ParkRun #2

This entry is part 2 of 3 in the series ParkRuns

I ran the ParkRun for the second time last weekend. I am liking doing this. It gets me out to run regardless of the weather. You get a time to compare yourself against, and it provides some light competition to run with. If you are in the vicinity stop on by. Check their web site for details.  https://www.parkrun.us/livonia/

After everyone (almost) arrives and signs the register people head to the start area.

Park Run 5K in Livonia Michigan

Step One = Sign the register (at left)

 

Park Run 5K in Livonia Michigan

Step Two = Assemble at the start area.

 

Park Run 5K in Livonia Michigan

Step Three = Final instructions are given.

 

Park Run 5K in Livonia Michigan

Step Four = Run! Off into the woods we go.

 

Park Run 5K in Livonia Michigan

. . . and 3.1 miles later the finish line is crossed.

ParkRun, or free running in the park.

This entry is part 1 of 3 in the series ParkRuns

Today (Saturday December 19, 2015) I went for a run with the ParkRun group in Livonia Michigan. I recently heard about this group while talking with a person picking up his packet at another race. It sounded like fun so thought I would give it a try.

First I did some research at their web site. https://www.parkrun.us/livonia/
I signed up and printed out the bar code required to get a timed result.
When I woke up on Saturday morning it was only about 24 degrees out, so having previously decided to do this run was a good to make me get out and run, or I probably would have stayed under the warm blankets.

I made the short drive to Livonia where I saw the group assembling, parked and got out.
Made a few introductions and signed in. Followed the group over to the start line. Everyone was bouncing around trying to keep warm. Pretty soon we were all off and running.

2015-12-19 ParkRun004

2015-12-19 ParkRun001

(The following table contains only partial results. Visit the ParkRun web site to see everything!)
2015-12-19 ParkRun002

2015-12-19 ParkRun003

They keep track and after you complete a given number of runs you get the icon in your entry. (10 and 50 runs completed shown above)

Seems like a good way to help me get out and running on Saturday morning, especially on days like today where I would have a tendency to stay in and keep warm!

Merry Christmas!

World Record Running Debut!

Well, not everyone who does their first official, timed, race breaks a world record, but the Kazology Team did just that!

Three runners, three miles, three world records!

Don’t think so? Well there is proof!


Guinness 03x3
NAK Guinness 2013x3PK Guinness 2013

So, what was this for?
Well, back in June of 2012 the town of Canton Michigan sponsored the “Liberty Run”, a 5K (3.1 Miles) race.
These three highly trained and highly motivated sub-elite runners took up the challenge and blazed through the course in record time! Two of the three set PR’s for the 5K distance, and all three made it into the Guinness World Book of Records.

2012 Liberty Festival 5K

2012 Liberty Festival

2012 Liberty Festival

Lots more pictures were taken and posted in the race photo page.

Strike Two!

Well, I would like to run the New York Marathon. Problem is, I am not anywhere close to being fast enough to get a guaranteed entry based on time. So… I have to enter the open lottery and hope for the best. This is okay, but does present a couple of issues every year.

Once you sign up you do not know results until the end of April. This means if you want to do another fall race you either have to sign up for it or take a chance the race is not closed by the end of April. Or, if you sign up, then get accepted into New York you have to decide to try and run both, or forfeit one of the races. Such a dilema.

So I took the safe course and signed up for the NYRR lottery, (Race on November 4) and also signed up for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. (October 14)

The results are in and (drum roll) I did not get into NY via the lottery this year. (Nor did I last year.)

NYRR Not Accepted (again) in 2012

NYRR Not Accepted (again) in 2012

 

 

 

 

 

On the good side, I am now two years into the three year guaranteed entry system. I signed up in 2011, which is the last year you could start this program.

NYRR Guaranteed 2014

NYRR Guaranteed 2014

So, if I sign up againg next year, 2013, and do not get in I can make definate plans for 2014. That works for me!
See you in Toronto!
Until the lottery is guaranteed,
George

Kensington Challenge 2010 – A 15K race.

Saturday, September 18, 2010 was the 27th Annual John Rogucki Memorial Kensington Challenge at Kensington Metropark about 30 minutes North of Ann Arbor.

The day started pretty well, up early, but not so early since the race did not start until 9:15 as opposed to the typical 6 am start for a lot of other races. Guess that is one good thing about going into the fall season, cooler weather allows later starts. Plus they probably do not want everyone trying to run in the dark since it is now pitch black at 6 am.

Stopped for a little caffeine on the way, then followed the GPS to the parking lot at Kensington.

This is the second time I have run this race so was somewhat familiar with the layout, made my way down to the pavilion and picked up my bib and swag bag.

