2015 Blue Ridge Relay: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

 

For the third consecutive year Hey Jack! took to the backroads of the Virginia and North Carolina mountains for the 11th running of the Blue Ridge Relay.  LT was again flawless in serving as captain, cheerleader, spiritual advisor, spreadsheet planner, book assembler, and information distributor. 

After a series of mid-summer email banter to make sure everyone from last year was on board we were all set.  And on board should not be confused with in shape - just willing and able to shell out a couple hundred bucks to spend the better part of two days in a rancid van eating cookies and power bars, running hill after hill, not getting any sleep, and understanding that the next day would be not be pleasant.  Having 11 hard commits plus Huegerich meant it was time to determine the running order and project our pace.  This involves a highly non-analytical exercise that is completely baseless and is generally met with a great deal of resistance.  But hey - it made LT and I feel like we did something worthwhile...

Once the master plan was unofficially hatched it was time to make it official so we all got together for the 'unveiling' of the legs and van assignments.  Hank earned a mountain goat leg by taunting me all the up The Bear earlier this summer and John Mills got the other because he seems to actually enjoy running up hill.  Ben Duke got the honor of having the highest mileage including the 10.5 climb up Grandfather as his reward for torching the Palmetto Relay.  The rest of us tried to run routes we hadn't run before and spread the love just to keep things interesting.  Van 1 included Andy Burchfield, Eric Meredith, Ben Duke, Joe Haines, LT, and Huegerich while van 2 included me, Hank Eimer, Michael Banks, John Mills, Luke Stafford, and Knox Tate. 

The 12:00 start time was our latest to date with the blazing fast Asheville Running Collective and Charlotte Running Club being the only teams starting behind us and going off at 1:30.  We rolled out of Hickory shortly before 9:00 am and as always headed up the mountain feeling really good about ourselves.  Then, as usual, we pulled in the parking lot for that painful reminder that everyone starting this late is really fast.  Yes, seemingly every one of them weighed a buck-forty with 3 inch slits and shaved Kenyan calves.  That's exactly the shot of confidence we needed before the start. 

As we roamed the parking lot we noticed a silver haired gentleman that we were certain we could outrun.  That just happened to be UNC head coach Roy Williams who was there as the dedicated driver for his son's relay team.  He was very approachable and a super nice guy so managed to get a few pictures with him, wished the team well and then headed back to the start. 




Andy Burchfield made the trip down from the DC area for the second year in a row which represents a whole new level of crazy.  And because of his unwavering commitment we were kind enough to saddle him as our first runner.  The guy that gets the easy 4 miles downhill but has to lineup against 10 other guys running for 10 faster teams with 50 vans full of runners watching.  He handled it like a champ though and more than held his own.

I was in 2nd van and running 8th which meant two things; I was having subway for lunch and I was not having Chipotle for dinner.  Plus collectively our van had about 15 fewer miles than van 1 which they caught on to fairly early on.  We headed to West Jefferson to the transition area but not before Knox ducked into a Dollar Tree and came out with balloons, Christmas lights, and some other neon paraphernalia to decorate the van.   Now that the essentials were out of the way we waited our turn to break that first sweat.

Mark came barreling down the mountain as the 6th runner and handed to Hank for a short 2.5 miles so finally our van was officially part of the action.  We were a little behind schedule but that was expected since the 2nd leg of the race was rerouted because of a fallen tree.  Eric might not have appreciated the extra 2 miles but it didn't seem to affect the rest of us and he didn't complain too much.  My first leg was a short one, roughly 5K with a climb from mile 1.5 to 2.5 which feels a lot like Joe described it....like running into a brick wall.  The elevation profile and my splits for Leg 8 are to the right.  John, Luke, Knox and Michael all hammered through their runs to finish our first full rotation which ended with an impromptu birthday party for John complete with the Ms. America sash and cupcakes.



Early on it was pretty clear that we weren't beating last years time - especially not with the detour on leg 2 even though it was relatively slight.  Last year nearly all of us were either in the middle of a training cycle or just wrapping one up and personally I was just in better shape and healthier last year.  I was coming off a great summer of base building after making a mess of the spring so I was very optimistic until about a week before the race.  After running the HCA 5K two weeks prior to the BRR I was scheduled for 14 miles the next day.  I've been working with Caleb Masland and team WBP since June and his comments regarding the Sunday long run after the 5K specifically said "KEEP IT SLOW".  But in my infinite wisdom I decided a long run on those 5K legs that included some hill work would serve as the perfect BRR training.  And I thought if I maintained a moderate pace in the 7:30's it would be a great confidence builder.  Just for the record, I'm much better at giving advice than following it.  Eventually I started compensating for some quad soreness which resulted in some lower back pain that led to butt pain which put me on the shelf for a while.  But I wasn't about to miss this - I mean I had two doctors running with me plus a bucket of ice and a bottle of Ibuprofen so what could possibly go wrong?!  

Getting that first rotation out of the way was a relief.  For one it's lonely out there running in the middle of nowhere when well over 100 teams have an hour or more of a head start.  It really doesn't get fun until later in the night when we start getting in the thick of it and mixing it up with the other teams.  Plus it's always nice to spend a little time catching up with our Hickory running buddies from F3 and the Hickory Knuts at the transition zones.  Knocking out that first run in van 2 also means it's time to hit up the Chick-Fil-A in Boone.  I've eaten a whole lot of CFA sandwiches in my days but something about that BRR sandwich is just on a whole other level.

We decided to try to catch a few winks at the 2nd transition zone and found a good spot under a tree, right next to high grass just perfect for snakes.  It wasn't quite 10:00pm so we had a good 2-3 hours to rest and I was wrapped up like a cocoon hiding from natures nocturnal fleet of everything I don't like about camping.  For me sleeping during the BRR consists of 30 minutes spent barricading myself in a sleeping bag, an hour and a half of listening to runners yelling, porta-potty doors slamming, and vans driving by before getting 30 or 45 minutes of something comparable to sleep.  We set the alarm on our iPhones as if there's a real chance that all 6 of us fall into such a deep slumber that we just sleep right through the exchange.  This time we didn't have to rely on our iPhones or our internal clock though.  Apparently Banks was stirred by a set of headlights on high beam and promptly woke the rest of us as he yelled, "why don't you turn your effing head lights off."  Oddly enough, they did - and just like that we were on the clock again.

