A little stiff from yesterday's hard race but could not resist a small local event. Some discomfort in my right foot that I hope will go away as I loosen up. Smaller turn out than last year. Sunny but not too warm.
Start - Line up just behind Craig. Tell him that I will let him take the lead for now :). Smooth start on time. Foot feels fine and soon I am going too fast.
Mile 0.5 - Through and around two parking lots. Catch Ruhamma who started even faster than me. Sharp turns then a straight section where I can see ahead and all of the runners in front of me. I am in 11th place. Not so far behind one runner, but she is not getting any closer.
Mile 1.5 - Slowing down some and now a steepish uphill that really slows me. Shaded back country road. Do I hear footsteps behind me? Quick look back at a turn tells me that no one is close.
Mile 2.5 - Back to campus and I am able to pick up the pace a little.
Mile 3.1 - Hard to run so fast, but the race is over so quickly. I end with the same overall pace that I had for yesterday's 7.5 mile race. Ran all alone for the last 2.5 miles. Good effort this weekend, and I feel a little beat up. Will take extra rest this week as I think about the Vancouver USA Marathon to be held in seven days.
Win a one hour massage at the race raffles, which I am happy to give to Jody. Quick look at the results board before I leave. It has me in 11th place which I believe is correct, but my time is not right. The person in 10th place is listed with the time that I know I finished in, and my time is listed as almost a minute later than what I know I ran, probably what the 12th place person finished in. I hope they fix that, but it does not really matter.
22:42 (watch time and I am sure this is correct)
11th of 50
Race #239, 5K#61, Evergreen Classic#2
***
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
6/11/11 Sound to Narrows 12K
Two days after the Capital City Marathon in May, I discovered a non painful lump on the top of my foot. I figured that it was swelling from the race and would subside, but it did not. Then the recent issue of Runner's World magazine was all about cancer and had pictures of runners in prosthetics and what not. Yesterday I decided to get it checked out. I called to make an appointment with my doctor and I was lucky to be able to get an appointment that afternoon. Good thing I did not have to wait over the weekend, because after making the call my nerves shot up and I was severely stressed out. I had been sure that it was nothing to worry about, but now that I was going to the doctor, I was frightened. Well, worry no more. Its just a "ganglion cyst" and no treatment is needed. What a relief. So I arrive at Vassault park with an extra dose of gratitude to be able to run. My streak of running at least 100 miles each calendar month is now in its 79th month. I count that as such a blessing.
Marathon 6 days ago and a couple of hard runs this week will put me at 47.5 miles for the week at the end of this race. I did not race here last year, but two years ago I ran a PR for this distance. This is my sixth year here off and on since 2002. Every year I have been a little faster, but I expect that to end this year. I feel good but the tired legs will surely slow me down and I am fine with that.
Such a large event, I wonder why all these people do not come out for more races. See lots of friends and I am very calm before the start of my wave. Tammy took the green wave again this year, so I will start five minutes later and try to pass her. Fun to have a goal like that to keep me going. Its cloudy and mid fifties. Nice for running.
Start - Move up close to the front of this large wave. A little weaving around people but not too bad as we get up to pace. Now it opens up some and I find a comfortable pace. Pick it up some and go blazing down the long hill. Run with Paul H some but he moves on ahead.
Mile 1.5 - Into the park and Kachunga! Oh the whole race is not downhill? Oh I won't be able to maintain a 6:52 mile? Now up and down on the Five Mile Drive through Point Defiance Park. Same as the Tacoma Marathon but at the faster pace it is a whole different beast. I swear some of the hills are steeper than they were a month ago.
Mile 2 - 14:20, ten seconds slower than two years ago.
Mile 2.5 - Catching up to a guy with amazing bulging calf muscles. I think about asking if I can borrow his legs but he has ear buds in. As I pass him I can hear his breathing is very labored. I figure that he has been to the gym for weight lifting a lot, but does not have the lungs for this kind of pace and distance. My legs and lungs are suffering equally, so I guess that my training is on target.
Mile 3.5 - Have had Paul in my sights since he went ahead and now I am gaining on him. He is close but there is a pack of about ten runners between us. Probably a bad idea but I surge and move around them and catch Paul. We run together for just a few steps before I move ahead. He will finish right behind me.
Mile 4.5 - I am not running a steady pace at all. Fly down the hills, slow on the uphill. Surge past runners (hey Sabrina!) and then settle in with someone for a while.
Mile 5 - There is Tammy, so another surge to reel her in and tap her on the arm. She is running great, but I caught her...one goal done. Now what about that PR? With 2.5 miles to go I have about 20 minutes to make my best time. Highly unlikely with all the uphill to come.
Mile 6 - Out of the park, down the too steep hill then up the way too steep hill. Average pace is at 7:32. I remember that in my log book I recorded a pace of 7:30 two years ago. There is no way I will make that, especially with the long uphill to go. But I will easily beat one hour and I am running happy. Leap frogging with a woman, encouraging those who are able to run strong up the hill, thank the volunteers. Judy Fisher sighting. I can see the traffic light far away at the top of the hill.
Mile 7 - Hill flattens and then gets steeper. But wait!! Actually don't wait, keep running!! I am at 52:59 and it can't be more than three minutes to the top of the hill. After that we turn and go downhill, then onto the grass and the finish. That last bit can not be more than a minute, so I just might get that PR (and extra point in the Brooks race series). Crest the hill and realize that I will get that PR no problem. Cruise on in and then sprint to the finish on the grass. Nice kick left too. Wow that was unexpected. Back home I check my log book and recalculate my 2009 pace. I had written 7:30 but in fact it was a 7:34 pace. Today I ran a 7:33 per mile.
56:34 (official time is showing 56:18 but I don't believe it)
212th place of 2472
Race# 238 Sound to Narrows#6
*****
Marathon 6 days ago and a couple of hard runs this week will put me at 47.5 miles for the week at the end of this race. I did not race here last year, but two years ago I ran a PR for this distance. This is my sixth year here off and on since 2002. Every year I have been a little faster, but I expect that to end this year. I feel good but the tired legs will surely slow me down and I am fine with that.
Such a large event, I wonder why all these people do not come out for more races. See lots of friends and I am very calm before the start of my wave. Tammy took the green wave again this year, so I will start five minutes later and try to pass her. Fun to have a goal like that to keep me going. Its cloudy and mid fifties. Nice for running.
