The Skinny:
43:59
33 of 308
Well, this is the first time I have ran this race. Actually, until the very last minute I had absolutely no intention of running it at all. It turned out that the running team I signed up for with the gym I belong to ended up needing a "male" runner at the last minute. It seems that only the ladies showed any interest in running this one, and team events for the Knoxville Track Club, which this was, require at least one member from the opposite sex. So with a minimal amount of coxing from our team captain and my wife, I agreed to run.
My wife had already signed up to run the longer race that day, The Strawberry Plains Half Marathon, so we both made a morning out of it. I was surprisingly relaxed unlike most race mornings, maybe because it wasnt a race I had on my calender or had been training for. The only thing that had me uncomfortable at all was the cold. Nice and frosty that day, but bright sunshine which made for a great race.
Once the race started though, which is always the case, the cold immediately went away. If I had still been bothered by the cold at all I think it would have went away as I started to notice the scenery the course winds through. Its an absolutely beautiful setting. I was a little disappointed that I didnt run the half after hearing my wife describe the Half course following along the French Broad River and rolling farms through Strawberry Plains.
I did end up having good race in the 10K version though, and I got to pass by my running coach at about the 1 mile mark as he was volunteering as a course monitor. The first half of the out and back course was basically all down hill which made for some fast times. At the 3.1 mark the 10Ker's turn around and head back up as the Half runners continue on. This is where I had to really buckle down and concentrate on my form. Just after the turn the field thinned significantly. Fortunately though, just ahead of me was another runner that was keeping a pace right around where I wanted to be so I began shadowing him for the trip back up to the start. For better or worse, it always helps me to find a group or runner that is keeping the pace I want. It really seems to help with my motivation. Running alone always seems infinitely harder for me to keep pace. Turns out that having a "pacer" was just what I needed to keep me focused on the return trip.
With around a mile to go, I once again, passed my running coach at his volunteer spot. This was also about the same time I finally passed the guy I had been running with up the return hill. As the climb started to flatten out I was able to get a little burst of speed and put some distance on him. Then I was able to focus on the next runner ahead of me as we started to make our way under the one lane bridge. Unfortunately though she was too far ahead of me to catch up with on the roughly 1/2 mile downhill to the finish. Turns out it was the same woman I had ran the second half of the Secret City Half Marathon with in Oak Ridge a few months earlier. I was able to keep her in reach then and sprint past her with about 100 yards to go. Not this time though.
Overall, this was a great race and I look forward to running the Half version next year. This was only the second 10K I had ran, but I P.R.ed it by 4:16. Now if I can just keep up with the training.
Monday, April 13, 2015
Sunday, March 22, 2015
BIB REPORT: Wanderers Trail Race
The Skinny:
31:37
27 of 254
Second year running this fun and fast 4 miler through the woods at the Maryville College campus. This race is also the kickoff event to the Knoxville Track Club's Treadin Troddin Trails trail racing series.
Last year was my first time running this event so I didnt know the course or what to expect. This year though I knew the course and felt like I was much better prepared physically. The goal for this years race, like every event I run more than once, is to have an improved time. That goal was accomplished by a little over two minutes. That time would have definitely been further improved if not for a late race wrong turn. The race uses the same trails coming and going in a few spots and the one wrong turn I took cost me at least eight spots as I turned back and watched people file past.
This is a short fast race that is well attended every year, so Im happy that I was still able to finish with an improved time. Looking forward to next year and another improvement in time!
31:37
27 of 254
Second year running this fun and fast 4 miler through the woods at the Maryville College campus. This race is also the kickoff event to the Knoxville Track Club's Treadin Troddin Trails trail racing series.
Last year was my first time running this event so I didnt know the course or what to expect. This year though I knew the course and felt like I was much better prepared physically. The goal for this years race, like every event I run more than once, is to have an improved time. That goal was accomplished by a little over two minutes. That time would have definitely been further improved if not for a late race wrong turn. The race uses the same trails coming and going in a few spots and the one wrong turn I took cost me at least eight spots as I turned back and watched people file past.
This is a short fast race that is well attended every year, so Im happy that I was still able to finish with an improved time. Looking forward to next year and another improvement in time!
Monday, March 2, 2015
BIB REPORT: Calhouns New Years Day 5K
The Skinny:
22:27
54 of 645
New Years Day. Getting up to run a race when the entire world seems to be still sleeping. If that doesnt seem crazy enough, then throw in temperatures hovering just below freezing. Just like last years race except this year, I was in shorts. I learned my lesson after wearing compression pants during last years race. They felt great while I was standing in the crowd waiting for the race to start, but within the first mile they were way to hot.
