | PM: Off. | |||||
| 19-Feb | Long Run Hard | 2:22:38 | 20.01 | AM: Harder long run. 20m tot averaging 7:08/mile. First 17 were quicker and included some good hills. Final 3m were with Eli and Raleigh. | ||||
| Shakeout | 0:00:00 | 2.25 | PM: 2m shakeout at whatever. | |||||
| 20-Feb | Easyish | 1:00:42 | 8.07 | AM: 8m at 7:31/mile. | ||||
| Easy | 0:55:30 | 6.65 | PM: 6+ at normal pace then some slower with Eli and Raleigh. | |||||
| 21-Feb | Easy | 0:46:43 | 6.14 | AM: 6+ at 7:36/mile. Early morning meeting and had to squeeze this in. | ||||
| BU Track | 1:20:00 | 11.43 | PM: 6m home then to BU. 800/1200/1600/1200/400x2. Felt really tired. Very happy with the final 400 - the last 200 split was ~30s. | |||||
| 22-Feb | MLR | 1:14:14 | 10.07 | AM: 10m at 7:22/mile. | ||||
| Easy | 0:48:37 | 6.32 | PM: 6+ at 7:41/mile. | |||||
| 23-Feb | MLR | 1:16:14 | 10.11 | AM: 10+ at 7:32/mile. | ||||
| Easyish | 0:45:31 | 6.29 | PM: 6+ at 7:14/mile. A bit quicker, eh? | |||||
| 24-Feb | Fresh Pond Short Tempo | 0:42:02 | 6.0 | AM: 6m at 7/mile. Ran Fresh Pond harder than I should have, but I stayed with the leader for the first mile before I felt like I needed to represent the Pond. | ||||
| Off | 0:00:00 | 0 | PM: Off. | |||||
| 25-Feb | CSU Long Run Shakeout | 1:16:02 | 8.0 | AM: 8m slow with Eli, at 9:30/mile. Nice nap afterward. | ||||
| BU Last Chance | 0:26:00 | 3.75 | PM: 4:38.59!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
2/13 Splits:
800-2:31.4
800-2:31.9
800-2:31.8
800-2:32.3
200-32.4
200-33.5
200-32.9
200-31.5
2/15 Splits:
800-2:39.2
1000-3:18.8
1000-3:17.5
1000-3:17.6
600-1:52.6
600-1:52.3
600-1:50.1
2/21 Splits:
800-2:38.3
1200-4:01.2
1600-5:23.5
1200-3:58.3
400-1:09.2
400-1:04.7
Totals: 108.14 & 105.09
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
2/5/2018 to 2/11/2018: Training & 2018 BU Valentine 1-Mile Race Report
The BU Valentine Invitational is pretty dang hectic. Same as every year, I showed up early in order to wait around 2+ hours for my heat. Not a huge deal except my ~4m run to the track serves as a probably-a-little-early warm up. But, at least I was rewarded with watching an entertaining heat 1, where Craig Engels ran 3:53.
After watching heat after heat after heat of the mile, I started to feel the adrenaline pumping and decided to do an hour+ warm up. I bumped into Andrew Holmes, an old HFC rival, and we did some outdoor miles in the unusually nice outdoor temps. With time to spare, I was able to get inside, spike up, and do some strides in the outside lanes. Once on the line, I was hoping for a fast opening lap...
I struggled to find room on the rail, and didn't feel that bounce in my legs that said, "lead it!"...so I impatiently looked for an opening, which wouldn't reveal itself until just after 600 meters. Once on the rail, I didn't feel very comfortable. I wasn't gassed, which is encouraging, but I felt tight. After re-watching some of the race I can tell I'm not running relaxed - especially through the shoulders.
The lead runner was leaving a small gap along the rail, and I was tempted to squeeze through but it was early and that could lead to some unnecessary carnage. Coming around the turn at the half mile mark, a BU runner looked to squeeze in, but I wasn't about to give up my spot on the rail and gave him a friendly "no-room" forearm. He actually responded right away by staying on the outside and not forcing himself in...so instead he hammered it to the front and dropped the field!
