Run for Your Life 2013 Review

The Run
6/22: 5.0 miles; 39'43"; 7;57" avg. pace

This year's installment of the Run for Your Life was my best yet. A personal best for the course was a pleasant surprise. The only explanation I can find is that well rested legs are more important for hill running than intensive training. That, and the possibility cross training (volleyball, strength training) compliments running more than I thought.
The splits show that I took a cautious, but still determined, pace on the flats behind Laidley Field. Turning the corner on Farnsworth and up the hill, I immediately slowed down my pace. I ran over a ten minute mile pace for the steepest parts of the hill. Still, I managed to pass a few runners that either started too aggressively or made a strategy out of walking some of the hill. I also kept my mile two split below ten minutes. Past the gates of Spring Hill Cemetery and nearing the top, I felt good. I was winded but not wheezing. I knew from that point onward it would be a good race. The path around the cemetery is hilly, but having survived the main hurdle I paced them okay. My third mile dipped back below eight minutes and put me near the descent. Some quick encouragement from Ashley helped me speed down the hill, and I managed to not fall on my face. A few runners flew by, managing to ignore the intense pounding to their knee joints. I turned a tad more measured descent, but still had a respectable 7'41" split on mile four. A couple other guys paced me back towards the finish line. With energy left to spend, the final mile turned into my best at around 7'20". Shew, glad that turned okay.

Hill goes up, pace goes down & vice versa

It was an amazingly beautiful day. The volunteers and race staff did a great job of setup, as always. The change of race location from a starting point at Haddad to the Capitol turned out to be okay and may have drawn a bigger race crowd. All in all, this is one of my favorite runs and I hope to be able to do it again next year.

Gonna need some chicken to refuel after that one

Results, Jason Pyles is the man

Fat Kid Down - Run For Your Life or Death (Mike)

I still haven't gotten back to where I was last Sept.  Ten pounds heavier, but working back in the right direction.  I'm trying to focus on myself and block out distractions, but its difficult to suck.  I hate it.  I hate watching Matt finish in the top 20 percentile of our races while I'm back in the bottom third.  I hate that my main competitive running rivalry is with a 60 year old friend of my mom's...at least I took her down in both DC and Run For Your Life - take that Cheryl.  It's been 2 years since I quit powerlifting so it doesn't quite feel like "yeah, well I benched 400lbs" is really a relevant excuse anymore.  But, despite all my foot and ankle problems, I am getting better again.

This years Run For Your Life felt like a death march.  I pushed.  I couldn't run the entire hill; no surprise.  Once I stopped running, I tried to limit my rest break to just enough to recover and catch my breath enough to get back into a forward pace.  I normally run a 7 minute mile on the downhill...210lbs can provide quite the downhill momentum when you just let it go.  My legs were rolling so hard it actually took the wind out of me and I had to scale it back a couple times.  I'm just glad nothing blew out on me when I hit the brakes.

I ended up finishing just over 54 minutes.  Nothing really to brag about, but it is a 4 minute improvement on my previous Run For Your Life 2 years ago.

After the race, I judged at the Chili Cook-off and then we went boating.  Turns out I forgot to eat all day...stupid.  I could barely stay awake on Sunday and every part of my body was either sore or sunburnt.  I didn't manage my swim/bike double workout Monday, but hope to get something in tomorrow.  I realized I haven't completed a WV 10k as part of our goal to run a 10k in each State so I'm signed up for the Biggest Loser 10k this weekend.  No rest for the weary.

Running, Cycling, Swimming - I've seen what improvements are possible when I get my body weight down under 200lbs.  If I want to get better, I've got to get lighter.

Run For Your Life 5-miler - what doesn't kill you...well, it didn't kill me.

