Run Ytown 10 miler and Cap City Half/USATF Half Champs: a good race and a really, really bad one

Run Ytown 10 miler
Goal: beat 10 mile pr of 1:06:14
 Result: first female in 1:03:57
 results link

     Second Sole Youngstown gave me the opportunity to race at this event. I love racing in Youngstown and I heard that the course is beautiful, running through Mill Creek park for the majority of it. I decided not to taper and came in with a 70 mile week, a short track workout of 6x600s (ranged from 2:07-2:01) and a short 5k tempo at 6:17 average. I wasn't sure who I might be racing, but I figured that a couple Second Sole ladies would show up. I was right! Sara and Molly from the Canton store raced.
     I warmed up three miles, did drills and a last minute pre-race pee and tried to stay warm by running a couple of circuits around the Second Sole building. At the starting line I asked Molly and Sara what their race goals were. It turned out that they were using the race as a workout, where they went out around 7:00 average for the first half and then dropped to goal half pace for the second half. I knew I couldn't do this and realized I might be pushing by myself for a good amount of the race. I didn't ask what the goal pace for the second half of the race was, but I figured it was fast enough that they might catch me. I definitely didn't want this to happen!
     The race started on a nice gradual downhill. All races need to start this way. I went out at what I thought was a reasonable effort and was in third place overall. Really?! I didn't have my watch but I knew I wasn't going that fast. By the time we turned onto the all purpose path into Mill Creek, a fast masters runner named Todd caught up to me and I decided I would pace with him. He turned out to be a perfect pacer and kept the miles smooth all the way to the hills in mile six. We also had a friendly Second Sole employee with us on a bike. After Todd dropped me in mile six the bike guy stayed with me and I realized he was supposed to pace the lead female.
     The first five miles had a nice net downhill with some rolling hills scattered throughout. These miles felt good, yet honest and Todd kept starting up a conversation, which I haltingly tried to participate in. I was moving pretty fast for me and had a hard time talking! We came down to the five mile clock at 31:26, which is a 6:17 average. I tried not to get too excited and refused to mentally double that time. I knew there were hills lying in wait in the second half. Sure enough the hills started as soon as we turned around. There were some good rolls in mile six and seven and I watched Todd fade away in front of me. He ended up with very close to even splits while I averaged about 6:28 pace for the second half. I went very slowly up the hills and then worked hard on the downhill and flat. I tried to stay positive and be as honest with my effort as I could. I grabbed water at the 7 mile water stop and waved hi to Doug from Boardman. Seriously, this is what I refer to him as! I was starting to really hurt on the last big hill approaching mile 8. The bike guy let me know that was the last big hill and as we passed the 8 mile marker, I started to feel pretty good. The next couple of miles are a gradual uphill as we come back to the finish line. I looked behind me once to make sure Sara and Molly were not right on my tail. I couldn't see them so I figured I was safe to bring it into the finish smoothly and not overwork my kick. When I came off the path into the neighborhood there was a half mile left and I started to work a little harder. I took a hard right turn to the finish line and when the clock came into view I realized I was barely going to be under 1:04 so I started to move with a couple hundred meters to go. Just barely made it in the 1:03s! This is about a two minute pr so I was thrilled! I was looking forward to Cap City and taking down my half marathon pr.

Cap City Half Marathon/USATF Half Marathon Championships
Goal: "A" 1:21:56 "B" 1:23 "C" just pr (sub 1:24:42)
Result: 1:27:56

     I'm keeping this short because I don't want to dwell on it too much. I'll be honest, I'm only writing a blog about it because my pics are dope. I sure look like I'm in good shape. That counts for something right? Um, no it doesn't! But seriously, my Team Ohio uni is really cute (see below). Thanks Oiselle and Fleet Feet Sports!

Staying warm in the starting area. Photo credit: Salty Running

     I had to leave our home relay meet a bit early to book it down to Columbus in time to get to bed at reasonable hour. I shared a hotel room with my awesome teammates, Amanda, Scott and Jeff. I got an okay amount of sleep, probably six hours worth. I woke up just after 5 a.m. and was pretty excited. I honestly had no fore-warning of the race carnage I was to become. I'm thankful for that! After a light breakfast of cornflakes and coffee (and some star sighting in the elite athlete lounge) I changed into my uniform and pulled out my last pair of beautiful Virratas. I was hoping they would bring me luck, a pr and a respectable performance at my first ever national championships.
     I warmed up for two miles with Amanda. I really felt fine on the warmup, though my watch was not accurate so I decided to turn off the gps and just split my miles. The only slightly concerning thing was that I was just getting my period. This hasn't been problem in the past so I thought nothing of it. I was able to use our hotel room for one last pre-race pee and then I booked it down to the starting line to do some quick drills. There were lots of guys milling around but not many women. I kept wondering when all the women would show up. We were on the starting line with our fingers hovering over our watches before I realized that this was all of us. A very tiny field of 26 women. A feeling of dread swept over me during the countdown to the gun. I was standing awkwardly at the back and was certain I was going to get swept into a very uncomfortable and very long sprint. Sure enough everyone took off at a crazy pace and not wanting to drag along behind with my lonely self, I hung onto the back of the pack. I knew it was too fast but I figured I could settle down in a bit and hang out with one of the slower ladies. I passed the first mile clock in 5:58 and really started to panic. My race plan was to strictly stick to a 6:15-6:20 pace and I already felt like I was in over my head. I passed the two mile clock in 12:10 so my second mile was still too fast. I saw Shari and her daughter cheering at this point and waved and smiled, trying to look like I had things under control. It honestly was so nice to hear people cheer, even when I was completely over this race.
     I watched as the one lady who I was near faded away during the third mile, which I slowed down to about a 6:30. It was all over after that. I kept trying to convince myself to bring the effort back up but even when a lady passed me at mile six I couldn't summon the energy to pick it up and go with her. By mile 8 we came back into the square and I could see my hotel. I wanted to drop out so badly and I was oh so close to doing just that. Each clock showed an increasingly slower time and I was sure I was running in last place. Cap City men and and even a few women from the regular field were flying by me like I was standing still. Instead of dropping out I let myself completely cash it in. I fell into about a marathon effort and told myself to imagine a full marathon ahead of me. Easing up on the effort worked and I got past the mile where it was easy to drop out. I went through the motions of taking water and my Gu Roctane but I didn't feel like that helped much. It did help to have a few turns and hills. The worst part of this race was the long, flat straightaways. I felt like they would never end. At about mile 11 point something I was passed by a couple of Cap City men who were running 1:22. I latched onto them and told myself that I wasn't going to keep running 6:50 to finish. I just needed to work for a little over a mile and I would have this horrific ordeal over with. So my last mile was one of my faster ones. I actually felt fine coming into the finish. I welcomed the final uphills and turns that broke up the relative monotony of the course. I saw John and Shari at the finish, where I'm afraid I was quite shell shocked and kept saying "That was so bad."

