January 17, 2015: Livvy's Love 8K, second time around the mountain

Goal A: To improve on my 2014 time of 43:59

Goal B: To run the hilly course with a steady effort from start to finish

Goal C: To have an injury-free run at one of my favorite places to run and to train

Stone Mountain Park has become one of my favorite places to run in metro Atlanta.  One circuit of the mountain is approximately 8K or 5 miles.  I've enjoyed a few dozen nice training runs circling the mountain over the past year while preparing for the Peachtree Road Race and the Atlanta 10-Miler.  The route is fairly hilly and so it's an ideal place to work out in preparation for other Atlanta-area races, especially for people living in the eastern Atlanta suburbs.  The Stone Mountain loop is also the only place where I feel safe running before sunrise or after sunset, as the road is well lit, and the sidewalks are very well-maintained.  There is a 2-1/2 mile stretch of road around the south side of the mountain with a full lane that is off-limits to automobile traffic, although walkers and runners have to watch out for cyclists going downhill at relatively high speed.  Also there are always enough people around working on their own fitness with walking or running, so with safety in numbers, I'm confident that I could get help if I ever suffered an injury.  

The first glimpse of Stone Mountain from Hugh Howell Road, shortly before sunrise

Last year I ran the Livvy's Love 8K, and won my first medal for my age group, albeit in a small field.  Bonnie ran her first 5K on that morning and that started her own journey to improving her fitness, running a 5K in 11 of the 12 months in 2014.  

Livvy's Love race report, January 18, 2014

After some trouble with a sprained ankle in December, I decided to take it easy for a few weeks, skipping the ATC Resolution Run on January 1.  That was definitely a good move, as was the resolution to use a foam roller on my calfs and thighs on a daily basis.  It's amazing how much that has helped!  The roller nearly eliminates any post-run soreness from my legs, and now I also use it even on days when I haven't run at all.  I had heard and read that advice from several people, but the post from Jesica blogging at rUnladylike resonated with me. 

rUnladylike, Dec 29 2014; see #9

Last year's run was terribly frigid, 25 deg F at the start.  Other than the temperature, my only complaint about last year's race, which was a fun run and fundraiser, was that the distances appeared to be short.  For instance, there was a gap between the start and the finish line so that the 8K was actually only a 7.9K.  Worse, the turnaround for the 5K race didn't seem to be far enough from the start, and Bonnie's tracker recorded only a 4K distance.  

This year was only a few degrees better, 31 deg F, but those few degrees really made a difference in comfort level.  When we gathered at the start, it didn't seem like a particularly large field - and I hope that the foundation sponsoring the event isn't losing money on the race.  Although the finish gate was not yet in the roadway, it was right next to the starting line, and if the finish line was also at the start, that would probably make it exactly 8K.  Before we began, an a cappella group from Tucker High School sang a nice rendition of the national anthem.  We then gathered behind the starting line, in my case in the third row from the front line.  After a few safety announcements, the DJ asked us if we were ready to begin, and then without further delay, "Ready, set, go!" and we were off! 

The race route, with mile markers in magenta

After the first couple of hundred feet, we were all running on the sidewalk parallel to Lee Blvd, the road that circles the mountain.  I found myself behind three 20-something guys who were running around a 9-minute per mile pace, which was a good starting point, and so I 'drafted' off of them for the first 5 minutes or so, not that I was able to safely pass them.  However the entire first mile was a mild but steady uphill, and when they seemed to slow a bit about 5 minutes into the race, I was able to get around them at an intersection.  After passing the big parking lot at the base of the walking trail to the top of the mountain, there was plenty of room for runners as we began the protected part of the run.  I was getting alerts every 5 minutes, and was delighted to hear "0.6 miles" and "1.2 miles" at 5 and 10 minutes, respectively.  After the one-mile marker (8:42) I caught up to and began chatting with a runner who works with Nikki Hayes at the CDC.  This was her third year running the race, and she told me the tragic story of Livvy's death (Nikki and Norman Hayes' daughter), who was struck by a security vehicle that illegally passed a school bus at the very moment that Livvy was crossing the street to get onto the bus, as her father was watching.  As I mentioned in last year's account, the Livvy's Love Foundation and the 8K/5K events raise money for scholarships for Tucker High School students. 

After the one-mile marker, the road went mostly downhill, and Nikki's friend gradually moved ahead of me.  Nonetheless I felt that I was moving at a very good pace, and so I was regularly checking my heart rate monitor.  At 15 minutes I heard "1.8 miles", which was exactly where I needed to be if I was to have a chance at my "A" goal.  I passed the two-mile marker immediately after the Children's Playground, at 16:57 (8:15 for mile 2).  At 20 minutes, "2.4 miles" which was nearly the halfway point.  I was definitely on pace to better my time in last year's run!  

Elevation map for the Stone Mountain circuit.  Warning: hills are larger than they appear! 

Although the elevation map for the third and fourth miles may appear to indicate a net level run, with small short hills, when I'm actually running the route, the hills seem to be bigger than indicated on the elevation map.  But this is also a very peaceful and pleasant part of any run at Stone Mountain, and in my opinion is the main reason to do the 8K instead of the 5K option.  Somewhere in the third mile I caught up to and passed a fellow runner, but then got the sense that there was someone else that was gaining on me.  Taking a quick glance behind me, indeed there was a woman about 50 feet behind me.  At 25 minutes I heard "2.9 miles" which was great news, and I passed the 3-mile marker at 25:53 (8:56 for mile 3).  I think that is probably the fastest that I have ever covered that stretch at Stone Mountain. 

My dream pace was to reach the roundabout leading to the covered bridge to Indian Island, in 30 minutes.  I didn't quite make it but the roundabout was at least in view as the 30 minute alert sounded "3.5 miles".  There was a water station at the roundabout, but I was carrying my own water bottle and had taken a couple of sips around the 3-mile marker.  At this point there were a few people around who were not part of the race.  I heard someone ask the woman running behind me what the event was about, and the runner, in a strong voice and in a complete sentence or two, told the other person about the Foundation and the race.  In contrast, I don't think that I could have managed more than a couple of words!  Knowing that the next stretch would be mostly uphill, I figured that the woman would probably catch up to me and pass me on the hills.  But as I headed uphill to the 4-mile marker at 35:00 even (9:07 for mile 4), I was still about 50 feet ahead of her.  I would beat my time in last year's Livvy's Love if I could finish the final stretch in less than 9 minutes.  In the ATC Decatur-DeKalb 4-miler and the Cartersville 10K, I had reached the 4-mile points at 35:49 and 35:25 respectively (and I set my 10K PR in Cartersville), so I was ecstatic to be on such a great pace, especially because I knew that the next stretch would be the hardest part of the race. 

