NCRC Volunteer Appreciation Party

And the winner is? Ultraman Joey Anderson !

This past Saturday Evening, March 1st the NCRC held it's Volunteer Appreciation Party. In the past it had been a sit-down dinner and only open to volunteers that had worked at least 20 hours and those with 40 or more could invite a guest for free. This year the format was changed to a more casual affair and anyone in the club could pay $15 and attend. Almost everyone I spoke to liked the new format since it allowed more club members to attend, yet still reward the volunteers.
In years past there were racing teams at most local races from clubs and other groups but now most races don't offer to team competition. One of the things that the NCRC has tried to do recently is to offer something for the more competitive members of the club. Last year we ( the club executive committee) asked for volunteers to step forward to organize a racing team for the club. Mike Zimmerman, owner of The Athlete's Foot stepped up to sponsor the team and supply shirts and singlets. Which brings me back to the photo and the opening of this story.
That is me accepting the award for NCRC Racing Team Grandmaster of the year. I was surprised to receive the award, but then I think I may be the only Grandmaster Male on the Team? Well, although I didn't compete in any short distances the past year, except to run with Karla for fun, I did have a pretty good year at the longer stuff. I opened up the year with a 100 mile PR of 23:15 in Rocky Raccoon and set several course pr's in some 50K's. I ended up the year with a 50K pr at Derby and was the first Grandmaster for the 2nd year in a row. The young man in the background is Travis Wills, the men's team leader. The very pretty young lady I have latched onto in the picture is our ladies team leader, Erin White. Ahh, if only I was 25 years younger.

Thanks to all the volunteers that made this evening a huge success. I look forward to another great year for the NCRC and more racing!

Myrtle Beach 2008

It's hard to believe that in 2005 I really had no desire to come run this race. I was just getting serious into the ultrarunning and loving the trails. I only came because my friend Jerry kept asking me too and I finally decided to run it mainly to pace Karla in her first marathon. We were only casually acquainted at the time through the NCRC and had just run one time before with Jerry and Margo on New Year's Day of 2005 while she was preparing for it. She would go on to qualify for Boston in that first marathon and our great friendship would grow from there as we became regular training partners.
This year, the usual suspects Jerry, Karla, Frank and I would return for the 4th year in a row. The past few years the NCRC and other Triangle area runners have been coming down as a group making it a special weekend, not to be missed. Sadly this year it fell on the same day as the Holiday Lake 50K++, my first ultra in 2002, but I was committed to coming to run MB with Karla. Mark and Terri Dowd along with some others put on a great pre-race pasta dinner and post-race party at the Breakers Resort where we have a large block of rooms reserved.
We arrived early Friday afternoon this year and went straight to the race expo for packet pick-up. I was most pleasantly surprised to see the Trail Angel was there.

We were able to spend some time talking which we haven't had in a few months and I really needed her understanding ear that day. Funny how Angels tend to appear when you need them.

Saw lots of other friends there including my other lovely training partner Jenn.
I was finally able to meet Eric Nesbit's family. I have been coaching Eric for the past three months to prepare him for a PR attempt in the half-marathon.
We had a good time hanging around at the Marriott and the expo for a while and then it was off to the club pasta dinner at the Breakers Resort. More good times there socializing and then it was time to rest and get ready for bed.
The only thing I don't like about the race is the 6:30 am start time. The good thing is it's only a mile to the start from the hotel so I don't have to get up toooo early at least. It was a lot warmer than ever before the start but we sat in the car until about 6 to stay warm before heading to the start. There we saw lots of NCRC people of course and other friends including the Dummars and Emily.


















We moved up through the runners ahead and found Jenn. She had not thought she was training adequately to run sub-4 like last year, but I had been telling her for months that I thought she was stronger than ever and should go for it. She decided just to go out easy the first few miles and see how she felt. I was once again just planning on running easy with the Marathon Princess and have some fun while training for the upcoming ultra's in the Spring.
Karla has been coming back stronger in every race and although she knew she was not quite ready to try for sub-4 , we were hoping to run about 4:10. The gun went off and Jenn quickly disappeared ahead of us. So much for starting easy! Karla and I did start easy and went through the first mile in 10:06, just about exactly where I wanted it to be. After that we settled right into our planned pace and for the next several miles ran very consistently averaging about 9:25 pace. I guess with all the racing I've done and the aches and pains I've accumulated the past few months are the reason, but I never felt too good in this one. That pace should have felt like I was just out for an easy training run but I felt like I was working too hard. I could only hope it wouldn't get worse and maybe feel better as the day wore on. We were having fun anyway. What could be better than to be running a marathon with Karla?
We passed Frank who was in the half after about 7 miles and saw many others from the club out on the course. We played leapfrog with Clarissa for a while as she was doing the run/walk thing in the half.
After about 10 miles I could tell Karla was having a hard time holding the pace and then she told me she didn't think she had it today. We immediately decided to stop pushing the pace and just relax and try to get through the rest of the race as easily as possible. We slowed down a little and then steadily made our way around the course talking and enjoying the company as the miles passed by. She continued to slow gradually and by 20 miles was beginning to struggle. She said she was afraid there would be some walking today and by 21 miles she gave in and took a short walk break. I would spend the next few miles trying to keep her laughing and smiling as we tried to get to the finish as quickly and painlessly as possible. I looked back every once in awhile and with about three miles to go I saw the Dummar's coming. Susan was looking great and would go on to finish in a PR 4:20, about 30 minutes faster than last year. She should think about breaking her leg more often. She has been setting Pr's from 10K to 50K since last year.
We finally found our way to the finish in 4:35:08 chip time. This was Karla's 10th marathon and I have had the pleasure of running 7 of those with her. Frank was waiting with the camera as usual after having exceeded his expectations in the half. He has been struggling with PF for months and had only run about 30 miles this year. We found Jenn and she was beaming after running a big PR 3:53. I told ya she could do it. Now she finally believes me when I tell her she can qualify for Boston and is ready to start doing some speedwork after the Umstead 100 coming up in April.
Eric and family had already left. He didn't have a good race and missed his goal but I'm sure he will achieve that time in the near future. We then saw Laura and Katie. Laura had a sub-par day but just two weeks earlier had run a sub 8 time in the Uwharrie 40 mile. Katie missed her goal by one minute but still ran 3:16 and won the 25-29 age-group!

We then waited around to watch Jerry finish. He would struggle today , a combination of lack of training , the Tybee marathon two weeks ago and getting sick. Somehow he survived and made it. Then it was off to the River City Cafe for a big, fat juicy BBQ Cheeseburger and Fries. Mmmmmm.

On to the next one.

