Ok, so I need to find something better to do with my time, right? Earlier this week, I realized that I didn't have a lot going on this weekend so I looked for a race to run. Perfect. The USMC marathon is this Sunday. Granted, the race long ago reached capacity and closed registration back around May. But, I went on an on-line bulletin board and found people looking to get rid of their entries because they have decided they won't be running this weekend. So, I get to pay somebody for their number and run as them. (However, I will not be running with their timing chip and therefore not effecting their personal history or the placings in the race. I just get my tshirt, medal, and the enjoyment of running another marathon.)
I ran USMC around 2001 and swore I'd never run it again. Too crowded and disorganized. I hope that I've grown more tolerant in my old age...
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
2 for 1
The Baltimore Marathon went well. I felt so comfortable, that within the first couple of miles, I decided to stray from my 3:20 plan and run a little faster. This plan changed again around mile 5. And again a couple miles later, and again. Eventually, I found myself wondering around the half way point if I could pull off a Boston qualifying time and still feel like I was running comfortably and not pushing myself. The weather was perfect, I was barely breathing heavy (heart rate in the low 130s up until that point), and I felt great. So, I ramped up my speed yet again. The 16 to 22 mile stretch is very similiar to Boston, which is to say, quite hilly for a road marathon with increasing inclines before a gradual decline near the end. I crossed the line in 3:08:10 with very little discomfort. I felt like I could have easily run another 8 to 10 miles. And, though I had run a BQ time back in May, it felt good to qualify with so little effort. (Only later did I realize that, now that I'm older, 3:15 is the BQ time!).
At that point, the idea I had in the back of my mind came to the front. Can I run the Atlantic City marathon tomorrow?! There was race day registration, so I could get up in the morning, see how my legs feel, and decide then.
The rest of my Saturday contained Costco, Acme, yardwork, a quick 20 minute run to loosen my legs, some drinking at Tony and Brad's, and retiring to bed around 11:00. I felt fantastic all day...more like I ran a 10 mile tempo run than a relatively quick marathon.
Sunday morning, I ran down the stairs and through my living room. Legs felt good. Off to AC!
Again, the weather was perfect, almost identical to yesterday, 50F at the start, sunny, and light winds. Unfortunately, I realized about 2 minutes into the race that my legs were not as fresh as I thought. They didn't really loosen up until around mile 18. It wasn't painful, just uncomfortable. I continued to get faster throughout the race, increasing my speed much less quickly than yesterday. I was in 51st place at the 1/2 way point, 33 place at ~20 miles, 24th place with 3 to go, and finished 16th in 3:25:03 (out of just 216 runners). My goal was a 3:29 (8min/mile) as I've never run a road marathon on my own at >=8/mile. Afterwards and for the rest of the day (and still today actually) I finally felt like I ran a marathon. Soreness, fatigue, really sore quads...it all felt like it normally does after 26.2. I feel great that I was able to do 2 in one weekend. Odds are, I'll never be in good enough shape to do this again and even if I am, having the races be located so close geographically and having the Sunday one have race day registration is unlikely. It feels great to have been able to do this, to feel great while doing so, and to not get hurt (which would have turned it into something stupid rather than something impressive and a moment to be proud of).
Hopefully another marathon or two before winter will be on my schedule...
PS...I don't recommend the AC marathon for anybody except for those looking for a fast time. Its extremely flat and straight. However, it can be boring. 2 out and backs. Half along the boardwalk, half along Atlantic Ave. Go back to the start. Repeat. Frequent, well stocked aid stations. You get a nice long sleeve cotton T and a medal. The big problem is the finish. The last several miles, you're zipping through boardwalk crowds, praying that a collision is not imminent. Crossing the finish line, you're handed a bag with your post-race food and beverages. A bottle of water, one banana, one bagel. That's it. No tables with more water or gatorade. No sugar/simple carbs besides from your bag contents. Asking for more water I was told to take another bag (and thus deprive one of the back of the packers what they would need). Yeah, sure. You'd think that $65 for such a small race would get you more than that.
