This was my second year riding the MS 150 and, although it was a hotter ride this year than last, I will be back in 2014. For those of you who have not heard about it, the MS 150 is an annual fundraising ride for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. There as MS rides around the country and I believe there was another one up in the Richmond area. All the riders are required to raise at least $300 to ride and many of them raise well over $1000.
This year's ride was June 1-2 and started in Cape Charles and finished the first day at Camp Silver Beach, the YMCA camp near Exmore. The second day reversed the course and ended up back in Cape Charles. The event offered a 75-mile ride each day or lesser distances. Our team, "Hats Off to Parris" had 25 members, including volunteers. One of our members, for whom the team is named, is diagnosed with MS, but she still rode with us on Saturday. We all met up for dinner on Friday night in Chick's Beach and then caravaned over to the Eastern Shore. We also did a Saturday night dinner at the Island House Restaurant in Wachapreague.
This year's ride was a bit hotter than last year's, with temperatures on Saturday afternoon topping 90 degrees along with a fairly stiff headwind. Sunday was a few degrees cooler, but will a steady headwind through most of the ride. Winding our way along the back roads of the Eastern Shore was also an enjoyable ride. The team broke into faster and slower groups on Saturday, with the faster group averaging about 17 mph. On Sunday, we tried to ride together as a group with an average pace of just under 15 mph. Our team still rose to the challenge and everyone finished. To their credit, the MS folks put on a nice ride with well stocked and staffed rest stops.
In the end, our team raised over $9000 and the entire event raised over $400,000 for National MS. Not a bad showing. If you are thinking about doing a long ride, consider an event like the MS 150, where you ride with a team. While riding solo is fine, nothing beats being part of a team.
Any runner or cyclist worth their salt spends at least a few minutes making sure they have all of their gear ready for a run or a ride. That includes not only clothing and shoes, but also other equipment, like a Garmin, race belt or helmet. I have actually gotten to the point where I put together a pre-race/ride checklist to make sure that I don't walk off without some essential piece of gear.
One piece of gear that is on both lists is my Road ID bracelet. As you can see from the picture above, it is a velcro band that includes the pertinent identification and contact info for the wearer, including name, phone numbers and, in my case, blood type. I have been very lucky in my runs and rides never to be seriously injured or hit by a vehicle, although I have had some close scrapes. In the unfortunate event that I was unable to communicate, my Road ID would allow first responders to identify me and contact my wife.
I know that some runners and cyclists carry their driver's license, which is fine, but who wants to lose that? The Road ID is, in my opinion, worth the very modest investment and may well save your life. As I see it, this unobtrusive little bracelet is a pretty valuable piece of safety equipment!
Most of my posts on this blog are focused on my running, hence the name "On the Run in Virginia." That being said, I am a cyclist in addition to my running and have found that they are a nice compliment to one another. Like running, I am relatively new to cycling, but have found it to be another great community.
Until this past Saturday, my longest ride was at the 2012 MS 150 on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, where our team did 75 miles on consecutive days to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis. On Saturday, I participated in my first century ride (100 miles) as part of the Cap2Cap Ride sponsored by the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation. Although the weather forecasts were a bit troubling, we only got rained on briefly and then the sun came out for the rest of the ride. If you are a cyclist and have not tried a century, give it a try. It did take some training, although I did not train as much and for as long as I should have and was feeling it by Mile 90.
The ride took us through some beautiful and historic areas of Virginia, including the Charles City County Courthouse, the Richmond Battlefield Park, Rockett's Landing in Richmond and past the James River plantations along Route 5. This was a great ride and kudos to the VCTF for a job well done.
If you have ever spent any time around other runners, you will find that the conversation inevitably turns to shoes. After all, they are a major component of the sport and something we all have in common. I have to preface my remarks by disclosing the fact that I have been actively running only since September, 2011. Consequently, I don't have the long perspective that some running bloggers bring to the table. I do, however, have some strong opinions.
Before I began actively running, I was a walker for many years and had decided that Saucony was the best shoe for me. I am one of those rare supinators, so I have to have a neutral shoe. When I started running, I naturally continued to use Saucony's, which are great shoes, but were not as comfortable for my running. I actually was smart and went to a local running store to get fitted with the right shoe. After trying on several types, I decided that the Brooks Ghost 3 gave me the best fit and feel. The Ghost 3 is still one of my favorites and I think I went through three pairs of them. I was not as fond of the Ghost 4's, but, about that time, Brooks introduced its Brooks Pure Project series. The Pure series was Brooks' foray into a minimalist, lightweight shoe. I tried the Pure Flows and loved them. Wonderfully light, while still well-cushioned. I still use them and recommend them to others.
The latest evolution in my running shoe journey are my Newtons. Like so many other runners, I had never heard about Newton running shoes until I began seeing them at races. Newton Running, a Boulder, Colorado-based company, was doing bright colors before it became trendy. I was intrigued by them and did a bit of research. What I found was that they are designed to emphasize a more natural style of running. The shoes employ a lug on the bottom of the shoe that encourages the runner to shift his or her weight to the forefoot. This change in form is less stressful on the knees, which is especially appealing to those of us in our 50's.
