Saturday, I ran the Country Music Marathon held in Nashville, TN. Land of the Grand Ole Opry and the heart and soul of Country Music. The CMM is one of six Rock 'n' Roll marathon/half marathon series run by Elite Racing, which is a fun series where if you run multiple events in the different cities around the country in the same year, you can earn extra Bling. I didn't run it for the extra Bling...but I will take when offered after I run the Rock 'n' Roll Half in Virginia Beach on 31 August. This race has both the marathoners and half marathoners starting at the same time in 30 or so corrals in 2-3 minute wave starts and the course is basically a three loop course with the start line a few miles from the finish line so parking was provided near the finish line outside of the LP Stadium…where the Titans play…and buses were provided to bus runners to the start line. The first loop heads south of the city with the half marathoners breaking off around the 11-mile mark near the stadium to run a separate section to their finish with the marathoners continuing on a westerly loop which takes us pass the stadium again and then on to an easterly loop which finally brings us back to the stadium for the final time to our own separate finishing area.
I drove to Nashville Friday, which was a rather pleasant drive considering the 10 hrs it took to get there. Rolling through the Smoky Mountains impressed the heck out of me. Real hills...or rather mountains...it was real tempting to stop my truck and see if I could run up some of them...but good thing there wasn't any room alongside the road filled with whizzing cars and trucks or I might have tried to. The Dogwoods and Redbuds were in bloom and the trees were just getting their green leaves, all amongst the jagged boulders and sheets of sandstone...quite beautiful. The only concern I had was not the steep curving ascents and descents of the road, but the signs that said 'Beware of Falling Rocks'...Rocks!?! These were huge boulders and sheets of limestone that come cascading down the mountain. I didn't actually see any come down but there was plenty of evidence along the side of the road.
I made the trip in good time and even had the benefit of an extra hour from the time change. So I was able to get checked into my motel and then decided to do a quick 30 minute run...not because I wanted a chance to run the hilly roads but to fulfill my Kindzia streak challenge...besides it was a good chance to stretch my legs from the long ride. I don't know how far I went but I went 16 minutes out and back for a total of around 32 minutes...so probably 4 miles...and after a quick shower, headed downtown to the Expo to pick up my race packet. The whole downtown area was very congested and hard to navigate because of all the cars trying to get in and out of the expo the last minute…like me…but I was finally able to find public parking almost next to the Convention Center. The expo was wall to wall people with lines at each area but the lines moved surprisingly fast and soon I had my bib, chip and goodie bag. I wandered around the expo and got some souvenirs for my girls and then headed out to have dinner with Nat, her good friend Fishstick (just her nickname and running the half)...both had driven up from around Atlanta and another good friend of Nat’s Chris...at Germantown Café also owned by Chris. We had a wonderful dinner and the food and drink was plentiful and good. If you ever go to Nashville…be sure to stop by and take in the great view of the city while enjoying a wonderful meal. Thank you Chris! It was great to meet Nat and Fishsticks…Nat and I have been visiting each other’s blog for over a year now and finally getting a chance to meet her was fantastic! She’s as wonderful a lady in person as she is on her blog!
After dinner I got back to my motel and laid out my stuff for the next morning, set the alarm and asked for a 4:00 wake up call and tried to get some sleep…Yeah Right! It’s always difficult to sleep in a strange place with strange sounds and smells but I was able to drift off to sleep eventually but was suddenly awaken to the sound of thunder and pouring rain early in the morning around 3:00. Unable to get back to sleep, I got up and got ready for the race and drove to the LP parking to ride the bus to the start line. I took a plastic bag with me to help keep my shoes dry since it was raining on and off…sometimes hard but mostly just a drizzle and misting. I don’t mind getting wet but wet shoes just doesn’t do it for me. I noticed some people tied plastic shopping bags to their shoes but I only had one bag and just tried to shelter my shoes to keep them dry while waiting for the bus and at the start line to wait for the start. There were plenty of buses so thankfully there was little waiting in the rain. The buses did get crowded with people standing in the aisles but everyone was cheerful and upbeat and it was great to talk about running and to talk with the locals to get the scoop on the course. We arrive at the start line and there is very little shelter from the rain except for some large trees but the rain seems to be slacking off with only an occasional hard rain. I got in my bathroom break in a group of port-a-potties…good luck…no lines…and then went down to near the start line and waited under some large trees. After a bit nature was calling again and since by this time the port-a-potties were too far away to walk to in the rain and crowded by now, I selected a nice large tree away from the crowd of people. I wasn’t the only one…every tree had one or more guys relieving themselves. It’s good to be a man…but later…I was told…the ladies were using them too! After finishing my second call to nature and waiting under a tree, I spotted Nat with her umbrella! I had thought of bringing an umbrella to rainy races before but I always never knew what to do with the umbrella when the race started. Nat buys a cheap umbrella at the Dollar store for a race and when the race starts she hands it to a volunteer or spectator…What an excellent idea…a great investment of a dollar which keeps you dry and a volunteer or spectator happy and dry!