See? Somehow this is a good pic. I'd take a pr over a good pic any day.

     After the race I tried to cheer in Amanda but somehow missed her. I kept waiting as people streamed in over the finish line but I finally went back to the hotel. As it turned out, none of us had a good race. Amanda was just as disappointed with her time as I was with mine. Before I went back up to the room to take a consolation bath, I introduced myself to Esther Erb (Atkins). I am a huge fan of her and love following her training log on running2win.com. She was so friendly and of course asked how I did, which I wasn't prepared for!
     This race was a huge lesson. I do not belong in a national championship field. I don't think anyone with a pr in the mid 1:20s belongs in a field like that. If Team Ohio is offered entry into this race next year I will come back and run in the regular Cap City field where I'll have plenty of company from people at my pace.
     Oh and this just in: I'm going to have a coach starting in June! Becki Spellman will be guiding my summer training and hopefully beyond.

Shamrock 15k: Some pain is good, so a lot of pain must be better, right?

Goal: pr for the course (1:01:55) and race for the win
Result: 1:02:15 and first female
Splits: 6:06, 6:12, 6:10, 6:28, 7:43, 7:05, 6:57, 6:46, 6:47, 0.3 @ 6:04 pace
Results: 2016 Shamrock 15k Results
     I think if you spend much time in the endurance running world you'll grow to embrace a fair amount of physical pain. Real, muscle burning, lung-searing pain that doesn't go away until the finish line because you can't stop and walk or you'll lose your place, pr or sense of pride. The Summit Athletic Running Club Shamrock 15k is set on the type of course that is notorious for offering up pain in spades to those who dare to actually race it.
     I didn't race much over the winter. One indoor 5k at Kent State in January. I pulled off a 5k track pr of 18:42, so I knew I was a bit faster than last year. I stayed away from the track for weeks leading up to this race though. Concentrating on tempos and hill repeats in order to lay a strong base for half marathon training. My goal race is the Capital City half marathon in Columbus at the end of April. I'm in the USATF half championship field along with my Team Ohio teammates, so I'm feeling the pressure to run a time that warrants that spot.
     I did a mini taper to get myself ready for this race. I had a cold earlier in the week and had to delay my tempo run to Wednesday. Todd and I knocked out a four mile tempo at 6:28 pace. Then I ran easy 6 milers up until Sunday, hoping to rest my legs. On race morning I arrived without much time to spare and only got in a two mile warmup. This meant I needed at least four miles after the race to get a decent long run in. I saw a few people I knew. Bryan, Alex my teammate, Teresa and Debbie. Teresa had raced the year before and ran about a 1:04, but I knew not to count her out. She's run some really fast races in the past year, including 3:04 at Akron. I did not see Kelly Green, the female winner from the previous two years.
     My main goal was to not get as hyped up as I did the year before and take it easier on the downhill portion of the race. This is the first three miles. Then it levels out a bit in the fourth mile before heading into a nasty net uphill until nine miles. The fifth and sixth miles are brutal, with 254 feet of gain, 172 of that in mile 5. So you rip your quads to shreds for three miles before asking them to work way more than they want to for the next five miles. I remember driving home last year, shell shocked at just how hard this course is. The drive home this year was deja vu.

Nice, relaxed start. Photo credit: Summit Athletic Running Club

     I started conservatively and was immediately first female and third overall. This was not as fast a field as last year. David Ryland pulled away quickly, but the second male was not that far ahead of me through the first few miles. I tried to stay very calm and run easily. My first three miles were 6:06, 6:12, 6:10, so about 19:07 through the 5k, a number of seconds slower than last year. It felt easier than last year too. The fourth mile passed in 6:28 and even in this mile I felt the drain in my legs from the downhill start. I hit "the hill" on Northhampton Road and every muscle in my legs wanted to stop working. Two men passed me on this hill and just like last year I walked a few steps in the middle. As we went up the next hill I tried my best to stay positive. Last year I was passed by Kelly in this mile and though I didn't look behind me, I didn't think there were any women close behind. I told myself that no one in this race feels good during miles five and six. I just had to keep moving forward and no more walking! I barely made it under 7:50 for mile five and was over 7:00 for mile six, then I was able to come back down in the high 6s. I saw George, a well-known local runner, during mile six and I smiled and waved, faking a pleasant racing attitude. Rolling into mile seven I started to feel a little better. I kept trying to pick up the pace but my legs were just not responding. I stopped looking at my watch after mile five, but I knew I was not running any faster than last year. At the switch back right before mile eight, I saw that Teresa was closing in on me. She was about 30 seconds behind me and looked strong. "You have to pick it up, or she will catch you," I told myself. I dug deep for a 6:47 ninth mile but that was all I had left. There is a cruel, long uphill at the tail end of the ninth mile, just to drill home the pain. I turned onto the final stretch and did my best to kick. The last 0.3 was about 6:04 pace. Ironically, my time was almost the exact amount of time that I held back in the first 5k. Perhaps I just have to go crazy in that first 5k to run a fast time on this course? I was convinced Teresa was on my heels but I had to wait a while in the finish chute for her to come in. She ran about two minutes faster than last year!

I'm just not gonna look great at the end of this race. Photo credit: Summit Athletic Running Club

     We thanked each other for pushing each other and I waited around to see a few more people finish and hear that Alex had won the 5k. Team Ohio sweep! I then went and got a snack from inside the high school and without cooling down, booked it home to the kids. I did get a cooldown in after I checked in on the kids but at 2:00 in the afternoon with very little nutrition and coffee in me, I bonked hard and had to walk more than a mile home. I had some dizziness and lethargy for a few hours after this. I've noticed that my nutrition issues are worse this year than they have been in the previous two years. I run out of fuel fast and when it's gone, it's gone. My body won't function. It's just something I have to keep up on.

