Latta Sprint Triathlon

Well, I never thought I would really do another triathlon, but here I am.  Latta was a team event for One2Tri Racing, so I committed to participate along with my other teammates.  I know what you're thinking: "You're on the One2Tri Racing Team and don't do triathlons??!  What on Earth did you think the 'TRI' part stood for??"  Well, there are actually a few of us non-tri types on the team who either just run or do adventure races - and I'm one of the runners.  But I'll try anything twice!  I've actually been doing more biking anyway, so it was just a matter of seeing what I could do in the water.  I'm very comfortable in the water - I could spend all day in the water at the beach - and I know how to swim, I just don't do it well.  OK, that's being charitable. I'm terrible.

Quick story: about 6 years ago I thought I would give triathlons a go.  I decided if I was going to do it, I would be serious about it and took swimming lessons.  In addition, I was in the pool practicing 3 times a week and doing open-water swims.  And I actually fared pretty well as a novice (not to be confused with doing well).  After about 5 races, I realized it wasn't for me.  Plus it was tough from a time standpoint to train for 3 events and remain happily married and gainfully employed.  So I called it quits after the Lake Norman Tri in 2005.  For some reason, I signed up for Lake Norman in 2006.  In that intervening year, I literally did not swim once.  And I was 9 seconds faster out the water in 2006.  Go figure.  I thought, all that time I put into swim practice - what a terrible return on my investment.  I could have been taking minutes off my bike and run times!

One2Tri Racing Team

But, as I said, this was a team event.  I had been taking swimming lessons again with my coach, Nicole (who is also the head coach for One2Tri Multisport Coaching) and she is fantastic.  If anyone could make progress with me, it's Nicole.  She couldn't.  There were 34 men in my age group.  I was 34th out of the water.  I made up some ground on the bike and the run to finish 22nd in my AG.  At first, I was thrilled that NO ONE had passed me on the bike or the run - then I realized there was practically no one behind me!  Respectable, but a stark reminder of why I gave up the sport in 2006.  My finishing time was 1:41:58.  Anyone up for a long run??!

Black Mountain 24-hour Ultra

Staging area in a valley on the campus of Montreat College

Having run my first timed race at the Freedom Park 24-hour Ultra this past New Year's Eve, I quickly discovered that running for time, rather than distance, was very appealing.  With that experience in mind, my friend, Steve Grace, found a 24-hour race in nearby Black Mountain just this side of Asheville, NC that we decided to try.  It's the 5th year this race has been run, and third at this location on Black Mountain.  I rounded up a few other friends to participate including, Anji Paumier-Nussbaumer, fellow One2Tri Racing teammate, Mo Campbell and her fiancé Jeff.  There was also a 12-hour option for the race, which Mo and Jeff elected to do as this was their first attempt at an ultra.  We were all watching the weather forecast closely throughout the week because we were suffering through an early heat wave in Charlotte and were concerned about the projected 90 degree temps and high humidity.  A weak cold front came through on Friday morning which spelled some relief for us and made for fairly nice conditions on Saturday: high temps in the mid to high 80's with lower humidity.  Still pretty hot for running a long way, but much better than it could have been.  One of the appeals to this race was a 10:00 am start time on Saturday, meaning we could drive up Saturday morning and only be gone for 1 night.

With fellow O2T Racer, Mo Campbell

I picked up my friend, Anji Paumier-Nussbaumer, and we drove up to Black Mountain together, arriving around 8:15 am.  The staging area is on the campus of Montreat College, which is a very small and very beautiful old college.  Many of the buildings are historic landmarks.  After checking in at registration and donating our canned food (the race's subtitle is "Race for Awsomeness"- it benefits the MANNA charity and encourages donations for needy families) we schlepped our supplies down to a small valley which would be our new neighborhood for the next 24 hours.  Fellow One2Tri Racing teammate, Mo and Jeff, arrived shortly thereafter.  Anji and I picked a spot for our tents, set up shop and proceeded to get organized.  My usual ultra running partner, Steve Grace, had run a 5K that morning with his wife, Leah (who, unfortunately, could not join us due to a family trip) and would not be arriving until 10:30 am or so.  Steve was strictly coming to have fun, run a little and support us, so his day would be much more casual than ours.

My tent set-up

At 9:50, bathed in brilliant sunshine as we would be for the entire day, the RD lined us up at the start/finish line for a pre-race briefing.  My main recollection of this was that he said the course was "relatively flat."  I remember that because the course was NOT relatively flat (or relative to what I'm not sure).  The course was, in fact, very hilly!  Regardless, it was a beautiful course.  It was measured as a 5K loop with a large aid station at the start/finish line and a smaller, unattended one at the 1/2 way point.  So we mentally divided the loop into the 1st half and the 2nd half.  The first half started out flat on some very cushy wood chips; excellent for running and probably good for sleeping.  It ran along a creek and was fully covered.  After a few hundred meters, it makes a hairpin turn - there were many of those - and heads uphill.  A few more zig-zags up and you reach the first downhill section, again with a few switchbacks, before you start climbing again.  You then come into a beautiful section covered with chips and pine needles framed by towering pines on either side.  Very pretty.  You then exit onto what would become our least favorite part of the course, which was a stretch alongside an athletic field and baseball diamond before making a U-turn and returning on the only paved section of the course (you could run on the shoulder if you wished to avoid the asphalt).  You quickly encounter a very steep, short downhill, which was virtually unrunnable.  A short distance later, you make a hard right turn and enter the first section of single track.  Very beautiful and runnable.  Upon exiting onto a fire road, you soon encounter the 1/2 way point aid station, which was stocked with water, Gatorade, bananas, oranges, and a Porto-potty.  The second half quickly puts you on some more single track with a few more roots, but nothing technical.  You briefly come out on a fire road before encountering a short hill that puts you back on a nice section of downhill single track.  We would run this section most of the race.  You then are out in the open for awhile and we really felt the sun and heat on this section.  Fortunately, there wasn't too much of that, but it did take its toll on me.  You then encounter our least favorite section of the back half, which is a gradual incline before culminating in an even steeper incline just before you crest the hill.  We always walked this section.  At the top, you come back onto more single track with a series of little moguls before hitting a nice downhill section that leads to the last bit of single track we ended up referring to as "Poison Ivy Alley" as it was a very narrow path and lined with poison ivy on both sides.  Anji and I wished we had known about this stretch beforehand because we either would have applied a poison ivy pre-wash or worn higher socks; the poison ivy was unavoidable.  Oh, well - all part of trail running.  It was still a great section of trail.  You come out on a fire road before entering an open field, which was good and bad: bad because we had full-on sun for the most of the day there; good because you could quickly see "Tent City" and knew we were close to finishing another lap.  But not before one more very short, but steep hill before checking in at the scorer's table to make sure we got our bib number recorded.

