Race Recap: Philadelphia Half Marathon

This was the last race of the year and a second straight season I signed up for this particular event.  It's always enjoyable to do events consecutively as it starts tradition and familiarity with the course so you can set Personal Records and build memories.


I love the city of Philadelphia, which is an interesting take on my persona since I hate big cities, yet the city of brotherly love connects with me in a way where New York City, London, and Los Angeles do not.  Maybe it's the people, the beauty, or the accessibility, or maybe it's even the immense pride of history and identity.  It's probably the combination of all those attributes but all I know is I always enjoy my time there.


Now, I am competing in my second half marathon in Philadelphia with my close friend Jason(1) which is great for two reasons. 

(1) Kaz Alert! Kaz Alert!  My good friend Kaz couldn't sign up for the race in time (because he was designing and launching defense ballistic missiles off of the coast of Hawaii...not a joke...the man designs defense ballistic missiles for a living) so he decided to join us about a quarter mile down the start.  He ran with us for about 2 miles and then slowed up a bit.  Kaz ended running a 1:38  half marathon (He ran about 1:37 but I added a minute to eliminate any possible discrepancy from his point of entrance) which comes out to a 7:28 pace.  You know when the last time he ran...September!  September!  Almost a two month layoff and he runs an elite pace.  Just incredible.  He never ceases to amaze me.


-We are pretty much neck and neck in running ability so it will be interesting to see who comes up on top.  Jason destroyed me last year by over two minutes and set a personal record in the progress.  I was looking to get my revenge... in a friendly competitive way.

-It's always great running with friends and with our abilities so close, we will be able to push each other to a better level.


The race starts and we went out way too fast.

I was following Jason's lead since he seems to be more in tune with his pace than I am.  Jason runs more than me and works extremely closely with his GPS watches.  His one watch measures vertical oscillation, cadence, ground contact, and heart rate and Jason works endlessly with the data achieved to help him improve his performance.  It's one of the many reasons he has improved his overall game.  He has even shown me a few tricks of the trade to help use the data for my own personal gain. 


The first two miles, we are averaging 6:30 miles, which is a big no-no.  Every running professional and their mother state the best way to enter a race 13.1 miles or longer is to start below race pace, work into it, and then in the later miles, exceed that goal pace for a strong finish. 


Jason and I don't listen well.


We know we are moving faster than race pace but we both are in good form.  I am feeling great and I see zero struggle in Jason's stride so maybe we are going to have the race of our lives and exceedingly exceed our own expectations, which is pleasant....in theory.


Over the next few miles, we slow ourselves closer to our goal pace which is to break 1:30 (6:51 average mile over the 13.1 mile distance) and feel like we are a good place to do so. 


Then, after mile 7, are pace slows just a tad.  It was slight but noticeable enough in where we both understood we were going slower than the goal pace.  This put us a in tricky spot since we still had 6 miles left to go so we couldn't take the risk of putting in the extra effort to gain that additional time and then bonking out by the finish.  So we decided to coast the next few miles until around mile 10, where we can put forth a solid 5k effort to give us a chance to break 1:30.


Mile 9 is where the biggest hill in the course resides.  It is short yet steep and when you are trying to PR, these challenges and obstacles get in your way.  However, we both kill the hill and make our move shortly thereafter.  We both fuel up at the aid station right after we pass the Mile 10 marker.  I start making my move and slowly put distance on Jason.  He tries to stick with me but I gain a few seconds every 10-15 strides.

When I get back into Central Philadelphia and observe the Art Museum (where the Rocky Steps are located as well as the finish line), a sense of relief sets in.  I think about the past season and my future going forward with triathlons and long distance races as the reality sets in that I will just be missing the 1:30 time.  I see the finish line and finish as strong as I can.

1:30:25.

Typical...

I am upset even though I set a personal record but I had nothing left to give.  I left it all on the course.  I was hurting at the end and thought it was a great way to end the season.  It sucks I didn't PR but I am more than content with my performance.  I think this time is due to poor execution than anything else.  Something I will look into going forward.

Jason finished about a minute behind me.  He wasn't too happy either as he ran a little bit slower than last year but it's a time we can build on together.

So with that, the season has ended and the off season has begun.

Thanks for reading!

Race Recap: LBI Triathlon

This race happened back in September so this may be a little late.  It only took to 2015 for me to write about it but nevertheless, it's time to look back.


After being half-disappointed about the Ironman 70.3 Timberman race, I needed something to boost my confidence.  It has been three years since I competed in my last sprint triathlon (1) so signing up for the family organized race in Long Beach Island was way overdue.


(1) A sprint triathlon is the 5k of triathlons.  They may seem daunting at first but anyone who keeps in decent shape and knows how to swim can complete one of these.  Therefore, everyone that I talk to who says "I wish I could do that" (and there are a lot of you), here you go.  No excuses.  The swim ranges from 1/3 to 3/4 miles, the bike, 10-18 miles, and the run finishes off between 2-5 miles.  Not really daunting when you break it down.  Also, anyone who reads this blog, I would be more than happy  to give advice and supply motivation.