We got into corral #2 a few minutes before the 7:00 start and watch and cheer as first the wheelchair racers are sent on their way, then the elites and the first corral. They move our corral to the start line and drop the rope and we all start running but we’re halted again just before the starting mats with another rope…a false start…but about a minute later we are sent on our way.
The goals of this race is to get Nat a PR of under 3:37 and if all goes extremely well a 3:30, so off we go on a pace which I think is slow…I only have a chrono on my watch and Nat’s Garmin is broken so there is no idea of pace until the first mile marker…Oh…did I tell you I also forgot to start my watch until we were about two minutes into the race. So we ask around what the time is and someone says 7 something, which is way faster than the low 8’s we are trying for, and we try to slow it down. About this time one of my MCM forum friends races up and talks with us a couple of minutes before continuing on ahead…his marathon finishing times are close to mine and he is trying to go sub 3:20 today. We come up to mile two and it is still in the high 7’s and again I try to slow the pace down some more. We hit some gentle rollers and at the three mile the split is low 8’s and the 5K mat says 26 something and I think we are on a 8:30 pace but I forget that we started two minutes later so the real split turns out to be 24:26…which is about a 7:50 pace. I think we are doing great but Nat says she is feeling it a bit and we try to slow down the current pace some more. We reach the six mile mat and it reads a little over 49 which should be around an 8:15 pace and I think we are again right on pace…but again the real time, due to the 2 minutes delayed start, is 47:48 for a 7:58 pace. My watch splits seem to be steady in the low 8’s now and we continue our pace but Nat is still starting to feel uncomfortable and she takes a GU. The 10-mile mat reads about 1:22:30 (actual 1:20:39), which is still about an 8:15 pace with the actual being around a little over 8. Around the 11-mile mark the half marathoners split away from us to their couple of miles to finish and we start on our westerly loop and Nat seems to be still having issues and the GU seems to have made things worse rather than better, so we try to slow it down a bit and readjust our goal of a PR of 3:37 instead of going for 3:30. We come to the halfway mat and it reads about 1:49…we had wanted it to be between 1:44 and 1:45 but we are just going with the flow now and Nat wants a picture so we slow down and take a picture with her phone…but when she tries to save it, it says there is insufficient space to save. She deletes a picture and tries again and still receives the same message. The third time is a charm and she gets our picture and is able to save it and we continue on our way. We start taking it easy through miles 16-20, which has some long steady climbs as well as some good downhill’s. We try to cheer on the crowds and hamming for the cameras…something about rabbit ears over my head at one of the picture taking areas...and you should have heard Ms Natalie sing! She was belting out the songs from her ipod as we ran. We finish our westerly loop by the stadium and start our easterly loop and we crossed the mat at 20 in about 2:55. Around mile 21 I see Jimmy again…his mile 25…and we cheer each other on and he is looking good. Around mile 23 we go around a field with a large pond and meet up with one of the Runner’s World posters, and another fan of Nat’s blog, from Alabama and he joins us going around the pond. We pick up another runner from Alabama and our little group is growing but we lose the Alabama gal in the final mile or two. Between miles 24-25 I see another MCM forum runner going the other way and cheer her on. Mile 26 comes up lined with cheering crowds and we pick up the pace for the final 0.2 and as we round the final bend we see the finish banner and clock and make a final sprint for the finish to try to keep our time under 4 hrs.
Race Results:
There were 210 finishers in the Male 50-54 age group and 4373 total finishers
Overall finish place was 1225 of 4373
Age group finish place was 59 of 210
Time: 4:00:17 for an overall pace of 9:10 per mile
Weekly Training:
Mon: 6.7 miles run, 15 min Elliptical, 12 min Stairstepper
Tue: 35 min Elliptical, 32 min Cycle, 12 min Stairstepper
Wed: 8.2 miles run, 21 min Elliptical, 12 min Stairstepper
Thu: 35 min Elliptical, 31 min Cycle, 21 min Stairstepper
Fri: 32 min run
Sat: 26.2 miles run at CMM
Sun: 34 min Treadmill
This was probably the most enjoyable marathon that I have run. I was able to run relaxed, enjoy as much as possible and not worry about my goals, but I was disappointed in myself for not being able to bring Nat her goals. Also on the plus side, even with running a very strong half last week before this marathon, my legs felt great and I didn’t experience any leg/muscle cramps or any other issues. Today I feel some tightness from completing 26.2 miles but everything feels good and I feel confident that I can do well in the Frederick Marathon this Sunday.
Have a great week you all!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Dismal Swamp Stomp Half 19 Apr 08
This is the second year of the Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon and also my second year of running this race. A race that is run on a two lane blacktopped road that was formally the old Highway 17 in Chesapeake. When they built the new four lane 17 they turned a portion of the old 17 into the Dismal Swamp Trail, a picturesque trail that runs next to the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway...a waterway that runs from New York to Florida. The trail is flat and goes about 8.25 miles out so an out and back will get you 16.5 miles...and I frequently do my long runs there. Last year I had a big PR with a 1:32:26, which also netted me a surprising Age Group 1st place finish...The first AG award in my young racing career. This year I PR'd again at the Norfolk Half Marathon with a 1:28:01, and since my training had been going fairly well and I had had a big confidence boosting sub 40 PR at Ukrop's 10K, I was expecting another PR here and my goal was to at least go sub 1:28 with a secret (well not really a secret since it is a 2008 goal) if everything went right...goal of sub 1:25.
