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| First race in my new Brooks Hyperion Tempo shoes, but already have about 30 miles on these light shoes after today. |
I've decided to train for the Publix Atlanta Marathon on February 26, 2023. That seems like a long time from now, until I count the weeks in the calendar and realize that it's 22 weeks from tomorrow, and I think that I need a 20-week build for my best preparation. So since the beginning of September, I've been in "pre-training mode". I ran my first 10-miler in several months last weekend, and wanted to cover at least that much again this weekend. So I arrived at the site for today's race a couple of hours before the start, and set out for an easy 5 to 6 miles, starting with a jog of the race route. It was a beautiful early fall morning: 48 degrees F at 7:15 am, not a cloud in the sky! I was impressed that the start-finish line was already up, and the cones marking the route were already laid out. Although I've run this race twice before on exactly the same route, it was nice to get a reminder of exactly where the uphill sections were located - and an opportunity to take some photos along the race route, although without any other runners in the photos.
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| Another good showing this year from Tucker Running Club! |
After a run-walk of about an hour, I returned to the starting area at the Refuge Coffee Company, posed with Tucker Running Club (TRC) for our pre-race photos, changed into a dry singlet and put on my race bib, took a gel and drank a little Nuun, "unhydrated" at the porta-potty, and did some light stretching to keep my legs limber. Despite 5 miles and 10,000 steps on the legs by this time of the morning, I didn't feel tired or sore, so I felt that I could have a good race this morning, especially with the perfect conditions - now at 59 deg F at 9 am when we started. Several TRC runners including me took spots about 25 - 30 feet behind the starting line, and the crowd filled in around us, 367 runners in total (based on the finishing results). A group of young men dressed alike was on the starting line, perhaps the Clarkston High School track team - and my prediction that one of them would win the race was correct, so I think that I started in about the appropriate spot.
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| Lisa Calas took a candid shot just a few minutes before the race was to begin. TRC was ready to run, where was everyone else??!! |
The announcer counted down "5....4....3....2....1..." and the airhorn sounded. We crossed the starting mat and ran through a cloud of confetti - very cool! I don't think that I had experienced that before in a race! As we crossed busy Ponce de Leon Avenue, with the police holding back lines of traffic in both directions, I found myself running just behind Lisa Calas and Joe Ajitsaria. I briefly thought about drafting off of Joe and Lisa, but quickly realized that neither of them were tall enough to do the job. Nonetheless I had thought that we might run together for awhile, but on the first turn, a woman sharply cut in front of me from right-to-left, trying to avoid running into her I nearly ran into Lisa, but avoided a foul, and darted ahead to get out of the scrum. So much for running with Joe and Lisa, although I imagined for the rest of the race that they might catch up with me, especially if I pooped out in the last mile.
We were running downhill toward the lake across the street from Milam Park. I tried to watch my speed, just letting gravity carry me along. Occasionally a fast runner who must have started well behind me dashed past, and I did my best to ignore them - my pace, my race. Just past the park entrance, my watch sounded the first kilometer alert, 5:01. I reminded myself that we had run nearly the entire distance downhill, so didn't allow myself to seriously think that I was on pace to finish in 25 minutes. I didn't seem to have any trouble maintaining pace as we ran gently uphill. At the turn onto Otello Avenue, one of the volunteers congratulated us on completing the first mile. "Already?" I said out loud, but in a moment we were passing the Mile 1 marker, about 8:10 on my watch.
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| I had never before noticed the Clarkston Cemetery when racing past, but I stopped today during my early morning pre-race run. These gravestones are for William O. Van Vorst (Nov. 13, 1831 - Jan. 9, 1911) and Sarah H. Van Vorst (March 17, 1845 - January 23, 1929). |
After passing Jolly Elementary School, we turned onto Echo Woods Drive, heading downhill once again. I tried not to get too excited, because I knew from my early morning course reconnaissance that the steepest hill on the race course was just a couple of minutes ahead. The second kilometer alert sounded, 5:08, 10:09 elapsed. When we reached the hill a moment later, I was mentally prepared. I shortened my stride and passed a few people as we headed uphill. For some reason, the phrase popped into my mind "Attempt to be cool, Charlie" but that got me through that patch.
We were back on Otello Avenue, more gently uphill and finally levelling off. I was breathing pretty heavily and loudly, but I started to pass a young boy in this section who briefly sped up to keep up with me before falling behind when we finally began running downhill. Again I took full advantage of the gravity assist and the considerable momentum of my 185-pound body moving forward. The water station was at its usual spot immediately after making the left turn onto Erskine Road. I decided to skip the water since I felt well-hydrated and it wasn't warm, and I didn't want to slow down at all if I could help it. I don't think the volunteers at the water station had any takers at the moment that we passed through, although several of us including me smiled and said "Thanks!" as we passed by - and I imagine that they got busy serving lots of people within a few minutes and then for the rest of the race. The third kilometer alert sounded at that point, 5:34, 15:43 elapsed. Definitely not on a 25-minute finishing pace, but I refused to feel disappointed, knowing that we had just finished a tough uphill section.
