Marine Corps Marathon - October 27, 2013

0545 AIS
It's 5:45 a.m. Sunday morning and all five 'As' of Cinco Amigos Tres are 'I' 'Ss' of Jennifer's new-to-her Honda Odyssey. Rebecca, always fearful of being without food, has brought a box of Shoppers' Colossal Donuts (no joke - that's what the box accurately calls them) and a bag of pretzels. We also have the remainder of the pumpkin ring cake that Rebecca brought for dessert to last night's pre-race dinner at our house.  She also brought a chocolate cake and four cartons of ice cream for the seven of us at dinner. The ice cream and chocolate cake don't make it into the car for breakfast.

On the way Emaad entertains us with a description of the Brazil Butt Lift infomercial that he watched when he awoke early.  Jennifer offers her children's leftover jelly beans that are rolling around in the tray between the front seats.  Barry's back is still bothering him from a strain but he is willing to give MCM a shot.  He will be carrying a Metro card in case he finds that he needs to drop.

Getting in Position
Without incident we drive to the Rosslyn Holiday Inn where MCRRC has its hospitality suite.  Along Lee Highway we drive past Marines setting up the water stop just beyond mile 2.  We secure a table, and then discuss what to wear. The morning promises to be cool but the day looks to be mostly sunny with temperatures rising into the mid 50s.  After much of the usual discussion of what to wear - tights? shirts (how many? Long or short sleeves?) Throw away top? Trash bags? Hats? Gloves? Arm warmers? - everyone settles out on their apparel and we move out for the walk to the start line.

Parachutist descends with flag pre-race.

As we approach it - our path takes us along Route 110 toward the start from the front of the course - we see the parachute team descending carrying large American flags.  Just before reaching the start line the Marines stop us by the starting howitzer and I'm excited that I'll get a close-up picture of it firing for the start of the wheelchair racers at 7:55.  After a couple of minutes we are waved along and we make our way into the starting area.    We walk a bit toward the rear so as not to be up with the faster runners.  We move to the median of Route 110 to be out of the way of the runners on both sides.

Plans

(l to r) Emaad, Rebecca, Barry, Jennifer and I keep warm at the start.

At precisely 8:00 a.m. the howitzer fires again for the start of the race.  MCM does not use corrals to separate fast runners from slower runners.  Instead it has pylons with estimated times that allows runners to self-seed themselves.  Since we are standing toward the front of the crowd, we allow runners to flow past us.  We allow the 4:00 pacer to go by with her sign and balloons and in a short while discard our trash bags and other disposable warm-ups before joining the runners walking toward the starting mat.  We comment about the amount and quality of warm-up gear disposed as runners head forward and I briefly pick up a banana before reluctantly putting it back down.

Runners descend Spout Run past mile 3.

Barry drops back but the other four of us trot on ahead.  Emaad's goal is to run 4:10.  He's asked Rebecca to help pace him.  Jennifer plans to finish.  She can run fast, but a lack of training may keep her from using the speed.  My goal is a bit fuzzy.  I'd like to run abut 4:30 and I'm wearing a pace band for that goal, but I'm also planning to be happy to be under 4:45.  I'll let the day unfold in its own manner.

Less than a mile in we head up the slight hill into Rosslyn and I tell the others to go on.  I drop back and go thru the first mile in about 10:35, a pretty leisurely pace that suggests that it won't be a fast day.  But even before we get out of Rosslyn and turn onto Lee Highway I catch up to the other three.  That apparently is enough of a spur for Emaad and he takes off.  About mile 2 Rebecca and Jennifer decide to avail themselves of the Porta-potties and I go on alone.

Scenes from a Marathon

On Rock Creek Parkway about mile 9.

As I catch up with a pair of women running with shirts with 'Mexico' on them, I greet them with a "Viva Mexico!"  They respond with a "vamos!" which I do.

Running up stream in Rock Creek Park around mile 6 I pull even with a woman wearing the technical shirt given out at the expo to the runners.  It replaced the traditional mock turtleneck that was reviled by every woman runner that I know.  "You are tempting the marathon gods," I tell her.  "What do you mean?" she replies. "You are wearing the shirt for the race before I have run it," I say.  Another runner chimes in, "It's bad karma."  "Never heard that" she says and goes on to explain that she hadn't brought enough shirts for the cool weather.  Since this is her fourth MCM, I tell her that I'm sure it will be OK.