The final mile began with a fairly steep uphill section.  If I had not been familiar with the route, I might have expected the route to level out after a curve in the road, but I kept going up and up as I passed the entrance to the parking lot for the Skylift.  I gasped to the policeman protecting the intersection "Not much further" and he responded "That's right!"  My heartrate had risen into the 170's and I slowed down a bit, because I knew from experience that if I stayed at that level I wouldn't be able to recover for a strong finish.  Finally I crested the hill across the street from the Stone Mountain Inn, and was rewarded with a beautiful view of a long downhill stretch to intersect with the main entrance road to the park.  I gradually picked up speed, while willing my body to relax and let gravity do most of the work.  My heartrate dropped to a safer zone (high 150's) and I sped up some more, as the 40 minute alert sounded as I passed through the big intersection (4.6 miles).  I was just a bit short of my dream pace at that stage but I knew that I could finish strongly.  Indeed I sped up even more as I reached the intersection to turn left onto Hugh Howell Road for the finish. 

At this stage we rejoined the 5K route, but I passed only one 5K runner in this first stretch.  I had to step onto the sidewalk to avoid a barrier in the road (protecting the finish and start area of our race) just as a group of kids were cheering as I approached "Almost there!  You can do it!"  I raised my right hand and gave a few of the kids high-fives, which helped me pick up my knees and push a bit harder.  From the breaks in the cheers, it sounded like the woman who had been behind me earlier had, somehow, fallen a little further behind, so I guess she had a little more trouble maintaining speed on the hill.  The road curved to the right and gently uphill, and I could see the start line in the distance.  Last year the finish line was just ahead of the final turn, but this year I couldn't even make out the FINISH line sign at first (it was much smaller than the START sign).  But I was glad that this would indeed probably be a true 8K distance.  Another cheering group was at the intersection more-or-less where last year's finish line had been, I gave a few more high-fives, and then began chugging up the hill to the finish.  I passed another 5K runner and tried to keep up my speed as much as I could.  The crowds were cheering as I drew closer to the finish line, and I could see 43 minutes on the clock.  Immediately before crossing the finish line, the last number that I saw was 43:27 (8:27 for the fifth mile).  Definitely bettered last year's time, and on a slightly longer course!  The tracker recorded 5.03 miles (8.10 km) which was about right for a true 8K, considering that I never manage to run the shortest possible path.  After cooling off for a few minutes, I walked back down the route a short distance to watch for Bonnie's finish.  I took a few photos as she was heading to the finish but unfortunately my phone discharged about 10 seconds before she crossed the finish line :(

In the awards ceremony, Bonnie won second in her age group!  This was her first medal ever in an athletic event!  Likewise when I won my age group last year, it was my first medal, not counting science fair or piano competition, and I was hoping that I could defend my title, LOL.  And when they announced second place in my age group in a slower time, I knew that we were both taking home some bling!  As I accepted my medal and posed for a photo with Norman and Nikki Hayes, I told them how much I enjoyed the race, and promised that I would join them next year. 

What a great day for us both! 

Goal A: To improve on my 2014 time of 43:59; Achieved! 43:27

Goal B: To run the hilly course with a steady effort from start to finish; Achieved! mile splits 8:42, 8:15 (downhill), 8:56, 9:07, 8:27 - negative split!

Goal C: To have an injury-free run at one of my favorite places to run and to train; Achieved! no pain or real difficulty after the race; foam roller treatment at home before I began writing today's race report! 

When the official results appeared on Sunday, I was disappointed to see that only 29 runners completed the 8K, and 37 runners in the 5K.  I hope that the foundation isn't losing money on this event.  Although the races aren't Peachtree Road Race qualifiers, it's a nice course for a great cause, and I hope that some of the local readers of this blog will join the race next year.  

Livvy's Love Fun Run/Walk 2015

January 1, 2015: A brief recap of running in 2014, and some goals for 2015

2014 has been an amazing year for my new hobby of running!  In October 2013, I ran my first 5K and definitely caught the running bug, working up to a 10K in December 2013.  Going crazy in 2014, I ran 22 timed races in 2014, including 11 5Ks and 7 10Ks.  After training for the Peachtree Road Race in July, I decided to work on longer distances, with the Atlanta 10 miler in October, and culminating in my first half-marathon in December.  

Some of the other bloggers have been publishing their running goals for 2015, so I thought I would post a couple of my own goals for 2015. 

1) For 2015, I want to improve at the 10K distance.  At this point 6-mile runs are a comfortable distance for my training, although I would like to improve my times in the 10K distance.  So one goal for 2015 is to run a 10K in less than 54 minutes.  My best time to date, 54:33, came on a perfect day for running but I also had a realistic plan that I was able to execute almost exactly as I had planned.  I've signed up for the Atlanta Track Club Peachtree City 10K in late January, and will probably run the Charles Harris 10K again in Tucker in late February.  Hopefully I can design and execute a plan to chip away a few seconds with every mile.

The key will be to continue to improve my fitness.  I plan to work in more speed workouts on my shorter mid-week runs, on the advice of one of my running coaches from the Peachtree-In-Training course.  But just as importantly, I need to do a better job of caring for my legs and body.  Throughout the year, I had various minor pains in my legs, none of them too serious, but there was always some small nagging issue.  It would move around, just as one little pain resolved, another one would start up, usually somewhere in the other leg.  The worst was a minor ankle sprain from a wet 10K in early December, that gave me a lot of grief in the last two miles of my first half-marathon 8 days later.  In 2015 I will resolve to do a few minutes of daily stretching, and a daily foam roller session; in 2014 I probably managed this only once each week.  I should probably also get back to yoga, as I had some really good races in late September and October when I was doing yoga once a week, but I need to find a good beginner class.  

2) My other goal for 2015 is to have a better experience in the half-marathon distance.  Limping to the finish line, while it was still a finish, was not very satisfying.  So I want to do a much better job in my next half-marathon.  I've registered for the Publix Georgia Half-Marathon on March 22, and will work on diligently training for the distance, even though spring semester will be very busy.  The focus will be less on overall time and more on training to run the entire race with fairly even splits.  I was very pleased with my entire experience of the Atlanta 10-miler in late October, including my splits, my overall time, and having enough energy for a strong finish.  Unfortunately I didn't train carefully enough in November to work toward the 13.1 mile distance.  It turned out that it wasn't as easy as I had thought it would be to tack on a 5K after running 10 miles. 

Part of the plan is to be a bit more selective about races run, especially 5K races, when I'm training for a substantially longer distance.  I enjoy the 5K distance, but running a 5K as fast as possible is generally not compatible with my training schedule.  I really can't do two strenuous runs on consecutive days, and it's very difficult to schedule long training runs on weekdays during the academic semesters.  I plan to volunteer for some of the 5K races that I did last year, so that I can be involved in the experience and yet still manage a long training run for myself later in the day or on a Sunday. 

