As part of my accomplishments entry, I feel it is important to look ahead to 2013 with some goals. This list is likely to evolve and be expanded but the following are my goals going into the year:
-Set a FKT (Fastest Known Time) on the Batona Trail
-Run a couple snowshoe races
-Participate in more ultras than last year
-Set a 50M PR
-Sub 2:30 marathon
-Travel for racing (and vacation at the same time)
-Run the 4-Corners Run in the Wissahickon
-Accomplish more than listed above...
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Accomplishments - 2012
Originally, this post was going to focus on both my accomplishments in the past year as well as my goals for 2013. However, I felt it more fitting to split them up since I have two more weeks to figure out all my goals in the upcoming year.
With that said, 2012 was a big transition year for me. Not since my high school cross country days did I do this much racing on trails. Since I am about to turn 33, that goes back 15 years. Oddly enough my last real trail race back in 2009 ended up with me injuring my right knee. Yet, with my body not getting younger, I felt a good way to keep my edge and help my body was to go to the trails. Plus, with all the road racing over the past several years, I know my expectations there. Along with the pressure resulting from prior performances. Trail running allowed me to be a rookie in the sense I would build my expectations along the way. Also, I would go beyond the marathon distance. I'd go close to double with a 50 miler. 2012 was a year to expand my boundaries.
I'd say I accomplished things with great success.
-Ran two trail ultras setting course records in both
-Winning a trail running series
-On the roads dipping under 16 minutes multiple times
-Over 2700 miles for the year (my goal was to average 50 a week...or 2615 mi yr)
-Traveling to new areas to race.
-Most lucrative season from winnings.
-Doing long run days that were marathons
-Expanding my runners network
-Got in a snowshoe race
-Lots of wonderful training on trails
With that said, 2012 was a big transition year for me. Not since my high school cross country days did I do this much racing on trails. Since I am about to turn 33, that goes back 15 years. Oddly enough my last real trail race back in 2009 ended up with me injuring my right knee. Yet, with my body not getting younger, I felt a good way to keep my edge and help my body was to go to the trails. Plus, with all the road racing over the past several years, I know my expectations there. Along with the pressure resulting from prior performances. Trail running allowed me to be a rookie in the sense I would build my expectations along the way. Also, I would go beyond the marathon distance. I'd go close to double with a 50 miler. 2012 was a year to expand my boundaries.
I'd say I accomplished things with great success.
-Ran two trail ultras setting course records in both
-Winning a trail running series
-On the roads dipping under 16 minutes multiple times
-Over 2700 miles for the year (my goal was to average 50 a week...or 2615 mi yr)
-Traveling to new areas to race.
-Most lucrative season from winnings.
-Doing long run days that were marathons
-Expanding my runners network
-Got in a snowshoe race
-Lots of wonderful training on trails
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Closed - 2012 Racing Season
This past Saturday saw the conclusion of my racing for 2012 (unless something awesome comes along) in a most fitting way as I had the opportunity to do two races: a road 5K and a trail '5K'. I found this nice way to close things out as I wanted a nice fast road course and thought it would appropriate to have one more trail race since I did so much of it this year.
For the road 5K, I went back to Lansdowne's YMCA Reindeer Run. It is a small race with cheap entry ($10 w/ shirt) that has a course suited to my strengths. In other words, a fast course that is not purely flat. Going in this year, I felt I could go under 16 minutes. And that I did! Total domination in 15:41. From the gun, I just put my head down and pushed as hard as I could. As a reward for the effort, I got 6 months to the local YMCA. Pretty sweet since I had my award from last year so I got a full year of family membership that I cashed in.
Since the road race was at 8am, the timing worked out well that I could get in an 11am trail race. (@ Haverford Reserve) Even better, it was only 10 minutes away. I got to the site around 10am. And I admit, I was a bit tired from my effort so I thought about not racing to save a few hours of my day. I decided to do the whole course backwards and go home. Now while I ran the course, I did more than just go home. I opted to sign up. It was my plan to race it from the beginning. So what if I had a hard effort prior, pushing my limits is what makes me a better tougher runner. At 11am, the field was off. I got into the lead around the 400m mark and worked through a challenging longer than 5K course. Doing the course in reverse was helpful once the race started as I could take the best lines possible. My favorite part is when there was a huge log to go over. The organizers had placed a couple of boards (for the lead bike) to help go over it. I strode over that log using the boards with great finesse. So much so, I ran right up the back of the bike to which I had to ask to speed up or move over. (It moved over.) In the end, I won this in 20:19. The course was somewhere between .25 and .6 miles long. (I'd say more like .45) Afterwards, had some nice hot pizza the organizers ordered. Nice fitting way to end all the day's racing.