 Eighty-six wheel racers finish the race, most in the hand crank division.  Most runners are encouraging to these athletes and admire their ability to get their bodies and wheels up hills using nothing but their arms and hands.  Unfortunately there are also ignorant, self-centered runners who insist on running with headphones and the volume turned up so high that they can't hear the shouts of "Move left" and impede the progress of the wheel racers, especially on the downhills.  Fortunately for the ignorant - and maybe for me - they are too far in front of me to for me to do anything but shout.  And shout I do.  Had I been closer . . . .

It isn't just wheel racers and persons in shirts with pictures of fallen friends, siblings, spouses and family members who remind the rest of us at MCM that there is high price paid by those who practice diplomacy by other means.  About mile 9 I come upon the runner pictured above. And the sign on his back indicates that he runs for others as well.

Somewhere past the Kennedy Center near mile 10 some runners and I joke about where we are relative to other runners.  I note that while there are thousands of runners ahead of us there are also thousands behind us.  I say that my goal is to finish in the top 4 digits, i.e, not be beaten by 10,000.

DC fireboat salutes runners.

The stretch of the course along the Potomac approaching the halfway mark at Hains Point is nearly 2 miles long.  Race photographers sit near the entrance to East Potomac Park and on scaffolding over it to snap pictures of the runners cheering and waving for the cameras.  Past the photo location crowds drop off appreciably and the runners are left to contemplate what, over the past several years, has become known as "The Blue Mile."

Along the side of the course is a row of equally spaced signs with blue backgrounds.  Each sign has the name of a service member and their picture along with the date and location of their death in the wars of the past eleven years.  Each year the row gets longer. A row of persons clad in blue suits holds American flags after the row of pictures.   It is a somber moment even for those self-absorbed with their run.

Throughout the race I have been seeing members of the MCRRC First Time Marathoners group.  I give them encouragement and sometimes chat with them.  Quite by chance I chat up Conroy Z, one of the directors of the program.  In response to a question he tells me that only 40 percent of the persons in the program are actually doing their first marathon; the other 60 percent have completed one or more marathons.

Approaching the Capitol near mile 18.

About mile 17 I catch up to Ray, an MCM fixture who carries a flag in the race.  I ask him if I may carry it a bit and, like last year, he agrees.  A Marine along the side of the course comes to attention and salutes.  I carry it a bit and then he says that he needs to walk and can't keep up with me.  I thank him for allowing me the honor and return the flag to him.

The Marathon Begins NOW
At mile 20, I tweet "Mile 20. The marathon begins NOW."  There are shirts that joke "A marathon is a just 10K following a 20 mile warm-up."  There is some truth in this, especially at MCM.  At mile 20 the course heads across the 14th Street bridge from DC to Virginia.  The next two miles are a long stretch with none of the crowds that have been inspiring runners for most of the day.  Runners start to walk.  One can see far ahead and progress seems slow.  I try to stay focused.

I'm getting a bit tired but it is more mental than physical.  One side of my brain says it is OK to walk, the other side says stay strong. Finally about mile 22 we make the turn into Crystal City where more crowds await to rejuvenate the runners. I've slowed down a bit in mile 22 but the crowds give me energy to maintain the pace thru mile 23.

But the course turns into a long slow uphill with fewer crowds on the back side of Crystal City.  I avoid walking in front of the enthusiastic rooters at the milepost, but start walking afterward.  I spot the refreshment tables up ahead and veer toward them, but retract my hand and swerve away when I see that they are not giving out drinks but instead are offering donut holes, about the last thing I want to eat at this time. The next water stop is about a third of a mile along and I drink before heading under I-395 for the run - without crowds - around the Pentagon parking lot and onto Washington Boulevard. By now I'm walking more.

On Washington Boulevard, just passed the Pentagon 9-11 memorial, I spot shadows approaching on either side. "Hi, Ken," Rebecca bubbles as Jennifer pulls up on the other side.  It has taken them 22 miles, but they have run me down.

"Go on," I urge.  Rebecca nods and pulls away.  Jennifer claims that she is spent from their effort to catch up with me but I know that she is just being kind.  When I walk she walks.  I try to gain strength from her and it helps, particularly on the downhills.  She's talking away.  Meanwhile my world view is shrinking and all I can concentrate on is moving forward.  I'm not sure that I can even hear her or process what she is saying or even understand the words.  Finally I apologize and ask her to stop talking.  She says she understands and stops.

