Pretender November

The Stats: 11/1 - 11/30
11/1: 3.11 mi; 23'16"; 7'27" avg. pace
11/4: 2.44 mi; 17'59"; 7'21" avg. pace
11/18: 3.11 mi; 23'41"; 7'36" avg. pace
11/23: 3.11 mi; 24'42"; 7'56" avg. pace
11/30: 2.18 mi; 16'13"; 7'26" avg. pace

The post title should capture my feelings toward this month. I've never felt like an elite runner, but months like these make me feel like I'm a pretender of even an amateur runner. The proof is in the pudding, they say (but what the heck does that mean?). At least Em and I had another successful turkey trot (albeit a weekend early). We braved the 30 degree temperatures and plodded around the high school track while some guys gathered for flag football on the turf field. Regardless of the cold or lack of conditioning or furtive spectators, the tradition must be honored!...even if it leads to naps following a big Thanksgiving dinner.
My year-to-date mileage is at 195 through November. Even a good December will leave me somewhere around 40 percent of my best years' outputs. There's only one thing to do: suck it up and reclaim past glory. If my body can handle it, 2014 needs to mirror 2011 when I ran 550 miles. With some encouragement from Ashley, I have already registered for the Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Half Marathon in May. That should inspire hard core training in the first quarter of 2014. Time to finish this year with a triumphant December - one that is hopeful of things to come.

Atlantic City 10k Recap

Stats: 25th place; 48'34" chip time; 24'27" 5k split; 7'50" avg. mile pace

Well that was one wet and wacky weekend in Atlantic City. I knew we were in trouble when it rained all day on the drive into town. I knew we were in deeper trouble when I saw the seedy area around our hotel. But we ventured to Caesar's casino nonetheless for packet pickup and dinner. After dinner at Morton's Steakhouse, we all turned in early with visions of a rainy morning hanging over our dreams.
It was windy and cloudy when we woke up on race day. The rain held off until we got on the boardwalk and paced around a little. We scouted the boardwalk for the best pre-race photo before settling on this Bally's sign as a background.

Professional work from the boardwalk copper

The rain quit before our start and we nervously readied ourselves for the six miles to come, quite a familiar feeling by this point. Running on the hardwood was a unique experience, but not wholly different from running on pavement. The boards didn't creak or crack and if you didn't look down you could convince yourself you were running on the road. At least there was no traffic to negotiate and no neighborhood routes on which to get lost. It was straight down and straight back. We had to suffer seeing the 5k runners turn around after 1.5 miles and head back to the start; they should have stepped it up a notch. The rain began to fall on the first 5k and I started looking out at The Atlantic once it became visible to my left. I kept a very steady pace; the iPhone consistently told me I was running around 8 minutes miles. That was fine by me and I felt comfortable in the 60 degree temperatures.

Wet wood running

After turning around the 5k road cone, I was greeted with a strong headwind. There gusts of 15 to 20 mph on occasion that nearly kept me from maintaining my stride. I warned Mike of this as we past each other. The rain continued to come down and intensified somewhat on the back half. I went into zen mode and watched the ocean waves washing onto the shore which was on my right on the return trip. I spotted a few runners who kept a similar pace and made sure to stay in sight of them. My endurance proved stronger than expected given my lax training leading up to this race. Once I saw the Bally's casino sign I started to increase the pace. The last three-quarters to half a mile, I ran between a jog and a sprint. Getting out of breath would let me rest knowing I gave my best, even in New Jersey of all places. I hit the finish sucking wind, but not totally exhausted. The weather actually helped my breathing and kept me cool.

Nice try, Ken Shelton. Computers have snipe functions now

Finish Line montage

I got the customary water and fruit/bagel or whatever they give you in the recovery station. Then, I had to duck into a restroom before meeting up with the rest of the family. I came back to the finish line to see Mike limping past the finish with a bandage wrapped around his lower leg. Uh oh, this has to have a story to it. Apparently, home boy blew out his calf ligament/tendon sprinting in the last 200 or so meters. Oh dear.