I stayed the course and tried to press just a bit with 400 to go, and again at the bell. There was not much pop though. In the end I finished 5th in my heat in a time of 4:40.59. A PR by something like 4 seconds, but not quite satisfying...
Splits, roughly:
35.92
33.99
34.85
35.54
35.59
35.47
1:08.76 (didn't catch the 7th lap split)
Training Data:
| 5-Feb | MLR Moderate | 1:12:52 | 10.11 | AM: 10m commute at 7:13/mile. | ||||
| Easy | 1:03:21 | 8.22 | PM: 8+ home at 7:42/mile. Ran most of it in the low 7s before meeting up with Eli and Raleigh for the final 2m. | |||||
| 6-Feb | Harvard Track | 1:24:52 | 10.53 | AM: Harvard Track. 200x2/(400x4)x2/200x2. 1min rest between reps, 2min between sets. 400s alternating a little slower and a little faster than mile pace. Workout didn't go great. | ||||
| Easy | 0:48:35 | 6.44 | PM: 6+ at 7:33/mile. Tried to nap, but couldn't. Pretty tired for this one. | |||||
| 7-Feb | Easy | 1:03:18 | 8.17 | AM: 8m commute at 7:45/mile. A bit sluggish. | ||||
| Easy | 0:55:28 | 6.31 | PM: 6+ commute home in freezing rain & slush, no traction, bonked. Generally no fun. Went to LYMBR in Newton at 7pm for a free stretch session though, that was good. | |||||
| 8-Feb | Easy | 1:04:52 | 8.05 | AM: 8+ at around 8 flat. Felt alright, just all ice and slow going even with the yaktrax. | ||||
| BU Track | 1:00:00 | 10.16 | PM: Commute home then BU. 200/600x3/200x2. Felt pretty dang solid. | |||||
| 9-Feb | Easy | 1:03:36 | 8.17 | AM: 8+ at 7:47/mile. | ||||
| Easy | 0:46:48 | 6.16 | PM: 6+ at 7:36/mile. | |||||
| 10-Feb | Valentine Invite | 1:00:00 | 8 | AM: Ran to BU, checked in, waited, warmed up. Then ran to TJs after the race. | ||||
| Valentine Invite | 0:04:40 | 1 | PM: 4:40.59 | |||||
| 11-Feb | CSU Long Run | 2:34:21 | 20.18 | AM: 20+ at 7:39/mile with the CSU crew followed up by awesome breakfast made by me. | ||||
| Off | 0:00:00 | 0 | PM: Worked on the hallway. |
2/6 Splits:
200-35.0
200-35.2
400-1:13.6
400-1:10.4
400-1:11.7
400-1:10.6
400-1:11.2
400-1:09.0
400-1:12.4
400-1:09.6
200-32.3
200-31.2
2/8 Splits:
200-33.7
600-1:45.3
600-1:45.2
600-1:43.2
200-33.4
200-33.4
Total: 111.5
Friday, February 9, 2018
1/29/2018 to 2/4/2018: Training & Bamboozled IPA 5k Race Report
Lucky number 13. That's where the streak of a weekly 20 miler has ended. It started way back on November 5th with the TRED weekend with Neil, and ended this week with the Bamboozled IPA 5k falling on a Sunday.
The race was fun, and I'm glad that they held it prior to it being a Pub Series race in June. When the gun went off, we took a left on a relatively busy road. I was following the lead cop car closely, and they ended up having me cross the road, then cross once more when we took a left into the neighborhood section of the course. I hope they put cones down or simply have the cop car stay in the breakdown lane for that short section.
Anyways, I was running solo for the entirety of the race, and I'm happy with how it went. The first mile was a little slow in 5:32, but part of that can be attributed to the cold and confusingly crossing the street. There's also a small hill during that first mile, but that wasn't too bad. Mile two I was able to dial it in just a bit and run 5:16, and the final mile was the fastest split in 5:10. Since this was the inaugural race, I'm now the course record holder in 16:35!! They had some good beer and good food afterward, so I'll be looking forward to this one come June.
Training wise...t'was a good week.