Woke up this morning to clear skies with cool temps in the 50's. The forecast called for around 60F for the 8:00 start with the temps climbing into the 80's by midday. Not my notion of ideal racing temps but at least it wouldn't be humid. I ate my breakfast and headed to the race early. Last year the parking was so limited that there were still lines of cars trying to park when the race started and a lot of runners started very late. This year the parking seemed to have expanded and I didn't hear of any problems like we had last year. I got parked and relaxed reading the paper while I waited for a couple of women from the gym who were also running. I hit the port-a-potty and met one of them there and the other shortly after. 30 minutes before race time, I ran my two-mile warm-up on the trail and everything seemed to feel fine. I got back to the start line and see Paul on his hand crank and talk with him a bit and wish him a great race. I join the crowd of runners near the front and look for people to pace/run with, thinking that if I stick with one of them I won't go out to fast. I found Colleen, Leisa and Charlie all in the same area and whom I knew are faster than me, but going out with them would prevent me from jack rabbiting my start. My plan was to stick with them as best as I could and was confident that they would give me more even pacing than if I went out by myself...besides, the time and miles seem to pass faster when with a group and talking.
Paul is sent off first on his hand crank a few minutes before the 8:00 start and we soon follow. I start off with Colleen while Leisa goes out ahead and Charlie is a bit behind. We talk a bit the first couple of miles and I miss the first mile marker but the second is in 12:52, which averages out to about a 6:26 pace and it felt easy and I had to keep telling myself that the first few miles always feel easy and I need to keep paying attention to my pacing. Colleen seems to be dropping off a bit and Charlie with a group of two other runners passes us and I decide to follow them. Mile three is in 6:30 for a total time of 19:22. Charlie's group seems to be picking up the pace and we bridge the small gap to Leisa and mile four is in 6:41 and I decide to stick with Leisa because in the past races she has always run me down from my fast starts towards the end with seemingly effortless ease and I figure I can do my best by running with her for a while. I see Paul ahead and we pass him around the five mile mark and it reads 6:34. I urge Paul along as we pass and he seems to be doing very well and on his way to a brand new PR because I'm surprised it has taken us so long to catch him. On the way to mile six, we see the lead pack of five Kenyans on their way back and then a few more runners...I try to do a Steve and count the lead runners going by but lose count at about 12, and mile six is in 6:38. We get to the turn around point and head back. This is my favorite part because I get to see all the runners coming towards me and am able to see a lot of runners that I know and we greet each other including my gym mates and I miss mile seven but mile eight is in 13:18 for an average pace of 6:39. Keeping with Leisa has really helped in my pacing but she seems to be falling off pace and I gradually lose her. I set my sights on the runner in front of me and slowly catch up to him and pass him and again set my sights on the next runner about 75 meters out and mile nine is in 6:40. I catch up to the second runner and we play leap frog for a bit and then we both settle into the same pace and we are able to talk a bit before he seems to fall back also and mile ten is in 1:06:04 for a 6:47 pace. I set my sights on the next runner that I can barely see in the distance. By this time the bulk of the runners still going out to the turn around comes to an end with only an occasional late starter or walker still heading out and the road is lonely and quiet and mile eleven shows it because it's my slowest split at 6:58. I get mad at myself for falling so far off the pace and try to pick it up but mile twelve is in 6:50. 1.1 miles to go and I try to concentrate on my stride and pace but can feel myself slack off and the final 1.1 is in 7:29 for a finish of 1:27: something. Later checking the race results my time is posted as 1:27:23 for an overall pace of 6:40/mile, 22nd overall and first in my age group. Another PR although only by 38 seconds...but hay...I'll take it! Paul comes in a few minutes behind me with a great PR in the 1:31 range. Great Race Paul! I went back to my truck for my camera so I can take pictures of my gym mates and was able to get a picture of both of them racing towards the finish. Towards the 2.5-hour mark I notice that the ambulance seems to make a lot of trips out on the racecourse and back. I learned later that about six runners needed medical attention on the course with one that they had to use the defibrillator on...currently I don't know how she is but I hope she and everyone else are fine.
Race Results:
There were 47 finishers in the Male 50 to 54 age group and 1124 total finishers
Overall finish place was 22 of 1124
Age group finish place was 1 of 47
Time: 1:27:23.40 for an overall pace of 6:40 per mile
Weekly Totals:
Mon: 30 min Elliptical, 45 min Cycle
Tue: 9.1 miles run, 20 min Elliptical, 20 min Stairstepper
Wed: 33 min Elliptical, 31 min Cycle, 25 min Stairstepper
Thu: 7.2 miles run, 20 min Elliptical, 10 min Stairstepper
Fri: 30 min Elliptical, 31 min Cycle, 12 min Stairstepper
Sat: DSS Half race with 2 miles warm-up
Sun: 31 min Elliptical, 30 min Cycle, 15 min Stairstepper
Next race is a marathon next Saturday, the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, TN
Hope everyone has a great weekend and week!
