Drumstick Dash 10k - November 25, 2010

Ran another holiday race this morning - Thanksgiving morning.  The Drumstick Dash is a 10k race consisting of 2 counter-clockwise laps around Lake Harriet in Minneapolis.  Twin Cities weather this time of year can still deliver nice running conditions like my last race 3 weeks ago.  However, today was a stark reminder that winter is unfortunately upon us.  Several recent ice storms coupled with a few inches of new snow the day before the race, made running conditions very poor for this one.  Add bitter cold temperatures (10 above), sub zero wind chills and we had the makings for a real fun race!

The race route is on the parkway surrounding the lake which provided a mixed bag of road conditions (glare ice, packed snow, or glare ice covered with packed snow).  Any way you cut it, racing conditions were so treacherous that real road racing could only tackled by those crazy enough to risk injury.  I decided I would use this race as a nice comfortable 7:20/mile tempo run - about 1 minute/mile slower than my 10k race pace a few months back.

As the race began, the wind was not as biting as I thought it would be, although I began the race with my face covered.  On the south end of the parkway are two hills which aren't difficult to climb, but they are difficult to run down the back side.  I've run this course several times before in other races and the 2 downhill sections are difficult even when footing is good.  As gravity takes over most people are forced to run on their heels (okay, maybe just old men like me) to control speed and prevent one from accelerating faster than your legs can keep up.  Now throw in the packed snow and ice conditions and we have a real hazard to negotiate through.  Fortunately I made it safely through this section both laps, but there were many steps along the route where I felt my plant foot give way momentarily, forcing me to react quickly to catch my balance.

I removed my face covering 2 miles into the race after my body had fully warmed from the exercise.  The trees and nearby homes seemed to shelter us from the wind on the west and south ends of the lake, but as we reached the northeast corner turning west, we were painfully reminded of what sub-zero windchill feels like.  My lips were so numb they felt 3 sizes larger than normal.  After successfully negotiating the dangerous downhill section for the second time, there were only 2 miles remaining in the race.  I've been dealing with a minor groin injury on my right side the past few months.  However this race really aggravated the issue.  I'm sure my sudden body corrections to regain balance every time my footing gave way didn't help.  It was impossible to run relaxed without slowing to a crawl.

I considered picking up the pace on my 2nd lap but with my right groin bothering me I decided to wait and make a push in the final mile.  I'm not used to having this much energy left at the end of a race, but with the slower than normal pace I could feel myself wanting to open it up near the end.  I did push the final mile before finishing with a time of 45:34 - my slowest 10k race time to date and more than 6 minutes slower than my personal best of 39:14 which I ran 4 months ago.  I finished 54th among 752 finishers and 3rd of 49 in my age group.  Considering my slow time it was obvious that all the runners were negatively impacted by the poor conditions, as my placing would have been significantly lower had I run 45 minutes in good conditions.  I just love winter racing and we still have 4 months to look forward to this!

Race results...

http://www.mtecresults.com/race/show/216         

Rocky's Run 5k Cross Country - November 7, 2010

Well after 10 long months, the 2010 MDRA Grand Prix came to a close today with the 13th and final event - Rocky's Run 5k cross country race on the University of Minnesota golf course in St Paul.  The race originated as a memorial to Rocky Racette, a former U of M track and cross country All-American who was killed in an auto accident in 1981. 

This was my first cross country race since high school and I was looking forward to it.  Unfortunately I had a training mishap two weeks ago.  While on an early morning training run along the Elm Creek trails I startled several deer who in return startled me.  I inadvertently stepped on the edge of the paved trail, rolled my ankle and went down like a ton of bricks.  By evening the swelling was severe and I had to put my training on the shelf for the better part of the week until the pain and swelling subsided.  I was able to resume training this past week, but was unable to get any speed work in prior to this race.  I'm able to run without pain now, but have not done any speed work since early September due to my marathon training.

This was my second 5k event this year and first in 10 months.  I ran two sub 40 minute 10k's in the past 4 months so I was confident I could run around 19:45 today, despite my training shortfalls.  My only trepidation was I really wasn't sure how I would respond to the rolling hills of a golf course compared to the reliable road running surfaces I am familiar with.  The weather was absolutely beautiful for early November in Minnesota with temps close to 50 degrees, sunny and a light 7 mph breeze from the south.

While warming before the race I realized there were more hills and cants on the course than I anticipated and some of them rather steep!  The footing was also something that caused me some concern with my ankle.  However, things went relatively well from the start.  The first mile seemed to be the flattest section of the course and the wind was to our back most of the time.  The course consisted of 3 different loops with a long straight away back to the finish at the clubhouse.

I ran the first mile around 6:20 which was around my target pace.  The uphill sections were tough but the downhill sections were frightening.  During the brief but steep downhill sections I worried my legs wouldn't be able to keep up with my body and I would end up flat on my face.  The constant turns and rolling hills had a much bigger impact on my ability to maintain pace than what I anticipated.  I could feel the energy being sucked from my legs.  I ran mile 2 about 10 seconds slower than my first mile.

I thought my mental toughness would carry me through, but as the final mile began I realized I was content to simply finish this out.  I felt like a raft in the ocean as the course took us up a hill then down the other side.  Up and down, up and down.  I had my fill of hills at this point and knowing my time goal was no longer within reach, I was ready for the race to end.  I knew my injury which cut a week out of my training had caught up with me.  The final mile was my slowest of the race (around 6:40).  Running under 20 minutes was not going to happen today.  I ran the final quarter mile strong, finishing with a time of 20:19, but well off my personal best of 19:37. 

