November 28
Bartram Forest Winter Trail Run 50KMilledgeville, GA4:58:00 PRResults Pending(Gingerbread Man)Notes: I was eager to complete my greatest month of running ever by giving a strong effort at one of my favorite races: the Bartram Forest Winter Trail Run. Kevin Hatfield, the race director, always does a great job with this race. It's pretty low-key, but you won't find a warmer atmosphere anywhere. Make It By Midnight is largely based on how Kevin puts on Bartram.
The course winds through Bartram Forest, an experimental forest near Milledgeville. The easy trails go by test plantings of trees from 30 years ago, a grove of trees dedicated to governors, active logging sites, beautiful leaves, a small lake, and much more. While the scenery isn't astounding, there's always something to look at. Good thing too: the course is 5.25 miles. Which means, for the 50K, you'll be seeing it 6 times.
This year the course was changed due to part of the forest being restricted from use. The new course was a huge improvement, getting rid of the multiple runnings of the power line gravel hill and a rough trail section. The changes also added in some nice single track trail at the beginning of the course. The hardest part of the course was not roots and rocks as is usual for trail racing. Here the challenge is in the nasty thick tufts of grass (and hidden holes) in one section of the course and the sawed off protrusions left from bushhogging a little further on. Both caused many stumbles from the 80 or so runners.
While the trails are not terribly hard it can be hard to leave the aid station at Bartram. Why? Because Kevin and his volunteers serve up a regular buffet in the park pavillion. Every type of ultra fare is present along with homemade cookies and candies, fresh grilled cheese sandwiches, and endless other goodies. The grilled cheese was especially fine - thanks to Kenny and Mandie for cooking them all day long!
I had decided before the race to try and do this one wearing road shoes. The course was not technical and I really wanted to go for a PR. The cushioning and comfort of my road shoes seemed to be just what I needed - as long as I didn't slam myself on one of the few obstacles.
I put down a fast early pace, did not stop at the main aid station after the first loop, and added another fast time around. There was also an unmanned aid station approximately half-way, but I skipped it too at this point. I enjoyed visiting with other runners as I came up on them - and with the volunteers at the aid station when I stopped quickly for a refill of my bottle and a quick handful of M&Ms and grilled cheese after the next two loops.
The day was really starting to warm up, so I stopped after the fourth loop for a clothing change. I decided the Marathon Maniacs singlet would be appropriate since the next lap would bring me to the marathon distance. Again, I continued to run at a great pace. I did not walk the hills like I usual would in an ultra. Instead I tried to run the race with a road mindset. I ran part of this lap with Tom Weitzel. He mentioned that we were on pace to finish in under 5 hours. I was suspecting the same thing myself and set it as a goal.
I made only a short stop for my final time by the aid station. My hips and quads were starting to make some noise at this point, but I refused to listen to them - other than slowing my pace slightly. I still fought up the hills without walking, but needed a quick stop at the unmanned air station for more fluids - I was hitting them hard on the final loop. I lost precious time trying to coax the last few drops out of the coolers before pushing on.
I ran the last few tenths at full speed and crossed the line at 4:58. Kevin awarded me the coveted giant gingerbread man prize for finishing. My oldest son loves for me to run this race because he knows I will be bringing home some excellent gingerbread to share. I was ecstatic to have run such a fast time - even though I suspect the course is rather short. Still, cutting more than 2 hours and 20 minutes off a PR is impressive no matter what the course. I also enjoyed finishing in front of many people whom I trail distantly in road races. At the beginning of the race I had laughingly gone to stand behind Ben Wilton - since I always finish behind him anyway. Ben told me to get in front of him, that we were on my turf today. I laughed about it then, but I think now that Ben was right. This is my turf. I love the long distances and have slowly gotten better at them.
I will proudly use the fine athletic bag given to all participants as a reminder of an incredible race and another step forward in my development as a runner.
November 26
Sam Lapidus Montclair Run 10KBirmingham, AL47:40 PRAge Group: 13/55Overall: 117/758Notes: I returned to the scene of my longest-lasting PR: the Montclair 10K Run. I had run this course twice during my previous running life in 1999-2000. I would leave my home in Corinth, Mississippi, and run this race in Birmingham, Alabama, on my way to have Thanksgiving dinner with my family in Clanton. The course was always challenging - Birmingham is all about hills - but I usually ran it well. The PR I set in 1999 (51:50) lasted until Labor Day this year. My goal for this Thanksgiving was to put the Montclair Run back on my PR board where it belongs.
The race had been renamed this year to honor the memory of Sam Lapidus, a teen member of the Levite Jewish Community Center in Birmingham who died last year from cancer. His parents and sibling were running the race as an additional tribute to Sam.
It's funny how little things change in 10 years or so. Race pick-up, chip pick-up, refreshments, etc. were all in the same places. Even the course was unchanged - a boomerang route that starts west for half a mile, returns past the community center to a distant turn-around, and finishes right by the building. Nearly the entire run is on Montclair - hence the name of the race.
I walked around constantly before the race, trying not to get too cold. The day was quite chilly but a warm sun was starting to heat things up. I was worried that I may have dressed too warmly with my long sleeves, but decided not to change.
After a long starting line wait for sponsor recognitions, the national anthem, a tribute to Sam Lapidus, and prayer we were off. I knew that the hardest climbs were at the end of the race, so I tried to get a solid pace going. It was tough going in the beginning. The race drew more than 700 people and without a formal seeding system the first half mile was a real obstacle course.
I ran a solid race, pacing many people, until the final couple of miles. I knew the hills were coming, prepared for them mentally, and was still knocked around by them. I kept my pace from slipping too far, but it took a lot more effort than usual. I was really having to focus all of my strength on the last climb. I was not able to sprint into the finish as usual - I was lucky to be moving at any pace at the top of the hill. Still, I managed to gasp across the line at 47:40 - a PR by a minute and twenty seconds. Wow! It made me wonder what I could have done without my struggles on the hills.
The only drawback of this race is the large crowd. The many family members do form a very enthusiastic crowd at the finish, but it feels a bit crowded for my tastes. Still, the wicking shirt was quite nice, the amenities were more than adequate, and the facilities were really first race. I started my Thanksgiving off being very thankful for my weight loss and the incredible improvement in my running. I decided to forego the award ceremony (and my chance at a free turkey in the door prize drawings) to get back to Clanton and the people for which I am the most thankful - my amazing family.
November 21
Will Robinson Memorial 5KMilledgeville, GA22:17 PRAge Group: 3/10Overall: 30/265(Medal)Notes: For some reason, I always seem to run the courses in and around Milledgeville well. Last year I enjoyed the Will Robinson Memorial 5K very much despite the freezing temperatures. I had run portions of the same course during the Take Back the Night races a little while back. Despite the hills, I expected to have a good, solid run.
Serious understatement.
The Will Robinson Memorial 5K starts at a fire station and runs uphill past the Milledgeville airport. A short, hilly "box" later, runners get to finish down the same hill they ran up originally.
One of my favorite parts of this race is the price. It's hard to argue with a $5.00 no-shirt option - especially when race t-shirts are currently starting to force my family out of the house! The race is very well attended and has adequate amenities.
I noticed early on that most of the fast runners in my age group were present. No problem, I thought. I'll go for a PR and not worry about anyone else. The idea sounded a little nutty - PRing on a course with a couple long climbs is never easy. However, I do seem to do better on courses with some hills. Probably has something do to with training in hilly Lake Wildwood.
I went out pretty hard, trying to keep my pace in the low 7-minute range. I had teased Jerome at the starting line that I was going to chase him today. I caught him during the first downhill and ran with him for a long portion of the race. I am starting to enjoy running and talking with others - even during races. Strange for such a running loner like me. I really appreciated the encouragement I get from Jerome! I pulled away from him a mile and a half or so later and missed the company.
I was definitely feeling the effort of climbing the long hill by the airport, but forced myself to maintain a decent pace. When I crested the hill I tore into the downhill finish but could not really up my speed as much as recently. Still, I came across the line in a fast 22:17 taking another 40 seconds off of my PR.
I received another surprise at the finish. Steve Corkery, the official timer, told me that Alan Black had won the overall title thus removing himself from my age group. Good news for Alan - and for me! It allowed me to finish 3rd behind Ben Wilton and Tommy Union III - just like the Take Back the Night races. I really respect the speed those guys have. Even with all of the time I've shaved off my 5K over the last few months I'm still minutes behind them.
I waited for the award ceremonies, accepted my medal, and hurried off to look after my boys for a few hours...and then head off to another race.
Run for the Moon 5KJackson, GA23:15Age Group: 2/4Overall: 13/88(Ribbon)Notes: This was a fairly non-descript race hosted by a Baptist church to raise money for mission work. The course followed rural roads in a big square. The bright blue long-sleeved shirt was nice, amenities were solid. Good finish line management and course control.
I ran the race still feeling the effects of my PR in the morning. I did not push too hard, just took what my legs would give me. The race started by climbing quite a hill with the majority of the rest of the course being flat or slightly rolling.
I spent most of the race following a pre-teen girl. I was impressed by how well she ran a good pace. I kept expecting to catch her, but she never waivered at all. I was pleased to see that she won the women's overall for her efforts.
As for me, I was a full minute slower than my PR from the morning, but had a pleasant race. I visited with the many Points Hounds at the race and picked up my award. The awards seemed like a bit of an afterthought - especially for a race that cost $25 - but I know the money was going to a great cause.
November 14
Chickamauga Battlefield MarathonFort Oglethorpe, GA3:52:46 PRAge Group: 20/58Overall: 142/453(Finisher's Medal)Notes: There is no race in the world I love more than this one. Understand that this is a bold statement for me. I’m on pace to run around 70 races this year. For one to stand out that much, it must be something special. For me, Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon is indeed that special.
I’m not sure what it is about Chickmauga that appeals to me so much. I have run the race twice before and PRed both times – I’m sure that’s part of it. I love history, so running through a historic Civil War battlefield is obviously a plus. The race is the perfect combination of large enough to have good amenities and small enough to feel homey. It’s even not terribly far (180 miles or so) from home.
This year I was heading off to Chickamauga by myself for the first time. This race has been an excursion for my whole family the last few years, but class work and other duties were going to keep Janet and the boys busy at home. I knew I would miss them terribly, but realized I could focus my whole attention on running a good race. Having lost nearly 50 pounds since my last road marathon (not counting Make It By Midnight for obvious reasons) I was hoping for a record setting day.
I drove in late the night before the race, checked into my hotel just across the state line into Tennessee, and hurried back down to Fort Oglethorpe to try and get my packet before pick-up closed for the night. I made it in plenty of time. This year I found the 6th Cavalry Museum with no problem. Last year was a little harder. The museum is what looks to be a house with a full-sized helicopter mounted out front. It traces the entire history of the 6th Cavalry from its horseback days in the Civil War to its current existence as a helicopter unit. At least, that’s what I remember from last year. This year we used the back door of the museum and missed getting a chance to peek at the exhibits. Pick-up was easy – especially with as late as it was – and came with a clothing surprise. Last year the marathon gave runners an embroidered hat with their packet. This year we received gloves with the race logo printed on them. Very nice touch – and very different from anything else I’ve gotten at races before. I guess if you keep coming back to Chickamauga you will eventually get an entire outfit!
