New South Trail Marathon - Half

Saturday March 26th 9am White Water Center, Charlotte, NC - 13.1 miles

http://usnwc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2016-New-South-Awards-Half-Marathon-Overall.pdf

http://usnwc.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2016-New-South-Awards-Half-Marathon-Overall.pdf

i tell you the force field that keeps you from coming to the pad to sit and write is awfully strong when you have been away for so long, but i had to jump in and dive headfirst real quick and not stay on the edge, because i have known after letting that trail race marinate on my brain, and seeing it not drift away without demanding recollection, to know that this was a special experience for many reasons, and so, i had to put some letters down on screen.
  i'm writing this 48 hours from when i was traversing mile 5 or 6 at the New South Trail Half Marathon at the White Water Center, wondering if these trails were going to remain so arduous, if my pace was too quick to last the 13.1 miles, and how close i was going to stay with my competitive challengers. The aches and dull soreness felt from hips down has lessened, as has the tightness of calves and fee by this point, but i'm still acutely aware of the full body grinder that was my first real trail course, that eased me in  and spit me out a destroyed heap of something other. while my body has started to heal, the weather has basically stayed the same over the last couple of days-with this Easter Weekend of perfect running temperatures.
      10 miles was the longest i have run going into this race, but i wasn't too concerned about finishing 13. I did have fair reason to wonder how much of a decent pace i could maintain going the extra 3 miles tho, and then especially on a trail course. Being a non stranger to running off the roads, i have ran my share of different surfaces and difficulty levels, but for me the more difficult, technical, and single file a trail that i've run has coupled with it's brevity of length. Basically, green-ways and more accommodating trail ways that stretch long are typically the type i would expect for 13 miles (think moses cone, trout lake, boone nc) - still, i did expect some more tight and curvaceous trails given that i've run just a little bit at the White Water Center and remember them being no easy picnic.
     the best comparison i have for the course was the trails in my old neighborhood of madison park/montclaire and that also are a part of Marion dehl across the street of tyvola...except put that on steroids and blow it up 30 fold - both in terms of length and exaggerated hill climbs and drop off after drop off. basically, it was the most fun and interesting of a trail that i have ever run----especially with it being almost 13 miles long in this one giant incredible loop. switchbacks, bridges of wooden beams, 60 degree banked turns, 3 foot drop offs, 150 foot hill climbs, winding, rocky, rooty, dirty, clear, and the best well markings of any course i have been too.
        as I've been doing now for about 7 or 8 months, i haven't been wearing a watch, which was good because any distraction could have easily resulted in a fall from tripping on the course from not paying attention. this of course also meant that your mind didn't have time to wander and find those negative thoughts that come with boredom which seem to be more available on the open road. but that's really about as far as i'll go in comparing this with most races. It was such a different animal because of the spectacular course that you have to travail, requiring utmost awareness and toughness that i was only able to contemplate my path and getting to the next mile marker. Going out with Josh Brewer, the first two miles we realized our total running time, from his watch, put us at a pace that wouldn't seem too aggressive, but for me i still felt that if the course didn't relent, this pace was plenty eager enough. My legs felt good and able to put in a quality race, as you can asses in that first half mile of if your legs are ready or not. Mine were. My stomach was pretty good - wasn't hungry and wasn't full - just right from the pasta the night before, and the bread and peanut butter a couple hours earlier was telling me that i was good off that. I had a few Sport Beans for energy in my pocket i would dissolve and chew in my mouth during the second half of the run.
     so i felt good, except by mile 3 i knew that i was going to have to stop and pee during this race. The coffee and water i had before had broken the seal and i was off to the urinary races as i typically am after such morning routine beverages. when  i realized that having to stop and pee was consuming more thought that i had available, with trying to concentrate on the course and needing to also have a level and encouraing mindset, i knew i twas time to pull over. I waited until a great spot, at the 1st water station 4 miles in, grabbed a cup, pulled over and balanced fluids. i was quickly off, and now my pack of runners was ahead and i was behind some new bodies wondering how i would get back, and if they would fall back to me.
     so here i don't know any kind of pace times, but i was feeling much better having had the bathroom break and remained through out the race. after being slingshot from the downhills- using my long legs to propel me down the hills and gain ground, i realized that I was surrounded by quality trail runners for the most part. People were able to hold paces, so my catch ups were slow, and i had to work a lot by myself. the first 4 miles with Josh Brewer in conversational ear shot were great to knock out the early miles and get things started, but now being alone i enjoyed where i was because i was allowed to get and stay in my own head. i felt like i was the most aware, present, and totally engrossed and absorbed in the race as i have ever been for that long in my life. I won't say as intense - i think the middle distance track races are the most intense present experiences, but for long term- yes.  i found my rhythm of fast down hills, steady slow hill climbs and surges during the straights and flats. my energy stayed constant, but my legs started to feel the toll of the ups and downs around mile 9. I look back now and realize that the mileage i was covering seemed so long in coming because of the pace i was going - but that never occurred how slow total i was going because i knew my effort was maximum and regulated to get through evenly this tough course for 13 miles.
I was able to never get passed back after the bathroom stop, and continually was able to pass competitors over the last 9 miles, perhaps 7 or 8 people in total. On some of the switchbacks i would pass Josh and knew he was maintaining and increasing and that i just needed to stay committed and see how close i could keep the gap and try and get anyone between us.
   The course was designed smartly by a clearly veteran designer in putting the last mile mostly flat, so any lasts race within a race could occur, whereby the runners would be able to open their legs up and see what was left after coming out of the gauntlet. At least for the most part. They diabolically threw in one last large down and windy descent complete with a last climb, before entering back out around the water in front of the facility in fan view for the last 3rd of a mile to finish. Incredible lay out, and i was alone and could see another in front about 20 secs up and also Josh at the finish line. I spotted my wife and girls on the hill with about 150 meters to go and waved and came in so happy and delighted.
i knew what i just went through on my first real black diamond trail race for 13.1 miles was something unique that i had never done and how I would have a big appreciation for the experience. And when i saw 2 hours as i came through, for the first time seeing a total time, even though it was about 15 mins slower than what i predicted i would finish - obviously not knowing the nature of the course - i wasn't upset, but just smiled and knew that that bear of a trail was nothing i could do but appreciate.