Fall Trail Races: Fuzzy Fandango 25k and Buckeye Woods 25k

Fuzzy Fandango 25k
Goal: Somewhere between 2:00 and 2:30 (not sure of the terrain) and race for the win
Result: 2:23:01 and first female

     I heard about this race via a Facebook post by Brian Polen in Medina County Road Runners. This was just a week or so before I was due to chase after a new 10k road pr. I was feeling immense pressure (from myself of course) to pr in my last road race for the year. I was kind of hating the stressful feeling of needing to perform and run fast and I jumped at the opportunity to get back on the trails and have some fun on my favorite running surface. When I say have some fun, I don't mean that I don't race hard in a trail race. It's just that the whole environment is different. More low key. It's like the attitude matches the racing surface: soft but deceptively tough. I don't think anyone thinks it's easy to race more than 15 miles on technical, leaf-covered trails with thousands of feet of elevation change. But somehow it is more fun than hammering out asphalt miles.
     It was staged at Camp Nuhop in the Mohican State Park. The camp provides services for developmentally challenged kids and the race was a benefit for it. I heard that the start took you up something called "mount Nuhop" and then on a nice 25k loop through the tough trails of the Mohican State Forest. These trails are typical Ohio trails. Single track, lots of roots, rocks and it being full blown autumn, piles of fallen leaves. Snow in the winter, mud in the spring and summer and leaves in the fall. Never think you're going to run fast on Ohio trails. I prepared for the race by switching completely to trail tempos. I extended them up to 45 minutes straight through. I used the 5 mile loop on the Medina Reagan trails for these. There is very little true elevation change but the sharp turns and narrow path mimic a technical trail. It serves it's purpose to keep me close to home but working on trails.
     Race day came and I realized it was going to be perfect weather. Low 40s, no wind or rain and especially no snow. I do not want to race in the snow on anything but skis! Margaret followed me out to the location. She was running the 25k as well and we did a warmup together on the road that leads down from the camp. We got a taste of what kind of hills were in store for us. Good ones! I decided not to wear a watch because my Garmin has been very unreliable under tree cover. I didn't want to get caught up in what pace I was running in a race like this. I had a plan to try and hang with Brian Polen, who was running the 50k. I learned quickly after the start that I wouldn't be able to do that without going into oxygen debt in the first few miles.
     I love the low key start of trail ultra races. The 25k and the 50k went off together at 8 a.m. Everyone was in a good mood and ready to enjoy some trails. I started hard to see if I could go with the front 50k guys. The problem was that the front 50k guys and the front 25k guys were hanging together and running about 7:00-7:30 pace. Uphill. Nope, that would not be wise. So I hung back and settled into a good effort. Around 8:00 on the flat, 7:30 on the downhill and 9:00 or slower on the uphill. In the first five miles I actually hiked plenty of the steep hills. This terrain was proving to be no joke and I was using a lot of effort from my whole body. I noticed too that the stress of watching for rocks and roots under the piled leaves was causing quite a strain. There was no taking my eyes off the ground for this race. And even then, I fell hard twice.
     In the first three miles I followed three men off course. Instead of going in the direction that I knew matched the pre-race directions, I followed them. I added about a half a mile to my race by doing this. I felt sick when I realized that people had passed me during this mistake. I was sure a woman must have passed and I worked hard the next three miles to a catch the men that had passed and hopefully the women. I finally found out at about mile 8 that no women had passed me. After I heard this, I felt relieved and started to really concentrate on making this a good race. I took advantage of the flats and started pushing the pace on them. I also began to run the hills instead of hiking them. I ran them slowly, tip toeing to the top, but I submitted to the lung-searing, butt-seizing pain that comes with uphill running and told myself to get to the top without stopping. These trails were stunningly beautiful. I especially loved the sections in the pine forest. Pines are always my favorite. I had decided not to carry nutrition with me. I stopped at each of the four aid stations and drank one cup of water and one cup of electrolyte. Between the first and second aid station I began to feel very depleted and I barely made it to the next aid station without crashing. I felt fine after I got in some calories though. At about mile 5 I slid on some mud that was hidden under a foot of leaves and fell. I caught myself before going over an embankment that would have cost me many minutes crawling back up it. I told myself to focus on the ground. Unfortunately I fell again, this time harder, right before the second aid station. My left knee took most of the fall and I scraped up my palms. After this fall the downhills started to wrench my knees. It was about this time when I heard someone coming up behind me.
"This was not how I pictured us running together," Brian told me as he passed. Poor guy had taken a wrong turn and added at least a mile to his distance. Believe me, this route doesn't need an extra mile added to it! He moved ahead very quickly after I commiserated with him over going off course. He was still able to pull off the win in a very solid time.
As I approached the third aid station I realized that I was feeling really good. I was working hard, no doubt, but I felt like I could work a little harder. From there to the finish, everything except the falls with those god awful stairs is a blur. I scrambled up those stairs as fast as I could, hauling my body up with my arms. After the stairs came a truly dangerous section near the cliffs. People have died falling from there. I began to gain on a number of male runners from the 8.5 mile race and some 25kers that were dying. I started feel like I was hunting people down and really got in a rhythm hawking them down. I distinctly remember a point after climbing the stairs where I was going up a technical climb with large rocks and no clear path. I was in full race/hunt mode and grabbed sapplings around me to help pull myself up the hill. At one point I was basically crawling over rocks, scraping up my hands even more, eyes ahead on those in front of me. That is my favorite memory from from this race. I've used that memory ever since then, to get myself through workouts. For your best race, maintain a single-minded focus on what lies ahead. Never look back. It doesn't even have to be people that you focus on, but points on the course, trees or landmarks.
     I felt so great on that final stretch of road before dropping back down into camp Nuhop. I was actually wishing that I had more miles to run so I could keep getting faster. But it was time to be done for the day. And once I finished I was glad that I wasn't running the 50k like Ladd and Brian. Ladd came through the first loop soon after I finished and all I could think and say was "good luck." I waited for Margaret to finish and ate some delicious chili and coffee in the lodge. I also chatted with the male winner of the 25k who is a local high school coach. His wife was third female in the 25k. And Stephanie Hillman, the Hoka rep, was second female!
     This race is a definite keeper. I plan to return here next year and possibly tackle the 50k if the timing is right in my training. It is for a great cause and was so well run. And who can pass up running on these beautiful trails?!