The one strange bit of packet pick-up was having to go to the school next door to pick up the technical shirt. I assume it was to encourage people to see whatever was at the small expo. By the time I got there however there was no expo in sight. I got the last large shirt. Strangely, my shirt size was in their records as medium. Several other people I talked to had their shirt sizes mysteriously reduced a size. I wondered if it was on purpose or if the organizers had done it to compensate for the shirts running slightly large. I still stuck with the large. The thought of anything medium fitting me is too much for me to comprehend at this point.
I headed to one of my favorite stops in Fort Oglethorpe – the Evergreen Chinese restaurant. My idea of carb loading is to find a wonderful Chinese buffet and dig in. Since I don’t get to visit restaurants much on my diet, I would rather enjoy my favorite food when I have the opportunity. I have eaten at Evergreen on every trip, so now it’s tradition too. After dinner I made a quick stop to buy a few breakfast foods to heat up in my room microwave and headed to bed.
I made it a point this year to get to the race very early. Last year I had to park so far away from the starting line that I got a nice frenzied warm-up just trying to make it to the start. This year I arrived more than 90 minutes early and got to park right by the refreshment tent. Good deal, I thought. After the race I won’t have far to crawl to get back to my truck.
I really like the set-up that has evolved at the Chickamauga start/finish area over the last few years. The marathon started on the south side of the battlefield previous to 2008 and was hosted at a church. Last year it moved to Barnard Circle in the historic district of Fort Oglethorpe. The race uses the old parade grounds of a long-gone military complex for the start. A beautiful gazebo marks the start and numerous tents are set up all around. Tons of port-o-potties are around, and the school next door is open for indoor restrooms too. The folks at Chickamauga have even solved the loudspeaker dilemma that most races struggle with. No struggle hear – you could hear the race announcer in the next county, I think.
I spent a few moments visiting with the Macon Tracks who came up to run the marathon and the companion half-marathon. Talking with everyone really helped me. I tend to get a bit over-focused before important races. I think deep down races still scare me – like I’m an interloper, intruding in something for which I am unqualified. I compensate for this feeling by being focused and a bit introverted before races. Talking with the Tracks chilled me out and made me feel downright social. This would prove to be a very important development.
We finally started lining up for the start. The organizers had balloons with pace times on them for a simple seeding system. I wish more races would take the tiny bit of time and effort to do something like this. I set myself up at the 9:00 minute mile pace, hoping for my first sub-4 hour marathon. Having never even been faster than 4:30, this seemed like a crazy goal for me. My training paces and some online charts and graphs suggested otherwise. I figured I could always slow down if the 9-minute pace was too much.
For once I visited with the people around me at the start. A few Marathon Maniacs and I introduced ourselves and shared stories. I was wearing my Maniac gear, so many Maniacs sought me out during the day. I was asked by one runner if I carried nutrition for marathons. I said yes and showed her my RaceReady LD shorts with the numerous mesh pockets. She was fascinated having never seen them before. She was quite surprised when half the people around us, hearing our conversation, lifted their shirts enough to show her that RaceReady shorts were quite popular with marathoners indeed.
Now, I like to run alone. I train alone, race alone, and finish alone. I don’t feel lonely – I feel refreshed and focused. Something strange was happening to me today. I felt like running with people. I realized that I was in the middle of a pace team – the 4:00 hour. I had never really considered running with a pace team, but the people around were quite nice. The pace leaders seemed enthusiastic. Why not, I thought. Maybe a pace team could drag me across the line in 4 hours.
After too much talking, the race began. Some races begin with a bang or a whimper. This race begins with a colossal blast from a cannon. My goodness, there’s no chance of missing that starting signal. I was expecting it, but some of the runners around me were starting to run while recovering from minor heart attacks. We made a loop around Barnard Circle and headed onto the roads that led into the battlefield. I was struggling with running in a crowd as usual, but handled it with more good nature than usual. I was mentally ready to be with a group of people since I had committed to running with the pace team. The first mile marker came up quickly. Our time: 9:03. Perfectly on pace for a sub-4 marathon. Apparently the pace leaders knew what they were doing.
A few miles later I wasn’t so sure. Our mile times were getting faster and faster: 8:54, 8:46, 8:24. This was crazy. If I stayed with the pace team, I was going to get burned out in no time. Still, I was hesitant to leave the group. Maybe the pace leaders were just getting settled into a decent pace. I checked my Garmin and was astounded to see that we were currently running a 7:50 mile pace. No way, I thought. I will DIE at this pace. Heck, I’d only recently been running sub-8 miles consistently in 5Ks for a few months. The people around me were getting concerned about the pace too. I told them that I refused to run someone else’s race. I waved farewell to the pace team leaders (who were disappearing into the horizon anyway) and settled down to run alone at my own pace.
Before I could get into the running alone mindset, I heard a voice beside me. Kim, a runner I had met at the starting line, had dropped back too. She asked me if I was going to run the race in 4 hours. I told her I sure was going to try. She asked if she could run with me. Suddenly I was now a pacer. I laughed about trying to lead someone else to a time I had never run before, but we headed out together.
The day was absolutely perfect. The temperature started in the 40s and rose slowly throughout the race. The air was clear and clean. The fall leaves were absolutely beautiful. An entire family of deer ran across the road in front of us. Frogs sang from a marshy spot beside the road. Everyone remarked on how incredible the day was.
The miles were just flying by. I was feeling very strong. Kim and I were maintaining a very consistent pace. The conversation was good making both of us forget about the distance. Suddenly we were joined by Captain America – or a runner in a Captain America shirt anyway. He introduced himself as Tony and joined our little pace group. He was shooting for a 4-hour finish too. We pressed on together and had a wonderful time encouraging each other and talking about everything.
As we continued to keep a steady pace we passed numerous people who were in our original pace team. Many of them were walking, completely blown out by the ridiculous pace the leaders were putting down. We were quite glad to have slowed ourselves down before it was too late.
We came across the half marathon point – marked at this race by an official clock. I almost kissed the clock as we ran across the timing mats. We were on pace to finish several minutes under 4 hours. We waved goodbye to the half-marathoners and cheered them on as they turned off (the courses were slightly different) and headed back around for a second time.
I should mention that Chickamauga did a great job with everything on course. Water and Powerade were available at 2-mile intervals, some stations had fruit too. The race provided shuttles to bring spectators to a few viewing points along the course. These sections were always very lively. Traffic control was superb, all turns were well-marked, every mile was marked clearly.
I don’t find Chickamauga to be terribly hilly, but there is a section of hills in the late teens that can be challenging. I coached our little pace team up the hills. We were pretending they were roller coasters. I actually starting taunting the hills at one point, accusing them of being “wanna-be” hills. Amazingly we ran the hill section at a pace that was slightly faster than our goal. Wild.
As we headed to the short out-and-back section for the second time, I lost my pace team. Both were starting to feel the distance and needed to slow the pace slightly. Tony told me to keep on running my race and not to worry. I continued on, joined almost immediately by another runner who asked if he could tag along with me. The race volunteers who saw us kept saying how strong we looked. I sure felt strong. I could not believe that I still felt so good and that the pace was staying consistent. We actually picked up the pace slightly on a few miles in the early 20s.
Eventually my new running partner dropped back. I was finally running alone – and it felt strange. As I arrived at the 23rd mile I saw something familiar in the distance: the pace leaders that I had waved goodbye to 19 miles earlier. In no time, I caught up with them. The entire pace team was broken up – there might have been one runner still with them. As I passed the pace leaders I noticed that one of them was breathing pretty heavily. Apparently they had burned themselves out too. I had quite the feeling of satisfaction to run by them and leave them far off in the distance – while still running MY pace.
I focused on that pace and let my mind wander a little. I got to thinking about how this part of a marathon was much like an army captain trying to control his men in a battle. Every body part threatens mutiny at one time or another in a marathon. A good captain can calm them down and keep them marching inexorably into battle. So far my troops were in good order, but my quads were starting to be a little frisky. We had turned onto a section of rough road (almost trail-like, but paved) that was jarring to the legs. My quads complained, but I kept them in line. Suddenly we were on the 26th mile, taking several quick turns to lead us back into the side of Barnard Circle. From there it was only a little over 2/10ths to the finish line. I picked up the speed, now going at a sub-7 minute mile. I knew I was going to have a massive PR. My glimpse at the clock in the distance confirmed this: a 3 was still prominently displayed in the hours place. I kicked for the finish, trying to outsprint another runner to the line. He was surprised by my kick, but found some extra energy to make it to the line before me. I was amused by his burst of speed and was grinning inwardly as I came across the line. I glanced at the clock and couldn’t believe it. 3:52. I had taken 42 minutes off my marathon PR.
I was so busy celebrating that I almost forgot to take my medal. That would have been a shame too, because the Chickamauga medals are something special. Each year the medal represents a monument in the park. This year it featured the South Carolina monument with a cannoneer gazing off into the distance as if watching his last shot. Nice.
I had my picture taken by Tommy and Mandie – it’s nice to have the official race photographers be friends from the Macon Tracks – and visited with several other friends. I quickly excused myself however to run back to the finishing line. I wanted to see if my new friends Kim and Tony would make it across the line. I was cheering them both loudly as they came across. Both finished just a hint over 4 hours but Tony took 9 minutes off his PR and Kim took a whopping 20 minutes of hers. Tony actually ran up to me before his finish to congratulate me on a PR.
Both Kim and Tony sought me out after the race. Tony thanked me for leading him to a PR – he said my pacing and encouragement made it possible. Kim was thankful too. I told them that were just as responsible for my great time. I could not have done it without their conversation and company. This was the highlight of the race for me. Being able to share in the success of two runners, to have been part of their record-setting day as well as mine, was one of the greatest moments of my running life. Congratulations to both of them! They ran an amazing race.
The final stats showed what an incredible day it was. I ran the second half of the race 40 seconds faster than the first. I passed an incredible number of people in the last 13 miles. I averaged an 8:51 pace. My miles were very consistent.
I celebrated my PR with the wonderful food that is always part of Chickamauga. I had checked with the cooks before the race to make sure that my favorite soup – the Southwestern chicken – was going to be there. I told the servers that their soup was the reason I ran the race. I grabbed some of the homemade banana pudding, spinach alfredo pizza, and other goodies and settled into my truck to eat. My legs felt great. I could not believe that my fastest marathon had also been my easiest – and least painful. What a testament to the power of weight loss, good training, consistent pacing, and great running friends.
November 8
Peachtree City 25KPeachtree City, GA2:25:34 PROverall: 24/42(Finisher's Medal)Notes: It was hard to believe that I was up early in the morning driving to a race after 4 races the day before. My legs were okay, but I was a little nervous about what waited for me on the other side of the drive: the Peachtree City 25K.
Peachtree City is another one of those places that I have almost run numerous times in the past. I had heard that the city was rather unusual with cart paths that attached everything together. Apparently residents of Peachtree City drive golf carts everywhere. The race was going to use those very same paths.
It took me forever to find the tire store where registration was to be held. Peachtree City apparently has restrictions on the amount of signage businesses can put up. Eventually I found the parking lot and picked up my race number and engraved bottle opener. What a relief to get something other than another t-shirt this weekend!
