Cape Cod Marathon 2010

This weekend I returned to Falmouth to run a marathon. I ran Cape Cod in 1999, and now I was back to do it again. Cape Cod was my first marathon, and now it would become my 15th. A knee injury in July had me wondering if I would be running or just hanging out. My knee healed and I trained with the time that I had. I managed two 20 mile long runs. The second 20 I managed at an 8:06 pace, so I thought that a sub 3:30 pace was possible.

The course is hilly, especially through miles 15 to 23. No great hills, just a constant up and down. The weather was perfect, cloudy and 53 at the start. The wind never became an issue.

About three miles out I met up with another runner who was also aiming for a 3:30 finish. The marathon course headed out towards the beach for a little over five miles before heading inland. The next five miles were quick and it easy to believe that we would finish in under 3:30. Hilly stretches, and quiet roads greeted us as we made our way towards the beached of West Falmouth.

Twelve miles in and I felt good, but shortly after a bit of fatigue started to settle in. I got my first thought that this could turn bad if I did not adjust my pace. Over the next fifteen minutes my legs went numb. My legs had no feeling but a disconnected pain. My speed disappeared, and I faced 12 miles with nothing in the tank.

The course at this point was beautiful. As I shuffled down the road I got to take in the seashore, and the steady flow of runners whose pacing allowed them to run by me.

About a third of the runners were running the Relay. New runners would pass me quickly, but I still was able to run down most of them. After mile 15 the hills returned. One of the steepest hills begin immediately after the 20 mile marker. It can be a real let down. Running was painful and slow at this point, but the hills seemed irrelevant. I was burned out, and the hills could do little additional damage to my running form.

23 miles in and we climb the hill at Nobska Point. This is one of the most beautiful lighthouses I have ever seen. The runners are spent at this point. Another mile and the hills are done. Spectators cheer us on sandy stretch appropriately called Surf Drive. 25 plus and we turn back to the downtown. The crowds are animated and I am doing my best imitation of runner. I see my family near the finish line, they were expecting me earlier.

It's over and I am done in 3:53:11. 261/829. The showers are not far, and they are actually warm.

I finished, I had no injuries, and I will live to fight again. Next ? Ottawa in May?

Keep your feet on the road,

Mark

Racing the Mountain Goat

If a runner falls in the woods and his friends do not see it, is it still funny?

Every morning a mountain runner wakes up and thinks that, “If I can not out run the slowest most pathetic mountain goat I may very well starve.” - Enrico Mazzola, Famous Italian mountain runner, 1858 to 1906

Every morning a pathetic old mountain goat thinks that if that Mazzola guy chases me again, and I do not laugh my ass off, I will definitely live to see another day. - Pathetic Italian mountain goat, 1891-1908.

It is a little after 9:00AM and I at the base of the Seven Sisters Trail head. I can feel the wind through my fleece top. My hands are cold. Donna and her long running crew are running away from me and I should be starting my run from Mt. Holyoke if I want to meet up with them. I head out anyway and think that I will have a great trail run. I have two hours to run, and I will be running alone.

Up to Bare mountain. Where are my lungs? Halfway up the trail I am running hard and breathing harder. I am not cold any more, but I am weezing. This is bad. I get over the top and start down the trail on the other side. The rocks are a challenge but the combination of ice and leaves makes for an interesting experience. Soon I am moving on one leg sliding down the mountain. I look like I am trying for a triple lutz, but instead I complete a quadruple klutz. Wham. I am down.

I am back up again and sliding again. Wham. Down again. I have fallen and I can't get up. Back up, and I am running with a great deal of caution. Running is stretch, but I am moving. It helps to be able to laugh at one's self when sliding down the rock formations that pass barely for a runnable trail.

The trail is beautiful in its openness. It is quiet and empty , and I am amazed that some one could run this multiple times. Scrambling over the rocks and attempting run the brief level stretches is a work out. Exactly one hour I am facing starvation, and considering eating my thumbs. But waite I have energy beans, “Thanks Carrie!” Recharged with energy beans I head back to the notch.

At one point I lose the white trail markers, and find my self on the side of hill, obviously off the trail. It seems like I should go left, but the GPS says the trail is a short distance to the right. I go right and find the trail.

The run back is as slow as the run out. One hour out, and one hour back. 5.3 miles at 23:30 pace. I feel like I ran far and hard. The thought of running the whole Seven Sisters multiple times leaves me in admiration for those who can. The leaves, ice, and extreme terrain made this an especially difficult run.

Keep your feet on the road

- Mark

Post Hartford Marathon

Ten days after the marathon and I am beginning a regular weekly running routine. The marathon went well even with hitting the wall and hobbling in at the end. I was not supposed to be running any marathon this fall, so my come back is reason to be happy.

My two post marathon runs last Wednesday and yesterday were about 6.3 miles at a 8:05 pace. Both runs were with my good friend Carrie. Without the encouragement and pacing my friend provided I would likely not have run a marathon this fall. Sharing a run with a friend has made it all the more meaningful.