25k results

Buckeye Woods 25k
Goal: beat men's course record of 1:53
Result: 1:50:20 for first overall

     This is an MCRR club race only open to club members. This is so much fun and because I'm already a club member, it's free. For the past three years I have come out and raced it with a serious goal in mind. The first year I was happy to finish a 16 mile race on 30 miles a week and a long run of 10 miles. I realized after that race that I still had endurance and would be fine to tackle longer distances. Last year I aimed to take down the women's course record of 2:06 and was able to crush that with a 1:54. I flirted with the idea of doing the 50k this year but I simply wasn't able to put the long runs in. I would want a 20 miler on the 5 mile loop in order to mentally train myself to get through that kind of monotony. I do not prefer loop courses. So I decided to go after the men's 25k course record. That was just one minute faster than what I ran last year. I knew it would be a serious grind, but wanted to give it my best try.

Buckeye Woods 50k Blog

     Evan offered to pace me for 10-12 miles of the race. This was his long run and the pace was going to be about perfect for him. I'm so grateful that he did this as I believe it made the difference of minutes. In any other race setting I would feel guilty for having a pacer, but there was nearly a guarantee that I would be all alone otherwise.

Start of the 25k/50k. Photo credit: John J. McCarroll

     I headed out on the first paved mile at about 6:50 pace. I didn't want to push the effort in the early miles but they needed to be 6:40-6:50 for the paved and crushed limestone before going into the woods, where they would naturally slow to over 7:00. Or at least they do for me. After the second mile I noticed that my watch didn't beep for the longest time after Evan's did. It fell back more and more throughout the race and I ended up losing 0.9 miles over the course of the race. Because I had Evan running with me, I knew this and refused to look at my watch. I used it for total time at the check ins only. To be honest, I didn't feel good. I was cold and lethargic at the beginning and then hot and depleted feeling until the final four miles. I was moving at the right pace though, and refused to give into the fatigue. Evan was the perfect pacer. He was moving easily, obviously, but he kept the chatting to a minimum. He even went an extra mile past what he needed for his long run.
     My nutrition was pretty light for this. I stopped at the two pavilion check ins and spent 30 and 50 seconds getting down Gatorade and water. I had to hydrate a lot throughout the day after this effort.
     The one nice thing about loops is that you see so many people, either by lapping them or passing them coming the other direction. I tried to say hi to people as I saw them, even though I was in race mode. I'm telling you, the 50kers KILLED it this year. There were so many finishers and Nicole got the women's course record in 4:19. As usual, I didn't have time to stick around and watch, but there were some major celebrations going on at the pavilion in early afternoon hours.

My favorite pic from the race. Yes, it was hot enough to run shirtless after we warmed up and Evan didn't care about the tights/no shirt faux pas. Photo credit: John J. McCarroll

     The first loop (6 miles) was a bit fast at 40:26 but I knew I just needed to maintain a 7:00 average on the next two loops. On that second loop I was only able to do this because Evan was pacing me. During the woods section he went slightly ahead of me and I had the illusion of chasing him, as if I was actually racing. This was a huge mental boost. We made it back to the pavilion the second time at 1:15:22. Perfect. Just maintain. But I was feeling tired. My least favorite mile is the one right after the pavilion check in. The crushed limestone is soft and I feel like I'm going uphill, though it's quite flat. Then my favorite section is the short paved one right before we head into the woods. I was picking it up to about 6:20 pace in there and those were the miles that saved the overall average. Evan headed back to the pavilion right before I went back to the woods for the final time. I told myself that this was no excuse to drop off the pace and made sure I worked those final miles. Every time I gave in and backed off, I told myself "no, make it hurt" and got going again. I started feeling really good in the final mile as I was coming back to the pavilion. I didn't look at my watch, but I knew I'd worked hard for that last bit and was going to get a pr for the course. I kicked it in at about 5:10 pace coming around the lake. I felt so good! Then I saw that the clock had a 1:50 and I could hardly believe it. This was a strong effort for me. I'm hoping it points to many strong efforts for the half marathon and marathon in 2016.

Finishing up! Soaked in sweat. Photo credit: John J. McCarroll

Youngstown Peace Race - 10k pr and my Garmin sucks

Goal: race ladies around me, somewhere under 39:00
Result: 9th female, 3rd Ohio female, 38:34 (6:13 average)

Results: 2015 Ohio Elite Results


     The week prior to this race I raced a badly paced 5k (19:06) at the Fight Cancer 5k that got me very worried that I would not be able to set a 10k pr at the Youngstown Peace Race. I only do this one 10k every year and I so badly wanted to better my time from 2014. I'm going out of 2015 without marathon and half marathon prs, so I at least wanted to go out with with 5k and 10k prs. Despite having a rough race at that 5k, I was very glad I did it. It was for a good cause and I was thankful to be part of the event.
     The drive out to Youngstown is one of my favorites. Such an easy, straight shot and it only takes me about an hour and 15 minutes. The race doesn't start until 11 a.m., so no early wake up. The parking is free for the event and by the time I'm getting back on the freeway, all the roads are clear and it's a fast drive home to my waiting kidlets.
     This is a point to point  course, so we take a bus from the finish to the start at an elementary school. I took the elite bus this year. It was slightly more intimidating to be on a bus with all those fasties, than it was being on the regular bus last year, that is for sure. At this point I guess I'm getting used to being surrounded by skinny, keyed up runners, so it's all good. When we got to the elementary school I used the potty and then went to the back of the school to find my secluded hallway. I sat in this hallway last year, soaking up the sun. It was overcast today, but I just chilled and looked up results for the PGH Pittsburgh 10 miler.
     I did a two mile warm up 45 minutes before the start. One last pee back at the school and then I stripped down to my Second Sole singlet and "fast" spandex shorts and went down to the start to do drills, strides and runouts. This final step is so, so important for me in shorter races. The 10k effort level is no joke and I have to be warmed up and ready to run. Not quite as important as before a mile or 5k. Right before the race I felt relaxed and happy to be there. I love it when I get this feeling before a race. It means I'm welcoming the pain that is to come and for me this is important.

