Trevor's pineland race report
Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 2:57 pmMost of you know I ran this race on Sunday and have been preparing for it since January. Here is the official race report.
Race: 25k, 50k or 50mile options. I chose 50k (about 31 miles). Course was all on cross-country ski trails or mowed hay fields. Although there never any hills that were more then 2 minutes long, there was maybe 1mile of flat over the course of 31 miles. Everything was either up or down, and a good portion of the hayfield running was off-camber. I would speculate hayfield running made up 30% of the course.
Weather: Perfect as far as I was concerned. Low-mids 50s, overcast and near the end, steady rain.
Plan: Goal was to run 9 minute miles until last 6 miles and increase pace at that point if available. Goal finish time was 4:40, but expected range of 4:30 to 5:00. I ran in shorts with pockets, sleeveless top and arm warmers. I wore sunglasses except at the end due to rain. I carried "gu" with me and used aid stations for water, gatoraid and chips ahoy. There was the option of using a drop bag, which I passed at miles 9,15,24, and 30. I stored a change of shoes, extra gatoraid, homemade cookies, fresh socks and bananas. I intended to race the entire race in my Asics gel cumulus which I had done the bulk of my training in, including 23 miles off road 3 weeks before. I intended to store my trail shoes (inov8 roclite 315s) in my drop bag. I had only run a max of 8 miles in them, and they have less cushion than any road shoe I have used except maybe my racing flats.
What happened:
Katie and I drove up the morning of and arrived 40 minutes before time. Great maps and signage, and nice facilities. Got my number and my swanky technical race t-shirt. Stretched briefly and tried to tell myself at the start not to go out too hard and ignore everyone else. Bell rang at 8am and we were off. The 50miler people had started at 6am, and the 25k people started at 10am. Because of the rain in Rockland the night before and the steady rain on the drive down, I elected to run in the inov8s instead of the Asics. I put the Asics in the drop bag. The course was generally very wide and very non-technical (as opposed to the maine sport mayhem). The course was marked every 5kilometers. There were aid stations every 2-3 miles.
I thought I had my adrenalin under control, but I hit the first 5k in about 23:30 which was much faster than 9 minute miles. I spoke out loud and told myself to slow down, and the people around me agreed that the pace was too quick for them. So at 10k, I was at 47:30. None of us in my little group had slowed down at all. I put on the brakes and dropped down to a trot. I ran by Katie at the 9 mile mark only 4 minutes faster than I had told her I would be there. Everything had felt pretty good to that point. All of the hayfield running was in the opening 9 miles. From there you go up the worst hill and then cross Route 231 and the terrain changes, and the course is much easier although still quite hilly. Some place in there I convinced myself that my feet were getting tired in my Inov-8s and I was concerned because my prior long run in them was only 8 miles and now I had been in them for 14-15 miles. Plus the course was quite dry at that point. I did a shoe change at 15mi and saw Katie again. I ran the first 1/2 of the race in about 2:14, and I had planned to run 2:20 for 1/2 way. Overall I was quite pleased. I was eating alot and drinking straight gatoraid and had no cramping or digestion issues. I was pretty happy through there.
Heading out on lap 2, I felt a little clumsy in the new shoes, but attributed that to having never switched shoes mid-run before. But, by mile 3, I was getting pretty good anterior knee pain on my L knee with downhills. I began walking downhills and running uphills, the reverse of the people I was with. I stopped to stretch 2-3 times, but it didn't improve, and I ended up walking more often and even on some uphills. I began to get quite frustrated, because I felt like I had prepared carefully for this event, but also because I had asked so much of Katie over the last few months. I was also frustrated because my aerobic fitness or cramping or my shin splint issue were not limiting me at all. I reached Katie again at about 23 miles and had lost a big chunk of time. I was about 30 minutes behind where she expected me to be. I really couldn't talk to her effectively because I was so emotionally wound-up. I had brought a kit with kinesio-tape and some other first aid stuff, and had planned on Katie having it with her. Because of the rain, she had re-arranged her gear and had left the kit back at the car. I kept going and she was able to meet me again just before the drop bag at 24 and we tried taping, but it was so damp between rain and sweat that it wouldn't stick at all. I switched back to the original shoes and Katie manipulated my knee/fibula. I told her to wait 10 minutes, and if I wasn't back, that I would be finishing the race, but if I couldn't run that I would be back sooner and abandon the race.
So starting the last 6 miles, I was able to trot the uphills at first and walked the steep downhills and ran the easier ones. As I went on it got better and better. Within 2 miles I was running everything and passed 10-15 people who passed me earlier on. I felt like a hero on the uphills and a survivor on the downhills. This got me all emotional like as well. I saw Katie again at the drop bags with 1 mile to go and told her "I'd marry you if I hadn't already." I finished the 10k in about 50 minutes. Overall time was 5:27:10. Overall, much slower than I intended, but some interesting questions raised and some strategy for preparation next year. I'm still not sure how I feel about the whole experience. I am glad I was able to finish and had such a great support crew. I can wear the cool shirt without feeling like a smuck. I am still frustrated about not holding up well, especially with how smooth and easy I ran 23 miles on a similar course recently. I would like to run this event again, same distance and change my preparation a little.
Today I feel pretty good. I'm stiff at ankles and hips and still a little achy in the knees. My feet are fine. No blisters or anything. I am going to take a nap this afternoon and hopefully a short easy bike ride this afternoon, but I did manage a lap around the grocery store without limping.
Overall, the event was one of the nicest I've been at as a runner or cyclist, on par with top-level national mountain bike races. Between its location, the style of the event, price and all round nice people, I couldn't have asked for anything more. I hope to do this again next year, but maybe an hour faster.