We have a runner down

Mary and Emily had significantly better stories to report. Emily finished with a near PR and Mary finished less than two minutes behind her. The consensus seemed to be that the rain was not that bad and may have even helped. And everyone was happy to score a finishers medal out of this one. Generally we only get t-shirts, but this is more like it! Below are our results, the course map, and my splits.

Love that last mile!

The recovery was filled with food. First at Caesar's as we got some lunch and left Mike to rest up at the hotel. Some celebratory gelato was a high point. We shopped briefly before the rain made us flee from the outdoor outlet stores. The rest of the evening was highlighted by dinner at Capriccio's where some people got a little carried away with their food.

Take the picture already!

The next day we stopped in Philly for a brief look around before the girls had to fly. We got to posture around the Rocky steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Some weird Crossfit like cult was doing a routine on the steps that morning. After photo-ops, we went to the Reading Terminal Market for brunch. Then, it was time for farewells. But no need to worry, the Harmons will return to the pavement in 2014 as talks were made about the next state to fall to our 10k obsession. Look out Omaha?

Yo Ashley, I did it!

Atlantic City 10k Preview

The Stats: 10/1 - 10/8
10/2: 3.12 mi; 23'47"; 7'37" avg. pace
10/7: 2.62 mi; 19'35"; 7'27" avg. pace

I have only hit the pavement twice so far in October. That's not exactly the type of ramp up I usually have prior to a 10k race. Keeping me from getting out the door has been a mixture of recovering from the Capital City Challenge, laziness, and volleyball. I tweaked something near my right shin in the last volleyball game of the season; that scared me enough to only run once last week (10/2). I ran well enough and proved to myself it was not a serious injury. More concerning is that I have been getting winded by running five kilometers. My endurance is not where it should be for a 10k. But it will have to make due because the Atlantic City 10k is this weekend.
The race itself is a straight stretch along the Atlantic City Boardwalk. It starts at the intersection of the Boardwalk and Michigan Ave. which is in front of Bally's Casino (no gambling before a race).

I hope the weather looks better on Saturday.

After a straight five kilometers on the hard wood, we will do our best suicide drill stop (or turn around some cones) and head back from whence we came. The turnaround is at South Avolyn Ave. I cannot get a decent picture of the Boardwalk at that intersection from Google Maps. But I imagine it looks quite similar to the picture above except with different buildings on the shore and the Atlantic Ocean on the opposite side. I'm slightly worried this may be our least scenic 10k to date. But we will mark New Jersey off this list. Outside of the racing, it looks like shopping and dining is what we will be up to in Atlantic City. Mike has us contemplating a stop in Philadelphia on the way back in order to get more interesting travel in this trip. I'm in support of that. But let's knock out this run first!

2013 Capital City Challenge Recap

Stats: 64th place; 2:32:10; 6:03/mile avg. pace (across all activities)