At mile 26 we make the left turn to go up the hill to the Marine Corps Memorial.  I walk, then I run, then I have to stop running.  As we approach the last 100 yards in front of the spectator stands Jennifer tells me we have to run.  It's what I need to hear.  We run - probably slowly - but it feels right and we finish side-by-side.

Top Four Digits 
My 4:27:58 is my second fastest marathon time (4:34 slower than my 2012 MCM marathon PR) and is good for 113 of 394 in the M60-64 age group and 6594 of 13,530 males.  More importantly it is good for 9627 out of the 23,521 finishers, allowing me to finish before the counter turned over the fifth digit.  Oorah!

Emaad finishes in a 12 minute PR of 4:08.  Rebecca finishes in 4:26.  Barry, after passing the Blue Mile, decided that quitting was not appropriate, especially as his back started to loosen up, goes on the finish in a bit over 5 hours.

Bonus Post Race Report

Jennifer and I get congratulations
from USMC lieutenant at finish.

Just beyond the finish I lean over the railing at the side of the course to catch my breath and regain some strength.  After a couple of minutes we get in line to gather our finisher's medals.  In the tradition of MCM, a USMC lieutenant drapes the medal over one's neck, straightens up and salutes the finisher.  I return the salute.

As we work our way to the exit from the finisher area, we get our snack boxes, bananas, Gatorade, water and disposable poncho.  We are nearly out of the area when Rebecca spots us and joins us.

Rebecca stands by fence separating finishers
from 'zombie' spectators.

Leaving the finishers' area we see hundreds of spectators and family members on the other side of a temporary chain link fence anxiously scanning for their runners.  It reminds me a bit of the zombies outside the fence on the Walking Dead.  The spectators don't seem amused when I share my observation that they look a bit like zombies to me.

With the Watermelon Queen post-race.

Finally we exit the area and start our walk back to the Holiday Inn.  But there is one more treat still to be had.  There on the street are representatives of the the National Watermelon Promotion Board handing out packages of the refreshing red fruit including Watermelon Queens from various states.

Not a bad way to end my eighth MCM.

MCM Swag: Shirt, Medal, Patch, Program, Snack Box and Bib.

Marathon du Medoc - September 7, 2013

Medoc Spirit

"Spoilsports, thugs and record seekers are not invited!"

This is part of the official Marathon du Medoc spirit, which consists of "health, sport, conviviality and fun." And wine.  Twenty tests oeno-sportifs (degustations de grands crus), better known in English as wine tasting stops. As well as oysters, ham, cheese, sandwiches, beef, oysters on the half shell, and ice cream.  And the usual runners food of cookies, crackers, oranges and the like at roughly 20 aid stations. Water and cola were also available at numerous locations as well.

Did I mention costumes and floats?  About 90 percent of the runners wore some sort of costume, most following the 2013 theme of Science Fiction, although there were also pirates, smurfs, French bakers, and numerous others.  Put 8500 fun-seeking runners on the roads of Medoc, tell them to run from chateau to chateau for 42 kilometers and you have a day-long moving party.

This is a story better told with pictures so I'll keep the narrative fairly short and follow it with plenty of pictures.

The Narrative

Rebecca, An and I took the bus from the center of Bordeaux to Pauillac for the start of the race.  An when off to pick up his rental bicycle so that he could intercept us at various places along the course.  The morning was a bit cool and overcast, but except for a stray drop or two, we had no rain.  Twenty miles south in Bordeaux it rained most of the day.

As I noted about 90 percent of the runners wore costumes, with the majority inspired by the 2013 "Science Fiction" theme.  Rebecca and I went with matching steam punk technical shirts, figuring it was the best combination of comfortable running gear while adhering to the theme. There were plenty of Princess Leias, both male and female, a full costumed Chewbacca, lots of blue Avatars, Martians, Supermen, space men and aliens.  There were also costumes that didn't follow the theme including French bakers, pirates, cave men, construction workers and others that were hard to identify.

There were also floats pushed the entire way.  I recall seeing a steamroller, pirate ship, hospital bed, UFO, sofa and winged wine barrel.  The steamroller float was sponsored by a local construction company, and its crew wore orange costumes and hard hats, which they gave away to children along the way.

The race takes place just a few weeks before the grape harvest and the vines are heavy with fruit.  Rebecca and I sampled some grapes (they were from a bunch that were on the ground, so we didn't feel like we were abusing the chateau's hospitality) and they were sweet.  The scenery was wonderful, with about 60 spectacular chateaus on the course, non-stop acres of vineyards, gently rolling country roads, about a dozen villages and occasional views of the Gironde River.

