January 16, 2016: Livvy's Love 8K

Goal C: To test a run-walk strategy in a 5-mile race

Goal B: To better my time from 2015, 43:27

Goal A: To finish ahead of Curtis Walker!

The Livvy's Love Foundation was founded by a local family to honor the memory of their daughter, Olivia Hayes, who died tragically in a school bus accident several years ago.  For five years in a row, the foundation has organized an 8K race around the base of Stone Mountain, as well as a 5K option.  The race is held on the Saturday before Martin Luther King Day.  

The main reason for today's run/walk

The race is a fundraiser with many connections to Tucker High School, including sponsoring college scholarships for deserving seniors from Tucker High School.  I'm proud to see Emory University represented among the colleges and universities that have admitted Olivia Hayes Memorial Scholars.  At this morning's event, one of the first graduates of the scholarship program was introduced and honored. 

To date, Olivia Hayes Memorial Scholarships have supported students at 15 colleges and universities. 

In the past year, Curtis and Kathie Walker, my coaches from the 2014 Peachtree-In-Training course, have led the formation of the Tucker Running Club, a casual Facebook-centered group "For those who run/walk in, around or through Tucker and wish to socialize with others who do the same."  At age 69, Curt's an experienced runner, and I think that the only Tucker Running Club regulars that are faster than him are no more than half his age.  Kathie, a few years younger, is also a strong runner, and was consistently faster than me until an Achilles tendon injury about a year ago.  After a long recovery period lasting several months, she is back to running regularly (and hopefully pain-free), and I'm trying to stay ahead of her current pace as she continues to rebuild her strength and speed.  I've been running most Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, with groups varying from a few to as many as 20 on a few occasions.  I thought that it would be great to run this race with our Tucker Running Club shirts - now into a second edition! 

Curt Walker, Kathie Walker, Judy Tennell with P.J., me, and Bonnie Youn

Between recent cold weather, few daylight hours, and a grant proposal deadline last Wednesday, I haven't run much in 2016.  Notwithstanding the work/life balance, I've wondered what is the right run/rest balance, maintaining conditioning while allowing minor pains to heal.  I ran for the first time in about 10 days on Wednesday evening before the race, which felt good, then took it easy on Thursday and Friday.  Curt Walker was teasing me on Wednesday asking me to pace him.  I don't think that he could be serious, but then in the Resolution Run (4-miler) on New Year's Day, my time was only 4 seconds slower than Curt's.  I still think that he can outrun me in any head-to-head competition, but I was happy to start with him and see how things went today.  

Norman Hayes started off the 8K runners first, with the 5K runners behind us.  Curt was standing a step or two in front and to the left of me, but with the signal to start, Curt jumped out 10 steps ahead of me in the first few seconds!  I got off to a relatively quick start, but was behind two friends who were running around an 8:30 pace, which was about what I had planned for the first mile, to avoid starting too fast.  I had set my Garmin on a 4:00 min run / 0:30 min walk cycle, and for once elected to take the first walk break even though I didn't really need it.  I walked for about 15 seconds and then got back up to speed as I heard other runners coming up behind me.  The first mile was uphill (36 ft net elevation gain) but I finished it in 8:20, with Curt about 10 seconds ahead of me.  In the second mile, there was a wonderful and long downhill section.  I really sped up in this section, flying past a couple of other runners, but Curt was running smoothly and stayed safely in front of me.  I finished the second mile in 7:50 (94 ft net elevation loss) and was just hoping that I hadn't run too fast in the beginning. 

Priscilla, another member of the Tucker Running Club, was volunteering and cheering at the Mile 2 water stop.  I timed the walk break to take a cup of water and drink it down, then got back up to speed.  Curt was running a steady pace throughout, but it didn't seem that I lost too much ground on him with 30 second walk breaks.  I would adjust the timing of the walk breaks a bit so that I was always running on every downhill section and taking the walk break going uphill, and the rolling hills allowed that strategy without too much deviation from the "schedule".  Unfortunately I was beginning to labor, breathing fairly loudly, but felt that I was still moving quickly in a few of the low downhill sections, keeping me at 8:39 pace for mile 3 (18 ft net elevation gain).   

The fourth mile was pretty tough for me, even though I discovered afterwards that it was 7 ft net elevation loss!  I started to estimate how far I was behind Curt Walker by counting as he passed a landmark ahead.  At three steps per second, I was about 20 seconds behind.  That really wasn't too bad, but it wasn't going to be easy to catch him either as long as he could maintain the pace.  I finished the fourth mile in 8:53, but this was before the big hill at the Stone Mountain Inn that is "the big one" that everyone talks about on the Stone Mountain running loop.  "The big one" started shortly after the four-mile sign.  I was grateful to hear the alert for a walk break about 2/3 of the way up, and the run alert sounded just as I was nearing the top.  But there was one more hill to go in that section, and I had to take another 30 second walk break to keep my heart rate at a safe level.  There I quickly glanced behind me for the first and only time, and didn't see anyone close behind me, so for the rest of the way it would likely just be Curt and me, dueling to the finish.  I assumed that Curt knew that I wasn't too far behind him from the loud volume of my breathing, although he said afterwards that he didn't hear me - so I guess I wasn't that close after all!  Anyway it was a beautiful feeling to reach the top of the last hill, and I had enough energy to run fast on a long downhill past a major intersection from the east entrance reaching the loop.  

