Lincolnwood Turkey Trot - 2023 Race Recap

After a hiatus of a two years, I was once again running the Lincolnwood Turkey Trot. My training comprised of thrice weekly runs (including 10+ mile weekly long runs) and seven times a week (2x day) long dog walks.

I've run this race nine times before, so it's an annual tradition. As for a race plan, my only fitness marker was 6:40 mile splits for my 5k over six weeks ago. So, I figured a 7:00 to 7:10/mile pace would probably be doable for a 10k. However, I hadn't raced 6.2 miles since June where I ran a 46:31 (7:29 pace), so that was a wildcard going into the race.

The weather wouldn't really be a factor however. Sometimes the temps for this race are in the teens. Luckily it was in the 40s for this one with sunny skies. I wore a singlet with arm warmers and a ski hat. I also carried my phone for the first time ever in a race using a belt.

Pre-Race

I hadn't picked up my dad's and my bibs during the week, so we needed to get to the race a few minutes early for packet pickup. We left the house at 7:55am for the 8:45am start. 15 minutes after leaving home, I scored a street spot just a couple blocks from the starting line. We slow jogged over to the bib pick-up line, got our bibs and shirts and then I went back to the car to drop them off. Then it was back to the race area for porta-potties then the start line. The national anthem was sung and we were off!

Me and my dad pre-race

The Race

Mile 1: I lined up just in front of the 8:00/mile 10k pacers in the corral, the horn sounded and we headed out. Lots of kids going out too fast.  7:19/mile.

Mile 2: The only notable part of this stretch was that a guy wearing underwear (and nothing else) was in front of me once again. I believe he runs by his house and embarrasses his kids who are out in front of his house cheering him on. Was one second slower than the previous mile (ha, ha). 7:20/mile.

Mile 3: I tucked behind a guy for half a mile who seemed to be breathing easy and running a steady pace. For some reason he sped up fast then faded, so I darted ahead of him. 7:10/mile.

Mile 4: We were briefly joined by the 5k walkers. This is the perennial problem with the LWTT: The 5k walkers and 10k runners meet up a few times during the race. Oh well, what can you do? Maybe a separate lane for 10k runners? 7:08/mile.

Mile 5: I spotted a guy with gray hair who was in front of me coming towards me as he had just made the hairpin turn. Since I didn't want to risk him being in my age group, I made it my mission to pass him by the finish (spoiler: he was actually in the next age group up). 7:07/mile.

Mile 6: I hit the jets just as I hit the five mile marker, and started my dash to the finish. This is the best part of any race for me. Still having gas in the tank and feeling strong. Started picking off runners as I weaved through lots of 5k walkers and stroller pushers! 6:54/mile.

Mile 6.29: The strong feeling faded and I began to really red-line at this stretch. I tried to not get frustrated weaving by the walkers and to mentally stay with my pace and not succumb to the temptation to slow down to their walking/slow jogging speed. However, this stretch was short and soon enough I hit the finish line, stopped my watch and I was done!  6:29/mile.

Race Summary: 

• Official time: 44:46. Official pace: 7:14/mile
• Garmin pace: 7:08/mile
• Overall Place: 32nd out of 333
• Age Place: 2nd out of 15
• Beat my time from June by over a minute and a half!

Post-Race:

I picked up my finisher medal and water, then met my dad who had just finished the 5k and finished first in his age group!

Race Takeaway:

It was picture perfect sunny and cool weather for a race. I'm happy to still be out there running this race for the ninth time. It's an annual tradition that I'm hoping to continue.

Next up: ??

Race to Wrigley 5k 2023 - Race Recap

As per my previous post, I had been spending an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out my fitness level and ergo, my pace, for the Race to Wrigley 5k. What made my pace calcs difficult was that I hadn't run a race since June and I hadn't run an all-out mile this year. If I had, I could have plugged that mile time into a race pace conversion calculator.

So, based on a hunch, I figured I was somewhere near a 20:30 5k fitness level. So, my strategy was this: Start out at a 6:45 per mile pace for mile one and then if I felt good, drop the pace down to 6:30 and 6:15 and somehow squeak out a 19:59 finish in the final 0.10.