What is more, my goal of hitting 2600 miles for the year was met during the trail race. I'll be running a bit less for this month. It will help me recover and take sometime to bask in my achievements while looking forward to 2013.
For the road 5K, I went back to Lansdowne's YMCA Reindeer Run. It is a small race with cheap entry ($10 w/ shirt) that has a course suited to my strengths. In other words, a fast course that is not purely flat. Going in this year, I felt I could go under 16 minutes. And that I did! Total domination in 15:41. From the gun, I just put my head down and pushed as hard as I could. As a reward for the effort, I got 6 months to the local YMCA. Pretty sweet since I had my award from last year so I got a full year of family membership that I cashed in.
Since the road race was at 8am, the timing worked out well that I could get in an 11am trail race. (@ Haverford Reserve) Even better, it was only 10 minutes away. I got to the site around 10am. And I admit, I was a bit tired from my effort so I thought about not racing to save a few hours of my day. I decided to do the whole course backwards and go home. Now while I ran the course, I did more than just go home. I opted to sign up. It was my plan to race it from the beginning. So what if I had a hard effort prior, pushing my limits is what makes me a better tougher runner. At 11am, the field was off. I got into the lead around the 400m mark and worked through a challenging longer than 5K course. Doing the course in reverse was helpful once the race started as I could take the best lines possible. My favorite part is when there was a huge log to go over. The organizers had placed a couple of boards (for the lead bike) to help go over it. I strode over that log using the boards with great finesse. So much so, I ran right up the back of the bike to which I had to ask to speed up or move over. (It moved over.) In the end, I won this in 20:19. The course was somewhere between .25 and .6 miles long. (I'd say more like .45) Afterwards, had some nice hot pizza the organizers ordered. Nice fitting way to end all the day's racing.
What is more, my goal of hitting 2600 miles for the year was met during the trail race. I'll be running a bit less for this month. It will help me recover and take sometime to bask in my achievements while looking forward to 2013.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Drive, Run, Drive - Rosaryville Veterans 50K Recap
Periodically, I do some half-brained things. Some with good results. Some with not-so-good results. And then there is the just plain crazy. This past Saturday's race falls into that last category.
Why?
Three reasons: 1) I wasn't training for a 50K. 2) Had no plans to do another long race after the 30K a few weeks back. 3) Three hours of driving each way is not something I like to do.
Crazy ended up with my 'decision' to run the Rosaryville Veterans 50K down in Upper Marlboro, MD. I use 'decision' lightly because on the night before the race, I had not committed to running the 50K. Simply the notion of leaving the house at 4am for three hours of driving was not appealing. So, when I went to bed, I told myself, if I sleep past 4, I'll run something else closer to home.
Low and behold, I woke up at 3am giving myself plenty of time to leave the house at 4am. It is pretty amazing driving on major interstates at that hour. Hardly any traffic so I could hit cruise control and enjoy some Graveyard & Killers on the drive. (A drive I actually enjoyed.)
After arriving at Rosaryville State Park, I registered, had time get any drop bags in order and relax. Since I was running an ultra, there was no warm-up. Before, I go farther, I should tell you, the course primarily consists of three loops of a 9.8 mile trail with an out and back section at the start and finish of the race. This last part was lost on me because I thought we ran three loops going through the start/finish each time. So I had expected a drop bag at 4.5 miles into each loop and a bag at the start/finish. Yeah, I blew this. But more on how that plays in a few.
Promptly at 8am, the field of 135 runners took off on what started out as a chilly morning. (If you weren't running.) I gingerly strode to the front. Being that it was my second ultra (and first 50K), I wanted to take it leisurely and see who wanted to take the pace. Apparently, that guy ended up being me. As we entered the first loop, I just did my best to get into a grove and get away from second. Not too fast but enough to slowly open a gap so I could just run my own race in the woods. This was easier said than done. Part of it is the course, while very runnable, there are a ton of switchbacks. I do not have a loving relationship with them. So as a result, times I thought I was gaining space, it would be swallowed back up. But I was not running dumb as I had my watch keeping me honest. At the 1st aid station, I briefly stopped and grabbed a gatorade before heading back onto the trail. (I didn't see drop bags, so I didn't bother with anything else.) My yo-yo relationship with second continued all through the first lap. As I came out of the first loop, it hit me. Hit me hard. We were not passing the start/finish each lap as I came right out to the parking area where on the opposite side, we entered the woods. This was bad. I had chosen not to run the first lap with a handheld bottle so I could get a rhythm. So this meant, my handheld was way up the road and I would not be running with it at all. Thankfully, the aid stations were stocked with gatorade as I chugged a few more while stripping out of my gloves and armwarmers at 1:05.