At that point, the idea I had in the back of my mind came to the front. Can I run the Atlantic City marathon tomorrow?! There was race day registration, so I could get up in the morning, see how my legs feel, and decide then.
The rest of my Saturday contained Costco, Acme, yardwork, a quick 20 minute run to loosen my legs, some drinking at Tony and Brad's, and retiring to bed around 11:00. I felt fantastic all day...more like I ran a 10 mile tempo run than a relatively quick marathon.
Sunday morning, I ran down the stairs and through my living room. Legs felt good. Off to AC!
Again, the weather was perfect, almost identical to yesterday, 50F at the start, sunny, and light winds. Unfortunately, I realized about 2 minutes into the race that my legs were not as fresh as I thought. They didn't really loosen up until around mile 18. It wasn't painful, just uncomfortable. I continued to get faster throughout the race, increasing my speed much less quickly than yesterday. I was in 51st place at the 1/2 way point, 33 place at ~20 miles, 24th place with 3 to go, and finished 16th in 3:25:03 (out of just 216 runners). My goal was a 3:29 (8min/mile) as I've never run a road marathon on my own at >=8/mile. Afterwards and for the rest of the day (and still today actually) I finally felt like I ran a marathon. Soreness, fatigue, really sore quads...it all felt like it normally does after 26.2. I feel great that I was able to do 2 in one weekend. Odds are, I'll never be in good enough shape to do this again and even if I am, having the races be located so close geographically and having the Sunday one have race day registration is unlikely. It feels great to have been able to do this, to feel great while doing so, and to not get hurt (which would have turned it into something stupid rather than something impressive and a moment to be proud of).
Hopefully another marathon or two before winter will be on my schedule...
PS...I don't recommend the AC marathon for anybody except for those looking for a fast time. Its extremely flat and straight. However, it can be boring. 2 out and backs. Half along the boardwalk, half along Atlantic Ave. Go back to the start. Repeat. Frequent, well stocked aid stations. You get a nice long sleeve cotton T and a medal. The big problem is the finish. The last several miles, you're zipping through boardwalk crowds, praying that a collision is not imminent. Crossing the finish line, you're handed a bag with your post-race food and beverages. A bottle of water, one banana, one bagel. That's it. No tables with more water or gatorade. No sugar/simple carbs besides from your bag contents. Asking for more water I was told to take another bag (and thus deprive one of the back of the packers what they would need). Yeah, sure. You'd think that $65 for such a small race would get you more than that.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Rest? I don't need no stinkin' rest!
So...the race I've focused on for so long is over. Now its time for the usual funk and general malaise to set in. What to do with all this time? What do I focus on? What is my next goal? This is always a difficult time for me.
For the short term, I'm thinking that I'll try at least one marathon to see what running at sea level, without hills, for just 3:15 to 3:25 feels like. Last Friday, I signed up for the Baltimore Marathon. It's this Saturday. I'm guessing it won't be too challenging, so long as I stick to my plan of running it 'just for fun' and not pushing myself. That means a ~3:20 finish (+/- 3 minutes for a 7:30 to 7:45/mile range). I think that will feel pretty comfortable. The big question is regarding how I'll feel Sunday morning. With my legs having primarily run on nice and soft trails and treadmills all summer, the impact effect could be huge. We'll see...
For the short term, I'm thinking that I'll try at least one marathon to see what running at sea level, without hills, for just 3:15 to 3:25 feels like. Last Friday, I signed up for the Baltimore Marathon. It's this Saturday. I'm guessing it won't be too challenging, so long as I stick to my plan of running it 'just for fun' and not pushing myself. That means a ~3:20 finish (+/- 3 minutes for a 7:30 to 7:45/mile range). I think that will feel pretty comfortable. The big question is regarding how I'll feel Sunday morning. With my legs having primarily run on nice and soft trails and treadmills all summer, the impact effect could be huge. We'll see...
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
TransRockies Run
After the Imogene Pass Run, I spent the following week in Mueller State Park outside of Colorado Springs. The elevation was 9800 feet and I had a very secluded campsite with a stunning view of Pike’s Peak. I made it a point to either hike or run for at least an hour each day to get some activity at this elevation. I had zero problems with the altitude. A half day atop Pike’s Peak (14100’) and a 2:15 run from the summit, down ~4.5 miles, and back up was challenging, but very rewarding. My confidence and excitement for the TRR was growing each day.