One of the other changes from last year was the course. Technically, it was the exact same course as last years race. The only difference being that at just past mile 1 a course monitor got a little confused about where the turnaround needed to be and as the lead pack passed her and turned in the correct location, she began waiving off the rest of the runners and sending them approximately another 1/8th mile down the road to another turnaround. This made my overall distance turn out to be 3.35 miles. Of course this also added to my time unfortunately. Oddly enough, although I was 22 seconds slower than last years race because of this, I still finished higher in the final results. Last year I came in at 97th compared to 54th this year. All in all a good start to the year and I got my second "Top 100" glass!
I was a little disappointed in the lack of hospitality that Calhouns showed this year. At last years race there was a lot of comradery before and after the race as runners all hung out in the restaurant and ate. This year though there was no breakfast served in the restaurant after the finish, only very light snacks served outside in the cold. The season ending awards ceremony for 2014 was also very hurried as Calhouns wanted us all completely gone before 11:00 am. Very disappointing seeing as they were the primary sponsor of this event as well as several others throughout the year.
After another full season of training I hope to move up even further in the finishing order next year though and get my third "Top 100" glass!
22:27
54 of 645
New Years Day. Getting up to run a race when the entire world seems to be still sleeping. If that doesnt seem crazy enough, then throw in temperatures hovering just below freezing. Just like last years race except this year, I was in shorts. I learned my lesson after wearing compression pants during last years race. They felt great while I was standing in the crowd waiting for the race to start, but within the first mile they were way to hot.
One of the other changes from last year was the course. Technically, it was the exact same course as last years race. The only difference being that at just past mile 1 a course monitor got a little confused about where the turnaround needed to be and as the lead pack passed her and turned in the correct location, she began waiving off the rest of the runners and sending them approximately another 1/8th mile down the road to another turnaround. This made my overall distance turn out to be 3.35 miles. Of course this also added to my time unfortunately. Oddly enough, although I was 22 seconds slower than last years race because of this, I still finished higher in the final results. Last year I came in at 97th compared to 54th this year. All in all a good start to the year and I got my second "Top 100" glass!
I was a little disappointed in the lack of hospitality that Calhouns showed this year. At last years race there was a lot of comradery before and after the race as runners all hung out in the restaurant and ate. This year though there was no breakfast served in the restaurant after the finish, only very light snacks served outside in the cold. The season ending awards ceremony for 2014 was also very hurried as Calhouns wanted us all completely gone before 11:00 am. Very disappointing seeing as they were the primary sponsor of this event as well as several others throughout the year.
After another full season of training I hope to move up even further in the finishing order next year though and get my third "Top 100" glass!
Monday, February 23, 2015
Time for New Salomons!
Looking forward to getting my next pair muddy!
OUTLINE FOR 2015
Still not quite had a chance to get the "BIB REPORTS" caught up, but that will happen soon enough. What I would like to do is lay out my overall plan for 2015. As I mentioned in a previous post, Ive only been running now for a little over three years, but I have progressed each and every year, not only in speed, but in endurance as well.
With the overall increase in ability that occurred in 2014 two things happened. First of all, I wanted to make sure that it continued, and secondly, along the way I got to meet a lot of other great runners. I find myself measuring my overall finish by the crowd that finishes around me. I knew who the fast runners were by now, and I wanted to try and "keep up"(that competitive nature again). One of the great runners that I got a chance to know was P. Mark Taylor, a local running coach and Boston finisher. As luck would have it he also belongs to the same gym that I do. Lucky for him too, now he has a new client.
I started off 2015 with a new "Next Level Training" plan from P. Mark. Three weeks in and I had to run my first six minute test as part of the training. Run as hard as you can for six minutes. Simple. I never knew how long six minutes was until I tried to sprint it. I finished it with a 5:47 pace. Officially the fastest mile I have ever run, and I was 45 years old when I did it. Looks like the speed work that is the meat of this training is paying off so far.
The speed work is part of the training that I hope leads me to my biggest goal of 2015 and beyond, Ultra's. I toyed with the idea of running one in 2014 but chickened out. Probably for the best as I wasnt really physically or mentally ready. This year it happens though. Currently Im signed up for my first Ultra next month, The Fall Creek Falls 50K. For now, I continue with the program P. Mark has laid out for me leading up to March 15th when the FCF 50K is run. Im not expecting much from my first ultra finish wise, but am using it as a test. Try and learn as much as possible for the next one and build upon that until I become more competitive. I feel like nutrition may be the biggest variable. Ive been able to run 30K's and less fine with a little Tailwind and a Honey Stinger or two(easier on my stomach than Gu)
I'll give a full race report afterwards!
