Chicago Marathon Race Recap 2016

Back in April I got a note from a friend (Donald Keller) that said, "Will I see you in Chicago this October?"  At the time Chicago wasn't even on my radar since I was fresh off of not qualifying for New York and was still licking my wounds.  I really hadn't given any thought to what was next but I decided to humor the question and check into the details.  I've always wanted to run the 3 US majors (Boston, Chicago, and New York) for no other reason that to say I did so it made sense but still seemed like a stretch at the time.

Getting into Boston is fairly straight forward - you either qualify or you raise money for Charity.  Chicago and New York are a little bit quirky.  For New York the time standards are more difficult but there are half marathon standards that are good for their marathon qualifier.  For perspective the 40-44 male Boston qualifying time is 3:15 and for New York it's 2:58 for a full and 1:25 for a half.  The first time qualifier spots go to runners that qualified in a NYRR sanctioned race then a limited number of automatic qualifiers are first come first serve to runners qualifying on other certified courses.  Yeah, whatever that means.  Members of the NYRR club that run and/or volunteer a certain number of NYRR races are automatic qualifiers and the rest of the spots are awarded via lottery.  I hate lottery entries so I usually steer clear of them.

Chicago's guaranteed entry requirements almost made it too good to turn down.  Men and women, regardless of age, that have run 3:15 or 3:45 respectively meet the guaranteed time requirement.  Also the time window for running the qualifier is longer than Boston and New York so times run on, or after 1/1/2014 were good for the 2016 race and since my 2015 was a disaster that sealed the deal.  I applied, was accepted, and the only thing left to do was make it through the summer in one piece.  Easier said than done considering I severely underestimated how difficult a summer marathon cycle was going to be.

I was struggling through midday runs as early as May then slogged my way through the Charity Chase Half Marathon in June.  Physically I felt as good as I had in a long time but I was already thinking this might be a bad idea.  The effort that it took to maintain paces that I was easily running through the winter months was just ridiculous.  Of course looking back at my running logs from 40 degree weather didn't help either.  The runs grew longer, and hotter, and my pace runs were hot garbage.  I hadn't booked a room yet or invested in plane tickets and I distinctly remember setting out for a tempo in August thinking that if the run went south I was going eat my entry fees and run the Richmond marathon in mid November.  If nothing else that would give me another 5 weeks to push out my peak mileage weeks.  Fortunately I had good run that day and was able to dislodge my head from my rear and from that point on I was all-in.

We loaded up for Chicago the Thursday before the marathon with plans of flying out Sunday after the race.  On Friday morning I took all 3 boys to the expo with hopes of beating the crowd.  That didn't happen but everything about Chicago is built for crowds so it wasn't all that bad.  I'm not a huge expo guy but I do like to spend a few minutes to make sure I've got the essentials, like my bib, and then a little something to remember the event.  You know, on the off chance I forget 26.2 miles of traipsing all over Chicago.  Otherwise being under the same roof with 1,000's of obnoxious and anxious runners tends to wear me out.  The minute my youngest realized that none of the vendors were carrying kids sizes the trip turned into a complete disaster.  He was bored, tired of walking, and hungry not to mentioned furious that the other two were leaving the expo with something to show for their morning excursion.  Eventually he and I made our way to a Chicago sports store and once he was decked out in Cubs gear the Earth continued it's rotation.

We did the touristy thing Thursday and Friday but Saturday I
started getting a little restless.  I met Donald at Fleet Feet for a shakeout run that morning sponsored by Runners World and hosted by Bart Yasso.  After that I spent a relaxing morning at the aquarium and had a late lunch about 3:00pm which wasn't exactly how I drew it up.  The rest of the day I just hung out at the hotel while the family spent the afternoon at the parks which actually was, exactly how I drew it up.  I finally ventured out after dark to find a bagel and some peanut butter which is not as easy as it sounds the night before 40,000 people are set to run a marathon.  Then I decided it was in my best interest to find some throwaways for race morning because I wasn't prepared for a 40 something degree morning.  Seventeen dollars later I had some ugly sweatpants, an even uglier oversized sweatshirt from about 1992, and a knit cap that I totally didn't need.

Sunday morning was perfect - not quite as chilly as Saturday but 50 degrees and not a cloud in the sky with the typical Chicago breeze was blowing.  I walked out the hotel door and just followed the crowd to the start.  The bag check went smoothly and I managed to follow signs to find my gear check, wave, and corral.  I really didn't have much time to spare but needed to get in a final bathroom stop.  There were porta-pots everywhere but the lines were long and they weren't moving so I kept thinking the closer I got to the start the shorter the lines would be.  Wishful thinking.  Do yourself a favor and go early.  At Boston there is enough vegetation that if you're really pressed for time you can find a tree in a pinch.  In Chicago, not so much.  I had about 15 minutes to the start and the line was  30 deep and there was no way I was going to make it.  I finally noticed in a far corner there were a few brave men and women congregating near a single tree so I joined that less than modest group, did my thing, and I was all set!

Like every race there's a lot of excitement and adrenaline at the start but the national anthem is always a bit emotional for me.  In that moment I'm able to truly appreciate the day and reflect on everything that makes it special.  My faith, family, freedom, and health all come together in a way that's overwhelming and unforgettable.  I realized how insignificant my personal goals are in the grand scheme of this amazing opportunity that is my life.  That perspective allows me to relax and just enjoy the experience for exactly what it is.  Then it gets loud, and in unison 1,000's of runners start undressing and moving towards the start so back to the reality of spending the next few hours running... 
 
By Sunday morning we had already had an amazing trip and I just didn't want to screw it by bombing my run.  I was hoping for a time that would get me into Boston 2018 just in case I have friends that decide to run.  My BQ time is 3:15 but BQ-2:30 is probably the safe bet to get in.  I felt like my training was good enough to run 3:10 and my PR is 3:09 high so obviously I would have loved to improve on that time.  I went to my A-team for running advice and insight (Bill Johncock and Robert Murray) so I was healthy, reasonably fit, and had excellent advice on my side - not to mention great weather.  All I had to do was not run a dumb race which I have been known to do.  Really my issue is more with planning and logistics than the actually running but it all goes into the Lemonade that I prefer to be sweet.

I wanted to ease into the first 5K at marathon pace plus about 20 seconds then eventually get to marathon pace but my signal was garbage.  Clearly I didn't get the memo to disregard GPS data in the first few miles because of the signal loss going under bridges and through the city.  There's your PSA for running Chicago - expect a lot of signal loss.  After the first 5K my watch was reading an extra 0.3 miles so the mental math was in full swing. 

I was actually behind the 3:15 pace group of about 9,000 (maybe I'm exaggerating just a tad) but I just tried to stay patient and remember how much running was ahead of me.  The course starts in the middle of the city, runs 6 miles north before circling back then runs 6 months south away from the finish before looping back.  The first 4 miles are really loud and the streets are lined with people so it's easy to get sucked into the race hype and run too fast but for whatever reason I felt sluggish and slow to start.  I actually was looking everywhere to use the bathroom, again, to no avail and after 10 miles of figuring out when and where to relieve myself it just went away.  My 5K split was 7:32 and really not where I wanted to be but whatever.