I finished 51st among 169 runners including the U of M women's cross country team which ran the race as a final inter-squad meet.  I finished 4th of 11 in my age group.  Disappointing but probably not surprising.  The factors coming into the race along with the challenging course made things more difficult than I expected.  Reacting to the ever changing hills and terrain, I was never able to truly run relaxed as I do in my road races.  The concern of re-injuring my ankle was always in the back of my mind.  It was still a lot of fun to run this course and participate in a different type of event than I am accustomed to.

Race Results
http://www.imathlete.com/events/EventRaceResults.aspx?fEID=8528

This was the final Grand Prix event of the year and my finish earned me 792 points for a season total of 7,629 points.  I finished in 6th place overall and first place in my age group.  I'm proud of my overall standing among the other runners.  It was a fun challenge and good motivational tool throughout the year.  I don't plan to participate in the Grand Prix next year simply so I can run some different races I would have to pass on if I do the GP again.

Here are the final Grand Prix standings. 

http://sz0140.ev.mail.comcast.net/service/home/~/final%20revised%202010%20standings.htm?auth=co&loc=en_US&id=73780&part=2

Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon - October 3, 2010

The Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon is my 3rd and last marathon of the year.  Twin Cities was also selected as the host marathon for this year's U.S. Men's Marathon Championship.  I was excited to again run the race that started it all for me back in 2007.  I was also looking forward to spending considerably less time out on the course than the 4 plus hours it took me the first time.

The forecast leading up to the marathon was indicating perfect running conditions for the race and this time they were right.  Clear skies, relatively calm winds, and 40 degrees at the start (about 50 at the finish).  I couldn't have ordered better weather for a marathon.  This was my 9th marathon and far and away the best weather conditions I have encountered so far.

I was feeling run down and weak the days leading up to the race which was a real concern, but I was able to get a good nights sleep both Friday and Saturday which seemed to help me overcome whatever was ailing me.  The marathon started on 6th street right outside the Metrodome, the pre-race meeting area for runners.  The Metrodome may not be a great sports stadium but it does a nice job hosting 10,000 marathon runners on a cool race morning.

Starting in the first corral I made a point of moving up near the front to reduce runner congestion early in the race.  I came into this race with no real time goal or objective.  I decided to wait and see what the weather conditions were going to be like and how I felt the morning of the race.  As I waited in the starting corral I decided to go for it despite how I had been feeling leading up to the race.  The weather was perfect and my competitive nature took over.  The cool weather made the decision easy as pushing the pace was also a good way to stay warm.    

 

I ran the first 5k in 23:15 which put me at a comfortable (7:29) pace.  As we ran past Lake of the Isles and Lake Calhoun, the sun was low on the horizon causing a glare that made it difficult to see the immediate road surface ahead of me, particularly with the early race congestion.  I inadvertently stepped in a couple small potholes twisting my ankle a bit, but nothing severe enough to hinder my run or cause lingering pain.

I reached the 10k mark in 46:34 maintaining a (7:30) pace for the race.  Runner traffic was starting to thin out at this point making it easier to run from a visibility and congestion standpoint.  Temps remained cool and the wind was a non-factor.  I thought I would be shedding my gloves and ear band by now, but the trees were still leaf covered and with the sun low in the morning sky, much of the first half of the race was run in the shade.

As we headed south on Cedar Ave. past Lake Nokomis I felt a slight headwind for the first and only time in the race.  Sunlight was beginning to replace shade but it still felt nice and cool, although I decided it was time to shed the gloves and ear coverings next time I ran passed my family.  I reached the halfway point in 1:37:35 which was slightly faster than my previous best mid race split.  My race pace also improved to (7:27) at the halfway point.

My biggest concern was my health coming into the race and if I would tire more quickly than normal, but I felt strong with no indication of a problem, so I set this concern aside and pushed forward.  Running this marathon for a second time gave me periodic flashbacks from my first race Twin Cities marathon 3 years ago.  In my first Twin Cities I was simply trying to finish the race regardless of my time and it was at the midway point when I realized I may actually finish my first marathon - a real accomplishment for me at the time.  I also remembered the heat and humidity we were dealing with in that race.  What a change 3 years has made!  As the miles continued to roll by I was surprised by the spring in my step as my race pace continued to improve.  I attributed it to the perfect weather conditions. 

 














As we ran north on West River Parkway, we were closing in on mile 19 and the Franklin Avenue Bridge which connects Minneapolis to St Paul and the final miles of the race.  I reached the 30k mark in 2:17:34 and noticed my race pace (7:23) was still improving which was very exciting.  I have always slowed about 5 minutes or more in the 2nd half of all my prior marathons.  However I also knew I had 8 miles to go including the most difficult miles still ahead of me.

I crossed the Franklin Avenue Bridge into St Paul and headed south on East River Road toward the 20 mile mark.  This was my final downhill stretch of the race until mile 26, so I tried to take advantage as best I could.  I reached the 20 mile mark in 2:27:18 and my race pace was still improving (7:22).  The Twin Cities marathon has a large inflatable 'castle wall' over the road at mile 20 signifying the point at which most runners 'hit the wall' from an endurance standpoint.  I think it's intended to be motivational, but the last thing I wanted to be reminded about at that point was the possibility of hitting the wall with the most difficult uphill sections of the race just ahead.