Start - Move up close to the front of this large wave. A little weaving around people but not too bad as we get up to pace. Now it opens up some and I find a comfortable pace. Pick it up some and go blazing down the long hill. Run with Paul H some but he moves on ahead.
Mile 1.5 - Into the park and Kachunga! Oh the whole race is not downhill? Oh I won't be able to maintain a 6:52 mile? Now up and down on the Five Mile Drive through Point Defiance Park. Same as the Tacoma Marathon but at the faster pace it is a whole different beast. I swear some of the hills are steeper than they were a month ago.
Mile 2 - 14:20, ten seconds slower than two years ago.
Mile 2.5 - Catching up to a guy with amazing bulging calf muscles. I think about asking if I can borrow his legs but he has ear buds in. As I pass him I can hear his breathing is very labored. I figure that he has been to the gym for weight lifting a lot, but does not have the lungs for this kind of pace and distance. My legs and lungs are suffering equally, so I guess that my training is on target.
Mile 3.5 - Have had Paul in my sights since he went ahead and now I am gaining on him. He is close but there is a pack of about ten runners between us. Probably a bad idea but I surge and move around them and catch Paul. We run together for just a few steps before I move ahead. He will finish right behind me.
Mile 4.5 - I am not running a steady pace at all. Fly down the hills, slow on the uphill. Surge past runners (hey Sabrina!) and then settle in with someone for a while.
Mile 5 - There is Tammy, so another surge to reel her in and tap her on the arm. She is running great, but I caught her...one goal done. Now what about that PR? With 2.5 miles to go I have about 20 minutes to make my best time. Highly unlikely with all the uphill to come.
Mile 6 - Out of the park, down the too steep hill then up the way too steep hill. Average pace is at 7:32. I remember that in my log book I recorded a pace of 7:30 two years ago. There is no way I will make that, especially with the long uphill to go. But I will easily beat one hour and I am running happy. Leap frogging with a woman, encouraging those who are able to run strong up the hill, thank the volunteers. Judy Fisher sighting. I can see the traffic light far away at the top of the hill.
Mile 7 - Hill flattens and then gets steeper. But wait!! Actually don't wait, keep running!! I am at 52:59 and it can't be more than three minutes to the top of the hill. After that we turn and go downhill, then onto the grass and the finish. That last bit can not be more than a minute, so I just might get that PR (and extra point in the Brooks race series). Crest the hill and realize that I will get that PR no problem. Cruise on in and then sprint to the finish on the grass. Nice kick left too. Wow that was unexpected. Back home I check my log book and recalculate my 2009 pace. I had written 7:30 but in fact it was a 7:34 pace. Today I ran a 7:33 per mile.
56:34 (official time is showing 56:18 but I don't believe it)
212th place of 2472
Race# 238 Sound to Narrows#6
*****
Sunday, June 5, 2011
6-5-11 North Olympic Discovery Marathon
3rd year in a row at this terrific event. Been feeling good and rested and I have no excuse to not try to run fast, so I will go for it today. The problem with "going for it" is that if things do not go as planned for some reason I will pay for it greatly later in the race. Won't know unless I try. One factor that has come up in just the last day is the weather. After a long cold and wet Spring, we finally had a warm day yesterday and today will also be warm. It is not super hot, but I am not heat acclimated and I am sure that it will cause some slowing.
On the first shuttle bus and get to the start in plenty of time. Get to talk with old Maniac friends and meet some new ones. Russ from Guerrilla Running is here to run his first ever marathon. He beats me in the shorter distances but I wonder if my marathon experience will give me an edge today. As usual I am not really competing against anyone, just myself, and I hope that all of us have a good day.
Start - Race is sold out, but only has 339 runners so the crowd is very manageable. The much larger half starts at the same time, but 13.1 miles down the paved trail, so we will not see them at all. A couple of Maniac friends took the 2 hour early start and it will be fun to see if/when I catch up to them. It is very sunny and comfortable in my singlet. It will warm up as soon as I start running. Place myself closer to the front than I should and we are off.
Mile 2 - That first mile is uphill and into the sun and I am plenty warm now. First aid station I drink and pour some water on my head to cool off. That is a bad sign that I am so warm already. I will pour water on my head at every aid station today.
Mile 5 - Big loop in Sequim is done. I am comfortable at 8:25/mile pace and not letting myself go any faster. This is much faster than my PR pace and probably a bad idea. I have been doing my long training runs at about this pace, planning to race a little slower than that. 14 miles at 8:25 last weekend was no problem. I will walk through the aid stations today and that will slow my average pace to a more reasonable level soon enough. I do feel good and like I am holding back some.
Mile 9- Too much sun. Downtown Sequim, then on the paved trail and finally into the shade. Magnificent view of Hurricane Ridge and the Olympic Mountains. Wooden Bridge over the Dungeness river.
Mile 12 - Back into the sun and uh oh, starting to tire. I'm at 8:30 pace but so hot and it has become much more work to hold the pace. Now it is 8:31.
Mile 13.1 - This is going to be an ugly second half. I can not hold 8:30 and I know that the hard part of the course is the hilly miles 16-20. Time to rethink my strategy. I hit the lap button on my watch and monitor my new pace. Settle into a comfortable 9:00/mile before I really crash and I am able to hold this. I will not PR, that is a given. So why am I here anyway? Oh, yeah, I like to run and do races. It is fun. Whatever pace I can run, I can choose to enjoy the time that I am here. For the second half of the race I will thank the volunteers and spectators, I will think of funny comments such as "which way to Port Angeles?, is this the finish line?, are you my relay exchange partner?...", I will hand slap as many little kids as I can and instead of running just behind someone I will catch them and just run next to them for as long as the pace feels right. No long conversations with other runners, but a few hellos, yes it is hot, and pace off each other. I'll see my time at mile 21 and go for a sub 4 hour finish if that is possible, but if not, I will still finish in one piece. A couple of times the heat really gets me and I feel like I should slow, for medical reasons.
Mile 18.5 - Oh that awful hill after a sharp turn. This is where I fell apart last year. I have to walk up it.
Mile 19 - Catch up to Russ. He is struggling but will finish. Its a tough day for everyone. But lots of great aid stations and support. One aid station is themed after the Survivor TV show. One of their buzzwords is "Outlast" and as I see that on a poster and can't help but say to a volunteer that at my current pace I just may be out last. Gets a chuckle and I move on.
