
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.
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.
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.
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
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