The next 3 miles represented the most difficult 3 miles of the race as the course leaves the river heading east to Summit Avenue and the eventual finish at the State Capitol.  What makes these 3 miles difficult (aside from the obvious) is the steady incline as you climb 150 feet from mile 21 to mile 24.  I remember having no legs as all during this stretch 3 years ago and walking periodically just to get to the finish.  However this year things were much different.  I kept pushing through these miles thinking positive thoughts to keep me strong mentally. 

At this point in any marathon, I rely more on mental strength than physical strength.  The physical strength is all but gone and your body is telling you to stop this madness.  I often try to think of my short 5 mile training runs and how easy they are and that the remaining distance to the finish is shorter than one of those runs.  I try to convince myself that I will be crossing the finish line in less than 20 minutes.  My mental game works better sometimes than others and this time I had the benefit of great weather to keep my body temperature cool and the knowledge that I was on a RP pace.    
     

My per mile pace had slowed a bit as expected, but not much at all despite the hill climbing.  I was now about 2 miles shy of the finish line as I reached the peak of the hill climbing.  I mentally relaxed when I realized I was at the top of the hills and almost forgot I still had 2 miles to go.  Mile 25 was my slowest mile of the race but still ran a strong mile compared to my other marathons.  With just 1 mile to go I tried to regain my mental strength for the final push to the finish.  I tried to feed off the cheering supporters lining both sides of Summit as I wrapped around the back side of St Paul Cathedral and saw the State Capitol for the first time with just a half mile to go.

The view looking down on the Capitol and finish area is one of the most breathtaking finishes among the marathons I have run.  For one thing it's downhill which looks and feels great, but you have a great view of the finish from the Cathedral and can hear the excitement below from a half mile away.  When I saw the finish I was immediately filled with emotion and got a huge lump in my throat.  I wasn't expecting that.  The realization that my physical pain was almost over was part of it, but even more I was trying not to think about a possible PR during the race in case the Summit Avenue hills beat me and my PR dissolves right before my eyes at the finish leaving me disappointed with the outcome.  But at this point I realized I was not only going to set a new PR, but my time was going to be much faster than I  had dreamed of running heading into the race.    

I pushed onto John Ireland Blvd several hundred yards from the finish running directly toward the Capitol and the finish line.  There was a gap between myself and the runners ahead which made me feel as though I was running the race all by myself.  I saw the race clock above the finish line and couldn't believe it.  I crossed the finish line in 3:14:00 flat, shaving almost 6 minutes off my personal best with an average pace of (7:24/mile).  I ran the 2nd half of the marathon 1 minute 10 seconds faster than the first, something I am very proud of as I was able to stay strong for the first time from start to finish.

Overall I finished 541 among 8,212 finishers and 24 of 433 in my age group.  With one Grand Prix event remaining in the season I earned 688 points in this race for a total of 6,837 points for the season moving me up one spot to 6th place overall and first place in my age group.  The last Grand Prix event is November 7th - a 5k cross country race on the U of M golf course.     

http://www.mtecresults.com/runner/show?rid=255&race=177

City of Lakes 25k - September 12, 2010

The City of Lakes 25k was race 11 of 13 in the MDRA Grand Prix series.  It also represented my last race tune-up before the Twin Cities Marathon next month.  This is also my first ever 25k event which traditionally brings out a strong field of runners representing numerous running teams.  The course begins on the southwest corner of Lake Harriet and makes two counterclockwise laps around Harriet and Lake Calhoun before one final half lap to the north side of Harriet to the finish line. 

In prior years I would run a 20 mile race as my final tune-up before my fall marathon, but with this being a Grand Prix event I had to forgo one of the local 20 mile events and run this.  The race allowed me the opportunity to try and stretch a sub 7 minute pace beyond a half marathon distance which is something I have not done previously.  It was a very nice day with temps in the mid 60's, clear with a 10mph wind from the south.  I went into the race hoping to run a time of 1:47 to 1:49 by maintaining a sub 7 minute pace overall.  Within the first few miles I settled into a 6:52 pace and maintained this pace throughout the race. 

I finished with a time of 1:46:42 placing me 106th overall among 655 finishers and 11th among 55 in my age group.  The race earned me an additional 667 points toward the Grand Prix moving me up to 7th place in the overall standings with 6,149 points and also kept me in first place in my age group.  Just two Grand Prix events left in the season and the Twin Cities Marathon is next in line on October 3rd!

http://www.raceberryjam.com/2010/colmen.html

MDRA Victory Labor Day 10k - September 6th, 2010

The MDRA Labor Day 10k event is the 10th race of 13 in the 2010 Grand Prix series.  It was a beautiful morning for a race with sunny skies, temps in the low 60's and a light breeze from the south.  Approximately 500 runners ran is this years event on Victory Memorial Pkwy in Minneapolis.  The 10k is an out-and-back race that begins and ends on Webber Pkwy.  From Webber Pkwy the course heads west on Victory Memorial Pkwy and then turns south to the turn-around near Lowry Avenue.

I ran my fastest 10k (39:14) 2 months ago in July and was hoping to top it today.  The Victory course is considered a fast course being relatively flat with just a couple turns.  I ran the first mile in 6:21, just 1 second off my PR pace.  Miles 2 and 3 head south into a light breeze which wasn't strong but noticeable.  I ran mile 2 in 6:15, 7 seconds ahead of my PR pace.  But then I ran my slowest mile of the race in 6:33 slipping 8 seconds behind my PR pace.  Mile 3 was slightly uphill and apparently slowed me down even though I felt like I was maintaining my pace and leg turnover.