With Anji, after running a few laps

Just beyond the scorer's table was the larger aid station.  I hesitate to call it fully-stocked because it wasn't.  This was the only real drawback to the race for me.  I have become accustom to aid stations at ultras having a pretty decent selection of food - at a minimum: PB&J's, cookies, pretzels, baked potatoes, fruit, sweets.  And many have soup, coffee, a larger variety of sandwiches, etc.  Here, the items were limited to water (always cold - which was wonderful), Gatorade, fruit (oranges, bananas, watermelon, and pineapple), and bags of nuts.  Other than a rather large pizza delivery at 7 pm which lasted for a few hours, that was it.  We had brought plenty of gels and electrolytes, but had we known, we certainly would have brought much more with us (I burn between 10,000 - 15,000 calories during a 24-hour race).  We ended up calling a friend of ours, and fellow One2Tri Racing teammate, Michael Beacham, who had said he may come up to spend part of the race with us, and asking him, if he did, to please make a food run for us.  Fortunately, he and another friend of ours, Steven Petrea, showed up with bread, peanut butter, jelly, cheese, turkey, and a few other items - which absolutely saved the day for us.  In fact, it was most of what we ate for the last 12 hours.  I don't know where our calories would have come from otherwise.  Now, I would be remiss if I didn't add that the 24-hour race only cost $50 (the 12-hour was $30), which is ridiculously cheap for an ultra.  Plus, we got a nice long-sleeve Brooks tech shirt, so obviously they saved money on the food.  Which is fine, but we just wish we had a better understanding of that beforehand.

Steve "Pizza Man" Grace -
"Will Run for Pizza"

 Anji and I ran together most of the time as Mo and Jeff were going at a faster pace and Steve, arriving later, was enjoying the day at generally a more leisurely pace.  She and I both felt good, but quickly realized we would need to be very conservative with the daytime sun and heat.  Despite a slower pace, I was still sweating like I was going all out.  I was drinking close to 40 oz. of fluids every lap.  Our first lap was 35 minutes, 2nd was 40 minutes, and our 3rd was 45 minutes.  We felt a good strategy was to never be over 1 hour per lap, including break time.  Our tents and gear were right on the trail after the start/finish line, so it was very easy to check in, hit the aid station and plop down in a chair for a quick break.  I have to say it was a delight to run with Anji.  We've run before (New River 50K, Freedom Park 24-hour Ultra, and some training runs), but I had never run for this extended a period of time with her - or maybe anyone.  My tendency is to run with a variety of different people for shorter periods of time and run by myself for extended period of times.  But I never once got tired of running with her; we talked most of the time, and we never ran out of things to talk about.  It certainly made the run a lot more fun for me (she may have an entirely different opinion!)

After 22 1/2 hours: swollen feet and legs covered with dirt,
poison ivy, bugs, insect repellant, sweat, and sunscreen

Physically, I felt very good for the first 7 hours or so.  After wolfing down a turkey and cheese sandwich, my stomach began feeling a little sour.  Prior to that, I had been relying on electrolyte tablets (Gu Brew and Elixir), gels, S-caps, nuts, and fruit.  In retrospect, I think I may have eaten too much in one sitting.  Plus, I had altered my diet in May to eliminate any cheese and bread and this was the first of either I had eaten in over a month.  Whatever the reason, varying degrees of queasiness would persist for most of the race.  Three times, I lay down in the tent while Anji completed another lap (once, I completed a lap while Anji got a little rest).  I had gone into this race thinking 75 miles was a realistic goal while anything over 80 would be gravy.  But I also knew the weather would probably complicate things, which I think it ultimately did for me.  I ended up running 65.1 miles, which I am perfectly fine with.  Anji's stretch goal was to go over 70 miles, which be a PR for her.  I realized early on I would not make my goal, but Anji was feeling great and doing great.  It was fantastic to be with her as she accomplished everything she set out to do.  She ended up with 71.3 miles.  Steve also came up huge by sticking around and supporting us long after he decided to stop running.  He easily could have hopped in his car and gone home - which is what most people would have done at that hour - but gave us moral support, didn't mind when we ate his last Taco Bell tacos out of desperation in the early morning hours, and broke camp for us so when we finished running we could literally throw everything in our car and leave.

And Mo and Jeff also had a great race.  They had set a goal of 40 miles - 14 miles longer than either has ever run before - and both ended up running 50 miles.  Mo even placed 4th among 12-hour female finishers.  She's a natural.  And Jeff hung right with her the whole way.  They're an adorable couple in many, many ways.

All and all, another great weekend of trail running with good friends!

Buck Hurly Sprint Triathlon - 5/1/11

Because I committed to do my first triathlon in 4 years as part of a team event for the One2Tri Racing team at Latta, I decided I should probably do a warm-up one to minimize possible embarrassment.  A friend of mine, Tracy Chambers, had suggested this smaller tri up in Salisbury, NC and it seemed like good timing.  It was a 300M pool swim, ~11 mile bike, and 5K.  I also talked fellow O2T Racing teammate, Mo Campbell, into this race.  Misery loves company!

