Race Reports

This article was originally posted by Ryan at the original HillRunner.com Blogs.

As always, one of my goals for this year is to extend my streak (currently at 18 consecutive years) with a sub-17 5K. As this streak has grown, so has the importance in my mind of the streak.

As I’ve mentioned before, I decided for various reasons to go through a 5K season in the spring this year. This was attempt #2 and would be finish #1 after being directed off course in my last attempt.

I arrived plenty early, found a good parking space, then went over to pick up my packet. On my way out from packet pick-up, I saw Ed heading in so we chatted a bit then I went back toward the car as he got his packet. I was relaxing in the car and pinning my number on my singlet when I saw Ed walking over. I invited him to have a seat and we chatted a bit. I think Ed expends some nervous energy before a race so I wanted to get him to just sit down and relax a bit before warmup time.

We warmed up over roughly the last mile of the race course, which gave us a good look at the closing stages of the course and let us get an idea of where 1/2 mile to go, 1/4 mile to go, etc. were. After warmup, we both did our own personal race preparation routines then it was time to line up. I chatted some with the old InStep crew, who had me pegged as the pre-race 5K favorite, and we lined up to run.

At the gun, I immediately got out to the lead. From the first step, I was leading but I was far from alone. As we rounded the first corner, I was about a step in front of a pack that was forming. Around the second corner, I had to swing a little wide for a car that got on the course but no big deal. I started thinking about the guys behind me as we worked our way through the first mile. There were times we were running into a not terribly strong but not insignificant breeze and I didn’t want to be doing all the work while everyone else got a free ride. So I surged just a bit to get a gap. At least, if these guys are going to sit back there, they will have to take their own wind.

As the 5K and 10K split, all the lead pack seemed to be going with me. That’s fine. The more the merrier. I kept leading every step of the way but I eased up a few times just to make sure I’d have something left for the end. I didn’t want to do all the work for 2.5 or more miles, then have someone just blow me away as I had nothing to respond with at the end. I would build a bit of a gap, then let it fade but nobody at any point showed any interest in taking over the lead.

Somewhere in mile 2, I had a near deja vu experience. The lead bike went straight where I thought we were supposed to turn left. Just after it got past the intersection and as I was about to be past, he says "Turn left, sorry!" So I plant my right foot and turn on a dime before I’m past the street. Still in the lead but definitely gave up at least a few steps, if not a few seconds. I pushed the pace a little more as we went around this loop through a neighborhood. Then, on our way out, I saw the 10K 5 mile mark. About 1.25 to go, time to break the race open. I knew I still had at least one and I sensed two guys on my back and I didn’t want it to come down to a kick. I didn’t realize I was already quite this far in and I definitely had more than I wanted left in the tank with a mile or so to go so I stretched the legs out a bit. I quickly gapped the guys still with me and built up a lead. Around a left turn with a mile to go, I glanced over my shoulder and saw a decent but not comfortable lead. Keep pushing. Around a pair of corners with about 3/4 of a mile to go, the lead is getting comfortable. Around a right turn with just under 1/2 mile to go and the lead is pretty safe as long as I can muster up some kind of kick. Around another corner with 1/4 mile to go and I’m doing all I can to open up my stride. One more turn, then I’m going as fast as I can while trying to read the clock.

16-something. Good! 16:40-something. Ooh, this is going to be close. Quicker strides, stronger drive, do everything I can! The clock is clicking through the 16:50s as I’m doing all I can to save every fraction of a second. Then it happens. The clock hits 17 while I’m just a few steps short of the finish line.

Final result: 1st overall in 17:02. Second was only 9 seconds back and third was only 17 seconds back.

I’m happy with the win in a well battled race. I’m a little disappointed in the time, just because it was so close and I can look at many spots where a second or two could have been gained. From that nearly missed turn to the spots in mile 2 and probably even as far back as mile 1 where I eased off just a touch. I could probably have run a few of the tangents slightly better and shaved off a second or so. Still, this was my first race of the year and I was that close to going sub-17. I know it’s coming. I can’t be disappointed with this race, even if I was that close. Heck, I was that close in the first tune-up of the year. Next time out, I’m looking to crush sub-17.

Results can be found here. Note Team HillRunner.com with 2 in the top 10, with Ed coming through in 6th place.

This article was originally posted by Ryan at the original HillRunner.com Blogs.