"Got hills?" (from Phidippides training group notice on Facebook)

As I made the sharp left turn onto Hugh Howell Road heading to the finish, I took a quick look at my watch and saw 39:30 as the elapsed time.  That was great, as I recalled being beyond 40 minutes at that stage last year.  So whether or not I caught Curt, I knew that I was likely to improve on last year's time!  I wasn't taking any more walk breaks at this stage, trying to find additional motivation and energy to run faster.  For the rest of the race route, the road was gently uphill (actually not so gentle when I looked back downhill after the race).  When I could see the finish line far ahead, I started speeding up just a bit, then a bit more.  I felt like I was beginning to gain a bit on Curt, as I could hear the crowd cheering - cheering for the two old guys in the Tucker Running Club shirts who were obviously racing each other - and then I could read 41:40 on the clock.  I was thinking of last year's Peachtree Road Race when the eventual winner sped up to catch up with the leader in the last few hundred feet, and for a moment I thought that I might manage the same!  Then, I realized that Curt was also running faster, and then that I wasn't going to catch him.  He crossed the finish line shortly before 42 minutes, and with my heart screaming at me to slow down, I let off the gas just a bit before I crossed the line myself, at around 42:04 (8:22 for the last 0.97 miles).  

Overall I covered 4.97 miles (8.00 km exactly) in 42:04, which beat last year's mark by 1:23, so I was thrilled with that result.  I congratulated Curt and thanked him for being a great "rabbit", and I'm certain that chasing him shaved at least a minute off of my time, probably more.  I had managed to keep him in sight and not that far out in front for the entire race, yet remarkably I never caught up to him.  I started to put my hands on my knees to stop and catch my breath, but then Curt reminded me that it was important to keep walking and so we walked a couple of blocks together until I had caught my breath, and saw Kathie had crossed the line about one minute after we did.  

Katie Walker, first place 60 - 69 age group women
(with Nikki Hayes, left, and Norman Hayes Jr., right)

Curt Walker, second place 60 - 69 age group men

Judy and P. J. finishing the 8K

Bonnie inadvertently finishing 5 miles, but finishing STRONG!

The only hiccup with today's event was that the turnaround point for the 5 km out-and-back wasn't marked.  I remember looking for it in the second mile and didn't see it.  When we finished the 8K, I started looking for Bonnie's phone with "Find my phone" and saw that she was about 2 miles away from the start.  I was relieved to see her signal coming back around toward the start, and walked out to meet her.  At that point she had covered 4 miles (!) and I told her that the race organizers were asking 8K runners if any of us had seen the turnaround (no one did) so the 5K race was basically a bust, in terms of timing the distance covered.  Bonnie didn't turn around until she had reached the water station at the mile 2 marker - because if she had turned around earlier, she would have thought she was cheating!  Moreover, the 5K route had a long loop so that all racers, both 5K and 8K, reached the finish line from the same direction.  When we checked Bonnie's "Map My Run" afterwards, she had actually covered 5.00 miles, a tad more than the 8K race around the mountain!  Judy said that a runner asked her at the 3-mile mark about the turnaround point for the 5K, and Judy advised her (correctly) to just keep running around the mountain, because it would be shorter than turning around! 

Goal C: To test a run-walk strategy in a 5-mile race; that was very successful for me.  My Garmin showed that I covered most of the run segments at speeds between 7 - 8 mph, hitting 9.0 mph on a couple of downhills, including the last one about 1/2 mile from the finish.  There's no way that I could have managed that later in the race if I had not taken walk breaks. 

Goal B: To better my time from 2015, 43:27; Achieved!  I will update with official results if/when posted, but I think that the result will come between 42:00 - 42:05 (Jan 21 update: 42:03.8, 8:28 min/mi pace).  

Goal A: To finish ahead of Curtis Walker!  Not quite, but stayed close for every step of the race!  I'm very eager to see the official results, to see if I finished in the top 10 (Jan 21 update: 9th place!).  I didn't win an award this year, as there were two faster men in the 50 - 59 age group, but I was thrilled with my time!  This will be a difficult mark to improve on, but I hope that I can continue to make progress this year. 

P.S. I was interviewed after finishing by the local CBS television affiliate.  I'm not sure that I was terribly articulate - my brain doesn't work that well after extreme exertion, but I might make a brief appearance on the 6 pm news broadcast this evening!

