The Markel Richmond Half Marathon was my tenth and final race of 2017.  It was also my twelfth half marathon.  My half marathon PR is 1:19:33 set at the Crystal Coast Half Marathon in my hometown in 2014.  My fastest half since then was the Battleship Half Marathon last year; a 1:20:36.  I've been thinking about doing the full or half at Richmond for a couple years because several friends kept raving about the race, course, and weather.  It's called America's friendliest marathon and the same can be said for the half.  I knew several friends making the trip to Richmond for the half or full marathon this year so I decided to register and make it my target Fall race.  

I had a great training cycle thanks to the personal coaching by Philip Latter of The Running Syndicate.  He's been guiding me every day, week, and month since June 1, 2015 and it has made a huge difference in my running.  No longer have I had to put together my own plans or modify ones from books.  I did well doing that for awhile but  I was getting in a rut and no longer seeing improvements.  I believe you have to mix training up and throw different things at your body to improve so it doesn't get used to the same stuff.  Philip's workouts have challenged me and I've been able to accomplish them even when they seemed daunting or too soon after a long run.  He has a great mix and doesn't give you anything you can't handle.  He knows his runners well.  Thanks to him, 2017 as been a great year for me.  I was able to run my fastest 8K and 10K since 2014; both being on harder courses than the ones in 2014 too.  He even coached me to a great time and finish at an all uphill 5 Mile race to the top of Grandfather Mountain.  

Race day parking was easy at one of the decks near the start.  I recommend getting their early; I think I parked around 5:30am.  I went to the Marriott lobby to hang out before the start and everyone was inside staying warm.  It was nice of the hotel to allow runners inside, even those not staying there.  The Zap Fitness elite team was in the lobby and I talked with them.  They had runners in the 8K and half marathon.  I then met my friend Duane, his wife Michelle, and their son.  Michelle was running the full marathon. I also talked to another friend of mine, Carrie.  She was also running the full with a goal of breaking 3 hours.  She had a great training cycle as well and I knew she would accomplish her goal, it was just a matter of how much under 3 she would be.  

I ate a Honey Stinger waffle as I left the hotel and had another one an hour before the 7:30am race start.  40 minutes before the race start, I did a scoop and a half of Generation UCAN.  About 30 minutes before the start I headed out for an easy 1.5 miles after doing my dynamic warm-up routine.  The wind wasn't bad but it was cold.  ​It was 24 degrees when we lined up for the start where I met fellow Running Syndicate runner Antoine Fitzgerald.  It might have been too cold for some people to wear shorts and a singlet but that's what I opted to wear along with arm warmers, gloves, and a beanie.  I knew I would warm up once I got going and how often have you seen really fast people race in tights and long sleeves regardless of the weather?  

​The race started and I got out to a good start.  The wave corrals made it a lot more manageable with two minutes between the start of each wave.  My race plan was to run the first half at 6:08-6:10 pace and then pick it up the second half and negative split it.  Philip told me negative splits was the way to go and that the second half can be 5-10 seconds a mile faster if conditions are good.  I opened with a 6:08 mile.  

I may have gotten a little too comfortable with my pace as I slowed some on miles two and three, running 6:13 and 6:12.  It didn't feel like I had slowed any but I did and those miles were into a slight headwind.  There was a little steep hill on Palmyra Ave on an overpass just after mile three.  I went back to work on the downhill getting back on goal pace.  The course does a down and back section after 3.5 miles.  I was able to see the elites coming back and I cheered for Pardon and Nicole; the two Zap athletes in the half marathon. Miles four, five, and six clicked by in 6:10, 6:07, and 6:10.  The course enters Bryan Park around 5.5 miles.  It was a pretty park to run through.  My 10K split was 38:22, 6:10 pace. 

I felt great and comfortable as we left the park on another short steep uphill.  I ran miles seven and eight in 6:02 and 6:08.  It was now go time.  I had Philip's advice in my head, "5-10 seconds a mile faster the second half".  I attacked the final 5.1 miles.  It all came together beautifully as I got in a Running Flow.  I was feeling so strong and smooth as I caught and dropped runners ahead of me.  I looked at my watch and saw that I was running sub 6 pace and I thought my watch was off because it just didn't feel like I was which was a good sign.    

I think it was around mile 10-11 when I caught one guy, Dan Angels, and I told him to come with me as I passed him.  We met after the race and he told me I helped him on the final miles because he kept me close and watched me catch people and spit them out haha.  He ended up running a PR and finishing 13 seconds behind me.  I was so locked in I don't know how many I caught and passed the second half.  I wish Richmond tracked that because I'm sure it was a lot.  I ran miles nine, ten, eleven, and twelve in 5:59, 5:59, 5:58, and 5:59.  I've never felt that smooth, strong, and fast that late in a half before.

​With one mile to go and I knew it was going to be close to a PR so I kept grinding away at sub 6 pace.  I ran mile thirteen in 5:53 and flew down the hill to finish the last 200m at 4:51 pace.  I finished in 1:19:42 for 51st overall out of 7,811.  I placed 12th out of 361 in the Male 30-34 age group and placed 44th out of 2,773 males.  

My race apparel worked out well.  My hands were cold, even in Smartwool liner gloves, for the first couple miles but after that they were good to go.  I felt comfortable in what I had on and was glad I didn't have more on when I ran the second half at sub 6 pace.  I rather be a little chilly than a little warm in a race.  I love running and especially racing in the cold.  I'd love to have that weather for marathon.  

Pardon went on to finish fifth overall in the half marathon in 1:05:32.  Nicole had her best race in a couple years running 1:14:10 and was awarded the win after the disqualification of the female winner, the third place female finisher, and the overall marathon winner over their links to doping.  I was so happy for Nicole and talking to her parents after and seeing how happy they were was just perfect. Two of my training partners John Barry and Gavin Finley also had fast half marathon races.  John ran 1:14:52 for 28th overall and 2nd in his age group at 48 years young!  Gavin ran 1:15:03 and finished 31st overall.  Carrie crushed her goal and broke three hours for the first time in the marathon running 2:55:23 to get her 7th female and 2nd in her age group.  Michelle also crushed her goal for the marathon and qualified for Boston Marathon.  I'm always happy and inspired when friends have great races too.  

I think Richmond is a perfect half marathon.  Even though I just missed a PR, it is a PR course.  Miles two and three were the reasons I missed my PR.  Those should have been about six seconds faster each.  I probably could have went out faster the first half knowing the second half was going to be so fast.  The weather was great if you like cold like I do.  Richmond weather is usually favorable for a fast time.  The course is great as it is flat with a gradual decline after eight miles and a steep downhill finish.  I don't think I would want that steep downhill finish at the end of a marathon though when balancing is not at its finest.  My Garmin 920XT had the elevation gain at 295 feet.  The crowd support was great even in the under 30 degrees temperature.  The finisher's medal and blanket were very nice.  Richmond is a must do race!  

