Showing posts with label races. Show all posts
Showing posts with label races. Show all posts
Monday, August 11, 2014
Monday, May 12, 2014
Flannery's Pub Run - Race Report
Almost a month ago, Husband and I traveled a couple hours north to the Flannery's Pub Run in Pennsylvania. This is a tiny race in a quiet PA town, and we chose to come here because I was looking for a spring half marathon that was on a Saturday (we don't race on Sundays) and wouldn't have too high of an entry fee. We also didn't want to travel more than 90 minutes from home. The Flannery Run fit all these requirements.
The race was small- about 200 people. This made parking and morning packet pickup a breeze. We parked in a school parking lot and got our packets, which included a nice fitted tech shirt, chip timer, Brooks stickers and beer cozies, and a bunch of ads. The race was a point-to-point, so we loaded into a school bus to drive us to the start line. The start line was at another school, so it was nice to wait inside and use their bathrooms. The race started on time and we were off and running through the beautiful country PA scenery.
I had no expectations for how I would run this race. I had been (and still am!) trying to get rid of a couple injuries, namely my right glute and left shin. They're related; I get it. I've been going to PT and had been resting for a couple weeks leading up to this race. I had no idea if I would be able to run the whole thing, or have my shin act up, take walk breaks, or anything in between. My best case scenario was to keep a moderate pace (8:45 - 9:00) and then re-evaluate for the last few miles to see if I could go faster. The American Odyssey Relay was just a week after this half, and I was worried about messing up my ability to run.
The course was hilly. Like, decently hilly. There were a couple massive climbs (miles 8 and 10 stick out in my mind as being pretty rough!) that really slowed my pace down, but the scenery was so enjoyable I really didn't mind. Also, the entire route was on closed roads! I guess since the town is so small they were able to do that.
I was delighted to not have any shin or glute issues, and at the halfway point I decided it would be okay to push myself a little more. I had just started getting into a comfortable 8:15ish pace when the massive mile 8 hill hit, so my splits don't show that I went much faster in the second half but I swear I did! I was so relieved to be able to run the pace I wanted to without having a nagging shin splint or tension in my right leg. You can see the last mile I was really able to go, and it wasn't even downhill.
There were eight water stations, each manned by energetic high schoolers. Some had cheerleaders, or a band, or cowbells, etc. Only a couple stations had gatorade, and none had any food or gel (fine for me, since I carry Gu). The town seemed generally really supportive of the whole thing, with people cheering from their lawns and holding signs. For a 200 person event, I was pretty impressed!
Because the race was so small, I wondered if I would place in my age group. My time was 1:52, nothing to be impressed with, but it seemed like most of the runners were older than me. We waited around for what seemed like forever, and were surprised to hear not only my name for 2nd in my age group, but Beau placed 3rd in his! He came in just a couple minutes after me and had a great experience in his first half marathon. How many people get a medal and a trophy after their first half??
Afterwards, we had a delightful lunch at Pure & Simple Cafe in Greencastle, PA. There were two wraps I was interested in, and they were so kind to oblige when I asked if I could make a custom order to combine the two. Avocado AND feta AND hummus on the same wrap? Heaven.
It was a great day and I'm so glad Beau had such a good experience at his first 13.1!
The race was small- about 200 people. This made parking and morning packet pickup a breeze. We parked in a school parking lot and got our packets, which included a nice fitted tech shirt, chip timer, Brooks stickers and beer cozies, and a bunch of ads. The race was a point-to-point, so we loaded into a school bus to drive us to the start line. The start line was at another school, so it was nice to wait inside and use their bathrooms. The race started on time and we were off and running through the beautiful country PA scenery.
I had no expectations for how I would run this race. I had been (and still am!) trying to get rid of a couple injuries, namely my right glute and left shin. They're related; I get it. I've been going to PT and had been resting for a couple weeks leading up to this race. I had no idea if I would be able to run the whole thing, or have my shin act up, take walk breaks, or anything in between. My best case scenario was to keep a moderate pace (8:45 - 9:00) and then re-evaluate for the last few miles to see if I could go faster. The American Odyssey Relay was just a week after this half, and I was worried about messing up my ability to run.
The course was hilly. Like, decently hilly. There were a couple massive climbs (miles 8 and 10 stick out in my mind as being pretty rough!) that really slowed my pace down, but the scenery was so enjoyable I really didn't mind. Also, the entire route was on closed roads! I guess since the town is so small they were able to do that.
I was delighted to not have any shin or glute issues, and at the halfway point I decided it would be okay to push myself a little more. I had just started getting into a comfortable 8:15ish pace when the massive mile 8 hill hit, so my splits don't show that I went much faster in the second half but I swear I did! I was so relieved to be able to run the pace I wanted to without having a nagging shin splint or tension in my right leg. You can see the last mile I was really able to go, and it wasn't even downhill.
There were eight water stations, each manned by energetic high schoolers. Some had cheerleaders, or a band, or cowbells, etc. Only a couple stations had gatorade, and none had any food or gel (fine for me, since I carry Gu). The town seemed generally really supportive of the whole thing, with people cheering from their lawns and holding signs. For a 200 person event, I was pretty impressed!
Because the race was so small, I wondered if I would place in my age group. My time was 1:52, nothing to be impressed with, but it seemed like most of the runners were older than me. We waited around for what seemed like forever, and were surprised to hear not only my name for 2nd in my age group, but Beau placed 3rd in his! He came in just a couple minutes after me and had a great experience in his first half marathon. How many people get a medal and a trophy after their first half??