Mile 4 was the reverse of mile 3 as we headed back to the finish.  I also got back on race pace running a 6:14 but fell 11 seconds off my PR pace.  Mile 5 was my fastest mile of the race (6:09) which pulled me to within 7 seconds of my PR pace.  Throughout the race there were other runners within striking distance for me to pursue and overtake which helped to maintain my pace while fighting through the fatigue.  However with a little over a mile to go I ran out of runners close enough to pursue and had to rely on will power to maintain my pace.  I ran mile 6 in 6:18, but fell 8 seconds off my PR pace.  I could tell I didn't have a final sprint in me today but pushed through the final quarter mile as best I could.  I finished with a time of 39:26, just 12 seconds off my PR.   

I finished 45th overall among 469 finishers and 6th among 34 in my age group earning an additional 838 points in the Grand Prix.  I moved into 8th place overall with 5,482 points and remain in first place in my age group.  The next race on the schedule is the City of Lakes 25k just 6 days from today. 

http://vimeo.com/14787685

Race results:
http://www.raceberryjam.com/2010/victory10kmen.html

Boston Scientific Heart of the Summer 10k - July 24, 2010

The Heart of the Summer 10k at Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis represented the 7th of 13 races in this year's MDRA Grand Prix series.  I've missed just 1 of the 7 races so far, although I will unfortunately miss the next two races due to other conflicts.  I ran this race last year as well, although it was not a Grand Prix event.

With the success I have had in my last two races I felt ready and confident going into the race.  I had 5 full weeks to get ready for this one and have done a good amount of speed/tempo workouts in preparation.  Among the 7 - 10k events I have run, I have yet to crack the 40 minute barrier (40:32 PR last October).  Breaking 40 minutes was definitely my primary goal in this one.

The weather was as good as could be expected for an early mid July morning.  68 degrees, mostly cloudy with little to no wind.  It was humid, but no surprise for this time of year in Minnesota.  I wore my Mizuno Wave Universe 3's.  I also wore them in an 8k back in March (Human race).  They are the lightest racing shoe I own by far - just 4 ounces.  Not suited for distances beyond a 10k as they provide minimal support between your feet and the road.  I feel quick in these shoes, if only psychologically.

My goal was to run a 6:25 pace overall which would allow me to finish just under 40 minutes.  As the race began I felt relaxed and was didn't seem to be laboring early.  As I settled into my pace I realized I was running a bit faster than I intended which caused me to want to back off the pace a bit.  I ran the first mile in 6:20 and was still a little concerned that I was going out too fast, but then ran mile 2 in 6:23 which was closer to my target pace. 

As the race progressed I slowly began passing runners and realized my pace was quickening.  I ran mile 3 in 6:18, my fastest mile so far.  The race was two counter clockwise laps around Nokomis.  I knew I was pushing a pace that would break 40 minutes if I could maintain it.  This excited me, but also scared me as I still had over half the race to run and wondered if I could keep this up for another 3.2 miles.

I felt the perspiration pouring off my body with the high humidity. I inadvertently left my half empty bottle of water in one of the satellite facilities before the race, so I wasn't as hydrated as I hoped to be at the start of the race, but figured I would be fine for a race of this distance. My mouth was very pasty though and I grabbed a cup of water at one of the water stops just to get rid of the pasty feeling. What really helped me continue to push the pace was the fact that every time I passed a runner, there was another runner within range I could target next.

I ran mile 4 in 6:11 which was my fasted mile of the race.  I knew I had a great time going if I could finish strong over the last two miles.  I ran mile 5 in 6:16 and was now entering the toughest stretch of the race.  The first half of mile 6 was into a mild breeze but also had a few minor uphill sections on a course that is relatively flat overall.  With a half mile to go I came around the northwest corner of the lake heading south to the finish line.  I ran mile 6 in 6:17 and pushed as hard as I could over the final 0.2 miles to the finish line.

I finished with a time of 39:15.  Not only did I break 40 minutes for the first time, but I broke my previous best 10k time by over one minute (1:17) and my time from last year's race by almost 2 minutes!  My overall pace was 6:19 which is the exact same pace I ran in my best 5k last year.  I finished 31st among 548 runners and 1st of 37 in my age group.  My results earned me 867 additional points in the MDRA Grand Prix and pushed my season total to 4,644 points.  It also allowed me to remain in first place in my age group and jump to 4th in the overall standings.  As I said in my Grandma's Marathon write-up, there are a number of more accomplished runners who have missed several races which allowed me to leapfrog over them for the moment.  But I will miss the next two Grand Prix events and expect to tumble a bit in the standings.  Very happy with my race though.

http://www.heartofsummer.org/2010heartofsummer10kresults.htm

http://www.heartofsummer.org/2010heartofsummer_awards.htm

Grandma's Marathon - June 19,2010

Grandma's Marathon is race number 6th in this year's MDRA Grand Prix schedule as well as my first repeat marathon having also run Grandma's last year.  Grandma's is known for being a relatively fast, generally flat course with minimal hills and a 130 feet elevation drop from start to finish.  Last year I ran 3:25:21, which was my personal best at the time until I ran 15 seconds faster in New York last November.  However last year's Grandma's was unusually hot and humid.  This year I was determined to break my PR and run under 3:20 weather permitting.

We arrived in Duluth on Friday, the day before the race.  A beautiful summer day except for a strong 20-25 mph west wind that made me cringe knowing we would be running directly into the face of it on race day if conditions didn't improve.  Race day forecast projected mostly cloudy skies with temps in the low 60's, and a west wind around 15 mph with gusts to 20mph.  Definitly an improvement from Friday, but one can't ignore a 15 mph headwind for 26 miles.  Race weekend Friday is always a fun time.  We attended the Marathon Expo at the DECC (Duluth Convention Center) in the afternoon and then took in the William K. Irvin 5k race at 6pm.  After the race we walked over to Canal Park for dinner before heading back to the hotel and some much needed sleep.    