The start! Lots of local and non-local fasties. Photo credit: Mike Capps

     I purposely lined up behind the elite women that I knew would be in the top 10. One of the local elite runners that I've seen pop up often in the running2win top 20 was there and I lined up next to her. She was just running the race as a workout though. It only took me a few seconds to get across the starting line and with that downhill I found myself right in the mix with those top 10 ladies. If the race had a perpetual downhill, I'm pretty sure I could hang with them. But it leveled off and they continued their 5:30 pace. I did not. I felt super smooth through that first mile. Much more in control than 2014. I reached the mile marker and my watch beeped. 6:20?! Okay, I didn't need to go out quite that slow! Major WTF moment here. I felt pretty good, but was in a panic. I was already 15 seconds behind on a downhill mile! Right at this time Meg from the Columbus Running Company caught me and my mind was preoccupied with racing her from here to the finish. No more stressing about pace, although I mentally noted the running clocks at each mile marker. When she passed me I made a very conscious decision to go with her. I've found that I have to make this decision to race. I don't naturally have competitive feelings welling up in me when someone passes me, but once I commit to it, I'm there.

My Peace Race homies! We paced together for 6 miles. Photo Credit: Emmett King Photography

2 mile clock: 11:58 and my watch splitted 6:02 sometime before it. Well, that doesn't add up. Don't worry about it...race the lady. Enjoy the downhill. Stay on your toes. Don't tense up. First hills began in the third mile and I found myself catching up to Meg on every uphill and passing her on the down. She would then proceed to blow by me on the flat sections. Let's just say it was a good thing for me that this is a hella hilly race.
3 mile clock: 18:10. I don't even remember where my watched beeped but it was nowhere near a mile marker and it told me 6:31. Nope, not possible. I'll spare you the details on what it told me the rest of the race as I'm sure it's all wrong. I'd like to think the race organizers have it together enough to put the clocks at the proper mile markers. Next year, no watch! I think the fourth mile is toughest and the slowest. Lots of up and down through the beautiful Mill Creek park. I was encouraged that I was staying with Meg and the fast masters runner that we were pacing with. I felt exactly as I should in a 10k. In pain, steadily approaching oxygen debt, but still a mile or two left in me.
4 mile clock: 24:15. I cannot do math in my head while I'm racing, but this split seemed pretty good to me. The fifth mile is not so bad. We come down out of the park and there are more flat stretches.
5 mile clock: 30:30. When I came into view of this clock I finally realized that we were on pace to run in the 38s. I got really excited and passed Meg, trying to do a far out kick. My legs didn't respond to this very well and I slowed up within a few strides. Just stay steady, I commanded myself. Meg went around me again and the guy we were running with commented that "This like the battle of the lady runners!" I just nodded my head. I couldn't talk at this point! Meg started to move ahead of me on the flat and I thought, "She wants it more than I do" and let her go. But there was the bridge looming up ahead. This bridge is evil. It is placed at the 5.75 mile point and believe me your legs do not appreciate hauling your lactic acid-filled body up it. I started tiptoeing up it as fast as I could and went to the arms, even though there's like half a mile left. By the time I reached the top, I had nearly caught Meg again. We took a sharp right and there was the finishing stretch with the 6 mile marker in sight. I looked down at my watch and saw that we had just hit 37:00. I was going to make it in! I started hauling ass and passed Meg for the final time right before the 6 mile. I put 7 seconds on her in that final 0.2. All I could think about was that clock and the fact that there was a 38 on it. The announcer stated that some women in the top 10 were coming in. I launched myself across the finish mat to make sure I got my time and then sat down on the pavement just past the finish line. I was so out of breath that I couldn't catch it for a few minutes. I like feeling like this after a race because it means I had a strong finish!
     Meg came in and I thanked her and the masters guy for all the pacing help. I checked around and went to talk to the other female finishers who were getting their stuff out of the bag check truck. After I'd chatted for a few minutes I got my stuff and headed out for a two mile cooldown. I decided to stick around until the awards happened because with where I had placed overall, there was a possibility I had placed in the Ohio money. Sure enough, I got third Ohian. If I want to place consistently in the top Ohio women at this race, I'm going to have to drop my 10k time. Last year the last money placing was in the mid 36s, though it's unlikely that they will draw that competitive a field outside of an anniversary year. The goal for next year will be to dip as far below this time as possible. The one thing I noticed was how important it is to know the course. With all the hills and the insanely fast start, it helps to know what you're facing.

The definition of hauling ass. Get across the mat! Photo credit: Mike Capps Photography

Towpath Half Marathon - Tired on the Towpath

Towpath Half Marathon

October 11, 2015

Goal: "A" 1:23 "B" 1:25 "C" 1:27

Result: 1:25:38, first female

Splits: 6:13, 6:26, 6:18, 6:25, 6:35, 6:43, 6:37, 6:33, 6:40, 6:50, 6:42, 6:48, 6:37

     Early October has come to mean "towpath time" for me in the past three years. I started back into racing "just for fun" in 2013 with the 10k. Last year I knew I could get a half marathon pr without trying and coughed up the $70 to enter last minute. I ran an almost perfect half that day and huge pr of 1:24:42. I received a free entry to run this year's race as part of my winnings. I wasn't sure if I would run it, as I was waiting to see if I'd gotten into the Columbus elite field for the half. I never heard back from Columbus, so when I got the call from the towpath organizers at the Canalway Partners, I gladly took the opportunity! It is a flat course, with few tangents to worry about and if you can hook up with someone running your pace, it is a perfect pr opportunity. The one downside was that I only had two weeks, 15 days to be exact, between Akron and this race. After Akron I refused to take a day off until the following Saturday, trying to get my legs back under me. On Tuesday, 10 days after Akron I did my first workout back. It actually went quite well and I had three miles at half pace sprinkled into a 6.3 mile run that averaged 6:41 pace. I say the workout went well, but then it took me three days to recover from it. I was still tired from Akron. Nevertheless, I planned on going for a 1:23 pr.

     I slept badly the night before the race. Not from stressing over my race, but from stressing over the upcoming conference meet for Buckeye high school. I never thought I would be this caught up in the season and so emotionally involved in how well my athletes do. They want it so bad, and I want it for them. Once I woke up, I got into race mode and pushed these thoughts aside for at least a few hours. I got to Brandywine Ski Resort super early to avoid the traffic nightmare of last year. I sat in my car and willed my stomach to settle down. Calista had a stomach bug earlier in the week and I think I mostly resisted it, but got a touch of it. It didn't bother me during the race. I didn't have to stand in line at the porta potties at all. Not that I would have. There are woods everywhere! Forty five minutes before the 8 a.m. start I headed down the path to my favorite warm up area for this race. It is secluded and there are beautiful ponds with lots of wildlife milling around. It was chilly, but not as cold as last year. I felt a bit tired after my warmup and drills, but I told myself not to worry, doesn't mean anything for the race. I headed back up to the start area and saw Randy, Lisa, Dave and Debbie up by the starting line. Debbie was racing the half and she had run Akron as well. 

