Middlebury Maple Run Half Marathon - Race Report 2014

It's been a busy week, but I wanted to get this post out there before I get into planning other fun adventures and forget all about it!

This time around, since the race was a hefty 7-hour drive from home, I decided to create a video race report!  More of a stream-of-consciousness than anything, though...

Training leading up to the race:
  Monday: rest
  Tuesday: rest
  Wednesday: 4ish recovery miles (trail)
  Thursday: 4ish recovery miles (road)
  Friday: rest
  Saturday: 5 leisurely miles

Race Gear List:
  Cheap-o Target special long sleeve C9 shirt
  GoLite Mesa Shorts
  Feetures Socks
  Saucony Kinvara 3
  Ultimate Direction SJ Vest 1.0
  Garmin Fenix
  RoadID
  Adidas Cap
  Garmin Virb Elite Action Camera
  DIY Monopod

Race Nutrition:
  Clif-type bar and Coffee for Breakfast
  ~8oz of water at every aid station

Buck Ridge Burn Trail 1/2 Marathon Race Report 2014

Being literally 15 minutes drive from my front door and in the scenic Michaux State Forest, I had no excuses not to run this race.

The Buck Ridge Burn half marathon and 5K was held on a gorgeous spring morning on 4/6/14.  Beginning and ending right at the Appalachian Trail Museum and the adjacent Pine Grove Furnace, you couldn't ask for a prettier setting in the South Mountain Region.

Courtesy: www.cnyhiking.com

Now in its 4th year, RD's Bill Bechtel and Jennifer Henry put on the perfect, low-key trail running event with help from an army of well-trained volunteers.

Appalachian Running Company served as the headquarters for all pre-race packet pickups and such on the Saturday prior.  I'd like to note that walking in the door at 9:04AM, I had the honor of being the first to pick up their packet! (Pretty sure that deserves a selfie high-five)

I had a few friends run this race last year and enjoyed it, but I had no idea I was in for such a treat.

Training during my "layover" week between half marathons was few and far between, and had no intentions of putting in much mileage because of how hard I pushed the second half of The LOVE Run, sustaining speeds I'm just not used to doing recently.  This lack of mileage was also due in part to the constant rain we received here in Central PA that week.  Said rain set us up for a wet and muddy run for the Buck Ridge Burn...just enough to make it fun!

Plenty of mud out there today!

With countless stream crossings, varied scenery and terrain, this race is great for the seasoned trail runner or people looking for a good running adventure.  I would not recommend this run for road runners uncomfortable with sketchy footing for hours on end.  To see a good example of what I'm talking about, see around the 2:00 minute mark of my video posted below.

You got a little something on your cheek...

I wish I had more photos to share, but the video took up all my attention!

And finally, there are certain aspects of every race (that charges an entry fee) that are pretty much expected: some sort of swag item, a bib, course markings, etc.  This final section is meant to highlight areas where the race went above and beyond expectations, as well as where it fell short.  This is a new section for my race reports, but I think I'd like to give it a name.  Something like "Buzz Lightyear and The Sloth"....we'll see if that sticks.

Buzz Lightyear

- Plentiful aid stations for only a half marathon distance with tons of fruit and other sweet treats, gels, and various liquids
- Speaking of food, the post-race spread was great! (see video)
- Price: it was only 40 bucks.
- Extremely well marked course
- Lastly, and most impressive...Results were up on Ultrasignup the same day!  Without chip timing!

The Sloth

- I would prefer a higher resolution course map on the website (such as MapMyRun or Garmin Connect) so individuals who live closeby can get out on the course prior to race day.  Or if seeing the actual course isn't an option, have a better idea of elevation and terrain so they can do some race-specific training wherever they live.

Training leading up to the race:
  Monday: 4 mile hike
  Tuesday: Rest
  Wednesday: 7 miles moderate on BRB course
  Thursday: Rest
  Friday: Rest
  Saturday: Rest

Race Gear List:
  Buff
  Race Shirt from the Frederick Half
  GoLite Mesa Shorts
  Feetures Men's Light Cushion Quarter Socks
  Brooks PureGrit
  HTC One
  Spibelt
  Garmin Fenix
  RoadID
  Garmin Virb Elite Action Camera
  DIY Monopod

Race Nutrition:
  Banana, Nature Valley Bar, and Coffee for Breakfast
  Water @ every stop
  About 4 Power Bar chews around mile 7

Philly LOVE Run Half Marathon Video!