Then came the curve ball. Some last minute discussions among all of the Gorons had the pairings in question. For the entire summer, the plan was for me to run with Erin. But, we had some late additions to the team and we decided as a team to put together an excellent ‘open’ men’s team and an excellent ‘over 80’ (combined age) team. I was on board with the decision we made, but devastated. I wasn’t even excited to run the race any more. Nothing against my new running partner, Bob, but I had planned and trained and pushed myself to be ready to run with Erin. Now, I would not be running as hard or pushing myself as much. I was on the ‘2nd best’ Gore team. It was definitely the right thing to do, but I was disappointed.
My mood improved and my excitement returned once we arrived in Beaver Creek, started going through registration, meeting all the runners and volunteers, attending the opening ceremonies, etc. By race morning, I was pumped. I knew it would be amazing.
The first day was Sunday. A 15 mile run with a decent climb over the first several miles, some flat running along I-70 for the middle of the race, and then a big 4 mile climb to the top of a ski mountain in Vail to conclude the day. Bob and I were 3rd for most of the race but slipped to 5th over the last 1-2 miles. 3 minutes behind the ‘Flying Monkeys’, the only 80+ team in front of us. Erin and Dustin finished comfortably in second with a huge gap in front of the 3rd place team and an equally large gap behind the first place Skaggs brothers. The finish atop the ski mountain was beautiful. Sunshine, great views, and excitement for the rest of the week were plentiful. But within an hour of finishing, the weather abruptly changed…hail, lightening, and thunder rolled in and it continued until about 90 minutes into day two’s run.
Sunday night’s sleep was horrible. I didn’t fall asleep until 4:40 am and was up by 5:15. The rain fell all night and was still coming down hard at the start of the race. Unfortunately, the start of the race was delayed. We needed to take a Gondola to the top of the mountain and they would not allow it to operate until the lightening ceased. Due to the later start and concerns regarding the slower runners being on the course after dark, the course had to be shortened. The organizers did a fantastic job adjusting and we were off after an hour. Day 2 was supposed to be the most difficult with some massive climbs and descents and a total of 26 miles. It was shortened to 19 and the most difficult part was eliminated. This was very disappointing at the start but by the end of the race, I was quite happy with ending earlier. We started in the rain and as we climbed the mountain it changed to sleet then snow. There was a good 2 to 3 inches of snow on the ground and we were running along the top of the mountain and through the back bowls of Vail. Spectacular views! Then the sloppy descent began. It was a nasty, muddy, wet mess. Bob and I were the 7th team to cross the finish line and dropped to 7th overall and lost another 4 minutes to the Monkeys.
Day 3’s course was very similar to day 2. 24+ miles and similar climbs. Like the first two days, I was getting ahead of Bob on the uphills and waiting for him at times. But, we were well matched on the flat and downhill sections. Unfortunately, we finished 7th again, were 7th overall, and lost another 6 minutes to the Monkeys. At this point, we were 12:58 behind them and I was not optimistic that we’d catch them. We were comfortably ahead of the 3rd place 80+ team (which was the other Gore team) but it looked like the Monkeys would win the category.