Starting line pic. Photo credit: Ohio & Erie Canalway Partners

     

Debbie and I! Akron/Towpath warriors. Photo credit: Lisa Eliason

     I lined up at the front and after the national anthem, the half starters coordinated with the full starters and we were off with those loud cowbells. I started a little quick and led the race for about 400 meters. Mind you, it wasn't that quick, maybe 5:45 pace. The guys that ended up finishing top overall were not planning on running much under 6:00 for their race and finished in around 1:17. We swooped down the driveway and down that beautiful hill and immediately turned right, onto the towpath. This is different from previous years, where you didn't get onto the towpath until about mile four. The front four guys quickly faded away into the mist.

Miles 1 and 2: 6:13, 6:26. This split worried me. It was under pace, but really with that sharp downhill it was not actually much faster than goal pace and could even be slower. Sure enough, I hit 6:26 for mile 2. The average that I needed to get in the 1:23s was 6:22. That seemed tough at this point. You never want to have an "uh-oh" moment at mile 2 in a half marathon. 

Miles 2 and 3: 6:18, 6:25. A guy caught up to me in the second mile and I ran mile three with him. He asked me what my goal was and I told him I wasn't sure, that I'd like to pr but didn't think it was possible today. Yup. I had already give up on 1:23. He told me he'd like to go 1:23 and that would be a two minute pr. I told myself to stay with him until the three mile marker and see what happens. The 6:18 was a bit quick and I felt like I was working too hard. I let him go after we reached the mile marker. The next mile felt pretty good, but then once again, I was off pace. At this point I let myself give in to just trying to win the race. I made a pact that I had to stay with any man that passed me until the next mile marker and if a woman caught up, I had to race for my life. 

Miles 4 and 5: 6:35, 6:43. I still felt fine in mile four but started feeling exhausted in mile five. All of the sudden I wanted to lay down on the side of the road and take a nap. I almost took my Gu Roctane early to get rid of this lethargic feeling, but decided to wait until the turn around.

Miles 6 and 7: We got close to the turnaround, which was farther up the path than last year. The lead guys passed me coming back. I accidentally passed the cone that was meant for the turnaround and ran towards the people that were standing by the porta potty. They waved me back. "Turn around at the cone!" I turned around, got down my Gu and drank a full cup of water. And then, coming at me there were two women, running together about 30 seconds back. I might have to run for my life after all.

Miles 8 and 9: 6:37, 6:33. The backtracking traffic started and got pretty heavy before it let up. A poor man had to pass me during this. Time to follow in his wake. I got a fast couple miles from dragging along behind him. I was feeling pretty rough, but I tried to smile and stay positive for all the awesome people who cheered for me at the aid stations and along the course. I did not take any water during this race, except for what I took with my Gu.

Miles 10 and 11: 6:50, 6:42. I didn't see the 6:50 split and I'm glad that I didn't. I jogged through one of the Gatorade stations during this mile and got down about half a cup. Anything to get rid of this lethargic, sleepy feeling. I felt like I was running through a dream of exhaustion. Nothing hurt too badly and my breathing was fine, but I was just so tired! I told myself to get going a little after the 10 mile. Almost done! 

Miles 12 and 13: 6:48, 6:37. I was staying as positive as possible and trying to enjoy how pretty the towpath was at this time of the morning. The sun had risen and the views along the canal were stunning. After I hit 12 miles I started to really hurt. No strong finish today. A guy passed me in the 13th mile and I struggled to go with him. I only stayed with him for 400 meters or so before dropping off. I still worked harder this mile as a matter of principle. I saw Todd, Rachel and their son walking the opposite direction, down to their aid station and Todd gave me a high five. Before I knew it, I was running up the mini hill to the finish at Boston Store. I wasn't as happy this year and I was in 2014 and no big smile for the crowd. There was no pr waiting for me at the finish line and I was dead tired. 

     After I finished, I waited for the next two ladies to come in and congratulated them. I was familiar with the third place lady, but not with the girl that placed second. I found Cynthia, Dave and Lisa at the finish and talked with them a bit. They had run the 10k and were waiting for Debbie and Christy to come in for the half. 

We get bananas? This is new! Photo Credit: Ohio & Erie Canalway Partners

     I cheered in Debbie in the half before starting my cooldown run back up to the car. It ended up being about three miles at 8:30 pace and I thought I would die of starvation before I reached my car. I immediately gulped down all my water and ate two of the nutrition bars that came in the goodie bag. I drove back down to Boston Store for the awards and also to wait and cheer in a few marathoners. One of my new running buddies, Amanda, placed 6th female in the full marathon in 3:30! I got another $100 gift certificate to Microsoft for winning. I now have $250 in Microsoft gift certificates that I should really use on something. Also, I'll be back to defend my half title next year! 

Awards pic. Photo credit: Ohio & Erie Canalway Partners

Akron Marathon - Another positive split marathon

Akron Marathon on September 26, 2015
Goal: "A" 2:55-2:59 "B" 3:02-3:05 "C" any pr
Result: 3:08:46, 9th female

Mile splits: 6:20 6:41 6:34 6:52 6:33 6:46 7:01 6:33 6:36 7:03 6:56 6:57 7:01 7:33 7:15 7:31 6:59 7:16 7:20 7:49 7:31 8:15 8:03 8:10 6:51 7:22

     I really hoped to go out of 2015 with a marathon pr. It didn't seem to be too much to ask of my body when I was able to run 3:07 in my first real marathon off of 50 miles a week. I approached training with a mix of enthusiasm and dread. I was very excited and thankful to be part of the elite athlete program for the race and I knew I was fast enough to go after a sub 3:00. I was dreading the long track workouts and tempo runs that seem to be a requirement of marathon training. I had been joining a couple running buddies at the track to do short, fun track workouts that were more oriented to 5k training and below than the marathon. I ended up forgoing marathon track workouts all together and only had one real marathon-themed interval workout. I'm sure this is part of what went wrong with my race. I'm missing the speed endurance that I need to hammer for hours. I did stay very faithful with long runs and tempo runs thanks to my new running buddy, Todd. We met nearly every week to get a tempo in and I did two high quality 20 milers with him at about 7:30 and 7:15 pace respectively.