Tybee Results. Finally

Well , for those of you that don't already know, the qualifying attempt was a failure but even with that bit of disappointment it was still a great trip. It would have been nice if Margo could have made it. It was her idea to begin with afterall but family commitments kept her from making the trip. Two of my faithful companions, Karla and Jerry went for fun and to support me. Jerry would be running the marathon and Karla in the half.
I was happy to find the drive down wasn't nearly as long as expected. We made it to our hotel on the Interstate in just 4.5 hours and after checking in decided to go over to the Island to pick-up our packets and figure out where we wanted to park the next morning. It would have been nice if I knew the best way. We ended up taking the scenic route with a million stop lights and rush hour traffic making it a most frustrating drive taking nearly twice as long as expected.
After picking up my packet I sought a local for directions back but then realized that the car we drove down had a navigation system. Duh! So while they shopped I went back to the car and figured out how it worked. After a few minutes I had our route programmed in and saved a half hour on the trip back.
Race day morning looked promising despite the most unpleasant hotel clerk I think I've ever had to see first thing in the morning. We all kind of felt sorry for someone that seemed to be so miserable. But the weather was looking good and the drive back over to the race site was quick and uneventful. We were lucky to find a parking spot only a block away from the starting line. It was a bit cold so we stayed in the car until a half hour before the start and then I went for a warm-up run and made last minute preparations.
As we walked to the start, it was sunny and warming quickly. I looked around to see if I could spot any of the MTC members that I expected to be there but didn't see any. I lined up with Karla and Jerry but I would have to race ahead of them today. And then , it was time to go.
I planned to start easy and gradually work my way on pace. After just 1/4 mile, I spotted Jay Finkle up ahead. I was tempted to run up to him but I knew he was planning to run even faster than me so I resisted the urge knowing I would get caught up in a pace too fast. I passed through the first mile easily in 8:06, within the range I wanted to be. It was in the 40's now and the air was calm. Perfect conditions for a pr attempt.
As the next several miles passed, I could hardly believe how effortless it was to maintain pace. I felt like I was just out for a training run and my splits for each mile were very even, only varying by a few seconds and in the range they need to be. I was sticking with my hydration and calorie replenishment plan and by 10 miles I was finally convinced that I may have a real shot at making it. I had not really been too confident in the last few months. I had been feeling very beat-up and depleted after a hard November and even though I took it quite easy in December, I have still never felt completely recovered . It also wasn't the best thing for me to race at Frosty 50K if I wanted to do my best here.
I noticed after 10 miles that although I still felt very good, I finally felt like I was in a race and not just out for an easy run. My breathing was getting a bit deeper and I could feel the effort. Even so, I felt good and was still on pace.
Because the Island is so small the course is a double loop and there are several small loops and out and back sections so around the 11 mile point I was able to see some people that were ahead and behind me. I spotted Jay and Anita, Richard Lassiter, Darrell Elliot, John Marrota, John Hutchinson and Charlene Simmons from the MTC. I was a bit surprised to see Charlene . She lived in Chapel Hill but moved to Chattanooga several years ago. I spotted Jerry and Karla who had planned to try and run the first half together and then Jerry would go on to run the second half. He had pulled ahead of her a little but looked like he was struggling. Karla looked relaxed and was running well and by my estimation looked to be running about the pace expected.
I passed through the half in 1:46:57, almost exactly where I wanted and needed to be. I was still feeling good but the 13th mile had been a little slow. I just thought maybe I had lost focus so I picked the pace back up a little bit. 14 and 15 were still a few seconds too slow so I decided to pick up the effort again and went through mile 16 in 8:06, right back where I needed to be. It wasn't easy though but I've struggled a little and been able to come back strong before so I wasn't worried yet. But then a quarter mile later I got a side stitch just as I turned a corner and into the bit of breeze that had kicked up. I used every trick I could thing of to work out the stitch while trying to maintain the pace but it didn't work. That mile took me 8:36 and my energy was fading fast. I walked at the aid station and took in some gel and water and headed out planning to try and regain the pace but it wasn't to be. Although the effort was there the pace was not and I was so deflated to pass through the next mile in over 9 minutes. I knew then that the attempt was over.
From that point on I just tried to run as fast as I comfortably could and hope for at least a good time. Maybe I could still run a 3:40. I passed by the start finish area just before 21 miles. and saw Karla. She took this picture and then asked how I was doing. I told her not too good but maybe I could still run 3:45. A couple of miles later and I was still slowing down and thinking maybe 3:50. Still slowing as I passed mile 24 I was hoping maybe I could run 3:55 and at least beat my Richmond time from November. Well, I couldn't even do that And despite the cheering efforts of Scott Foxx and friends from a house along the course I had to do a lot of walking in the last mile. Richard came by me in the last mile running a smooth pace while I struggled along and eventually finished in 3:56:58.
Karla was waiting for me at the finish and then I spotted Jay Finkle. He had run a great race and qualified for Boston in 3:18. Anita came in right behind me while I was still in the chute. We walked around to wait for Jerry to finish and a lot sooner than expected he come home in 4:10. Amazing considering how little training he has been doing. Karla ran a strong 200:50 for the half. With her strength and determination I think she will be back in pre-cancer shape within another 6 months.
Darrell Elliott got a pr and Boston Qualifier too in 3:29 so I was very happy for him and Jay having successful runs. I got to see Charlene for a few minutes just before we headed to the car to start the long drive home. I enjoyed the race despite not achieving my goal. The Savannah Striders and the Tybee Island people put on a nice race. Nothing fancy but well organized and a bargain compared to many other races. I would recommend to anyone to try it at least one time. On to the next one.

Tybee Island or Bust.

Road Trip!,

Some of the usual suspects will be heading down to southeastern Georgia this weekend for the Tybee Island Marathon. It's a long way but when looking at my schedule for the year, this race seemed to be one of the few chances I had of squeezing in a Boston qualifying attempt. I would have liked to have had more recovery and training time after Frosty Fifty but with the Umstead 100 coming up in early April, I didn't have many options.
But that's OK, I'll give it a good shot and have some fun in the process. Tybee is a very beautiful place and I'm looking forward to seeing it. Karla will be racing in the half-marathon as she continues to work towards regaining her sub-4 hour marathon shape. This will be a good test for her to test her fitness and be ready for Myrtle Beach in two more weeks. My great traveling buddy Jerry is coming along for the fun too. He will be running the full and just hopes to improve over OBX as he also works his way back into shape. Unfortunately Margo has family commitments and will not able to join us.
Several friends from the Mangum Track Club will be attending including Jay and Anita Finkle, Darrell Elliot and Tom Gabell. Maybe some others as well as a few NCRC people may show up too. The course is pancake flat and with the near perfect weather forecast I should have a great chance at running well. I just have to run smart and hope I have recovered completely.

Race website

What's the Point, 2007

Congratulations to Tyler Peek, the 2007 What's the Point Race Champion. That's Tyler on the left accepting the trophy from last years winner Tony Rouse. Notice both of them and Jay in the background wearing their NC Ultra Series jackets.
Tyler literally ran away with the title this year with no one being close by mid-year. He won by almost 700 points and this was without even running Derby and getting the double points or the 500 point bonus for running all the MTC events. His total of 3,107 was the fifth highest in the competitions 6 year history. If he had just gotten the bonus he would have moved into 3rd. I don't think anyone will ever challenge the Finkles totals from 2004 of 4091 and 4092, and that was without the massive points possible for the Hinson Lake 24hr run that wasn't started until 2006.
Tyler as usual went quietly about winning the title and let his feet do the talking. He is a very good runner and a great all-around person that represents the spirit of the club very well. Not only did he rack up a lot of miles but he did it with some great performances. Tyler doesn't have the typical skinny runners build, no doubt from the requirements of being a Captain in the Durham Fire Dept. One of those quiet heroes that surround us.
I knew from the beginning that I would not be a factor in this years race with my schedule. It looks like last year was my one best shots at it, but in a classic battle to the end, Tony came out on top. I won't be winning this year for sure as I plan to cut back just a little in the number of ultra's and I will have to miss a couple of the MTC events. I will however continue to participate and I encourage all of you that are members of the MTC to join in the fun

Frosty Fifty Photos

Thought you might like to see something besides my toe from FF so here is a picture of Jenn. She's looking good and running strong.

Here is a link to a set of photos on the Twin City Track Club website. Over 250 pictures for your perusal.




Here's one of me.

Frosty 50K 2008

Eeeeeeuuuuuu. That's soooo gross!

That's the response I've gotten from most people

Actually it's not that bad. Compared to some other less impressive blisters I've gotten, this one is like a two on a pain scale of one to ten.