It was quite cold outside. I decided to lose the jacket and trust my tight black shirt to do enough for my arms. My heaviest running gloves stayed on, thank you very much. I headed out on the decent walk to the park across the street.
The runners shivered together during the rather long introductory remarks. Both a 25K and 50K were to happen simultaneously. We would be running a loop course of a little over 5 miles. Three laps for the 25K, six for the big boy. I always feel strange running the shorter race at these things, but my legs were rejoicing at my slip into near sanity. I visited at the line with many running friends, including the points hounds and Phil Min, a Marathon Maniac from Alabama. Phil didn't recognize me at first - apparently my weight loss has become a convenient disguise for me of late.
We started off around the lake in the park on the cart path. What a great place to run! The path was slightly rolling, went through numerous under-road tunnels, and offered a surprising number of scenic views of lakes, fall leaves, and even deer. Unfortunately I could not enjoy the scenery for the first couple of miles. My right side, which had hurt a little in the late races the day before, started aching. I wondered if I had pulled a muscle in my chest with my deep breathing during my race-o-rama in Beulah. I wondered if I would have to drop after one lap - the pain at one point really made me consider it. Luckily the pain loosened and eventually went away all together. I then concentrated on maintaining a solid pace.
My plan for running this race was to try and simulate the marathon pace I wanted to keep at Chickamauga in 6 days. I found that I could hold the pace pretty easily and settled into a full morning of running. The race had aid stations at the start and half-way point, perfectly adequate and well-supplied with fluids and snacks. I managed the first two laps fairly easily and had the good fortune to come across Danny Dorminy on my last lap. Danny ran his first half marathon last week and was back at it again today. Unfortunately, his knee was acting up on him forcing him to walk quite a bit. He was finishing up his second lap, but matched my speed and paced me to the finish. I enjoyed talking with him and appreciated having someone to run the last few miles with. I hoped he wasn't hurting himself in the process.
I picked up the pace over the last half mile, crossed the finish line, and encouraged Danny on his way out for his final lap. I picked up my medal from the gazebo - a nice custom job with a moon on it (representing the Darkside Running Club, the hosts of this insanity). I also grabbed a wonderful Panera cinnamon-crunch bagel with honey-walnut cream cheese. I don't get to eat that kind of thing much on my diet and boy was it good.
This was a pleasant, well-supported, low-key. I set a 25K PR (okay, it was my first 25K) and prepared well for the upcoming Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon. All in all, a great morning of running.
November 7
Peacemakers 5KMacon, GA23:32Age Group: 4/7Overall: 24/113Notes: I had not managed to run the Peacemakers 5K the last few years due to conflicts with classes and marathons. I was looking forward to this race. I always love running trails, and Ocmulgee National Monument is just a great place to run. The only race I ever ran here before was run entirely on the roads. I couldn't wait to hit the trails!
The day was a bit cold so I had broken out the long sleeves and gloves. Cold-weather running always makes me happy, but I seem to get cold a bit sooner these days. I guess when I lost the weight I also lost my natural resistance to the cold. Oh well - I'll take that trade-off any day.
While I was waiting for the race to start I stared at the posted map. To my surprise I found that a lot of the race was going to be on roads. I knew that part of the course had to be changed due to a bridge washing out, but I was astonished to see how much asphalt we were going to be visiting. I had decided earlier to wear my trail shoes. They are phenomenal on trails but horrid on roads. It was looking like I had not made a wise choice.
We started out on the road but quickly headed onto the trails. Oops - spoke too soon - we were suddenly on the paved path that leads out to the mounds. This wound up being the theme of the race: short segment on trail, long segment on roads, repeat. I was enjoying the race despite my poor choice of shoes. It is really empowering to be able to run trail well. It's the running equivalent of a thrill ride: how close to the edge can you push yourself without tripping, running into a tree, or something even worse. I love the feeling of taking sharp turns in the woods and dodging around trees.
Unfortunately, all that dodging was starting to take a little wind out of my sails. I eased up a bit on the final stretch of the Bartram Trail knowing that we were going to be finishing the race with an out-and-back up the hill on the main road. Marcus Parker again passed by me after chasing me most of the race. I'm obviously going to have to increase my speed work if I want to catch him ever again!
My plan to save something back for the final hill worked well, and I finished strong. It would have been a PR for a trail 5K, but there was way too much road to count it.
I like this race, but I'm not sure it can truly be advertised as a trail race. Still, the amenities were solid and the park visitors' center provided excellent facilities. The shirt was a bit lacking, but the after-race doughnuts were a treat. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay for the awards. Three races in another state were still on the calendar for the day...
Running with the Band in Beulah Land 10.5KBeulah, GA50:42 PRAge Group: 2/3Overall: 6/33(Plaque)Notes: Having visited Beulah, Alabama, for three races in one day back in April, I was ready to give the courses another try. This time I got a little cooler weather to boot as I took the long drive to compete in the Running with the Band in Beulah Land races.
These races are hosted by R&SGGP points legend Roger Keel. The races are low key, but lots of fun. The points hound appear from all over to run the ever popular 10.5K (which I suspect is probably Roger's own invention) followed immediately by a 5K. There's also a non-points one-miler afterwards for serious masochists (yes, like me.)
The race starts in front of Beulah High School. The starting line, as usual, is a crack in the pavement. Only Roger knows for sure which crack is the starting line. I was suggesting that we just say no to crack, but Roger chose wisely to ignore me. He reminded the runners that folks in Beulah don't mind running over runners with their cars or setting their dogs on them. Nothing like interesting obstacles to liven up the day.
I actually really like the course. After the start we ran past the athletic fields and over a stretch of first gravel then hard packed dirt road. We returned to the main road, ran past the school, and continued a long way out to a turnaround. The race finished behind the school after a nice screaming descent. The school had added some speed bumps along this road since the April race. They managed to trip up a few runners along the way.
I ran this race rather strongly - especially after having done the earlier race. I finished with a 10.5K PR and a 6th overall finish. In the results area I was filling out my finishing card when I heard my name being discussed behind me. Funny enough, it was Daniel Butnaru and Dennis Kelly talking. These two gentlemen are chasing me in the Run & See standings. That's the only thing they're chasing me in - they both have speed that I can only dream about. It was a pleasure to get to meet Daniel finally after seeing his name in the standings for so long and to get to talk to Dennis again. Dennis was nice enough to win the overall award and remove himself from the age group awards. That helped me to a 2nd place finish.
Roger is great at providing just what is needed for a race: Gatorade, bottled water, cookies, bananas, a nice shirt, and indoor restrooms. Simple, but nicely done. The awards were attractive plaques too.
I tried to keep moving to keep my muscles from locking up for the 5K. I made laps around the school and waited for the chance to "toe the crack" again.
Running with the Band in Beulah Land 5KBeulah, GA24:19Age Group: 2Overall: 6/54(Plaque)Notes: The 5K is run on the same course - just a much quicker turnaround on the endless road. I ran surprisingly well on tired legs. The multiple races from earlier were definitely taking a toll on the points hounds. I managed to finish ahead of people I never beat - and be close to those who are usually off in the distance. Now I know how to beat them...just wait until after they have run 30K worth of races before I go up against them.
Once again I managed 6th overall and 2nd in my age group. Deja vu.
Running with the Band in Beulah Land 1-MilerBeulah, GA6:29 PRAge Group: 1/2Overall: 2/30?(Trophy)Notes: The points hounds wisely headed home after the 5K. I on the otherhand decided to run the 1-miler too. Why? Well, mainly because I rarely get a chance to run the mile. When a race has one it's usually just for the kids. I thought it might be fun to try the "sprint" distance again, although I admittedly wished I could have run this race first. My tired legs were feeling many things - fast was not one of them.
A small crowd gathered behind the school for this start. Roger abandoned his crack for a speed bump for the starting line this time. The course was still similar - out in front of the school, down the dirt road, turn around and finish down behind the school again.
We were off and I spent the first few steps dodging small children exuberantly participating in the 10-foot dash. I quickly distanced myself from most of the pack - only chasing two high school boys. I managed to pass both of them before the turnaround and laughed to find myself in the lead of a one-mile race again. This time the lead was short-lived. One of the high school runners had found a faster gear and left me in the dust. I turned up the speed a notch and tried to keep him in sight.
When we turned into the fast descent to the back of the school I started making up ground quickly. He seemed to be slowing so I went by him with a burst about 50 yards from the finish line. He was surprised to see me but not too surprised to turn on the afterburners and take off. I had nothing left to catch him with so followed across the finish line a few seconds behind. I congratulated him on his finishing kick. He seemed rather astonished to have found that final burst of speed. We chatted our way up the hill to the results area. I selected my first place age group trophy from an interested assortment of mismatched awards (yet all with accurate engraving). I love it - what a good use for leftover awards. I shamelessly chose the tallest trophy and dragged myself to the truck for a long drive home. As always, an enjoyable day of running in Beulah Land.
November 1
USMC Toys for Tots Trail Half-MarathonFarmington, GA2:14:41 Trail PRAge Group: 6/10Overall: 22/78(Finisher's Medal)Notes: The USMC Toys for Tots Half Marathon is held at the Oconee Heritage Park in Farmington, Georgia. The park has a giant agricultural arena and a few other small buildings and stables. Many other buildings and improvements are planned, but luckily for us miles of mountain bike trails are already there, ready for running.
This was a fairly small race with less than 100 runners participating. The amenities were quite good however: a nice technical t-shirt, good refreshments, indoor bathrooms, and a good facility. Runners were asked to bring a toy for the Toys for Tots campaign. I brought along a toy that I thought my youngest son would enjoy and was pleased to see that many of the runners came with a toy too. What a nice way to get an early jump on the holiday spirit!
The course was set up as a double loop with the beginning, middle, and end of the course run on the roads and grassy lawn of the park. The rest of the course followed the bike trails.
I enjoyed to fast section at the beginning of the race, but I really felt at home on the trails. After running some of the more vicious trail races in Georgia these trails were inviting indeed. In fact, they reminded me so much of the Pig Trails at the Georgia Industrial Children's Home in Macon. The Pig Trails are my home course where I do the bulk of my trail training. When I was by myself on the trails during this race, I felt like I was cruising through my own trails. What a wonderful way to run a race!
The field was small enough to be spread out pretty well after only a few miles. I rode in a train of runners for awhile near the beginning until Roger Keel, points hound extraordinaire, wiped out on the slippery leaves ahead. I stopped to make sure he was okay and the rest of the train came chugging past. Roger was fine and headed on down the trail after me. I tried to focus on not falling myself. The trails were not terribly hard, but they did have lots of washouts from the rain and plenty of roots and rocks to make things interesting. There were a few steep climbs, but they were very short and completely runnable.
I ran alone for most of the race and enjoyed it greatly. The day was perfect, nice cool weather with warm sun when you needed it. Heaven! I never even put on my headphones. Nature was music enough for me today. The recent rains had not beaten down all of the brightly colored fall leaves so there was plenty of visual beauty too.
The run around the perimeter of the complex was not the most interesting part of the race, but it did give me a little mental break from the trail running. Then it was back around for a second lap. I passed several people on this lap, feeling very strong and confident in my trail running. After yet another partial loop around the front of the park, I finished in 2:14 - a new trail half marathon PR. I was surprised to be given a nice spinning medal - another example of good amenities from a smaller race. There were plenty of post race goodies, led by pizza, gatorade, and bananas.