We met folks from all over during the run. There was a Canadian couple from Vancouver who had nothing good to say about the Quebecois.  A Scottish woman who immediately recognized our steampunk shirts and pointed out her own steampunk goggles perched on top of her hat with a picture of her brother and his two pet chickens. The French pirates who responded positively to my "Arr, maties!" call. (Apparently speaking pirate is a universal language.)   The peculiarly costumed French runners in yellow suits with what appeared to be red rooster combs on their head, but when asked about their chicken costumes, they informed us that they were "Super Shoe" (that's what it sounded like), from some French sci-fi cartoon TV show or movies of the 1980s.

The course consisted of roughly two large loops from Pauillac, the first going south, then returning to pass through parts of the town around KM 22 before heading to the north.  This allowed those who wanted to drop out at the halfway point the chance to do so.  Given that there were 7905 finishers out of 8500 entrants, not too many seemed to want the miss the second half of the course.

An met us at various random places on the course, depending on what back roads he could use to get from place to place. Rebecca would share her wine with him and as the band at Chateau Pichon-Longueville struck up a Cajun tune, the two of them broke out dancing.  There is video, but Rebecca has expressly prohibited me from posting it.

We did dial back the wine tasting during the second half.  The chateaus did not skimp on the pours and unless one had done some serious "drinking while running" training, it would have been a challenge.  We met a woman on the flight over who did practice that technique, however. At most chateaus we used a taste and dump strategy, but even with that, there were a few later in the course that we simply did not sample.  I did not however, "sip and spit" at Chateau Lafite Rothschild, one of the five premier grands crus of Bordeaux. That was all sip.

With one exception the wines were reds; not surprising given that we were in Medoc.  That exception was a white served at KM 38 with the raw oysters.  The Arcachon Basin, about 30 miles to the west of Bordeaux is noted for its oysters.  They were saltier than U.S. oysters, but that made them perfect for runners. Washed down with the white, and served on the bank of the Gironde River, they were a perfect treat.

The slogan of Marathon du Medoc is "Le marathon le plus long du monde" (the longest marathon in the world) and that was our approach to it.  I wore a 6:20 pace band, determined to spend as much time as possible on the course but still finish under 6:30, the official cutoff.  We succeeded, finishing in 6:13 gun time (6:08:54 chip time, 5718 of 7905). My time was over an hour slower than any previous marathon and nearly an hour and a half slower than my last marathon. Medoc my be my longest but it certainly is the best.

At the finish we received a finishers' medal, a backpack, a cup on a lanyard, and a bottle of 2002 Chateau La Tour De Mons cru bourgeois Margaux in a wooden box commemorating the 29th Marathon du Medoc.   Rebecca also received a rose.  On the box is the Medoc tipsy runner logo with him saying, "Le Medoc je l'ai fait!" (I finished Medoc!).  Yup, I did.

A non-runner's blog with plenty of good pictures of runners and floats is here.

Pictures are Worth Lots of Words

Supermen line up for express relief prior to the start.

Aerial acrobats entertain at the start.

And we are off! Rebecca wears our
steampunk shirt on the right.

A line of runners thru the vineyard toward Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste at KM 2.

The band at Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste strikes a tropical theme.

A view from the the road, maybe around KM 3.

Examining the wine at Chateau Larose Trintaudon at KM 6. . . .

. . .  and the first taste of the day!

Rebecca raises a glass
at Chateau Belgrave at KM 8  . . .

. . . or is it Chateau Lagrange at KM 9?

Another few KM and another chateau to visit.

The winged barrel rolls thru Beychevelle.

Approaching Chateau Branaire-Ducru at KM 13.

The sofa float leaving Chateau Branaire-Ducru.

Time for another wine tasting
at Chateau Beychevelle at KM 13.

Yes, another excellent Bordeaux!

Rebecca (2nd from left) runs on with varied costumed participants someplace around KM 17.

Rebecca and I toast each other
at Chateau Pichon-Longueville at KM 17.

A memorial to the soldiers of the village of
Saint-Julien Beychevelle killed in WW I.

An (2nd from right) celebrates with "Arthur Dents" from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
at Chateau Pichon-Longueville.

Rebecca raises a glass at Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande at KM 18. . . 

. . . and I do likewise.

Not every chateau served wine.  Only water here at Chateau Lynch Bages at KM 20.