What's up?!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! I regret not recapping my Boston Marathon!!!!!!

I need to do it and kind of want to now. But now I need to keep working at my job, so perhaps it will be up soon...now that I want to get it out.

Anyway, I haven't even visited my blog site in almost 5 months. I've still be running here and there. Won that Showmars race actually, that I posted about last....ran a reindeer romp around Beverly Woods in December, and was part of a 4 man 50k relay, which was fun.

I'm currently signed up for the Columbia Half Marathon again in March, and looking forward to running with some good running buddies: Carson, Mitchell, Josh B., David, and Paul.

My training the last couple months has kept me from loosing too much, while also not really striving to get back to high mileage/intensity weeks of training. I think the base I have maintained will still allow me to see the next level only after a good 2-3 weeks. Just a matter of time when I decide to up the ante. I've kept the legs fresh with some speed work outs on the track over the last few months, and enjoyed some easy miles with nothing more than 8-10 as a long run. Typically my average run is 4-7 miles during the week.

Well, that's all for now.

-Eggers

Columbia, SC half Marathon 2012 recap

Going into this thing I was asked what my goal was. I replied I didn't have one. Forced to predict in my head what I could do, I was only allowing myself to think sub 1:30, potentially in the 127-28 range from thinking that I could go faster than my split from Thunder Road. After that, I was untrustworthy to predict lower. Perhaps a moment I thought about the fact that I could run a personal best, with somehow just having a great day since I was going to be pretty fresh not having run since Tuesday - but I didn't allow that thought to feed.

The 7:15am start was pretty unpopular as I went to bed the night before; nonetheless, I awoke without more problems than usual, and felt close to normal once Mike Mitchell and I set off for a warm up jog. My belly had been filled by a wonderful cheese ravioli the night before, and a cliff bar and two cliff gel chews prior to towing the line. Wasn't a huge field, and was able to get out without any stress at all.

Noticed I was sub 6 min pace the first half of mile 1, then I settled myself, and the first hill of the course right on mile on Blossom St. slowed it down too. The course was very hilly. Steep climbs from the first mile all the way though the whole race course, as well as steep descents. The hills seemed more rolling and steeper than Charlotte, while maybe not as long. The second mile I slowed up a bit as I climbed a larger hill on the course before the mile marker. Miles 3 and 4 I started to find my rhythm and the participants started to settle in. Where I found myself was locked in about 20 yards off a small pack of full marathoners who were going just under or right at 6:30 pace. They had found their groove ahead of me, and I kept them within reach until the course did a weird little detour for the half marathon guys, which funneled me out in front of them around mile 5 or 6. My 6th mile was a good bit faster, but I think I was just cruising off a nice stretch of flat/downhill. Now being in front of the pack, I only had a few strewn out bodies in front of me to keep an eye on.

After the first half of the race, I started to feel in control and was grooved into a pace. As I started the second half of my race. I kept the reins on and continued to focus on staying in the pace while I managed the ups and downs of the streets. The couple guys I could see where still out of striking distance, but I managed to keep them in my sights. Body one was maybe 70 yards in front of me and person number 2 in my view was maybe 150 yards in front.

Physically, I was not feeling too taxed in the legs, and my aerobic capacity felt very comfortable. Mentally, I had Gotye's "Somebody that I used to Know" playing in my head, and I used that phrase to keep me moving forward to people ahead so I could pass them and pretend the song applied to them "somebody that I used to know" as they moved behind me. In my mind, I told myself to get more aggressive with 5 miles left, and see if I can pick it up.

that 9th mile (1st of the last 5 of the race - where I was supposed to notch it up) I did pick up the pace, but my split remained in the 630 range thanks to a very large hill which momentarily put me over 7 min pace while I climbed. Still, I pressed on, and the 10th mile I had a nice split riding some downhill. With three miles to go, I wanted to surge, but another huge hill was in the way. Miles 10-12 had the longest hills of the course.

