I still may not be fully over my DNF at the 2018 Boston Marathon and it took me awhile to want to race another marathon.  After talking with several friends who were doing the full at Richmond I decided it would be my redemption marathon.  I ran the half at Richmond last year and it was my fastest since 2014.  The full course is supposed to be great for racing too and I've had a lot of friends run well there.  Richmond usually has great weather; especially if you like cold like I do. The half last year was 22 degrees at the start and 28 when I finished.  

Training for Richmond was great.  I had four weeks over 80 miles, peaking at 86. I did four 20+ mile runs peaking at 24 miles for my long run which I did twice. One 24 was all easy with The Zap Fitness Team in Blowing Rock the day after racing a 5K with a tempo workout immediately after it. Surprisingly that long run with Joanna, Nicole, and Melanie clicked by and I felt better the longer I ran. I really appreciated having Joanna's company for all of it and Coach Pete having our bottles and gels setup as an aid station we could swing by as needed.  My final 24 included surges the final 85 minutes at tempo pace towards 5K pace.  The other two 20+ were 20 with 8 total miles at marathon pace and the other was a 22 miler with half marathon to marathon pace surges during the final 8.5 miles.  I'm a big fan of running marathon pace or faster on tired legs at the end of long runs. It gets you used to running hard and fast while fatigued. 

The primary goal for Richmond was to run a solid, consistent marathon.  My second goal was to PR if conditions were good and I was feeling good with 10K to go.  Kristin and I arrived in Richmond on Thursday evening and went ahead and went to the expo to get my number.  The next morning I got up and did an easy shakeout run plus some strides on the nice James River Trail. It was a nice dirt and grass path perfect for an easy run.  We met our friends Carrie and Amy for dinner the night before the marathon. They were both running the full as well at Richmond. 

Race day arrived on Saturday and the weather was nice again for Richmond. The temperature was in the mid 40s and partly cloudy but the wind was getting stronger.  I made it to the start line for the 7:45am start where I met up with my friends Carrie, Travis, and Coach Matt of Zap Fitness. Matt reminded me to run smart. Matt was making his debut in the marathon.  

The race started and Carrie and I went out together for the first 5K or so. I was feeling good after easing into it the first mile with a 6:40; slower than I wanted but it was a little congested in the downtown streets with the turns. The next two miles were at 6:30 and under as I got into my marathon pace.  I was feeling good and had plenty of people to run with. I took my first Maurten gel at 5 miles. I split the first 10K in 40:32. The first 10K felt pretty flat but it was a very subtle uphill till about 6.5 miles before you start to go down. 

I was still feeling comfortable and enjoying the course and the crowd support. I kept clicking off the miles between 6:25-6:30. The course from 10K to the half marathon is rolling little hills but nothing bad. Just enough to mix it up the muscles. After mile 7, you cross your first bridge and make a hard left onto Riverside Drive. Riverside Drive was flat and pretty with the river on the left and the Fall Colors on the trees lining the river.  I split the first half in 1:24:59.  

I was still feeling good and knew I had more in me but wanted to maintain my current pace through 20 before making the decision on picking it up.  I continued on at my pace until 15 where we crossed another bridge. This was one of the windier sections of the course.  I'm used to running high rise bridges in the wind so a flat one, even in a headwind, wasn't that bad.  The wind did slow my pace down though as there wasn't anyone close enough to draft behind. I ran mile 15-16 in 6:40.

It was time to get back to 6:30 and under pace.  The wind was still tough at times but I kept gaining on people. There was a group of 3 guys I kept trying to catch to draft behind. It seemed every time I surged the headwind got worse. I was picking off runners though and back to my planned pace. 

​After 19 miles the course became familiar as it was the same as the half and I really enjoyed that section of the half last year. I went through 20 miles in 2:10:06, right on 6:30 min/mile pace.  Even though the headwind miles slowed me I had enough miles in the mid and low 6:20s for it to average out.  The half goes in Jospeh Bryan Park and the last uphill in the half is the climb up out of there but the full didn't go in there so the course stayed flat.

The final 10K of the full was great. It was flat and then a gradual downhill the final 4 miles if not more. After 20 I knew I was feeling good and needed to pick it up and chase my PR of 2:49:52 set at the 2014 Boston Marathon. Even though it was downhill the wind was still strong at times and the full sun made it feel warmer than it was. I ran miles 20-25 in 6:29-6:25. The last half mile is an 'oh shit, don't fall" kind of downhill.  It's very steep. It wasn't horrible in the half last year but it was pretty brutal in the full this year. I landed once and my right squad shook and I feared I would fall down but I didn't. I closed the final 1.2 miles in 7:40, 6:11 min/mile pace. I finished in 2:50:20; 41st place overall out 4,000 and 5th age group (35-39) out of 278. 

