In November 2008 I lined up for the Gobbler Grind Half-Marathon. At the time it was my first race of that distance and my longest run ever. Since then of course, I've covered that distance many times in training and have completed five races of that distance or longer, including the full marathon at the same event in 2009.
November 21 2010 saw me line up for the third straight year, this time, as in 2008, for the Half. This year, Jill and my two daughters were in attendance also, to run the 5k (a separate race at the same event, effectively covering the first 5k of my run).
Here was the problem with this year. First of all, I was, I felt, undertrained. I've seemed to develop a knack of twisting my ankle over the last few weeks and this has slowed me down both in speed and volume. On top of that, I've been eating like I'm doing a universal junk food audit, and yesterday topped it off when we celebrated Thanksgiving early and I anti-carbo loaded with turkey, potatoes and the usual trimmings. More like preparation for a bigger pair of pants than a Half Marathon.
Still, I love this race. After the first 5k around a corporate complex, paved trails weave in and out of wooded areas and under and over bridges until two or three more miles of road and then a return on the same trails to the finish line. I wouldn't say the course is overly challenging, but it's not slam dunk piss easy either. There's no major hills except for a long steady incline on the road section in the middle, but it's rare that you encounter a truly long flat area. Plenty of little bumps. Added to that, while this year was by far the warmest of the three "Grinds" I've done, it was also far and away the windiest.
My youngest was going to walk-run the race with Jill, who's been fighting allergies and flu and wasn't up to a full run. My oldest daughter's a cross-countryer so she started with me (and soon pulled away - she would later finish 4th in her age group, and probably could have finished higher but she thought she'd missed a turn and double backed to me, costing herself probably 30-45 seconds at least in the process).
Really, almost immediately, I knew this was going to be a tough race. My goal going in was 1:45, much slower than my PR, but all I felt capable of. I knew even that was going to be pretty difficult, but I muscled around the first 5k in about 8:10 pace, not too far off. I kept expecting things to start to ease up, but my lack of energy, somewhat bloatedness for the ill-advised turkeyfest the day before, and the incessant wind meant it never really did. The incline on the road mid-section I found far more challenging in years past too. True, I was actually running faster than I did the last couple of years, but I'd run faster in training over 10-11 mile distances, so it was rather frustrating to know that I didn't quite "have it" on this day.
Still, the miles did tick slowly but surely by and as always I was encouraged when I returned to the trails with about a 5k still to run. Somehow, I passed people still on their way out, some 5 miles behind. It made me think back to my first marathon in Arizona when I had to walk almost half of the distance. Seemed to last forever then, and it was nowhere near as windy. Poor them I guess, but they seemed happy enough, so who am I to speculate.
My legs were out of steam and I was absolutely ready for the race to be over, and thankfully, finally it was. I managed to keep going the whole way and even put in a little kick at the end - though was once more blown away by a fellow competitor in the home straight, a rather deflating pattern.
My final time was 1:46:59, about 2 minutes outside my goal, but I was relatively satisfied. A perusal of the finish times revealed times were slower in general than the last couple of years, probably because of the wind. I should have prepared better, but all in all, it was still a respectable time and I held my pace of 8:10 the whole way so it was nice to power through and stay consistent. I have to say it was also great to run with Jill and the kids even if I only really saw them at the beginning and end. The kids were proud of themselves, and with medals and tech shirts given out to all participants, even the 5kers, everyone was a winner. My guess is I'll be back for Grind #4 in 2011.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Fall Fell Trail Race
I'd been looking forward to this run for a while. Haven't actually run an honest-to-goodness trail race since February's Run Toto Run, and indeed I was off the trails entirely for a while in the Summer after spraining my ankle. I've been back on them the last few weeks, mixing up trail and pavement and slowly easing back up to 25-30 miles/week. Still, although I did run an enjoyable Wyco loop recently, almost all of my trail-ing has been at Shawnee Mission Park, which has some fine trails, but ones that were becoming very familiar. As the Fall Fell Trail Race was at Kill Creek Park in Olathe, this seemed an ideal way to try out a new spot. At the bargain price of $8, it was much cheaper than the KC Marathon the day before too. Count me in.Unfortunately, on Wednesday, while running in SMP, I managed to twist both ankles several times. Nothing hugely serious, but enough to stretch out the tendons and make me just a little nervous coming into this one.
Kill Creek Park is quite a way out there, very quiet, very low key, rather like the event. There are two major trails. One, called Hank, Bad Ben told us is named after Dr. Henry Jekyll, the other, Eddy, after Mr. Eddie Hyde. It wouldn't take a Dr, or even a lowly Mr, to figure out which was the apparently more challenging then. Overall the race is about 7 miles, so a good way to start the day without blowing every gasket for the next three weeks.
I paid up, got my number (99) and people-watched for about 45 minutes with my support crew (Jill) until the race began at 9.
The weather was sunny and warming as we started, and I bolted out way too fast and headed down a little road into "Hank" in probably around 9th or 10th place (there were a little over 70 runners total). The frustrating thing is that I think my fitness level probably would have been enough to keep me there, but my confidence on the trails was a little shot after the ankle twists and soon, people were passing me.
The funny thing was, I would reflect later that even though Eddy was no question the more technical of the two trails, I actually had a harder time with Hank, perhaps because although generally smoother it occasionally would surprise you with a small root or rock, sometimes hidden under some fallen leaves, that would be just enough to turn what was already a weak-ish left ankle. I counted at least four times that I gave it a significant twist. One in particular caused me to yelp like a surprised dog.
Still, I managed to keep going and soon I was on another little stretch of road and then down towards a stream and photo op. Jill and the "official" photographer were stationed here with a few spectators, and it was great fun galoshing through about four or five inches of water for a few steps. Also did a good job of cleaning off my rather muddy Brooks Cascadias, so practical as well as refreshing.