On Day 4, I was hoping that we’d be able to cut the Monkey’s lead in half and maybe have some hope of catching them on the final day. Speaking to Bob about our strategy for the day, I received the same response from him that I’d heard all week...”I’ll just run my race and we’ll see what happens.” Bob is totally laid back and much less competitive than me. Two different personalities you won’t find. So rather than convince Bob that we had to go hard and make up some time, I was resigned to having to just run what felt best for us and not worry about the Monkeys. Frustrating at times, but it was good for me to be patient and helped to calm me down. The course for Day 4 consisted of a somewhat steep climb over the first 10 miles up to 12000’ feet at Hagerman Pass and the Continental Divide. Then the descent would begin. 18 miles of gradual downhill. During the ascent, we stayed 1 to 2 minutes ahead of the Monkeys for the first 6 to 8 miles. But, I often found myself running too fast in relation to Bob. There were several times where I got ahead of him and had to wait. As the first aid station approached, I paused to wait and the Monkeys passed me. At that point, I pretty much wrote off any hope I had of catching them for first place. Bob and I approached the first aid station and were joined at the hip for pretty much the final 20 miles. I decided to forget about the competition and just enjoy the run. About an hour later, a funny thing happened. Bob and I passed the first place co-ed team. Then we passed another team. And then we passed the Monkeys about 18 miles into the race. Hmmm. That was good news, but at that point, I assumed that they had just decided to take it easy, keep us in sight, and preserve the huge cushion that they had on us. Bob and I ran hard during the entire downhill and were well matched. At no point was I tempted to run ahead of him, nor could I have done so even if I wanted to. At the end of the day, we trimmed 4 minutes off the Monkey’s lead and had it down to 8:58 going into day 5. We were back in 6th place overall after finishing Day 4 in 4th place.
During the ceremonies on Day 4, one of the Monkeys was highlighted during the day’s video clips saying that they ran their asses off and still got beat. That got me thinking that maybe they weren’t taking it easy and sitting on their lead and might actually be in trouble. After hearing this, along with whispers about the Monkeys being tired and not in great shape, my hope for finishing first returned. Bob still felt good. He was popping the Advils, but wasn’t in bad shape and I felt like I could run another 3 or 4 days if necessary. It was truly amazing how great I still felt.
Another reason for optimism…Day 5’s course. It was a sprint. Just 18 miles of gradual ascent (less than 2000 feet). All on a paved bike trail going into Aspen. This definitely favored Bob and I as we were among just a handful of people who spend any time running roads. Conversely, the Monkeys had let their displeasure with the significant amount of ‘non-technical’ terrain be known throughout the week. And it was hot. Having trained in Philly heat and humidity all summer, I was confident I was going to be able to handle the heat better than them. Hopefully Bob would fare as well.
As the run began, Bob and I went out fast. Within 5 miles, we were in third place overall. We ran hard the entire time. Bob and I were well matched on this relatively flat terrain and though I could have maybe gone 5 to 10 seconds per mile faster, I was quite happy with our pace. When we passed the second aid station around mile 10, we were told that we were in third place and just 4 minutes behind the Skaggs brothers (who had been demolishing the field all week). I was excited because that told me we were doing really well, but also scared because I thought we might be pushing it too hard, especially with the way the weather was heating up. It was in the low 80s at this time (my guess) and the high for the day was 90F. Bob and I went hard the entire time. Towards the end, he started to tire and I was constantly looking ~50 yards behind me to yell encouragement to Bob. He did a tremendous job that day and I’m convinced he gave it everything he had. We crossed the finish line in 3rd place, just 10 minutes behind the stage winners. At that point, we just had to wait and hope that the Monkeys came in 8:58 after we did. It was definitely the longest 9 minutes of my life. Just a couple minutes after we finished, the emcee announced that another group was approaching the finish line (there was a spotted about a ½ mile back). My heart sank, but it was a different team. A minute later, another group. Still not the Monkeys. This scene repeated itself several more times and all the while the emcee was describing to the crowd the situation we were in with the Monkeys. And the crowd was into it. Soon, 8:58 came and went and Bob and I won! What an awesome feeling. The crowd cheered and I was euphoric. I was convinced that the placing was going to be decided by 10 or 20 seconds. It turns out that we beat the Monkeys that day by 25:36!
The rest of the day was a huge celebration. Not just because we won 1st and not just for us. For everybody. It was such a huge, satisfying, wonderful accomplishment. Every time a team crossed the line, the crowd went crazy. It was a celebration for everybody. The festivities continued that night with a huge banquet, drinking, awards, and picture and video highlights. This was a first class event and was executed with such expertise that you would have never guessed that this was an inaugural event. I can’t say enough about the people that pulled this off. Huge thanks to the organizers, sponsors, volunteers, and Bob! Though I actually found the race much easier than I thought it would be, the training was brutal. I’d love to say that I’ll be back next year, but the thought of training that hard again just scares the hell out of me. I can’t imagine doing that again. But as hard as it was…it was all so worth it!