My friend John ran 2:37:27 at 49 years old! I've told him and Tim Meigs I wanna be fast like them when I grow up. It was great getting to train with John in the early morning hours.  Travis finished in 2:58:50, Carrie in 2:59:24, and Matt broke 3 hours in his first marathon finishing in 2:59:36 after having 2 pit stops in the last half. 

​It was my fastest marathon since my PR in 2014, my second fastest marathon of the ten I've done, and 7:53 faster than the last marathon I finished, which I also Won, in 2016.  It was also my most consistently paced marathon with only a 21 seconds positive second half. I wanted to negative split and PR but the wind made it tough. I couldn't catch the group of guys ahead of me to draft behind the final 10K. I loved seeing Matt's wife Amanda on the course and appreciated her encouragement. I had a lot of fun picking people off the final 1oK though and feeling so good from start to finish. I accomplished my goal of redemption after Boston. 

All my race gear and nutrition worked really well for Richmond.  The Maurten gels were amazing. Those are so easy on the stomach and I was able to take one every 5 miles and get 4 in me whereas in past marathons I could stomach 3 at most of other brands.  I wish they had more electrolytes in them as they only have 34mg of sodium and I'm a heavy salt sweater. I love the Rabbit FKT shorts! The side stash pockets hold a lot of gels comfortably and the middle zip pocket is big and holds a lot as well.  The Reebok Floatride Run fast has been my go to racing shoe for awhile. That foam is great and my legs felt good start to finish in my first marathon in them.  I've also been a huge fan Rudy Project sunglasses.  The Tralyx are so light, at 0.99 ounces!  I love the Photochromic lenses that got from clear to black. That is great for starting in the dark or just after sunrise and they darken fast as the sun rises. They're also polarized and don't fog because of the vents in the lens and design for airflow. They're the only performance sunglasses I've had that don't fog, even in our high humidity in North Carolina.  

I would highly recommend Richmond has a half or full marathon. The course is great with enough rolling hills where you don't get beat up from running flat all the time.  None of the hills are steep. The Richmond Marathon must have a deal with Mother Nature as they always seem to get ideal racing weather too.  The logistics of hotels and parking are so easy as well.  The race is called America's friendliest marathon and for a great reason. The crowd support is amazing!  

Race Gear

Socks: Smartwool PhD Run Lite Elite low cut
Shoes:  Reebok Floatride Run Fast
Shorts:  Rabbit FKT 3" Race Short
Singlet: Zap Fitness singlet
Arm Warmers: Asics neon yellow arm warmers
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
​Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses:  Rudy Project Tralyx 

The Tobacco Trail 4 Miler on October 27th was chance to let loose and race as a final tuneup before the Richmond Marathon in two weeks. No more holding back and doing a race as part of a workout.  The 4 miler is a new event added to the 10 miler that has been going on since 2007.  I raced the 10 miler in 2014; running 59:25. It's a simple out and back on the American Tobacco Trail from the White Oak Church parking lot.  The race course heads south towards Apex and back.  The Tobacco Trail is a packed in rail to trail dirt path that is great for training in the Triangle. It's not flat like many will tell you.  The hills aren't steep by any means but they are long, very subtle and gradual hills that go on for miles at a time. 

John Barry and I got entries thanks to 1 Red Shoe Realty. Kristin and I bought our house with 1 Red Shoe and we highly recommend them. Their knowledge and years of experience is just what we needed as first time home buyers.  John and I have been training together a lot more thanks to my new work schedule. It’s been nice having his company at 5:30am during the week especially chasing him on intervals and tempos. I’ve told him and a few other masters running friends that I wanna be fast like them when I grow up.  John and I did an easy 3.25 miles before making our way over to the start line for the 9:10am start. 

At the start we saw friends Catherine, Erin, and Bill who were also doing the 4 miler.  The race started and John was out fast with me in second giving chase.  I knew I wasn't as fast as him but I wanted to keep him as close as I could for as long as I could. The first 2 miles are the fastest because they're all downhill or flat.  The drop is around 101 feet according to Strava.  I opened with a 5:35 first mile.  John was about 15 seconds ahead of me as we continued to mile two and the turnaround.  I ran mile two in a more reasonable 5:49.  

​After the turnaround the real work began as the final two miles would be the uphill grind back. The hills aren't bad on an easy or long run but at race pace, intervals, or tempos you know you're working by having to dig.  I ran mile three in 5:57.  I saw our friend Mike Welker on the course which was great because he got pictures of us.  Unfortunately mile four was slowest, a 6:08.  John won in 21:53 and I was second in 23:30.  We were followed by Catherine, Erin, and Bill in 26:00.  