A really underrated thing about the Sprint triathlon distance is that it takes a small part of your day.  In sprint races, you are out of there by 10:00 the latest and this includes the trophy ceremony, so you can make plans and feel great about yourself the rest of the day.  Plus, it doesn't take a lot out of you.  Half-Ironmans, Ironmans, and Half-Marathons do damage to you.  You'll feel it throughout the day and can be exhausting to say the least.  The only thing you want to do is sleep and eat.


Actually, my biggest concern entering a Half-Ironman is having to drive back home shortly after the finish because the worst thing you can do is cram yourself into a car and drive 4-7 hours.  But I have no choice, I can't take the time of work and I am definitely not going to fork crazy money over for air fare(2).


(2) This is why I consistently pray for Lindsay's bakery to take off so I can afford to take some extra time off after races.  Every book I have come across states the last thing you want to do is get into a crammed car and drive for hours on end after completing a race.


With that being said, besides regaining some swagger, I was mostly looking forward getting on with my day with Lindsay and spending time with her.


Entering the water, I realize I can probably do the entire swim walking on the surface, which probably be enjoyable to watch.


The first portion of the race is conducted in the bay, which is great because I do not want to deal with the Atlantic.  Nevertheless, the air-horn goes off and I probably get punched in the face every other stroke.  Yet, somehow, I finish the swim extremely quickly.  I can honestly say I did not complete seven strokes consecutively without having to stop due to getting struck, getting cut off, or being ran over by a much better swimmer (3).


(3) I forgot I was swimming against Michael Phelps in the Olympics.


I get on the bike and it is flat and fast.  So fast, I someone wipe out badly on the first turnaround. 


That must have sucked.


The bike course is three loops, which is great so Lindsay can see me multiple times and cheer me on.


Then I experienced something for the first time.


For about 4 miles, I was in first place.


Me.


First Place.


I couldn't believe it.


It was a pretty cool feeling being the first person going around the turnaround and everyone cheering you on.  This is something I could get used to.  My confidence was beaming.


However, I knew this wasn't going to last.  I felt like I wasn't moving fast enough on the bike to sustain the lead.  I tried to push more but my body wasn't responding.  I still ended up averaging 22.5 mph but I got passed by three people before I unclicked the pedals.


Now to the run. 


Boy, did this feel good.  I was moving.  I was trekking around a 6:20 mile and feeling great.  It felt like I was in High School Cross Country again.  The only problem.  The guys in front of me were going faster.  A few, a lot faster.  But I knew this was going to happen.  My running isn't strong enough to compete with these guys yet.  Maybe in the future, but not right at that moment.


I come into the finish line at 56:45 and in 6th place overall and 1st in my age group.


Confidence boost achieved


Waiting for the results, I found something I am going to hang onto forever.


The 1st place guy finished the race in 50:18.  He destroyed the entire competition and dismantled me by over 6 minutes.  I sat there thinking how I could possibly get to that level and then I found out his age.


The dude is 50!


50 years old.


That is not a typo.


Simply incredible.


Nobody beats father time but few can argue that we as a society are finding ways to excel at top levels for an extended period of time.  I just saw a story where a 94 year old man ran 100 meters in 19 seconds and an 87 year old woman doing parallel bars at a gymnastics studio.  Now this, a 50 year old destroying the competition.  You want to know the second place guys time:


53:12


He beat him by three minutes.  Doing the three mile run, that's 2/3 mile lead.  That's just insane!


In triathlon, their are 40+ year old professionals and upper 30 year old world champions. 


These type of stories give me more than hope.  They give me purpose that I can do this for a very long time and do it at an elite level...if I ever get there.


Which is more than enough ammunition for a pathologically competitive person.


Thanks for reading and Happy New Year (4)!


(4) My New Year resolution is to write more and watch less TV.  Let's see how this pans out. 

RACKSMAN...& Friends Ragnar Documentaries

Listed below are a few videos of close friends conquering the Ragnar.  The reason I am posting this is because Ragnar is the only event that I can classify running as fun (1). 


(1) Tough Mudder and Spartan Race aside, all of the Color Runs, Zombie, and Obstacle Course events are people just overpaying to act like a kid.  Yes, they are fun but I do not include that in the running realm.  I could rant on this for awhile but I digress.


Truly fun. 


I will always say running is fulfilling and enjoyable but never declare it as fun. 


Running hurts


Running is tough


Yet, the Ragnar makes all of those things worth it.  You meet a lot of cool people and connect with your friends in a unique matter.  It's a rare experience and I am glad we have people able to do it for the past 4 years.  It has become a tradition and will continue to be one moving on. 


Over those 4 years, we have had over 30 different friends come and compete in the event, which shows you the interest and intrigue this race brings. 


So, I hope you enjoy these videos of our conquests and think about getting into running yourselves.  We are doing the Ragnar Adirondacks next year and we depart on the last weekend in September so be inspired and get out there (2).