Into loop two....I thought I had a sizable lead on second by now but not far into the second loop, who do I see? Yep, second place not far behind. I felt I had to push my pace a bit more at this point so I began to up my tempo. Knowing the lay of the land was helpful because I knew how to benefit from the course for here on out. I slowly began to open up some space but as I approached the loop's 4.5 mile aid station, I had a choice to make: Do I stop for gatorade and stop momentum or do I risk it by putting my foot all the way down on the accelerator. I chose the latter. I blew past the aid station knowing it was my make it or break it moment. Without my handheld, I had no gels or fluids on me making the move even bolder. But I was flying now. Since I had not yet passed anyone still on their 1st lap, I had no obstructions to pace other than the course. I was in command. I came out of the 2nd loop feeling much more confident as I had not seen second place since I upped my pace. At the aid station, I chugged two gatorades and dumped a cup of water on my head. This was it....I was at 2:07....time to put up or shut up.
Lap three on the trail was not going to be easy. I expended a good effort to build a sizable lead and I had no fuel on me. Not only that but now, I was going to be taken out of my rhythm by passing people. With the trail being single-track, I had to call out each time that I was passing, thus, expending more energy. This was going to be a mental war. I did my best to not let my pace slip too much but it did some. Every so often, when I hit a bad stretch, I would tell myself, just need 3 1/2 minutes up on second to have this. Why I chose that figure, I'm not sure but it didn't change throughout the loop. Until, I got out of this trail loop, I was going to be weary of my lead.
But finally, I was out! Second was still not in sight. Now, it was time to run on the park road with some slight incline. I wish I could say it was easy but it wasn't. I kept looking over my shoulder for someone to catch me. As I looked back as I crested the final hill to where I could see the finish and a good ways behind me, I knew I had the race won. I felt relieved but still pushed a bit because I had a shot of going under 3:20. That became my goal. In my final approach of the finish, I had it!!! I crossed the finish line in....
3:18:32
My time smashed the course record (only the third year of the race) by nearly 17 minutes! (It was 3:35:03).
Second place finished in 3:31:32 also going under the old mark.
My pace was 6:24 which would have translated into a 2:47:41 marathon.
Lets say, I was very happy about my performance. Now, I just had to drive 3 hours home with the hope I-95 was not going to be congested or gridlocked. (Thankfully it was not.)
In the end it was long day. Out at 4am. Home at 4pm. And in there I ran one of the best races of my life despite a big mistake.
Guess, I'm an ultra guy now.....
Why?
Three reasons: 1) I wasn't training for a 50K. 2) Had no plans to do another long race after the 30K a few weeks back. 3) Three hours of driving each way is not something I like to do.
Crazy ended up with my 'decision' to run the Rosaryville Veterans 50K down in Upper Marlboro, MD. I use 'decision' lightly because on the night before the race, I had not committed to running the 50K. Simply the notion of leaving the house at 4am for three hours of driving was not appealing. So, when I went to bed, I told myself, if I sleep past 4, I'll run something else closer to home.
Low and behold, I woke up at 3am giving myself plenty of time to leave the house at 4am. It is pretty amazing driving on major interstates at that hour. Hardly any traffic so I could hit cruise control and enjoy some Graveyard & Killers on the drive. (A drive I actually enjoyed.)
After arriving at Rosaryville State Park, I registered, had time get any drop bags in order and relax. Since I was running an ultra, there was no warm-up. Before, I go farther, I should tell you, the course primarily consists of three loops of a 9.8 mile trail with an out and back section at the start and finish of the race. This last part was lost on me because I thought we ran three loops going through the start/finish each time. So I had expected a drop bag at 4.5 miles into each loop and a bag at the start/finish. Yeah, I blew this. But more on how that plays in a few.