I was happy with my performance. I went out too fast chasing John but it was fun and hard not to go out fast when you open with 2 miles of downhill. I slowed more than I wanted the second half but it was still a good race. I hope they continue the 4 miler event as I think it will be a great option to those racing a November half or full marathon as the 10 miler can be a little too far to race with your goal race a couple weeks away.  The North Carolina Road Runners once again did a great job with one of their races.  

Race Gear

Socks:  Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light low cut
​Shoes:  New Balance 1400v4
Shorts:  2XU MCS Run Compression Shorts
Singlet: Zap Fitness singlet
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
​Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Hat: Zap Fitness tech hat

The Bull City Race Fest Half Marathon on October 21, 2018 was my chance of a redo of the Salem Lake 30K workout in which I failed to execute the plan for the race/workout.  I was supposed to run the first half at marathon pace and do a progression the second half. I got caught up in racing and bad GPS signal on the lake trail and went out too fast only to slow down the second half in the heat and humidity. This time I was determined to stick to the race plan.

I haven't done the Bull Race Fest before but I heard good things about the race and course in Durham. They offer a 5 miles and half marathon as loop courses which highlights the American Tobacco campus, downtown Durham, the Trinity Park neighborhood, the famous 9th street shopping and dining district, Duke University's East and West campuses, the Duke Forest neighborhood, and Forest Hills before finishing back at the Tobacco Campus. 

Kristin and I arrived at the race around 6:30am and got parked in the deck right near the start/finish. After my dynamic warmup I headed off for an easy 3 miles warm-up at an average 8:28 min/mile pace.  The race started at 7:30am. At the starting line with many friends and Bull City Track Club teammates I found Jon Ziefle. Jon said his goal was to run 6:30 min/mile pace which is exactly what I need to run the first 10K in before starting the progression. I knew having Jon to run with would keep me from going out too fast. The race started and Jon I settled nicely into running 6:30 while chatting. The weather was great at 43 degrees and I felt nice and comfortable on the rolling hills course. Jon and I hit the first 10K right at a 6:30 average pace. 

With the first goal of the workout accomplished I now set off on the progression. The goal was a perfect progression with each mile faster than the previous. I knew it would be a challenge with the second half of the course being hillier than the first.  I ran miles seven and eight in 6:24 and 6:25. I was catching people which was feeding me momentum but that also made it hard to hold back and not just let it rip. Miles nine and ten clicked by in 6:16 and 6:10. Those were a little too fast but I was still having a great progression. I backed off on mile eleven but it was also one of the hillier miles and the wind was getting strong in sections too. I slowed too much and ran a 6:23 for my eleventh mile. The perfect progression was blown but I could still have an overall progression on the second half. Back to work I went on the final 2.1 miles.

I finished those last two miles and change at 6:06 min/mile pace. My time for the half marathon was 1:23:39.  I placed 13th place overall out of 1372 and won my age group. Jon was able to pick the pace up too on the second half and finished the next spot behind me in 1:24:25. It was a great tuneup for him before he did the Philadelphia Marathon.  It wasn't a perfect progression but it was a faster second half on a tough rolling hills course with wind. I'll take it as a win for workout; much better performance than the Salem Lake 30K. It's tough doing a workout in a race environment. On one hand it takes the pressure off of racing and going for a PR but on the other it’s hard to hold back and not show your fitness.  It’s great to practice the race environment though and execute the workout plan with the focus on the bigger picture of the Richmond Marathon. Bull City Race Fest is a great event. It is well organized and I enjoyed the half marathon course. 

​Race Gear

Socks:  Smartwool Run Light Elite low cut
​Shoes:  Reebok Floatride Run Fast
Shorts: 2XU MCS Run Compression Shorts
Singlet:  Bull City Track Club 
Arm Sleeves: Asics royal blue 
​Gloves: Smartwool liner gloves
Road ID Wrist ID Stretch
​Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses:  Rudy Project Tralyx 
Hat:  Zap Fitness tech hat

The Salem Lake 30K is put on by the Twin Cities Track Club and held at Salem Lake in Winston Salem, NC.  I hadn't done a 30K before and decided to do this as part of a workout leading up to the Richmond Marathon. The plan for the workout was to do 1.4 miles easy before the race then run the race with the first 15K at marathon pace followed by a progression run the final 15K.  This would be my 4th 20 miles or longer run of this cycle.  

