Sunny Arctic Run

Despite the single digit temps and negative windchill, it was a beautiful day for a run in Chicago. This run got me pumped for the F^3 Half next month!

Ice Pancakes!

Skyline 1

Skyline 2

Skyline 3

Alta Vista Terrace

I only saw one person on the LFT during my run, so we both waved at each other in camaraderie.

Happy New Year!

Turkey Trot Chicago 8k 2017 Race Recap

Until this year, the only race that I've ever run on Thanksgiving Day was 10 years ago at the traditional 8k race in Lincoln Park. My memories of that race were mostly bad. I paid $72 for the experience ($50 for the race + $22 for parking). The parking spot was at the southern tip of the Lincoln Park Zoo lot. This meant that by the time I got out and locked the car, it was super close to race time. So, I had to sprint a mile north to the start line only to be completely out of breath and to find the race already underway. Once I crossed the start line, I was mostly prevented from actually running for the entire five miles due to being blocked by masses of walkers and joggers. Since I didn't know anyone else there, I left right after my 5 mile "walk/jog", $72 poorer and sporting an 8k personal worst.

I decided, this year's Lincoln Park 8k would be different/happier. Not only would I leave early enough to find a free street spot, and be able to start near the front, but I would also be attending the race with my dad (he was doing the 5k). So I had three things going for me this year vs. 2007!

We arrived in my car near the finish line just off of Diversey and Cannon at around 8:15 am for the 9:00 am start. After making a couple of sweeps up and down the streets nearby, my dad spotted an empty spot that was near a fire hydrant. Luckily, I was able to squeeze the car in and was happy to park so close without paying. While waiting in the car, we took a look a look at the course map and realized that the start line was actually a few blocks south of the finish line, so we decided to head on over at about 8:30 so we would have enough time to take a leisurely stroll there.

Once there, the race emcee announced that the combined races were sold out with over 8,500 runners! That is an astounding number for a little race along the Lakefront Trail. No wonder I got blocked in so badly 10 years ago. Anyway, after checking my bag, we walked to the start corrals, which despite the posted mile/minute splits for each wave seemed to be somewhat of a free-for-all since there was no one monitoring the entryways. The "A" corral was only about 1/3 full, and despite it being for runners of sub-6:00/mile ability, I surmised that a decent percentage of the people queued up in the corral were likely not even sub-7:00/mile ability. So, I parked myself at the very back of that corral since I was shooting for around a 6:30/mile and knew it wouldn't be a problem.

The national anthem was sung and we were off!

Starting the race
 (Notice that I'm at the very back of the sub 6:00 first wave src)

As we headed north along the Lakefront Trail, I passed about 30 people who obviously had started in the wrong corral. In any case, we had a nice tailwind so my first mile was a little fast, but not too bad. Since the course was an out and back, the race did a fairly decent job of keeping the northbound runners hugging the lake via the sidewalks around the harbors and the southbound runners on the Lakefront Trail itself. About at mile two along the LFT, I spotted Declan who was out for his casual morning run, heading towards me. Luckily, we were able to make a successful side-five, which was very cool. At mile three we turned around and I once again saw Declan who was no doubt returning home for his Thanksgiving breakfast feast!

Mile 4 (src)

Up until that point, I hadn't been passed, but somewhere between mile three and four some guy who was breathing heavily started to pass me. I sped up a little to keep pace with him and he started complaining to me that the mile markers were off by 0.15. I agreed with him, but also realized that some of that was likely due to us not running the tangents perfectly. I could tell by how loudly he was breathing that I could put him away, so just after mile four, I stepped on the gas and he dropped back. Then it was a mad dash to the finish line and before I knew it it was done!

Dash to the finish (The 8k and 5k courses were together at that point)!

First half: 16:10

Second half: 16:04

Total: 32:14

Not my fastest by any means, but not a bad outing since I had just raced a half marathon five days earlier. I kept the splits pretty much even-steven despite the headwind at the end.

Post race

After I picked up my bag, I returned to spectate for my dad and got to witness him finishing 1st in his age group in the 5k! It would be another hour before the awards ceremony, so we decided to bolt. On our way out, we bumped into Kimberly, who had also finished 2nd in her AG. All-in-all it was a nice day for a run, a much better experience than 10 years earlier, and it was a good way to spend the morning working up an appetite for the Thanksgiving feast later in the day!

Next up: ??