So I made a video!  It's my first one that actually includes some editing, so bear with me while I learn!  It's been fun shooting and editing and I look forward to doing more to share.  Enjoy!

The LOVE Run Philly Half Marathon Race Report

In its inaugural year, the Philly LOVE Run Half Marathon(held by CGI Racing) was a spectacular success despite the challenges involving weather.  My experience went a little something like this...

It's always sunny in Philadelphia...

Saturday:

The day before the race I went out on a solo trail run which in hindsight was pretty stupid given the chance of injury as well as risking fatiguing myself right before the race.  It all worked out in the end though, I had fun, got in some good vert, and enjoyed some nice views:

Hawk Rock

Continuing with the "being dumb" theme, nutrition for the remainder of the day was well, less than ideal.  The only thing I did right in this department was constantly sip water all day, probably getting in 100+oz.  I mean, that'll offset my stellar pre-race dinner of Loaded Fries, Fried Cheddar Broccoli Bites, BBQ Wings and diet soda...right?

The weather was crappy all weekend, hovering in the low to mid 40's and constant rain at varying degrees of intensity.  But the 2 hour drive out to Philly was uneventful and I arrived at the expo around 2pm.  Getting to the expo was a little difficult, even after arriving at the convention center; LOVE Runners had to navigate through the labyrinth of Gospel Singing Conventions and Karate Competitions.

Being its first year, the expo pretty much blew me away.  It felt like I was at a race expo for a big city marathon (albeit a little smaller in square footage).  There were hundreds of volunteers and everything went as smooth as it possibly could.

Signing the LOVE floor

The remainder of the evening consisted of a healthy dose of Curb Your Enthusiasm on demand, and the aforementioned junk food "dinner".

Sunday:

I slept very comfortably on my sister's couch till the 6am alarm sounded, and I hit the snooze, twice (pretty sure the lousy weather had something to do with this).  By 7:30am she was dropping me off along the Ben Franklin Parkway, and into the cold, spitting rain that would linger throughout the day.

Being 30 pounds over my ideal racing weight, there was no way in hell I was going to PR this race, so it was more about having fun with the other runners, as well as testing out my new monopod and Garmin Virb during a race.  I was still going to give it a solid effort, but I knew there was no point in trying to average a 7:30ish pace for 13.1 miles; that would have led to lots of pain, and possibly vomit...ummm - no thanks.

Having done the Philly Half in 2011, I knew the basic gist of the course layout and while I'm not a fan of out-and-backs in races (or training runs for that matter), it was a well designed run, giving the runners a chance to pass by LOVE park twice in the earlier parts of the race.

Most of my camera work was done in the first half with the idea that fatigue would be setting in by mile 8 and all I'd want to do by that point was finish the run.  That plan was solid, especially considering the downpour that started around mile 9.

Happy with the way my legs and lungs felt at that point, it wasn't out of the question to step up the pace a bit and I ended up with a considerable negative split.  It's also an amazing mental boost to be passed by just a handful of people in the final 30 minutes of a race.  The rain seemed to pick up in intensity as we neared the finish, and I crossed the line at 1:48 according to the gun.  My chip time ended up being 1:46 something: about 10 minutes off my PR, which was pretty much what I expected.

Next up was medal time, then grab some post-race grub and try to get warm!  I definitely would have stuck around the finish area for longer if it wasn't for the weather.

After a quick drive back to my sister's place in South Philly and a shower, we headed to The Industry for brunch and ran into a group of ladies who had just finished the race as well.  One of them had just finished her first half in around 2:15!  Other runners continue to impress and amaze me with what the body and mind is capable of.  Which is one of the biggest reasons why I run...to find my limits.  But we'll save that for a different blog post.

Hopefully I'll be capable of back-to-back half marathons again, cause I got one this coming Sunday!

Thanks to CGI Racing and all of the volunteers who made this race possible, and certainly very memorable.

Keep on the lookout for my race video on YouTube later this week!

