Race Repot: 2015 Scotland Run 10k

It's finally starting feel like spring here in NYC and yet somehow I managed to catch a cold late last week. By Thursday night I was popping zinc and vitamin c and downing orange juice in an attempt to stave off sickness. I was registered for NYRR's Scotland Run 10k on Saturday and I figured I would wait until that morning to see how I felt before deciding on a race plan. Nonetheless, on Friday evening things didn’t look promising. I took some Nyquil and hoped for the best.  

The race was at 8am on Saturday so I set my alarm for 5:45 a.m. to give me plenty of time to eat and digest my food. For shorter races I stick to a mini bagel with peanut butter since a regular bagel tends to be too much for my stomach at faster speeds. I washed the bagel down with a glass of Kona Cola Nuun since I like a little bit of caffeine but don’t do coffee before races.

I had all of my stuff ready to go, so I found myself with some time to kill (read: time to worry about my cold). I decided I would try racing and see what happened. After my success in the NYC Half a few weeks ago, I also decided to have a Red Ace Organic Beet Juice Shot a couple hours before the race, lest there be any unforeseen GI issues...

Because we're lucky enough to live close to the park, I left the house at 7:25 a.m. to jog to the start. I probably could've left later, but I wanted to check a bag with a change of shoes for after the race and I knew I would need to use the bathroom at least once. I felt pretty good on the jog over, so I my plan of trying to race still seemed like a good idea. I got in the corrals a few minutes before gun time and met up with some fellow Whippets, though I knew they would be running significantly faster than I would.  

The Race

The horn sounded and I followed a sea of humanity across the start line. I had forgotten just how crowded team points races can be--there was no hope of running tangents for the first few miles. I don't wear a Garmin so I was largely running by feel. The first mile, which travels up West Drive is relatively flat. Still, when I clocked it in 5:50 I was shocked. I knew I was running too fast since that's faster than my 5k PR pace.  

The Race Start. Photo Credit: NYRR

Mile 2 includes a minor climb towards the Reservoir (and the highest point anywhere on the drive) followed by a downhill. I slowed a little, but not too much, and settled in near a couple of Queens Distance Runners. My throat was extremely dry so at the second water stop I snagged a cup as I ran by.

Mile 3 covers the Harlem Hills and at this point I started to feel a bit lightheaded. I started to think that maybe I should back off a bit and treat the rest of the race as a tempo run. I slowed a lot, clocking a 6:28 mile. It would have been easy to slow down more, but I could tell by the clock that despite an extremely slow third mile, a PR was sill possible.

Mile 4 is one of the flatest miles on this course and I did my best to keep pushing and make up some time. My legs didn't feel tired nor did my lungs, but I was having trouble moving. I continued onto Mile 5, enjoying a stretch of downhill (Cat Hill is way more fun when you're not running up it) and was greeted by some cheering teammates just past 72nd Street.

With the final mile around the lower loop I concentrated on picking off runners in front of me. For some reason, this final mile seemed to stretch on forever, even though I knew how close I was to the finish. Finally, I hit Mile 6 and knew a PR was unlikely (though, to be honest, I couldn't remember exactly what my PR was). I tried to give it everything I had left and cross the finish in 38:16.

It turned out that I had tied my 10k PR, set last summer, and beaten my Scotland Run time from 2014 by 5 seconds. Considering my cold, I was thrilled with the time. Had I been feeling 100%, I'm sure I could have run faster so now I just need to worry about getting healthy again.

Race Report: 2010 Lawyer's Have Heart

I was probably better prepared to wake up early for this race than any other since my new running schedule has been to get up at 5:30 every day. Anyway, I woke up Saturday at 5:45 and had my usual bagel and peanut butter. The bagel sucked by the way—Safeway—but it was just about the carbs after all. I listened to some tunes and then at 7 am I was out the door. I hopped the bus, although I could have walked since the start was so close (it was at the Georgetown Waterfront, K and 31st).