I was pleased to see a number of my friends having good races. Andi Berger won the overall women's award. Danny Dorminy finished his first trail race in style by winning his age group. Congratulations!
This is was really a delightful race. The only possible improvement I could suggest would be to expand the aid stations to include something other than just water. The water was fine for me (I carried a bottle of Powerade), but a little more would have gone a long way. Still, this has to rate up among my favorite trail races. I will be back.
October 31
Jay's Hope 5KMacon, GA23:35Age Group: 7/16Overall: 29/282Best Costume Winner!(Ceramic Medal, Candle)Notes: Jay's Hope had quite a different look this year as it moved into Amerson Water Works Park near the Ocmulgee River. The park was incredibly dark when I arrived. I made some lucky guesses at turns and found the large pavillion that was being used for registration and packet pick-up. With the darkness pressing in around the lighted shelter it felt like we were out in the wilderness instead of just a few blocks from Riverside Drive. The goody bags were nice custom-printed backpacks. T-shirts were colorful and quality as usual. I was a little disappointed that I had been given the wrong size. The organizers kindly offered to mail me the correct size, but I declined. I hated to cost them additional money when my t-shirts hardly get any wear anyway. Besides, the shirt was too large so I could still wear it.
After a warm-up around the dark asphalt and gravel access roads I headed back to my truck to transform into Tigger. The registration form had encouraged runners to wear costumes. Since I had told so many people about my Tigger costume (from my two Disney marathons) I felt I had to wear it. When I tried it on the night before I found that the shirt was comically large. Still, it had to be! I put on the orange running shirt with hand-painted stripes, attached tail (with new fur - the old didn't survive Disney too well), orange hat and gloves, black shorts, and Tigger ears. Luckily, my current road shoes just happen to be orange, silver, and black. Perfect! I had never tried running a fast race with the gear on. I hoped it wouldn't fly off!
I wandered around the starting area looking for the promised costume parade. I only saw a few other people in costume but could not figure out where I was supposed to go for judging. I was enjoying the many people who were amused by the costume. I posed for numerous pictures and was reminded of my Disney "rock star" status when running as Tigger. Most of the people with costumes took them off for the race. My costume was made for running, so I bounced my way to the line - along with many other people. Jay's Hope is really doing a good job at building the popularity of this race.
The race started at the bridge that led into the pavillion parking area. Steve Corkery warned us that the race crossed train tracks. The train line had promised to put a hold on the trains for the race, but we were reminded to be careful. I decided that getting run over by a train would not help me PR so hoped to avoid any close encounters of the railroad kind.
When the race started I was trapped in the pack. I need to start further up - I'm still not used to my faster status. I had the hardest time finding a path through the slower runners and made one of my classic mistakes. Whenever I feel held back by the starting pack I tend to explode out of it and run the first mile too fast. While I ran the first mile at my projected pace, it was really too fast for the conditions (very humid) and the surface (gravel road.)
We turned around at the Ocmulgee River and ran back up the gravel road. I was feeling the effort here and worked hard to maintain my pace. When we made it back to the asphalt again, I knew I was in trouble. There was no way I was going to be able to maintain the pace I wanted. I eased back a little and concentrated on running the roads as well as I could. I was passed by a few people in this section including fellow age-grouper Marcus Parker who ran a much smarter race than me today. He is doing a great job improving his pace!
I made it through the road section and back into the park. I was enjoying the variety of the course despite my pacing difficulties. We ran a short cross-country section that led us back to the bridge for the finish. My time was almost 40 seconds over my PR, but I did not feel terribly bad about it. I put in a strong effort on a surprisingly humid day. Only a few months ago I would not have even believed I could run this time. My friends joked with me that my Tigger ears and tail had increased my wind resistance and slowed my down. Hmmmm...sounds like a handy excuse! Poor pacing however had much more to do with it...
I finished 29th overall yet was still way back in my age group. Seems like the majority of the lead pack was 35-39 today. I enjoyed the great refreshments (including the ever-popular Chick-Fil-A biscuits. Yum!) and chatting with many running friends - and making some new ones. Many of us compared notes on the numerous upcoming marathons, half-marathons, and 50Ks.
I stayed for the awards to cheer on my friends. To my surprise, at the end of the ceremony I was awarded one of the two prizes for best costume. I received a nice candle and one of the beautiful ceramic star medals.
Jay's Hope really does a nice job on their race. They had lots of games for kids, several booths, and a great community spirit. The only difficulty seemed to be in getting people in and out of the parking lot. The race course effectively locked in the cars in both lots for the duration of the race. People seemed patient with waiting and the traffic flow resolved itself eventually. I'm not sure how to ease this problem, but I do hope they use Water Works Park again. I enjoyed the mixed surface race and hope to try it again next year.
October 24
Douglasville Moonlight 5KDouglasville, GA24:10Age Group: 7/45Overall: 80/620Notes: I generally dislike big races. Still, the allure of being able to run four races in one night lured me the 100 miles north to Douglasville. The frustration started early. The directions given by the race organizers were useless - the road we were told to take to the race start was closed. It took me the longest time to figure out how to get to where the race would start. I spent 30 minutes driving around - first trying to find the right road, then realizing it was the one blocked off, then trying to invent a new route in a city I knew nothing about. Fun. To make things more fun the race brochure said that packet pickup ended at 8:00 PM - an hour before the race. By the time I found a parking spot (quasi-legal, angled in by a police car) I was down to 5 minutes. I found the conference center and eased my way through the huge crowd. I need not have worried. Packet pickup continued right through to the race. The indoor registration area was nice with lots of volunteers. When I picked up my numbers, the volunteer told me I would need to find someone to explain how I got to the start. I was confused. I walked under the start banner just outside the conference center. I eventually figured out she was talking about the three "bonus" races I was running after the main run. Apparently they were being held off-site. This was news to me - and not particularly welcome. When I finally found someone to explain where the other races were I was given some vague directions about going back along I-20 several miles, exiting, and going north to a Harley-Davidson dealership. Apparently we were going to running through an industrial park at midnight. Fun.
At this point I was in no mood to warm up. I visited with many friends, including the Dorminy brothers. The points hounds were all here too, ready for four races in one night. It was getting quite chilly outside so I waited in the conference center, watching college football on a projection screen. About fifteen minutes before the race I headed outside to get acclimated.
During the hour before the race, numerous one-mile races and fun runs were going on. A live band blasted out tunes, competing with the race announcer's voice that blasted out of the speakers on the other side of the street. People were everywhere. The chaos felt like it was going to eat me alive. I was relieved to finally be able to line up on the street. I placed myself very near the front, having seen from previous years' results that I should be in the top fifth of race finishers at least. I was feeling a bit cold, despite my layers and gloves. The race announcer was trying to give instructions, but the speakers kept giving out and the band would not stop playing. Finally things were settled down enough to get the race started.
This was yet another double loop course - it's becoming an epidemic this fall. We started uphill towards the finish line then went into a screaming descent. I seemed to have picked my starting position well - few people passed me. The course toured a block of downhill turning into the infamous blocked road and heading up a long climb past the waiting crowd. We ran by the finish line again and were turned into a side road. No big downhill for us this time. Curses! I kept up a strong pace, now dodging the packs of walkers. I found some energy reserves for the final big climb and came across the line in the low 24s. Not bad for this course - and after a race this afternoon.
I did not stay for refreshments so I could remove myself quickly from my odd parking space and try to find the location of the next three races. While this was not my kind of race, the participants seemed to have a great time. It really was an event - families out for a fun evening. I appreciate this quality of the race, even though I never really felt part of it.
Douglasville $9.99 Points Race - 11:00 PMDouglasville, GA26:12Age Group: 1/2Overall: 9/30(Glow-in-the-dark Mug)October 25
Douglasville $9.99 Points Race - 12:00 AMDouglasville, GA28:55Age Group: 2/2Overall: 10/28Douglasville $9.99 Points Race - 1:00 AMDouglasville, GA30:09Age Group: 2/2Overall: 9/26Notes: I finally found the location of the $9.99 races after several mistakes. I sat in the abandoned parking lot of the Harley-Davidson dealership feeling more than a little uneasy about the whole affair. What was I doing? Why was I waiting for this insanity? I was tempted to drive off, despite having pre-registered for all three races. I decided to wait it out and see.
Eventually others arrived and started setting up the starting area. This motorcycle dealership has a very nice pavillion with fabric sides. The race organizers set up a table with bottled water and tons of yummy snacks - Moon Pies, cookies, animal crackers, and bananas. We each got a previous year's Moonlight 5K t-shirt with the promise of a glow-in-the-dark leftover mug as a prize for later. I started getting into the whole spirit of this madness. The 30 of us who showed up for these races were running for Run & See points only - no real prizes. Still, it became apparent that we were running for other reasons too. These people just love to run - and love to be with each other. I have noted the camaraderie between the points hounds on many locations. This night, huddled together in the cold at the improvised starting line, I felt it more than ever. I had added an extra layer of clothing and my hatlight. The Dorminy brothers had decorated me with a pair of Glo-Stick glasses. The glowing green frames put an eerie circle around everything I looked at. Apparently it looked even creepier to everyone else.
When the race started we began playing the "where does the course go" game. We had been given vague directions, but spent most of the time running through access roads, around warehouses, across loading docks, and who knows where all else. One part of the course was particularly confusing. George Southgate and I, along with a few other guys, figured out the correct path and ran it despite several of the earlier runners heading back in a shorter direction. We finished the run with a loop around the Harley dealership to a very low-key finish line.
Since there were only two people in my age group, I was not pushing for a terribly fast time. Good thing too. My legs were definitely in decline from the long day.
The following two races were an experiment in cold management. I would finish a race, eat a snack and rehydrate, then cover up in my truck with a dry towel. When I saw the group heading back to the starting line I would head back out into the cold. My clothes were getting damper and damper, so warming up proved to be quite a challenge. I spent quite a bit of time shivering uncontrollably at the start.
I ran the final two races with George Southgate. I had met George in passing at some earlier races but never had a chance to talk with him much. He and I traded marathon stories as we ran. He has run some incredible races! What a joy it was sharing the miles with him through the night. The talking made the time fly by as we eased out our miles.
I know we were all relieved to be able to say goodbye and head for warm vehicles and the promise of sleep. I really enjoyed this crazy little adventure - even if I didn't make it home until after 3 AM.
October 24
Rehab Road Race 10.5KCordele, GA45:29Age Group: 1Overall: 3(3rd Overall Male Trophy!)Notes: Ever have one of those races that just feels "not quite right" from the very beginning? That was my experience with the Rehab Road Race in Cordele, GA.
I was looking forward to this race - had in fact decided not to run a morning race to be ready for it. I have always enjoyed the Memorial Day race in Cordele and was expecting another fun time. Registration was held in a small strip mall not far from the sprawl of business that flank I-75. I was the first to pick up my packet. A race official explained to me that the course was a double loop with a small added section to add the extra half kilometer. All seemed normal until I read the instruction sheet she gave me more closely. Apparently they were allowing people to run the 5K and the 10.5K even though they started at the same time. No big shock - many races make this allowance. Their idea, however, was to have to doublers run through the chute after the 5K to get a finisher's card and then go back out and just finish the last lap to get the 10.5K. I was greatly annoyed by this. The double racers would be getting credit for two races without truly running two races. Now, I am very points conscious myself. I was tempted to go ahead and register for the 5K - heck, I would be getting an extra race without running a single extra step. Ultimately, I was too disgusted by the whole thing and decided to focus on running the 10.5K only.