STuff:
The race was fun, and I'm glad that they held it prior to it being a Pub Series race in June. When the gun went off, we took a left on a relatively busy road. I was following the lead cop car closely, and they ended up having me cross the road, then cross once more when we took a left into the neighborhood section of the course. I hope they put cones down or simply have the cop car stay in the breakdown lane for that short section.
Anyways, I was running solo for the entirety of the race, and I'm happy with how it went. The first mile was a little slow in 5:32, but part of that can be attributed to the cold and confusingly crossing the street. There's also a small hill during that first mile, but that wasn't too bad. Mile two I was able to dial it in just a bit and run 5:16, and the final mile was the fastest split in 5:10. Since this was the inaugural race, I'm now the course record holder in 16:35!! They had some good beer and good food afterward, so I'll be looking forward to this one come June.
Training wise...t'was a good week.
STuff:
| 29-Jan | Moderate | 0:58:47 | 8.06 | AM: 8m at 7:18/mile. Oddly quick. | ||||
| Easy | 1:00:00 | 8.1 | PM: Flippin Garmin. 8m at around 7:30/mile. | |||||
| 30-Jan | Harvard Track | 1:17:45 | 9 | AM: (600/300/200)x3 at Harvard wAmory. 1min rest between reps, full rest between sets. All at mile pace. I was slow and this was tough. | ||||
| Easy | 0:51:42 | 6.3 | PM: 6+ at 8:12/mile. Slow in the snow. | |||||
| 31-Jan | Easy | 1:09:12 | 9.06 | AM: 9m commute at 7:39/mile. Left calf non-issue. Right Achilles had a moment, but not really. | ||||
| Easy | 0:49:46 | 6.29 | PM: Commute home and met up with Eli and Raleigh. | |||||
| 1-Feb | Easy | 1:09:05 | 9.02 | AM: 9m commute at 7:40/mile. | ||||
| BU Track | 0:48:42 | 13 | PM: Commute home then BU. 800/1200/200/1000/200/800/200/600/200/400. If not for acid reflux this would've been great. Splits were still pretty damn great. | |||||
| 2-Feb | Easy | 1:06:15 | 8.17 | AM: 8m at 8+. | ||||
| Easy | 1:03:32 | 8.05 | PM: 8m at 7:53/mile. | |||||
| 3-Feb | MLR Moderate | 1:14:53 | 10.16 | AM: 10m at 7:22/mile. Felt tougher than it should have. A bit windy. | ||||
| Off | 0:00:00 | 0 | PM: Off. | |||||
| 4-Feb | Bamboozled 5k | 1:00:00 | 9.01 | AM: Bamboozled IPA Pre-Game 5k. 1st place in 16:35. Running solo most of the way, and happy with the splits. | ||||
| Off | 0:00:00 | 0 | PM: Off. Patriots lost. |
1/30 Splits:
600-1:48.7
300-53.2
200-34.3
600-1:48.1
300-52.8
200-34.3
600-1:46.1
300-52.8
200-31.9
2/1 Splits:
800-2:40.2
1200-4:00.3
200-35.5
1000-3:14.5
200-35.6
800-2:35.6
200-35.9
600-1:49.1
200-34.6
400-1:05.4
Total: 104.22
Thursday, December 14, 2017
2017 Assault on Mt Hood Race Report
It's been a bit too long since I've done a proper race report, and I'd say the 2017 Mt Hood XC race is well deserving.Elizabeth, Kristi, and I showed up about an hour ahead of race time. That gave me a good opportunity to preview the latter part of the course and get a glimpse of the slippery conditions and hills ahead of time. Unfortunately, it was also a chance for more snow to fall and for the traction to get just a little more hairy. Thankfully, the temps were right around 30 degrees, so it was cold enough for snow, but not bone chillingly cold as it has been in years past. After getting a few strides with the crew, we hit the line.
Once the gun sounded, I went out quick in the hopes of getting to the first short and steep downhill as one of the lead runners.
With my back still at far below 100% I wanted to be extremely careful on the downhills so as not to wipe out and risk worsening the injury. I managed to stay upright and a lead group was starting to form as we started to veer right to the first turnaround point. Two CMS runners were starting to break away, and I did my best to maintain contact.