Race Gear

Socks:  Smartwool PhD Run Light Elite
Shoes:  New Balance 1400v4
Shorts:  Adidas Supernova short tight
Singlet:  Adidas The Running Syndicate 
Arm Sleeves:  Asics arm warmers
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
​Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Gloves:  Smartwool Liner Gloves 
Sunglasses:  Rudy Project Tralyx​
Beanie:  Smartwool PhD ultralight beanie

The Twin Bridges 8K Road Race is my favorite hometown race.  It is part of the annual North Carolina Seafood Festival which takes place on the Morehead City waterfront.  The course is a point to point starting in front of the Beaufort draw bridge.  It goes down the causeway, up and over the Morehead City high rise bridge, through downtown Morehead City, up and over the Atlantic Beach high rise bridge, and finishes at the Scotchman store just before the Circle at Atlantic Beach.  My first Twin Bridges Race in 2000 was just two days after a high school cross country race; I finished 4th in 29:35.  I've done it almost every year since; only missing the race twice.  I've won the race twice;  the first in 2013 and last year when Katherine and I tied for the overall win as a way to honor Sonny and Taylor Hyman who started the race.  They both meant so much to us and the running community.  I'm sure Sonny and Taylor were smiling looking down from Heaven watching us finish.  Finishing side by side with Katherine last year is one of the most special moments in my running career; one I will always cherish.  

My goal for this year's race was to repeat my win from last year.  I'm not sure how long it has been since a male as won back to back Twin Bridges races but it has been several years.  The weather for this year's race was different than last year.  Last year we faced a strong headwind the whole way.  There was no headwind this year and instead we were greeted with a tailwind for the first 3.7 miles.  It was warmer than last year though, something we all noticed as we did our warm-up and waited for the start.  

The race started and immediately one runner went to the lead and opened a gap on the rest of us.  Another runner was a few seconds behind him and ahead of me and Katherine.  I checked our pace a quarter and half a mile in and the leader was going out really fast.  I didn't recognize him and I thought there is no way he was going to hold that pace so I went out at a faster pace than planned to keep him close so when he started to slow I would be within striking distance.  

I passed second place shortly after the first mile marker starting our journey over the first bridge, the Morehead City high-rise.  I ran mile one in 5:43.  I think the leader was already 30 seconds ahead of me.  Once we crested the top of the bridge I saw Sally Kelly on the side taking pictures.  I always look forward to seeing her there.  

The race gets lonely once you come off the first bridge.  You're now running through downtown Morehead City, a long straight and flat stretch.  There isn't a lot of people out to cheer the runners on because the Seafood Festival isn't getting going that early.  The spectators that are out are much appreciated.  The leader was still way ahead of me.  I wasn't gaining on him but kept thinking he wasn't going to hold his pace.  I kept running hard as I ran mile two in 5:55.  

I didn't feel the tailwind helping at all.  I kept feeling warmer because the humidity was so high and there wasn't a side breeze or slight headwind to cool me down.  I saw my friend Andy before mile three and he got some pictures and cheered me on which I appreciated.  He said after the race that no one looked comfortable out there.  I kept digging but was slowing down.  I ran mile three in 6:03.  I was all alone in second place, not gaining on first, and not being caught from behind.  

After 3.5 miles the course turns and starts the trip up the final bridge, the Atlantic Beach high-rise.  I immediately noticed I was running into a headwind as soon as I started up the bridge.  The last 1.4 miles was going to be tough.  I don't know why but it seems the mile four marker is off at this race every year.  I know exactly where it should be and it's a good 200-300 meters too far.  Anyways, I ran mile four in 6:16.  

My goal of winning and being the first male to repeat in awhile was gone as the leader was still too far ahead of me to catch in the final 0.9 miles.  My Dad is always at the top of the final bridge taking pictures and cheering the runners on, much like Sally is on the first bridge.  My Dad told me he couldn't see anyone behind me which actually worried me some because I expected Katherine to not be far behind.  I was actually hoping she'd catch me so I'd have some company the final mile because misery loses company.  After passing my Dad I tried pushing the pace down the bridge but the headwind was really tough.  It was also hot and humid and I was ready to be done.  

I did manage to pick it up some and ran the final 0.9 miles at 6:09 min/mile pace.  I finished second place overall out of 229 in 30:00.  It wasn't the time I wanted but that was a tough day to race in the heat and humidity.  The winner was 19 year old Joseph Mooneyham in 28:38.  Katherine finished third overall but got the win for the women in 31:10.  Run the East did a great job timing and scoring the event and got finish line video which is a great touch.  

Zack Nally, the Carteret County News-Times reporter, told me and Katherine after the race that the winner's goal was to break 26 minutes.  I laughed when I heard that and responded with "there is no way that kid is breaking 26 on this course".  This is a tough course with the two high rise bridges coupled with the humidity and wind.  The course record is just over 26 minutes by Ryan Toler who was a very accomplished runner at West Carteret High School and then a colligate runner for Appalachian State University.  

This race and course may change in the future with the completion of the new high rise bridge in Beaufort that will replace the draw bridge.  There has been talk of making it a three bridges race.  I love running bridges but I think adding in the third bridge and making the race distance longer would hurt the numbers.  An 8K is still a doable distance for the person who mostly does 5Ks.  Adding in the new bridge would increase the distance to a 10K or more and I think that would be too much of a jump for most people.  I hope the race and course stays like it is and they figure out a way to stop traffic on the new four lane high rise bridge.  I hate to have a great local race ruined.  

Race Gear

Socks:  Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light Micro Socks
​Shoes:  New Balance 1400v4
Shorts:  Adidas 3" split shorts
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
​Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses:  Rudy Project Rydon

The Historic Beaufort Road Race was my first ever road race back in 1997.  I have ran it every year since so this was my 21st consecutive race.  I've ran the 5k the most at ten times from 1997-2006, the 10K eight times from 2007-2010 and 2013-2016, and the mile two times in 2011 and 2012.  I've been second place overall in all three distances but I did win the 10K in 2014.  After running The Bear last week I opted for a low key Beaufort Road Race this year and decided to go back and run the mile and then pace my friend Eric Rowe in the 10K. 

The Beaufort Road Race is known for being hot, humid, and flat and this year was no exception.  The temperature was 81 degrees with a heat index of 91 degrees when I arrived at Front Street around 6:45am for the 7:30am start of the mile.  After chatting with friends I went out for an easy warm-up run of 1.5 miles.  I was feeling good but knew the heat was going to be tough and there would be a strong headwind the second half of the out and back course.  The old mile course was a nice square course which I want them to bring back.  An out and back in a mile is tough because it zaps your speed and costs you seconds having to do a 180 degree turn.  Having the old square course would also prevent the last half mile or any section being into a headwind for half the race.  

The times for the mile at Beaufort are all over the place.  It varies so much year to year.  There have been years where the winning times were well under 5:00 and there have been years the winner ran 5:30 or slower.  Just never know who will run the mile each year.  My bib number this year was 3.  3 is my favorite number and I tend to do well in races when I have a 3 in my number.  I was hoping this was a good sign and would help me get the win.  

​The race started and two guys bolted out to the lead well ahead of me.  I let them go because I was going to save something for the headwind the last half mile.  One guy started to slow down right about 400m into the race and I passed him.  The leader started to slow down around 600m so I made a surge to get by him before hitting the turn around.  I don't remember what my first half mile split was and I didn't hit the lap button on my watch to review it later.  