But lets backtrack a little. I had signed up for this race for a couple of reasons. #1 is that it is a nice race put on by some nice people on a nice, relatively flat fast course and I was hoping to run a PR for the distance. #2, is the many friends and familiar faces that show up to run each year from the MTC, NCRC, VHTRC and others.
I was looking forward to making the trip again with the lovely Jenn. We convinced Mike Walsh that it was time for him to run again and after a little persuasion he too signed on. So I met Jenn at 5am and we headed West, picking Mike up along the way.
We arrived without incident about an hour before the race. It was a cold morning, about 27F so after a little socializing and picking up our packets, we waited in the truck until shortly before the start. With a few minutes until 8, we made our way to the start and with the customary bugle call by RD Dan Besse, we were off. My goal was a pr and hopefully a 4:40 time but I knew I needed to start easy. I settled into a comfortable pace until we came to the first little hill, about 1.5 miles in and then gradually picked up the pace. As usual when I try to run for time, I find myself alone for most of the run but there were several opportunities to talk with some friends along the way as they passed me or ran alongside for awhile.
There are now some mile markers along the way so I was checking my pace after a couple of miles. I thought I ran the 5th mile in 8:57 but then realized it was 7:57 which was much too fast. I was feeling good but I knew I had to back off or blow up later.The first turnaround is approximately 7.77 miles in and I was hoping to arrive in about 1:10, but I had not slowed nearly enough and passed it in 1:07:30. It was good to have a cushion but not that much that soon. Having the out and backs is one thing I enjoy about this race. You get to see everyone at least three times on the course and it is good to see the friendly faces and share encouragement along the way. Lots of folks knew I was trying to run hard and I really appreciated their support along the way. Jenn was hoping to improve over her Derby pr too and she was looking good and running comfortably when I saw her.
I had run with Tony Rouse a few mile on New Years Day and we had talked about the race. Tony said there was no way he would keeping up with me today. We have run many miles in these things together over the years so I was not surprised to see that he was not far behind me. I had began to feel a hot spot on my left big toe early in the race and finally at about 12 miles I sat down and took off my shoe to try and adjust the sock and see if I could see anything rubbing. About then Tony and Matt caught up to me. I was soon back on the run and run up to catch Tony. My shoe adjustment didn't seem to help so I just accepted the fact that I would be getting a blister but it was not really hurting but more like a minor nuisance.
Tony and I would enjoy running together for the next 10 miles or so. I was still feeling good and we were still holding onto about 9 minute pace. The stop had cost me most of my time cushion but I was still on pace with a 2:19:35 time at the halfway point. I was running ok as we began the 2nd half of the race and we were still right on 9 minute pace as we ran over the small hills again. I was getting a little tired and although I realized a 4:40 wasn't going to happen I was still hopeful of getting the PR. Quatro had encouraged me at the turn to run a negative split but I knew that wasn't going to happen today.
We passed through the aid station at around the 19 mile mark on pace but I could feel it slipping away from me. Tony was running well but he said he was going to slow down and wait for Mark Long, but he looked back and Mark was catching us anyway. The three of us ran together for a while and after the next aid station I pulled ahead for awhile. I saw my Trail Angel Laura coming towards me but she was not feeing good. She had been in 3rd place for the women and running strong but now her stomach was hurting. I wished her well and was hoping she would be able to hold on. As I reached the last turnaround, I was disappointed to see that my cushion was now gone and I had slowed too much the last few miles. Now I was going to have to run faster on the return than I had the last 7 miles just to get the pr.It was discouraging but I wasn't going to give up without a fight. I tried to keep pushing the pace until I passed through the damsite aid station again and then I would check my pace with the mile markers again. My energy would ebb and flow as I tried to push it back to 9 minute pace. I never felt bad but just could not hold the pace I needed.
Just as I passed what would be about the marathon point I tripped over an exposed root in the dirt road and rolled over onto my back with my right hamstring cramping. It was actually a very gentle fall so I just lay there letting the cramp relax before getting up. Several people passed by and checked on me as I was on the ground resting but I assured them I was fine. I got up no worse for the fall and began the final 5 miles to the finish. By now the pr attempt was over but I was still running a decent pace. I decided to run as comfortably as possible and still get a good time. If I could just maintain I would still get a course pr at least and break 5 hours.
The last miles passed uneventfully. Quatro passed me with 3 miles to go but I couldn't hang with him . I could see Mike Walsh was gaining on me the last mile or so after coming off the last hill. I was glad to see he was having a good run. When I had seen him earlier in the run his knee was bothering him and he was considering dropping out. At the end he was running strong and finished only 7 seconds behind me. I had not run with my camera today but I wanted to get a picture of Jenn finishing so I went to the truck to get it. I was standing near the finish talking to Dale Tiska while looking across the lot so I could see runners approaching. Suddenly I looked over and there was Jenn crossing the finish line. She had been wearing a white shirt everytime I had seen her but had removed it and was now in a red shirt so I hadn't seen her coming. Oh well. She had a good run and got the pr in 5:15. That makes four 50k's and 4 four pr's for her.
I finally made my way over to change my clothes and was shocked when I removed my socks and saw the toe. I had expected to see a small blister on the bottom of the toe and thought it would probably popped itself. But the good thing is it still doesn't really hurt and after draining it Sunday night you would never know it had ever looked like the photos. Overall it was a great time spent with good friends and in the end although I missed the goal time I still ran fairly well. Now it's time to recover and be ready for Tybee Island next month.

Looking ahead in 2008

Happy New Year friends, family and anonymous readers. Once again I'm planning a big year so here is what's in the plan for 2008

Jan.
Start off the year with a 50K PR attempt at the Salem Lakeshore Frosty 50K.

Feb.
Travel down to the Tybee Island Marathon for an attempt at qualifying for Boston and a marathon PR.

Mar.
Mostly training and a repeat at the Umstead Trail Marathon.

Apr.
100 mile Pr attempt at the Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run.

May.
Start the month with a fun weekend at the White Lake Triathlon with a group of friends. This will be my first Tri in almost 3 years. Not planning on becoming a triathlete again but will just do the sprint distance for fun. ( See note at end of post)
I may return to Capon Valley 50K again but not sure at this point.

June.
I will travel to South Dakota for a weeks vacation and run the Swan Lake Marathon with Karla in her hometown. Then come home and run the Boogie 50 miler.

July.
Grandfather Mt. Marathon and probably Catherine's FA 50K again

Aug.
Travel out to Washington State for a vacation and run the Cascade Crest 100 if I can get in it.

Sept. Hmmm, haven't really decided yet.( Trying the Wasatch 100 lottery. If I get in , cancel the CCC in Aug.)

Oct.
Depends on if I get my Boston qualifier at Tybee in Feb. If I don't then I will try another marathon this month, probably at Baltimore. If I do then I will most likely run the Grindstone 100.

Nov.
Mt Masochist 50mile +. Then probably run OBX Marathon with Karla again. Finish up the month with my 5th Derby 50K so I can get my veterans vest.

Dec.
Rest and Training

Already some changes in plan. I didn't get into White Lake Tri. I'm not sure if I will try to enter any others. Just have to see if I can squeeze one in. I also decided at the last minute to enter the lottery for Wasatch 100. I'll know by early Feb. if I get in. If so, then I'll skip Cascade Crest this year.

Well, that's the plan. I look forward to seeing many of you at a lot of these events and on the roads and trails training.

2007, the year in review

2007 was an interesting year with a few highs and lows but overall another very rewarding time. The Spring was an especially successful time with many personal records. The 2nd half of the year saw a few disappointments but even then there were several highlights. I had focused so much energy on training for Western States and after my DNF there, I seemed to be tired for a much longer than normal amount of time. The recording setting heat of the summer and early Fall probably contributed a lot to that too. So here is how it went.
Jan.
The year started off slowly as I was recovering from the knee injury that caused me to miss running the last 2.5 weeks of December. I was very happy that after a few test runs I was able to run the Salem Lakeshore Frosty 50K on the 6th with my friend and frequent training partner, the beautiful young Jenn Ennis. I had wanted to run it last year which was her ultra debut but training for my Boston Qualifier didn't allow it. We had a great time and she improved her time despite running with considerable shin pain the last half.
On the 20th I traveled to Virginia and the Swinging Bridge Trail run held on the beautiful Willis River Trail. Had a lot of fun running most of the 35 K with my trail buddy Graham.