By the time I passed the 10K mat I had finally navigated my way through the 3:15 group but still wasn't thrilled with how I had run thus far.  Then I did what any impatient and relatively inexperienced marathoner would do and tried to make up for time lost.  I was finally finding a good rhythm and we were making our way back downtown so my 15K and half marathon splits were among my fastest of the day.  Halfway through the race I was at 1:35:14 which is about where I wanted to be but maybe not exactly how I planned to get there.

Running away from the finish line half way through the marathon was a lot like running past my house in the middle of a long run.  It kinda sucks.  The only saving grace was that I was finally counting backwards and able to break up the race into small chunks.  I was in a rhythm and had my sights on trying to stay relaxed through mile 16.  After a very comfortable race pace split I had 10 miles left and was ready to grid.  Ten mile tempo runs had been a staple of my training so in my mind that was exactly my approach going forward.  The crowds thin out a bit and these miles are much less eventful than the early miles but as you head away from downtown at least you have the benefit of some longer straights and the wind at your back. 

My fastest split was between miles 16-19 where I was marathon pace minus about 15 seconds.  It didn't feel fast but my legs had become well aware of what was going on and were letting me know about it.  I made it through mile 20 without even realizing it and knew I was at least headed back in the direction of the finish.  Around mile 21 I started to get uncomfortable - could have been that last split but there was no undoing anything now.  The mileage difference between my watch and the course mile markers were really getting on my nerves too - my watch would read 21 miles, then half a mile later I would see the 21 mile marker.  Every.  Single.  Mile... 

Coming through Chinatown was a nice pick-me-up and once again the streets were packed.  A big yellow dragon was there to provide about a 20 second reprieve, or at least distraction from the train wreck that had become my two legs.  I knew if I could just hang on until mile 24 that it was a straight shot to the finish and that the crowds would provide a much needed shot of adrenaline.  I grabbed some Gu, no idea what flavor, caffeinated or not, and I didn't care.  I just sucked it down like it was my job.  I fueled that morning with half a bagel and some peanut butter and tucked away 4 or 5 Swedish fish in my shorts.  I ate one of them early on and forgot about the other four.  At least until I reached back and found a gooey mess in my back pocket later on.  It's possible my fueling habits need some work.  Anyway, I hadn't quite made the turn into the city, the wind wasn't helping at all on the way in, and I was about spent so miles 23 and 24 were a real struggle.  Once I finally passed the 24th mile I could hear the rumbling in the distance at the finish line.

One more grinding mile into the wind to 25 and I was finally in the home stretch.  I was pace +.10 for a couple miles prior to 24 but got back on track to run mile 25 right at MP.  At the time I had no idea how I was tracking and had finally given up trying to figure it out.  I was running by feel and just trying to get through it without paying much attention to my watch.  Honestly I was afraid to even look because I was laboring and it felt like I was crawling.

The final mile includes a bit of a climb up to a bridge right before the finish but being so close to the end adrenaline makes that bearable.  Not enjoyable, but bearable.  I finally glanced at my watch because even I can subtract my elapsed time from my goal(s) to figure out the damage.  I was tracking close to 3:10 but I needed a gear that I just didn't have to get in under it.  The finish line was in sight as my watched turned to 3:10 and 28 seconds later I crossed the finish line. 

I was too tired to do the math on the splits to see if the negative split was still in play.  Strava and New Balance have thrown out this back half challenge where they offer free shoes for running a negative split between October 9 and early December so I was hoping to take advantage of that.  However moments after finishing the race the last thing on my mind was another pair of running shoes to log more miles.  I was very satisfied but not thrilled and I'm not sure there's anything I could have, or would have done any differently.  Maybe been more patient early, maybe run more consistently late, maybe taken in more calories on the run - but I did a lot more right than I did wrong on the day.  I ran identical splits for the front and back half with 5K splits of 7.34 / 7.20 / 7.04 / 7.10 / 7.16 / 7.18 / 7.01 / 7.22 / 7.24 / 7.11 so it's hard to be disappointed with that.

I'm far from being an experienced marathoner but I've learned enough to respect the distance and know that so many things have to go right just to have a good race, much less a great one.  The weather, fueling and hydrating properly, shoes, and obviously making it through the full training cycle healthy.  Speaking of shoes I put myself in the unenviable position of running in a pair with 400 miles or a pair with 16 miles.  I went with the new(er) pair and it worked out but I don't recommend it.  Afterwards I reconnected with the family, scraped the gooey fish out of my back pocket, and it was time to say good bye to Chicago.  An amazing host city and an incredible experience that I would do all over again in a hot minute. 

Congratulations to everyone that ran and thank you to all that offered support and encouragement before and after the race.  Also to my running friends that helped me through my runs long and short, fast and slow, from the 5am Saturday runs to the 95 degree afternoons, having you guys to run with made a world of difference!  Let's do it all over again soon :) 

      

2016 Blue Ridge Relay -- Hey Jack!

 

So there's this relay race every year in September.....

I know, same thing every year but for those that don't know The Blue Ridge Relay is run every September from Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia to Asheville, NC.  The exact mileage varies very slightly from year to year but typically it's roughly 206 miles of what seems like a lot more ups than downs.  Ultra teams of 6 or fewer runners and full teams of up to 12 runners compete by running in sequential order through the night for nothing more than bragging rights, a t-shirt, and a magnet.  That's right, no finisher medals and nobody cares.  The course takes you along the New River, through the Blue Ridge Parkway, through Grandfather Mountain and Mount Mitchell, and otherwise through the middle of nowhere.

Pat rocking the Hey Jack swag

This was the 4th year running for Hey Jack with a few guys having previously run once or twice with a group from Charlotte.  Despite running the same route every year, as the race director puts it, this is a different race every year.  Our best time of 25:59 was run in 2014 with 11 guys and our slowest time to date was last year when we finished in 26:51.  This year the build up was a little longer with chatter beginning early in the summer and a lot more group running prior to the relay.  We really hadn't ordered any swag since our first year running in 2013 so captain LT took the lead and we settled on ordering hoodies with our logo which is sure to become a staple of my winter wardrobe.

The next order of business was assigning legs which is an incredibly convoluted process where we consider the high mileage vs. low mileage legs and their difficulty, the van mix, and try to give guys the opportunity to run different legs than prior years.  After 4 years the different leg thing is really hard to make work and the van mix is really a non-issue because we all get along very well.  Eventually LT and I slap some names down and if there are no objections we roll with it.  And the objections are rarely with the leg assignment but there is typically a little push back when guys see the pace they are 'expected' to run.  Through a combination of logic and scientific engineering we come up with pace projections that amount to the equivalent of throwing darts.