Runners pass another war memorial after leaving Chateau Pontet Canet near KM 24.

A classic car display at Chateau Lafite Rothschild at KM 26.

Runners take a dip in the pond at Chateau Lafite Rothschild.

Approaching Chateau Cos Labory at KM 27.

In the background EMTs attend to someone down on the ground at Chateau Cos Labory.

Rebecca and I enjoy sandwiches at Chateau Pomys (?) at KM 31- ham and cheese for me; cheese for Rebecca.

Ice cream at KM 42

Our final snack on the course.

Swag: shirt, backpack, cup on a lanyard, medal, wine tasting cup, boxed bottle of wine.

TNF Endurance Mid-Atlantic 50K - June 1, 2013

Warm Day

Barry, Shirley and Rebecca (l. to r.)

Saturday promises to be a hot day, with temperatures close to 90 degrees for my second North Face Endurance Challenge 50K (TNF).  Emaad B. cites the hot weather as a  reason not to start the race.  I look at the bright side: with hot weather the choice of clothing is very simple.  I just need shorts and a short sleeve shirt. No need to worry about long/short sleeves, layers, gloves, tights or hats.

Barry and Rebecca show up at my house right on time to head to Sterling VA for the parking for the shuttle to Algonkian Regional Park for the start of the race.  Rebecca, who believes that no one should go hungry ever, brings a box of colossal-sized donuts. Barry eats one, or at least half of one.  The school bus shuttle gets us to the park in plenty of time to check our bags, use the facilities and get ready for the day.  We meet Shirley S. at the start and the four of us decide to run together, or at least to start together.  Given the weather no one has a sense of urgency or desire to push the pace.

Outbound!
To help spread out the field for the single track that begins a few hundred yards from the start, TNF starts the field in three waves a couple of minutes apart.  The race is chip-timed so there is no penalty starting in the later waves.  The four of us start well toward the rear of the the third and final heat.

It is a bit warm but not particularly unpleasant at the 7:00 a.m. start.  We are grateful that we do not have to deal with the shoe-sucking mud from last year.  We chat amiably as we go along and make sure to keep an eye out for golfers, and more importantly, golf balls, as the Potomac Heritage Trail makes its way across the golf course at the park.  We cross without incident.  After the golf course, the trail alternates between flat stretches near the Potomac and climbing and descending some hills that move away from the river.

Rebecca and I stick together through the first aid station with Barry and Shirley not far behind. A mile or two later Barry and Shirley catch up with us.  We go on together for awhile and somewhere around mile 13 I unwittingly pull away from them for the rest of the day.

Staying Hydrated
One drawback of TNF for the unwary is that several of the aid stations are significantly further apart than some runners are used to.  The first aid station is 5.7 miles from the start (there is an unofficial one about three miles from the start), and then the next aid station is 6.7 miles farther on. The 6.7 mile section has to be traversed on the way back to the finish as well.

Barry snaps pic of the Potomac

Especially on a hot day making sure one has adequate nutrition and hydration is critical.  Rebecca is carrying a handheld bottle, but the other three of us are all using camelbacks.  Later in the day, on the return, Rebecca will run dry. Fortunately she was able to get water from an emergency medical personnel who she met on the trail between aid stations.

After my experience at the Bull Run Run 50 miler in April where I lost track of when I last ate a gel or took a Succeed! salt capsule I'm determined today to set a schedule and stick to it.  I decide on a gel every 45 minutes and a salt tablet every hour.  I stick to the schedule the entire day, regardless of how those times coincide with the appearance of aid stations.  As an added benefit, Clif Bar is a sponsor of the race, and the aid stations are stocked with Clif Shot gels, reducing the need to start the race carrying a day's worth of gels.

I carry six Succeeds with me.  Someplace around mile 22 or so I spot a small plastic bag on the trail.  I stop and pick it up and it appears to have two Succeeds in it.  I can't be certain of that, but they are intact and certainly look like the kind of thing a runner might have dropped.  When it is time for the next Succeed I decide to try one of the finds.  With no adverse effects over the next hour, I take the second found one.  I hate waste.

Newbies
As usual, I chat with folks as we run along and observe the runners that I pass and that pass me. (I text the description of one runner with Emaad to emphasize what he is missing, but there is no need here to repeat my observations.)