The official #106 Bib for the Kensington Challenge.

Back to car to put bib number on shirt and generally prepare. Saw in the bag they gave sweatshirts instead of technical shirts. Guess that is okay, but I do not wear sweatshirts all that much, and if I knew it, I would have ordered a larger size since sweats have a tendency to shrink quite a bit.

“Geared Up”, Garmin, HRM, Halo head band in pocket, a gel “in case”. Talked for quite a while to the young lady parked next to me. Either always very chatty, or nervous about race but she kept the conversation moving! At 9:05 off with the warm ups, start the Garmin etc. and walk to the start line. They did the introduction thing, played the National Anthem, and then off we went. It was a gun start, no timing mat, but since the crowd was not all that huge it probably only made a few seconds difference in overall time… and since there was not a “start line” I did not know for sure where to start the watch anyway!

A short uphill, then a long downhill run to start. This course doesn’t have any monster hills, but it is probably one of the hilliest that I run on.

Kensington elevation.

The weather had been “threatening” since early morning, and about mile 3 it finally let go! Fortunately it was about 58 degrees, and the rain was not to cold. It poured pretty good for about a mile, then let up….  for about 10 minutes when it started up again. Since everyone was thoroughly soaked from the first downpour this one did not make any difference. It actually had a benefit in keeping me cool, which I liked. I was glad at this point that I made the decision not to have taken the camera along. Might not have been a disaster since I also normally pack a zip lock bag to put the camera in to protect against sweat or the possibility of rain, rivers, floods and typhoons happening while on the course. But without it I did not have to fiddle around with trying to get out the bad, get the camera in it and get it stowed in the SPI belt that I normally use. After the few few miles I often find myself running with people that have settled into the same pace, give or take. In this race there was one person that would just fly by everyone for a couple hundred yards or more while huffing and puffing like a wheezing locomotive, then he would stop and walk, then pass the same people, then stop and walk. Maybe this is the “Run-Walk-Run” method, but it didn’t seem to effective to me, and in the end he was far behind all of us. Maybe a little more even pace would work… I don’t know though I’m not a coach and can barely run myself. A couple other people I was with during about mile 4,5, 6 ,7 and 8 pretty well all kept pace together. Sometimes they would gain a few feet, sometimes I would catch back up. This works really well for me as I determine not to let them get to far ahead. About mile 5 the person in the lead seemed to pick it up a bit, and I hung in there. Finally about mile 8 I moved by all of them and took the lead. I had no idea by how much until there was a point where we had a short “out and back”, when I went around the cones and started seeing the people behind me I was still only 10 yards ahead of them. After a few more minor ups and downs we made the final run to the finish. About two hundred yards out the one person edged by me, I told him to “Go for it” and he started pumping, with me following.

Final result, two minutes off my 2008 time! While not a huge amount of difference it was significant for me since I have felt that I have been getting slower, not faster as I run more. The other significance was that I never stopped to walk, which is the first time for awhile. So overall a very good race for me.

The results are now posted and I see how I did, pretty well in age group with a 7 out of 18, and overall…. I was actually hoping to do a little better in my AG based on moving up an age group, and that groups prior years results, but it seems all the people that kept beating me in the 55-59 group are still running, but now in the 60-64 group. I guess all I can do is outlast them… the 70-74 AG looks pretty open right now.

No pictures of this race due to rain, etc. They took some on course and at finish so if one of those turns out okay may get it.

Some results.
Kensington elevation.

The Age Group Standings.
Kensington elevation.

The course itself runs around the lake.
Kensington Challenge Course.

Until it never rains on a race again,

George

A day to remember to forget.

August 1, 2010 at 6:30 am was the start of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half Marathon. This was my first Rock ‘n’ Roll race, and the course was flat. I thought it would be a good time to try and break the two hour mark, so I signed up earlier in the year to make sure I got in before it sold out.

A hotel room was booked, vacation days signed up for, groceries purchased, suitcases packed, and finally the car was loaded up. First stop, after the requisite quick coffee drive by, was the Health and Fitness Expo at McCormick Place in Chicago.

I picked up my bib and SWAG bag and then wandered around the hall for awhile.

The Chicago Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon bib.

Brooks apparently is a large sponsor and had all sorts of attractions… see the Jesus Lizard and racing pictures. There were plenty of samples available, so I carbo loaded right at the show with energy bars from the major manufacturers. After seeing everything we wanted to see we took off for the next stop. The Chicago Art Institute.