Big Easy Half Marathon 2017 Race Recap

It's been awhile since I've raced. I've been taking easy and haven't had a training plan since before the Rock 'n Roll Half in July. After the last few years of non-stop training cycles, I was constantly tired and my leg muscles were extremely stiff and sore. So, I decided I need to approach running differently. I took a few weeks off and then began running low mileage and doing more walks instead of runs. Eventually, the fog started to lift and my energy levels gradually improved. To help my legs regain flexibility, I kept up my yoga practice and strength training and also switched running shoes from stability (which I've pretty much always worn) to neutral shoes. That made almost an immediate difference in getting my legs back to normal.

But, as always happens after some time off, I started getting the itch to race. It was probably when I watched Shalane win the NYC Marathon that got me thinking that I'd rather race sooner than later. I wondered how I would I fare now that I'm doing much lower miles 20 to 30 per week. My longest run in four months was 11.5 miles. Extra weight wasn't too much of an issue since I've also been pretty good following a HFLC diet and only put on about 5 pounds from my lean marathon weight last year.

As luck would have it, I found a race. After planning a vacation to New Orleans, I decided to poke around the interwebs to see if there was a race taking place during my stay. I stumbled upon the "Big Easy Half" which would take place only 1.5 miles from my hotel at the Superdome during my stay. So it was decided, I would make my "comeback" in the Big Easy.

On Saturday, I left my hotel at 6:00 am for a walk down Bourbon Street where several of the bars were still operating with their doors open. Music streamed out of the bars and I could still see a few patrons enjoying their favorite "breakfast" beverages. On the sidewalk, I had to swerve around a few "reminders" left by people who had perhaps too good of a time partying a couple hours earlier!

After about a 15 minute walk I arrived at the plaza outside the Superdome at the start line.

Waiting for the race to start

I took a few pictures and then we were called over to the start. The announcer was trying to get people to line up at the start line, but just a few of us did, and so I got in one of the official race pictures:

A clap to get the race started (src)

The national anthem was sung and we were off!

I was one of the first runners across the timing mat, but was immediately passed by about 40 speedy runners. It was hot and I had only an inkling of what my half marathon pace should be, so I held back. I thought that a 7:30 to 7:45/mile pace was realistic so targeted that for my first few miles. We headed out of the Superdome plaza and ran under the expressway a trail that led us to City Park. Then it was up and over a bridge about 3x as high as Mt. Roosevelt in Chicago. At one point we could see the lead runners coming back towards us. A "triathlete" dude running in front of me was yelling at the runners ahead that he was going to catch them because he was running negative splits. I thought that that was cool, because that's what I usually do. So I tucked in behind him and let him pull me along, however that lasted only about a mile before he faded and I passed him.

Making my move

To my surprise, I kept on passing a couple of people every mile as my pace held rock steady at an also surprising 7:05/mile. I was in a groove and knew I could hold that pace the whole race. Since I was just running by feel, I think perhaps I've developed a decent "central governor" which gives me a good feel for pacing? In any case, it was nice not to be constantly glancing at my watch and to be just to be running freely. Soon enough, we turned around and ran back over the hill and I stepped on the gas. After passing a few more runners, I found myself running alone but also so far behind the next runner that I couldn't see anyone ahead of me. So, I had to rely on markers and the smattering of course volunteers to make sure I didn't make a wrong turn! Luckily, I soon spotted the Superdome on the horizon and made a beeline towards it. One final turn and I was back at the Superdome plaza. I appeared on the jumbotron and an announcer called my name at the finish I put on one last surge and ran the final 0.13 at 5:03 pace.

Finished!

1st Half: 46:34

 2nd Half: 45:52

Final Time: 1:32:26 (7:03/mile)

AG: 3rd out of 40, OA: 15th out of 779

With the Big Easy Half medal

Not my fastest half marathon by a long shot, but honestly with the relaxed training I did going into this race, I was pretty happy with the result. Heck, I hadn't run 13.1 miles in four whole months, so just finishing the distance without stopping made me happy! I kept my pacing very even, with a slight negative split and I didn't have much left in the tank at the end. So, strategically this was an "A" race. I don't see myself ramping up my training anytime soon, and so I'll be happy to just keep this modicum of fitness and be able to jump in a race (and race hard) whenever the desire strikes my fancy. As long as I run a pace that matches my fitness, I'll take it as a win. If nothing else this race reminded me of how awesome it feels to be running hard over a relatively long period of time. Who knows, maybe I will run a marathon again someday?!