Hank made quick work of 4.4 miles and I was up for a 'very hard' 7.4 miles which was basically a 5 mile roller coaster followed by a 2 mile uphill kick in the nuts then a screaming 0.5 downhill to the finish.  The only saving grace was that we had finally caught up to several teams so the night running was made easier by focusing on the guy (or girl) in front of you and trying to catch up with them.  Otherwise I found myself envisioning various scenarios resembling scenes from Deliverance which lead to those night terror runs and that's just no good for anybody.  I was warned not to miss the right turn so I made a note of the street sign just in case some backwoods idiot decided it would be funny to move the sign.  And that's happened on more than one occasion so it's good to know your route especially at night.  Once I had a few runners in site I was finally poised for my first kills of the relay and looking forward to getting this leg over with.

I approached what I thought was the turn sign but the runners in front of me both went straight.  It's rare for a sign to point straight ahead but all I could hear was a little voice saying, "don't miss the right turn" so I turned right and hoped for the best.  I ran uphill for what seemed like an eternity on a country road flanked by trees on both sides before another team van finally passed by on the way to the next leg.  Finally I had some confirmation that I wasn't running aimlessly at 2:00am but the other two runners presumably were and I felt pretty bad about it.  In my defense though, I wasn't totally confident in my decision and they were several hundred yards in front of me when I made the turn.

Again Joe's advice, while not especially encouraging was spot on.  Something along the lines of that last hill starts sooner than you expect it to and it just seems to go on forever -- and truer words could not have been spoken.  I could feel the glute monster waking up in the form of a grumpy little troll that was digging at my right butt cheek with a pick axe.  I was really hoping I could maintain something close to a 7:30 pace and even though I had banked quite a bit of time that hill was as advertised.  No streetlights made it impossible to see any potential end in sight.  Throw in the switchbacks and you're left with a mind numbing run through the darkness up the side of a mountain closing in on runners that you can't even see.  I wouldn't necessarily consider leg 20 'suicidal' as it's listed on the BRR website under Hatch's description but it's definitely worth not looking forward to.  In my opinion the Grandfather climb of 10.5 miles is more difficult - the grade doesn't really compare to the climb on leg 20 but the it's all uphill and it just grinds on you.

Once I finally crested the top I just let it roll and finished with a 7:33 pace and was done, like literally.  As soon as I handed the band to John I couldn't take another step.  The butt troll had me on lock down and as Julie affectionately likes to describe it, I looked like a baby about to take his first step.  Lean and think about it, I'm really going to take a step, just put one foot in front of the other, here it goes......na I think I'll just crawl.  Finally somebody picked me up and put me in the van knowing that John would be making quick work of his shortest leg of the relay.

I think the downhill finish was my demise and it was pretty clear to everyone except me that my BRR was over.  Of course I was optimistic that some ice, rest, and Ibuprofen would do the trick while the rest of our guys finished the second rotation and as a team we were still holding strong.  Even though I was unofficially out I had still run the first two legs very close to plan and aside from the extra two miles we weren't too far off from where we wanted to be.  We handed back to van 1 sometime after 4:00am and headed to the third transition zone to catch another cat nap at the church that would be serving pancakes the next morning right before Hank was scheduled to run the mountain goat.  If someone would have interrupted Banks slumber in the front yard of God's house we might have been in need of divine intervention but fortunately we avoided further incident.

After a couple hours of not being able to walk I was resigned to the fact that running 9.5 miles downhill was clearly not in my best interest nor the teams for that matter.  I went to bed thinking a quick sleep might serve me well but that didn't happen.  The pancake breakfast did me wrong a few years ago which was really more about my internal plumbing being a wreck than their pancakes but nonetheless - I opt out of the pancake deal now days.  Banks stepped in my spot running the 9.5 without hesitation and killed it as we continued with the next man up through leg 35.

I was starting to loosen up a little and feeling short changed by only having run 2 legs so I thought maybe I could get through the final leg.  I mean I did have an extra 3 hours or so to walk around and leg 36 wasn't the downhill screamer that I had been scheduled for so why not give it a shot...  Well don't worry - there's no Chariots of Fire ending nor did I end up in the E.R.  I told the guys to give me 2 miles or 15 minutes before leaving and 12 minutes and 30 seconds later I was all but running backwards looking for them because it just wasn't happening.  They saw me waving the white flag and in typical Hey Jack fashion at least half the team piled out of the van and ran the final leg together to finish the race.

We ended up running as the 14 seed and finishing 15th overall with a time of 26:51.  Of course anyone reading this blog that wants to improve their position by 1 spot could probably do so by getting us disqualifying because technically Banks wasn't the next man up but we didn't shake things up to improve our time.  

Very proud of our team effort and still love this race and running with these guys as much as any individual event I've ever run.  In the 2 weeks since the BRR I've put in a whopping 4 miles; 2 miles a week after the race and 2 miles last night.  A couple more weeks of light running and hopefully I will be able to shake the butt troll.

And then there's this vicious rumor that Hey Jack! is jumping in the Hood to Coast lottery next month with hopes of running the mother of all relays.  1,050 teams from Mt. Hood (south of Portland, Oregon) to the coast of Seaside, OR.  If that doesn't work out we might try our hand at the Palmetto relay again with the full squad.  Either way we'll be back at it again soon because YOLO and we're not getting any younger!

Run On!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luke Stafford finishing Leg 10

Stretch station for old guys




Getting ready to watch Hank tame the
mountain goat

Eric, Joe, and Mark lounging before their second rotation



Getting sound advice from Huegerich.  Sort of.