!!!!UPDATE!!!!

Video has been published!

As always, here are all the details from the run:

Training leading up to the race:

  Monday: 8 miles moderate, trails
  Tuesday: 4 x 800m @ HM pace (8:00/mi) with 400m recovery jogs
  Wednesday: 4 mile sunset run/hike, leisurely
  Thursday: 1 mile flat walk
  Friday: Gentle Yoga
  Saturday: 5 miles moderate, trails

Race Gear List:

• Adidas Men's Adizero Cap

• Buff

• New Balance Men's Long Sleeve Top

• GoLite Mesa Shorts

• Feetures Men's Light Cushion Quarter Socks

• Saucony Men's Kinvara 3

• HTC One in sandwich baggie

• Spibelt

• Garmin Fenix

• RoadID

• Garmin Virb Elite Action Camera

• DIY Monopod

Race Nutrition:

• Clif Bar and Coffee for Breakfast

• Water @ every other stop

• About 2 Power Bar chews around mile 4
  

Blood, Sweat and Beers Trail Half Marathon Race Report

I don't travel for work often, but when the opportunity came up to attend a conference in Vegas within days of a trail race in the desert, I had to jump on it.  After 3 days of Data Warehousing classes, my wife and I played around in Red Rock Canyon on Friday and made it to another Canyon (Bootleg), near Boulder City on Saturday for this year's edition of Blood, Sweat, and Beers.

Interesting Nevada History during the prohibition days

Sweet medal lineup.  Yes...they're bottle openers!

It was our first race in Nevada, yet alone in the desert.  We weren't sure what to wear, but knowing the sun would be out and temps in the 40s and 50s, I opted for shorts and a short sleeve shirt.  Coming from PA and growing accustomed to winter runs in the teens and 20s, this felt like summer (or at least spring).  We were definitely in the minority, as most folks showed up in long sleeves and pants.

Who wears short shorts?

The race started about 20 minutes late, due to some last minute registration and head counts.  The 30K and Half Marathon runners started off at 9:20am, and the 10K'ers (including the wife) around 5 minutes later.

Having some recent shin splint issues, I hadn't run all week but felt surprisingly good throughout the entire race.  There were some decent short climbs around mile 6 that left the quads burning, but overall it was just a great time to be roaming around the hills east of Vegas.  There was one particularly playful section around mile 9, hugging the hillside and winding through various small canyons that I really, really enjoyed.  The view above the golf course was an interesting green canvas among the sea of brown (why do races always bring me alongside golf courses?!?).

Aid stations were well stocked and staffed, I didn't really take any nutrition at any of the 3 I passed, only stopping briefly at the second for some HEED.  My water bottle and stash of Powerbar Energy Blasts were enough for 2 or so hours on the trail.

Killer bike jumps

The only issue came in at around mile 12 where the orange flags marking the course disappeared.  I took a left turn which in hindsight was correct, but ended up turning around after about a half mile of not spying any flags.  Several others followed me and we eventually made our way back to the finishing area, adding about a half mile on to the course via the wrong direction.

Admittedly, I came through the finish line a little frustrated and I apologize to the race organizers that I bitched at a bit.  But some great fellowship with other runners, and (unattended) coolers full of cold local craft beer from Joseph James Brewing Company made up for it pretty quickly.  What more could a guy ask for after running for two hours!?!?

Post race smiles

After the race we made it over into Arizona for a geocache, then a quick visit the nearby Hoover Dam, and lunch at The Dillinger in Boulder City.  I highly recommend the Dillinger Burger.  A Burger, Bacon, and Brisket...yep, it was awesome.

On a geeky note, I found it interesting when I uploaded the activity to Strava and Garmin Connect that the distances were vastly different, around 0.6 miles.  Based the mileage recorded on my watch, Garmin is more accurate.  I believe Strava only takes most of the data points recorded on the GPX/FIT file, making several of the short twists and turns not read on that application.

The activities can be found at the links below if you're curious:

Strava
Garmin Connect

Even with the SNAFU towards the end, I would totally run this race again.  I can't express how much fun it was to experience a completely different trail run than I'm used to.  Some individuals got a chance to do just that, as the race offered a night time option for all day distances, plus a 5K.  We didn't have time for a second run though, Anthony Jeselnik's comedy show at the Mirage was calling...and we were ready to be offended.