Two miles to go, I was coming closer to the man in front of me. Having gotten some large hills out of the way, and sensing the end, I started pressing on harder towards him. I was able to get my strength back, and started pulling him in and picking up my pace. One mile to go, and I had him about 30 yards ahead, and the guy in front of him was maybe 50 yards ahead of me. The first quarter mile of that 13 mile I fell asleep - I know this because I looked at my watch and saw 12.26 and reacted with some better turnover and a spirit to start letting it out. I was reeling them in, and got the man in front of me just after 12.5. The guy in front of him was coming to me too and shortly there after I got him, as we made our final turn and had the +.1 downhill finish ahead. I got up on my toes and darted in toward the finish. I know some of those repeats helped me with the speed that final mile.

It felt like a big accomplishment to hang on, and get the two guys in front of me that I had had my eye on for over 6 miles.

As the finish clock came into view while I was coming in, I was surprised and happy to see that I was going to get a P.R. and get under 1:25. I knew Mitchell and Carson, my old teammates and still current good friends, had done very well in the race, and I sensed I contributed to that good day with a nice finish myself. (Mike WON and Carson was 2nd!)

The race was nice. No complaints by me. Luckily I was wearing my Garmin, otherwise I would probably have liked to have seen more mile markers on the course - but that didn't bother me.

My Race Splits: 6:20, 6:42, 6:30, 6:28, 6:41, 6:21, 6:32, 6:30, 6:29, 6:24, 6:38, 6:27, 5:53, .47 (.15) = 1:24.46, 6:28 ppm, 5th place overall

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/157052420 - GARMIN Map, Data, Etc.

http://results.active.com/pages/displayNonGru.jsp?pubID=3&rsID=124575

**Looking back, I think I need to be more agressive the entire race, starting earlier obviously. This was only my second half marathon, and I am still learning. I perhaps was too respectful towards the distance, and think I don't have to be - for I might not hit the wall in the half, like you can easily in the full. I was unsure of my training, but am able to still run pretty well. Now, I'm hoping to take this encouragement and work from the race into the next few weeks as I go into Boston. I am a little more optomistic after this, that I have a punchers chance of running a PR in the full up in Beantown next month. Still not a great chance at this point, and I'm still primarily concerned with enjoying the experience as opposed to getting hung up on a PR, but We'll see...**

after cool down (2 miles) = 17 miles for day

Dowd YMCA Half Marathon

With Mike Mitchell, who beasted it despite treating it as a "training run" as well: 4th place, 1.19.40, for the former App teammate

Splits: 6.23, 6.52, 6.24, 6.45, 6.26, 6.38, 6.22, 6.42, 6.25, 6.37, 6.28, 6.33, 6.28, 1.15(.1).

The plan was to run the first 9 around 6.45-55 and then the last 4 hard - around 6.20s. With the idea of tempoing for the first 9 miles, and then running hard the last 4 miles, I obviously was a little quicker than I wanted to be, and wasn't able to drop my last 4 miles as much as I wanted. Still, throughout the first 9 miles I didn't feel like I out of my comfort zone - and that I still had some in the tank to make the last 4 faster.

After the first mile totally got me off pace, with it being pretty much a downhill mile the whole way, I tried to back off and find my pace. From looking at the splits above, you can see that I really didn't maintain an even pace as I wanted - with big fluctions in pace per mile. I was okay with being faster than planned, as long as I felt like I was still saving some for the end. With the up and down gradual descents and ascents on the course, I hovered around the top 15 for the first 5 miles or so, then found myself around the top 10 going into mile 9. The last half of the race was much more uphill than the first half, and that also made it harder to drop the pace as well. I felt strong and comfortable for 12 miles, with the last mile being uphill - I could tell that I was struggling to really get into that next gear. However, I picked off a couple guys the last 4 miles and moved into 8th place, where I would stay until the finish. There was 2-3 guys ahead that I was trying to work on catching the last 2 miles, but I was only able to close the gap and not pass them.

The conditions were cold - mid 30's to high 30's and probably low 40s by the time the race was over. I consumed 3 energy chews prior to the race, and put 3 in my shorts to take along the way. I had one around mile 5, 9, and 11 - where at that point realized I was starting to feel sick of eating them and spit half of it out.

It was nice to have some support along the way. Dad showed up at mile 6, 9, and 12, and helped me push through the pain. Oelz cheered me on around mile 10, and Jason was on the last mile up Morehead as I fought to the finish.

Result: 8th place, 1.25.54

I was happy with my time, and placed 2nd in my age group. Avereged 6.36 through 10k and 6.33 for the race overall.

With warmup and cool down, I totaled 17 miles for the day.

Results