Masters Running

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Race Reports for the November 4 & 5 weekend (Read 36 times)

Mariposai


     

    Wishing the weekend racers good luck. Enjoy your victory lap.

     

    11/04 Quickadder - McNeese Cowboy Gallop, 10K, Lake Charles, LA

    11/04 Coastwalker - Run For all Ages 5K, Wakefield, MA

    11/04 Henrun/Marj - Run for all Ages-5K, Wakefield MA

    11/04 stumpy77 - ?Run for all Ages-5K, Wakefield MA

    11/05 Dave59 - Marshall University Half Marathon, Huntington WV

    "Champions are everywhereall you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard

    coastwalker


      Race For All Ages 5K, Wakefield, MA

       

      This race is the same loop around the lake that Stumpy runs all the time (when he's home). It is a very picturesque course, with the lake always on one side, and charming residential neighborhoods on the other side for most of the loop. It's also about as flat as flat can be. It was a great morning for racing, with little wind, good sunshine, and 46° temps.

       

      We had a good pre-race meet-up with Henrun, Stumpy (Kevin), Marj, and Marj's DD and GS. Everyone raced but Stumpy, who strolled over with a cuppa coffee to join the party. It was great to see and have some time to chat with everyone. Kevin stayed for the race, took some photos, and also hung out for the award ceremony for a while.

       

      I wore my black/orange compression shorts, light blue l/s shirt with my 65+ club singlet over it, orange cap, and yellow Topo ST2s. There were around 200 people, so it was a nice, small race. There was no walking div. in this race, so I was competing against myself. I didn't have a goal time, but wanted to be reasonably quick and consistent, and not fade away near the finish. My splits (according to my Garmin) were 10:15, 10:17, 10:08, and 9:48 to the finish. I would like to have had every mile as quick as #3, but I like the splits, and am happy with finishing a little faster. This race brings out a lot of the faster/older 65+ club runners, so even with 5-year age groups for ages from 60 to 90, there was no way I was going to win anything - unlike Marj, who ran a great race and went home with an AG medal!

       

      It was a good morning and race with terrific company. Now I have to go move a few hundred thousand leaves around...

       

      Jay

      Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.

      Quickadder


        McNeese Cowboy Gallop 10K RR 11/4/17

         

        This is a race put on by and for the benefit of McNeese State University Track & Field and sponsored this year by the local VW dealership. November weather of 72F and foggy - visibility was no more than 100-150 yards throughout the race. Small field of about 60 runners and looking around before the start I did not see any of the usual runners in my 60+ AG. Everyone stood for the National Anthem, which Coach downloaded from his phone to a speaker box and which played at less than half the normal speed, sounding most odd - perhaps the band took a knee!

         

        This race was not chip-timed and I managed to give most of the runners a few seconds start as my app didn't start immediately. As usual I started out too fast and mile 1 was 8:20. Breathing was fine, but the front of my left shin felt what I can best describe as 'tired', possibly from last week's trail race, so I eased the pace a little. Miles 2-5 were 9:00, 9:20, 9:20 and 9:00. A couple passed me in mile 5 and I did pick up the pace a little to keep them in view, which with the fog meant fairly close. The mile 6 marker was short and by the time I registered 6 miles I was already well down the slippery slope (literally) into the college's football stadium and I had 8:58 for mile 6. The race finished on the 50 yard line of the football field and I found enough to be able to repass the couple ahead of me with about 20 yards to go.

         

        Final distance 6.02 miles (other runners reported between 5.9 and 6.05 miles) and final time of 54:07. 26th/58 OA and 1st AG (Yes, I was the only one in that AG!). Won a coffee mug. Decided this does not count as a 10K PR.

         

        Race shirts arrived just after the awards ceremony ... apparently they had had to be reprinted as they had misspelled the name of the main sponsor, though I wouldn't expect there are many ways of spelling VW.

         

        All in all a good practice run for next week's 10K Cajun Cup in Lafayette, which normally has 1000-1500 runners and is the proper distance.. Weather forecast is a little cooler for next week and I should be close to my time of 54:31 from last year (which got me 11th/27 in AG 60-64).

        Started running at age 60.

        AG 60-64 PR - 5K 25:45, 10K 53:28, HM 1:57:39, Marathon 4:32:09

        AG 65-69 PR - 5K 26:11, HM 2:02:39, Marathon 5:04:47

         

        mrrun


          to add to Jay's report

           

          Image may contain: 4 people, people smiling, people standing and outdoor

           

           

           

          and then

          Image may contain: 3 people, people smiling, people standing, sky and outdoor

           

          I'm copying pix from FB and I don't know how to make them smaller - sorry.  Adding to Jay's description, it was IRC with a little wind the last mile which cooled us down.  I was about 1 minute faster then my last couple of 5K which is probably because of weather.  GS got cramps just after mile 1 and walked part, so was bummed out he didn't get an award..  I came in 3 out of ? only because the president of our running club is injured and couldn't run - and several others in AG didn't show up!

