Dash and Dine 5k - November 28th, 2013

The Dash and Dine 5k is is a small race up in Chisago City, Minnesota, which draws about 200 runners each year. I ran this race last Thanksgiving as well and decided to run it again this year for two reasons. It's a relatively flat course and you can park close to the start/finish line! This is a key feature any time you run a race this time of year in Minnesota when the weather can be nice sometimes (last year it was in the 50's!), but chances are will be a bit on the cool, even snowy side.

Today it was 23 degrees with a 9mph NW wind. After warming up, I went back to my car 10 minutes before the race began to get out of the cold and debate how many layers I would peel off for the race. I parked just 50 yards from the start, which allowed me to sit in my car until the last minute. At the last minute I quickly stripped down to my shorts and shirt before sprinting to the starting line just seconds before the race began. If not for the convenient parking location, I probably would not have braved the shorts and shirt for this race.

This was an out and back course, so the finish is nice and close to the car as well. I just wanted to break 20 minutes today which was another reason I decided to brave the cold and run in shorts. It may be psychological, but I feel much slower in my running tights, even though they weigh virtually nothing. It's probably a flexibility thing, as the tights do feel a bit restrictive. Anyway, the race went very well. I quickly settled into a nice, aggressive pace in the first mile (6:20/mile) and maintained this pace from start to finish. My time was 19:40 (6:20/mile), finishing 5th among 182 runners and 1st among 14 in my age group. This was my second fastest 5k (I've raced 13 to date) and finished just 2 seconds off my personal best.

This was also my last race of the year/season. It's also when I transition back to mostly indoor treadmill training over the winter months and begin to lay out my race calendar for 2014. I've not had good luck weather-wise with January 1st races in Minnesota, which is no surprise to anyone who lives here. So I've already crossed that possibility off my list for next year, which means it will probably be 40 degrees and sunny on New Year's Day! Most likely I will kick off my 2014 race season sometime in March. It's always fun to take time over the winter months to explore the ever growing number of road race options offered in Minnesota.  Once I've gone over all the races, I'll select the ones that make the most sense based on my availability and training plan for the year.  I have some race favorites that I like to run every other year or so, but also like to run new races I haven't done before.  Anyway, more to come in a few months.

Race Results:
http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/dashanddine5kresults2013.txt

Monster Dash 10 Mile - October 26th, 2013

The Monster Dash 10 Mile run in St. Paul is my last big race of the year. Last year I ran the Monster Dash Half Marathon. I haven't run a 10 mile race in two years, but coming off a full marathon just three weeks ago, this should be a good test for me right now. Both the 10 mile and half marathon races start together, utilizing the same course, but the half marathon finishes on the edge of downtown St. Paul, where the 10 mile concludes three miles further west. Like all the Ortho races, this one also attracts thousands of runners. Almost 10,000 runners total between the two races, with two-thirds of them run the half marathon.

Late October is a great time of year to run a solid performance. My endurance levels remain high after my recent marathon. The weather is usually nice and cool this time of year and this particular course is geared for a fast time. The elevation drop from start to finish is 225 feet. A few hills mixed in, but nothing major. Mostly some nice long, gradual downhill sections where you don't even realize you are running downhill. Nice and easy on the quads.

The race starts at the Cathedral in St. Paul. A location very near and dear to my heart as it at sits less than a half mile from the finish of the Twin Cities Marathon. It's here where you experience a sense of euphoria as the marathon finish line comes into view for the first time as you pass by. But in this race, the 10 mile course heads West on Summit Ave from the Cathedral toward the Mississippi River about 4 miles away. From there, it follows Mississippi River Blvd south another 4 miles before connecting with Sheppard Road where it heads northeast toward downtown St. Paul for the final 2 miles.

The weather was good. Partly cloudy with an air temperature of 40 degrees and a brisk 15mph wind from the northwest which was the only downside. Minutes before the start of the race, they announced there would be a 10 minute delay due to heavy traffic jams in the downtown area, as so many runners were still arriving for the race. This was an irritation for me as I don't understand why they penalize runners who already warmed up and were ready to go. An additional 10 minute wait in windy, 40 degree weather isn't much fun because the warm clothing has already been peeled off and your left standing in only a shirt, shorts and shoes. I understand the desire to allow time for most of the runners to get the starting line before the horn sounds, but it is a chip timed event, so their race time won't begin until they cross the starting line anyway. Oh well, enough on that.