Mile 20 - Insanely steep down and up out of the last creek bed. Now I know that all the uphills are done and a nice long downhill is here. Only place on the trail where we are close to Highway 101. As I run down the hill I raise my arms and get a couple of honk responses from vehicles just like I had intended. Finally look at my watch and switch the screen back to overall pace. 8:55 per mile which means that a sub 4 hours is still very possible, but I will have to work for it.
Mile 22 - Tiring and want to walk. Its a shaded area and I had just passed an aid station where two cups of water went on my head. Here is a woman who has brought a garden sprinkler across her yard to the trail. She asks if I want to get wet and although I don't really need it right now, I figure it can't hurt. I say "Ok, a little and angle away from her" and wow she blasts me all up and down and gets my back too. My shorts are thoroughly soaked and heavy.
Mile 23 - Back into the sun for the final bit along the water. Been back and forth with red shirt guy. I have watched his black hat get increasingly encrusted with white salt. He has minimalist shoes on and now he is taking them off due to cramping. He will put his shoes on and pass me, then take them off and I will pass him a couple of more times. The gravel half mile slows him down quite a bit as well. He is nice company and we run together some. When he stops to put his shoes on one more time I pass him for good.
Mile 25 - Really going slow and I have taken short walk breaks off and on. I have been doing 10 minute miles for the last five miles and will have to keep that up to beat four hours. It will be close. It has been more of a gradual slow down due to heat that a hard hitting of the wall. I am out of energy for sure but I can not say exactly when it happened. Pretty optimistic of beating 4 and I predict a 3:58.
Mile 26 - Final "sprint" to the end. Looking for Jody, finally see her. Jennifer Seward sighting. Pathetic kick to the end, I just do not have anything left. Happy to barely beat 4 hours. More happy that I had a fun time and kept a good attitude despite not being near my best today.
I really like this event, but there are other options for this weekend and I think that I will try something else next year. Don't need to decide that right now. I do need to see how I recover as I hope to run the Sound to Narrows 12K on Saturday. I am not registered for it yet. And I have full marathons on June 19 and 25. I will not set out so fast on either of those races.
3:59:19
89th place of 339 finishers
3rd NODM, 66th Marathon or Ultra, 237th race
*****
On the first shuttle bus and get to the start in plenty of time. Get to talk with old Maniac friends and meet some new ones. Russ from Guerrilla Running is here to run his first ever marathon. He beats me in the shorter distances but I wonder if my marathon experience will give me an edge today. As usual I am not really competing against anyone, just myself, and I hope that all of us have a good day.
Start - Race is sold out, but only has 339 runners so the crowd is very manageable. The much larger half starts at the same time, but 13.1 miles down the paved trail, so we will not see them at all. A couple of Maniac friends took the 2 hour early start and it will be fun to see if/when I catch up to them. It is very sunny and comfortable in my singlet. It will warm up as soon as I start running. Place myself closer to the front than I should and we are off.
Mile 2 - That first mile is uphill and into the sun and I am plenty warm now. First aid station I drink and pour some water on my head to cool off. That is a bad sign that I am so warm already. I will pour water on my head at every aid station today.
Mile 5 - Big loop in Sequim is done. I am comfortable at 8:25/mile pace and not letting myself go any faster. This is much faster than my PR pace and probably a bad idea. I have been doing my long training runs at about this pace, planning to race a little slower than that. 14 miles at 8:25 last weekend was no problem. I will walk through the aid stations today and that will slow my average pace to a more reasonable level soon enough. I do feel good and like I am holding back some.
Mile 9- Too much sun. Downtown Sequim, then on the paved trail and finally into the shade. Magnificent view of Hurricane Ridge and the Olympic Mountains. Wooden Bridge over the Dungeness river.
Mile 12 - Back into the sun and uh oh, starting to tire. I'm at 8:30 pace but so hot and it has become much more work to hold the pace. Now it is 8:31.
Mile 13.1 - This is going to be an ugly second half. I can not hold 8:30 and I know that the hard part of the course is the hilly miles 16-20. Time to rethink my strategy. I hit the lap button on my watch and monitor my new pace. Settle into a comfortable 9:00/mile before I really crash and I am able to hold this. I will not PR, that is a given. So why am I here anyway? Oh, yeah, I like to run and do races. It is fun. Whatever pace I can run, I can choose to enjoy the time that I am here. For the second half of the race I will thank the volunteers and spectators, I will think of funny comments such as "which way to Port Angeles?, is this the finish line?, are you my relay exchange partner?...", I will hand slap as many little kids as I can and instead of running just behind someone I will catch them and just run next to them for as long as the pace feels right. No long conversations with other runners, but a few hellos, yes it is hot, and pace off each other. I'll see my time at mile 21 and go for a sub 4 hour finish if that is possible, but if not, I will still finish in one piece. A couple of times the heat really gets me and I feel like I should slow, for medical reasons.
Mile 18.5 - Oh that awful hill after a sharp turn. This is where I fell apart last year. I have to walk up it.
Mile 19 - Catch up to Russ. He is struggling but will finish. Its a tough day for everyone. But lots of great aid stations and support. One aid station is themed after the Survivor TV show. One of their buzzwords is "Outlast" and as I see that on a poster and can't help but say to a volunteer that at my current pace I just may be out last. Gets a chuckle and I move on.
Mile 20 - Insanely steep down and up out of the last creek bed. Now I know that all the uphills are done and a nice long downhill is here. Only place on the trail where we are close to Highway 101. As I run down the hill I raise my arms and get a couple of honk responses from vehicles just like I had intended. Finally look at my watch and switch the screen back to overall pace. 8:55 per mile which means that a sub 4 hours is still very possible, but I will have to work for it.
Mile 22 - Tiring and want to walk. Its a shaded area and I had just passed an aid station where two cups of water went on my head. Here is a woman who has brought a garden sprinkler across her yard to the trail. She asks if I want to get wet and although I don't really need it right now, I figure it can't hurt. I say "Ok, a little and angle away from her" and wow she blasts me all up and down and gets my back too. My shorts are thoroughly soaked and heavy.
Mile 23 - Back into the sun for the final bit along the water. Been back and forth with red shirt guy. I have watched his black hat get increasingly encrusted with white salt. He has minimalist shoes on and now he is taking them off due to cramping. He will put his shoes on and pass me, then take them off and I will pass him a couple of more times. The gravel half mile slows him down quite a bit as well. He is nice company and we run together some. When he stops to put his shoes on one more time I pass him for good.
