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GBTC Grand Island Half

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Location:

Buffalo,NY,

Member Since:

Aug 15, 2010

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Local Elite

Running Accomplishments:

Personal Bests
  • 1500m : 4:43 (May 2001)
  • 1 mile: 5:18 (August 2012) 
  • 5k: 17:39 (December 2003)
  • 8k: 30:02 (June 2003)
  • 10k: 37:21 (November 2003)
  • 15k : 59:48 (July 2012)
  • 10 miles: 62:39 (February 2002)
  • Half-Marathon (Covered Bridges): 1:23:29 (June 2002)
  • Marathon (Wineglass): 3:04:42 (Oct 2011)
  • Half Ironman (Tupper Lake): Swim 38:19, Bike 3:01:xx (with flat tyre change), Run 1:58:xx, Total time 5:44:44 (Jun 2004)

Short-Term Running Goals:

General Goals for 2013

  • Break 3 hours as Boston
  • Mile in 5:00
  • 5k in 17:30

Results and my 'A' Races for 2013 (Click for Race Report)

  • Y-10 10 Miler (February 9)
    • Goal: 63? (honestly, no idea)
    • DNS
  • Boston Marathon (April 15)
    • Goal: 2:57
    •  Time: 3:12:46
  • Springville Stampede (May 9)
    • Goal: 18:36
    • Time: 18:28
  • Chase Corporate Challenge 3.5 (June 6)
    • Goal: 20:30
    • Time: 20:30
  • Brian Moorman PUNT Foundation Blackbird 8K (June 19)
    • Goal: 30:00
    • Time: 30:03
  • Boilermaker 15k (July 14)
    • Goal 58:00
  • Mueller Mile (August)
    • Goal 5:00
  • Run into Buffalo 15k  (Sept 2)
    • Goal 57:30
  • Troy Turkey Trot 10k (Nov 28)
    • Goal 37:00

Long-Term Running Goals:

  1. Sub 3:00 Marathon
  2. 17:00 5k
  3. 1:20 Half-marathon

Personal:

Originally from the small town of Galway, NY (near Saratoga), I currently live in Buffalo, NY.  I'm a community pharmacist  I  graduated from the University of Buffalo School of Pharmacy with my pharmD in 2007 and my PhD in 2011. I'm married and have 2 dogs (Sadie, a lab, and Ralphie, a Eskie mix).  We enjoy anything outdoors from Backpacking and hiking to snowboarding.

my photojournal, and I will run

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Sadie's Lifetime Miles: 298.30
Ralphie's Lifetime Miles: 346.60
Race: GBTC Grand Island Half (13.11 Miles) 01:27:08, Place overall: 6, Place in age division: 2
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
13.110.000.00

Pre-race: One of the more competitive half-marathons in the area, it draws about 500 people and the winner is routinely around 70 minutes when the weather is good.  It's run on a super flat course out and back course (less than 100 feet elevation gain) but the island can be notoriously windy. I was feeling pretty good going into the race.  My training was going well especially with my new track club workouts but I haven’t raced in over a month so I was a little unsure of how I was going to do.  I decided to set a good goal of 1:25.  If I ran under 1:30 I would also meet the race’s ‘A’ standard and get a gold finisher medal (oh boy!). I’ve been having some issue with my stomach but it seemed ok that morning.

The first 5k (20:11, 6:28 pace): By the time the race went off at 11 it was steady winds, full sun (zero clouds) and unseasonable, for me, warm temps.  I love starts at longer races, way less jostling for position and sprinting.  Plus this is a more ‘serious’ race so people know how to act.  After about a mile, I got settled in the front of the chase pack of about 10 guys.  The lead pack had 8 people in it (including the woman’s winner) and they were off the front much faster.  I was feeling really good and took some water at mile 3 which made my stomach a little sloshy.

5k through 10k (20:36, 6:37 pace).  Started getting a little hot now and the wind was in my face which was enough to slow me down a little when it gusted.  Plus I was starting to feel all the little bumps and inclines.   Still felt good though and I was hoping that I could gain my time back once we hit the turn around.  I was planning on eating some chomps at mile 5-6 but my stomach wasn’t going to have it so I skipped.  I put some distance on the chase pack and started to catch some people blowing up from the lead pack.

10 though 15k (20:24, 6:33 pace).  Hit the turn-around at 43:08 and was happy to head home.  When I turned home I realized that while the wind was in your face going it was much much worse going back.  I ended up with a steady in your face head wind of over 10mph the whole way back.  Took some water at mile 8 and ended up catching someone from my age group who was seriously suffering.

15k-finish ( 25:52, 6:44 pace).  It blew up here.  My pace dropped and I was over heated and ready to be done.  Just did my best to keep trying to push it as best I could.  I did manage to catch another runner, my buddy Ray who got spit off from the front pack (he did manage to win his 45-49 age group). With a mile to go I did my best to push it in and not let anyone catch me.  Finished the last 0.1m strong and was happy to be done.

Finish:  I was completely gassed at the end. Probably the worse shape after a race in a long time. I also got a sunburn,ick!  I was having issue breathing and my chest was tight and I wanted to die.  After a few minutes I was up moving around and was feeling better.  Talked to Ray a little at the end and we both agreed it was a tough race.  The winner came in a relatively slow 1:19 and many people I ended up with big positive splits (bigger than my 1 minute) so I felt good that I could hold on as best I did. Many people that ran this race last year were a couple minutes slower this year as well and I beat some people who as of recently have been running better than me so that got me jazzed up .

I’d like to blame my lack of drinking (only hit 2 water stops) and not taking my gu as part of the reason for my missing my goal but that’d be disingenuous.  I doubt 100 calories and another 12 ounces of water would have saved me in a 90 minute race.  It was warm, very sunny and I was not acclimated that well to the conditions.  Plus I doubt my stomach would not have been happy about it. 

Got second in my age group and scored a sweet pint glass!  All in all not a bad day even though I really missed my goal and it kinda got my excited to race again.

 About a mile form the finish


 

Mizuno Musha 3 Miles: 13.11
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments
From Jake K on Mon, May 07, 2012 at 08:37:24 from 155.100.226.54

Wind like that is tough - it takes a lot out of you. If times were slower across the board, you weren't too far off your goal time. Good race!

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