Sought and was Destroyed is more like it



Showing off the most infamous IT
band in sports



Knox Tate cruising through leg 11

John Mills finishing leg 9







Ben a rainy sweaty mess but smiling after leg 27 is in
the books

Hank cruising through leg 7
 

Banks finishing leg 12

 2015 Blue Ridge Relay - Hey Jack!

Why Dew Point is Killing Your Pace

I've spent most of this summer running slow and trying to figure out how much was the weather and how much was simply my conditioning......or lack of.  I know that the increased fluid loss and energy used cooling the body takes away from performance but that just wasn't quite enough for me.  I did a bit of research and found the scientific answers but few things lost my attention faster than a weather man explaining the relationship between relative humidity, dew point, and temperature. 

Finally, after about 45 seconds reading a LetsRun thread about water vapor, ambient gas, air density, and something that seemed relevant about oxygen I decided it was time for me to figure it out and dumb it down so that people like me can understand what's going on.  So here goes.....

As a runner dew point is probably the most important measure affecting performance.  I've run in the dry heat of Arizona when it was near 100 and it was nothing like a 90 degree run in the dirty south.  Dew point reflects the actual amount of water in the air regardless of temperature.  The closer the air temperature and dew point are the more saturated the air is and the more uncomfortable your run will be.  Obviously when humidity is high running isn't going to be pleasant but humidity moves around a lot during the day as the air temperature increases and decreases.

A high dew point means that sweat is less likely to evaporate which is the body's cooling mechanism.  The result is that your core temperature rises and performance suffers accordingly.  The saturated or 'thick' air also makes breathing more difficult.  One reason the poor man's altitude analogy is often used is because having more water in the air displaces some of the oxygen molecules which makes the air less dense as you might experience in higher altitudes.  Training through the summer sweat baths eventually makes your body more efficient with delivering oxygen and blood to working muscles so your focus should be more on effort than pace. 

I found a number of charts illustrating the perceived impact on running at various dew points and included the information from Running Times below:

Dew Point____________________________________________________________________
50-54         Very Comfortable =>   PR Conditions
55-59         Comfortable =>  Hard efforts likely not affected
60-64         Uncomfortable for some =>  Slower than optimal conditions
65-69         Uncomfortable for most =>  Easy training could feel OK but hard efforts are difficult
70-74         Very humid and uncomfortable =>  Expect pace to suffer greatly
75 +           Extremely oppressive =>  Skip it or dramatically alter goal

That's all fine and dandy but really all I wanted to know is exactly, to the second, how much is weather affecting my performance.  I mean is that too much to ask?  That way when I come home after a disastrous long run, or a slow run that was supposed to be fast, at least there's some mathematical consolation.  Not that it will help that much but at least it's something....

So apparently some 'real' runners and coaches like to use a measure of Temperature plus Dew Point to determine pacing adjustments......and viola, I found my answer.  OK not really but it's enough of an understanding for me to stop using Google to compare my desired pace to my actual pace.  So for what it's worth I created the chart below to show the impact of the Temperature + Dew Point and the amount the 'experts' suggest your pace could be impacted.  Obviously it depends on your conditioning, acclimation to running in similar conditions, etc. but you get the idea.

And finally, I did the math of the impact to pacing at certain levels.  

My take away from all of this is pretty much the same as it was when I started; summer in the south is hot and humid so deal with it or go swimming :)

  

To A Friend I Never Met

Tyler -

I'm really not even sure where to begin.  This morning on my way to work I noticed that traffic was unusually backed up.  Several cars were turning around and taking a number of side roads that could have easily saved me the time spent traveling that next 1/2 mile.  Of course I know the exact distance from where I first stopped until I realized why traffic was backed up because I run this street back and forth nearly every day.

For some reason I was oddly curious about what was going on.  Nine times out of ten I would have turned around and taken a shorter route but not this morning.  Eventually I rounded the slight curve and saw the ambulance, police car, and firetruck.  It was clear this was more than a morning fender bender and as I neared the scene I realized that I was only minutes behind the accident.  I saw your bike in the middle of the road and my heart sank.  I immediately felt a personal connection without even knowing the gravity of what had unfolded just minutes earlier.  I prayed for your safety, peace, and comfort hoping for the best but fearing the worst.

Within the next hour I would learn of your passing on the way to the hospital.  Having a number of cycling friends I began asking around because I wanted to know more about you.  I first heard your name about 10:00 this morning -- at 29 years old, a young man full of energy with so much life to live and a wife and young son at home.

I thought about you a lot today.  My heart breaks for your wife and son, your parents, and those that had the pleasure of calling you friend.  I can't pretend to understand what you went through this morning or what your family is going through now but I will continue to pray that God brings peace to their lives.    You did everything right on your morning commute and as an accomplished cyclist you most certainly knew what you were doing.  The driver of the vehicle that hit you crossed several lanes including the center lane before hitting you and then a telephone pole.  His unspeakably stupid decision to drive while high on drugs could have killed any of us - another driver, cyclist, runner, or walker. 

You have forever changed my daily route and undoubtedly I'll think about you often.  I ran by you tonight at the makeshift memorial and stopped to say hello.  I eat at that Subway several times a week, get my car serviced there, and run by all the time so get used to it.  I know you're probably busy watching over your loved ones but once you settle into your guardian angel role if you could keep a watchful eye on the rest of us running and cycling that would be great.  I'm not someone that takes life for granted, or anything else for that matter but today was a painful reminder that life is short, today is a gift, and tomorrow is never guaranteed.

Godspeed my friend, until we race again.