Post race, I ate some of the sausage jambalaya at the post-race food tent:

Jambalaya was a post race snack

I walked back to the hotel, passing the street cars on Canal Street.

Canal Street

I made the turn onto Bourbon Street. By 9am the bars were still open, but thankfully by that time the streets were being power washed clean to prepare for another day of revelers.

Next up: Art Van 8k Turkey Trot in Lincoln Park on Thanksgiving Day!

Run For Gus 2017 - Race Recap

Since the Rock 'n Roll Half 10 days ago, the only running I've done has been the occasional puppy sprint in Welles park with my two dogs. I guess our little sprints have made an impression with park goers. In the park yesterday, we walked by a boy in a stroller who had apparently seen us sprinting through the park a few days prior. He looked up from the stroller at his dad and said, "Dad, those dogs are really fast!" to which the dad replied, "Yes, son, dogs are fast." The boy said, "No, dad. THOSE dogs are fast". I had to smile at that one, because he was right. The "kids" make speedwork fun. It's intense, especially when the pooches spot a squirrel, rabbit or another dog, they instantly take off and pull me along for the "hunt" and we fly at a pace much faster than I would otherwise.  

In any case, on a dog walk a couple of days ago, I bumped into a neighbor and he asked about my running. I told him that since I was taking a long break post-RnR, I was looking for a 5k to use some of my residual fitness. He mentioned that there was a 5k he was doing called the "Run for Gus" which supports children with brain cancer. A kid at his son's school who was the top fund raiser for cancer research in his class, coincidentally and tragicaly came down with brain cancer a few weeks later. So, in order to get a 5k in and support the cause, I decided to run the race.

Pre-Race:
This was a Thursday evening race, so it was challenging to figure out what and how much to eat for lunch so as not to drag me down too much for the race. Morning races are much easier. I have a four day hiatus before I go into an even more restrictive elimination diet on Monday, so, I had some meat and cheese ravioli for lunch, figuring maybe the carbs would do me some good. It was still sitting heavy in my stomach as I jumped in the car and headed down to the lakefront at 6pm for the 7pm start.

As I got down to the parking lot at the Diversey Harbor driving range, I noticed a woman loading her golf clubs into her trunk, so I waited for her to leave. She went over to the passenger side and grabbed here parking receipt off her dashboard and came over and handed it to me. It still had 2 hours left on it (an $8 value)! I thanked her profusely and parked in her spot after she left, which was only about 200 yards from the start line!

I went to the registration tent and signed up. They had iPads, so I was able to use a credit card. Then I put on my backpack and headed out for a shakeout run. 

Pre-Race Overlooking Diversey Harbor

When I got to the underpass at Fullerton, up ahead I saw a man on rollerblades and his dog going down the hill on the other side of the underpass super fast and nearly slamming into the concrete wall. Luckily, he was able to turn at the last second to avoid the wall. Suddenly a woman on rollerblades came even faster and she (likely a novice) slammed into the wall going about 20 mph! She instantly crumbled to the ground and screamed "My knee! My knee!" As I got up to her, I could see her knee was badly messed up. Her boyfriend (who was the guy on rollerblades) came to her aid and immediately called 911. In the excitement, the guy had forgotten about his dog, and the dog was wandering away. So, I went over to the dog, told him to sit and he did right away. Then I grabbed his leash and held onto it. I waited with the dog a few minutes, but as race time was nearing, I asked a bystander if they could hold the dog until the ambulance arrived. They obliged and I took off to the start line. I decided then and there if I ever decide to rollerblade, I will wear knee protection!

After dropping off the dog, I ran back just in time to check my backpack and get in the corral. Without pomp or circumstance, the horn sounded and we were off!

The Race:

Mile 1: There was quite a headwind heading north (about 15 mph) and loads of people sprinted out ahead of me. Since it was an out-and-back course, I knew we'd have a nice tailwind coming home. So I held back as we made our way over to the Lakefront Trail. I could still feel the lunch in my tummy, but tried to ignore it. 6:04/mile.

Mile 2: I started to think I should tuck behind someone for drafting purposes, but I was all alone with the next runner pack about 20 yards ahead. I just kicked back and waited for the turn at mile 1.55. Once we hit the turn at Belmont, I accelerated with a tailwind assist and started gaining on, then picking off runners. The course was kind of a figure 8 in that we had to cross back across the course, narrowly avoiding the runners (who were behind us) coming towards us. Luckily, I made it through unscathed.  5:59/mile.