Here's what I came up with:

Option A:

If I really wanted to go sub-20, I would need to be aggressive in the final two miles. So that would mean I would need something like:

6:45, 6:30, 6:15, 5:30 = ~19:59

Option B:

If at the end of mile 1 at 6:45/mi pace, I feel I'm maxed out, I'll just hold that pace for miles 2 and 3:

6:45, 6:45, 6:45, 5:30 = ~20:59

Pre-Race:

Woke up at 5:40am, got dressed, had coffee and ate half of a gf snack bar. My aunt graciously offered to drop me off near the race. So, I walked to her house at 6:50am. She drove a back road route to Wrigley and we were there in less than 10 minutes. So, I was there almost a full hour before the race start. 

Pre-Race before we got to run on Wrigley Field

I met my coworker at 7:30 who had my race bib, I checked my bag and did a little bit of jogging up and down Clark St. and then Addison over to corral A for the race. I stood in the corral for about 15 minutes listening to the pre-race instructions and the national anthem.

Since I was in the first wave, soon thereafter the horn sounded and we were off!

The Race:

My head is between the red and white shirts in the middle

Mile 1: The first mile goes due west on Addison and then north on Ravenswood. I looked down at my watch and saw that I was "only" running about a 6:50 pace and although it was comfortable, I needed to speed up if I wanted to hit either Option A or Option B. However, I kind of knew at this point that given that I was at the edge of my comfort level I would not be able to hit Option A, so I thought I would just run by feel and not worry about breaking 20:00. 6:36/mile.

Mile 2: This race is all about getting to run on Wrigley Field. However another bonus to the race is that mile 2 follows the "cemetery stretch" of Irving Park Road that I run on at least once a week (to get to the LFT). So I knew every contour of this part of the race. Maybe I had a "home court advantage" because I started to speed up ever so slightly? 6:33/mile.

Mile 3: As soon as we got past the "cemetery stretch" it was time for the final mile and onto Wrigley Field. I will say, that it was surreal to be running a race on neighborhood streets, run along a brick wall for a block and then suddenly be thrust onto the field of a Major League team. Wild.

On Wrigley by the Cubs dugout

On our way around the field I touched the outfield ivy, I was nervous as to whether security would admonish me, but just then saw a runner rip off a leaf. So if they were going to to after anyone it would likely not be me. Anyway, we circled around the infield by the dugouts and home plate and just as quickly as we got in there, we were leaving. As a parting shot they showed me on the Jumbotron in right field. 6:29/mile.

Mile 3.16: My only motivation at this point was to try and pass people that were losing steam, as their adrenaline rush from running on Wrigley was fading. I knew that the finish line would be after a sharp turn on Clark and that it was "blind" as we couldn't see it until we were almost there. So, I started my kick before anyone else and ended up passing 3 or 4 people.

Kicking down Clark

I stepped on the mat and raised my arms. I was finished!. 5:47/mile.

Finished!

Stats:

Official Finish Time: 20:43

Official Pace: 6:40/mile

Garmin Pace: 6:30/mile

Place Overall: 56th out of 4,085

Place Age Group: 3rd out of 250

Analysis:

My Garmin pace shows that if perhaps I had run in a straight line, I may have had a sub-20 within my grasp. However, my Garmin says I ran 3.18 miles, so I likely didn't run the tangents very well, or my GPS got a little wonky when we went under the right field bleachers. 

Anyway, here are some positive takeaways:

• My pre-race predicted fitness level was pretty spot on.
• Negative splits!
• Almost 3 minutes faster than my last 5k. I love these large time chunk gains when you are getting back into running. I think shaving off another 3 minutes may be impossible, or would require me to train constantly!

Post Race:

I met up with my co-workers and then one of them mentioned I was third in my AG, so I left them all and sat at the awards ceremony for 15 minutes just to find out that they didn't give out AG awards, just overall winners. Womp! So, I headed over to a bar to meet the coworkers and use the free beer ticket which could be used at most Wrigley bars. After a couple of beers and some conversation, I walked the 2+ miles home.

I'm not going to race for another month until Thanksgiving. Ideally, I'd like to run the Lincolnwood Turkey Trot 10k and the Schaumburg Turkey Trot Half Marathon which are six days apart next month.

Next Up:

Lincolnwood Turkey Trot 10k and/or the Schaumburg Turkey Trot?

Race to Wrigley 2023 - Determining my 5k pace. Can I go sub-20:00?