I started to open up a gap on second and third place shortly after the turn.  The wind was brutal was back and making it hard to run a fast mile.  I just kept digging because I didn't want to get caught from behind.  I cruised to the victory in 5:39.  Second place was 6:16.  That time is the slowest of my three Beaufort miles and it felt harder than it should have.  It certainly wasn't fast but I beat who showed up and that's all that matters.  I have now won two of the three distances at the Beaufort Road Race over 21 years.  I guess that means I need to focus on getting faster in the 5K and win that in the future so I can have wins in all three events at Beaufort.  

Next up was the 5K and 10K.  I had plenty of friends in both so it was going to be fun to see the races play out as I paced my friend Eric in the 10K.  We started off a little too quick the first three miles.  I was trying to hold him back but we also wanted to get ahead of the masses so it wouldn't be so congested.  We got to see Katherine 2nd Overall and 1st Woman running a strong 5K on her trip back to the finish on the out and back 5K course.  Her time was 18:45.  The overall 5K winner was Nolan Harris in 16:50.  

The 10K course goes all the way down Front Street then goes down Lennoxville RD before turning onto Ocean Steeet where the 3 mile mark is.  Mine and Eric's first three miles were 7:57, 7:59, and 7:59.  After 3 miles the course turns onto Ann St.  The heat and humidity was getting to Eric and the remaining three miles became a walk run.  Some of it was also due to us going out a little too fast the first 3.  I did my best to keep him motivated and urging him on.  

We saw the 10K leader, Hunter Newman, pass 5 miles and I told him he had because second place was no where in sight of him.  Katherine was doing her cool-down from the 5K and met me and Eric once we were back on Front Street with a half mile to go in the 10K.  She also keep encouraging him as she ran with us now.  Eric ended up finishing second in his age group in the 10K on a tough day so it turned out alright for him.  

The Beaufort Road Race is a great event and I love the running community back home.  It's always great to see so many friends at the race.  We all can suffer together in the heat and humidity.  I'll have a lot of work to do if I want to win the 5K in the future but maybe I can get lucky and win it on a year anyone dropping sub 17s won't show up.  

Race Gear

Socks:  Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light Micro Socks
​Shoes:  New Balance 1400v4
Shorts:  Adidas 3" split shorts
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
​Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses:  Rudy Project Rydon

The Bear is a famous 5 miles uphill race in the mountains of North Carolina held during the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.  The race starts in Lineville, NC at the intersection of Hwy 105 and 221 at 7pm.  The course goes to up the McRae Meadows where the Highland Games are held and continues up to the top of Grandfather Mountain and finishes at the "Mile High" swinging bridge.  The race has a total elevation gain of 1,641 feet with 900 feet gain the last two miles.  The race fills up in under an hour every year; it is that popular!  I heard about The Bear through friends who had done it and I knew I wanted to do it.  I'm a good uphill runner, especially for someone who grew up at the beach.  The only hills I had were the high rise bridges and I have spent countless hours running them in my life.   

Being a good uphill runner helps with a race being all uphill but as my Coach Philip Latter said it's more about overall fitness.  So far 2017 has been a good year running and racing for me.  I've had some of my best race times in years while also competing in more competitive races.  

Even though my overall fitness was fine going into this race I made a couple trips out to Blowing Rock, NC to do long uphill runs I couldn't replicate in the Triangle.  My favorite route is running to the top of Flat Top Tower at Moses Cone Memorial Park from the Bass Lake parking lot.  By parking at Bass Lake, you can get in 5 miles of all uphill running to the top, 10 miles total counting the return trip.  I usually do one or two laps around Bass Lake as a warm-up before starting the climb up.  If you want to cut the run in half you can park at Cone Manor, the halfway point up.  The 5 miles from Bass Lake up to the Tower has 1,000 ft of elevation gain.  Not as much as The Bear but it's close and the two routes are similar as the last 2 miles are the steepest.  The surface is all bridle trails which is rocky in some sections and more packed in dirt in other sections.  My friend Pat Price first took me on the route in 2011 and I've loved it since.  You get some amazing views along the route that are worth the uphill run.  

​I took my friend Jason's dog Lucy, a German Short Haired Pointer, on the Flat Top Tower Run in April.  She loved it and pulled me uphill the whole way!  Wish I could have ran with her in The Bear Race because she would have gotten me a faster time.  I went back to Moses Cone two days later for another run through the famous Maze.  Moses Cone is a great place to train and you'll likely see the Zap Fitness Elite Team training there too.  Bass Lake is one of the few flat routes in the area and is great for intervals and tempos.  

My goal for The Bear was to get one of the famous Mugs!  You typically have to finish in the top 10% to get a mug.  They are handmade and coveted awards.  My other goals centered around beating friends.  I wanted to beat some of my friends who had previously done The Bear before by at least a minute a mile.  I also wanted to beat my friend Jason Tischer, Lucy's Dad.  Beating Jase was going to be the hardest as I know how good of an uphill runner he is from all the runs we've done together.  He's also an accomplished trail runner and winner of the Umstead 100 miles in 2015.  

I went up to the mountains the day before the race to get mine and Jase's packets at Kidd Brewer Stadium on the Appalachian State University Campus.  I met up with my friend Jerry at packet-pickup and we then headed out to dinner at the famous Coyote Kitchen.  Race day arrived and I was ready to go but had to wait until the evening.  Evening races are tough because of all the waiting to run.  

Jase and I were able to park very close to the starting line.  After I ate half a bagel we set off for an easy warm-up run.  We ended up meeting our friends Matt and Amanda who decided to run that race as well.  Matt is one of the Zap Fitness coaches and his wife Amanda has been one of our regular training partners when they lived in Cary.  After that I did a scoop of Generation UCAN about 30 minutes before the start.  

​It was a little warm for mountain standards when we lined up for the 7pm start.  It was sunny and breezy.  I felt great and was ready to go.  I lined up right at the front with Jase and Amanda.  The gun went off and the fun began!  Several people from behind darted passed me but I knew a lot would go out too fast and quickly die at this race so I just settled in and kept a steady effort.  Jase and I were side by side for the first half to three-quarters of the first mile but I started to pull away some without realizing it.  I opened with a 7:28 first mile that included 341 feet gain according to Strava.  The Grade Adjusted Pace (GAP) for that mile was 5:43.  Grade adjusted pace estimates an equivalent pace when running on flat land, allowing you to compare hilly and flat runs.  Uphill running requires more effort so GAP will be faster than the actual pace run.  GAP will be slower than actual pace when running downhill.  It's a handy piece of data.  

I felt good and just focused on maintaining my effort while holding something back for the last two miles.  I knew miles two and  three would be the "easiest" of the race as they had the least elevation with 250 feet.  I ran mile two in 7:45, 6:32 GAP.  I could have ran that mile faster but I was picking off runners who went out too fast and gaining on more so I felt fine with that.  The flattest part of the race is the track at the Highland games at about mile 2.5.  Once you come off the track you have a steep grass embankment to climb before you hit the asphalt road again.  I picked the pace and effort up on mile three and ran mile three in 7:15, a 6:13 GAP.    

​With three miles down and two to go the real work began.  The last two miles are the steepest with 900 feet gain and they include plenty of switchbacks.  Several friends told me not to hug the tangents on the turns and switchbacks because it would make it even steeper.  I stayed in the middle of the road and passed another runner around 3.2 miles.  I looked up to see who my next victim would be.  My effort was high now and getting higher as was my heart rate.  I don't wear a HR monitor but I knew I was getting close to max.  

