A Little Layoff

It's been over a week since I last poster, and I do not have much to report. I've been doing a little bit of running, but mostly I've spent my days inside, avoiding the rain. Three days and counting so far, and no end in sight. It almost makes me wish for snow. Almost.

Last weekend I was complaining about the cold. The Creepy Crawl 5K was held on the a very frigid day, and the strong winds made it almost intolerable. I finished second, but I'm pretty sure Batman and Spongebob Squarepants would have given me a run for my money had they opted for shorts instead of costumes. My time was a little slower than expected (19 minutes or so), but still faster than I was at the beginning of the year, so I'll take it.

I'm really trying not to fall off the running wagon, so I've started looking at the 2011 race calendar. I've currently have my eyes on a couple of indoor meets, with the hopes of running a few 3000 meter races between now and spring. It probably won't prepare me for a May marathon, but it should bring my times down for the shorter distances. Fingers crossed.

That's it for now. If you're in the Saint John area November 18 and are looking for something to do, my band Penny Blacks is playing at the Blue Olive. I don't usually plug my bands here, but it should be a really good show. You can find more details here! Expect another running post soon!

Creepy Crawl, Plans for Fall

It's been less than two weeks since the marathon, and I am already back to the roads. My next race is this weekend - the second annual Creepy Crawl 5K - and I fully expect to run my best. What my best is at this point is up for debate, but if I can break twenty minutes, I'll be pleased.

Right now I am planning my course of action for the fall/winter months. I'd don't have any specific goals just yet, but I would like to run some short distance track events in the hopes of increasing my overall speed. I tried this approach ten years ago, and managed to knock 90 seconds from my 10k time in the process. Hopefully I can achieve similar results this time around.

I also plan on training for a spring marathon. I am not sure which one just yet, but I am leaning towards the Fredericton Marathon. It's flat, fast, and only an hour away from my house. That being said, I am also open to suggestions. If anyone has any rave marathons they would like to recommend, I am all years. As long as it doesn't take place the Victoria Day weekend (I'm getting married on May 21), I'm game.

See you at the Creepy Crawl!

Not So Final Thoughts

It's almost 3AM on Saturday night and I am eating some terrible snacks before I get back on the training bandwagon. I took the week off to indulge, and now I am feeling gross. Stupid cookies. Why are you so tasty?

So, I've had a week to fully digest the KV Challenge experience, and I thought it might be a good idea to write a few highlights for those who are considering running the race next year. Consider it an informed review from someone who has experienced the event first hand.

The Great

Value - I picked up my registration as part of a $120 race package. The package included the Fundy Rocks Half Marathon, The KV Challenge, and an $80 dollar gift certificate for Alex Coffin's Fitness Shop. So, KV basically cost me $20. In return, I received a race jacket, a twenty dollar Irving gas card, two meals, a massage, and a finishers medal. Talk about bang for your buck!

Course Support - The water stops were plentiful and well equipped. The volunteers that manned the stops were super helpful - I never had to ask for Gatorade or water - and really encouraging, which meant a lot as the miles increased. The course was also well marked; I never worried about getting lost during the run. Hopefully they can convince a lot of these volunteers to return next year.

The Good

The Course Itself - The KV Challenge is tough, but fair. No one would accuse it of being a flat race, but aside from a long, lonely climb around mile 15, it's pretty standard fare. And the scenery is wonderful; most of the time you have a perfect view of the Kennebecasis River, and you're constantly surrounded by crisp fall colors. One word of warning, though - the traffic on the old Hampton Highway moves relatively quick, so make sure you stay on the shoulder of the road!

The numbers - The race attracted a record crowd this year. Registrations for the half-marathon doubled, and marathon applications increased significantly. The race isn't rivaling Marathon By The Sea just yet, but its growth proves that the region can support two marathons per year.

Things To Work On For Next Year

Punctuality - The race started about 30 minutes late this year. I think the issue was out of the organizing committee's control - the chip timing system crashed before the race - but hopefully they can avoid a repeat. No one wants to stand outside in the cold before a marathon.

The Weather - I don't know the organizers have to call to get a tail wind happening, but I hope they get on it right away.