Woke up this morning to clear skies with cool temps in the 50's. The forecast called for around 60F for the 8:00 start with the temps climbing into the 80's by midday. Not my notion of ideal racing temps but at least it wouldn't be humid. I ate my breakfast and headed to the race early. Last year the parking was so limited that there were still lines of cars trying to park when the race started and a lot of runners started very late. This year the parking seemed to have expanded and I didn't hear of any problems like we had last year. I got parked and relaxed reading the paper while I waited for a couple of women from the gym who were also running. I hit the port-a-potty and met one of them there and the other shortly after. 30 minutes before race time, I ran my two-mile warm-up on the trail and everything seemed to feel fine. I got back to the start line and see Paul on his hand crank and talk with him a bit and wish him a great race. I join the crowd of runners near the front and look for people to pace/run with, thinking that if I stick with one of them I won't go out to fast. I found Colleen, Leisa and Charlie all in the same area and whom I knew are faster than me, but going out with them would prevent me from jack rabbiting my start. My plan was to stick with them as best as I could and was confident that they would give me more even pacing than if I went out by myself...besides, the time and miles seem to pass faster when with a group and talking.
Paul is sent off first on his hand crank a few minutes before the 8:00 start and we soon follow. I start off with Colleen while Leisa goes out ahead and Charlie is a bit behind. We talk a bit the first couple of miles and I miss the first mile marker but the second is in 12:52, which averages out to about a 6:26 pace and it felt easy and I had to keep telling myself that the first few miles always feel easy and I need to keep paying attention to my pacing. Colleen seems to be dropping off a bit and Charlie with a group of two other runners passes us and I decide to follow them. Mile three is in 6:30 for a total time of 19:22. Charlie's group seems to be picking up the pace and we bridge the small gap to Leisa and mile four is in 6:41 and I decide to stick with Leisa because in the past races she has always run me down from my fast starts towards the end with seemingly effortless ease and I figure I can do my best by running with her for a while. I see Paul ahead and we pass him around the five mile mark and it reads 6:34. I urge Paul along as we pass and he seems to be doing very well and on his way to a brand new PR because I'm surprised it has taken us so long to catch him. On the way to mile six, we see the lead pack of five Kenyans on their way back and then a few more runners...I try to do a Steve and count the lead runners going by but lose count at about 12, and mile six is in 6:38. We get to the turn around point and head back. This is my favorite part because I get to see all the runners coming towards me and am able to see a lot of runners that I know and we greet each other including my gym mates and I miss mile seven but mile eight is in 13:18 for an average pace of 6:39. Keeping with Leisa has really helped in my pacing but she seems to be falling off pace and I gradually lose her. I set my sights on the runner in front of me and slowly catch up to him and pass him and again set my sights on the next runner about 75 meters out and mile nine is in 6:40. I catch up to the second runner and we play leap frog for a bit and then we both settle into the same pace and we are able to talk a bit before he seems to fall back also and mile ten is in 1:06:04 for a 6:47 pace. I set my sights on the next runner that I can barely see in the distance. By this time the bulk of the runners still going out to the turn around comes to an end with only an occasional late starter or walker still heading out and the road is lonely and quiet and mile eleven shows it because it's my slowest split at 6:58. I get mad at myself for falling so far off the pace and try to pick it up but mile twelve is in 6:50. 1.1 miles to go and I try to concentrate on my stride and pace but can feel myself slack off and the final 1.1 is in 7:29 for a finish of 1:27: something. Later checking the race results my time is posted as 1:27:23 for an overall pace of 6:40/mile, 22nd overall and first in my age group. Another PR although only by 38 seconds...but hay...I'll take it! Paul comes in a few minutes behind me with a great PR in the 1:31 range. Great Race Paul! I went back to my truck for my camera so I can take pictures of my gym mates and was able to get a picture of both of them racing towards the finish. Towards the 2.5-hour mark I notice that the ambulance seems to make a lot of trips out on the racecourse and back. I learned later that about six runners needed medical attention on the course with one that they had to use the defibrillator on...currently I don't know how she is but I hope she and everyone else are fine.
Race Results:
There were 47 finishers in the Male 50 to 54 age group and 1124 total finishers
Overall finish place was 22 of 1124
Age group finish place was 1 of 47
Time: 1:27:23.40 for an overall pace of 6:40 per mile
Weekly Totals:
Mon: 30 min Elliptical, 45 min Cycle
Tue: 9.1 miles run, 20 min Elliptical, 20 min Stairstepper
Wed: 33 min Elliptical, 31 min Cycle, 25 min Stairstepper
Thu: 7.2 miles run, 20 min Elliptical, 10 min Stairstepper
Fri: 30 min Elliptical, 31 min Cycle, 12 min Stairstepper
Sat: DSS Half race with 2 miles warm-up
Sun: 31 min Elliptical, 30 min Cycle, 15 min Stairstepper
Next race is a marathon next Saturday, the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, TN
Hope everyone has a great weekend and week!