As we crossed the wooden bridge that we were told was extremely slippery, they had probably a 5-10 meter gap. Again, I just tried to be careful and as we made our way on the flat, I stayed fairly close and there were about five or six other runners in the pack I was in. Just after the first mile we hit the first short hill, and they started to put some more space on us with one CRC runner looking to keep chase. I felt ok, but I wasn't happy with my traction. When trying to pick up the pace on the flat, I was feeling just enough slippage to have to try and dig in and gain momentum - so it was a challenge to make any gear changes.
The second mile was a bit winding, with one downhill that was extra dicey. After coming out of a narrow path, we hit a short downhill before taking a hard left, and I was forced to go extra wide as the ground was slick. With the CRC runner a good twenty meters ahead, I was trying to stay in contact along with one other runner right with me and another pack behind us that included Neil - and they seemed to be right with us if not yo-yo-ing a bit.The first hard hill was just after the two mile mark, and the CRC runner had a tough time keeping traction and momentum. I was in fifth position at this point, and followed close behind the fourth runner as we went a bit sideways to scale the slippery peak. We continued to head up and back towards the finish and were quickly making up ground on the CRC runner. I felt pretty good, and was content trading places with the other runner as we closed the gap.
By the time we made our way onto the short steep single track, I was a little bit behind, but the other guy I was with had caught the CRC runner and they were stride for stride. I surprised to feel like I was catching my breath on the uphill. I was also surprised to realize that the pack behind had all caught up.
Once I crested the hill, I knew this section from year's past where I always seem to struggle and where Kevin blew past me two years ago. The ground has a spongy feel to it, and I noticed the two runners ahead were laboring. I made ten quick short steps that made up a significant portion of the gap and felt strong. I waited a few seconds before doing that one more time and finally regaining contact. Traction was a major issue at this point, and we had one more crazy downhill to navigate. I was very concerned about my back as the downhill quickly turned into a short uphill and I could feel the pressure build. Again, I thankfully stayed upright, and we were all running stride for stride as we passed the three mile mark.We passed through a narrow gate and had a long gentle downhill before we would end up turning onto the pavement. I was hovering within the group wondering if someone would try to hammer the downhill when I realized that I was feeling great and the other two weren't going to make a move. So I started to push just a bit and then a bit more, opening up a small gap, but knowing they were both coming with. There were two more quick turns before hitting the pavement, and I slowed almost to a stop taking no chances. Once on pavement I finally felt like I had my legs under me and I quickly found my stride. I could hear the footsteps falling further behind me and I kept a strong stride through the finish as I passed the line good for 3rd overall.
http://coolrunning.com/results/17/ma/Dec9_Thirte_set1.shtml
 |
| Neil, Danny, and Me - 3rd Place Men's Open...apparently |
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
CVS Downtown 5k & Lone Gull 10k - 2017 Race Reports
CVS Downtown 5k
Race morning was a lot more warm and humid than I would've liked. And the 11am start time was a double edged sword, the extra sleep was nice, but with the morning fog burning off we received the full impact of the sun.
I had decided that I wanted to try getting in a longer warm up than usual so that I could simulate what I generally do in training (run a lot before a hard effort). I've done this in the past, but got away from it for some reason - and since 2017 is the year of no PRs, I thought I'd see if this would help. So Eli, Tom, and myself showed up early, and Tom and I were able to get in just under 6 miles worth of a warm up.
Once the gun went off, I went out quick trying to keep an eye on a couple of runners who always beat me (and continued to do so on this day). I stuck with them out of the gate and after the left turn onto Memorial Boulevard and felt pretty good, but soon started to find my own rhythm, which was a little bit slower than theirs. Before I knew it, I had passed the mile marker and I was extremely surprised to see it read 5 flat (confirmed by my watch as well). I knew I went out a little quick, but the first mile actually felt fairly easy - so a 'fairly easy' 5 flat opening mile is extremely encouraging.
