December 13
Madison Christmas Rush 5KMadison, GA27:01Age Group: 8/10Overall: 67/193Notes:
Madison Christmas Rush 8KMadison, GA46:54Age Group: 5/6Overall: 88/141Notes:
Christmas Lane Dash 5KThomaston, GA26:50Age Group: 3/6Overall: 48/112(Christmas Tree Ornament)Notes:
December 6
Reindeer Run 5KMacon, GA25:51Age Group: 11/25Overall: 158/439Notes:
November 29
Bartram Forest Winter Trail Run 50KMilledgeville, GA7:40:00Age Group: 2/3Overall: 11/12(Finisher's Giant Gingerbread Man)Notes: An amazing run through a forest used as a test area by the forest commission. Constant rain made it a challenge, but many friends made it a joy. Longer write-up soon.
November 21
Gold’s Gym Turkey Day 5KJackson, TN26:20Age Group: ?Overall: 123/363Notes:
November 22
Will Robinson Memorial 5KMilledgeville, GA25:49Age Group: 5/6Overall:53/189Notes: Freezing cold race along backroads north of Milledgeville. The course was rather hilly including a long hill on the last mile. It did provide a nice view of the finish line in the distance...and downhill.
Hosted at a fire station. Decent refreshments, great no shirt registration option. Lots of Tracks friends out. A truly enjoyable run despite the extreme cold.
November 8
Chickamauga Battlefield MarathonFort Oglethorpe, GA4:34:02Age Group: 49/68Overall: 373/551Notes: Another amazing Chickamauga Marathon - complete with a 16 minute PR. Better write-up to come.
November 1
Jay’s Hope 5KMacon, GA25:47Age Group: 3/8Overall: 45/187(Ceramic Medallion)Notes: Jay's Hope 5K starts at Central City Park and heads out along the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail. I have run the trail quite a bit, so the course was very familar. It was also beautiful with the leaves just beginning to change for autumn. The temperature was quite chilly, even more so with a breeze blowing off the river. I did make the right choice by not running with a jacket. The exertion warmed me up rather quickly.
I had not intended to really race this event - especially since I was planning to immediately run the 10K afterwards, not to mention being in the middle of a taper for Chickamauga. Those plans went right out the window. I pushed the pace very hard and managed a respectable finishing time. I managed to aggravate my cough again, much to my annoyance.
Refreshments were excellent: the ever popular Chick-Fil-A Biscuits, a huge assortment of muffins, beverages, etc. The shirt was very attractive, the race well-organized, and the awards very original. I took 3rd in my age group and received a hand-painted ceramic medallion that was extrememly well executed. The award actually had to be picked up by friends because I was already running the 10K.
Jay’s Hope 10KMacon, GA57:04Age Group: 10/11Overall:64/89Notes: I certainly felt the effects of racing the 5K during this race. My legs started out a bit sore, soreness that was slowly replaced with pain and heaviness - especially in the right quad. Whatever I damaged there a few weeks ago is still not perfect.
The Jay's Hope 10K follows a similar route to the 5K. It starts in Central City Park and heads out to the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail. The 10K, however, runs the full length of the trail and a small hill in the neighborhood at the trail terminus. On the top of the hill we turned around and headed back to the park. We diverged from the original path upon re-entering the park, curved around to the front, and entered along the same route as the Labor Day 10K. We were treated with a run past the finish line as we headed over to the Central City track - a mile long dirt track that I used for my warm-up today. One loop and then we headed for the finish.
The course was not terribly difficult, but times were slower for everyone it seemed. We decided that a lot of the time loss was due to the many turns and turn-arounds.
My slowness in the 10K was directly attributable to tired legs. I really had to keep stubbornly forcing my legs to move as I ran around the track. I was intentionally not pushing too hard, but I could not manage to keep my pace under 9 minute miles. That was somewhat troubling.
I pushed across the finish line, enjoyed several minutes of serious coughing, and enjoyed the refreshments again. I chatted with several Macon Tracks and FPD friends, but decided not to stay for awards. My aching legs were ready to head home.
October 25
Komen Race for the Cure 5KMacon, GA24:59 PR Age Group: 9/17Overall:120/419Notes: I am always struck by what a huge event the Komen Race for the Cure has grown to be in Macon. With over 3,000 participants, this is quite a to-do. The race itself is surrounded by so many other activities: a pancake breakfast, numerous booths, live music, tributes to breast cancer survivors, a celebration walk, kids' parade, and more. It is actually a little overwhelming - but for a wonderful cause. With this level of support breast cancer does not stand a chance!
I enjoyed wandering around the Wesleyan campus, remembering my college days, and pondering the chances of becoming a professor some day. I got to the race 2 hours early to find parking so I had plenty of time to sight-see and enjoy the booths.
When it came time for the race, we were herded down one of the entrance roads to Wesleyan. After a wait of a few minutes we were allowed onto Forsyth Road. The police do a fabulous job on this race. It's always a bit disquieting for me to be near the start of a race - especially with a thousand people or so behind me! That's where I needed to be for this race, but it felt very strange.
I feel that the organizers never really planned well for the start this year. The start captain had no way to talk to the crowd. He tried yelling, but I couldn't hear a word he said - and I was very near the front. I did hear the start!
I ran a very fast first mile - my usual accomplishment (and often mistake) at Race for the Cure. I fell in with a group of guys going a quick pace and stayed with them through suicide alley. That's what I call the stretch of Zebulon Road where we are packed into one lane and then forced to turn around and run against the crowd. It gets less safe all of the time, yet the race has done nothing about it. It's really disappointing. I was especially worried for the lead runners. The pack was not making space for them for very well. It had to be scary to careen through that many people, praying for an opening. I heard rumors that the course will be changed next year. Of course, I heard the same rumors last year too.
Knowing the course helped me this year. I was ready for the hill that finishes up the 2nd mile and had plenty in the tank to power home. I set a PR and just barely got under 25 minutes. This was especially thrilling to me considering I am still fighting a cold as well as tired legs from too many ultras this fall.
As always, I enjoyed talking to my fellow Macon Tracks members at the finish. It looks like there were a lot of PRs today with the wonderful weather. The refreshments were nice - anyone who has cold Diet Coke and key lime pie yoghurt at the finish line gets my vote.
While I still prefer the smaller races, the Race for the Cure will continue to be on my annual calendar. You sure can't beat this event for enthusiasm, participation, and heart.
October 11
Run for the Health of It 10.5KHawkinsville, GA57:34 PR (First 10.5K)49th Overall3rd in Age Group(Trophy)Notes: This was my first attempt at a 10.5K. I believe the race was raised to this distance to allow participants to get double points in the Run & See Georgia series. It was a marketing trick, maybe, but a rather effective one. There were many runners there. The 5K was particularly full.
The highlight and major drawing card of the race was a post-race clinic by Jeff Galloway. I was really looking forward to hearing what this legend of running had to say and possibly getting a chance to meet him.
The race followed a rather wacky course. We started on the edge of Hawkinsville High School's grounds, ran a long straight-away and immediately turned back. This is one of the earliest out-and-backs I have ever seen. We then did two long rectangles through a residential neighborhood followed by a run through the campus. The 5K runners turned left to finish around the football stadium's track while we 10.5Kers continued off school grounds. After running around the outside edge of the school, we came back to the starting line again. We ran the course again, heading for our own finish in the stadium.
At the start of the race, they announced that Jeff Galloway was in the crowd with us, planning to run the race. He stepped out of the pack for a moment, waved to us, and wished us well. I was not sure which race he was planning to run.
I found out at roughly the 6-mile mark. I was not running my best race. My feet had healed very well from the 24-hour runs the last 2 weekends (more than 100 miles combined!), but my legs were apparently still nursing some fatigue and residual soreness. I quickly abandoned any time goals. Having never run a 10.5K, I was going to PR even if I crawled the course. I settled into a pace that took good effort but was still slower than usual for me. A few times I tried to hook up behind another runner to improve my pace. It did not work. My pace would improve then drop off again. As a race official waved me into the school grounds for the last dash across the campus, I noticed two people coming up behind me. I was amazed to see that one of them was none other than Jeff Galloway himself. He said hello and congratulated me on running well. I could easily see why he is one of the most respected running coaches in the country. He made me feel good about what was definitely a sub-par run. He and his running partner passed me, with Galloway calling encouragement to others he spotted along the route.
I watch them run ahead and thought, "When will I ever have the chance to run with Jeff Galloway again?" I decided to pick up my pace and see if I could stay with them to the finish. Galloway was running a comfortable pace, so he had plenty of steam for the last mile. I caught up with Galloway and his partner and kept pace with them through the school grounds and into the stadium. I was amazed at the pace I was managing to keep. If you had told me that I could manage a 7-minute mile pace with my tired legs I would not have believed you. Still, the three of us ran together until we came to the chute. Feeling a little guilty, I sprinted ahead at the line. The results will say I finished ahead of Jeff Galloway, but I was only there because of his kindness and the honor of running a half-mile with him. I had several opportunities to talk to Jeff after the race and thanked him repeatedly for the experience and his encouragement. I had a chance to listen to him coach one of the fine runners from the school I teach at as we waited for results. I really understand his following more than ever. What a kind, inspiring man!
Refreshments were more than adequate while the race shirt was excellent: long-sleeved, dark blue with the image of the Pulaski Country courthouse on the front. Results took quite a long time to present, but they were held in the school gym. As always, I was so pleased by having a comfortable place to gather after a race with adequate amplification so that everyone could hear.
I was amazed to find that I had managed to grab 3rd place in my age group (obviously not many people my age showed up today!) The trophy is nice, but the real prize was that final dash with Jeff Galloway.
October 3-4
24-Hour Tour d'EspritMemphis, TN52 miles7th Overall2nd Male1st in Age Group(Framed Certificate, Hat, Backpack)Notes: Longer write-up to come, but this was a wonderful return to my first long-distance race. It still has its charm, although I forgot how poorly runners are supported with food. It still has the most varied course - 7 surfaces in one mile. I ran hard, fought through some early deep blisters, and won my age group by 1 mile. I was shocked to find that I was also 2nd overall male.
September 27-28
Hinson Lake 24-Hour Ultra ClassicRockingham, NC51.68 milest-40th OverallNotes: I think I fell in love with the Hinson Lake 24-Hour Classic the moment I went to the website. The messages from the race director (left online from previous years) showed his huge personal involvement with the race. In fact, the race seems to be completely run by Tom and his immediate family. The location seemed beautiful in the pictures and perfect in descriptions: a maintained, largely flat trail through the woods around a small lake in Rockingham, North Carolina. The mileage posted by previous participants seemed impressive and encouraging. Tom’s philosophy of racing matched mine too: prizes are not terribly important, the personal accomplishment is the thing! The race only has prizes for the overall winners because a local artist makes and donates them. That’s not the reason to run Hinson Lake. Honestly, everything else is.
