Buckeye 50K - Summer 2008

<- After 5 hours and 21 minutes of running (some walking too) I am ready to cross the finish line - finishing in 19th place, a great accomplishment for which I am very proud :)


Yoo-hoo!

I am happy… for two reasons:

1. The ordeal is over. As I told my wife “this was the hardest thing I have ever done!” And I am glad it is over!

2. Despite inadequate trail training, I did great… a) Even though my time was slower than last year (5:21 vs. 5:15), because of the hot weather everyone’s times were slower by 10 to 20 minutes, so relatively to others, I did well. Last year I was in 28th place (out of 149 runners), this year I finished 19th. b) I finished ahead of all my running friends, including those who are younger than me and have faster marathon times.

The Weather Factor

Last year we were blessed with a cool weather and dry trails. This year it was hot (70F at 6 am, going up to near 90F with humidity). It has been like that for a week now. The good thing about this dry weather is that the trails were mostly dry. For most people this hot & humid weather was a problem, but, for me, I will take a hot day with dry trails any time, compared to a cool day with wet trails. Plus, it was cloudy and it felt cooler in the woods. So I did not have a big problem with the weather. Yes, cooler would have been better, but it could have also been a lot worse.

My Training

Why was my training inadequate? For some reason I was unable to complete a trail run over 12 miles. The unusually wet weather in June/July proved to be a problem for me. I get very tired running in the mud. For example, my last training run before vacation was scheduled to be 24 miles. While the rest of the group was running half the distance (Brecksville to Pine Lane, about 15+ miles) I decided to do next week’s run of 22 miles (Brecksville to Boston and back). The first 6 miles were fine but then I got really tired, got bitten by flies and bugs, and ended up walking in the way back from Boston and finally walked home after 15 miles, aborting my planned run. In short, it was a disaster! After this fiasco, I had doubts whether I could finish the 50K race.

We then left for vacation to California where I did a lot of (road/dirt road) running (see previous blog). In 5 days I ran 65 miles, including one 20 miler. This increased my confidence. After vacation I went to a conference. I came back on Tuesday, 5 lbs lighter. On Wednesday morning I was 160 lbs. For the next 3 days I did nothing but eat and sleep. On race day I was back to 165 lbs, rested and with full reserves. (I followed the same strategy before my succesful Cleveland Marathon - diet, then fill up). A proof that this "filling up" works is that, unlike last year, I did not need to eat anything during the race, I was filled. But I drank water… plenty of water!

<- This is the entire Summer Buckeye 50K course. We start at Brecksville at the top. First aid station (6 miles) is at Snowville Road. Then from Snowville to Boston is 5 miles. Then, 4 more miles to Pine Lane. And then we run back.

Race Day:

I got up at 6:00 am. The lights in the kitchen were on and I could smell something nice cooking. My 19 yr old daughter was up and she had baked a banana bread for me (I had a slice for breakfast). She said she stayed up all night long because she wanted to come with me to the race start to take pictures. How nice of her. She drove me to the start... She then met me at the first aid station (at Snowville).

The course is out and back and has three sections, with an aid station after each section:
1. Brecksville Park to Snowville Rd. (1.5 from my house) 6 miles.
2. Snowville to Boston, 5 miles
3. Boston to Pine Lane, 4 miles. Turn around, and 3, 2, 1 back to the finish.

The race started at 7:00 am. I positioned myself near the front. The first 6 miles felt easy. I caught up with Bob Clarke and Lindsey Loftus and we ran together at a rather fast pace of about 9:00-9:30 min/mile. Both these guys are better runners than me, so I was happy to keep up with them.

In a trail run like this, individual mile splits are meaningless. They are all over the place, depending on the uphills/downhills on a given mile. Most runners (myself included) walk the uphills. I was more interested in my average pace. For a long time this was around 10 min/mile which is very good, if not too fast for this kind of weather. But it gradually drifted to 10:30/mile.

My daughter met me at the first aid station and changed shirt. From Snowville to Boston I was following Bob and Lindsey. Right after we crossed Columbia road, Bob stopped to drop something (a bottle of water for the return?) I went ahead, thinking these two will catch up with me later, but I never saw them again. I ran the rest of the race mostly alone. The trail was not closed to the public, so we met walkers and other people enjoying the trail. I remember a group of runners that passed me in that section. All young males (local cross country team) all without shirts, running really fast. Later I met a (smaller) group of young female runners.