The weather was warm and humid and the cloud cover quickly burned off as the race start time of 8am approached.  The race started and I went out with the leaders before trying to dial it back and run marathon pace and not race the 30K.  I was in 4th and enjoying the trail around Salem Lake.  The surface reminded me of the Tobacco Trail or bridle trails in Umstead State Park.  It was smooth and flat.  I was in third place with two guys way ahead of me.  

The 30K course goes around the lake counter clockwise for 6.5 miles before continuing on the greenway next to Salem Creek before turning around at 9.3 miles.  I was feeling good and like I was on marathon pace but was actually running too quick.  My Garmin pace was off and was telling me I was running in the 6:30s but I realized by the mile markers I was running closer to 6:20 and under.  I felt good enough that I could sustain this pace so I kept rolling along. 

​There are some rolling hills on the trail but the steepest hill is on the greenway just after existing the trail.  It's only about 200m but it's steep.  My splits for the first 15K were too quick according to my race plan at 6:22, 6:11, 6:24, 6:20, 6:20, 6:17, 6:22, 6:24, 6:24.  Opps!  I knew that would make a progression the final 9.3 miles tough so I focused on just maintaining my current pace and having a quality 30K.  The leaders were several minutes ahead of me when I saw them coming back from the turn.  

I was able to maintain my pace for three more miles running splits of 6:20, 6:29, 6:24. I was now 12 miles in with 6.6 miles to go.  I started feeling the heat and humidity after 12 miles and the too fast pace I went out at.  I started to blow up during the next four miles running splits of 7:08, 7:02, and 7:01.  After that I decided to go ahead and shut it down and save it for another day.  I had blown the workout already and was using too much effort running 30+ sec slower than marathon pace.  Final 1.6 miles were 8:01 and 7:33 pace for the final 0.6 miles.  One guy caught and passed me during the final 2 miles when I was dying.  At the time I thought that put me in fourth but one of the top 2 guys had dropped out so I finished 3rd overall in 2:03:10.  

​I learned several things from this workout gone bad.  First, stick to the race plan and trust it.  Just because you're feeling fresh and strong early doesn't mean you can sustain a pace that is 10 sec per mile too fast with all the mileage on your legs from marathon training.  Secondly, don't be so dependent on the GPS for pace.  A lot of GPS watches struggle at Salem Lake and mine did as well even having me run a 3:10 third mile haha.  I was relying on the incorrect data from my watch on pacing the first half when it was 10-20 sec per mile slower than what I was running.  Lastly, it is really hard for someone as competitive as me to run a workout in a race environment.  I thought I could dial it back and stick to the plan but I failed miserably at that  Had I stuck to the plan I might have won the race as the winner ran 2:00:25.  He was much father ahead of me than 3 minutes at the turn so he also slowed down and struggled the second half.  If I could have executed my plan and done the progression I may have been within striking distance with a couple miles to go and probably fresh enough to challenge for the win.  

The Twin City Track Club put on a great event.  It is a very pretty area for a race and they hold other races there like the Frosty Fifty 50K, 25K, and 50K relay in January.  There could have been a few more aid stations on the course as I could have used more water especially the second half when the heat and humidity increased.  Starting the race at 7am instead of 8am would have been much nicer.  I loved the clay finisher's medal and handmade pottery bowl for the awards.  Trail races usually have the best and most unique awards.  It's still a great race and a great distance to do as a tuneup for a fall or winter marathon.

Race Gear

Socks:  Smartwool Men's PhD Ultra Light Low Cut Socks
​Shoes:  Reebok Floatride Run Fast
Shorts:  Rabbit Men's FKT 3" Short
Singlet:  Duke Blue Devils Singlet by Adrenaline Promotions 
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
​Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses:  Rudy Project Tralyx 

This was my first time doing the Blue Ridge Conservancy 5K in Blowing Rock, NC.  The Blue Ridge Conservancy is a private, non-profit, non-governmental organization that has protected over 20,000 acres in Western, NC.  The race course is a beautiful loop staring in central Blowing Rock with a challenging climb up Wonderland Trail Road before a fast downhill final mile mile to finish.  I knew it was going to be a tough course to race and it got tougher when my coach added a workout immediately after the race.  I am training for the Richmond Marathon after all so it made sense but I hadn't done a workout following a race before.  I felt pretty bad ass that it was on my training plan because only the likes of the Zap Fitness Elite team, Galen Rupp, and other elites do workouts after racing.  My girlfriend Kristin decided to do the race too so it was the first time we both would be doing the same race.  

I didn't have a goal time for this race as I knew the course would be tough and I was coming off 81, 64, and 81 mile weeks the previous three weeks.  I just wanted to race the course, felt good, and nail the 3 miles tempo workout after the race.  The weather was great but a little warm for Blowing Rock standards in late September.  It was in the low to mid 60s, full sun, but a little humid.  I did an easy 2.5 miles before lining up for the race start.  