I came into this race with one goal in mind. That being to beat my fastest 10 mile time of 1:07:07, set in May of 2011. I knew this was going to be the race to beat it and everything (other than the delayed start to the race) was lined up for me to do so. My goal was to run a 6:45 first mile and then push the pace in the second mile to 6:40 and hold it there the rest of the way. The first 4 miles were primarily into the wind until the course turns south when we reach the river. I hit the 1 mile mark in good shape at 6:45, but then slowed in my second mile to 6:50.  The first two miles were relatively flat for the most part, but miles 3 and 4 were downhill miles. With panic setting in after my second mile split, I push the pace and ran mile 3 in 6:40 and mile 4 in 6:33. I was now running faster than planned but feeling good. My mile 5 split was 6:35 and suddenly the race was half over.

I felt great at this point and felt my confidence grow as I pressed on. I ran the next 3 miles in 6:33, 6:35 and 6:33. I was now turning onto Sheppard Road with the last two miles ahead of me.  I knew I was going to break my fastest 10 mile race at this point, it was only a question, by how much. For the first time I could feel my body on the edge of exhaustion and the race seemed to slow down. I was running just as hard if not harder, but the miles were no longer flying by as they were to this point.  I finally reached the 9 mile point running a 6:23 split - my fastest mile yet. Only 1 mile to go, but like mile 9, the final mile never seemed to end. Finally, with about 400 yards to go the 10 mile race peeled off from the half marathon course to the finish. Runner traffic had really thinned out and I was all alone at this point, pushing as hard as I could. I ran the final mile in 6:21 which was my fastest mile of the race. I finished with a time of 1:05:48 beating my prior best by 1 minute, 19 seconds.

I finished 12th overall among 2,954 finishers and 1st out of 94 men in my 50-59 age group. This was also the first time I've finished with a national class time for my age. I've come very close many times but always land at the upper edge of the regional class times. So that was very exciting. I have one more race this year on Thanksgiving Day morning which is a small 5k race in White Bear Lake, which I ran last year. It was a satisfying race season this year and I was very happy I was able to stay healthy this year.

Race Results: http://www.mtecresults.com/runner/show?rid=296&race=1938

Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon - October 6, 2013

It's been two years since I ran my last marathon and my nerves have now reached peak levels.  I always get nervous before every race, but a full marathon puts them on high alert.  Not having run a marathon in two years adds a bit of uncertainty as well.  It's not just completing the distance that causes my stomach to churn (although that's reason enough).  It's knowing I will be soon be pushing through significant physical discomfort for an extended period of time in an attempt to complete the race within a time goal I will have decided upon right before the race begins.  Knowing also that after I cross the finish line, the discomfort will linger through most of the day like bad flu symptoms, until my body regains it's appropriate chemical balance again.  It's not as simple as pounding down 3 Gatorade's after the race.  It takes hours to re-balance again...or at least for me.  One might ask...Why do you do it if you don't have to?  Good question.  Not sure I can answer it in a way that everyone can understand.  Part of it is the natural high and satisfaction one receives when achieving something so difficult that very few people can do it - like climbing Mount Everest.  It becomes almost addictive in nature.  Another factor is the competition itself.  Never being satisfied, but always wanting to do better.  Your race time is the obvious measurement of success.  The faster the time, the better the result.  But after running over 70 road races I've come to realize there are other things that define success, or lack thereof  in a long race like a marathon.  Weather conditions, course difficulty and personal health/injury status all play a huge part in determining your race time.  The amount of effort you put into the race isn't always directly proportional to your time, as some of these factors can work against you and all of them must be considered when determining an aggressive but realistic time goal.

My training has gone reasonably well this year heading into the marathon.  However, I was dealing with a right achilles issue that caused more nuisance pain than serious injury on many of my runs.  I had to put up with it during my high mileage weeks when rest was not an option.  I was hoping it wouldn't flair up or throb during the second half of the marathon.  The other concern was the weather forecast early in the week that projected temps in the 40's, high winds, with a high probability of rain.  Together, all three elements could create the perfect storm for hypothermia in a long race like this.  Fortunately, the forecast improved dramatically the day before the race.  So much so, that Sunday morning greeted us with absolutely perfect marathon conditions.  Temps were in the 40's as predicted, but the winds were calm and the rain actually held off until just after I crossed the finish line.  With calm/dry conditions, 40 degrees was exactly what I was hoping for.  Knowing the improved conditions, I decided on a time goal for the race which was to finish somewhere in the 3:15-3:20 range, assuming all goes as planned.  If it were not for my two year marathon layoff, I probably would shoot for something closer to 3:10 (3:11 is my personal best).  But having only run four races so far this year, my confidence level wasn't as high as other years.