P.P.S. A video posted by Livvy's Love begins with five Tucker Running Club members posing for a photo! 

January 1, 2016: Resolution Run 4-Miler

Goal C: To have a good run despite some concerns with the left leg;

Goal B: To break my 2014 time in the 4-miler of 35:49;

Goal A: To set a PR for the 4-miler, faster than 34:51.

Before beginning a short race recap, I'll share running goals set a year ago, and report on how I have managed.  In my January 1, 2015 post, my primary goals were to  1) run the 10K distance in less than 54 minutes, and 2) have a better experience in the half-marathon distance.  In summary, I'm pleased to report that I achieved both goals, in fact in the first quarter of 2015.  

1) I finished 2014 with a PR in the Cartersville 10K of 54:33.  Results for 2015: 

Peachtree City, 54:22 (PR)

Charles Harris Run for Leukemia, 54:43

Chattahoochee Road Race, 53:54 (PR)

Singleton, 53:50 (PR)

Memorial Day, 54:04

Peachtree Road Race, 54:38

Big Peach Sizzler, 54:19

Bay Area Turkey Run, 53:59

Eastside Beltline, 51:44 (PR? course was only 6.07 miles)

I'm particularly pleased that all of the times were faster than 55 minutes, in a variety of conditions.  Even though the Eastside Beltline course was short, my Garmin registered an average pace of 8:30 min / mile, which would been around 53:00 if I had run another few blocks!

2) My first half-marathon in December 2014 was the Jeff Galloway 13.1, 2:19:36.  I suffered from a sprained ankle in that race, and felt fortunate to finish, so I knew that I could have a better experience if I was healthy and cautious with my pace in the early miles.  Results for 2015: 

Publix Georgia, 2:05:36 (PR)

Tear Drop, 2:03:09 (PR)

Hotlanta, 2:05:49

Jeff Galloway, 1:59:48

Finishing the Publix Georgia Half Marathon with a negative split was a great confidence booster.  I started planning for a sub-2 hour race, targeting the Jeff Galloway 13.1 in December 2015, which I finished with a few seconds to spare!  Most important, I had a good experience in each of these races, even the Hotlanta Half which was completed in a torrential downpour. 

My resolutions for 2016 are relatively conservative:

1) maintain the gains that I have made, and

2) commit to a good stretching regime on a daily basis, without fail.  

The first couple of months of 2016 will be challenging for reasons that I won't go into here, so I'm not setting any big goals at this moment.  However, I had some trouble with the right IT band early in 2015, and then after the Hotlanta Half, had some chronic pain in the left gluteus.  I'm not sure what has caused it, but it hasn't interfered with running until very recently.  I had trouble finishing a slow 13-mile jog last Saturday, with the pain running down most of my leg, and couldn't run at all with the Tucker Running Group the following day.  Fortunately I found a yoga routine that 1) I could do, and 2) helped the leg feel much better.  

http://www.runnersworld.com/tag/runners-world-yoga-center

I highly recommend this routine.  It was difficult the first time through, but I felt that I was getting better and better with each repetition. 

Now to today's race, very briefly:  I woke up early and ran through the yoga routine around 7 am, which really helped to relieve morning stiffness.  We had a fairly good turnout from the Tucker Running Club, and received new T-shirts for the New Year thanks to Richard Wilson. 

12 members of the Tucker Running Club.  We had previously agreed on a meeting location,
then as we lined up for the photo, realized that we were in the middle of the warm-up exercise area!

The 4-miler began at 10:00 am, and those of us in wave B (8:30 min / mile pace or better) started 2 minutes later.  I decided to hang near the back of wave B.  The start was a bit crowded, primarily due to the narrow roads in the Brookhaven neighborhood as well as the popularity of the race - 1796 finishers.  However, that ended up working out fine for me, as I avoided starting too quickly, yet after the first half-mile I was able to run a decent pace.  The route was mostly short rolling hills, although there were a couple of memorable downhill stretches where I took every advantage to fly down hill.  For the most part, I passed more people than I was passed.  One notable exception was in the last mile, where we were working our way up a gentle but long hill, a young man passed me seemingly effortlessly, whereas I was loudly huffing and puffing, exhaling with every fourth or fifth step.  Nonetheless it was a great run for me, especially with some uncertainty at the start regarding my left leg.  

The race route, through the Brookhaven neighborhood (first suburb going northeast from north Atlanta)

After the first relatively slow mile at 8:54, I managed very consistent splits for the rest of the way, 8:09, 8:03, and 8:14.  That is all the more amazing when you look at how my pace seemed to vary with the hills!

The elevation is the gray area, although it felt like I was running the blue zig-zags!

I had the feeling that I was going to finish faster than 34 minutes, although I didn't know the course.  I was delighted to see my official result at 33:30, well over a minute faster than my previous best in the 4-mile distance.  Of course it probably helped that the temperature today was 35 degrees cooler than the last time I ran a 4-mile race, in mid-July 2015. 