Race morning came early with a 4:45am wake-up call, a quick breakfast and a 5:30am (26 mile) bus ride from the hotel to the starting line just west of Two Harbors, MN.  It was partly cloudy and cool as the bus left the hotel.  Along the way I began looking at the tree tops hoping I would see no movement, but the further we drove, the more I noticed tree tops swaying and leaves rustling.  I reluctantly realized the wind was going to be a factor, like it or not.  We arrived in Two Harbors about 90 minutes before the scheduled 7:30am marathon start.  My pre-race activities include drinking a 20 ounce bottle of water and eating a fresh banana about an hour before the race begins.  I also ate a cup of yogurt and a bowl of oatmeal at the hotel before jumping on the bus.  

Unlike shorter races, I don't run a few miles to warmup before a marathon.  Instead, I do spend a good 20-30 minutes massaging my leg muscles to get them warm and comfortable before the race which seems to work best for me.  There are always long lines for the many portable 'satellites' brought into the starting area at these large marathons.  I use one right when I hop off the bus, but also try to time it right so I can make one last stop about 10-15 minutes before the race starts.  It was now time for the national anthem followed by two Air Force fighter jets zooming low overhead which got everyone's adrenalin pumped up for the race to begin.

The early miles were a lot sunnier than I had hoped.  This was concerning as I had flash backs to last year when the sun warmed things up quickly, taking a huge toll on all the runners including myself.  As I ran past my family for the first time around mile 3, I asked them to pray for cloud cover!  To run under 3 hours, 20 minutes I would need to average a 7:37/mile pace, which is about 13 seconds faster than my previous best marathon pace.  I also try to build a small 5 minute cushion to work with by running slightly faster than my goal pace over the first half of the race.  This gives me a workable error margin in case something unfavorable should happen along the way (weather, injury, illness, etc.).  Out of the gate I was averaging 7:25/mile over the first 3 miles which is where I wanted to be.  I just needed the sun and wind to cooperate.

I could see faster runners up ahead who appeared to be running in shade most of the time, but like a mirage, I never seemed to reach the shade they were running in.  However things began to improve around mile 6 as cloud cover began to thicken, providing off an on shade which felt heavenly.  I reached the 10k mark in 46:04, still on a 7:25/mile pace.  The sun was no longer the primary issue, however the wind was.  It blew directly in our face the entire way with stronger wind gusts at times, particularly on stretches where the highway was relatively straight and the trees along the side were unable to help as a wind block.    

When the winds picked up I became concerned that the extra effort needed to maintain my pace would come back to haunt me at the end of the race when the legs grow weary and internal gas tank is running on empty.  After last year's heat I was careful to make sure I didn't drop a water cup or skip a water station along the way.  I also forced myself to take a bite of my energy bar every 3 miles or so.  I still struggle with a queasy stomach in the 2nd half of my marathons due to the never ending sloshing of water/nourishment inside my stomach.  It takes a beating in a race like this.  There is no alternative but to keep drinking and eating some form of appropriate nourishment along the way if you want to finish the race on your feet.  I've experimented with many different (easy to digest) foods recommended by running magazines (gels, energy bars, graham crackers, bananas, etc), but nothing seems to settle my stomach after I reach the midpoint of the race.

I reached the halfway point (13.1 miles) in 1:37:51.  With the gusty headwinds my overall race pace slowed a bit to 7:28/mile and the 5 minute cushion I was trying to build was now down to 4.  The good news?  We now had steady cloud cover for the remainder of the race which helped keep the temps in the mid 60's and also prevented the sun from sucking energy from my body I could not afford to lose.  I reached the 20 mile mark in 2:29:53 as my overall pace slowed to 7:30/mile.  At this pace my cushion was a little more than 3 minutes now.  Not a big error margin considering the toughest part of the race loomed ahead.

I reached the 20 mile mark faster than any of my 7 previous marathons and I was determined to reach my goal despite the fact I felt like I was going to vomit any minute from the constant sloshing of water in my stomach.  At mile 22 we reached one of the toughest sections of the course - Lemon Drop Hill.  It's really a freeway overpass, but instead of descending on the back side of the overpass, the road climbs for a bit longer more before leveling off again.

Halfway through mile 23 we turned left onto Superior Street which takes you on a straight shot west through the heart of downtown Duluth.  This section is about a mile and a half long, but I consider it one of the most difficult stretch in the race.  It's relatively flat but straight as an arrow and seems to go on and on, block after city block.  The spectator support is significant and very supportive along the downtown streets, but it seemed like the left turn onto 5th Avenue would never come.  Just before reaching 5th, I reached mile 25 in 3:09:49.  My race pace was now up to 7:36/mile.  I knew my cushion was all but gone and had to maintain my current pace over the final 1.2 miles if I was going to break 3:20.  Each of my mile splits were under 8 minute pace so far which was a first for me.  I knew if I could maintain a sub 8 minute pace the rest of the way I would achieve my goal, but I also think the fear of running out of gas so close to the finish outweighed the physical pain and exhaustion I was feeling at the time.