Jason

Long hot runs - the joys of summer training

Last weekend I was all tee'd up to fire off about my early Saturday morning 15 miler.  For starters, I actually woke up early to beat the heat - like on purpose and everything.  By 6:30 I was out the door and by 7:30 the 90% humidity had me looking like I had just crawled out of a swimming pool.  I was struggling to maintain a semi-respectable pace, I had very little sustance in me and no fuel or fluid with me.  I had already been chased by a cat, left my wet shirt behind a bush never to be seen again, broken my third iPod shuffle of the year, and was batting about .300 on the morning run crowd acknowledging me.

Long story short...15 miles and 2 hours of running later, which doesn't include a brief walk at mile 12 to have a word with Jesus and plot the absolute shortest route home, it was over.  Then like any quality runner would do, I went to Bojangles and ate like it was my job.

After a cold shower I thought better of complaining because I was actually pretty happy about it.  It was hot, humid, and I slogged through 15 on a 4th of a bagel and spoon of peanut butter without water.  That's actually pretty stupid to begin with and nothing to be proud of but I'm learning.

This morning was sure to be my redemption long run.  It was scheduled to be 14 with a progressively faster finish and I was going to own it and blog all about it.  Then I overslept.

Nonetheless, after church I was going to get after it.  Ok so it was getting closer to 90 degrees but the humidity wasn't 90%...silver linings right?  I ate a very light lunch and decided to take 20 oz. of tailwind with me.  Great idea, very poor execution.  I mixed it in a Powerade bottle which has a wider opening; great for casual drinking, not so much for drinking on the run.  I'd say I wore about 5 oz. of it and I don't believe a sports drink on the skin counts for much.

The first 6 miles I was locked in and my splits were within a few seconds.  Mile 7 was up 6th street so I slowed a bit but I wasn't feeling too bad. My tailwind was running low and getting hot but so was my back - sticky wet shirt and all.  Putting the lid back on that stupid bottle became increasingly difficult to the point that I was ready to throw it in the next dumpster I saw.  I was just trying to get to mile 11 then finish strong.  Another thing that became very difficult was math.

I pieced together a few of my regular routes and for some reason every few minutes I was calculating different numbers for where I might hit mile 11. Then I started hypothesizing about what it would take in those last 3 miles to get my average pace down.  That was an absolute disaster.  Throw in me trying to gauge the impact on pace from the heat / humidity and I felt like a third grader all over again.

Soon enough I took the last sip of tailwind which was just a hot gulp of nasty but at least it was wet.  My average pace was about 15 seconds faster than last week and the heat hadn't completely brought me to my knees.  At least not yet.  I knew this wasn't going to be the redemption blog I hoped for but whatever.  I was blogging for better or worse.  I mean who wants to read about fast times and solid workouts anyway - where's the fun in that?

Finally it was time to pick up the pace for the final 3 miles.  I wasn't quite in the attack mode I envisioned from my bed the night before but I my legs were still turning over.  I brought the pace down 24 seconds in mile 12....and my heart was none too happy about it either.  I brought it down another 19 seconds for mile 13 and then my brain weighed in on the situation.  I was hot, thirsty, and my heart rate was at about 600.  Actually I have no idea what it was but 13.1 seemed like a nice round number so I shut it down.

My next stop was a cold shower, fully clothed, and it was awesome :)  One more month of this and hopefully it will all be worth it!  All kidding aside, if you're logging a lot of miles in this weather make sure you never leave home without your common sense...

The 21st Annual Shuffling of The Bear

I've decided to lift my self-imposed Blogging cessation because I believe this death march to the top of Grandfather Mountain deserves some press.  Nevermind that my rash of ailments began almost to the day of posting my first Blog.  No, it wasn't turning 40 or 20 years of running catching up with me.  It wasn't the lack of stretching or overtraining.  It was the karma that came with blogging about getting faster....and then sharing that with 137 people.  But I've learned, or maybe not, but either way.....this is about The Bear.

Honestly I do enjoy reading running blogs and I often search for race recaps if I've never run a course before or in the case of The Bear, if I just want to know 'how' to most effectively or efficiently run it.  There were a few good reads out there but I didn't really find what I was looking for, so here I am, writing what I was looking for.  Sort of.

For starters, The Bear is advertised as a 5 mile run from Linville, NC to the top of Grandfather Mountain with an elevation gain of 1,541 feet which is about 1/3 of a mile from top to bottom if you were to measure straight up.  The race caps at around 800 runners and with the increasing popularity over the past 20+ years it sells out very quickly.  Registration opens in the spring and I believe it was full within about 20 minutes this year so if you really want to run this you'll need to circle the date on the calendar.

The course actually doesn't measure 5 miles and this year the shirts even refer to the distance as an 8K but the topo map still shows this as 5 miles.  Generally speaking your 10K time should be in the ballpark of your Bear time with the more conditioned runners and better climbers coming closer to that number.  Flat land runners and track guys along with runners that don't incorporate hill training into their preparation (raising my hand now) should expect to run slower than your 10K time.  I'm not talking pace of course but suggesting the time it takes you to run a 10K should be roughly the time it takes you to complete The Bear. 

I hatched this bad idea back in March when I was feeling pretty good about things.  The usual suspects were on board as well so I met up with Knox Tate, Hank Eimer, Eric Meredith, and Joe Haines to make our way up the mountain.  The race starts at 7:00 so we were there with an hour to spare - plenty of time to pick up our packets, sit around doing nothing, and get a decent stretch in.  The pre-race jitters were obvious with 693 of the 750 runners in line for the porta-pot at any given time and a number of runners running aimlessly a good hour before the start.  The daunting climb makes you feel obligated to put extra thought and effort into fueling, hydration, stretching, etc. but really it's an evening race of less than 5 miles so the last thing you want to do is carry a full stomach up the mountain.