Run for Your Life Preview

The Stats 6/2/13 - 6/16/13
6/3: 6.22 mi; 50'58"; 8'11" avg. pace
6/12: 2.01 mi; 15'07"; 7'31" avg. pace
6/14: 5.02 mi; 43'22"; 8'38" avg. pace

Scheduling training runs has been difficult this summer. Other extra-circulars and the rain have combined to dent my usual pattern of 3-4 weekly runs. I wouldn't mind so much, but it makes gearing up for difficult races, like the upcoming Run for Your Life 5 miler, more daunting. My past three runs have all been encouraging though. On the third I did a circuit from the house, over the 35th St. Bridge, down the Boulevard, back over the South Side Bridge, and down MacCorkle to the house. It was good to see that my last mile was my third fastest split, so I have some energy at the end of a ten kilometer run. On June 12, I made it out in 90 degree heat to trot out a couple miles. Running a good seven and a half minute pace was uplifting; the summer sun can often drag split times down by a half to a full minute. My last training run in this period featured a road run outside of Hinton, WV. I ran along the Greenbrier River and near the local 4H camp. It was a more relaxed pace, but had some winding hills that my knees seemed able to handle with minimal creaking afterward.

Hinton, WV - run in the great outdoors

Having said all that, this upcoming race is a monster. The hill starting on Farnsworth Drive and leading up to Spring Hill Cemetery is the most difficult hill I've had to run. Add to that a likely warm, humid June morning and you have a recipe for DNF. I know I'll finish, but will it be in triumphant or somber fashion? I did this race every year from 2008 to 2011. Here is a breakdown of those finishes:

As you can see, I was humbled by the hill in 2009. But 2010 and 2011 showed a return to form. Injuries and time off want to threaten my recent good fortune. I'll have to replace training with an extra shot of will power.
A slight course change puts the starting line at the Capitol instead of river side at Haddad Park. That is fine by me, as the original course started with a brief incline up a ramp. California Ave. is where the runners will start. A left turn on Piedmont moves you west, away from the Capitol. Then, runners will turn around and start up the ramp on Farnworth Drive. That road ascends over the interstate and up, up, up to historic Spring Hill Cemetery. Once in the cemetery, the hills don't stop; it's a windy course through the graveyard. Everyone will be thrilled after making a loop through the cemetery; that's when we retrace the path, downhill this time, back to the Capitol. Friends, family, and food will be waiting at the finish line.

Enter, and hopefully leave, Spring Hill Cemetery

The annual FestivALL Chili Cook-off takes place following the race. All proceeds go to fight colorectal cancer; so I won't feel too down, even if I can't jog out the entire run.
Thumbs up, let's do this!

Hills on the Horizon

The Stats 5/19/13 - 6/1/13
5/22: 2.83 mi; 27'12"; 9'35" avg. pace
5/24: 2.62 mi; 19'45"; 7'31" avg. pace
5/27: 5.54 mi; 44'20"; 8'00" avg. pace
6/1: 3.12 mi; 24'59"; 8'00" avg. pace

The last two weeks of running have been light, but enjoyable. I did two runs each week with other extra-circulars (volleyball, violin, mowing) taking up time during the evenings. The five and a half miler was a high point of the past two weeks. I patrolled the neighborhood and remembered how good it feels to stretch the legs farther than three miles. Despite not tearing up the roads, I'm happy concerning the healed right leg; there hasn't been any pain in it this spring. Hopefully, I can put those injured days in the rear view.
With the temperature on the rise I may try to fit in more morning runs. I know not to kid myself and say I'll switch to a morning routine over the summer. However, it's nice to beat the 90 degree afternoon burn. Looming large on the calendar right now is the Run for Your Life 5 Miler. This is particularly worrisome because I have not had the time/energy for hill training. The next two weeks need to allow for some of that. I've been threatening to trot up to Spring Hill Cemetery in preparation. Doing that or pacing Corridor G a couple times is the best I can do at this point. I would hate to have to walk up that hill on race day (I had to do that in 2009). Still, if push comes to shove I'll back down to prevent injury. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
It's time to hit, run...the highland way!