The first thing that stands out is that there are a higher than usual number of first time trail and ultrarunners than at most races.  Perhaps it is due to the commercial nature of the race and the fact that The North Face is a prime sponsor of the race.  The series is actually managed by Hawkeye, a marketing company that "designs, develops, manages and flawlessly executes experiential programs"  for its corporate clients, including TNF and the NCAA.  From the number of participants who tell me that this is either their first ultra or their first trail run it is clear that as part of "The North Face Endurance Challenge" the Hawkeye "experiential team is planning and executing live programs for clients [like TNF] who want to bring their brands to their consumers in unique, relevant and memorable ways."  If TNF is a brand that is supposed to be for customers interested in outdoor adventures (suitably attired and equipped, of course) they are succeeding in bringing people out to the trail.

The second thing I notice is that the participants are appreciably younger than the usual group of ultrarunners.  There is a bit of a joke in the ultrarunning community that as one gets older and slower one runs longer and longer.  Maybe that is because we have more leisure time or are more patient.  But the TNF clearly attracts a younger crowd.

One of the consequences of having newer and younger runners is that they are not prepared as well for this particular race as veteran runners.  During the long 6.7 mile stretch between the first and second aid stations I catch up with two women running together.  One has a camelback, but the other is running with no bottle or water carrier of any kind. I gently suggest that staying hydrated today will be important.  Fortunately they are sisters so they have already been sharing from the camelback.  But the time is still before 10:00 a.m. and the day will be heating up.  I urge them to be sure to take gels or eat salty foods at the aid stations.

There is Always One of These
Some trail runners are tough. Some are nuts. Some are both.  All three types run trails.

The trail by Mather Gorge of the Potomac

While running the convoluted but well marked loops and out-and-backs in Great Falls Park I spot a 50-mile runner walking with her knee professionally taped up but a hint of blood staining it.

"Close encounter with the ground?," I inquire.

She answers in the affirmative. "I've had it taped twice," she says. "The paramedics told me I need stitches.  I told them I still have 30 miles to go to the finish."

On that note she starts running again.

Trail Discounts
Rebecca and I are going to run Marathon du Medoc in September.  This year's theme is Science Fiction so we have ordered Steam Punk patterned shirts.  I'm wearing mine to try it out.

As I pass a shirtless runner wearing a kilt (see There is Always One of These, above) he asks if it is from  InkNBurn.  When I say it is, he gets excited.

"I'm an InkNBurn Ambassador," he says.  "Take these cards and enter the code "Christoldme" and you will get a discount on your next order at InkNBurn."

He sees me glance at his kilt, decidedly not an InkNBurn product. "I'm also an ambassador for kilts for running," he adds.

Getting Hot
Running in Great Falls Park give us an opportunity to see the 50 mile runners who started two hours ahead of the 50K runners.  They have to run three laps of the Great Falls section, while we only do one loop.  Marathoners, who start two hours behind the 50K runners turn around at the entrance to Great Falls. Leaving Great Falls about 19.3 miles into the race the time is about 11:40 a.m.  The day is definitely heating up.  While much of the race is in the woods, there are some fields to cross and the mid-day sun adds another  ten or more degrees to the heat.  During this 6.7 mile stretch to the next aid station I'm repeatedly glancing at my watch and trying to figure when I'll arrive at it, based on the time it took on the outbound run.  I'm disappointed when an hour and 43 minutes rolls around (the outbound time) and there is no aid station in sight.  It takes another ten minutes to arrive at it.  The pace is almost 17 minutes per mile, barely faster than a walking pace.

The pace to the next aid station at mile 29.3 is hardly better even though most of it is on a flat stretch skirting through the golf course. With the end figuratively in sight, and marathon relay runners now on this section of the course, I pick up the pace to a 12:41 per mile.  Even that feels harsh in the sun, and I take frequent walks on flat, level surfaces that are otherwise easy to run.

I cross the finish in 7:49:19, more than 40 minutes slower than during last year's muddy trudge.  I sit down at a shaded table and An, Rebecca's boy friend finds me and brings me shaved ice cones, which are greatly refreshing.

Rebecca crosses the line in 8:01.  Either she is barely coherent or I'm incapable of comprehension. Neither of us can quite understand each other for a short while.  Shirley finishes in 8:19 and Barry in 8:27.

Nice Guys Finish Last First.  So Do Old Guys.
Reviewing the results the next day bear out my suspicions that the TNF demographic skews young. Barry finishes second in the male 60-64 year old age group.  I finish first.

Barry, Rebecca, Shirley and I show off our medals
(courtesy of Barry S.)

