Capital City Challenge 2014 - Review

Stats: 64th place; 2:30:14; 5:58 per mile avg. (across all activities)

It was an overcast morning for this year's Capital City Challenge. A drizzle greeted us at Daniel Boone Park when Mike and I unloaded the kayaks. Thankfully, the rain dissipated by the time we reached the start line. Ashley met me there with her "Team Harmon" shirt; I had to inform her that Mike was not participating this year, but was on picture duty along the Boulevard.

A half hour wait ensued before it was time to toe the start line. This year we had Batman start the race before he led our first ever superhero kids' fun run. That was a great idea. Unfortunately, Batman's gun failed to go off and the runners had to take their cue from the elites at the front. I jolted into action and began my two and a half hours of continual movement. 

The run went as expected. I wish I could calculate split times, but I always fear carrying my phone onto the kayak. I seemed to be running with a group doing sub-eight minute miles for the first two miles. On the back half of the run, that group out-paced me. I'll assume I did roughly eight minute miles on average for a running split of 32 minutes. 

My kayak transition was kind of "a hot mess" to borrow an Ashley-ism. I stuffed the long sleeve bike shirt I was wearing into the kayak hull. After struggling to get the rubber hull closed, I began dragging the kayak down the ramp. At the bottom of the ramp, I noticed the rubber piece had fallen off and my paddle had tipped out of the kayak. I raced back up the ramp to retrieve those items, donned my cycling gloves, and shoved off with help from a volunteer's push. 

The kayak portion itself proved the same suffering I've grown accustomed to in this event. My neck and shoulders grew tired early even as I tried to engage the abs more and more. Longer kayaks sailed past me, per usual. But I was heartened that my pace was steady and I even picked up the pace over some stretches. Once adjacent to Haddad Park, I popped an energy gel for some, well, energy. Mike got some pictures of my row. I gave him a cut-throat signal and then tried to do a Thomas Voeckler tongue wag, but that is hard to make out from the riverbank. 

The kayak split probably took me an hour. I crested Magic Island with a lot of other participants. Becky, of our race committee, directed me to the chute we are supposed to use to run onto the Boulevard. There I met Ashley who was ready with my cycling gear. After a quick pit stop in the Magic Island restroom to change into cycling shorts, I was off on the bike portion.

I felt really good and relaxed on the bike. That was probably due to my July bike training. Even being low on energy I maintained a good pace and tried not to be distracted by the elites. The course held up well with no potholes, as we had feared, where the course narrows to one road lane. I saved my last energy gel for after the start of the second loop. Besides being trapped behind a slower cyclist for a brief spell, I had no issue with bike traffic. And we avoided any crashes this year (thank goodness).

The bike split probably took me another hour. I pulled into the finish at just over two hours and thirty minutes. It was a two minute improvement over my 2013 race. But I still finished in the exact same position, 64th overall.

I joined Mike and Ashley at the finish and helped photograph some other participants. It was another good year for the Capital City Challenge. Hopefully we can keep doing the kids' race and growing our numbers. The press was really favorable and should help grow its popularity.

Charleston Distance Run Relay - 2014 Review

Team "Triple Threat" stats
15 mi; gun time - 2:32:07; avg. pace - 10:08 per mile; place - 7/11 co-ed relay teams

It was a bright, sunny day for the 2014 Charleston Distance Run. Some might so it was too hot. Others might even say, it was really freaking muggy and uncomfortable. Nonetheless, Trip, Ashley, and myself charged onward and completed our first ever three-person relay of the famed Charleston race.
We all got to the race start about ten minutes in advance of the gun.  Trip, our honorary PTR member, settled in behind the start line and got ready for the first leg. Ashley and I trekked back past the Capitol, looking for a shuttle to take us to the South Side Bridge for our relay interchange. Apparently, the CDR provides no such service. So after a ritual port-a-john stop from yours truly, we walked alongside the race participants towards the bridge. There were many 15-mile participants getting the jitters out and finding their long-term pace. All I could think was how happy I was to not be racing the entire 15 miles that morning. The walk to the South Side Bridge served as a decent warm-up for Ashley and I. After another port-a-john stop for me, we ascended the stairs to the South Side Bridge, posed for a photo-op, and waited for the triumphant appearance of Trip.