I think I walked for the first time a little before mile four.  Most people have to walk in this race at some point and usually multiple times.  You really shouldn't be walking before 3.5-4 miles though as it's not bad until then.  I hate walking in a race but knew I could get up the climb just as fast walking as I could trying to run at this point so I saved my effort and walked for 30 seconds.  I actually passed a guy who was trying to run while I was power hiking.  I started running again and ran mile four in 8:49, 6:18 GAP.  

During the course of the last mile I did a couple more 30-40 second walk breaks and they helped a lot.  At this point you're just trying to get to the top as soon as you can.  I did look behind me a couple times and saw Jase wasn't far back.  I had to hold him off and not let me by me during the final mile.  To keep my focus on finishing strong I looked up to the top which may not have been a good thing cause it's a steep final climb.  I was focused on catching more runners though and needed someone to focus on. 

I ran the last switchback and was headed straight for the finish line.  Despite finishing uphill into a headwind, this part of the race was the best because of the crowd support on both sides of the road.  It was like a cyclist in the Tour De France with the crowd so close they can touch you.  Thanks to saving something for the last two miles I was able to finish strong.  I finished 20th overall out of 787 in 37:42!  I got my Mug!  Jase finished just 12 seconds behind me but his final two miles were faster than mine.  Amanda finished 29th Overall and got the Win for the women!  The overall winner was Johnny Crain in a New Course Record of 30:18!  Johnny said afterwards that he too had to take a couple walk breaks.  

​I was very happy with my performance.  I want to do it again and break 37 minutes.  Some people say treat this race like a 5K and just hold on after mile three.  I wouldn't recommend that.  Yes the last two miles suck for everyone but you want to hold something back so you can manage those final two better.  You can pass people during the final two miles if you leave something in reserve.  I'm pretty sure Jase and I were not passed the whole race but we did plenty of passing.  Oh, I was able to beat the friends I wanted to by five plus minutes too so that was an added bonus.

For my sixth race of the year I did the Running of the Bulls 8K in Durham put on by the Bull City Running Company.  The race is the NC-USATF 8K Road Championship and as a result draws a fast and competitive field.  I had not done the race before but heard good things about it from friends who had so I added it to my list of races to do.  The course starts on Foster Street near Durham's Central Park and Farmers Market.  It is an uphill start until you turn right onto Main Street.  The rest of the course winds through downtown Durham, the American Tobacco Campus, Trinity Park, Old North Durham neighborhoods, and finishes with a lap on the warning track in the Historic Durham Athletic Park made famous by the movie Bull Durham.  It was also the home of the Durham Bulls for nearly 70 years before they moved into a new stadium close by.  

I enjoy the 8K distance but don't get to race it much.  The usual 8K I do is the Twin Bridges 8K in my hometown that is part of the Seafood Festival.  I've won that race twice counting last year when my friend Katherine and I finished side by side in honor of our friends Sonny and Taylor Hyman.  

Race day parking was easy.  I parked at the parking deck near the start for free when I arrived about an hour before the race start.  I ate a Honey Stinger waffle an hour before the 7:15 AM start.  I walked around and talked with some friends before doing my dynamic warm-up exercises.  Thirty minutes before the start I did a scoop and a half of Generation UCAN.  I then headed off for an easy two miles warm-up run where at the end I met up with my friend John Barry and we did some strides together before going to the starting line.  

​For June in North Carolina we couldn't ask for better weather for the race.  The humidity was low and the temperature was about 65 degrees with just a few clouds.  The race started and I went out beside John Barry and Mark Manz.  The quarter mile uphill start wasn't bad as I was fresh and it kept me from going out too fast.  Once on Main Street John and Mark started to pull away from me.  I opened with a 5:50 for the first mile.  

I felt good and and had plenty of runners around me to run with which is what I love about bigger and more competitive races.  It's one of the reasons I ran so well at the Florence Forth 10K in Durham in March.  Right after the first mile we turned right onto Buchanan.  I kept John and Mark in my sights as I wanted to keep them within striking distance.  John was gradually pulling farther away but I was keeping Mark pretty even ahead of me.  The course was rolling but nothing steep.  There was one female runner ahead of me and another had pulled even with me as we neared two miles.  As female number two pulled even she complimented my Duke singlet before saying "Roll Tide".  I laughed and told her not to beat us too bad in football when Duke and Alabama play in the 2019 kickoff game.  I ran mile two in 6:03.  

After mile two we got a nice downhill stretch on Trinity where I used it to pick my pace back up and catch female number two.  Tim Meigs was on Trinity just passed the train trestle taking pictures and it was good to see him.  At about 2.85 miles we made another right turn onto Morris Street.  I used the downhill and flatter section of mile two to tree well and got my split lower which resulted in a 5:48 for mile three.  

​Right after mile three awaits the steepest hill of course.  I pulled even with female number two just at the start of the uphill.  I told her to grind the hill out with me.  I ended up pulling away from her on the 0.3 mile hill and managed to pass a few other guys as well and close the gap to Mark.  Once we crested the hill I set my sights on another couple guys ahead of me. We made a right onto Chapel Hill Street and  then a left onto Ramseur Street.  I passed two more guys on Ramseur before making a right onto Roxboro.  A short steep hill took some momentum out of me just before making a left back onto Main Street.  I ran mile four in 6:03.  

Under a mile to go now and Main Street was a gradual uphill until the right back onto Morris Street.  We got to go down the steep hill we just climb after mile three.  I'm sure those still going up the hill saw us flying down and hated it haha.  Time to stretch the legs on the downhill and let gravity help too.  You really feel the drop of the downhill at about 4.5 miles and can really open it up.  Mark found something on the downhill and was pulling away from me whereas up until now I was keeping him consistent and even gaining on the uphills.  

We made a quick right turn off Morris onto Corporation and kept going downhill to the stadium finish.  Tim was at the bottom of the hill on Corporation taking more pictures.  A quick left after passing Tim and we were headed for the stadium finish.  I figured I would go to my kick as soon as my feet hit the dirt of the warning track on the baseball field and pick up a few more positions.  I saw Mark just ahead and as soon as his feet hit the dirt he took off like a bullet.  He had a a monster kick that surprised me.  I still went to my kick and did pass a few on the warning track but there was no catching Mark.  Mark finished 20th in 29:08.  I finished 23rd overall out of 1309 and 3rd in my age group (30-34) out of 90 in 29:19.  

​The winner, Luis Vargas ran 23:23.  The top female was Kate Schwartz in 28:54.  John Barry finished in 28:34 for 14th place.  My friend Catherine finished 38th overall and 6th female in 30:52.  Our friend Liz was right behind for 45h place and 9th female in 31:06.