I was very early so I made a quick trip to Wal-Mart to track down some spray sunscreen. The sun was out with a vengeance even though the air was crisp and cool. Perfect running weather. Upon returning to the start I found that the points hounds and Macon Tracks were out in force. I had a pleasant time visiting before the race - and even had a chance to turn my finishing card for the Home Run Run into Bo and Roger.
I was pleased to see that Jerome was running today. Not only is he a very friendly and supportive runner, he also runs a slightly faster pace for me and makes a perfect focus for me off in the distance. I planned to run a strong pace and try to keep him in sight.
The race started and we were off and flying. My legs felt great - apparently the race yesterday afternoon shook off the rust from my illness. I fell into a strong pace easily and focused on keeping my breathing strong. The course was fairly non-descript - quiet residential streets and a tour of several local schools - but had a nice blend of rolling hills. This is the kind of course I really enjoy: plenty of hills to keep me interested, but not enough to really change my pacing.
I made the turn to end the first loop in very fast time. Too fast. The 5K was short a few tenths apparently. I was a little disappointed to not be running through the chute with such a fast (although completely bogus) time, but focused on running strong past the chute. The double racers were entertaining to watch as they tried to figure out what to do with their finisher cards while they ran the second lap. I managed to catch up to Jerome while he performed the card trick (he had pulled away over the last mile or so). Most of the second lap was spent running with Jerome and Cheryl Vail. I eventually passed Jerome and focused on trying to stay within sight of Cheryl. I knew from past races that she got stronger down the stretch. She would be a good rabbit, I thought, to help me keep my pace.
I was really feeling the effort as I tried to keep the final miles at a sub-8:00 pace. I was tasting another PR when a race volunteer turned me into the small square that would give me the extra half kilometer. I came into the finishing stretch stronger than ever, keeping a sub-7:00 pace over most of the last mile. I came across the line at a shocking 45:29. Just like last week, I knew something was fishy. That time would be good enough to take more than 3 minutes off my 10K PR, let alone the 10.5K. The Garmin once again was the bearer of bad news: short, short, short. I mean REALLY short - about .7 miles. Ouch.
I was so grumpy over the short course that I barely noticed the number on my finisher's card: 4. A top-5 finish. Not bad, I thought - even if it was a small race. Slowly it dawned on me - Cheryl had finished before me. That meant I was a top-3 men's finisher. A quick glance at the trophy table showed me that this race was awarding overall prizes down to 3rd place. Unreal. I was going to get one of those big overall trophies for the first time.
While I waited for awards I enjoyed the wonderful spread of refreshments: fresh pineapple, bananas, pastries, crackers, and Zaxby's chicken strips. They had plenty of canned Gatorade and bottled water nice and cold too. The gym in the strip mall was sharing their bathrooms, so good facilities were close at hand. All of these things were handled very nicely.
I was getting nervous that I was going to have to leave before awards (4 more races to get to this evening!) but they timed out just right. I picked up the beautfiul patriotic trophy, said a quick goodbye to my friends, and headed back north.
In a funny way, I felt rewarded for not signing up for the fake 5K. If I had gone through the chute, I would have slowed down and might not have been able to eventually move into third place. Even though I would have taken second place in my age group for the 5K, I felt more than ever that I made the right choice.
The Rehab Road Race really has a lot of potential. So much was done well. I hope they get the course corrected for next year - and make a wiser choice about how to handle double races.
October 23
Home Run Run 5KMacon, GA24:24Age Group: 2/2Overall: 16/66Notes: A wacky race from the same people who brought you the Good Friday 11K and an endless series of unusual and amusing races. Points hounds Roger Keel and Bo Ryles came up with quite an interesting idea this time. What if they held a race that every participant ran on their own home course? The answer...the Home Run Run. I was so amused when I read about it online, I had to give it a try.
The way it worked was simple: pre-register, choose an accurate 5K course, run the race, fill out a finisher's card, send the finisher's card in to Roger and Bo. I decided, for better or worse, to run the infamous hills of Lake Wildwood. It certainly would not give me any advantages, but it is my home course. I did try to lay out the 5K in a way that would give me the most help. I started the course on the top of the hill, ran the long loop twice, and added a fast finishing leg downhill Saddlehorn. Still, not an easy course by any stretch of the imagination.
I did a normal warm up and took my place at the "start line". I knew it was going to feel weird to be running a race by myself. I enjoyed the downhill start and got into my low-7:00s pace easily. It felt strange to be running so fast on a course that I rarely use for anything other than slow training runs. As I finished the first mile I could feel the humidity closing in on me. It wanted to rain and the air was very thick. After several cool, crisp days the contrast was brutal.
I quickly realized that I would not be able to be quite as fast as I had hoped. I focused on maintaining as strong a pace as possible. As I turned into the downhill section for the second time I found another challenge: traffic. I had the two closest calls I have had with cars since running. One car nearly sent me flying off the road. Luckily, I was alert and kept out of harm's way. I did feel a bit shaky from the close calls.
As I made the final turn into the downhill finish I found I had company: several of the local walkers. I was trying to put all I had into the finish while also keeping an eye on my Garmin to know exactly where the finish line was. I dodged through a group of chatting walkers just before the magical 3.1 came up on the GPS. I must have looked very strange to the walkers. One moment I was tearing down the hill, trying not to plow into them. The next second I was turning around, walking calmly up the hill back to home. We exchanged pleasantries, but they certainly were giving me an odd glance or two.
My sore glut was making itself known as I walked back to my house. I was pleased to run in the low 24s without anyone physically around to push me. This really reminded me that despite my preference for running alone, I always run my best in the presence of others. How did I do in the race? Who knows? I'm looking forward to finding out when Bo and Roger post the results in a few days.
October 17
Tanger Outlets 5KLocust Grove, GA21:52Age Group: 1/9Overall: 13/200+(Award Medal, Finisher's Medal)Notes: This was definitely one of the more odd races I have run this year. I suspected this might be an interesting race from some past observations of other races. When businesses - especially large, multi-state ones - try to host a race, weird things happen. For some reason businesses seem less likely to look for help in the right places. Mix in the fact that the company, Tanger Outlet Stores, was hosting 5Ks in its locations across the country - all for the first time - and you have the recipe for a unique morning.
Unique it was. First and foremost, the weather had taken a serious turn for the colder. This was strange for mid-October and the biting wind that blew constantly made it even worse. With my recent weight loss I was not prepared with cold weather gear that fits, so I had to improvise from what I had. I love cold-weather running, but it always challenges me to find the right combination of layers to be warm...but not too warm. Quite a test for this Florida boy. I settled on a form fitting base layer under a singlet with shorts and a double layer of gloves. This combo worked great - this week, anyway.
The race had a ton of volunteers and they were there very early to enjoy a buffet put on for them by Waffle House. Nice. I grabbed my number and nice red shirt from the tent in the middle of the Tanger Outlets parking lot and asked directions to the nearest bathroom. They had the outlet bathrooms open - nice facilities for the race. In fact, all of the amenities were very nicely handled.
We gathered for the singing of the national anthem and a quick briefing on the course. Apparently we were going to run three laps around the outlet mall, enjoying the lovely scenery of the backs of stores. I had run this exact path during my warm-up not realizing it would be the entire course. Well, I thought, at least it's really flat. The race field seemed to have a lot of people planning to walk. It dawned on me that my second and third laps would be a running version of the slalom. I would have an endless sea of walkers to pick my way through. Fun.
I started very near the front - unusual for me in a race with more than 200 people in it. About 20 of us broke free at the start and whipped around the side of the complex. The cold wind was really whipping back here as i fought (as usual) to get my pace settled somewhere safe. I had started around a 6:45 pace (again!) but dragged myself back to a more manageable pace in the low 7:00s. A consistent challenge of this race was proving to be the speed bumps. There were 12 of them in all, the race director had told us at the starting line. There were - 12 each lap for a total of 36. They weren't high, but they were a constant concern.
My first lap went well but I was forced to slow down a bit on the second lap as I dodged my way through the walkers and tried to get on a decent pace. I was trying to stay sub-7:30 to have a chance to PR. The second lap proved a bit of a struggle pace-wise, but I finally locked into a comfortable fast speed and stayed there.
The volunteers were great - very vocal and strategically placed around the course. They really made us feel like we were accomplishing something grand. A big thanks to all of them for excellent support of all participants.
I still felt strong on the last lap and decided to try to reel in a group of gentlemen who passed me on the initial lap. I caught one gentleman quickly and then settled into pursuit of the last two. I spotted one of my rabbits far in front of me and gunned it down the final straight-away. I caught him about 6 feet before the finish line with what my Garmin said was a sub-5:00 sprint. Wow. Who would have ever thought I could go that fast!
More shocking was my announced time when I came across the line: 21:52. I could not believe it. Another PR by more than a minute? While I was expecting a PR with such a flat, easy course a time this low was not to be believed. I glanced at my Garmin and was rewarded with the bad news I expected: the course was 3 miles, dead on. Apparently the memo never got to corporate about the extra .1 miles required for a 5K. I was pleased at my time, but knew that I could not count such a short race as a PR. Making this more frustrating was the fact that at my average pace I would have taken 15 seconds or more off my PR on a correctly measured course. Disappointing, but a good harbinger of future times.
The finish line was a bit wacky. There was no card finish, no timing chips, only a lady at a table writing down bib numbers. I didn't see anyone with any sort of timing device, but noticed a gentleman sitting in a nearby vehicle busy with a laptop. Apparently he was the timer. I was curious to see how this system would work.
It took a long time for the race to wind to an end. The huge number of walkers fought their way through the cold while I enjoyed the many food options and vendor booths. I picked up my finisher's medal and goody bag. A good thing about multi-site corporate races is their ability to get really nice medals since they are ordering in such bulk. While a finishers medal for a 5K seems a little silly, I thought it was a quality award.
I was getting quite chilled waiting for the results. This began an endless walk between my truck and the awards stage trying to stop shivering. I put on more clothes, warmed myself in the truck, but would immediately get chilled when I went to see if the awards were starting. Eventually the results were posted on a small bulletin board. My time was different on the results than what I had timed - 8 seconds slower. Still, it looked like I was going to win my age group with a 13th overall placement (a faster runner in my age group took 3rd overall.) We waited even more for the awards.
The awards were a bit of a comedy of errors with males being announced for female awards, awards be given to teens first then going up to the masters runners yet ending with the children. There were many miscues and numerous huddles between the MC and the timer. The longest pause was right before my age group. They finally announced that the 3rd overall gentleman had wom my age group only to take the medal from him a minute later and give it to me once they realized the error. I decided I had frozen enough and headed for home, taking another beautiful medal with me.
I must say, the race had a very warm spirit. The organizers could hae benefitted by consulting with one of the well-established finish line services, but they managed a pretty good race despite the errors. The volunteers were great - the real highlight of this race.