December 20, 2014: The Atlanta Christmas 5K

Goal: To have a fun race wearing a silly T-shirt with some of my students

Several weeks ago, I was invited to join a few of the chemistry graduate students in the Atlanta Christmas 5K.  They were entering as "Team Holmium" and were planning on making T-shirts for the event.  I figured it would be a fun race to do, and so Bonnie and I signed up.  On Friday before the race, Erin Schuler brought the race T-shirts by the lab, and they were fantastic!  She had singlehandedly decorated five shirts with glitterglue, writing out Merry Christmas in the full structures of the corresponding peptides:

Methionine-Glutamine-Glutamine-Arginine-Arginine

Cysteine-Histidine-Arginine-Isoleucine-Serine-Threonine-Methionine-Alanine-Serine

My students all know that I have an unfortunate mental condition, in which tiny imperfections in chemical structures seem to leap out of the page in my vision.  Therefore, Erin knew that she had to get the structure completely correct on all five shirts, including every single stereocenter, because her professor was definitely going to notice.  Erin's grade?

A+  !!  

Erin Schuler, Samantha Iamurri, Jessica Hurtak, Bonnie Youn, Frank McDonald

"Four chemists and a lawyer ran a 5K, and ..."
(feel free to finish the joke in the comments!)

In the week leading up to the race, I didn't run at all.  Not only was my ankle bothering me, but my cold was pretty bad midweek and I even took a day off after my fall semester grades had been submitted.  The plan was to take it easy and just enjoy the race as much as possible.  There were about a thousand people in the race, and we just lined up wherever we found a spot.  It was relatively crowded for much of the route, especially for those of us in the middle of the pack.  The first couple of miles were fairly mild, but after the 2-mile marker we began going uphill.  At the left turn onto Greenland Drive, we went straight uphill.  I passed a few people in this area only because I was able to continue a slow jog, but it was a relief to reach the crest on Hillpine Drive.  After heading back downhill on Wayne Avenue, we turned left onto Courtenay Drive, where I began to speed up a bit for the finish.  Turning left onto Highland Avenue, and another left onto Morningside Drive, I could hear the announcer's voice at the finish line.  I passed a parked car with a 13.1 sticker on the left back windshield - oh, that was my car, LOL, and with that inspiration went to high speed for a strong finish.  I cleared the finish line at 29:52 on the clock; with the starting delay, my official chip time was 29:14.    

Although this was the slowest 5K that I have clocked, it was a fun experience, even though the ankle was a little sore from start-to-finish. The plan is to take several weeks without racing, just easy runs to keep in shape, to get everything back to 100% health. 

"Four chemists and a lawyer ran a 5K, and ..."

Can you finish the joke?  Below are a few that were posted in response to this question on Facebook:

... and all I got was this clever t-shirt!
... what came out was a patent for a new Breaking Bad compound
... the chemists were all charged, but the lawyer was the catalyst for getting them off.

December 14, 2014: The Jeff Galloway 13.1

Goal C: To finish my first half-marathon. 

Goal B: To finish with a smile! 

Goal A: To finish in 1:59:59!! (9:10 minutes per mile pace)

When I ran my first race in October 2013, I didn't really imagine that I would try a half-marathon in a little more than a year.  But here I am!  

Jeff Galloway is a legend in the Atlanta running community.  He won the first Peachtree Road Race in 1970, and subsequently represented the USA in the Munich Olympics in 1972 in the 10,000 meter race.  He has developed a run-walk-run approach to injury-free running, with his mantra "Run Until You're 100".  That was definitely in mind when I named this blog, marking the start of my running after age 50.  

Last year I ran the Fast Fun Phidippides 5K in Ansley Park, which this year is the Barb's 5K along the same route.  

Fast Fun Phidippides race report, Dec 14 2013

This year, the Galloway program has added a half-marathon.  

Jeff Galloway 13.1 Draws Runners to Atlanta

Given the emphasis on the run-walk-run method and the course being open for 4-1/2 hours, I felt that this would be ideal for my first half-marathon.  If I ran out of gas and had to walk a substantial part of the route, I probably wouldn't be alone.  However, I waited to register for the race until I had completed the Atlanta 10-miler in late October.  Completing the 10-miler was a huge confidence booster for me, knowing that a half-marathon was 'merely' tacking on a 5K onto the 10-mile distance.

The race weekend began with a casual run on Friday morning, led by Jeff Galloway starting at the Phidippides store at 7 am.  I figured that it would be fun to join in one of the race weekend activities other than the main event.  It would also be a test run with a new cold weather jersey that Bonnie had given me for this race, and I didn't want to run the half-marathon with anything completely new.  We were joined by 1970's-era star runner Bill Rodgers (marathon, Montreal Olympics, 1976).  Several others in the group of about 25 runners had run a dozen or more marathons.  Then there was me.  We ran about 3 miles at a relatively slow pace with alternating 15 seconds running and walking, so it was a confidence-builder on the health of my ankle (injured in the Eastside Beltline 10K last Saturday), yet I would still be fully rested by Sunday morning. 

On Saturday I went to the Expo downtown, to pick up my race packet and look over accessories and perhaps sit in on one of the presentations.  I decided to sign up with the 2:00 pace team, which would alternate intervals of 4 minutes running, 1 minute walking.  For my long runs, I was training with those intervals, and that had been working well for me.  But I was concerned that my longest training run had been 12 miles.  I just could not work a longer run into my schedule.  Ultimately it was the following arithmetic that convinced me that I should try for the 2:00 pace team:

10 miles in 1:31:13   +   3.1 miles in 0:25:06   ---->  13.1 miles in 1:56:19

ignoring that those distances and times were not run on the same day, not even in the same month....

I had also picked up a slight upper respiratory issue, starting on Friday night.  It wasn't too serious - Bonnie had a worse case - but I wasn't quite 100%.  Some DayQuil and NetiPot treatment helped on the morning of the race.  Fortunately the ankle was feeling fine and overall I felt that I was in good shape to begin the half-marathon. 

It was a cool morning, in the high-30's at best, but the sky was completely clear and it was a beautiful day for running.  When we reached the starting area on 11th Street, just west of Peachtree Road and north of the Federal Reserve Building, I was surprised to learn that I would be in the first corral!  I introduced myself to the women leading the 2:00 pace team and stretched a little in place while waiting for the start.  We were quite close to the starting line, with only the 1:30 pace group in front of us.  I looked around and somehow the 1:45 pace group was at least 50 feet behind us and to the right!  That probably wasn't supposed to happen.  At least they weren't directly behind us, otherwise there might have been a problem in the first mile.  

As the time drew close to 8:00 am, Bill Rodgers and Jeff Galloway each made some welcoming comments, another runner sang the National Anthem, and then it was time to begin.  The energy of the runners was incredibly high - this is always one of the best parts of running in a big race.  With a 10-second countdown, we were off!  I crossed the starting line within a few seconds of the start, 6 second delay according to the official results.

