Year of Races

Etowah River Run 5k

I had a great time this Saturday at the Etowah River Run 5k at Cherokee High School.  It’s a well-known fact that the course is downhill and flat, so it’s a pretty popular event.  It also falls right into the conditioning period for high school cross country, so it draws a good crowd of teenage runners.  This was my first year running it, but it was one of the races I’ve been looking forward to this year.  My buddy, Jason, who ran Sawnee Mountain with me last week was running as well.

My plan was to try to hang with Jason.  Didn’t work out too well, but I still ended up with a good time.  Jason ran a 19-something (with a shoe untied the whole no less) and there was no way I could keep up with that.  I was with him through the first mile at 6:34, but he said something along the lines of “let’s go” and he went.  I didn’t.  My next mile was slower at 6:43 as we cruised the Boling Park parking lot.  The last mile was on the flat trail at Boling Park and I could only manage a 7:18.  I wish those splits were reversed so I could say I finished strong, but I was struggling at the end.

I ended up running a 21:36 to finish 5th in my age group and 11 seconds off my PR.  Not too bad for a HOT and humid summer morning in Georgia.

My good friend, Tim, also ran the race, but, unfortunately, I never saw him.  We finished less than a minute apart (he ran 22:09), but just never crossed paths.  Nate also showed up and put down a great time of 23:55.  The race was well organized and had plenty of fluids and food afterward.

Best part of the day had to be seeing Jason’s son absolutely dominate the 1K fun run.  9 years old and the kid can fly.  He won easily and ran up front the entire race.  Really cool to watch and cheer him and his sister on.

• Official Results
• Garmin stats

Shirt

Alysia and I hit a big milestone this past week — 10 years of marriage.  We got out of town without the kids and spent a nice long weekend on St. Simon’s Island.  As the wonderful, supportive wife that she is, Alysia agreed to run the Tidelands Turtle Trot 5k on Jekyll Island the Sunday of our little getaway.  It was a small, small, small scale event, but still part of the Run & See Georgia Grand Prix Series.  In fact, the two guys who put on the race basically do it just to collect some easy points in the series.  Last year, there were 19 participants (yes, 19).  This year though, the race exploded onto the scene with 43 runners!

The race is held at the Jekyll Island 4-H Center.  It’s mostly asphalt sidewalk, but there is about a half mile of beach/boardwalk running at the end.  As we stood around in the parking lot chatting, I kind of took in the other runners.  There were a lot of Masters age group participants.  For a couple weeks I had been thinking that maybe I could actually win this race outright.  Crazy talk, I know, but, at the same time, I had improved a great deal and the competition didn’t look too tough (especially with so few runners).  Maybe this was my morning…

At the starting line, we went over the course.  It was an out and back on the sidewalk.  Pass the dead snake, turn around at the cone, pass the 2-mile mark and turn into the Jekyll Island Soccer Complex, go down the boardwalk, run down the beach, come up the boardwalk at the 4-H center and finish line.  Very flat obviously.  First come, first serve on the sea shell awards table.

The first mile into the race we broke off into a lead group of 4 runners:  Bo (the race director & Grand Prix Series points fiend), 30-something white guy, 50-something black guy, and myself.  We had a nice steady pace going.  I stayed in 4th, and was perfectly happy following the other guys.  I figured it would come down to the end and I would see if I could make my move (or something like that) and maybe win.  We passed the dead snake and it was gross.

At the turnaround we were all still in a line.  I felt strong even though the air was thick from high humidity.  It was a hot morning and the sweat was just collecting on my body.  Everybody was breathing hard trying to get that precious oxygen.

At the 2 mile mark is when things started to shake out.  Bo had placed a bucket of bottled water there and the 30-something guy, who had been leading our pack the whole race, slowed to grab one and started drinking.  Bo also started fading back at about the same time, so, all of a sudden, it’s me and the black guy.  I had some momentum going so I decided “what the heck” let’s take the lead and see what happens.  I moved ahead and kept the pace going down through the soccer complex and onto the beach.  It was really a two person race at this point and I could hear him breathing behind me.

