Greer Earth Day Recap-Greer, SC Saturday April 21, 2012
A week after a great race in Duncan Park and a few days after a good speed workout, it was time to compete in my second half marathon (first on the roads) the Greer Earth Day half. This didn't start off as smooth as the course was changed in the hours before the race so my map was no good, but close. This was was part of a trio of races to be run, the 10k to start an hour later and the 5k an hour and a half later. Our race was to go at 7, but at 6:55 in the start area after explaining one more small change (which was appreciated, going around and over a busy Rail crossing as opposed to stopping), it was explained that due to a large number of 5k signups, we will start 20 minutes late, so some more water and strides later, came go time. I started off on a good pace telling myself for the first quarter mile 'don't get sucked in, don't get sucked in' to those who went out fast. It was warm and humid but not overly so. As we made our way through Greer, I was holding well at around a 7:30 pace, and was conversing with someone who asked what time I was hoping for, all I wanted was to go faster than my Croft time of 1:58, he wanted 1:41 and informed me that I was going to hard (I had him polished off by mile nine). I kept my steady pace down Highway 101 to Higway 80, where it was flat and straight for miles and it looked like the road would never get to our turn at Highway 14. We did get there and start the ascent for town and the mile 8 water stop, that water was like manna from Heaven, unfortunatly what got on my shirt (along with the sweat) made it start to stick. Keep going and I am passing a person or two here and there. Get past mile 9...Mutt's that would be a good meal after the race is over. On toward mile 10 and another water stop....WHAT NO WATER!!! Keep on truckin' head into downtown, I know this part, we are getting close, mile 11...turn and just over a mile to go, another waterstop, get up the hill and it's go time...I have another runner catch me and we encourage each other to pick off people one by one and get to the finish, we pass about three people reminding each other we are almost at Glory! Glory came. 1:43:57
Dan
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Palmetto Hearts 5k recap and look ahead to Greer
When I made the plan to get to a marathon, I knew that April would bring a half marathon. However when friends of our and parents of our son's good friend wanted me to run a 5k in April to benefit children with Congenial Heart defects like their son's I said sure...as long as it's not on the same weekend as the Half Marathon in Greer. Thus I was registered in the Palmetto Hearts 5k on my favorite course in Spartanburg, the Duncan Park 5k course.
One debate in the running community is whether or not to run a 5k race the weekend before a half marathon. I must admit that with the race the weekend before the half marathon, I was a little conflicted, but I had committed, but the week before the Greer the debate in my head was how hard to push it. The morning of one of my training partners reminded me, just get your miles for the day in, treat it as tempo run and you'll be fine. Side note, I was restless the night before and for whatever reason, that is a sign of a good race ahead. On to the race.
It was around 50 degrees as we got close to race time, I had warmed up with 3 miles (that plus the race and cooldown would get me to the mileage needed), but the start was to be delayed by a half-hour...yay, but I was able to go back and forth to get a swig from my water bottle. With over 300 registered and not knowing how I would do, I decided to start about four rows back from the start. After the pre-race announcements and some conversation with a few people, including two ladies who work where I get my hair cut, it was almost time for the go siren. On your marks, runners set...(siren sound), and we are off! I weave my way through traffic, I started too far back, by the first quarter mile, I had settled to sixth. At the turn I had comfortably positioned myself in fourth, this is good to hold I thought, easy age group win from here. Passed another person up to third and closing in on second going into the mile 1 mark up and down and back up passing for second and me and another guy make it three wide for second. He settles in second and takes off and I stay in third. Mile two is flatter than mile one and mile three, so we keep our paces hoping to hold it as we go into mile three. In the last 3/4 mile there is a half mile long hill, as I hit the hill I am surprisingly confident. I did this mile in the same time as the flatter mile two on Thursday's tempo run. It is still possible to nab second and maybe first, but I decide to push it but not overly push. I crest the hill with just over a quarter to go and I can see the two in front of me. At this point I am just thinking about a good strong time, cross the 3 mile point just one tenth to go, and it's time to push it in...man am I feeling strong today, start the push and hear a lady telling someone (not me) 'You're at 20 minutes!!!' Yikes I didn't think anyone was near, so with the little extra in the tank I push, and with my family and team manager Keeghan watching in boderline shock that I'm crusing in third I put the final dash on, come home 3rd overall for Team Keeghan in 20:50. No age group award, but I'll take third overall! Not to mention the confidence that comes with the time and finish. I get my award from Miss South Carolina and look ahead to Greer.
My second half marathon comes this Saturday in Greer, I am confident that I will have an awesome time and that my training is paying off and another good time is ahead.