Example of track workout: 3 x (600, 500, 400, 300, 200, 100) 2:12s, 1:48s, 80s, 58, 33s, 15s

Example of tempo: 5 miles @ 6:28

     My fueling plan was to use the four bottles that I received at the expo and fill the first three with a mix of 10 ounces of Gatorade and ten ounces of water. The final bottle had water and a Gu Roctane Cherry Lime taped to it. Fueling seemed to work well, but I was mildly nauseous for most of the race. It could be from the Gatorade. I don't think it actually effected my race at all. I ate two bowls of cheerios and a whole cup of coffee early in the morning. Drank more coffee and ate half a Honey Stinger peanut butter pro bar an hour before the start.
     I car-pooled to the race with running buddy extraordinaire, Evan, who was running the relay. We were there very early since the parking garage that we were using would be closed before 6 a.m. We hung out in the elite athlete area in one of the university buildings for a while before Evan needed to go meet his relay team. I tried to stay relaxed and stretch, watch the athletes around me to stay distracted. I was very nervous and feeling insufficient. Every time I find myself among these fast runners I have to remind myself that I do belong there. I've earned my way to being a fast local runner and it's crazy that I have all these doubts, but I definitely do before every race.
     I warmed up in the parking garage right next to the starting line and did a few light drills and strides. Nothing too crazy. I had a long day ahead of me. Brian Polen, the Akron race director, wished me good luck right before we were called down to the exit to be introduced. I had been pretty withdrawn for about an hour at this point and his well-wishes gave my spirits a boost! Once we went out to the starting line, we had a straightaway to do strides down and our own portapotties for last minute pees. I saw that Beth Woodward and Teresa Ferguson were in the marathon field. I wanted to race with them since I knew they would be strong on this course, but I knew I had to do my own thing. The countdown to the start was very cool and I'm looking forward to it for the 2016 race already. I started controlled and literally hundreds of people who were not in the elite field moved past me in the first 400 meters.
Mile 1: 6:20. This is not a true 6:20. Lots of downhill in this mile and I felt very controlled. I did not go with Beth Woodward or Shanna who were moving ahead at a frightening rate. I was in 8th place in the race from mile 1 to mile 14.
Mile 2: 6:41. Jeff passed me in this mile. I asked him what the heck he was doing?! "I"m running 6:00 min pace!" he says. "Well, I'm not!" I yelled back. "I was just warming up," he says. LOL I love that guy and his relaxed approach to his training races. He cruised to a 1:21 half! I kept looking for Evan, who said he might not run his leg faster than 40 minutes but I couldn't see him anywhere. Turns out he ran 5:48 pace for his 6 mile leg.
Miles 3 and 4: 6:34, 6:52. Lots of downhill again in the third mile, then an uphill section in mile 4. I wasn't too concerned when a few marathon guys passed me. No women were anywhere in sight at this point. Not even relay runners. They had either moved ahead or were behind me and the top half marathon women were waaaaaay ahead.
Mile 5: 6:33. More downhill and my first fuel bottle. I did not want all my Gatorade but I forced down as much as I could. It was starting to get light out and I was enjoying all the crowds. I noticed that my feet didn't feel all that comfortable around this time. I was getting some burning on my forefeet that was bothersome.
Miles 6 and 7: 6:46 and 7:01. I was feeling really smooth in these miles and it felt like the perfect pace. Not stressing at all about relay people passing me. I actually enjoyed the company. Most of this race would have been a lonely desert if weren't for the relay.
Miles 8 and 9: 6:33 and 6:36 I honestly don't know why I went this fast in these miles. Perhaps there was some downhill, but probably not enough to justify this pace. I'll be more aware next time!
Mile 10: 7:03. I got my second bottle and had a hard time getting half of it down. I let myself slow down some to get it digested and that is mostly why this mile is slow. I wasn't feeling terribly tired, but I also wasn't on top of the world.
Miles 11 and 12: 6:56, 6:57. I was consciously slowing these miles down a bit. I was a little concerned that I didn't feel great and kept telling myself "Run within yourself" to keep the pace smooth. A relay guy asked to run with me at one point and I was a little grouchy with him (for me) because he asked me what pace I was planning to run. "Probably just under 7:00," I answered. He kept trying to talk and I wasn't too interested. I told him he would probably move ahead on a hill because I was trying to keep my effort under control. I did tell him good luck as he moved ahead on a hill. This interaction warned me that I wasn't in a good mood.
Mile 13: 7:01. About the same pace but I could feel the effort went up. I hit half in 1:29:20 and with a sinking feeling I realized I would need another 1:29 half to go under 3:00. I was hoping to feel better with that task looming ahead of me, but I didn't. And up ahead was a massive hill.
Mile 14: 7:33. I was actually surprised that I pulled off a mid 7:00 for this mile. Teresa passed me and I couldn't even think about going with her. My legs started feeling like lead and there were these never-ending hills. It was around this time that I told myself to not strain on the hills. Run them easy and work up to pace again when I crested them.
Miles 15 and 16: 7:15, 7:31. More hills and my third fuel bottle. I didn't get much of it down. Things started to unravel at this point, but all I wanted was to stay in the mid 7s. I could do that right?
Mile 17: 6:59. I felt pretty good in this mile and there was some downhill. I wasn't paying any attention to the scenery at this point but I appreciated all of the cheers from spectators.
Miles 18 through 21: 7:16, 7:20, 7:49, 7:31 Just keep it in the 7s, just keep in the 7s. Don't throw up your Gu please.
Mile 22: 8:15. 3:05 pace group passed me. Fuck it. I'm walking through this aid station. I did drink some water and Gatorade. This was the worst mile by far. It is absolutely cruel how far 4 miles feels when everything from the roots of your hair, down to your toe nails hurts.
Miles 23, 24: 8:03, 8:10. I was actually a bit encouraged that I was staying close to 8:00 min pace with how I was feeling. I made a pact with myself that I would only walk through aid stations. I think there was two miles between them and that is quite a ways to keep going when you just want to drop out.
Mile 25: 6:51. Someone told my I was in the top 10. Thank you kind volunteer. This guilted me into getting moving. I also looked at my watch and realized I was still running a marathon somewhere in the 3:07-3:10 range. "Get it together Renee," I basically shouted to myself. There is also a beautiful downhill in this stretch. I started smiling at the volunteers and the 6 hour marathoners on the other side of the street. I was almost done and there was so much beautiful downhill! I might even pr!
Mile 26: My watch splitted a 7:22 after a couple of baby hills, but this wasn't what upset me. I saw the mile 26 clock and there was a 3:06 on it. No way I was getting .2 miles done in the next  minute so I wasn't going to pr. I stopped right there and started walking. I'm not proud of that moment. A man behind me started shouting at me. "No you don't little girl! Come on baby, you're almost done!" I didn't want him to catch up to me and keep talking to me, so I started running again. I came down into the stadium and there was Evan and Jeff cheering me in. A whole group of MCRR people were there as well, screaming and cheering as I finished. I tried to kick it into the finish but there wasn't much left in me. I staggered across the finish line and just like at Cleveland, the volunteers were very concerned about my lack of focus. I assured them I was fine. Got a hug from Brian, which was awesome. I talked to Beth and Teresa and they both did such an amazing job on that course. I got my bag from the dugout area where the elite athletes go after they finish and headed out to meet Evan and Jeff. It took me a long time to get my focus back after I finished this race. I tried to eat a burger and fries at Five Guys but no way it was going down without coming back up in an embarrassing manner.