Rockingham is about a 6-hour drive for me, so I drove in on Friday night and stayed at a hotel in town. I know if I was a true ultra runner I would have camped right on the course, but I’m still growing into that role. I searched out the local restaurants and stores in case I needed to make a quick supply run during the race and had a restful night of sleep.
I arrived at Hinson Lake for the race at 6:00 AM – 2 hours before race time. I parked at the back parking lot – Crow’s Run – since I was planning set up a tent along the course. The limited parking at the start is reserved for those who need their vehicles for aid during the race. I turned on my headlight and made my way through woods that were still quite dark. Thankfully, lights in the distance showed me the way over the earthen dam to the lodge. Some other early birds were already setting up tents and canopies along the path across this narrow dam. Registration was quick and efficient. I received the incredibly comfortable race shirt (made from recycled materials) and was assigned race number 108. This amused me greatly. When the number was pinned onto my shorts it looked from my vantage point to say 801. That is my Marathon Maniacs number. I took this as a good omen and hurried back to set up my tent.
The tent set-up was a serious warm-up before the race. The parking area was a good 2/10 of a mile from my camping spot along the dam. That doesn’t sound like a long distance, but it is when you have many loads of supplies to carry in. My tent (which is rather larger than those usually used by ultra runners) barely fit on the dam. I recently purchased a folding reclining chair that seemed perfect for my breaks. I also had a box packed with changes of clothing and additional pairs of shoes, a cooler full of electrolyte drinks and caffeinated soda, a chest of assorted camping equipment, a sleeping bag, and who knows what all else. Being new to this style of racing, I was not going to be caught off-guard.
The race itself started with a short talk by the race director and another ultra runner. We started on a small bridge that went over the spillway of the dam. With an informal “go”, the RD led us on the first lap.
The course is largely packed gravel or dirt. It is a very forgiving surface and quite easy on the joints. It is when it’s dry anyway. North Carolina had received almost a foot of rain over the last week. It did not rain during the race, but the course was soaked. Many places had standing water on the trail. On most areas this was not a problem – the gravel kept the path from becoming muddy. We eventually turned across the bridge that marks the approximate half-way point of the course. This 300 foot wooden bridge has a gazebo at its center and goes through a still area of the lake covered with lily pads. The area looks beautiful and rather wild. The other side of the shore did not fair as well with drainage. For one stretch of fifty yards or so, the trail was a quagmire of mud. This area was manageable at first, but as the runners hit this area again and again it became ankle-deep, slippery disaster area. It quickly became impossible to get through this part of the race with dry feet. Thankfully, the area after this was considerably drier and offered beautiful views of the lake as the path led back up the lodge. Total mileage of the loop: 1.52 miles.
Ever time we passed the scorers’ table, we were required to yell out our number and wait until someone told us how many laps we had run. This system seemed to work very well. It was nice to always a human connection when I finished a lap.
The next few tables contained food and drink for the runners. This was ultra fare at its finest: all of the usual goodies: electrolytes, water, chips, candy, PB&J, potatoes and salt, etc; and some unusual ones: turkey, pizza, and the best carrot cake I have ever had. The food area was kept up well all 24 hours.
I managed my goal of knocking off 20 miles in the first 4 hours or so. I started to add in walking laps to try and save some strength for the night. I changed my socks every few hours, but to no avail. It was impossible to keep my feet even remotely dry. I realized what this would mean for me: blisters. Every time I have an issue with keeping my feet dry I have to deal with blisters. Still, I continued changing socks, shirts, and hats and hoped for the best.
No such luck.
About 35 miles in I developed some lovely blisters. I did what I could to help them, but I was definitely slowed by the pain the rest of the way. I took some long breaks in an effort to help them: I went to Wal-Mart to buy more towels and a few additional supplies and grabbed some Burger King on the way back. Later, I spent an hour in my car listening to the end of the Georgia-Alabama football game (Roll Tide!) Always though, it was back around the endless loop.
By the time late night rolled around, I was down to being a walker. The pain in my feet was too bad to run and I didn’t trust myself running on the muddy trails anyway. The race director had red-orange chemical lights hanging from the trees to mark the way, but runners had to rely on their own light sources for illumination. I trudged around the course until I felt I had to do something drastic to help my feet. I went back to my tent, took the shoes and socks off, and took a nap while my feet dried. The nap turned into three hours of much needed sleep. When I woke up, my feet were dry for the first time since the race began. I patched them up and knocked out several more miles to reach one of my major goals: to get over 50 miles. I finished officially with 51.68 miles and was extremely proud of the accomplishment. I was only 70 miles or so behind the winner.
I really enjoyed this race. The other runners were extremely supportive. I especially enjoyed running and visiting with Kevin Hatfield. If there is anyone kinder or more supportive of others than Kevin I would be very surprised. I was so proud of his efforts too – 50 miles while still recovering from the effects of being hit by a car is amazing!
I watched the few runners still running as time ran out go out for their “banana lap”. The race director gives runners a banana with their race number written on it to take on the final lap. When the horn sounds to end the race, the runners drop their banana on the trail and come back to the lodge. Then the RD measures the position of each banana and adds that bonus mileage onto the final results for the runners. A neat idea.
The final part of the race for me was getting my tent down, carrying all of my gear back to the truck, and walking on my shredded feet the whole time. The drive back to Macon alone was a challenge too, but I made it. Funny enough, I can’t wait to do Hinson Lake again.
September 20
Buggython 10KBarnesville, GA55:1720th Overall3rd in Age Group(Ceramic Medal)Notes: I always enjoy running in Barnesville. I find this area has the perfect blend of hills, friendly people, and things to see that make the mileage go by easier.
This was my second chance to run the Buggython. It is held in Barnesville as part of their Buggy Days Festival. Race registration/packet pick-up was held in the concessions area of the Lamar County football stadium. This gave the race plenty of parking, indoor bathrooms, and bleachers for seating. The volunteers were amazing: eager to help and especially friendly considering that I was way early at around 6:45 AM. They could not have ordered up any better weather: mid 60s with a beautiful light breeze. There was enough humidity to balance off the breeze and make it perfect.
The race began on one of the roads surrounding the stadium. We were sent on our way by the firing of a cannon. That certainly got the attention of the runners! The Buggython started all three of their races at the same time: 10K, 5K, and 2 mile. The 5K and 2 mile turned back at different points while we in the 10K kept right on going. I really like this course. It would definitely be described as rolling, but the hills aren't killer - just constant. The community supports this race more than most. We saw many people cheering us on from their front porches. I really appreciated that! The Buggython also has split callers at EVERY mile marker - including 6. That's truly impressive.
The biggest support of all, however, came from the halfway (and 5.5 mile) water station. This station was staffed by young volunteers who cheered individually for each runner as if they were best friends. I haven't been cheered on that loudly since I ran the Disney Marathon dressed as Tigger. I knew the course came back through this same water station and looked forward to another round of cheers a few miles down the line. I was not disappointed! I hope the volunteers at that station know how much we appreciated their efforts! It was like a younger version of the Boston Wellesly girls.
Last year I felt I was running a pretty good race at the ol' Buggython. Then I met the hill on mile 6. I have been counting the days to get a rematch. I intentionally held back to save some juice for this beast. When I finally got to what I call 6th Mile Hill I found that it had shrunk some from last year. Not physically, of course, but smaller in my perception. It still had the nasty tendency of going on further everytime you would think it was done. Turn a curve...hill's still there. Cross a busy intersection...hill's there too. This time I was ready and ran the hill strongly. The 6th mile was only a hint slower than my other splits.
My only beef with the Buggython (and this is minor)is the position of the finish line. The course is considerably longer than 6.2 miles. Most people with Garmins had it at 6.35 or more. This is a certified course, so a course this long is unusual. I believe they are using the wrong street marking for the finish line. The certified course map seems to have the finish line in a different place. Playing detective, I walked to the place shown on the map and found a marking nail labelled with an F for finish. Interesting.
Refreshments were good, especially the home-baked muffins. I remember especially liking the awards last year. They were the same this year: hand-made ceramic plates with handpainted buggies for the overall winners and ceramic medals on a ribbon for the age group placers. I was thrilled to get one of these beautiful awards this year with a third place finish in my age group.
I highly recommend the Buggython to everyone. It's run on a day when there are a dozen other races in Georgia, so the turnout is fairly light. It's a fun course with just enough up and down to keep you interested, some of the best traffic control around, and great people to support you and cheer you on. It doesn't get much better with small town races.
September 13
Race for Camp Little Shot 5KMacon, GA27:57Notes: The Race for Camp Little Shot has one great thing going for it: the cause. It races money to support a summer camp for children with diabetes. The awards for the race are made by the kids during the camp. This year the camp's theme was music, so the prizes were wind chimes made from flower pots and copper tubing. They were quite cool. The t-shirt was awesome: a black long-sleeved shirt with a guitar logo. It almost looked like a concert shirt. Refreshments were varied and ample.
The race itself, however, was pretty non-descript. It ran mostly through a series of small medical buildings and out a seriously hilly road with little to see but the hills themselves. The course is what I call a boomerang: out one way and back followed by an out-and-back in the other direction. The humidity was brutal and the constant hills certainly kept my attention.
I had expected to be slower this race, but was shocked to be nearly a minute slower than my projected time. The general consensus of those of us with GPS watches was that the course was at least a tenth too long. So, my pace was not as off as I had feared.
The best part of the race was visiting with the Macon Tracks runners at the finish. The Tracks had a good turnout. It was especially nice to see Kevin Hatfield out running after recovering from being hit by a car a few weeks ago.
September 6
Hornet Hustle 5KHampton, GA26:112nd Overall1st in Age Group(Medal)Notes: Small races that are headquartered at elementary schools just make me happy. I don't know why. Maybe it's because both of my parents were elementary teachers. Maybe it's because I'm a teacher. Or maybe it's because these races always have a huge amount of friendliness and heart, no matter what challenges they may face. The Hornet Hustle 5K was yet more support for my opinion!
The race was hosted at Hampton Elementary School (home of the Hornets, thus the name). I could not find much information online, but the race director was great about sending it out to me. Tony, the RD and 5th grade teacher at H.E.S., was extremely friendly. The race was a little lacking in volunteers, but they were rich in spirit. Registration was held in an air-conditioned gym with nice indoor restrooms. Ahhh, comfort at the beginning of a race goes a long way.
We waited in front of the school for the start. Tony explained the course to us, then got us on our way. There were no course marshals, just chalked arrows on the ground. I had no problems following the course. We wound through a residential area then through the edge of Hampton's very small downtown area. The course climbed a bit here to a turnaround. As the lead runners passed I saw that I was sitting in roughly 8th place overall, not bad for me.
I managed a very strong second half, picking up my pace to hold off a challenger who had chosen me for his own personal rabbit. I had a lot of fun trying to keep putting on speed to hold him off. I had run the end of the course as part of my warm-up, so I knew just when to kick. I finished comfortably ahead in just over 26 minutes. I had hoped for a faster time, but I was pleased with the consistency and comfort of my effort.
