Statesman 10k Recap

The Stats
6.21 mi; 55'24" chip time; 8'55" per mile; 2,218 out of 14,389

Team PTR can mark Texas off the 10k map. The rain held off during our short stay in Austin despite thunderstorm predictions by weather forecasters. However, we were greeted by a heavy dose of fog on race morning.

"I'm a Texas girl who loves forecasting Texas weather (and yes, I get it right EVERY time)."

Congress Ave. Bridge

I took the option of starting in the first wave of runners at 8 am. If the weather had been bad early, I would have started with the rest of the family. Since the rain held off before the race start I jumped in line behind the elites. I was a little too close to the elites for comfort, but I was quickly left in their dust. In fact I was passed by other runners for the majority of the run. No matter, slow and steady finishes the race.
It is always difficult to look back on a race and recall the details. The memory turns into a large blob of pain, fatigue, and excitement only a few hours after hitting the finish line. All the same, a few tidbits do stand out.

• I ran behind a shirtless guy holding a full size Rastafarian flag above his head in the first mile. Why someone would put their arms through that is beyond me, and it did not seem to mesh with the laid back vibe of Rastafarian-ism. 
• The hill section behind the state Capitol was particularly exhausting. I made sure to dial back the pace so that the first 2.5 miles did not completely drain my energy. And I did not come close to winning the King of the Hill distinction.
• As with every race, I try to hit the water stops near the end of the table/section. Everyone seems to crowd around the front of a water stop and it creates a traffic jam of flailing and stationary legs. 
• My stomach was uneasy during the last half of the race. I appreciate the courtesy of race organizers to place port-a-johns on the side of the race course, but I also feel them tempting me to stop. The will to finish ultimately overcame any intestinal distress.
• The finishing stretch felt like it was over half a mile long. I was ready for the finish line after crossing the 1st St Bridge. An increased pace down the stretch led to my fastest split time coming in the final mile. The dude finishing beside me danced over the line and I kind of dodged him. 

  

Watch where you're high stepping!

The results were about what I expected. Given the elevation, the humidity, and the lack of early spring training. Mike closed the gap behind me to 10 minutes.

The 1st St Bridge was my best section

I was able to meet up with Mary in the park that hosted the post-race party. We missed Mike and Emily and met up with them back at the hotel. Recovering took some time. When we were able to move our legs again, we walked to a cafe for lunch. Then, we tried to shop in downtown Austin without much luck. Our evening entertainment was a trip to the Alamo Drafthouse where we saw a showing of Intergalactic Nemesis: Twin Infinity. I could try to describe what that was like, but I would fail miserably. We met one of Emily's high school friends for dessert later that evening. A sweet capping to a hard race and a long day.
In summary, Austin was kind a little underwhelming. I'm sure it would have been more fun with some extra time and some locals to shepherd us around. But the race was well organized and large. And now I have the motivation to make this a successful year of running. Onward and upward.

Statesman 10k Preview

The Participation Trophy Runners are one week away from the Statesman 10k in Austin, Tx. It will be my first trip to the Lonestar State as well. As I have become accustomed to doing, the following post will contain a detailed course breakdown. Let's start with everyone's favorite topic: elevation. The race organizers provided an incline/decline map to help us with that.

The first mile is broadly uphill. We will go up about 110 feet over that mile. The second mile levels out and ends up slightly downhill, but it leads to the course high point of 582 feet at the 2.5 mile mark. Before you stop reading in disgust, hear me out: the entire remainder of the route is downhill. We will drop 141 feet over the last 3.5 miles until crossing the finish line.
With the elevation picture clear, let's get some visuals of the race course. I've sourced route pictures from Google Maps that follow the official race map. As you can see from the top level map, we are doing a closed, rectangular route.

We start the race on the south side of the Colorado River and head north across the Congress Avenue Bridge. Here is a scenic picture of the memorial plaque near the race start.

Crossing the bridge will take us downtown, past our hotel and toward the Texas State Capitol building. From the bridge you can see the Austin skyline.

