Raleigh Beach 5k – 2018

Raleigh Beach 5k – Runologie

This was at Dorothea Dix, same park as last race, but a different course through the park. Middle of the pack for dudes of my age group but I don't feel too bad. The times of the top finishers were under 23 minutes -- faster, I think, than the other races I've run. This Runologie series looks like it's a cut above the races I've done up 'til now, competiveness-wise.

I felt like I ran well for me, considering the weather (hot) and course (bit on the hilly side). Still, I had a goal of getting at least one kilometer under 5 minutes, and my best was 5:12. I made an effort to watch my heart rate during this one to see if staying around 165-170 bpm made a difference. (Going to want to start monitoring earlier next time and try to get to 170 faster. Based on average bpm for the race, I must have kept a lower rate for the first few klicks.) 

Posting just the participation medal, the post-race selfie was a horrorshow.

Next race is a 4-miler, first of that distance, at same park Fourth of July weekend.

Race 1 - "Decem-burrrrr Dash" - 12/3/16 - 29:10
Race 2 - "SPCA Hot Chocolate Run" - 1/15/17 - 28:25
Race 3 - "I Heart 5K" - 2/11/17 - 26:58
Race 4 - "Running Over Cancer 5K" [official results] - 3/12/2017 - 25:32
Race 5 - "Racing for Rescues" - 5/7/2017 - 25:03 [official results]
Race 6 - "Run the Quay" - 6/3/2017 - 25:11 [official results]
Race 7 - "Decem-burrrr Dash" - 12/2/17 - 24:43 [official results]
Race 8 - "SPCA Mutts & Marshmallows Hot Chocolate Run" - 1/13/18 - 26:27 [official results]
Race 9 - "Cary Greenways 10K" - 4/24/18 - 55:48 [official results]
Race 10 - "Racing for Rescues" - 5/6/2018 - 26:19 [official results]
Race 11 - "Raleigh Beach 5k" - 5/27/2018 - 26:49 [official results]

Racing for Rescues 5K 2018

Sigh. Slower than last year. I'd be less aggravated if the finish line photos looked OK, but instead of an athletic runner crossing the line of a race in triumph, I look more like a knock-kneed smuggler trying to sneak a sack of potatoes under his shirt through a border crossing.

Don't think I can blame the new course for this year's race, if anything I thought the hills at Dorothea Dix park were a little less daunting than the ones at the Cary Soccer complex. I think I slow up a bit in the last kilometer to gather steam for a final push, but I wait too long to actually go all out to the finish. Next race I'm to try to do a brief bit of steadying at the end of the 4th klick and start the 5th with more pace and basically go all out the last 200 meters or so to ensure the tank is empty when I cross the line. Resting up to push hard the last 100 meters isn't working.

Race 1 - "Decem-burrrrr Dash" - 12/3/16 - 29:10
Race 2 - "SPCA Hot Chocolate Run" - 1/15/17 - 28:25
Race 3 - "I Heart 5K" - 2/11/17 - 26:58
Race 4 - "Running Over Cancer 5K" [official results] - 3/12/2017 - 25:32
Race 5 - "Racing for Rescues" - 5/7/2017 - 25:03 [official results]
Race 6 - "Run the Quay" - 6/3/2017 - 25:11 [official results]
Race 7 - "Decem-burrrr Dash" - 12/2/17 - 24:43 [official results]
Race 8 - "SPCA Mutts & Marshmallows Hot Chocolate Run" - 1/13/18 - 26:27 [official results]
Race 9 - "Cary Greenways 10K" - 4/24/18 - 55:48 [official results]
Race 10 - "Racing for Rescues" - 5/6/2018 - 26:19 [official results]

SPCA Mutts & Marshmallows Hot Chocolate Run 2018

NC's record cold snap from end of December through early January impacted my preparation for this race ... rather than toughening up and running through the cold, I scaled back and took some extra rest days. On the one hand, was a little disappointed with my time as I'd hoped to be close to my last result. Want to see times starting with 25, 24, or even 23 at some point this year, so putting up a time starting with a 26 felt like a step backwards. On the other hand, this was my first time with a top ten overall finish and my first age group win, so I'm pretty happy about that.

Let's call the slower time a function of the course (wet, muddy) and conditions (cold,windy) and try to focus on the positive, shall we?

Race 1 - "Decem-burrrrr Dash" - 12/3/16 - 29:10
Race 2 - "SPCA Hot Chocolate Run" - 1/15/17 - 28:25
Race 3 - "I Heart 5K" - 2/11/17 - 26:58
Race 4 - "Running Over Cancer 5K" [official results] - 3/12/2017 - 25:32
Race 5 - "Racing for Rescues" - 5/7/2017 - 25:03 [official results]
Race 6 - "Run the Quay" - 6/3/2017 - 25:11 [official results]
Race 7 - "Decem-burrrr Dash" - 12/2/17 - 24:43 [official results]
Race 8 - "SPCA Mutts & Marshmallows Hot Chocolate Run" - 1/13/18 - 26:27 [official results]

Decem-burrrr Dash 2017

Not going to lie, proud of myself for going hard at this year's race and finally cracking the 25 minute barrier while notching a new personal best. They changed the course a bit from last year, had us do a loop around the football field before heading up the first hill, rather than having us do a circle in the parking lot at the halfway point, which felt kind of dumb. Incorporating more hills into my running routes certainly seems to have paid some dividends -- the hill on this course felt much less taxing this year than I remember it feeling last year, that's for sure.

Speed seems to be the area I need the most work in, which I think means I need to incorporate more stride outs into my running. Now that I've proven to myself I can sustain a 5 min/km pace, I'd like to see if I can get start getting some kms to come in closer to 4:30 than 5:00. And, if I can do that, then to start stringing some of those times together.

2nd place in my age group.

Chugging to the finish.

Race 1 - "Decem-burrrrr Dash" - 12/3/16 - 29:10
Race 2 - "SPCA Hot Chocolate Run" - 1/15/17 - 28:25
Race 3 - "I Heart 5K" - 2/11/17 - 26:58
Race 4 - "Running Over Cancer 5K" [official results] - 3/12/2017 - 25:32
Race 5 - "Racing for Rescues" - 5/7/2017 - 25:03 [official results]
Race 6 - "Run the Quay" - 6/3/2017 - 25:11 [official results]
Race 7 - "Decem-burrrr Dash" - 12/2/17 - 24:43 [official results]

Hot Chocolate Run 2017

One of my goals for this year was to finish in the top three for my age group in a 5K. Happy to report I managed it in my first race of the year (second ever) over the weekend.

Finished 48th out of 250 overall with a time of 28:25. That was well short of my goal of getting under 27:00 but I don't feel too bad as it was my first time on that particular course, which featured a pretty daunting hill that we had to run up twice. Despite the hill, my biggest race day source of irritation was that Pokemon Go crashed less than a minute into the race, so I didn't get to hatch an egg at the end. Grrrr.

I've signed up for races in February and March with the hope bettering my time with each race and finally cracking 27 minutes.

Race 1 - "Decem-burrrrr Dash" - 12/3/16 - 29:10
Race 2 - "SPCA Hot Chocolate Run" - 1/15/17 - 28:25