Saturday, October 25

Urban Bourbon Half Marathon Race Report

Goal: 1:25:00

The course was a rather difficult one, probably more so than it was in the past 3 years. Here is the elevation profile.
The first 5 miles are  flat to rolling hills, but nothing major. Miles 5 to 10 have the four big hills of the course, one after the other, never flat. Then from 10 to the finish line it's flat again. My plan was to run slightly faster than the required 6:29 pace for the first 5 miles, slow down as needed on the hills, and reassess the race at mile 10.

I was also running for the UofL team in the Corporate Challenge of the race. In this competition 5 team members, who work for the same company, run the race as normal, and the best 3 times are added together to compute positions. I was definitely one of the 3 fast runners, so I knew that my time counted. Therefore, I couldn't take too much risk here, because if I fail spectacularly, it hurts the team, too.

My morning routine was as usual. Since the race started at 8:30, and the start was only 20 minutes from our house, I had the luxury to sleep until 5:30. I had my usual egg breakfast, got to the place early, warmed up by jogging around. The weather was perfect: 50F, cloudy, and no wind. We made a team photo at 8:00, then we wanted to line up at 8:15...  except I needed to pee, and the line for the port-a-potties was about a mile long. I almost panicked, and I started to run around the blocks to find a place relieve myself, when I found a White Castle that saved me! I went back to the start, and lined up with teammate Gerard.  He was also aiming for 1:25, so we decided we would go out together.

After the trumpeter played My Old Kentucky Home and The Star-Spangled Banner, the race started exactly on time. Running with Gerard helped me avoid my bad habit of jackrabbit starts. I carefully monitored our pace for the first mile to keep it around 6:20-6:25. The field thinned out quickly: by the time we reached the first mile we were separated from other groups with around 20 people ahead of us.

Mile 1: 6:22 (splits are Garmin splits)

Interestingly, the Mile 1 marker was quite a bit farther than my GPS indicated, but the rest of the markers lined up with the GPS so well that I have to suspect it was the marker that was at the wrong place. But of course I didn't know that, which made me want to push the second mile. I decided to try to keep the pace in the low 6:20s for the first five miles.

Shortly after the marker we saw Ryan Althaus, the inaugural winner stepping off the road, but restarting after a stretch. Everything was good until the first water stop at around 1.7 miles. I didn't need water yet, but Gerard slowed down to get a drink, and I maintained the pace. I was waiting for him to catch up, but he only got farther behind. By mile 2, it looked like I would have to slow significantly to let him catch up. This was weird: we absolutely needed this pace here to get to 1:25 (knowing what was ahead), and it seemed like he just couldn't do it. I felt bad about leaving him behind, but it would have been foolish to wait for him. Plus, we agreed at the beginning that we are not tied to each other. (Nevertheless, I still feel kind of guilty...)

Mile 2: 6:21

I was maintaining a steady pace, and passed a few runners who went out too fast. We hit some hills, and the pace felt a bit hard, which was a really bad sign in less than three miles into the race. I slowed a bit. Somebody was catching up with me; I was hoping it was Gerard, but it was somebody else.

Mile 3: 6:24

I took water at the aid station after the marker. We were entering Cherokee Park, where we spent the next 4+ miles. This is a really gorgeous part of the course. Cherokee Park is beautiful all year long, but it's stunning in the fall. The organizers advertise this race as having "Louisville's best course". I have to agree with them. Not PR friendly, but it's a great course. We hit some downhills, and I felt better.

Mile 4: 6:16

After running a flat portion of the park's Scenic Loop, we ran an out-and-back portion on the road by Beargrass Creek. I generally don't like out-and-back, but at least I saw the leaders, and counted myself to be at 18th place (I think I counted wrong and in fact I was 19th here). I also saw Gerard when I was running back, and he was about a minute behind. I gave him the thumbs up and he yelled "Keep up the pace!". (At least I think that's what he said.)

Mile 5: 6:22

We hit the first hill. This one was a new addition to the course, and I've never ran it before, not even in training. And it was a beast. Steeper and longer than any of the other three. I tried to control my pace but I still felt lactate accumulating in my muscles. Then steep downhill on the other side. Then we hit the bottom, and the next hill started. A guy in an orange singlet in front of me slowed a bit on these hills, and I got closer to him. Mile marker was midway up the second hill.