October 11
Mystery Mountain MarathonChatsworth, GA6:19:15 TRAIL PROverall: 41/63(Finisher's Glass)Notes: One of the hardest races I have ever run. Massive climbs, painful descents - I even had a really hard fall. Still, the scenery was absolutely beautiful, the weather had that taste of fall, and the other runners were a constant joy. GUTS always puts on a great race - this is no exception. They did wind up making the course 1.5 miles too long (as they fixed the course that was 2 miles short last year.) I still managed a trail marathon PR.
October 10
Take Back the Night 5KMilledgeville, GA22:58Age Group: 3/4Overall: 17/106(Plaque)Notes: Perfect small race - great food, course, measurement, scoring - you name it. Add in a ton of Tracks, good music, and so much more and you have quite a wonderful race. I almost matched my PR even though this course is considerably harder than Plains.
Take Back the Night 10.5KMilledgeville, GA55:47 PRAge Group: 3/4Overall: 14/48(Plaque)Notes: See notes for the 5K - only add in the one of the greatest courses ever. Beautiful views of the lake, some hills for interest, really just a great time. I ran this one easily - almost as a recovery run from the effort on the 5K. Many other people were doing the same thing - hence the slower times.
October 2
24-Hour Tour d'EspritMemphis, TN21:17:1963 milesAge Group: 1/11Overall: 7/334(Framed Certificate, Hat, Backpack, Cookbook)Notes: Another great Tour d'Esprit. More to come...hopefully!
September 26
Plains Peanut Festival 5KPlains, GA22:57 PRAge Group: ? (>3)Overall: 40/???Notes: Considering I only decided a week ago to run the Plains Peanut Festival 5K it was somewhat amazing the importance of this race to me. Jimmy Carter has been a personal hero of mine since I was in the 1st grade. For the first time I had some idea of what the Presidential election was all about. My father was crazy for the smiling peanut farmer from Plains, Georgia, and passed his enthusiasm on to me. I remember how excited I was in school the next day after Carter had won the election. I have followed President Carter's career my whole life, being more and more impressed and inspired by his honesty, compassion, numerous good deeds, and perpetual concern for all people. Whether or not one agrees with his politics, here is a man to be admired. The thought that I could actually have a chance to meet the man, let alone receive a running award from him, had me beside myself with anticipation.
Plains is a tiny town with a small, one-sided downtown and numerous peanut processing facilities. I knew the race started at the police station and found it easily. What I did not find easily was a place to park. Few people were there early in the morning, but many of the roads were roped off. I parked at an old gas station planning to walk over and ask about parking. To my surprise, I found that I parked at Billy Carter's old filling station - well known from media reports from the election and now a small museum. I picked up my race packet and was directed to a field behind the station for parking. I found out later that I my parking spot in the field was right by the starting line. How convenient!
The t-shirt from this race is incredibly. Definitely the best so far this year. It is a coral-colored shirt with a picture of a peanut plant on the front. The roots of the plant are visible underground on the shirt and small peanuts are visible growing on the roots. These peanuts are a bit unusual - they have arms and legs! Some of the nuts have broken free and are climbing out of the ground to start running. It's very striking - not to mention funny and just plain good looking.
The race started on a side street just past the police station. A good number of people turned out for the race - probably between 150-200. I was definitely starting to worry about placing in my age group. This is usually not a concern for me, but I also usually do not have the chance to get an award from President Carter! I decided I would start a bit nearer the front and absolutely give everything I had. I was going to PR in the race or have to drag myself over the finish line.
While I met many nice people at the race (including Johnny Hinman, a newer member of the Tracks) I found the behavior of some of the people at the starting line a touch rude. Numerous people pushed in front of me. One man did it twice - after I had moved to a different part of the starting area he decided again that he wanted to be in front of me. Apparently, I look even slower than I am. I decided instantly that I would beat him. A petty thought, but satisfying at the time.
The race started and was the usual mess for the first quarter-mile or so. I left my pushy friend in the dust as soon as I could get around him - as well as the other people who pushed past me. I knew the course was flat from my warm-up run so concentrated on getting a strong pace set up. As usual, it took about a mile to get into a good pace. The first mile was too fast, but not so fast that I would suffer for it later. I kept up the pace, turned down water at the turn, and focused on keeping my breathing even and strong. I ran once again without my earphones. While I sometimes miss the music, I love how in tune I feel with my body and the people around me without the constant aural distraction.
The hard pace was starting to wear on me and so was the heat - the sun had come up with a vengeance. I pushed around the final turns into the 1/10 mile straight-away into the finish line. I was distracted for a few seconds by the battle between the first two women for first place overall. When I glanced up at the clock I saw that it was closing in on 23 minutes. I thought I was seeing things. I actually had a chance to finish in the 22s? Unbelievable! I starting sprinting with everything I had left and crossed the line at 22:57. I also nearly killed the second place women's finisher who was ambling her way through the chute. Luckily I managed to stop in time, still amazed at my time.
Sadly, 22:57 was not fast enough. Third place in my age group finished at just over 20 minutes. I would have won or placed in nearly every other age group but my own. Typical. Still, it was hard to be too disappointed at taking more than 30 seconds off my PR and breaking the 23 minute barrier.
I walked over to the old train depot (Jimmy Carter's campaign headquarters during the 1976 elections) and waited for the awards. I got up close to the stage and was amazed to see the former president right there. I did not get a chance to shake his hand but was able to listen to him talk to the crowd with the kindness and humor I knew from his many television appearances. As a group we had a chance to wish him a happy 85th birthday (coming up next week.) How amazing to see this living legend be a part of his hometown's small civic festival! I was honored to be a part of the audience and will work even harder to be on that platform with President Carter next year.
Dutchtown Dash Trail 5KHampton, GA25:57 TRAIL PRAge Group: 1Overall: 3Notes: It looked for awhile like this race would never happen.
I had journeyed up to Hampton, Georgia, to run the Dutchtown Dash. This was a new race started by Tony Edmondson. I met Tony at his Hornet Hustle race last year and have chatted with him at several races. He moved to a new school (he's an elementary PE teacher now) and created a new race to support Dutchtown Elementary. I wanted to support his new race and, besides, I love a good trail run.
Torrential rains were hitting the area. I ran my warm-up in some light rain, but it became quite a downpour by the time 6:00 PM - the original race time - rolled around. With lightning flashing, Tony did not want to start the race. He decided to run the fun run inside the school gym. The kids ran 16 laps to equal a mile. It looked like something out of roller derby or short track speed skating. Those of us who were waiting to run the 5K were starting to get nervous. Would we have to run 50 laps around the gym to complete our race? I had visions of losing my balance and slamming into walls and other runners. I started making constant trips to the doorway to urge the weather to clear. If I new an un-lightning dance, I would have done it.
After awhile, Tony asked me what I would do in his situation. I told him the danger of running the race indoors with slippery turns and crowded conditions seemed even more likely to cause an injury than running outside in the storm. Tony quickly made the decision to start the race outside and the weather rewarded us with the lightning fading away and the rain settling down to a drizzle.
We started at 6:40 PM, 40 minutes late but thankfully funning outside! The course took us around the outside of an athletic field. A little ways ahead of me, Andrea Berger tripped and fell, catching herself with a beautiful sideways roll. I was cheering the graceful save even as I tried to avoid duplicating it.
We continued around the school and finally into a cut trail that wandered by the edge of the woods. What was a pretty dry course during my warm-up was now practically a river. Deep puddles were everywhere, slippery mud was a given, and even simple tasks (like jumping over a large fallen log) took on additional difficulty. I was amazed by the pace I was keeping. Nothing like a road race to be sure but a real improvement from my old trail times. Add in the difficulty of the puddles and muddy terrain and the pace seems even better.
The course continued around a retaining pond and then headed towards the woods. On the way we ran through some DEEP puddles. They looked ankle deep until you stepped in practically up to your knees. The course certainly wasn't boring - the rain made sure of that!
The trail led us into pine woods (my favorite part) that led back to the school. We then ran the cut trail/retaining pond/woods loop again before finishing back at the athletic fields.
I managed to finish under 26 minutes - not bad considering the course and conditions. I was third overall, 1st in my age group. To be honest, there was not a lot of competition by the time the race began. Still, you can only race against the people who are there. I proudly collected my 1st place magnet (original!) at the informal award ceremony.
While I enjoyed this race, I hope Tony and his colleagues at Dutchtown Elementary are able to get the word out a ltitle more next year. I did not see the race listed on many race calendars. I know some of the GUTS foks would have been up for a quick trail run. Hopefully they will be part of a growing race next year.
Dutchtown Dash 1-MilerHampton, GA7:44Age Group: 1Overall: 1Notes: A minute before the Dutchtown Dash 1-Mile race was to start, Tony Edmondson invited any of the 5K runners who were interested to join in the race. I immediately ran to set my water bottle down by the baseball backstop. I rarely run the mile, so this sounded like fun. My legs were tired, my feet were wet, but another race is just too tempting to resist. Andi decided to join in too - and she had already taken off her shoes.
The course was three laps of the athletic fields the 5K had started from. I let the group of kids start first and hurried along after them. I was teasing them about letting the old fat guy pass them. Once of them, huffing and puffing, told me he really didn't care - as long as he got to rest.
Strangely enough, I started getting into this little race. I picked off the faster runners until I was in front. I am not used to being at the front of a race. The little group of people at the start cheered on the overgrown kid in first place as I finished my first lap. I was so amused by this whole scene that I decided to stay in front. I kept well ahead of the pack and managed to win my first race. I took the finisher's card with some bemusement, knowing the race awards would properly go to the kids anyway. Still, how often can I win a race? This was a nice bit of fun to end a soggy evening of running.
September 19
Buggython 10KBarnesville, GA50:17Age Group: 1/3Overall: 15/57(Medal)Notes: I truly love this race. Everything is well organized with plenty of parking and room at the old Lamar County football stadium. The course is rolling and scenic with residential areas, a large cemetery, the campus of Gordon College, and other sites. People sit on their front porches and cheer runners on -- one of the greatest parts of small town races. In case that's not enough, the whole thing is tied in with one of those charming civic festivals - in this case the Buggy Days in Barnesville.
This was my third time running the Buggython, and I desperately wanted to run it well. The first run was decent, but I suffered at the hands of the hill on the 6th mile. Last year I ran a much smarter race, saved some oomph for the hill, and managed to squeak out a third place finish in my age group. After my success at Labor Day, I wanted more this year.
The race is started by the earth-shaking BOOM of a cannon. There is absolutely NO missing this start! I went out pretty fast at the beginning. I had to decided to follow Macon Tracks friend Jerome for a little while even though I knew the folly of it. Jerome is faster than me, after all. But, as I discovered last week, just keeping a fast friend in view way off in the distance can really help me in a race. We slalomed through the runners - the combination of two races, walkers, and numerous newcomers to racing made for some interesting moments. After a mile and a half the 5Kers turned back leaving the lonely roads to us.
The course is seriously rolling. There always seems to be another hill to run up or down around every corner. None of it is terribly hard, but taken together it makes for an interesting course. I was managing to keep to my pace, aiming for another sub-50 finish.
I was managing to keep Jerome in sight as I reeled in several other runners. I reminded myself to hold back some energy for the hill on the 6th mile. I did not want to lose a good run there! When I came to the hill I powered up it and passed another runner. He and I exchanged a few winded pleasantries, and I continued to pick up the pace.
