Dahlgren Trail 50k

It's important to preface this entry by letting you know that I didn't find out/sign up for this race until about a week and a half before it was scheduled. The negatives may have outweighed the positives, but I figured "eh, what the hell, its just 32 miles" and signed up.

Mother Nature couldn't have cooperated better. I was really worried it was going to be a scorcher, but the sky was overcast all day and stayed in the high 70's. I actually had the heat on in the car before the race.

I came out with the lead group (me and two other guys) and we were moving fast....too fast. The trail narrowed at one point and I knew that in order to stay on the course I was going to have to either sprint ahead or fall back. I decided to sprint ahead 5-10 feet and then fell back to our normal pace. Problem was, when I looked back, the other two guys were dropping off. I didn't think I was moving that fast until a few miles later when I checked behind me. I was all alone. That's when I realized I might be in a position I really didn't want.

I was in the lead up until the 15 mile marker. At the turn-around (mile 20) I was in fourth place. Then I bonked and gradually drifted. I finished in 5:23 and grabbed 11th place. That time isn't great, but remember the preface...

Run hard.

Crystal City Twilighter 5K

Showing up late to races is apparently my style. I thought that maybe there'd be a hundred or so people doing this run, it's just a 5k after all. The numbered of registered runners was close to 3,000. Ridiculous. So while I was fighting to find somewhere to park, the gun was getting closer and closer to going off.

I did make it, but may as well haven't. It was a terrible race. A huge thunderstorm rolled in as it was starting, which actually wasn't so bad. I came out too hard. First mile was close to 5 flat. Second mile was close to 5:20. After that I fell off significantly. Something went wrong somewhere in the race. Either the course was long, or the clock was off, or something. The time on my watch and the race time were about a minute apart. Neither time was very good, however. It was one of those races where afterwards I was embarrassed to call myself a runner.

So now I'm redoubling my efforts to get in 5k shape. I came to the decision this month that I want to aim for the 2012 Olympics in the triathlon. This is my first stepping stone.

Run hard.

Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon

I was able to hang with the lead group in my wave during the swim.  I was close to 20 mph on the bike, and my run ranked 23 out of 1436.  Again, for not training...not bad.

Philly was beautiful, but definitely bigger than I expected.  Also, it'll get sketchy in a pinch.  But overall the race and the course were well organized.  There are a handful of local races coming up, so I've got my pick of what is next.  I recently learned that I'll have a fair amount of time before starting Infantry School, so I may hang low for awhile and just get back into sweet sweet race shape.

Race hard.

64 Miles on the AT

Carol emailed me and said, "Yo, we're meeting at Front Royal at the McDonald's to do about 60 miles.  Be there."  Ok, I paraphrase, but her directions were about that good.

First of all, this place is so far away (how far was it, thank you) that you're almost in Nova Scotia.

When I got there, we take off into the Shenandoah National Park...and the first hill is epic.  I put my head down and get to the top.  I look up, and there's more hill.  "Ok, I enjoy a challenge.  Bring it."  Put the head down and keep pushing.  Get to the top, look up, more hill.  "Sheesh, this baby is bringing the thunder."  Put the head down, keep pushing.  Get to the top, look up, more hill.  "Sweet Moses, what's the deal, yo?"

I look back at Carol and ask her how high we're getting.  She informs me that we should max out just under four thousand feet in elevation.  Thanks for the heads-up, Carol.  We were on the Appalachian Trail.

It turned out to be an heroic 64-mile ride.  Killer, never ending climbs.  Saw a black bear and her cub (scared me stupid).  Incredible views into the lowlands.  Coming off the mountain we had to be pushing 45 mph.  Also scary, but über speedy getting off that baby.  Good day.

Ride hard.

Marine Corps Historic Half

I met Ryan and another friend down in Fredericksburg, VA yesterday to get ready for the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon.

The day started rough.  I sprinted from our hotel to the Caribou Coffee across the street at six this morning.  It was closed, and it was cold and rainy.  Double whammy.  So I settled for the watered down coffee in the hotel.  It was so weak I could see the bottom of the mug.

I was shooting for 1:20, didn't get it.  I knew I was coming out too hard and burned out around mile 8.  Again, not like I've been able to train at all.  It rained the whole time, I was drenched.  Fun course, though.  Only one bad hill and most of the course is through downtown Fredericksburg...gorgeous.  

Ryan missed breaking 1:40 by six seconds.  I'm sticking it too him pretty hard...because I'm a good friend.  Next race is probably the Montclair Tri at the end of June.

Run hard

Ulman Cancer Fund 100k

I was staggering, incoherent with blindness from low blood pressure, and all I wanted was to keep putting one foot in front of another, but couldn't.  One year ago I tried to run 100 miles to raise money for Relay for Life, in memory of my aunt who died from colon cancer.

Today, to commemorate, I rode in the Ulman Cancer Fund Le Tour de Howard County.  It was a 100k (62 miles) bike ride through the gorgeous farm country of Columbia, MD.  Barns, fields, vineyards, and wide open spaces.  Not a cloud in the sky.

Looking forward to the Half-Ironman distance Kinetic Tri in two weeks, and eventually getting in another attempt at that ultra-marathon.

Run hard.

Rumpass in Bumpass Sprint Tri

My first tri of the season was this past Sunday.  On the map, Lake Anna State Park looks like it's just off I-95.  In reality, the park is in East Jesus-Nowhere.  I got there, literally, 15 minutes before the gun went off.  I jumped in my wetsuit and sprinted from packet pick-up, to the timing chip table, to body marking, and to the transition area.  The gun went off as I was getting in the water.

The swim was horrendous (750m).  No surprise.  Water temp was 60 degrees (thank you wetsuit) and I got caught by the wave behind me (the female wave).  Oh well.

The bike was ok (12 miles).  It was a hilly course, but the hills were conducive to high speeds.  I averaged around 19, --eh.

The run, I loved (5k).  It's where I really get my money's worth.  Eleventh fastest overall (6:20 pace).

Final time was 1:18, 77th overall (out of 300-ish).  Not great, but it's the first race of the season and lets not even pretend like I've been training consistently.  All-in-all, a good start to the season and I'm looking forward to more.

party on Wayne, party on Garth