At Boston I was greeted by the helpful volunteers. Everyone was very helpful, asking if I needed anything. Howard Murray from our running group rushed to fill my bottle with cold water. I was very impressed by the efficient service and individual attention. Thank you guys!

As it turns out, I just missed my wife and daughter at Boston, by only a few minutes. I continued to Pine Lane. At some point I saw a young guy running in the opposite direction. Could that be the lead runner? Sure enough, a little behind was Kam Lee, the winner of previous year's race (and a number of years before that). These two guys were well ahead from the rest of the group (at the end, Kam Lee won the race). As I was getting closer to Pine Lane I got to see other runners in their way back. Around runner no. 6 I saw my friend Beth (mentioned in this blog) who was the leading female runner. As it turns out, Beth finished first and Elizabeth second. Elizabeth has improved a lot in the last year (she was well behind me last year and well ahead of me this year).

I reached the Pine Lane aid station, filled up my bottle and headed back. This year I tried to spend very little time at the aid stations. Saves a bit of time. In the way back I got to see all the runners behind me. Then I realized that I was doing very well, running ahead of Aaron, Jamie, Nick, and other runners who are faster than me. They were all very encouraging… Rose, Susan, Jen and Jamie were running together and got really excited to see me “way to go George!”, hi-fives, etc. That was really nice!

Even though I was running rather comfortably, I was not sure if I could even finish the race. My hip was starting to hurt from mile 13 and I was getting progressively tired. I had decided to run as I felt and if I had to walk the last miles, I would walk. If I had to quit, I would quit.

At the Boston aid station I met my wife and daughter. After that, my daughter went to sleep and only my wife followed me in the last aid station and the finish. It is nice to have a familiar face meet you at the aid stations in these long races. Makes you look forward to getting to the aid station. Plus it is nice to be greeted by the volunteers, encouraging you to go on.

The return from Boston to Snowville road was mixed. I did a fair amount of walking but also good steady running at some sections. I passed a couple of runners. I clearly remember when I was getting close to Snowville. This was one of the highs of my race, running fast and steady, not feeling tired at all.

Finally, I arrived at Snowville for the last leg of the race. These final 6 miles are the most critical. They usually make or break a runner. And, in a hot day like this, most likely break :)

I started this last leg very well and actually passed a few runners, but gradually I started to get tired. I was of course walking the uphills but soon found myself walking the flat sections too. I was running alone and was looking back but could not see anyone behind me, so, as I was getting more tired, my motivation to run was declining. It got to the point where instead of running with a few walking breaks, my run was reduced to walking with a few running breaks. I was afraid that people would catch up with me, but there was no one I could see behind me.

Finally, I reached a (unmanned) water stop with a sign "1.7 miles to go". I filled my bottle, drank plenty of water and poured water over my head. This refreshed me and I started running again. My times in the last two miles were surprisingly fast: 9:00 and 9:30.

I entered the park area looking good (looks are deceiving... I was feeling like s---t!)... My wife was there to take pictures. I crossed the finish at 5:21. My whole body was hurting. I could barely walk. My first reaction was to sit down, take off my shoes and pour cold water over my toes. I needed plenty of cold water. I told my wife " this is the hardest thing I have ever done" and "Why am I torturing myself like this? I don't think I will do it again next year".

Chef Bill Bailey had prepared a nice meal for us but I was in no mood for food, other than a few bites of fruit that my wife brought and plenty of water. After resting for half an hour, my wife drove me home. I could barely get in and out of the car. At home I took an ice bath and felt better. I then got dressed and drove back... Jen had already finished ahead of the rest of the group. Rose finished a bit later, with a smile in her face, looking fresh as if she had just come back from a 10 minute leisure walk. Susan looked really tired. This was the first 50K for these three ladies, and maybe the last, if we can believe the after-the-race statements. :)

Finally, I was feeling better and ready to eat! Chef's Bailey's wrap was delicious! My friend Dan was there, so I had a good time eating and socializing with other runners.