Overall Impression - I'm going to give the race an Alex Coffin thumbs up. Aside from the delayed start, I had an excellent run, and I plan on making it to the starting line again next year. Hopefully a few more people join me - it's a wonderful event!

Time to start training again. For what, I am not sure, but I expect to hit the roads again at some point tomorrow. Hopefully I can stay motivated over the winter months. I'm also looking for the perfect spring marathon. Currently I'm leaning towards Fredericton, but I am open to suggestions. If you have any ideas, drop me a line!

Race Recap, Part Three - The Big Day (Miles 13-26)

It's 11:30PM, and I just got back to my house after a long photo shoot with my band Penny Blacks. I planned on going on my first run since the marathon today, but I couldn't get my duff off the couch after work. I need to come up with a new goal soon, or I'll end up getting out of shape again.

Tonight, my goal is to finish my marathon recap. Let's get to it, shall we?

Mile 13-19: A Mighty Wind, and a Mighty Good Friend

I hit the halfway mark in 1:36.05, and noticed I was catching up to a couple of marathoners. I passed one gentleman shortly after the half-marathon checkpoint, and caught up to captain Corona around mile fourteen. He was still in good spirits, and offered a few words of encouragement as I ran by. Captain Corona ended up finishing about ten minutes behind me, which made me wonder how fast he would have run without the six pack in his belly. I guess I'll never know.

Mile fifteen offered my a pleasant surprise in the form of Clinton Charlton. He agreed to bike with me for part of the race, but I never followed up for fear that I was driving him crazy with my marathon obsession. However, Clinton is a man of his word, and picked my spirits up before I succumbed to the mid-race doldrums. He informed me that I was in sixth place, but worried about my pace. "Dude, the speed limit here is 50," he said, without a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "You better slow down."

Unfortunately, the conditions forced me to take his advice. The strong cross wind became a strong head wind shortly after we joined forces, and the once easy course became quite hilly. I maintained my effort, passing another runner in the process, but knew the conditions were taking a toll on my time.

Luckily, the worst of the hills ended around mile sixteen, and a change of direction at mile seventeen eliminated the headwind. I was back in business, with less than ten miles to go.

Mile 19 - Finish Line: What Wall?

I was starting to venture into rarely charted territory, and wondered if I had enough gas left in the take to avoid the dreaded wall. My body felt okay, and Clinton was keeping me alert, but I wasn't convinced that I could make it to the finish line without walking. Instead of worrying about it, though, I started picking up the effort at each mile checkpoint, much like I did in my training sessions. Clinton kept me encouraged, as did the water stop teams and the supporters that dotted the course. Marta Kelly and Dean Strowbridge drove by me a half dozen times, honking their horn and cheering me on every time they drove past. I have some great friends, don't I?

I don't know if I ran around it or through it, but the wall was never an issue. Sure, it took a little more effort to climb hills, and I was a little crankier than usual for the last couple of miles, but this was a breeze in comparison to my other marathons. I wasn't going to qualify for Boston, but I couldn't have asked for a better marathon. I was having a wonderful day.

I ran into Alex Coffin with less than a mile to go, and he informed me that my fiancee was at the finish line and waiting for me. I picked up the pace with the hopes of looking strong for my finish line photo, and was greeted by Sarah (my fiancee), her mother, her brother, and five other friends. I crossed the finished line to a healthy round of applause, and then spent the next few minutes grinning like a fool and giving my friends and family sweaty hugs.

The rest of the marathon experience was a bit of a blur. I had a ton of food (they had a full roast pig at the post-race meal), a wonderful leg massage, and several great running chats with friends. Who could ask for anything more?

So, that's my marathon in three posts or less. I have one more post about the KV Challenge yet to come, so visit again soon!

Race Recap, Part Two - The Big Day (Miles 1-13)

It's Wednesday afternoon, and I am just getting in after a great day of work. I spent a lot of time lately beating the streets in search of a job, and now I am at a point where I am almost too busy. It's going to get worse before it gets better, but at least I know I'll have money for Christmas, my wedding, and my mortgage (not necessarily in that order).