While Hank was fairly flat to downhill with occasional rocky and rooty patches, Eddy was very rocky, requiring a bit more skill and concentration. Maybe it was this focus, or maybe I was warmed up, but as I said, I actually didn't have too many ankle problems during this section and I'd settled into a comfortable pace. Running largely on my own for long stretches by now, I thought I was probably still in the top 20 or 25 or so and as I bent around a little lollipop and doubled back I started passing some of the runners still heading out. This was a relief because I realized I probably was still going the right way. Mind starts playing tricks when you're out in the boonies on your own sometimes.
Before long, I was back over the stream and really splashed through it this time (see pic for my hero shot). Confidence in my ankle was better by now, and I returned to Hank with a better rhythm and although passed by one more guy who literally seemed to appear from nowhere, I had enough left for a decent finish.
My final time was 1:01:06. Good for 21st place. Would have been a nice cherry on top to break an hour, but all in all, I was pleased with how I ran and most of all glad to have found a new trail I can add to my rotation. As always, the race was impeccably put together by Ben and his peeps, and the donut at the end was very welcome. Hopefully I can keep my ankle in joint long enough to run further and - well, probably not faster - in February.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Run For The Polar Bears
For the third time, on September 18, Jill and I lined up, with Jill's pal Kim and her husband Adam, for the Kansas City Zoo Run, this year in aid of the Polar Bears, the poster children for environmental activists and cute but deadly food chain toppers in the Arctic.
Conditions at the zoo were anything but arctic of course. The brutal summer may have lost some of its sting, but it was humid and still warm as we lined up on Swope Parkway and readied ourselves for the off. Hoping for a better performance than my previous two runs here, we lined up closer to the front of the pack. The race gets bigger every year but some of the running lanes are very narrow in this twisty turny event. I didn't want to get held up in traffic.
My goal was a relatively modest one. 30:00. (4 mile race, this would be a 7:30 pace). Some 4+ minutes slower than I ran the Trolley Run in April, but my fitness level isn't as high as then due to a busy summer (got married, went to Europe, put on weight) and the sometimes dangerously hot conditions keeping me from running as much as I was in the winter.
After one of the better National Anthem renditions I'd heard at one of these things - an a capella group - the gun went off and we shot down past the entrance and into the zoo. I was out of breath almost immediately and wondered what in the hell was going on. I think in the past, I'd started so far back, the runners around me were much slower than I was, but this time, lining up near the front, they were all as fast or faster and I found myself surprised by that to a certain extent. There seemed like a lot of people in front of me, which made me wonder if I was really running that fast, or if I just wasn't as quick as I was back in the Spring.
After a quick out and back, we reached the first mile marker and a glance at the watch showed a 6:44 first mile. Much quicker than I'd gone in several months, so I felt better mentally, if not physically. Adam was just a little behind me at that point, which surprised me a little as he'd not really done any training, but I decided not to worry about it and moved on into "Africa".
Much of this section was on gravelly trails and wooden bridges, comprising a loop around the outdoor African exhibits. Usually I don't really notice the animals, but I did see one fairly curious looking hippo wondering what was going on just outside his enclosure. I felt pretty comfortable at this point, but knew that on the way out of the loop, I'd be running uphill over a bridge, something that kicked my ass last year, so some of what I was doing was preparing mentally for it.
It worked, apparently. For whatever reason, it wasn't nearly as daunting or challenging as it had been last year when it sort of snuck up on me. However, my recollection that this was the last real challenge was less accurate as the mile and a half remaining through "Australia" seemed to be a constant maze of uphills, downhills, sharp turns and narrow pathways. Fun course, no doubt, but hard work in the warm wet air.
I turned one final corner and into the home straight I went. I had enough left for a kick and passed a couple of people, feeling pretty good about myself until a 12 or 13 year old boy shot past me like I was standing still. Apparently he had mailed in the first 3.9 miles because he certainly had a lot more left than I did. Still, I crossed the line in 29:03, after adjustments, ahead of my goal, at 7:16 pace, not too bad for the course, conditions and my level of fitness.
Adam was a few minutes behind and finished in 32 minutes and change, not bad for someone who probably hasn't run in months. If he trained, he'd leave me in the dust.
Jill and Kim finished in just over 49 minutes, and after a donut and a drink, we all headed over to the brand new Polar Bear exhibit, which featured the brand new MVP of the KC Zoo, Nikita, the 500 pound Polar Bear "baby". Rarely do animals do what you want them to at a zoo. Most of them prefer to just laze around occasionally looking at you. This guy was the exception. Belly flopping and backstroking his way around the pool, he was an absolute star. Hopefully he doesn't pork out and get lazy as he grows older, but right now, the millions of dollars it took to bring him there appear to have been well spent.
Later, I checked the results, and I finished 66th out of about 1,500 or so. 6th in my age group. Not too bad, though I think if I was in Spring form, I could have been close to the top 20, and maybe the top 3 in my age group. Oh well, I'll take it. It's still one of my favorite runs and marks the third year in a row I've gone faster. Moving on...
Conditions at the zoo were anything but arctic of course. The brutal summer may have lost some of its sting, but it was humid and still warm as we lined up on Swope Parkway and readied ourselves for the off. Hoping for a better performance than my previous two runs here, we lined up closer to the front of the pack. The race gets bigger every year but some of the running lanes are very narrow in this twisty turny event. I didn't want to get held up in traffic.
My goal was a relatively modest one. 30:00. (4 mile race, this would be a 7:30 pace). Some 4+ minutes slower than I ran the Trolley Run in April, but my fitness level isn't as high as then due to a busy summer (got married, went to Europe, put on weight) and the sometimes dangerously hot conditions keeping me from running as much as I was in the winter.
After one of the better National Anthem renditions I'd heard at one of these things - an a capella group - the gun went off and we shot down past the entrance and into the zoo. I was out of breath almost immediately and wondered what in the hell was going on. I think in the past, I'd started so far back, the runners around me were much slower than I was, but this time, lining up near the front, they were all as fast or faster and I found myself surprised by that to a certain extent. There seemed like a lot of people in front of me, which made me wonder if I was really running that fast, or if I just wasn't as quick as I was back in the Spring.