With the overall increase in ability that occurred in 2014 two things happened. First of all, I wanted to make sure that it continued, and secondly, along the way I got to meet a lot of other great runners. I find myself measuring my overall finish by the crowd that finishes around me. I knew who the fast runners were by now, and I wanted to try and "keep up"(that competitive nature again). One of the great runners that I got a chance to know was P. Mark Taylor, a local running coach and Boston finisher. As luck would have it he also belongs to the same gym that I do. Lucky for him too, now he has a new client.
I started off 2015 with a new "Next Level Training" plan from P. Mark. Three weeks in and I had to run my first six minute test as part of the training. Run as hard as you can for six minutes. Simple. I never knew how long six minutes was until I tried to sprint it. I finished it with a 5:47 pace. Officially the fastest mile I have ever run, and I was 45 years old when I did it. Looks like the speed work that is the meat of this training is paying off so far.
The speed work is part of the training that I hope leads me to my biggest goal of 2015 and beyond, Ultra's. I toyed with the idea of running one in 2014 but chickened out. Probably for the best as I wasnt really physically or mentally ready. This year it happens though. Currently Im signed up for my first Ultra next month, The Fall Creek Falls 50K. For now, I continue with the program P. Mark has laid out for me leading up to March 15th when the FCF 50K is run. Im not expecting much from my first ultra finish wise, but am using it as a test. Try and learn as much as possible for the next one and build upon that until I become more competitive. I feel like nutrition may be the biggest variable. Ive been able to run 30K's and less fine with a little Tailwind and a Honey Stinger or two(easier on my stomach than Gu)
I'll give a full race report afterwards!
Sunday, February 15, 2015
BIB REPORT: The Dark Hollow Wallow 11 miler
The Skinny:
1:48:11
18 of 60
Since Ive started this Blog a little behind this season some of my "Bib Reports" will be a little out of order until I can catch up. Im going to start with my latest race, The Dark Hollow Wallow. This is the second race in the Treadin Troddin Trails Series for the Knoxville Track Club. Its an eleven miler(as well as a five mile version) held at Big Ridge State Park in Maynardville, Tn.
I ran this race for the first time last year with a finishing time of 2:01. Overall, my time wasnt that bad, but I felt that this was one of a couple of races last season that I didnt have my best race so I was left feeling a little disappointed. Finally, after 12 months, a chance at redemption today. Last seasons race was decidedly warmer, shorts and a t-shirt worked just fine. Ive gotten a little spoiled on the Trail races for KTC since the weather has seemed to somehow always be perfect, even in the winter months. Todays race wasnt as bad as a February race could have been. It was sunny, but the temps never got out of the 20's. Full length compression bottoms(I really have no pride left) and Nike element upper with Mountain Hardware Tobogan and gloves made the run just right. Also, unlike last year, I ran without a hydration pack. My overall increase in training and comfort with longer runs gave me the confidence to run without it this time.
There are a couple of large hills in this race. By a couple, I mean three or four, and by large I mean, you have really no idea how big they were. See for yourself below. After a cup full of Tailwind at mile 4 though, I was good to go. The hill between mile six and seven is as brutal as it looks. Straight up, no switchbacks. These hills can, and in my case, will humble a good overall pace. The mile six hill ended up being a 14 minute mile for me. Ive really got to work on that one next year.I was able to recover afterwards though and turn in some solid miles to the finish.
In the end, I was able to meet my overall goal for todays race which was to run it in 1:50. That meant taking 11 minutes off of last years time. I didnt have as strong a finish as I would have liked over the last mile, but was still able to come in at 1:48 taking 13 minutes off my overall time from last year. It was especially nice to have my lovely and talented wife Rebecca waiting for me at the finish(she snapped the picture). She braved the elements with me today and ran the 5 mile version of todays race. Great job Babe!
My overall goal in all that I do is to get all I can out of myself and continue to improve each and every time out, especially on courses Ive previously ran. Today was a step in the right direction and I look forward to coming back next year with another improved time!