It was a really good race for me.  It was my fastest 8K since my PR of 29:04 in 2012 at the Twin Bridges 8K Road Race.  Getting coached by Philip Latter of the Running Syndicate has been treating me well.  I'm running some of my fastest times in years thanks to him.  I've had two really good races in Durham this year now.  Both courses are similar with the rolling hills but the longest hill at the Running of the Bulls 8K is less than half a mile and comes right after mile three whereas there is a mile uphill at Florence Forth from mile five to six.  The Running of the Bulls 8K course is fair and keeps you honest but you get a fast downhill finish.  Finishing inside the stadium was fun.  Post race festivities was also great.  Brooks Running was there with iced coffee and Fullstream Brewery was there as well with beer.  Bull City Running did a great job setting up the course and race day organization.  This is a great race and one to do in the Triangle area.

The North Carolina Road Runner's Club, NCRC, holds an annual race the NCRC Classic half marathon and 10K in William B. Umstead State Park in the next to last weekend of May.  This year was the nineteenth annual race and my first time doing it.  This was my fifth race of the year, second in five days, and my fourth 10K of the year.  I wanted to do this race because I haven't raced in Umstead before and it's my favorite place in the Triangle to run.  There are only four races in Umstead counting the NCRC Classic.  They have the Umstead 100 Miles race that my friend Jason won last year, the Umstead Trail Marathon, and the Walk/Run/Bike for Umstead which has a 4 miles race option.  

This race is competitive and the course is not easy.  Both courses are an out and back with the same start and finish line.  You start with a downhill first half mile.  Once you pass Lake Crabtree on your left and go into Umstead State Park you transition from the paved road to crushed gravel to hard packed dirt of a bridal trail.  It is not a technical surface.  It's a gradual uphill until into Umstead until you get to about 2.3 miles.  It's a little rolling after that to the 10K turn around sign.  The half keeps going all the way to the end of the Reedy Creek Trail, the main bridal trail that cuts through the park, and turns onto Turkey Creek for a little bit before coming back the same way.  The half is way tougher than the 10K because you have to climb from Reedy Creek Lake till you reach Turkey Creek, climb the corkscrew hills coming back, go up Cemetery Hill, and have the same tough half mile uphill finish.  

Race morning arrived and the weather was great for late May.  It was in the low 60s with a light mist of rain in the air.  The breeze was actually chilly enough to need a light jacket while waiting for the start.  I arrived at the start around 6:15am.  The 10K didn't start till 7:20 but I wanted to get there early because the half started at 7am and wanted to get a parking spot close to the start finish.  I was able to park right across the street from the start/finish.  About an hour before the start I ate a Honey Stinger waffle and then just chilled in my car listening to music.  About 35 minutes before the start I did my dynamic warm-up routine and drank a scoop and a half of Generation UCAN before heading out for an easy 1.5 miles.  

I made my way over to the start and talked with some friends while we waited.  I felt good and was ready to go when we lined up for the start.  The race started and I went out with the leaders.  Knowing the first half mile was downhill I let myself go a little faster than I typically would at the start.  I was going to settle in once we hit Lake Crabtree and began the gradual climb into Umstead.  I was in third place when we passed Lake Crabtree but the two leaders were gradually pulling away from me.  I ran the first mile in 5:53.  

I felt alright but felt like that first mile took more effort than it should have especially with the first half being downhill.  I focused on settling in and grinding the gradual hill into Umstead.  We started passing some of the half marathon pacers and runners after the first 1.5 miles.  As we neared two miles a runner caught me from behind and was now pulling beside and passing me.  He must have started slower and was now picking up the pace.  I ran mile two in 6:12.  I was now in fourth watching third place run down first and second place.  I just wanted to maintain effort and pick the pace back up after the halfway point.  I knew we wouldn't have to go down Cemetery Hill which I was thankful for because I didn't feel like climbing back up that in a race today.  

Near three miles the third place runner caught first and second place.  I ran mile three in 6:05 and made the 180 degree turn at the 10K sign and started my way back out of Umstead.  There were still a few uphills left but I knew I had to grind until I passed the water fountain and followed the curve to the left because it was all downhill after that.  My effort was still high for the pace and I wasn't feeling that strong or fast.  Even though it was cooler and the misting rain felt nice it was humid.  I ran mile four in 6:13; slower than I wanted.  I was still in fourth place.

I wasn't sure how far fifth place was behind me and I wasn't looking to find out.  I just knew I had to work the downhill coming out before the half mile uphill finish.  My goal was to hold onto fourth place and still run as fast as I could even if my legs were feeling heavy and tired.  The downhill coming out of Umstead towards Lake Crabtree always feels nice.  You get to lengthen your stride and stretch the legs out and increase turnover.  I typically run from Lake Crabtree because of the fast downhill finish coming out on long runs.  I also run from Harrison Ave and that's a good test with a steep half mile uphill finish too, steeper than the finish of this race.  Taking advantage of the downhill I ran mile five in 5:58.  

About 0.7 miles of mile six was downhill.  The uphill finish started at the the bridge on Old Reedy Creek Road.  I ran mile six in 6:03.  I was ready to be done but had to climb back up to the finish.  I dug deep as best I could back up to finish in 4th place overall and first place in my age goup in 38:01.  The winner was Omar Wiggan in 35:38.  He won at the line with a lean over second place Preston Jones, the runner who flew by me after 2 miles.  Third place overall went to Gregory Maves in 37:01.  

I was ok with my time considering I was tired after racing and winning a Beach Run just five days before.  This race was very organized thanks to the NCRC President Rebecca Sitton.  The awards were very nice.  Along with a gift card I got a decorative tile for my age group win.  This is an event worth doing because of the location.  Umstead is such a great place to run even if it is tough with the hills.  

Race Gear

Socks:  Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light low cut
Shoes:  New Balance 1400v4 road flats ​
Shorts:  The North Face Better Than Naked Split Shorts 3"
​Singlet:  The Running Syndicate Adidas singlet 
​Road ID Wrist ID Slim
​Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses:  Rudy Project Rydon

The annual Carteret County Beach Run Series kicked off another year on May 16th.  I love this series and have been doing it since my high school years.  The races are in the evening about every two weeks either on a Tuesday or Thursday in the sand at a low or falling tide so the sand is usually packed in pretty well for running.  They have a mile, 5K, and 10K races in the first six events and the seventh race is just a one mile fun run and the awards ceremony.  The courses are out and back and start at The Circle at Atlantic Beach and run South.  The series used to do overall awards based on a points system.  You had to do four of the first six races to qualify for awards.  I won the overall 10K Championship in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.  They still do awards but they are just age groups, no overall awards.  

This was my fourth race of the year and third 10K.  I decided I was going to run the first race of the year with my friends Jason and Emily's German Shorthaired Pointer Lucy.  I've been running with Lucy several times a week for over a year now and we both love it.  She's an awesome dog to run with.  I also wanted to get her picture in the Carteret County News-Times so her family and I would have a great memory to keep.  

I've ran with dogs in races in the past.  When I lived in Greenville I was part of the 5Ks 4 K9s volunteer program at the Pitt County Animal Shelter.  We would take shelter dogs to races and run them in the one mile or 5K.  We also took dogs to races just to hang out and watch.  It got the dogs seen outside the shelter setting and increased adoptions.  That program is awesome and I had a lot of fun running the shelter dogs.  I also raced the Jingle Bell Run 5K in Raleigh with an ex girlfriend and mine's dog Bud.  Bud did awesome in that race and we passed a lot of runners after starting in the very back.  