Imagine my shock when the finish line official (who was an INCREDIBLE cheerleader for all finishers) gave me the 2nd overall finishers card. I figured I must be confused, or that they had done something unusual with the cards. When I went inside to the results board I found that, no, I was actually the 2nd finisher, 1st in my age group. Now I was really confused. What happened to those other people who were in front of me? My Garmin assured me that I had run the correct distance.
All questions were answered in a few minutes when the missing group of runners came across the finish line. One of them was Terry Patterson, another Macon runner. Terry told me that they had gone back through a horseshoe we had run at the beginning of the race that we were supposed to run by as we headed towards the finish. This probably added a mile (maybe more depending on when they turned back) to their race. Having taken my own wrong turn a few weeks ago, I really felt for them. Once again, I don't think anyone in my age group was affected, but it probably changed the masters division winner. Terry won grand master. I was thrilled to see him leave with some serious hardware after his "bonus miles".
The race had decent hydration and food set up in the gym. Doorprizes and awards were also given out in the gym. I love being able to sit and cheer for other runners in a comfortable environment with adequate amplification so everyone can hear. This race succeeded there as well. I picked up my medal with the trendy purple and gold ribbon, thanked Tony for a wonderful race, and headed home. Hopefully next year the Hampton Elementary folks can get even more publicity for what is a really pleasant little race.
September 1
Macon Labor Day Road Race 10KMacon, GA54:4123rd in Age Group186th Overall2nd Place 5-Person Team - Maconiacs(Team Award)Notes: I have a very different perspective on this race. It quickly became one of my favorites last year because of it's fun course, great organization, technical shirt, and community support. This year I was part of the team putting on the race. If anything, I love the race even more.
It's really amazing what it takes to put on a race with over 1,700 runners. The planning starts so early! It takes an amazing number of people too. I was the 10K Start Captain. This job gave me the distinct honor of getting to start the runners on their way. With my theatre background, getting up before a large group seemed like a natural fit. Maybe so, butI was really stressed the morning of the race. I was so worried that I would make a mistake that would ruin the race for someone -- or everyone! What I failed to remember was how many incredible people were volunteering on this race. Everytime I wondered about something, a team of people appeared out of nowhere to make it happened. Kerry Oedel, the race director, is nothing short of amazing at organization. I wish I could organize volunteers in my theatre as well!
The start of the race went very smoothly. I jumped up on the back of the timers truck and organized the runners into an improvised seeded start. I told the sub-40 runners that I wished I was one of them! I really do...maybe some day. I told the sub-50s the same thing! Finally, I fired off the starter's pistol and jumped into one of the funniest race starts ever. The big group of runners was heading across the line as I got off the truck, ran to my own truck, unlocked the door, and stowed the megaphone and gun away. The timer was keeping the mat hooked up a little longer for me. I crossed the line nearly a minute after the start.
I spent the first half of the race passing an amazing number of runners. Despite the added weaving, passing that many people was an unusual and rather fun experience. I finally settled in among people running my pace and tried to run a smarter race than last year. I held back on the early hill and saved some strength for the end. Most of the split callers were students from FPD, so I enjoyed surprising them at the mile markers. I ran through the water spray through the hardest part of the flow and really picked up the pace through downtown. Janet, Luke, and Caedmon were at the finish - as always, the best part of the run. I managed a good time, especially considering I did no warm-up before the race.
I had put together a team (called the Maconiacs) for the 5-person competition. We got smoked by the only other team, but that did not keep us from greatly enjoying collecting our 2nd Place award. The prize was a metal coffee thermos with the cool race logo that looks like something to transport uranium from reactor to reactor. It's awesome!
But more fun was yet to come...
Macon Labor Day Road Race Fun RunMacon, GA22:07(Luke's First Medal!)This was my three-year-old son Luke's first race! A mile is a pretty long distance for little legs, and Luke had never done more than a halff-mile before. Still, he has been wanting to run a race with me for the longest time. With a very safe course, this seemed like the one!
I ran (okay, largely walked) with him around the track at Central City Park. The running tired him out pretty quickly, but I kept coming up with new games to keep him moving. We even did some fartleks! His favorite was for me to run backwards and for him to try to catch me. If not for that game we might still be out there!
I am SO proud of him! He finished running, powered himself through the entire mile (no being carried by Daddy!), and earned his first medal. It was a truly special time.
August 30
Sunrise on the Square 5KNewnan, GA27:0276th OverallNotes: In some ways, this race has been a long time coming for me. I think I have scheduled races in Newnan on my running calendar 3 or 4 times (including this race last year) before switching out for another race at the last minute. And, truth be known, I search the race calendars online exhaustively this time before finally deciding to actually head out to Newnan. Why the hesitation? Nothing really, other than the drive of over 80 miles, the majority not on interstates. I made it this time, however, and I'm glad that I did!
Downtown Newnan is one of the most attractive small towns I have been to on my running journeys. It combines some beautiful old homes with the traditional Southern courthouse square. This square seemed vibrant with many interesting shops, restaurants, and clubs. The courthouse was breathtaking.
I had really enjoyed my warm-up run - I even found the local community theatre (built in what looked like a converted railside warehouse.) It took me right back to my years at the Crossroads Playhouse in Corinth, Mississippi (built in a storage/exhibition building from long-forgotten fairgrounds.)
Registration was well-organized. The race was rather on the large side - well more than 200 runners - and was sharing space on the square with a Labor Day Sidewalk Sale community event. I could only find two port-o-lets available, however. I spent a good bit of quality time in line with my fellow runners!
The race started on a nice downhill section out of downtown. I was plagued a bit in the first mile by a youngster who would run very quickly through the crowd, weaving even when he didn't need to, and then stop randomly in front of someone. It certainly added some interest and added challenge to the run dodging him! Eventually he tired and the rest of us marched on.
I wondered if I might be in a bit of trouble when I came acoss the first mile in under 8 minutes. I figured with the downhill I wasn't pushing my pace too much. I had accidentally stopped my Garmin not long after the start and only figured it out 7/10 mile in, so I was running without full information. It's amazing how quickly you can get used to having all the information in the world on your wrist! It was good for me to have to do without all the tools for once!
We hit a few hills and an out-and-back section, then turned onto a serious stretch of downhill through a wooded residential neighborhood. I was loving the pace I was keeping, but was thinking constantly about the "what goes down must come up" rule of running. Yep. Around the bend was a serious hill. Suddenly the group around me was plodding out a nice 13 minute mile pace. Several people had that "why do I do this running thing anyway" look about them at this point.
The rest of the race included plenty of climbing, but nothing nearly like that other monster. We snaked back into downtown and headed up the final climb to the 3 mile marker where we had a fast little stretch to finish on the far side of the square. There was definitely no PR for me today, but I felt I could have done a whole lot worse considering the late hills.
The police did a spectacular job of course management. Traffic was stopped, roads were blocked, and I felt protected the entire time. It rarely is taken care of this well. Congratulations to the Newnan Police on a job extremely well done!
Decent refreshments at the finish line. This was the first long-sleeved t-shirt of the running season. This seemed rather strange in August -- I was certainly not interested in long-sleeves -- but the added value was appreciated. I did not stay for awards, but the hospitality of all involved was quite nice. I will definitely make it back to Newnan for another race - hopefully without replacing it in my schedule so much in the future.
August 23
Hakuna My Ta Tas 10KBarnesville, GA50:31* (Short course.)9th Overall1st in Age Group(Dogtag Medal & Lei)Notes: I had good memories of running in Barnesville from the Buggython 10K last year. The Hakuna My Ta Tas 10K and 5K were being running for the first time as a fund raiser for the fight against breast cancer - hence the ta tas reference. The race was sponsored by the Iris City Runners, a new running club.
The race turnout was rather small, probably having something to do with the fact that Georgia was feeling the effects of Tropical Storm Fay. The volunteers were very friendly as they set up under the overhang of a strip mall and gamely fought the rain and gusts of wind. I was thrilled that the organizers let me run both the 10K and 5K for the price of one. What a bargain!
The race start was rather casual. The runners around me were nervous about whether or not the course was adequately marked - things did seem a bit unorganized. The starter assured us that volunteers were on the turns and sent us on our way. I had the unusual opportunity to be right on the starting line at the beginning - the view of no people in front me blissfully lasted only a few seconds.
I like running in Barnesville. It's a nice small town with a quaint downtown area, a small college campus, and enough hills to keep things interesting. On this day it also had some gusty winds and rain. The 10K runners were supposed to run a 5K loop twice and then finish in the parking lot of Shane's Rib Shack. When I came around the first time I checked my Garmin and found that the course had been short. Very short. I wondered if I had missed something or if the course measurement was just off. At this point I was running largely by myself. As I was climbing the long hill to the finish, I noticed two other runners coming onto the hill from a side street. I groaned audibly. Apparently I had missed a turn somewhere.
The finishing chute was at a 90 degree angle to the course. I stopped before the chute and talked to the official timer. I told him I must have missed a turn and that my Garmin had me WAY short. He said that many people had missed turns and to go ahead and cross the finish line. I reluctantly did, but felt very badly about it. I was on pace to run a 56 minute 10K - not a 50 minute. When I turned in my finish card (9th overall - ha!) I told the person there that I should be disqualified for not running the entire course. He assured me that everything would be okay. I hurried off to run the 5K, still doubting that I was doing the right thing.
As it turned out, he was right. I was the only person in my age group, so I did not cheat anyone out of a well-deserved medal. I did probably finish a few spots overall better than I should, but I talked to the runners I thought were affected. They had missed at least one of the turns too. They still ran more than me!
The medal was dogtag style, surprisingly heavy with a winged foot on one side and engraving on the other. It was awarded along with a flower lei - keeping up with the race logo of Timon (of Lion King fame) wearing a grass skirt and lei. The race timer joked with me that I had never run a faster 10K as he read my name. I appreciated the humor - it eased my final concerns.
After race refreshments were wonderful - lots of cold bottled water, fresh pineapple (my new favorite after race fruit), bananas, cake, and energy bars.
Hakuna My Ta Tas 5KBarnesville, GA27:5922nd Overall4th in Age GroupNotes: The 5K ran the same course as the 10K. Since I hadn't managed to run the 10K course properly either time, this was my chance at redemption. I had a lot more company this time - the 5K (and possibly the later starting time) was much more popular. The race timer assured us the turn problems from the 10K had been fixed and that volunteers were now at the turns.
The race was pretty uneventful - aside from dodging cars. In both races there really was no traffic control. The course was not only open but ran you through a few stop lights. Some had a good little bit of traffic for so early on a Saturday. The busiest place, amusing to me, was around the local breakfast spot. It reminded me of a little place called City Cafe in Northport, Alabama. The whole town would be abandoned except for a ton of pick-up trucks around the restaurant. I felt strangely at home - even as I avoided being backed up on every time I ran through downtown.