Mile 3: Right after starting mile 3, I set my sights on a young 20-something runner in racing flats and who was wearing a college cross country singlet just ahead. I gradually made my way up to him and we were flying stride for stride. I was really feeling like I was redlining, but was determined to keep up with him. I drew on every drop of endurance I had built up over the last six months and focused on turnover. We both spotted the finish line ahead. 5:49/mile.

Mile 3.07: The college guy had just a little more juice in the tank than I did. Plus, he probably had a little more leg speed due to being 25 years younger. He broke ahead and stayed a couple of paces ahead of me until the finish. I came in with all I had and was finished!. 4:38/mile.

Stats:

Official Finish Time: 18:09

Official Pace: 5:51/mile

Garmin Pace: 5:56/mile

Place Overall: 15th out of 765

Place Age Group: 4th out of 51

Analysis:

So, this would be my 3rd fastest 5k ever, except the course was definitely short (by about 70 yards in my estimation). It should probably be counted as an 18:23. In that case, it might barely fall into the top 10 fastest since I have a whole bunch of 5k finishes between 18:10 and 18:23. 

So, taking a ten day rest post-RnR didn't hurt me. In fact, it helped me! My RnR finish time was a 1:28 and according to McMillan's Calculator, an 18:23 5k is equivalent to a 1:25 half marathon! So, note to self, take a much longer, easier taper before a goal half. I'm in better shape to run fast now than I was 10 days ago!

Post Race:

I went over and congratulated the college guy, and he told me I pushed him at the end since he didn't want me to pass him. I told him he helped pull me along as well. Then I got my bag and changed, then went out to root for my neighbor and some other friends.

The Run for Gus course

While on the sidelines, a woman named Tracey from the Chicago Tribune introduced herself. She had interviewed me over the phone a few years ago for this article and somehow she recognized me! Anyway, after everyone I knew had finished, I said my goodbyes and took a lake picture as I walked back to my car. 

On my way to the car, I snapped this one.

Then I left to go shopping for two dozen eggs and whole milk to splurge on over the weekend until my new restrictive diet starts on Monday!

Next Up:
I'm probably still going to do some intense resting over the next two weeks. Rest is certainly doing some good apparently! Then, maybe I'll think about training for a fall half.

Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon 2017 - Race Recap

Last year at the Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon, I broke my long held "Unbreakable PR" when I ran a 1:21:54. It was a monumental run, and marked the peak of my running fitness. Ever. This year's RnR Half Marathon would be the longest distance I've raced since I ran the Chicago Marathon in October. Since October, I have gravitated to shorter distances in order to give myself a break from the constant grind of marathon training. 

Many people ask me why run a half marathon in the July heat? Well, I can only think of four races with courses mainly in the Loop (RnR, Shamrock, CM and Hot Chocolate) and I make it a point to try and run them all, since the setting is second to none! Unfortunately, it seems like attendance at the Rock 'n Roll Half keeps getting smaller every year.

Expo:
I did manage to meet Kathrine Switzer at the expo on Friday which was very cool. The people in front of me were in tears as they met her. When it was my turn to meet her, after a couple of hugs, I asked her about her Boston effort ... in 2017. Since she has probably recounted her 1967 Boston Marathon about a million times, I think she was excited to talk about her phenomenal Boston Marathon this year (8th in her AG). She told me she trained in New Zealand for it. So maybe I need to take a trip over there and do some hillwork?

After chatting about her legendary race...
Boston 2017

Goal(s):

Time goal: This year I was going into the race having run about 30% less miles in training than last year. Therefore, my "A" goal to a seemingly reasonable 1:25. If the weather wasn't agreeable, then my "B" goal would be 1:27 and "C" goal 1:30. The weather was a humid 70 degrees, so I thought my "B" goal would be more realistic.

Pre-Race:

I woke up at 4:45. After a spoonful of sunflower butter and a few swigs of water, I packed my race bag and met my neighbors Tad and Stacey and we headed downtown to the race.

Waiting for the race to start in Grant Park

We split up at bag check and I then used the ample porta potties. As race start time got closer, I headed over to the first corral for the race to start.

Last year's start (src)

A few minutes later our corral started and we were off!