Goal C: To have a good run despite some concerns with the left leg; Achieved, thanks to yoga stretches! 

Goal B: To break my 2014 time in the 4-miler of 35:49; Achieved! 

Goal A: To set a PR for the 4-miler, faster than 34:51. Achieved, a new PR! 

Dec 17: addendum to Jeff Galloway 13.1

Today I saw the 5K splits posted for Sunday's half-marathon:

5K split:     28:07.3 (5:37 min per km)
10K split:   28:11.6 (5:38 min per km)
15K split:   29:28.3 (5:54 min per km)
21.1 split:  34:12.8 (5:37 min per km)

This adds up to precisely 2:00:00 (the record reads 2:00:00.1, so they must be picking up some 100ths of a second in the raw data) but they still have published my chip time as 1:59:48.  Of course the world has seen the photographic evidence of my clock time at 1:59:59!  

Here's the finish line photo again. 

One question that I've had for some time now: is the first timing mat at the finish line, or is it the second mat?  Even though I was obviously shouting with joy in the photo above, I was still running hard at that moment, just in case. 

December 13, 2015: Jeff Galloway 13.1, year 2

Goal D: To finish faster than last year's time of 2:19:36;

Goal C: To finish faster than my PR of 2:03:09;

Goal B: To finish in less than 2:00:00;

Goal A: To have a great half-marathon experience from start to finish!

A year ago, I completed my first half-marathon, in the inaugural year of the Jeff Galloway 13.1 (half marathon).  It was a real struggle, and while I successfully finished, I knew that I could have run it so much better.  Since then, I've run three more half-marathons, building my confidence with each race, starting with the Georgia Publix Half in March (2:05:36), the Teardrop Half in May (2:03:09), and the Hotlanta Half in August (2:05:49).  I set very conservative time goals for each race, focusing primarily on improving my pacing and tactics.  Today's race would be a test of a good year of training, and I worked out a plan to aim for the 2-hour barrier.  

The weather has become relatively warm for December, to the extent that the organizers of today's race sent an e-mail to participants on Friday urging us to hydrate carefully and to prepare to slow down if the temperature rose above 55 deg F.  The organizers were probably rightly spooked by the Savannah Rock 'n Roll Marathon in November, which was run in 80 deg F temperatures, with insufficient water at the stops for the conditions, and was even cut short for most participants.  Sadly two runners died in that race, one on the course and the other at home later in the day.  

At the start

When we arrived for the start, the conditions could not have been better!  48 deg F at the start, with scattered clouds, and no chance for rain for the next few hours.  I felt strong and well-prepared, and my confidence for today was undoubtably buoyed by last week's Eastside Beltline 10K run, at a PR pace of 8:30 minute / mile for that distance.  I chatted a bit with the 2:00 pace runner, who confirmed that he would be running with intervals of 2:00 running, 0:30 walking.  I was a little concerned that he didn't seem to be 100% committed to the program when he said "That's not what I would typically run" but took a position about 10 feet behind him, hoping that he would maintain the necessary 9:00 - 9:10 minute / mile pace.  After the National Anthem and a few encouraging comments from the emcee, Jeff Galloway wished us all well, led the countdown to the start and we were off! 

Only 13.09 miles to go!

The pace leader quickly took a lead in the first few blocks, but faithfully slowed to a walk at 2 minutes sharp, then returned to a run after the 30 second walk break.  However his run intervals were a bit too fast for me to follow.  I felt that he might be running too fast, confirmed when I finished the first mile in 8:42, even though I was about 100 feet behind him.  He didn't seem to slow down in the subsequent miles, but I was satisfied to run on my own, using my Garmin watch to keep me on a reasonable pace.  As I covered the second through fourth miles (8:49, 9:07, 9:07), I felt that I had started perfectly, whereas last year I was already beginning to feel some pain.  I reached the 5K marker at around 27 minutes even - extrapolating to 20 km in 1:48, adding 1.1 km in about 6 minutes, I was pleased that I was on track for 1:54, with a small cushion in the event that I slowed a bit in the later miles. 

I adopted a run : walk ratio of 4:30 : 0:30, occasionally adjusting to avoid taking a walk break immediately before or after water stations, which were consistently at or near the even-numbered mile markers.  In the fourth mile along Freedom Parkway, Rob and Amy Saunooke from Miami, friends of a close friend were there to cheer me on!  We had been at a party with them yesterday afternoon, and I was pleased that I had arrived exactly when I had hoped to pass the location that I had recommended for them. Shortly before making a hairpin turn from Freedom Parkway to the PATH walking trail paralleling the parkway, I heard someone call out to me from a couple of minutes ahead of me - Daniel, aka Kurokitty, author of the blog The Running Cat.  Thanks for the call-out, Daniel!  Daniel is considerably faster than me, so I was encouraged that I wasn't too far behind him.  As I watched the runners behind me on my own return trip, I was pleased to see the 2:10 pace team a few minutes behind me, and didn't spot the 2:30 pace team until I was nearly to the turnoff to the Eastside Beltline.  This was where I started thinking, "This is going so much better than last year!" 