As I started to final loop around the football complex, I was reminded at how well the Buggython does the little things by the split caller at the 6-mile mark. Split callers are becoming rare these days, anyway. Having one that close to the finish is unreal and appreciated. All of the volunteers on this race were really first rate.
I continued to pick up speed and realized that I had managed to close within a few seconds of Jerome. There was no chance to catch him, but I was pleased to have kept up with him during the race. I came across the line just a little over 50 minutes. As usual the Buggython was long. Why have a certified course if you are not going to use the proper markings? Oh, well - as all the runners said at the finish: "We all ran the same course."
I had another quick talk with the runner I passed on the final hill. He congratulated me on how I ran the second half of the race. This really meant a lot to me - especially since the latter halves of races have generally been my downfall. Hopefully I have that problem fixed!
During the award ceremony I had another surprise. I won my age group. Second place? The gentleman I passed on the hill. Part of me was amused that I had managed to finish ahead of someone who had a more traditional runner's build and longer legs than me. Hill training works! Along with the satisfaction of winning my age group (a rare feat for me) I also received the wonderful artisan made ceramic medal. I love these awards and was so proud to add another one to my collection.
September 12
Race for Camp Little ShotMacon, GA23:31 PRAge Group: 5/13Overall: 25/219Notes: I love the cause supported by the Run for Camp Little Shot. This 5K raises money to run a summer camp for kids with diabetes. The kids make the awards for the run and several of them are at the race. The people are great, good amenities, and race timing by the incomparable Steve Corkery. The t-shirt this year depicts theatre masks running! (If ever a shirt was made for me...) What is there not to like?
Well, last year I would have said "the course."
The Little Shot course is a salute to rolling hills without the beautiful scenery that often accompanies elevation changes. Runners get a view of various medical clins and small businesses and then a long out and back on a thoroughly non-descript tree-lined road with overgrown shoulders. The course beat me down last year and, to be honest, I was not overly enthusiastic about running it today. Still, the great cause and wonderful people brought me back.
I have been trying lately to buy more into the experience of running. I was forced to run Labor Day without my earphones simply because there was no time to put them on. I had a great experience listening to and regulating my breathing, talking with other runners, and enjoying the ambient sounds around me. I decided to try it again today to see if it would help me run fast on this seriously rolling course. Amazingly enough it did!
I spent most of the race trying to keep an eye on Terry Patterson. Terry is several minutes faster than me, but I figured if I could keep him in sight I would be doing well. Incredibly, I was running the hills very strongly. My pace would drop, but not nearly as far as I had feared. I was also able to recover at the beginning of hills and then really up the pace as I continued to come down. Claudia Ayerdi and I were passing each other back and forth as she ran with a stroller! The pace she kept up hills pushing that thing was unbelievable. I'm not sure I could even make it up the hill pushing one of those! She was first female. Unreal.
I kept my pace strong until the end, managed to pass several runners I usually finish behind, and had a nice little race to the finish with Marcus Parker. I had a little extra in the tank to hold him off today, but it was a near thing.
Speaking of near things, I managed to PR on this hilly course! Only by 4 seconds or so, but I'm not complaining! I'm starting to wonder if I run hills better than I do flats. Hmmmm. I haven't run a flat course in so long that I'm really not sure.
I was disappointed to not place in my age group today and get one of the cool bulletin boards the kids made out of ceiling tiles. Fun stuff!
September 7
Labor Day Road Race 10KMacon, GA49:00 PRAge Group: 19/43Overall: 143/478Notes: I am always impressed by how well this huge race comes together - especially knowing everything that goes on in the months leading up to it. I enjoy being the start captain for the Labor Day Road Race 10K - even if it does mean I am sitting out in the middle of a Dairy Queen parking lot before 5 AM. This year I was not nearly as stressed before the run. I figured I had handled any problems last year, I should (hopefully) be able to manage it again this year. Thanks to a few dedicated volunteers (thanks, guys!) everything went quite smoothly.
This year I promised I would do a better job on getting the starter's pistol and bullhorn into my truck faster after I started the race. I was impressed by how well the crowd had lined themselves up for the start. I barely needed to set up a seeding system. After firing off the gun I managed to throw everything in my truck and start running in about 30 seconds. Not bad! Of course, I was getting razzed by my friends as they ran by me. I made it to the timing mats right after the last member of the pack crossed over.
I quickly passed by about half of the runners and settled into a focused run. Much like last year, being able to just be a runner again was amazing. I was determined not to get taken out by the hill at Napier so calmed my passing fun and made it strongly up the skill. I was so pumped that I let my speed get a little out of hand coming down the other side - so much for perfect negative splits. I got back into my plan around the half-way point.
I really enjoyed every moment of the run. I intentionally ran without headphones this time. While the final reasoning was that I did not have time to really put them on anyway, I also wanted to be able to talk to my many friends running and watching the race. Joking about the hills, exchanging good mornings with the spectators, enjoying the electronic encouragements of the Georgia School for the Blind sign together - these moments were wonderful. I need to leave the headphones behind more often!
As we came up to the hill just past I-75 I joked with the people around me about needing an escalator. In truth, i felt great. I kept a strong pace up the hill and allowed myself enough time on the downslope to get my breathing under me again. I ran with Brad Thompson, a colleague from FPD, as we came by the Medical Center. I then met up with a pleasant gentleman with a charming British dialect. We joked our way through the screaming downhill of downtown Macon. We dsicovered that we both had the same goal - breaking 50 minutes. We kept urging each other on. The humor he brought to my final miles was a major joy of the day. I wish I had thought to ask his name!
As we approached the finish line I turned up the speed a bit. janet, Luke, and Caedmon were cheering from the side of the road - always a special treat for me. I gave a quick acknowledgement and then tried to get myself across the line as quickly as possible. I was amazed to see that I was under 50 minutes - gun time! My chip time, thanks to having to put stuff back in the truck after the start, was even faster. When the adjusted times came out I learned that I taken 2:19 off my brand new PR from Jim Herrin. Astounding! I wonder how long these massive PRs will last!
I barely had time to stop after the race to visit with a few friends before my family and I headed over to the track for the fun run. Once again I was going to have the chance to escort Luke in another race!
Labor Day Road Race Fun RunMacon, GA14:53Luke has been running well in training in preparation for a second go at the Labor Day Fun Run. This year we made it to the starting line on time. Luke and I did some silly warm-ups as we waited to start the race. Then we were off! Luke did a great job of staying on pace. I ran about a 13:00 minute pace and encouraged Luke to stay right beside me. Most of the race we ran holding hands. He needed a few walk breaks along the way, but largerly he kept running. He came across the finish line around 10 minutes faster than last year! He was so proud to have Mommy and Caedmon cheering for him on the sidelines - as well as his new medal. I was even prouder of him! What a great race - especially for someone with very small legs!
September 5
Butterfly Dreams 5KWatauga, GA23:37 PRAge Group: 7/8Overall: 50/222Notes: I did not finally decide to run the Butterfly Dreams 5K until the night before. Watkinsville is at the far end of the range I like to drive for a race. Still, I only had two options for races and wanted to try something new. Butterfly Dreams it was.
Registration was well organized with a nice indoor facility at Briarwood Baptist Church. Classic Race Services was managing the race, so things were in good hands. Truth be known, the fact that the CRS folks were timing this race played into me coming here in the first place. Accurate and fast results, good organization, no-nonsense starting lines - those things get my vote everytime.
I'm glad I got a quick preview of the course during my warm-up. The race was quite rolling, maybe venturing slightly into the hilly category. It started with a blazing downhill that promptly blew my well-laid pacing plans to rest. There for awhile I thought I was going to run my first sub-7 mile at the beginning of a 5K. Not too smart. I wised up enough to only finish 45 seconds or so faster than my goal pace for the first mile and promptly dragged myself back onto the plan. I feared that I may have done myself in for the finish, but I concentrated on getting some recovery on the downhills and not just trying to kill them for speed. I had a clean turn-around and prepared myself to run up the same hill I had so much fun on earlier - in the opposite direction.
Amazingly, the hill was not nearly as difficult as I had feared. I had plenty left to enjoy the short downhill section through the parking lot to the finish line. I was astonished to yet again have a PR. As I said to the other folks filling out their finishing cards, "I really need to stop getting used to PRing every time I run a race." That being said, I'll enjoy the fruits of my weight loss and improved training as long as I can!
Good refreshments after the race and a few Macon Tracks friends to visit with made for a pleasant end to a good race. No hardware for me today - all the fast 30-somethings apparently had nothing better to do today than to come run the Butterfly Dreams 5K. My PR time was good enough for 7th in my age group - a nice reminder that I still have a lot of work left to do!
August 23
ECR Software Watauga Youth Run: East Site 35.3MBoone, NC7:59:42Overall: 1(Finisher's Dogtags)Notes: I had the pleasure of meeting Matt Jenkins over a year ago when he drove down from North Carolina to run the inaugural Make It By Midnight Marathon. With his friendly nature, numerous tattoos, and (so the ladies tell me) extreme good looks he made quite the impression on everyone at the race. He wound up winning Make It By Midnight – and winning many new friends as well.
Over the next year I ran into Matt regularly. Since we are both Marathon Maniacs and serial ultramarathoners, we were bound to wind up running together again. He waited after his finish at the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon to cheer me home to a PR. I returned the favor at Museum of Aviation when he was having a rough day. We both ran endless laps around the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve in 90 degree weather during the brutal Hot to Trot 8-Hour Race.
We are also regular readers of each others’ running blogs. I am always fascinated by Matt’s tales of running marathons barefoot or in socks. Matt is a former marine and likes to make things as extreme for himself as possible. He also enjoys the attention – much as I do in my career in the theatre.
I was not surprised to read on Matt’s blog that he was planning to run three races totaling over a hundred miles on three consecutive Sundays in August. What did catch my attention was the cause. Matt works for Western Youth Network (WYN), an organization that provides after-school programs for middle school students in Watauga County, North Carolina. WYN is facing quite a dilemma: grants they rely on to keep afloat – totaling more than $100,000 – have been eliminated. Similar organizations in North Carolina closed their doors when the cuts came down. WYN is trying to keep its doors open, trying to continue serving the children of Watauga County. Matt’s three runs were designed to raise money for WYN and, more importantly, raise awareness of the crisis the organization is facing. Inspired by similar runs across the country, Matt designed a route that would take him to every school and site served by WYN across the county. The first day would take him 20.2 miles to the two major sites used for the after school programs. The next Sunday would tour the schools on the east side of Watauga to the tune of 35.3 miles. The final day would finish the school tour with 53.2 miles to the schools in the west. If that wasn’t hard enough, the runs would be done on busy roads with no street closures with limited aid spread out in some cases more than 9 miles apart. Watauga County is the home of Boone – and its mountains – so the courses would be difficult indeed.
I was moved by the cause and Matt’s efforts to help. As an educator I felt deeply the need for the services WYN provides. I have also been re-evaluating myself as a runner lately. I feel that I am too selfish, not volunteering enough, relying on the good nature of others for my hobby to flourish. For once, I wanted to fully help with a cause in which I believed. I contacted Matt and told him I wanted to run with him. I offered to run either the 35.3 or 53.2 mile legs. Matt, being quite worried about the safety of the 53.2, encouraged me to run the dangerous (but less suicidal) 35.3 miler.