After a quick out and back, we reached the first mile marker and a glance at the watch showed a 6:44 first mile. Much quicker than I'd gone in several months, so I felt better mentally, if not physically. Adam was just a little behind me at that point, which surprised me a little as he'd not really done any training, but I decided not to worry about it and moved on into "Africa".
Much of this section was on gravelly trails and wooden bridges, comprising a loop around the outdoor African exhibits. Usually I don't really notice the animals, but I did see one fairly curious looking hippo wondering what was going on just outside his enclosure. I felt pretty comfortable at this point, but knew that on the way out of the loop, I'd be running uphill over a bridge, something that kicked my ass last year, so some of what I was doing was preparing mentally for it.
It worked, apparently. For whatever reason, it wasn't nearly as daunting or challenging as it had been last year when it sort of snuck up on me. However, my recollection that this was the last real challenge was less accurate as the mile and a half remaining through "Australia" seemed to be a constant maze of uphills, downhills, sharp turns and narrow pathways. Fun course, no doubt, but hard work in the warm wet air.
I turned one final corner and into the home straight I went. I had enough left for a kick and passed a couple of people, feeling pretty good about myself until a 12 or 13 year old boy shot past me like I was standing still. Apparently he had mailed in the first 3.9 miles because he certainly had a lot more left than I did. Still, I crossed the line in 29:03, after adjustments, ahead of my goal, at 7:16 pace, not too bad for the course, conditions and my level of fitness.
Adam was a few minutes behind and finished in 32 minutes and change, not bad for someone who probably hasn't run in months. If he trained, he'd leave me in the dust.
Jill and Kim finished in just over 49 minutes, and after a donut and a drink, we all headed over to the brand new Polar Bear exhibit, which featured the brand new MVP of the KC Zoo, Nikita, the 500 pound Polar Bear "baby". Rarely do animals do what you want them to at a zoo. Most of them prefer to just laze around occasionally looking at you. This guy was the exception. Belly flopping and backstroking his way around the pool, he was an absolute star. Hopefully he doesn't pork out and get lazy as he grows older, but right now, the millions of dollars it took to bring him there appear to have been well spent.
Later, I checked the results, and I finished 66th out of about 1,500 or so. 6th in my age group. Not too bad, though I think if I was in Spring form, I could have been close to the top 20, and maybe the top 3 in my age group. Oh well, I'll take it. It's still one of my favorite runs and marks the third year in a row I've gone faster. Moving on...
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Trail Gremlins
I'd been looking forward to a nice long trail run at Wyco for a week or two but heavy rains last week and the race at the weekend delayed my trip until now. Although I knew it probably wouldn't be 'perfect' trail conditions (I'm starting to wonder if that unlikely situation is as elusive as Sasquatch), I was tired of waiting, so filled up my new $19 Wal-Mart special backpack water hydration device (you can just say 'bladder' -ed) and headed out.
The trail was actually quite runnable, but there were still some very stodgy mud pits. It was also quite different from the last time I'd done it because of all the foliage and Spring growth. Unfortunately, I wouldn't have too long to enjoy it. About 2 miles in, my right leg got caught in the mud, my ankle turned and I heard/felt some clicks and I knew my day on the trails was destined to end early.
I was kind of in the middle of nowhere, so had little option but to limp on for a while and even started back up with a slow, careful jog. As it started to feel better, I even thought about continuing around the loop, but after another 2 miles, the jog was becoming more of a skip, common sense finally prevailed and I headed for the comfort of asphalt and a slow, somewhat painful walk back to my car.
My guess is it's sprained. It's pretty bruised and swollen this morning, and there's considerable pain when I move it certain ways, but I can more or less walk on it, and I've done the "classic" tests for broken ankles, and I don't think it's that.
So, a forced absence from running, my first since Arizonagate. Hopefully it will be a week to ten days; no more. Frustrating as that will be, I will take the occasional minor acute injury over a chronic complaint like shin splints or plantar fasc any day. Plus, with no races coming up and, as mentioned, a house to paint, hopefully it will be no (lasting) harm, no foul.
The trail was actually quite runnable, but there were still some very stodgy mud pits. It was also quite different from the last time I'd done it because of all the foliage and Spring growth. Unfortunately, I wouldn't have too long to enjoy it. About 2 miles in, my right leg got caught in the mud, my ankle turned and I heard/felt some clicks and I knew my day on the trails was destined to end early.
I was kind of in the middle of nowhere, so had little option but to limp on for a while and even started back up with a slow, careful jog. As it started to feel better, I even thought about continuing around the loop, but after another 2 miles, the jog was becoming more of a skip, common sense finally prevailed and I headed for the comfort of asphalt and a slow, somewhat painful walk back to my car.
My guess is it's sprained. It's pretty bruised and swollen this morning, and there's considerable pain when I move it certain ways, but I can more or less walk on it, and I've done the "classic" tests for broken ankles, and I don't think it's that.
So, a forced absence from running, my first since Arizonagate. Hopefully it will be a week to ten days; no more. Frustrating as that will be, I will take the occasional minor acute injury over a chronic complaint like shin splints or plantar fasc any day. Plus, with no races coming up and, as mentioned, a house to paint, hopefully it will be no (lasting) harm, no foul.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Trolley Run
Jill's bridal shower was this weekend, so the kids were here for a couple of days. This meant a 9 hour drive to pick them up from Kourteney's track meet on Friday afternoon/evening and also a 9 hour dropoff on Sunday. This was after a business trip earlier in the week, so I was already running on only partial power, and finally, sandwiched between the two drive-a-thons was the 22nd Annual Trolley Run. Yeah, it was always going to be a pretty long weekend.
The Trolley Run has a kind of special significance to me, though I had never actually run it before this past weekend. It holds the distinction of being the first organized race I watched, as I think I might have mentioned in an earlier post. Jill ran it two years ago, and I found myself fascinated with the spectacle of it, and thus my running "career" was reborn. Last year, I was still injured from Arizona at this time, so was once again a spectator but this year I was healthy and ready to try to set another PR. Jill meanwhile was set to run her third straight, though first without her running partner Kim.