Ten or fifteen minutes later, Trip made it up the bridge. I could tell from the sweat he had accumulated that I was in for a hard five miles of hill running. But at least he didn't look like this guy:

I offered my hand and he gave a sturdy slap to hand off the reigns. My opening pace was a little quicker than normal, but still cautious. I passed a decent amount of runners, who were probably doing the full 15 miles, on the way to "Capitol Punishment Hill". Once at the base of the hill, I tried to relax and remind myself of all the hill training I had done, both running and on the bike. My mantra was "chop up your steps, rely on your thighs". Generally, when you start exerting yourself too much it is a good idea to take shorter, more frequent strides. And I knew from cycling that I had mainly increased the strength of my thighs, at least more so than my calves. That seemed to get me to the top of 119 with energy left to burn. I enjoyed the random signs from onlookers stating "If it was easy, I would being doing it" and "I'm just a stranger, but you seem to be doing a good job".
I recalled from previous years that after the left turn onto Oakwood Road the route still features a significant amount of hills. The hill past GW High School reduced a lot of runners to a walk. I think that happened to me in the 2011 edition of the race. But knowing I could stop back down at the South Side Bridge gave me the confidence to run through that incline.

Oakwood Road Hill

After Oakwood Road, Bridge Road featured another hill that induced some people to walk. I kept running with my mantra. Then, the course turned onto Loudon Heights. I let the legs fly on the downhill, only checking that my pace could be sustained without injury. Most CDR veterans know to prevent excessive pounding of their joints on the downhill section. While I subscribe to this line of thinking, as a relay runner, I could throw caution a little to the wind in coming down towards the bridge. Loudon Heights features a couple more uphill sections, right when you think you're done with any incline. I was able to fight through the heat and hills to maintain a running pace. Giddy as a little schoolboy, I plodded down the last section of Loudon Heights with the stunning view of Charleston on the right hand side.

As I approached the South Side Bridge I remembered that Ashley had planned a special hand-off the night before. I laughed to myself and pushed toward the center of the bridge. Once there, Ashley leaned in with her fist and I handed off with a pound that we then "blew up", like ya do.

Second hand off of the race

Trip captured the hand-off at just the right moment. That set Ashley off on the last leg of the race. She had the longest and hottest section of the race, at seven miles and temperature reaching from 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. I'll leave it to her to give a more detailed breakdown of her end of the race.

Trip and I walked to Laidley Field, via Virginia Street and caught each other up on how our respective runs played out. We found a spot to watch the finishing lap by Ashley and got ready to cheer. Ashley gave us a nice wave and ran out the final 400 meters of the race.

At the finish, it was all smiles. The heat and humidity had dented our bodies, but not our spirits (Awww). We caught up with friends and fellow sufferers many of whom are CDR legends. It is their strength and determination we wish to emulate in the coming years. Bravo, all you fifteen mile troopers. We salute you!

July Is for Cycling

The Stats:
7/7: 12.45 mi; 47:07; 15.08 mph; KC course
7/11: 13.20 mi; 1:48:18; 10.66 mph; Mount Alpha course
7/17: 7.76 mi; 31:44; 14.67 mph; KC course
7/20: 10.74 mi; 51:41; 12.47 mph; Mount Alpha course
7/24: 12.50 mi;  58:33; 12.81 mph; Mount Alpha course
                      7/26: 11.88 mi; 50:46; 14.05 mph; KC course
                      7/30: 7.06 mi; 34:27; 12.29 mph; Job Corps course

It was Tour de France month. As such, July 2014 saw the most cycling action I have yet been able to produce. I tried to imagine Phil Ligget commentating on my rides while keeping the concentration of Vincenzo Nibali plowing through a clueless spectator. Being on the bike peddling through the pain, with my suitcase of courage really broke the sweat and burned the calories. I am hoping to continue cycling through August in preparation for the Capital City Challenge. Mixing running and cycling workouts effectively will be the challenge before that annual endeavour.
Mount Alpha got a lot of action last month. It is really the only hill I had tried, so I felt comfortable riding there from my house. It is challenging for me, and I have to drop to my easiest gear to get to the top, but my breathing is becoming less labored over time. The thigh burning never really stops on a climb though.
At the end of the month, I rode the Job Corps hill for the first time. It is over a mile long and at least a half mile longer than Mount Alpha. That incline really kicked my butt over the last one-third of a mile stretch. But it was a great workout, and I am sure I will be back for more of the same. Cyclists have to be gluttons for punishment.
August should see more runs thrown into the fray. However, I am happy with all this cycling action and my knees are very grateful for the respite they were given in July. Vive Le Tour!