When I got home I went for a long walk with my wife. I am already feeling better. And guess what? I am making plans for next year's 50K run!

A Vacation to Remember - July 2008

<- 4 runs to remember (Top to Bottom, Left to Right): 1) Outside Yosemite Park on a beautiful 5 mile dirt road, 2) Monterey CA, 3) San Fransisco downtown, 4) Grand Rapids MI downtown


We left for a 6 day family vacation to California on Thursday July 3rd. My wife had a conference in San Francisco and we turned it into a family vacation.

We started with two days in Yosemite. We stayed at a lodge just outside the park. We arrived on Thursday afternoon. Friday morning I went for a run on a local country road. It was 5 miles, mostly uphill from our lodge, ending in a campout site up the mountain. This was a dirt road with no traffic. Regular shoes were OK but trail shoes gave a bit better traction.

I started around 6:30 am, with the temperature at 50F. It was absolutely beautiful! I crossed streams, meadows, and beautiful vistas in the rising sun. I was inspired with this nice run that the next day I did the same thing but took my stereo camera to record the beautiful scenery and my audio recorder (Olympus LS-10) to record the sounds of nature (birds, etc). So I took my time combining photography and running.

<- Scenic Monterey CA run (click for a more detailed map)

Saturday afternoon we left for Monterey where we stayed 2 more days. On Sunday morning I went out running and right away I saw a group of runners along the seafront. I joined them for a long run. They were part of a local running club, doing their long Sunday run. One fellow (who happened to be Greek, like myself) was training for a marathon in 3 weeks so he was doing a 20+ mile run. It was again a beautiful route along the Monterey bay, a combination of roads and dirt trails, with the rocks and waves on our side. Part of the route was along the famous 17 mile scenic ride.

One runner expressed surprise that so many runners showed up in that “cold” and “rainy” day. Well, this day was perfect for running, beating the hot & humid days we often experience in Ohio. The next day (Monday) I went running alone, 10 more miles.

<- I would not mind running in SF every day! (click for details)

Monday July 7th we left Monterey and arrived in San Francisco in the afternoon. Another beautiful city! On Tuesday morning I went for a long run by myself. I followed Market street to the Bay, then towards Fisherman's Wharf and I ended up at the Golden Gate bridge. I ran half way through the bridge and then back. Total of 15 miles. Again, gorgeous run. This is the best way to see/experience a city: Run through it! I was again carrying my camera and stopping to take pictures along the way.

This was only the highlight of my runs, not including all the walking, tours, shopping, eating, and other family activities. Overall, a memorable vacation. I came back with 20 rolls of film (stereo pictures) and interesting audio recordings. In 5 days I ran 65 miles: 10 + 10 + 20 + 10 + 15. This must be a new record.

I returned to Ohio on Wednesday July 9th. The next day I left for Grand Rapids, MI, to attend the NSA (National Stereoscopic Society) annual convention. During the convention I ran a total of 4 x 5 = 20 miles in 6 days. This was fun too. I also did not eat much so I lost some weight, but gained it all back, while carbo-loading in preparation of the Buckeye 50K race tomorrow.

I have dropped all my film (20 + 17 = 37 rolls) for processing and I look forward to mounting the stereo slides and re-living this memorable vacation.

Bees 5K Cross Country 2008 – Race Report

The Bees 5K race in Brecksville is back! I ran the inaugural race in 2003. Then again in '04, '05. Skipped '06 because it was the same weekend as the Jim Klett race. The race was not held in '07, so now it is back under different management (apparently) in 2008.

This is a cross country race, using the Brecksville HS cross country course. It is TOUGH! In previous years my main problem was running on a muddy, slippery, trail-like course. That’s before I was running trails. If you want to see the course and “play” my run, go to this link:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/player/6102583

Here is my history of the event:

2003 - 26:27 (8:28 pace) first 2003 RACE - Bees Inaugural 31/118
2004 - 24:25 (7:49 pace) 1st Age Award!!! 13/132
2005 - 22:50 (7:18 pace) dry fast course, 2nd age group
2008 - 22:23 (7:12 pace) 15/130

Somehow I managed to improve my time from last time. I wore trail shoes thinking that this will help handle a slippery course. But the course was mostly dry, despite the heavy rains the past few days (in rained at 6:30 am this morning). The weather cooperated (75F and no rain). I am pleased with my time on a very tough course. Lea struggled a bit (expected) but finished with a respectable time. I am happy and proud of her. Liz (still recovering from Achilles tendon injury) came for support and took pictures.