Just after the mile-4 marker, on the PATH trail - thanks to Amy Saunooke for the photo!

Shortly after mile-5 marker

I picked up some speed on a long downhill spur to join the Beltline, and maintained a good pace in the first half-mile of the Beltline as we ran northward enjoying the gentle downhill section (8:35 for mile 5).  I passed Elisabeth, author of Running on E, who was running with a friend in the opposite direction on the Beltline, and she shouted some encouragement as we passed.  Then  I saw Bonnie up ahead, taking several photographs as I passed.  At this stage last year, the 2:10 pace team had caught up with me, but today I was still well ahead of them.  At the north end of the Beltline at the intersection with Monroe Drive, we made a sharp turn onto Kanuga Street, which I knew from last year would be a short but relatively steep uphill block.  Turning left on Virginia Avenue, I got back up to speed.  There were quite a few spectators in this area, and their cheers were very encouraging.  After a long block, we turned right (south) onto Ponce de Leon Place, where we started to make up some of the elevation that had dropped while we were on the Beltline, but I was pleased to reach the mile 6 marker in 9:21, and the 10K split at 56 minutes.  Last year I had reached the 1 hour mark before had completed 10K.  "So much better than last year!" I thought, as my run continued close to plan.  

Tucker Running Club star cheering group Linda Bode Phinney,
 Malisa Anderson-Strait, and Bonnie Youn

In the seventh mile I caught up to a runner named Mark, who had slowed to look for a family member who was behind him.  We ran together for about a mile, for several blocks on St. Charles Avenue as well as the entire stretch on Highland Avenue.  When we passed the 7-mile marker on St. Charles (9:54), I realized that I had slowed down a bit too much, mostly from a lapse in concentration in a gentle but steady uphill mile.  Thank goodness for a little cushion in the earlier miles!  I picked up a little speed on the level section of Highland Avenue, and passed another nice group of spectators at the intersection of Highland and Virginia Avenues.  I sped up a bit more running westward on Virginia Avenue, leaving Mark behind to find his family member.  I maintained good speed on the curve along Park Avenue, and made a strong left turn at the intersection of Park Avenue onto Monroe Drive.  This section was mostly and gently downhill, covering miles 8 and 9 in 9:20 and 8:46.  "So much better than last year!"

On 10th Street, just past mile-9 marker

Shortly after turning onto 10th Avenue, where the Park Tavern stands at the southeast entrance to Piedmont Park, we were greeted by the Phiddipides cheer group.  Phiddipides was established in the 1970's as the very first running store, founded by Jeff Galloway, who represented the United States in the 10,000 meters in the 1972 Olympic Games.  A couple of Tucker Running Club friends, Linda Bode Phinney and Malisa Anderson-Strait, began cheering vigorously when they saw me coming in the yellow Tucker Running Club shirt.  I managed to exchange high-fives with most of the spectators in that section, which gave me considerable strength as a long uphill stretch of the race route began at the mile-9 marker.  I passed the 15K split at 1:25, which was a PR for that distance, having run an Atlanta Track Club 15K in February in 1:27.  Bonnie was there to take photos and we exchanged hand slaps as I passed.  "So much better than last year!" I shouted to her as I passed.  

Hand slap with Bonnie! 

Beyond the 15K split, I took the full walk breaks in this section, which continued uphill as we turned right onto Piedmont Avenue.  The hill was tough, but when I finished mile 10 in 9:23, I was thrilled to be running so well at this stage, with 1:31:33 elapsed.  That happens to be only 20 seconds slower than my PR for the 10-mile distance, set in October 2014.   I quickly did a mental calculation and knew that I could break the 2-hour mark if I could run the last 5K in 28 minutes.  "So much better than last year!!"  I felt good and nothing was hurting, but I was becoming a bit fatigued.  Thankfully, the organizers had arranged for mile 11 to be a long downhill from Piedmont to the intersection with Monroe Drive, into the north end of Piedmont Park, which I flew down in 8:34.  With just over 1:40 elapsed and 2.1 miles to go, I calculated that two more 9-minute miles would get me to the finish line in less than 2 hours, but two miles at 9:30 would be too slow.  Unfortunately the rest of the race route would be net uphill, nothing severe but overall about 65 feet increase in elevation to the finish line.  Here is where the toughness developed from some hot summer runs paid off, as I just kept pushing myself.  As I ran by the dog park, Elisabeth and her friend passed again.   This was the first time that I dared to say "I'm on a PR pace!"  

Mile 12, done! 