Feb.
My first main goal for the year was to attempt a 100 mile Pr at Rocky Raccoon in Huntsville State Park, Texas. I wasn't quite as fast a I hoped but accomplished the goal with a 23:15 and I got to run a little with the Trail Princess.
Two weeks later and with a quick recovery, I ran the Myrtle Beach Marathon with Karla, The Marathon Princess. As always it was joy to run beside her. It was a tough, slow run for her as she was just beginning to recover after completing her cancer treatments just two months earlier.
A week later I found myself at the Mt. Mitchell Challenge 40 miler. I was feeling good but after a 100 just three weeks before and the marathon last week I expected to be tired. Ended up having a great run and achieved my goal of breaking 8 hours. Most enjoyable was the perfect weather conditions and running with Tony Rouse for about 35 of the miles.

Mar.
On the 10th I ran the Umstead Trail Marathon again. Although not nearly as bad as last year, I still had a long slow run. At least I had good company with Tony again and many of my friends were running and volunteering in my home training area.
I was happy to see the return of the Gator Trail 50K on the 24th. I had not had the chance to run it in the past and was planning to go for a 50K pr. The weather was unseasonably hot and I had a disappointing meltdown and a warning of the hot weather yet to come.

Apr.
In April I returned to the Bull Run Run 50 miler. With perfect weather and trail conditions, and some great company from Fred Dummar in the first half of the race, I improved my time by over 1:40:00 from two years ago.
Two weeks later I returned to one of my favorite races, the Promise Land 50K and again Blessed with great conditions, I ran a course PR by 40 minutes and probably felt better from start to finish of any ultra I've ever run.

May.
I returned to Capon Valley 50K with hopes of a new course PR and with the way I had been running I felt that would be easily done. Warm weather and some lingering fatigue from a hard year of racing and training however caused it to be a slow day. At least I got to run in a gorgeous setting with many friends and especially nice to run the early miles with the Trail Angel Laura.
A week later a group of us ran the 26.7 mile length of the Falls Lake Trail for fun with the great roving aid support of Mike Waldvogel and Rhonda Hampton.

June.
Started the month running the 5k Race for the Cure with Karla and Jerry. Her first time in this race as a survivor. A wonderful day and she showed much improvement as she continued to grow stronger.
Then it was off to Western States. A fantastic vacation but a heartbreaking DNF. Lessons learned and someday I hope to return and claim my finishers buckle.

July.
Was hot but a welcome cool front moved into the southeast just in time for Catherine's FA 50K at Massanutten Va. I think the weather was the major factor in my shattering my course PR there. As always a great day and post race picnic with my VHTRC friends.

Aug.
I decided not to try any racing in August. It was a miserably hot month and I wanted to concentrate on training for better things in the Fall.

Sept.
The hot weather continued and I had a miserable half-marathon in Danville Va. It was easy to ignore the pain and suffering though sharing the ride and day with the Trail Angel.
I had high hopes of improving my distance run at the Hisnon Lake 24 hour run this year but it was not to be my weekend and I was coming down with a bug that bothered me for most of the week afterwards.

Oct.

October saw more training and my first 10 mile race in a very long time at the American Tobacco Trail. The NCRC and R.D. Aaron Quick did a great job with this first time event. I ran well but a bit slower than hoped for.

Nov.

The Marathon Double month. I was afraid that my time at the ATT 10 miler in Oct. was an indicator that I was not ready to qualify for Boston and I was right. Looking back I should have not run Hinson Lake. Just not enough recovery time to run a quality marathon. I still ended up with my 3rd fasted marathon ever. Sunday was even better as I got to run OBX with Karla and had Jerry along for over half the race. It was a great day and I was so happy and surprised that Karla had improved so much in the past year. Another few months of training and she will be back as strong as ever. Finished up the month with another 50K pr at Mark Long's wonderful little road ultra, the Derby 50K and sharing the trip with the Lovely Jenn.

Dec.
After a hard year of training and racing, I have cut back on my training a little and stayed away from racing to let myself recover. I look forward to another great year which I will kick off in another week at the Frosty 50K. Hope all of you had a good year too. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in the new year ahead and possibly meet some more of you that stumble upon my blog.

New Ultra Race on the Calender

Ultrarunner extraordinaire, Annette Bednosky has step into the world of race directing and has planned the New River Trail 50K coming up on Oct. 11th 2008.

Here is the race website

I have run several training runs on this converted rail-trail over the years as well as kayak on the river along the mid-point of the course at Foster Falls State Park. It is a very flat fast course with only an ever so slight grade as the river gradually works it's way downhill. It is a beautiful course with the river, the old railroad bridges and tunnels. A lot of history along this route. There are still milepost from the railroad every mile so you can check your splits very accurately. The surface is soft dirt, very similar to Umstead's bridle trails.

Crewing at Hellgate

I had no plans to be at Hellgate this year. I guess sooner or later I'll probably run it again but I'm not sure why I would even consider it. Too bad I didn't this year. Turned out to be the best weather in the race's short history, almost making me wish I was entered. Probably a good thing I wasn't because I have been tired and banged up from a hard year and December is suppose to be an easy recovery month for me.
So why was I at Hellgate? Because one of Ultraman's Angels ask me to. Dorothy is a very experienced Ultra runner for almost 8 years now and a strong-willed young lady, but she has never raced further than at Mt. Masochist. Hellgate is a true beast of a race and she was a little bit intimidated and although she could have done it on her own easily in my opinion, she wanted the reassurance of having a familiar face looking out for her. Husband Todd would not be able to make the trip so I was honored when Dorothy asked me to go. Having no prior commitment that weekend, I immediately said yes.
We had an uneventful ride Friday afternoon up to Virginia enjoying the conversation and making plans for the race. We arrived about 5 and spent the evening visiting with many friends while we awaited the 12:01am start. Some last minute preparations and we were off to the start, a long caravan in the night. Any locals that may have been awake had to be wondering where all the traffic was coming from.
As with all Horton races, there was a prayer and the National Anthem and then go!! I returned to my car to head over to AS #2 which comes about 7.5 miles into the race. The first two sections are the shortest in the race. I began following the stream of other support vehicles but soon realized either they didn't know where they were going or not all were headed where I was. I turned around and had no problems getting to the AS.
I waited and took photos of several friends as they emerged from the darkness. Soon Dorothy came into view with a big smile on her face. The weather was great and she was running with Amy Albu (formerly Bath). They were planning to stay together as much as possible. I had them quickly on their way and then I had to try to figure out how and when I would see them again. I knew there was no crew access at AS #3 and Horton announced while I was #2 that the Parkway was closed in the higher elevations due to the snow and ice earlier in the week so there would be no access at 4. There was hope it would be open later so I decided to go ahead and try to find my way over.
You have to drive around your elbow to get to your thumb to reach some of the aid stations, so I was very disappointed after going almost to Bedford and then up to the Peaks of Otter that the Parkway was indeed still closed. I pulled over to try and figure out from the directions how to get to AS 5. I had heard it was going to also be a problem due to the conditions. Thats when one of the radio guys came over to my car and showed me his map. He was trying to be helpful but unfortunately he gave me bad advice. According to him, AS #5 was not accessible and they had in fact moved it to another location and he couldn't tell me how to get there. I was quite disturbed by this news because now I had no way of finding Dorothy. I could only pray for the best for her and hope she would not be too disappointed when she didn't see me the rest of the night with the things she was expecting. ( I would find out in the morning that in fact AS 5 was in it's normal place and accessible)
I decided the only thing to do was to go get some sleep and meet her at AS #7. I knew where it was located and was accessible near the valley. I was able to get some sleep for about 4 hours and was up just after sunrise to get some breakfast and head over to Bear Wallow Gap. I passed the time there talking to Andrew Wilds, the race photographer and then taking pictures of friends as they came through. I was very happy and relieved to see Dorothy and Amy still together and still smiling. I was sure she would be but I was glad that I would be able to perform the function I came for the rest of the day.
By the time I headed over to AS 8 the day had warmed into the 50's and was beautiful. The AS is located under a bridge on the Blue Ridge Parkway, another good spot for some photos. The ladies came in right on schedule and still in good spirits. The next section is one of the longest and hardest. Well, they are all long and hard but after being out on the trail so long it is mentally demanding so I tried to make sure they were prepared for what lay ahead. The toughest thing is that when you come down off the mountain again and think you should be at the AS you still have about 2 more miles to go.
I drove on to the 9th and final AS and quickly changed into my running clothes. By now it was near 60 degrees and I wanted to get in a little workout. I headed up the trail taking it easy and stepping of the trail to let the racers pass. Almost all wanted to know how much further so I tried to be as honest as possible based on my time running. It was almost 45 minutes before I finally saw them. They seemed happy to see me and to know how much longer to go. As we neared the AS, I ran ahead to have things ready for Dorothy. She was fired up and ready to get it finished so after a Nascaresque pit stop she hurried on her way.
I made my way back to the finish to wait and greet other friends that had already finished. I was expecting them about 5:30 but checked outside frequently. I'm glad I did or I would have missed seeing them finish. I didn't even have time to get my camera out. They totally blistered the pace the last 6 miles and cam in about 5:13.
Dorothy did an awesome job and I never doubted she would.