On the eve of the 2023 edition of the "Race to Wrigley" 5k, I am contemplating what my 5k race pace should be. I entered 21:00 for my finishing time on the race's entry form, but don't know if that is accurate. I've been consistently running 20 mpw and walking 20 mpw for a total of 40 "on my feet miles" per week.

Since May, my "long runs" have increased from five mile run/walks to 12 mile end-to-end runs.  In April, I ran a 23:xx 5k on a handful of weeks training and a few weeks later ran a 46:xx 10k. I haven't raced since then.

I would love to go sub-20:00 for the 5k tomorrow, but I am not super confident that I can go that low as I have probably only run one single mile at the necessary pace (6:27/mi) in the last few months.

Option A:

If I really want to go sub-20, I need to be aggressive in the final two miles. So that would mean I would need something like:

6:45, 6:30, 6:15, 5:30 = ~19:59

Option B:

If I run mile 1 at 6:45/mi pace and feel I'm maxed out, I will just hold that pace for miles 2 and 3:

6:45, 6:45, 6:45, 5:30 = ~20:59

In any case, about all I've decided is my opening mile pace. At the mile 1 marker I'll make my decision on whether to speed up and go for a sub-20.

Off to run on Wrigley Field!

Run for the Animals 10k 2023 Race Recap

After two solid months of training, a 5k and a 3.5 mile race, I was finally ready to tackle a 10k in Wheaton for the Run for the Animals.  I had not run a complete 6.2 miles in a year since I ran the Run for the Animals 2022 Edition. My training for this year's race actually consisted of a few "long" runs of 5+ miles. The Sunday before the race, I actually ran/walked 10 miles to Fullerton Ave. beach. Since that didn't kill me, I had some confidence going into the race that I could run the whole thing without stopping.

Pre-Race

I woke up at 5:15am and after packing my backpack, letting the pups in the backyard and pouring a travel coffee, I headed out at around 6:15 am for the 45 minute trip to Wheaton. Once there, I found adequate parking, but it's not surprising as this once super crowded race is not on the CARA circuit any longer. The Animals race was replaced on the CARA circuit by the Chicago 13.1 on the West Side of Chicago (it was taking place the following day). Anyway, the temps were a little warmer than I'd prefer at around 77 degrees with little wind. 

The 10k Course

Getting ready to run (for the animals)

The Race

Mile 1: I lined up about 20 rows back in the corral and at exactly 7:30am we headed out. The first half of the race is a giant loop (see above picture - the square on the right hand side). This loop is the section where the the 5k runners share the course with the 10k runners. Lots of weaving.  7:42/mile.

Mile 2: I was in a throng of 5k runners who were gradually falling back. More weaving 7:19/mile.

Mile 3: This stretch has a long downhill portion, then an uphill portion just before the 5k finish line. Just before the 10k runners approached the 5k finish line we veered to the right. 7:16/mile.

Mile 4: The race suddenly became much less hectic as it was only 10k runners at this point. 7:24/mile.

Mile 5: A I like this stretch for the tiny bit of "trail running" on gravel around Northside Park pond. At least it is something different than roads. 7:26/mile.

Mile 6: As I passed a couple of people, they offered encouragement. The heat was starting to get to me and so where the gradual uphills, I seem to always slow in this last mile. 7:48/mile.

Mile 6.23:  I gave it all I had, but the heat was dragging me down. Luckily no one passed me like in previous years. I imagine everyone was suffering due to the conditions. I crossed the finish line and was done!  7:03/mile.

Race Summary: 

• Official time: 46:31. Official pace: 7:29/mile. That pace was faster than my 5k pace was only a month ago. Nice improvement!
• Overall Place: 44th out of 256 
• Age Place: 6th out of 27 (10 year age groups now that it's no longer a CARA race)
• Over a minute faster than last year's race. 

Post-Race:

I picked up my finisher medal and water, met my sister and went to breakfast at a place in downtown Wheaton.

Race Takeaway:

I'm happy to have run an entire 6.2 miles at a faster pace than I ran my 5k a month ago. My fitness definitely on a strong upward trajectory as big fitness gains are easier to get when you start from scratch. I would love to run train another month and then race again this summer. Maybe an evening run would be cool and cooler as we head into the dog days of summer!

Next up:

??