D
One debate in the running community is whether or not to run a 5k race the weekend before a half marathon. I must admit that with the race the weekend before the half marathon, I was a little conflicted, but I had committed, but the week before the Greer the debate in my head was how hard to push it. The morning of one of my training partners reminded me, just get your miles for the day in, treat it as tempo run and you'll be fine. Side note, I was restless the night before and for whatever reason, that is a sign of a good race ahead. On to the race.
It was around 50 degrees as we got close to race time, I had warmed up with 3 miles (that plus the race and cooldown would get me to the mileage needed), but the start was to be delayed by a half-hour...yay, but I was able to go back and forth to get a swig from my water bottle. With over 300 registered and not knowing how I would do, I decided to start about four rows back from the start. After the pre-race announcements and some conversation with a few people, including two ladies who work where I get my hair cut, it was almost time for the go siren. On your marks, runners set...(siren sound), and we are off! I weave my way through traffic, I started too far back, by the first quarter mile, I had settled to sixth. At the turn I had comfortably positioned myself in fourth, this is good to hold I thought, easy age group win from here. Passed another person up to third and closing in on second going into the mile 1 mark up and down and back up passing for second and me and another guy make it three wide for second. He settles in second and takes off and I stay in third. Mile two is flatter than mile one and mile three, so we keep our paces hoping to hold it as we go into mile three. In the last 3/4 mile there is a half mile long hill, as I hit the hill I am surprisingly confident. I did this mile in the same time as the flatter mile two on Thursday's tempo run. It is still possible to nab second and maybe first, but I decide to push it but not overly push. I crest the hill with just over a quarter to go and I can see the two in front of me. At this point I am just thinking about a good strong time, cross the 3 mile point just one tenth to go, and it's time to push it in...man am I feeling strong today, start the push and hear a lady telling someone (not me) 'You're at 20 minutes!!!' Yikes I didn't think anyone was near, so with the little extra in the tank I push, and with my family and team manager Keeghan watching in boderline shock that I'm crusing in third I put the final dash on, come home 3rd overall for Team Keeghan in 20:50. No age group award, but I'll take third overall! Not to mention the confidence that comes with the time and finish. I get my award from Miss South Carolina and look ahead to Greer.
My second half marathon comes this Saturday in Greer, I am confident that I will have an awesome time and that my training is paying off and another good time is ahead.
 |
| Team Keeghan finishing strong |
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| Me getting my award from Miss South Carolina...what could be finer? |
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wow it's been a while, One half down, another to go
Wow,just logged in and saw I haven't done this since before Croft. So time for some race recaps and looking ahead.
Camp Croft Half Marathon, Camp Croft State Park, Pauline, SC: My first ever half marathon and despite fracturing my left big toe on a training run, training went very well and I woke up the morning of November 12th to 30 degrees and ready to conquer the trails. Oh yeah and I jammed a toe on my right foot week of the race... Warmed up a little and watch the clock inch toward go time, time for my strategy, stay close to my training partners, the gun goes off and after half a mile, that idea goes out the window since I decided to take in conservative, not stop for water until mile 11.5...more on that mistake later. As I move along paying attention to all that is around me (trail races require more focus on the ground below that do road races where you can use the elements as a visual distraction), pass mile 5 water stop and I am feeling rather well, hear my friend tell me to loosen up some but I am looking good, take his advise and make down past Lake Johnson onto the Lake Johnson loop trail (the one where I tripped up and paid for it with a trip to Urgent Care and a fractured toe) thinking uh-oh, Dan stay upright. Well I did mostly with only one minor spill, pass by the mile 8 water stop, thinking I need water but that's NOT the strategy, so I pass, and trip just past it. Half a mile later I about kick myself, I'm slowing a little, but geez it is mile 9, shouldv'e taken the water. Keep on trucking to the third and final aid station mile 11.5, get a drink, man I am ready to rock, keep going and pick up some steam, get to the final turn up the Palmetto trail to the finish where I see my friend again and this time he tells me 'just up this hill, punch it and go, you got it!' Make it up and to the opening where a lady with a walkie-talkie calls out my number, which to my surprise goes to someone at the finish who says my name and city over the loud speaker. Haul it in cross the finish and get my Pint Glass reward and my time 1:58:45, made it under 2 hours, I feel wonderful and warm and accomplished, until I cool down some and that wind hits my sweat the I go to the car to get some warmer clothes on.
Turkey Day 8k-Spartanburg, SC-TOP 85 GET SOCKS!! compared to a half marathon in the woods, an 8k in downtown Spartanburg should be a breeze! This is one of my fav. races, canned good entry fee, 8k race with the reward of Green and Orange Turkey socks, and a reason to pig out later. Go time! Hit the road running, I get off great and not too fast, go my first miles with some high schoolers, keep blazing through Hampton Heights and on the up and down back to town--5 miles 30:48, son that's blazing...and got my socks!!!