Here are the photos I took.

The Spirit of Champions

This past Friday, The Oncology Patient and Family Resource Center at The UNC Cancer Hospital's Lineberger Comprehensive Care Center held an Open House for it's patients and donors. I was invited to join my most wonderful training partner Karla and her husband Frank because of the fundraising runs that I did in her honor in 2006.
I had made some donations after the Relay for Life to the American Cancer Society and to the Susan G. Komen Foundation after the Race for the Cure. When I did the 24 hour run at Hinson Lake, I asked Karla where she would prefer for the funds to go and it was her choice to make the donation to UNC where she received her chemo-therapy. On Friday the results of that effort made it's public debut. The proceeds I received from many of you, my family and friends was used to purchase a library collection which they have named " The Spirit of Champions" A Library Collection in Honor of Karla Werner.
Karla certainly displayed that Spirit, refusing to give up and continue to pursue her dreams while going through her surgery, chemo and radiation. Running the Boston Marathon with her three weeks after starting her chemo started and just 6 weeks after surgery will always be among the most special days of my life. And then to follow that up with the OBX Marathon in the midst of radiation treatment. I can only wish I had that kind of toughness and determination.
I'm not sure if you can read the plaque, but there is a business card just like it in the front cover of each book. It is hoped that the collection will inspire others going through cancer treatment to start or maintain a healthy lifestyle and outlook during and after their recovery.
It has been almost exactly a year now since Karla finished her radiation treatments and she gets stronger every time we run together. It is just a short matter of time before she is setting new PR's.

Derby 50k 2007

Well, one out of three is not too bad. In fact in baseball that would earn you a big contract.
But whatever the outcome you can't miss having a great time at this little gem of a race that Mark Long has given us down in rural NC. The race is low key but certainly not low quality with ample aid, friendly volunteers and a good course for a fair test of your endurance and ability.

This would be the fifth edition and my fourth time running. In 2003 I was still new at this ultramarathon stuff and having just run a marathon a couple of weeks before , I didn't feel I was ready to race. But being a recent member of the MTC, I wanted to come join in the fun so I volunteered. After riding around with Mark most of the day, I ran the last loop with Jay and Anita Finkle. Ever since then I have returned to race and have set a PR for the distance each time.
This year I had three goals. One was to set a PR. Two was to run the whole race other than stopping for aid. And three was to run 9 minute pace. I was joined in the drive down from Wake County by my good friend and frequent training partner, the dark-haired lovely Jenn Ennis. We arrived at the Derby Community Bldg at about 7am and went inside to warm up and visit with friends. Ben Dillon and Mark Davis had also come down from Raleigh representing the NCRC. Soon enough it was time to head up to the start finish area so we hopped in the car with Tony along for the short ride to Derby Road.
It was a chilly morning, near 22F with a bit of a breeze but the sun was shining and the forecast was for near perfect conditions, around 50F. Mark said go and off we went. I made sure to start easy since I hadn't warmed up but was soon on pace and moving through the field. By the first mile the pack had already spread out with about 15 fast runners already pulling out of sight and just a few others around me. One guy passed me and quickly moved away and I settled in to a comfortable pace.
Suddenly out of nowhere at about the two mile point, I had a sharp pain in my right hip that made me skip a step. It repeated a couple of times and I was worried that if it continued that my race would be over early. I had been running on the soft shoulder of the road so I stepped back onto the pavement hoping the even surface might help. The pain did go away and soon I was pulling into the first aid station at about 3.3 miles. Already the lead runners were well out of sight and the one guy was 1/4 mile away. Two other guys passed me there and David McKay was coming in just as I was leaving. Just some water and I was out quickly in pursuit.
The rolling hills began as you leave this first stop and I soon repassed the two guys and ran strong up the hills until the 2nd aid station. We leapfrogged again with David just behind shadowing us as I left. The next section is my favorite of the course, mostly downhill and then turning on the dirt road. I was running well but took a pit stop along the way and allowed the two guys to catch me once again. I repassed them on the hill on the way to aid station three and that would be the last time I would see them.
As I left aid station three and began my second loop, I couldn't believe how great I was feeling. This was awesome. I had been so sore and feeling beat up since my back to back marathons two weeks ago but at this moment I was feeling strong and confident. I couldn't remember my time from last year but I felt I was a little slower. Even so, I was on pace for a Pr and feeling good so I began to pick up the pace a little.
I had only gone a little further when suddenly the hitch in my giddy-up returned. This was not good. I'm feeling great and on pace but my hip is giving out on me. I prayed that God would just let me get through this race andI promised I would rest and not race again until January. I guess God liked the deal because it would not give me any more problems the rest of the day.
Even with the record number of entrants this year, it is still a small race but I was a bit surprised how spread out we were by now. You can see for about a half mile at least while on Derby Road and I could only see the one guy that had passed me in the first mile way ahead. No one was behind me now except my shadow David about 5o yards back. I continued to run strong and things were pretty uneventful for awhile. I felt I was slowly closing the gap on the runner ahead but as I came into the first aid station again he was disappearing over the hill and as I left, David came in right behind me.
Once again I was strong on the hills. I had been running by myself the whole run so I was focusing on the runner ahead and using the chase to occupy my mind. I felt I was still closing in although he was at least1/4 mile ahead still. I came into the second aid station again and he had stopped and was meeting with his crew. He started out before me but he was toast. He began to walk and I ran by and that was the last I saw of him. I would not see another runner in front of me for the next 3 miles. Just as I was about half way up the hill to the third aid station. I spotted a figure ahead of me walking and running slowly up the hill. I caught him just before the top and saw that it was the legendary Ray Krolewicz. Ray was very encouraging to me and said I was now the first grandmaster in the race. Ray and I are within a couple of months of the same age.
My time for the second loop was almost identical to my first loop. I was running very consistent pace and still feeling good. Now all I had to do was hold it together for another lap. A quick look back and there was no one behind me but David still shadowing me and up ahead nothing but miles of road still to go. I was in and out of the first aid station again and facing the hills one last time. They were certainly tougher this third time but once again I was able to run all of them.
I soon came to the marathon point which Mark has painted in the road. My time of 3:58 :14 was the first time I could compare to last year when I had passed through in 3:54:56. I was over three minutes behind last year but I still felt a PR was mine as long as I didn't blow up. Last year at about 27 miles I had hamstring cramps and had to slow and do a lot of walking those last miles. As I entered the second aid station for the last time, I was tiring but still confident.
I was doing OK but as I hit the dirt road I could really feel my energy waning. David finally passed me looking strong and I had no intentions of trying to keep up with him. My goal was to keep moving and get that PR. As I nearly reached the end of the dirt road I spotted a figure ahead walking. It turned out to be Scot Haywood, which surprised me. I expected he would have been finished already. He asked me how far we had left and when I told him only about 1.5 miles, it seemed to inspire him and he took off running. I was now just shuffling along and as I turned onto the pavement and up the last hill my 2nd goal was gone. First had been 9 minute pace and now I had to walk. Oh well, I still had that PR if I could just keep moving. Matt Greene had run a smart race and went powering by me up the hill. I began alternating about 15 seconds of walking with a minute of running until I finally reached the top of the hill and I then knew I had it. Running strong back on the flat, I crossed the line a very happy guy in4:46:58, a pr by about 1.5 minutes. Although there are no age-group awards, I was the first runner over 50 years old for the second year in a row.Looking back at last years splits, I was behind pace all day so it was only in the last 5 miles that got the PR.
I quickly changed into some warm dry clothes and waited for friends at the finish. I was hoping Jenn would have a good day and I didn't have to wait long to see her. She had also run a smart race and set a new PR of 5:22:08, about 19 minutes improvement for her over Frosty 50K back in January. We waited around about another 30 minutes and then headed back to the community building for the delicious spaghetti lunch provided by the ladies from the local United Methodist Church.