I picked Mo up and we rode up to Salisbury.  This was Mo's very first tri ever, so I wanted to make sure we got there early.  I was a little concerned about how my legs would respond after yesterday's duathlon - not to mention my usual anxiety about swimming.  I did a practice swim on Friday, which was the first time I'd been swimming since 8/24/07 and, no surprise, it showed.  My wife, Val, went with me and commented afterwards, "I don't understand how you can run 100 miles, but you can barely swim 50 meters!"  Me neither.  Anyway, it was a short pool swim, so I wasn't too concerned.  I had estimated my swim time at 10 minutes, so I got in the pool about 1/2 hour after the fastest swimmer (who swam it in 3:15).  I primarily did the backstroke and side stroke and just took it easy.  Came out of the water in 8:00.  Hey - only 4:45 behind the leader at this point!

Crossing the finish line

I did pretty well on the transition.  I decided to go sock-less on the bike and run, so I had applied some Chamois Butt'r to the collar of my bike shoes so I could literally slip right in, which worked well.  It was a long run to the bike mount and I was off.  We were told the bike course was a 2 loop one, but it was really a lollipop course with 2 loops on the lollipop and an out and back on the "stick."  The hills were a little more gentle than the duathlon, so I never came out of the big ring.  I felt very good on the bike and was attacking uphills and downhills, still being conservative on the corners.  When I came to the end of the 1st loop, there was a volunteer with a bull horning telling racers which direction to go.  I couldn't hear him, so I slowed down and yelled "lap 2" over and over.  He pointed to the left, whereupon I saw another volunteer holding up a sign that read, "Lap 2" with an arrow pointing left, so I went left for my 2nd lap.  There were no riders in front of me to watch what they were doing.  Well, I ended up at the bike dismount line, looked at my Cat Eye and knew I had not finished the course that quickly.  The volunteers told me I needed to complete my 2nd lap.  For a split second I though about bagging it, but got back on my bike and went out for lap #2.  I figure I lost at least 3 minutes on this detour.  I was extremely frustrated because I'd had such a strong ride to that point.  Ultimately, the wrong turn is on me because it's my responsibility to know the course, but the directions were obviously not clear (I found out  later that others had made the wrong turn, too).  Suggestion to the RD: one sign to the right saying "Lap 2" and one sign to the left saying "Finish/Transition."  I ended up pushing much harder on the 2nd lap than I had planned to to try and make up some of the lost time.  It was very demoralizing passing people you had already passed 15-20 minutes earlier.  Because of the extra effort, I knew I was jeopardizing my run.

My T2 was fine and I slipped on my Scott MK3's.  I had never run without socks in these shoes, but like all my other runs in the MK3's, it was wonderful.  What a great shoe.  It took me about 1/4 mile to get my legs under me and I progressively felt better and better.  I was hammering the run and ran a negative split.  I had taken a new product before the race, AdvoCare's O2 Gold, which is supposed to support oxygen flow into the bloodstream (the company bills it as a "third lung").  Not sure if that made a difference or if it was just one those good days.  Either way, I have seldom felt as strong at the end of a race as I did today.  I ran the 5K faster than I did the 5K at the beginning of yesterday's duathlon.  I ended up finishing a distant 3rd in my AG which, given my slow swim and a wrong turn on the bike route, was still a good day.  Mo ended up winning her AG and setting a new course record for the 5K - for both men AND women - by running a 19:13.  Incredible!

University City Duathlon - 4/30/11

What a gorgeous day for a race: clear and cool with warming temperatures.  I signed up for this race at the suggestion of my coach, Nicole, at the last minute.  It was a 5K run, 19K ride, 3K run, with the run portion being partially on road and greenway.  The bike course was a 2 loop course with rolling hills.  Even though this was not a large race, I ran into quite a few people I knew and it was nice to catch up with some folks.  George, who I know from the Galloway training group, turned out to be the USAT official for the event.  Tracy Sproule, my friend who I ran the Freedom Park 24-hour ultra with was there, too.  She had signed up to race, but a possible stress fracture forced her into a volunteer role.  Note to readers: everyone needs to volunteer!!  I also ran into Len Fumi, past president of Charlotte Track & Tri and former Team USA Duathlon member.  Although we've stayed in touch, I'd not seen him for over 2 years.  And, as is the case with any race, met a lot of new folks.  And Ron Zurinkas, a fellow Charlotte Athletic Club member was there, too.

The run course started off as a downhill and was a typical hilly Charlotte run.  That is until we came to the last stretch on the greenway, which had a short, but monster hill just before you come back out onto the road towards the transition area.  I was not slow in T1, but I was deliberate as this was my first multi-sport event since 8/24/07 (Lake Norman Tri).  Grabbed some water with Gu Brew, got into my cycling shoes relatively easy, and was off.  I felt very strong on the bike and was passed by only 1 person the entire time - and I passed him a short while later.  There were 2 good climbs on the course and I mentally stored that away since I would be tackling them on the second loop.  I attacked the downhills and was conservative on the turns.  While I'm confident in my physical ability on the bike, my road skills need some work.  The 2nd loop was actually better than my first; I thought I might struggle a little on the those 2 hills again, but I must have been getting warmed up - they weren't as bad as I remembered.  Came to the dismount line just behind the #1 female.  It was a bit of an awkward dismount; I clipped out on the right side, which I never do.  Just out of practice, I guess.  Lost a few seconds re-racking the bike as I tried to slip it on the back of the seat rather than the front.  Again, just out of practice.  Some more Gu Brew and I'm off for the 3K.