Anyway, back to the running. I woke up the day of the KV Challenge freezing cold, and didn't get much warmer as I quietly prepared for the long day ahead of me. My first step outside sent additional chills through my body, which worried my multi layered body to no end. If I was this cold in a jacket, splash pants and winter hat, hold cold would I be when I stripped down to shorts and a long sleeve shirt?

I hitched a ride to the starting line with Billy and the Babes (my mother's marathon relay team), and arrived about half an hour before our scheduled start. Temperatures were still low, and a brisk cross wind made it feel even colder. I tried to stay warm as I stood in line for my chip, my thoughts alternating between the wind, the cold, and the race. I was ready to give it my all, but the conditions were not cooperating. How would it affect my race?

Mile 1 - 6 - Hampton Or Bust

The race started about thirty minutes later than expected - apparently they had issues with the race chips - and I tried to make up for it by blasting out of the gates. I didn't think I was running very fast, but decided to slow down once I realized I clocked 6:30 for my first mile. I then proceeded to run the second mile too slow (around a 7:20), finally settling into my 7:10 goal pace around mile three. There were a lot of runners in front of me, and I was passed by more than a few once I found my groove. One fellow marathoner chatted with me briefly before flying by, noting that he drank six Corona's the night before the run. I laughed in response, but wondered whether I would catch up to him later in the race. That's no way to carbo-load, if you ask me.

I held my pace for the rest of the section, slowing down for the occasional water stop or rough patch of road. I almost sprained my ankle as I ran through a Hampton construction site - I cursed loudly when my foot twisted out from under me - but aside from that, no issues.

Mile 6-13 - Almost Perfect, but not Quite

Hampton was the first transition point for the marathon relay, which meant that I suddenly had a whole new set of runners in front of me. Some of those runners were slower than their first leg counterparts, and I ended up passing several people before I left town. It meant nothing in the standings, but it gave me a little mental boost nonetheless. I felt like I was moving pretty fast.

Sadly, I wasn't moving fast enough. I held a perfect, Boston qualifying pace for six miles, but slowly fell back with each passing mile. My 7:10 per mile pace dropped to 7:15, then 7:20, and pretty soon I was a minute off pace. Luckily, I saw this coming the morning the first cross wind hit me, so I didn't put up a fight. Instead, I resolved to have a great run, and aimed for a new marathon PB. A sub 3:23 was definitely in reach; I just needed to hit the finish line without hitting the wall.

Unfortunately, I just hit a writing wall (I need to make dinner), so I will finish my recap tonight or tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Race Recap, Part One - The Pre Race

So, as many of you already know, I finished the KV Challenge 5th overall, in a time of 3:19.05. While I didn't qualify for Boston, I beat my personal best by four minutes and had a great time in the process. I'm going to spend the next few days recapping the race, starting with the pre-race festivities. I'd do it all in one shot, but there's a lot of ground to cover, and I am working all week. If all goes well, I will finish the recap by mid-week.

The Pre-Race

The race weekend officially started with the pre-race pasta dinner, which took place at the Bill McGuire Centre in Renforth. The place with packed with runners, and I spent much of my time wandering around the room, catching up with people I've run with over the course of the summer. I especially enjoyed catching up with Nick Power, a former baseball teammate who was running his first marathon. He looked like he was in great shape, and based on our conversation I figured he would do quite well in the marathon. So much for winning my age group.

The night was capped with the Saint John Track Club Awards. Alex Coffin and Bill McMackin handed awards out to runners of all-ages, which reinforced the fact that our region is a breeding ground for top notch athletes. I was especially happy to see septuagenarian Frank Kelly take home a trophy; he seemed genuinely touched to take home an award, and I can't think of anyone more deserving. How many seventy-year olds do you know that can run half-marathons in less than two hours?

Filled with pasta and good vibes, I made my way back to my sister's house, where I relaxed, surfed the web, and read. I didn't care that it was Saturday night; I had a big day ahead of me, and I wasn't about to ruin it by staying up late.

That's it for now - check back tomorrow for scenes from the race!

KV Challenge Finished!

I came in fifth overall, in a time of 3:19.05. Not quite Boston, but a really good run considering the conditions. I'll give you a full race breakdown after I recover a bit more (probably tomorrow).