Afterwards, we had a delightful lunch at Pure & Simple Cafe in Greencastle, PA. There were two wraps I was interested in, and they were so kind to oblige when I asked if I could make a custom order to combine the two. Avocado AND feta AND hummus on the same wrap? Heaven.
It was a great day and I'm so glad Beau had such a good experience at his first 13.1!
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
American Odyssey Relay - race report
I have so many things to post about! I'm still dealing with injuries, but managed to have a great relay last weekend and half marathon the weekend before that. Updates coming soon on my fun times at the HM and physical therapy!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let me start off by warning you that relays are a terrible idea. You will get NO sleep, it will take up your entire weekend (plus the packing and organizing beforehand), it will cost too much money, and you are running a very small portion of the actual race. I texted Beau at 4am, "This is awful in so many ways."
But actually? It was tons of fun. Against my better judgment, I will probably do another some time.
There are 12 people on a team, divided into 2 vans. The vans leapfrog each other- Van 1 goes first, runners 1 - 6. Van 2 is waits at the exchange point where runner 6 finishes, and then Van 2 takes over for runners 7-12. Van 1 drives ahead to the next exchange to wait for runner 12, and then runner 1 starts the whole thing over again. Each runner runs 3 legs and the total distance is about 200 miles from Gettysburg, PA to Washington, DC.
I didn't know all the people on my team really well, but had a couple good friends in my van. Um, I loved my van. I cannot think of a better group of 6 personalities to be together for 30+ hours in a small SUV operating on little sleep.
At my 5 year old nephew's suggestion, our team name was "the Honey Badgers". Do yourself a favor and watch this video. Unless you don't want to hear some bad language.... then don't watch the video. But it is hilarious.
The other team from my running club nicknamed themselves "the Badger Catchers". I thought they were pretty clever.
-XL.jpg)
I was runner 4 and absolutely loved my runs. My first leg was the hardest at 8.9 miles and super hilly. I was surprised that I maintained an 8:36 average pace, but it was great to power up the hills and then fly down. It was a good rhythm to get into, and before I knew it I was handing off the slap bracelet to runner 5, Brenna.
My second leg was a short night run at 4 miles. I was hoping to keep a sub 8 min/mile pace for my night run, but it was a little hillier than I anticipated and my average pace was 8:06. This run was at about 10pm and I was motivated to get back to the van because I thought I might get a chance to go to sleep. What a lie I was telling myself. Once runner 6 finished her night run, we all intended on sleeping a few hours before our last runs. You'd think it would be easy to fall asleep after being up for so long and running.... but no. I think I slept about an hour and then our alarms were going off to go meet Van 2 the exchange. I felt SO nauseous and SO yuck. It was the weirdest feeling to be standing along side the C&O Canal at 3:30 in the morning to cheer on Runner 1. Just a couple hours later, it was my turn to run my final 6.6 mile leg. I was lucky enough to enjoy the sun rise on the beautiful C&O Canal. I started out (still) feeling yucky, but eventually fell into a nice pace. I passed few people and cruised into the transition averaging an 8:29 min/mile for my last leg.
Once our van had finished our third run, we drove to the finish line downtown and collapsed, waiting for Van 2. It was exhausting just laying there.
Finally, a few hours later, our last runner came in and we all ran across the finish line together. Success!
All kidding aside, it really was a lot of fun. I would be hesitant to do another relay because this one fell into place so well. My van-mates were perfect, the weather (for my runs) was perfect, the mileage and course was perfect, and I don't know if another relay would be able to live up to this experience. But just like SO MANY things in my life (Marathon! Skyline Century! Thru hike!) I will probably forget every miserable thing and still want to do it again if the opportunity comes up again. But this time maybe I won't be the team captain. :)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let me start off by warning you that relays are a terrible idea. You will get NO sleep, it will take up your entire weekend (plus the packing and organizing beforehand), it will cost too much money, and you are running a very small portion of the actual race. I texted Beau at 4am, "This is awful in so many ways."
But actually? It was tons of fun. Against my better judgment, I will probably do another some time.
-X2.jpg) |
| the American Odyssey Relay! |
-XL.jpg) |
| the whole team at the starting line |
-XL.jpg) |
| cool shot of Van 2 |
 |
| Van 1, minus Jaclyn who was running at the time |
 |
| Lexi, our Runner 6 and MVP |
 |
| the hand off: Runner 4 to Runner 5 |
 |
| being cozy in the Pilot |
The other team from my running club nicknamed themselves "the Badger Catchers". I thought they were pretty clever.
I was runner 4 and absolutely loved my runs. My first leg was the hardest at 8.9 miles and super hilly. I was surprised that I maintained an 8:36 average pace, but it was great to power up the hills and then fly down. It was a good rhythm to get into, and before I knew it I was handing off the slap bracelet to runner 5, Brenna.
 |
| finishing my first leg |
 |
| Trying to sleep at the second exchange. |
Once our van had finished our third run, we drove to the finish line downtown and collapsed, waiting for Van 2. It was exhausting just laying there.
 |
| Jaclyn, Brenna, and I at the finish |
-X2.jpg) |
| I'm smiling because I know I'm going home soon. |
Friday, January 31, 2014
my 2014 schedule
I don't usually plan this, but most years end up having kind of a theme for me. 2013 was the Year of Running - first marathon, first time getting into trail running and a subsequent trail half marathon, joining a running club, first time winning a race, etc. 2012 was the Year of Hiking (obvs), 2011 the Year of Eventing (when I was leasing an event horse and showing regularly), and so on. Of course I still had running achievements during 2012 and good hikes in 2013, but there tends to be a standout theme for each year.