(2) Yes, I understand it is snowing right now but Sunday is supposed to be in the high 40s again. 


The first video was produced, edited, and filmed by John Glavasich. This is from 2011


Enjoy

This next one is from our latest adventure.  It was filmed by Kendall Green, Jonathan Lin, Christopher Baron, and Derek Smith.  It was artfully put together by Christopher Baron.  You will notice that the two are entirely different.  One is long and story driven where the latter is a collection of random experiences throughout the event.

I hope you like both.

I hope it inspires you.

Enjoy

If you need more Ragnar, read my accounts from this exact adventure.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Thank you for reading...and watching!

Ragnar Adirondacks: Lake Placid

This is Part 3 of this post. Click here for Part 1 and here for Part 2.






If you think there is a let down after my run, you would be dead wrong.







Baron and Jason took on their legs and destroyed the competition.  By the time we handed it off to Nanners and Van 2, we had a passed a total of 8 runners and put sixteen minutes on the Canadian team. 




We finished the 38 miles in 4:48 minutes and put 16 minutes on a team that had a 16 minute head start on us.  It was incredible!


So let's break down the math:


As a team, we averaged a 7:34 pace throughout the night, by ourselves (1) (for the most part) and gained on 8 teams in the process. 


(1) Running by yourself compared to running with/against others makes a huge difference in performance.  When you are running by yourself, you are doing exactly that, competing against yourself.  Your only measurement is compared to past performances which is known as ghosting.  This is can only take you so far.  You can definitely improve and run well but it can take you to a certain point and depending on your personality, that point varies from runner to runner.  I run mostly by myself but it could only take me so far.  It wasn't until I started running with Jason where I saw I needed improvement and what specific areas I needed improvement in.  So the point I am leading into is when you are running in the middle of the night by yourself, it is difficult to find that extra gear comparatively running with/against other Ragnarians.  Other runners give you an extra boost.  This factor is something I always tell first time runners.  Every time I speak with newcomers, they all state how they are going to perform badly in their first race since they're running so-and-so minute miles in their training.  However, they fail to realize how much the other competitors raise their level of performance without them ever noticing.  You will always run faster in races.  It's just a fact.  The same goes with the Ragnar.  We did this by ourselves.  Much bigger accomplishment.


And with simple addition, the Canadian team ran the 38 miles in 5:20 minutes equating to a 8:25 pace.  So every mile, we gained 51 seconds on them which is simply incredible.  And to pay respect to them, they were a good team.   They were actually better than us. They ended up beating us overall since they stacked their second van and one of the many reason we had to play catch up in the beginning.  


After we handed it off to Van 2, we got some much needed rest and waited to receive updates along the way. 


Van 2 was moving well and gaining on multiple teams.  Everybody was getting some kills and moving up through the ranks.  When everyone woke up from their respective slumber, we were not  the only van in the parking lot.  Actually, their was at least 30 vans still waiting for their teams to come in. 


We were kicking some ass now.


When Mandark came striving in, it was completely foggy out.  You could barely see 20 feet in front of you. 


This led to a weather anomaly. 


Kaz was about 3 miles into his double leg and he was climbing this one hill and I shit you not, the fog just disappeared...in seconds. 


It was like a switch. 


You could barely see anything in front and then...


bang...


...it was sunny, clear skies, and absolutely beautiful.


You have to remember this occurred at the end of September.  So the leaves had changed colors and it was magnificent.  You could do nothing but marvel at the sudden change.  It was unexplainable.  None of us has ever seen anything like and doubt will ever experience anything like it again.


Going back to running, through all our last legs, the only thing that needs to be noted is that we all struggled...mightily...


...except Baron.


He looked fresh and ready for more.  I cannot stress enough how much he killed this entire event. 


So we finally handed off to Van 2 for one last time and they had their work cut out for them.  Their entire run of legs was all uphill leading up to Lake Placid.  It was nuts. 


They only had to run 28 miles but they had to earn that mileage. 


For example, LT had a 4.1 mile run that was all uphill.  No exaggeration.  Their wasn't any change of elevation.  Just here you go sir, go run up this hill and enjoy.  But you want to know the funny thing is?  Ragnar rated this leg as "Moderate".  How they achieved that ranking, I have no idea.


When I asked him how he did, he stated that it was nothing.  A piece of cake.  He cruised up the course passing 8 people along the way and making a mockery of the competition in the process.


John passed 12 people during his leg, which was extremely impressive since their was zero shade along the course.  The weather was in the high 70's and in the apex of the heat.  Van 2 had only run in the dark up to this point so running in the heat was something new to them and the temperature level was not expected to be this high making it even more difficult to acclimate their bodies too. 


This cannot be overstated.


People have experience heat strokes due to this sudden change of temperature yet they handled it with a calm zeal.


Nanners and Katie finished their legs with exuberance and excitement.  They were happy to be finished since they did most of their damage in the early goings.


This is also Standard Operating Procedure for Nanners.  It's almost second nature at this point.