I managed to find the missing turn too. It was marked by a pink sign on the opposite side of the road from the turn, but the writing was very difficult to read. There was a person at the turn, but he had his back to the runners gazing off into the distance. I'm not sure if he was the turn volunteer or not, but he certainly wasn't helping. At least I found it this time. I actually enjoyed the little side excursion - it brought in some more hills and more of the Gordon College campus to explore.
I came across the finish line this time feeling much better about myself - even though the hills and my fatigue after running the 10K had taken their toll on my time. Still, I enjoyed the results much more than if I had ended my Hakuna My Ta Tas experience with my botched 10K.
August 16
The Pacemaker 5000 (5K)Hampton, GA26:07Notes: A very interesting race. It was much larger than I had expected - probably over 300 people. This race had been rather small in previous years when it was held at the Atlanta International Speedway. The move to Crystal Lake Country Club in Hampton really seemed to bring out the people.
Race registration was incredibly well staffed. The pre-registered section was broken alphabetically into a shockingly efficient number of lines. Water was available at the start - often the sign on good things to come.
The only initial drawback of the race was the flyer. The directions to the race were incorrect (the wrong exit off I-75 was listed) and several runners I talked to got lost before the race. I luckily mapped out directions before hand and discovered the error in the comfort of my own home. Also, the race flyer did not mention that the race was going to be a point-to-point (or really much of anything about the course itself.) The Race Director sent out an e-mail to pre-registered folks (not me this time) asking them to bring bathing suits to swim at the country club pool at the finish line. One problem. How do you run a point-to-point with your bag of bathing goodies with you?
Despite some interesting logistical issues, the race itself was very enjoyable. The race director gave the standard race lie before we started: the course is flat. No, it's not. However, compared to the usual courses I run, it had some very easy rollers...and an uphill finish. The course started in a small park, ran out to a road, headed to the entrance to the country club, and meandered around the residential area, finally finishing outside the Aquatic Center. The last hill really annoyed some of the runners. We came into the hill perpendicularly about half-way up. You could see the finish line to your left but had to run all the way down the hill, turn around, and then run all the way up to finish the mileage. I rather enjoyed it, but there were some very disheartened looks on the faces of runners turning their back on the finish line the moment it came into view!
The amenities at the finish line were nothing short of excellent. A huge portable digital billboard was set up showing pictures of the race. Water, fruit, and PowerBars were available right at the finish, but the serious food was on the pool deck. A local Mexican restaurant catered a free brunch for runners: breakfast burritos, tortilla chips, and salsa. I got a plate full of food and stretched out in a chaise-style beach chair on the pool deck to eat. The handful of Macon Tracks who ran the race decided to appear at that moment for a race photo. I was quite amused as they gathered around my lounge chair for the picture. That should be a seriously funny shot: all of these runners posing in their glory and me reclining and feeding my face. I may have a copy framed...
The post-race even featured live entertainment: a 12-year old country and western vocal prodigy. What it didn't feature was clear information about how to get back to the start. I believe some vans started running after the awards, but I headed back a little early and managed to find my truck after walking a touch over a mile. I enjoyed the stroll, but I think they may have underestimated the transportation needs. Still, this was a race experiencing huge growth. The course management and race timing were wonderful and friendly volunteers were everywhere. Add in a little better communication, and this race will be top-notch!
August 2
Hot to Trot 8-Hour RaceDecatur, GA31.25 miles7:53:10("Starter's" Dogtag)Notes: This was one of the most challenging races of my life. Eight hours of running near Atlanta on trails in the heat of summer is a recipe for disaster. It was a physical challenge but just as much a mental war and a battle with body chemistry. I had 4 goals - each building on the preceeding one.
Goal 1: Don't die. This is the race motto and a good one! In these conditions death is a real option.
Goal 2: Run at least 26.2 miles. I would love to count this as a marathon for my yearly count!
Goal 3: Run at least 50K. Since I want to run ultras regularly I need to prove that I can run the most common ultra distance in difficult conditions.
Goal 4: Run more than 34 miles. Eight years ago I ran 34 miles during a 24-hour race. That is the most I have ever run at one time.
The event started with the race director ordering us not to die. Good advice - I planned to follow it. The course meandered through the woods at Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve, a surprising natural environment nestled in the edge of a residential neighborhood near a mall. In the woods, you would never know how close civilization actually was. The course was 1.12 miles including narrow trail, boardwalk, wooden bridges, and a finishing stretch of slightly uphill asphalt. The course was basically flat though.
I ran the first three laps with Matt Jenkins (Marathon Maniac #857 and eye-candy for the volunteers at the recent Make It By Midnight Marathon.) What a great guy! We had some nice conversation until he got warmed up and outgrew my sedentary 10:30 miles. We managed to do some laps together later in the race too.
The humidity was unreal. I was drenched in sweat immediately. The heat kept building and building too. Luckily the course went right by my truck where I had set up my own private aid station with tons of dry clothes, extra shoes, ice, ibuprofen, fluids, etc. I changed shirts and hats often, changed my socks not enough, and wore a stylish collection of bandanas filled with ice around my neck.
The official aid station was superbly stocked: PB&J, salty snacks, boiled potatoes with salt (the greatest ultra fuel ever), fluids, electrolyte capsules - you name it. Steaz beverages even had a booth set up with their entire product line of organic energy drinks and green teas. During my walking laps I would take a bottle along with me. Most were quite yummy - and ice cold!
The aid station volunteers were phenomenal. To sit through that kind of heat for 8-hours and still be happy and encouraging to the runners is an amazing thing. They had no fewer than 4 people watching for you to count laps. I was impressed by how careful they were to make sure nobody got shortchanged, even when it was a little crowded early on.
I was able to get in 10 miles during the first 2 hours. Then I eased off and started walking the first lap of each hour. Ultimately I got to the point where I had to walk for longer segments due to the heat. We were all battling the elements in one way or another. The pain in my back got pretty strong for awhile then eased off. The pain in my quads just continued to grow. My feet started to hurt and then reverted to a blessed state of numbness. I stopped changing socks at this point - I didn't want to awaken the beast!
I finished my 24th lap and was told by the lap counters that I was over the marathon distance. I celebrated with a short dance in the aid area and then checked the distance chart. If I could manage 4 more laps, I would break 50K. I had 75 minutes left and an exhausted body but figured I could talk myself through 5 more miles.
It took quite a bit of talking. My mind stayed strong and I overrode several urges from my body to quit. I had to turn the running machine back on to make sure I finished in time. I started running the boardwalks and other easier parts of the trails. I really didn't want to fall at this point in the race. I stopped for little other than hydration. The other runners were awesome! They were so encouraging and fun to talk with. All the runners seemed to want everyone to get their goal. The only real competition seemed to be with ourselves. That to me is how racing should be.
I came across the line with my 28th and final lap with just under 7 minutes to spare. I enjoyed some of the great post-race refreshments (best hamburger I've had in years), painfully sat on the ground for the brief awards ceremony, and went back to the truck to assess the damage to my body. My heels had the largest blisters I have ever seen. I think my trail shoes have officially had it. Thankfully, other than some slight dehydration and the standard leg pain, those were my only injuries. What an amazing experience! I can't wait to run it again next year. Maybe I can take care of that 4th goal then!
July 26
Run with the Tigers Trail 5KCovington, GA30:1419th OverallNotes: Small race held as a fundraiser for Alcovy High School's cross-country teams. The race was run on Alcovy's cross-country course. All I can say is that opposing teams must hate running the course. It is much more like a standard trail run than cross-country. It had a good number of climbs, none too intense, and one fairly steep decline. Easy roots, not many rocks, lots of red mud. I liked it quite a bit. We got a brief glance at the Alcovy River, took several paths through the woods, and managed to only run a few sections twice. The finish line was outside the endzone of the football practice field.
Sadly, the cool course was about all this race had. They did not have the t-shirts (supposedly they will be mailed later.) There were only awards for overall places for adults, but that's not a big deal for me. Goodness know I don't run for trophies. What WAS a big deal to me was the lack of any water or other hydration after the race (or any other food). Not having it on the course I can understand - it's a high school cross-country course. Not having water at the finish however is a big problem. There was a cooler sitting on a table with no cups near registration. A few people after me managed to grab a bottle or something from somewhere and coax a few drops out. It's not like there was a crowd: I was the 19th finisher. People may have hit the water before the race and left it empty for after, but organizers must keep water for everyone. The humidity was around 92% too - hydration is vital.
I was glad the $20 was going to help support the school's running program. Certainly none of the money went into the race itself. Good cause, good course, good people - the rest needs improvement.
July 19
Bragg Jam's Moonlight Miles 5KMacon, GA26:406th in Age Group102nd OverallNotes: Interesting first-time race held as part of Macon's Bragg Jam music festival. I ran it after the killer marathon the night before mainly to support the race and to get series points. I expected to wind up walking - wound up running pretty fast instead. Wow. It's amazing how fast I heal sometimes.
We were taken by the trolley to the trailhead of the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail (river walk) and dropped off. We waited for more than an hour for the race to actually start. The run down the river walk was nice (despite the concrete.) The course finished on the dirt race track in Central City Park. The finish line area was surprisingly dark.
It was a nice effort for a first-time race. The RD was slow announcing the door prizes and awards, but you could certainly not fault his enthusiasm and energy. I left before it was all over just to take my aching hips home. Still, a surprising effort for me!
July 18
Make It By Midnight MarathonMacon, GA5:51:505th OverallNotes: My post from the Macon Tracks forum about the race:
Thank you so much to everyone who came and made MIBM such a fun evening. The miles were hard, but the smiles were priceless. I have never enjoyed coming into an aid station so much in my life. I especially enjoyed the razzing I got from Tim every time he saw me. What great support!
The volunteers were incredible to brave the bugs and the heat to cheer on all of the runners. All of you made the race your own in so many ways. I enjoyed Monika making sure (rather emphatically) that everyone was running lit up like a Christmas tree for safety, Amy braving the hills on the bicycle, and Mandi doing a little bit of everything and hanging in there until the very end! Thanks for the pictures, Mandi, and such constant positive energy! Huge thanks to my incredible wife Janet who not only allows me my running addiction, but aids and abets in crazy projects like this on a regular basis. This would not have been the least bit possible without you.
My endless thanks and admiration also go to Deb for encouraging this silly idea and coming up with the whole make it by midnight concept in the first place. You made this happen more than anyone - from making registration forms, getting an e-mail address, connecting with the Maniacs, buying supplies, and a hundred other things. I'd RD a race with you anytime!
And supplies! My goodness. It was like a buffet out there. I absolutely loved the medals that Melissa brought too. How appropriate to have "kick butt" medals for our tough little race. Thanks, Melissa!
And how about three runners coming to do this race from out of state? Wow! Charlie, Phil, and Matt it was great getting to know you! Matt posted on the Marathon Maniacs website that it was one of the friendliest races he has ever run. If he only knew what you ladies were saying about him, he'd REALLY think it was friendly.