So what will 2014 be? I would be smart to devote my time and hard earned race entry money into one thing. But I am not smart and I want to do ALL THE THINGS. But here's my tentative schedule, introducing TWO firsts in Mackenzie history.... a relay and a triathlon!
April 19 - Flannery Pub Run HM
April 25 & 26 - the American Odyssey Relay
June- a week on the John Muir Trail in California (!)
August 2 - Culpeper Sprint Triathlon
September 13th - VHTRC Women's Trail HM (if I get in!)
October 18th, 25th and/or Nov 1st - Fall Foliage 10k Trail Series
I feel like each one of these events could cover an entire blog post. And I guess they probably will!
I look at these events and picture each one being really fun in a unique way. The April half will be Beau's first. The relay will be tiring and crazy. The JMT is the freaking JMT. The baby tri will be scary and awesome. And the trail races in the fall because I heart trail running, and there is no better time for trails than in the fall.
There are also no real cycling events on the calendar. Each year, Beau and I usually do one or two centuries together. As the years go on, we still really love the time on our bikes, but feel less of a need to do a paid cycling event. It is just as fun to do one on our own or with friends, and obviously cheaper. There is talk of repeating the Skyline Sufferfest, and maybe by the fall I will have forgotten how terrible it was.
I'm crossing my fingers that all of these events will work out. Some of the events have lotteries or deadlines far enough away that I haven't registered yet. The JMT won't be finalized until we hear back about permits and buy plane tickets.
I'm excited for this year! I normally don't have everything planned out this far in advance, but just writing this blog post is getting me so antsy for spring!
So what will 2014 be? I would be smart to devote my time and hard earned race entry money into one thing. But I am not smart and I want to do ALL THE THINGS. But here's my tentative schedule, introducing TWO firsts in Mackenzie history.... a relay and a triathlon!
April 19 - Flannery Pub Run HM
April 25 & 26 - the American Odyssey Relay
June- a week on the John Muir Trail in California (!)
August 2 - Culpeper Sprint Triathlon
September 13th - VHTRC Women's Trail HM (if I get in!)
October 18th, 25th and/or Nov 1st - Fall Foliage 10k Trail Series
I feel like each one of these events could cover an entire blog post. And I guess they probably will!
I look at these events and picture each one being really fun in a unique way. The April half will be Beau's first. The relay will be tiring and crazy. The JMT is the freaking JMT. The baby tri will be scary and awesome. And the trail races in the fall because I heart trail running, and there is no better time for trails than in the fall.
There are also no real cycling events on the calendar. Each year, Beau and I usually do one or two centuries together. As the years go on, we still really love the time on our bikes, but feel less of a need to do a paid cycling event. It is just as fun to do one on our own or with friends, and obviously cheaper. There is talk of repeating the Skyline Sufferfest, and maybe by the fall I will have forgotten how terrible it was.
I'm crossing my fingers that all of these events will work out. Some of the events have lotteries or deadlines far enough away that I haven't registered yet. The JMT won't be finalized until we hear back about permits and buy plane tickets.
I'm excited for this year! I normally don't have everything planned out this far in advance, but just writing this blog post is getting me so antsy for spring!
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
the Loudoun Half & 8k Race
As you plan your 2014 race schedule, take a look at this half marathon and 8k held in northern Virginia on April 13th!
My running club is sponsoring this race, but even if I didn't have a direct interest in promoting it, I would still want to run this. It's reasonably priced, local (okay, okay, that's not universal to everyone. But you can stay at my house if you want!), offers a medal and technical shirt for participants, and the course is a nice loop through Ashburn and on the scenic W&OD.
The registration fee is $45 and $25, but the price goes up this weekend so check it out!
My running club is sponsoring this race, but even if I didn't have a direct interest in promoting it, I would still want to run this. It's reasonably priced, local (okay, okay, that's not universal to everyone. But you can stay at my house if you want!), offers a medal and technical shirt for participants, and the course is a nice loop through Ashburn and on the scenic W&OD.
The registration fee is $45 and $25, but the price goes up this weekend so check it out!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Ringing in Hope 10k
So, dear readers (both of you), maybe you are interested in how the New Year's 10k went. Maybe you are wondering if I stuck to my plan and met my goal of running it in under 50 minutes.
Well! I'm happy to report that I had an awesome race!
While my main goal was to come in at under 50 minutes (a 7:58 min/mile pace) I had a separate goal of maintaining a 7:50 minute mile. A friend from my running club had a similar goal, so we ran the whole thing together and it really helped to pace each other and stay accountable throughout the entire race.
I intended on starting off at 7:55ish, then after the halfway mark evaluate how I'm feeling to see if I could push it more in the second half. Of course, I started much faster than I wanted. But I felt really good the whole race. I definitely pushed myself harder than I ever have in a race this distance, but felt strong. I ended up finishing in 48:21, which is a 7:44 pace! If you're interested, my Garmin data is here on Strava and my splits are below.
Mile 1 7:42
Mile 2 7:42
Mile 3 7:54
Mile 4 7:54
Mile 5 7:28
Mile 6 7:51
0.2 7:13
(I'm surprised mile 6 was comparatively so slow. There was a slight hill, but I still thought it was faster than that. Hm.)
 |
| Love the twiner Garmin stop button pose. |
After finishing, I hung around the finish line to cheer on Beau and my cousin, Shawney. This was Husband's first 10k and he rocked it! He has been running the weekly track workouts with me and was pleased with a time of 56 minutes.