Mile two had a few turns and potholes, but was otherwise flat and easy...easy if not for the humidity starting to weigh on me like a warm wet blanket. I wasn't quite on the pain train, but I was right on the cusp of over heating. Still, I felt alright and was passing a few people and had yet to get passed. Mile two in 5:20.
I had gotten my hopes up after the first mile, but I knew it was far too sticky to have high hopes on getting a PR. At the start of the third mile, I was passed by a Whiralway guy who I see around the Charles every once in a while. He's a strong runner and so I tried to stick with him for a bit, but that lasted only a quarter mile or so. At this point I was entering no man's land and was just trying to run smooth and not overheat. Mile three was in 5:26, and I was happy to see that I hadn't slowed down terribly. The female winner, Aisling Cuffe wasn't too far behind me as we turned towards the finish, and I was doing my best to kick past the guys ahead of me while also getting the heck out of her way so she could break the tape unimpeded (I was successful in doing so). All in all, this was an encouraging race.
Final Time: 16:25
Place: 49th
Lone Gull 10k
Yet another warm and muggy race morning...what the hell!?!
Prior to the race, Kevin had mentioned that he would be taking a knee for the national anthem, and I told him I would join. So while Kevin was doing his own warm up and getting a little nervous about others' reactions - I was off doing strides and not even thinking about it. Not until I heard the anthem start, oops! I ran up towards the start looking for Kevin, but I couldn't see him and so I found my own little spot that was out of the way and took a knee. I saw another guy parallel to me doing the same, and a young kid on the grass to the side of the start with his fist in the air. I'm not sure why the national anthem has to be played before a simple road race...but...it is...so that happened!
The actual race went very similar to the 5k. A quick opening mile before I settled into my own pace. I don't think the quick opening miles have much of an effect on me in the latter stages of the race, but this race was really tough. The first half felt pretty good, but the second half was really a grind. Mile four, in particular, really hit me hard. I don't consider that section particularly hilly, but what little incline it did have, caused me to shorten my stride and was the ugliest part of the race for me.
I was able to recover a bit and find my groove, but that was a bit of a torpedo for the race. On the run back along the coast, I was able to start picking off a handful of runners who were struggling with the heat. I suppose that's a good sign that I'm able to handle it, but I'm still frustrated as I look to pop a good time.
Splits:
5:18.5
5:30
5:25.2
5:42.4
5:32.4
5:36.8
1:19.1
Final Time: 34:21
Place: 54th
Race morning was a lot more warm and humid than I would've liked. And the 11am start time was a double edged sword, the extra sleep was nice, but with the morning fog burning off we received the full impact of the sun.
I had decided that I wanted to try getting in a longer warm up than usual so that I could simulate what I generally do in training (run a lot before a hard effort). I've done this in the past, but got away from it for some reason - and since 2017 is the year of no PRs, I thought I'd see if this would help. So Eli, Tom, and myself showed up early, and Tom and I were able to get in just under 6 miles worth of a warm up.
Once the gun went off, I went out quick trying to keep an eye on a couple of runners who always beat me (and continued to do so on this day). I stuck with them out of the gate and after the left turn onto Memorial Boulevard and felt pretty good, but soon started to find my own rhythm, which was a little bit slower than theirs. Before I knew it, I had passed the mile marker and I was extremely surprised to see it read 5 flat (confirmed by my watch as well). I knew I went out a little quick, but the first mile actually felt fairly easy - so a 'fairly easy' 5 flat opening mile is extremely encouraging.
Mile two had a few turns and potholes, but was otherwise flat and easy...easy if not for the humidity starting to weigh on me like a warm wet blanket. I wasn't quite on the pain train, but I was right on the cusp of over heating. Still, I felt alright and was passing a few people and had yet to get passed. Mile two in 5:20.
I had gotten my hopes up after the first mile, but I knew it was far too sticky to have high hopes on getting a PR. At the start of the third mile, I was passed by a Whiralway guy who I see around the Charles every once in a while. He's a strong runner and so I tried to stick with him for a bit, but that lasted only a quarter mile or so. At this point I was entering no man's land and was just trying to run smooth and not overheat. Mile three was in 5:26, and I was happy to see that I hadn't slowed down terribly. The female winner, Aisling Cuffe wasn't too far behind me as we turned towards the finish, and I was doing my best to kick past the guys ahead of me while also getting the heck out of her way so she could break the tape unimpeded (I was successful in doing so). All in all, this was an encouraging race.