As I reached the mile-12 marker, I saw that I had covered that mile in 9:32.  Uh oh, I had to speed up if I would have any chance of finishing in 2:00:00.  Bonnie was there to take photographs again, we exchanged hand slaps again, and I shouted again "I'm on a PR pace!!"  Then Malisa in the Tucker Running Club ran alongside for a moment to encourage me with the news that I was truly on a two hour pace.  

This is the fantastic group that greeted runners after the mile 12 marker!

Malisa Anderson-Strait is telling me that my pace is just ahead of a 2:00 finish!

Linda was cheering like crazy as I approached a friendly gauntlet of employees and supporters from the Phiddipides running store, exchanging handclaps with the entire group as I passed through.  Those supporters were the charge that I needed to tap a reservoir of speed.  Keenly aware of the minutes ticking by, we ran a hairpin along Charles Allan Drive in the park.  Around 1:56 elapsed, we turned right to head to the path along the south side of Lake Clara Meer.  I passed a few other runners in this section, determined to do my best to the finish.  "So much better than last year!!!"  

The last turn was at the Boathouse, heading for the finish.  Last year I was barely conscious at this stage, limping badly and just trying to get to the end of the ordeal.  Today I passed a young woman, accelerating as we turned the corner.  The elapsed time was 1:58 and it seemed like such a long pathway around the south side of the Active Oval.  I could hear the announcer at the finish line and just tried to keep running as fast as I could.  Last year I was walking in this area, determined to return to a jog right before the spectators at the finish line could see me.  This year I was thinking only of beating the clock.  I was starting to believe that I would finish just under the 2 hour mark by "chip time", but hardly dared to wonder if I might finish in less than the 2 hour mark by "clock time".  When I first saw the finish line clock, I could see that the first number was still 1, then as I came nearer, I read 1:59:40!  I thought "Oh my gosh, I might just do it, but I will have to really work hard for it!"  I put every last bit of energy into speeding up as the seconds ticked past 1:59:50, then somehow found even more speed, seeing 1:59:58 as the last number as I entered the finish chute - I did it, I DID IT!!  I celebrated madly as I crossed the second timing mat - I did it  I DID IT  I DID IT!!!

You would think that I just won an Olympic Gold Medal!
Or the Super Bowl! Or both!!

With Jeff Galloway, a few minutes after the finish

And best of all, I didn't feel too badly!  I accepted a medal, bottle of water, box of recovery food, and a light cool-down jacket, and wobbled to the Active Oval where Jeff Galloway was taking photographs with finishers.  I told him that this was my first sub-2-hour half marathon, to which he replied "That's fantastic! And are you joining us next year?" "Absolutely, I will sign up today!" (remembering the $49 discount for registration within the next few weeks).  

Goal D: To finish faster than last year's time of 2:19:36; Achieved, although that wasn't really in doubt.

Goal C: To finish faster than my PR of 2:03:09; Achieved!

Goal B: To finish in less than 2:00:00; Achieved, on the fifth try!!  Chip time: 1:59:48

Goal A: To have a great half-marathon experience from start to finish!  Achieved!!!  This was truly the most important goal.  I knew that I couldn't break the 2 hour barrier unless my attitude was positive for the entire race. 

After the finish, with speedsters Anna Calcaterra and Daniel Yee

Mile splits with relative elevation changes:
Mile 1: 8:42, -4 feet
Mile 2: 8:49, -9 feet
Mile 3: 9:07, +30 feet
Mile 4: 9:07, +28 feet
Mile 5: 8:35, -75 feet
Mile 6: 9:21, -1 feet
Mile 7: 9:54, +75 feet
Mile 8: 9:20, -24 feet
Mile 9: 8:46, -101 feet
Mile 10: 9:23, +65 feet
Mile 11: 8:34, -107 feet
Mile 12: 9:32, +33 feet
Mile 13: 9:00, +32 feet
final 0.16 mile, 1:14 on level ground, at 7:54 minute/mile pace
At first glance, a range of splits from 8:34 - 9:54 doesn't seem very consistent, but when compared with the elevation changes, the fastest split had the greatest net downhill, and the slowest split had the greatest net uphill, so I think that it was a successful execution. I checked my pulse rate during most of the walk breaks.  During the race I was pleased to see that I never exceeded 165 beats per minute in the first nine miles, dropping to 150-155 beats per minute in each walk break.  After mile 9, my range was 174 - 158 bpm, and for last mile, was steadily at or above 170 bpm with the exception of a short walk break in the middle of the last mile, hitting 180 bpm as I crossed the finish line. 