I got off to a fast start following Zap runners Johnny and Pardon.  I knew they would soon disappear so my goal was to stay in third place and make it a Zap singlet sweep on the podium.  The first 1.5 miles is all uphill so it's a tough start to a race.  It's a challenging climb but the views on the course especially on Wonderland Trail Road on a clear day are beautiful.  I opened with a 6:02 first mile with 128 feet gain before slowing to a 6:18 on mile two that had about 108 feet gain.  I was running with a group of 3 other guys up until then when two pulled away from me.  I was looking forward to opening up the stride and seeing what I could do on the downhill mile three.  Even with all the marathon mileage on my legs I was able to pick it up and run mile three in 5:33.  Downhill or not it was good to have that speed.  I didn't gain on third and forth place though but I distanced myself more from those behind me.  The last 400m into the finish is a little tough too as you have another climb.  I finished in 5th overall, 1st in my age group in 18:19.  Pardon won the race in a blazing 15:07.  Johnny was second in 15:13.  

I talked to a few people after I finished while getting some water.  I did a mile easy in 7:50 to Moses Cone Memorial Park where I was going to do my three miles tempo workout around Bass Lake.  Surprisingly I was feeling pretty good and I nailed the tempo.  Bass Lake has a flat 1500m loop around it perfect for tempos and intervals.  I did the 3 mile tempo in 18:19 with splits of 6:07, 6:06, 6:06.  Running low 6 min tempo pace felt pretty easy after closing a 5K in 5:33.  I did a mile easy cool down back to the race finish just in time to chill before the awards ceremony started.  Kristin completed the toughest 5K she did ahead of her goal time and just 10 seconds slower than what she ran the flat Gasparilla 5K in Tampa, Fl back in February so she was happy with that and surprised herself.  

The race was a lot of fun and the course is beautiful.  It's a great cause to support as well as we need to protect our natural lands.  The post race sticky buns, cookies, and coffee were delicious too!  I also got to met a new friend, Melanie Brender who used to run with the Brooks Hansons group.  The next morning I met Melanie and the Zap team for a long run.  I ran with Joanna, Nicole, and Melanie as their paces were close to mine.  We had a great 20 miles together then I added on another 4 miles to finish my long run and give me 85 miles for the week. I really appreciated the aid station head coach Pete Rea set up for us for the run.  I really enjoy the Zap team and getting to run with them.  They're such a friendly and welcoming group.  

Race Gear

Socks:  Smartwool Men's PhD Ultra Light Low Cut Socks
Shoes:  Reebok Floatride Run Fast
Shorts:  2XU MCS Run Compression Short
Singlet:  Zap Fitness Reebok singlet
Watch:  Garmin 920xt
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
Sunglasses:  Rudy Project Tralyx​

The Beaufort Road Race in my hometown was the first road race I ever did.  This year marked my 22nd consecutive year running it.  I ran the 5k ten times from 1997-2006, the 10K eight times from 2007-2010 and 2013-2016, and the mile three times in 2011, 2012, and last year 2017.  I won the 10K in 2014 and won the mile last year so it made sense to go back to the 5K and attempt to win it which would give me overall wins in all three events; something I'm pretty sure no one has done there.  I knew winning the 5K would be the toughest of the three to win because it usually has the fastest fields and the winning times can be a minute or more faster than my PR at the distance.  

The Beaufort Road Race is known for being hot, humid, and flat.  It's pretty common for the temperature to be 80 degrees at 8am with a heat index of 90.  This year was the exception to the usual weather.  It was 75 degrees, overcast, and raining.  It's rained before and after but not during the race that I recall.  I had a couple good luck signs working in my favor to get the win this year.  The race shirt was "Sonny" neon green and my bib number had a 3 in it. 

I did an easy 3 miles warm-up before lining up at the race start.  The rain was lighter when the race started.  I went out fast with my friend Katherine Price.  The rain got heavier at about the one mile mark which I hit in 5:47 on the out and back course on Front Street.  I was in second place at the turn around with the leader within striking distance.  Third place was right behind me and he passed me before the two mile mark.  I ran mile two in 5:52. I knew I had to make a charge to win so I picked it up and moved back into second place.  I focused on the leader but I wasn't gaining any on him.  I ran mile three in 5:56 and the last tenth at 5:34 mile pace to finish second overall in 18:19, 14 seconds behind the winner and 6 seconds ahead of third.