About 10 seconds after the start

The first two blocks were downhill, across Peachtree Street and a right turn on Juniper Street.  At the turn, a guy was holding a sign reading "Only 13.0 miles to go!"  After 4 minutes we took our first walk break.  The 1:45 pace group streamed past on our right.  At the mile 1 marker, my watch read 9:09 elapsed, which was exactly the time required for a 2 hour race.  Amazing how good the pacers were, even with downhill and uphill sections.  My attention was briefly distracted by the wonderful scent of Krispy Kreme donuts as we made the turn from Ponce De Leon onto Central Park Place.  Why didn't the organizers arrange for a free donut aid station at the corner?!  Oh, that's a different race, see:

Running on E: Krispy Kreme Doughnut Dare 5K Recap

Likewise I passed the mile 2 marker at 18:08, as we turned onto Highland Avenue.  But I was having a little trouble keeping up with the pace group.  As we climbed a hill on Boulevard on the way to Freedom Parkway, I started to feel familiar but unwelcome soreness around the right ankle, the same one that I had sprained last weekend.  During the pace team's first walk break on Freedom Parkway, I nearly caught up to them by running, just in time for them to start running again.  I think that the run-walk-run method probably wasn't intended to give slower runners a chance to catch up, and I missed a walk break or two by doing that.  I last saw the 2:00 pace leaders when they were returning on the PATH trail at mile 4, shortly before I reached the turnaround myself.  Oh well, a 2:00 half-marathon wasn't realistic at all for me today, and I needed to be careful with the ankle if I wanted to be certain to finish.  I didn't spot the 2:10 pace group, but I did see the 2:30 flag merrily bobbing along Freedom Parkway as I was returning on the PATH trail myself, and was hoping that I could at least stay ahead of that group! 

The race route, with mile markers and important landmarks noted. 

The Krispy Kreme donut station in the second mile
was not manned, so I had to take a gel instead in mile 6.
Krispy Kreme would have tasted so much better!

We headed downhill to enter the Eastside Beltline at the Freedom Parkway underpass.  I was buoyed by a sense of familiar turf, and was proceeding on my own 4 minute : 1 minute run : walk cycle.  As I neared the mile 5 marker, the pounding footsteps of the 2:10 pace herd caught up with me.  I sped up a bit to keep up with them.  They were on a 3 minute : 1 minute run : walk cycle, but I had to press to keep up with them on the running stages.  Spotting the water station at the northern end of the Beltline, I decided to take a gel at that point, hoping that the energy and caffeine would help speed me up.  Just as I was rolling the goo into my mouth (those things really stiffen up in the cold), I saw Bonnie taking my photo!  Oops!  

I walked through the water stop to wash down the gel, then made a sharp U-turn to get onto Virginia Avenue.  I had kept up with the 2:10 pace group to this stage, but I could sense them slipping away.  There were many spectators at this corner, and it was great to hear them cheering us on.  Shortly after passing the 6-mile marker, I spotted the broken patch of sidewalk where I fell and fractured my collarbone in April.  I gave the spot a long, silent glare, as I jogged past. 

The saga of the broken collarbone

Shortly after turning right onto Ponce De Leon Place, we passed the 10K marker and a timing mat.  I checked my watch, 1:00 hour elapsed.  I muttered to the runner next to me, "My slowest 10-K ever."  Thank goodness for the advice I had read somewhere, perhaps in Runner's World: sometimes it just isn't your day.  In any case, I was going to set a personal record today as long as I finished!  At the turn onto St. Charles Avenue, a spectator was holding a sign "Press here for energy boost!"  Most runners were tapping the sign with one hand, I used two to get the maximum boost, I really needed it!   After passing the 7-mile marker, I turned north onto Highland Avenue, passing several familiar stores and restaurants, including Surin of Thailand, where I was taken to dinner on my Emory interview in 1998.  As we approached the intersection of Virginia with Highland, the neighborhood fondly known to locals as "Virginia-Highland", I spotted a familiar face at the Run with DONNA 26.2 water stop: Elisabeth, the author of Running on E!  It was great to meet face-to-face, even if just for a few seconds in passing.  She handed me a cup of water, I gave her a high-five, and was pumped up by the cheering and upbeat music at the corner.  

Running on E, 26.2 with DONNA Training Week 3

Virginia Avenue was brightly decorated with signs advertising the 26.2 with DONNA in Jacksonville in February.  This was a long, easy downhill stretch, although I just focused on keeping a steady pace.  Shortly after passing the 8-mile marker, we came again to the intersection with Ponce De Leon Place (which is Park Drive to the north).  A priest was standing in his robes, on the steps of his church on the corner, cheering us on!  Turning onto Park Drive, and then a left on Monroe Drive, brought us to the southeast corner of Piedmont Park.  Shortly after turning onto 10th Street, I saw Bonnie standing at the 9-mile marker!  

At mile 9

I said to her, "I'm moving slowly, but I'm gonna finish!"  At this point my elapsed time was 1:30: in late October I was approaching the finish line of the 10-miler at 1:30.  10th Street was mostly uphill so I took it easy until the turn onto Piedmont Avenue at the Flying Biscuit, where there were quite a few spectators, perhaps not completely by choice....

The first part of Piedmont Avenue was also uphill, but I knew that after 14th Street there would be a long downhill stretch to the intersection with Monroe Drive.  Upon reaching the 10-mile marker, I told myself, only 5K to go, I can definitely do this.  I took a second gel at this point, for another boost of energy.  My time at that stage was 1:40, so I was thinking that I could manage a 25-minute 5K.  But that would mean catching up to and passing the 2:10 pace group, which was nowhere in sight.  We passed the beautiful Botanical Gardens on our right and the elegant Ansley Park neighborhood to our left, as we approached the busy intersection with Monroe Drive.  At this stage I caught up to a boy who had been running with a Santa beard, although by this stage, the beard was off to the side.  He seemed to be struggling a bit, and I asked him, "Is this your first half-marathon?"  "Yes, sir" he answered.  "Mine too" I replied.  We turned into the north end of Piedmont Park together, around the 11-mile mark.  Only 2.1 miles to go, I can definitely do this.  This part of the park opened within the past year, and is a really nice new gateway into the park.  This should have been the best part of the race - it was certainly designed that way - but my ankle was really starting to bother me.  I was probably on a 1 : 1 run : walk ratio by this point, but the important thing was to finish.  It seemed to take forever to get through the park to the meadow at the southeastern end (13:15 minutes for mile 12, to be exact) and then there were a few more bends in the route than I had originally expected.  Finally I spotted the lake, and was on the walkway where I had finished the Atlanta AIDS 5K two months ago.

Atlanta AIDS 5K, October 19, 2014

By this point I was walking more than running.  Turning the corner at the Boathouse, a big group of volunteers from TAPS, a veterans service organization and one of the race sponsors, was cheering us on.  One woman was calling my name, and through a mental haze, I heard "Frank! Frank! You can do it! You're almost there!"  I sped back up to a slow trot and was rewarded with enthusiastic cheers.  TAPS volunteers, if any of you are reading this, thanks a million!  You really helped! 

