Race Report: GREENLINE HALF MARATHON

RACE REPORT

Male Master Winner

DATE/TIME: 16Oct2016@ 0800

RACE COURSE Shelby Farms

Total: 13.1miles

1              06:40.2 Downhill 2              06:53.6 Flat 3              06:54.1 Flat 4              06:52.6 Flat 5              06:59.4 Flat 6              06:58.9 Dropped 7              07:04.4 Neighborhood climbs 8              07:03.8 9              07:01.6 10            07:10.8 Greenline up hill (false flats). 11            07:10.8 Into the park 12            07:04.3 Saw Jon Fading only ¼mile up.   but didn’t push to catch 13            07:03.7 14            00:56.5

Narrative: -Started at Front - Kept Pace with Jon Siquenfield at 6:45-7:00s - Cool at first then got warm at 5M then really warm at 9-10M. - Didn’t push hard.  Just tried to stay at a good pace.

Overall

Gender

Age Group

Award

Official Time

Pace

Bib

2th of 382

2th of 178

1 of 23

Male Master Winner

1:31:49.85

7:00

82

HEART RATE MAX: 172/180 BPM

Cadence 196vg/226Max – Avg Stride length 1.20m

TEMP/WEATHER: 66°F at 88% Sunny (3MPH N Wind)

MISCELLANEOUS:

Shoe

Nike 2015 Free 5.0 Pink

Attire

Nike 2inch shorts, Nike Dry-fit Pink “Breast Cancer” shirt, Nike - High-Compression socks

Timer

Garmin 225 Forerunner

Injury/Ailment

Twinge right hamstring, sore Achilles

Day Before

Ran with Scott Rauls at a fairly slow pace (8:45’s).  Ran with Rouge for her Agility Trials (earned her Title).  Got ready and gear together.  Wore pink in honor of my Breast Cancer Awareness and my Aunt who passed 2 ½ years ago.  Pretty light all day.  Ran (walked) 1.5 miles with Grace for her workout *(15min pace).  Slept fairly early.

Pre-Race

Got up at 5AM.  Stuff was already packed and ready. Grace drove.  Got in a bottle of water and Granola bar.  Warm up 2miles.

On the Line

Noticed the only person there I knew who was part of the RRS or any previous races was Jon Siquenfield.  A very good runner, one of Heathers guys.  I’ve beat him on a few occasions.  There was no one else there that we knew.  When the buzzer went off, I took off.  I didn’t spring, I just went at a tempo pace to get my heart and legs going.  I wanted to be between 6:40-6:55 to get rhythm.  By half mile there was almost no one with me.  I looked at my watch and it was reading 6:42.  I was on pace for the start and thought I was going too fast, but I was conscious that I wasn’t.  I slowed anyway to 6:50-6:55 when Jon and a guy named Luna caught up to me.  Jon and I carried a conversation which probably irritated Luna because he took off ahead, separating by 25 yards.  We were led by a bicycle.  The lead bike failed to make a left, leading Luna off course a bit.  Jon and I just followed the directions of the turn signalers.  Though we felt bad for him, we kept chugging along and holding our conversation.

1-5

For the first 5 miles, we monitored each other.  We weren’t racing as much as just keeping a pace.  His goal was somewhat similar to mine.  He just wanted to keep 7s.  He also raced the RRS 10miler and already banked his time.  He admitted that he didn’t mind if he blew his engine today.  I told him, if he felt it, “Go for it”.  We were surprised to learn through the cyclist and support volunteers that there was no one behind us at Wolf River.  Which was crazy because typically an elite runner would be past or be passing us

6-9

Once we got into the neighborhoods, I wasn’t feeling a need to push.  My hamstring wasn’t hurting but I knew that I didn’t want to aggravate it any more than I needed to.  I was remembering the course 2 years ago and remembered the inclines coming up.  Jon bumped his pace by just a little and I didn’t respond.  Every minute that went by, I was losing ground.  I thought of just keeping him in sight and maybe I’d catch him in the last two miles or something.  Either way, I wasn’t going to kill myself today especially with a race the following week. So there I was with Jon maybe ¼ to ½ a mile up and no one I could hear behind me.  When spectators and volunteers would clap for me, I couldn’t hear anything at all for anyone behind.  I wasn’t being chased.  I really relied on the tempo games.  However, it’s quite different playing tempo games during a race and when the terrain isn’t flat.  The undulations played havoc with my pacing and rhythm.  I was trying to push to cress hills, spin the downslopes.  I was playing mental games with the purpose of not trying to get hurt and keep to the pace I set out to run.

10-13

When I entered the Greenline, I saw Scott Rauls friendly face cheering. Just 24hours prior I was on a brisk Saturday Breakaway run with him.  He’d later tell me that I look strong yet relaxed.  Good because I felt that way.  I marched along the Greenline not seeing Jon until I got to the Penitentiary.  I happen to pass Sam Schwaller running with his dog.  With a quick greeting, Sam said, “That dude (Jon) is really dying out.”  However, he had to have been 1/3 to ½ a mile up.  I could barely get a glimpse of his blue shirt and the lead biker.  The internal voices started to really kick in.  Should I blow my load and go for it. Or, do I stay disciplined and on pace.  Realistically, 2nd place and winning Master is a bad thing.   My gut was telling me go ballz out!.  Taking a left off Mullin’s station into the park, I rationalized that I needed to blow my own load next week for any chance to stay in contention for the RRS AG.

Finish

I got into the park content with my decision to maintain pace.  But with about a mile left, I rounded a bend and Jon was only 200yrds away with shoulders slumping.  "Awe Man!"   Had I gone for it at the Greenline, I might have gotten him.  But, as I ran the winding path to the finish, all I could do was smile.  I was in one piece.  Not hurt, my ham in good shape, not to out of breath.  The announcer even went as far as to say, "He doesn't look like he's even run a half marathon."

After

I didn't consider this really a race.  It felt more like a Saturday Breakaway training run.  I didn't feel too stressed.  I even felt more joy for Jon who admitted that he gave it all he had.

Jon Siquenfield Winner and Me (2nd Place)