This was the year to win the Beaufort 5K as the weather conditions were about as good as you can get for July in Beaufort and the winning time was much slower than it usually is.  I'll take heavy rain over hot and humid conditions anytime at Beaufort.  I just didn't have 5K speed.  I was coming off my second The Bear race the week before and I think that took some speed from me like it did last year when I did the two races a week apart.  I so wanted the win this year but I'll train more for a 5K next summer in order to go after the win again.

Race Gear

Socks:  Smartwool Men's PhD Ultra Light Low Cut Socks
​Shoes:  New Balance 1400v4
Shorts:  Adidas 3" split shorts
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
​Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Hat:  Zap Fitness Reebok tech hat

A 5 miles race all uphill to the top of Grandfather Mountain is the logical first race after the disaster that was the 2018 Boston Marathon, right?  Well for me it was.  I was mentally in a bad place after Boston this year.  I got the temperature I wanted but not the freezing rain and 30mph headwind that accompanied it.  I was trained for a 2:47 I thought and was on pace to run 2:55 in the historically bad conditions until I couldn't anymore and DNFed at 24.5 miles.  I may never fully get over that DNF on the biggest stage at my favorite marathon.  A marathon where I had run two PRs (2011 and 2014) and came away with a 703 overall finish in the record heat of 2012.  It was a race I had always performed well at until this year.  

I took a week off after Boston and then built my mileage back up.  I looked at some summer races but none excited me.  My fire and passion just wasn't there.  I wasn't even signed up for The Bear on July 12th this year and in typical Bear fashion the race sold out online in about forty minutes. Luckily, I had an entry into the race through Zap Fitness if I wanted to do it.  I think I decided Memorial Day weekend to do The Bear again.  I ran my first Bear last year and loved it.  It was tough and I had to walk parts during the last 2 miles but so did the overall winner who set a new course record of 30:18.  I finished last year in 20th out of 787 in 37:42 and got a coveted mug.  

Since The Bear wasn't on my plan until about six weeks out I didn't train for it as long and specifically as I had last year.  None the less I trusted my coach Philip Latter, of The Running Syndicate, to get me ready on such short notice.  We added more Bear specific workouts which included sets of hill intervals, tempos on hills, and long and easy runs on hills.  I did one long run at Moses Cone with my friends Amanda and Matt which included 5 miles straight uphill to the top of the Firetower.  I felt better on that than I expected even if we were keeping the pace easy.  Phillip told me last year the race was more about overall fitness than being a good uphill runner.  I wasn't sure my overall fitness was as high this year going into the Bear as it was last year but having last years course experience was a big bonus.  

​My friends Ellen and Torrie joined me for the Bear this year.  I mentioned the race to my friends and teammates in the Bull City Track Club, hoping some would be crazy enough to join me this year and those two were the only ones who did.  Neither had done the Bear before and I assured them it was going to be brutal and they may even cuss my name during parts of it but it would also be a lot of fun; well as much fun as one can have running up a mountain.  

After getting our race packets Kristin and I met Torrie, Ellen, and Ellen's parents for dinner at Lost Province in Boone, NC.  When you go there order the wood fired mac and cheese with fire roasted tomatoes and bacon and thank me later!  It was a lot of fun hanging out at dinner 24 hours before we could be running The Bear.  

After Dinner, Kristin and I got invited to go hear Bill Rogers talk at Zap.  I hadn't met him before and was honored to receive and invitation.  The talk was entertaining and a good time.  I got to meet a long time online friend Melissa and her husband who were there for one of Zap's famous running camps.  

​Race day finally arrived and I felt good.  The tough thing about evening races is  waiting around all day for them to start.  Luckily we had great hosts in Matt and Amanda and were thoroughly entertained by their boys Owen and Eli, so, the time passed quickly.  Amanda, Kristin, and I drove to the race together and got there a little before 6pm.  The race started at 7pm.  After a dynamic warm-up Amanda and I set off for an easy 3 miles warm-up run.  It was warm for the mountains and sunny at race start but there was a dark cloud over the top of Grandfather mountain.  Pete Rea was so gracious letting Kristin ride up to the top with the Zap Fitness crew so she could watch us finish.  

This was also the first Bear for one of my best friends Anne Wheatly.  She's a great runner especially at these tough races.  She won the Grandfather Mountain Marathon in 2009 and since has been running ultras and having a lot of success.  She won the Table Rock 50K and Shut In Ridge races in 2017 and placed 2oth overall in the 2017 Georgia Death Race just to name a few.  I figured it would be a close race between her and Amanda for the win this year.  My only goal for this year was to somehow beat my time from last year.  

