Playing Catch Up - Tour de Cure and MS 150 Rides

It's been over two months since my last post and I am ashamed to say that the time just got away from me. Wish I had a better excuse, but I don't. Although I am a fairly disciplined runner, I am not a very disciplined blogger. I try to do updates and I prepare for and complete races and rides, but that does not always happen in a timely fashion.

So much for excuses. Since April, I have participated in two charitable rides and enjoyed both of them. The first was the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure. I had wanted to do this ride last year, but could not work it out on my schedule. The nice thing about the Tour de Cure is that it is right in my back yard in Suffolk. I was able to ride with Team Kerneos and we had a great time.

Team Kerneos at the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure in Suffolk

The ride started at Kings Fork High School and took us through the back roads of Suffolk and Isle of Wight County. The weather was nice, although a bit warm. The Tour provided us with well-stocked rest stops along the ride. Our team had opted for the century ride, but heavy rains the night before had flooded part of the course and so the organizers had to cut out about four miles and detour us around the high water. All and all, I really enjoyed this ride and plan to do it again next year. My understanding is that the event raised over $300,000 for the Diabetes Association.

Team Kerneos at one of the rest stops.

The Tour de Cure served as a good warm up for my other chartiable ride, the MS 150. The MS 150 was held May 31-June 1 on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. This was my third MS 150 and, perhaps, the most enjoyable. 

The MS 150 begins in Cape Charles and winds its way toward the Ocean side of the Eastern Shore and then back across to the Bay side before finishing the first day at Camp Silver Beach in Exmore. We fielded about 19 riders for our Kicking Asphalt team and a smaller group of us decided to do a century the first day followed by 75 miles on Sunday. The second day started at Camp Silver Beach and retraced the route back to Cape Charles.

The Kicking Asphalt Team at the MS 150

The MS 150 ride is also a well-run event with good support and plenty of stops along the route. The Eastern Shore is a beautiful place to ride, although, at times, you have to deal with some pretty significant headwinds. We had great weather both days, although Sunday was the better of the two. For those who are not up to riding 75 miles, the MS offers shorter distances as well. If you are looking for a great ride that benefits a good charity, I would recommend either the Tour de Cure or the MS 150.

Smithfield Sprint Triathlon: A Review

The Cornerstone Striders at the Smithfield Sprint

Well, the 2014 Smithfield Sprint Triathlon is now in the books and I am fairly pleased with my performance. This tri was a 300m pool swim, a 10-mile bike ride and a 5K run. I was a bit apprehensive about the event, because I broke my left pinkie finger during a run on Thursday morning and had to tape it to the next finger for support during the race. Although it was painful at points during the event, I still managed to PR at 1:13:49. Sometimes adversity makes you better.

This is a popular tri, because it's the first event of the Set Up Events Virginia triathlon season. It was sold out several weeks ago with just under 600 participants. It began and ended at the Smithfield YMCA, which was also the beneficiary of the event. Their indoor pool served as the venue for the swim portion of the event.

Andrea on her way to transition after the swim

The weather was about perfect on Saturday with starting temps in the mid-60's. For me, the hardest event was the swim, because I was trying to swim and protect my bad finger. The net result was that my freestyle and comfort level in the water were hampered and it slowed me down. Once out of the water and onto the bike, I felt much better. The bike course took us out from the Y in a westerly direction. For the most part, the bike course was flat with the occasional hill. The was a significant turn and hill combination at about Mile 4, but the organizers had warned us about this. It required you to anticipate the sharp turn and to have geared down to ascend the hill without having to shift. I managed it with no significant problems, although apparently some folks did not heed the warning. There was a bit of a headwind on the return ride, but still pretty easy.

Headed out onto the bike portion of the Smithfield Sprint

I was a bit apprehensive about the run. My last tri was last August in Goochland and the 5K run was really difficult. I had trouble transitioning from the bike, the hot and humid conditions were a bit overwhelming and much of the run was almost cross-country over a mowed field. Net result was a very disappointing time. Fortunately, Saturday's 5K went well. Although the day had gotten hotter than expected, there was no real humidity and the entire course was paved road. It covered some of the same ground that I had run with our Cornerstone Striders group on some of our Windsor Castle Park runs. Mostly flat, with a few gradual hills. I managed to keep a solid sub-9 m/m pace and averaged out at 8:44 m/m. Felt strong the whole way.

Maureen headed toward the finish line after the 5K

In the end, I really liked the Smithfield Sprint. I would encourage anyone thinking about their first tri to consider it. It's a good race to get your feet wet....literally. They also had really good barbecue after the race. Being in Smithfield has its benefits!