I finally reached the long awaited left turn onto 5th Avenue and one last hill to climb where 5th crosses over I35.  Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion like running in a dream, or was I actually running too slow and my dream was about to become a nightmare with less than a mile to go.  We crossed I35 and I took advantage of a brief downhill section onto Harbor Drive which loops around the south side of the DECC and then north again along it's east side.  About a half mile to go now, but we were running in the opposite direction of the finish line which seemed a bit defeating psychologically.  Next came a right turn on Railroad St for two short blocks before a final right turn onto Canal Park Drive and the home stretch. 

With about 400 yards to go I took a quick glance at my Garmin and saw I had less than 2 minutes to cross the finish line under 3:20.  Canal Park Drive is relatively straight but does bend slowly to the left so you can't really see the finish right away, but I could begin to see the large white and red balloon rainbows arching over the street up ahead and knew I was getting closer.  Bleachers lined the west side of the street packed with spectators.  One last glance at my Garmin and less than a minute to work with and less than 200 yards to go.  For the first time all race long my anxiety changed to the realization I was actually going to make it.  I could see the official race clock over the finish line which confirmed my time - I actually had an additional 17 seconds to burn as that's how long it took me to cross the starting line at the beginning of the race.  Thanks to racing chips on our shoes we are not penalized for the time it take sto cross the starting line.  With less than 50 yards to go I heard my name and home town read over the public address system which made everything seem official now.

I crossed the finish with an (official racing chip) time of 3 hours, 19 minutes, 40 seconds.  My goal was achieved and I pumped my fist into the air as I staggering through the finishers chute to received my medal and bottle of water.  Then I slowly meandered past other exhausted runners congratulating them as I made my way to the family gathering area to wait for my wife and daughter to arrive.  As happy as I was to achieve my goal, it never really feels as great as you think it will at the time.  The marathon completely drains you physically, mentally and emotionally and the initial recovery process takes 2-4 hours before I start to feel somewhat normal again.  I find that I enjoy the accomplishment much more the day after the marathon once I have regained my strength and my senses.

I finished 376th among 5,611 finishers and 22nd among 341 in my age group.  Regarding the Grand Prix, I earned 759 points in the race to boost my point total for the season to 3,777.  I also climbed into 7th place in the overall standings and first place in my age group.   I've run 5 of the 6 Grand Prix events so far, however a number of far more accomplished runners have only run 3-4 at this point.  They will make up the difference and then some as the season progresses.  Each runner can only count their top 10 race results among the 13 race events in the series.  This allows you to choose which of the 10 races you want to compete in if you can't run all 13.

My next marathon is the Medtronic Twin Cities in October.  This will be my 2nd Twin Cities Marathon and bring me full circle to where it all began for me back in 2007.  However I have several shorter races before Twin Cities.  The Boston Scientific Heart of the Summer 10k is coming up on July 24th and is race number 7 in the Grand Prix event series.

Race results:
http://www.mtecresults.com/runner/show?rid=1442&race=41

Brief video of my finish:
http://www.mtecresults.com/runner/videoResults?rid=1442&race=41

Medtronic Twin Cities 1 Mile - May 13, 2010

I entered this race for fun as well as to watch the USA 1 Mile Road Championships hosted by this event.  The event hosted the national championships last year as well with some very good milers in the bunch challenging the 4 minute barrier.  The course is a straight shot down Nicollet Mall beginning near Washington Ave and ending between 14th and 15th St.  Since I ran two indoor miles this winter I was also curious what kind of time I could obtain in a 1 mile outdoor road race.

Not a good first half of the month weather wise in Minnesota.  Very windy and although it was about 50 degrees it felt bone chilling as several passing showers helped to increase the chill factor.  For a race this short I wanted to get good and lathered up before the gun, but I could tell it was going to be difficult.  The race consisted of 6 different heats based on age groupings and ability with the men and women championship heats last.  I chose to run the 40+ Masters heat which was 3rd on the schedule.  Warming up was difficult in a downtown setting with people milling everywhere, but I managed to get in 2 miles before my heat. 

We were instructed to report to the starting gate 10 minutes before the gun, so I pulled off my warm-up gear and made my way to the start.  Just about then a light shower hit.  With the cool air, wind, and rain, I soon became chilled to the bone as I waited for the race to begin.  So much for being good and lathered up at the start.  Hypothermic may have been a better word to describe how I felt.  I realized this race may not go as planned.  I wanted to try and run a sub 5:30 mile which would beat my best indoor time of 5:31, but all I could think about was how wonderful a nice long, hot shower would be right now.

As the gun went off I began to maneuver around until I found a free running lane but as I reached the quarter mile mark I knew this would not be my day.  I ran a fast first quarter but spent too much energy maneuvering for position and was still chilled to the bone.  I just wanted the race to be over and so I put it in cruise control for the next half mile.  As I entered the last quarter I dug down for a little extra to finish strong but finished with a time of 5:48 - well short of my hopes.

I finished 225 of  2,358 overall and 15 of 93 in my age group.  I know the race would have been a lot more fun had the weather cooperated, but I hung around to watch the championship events before heading home to that hot shower I was craving.  Well, it's back to marathon training in preparation for Grandma's Marathon on June 19th.  Every race I have run over the past 3 years has been a new, or first time event for me.  Grandma's will be my first return trip race.  Hopefully I can improve upon my 3:25 time of last year!

http://live.mtecresults.com/runner/show?rid=1802&race=15

New Prague Half Marathon - May 8, 2010

The New Prague Half Marathon was race 5 of 13 in the MDRA Grand Prix Series.  I missed race 4 (Get in Gear 10k) because it was the same weekend as the Big Sur Marathon.  By not running the 10k, I fell to 16th place in the overall standings.  However since you can only include your top 10 results among the 13 races, it shouldn't hurt me as long as I finish at least 10 of the races. 