​I always let Lucy control the pace when I run her as I have with any dog I've ran or raced in the past.  Lucy is fast though and can handle much longer distances and paces than any dog I've ran with before.  Her Dad Jason has ran her 20 miles on trials in Umstead State Park and the longest I've ran her is 16 miles with a sub 7:00 min/mile pace average.

Lucy and I arrived at the race at 5pm for the 6:30pm start.  The temperature was in the low 80s under a full sun sky.  We registered and went on a little walk before meeting my Dad.  After relaxing a bit and talking with friends Lucy and I headed down to the sand for an easy two mile warmup.  She was happy and excited already.  She was pulling me all over the beach on the warm-up run.  After getting Lucy some water we lined up for the race start.  All three races start at the same time.  

The race started and Lucy and I took off.  There was one guy way ahead already so I assumed he was running the 5K as I doubted he would be able to hold that pace for the 10K.  I knew Lucy and I were in third in the 10K behind two West Carteret High School runners.  The sand was packed in pretty good and the wind coming off the ocean so we wouldn't have to battle a headwind going out or coming back.    

Lucy and I ran the first mile in 6:15.  She usually is in front of me, pulling me along but she was staying beside me so far.  I felt good and just settled in to stay within striking distance of first and second in the 10K.  We moved into second place shortly after the first mile.  As expected, the guy who went out really fast made the turn at the 5K turn around sign and headed back to the finish.  Lucy and I stayed straight past the 5K sign as we headed towards the pier at the Double Tree Hotel.  

We closed the gap on the leader and took the lead around two miles.  We ran mile two in 6:35.  Lucy likes being out front so once we got closer to the leader she started pulling to get us the lead.  Once we got the lead Lucy settled back beside me as we kept running towards the 10K turn around.  The sand got a little rough and soft once we passed the pier and it was causing us to slow down.  I kept looking for a better line to run with more packed in sand but it was tough to find.  We kept the effort up as we ran mile three in 6:56.  

We rounded the 10K turn around and Lucy did a surge.  She does that all the time on out and back runs we do.  I think it's because she knows we are halfway and she likes to do a surge to pick up the pace and get back.  We were still leading as I saw second place still headed to the turn around sign.  My friend Heidi was running third overall and closing in on second place.  Lucy and I got a lot of cheers on our return route.  

We were able to pick the pace back up a little bit and I was looking forward to getting back in better sand for the final 1.5 miles.  We ran miles four and five in 6:48 and 6:57.  The sand that was the best earlier in the race was now getting soft too partly due to the tide starting to rise and partly due to it being chewed up from all the runners already running through it.  

Lucy was still cruising beside me as we ran mile six in 7:01.  I wasn't sure how big our lead was but I was feeling confident we were going to win the race.  We finished the race in First Place Overall in 42:04!  Second place was Cameron Eure in 42:59 and Heidi was third place overall, first woman in 43:45.  Zack Nally of the Carteret County News-Times was there and got pictures of me and Lucy and printed one in the newspaper.  I thanked him for that and always appreciate the support of the local newspaper.

My friend Eric took the overall mile win in 7:13.  My friend Katherine ran the 1 mile with her son Brock for fun.  The overall 5K winner was Holden Dixon in 17:58.  

Lucy and I got both some water after the race and then she got a lot of loving and petting from kids and adults.  A lot of people were so impressed with her.  She had more in her than I did.  I think I was still a little tired from my progression 16 miles long run with Catherine just three days before.  Lucy slept in the car ride back to my parents but once we got there she was ready to go again.  We ate El's for dinner and Lucy got some bites of their famous super cheeseburger as I ate their even more famous super shrimp burger.  

I had a lot of fun winning a race with Lucy and I know she had a great time too.  I'm hoping I can make most of the Beach Runs this year and hopefully get to do more with Lucy.  I'm also hoping her Dad, ultra runner extraordinaire Jason can run some too.  

Race Gear

Socks:  Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light Micro 
Shoes:  New Balance Zante v1
Shorts:  Neon Green (in memory of Sonny Hyman) Adidas shorts
Dog Harness:  Ruffwear Front Range Harness 
Dog Leash:  Ruffwear Roamer Leash 
Watch:  Garmin 920xt
Sunglasses:  Rudy Project Rydon

The 2017 edition of the Angels Among Us 5K held on the Duke University East Campus was my third race of the year.  I first did this race in 2013 in memory of my Uncle Don Overman who passed away in 2011.  A lot of his family and friends formed a team, Darting For Don, to do the 5K run or walk to raise money in his memory for The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke.  The event has a competitive and recreational 5K through the Duke campus and is followed by a family fun walk through the beautiful Sarah P. Duke Gardens.  The 5K course is tough with some hills but it is also pretty especially when you get to run down Chapel Drive to the Duke Chapel and loop in front of it.  

I was looking forward to returning to this event and joining me was my cousin Sam, Uncle Don's son, and his mom Deb.  I had one goal for this race.  I wanted to beat my time of 17:57 from 2013.  I hadn't done a 5K since January 1, 2016 when I won the Beaufort Resolution Run.  

I arrived at the race at 7am for the 8am start.  Parking near the start/finish was easy in the big lot off of Anderson Street and they also had all levels of the parking deck available too.  It was warm and humid already and not much of a breeze.  I did my usual Generation UCAN about 40 minutes before the start and then started my dynamic warm-up routine.  I then headed off for an easy 15 minutes, 1.82 miles on the course.  Once I got back I grabbed a small cup of water and drank some and poured the rest on my head before lining up for the start.  

​I met with with my cousin Sam just before the start of the race.  The field was big, as always. The gun fired and I, along with everyone else took off up the gradual uphill start.  Once we crested the hill we had a slight downhill before we gradually climbed again on Flowers Drive with the Sarah P. Duke Gardens on our left.  I was feeling good and was somewhere around 10-15th place a half mile in.  I checked my pace and I was on goal pace.  

I passed some runners as we stayed left onto Campus Drive which was a downhill section before we turned left again on Alexander Ave.  The first mile marker was just ahead and I ran it in 5:39; maybe a little to quick.  There is a steep uphill right after the first mile marker and it doesn't stop until you make the right turn onto a bike path.  The hill is around 200m but it's steep and took the momentum right out of me although I did manage to pass a few more going up the hill.  I remembered it from 2013 but it felt worse this year probably due to the heat and humidity.  The 2013 race had a starting temp of 48 degrees, which I loved!  

I kept my focus on regaining what I lost on the hill once we turned right onto the bike path and right again onto Oregon Street.  I increased my effort down Oregon Street and then we took a left back onto Alexander Avenue and then a right onto Duke University Road.  I kept looking at my watch waiting for it to catch up to my increased effort because surely I was running a faster pace than what it was telling me.  

We turned right onto Chapel Drive and headed for the Duke Chapel.  This is a very pretty stretch to run on and the pavement on the road is smooth.  You have the beautiful Chapel ahead of you the whole time.  Mile 2 was right at the round-a-about and I ran it in 6:03; 11:43 total time.  It felt like I was running back in the 5:40s though.  My legs just felt heavy and tired.  I knew I needed to run the final 1.1 miles in 6:12 to beat my time from 2013.  I tried to dig deep and not get passed.