This leaves us with Mandark who I wish I was in the Van with the most.  Every time I saw him, he looked like the life was taken from him.  He gave everything he had in every leg.  I admired his effort because when we all saw him during the homestretch in Lake Placid, he had nothing left.  He had left it all out on the course.  It was the perfect metaphor to the Ragnar. 


We had all left it all on the course and as we all sat in a circle reminiscing and celebrating what we all had accomplished together, we collectively understood we did something special.


You ever enter in a shit situation and come out 10 times better than you expected because you battled through adversity and came out stronger and better than before.  Then, you look back and realize that you will never experience anything like that again because the sequence of events will not transpire like they did.


That's what this Ragnar was.


I was pissed off going through the event but came out happier than I can comprehend.  We took a unique situation and turned it into something special...together.  It could not have happened any other way and I will always look back at these past 48 hours as one of the best successes in my lifetime. 


So with that being said, thank you to all that competed and ran.  From the bottom of my heart... thank you.  You all kicked ass and I hope this event inspires you to train harder for the next one.  


Because the next time, we are coming for you Saucony Elite Team (2)


(2)  They're a professional running team by the way...LET'S GO!!!!


Thank you for reading!

Ragnar Adirondacks: The Run of a Lifetime

This is Part 2 of the RACKSMAN...and Friends adventures at the 2014 Ragnar in the Adirondacks.  Click here for Part 1.



As I stood there with the team waiting for Mandark to finish his leg, an anger started to brew. 



Mandark was trying everything in his power to make up time so we wouldn't have to run by ourselves in the middle of the night.


However, the damage was already done. 


We were 16 minutes behind the Canadian team and the odds were stacked against us.  We will be running along Lake George by ourselves as the Ragnar crew was cleaning up behind us. 



I stood there trying to control my anger. 


It may seem childish to get angry at something like this since we weren't technically competing against anyone but ourselves, yet all I felt was a building rage.



I was angry with Ragnar for scheduling the latest time possible for us when we didn't fit the bill.  The last wave is reserved for the best of the elite and that's something we were not.  We have good, solid, and hard working runners but nowhere the level to compete against the Saucony Elite Team (One of the teams in our heat and yes, that was their real team name).


I was angry with myself since this is the first Ragnar I put together.  Kaz and my good friend Al usually organizes the event but I decided to give them a break since it's a pain in the ass scheduling everything and Al couldn't join us. 



So, thinking I could be savvy and try and get the team some extra sleep, I told everyone to put down faster average paces to get a later start time. It never occurred to me we would get the 1:00 start. Now that we did, I felt partially responsible and it pissed me off.



Ragnar is a very rare experience and I always enjoy the cammaderie and friendships you develop with the other runners, but I put all of the newcomers in a bad position and possibly ruining their time.



I started to lament which only led to more anger. 



It started to become evident as I have the terrible ability of wearing my emotions on my sleeves. 

Everyone could see it.



It was so apparent that my good friend, Jordan (He was also our driver), pulled me aside to try and calm me down.  He simply stated that I know you are angry and you want to make up time but do not get yourself hurt.  You still have 9.5 miles after your 11.8 and the team needs you.  Don't do anything stupid.  Calm down and run intelligently.



I heard every word even though it was difficult to face.



He was right.



I wanted to make up the time immediately and it only pissed me off more knowing I didn't have the ability to do so. 



However, we could install a plan to make up the time so by the time Baron and Jason go, we will be in distance of passing people and putting Van 2 in a better position to take over and do some damage.



It started with Kaz.



I have been exposed to Kaz's natural ability to always to be in shape for so long now, I take it for granted.  The kid probably hasn't ran over 12 miles since we did the 14 mile trail run right outside Philadelphia 11 months ago, yet this kid wasn't only going to complete his double leg, he was going to make up time in the process.  I don't ever doubt him because he never disappoints.  I guarantee he probably didn't even do an 8 mile run before the Ragnar but here we are, relying on his ability to run 7:30s in his sleep.



So the plan was simple.  If Kaz can make up 5 minutes over his 12 miles and I can make up 7-10 minutes with my 11.8 double leg, Baron and Jason will definitely get us back in the mix and pass some people.



Challenge Accepted



Mandark comes charging in and passes the slap bracelet to Kaz.



It's on



Is it any shock that Kaz destroys his double leg?


Absolutely not.



He glides through his 12 miles at a blistering 7:40 pace making up five minutes and twenty-five seconds in the process.  He did better than expected but the craziest thing is that he would have made up more time if the second portion of his double leg wasn't against a very good runner in his own right.  Actually, they mirrored each other.  Kaz actually made up the 5 minutes in his first portion but the Canadian team was not going to go quietly in the night.  He was only able to gain twenty-five seconds on the second portion.  I was even timing them both at different checkpoints to see what the difference was.  There was barely any.



Nevertheless, Kaz more than did his part and now it's my time to contribute.



I had a brutal double leg containing the hardest hill in the course.


Here let me describe...actually, no, just look at the below maps.  You'll get the picture.