We start out on the road, but quickly enter the greenway.  I'm bypassing the aid stations since all the distances are so short.  about the 1 mile mark, someone in my age group (AG) passes me at a pretty good pace.  I quickly calculate I will have difficulty staying with him and am resigned to a 2nd place AG finish.  However, as we start up that last big hill, I begin to gain ground, but still not enough to give me any hope of passing.  In fact, I was completely gassed on the hill and walked for 5-10 seconds.  Once we exited onto the street, there's about 250 yards to the finish line.  I find I do have an extra kick and pick up the pace.  I probably closed about 5 seconds in the last 100 yards and he and I cross the finish line at the same time (there was no timing mat at the start line so it was all about who crossed the mat first).  I thought I might have edged him out because he let up a bit and I led with my left foot, which had my chip on it.  We ended up with the exact same time of 1:17:54, so the timer had to go to 100th's of a second to determine a winner - and he beat me by 12/100th's of a second.  Oh, well.  Very happy with the finish as I found a gear I didn't think I had at the end.

And kudos to the race committee: very well run race (with excellent plaques for awards).  Would definitely run this one again.

Boston Marathon

Well, our time in Boston this weekend did nothing to change my mind about what a fun event the Boston Marathon is.  Val and I flew up to Boston on Saturday morning with a conspicuous presence of other runners, including "Ultra" Joe Schelerth, fresh from his 20-hour Umstead 100 finish.  This year, we stayed at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, which was recommended by my fellow Blue Ridge Relay teammate, Andrew Golomb, who was also staying there.  When we arrived, it was cold and blustery - very similar to last year.  We hooked up with Andrew and went to the Expo for packet pick-up, which was as jam-packed as ever.  If expansion at the Convention Center is possible, BAA really needs to consider that; the crowds are starting to get a little out of hand.

Saturday night, Val and I had a nice informal dinner at Uno's on Boylston St., before retiring for an early bedtime.  Oh, a great big shout out for the Park Plaza: at check-in, we said it was also our anniversary weekend.  When we returned from dinner, we had a bottle of wine, cheese and crackerswaiting for us in our room with a nice note from the person who checked us in.

On Sunday morning, Andrew and I met up with One2Tri Racing teammate, Kim Eagens, to bandit the BAA 5K.  This was just to be a slow easy run to stretch the legs out, with a few pick-ups.  The weather was cool, overcast, and drizzly as a strong front had just blown through.  After our leisurely run, we cleaned up at the hotel and met everyone at a diner for a late breakfast.  Joining us was Troy (Kim's boyfriend) and my good friend and running buddy, Julia Engel, a Boston veteran.  A quiet day walking around and another early bedtime, and we were ready for race day!

With One2Tri Racing teammate Kim after BAA 5K

This year we were able to hook up with private charter buses, rather than the school buses that everyone else uses.  This is a HUGE benefit.  You do not have to wait in line for the buses, they leave an hour later, and most importantly, they have bathrooms!  Also, the morning was cold (38 degrees with a 20 mph wind) and once the bus is parked, you can remain on it rather than having to exit to the Athlete's Village - another huge benefit (did I mention it has a bathroom?!)  Joining us on the bus were fellow One2Tri Racing teammates, and speedsters, Chad and Danielle Crockford.  Chad and Danielle, and Andrew left first as they were in Wave 1, then Kim and I (Wave 2) and then Julia (Wave 3).  Even though BAA added another wave this year, the corrals were still very crowded.  Kim and I both needed to make one last pit stop just before the gun, so we unceremoniously, but discretely, used someone's front yard. We later learned that if the police caught you doing that, they were taking your bib and DQ'ing you!

Kim, Andrew, and me at the BAA 5K

Last year, my goal was to just have fun and post a respectable time, in that case, anything under 3:45 (I ran a 3:42).  This year, I wanted to push a little bit more, but was not shooting for a PR (3:26).  So I had my pace band from NikeTown (customized for Boston's elevation) made for 3:30 thinking anything on either side of that would be a good day.  With a year's worth of hard training behind me, no injuries, and ideal conditions (cool temps, dry, 20 mph tailwind), I began thinking a sub-3:30 was realistic.  But, a slight problem: my pace band was so small - OK, and my eyesight is getting worse - I had difficulty reading my it.  So I had to run with my reading glasses; otherwise the pace band was worthless.  I was about 40 seconds slow on my first mile split, which is fine, and about 20 seconds off the mile 2 split.  I gradually made up time and my first 5K split was 24:20.  But then I misread my pace band and I thought I was a minute slow.  I didn't see how, but I sped up a little to make up.  By the time I realized it was a mistake, I was 90 seconds ahead of pace, which probably caused me to go out just a little too fast.  My 5K splits were holding stead around 22:45 - great pace.

My nutrition plan was to use Gu Brew hydration tablets (I was carrying a handheld), Gatorade Vanilla gels and S-caps.  My legs weren't feeling wonderful, but just good.  Around the 10-mile mark, I didn't know if I was hitting a bad spot or if it wasn't going to be my day.  I was still holding a projected 3:25 finish pace, but I didn't feel like I could sustain that.  Even the Wellesley girls didn't provide me with the lift I got last year.  I hit the 1/2 way point at 1:43.  Last year, the hills of Newton (miles 16 - 21) were where I excelled; only 1 person passed me on Heartbreak Hill last year.  This year, my legs did not respond.  In fact, I had to walk for 15 seconds up Heartbreak.  By mile 21, I realized I was not going to break 3:30, and pulled back slightly.  Now my goal was just to run a sub-3:35, which would be a Boston qualifying time (2012 standard).  I was still pushing as hard as I could giving close to maximum effort, but without maximum results; the legs were hurting!  But turning on to Boylston will always be a rush with the spectators cheering you on.  I managed to finish in a resectable 3:33.  Although I ran 9 minutes faster than last year and requalified for Boston, I was slightly disappointed because, given the ideal weather conditions and the unprecedented fact of not making one bathroom stop during the entire marathon, and for the effort I put out, I felt like I should have been about 5 minutes faster.  But, it was just not meant to be today.  Chad run an impressive time of 2:47, Andrew did 3:09, Danielle a 3:14, Ultra Joe (at age 61!) 3:27, Kim at 3:52 and Julia at 3:54.  All but Kim were able to requalify for Boston.  Unfortunately, Kim got tangled up with a volunteer at an aid station near mile 15 and injured her quad.  She was a gritty trooper for hobbling in, but had been on a 3:25 pace.  She's one of the more determined athletes I know.