It was a cold and blustery day in New Prague with temps in the low 40's and a 15-20mph wind from the north.  I sat in my warm car until it was time to begin warming up.  The half marathon course was basically a large vertical rectangle running in a clockwise direction.  The first 2.5 miles took us east before turning south for the next 4 miles.  The rolling rural course was surrounded by open farm fields on both sides.  I kept a steady pace in the low 6:50/mile range taking advantage of the tail wind as we headed south.

At the halfway point we turned west for another 2.5 miles.  I realized the wind was more from the northwest as it began to buffet us with strong wind gusts.  Not a good sign considering we had to run north for the final 4 miles.  With about 4 miles to go we turned north heading directly into the teeth of the wind.  I struggled to maintain my pace with the wind and the rolling hills, but I had a good time going and my legs felt surprisingly strong despite my recent marathon. 

I've been trying to break 90 minutes in the half marathon for two years now and with 2 miles left it looked like I might actually have a shot.  At the same time precipitation in the form of ice pellets began to sting my face which was a momentary unwelcomed distraction.  With 1 mile to go I took advantage of a downhill section to push the pace, running mile 13 in 6:37, my fastest of the race.  As I hit the final stretch I saw my Garmin reading 1:29 but didn't know the seconds.  I pushed as hard as I could but saw it flip to 1:30 with about 50 yards to go.  I crossed the finish line with a new personal best of 1:30:15 - a full 1:12 better than my previous PR.  I was thrilled with my time since I wasn't expecting to challenge my PR today.

I finished 32 of 609 finishers and 2 of 33 in my age group.  In addition, my performance earned me an additional 778 Grand Prix points boosting my season point total to 3,018.  The race also helped me climb 4 positions to 12th in the overall standings.  The next Grand Prix event is Grandma's Marathon on June 19th, however I have one more 'fun' race next week - the Medtronic TC - 1 Mile on Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis.   

http://www.andersonraces.com/Results/nphalfrs10.htm

Big Sur International Marathon - April 25, 2010

The Big Sur International Marathon was definitely a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.  We flew to San Francisco on Wednesday, 4 days before the Sunday marathon.  Then drove two hours south to Monterey where we spent the majority of our 5 day adventure.  Our hotel in Monterey was about 4 miles north of the marathon finish line in Carmel.  On Thursday we drove the marathon course to become more familiar with the course and took many pictures along the way.  The Big Sur Marathon begins at Big Sur Station which is nestled in the middle of a beautiful mountainous redwood forest.  The entire 26.2 mile race follows highway 1 north along the pacific coastline all the way to the finish line at Carmel.  The first two pictures (above) show the starting area the day before the race and only provide a glimpse of the beauty in this scenic part of the country.

The Big Sur Marathon is without question the most scenic and beautiful marathon in the country, but is also the most challenging and difficult marathon course you will ever encounter.  On race day morning Highway 1 is completely shut down, so the only way to get to the starting line is via official race transportation from the Monterey Conference Center.  Runners were instructed to arrive at the conference center by 4:00am.  From there we were loaded onto a fleet of buses and driven to the start area.  Since the highway was otherwise shut down, spectators were not allowed to drive onto the course, or follow runners along the way.  I was glad we drove the course earlier in the week because the entire bus ride to Big Sur was in total darkness.  All you could see was a parade of tail lights ahead and headlights behind as the large caravan of buses headed south to Big Sur.  As we arrived at Big Sur Station, the eastern skyline was just beginning to show signs of daybreak. The weather was almost perfect.  Clear skies, light winds and about 50 degrees.  The race was scheduled to begin at 6:45am but started 10 minutes late as it took a bit longer than anticipated to line up the 4,500 marathoners on Highway 1.  There was just enough chill in the air that it felt good to get the race underway and begin warming the body as we ran.  The first 6 miles were the easiest part of the course because they were predominantly downhill or flat.  Mile 1 winds downhill past thousands of large redwoods that lined the highway.

The skies began to turn from black to blue just before the race started, although the sun was still hiding behind the towering hills to our east.  At the 3 mile mark we ran through Big Sur Village where many who were staying in the surrounding campgrounds or cabins walked up to the highway to cheer us on.  Race officials warned us to add anywhere from 15-20 minutes to our previous best marathon times due to the difficult of the course with its large and continuous hills.  After driving the course they didn't have a hard time convincing me of this, so I kept my pace around 7:50/mile in the early going.  Not too fast but not too slow since this was the easiest section of the course.  At mile 5 we passed the entrance to Molera State Park where we soon began to transition from the forest to the open, grassy pasture land.  As we ran through the pastures we encountered many of the "local" spectators (picture - bottom left).  Miles 6-8 angled us toward the coast where we got our first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean and Point Sur in the distance (bottom right).  Point Sur marks the 8th mile of the race where we connect to the coastline and follow it all the way to the finish line.  Very weird for someone from the midwest seeing cows graze near ocean beaches.  It was during this stretch to the coastline where we felt the first rays of direct sunlight.  Still on the cool side but perfect racing weather with just a light headwind.  coastline wind in this part of the country always comes from the north, so significant winds on race day would only mean bad news for marathoners.  Fortunately that did not happen.  Point Sur also presented us with our first hill of the race.  Only a small taste of what was to come.

It was amazing as I took in the ever changing scenery along the way.  At the top of the first hill, wild flowers were in full spring bloom and lined the highway on both sides (below).  Mile 9 is predominantly downhill and lead us across the Little Sur River bridge and toward the base of the most intimidating hill you will ever encounter in a road marathon.  The highway loops inland for a quarter mile across the bridge giving you a perfect view of the difficult climb ahead.