My friend Brian and I were supposed to meet at 7:30 so when I got there with 15 minutes to spare, I made a beeline to the port-o-potties. Good thing too, because the lines go long fast! After TCB (taking care of business) I met Brian at our designated spot. He hooked me up with my number and goody bag and we headed to baggage check. We chatted it up the whole time and marveled at the huge number of people (this is the largest 10k in DC with about 4800 people). With about 10 minutes to go time we went our separate ways but arranged to rendez-vous post-race at the same spot.

I made my way to the “corrals.” They were super-unofficial—just people holding signs—so I knew it might be chaotic. I headed for the 6 min/mile corral and couldn’t believe how many people had lined up in the 5 minute group; I could tell by the number of people that not everyone was being honest… After the Ms. DC-Galaxy-Universe-International-Somebody-or-Rather sang the national anthem it was go time. I mean that almost literally since instead of firing a gun they just said “Go!”

The first little bit headed out on K Street and then took a sharp turn in the opposite direction onto the Whitehurst Freeway. This was the only real uphill so I tried to conserve some energy. As soon as we got on the freeway I started picking people off who had gone out too fast. The sun was bright but it wasn’t too hot yet. Just as we got to M Street I passed Mile 1 (6:08).

The race then continued along Canal Road which was nicely shaded. At this point it had started to thin out some too. There were no spectators here since the road has no side walks so this was really just me and the road. I guess I focused a little too much on the road because I missed the marker for Mile 2. I knew I’d passed it and just hoped that I was on pace. When I saw people coming in the opposite direction (it was an out-and-back course) I knew I was almost at the turn around. Just before I hit the turn around I saw Mile 3 (12:15 for Miles 2 and 3). I had made really good time but now I was starting to feel the heat and I hadn’t hit a single water stop yet.

The second half was ever-so-slightly downhill for a while—Thank God! Even so, I was slowing in the heat. Mile 4 was slower (6:15). Seeing Diz and some other friends running in the other direction perked up my spirits, if not my pace. At some point around there they were handing out cold sponges, they made me feel better, but couldn’t counteract the heat and humidity as I hit mile 5 on M Street (6:20). Now there would be no shade and probably no PR but I wanted to have a respectable finish for the team. On the Whitehurst everyone seemed to disappear and I could really feel the sun. As I turned back onto K (dang that hairpin turn!!!) I passed Mile 6 (6:25). I could see the finish now so I did that thing where you dig deep and ran the final .2 miles in 1:12!

As soon as I got my bag and camera I went to wait for Brian by the finish. With my bad luck I saw him, but not in time to snap a photo so I went and waited for him at our meeting spot. After we’d both taken in the finish festival sights it was off to brunch with the good people of Dewey & LeBoeuf, the firm we were both running “for.”

I have to say, this was an awesome race! It was really fun meeting Brian and running with him, even if we didn’t actually run together. It’s so seldom I have friends at races with me so this was a real treat!

The other great thing was that, while I missed a PR by 13 seconds with my 38:37, I came in 48 Overall, 3rd in my Age Group, and 2nd in the Law Student category! I’ve never placed so well in such a big race! Well, I will stop rambling now and go back to running.

Race Report: 2010 Bolder Boulder

Ah, the BolderBOULDER, where to begin? Let’s start with a little background…

I got to Colorado on Tuesday the 25th, almost a week before the race, so that I could acclimatize to the high altitude. It was a very relaxed week. Thankfully the family I was staying with was a family of runners and former runners, all of whom had done the race many times before so they were very helpful. They made sure I got in a good run every day and that there was plenty of healthy food too! The whole week, whenever we went anywhere my friend would introduce me by saying, “This is my friend Dave; he’s here to run the BolderBOULDER.”