The first portion is pretty simple.  It's mostly downhill giving me the ability to move swiftly while saving energy for the second portion.  I need all the help I can get.

I told you the maps would paint a clearer picture.


This leg is titled "The Ragnar".  The name signifies the toughest, most daunting and hardest leg on the course.




I took the challenge on...topless...even though it was 45 degrees out.  I needed to stay as cool as long as possible since this course would definitely get my blood pumping.



I start the 5.8 mile leg fast and furious.  I try and hold back but too pissed off to listen to my brain telling me to slow down.  All I could think about is making up time and catching the Canadians.  It was like a poison.  Every downhill I hit,  I went at it hard but there was a problem. 


Every rise in elevation, I could feel it in my quads. 


Could I really be feeling the pain from the initial 10k I ran earlier in the day?  Maybe...however doubtful... but not entirely out of the realm of possibility. 


I know I felt like crap but I need my body to come through.  I was starting to get worried.



I still attacked the downhills with speed and a quick turnover rate, even more so now, since I started to get nervous about the 3 mile hill that was only miles before me. 



I figure if I do the entire 11.8 miles in an hour and a half, I will most likely catch up to the Canadian team and may even pass them.  At 1:30, that would put me at around a 7:38 pace which is more than asking a lot of myself considering the course and miles that lay before me in  my third run, but I don't care.  We need to catch some teams.  We need to get back in this. 



While Kaz was running and we were waiting at the exchange for Kaz to pass us, the Ragnar staff was waiting for us to get there so they could clean up.  It was humiliating.  At least to me it was.



Granted, it was pretty cool to talk to some of the volunteers and Ragnar organizers as we were giving them shit for a terrible start time and trying to get free stuff at the finish line(1).



(1)We did.  I have about a three month supply of Clif Bar in my basement.  Score



It still infuriated me to be in this position.



About half way through the first portion of the run, a car pulls next to me. 


Mind you, it's past midnight, pitch black (there are no street lights, just my head lamp providing about 50 feet of sight directly in front of me and that's it), and I'm running on the opposite side of the road.  I can only wonder what's this about.



It's one of the Ragnar organizers.  She gives me crap about going to slow and I am never going to catch the other team at that pace.



I deserve that for giving her crap about our start time.



The goal was to finish Leg 15 at exactly 40 minutes to give me 50 minutes to conquer the "Ragnar Leg".



I came into the exchange at 42 minutes



Shit



I am already behind.


Damnit



My team cheers me on and hands me a much needed Red Bull.



I need all the help I can get.



The Ragnar Leg begins.



It's approximately one mile from the start of Leg 16 to the base of the 3 mile hill and that hill was all I thought about. 



But then, something else entered my mind.



I destroy hills.  There is no way the other team can run up this hill like I can.  I have been training on inclines since High School Cross Country.  I am going to murder this.  I am to pissed off and motivated not to conquer this hill and pass anyone who shows an ounce of weakness.  We are going to get back into this race so we can start passing people.  I am tired of running by myself.  I could have done this at home.  It is dark.  There is too much ruffling of the trees for my liking.  This needs to stop.



At this time, I think of what Jordan told me before we started our set of legs and quickly put his calming advice to the back of my mind.  We didn't drive 5 hours to upstate New York to hang out with deer.  I can do that back  in South Plainfield.



Once I see the base of the hill, I go into attack mode.  I start moving up the mountain like I have never moved before.  I am light on my feet and every stride feels stronger than the last.  I start to build a cadence I am getting comfortable with. 



This is what this hill has to offer?



I am about halfway up the hill and I see our Black Van (2) and all I could think about is where the other team is.  I shout to Jordan "Where are they?  How close am I?"



This is Jordan's response:



"5 minutes........maybe 4...........or two............or......... I don't know."



Thanks Pal



(2) I am pretty sure we had the only black van in the entire Ragnar.



Like every mountain, the road bends and turns and after I just get the intel from Jordan, I see a blinking red light.



Not only do we have to wear a head lamp and high visibility vest, we also have to sport a rear blinking red light, so when I see this, it can only mean one thing.



It's hunting season.



Seeing the red, I become a bull.  All I can concentrate is on the red.  I stare at it.  It is my most prize possesion.  I pick up my pace even more.  This is it. 



We fucking did it.



Down 16 minutes, Kaz and I made up the time in 20.5 miles.  Never did I think I would be able to catch them, especially with 3+ miles still to go. 



Never have I felt so good on a run.  Even as I am typing this to you now, I do not remember one moment where I was in pain while traversing up the hill.  My adrenaline and competitive nature took my performance to a whole new level.  I felt fresh. I could've ran forever.  We pulled in the team that had a monstrous head start and now we can start catching other teams. We are back in the game and it felt so good. 



After I made the pass, I put another 4 minutes on the team since the runner was struggling to finish the hill. 


On the downhill, I was averaging sub six minutes.  Something I haven't done since high school.  I was having the run of a lifetime and I knew it.


It's a great feeling when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself.