Ravenswood Run 2023 Race Recap

Up until three weeks ago, it had been a year since I'd run. I broke my toe during the Covid Times and then took a prolonged break from running. Afterwards, I did a couple of starts and stops trying to get back into running. Then one day last year I stopped entirely and pretty much didn't restart until now.

I usually walk the dogs two to three miles a day, so that has made up the bulk of my fitness. Three weeks ago, I realized that the annual neighborhood race, the Ravenswood Run 5k was taking place at the end of the month. So, not wanting to sit it out once again, I started training again with the goal of simply running the whole race at whatever pace I could.

I averaged about 15 miles/week of running (and about 15 miles of walking) over those three weeks. I hadn't run the Ravenswood run since 2019, and it was good to have it back on the calendar.

Pre-Race:
No shake-out run this time. With only three weeks of training, I needed to save strain on my legs and keep them as fresh as possible. I took the dogs for a quick walk and then my dad and I jumped in the car and headed over to the course. Typically we walk over to the race, but we had some errands to run afterwards, so we drove.

My goal was to do a step down in race pace over the three miles:

8:30/mile, 8:00/mile then 7:30/mile.

The Race:

Pre-race with my dad

Pre-race

Mile 1: This is no longer a CARA Circuit race - I think the CARA circuit "Race That's Good for Life" was the same day. So, none of the speedier runners were present.  They had a corral system (with 2 minute intervals between corrals), which for such a small 5k makes me wonder why. 

I started about 20 rows back. The starter yelled "go", and we were off. We ran by the German International School of Chicago and they cheered us on in German. I went out way faster than planned, but my lungs were handling the load quite well. 7:47/mile.

During Mile 1. Can you spot me?

Mile 2: It was about 42 degrees, and I was wearing shorts and a singlet, but was still getting hot. I was not envious of the people who were still running with jackets and long sleeves. I slowly started to pass large swaths of people who had gone out too fast. 7:41/mile.

Mile 3: Right after passing the two mile marker, we ran into the quaint shopping area of Lincoln Square and I once again said my goodbye to the still shuttered Chicago Brauhaus. I was passing quite a few people down Lawrence. I was looking forward to the southbound tailwind once we made the turn onto Damen. 7:10/mile.

About 200 yards from the finish

Mile 3.16: My only motivation at this point was to try and pass a couple of people who were ahead of me. They were also turning on the jets, so I couldn't quite catch them. We crossed the finish line within a second of each other.

Done!

I stepped on the second (and final) mat and stopped my Garmin. I was finished!. 6:19/mile.

Stats:

Official Finish Time: 23:38

Official Pace: 7:37/mile

Garmin Pace: 7:29/mile

Place Overall: 145th out of 1,112 (about 50% less runners than 2019)

Place Age Group: 7th out of 50

Analysis:

AG used to be tougher since this was a CARA circuit run in years past. However, I'll take 7th place considering my minimal training.

Post Race:

I ran backwards through the course (using the sidewalk) and found my dad and ran with him a bit.

I'm not going to race for another month until the Run For the Animals 10k. I don't anticipate ramping up the mileage between now and then. I like where I'm at fitness-wise, so I want to keep the positive vibes going. I think a month of consistent yet moderate training will get me to where I want to be for the 10k - (i.e. in just a tiny little bit better shape)!

Next Up:

Run for the Animals in June where I'll be the baby in my new age group!

First Race of the Year on Sunday!

I started running again two weeks ago (after a break of about 12 months). I wanted to run our neighborhood 5k which takes place Sunday morning, so I needed to get in shape.

So far I've done quite a bit of run/walking just to get some time on my feet that isn't dog walking. I have yet to run 3.1 miles straight and that may just be my goal on Sunday. Try to run the entire thing without stopping/walking!

At the "finish line" a couple of weeks before the race.

Ran to pick up dinner at the take
 out window at Monti's.

We'll see how it goes and if I can accomplish my goal!

Flashback: Ten Years Ago Today - Chaos at the 2013 Boston Marathon

Flashback: Ten Years Ago Today - Chaos at the 2013 Boston Marathon:

http://lakefronttrail.blogspot.com/2013/04/chaos-at-boston.html

Hard to believe it's been 10 years.

Ten years ago today: "Cheers to the Boston Marathon" - 2013 blog post

Ten years ago today:

http://lakefronttrail.blogspot.com/2013/04/cheers-to-boston-marathon.html