1:48:11
18 of 60
Since Ive started this Blog a little behind this season some of my "Bib Reports" will be a little out of order until I can catch up. Im going to start with my latest race, The Dark Hollow Wallow. This is the second race in the Treadin Troddin Trails Series for the Knoxville Track Club. Its an eleven miler(as well as a five mile version) held at Big Ridge State Park in Maynardville, Tn.
I ran this race for the first time last year with a finishing time of 2:01. Overall, my time wasnt that bad, but I felt that this was one of a couple of races last season that I didnt have my best race so I was left feeling a little disappointed. Finally, after 12 months, a chance at redemption today. Last seasons race was decidedly warmer, shorts and a t-shirt worked just fine. Ive gotten a little spoiled on the Trail races for KTC since the weather has seemed to somehow always be perfect, even in the winter months. Todays race wasnt as bad as a February race could have been. It was sunny, but the temps never got out of the 20's. Full length compression bottoms(I really have no pride left) and Nike element upper with Mountain Hardware Tobogan and gloves made the run just right. Also, unlike last year, I ran without a hydration pack. My overall increase in training and comfort with longer runs gave me the confidence to run without it this time.
There are a couple of large hills in this race. By a couple, I mean three or four, and by large I mean, you have really no idea how big they were. See for yourself below. After a cup full of Tailwind at mile 4 though, I was good to go. The hill between mile six and seven is as brutal as it looks. Straight up, no switchbacks. These hills can, and in my case, will humble a good overall pace. The mile six hill ended up being a 14 minute mile for me. Ive really got to work on that one next year.I was able to recover afterwards though and turn in some solid miles to the finish.
In the end, I was able to meet my overall goal for todays race which was to run it in 1:50. That meant taking 11 minutes off of last years time. I didnt have as strong a finish as I would have liked over the last mile, but was still able to come in at 1:48 taking 13 minutes off my overall time from last year. It was especially nice to have my lovely and talented wife Rebecca waiting for me at the finish(she snapped the picture). She braved the elements with me today and ran the 5 mile version of todays race. Great job Babe!
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Getting To Here (A Brief History)
Well here we are. At long last, after having the intentions of doing so for over a year at this point, I have finally begun "Under Southern Skies" the Blog.
This Blog will serve primarily as a log for various races run(Road and Trail), biking adventures, hikes, going over the gear I used and liked(or didnt like), and also to help me keep track of what I did while preparing for different goal events.
Below is one of the better images of me from the first race of this season, The Calhouns New Years Day 5K 2015. This was, of course, the first race of the season this year, but my venture into running started a little before this, but not by much. I'm currently 45 years old and just finished up what I consider to be my first ever "full" season of running in 2014. I didnt run my first organized race until I was 42(a month away from 43 at the time), The Hops For Hope 5K in Knoxville. My time was 24:45 with a 7:58 pace. Come to find out, that wasnt too aweful bad a time for someone who didnt have a clue what they were doing. Of course, I also briefly remember thinking that 5K's were the only thing besides marathons that there were to run. After also running a Tough Mudder in October 2012 with a couple of friends(and an Iraq War Veteran we picked up at the start who was going to run solo), I had made the commitment to continue to run, workout and improve my overall health.
The next Spring, with the encouragement of a friend who was also a runner, I signed up for something at that time that I still couldnt quite grasp. A seven mile trail race. When he first told me he was running it, I thought, seven miles? on a trail? running? It seemed completely ludicrous. Surely this was the pinnacle of endurance for runners around here, right? The race itself was an absolute blast though, even in road shoes(trail shoes? they make shoes just for trails?). I had another decent run on the trail doing better than I had expected to do, and to my surprise, I didnt die. Thats all it took for my competitive nature to take over.
Over the course of 2013 I ran a handful of road races, all 5k's, which included the Pilot Fireball Classic on July 4th weekend where I was able to turn in my first sub seven minute pace finishing at 21:34 and a 6:57 overall pace. I also went on to run a handful of trail races as well, none of which were as short as a 5K. Turns out trail races werent for the casual runner. By the fall of 2013 I had built up enough confidence to try longer runs by signing up for the Norris Dam Hard Trail 25K which I finished in exactly three hours and the Big South Fork 17.5 mile trail race which I finished in 2:50. Not stellar times, but I finished both and most importantly learned a ton about myself and what it took for me to run those distances.