The beach was tough!  The packed sand wasn’t too bad, but you could still feel it shift under your foot with each strike.  I think it slowed me down a tiny bit.  My rival pulled up beside me just as we came to the sign drawn in the sand for our turn to the 4-H boardwalk.  Here is where the race finally changed.  We had a stretch of deep, loose sand to run through.  It was so difficult to maintain any kind of pace, but I plowed through it fast and furious.  My heart rate peaked into the 190s as I put just enough distance behind me and 2nd place.  Once we got through the deep sand there was a long stretch of boardwalk.  I tried to push as hard as my heart would allow.  I could hear him breathing still, but he was much farther back.  I knew I had it if I could just keep moving!  I rounded the corner and turned into the volleyball pit and crossed the line at 22:39.  1st place overall!  The crowd (one dude maintaining the clock and handing out finishing cards) went wild (“nice run. Don’t forget your card”).  Most likely the only time in my life I’ll outright win an event.

I walked over to the awards table and grabbed a seashell trophy.  I left a nice glass case full of seashells and sand for the 2nd place guy.  I just didn’t want anything that big.  I love my little trophy and it may be my prize possession now, kind of like the sexy leg lamp from A Christmas Story.

My trophy

It was a small but fun event.  Even though the race only had 43 runners, it was tougher than usual with the heat, humidity and sand.  I’m proud of my 22:39 and absolutely loved the experience of running with the lead pack.  It was great following along in 4th waiting to pounce, but it was really stressful leading and not knowing what those guys behind you were plotting.  Either strategy though gave me valuable experience for future races when I’m battling a pack of elite runners for 137th place.

Alysia also ran the race and did fantastic!  She came within 5 seconds of a new 5k PR.  Without the sand she would have had it for sure.  I’m seeing a sub-30 5k in her near future…

Maybe I’ll have to make the trip down to Jekyll Island again next year to defend my title (man, it’s cool saying that).  I guess we’ll see how it’s going next year, but, for now, I’m thrilled to sit here as the 2010 Tidelands Turtle Trot 5k Champion.  hahahahaha.  I’ve come a long way from an anonymous finish in 27:35 on New Years Day.

• Official Results
• Garmin Stats

Woodstock Freedom Run Shirt

I decided at the last minute to go ahead and run the Woodstock Freedom Run 5k on Saturday.  I had originally planned to take the day off to rest up for my first Peachtree, but the lure of a close race and a relatively flat course sucked me in.  So, there I was again, 7:30 AM, toeing the line for another race.

The weather was cooler than it had been and the humidity was much lower as well.  My body wasn’t feeling too great though.  I’ve got a few nagging pains going on that I’m trying to work through, so I used most of the pre-race time jogging around to get loose.

The Woodstock Freedom Run is set in Downtown Woodstock.  It’s an out-and-back style course.  It draws a pretty big crowd because a) it offers cash prizes to the top 3 men, women, masters men, and masters women b) it’s on a holiday weekend and c) it’s really flat.  So, there were quite a few folks lined up ready to roll.  I knew that in order to place in my age group and win one of the coveted coffee mugs, I’d have to run like never before.

I lined up about 4 rows deep, just behind the elite runners.  At the gun (really just the Mayor saying “Go”), we all took off at a crazy breakneck pace.  I tried to hang with some of the elites, but eventually I settled into a pace I could handle.  My first mile came in at 6:33.  I was really moving.  I was just hoping I could hang on, but I felt pretty good.  Somewhere in that first mile, I got passed by a group of women who were just flying.  I tried not to let it bother me, but, jeez, how fast were they going?  6:00?  5:45?  Yikes.

The second mile came and went without incident.  I was still moving along, but definitely feeling the pace.  I was able to put down a 6:40.  I did get passed by some dude wearing knee-length plaid shorts and Vibram Five-Finger shoes.  I think he ended up finishing at 19-something.  Amazing.  When he passed me, I actually looked over in shock because I initially thought I was being passed by some ponytail-dude in flip-flops.  I also saw the leader come by me in the opposite direction on the way to the finish.  My God.  This guy was FLYING.  He finished at 15:13 – almost a minute ahead of 2nd place.  Crazy.  He was the defending champ.  I guess it’s an easy $300 for him.