About a half mile before the exchange, where Baron was waiting to start his 5.6 mile leg, I witnessed a thing of beauty.  It was a clear and beautiful night.  No clouds in the sky whatsoever and if you look at the leg map above, you can see how the roadway takes you into the mountain as you make your way uphill and away from the water but when you start the downhill, it takes you towards Lake George.  At that brief moment where there wasn't any trees in the way, I could see the lake.  The moon and stars reflected gorgeously off the calm lake and there it was.  The constellation Orion was clear as day.  I have never seen a constellation so bright and clear before.  It was incredibly picturesque sitting over the lake in perfect plain view.  I even slowed down a little bit to enjoy the view.  It was the perfect ending to a near perfect run. 


When I slapped the baton on Baron's right wrist, I shouted "Let's Go!"


I clocked in at 1:26.  4 minutes before my goal time.  I did the six mile leg in 44 minutes averaging a 7:20 pace with the hardest hill in the course and on borrowed muscles.


In total, I did the 11.8 miles in an hour and twenty-six minutes averaging a 7:17 pace.  Much faster than I could ever imagine. 


There are runs every runner will remember fondly during their career.  A run where they feel like they can go on forever.  Every stride feels light and strong.  A place where no pain is present.  The mind is jovial and free. 


This is one of them.




Part 3 to be completed

Ragnar Adirondacks 2014

The Ragnar Relay is a race RACKSMAN...and Friends have completed over the past four years.  We have traveled up and down the Northeast seeing different sights while we run and chase down other teams.  It's become a yearly tradition and a great bonding experience.  This is the latest one we have done.  I will be breaking this off in three parts.  If you need a more detailed explanation of what this event is and all about, click here.  Or watch the below video

Without further ado... RACKSMAN...and Friends takes on Ragnar Adirondacks 2014:

Most of the group came in together to meet at the Community Court of Something Garden (terrible name for a hotel, but it was cheap and less than a mile from the start of the Ragnar) to get comfortable, hang out a little bit and get to know each other a little more.  Not that it's necessary for us to get more acquainted since we have known each other for more than a decade but the uniqueness of the Ragnar brings people together more than most realize.

See, running gathers people together who share the same trials and tribulations of training and running with a full list of responsibilities.  That same connection is magnified exponentially when partaking in the Ragnar.

We have 11 people with us this go around (10 runners, 1 driver) for Ragnar Adirondacks and we will become roommates for the next 48 hours.

We did this race last year and it is by far, the toughest course we have done, so naturally, we had to do it again.  This is actually the first one we have repeated and the 6th total for RACKSMAN...and Friends.

The team has 5 new runners this time around, which is the most newcomers we've had since we all lost our virginity to Ragnar over 4 years ago in Washington D.C.  Needless to say, I am excited to see how they like it.

Two of the new runners, Chris "Mandark" Larson and Jon "LT" Lin, are friends from my close friend's engineering fraternity.  I stayed at home and attended the local community college so I needed somewhere to party.  A lot of my high school friends attended Rutgers and a few of them entered the engineering school.  After I found out my friend was in a fraternity, I had to party with him since I thought the parties would be accurate realizations of the countless movies I have seen depicted. 

Strangely enough, they weren't too far off and I got to meet a bunch of people due to the fraternity.  LT and Mandark were just a few of the guys I got to know.  However, I mostly hung out with them when we were under the influence, which doesn't represent any of us and who we really are.  So, I was excited to get to know them through this rare experience.

When we got together, we discussed our legs in our van, it became clearly apparent that this was not going to be easy.  Frankly, it's going to be our toughest challenge yet.  I would be lying to you if to say I wasn't nervous entering the event, but that's part of the lore of Ragnar. 

It's different.

It's relaxed.

It's enthralling.

Let's Go!

(Conflicting Ideologies, yes, but if you have done one of these, you would understand.)

When we arrived at Saratoga Springs State park, something was different.  Ragnar Village didn't have the same energy it usually provides.

In the past 5 Ragnars, we have started between 9:00-10:00 am.  The race directors staggers the time so everyone arrives at the finish line (Olympic Park in Lake Placid) in a relatively similar time zone, theoretically anyway. 

This year, we are the last wave to go off at 1:00 pm.  So when we arrived to Ragnar Village, over 275 teams have already started.

The way Ragnar sets up the waves is simple.  The slower you are, the earlier you start.  The faster you are, the later you start.

Not rocket science

With our collective group, we average 8:30 minute/miles, which is respectable in it's own right, especially with 5 new teammates, but we should not be starting in the last wave.  That wave is for teams that average a 7:30 min./mile or below.  That is a huge difference when spread out over 197 miles. 

We obviously do not fit the bill.

So right then and there, we knew this was going to be tough and the odds were stacked against us.  However, it did present a wonderful opportunity to pass people but this may be too late of a start to really do some damage.