I was curious to stay for the awards and see how the others in my running club did. I checked out the official times, and you can imagine my surprise when I saw that I was the 15th overall woman and first in my age group! I have never been on the podium before, so I was totally shocked to have won my age group. It was so exciting to have my name called, and I got a gift certificate to a local running store.
So that was fun. It makes me want to do more short and speedy races!
As far as the race itself, the Ringing in Hope races are pretty well organized and user friendly. They had lots of kid activities like pony rides, a moon bounce, balloon animals, etc. There was barbeque, pizza, and fruit for post races snacks, and everything seemed to be run pretty well. My only complaints are that the course is pretty boring (but what else are they supposed to do... all they have around there is neighborhood streets anyway) and that the race t shirt is a white cotton tee.
What a fun race! Now that I'm a fan of short races, I can't wait to do the next one!
Monday, November 18, 2013
Tomorrow, We Run [and we make training schedules. and we stick to them]
This picture makes me want to race real bad.
Is this Lance Armstrong? Kinda looks like Lance Armstrong. Does he (or did he- ha!) do ads for Asics?
So a couple weeks a joined a local running club. So fun! Everyone has been really friendly and I have so much fun on my runs with them. The only race I have coming up is a little New Year's Eve 10k. I am itching to do a half marathon - I want a new PR - but there aren't any during the winter around here. But I haven't done a 10k in a couple years so I'm excited to properly train for it. One of the more experienced runners I was running with on Saturday gave me some tips to get to my goal of under 50 minutes.
Maybe I could do something uncharacteristic for this blog and post a training schedule. My usual MO is to do longer distance races, so training is just about upping mileage gradually. And if I'm doing a random shorter race, I don't really do anything different except for maybe do a couple shorter runs to see what time I should expect. But this time, I'm going to do interval training, track workouts, and have a PLAN.
Friday, September 20, 2013
2013 VHTRC Women's Trail Half Marathon
Other than my marathon, the VHTRC Women's Trail HM was the most excited I've ever been for an event. There were a lot of firsts for me:
1. First trail race. Training for this was pretty much the first time I'd ever ran on trails
2. First lottery system entry
3. First women's only event
4. First time offerred a shot of tequila at an aid station
The entry system was kind of wacky, and I barely made it in after being on the wait list. My preparation was mostly on the trails of the Bull Run battlefield, with a little on the Appalachian Trail as well. I wasn't sure what to expect on the actual course, but the description made me think it would be pretty hilly and challenging. I had only 3 weeks to get cram my training in after my last century, so my plan was to shred my legs for a solid 2 weeks and then rest them for the 6 days leading up to the race. This involved some crazy situations like running a full 13 just three days after a century, a combined 20 miles on trails two days apart, and one Saturday of running 10 in Bull Run in the morning and hiking 6 on the AT in evening.
(Okay that last one was actually unintentional. But it was super beneficial.)
Anyway, I wasn't sure how this haphazard training method would come together, but on race day I was feeling pretty good! The course was through Fountainhead Regional Park in Fairfax. I had never been to Fountainhead before, but it was a great location.
After being directed to park on the side of the road, I picked up my number and got my shirt. It's an awesome long sleeved Patagonia technical shirt. I love getting decent shirts at races! Husband and I waited in line at the porta potties, and I must admit I was kind of intimadated by most of the people around me. The Virginia Happy Trails Running Club is more of an ultra marathon kind of club. All around me were super fit awesomely muscular women who have done 50 and 100 mile trail races. And then me- Hi, I like running. One time I did a marathon. Oh, you've done 100 miles? Over hills and on trails? I've hiked 100 miles on hills and trails. It took me 5 days. I was having serious leg muscle envy.
Anyway, because of my intimidation, I stuck to the back of the pack at the starting line. I reminded myself of the hints I had picked up from experienced trail runners: save you energy, walk up hills, ignore your watch, try not to break your leg on a root or a rock. GOT IT.
 |
| my trusty fuelbelt |
 |
| impossible to look good in running photos? sounds about right |
 |
| a little better... maybe? |
Once I was back in the woods, I started seeing the occaisonal uber fit woman charging down the trail coming towards me. I realized the rest of the course would be an out and back, so I started counting runners that were crossing my path. I got to 70 at the turn around point, and then counted backward as I passed a few more women. At mile 11 I grabbed a swig of gatorade, delined a shot, (despite the chant "Tequila makes you run faster!") and went on my merry way to the finish. The last few climbs were challenging, but I still felt pretty good and was encouraged by the distant sounds of the finish festivities.
I cruised in at 2:17 and landed 62nd place out of 220. I definitely think I could have pushed myself more, but I was intentionally conservative because of my lack of experience.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Ashland Century - Tour de Lion 2013
When looking for cycling events, Husband and I have a few things we look for. In order of importance:
- Must be held on a Saturday (we're Mormon, and Sunday is a day of rest)
- Within two hours of home
- Reasonable cost (preferably under $50. There are two of us, after all)
- Well supported rest stops
The Tour de Lion met all of our criteria. The event was only $35 and the race organizer assured me via email that each rest stop was well stocked, including a lunch at the halfway point and second lunch at the finish.
We reviewed the course ahead of time and saw that it would be fairly flat. We like the challenge of hills (all of our other centuries have been suuuuper hilly) but also liked the idea of a less exhausting ride. :) We weren't thrilled with the out-and-back design of the course. Most organized rides are a loop, and it's definitely more desirable to have new scenery the whole time. Also, some of the joy of a downhill is taken away when you know that you're turning around at some point and going right back up it.