Relaxing after the Smithfield Sprint Triathlon

Getting Ready for a Triathlon

If you have decided to branch out from running, then a triathlon might be the right thing for you. Because I am a runner and a cyclist, the triathlon was the next logical step for me and I gave it a "tri" last year at the Goochland Sprint Triathlon in August. 

When I decided to sign up for Goochland, my biggest worry was the swimming element. I was never a big swimmer and the thought of doing laps of freestyle was not very appealing. But, I figured that it would get me into the pool and a new type of exercise. My first attempts at swimming freestyle were down right embarrassing. I could swim about half a lap and then lapse into breaststroke. Although you could probably swim breaststroke, it would take you forever to finish the swim portion of the race. I decided that my technique and breathing needed work. I got a couple of tips from some experienced triathletes, including some online videos on freestyle technique.

I soon discovered that my swimming problems were chiefly related to my breathing. Like so many other non-swimmers, my tendency was to try to hold my breath when my head went underwater. Wrong! The trick to freestyle is to inhale as you turn your head and then exhale under water as you stroke. Voila. Although it did not make me a fast swimmer, it did enable me to swim multiple laps without switching out of freestyle. Once I had that down, I was able to work on distance.

The other key to a successful triathlon is transitioning from swimming to cycling to running. The clock continues to run, so you need to move as quickly as possible from one discipline to the next, which includes an equipment change. Triathletes accomplish this by having their gear laid out and ready. When you complete your swim, you dry off quickly, get into you cycling shoes, helmet and gloves and out onto the course as quickly as you can. Cycling for me was easy, perhaps too easy. I pushed my pace hard getting my average pace up around 20 mph. You can pick up time that way, but pushing too hard has consequences.

Perhaps the most difficult thing for me ended up being the run. This came as a complete surprise to me, because I am a practiced runner. I have run multiple half and full marathons. Nothing like overconfidence to trip you up. Experienced triathletes will tell you that training for a triathlon includes doing "brick work". This has nothing to do with masonry and everything to do with how your legs adjust from cycling to running. Cycling requires the use of certain legs muscles, while running uses others. Brick work emphasizes this transition and gets you used to what you can expect. I was not ready. 

When I got off my bike and into my running shoes, my legs felt like they belonged to someone else. I could barely run at more than a shuffle. This was exacerbated by the heat and humidity of August and the fact that much of the run was done over a mowed field. My normal 25-minute 5K turned into a 35-minute 5K. A couple of times, I even thought about DNFing, but I finished under 90 minutes. I took consolation in completing my first tri. I also learned a lot. The Goochland Tri was a pool swim. My goal for 2014 is to do my first tri with an open water swim. 

The Smithfield Sprint is the first tri of the Virginia season. It is also a pool swim, but it will give me a chance to reacquaint myself with doing a tri. If you are thinking about giving triathlons a try. I say "Go for it!"   

Yuengling Shamrock Marathon 2014 - A Review

Me having just passed Mile 19 and headed into Fort Story (Photo by Danny West)

I have always found that it is best to take a few days to reflect on a race before putting pen (or keyboard) to paper. This is especially true, where a race turns out to be disappointing. You can see where I am going with this. Having reflected almost a couple of days on the 2014 Yuengling Shamrock Marathon, I think I can speak with a bit more perspective than I would have had Sunday afternoon.

This was my fifth marathon-distance race in 18 months. I say that, not to brag, but to emphasize that this was not my first rodeo. Indeed, I ran this same race in 2013 and PR'd it with a 4:20, so my expectations were conservative, but I was still hope to see some modest improvement. This is were the disappointing part comes in. 

Race day dawned with a beautiful sunrise over the Virginia Beach oceanfront. The forecast had called for overcast with rain before race's end. I can abide lots of weather challenges: cold, heat (well, some heat), wind, but I really hate rain (at least anything more than a light mist). The temperature was hovering in the upper 40's and I was thinking that, yet again, the weatherman blew the call and we were in for a nice day. The start line was at 31st Street and as we approached the 8:30am start, our Cornerstone Striders group gathered for a picture.

Our Cornerstone Striders Shamrock Marathon crew

One thing you have to remember about the Virginia Beach oceanfront is that it is always windy. Well, 99% of the time anyway. Although Sunday morning was nice, it was still windy. With that in mind, I had dressed in full tights, a long sleeve turtleneck and a lightweight windbreaker. There were, however, plenty hearty souls in shorts, singlets and other minimalist running gear. Not sure how they do that. I love to run in the cold, but I hate to be cold.