Any disappointment I had was easily drowned out by a visit to The Sevens Ales in Bunker Hill with Val, Andrew, Julia, Chad and Danielle.  We later adjourned to Burkowski's and were joined by Kim and Troy.  Another great Patriot's Day weeken and looking forward to next year!

River Bound Race Series 8K - 3/12/11

Umstead Marathon - 3/5/11

hardCORE 5K, 10K & 15K

This is the 2nd race in the Carolina Trail Race (CTR) series and the 2nd year this particular race has been run.  My intent was to run a 15K, but it was a little confusing when you signed up whether I'd be running 2 races - a 5K AND a 10K - or just one race.  It turns out it was 2 races.  Also, the time from the 5K and 10K are not combined for ranking purposes, so there really is no 15K.

I was probably the 1st runner to the race site at North Mecklenburg Park, arriving at 7:00 a.m.  My training schedule had me running 8 miles before the 15K, then the 15K, and then a 2 mile cooldown.  I altered that a little and ran the 5K loop twice, then the 5K and 10K races, then 1 more 5K loop to wind things down.  I had never run on these trails before, so that turned out to be a good plan.  The trail was in good shape and fairly easy, as trails go.  Lots of roots on the first third of the course, some moguls, no rocks to speak of, lots of turns, and a dry creek crossing (too bad, I like creek crossings).  I wore my Montrail CD's, rather than my Scott Aztec II's, because I didn't know if the trail would wet.

It was a cool 37 degrees at the start.  I finished my two 5K loops about 35 minutes before the 5K started.  Since I got there so early, I had primo parking and warmed up in my car until the last possible moment.  At the start line, I found my fellow One2Tri Racing teammate, Keith Mrochek, who was fresh off of a sub-3:00 marathon at Myrtle Beach.  One fast cat.  He jogged the 5K with me - a jog for him, about 80% effort for me - and we talked the entire way.  This race is a little funky: other than 1 CTR bonus point for running the 5K, there really is no incentive to run the 1st 5K fast; you're better off saving yourself for the 10K.  We both came in right around 28 minutes (according to most, the course was a little longer than 3.1 miles).  Then we had to wait 30 minutes for the 10K to start.  It was turning into a very choppy training run for me.

At 10:00 am, we toed the line for the 10K.  Keith was off and I never saw him again until the finish line (he was 4th overall and 1st in his AG.  Did I mention he's fast?)  I ran the 1st mile or so with another friend of mine Cameron Green, who was "only" running the 10K.  I say only because she had just done and hour or so of CrossFit.  She's a CrossFit demon.  I went fairly hard during the 10K, but not 100%.  I came in 3rd in my AG, missing 2nd by 24 seconds.  The 3 people in my AG who finished ahead of me in the 5K did not race the 10K.  See - not really a 15K, as advertised.

I then got a great 10 minute stretch/massage before doing one more loop for a cooldown, for a total of about 19.25 miles.  I went to pick up the AG medals for Keith and me, but the RD said they were short and had run out.  She gave me a $20 gift certificate to a local restaurant instead, so I had a great lunch.  I'll take a free lunch over a medal any day!

Running & Relaxing in Bonaire

Snorkeling off of Klein Bonaire

My favorite running route is along the coastal road here

Well, not necessarily in that order.  Val and I just returned from another trip to Bonaire in the southern Caribbean, our favorite vacation spot.  At various times, my dad, a friend of his, my twin brother and his wife, 1 of their kids and a friend of hers, and my older brother and a friend of his were all down for the week.  Bonaire is also my favorite spot to run and to snorkel.  Even though it stays warm there with an average year-round day time temperature of 85, running along a single lane, deserted, elevated road with dramatic dropoffs to the clear blue Caribbean and which winds along the contour of the shore is always one of my rave runs.  Absolutely hard to beat.  The only key is to get out early enough so the sun doesn't bake you too much.  And 2 handhelds won't last you as long as up North!  Although it's a relatively flat island, I did manage to find about a 100 meter hill at 10-12% grade to get in some hill work - which absolutely killed me in that weather.  But did I mention the great views?!  I managed to get in 4 good runs and felt very strong.  Definitely a good place to train - and enjoy.  (I felt the rum and Cuban cigars from the previous night every time I ran.)

Charlotte Running Company 13-mile Trail Race

One of One2Tri's Racing Team's great sponsors, Charlotte Running Company, held the first race of the Carolina Trail Run Series on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2011 at the National Whitewater Center.  The race offered 3 different distances: 4-miles, 9-miles, and 13-miles.  I was thankful for the later starting time of 9:00 a.m. because it was still a very chilly 27 degrees - with a light breeze - at the start.  Fortunately, the snow and ice from last weekend's trail run was gone and the trails were in excellent shape.  I had expected some muddy conditions, but everything was frozen.

I rode up with my good friends Steve & Leah Grace, who were also doing the 13-miler.  We huddled in the warmth of my car until the absolute last moment.  Even though my tights cutoff temps are usually around 30, I decided to run with shorts, which turned out be the right decision. At the start line, the wind was blowing and I felt under-dressed.  Fortunately, my One2Tri Racing teammate, Michael Beacham, was standing next to me feeling a little over-dressed.  So he quickly shed a windproof vest and I, as quickly, put it in.  Another good decision.

Holding up 1st place trophy for "Old Guys" Division!

My intent was to start out very slowly and gradually pick up the pace throughout, as that has been a successful strategy in the past.  However, when the 9- and 13-milers started out (we left together; the 4-milers would start 10 minutes later), everyone seemed to be out of the chute fast, so I went along for the ride.  Once we entered the trail, there was the predictable back-up on the single track for the first few miles, but that helped keep me in check.  I did have 1 minor spill about 5 miles into the run; I probably cold have stayed upright, but just did a soft roll instead.  No harm done and I kept right on moving.