The third mile was tough.  I was struggling to maintain my pace.  The crowd had spaced out and I had less people to pace myself by.  It was just me and my thoughts of dying.  I knew I was on pace for a record time, so I pushed through to my happy place and trudged on.  My split was 7:00.  As I approached and passed the 3-mile mark, I knew a PR was in sight.  I used up whatever I had left in the tank and finished strong.  21:25 official time, new PR, and my first sub-7 minute mile 5k!

I figured I was still probably not good enough for the coffee mug, but I stuck around for the awards ceremony just in case.  In the end, I didn’t come home with the prize, but I still left feeling really great about my performance.  I can’t help but think that the speedwork I’ve been doing with Jason has maybe started to pay some dividends.  Time will tell if Saturday was just a combination of good weather and a flat course or if my training is making a difference.  Either way, I’m going to continue to hit the track once a week to try to get faster.

• Official results (I finished 5th in my age group and 53rd overall)
• The shirt’s not my favorite.  White cotton that looks like something you’d get at a used car super blowout sales weekend.
• Timing antenna inside the race bib.  Yay for electronic timing!  Booo for having an antenna in the race bib that makes the bib about the size of a poster board!
• Garmin Stats — is anyone else fascinated with looking at their Garmin stats?  I really can’t imagine running without this anymore.
• Anyone reading this that lives in or near Woodstock will be happy to know that the downtown J. Christopher’s is FINALLY open.  Sweet!

My first Peachtree Road Race was on Sunday.  I had a great time!  I’ll try to get a recap of that one up here in the next day or two.  Stay tuned…

In an effort to make up for the race that got canceled back in February, I doubled up this weekend.  Saturday I was in Alpharetta at the 14th Annual Mayor’s Challenge 10k and Sunday I was back at Boling Park in Canton for the Alvin Price 5k for Cancer Research.  Neither race went really great, but I ran solid times for me in both.

Mayor's Challenge shirt

14th Annual Mayor’s Challenge 10k

This was an early start time of 7:15 AM.  I had set my alarm for 5:15 Friday night and had gotten to bed pretty early.  Turns out I set the wrong alarm and so I woke up at 6:17 wondering why it was so light out.  After a brief second of panic, I jumped out of bed, gathered my gear, got some coffee and hit the road.  I made it over to Will’s Park in plenty of time, but my morning routine was shot.  I really hate being behind schedule.

There appeared to be a few hundred folks running the 5k & 10k, which both started at the same time.  The course was a double loop around Will’s Park and downtown Alpharetta.  The hills weren’t too bad, but the humidity was thick.  I ran the first 5 miles really well, but ended up getting passed by a ton of people at the end.  Here’s a photo of one of the people that flew by me in that last mile.

Eat my dust, sonny.

I ended up running a 47:23, which is about a minute off my PR.  I didn’t stick around for the awards.  I’m pretty sure I didn’t place.  I’ll keep an eye open though for the official results.

The shirt was advertised as a technical shirt.  It wasn’t.  100% cotton and actually pretty ugly.  I don’t really understand how you can say a race is giving away technical shirts and then not have them.  Oh well.  They did have a pancake breakfast though for all finishers.  That’s pretty cool.

My Garmin crapped out on me when trying to upload the run, so I’ve got no stats.

Alvin Price 5k Shirt

Alvin Price 5k for Cancer Research

An 8 AM start and a location 10 minutes from my house and I was loving life.  The race was held at Boling Park.  It was 2.5 flat loops around the park.  It was mostly crushed gravel path and some dirt/grass trail, so you couldn’t quite go as fast as on road, but it was a prime 5k course for a new P.R.  Unfortunately, the course was measured short at 2.89 miles.  I ran a 20:52, which would be a P.R. on a regulation 5k course, but, with the distance at 2.89, it was actually only a 7:13/mile pace.  This is 12 seconds per mile slower than my Big Peach 5k run.  Here are my Garmin stats.

yay me

I did come in second in my age group though and got a nice trophy.  The winner of my age group was in at 17-something, so no hope in catching that guy.  Here’s a picture of him.

Fast

I feel like I’ve kind of hit a plateau.  I think in order to get my times down more I’m going to need to do some more focused training — hills, intervals, tempo, fartlek, whatever.  I’m still pretty new at this running thing so I need to figure out how to do some of these types of training runs.  It’s easy to read about them, but another thing entirely to get out there and do them right.