The start of the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon (Photo Courtesy of Shamrock Marathon)

I had decided that I would stick to a firm 4:40 run/walk interval for this race. I wanted to avoid some of the problems I experienced during the Marine Corps Marathon last fall in Washington. I started the race with two running pals, Hank and Maureen. Shamrock was Maureen's first full marathon. We started in Corral 3 and headed south on Atlantic Avenue toward Rudee Inlet. We maintained a nice pace honoring the run/walk interval. The sun stayed out a while and by about Mile 4, I was beginning to think I had overdressed. Gloves off.

The course took us through Camp Pendleton, the Virginia National Guard base south of Rudee Inlet. We were greeted by several groups of eager recruits (I suspect they were ordered to be eager), who high-fived us along the course. That was a nice boost. Somewhere on the grounds of Camp Pendleton, the clouds moved in and we lost the sun, the wind picked up and I started feeling cold. Gloves back on.

As we crossed Mile 10 and circled back around onto the Boardwalk, I could feel the wind beginning to buffet us. It continued to gust from our entry at 2nd Street until we got off it at 22nd Street. Sometimes the gusts were so hard, I had to grab my hat to keep it on my head. We got some relief on Atlantic Avenue, but the wind never really went away. By that point, Hank, Maureen and I had separated. Another running friend, Jeannie, caught me at Mile 12 and ran me to Mile 13. 

Andrea on her way to a phenomenal PR in the 15th full marathon (Photo by Danny West)

As I left the resort strip and headed down Atlantic toward Shore Drive, I began to notice mild cramping and spasms in my calves. I have experienced this unwelcome symptom in past marathons, but usually not until much later in the race. By Mile 17, it was pronounced and I began having to walk. I knew at that point, that this would not be a PR marathon for me. As I ascended the gradual hill up Shore Drive to Fort Story, my walking intervals increased. It seemed to take me forever to reach the turn into Fort Story.

Hank chalked up a nice PR in his second full marathon (Photo by Danny West)

 As I watched the 4:30 Pace Group sail by, I knew that all my effort would be needed just to finish the marathon. It was particularly frustrating given the fact that, up to that point, I had hydrated and fueled regularly to avoid that very issue. I stopped periodically and stretched, but could never muster more than a half mile of running without the cramps and spasms returning. 

After withstanding the wind gusts on the Boardwalk, I had hoped that I would have the wind at my back through Fort Story and back up Atlantic Avenue. No such luck. The wind had shifted and was now blowing from the east. By the time I cleared Fort Story and turned back onto Atlantic, I could feel the pull of the finish line even though I still three miles away. I continued my modified run/walk intervals, occasionally managing to run more than a half mile. When I saw the 5:00 Pace Group pass, my heart sank. I knew this would not only not be a PR, it would be my slowest marathon.

The medals for the 2014 Yuengling Shamrock Marathon
(Photo Courtesy of Shamrock Marathon)

When I turned back onto the Boardwalk at 37th Street, I was greeted by the same gusty wind. But now, I could see the King Neptune statue in the distance along with the Finish Line arch. No more walking. Despite my slow pace and disappointing time, it still felt great to cross that finish line. While I still don't know what caused my cramping issues or how to solve the problem, it's a problem I need to solve. After the race, someone suggested that perhaps I should just forget about full marathons and run halves. As appealing as this sounds, I think I will pass. If you keep lowering the bar until you can clear it easily, there is no challenge and, I would argue, no victory. I think I will keep the bar high for now.

Running the Sentara Colonial Half Marathon: A Review

The Sentara Colonial Half Marathon was preceded by the Colonial
 Williamsburg Fife and Drum Corps (picture by Lisa Jahnke)

Before last fall, I had not heard of the Sentara Colonial Williamsburg Half Marathon. I was familiar with the Run for the Dream Half Marathon, also staged in Colonial Williamsburg later in the year. Turns out the Colonial Half was celebrating its 35th year. Not many races around have a lineage that goes back that far. I signed up and convinced a few of my Cornerstone Strider running pals to join me.

Kevin on his record setting pace! A PR by 3 seconds.
(Photo by Danny West)

As this race drew closer, I began to notice a disturbing trend. Unseasonably warm weather. After all, it was February 23rd. Thanks Groundhog! I say a disturbing trend, because lately, a number of my long races have been on unseasonably warm days: the Crawlin' Crab in Hampton was in the 80's in October, the Seashore 50K was in the upper 60's in December and yesterday it got into the mid-70's in February. Given the choice, I prefer a start in the low to mid-40's. Oh well, you can't pick your weather.

Andrea kicks it into high gear on the back half of the race.
(Photo by Danny West)

Let me say that this is a pretty course. We started on the campus of William & Mary and then headed out along England Street toward Kingsmill. We looped through Kingsmill on Carter's Grove Country Road and then headed back the way we came. A couple of spots in the course were trail and were a bit soggy, but mostly paved trail. If you run this race, be prepared for some hills. I had been warned about that and the warnings were on the money. You hit a hill less than a mile into the race and then regular hills throughout the course. On a seasonable day with temperatures in the 40's or 50's, this would have been a moderate challenge. However, with temperatures in the upper 60's to mid-70's, it really took its toll on your endurance. 