The Twin Cities Marathon utilizes the Metrodome as home base the morning of the race.  The facility provides adequate protection from the elements and primary restroom facilities.  The old dome was built at a modest cost during a time when restroom accommodations were not considered a high priority item in new stadium construction.  So lines are always very long and it's best to arrive at least an hour before the race for this reason.  Of course the Metrodome will be torn down by this time next year, so I'm not sure yet how the race organizers plan to handle the start of the race next year.  They may move it to TCF stadium with a course alteration, or leave the course as is and simply make runners brave the elements without the protection of the dome until the new stadium is completed in four years.              

One of the most exciting moments for me at every marathon is the final 10-15 minutes before the start of the race.  By then most runners have migrated to the starting corrals and are in the process of peeling off any excess gear worn to provide warmth during the cool morning.  Energetic music blares over the loud speakers, while the race announcer provides final instruction with a minute by minute countdown to the start of the race.  Finally the national anthem is sung and we are ready to go.  I find this window of time very exhilarating and it helps me focus on the task at hand before the horn sounds to start the race.  I also find it interesting to do some "people watching" in the corral around me.  Everyone has their own rituals they go through before the start of the race.  Some completely shut off everything around them and go to their quiet place, while others laugh and joke with those around them about the challenges that lie ahead over the next few hours.  Still others play around with their GPS watches to make sure they are getting a clear signal so they can track their pace and mile progress once the race begins.  The eyes of the runners tell the real story though.  Some eyes overflow with confidence while others reflect fear and wonderment.  I'm not sure what mine reflect, but it's probably a combination of all the above.  But the time has finally come when all the hours and miles of training will be put to the test.  The point of no return as the horn sounds and the mass of humanity begins to roll forward onto the course.  You hear the high pitched screeching sound of everyone's electronic race chip registering the start of their individual race as they cross the starting line.  Then, the electronic noise quickly fades into the distance, replaced by the steady thumping of running shoes against the pavement all around me.      

The early miles of a marathon are always fantastic.  Your body feels great, like you can run forever at race pace.  The cheers from the spectators provide solid energy and the crowds are nice and thick throughout the "lakes" portion of the course.  Everything is fresh, new and invigorating.  Despite the cool temps, dehydration is always a concern due to the amount of time on the course and I made it a point to hydrate at every water stop, every other mile right from the start.  I've become rather skilled at taking the water cup from a volunteers hand without slowing down and without significant spillage.  I then crimp the top of the paper cup with one hand before drinking to ensure the majority goes down my throat rather than allover my face.  I only dropped one cup from a volunteer along the way this time.  I also chose to bring graham crackers in my running pouch rather than the gels and power bars many like to use, as my stomach tends to get a bit unsettled over the final 6-8 miles of a marathon.  Although the nutritional value of a graham cracker isn't comparable to other products, I find them easier to digest and easy on the stomach during a race.  I ate a small graham cracker section about every 2 to 3 miles to control the sloshing of water in my stomach while also providing needed carbs for the body to process as the race progressed.     

 

Throughout the first half of the race my pace was steady and consistent.  I was averaging a 7:25 mile pace which translates to a 3:13 marathon.  The weather remained fantastic with cool temps, calm winds and best of all, no threat of rain so far.  I peeled off my gloves at the 8 mile mark.  My inner ears often hurt when exposed to windy, cold temps, so I kept my headband on until the 18 mile mark as a precaution to make sure it wasn't going to be an issue for me.  The skies which were mostly clear at the start began to give way to cloud cover during the second half of the race.  However, I didn't pay much attention to the weather once I reached the half marathon mark as by then, things become much more serious.  The early race enthusiasm and excitement gleamed from the spectators gives way to a more focused and intense mindset.  The crowds were still there cheering as loud as before, but my awareness of them became less and less.  I tend to almost shut down my senses in an effort to conserve and redirect all my energy toward pushing myself as efficiently as possible to the finish line.  I totally relax my facial muscles (my wife says I look half dead when I do this) to conserve every ounce of energy I can in hopes it will pay big dividends in the later miles.

