Races: Groundhog Gallop - 10.5 miles: 1st 1:09.20
Sun - Afternoon 21m @7.30 Total - 21
Mon - Morning 4 1/2m @7.44 with strides; Afternoon 10m @~7.20 with high school guys
Total - 14 1/2
Tue - Morning 10m @7.46; Afternoon 5m @7.28 Total - 15
Wed - Morning 4 1/2m @7.38 with strides; Afternoon 10 @~7.30 Total - 14 1/2
Thu - Morning 4m @7.55; Afternoon 7m - 4m @~7.50, 3m @~8.30 with Stacey Total - 11
Fri - Morning 4m @8.05; Evening 3m @7.50 Total - 7
Sat - Morning 17m - Groundhog Gallop 10.5m 1:09.20 @6.36 avg.; Warmup 2m,
Tue - Morning 10m @7.46; Afternoon 5m @7.28 Total - 15
Wed - Morning 4 1/2m @7.38 with strides; Afternoon 10 @~7.30 Total - 14 1/2
Thu - Morning 4m @7.55; Afternoon 7m - 4m @~7.50, 3m @~8.30 with Stacey Total - 11
Fri - Morning 4m @8.05; Evening 3m @7.50 Total - 7
Sat - Morning 17m - Groundhog Gallop 10.5m 1:09.20 @6.36 avg.; Warmup 2m,
Cooldown 4 1/2(2m with Annette) Total - 17
Weather threatened to derail another racing weekend, but I finally got to do another race. I'm glad Scott Bassett's group, BigfootRunning, was putting this race on as they are a pretty diehard group. They put on and/or time a lot of races in NC and surrounding states. They always do a great job. The course was altered because the weather made a section to hard to manage. So instead of a half marathon, we only ran 10.5 miles consisting of two 5.25 mile loops. The area got about 1 inch of snow overnight and I believe a little may have still been on the ground in places from the last snow. I like running in bad conditions and generally consider it an advantage to me. Running fast was rather challenging though. A slower pace was probably good as my legs were feeling quite dull from my increased training volume. Shortly after going into the trails after a 3/4 mile loop on the roads, I was alone for the rest of the race. I averaged 6.26 for the half-marathon last year and remembered some approximate splits. Going through 2 miles and 3 miles, I was well off last year's pace as I expected. But I was having fun playing in the snow and mud. The 8K folks had gone off for their one loop a half hour before us so in some places the snow got packed down and became icy, especially on the second loop. In the more sunny places the trail became just a muddy mess.
Weather threatened to derail another racing weekend, but I finally got to do another race. I'm glad Scott Bassett's group, BigfootRunning, was putting this race on as they are a pretty diehard group. They put on and/or time a lot of races in NC and surrounding states. They always do a great job. The course was altered because the weather made a section to hard to manage. So instead of a half marathon, we only ran 10.5 miles consisting of two 5.25 mile loops. The area got about 1 inch of snow overnight and I believe a little may have still been on the ground in places from the last snow. I like running in bad conditions and generally consider it an advantage to me. Running fast was rather challenging though. A slower pace was probably good as my legs were feeling quite dull from my increased training volume. Shortly after going into the trails after a 3/4 mile loop on the roads, I was alone for the rest of the race. I averaged 6.26 for the half-marathon last year and remembered some approximate splits. Going through 2 miles and 3 miles, I was well off last year's pace as I expected. But I was having fun playing in the snow and mud. The 8K folks had gone off for their one loop a half hour before us so in some places the snow got packed down and became icy, especially on the second loop. In the more sunny places the trail became just a muddy mess.
I had thought 1:10 would be a good goal after seeing the course on my warm up. I hoped to come through the first loop in 35.o0 and came through in 35.02, nice. I wanted to squeeze a little time the first three miles of the second loop, then try opening up more the last 2.25. I went through 3 miles 12 seconds ahead of the first loop. Trying to open up my stride and get more speed was kind of crazy. I was slipping around more and could barely get around any turn. It was more like lots of short sprints when the trail straightened out any. It was a lot of fun. My backside was covered in mud at the finish (I'll get a picture up later) and my finishing time was 1:09.20 and 34.18 for the second loop. I got to cool down with Annette Bednosky and catch up with her some. It was nice to get out to another race finally. Hopefully next week's race at Pilot Mountain State Park will happen as they are already talking of postponing it. The park is currently closed because of icy conditions and downed trees. I can run in poor footing and over, through, or around trees, let's do it.
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