The problem with our wave time was that they usually go off in 15 minute increments.  The first group went off at 5:00 in the morning and then every quarter hour, the next group of runners go.  Well, the last group to go off before we did went on our merry way was at noon, so the hour difference brought the following two issues up:

1. The beauty of the Ragnar is socializing with the other runners because you see a lot of the same people over and over again at the exchanges.  Exchanges is where you hand off the baton (the baton is a 90's style slap bracelet...cheesy...yes...but very effective) to the next runner, so naturally, they become little parties since every van has to meet there to get their next runner started or at least cheer for the runner if they are passing through for a double leg or more. 

When you meet the other runners, you easily build on a similar trait and start to support each other.  A very rare sight in this day and age.  With the later start and a big time gap to boot, it made that very difficult. 

Connecting with the other runners is awesome.  We all work countless hours at our respective jobs and running supplies us with the little reprieve from the daily monotony.  Trading running stories with the other runners is one of the biggest draws of the event and I was afraid the newcomers were not going to experience that so that really bothered me.

2.  I love passing people............that's it.

After we check in, attend the safety briefing, and gather our gear, we approach the starting line.  Kaz is the first person to go and their couldn't be a better individual to do so.  Kaz hits every leg he does out of the park and feasts on any prey along way.  He is a straight up beast.

                                                          
                                                       RACKSMAN...and Friends

The race starts and Kaz kills his first leg and ended up passing 8 people. 

This has to be noted though, the other vans are really talented.  It is immediately present this was going to be an arduous task.  Two of the runners ran a sub 6:30 mile, which is just insane. 

Challenge set and accepted.

Kaz slaps the bracelet on my wrist and I start my leg.  I immediately feel the 90 degree heat, which no one expected this weekend in upstate New York...in the fall... and in the mountains.  In a short amount of time, I become nauseous and never felt really comfortable.  It was miserable.  This was not a good start since I had over 20 miles still ahead of my 10k run.  And to add more pain, I was passed, easily may I add, halfway through the leg, so my kill total is a whopping -1 by the end of my first leg.

Lovely

Then, I pass the baton off to the surprise of the Ragnar.

Christopher J. Baron has been training for a half marathon but I did not expect the pace he was thrashing the course with.  He volunteered to start off the double legs by attacking the 9.2 mile layout.  To say he took it on with vigor and exuberance would be disrespecting the man. 

After watching him move through the streets of Saratoga Springs with swift joy, I feel embarrassed to admit I terribly underestimated his running acumen.  Baron cruised through the 9.2 miles at a blistering 7:27 pace.

Next was Jason, who was a week removed from destoying his personal record in the Half Ironman distance by over 18 minutes, setting a best time in each respective discipline to running our second double leg of 8.4 miles.  I was afraid to ask him initially because I know how long it takes to truly recover from an Ironman 70.3 and didn't want to pressure him.  He put that unease to rest quickly with a simple nod and then, he was on his way.

Jason cruised at a 7:20 pace.

He's an animal.

Jay handed the baton over to a Ragnar veteran, Brendan "Nanners" Cyrus.  Nanners comes to these events on minimal training and without a care in the world.  I envy his ability to do so.  He attacks every leg the same way: I am going to get it done my way and enjoy myself. 

He gave me a little shit for giving him a 9.4 mile leg, which I believe is a personal long for Nanners in the Ragnar, but we both knew he could handle it and he did not disappoint.

While we were enjoying ourselves in downtown Lake George, eating Pizza & Falafel (Holy Shit that was a good falafel...yes, I had to capitalize Shit as well as Holy...it was that good), playing some arcade hoops, and getting owned by Deal or No Deal (Yeah, Fuck You Howie Mandel), Van 2 was killing their legs.

                                                      I even went wine tasting....Yes!

John Andrae, who is an accomplished marathoner and triathlete, destroyed his run.  No surprise.

Kendall Green, LT, Katie Ackerman, and Mandark attacked their respective trots and held up really well for their first Ragnar.  It's an interesting ploy on one's mind when you are running while knowing you have to run at least two more times in the next 16 hours with minimal sleep in the back of your mind (Yeah, I know that is a run on sentence but I thought it was fitting due to the topic of the post).  Yet, all of the newcomers handled it with a calm zeal.

When we came back from our tomfoolery, something was odd at the exchange.  It was completely empty.  We were the only van left.  Besides the cars from the Ragnar and Volunteer staff, we were the only competitors left in the massive parking lot at Million Dollar Beach (not a misprint...that's the name of the beach).  The 1:00 start was literally killing us and altering our experience. 

The second to last van just left when Van 2 arrived giving themselves a 16 minute cushion on us. 

The odds were stacked against us. 

This was going to be tough.

Mind you, it's 10:30 pm, pitch black and we have our toughest set of legs right in front of us.  We are going to be running by ourselves in the middle of the night with zero to little van support.  Three of the legs we were going to have zero cell phone service.

We have some work to do.

Little did I know, this would be a night I will never forget...

Stay tune and thanks for reading.

Race Report: Labor Day 5K

Note to all: I am little behind so I need to catch up.  I still have to write about the Long Beach Island Sprint Triathlon and the Ragnar (this weekend).  I know everybody is head over heels to read my race reports so I don't want to disappoint my fans. 