As far as the race itself, I was not kidding that this was homefield disadvantage. Trust me, no one knows any better than me how hard running is in this neighborhood. The reason for my weight loss and time improvements over the last year are all directly connected to those painful hills. I hate them and I love them. What scares me is that I think I love them more! It was very special for me to have my running friends running over my home course. This race was surprisingly emotional for me in so many ways.
While my finishing time was an hour slower than my PR, I have never been prouder to finish a race. The fact that 100% of our starters finished is a real testament to the courage and determination all of you have. I respect you all more than I could ever say.
There was also such respect shown to the neighborhood and by the neighborhood. I found the Lake Wildwooders surprisingly receptive to (if rather confused by) the constant stream of runners on the roads. I was also so pleased to see how well the runners did with keeping trash off the roads and visiting with the people along the way. I often say that runners are the best people in the world. You all backed that up!
Originally we were having a race that was being disguised as a party. Funny enough, it wound up being a party after all. Thank you all.
Hopefully, we'll do it again next year. Whether we visit the hills of Lake Wildwood again remains to be seen.
June 28
Helen Keller Festival 5-MilerTuscumbia, AL45:4211th in Age Group70th OverallNotes: The Helen Keller Festival Run became only the second race I have run 3 times (the Corinth Coke Run is the other.) It has been 8 years or so since I last ran it. Amazingly, it has not changed very much. It still has a great registration area by the Colbert County Courthouse. Runners still walk a few blocks to the starting line and then zip past the courthouse in a quick downhill start that leads all the way down Water Street and into Spring Park. It is always fun to run through the park and watch all of the vendors getting set up for the festival. Sadly, the race still has the same painful hill leading out of the park area too. The hill did not seem as steep as I remembered it however. I think hills grow steeper in memory as the years go by. I had forgotten how many smaller hills were visited by the rest of the course. Between the many small hills and an incredibly hot sun this was not an easy race. A lot of people in much better shape than I were walking the hills. I did not walk, but I also had one of my slower paces – just under 9 minutes per mile according to the Garmin.
The Shoals-TRAC folks always do a great job running races. They not only had pace callers at every mile, they had pace clocks! That’s impressive. Plenty of water stops and water sprays helped get us through as did lots of Tuscumbia residents cheering along the route. The finish line was very spirited. I found enough second wind to catch up with a couple who had been leap-frogging me the entire race as well as another gentleman just before the line. A volunteer handed out ice-cold wet paper towels after our bib tags were torn off. I love the little things like that some races do. They really make all of the difference in the world. Refreshments were adequate and cold. The t-shirt was excellent, just like I remembered from years past. This time it is a medium blue with various shades of blue and green on it. The background shows layers of ivy – fitting since Helen Keller’s Tuscumbia birthplace is known as Ivy Green.
June 21
Peach Festival 5KFort Valley, GA25:23 PR!!!7th in Age Group73rd OverallNotes: Great PR on a surprisingly comfortable Peach Festival course in Fort Valley. I enjoyed the race last year so came back with expectations. I really pushed it, fought back a bit of nausea, and ran great. I would love to rave more, but Janet and the boys are waiting for us to head out on vacation.
June 14
Salute to Freedom 5KMacon, GA26:022nd in Age Group57th Overall(Trophy)Notes: I remember being very impressed by this race last year. I wondered if it was just because I was starting to run again or if this race really had something. After running it for the second time, I can tell that this is quite a nice little race.
The friendly folks from the Kwanzaa Cultural Access Center do a great job organizing this race. It starts and finishes at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, so great indoor restroom facilities are available. I really appreciate the number of times the race director talks to the runners before the start. He obviously cares about his race!
The course itself, however, is the star of this show. There is such great variety here: a quick trip through downtown, a run by the river, a tour of Central City Park, a trip through a train tunnel, and a great finish between the Sports Hall of Fame and the train station. Adequate water on course, good markings, and split callers.
The refreshments were also quite nice: a local sports/energy drink, water, fruit, and Chik-Fil-A biscuits. You have to love biscuits after a race. Now THAT'S recovery food!
I had a surpringly good run. I really didn't feel like I had too much left in my legs after the hard pace I kept during the Army 10K yesterday. Still, I couldn't seem to stop myself from going out hard. I was inspired, I'm sure, by the fun downhill start. Amazingly enough, I was able to hold onto enough speed to almost break 26 minutes. Not bad! Of course, I was passed by a person in the exact same way I passed the guy yesterday. What goes around, comes around!
I had to leave immediately after the run to get to my Ed.S. class, but I thought I probably placed 5th or so. Imagine my surprise to discover that I took second. I'm looking forward to getting my trophy!
This race will definitely be one of my favorites from the year. I hope I'm in town for it again next summer.
June 13
Army Birthday 10KWarner Robins, GA53:40 PR!!!3rd in Age Group(Ribbon)Notes: Double loop course run through Robins Air Force Base. It was fun seeing part of the course from the marathon - actually, the most attractive part. I ran an amazing race. I was worried coming through the first loop. With a time of 26:12 I feared that I would not have enough in the tank to finish strong. I need not have worried. I kept the pace up, found a rabbit, and had a nice little battle to the finish line. My sprint at the finish (a 5:50 mile pace or faster!) was the difference. Good thing too - I edged him out for 3rd place in my age group.
Almost forgot...PR PR PR PR PR! I took 4 minutes off my current 10K PR.
June 7
Two races on this day:
Miles for Madeline 5KMilledgeville, GA28:353rd in Age Group32nd Overall(Ornament)Notes: Homespun race with a big heart. Organized by a young family to commemorate what would have been the one-year birthday of their daughter Madeline who died when only 12 hours old. This was one of the few point-to-point courses in the area. We were taken in an air-conditioned church bus 3.1 miles away and dropped off in a section of town that could kindly be described as sketchy. They did a nice job of having water and port-a-potty there for us. The course itself was a roller coaster of hills - slightly more up than down. This combined with the extreme heat and the fatigue of two previous races equaled a rather slow race time for me. It really took a lot of focus to keep the legs moving at a decent speed.
I managed to take 3rd in my age group despite the heat and hills. The award was a glass ornament with angel wings. Very original and a touching reminder of the short but powerful life of a baby girl.
10K Torture TrailEatonton, GA58:2211th in Age Group101st OverallNotes: Superbly organized race with some killer hills. There didn't seem to be a level place on the whole course. This was a challenging but highly enjoyable race with great refreshments and the best course management ever.
June 6
Daylily Dash 5KGray, GA26:49 7th in Age Group57th OverallNotes: Let the broiling begin! The first official bake-down of the summer was awarded to the Daylily Dash in Gray, Georgia. The race is run as part of the Daylily Festival, a pleasant little fair in a nice tree-covered area near the elementary school. The smell of funnel cakes and other goodies was quite a nice addition to the race.
The course was a boomerang style (an out and back then out and back in a different direction.) I've gotten to liking this type of race - you get to see the other runners twice and pass spectators three times. Of course, you also see a lot of the same roads. Not much to see on this one, but none of us were really in the mood for scenery. With temperatures in the 90s and the sun still dishing out a beating, this was not an easy race. Thank goodness it was fairly flat. The one water stop was appreciated, but it would have been great to have a few people to pass out cups. I think they were probably a little short on volunteers.
The finish line was run once again by the Classic Race Services crew. They are everywhere lately. I think they're doing all three races I'm running this weekend. I always appreciate the big race board so I can figure out my place-of-finish almost immediately.
No PR today, but I was thrilled to run a sub-27 in hot conditions. I also managed to finish ahead of many people whom I NEVER usually beat. Maybe I'm actually getting faster. The ol' Garmin had the course a hint long so I might have been even faster. Still, I only trust the complete accuracy of the Garmin so far.
Rather sparse refreshments at the end, but nice awards and a great chance to do a cool down walking through the Daylily Festival.
May 31
Xterra Deep South Trail 15KJackson, GA1:39:45 32nd in Age Group171st OverallNotes: I probably would have enjoyed this race quite a bit more if I had not run three exceptional trail races just before it. The Deep South was held on the beautiful grounds of Dauset Trails Nature Center. This is quite a lovely park with an animal trail with all sorts of interesting animals, a striking visitors' center, lovely wooden bridges, picnic shelters, small lakes, etc. The park also has around 17 miles of well-maintained trail (largely designed for bikes). These trails are rather non-descript. Aside from a trip through a lush fern gully you spend much of the race staring at narrow single track trail through the trees. Except for a mile-long finish around the field used for the parking lot, the entire run stayed on these trails and away from the more developed areas of the park.
The race was well-organized and well-timed. I always love seeing Classic Race Services doing the timing, because I know the results will be accurate and on the web quickly. The shirt was nice - it looks downright tribal - and was blissfully not white. Sometimes that's enough to please me alone. There was water and gatorade and fruit available before the race - always a nice touch.
I wish the race had started with the loop around the parking lot instead of finishing that way. The start went through some fairly wide track - roughly the width of one lane of car traffic. Yet with more than 200 people running the race, we were still packed together when we entered the single track. It forced you to make some tough decisions: drop speed and become the caboose on a slow-moving runner train or risk life and limb with some tricky passes.
The trail itself was very well maintained and very road-runner friendly. There were certainly roots and rocks to be avoided but nothing too tricky. There was one very short section (50 feet or so) that involved some technical work with rocks, but otherwise the course was very runnable. A few hills got your attention, but even they were easy for trail running. The course was impeccably marked - a nice change after trying to guess the turns at previous races.
Aid stations were adequate although at weird intervals: roughly 1 mile, 3 miles, and 7 miles. GU was supposedly available at the first two, but I didn't look for it or request it. Too soon for me! All stops seemed to have water and sports drink and enough hands to pass out cups.
The race got a little frustrating for me in the second half. I got caught in a slow moving group of runners in a really narrow section of the trail. I couldn't pass without putting us all at risk. They were nice folks, so I put my energy into carrying on a conversation and trying not to worry about my pace. Eventually (after a mile or so) we reached some double-track.
I managed to run the whole race without a fall, but I did have one close call. When my balance started to go, I threw my water bottle to free up my hand, and dropped down on one knee. It worked great! All I got were two dirty hands and one dirty knee. It was strange finishing a trail race without blood running down my legs and arms.
I was disappointed at the finish to find they were already completely out of fluids. That is always one of the worst errors organizers can make - especially on humid days. I was so annoyed that I grabbed a banana, hopped in my truck, and left to find water. There were a lot of people still on course too. I hope the organizers got something for people - I saw no efforts to that effect when I was there.
In short, the Xterra Deep South 15K is a decent if rather bland trail run. It would be a great starter run for road racers interested in giving the trails a try but a bit of a downer after such exciting courses as Twisted Ankle, SweetH2O, and Granite Grinder.
May 26
Kiwanis Memorial Day 8KCordele, GA42:51 PR!4th in Age Group44th OverallNotes: For the first time in Georgia I ran a race twice! Everything was much the same as last year: same friendly people, refreshments, timing, water stations, etc. - all nicely done. Same course (seems a lot flatter after a year of running), but without the smoke this year. The Frontage Road section was a bit toasty this year. Once again they had dogtag-style finishers' medals - exactly like last year. They are so cool, I'm actually glad to have a second one!