Finally I could see the outer bank of the Active Oval.  I had been able to hear the announcer for most of the final third of the race as we circled Piedmont Park, and now could clearly hear every word.  I felt like I was mostly alone, then heard the steps of a woman approach and pass me, as I was walking again.  I resolved that I would walk the southern curve of the Oval, and then break into a jog right before I could see the finish line - and right before the people waiting at the finish could see me.  Bum ankle or not, I was going to run across the finish line!  And there it was, the most beautiful sight in the world!  The clock was showing 2:19 and some seconds, so I was happy that I was going to finish faster than the round number of 2:20.  The announcer called out "And here comes Frank McDonald, from Tucker Georgia!"  I raised my hands to acknowledge the announcer, and as I approached the finish line, I gave a huge fist pump in celebration!  2:19:42 on the clock, 2:19:36 chip time. 

           My first half-marathon - DONE!!!                                        Oh, the pain!

Volunteers handed out medals - what a huge piece of bling!  And there was a short line of finishers taking photos with Jeff Galloway.  I limped up to him with my hand out to shake his hand, mumbled "It was a great route - This was my first half-marathon!" and he replied "I hope that you'll join us next year!"  I promised him that I would!  So I'm definitely committed, I gave the man my word.  

Goal C: To finish my first half-marathon. Achieved!  

Goal B: To finish with a smile!  

Done!!

Goal A: To finish in 1:59:59!! 

Well, that clearly wasn't realistic.  But there is plenty of room for improvement. 

Mile splits: 9:09, 9:09, 9:35, 9:56, 9:49, 10:19, 10:55, 10:46, 10:34, 10:37, 11:18, 13:15, 13:18, and 1:06 for the last 0.1 mile. 

The medal is really heavy! 

The only downside of the entire experience (other than the sore ankle): even though I had brought a change of clothes, I was so tired when I returned to the car that I didn't change out of the soaked shirt.  I began to suffer a mild case of hypothermia on the way home.  That was a little scary when my hands began to shake, but I tried to hide it from Bonnie because I didn't want her to worry.  Fortunately she was driving, and it was less than a 30-minute drive home.  I staggered into the house, took a warm shower, put on a sweater and burrowed under the covers for a 2 - 3 hour nap.  My brain was a little fuzzy for the rest of the day (hence no same-day race report) but I had recovered by the time of my first meeting with a student this morning.  Avoiding post-race hypothermia: an important learning experience for the next time around. 

December 6, 2014: The Eastside Beltline 10K, year 2

Goal C: To improve on my 2013 time of 55:45

Goal B: To challenge my 10K PR of 54:33

Goal A: To finish 10K in less than 54 minutes

Goal: To finish without injury on a wet course

In repeating the Eastside Beltline 10K - my first 10K one year ago - I had carefully mapped out a strategy for finishing with a new PR on one of my favorite in-town routes.  I had found 5-minute marks along the course that were all definitely reachable if I just trimmed a few seconds in each leg from last year's run, which I felt was realistic in light of my improved conditioning.  I just forgot about one little thing:

Sometimes it rains in Atlanta.

In the week leading up to the race day, the likelihood for rain in the forecast kept rising.  The drizzle began as I was heading home last night, and it was still raining when I awoke on race day.  So now the point would simply be to dress to stay as dry as possible, finish without injury or incident, and try to find enjoyment in the camaraderie of running with other fools in the rain! 

When we arrived and parked around 9 am, it was drizzling, but as we walked toward the starting area, a cloudfull of rain fell out of the sky.  We ran back to the car but we were thoroughly drenched.  Great, exactly what I didn't want to happen, to get soaked well before the race had even begun.  But after about 15 minutes, it tapered off to a drizzle, and looking at the weather radar, it looked like it would clear up for awhile.  Around 9:30 I walked to the start, on Krog Street just outside of Rathbun's Steakhouse, where there was a large sheltered outdoor area.  The temperature was mild (mid 50's F) and I was wearing a light rain jacket over a poly-T-shirt, but I felt a bit chilled due to the dampness.  I tried to stretch a little and joined some of the warm-up exercises, but wasn't really into it.  The pre-race announcements warned of wet leaves on the path, and to be especially cautious while running the unpaved trail that would be the third mile of the race.  Basically we were discouraged from trying to set any personal records today, and advised to just focus on running safely.  

Fortunately the drizzle came to an end, just as we left the shelter of the gathering area to the starting area on Krog Street.  I found myself in the back quarter of the pack, but chatted for a moment with another Emory professor, Patrick Allitt from the History department, running his first race since the Peachtree Road Race in 1990.  I then decided to move up about 50 feet, to get well in front of a runner with a stroller.  As I looked ahead, I could see some breaks in the clouds!  We might get lucky once again, with the rain ending shortly before the race began! 

I didn't hear the signal to start, but suddenly I could see the runners in front begin to move.  I began walking, started my timer, reached the start line, and we were off!  Despite being in the middle of the pack, everyone around me was moving at a reasonable pace.  A quick left turn onto Irwin Street was followed by a right turn onto the southern terminus of the Eastside Beltline.  I was moving a bit slower than I could have run, but I also wanted to be sure of my footing on the wet concrete, and I definitely wanted to avoid starting too quickly.  On the other hand, the Beltline descends 110 feet in elevation over 2 miles, so this would be the easier part of the race.  We passed familiar landmarks, Parish restaurant, and under the Highland Avenue overpass.  As we approached the Freedom Parkway underpass, I saw Bonnie on the right side of the path!  I gave her a big smile as I ran past. 

We had run less than 1 mile when this was taken.  I don't know the reason
  for the expression on the face of the guy in front of me.
Maybe he was disappointed that his wife wasn't there to take his photo! 

This would have been the first 5-minute landmark, but my time was around 5:30 at that stage.  Oh well, as long as I didn't exceed 60 minutes, it would be a satisfactory run.  And I was pleased to note that I reached the 1-mile marker just north of the Ralph McGill overpass in less than 9 minutes, 8:45 according to my tracker. 

In the next mile, I found myself running at the end of a pack with no one immediately behind me.  After a few minutes the gap behind me had closed, and some of those runners began to pass me.  I was tempted to speed up a bit, but remembering how tired I had been on the return leg in last year's race, I wanted to save some energy for the last two miles.  I did feel that I was running at a very consistent pace, which was confirmed at the 2-mile marker in 8:55, 17:40 elapsed.  

The race route, labeled with mile markers. 