It's a great little run and I had a lot of fun as usual. Just don't tell anybody. We like to keep it small and there is a limit.

Here are the photos

A Tale of Two Marathons

It was the worst of times. It was the best of times. Well, actually it was a great weekend no matter what the times.

Day 1. The Battle of Richmond 11/10/07

I was very relieved that the rain had stopped by the time I awoke in my motel room. With overnight lows in the 30's, rain would mean miserable conditions and possible hypothermia. Had it once and once is enough for a lifetime.
I found my usual parking space and headed over to the Omni where I saw a few NCRC people, Bob, Steve and Paul. As I was walking to the start I saw VHTRC friend Martha Wright. She would be running with one of the four men that had run all 29 previous editions of the race.
John Price, a long time ultrarunner from Va Beach was at the start next to me after having run Mt. Masochist last weekend. He would go on to get a Boston qualifier today.
We were soon away and I was surprised as I passed mile one, how easy it felt even though I was to fast. I had was expected my time to be at least a minute slower the first mile so I tried to slow down, but the next mile was even faster. That's when I stopped to take a picture and force myself to slow down after turning off of Broad Street and onto the lovely Monument Ave. We had been running into a little headwind but it would hardly be noticeable now for a long time. The temperature was great and I was feeling good and confident.
The next several miles passed quickly and I had settled into a good pace and was right on track for my goal. I resisted the urge to push too much going down the reverse Lee's Revenge Hill. The next section from about 7 to 10 miles is my favorite on the course. After passing through one of the party zones we cross the James River on the old Huegenot Bridge and then a run a couple of miles along the river. It is very scenic and flat making for most enjoyable running.
As the course turns away from the river at mile 10, we enter into a series of hills for the next few miles. The last time I was here I hardly noticed them but today I was not feeling too strong.
But as I approached the half I was right where I wanted to be in 1:46:27. The only problem though was the last two miles I had slowed and I wasn't feeling like picking up the pace. Mile 14 was again too slow but the 15th mile is almost flat and I was relieved to find I was right back on pace in 8:06.
But then we turned onto the Lee Bridge headed back into downtown and directly into a strong headwind. I could feel my strength being blown away and that mile took over 9 minutes. The next mile is a long slight upgrade mostly into the wind and it too was over 9 minutes. At this point I knew it was about over for the qualifying attempt but I wasn't ready to give up just yet. Mile 18 was flat and out of the wind so I pushed the pace hoping to find I could still run 8:10's the rest of the way . But it was not to be today. I didn't feel bad, but just didn't have the strength to run the pace I needed. Even with pushing effort I was only able to muster an 8:59 mile. At that point I grabbed a cup of gatorade and stepped off the course. My race was over and now it would just be was a fun run to the end.
I stretched my legs for a minute while drinking and eating a gel and then began the final 8 mile journey to the finish. My goal now was to just have an easy run and save as much energy as I could for the next days run with Karla. It took a a couple of miles but I soon was running well and the miles passed fairly quickly. I was very happy to reach the end and the downhill finish without cramping and feeling ok. Quatro Hubbard passed me with a half mile to go and urged me to push to the end with him. I declined the offer telling him to go ahead, I was saving myself for OBX now. Even with the slowing down, I ended up running my 3rd fastest marathon ever in 3:55, so it wasn't really a bad day. However I would not advise anyone to run 3:55 the way I did today.
As usual, they did a great job putting on the event. I made my way to the food tent to try and quickly replenish some of the calories I had expended. I talked to Jeff Branin while scarfing down some pizza. I also had some chocolate milk, the perfect recovery drink in my drop bag. It would have been great to have had a little time to visit with a few friends at the finish but I had to hurry away and make the 3 hour drive to Manteo.


Day 2- Run with the wind at OBX 11-11-07

The drive down to the Outer Banks from Virginia was uneventful. I stopped a couple of times to stretch my legs and try to stay as loose as possible. I talked to Karla on the phone and she told me the weather had been yucky with rain but the forecast was looking good for Sunday. A quick stop at the expo to pick up my race packet and then I checked in to my motel. I took a quick shower and then headed over to Manteo for a nice dinner with the Werners and Jerry and Linda. I was tired of course and with another early morning wakeup call ahead we all retired early.
On race morning the shuttles to the start were right on time and very efficient in getting the runners to the starting line. I quickly found Karla and Jerry as well as Margaret Cooper and Lisa Howell from Raleigh. After the disappointment with yesterdays time I was looking forward to just having some fun running with two of my best friends. This would be an especially great day running with Karla again. Last year was special, but with her undergoing the cancer treatments it was a difficult slow run for her. She has been growing stronger in her recovery at an amazing pace lately and I was hoping she would have a good run. Her goal was 4:30 and if things went well, maybe 4:22, a 10 minute pace. I was also hoping that I would feel good enough to stay with her the whole day after running so hard on Saturday. Jerry lined up with us with his own goal of trying to get to the finish in as good a shape as possible after not training nearly enough over the past year.
We lined up near the back planning to start off very relaxed and gradually pick up the pace. As we began, my legs were a little stiff and sore but not nearly as bad as I expected and within a half mile I was loosened up and feeling pretty good. The first mile came too quickly though in 9:35 and the second mile even quicker in 9:25. At that point I told her I would take over the pacing. She was feeling great but we had a long way to go and now was not the time to be pushing. Over the next few miles our pace varied a little but we had settled in to about averaging 10 mp.
It was a gorgeous, sunny morning with the temperatures in the mid-40's, near perfect for racing.There was a steady wind about 10mph with gust up to 18 but unlike last year the wind would be at our backs most of the day giving us a gentle boost. The three of us remained side by side enjoying ourselves, the great conversation and the beautiful scenery for the next several miles. We passed by the waterfront on a greenway, then through nice residential areas. We approached the Wright Brothers Memorial and this year due to some minor course alterations we circled the entire monument still feeling good and having fun.
Around 10 miles,the course enters Nags Head Woods, a very pretty natural area of wooded dunes. It is a dirt surface through here with several gently rolling hills. Nothing too steep or too long but enough to effect the pace a bit. Jerry had pulled slightly ahead of of us for some reason but Karla and I continued enjoying our time together doing what we love most, running and talking. After about 2.5 miles the course turns off the dirt road and climbs a single track trail over a sand dune for about a half mile. The surface is soft dirt and pine needles. I told Karla that I think they should re-surface the trails on Massanutten Mt just like this. The trail comes out of the woods at the 13 mile mark and Jerry slowed and waited for us. Our time at this point was still slightly faster than Karla's fantasy goal of 4:22, even with the slowest mile of the race just behind us on the trail.
That 13th mile on the trail over the dunes was our slowest of the day in about 10:50 and I expected that we would not be running any more sub-10 minute miles. Boy was I wrong. Karla was feeling great and after a 10:02 14th mile the pace began to pick up again. She was working me a lot harder than I expected and I was thinking to myself that I hoped we could both hold the pace. Jerry was still hanging with us but as the pace picked up we could tell he was began to feel the effects of little training. We ran a 9:47 and a 9:44 before turning off the highway again. At that point Jerry sent us on our way with best wishes and backed off the pace. We turned into the wind for about a half-mile and it took us 10:02, the last time we would be over 10 minute pace.
We were both surprised the next two miles were a couple of the fastest of the day. Karla was still looking great (as always) and I was feeling better than I had a few miles back. Now we only had a 10K to go with one big hill, the Baum Bridge between us and downtown Manteo. We continued to run well the next couple of miles, and as we approached the bridge I was afraid I would have to walk part of it and then try to catch Karla on the downhill side. It was a pleasant surprise to me that I felt fine and we powered up to the 23 mile mark atop the bridge in 9:55.
Still going strong we finally made the turn towards Manteo with just over a mile to go. This was directly into the wind and for the first time Karla told me she was feeling tired. One more right turn and the finish line was just ahead. We were all smiles as we crossed in an amazing 4:18:57 surpassing even her fantasy goal for the day. Not only had we run a negative split but averaged almost 15 seconds a mile faster the last 10K than we had the first ten miles.
Frank was there with the camera to greet us and after a few minutes we started to make our way around to watch for Jerry. We didn't make it as Jerry had continued to run well after backing off our pace and finished under 4:30 and we found he and Lynda walking towards us.
What a wonderful day spent with wonderful friends. I am so happy to see that Karla is improving so fast and I know she will be back better than ever by next Spring and get her Boston qualifier. The OBX people did a great job with the race this year. All of the minor problems from last year's inaugarul race were corrected and improved upon. The minor course adjustments and the new finish line in the historic downtown Manteo waterfront area were appreciated by everyone.
I took some photos while running in both races although it was hard to take too many while running faster in Richmond. Frank added a few from the finish. You can view the photo web album here.