I was looking for a low key 5K to kick off the 2014 season after not racing for nearly 6 months. This weekend worked out to be the perfect time to race, which will set me up well for the Deer Run 5K 3 weeks from now, the Run the Bay 5K 6 weeks from now and Walleye Run 9 weeks from now. Perfect rhythm to settle into.

It appeared I had two choices for a 5K. Drive all the way into Milwaukee for a lakefront 5K or stay close to home for what appeared to be a low key 5K just an easy 15-20 minute drive from home. Seeing as I was looking for low key, the one close to home seemed to be a perfect fit.

I arrived on race day about an hour before the race was scheduled to start and the registration tables were just getting set up. I picked up my packet, went back to my car and decided what I would wear for the race. With the temperature about 30 and a bit of a breeze, I wasn’t sure. After some consideration, I decided to go with the shorts and singlet with a light hat and a light pair of gloves. So I pinned the number on my singlet, then hit the restrooms before my warmup.

On the warmup, I got my first bad omen. I couldn’t really tell where the course was going. No signs, no chalk arrows on the roads/sidewalks. No sign at all where the course was to go. I figured they would have people at the corners or a lead bike, though, so signs wouldn’t be necessary and maybe they couldn’t get signs in the ground with how cold this winter has been.

At the start, I got my second bad omen. The start was on the sidewalk. A standard size sidewalk with room for about 2 people shoulder to shoulder. I quickly grabbed a spot at the front, then 4 kids crowded around me. At the start, a girl immediately stepped to the side from off the sidewalk right in front of me and I stepped on her foot with my very first step. I then had to come to a complete stop to avoid running her over. I then jumped over to the grass to pass the kids and set off on my way. Not a big deal, pretty typical for a 5K with kids in it, but I’m always concerned I’m going to hurt one of the kids when something like this happens.

By the time I got going, I was feeling good. I was running relaxed but I could feel my stride was quick, long and powerful. I was going to have a good run today. I could just feel it. Maybe I could even flirt with sub-17 on my first race of the year. I quickly built up a big lead as I weaved my way through a neighborhood.

Eventually, I made my way out to County Line Road, where a guy with a very quiet voice said something, I thought turn on Water Street. I remember from the course map that I turn off County Line at the second street. So, when I saw the street sign for the second street said Water, even though nobody was at the corner to tell me to turn, I turned. Then, someone wearing a yellow vest but still sitting in a car said I’m going the wrong way. She said I had to go back out to County Line and run up to the next road. So I took the orders of the individual who gave those instructions. What else do you do when a race official gives you instructions in middle of a race, even if you’re not sure they are right? Always follow the directions of race officials is rule number one.

So I ran out to the next road and took a right on Division. By this point, I was already over a mile into the race. I figured I had to be turning soon. Nobody was around, though, and something didn’t seem right. Eventually, I had run over a mile on Division. I knew I had to be around 2.5 miles in and I was at least 2 miles by the most direct route from the start/finish area. I stopped on the side of the road, said a few choice words and jogged back in thinking all kinds of nasty things.

When I got back to the start/finish area, I told the first race official I saw what happened. We confirmed that the person who told me to go the wrong was was in fact a course marshal and she was wrong to tell me to go back to County Line. He said he wanted me to talk to the race director and I shouldn’t leave until I did. So I waited. Finally, I saw the race director but I didn’t want to approach her and be that guy who complains about things. I mingled around a bit, making sure she could see me. Maybe she hadn’t heard yet what had happened, maybe she had too much going on at the time, maybe she didn’t know how to approach me about this. I don’t know. Finally, tables were being broken down and I just decided to get the heck out.

This article was originally posted by Ryan at the original HillRunner.com Blogs.

Always in our Hearts 5K

To make a long story short, I ran my first sub-17 5K in an indoor track race in La Crosse in January, 1996. Through 2012, I stopped the clock in under 17 minutes at least once every year since then.

This May, in my first race of the year, I ran a 5K in 17:04, then later found out from the guy who laid out and measured the course that it was long. He measured it at between 3.2 and 3.3 miles. Based on what he was telling me, it was at least 15 seconds long. That meant I passed through the 5K point comfortably under 17 minutes. Still, I didn’t want to keep the streak going with an asterisk. I wanted to officially stop the clock in under 17 minutes. This was my last good shot this year to do that.