Also like last year the results seemed to take forever to tabulate. I think this is probably because of the age grading and UST&F awards that have to be calculated. Nice awards ceremony, handled with humor and expediency.
I had another great race. My goal was to keep my pace under 9:00 minute miles, hopefully approaching 8:30 miles. I felt strong all the way through and averaged 8:38 - not bad! I took 7 minutes off my time from last year and lowered my 8K PR by 2 1/2 minutes. I hope I can continue my recent success with the shorter distances! Maybe I should actually consider doing some speed work...
May 24
Peach Stand Road Race 5KLocust Grove, GA25:49 PR!2nd in Age Group34th OverallNotes: This race was a true hidden gem! I had planned to go up to Duluth to run today but decided to try to look for a local race one more time. I found this race on one of the more obscure race calendars and then tracked down an application through a series of websites. I could find so little information I worried that it might not actually be happening. I didn't pass along the race because of this - didn't want to lead people on a wild goose chase. Now I really wish I had!
The race registration was at a fruit stand in Locust Grove. I was impressed right from registration - the goody bag was a lightweight backpack. Very nice! Everything seemed very well organized.
Before the race we got a send-off from the mayor of Locust Grove. The course itself followed rural roads (fairly flat with small small rollers) with NO traffic whatsoever. The local police did a wonderful job keeping things clear. I love it when a race does the little things well: mile markers, called splits, a well-managed water station, etc. This smaller race did those things better than most of the races I run. The finish line was well-managed and results were posted as cards were turned in.
I was astonished to turn in a PR time one week after the Twisted Ankle Trail Marathon. I blazed (for me) through the course in 25:49 and took 2nd place in my age group. The awards for this race are VERY impressive: custom medals featuring the race logo. They even had the medals cast in gold, silver, and bronze colors to designate the places. I have never seen a small race with medals of this quality!
Throw in Run-Fit Sports (Peachtree) with all sorts of samples and giveaways, excellent refreshments, and a well-run awards ceremony and you have a fine finish to really a top-notch little race. This is only the 2nd year for the Peach Stand Road Race. With this sort of quality, it will be successful for a long time.
May 17
Twisted Ankle Trail MarathonSummerville, GA6:21:1611th in Age Group91st OverallNotes: The Twisted Ankle is considered by many to be the toughest marathon in the state of Georgia. The race features severe climbs, treacherous downhills, hot temperatures, dire warnings from the race director, and so much more. You know the race is going to be hard when you see the mountain search and rescue team setting up a headquarters position near the finish line! After running this great race I have decided that It was just as tough as advertised and twice as beautiful. At one point I was running through tall grass with a cloud of brightly colored butterflies flitting around me. This went on for almost half a mile. Incredible!
The hardest hill (mountain?) on the course even has a name: Becky's Bluff named for the wonderful and slightly sadistic race director. Becky's Bluff is brutal. I have never seen a climb like that before. I don't think I'll ever be scared by a hill again! It was almost impossible to WALK up. Everyone in the group I was in had to stop for a breather on the way up at least once. One problem - it was a very narrow trail with some drop-off on the side. The only way to get a break was to grab a tree and lean against it as the people behind you came by. We all played leap-frog like that (more like crawl-frog really) all the way up the Bluff.
The other hard feature of the full marathon (okay, everything was rather hard in some way ) was the gravel fire road we ran from roughly miles 16.5 to 19.5. It was completely exposed to the sun, very steep, and the gravel was downright painful in places. Some people were claiming they would rather do Becky's Bluff again. I wasn't one of them!
If you ever thought that running downhill was easy, Twisted Ankle will change your mind. Blissfully, they do not take you down the murderous Becky's Bluff route we took up. I'm not sure how you would go down that way. The way we did go down was a toe-crusher like I've never experienced - especially since I was getting it on rougly the 24th mile. By the time I reached the end of the descent (it went on seemingly forever - 3/4 of a mile, maybe more of steep downslope twisting through the woods) I cheered when there was a little hill I could run up. The change of pace actually felt really good! What a laugh - being happy to see a hill 24 miles into a marathon!
Many runners complained about missing course markings and getting some free "bonus miles". I also had some problems picking up trail markers. More often, I was on the right trail but didn't see a ribbon for so long that I got worried. I ran a large portion of the race by myself - I could have been lost in the forest for all I knew. I only missed one turn and it was minor. I ran below the dam instead of across it - probably cost me 2 or 3 minutes.
Again I had trouble with an aid station running out of water at a crucial point. The turn-around water station around mile 8 or 9 was out of everything but ice. Unfortunately, I had taken my usual fall at 7.5 and was hoping for some water to clean my wounds. Fortunately, I now carry my own Gatorade with me. I had nearly a full container so I was fine hydration-wise. I really was scared for those coming behind me who faced a big climb with no water. Most of the aid-stations for us slow folks seemed to be barely supplied in the middle of the race. It got MUCH better as the race went on.
The finish line was rather anti-climactic by the time I got to it. I loved running across the bridge to the finish and thought it was nice that they announced my name. Still, the people at the line were ready to go home. I understand, it was a long day for volunteers. They do a ton of work to make one of these happen. I was bummed that the finish line photographer was gone too. There were still a good number of folks on the course too. That's a post I think should be maintained until the last finisher comes across.
As a side note, I highly recommend camping out in a tent before a race. It was quiet, cozy, and downright comfortable. I had a big air mattress that was more comfortable than any hotel bed I've slept in before a race. I had electricity to run a fan or a heater (I needed both at one time or another) and my corner of the campground all to myself. The only thing that would have been better was if the bathhouse was a little bit closer. Oh, and if the pool was open (the website said it would not be open until next week, so it was not a surprise.) Staying 40 minutes away meant I was the only one getting ready, so I had plenty of room and hot water. I stayed over Saturday night to rest, tore down early Sunday morning, and still made it back to Macon in time for church.
May 10
MSO Allegro 5KMacon, GA28:023rd in Age Group52nd OverallNotes: Another fun race with cloudy but very humid conditions. The Macon Symphony Orchestra Allegro 5K is run completely within Ocmulgee National Monument park - an amazing place with massive Native American mounds, trails of every type, a beautiful Art Moderne visitor's center and much more. I can't believe I have been in Macon for five years and never have come here before. Shame on me!
The race was well-organized. From packet pick-up to the award ceremony everything was run quite well.
I wish I could say we all ran the course well. The race is an out-and-back-and-out-and-back - basically a boomerang course where you run back to the start line only to continue past the start for a piece before turning once again to head home. We started at a screaming fast pace down a rather steep hill. When I am doing a 6 minute mile pace, there's a problem. I remarked to the people next to me that we would not enjoy this hill nearly so much on the return. I was right.
The course stayed on the roads of the park but did provide views of some of the mounds. The real way to see this park is on the trails, but that's another run report...
I really stalled on the hill, but managed to put myself back together well enough to finish strong. In fact, I had such a great kick (fueled largely by the Macon Tracks folks cheering me on) at the finish line that I regretted not using some of that energy earlier.
Decent refreshments afterward. Great door prizes! I won a CD of the Macon Symphony Orchestra. Very cool! I was surprised to take 3rd place in my age group but happily accepted the nice award medal. I like that it had my age group printed on it - that takes extra planning and probably expense by a race organizer. Those little details really mean a lot!
The Macon Tracks had a huge presence at this race again. The puclicity/shirt table was set up and seemed to draw some great attention. Great work by the many volunteers that made this such a pleasant race.
May 3
Run4Missions 5KMacon, GA26:245th in Age Group82nd OverallNotes: : Run4Missions is one of the best local races. It is run by Mt. Zion Baptist Church as a fundraiser for their mission trips. Beautifully organized, accurate course, great baked goods before and after the race (homemade banana pudding!), indoor results, a ton of door prizes, and free photos posted on the web. I'm not sure how it could be improved. Even the t-shirt is quite nice.
I would have loved this race no matter how I ran, but I had an amazing day. The weight loss is making a HUGE difference. I worried after running 8:38 on the first mile that I was pushing too hard. Then I ran the second mile in exactly 8:38 again. Wow, consistency for me? Unheard of. The third mile? No, not 8:38. 8:26! Negative splits? Doesn't usually happen for me. I hope it keeps happening though! The final time was a current PR for me - by quite a margin. I think I may be turning the corner with my running. Hopefully this will motivate me to keep dropping the pounds.
I certainly felt the effort of pushing myself so hard, but I had little soreness afterwards. Even my poor battered ribs held together pretty well.
April 26
SweetH2O Trail Half-MarathonLithia Springs, GA3:03:5712th in Age Group127th OverallNotes: Insane trail race featuring every surface imaginable. This is not a race for the faint of heart (or weak of ankle.) Easy mile and change on asphalt to start with followed by rough trail, rock walls, bridges, sharp rocks, river crossings, mud - you name it! Actually many of the sections were impossible to run - especially the stretch over the rock field by the river. That was something. We also had a little mini-rapelling adventure down to a shallow river crossing. After crossing we grabbed the ropes and dragged ourselves up the other side. There was certainly no lack of adventure. Simply one of the hardest races of my life.
I took an exceptionally hard fall around mile 9 - ripped up my knee, bruised (probably cracked) some ribs, etc. Here's the funny thing: with all of these ridiculously dangerous sections I manage to fall on one of the flattest, widest, most level, most obstacle-free sections of the course. That didn't stop me from falling HARD. I hit, bounced, rolled, hit some more - I'm sure it would have been great on video. I managed to cut up the side that did not get damaged at the Granite Grinder and bruised my ribs on the right side. It took me awhile to be able to run well after that fun.
SweetH2O is one of the most beautiful and challenging races ever. Someday I hope to run the 50K...
April 19
Granite Grinder Trail Half-MarathonConyers, GA2:45:5623rd in Age Group176th OverallNotes: Crazy trail race through the horse park used for various events in the 1996 Olympic Games. My first trail marathon - and it was tough, tough, tough. Also fun, fun, fun. This race had it all: wacky trails, drops, too much granite, and ever the devil himself taunting you while perched on the Olympic rings. Now that's unusual!
There weren't that many hills. Only 20 or 30. Or was it 200? The 11th and 12th miles were hysterical - a zillion steep climbs and death-defying descents. The Granite Grinder is anything but boring!
I especially could not believe the sections over the granite face. It really did look we were running on the moon - only with a LOT more gravity. Those things were slippery too. I took a really hard fall on the 13th mile - just as we were leaving the granite heading back to trail. I have cuts and bruises in all sorts of places, but it wasn't too bad. I bounced right back up and finished even faster. The fall just made me look more "authentic" for the finish line.
I was very impressed with the organization of the race. This was well-done - especially for a first-year race. Great extras, give-aways, and the like.
