Winthrop Marathon and Half Marathon

I was always going to post something about my latest road-trip race. You know I was. But, what I didn’t know until it was all done, was what the main topic would be. So, let’s get some of the obvious stuff out of the way and then I’ll get to the main point, a point that is not exclusive to the Winthrop Road Marathon, but ever so important.

North Cascades

This was my second time to the Winthrop Road Marathon. You know there is something different when the name of the event insists on including the word ROAD. There is a reason for that. The Winthrop ROAD Marathon is organized by Rainshadow Running and is the only event in their considerable roster that isn’t a trail epic. Winthrop is a ‘small’ event in regard to total numbers of competitors in the combined marathon and half marathon events. This year the total finisher counts were 103 and 84 respectively. The distances are pretty standard so small only refers to numbers. It certainly doesn’t apply to the ‘heart’ of the race(s). The effort and care put into it by James Varner and his crew of volunteers is top shelf and as good as any. When you get to the finish, the post-race celebration and street party is up there with the best! There is plenty of fruit, baked goods, refreshing juices, lemonade and cold water. When you are ready there is a hearty lunch from Carlos’ 1800 Mexican Restaurant. Oh yes, and one other thing. Now what was that?

Old Schoolhouse Brewery

Right, beer on tap from the Old Schoolhouse Brewery (located, literally, mere steps from the finish line). They have live music too!  Finally, once you have eaten all you want and quaffed all the cooling beverages you need, just a short walk down the wooden sidewalk you can collect your ice cream from Sheri’s. All of this done in the warm afternoon sunshine of the Methow Valley in North-Central Washington State in the, wait for it ——  rainshadow of the North Cascades.

Rushing mountain stream marks the Start

The race starts well up the Chewuch River, interestingly enough pretty much 26 miles.  It used to start 3 miles farther up that road, but that involved doing those three miles on gravel. In order to keep the whole thing on pavement, the start was moved down a bit and a wee (didn’t seem so ‘wee’ at the end of the marathon) out and back was added in town to make up the difference. Having never done the original route, I can’t really comment on the difference, but I sure like the first half of the marathon course which is all in the forest, running beside the Chewuch River, which is often in plain view. I think I’d like a version of the route that would take me straight to the finish once we hit town, but hey, that’s just me. I have no experience on the former gravel section. I do know that both times I’ve done Winthrop the weather was warm, especially as you break out into the open just around the half way point. At the time it now takes me to run a marathon even on a good day, it is getting pretty ‘toasty’ by the time you are at the half mark. Three more miles in the shady forest seems like a good thing to me!

Regardless of my route commentary, this is a great ‘little’ event and one to give a try sometime, especially if you want something a bit different from the big city mega-event marathon or half marathon. Nothing wrong with those big races, but you do owe it to yourself to try a race like the Winthrop Road Marathon.

Now to “The Kindness of Strangers” part of the title. What happened was not really major and was surely not exclusive to this race or even the people involved, but it did make an impression on me and provided the major talking point for this race.

Very few runners, once they have cooled down, will not recognize the effort of the volunteers at any event.  Without ‘em we would be in trouble trying to do what we do. We all recognize the nature of the running community and can tell stories of selfless kindness, including people halting their own race to help someone in distress. Everyone tends to be supportive of everyone else. For the most part, that is just how it is and one of the reasons people enjoy running as they do.

My story is really nothing major but was still pretty amazing to me. Here it is.  In 2012 I totally blew my hydration and electrolyte balancing. Did I mention it can be warm in Winthrop in June? Yes, I thought so.  Somewhere around 15 miles I started cramping up and started walking. It was largely my own fault, so in 2013 I vowed that was not going to happen again, and it mostly didn’t. Although I was tiring and slowing quite appreciably as the end drew near, I feel it was more attributable to the fact that this was my third marathon or greater racing event in a period of six weeks. Cramping or potential cramping (because I was only just feeling the first twinges) only happened in the last mile or two. I managed that and even shuffled across the finish line at what might have looked like a running pace. Haven’t seen the finish-line pictures yet!