Mile 25 - Really going slow and I have taken short walk breaks off and on. I have been doing 10 minute miles for the last five miles and will have to keep that up to beat four hours. It will be close. It has been more of a gradual slow down due to heat that a hard hitting of the wall. I am out of energy for sure but I can not say exactly when it happened. Pretty optimistic of beating 4 and I predict a 3:58.
Mile 26 - Final "sprint" to the end. Looking for Jody, finally see her. Jennifer Seward sighting. Pathetic kick to the end, I just do not have anything left. Happy to barely beat 4 hours. More happy that I had a fun time and kept a good attitude despite not being near my best today.
I really like this event, but there are other options for this weekend and I think that I will try something else next year. Don't need to decide that right now. I do need to see how I recover as I hope to run the Sound to Narrows 12K on Saturday. I am not registered for it yet. And I have full marathons on June 19 and 25. I will not set out so fast on either of those races.
3:59:19
89th place of 339 finishers
3rd NODM, 66th Marathon or Ultra, 237th race
*****
Saturday, May 21, 2011
5-21-11 YMCA Spring Run/Public Agency Challenge 8K
8th year in a row here. I've done the 2 mile race a couple of times, they used to have a 10K, but today I am back to the 8K distance. The course has been fixed since the last time I ran it three years ago and should be much closer to the correct distance although not certified. The race was moved to the week after Capital City races and it seems like a much smaller event than in previous years. The races have a little fewer than usual, but the walk and the Public Agency competition seems much smaller. I only recognize two other runners; ten year old Dylan Miller and Martinho, a Club Oly runner who is about 19 years older than me, but beat me in the full marathon by 4 minutes just six days ago. I have felt great all week but have not run fast in a long time and expect the effects of the previous marathon to show up during the race. So no pressure today and I tell Dylan not to worry about me, I am sure that he will beat me. Its cloudy with a little drizzle that stops just before the race begins. Great running conditions. Day of race registration is easy and costs $21 with the no T-shirt option. I have enough T-shirts!!
Start - Only a few fast guys want to line up at the front and with a nice wide road and small contingent of runners I am able to place myself just behind the start line in this non chip timed event. We start right on time. I had a short but good warm up and am able to run fast from the start. Heading downhill helps too. Flying down to the lake at 6:30/mile pace. Now on level ground and slowing but still going faster than planned. I hope for a 36:30 finish time, which will calculate to be my fastest "age graded V-Dot" result of the year and boost me up in the standings of the Brooks ID program Race Series. Just by running this race I get one point.
Mile 1 - Catch one guy and we actually talk a little bit. At this pace it is hard to have much of a conversation and I need to focus on what I am doing. But we both are relaxed and settling in for the rest of the race. Eventually he speeds up and I can not keep up.
Mile 3 - Have been gradually gaining on Dylan. I am going much faster than I expected and he is not having the best day. I am able to pass him. Martinho is behind me somewhere. Would be unexpected and cool to beat them both. We shall see, but here comes the uphill.
Mile 3.5 - Tough grind up the hill and my pace is slowing for sure. But so is everyone else.
Mile 4 - Back to flat and soon the long downhill on Capitol Blvd. Passing lots of 8K walkers who started earlier. Have to dodge around some of them who are walking four abreast. Reel in one more runner and put on a big surge to pass him and break away from him. I think it was a little risky to pick up the pace like that, to an all out sprint that I know I can not maintain, but I did it anyway. Now I do slow some, but still feel good and the downhill is here.
Finish - Hold pace and finish strong. No one to work with in the last bit. Just kept passing walkers. Very pleased with my time.
35:24
12th place of 101
Race # 236
****
Start - Only a few fast guys want to line up at the front and with a nice wide road and small contingent of runners I am able to place myself just behind the start line in this non chip timed event. We start right on time. I had a short but good warm up and am able to run fast from the start. Heading downhill helps too. Flying down to the lake at 6:30/mile pace. Now on level ground and slowing but still going faster than planned. I hope for a 36:30 finish time, which will calculate to be my fastest "age graded V-Dot" result of the year and boost me up in the standings of the Brooks ID program Race Series. Just by running this race I get one point.
Mile 1 - Catch one guy and we actually talk a little bit. At this pace it is hard to have much of a conversation and I need to focus on what I am doing. But we both are relaxed and settling in for the rest of the race. Eventually he speeds up and I can not keep up.
Mile 3 - Have been gradually gaining on Dylan. I am going much faster than I expected and he is not having the best day. I am able to pass him. Martinho is behind me somewhere. Would be unexpected and cool to beat them both. We shall see, but here comes the uphill.
Mile 3.5 - Tough grind up the hill and my pace is slowing for sure. But so is everyone else.
Mile 4 - Back to flat and soon the long downhill on Capitol Blvd. Passing lots of 8K walkers who started earlier. Have to dodge around some of them who are walking four abreast. Reel in one more runner and put on a big surge to pass him and break away from him. I think it was a little risky to pick up the pace like that, to an all out sprint that I know I can not maintain, but I did it anyway. Now I do slow some, but still feel good and the downhill is here.
Finish - Hold pace and finish strong. No one to work with in the last bit. Just kept passing walkers. Very pleased with my time.
35:24
12th place of 101
Race # 236
****
Sunday, May 15, 2011
5-15-11 Capital City Marathon
Seventh consecutive CCM full marathon. It took about ten days for me to feel recovered from the Tacoma Marathon of two weeks ago. I suspect that there are still lingering issues that will show up in later in today's race. No chance of a PR. At the start line I know that today will be remembered for two things. One is the heavy rain that is falling and will continue to come down the entire race. The other is that this is my debut as a race pacer.
I agreed to help with Club Oly's effort to provide pacers. I picked the 3:55 time and I only have to run the first half at this pace (1:57:30). Rich Brown will meet me halfway and take over pacing duties. Most of the club members are pacing one half of the marathon and are not registered runners. Matt and I will pace the first half (he at 3:45 time) and then finish as best we can. Neither of us were confident in running the whole way at that pace. My best time ever on this course is 3:54 and last year I ran 3:58 so it will be interesting to see if I can hold on with Rich. Before the start I get a Pacer bib and a Mylar balloon to tie around my sleeve. I did not think that 3:55 was a popular time to go for but as we line up, a couple of runners introduce themselves and say that they will try to run with me. It is raining so hard that for the first time ever I am sporting the trash bag jacket. Brooks shirt under Club Oly shirt under Marathon Maniac Jacket under trash bag. I am sure that the trash bag will come off but it never happens. It rained the whole race and I never felt too warm. I thought about taking it off but it seemed like a hassle so I just never did.