<- Lea storming ahead. This part of the course was on grass. We later entered the Brecksville HS cross country course, which reminded me of the local trails, but well marked, including markings of roots and other obstacles.

For some reason this year they did not give age awards. I do not personally care since I enter to support a local race for a good cause (the money goes to support resurfacing the Brecksville HS track). But I think age awards are a good idea for a lot of the older folks who enjoy being rewarded for their efforts. Also, it would be nice to see the final results posted in the internet. The only awards went to the top 3 runners (M and F), plus the first Brecksville and first Broadview Hts runners, which essentially means that the same people received two awards, while the rest got nothing. Not a great idea, in my opinion. I hope they will change this next year if they want to attract more runners other than Brecksville students and their families (there were a lot of kids running this race).

The race T-shirt was nice (yellow with black letters with a touch of red – I am wearing it now!) and the refreshments and race organization were first rate. I will definitely enter again next year.

Week 25 – Training Report

S: The week started with the 3rd Buckeye Trail training run. Started slow from Columbia road but picked up the pace and actually lead the group in the Boson-Pine Lane section. Maybe it was the greasy dinner the night before, or the new trail shoes… I’ll never know.
M: Drove to Chicago to pick up passport. 2.5 easy mi. with Lea in the evening.
T: Fitness but skipped running
W: Aborted trail run because I was tired and had the wrong shoes. Snowville to BT, to Columbia and back, 6 mi.
T: Interesting day: At noon I went for 6 miles, Columbia rd and back, all road. It was hot (80F & sun) and went fast. In the afternoon after fitness class I decided to run home. The trails were wet and started raining around 7 pm. Fell down (first trail fall for a long time!) Got soaked (totally soaked). But for some perverted reason, I enjoyed the run! Walked up Snowville home.
F: 1 mi with Liz at noon. She is getting back!
S: 6 am with group 6 miles, then 1 mi with the 7 am group and the home. Took a shower, got dressed, got the family up and we went for the Brecksville Bees 5K run (see report).

Total for the week: 46 miles, 166 lbs

Buckeye 50K – Training Run #3

Training Run #3 was really short, from Boston to Pine Lane and back, about 8 miles. To make it longer, I parked at Columbia Rd and ran to Boston (3 mi). This added 6 more miles to my run, a total of 14.2. Since I was tired all week and ran 15 miles yesterday, I was not sure if it would be a good idea to run today. I was tempted to skip this run. But I forced myself to get up and go, and I am glad I did! Somehow I had one of the best trail runs so far. I am not sure why. Last night we went out and ate a hamburger, fries, melted cheese, so lots of calories and fat. Maybe that helped :) Anyway, I led the group for quite a while. Average pace 10:34. I made a new friend, Beth. She is a short, thin (95 lbs!) runner, running her first trail run. I expect her to do very well in the race.

Week 24 – Training Report

The week started with the 2nd Buckeye Trail training run. My legs were tired from the Jim Klett 6mi race the day before. Unlike last week, I could not finish the run… very slow and walking. Felt really tired. After the trail run, I took an ice bath again. Not sure if it helped. Felt tired for the rest of the week.

S: 2nd Trail Group Run, Snowville to Boston for the group (Columbia to Snowville extra for me) 15 mi.
M: Yoga & water running
T: 2 mi in the morning, run to the RC for fitness (BT trail, 8 mi) in the afternoon, tired!
W: Trail run (Columbia to Snowville via the Trail), 6 mi
T: Run to RC via BT (8 mi) & Fitness – still tired
F: Rest
S: 6 am with group 7 fast miles, then 8 mi on Tow, slower

Total for the week: 53 miles, 166 lbs

Buckeye 50K – Training Run #2

<- My Sunday trail run. I have now found (again) how to transfer the Garmin Data to MotionBased and mix them with Google data to get maps like thsi one.

