Father's Day 5k 2009

"The trick is picking the smaller races."

For Father's Day this year, I invited my Dad to run this 5k with me up in Arvada. He was happy to join me, so we drove up together to the Apex Rec Center. I grew up in Arvada, not too far from where we were going to be running; and in fact my Dad recognized the large field behind the Center as where my soccer team had played its games (because, like all native Colorado children, I was on a neighborhood soccer team growing up. I think there's a state law that says you have to).

I knew I would have a good race. I always seem to do well on new courses. And I knew from looking at the map for this race that it was going to be relatively flat. During my warmup miles on the course, I ran up what guessed was the only real hill in the first half mile, and figured it would be a pretty flat, pretty easy course after that. The only real challenge was going to be the very narrow course--that first half mile ran along 72nd Avenue, and the course was pretty much restricted to the bike lane on the side. At least there wasn't a whole lot of traffic...

After wishing my Dad good luck, I lined up at the start, pretty close to the front. There was a relatively small crowd--I'd estimated about 150 (in fact there were 181 finishers), so I felt my chances of ranking pretty high were fairly good. Of course, regardless of that I planned on running a solid race anyway and pushing for a new PR. After some announcements and plugs for the sponsors, we were off! I let the excitement of running a new course carry me along over the uphill first half mile and on. However, I did glance at my watch as I made the first turn to see how I was doing, noticing with some surprise that I was pushing a 6:15 pace. I need to get back in the habit of ignoring my watch on these shorter distances--I've had some success with that recently, so I have to get back to that mindset. In any event, I was feeling pretty strong and even though I told myself to ease off a little, I knew I could keep pushing.

Today was the first day of summer, and it really wanted to prove it. Whereas yesterday had been cool and cloudy all day (perfect for the first training run of the Runner's Edge of the Rockies summer session), today was sunny and clear and plenty warm. Unfortunately, after the first mile the course was pretty exposed, so I was definitely feeling the heat during that second mile. There was also a second uphill for about a quarter mile just before the turnaround, which was kind of a rude surprise. These served to take a little of the wind out of my sails, although I am happy to say that at that time I was no longer looking at my watch.

With about a third of a mile to go, the course came off the streets and onto the Ralston Creek Trail. I increased my turnover a little bit for this last bit, and opened it up even more once I reached the 3 mile mark. I crossed the finish in 23:34, faster than the Strides a couple of weeks ago but still 35 seconds off my PR (not that I'm complaining--I ran a solid race and I'm happy with it. Next time I'll just have to push harder).

After grabbing some Gatorade, I walked my way along the course in reverse, looking for my Dad. I saw him coming onto the Trail and shouted words of encouragement at him, and ran him in the rest of the way. I tried to push him as hard as he could go, and I think he was feeling it by the end; but he crossed the finish line in 38:01, a huge improvement over his last 5k.

Oh, yeah, and I almost forgot to mention: when we checked the official results, I discovered that I'd finished 5th in my age group again! Like I said, the trick is picking the smaller races!

After the race we hung out at the Apex Center for a bit, then headed over to my brother-in-law's parents' house for a Father's Day brunch. I was really glad I was able to spend some time with my family on Father's Day, and to run a race with my Dad. I'm looking forward to the Donor Dash in July, which my Dad and sisters and brother-in-law will all run with me as well.

Official Time: 23:34
Total Races: 13
YTD Race Miles: 102.6
YTD Total Miles: 578.85
Dad's 5k improvement: 7 minutes!

Garden of the Gods 10-mile 2009

There's a scene in the movie "Run Fatboy Run" where Dennis (Simon Pegg) is at work a day after completing his first ever training run. He's apparently in some serious agony and is constantly scratching himself for relief. He confesses to his boss that "I went for a bit of a run this morning, and I think I've got a bit of a rash...y'know, down in the...Scrotal Zone." It's a funny line, and I bring it up for two reasons, one of which is that I watched that movie last night with my sister, since I was staying at her place prior to this race (the other I'll get to later on).