Moving on...

It's been a while since I ran a road 5k seriously.  I ran a trail 5k last year with my running club, Raritan Valley Road Runners, and did that race in a pretty respectable time.  This year, I was pretty much forced into it by my family. My little sister and mom has gotten into running and they signed up for the race. Due to my pathologically competitive juices, I had no choice.

It is tradition to run the Labor Day 5k race in the small town of South Plainfield since it kicks off the over the top festivities.  The celebration is nationally recognized with TV crew covering the event multiple times.  SP is one of the few towns who go all out and put together a party for the holiday.  I used to make fun of it ( alright...I still do), but it gives the small industrial town an identity and sense of community.  So by seeing everyone in the town, as well as surrounding towns, come to have a great time on a day to remind us that we need to take a day off from our crazy schedules is admirable and I am proud to be a citizen of South Plainfield.

That being said, I have not run the 5K on Labor Day since 2011 and I did it as a training exercise.  My friend T-Money and I ran 4 miles before the race, the race itself, and then 3 miles after to make it a 10+ mile day.  The last serious 5K I've done is not since high school cross country.  To be accurate, the Labor Day race was a jumping off point for the fall sport, where our famous Coach Mike Capizola sees who ran over the summer and who was a lazy bum (I was always the lazy bum....something I regret). 

So needless to say, it's been way overdue to run a serious 5K.

When I ran this in 2011, about 190 runners did the race. 

On September 1, 2014, over 300 runners did the race making it a bigger and more exciting event.  It is a testament to how big Labor Day is in this town.

It's also another clear cut sign that running is continually growing in popularity; a plus in this increasingly unhealthy nation (1).

(1) Oh snap, did I just use three adverbs and a semicolon.  This is getting out of control!

The race is organized by a mom and pop organization, which always creates a nice and relaxed atmosphere. 

It also means that the race will not start on time.

The race was billed to go off at 9:30.

The gun went off closer to 10:00.

Brilliant.

Normally, I wouldn't mind the late start (very common in sprint triathlons) but the day I pick to run a competitive 5K for the first time in 10 years, it had to be the hottest day of the year. 

Ideally, a 5k should start at 8:30, so even the slowest of runners will finish right before the heat sets in.  Starting the race near 10:00 brings the heat close to its apex, which is no fun for anyone, especially after the 70s Summer of 2014 where I was continuously deceived to believe we were living in California.

I had already warmed up with a 2.5 mile jog and since the organizers had gathered us together to go off at 9:30, starting near 10:00 made a lot of people tight, including myself.

The gun went off and I quickly remembered why I don't do serious 5k's anymore.  They are way too fast for me. 

See, the strategy of running half marathons and longer is to start slower and slowly get into to your goal race.  That is right in my wheel house.  I love starting out slowly and finishing strong (2).  It gives you a huge confidence boost and you pass a lot of people in the meantime.  Always a plus.

(2) For half marathons and longer, every running coach in the world agrees this is the way to go.  I know a lot of people who think and vehemently defend that starting out fast and getting comfortable into your goal pace is the way to go.  Due to the distance of the races, you will almost always have a positive split, or run slower in the second half of the event.  It never ends well, yet so many runners consistently make this mistake.

5K strategy is almost the complete opposite.  You have to start out fast, survive the middle, and finish with whatever you have left.  It sucks.  I hate it.  I suck at it and again, there is a reason why I will only do these in sprint triathlons.  Add to the fact, the combination of the heat and natural speed of the race and it equals pain and discomfort.  Granted, it's a big part of the reason I sign up for these races but when you run at increased speeds, it brings a level of discomfort that I rather not endure (3).

(3) I am pretty sure I am coming off like a little bitch.  Well...it's because I am acting like a little bitch.

I finished with a time of 20:14 which resulted in 16th place overall and 2nd in my age group (4).

(4) I want to note that I am not proud of the enormous trophy they gave me.  It's about the same size of the trophy you give to a youth basketball team after they won the league championship (I should have taken a picture...wasted opportunity).  I ran a semi-fast time.  Hell, I ran a mediocre time and to place 2nd in my age group (20-29), was embarrassing.  I almost wanted to give the trophy away but that's dumber than the trophy itself, leaving me to present it in my bedroom with a sort of unintentional comedy.

However, I am very proud of my sister for placing 1st in her group (5) and my mom finishing her first 5K faster than her goal time.  A very positive day in the Smith household to say the least.  My sister has already signed up for a 10k (which is this weekend) and is doing the Philadelphia Half Marathon with me in November.  My mom is doing a 5k this weekend during the same race as my sister, which is fun because it's Marissa's 20th birthday weekend.  Hell of a way to celebrate and I am proud of both of them for joining the lore of running.

(5) Call to all female Labor Day runners between the age of 20-29:  Step up your game.  23 minutes for a 5k should not win first in anything.  Do better.

Good day and good racing.

Thanks for reading.