We headed onto the PATH trail and into the shade. This is one of the best spots of the PATH trail between Atlanta and Stone Mountain, running through a little forest, which almost hid our view of the railroad track to our right. There was one section with a little dip and then scrambling uphill, but that felt easy for me. I heard footsteps behind me, then a young man passed on my right, and moved effortlessly ahead. Not to worry, he was considerably younger. I admired his full head of curly hair for the next few minutes, which reminded me of days long past. Emerging from the forested section, we were now running alongside Church Street as the fourth kilometer alert sounded, 5:21, 21:04 elapsed. Just 5 minutes to go, if I can pick up the pace.
We passed a Spanish-language church where someone was playing calming music on an acoustic guitar. That was a nice moment, probably also because the route was level or very gently downhill. Then the PATH trail separated from Church Street and took another gradual elevation decline. I was starting to tire, but a quick glance at my watch showed 23 minutes, and I told myself, "Just 3 more minutes and then you can take a long walk break." More footsteps approaching from behind me on my left: I took a quick glance and saw a young woman, turns out she was a 12-year-old girl, cruising along effortlessly, with perfect form. There was no way that I could keep up with her sprint, and I was left behind to admire how well she had paced herself to finish strongly.
Now that we were coming back into town, I could see ahead that the PATH trail was turning into a regular street surface, but the street had been recently closed to automobile traffic, further extending the pedestrian / bicycle path for another block. The struggle was becoming real, but I also knew that I had only three blocks to reach the finish line. As the young girl passed a couple of volunteers at the Norman Road intersection, they cheered her on, and it seemed that her pace suddenly increased. Then they were cheering for me, and I hope my pace also increased!
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| The final turn is just ahead! |
The last two blocks were interesting: as we passed the mile 3 marker, suddenly the young boy that I had left behind 10 minutes earlier had passed me! Where did he come from? As we reached the final turn at Market Street, the volunteers called out "Go kid!" and then as it was clear that I was accelerating to try to pass him on the turn, they shouted "Go Pops!" Despite my exhaustion, I had to laugh at that one. As we crossed the railroad tracks, I saw a policeman up ahead waving traffic through the intersection with Ponce de Leon. Then just in time, the policeman emphatically put up each hand in both directions, the auto traffic stopped, and a group of several runners including me began to stream across the road. The young boy was moving ahead, I was just behind a woman and was trying to pass her on the left, but that track was putting me squarely on a collision course with the policeman. I slowed down to tuck in behind the woman as we both passed very close to the policeman's outstretched left hand.
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| The rail line looks well-maintained, but I can't recall when I last saw a train on this route. |
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| Looking across Ponce de Leon Avenue toward the finish line, an hour before the race began. |
Just as I made my move to sprint past the woman, a young man in a dark green shirt jetted by on the far left. Wow, he was moving quickly, but the young boy was going to cross the finish line before the adult man. I saw 26:30 on the clock and then I crossed the finish line. A woman was holding out medals just a few feet past the finish line. There was no way that I could slow to a walk quickly enough but I managed to accept the medal without yanking off her arm or dropping the medal, then passed a second volunteer also with medals and I was now moving slowly enough where I should have accepted the medal from her instead. As I took my first walking steps in more than 26 minutes, I reached a third volunteer with bottles of water, and only then did I finally stop my watch, 26:35.
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| 63rd through 68th place. My chip time was 26:28. What's that old man doing amongst all of the kids and young adults? |
That was tough. While I was about half a minute slower than my time in the 5K two weeks ago, I was very satisfied with my performance, and particularly happy that I didn't give in to the temptation to take a walk break. I ran fairly consistently, given the varied elevation profiles in each kilometer. When the results were posted, I had placed 3rd in my age group! I don't think that I could have quite run the time of the 2nd place age group finisher even if I had kept my warmup to a reasonable distance of just 1 - 2 miles, and have never run a 5K race fast enough to match the time of the age group winner.
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| It's been a few years since I've run 25-low, and I've never run faster than 23:30. Congratulations to 1st and 2nd place finishers in my age group! |
I had covered 8 miles for the day, but was determined to run a couple more to get double digits for the day. After stopping at my car to drink a little Nuun, still cold even after 2-1/2 hours, I headed back to the PATH trail for 2 kilometers out on an easy run-walk pace, and then returned to total 10-1/2 miles for the day. A successful morning all around, I think!
Next race: the PNC 10-miler on October 16! At that point, I'll be officially one week into the marathon training program!
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