Start - Line up with the 3:55 group. O wait, they are lining up with me. I am supposed to pace based on gun time. I usually start my watch when I cross the start line so I forget to start it with the gun. A few seconds in I remember to start the watch and just a few seconds more I cross the mat. Should not make much of a difference. Now it is just run fairly even 8:58 pace until my relief shows up. Not a whole lot of work but just a little added stress. And I hate stress on race morning. I like to get there early and keep things very simple. Yesterday I learned that my reliever was injured and could not run. I was asked to pace the whole thing but I just could not agree to that. Fortunately Rich Brown was secured for the second half and I know that he will be there and do great. I have had mixed feeling about being a pacer because I really like to do my own thing on race day. But I also did want to try this and they are giving me a free entry for next year. Well I am here now and off we go.
Mile 1 - 8:58 Ha!!
Mile 3 - It was a very good smooth start. No crowding. Looking ahead there are plenty of runners but they are all spread out as we near Priest Point Park. I can sense people behind me though and I do a quick look back. Whoa!! I am leading a pack of about 20 runners. A spectator even comments on our nice pack. It makes me feel significant. Throughout the first half I would chat with runners and be thanked for the job I was doing. Running with a pacer sure does make it easier to stay on task. I am doing the work of looking at the watch and continually adjusting the pace, hopefully not making any sudden changes.
Mile 10 - We made it down the big hill putting a little time in the bank. On the long uphill I stayed the course and some of my group passed on ahead as I got the average time back where it should be. This is the second race in a row where I wished that I could see the seconds tick by on my watch. After the one hour mark they do not show and that usually is not a problem. The GPS reading is a little off from the mile markers too so I have to do some math and estimating now. Looks like I am about 30 seconds ahead of schedule.
Mile 12 - There is Rich and my job is done. Its funny when someone asks him how fast he can run and he gives a vague answer. So he asks what his marathon PR is and gets the answer 2:21. I told you guys that you were in good hands. Kimpossible drops back but about 5 guys are right with us.
Mile 14 - Start to not feel so great. Slight stiffening in the legs. Becoming more work like. With the task of pacing done I have lost a great amount of motivation. Just keep moving along. I actually pull ahead of the pace group for a couple of miles, but they are not far behind.
Mile 18 - 3:55 catches me. I stay right behind them for a while and ever so gradually fall farther back. Not as many spectators this year due to the rain, but great volunteers as always. Thanks Heidi, Linda, JKam and others.
Mile 22.5 - Very slowly losing my pace. Not a typical hitting of the wall. I am passing people who are struggling more. Sort of fun to see someone ahead that I recognize and very gradually catch up to them. First Angie, then Rikki, Melinda and Jeff. Melinda and Jeff will go on to find great strength at the end and finish ahead of me. In the mean time I am slogging up the great Eastside Hill. New goal is to not take any walk breaks. If I start walking I run the strong possibility of not beating 4 hours, but if I can keep running I am confident of making that time goal. So slow up Eastside, then the turn and further climbing up Fir Street.
Mile 24 - On flat ground now but the running did not get any easier. Tired and tight but otherwise OK and I am pretty sure that I can finish up with no walking. Then I hear surprise encouragement from behind. It is two of my friends who are pacing the 4 hour time. Look at the watch and calculate. No, I do not need to hurry up and stay with them as they pass me. They have gotten a couple minutes ahead of schedule. It would be nice to run with them to the finish, but I do not think that I could keep up at that pace for very long. I wish they would slow down as I am sure that they are going too fast. I stick to my own grind that I know will get me there.
Mile 25 to 26.2 - Finally heading downhill. Its been a tough one, but no real pains. Fun to see friends and family waiting for me to cross the line. I finish about 15 seconds faster than last year and I will take that. The rain and the residual soreness from Tacoma made this not the funnest time that a marathon can be. I started shivering with cold as soon as I stopped running and had to put on dry clothes right away. I still was cold and did not stick around like I usually do after this race. Pacing was somewhat rewarding but I am not sure how I feel about it. Perhaps if I was asked to do it again I would choose the 4:15 time and pace the whole way. Next year I could run Tacoma for speed, pace this race as a good training run, and then be ready for speed again in June. For now though I am somewhat apprehensive about this coming June. I am registered for three quality marathons and I am afraid that I will be very worn down and not able to run them all with good times. I'll figure out some kind of plan. In the mean time I really need to rest, recover and dry out. I may do the Public Agency Challenge 8K in 6 days, but I will wait till the last minute to decide on that.
3:58:35
129th place of 355
marathon or ultra #65
Capital City Marathon #8
****
I agreed to help with Club Oly's effort to provide pacers. I picked the 3:55 time and I only have to run the first half at this pace (1:57:30). Rich Brown will meet me halfway and take over pacing duties. Most of the club members are pacing one half of the marathon and are not registered runners. Matt and I will pace the first half (he at 3:45 time) and then finish as best we can. Neither of us were confident in running the whole way at that pace. My best time ever on this course is 3:54 and last year I ran 3:58 so it will be interesting to see if I can hold on with Rich. Before the start I get a Pacer bib and a Mylar balloon to tie around my sleeve. I did not think that 3:55 was a popular time to go for but as we line up, a couple of runners introduce themselves and say that they will try to run with me. It is raining so hard that for the first time ever I am sporting the trash bag jacket. Brooks shirt under Club Oly shirt under Marathon Maniac Jacket under trash bag. I am sure that the trash bag will come off but it never happens. It rained the whole race and I never felt too warm. I thought about taking it off but it seemed like a hassle so I just never did.