​Once we did the loop in front of the Chapel we ran back down Chapel Drive.  A little kid, who I later found out was Tim Surface's kid, passed me just before we made the right turn onto Wannamaker Drive.  The kid, Tyler (fast name to have if you're a runner) looked young and he was; he was 10.  His Dad, Tim was right behind him pacing him.  I wanted Tyler's energy when he passed me.  I didn't want to lose to a kid so I knew I had to re-group and dig once we came out of the tunnel and back on Flowers Drive for the drive to the finish line.  

I had nothing left to catch Tyler.  I was trying but I was running at top end and wasn't gaining on anyone ahead of me.  There is one last uphill right at the three mile marker then it's downhill to the finish line.  I ran mile three in 6:11.  I managed a little bit of a kick to the finish but it was mostly due to the fact it was downhill.  I finished 8th Overall out of 566 in 18:34 and 2nd in my age group, males 30-34.  10 year old Tyler ran 18:22 to place 6th overall and 1st in his age group.  The winner of the race was Jared Evtcheson in 16:56. 

​It was a tough day for me.  Not all races are going to go well and I was due for an off race with my recent success.  I was more tired than I expected.  The hills took more out me than I expected too.  I just couldn't regain anything on the flats or the downhills.  

​I still had fatigue in my legs from the the week before where I spent three days in the mountains and had two hilly long runs at Moses Cone Memorial Park.  One run, was 11 miles with 5 miles straight up from Bass Lake passed Cone Manor and up to the top of Flat Top Tower which included almost 1,000 feet of elevation gain.  I averaged about 7:36 pace for the 5 miles uphill.  I ran that with my friend Jason's dog, Lucy, and she loved it!  It helped having her pull me up the final mile to the top because that is the steepest of the whole run.  She's a German Short Haired Pointer and I love running her.  Coming back down the mountain was fun and Lucy wanted to fly and stretch her legs.  I didn't want to pound the downhills and tried holding her back but that was a losing battle to her and gravity.  

I'm still glad I ran this race and supported the cause.  It is a wonderful event and it was great seeing Sam and Deb too.  This race is very well organized.  They have a ton of food and gift vendors as well.  The course is tough and hilly but it's a pretty course.  The weather just wasn't in our favor this year.  This is a must do event in the Triangle and state of North Carolina.  

​Race Gear

Socks:  Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light low cut
Shoes:  New Balance 1400v4 road flats
Shorts:  Nike 3" Race Short
Singlet"  Duke Singlet by Adrenaline Promotions 
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
​Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses:  Rudy Project Rydon

The 3rd Annual Core Sound Run 10K was my second race of the year and my second time running this race.  I ran it the first year it was held and placed second in 36:49.  The race is put on by the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center located on Harkers Island, NC.  It is right across the water from Cape Lookout National Seashore which makes for a beautiful place for a race.  The race has a 5K and 10K and the courses are a loop instead of your typical out and back.  You start and finish across the water from the Cape Lookout lighthouse, run through some neighborhoods, and finish on the main road on the island back at the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center.  The courses are flat.  I'm glad they have a 10K because the 10K distance is getting harder to find.  It's a distance I still love to race and one of the few left in Carteret County.  

I love the local races back home and still do as many as I can.  I hated that I missed this race last year and it has become one of my favorite races because of the location, course, and race director.  It is a PR course with good weather before it gets so hot and humid.  I was coming off running the Florence Forth 10K in Durham on March 4th in 36:42.  I wanted to beat that time here on a flatter course and win the race.  The race gives really cool custom decoy awards to the overall winners.  The decoys are made by Casey A Decoys and are the perfect award for this race because the decoy represents the waterfowl heritage of down east Carteret County and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  
My Dad and I arrived at the race around 8am for the 9am race start.  The weather was good and the wind wasn't as bad as forecasted.  It was sunny with a temperature in the low 60s.  About 35 minutes before the start I did my usual scoop and a half of Generation UCAN before heading off for an easy 1.5 miles warm-up run with Katherine.  

The wind started to increase just in time for the start of the race.  I knew it was going to be a tough first 3.1 miles into the wind before we made the final left turn to get back on the main road which would take us straight back to the finish.  I was still determined to go out hard and chase a sub 36:42.  The gun went off and Katherine and I went to the lead, quickly leaving the field behind us.  The wind was strong but I was fresh so I just stayed focused on my goal. 

As I neared the first mile maker I noticed there wasn't a mile marker on the course.  They must have forgotten to put them out.  It was a little annoying but I knew the course was USATF certified and I knew about where the mile markers should be having run the race before.  I did have my Garmin 920XT on so that helped but I turn the auto lap off in races and hit the lap button at the official course markers so current mile pace is more accurate.  The first mile was mostly protected from the wind being in the neighborhood and I was able to open with a 5:47 first mile; right on pace.  

I was out front with only Katherine within striking distance of me.  I kept my eyes ahead and continued to run hard.  The fast opening mile and wind were starting to make it more difficult though to run the pace I wanted.  Aside from the missing mile markers, all the course turns were well marked and volunteers were stationed at intersections to stop traffic.  Mile two was slower in 6:02.  

The next 1.5 miles were directly into the wind and it felt strong as the neighborhood was thinning out taking away the little wind protection we had.  I kept running hard into it though looking forward to the final left turn and having the wind at my back.  I ran mile three in 6:13.  Once I made the turn back onto the main road the police car pulled ahead of me to lead me to the finish. 

Now that I had the tailwind, I turned my focus to getting the time back I lost.  I felt like I was still running the same effort as I did into the wind but now my pace was showing that effort.  I was tired though from battling the wind but now it was time to dig deep and go get the win.  I ran miles four and five in 6:05 and 5:57.  I wasn't sure how big my lead was with 1.2 miles to go as I wasn't looking back to find out.  
I kept focusing on the police car and using it as my pacer.  I passed runners and walkers finishing the 5K and cheered them on as they cheered for me.  It was feeling warmer than it was thanks to the full sun and no shade but I'll take April warm over the heat and humidity of the Beaufort Road Race in July.  I ran mile six in 5:58 and finished the last 0.2 miles at 5:39 pace to take the Win in 37:36.  Katherine was 2nd Overall in 38:01.  She said she wouldn't have ran that fast if she hadn't been chasing me so I'm glad she surprised herself.  

My time was a minute slower than my goal.  The wind was tough and it was difficult to make up the time I lost battling the wind.  The Florence Forth 10K had a deep field which helped me run faster because I was chasing people.  I think I've gotten to the point where I run better on courses with some rolling hills than I do on flat courses.  I'm so happy I won this race though and got one of the decoy awards!  

Several of my friends had good races as well.  Kent won his age group in the 10K and Lauren was the 5K Overall Female winner.  We got to get Kevin to win his age group next year!  I love this race and area.  I'm sure they'll remember to put the mile markers out next year.  I want to see this race grow in numbers and I plan on doing anything I can to make that happen.  The area is beautiful and the 5K and 10K courses are great.  You can't beat finishing across the water from Cape Lookout either.  