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Week of 7-13 Apr 08
No races this week and not an impressive training week either. Was looking at a 5K yesterday but I have this backlog of things to do at home...mostly yard work...and badly needed to do a 20 miler on Sunday, which was more important than running a race that I probably would do well and enjoy...it was being run at my favorite place for racing at Ft Story. Friday, I thought I could get my training in and still get some of the home stuff knocked out but life happens. I'm just in the middle of my elliptical and I get a message from my oldest daughter that she has locked her keys in the car and needs for me to go home and get the extra set of keys. I get her the keys but now I'm two hours behind but I decide to go ahead and finish my workout at the gym. Friday night I'm checking Saturday's weather and see that it's suppose to rain off and on most of the morning so figuring my Saturday yard work is a no go, I look to race the 5K instead. So I think...if it's raining...I will go run the race...if no rain...I will do my yard work. I wake up early Saturday morning to sun with some clouds and get back in bed and get some more sleep. I spend four hours edging, weed whacking, mowing and pulling weeds but am able to get most of it done before it starts to rain about 1:00. I take a shower and take my wife to pickup a bookshelf she has ordered and after grabbing a bite to eat out, get home and I realize that I haven't done my exercise for the Kindzia Streak yet! I still haven't missed a day since the New Year...actually my streak started the day after Christmas...and I'm not about to miss one now. I try to convince myself that the four hours of yard work should count for something...and this morning I was convinced that I had a real work-out yesterday because my legs, back and arms are sore today, and even got some sunburn on my neck...but I think it's lame to claim it so I went to the gym for my regular work-out.
Today I wake to do my long run. I am sore. My back is sore, my legs are sore, my neck is burned and even my arms are sore but I need to get my run in. I eat my breakfast and head out to the Dismal Swamp Trail with two bottles of water and a squeeze bottle of Gatorade. It is going to be sunny today and somewhat warm...in the 60's but I forgo stashing my extra bottle of water up the road like I normally do and just carry a bottle with me. I don't worry about a specific pace since all I want to do is get the 20 in at a nice easy pace since it has been a while for a longer distance than about 10 miles since Shamrock. The first mile is really easy...I figure about 7:30-8:00 mile pace...I didn't wear my watch. I don't see very many runners, which seems odd because next week is the Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon and I expected a bunch of people trying the course out or getting their runs in. I do see a lot of cycle riders...recreational as well as racers. I get to the end of the trail and head back. The sun is shining, there is a small breeze, butterflies are flitting around and wild flowers are blooming. A pretty serene morning. I have been trying to conserve water and my eardrums start crackling and I know that I am getting dehydrated. I start swigging my water at a faster pace and at about the 10-mile mark I notice that I am really low on water...maybe about 2-3 good swigs left. I try to convince myself that there is plenty left for the 6.5 miles. Around mile 12, my water is gone and I feel some twinges in my left hams. I slow the pace down and about a mile later there's another twinge...not a good sign...most likely I need more electrolytes and all I had was water and I seemed to be sweating a lot more than usual. I nurse myself till I get to the entrance to the park and my truck...16.5 miles completed in 2:08 according to my trucks clock. I get my Gatorade from the truck and take that with me on my 3 mile loop the other way and have completed that by the time I get back to my truck again as well as having three cramping episodes on the loop. I get my last bottle of water out of the truck and I only have half a mile to go and it's not going to be easy with all the cramping. I finally make it out to the quarter mile mark and back with one more cramp hitting me at the turn around...but...I was finished now...the whole 20. It took me almost 3 hrs but I got it done. I had thought today would be a lot easier than it was. I think all the work yesterday took a lot out of me and affected me today.
My training week looked like this:
Mon: 8.1 miles run, 15 min Elliptical, 13 min Stairstepper
Tue: 31 min Elliptical, 37 min Cycle, 16 min Stairstepper
Wed: 8.1 miles run, 25 min Cycle, 12 min Stairstepper
Thu: 30 min Elliptical, 30 min Cycle, 12 min Stairstepper
Fri: 22 min Treadmill, 35 min Elliptical, 35 min Cycle, 16 min Stairstepper
Sat: 31 min Elliptical, 35 min Cycle, 13 min Stairstepper
Sun: 20 miles run at the Dismal Swamp Trail
Next Saturday is the Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon.
Hope everyone is doing well and training is on track.
Have a good week!