We found the starting line easily and picked up our packet. With cheap races, we don't expect much of a swag bag, but we did get some granola bars and fruit with our bibs. There were bagels and coffee on the registration tables, and checking in was quick and painless.
This was definitely the fewest people we'd seen at a century before- there were maybe 50 riders congregating at the starting line. A lot of them looked fast. We later learned that most of them were locals and from racing clubs in the area, so that explains why we never saw them again.
After just a few minutes, we settled into a pace with a solo female rider whom I immediately made friends with. I tend to do that. We stopped super briefly at the first rest stop, only 15 miles in, and I mostly veered over there because I saw chocolate. I can't refuse a handful of M&Ms. We quickly pedaled away and my new friend Melanie and I were chatting so much that we didn't realize we hadn't seen any signs in a while. Eventually we stopped and got out a cue sheet.... we had totally ridden off course. At least 5 miles. We checked a map (before smart phones, did humans just get lost constantly? and stay lost?) and debated trying to find a route back to the course, but then decided we would turn around, find the right turn, and in the interest of NOT adding more miles to the already long ride, we'd turn around before the halfway point to make up for the miles we were off course. Suddenly I was very glad it was an out-and-back.
On our way back to the course, we found several other riders who had missed the turn as well. See, we're not fools! I blame myself for our mishap because I was the one leading out of the rest stop after my impromptu chocolate grab, and Husband and Melanie were trying to catch up.
It turns out our little deviation added 16 miles to the ride. Husband decided to go the full distance to the turn around point, and sped off from us in pursuit of a crazy long and tiring day. For the next many many hours and miles, Melanie and I rode along on this oh so pleasant Saturday on this oh so flat ride. Seriously, the weather couldn't have been better and the inclines and descents were mild and kept the ride interesting without being over challenging.
Because we turned around earlier than the course marked, we missed the halfway rest stop. The rest of the stops were fairly well supplied, but I would have preferred more variety. They had water, gatorade, ice, nature valley bars, trail mix, bananas, and an assortment of what I tend to call "crap food" like Doritos, hostess snacks, etc. I was glad I had brought a few items for myself.
At mile 90, my legs became lead and I was going so.slow. Melanie wins an award for being patient neough to stopp and wait for me at one point to make sure I didn't miss the not very well marked turns. A small climb woke me up, and before we knew it we were navigating back to the Food Lion where we started. The finish line tent was great about applauding each rider as they came in, awarding us with medals, and serving up BBQ ribs, baked beans, cole slaw, and rolls.
I had been wondering how Husband was faring, and was just starting to get worried when he came cruising in. 120 miles! Who does that?
It was a great day. The Tour de Lion century gets a low grade on course marking (not just for our one wrong turn, but the others were hard to follow at times, too), moderate grade on rest stops and finish line food, and high grade on convenience, cost, and overall friendliness. I have a hard time rating the course, because normally I wouldn't like an out-and-back but it ended up being very beneficial with our detour. The mild terrain would make this a great ride for someone trying out their first century, but would be disappointing for someone looking for a more challenging ride.
- Must be held on a Saturday (we're Mormon, and Sunday is a day of rest)
- Within two hours of home
- Reasonable cost (preferably under $50. There are two of us, after all)
- Well supported rest stops
The Tour de Lion met all of our criteria. The event was only $35 and the race organizer assured me via email that each rest stop was well stocked, including a lunch at the halfway point and second lunch at the finish.
We reviewed the course ahead of time and saw that it would be fairly flat. We like the challenge of hills (all of our other centuries have been suuuuper hilly) but also liked the idea of a less exhausting ride. :) We weren't thrilled with the out-and-back design of the course. Most organized rides are a loop, and it's definitely more desirable to have new scenery the whole time. Also, some of the joy of a downhill is taken away when you know that you're turning around at some point and going right back up it.
We found the starting line easily and picked up our packet. With cheap races, we don't expect much of a swag bag, but we did get some granola bars and fruit with our bibs. There were bagels and coffee on the registration tables, and checking in was quick and painless.
This was definitely the fewest people we'd seen at a century before- there were maybe 50 riders congregating at the starting line. A lot of them looked fast. We later learned that most of them were locals and from racing clubs in the area, so that explains why we never saw them again.
After just a few minutes, we settled into a pace with a solo female rider whom I immediately made friends with. I tend to do that. We stopped super briefly at the first rest stop, only 15 miles in, and I mostly veered over there because I saw chocolate. I can't refuse a handful of M&Ms. We quickly pedaled away and my new friend Melanie and I were chatting so much that we didn't realize we hadn't seen any signs in a while. Eventually we stopped and got out a cue sheet.... we had totally ridden off course. At least 5 miles. We checked a map (before smart phones, did humans just get lost constantly? and stay lost?) and debated trying to find a route back to the course, but then decided we would turn around, find the right turn, and in the interest of NOT adding more miles to the already long ride, we'd turn around before the halfway point to make up for the miles we were off course. Suddenly I was very glad it was an out-and-back.
On our way back to the course, we found several other riders who had missed the turn as well. See, we're not fools! I blame myself for our mishap because I was the one leading out of the rest stop after my impromptu chocolate grab, and Husband and Melanie were trying to catch up.
It turns out our little deviation added 16 miles to the ride. Husband decided to go the full distance to the turn around point, and sped off from us in pursuit of a crazy long and tiring day. For the next many many hours and miles, Melanie and I rode along on this oh so pleasant Saturday on this oh so flat ride. Seriously, the weather couldn't have been better and the inclines and descents were mild and kept the ride interesting without being over challenging.
