We don't have anyone on the Intrepid list who is racing this weekend, but I know that there will be a few people racing without adding their race on that thread...
so RA friends....
If you race this weekend, please come back to tell us all about it
Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.
— Dean Karnazes
"Champions are everywhere; all you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard
Cupcake Chase 5k - Milton WVWeather: Very good. Upper 50s or low 60s at race time. Clear & sunny.Gimmick: 3 stations along the course. At the first one you pick up a cupcake, at the second you ice the cupcake, and at the third station you put on sprinkles. You turn in the cupcake at the finish for judging. (This was optional for the runners).Course: Interesting course full of switchbacks in a big field. A path was mowed to follow. So probably 90% or more of the course was on grass, then some on gravel, and just the start and finish on asphalt.Results: Official time of 27:53. 2 of 5 in age group (50-59), 9 of 35 male, 11 of 133 overall.My Race: Not much I can say that is of any interest. I just pick a speed I think I can hold for the duration and then try to hang on. I forgot to start my watch. As I was running I kept wondering when I would feel the Garmin vibrate at the 1 mile mark. Finally I looked at my watch to see what was going on and I saw 0:00:00 on the display. That isn't a big problem but I missed not being able to know how far I had gone and what I had left.A woman came up from behind me around what I would guess was a mile. She was one of the few people left who doesn't have to wear headphones in a 5k so we were chatting. She stopped to get a cupcake at the first station so I figured I play along too. At the second station, the frosting was in squeeze bags. I was going to make a smiley face. I made the smile, but when I tried to make the eyes it came out as one big one so I changed my mind and decided to make a smiling cyclops. At the third station I pickup up some sprinkles to add but the jar I picked up were the larger size sprinkles and hence did not have a lid with holes, so when I went to shake out some sprinkles I dumped half the container on my cupcake. I apologized and continued on. My running partner got a good laugh out of that.At the end, my partner took off and finished 20 seconds ahead of me.When I finished, I went back to my car to get some coffee (I brought a thermos with me). I get sick to my stomach these days if I drink coffee before a race so I make sure I have some when I am done. At my car I saw a text on my phone about meeting friends for coffee in Huntington. I hate to pass that up so I skipped the awards and headed out early. I would have got a cupcake shaped medal for my 2nd in age group. Of all the people that decorated cupcakes, mine was the absolute worst so there was no danger of winning an award in that competition. I usually take some wipes and a change of clothes to a race in case I want to do something afterwards, so I was able to clean up before meeting my friends.I've been in WV for just over 2 years and this was the first race where I saw people I know. There was a young couple I knew from church at the race. In Michigan I always knew a number of people. The couple I met are both Marshall University students.Speaking of Michigan, today is the day of "The Crim". My favorite race when I lived there. The 10-mile is the main event but they have a mile race the day before, a 5k and an 8k. I ran it at least 10 times while I lived up there.
Cupcake Chase, what a fun event that must be. Do you have a chance to eat your cupcake at the end?
Great racing today for you Dave59. I really enjoyed reading the My race segment of your report. Nice job and congrats on your 2AG!
Hi Dave,
Good racing & reporting! I don't know how it would be to race with a cupcake in hand, especially after decorating it. I'd fear that I'd either squeeze it to death, or my decorations would go flying all over the place as I swung my arms. Regardless, congrats on your 2nd place AG award, and the bonus meet-up afterwards. Congrats also on starting to get to see familiar faces and know people at the races.
Well done!
Jay
Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.
Interesting race, Dave. Kinda hokey to just lay out a "course" with artificial switchbacks, but it is WV after all... I would have had trouble stuffing a cupcake into the key pocket on my shorts, but maybe you're a better packer.
Doug, runnin' cycling in Rochester, MI
"Think blue, count two, and look for a red shoe"
MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803
Wow. 90% grass? Sounds like barefoot heaven or,if not, then, at least, West Virginiamight be the barefooters Field of Dreams.At least not everyone wears $100+ sneakers,
. . . . do they?.However, I think the only thingleft of any cupcake I’d be gettingalong the way would be the paper cup.
"Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)
an amazing likeness
Blueberry Cove 13.1 -- Tenants Harbor, Maine
Weather: Beautiful, crisp early fall day with temps at race start around 55F, rising to low 60's during the race; bright sun, light north wind. Stunning day. We won the weather lottery.
Gimmick: This half marathon runs from a small 4H campground through rural, coastal Maine to a turnaround at the Marshall Point lighthouse where Forrest Gump reached the Atlantic on his cross-country trek and turned around to head back across the country.
Race details: Due to logistics of parking, running on (open to traffic) narrow rural roads, and the venue being a small 4H summer camp, the race is limited to 200 runners. Many folks are from out-of-state -- probably half the field -- looking for a unique race (see lighthouse in Gimmick section) or to cross Maine off their "race states" list.
This is an no-frills race. No t-shirt, no swag, no packet to pick up. All the fees are used for the 4H camp. They even use hand-made bibs of cotton squares with a number painted on it which you turn in after the race for re-use.
There are water stops on the course, staffed generally by folks who are...ummm...elderly, so you might as well walk through to get your cup of water, they're not great with the quick handoff. Just don't lag too long to allow a conversation beyond "morning, thank you!" to get started. You want Gu? Nope. Gatorade? Nope. Cup of water...sure.
It is a certified course, officially (gun) timed. It's a hilly fella, however. No real flat sections for relief from the up and down.
Fashion Report: Blue NB shirt from this year's July 4th race since it seems to handle sweat well and isn't yet perma-stinked. Some shorts from the clean pile, socks, whatever shoes were next in the equipment list, and my beat-up running cap. Here's a shot of your intrepid racer taking a hard left in bustling Port Clyde, ME, demonstrating this kit in action. (Note cotton race bib mid-gut)
My Race: I usually run 6-8 half marathons per year...but injuries, work, and eldercare events made this my first crack at 13.1 since last November, so I wasn't battle hardened in any form. With few training runs longer 8-10 miles, I decided to just start out and feel out a pace which felt like it was "work but sustainable". Goal #1 was get to the lighthouse at mile 8.5 without feeling used up, then aim for no fade from there back to the camp for the finish. Committed from the start to take water at each stop, and to walk through them to have short breaks. All in all, plan worked ok as I wasn't passed from 8.5mi to the finish and laid down fastest split from 9-10mi in order to pass and gap a guy I'd been gaining from 4mi onward who looked to be in same age group.
Finished in 1:51 for 28OA and 3AG. One of my slower HMs, but I'd guess the effort for that time would be a 1:44 or 1:45 on an easier course.
I'll close this redonkulously long report with me heading to the finish line into the massive crowds at the Blueberry Cove 4H camp...
Oh...one last pic...if you glance at the elevation chart, the section between 5-6mi is really saps you. Here's a shot I took post-race which gives a sense of the race course in that location...tree-lined roads climbing with the ocean on your right. I'll draw your eye to the craftsman's offerings on the sign to the left...appropriate for how you feel that point.
Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.
Marathon Maniac #957
Dave - I love the cupcake theme, and that is a pretty respectable time given all that decorating action. Congrats on the 2nd AG!
Milktruck - that looks like a very hilly course. And considering your lack of training, I think 3rd AG is pretty sweet - well done!
Life is a headlong rush into the unknown. We can hunker down and hope nothing hits us or we can stand tall, lean into the wind and say, "Bring it on, darlin', and don't be stingy with the jalapenos."