Today I wake to do my long run. I am sore. My back is sore, my legs are sore, my neck is burned and even my arms are sore but I need to get my run in. I eat my breakfast and head out to the Dismal Swamp Trail with two bottles of water and a squeeze bottle of Gatorade. It is going to be sunny today and somewhat warm...in the 60's but I forgo stashing my extra bottle of water up the road like I normally do and just carry a bottle with me. I don't worry about a specific pace since all I want to do is get the 20 in at a nice easy pace since it has been a while for a longer distance than about 10 miles since Shamrock. The first mile is really easy...I figure about 7:30-8:00 mile pace...I didn't wear my watch. I don't see very many runners, which seems odd because next week is the Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon and I expected a bunch of people trying the course out or getting their runs in. I do see a lot of cycle riders...recreational as well as racers. I get to the end of the trail and head back. The sun is shining, there is a small breeze, butterflies are flitting around and wild flowers are blooming. A pretty serene morning. I have been trying to conserve water and my eardrums start crackling and I know that I am getting dehydrated. I start swigging my water at a faster pace and at about the 10-mile mark I notice that I am really low on water...maybe about 2-3 good swigs left. I try to convince myself that there is plenty left for the 6.5 miles. Around mile 12, my water is gone and I feel some twinges in my left hams. I slow the pace down and about a mile later there's another twinge...not a good sign...most likely I need more electrolytes and all I had was water and I seemed to be sweating a lot more than usual. I nurse myself till I get to the entrance to the park and my truck...16.5 miles completed in 2:08 according to my trucks clock. I get my Gatorade from the truck and take that with me on my 3 mile loop the other way and have completed that by the time I get back to my truck again as well as having three cramping episodes on the loop. I get my last bottle of water out of the truck and I only have half a mile to go and it's not going to be easy with all the cramping. I finally make it out to the quarter mile mark and back with one more cramp hitting me at the turn around...but...I was finished now...the whole 20. It took me almost 3 hrs but I got it done. I had thought today would be a lot easier than it was. I think all the work yesterday took a lot out of me and affected me today.
My training week looked like this:
Mon: 8.1 miles run, 15 min Elliptical, 13 min Stairstepper
Tue: 31 min Elliptical, 37 min Cycle, 16 min Stairstepper
Wed: 8.1 miles run, 25 min Cycle, 12 min Stairstepper
Thu: 30 min Elliptical, 30 min Cycle, 12 min Stairstepper
Fri: 22 min Treadmill, 35 min Elliptical, 35 min Cycle, 16 min Stairstepper
Sat: 31 min Elliptical, 35 min Cycle, 13 min Stairstepper
Sun: 20 miles run at the Dismal Swamp Trail
Next Saturday is the Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon.
Hope everyone is doing well and training is on track.
Have a good week!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Ukrop's Monument 10K, 05 Apr 08
Ran the Ukrop's Monument 10K today...another race that I had wanted to run last year but waited too long to sign up missed out. Billed as one of the largest 10Ks in the country with over 25,000 signed up last year and over 30,000 this year. The out and back race is run in Richmond...our state's capitol...on Monument Ave which is a four lane city road split in the middle by a large median with about six monuments spaced at major intersections. We go up one side at a gentle incline and come back on the other with a gentle downhill. The monuments are huge but it's funny how I only remember running by three of them...my thoughts must have been elsewhere...the racers in front of me, the racers behind and of course the crowd of people on either sides of the road cheering us on. The race is chip timed and started in corrals with the elite starting at 8:00 and then corral A...which was my corral!...two minutes later and then the other 20 or so corrals every four minutes.
The weather forecast all week, and even up to the last day, painted a gloomy day with 70-90% chance of rain with thunderstorms. At least the temperatures were to be in the 60's and very little wind. Checking the race day radar showed intermittent groups of showers to pass over the area during the morning.
I woke up early in the morning, got my shower, ate my breakfast and drove the over 100 miles to Richmond. The race starts at 8:30 and I got there early enough to get a nice parking spot in one of the parking garages near the finish line...the start line is about four blocks over...and was able to visit the port-a-lets that lined one side of the small park where the finish festivities were to take place. I must have gotten into one of the potties that no one had used yet because the toilet paper was still wrapped and no stinky smell. But one disadvantage of being the first one is that the blue liquid they put in there may splash up and onto you...I know you wanted to know that...but it was quite a surprise when I hear this splash and then feel the cold wet on my bum...yuck! What else could go wrong on this day? The whole week I had been feeling tired and weary...and the last couple of days it seemed like I was catching something. My training hadn't been what it should have been either and I seemed to just go through the motions to get it done, so I didn't know what to expect on race day. My main goal was to break 40 minutes and today didn't quite feel like it would happen. The weather was bad, I was feeling bad, the roads were wet and slippery and the air was humid...and now the toilet splashes me.
I ran part of my warm-up running to the start line and then ran three laps up and down a few blocks on Broad St...where the race starts...for about two miles. On one of the laps I run into Bill...the guy who kept beating me in the Mud in Your Eye cross country series and we chatted a bit while warming up. He invited me to go out with him since he was starting at around a 6:30 pace. I get back to the starting corral A, which is already filling up and I can't find an opening in the railing along the sides so I just climb over it and then head to near the front of the corral. I see Bill and also see Jim...one of the top 50-54 AG runners in the area...about a row of runners in front of me. I look around for other familiar faces and don't see any but looking around I see all these really fit runners in my corral and start asking myself if I really should be up here with these guys and gals but I kept telling myself that I belong there just like the rest of them.