Then came the curve ball. Some last minute discussions among all of the Gorons had the pairings in question. For the entire summer, the plan was for me to run with Erin. But, we had some late additions to the team and we decided as a team to put together an excellent ‘open’ men’s team and an excellent ‘over 80’ (combined age) team. I was on board with the decision we made, but devastated. I wasn’t even excited to run the race any more. Nothing against my new running partner, Bob, but I had planned and trained and pushed myself to be ready to run with Erin. Now, I would not be running as hard or pushing myself as much. I was on the ‘2nd best’ Gore team. It was definitely the right thing to do, but I was disappointed.
My mood improved and my excitement returned once we arrived in Beaver Creek, started going through registration, meeting all the runners and volunteers, attending the opening ceremonies, etc. By race morning, I was pumped. I knew it would be amazing.
The first day was Sunday. A 15 mile run with a decent climb over the first several miles, some flat running along I-70 for the middle of the race, and then a big 4 mile climb to the top of a ski mountain in Vail to conclude the day. Bob and I were 3rd for most of the race but slipped to 5th over the last 1-2 miles. 3 minutes behind the ‘Flying Monkeys’, the only 80+ team in front of us. Erin and Dustin finished comfortably in second with a huge gap in front of the 3rd place team and an equally large gap behind the first place Skaggs brothers. The finish atop the ski mountain was beautiful. Sunshine, great views, and excitement for the rest of the week were plentiful. But within an hour of finishing, the weather abruptly changed…hail, lightening, and thunder rolled in and it continued until about 90 minutes into day two’s run.
Sunday night’s sleep was horrible. I didn’t fall asleep until 4:40 am and was up by 5:15. The rain fell all night and was still coming down hard at the start of the race. Unfortunately, the start of the race was delayed. We needed to take a Gondola to the top of the mountain and they would not allow it to operate until the lightening ceased. Due to the later start and concerns regarding the slower runners being on the course after dark, the course had to be shortened. The organizers did a fantastic job adjusting and we were off after an hour. Day 2 was supposed to be the most difficult with some massive climbs and descents and a total of 26 miles. It was shortened to 19 and the most difficult part was eliminated. This was very disappointing at the start but by the end of the race, I was quite happy with ending earlier. We started in the rain and as we climbed the mountain it changed to sleet then snow. There was a good 2 to 3 inches of snow on the ground and we were running along the top of the mountain and through the back bowls of Vail. Spectacular views! Then the sloppy descent began. It was a nasty, muddy, wet mess. Bob and I were the 7th team to cross the finish line and dropped to 7th overall and lost another 4 minutes to the Monkeys.
Day 3’s course was very similar to day 2. 24+ miles and similar climbs. Like the first two days, I was getting ahead of Bob on the uphills and waiting for him at times. But, we were well matched on the flat and downhill sections. Unfortunately, we finished 7th again, were 7th overall, and lost another 6 minutes to the Monkeys. At this point, we were 12:58 behind them and I was not optimistic that we’d catch them. We were comfortably ahead of the 3rd place 80+ team (which was the other Gore team) but it looked like the Monkeys would win the category.
On Day 4, I was hoping that we’d be able to cut the Monkey’s lead in half and maybe have some hope of catching them on the final day. Speaking to Bob about our strategy for the day, I received the same response from him that I’d heard all week...”I’ll just run my race and we’ll see what happens.” Bob is totally laid back and much less competitive than me. Two different personalities you won’t find. So rather than convince Bob that we had to go hard and make up some time, I was resigned to having to just run what felt best for us and not worry about the Monkeys. Frustrating at times, but it was good for me to be patient and helped to calm me down. The course for Day 4 consisted of a somewhat steep climb over the first 10 miles up to 12000’ feet at Hagerman Pass and the Continental Divide. Then the descent would begin. 18 miles of gradual downhill. During the ascent, we stayed 1 to 2 minutes ahead of the Monkeys for the first 6 to 8 miles. But, I often found myself running too fast in relation to Bob. There were several times where I got ahead of him and had to wait. As the first aid station approached, I paused to wait and the Monkeys passed me. At that point, I pretty much wrote off any hope I had of catching them for first place. Bob and I approached the first aid station and were joined at the hip for pretty much the final 20 miles. I decided to forget about the competition and just enjoy the run. About an hour later, a funny thing happened. Bob and I passed the first place co-ed team. Then we passed another team. And then we passed the Monkeys about 18 miles into the race. Hmmm. That was good news, but at that point, I assumed that they had just decided to take it easy, keep us in sight, and preserve the huge cushion that they had on us. Bob and I ran hard during the entire downhill and were well matched. At no point was I tempted to run ahead of him, nor could I have done so even if I wanted to. At the end of the day, we trimmed 4 minutes off the Monkey’s lead and had it down to 8:58 going into day 5. We were back in 6th place overall after finishing Day 4 in 4th place.