Start - Line up with the 3:55 group. O wait, they are lining up with me. I am supposed to pace based on gun time. I usually start my watch when I cross the start line so I forget to start it with the gun. A few seconds in I remember to start the watch and just a few seconds more I cross the mat. Should not make much of a difference. Now it is just run fairly even 8:58 pace until my relief shows up. Not a whole lot of work but just a little added stress. And I hate stress on race morning. I like to get there early and keep things very simple. Yesterday I learned that my reliever was injured and could not run. I was asked to pace the whole thing but I just could not agree to that. Fortunately Rich Brown was secured for the second half and I know that he will be there and do great. I have had mixed feeling about being a pacer because I really like to do my own thing on race day. But I also did want to try this and they are giving me a free entry for next year. Well I am here now and off we go.
Mile 1 - 8:58 Ha!!
Mile 3 - It was a very good smooth start. No crowding. Looking ahead there are plenty of runners but they are all spread out as we near Priest Point Park. I can sense people behind me though and I do a quick look back. Whoa!! I am leading a pack of about 20 runners. A spectator even comments on our nice pack. It makes me feel significant. Throughout the first half I would chat with runners and be thanked for the job I was doing. Running with a pacer sure does make it easier to stay on task. I am doing the work of looking at the watch and continually adjusting the pace, hopefully not making any sudden changes.
Mile 10 - We made it down the big hill putting a little time in the bank. On the long uphill I stayed the course and some of my group passed on ahead as I got the average time back where it should be. This is the second race in a row where I wished that I could see the seconds tick by on my watch. After the one hour mark they do not show and that usually is not a problem. The GPS reading is a little off from the mile markers too so I have to do some math and estimating now. Looks like I am about 30 seconds ahead of schedule.
Mile 12 - There is Rich and my job is done. Its funny when someone asks him how fast he can run and he gives a vague answer. So he asks what his marathon PR is and gets the answer 2:21. I told you guys that you were in good hands. Kimpossible drops back but about 5 guys are right with us.
Mile 14 - Start to not feel so great. Slight stiffening in the legs. Becoming more work like. With the task of pacing done I have lost a great amount of motivation. Just keep moving along. I actually pull ahead of the pace group for a couple of miles, but they are not far behind.
Mile 18 - 3:55 catches me. I stay right behind them for a while and ever so gradually fall farther back. Not as many spectators this year due to the rain, but great volunteers as always. Thanks Heidi, Linda, JKam and others.
Mile 22.5 - Very slowly losing my pace. Not a typical hitting of the wall. I am passing people who are struggling more. Sort of fun to see someone ahead that I recognize and very gradually catch up to them. First Angie, then Rikki, Melinda and Jeff. Melinda and Jeff will go on to find great strength at the end and finish ahead of me. In the mean time I am slogging up the great Eastside Hill. New goal is to not take any walk breaks. If I start walking I run the strong possibility of not beating 4 hours, but if I can keep running I am confident of making that time goal. So slow up Eastside, then the turn and further climbing up Fir Street.
Mile 24 - On flat ground now but the running did not get any easier. Tired and tight but otherwise OK and I am pretty sure that I can finish up with no walking. Then I hear surprise encouragement from behind. It is two of my friends who are pacing the 4 hour time. Look at the watch and calculate. No, I do not need to hurry up and stay with them as they pass me. They have gotten a couple minutes ahead of schedule. It would be nice to run with them to the finish, but I do not think that I could keep up at that pace for very long. I wish they would slow down as I am sure that they are going too fast. I stick to my own grind that I know will get me there.
Mile 25 to 26.2 - Finally heading downhill. Its been a tough one, but no real pains. Fun to see friends and family waiting for me to cross the line. I finish about 15 seconds faster than last year and I will take that. The rain and the residual soreness from Tacoma made this not the funnest time that a marathon can be. I started shivering with cold as soon as I stopped running and had to put on dry clothes right away. I still was cold and did not stick around like I usually do after this race. Pacing was somewhat rewarding but I am not sure how I feel about it. Perhaps if I was asked to do it again I would choose the 4:15 time and pace the whole way. Next year I could run Tacoma for speed, pace this race as a good training run, and then be ready for speed again in June. For now though I am somewhat apprehensive about this coming June. I am registered for three quality marathons and I am afraid that I will be very worn down and not able to run them all with good times. I'll figure out some kind of plan. In the mean time I really need to rest, recover and dry out. I may do the Public Agency Challenge 8K in 6 days, but I will wait till the last minute to decide on that.
3:58:35
129th place of 355
marathon or ultra #65
Capital City Marathon #8
****
Sunday, May 1, 2011
5-1-11 Tacoma Marathon
Previous times here are 3:57, 3:58 and 3:58. I ran 3:56 at Yakima four weeks ago and then had to not race at Mt Si due to being sick. Looking forward to a good run today. And we sure have awesome weather. Bright sun. Cool at the start but it will warm up. No wind. The plan is to run with Kurt, the 3:50 pacer as long as I can. Hopefully I will not crash too bad, and just maybe I'll feel good and be able to go ahead of him at some point. My PR is 3:48:01, so I would have to leave him with enough time to knock off two minutes.....but I am just speculating and hoping. Most likely I'll sneak in under 4 hours and I'll be fine with that. But I have been doing some specific training and maybe it will pay off today.
Start - Meet my Maniac friends and line up near Kurt. Start and finish are now at the same location, the course has been altered slightly but retains all the great hills. Feeling good and relaxed.
Mile 1- Kurt likes to go out a little ahead of pace to bank some time before the hills. Plus there is a hill right here at the start. So it feels like work from the beginning.
Mile 2 - Flatter. Warming up. Getting in the groove. A little crowded behind the pacer so I move just in front. M761 follows and we run together for a little bit. Unicorn sighting.
Mile 3 - Getting ahead of the pace group. I let M761 go on ahead and I settle back. She will go on to run a 3:38 so I am glad that I did not try to keep up and I am happy for her. Soon I am running with her brother, who will also pull ahead to run his own terrific race. I really need to stay with 3:50, because we are going faster than that (still banking time) and I know that 3:50 is a stretch for me. I have only ever run sub 3:50 two previous times.
Mile 8 - Beautiful day down on Ruston Way. Nice pack of Maniacs and two first time marathoners. Running comfortably. With Lesa Overfield who is running her 100th marathon today. Last weekend I ran 16 miles at 8:30/mile pace without trouble, so this 8:35 pace is fine.
Mile 9 - Traditional loon call in the Ruston tunnel. Now the steepest uphill of the course. I have gone just ahead of 3:50 pacer. The hill is fine. Into Point Defiance Park and as I pass Judy Fisher I tell her that it looks like I am going ahead of my pace group, but they will probably catch me.