The race started and Amanda and I went out side by side near the front of the pack.  The first mile climbs 391 feet and the next two climb 213 and 175 feet.  Last year my first three miles were 7:28, 7:45, and 7:15.  This year I could feel Amanda and I were going out much faster.  We were staying side by side and making our way up the mountain.  Once we got settled in we managed to pick some runners off that went out harder than we did.  I ran the first three miles this year in 7:16, 7:27, and 7:14.  The grade adjusted pace (GAP) on those miles was 5:49, 6:28, and 6:13.  

​It was a lot of fun having Amanda side by side with me.  As we ran through the Highland Games she got a lot of cheers as being the lead female runner.  Amanda won the race last year in 38:45.  Once you do half a lap around the Highland Games track you have to go up this brutal grass hill to get back onto the pavement that will lead you to the top and the finish.  That grass hill always just kicks you in the face.  As we neared the hill I could see another Raleigh area runner, Aaron Hale, just ahead of us.  Aaron beat me last year by 27 seconds so I wanted to beat him this year.  

As much as it hurt I threw a surge down as soon as we came off the grass and hit the pavement again.  It was a tough place to make a move but I knew there wouldn't be a lot of passing in the last 2 miles with the 900 feet gain so I had to go now to get by Aaron.  As me and Amanda went by him he told me good job or go get it Tyler and I replied thanks and told him to go as well.  

I'm not sure when the first time I walked this year was.  It might have been around 3.5 miles.  I walked about three or four times last year for about thirty of forty seconds each time.  I did the same thing this year.  I wasn't sure when it happened but Amanda and I got separated a little during the last two miles.  I would look back when I was walking to see her running.  We traded walking and running back and forth.  Parts are so steep you can power hike as fast as you could run.  I think we still managed to pass a few more runners during the last two miles and I don't think anyone passed us.  

​The cloud deck was thick near the top which obstructed the views.  It was a little misting rain too but the cooler temps felt nice.  Rounding the last switchback and seeing the crowd on both sides screaming is all the motivation you need to dig deep and grind out that last 250m or so to the finish line.  I did one more look back hoping Amanda was close because I thought it would be cool so finish side by side.  She was indeed close and we finished just 5 seconds apart.  I ran 37:19 to finish 16th overall out of 757.  Amanda was 17th overall in 37:24 and Won her second straight Bear!  Anne was the third place female in 39:10, good enough for 31st overall.  Ellen finished in 153rd in 48:30, good enough to get a Mug in her first Bear.  Torrie finished in 332nd in 55:53 with a stress fracture!  Yes, you read that right.  Torrie ran up Grandfather Mountain with a stress fracture in her foot and actually ran a lot of it and looked good finishing.  That was so impressive.  It fired her up to come back next year healthy and get a mug.  

I would not have guessed I would have beat my time from last year by 23 seconds but I did and it all came in the first three miles thanks to being side by side with Amanda.  My last two miles this year were almost exactly the same as last year.  Last year I ran 8:49 and 9:52 and this year it was 8:49 and 9:58 proving you can only do much in the last two miles.  Amanda improved by an amazing 1:30 from last year!  Her husband Matt, did one better, going from 45:24 last year to 40:18 this year.  That's just crazy!  Amanda said she wants to break 37 next year so I guess we'll be doing the Bear again for a third straight year.  I'm not sure where we are going to drop 20 seconds to go under 37:00 next year.  The easy answer is to cut out a walk break during the last two miles but the only reason we walked is because we had to.  I'm looking forward to the challenge and if anyone can find a way to improve again next year it will be me and Amanda.  

​I'd like to thank everyone at Zap Fitness for their amazing hospitality to me and Kristin while we were there for The Bear.  Everyone was so welcoming and we both feel like we got to know the coaches and athletes even better as a result.  We are looking forward to more get togethers with the Zap crew.  

For my Boston Marathon buildup this year I only did one tune-up race and that was the 15K at the Gasparilla Distance Classic in Tampa, Florida on February 24th.  They have a 15K and 5K on Saturday and a half marathon and 8K on Sunday.  The race has a rich history and has seen 8 world records set in the 15K.  Over 30,000 compete in the weekend races.  My girlfriend Kristin ran the 5K last year and her Aunt and Uncle have participated in the 5K as well in the past.  I haven't done a 15K before so I figured it would be a fun new distance.  

The training for my ninth marathon and fourth Boston was going great leading up to Gasparilla.  Since Gasparilla wasn't my goal race I didn't taper for it.  In the three weeks before the race I ran 72, 83, and 77 miles a a week.  I knew Tampa was going to be warmer than anything I had trained in so far with the unseasonably cold winter we were having in North Carolina which included several snows.  My first 20 miles long run of the training cycle was done in Umstead State Park with about 8-10 inches of snow on the bridle trails.  