Promptly at 8am, the field of 135 runners took off on what started out as a chilly morning. (If you weren't running.) I gingerly strode to the front. Being that it was my second ultra (and first 50K), I wanted to take it leisurely and see who wanted to take the pace. Apparently, that guy ended up being me. As we entered the first loop, I just did my best to get into a grove and get away from second. Not too fast but enough to slowly open a gap so I could just run my own race in the woods. This was easier said than done. Part of it is the course, while very runnable, there are a ton of switchbacks. I do not have a loving relationship with them. So as a result, times I thought I was gaining space, it would be swallowed back up. But I was not running dumb as I had my watch keeping me honest. At the 1st aid station, I briefly stopped and grabbed a gatorade before heading back onto the trail. (I didn't see drop bags, so I didn't bother with anything else.) My yo-yo relationship with second continued all through the first lap. As I came out of the first loop, it hit me. Hit me hard. We were not passing the start/finish each lap as I came right out to the parking area where on the opposite side, we entered the woods. This was bad. I had chosen not to run the first lap with a handheld bottle so I could get a rhythm. So this meant, my handheld was way up the road and I would not be running with it at all. Thankfully, the aid stations were stocked with gatorade as I chugged a few more while stripping out of my gloves and armwarmers at 1:05.
Into loop two....I thought I had a sizable lead on second by now but not far into the second loop, who do I see? Yep, second place not far behind. I felt I had to push my pace a bit more at this point so I began to up my tempo. Knowing the lay of the land was helpful because I knew how to benefit from the course for here on out. I slowly began to open up some space but as I approached the loop's 4.5 mile aid station, I had a choice to make: Do I stop for gatorade and stop momentum or do I risk it by putting my foot all the way down on the accelerator. I chose the latter. I blew past the aid station knowing it was my make it or break it moment. Without my handheld, I had no gels or fluids on me making the move even bolder. But I was flying now. Since I had not yet passed anyone still on their 1st lap, I had no obstructions to pace other than the course. I was in command. I came out of the 2nd loop feeling much more confident as I had not seen second place since I upped my pace. At the aid station, I chugged two gatorades and dumped a cup of water on my head. This was it....I was at 2:07....time to put up or shut up.
Lap three on the trail was not going to be easy. I expended a good effort to build a sizable lead and I had no fuel on me. Not only that but now, I was going to be taken out of my rhythm by passing people. With the trail being single-track, I had to call out each time that I was passing, thus, expending more energy. This was going to be a mental war. I did my best to not let my pace slip too much but it did some. Every so often, when I hit a bad stretch, I would tell myself, just need 3 1/2 minutes up on second to have this. Why I chose that figure, I'm not sure but it didn't change throughout the loop. Until, I got out of this trail loop, I was going to be weary of my lead.
But finally, I was out! Second was still not in sight. Now, it was time to run on the park road with some slight incline. I wish I could say it was easy but it wasn't. I kept looking over my shoulder for someone to catch me. As I looked back as I crested the final hill to where I could see the finish and a good ways behind me, I knew I had the race won. I felt relieved but still pushed a bit because I had a shot of going under 3:20. That became my goal. In my final approach of the finish, I had it!!! I crossed the finish line in....
3:18:32
My time smashed the course record (only the third year of the race) by nearly 17 minutes! (It was 3:35:03).
Second place finished in 3:31:32 also going under the old mark.
My pace was 6:24 which would have translated into a 2:47:41 marathon.
Lets say, I was very happy about my performance. Now, I just had to drive 3 hours home with the hope I-95 was not going to be congested or gridlocked. (Thankfully it was not.)
In the end it was long day. Out at 4am. Home at 4pm. And in there I ran one of the best races of my life despite a big mistake.
Guess, I'm an ultra guy now.....
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Talking about miles....
Ok, I admit it, I'm a race-a-holic. I like running races and I've been doing them for some many years that my weekends almost feel empty without one. For years, 5K's were fine but now I craze more diversity which I feel is a great thing.
In my last post, I spoke of wanting to do a 10K or HM. After analyzing my options, I have found a few but none of them are events that scream..."do me!" Honestly, the most interesting run for me this week is a 50K down in MD. Right now, I'd say the odds are 50/50 of me doing it. Mainly it is because of the 3 hour drive for an 8am start. So I would have to leave at 4am to give myself time.