Passing the water stop, we crossed Monroe Drive and began the third mile on the unpaved part of the trail.  Even though I knew from the elevation map that the elevation would drop another 40 feet in this mile, this part of the route is always a rough patch under the best conditions.  With mud and large puddles scattered along the trail, it was impossible to go too quickly, and we were weaving from side-to-side on the trail trying to keep our feet dry.  A couple of times I felt my feet slip just a tiny bit in some of the muddiest spots.  At the checkpoint where I had hoped to arrive in 20 minutes, I was at 22 minutes even, whereas last year I had reached the same spot in 20:42.  I just hoped that I might be able to make up some time in the final mile or two.  Finally we reached the end of the trail, turned left on Winchester, and up and down a 30-foot hill that wasn't on the map, but veteran runners knew it would be there.  Indeed I could pick out the rookies in this race: they were the ones complaining about the surprise hill.  I just took my time going uphill, watching my heart rate monitor to avoid spiking.  Indeed this is where my race had literally gone downhill last year, and then I had struggled for the second half of the race.  As we turned into Piedmont Park, I didn't see a 3-mile marker but it would have been in this area, which I passed at 26:59.  I had covered that difficult third mile in 9:19, which would have pleased me if I had known it at the time.  But all I knew at that moment was that I was about one minute behind last year's pace. 

Within a few hundred feet of entering Piedmont Park, Patrick caught up with me.  I picked up my pace a bit to keep up with him.  He told me that he started running again on the advice of his physician. (Professors have great jobs but the work of reading and writing is quite sedentary, and delivering a lecture even while standing and writing on a board does not burn off many calories.)  After we passed the dog park, Patrick moved ahead of me, and I resolved to try to catch up to him later in the race.  The 4-mile marker was ahead as the park sidewalk joined the walk parallel to 10th Street, 36:24 elapsed and 9:25 for the fourth mile, which overall had been about 20 feet uphill through gently rolling terrain on a comfortable asphalt path.  Although I was still a little behind last year's pace, I was feeling much stronger and felt that I had a good chance to enjoy a strong finish.

Crossing Monroe Drive again, I could see Patrick about 20 seconds ahead of me.  Even though we were going uphill, I felt that I was running strongly.  Moreover, the sidewalk was much drier on the return leg, as it hadn't rained in the last 45 minutes and hundreds of other runners had undoubtably helped to dry the path on the outbound leg.  Very gradually, I found myself catching up to runners in front of me, then passing them.  In contrast to last year's race, no one was passing me!  As the familiar landmark of Ponce City Market grew nearer, I felt that I might be chipping away just a bit at last year's time. I remembered that I had struggled mightily at this stage of last year's race.  Upon reaching the 5-mile marker at the North Avenue overpass, I noticed that 45:45 had elapsed, 9:21 for the fifth mile.  I would really have to hustle to finish faster than last year's time.  I began to accelerate a bit more, and from time to time I was passing other runners.  But Patrick remained about the same distance ahead of me.  Good for him, he was running a strong race, and that had motivated me to run a little faster than I might have run otherwise.  Upon reaching the Freedom Parkway underpass at 51:20, knowing that it had taken 5-1/2 minutes to reach that point running downhill in the first part of the race, it sank in that I was unlikely to beat last year's time, even though I had more gas in the tank this year.  Although there were not many spectators, they were vocal with their support and that helped a lot.  A small group under the Freedom Parkway underpass cheered even louder when they saw me acknowledge their encouragement with a thumbs-up.  Even if I couldn't beat last year's time, I was determined to finish strongly. 

I kept passing the occasional runner, but then as I passed by Parish restaurant, I heard footsteps behind me.  At first I thought that the runner passing me was a woman that I had passed a moment earlier who had taken a walk break, but then I realized that the logo on the back of her T-shirt was different - she had completed the 2014 New York City Marathon.  She was undoubtably managing an even better finish than I, probably truly hitting negative splits in her second half.  But I'm proud to say that she was the only runner to pass me on the return leg of the Beltline.  I was starting to feel tired, as if I had begun my final push a quarter-mile too early, but I was still feeling much better than I remembered feeling at this stage last year.  On the other hand, Patrick opened up a bit more of a gap ahead of me, and I finally conceded that I was not going to catch up to him today.  I could see the Old Fourth Ward water tower rising ahead, as a landmark that the finish line was not far.  I didn't see the 6-mile marker as I reached the end of the Beltline, but that was at 55:00 elapsed, 9:15 for the sixth mile. 

I turned strongly onto Irwin Street, then through a well-guarded intersection onto Krog Street.  The great thing about this race, is that as soon as you turn onto Krog Street, you can see the FINISH banner even though it is a few hundred feet down the street.  The clock was well past 56 minutes when I could first read the numbers, and it was inevitable that it would reach 57 minutes before I finished, but I knew that subtracting some time from the start, at least I would finish with a chip time less than 57 minutes.  57:06 according to the finish line photo, 56:56 on my tracker, 56:48 chip time.  I saw Bonnie waiting with camera in hand, and after crossing the finish line I saw Patrick stopped ahead checking his time.  I slowed to shake his hand and congratulated him on a good race. 

Nearing the finish --- crossing the line --- and done!!

As soon as I slowed after the finish line, I felt quite a bit of pain in my right ankle.  %$#*&@!!!   I must have sprained my ankle somewhere along the route!  I don't know where it happened but it might have been in a slippery area along the unpaved trail.  Although I had felt a twinge of discomfort in the right ankle, it had not been too painful while I was running, and I didn't feel that it had slowed me down.  But my goodness, I could hardly walk afterwards!  Fortunately it wasn't swollen, and taking off the shoe and changing into dry socks and shoes helped.  And as I write this afternoon, it isn't too painful.  But I will be taking it very easy in the coming week, so that it can heal before I attempt my first half-marathon, eight days from now. 

Ouch!  My ankle hurts!!  ---  the curative power of a donut  ---  I ran 6.2 miles and all I got was....this fantastic T-shirt!

Goal: To finish without injury on a wet course

Achieved?  Depends on how the ankle feels in a few days.

When I checked my splits, I was very pleased with my consistency.  Although overall I was a little slower than I would have liked, I don't think that I've ever run a race with such small variance in the splits, so that is definitely progress.  

Mile splits: 8:45, 8:55, 9:19, 9:25, 9:21, 9:15
Kilometer splits: 5:16, 5:30, 5:42, 5:36, 5:53, 5:53, 5:54, 5:49, 5:38, 5:45

And every mile was faster than 10 minutes / every kilometer was faster than 6 minutes, so that was another general goal achieved with substantial improvement over last year. 

November 27, 2014: Bay Area Turkey Day 10K

Goal B: to compare ease or difficulty of running on a level route in suburban Houston vs. hilly routes in Atlanta

Goal A: challenging my PR of 54:33

We visited my mother and family in Houston for the Thanksgiving holiday break.  She recently moved to Clear Lake City, a planned community on the southeast side of Houston that was built about 50 years ago for NASA employees at the Johnson Space Center.  My aunt and uncle have lived in Clear Lake since the mid-1960's, and my uncle is a retired engineer who formerly worked at Lockheed.  He contributed to several NASA projects, from the Apollo moon landings to the first space shuttles and the space station.  I grew up about 100 miles to the east, near the Louisiana border.  This region is on the coastal plain of Texas, near the Gulf of Mexico.  In short, this area is flat, flat, flat.  We decided that it would be fun to run a Thanksgiving race in my mother's town, as we would be away for the Atlanta Half-Marathon and its associated races.  We found a race that started just a couple of miles from her house, with a 5K and 10K along with a 1K kids race. 