Big Weekend Ahead

As usual, I plan the events I would like to run about a year in advance. This helps in scheduling since so many events are getting hard to get in to and also aids in preparing to achieve the goals I set for myself. So about a year ago while looking at my list of want to do's, I decided I need to get another Boston Qualifier. I had originally planned to only run Boston one time but since Karla had cancer last time and we had to run slowly just to finish, we have decided we must go back and race it now that she is cancer-free. So I decided with my full ultra schedule planned for 2008 that I should go ahead and try to get a qualifier this Fall so I could concentrate on ultra training.
I have run in Richmond 3 times before and it is a fairly fast course and comes at a good time of year for weather and my training so I chose it. Two years ago, the usual suspects Karla, Jerry and Margo made the trip with me as I tried to qualify. I was not quite ready, but despite cramping up in the last 4 miles, I set a PR and we all had a great weekend. I was hoping to have the whole group run return with me, but Margo was running in Raleigh and Karla and Jerry wanted to return to OBX . I could have tried for my qualifier there but being a runner of little brain, Ultraman decided it was a good idea to do both! So this Saturday I will be running fast at Richmond ( I hope! ) and then run with the Marathon Princess like last year at OBX. Jerry may try running with us this time.
My training has been going pretty well despite having plantar fasciitis since August. I have been treating it aggressively since I figured out what it was and it is improving greatly even while maintaining my mileage and adding speedwork back into my routine. My biggest concern was whether I would have enough recovery time after running at Hinson Lake 6 weeks ago. I had been a bit sluggish and had a sub-par run at the ATT 10 miler but in the past 10-12 days the life has returned to my legs and I'm feeling confident of a good run.
Anyone who wishes can track my progress in Richmond Saturday morning. The race is having live updates at the half marathon and 20 mile marks . I hope to hit the half in about 1:47 and 20 in about 2:43 .
You can find the race website here
I am bib number 788

City of Oaks Marathon

Here are the photos I took at the marathon yesterday.
It was great to see a marathon return to Raleigh and it couldn't have been a better day for it. The general consensus is that the RD and all the folks from Raleigh Running Outfitters and their volunteers did an excellent job with the race.

When it was announced last year, I had already decided that I would be returning to Richmond this year for a Boston Qualifying attempt. The course for City of Oaks, although a nice one is also a very hilly one and I knew there would be no way I could run a fast enough time so I would have to pass on it this year. I didn't even know if I would be able to see the race until this past Thursday when I found out I would not have to work Sunday. I planned then to attend the event and share the day with some of my best running friends. There would be numerous people from the NCRC and MTC running and I was looking forward to seeing as many as possible.
On Friday evening I attended a dinner with my good friends Margo and Bill, Jerry and Lynda and Frank and Karla and decided that race day I would jump into the race and run about 10 miles with Margo to get in a workout and take some photos along the way. Karla was going to run with Jerry and help him maintain a sane pace as he tries to return to form after not training much over the summer.
Sunday morning the sun arose with perfect temperatures for running. I arrived early and after visiting with several friends I made my way up the road to wait with Karla for the race to began. We didn't have to wait long before the runners started coming towards us. Two African runners had already separated themselves from the rest of the field by the first turn with a vast sea of colorfully dressed runners in pursuit, as they began the days journey. Unfortunately as the large mass of humanity swept by, I was unable to spot Margo in the crowd even with Karla's help. When we saw Jerry approaching I knew I had missed her so I began running with Karla and Jerry.
As we neared the 1 mile mark, an Amtrak train was passing by so I stopped to take a picture knowing I could easily catch back up with them. As I looked around I saw several other friends and started taking more pictures before taking off in pursuit. I was running on the outside of the course as much as possible so I would not interfere with the real racers and I carried my own water bottle, so as I approached the first water stop , I went over as far as possible to the other side of the road. I still hadn't spotted them although I had picked up the pace considerably. A mile later I realized Jerry must have gone to get water and I was way ahead of them. I considered waiting but then decided instead to pick up the pace even more and try to find Margo.
I was having a lot of fun passing through the field and spotting people I knew and stopping to take the occasional photo. I was running a lot faster than I had planned for the day but still no Margo. I thought maybe I would see Olga and run with her since she was aiming for 4 hours but as I arrived in downtown , I still hadn't seen either of them. I took a couple of shots of runners approaching the State Capitol Building as I neared the 5 mile mark. I then realized I had run the last 3 miles in 23 minutes even with the stopping several times and walking backwards looking for people. I decided then to shut it down and back off the pace and just wait to let some of my other friends catch up with me. This was suppose to be an easy workout anyway.
I stopped to speak to the Squires for a minute and then began again at a slower pace. About that time Matthew Greene from MTC caught me so we ran together for the next two miles and then at Cameron Village I sent him on his way and waited again. My overall pace was still way too fast. I took a shot of Thomas Asta and then took off again. I spotted the Dummars and Emily behind me so I joined in with them for the next two miles. I told them I was going to drop back some more and hopefully Jerry and Karla would be along soon, and when I looked back they were only about 15 seconds back with Mark Long and Pam Carpenter right behind them. What a great day!
I was surprised but happy to see that Jerry was having a good run and enjoying himself as we passed the 9 mile mark. He continued strong and began pulling away from us at a pace that Karla didn't want to try and match with her marathon coming up next weekend so from that point on it was back to a normal training run with my regular training partner, The Marathon Princess. After mile 11 we decided to run down the hill to near the 12 mile mark to visit with Jenn and call it a day with about 11.5 miles of actual running. After talking to Jenn for a few minutes we walked back up the hill to watch the finishers.

The day was a lot of fun and I got in a good workout. I would love to run the race sometime but unfortunately for me it presents a scheduling conflict that will not allow it next year. It falls on the same weekend as one of my favorite ultras, the Mountain Masochist and I will not be missing it again next year.

American Tobacco Trail 10 Mile

My legs feel like cement I said to Mike as he urged me to hang with him. "I can't hear you buddy" he replied. That's because he was pulling away as I continued my slowly declining pace.

Back in my younger running days, 10 miles was my favorite race distance. Short enough not to wear me down like a marathon but long enough not to need to hurt every step like a 5K. The ideal distance for a not too fast and not too strong runner like me. However since I have been specializing in marathons and mostly ultramarathons the past several years I have really not tested myself over this distance. Other than pacing Karla 2 years ago in Greenville, I have not raced the distance in at least 7 or 8 years.With my impending race at the Richmond Marathon coming up in November, I thought that this would be an ideal test and training run as I prepare for my Boston qualifier.

