"Race" Report: Chicago O'Hare

Just RAN the Chicago O'Hare 0.5-miler in 6:40 with dress shoes, sport coat, briefcase, and roller bag! Edge of terminal F to edge of terminal C to catch my flight.

And a special thank you to my inbound flight sitting for an hour and 34 minutes to deplane, making today's speed work necessary. We couldn't find an available gate in all of Chicago?

The system automatically rebooked me and texted me a new itinerary. Ha! They didn't count on me training all summer for this race! Made my flight, no rebooking necessary. 

Race Report: Marine Corps Marathon 2014

I came into my fourth Marine Corps Marathon with a few hundred extra miles of training this year and the goal of dropping another couple minutes off last year's PR. Unfortunately I also came in a bit off my mental game due to a few questionable taper runs; however, I was determined to power through any obstacles on race day, especially with the inspiration of the Marines and my toddler on course watching her first marathon.

The Expo

The expo at the DC Armory was actually a bit smoother than the past few years. Packets and bibs moved inside, removing the need for two separate security lines; although that one security line still stretched out of the building even on Friday morning. The expo vendors and sponsors were consistent with prior years, but that didn't stop me from picking up some more swag at the Brooks store. I also managed to restock my Nuun watermelon supply! I snagged another entire box, with free water bottle, before heading into the dark days of winter. I also picked up a bandana for my mutt from Dogs of War and sifted through the usual sales racks.

The Course

I won't spend much time on the course since I've covered in the past few MCMs. It was similar to the 2013 course, cutting through Rosslyn, crossing Key Bridge, along Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway to mile 9. Then past the Kennedy Center, Theodore Roosevelt Bridge, and Lincoln Memorial before hitting the winds of Hains Point. Views of the Jefferson Memorial, National Mall, and the US Capitol building rounded out the first 20 miles. The final push was over the 14th Street Bridge, through Crystal City, past the Pentagon, and up the final hill to the Marine Corps War Memorial.

The course looks deceptively flat, although the bridge miles from 20-22 are very lonely and mentally challenging. Not to mention the winds this year were up to 25mph gusts and that section offers no relief.

Race Day

It was unseasonably warm as the sun rose on marathon morning. I dropped my bag at the Pacers Running tent and walked through charity village. I then made my way on the long walk past Arlington Cemetery and to the starting line. The pageantry of the Marine Corps was in full display as usual, several parachute groups, two Ospreys flew over, the howitzer marking the start of the race. Targeting a 3:13 finish, I stood in the mass of people at the front of the pack and tucked between the 3:05 and 3:15 pace groups.

The first 5k was up the only real inclines of the race, and in what's become an unfortunate trend for me this year, I started out a bit fast. I cleared the first 5k and 10k timing mats at 7:08 pace, well ahead of my 7:22 plan, but I didn't feel like it was an unsustainable effort so I focused on consistent energy and tried to pull back just a bit. The Rock Creek Parkway miles were on wide roads with plenty of space to avoid runner traffic, and I picked my way through the pack to find some open road. I came up to the memorials at miles 10-11 looking for my support crew; my wife, mother, mother-in-law, and toddler were all supposed to be waiting. Unfortunately they were delayed, as is life with a little one, and I spent a couple miles searching in vain. I cruised down Hains Point to the halfway mark in 1:33:42; the 7:08 pace far closer to a BQ than the PR I was targeting.

I forced myself to ease of the pace a bit in the next few miles, including two miles around the Tidal Basin where I managed to catch my support crew and cheering daughter at miles 15 and 17. I still didn't feel like I was laboring too hard as I ran past the Capitol and the large crowds along the National Mall. It was about this time that the winds started to howl through the building, and as I passed my support crew at mile 20, that howl became a gust. Miles 20-22 over the Bridge and into Crystal City was a long stretch of concrete with nothing to protect runners from the 15-25mph winds roaring down the river and battering us from the side. I could tell my pace was slipping a bit, and I was losing time from fighting the wind. Any hope for respite in the buildings of Crystal City was quickly forgotten.

Miles 22-25 featured wind tunnels between buildings, at one point blowing so hard I thought I may not be moving. I watched my pace slip a bit more, still very confident I would beat my goal time but obviously in a large positive split. The final mile featured more wind and a side cramp that struck for a few minutes, but I pushed through as best I could and crossed the line in 3:11:33, shattering my target time and dropping five minutes over my 2013 finish, wind and all.