The course is a point-to-point starting in the Waldo neighborhood of KC and ending on the famed Country Club Plaza. Plotting an old trolley bus route, it's flat to downhill and probably the fastest 4 mile course in the country. It is home to the national 4 mile record and attracts top tier talent and 10,000+ other runners and walkers each year.
We dropped the kids off at the Plaza near the finish line, then took a race bus to the start area. It was a nice day for running, but not particularly pleasant for standing around. There was a healthy breeze in the air and a few spots of rain. I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt under my short sleeved shirt, a last-minute decision, but we found ourselves wandering from place to place in an effort to keep warm.
The race is so big, they segmented everyone into corrals based on projected finish time. I was in the red corral (sub-30 minutes), blue was next, then green (Jill's corral), yellow, orange and white. One of the biggest problems with larger races - the KC Marathon is a good example - is that the fun runners and walkers tend to have no idea on race etiquette and are perfectly content to line up way too close to the front, then block the entire street while they chat with their six friends or call someone on their cell phone, with no regard paid to runners trying to get around them. For the most part, corralling stops this from happening, so it works out well.
A lone wheelchair racer went first, then a couple of minutes later, the red runners were told to get ready. Jill lined up on the other side of the fence until the start then I told her I'd see her at the finish and the gun went off.
It was kind of new to be running with a bunch of other runners at approximately the same speed as me right at the start. Usually there's such a mixture of paces that it's several miles before you end up with people of the same pace. I started fast, picking as my target a woman with broad shoulders that I remembered passing in the last mile of the Rock the Parkway.
The first mile went by quickly - in retrospect too quickly. I was surprised to see the first mile marker and a check of my watch showed I'd powered through in 6:10. I felt good, but had a feeling I was going to pay for it later. The only two inclines I can remember were next, in quick succession and I knew from having run part of the route before that after I'd crested the second, I wouldn't see another for the rest of the run, a comforting thought as I was already breathing pretty heavily. I also felt rather warm. The long-sleeved shirt had been a godsend at the start, but I could easily have done without it on the run.
We ran through the trendy Brookside neighborhood across 63rd street with it's red and blue striped awnings and down a residential portion of Brookside Blvd that I'm pretty familiar with. I passed the two mile marker and checked my watch. 12:33. Second mile in 6:23, but with the two small hills, I felt I was probably keeping a reasonably even pace over the flat parts. However, my fast start was certainly catching up with me already and another 2 miles felt like a pretty long way to go.
I finally passed broad-shouldered-girl near this section and didn't see her again, so maybe she too started a little too briskly. An older guy was holding his hamstring on the side of the road at this point also, probably not the last casualty of the day.
It seemed to take forever for the 3 mile marker to arrive. My breathing was becoming very labored and my legs heavy. My fast start was biting back hard and I was afraid of a big slowdown over the final mile. I checked my watch. 19:00. Somehow I had run the last mile in 6:27, only 4 seconds slower than the previous one, but it continued the trend of running slower with each successive mile.
People that had paced themselves better started passing me at this point. Possibly they'd sped up, and/or I'd slowed down. I didn't know and I didn't care. I just wanted to see the finish line. I heard the sound of cheering and figured I wasn't far away, but then I realized it was just a small group of cheerleaders and I found myself slightly annoyed at them for fooling me into thinking I was closer to being done than I was.
It had been pretty breezy the whole race, but the trees had for the most part sheltered us from the worst of it. This all stopped when we headed out onto a bridge crossing that would take us to the final turn into the finish line chute. Completely exposed, the wind pounded us full on here and for a couple of minutes it felt like running into an invisible wall.
At last, we were across and I turned into the final hundred meters or so to the finish line. I had very little left for a big finish but when I saw the clock at 25:40, 41, 42, I did manage a final mini-burst to get across in under 26:00. After adjusting to chip times, the final time was 25:49 (avg 6:27/mi pace). My last mile was by far my slowest. 6:49. Still, better than I could ever have imagined even a few weeks ago, but probably a combination of the windy conditions and going out too fast took away the potential for something even faster.
Overall then, a good race, a new PR on an albeit lightning fast course, and I even had my kids cheering me on at the finish line (though I only saw one of them and only one of them saw me). I finished 148th out of 7,500+ timed participants, and 23rd out of 515 in my age group, so a respectable spot. It was a good time, though I have to admit that despite being glad I'd finally run the race that "started it all", it wasn't really my favorite. Nothing bad about it, per se, but maybe I'm just starting to get snobbish about enjoying the smaller, more intimate events. This one was so huge, it was some 30 minutes later before Jill crossed, her corral having started a good 10 minutes or so after mine. Her time was 41 minutes and change, 10:30/mile, not quite as fast as last year, but her best effort of 2010.
I would like to have had a bit longer to relax after the run, but the 9 hour drive beckoned and now, just a day later, it already seems like it happened a long time ago.
After two shorter distance races, I'm looking forward to a few weeks off from racing and getting back to running slower for longer. The next event I'm eyeing is the Psycho Wyco Summer Run Toto Run in July. If training goes well, I'm going to try for the 50k. (WHAT? -Ed.) In the mean time, I have the small business of a house to paint and a wedding to plan for so if you'll excuse me.....
The Trolley Run has a kind of special significance to me, though I had never actually run it before this past weekend. It holds the distinction of being the first organized race I watched, as I think I might have mentioned in an earlier post. Jill ran it two years ago, and I found myself fascinated with the spectacle of it, and thus my running "career" was reborn. Last year, I was still injured from Arizona at this time, so was once again a spectator but this year I was healthy and ready to try to set another PR. Jill meanwhile was set to run her third straight, though first without her running partner Kim.
The course is a point-to-point starting in the Waldo neighborhood of KC and ending on the famed Country Club Plaza. Plotting an old trolley bus route, it's flat to downhill and probably the fastest 4 mile course in the country. It is home to the national 4 mile record and attracts top tier talent and 10,000+ other runners and walkers each year.
We dropped the kids off at the Plaza near the finish line, then took a race bus to the start area. It was a nice day for running, but not particularly pleasant for standing around. There was a healthy breeze in the air and a few spots of rain. I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt under my short sleeved shirt, a last-minute decision, but we found ourselves wandering from place to place in an effort to keep warm.