It was another successful year of running, rowing, and riding along Kanawha Boulevard. This was by far my best time in the Challenge. I did not have to deal with an inferior inflatable raft (2010) and my bike did not spring a flat tire (2011). Basically, my equipment held up and I had an enjoyable, if exhausting race.
I started the run a little faster than my average running pace. It was a cool morning and I wanted to get the limbs moving and warm up. After two miles, I started drag a bit. The cool air stung my lungs a touch and I wanted to save my legs a bit for the bike. I wish I kept track of split times, but not wanting to wear the iPhone in the kayak prevented me from doing that. I estimate the run took me about 32 minutes (a little under an 8 minute mile pace four a little over 4 miles).
The kayak transition went well except for having to lug it from next to a tree down to the boat ramp. I was shaking, trying to put on my cycling gloves before settling into the kayak. A volunteer gave me a great, hearty push out into the river, and it was on to the most dreaded of events. I felt my right shoulder blade aching less than a half mile into the row. I mixed in some five second breaks to ease the pain in my arms. The stretch between the capital and the South Side Bridge felt like it took ages. There are few points of reference there and the river seemed to be endless. Eventually, I started incorporating the abs more into my technique and found a rhythm. My breaks became fewer and shorter as I passed Haddad Riverfront Park and scooted towards the interstate bridge. Once within earshot of yelling onlookers, all rooting for their family and friends, I got excited. Getting on to the last leg of the event is always appealing. Another awesome volunteer dragged my kayak a solid ten feet onto shore. I disembarked, hastily threw my life jacket in the kayak, and jogged through Magic Island to the Boulevard.
The kayak to bike transition is always the hardest for me. First, you have to move your stiff legs to get you to the bike. Then, I always like to change out of my wet socks before donning the cycling cleats. I also put on padded cycling shorts over my compression shorts (which proved to cause some undesired chaffing). Helmet on, I walked to the start and hopped on my bike. After a few missed pedals, I clipped in and started zooming up the hill to the bridge. I felt good to be moving so fast after the glacial speed of the kayak. But I almost instantly realized how tired my legs were. Still, I shifted into a lower gear and tried to pick up speed. I settled into what I thought was an appropriate gear to be able to pedal without feeling a constant weariness. The first four miles was disheartening because I could tell I wouldn't get a second wind. I had to keep pushing with what I had left. I popped some Hammer gel in my mouth, slurped some water. The calories and hydration may have given some momentary burst, but it faded quickly. I developed a weird cramping sensation in the muscles around my left elbow. Taking a hand off the handle didn't appear to relieve it. Oh well.
When I completed the first lap at Magic Island, the volunteer said, "Stay right to finish." I appreciated that he thought I looked like I would finish that early. But no sir, I had another eight miles to endure. Mike passed on his way to finishing the first lap and gave a head nod of encouragement. We were both too tired to insult each other at this point. At times I got so tired that I drifted a little on the road. The worst moments were when I drifted and slowed down considerably. But turning around at Daniel Boone Park for the last time lifted the spirits. I was pleasantly surprised at how the one lane between the Capital and Daniel Boone did not produce any close calls or traffic jams around me. All the cyclists handled themselves really well. Once I passed Haddad on the way back, I was able to push past the pain that hampered my ride. I dug with whatever I had up over the short bridge hill. That got me sucking wind and send me sprinting downhill to the finish. I crossed the line breathless, but in possession of my wits. Always a good way to finish.
I took a long time slowing down and un-clipping. Then, I stood, bent over the handlebars of the bike for a good minute, catching my breath. I started to walk back to the bike rack. A lady passed me and said, "Well I don't feel the need to do that again...ever." Without thinking I chuckled and offered a "Yeah." Shortly afterwards I thought, "Wait, I promote this event. I should have told her it gets better every year." Maybe she'll reconsider when the pain wears off. Who knows.
Ashley was kind enough to be at the event for three hours. She got me a Powerade and we waited on Mike to finish. He wasn't far behind, surely making up time on me during the bike. We slowly packed up and got ready to head home for a well deserved rest. One woman passed out from exhaustion at the finish and fell over on her bike. We were later informed that she broke her wrist but is otherwise alright. She even requested footage of her fall on Facebook (what a trooper!).
That was my viewpoint of another year's Capital City Challenge. Race planning for next year begins...now.

Yeah, about to do some work

2013 Capital City Challenge Preview

The Stats: 8/25 - 9/9
8/26: 3.11 mi; 23'07"; 7'25" avg. pace
8/30: 3.11 mi; 23'30"; 7'32" avg. pace
9/2: 2.51 mi; 18'34"; 7'23" avg. pace
9/9: 2.14 mi; 15'48"; 7'21" avg. pace