After a tough few weeks of poor tapering runs and a slight injury the week prior, I was extremely pleased with the race. I didn't follow my race plan, I went out too fast, but I relied on my training to push through and maintain focus at the end. Maybe I should have a bit more confidence and ignore those taper demons.

PR! Now THAT was a two-banana run!

The Results

13.1 mi: 1:33:42  |  7:08

Final:   3:11:33  |  7:18 /mile 

Race Report: Ragnar DC 2014

The Ragnar road relay is an overnight race with teams of 10 people spread over two vans. Each runner completes three legs of the course. My second Ragnar DC was just as fan as my first in 2013. This year I teamed up with the same crew from the Ragnar Appalachians trail relay and hopped into van 1. Though I had far fewer miles than last year, van 1 offered some new routes and new views, and it was nice to kick back and relax while van 2 brought it home on Saturday afternoon.

The Ragnar team was again a pleasure to work with, and the camaraderie and enthusiasm of our fellow runners was evident throughout the weekend.

The Course

Ragnar DC is a 200-mile course weaving from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington DC. It goes through hills and mountains, historic small towns, and wraps up in the National Harbor.

Race Day(s)

I was up in Maryland before dawn to meet up with the team and load up the van. As I climbed in the van I was handed a green and pink adult tutu. Now I don't need to tell you how bad I look in a tutu, and I've never raced in a costume before...but Ragnar team's have a funny way of making you do silly things at 5:00 in the morning...so tutu fast, tutu furious! And with that, we were off to Cumberland armed with tutus and coffee to conquer another Ragnar relay. The starting area was a scenic park along a lake, and I found quick use for my Orange Mud pack...a carrier for snacks. So I killed time by munching on pretzel rods and hanging pro-tutu signs on my back.


Through our van's first session, our runners headed up and over several inclines, and we took to ringing the cowbell with abandon to encourage them on. We also started cowbelling pretty much everything that moved...runners, locals, dogs, volunteers. I was runner #6 this year, meaning I was the last person in our van to get on course, taking on the Friday afternoon sun. Unfortunately the early part of the race was on dirt roads, so the sun and dry conditions kicked up a lot of dirt and dust. Each of our early runners was covered in a brown layer after running alongside dozens of Ragnar vans. My leg (#6) was no different, taking a rolling profile over 6.0 miles. I clicked through the miles fairly quickly, happy that the tutu, while foreign to me, really didn't get in the way. The last couple miles were on pavement and down some steep grades, so that was a bit jarring on the old bones. But gravity did its work and pulled me to a decent 6:50/mile pace and into the first major exchange to hand of to the next van.


Our first major rest point was an elementary school where we had a few hours to relax and try to sleep. Unfortunately the heat and sunlight made it difficult to get much rest, so I just listened to music and stretched out my legs. Fairly quickly the break was over, and we were getting ready to take on another session of running. My second leg (#18) was short at only 3.5 miles, but the course profile looked like a traffic cone. It was straight up for half the miles, and then straight back down. The incline was about 2.2 miles, with a false summit at mile 1.0. I tried to maintain a consistent pace, my headlamp light bouncing off the ascending roadway that felt close enough to reach out and touch. I'll admit, I was not expecting a short leg to be difficult, and I ended up taking about a 30-second walking break after the false summit to catch my breath. The final downhill miles were actually harder as the road fell away underneath me and me feet and shins screamed as they pounded down a 45-degree descent. My pace on this stretch crept up to 7:50 and I was very happy to see the lights of the Creamery where I handed off to van 2 to end my night.