This was a good test to prepare me for Twisted Ankle in a month.
April 12
Dogwood Festival 5KPerry, GA27:229th in Age Group113th OverallNotes: The Dogwood Festival 5K is run as part of a city festival in Perry, Georgia. The course starts from downtown and loops through largely residential areas. They had an army of volunteers helping out at registration. Good turnout - probably more than 200 runners and walkers. The course was quite enjoyable: a few hills but nothing too painful. The one at the end, however, seemed to slow us all down a bit. We had the usual race weather conditions lately: 60s, humid, and rainy. Thankfully, the harder rains held off until the end. This was a very friendly race. Lots of Macon Tracks around to visit - especially the mid-packers that I usually hang out with. I went back out after I had finished and ran in Donna, a friend from the Tracks. She is always so supportive of everyone - I wanted to support her too. Funny enough the song "Donna" came up on my MP3 player just as I went back to look for her. All and all a very pleasant race.
April 5
Cherry Blossom 15KMacon, GA1:33:017th in Age Group84th OverallNotes: The Cherry Blossom Festival advertises this race as a lovely run through some of Macon's most beautiful neighborhoods (and Macon's most beautiful cherry blossoms, one would assume.) The weather had some tricks to play: it rained nearly constantly throughout the race. However, we were spared the vicious thunder storms that had been predicted. The course itself was attractive, if a bit beaten down by the rains. While the roads were a bit busy, the police presence was unbelievable. There were vehicles everywhere. It seemed that several of the cruisers were doubling back constantly to make sure those of us at the back of the pack were hanging in there. I felt very looked after! Volunteers and officers who are willing to stand in the rain for hours so that we can have a race are amazing, giving people. We can't thank them enough!
All in all the race did the little things well: well-marked miles, four aid stations (some with PowerAde), a gel stop (I was surprised!), good turn signage, and ample volunteers. The race was computer timed with bib sensors so only gun time was measured. The race wasn't big enough to take long to cross the starting line anyway. Refreshments were adequates, awards seemed nice (none came to me for closer inspection.)
As for me, I had a fair race. I expected to be slow coming off nearly two weeks without training (including a bad cold and vacation). I ran a solid, smart race - not trying to push it. Rain races generally please me anyway. The Macon Tracks had a large contingent there and took home many awards. I appreciated the encouragement after my slow finish. It is such a blessing to run with people who understand that the real race is run against yourself - not others!
March 22
Fire Ant Festival 5KAshburn, GA27:144th in Age Group50th OverallNotes: This was a 5K run as part of the quirky Fire Ant Festival in Ashburn, GA. It had many of the attribute that I love about a race: it was connected with a local festival, had around 100 participants, and was hosted at a local school. If you have all three of those categories covered the run is usually decent. I'm please to say my formula held up again today. Start was rather low-key but very well organized. No clocks any place on course, but plenty of turn monitors. Miles were marked accurately. The course might as well have gone up and down a bunch of fire ant hills. There were a lot of hills - none terribly big - but enough to keep your attention. The finish line crew yelled your times out to you as you came down the stretch. Not flashy, but effective.
The t-shirt was wonderful - an early entry for shirt of the year. It copied the Fire Ant Festival logo that was a parody of Burning Ring of Fire with Johnny Cash. On the shirt it is a Burning Ring of Fire Ants complete with two ants with an uncanny resemblance to Johnny and June Cash. The shirt is, of course, black. The volunteers had the same logo on bright green shirts that said Worker Ant on the back. Fun!
March 15
ULMS Shamrock Sprint 5KThomaston, GA25:182nd in Age Group14th OverallNotes: A very small race in Thomaston, GA. The race was very casual - occasionally too casual - but was also very friendly and comfortable. Temperatures were quite pleasant although the humidity was around 98%. Basically it was the Disney race conditions all over again. The course meandered through Thomaston. I liked the course - it was hilly enough to keep your attention and had plenty to look at. One water station, well staffed. Decent traffic control and turn monitoring. The only problem: the course was at least .2 miles short. This looks like a PR on paper (or computer screen), but it really isn't. Still, it would have been a good run even without the short course.
They only awarded prizes to first place in each age group (I was 2nd), but then let everyone take one of the homemade ceramic shamrocks they were using as prizes. I guess we all got a finisher's medal. That's cool.
March 8
Forsythia Festival 5KForsyth, GA28:032nd in Age Group50th Overall(Trophy)Notes: Freezing cold winds and snow flurries greeted us at the Forsythia - a 5K run entirely on the grounds of a safety training complex. It was great running on a completely closed course - basically a big loop running past police, fire, and driving training courses and various conference centers and housing areas. The course was a bit on the hilly side but would not have been too bad if not for the vicious headwinds. I managed to run at a pretty good clip (considering) and finished strong for 2nd place in my age group. I got schooled at the finish by Amy from the Tracks. Still, not a bad race coming off the Fiddler layoff.
February 23
All Toll Memorial Open 5KMacon, GA27:343rd in Age Group49th OverallNotes: This was a Macon Tracks race so I saw a ton of my running friends. The main attraction is a 15K for the Masters runners. Being too young by 3 years, I settled for the 5K. The course features only one hill - a mile long sucker that you run up and then down. It was more fun then one would think! I had a strong effort on the uphill - 9:15 or so -- and absolutely flew on the downhill - 7:53. Add in some solid pace on the turnaround plateau and I had a very nice time. The Garmin had the race at 3.25 miles which makes the time seem even better. I managed to take 3rd in my age group too while having absolutely no pain. Great run!
February 16
Sweetheart Run for Sight 12KCenterville, GA1:07:016th in Age Group51st OverallNotes: I had a good race today without the benefit of sleep. My baby son Caedmon came into the world on Tuesday, and Mommy, baby, and I just came home from the hospital last night. I had the standard father of a newborn "good night's sleep" - i.e. very little. Still, after three days in the hospital sleeping on a couch this felt quite good. The course is basically the Jim Herrin 10K course with some additional touring of the housing developments and enough little loops to make you think that you see yourself coming back the other way. The course was marked extremely well. Thank goodness, because at some intersections people were going in three different directions depending on what stage of the race they were currently at. Water and Gatorade throughout the course, card finish line, and perfect (mid 40s) weather. I had a really nice time - especially with all the loops and out-and-backs I got to see my friends from the Macon Tracks many times. Good facilities inside the mall. The only drawback to the event was the fact that the course itself seems to be a bit short - perhaps as much as .3 miles off. Since this was my first 12K, I was assured a PR either way. The next one might seem a bit longer though!
February 9
Heart Hustle 5KGriffin, GA26:432nd in Age GroupNotes: This was a fun race held as a fundraiser for an elementary school. The course was quite rolling (and advertised as such, thankfully) with an unusual configuration - part loop, part out and back. The weather was great, and (shockingly enough) so was I. I have had no luck with 5Ks lately, but everything felt great today. It certainly took effort, but I managed to PR without really feeling out of control. Maybe I'm regaining a little speed again after my marathon mania!
January 19
Museum of Aviation Foundation MarathonWarner Robins, GA4:50:16Notes: A double loop starting at the Museum of Aviation and continuing aroung Robins Air Force Base. Lots of interesting things to see - including running on an active flightline. Weather was horrible - constant rain with temperature in the 30s. I was shocked to record a PR only 5 days after the Disney Marathon. The course is very flat with only one short hill and a few casual inclines. (This is just the entry from my training log. More write-up coming soon!)
Janaury 13
Walt Disney World MarathonWalt Disney World, FL5:03:02No official results - see notes.Notes: I registered for this race last summer, long before I was in any shape to run a marathon again. I figured the legendary Disney Marathon (and the equally legendary Mickey finisher's medal) would get me motivated if anything would. Add in the fact that this was the 15th Anniversary of the race and I had to be there! I even scheduled another marathon before this one (Chickamauga) as a training run for Disney. Anything with that much build-up is bound to be disappointing once it actually arrives. Thankfully, the Disney Marathon was anything but disappointing!
Packet pick-up is held at the Expo in Disney's Wide World of Sports complex. Complex indeed - I could not believe how big the facility was. I grew up in Florida and have probably been to Disney a hundred times or more, but had never had the need to go to WWoS. Imagine an endless stretch of yellow buildings with Spanish architecture, dozens of athletic fields, a minor-league baseball stadium (in the same style as the buildings), and a large gymnasium called the Milk House (home to the Expo itself.) Disney is a master at leading people through lines. The packet pick-up was an example of this art. There was a line for everything! You went in circles picking one thing up here, another there, testing the chip here, checking this there. You finally wound up on the floor of the gym swimming upstream through everyone shopping to get goodie-bag and shirt pick-up at the far end. Considering around 30,000 runners or so run the half and full marathons, it was crowded indeed. Disney had lots of lines, though, and things moved very fast. The shirt was worth waiting for: a silverish technical shirt with a sharp logo on the front and the individual logos from the theme parks down the sleeve. Nice! The Expo itself was great with lots of top vendors, some fun freebies, and great race merchandise. Pushing through the crowds got a little tiring, but it was overall a positive experience.
Race day began with me arriving at the Epcot parking lot at 4:00 AM. Now that's early! I had decided to run the race in costume as Tigger (orange running cap with a Tigger ears headband, orange technical tank with striped painted on it, an orange and black tail, black Race Ready shorts, and orange reflective gloves. Needless to say, I was getting many odd (and some appreciative) looks from the beginning. One lady even came up and pulled my tail. I wasn't sure how to interpret that one!
The staging area for the race looked like a tent city for refugees of a natural disaster. There were tents everywhere - a regular sea of white canvas. The tents were labeled, but figuring out what was where could prove quite a challenge. I had walked through this area the afternoon before and was glad I did! There was even a band blasting out tunes! I found a fellow teacher from my school and set out on the age-old quest to find the port-a-lets. We found them - probably 100 or more stretching off into the distance. This was my first race with THIS many participants, so I was unprepared for that many outdoor toilets. Each one had 15 or so people in line too. At about 5:00 they took down the gate at the back of the staging area and herded us out to the start. I mean the herding very literally. In fact I was actually mooing loudly (much to the mixed amusement and terror of the people around me) as we walked through a spooky Disney graveyard: abandoned pieces of rides and other things sitting by the side of the road shrouded in fog. It took almost 20 minutes to get to the starting corrals - the race has 8 of them, each holding roughly 2000 runners, corral placement based on anticipated finishing time. I headed for Corral C after finding yet another bank of dozens of port-o-lets. In the corral the runners camped out, watching various live interviews (including one with Jeff Galloway who was running the race) and music videos on the jumbo-tron screens near the starting lines. (There are two starting lines for Disney: corrals A-C head out around the side of Epcot and through World Showcase, corrals D-H along with the elite runners go through the front gates and exit near Mexico. The two groups join up again backstage and follow the same course for the rest of the race.) The entertainers seemed to be the same folks from the 5K - only now without their British dialects.