        

As I crossed the 20 mile mark I was still on pace for a 3:14 marathon, but the first signs of trouble began to surface.  My quads and hamstrings began to tighten.  They weren't cramping, but they became tight to the point that my strides began to shorten by razor thin margins.  I was able to maintain the same leg turnover rate, but losing just a tiny amount of stride distance caused my pace to slow about 30 seconds per mile. The slower pace can also be attributed in part to the 3 mile climb up Summit Avenue in St Paul (miles 21-24).  The Summit stretch represents the most significant elevation climb during the entire race and at a time when you are least equipped (physically) to handle it.  Once reaching the top of Summit Avenue, there are only two miles to go.  Among the seven different marathons I've completed, my favorite finish is Twin Cities.  With about a half mile to go you pass the Cathedral of St Paul on your left where the State Capital and finish line area comes into view for the first time below.  It's a sight for sore eyes as you head downhill for about a quarter mile before leveling off for the last stretch to the finish line.  The view of the finish area from the top of the hill provides one last bolt of energy to push you to the finish.      

I finished with an official time of 3:17:04.  I lost 3 minutes to my pace over the last 6 miles but still ran my 3rd fastest marathon among the 12 I have now completed.  Overall, I finished 625th among 8,852 finishers and 13th in my age group of 298 men.  I achieved my goal by finishing within the window I was targeting, but as always, a part of me was unhappy that I didn't maintain the 3:14 pace after the 20 mile mark.  I now have 3 Twin Cities Marathon's under my belt which ties me with Grandma's Marathon for the most marathons I have completed. The race results page below includes a brief video of my finish.  As soon as I crossed the finish line it began to sprinkle, so I grabbed my stuff, connected with my family and headed home as it began to rain heavier.  I was very happy to beat the rain and also looking forward to a few days off before resuming my training for a late October 10 mile race in St Paul.

   

Race Results:

http://www.mtecresults.com/runner/show?rid=1639&race=1760

City of Lakes 25k - September 8, 2013

I ran the City of Lakes 25k for the first time back in 2010.  This 15.5 mile event is one of the foundational races each year in the Twin Cities.  2013 is the 32nd annual.  The race attracts a top notch field of runners among all age groups, men and women.  Prize money is part of the reason, but the race has a solid tradition among MDRA faithful who run it every year, while many use this race as a tune-up for a fall marathon.  The competition is always stiff in all age groups.       

It's been unseasonably hot in the Twin Cities the past two weeks with temps in the 90's and high humidity.  We got a bit of a break race morning in that the skies were overcast with a nice breeze.  The overcast skies kept the race temperature (70 degrees) from climbing and it felt just fine standing around.  But the humidity was a much bigger factor than I thought it would be.  I worked up an sweat running one easy warm-up mile.  I realized the humidity was going to be a factor despite the cloud cover, but I didn't realize it was going to be as significant of a factor as it actually was.  In 2010 the race temp was 60 degrees with low humidity - much better racing conditions for a race of this distance.

I find it's sometimes an advantage having run a race previously, as it provides a frame of reference for me during the race.  It can be a psychological advantage if my actual race pace is faster than my previous benchmark as it pumps me up with confidence.  But in the same way it's a psychological disadvantage if I find my pace is lagging behind my prior race time, leading to discouragement/panic.  I decided beforehand that if I put forth the same effort today that I did in 2010, most likely my time will be slower because of the humid conditions.

The race began on the southwest corner of Lake Harriet, winding counter-clockwise around the lake.  On the north side of Lake Harriet the course diverts over to the neighboring Lake Calhoun for a full counter-clockwise loop around that lake before returning to Lake Harriet and a second loop around both lakes.  Finally, one last loop around Lake Harriet before finishing near the band shell on the north side of the lake.  The course is relatively flat for the most part with the exception that the north lake (Calhoun) carries a lower elevation than Harriet.  So the connecting stretch between the two lakes was downhill to Calhoun and back uphill to Harriet.  However, the toughest part of the course is on the south end of Lake Harriet where two moderate but consecutive hill climbs.  The tough part though is the back side of each hill is a steep decent that forces you to "break" on the way down to avoid a full face plant.  The course navigates through this stretch 3 times - mile 1, mile 7 and mile 14.  The second time is tough, but the 3rd time your legs are so rubbery that it becomes a bit scary wondering if your exhausted legs are strong enough to keep you from falling flat on your face during the steep decline. 