The van's second rest point was a parking lot at a park, and with the temperatures falling, most of us decided to stay in the van. I leaned back the passenger seat and tried to catch some sleep as rain started to fall outside. After some overnight rain, we woke up to cloudy skies to fuel up, stretch, and foam roll aching muscles. My final leg (#30) was unfortunately my longest, so I put on the Orange Mud pack with two bottles of Nuun, strapped on the tutu for one more ride, and set off for 8.6 miles on everything from rail trail to city sidewalks. As I started this final leg, the rain started to pour again, and I spent the next hour running through mother nature's fury. The early miles on Rock Creek Trail were scenic as I ran through forests, alongside creeks, and past a few curious deer. At mile 4.0 I turned onto the Capital Crescent Trail for some gravel miles, cutting through suburbia and headed towards the office buildings of Chevy Chase. The final mile or two was on neighbor sidewalks and eventually cutting through office buildings and busy streets. So there I was, a man in a tutu, running 7:00-miles in the rain and dodging folks walking to brunch on a Saturday morning. It was even more humorous when I had to stop at red lights; cars drove past and just stared at this weird man in a tutu, standing in the rain with a race bib on. Playing Frogger through the morning traffic, I wrapped up van 1's race, and we all headed directly for food, beer, and warmer (dry) clothes.

A few hours later, we were standing at National Harbor and cheering on the final runner as our team came through the finish. We could finally all enjoy some time together, both vans, sitting at the Sierra Nevada beer garden and eating donuts.

The Results

Final Time :     33:18:08

Packing List

Since there were some questions through the blog on how we could possibly fill a van with just running gear, please check out my packing list from last year to see how much it takes to run for 33 hours. Full blog post and packing list here: Ragnar Relay Packing List

Race Report: Lost Dog 5k Series

Pacers Events and Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation put on a small series of 5k races every August, with a race each Friday for four weeks. There’s no shirt or premium and there’s no amenities, just a group of runners who want a humid 5k happy hour to end the week. This was the first year I signed up, and I raced two weeks of the series. The 5k is an out-and-back on the W&OD trail starting in Arlington. There’s a limited field size, but you still have to contend with some evening walkers and bikers on the trail.

A big draw of the series is you can run with your mutt, and prizes are awarded to the top dogs in various weight categories. I enjoyed showing up early each week to check out all the mutts and play with the puppies up for adoption from Lost Dog.

Lost Dog 5k #2: August 8

My first race with the series (Lost Dog Race #2) was a very hot and humid evening, so I pushed it on the way out and just tried to hold on after the turnaround. I watched the lead runner vanish pretty quickly in the race, and heard the third place runner on my heels at times, but I essentially went the distance in second place. It was a very relaxed race, with a lot of casual runners offering high fives on the way back, a few dodges around dogs, and a bag of mini pretzels as a reward. It was a fairly slow race for me, coming through in 19:10 (6:11/mile), good enough for second overall and first in my age group. For my sweat I was awarded a Pacers ‘Top Finisher’ draw string bag.

Results:    19:10  |  6:11/mi
Podiums:  2nd Overall  |  1st Age Group (M30-39)
 

Lost Dog 5k #3: August 15

My second race (#3 in the series) was a similar hot and humid day, but I felt more prepared with the prior week’s course preview and an extra week of heat training in my lungs. I was jettisoned from the lead early by a couple cross country runners, but I came through the finish stronger than the prior race. I crossed the line in a tidy 18:44 (6:02/mile) for fourth place overall and again first in my age group.

Results:    19:10  |  6:11/mi
Podiums:  4th Overall  |  1st Age Group (M30-39)
 

Summary and Puppies!

It was a very low-key 5k series, but all the money went to support a fantastic rescue organization, and it was a fun way to add a few extra miles of speed work in the marathon training months.

Race Report: 2Xrip Olympic Duathlon (2014)

Another year racing the Rip-It Olympic Duathlon, the race that started me in multisport events back in 2012. The 2014 version turned out to be another warm, humid day over the rolling hills of Maryland. I once again drew a bike rack far from the entry/exit chute.

The Course

Using the same course as past years, the first run was one lap on a 2-mile loop with some decent hills; the second run was two laps of the same 2-mile loop, for a total of 4 miles with each loop culminating in a significant uphill stretch. The bike course was two laps of a 13-mile loop on country roads, and it was described as "moderate to aggressive" hills, and they weren't kidding.

Race Day

On the first run, I maintained an easy pace and just worked on pacing off some other age groupers and tucking in to conserve some energy. I was just over 6:30 pace through the hills and made my way into T1 for a smooth transition.