Training Run #2 was scheduled to start at Jaite. This parking lot is about 0.4 mi from the Buckeye Trail entry, off Snowville Road. Since my house is off Snowville Rd, only 1.2 mi from the Buckeye Trail, my first thought was to run from home to meet the group. This would add about 2.5 road miles to the run. But I wanted to put a bit more mileage in so I decided to start earlier from Columbia Road, thus adding 4 trail miles to the run.

I left home around 6:20 am, parked the car by the Buckeye Trail in Columbia Road and ran the 2 mi (trail) plus 0.5 mi (road) to meet the group. We then ran back to the Buckeye Trail, to Columbia Road and continued to Boston. From Snowville Road to Boston is about 5.5 miles. My legs were tired from the 10K race yesterday (even more tired than last week) so the run was a bit of a struggle for me. Things took a turn for the worse when I got near Columbia Rd in the return. I was tempted to just get in the car and go home, but I found the strength to resist the temptation and ran from Columbia and Snowville and back (total of 4 miles). My pace however had slowed to 12 min/mile! I made it home tired (very tired) but pleased.

Total: 15 miles (most all on trail) at 2:48 (11:13 pace). Mile splits: 10:47 10:09 11:19 9:50 9:31 10:41 10:21 11:55 10:37 14:41 12:01 11:21 12:19 12:20. For next week the plan is to run from Boston to Pine Lane and back, only 8 miles. I am thinking of running from home to Boston via the Buckeye Trail, a total of 13 extra miles.

Jim Klett 2008 – Race Report

<- The Jim Klett 10K route, a nice loup with some challenging rolling hills starting at mile 4.

Below: With daugther Lea, posing before the race. It was a rainy day. Wife Liz did not run because of a recent injury.





Another year, another Jim Klett race. I have been running this race since 2003. I have only skipped one year (2005) because there was conflict with something else. I had a very good race in 2004, and then last year (2007) I set a personal course record with 42:23. I knew that this year I would not be able to match this performance. I was hoping between 43 and 44 minutes, and that’s exactly what I did (closer to 44):

<- Sprinting at the end of a hard (for me) race!

2003 - 45:43 (7:19) - Fast 10K but no awards! 36/128
2004 - 43:29 (6:57) - 168 lbs! – Fast race but 41/176, 8th in age group
2006 - 45:08 (7:13) - Hot day! - 31/136, 8th in age group
2007 - 42:23 (6:47) - 23/174, 4th in AG
2008 - 43:53 (7:02) - 29/179, 3rd AG

We woke up to a constant rain. Liz is out of commission with an Achilles tendon inflammation, while Lea was looking forward to the race. The course is a nice loupe, quite scenic, but with some rolling hills in the end.

I made the mistake to challenge Mike Juppe the day before the race. Mike and I are at similar running fitness levels. He is faster in shorter races but slower in longer races. Last year I passed him in the Jim Klett race at around mile 5. This year I passed him in the Cleveland Marathon at about mile 24 (he was walking), but he did better in the Hudson 4 mi race. He is older than me so we don’t have to compete for the same age awards.

<- George and Mike, after the race. Mike was no. 1 and I was no. 2 in this "personal challenge".

The race started at 9 am. I positioned myself behind Mike. The first mile was downhill, giving me the fastest time and I went down from there. Mike increased his distance and I could not match his pace. I was competing with the top female runner, who I passed briefly, but ended up finishing behind her. At mile 4 a series of hills start. As expected, pace slows even further. Mile splits: 6:32, 6:48, 6:57, 7:01. 7:34, 7:16, 6:40 (last 0.2 mi according to my Garmin). I finished at 43:53. Liz and Lea were at the finish with the digital camera on hand.

Lea ran the 5K and managed to run the entire race without stopping. She was wearing our new Garmin 405 watch so now I know her time splits: 8:44, 10:19, 10:10. Her time was 30:21.

We stayed for the breakfast and awards. This year the award was a nice coaster. Quite unusual and unique. When they called Lea’s age group we did not hear her name in the first 3 places, so disappointment was setting in, BUT, they called her 4th and she got an award! (They often go deeper than 3, depending on how many runners are in the age group). For my age group I got 3rd place. This is actually my best placement in the entire history of the race. So, we went home happy!

<- An unusual award this year: A coaster with the race details printed in it.