Friday morning at 8:30 we met to load up the vans.  Hank Eimer, Pat Brooks, Yours Truly, John Mills, LT, and Mark Huegerich in van 1 (in that order) and Michael Banks, Jason White, Joe Haines, CJ, Knox Tate, and Ben Duke in van 2.  Having run this so many times and finishing among the top 20 we generally get one of the later starts and since we run with 12 it's typically with the last groups going out before the two track clubs.  That means that every team we start with is faster than we are which is always humbling.  Even though we could easily fill a third van with team egos we don't exactly fancy ourselves a 'real' running club so we really don't care.  In fact I think we sort of relish the opportunity to roll up looking like we spent the morning tailgating a football game.

Hank started us off with a screaming 4 mile downhill leg that LT inexplicably expected him to run at a 6:00 minute mile pace.  That set off a nice discussion about how drunk he was when he dropped these paces in but one should never doubt the genius of our fearless leader.  Hank is a great athlete, he's fit, and a really good runner - but I'm not sure he was put on this Earth to run 6 minute miles, much less 4 of them.  Nobody on our team was for that matter.  But with that whole ego thing everyone in this bunch is going to do everything humanly possible to run the sheet and damn if he didn't run 5:50's.  There was a brief moment when I thought he might die but fortunately he's still with us.  As our conquering hero settled into the backseat after emptying the tank with 4 miles down and 202 to go there was a brief pause when we speculated how that might affect his future legs.  But really, after banging out a run like that who cares...

Pat was up next in his first year with us after losing Eric Meredith to a medical conference that he's bailed on for the last 3 years.  Pat's a great dude with some wheels but he and Joe do absolutely nothing to support the notion that we're a bunch of skinny-fat dudes that run faster than we look.  They actually look, and are fast.  Starting that early with fast teams means that the roads are very, very lonely.  We might have been ahead of 2, maybe 3 teams that started with us at noon and the 5 or 6 we were chasing were in the wind.  Pat had 7+ miles of rolling hills and I was anxiously awaiting my start because until you actually break that first sweat it just doesn't quite feel like a race.

My legs this year were the same as my legs in 2014 which was a really good year in general for me.  Leg 3 was just over 5 miles with a mile down hill, a stupid 2nd mile with over 300 feet of elevation, then a steady downhill finish.  My second run was leg 15, the glorious 10.5 mile midnight climb up Grandfather and my final leg was just over 9 miles with the first two downhill and then a steady 7 mile climb.  Unfortunately I followed up that banner year in 2014 with an absolute train wreck in 2015.  Plantar fasciitis in both feet, then some compensatory joint issues in my foot, a lackluster Boston Marathon at about 75% and finally some piriformis butt / back issues that resulted in a big fat DNF at last year's BRR.  Yep, I officially completed 2.2 of my 3.0 legs.  As much as I love running with these guys not being able to finish last year really sucked. 

I had my paces from 2014 memorized and just wanted to run respectably close.  As I waited on Pat along side a 120 lb. 20 something year old I was really hoping the kid would go out first because based on the eye test it was clear that this kid was much faster.  Apparently Pat had other plans and came barreling down the mountain so I had no choice but run and hope I didn't get hawked down.  At least not within eyesight of anyone.  The van drove by and proceeded to tell me that Pat killed it following up Hank's 5:50's by running his tough 7+ miler in the 6:40 pace range.  Nothing like setting the bar high from the get go.  I ran a 6:28 pace last year but I knew that wasn't happening after the first mile.  It was a toasty 85 degrees without a cloud in the sky and I knew I had a lot of running left.  I resisted the urge to look over my shoulder until I hit the exchange zone sign but apparently Pat was kind enough to build a lead large enough that even I wasn't giving it up.  I finished leg 3 with a 6:46 pace and van 1 was rolling.

The next 3 legs are a bit foggy as my thoughts turned straight to Chick-Fil-A because I hadn't eaten lunch and soon it would be dinner time.  John, LT, and Mark all followed up with solid runs and van 1 passed the torch to van 2 at a Christmas tree farm in the middle of absolutely nowhere.  With dinner on the brain we headed straight into Boone in the general vicinity of the second transition area.  We rolled up into the CFA like a bunch of school girls on a field trip and ordered enough food to last the rest of September.  You know, the current meal plus the midnight snack after the 2nd leg that was to come.  Then there was the just-in-case-I'm-hungry sandwich for breakfast after the final legs just before dawn. 

Then we hit the transition zone for a few hours of rest and relaxation.  It was still fairly early so there would be no sleep but the sleeping bags were officially broken out for some serious down time.  In my last minute packing frenzy I wasn't able to find my sleeping bag or headlamp so I grabbed the quilt off my son's bed and hoped it might go unnoticed.  At approximately 10:31pm I received a text that it was officially noticed.  Fortunately the quilt made it back home, has been washed, and is back in it's rightful place.  LT disappeared for about an hour making rounds, shaking hands, holding babies, and being the social butterfly that LT is.  He returned to our plot of grass with half of the F3 Hickory team in tow and we spent some time catching up with them.

We finally settled into some mellow tunes but there's always that one guy with the iPad....the one that's watching a movie or cat bloopers on YouTube with the volume on high and no headphones.  All of a sudden someone let's out a "Jetpack!" that gets everyone's attention and we realize 'that one guy' is none other than the captain of our band of misfits.  LT just happened to be watching some old school James Bond and got a little excited when Bond pulled off his jetpack escape.  Not exactly sure why that became so memorable but "jetpack" became our battle cry for the rest of the relay.  Battle cry might be a reach since it was more mockery than motivation.

Once left to my thoughts it dawned on me that being in van 2 sucks.  Sure, they got to have lunch at a decent hour but other than that - being in van 2 is, well, less than ideal.  You leave early in the morning and have to wait 4-5 hours before your van is even the 'running van'.  Then some of those guys are sitting around 8 or 9 hours before the first run.  They still get one run on Friday afternoon which happened to be a hot one, then CFA after dark, and their first sleep is after dark but their van becomes the running van again around 1:00 am.  Good luck getting any sleep when you have to be up just past midnight.  Their second leg would wrap up around 4:00 am so basically they go to bed right before the sun comes up and they are back up to run their third leg in the morning sun which includes a couple mountain goats.  That said, go ahead and put my name in the hat for a van 1 preference again next year...

Rare team photo at the 1st transition zone

Once our van was live again I started to get a little nervous.  For the past year I've been looking forward to getting back to the relay and having a strong showing to make amends for last year.  I also knew that a couple years ago I had run a very solid Grandfather leg that I didn't expect to replicate but was anxious to see how this version of me compares to version 40yo.  I paced around waiting for Pat to come in and passed the time with Clay Taylor who is a good Hickory Knuts friend that was lining up and waiting to run the same leg.  There was also a guy running strides back and forth, over and over, that was just flat out wearing me out.  He was clearly a solid runner but that many strides before a 10+ mile climb - as Chris Carter would say, c'mon man!  Anyway, just like with my first leg I was praying to the running Gods that I could chase these guys up Grandfather and not vice versa.  But nope, right on queue Pat came down the street looking possessed and I was back in the thick of it.