First though we needed some real food, so walked a couple blocks, went down the stairs, and under the bridge to the Billy Goat Tavern.. home of the Cheezeborger. Hopefully some of you will remember the Saturday Night Live skits (Beluschi) that were created from a visit to this restaurant. “Cheezeborger – Cheezeborger – Cheezborger! No fries! Cheeps! No Pepsi. . . Coke!” Well it was an interesting place, the food passable,(having the double cheese burger of course! – one of use having a double double…) glad we went to see, may or may not ever go back. There are just to many places to eat on the trips we make to “double up” to often unless it is something we rate “outstanding”. (Maggianos Italian).

Bellies full, we walked back to the art museum where we spent hours wandering the halls looking at paintings, lots of paintings. Old painting, new paintings, great paintings and those that left you scratching your head. Finally we headed to the hotel for the night, stopping first at… Maggianos for some pasta.

Saturday we visited the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Started in 1972 (?) as a small greenhouse it has grown into a major garden. A very nice place, and certainly glad we went. We were not sure beforehand what it would be, or how long to plan on being there… thinking we may be done in a hour or two and then go do something else. As it ended up we spent the entire day there. We finished the day with the tram ride that circles the gardens. The driver/tour guide was either a) a hoot, or b) annoying…. done in a very folksy style it was more comedy than informational. For me anyway it was cute at first but would have liked a little more substance, history, facts, etc to be presented.

A early dinner at McCormick and Schmicks and then off to the hotel. We had to get up at 4 am to get ready and make the drive to downtown Chicago to be ready for a 6:30 am start time. We are early risers, but 4 is early!

We made it in good time, the traffic was very light, and got into a parking garage with no problems. A couple block walk to the venue and we were ready for race time.

On our way, behind a white picket fence was the celebrity pen. A couple people who I did not know were there stretching and being covered by cameras. Still don’t know who they were, but one was “The Bachelor – Jake” one was… aw heck who cares anyway, we are here for a race not a show.

The course opened about 6 am, and it filled quickly. There were 29 corrals, one of the picture’s in the album shows them stretching far into the distance. Based on earlier half marathon times I submitted I was in corral #8. At 6:30 the horn sounded and the first group was off. Each corral started about a minute apart, so it was about 10 minutes into the race when I crossed the start line. The first couple miles went according to plan. The only issue being the Garmin was showing me as running a lot further than the course was marked. Much later, after the race and back home, I loaded the gps track into Google Earth and zoomed in on the course. It appears the tall building played havoc with the Garmin since the track was all over the place even doubling back on itself, no wonder it showed me running 14 plus miles. This also then affected the pace it was showing… not that I use it for much of anything normally.

I passed by the photography team just before the six mile mark, things were still going pretty good at that point, but shortly after that it started to be a struggle.

Excuse List for Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon:

    a) I walked miles the day before at the Botanic Gardens

    b) I was on my feet for hours, and walked miles on Friday at the Art Institute.

    c) It was hot, reaching 80 degrees by the end of the race.

    d) I dropped my headband in the porta pot before the race and sweat kept running down into my eyes.

    e) It has been so hot recently my weekly mileage dropped way off, into the teens, instead of in the 30-40 mile range.

    f) The sun was in my eyes

    g) I didn’t have any coffee before the race

    h) My right shoe was loose

    i) My left show was tight and had a hot spot

    j) My heart rate monitor strap was loose and kept sliding down around my belly.

    k) something else

    l) whine

    m) whine

So I ended up running the slowest half I have ever run, by 15 minutes… ouch.

I don’t want to, but I always add the statistics… so here goes.

The Chicago Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon results.

The six mile time was still pretty close at 1:04 which would be 2:08 plus another 11 for the final 1.1 miles, so 2:20 isn’t far off…. but then I guess 2:28 isn’t that much more than 2:20… very flawed runner logic…

I have to say, this outfit seems pretty efficient. They had the results posted in hours, with 18,000 plus finishers. Some other races I have run it takes days, for only several hundred runners! They also set up a nice finishers certificate which you can download and print out. I think saving it as a pdf is good enough for me.

The Chicago Rock 'n'  Roll Half Marathon finishers certificate.

To make the aching legs feel a little bit better they have a fairly decent finishers medal also.

The Chicago Rock 'n'  Roll Half Marathon finishers medal.

Still, it was fun and I enjoyed it, once I cooled off a little bit. After getting the finisher medal and some water we headed back to the hotel where I took an ice bath to help the legs on the drive back home. Glad I did since the drive ended up over six hours. There was construction on I-94 that held us up quite a while until we stopped for some supper and took the back roads for awhile until we were past the mess.

Finally back home, unpacked, and went to bed… and that is the end of the 2010 Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon.

Pictures of the expo and race!

Until the sun sets over Lake Michigan in Chicago . . . .

George