Music City (Nashville) 10k Review

The Stats
6.5 mi; 53'12"; 8'10" avg. pace

It was hilly in Nashville that day, my friends. And it was a tad long for a "10k" course. The two lap course was read as 6.5 miles instead of 6.2 miles by most of our crew. About 1,500 runners (5k and 10k) lined up next to Public Square Park on July 4, 2014 morning. They too experienced the long, rolling race in summer sun. But local Nashvilleans assured us it was temperate weather for this time of year. The conditions kept our times in check, but we all finished and without injury. That is a win for the PTR.

One of our best looking pre-race pictures

The first mile crossed the Cumberland River and began to circle the Titans' stadium. I had a little shin pain in the beginning and moderated my pace even after the pack spaced itself out. That mile was still my third fastest of the race, probably due to fresh legs and the downhill section we were running. I ran behind a couple for a half mile only to see the girl trip and hit the pavement. To her credit, she bounced right back up and trailed me after that. Mile two finished our circling of the stadium and crossed us back over the river on Korean Veterans Blvd. This bridge was the longest incline section of the race and it gave the legs an early test. I grabbed a "water bag" and bit it numerous times before receiving any water. Then, I chucked it across the road away from other runners. Our whole group was a little baffled at these odd water bags as a substitute for your generic water cups. Maybe it makes clean-up easier for the organizers but they are a pain to handle when you're running.
Mile three was perhaps the trickiest and toughest part of the course. We ran 6th and 7th Avenue across Broadway, Church, and Commerce Streets. That section contained some steep hills and some longer, gently sloped hills. It was tough to pace myself as I only expected a hill on the Korean Vets Bridge and not on the downtown section. Despite my grumblings about the hills, that third mile was still my second fastest split at 8'05". We turned right onto Union Street and ended our first 5k. I had a 5k split of around 24'33".
Of course, the second loop was harder. I took advantage of the downhill section towards the stadium and ran my fastest mile, the race's fourth mile, at 8'01". I paid for it on the fifth mile, a long, slow, march that ended on the Veterans Bridge. Having set a goal of a sub-fifty minute 10k, I increased the tempo coming off of the bridge. But I burned out a little as we entered the 6th Avenue tunnel. I kept a steady pace, but ultimately cashed in a time a few minutes over my goal.

Loopy

As I crossed the finish line, I asked a volunteer if I should finish on the 10k lap 1 section. She motioned me that way, but I think she mistook it for my first lap. I finished on the side adjacent to the banner and awkwardly crossed the metal barriers to get my finisher's medal. That experience made me worried the race organizers would miss my time. But I had no time to dwell on that. I waited in a long line for refreshments before moving away from the crowd to a predetermined family meeting point. Mom joined me, having stopped at the 5k mark. We sat on the stone steps and had some protein bars to recover.
Ashley was the next to join me, happy with her time and, in general, with being finished. We took a medal selfie while catching our breath. Mary, Mike, and Emily found our meeting spot and seemed in good spirits. We talked about the race: the weird water bags, the hills, etc. as we walked back to the hotel. Nashville, nay, Tennessee has been conquered. Where to participate next?

Music City 10k Preview

It's time for our 2014 Fourth of July road race. This year PTR is taking on Nashville and checking Tennessee off of our 10k to do list. The race is called the Music City 10k and features our first course where we will complete two loops of a 5k course. While I can't say I support the less diverse range of sights offered by a loop course, maybe this will keep us in the heart of Nashville and help with pacing.
So, on to the course preview. The race starts at Public Square Park and 2nd Ave.

No one will be grumpy at the start

We proceed northeast over the Cumberland River on Woodland St. From there we will be able to see the Titans stadium and the river off to the sides.

Home of mediocre football

The course continues pass the stadium a couple blocks before hanging a right on Interstate Drive.

Don't take that left lane!

After a few paces on Interstate Drive we will turn right onto Shelby Drive, which has an Exxon on the corner if you need to stop for a Powerade. Continue following Shelby onto Korean Veterans Blvd. That becomes a bridge with a slight incline to test the leg strength.

