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SRRC Race Reports
Three weeks of racing. The good, the bad, and the insanity
By Alison Gittelman
There are those among us who run frequently, even religiously, but never race. Others race every weekend but run few miles in between. (You know who you are!) I’m somewhere in the middle, running and racing on a fairly regular basis. Occasionally, however, the racing bug gets the better of me and I sign up for several races close together. My motives are simple: Interesting courses, nice loot, and, of course, a chance at grabbing an award.
Frederick Half Marathon . . .
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Course: 7. |
I’ve been here before. I believe I attempted the hat trick last year, and vowed not to do it again. But this area has so many great races it’s hard to resist the temptation to enter them by the handful. And why not? John Winkert, a fellow SRRC member, ran 50 races last year, which pretty much amounts to 50 weekends of racing. I’m just doing three. SRRC member and ultrarunner Phil Holt told me that the races I run are harder on my body because they’re the short, fast ones. They are a lot less time consuming, however, and require significantly less training than Phil’s 50 and 100 milers! The truth, of course, is that they’re as tough as I want to make them.
So here I am, running the Frederick Half Marathon. It’s hilly (which I like) and windy (which I don’t like) and I’m feeling pretty good. My pace for the first few miles is 7:40 but I need to find a porta potty. There were long lines for the limited number of porta potties at the start, and the start line abutted a cemetery, which I considered inappropriate even if it did contain some big trees. At mile 4 a porta potty appears so problem solved. However, on continuing to run I find that I can’t get back into a comfortable pace and now I’m running over 8:00 minute miles! Rather than expending a lot of effort trying to get back on track, I slot in with the 3:40 marathon pace group for about half a mile. They’re running slower than my ideal pace for the half but it provides exactly the rest I need. I ditch the group at the water stop and manage to get back to 7:50s which I’m happy with.
The race organizers are reusing Baltimore Marathon cups which are plastic and impossible to pinch for less-messy drinking, and I succeed in choking and getting soaked all at once. Thankfully it’s not a hot day so I don’t need to drink too much! In the last 3 miles I find a couple of people running the same pace as I am, which helps as I can hang on to them and expend less effort. I’m amazed to find that I actually have some extra energy going into the home stretch and pull out a 7:00 for the last mile.
The finish for the half marathon is in a park which means you have to take a shuttle bus to the stadium where the race started and where the marathon ends. Knowing this, I don’t hang around the park but make my way to the bus and do some stretching while waiting for it to fill up. Back at the stadium there’s a massage tent so I make that my first stop and find that I don’t even have to wait to get my complimentary massage! Then I’m off in search of the post-race food, particularly the donuts advertised in the race program. I’m disappointed. No donuts and, instead, English muffins (untoasted? Gross!), Soy Joy bars, which taste like tar, and some other things that weren’t worth eating. Ah well, can’t have everything.
Pike's Peek 10K . . .
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Course: 10 |
A week earlier I ran Pike’s Peek 10K. Why did I pick this race? One of my goals for 2007 was to improve my 10K time. This race has a net downhill, only one turn, and is known for being fast. The start is impressive with lots of pace signs – sub 6:30 (wow!), sub 8:00 (I position myself here), sub 10:00, and over 10:00. Most people appear to know what they’re doing and position themselves accordingly. The race starts at Shady Grove metro in Gaithersburg, makes a turn onto Rockville Pike and finishes outside White Flint mall. My goal is to run 7:30s for the first half and 7:20s for the second half. I set off too fast with a 7:15 first mile but back off to 7:30s for the next couple. It’s hard to ramp up to 7:20s at mile 3 because there are a couple of hills, but I manage to sustain something around 7:25. The nice downhill at the end gives me a 6:00 pace for the .2 and 45:55 for the 10K. I don’t think I will run a faster 10K time anywhere else. This course is seriously fast! After the race I find my husband and kids, who are running the kids’ 1K. Rather than most races where the 1K starts right after the main event, this one doesn’t start until an hour and a half later, which means I can run with them. My 3-year-old cops out halfway but my 5-year-old runs the whole thing and gets a nice medal for his efforts. A future runner in the works?!
Nature House 5K . . .
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Course: 7 (Beautiful trails but I don’t like running so steeply downhill for the first mile.) |
The previous Saturday found me at the Nature House 5K run entirely on Reston’s Glade trail, which is shady but hilly. Why this race? It’s small, and I won the women’s division last year so I’m hoping for a repeat. Before the start I’m checking out the other female runners and don’t see anyone who looks terribly fast so there’s hope. Anna, former Reston Runners President, tells me her money’s on me which makes me nervous!
The first mile is downhill followed by a steady climb for the next 2 and a murderous hill right at the end. This makes for a tough little course as everyone tends to go out very fast. I think my first mile was something in the range of a 6:15 which has me very concerned as I start the climb in mile 2. Plus, running that hard from standing still has given me a severe stomach cramp which has me practically doubled over. Still, I am determined not to be passed by any women so I let the men go by while watching my back.
My time is pedestrian because of the hills in miles 2 and 3 and my running bent over, but I manage to win again, and convincingly. Still, I need to get a better grip on this race because next time may not be so easy, and I would really like a 3rd win here.
All in all, my three weeks of racing were a success. I won a 5K, significantly improved my 10K time, and managed a half-marathon on top. A month or two later I found myself running another three races in three weekends. A note to those who don’t race: Try it. Just enter one or two races this year. Racing doesn’t have to be exhausting or unpleasant, and it can make your running much more interesting, not to mention goal-oriented. You might even surprise yourself!
July 2007
The SRRC would love to hear about your running, racing, or crewing experiences! If you would like to submit a race report, to be posted on the SRRC website, please email srrunner@srrunners.org.