Because we turned around earlier than the course marked, we missed the halfway rest stop. The rest of the stops were fairly well supplied, but I would have preferred more variety. They had water, gatorade, ice, nature valley bars, trail mix, bananas, and an assortment of what I tend to call "crap food" like Doritos, hostess snacks, etc. I was glad I had brought a few items for myself.
At mile 90, my legs became lead and I was going so.slow. Melanie wins an award for being patient neough to stopp and wait for me at one point to make sure I didn't miss the not very well marked turns. A small climb woke me up, and before we knew it we were navigating back to the Food Lion where we started. The finish line tent was great about applauding each rider as they came in, awarding us with medals, and serving up BBQ ribs, baked beans, cole slaw, and rolls.
I had been wondering how Husband was faring, and was just starting to get worried when he came cruising in. 120 miles! Who does that?
It was a great day. The Tour de Lion century gets a low grade on course marking (not just for our one wrong turn, but the others were hard to follow at times, too), moderate grade on rest stops and finish line food, and high grade on convenience, cost, and overall friendliness. I have a hard time rating the course, because normally I wouldn't like an out-and-back but it ended up being very beneficial with our detour. The mild terrain would make this a great ride for someone trying out their first century, but would be disappointing for someone looking for a more challenging ride.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Virginia Happy Trail Running Club Half Marathon
edit on 9/20/13 - I survived! See my race report here
This race the has craziest entry system - there was the entry form, and then a lottery that told me I was forever down on the wait list, and then the adjusted wait list once everyone had confirmed they wanted to be on the wait list, and then pay via PayPal and IF you get in we'll take your money, and then finally, the move of people from the wait list to the entrants list. By my last count, I was 10th on the wait list of people who had paid their money and were hoping to get moved to the entrants list. They took 12.
I'm so excited! I've never done a trail race before. The club seems really laid back and friendly, and I like that this is a women's only event. There's something kind of hardcore and bad-a about trail running. I expect some cool photos.
The downside? Training. Lest we forget, I have a century coming up. I will have two weekends in between the century and the half marathon. If it were a regular road race, I wouldn't sweat it. But a trail race? The only day I can get in a good trail run is Saturday, when I have the time and daylight. But what am I doing on Saturdays? Spending a ridiculous amount of time on my bike.
But I'll figure it out; I always do! Can't wait for September 14th.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
DC Rock n Roll Marathon Race Report
I foolishly didn't blog much about my training, but a couple weeks ago I ran my first marathon!
While I was thru hiking the Appalachian Trail last summer, I decided I wanted to train for a marathon post hike. The DC Rock n Roll was a natural choice, as it would require no traveling, gave me ample time to prepare, and is known to have a nice flat and high energy course.
I didn't plan out my training runs until January, because I was already consistently running 30 miles per week with 13-15 as a long run on the weekends. I increased my mileage every other Saturday by about 1 or 2 miles, peaking at 22 miles and tapering to race day. So my long runs each week went something like this: 16, 13, 17, 13, 18, 20, 16, 22, 15, 13, race day.
The super long runs really weren't as grueling as I thought! I normally don't listen to music when I run (weird, I know) but I started doing so when I was doing mileage in the upper teens. I listened to Les Mis in its entirety, General Conference talks, or whatever music came up on the shuffle.
Some people ask, "what do you think about during long runs?" This makes me chuckle, because a few hours of "thinking time" during a long run is nothing compared to the all day every day of thru hiking. Sometimes, among thru hikers, people would talk about what they had thought about that day. "Well, first I went through the entire movie of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", then I thought about what kind of food I want in the next town, and then I was thinking about my 6th grade science project. Oh and I couldn't get "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" out of my head, either. Yep, that pretty much covers it."
Oh right, this is about running, not hiking.
I didn't really experience any real pain problems during training. At first, I was running in my Vibram Bikila LS shoes until I started getting some tendon pain. It popped up pretty randomly after a fast 12 mile run- even though I had already done a few 16s in them. I begrudgingly bought a pair of Brooks Adrenaline running shoes and didn't have tendon pain ever again. After some runs, I experienced what I guess is shin splints, but it was a more dull ache than some of the descriptions I read online. It went away with ice and didn't present any problems.
For some reason, in my three week taper, I felt kind of sluggish and tired, even though I was drastically reducing my weekly mileage. Also, the day before the race, I started feeling some cold symptoms come on (really unusual for me- I rarely get sick). I really didn't think race day would go very well. Oh, and the forecast was in the 30s and rainy, so my expectations were kind of low.
The day before the race, Friday, I left work early and took the metro downtown to go to the expo. Originally I planned on running with a friend, but she developed some injuries during training and had to scratch. I wished I had someone to walk around the expo with, but let's be honest, I can be kind of a loner sometimes. I'm cool with it. I grabbed lots of samples, wished I had money to buy some cool products and gear, and got really intimidated by these moniters that showed a video of the whole course.
Okay, it seemed long just standing there watching it in fast speed. And I think I can run it?
Of course an awesome feature of the expo is the free samples. I love getting samples. I'm such a cheapskate, it's like a dream come true that I could walk away with enough little Larabars and GU to last for a while. I paid $100 to enter this race and I'm going to get my money's worth, dang it!
This was my first really big race with corrals and all the high energy that goes with it. Me and 30,000 other runners trying to use the porta potties, check gear bags, and get in the right corral. I made some friends in my corral, and before you know it the gun went off for the first group. Eventually it was our turn to start and I could not BELIEVE that I was actually running a marathon. I do this at the beginning of all races, short or long. I actually get a little emotional, just feeling so grateful and excited that I'm actually doing something I've prepared so much for. My wedding? Nope. But all of my races and big horse shows and randoms times of my thru hike? Yup.