Once we leave the bridge the route continues on Congress Avenue toward the Capitol in the distance. Hopefully we do not have a run-in with any bicycling policeman as seen in this Google Maps picture.

When we get to the Capitol there will be a right turn onto 11th Street. This will lead to us circling around the building as we gradually change directions from north to west. There is an aid station, I'm guessing with water, just after this right turn.

The next turn is a left, shortly thereafter. You will see a La Quinta and turn in front of it onto San Jacinto Boulevard.

Then, there is another left turn onto 15th Street. This will take us behind the Capitol building and up the steepest hill of the race.

As you near a hilltop the Capitol building will be on the left.

This is one of the longest straight stretches of the race. Continuing on 15th Street, we will approach the 2-mile marker and the "King/Queen of the Mountains" point. The cross street for this will come at West Avenue.

Mile 3 will continue along 15th Street as it becomes Enfield Road. It looks like this name change takes place at the cross street W Lynn. It starts to look fairly residential in this area.

A quarter mile later, we will hit the 3-mile mark and run underneath a bridge. On the other side of this bridge we will make the first turn in 1.5 miles.

Here is the left hand turn that will guide runners from Einfield Road onto Winstead Lane. It almost looks like an interstate off-ramp.

Winstead features a slight uphill incline, which will be very rare on this section of the course. I promise. Don't get mad because there is a short section of incline.

Winstead becomes Atlanta Street and then makes a loop. It starts with a right turn on Lake Austin Boulevard and then an almost immediate left onto Veterans Drive.

Right onto Lake Austin at the Pawn Shop

Left onto Veterans Dr. at the small dog statue

Veterans Drive will curl left and follow the Colorado River. This is the last main drag of the race. It will take us the final two miles to the last bridge crossing and the race finish. The low point of the race comes when passing under the S Lamar Blvd. Bridge.

Hey dude, you're going to wrong way!

The road becomes W Cesar Chavez as it nears the bridge crossing. Then, we go from north to south of the river via the First St Bridge.

After crossing this bridge there is a right turn onto W Riverside Drive. It is our last road of the race! And the last picture I have with which to annoy you! We will finish the run somewhere around this roundabout looking thing.

The finish party will be to the immediate right of the finish line. There you can enjoy some live music while eating/drinking some post race refreshments. Food trucks are apparently setting up shop there also, so bring cash. Wet your whistle at the Bloody Mary & Beer Garden or get some brunch to refuel those tired legs.
In summation, this course appears mostly downhill after the first 2.5 miles. That alone is reason for optimism. Also, the hotel is a short hobble across the Congress Ave Bridge. So our sore legs will find rest in short order. Huzzah!

Build Up to Statesman

The Stats
3/8:   3.10 mi; 24'36"; 7'53" avg. pace
3/12: 3.10 mi; 25'06"; 8'00" avg. pace
3/16: 3.10 mi; 25'10"; 8'04" avg. pace
3/21: 3.08 mi; 24'14"; 7'52" avg. pace

We are about two and a half weeks away from the Statesman 10k race in Austin, TX. I have been preparing by running five kilometers whenever there is a relatively sunny and dry day in March. The stats show that I am in my average running form, at least for the 5k distance. Stretching out that distance by two times may prove to be a different story. I do plan on jogging a few six mile training runs in advance of our flight to Texas. And then, hopefully, my first trip to the Lone-star State will be successful and fun.
The last run in my series of March 5k's was an actual race. Ashley, her workmates and I did an out-and-back course between The Capitol Market and the Capitol last Saturday. The race was WV's Foxtrot 5k which supports Parkinson's research. We all had good race times for the mildly chilly run. You can see the video clips of our finishes on YouTube (Matt at 2:40, Ashley & Jessica at 6:30). And here are a few pictures of our sweaty mugs below.

Watch out for the Statesman 10k preview in the coming week. 