Week 23 – Training Report

The week started with the first Buckeye Trail training run. My legs were tired from the Hudson 4mi race the day before, but I still managed to run a fairly strong training run. After the trail run, I took an ice bath. Not sure if it helped. My quads continued to hurt. I should have taken the ice bath after the Hudson race.

On Monday, Liz and I took a Yoga class. This involved a lot of stretching, especially in my hips. After the Yoga class, I played basketball with Tony and his friends. Now, I love basketball and I played all my life regularly until about 2002. Then running took over. I would like to get back but I have to do it slowly, or I have problem with my Achilles tendon. Result of the yoga & basketball: My hips and legs (bottom) were hurting for the rest of the week!

S: 1st Trail Group Run, Snowville & back, 12 mi
M: Yoga & basketball.
T: Fitness & running back slow (3 mi). Hurting!
W: 3 mi in the morning, Liz sees doctor Shah, 6 mi trail.
T: Fitness & 7 mi trail run back home
F: Rest, Liz starts Physical Therapy
S: Jim Klett 10K race.



Another highlight this week: The Garmin 405, which I had ordered for Liz in February, arrived this week. I played with it for a while and overall I am very pleased with it. I am thinking of getting the back model with the heart monitor for myself. Basically, I am getting the same information as my 205 but it looks much sleeker and it can be used as a regular watch (shows the time in “sleep mode” with satellites turned off).

Total for the week: 43 miles, 167 lbs

Buckeye 50K – Training Run #1

<- The first leg of the Buckeye 50K race, Oak Grove in Brecksville to Snowville Road. See my house off Snowville Road.

Sunday we had the first Training Run for the Buckeye 50K race in July. We met at Oak Grove in Brecksville and run to Snowville Road and back, a total 12 (6+6) miles. I am familiar with this leg of the trail because I try to run it after our fitness classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

About 40 runners showed up on Sunday 7 am. Vince talked briefly and then we started. I learned something new: The trail is marked with blue squares in the trees (I knew that) but I did not know that when there are two squares, one higher than the other, you are supposed to turn towards the side that is higher. That’s a useful tip for someone like me who gets easily lost in these trails!

My quads were hurting from yesterday so the first couple of miles felt a bit rough. I made an effort to stay with the front runners. I was following Bob Clark and Jamie Carr. We were walking the uphills, while Tracy, just ahead of us was running them. The trail was mostly dry since it has not rained for a couple of days. When we reached towards Snowville, there is a very steep downhill and I took off. Tracy said “you’ll break a knee”. I am of course very careful but I like to run the downhills fast. I then caught up with Vince in the front.

As Snowville Road I had left a cooler with cold water and an energy drink. The temperature was over 80F (maybe 90F) and it was humid, so the cold water was needed. Many people use insect repellants but I don’t feel I need them. After the water break Vince and company decided to go forward, while the rest of us headed back. The way back felt fine. I led the way for parts of it. I did not collapse in the end like I did last year, mainly because this year I carry water and I am properly hydrated.

I finished the run in almost exactly 2 hours. The pace was about 10 min/mile. Mile splits: 9:36 8:43 8:55 10:42 10:50 9:21 10:15 10:18 11:10 10:51 9:22 8:49. The first 3 miles are fast because the ground is mostly flat. Miles 4 and 5 have a lot of uphills. Mile 6 is fast because of the downhill and flat areas.

I am trying to figure out how fast can I run in these trails and what a good goal for the 50K race is. It all depends of course in the weather. If the weather is cool and dry and the trails are dry then I go faster. If the trails are muddy, I go slower and expend more energy. My times in the training runs and races, from last year:

Training Run 2007 2008
1 10:10 10:00
2 10:03
3 9:55
4 9:41
5 10:41
Summer Race 10:09
Winter Race 10:42

I cannot compare the training runs in 2007 and 2008 because the route is different, but this table gives me an idea of how fast I run these runs. A good goal for the training runs is 9:30 to 10:00 pace and a good goal for the 2008 race is 10:00 pace or better.

By the way, the Buckeye 50K registration is already closed. See the web site for a list of Entrants: http://www.buckeyetrail50k.com/ It is really amazing that the registration closed before the first training run! Last year, I waited until the last training run to register and there was still time. This means that trail running is getting more and more popular every year.