I'll add a few comments as a review for the race.  Strengths:
1) The race was professionally run for the serious runners, yet inclusive enough to encourage slower runners and walkers, staying open for 4-1/2 hours.  
2) The course length was true as far as I could tell, as my Garmin signaled miles within a few feet of every mile marker.  I covered 13.16 miles, but didn't turn off my watch until I was clear of the finish chute (due to my exuberant celebration!)
3) One of the best things about the course is that it avoided some of the biggest hills in town - no Cardiac Hill, no North Avenue hills.  There were some long but gently uphill sections, but they were doable with reasonable pacing.  The finish was about 100 feet net downhill from the start. 
4) Water stations were well-stocked and placed where advertised, which helped with planning walk breaks.  I carried my own bottle of water but could have safely relied on the official water stations.  There were several garbage cans well beyond the water stations, so there was no need to drop the used cups on the roadway, which I really appreciated. 
5) The running surfaces were excellent throughout, with minimal potholes or other road hazards.  The mile-plus section on the Eastside Beltline was great, and the asphalt running surface for the last two miles in Piedmont Park was perfect.  The race route was well-protected by police, especially as we passed through quite a few intersections that are normally quite busy.  
6) Timing mats at the 5K, 10K, and 15K marks gave me a good sense of how I was doing with the official gun time. 
7) The cheering sections organized by Phiddipides at miles 9 and 12 were fantastic!  By mile 9, most runners were probably beginning to feel some significant fatigue, certainly I did, and the cheers and support were fantastic for maintaining my positive attitude.  Even more critically, when I passed the group again at mile 12, they gave me the boost that I needed to keep up the speed necessary to reach my 2-hour goal.  Otherwise I'm sure that I would have let up a bit, just because I was really tired, and then I would not have finished before the 2:00:00 mark. 
8) The weather couldn't have been better!  It was 48 deg F at the start, probably around 60 deg F at the end.  Of course that is a matter of luck, but the mid-December date is probably ideal in catching a good range of temperatures and conditions.  The only downside is that there are many running events around town on the same weekend.  For instance, another half-marathon was run today in Kennesaw, about 20 miles away.

Concern:
The 2:00 lead pacer covered the first several miles much too quickly, as far as I was concerned.  When I saw his chip time posted later in the day, I saw that he finished at 1:58:18, which I suppose isn't too far off overall.  However I spotted him in the final mile on the return leg of a hairpin, and only two runners were still hanging with him at the end.  On the other hand, tracking with my own Garmin, I felt that I was maintaining very close to a consistent 2:00 pace from start to finish, and I think that my final result shows it.  At the start, there was a second pacer who fell behind me early on.  I was wondering if he was "bracketing" the group, but I never looked back to check.  I was surprised to see that he finished in 2:00:17, just about 30 seconds on the clock time after me, so perhaps that had been his role, but remarkably he never caught up to or passed me during any of my walk breaks. 

Weakness:
The expo wasn't anything special.  Although it was nice to see Elisabeth at the Running with Donna 26.2 table, I didn't see any products that I wanted to purchase. 

Overall my review is very highly positive, 9.5 on a 10 point scale.  This is a race that I plan to commit to run every year, for as long as I can manage it.  I definitely encourage others to participate in future years, whether you're new to the distance or a seasoned long-distance runner.  

December 5, 2015: The Eastside Beltline 10K, year 3

Goal C: To better last year's time of 56:48

Goal B: To beat my course record from 2013, of 55:45

Goal A: To best my 10K PR of 53:50

I ran my first 10K race in December 2013 on the Eastside Beltline, greatly exceeding my hopes to finish in less than an hour.  Since that time, I've focused on improving my performances in the 10K distance, even setting a year 2015 resolution to complete a 10K in less than 54 minutes, which I managed for the first time in March 2015.  The 2014 Eastside Beltline race was a big disappointment: heavy rain before the race may have led to me twisting an ankle in the unimproved part of the course.  I finished about one minute slower than the previous year, but then could hardly walk from the finish line to the car.  The ankle took about a month to fully heal.  For that reason, I waited to sign up for the 2015 Eastside Beltline until less than 24 hours before the registration deadline.  I had resolved to skip the race if the weather was likely to be rainy.  Happily our last rain was Wednesday morning and the forecast was firmly in the 0% chance of rain, with cool temperature but sunny skies forecast for today.

Second breakfast at 8 am with Atlanta Track Club.  Look at the healthy and tasty options!

Before the relatively late 10 am start for today's race, Bonnie and I joined several hundred members of the Atlanta Track Club for the Grand Prix Award Breakfast.  The participants celebrated the work of all-star volunteers by running 1.3 mile laps around the new headquarters building of the Track Club, followed by a tour of the impressive facility and a complementary breakfast.  We left a few minutes before the awards ceremony so that we could park near the start of the Beltline Race, but in addition to joining some of our running friends at the Track Club breakfast, I also managed about 3 warmup miles at a gentle pace before today's big race.  I was also well-nourished with two small breakfasts eaten over a few hours, so my preparation and attitude were ideal for a good performance this morning.  Moreover the sunny skies and 45 deg temperatures were ideal for running this morning.  

