(I do not expect anyone to read all this, but I'm sitting here recovering with nothing better to do than write a short story. Nowhere near as entertaining as most, if not all, the other race reports on the forum.)

I lived in Charleston WV after I graduated from college in 1981 until we left for Houston in 1999. I was dating a woman from WV at the end of my college years so rather than move back to Buffalo, I went to WV to find try and find work. One summer evening, I got a visit from a guy who was dating the same girl and he wondered where she was going so often so he followed her. That ended up being the end of our relationship but I eventually met Cindy and things ended up good. And that's how I ended up in WV.

The Charleston Distance Run was big back then so one year I decided to run it. In 1989 I entered, trained, and ran it in 2:13:31. In those days I did not realize people ran all the time so I would pick an event, do some training, and then go run it.

For the last 34 years I thought about doing the race again but never go around to it until today.

I started “training” 15 weeks ago. I took a Higdon half marathon plan and added a couple weeks to it. The schedule got interrupted by family issues, then Canadian wildfire smoke, and lastly by Covid just a few weeks ago.

But here I was at the race anyway.  I got to the race an hour early and sat on some steps next to the Kanawha River. It was a beautiful morning with the sun rising off to my left. I heard a quiet splashing noise and then saw something I have never seen before. Someone was swimming up the Kanawha River. I watched the steady stroke for at least 20 minutes as they went against the current, passed in front of me and eventually went far enough where I could not see them.

In my training I was doing my long runs with a run 4 minutes, walk 1 minute technique. At the starting line today, I was feeling good and I thought to myself, “I bet I could just run this thing from start to finish.”  I was smart enough to know that was a silly idea, so I decided to start with run 5 minutes, walk 1 minute technique and see how it went.  We started in front of the WV State Capitol building. 41 years ago, I was in the Capitol building programming a court docket system for the State Supreme Court. Converting the court off a paper system.

The first 3.75 miles were mostly flat except for going over the Kanawha River on the South Side Bridge. I was doing better than planned.

Mile 1 - 11:26

Mile 2 - 11:23

Mile 3 - 11:12

At that point we started going up Capitol Punishment Hill. There is a sign at the start of the hill. That's how I know its name. It was a mile to the top where you make a left and keep going up some more.

Mile 4 - 12:31

Mile 5 - 15:26 (all walking)

The next couple miles were rolling hills, some worse than others.

Mile 6 - 12:50

Mile 7 - 12:37

Then a steep downhill.

Mile 8 - 10:26

Walking up hills and running down hills took a lot more out of me than expected. We came back across the South Side Bridge and I was staring at 7 more miles in the sun and I was feeling exhausted. The temperature at the beginning was low 60s but it warmed up. I do not know how much but my guess is that it was 75 or more by then.

I could not do the 5/1 technique so I tried 4/2, but I could not manage 4 straight minutes of running. I then tried 3/3 and that worked. I did not know how long it would work but it seemed ok for most the rest of the way. I did not have any real goals, but I did want to do better than a 13-minute pace for the race.

I don't remember much about these miles except that it was hot and sunny.

Mile 9 - 12:22

Mile 10 - 12:45

Mile 11 - 13:27

Mile 12 - 13:05

Mile 13 - 13:07

Mile 14 - 12:46

Mile 15 - 13:45

Garmin Stats:

Distance 15.06

Time 3:09:54

Pace 12:36

Total Ascent 778 feet

I am sorer all over than I have ever been.

Now I can return to my 5ks!

Official Finish Line Photo:

Excellent Dave!!  Thanks for writing up your story. I read every word 
I think that's a darn fine time for a 15 miler with heat and some hills and I like how you made adjustments to your run/walk ratio to figure out what was working for you.

Nicely done!!  Now you do some walking/stretching tomorrow to work that acid out of your muscles!

I read it all and it’s a great report.  Except you forgot the best part- meeting ME!   From my experience, we should be especially proud of finishing the races that go really badly and are death marches.  You finished!   Those last 7 miles were very tough.   Enjoy the 5Ks!

Congratulations, Dave!  Yeah… I was concerned about you, after you suffered through COVID just a couple weeks ago.   I’m not surprised you toughed it out , though.  Great report and great finishing picture.

I beg to differ with you Dave, but that was a very entertaining and informative RR!

Congrats on a good finish, and on adjusting on the fly as the temps rose and the hills apparently did too. You certainly earned that rest day, and I'm glad you took advantage of it.

It's a little (maybe a lot) weird that the guy dating the same girl showed up on your doorstep. I hope she didn't stick with him after your relationship with her ended.

Jay

 

I was smart enough to know that was a silly idea, 

 

Someone is going to have to explain this.

Good on ya for starting, let alone finishing in the hills and heat.

 I was dating a woman from WV at the end of my college years so rather than move back to Buffalo, I went to WV to find try and find work. One summer evening, I got a visit from a guy who was dating the same girl and he wondered where she was going so often so he followed her. That ended up being the end of our relationship 

Wow!  Did she keep seeing that guy?  Glad you found Cindy....  Sounds like a tough race - glad you survived it, in spite of the heat!

Well, I say good riddance!