At 8:00 the elites are given the Go!...and they are off racing up the street. Our corral edges up to the start line and two minutes later we are off and running also. Up Broad St we go and then cut left onto Lombardy and then right onto Monument Ave. I'm looking for Bill to pace with but don't see him...later I found out he ended up behind during the first 1-200 meters. I also see Jim way out in the front pack of runners from our corral. The first mile comes up and it is 6:09...a bit fast but not my usual jack rabbit start of under 6 minutes...but I'm breathing hard so I back off a bit...there's still a long ways to go. My plan was to start slow...6:20-6:30 pace...the first three miles and at the turn around to kick it up a bit...so 6:09 was about 11 seconds faster than I wanted. We are also in a bit of a headwind which feels nice in the warm, humid feeling air. Mile two is in 6:17...getting down where I wanted but still a bit fast. About half way to the three mile marker we start seeing the elites coming back on the other side...they sure look smooth and fast...like greyhounds. After a bit we see the lead runners in our corral so I know the turn around is just ahead and mile three is in 6:29...oops...just a bit too slow now but here's where I kick it up a notch. We make the turn and now we have a slight tail wind and gradual downhill and we pass the 5K mat and the timer and it reads 21:35...which makes me think for a minute that I'm behind my goal, but I realize that since our corral started two minutes after the clock was started, it really is 19:35. I also realize that I need to maintain the same speed/pace or I won't be breaking 4o minutes this day...so I try to pick up the pace passing a few runners ahead of me and mile four is in 6:13...Yeah, I can do this...but fatigue starts to set in a few minutes later and mile five is in 6:21. Still doing good and about that time I hear someone cheering Bill on and I know that he is behind me so I will myself to go faster and mile six comes in at 6:11. Just 0.2 more to go and I can make out the finish banner down the street and just about that time I also see Bill passing me on my right...how could that happen? I tried to keep him near and then sprint for the finish but he beats me to the finish, but I don't really care...because the time on the clock says 41:02 and my watch says 39.02...Yeah! The last of my 2007 goals achieved! For the record, the last 0.2 was in 1:20. The rain is starting to pick up now but I don't care about that either. I congratulate Bill and the runners around me, get my chip off, get some water and food. Bill and Jim are talking about running the course a second time and invite me to join them but I bow out...I want to do a long run tomorrow. Oh...the final chip time is: 38:56!...a PR from my previous 40:34 by 1:38. So I not only got my 2007 goal of under 40 minutes, I also got my 2008 goal of under 39 minutes for this year...so it looks like I need to revise my 10K goal to break 38:30 now. It's raining harder now, but I don't really care!
Race Results:
There were 840 finishers in the Male 50 to 54 age group and 24,055 total finishers
Overall finish place was 123 of 24,055
Age group finish place was 5 of 840
Time: 38:56 for an overall pace of 6:16 per mile
Weekly Training:
Mon: 51 min Elliptical, 51 min Cycle, 12 min Stairstepper
Tue: 7.15 miles run, 20 min on Elliptical, 15 min Stairstepper
Wed: 50 min Elliptical, 50 min Cycle, 12 min Stairstepper
Thu: 7.2 miles run, 15 min Elliptical, 13 min Stairstepper
Fri: 30 min Elliptical, 30 min Cycle, 13 min Stairstepper
Sat: 10K race with 2 miles warm-up
Sun: 36 min Elliptical, 36 min Cycle, 21 min Stairstepper
No scheduled race for next weekend. There is a 5K at Fort Story but I do want to get in a 20 miler instead.
Speaking of race scheduling...it looks like I maybe able to run the Country Music Marathon in Nashville on 26 April now. A trip that kept me from going in the first place for that weekend fell through and now will be done another week. I'm just wondering if I can do CMM one week and Frederick the next? The Frederick marathon has a deferral policy, so I could defer to next year...or I could go ahead and run it easy just to do it too! Of the two, I really would rather do the CMM this year. I hate decisions like these!
You all have a great weekend and week! I will!
The weather forecast all week, and even up to the last day, painted a gloomy day with 70-90% chance of rain with thunderstorms. At least the temperatures were to be in the 60's and very little wind. Checking the race day radar showed intermittent groups of showers to pass over the area during the morning.
I woke up early in the morning, got my shower, ate my breakfast and drove the over 100 miles to Richmond. The race starts at 8:30 and I got there early enough to get a nice parking spot in one of the parking garages near the finish line...the start line is about four blocks over...and was able to visit the port-a-lets that lined one side of the small park where the finish festivities were to take place. I must have gotten into one of the potties that no one had used yet because the toilet paper was still wrapped and no stinky smell. But one disadvantage of being the first one is that the blue liquid they put in there may splash up and onto you...I know you wanted to know that...but it was quite a surprise when I hear this splash and then feel the cold wet on my bum...yuck! What else could go wrong on this day? The whole week I had been feeling tired and weary...and the last couple of days it seemed like I was catching something. My training hadn't been what it should have been either and I seemed to just go through the motions to get it done, so I didn't know what to expect on race day. My main goal was to break 40 minutes and today didn't quite feel like it would happen. The weather was bad, I was feeling bad, the roads were wet and slippery and the air was humid...and now the toilet splashes me.