The unique thing about The Bear is that there are no age group awards, only the coveted Bear mug.  On the way up we speculated as to what the cutoff time might be for a guy to get get a mug and decided somewhere between 43 and 45 minutes.  A really precise bunch we are.  Afterwards I was able to confirm that the cutoff was 43:38 and the confirmation was in my hands because I was that last guy to get a mug.  The target is for the top 10% of men and women to receive a mug so based on my back of the napkin math I'm guessing they receive about 100 mugs to distribute and allocate roughly 60 to men and 40 to women based on the 800 runners and the mix of men and women runners registered.  In speaking with some women on the way down after the race I would say the last mugs were awarded in the very low 51's for the females.    

The Bear starts at the corner of Highway 105 and 221 running up 221 before turning right towards the Highland Games.  The first 2.5 miles really aren't that bad relatively speaking.  The initial 1/2 mile is fairly steep and sort of a shock to the the system but once you settle in and get a rhythm it's more than manageable.  Just past the 2.5 mile mark you'll hear the Highland Games and begin traversing the gravel roads leading through the infield and around the track.  As if your lungs aren't burning enough be prepared for the carnival atmosphere complete with campfire smoke, bagpipes, and plenty of cheers.  All of which is short lived because what makes The Bear a bear is waiting on the other side.

Actual Bear profile vs. what it feels like

 After climbing a steep grassy hill which I must admit is probably my least favorite part of the race you'll start the steep ascent to the top of Grandfather Mountain.  From here on pace is out the window because you simply can't run it fast - you just have to get up it.  I ran a very hard effort to get to this point in the race but didn't feel the pain and burning I do in the final mile or two of a 10K.  I had decided coming in that I wasn't going to walk just as a point of pride, and I didn't, but I'm also a witness that walking the switchbacks won't slow you down.  From mile 3 through mile 4.71 I watched Hank perfect his Olympic power walk stride through every switchback while I helplessly made up 0 ground as I shuffled along with my choppy steps and arms pumping in an act I still maintain constitutes 'running'.

After a series of switchbacks the road finally opens up so that you get your first view of the top.  On one hand it's a relief to know the end is near but it's also confirmation that you still have several more of those stupid@*s switchbacks left.  I was closing in on 43 minutes and all of a sudden my concern with a mug had taken a backseat to planning my next meal.  I had forgone dinner and even passed on the late afternoon bagel I had planned to try to keep things light which was the right thing to do but it was pushing 8:00 and I was getting hungry.  I would have gladly traded a Bear mug for my orange slices that were at the bottom of the hill.  And I don't mean real orange slices, I mean the good gummy ones covered in sugar...

Knox serving humble pie for breakfast

But I forged ahead along with Eric and Joe helplessly watching Hank effortlessly (note sarcasm) maintain his 10 second lead while Knox sat comfortably at the top of the mountain with his 4th Bear mug in hand.  To my surprise they were still handing out mugs, to guys at that, and I was fortunate enough to get one.  After receiving mine I heard the guy say he was "all out" and oddly enough I felt a little bit guilty.  Not sure why but I felt like there was somebody that probably worked harder or deserved it more and just as I was the last one to get a mug behind me were the first guys that didn't get one.  Such is life I guess.  For any of you curious about pacing my splits were; Mile 1:  8.13  Mile 2: 8.26  Mile 3:  8.12  Mile 4:  10.26  Final 0.71:  8.22 (11.47 / pace).  Realistically it makes sense to try to maintain fairly even splits through mile 3 saving just enough oxygen to make it through the last 1.7 - simple as that, right :)

The Bear is definitely a race that I would recommend running at least once.  There are a lot of quality runners, especially for a race with less than 1,000 runners but there are plenty of folks running just to complete the challenge and enjoy the scenery.  It's a gorgeous run, definitely challenging, and well worth the $35 entry fee which includes a t-shirt, finisher medal, and mugs for the top 10%'ers (roughly).  The weather is a little unpredictable on top of the mountain with gusty winds which turned into a really strong headwind coming up the final hill and it's definitely cooler at the top of the mountain.  There are shuttles waiting at the top to bring the runners back down the mountain but they don't leave until the last runner finishes so you could be up there for a while.  There is also a bag drop so it's a good idea to send up a jacket or something even if it's warm at the start. 

I came out of The Bear unscathed which was really priority one.  I've got about a month and a half of solid training in after taking most of the spring off and it feels good to be running again.  Some days are better than others and I've still got a lot of work to do to pick up where I left off so I'll just keep grinding through this hot and humid summer and hope things start coming together in the fall.  The Blue Ridge Relay is coming up soon and I'm planning to run the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon in October but in the meantime I'll probably just continue laying low and watching the rest of you get faster!  Hope to catch up with you soon (literally).

2015 Charity Chase Preview

This Saturday marks the 10th running of the Charity Chase Half Marathon in Hickory, NC.  For at least the past 3 years I've said I wasn't running which turned out to be a bold faced lie but this year I'm not running.  Seriously, I'm really not.  Charity Chase and I sort of have a love / hate relationship; I love how well organized the event is, the crowd support for a race this size is absolutely as good as it gets, it's practically in my backyard, and I generally know a ton of the participants.  I'm not crazy about the course because it's not a 'fast' course but it's also not a race that people run because it's notoriously difficult. 

I've raced CC a total of 6 times and consecutively for the past 5 years.  I actually didn't even realize I was on a streak of sorts so not running this year kinda bums me out so if anybody needs a 2:00 hour pacer or something I'm in :)  Anyway, I know the course like the back of my hand so for anybody that hasn't run it maybe this helps. 

The course is basically a figure 8 that starts downtown with an easy first mile down 4th street.  I'm generally a slow starter and this was my fastest mile last year but you're better off running smart than trying to keep up with everybody else that tears out at their 5K pace.  And yes I'm much better at giving advice that taking my own.  The back half of this race is more difficult than the front so trying to bank time is just going to drain energy that you're going to need finish strong.  There's a gradual climb back up 4th before turning right to cross Hwy 127 by Lowe's Foods towards Hickory High School.  At mile 2 you'll come up one of the steeper hills in the race by the HHS football field.  Just shorten your stride and focus on turnover because once you get up this hill you've got a nice easy 3 mile stretch to settle in.