Final Time: 16:25
Place: 49th
Lone Gull 10k
Yet another warm and muggy race morning...what the hell!?!
Prior to the race, Kevin had mentioned that he would be taking a knee for the national anthem, and I told him I would join. So while Kevin was doing his own warm up and getting a little nervous about others' reactions - I was off doing strides and not even thinking about it. Not until I heard the anthem start, oops! I ran up towards the start looking for Kevin, but I couldn't see him and so I found my own little spot that was out of the way and took a knee. I saw another guy parallel to me doing the same, and a young kid on the grass to the side of the start with his fist in the air. I'm not sure why the national anthem has to be played before a simple road race...but...it is...so that happened!
The actual race went very similar to the 5k. A quick opening mile before I settled into my own pace. I don't think the quick opening miles have much of an effect on me in the latter stages of the race, but this race was really tough. The first half felt pretty good, but the second half was really a grind. Mile four, in particular, really hit me hard. I don't consider that section particularly hilly, but what little incline it did have, caused me to shorten my stride and was the ugliest part of the race for me.
I was able to recover a bit and find my groove, but that was a bit of a torpedo for the race. On the run back along the coast, I was able to start picking off a handful of runners who were struggling with the heat. I suppose that's a good sign that I'm able to handle it, but I'm still frustrated as I look to pop a good time.
Splits:
5:18.5
5:30
5:25.2
5:42.4
5:32.4
5:36.8
1:19.1
Final Time: 34:21
Place: 54th
Monday, September 18, 2017
Irish Music Festival 5k Race Report 2017
The Pub Series returns!!
Elizabeth and I took a ~5 hour break from our vacation to drive the two hours over to Pawtucket to race the Irish Music Festival 5k.
The race started off fine, with a twisting and turning downhill that had me just a bit behind ChrisK, TJ, and Shawn Wallace. After hitting the mile in 5:17, I was feeling fine, but stuck in a bit of no man's land with the main pack pulling away, and a younger kid just ahead of me.
Mile two sucked. I'm not sure if it was 180 turn, the headwind or what, but the gap between me and the younger runner started to grow and I slowed to a 5:26/mile, which feels like a mental lapse. I was at least able to keep him within shouting distance, but I should have been running shoulder to shoulder and I'm disappointed that I wasn't.
The third mile was much better as my legs felt really good. The gap remained, but I felt like I was moving really well with a long easy stride, which isn't always there. The gap however, had grown to about 7 seconds, and so I was using that energy to maintain some type of contact.
I clicked off a 5:12 third mile, but the final section of the race I really had to work to make it even a little bit interesting. I heard the young runners coach shout something about the gap, and I could see him start making his ascent on the final two-tiered hill. He was working, but didn't seem to have that low gear and his coach was urging him on to dig dig dig. I'm sure my form wasn't as focused as it is for the Thursday night repeats that Terry's been keeping on the calendar - but I felt the lift and the power. What had been a seven second gap was clearly diminishing and I knew that if he could get his stride back then I had no chance - but if he remained tied up after cresting the hill I'd have a chance...and I did have a chance. However, as I was quickly closing the gap, the announcer got excited and said, "and here we have another finisher and..and..oh no! here he comes!" HAHA! Thanks a lot! The young runner put his head down for a final acceleration and was able to just hold me off at the line. BOGUS! I'm still happy with that final push. Final time of 16:36 and good for 6th place.
Based on the final results of the race, the Pub Series is looking extremely interesting heading into the Paddy's 3m.
Results
Photos
Pub Series Article
Pub Series Standings (Men)
Pub Series Standings (Women)
Elizabeth is in 7th place, with a chance to move into 6th, and a longshot chance to move into 5th depending on the depth of the competition and how she fares at Paddy's.
Elizabeth and I took a ~5 hour break from our vacation to drive the two hours over to Pawtucket to race the Irish Music Festival 5k.