Kristin and I arrived in Tampa on Thursday and stayed with her Aunt an Uncle.  I did an easy 5 miles shakeout in their neighborhood Friday morning.  They have a great neighborhood for running because it is shady from all the trees hanging over the roads and greenways.  We went out to the expo Friday afternoon to do packet-pickup.  The expo was nice; not too packed and not too crowded but still a lot of vendors.  We met Meb and and he signed two books, Meb for Mortals and Run to Overcome.  He also posed for photos.  Meb is such a class act, great guy, and the perfect ambassador for the sport of running.  We also met Bart Yasso and Kristin got his new book, Race Everything.  

Race morning soon arrived.  The 15K starts at 6:45am and the 5K starts at 9:30am.  Kristin's Uncle Tim took me to the 15K.  We arrived around 5:30am and parking was easy in a deck close to the start.  I appreciated him getting up and going out to the race much earlier than he needed to for his race.  It was already 70 degrees and humid at 6:20am when I went off for an easy 1.5 miles warm-up after doing my dynamic stretching.  Sunrise wasn't until 7am or a few mins after so at least it was going to be dark a bit longer.  I was fortunate to get the elite/seeded start for the 15K.  They do a great job with the waves and seeding at Gasparilla making sure no one sneaks into a higher wave than their projected finishing time or the race result they submitted.    

The race started at 6:45am and after going across a short bridge the first quarter mile we turned left and got on Bayshore Blvd. My A goal was sub 56 minutes.  I ran the first mile right at goal pace of 5:57.  Mile two slowed some to a 5:59. 

The sun was now rising at our backs and I noticed a slight headwind going out.  They had misting stations set up and running through those was nice.  I tried holding sub 6 pace but was slowing down already.  I ran miles three and four in 6:05 and 6:11.  The course briefly gets off Bayshore after 4.6 miles and does an out and back section before returning to Bayshore for the rest of the race. 

After doing the turnaround I expected a tailwind coming back on Bayshore since it was a headwind going out.  I was planning to get back to sub 6 pace with the help of a tailwind.  However, once back on Bayshore I was greeted with a stronger headwind coming back.  I have plenty of experience running on the water back home at the beach but I've never had to run in a headwind both directions.  Just the shape of the Bay I guess.  That mentally kicked me in the head as I was hot, tired, and slowing down far too early.  I ran mile 5 in 6:13.

I knew my A goal was out of the question and my focused turn to running tempo pace in the conditions.  I was still having to grind and use a lot more effort than what should have been needed to run miles six and seven in 6:06 and 6:11.  After that the wheels came off and I was done.  The last 2.3 miles was a struggle to even run marathon pace.  I could only manage to run 10-15 seconds a mile slower than marathon pace.  I ran miles 7 and 8 in 6:37 and 6:32.  I ran the last 0.3 miles at 6:13 pace.  I finished in 57:55 for 49th place overall out of 5,369.  I placed 5th in my age group (35-39) out of 244. 

It was not the race I wanted.  I chalk it up to the weather and having fatigue from the previous three training weeks.  I didn't tolerate the heat and humidity well and the headwind going out and mostly  coming back was tough and did me in.  After my race I headed back out on Bayshore for a long cool-down of 5.2 miles to get in 16 total for the day.  I saw Tyler Pennel, a Zap Fitness Runner and friend, out doing his shakeout run before doing the half marathon on Sunday.  

The 5K was brutal for everyone.  It was a lot warmer at 9:30 than it was for my race.  Kristin and her family still enjoyed it.  Her Grandma, Elena, placed third in her age group (85-89).  That was the highlight of the races for us; so proud of her!  

The next day Kristin's Uncle Tim and I went back to watch the half marathon.  It was a really fun.  Tyler placed 4th in the half marathon in 1:04:17!  The women's race was exciting and we saw a close finish between Sara Hall and Stephanie Bruce.  Sara out-kicked Stephanie by one second for the win and new course record of 1:12:01!  Meeting Sara Hall after was so awesome too!  

I would do Gasparilla again.  Maybe next time I'll do the half as it starts at 6am so you're running in the dark before sunset for an hour which would help keep it cooler.  Gasparilla does a great job with all four races and it's a fun event.  It was my first race in Florida so another state is done.  I think I would like to do a race in all 50 states.  

Race Gear

Socks:  Smartwool Ultralight low cut socks
Shoes:  New Balance 1400v4
Shorts:  New Balance Impact 3" Split Short
Singlet:  North Carolina Flag singlet
​Road ID Wrist ID Slim
​Watch:  Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses:  Rudy Project Tralyx​