Mile 13.1 - That is such a long uphill in the park. Nice and cool in the shade these five miles. Hit the half at 1:53 which would give me a 3:46 if I can maintain. Doubt it but I feel good at the half and have been drinking well and downing some fuel.
Mile 17 - Out of the park. Down then up then a long gradual uphill that goes forever. Getting tired of these up hills. Pace slowed a little but I'm doing OK. Always interesting to see if/when I will run out of energy and really slow down. All I can do is keep taking nutrients and run within myself. I think that the course is a little different here, winding through some neighborhoods. Two guys have been running near me for a while and they are yapping away. Constant talk that I will not get sucked in to. It nice to have a little diversion. Plus this course is so interesting, the miles are sliding by.
Mile 19 - A little more tired. Need some downhills and there they are. Bad patch gets better. I think that I can keep going at this pace, but for how much longer?
Mile 20 - On to the paved trail that parallels Highway 16. Pass Guy Yogi. This is a little sad for me. For years he has been faster than me and always a few minutes out of reach. Today he is slower than usual and I am faster than usual, at least at this point. It just does not seem right to be passing him. But I do. Little do I know that he will stay right on me and finish just behind me. Being careful to not get carried away just yet. Really though it is only about 4 miles until the long downhill to the end. If I can hold on for four more miles....
Mile 23 - Chugging along at the same pace. Cheney Stadium, Target (I focus on the bulls eye for a half mile) and the golf course. I am now confident of beating 3:50. There is a chance that I could get under 3:48. I am still afraid to pick it up for fear of crashing. Coming off the trail there is a bit of a hill and my legs stiffen up considerably. First real discomfort. Woman is walking the hill and I moan that I want to walk but I will not as I shuffle past her. Make the turn onto the road and she starts running. We run together off and on to the finish.
Mile 24 - Oh the downhill is not for a little longer. I can see an aid station in the distance but I am really thirsty so I veer to the other side of the road and get a cup from a homeowner who has set up her own table. Perfect. I like this neighborhood. Boom box playing and people dancing and cheering. Now on to the real aid station where I get more water for my head and Gatorade to drink. Very helpful volunteer, as have all the volunteers been.
Mile 24.5 - Finally the turn downhill. Terry Fritz (the fast Fritz) is cheering. This hill is just a little too steep. Down to the bottom OK though and now turn onto the nice gradual downhill. A PR still looks possible. It is going to be very close. Running with that woman still. We love this finish. I am running faster for sure. When to sprint/give it my all? Still a half mile to go. I do not go all out quite yet.
Mile 26 - Merge with half marathon walkers but there is plenty of room to run. Watch at 3:46 something...I can not see the seconds. Go all out. Did not know that I had that much speed/energy left. The quest for the PR took a lot of the enjoyment away from the last miles. If I was under 3:50 but not near 3:48:01 I would have run happy and easier and been very pleased. Instead I worked so hard, crossed the finish line and let out a swear as I saw 3:48 on the watch. Watch time 3:48:05. I'll find out my official chip time in a few minutes and it will be 3:48:02, one second off my PR. Honestly some frustration, but really I should be pleased and I am. Terrific day all around. Just after getting my chip off, M761 and bro call me over where they are sitting. I share my frustration, then start to cough. Fortunately I turn away and walk over to a secluded area as my cough turns into a puke. Three or four retchings and then I feel surprising well. Not sick although I pass on the post race pizza. Feeling fine and so happy with the day. Now I have to plan when and where to try to PR. Couple of options coming up soon.
3:48:02
77th place of 342
9 minutes faster than last year
Marathon or Ultra #64, Tacoma Marathon #4 Race# 234
*****
Start - Meet my Maniac friends and line up near Kurt. Start and finish are now at the same location, the course has been altered slightly but retains all the great hills. Feeling good and relaxed.
Mile 1- Kurt likes to go out a little ahead of pace to bank some time before the hills. Plus there is a hill right here at the start. So it feels like work from the beginning.
Mile 2 - Flatter. Warming up. Getting in the groove. A little crowded behind the pacer so I move just in front. M761 follows and we run together for a little bit. Unicorn sighting.
Mile 3 - Getting ahead of the pace group. I let M761 go on ahead and I settle back. She will go on to run a 3:38 so I am glad that I did not try to keep up and I am happy for her. Soon I am running with her brother, who will also pull ahead to run his own terrific race. I really need to stay with 3:50, because we are going faster than that (still banking time) and I know that 3:50 is a stretch for me. I have only ever run sub 3:50 two previous times.
Mile 8 - Beautiful day down on Ruston Way. Nice pack of Maniacs and two first time marathoners. Running comfortably. With Lesa Overfield who is running her 100th marathon today. Last weekend I ran 16 miles at 8:30/mile pace without trouble, so this 8:35 pace is fine.
Mile 9 - Traditional loon call in the Ruston tunnel. Now the steepest uphill of the course. I have gone just ahead of 3:50 pacer. The hill is fine. Into Point Defiance Park and as I pass Judy Fisher I tell her that it looks like I am going ahead of my pace group, but they will probably catch me.
Mile 13.1 - That is such a long uphill in the park. Nice and cool in the shade these five miles. Hit the half at 1:53 which would give me a 3:46 if I can maintain. Doubt it but I feel good at the half and have been drinking well and downing some fuel.
Mile 17 - Out of the park. Down then up then a long gradual uphill that goes forever. Getting tired of these up hills. Pace slowed a little but I'm doing OK. Always interesting to see if/when I will run out of energy and really slow down. All I can do is keep taking nutrients and run within myself. I think that the course is a little different here, winding through some neighborhoods. Two guys have been running near me for a while and they are yapping away. Constant talk that I will not get sucked in to. It nice to have a little diversion. Plus this course is so interesting, the miles are sliding by.
Mile 19 - A little more tired. Need some downhills and there they are. Bad patch gets better. I think that I can keep going at this pace, but for how much longer?
Mile 20 - On to the paved trail that parallels Highway 16. Pass Guy Yogi. This is a little sad for me. For years he has been faster than me and always a few minutes out of reach. Today he is slower than usual and I am faster than usual, at least at this point. It just does not seem right to be passing him. But I do. Little do I know that he will stay right on me and finish just behind me. Being careful to not get carried away just yet. Really though it is only about 4 miles until the long downhill to the end. If I can hold on for four more miles....