This was the first race that we had run outside of metro Atlanta, and was also the first race on a completely flat course.  YAY, NO HILLS!  Although it was tempting to think that a flat route would be much easier than the hilly routes of Atlanta, I also knew that one advantage of hills, especially a gently rolling hilly course, were that different groups of muscles were used for uphill vs. level vs. downhill running, meaning that the other groups were rested at stages of hilly races.  So this would be a learning experience.  Nonetheless I was hoping that I might be able to set a PR on a flat course, and plotted out a race strategy along those lines from studying the course map.  

We drove the route the day before the race, although I didn't measure distances on the 'reconaissance' drive.  A small bridge over a stream was the only noticeable 'hill', and after I had run the race, the elevation map showed a narrow range from 17 to 24 feet, not surprisingly.  The evening before the race, we went to the Houston Zoo to see the holiday lights (very nicely done, highly recommended if you're in Houston in the coming weeks).  We had enjoyed a big lunch and so skipped dinner before heading to the zoo, but on the way home, we just had to stop at Taqueria Arandas near Hobby Airport (also highly recommended, if you like authentic Mexican cuisine - not Tex-Mex).  Against all advice to avoid eating spicy foods the night before the race, I enjoyed hot salsa and jalapeño peppers with la torta barbacoa.  Fortunately I have a fairly strong stomach and I didn't think that it would cause me problems in the race, although I did have difficulty falling asleep until after midnight. 

On the morning of the race, the weather was sunny and pleasantly cool but not cold, 52 deg F shortly before the start.  There was a bit of marine breeze at times, and most people were wearing jackets and even gloves, whereas I was wearing a T-shirt and shorts and a cap, although I didn't feel too cold.  I had stretched at home and warmed up in the parking lot near the start of the race, but my right calf was 'tight'.  I tried stretching it out a bit more while waiting for the start, but it was still sore.  I was hoping that it would loosen up in the first mile or two of the run.  The morning's events began with a children's 1K race, starting promptly at 7:30.  That was a lot of fun to watch, ranging from some very fast winners, to reluctant participants bringing the rear with parents encouraging them forward.  One little girl tripped over a speed bump in the parking lot, although fortunately didn't seem to be injured as she resumed running to the finish line after she was helped to her feet.  Although the speed bump was small, I knew that I would need to watch out for it at the end of my race, when I might be tired.   

Then it was our turn to line up.  I estimated that there were several hundred participants altogether, and took quick photos of the crowd about a minute before the start. 

In front of me                                                                            and behind me

We were given the signal to begin around 7:43 am, and I crossed the start line after about 20 seconds.  Although there were a lot of people in my area, we were mostly moving at the same speed and so it was not difficult to get off to a good start.  Out of the parking lot, left at Moonrock Drive, another left onto Falcon Pass, and then right onto Space Center Boulevard.  We only had one protected lane although there was very little automobile traffic, but a car did pass every minute or two.  I had hoped to reach the turn-off point for the 5K at Village Brook Street before the 5-minute mark, but that estimate was way off.  At least half of the runners in my area continued forward on Space Center Blvd.  I reached the one-mile marker at 8:17, which faster than the planned 8:45 pace to match my PR.  I did reach the 10-minute and 15-minute marks, perhaps due to the faster pace.  Unfortunately my right calf was still feeling 'tight' but it didn't seem to be affecting my running to this point.  I resolved to walk through water stations to give my legs and lungs a short break, and the first water station was right after we turned into the neighborhood on Pineloch Drive.  I reached the two-mile marker in 8:40 (16:57 elapsed). 

The neighborhood featured nice upper-middle-class houses, mostly 2-story houses with medium-sized lawns.  There were very few people watching our race.  I did reach the 20-minute mark as planned, although that would be the last mark that I made for the rest of the race.  As we worked our way to the golf course of the Bay Oaks Country Club, I noticed that I was being passed on a regular basis.  I was slowing down a bit, but I felt in a comfortable-enough groove.  I definitely wanted to save some energy for a strong finish, so I let them go, hoping that I could catch up to some of them in the final mile.  I reached the three-mile marker in 9:13 (26:10 elapsed), which I thought was similar to my time at this stage in the Cartersville 10K in early October, where I had set my sub-55 minute PR.  Turning left onto Clear Lake Boulevard, we turned left again onto Lofty Mountain Trail.  Despite the name of the street, this stretch was absolutely flat.  I was disappointed to reach the four-mile marker in 9:34 (35:44 elapsed) but my overall time seemed to be the same to this stage in the Cartersville 10K.  Turning back onto Pineloch Drive, I slowed to a walk at the water station, dropping my cup into a garbage can as I turned left onto Space Center Blvd for the return trip.  

I picked up my pace a bit while turning the corner.  The tightness in my calf finally seemed to abate a bit, more than four miles in, and I was just going to put the pain out of my mind.  I was keeping up with the runners around me and felt that I could maintain this pace to the end.  Upon reaching the 5-mile marker, I had not yet heard the 45-minute marker, so I was starting to feel encouraged; 9:05 (44:49 elapsed).  I estimated that I was about one minute behind my desired pace, and wasn't sure that I could make up the time, but it was just a bit more than one mile to go.  Then we passed by the one-mile marker, indicating one mile to the start-finish line.  It was only at this stage that I realized that at 47 minutes, not only going was I going to miss a PR, but I would have to hustle to avoid exceeding 56 minutes.  I was less concerned that I wasn't setting a PR, but was annoyed that I had not even realized that I was that far off the desired pace before this late stage of the race.  I realized later that this was a consequence of not having mapped distances by driving the route with the tracker.  I don't know if I could have run any faster, but at least I would not have had some false confidence that I was closer to the finish than I actually was. 

Nonetheless I was able to move into a higher gear - although not as strong as I felt in the last mile of the Cartersville 10K.  I very gradually caught up to and passed a couple of runners ahead of me, although I hardly blew past them.  Then the walkers in the 5K race rejoined us, sharing a common route to the finish.  The runners were passing them to the left, as we turned left onto Falcon Pass.  I managed to pass one more runner shortly before turning right onto Moonrock.  Then I heard footsteps coming up behind me, and sped up a bit more.  As I turned right into the parking lot, the other runner on my right was able to pull up even with me.  I kicked forward strongly, determined that he wasn't going to pass me without working hard for it, and felt him gradually drop back.  

As I got close enough to the finish line to read the clock, I saw the time at 55:40.  I wasn't going to let that clock show 56 minutes to my face if I could help it!  I sped up even more, but taking care not to get tripped up by the speed bumps!  The seconds ticked by quickly but so did the yards.  The last reading on the clock that I saw was 55:58, then I crossed the timing mats.  After it was over I saw my official 'gun' time was 55:59.9!  Chip time was 55:38.6, which was my fourth-best time in the 10K distance and probably right around my average time. 