Hartford Marathon

I ran the Hartford marathon for the fourth time on October 11th. The course is flatter at the end, following the river north of Hartford after returning the runners from South Windsor and East Hartford. Coming back from a winter injury I felt I had something to prove since I was not supposed to be running a marathon this year. My stated goal was a 3:17 time. I got to the starting line minutes before it began, and lined up way in the back. The first mile of the race I went out slow, and worked my way through the crowds. The following miles I settled into a sub 7:30 pace and felt very good. It was a lot of work to keep my pace down, I felt relaxed and good. The day was perfect. I got into the zone and had the run that we all work for. As I hit the half way point I felt that I would likely finish in 3:16. Bands played along the course and the crowds were enthusiastic. As I crossed the 18 and 19 mile markers I was slowing but not crashing. 3:17 was always a long shot, but the it was still possible if I could keep up the pace. 7:40's would have done it, but that is not what happened. That carbohydrate wall was looming and I could feel it in a sense of light-headedness. The around mile 21 the legs became drained. I worked for what I could into miles 22,23, and going up hill around 24 both legs cramped to the point of my almost dropping me to the ground. For a second I thought I was done. I decided that hobbling home was better than dropping out. I ran ugly wavering steps, but I ran at 9 minute to 9:30 pace. The last two miles I ran right around a 9 minute pace. Woulda, coulda shoulda's aside I had a great run. I went from dead in the water four months ago to running a marathon in 3:23:11 (chip time). I did this with the support of several friends, and owe a special debt of gratitude to Carrie Stone for encouraging me in all of our runs this summer and fall. Post race I am still excited about Saturday's run, and I am really back.

I am back

It has been two years, but I am back and ready to post.

Home Sick While So I Will Write for the BLOG

Mount Toby 14 Mile Trail Run

Mount Toby 14 Mile Trail Run

This race falls under the category of reasons to not get hung up on race times and finishing order. This has been a year where I have not trained with the mileage and intensity of past years. I have a five year boy old who, a time demanding job, and a great spouse who I want to spend time with. Something has to give. Accepting less training requires a change of mindset when race day comes up. It is not about giving up a PR, so much as it is about going out with what you have and not worrying about the miles you did not run. If I can run a good race, I am always ecstatic. A good race for me is race at the end of which I am spent, but I have been in it mentally and physically the whole way.
I ran The Mt. Toby 14 Mile Trail Run yesterday. Conditions were near ideal during the race. It was dark overcast and gloomy. I had one my best runs of the year. Since I had no aspirations of greatness I ran the 2.5 miles from my home to the start, and headed out with a hope to break 2 hours. The terrain is all jeep trails, and the runners are an interesting mix of road runners (me) and trail runners. There are serious and not so serious competitors from both running camps banging it out.
The course is an out and back run split into 4 pieces. The first four miles have two large hills and take you to Cranberry Pond in Sunderland from the Town Park. You gain a lot of elevation in those first four miles, only to lose most of it on the descent to Cranberry Pond. From Cranberry Pond to the Summit of Mt. Toby is about three miles, and 900 vertical feet. The race boasts 1900 vertical feet over 14 miles. The last mile is the steepest, with most runners walking over the loose rocky trail. Tag the fence and the race is a mirror of what you just did.
My PR for MT. Toby set two years ago was 1:50. I finished yesterday in 1:51. I tagged the fence in 59 minutes and came off the Mountain to Cranberry Pond in 18 minutes. At the fence I thought that 2 hours was likely if I did not burn out on the last four miles. I also thought that I could run under 1:55 if the gods approved. Most of the last four miles consisted a of duel between me and another runner. The other runner (50+ male who's name I should know) after I passed him stayed on my heels for the last 3.5 miles of woods. Every time I shook him off he would beat his way back. I felt like I was flying and could not imagine that this guy could keep up his pursuit of me, but he did. I dropped him when we came out of the woods. I sprinted down the last hill and finished strong.
My friend Tom ran with a cell phone in case the new baby were arrive early. Tom just wanted to do the run, so he was happy and finished easily. Priorities change for all of us and he told me he will not likely be running over the next few months after his and his wife Julie's second child is born (likely in the next two weeks).
This race filled the bill for a successful outing. With no undue pressure to run a certain time, I ran faster than I would have imagined possible. I also enjoyed the whole affair.
I ran home after the race in the rain. That was fun in that it allowed me to chalk up another 20 mile day before the Hartford Marathon.

Today I feel like a truck hit me, so I did not go to work. My feet (unusual) really hurt today. I stayed home because I have a sore throat, and the rest of my body feels abused. While writing this I started to really feel bad. A 102+ fever totaled me all day. Around 6:00 PM I started to feel much better. My son and wife are at an ice cream social to celebrate the start of a new school year, and Ben's first day of kindergarten is Thursday. I hope they bring me an ice cream sandwitch.

Keep your feet on the trails,

Mark