Thank you to all the volunteers and organizers for putting on the event.  It was great to snatch up the opportunity to do a little work and a little play in sin city.

Hershey Half Marathon Race Report

Less than 7 days from when I crossed the finish line in the Paine to Pain Trail Half Marathon, I arrived with my wife at the packet pick-up/expo for the Hershey Half Marathon.  During the 6 days in between, I had run (or more appropriately, jogged) exactly 5 miles on laughably flat routes in order to simply keep my legs loose.  I wasn't really sure what to expect over the next 24 hours mentally or physically, but I was willing to give it a shot and allow things to play out.

First up, we were extremely happy to find a legit race expo at the Ice Palace at the Hersheypark Arena, home of Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game which took place 50 years ago this past March.  There were at least a half a dozen retailers along with 20-30 other booths with the standard giveaways and/or information.  The actual packet pick up was at the far end of the hall, well organized and well staffed.  It went smoothly, but we were then directed over to a separate area to do a chip verification scan, something neither of us had ever heard of.  Basically, a volunteer waves your bib over a scanning device to ensure the timing chip is working properly.  I suppose this extra step was most likely in response to the timing fiasco that occurred in the inaugural Hershey Half Marathon, but even though we were both involved in that event two years ago, were not worried this time around.  Ironically, my wife was hopeful to hit a PR during this year's race, which would rely on an accurate chip time...what is that saying about lightning striking the same place twice? ;)

Busy expo, Saturday around noon

Later that evening, we enjoyed some down time taking a peek into our race bags, highlighted by 2 Hersheypark in the Dark tickets a piece.  This was followed by her idea for a pre-race meal: dinner pancakes (they're the same as regular pancakes but you eat them in the evening). During our consumption of three giant-sized cakes each, she hinted at a new tradition which I have to admit, just might stick around for years to come.  We got to bed early in hopes of getting plenty of rest before a 5:00 AM wake-up on race day.

Race fuel

Fast forward to 6:56AM, and we're in Hershey, just a few hundred yards from the starting line and traffic going into the parking area is moving slower than some of us would be at 12 mile mark later that morning.

Busy underpass, Version A (6:56AM)

We eventually made it to Hersheypark Stadium, right next to the starting line in hopes to use the facilities.  The lines proved to be too long to get that business taken care of before the race, though.  It seemed like mere seconds from the time we walked out from underneath the stands to the time the gun went off, at 7:30AM.  With only 4 minutes between when the sun came over the horizon and the starting gun's explosion, we all set out braving the chilly, dim morning and for 13.1 miles of fun.

Many of us spent the final moments before the race in the warmth at the stadium

I've never designed a race course, but would imagine an important aspect of the first few miles is the width of the road.  The organizers did a great job here, utilizing all three lanes of the pavement (see busy underpass pictured above, 40 minutes beforehand) which wraps around The Giant Center while the runners spread out.

Busy underpass, Version B (7:36AM)

It was around this point that my Runkeeper audio cue (which is set to give me feedback on pace, time, and distance every half mile) gave me the heads up that I started off a little too briskly at about a 7:40 pace: almost a minute faster than I originally intended.  With nothing to lose and legs which (currently) felt good, I decided to let it ride.

Soon after the Giant Center loop, we encountered a line of spectators along Hersheypark Drive representing the Children's Miracle Network, the beneficiary of the race's net proceeds.  This was certainly one of the loudest cheering sections on the course, rivaled by only the enthusiastic Team in Training groups near every odd mile marker, as well as the kids around every corner at the Milton Hershey School...more on the MH kids later.

Miles 2-3 had us winding through Hersheypark, with some tight sections keeping everyone on their toes.  Though I've been skeptical about using gels during races recently due to stomach problems after the finish, I got one down the hatch about a half mile before the aid station near mile 4.  There were aid stations at every even mile (2, 4, 6, etc.) offering Gatorade and water, in that order from a runner's perspective.  My legs continued to feel good so I kept up the pace established early as we left the park and headed east.