The race started off fine, with a twisting and turning downhill that had me just a bit behind ChrisK, TJ, and Shawn Wallace. After hitting the mile in 5:17, I was feeling fine, but stuck in a bit of no man's land with the main pack pulling away, and a younger kid just ahead of me.
Mile two sucked. I'm not sure if it was 180 turn, the headwind or what, but the gap between me and the younger runner started to grow and I slowed to a 5:26/mile, which feels like a mental lapse. I was at least able to keep him within shouting distance, but I should have been running shoulder to shoulder and I'm disappointed that I wasn't.
The third mile was much better as my legs felt really good. The gap remained, but I felt like I was moving really well with a long easy stride, which isn't always there. The gap however, had grown to about 7 seconds, and so I was using that energy to maintain some type of contact.
I clicked off a 5:12 third mile, but the final section of the race I really had to work to make it even a little bit interesting. I heard the young runners coach shout something about the gap, and I could see him start making his ascent on the final two-tiered hill. He was working, but didn't seem to have that low gear and his coach was urging him on to dig dig dig. I'm sure my form wasn't as focused as it is for the Thursday night repeats that Terry's been keeping on the calendar - but I felt the lift and the power. What had been a seven second gap was clearly diminishing and I knew that if he could get his stride back then I had no chance - but if he remained tied up after cresting the hill I'd have a chance...and I did have a chance. However, as I was quickly closing the gap, the announcer got excited and said, "and here we have another finisher and..and..oh no! here he comes!" HAHA! Thanks a lot! The young runner put his head down for a final acceleration and was able to just hold me off at the line. BOGUS! I'm still happy with that final push. Final time of 16:36 and good for 6th place.
Based on the final results of the race, the Pub Series is looking extremely interesting heading into the Paddy's 3m.
Results
Photos
Pub Series Article
Pub Series Standings (Men)
Pub Series Standings (Women)
Elizabeth is in 7th place, with a chance to move into 6th, and a longshot chance to move into 5th depending on the depth of the competition and how she fares at Paddy's.
Thursday, August 24, 2017
2017 Memphis Soul 5k BBQ Race Report
I was a little worried about this race. It had obviously been on the calendar for quite some time, but so had day-1 of the ultimate frisbee tournament, which fell one day prior to this race. So, in the weeks leading up to Pub Series race #4, I was doing my best to put in hard workouts prior to ultimate games. Not an easy task in the summer heat, but I think in the end it worked out.
Elizabeth and I were lucky to not have 90+ degree heat on the day of the tournament. It was warm and we played three full games, but we weren't left terribly sore and dehydrated. A quick side note - I really enjoy the fact that all my running leaves me, generally speaking, never tired during ultimate. While a lot of players were gassed for the third game, I finally felt like I was warmed up!
Anyways, the morning of the race also had me worried and excited for different reason. My legs felt ok, but the 11am start time meant we'd be racing in some very hot and humid conditions. We arrived a little bit late, and I spotted Terry and Kevin just beginning their warm up. Elizabeth wanted to do her own thing, so I joined them for a course preview. Immediately I could tell that the strategy I used at the Corrib race would be a bad idea - I would not be going out fast.
On the line, we all enjoyed hearing the race director, his buddy, and their thick Boston accents talk about how the race was back where it belonged in Union Square. I was glad to be momentarily distracted. When the gun went off, there were a handful of runners who went out super hard, but had the familiar stride that left me focusing on my Pub Series rivals. I was hanging with the lead pack for probably three quarters of a mile before I started backing off. I passed the mile in 5:20, feeling warm, but not in danger of overheating.
As the lead pack gapped me, I looked back to see who I could potentially run with and it was none other than Pickle-man. His normal strategy of sneakily waiting to pounce was out the window! I slowed just a bit to make sure we were even, and we started working together to keep the distance between us and the lead pack manageable. Mile two had a sharp turn and a gradual hill that kept us working, and we passed the marker in a 5:36 mile.