But that is not so remarkable, it turns out.  We are the only two males in the age group.  And at 62 I'm the oldest 50K finisher, male or female.

One other 60+ male runs the 50 mile TNF race. So a total of only three 60+ males out of 482 male finishers ran the 50M and 50K at TNF (0.6%).  Compare that to the 17 60+ males out of 287 male finishers (5.9%) who ran Bull Run Run 50 Miler in April. And there is no 50K option there.

Unfortunately for us, there are no age group prizes, just the satisfaction of knowing that we still are . . . tough? Nuts? Both? Like all runners over 21, we got to enjoy our complementary beer at the finish area, although Barry had to show proof of age to be admitted to the beer area!

TNF50K swag: shirt, medal, Smartwool sox and bib

Bull Run Run 50 Mile - April 6, 2013

Training?  I Don't Need No Stinking Training!

Jennifer W. and I set out to run Bull Run together.  We last ran a race together at the Black Hills 100K last June, where I dropped out just short of the turn-around and she went on alone to finish the race.

Gandalf, aka Mark Z, at the start

Due to a variety of reasons Jennifer has been a bit short of training this year.  Well, actually way more than a bit short.  Since Black Hills Jennifer has run one 14-mile training run and a couple of 12-mile training runs.  And some shorter runs.  I believe in the "Bare Bones Training Theorem" which holds that if you can run half the distance you can run the entire distance. But we are talking about running three and a half times the distance.  Jennifer is one of - no maybe the - toughest runners that I know, so if anyone can do it, she can.

We carpool to the race together and I tell her that I will stick with her throughout the day.

Championship Three-peat?

Team MCRRC Absolute Zeroes is back in an effort to win the award for the slowest team for the third consecutive year.  Jim D., Larry B., Caroline W. and I make you the team.  We expect a challenge from Team Rocket, put together by (disgruntled?) one-time Absolute Zero Mark Z and consisting of Mark, Jennifer, Mike E. and Stephanie F.  Jennifer and I will cancel each other out, so it will depend on how the rest of both teams perform.  May the slowest team win!

Beautiful Day for a Run

Ken and Jennifer in the bluebells
(courtesy of Aaron Schwartzbard)

The weather is pretty much perfect for the race.  A little cool at the start but a day that warmed up a bit in the afternoon.  Rain earlier in the week had assured that the course would not be dusty, but there was not so much rain that the course was muddy or that the streams were high.  All the stream crossings were navigable without the need to get one's feet wet.

Normal seasonal temperatures also assured that the bluebells were in full bloom when we ran through them.

Fields of Bluebells

Steady as She Goes
Jennifer and I start out slower than I have in my previous four BRRs.  This is partly to give her a chance to settle into a comfortable pace for the day and partly for me to avoid my typical BRR strategy of going out too fast and having a miserable final 12 miles.

Crossing Rocky Run with Jennifer following
(courtesy Mike Bur)

We enjoy our trip through the bluebells.  A runner tells us of a story during a 100-mile race of hallucinating a small girl sitting by the side of the trail.  His wife assures him that there is no child so he goes on.  He credits the training from his U.S. Navy chief for preparing him for such moments.

Too slow?
Our slow strategy works almost too well. Through the first 16 miles and back to the Hemlock aid station (which is also where the race starts and end) we are on a pace well above 12 hours.  It seems to me that leaves little margin for error to make the 13 hour cutoff if we have a tough last section of the course.  On the other hand, if we can stay steady we'll be in good shape.

Jennifer alongside Bull Run

At Hemlock I change my shirt and get rid of my hat.  Mike E. of Team Rocket is there also changing some gear.  Because of the out and back nature of the first part of the course, we have seen the other members of the two teams on the course, with Mark and Stephanie of Team Rocket behind, as is Jim D.  Larry and Caroline are ahead.

Jennifer and I head out on the second, and far hillier part of the BRR course.  With the exception of a few stretches, it is almost entirely uphill or downhill.  None of the climbs or descents are particularly long, but it does start to take its toll.

We settle into a routine.  Jennifer speeds down the descents, and I power walk and catch her on the ascents.  It makes both of us faster overall, as I try to follow her down, and she has to hustle as I overtake her walking the ascents.

Piratical crew at Wolf Run Shoals
(courtesy Anstr Davidson)

As usual, getting to the Wolf Run Shoals Aid Station (mile 26 and 40) is a special treat as it has a special and different theme each year.  This year it was pirates, and I give out a loud "Arr, matey!" to greet the saucy pirate wench checking runners in.