Aside from a short little section through a tunnel then past a few holes of Hershey Country Club and the High Point Mansion, the next 3 miles were long, straight sections in eastern Hershey with not a lot to see.  I did find it funny that this is the second race in as many weeks that brought me right up against a golf course though.

Early morning scene near Hershey Country Club and the High Point Mansion.  This photo could have been really cool with everyone's breath in the morning sun, but the photographer's timing was a bit off.

Despite the heavy feeling beginning to set into my legs, I decided to go for a negative split and push just a little bit harder shortly after the halfway mark, which I crossed in 50 minutes and some change so I knew I'd be setting a PR today if I could get through the final 6.5 miles injury-free.  Plus...you're able to stop running sooner if you run faster, right?  The course didn't provide any relief to help in my effort though, seemingly getting more and more hilly as the mile markers passed.  Speaking of mile markers, the course was absolutely littered with orange cones alongside, displaying detailed mileage information down the the second decimal place.  This was a bit overkill for a race of this length...did we really need to know we were currently at mile 7.15?  Each mile would be perfectly sufficient in my book.

Near mile 8, there was a slight incline to an area of the Milton Hershey School property consisting of wide open spaces and several student homes.  By this point it was around 8:30am and all of the MH kids were out lining the route, cheering everyone along while donning their sweats and fleece throws in an effort to stay warm.  Their attire reminded me of what most folks wear while opening presents Christmas morning.  One young boy along the hill was a little overzealous, shouting out phrases such as "YOU OWN THIS HILL!!!".  His outbursts were fun and "PG", bringing a smile to many of the participants' faces through that short section.

The next 3 miles are now a blur, with the exception of a high five from my Mother in Law at mile 10.5.

We were getting back into the town of Hershey by mile 11 and encountered the hill from hell just before the "Chocolate Aid Station" (where instead of water and Gatorade, volunteers are handing out mini Hershey's Chocolate bars).  It wasn't particularly demanding: only about 50 feet of climb over .2 miles, but being at mile 11 of a half marathon was a complete drain: far enough into the race that your legs are complete toast, but not close enough to the finish to let the endorphins take over.  All I could do to get up this obstacle was stare down at the double-yellow line in the middle of Chocolate Ave and put one foot in front of the other.  I made it to the top in one piece and wanted nothing to do with chocolate.  I wasn't the only one around me who didn't partake; it seems the hill may have done a number on their appetites as well.  Oh and in case you're wondering, Hersheypark Drive and Chocolate Ave are legitimate street names in Hershey.  We didn't run on it, but Cocoa Ave is another!

After passing through town we skirted the amusement park boundary, coming within just a few feet of Hershey's newest addition to its roller coaster arsenal: Skyrush.  A quick loop around Hershey's Chocolate World and we were on the homestretch towards the stadium.  Along the final quarter mile of the course, I passed 10-12 other runners in hopes of breaking into the top 100 finishers for the day.  As I crossed the finish line inside the stadium, the clock read just under 1:39:00!  Knowing that I just (to quote Eric Turkewitz) "blew the doors off" my PR by over 7 minutes, the next few moments all seemed so secondary as I came through the chute grabbing my medal, water, heat sheet, and post-race food.  The immediate order of business though, was to find my wife on the course.  She'd be coming through within 20 minutes with her own hopes of a PR.

I secured a spot along the fence right where the runners were entering the stadium.  After about 10 minutes, she came speeding in, with a strong cadence for the final 150 meters.  I asked the gentleman next to me if he had the time and I was elated when he responded with 9:28AM.  This put my wife with a PR for the day as well!

By this point a large crowd was gathering in the infield and we followed suit.  Hershey's candy mascots were all around for photo ops and high fives, meanwhile the timing company had results stations near the finish line, which was a nice touch to check on our official chip times immediately following our finishes.  Bree ended up beating her previous PR by about 2 minutes, clocking in with a 1:57:50, and I had a 1:38:15, good enough for about 135th out of around 4,000 participants.  We didn't stick around for too long though, since the chill was beginning to set in as our bodies cooled down.

Celebrations, stretching and fellowship in Hersheypark Stadium

Later at home we had a chance to check on the post race goodies, chock full of Hershey's stuff:

Post race "lunchbox"

Click here for detailed info about my run, recorded by the Runkeeper app on my Android Phone.