Fast forward to late August and early September. I had been having some trouble with tight calves. I went to the Stout alumni meet and, on the uneven course, twisted my ankles several times. This especially did my right foot and ankle in. They were bothering me pretty badly. I managed to keep things together through a successful Al’s Run, then I shut things down as I tried to get healthy. It was a struggle to get the calves loose and the foot and ankle happy but, over the last week especially, I felt like I made great strides. Not perfect but about 99%, especially while running.

Going into race day, I didn’t know what to expect. I had basically done no real training in the past month but I was fit and running well before then. I’d gone into this race before off recovery periods and run well. My legs seem to be able to go sub-17 by memory when the course is fast and the weather is favorable. That gave me confidence in my ability to find a way under 17 minutes but how difficult would it be and how close would I cut it?

I started my warmup how I start my warmup on pretty much every race day. Feeling sore and sluggish. There is some road construction on the course so I scouted out that part especially carefully. There would be spots I’d need to step over two curbs and run through some uneven soil. I moved a construction barricade so there would be room on the other end of the construction to slip through on the paved road between the barricade and the curb, giving a better transition to the sidewalk than the alternative, stepping over another curb onto uneven soil before stepping up about 3 inches onto the sidewalk.

As the warmup continued, I began feeling better. I threw in a bit of faster running around 1.5 miles and my legs just found a rhythm. This was a good sign. If I can lock into a rhythm during a race, I’m usually set.

After a bit of a delay, the race was off. I instantly jumped into the lead and locked into a quick rhythm. Through the rough spot of the construction area and someone I believe giving me the directions for the walkers. These directions confused me for a moment before I just decided to go with the route I have known from prior years. Up to the construction barriers, shoot! Someone moved the barrier back and it’s blocking the whole road! Up over the curb and through the uneven soil to the sidewalk. Now, I settled back into the quick rhythm I had and just clicked off the distance, working hard but keeping relaxed. Through an intersection with traffic control with no problems. On to the mile mark. 5:12. What? No, that’s not right. I know I didn’t just run a 5:12. I did lock into a quick rhythm but I knew I wasn’t that fast. I could believe 5:20 because I could feel the quicker than anticipated rhythm I had settled into. I actually thought of dialing it back a bit with the fear I would pay for the fast pace later but I’ve always been a rhythm runner and breaking my rhythm is usually a mistake. I’m better fading some later than messing with my pace when I settle in and am at least in range of my target pace.

Into mile 2, the going is getting tough but I keep fighting. Now, I have a right turn coming up and I’m on the left side of the state highway. Usually, there is a police officer doing traffic control up there but I see no sign of any police presence. So I check over my shoulder, see a car approaching at a distance and take things into my own hands, crossing before that car gets too close. As I approach the turn, there is a police car on the side road, about 3 car lengths off the highway but the officer never even opens the door before I’m past. I keep pushing through the loop through a neighborhood, though I admit I could feel the effort sagging a bit. I told myself I’m at least halfway through the race now. I have to push. I have to keep it going or sub-17 is out the window. I can feel myself losing the fight but I keep close to 100% effort. Now, approaching the state highway again and I have to go straight across. Again, usually traffic control but no sign of police this time. Traffic is pretty steady with a 35 mph speed limit. I weave through a bit to shoot the gap between two northbound cars with the nearest southbound car at least 50 yards away. Not a major problem but definitely not ideal in a 5K.

Through another neighborhood and into the 2 mile mark. I know this split isn’t quite at the 2 mile mark but, when I hear 11:00, I get a bit worried. Initially, I respond by increasing the pace but I find myself within a couple hundred yards settling back into that pace I carried through much of mile 2. A good solid effort for a 5K but not on the edge. Enough for sub-17? With about a half mile to go, I tell myself screw this, I’m not letting sub-17 go without a fight and I give it everything I have. My legs don’t want to respond but I force them to respond with what they can. Through the construction area, a bit of a slowdown to handle the uneven soil but nothing too bad. Then, I just hammer my way through a few turns and into a loop around a park and into the finish. I bring it in as hard as I can and come to the final turn, just a short distance from the finish line. As I come around that final turn and into sight of the clock, I see it right around 16:50. To be honest, when I saw that, I had more a feeling of relief than anything. I was just relieved that my easing off the effort in mile 2 and early in mile 3 didn’t cost me the sub-17. I crossed the line feeling like I didn’t leave it all on the course but getting the sub-17 I was looking for.