I ran the first half of the race at a fairly steady 6:50-6:55/mile pace.  Then my pace slowed about 5 seconds/mile over the second half of the race.  However, I ran mile 14 (the 3rd and final passing of the tough hills) in 7:20, my slowest mile of the race, before completing my final mile in 7:15.  I could feel myself fading a bit over those last two miles.  My body lost a lot of fluid during the humid race.  I really noticed it right after the race when I could feel the sweat rolling off my drenched shirt and shorts like a faucet.  I was still perspiring heavily 15-20 minutes after the race.  It took me almost 8 hours to get my fluids in balance again.  I didn't feel very well the rest of the day.  I knew it was going to be a humid race, but the impact on my body was much tougher than I expected.
       

I finished with a time of 1:48:35, almost 2 minutes slower than my 2010 time.  Overall I finished 91st among 667 finishers and 4th among 39 in my age group.  In 2010 I finished 106th overall among 655 finishers, so the humidity must have affected everyone's time today.  Despite the slower time than 3 years ago, I feel satisfied that I ran as well as possible under the conditions.  Now it's on to the Twin Cities Marathon next month (October 6th).  My first marathon in two years!  It's actually a bit scary thinking about it, but all marathons scare me because I know the pain that's coming around the 18-20 mile mark and I don't want to give in to it where my overall race time is negatively compromised.  Grinding out those final miles while trying to maintain my race pace requires unbelievable mental toughness.  The kind of toughness you can't just assume will be there when you need it.  That's the scary part of a marathon.  After 2.5 hours of hard racing, your body wants to shut down, but there are still 5 tough miles to go.  You worry that you can't find the mental toughness needed when you get there.  Can I sustain my race pace through the tough miles, or will I succumb to the physical punishment and compromise my race performance?  Should be fun!    

Race Results:

http://www.raceberryjam.com/indexrr.html

Urban Wildland Half Marathon - August 3, 2013

 

Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day for a race of this distance, considering the time of year. Sunny skies, a light north wind with race temps in the 60-65 degree range. Even the humidity was under control. This was the third time I've run this race (2008 and 2011 being the others) which takes place in Richfield, MN just West of the airport. The two previous races were very humid. Miles 2-4 are on a narrow dirt trail through a thickly wooded nature preserve. I remember how "soupy" the air was the prior two races with no air movement through this trail section. Today was a breath of fresh air! This was my first big race of the year and first half marathon since October. My training has gone well so far this summer. No injuries and I've been able to get my mileage and tempo workouts completed as planned. So I entered this race excited about running well in my first big race of the year.

 

Breaking 90 minutes is my primary goal every time I run a half marathon. This will be my 15th half marathon and I've only run under 90 minutes 3 times. In fact the two times I ran this race before, represent two of my four slowest half marathons. But for some reason, I really like this race. I'm just not sure why. Maybe it's the ever changing scenery as this course winds through and around protected nature areas, while also cutting through the heart of residential Richfield. I'm not a big fan of (unpaved) trail runs and this course has a 2.5 mile stretch as previously mentioned. It also has many, many twists and turns as you can see from the course map pictured above. It's not an easy course (which may explain my slow times), other than it's a fairly flat course with the biggest hill coming in mile 6.

   I think I started out too fast in my prior two races this year which were shorter in distance. So my game plan this time was to make sure I didn't run a negative split in my first mile (faster than my overall target pace). My goal was to lock onto a 6:50/mile pace and maintain it throughout the race. As the race began, I did a good job holding my pace back. In fact I ran the first half mile at a 7:05 pace and realized I needed to pick up the pace a bit. My first mile was exactly 6:50. The next 3 miles took us through the dirt trails of the nature preserve.  Instead of running negative splits where I thought I would need to hold back, I had some difficulty maintaining my pace through this narrow trail with its many bends and turns. I found myself having to step it up the last half of each mile to get back on pace.  

By mile 5 we were back on pavement for the duration of the race.  I was still on my target pace and found it easier to maintain my pace on residential streets.  The next two miles had fewer turns and longer stretches of straight running.  These stretches can be a bit monotonous because you don't have to focus as intently on the course.  However, then you tend to think more about the physical pain you are going through.  But these stretches are also easier to maintain a pace once you find your groove and allow your mind to drift away to more pleasant thoughts other than the growing fatigue that continues to knock on your door each mile.  Mile 9/10 are two of the toughest miles on the course because they consist of many turns and bends...about 7 in each mile.  They also represented my two slowest miles (6:59) of the race.  Once I got past mile 10, I began my mental countdown to the finish.  Just 3 miles to go, just 2 miles to go.  At the two mile mark we ran through Taft Park.  A softball facility which has significance to me in my softball playing days back in the late 70's...but that's a story for another time.        