During the ceremonies on Day 4, one of the Monkeys was highlighted during the day’s video clips saying that they ran their asses off and still got beat. That got me thinking that maybe they weren’t taking it easy and sitting on their lead and might actually be in trouble. After hearing this, along with whispers about the Monkeys being tired and not in great shape, my hope for finishing first returned. Bob still felt good. He was popping the Advils, but wasn’t in bad shape and I felt like I could run another 3 or 4 days if necessary. It was truly amazing how great I still felt.
Another reason for optimism…Day 5’s course. It was a sprint. Just 18 miles of gradual ascent (less than 2000 feet). All on a paved bike trail going into Aspen. This definitely favored Bob and I as we were among just a handful of people who spend any time running roads. Conversely, the Monkeys had let their displeasure with the significant amount of ‘non-technical’ terrain be known throughout the week. And it was hot. Having trained in Philly heat and humidity all summer, I was confident I was going to be able to handle the heat better than them. Hopefully Bob would fare as well.
As the run began, Bob and I went out fast. Within 5 miles, we were in third place overall. We ran hard the entire time. Bob and I were well matched on this relatively flat terrain and though I could have maybe gone 5 to 10 seconds per mile faster, I was quite happy with our pace. When we passed the second aid station around mile 10, we were told that we were in third place and just 4 minutes behind the Skaggs brothers (who had been demolishing the field all week). I was excited because that told me we were doing really well, but also scared because I thought we might be pushing it too hard, especially with the way the weather was heating up. It was in the low 80s at this time (my guess) and the high for the day was 90F. Bob and I went hard the entire time. Towards the end, he started to tire and I was constantly looking ~50 yards behind me to yell encouragement to Bob. He did a tremendous job that day and I’m convinced he gave it everything he had. We crossed the finish line in 3rd place, just 10 minutes behind the stage winners. At that point, we just had to wait and hope that the Monkeys came in 8:58 after we did. It was definitely the longest 9 minutes of my life. Just a couple minutes after we finished, the emcee announced that another group was approaching the finish line (there was a spotted about a ½ mile back). My heart sank, but it was a different team. A minute later, another group. Still not the Monkeys. This scene repeated itself several more times and all the while the emcee was describing to the crowd the situation we were in with the Monkeys. And the crowd was into it. Soon, 8:58 came and went and Bob and I won! What an awesome feeling. The crowd cheered and I was euphoric. I was convinced that the placing was going to be decided by 10 or 20 seconds. It turns out that we beat the Monkeys that day by 25:36!
The rest of the day was a huge celebration. Not just because we won 1st and not just for us. For everybody. It was such a huge, satisfying, wonderful accomplishment. Every time a team crossed the line, the crowd went crazy. It was a celebration for everybody. The festivities continued that night with a huge banquet, drinking, awards, and picture and video highlights. This was a first class event and was executed with such expertise that you would have never guessed that this was an inaugural event. I can’t say enough about the people that pulled this off. Huge thanks to the organizers, sponsors, volunteers, and Bob! Though I actually found the race much easier than I thought it would be, the training was brutal. I’d love to say that I’ll be back next year, but the thought of training that hard again just scares the hell out of me. I can’t imagine doing that again. But as hard as it was…it was all so worth it!
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