The Colonial Half Marathon course was hilly
including  the uphill after crossing  the bridge
(Photo by Danny West)

I would definitely run this race again, hopefully on a cooler day, but a couple of criticisms come to mind. First, the initial water stop was at Mile 2 and then not another until well into the course (perhaps Mile 6 or 7). Normally, that would not have been a problem, but with the heat yesterday, a more regular spacing of the stops would have been preferable. I was carrying a hydration belt, so I had my own source of fluids, but I saw more than a few runners without anything. Also, the water stops seemed to be just that, I have never run a half that did not have Gatorade or Powerade. Again, on a hot day, water is good, but an alternative would have been better. Second, more than a few cars ended up on the course during the back leg. Not sure if these were Kingsmill residents that could not be bothered to take another route, but the course marshals should have turned them around, absent some emergency. While a cooler day would have been better, the race organizers have no more control of the weather than I do.

Hank and Jeff managed to keep their sense of humor
despite the challenging conditions (Photo by Danny West).

 

Mara the Wonder Puppy

Mara the Wonder Puppy joined us for 14 miles
of our long run on February 16, 2014. She is in the middle left
of the photo behind Maureen.

You often hear stories about pets that do amazing things, but I don't recall ever seeing something like that first-hand. Well, not until this past Sunday during our long run getting ready for the Shamrock full marathon on March  16. 

We were scheduled to run 21 or 22 miles that day as part of our marathon training. Although it was in the mid-20's when we started at 6:30am, the conditions were otherwise nice. When we got to about Mile 6, we were greeted by two dogs. One was a mature, white Shepherd mix and the other a cute fluffy Golden Lab puppy that appeared to be about seven months old. They started to run along the side of the road with us. We kept hoping they would turn back, but they continued along undeterred. The puppy seemed to be following the Shepherd (she must know what she's doing), casting a glance backward every so often.

As the distance between their home and our location continued to increase, they showed no interest in turning back. We were worried about them, because there were occasional vehicles and we did not want one of them to be hit. We even tried to call Animal Control, but, on a Sunday morning, no one was picking up the phone. Also, neither of the dogs had any tags that would have allowed us to call their owner. Finally, at about five miles from their home, the Shepherd lost interest and took off after something else. Not the puppy. She continued to be our companion. While we took the occasional drink from a hydration bottle, she stopped, now and again, at a puddle to hydrate herself. I nicknamed her "Mara" (short for Marathon), because she had no quit in her.

We kept an eye on her and made sure she was not in the street. She kept pace with one of our runners, Maureen, who was out for her first 20-mile run. We finally made it back to our starting point with Mara close behind. When Maureen stopped at her car, Mara laid down, completely exhausted. She had completed a 14-mile long run. Maureen scooped her up and put her in the SUV. She was tired, but happy. Maureen returned her to the spot where the dogs had joined us and found the owner. I suspect that Mara spent the better part of the rest of Sunday recovering from her long run. 

Getting Motivated for the Shamrock Full

I have been pretty lazy recently in posting to my blog, but mainly because I didn't feel like I had much to talk about. It's always been my philosophy that if I did not have something meaningful to add to the blogosphere, I should just wait until I did. Having now set the bar at that height, guess I better add something to the ether.

Running the Richmond Marathon in 2012
with friends from Cornerstone Striders

Like many of you who are training for the Shamrock full or half Marathon, it has finally sunk in that it is a mere five weeks away. Along with my running friends from Cornerstone Striders, I have been dutifully putting in the long runs to get my endurance up to where it needs to be. Although it's been a cold and snowy winter so far, I always feel like training in the winter beats the pants off those hot and humid summer runs getting ready for a fall marathon. While I don't love either extreme, I will take cold weather because I can always add another layer. So, the question becomes - what motivates you?

The 2012 Richmond Marathon was
my first full marathon

If it's your first full marathon, then the challenge of finishing 26.2 miles is plenty of motivation. I was also motivated for my second full by the drive to show that my first was not a fluke. But, what if it's your fifth or your tenth? What gets you up on a Saturday morning to do a 20-mile long run? It's a question I have been struggling with recently. I'm not sure if I know the answer, but, for me, I think it has to do with the fact that I still have something to prove. For me, it's showing that I can break that 4-hour barrier. I know I will do it one of these days, but, so far, it has eluded me. And, perhaps, that is a good thing, because when that alarm goes off before dawn on Saturday morning, I know what motivates me!