The last two miles require more mental strength than physical strength.  Trying to keep your body from slowing down when it's desperately crying out to do so.  Throughout the race there were several runners which I was jockeying position with.  I would pass them, they would pass me and so on throughout the race.  The final mile brought us back to the park where the race began next to the Richfield Ice Arena.  With just a half mile to go I passed one of these runners who I was back and forth with all race.  It gave me the mental strength I needed to finish strong.  My race time was 1:29:35 which ties as my 3rd fastest half marathon and just my 4th half marathon under 90 minutes.  I finished 31st among 846 finishers and 3rd of 73 finishers in my age group.  My overall race pace was 6:50 on the nose.  I was very happy with my race performance because my mile splits were so consistent.  Only a 12 second variance between my fastest and slowest miles.  My next race is one month from now at the City of Lakes 25k in Minneapolis.  Then on to the Twin Cities Marathon in October.

Race Results:
http://www.mtecresults.com/race/show/1672/2013_Urban_Wildland-Half_Marathon

Nisswa Firecracker 10k - July 6, 2013

The Nisswa Firecracker race in northern Minnesota was a late entry to my race schedule this year.  I was considering a 10k race in Minneapolis, but last minute plans brought me up north to my son-in-laws family cabin for the weekend.  I took a peak to see if there might be a 10k race in the area that I could run Saturday morning.  The Nisswa race seemed to be a good option...the only 10k option in the area.  Nisswa also offered a 5k race, but my plan is to run a half marathon early next month, so stepping up from the 5k to the 10k distance made the most sense.

Race morning was 70 degrees, cloudy and humid, with rain about to roll in.  Runner turnout was far better than expected for a small town on a holiday weekend.  700 runners between the two races.  I checked in early, but shortly after I did, the check-in lines grew almost 2 blocks long.  As the start of the race approached, it became clear that with so many runners still in line, the start of the race would need to be delayed.  Unfortunately I had already warmed up anticipating the planned 8am start, so I tried to stay loose while waiting.  It was a 20 minute delay before they brought us to the start line.  Of course the race couldn't begin until they lit the official fireworks in the middle of the street!  The fuse wasn't cooperating for the individual trying to light it, but he eventually got it lit,  Then after the national anthem it was finally time for the race to start.

The course was advertised as very flat, with two dirt road sections accounting for about one mile of 6.2 mile course.  The race began well for me.  I felt loose and comfortable through the first mile which I ran in 6:30.  I ran the second mile in 6:25, however I began to discover that the flat course was not as flat as advertised.  There were no big hills or long climbs, but continuous rolling hills most of the way.  The dirt road sections were not too bad, but there were some loose sandy sections that hindered traction at times.

The rolling hills and humidity began to bother me over the next two miles and my pace began to suffer a bit, running 6:36 in mile 3 and 6:39 in mile 4.  Mile 4 became a bit of an obstacle course as the 10k and 5k races converged and shared the next half mile.  Most of the 5k runners had already passed through this section and now the 5k walkers were filling both sides of the road and posing challenges for 10k runners attempting to pass through them.

The last two miles where tough for me.  I wasn't dealing with the humidity very well and felt very tired and sluggish as a result.  This is where the race becomes as much a mental game as a physical game and I wasn't mentally tough today.  The 10k field had spread thin by this point and after passing a runner in mile 5, it looked unrealistic that I would be able to catch the next runner in front of me.  In cases like this I find myself settling for my current race place and simply trying to finish the race out.  But if a runner is within range of being caught, my adrenalin kicks in and I usually respond well in those situations.  In this case my last two miles were unfortunately my slowest (6:41, 6:47).  I'm always a bit disappointed when I can't maintain my target pace throughout the race.  At the same time this was not an easy course and the humid air did a number on me.