It is time again for the Capital City Challenge. After being hurt last year, I am excited to try to complete the event once more. Ideally, I can do it without feeling completely battered and bruised. The running training over the last two weeks has been light, as evidenced by the above stats. I did two 5k distances to end August. Both of those runs posted respectable times with paces around 7'30" per mile. If the temperatures cool down ten degrees from summer highs, I can probably keep that pace over four miles in the CCC. The heat on Labor Day and thereafter shortened my last two runs to under three miles. But every bit of training counts. I also hit up Kanawha State Forest for a solid climb last Saturday, Sept. 7th. The bike training has not been coming along and I fear how my legs will feel on the last leg of the Challenge when they are already struggling without completing two events before peddling. And the kayak preparation has amounted to little more than push ups in my spare time around the house.
But the Challenge should be great regardless of my performance. We expect to see about 200 people lined up around Magic Island come race morning. The forecast for Saturday is clear and sunny with a high of 71 degrees! That will make for perfect running weather, probably in the upper 50s to lower 60s, when the gun fires. The clear skies mean we won't have to worry about rain on the kayak portion. The river will be perfectly safe for rowing. And cyclists won't get overheated on the flats with that high of 71 degrees. I must double check my bike for tire pressure and quality; I can't chance being dusted by Mike on the last leg due to a 'mechanical' this year. We will finish and have trophy presentations and door prize giveaways on Magic Island. I hope to be able to sit through them and not pass out from exhaustion!

Wet, Hot Summer

The Stats: 8/18 - 8/24
8/19: 2.71 mi; 19'50"; 7'18" avg. pace
8/20: 3.05 mi; 28'53"; 9'27" avg. pace
8/24: 2.71 mi; 19'34"; 7'12" avg. pace

It has been one very rainy summer. August has blessedly been drier than July and allowed for more outdoor activity. Last week was ideal for lacing up the running shoes and hitting the road. My distances remained conservative; I didn't attempt another 10k although running bridge to bridge last week went fine. On Monday I cut the run shy of three miles. I may have been experiencing minor side stitches and decided it wasn't worth pushing for an extra 0.3 miles. Tuesday saw my defeat to Ashley in our "first to 30 miles" challenge for August. We lapped around KC in 90 degree heat and got considerably dehydrated. I followed that up with a volleyball game to cap off a busy evening. The weather turned sour late in the week and kept me off the roads until Saturday. Knowing there was a full day of pool chilling and partying, I was compelled to burn some early morning calories. Strangely, I pulled up short of 5k again, logging the same distance that I ran on Monday. Both of those runs featured an increased pace that was draining under the August sun. Still, the legs are holding up well as the summer winds down.
The Capital City Challenge is firmly fixed on the calendar's horizon. I got out for a bike ride yesterday in order to train a bit for that portion of the race. Kayaking is unlikely before then, so I'll have to strengthen the upper body with some assortment of push-ups and lifting. Whether that actually happens is yet to be seen. In other race news, Mike decided to sign up for the Marshall Half Marathon. This basically necessitates that I tag along. But echos of the Parkersburg injury still linger in my head. I'll hold off on registering for now, but it is certainly an intriguing proposition.

Fall Race Prep

The Stats: 8/11 - 8/17
8/12: 3.12 mi; 23'04"; 7'23" avg. pace
8/14: 6.22 mi; 49'20"; 7'55" avg. pace

It was a quiet, but encouraging week in running. I only made it out on the roads on two days; however, I made the second one count by running 10k. That was the first 10k of the month and I managed to clock-in under 50 minutes. This continues to spell good news for the fall racing schedule. The first run of the week was a customary 5k around the neighborhood. I feel like I've done that route in excess of 300 times since moving to Charleston. Still, it feels good to run it in about 23 minutes. The 10k went bridge to bridge (35th street and South Side). Crossing the Kanawha at sunset is the highlight of that run. It was also good to see so many runners packing the boulevard on a cool evening in August. Those are pretty rare if memory serves correctly.

River hoping

Unfortunately, Ashley is well on pace to reaching 30 miles before me this month. I couldn't manage a run over the weekend, which hurt my odds. Her churning out 7 miles on Saturday really put me behind. So it appears she has won this round.
In race news, The Capital City Challenge is right around the corner. I have not paddled or peddled much in the past few weeks. I may have to step up the bike training in particular. The weather forecast looks promising, so I have no reason to sit on the couch. Let's get cracking!