The race is so big, they segmented everyone into corrals based on projected finish time. I was in the red corral (sub-30 minutes), blue was next, then green (Jill's corral), yellow, orange and white. One of the biggest problems with larger races - the KC Marathon is a good example - is that the fun runners and walkers tend to have no idea on race etiquette and are perfectly content to line up way too close to the front, then block the entire street while they chat with their six friends or call someone on their cell phone, with no regard paid to runners trying to get around them. For the most part, corralling stops this from happening, so it works out well.
A lone wheelchair racer went first, then a couple of minutes later, the red runners were told to get ready. Jill lined up on the other side of the fence until the start then I told her I'd see her at the finish and the gun went off.
It was kind of new to be running with a bunch of other runners at approximately the same speed as me right at the start. Usually there's such a mixture of paces that it's several miles before you end up with people of the same pace. I started fast, picking as my target a woman with broad shoulders that I remembered passing in the last mile of the Rock the Parkway.
The first mile went by quickly - in retrospect too quickly. I was surprised to see the first mile marker and a check of my watch showed I'd powered through in 6:10. I felt good, but had a feeling I was going to pay for it later. The only two inclines I can remember were next, in quick succession and I knew from having run part of the route before that after I'd crested the second, I wouldn't see another for the rest of the run, a comforting thought as I was already breathing pretty heavily. I also felt rather warm. The long-sleeved shirt had been a godsend at the start, but I could easily have done without it on the run.
We ran through the trendy Brookside neighborhood across 63rd street with it's red and blue striped awnings and down a residential portion of Brookside Blvd that I'm pretty familiar with. I passed the two mile marker and checked my watch. 12:33. Second mile in 6:23, but with the two small hills, I felt I was probably keeping a reasonably even pace over the flat parts. However, my fast start was certainly catching up with me already and another 2 miles felt like a pretty long way to go.
I finally passed broad-shouldered-girl near this section and didn't see her again, so maybe she too started a little too briskly. An older guy was holding his hamstring on the side of the road at this point also, probably not the last casualty of the day.
It seemed to take forever for the 3 mile marker to arrive. My breathing was becoming very labored and my legs heavy. My fast start was biting back hard and I was afraid of a big slowdown over the final mile. I checked my watch. 19:00. Somehow I had run the last mile in 6:27, only 4 seconds slower than the previous one, but it continued the trend of running slower with each successive mile.
People that had paced themselves better started passing me at this point. Possibly they'd sped up, and/or I'd slowed down. I didn't know and I didn't care. I just wanted to see the finish line. I heard the sound of cheering and figured I wasn't far away, but then I realized it was just a small group of cheerleaders and I found myself slightly annoyed at them for fooling me into thinking I was closer to being done than I was.
It had been pretty breezy the whole race, but the trees had for the most part sheltered us from the worst of it. This all stopped when we headed out onto a bridge crossing that would take us to the final turn into the finish line chute. Completely exposed, the wind pounded us full on here and for a couple of minutes it felt like running into an invisible wall.
At last, we were across and I turned into the final hundred meters or so to the finish line. I had very little left for a big finish but when I saw the clock at 25:40, 41, 42, I did manage a final mini-burst to get across in under 26:00. After adjusting to chip times, the final time was 25:49 (avg 6:27/mi pace). My last mile was by far my slowest. 6:49. Still, better than I could ever have imagined even a few weeks ago, but probably a combination of the windy conditions and going out too fast took away the potential for something even faster.
Overall then, a good race, a new PR on an albeit lightning fast course, and I even had my kids cheering me on at the finish line (though I only saw one of them and only one of them saw me). I finished 148th out of 7,500+ timed participants, and 23rd out of 515 in my age group, so a respectable spot. It was a good time, though I have to admit that despite being glad I'd finally run the race that "started it all", it wasn't really my favorite. Nothing bad about it, per se, but maybe I'm just starting to get snobbish about enjoying the smaller, more intimate events. This one was so huge, it was some 30 minutes later before Jill crossed, her corral having started a good 10 minutes or so after mine. Her time was 41 minutes and change, 10:30/mile, not quite as fast as last year, but her best effort of 2010.
I would like to have had a bit longer to relax after the run, but the 9 hour drive beckoned and now, just a day later, it already seems like it happened a long time ago.
After two shorter distance races, I'm looking forward to a few weeks off from racing and getting back to running slower for longer. The next event I'm eyeing is the Psycho Wyco Summer Run Toto Run in July. If training goes well, I'm going to try for the 50k. (WHAT? -Ed.) In the mean time, I have the small business of a house to paint and a wedding to plan for so if you'll excuse me.....
Monday, April 19, 2010
Braden's Race for Life and Miracle Mile
Braden Hofen is a five year old boy/warrior that has been struggling with neuroblastoma for some two years. Aggressive treatments initially led to the disease entering remission, but just a few months later it returned and now the prognosis is unfortunately not optimistic. Despite this, Braden's fighting spirit has endured and the hope is still there that he will respond to the treatments and can somehow beat the odds.
I don't personally know Braden, nor his mother Deliece, she also now struggling with recently diagnosed breast cancer, father Brian or brother Zach. However, it emerged that Jill's sister knows Deliece, a school principal, having worked with her previously, and it was she that suggested we take part in the inaugural Braden's Race For Life and Miracle Mile, put on by Ben and Sophia of the Trail Nerds. Although the idea for the race only came about two months ago, signups exceeded expectations, buoyed by the cause and the spirit of the Hofens, and by Sunday, a remarkable 1,600+ were signed up to run or walk in one of three events; a mile, 5k and 10k. Jill and I signed up for the 10k.
The information on childhood cancers is tragically limited. 'Hope' was the key theme of the day and, written in block letters on the event t-shirts that almost everyone seemed to be wearing, it undoubtedly applied to Braden's particular case. However, there's no doubt it also had a broader meaning. The long-term hope will be for diagnosis and treatment options to be adequately funded and recognized moving forward. Deliece, in one of several speeches made to the gathered crowds, mentioned how within 2 days of being diagnosed with breast cancer she had a firm action plan, but for Braden, not only did it take a long time for him to even be correctly diagnosed, the treatment options were in many cases either limited or experimental, a gulf that has to be addressed.