A touch of climbing

The Gateway Bridge has a stunning view of downtown Nashville to keep runners entertained

We will come down off the bridge and continue on Korean Veterans Blvd. This road takes us from 1st Ave. through 6th Ave. There we will turn right underneath an awning of sorts.

Out of the tunnel we turn left on Demonbreun Street. A block later we hang right on 7th Ave. The race continues on 7th Ave. over Broadway and Commerce before turning right on Church St. Then, it's a quick left onto Capitol Blvd.

With the State Museum ahead of us the course turns right on Union St.

Next, comes a left on 6th Ave and a quick right onto Deaderick Street. Deaderick is the last street before the course starts its second loop. It bends right on 3rd Ave. around Public Square Park.
In general, this is a very flat course. We get to traverse two bridges over the Cumberland River and dodge our way through Nashville's downtown. It should be a fantastic race with hopefully some music and moderate temperatures. A tasty dinner and huge fireworks show will cap off our night.
Come on girls and boys, everyone make some noise!
Full course:

June Reflections, July Preparations

The Stats
6/3: 3.11 mi; 23'48"; 7'38" avg. pace
6/9: 3.11 mi; 24'00"; 7'42" avg. pace
6/18: 3.11 mi; 29'13"; 9'22" avg. pace

This year has not recovered the frequency of running I had in the glory days of my early 20s. Boo hoo. But recovering from May's half marathon took some time. Mix that in with harsh weather and aches and pains and you have plenty of excuses. But I am still a big optimist for this year. With half of it left, the family has the potential to run two more 10k races and rack up some respectable mileage. And without a pool membership I will need to run to get my summer sun.
June has been held to 5k runs after work and the occasional bike ride. The last run took place on vacation at the lovely Fripp Island resort. For a change of pace I kicked off the shoes and ran barefoot. Ashley looked at me strange and questioned the choice, not without reason. My feet took a bit of a beating, but it felt good on the legs. None of my recurring aches presented any problems when running sans shoes. I don't have any plans to head down the barefoot/minimalist path in the short term; it was interesting to test out though.

Barefoot beach running

My next post will feature a preview of the Nashville Music City 10k that we will be running over July 4th. It should feature relatively flat terrain, but with humid and hot weather. Good food and lots of music are sure to follow the race. Pictures and reviews will report on the excitement.

Reflection on my first half-marathon

Last weekend, I completed my first half marathon. I'm still feeling some minor effects of the race (and probably didn't let myself rest enough before getting back in the gym), but it was worth it.

Being the only one in the group racing this distance for the first time, I was definitely feeling the pressure as we lined up in our corrals. It was a little chilly at the start, and there was a light rain shower passing through as we crossed the start line.

Matt and Chad started first in Corral B. A few minutes later Jessica and I got our start. The first three miles were entirely dedicated to getting around other racers to try and get up to a comfortable race pace. Running with 30,000 other people means you have to stay alert the entire race.

We crossed the first bridge around mile 3. This was my first "pretty" view of Pittsburgh. The next couple miles were uneventful, though I was not prepared for the constant up and down the course provided.

Shortly after mile 6, Jess and I grabbed some water and ate our gels. There were fans cheering at almost every corner of the course, which helped me keep up my motivation.

Around mile 8 my body started getting fatigued. I tried to keep my mind occupied by reading the race signs. A couple favorites: "Bob couldn't be here today because he has pink eye...again." and "Welcome to mile 7. You only have...a s&*t ton of miles left."

I knew that mile 11 would be the most difficult feat of the race, since it was the most significant incline of the course, especially intimidating because of the inevitable fatigue I'd feel after running the previous 10 miles. As we crossed the bridge that led us to the bottom of Forbes St. I told Jess I was scared and she gave me a running side hug and reminded me that we were almost done (and that I could celebrate with a mimosa back at the hotel). As we came down the Boulevard of Allies I felt relief for the first time in the race. I knew success was around the corner.

My official time was 2:13:01. I would have liked to finish under 2:10, but now I'll have a record to beat in my next half marathon...which will not be for a while. This race was undoubtedly the most difficult thing I've ever put my body through, but the feeling of completing 13.1 miles without walking made it worth the pain.