If I do not make that race, I feel I will aim for NYRR's 60K next Saturday unless I gut out the miles for longer and do NYARA's 50K on Staten Island. I love the idea of the 60K but the fact it is all on Central Park roads.
These are where I am leaning simply because I feel moving into Ultras and long trail races would lead to great run-cations.
Thanks for letting me voice my thoughts on some running options.
In my last post, I spoke of wanting to do a 10K or HM. After analyzing my options, I have found a few but none of them are events that scream..."do me!" Honestly, the most interesting run for me this week is a 50K down in MD. Right now, I'd say the odds are 50/50 of me doing it. Mainly it is because of the 3 hour drive for an 8am start. So I would have to leave at 4am to give myself time.
If I do not make that race, I feel I will aim for NYRR's 60K next Saturday unless I gut out the miles for longer and do NYARA's 50K on Staten Island. I love the idea of the 60K but the fact it is all on Central Park roads.
These are where I am leaning simply because I feel moving into Ultras and long trail races would lead to great run-cations.
Thanks for letting me voice my thoughts on some running options.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Next steps....
Still recovering from Saturday's 30K. It really beat me up. Then again, my recovery might be slowed due to my running since. I pushed the pace on Sunday and ran some trails on Monday before 'Frankenstorm' hit. Might take a day off....(yeah right.)
Right now, I know I have a 5K right after Thanksgiving but not sure if I will add another race between now and then. Ideally, I'd like to find a 10K (or maybe a HM). Yet, finding a nice 50K would be awesome. There is one in December that sounds promising but it is in December.
Consider this my waffling post of what comes next....
Right now, I know I have a 5K right after Thanksgiving but not sure if I will add another race between now and then. Ideally, I'd like to find a 10K (or maybe a HM). Yet, finding a nice 50K would be awesome. There is one in December that sounds promising but it is in December.
Consider this my waffling post of what comes next....
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Rock'n The Knob Recap
I did what?!
Well, you are about to get a recap of my gumption. If you have been following this blog, you might be aware that my marathon replacement ended up being a 30K trail race out near Altoona, PA. My logic to not replace a marathon with a marathon was for mental sanity and to avoid the thrusting the same goals when they might not be as possible. After all not every marathon is the same. And after training for a specific marathon, finding one that meets the same set of requirements is not easy. But not wanting to waste months of training a 30K trail race was a challenge to utilize my training while knowing when the expectations have to be different. Anyways....
My race of choice was Rock'N The Knob. It was a first year event being held at Blue Knob All Seasons Resort. Sure, it was a 4 hour drive but seemed interesting with a challenging course. (See here and here). Being on a Saturday helped as well as super cheap rates to stay at the resort. Those factors told me to do it. I booked a room and worked out leaving work early on Friday. However, instead of leaving early on Friday, I ended up with a bonus day. Awesome! So instead of hitting the road around 1-2pm, I was on the road at 10am. Made it in good time too! I got to the resort and checked into my room. Oh that room.....lets say it did not feel warm and cozy. Sure it had a fireplace but the TV had no good reception. The office told me that TV reception was not so good recently. So I figured I would scope out the grounds. Mainly the indoor pool and hot tub. Yeah, those were not accessible. And when I got back to the room, I discovered the phone did not work. NOT GOOD! There was no cell service at the resort so having a room phone was something I was not willing to put up with. Thankfully, the resort switched my room and I got upgraded to a two bedroom that was everything I had hoped the first room would be. And yes, I got TV. So instead of wanting to check out, I got to settle in. Had a nice sleep too. And the fact, all I had to do was walk 100 yards to the start was really nice to help begin the day.
On to the race...
Now while, I would have liked a start before 9am simply because I had 4 hours of driving to do following the race, it was probably the best given the overcast and damp condition. I'm on a mountain so the weather is a bit different. Going to this race, poised an opportunity to run in a different manner than on the roads or even in the local trail races. After all, I was going to be gaining 4600 feet during the race for 9200 ft of elevation change. And since we started near the top, we were going down first before going up. All the runners lined up a few moments before 9 in time for the shotgun start. (Oh yes, they started it with a fired shotgun.)
We were off.