By the beginning of 2014 I had made up my mind to run as much of the Knoxville Track Clubs "Treadin Troddin Trails" Series as I could to try and see where I fell in competitiveness. The biggest difference I found in trail racing was that race pace was slower. By as much as a couple of minutes usually which was fine with me because the distances were longer and the hills were higher! Without going into detail on every trail run in 2014, I'll summarize by saying that once again I learned a lot about myself and what it took to run for hours at a time instead of minutes of time. I had a couple of races that I didnt run anywhere near as well as I expected, but towards the end of the season especially, I had a couple of great finishes. The last Trail race I ran in 2014 was the Norris Dam Hard Trail 25K which I had run the previous year in exactly three hours. This past year I finished over a half an hour faster at 2:28 and 6th overall. In the end, I was greatly encouraged to finish the 2014 season 3rd in points in the Treadin Troddin Trails series
Overall, the finish at Norris along with a couple of good road half marathon finishes(1:36 at the Secret City Half in Oak Ridge Tn), a new P.R. on a 5K course(20:29 at the Regal Entertainment Autumnfest), and a couple of "first in age group" awards in the Law Enforcement Memorial Run 5K and the Heels and Wheels Duathlon as well as a Masters podium finish at the Rock and Root 30K Trail Race really have me pumped up for the coming season!
This Blog will serve primarily as a log for various races run(Road and Trail), biking adventures, hikes, going over the gear I used and liked(or didnt like), and also to help me keep track of what I did while preparing for different goal events.
Below is one of the better images of me from the first race of this season, The Calhouns New Years Day 5K 2015. This was, of course, the first race of the season this year, but my venture into running started a little before this, but not by much. I'm currently 45 years old and just finished up what I consider to be my first ever "full" season of running in 2014. I didnt run my first organized race until I was 42(a month away from 43 at the time), The Hops For Hope 5K in Knoxville. My time was 24:45 with a 7:58 pace. Come to find out, that wasnt too aweful bad a time for someone who didnt have a clue what they were doing. Of course, I also briefly remember thinking that 5K's were the only thing besides marathons that there were to run. After also running a Tough Mudder in October 2012 with a couple of friends(and an Iraq War Veteran we picked up at the start who was going to run solo), I had made the commitment to continue to run, workout and improve my overall health.
The next Spring, with the encouragement of a friend who was also a runner, I signed up for something at that time that I still couldnt quite grasp. A seven mile trail race. When he first told me he was running it, I thought, seven miles? on a trail? running? It seemed completely ludicrous. Surely this was the pinnacle of endurance for runners around here, right? The race itself was an absolute blast though, even in road shoes(trail shoes? they make shoes just for trails?). I had another decent run on the trail doing better than I had expected to do, and to my surprise, I didnt die. Thats all it took for my competitive nature to take over.
Over the course of 2013 I ran a handful of road races, all 5k's, which included the Pilot Fireball Classic on July 4th weekend where I was able to turn in my first sub seven minute pace finishing at 21:34 and a 6:57 overall pace. I also went on to run a handful of trail races as well, none of which were as short as a 5K. Turns out trail races werent for the casual runner. By the fall of 2013 I had built up enough confidence to try longer runs by signing up for the Norris Dam Hard Trail 25K which I finished in exactly three hours and the Big South Fork 17.5 mile trail race which I finished in 2:50. Not stellar times, but I finished both and most importantly learned a ton about myself and what it took for me to run those distances.
By the beginning of 2014 I had made up my mind to run as much of the Knoxville Track Clubs "Treadin Troddin Trails" Series as I could to try and see where I fell in competitiveness. The biggest difference I found in trail racing was that race pace was slower. By as much as a couple of minutes usually which was fine with me because the distances were longer and the hills were higher! Without going into detail on every trail run in 2014, I'll summarize by saying that once again I learned a lot about myself and what it took to run for hours at a time instead of minutes of time. I had a couple of races that I didnt run anywhere near as well as I expected, but towards the end of the season especially, I had a couple of great finishes. The last Trail race I ran in 2014 was the Norris Dam Hard Trail 25K which I had run the previous year in exactly three hours. This past year I finished over a half an hour faster at 2:28 and 6th overall. In the end, I was greatly encouraged to finish the 2014 season 3rd in points in the Treadin Troddin Trails series
Overall, the finish at Norris along with a couple of good road half marathon finishes(1:36 at the Secret City Half in Oak Ridge Tn), a new P.R. on a 5K course(20:29 at the Regal Entertainment Autumnfest), and a couple of "first in age group" awards in the Law Enforcement Memorial Run 5K and the Heels and Wheels Duathlon as well as a Masters podium finish at the Rock and Root 30K Trail Race really have me pumped up for the coming season!
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