Next week is the Full House 5k.  Should be fun.  Who’s with me?

Run the River 10K shirt

We were in Roswell Saturday morning running the Choate Construction Run the River 10K.  It was a beautiful morning with perfect running weather.  The course was advertised as fast and flat, so I was hoping to finally get that sub-50 monkey off my back.  My PR for the 10K was 50:09 set way back in February.  If you remember, I had a near miss at the Jog for a Cause 10K, but the course measured in at 6.45 miles and I missed my mark.  So, I really wanted to get it done Saturday.  Also, Alysia & Nate were running the 10K as well.  It’s much more fun to have some company with me.  This was Alysia’s FIRST 10K!

We got lined up for the race.  I stayed back near the middle of the pack with Alysia.  When the gun went off, I spent the first half mile or so weaving in and out of folks.  Once we got some spacing, I settled into a low 7 minute mile pace.  After last week’s hilly Operation Yellow Ribbon 5K, I had some confidence on being able to maintain that kind of pace.  I figured if I could run a hilly 5K at 7:21/mile then I could do a flat 10K at about the same.

Really the run was pretty uneventful.  I passed a bunch of folks at the beginning having started in the middle of the pack, but I did eventually end up with a group of runners that were at about my pace.  At around 2 miles we veered off onto a dirt road.  This was a bit more challenging with the loose rocks, but nothing to really slow me down.  I hit the 3 mile mark at 23-something.  I was feeling great and knew I could keep it going.  The only challenging hill came just after 3 miles.  It was short but fairly steep.  The good thing was that it marked the turnaround point for the course, so we got to then cruise back down the hill.

I was feeling really strong, so I kept up my low 7 minute mile pace and started passing some more runners the last 1.5 miles.  It was nice to finish strong.  I ended up coming in at 46:09 on my watch.  The official time will be a little off probably.  As I mentioned, I started in the middle of the pack, and they weren’t using timing chips.  Either way, I crushed my previous PR by about 4 minutes.

• Alysia did fantastic in her first 10K.  She only walked 3 times for a minute or so each time.  She crossed the line in 1:04:30.  Really good time for her first and I’m so proud of her.
• Nate also set a PR by coming in at 50:18.  Great Job!
• The shirt is a nice technical material.
• There appeared to be a decent crowd for this race.  I’d say around 400-500.
• There was an 80-yr old guy there trying to set the Georgia record in the 10K for his age.  I saw him cross the finish line as I was waiting for Alysia, but I’m not sure if he broke the record or not.  I hope so.
• Official results (Don’t have them yet).  Not sure where I finished in my age group.  Probably top 10 I’m guessing. (UPDATED:  Here are the results.  46:18.  Turns out it was a weak 35-39 group and I finished 3rd out of 32 and 38th out of 377 overall.  Guess I should have stuck around for the awards…)
• Pictures (UPDATED: Photos are at the Collages.net site.  Username is “Run the River” and password is “19065″.)

Chattahoochee Challenge 10k

For the race this weekend, I picked the Chattahoochee Challenge 10k in Roswell, GA.  It’s advertised as a fast, flat course.  I sure hope it is.  That would be nice.  My first 10k went well and I’m hoping to improve on my 53:14 mark this weekend.  The race is a Peachtree qualifier, but, then again, so was last week’s and so is the Resolution Rush 10k on 2/21.  I guess I’ll have plenty of chances to score a good qualifying time for the nation’s best 10k.

This weekend’s event raises money for the Chattahoochee Nature Center.  I have a lot of fond memories of time spent here as a kid.  My cousins and I used to go play on the playground by the river all the time.  I attended birthday parties and soccer-end-of-season parties here as well.  Great little place to bring the family and enjoy the outdoors.  I haven’t been over that way in a few years, so I’m looking forward to the race.

Weather should be in the high 30’s or low 40’s.  Doesn’t look like rain, but it is supposed to rain Friday so it may push into Saturday morning.  Let’s hope not.

This is another Run & See Georgia Grand Prix Series event, but I may have trouble cracking the top 20 in my age group.  I believe this race is a fairly popular one on the circuit.  I thought I did great last week and barely squeaked into the top 20 at 15th.

Anyone else planning on being there?  See you Saturday.  Should be fun.