I immediately settled into a calm pace. I knew a trail run is not going to be as quick and that I knew running conservatively was in my best interest. Things felt smooth until we hit that ski slope. Or I should say near the top of the slope. Towards the bottom of the slope, the grade was comfortable but it kicked up as we got farther up. It was quite an experience going up for two reasons. The fog and the bag piper. Totally cool. As I neared the top, I could hear bag pipes playing. It felt so epic!!! Add to that the fog and it was a sight. I had managed to make it to the top first and I knew from there, I was likely on my own. I had been hoping to follow someone just in front but I told myself I can do this.
For the first 2.3 miles, I was running with a nice tempo. It was at this point, there was a big downhill with stone rock steps. As soon as I stepped on the first, I knew they were not going to be run down. They were slippery as anything. So running would lead me to injury. Run smart! Once they were done, the course became manageable. Yes, some parts were technical and included switchbacks which made it easy to get dizzy since leaves covered the real trail but keeping a pace was not too difficult.
Eventually, I hit the first aid station around 10K in. At this point, I was off to do a 4.2 mile loop. And the first part....up. This section included the first real hill to grind up. This was because finding the best part of the trail to follow up was covered with leaves. And when I say leaves, I mean leaves covered everything. Thankfully the course was exceptionally marked with orange ribbon. Once I got to the top of this loop, I was able to open it up on some downhill that was light on switchbacks. Of course, at the one point, I had to turn, I clip a root under some leaves and took a dive. Either by luck or subconscious skill, I was able to minimize the damage. Sure, I got scraped up some but I was not bleeding from anywhere so away I went.
When I got back into the aid station after coming out of the loop, I asked how far second was behind. There was not any certainty so someone said 1-2 minutes. I was not sure that was right because I could not see anyone on the sections that allowed me to view behind me for a distance. But still, this was effective enough to make me push a little more. This lead me to probably my best climb of the event. It was also the longest road stretch. For around 1.5 miles, I was on a winding road that had a nice steady climb that REALLY allowed me to see competition below for a good distance back. I didn't see anyone so I figured my lead was bigger than 2 minutes. Mentally, I was hoping to have 10 minutes up knowing that I was now near 12 miles in and in the last portion of the race is 2/3rds of the climbing as most of my downhill running was over.
I hit the last aid station (13.5 mi) in 1:47. Right on pace for finishing around 2:30. However, I was about to run what is easily the hardest stretch of terrain I have ever been on. And little did I know it but my pace was about to SUFFER! Out of the station, the course hits a mountain trail that was literally running on edge. Once again with the leaves, the path was tough to see. This made running difficult as trying to keep a good pace required some strong posturing to keep balance. Otherwise, I was going to go down a hundred feet easy. Getting through that gave me a bit of relief EXCEPT....
I was now about to climb close to a 1000 feet in less than 9/10 of a mile. I was sort of ready for the climb but not with what the course was about to throw at me. This climb had switchbacks, stone stairs and fallen trees. All of these factors made it impossible to find a good running pace or even power hike. Any time I did get some momentum, I would hit a tree that I would have to climb up and over. I was began to grow concerned with my lead and my abilities as a trail runner. Going in I knew things would be technical and I am feel I am a fairly good technical runner but this was uber! Have no fear I made it through this section. I figured anything after I could really get back at a good pace. WRONG!!!! After a small stretch of some good trail, I exited front the wood line near the old ski chalet only to encounter switchbacks that had SHARP rocks jutting through the fallen leaves. Finding the best part of the trail to use for footing....HARD! So pace didn't pick up. On the bright side, I was still in the lead. Of course, I thought I was closer to the end than I thought. I knew 2:30 was out the window. I hoped for 2:35 and then 2:40. Neither were going to be accomplished. Looking at my watch at this point was just frustrating me. I kept plowing through and finally out onto some road.
At the end, I crossed the line a little after 2:46. I would say I did the last 5.1 in 59 minutes but the course was a long 30K meaning on the upside of 19.2 miles. So while not as horrible a pace in the last stretch, the final portion really crushed my pace. However, I was glad to be done with that was the hardest race ever.
Immediately after finishing, I was handing my award and prizes meaning I was free to leave. That was good for me since I had a long drive ahead. I did give myself sometime to recover and watch the next few places come in. 2nd came in 11 minutes behind with 3rd, 7 minutes after.
Pizza was available but since it had pepperoni on it, I was unable to have any. Sad because I hoping for some but it was not a huge deal. I hung out for 1 1/2 hours after talking to a few people before hitting the road.
Following a long drive I was glad to be home. Today I managed to run 8.5 miles but definitely feel yesterday's race. That last 5.7 was ridiculous! When I say it was the toughest thing I have done from a race standpoint, I mean it.