"What time do you think you'll finish the race?" she asked me this morning as we drove down to Manitou Springs. Now, last year, I finished the race in one hour and 47 minutes. Going into this morning, I knew two things. One was that I am much stronger and faster than I was at this time last year. My consecutive PRs from March, April, and May speak to that. The other was that this is a really challenging course. It starts at just under 6300 feet and climbs and dips and climbs (mostly climbs) to a high point of just over 6500 feet before coming back down (and up and down again and again). So although I was confident that I would improve, I wasn't confident in how much. Consequently I told my sister that I'd probably shave two or three minutes off my time.

I held back at the start of the race, knowing that didn't want to push too hard and use up too much too quickly. Last year I'd run the first mile in just under 12 minutes. I figured for this year, just under 11 would be appropriate. But I was feeling very strong, there was a slight breeze helping keep things cool, and the first mile is almost all downhill. With all of that, I ran the first mile in 9:44. Then I had to face the first steep uphill climb of many as the course entered Garden of the Gods park.

Last year I ran about 90% of each uphill and walked the rest, running again on the downhill. This year I didn't want to do that, but I knew I would have to slow down a bit to avoid burning out and having no alternative. When I drew close to the top of that first uphill and saw that I was running 10:57 pace, I promised myself I'd keep that as my slowest pace. I could pick up the speed on the downhills to make up any difference easily enough.

I tried not to focus on my speed too much. Since I had forgotten the length of most of the hills, I told myself I could hold the sub-11 pace easily enough, and thus let myself go faster on the downhills. Instead I focused on the scenery (a little) and the other runners around me (mostly). Before I knew it we were being herded over to the right side of the road, which could only mean that the first finishers were on their way back. At mile 3.34 by my Garmin, they came tearing down: five or six very fast, very skinny, very focused men in a tight pack. We broke into cheers and applause for them, as well as the next three that came by, and the next group after that which included the first female finisher. As impressed as I was with the speed, focus, and determination evidenced by each of those runners, I was also impressed with the realization that I was a third of a mile further along than I'd been when I saw the first finishers coming back last year.

I continued to climb up towards the highest point on the course, at about mile 4.5. I'd been consistently managing a sub-10 pace for each mile, staying just below 11 minute pace for the uphills and opening it up on the downs (more than once I found myself at or below 7:30). It was about this point that I realized I was going to finish well ahead of when I'd told my sister I would. I wondered how early she would get to the finish area.....

I was still feeling very strong, and was even able to crack some jokes and strike up a few conversations with some other runners as we wound our way along the concrete path before rejoining the road. As I finished mile 6, however, I became very aware of two issues I'd been trying to ignore: a stitch in my right side that I could not get rid of, and discomfort in my own...er...Scrotal Zone (see? I told you). But I grit my teeth and pushed on, trying with limited success to push them out of my mind. I made it through the out-and-back at 7.5 miles feeling pretty good (in spite of the aforementioned issues), and made some very good time on the next downhill to just before the 8-mile sign.

Climbing up to that sign proved difficult, however. I kept myself on pace, at or below (sometimes a good piece below) an 11-minute mile. But by the time I crested that hill, I was really starting to feel tired. I'd used up almost all of my juice pushing as hard as I had, and for a brief moment panicked that I'd pushed too hard, that I'd have to slow to a walk before I finished. I made a silent vow to myself that I wouldn't let that happen as I crested the hill just after the 8-mile mark. I shortened my steps, let gravity take over, and coasted down that hill before climbing back up the last steep hill en route to the 9-mile mark.

Again, although I managed to stay on pace, I was definitely feeling it as I reached the top of that hill, about a mile and a quarter out from the finish. I noticed, however, that I was pulling abreast of runners who were also starting to run out of steam. That gave me a fresh burst of energy, and I pushed to the top of that last steep hill and started down again. Seeing the 9-mile mark gave me a little more, although I held back from increasing my pace just yet. After all, although it wasn't as steep, the whole of that last mile was mostly uphill!