On Thursday I did my test run of the course. This race is a pretty big deal (it has nearly 55,000 participants and brings in $10 million to Boulder each year!) so I wanted to do the test run before the weekend crowds descended on the scenic foothill town. They have directional signs for the course up year-round so it was easy to find my way. On Sunday, for my shakeout, I ran the middle two miles again since that’s where the race’s highest point is. That night, my friend had to go to a wedding so her parents ordered homemade pasta from an Italian place (it’s so great staying with experienced runners who understand carbs!) and by 8:30 I was in bed (though I kept the light on until I had finished the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).

At 4:45 my alarm went off. Because this race is so big, the first wave (my wave) starts at 7 am, with the last wave going around 9:20. There are 88 waves!!! I had my usual bagel with peanut butter, sat around nervously, and then jogged (yes, I’m using the verb jog) to the start with my friend’s dad who was also running, though he was a few waves behind me. The start was crazy! It was extremely well organized (you have to be with so many people) but it seemed to stretch on forever. I made my way to the front and passed people who looked like they were in amazing shape—I decided to start at the back of my corral. A few minutes before the gun security people swept through to make sure our bibs actually said “A.” The bugle sounded, letting us know there were 30 seconds to go, and then suddenly the gun went off and the flood gates opened.

The first mile is almost entirely downhill (about -1%) so things started fast. I wanted to be conservative at the beginning. I’d been told that this was not a PR course and that most people did about 2 minutes slower than their PR so I wanted to save my energy and my breath (literally—the air is thinner). I heard a guy with a Garmin say we were going 5:40 pace so I slowed down a little and did the first mile in 6:06 (definitely too fast since my PR average had been 6:11).

As we turned shortly after Mile 1, we entered a more residential neighorhood. There were some bands playing along the street and some spectators, but it was clear that most people were either in the race or still in bed. Mile 2 is a bit more uphill so I slowed to 6:20. My goal pace was around 6:25, so this was fine by me.  I could feel myself breathing harder than usual though my legs still felt great.

Mile 3 was probably the most residential of all and it has some serious turns and backtracks clearly thrown in just to make the proper distance. As such, it was the slowest mile at 6:38. When we passed the mile marker, people were shouting “You’re halfway there!!!” I guess they didn’t realize that the .2 miles can actually make or break you. As the course turned at the real halfway point, it brought me within a few blocks of my friends house. I could certainly see why her mom used to joke about pulling off the course there!

Mile 4 ended just before the Casey Hill, the highest point of the course. It had taken 6:29.

As I crested the hill, I found myself wishing there was a flat stretch of road. I needed a moment to recoup my energy and hated wasting the downhill when I was feeling so sluggish. As the course moved downhill, it entered “downtown” Boulder. I passed the office of my friend’s parents, but missed here mom who was trying to cheer me on. As we turned onto Pearl, the main commercial drag, we passed a large stage with a band that was still tuning up. No love for the early runners! My friend was out there, however, to cheer me on! The course began snaking towards the finish as I passed Mile 5 (6:23).

With the second to last turn, the race continued on a normally busy commercial strip leading to CU. Here there were some spectators cheering and you could feel the fact that you were in the home stretch. We passed km 9 and I knew with just 1k to go, I would meet my goal but that didn’t make the final hill any easier. The race ends in Folsom field, home of the CU Buffs, but to get there you have to climb a steep hill. I passed mile 6 (6:33) and wondered if I had any breath left to give. Finally we turned into the stadium and all the sudden, the adrenalin seriously kicked in. I hauled some butt as I saw the finish approaching and crossed in 39:53.

Definitely not a PR, but it felt like one.

After I picked up my water, snack bag, and free beer, I met my friend in the stands. The way they had it set up, you could watch runners crossing on the field and on the Jumbotron so we waited and watched for her dad. This had to be one of the coolest set-ups. You could see just how many people had come out to race. Once her dad found us, we set off back to their house walking along the course. There were still thousands of runners on the streets of Boulder so we cheered along the way. This is another cool part about the wave start—we even saw a mom who had clearly run in an earlier wave and was now running with her kids.

After watching the elites (their race starts at 11:20) and having a big breakfast, my friend and I went to Avery Brewing for a tour and some serious samples—the perfect way to follow a race.