It was just after 10:00 pm and a perfect 65 degrees on the mountain.  I was decked out in my reflective vest and a one million watt LED headlamp provided courtesy of Huegerich with my red blinky lights blinking and my Green Lantern light tucked in my vest for good luck.  Having run this leg before I knew what to expect - dark and desolate roads and mostly uphill stretches that were manageable in the middle with a couple tough miles to start and a couple tough to finish.  There were some stretches of subtle downhills where you could make up time but the one thing that never changes is total darkness.  Aside from my million watt headlamp which makes for shadows of menacing creatures all the way up the mountain.  Except for the albino rattlesnake I saw on the side of the road.  I'm pretty positive that was real.




I spent far too long worried about my split comparison from a few years ago but at least it gave me a target, sort of.  Miles 1-2 and miles 8-9 are the

toughest, get through those and just find a rhythm in between and save enough for a decent finish.  I ran this leg at a 7:19 pace in 2014 and my goal for this year was just to keep it under 7:30 which I still didn't feel great about.  If nothing else I would learn a little something about my strength given that I was one week away from my marathon taper.  The first two miles went by fairly quickly at 7:19 and 7:30 which I'm going to chalk up to expecting Clay and the obnoxious strider to be on my heels.  I found a very comfortable rhythm and before I knew it I was over half way through and feeling good. 

My runners highs are very few and far between but when I get them it's rarely because I'm running fast or effortlessly.  It's typically because I've got the clarity to appreciate the gift of running and in those moments I'm able to count my blessings above all else.  I recognize the struggle some folks have to walk, much less run, and am able to appreciate the wind in my face and the beating of my heart without a passing thought to how fast I'm running.  I knew my children were at home, safely tucked in bed, blessed with good health and that my wife was there with them - praying for my safe return, and hoping I didn't ruin my son's blanket.  And on this night, more than anything else I thought about Nolan, a little boy that I didn't even know before I left Hickory.  Nolan recently underwent surgery for a brain tumor and is now set to undergo a series of chemo / radiation treatments.  I think it's safe to say cancer affects us all but when a young child is affected is really hits home.  As a show of support our teamed rocked our 'NOLAN IS OUR SUPERHERO' wristbands and all of our thoughts were, and still are with him and his family for the long road they face.

Despite the challenge of running up Grandfather I felt in control and relaxed the whole time.  I ran scared for a few miles, spent several miles zoned out in the middle, and finished in an emotional state where I just felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the family and friends in my life.  I finally saw the exchange zone sign, let go of everything I had left, then ran right past the exchange point.  LT yelled at me and I took a quick detour down the grassy bank and dropped that wrist band on John like it was my job.  Unlike the first leg when I was looking at my watch every half a mile I rarely looked at my watch going up Grandfather.  I certainly kept up with the mileage beeps but after the first two miles and a few random miles here and there I didn't pay much attention so I wasn't really sure what to expect. 
Just having 2 of 3 runs down was a huge relief and despite my adrenaline being high I was about to tear into a cold Chick-Fil-A sandwich and was totally looking forward to an uncomfortable sleep.  I was fairly certain that I came in under my 7:30 target pace but was really surprised to see that I had just run 7:14's which was actually an improvement from last year.  I really didn't see that coming but the stars just lined up for me I guess.  And while I'm beating myself on the chest it's probably worth noting that Ryan Jank with the Charlotte Running Club (the eventual winner by a whopping 10 seconds over Asheville) ran this same 10.4 mile with 800 feet of climbing at a 5:44 pace which is just ridiculous.  But hats off to you and both running clubs for an incredible race......now let's get back to our recreational running...

Precious Hank

Once John, Mark, and LT rounded out the rotation I agreed to drive to the next transition zone.  It was around 1:00am and I had a chicken sandwich in my belly, two solid runs under my belt, and I was ready for a couple hours sleep.  Then I realized we had a little over a 30 minute drive ahead of me and was dog tired.  We finally made it, backed into a cozy corner of a big field, spread the tarp, and settled in.  Since I was without a sleeping back I decided the van was my best option and slept with a seatbelt piercing my ribs on the bench seat.  Between that and a cramp in my calf that seriously looked like a hamster was crawling around underneath my skin it was a relatively unpleasant slumber but it was a slumber nonetheless.  Since Hank was the first runner in our rotation I had the pleasure of waking up to his smiling face saying let's roll.  Rumor has it that LT shook the Earth with his snoring so it sounds like my bench seat accommodation was the right call after all.

Hootie Bowman.  Picture copyright
infringement pending.

My last leg was coming up and I felt surprisingly spry.  And that's relative to prior years - as in I was walking without a limp, my legs weren't on fire, and my insides weren't completely turned upside down.  I still had just over 9 miles ago but only a couple hundred feet of climbing and with two solid runs behind me I was feeling good about things.  So good, in fact that I decided to take a page out of the other Hootie's book, even though I maintain that he is the real Hootie, and rock a pair of jorts on my final leg.  I mean if he can run with a pair of 70's style Russell gym shorts lodged a good 5 inches up is sphincter surely I can manage a few miles in some daisy dukes.  I did get some friendly advice from our resident doctor, prophet, and philosopher Knox Tate which was something along the lines of, "I love it but if you're going to wear a get up like that you should probably wait for the sun to come up."  Fair enough, so it was still dark - but the sun would rise about the time I realized that wearing the jorts between runs was a far better idea than running in them.  For the most part the chaffing was a non-issue but denim isn't exactly wicking and cinching a belt to hold up saturated denim tends to wear through a layer of skin or two.

Knox trend setting as always

Fortunately we were finally in the thick of other teams so I racked up 11 kills and for the most part always had someone in my sights.  Being able to dial in on someone and chase them really helps pass the time and is good for pacing too.  For most of my run it was dark but I assumed the million watt headlamp bouncing around behind a runner was a dead giveaway that someone one closing in.  Apparently not.  Most of the time it was a pleasant exchange of encouraging words but there was one unsuspecting female that I'm convinced was reaching for her mace as I ran by.  She finally came to her senses and I apologized for creeping up on her but I think it's safe to say that woke both of us up.  This leg was a great run along the river that I'm sure was beautiful had it not been 5:00 am and dark.  I closed in on the exchange zone chasing down one last runner then handed off to John and my BRR was officially a wrap.  I finished this leg with a 7:07 pace which was slightly better than I ran a couple years ago so my relay had gone much better than expected.

I had a pancake breakfast waiting that I could actually eat this year because my running was over.  Another reason van 2 sucks - it's not ideal to load up on pancakes then run your final leg.  At least not in my world.  The final 6 legs include the two mountain goats, a screaming downhill run in between, and the final run downhill to the finish in Asheville.  We had a few legs left before the next big show which was Bank running the first mountain goat but somehow Huegerich managed to take center stage.