The Race:

Miles 1 through 3:  I was carrying a water bottle - that way I could blow through the aid stations early on and drink whenever I wanted. Plus, I wanted total control of my fluid intake due to my six food elimination diet. No reason to drink some unknown fluids from a random source! Anyway, my goal was to start the race at a relaxed 6:45/mile clip, which I was on track to do, but it seemed way too difficult for me for some reason. Maybe it was all of this slow training, maybe it was my new diet, but it was a struggle to crank out a relaxed mile and I felt like I was "forcing" things. Usually, I like to start slow and feel like I'm holding myself back, but I didn't have that feeling and I knew that any hope of speeding up later in the race was gone. In any case, I hoped that the endurance that I'd gained over the last four weeks would help me hang on. 6:35/mile

Miles 4 through 6: Running through the Loop is so much fun. As for pace, I just focused on how I was feeling and modulated my pace accordingly. Fortunately, these miles were all in the shadows of the buildings so the temps were tolerable. 6:44/mile

Miles 7 through 9: I knew Xaarlin would be cheering me somewhere during mile seven, and sure enough, there she was in the middle of Michigan Avenue snapping pics and giving me a high five simultaneously! 6:44/mile

Mile 6.5 still with water bottle (src: xaarlin)

Miles 10 through 12: There is a hairpin turn on MLK Drive to start mile 10. On the return trip going north, you can see the other runners who are behind you going south. I was shocked to see how close the 1:30 pacer was behind me, and I was determined not to let him catch up with me which would mean I would even miss my "C" goal. I laughed when I remembered that I'd heard someone call the pace leaders running behind you "the grim reapers of racing". It's truly a deflating feeling to have a pace group pass you mid-race! Anyway, we made the turn northbound on Ft. Dearborn Drive (which runs parallel to the Lakefront Trail) and into the sun and heat. I threw down my water bottle at the "cold sponge" station and really dialed all of my focus on holding pace. We joined forces again with the 10k runners/walkers and we all had to squeeze through the McCormick Place tunnel. If I had been gunning for a PR, all of the swerving around the walkers would be irritating, but since I was just trying to finish ahead of the 1:30 group, I didn't stress too much. 6:51/mile

Miles 13 and 13.17  We crested the last on-ramp to get back onto the mile long straightaway on Columbus Drive. I was really noticing the heat and each step was a struggle. After what seemed like 20 minutes, I finally got close to the finish line.

Finishing up

At the finish line, I threw my arms overhead which the announcer noticed and commented on. However, it seemed like all of the race photographers were over at the 10k finish line, so we may never know how I looked! 6:41/mile

Results:

Official Time: 1:28:19

Official Pace: 6:45/mile

Garmin Pace: 6:35/mile

Place Age Group: 5th out of 441 

Place Overall: 107 out of 9,796

Personal Analysis: Six minutes slower than last year and over a minute slower than my "B". goal. It was frustrating, as I know I have more speed in my legs somewhere, but it wasn't to be on this day.

Race Analysis:
The Chicago Rock 'n Roll Half marathon keeps getting smaller from year-to-year:

2010: 19,000 finishers
2011: 15,000 finishers
2012: 15,000 finishers
2013: 14,000 finishers
2014: 14,000 finishers
2015: 12,000 finishers
2016: 11,000 finishers
2017:   9,800 finishers

I know they recently added the 10k and some runners are likely choosing that distance instead of the half, but I'm hoping they can somehow stem the outward flow of runners from the half. I fear that one day they will make the whole thing a 10k and then move the whole shebang over to the Lakefront Trail. Then we will lose one of the only four glorious races that run mostly through streets in downtown Chicago.

Post Race: 

I slowly walked down the finishers' chute and collected my medal.

Medal!

After exiting the finisher's chute and getting my bag at gear check, I changed into dry clothes. I went back to the course to cheer on my neighbors and Wendy who was looking strong. Then I met my neighbors in the beer garden and I drank the gluten free beer I'd brought along while they enjoyed the free Michelob Ultra.

The Future: 

I'm feeling a little burned out now, since I've been running pretty high mileage weeks the last four weeks. I think I need a week off of running to get my legs and head back in order.  Maybe I'll do some light lifting and yoga then reassess what I want to accomplish running-wise for the remainder of the year.