At the 1 hour 5 minute mark, I refilled my Ultimate Direction Quickdraw handheld and was attempting to put another Elixir electrolyte tablet in when I dropped it on the trail.  With no thoughts of going back to get it, I wondered whether that would come back to haunt me.  I also ended up pacing a line of people behind me, but didn't know if they were 9-milers or 13-milers and, thus, was unsure if I was on the right pace.  Pacing others when I am not in that official capacity can often throw my race off.  Fortunately, neither a lost electrolyte tablet or leading a pace group had any ill effects.

Keith with 1st Overall Plaque

There were no mileage markers on the course and there were a lot of criss-crossing runners, so it was difficult to gauge my actual pace and confusing to know who was where on the course.  I expected the course to be similar to the River Bound 1/2 marathon one, but it wasn't.  When I came to the last aid station, I thought there was another 2 mile loop to complete, but the finish line was only 1/2 mile away.  The good news: the race was almost over.  The bad news was that if I had known I was that close to finishing, I definitely would not have taken that bathroom break 5 minutes earlier and I probably would have been pushing a little harder.  As it turned out, it didn't really matter.  I crossed the finish line in 1:55:20 to finish first in my age group with a comfortable lead of 7 minutes over the 2nd place AG finisher.  Average HR was 141 and burned 2,155 calories.

The One2Tri Racing Team had a great day as Keith Mrochek defended his 2010 title and came in first overall in the 9-miler and Greg Shore won his AG in the 4-miler.  And a shout out to Steve Grace for a very impressive 1:49:54 and Leah Grace for a 2:02:58, good for a 3rd place finish in her AG and just a little over 1 minute out of 2nd place (plus, she's coming off an injury!)  Congrats to all.

Winter Running

After a nice snowy run

In the cold of winter it's not always easy to get up and out of that warm bed, but if I can, it's seldom I am not rewarded.  Such was the case on Monday when we got about 4" of snow here.  An afternoon run, with light snow still falling, was the highlight of a great day.  Dressed warmly (almost too warmly), protected from the snow with my Norrona Bitihorn jacket (weighs less that 9 oz., compressible to the size of a bagel, and completely wind & water proof), my Natty Geo Buff and Injinji gaiters, I was all set.  I opted not to wear my YakTrax which, at first, I thought might be a mistake.  For the first mile or so, the snow would clump in the sole of my shoes like wet Carolina red clay and I had to keep knocking it out.  But that didn't last.  It was a perfect way to spend a snowy afternoon.

"A little snow was here and there...."
"Snow beneath whose chilly softness...."
- Emily Dickinson

Me and Beacham

Today was another great day of winter running.  After debating multiple running options, I decided on running the trails at the National Whitewater Center.  With the melting of the past few days, I looked forwards to some sloppy conditions - which I love.  I met my fellow One2Tri Racing teammate, Michael Beacham, and two other good friends, Steve & Leah Grace at 8:30.  The trails were technically closed, but that really applies more to mountain bikes than runners.  Closed trails are also nice because we didn't have to be on guard for bikes.  The starting temp was 30 degrees and there was considerably more snow and ice on the trails than I had anticipated.  We started out slowly until we got a feel for the snow/ice and then were able to pick up the pace a little.  It was absolutely gorgeous on the trails; plus, it was obvious that few if any runners had been out since the snow.  We logged a slow, but vigorous 8 miles.  Another great day!

A stunning loss to the running community....

Mike was the trainer for my RRCA coaching certification earlier this year and lived in the same MD county where I was born and raised.  

By: Eve Mills

Every once in a while, if you’re very lucky, you get to know someone like Mike Broderick.

Mike was a coach, a teacher, a runner and a friend to hundreds of men and women across the country.  But to those who knew him well - and there were many - he was much more than that.  If a person could be the heart and soul of a running community, that was Mike Broderick.  Known as the “coach’s coach,” Mike dedicate his life to the community of runners he loved so much, sharing his inspired form of coaching, not only by training runners himself, but also by teaching others to become coaches.

Mike passed away far too young, in the early hours of November 5, from complications arising from lung cancer.  As a perfect testament to Mike and the values for which he stood, fellow runners raised more than $35,000 in just four weeks for Team Labrecque in his honor, in the month before he passed.  Throughout his battle against cancer, Mike was buoyed by well wishes of hundreds of runners from across the country and maintained his upbeat demeanor and sharp wit.

Mike Broderick gave up a career as an attorney to find fulfillment through running, teaching and coaching.  Since 1998, Mike had been a fixture in the DC running community, initially as a participant in the first-time marathon program of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club (MCRRC) and later as the founder and head coach of the experienced marathon program (XMP).  Mike made fitness his full-time job and became a personal trainer and instructor for the Road Runners Club of America, Certified Coaches Program, where he travelled the nation teaching a new generation of coaches.  On his own time, he ran the trails near his home and often could be found on Sugarloaf Mountain training for one of his many 100-mile trail races.  One of Mike’s personal goals was to run the Western States 100-Mile run, and he was thrilled to win an entry to the race, in which he competed this past June.  Mike was happiest when he was running long, long trails.
 
But the beauty in Mike Broderick was not in his coaching tips or personal running achievements.  It was in the way he touched people’s lives.  Mike made time for everyone.  He was genuinely interested in each person’s success.  He found fulfillment by helping others set and accomplish their goals.  In his own words, “helping others find success is a hugely rewarding avocation, and it keeps me motivated every day to push myself to be as good as I can be.”