Many, if not most organized races are for a good cause, and power to them all. For some reason, though, this one, to me, seemed closer to home, more intimate, more real. It could have been the fact that the Hofens were on hand, including the pint-sized star himself, to speak with passion and conviction about their son and his illness. It might have been the fact that almost everyone seemed to know them, or know someone that did. It might be that everyone knew someone with cancer. It might even be as simple as everyone knowing someone with a child.
Whatever the combination of factors, it was a moving, inspiring, and, yes, life-affirming occasion. It was also an extremely well organized one. The food and refreshments were great. There was a very extensive silent auction (Jill and I managed to win a weekend at the Crowne Plaza, which will work out great as our wedding hotel), and even a raffle for a guitar signed by KC American Idol David Cook. No-one would have held it against the race directors if there were problems, given the compressed time frame with which they had to work, but as far as I could tell, other than a somewhat congested race course (again, they hadn't anticipated such a big response), everything seemed to go flawlessly.
It's funny, but the atmosphere was so good that in the end, the races, particularly the 5k and 10k, almost seemed beside the point. Still, after the parade-like stroll of the Miracle Mile was done and dusted, Jill and I, along with about 90 other 10k-ers and 400 or so 5k-ers, lined up near the front of the pack for our race, Ben blew a horn and off we went.
The run was an out and back, mainly on trails, that reminded me a lot of those I ran on for the Gobbler Grind, though they were a little more challenging, with a few short, but relatively steep bumps. I started fast - for a while I thought maybe too fast - and settled into something of a rhythm as we rounded a field and entered the trail portion. I figured I was in about 7th or 8th place at this point, but also knew that at least some of those in front of me were most likely running the 5k so my actual position was probably a little higher.
I told Jill going in that my hope was that I could crack the top 10 for the first time, and after the 5k-ers ahead of me had turned around I knew I was well into that and was actually pretty certain I was in 4th. Once again, I feared I'd set off too quickly and my legs felt rather heavy for a while, but I managed to run through it and by mile 3 and the turnaround I felt pretty good. I wasn't closing on the guy in front of me but I had seemed to pull away from those behind. I grabbed a cup of water and headed back.
I started passing the 10k-ers still on their way out. There was a decent gap between me and 5th place, and as I ran on, many of those I passed shouted encouraging words as I went by, including Jill, who looked pretty comfortable herself and confirmed that I was in 4th. Not long after, the line of people going the other way thinned out, then it was just me and some open trail, perhaps my favorite part of the run. I felt the most comfortable at this point and a glance behind told me I had a good lock on 4th place. I also realized for the first time that I was gaining on the guy in front.
A bridge was followed by a quick turn and then, almost without being conscious of it, I was on the 3rd place guy's shoulder. I stayed there for a while, gathering myself for a burst, then after maybe 20-30 seconds went past and upped the speed a little, hoping I had enough left in the tank for the finish. A third of a mile later, and I was back at the 5k turnaround point.
Lots of 5kers, mainly walkers, were still on the course, and the next mile or so was a challenging weave through crowds. I shouted 'Scuse me' as I approached, but mostly I had to do the dodging. I think perhaps in my haste to get through without injuring myself or anyone else, I actually was forced to speed up a bit, so it might not all have been a bad thing. Still, I was running right at my limits, so the finish was certainly not going to come a second too soon.
Finally, I could hear the crowd at the start and I popped out of the woods and into the open where I rounded the field back to the start/finish. I was pretty much out of gas, but managed to drain the last of it to propel myself into the final stretch and across the finish line. I was well behind 2nd place, but well ahead of 4th; a solid 3rd; my first "placement", and a PB of 41:51; 6:44 pace. I even won some prizes - another first.
I waited at the finish for Jill, who came in at 1:07:32, some 10 minutes faster than at Rock The Parkway! She was well pleased. We hung around for a good hour or so afterwards, listening to Deliece, Sophia and others tell stories, both heartwarming and heartbreaking, and enjoying the weather and festivities.
All in all, a great race, but a greater cause. Braden's future is uncertain, but the race seems destined to become a key event in the fight against childhood cancers. Backed by the first-rate organization of the race directors and sponsors, year one, at least from what I could see, couldn't have gone much better. Doesn't that show you that all things are possible?
Hope.
If you wish to make a donation, you can do so here.
I don't personally know Braden, nor his mother Deliece, she also now struggling with recently diagnosed breast cancer, father Brian or brother Zach. However, it emerged that Jill's sister knows Deliece, a school principal, having worked with her previously, and it was she that suggested we take part in the inaugural Braden's Race For Life and Miracle Mile, put on by Ben and Sophia of the Trail Nerds. Although the idea for the race only came about two months ago, signups exceeded expectations, buoyed by the cause and the spirit of the Hofens, and by Sunday, a remarkable 1,600+ were signed up to run or walk in one of three events; a mile, 5k and 10k. Jill and I signed up for the 10k.
The information on childhood cancers is tragically limited. 'Hope' was the key theme of the day and, written in block letters on the event t-shirts that almost everyone seemed to be wearing, it undoubtedly applied to Braden's particular case. However, there's no doubt it also had a broader meaning. The long-term hope will be for diagnosis and treatment options to be adequately funded and recognized moving forward. Deliece, in one of several speeches made to the gathered crowds, mentioned how within 2 days of being diagnosed with breast cancer she had a firm action plan, but for Braden, not only did it take a long time for him to even be correctly diagnosed, the treatment options were in many cases either limited or experimental, a gulf that has to be addressed.
Many, if not most organized races are for a good cause, and power to them all. For some reason, though, this one, to me, seemed closer to home, more intimate, more real. It could have been the fact that the Hofens were on hand, including the pint-sized star himself, to speak with passion and conviction about their son and his illness. It might have been the fact that almost everyone seemed to know them, or know someone that did. It might be that everyone knew someone with cancer. It might even be as simple as everyone knowing someone with a child.