Rock and Roll

On Sunday, I'll be running my sixth Rock 'n Roll ("RnR") Half Marathon. I know it will be a long, hot race, but I can't pass up running on city streets in the Loop (for the first half at least). Since I don't have a marathon planned this year, this is turning out to be my "goal" race, so I'm pretty pumped.

Lakefront Run on Sunday

Last year, I set a two minute half marathon PR at the RnR. However, I don't anticipate getting anywhere close to that mark this year, as my YTD mileage is 30% less than it was last year. However, the last three weeks have all been 70+ mile weeks so I might have some newly acquired endurance to hold a decent pace.

PR finish at RnR 2016

That pace will definitely be weather dependent. If the weather is cool, my "A" goal would be a 1:25. If it's just hot, I'd "B" happy with a 1:27. If it's a hot and humid, I'll "C" about running a 1:30. As of this morning, the forecast calls for 70 degrees and 84% humidity at the start. So, we might be looking at a "B" or "C" kind of day.

In other news, I've been following a six food elimination diet. That means I haven't had any eggs, dairy, wheat, seafood, nuts or soy in over four weeks. I've been learning quite a lot about alternatives to the foods I can't eat. For example, you can either buy egg substitute in a package or use apple sauce when a recipe calls for an egg. There is also rice milk, which although it doesn't pack the nutritional wallop of a glass of whole milk, does a decent job when poured over a bowl of wheat-free cereal (e.g. Chex, Cheerios). I've also discovered a line of GF cookies and chocolate called "Enjoy Life" which have been a life saver in the snack department. I've also learned that some wines may contain egg, so I need to either drink cider or vegan wine.

So, for the time being, I'm vegan that can eat meat. My nutritionist was thinking I might need to cut back on my miles while doing this diet in order to make sure I'm getting adequate nutrition. However, I told her I can do without the eggs, yogurt and milk as long as I can eat unlimited meat to get my protein, fat and vitamins. In fact, my mileage has actually increased since I started the diet! Most days, I cook an entire package of sausage or bacon for breakfast and wash it down with a bowl of oatmeal and berries. For lunch it's cold cuts or chili and a salad. For dinner, I eat hamburger patties with Daiya vegan cheese or a steak with sides. Four weeks in, I'm feeling better than I have in a year. My sinuses are clear (I can actually breathe through both nostrils at all times) and I have almost no acid reflux, which helps me to sleep a lot better/longer so my energy levels are higher all day. I'm starting to think that my Chicago Marathon 2016 "crash and burn" was due to low energy levels related to eating one of the foods above. In a few weeks, I start adding the six foods back in one at a time. When I begin to feel sluggish again, I'll be able to pinpoint which food was the culprit.

Yoga Class at Belmont Harbor on Sunday (as seen on my run)

As for cross-training, I'm still swimming three to four times a week, strength training three times and yoga twice. A good combo I've found is to swim in the morning and then do yoga in the evening. My muscles seem to really loosen up on those days! Unfortunately, my gym's pool will be closed next week, so I might have to find an outdoor public pool to for post-race recovery.

Anyone else doing the RnR?

Grim Mile 2017 Race Recap

Racing a mile on a track is a blast. Fortunately, for the past three years I've had the opportunity to run such a race at the annual Grim Mile. Unfortunately, Luther North High School where it is held is closing. Therefore, this year's edition (held on Sunday), would be the last one - forever. In fact the t-shirts they gave out had the words "The Final Grim Mile" emblazoned on them.

Pre-Race:

This was an evening race, and the first age group heat started around 5:00 pm. The 40-49 year- old division wouldn't get started until 6:15 pm, so after an afternoon shopping trip to Menard's and then stopping off at Wendy's for a Frosty, I changed into my running clothes. Then it was a 4 mile drive over to Luther North High School to register for the race about 30 minutes before my heat started.

Waiting in the extreme heat for my heat to start!

Unlike last year's sparsely attended race, the grounds were packed with people. Lots of alumni came out to pay tribute to their soon-to-be-closing high school and to bask in the class reunion vibe. They had a grill going with free food and lots of family-friendly games on field inside the track. The track itself was old school, pre-metric, so each lap was a quarter mile, instead of the standard 400m, which meant that we had only to do exactly four laps.

My legs were tired as I had just run the Run For the Animals 10k the day before, and it was 91 degrees as race time approached, so I opted to do just a slow quarter mile warm-up. This race would not be about running a PR or even close to it, just simply to have fun and to bask in the glory of what might be my last track mile for a long time.