Finishing up that blue line! Photo Credit: Maureen Oblander

     All in all, my recovery went pretty well that day and I ended up making peace with my positive split. I got it together and finished stronger than I ever have before, but I can't help but be disappointed with the time. My body is definitely missing something in those mid and late miles. I don't feel strong or fast, just beat down and tired. I've decided to give the marathon another shot at the Cleveland full next spring. I like that I'll know the course ahead of time. I won't be aiming for a sub 3:00. My goal will be 3:03-3:05 and I will stick to a 7:04 pace. I've learned the hard way that I can't take my half marathon or shorter distance times to predict my full time. If it were accurate for me, I'd have run a 2:50 marathon by now. I think that I may be able to run that in the future, but my speed endurance needs a lot of work. And I loved, loved, loved my first taste of the Akron Marathon course! I honestly can't wait to give this race another try and get a better time and place.

Classic at Mastick 5k - Return to Cross Country (ish)

Classic at Mastick 5k on August 12, 2015
Goal: just race
Result: 19:15 for second female                                                                

     I'm writing this post months after racing, so I'm hoping that I remember all details correctly. I've been working on staying aware during races and I'm much better than I used to be, but pain still fogs things up in my brain. I did this race as a way to bond and hang out with my Buckeye cross country girls. I didn't taper at all and just replaced my tempo run with this. This race was run during a 78 mile week in the midst of Akron marathon training. I was leary about returning to cross country. My last cross race was at GLIAC in October of 2004. It was a mud hole mess on the course and I ran somewhere in the low 25s for 6k. Yeah. Really slow. My fastest 5k that season was a low 20 for 11th in the open race at the All-Ohio Championships at Ohio Wesleyan. My cross country pr is 19:20 (I think) on the Wisconsin-Parkside course from 2001. It is so hard not to recall these dreadful experiences when I go back to a similar racing surface. I have to remind myself that I am nowhere near the same runner that I was back then. No matter the racing surface.

And we're off! Photo credit: Randy Porter

     I got terribly lost getting up to the racing site and was almost not there in time to watch the boys race. I had time to warm up with Holly, one of the Buckeye girls, and then we headed to the line. I was as nervous as usual and not able to go into coach-mode at all. I was just one of the girls and a bundle of race nerves. My run outs felt really sharp though and I was feeling fast in my endorphin racers. I made the decision to go out with the fast-starting teenagers, no matter what kind of pace they threw down. YouTube Video of start and finish  I wasn't wearing a watch but I'd estimate that we did about a 75 second quarter to get out. It didn't slow down that much for about another quarter, then comparatively things came to a screeching halt. Shannon from Keystone was the only girl left to catch and as we swung back up to the spectator area I drew up on her shoulder. "Just stay right here," I commanded myself and settled into her rhythm. We passed all the spectators and I heard a lot of "Go coach Renee!"

Pacing with Shannon in the first mile. Photo credit: Randy Porter

     As we dropped into the woods I started feeling a little breathless and tight. I decided to let Shannon move ahead and I slowed off the pace. I wish that I hadn't because I think that was what kept me from breaking 19:00 in this race. We went past a group of the Buckeye boys and one of them shouted "Don't beat my time!" Ha, I totally did. The mile was 5:58-6:00 and I was a little surprised because it felt way faster than that. This is really only because of that fast first half. Drains the legs! In the second mile we had to go through a narrow, dark section of the woods and through a sharp left turn. I could hear someone creeping up behind me and I figured that it was Sara, a local fast runner that I've raced in a half marathon before. I didn't look behind to check. We started back tracking through the woods and began passing a bunch of runners coming the other direction. A few of the girls cheered for me but I was in full-on pain face mode and didn't respond for the most part. I was gaining on Shannon with every stride at this point and Sara was right behind me. As we came out of the woods, one of the boys shouted, "Don't let her catch you!" but I was fully focused on Shannon and catching her, not caring about the woman behind me. We ran up the hill, onto the grass and I tried to move. The grass was pretty long and I felt like I was moving through quicksand. I needed spikes! I was sure I could catch Shannon and tried so hard to kick up to her. At one point, I was so close I could have touched her, but she knew I was there and started her own kick. I've watched her run a 5:09 1600 all alone and I know how fast she is. I tried to go with her, but I was out of gears and she was not. She ended up winning in 19:11 and I trailed in at 19:15. It was still a good effort for me and an official cross country 5k pr. As soon as I finished, Sara sprinted in behind me in 19:16.

Kicking for home. Photo credit: Randy Porter

     I ran back to the woods area to cheer in all the girls and ran all the way back to one of the junior high girls and jogged with her. I was so glad I raced with the girls, but I definitely prefer to just coach at meets. At our icebreaker meet I was very glad that I was cheering and writing down splits, not racing!
Another cool video of the race by BumbleMedia