Final result: 1st, 16:54. 18 consecutive years with a sub-17 5K. No asterisk needed. I can’t say I’m thrilled with my effort out there. I could have run faster. That said, I keep going back to one simple thing. I had one goal in this race. As long as I ran 16:59, I was going to be happy with the outcome. I made it with 5 seconds to spare. I can’t be unhappy with this result. I accomplished the goal and kept a streak I’m proud of alive.

This is likely it for me in 2013. Time to make sure the calves are well taken care of, the right foot and ankle are happy and the base for 2014 is strong enough for a 19th consecutive year under 17 minutes.

This article was originally posted by Charlene at the original HillRunner.com Blogs.

I admit that I have had a really hard time staying motivated since the Green Bay Marathon. I had no plans to race a half this fall until a friend of mine sent me a link to a poorly advertised inaugural half marathon in Madison that offered some really nice prize money 3 deep. I am pretty motivated by money and figured that it was possible that no one fast would show up.

My training cycle was unlike any I had ever done before. Normally I am the queen of consistency and get in every long run, tempo, and speed workout no matter what life puts up as an obstacle. But I just never seemed to get in a groove and the constant drastic temperature changes and humidity just seemed to wipe me out. I had a ton of trouble staying motivated and I admit that I skipped or shortened long runs and tempos. I had a lot of late night beer binges and ran a few long runs hung over. I only ran over 12 miles once. Al’s Run just happened to land on a bad day of the month for me and I ran 32:28 (6:32 pace) which seemed right about where I was fitness wise anyway. It hurt and was also my last hard day before my half two weeks away. Each tempo I struggled to hit under 7 minutes a mile and several I stopped at 2 miles.

The weekend of the race was also my daughter’s senior Homecoming weekend so all day Friday I was busy with parade prep and only ate cake but did drink lots of water/diet coke/gaterade. The morning of the race it was windy but sunny and somewhat cool. My Garmin died on the starting line but I decided to just race and see what happened.

I had no idea how fast I was going at all but thought it was most likely slow but at least I felt good. I passed quite a few runners after the first mile and just kept my eyes on the next runner ahead. I eventually settled in with a college girl and asked her our pace. 6:25. She thought it was fast for her too but we both decided to just go with it and if we had to walk that would just be how things were. I never asked her the pace or the mileage the rest of the time we ran together. She must have been my perfect running partner as we cruised together and were not far behind a few runners that I would normally think I had no business behind in a half. We kept the 2nd and 3rd place female runners within striking distance until my new friend had to stop to use the bathroom and I continued on alone. The 2nd half of the race I sipped on a Powerade gel and took a sip of water at the water stops. This seemed to work for me much better than taking the entire gel at once. I slowed somewhat as it was quite lonely out there but the pain that I expected never came. The last mile I struggled a little bit but mostly because I was alone.

I was out of the money but I knew I was in for a big PR as I was only a few minutes behind runners that normally run low 1:20s. The finish was downhill and I finished it stronger than I had ever finished any race. I was super excited and rushed over to the timers to find out my exact time.

This is when the story starts to suck as they told me it was 1:19 and my heart sank as I knew that the course was short by over a mile. According to other people’s Garmins it was about 11.9 miles so I did average approximately 6:38 pace which is 20 seconds a mile faster than i have ever ran for a half marathon. I would have loved to know my 10 mile split as I am sure that was a huge 10 mile PR. I wanted to cry about the loss of a new half PR as I have struggled for so long to run under 90 minutes and if the race had been the correct distance I am sure I could have ran mid to high 1:20s for sure. The girl I ran with came in about 4 minutes behind me as she had struggled once she no longer had me to run with. I am quite sure that if she had not had to stop we both would have carried each other even faster through the race as we were a great team.

It was nice though to run without a watch but I would have liked it if they would have provided mile markers so I would have had something to look forward to as the miles passed. I think that sometimes the watch defeats us. I also think that perhaps a 2 week taper is the way to go for me. Next spring I will return to being more consistent about training and will try the longer taper. This race despite my poor training I benefited greatly from being injury free and rested on the starting line. I was less sore than ever after the race and seem to be recovering fast. That might be from a lack of a last mile and change. I also seemed to run well over the hilly parts of the course except for the last bit as the change up in muscles seems to suit me well as I tempo a lot on hills during training.