I recovered quickly from the February 28 marathon, getting back to easy runs within a few days. I had intended to gradually increase my distance each week, but had little motivation to go beyond 4 - 5 miles. I haven't reached 20 weekly miles, even though I'm back on a schedule of running 4 days per week. I've been very relaxed about it, just enjoying running for running's sake. I only needed to run 4 miles in today's race, and had plenty of time to work up to 6.2 miles for the Peachtree Road Race on Independence Day weekend in July.
Then last week:
Wow! I thought that my chances of getting in through the lottery were slim-to-none, with priority rightly given for the runners deferred from 2020. But the Chicago Marathon gave deferred runners options to run in 2021, 2022, or 2023, so that opened more slots. In addition, the COVID vaccination pace is picking up. I received my first dose 2-1/2 weeks ago when the window opened to age 55 and up, and looking forward to getting my booster dose next Wednesday, then hopefully at maximum immunity in two more weeks. Last week, Georgia announced that all adults can now get the vaccination. With new hope and optimism, the Chicago Marathon organizers "anticipate a field that's in line with what we've seen in years past." The marathon isn't until October 10, so I have plenty of time to get ready. We already have our hotel and flights reserved, albeit with insurance for everything, just in case things get bad again. But for now, I'm focusing on pre-training! 
The Singleton 4 Miler was originally scheduled for later in April, in Norcross. Brian Minor and I had discussed racing each other. But when the race moved to the trails of the Georgia International Horse Park, I backed out of racing on a trail. Having fallen three times in a trail half marathon four years ago, I didn't think that a vigorous mano-a-mano competition in a trail race could end well for me. All it would take is a single tree root reaching up and grabbing my toe when I wasn't watching. Then it's hello to months of rehab, bye-bye to serious Chicago Marathon training. My only goal for today's race was just to have a fun time running 4 miles without any additional miles on the schedule. And to avoid falling.
It was unexpectedly cold this morning, 32 deg F at the start, but without a cloud in the sky, so the conditions were good. I was prepared for the temperature with two layers of clothing, including mittens. I also wore my trail shoes in the first race in over 3-1/2 years. Fortunately they were still in decent shape: I tested them a few weeks ago in a 3-mile easy run-walk on the spectacular East Palisades Trail overlooking the Chattahoochee River.
My starting time was 8:21 am. I lined up at a cone 2/3 of the way back from the starting mat. The rest of the cones behind me filled up! So the organizers insisted that we all move up closer to the starting line. At 8:21 on the dot, the airhorn sounded. Despite taking a pretty easy pace in the beginning, I was passed by only a couple of people at the start, and passed a couple of others who had lined up in front of me. After a hundred yards or so, we joined the trail with runners who were beginning their second loop. We had a little rain earlier in the week, but other than a couple of puddles on parts of the trail, the route was in good shape. We ran on a double-track dirt roadway, so it was easy to pass safely and otherwise to stay to the right for the faster runners to pass me.
Although the running surface was good, I still ran very carefully, but completed the first mile at a very respectable 8:47 time, on a relatively flat surface near the Yellow River. The Atlanta Track Club race map showed a big hill early in the second mile. Sure enough, we made a turn and scrambled up a gravelly slope. Unfortunately on the way up, I could feel that my left shoe was loose, and when I pulled over to check, sure enough the shoe was completely untied. Unfortunately I couldn't tie the knot while wearing mittens (I tried), so I had to remove the mittens, then tie the shoe on tight, then resume running. That cost me 30 seconds. Good thing I wasn't racing!
I thought we had climbed the main hill in the race, but then we made a right turn, and were confronted with a mountain at least five times as high as the first hill. I tried to keep running, but very quickly slowed to a walk, along with almost everyone else. Midway up the big hill, I tried to run again, but slowed back down to a walk within 30 seconds. (Later in the day, I listened to an
interview with champion trail runner Alex Nichols that Coach Carl posted on YouTube: Alex Nichols said that most people can walk up a steep hill faster than they can run.) I didn't resume running again until I had reached the top of the hill. What goes up, must come down! And I regained some of the time as I cautiously picked up speed. The route was pretty solid, but my mantra heading downhill was "Chicago" "Chicago". That reminded me to pick up my feet, and to watch ahead to ensure good footing. We made a left turn before reaching the roadway, ran up a little hill, definitely noticeable now that I was a little winded, but it wasn't too bad. I began to hear sounds from the finish area as we emerged from the forest: "First loop to the right, second loop straight to the finish." Staying to the right, most of the group ran with me across a field, then paralleled the strip where a later wave was beginning. I passed the mile 2 marker around 10:30. That wasn't too bad, considering that I had stopped to tie a shoe and then walked up a big hill.
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| The second loop was in front of the starting area, marked by the white arrow. |
As I felt a little winded, I took a short walk break, counting to 30, and then resumed running. As a new wave of 15 - 20 runners began every three minutes, I happened to pass the starting area at 21 minutes elapsed, rejoining the trail for my second loop at the same time that the 8:42 wave began their race. I had intended to run the second loop a little faster than the first loop, but my heart rate was pretty high, occasionally reaching 170 bpm, so I moderated my speed and even took another short walk break before reaching the mile 3 marker, which I passed around 28:20, 9:30 for mile 3. Up the small hill again, then walking up the big hill. I said to a volunteer as I passed her on the way up, "Everything to love and hate about trail running!" But this time I knew what to expect, and I began running before I had crested the hill. Now I took off down the hill, passing several people who had passed me on the climb. I definitely ran the second downhill faster than the first downhill, but remembered my mantra "Chicago" "Chicago" and I remained upright.
Going over the last little hill, I elected to take another short walk break, about 20 seconds, then resumed running, knowing that the finish line wasn't far away. Staying to the far left of the route, almost stepping on the cones, I began to pick up speed, passing the larger and slower group that was just completing their first loop. A volunteer saw me coming and shouted "Strong finish!" I began thinking of the strides that Coach Carl strongly recommends,
"The 10 Most Important Minutes of Your Week."
I enjoy the stride workouts at the end of easy-paced 3 - 4 mile runs. It always feels good to speed up for just a 15-second burst, especially after I'm thoroughly warmed up, then jogging for about 90 seconds, then doing three more repeats. I love completing an easy run on a strong note. On Carl's advice, in the past couple of weeks I've begun doing strides twice a week, on Monday and Thursday mornings. Today, the stride workouts really paid off. I found a higher gear, caught up and quickly passed another runner in the final stretch. He looked like a young man, was probably surprised to see me passing him! A moment later, out of the corner of my right eye, I thought I saw him, or maybe it was another man, trying to keep up with me. Another kick and I was back out in front! Where did that energy come from?! Sailing across the field, reaching a top speed of 12 miles per hour - I didn't know that I could run that fast - I flew across the finish line around 9:00:15.
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| What a fun race! I quickly recovered to take a few photos. |
It's been a long time since I've run a relatively short race without needing to tack on extra training miles. I know that the 20-week training cycle for Chicago will begin on May 24. I hope that I can find a road 5K or maybe a 10K while I'm still in the pre-training period.
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