My own experience with Mike Broderick was probably quite typical.  I first became interested in long distance running in 2006.  I had run two mediocre marathons and needed advice and inspiration.  I met Mike Broderick and, at his suggestion, joined the XMP program.  Mike was extraordinarily generous with his time and coaching advice, taking a special interest in helping me find my rhythm as a runner and, later, as a running coach.  He encouraged me to run more marathons, to run and enjoy ultra races, to become an RRCA Certified Running Coach and to volunteer as a coach with the XMP program.  Inevitably along the way, Mike became more than a coach and personal trainer to me.  He became a mentor - for running, for racing, for coaching - and a friend.  In the words of one of Mike’s friends and fellow coach, “All we can do now is what Mike has always taught us to do: Be passionate. Take care of each other.  Be great friends and above all else, run.”

The running community has lost a friend and mentor, but Mike Broderick’s inspiration and positive energy will live on in our hearts.  Everyone who knew Mike is better for the privilege.

Coach, we miss you already.

Freedom Park New Year's Eve 24-Hour Ultra -- 2010-2011

Although I’m not crazy about the idea of running around a 1-mile loop for 24 straight hours, I thought running the Freedom Park New Year’s Eve 24-Hour Ultra would be a good way to see out 2010 and ring in 2011.  (For all my Charlotte friends, that’s Freedom Park in Morganton, NC - not in Charlotte.)  My approach to this race was as a “fun” run.  Fun in the sense that you can run as much or as little as you want.  The race Directors, David and Rhonda Lee, who also put on the Ridge to Bridge Marathon, are fantastic people and I knew their ultra would be well staged and a lot of fun.  Plus, it’s close to home and I had some friends who would be running there, as well.

My paltry set-up paled in comparison to Anji & Tracy's General Store

I drove up early on 12/31 and arrived about 6:45 a.m. for an 8:00 a.m. start.  My plan was to pitch a tent near the start line which would serve as my aid station/sleeping area.  Not many people were there yet, so I got a good location.  I set up camp next to 2 friends, Anji Paumier-Nussbaumer and Tracy Sproule, who were in the process of erecting something akin to a general store!  I warned them that other runners would probably mistake their set-up for the race’s aid station.  Clearly, I was in a very desirable location.  I also met Bruce Wagoner, a friend of Tracy’s - and now mine - who would run with us for many miles.  I met up with Jonathan Savage, a frequent sight on the ultra circuit, who I had pegged to easily win this race (which he did).

Anji and Tracy's General Store

A note about Jonathan: he is a running machine.  I first met him at the Umstead 100 in 2007 where he finished about 15 minutes ahead of me.  In the ensuing years, he has just taken off and left me in the dust (literally and figuratively).  In addition to winning this year’s race, he won the Keys 100 in May (running from Key Largo to Key West in the FL heat and sun) and the Bethel Hill Moonlight Boogie 50-miler in Ellerbe, NC where the heat index at the starting line was 106 degrees.  He and I were both pacers for the Thunder Road Marathon in December and he had told me then his goal for this race was to break 150 miles.  I had no doubt he could that.  However, when speaking with him on race day, he said he was having some foot problems and wasn’t sure how that would affect him.  More on his finish later.

Anji & Tracy

So Anji, Tracy, Bruce and I toed the line at 8:00 a.m. and we were off.  Each lap is .98 miles and the entire surface is asphalt.  There are 3 risers or small inclines on the loop.  As this was just a go-out-and-have-fun race, my plan was to run a loop and walk a loop, trying to average 12:00 pace, which would include about a 5 minute aid station break every hour.  In theory, that would give me 120 miles for 24 hours, although I knew I would probably be sleeping some during the night and taking longer breaks as the day/night wore on.  My running partners' strategy was to run 4 loops and walk one, which was also fine with me as our pace would still keep us at 12-minute miles.  The temperature was a chilly 30 degrees with cloud cover.  The forecast would be for a high of 58 degrees and sunny and a low of 41 degrees by the next morning.  I was wearing shorts, shirt, long-sleeve Hincapie full-zip cycling jersey (my most versatile and valued article of clothing for this run - thanks for the suggestion, Beacham!), beanie and my trusty Injini gloves.  I only brought my road shoes, Mizuno Wave Runner 13, of which I had 2 pairs. 

We pretty much stuck to our pacing strategy for the first 5 hours and were around 25 miles by that time.  I was carrying an insulated Ultimate Direction Fastdraw handheld and drinking water with Elixir (Camelback’s new electrolyte tablet).  About every 1 1/2 hours I would try to take a Salt Stick tablet.  I was peeing after almost every lap for the 1st 4 hours, which was a little disconcerting.  It was a reminder for me to make sure I kept my electrolytes and sodium levels up.  Even though you don’t need to carry anything with you since the aid station comes up every mile, I did because, not only am I very used to it, it’s a good reminder for me to be continually drinking.

Bruce, Scott (friend of Tracy's), Anji, Tracy, John (Anji's husband)

I went into this race having battled some tendinitis in my right foot for the past month.  I felt the swollen-foot feeling in my arch and the pain on the outer ridge of my foot almost immediately and it really never left for the entire run.  But it never really got worse either, so, like so much of distance running, it was just pain management.  Plus, because it was only tendinitis, I knew the likelihood of doing harm was slim.

As is usually the case in the ultra-running community, the company was delightful.  Particularly so with Anji, Tracy and Bruce.  I had run for awhile with Anji and Tracy at the New River 50K in October and knew I was fortunate to have all 3 of them with me.  (This was Anji’s first distance over 50K and Bruce’s first ultra; Tracy is an experienced endurance athlete and retired professional cyclist.)  We would leap-frog each other more as the day and night progressed, but we were never far apart, one of the benefits of a loop course.  The camaraderie of races like these is another reason I love running ultras.

The weather tended to be cooler than forecast with more cloud cover than anticipated.  I was seduced by a Chamber of Commerce forecast of 58 and sunny - which we may have seen for all of 30 minutes.  Otherwise, it was a damp hi-40’s/lo 50’s during the day and a damper hi-30’s/lo-40’s at night with a freshening wind.  Mid-day, I switched from my bike jersey to just a shirt and North Face sleeves, still wearing gloves.  As the sun set, I was back to the jersey.  By midnight, I had also put on my Patagonia Nano Puff Pullover (I absolutely LOVE this pullover) and long pants and wore that for the remainder of the time.