After the Star-Spangled Banner it was finally time to get started. The starting gun for this race dwarfed the 5K fireworks. These were pretty sizeable fireworks, lasting longer than I expected and shooting off right from the overpass by me, with the added fun of flame jets shooting up over the starting line. As always with giant marathons it was a long, slow walk to start - about 5 minutes for me. When I ran across the timing mat I started my Garmin and simultaneously realized that I had forgotten to put my timing chip on my shoe. There in the middle of 16,000 runners I felt completely alone - the only one left out of the party. I considered dropping from the race right there - I was that let down by my own stupidity. Still, I had invested a lot of time, training, and money to run the race. Run it I would.
The first part of the course took us through the darkness for a mile or so and then into Epcot. I was in the group that ran World Showcase. It was eerie running through the empty park, but beautiful to look across at all of the buildings lit-up just for us. What was not beautiful was the humidity. The temperature was comfortably in the 60s, but the humidity was at 96%. We were all quickly getting soaked in sweat and the sun hadn't even come up yet. Not a good sign.
We exited Epcot and ran through the backstage area - under the speed test portion of Test Track and around other buildings. We emerged back at the corrals - and ran this section of the road again. The bright spot - the big crowd at the starting line had hung around to be the big crowd at mile 4. A little further on we curved onto a big exit ramp that looped everyone under the Epcot road, heading towards the Magic Kingdom. It was amazing looking down from the top of the overpass looking at runners heading in an unbelievable line off into the horizon. Incredible! Speaking of incredible, a couple dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Incredible came running by sometime along this stretch. Anyone who can run 26.2 miles in a spandex costume impresses me! A series of signs had started to appear by the side of the road. These were sponsored by Sharpie and were full of funny comments, trivia questions, and off-the-wall facts. One of my many favorites: "When everything is going your way, you're in the wrong lane!" These signs were on the roads connecting the parks all through the race. What a great idea!
We ran up World Drive towards the Ticket and Transportation Center, skirting by the race track, and into the largest parking area at Disney. In the middle of this lot was the strangest thing: I noticed that we were being split into two paths up above. I had read nothing about this in the race literature. When I got close to it I found a sign telling me to choose my music: Country to the left, 80s Hits to the right. I sprinted to the right before it was too late and was rewarded with Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus". Sweet!
As we reached the TTC we found a huge crowd waiting for us. I had almost forgotten I was dressed as Tigger. The crowd certainly didn't let me forget it ever again. It seems every step I took someone else was cheering for Tigger. The people running near me said it was like running with a celebrity - some even said they stayed near me so they could hear all the cheers. It was an unbelievable experience. As we ran by the ramps leading up to the monorails the crowd got a little overwhelming. The path for us had narrowed slighly and it seemed like there were screaming people going on forever. It was both exhilarating and a touch daunting at the same time. The crowd slowly thinned out some and we were running down Topiary Lane towards the Contermporary Resort. I met a really nice guy named Rusty from Dalton, Georgia. He needed someone to help him pace and I needed someone to talk to -- we quickly teamed up. A quick trip under the lake, a few turns, and we were running through the backstage area of the Magic Kingdom. The noise was really building up ahead. We had reached Main Street U.S.A.
The Magic Kingdom still was not open, but Disney allowed marathon fans in for free to line the left side of Main Street U.S.A. These people were seriously vocal! I enjoyed the Tigger cheers again, but had my eye out for my father who had come along as race support. This was the only place on course I would see him, and I desperately wanted to tell him I had forgotten my chip. My family and friends were planning to track me via my chip on the internet and through text messaging. No chip meant no tracking and lots of worries if I didn't get a message through. Thankfully, Dad had staked out a great spot and I passed the word on to him. For the first time, I really started to relax about forgetting my chip and settled into enjoying the race. We headed into Tomorrowland - no spectators here, just cast members and characters cheering us on. In Fantasyland I remarked to the other runners that I was relieved that Disney had let me (Tigger) out of the Pooh ride for the day! The carousel was spinning for our entertainment as we headed towards Cinderella Castle. Up on the balcony Ariel and her prince along with the Fairy-Godmother were waving down at us as royal trumpeters welcomed us into the back of the castle. We emerged from the front to cheers from the crowd and many of the professional photographers. A quick jog and we were running along Frontierland. I saw Liverlips McGraw - one of the bears from Country Bear Jamboree - and told him that I had all of his albums. He jumped up and down for joy.
We headed out of the Magic Kingdom through the Frontierland parade entrance. At the train tracks one the trains that transport people around MK was waiting right by our path with the engineers waving at us. Disney really didn't miss any chance to make us feel special. Here we had the chance to see the backstage area of the Magic Kingdom - really cool, especially the open air storage where all of the parade floats live.
The next section of the race is thought to be lacking by many runners. It takes quite awhile to get to Animal Kingdom - it's in the far southwest corner of Disney's property. The route there goes by the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Shades of Green Resorts with some decent crowds before meandering by golf courses and some fairly non-descript areas. I didn't mind this stretch at all. I enjoyed the music that was provided for us as well as whatever spectators had made it out this far. I had finally found Holly, the teacher from my school, and she joined Rusty as an "Official Tigger Guard". The Sharpie signs continued with me being appointed official reader of the signs for the group's amusement. That kept me entertained.
We ran past the infamous Disney waste water treatment facility and found that the wind was NOT in our favor. Let's just say it's a smell that's not on Disney's regular tour. Soon we entered Animal Kingdom and had a whole new set of smells with which to deal! I found myself running on the same access road that had held the out-and-back portion of the Disney 5K. We followed a similar route around the east side of Animal Kingdom (lots of curves and lots of fun), out the same side gate, and into the parking lot. A sharp right turn led us eventually to the outside of the entrance gate to Animal Kingdom where another large crowd awaited us. This crowd stretched all through the parking lot and were they ever vocal! My arm started to get tired waving to all of the Tigger fans, but it was so much fun I couldn't stop. Sadly I lost both Holly and Rusty in the next few miles to sore legs. I really enjoyed running with them, but headed on solo (but certainly not alone.)
The only out-and-back section of this race comes about the 20 mile mark on another non-descript road. I had read many nightmare stories of this section. It was rather dull, but it was actually a nice change to see some of the other runners. We passed a high school band with a rather strange Tigger fixation. I thought I was going to need to find a body guard. I was hurting a bit in this section. I had decided early on to walk the aid stations to get plenty of fluids to help fight the humidity. On this stretch I took a particularly long walk through a station and had a little trouble getting going again. Finally the running motor started again and I headed into Disney's Hollywood Studios (formally known as Disney-MGM). This park was already open for business so many park visitors stared at the unexpected parade of sweaty people running (or lurching, limping, and crawling) through the park. Running down New York Street was cool - it was like suddenly we were in the NYC Marathon. Not long after I saw Cruella DeVille by the side of the road. She remarked on seeing the pretty running tiger. I screamed and begged her not to make a coat out of me. By this time I was enjoying the whole Tigger thing WAY too much! We headed for the front gate, left the Studios, and started the finishing run through the Epcot Resorts: Boardwalk, Swan/Dolphin, Yacht Club, and Beach Club. These resorts are quite scenic, the people lining the paths were relaxed and very supportive. Soon we were climbing the hill towards the International entrance to Epcot. We emerged into the World Showcase area in between England and Canada and ran all of the way around. The humidity had me pretty tired at this point so I took a short walk break with a lady from Canada. We discussed the complexities of converting back and forth from the metric system - trying to interpret all of the mile markers was starting to drive her a little crazy. She decided she was going to extend her walk break to the finish line, I decided it was time to run as fast as I could. I made great time through the rest of World Showcase, into Future World, under the geosphere, and out a cast exit. Waiting around the corner was an amazing gospel choir inspiring us on to the finish line. A short trip through the parking lot and there it was: bleachers, a grandstand, and so many people yelling Tigger that I practically floated towards the finish line. I was so incredibly excited to finish the race - even without an official time.
The medal had been a closely kept secret. Supposedly it was going to be special for the 15th Anniversary. Special indeed. The medal is enormous - almost enough to put some of more tired runners off-balance. In color for the first time with incredible weight and detail the famous Mickey medal is absolutely stunning (Click here to see it!). For the first time I got one of those trendy finish line mylar blankets (not that I needed it with all the humidity). Finish line refreshments were ample if a bit unimaginative. The reunion area was massively crowded as runners and families searched for each other and numerous vendors capitalized on everyone's joy by selling souvenirs of the day. I wrapped my goodies in my blanket, took an official photo with my medal, and started on a long cool-down walk to find the truck several parking lots over. I will definitely be back next year - with my timing chip!
January 11
Disney Family Safari 5K Walt Disney World, FL27:55No results - scored as a fun run.Notes: For a race that promised no results and no awards, this was an awful lot of fun. Packet pick-up was in the Butterfly parking lot of Disney's Animal Kingdom. The set-up was huge - dozens of port-a-lets, tents, scaffolding, etc. The registration was huge too - more than 3000 runners signed up for a running tour of Animal Kingdom. The runners were entertained before the race by a number of Disney entertainers interviewing guests and bantering with each other an a small stage by the start line. Disney added pacing signs this year (to my knowledge they did not have them before) in an effort to get the crowd to line-up in a way that would avoid mass trampling. Everything was decorated safari-style - Disney re-themes this race every year. Even the entertainers were sporting colonial British dialects - a la Jane from Tarzan (who was there too, by the way.) The race started after Mickey (in safari gear, of course) mounted the platform to wish the runners luck. Disney does nothing small, so the starting gun was actually a fireworks display shooting out of the scaffolding. Very cool.
The race course took us around a huge section of the parking lot. The reason for this (I assume) was to try and stretch out the huge crowd before we reached the narrow entrance passages of Animal Kingdom. We ran in the main gates at 1 mile and headed left through the park past the Tree of Life and the entance to Camp Minniemickey. The race started early so the park was empty except for dozens of Disney employees who were out on the route to cheer us on. We crossed the bridge into the Africa section of the park, took a sharp right, and headed into a backstage area. We ran on an access road that is directly between the train tracks that lead to Conservation Station. After a turn-around we headed back into the park, through Asia, and by Animal Kingdom's biggest thrill attraction: Everest. A quick trek under a giant dinosaur later we headed out the side of the park through another cast gate. After a short run we arrived back in the parking lot for the finish.
While the race had no official results, a clock was running for participants to check their own times. The entertainers were encouraging runners to tell their friends whatever time they wanted! No trophies for winners, but medals for all finishers. The medals were huge, but they weren't metal. They were a rubbery plastic of some sort featuring Mickey in his best Indiana Jones gear. It sounds rather tacky, but is actually very cool (click the link above to see it.) Disney provided lots of Powerade, fruit, and snack cakes for all. Nice goody bag with a Sharpie and other fun stuff. Even the t-shirt was excellent: light blue with a cool safari logo on it.
I had a nice run. It was very crowded, and I was really just trying to have a safe warm-up for the marathon in two days. Maybe for this reason I ran a decent (for me) time without too much effort.