At the top of the HHS hill you'll turn right on 5th street passing Hampton Heights Golf Course heading towards Lenoir-Rhyne.  This is a nice stretch that's flat and loops around the college with a nice downhill on Main Street heading back towards Union Square and the start.  You should feel pretty good as you approach mile 5 and even if you don't just pretend like you do because you're about to run past a lot of spectators.  You'll retrace your steps from the start back down 4th Street but this time you'll take a left just past the right you took on your first loop.  There's a sharp downhill followed by a steep but short uphill before putting you out on 16th Street headed towards the lake.

Now you're past the halfway point.  Mile 8 is fairly flat and takes you into a neighborhood with some rolling hills before putting you out just above Glenn Hilton Park.  Mile 9 runs along the lake and this is really where the fun truck really starts rolling.  As you pass mile 9 you'll run the greenway from Rotary Park to Jaycee Park.  This is a tough stretch but once you get up the first 1/4 mile it's really not that bad.  If you're the type that obsesses over your current mile pace this is probably a good time to stop looking at your watch.  There is fairly thick tree cover on both sides and that combined with the grade change is going to give you some unpleasant data.  Just ignore it and maintain the best effort you can.  Depending on the weather and your pace it's usually starting to get very warm by now and in years past there have been wet towels available at mile 10.  There are plenty of water stops on the course so even if you aren't thirsty early on it's probably a good idea to take some fluids anyway because it heats up pretty quickly.  Once you pass the 10 mile mark you're out of the woods (literally) and headed towards Old Lenoir Road.

Old Lenoir Road is a grinding stretch of rolling hills that gets you past the 12 mile mark.  Coming out of the greenway you'll have an easy mile to catch your breath before a fairly lengthy uphill that isn't steep but being 12 miles into the race it's not fun either.  Most folks are aware that the 'Coca-Cola Hill' is coming up but I've seen a lot of quality runners struggling up Old Lenoir so if you ran smart you'll have the opportunity to really improve your placing in the last mile.  On the other hand, if you got out too fast this is where you'll pay for it - especially on a hot and humid day.  As you near the end of Old Lenoir Road you'll see the Coca-Cola plant to your right so just get your mind right and prepare to finish strong.  There's plenty of crowd support here too but I'm not sure if they are there to support you or just watch you struggle, but either way, you'll want to get this over with quickly.  Of course getting the ol' legs and lungs to cooperate isn't always that easy. 

Once you get to the top of the hill it's over!  Well not really, but you've got less than half a mile of a flat straight away to the finish.  This is where you just unwind with whatever you have left........and then it really is over.  Get your medal, grab some water, and find a place to sprawl out.  There's plenty of good eats afterwards and in past years there has been bagels, bananas, pizza, beer, and a variety of  water and sports drinks.  I don't know what's on the menu this year but I feel certain you won't have to search long for nourishment.  The awards are very nice but I did miss the bobble heads last year so maybe they will make a return this year.  They haven't formally awarded a masters category to date but they do recognize the top 3 overall and the top 3 in each 5 year division.  Results from last year are posted below or you can check the Charity Chase site for other good info:  http://www.charitychase.com/

Good luck to everyone running this weekend!

Recap: 2015 Boston Marathon

 

Two down, one to go.  For some reason that I haven't quite nailed down I decided last year that I needed 3 Boston Marathon medals; one for each son.  About 5 miles into this one I was starting to think that Sam might have to settle for a store bought t-shirt.  Now I'm already looking forward to going back in 2016 and going back healthy and focused. 

This was another great experience but I am admittedly tired and worn down.  I never fully recovered from the Palmetto relay and resuming my marathon training without time off led to some really uncomfortable runs.  A number of my longer runs were cut short and my last 4 weeks of training were pretty much a disaster.  I might have averaged 20 miles a week before completely shutting it down with two weeks to go.  Bill Johncock and his staff were amazing with their treatment as well as talking some much needed sense into me regarding expectations.  

I'm a firm believer in planning a race and sticking to the plan so I felt like running 3:30 was more than respectable and was a pace that I could handle without risking further injury or just being flat out miserable out there.  Once the weather forecast started going south I was one of the few that wasn't glued to the weather channel so it was nice to be able to shrug off the nasty front coming in.  I flew out of Charlotte Saturday morning and ran into a fellow Boston runner on the shuttle to the airport.  Oddly enough I recognized him from running the Charity Chase Half Marathon last June where he ran 1:25 and I finished about a minute later.  We chatted it up for a bit and he was in sub 3 marathon shape and would go on to nail it at Boston running 2:57.  That would be my first of many conversations I would have with runners that either were coming off a great training cycle and looking for a PR or that were banged up and just treating Boston as a victory lap.


Being the creature of habit that I am my pre-race day schedule is generally very predictable.  I like to have a fairly large late lunch where I get my carbs and have something familiar.  For dinner it's usually something a little lighter and traditionally something along the lines of a Turkey sandwich from Subway.  Again something my body is used to eating and digesting.  But not this year, oh no. The Red Sox game started at 1:30 so my lunch consisted of a pretzel, a slice of pizza (my first in 6 months or so), and some strawberry shortcake all around 3:00.  After the game I did some shopping and committed the ultimate marathon faux pas and bought a new singlet, and yes, I ran in it.  I mean really - at this point I hadn't run in 3 weeks and had eaten like crap for two days.  It was supposed to be cold, rainy, and windy.  Like wearing a new singlet was really going to matter.  And I topped that off with dinner about 9:00 that night having a pressed chicken panini with some goat cheese and red peppers at the hotel.

Race day came bright and early Monday morning and I was having my traditional pre-race meal of a bagel with peanut butter, a Diet Pepsi, and of course I made sure I was getting enough water to stay hydrated during the race.  The hotel shuttle came about 6:15 and dropped us off at Boston Common to catch the BAA buses to Hopkinton.  I made a game time decision to take my phone and hope that I could get some pictures of the 'Boston experience' but the constant rain made that a little difficult.