Like so many other runners, I was a heel striker with the excessive heel wear on my shoes to prove it. At first, I was put off by the cost of Newtons. At $175 for a pair of Gravities, they are not cheap. Finally, I decided to take the plunge (with the help of a gift card from a buddy of mine). I am not being gratuitous when I say that my Newtons have transformed my running. Although it took a few weeks to adjust to the new running style, I cannot say enough good things. My Gravities are lightweight and comfortable. My legs are more resilient during runs and I am no longer overstriding. In short, I love them and I think they have made me a better runner. I will continue to use my Pure Flows in my shoe rotation, but from now on, Newtons are my "go to" shoes.
The Monument Avenue 10K (above) was my first race in my Newtons and they performed well. I was not expecting a PR, because of the large number of runners, but managed to get one anyway. Although I am not ready to run a full marathon in them, I would not hesitate to use them for a half. Like many aspects of running, the choice of a good running shoe is a very individual decision. I suspect, however, the next time you see me on a run, I'll be in my Newtons!
It is still hard to imagine how two people, so twisted by hate, could choose to randomly target spectators and runners at one of the signature running events in the United States. I guess it is the price we all pay for living in an open society. I am struck, however, by the incredible response of the running community to this crime.
I can only lay claim to being part of the running community for that last couple of years, but I never cease to be amazed at the passion and excitement shared by runners. Perhaps, it is the nature of the sport. I have found it to be incredibly inclusive and welcoming to new runners. It is, at the same time, both an individual sport and a group sport. As individuals, we runners are always pushing ourselves to go faster or longer and to get that new PR. We also tend to love sharing the sport as evidenced by countless number of running clubs and races that fill the calendar.
The bombing at Boston two weeks ago was not just another random act of terror; it was an assault on the running community. It was a violation of our sport and our members at the most basic level. As such, our community has responded by supporting the victims, both runners and non-runners. Running groups and stores have sponsored charity runs and individual runners have donned the memorial bibs as a symbol of their support.
While terrorism has, unfortunately, touched the Boston Marathon, it has not ended it. Indeed, the word is that next year's Boston Marathon will be even more competitive to get into. The sad events of April 15, 2013 have brought out the best qualities in the running community and made me proud to be a member.
Being from Richmond, Monument Avenue is one of those treasured places that makes Richmond....well, Richmond. It is lined with impressive homes as well as statues of Confederate heros from what is alternatively called the War Between the States or The Late Unpleasantness. All that being said, it would be hard for me to turn down the chance to run this impressive boulevard. I ran part of it during the Richmond Marathon in November and was ready for another dose.
I also managed to convince eight runners from our Cornerstone Striders group in Suffolk to join me. Until I actually began reading up on the race, I had no idea it was so big. Some 40,000 runners and walkers. The corrals stretched for blocks and I only made it into mine by a few minutes. I really had no expectation of a PR given the number of runners and the crowd did not thin out until we were well up Monument Avenue on the first leg. Still, I managed to keep a sub-9 minute pace and when we made the turn at the half way mark, the field had opened sufficiently to allow me to make up some time.
Like the Richmond Marathon, the Monument Avenue 10K has terrific public support with spectators lining the entire route and bands at every mile. We had a beautiful day and I even managed to PR the race by almost a minute with an average pace of 8:26. I thoroughly enjoyed the race and hope to make it again next year. Thanks Richmond!
Well, the Shamrock Marathon is now history and it's one I will remember for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the weather. It was COLD!! I had been looking at the long range forecasts for weeks and had pretty much figured that we were looking at temperatures in the mid-40's, which proved to be the case. The big question mark had been the chance of rain. The weather gurus had gone back and forth all week, first predicting rain, then backing off and then predicting it again. In the end, it came close to raining, but (with the exception of a few drops) it did not rain during the race. The wind was another matter. From the time I got out of my car in the parking deck on Sunday morning, I knew we were in for wind. In fact, I added some gear to help deal with the wind chill. The wind was particularly brutal along the Boardwalk between Miles 10.5 and 11.5 and coming back through Fort Story between Miles 20 and 22.
The other memorable thing about the 2013 Shamrock Marathon was a nice PR. I was able to slice 15 minutes off my time from the Richmond Marathon in November of last year. I set my goal of running average 10 minute miles and managed to have all of my mile splits under 10 minutes for a finish at 4:20:18. Not bad given the unfavorable conditions.
The Shamrock Marathon course is mostly a flat course with a couple of exceptions. The most notable is during the first half where you go out and back over the Rudee Inlet Bridge. This amounts to a freeway overpass, so not a terrible hill to contend with and, fortunately, is during the first half of the race when you are better able to deal with it. The other "hill" occurs during the second half of the race between Miles 16 and 19 as you approach the West Gate to Fort Story. However, this is a pretty gradual hill and you don't really feel it. The photo of me is Mile 18 going up that "hill."
As I mentioned, the real obstacle this year was the cold wind off the Ocean. Now, anyone who has been to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront know that the wind blows most of the time. On marathon morning, it was blowing particularly hard and combined with the temperatures in the low 40's made for a chilling experience. While I geared up, I saw plenty of runners in tank tops and shorts and I couldn't help but think - what do they know that I don't? I'm still not sure.
When the race was done, I was not only tired but bone-chilling cold. I picked up my swag and headed for a warm car. No post would be complete without a tip of the hat to the J&A Racing folks. They put on great races and, with the exception of the weather, this year's Shamrock was another success. They really have their act down and they do it right.
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