           

          RA meet-ups of any size are always fun!!!!

          marj

           

           

          Quick - nice race, even if short!

            Quick - nice AG win!  Hey, you gotta play to win and if no one else plays, you win!  I'm not sure how RD's mis-measure a course by that much.

             

            Marj and Coast - great that you all could meet up and race together.    Nice performances for you both.

            Quickadder


              Opus, I wasn’t surprised that the course was short. Two years ago the volunteers sent everyone the wrong way cutting about half a mile. It is not a certified course and the out and back section was affected by roadworks. I had mile markers 1-4 spot on, but both 5 & 6 were short, possibly as they rerouted to the stadium entrance so they could finish on the 50 yard line.

               

              First time that I’ve been the oldest runner in a race!

              Started running at age 60.

              AG 60-64 PR - 5K 25:45, 10K 53:28, HM 1:57:39, Marathon 4:32:09

              AG 65-69 PR - 5K 26:11, HM 2:02:39, Marathon 5:04:47

               

                Love the pictures!

                Out there running since dinosaurs roamed the earth

                 

                oldfartrunner


                  Opus, I wasn’t surprised that the course was short. Two years ago the volunteers sent everyone the wrong way cutting about half a mile. It is not a certified course and the out and back section was affected by roadworks. I had mile markers 1-4 spot on, but both 5 & 6 were short, possibly as they rerouted to the stadium entrance so they could finish on the 50 yard line.

                   

                  First time that I’ve been the oldest runner in a race!

                   

                  Nice job Quick!   You'll catch Ed Whitlock yet. ...Good luck next week!

                  Don Patrol


                    Hello everybody.  I ran the City of Oaks Marathon (Raleigh) Nov. 5.  This was no. 15, and my first since Boston last April.  I had a pretty good training cycle (FIRST, of course!), and managed to avoid any significant injuries along the way.  Starting this marathon season still not 100% confident in my body after last year’s broken leg and two pulled hamstrings, it’s taken me a while to get close to my previous speed.  So, I wasn’t really sure what pace I should target for Raleigh.  My main goal was <3:50, or BQ -5, as I’ve aged up.  My super-stretch goal was <3:40, which is my Current BQ.  I decided I’d go for the 3:40, or about 8:20 pace.

                     

                    My wife and I stayed at the new Aloft in Raleigh, which is right at the start line of the race!  Race morning was low 50s and overcast, which was perfect for me.   Raleigh is hilly, and the first 11 miles were constant rolling hills.  Then we headed onto the Greenway section where I hoped we’d get some relief, but the hills just got worse.  I held the 8:20 pace through about 16 miles, then the hills started wearing me down.  Some grades were up to 14%.  After 21 miles began a series of steep and long hills that continued for about three miles.  Most everyone near me started walking, but I was determined to keep climbing as best as I could.  The final two miles weren’t too bad, and I managed to hold on for a 3:41:37 and a BQ -13 - good enough for 3rd place AG.  My wife ran her first half in a couple of years and actually tied her PR from 5 years ago!

                     

                    I’m pretty pleased with the results, and I’m sure I could have been well under 3:40 on a friendlier course!

                     

                    Next marathon in 3 weeks!

                    Marathon Maniac since 3/2016. Marathon PR: 3:29:25 - Richmond 2015.  Back to Boston in 2019!!

                      Don,

                       

                      I've run City of Oaks 3 times and will confirm that it is not a BQ friendly course. So you did great to pull off that time and a BQ!  Believe it or not, they have "flattened out" that course over the years - it used to go through Umstead Park, where the hills from mile 13-18 would make you want to quit.  But it was a gorgeous run through the park and quite a sense of accomplishment to beat the hills.  Great race!

                      oldfartrunner


                        Great race Don, and glad you are pounding out the miles and marathons again!  Wish I could get over my hammy issues, it's only been two years though.

                         

                        Hey Opus!

                        Don Patrol


                          Opus - thanks!  I actually ran the City of Oaks in 2011 with the Umstead portion; I think I liked that better!

                           

                          OFR - thanks to you, too.  Hamstrings are fragile things.  A year after my first pull, I injured it again.  I’m extra careful with the track workouts now.

                          Marathon Maniac since 3/2016. Marathon PR: 3:29:25 - Richmond 2015.  Back to Boston in 2019!!


                          Marathon Maniac #957

                             

                            Race shirts arrived just after the awards ceremony ... apparently they had had to be reprinted as they had misspelled the name of the main sponsor, though I wouldn't expect there are many ways of spelling VW.

                             

                             

                              Well done!

                             

                            Jay - great race and love the pictures!  The meetups are the best....

                            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."


                            Marathon Maniac #957

                               I managed to hold on for a 3:41:37 and a BQ -13 - good enough for 3rd place AG.  My wife ran her first half in a couple of years and actually tied her PR from 5 years ago!

                               

                               

                              Excellent racing for both of you, and way to come back from a broken leg and two pulled hamstrings!

                              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."