As for pacing, I actually had no plan due to my still-recovering legs and the heat. I was just going to run by feel.

About 12 of us gathered at the line. The gun sounded and we were off!

The Race:

Mile 0.25:  I was on the inside lane and a guy in racing flats bolted out ahead of me. After about 200m he slowed considerable to what was about a 6:00/mile pace. I foolishly bolted by him at a blistering pace since I thought I should easily be running a 5:30 pace at that point. 1:19 (5:15/mile pace).

Still in first place after one lap.

Having to swerve as spectators made their way across the track!

Mile 0.50: Near the beginning of this lap some spectators who were on the field decided to cut across the track directly in front of me. After swerving to the outside to avoid a crash, I got quickly back to the inside lane. Anyway, about halfway into this lap, I realized that maybe I'd fallen into a classic race "trap" during the first lap. By slowing down, the guy I passed had tempted me to do an early surge (which wasted energy) and he had also gotten me to unwittingly lead the race! I knew he was drafting off of me, since I could hear his footsteps behind me. I soon realized that the leg fatigue from the 10k the day before was not going to let me sustain the pace I set out at, so I backed off a little and then the guy behind me shot by me like a bullet. I had nothing in the tank to respond with. 1:21 (5:24/mile pace).

Mile 0.75: I had a feeling I was safely in 2nd place but it's a helpless feeling when racing on a track and you can constantly see the runner ahead pulling away from you after every turn and not being able to respond. 1:22 (5:33/mile pace).

Now in 2nd place

Mile 1.0: I tried pouring on whatever I had left. Another frustrating feeling is seeing the lead runner finish to cheers and then trying to motivate yourself when you still have 50 meters to go! Last year I ran this lap in 1:12! This time I was crawling in comparison. 1:20 (5:32/mile).

Finished!

Stats:

Official Finish Time: 5:22

Official Pace: 5:22/mile

Garmin Pace: 5:22/mile
1/2 mile splits: 2:40 and 2:42

Place Overall: 2nd out of 12

Analysis:

I ran by feel and ran pretty even splits, so that's something to be proud of. Otherwise, it was the first time in my life I've run back-to-back races so I just didn't have the turnover or the energy to even come close to my 5:08 PR set last year. In any case, I ran the race for fun and I had fun!

Post Race:

A guy in a white shirt (as seen in the pic above) handed me my 2nd place medal right after I crossed the finish line. I talked to the winner briefly. He finished in 5:02, so I would've had to PR by a ton to have even come close to beating him. Anyway, I spoke with a nice Polish woman who was there with her teenage son who was running the elite race. She congratulated me on a fast race and said that when she was younger she had run a PR of 16:09 in the 5k! We chatted for awhile, then I went over and watched the next heat and ate a free sausage from the concession stand. Before I left, I said my goodbyes to the track and to Luther North High School - saddened that this great race won't happen again.

Next Up:
Maybe the Chicago Rock n' Roll Half next month.

Run For the Animals 2017 Race Recap

As I mentioned in my previous post - I was uncertain how I would fare at this year's edition of the Run For the Animals 10k. I had put in about 33% less miles going into the race than I had last year, but I was optimistic that I had retained my fitness from the Shamrock Shuffle in April. If this was the case then a 37:59 10k was in my sights if the weather was favorable.

Pre-Race

After a 5 a.m. shakeout run of two miles in the city, I jumped in my car and headed out to the 'burbs. My dad had picked up my bib along with his bib (for the 5k) earlier in the week, so I met up with him at his house, put on said bib, and we headed over to the race in downtown Wheaton. On our way to the start area I bumped into Zoe and we said hi for a moment. After reaching the start area, I again spotted Zoe lined up about 10 rows back. She was running the 5k and she also mentioned that she was going to run the Pike's Peak Half later in the summer. After a lovely chat the national anthem was sung. I could feel the sun beating down on us as we listened to the anthem. This race traditionally has pretty warm weather and Saturday was no exception. I went over my pacing strategy in my head:

Miles 1 through 3: 6:20, 6:10, 6:05

Miles 2 through 6.2: 6:00, 6:00, 6:00, 6:00

Running those paces would get me right about to a 37:59. I felt this was realistic especially since I ran 5 miles at the Shamrock Shuffle at just around 6:00 mile.

After the anthem, the horn sounded and we were off!