On the bike course I just followed my usual tactics of picking off riders on the hills and watching them fly by me on their aero bikes on the descents. I was maintaining about 80-90 cadence through the hills and screaming on the descents. I kept taking in water and food on the shorter flat sections. Throughout the course, I was leap-frogging a couple racers in my age group and maintained contact with who I thought was my main competition.

Coming out of T2 I settled into an aggressive run and started picking people off. There are some significant hills on the four-mile course, and I used them to my advantage by maintaining a consistent effort and accelerating over the top. After the first mile’s turnaround, I noticed one of my age group competitors pretty far back, so I must’ve put some time into him during transition. I quickly caught up to and gapped another age grouper in the second mile. I spent the final two miles putting more pavement between myself and any pursuit, crossing the line in 2:07:02 overall for a nice improvement and a 3rd place in my age group.

The Results

Run 1 (2 mi) :   13:12  |  6:36/mile
T1 (run to bike) :  1:13 
Bike (26 mi) :   1:20:50  |  19.3 mph
T2 (bike to run) : 0:58
Run 2 (4 mi) :   30:49  |  7:42/mile

Final:   2:07:02  |  Age Group 3rd place

I defended my podium step from last year, cut a bit of time overall, and was pretty happy considering my main competitors had obvious advantages with triathlon and TT bikes. I'm still trying to develop a better kick in the final miles and lower my second run time, especially coming off the bike and hitting the hills.

Snapshot: Freedom Four Miler

Down a big hill, run as fast as possible, and return up a bill hill. There wasn’t much to look at on this course, and most of the runners spent the first half just imagining the final hill. But it was a good speed workout and a well-run event by Pacers.

I was happy to celebrate my freedom with a can of brew, a race bib, and a free photo booth....

Snapshots: Potomac River Run Half Marathon

I was looking for a local half marathon to round out the spring season, and I was hoping the Potomac River Run on the C&O Canal could provide a late-season PR in the process. The River Run is a very low-key race, with a noncompetitive wave of half and full marathoners starting at 7:00a, and another at 8:00a. I showed up with enough time to watch the first race take off, pick up my packet from a picnic table, and stretch out for my launch.

I went out quick with the lead pack of half marathoners, clicking off the first few miles in PR pace. The C&O Canal surface of crushed gravel was flat, but it was also unstable and returned no energy when pushing off. So I could feel myself expending a little more energy than usual in the first half. The scenery was nice and there was no traffic save a few locals out early to enjoy the weather. After the turnaround, the heat picked up immediately. The temperature rose by double digits in what was the first real humid day of spring. Without a base of heat training, my pace slipped, and hit a mini wall in the final few miles. I was lifted in the final mile when I saw my wife and toddler, who came out to surprise me, but I finished disappointed with a 1:29:04, almost three minutes off my goal.

I finished second overall, but nothing too exciting considering the competition was mostly casual runners.

Early race takes off down the C&O.	My #1 (and hungry) fan.	Coming through the finish area.

Race Report: Spring Backyard Burn Series (4 Races)

After a winter of running through the polar vortex and managing a surprising 170 miles through the first couple months of the year, it was time for early season racing. The first races this year were with EX2 Adventures Spring Backyard Burn, a series of four trail races in northern Virginia. Though I didn’t put in much trail work or speed work in the offseason, it was a very successful series, and I touched every step on the podium.

Race #1: Hemlock Overlook

Per the race website, “Hemlock Overlook, located along the banks of the historic Bull Run, feels surprisingly remote for being so close to Washington D.C….This challenging race course consists mostly of hiking trails (including the Bull Run Occoquan Trail), old dirt roads, and open fields. Competitors will run over rocks and roots, cross a few streams, and up some hills.”

It was a bitter and cold morning to kick off the series, with volunteers out early throwing salt on top of ice lining a section of roadway. Due to some heavy snow and trail damage the week prior, the race organizers modified the course to do a “prologue” loop around a small lake before heading out on the traditional loops in the second portion of the course; this change meant crossing a concrete drainage spillway twice, running straight through a few inches of cold water. After the prologue and plunging through the water, racers made their way up a steep incline and started the rolling hills of Hemlock. This was my first experience with this course, and it was certainly a challenge. I came through the first few miles in first overall, but unfamiliarity with the course and my lack of winter trail work was taking its toll. I encountered a lot more elevation change than expected and had to pull back a bit on the final hills, falling to second place about 1.5 miles from the tape. The final mile was technical rock-hopping and I caught the end of the race on their first loop of this section, so there was a lot of traffic to fight through and avoid. Through the traffic, up a muddy incline, and across the finish line in second place overall, my best finish to date in the EX2 BYB series.