Hudson Run for the Parks 4mi Race Report

<- The race course, from my Garmin watch. The small loop towards the end is only 0.8 mi but it feels much longer. Maybe because of the all the turns and twisting or because it is later in the race. After exiting the part, the finish is only 0.5 mi away.

The Hudson Run for the Parks 4 mi race was this Saturday. The race is sponsored by Vertical Runner. I have run this race in 2004 (Inaugural) and last year (2007). This year I signed up to run with wife (Liz) and daughter (Lea). Lea had not trained well for the race, running only a mile or two, a couple of times a week. Liz has been injured since last week and could not run well but she was going to try. I was OK but have not done any speedwork since I had the marathon 3 weeks ago. Last year I ran a very fast race and I knew there was no way to match it in a hot day like this.

It was sunny and hot! Temperature at 8 am was 80F when we left home. Parking was no problem and it looked like there were less people than last year. I saw Cindy and a couple of people from the Vertical Runner group. While standing around we were trying to figure out what the chances for award were for Lea.

The race started 9:10. I was running fast behind Mike at 6:30 pace or faster. It did not feel that fast. Soon Mike pulled a bit ahead. At mile 1 we had the first water stop. I tried to grab a cup but I missed and it fell down. We continued to run through Hudson residential streets until mile 2.6 when we entered a park. This is the part where I usually do my attack. Like last year, I passed a couple of runners, including the top Female runner (Tracy) during an uphill.

Also like last year, this part inside the park feels really long (Lea agreed too) but it is only 0.8 mi long. There is water in the entry and exit (a welcome relief!) After exiting from the park we only have about ½ mile to go. The finish is on a street going downhill. I could hear someone coming from behind. I thought it was Tracy, but as it turns out it was a young kid trying to get ahead. I accelerated and entered the finish first, but the final results show me behind him.

Anyway, my time was 26:55. This was more than a minute slower than last year, but good enough to get me 10th place overall and 1st age group award, in a smaller field. Here are the results compared to previous years:

2004 26:34 (6:38) 33/298, no AG!
2007 25:47 (6:29) 14/169, 2nd AG
2008 26:55 (6:44) 10/95, 1st AG

Mile 2008 2007 Difference
1 6:31 6:15 -16
2 6:41 6:30 -11
3 6:53 6:37 -16
4 6:50 6:43 -7

So I ran each mile about 10 to 15 seconds slower than last year. I think I need some speed work to get back to faster times in short distances.

Wife Liz had to abandon the race right away. Daughter Lea did her running/walking routine and finished at 42:59 (10:45 pace). This is faster than her first 5K race (11:02 pace) but slower than her second 5K race (9:17 pace, she did not walk). She did not win an award (4th in her age group) but is still excited about running.

<- Like last year, my award was a plant! This is appropriate for a "Run for the Parks" race.

After the race we stayed around for the awards. Like last year, my award was a plant. Also, in this race instead of a shirt we got a pair of socks. And an energy drink. It is nice to get things we can use and we all have to many race shirts anyway.

Our next race is next week. Both Lea and myself have signed up for the Jim Klett race next Saturday (I am running the 10K, she is running the 5K). Liz has a doctor’s appointment on Wednesday. She is a bit depressed that she is missing these races and running. Let’s hope the doctor will find out what is wrong and how to fix it.

Week 22 – Training Report

<- My new routine, running from the Brecksville RC home via the Buckeye trail. I start running up on Brecksville Rd until Prakway Rd and I get into the trail there. I end up in Snowville Rd and I run (or walk when I am tired) up home (1.3 mi) from there. It is an enjoyable run, about 6 miles in trails.

S: Towpath 9 mi with Liz. She gets injured..
M: On my way to running trails, last dry day but Lea stopped me and did 3 each miles with her..
T: 2 mi with Lea
W: Run at noon around EH, full 8.2 mi. Then with Liz slowly in the afternoon.
T: RC and Buckeye trail in return. Trails were muddy. Time a lot slower.
F: Rest
S: Hudson run for the parks 4 mi. report to follow.

Total for the week: 36 miles, 166 lbs