Mark's final leg started rather unceremoniously as we loaded up and gave him a few minutes before driving ahead to our final exchange zone.  As we pulled up beside him he unloaded with an explicative tirade about how there was no F$#!Ki*! sign and how those b%!t*$s must have moved it and was just fuming.  We humored him before driving on ahead as LT confirmed with the rest of the group that our van had been following the signs and the route seemed to be clearly marked.  Still no word on exactly what he missed, or how, but it sounds like maybe he ran an extra 0.2 miles or so? 

We were all anticipating Mark the Furious to show up at the exchange zone but to our surprise he came blazing through, right wrist extended across the finish and to quote him with his watch on full display, "look at this b!#ch3s!"  Mark proudly displayed his 3rd leg pace of 7:07 which was off the charts from what we expected.  Then he rained on his own parade when he realized that was just his last mile which was still awesome but his average pace wasn't quite 7:07.  He still knocked out a solid run in the mid-high 7's so I think it's safe to say we'll be hiding signs from Mark in future races because he clearly runs faster angry...


But fret not, Mark hasn't quite put his stamp on the relay yet.  While LT was banging out his final leg Hank relinquished driving duty to Mark who straps himself in and prepares to drive us up the first mountain goat.  That takes us up the mountain past several runners on a road full of switchbacks to an exchange zone that is a complete disaster.  Vans are lined 20-30 deep on both sides of the road down the back side with a congregation of runners standing around the exchange zone.  LT jumped in the passenger side with his face buried in the pace book before realizing who was behind the wheel.  His expression was priceless but was every bit as animated as Steve Carrel in Office with a resounding "No, NO, NO!!  Why, why would you let Mark drive?!  Up the mountain goat of all legs."  I'm not sure any of us knew exactly what we were in for but....


We finally caught up with Banks who had made serious headway up the mountain.  The pancake breakfast at the bottom and specifically waiting on LT to chew each bite 30 times put us a little delayed getting up the mountain.  We offered encouragement to Banks and he offered the middle finger which I'm fairly certain was a public display of affection and flown in appreciation for the confidence we placed in him.  As we reached the top Mark recognized the van congestion lined all the way down the mountain but spotted a service road leading to a trail head that just happened to be directly behind the porta-pots and shielded by a group of 30 runners or so.  So like any prudent man would do Mark started to ease a cargo van through the masses of people to avoid the walk back up to watch the finish.  Among the confused wide-eyed runners trying to figure out exactly what this guy was doing one guy said, "What, do you want me to just have all of these runners move?"  I wasn't able to see the guys delivery because I was slumped down in my seat as far as I could go but I took the comment to be blatant sarcasm.  Not Mark though, nope, Mark took him up on his offer and said, "Yeah, that'd be great."

Note the vans parked along the left side leaving the right
runners and passing traffic

Note the van with the yellow duck with no way out

Our whole van is sort of at a loss full of wide eyes and blank stares.  There's this little issue of getting through the crowd and parking facing away from the road.  Then there's a whole separate issue of getting out.  There's really nowhere to turn around, the porta-pots prevent any maneuvering to turn around - not to mention the mass of runners that will inevitably form behind us if and when we ever get parked.  And oh by the way, a volunteer was parked back there sitting in his truck watching the whole thing.  Eventually the runners realize the big white van with the duck on top is fully committed to this bad idea.  In one final attempt to state the obvious one female runner points out that everyone else is parked down the street, on the street.  Mark cordially addresses her with a sincere thank you as we make our way through and then she fired the shot heard round the world....."jackass!"  No sooner than the van was in park LT had the keys secured and we were officially in but had no way out.  Most of us hung back to avoid a potential lynching but Mark was determined to confront the runner with the audacity to call out this jackass maneuver but fortunately we were able to avoid that fiasco.  Our only saving grace was that a local resident was headed up the course against the runners which forced a reversal of traffic and cleared out the runners just long enough for Hank to execute a flawless 19 point road turn to get us back on course and headed to the next exchange zone.  Mark never drove again and probably never will.


We were closing in on the finish in Asheville with Joe set to run 'the nipple' which basically takes you straight up and then straight down.  It really is a death march to the peak and couldn't have happened to a better guy.  Especially coming off missing a turn on his second leg.  The infamous Hanging Rock Rd.  Leg 21, do not miss the right turn on Hanging Rock Rd., seriously, that's got to be the most missed turn in the relay.  I would have missed it last year had it not been for a preemptive text warning me that was an easy turn to miss.  Missing a turn is awful but missing a turn at 3:00 am that extends your already long run in the middle of wild dog country takes you straight to suckville.  Joe has transitioned to the ranks of being an ultra runner so he handled that much better than I would have for sure.  But back to the nipple, his death march had vultures circling overhead but he opened up that long stride down the backside and wrapped up his BRR in a flash.

Our team best record was out of reach by at least 30 minutes but we had a friendly side bet with our F3 Hickory guys that was also getting away from us.  Since they had an earlier start than we did the bet was that we would not be able to make up the gap.  Half way into the race it seemed like we were making good time but from there on we didn't seem to pick up any ground.  I only knew a handful of their guys personally but the ones I knew were in van 2 and they really laid it out there late in the race.  In the end they won a well deserved six pack by about 10 minutes.  My only beef with that was who negotiates a six pack prize for a 12 man team?  I mean I know who so I guess the question is why....  All in all Hickory had a great showing this year with our team, the F3 Hickory team, and the Hickory Knuts all posting top 25 finishes in the open category and F3 Hickory's ultra team coming in under 30 hours with 6 runners. 

CJ ran sneaky fast the whole race and handed to Knox for leg 35.  The leg is just over 4 miles but starts with a monster 2 mile climb.  If this was a mountain goat I seriously doubt anyone would disagree but at a minimum I'd give it a very, very hard.  Knox bounces uphill like a baby deer and when you factor in the straw hat he ran in this year it was quite the sight to behold...but as always in typical Knox fashion.  Ben was the anchor waiting to bring us home so once he was on course we made our way towards the finish.  Ben came rolling down the sidewalk and we did our best to keep up and cross the finish as a team.  And just like that, 26 hours and 40 minutes later it was over.  We lost a bet, almost got beat up by a girl (at least Mark did), made a wrong turn or two, and certainly didn't set any records but it was another amazing experience that I wouldn't trade for anything.   

Cold water therapy

Ben getting ready for the final leg

Here's to another year, another BRR, another adventure, and hopefully more to come...

Hey Jack!

2016 HCA 5K Recap

So I'm a little behind with my race recapping.  Safe to say that I won't be making any 'click' money from blogging anytime soon.  Or ever for that matter.  Like practically everything I've ever posted this blog was written weeks ago, then rewritten, then written again......and finally (hopefully) put out of it's misery and posted.

 

My summer running has been all over the board.  With the Chicago Marathon 4 weeks away from today (gulp) I've been logging a lot of miles but the heat has really beaten me down.  Slogging through long tempos and missing pace runs is not the ideal confidence booster for going into a 5K but unless I'm out of town I just can't bring myself to pass on the HCA 5K.  Plus running a 5K at 8:00 in the morning with a start that is practically in my backyard is far more desirable than waking up at 5:00 for an early morning long run.  