Up ahead we could see Wallace was pulling away, Klucznik was running strong, TJ was falling back from Klucznik, and Lee was falling back from TJ. We both were staying steady, but just as we entered mile three, Pickle-man made a hard move as we were going uphill. I began to cover it, and realized I actually felt alright. His move ended up being short lived and as I passed him he shouted words of encouragement to "go get him!" I don't know how he could manage to speak - I was hurting!
I was closing on Lee, but I felt like I was running out of real estate. I made a hard 20-step push to close as much of the gap as I could - squinting my eyes, I began to count every left-footfall. As I approached his shoulder, I made as much of an effort as I could to continue to tighten the screws. We turned a corner to approach the finish, and a spectator said something to encouraging to me then I looked back to see Lee and the same spectator said, "he looked back! Lee, you got him!" HA! I certainly heard that, and said to myself "not today!" I hammered the downhill as hard as I could while trying to keep myself from biffing it. I did the old Dmukauskas windmill and felt my toes get red hot from the friction. Finally, at the bottom of the hill I could see the finish and kept going hard straight through the line - good for 5th overall.
Worth mentioning that Elizabeth had a very solid showing, averaging 7:03/mile off of minimal training. Since the race, she has been getting out there a lot more frequently though - so I'm looking forward to see how she fares in the next Pub Series race.
Results
Pub Series
Pub Series Standings
Strava
Elizabeth and I were lucky to not have 90+ degree heat on the day of the tournament. It was warm and we played three full games, but we weren't left terribly sore and dehydrated. A quick side note - I really enjoy the fact that all my running leaves me, generally speaking, never tired during ultimate. While a lot of players were gassed for the third game, I finally felt like I was warmed up!
Anyways, the morning of the race also had me worried and excited for different reason. My legs felt ok, but the 11am start time meant we'd be racing in some very hot and humid conditions. We arrived a little bit late, and I spotted Terry and Kevin just beginning their warm up. Elizabeth wanted to do her own thing, so I joined them for a course preview. Immediately I could tell that the strategy I used at the Corrib race would be a bad idea - I would not be going out fast.
On the line, we all enjoyed hearing the race director, his buddy, and their thick Boston accents talk about how the race was back where it belonged in Union Square. I was glad to be momentarily distracted. When the gun went off, there were a handful of runners who went out super hard, but had the familiar stride that left me focusing on my Pub Series rivals. I was hanging with the lead pack for probably three quarters of a mile before I started backing off. I passed the mile in 5:20, feeling warm, but not in danger of overheating.
As the lead pack gapped me, I looked back to see who I could potentially run with and it was none other than Pickle-man. His normal strategy of sneakily waiting to pounce was out the window! I slowed just a bit to make sure we were even, and we started working together to keep the distance between us and the lead pack manageable. Mile two had a sharp turn and a gradual hill that kept us working, and we passed the marker in a 5:36 mile.
Up ahead we could see Wallace was pulling away, Klucznik was running strong, TJ was falling back from Klucznik, and Lee was falling back from TJ. We both were staying steady, but just as we entered mile three, Pickle-man made a hard move as we were going uphill. I began to cover it, and realized I actually felt alright. His move ended up being short lived and as I passed him he shouted words of encouragement to "go get him!" I don't know how he could manage to speak - I was hurting!
I was closing on Lee, but I felt like I was running out of real estate. I made a hard 20-step push to close as much of the gap as I could - squinting my eyes, I began to count every left-footfall. As I approached his shoulder, I made as much of an effort as I could to continue to tighten the screws. We turned a corner to approach the finish, and a spectator said something to encouraging to me then I looked back to see Lee and the same spectator said, "he looked back! Lee, you got him!" HA! I certainly heard that, and said to myself "not today!" I hammered the downhill as hard as I could while trying to keep myself from biffing it. I did the old Dmukauskas windmill and felt my toes get red hot from the friction. Finally, at the bottom of the hill I could see the finish and kept going hard straight through the line - good for 5th overall.
Worth mentioning that Elizabeth had a very solid showing, averaging 7:03/mile off of minimal training. Since the race, she has been getting out there a lot more frequently though - so I'm looking forward to see how she fares in the next Pub Series race.
Results
Pub Series
Pub Series Standings
Strava
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)