Loading the buses at Boston Common

The bus ride to Hopkinton is always fun.  Basically a convoy of school buses down the interstate to the athletes village which is a local middle school.  Unlike last year when the weather was perfect this year it was a hot mess.  Initially it was just cloudy with a temperature in the low 40's which was actually perfect for running and the wind wasn't really a factor.  At least not yet.  That all changed about 8:30 when we started to get a steady rain.  Runners were all huddled underneath one of two tents shoulder to shoulder which was pretty cool at first but an hour of sitting with crossed legs before a marathon is not something I recommend if you can avoid it.  Things really started to get hairy when the Wave 2 runners showed up prior to the Wave 1 runners heading to the start.  I had a good spot near some nice folks but soon enough it was time for us to make our way to the start.

Trying to stay dry in the athletes village 

Last chance for the porta potty before the start

I made it down for the national anthem, heard the elites being announced, and settled in at the back of Wave 1.  After a 5 minute shuffle to the start I finally had started my 26.2 journey on the hallowed grounds of the Boston Marathon.  My first 5K split was similar to last year, an easy 7:50 pace that actually felt easy and considering that was my longest run in 10 days or so it was nice to at least get past the first split.  Feeling pretty good about things and running downhill I picked up the pace a bit and ran the second 5K closer to a 7:25 pace.  That felt alright but I could tell that I was running very timidly with a wonky stride that just didn't feel natural.  The rain was coming down hard which was making it feel colder than it really was but I pushed through the first 15K with just under a 7:40 pace and decided to back off a little bit.
Miles 10 and 11 run through Natick Center where the crowds are large and they are loud.  I was actually very surprised that the weather didn't affect the spectator turn out but I really didn't notice any drop in crowd support from the beautiful day in 2014 to the less than spectacular day in 2015.  I decided to stop and cross the ropes for a potty break and to regroup a bit as we moved through town.  My wet socks were all over my foot and in between my toes so they were driving me crazy.  I watched from the porta-pot as my pace dropped but from then on any pressure related to pace was off the table.  Before getting back on course I asked a nice couple if there was a shorter route to the finish and the guy suggested that maybe I should run faster.  Not exactly the response I was looking for but he might have been on to something.

A quick selfie at Wellesley College

Miles 12 to 13 begin with a nice descent into the town of Wellesley that leads to the College  Everything you read about hearing the girls before you see them is true - they are loud and their signs are clever so I stopped for a quick selfie and started preparing for the Newton Hills.  Normally I break a marathon into three parts; the first 10 miles, the second 10 miles, and the final 10K but mentally this was a little different.  There were a few times early on when I would feel something strange and think to myself, here comes the pain, and honestly the whole DNF scenario crossed my mind more than once early on.  All along my target was mile 16 - if I could just get to the base of the Newton Hills I knew I would figure out a way to get up them.  And once I got through Newton it was all downhill to the finish so even a worst case scenario of walking it in was doable from there.

Heading into Newton I was feeling fresh but not fast.  I wasn't laboring which was nice but my legs just weren't turning over.  I expected that, I just didn't like it.  Mentally I had moved on from the DNF thing and starting to settle into more of a normal stride.  Fortunately the wind hadn't been much of an issue through 16 but on the day we probably only got in 5 or 6 rain-free miles.  I knew my Newton running friends (the shoe guys) were somewhere around mile 16 / 17 so I just looked for them and made my way through the hills.  They were kind enough to give me a hat at the expo in exchange for wearing it in the race so I wanted to make sure they knew I made good on my end.  Eventually I crested Heartbreak Hill and it was pretty uneventful because actually I don't even remember it.  There were some quality runners starting to wave the white flag and those that got out too fast were starting to transition into that death march towards the finish.  And of course there were some front runners from Wave 2 that were starting to cruise through at a nice clip.  I was still having fun with the crowds and their signs so now that the hard part was over I was just ready to finish and get warm.

Once you pass mile 21 the hills are behind you and you can sense that feeling of closing in on the city.  Physically and mentally this is the best I had felt all day and I was finally able to let go of my apprehension and just run.  My paces began to drop steadily from mile 22 through 26.2 and I crossed the finish line feeling great with a lot more bounce in my step than any other marathon I've ever run.  I was curious as to who won so I asked a local reporter and she wasn't sure but she was able to confirm that it was not me.  She proceeded to interview me for a bit about the day and the conditions which was pretty cool and fortunately she was able to edit my ramble to a short couple seconds of non-idiotic ramble.

I had finally earned the right to wear the purple finisher jacket but I still wasn't feeling very runner-like.  I was soaking wet, couldn't feel my hands, and shivering uncontrollable so I made my way to the T and headed back to the hotel.  After ditching the wet clothes I went straight to the hotel restaurant to eat then took a short cat nap before a non-eventful nightcap of watching basketball and eating fried calamari.

Now that I'm back I've gone through a range of emotions with the big two being relief and appreciation.  I'm relieved it's over and looking forward to getting some rest.  I said that after the Richmond Marathon but didn't really stick to it so I paid the price and still am.  I also have a much deeper appreciation for being healthy and the level of commitment it takes to continue improving as a runner - especially as an older runner.  As someone who is notorious for not stretching and not drinking water I realize that I'm probably going to have to change that if I want to continue running into my late 40's and 50's - and I definitely do!  At the end of the day I did what I set out to do; 1) I finished, 2) my 3:27 was slightly better than the 3:30 target, and 3) most importantly I feel good.  I'm going to take a couple of weeks off then ease back into running with a couple of very easy weeks.  I've got my sights on an October half-marathon where I hope to return to form and roll that into training for Boston in 2016.    