Mile 23 - Chugging along at the same pace. Cheney Stadium, Target (I focus on the bulls eye for a half mile) and the golf course. I am now confident of beating 3:50. There is a chance that I could get under 3:48. I am still afraid to pick it up for fear of crashing. Coming off the trail there is a bit of a hill and my legs stiffen up considerably. First real discomfort. Woman is walking the hill and I moan that I want to walk but I will not as I shuffle past her. Make the turn onto the road and she starts running. We run together off and on to the finish.
Mile 24 - Oh the downhill is not for a little longer. I can see an aid station in the distance but I am really thirsty so I veer to the other side of the road and get a cup from a homeowner who has set up her own table. Perfect. I like this neighborhood. Boom box playing and people dancing and cheering. Now on to the real aid station where I get more water for my head and Gatorade to drink. Very helpful volunteer, as have all the volunteers been.
Mile 24.5 - Finally the turn downhill. Terry Fritz (the fast Fritz) is cheering. This hill is just a little too steep. Down to the bottom OK though and now turn onto the nice gradual downhill. A PR still looks possible. It is going to be very close. Running with that woman still. We love this finish. I am running faster for sure. When to sprint/give it my all? Still a half mile to go. I do not go all out quite yet.
Mile 26 - Merge with half marathon walkers but there is plenty of room to run. Watch at 3:46 something...I can not see the seconds. Go all out. Did not know that I had that much speed/energy left. The quest for the PR took a lot of the enjoyment away from the last miles. If I was under 3:50 but not near 3:48:01 I would have run happy and easier and been very pleased. Instead I worked so hard, crossed the finish line and let out a swear as I saw 3:48 on the watch. Watch time 3:48:05. I'll find out my official chip time in a few minutes and it will be 3:48:02, one second off my PR. Honestly some frustration, but really I should be pleased and I am. Terrific day all around. Just after getting my chip off, M761 and bro call me over where they are sitting. I share my frustration, then start to cough. Fortunately I turn away and walk over to a secluded area as my cough turns into a puke. Three or four retchings and then I feel surprising well. Not sick although I pass on the post race pizza. Feeling fine and so happy with the day. Now I have to plan when and where to try to PR. Couple of options coming up soon.
3:48:02
77th place of 342
9 minutes faster than last year
Marathon or Ultra #64, Tacoma Marathon #4 Race# 234
*****
Saturday, April 2, 2011
4-2-11 Yakima River Canyon Marathon
Third time here. I really like this race. With all the rain we have had I am looking forward to driving to the east side of the mountains and getting some sunshine. With a point to point course this race offers a variety of logistical choices. The first two years Jody came with me and met me at the finish. That worked out well. This year, she is in Italy so I am solo. I decide to have the convenient part on the front end of the race. I stay in Ellensburg, a shorter drive from home. I can sleep in, then get my race packet and go back to my room till just before the start. It is cold and windy but sunny. I See lots of Maniac friends as I eventually walk over to the start area. Start - Hat, gloves, jacket and sunglasses. I feel good, my lingering cough/cold is pretty much gone. This being my third marathon or ultra in three weeks I wonder what will happen but I am not nervous. When I signed up for Dizzy Daze, the race I ran last week, I resigned myself to the fact that it would hurt my Yakima time. I'll just have fun and do my best. Smooth start, this is my favorite sized race. Mile 1-13.1 - Before the start I had been looking for Half Fanatic Jennifer Seward who is running her first marathon, though she did walk a couple some years ago. I could not find her but at about the half mile mark she finds me and we run together. We run a steady 8:55 pace being careful to not go any faster than that. Around the big block, see a very excited horse, then into the canyon proper. Up and down "Baby Bear" hill. This course is so scenic, I really need to come back here every year. Feeling good, diligent with the pacing, drinking fluids, and alternating fig newtons and S!Caps at the aid stations. At mile 9 there is a blast of wind in our face. The next half mile is into the wind and if this keeps up it will really zap my energy. It does die down and even becomes a nice tailwind. We hit the halfway mark in 1:57:09 Mile 13.1 to Mile 17 - At 13.1 I strike out just a little faster and leave Jennifer behind. About a mile of flat and then the "Mama Bear" hill. It is long but not steep. At about mile 16 I begin to feel soreness in my quads. I have had this before when I run marathons on back to back weekend or just log a lot of miles. Not only did I run long the last two weekends, the month of March was my highest mileage month ever, topping out just over 200 miles. My legs are feeling it now. But I have energy enough and I also have some experience with this so I know that I can keep going without having to slow too much. Big downhill is tougher on the quads. Strong tailwind or side wind at times. Mile 17-21.5 - With 9 miles to go I am feeling good other than the quads. I have a couple of miles of flat, then a big hill, then down hill three miles to the finish. I mentally divide the rest of the race into these three sections and it all seems very doable. Passing some people, briefly run with a couple of Maniacs. Bob Dolphin sighting. Strong blast of head wind at mile 21. So strong I can barely move forward. I see that the road curves along a cliff and shortly the wind is no longer in my face. Mile 21.5-23 - "Papa Bear" hill. Not nearly as steep or difficult as in previous years. The uphill gives my quads a break. I run the whole thing, passing walkers. Near the top I remember to pump my arms and that helps me get up the last bit. My pace has slowed with the hill but I am very confident of beating 4 hours. Mile 23-26.2 - Downhill. Tougher on the quads. Really achy now. I maintain pace. Still a long way to go, but energy level is good. Goal now is to run the whole race with no walk breaks. I wish that I could pick up the pace but I just can not do it. The flat last mile is actually easier. Final two tenths seems super long, but I plug away and have a little sprint left. Very pleased with how I felt and how consistently I ran for the whole race. This is one of my favorites and I vow to return with fresher legs. Now the downside to staying near the start line: After walking through the finish area I see two buses ready to take runners back to the start. The driver of the front bus says that they will leave in 15-20 minutes. Great, I walk back to watch runners come in to the finish, then ten minutes later try to board the bus. But it is full and leaving now. I am first on the next bus but we wait here a long time, then go to the shower facility, the race HQ, then back to the finish line, back to the showers and back to the race HQ/Civic Center to wait for stragglers. I am on that bus for three hours before I get back to my car. It all worked out in the end and I had a great day. 3:56:33 Results Pending Race#233, Marathon or Ultra#63 *****
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