Am I glad I did it? YES!!!! I pushed my limits. And I have since checked similar race results to find my time was not bad at all. Not superstar level but enough to let me know I didn't run a bad race. I ran smart and rather speedy. This means I just need to do some more technical work out in the Wissahickon near my house. Only decision I wondered if it would make a difference..shoe selection. I went with the LaSportiva X-country instead of my usual Inov-8 Talon-X 190. My reasoning was the LaSportiva would allow some more speed. I think they allowed that but I think I might have had better traction with the Inov-8's. Never know and I think both are great shoes so definitely not going to lose sleep on this race.
At the end of the day, I found a good race to push my limits in a marathon-esque way. Parts of the weekend could have been horrible due to lodging but the resort did me solid this stay. Would I stay again? Not sure. Too much of a hit or miss in rooms. However, the rate was great.
Recap out....
Well, you are about to get a recap of my gumption. If you have been following this blog, you might be aware that my marathon replacement ended up being a 30K trail race out near Altoona, PA. My logic to not replace a marathon with a marathon was for mental sanity and to avoid the thrusting the same goals when they might not be as possible. After all not every marathon is the same. And after training for a specific marathon, finding one that meets the same set of requirements is not easy. But not wanting to waste months of training a 30K trail race was a challenge to utilize my training while knowing when the expectations have to be different. Anyways....
My race of choice was Rock'N The Knob. It was a first year event being held at Blue Knob All Seasons Resort. Sure, it was a 4 hour drive but seemed interesting with a challenging course. (See here and here). Being on a Saturday helped as well as super cheap rates to stay at the resort. Those factors told me to do it. I booked a room and worked out leaving work early on Friday. However, instead of leaving early on Friday, I ended up with a bonus day. Awesome! So instead of hitting the road around 1-2pm, I was on the road at 10am. Made it in good time too! I got to the resort and checked into my room. Oh that room.....lets say it did not feel warm and cozy. Sure it had a fireplace but the TV had no good reception. The office told me that TV reception was not so good recently. So I figured I would scope out the grounds. Mainly the indoor pool and hot tub. Yeah, those were not accessible. And when I got back to the room, I discovered the phone did not work. NOT GOOD! There was no cell service at the resort so having a room phone was something I was not willing to put up with. Thankfully, the resort switched my room and I got upgraded to a two bedroom that was everything I had hoped the first room would be. And yes, I got TV. So instead of wanting to check out, I got to settle in. Had a nice sleep too. And the fact, all I had to do was walk 100 yards to the start was really nice to help begin the day.
On to the race...
Now while, I would have liked a start before 9am simply because I had 4 hours of driving to do following the race, it was probably the best given the overcast and damp condition. I'm on a mountain so the weather is a bit different. Going to this race, poised an opportunity to run in a different manner than on the roads or even in the local trail races. After all, I was going to be gaining 4600 feet during the race for 9200 ft of elevation change. And since we started near the top, we were going down first before going up. All the runners lined up a few moments before 9 in time for the shotgun start. (Oh yes, they started it with a fired shotgun.)
We were off.
I immediately settled into a calm pace. I knew a trail run is not going to be as quick and that I knew running conservatively was in my best interest. Things felt smooth until we hit that ski slope. Or I should say near the top of the slope. Towards the bottom of the slope, the grade was comfortable but it kicked up as we got farther up. It was quite an experience going up for two reasons. The fog and the bag piper. Totally cool. As I neared the top, I could hear bag pipes playing. It felt so epic!!! Add to that the fog and it was a sight. I had managed to make it to the top first and I knew from there, I was likely on my own. I had been hoping to follow someone just in front but I told myself I can do this.
For the first 2.3 miles, I was running with a nice tempo. It was at this point, there was a big downhill with stone rock steps. As soon as I stepped on the first, I knew they were not going to be run down. They were slippery as anything. So running would lead me to injury. Run smart! Once they were done, the course became manageable. Yes, some parts were technical and included switchbacks which made it easy to get dizzy since leaves covered the real trail but keeping a pace was not too difficult.