Results:    42:28 (5.5 miles)
Podiums:  2nd Overall  |  1st Age Group (M30-39)

Race #2: Wakefield Park

Unfortunately the original race date encountered a winter blast of snow and was postponed to conflict with the Shamrock Half Marathon. It was too bad, as missing an entire race was a blow to my series point total that I couldn’t recover from, and I was looking forward to testing out the STABILicers in a race environment.

Race #3: Fairfax Station

Per the race website, “Fountainhead Regional Park is situated along the banks of the Occoquan Reservoir in Western Fairfax County. This race course is beautiful and consists mostly of hiking trails (including the Bull Run Occoquan Trail), horse trails, and old dirt roads. Competitors will run over rocks and roots, through several streams, and up some hills.”

I was familiar with the Fountainhead race course from a prior 5-miler and also from a hilly trail half marathon, so I knew the early miles were rolling hills and the final miles had a few steep climbs. I went off with the lead pack right away to take advantage of the easy first stretch along a paved road. A quick right turn had competitors bombing down steep embankments, through mud pools, and up root-covered climbs. Through these technical sections I picked off a few runners on the inclines, moving up to third place overall. As the pack came out of the first section of trail and back onto the roadway headed towards the water, I made another move and quickly got on the heels of the lead runner. I made my final move after a steep descent that had us both come to almost a standstill to make the 90-degree turn at the bottom. Legs searing from the descent and sudden directional change, I decided the leader must be hurting as much as I was, and I figured a mental move now would be to throw in a quick sprint to put some distance between us. It worked and I gained a 10-yard advantage, which I continued to push out through more technical descents, a stream crossing, and a log bridge. As I approached the final mile of climbing, I lost sight of the pursuers on some straightaways and held a bit in reserve, taking the final hills with a smooth cadence and eye on my back. I came through the finishing chute in first place overall!! My first overall victory at EX2 and my first overall victory in racing after a string of bridesmaid finishes.

Results:    36:25 (5.0 miles)
Podiums:  1st Overall  |  1st Age Group (M30-39)

Race #4: Prince William Forest

“With 15,000 acres, 37 miles of hiking trails, and 21 miles of biking accessible roads and trails, Prince William Forest Park offers the perfect setting for a trail running race. The largest park in the Washington DC metro area, this hidden gem lies just south of the city. This race course has it all, from single-track hiking trails to fire roads to open areas. Come experience the natural beauty and tranquility of this amazing park.”

The PWFP course was the least technical of the series, starting with an out-and-back on a road and spending quite a bit of time on fire roads and gravel paths. I ran the race pretty much tape-to-tape in the top three positions. I tended to grab the lead or make progress in the few technical sections, and lost ground on the easier roads. Unfortunately, the tall guys ahead of me were able to really use their stride on the abundant roads, pulling away in the latter half of the race. And it didn’t help my pursuit when I fell hard in the final mile, but at least the race photographer didn’t catch my tumble. I came through in third place overall.

Results:    33:47 (5.1 miles)
Podiums:  3rd Overall  |  3rd Age Group (M30-39)

The Verdict

Unfortunately, by missing a race, I dropped to 2nd place in the overall points series. If I was able to run Wakefield in the top 4, I would’ve managed the series title as well. But oh well, it was a great BYB series, and I brought home more pint glasses than I know what to do with.

Snapshots: GW Parkway Classic 10 Miler

After running the Shamrock Half Marathon in 6:34 pace, my goal at the Parkway Classic was to get that under the 6:30 mark and shatter my 10 mile PR. Unfortunately the Classic is run on a roadway of concrete slabs and constantly-rolling hills, ending with some inclines into Alexandria. I managed to hold my pace pretty well through the first half, but as the temperature rose around me and the road rose beneath me, the final miles were a push to hold on. I came through in 1:05:35 (6:35/mi), netted a significant PR, and had time to enjoy the beer garden before most in the pack finished.