After that I decide it is time for a two week rest, but my sciatic nerve has other ideas, I am down for all of December and parts of January, as well as sick in January. But I have already signed up for the IDES 10k....here's that recap.
IDES 10k-Asheville,NC 1/21/12: Usually when you say you are running a race in Asheville in January you get one of two questions: 1. Is it indoors? or 2. Are you nuts? Well compared to 17 at go time last year this year it was 47...with rain...the drive up was off and on rain, midway through the kids race it was on and stayed on through the 10k, I was still recovering from a nasty cold and sciatica, but made a go of it, although not a very good go, but made the right decision to take a water before the beastly last half mile uphill: 47:52, lets forget about that and about going for Dad's Reedy 10k record this year...
Milliken Earth 5k-Spartanburg, SC 3/17/12: Yes I dropped down to the 5ks for training purposes, and this race known for its beauty on the Milliken Campus is all grass, well I was sick the weeks before, I really am hating 2012 to this point. 21:45
Well that's the recaps, next races are in April: Palmetto Hearts 5k-Duncan Park, Spartanburg, SC-we are doing tempo runs there and I race really well there. The following week is one I have circled my second half marathon, first on the roads. Greer...
Dan
Camp Croft Half Marathon, Camp Croft State Park, Pauline, SC: My first ever half marathon and despite fracturing my left big toe on a training run, training went very well and I woke up the morning of November 12th to 30 degrees and ready to conquer the trails. Oh yeah and I jammed a toe on my right foot week of the race... Warmed up a little and watch the clock inch toward go time, time for my strategy, stay close to my training partners, the gun goes off and after half a mile, that idea goes out the window since I decided to take in conservative, not stop for water until mile 11.5...more on that mistake later. As I move along paying attention to all that is around me (trail races require more focus on the ground below that do road races where you can use the elements as a visual distraction), pass mile 5 water stop and I am feeling rather well, hear my friend tell me to loosen up some but I am looking good, take his advise and make down past Lake Johnson onto the Lake Johnson loop trail (the one where I tripped up and paid for it with a trip to Urgent Care and a fractured toe) thinking uh-oh, Dan stay upright. Well I did mostly with only one minor spill, pass by the mile 8 water stop, thinking I need water but that's NOT the strategy, so I pass, and trip just past it. Half a mile later I about kick myself, I'm slowing a little, but geez it is mile 9, shouldv'e taken the water. Keep on trucking to the third and final aid station mile 11.5, get a drink, man I am ready to rock, keep going and pick up some steam, get to the final turn up the Palmetto trail to the finish where I see my friend again and this time he tells me 'just up this hill, punch it and go, you got it!' Make it up and to the opening where a lady with a walkie-talkie calls out my number, which to my surprise goes to someone at the finish who says my name and city over the loud speaker. Haul it in cross the finish and get my Pint Glass reward and my time 1:58:45, made it under 2 hours, I feel wonderful and warm and accomplished, until I cool down some and that wind hits my sweat the I go to the car to get some warmer clothes on.
Turkey Day 8k-Spartanburg, SC-TOP 85 GET SOCKS!! compared to a half marathon in the woods, an 8k in downtown Spartanburg should be a breeze! This is one of my fav. races, canned good entry fee, 8k race with the reward of Green and Orange Turkey socks, and a reason to pig out later. Go time! Hit the road running, I get off great and not too fast, go my first miles with some high schoolers, keep blazing through Hampton Heights and on the up and down back to town--5 miles 30:48, son that's blazing...and got my socks!!!
After that I decide it is time for a two week rest, but my sciatic nerve has other ideas, I am down for all of December and parts of January, as well as sick in January. But I have already signed up for the IDES 10k....here's that recap.
IDES 10k-Asheville,NC 1/21/12: Usually when you say you are running a race in Asheville in January you get one of two questions: 1. Is it indoors? or 2. Are you nuts? Well compared to 17 at go time last year this year it was 47...with rain...the drive up was off and on rain, midway through the kids race it was on and stayed on through the 10k, I was still recovering from a nasty cold and sciatica, but made a go of it, although not a very good go, but made the right decision to take a water before the beastly last half mile uphill: 47:52, lets forget about that and about going for Dad's Reedy 10k record this year...
Milliken Earth 5k-Spartanburg, SC 3/17/12: Yes I dropped down to the 5ks for training purposes, and this race known for its beauty on the Milliken Campus is all grass, well I was sick the weeks before, I really am hating 2012 to this point. 21:45
Well that's the recaps, next races are in April: Palmetto Hearts 5k-Duncan Park, Spartanburg, SC-we are doing tempo runs there and I race really well there. The following week is one I have circled my second half marathon, first on the roads. Greer...