I ran part of my warm-up running to the start line and then ran three laps up and down a few blocks on Broad St...where the race starts...for about two miles. On one of the laps I run into Bill...the guy who kept beating me in the Mud in Your Eye cross country series and we chatted a bit while warming up. He invited me to go out with him since he was starting at around a 6:30 pace. I get back to the starting corral A, which is already filling up and I can't find an opening in the railing along the sides so I just climb over it and then head to near the front of the corral. I see Bill and also see Jim...one of the top 50-54 AG runners in the area...about a row of runners in front of me. I look around for other familiar faces and don't see any but looking around I see all these really fit runners in my corral and start asking myself if I really should be up here with these guys and gals but I kept telling myself that I belong there just like the rest of them.
At 8:00 the elites are given the Go!...and they are off racing up the street. Our corral edges up to the start line and two minutes later we are off and running also. Up Broad St we go and then cut left onto Lombardy and then right onto Monument Ave. I'm looking for Bill to pace with but don't see him...later I found out he ended up behind during the first 1-200 meters. I also see Jim way out in the front pack of runners from our corral. The first mile comes up and it is 6:09...a bit fast but not my usual jack rabbit start of under 6 minutes...but I'm breathing hard so I back off a bit...there's still a long ways to go. My plan was to start slow...6:20-6:30 pace...the first three miles and at the turn around to kick it up a bit...so 6:09 was about 11 seconds faster than I wanted. We are also in a bit of a headwind which feels nice in the warm, humid feeling air. Mile two is in 6:17...getting down where I wanted but still a bit fast. About half way to the three mile marker we start seeing the elites coming back on the other side...they sure look smooth and fast...like greyhounds. After a bit we see the lead runners in our corral so I know the turn around is just ahead and mile three is in 6:29...oops...just a bit too slow now but here's where I kick it up a notch. We make the turn and now we have a slight tail wind and gradual downhill and we pass the 5K mat and the timer and it reads 21:35...which makes me think for a minute that I'm behind my goal, but I realize that since our corral started two minutes after the clock was started, it really is 19:35. I also realize that I need to maintain the same speed/pace or I won't be breaking 4o minutes this day...so I try to pick up the pace passing a few runners ahead of me and mile four is in 6:13...Yeah, I can do this...but fatigue starts to set in a few minutes later and mile five is in 6:21. Still doing good and about that time I hear someone cheering Bill on and I know that he is behind me so I will myself to go faster and mile six comes in at 6:11. Just 0.2 more to go and I can make out the finish banner down the street and just about that time I also see Bill passing me on my right...how could that happen? I tried to keep him near and then sprint for the finish but he beats me to the finish, but I don't really care...because the time on the clock says 41:02 and my watch says 39.02...Yeah! The last of my 2007 goals achieved! For the record, the last 0.2 was in 1:20. The rain is starting to pick up now but I don't care about that either. I congratulate Bill and the runners around me, get my chip off, get some water and food. Bill and Jim are talking about running the course a second time and invite me to join them but I bow out...I want to do a long run tomorrow. Oh...the final chip time is: 38:56!...a PR from my previous 40:34 by 1:38. So I not only got my 2007 goal of under 40 minutes, I also got my 2008 goal of under 39 minutes for this year...so it looks like I need to revise my 10K goal to break 38:30 now. It's raining harder now, but I don't really care!
Race Results:
There were 840 finishers in the Male 50 to 54 age group and 24,055 total finishers
Overall finish place was 123 of 24,055
Age group finish place was 5 of 840
Time: 38:56 for an overall pace of 6:16 per mile
Weekly Training:
Mon: 51 min Elliptical, 51 min Cycle, 12 min Stairstepper
Tue: 7.15 miles run, 20 min on Elliptical, 15 min Stairstepper
Wed: 50 min Elliptical, 50 min Cycle, 12 min Stairstepper
Thu: 7.2 miles run, 15 min Elliptical, 13 min Stairstepper
Fri: 30 min Elliptical, 30 min Cycle, 13 min Stairstepper
Sat: 10K race with 2 miles warm-up
Sun: 36 min Elliptical, 36 min Cycle, 21 min Stairstepper
No scheduled race for next weekend. There is a 5K at Fort Story but I do want to get in a 20 miler instead.
Speaking of race scheduling...it looks like I maybe able to run the Country Music Marathon in Nashville on 26 April now. A trip that kept me from going in the first place for that weekend fell through and now will be done another week. I'm just wondering if I can do CMM one week and Frederick the next? The Frederick marathon has a deferral policy, so I could defer to next year...or I could go ahead and run it easy just to do it too! Of the two, I really would rather do the CMM this year. I hate decisions like these!
You all have a great weekend and week! I will!
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