Scenes from last week:
Last week's race results:
atomno2 -- 12NOV2011 -- Thunder Road HM (Charlotte NC) -- Goals: (A) 1:55; (B) 2:00; (C) 2:05. RESULT = 1:53:38
Lpadg -- 12NOV2011 -- Thunder Road HM (Charlotte NC) -- Goals: (A) 1:42; (B) 1:43; (C) 1.44. RESULT = 1:44:25
nanxin -- 12NOV2011 -- Thunder Road (Charlotte NC) -- Goals: (A) 3:15 for BQ; (B) sub-3:30, (C) finish. RESULT = 3:19:08
rossruns-- 12NOV2011 -- Thunder Road HM (Charlotte NC) -- Goals: (A) 1:50, (B) 1:55, (C) finish. RESULT = 1:45:18
I *think* y'all went 4-for-4 on PRs!
This week's races:
Happyfeet -- 20NOV2011 -- Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey (26.2) (Nashville TN) -- Goals: (A) 4:10; (B) 4:15; (C) don't get eaten by monkeys.
Lpadg -- 19NOV2011 -- Santa Scramble (5k) (Concord NC) -- Goals: sub-21!
old-runner -- 19NOV2011 -- Santa Scramble (5k) (Concord NC) -- Goals: (A) 19:50; (B) sub-20; (C) sub-21.
"I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."
-- Dick LeBeau
Wow. Nice PR's everyone, especially Ross truly awesome.
Now I got to try and match all of your performances this weekend talk about pressure.
Congratulations atomno2, Lynwood, and Han for your awesome PRs! Must have been something in the air...nah, must have been all the hard work you guys put into EARNING those PRs!
I had a fantastic experience for my first half marathon. Thanks again to you all for your advice a couple weeks back about how to run this race - by taking it a bit slower on the first half of the race, I was able to survive and even dominate most of the hills in the second half and finish strong.
I wrote up a race report over on my blog - here's the link. It's a bit long winded but given that this is my first ever half-marathon, I wanted to write enough to remember it well later. Now to figure out "What's next?" :-)
Now to figure out "What's next?" :-)
First, sprain your shoulder patting yourself on the back.
Second, if I may offer totally unsolicited advice: my coach's general approach involves picking a goal race, picking a quasi-goal race that's along the way, then sprinkling in about a race a month. The quasi-goal race is one you kinda-taper for and try to run HARD. The premise is that a good performance there takes a lot of pressure off your goal race, as you've already snagged a pretty sweet achievement. The point of the monthly-ish races: (a) fitness checks, and (b) keeping you used to the racing process (nerves, race-morning prep, taking yourself to the edge (and maybe even beyond)). As for what kind of races and training ... well, good luck with that!
You're doing stuff right!
Ross just read your race report. I think you ran it just about perfect. You might have gotten a little faster time if you pushed it from the start, but it probably would have been painful and there was a chance of a blowup and hae to shuffle up those late hills. That might have discouraged you at you very first attempt at this distance. Finishing with a grin on your face while passing a bunch at the end is much more enjoyable than the other way around. Now you know you can go the distance and can work on beating this time.
atomno2 -- 12NOV2011 -- Thunder Road HM (Charlotte NC) -- Goals: (A) 1:55; (B) 2:00; (C) 2:05. RESULT = 1:47:03
I wish I would have been that fast. I actually ran a 1:53:38. I am still stoked!!
Not that I am fast but--
Okay, here we go. Focus. Speed. I am speed. One winner, forty-two losers. I eat losers for breakfast. Breakfast? Maybe I should have had breakfast? Brekkie could be good for me. No, no, no, focus. Speed. Faster than fast, quicker than quick. I am Lightning.” — Lightning McQueen
Congratulations Adam, Lynwood, and Ross for your awesome PRs!
Ross, I read your blog, I also notice the lady with the sign for candy, best one I have even seen. I also looked at your split, since your first 10K is 51:58, if one subtracts 33 seconds of your gun time adjustment, which ends up with 8:16 pace, that means you second half pace is around 7:48. 30 seconds negative pace split is huge. Your real level probably is about 2~3 minutes better than your time, since you only had 3+ months training, you should be able to break 1:40:00 easily soon.
Scheduled Races:
Tokyo Marathon (March 2020)
Boston Marathon (April 2020)
Congratulations to everyone that did Thunder Road.
Adrian
Han, Lynwood, Adam, Ross,
congrats!
Ross, your heart rate started to rival Adam!
Han --> were you hitting your lap key manually to record each mile based upon the miles marked on the course (I've heard of people who do this but I can't imagine doing that for an entire marathon let alone any race...were you able to focus in on the race or get trapped somewhat in terms of focusing in on hitting your lap key each mile)? Nice effort for a tough course!
Clive, I believe that based upon some prior chatter, Lynwood and Richard are planning on toeing the line for the Santa Scramble this Saturday (Ross, that is in your home town).
Rob
Well, post it up, folks, and don't forget your goals!
Han, congrats on a great race. Ross, I read your report. You ran much smarter than I did. I had planned on running my pace, then finishing like you did.
All right Shashi, your turn! I'm ready to hear about some flying monkeys getting crushed!
Clive, I am planning on running the Santa Scramble, but have no idea what to shoot for. Any suggestions? 21:59 or better would be good I think. No clue how I'll feel by Saturday.
Well, McMillan says your HM time is equivalent to a low-22 5k. But (a) I think the Scramble is a friendlier course than Thunder Road, and (b) I think you're better at shorter distances. So yeah, sub-22 sounds good to me!
Yes, I did manually hit the lap key for each mile, since I have to watch my pace to hit my goal, and difference between Garmin and real distance can change pace dramatically. In fact doing the manual hit is easier than you thought, not like other races, one cannot run marathon all-out, so I am in a much relax mode compared to other races, I had the whole plan before the race that by # of miles to take GELs, to take salt pills and other enery drink, so I pay a lot of attention to the mile marker. I think in the whole race, I forget to hit the key at mile #14 and mile #15, I am not sure what I was thinking at that time...
I ran 22:50 when my HM was 1:50:20 (I Think), so 21:59 sounds very reasonable. I'd go out harder than that for Santa Scramble. If you believe Richard (no reason not to) the crowds and the course are good for a good 30 seconds to a minute, I think the course is a bit short .
Congrats again to all of you guys who did so well at Thunder Road! I'm kind of bummed I didn't get to run it now that it's over. It ends my streak of running a half marathon every month. Oh well... my wife said nobody cared about that streak but me anyway (she's supportive like that).
I'm going to try to pay special attention as to whether or not the Santa Scramble course is short or not. If I remember correctly it was exactly 3.1 miles last year.
Here's what I'm hoping for (my all-time PR is 19:51 so I'd like to beat that)...
old-runner -- 19NOV2011 -- Santa Scramble (5k) (Concord NC) -- Goals: (A) 19:50; (B) sub 20:00; (C) sub 21:00
In kind of unrelated news but I need to tell somebody: All of those races I've been traveling to are paying off. I've got a big lead in both the Grand Masters category and my age group in the Running Journal Grand Prix...
http://running.net/male-grand-masters
http://running.net/male-55-59
Richard Hefner Past Race Results (Athlinks)