I awoke way too early on a beautiful October morning, but noticed right away that it was way too warm and muggy for this time of year, but that is just the way the weather pattern has been. Fortunately the course is shaded over 90% of it's course and I never felt that the temperature affected me, although I'm sure it had some subtle effect. I arrived at the trail parking lot early and enjoyed meeting and greeting many friends. With the limited field of runners, and being an NCRC event, I knew quite a lot of runners as well as volunteers. Lisa Howell and I ran a warm-up mile together and then I began final preparations. As I sat adjusting my shoes, I noticed the Trail Angel had arrived with Allison and Alan to volunteer. Laura would not be running as she is preparing for the Ridge to Bridge Marathon on the 27th but it was a pleasant surprise to see her there.
By now it was nearly time to start and I realized the starting line was about a quarter mile up the road so I had to hurry off. Soon all were ready and RD Aaron sent us on our way. My plan was to stay relaxed and hope to reach halfway at 7:30 pace. Then if I felt good maybe pick it up and if not just try to maintain. We were quickly onto the soft, well shaded trail and I settled into my pace. Mike Walsh soon pulled up beside me and we would be near to each other for most of the remainder of the run. He was just trying to get in a good workout but got caught into a strong pace with another guy and pulled away. As we hit the first mile which I passed in 7:16, he realized he was going too fast and dropped back to run with me for a while. It was a little too fast for me but I felt good and just relaxed, settling into a nice rhythm. It was most pleasant running through the woods on the nice flat, soft surface. Ideal for a fast run. Even so, the very slightest change in elevation seemed to affect pace ever so slightly.

Being an out and back course, I began to see the lead runners coming back to me. This was nice so I could see all the people I know out on the course and exchange encouragement. I decided to count everyone ahead of me and was in about 43rd or 44th place.. Mike and I hit 5 miles together and I although I had slowed a little bit , I was only about 12 seconds behind my planned pace and still feeling good. I passed a couple of runners but mostly just tried to stay relaxed and hold the pace. Around 7 miles, I stopped for a cup of gatorade and the runners I had passed went by. Over the next mile I was slowly reeling them in but then the legs started tightening up as we ran through the Hwy 55 underpass. That's when I had to watch as Mike and the others slowly pulled away. There would be no 75:00 today so I just hoped to finish as comfortably as possible and as I could hear no footsteps behind me , I felt my position was safe.

I guess pain is inevitable though if you are racing and sure enough with about 200 yards to go I began to hear someone behind me and then with 100yds I could tell there were at least 2 runners and they were coming on strong. This is not what I wanted but my competitive instincts took over and I began pushing harder and harder until the footsteps seemed to fade. But then I had to finally reach for the last ounce of speed left in me to keep from being nipped at the line. The next guy was given the same time with two others right behind. As I bent over, hands on my knees gasping and trying not to throw up, I said to the volunteers nearby," I really didn't want to have to do that!"

So, I didn't achieve me time goal but overall I had a great time and finished 4th out of 17 in my age-group. Not really a confidence booster for my goal at Richmond but I have three weeks to recover, train and taper. I probably shouldn't have run at Hinson Lake and concentrated my training but I had a goal there and really wanted to do it so I will accept whatever comes. Bottom line is that I have fun and do the things I enjoy with my fellow runners and friends.

ATT 10 Miler Preview

This Saturday I will be running in the 1st edition of The American Tobacco Trail 10 Miler. This is a race put on by the NCRC and the RD is Aaron Quick, a young man that has been very active in the club the past year.
The race is held on a converted rail trail in Western Wake County outside of Apex. The course is nearly flat with only a slight grade of 1% or less over most of the course on a soft dirt surface similar to the bridle trails at Umstead State Park .

My purpose in running this event besides just having fun is to use it as a test to see how my training is going. I have the Richmond Marathon coming up in 3 weeks where I hope to attempt a Boston qualifying time. When I qualified at Myrtle Beach in 2006, I had run a half-marathon at Ocean Isle Beach 3 weeks before and that seemed to be a good predictor of my performance at MB. My goal is to run it in 75:00, a time I feel is necessary if I am to run 3:35 at Richmond. Look for a report soon. In the meantime you can check out the links below for more info on the race and the trail.

Here is a link to the race website

for more info on the trail go here

Autism Ribbon Run 5K 2007

Saturday October 13th I decided to go run this 5K with my regular training partner Karla. This was a very important date as a year ago I went with Karla and Frank and Jerry to UNC Hospital for Karla's last chemotherapy session. Amazingly, the day afterwards I ran with her in this race as she bravely ran a 33:04. Since that time, she had completed her radiation treatments and being declared cancer free last December, began looking to return to her pre-cancer condition. Now a year later it is with great joy that we are able to run together regularly again and I see her steadily growing stronger. Over the past several weeks we have done several long runs up to 18 miles in preparation for a return to the OBX Marathon in November.
I arrived in downtown Raleigh early to get in some running before the race and after a 2 mile warm-up, I ran the course at tempo pace. The course was not yet closed to traffic so I had to slow or stop at several intersections and was nearly impaled by a giant fork-lift as I ran through a construction zone. I then began looking for Frank and Karla. She was surprised to see me since I had not told her I was coming. I needed to be at work at 10am but I decided I could run with her and it would only be a 10 minute drive to work and I would have plenty of time. It was 8:30 when I found them so after chatting briefly with Frank and Mike Walsh, Karla and I went for a warm-up before heading to the start. It was a beautiful morning, in the 50's and warming quickly into the 60's.
A couple of weeks ago we ran a 5K fun run on the greenway with the NCRC during the club's Thursday night Sept Series and she had run about 28:34, her fastest time in nearly two years so I told her we should shoot for a sub-28 time today. She expressed doubts about it, but was ready to give it a shot. After the gun, we started out strong but reserved. As usual I was chatting away, happy to be running easily alongside the Marathon Princess. Karla was talking too, a good sign she was feeling good and the pace was not too fast. We hit mile one in 8:35, probably her fastest mile in a very long time and a big boost to her confidence. The next half mile is a slight downgrade and we passed the halfway mark in 13:30. Having a severe case of long-term ultrabrain, I was having a hard time thinking mathematicly, but I soon realized that she was not just on pace to break 28 but was headed for a possible sub-27.
As we past the two mile mark, she was still looking good but feeling the strain of the pace but she is obviously one tough lady and wasn't backing down at all. Then with the finish in sight and knowing she had a sub 27 in the bag she kicked hard and crossed the line in 26:30 !!! Woohoo!! I was so proud of her. A brief celebration and a visit with friends Bill and Sally Squier and I had to hurry off to work.
Next up is the ATT 10 miler next Saturday as a test for my marathon preparation.

Hinson Lake 2007

Some things you just can't explain. You just have to accept it and move on. I went into the weekend at HL confident that my training would allow me to improve on my 103.3 miles from last year, but a lot can happen in 24 hours and not all of them good. Short and to the point, I just didn't have a good day.
I felt very good early in the run but after reviewing last years splits, I was a little behind pace all day. As usual, I had a bad spell around 36 miles in but soon I was able to turn things around and at 12 hours I was within a half mile of last years pace and running well, putting in some good lap times. A couple of hours later I was struggling but eating and electrolytes weren't helping. Finally after almost 16 hours and 69.9 miles I decided I wasn't having fun anymore, turned around and quit to save it for a better day.
Other than disappointment at not meeting my expectations, I had a great time. Tom Gabell and his family and volunteers did a great job with the event. The race was full of so many friends and members of the MTC. I set up my stuff alongside Ben Dillon and Joe Lugiano, friends from the NCRC( Ben is a recent member of the MTC). Their wives Linda and Hannah are great supporters of these guys and were very helpful in looking after me too.

Here is a link to some photos taken by Sue Norwood.

Congratulations to Brad Smythe and Anita Finkle for winning