Whatever the combination of factors, it was a moving, inspiring, and, yes, life-affirming occasion. It was also an extremely well organized one. The food and refreshments were great. There was a very extensive silent auction (Jill and I managed to win a weekend at the Crowne Plaza, which will work out great as our wedding hotel), and even a raffle for a guitar signed by KC American Idol David Cook. No-one would have held it against the race directors if there were problems, given the compressed time frame with which they had to work, but as far as I could tell, other than a somewhat congested race course (again, they hadn't anticipated such a big response), everything seemed to go flawlessly.
It's funny, but the atmosphere was so good that in the end, the races, particularly the 5k and 10k, almost seemed beside the point. Still, after the parade-like stroll of the Miracle Mile was done and dusted, Jill and I, along with about 90 other 10k-ers and 400 or so 5k-ers, lined up near the front of the pack for our race, Ben blew a horn and off we went.
The run was an out and back, mainly on trails, that reminded me a lot of those I ran on for the Gobbler Grind, though they were a little more challenging, with a few short, but relatively steep bumps. I started fast - for a while I thought maybe too fast - and settled into something of a rhythm as we rounded a field and entered the trail portion. I figured I was in about 7th or 8th place at this point, but also knew that at least some of those in front of me were most likely running the 5k so my actual position was probably a little higher.
I told Jill going in that my hope was that I could crack the top 10 for the first time, and after the 5k-ers ahead of me had turned around I knew I was well into that and was actually pretty certain I was in 4th. Once again, I feared I'd set off too quickly and my legs felt rather heavy for a while, but I managed to run through it and by mile 3 and the turnaround I felt pretty good. I wasn't closing on the guy in front of me but I had seemed to pull away from those behind. I grabbed a cup of water and headed back.
I started passing the 10k-ers still on their way out. There was a decent gap between me and 5th place, and as I ran on, many of those I passed shouted encouraging words as I went by, including Jill, who looked pretty comfortable herself and confirmed that I was in 4th. Not long after, the line of people going the other way thinned out, then it was just me and some open trail, perhaps my favorite part of the run. I felt the most comfortable at this point and a glance behind told me I had a good lock on 4th place. I also realized for the first time that I was gaining on the guy in front.
A bridge was followed by a quick turn and then, almost without being conscious of it, I was on the 3rd place guy's shoulder. I stayed there for a while, gathering myself for a burst, then after maybe 20-30 seconds went past and upped the speed a little, hoping I had enough left in the tank for the finish. A third of a mile later, and I was back at the 5k turnaround point.
Lots of 5kers, mainly walkers, were still on the course, and the next mile or so was a challenging weave through crowds. I shouted 'Scuse me' as I approached, but mostly I had to do the dodging. I think perhaps in my haste to get through without injuring myself or anyone else, I actually was forced to speed up a bit, so it might not all have been a bad thing. Still, I was running right at my limits, so the finish was certainly not going to come a second too soon.
Finally, I could hear the crowd at the start and I popped out of the woods and into the open where I rounded the field back to the start/finish. I was pretty much out of gas, but managed to drain the last of it to propel myself into the final stretch and across the finish line. I was well behind 2nd place, but well ahead of 4th; a solid 3rd; my first "placement", and a PB of 41:51; 6:44 pace. I even won some prizes - another first.
I waited at the finish for Jill, who came in at 1:07:32, some 10 minutes faster than at Rock The Parkway! She was well pleased. We hung around for a good hour or so afterwards, listening to Deliece, Sophia and others tell stories, both heartwarming and heartbreaking, and enjoying the weather and festivities.
All in all, a great race, but a greater cause. Braden's future is uncertain, but the race seems destined to become a key event in the fight against childhood cancers. Backed by the first-rate organization of the race directors and sponsors, year one, at least from what I could see, couldn't have gone much better. Doesn't that show you that all things are possible?
Hope.
If you wish to make a donation, you can do so here.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Rock The Parkway
The Inaugural Rock The Parkway was this past Saturday. Offering the three classic distances, 5k, 10k and Half Marathon, I opted for the Half. It's probably my favorite race distance, sitting as it does between the zoom ze bop bang of the 5 and 10ks and the long sappery of the longer distances. Jill meanwhile lined up for the 10k.
Despite it's virginal status and cold rainy conditions, 4,000 runners turned out to run one of the three distances. The course, while certainly considerably more challenging than the website pretends, isn't Hospital Hill or Psycho Wyco hard, and is a treat on the eyes, comprising tree-lined streets and some of the nicest residential areas of the city.
I think this race is an example of what an excellent marketing campaign and solid organization can achieve. To get this many runners in the first year requires some clever positioning, and from the very good website to the constant, interactive facebook updates and finally the execution of the event itself, the directors really got a lot right.
I arrived in plenty of time, leaving the warmth of the car a little while before Jill, whose race started 15 minutes later. A quick meander through the starting area, and I was able to find a spot right where I wanted, next to the 1:35 pace group leader, Tony. This was my goal going in, and I felt I had a decent shot at getting it, even though it would be quite a bit faster than my current PR. Training had been going well, and the trail work has really boosted my speed and core strength over the last few months.
The gun went off and within just a few seconds I was across the start line. The first couple of miles flew by. We were a little behind pace, which was intentional. The pacers were adopting a smart-technique where the first few miles are treated as a warmup, the next few are faster, and the last few are basically "hang in there".
I remember thinking during almost all of the first half that for a "gently rolling" course, much of the "rolling" seemed to be uphill with only a few scattered downhill moments. I felt Tony pick up the pace appreciably as we hit the 5-6 mile mark and indeed one quick stop at a water station and I had to work pretty hard to catch back up. I feared this might come back to bite me later.
Most of the route is on the famed Ward Parkway, but there's a middle loop through some residential sections near Loose Park and it's probably the best looking part of an already very scenic course. Jill and I had driven it the day before when it had been bathed in sunshine. The scenery wasn't quite as impressive through the gloom of the rain, but on the flip side, it was cool and not overly windy, so I wasn't complaining.