Race: 25k, 50k or 50mile options. I chose 50k (about 31 miles). Course was all on cross-country ski trails or mowed hay fields. Although there never any hills that were more then 2 minutes long, there was maybe 1mile of flat over the course of 31 miles. Everything was either up or down, and a good portion of the hayfield running was off-camber. I would speculate hayfield running made up 30% of the course.
Weather: Perfect as far as I was concerned. Low-mids 50s, overcast and near the end, steady rain.
Plan: Goal was to run 9 minute miles until last 6 miles and increase pace at that point if available. Goal finish time was 4:40, but expected range of 4:30 to 5:00. I ran in shorts with pockets, sleeveless top and arm warmers. I wore sunglasses except at the end due to rain. I carried "gu" with me and used aid stations for water, gatoraid and chips ahoy. There was the option of using a drop bag, which I passed at miles 9,15,24, and 30. I stored a change of shoes, extra gatoraid, homemade cookies, fresh socks and bananas. I intended to race the entire race in my Asics gel cumulus which I had done the bulk of my training in, including 23 miles off road 3 weeks before. I intended to store my trail shoes (inov8 roclite 315s) in my drop bag. I had only run a max of 8 miles in them, and they have less cushion than any road shoe I have used except maybe my racing flats.
What happened:
Katie and I drove up the morning of and arrived 40 minutes before time. Great maps and signage, and nice facilities. Got my number and my swanky technical race t-shirt. Stretched briefly and tried to tell myself at the start not to go out too hard and ignore everyone else. Bell rang at 8am and we were off. The 50miler people had started at 6am, and the 25k people started at 10am. Because of the rain in Rockland the night before and the steady rain on the drive down, I elected to run in the inov8s instead of the Asics. I put the Asics in the drop bag. The course was generally very wide and very non-technical (as opposed to the maine sport mayhem). The course was marked every 5kilometers. There were aid stations every 2-3 miles.
I thought I had my adrenalin under control, but I hit the first 5k in about 23:30 which was much faster than 9 minute miles. I spoke out loud and told myself to slow down, and the people around me agreed that the pace was too quick for them. So at 10k, I was at 47:30. None of us in my little group had slowed down at all. I put on the brakes and dropped down to a trot. I ran by Katie at the 9 mile mark only 4 minutes faster than I had told her I would be there. Everything had felt pretty good to that point. All of the hayfield running was in the opening 9 miles. From there you go up the worst hill and then cross Route 231 and the terrain changes, and the course is much easier although still quite hilly. Some place in there I convinced myself that my feet were getting tired in my Inov-8s and I was concerned because my prior long run in them was only 8 miles and now I had been in them for 14-15 miles. Plus the course was quite dry at that point. I did a shoe change at 15mi and saw Katie again. I ran the first 1/2 of the race in about 2:14, and I had planned to run 2:20 for 1/2 way. Overall I was quite pleased. I was eating alot and drinking straight gatoraid and had no cramping or digestion issues. I was pretty happy through there.
Heading out on lap 2, I felt a little clumsy in the new shoes, but attributed that to having never switched shoes mid-run before. But, by mile 3, I was getting pretty good anterior knee pain on my L knee with downhills. I began walking downhills and running uphills, the reverse of the people I was with. I stopped to stretch 2-3 times, but it didn't improve, and I ended up walking more often and even on some uphills. I began to get quite frustrated, because I felt like I had prepared carefully for this event, but also because I had asked so much of Katie over the last few months. I was also frustrated because my aerobic fitness or cramping or my shin splint issue were not limiting me at all. I reached Katie again at about 23 miles and had lost a big chunk of time. I was about 30 minutes behind where she expected me to be. I really couldn't talk to her effectively because I was so emotionally wound-up. I had brought a kit with kinesio-tape and some other first aid stuff, and had planned on Katie having it with her. Because of the rain, she had re-arranged her gear and had left the kit back at the car. I kept going and she was able to meet me again just before the drop bag at 24 and we tried taping, but it was so damp between rain and sweat that it wouldn't stick at all. I switched back to the original shoes and Katie manipulated my knee/fibula. I told her to wait 10 minutes, and if I wasn't back, that I would be finishing the race, but if I couldn't run that I would be back sooner and abandon the race.
So starting the last 6 miles, I was able to trot the uphills at first and walked the steep downhills and ran the easier ones. As I went on it got better and better. Within 2 miles I was running everything and passed 10-15 people who passed me earlier on. I felt like a hero on the uphills and a survivor on the downhills. This got me all emotional like as well. I saw Katie again at the drop bags with 1 mile to go and told her "I'd marry you if I hadn't already." I finished the 10k in about 50 minutes. Overall time was 5:27:10. Overall, much slower than I intended, but some interesting questions raised and some strategy for preparation next year. I'm still not sure how I feel about the whole experience. I am glad I was able to finish and had such a great support crew. I can wear the cool shirt without feeling like a smuck. I am still frustrated about not holding up well, especially with how smooth and easy I ran 23 miles on a similar course recently. I would like to run this event again, same distance and change my preparation a little.
Today I feel pretty good. I'm stiff at ankles and hips and still a little achy in the knees. My feet are fine. No blisters or anything. I am going to take a nap this afternoon and hopefully a short easy bike ride this afternoon, but I did manage a lap around the grocery store without limping.
Overall, the event was one of the nicest I've been at as a runner or cyclist, on par with top-level national mountain bike races. Between its location, the style of the event, price and all round nice people, I couldn't have asked for anything more. I hope to do this again next year, but maybe an hour faster.