It was another steamy morning, about 72 degrees, 98% humidity, and a 72 dew point which is pretty sucky running weather by any measure.  The only good news was that everybody was racing in the same weather and 5Ks - despite their discomfort typically don't last long.  I made the 90 second drive, completed my paper registration, then chatted it up with my running people before loosening up a bit.

The course starts going away from 127 for about 1/2 mile before circling back past the school towards 127 then circles back to the school.  Basically a one street route with the start in the middle and cones at each end of the course.  There were a couple guys that got out really fast but Josh Stone reeled them in before the first cone and from there was never really tested winning with a time in the low 18's.  Jon Hata and I ran close and tried to keep the 2 runner in striking distance but he wasn't coming back and apparently we weren't turning over any faster so that was that.  There was a bit of dejavu as he and I ran a very similar race last year at the HCA 5K and two months ago he was dragging me through Charity Chase.  I could be biased but it feels like there's no shortage of quality runners around here in their 40's and 50's so the older I get the more I base my performance relative to a handful of guys that I know are always fit and competitive.  Long way of saying if I'm in the vicinity of Hata I'm good with that.  


Fortunately I was able to hold him off by a few seconds to finish 3rd overall.  William Adair and his son both finished in the top 10, Anna Boone was the overall female winner and 9th overall with Robert Murray and Bill Johncock both recovering from injuries and still cracking the top 10 by running 'easy' 6:30's.  After looking at the results, the top 10 in this race could easily pass as my Facebook feed or Garmin Connect leaderboard.  As always the race overs unique awards for overall and age groups plus the overall masters winner.  There is always plenty of water and food; popsicles, cookies, fruit, and lots of other goodies.  With chip timing, a tech shirt, and a runner friendly course it makes for a great first 5K but also offers a good shot at a P.R. on the right day.

Overall a great race and a good time catching up with several running friends.  The passing of the HCA also means the Blue Ridge Relay is right around the corner so it's a good chance to see how the group looks.  You know, like who's in shape, who's sort of in shape, and who hasn't run since they got out of the van after last year's relay.  Having successfully made it back down the mountain yesterday I can officially report there were no casualties this year.  However, rumor has it that Banks' right calf "is in two pieces" and Pat Brooks is being treated for pain akin to having "legs full of thumb tacks and hot sauce".  Early indications are that both are suffering from soreness.  Full recap to come soon.
 

Athletic Quilt Street Light 5K Recap

The Street Light 5K is one of my favorite races for a number of reasons and the first that comes to mind is that it's flat and fast.  It's also directed by Robert Murray, a lifelong and very accomplished runner that is well connected in the running community.  I feel certain he's largely responsible for the continued success of the race which is now 22 years and going strong.  It's also a night race which is a nice change from the typical early Saturday morning race.  The awards are great with trophies going 3 deep per age group and plaques for the top 3 overall and top 3 masters for men and women.  And just for good measure, the race has always awarded cash prizes back to a few lucky runners after the award ceremony which is something I've never seen before.   But without question this race is a favorite of mine because of the memories it holds from the time I was a 21 year old running my first local 5K to being a 42 year old 'masters' runner with two kids lined up beside me and the third cheering us on.

I ran my first Street Light race in 1995 as I was going into my senior year at Western Carolina.  At the time my running consisted of almost exclusively tempo runs somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-6 miles each.  I had no watch and most certainly was rocking basketball shorts just below the knee with a backwards hat and a yellow Sony Walkman sport.  That less than regimented training plan combined with 4 years of rugby at Western and the tendency to supplement that with a couple hours of day playing basketball seem to work for me.  I have no idea how I found out about the race because I didn't know anybody in the running community but as a college kid I'm about 200% sure that the idea of not having to wake up on a Saturday morning to run a 5K was appealing.

I crossed the finish line that evening and was handed a white index card with a 26 on it equal to my placing in the race.  And I only remember that because I still have the index card.  For a local 5K this race has always fielded a fast group so my 18:26 effort that day landed me absolutely nothing, which was fine because I certainly didn't fancy myself a runner.  I was just happy to get in a good sweat and not embarrass myself.  A lot has changed since then, the least of which is that if you don't place you won't get an index card as a memoir.  Since we're now well into the 20th century you'll be glad to know the race is chip timed and the results can easily be found online within a day or so. 

Fast forward to 2016 and I'm not 21 anymore.  Funny how that happened and I didn't even realize it.  I've traded in my basketball shorts (most of them) for running shorts, replaced the hulking Sony Walkman with an iPod shuffle but I still wear my hat backwards on occasion and frankly don't care if that's age appropriate or not.  Currently I'm quasi-training for the Chicago Marathon in October and by quasi I mean that I'm actually enjoying myself now and while I'm logging the miles I'm not chasing a time so hard that I'm a hostage to my training.  Simply put, I'm having fun again.  That said my Saturday mornings are usually reserved for long runs and the last time I doubled a 5K with a long run it was a disaster.  And oddly enough it was almost exactly a year ago that I pulled that feat with the HCA 5K in the morning and 14 miles later that day.

I decided I would run an easy 10 miler that morning then run the Street Light that night.  The race is at 9:00pm so that would give me more than 12 hours in between and if I kept the 10 easy and didn't press too hard in the evening I felt confident this was easily doable.  In fact, I decided this would be great Blue Ridge Relay training - of course I had a similar mindset a year ago...  So I ran 5 that morning before meeting Knox and Ben for 6 more.  That put me at 11 miles but I was almost two miles from home so I was squarely 13 miles into a 10 mile run and the idea of running a 5K that evening was fading fast.  Plus Julie was out of town doing the volleyball thing so I had all 3 boys that night.  Thirteen miles was entirely too close to 15 anyway so I couldn't help but finish the workout pushing the last few miles since I was resigned to bagging the 5K later that night.

As the day went on I felt pretty good and the boys actually seemed interested in going to the race.  Sam was sold the minute I told him it was flat and when Luke agreed to run how could I say no to that?!  Landon agreed to go watch if I would stop at Chick-Fil-A and since he had been playing ball all day I decided that was fair enough.  So we were off to Morganton -- now I just had to regroup and get myself ready to race, hope that these old legs still had a little something left in them, and get out of Morganton with the same good feelings I went there with.

For over 20 years the course has been a down and back from the Rose's parking lot but this year the venue changed to Freedom High School.  The new course is still flat and fast but I definitely prefer the pre and post race staging area of the Freedom High School track and stadium stairs as opposed to the Rose's parking lot.  The course is laid out perfectly for spectators because you can either sit in the stands and catch the start and finish on the track or you can walk from point to point and easily follow the runner progression throughout the course without covering a lot of ground.