Shortly before the start with Tucker Running Club buddy, Linda Bode Phinney

After joining the starting group for stretches and warmups and the National Anthem, our race began a couple of minutes before the 10 am starting time.  I didn't see a timing mat at the start, so I may have started my Garmin watch a few seconds late, but the race started smoothly.  As we made the first turn from the Krog Street Market area to approach the southern terminus of the Beltline, we had to run between a cement truck and a utility truck, but somehow we made it onto the Beltline without any real hindrance. 

Bonnie found me shortly after the first mile!

I had resolved to run splits of 5:00 running with 30 second walk breaks, and managed the discipline to take every walk break in today's race, even if some of the walk breaks were a little short, 15 - 20 seconds especially in the early stages.  From the runs in 2013 and 2014, I knew that I had to save energy for a short but severe uphill stage at the northern terminus of Piedmont Park, shortly before the 3 mile mark, and was hoping that my fourth walk break would coincide with that uphill section.  The plan was then to maintain a decent speed on the return trip, and try to kick into high gear at the Highland Avenue underpass, about a half-mile from the finish line.  

Midway through the second mile - feeling strong and fast!

The first two miles were slightly and steadily downhill, and I covered the distance in 8:03 and 8:22 respectively, even though I could have run a bit faster.  The third mile was the treacherous strength along the unpaved section of the Beltline, working carefully on the gravel sections while speeding up a bit more where the route was smooth dirt.  To my surprise and delight, when we reached the northern terminus, the "hill of death" was omitted from this year's race route, and we immediately turned into the northern part of Piedmont Park.  We were all buzzing about the change, and I started thinking about the possibility of running a personal record as I passed the 3-mile sign in the middle of the 25th minute, with the Garmin alert shortly afterwards recording 8:40.  I slowed down a bit more through the park, which was net uphill, completing the fourth mile in 9:04, but I was feeling strong as we returned to the paved Beltline for the return trip.  The route was clearly uphill, but I was feeling strong enough to keep up with the fastest runners in view and passed a fair number of other runners.  Here I was careful to take 25 - 30 seconds for each walk break, letting my heart rate drop, and rewarded with a burst of speed each time I returned to running.  The fifth mile was covered in 8:54, which was a little slower than I had hoped for, but at 43 minutes elapsed, I felt that I had the energy to run the last 1.22 miles in 10 minutes or so, needing only slightly under 11 minutes to match my 10K PR.  

Running through Piedmont Park - somewhere in mile 4

 Here the physical and mental strength acquired over some difficult summer runs paid off in a big way!  Everytime I started to flag a bit, I just had to concentrate and make a small adjustment in my gait and I surged forward more strongly.  This is probably the best that I have ever felt in the sixth mile of a 10K race, feeling strong and confident.  I was able to put aside the sense of some slight tiredness knowing that I didn't have much further to run.  Although the only mile marker that I saw along the route was at mile 3, I remembered that the 6 mile marker was near the southern end of the Beltline, which later I saw was reached in 7:53, 50:56 elapsed. 

As we reached the end of the Beltline, the road leveled out - in fact I felt that we were heading downhill.  I was closing ground on a young woman but she was also speeding up going into the finish.  As I turned onto Krog Street for the final dash, I could see Bonnie standing on the right side of the road just past the finish line, and then saw the amazing number of 51 minutes on the clock!  At that moment I heard footsteps rapidly closing on me and a young man shot past at incredibly high speed, but I maintained a good pace into the end.  I finished just a few steps behind the young woman but didn't care that much about catching her, incredibly pleased to finish before 52 minutes had passed on the clock!  As I crossed the finish line I raised both arms in victory and shouted "PR!!" 

About 100 feet before the finish, the man in blue rocketed past us!

Celebrating a new PR for 10K, at 51:45 on the clock!

Then I checked my watch, and saw recorded 51:37 but a distance of only 6.07 miles!  Even if I started the watch a few seconds late, it certainly appeared that the route was short.  I was hoping that maybe my watch wasn't recording accurately - it's the third race in a row when the distance has been a little short - but the other finishers confirmed that their recorded distances were also short.  My official time appeared online within a couple of hours, at 51:44.  In any case, any disappointment was quickly dispelled when I realized that I had run the 6.07 miles at an average pace of 8:30 minute / mile, which is a personal record for that distance.  Best of all, I didn't get injured, and wasn't even terribly winded despite having run pretty hard through the last half-mile.  

Celebrating after the race with Bonnie!

Tucker Running Club finishers! with Linda Bode Phinney and Becky Caldwell

Notes: 

1) I forgot to drink beet juice beforehand, didn't even think about beet juice until a couple of hours after the race had ended!  I do think that the additional light breakfast didn't hurt. 

2) The warmup miles over a few hours earlier this morning probably also helped. 

3) The weather conditions could hardly have been better for a fast race, 45 deg F with low humidity. 

4) And, I will credit the conditioning that I've gained this year. It's really nice to see some tangible improvement.

Today's race was a great confidence builder in advance of next week's half marathon on Sunday December 13!