Mile 6: 6:55

By the time we hit the top of the second hill, I was right behind the orange singlet. The top of the hill has a water fountain called Hogan's Fountain, and I saw my trail runner friends finishing their Saturday morning trail run there. I shouted: "Trail Runners!" They recognized me and shouted back my name. It gave me a boost and passed the orange singlet guy.

All these times I saw Ryan Althaus from time to time on straight parts of the course. Now he was the guy just ahead. He kept his distance of probably 200 yards (despite my efforts), but it gave me energy to think that the inaugural winner is just one position ahead. Clearly, he was not as well prepared today as the year when he won, but still...

The hills were not over: two more to go (some people might argue that there were three left, but the last is easy and I don't count it). Next up was Doghill with a rock'n'roll band playing at the top. I was doing fine.

Mile 7: 6:35

Down on Doghill, and out of the park. This was a long stretch of downhill that lead us out of the park. I was all alone, but I saw Ryan in the distance. I took water at the next aid station (only for the 2nd time in the race). I started to feel tired, and then we hit the fourth big hill. It started to get really hard.

Mile 8: 6:25

We climbed the last big hill and then the small one that doesn't count. I was out of breath but I knew the hills were over. I kept Ryan at a constant distance. I didn't push hard on the other side, because I had to recover before the last push.

Mile 9: 6:40

I was focusing on recovering. The time of truth was at the 10th mile. I had to be on pace or very close to it to have a chance for 1:25. But 3 miles is an awfully long distance after 10 fast miles of which 5 is very hilly. So I just let my legs go easy (but no braking). I also took my last water at the next aid station.

Mile 10: 6:20

I was on pace with about 15 seconds to spare. So I knew I had run run the last portion at about 6:30/mile. Oh boy! But I also knew I had sub 1:30 for sure, so there won't be any big disasters today. Hence I decided to risk a little, and go for 1:25.

I was running a steady 6:30 pace, but somebody still passed me. The guy seemed to appear from nowhere, and he was so much faster that I had no chance of keeping up. I saw Ryan passing a guy ahead in a blue shirt, and since our distance was still the same, it was clear that I was also faster than the blue shirt guy. I made it my goal to catch him.

Mile 11: 6:30

Right on pace. I kept steady. We were back in downtown. I focused on the blue shirt, and I got really close... but then I heard somebody coming from behind. An older guy with short, white hair passed us both, while I was passing the blue shirt guy. Gain a position, give a position. I was still 19th. I just kept my steady pace.

Mile 12: 6:28

A right turn, and a few blocks later another right turn, and we were back on Main Street, which means finish line (very long). I tried to pick up the pace, but my body fought back. Only half mile from the finish I felt terribly weak and I thought I would collapse. It was like finishing a 5K. I don't think I slowed, at least not much, but it hurt like hell.

Mile 13: 6:23

The magic finish line was in sight, the magic finish clock just turned to 1:24 when I first caught a glimpse of it. I knew I could still lose it, because it was a bit far, but my pain disappeared and I was flying to the finish. I ran the last portion at a sub-6 pace, as usual.

Official finish time: 1:24:36.36

I was so happy, I clenched my fist at the finish line. I'm looking forward to seeing the photos.

Overall 19th out of 2776, age group 1st out of 194. This race only announces the male and female winners, so nobody heard my age group victory. :( Nevertheless, I'll get a $100 coupon in the mail to be spent toward a running shoe purchase in the local Fleet Feet.

The course is hard enough that I believe this performance equals my half marathon PR. I am in as good a shape as ever. Time to race some 5Ks next.

Gerard ran 1:27:51, which is still a good time, but it's 15 seconds per mile slower than my performance. The point is: it was a good decision not to wait. He has a new baby and he had a rough night before the race. He is plenty good runner, and his PR is better than mine, but this wasn't his best day.

The third member of our team ran 1:46:05, and this year this was enough to take the 1st place trophy for the Corporate Challenge. We'll get individual and team trophies for that.

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