The race starts on the track for about 300 meters before a short grass crossing to a closed drivers ed. course.  Think of your typical two lane road without lines but wider, smoother, and flat - almost like a race track.  After making the that loop you hit the only incline that's a short 100 meters up to another flat stretch taking you back towards the school entrance before the turn-around where you run it back -- back down the incline, another loop around the drivers ed. course, and into the stadium to run the 300 meters on the track to the finish line.

This race always draws a lot of high school runners and generally a few college runners so I settled in behind the wall of 130 lb. runners in the short shorts.  I had entertained the thought of running with Sam until I heard him telling the neighbors he would probably beat me today.  I can't wait for the day that my kids grow into being better than I am (at any and everything) but I'm not really one to create that false sense of talent by letting them win all the time.  Sam was jockeying for position in front of me and behind the front runners which I knew was a disaster but I guess if someone was going to trample my 8 year old it might as well have been me.

My first mile felt surprisingly good and I really felt comfortable - or at least as comfortable as one feels running a 5K.  Things started to thin out and the course lays out very well so you've always got a good sense for who's in front of you and how far ahead the leaders are as demoralizing as that might be.  I came through the first mile at just below a 6 minute pace which is a little faster than I expected but had found a rhythm behind some other runners so I just went with it.  I expected my legs would get heavier from the morning run and my pace would fade but I was running by feel and felt good.

I mentioned how spectator friendly the course was and that was based on first hand experience.  I had the pleasure of running most of the race in, or near a small group of high school runners with a dad picking us up at 3, maybe 4 points along the course.  He went from 'don't-let-him-catch-you' to 'keep-up-with-him' to 'go-get-him' to just 'get-him'.  It wasn't obnoxious (ok, so maybe a little bit but only because I was 'him') but I'm sure all parties involved were motivated to some extent even if it was just to get out of ear shot.

As we headed back towards the driver's ed. course we hit 2 miles any my splits were surprisingly even with a 6:10 that included the only blip of a hill on the course.  Runner dad yelled out that we were 30 seconds behind but I wasn't exactly who was behind what.  I  could see a few runners ahead but they weren't coming back to me so I just tried to keep a steady rhythm.  I passed Sam on the way in and gave him a shout to which he just glared at me as if to say you're going to owe me a milkshake after this.  I didn't see Luke which was a little concerning because when Sam beats his brothers at anything, which very rarely happens, we never hear the end of it.  Ever.

We circled the driver's ed. course again and headed back to the track.  I was starting to feel the morning run in my legs but the fact that I was still generally feeling strong was a much needed confidence builder.  I've worked hard to get my base built back up over the past year but this summer has been especially challenging because my race times and training paces have been pretty ugly.  I get it - it's summer and the heat / humidity makes it tough to run fast but it was really nice to be in the midst of a solid race effort and feel the payoff from having stuck to the plan to build a solid base before speed.  And at this point it goes without saying but it was another hot summer night in July.

Once we hit the track there were only 300 meters left.  I could feel someone closing the gap and the stars were perfectly aligned for some teenager to blow past me in the last 100 meters.  And to make matters worse, Landon was on the stadium steps ready to capture the moment on video.  I lengthened my stride to at least minimize the blow by but the move never came so I managed to finish a step ahead with a 19:02 and 9th overall which I was more than happy with.


Landon greeted me with a big smile eager to show of his photography work (hence all of the black and white photos) and was already looking for the other two.  Both got out entirely too fast before the wheels fell off so we had a little fun at their expense.  Luke ran a low 7 first mile before death marching the second mile and Sam ran the first 300 meter around the track in an all-out sprint.  Of course he wasn't the only one...  Overall they both ran well and finished with personal bests and most importantly, Luke finished comfortably ahead of Sam so the balance of power was safe for another day. 


The Street Light 5K is everything I love about local races.  It's small enough not to be a logistical headache but it's competitive enough to attract quality runners and it's nice to see the camaraderie of the local cross country teams getting ready for the upcoming season.  For me it's been all about family though and the best part was sharing it with my little guys who aren't so little anymore.  I've been blessed to stay healthy and continue running for over 20 years now and while I wasn't all that fast when I was a 20 year old, I'm still turning in those same times now which apparently isn't too bad for a 42 year old.  I left Morganton as the overall masters winner with a nice plaque but as Sam so eloquently put it, I wouldn't have won if they wouldn't have agreed to go.  So 'our' award sits in his room and I wouldn't have it any other way!  After a quick stop at Cookout for a milkshake we were on our way home and they were out like a light before we hit the interstate.  In my book that's pretty much a perfect Saturday from beginning to end....

For more information on the Athletic Street Light 5K check out Robert's site at the link below.  You'll also find messages of hope and encouragement through scripture as well as running tips from a guy that's seen and done it all.

http://www.christianstamina.com/
 

The Bear 2016 Race Recap

 

Dear Bear,

 

Exactly 10 years to the day we met.  I was 32 and trying to regain some fitness lost in my late 20's - and yes, I know I haven't aged a bit.  My resilience was greater, my stride longer, metabolism faster, I was much less easy to get along with but most certainly just as stubborn.  I don't recall going to great lengths to sign up and frankly don't know who introduced us.  If I knew, I would punch them in the throat.  That year I would finish 99th among 795 complete strangers.  I hated you.

 

It was 2013 before I returned under duress - the summer before Hey Jack! fielded our first full Blue Ridge Relay team so how could I say no.  I wasn't registered but was able to slide in under the alias of another runner that wasn't able to participate.  Having just been introduced to several of these guys I was eager to perform and really wanted to turn in a good showing.  I got off to a horrible start and watched Knox, Joe, and Eric whom I'd just met gracefully glide up the mountain like a bunch of gazelles with Hank in tow.  I tried to keep up to no avail, rolled an ankle off the side of the road, then tried to regroup.  A few minutes later I would find myself walking before we even hit 2 miles. 

 

I waited a few minutes for the masses to pass and was resigned to jogging it straight back to my car and packing up shop.  My name wasn't showing up in the results which made the decision that much easier.  Banks and LT would check on me - "I'm good." I told them, "Just tweaked my ankle.  I'm coming."  Then it happened.  Mark, f'n, Huegerich happened.  I had just told bold faced lies to two guys I actually knew with every intention of bailing and for some reason I found myself putting one foot in front of the other with Mark.  This couldn't be happening.  Mark managed to coax me out of my only would-be DNF (excluding last year's BRR) and I went on to finish a dejected 171 with a medal around my neck but again, no mug.  I still hated you.

 

I skipped you the following year but would return in 2014.  I knew we didn't get along and that we never would.  I probably didn't appreciate your beauty and maybe even took for granted the God given health and ability to absorb and recover from the havoc you wreaked on my quads and lungs.  We made amends that year as I came with a greater respect for your ridiculous elevation and the indiscriminatory beating your altitude bestows upon my oxygen supply.  I finally walked off the mountain that day with a mug, not just "a" mug but "the" last mug handed out as the 68th finisher....but I still hated you.

 

And there we were, 10 years wiser and dancing the dance we had for the past decade.  I can't say no and you keep letting me in.  But it's time - it really isn't you, it's me.  I think you're amazing but I just don't deserve you.  I don't train for you like I should, I take your beauty for granted, and being with you just requires entirely too much effort.