Mile splits: 8:12, 8:40, 9:13, 9:34, 9:05, 9:05, and 1:44 for the final 0.22 miles, just under an 8 minute per mile pace.

Kilometer splits: 5:08, 5:13, 5:17, 5:44, 5:45, 5:53, 5:58, 5:35, 5:41, 5:22.  

I was initially disappointed with my time, but I think that the question about hills or flat was now been answered: the difference is probably not significant.  In fact I might even be better trained for hill running, as long as the route isn't net uphill.  

Goal B: to compare ease or difficulty of running on a level route in suburban Houston vs. hilly routes in Atlanta: for me the difference must not be significant. 

Goal A: challenging my PR of 54:33: not achieved, but 55:38 will be my baseline for future years.

Bonnie achieved a PR in the 5K distance, so I'm sure that she will also want to run this one again.  She was delighted (and I was happy for her) that I didn't lap her in my 10K quest, and I was rewarded by her speed with her capture of my finish-line photo, above. 

http://ontheruntx.com/Results/turkeyday10k2014.htm

Next: the Eastside Atlanta Beltline 10K, December 6

  

November 8, 2014: The Uptown Rhodes Race 5K, year 2

Goal C: to improve on last year's time of 27:46

Goal B: to improve on overall PR of 25:23

Goal A: to run a 5K faster than 25:00

Today there were three major marathons and half-marathon events in the state of Georgia, in Chickamauga, Columbus, and Savannah.  It turns out that I know at least one of the runners in each of today's half-marathons.  But for me, it was a local 5K, in Ansley Park.  Last year I ran this race in 27:46, but with all of the training that I've done in the past year, I was confident that I would do much better.  Running longer distances has certainly helped my endurance and speed in the shorter races. 

Last year's race route had been modified from previous years, to avoid a street construction project, and this year's route would return to the traditional route.  The significant changes would be the first half-mile and the last few hundred yards including the finish line.  The challenging hills of Ansley Park would still be there!  

I had decided last night that I would try a longer warm up than usual, to see if that would improve my speed in the real race.  I had intended to run about 2 miles of the course, but I was feeling good and enjoying the fall foliage at a casual pace of about 10 minutes per mile, so my reconnaissance ended up covering the entire 5K course.  That's right, I jogged a 5K an hour before I ran the same route on the clock! 

As we lined up for the 9:00 start, I saw a woman wearing an orange New York City Marathon jacket near the front row.  If you check last year's blog entry, you will see that I kept fairly close to "Ms. NYC Marathon" for much of the race:

Uptown Rhodes Race, November 9, 2013 account

As we started, she took off with the leaders, and after a few hundred feet, I never caught sight of her again, until we were standing around on the Rhodes Hall lawn after the finish.  I thought that I had trained a lot this year, but she was much faster this year. 

The race route, with miles circled in magenta, and kilometers in red. 

Back to my own race: I got off to a quick start.  The first part of the route was downhill, and while I was going much faster than my ideal pace, the run was easy, my heartrate was only about 150 beats per minute, and I knew that I would be behind my desired overall pace if I didn't start quickly.  I had marked 5-minute goals corresponding to km markers, and the first 5-minute alert came shortly after passing Beverly Road, slightly ahead of plan.  Here the road turned rather sharply downhill and I glided down quite quickly, behind a couple and their dogs.  I was amused that the dogs seemed to be trotting along so easily, looking around, while I was running at near my maximum speed.  Another runner dashed by with her dog, seemingly pulling her along!  It didn't take long to get to the bridge crossing the creek near the Ansley Golf Clubhouse, in 7:22 elapsed for mile 1.  

As we turned left to loop around the residences overlooking the golf course, I was pleased that the leaders were not already on the return leg.  The 10-minute alert came after the 2 km turn, before we turned south onto Montgomery Ferry Road, again ahead of schedule. 

The morning was beautiful and the weather was ideal for running, probably 45 deg F.  I could hear a golfer say "Play fast or play well" as I raced by.  Getting back into the neighborhood, I passed the 3 km mark at the turn south from Avery Drive, before hearing the 15 minute alert followed shortly by the 2-mile mark, at 15:51 elapsed (8:29 for mile 2).  Although this section was uphill, this year it was manageable, but I was passed by a man pushing a double stroller!  Nevertheless, I wasn't slowing too badly.  Only one other person passed me in this section, and I was able to pass a few people who had slowed to a walk in this section - and I didn't see them again. 

The elevation map.  The fourth kilometer was definitely uphill! 

Running up Winchester Road, the rise in elevation was gentle, then downhill as we crossed the Prado, then gently uphill again.  The 20 minute alert sounded shortly before I reached Peachtree Circle, close to schedule for a 25 minute 5K finish if I maintained pace.  Ahead I saw a runner's dog depositing a speed bump in the right lane - no doggie bag (!) so I had to deviate to the left of the straight line path.  A boy was briefly overcome by the odor and I took advantage of his temporary disability to dash past him - and I didn't see him again either. 

Turning onto Peachtree Circle, I vowed to finish strongly.  The road was gently uphill for the first block, then leveled out and I pushed into a higher gear.  As I approached the traffic circle at the intersection with the Prado, I caught up with and passed another runner who seemed to be struggling.  Around the curve, looking ahead for the finish line,  I could hear the sounds of cheers ahead before I actually saw the line.  But behind me, the sound of footsteps was unmistakeable.  I sped up some more, but about 20 yards before the finish line, the runner that I had just passed caught up to me and passed me strongly. I had to concede with a smile but was delighted to hear the 25-minute alert at the very moment that I crossed the finish line.  My tracker had recorded 24:25 elapsed at the 3-mile marker and 25:06 at the finish line.  Unfortunately the race clock was stuck on 25:30 as I approached the finish line!  But after I finished, I saw that there were a couple of men with counters recording bib numbers as we crossed, so my time would be accurately recorded. 

Although this race was not a certified course or a Peachtree qualifier, I did manage a personal record for the 5K distance, official time 25:06.4!    

Goal C: to improve on last year's time of 27:46:  Achieved!!!

Goal B: to improve on overall PR of 25:23:  Achieved!!

Goal A: to run a 5K faster than 25:00:  Not quite, but very close!

Mile splits: 7:22 (106 ft downhill), 8:29 (37 ft uphill), 8:34 (42 ft uphill)

Km splits: 4:37 (13 ft downhill), 4:47 (89 ft downhill), 5:14 (15 ft uphill), 5:34 (69 ft uphill), 4:54 (1 ft uphill)

It was nice to compare with my splits from 2013, to see how much progress I've made:
Mile splits in 2013 were 7:37, 9:00, 9:32; Km splits were 4:49, 5:00, 5:26, 6:06, 5:42. My uphill running has definitely improved. 

Georgia Trust Uptown Rhodes Race