By the time the day ended, it couldn't have gone any better:

• We both had PRs
• All of our friends who also ran were happy with their races
• My fantasy football team won
• and...the Steelers had a victory late on Sunday night!

      

The next race for these two running fools will be the Sophie's 6K in about 4 weeks, a much smaller race and a much shorter distance.  It'll be nice to rest for a week then get back into some more regular training after these two crazy half-marathon weeks.  Though they were difficult, I had a blast challenging myself and sharing a great day with my wife and friends.

Paine to Pain Trail Half Marathon - Race Report

Sunday October 14th, 2012, 6:00AM.  Raceday.  The alarm on my phone rudely awakens my unusually restful sleep the night prior to a race.  With an hour and a half before my wife and I needed to leave the hotel, I figured I had a little extra time and to hit the snooze, which didn't last long because I knew what kind of hurt I'd be in if I didn't follow my pre-race routine.  My leisurely morning consisted of coffee, a blueberry muffin and a banana as well as catching up on some local NYC news (which interestingly, on two different channels, 100% of the on camera staff were women...not a good or bad thing...just an observation).  The ladies' weather forecast called for temps starting in the 50s with a slight chance of showers in the morning, then quickly rising to near 70 by noon.  Sounded like a good reason to run fast!

This time also gave me the chance to sit and lazily ponder why I was here.

No seriously...WHY WAS I HERE?!?  Did I really just drive 4 hours to New York City to run on some trails?  I have TONS of trails to run on at home, including one you may have heard of: The Appalachian Trail, less than 15 minutes drive from my front door.  So what was the purpose of this journey?  I didn't have anything to prove; I know I'm not going to win, and I'm sure a hell not going to set a PR.

- Maybe I came for the medal?

- Challenge myself on a farther trail race than I've ever run before?  Possibly.

- Or maybe I just wanted to complete a half in NY State to have that notch in my belt.

One thing was certain though...Despite the how and why, I would be running 13.1 miles today on rocks, roots, through water, over boardwalks, on catwalks, by golf courses, and maybe even into a horse's ass along the way (trust me, this disclaimer is worth the couple of minutes to read).

We arrived at New Rochelle High School just before 8am, plenty of time to head over to Paine Cottage, pick up my race packet and other pre-race goodies like a water bottle, and a very nice tech race shirt with wrap around graphics. REI also had a table set up with complimentary Clif gels and bars.  In addition, there was a bag check which I wouldn't be needing since my wife was spectating today and serving as my pack animal for a few hours (thanks honey!).

While jogging around the start area, I discovered several historical markers including this one pictured below, explaining to guys like me who were fast asleep in history class, why exactly we should remember who this Thomas Paine fella was.

The starting area was well organized, and at first I thought they may have gone way overboard on the number of porta-potties (but in the closing minutes up to the race start at 9am, the lines were 10-12 deep).

Lonely porta-potties at 8:23AM

As reported in the past, I normally use my phone with a fitness app such as RunKeeper or Endomondo for tracking runs.  It's very convenient having everything contained in a single device (music, GPS tracking, emergency calls) but since headphones were banned from this trail race for safety reasons, it was going to be considerably more convenient to use my wife's Garmin Forerunner 210 to track pace.  I'd been using it for the past week getting the hang of the controls so I didn't screw it up on race day.

Satellites: found.  Ready to run.

As usual, I had my Spibelt bib rig, which I still love for races, it carries all I need: gels, bib and phone.  The timing chip for this race was on the back of the bib...which I also love since it's basically idiot-proof.

Simple bungee and cord lock system on the Spibelt

Due to the popularity of the race this year, it was a wave start, four of them in total.  I was in the second wave, ready to go off at the gunshot at 9:05am.  After a few short steps, me and 200 of my newest friends had our first run in with cheerleaders from the local high school doing a fantastic job lifting our spirits as we drove up the first climb, which was a perfectly designed half mile road run to stretch out the waves before we hit the trails.  It ended up working just as planned without any bottlenecks.  Mind you, we were on each other's heels, but there wasn't any noticeable loss of pace once we said goodbye to the pavement.