Dan
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
One month to go
Many moons ago when I set out to run a marathon, knowing that at some point in time I would have to reach the 'half way' point. Well it is one month until then, I have been signed up for the Camp Croft half Marathon November 12th. Training is going, despite a couple of small nagging injuries (the pain in the back of my legI have no idea about, occasional ankle pain) and the biggie, a fractured big toe that occured while training (on the very course the race is on!). Those have been the lows, the highs, I finished the course on a training run unscathed and have had some good speed sessions. Despite a bum toe, I am feeling stronger each day and am very read for the half. As is my motivator Sherry, actually I think she is ready for me to stop talking about it. Well one month to go until that gun sounds and I go race for 13.1 in the woods!
D
D
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The one that kinda got away...
After having a pair of so-so races, I went to the Shepard's Door 5k, the middle of a three race in three weekend stretch, not really high on my chances for a good time. After only besting my time from last year my 20 seconds at Paris Mtn, I decided that it was time for a change in race day gear. Gone was the blue shirt and shorts in favor of the white 2010 Greenville Downtown 5k and black Adidas shorts (which were a steal at $5!) Well as superstitious as I am, the combo worked. The start gun went off and I was neck and neck with a pair of 17 year olds. I ran hard and was waiting on them to show me my age and go, except when we got to the hill I took off and never looked back, somehow I found myself leading...leading at halfway, leading at the two mile mark, leading at 2.5 miles, get to 2.75 and I have company. After a sprited battle on the hill, he passes me and takes off for the finish, I give pursuit but it is futility at this point I am racing the clock. Can I do better than the 20:51 that I did last year on this course? I speed toward the finish 20:25, yep, by 26 seconds, AND I finished second. What a great run...what a great boost for Sunrise the next weekend. Speaking of Sunrise (5 miles), I bested my time from last year by a minute and a half after an incredible week of training, oh yeah and finished ahead of the guy who beat me the week before! Maybe it is the outfits...well no more races until I go back to Gaffney in July for the Peachfest 10k, then Paris Mtn 7k in August ( what am I thinking, race up a mountain in mid-August in South Carolina?) then the goal of 2011...Camp Croft Half Marathon.
D
D
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Ok so I WAS on the shelf
Reedy River 10k 42:51...done until at least Paris Mountain again due to the birth of our third child...that's it TRY and focus on the mountain or at the least the Sunrise 8k in June...we are hitting heavy miles until November...no need to waste training time on 5ks right? Wrong, upon checking my e-mail upon my return from time off, there it was in the inbox...an invitation to run a 5k this weekend in Boiling Springs...ok, my curiosity has been peaked...let me look somemore...wow, it benefits Eathquake Relief in Japan. Awesome. So this weekend instead of mileage on the trails, I am heading to do some speedwork (5k) and help the people of Japan, definitley a win-win. And as an added bonus, Sherry and the boys may make it to the race!
D
D
Thursday, February 17, 2011
How the pain motivates
It is Thursday and I missed my run this morning. I know it was rainy, my legs were tired, and I can make up the run tomorrow...but it is 2 and a half weeks until Reedy.
This is more about the pain that drives me from the Hot Chocolate 10k in January where I felt I could top my 42:23 from July (I mean 17 at the start...flat course for Asheville...no problem). Well after a six minute first mile I faded to a 43:51...while that is impressive from where I was in May 2005 it could've been better. See I slacked off the last three weeks of training and didn't give it my all and it showed. So now I am training all the harder to do better at the Reedy in March. Reminds me of some one else...Peter.
Last year while reading in Acts, I noticed that the most fervent spreader of the gospel was Peter, yes THAT Peter, who when we left him was denying he knew Jesus, but in Acts he does everything he can to get that taste out of his mouth of denying Christ and fervently spreading the Gospel.
D
This is more about the pain that drives me from the Hot Chocolate 10k in January where I felt I could top my 42:23 from July (I mean 17 at the start...flat course for Asheville...no problem). Well after a six minute first mile I faded to a 43:51...while that is impressive from where I was in May 2005 it could've been better. See I slacked off the last three weeks of training and didn't give it my all and it showed. So now I am training all the harder to do better at the Reedy in March. Reminds me of some one else...Peter.
Last year while reading in Acts, I noticed that the most fervent spreader of the gospel was Peter, yes THAT Peter, who when we left him was denying he knew Jesus, but in Acts he does everything he can to get that taste out of his mouth of denying Christ and fervently spreading the Gospel.
D
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