As we crossed the bridge we ran past a group of drummers (below left from last year's marathon) who provided motivation and inspiration (or a distraction from our fear) as we began our 2 mile (520 foot) climb up to Hurricane Point.  The 2 miles up to Hurricane Point is a steady climb with some very steep sections along the way.  Only one brief but flat 200 yard stretch 2/3's of the way up.  Along the way you encounter several turns which (if not familiar with the course) give you the impression you are reaching the summit, only to discover that as you round the bend the road continues to climb on and on and on.  Knowing the climb was 2 miles long I made note of my mileage at the base so I could track my remaining distance to the top.  Many runners resorted to walk breaks as they climbed, but marathons were made for running and I wasn't about to give in to a mere 520 foot, 2 mile hill no matter how tempting it may have been to walk!  The summit provided a breathtaking view of the rocky pacific coast and the beautiful aqua/blue ocean water (below right).  The picture doesn't provide you with a good sense of depth but the summit is 550 feet above sea level.

From Hurricane Point you can see the most famous landmark of the Big Sur marathon in the distance 1 mile down the road - the Bixby Bridge (below left).  Thepicture to the right looks straight down from Hurricane Point.  Iv'e been told that some years the race has encountered 30-40 mph headwinds at the summit which is how the point got its name, however we were fortunate to avoid winds like that, although it was a bit breezy.  The one mile descent to the Bixby Bridge was no picnic either.  Although downhill, it was a steep descent, dropping 300 feet to the bridge.  A real workout for the quads.  Again we were warned that most injuries in this race occur on this one mile stretch as runners try to make up for lost time on the climb and run too fast downhill putting too much tension on the joints and quads.

The Bixby Bridge marks the exact halfway point of the race.  As you approach the bridge you begin the hear the faint sounds of a piano.  Each year concert pianist Michael Martinez plays his grand piano at the north end of the bridge in full tuxedo.  A rare and unusual experience hearing a concert pianist in the middle of a marathon along the rugged sea coast.  It provided one last diversion as we began the tough 2nd half of the marathon and many hills still to come.  None as large as Hurricane Point, but just as tough, if not tougher when fatigue sets in.   

The next 6 miles are the most desolate of the race for me and required me to really focus as the hills wanted to wear me down.  The first major climb is Rocky Point at mile 17.  These miles provide no protection from the sun and although the race temperature never rose much beyond 60 degrees, it began to feel warm in spots where we were sheltered from the ocean breeze.  Extended direct sunlight tends to wear me down in marathons anyway regardless of the temperature. With no spectators allowed on the course you are really on your own to motivate yourself mile after mile and these miles definitely made me feel like civilization was hundreds of miles away.  Only the rugged coastline and its beauty to keep me company.  We ran past Soberanes Point (mile 19) and then began another difficult climb to Yankee Point (mile 22).  The transition to Yankee Point began to show signs of civilization again as a few human spectators who live on the coast took time to encourage us as we ran by.  Race martial's required us to run the entire race in the ocean side lane so the mainland lane could be used for police on motorcycles and other emergency vehicles.  One unexpected challenge was the cant in the road on turns.  Much like an oval race track the highway turns were intentionally banked to assist vehicles around tight corners. This was the case throughout the coastline section of the race, but as the race wore on and fatigue set in I found myself drifting down the embankment and at times having difficulty maintaining my line.

As we ran from Yankee Point to Point Lobos (mile 24), the number of spectators began to swell as we approached Carmel.  High school bands popped up here and there, along with other roadside entertainment like the "Strawberry Lady" and her table of huge fresh strawberries.  A few belly dancers came out of nowhere as they wandered onto the course becoming more obstacle than entertainment.  After conquering another hill, the stretch from Point Lobos to mile 25 was mostly downhill thankfully.  Just one mile to go but also one last hill to conquer.  A half mile climb that was straight as an arrow heading into Carmel.  I could taste the finish line but desparately wanted to run around the hill.  It felt like a dirty trick played by an evil race director.  As I reached the top of the hill there was only one-half mile to go and it was all downhill!  I could see the flags of different countries along the side of the highway and the big orange (inflated) arch that represented the finish line.  Spectators lined both sides of the road as we approached the final 100 yards.  The marathon was the main event Sunday morning but there were also several other shorter races affiliated with the marathon that used Highway 1 and finish area also.  As a result there were many walkers/runners completing their events and heading down the final stretch with me.  The picture (below left) was with 200 yards remaining and the one on the right with 100 yards to go.

Like every marathon, there is a sense of relief when you cross the finish line knowing it's over and you successfully completed the race.  After running for over 3 hours it feels very strange - almost difficult to walk.  After each marathon I begin to realize how spent I am from head to toe.  Celebrating the accomplishment comes later in the day.  My first priority is to rehydrate and finding something along the post race fruit/snack tables that looks appealing to eat and won't upset my stomach. 

My official time was 3:38:16.  Just 13 minutes shy of my personal best and about 5-7 minutes faster than I expected to run considering the course.  Overall I finished 304 out of 3,448 finishers and 26th of 219 in my age group.  Based on the 4,500 runners who entered the race, the course apparently took its toll on many who were unable to make it to the finish line.  I have many memories and stories of which I won't go into now, but I definitely recommend this race to any marathon runner looking for an experience they will never forget!

https://www.runraceresults.com/secure/raceresults.cfm?ID=RCLJ2010