Mentally and physically the past 8 or 9 months have been really challenging.  Through it all though I have experienced firsthand the genuine respect and support the running community has for one another.  My family and friends have been amazingly supportive as well providing the perfect balance of encouragement combined with the occasional shut-up-and-stop-feeling-sorry-for-yourself.  That message really hit home as I saw runners competing in Boston while overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles including autism, blindness, and running with prosthetics.  One athlete was competing as an amputee without a prosthetic leg effectively covering 26.2 on one leg, crutches, and no guide assistance.  That takes a courage that most of us can't fathom and really underscores just how blessed that we are.  The last runner to complete Boston crossed the finish line 20 hours after starting and suffers from a rare muscular condition that makes even walking difficult.  These are the real athletes enduring real pain and sacrifice which really puts our 'bad days' in perspective.

For those of you planning to run Boston that haven't already below are a few tips that you might find helpful when your big day comes.

1.  Book your room early.  I've booked through Marathon Tours for the past two years with much success.  Boston registration is in September so even if you're registering the last week and fear missing the 'cut' the cancellation fee is nominal so it's worth booking before you get official confirmation.  Unless you're just really superstitious...   http://www.marathontours.com/ 

2.  Get familiar with the T (Boston's public transportation system)  You can catch the T at Logan airport and pretty much take it anywhere in the greater Boston area and beyond.  It won't take you all the way to the start in Hopkinton but unless you're staying near the start there's really no reason to go that far.  There are T stops everywhere which is convenient and despite the hassle of constantly trying to figure out where to get on and off (if you plan to explore the city) you're much better off on the train than trying to drive and park in this mess

3.  Buy the official finisher's jacket, especially if it's your first Boston.  The color scheme changes every year so even if you hate it, buy it.  I wasn't planning on buying my first one but my dad made me and I'm glad he did.  It's not cheap ($110) but wearing it to and from the airport will make you feel like a rockstar.  Plus when you get to Boston you'll see them everywhere.  Before the race you'll see a lot of prior year jackets as most runners won't break out the current year until they actually finish the race.  There will be plenty of first time runners wearing the current year jackets on the way in so you earned the right to wear it if you want.  Unless you're just really superstitious...

4.  Take the BAA transportation to the start.  No matter where you're staying (unless you can walk to the start) figure out a way to get to the T and take it to the bus pick-up at Boston Common.  Getting on the school buses with runners you've never met and taking the convoy to the start is part of the experience.  You'll travel 20 miles of interstate with cars of well-wishers passing by and you know you won't be late.  Drive to the start if you must but be prepared for road closures and re-routed traffic so leave yourself plenty of time.  Some hotels are within walking distance of Boston Common and several hotels offer complimentary shuttles to the bus loading area.

5.  Be prepared for downtime once you get to the Athletes Village.  Bus loading begins at 6:00am for Wave 1 runners and the race doesn't even start until 10:00am.  New England weather in April is all over the board but be prepared for a chilly morning.  Dress warmly, wear throw-aways, and know that everybody looks like an orphan when they show up so it's all good.  Even if you're in the later waves it's going to be chilly and you'll be at the athletes village (a middle school) for at least an hour - maybe even two depending on when you get there. 

6.  Don't start too fast.  No really, do not start too fast.  Adrenaline is off the charts and the start is downhill so it will feel like you're walking.  If you're lucky the sheer volume of people will hold you back but if you burn out on the downhill start it's going to be a long day coming through Newton.

7.  If you have family going to watch make sure you know where they are going to be on the course.  There are some areas on the course that are better to watch from than others and easily accessible from the T.  Once they get there they should plan on staying there because hopping on the T and trying to catch you at multiple places on the course is probably a bad idea.  My advice is to find a spot somewhere along the Newton Hills (miles 16-21) or closer to the finish.  Also discuss which side of the road you're going to be on.  If you're running on the right and your family is on the left there's a good chance you're going to miss them.  Remember, 30K runners and 1M spectators along the course.  If you have no idea where your people are good luck finding them.

8.  You aren't winning or making it to the podium so give high fives and play up to the crowd.  Sure it takes a bit of extra energy but it's Boston and the vast majority of those cheering you on would give anything to be running along side you.  Take the time to thank them for coming out - especially the kids.  You might never again compete in front of a million spectators again so take advantage of it. 

9.  The Newton Hills aren't that bad.  Unless you run in a pancake flat state the hills aren't worth stressing over.  If you just want to obsess over hills obsess over the downhills.  The first 15 miles are mostly downhill so Newton actually provides a bit of relief and works some different muscles.  The real challenge is the downhill finish from 21 to 26 so that's what you need to be ready for.

10.  You can see the Citgo sign from forever away.  You'll hear and read that once you see the Citgo sign the finish is right around the corner.  That's sort of true but hold off on the Chariots of Fire sprint to the finish from here.  You actually catch a glimpse of the sign closer to 2 miles out and there's still some work to do.  Then you'll get a good view of it when you're about a mile out.  You'll know you're getting close because the decibel level goes up a few notches but once you take a right on Hereford Street get ready to soak it in because you're about to take the left on Boylston to the finish.

11.  Be humble.  Be gracious.  Be thankful.  These are the best runners in the world so appreciate the opportunity to run with them.  If you want to race, race yourself.  Don't even waste your energy sizing up runners based on their size, shape, age, or shoes.  Just assume everybody is fast.  For perspective a 3:30 marathon would have been put you in the top 10% of the field in the 2014 Chicago Marathon.  That same 3:30 would have only gotten you in the top 35% of Boston this year.  Be gracious to the host city and the residents.  They genuinely appreciate you running and often will thank and congratulate you throughout the weekend.  Thank the volunteers, the policemen, and the first responders.  They spend more time on their feet than you do and brave the same elements you are and they don't get a medal when it's over.  And thank everyone that helped you get this far because nobody does it alone.

12.  Have fun.  The best advice that I ever got was that "you only get one first Boston."  Plan your race, race your plan, and don't regret anything because you'll never be in that moment again.


Below are a few pictures from the course in no particular order.