I think around 7.5 miles was when I started to feel it a bit, the seemingly constant, albeit fairly gentle, uphills starting to take their toll. Then I careened (almost out of control) down a quick steep downhill and realized I'd left my pace group behind. I figured I could slow down and wait for them, but kept going and whether I'd quickened or was just getting tired, I started to wonder if I was going to regret the move.
Fortunately, what goes up must come down, and the back side of the course as we re-entered Ward Parkway was almost all downhill with just a few little bumps along the way. It couldn't have come at a better time and I found myself working less hard to maintain my pace and my energy began to return.
At about 10 miles, I passed a very enthusiastic spectator with a flower power shirt and bright white pants for the second time who was yelling something about holding onto our "chi", bringing a brief, if somewhat confused, smile to my face. I started feeling tired again, and this time decided to take evasive measures by swallowing the energy gel I'd brought along before grabbing a cup of water at an aid station.
Half a mile later and the gel had kicked in and I was ready for my big finish. Very few people actually passed me after I left the pace group, but I caught up with a fair few, as well as some of the 10k and 5k runners still out on the course (they started later than the Half-ers).
Finally, using up the last of the gas in the tank, I crossed the finish line in 1:34:09. 7:11 pace, knocking 14 minutes of my previous race PR. Later, I found out I'd finished 86th out of 1,450. 16th in my age group. Getting faster anyway.
Jill was waiting for me at the end, having just finished her 10k, and we went to the post-race area which we breezed quickly through. Rattle and Hum were playing - and playing well - but the weather was just too cold and wet to stay long, so off we trotted.
It's weird to think this is only the third actual Half-Marathon race I've done. I think I've probably run the distance (or further) 20 or more times over the last year and a half, mostly in training obviously, but I've managed to lower my time each of the three times, so hopefully that trend can continue.
All in all, this was a great race. Very impressed, as mentioned, with the organization, giveaways (the tech shirts and medals were great, as well as the post-race refreshments and entertainment) and atmosphere. Next year's is already set; hopefully the rain will hold off next time, but other than that, couldn't really ask for too much more. I'll be back.
Despite it's virginal status and cold rainy conditions, 4,000 runners turned out to run one of the three distances. The course, while certainly considerably more challenging than the website pretends, isn't Hospital Hill or Psycho Wyco hard, and is a treat on the eyes, comprising tree-lined streets and some of the nicest residential areas of the city.
I think this race is an example of what an excellent marketing campaign and solid organization can achieve. To get this many runners in the first year requires some clever positioning, and from the very good website to the constant, interactive facebook updates and finally the execution of the event itself, the directors really got a lot right.
I arrived in plenty of time, leaving the warmth of the car a little while before Jill, whose race started 15 minutes later. A quick meander through the starting area, and I was able to find a spot right where I wanted, next to the 1:35 pace group leader, Tony. This was my goal going in, and I felt I had a decent shot at getting it, even though it would be quite a bit faster than my current PR. Training had been going well, and the trail work has really boosted my speed and core strength over the last few months.
The gun went off and within just a few seconds I was across the start line. The first couple of miles flew by. We were a little behind pace, which was intentional. The pacers were adopting a smart-technique where the first few miles are treated as a warmup, the next few are faster, and the last few are basically "hang in there".
I remember thinking during almost all of the first half that for a "gently rolling" course, much of the "rolling" seemed to be uphill with only a few scattered downhill moments. I felt Tony pick up the pace appreciably as we hit the 5-6 mile mark and indeed one quick stop at a water station and I had to work pretty hard to catch back up. I feared this might come back to bite me later.
Most of the route is on the famed Ward Parkway, but there's a middle loop through some residential sections near Loose Park and it's probably the best looking part of an already very scenic course. Jill and I had driven it the day before when it had been bathed in sunshine. The scenery wasn't quite as impressive through the gloom of the rain, but on the flip side, it was cool and not overly windy, so I wasn't complaining.
I think around 7.5 miles was when I started to feel it a bit, the seemingly constant, albeit fairly gentle, uphills starting to take their toll. Then I careened (almost out of control) down a quick steep downhill and realized I'd left my pace group behind. I figured I could slow down and wait for them, but kept going and whether I'd quickened or was just getting tired, I started to wonder if I was going to regret the move.
Fortunately, what goes up must come down, and the back side of the course as we re-entered Ward Parkway was almost all downhill with just a few little bumps along the way. It couldn't have come at a better time and I found myself working less hard to maintain my pace and my energy began to return.
At about 10 miles, I passed a very enthusiastic spectator with a flower power shirt and bright white pants for the second time who was yelling something about holding onto our "chi", bringing a brief, if somewhat confused, smile to my face. I started feeling tired again, and this time decided to take evasive measures by swallowing the energy gel I'd brought along before grabbing a cup of water at an aid station.
Half a mile later and the gel had kicked in and I was ready for my big finish. Very few people actually passed me after I left the pace group, but I caught up with a fair few, as well as some of the 10k and 5k runners still out on the course (they started later than the Half-ers).
Finally, using up the last of the gas in the tank, I crossed the finish line in 1:34:09. 7:11 pace, knocking 14 minutes of my previous race PR. Later, I found out I'd finished 86th out of 1,450. 16th in my age group. Getting faster anyway.
Jill was waiting for me at the end, having just finished her 10k, and we went to the post-race area which we breezed quickly through. Rattle and Hum were playing - and playing well - but the weather was just too cold and wet to stay long, so off we trotted.
It's weird to think this is only the third actual Half-Marathon race I've done. I think I've probably run the distance (or further) 20 or more times over the last year and a half, mostly in training obviously, but I've managed to lower my time each of the three times, so hopefully that trend can continue.
All in all, this was a great race. Very impressed, as mentioned, with the organization, giveaways (the tech shirts and medals were great, as well as the post-race refreshments and entertainment) and atmosphere. Next year's is already set; hopefully the rain will hold off next time, but other than that, couldn't really ask for too much more. I'll be back.
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