Eventually, I hit the first aid station around 10K in. At this point, I was off to do a 4.2 mile loop. And the first part....up. This section included the first real hill to grind up. This was because finding the best part of the trail to follow up was covered with leaves. And when I say leaves, I mean leaves covered everything. Thankfully the course was exceptionally marked with orange ribbon. Once I got to the top of this loop, I was able to open it up on some downhill that was light on switchbacks. Of course, at the one point, I had to turn, I clip a root under some leaves and took a dive. Either by luck or subconscious skill, I was able to minimize the damage. Sure, I got scraped up some but I was not bleeding from anywhere so away I went.
When I got back into the aid station after coming out of the loop, I asked how far second was behind. There was not any certainty so someone said 1-2 minutes. I was not sure that was right because I could not see anyone on the sections that allowed me to view behind me for a distance. But still, this was effective enough to make me push a little more. This lead me to probably my best climb of the event. It was also the longest road stretch. For around 1.5 miles, I was on a winding road that had a nice steady climb that REALLY allowed me to see competition below for a good distance back. I didn't see anyone so I figured my lead was bigger than 2 minutes. Mentally, I was hoping to have 10 minutes up knowing that I was now near 12 miles in and in the last portion of the race is 2/3rds of the climbing as most of my downhill running was over.
I hit the last aid station (13.5 mi) in 1:47. Right on pace for finishing around 2:30. However, I was about to run what is easily the hardest stretch of terrain I have ever been on. And little did I know it but my pace was about to SUFFER! Out of the station, the course hits a mountain trail that was literally running on edge. Once again with the leaves, the path was tough to see. This made running difficult as trying to keep a good pace required some strong posturing to keep balance. Otherwise, I was going to go down a hundred feet easy. Getting through that gave me a bit of relief EXCEPT....
I was now about to climb close to a 1000 feet in less than 9/10 of a mile. I was sort of ready for the climb but not with what the course was about to throw at me. This climb had switchbacks, stone stairs and fallen trees. All of these factors made it impossible to find a good running pace or even power hike. Any time I did get some momentum, I would hit a tree that I would have to climb up and over. I was began to grow concerned with my lead and my abilities as a trail runner. Going in I knew things would be technical and I am feel I am a fairly good technical runner but this was uber! Have no fear I made it through this section. I figured anything after I could really get back at a good pace. WRONG!!!! After a small stretch of some good trail, I exited front the wood line near the old ski chalet only to encounter switchbacks that had SHARP rocks jutting through the fallen leaves. Finding the best part of the trail to use for footing....HARD! So pace didn't pick up. On the bright side, I was still in the lead. Of course, I thought I was closer to the end than I thought. I knew 2:30 was out the window. I hoped for 2:35 and then 2:40. Neither were going to be accomplished. Looking at my watch at this point was just frustrating me. I kept plowing through and finally out onto some road.
At the end, I crossed the line a little after 2:46. I would say I did the last 5.1 in 59 minutes but the course was a long 30K meaning on the upside of 19.2 miles. So while not as horrible a pace in the last stretch, the final portion really crushed my pace. However, I was glad to be done with that was the hardest race ever.
Immediately after finishing, I was handing my award and prizes meaning I was free to leave. That was good for me since I had a long drive ahead. I did give myself sometime to recover and watch the next few places come in. 2nd came in 11 minutes behind with 3rd, 7 minutes after.
Pizza was available but since it had pepperoni on it, I was unable to have any. Sad because I hoping for some but it was not a huge deal. I hung out for 1 1/2 hours after talking to a few people before hitting the road.
Following a long drive I was glad to be home. Today I managed to run 8.5 miles but definitely feel yesterday's race. That last 5.7 was ridiculous! When I say it was the toughest thing I have done from a race standpoint, I mean it.
Am I glad I did it? YES!!!! I pushed my limits. And I have since checked similar race results to find my time was not bad at all. Not superstar level but enough to let me know I didn't run a bad race. I ran smart and rather speedy. This means I just need to do some more technical work out in the Wissahickon near my house. Only decision I wondered if it would make a difference..shoe selection. I went with the LaSportiva X-country instead of my usual Inov-8 Talon-X 190. My reasoning was the LaSportiva would allow some more speed. I think they allowed that but I think I might have had better traction with the Inov-8's. Never know and I think both are great shoes so definitely not going to lose sleep on this race.
At the end of the day, I found a good race to push my limits in a marathon-esque way. Parts of the weekend could have been horrible due to lodging but the resort did me solid this stay. Would I stay again? Not sure. Too much of a hit or miss in rooms. However, the rate was great.
Recap out....
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