I know I'll never run another race like you but honestly I just don't think I was built for it. Considering it took only 5 minutes for you to find 900 takers you'll undoubtedly rebound with someone younger, fitter, faster, more fun, and more deserving of your grandior.  Saying goodbye is never easy, except to you, which has proven to be exceptionally so.  I no longer hate you, but I'm going to enjoy July a lot more without you in it.

All the best,

Jason

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

 

Well I'm glad that's over - and I'm assuming you are too.  For a race that fills up in 5 minutes somehow I'm always 'lucky enough' to get in and I believe a lot of that has to do with peer pressure.  The night before registration there was a flurry of text reminders from the usual suspects.  The group text says Hey Jack but there was a lot of jabbering from HE -- otherwise known as Hank Eimer.  First one to register and one of the only ones to get in before the server blew up.  HE coordinated hill runs although I don't believe the participation was high and even went as far as to guarantee a mug (top 10% of men and women finishers receive a mug at the finish) to anyone of us that was able to follow his charge up the mountain.  And then came this text string the day before the race:

JM:   What's the plan for tomorrow for the Bear that I'm registered for and regretting?
LT:   Plan is to see who's going, exclude Mark, and carpool up the mountain.
HE:   I'm registered and headed to the beach at the moment.  Good luck.
EM:  I'm in Denver, I'll run up a mountain in solidarity.  Actually just going to drink beer and watch the Rockies game.  Good luck.
Everybody:  WTF
(after the race)
HE:   Did you get my shirt?
MB:  How about my shirt?
Everybody:  FU

That about sums it up really.  In total six guys from Hey Jack! there made the trip including LT, John, Ben, Joe, Mark, and myself.  Like any close knit group would do we left Hickory just after 4:00......in 4 separate vehicles.  LT and Mills representing the social group that would stay after for dinner and drinks, Ben had the honor or chauffeuring the spouses that were running not including my wife who was riding in a 5th vehicle with her running friends.  Mark was driving solo from DC with 8-1 odds of showing up and Joe and I were in the let's-get-this-over-with-and-get-back-home-asap vehicle.  Actually Joe was boarding a plane early the next morning and I had to pick up the boys or we would have been a little more social.

We arrived to find out there was talk of shortening the course as a result of 66 mph wind at the top of Grandfather Mountain.  Having run this before I was actually excited about that notion.  I wanted no part of a cancellation or a re-do some other day but I was really hoping the stars would align and we would run the 2.5 up to the Highland Games and circle back down to the start.  I mean it was perfect.  But as with most of my ideal scenarios that never gained any traction.  Instead the course was cut short about 0.3 miles which meant that the final switchback was cut and that last straightaway to the top of Grandfather was out.  Rather than make the cutback we just dropped off to the right into the parking lot where the finish logistics would remain the same for the most part.

I hate running The Bear, just in case you missed that.  I have never, ever, at any point during the race have stopped and thought what an amazing view.  But I have cursed myself and anybody that supported this nonsense countless times...

So in summary, The Bear is held every year during the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games which is one of the largest Scottish Games in America.  And yes I took that directly from the website because my Scottish game history is a bit lacking.  It starts at the corner of Hwy 105 / 221 and is advertised as a 5 mile run or an 8K but even the 'normal' course to the top of the mountain is closer to 4.6-4.7 miles.  The first 2.5 miles are predominately on a winding gravel trail which take you up about 625' of elevation.  After that you get a brief reprieve through the Highland Games where it flattens off momentarily before the march up to Grandfather that takes you up another 900 feet to the top.

The first 3 miles are manageable which is to say if you're chasing a mug you need to get through the first 3 miles as quickly as you can without running out of oxygen in the process.  A delicate balance to say the least.  Awards are only given to the top 3 overall men and women so there are a lot of mug chasers heading up the mountain.  My best guess based on my placement in the 9.9% percentile of top 10% male finishers is that's about 60 mugs available give or take.

Last year I got my hands on the very last one so my plan was to replicate the formula from last year and run just fast enough to get a mug.....and not a second faster.  Joe and I parked in the usual spot, got our bibs, checked a bag, and jogged a mile because it seemed like the thing to do.  All of that and we didn't cross paths with the rest of the crew until we met at the start.  With little to no fanfare the race began and I lost track of everyone in our group.  The first 100 yards didn't feel too bad but when we turned onto the gravel road I was really not feeling it. 

I do a fair amount of running in the heat but zero running at higher altitudes and getting started is just a huge punch in the guts for me.  Running on the gravel roads does nothing for my jacked up feet either.  I'm not saying it slows me down (I'm not saying that it doesn't either) but from afar I probably resemble someone walking amongst broken glass trying to find the next soft landing.  I'm just not a great Bear runner in general but I knew I had to keep my first 3 miles at paces under 8:30 to have any shot at a mug.

Heading into the Highland Games area I felt slower than last year but my total time through 3 miles was only 3 seconds off.  I was able to turn my legs over a bit faster through the games area and get some decent strides in but my legs were heavy and I was coming to grips with the potential of going home empty handed.  The real work begins as you exit the games and starts with a steep grassy hill that just has my number because I am physically not capable of running up it.  As I trudged up the hill and hit the pavement it was actually a relief to be on asphalt again.

Again there's a very slight reprieve from climbing before you really start getting your money's worth.  I could see John up in the distance while Joe and Ben were a few seconds behind.  From here on it was just head down, arms pumping, and legs turning over.  I tried to find a rhythm and stick with it and while I wasn't running fast I knew if I stopped I might not start back.  Mile 4 was a 10:30 pace which was better than last year so I knew that once again I would be close to a mug but by no means did I feel confident about it.

Soon I would hear people in the distance so I knew the finish was near.  My time was 39:30 which was all but irrelevant considering I had no point of reference with it being a short course.  All I knew was there was an outstretched hand holding a mug pointed in my direction and I grabbed it.  Another Hickory runner (Adam Oakley) was steps behind me and snatched a mug and I believe there was one more male mug passed out after that.  Once again I had gotten lucky and run within seconds of the bare minimum which is all that mattered.

The ride back down was a bit of a cluster with the new finish area.  It took a while to find the bag check truck but once we did we added a layer and headed for a seat on the bus for the drive down.  I had every intention of having my phone with me at the top to take some pictures, catch Julie and her friends crossing the finish, and capture the amazing view from the top of Grandfather but obviously that didn't happen because my phone was sitting on the kitchen counter.  And then it ended, just an unceremoniously as it began. 

As always I loved seeing so many familiar faces and Hickory was well represented.  Ten years ago I didn't know a single person there and this year I probably knew at least 30 and maybe more.  Mike Lawson cracked the top 25 to turn in the best finish from this area with the Hickory Knuts and F3 Hickory well represented as well.  Congrats to Julie and Tom on their first Bear and everyone else that made it as far up as they let us go!