On Saturday, August 22, I made the 6+ hour journey to Boone, NC. Matt took my three drop bags to schools at roughly 9-mile intervals. I tried to get some sleep and prepare myself for the rigors of the run ahead.
I was surprised to find that I was the only person running the full distance with Matt. Other people had committed only to back out again. I know Matt didn’t blame them. The course, in theory, looked brutal: massive elevation drops and gains, busy roads, limited sidewalks and narrow shoulders, and a huge number of people in town as students returned to the local Appalachian State University. At 7:00 AM Matt and I ran up the first of many hills away from the WYN Headquarters and through the beautiful college town atmosphere of Boone.
I am not used to running with someone. I train alone and rarely feel comfortable even pacing with someone in a race. Yet the purpose of this run was to be a visible group moving through the county with an important cause to share. As Matt and I ran the difficult climb up to Blowing Rock, NC, we talked constantly. The miles flew by. I could not believe how fast we were running – and how easily the hills were disappearing behind us. Matt and I both apparently have a similar problem with pride and stubbornness. Neither of us was willing to let the other know when we needed to slow down. When we realized we were doing this, we laughed about it and started owning up to needing breaks now and then. Still, we cruised into the first school way ahead of schedule.
We were joined there by Ronnie and Gina Holste, a husband and wife training for a half-marathon. Ronnie works with Matt at WYN and had wisely planned to run the most downhill leg with us. The camaraderie was amazing as we sped down the hills, dodging traffic and enjoying the cool mountain air. The Holstes got caught up in the excitement of the run and ran past their parked car and on with us to the next school.
For the remainder of the run, Matt and I largely ran alone. I was struck by the differences in the schools we visited: from the beautiful facility in the resort town to the rural charter school on the gravel road with portable classrooms, all of these places share a need that WYN fulfills.
As we ran the final 8 miles to the finish I watched the reactions of the people around us. Some seemed impressed by these two crazy men running up the mountain – especially the one with the tattoos without shoes. Every now and then a driver would call to us or someone would drive by cheering. A small group was waiting outside a natural grocery store to boisterously cheer us on to the finish.
Matt encouraged me to sprint on ahead at the finish. He wanted me to be the first finisher in his race much as he had been the first finisher of Make It By Midnight. I accepted the honor, but felt that he really should have been the first across.
This was one of the most unusual races of my life. Only two people ran the entire distance. Very few people watched it. Most probably thought it was just two guys with a running death wish. Only two people were at the finish line – and one was Shannon, Matt’s wife. Yet this run has caught the attention of many people. Matt has raised more than $4,000 for WYN through donations. Numerous television and newspaper interviews have spread the word further. With still the 53.2 miler to go, Matt’s dream of running to bring hope to WYN seems to be a success.
During the run Matt talked about doing the race again next year. He’s considering running across the state of North Carolina as well to focus attention on the dwindling funding for after school programs. I am sure with the heart and determination of Matt and the wonderful people he works with, WYN will be around to serve the children of Watauga County for years to come. I was honored to be part of their cause for one very special Sunday.
If you are interested in reading more about the Watauga Youth Run or donating to the cause, please visit http://wataugayouthrun.blogspot.com
August 21
Feed the Bears 5KMacon, GA24:02Age Group: 5/14Overall: 47/156Notes: Pleasant race run as a double loop through the Mercer University campus. I appreciated the number of student athletes from Mercer who came out to help as volunteers. The race was to raise money to help support the cross-country team. It was well-organized and well-staffed. Minimal aid - just water that I could see, but there may have been more somewhere else. The tour of the campus was pleasant but came at a price - lots of fun hills. I had a good race. I went out too fast, but managed to hold on to respectable paces on the last 2 miles. I almost PRed - helped by the fact that this course seems to be slightly short. My downhill finish was lots of fun. F.M. even got a picture of me in mid-air. I didn't know I ever came all the way off the ground!
I had a great time hanging with both the Tracks and FPD teachers, families, and students after the race. Runners are truly the kindest people in the world. I felt great - partly because I was wearing the Disney singlet I bought more than a year and a half ago. I have never been able to wear it thanks to how freaky small it is for an XL. It finally fit last night and I wore it in triumph today for the first time. I may not have taken a medal, but I felt I still had quite a prize.
August 15
Pacemaker 5000Hampton, GA23:59 PRAge Group: 9/32Overall: 71/495Notes: have been continually looking for another race to do instead of the Pacemaker 5000. Why? Well, the Pacemaker has been experiencing tremendous growth lately. Larger races generally give me a pain - even ones within convenient driving distance. I finally decided that this would be the best I could do for the day and barely got my pre-registration in the mail in time.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the race last year. There were some issues, but I thought it was generally run well. Still, lots of people and an average course don't inspire much excitement.
How wrong I was.
One thing that has impressed me with the Pacemaker 5000 is its willingness to change. Originally located at the speedway (hence the name) the organizers moved it to the Crystal Lake community last year. They were rewarded with larger numbers. This year they altered the course, moving the start from a small, narrow park to a large church with a truly immense parking lot. Registration was beautifully organized, port-a-lets were well-handled, and the pre-race announcements were amplified rather well. The goody bag was truly amazing - even better than most marathons I have run. Great sponsorship!
The change in the course was an amazing idea. While finishing in the same location, the course had a net elevation drop. The start was largely downhill and fast for the first half mile which got me going too fast - as usual. I paced so well last week that I figured I could do it again today - and maybe get a 5K PR to go along with the 10K one from Jim Herrin. I was aiming for a first mile at 8:10 or slightly below. Instead I wound up with a 7:49. Oops. I waited for my usual "I went out too fast" mid-race meltdown.
It never came.
I powered through the out-and-back section, by-passed the water stations (thank goodness for the slightly cooler temperatures and cloud cover), and prepared for the uphill finish that I remembered from last year. Not far before the hill I passed Andi Berger. I was shocked. Once again, just like last week, she really encouraged me on.
I managed to increase my speed up the hill and then found another notch when I realized that I had a slim chance of going across the line under 24 minutes. With a final surge, I finished at 23:58 - taking a full minute off my current running life PR and 40 seconds off my all-life PR. Wow. I thought my weight loss might be good for a PR today, but I never expected anything like this. I wasn't even too torn up at the finish line. I suspect I could have kept up the pace for a few more miles.
Few races do after-run amenities as well as the Pacemaker: water and bananas at the finish line and then a buffet brunch by the pool. Even dieting me decided that I had probably earned a small serving of the delicious tortillas, eggs, hash browns, and bacon provided by Crystal Lake's executive chef.
Last year's issue of lack of shuttles to get people back to the start was addressed fairly well this time, but I decided to walk/run back to the start. It turned out the most direct route was still just short of a mile. I wish I could have stayed to see how well they handled an award ceremony, but I needed to hurry home and help out with a satellite TV installation at home.
I was very impressed with this race. They handled more than 600 people very well, provided a fast, traffic-free course, and finished up with wonderful amenities. I'm very interested to see how they improve on a great race next year!
August 8
Jim Herrin Memorial 10KCenterville, GA51:19 PR!Age Group: 3/8Overall: 37/128(Trophy)Notes: I was quite sad that I was unable to run the Jim Herrin Memorial Stampede last year due to my college classes. I enjoyed the course two years ago - and during the Sweetheart Run for Sight 12K that follows a very similar path. Today the schedule worked out, and I got a chance to stampede again.
The race is hosted at the Galleria Mall at Centerville which gives great facilities - tons of air conditioning, bathrooms in the food court area, and a good indoor space the register and gather. That a/c was really needed today - the humidity outside made for some extremely thick air.
I was coming off an interesting week of running. The Hot to Trot 8-Hour took a little more out of me than I had originally realized. On Monday the side effects of 36 miles kicked in and forced me to be a little careful with my training for the rest of the week. Still, I thought my weight loss might be enough to help me eke out a PR at the Jim Herrin. I have been doing zero speed work, so the PR thought was optimistic indeed.
I felt good at the start, even running and joking with David Tinkey for a few hundred yards. Then the strangest thing happened. My Road ID shoe wallet popped open and my truck key bounced away. I don't know if I caught my foot on the velcro, forgot to seal it properly, or what but suddenly I went from enjoying the race to trying to figure out where my key was hiding. I dashed off the road and started looking. Thankfully I saw it right away. Unfortunately, I saw it was in the middle of the road with hundreds of runners still streaming by. If you've ever played the old video game Frogger, you know how I felt. I waited until there was a tiny opening and made a mad break for the key. I got it without killing anyone (sadly, I think I almost caused a few accidents) and ran back to the side to put it on (almost taking out another runner who had gone off the side of the road to avoid my stupid self.) I got the key back in my wallet and grumbled my way back up the speed. Tim Cook was there to give me an entertaining hard time as I tried to get myself back in the race mode again.
The course heads up Gunn Road to a subdivision, loops around inside with a side trip to Thomson Road thrown in for fun. Only mile 1 was marked. My goal for the race was to run 8:30 miles with maybe a quicker final mile or two if I had anything left in the tank. When I passed the 1 Mile marker I was pleased to see I had run 8:27 - even with my little side trip to save my key. I started to wonder if I might owe my key a favor before the end of the race. My accident led to me not going out too fast to start the race.
Most of the race flew by rather uneventfully. I maintaned miles right around 8:30 and eased my way around the course. I was surprised that the race only had two water stations. With the intense humidity I wished for more chances to hydrate. As I ran through the second water station I was cheered on by David Tinkey (who decided that running was not the thing for him today - volunteering was) and Sam Martinez who had already won the 5K and trekked back a mile and change. I started to think I just might have a PR in the works.
The finishing stretch of Jim Herrin can be quite difficult. Gunn Road is empty when you start the race. Running back is a different story. Lots of traffic, little or no room to pass, and full exposure to the sun make for interesting moments. I was amazed to run by several Macon Tracks members who usually finish before me - obviously they were taking a leisurely approach today. Probably a great idea considering the humidity. When I passed Andi Berger she really gave me a lot of encouragement. A few minutes later my speed had started to lag a bit and she came up behind me again and urged me on. Those words did wonders for me. I found plenty on juice stored up and kept my pace quite fast (under a 6:00 minute mile for a large part of it) to the finish. I was amazed to not only PR, but also to break 52:00 minues. I even gave 51 a bit of a go. Ultimately I took almost 2 minutes off of my 10K PR. I thought it was a little more at first, but I was forgetting about the new PR I set back on July 4th. And, just to wrap up a great running morning for me, I managed to take 3rd place in my age group.
I really enjoyed talking with everyone after the race. I love when I have time to do that and don't have to bolt off for a rehearsal or something. I got a chance to thank Andi for her encouragement. I hope I can pay her kindness forward to other runners soon.
August 1
Hot to Trot 8-HourDecatur, GA7:50:53Overall: 23/50(Race Towel)Notes: An incredible Hot to Trot 8-Hour Race. Not as hot this year, but ultra-humid (and still plenty warm.) I ran my best ultra ever. I ran a ton of laps and never walked for more than about a third of lap. I kept the stops to a minimum - but really took care of myself. I even had the strength to run the last lap hard. I think it was my fastest lap.
More write-up to come.