(New Rochelle High School?) Cheerleaders lining the first few hundred meters of the course

All smiles about a third of a mile into the race.  I'm a short guy, but not nearly as much as this photo makes it look!

Once on the trails, we had the usual passing and adjusting through the first 3 miles of a half marathon, just made a little more interesting with the sometimes rocky and twisting conditions.  I got my phone out for a few blurry photos along the way, but for the most part kept it stowed away so I could focus on the trail and everyone around me.  During this section we ran on a series of wooden boardwalks, the only ones we'd see on the course.  The remainder of the race surface was either paved road crossings, dirt or gravel trail, small (3-4 foot wide) stream crossings, or the final 300 meters on the track.  With all of these friendly surfaces under foot, I was comfortably keeping around an 8:30 pace.

Trail scene around mile 5

Meanwhile...at the finish line...

The kids had a chance to get some racing in today too; my wife got this shot of the top few finishers in the fun run; they seem to be having a good time:

and...back to the course...

The field around me continued to thin out, and we had several road crossings manned by local police and countless enthusiastic volunteers.  At around mile 7, we actually ran right up the side of a golf course fairway, of which I miraculously managed to get a non-blurry photo.  The gentlemen on the golf course didn't seem to mind our presence, probably because the only sounds coming from our direction were footsteps; there wasn't a whole lot of chatter at any point along the race and for good reason - we were all working pretty hard putting one foot in front of the other!  After the golf course was an aid station where afterwards I sucked down my second energy gel.  I'm still trying to figure out my nutrition during races, and while I continued to feel good through the remainder of the course, I'm not completely sold on the gels; I suspect they're the cause of some post race "digestion problems", but I guess I'll have a few more races this fall/winter to get it all sorted out.

Fore!

Meanwhile...at the finish line....

The leader was coming down the home stretch and completed his half marathon in a time that I could only dream of: 1:23:26.

The first place female came in shortly after, in 1:31:39, crushing the ladies' course record by almost 8 minutes - congratulations!

Good form, all the way to the end.

Us slowpokes were meanwhile still enjoying the course's scenery and at roughly mile 11 we passed under the Hutchinson River Parkway for the last time, and as you can see the field really was stretching out by this point, and we were pretty much around the people we'd be finishing with.  

This is the final blurry photo...I promise.

At mile 12.6 we emerged from Nature Study Woods Park to a gang of enthusiastic cheerleaders lining the road on either side, and to whom I gave a round of applause for their support which in turn produced deafening cheers from their end.  The mutual appreciation was electrifying, and in stereo...from my standpoint.  Thanks girls - you gave me the emotional burst I needed for the final half mile.

When I arrived at the stadium however, there was some crazy lady yelling at the top of her lungs (and this is literally what I thought when I heard the voice).  Admittedly after 13 miles, my mind may have been playing tricks on me, but it took a few seconds to realize that it was my wife belting out "RUN FASTER!!!".  She knew that I was actually very close to a PR time and obviously really wanted me to give it everything I had to try and finish as close to 1:51:12 as possible.

Here's the math:  my PR was set in June of this year at the appropriately named PR Run in Oil City, PA.  My time was 1:46:12 and since I began in the second wave today at 9:05AM...well, you understand.

This kid is mesmerized by my finishing speed...lol.  He also has really good taste in clothing colors.

Crossing the finish line, just over a minute off of a PR

One major thing to consider here, is that I'm basing all of this PR talk off of my road half marathon times, so coming within 2 minutes on this trail run was quite the accomplishment in my book.  I was extremely pleased with my time, and how my legs felt throughout the run.

Don't mind me...just hangin' out on the 50 yard line

So in the end, was the 4 hour one-way trip to NYC worth it?  Most certainly.  It was a fabulously run event with a great course.  There were no out and back sections or double loops.  The enthusiasm of the volunteers and cheerleaders was just icing on the cake, not to mention the post race food, massages, stadium finish, quickly posted online results and photos...the list goes on and on.

Thanks to everyone involved in making the race a success; I had a great time.  Next race for me?  Hershey Half Marathon on 10/21/12...yep...less than a week from the P2P.  I think I'm crazy.