The Race

Mile 1: This was a dual 5k and 10k, so I started a little ways back. I'd forgotten that this mile had a gradual downhill for the first half mile, so I was running just slightly faster than plan. I felt okay to start, but once I sped up to pass a couple of runners I began to feel a little off. 6:13/mile.

Start of the Run for the Animals. I'm in the neon hat and shirt.
(src)

Mile 2: I waited for things to feel better, but I began having the feeling that this was not going to be my day. I shouldn't have felt like I was forcing things this early, but I was. It's not that my legs were leaden, but I just didn't feel 100%. Maybe it was the heat, but it actually hadn't gotten too hot out at that point. So, despite not knowing the exact reason I couldn't get going properly, I sadly had to admit to myself that I needed to back off lest I crash and burn during the second half. My goal finish time would be out the window and my new plan would be to find a new, slower maximum pace that I could finish the race at. 6:10/mile.

Mile 3: I started to gradually slow down and right after the mile 2 marker, a guy running next to me said, "one more mile!" to which I replied, "four more miles"! We both had a laugh and then soon parted ways as he headed for the 5k finish line and I continued on the 10k course. 6:16/mile.

Mile 4: I realized that the only person left on the 10k course that I could see was a guy about 30 seconds ahead of me who appeared to be in my age group (spoiler alert: He was). 6:20/mile.

Mile 5: The second half of the 10k course is cool because it contains a mile or so loop around a nice little lake. I closed the gap between the guy ahead of me to about 20 seconds, but things were a struggle. I even slowed way down during a water stop to try and reset myself, which seemed to help a little and I started up at a slightly faster pace. 6:17/mile.

Mile 6: For the final full mile the course heads on a very gradual uphill, which helps to kill most momentum and really made me work when I didn't have the will or the energy to do so. The only thing that was keeping me motivated was to keep contact with the guy in front of me. 6:28/mile.

Mile 6.2: For the last two tenths, the road finally flattened and I used every ounce of my dwindled reserves to try and catch the guy ahead of me since he was likely in my age group. He sped up as well and I had nothing to respond with. Soon enough, I saw him hit the finish line 8 seconds ahead of me. 5:32/mile.

Finish line from 2016!

Race Summary: 

• Official Time: 38:48 Official pace: 6:16/mile
• Overall Place: 16th out of 484
• Age Place: 3rd out of 25 
• Third fastest 10k ever (out of 24 races)

Post-Race:

I was completed gassed and stumbled over to a tree and layed down on my back in the grass to catch my breath. I hadn't felt this winded after a race in a couple of years. It really was a monumental effort just to hold the slower pace I had relegated myself to during mile 2.

My sister and her kids came over and congratulated me (and asked me if I was okay) since I probably looked pretty wiped out laying on the ground and all!

Soon enough, my dad made his way over from the 5k finish line and we went over to the kids race to watch my niece compete in the half miler. After her strong finish, we went to the after party where I got my free Sam Adams. I took a couple of refreshing sips and checked the posted results on the big leaderboard. Two younger guys also looking at the results noticed that eyes were scanning near the top of the leaderboard. They then started peppering me with questions about how I got so fast! Talk about a boost for my morale! I guess that put things in perspective: I had what I considered a disappointing day, yet guys 10 years younger than me were astonished at my pace. I guess I might be too hard on myself this year since I had such a stellar year of training last year and subconsciously think that I should be near that level this year. I still had a good race. Not everyday goes as planned I can't really have similar expectations like last year. I'm not doing huge mileage volumes now, so I can't expect to feel the same way I did when I was.

Anyway, we all headed over to breakfast at a nearby diner. After breakfast, my dad walked back to the awards ceremony and got both of our medals. My dad got 2nd place in his AG!

Race Takeaway:

It was a tough and disappointing race since I finished almost a minute slower than goal and almost two minutes slower than the PR I set there last year. It also sapped a lot of energy out of me early on, and I was riding the struggle bus most of the race. It was just one of those days when things didn't click and I had to gut it out. Perhaps I am a handful of miles per week short of a breakthrough, or maybe it would be best to just maintain my mileage and see if a base of more weeks at the same mileage will pay off better in the long run? In any case, this is a recovery week so I'm going to do low miles and some swimming!

 BTW, next year the race will be on my birthday and I will be the youngest runner in my new AG!

Next up:

Grim Mile on 6/4!