Seeing the crowd of spectators building along the side of the road gave me that last push, and I picked up my pace for the last half mile. As I came around the last curve, I could see the finisher clock in front of me turn over 1:33:00. I knew I could make it in under 1:34:00. My eyes were focused on the clock, and everything else disappeared: the stitch in my side which I'd been trying to ignore for the last half hour, the groans of protest from my Scrotal Zone, even the presence of the spectators. I didn't even spare a thought for whether my sister was there or not. All I saw was the finish line and the clock. 1:33:45...46...47...48...as it turned over 49 seconds I crossed the line, throwing my hands into the air in triumph.

It wasn't a 10-mile PR (although it was closer than I'd at first thought: I missed my PR by 97 seconds!). But I improved my time by almost 15 minutes over last year's race. So I'll definitely take it, Scrotal Zone discomfort and all.

Official Time: 1:33:49
Total Races: 12
YTD Race Miles: 99.5
YTD Total Miles: 557.45
Number of times you can say "Scrotal Zone" before it stops being funny: 6 (phew! Just made it!)

Strides for Epilepsy 5k 2009

I've run a lot of races this year. More than I ever have before. In fact, I've run a race every week since the Bolder Boulder (and I'm not done yet: check back here next Sunday for my report on the Garden of the Gods 10 Miler, and the Sunday after that for the Stadium Stampede 5k). And I've run them all pretty hard, too, and set a number of PRs--one at every race since the Runnin of the Green, in fact!

Today's race was pretty much a last-minute addition to my calendar, when I realized I hadn't run a 5k at all in May. It was at Washington Park (along with a lot of 5ks), and the weather promised initially to be very favorable to a strong race. The sky was somewhat overcast and the temperature was still plenty cool. When the sun did break through the clouds though, it warmed up pretty quickly.

This was a fairly well-attended event, with special guest speaker Congressman Ed Perlmutter, who ran the race with his daughter Zoe and wife Deana (a former employer of mine! I caught up with them after the race to say Hi). I also spent some time chatting with BKB's Kelly, whose sister Keri is a member of Runner's Edge with me; and with RER member Tinka. I also saw/was passed by member Michelle A on the course.

I set myself a bit further back in the pack at the start than I probably should have (I was resting in the shade behind the truck is why). So, at the start, I spent a good .015 of that first mile ducking, bobbing, and weaving through the crowd. Nonetheless, I attacked the course strongly, and once the traffic cleared up, I was able to settle into a good pace. But here was where I made my first mistake: I looked at my watch.

Regular readers of my blog will remember that I've gotten out of the habit of looking at my Garmin at these shorter races and concentrating on running by feel. In that first mile I probably glanced at my watch four times. I believe it was a mistake. I've had good results in (shorter) races where I don't do that. The glances confirmed that I was setting a strong pace, one which might even allow a new 5k PR; but I think in these shorter races I benefit by not having that pace in the front of my brain, as it is when I look at the watch. I flipped the Garmin to the map screen so that even if I couldn't resist the temptation to look, I wouldn't see anything useful.

I was starting to feel it, though. That first mile was difficult, and the second one even more so. I knew my pace was slipping but I tried hard to focus on something, anything else: my music, the (slight) breeze, anything but the fact that I was running out of juice. Actually, being passed by Michelle helped with that. She was the first runner to pass me; and although I figured I wouldn't be able to catch her, I could at least pass someone else to regain my relative position within the pack. When another runner passed me a short time later, I picked off the next person in front of me to do the same. In all, I think I was passed by a total of eight runners, and I in turn passed an additional eight to make up the difference. Even the three runners who passed me during my slightly-longer-than-usual walk break at the aid station were unable to retain their lead.

But even with all that, I was just out of my groove. I still finished the race in 23 minutes and 57 seconds. That is a strong performance, and I'm happy with it and proud of it; but it's nearly a minute slower than my last 5k (and current PR). I'm not going to make excuses about it (maybe one: that heat did pick up when the sun came out at about mile 1.5). I was off my game. But I'm not going to dwell on it, either. I'm going to put it behind me and start focusing on the Garden of the Gods next week.

Official Time: 23:57
Total Races: 11
YTD Race Miles: 89.5
YTD Total Miles: 536.75
Ed Perlmutter's Final Time: ? (His name isn't on the list.)