My 10k time was 40:02, finishing 13th out of 222 finishers and 2nd of 8 in my age group.  An okay, but not great race for me.  I was able to spend a quite moment sharing a pretzel with my granddaughter after the race, so all is good.  My next race, which I mentioned earlier, is a half marathon on August 3rd.  This will be another warm race most likely, but I will have another month of summer training under my belt.  Hoping this will allow me to handle the heat better than I did my last two races.  

Race Results:
https://www.racemine.com/Race-Place-Chip-Timing/Events/2013/Nisswa-Firecracker/results

Manitou Days 5k - June 14, 2013

It's been 7 long months since my last race on Thanksgiving Day.  No, I didn't give up running and no I haven't been laid up with an injury.  There were 5 other races this year I either entered to run or considered running.  But primarily due to inclement weather, I backed out of every one of them.  Maybe I've become a bit soft after 6 years of racing.  I used to race no matter what the weather was like, but to be honest, it's just not much fun when you are cold, wet and miserable before the race even starts.  With winter stretching into April this year, coupled with a very wet and cold start to summer, it's just not been a good racing year.  I did show up for a 5k race last month, but about an hour before the race began a major storm hit that dropped several inches of rain in just a few hours.  It was only 50 degrees that day and there was no way to adequately warm up before the race without becoming thoroughly drenched, cold and miserable before the horn even sounded.  Hard to run at a 5k pace when your muscles aren't loose and relaxed.

That brings me to today's race.  A small 5k in White Bear Lake that preludes their Manitou Day's parade in Downtown White Bear.  After all my talk about cold wet weather, I'm not going even considering complaining about the weather being warm for this race.  Most of my 60+ races have been morning races. This was just my third race held in the evening.  It was 79 degrees at race time, with some humidity due to a chance of rain.  I didn't think the warm temperature would bother me too much at a 5k distance.  It was also windy, so I figured the breeze would keep me cool enough. 

The first mile was a quick one mile counter clockwise loop that took us directly into the wind the first half mile and then with the wind over the second half.  I ran a 6:17 first mile which is right where I wanted to be.  The remainder of the race was primarily with the wind heading east through the downtown parade route and then following the White Bear Lake shoreline east to the finish.  As we ran through the downtown parade route I could feel my body start to overheat.  I was dressed appropriately for a warm race wearing a thin singlet, but the sudden change from cool to warm weather was a bigger shock to my body than what I expected.  My second mile slowed to a 6:33 - an indication I was not dealing with the heat and humidity very well. 

As the final mile began, I was really struggling with the heat.  I maintained my mile two pace, but felt sluggish, uncomfortable and basically "spent" the rest of the way.  I found myself looking at my garmin way too often to see how far I was from the finish line which wasn't coming up fast enough for me.  We then approached a left hand turn at the 2.8 mile mark.  Trying to stay mentally tough and push myself over the final 3 tenths of a mile, I made the turn and much to my surprise the finish line was suddenly just 50 yards in front of me.  The race clock was only showing 18 minutes and change when I crossed the line.  My garmin said the same thing.  The bad news was my garmin only showed 2.83 miles as the race distance instead of a true 5k distance of 3.10 miles.  For some reason the race distance was almost 3 tenths of a mile short, which explains my fantastic race time of 18:19 (about a minute and 15 seconds faster than my best 5k).  I wish I could claim the time as a legitimate 5k distance, but my actual race pace was 6:28 which translates to a 20:05 time for a 5k. 

After the race, a number of other runners were confirming the same thing, that the distance was about 3 tenths short based on their GPS watches and dramatically impacted their 5k race time from what they normally run.  The race director said the start line was moved due to road construction, but didn't think it shortened the race more than one tenth of a mile.  I'm afraid his estimate was off a bit. 

I finished 6th overall among 157 finishers and 1st among 13 men in my age group.

Race results:
http://www.frontrunnerusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/manitoudays5kresults20131.txt      

All in all, I was a bit disappointed that my overall pace translated to a 5k time over 20 minutes. I don't want to use the 7 month layoff from racing as an excuse. I still maintained a strong training regimen over the winter and kept myself in race shape as best I could. The 20 minute barrier is my personal goal to break every time I run a 5k.  If I do, I consider the race a success. I'm registered for 5 races of varying distances, now through October with Twin Cities Marathon as my big race for the year. Last year was the first year I didn't run a full marathon since I began running again in my 50's.  I was running 2 to 3 a year until 2012.  The marathon layoff feels a little scary, but I will deal with that later as the race approaches.  For now, I have other races to prepare for.  My next race is a 10k in July.