My Saturday wasn't over yet though.  After winning this race I headed back to Cary in the afternoon to pace my friend Jason at Umstead 100.  Jason won it last year and had a goal of a sub 15 hour performance this year.  I was going to pace him the final lap, 12.5 miles, in my favorite place to run.  I paced him last year on an earlier lap but stayed till he finished and it was so great when he won it last year.  He had a busy spring running 230 miles across Haiti with Team Tassy, winning the Umstead Trail Marathon a week after he got back, and now running the Umstead 100 a few weeks after the Umstead Trail Marathon.  Jason ended up having a tough day and missed his goal time but I'm glad I was there to get him through the last 12.5 miles.  His other paces did a great job as well getting him mentally able to finish on such a tough day.  He is a strong runner and doing all three of those so close together is impressive!  I don't know how he did it but he did.

Race Gear

Socks:  Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light low cut
Shoes:  New Balance 1400v4 road flats ​
Shorts:  The North Face Better Than Naked Split Shorts 3"
​Singlet:  The Running Syndicate Adidas singlet 
​Road ID Wrist ID Slim
​Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses:  Rudy Project Rydon

​I decided I wanted to get faster in shorter distances this spring and summer after winning the 3 Bridges Marathon in Little Rock, Arkansas in December.  I usually take a whole week off from running after a marathon but since the marathon was so close to my birthday I only took five days off because I had to run on my birthday.  Since then I've been gradually building my mileage base back up.  In February, my coach Philip Latter, of the Running Syndicate, started giving me speed, hill, and strength intervals and tempos more geared towards the 10K and shorter distances.  I've been enjoying hitting the track again and realized I missed doing repeats on a track.  I'm not constantly looking at my Garmin for pace and mileage on a track as I know the splits I need to hit per 200, 400, etc based on the goal of the workout.  In marathon training I was doing most of my workouts on the greenways or bridal trails in Umstead State Park which simulate the marathon better because I rarely race on a track anymore.  I'm a big believer in doing your hard workouts on surfaces you race on and replicating the course profile as best you can.  You can't beat a track for quality speedwork though.  

The Florence Forth 10K in Durham, NC was my first race of 2017.  I hadn't done the race before but heard good things about it from friends who had done it in the past.  The race is usually the NC USATF 10K Road Championship as well so it draws a fast field.  Florence Forth was started by Leslie and Will McDow who lost their daughter Florence on March 4th, 2012 after a long battle with autoimmune encephalitis.  Proceeds from Florence Forth allow the AE Alliance to raise awareness, educate doctors and improve clinical care so that no one faces autoimmune encephalitis alone.   

​Both races, the 5K and 10K, were great loop courses that went around the Duke University East Campus.  The 10K course had some rolling hills and the elevation profile and elevation gain on mapmyrun is not accurate compared to my Garmin and actually running the course.  The hills were tougher than the gradual little inclines suggested on mapmyrun.com.  

I arrived at the race around 7am, an hour before the 8am start.  I ate a GU Energy Stroopwafel before doing my dynamic warm-up.  After that I met my friend Zack and we headed off for an easy 1.5 miles warm-up run to get loose.  Zack was coming off taking 2nd place overall at the Colonial Half Marathon in Williamsburg, VA in 1:10:08 just six days before.  About 30 minutes before the start, I drank a scoop and a half of Generation UCAN.  UCAN has been working for me for over a year now and I highly recommend it to anyone who has had trouble figuring out nutrition in the past.  It's a steady, slow burning carbohydrate that doesn't spike and crash like gels and other sugar based products and it doesn't cause stomach distress. 

​I had two goals for this race; first I wanted to break 37:00 and I wanted to keep my friend Amanda in my sights.  Amanda was training to make her marathon debut at the Tobacco Road Marathon and was in great shape.  It was cold, 28 degrees, as we lined up for the start.  I like the cold but that was a little too cold for such a short race.  

The race started and I went out fast chasing the lead pack and Amanda.  The first half of the first mile is downhill so it's easy to go out fast.  It's a gradual climb the second half of the first mile.  Half a mile in I pulled even with my friend Molly and chatted with her as we ran together the rest of the first mile.  I opened with a 5:49 first mile.  

​I was feeling good and warmer now that we were racing.  Mile two started with a gradual climb the first quarter then was gently rolling.  I ran mile two in 5:55.  I was still running with Molly but started to get ahead of her a little bit around 2.5 miles when I saw Tim Meigs taking pictures.  The next two miles were rolling, nothing too steep.  I was enjoying the course and kept my focus on running smooth and staying on sub 37:00 pace.  

I could still see Amanda ahead of me on the long straight stretches.  I wasn't sure what place I was in because it was a deep and fast field.  I ran mile three in 5:52.  Another uphill came around 3.75 miles that didn't stop until the four mile mark which I split in 5:57.  Mile four to five was mostly downhill with a couple uphills.  I ran mile five in 5:50. 

The toughest mile of the whole race was up next.  Mile six was all uphill on Anderson Street and Erwin Road.  It started off gradual and kept climbing as it got steeper towards the end once we crossed Main Street.  I was keeping my effort the same but it was a grind of a hill.  I ran mile six in 6:07, my slowest of the race.  

​Once we crossed Main Street it was a downhill back to the finish.  I recovered from the hill and was able to increase my leg turnover the final 0.2 miles to finish in 36:42 for 21st place overall out of 389 and 3rd in my age group out of 32.  It was my fastest 10K since 2012 and just one second off my PR on a completely flat course.  

The winner of the race was Matthew Elliott in 31:12.  The top 12 runners broke 35:00 minutes including the female winner, Sarah Rapp, in 34:40.  Amanda placed 17th overall and 2nd woman in 35:59.  Zack ran 33:02 for 8th place overall and 2nd in his age group.  Another friend, Bart, placed 14th overall and 2nd masters in 35:13.  

​I was very happy with my race performance.  It was a challenging but fair course.  I tend to run better on courses with some hills than I do flats anyways.  Yes mile six was tough all uphill but the rest of the course wasn't bad, just rolling hills.  The weather was great if you like cold like I do but you never know what kind of weather you will get in March in North Carolina.  I also wore new racing shoes in this race; the New Balance 1400v4 and they were great!  It was only my second run in them, just did an easy shakeout in them the day before racing in them.  I've usually raced in the Adidas Adios flat but couldn't pass up the great sale price of the NB 1400v4.  The shoe has plenty of cushioning for me for a half marathon and possibly a marathon.  The upper and fit of the shoe is great.  Seriously, a new favorite road flat of mine.  

The race was very well organized.  They had mile makers at every mile, including mile 6.  For some reason a lot of races don't put a 6 mile marker out for 10Ks but I appreciated it was there and it's the little things like having a 6 mile maker that make a race and course better.  The only thing the race was lacking was a formal awards ceremony after the race.  I was disappointed and surprised the race didn't have an awards ceremony as it was the NC USATF 10K Road Championship.  Other runners I talked to were also confused why there wasn't an awards ceremony.  Overall this is a great race and I can see why it's been voted Best 10K in the Triangle numerous times.  I would do this race again and highly recommend it.  

Race Gear:

Socks:  Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light 
Shoes:  New Balance 1400v4 road flats 
Shorts:  Adidas Men's Supernova Short Tight 
Singlet:  Adidas Running Syndicate 
Arm Warmers:  Asics Arm Warmers 
Gloves:  Smartwool Liner Gloves
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
​Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses:  Rudy Project Rydon
Beannie/Hat:  Smarwool PhD Training Beanie