One thing that is so cool about these big races is the spectator support. I wish I could've taken a picture of all the clever signs people were holding. Instead I'll turn to the Googles. And people giving out food! People who were not affiliated with the race organizers, standinging in the middle of the course with a platter of peeled oranges. Or sitting on the bumper on the side with a big bowl of gummy bears.
After a few miles I hit a good stride and time passed pretty quickly. Most of the other runners were doing the half, so it was a little humorous/annoying when everyone around you is saying things like, "Just 3 miles left! Almost there!". Yeah. 3 miles plus 13 more. Thanks for reminding me. Once the half runners split off, it was a lot more quiet and lonely.
As I've heard from every marathoner ever, mile 20-25 is just a KILLER. So close to being done, but still so far. Normally I don't walk at ALL in my runs. If I need to stop for something (getting some Gu out, adjusting clothing, whatever) I usually stop completely so my Garmin will stop. Then it doesn't mess with my mph average. :) But this race? Not so. I was doing everything I could do get to the next water station or mile marker to let myself walk for 45 seconds. I felt kind of dumb (isn't this a race? aren't you a runner?) but everyone else is doing it... so.... as long as there's no photographic evidence that I walked during a running race I'm good.
It's so funny to me the things that you think about to pump yourself up or convince yourself to get to the next mile. "Okay, 8 miles left. That's like your regualar morning run. You can totally do this! Pretend you're starting at the house. Okay, now you're turning onto Stonewall and passing the church." And later, "3 miles left. A 5k. Remember when you did a 5k in 22 minutes? Soon you will be totally done and can eat the biggest sandwich ever. And ice cream. Gotta get some ice cream."
When I got to mile 25 and could see the DC Armory in the distance as the finish line, I had all sorts of newfound energy and picked up my pace to get this blasted thing over with. In this stretch, I found my parents and husband to cheer me on. My mom ran a few tenths with me and then I (kind of) sprinted to the finish.
I'm glad I did this, but I don't see another marathon in the near future. While I was running (probably in the mile 20-25 death zone) I was thinking, "Man, give your body a break!" So I am. I'm looking forward to some long bike rides and day hikes and things that are much less stressful and jarring than running. I LOVE running, but I am tired.
I love that I can officially say I'm a marathoner!
While I was thru hiking the Appalachian Trail last summer, I decided I wanted to train for a marathon post hike. The DC Rock n Roll was a natural choice, as it would require no traveling, gave me ample time to prepare, and is known to have a nice flat and high energy course.
I didn't plan out my training runs until January, because I was already consistently running 30 miles per week with 13-15 as a long run on the weekends. I increased my mileage every other Saturday by about 1 or 2 miles, peaking at 22 miles and tapering to race day. So my long runs each week went something like this: 16, 13, 17, 13, 18, 20, 16, 22, 15, 13, race day.
The super long runs really weren't as grueling as I thought! I normally don't listen to music when I run (weird, I know) but I started doing so when I was doing mileage in the upper teens. I listened to Les Mis in its entirety, General Conference talks, or whatever music came up on the shuffle.
Some people ask, "what do you think about during long runs?" This makes me chuckle, because a few hours of "thinking time" during a long run is nothing compared to the all day every day of thru hiking. Sometimes, among thru hikers, people would talk about what they had thought about that day. "Well, first I went through the entire movie of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", then I thought about what kind of food I want in the next town, and then I was thinking about my 6th grade science project. Oh and I couldn't get "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" out of my head, either. Yep, that pretty much covers it."
Oh right, this is about running, not hiking.
I didn't really experience any real pain problems during training. At first, I was running in my Vibram Bikila LS shoes until I started getting some tendon pain. It popped up pretty randomly after a fast 12 mile run- even though I had already done a few 16s in them. I begrudgingly bought a pair of Brooks Adrenaline running shoes and didn't have tendon pain ever again. After some runs, I experienced what I guess is shin splints, but it was a more dull ache than some of the descriptions I read online. It went away with ice and didn't present any problems.
For some reason, in my three week taper, I felt kind of sluggish and tired, even though I was drastically reducing my weekly mileage. Also, the day before the race, I started feeling some cold symptoms come on (really unusual for me- I rarely get sick). I really didn't think race day would go very well. Oh, and the forecast was in the 30s and rainy, so my expectations were kind of low.
The day before the race, Friday, I left work early and took the metro downtown to go to the expo. Originally I planned on running with a friend, but she developed some injuries during training and had to scratch. I wished I had someone to walk around the expo with, but let's be honest, I can be kind of a loner sometimes. I'm cool with it. I grabbed lots of samples, wished I had money to buy some cool products and gear, and got really intimidated by these moniters that showed a video of the whole course.
Okay, it seemed long just standing there watching it in fast speed. And I think I can run it?
Of course an awesome feature of the expo is the free samples. I love getting samples. I'm such a cheapskate, it's like a dream come true that I could walk away with enough little Larabars and GU to last for a while. I paid $100 to enter this race and I'm going to get my money's worth, dang it!
This was my first really big race with corrals and all the high energy that goes with it. Me and 30,000 other runners trying to use the porta potties, check gear bags, and get in the right corral. I made some friends in my corral, and before you know it the gun went off for the first group. Eventually it was our turn to start and I could not BELIEVE that I was actually running a marathon. I do this at the beginning of all races, short or long. I actually get a little emotional, just feeling so grateful and excited that I'm actually doing something I've prepared so much for. My wedding? Nope. But all of my races and big horse shows and randoms times of my thru hike? Yup.