I think I ate more during this race than ever before.  At various times, I ate: potato chips, cooked potatoes with salt, homemade pecan bars and raisin bars (delicious - I had too many of those), chicken soup with potatoes, cookies, a hamburger (at 4 a.m. - I think that was one of the best burgers I ever had), a cheeseburger, 3 slices of pizza, salted peanuts, PB&J and a few other snacks I’m sure I’m forgetting.  I burned a little over 12,000 calories during the 24-hours, but only lost 1 pound.  Not bad.  David & Rhonda always put on a great spread.  The BBQ and peach cobbler after their Ridge to Bridge Marathon is some of the best.

An early morning recovery break for Anji & Tracy

After the first 25 miles or so, my feet were beginning to hurt.  Of all the problems I have encountered running races, I seldom have had any foot issues.  But today would be different.  In addition to the tendinitis, general foot fatigue began to set in and evolved into throbbing feet after midnight.  It seemed I was not alone: most everyone appeared to experience some type foot problems at various times; few were immune.  There’s always a lot of hobbling going on at ultras, but more so here.  In talking with others, the consensus was that running that many miles on asphalt, combined with the camber or slant of the track, conspired to produce a number of foot issues.  By late afternoon, I switched shoes - which had different orthotics in them - and that spelled some relief.  Later on in the evening, I switched from my Injini toe socks to a more padded Zulu seamless sock, and that also helped.  But it never eliminated the problem - it just gave me temporary relief and delayed the onset of more pain.  Around 1:00 a.m., I was concerned about pushing on.  You reach a point when you’re performing a mental risk/reward analysis and assessing whether the prospect of possibly physically trashing yourself for a week or two after the race is worth the increased performance and/or mileage during a race.  This race also had a 6 and 12-hour options, which both started at 8 p.m.  The 6-hour starters would finish at 2 a.m.  I knew a horn would sound to signal the end of the 6-hour option.  So, at 1:15 a.m., I decided to take a nap in my tent and let the 2 a.m. horn wake me up.  That worked well, as my feet recovered a little and I was a feeling refreshed.  Anji, Tracy and Bruce had also been taking a break, so we all started back up a little after 2:00.

Endurance events usually degenerate into a gut check at some point, but on this day it was more so for Tracy.  We were all having varying degrees of foot problems, but she was also suffering through G.I. issues, some serious blistering (think blood), and nausea.  We all have those kind of races, but I give her tremendous credit; she endured when most others would not have and was completing her last lap right along with us.  A true testament to her grit and spirit.  And both Anji and Bruce weathered the inevitable low points of an endurance race like seasoned veterans.

An additional problem I encountered was around mile 38 when I felt a tweak in the top of my left calf (soleus?)  I didn’t think too much about it, but eventually it made it extremely painful to run.  Had I not had the foot problems, the calf may have prevented me from doing much night-time running anyway.  And around 3 a.m. I felt my first blister forming.  I stopped and put on a blister pad, but it didn’t really help.  I ended up running the last 4 hours or so on the outside ridge of my right foot to reduce the blister pain.  The good news was I hadn’t thought about my tendinitis for quite some time!

The 3 of us just before crossing the finish line for the last time. YAY!

I went into this race with no real mileage expectation, truly just wanting to have fun (which I did) and play it by ear.  I was thinking 100 miles was not unrealistic, but knew after 12 hours that would not happen.  I then set my sights on somewhere between 80-89 miles, but knew that may be aggressive given how I was feeling physically - and how that was trending.  By 6 a.m., I decided just to kick back, relax, and enjoy the last couple of hours.  I broke down my tent, packed up and got ready for a victory lap with Anji, Tracy and Bruce.  I ended up completing 80 laps, which equaled 78.4 miles.  I missed a top-10 finish by 3 miles, but I have absolutely no regrets; I did what I could on this day.

At the finish line; 24-hour clock finally showing "0"

Jonathan won the race with 118 laps or 116 miles.  He had an insurmountable lead by around 5:30 a.m., so, realizing he would not hit 150 miles this time, he shut it down early and got some well-deserved rest.  Fabian Pleasant, a 22 year-old recent Naval Academy graduate stationed at VA Beach, gave Jonathan some early competition, even pulling even with him at one point.  Fabian finished with 100 miles.  Fabian hopes to become a Navy SEAL soon and follow in the footsteps of David Goggins, with whom he has run.  I wouldn’t bet against him.  Sarah Llaguno from Cary, NC was the top female runner, easily surpassing the 100-mile mark.  During the entire race, other than stopping at aid stations, I only saw her walk once.  Incredible!

So, congratulations to Anji on by far her longest run ever; to Tracy on an impressive and gutsy performance in the midst of much adversity (they both ran 100K+!) and to Bruce on his first-ever ultra (he, too, was hobbled by foot problems).  And last, but certainly not least, a big thanks to David & Rhonda and all the volunteers who made this race possible.  The person who grilled my burger at 4 a.m. was no less than an angel of mercy to me!  David & Rhonda not only put on quality, runner-focused events, they are two of the nicest people you will ever meet.  If you see a race they are organizing, or being timed by Lee Timing, you know it will be a well-run race.  And, as always, a big thanks to my coach, Nicole Gross, from One2Tri Multisport Coaching.  Thanks for always challenging me and putting up with my craziness.  I couldn't do it without you - nor would I want to!

Until next time.

POST MORTEM: One day later, my blisters are not as bad as feared, hips are stiff, soleus is VERY sore and feet are swollen (toes look like little Vienna sausages!)  The only potential concern is the soleus.

"Now you're so fat your shoes don't fit on your feat
You got trouble."
- Little Feat

Would I run this race again?  The only reason I would hesitate is because of the surface.  On all other fronts, I would not hesitate.