Winter Freezes Running in 2015

The Stats
2/4: 3.00 mi; 23'52"; 7'50" avg. pace
2/8: 3.10 mi; 24'47"; 7'57" avg. pace

I always knew this was a possibility. A winter would roll through the Kanawha Valley and shut down my favorite source of exercise. In winters past, I may have gotten along by running in sweats or picking and choosing warmer days to run. However, the 2014-2015 winter has not played nice. Those two days in early February offered the only respite from bleak, frigid winter before piles of snow filled the roadways. After back-aching shoveling, that snow gave way to iced streets and mounds of ugly, black-tinged slush piles.
Escape from this nasty situation has come mainly by ducking indoors during the week and fleeing to Snowshoe over the weekends. In the early evening of most weeknights, I can be found peddling away in my basement in front of a laptop streaming Hulu comedies. Ashley can attest to how startled I can be if someone enters the house while I'm down there and surprises me. Ultimately, the indoor spin is not so fun, but it's a great way to stay in shape over the gloomy winter season. Skiing offers the chance to be outside and breathe in the icy air. I have probably spent the majority of weekends in January and February on the mountain. The Snowshooter even caught me in action.

Random guy, Ashley, me, Mike

I am cool with this alternate form of training. The only downside is that our first 10k of 2015 is approaching. The Statesman 10k is less than two months away, and Austin, TX promises to offer some warmer temperatures and more excitement than Charleston. I only hope we are prepared to enjoy the race along with the amenities.

Year in Review: 2014

2014 Stats
44 runs
4.2 miles per run average
185 total miles
8:13 per mile average pace
Longest run: 13.1 miles - Pittsburgh, Dick's Sporting Goods Half Marathon

Nike Plus informs me that my average year is 189 miles. From that perspective, 2014 was not a bad year in running. I also got to run in five different states, including WV. However, 44 runs feels like a weak total. I plan on getting back to early-20s form in 2015, yeah, though the hands of time tell me I will be 30 come October (gasp).
Rest assured that PTR will not be dormant. Our first 10k will likely be The Statesman in Austin, TX this spring. Until then, happy training!

Jingle Bell 5k - 2014 Edition

The Stats
Matt - 25:30; 8:30/mile; 22nd overall
Ashley - 29:17; 9:46/mile; 51st overall

It was raining. It was...not pleasant.

I finished

Ashley finished

And we left

But at least we got out there and supported the Arthritis Foundation of WV. 

Hey, I Got My New Shoes On

The Stats
11/3: 3.11 mi; 24'56"; 8'00" avg. pace
11/10: 3.12 mi; 25'14"; 8'05: avg. pace

During the fall volleyball season I noticed that the tread on my Saucony Guide 6's was coming off the shoe. Those shoes are the lightest running shoes I had ever worn and were comfortable as well. They only had 300 miles on them and I usually put 500 miles on a pair of kicks before switching them out. But necessity took me back to Robert's Running Store to purchase new running shoes. I was almost certain I would get the newest pair of the Saucony Guide or Ride series. For the fun of it, I looked up a couple of other brands that I thought might be as nice. At the store they let me try on the Saucony's and they felt a little heavier than the past model. I had looked up Brooks' Adrenaline series and decided to give them a try. The salesman highly recommended them, and I could tell why. The Brooks had a great adaptive cushioning and tight fit all around the feet. I really did not want to leave the Saucony brand, but after testing both brands out the Brooks felt too good. A friend who has ran nearly every Charleston Distance Run confirmed that he has purchased about five different pairs of the Brooks Adrenaline series. I have high hopes for these puppies.

I took them out for a couple runs in early November. They are noticeably heavier than the Saucony Guide 6's, but are still relatively light by running shoe standards. These shoes have the best cushioning I have ever experienced. I expect them to last longer given their construction, but you never know.
The change in season is about to take hold and we have few semi-warm days left in 2014. The only race for the rest of the year for me will be the Jingle Bell 5k in Charleston. That takes place in early December and will be colorful if chilly. Until then, season's greetings and happy running!