One thing that is so cool about these big races is the spectator support. I wish I could've taken a picture of all the clever signs people were holding. Instead I'll turn to the Googles. And people giving out food! People who were not affiliated with the race organizers, standinging in the middle of the course with a platter of peeled oranges. Or sitting on the bumper on the side with a big bowl of gummy bears.
After a few miles I hit a good stride and time passed pretty quickly. Most of the other runners were doing the half, so it was a little humorous/annoying when everyone around you is saying things like, "Just 3 miles left! Almost there!". Yeah. 3 miles plus 13 more. Thanks for reminding me. Once the half runners split off, it was a lot more quiet and lonely.
As I've heard from every marathoner ever, mile 20-25 is just a KILLER. So close to being done, but still so far. Normally I don't walk at ALL in my runs. If I need to stop for something (getting some Gu out, adjusting clothing, whatever) I usually stop completely so my Garmin will stop. Then it doesn't mess with my mph average. :) But this race? Not so. I was doing everything I could do get to the next water station or mile marker to let myself walk for 45 seconds. I felt kind of dumb (isn't this a race? aren't you a runner?) but everyone else is doing it... so.... as long as there's no photographic evidence that I walked during a running race I'm good.
It's so funny to me the things that you think about to pump yourself up or convince yourself to get to the next mile. "Okay, 8 miles left. That's like your regualar morning run. You can totally do this! Pretend you're starting at the house. Okay, now you're turning onto Stonewall and passing the church." And later, "3 miles left. A 5k. Remember when you did a 5k in 22 minutes? Soon you will be totally done and can eat the biggest sandwich ever. And ice cream. Gotta get some ice cream."
When I got to mile 25 and could see the DC Armory in the distance as the finish line, I had all sorts of newfound energy and picked up my pace to get this blasted thing over with. In this stretch, I found my parents and husband to cheer me on. My mom ran a few tenths with me and then I (kind of) sprinted to the finish.
 |
| the BEST supporters ever |
I love that I can officially say I'm a marathoner!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Double Creek Half Marathon
Half marathon #2 was this weekend- the Double Creek Half at Dover , Pennsylvania
For my first half, last fall, I decided to do it about 5 weeks before and had never run more than a 10k. I did two weeks doing an 8 mile run, then 9, then 10, and 8 the week of. That race was all downhill or flat and advertised as a good “first timer” race.
This time, I prepared (slightly) better, with a more gradual increase in mileage- a couple weeks at 7, a couple at 8, a 9, two weeks at 10, and 7 the week of. I was also doing at least one 5k run on the treadmill for some speedwork.
I felt slightly more prepared in that regard, but there were several other variables:
- This would be my first race in my Vibrams. I did almost all of my training runs in them, with the exception of one 10 mile trail run that I thought might be too gravel-y.
- The course was not downhill or flat like my first half. The first 6 miles were actually quite hilly, and the latter half evened out a bit more.
- This would be my first race ever without having a friend or mom or husband to do it with.
Despite all these unknowns, I had a great run. I felt great the whole time and had fun. Last half in Provo, I was going so slow the last couple miles and kept thinking “I am NEVER doing this again”. But this time I totally felt great and could have kept going longer. I attribute this some to being more physically prepared, but also the magic of Gu shots and Gu Brew in my water bottles. (I picked up this baby a week ago at REI with my dividend money and love it!) I have a hard time choking down Gu, but it works so well that I do it anyway.
 |
| stretching shot! |
Another helpful happenstance was an unintentional running buddy. When we were lining up to start, I briefly chatted with a married couple. The man was a seasoned runner and would be going much faster, but his wife was running her second half and was anticipating a similar time to me. We wished each other good luck at the start and started running. A couple miles later, Rosario and I were still matching each others pace exactly and ended up running the whole thing together! She had driven the course the night before and was able to tell me exactly where the hills were coming up and where a longer stretch of downhill might be. We were friends.
I ended up finishing in 2:10:00. I did my first half in 2:05, but I didn’t expect to get that time again as that one was so drastically downhill. I was expecting about 2:15, so I was pleased. Next time I will definitely push myself more and try to get close to 2:05.
UPDATE: I just checked the website, and I was 10th in my age group. Go me.
UPDATE: I just checked the website, and I was 10th in my age group. Go me.
As for the event itself, I thought that Double Creek did a great job. The race was stationed at an elementary school, so check in was inside and we were able to use the restrooms there. They had lots of snacks in the morning and lots of volunteers ready to help check in. The route was through scenic country roads and was mostly wooded and shady.
The event had several options: 1 mile fun run, 5k, half, 30 mile bike, 50 mile bike, or the “Endurance Challenge”- half marathon plus either bike option. Because of all the variety, there were only a couple hundred people at the start of the half which made for a nice easy start with no crowding. There were 5 water stops along the way (but only one Porta-Potty?) and even a volunteer handing out gel at the halfway. Milemarkers and turns were well marked with volunteers and police to escort road crossings. Registration was cheap ($35) and came with a simple cotton black tee and technical shirts for sale as well. Schwag bags were nonexistent, but I got over that quickly with the free massages (and virtually no line!) at the finish. There was a lunch at noon once all the cyclists were finished, but I didn’t stay that long.
It was definitely one of the more fun races I have done, and next year I can’t wait to do the Endurance Challenge!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)