Jennifer and I continue our routine.  Despite having gone more than twice her longest training run by the time we get to the Fountainhead aid station (mile 28) outbound, she is feeling fine.  We keep moving along and are running sections at a pace that, should we be able to keep it up, will allow us to finish under 12 hours.

But I keep reminding both of us, especially me, that this is a run that get determines in the last 12 miles, after leaving the Fountainhead aid station on the way back.  I've got the experience and data to prove it.  My times to there in 2011 and 2012 were within 90 seconds of each other, but it took an hour longer to run the last 12 miles in 2012.

Spiderman at the Do Loop AS
(miles 32 and 35)

In the meantime we enjoy our run through the Do-Loop.  We head in to the loop sucking on frozen ice pops,  run past the pair of slowly decaying cars, spy the crew teams on the water by the Sandy Run Marina and stop to plant a kiss on Hello Kitty.  Since she doesn't have a mouth, she doesn't return the favor.

Every Year the Do Loop Cars Look Worse

Finishing the loop we refuel at the aid station and head back toward Fountainhead.

A Hello Kiss for Hello Kitty in the Do Loop

The Real Race Starts Now
We reach Fountainhead AS (mile 38) in 8:45.  That puts us within striking distance of a 12 hour finish.  There are 12.5 miles to go and we have 195 minutes to do it.  That is a pace of only 15:36 minutes per mile, barely above a moderate walking pace.

On the other hand, we have been going for 38 miles, the hilliest part of the course has to be re-navigated and the day is starting to warm up.

We are definitely slowing down, but we get to the pirates' lair at Wolf Run Shoals in an elapsed time of 9:21.  That means a pace of 15:09 for the last 10.5 miles and we break 12 hours. (In case you are wondering about the arithmetic BRR is 50.4 miles, not 50 miles.  It's like getting almost an extra half mile for free!)

The next five miles to the Marina aid station are tough going.  This part of the course has the steepest hills, one after another, and although we did them outbound, its hotter now and fatigue is setting in.  In addition, I've lost track of how many Succeed! salt tablets I've taken and when the last one was, and I've also started to lose track of my timing for taking gels.  And the miles are starting to take their toll on Jennifer.  We have abandoned our team work of running downhills and walking uphills and are mostly walking.

My tweet as we leave the Marina aid station (mile 44.9) sums up our condition, "Out of Marina at mile 45. Jennifer nauseous. My left knee hurts. But finish awaits in 5.5 miles.  Worst section over."  But I also recognize that our chance for a sub-12 hour finish is pretty much gone.

It's true that the final section is not as bad, but it does involve some careful climbing over rocks that we had little trouble with when we had gone over them just a couple of miles into the race.  Now it is a matter of careful placement of tired feet and legs and using hands to steady oneself. The last long hill away from Bull Run and up to Hemlock Overlook is brutal.  I have to stop a couple of times to gather my strength to go on.

The tables are now turned.  I tell Jennifer that she can go ahead, but she sticks with me and after my insistence that she step across the finish line first, we finish in 12:09.

Who's the Slowest?
Jennifer and I have canceled each other out in the team competition.  But what about the others?  Caroline (11:56) and Larry (11:52) finished under 12 hours.  Since every member of each team must finish under the 13-hour cutoff for the team to qualify, it may come down to who can make the cutoff.  At 12:28, the three remaining members of Team Rocket appear and finish together.  It turns out that Mike E had waited for his teammates just around the corner from the finish in an effort to improve their chances. Jim comes in three minutes later in 12:31.

Oddly, the race director tells us that Absolute Zeroes are going to repeat as slowest team, but may win the oldest team award instead.  That depends on whether 69-year old and 18-time BRR finisher Bill Wandel can make it to the finish line before the clock hits 13 hours. Finally, with just 12 minutes to spare, Bill appears and crosses the finish line for the 19-time to applause from the crowd. That team averaged 66.5 years old (an aggregate 40 years older than the Absolute Zeroes) with a combined 76 BRR finishes amongst them.

Team Absolute Zeroes is announced as the slowest team, and we chant "three-peat" as we collect our blue  blankets.

The next day the race director announces that the scoring was fouled up and that Team Rocket was actually the slowest team.  He tells us to keep our blankets and that the VHTRC will order more blankets for Team Rocket..  We do.

Swag: Two shirts, cup, bib, bottle opener, face towel, handkerchief, 5-year finisher visor
and (undeserved) team champion blanket