I was pretty tired and my quads were pretty stiff, but I had improved on my time from 2012 and was pretty sure even at that point that I had moved up the finish order. I was feeling good because this was in context of all the recent running and the fact that if anything, the day was a bit warmer than 2012. I walked around a little within the restricted finish area and found out where the drop bags were. I wanted to get out of my sweaty running singlet and get into my new Marathon Maniac shirt so the many Maniacs in attendance could see I was one of them. As I stepped up maybe four inches onto the board-walk and put pressure on my right foot, my right calf just went into spasm right then and there. Being almost in front of the band, I grabbed one of the speaker stands just to take pressure off my leg. And thus began my own experience of “the kindness of strangers”. Two women who were runners (half marathon I think), were right there to steady me (and maybe try to rescue the speaker too, although it was really never in danger – really, it wasn’t). I hope I didn’t look as bad as they must have thought. Except that it hurt a lot, as anyone who has experienced such a post-run cramping episode would know, I was quite OK. Then a third woman, associated with the Carlos’ food service, got into it.  They convinced me to sit down in a chair that one of them quickly found for me and the restaurant lady was giving me a foot to brace against while I tried to stretch out my calf. One of the others offered to get me a big cold glass of lemonade, and then did. When she got back she asked if she could get me some fruit. Once more, she returned with a plate of grapes, cherries, watermelon and pineapple.  By then I had pretty much downed the lemonade, so she asked if I wanted more. I did. Off she went again.  Meanwhile the third of these angels of mercy offered me a high-tech cold towel thingy for my neck. Not sure I really needed that (I mean it was my calf that was in distress) but by this time I think I was kind of getting into all this tender attention.  I have to say, whether I really needed it or not, that cool towel did feel pretty good!

To "Strangers" and all the Volunteers!

In truth, all of this didn’t actually take all that long and I was soon able to go get my bag and get into a less race ‘damaged’ shirt. All three kept track of me for the next while. I thanked each of them each time they did something specific but my big regret was not being able to make a more expansive thank you to each of them after everything was done. It really was special how much attention they showered on this old guy.  Who knows, maybe I did look a bit scary after my effort in the noon-day sun, but other than being painfully cramped up for a bit, I was feeling pretty darn good. I do hope that all three see this somehow and realize I’m talking about them.  As I think about, maybe not being able to make some kind of pretty thank you speech to each of them, was a kind of blessing in disguise.  Because I have had to do it this way, maybe all those runners and volunteers who have done anything remotely similar at some place and time, will recognize themselves in more general terms and KNOW I am talking to them too.

As I recall, none of these women asked my name and I did not ask theirs. Before I realized it, they were all gone, as far as I could see. The whole encounter was entirely anonymous and maybe that was to the good. It was done person to person without ever becoming ‘personal’. It truly was a matter of “The Kindness of Strangers“.

Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K

It will come as no surprise to anyone reading this blog that I do love the Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K which is run annually in Negril, Jamaica on the first weekend of December. In 2013, race day will be December 7.

There are so many things I like about the Reggae Marathon and I’ve covered them pretty extensively in earlier posts, so I’ll skip by much of that for the moment to get to the heart of this post.  I should stress that it is a non-commercial message and strictly one from me, motivated by a couple of things, one of the biggies being the desire to see some local friends enjoy this event for themselves.

A big feature of the event is groups that organize themselves to participate. The model I have in mind relative to this post, is ‘Easy Skankin’. They are a loosely affiliated group out of New York (and area) that has become a bit of a fixture now at the Reggae Marathon weekend. The de facto group leader is Larry Savitch, one of the three intrepid members of the “Reggae Runners Half Marathon Challenge”, chronicled here in 2012, complete with its own Facebook page and ever so much manly trash-talk. The other two “Reggae Runners’ being Chris Morales, the official Reggae Marathon blogger and myself. Oh, and just in case ‘Easy Skankin” is giving anyone pause for thought – it is a Bob Marley song! (But, you knew that, right?) They design a team shirt each year and make a fun presence at the Friday night pasta dinner and party, as well as in the three race events. Oh yeah, post-race too. Larry, shown in the picture here is modeling the 2012 team shirt.

Dan, Larry (Easy Skankin') and Chris at Rick's

There is a group coming from the Toronto area via the Runners Mark store and at least one other Canadian group of women, “Running Girlz”. In 2013, another group has laid down a marker that few will challenge! ‘Black Girls Run’ is returning to Negril with an unbelievable (at present count) 142 participants! They are going to be a force to be reckoned with and I know they are going to just enjoy the living daylights out of the event. And, last year the Morales clan showed up in numbers, some to run and some to cheer!

OK. That is all nice. So what?

Well, I have been quietly trying to organize something that would allow West Coast runners to form up a group and head for Negril. I can guarantee that for people who like destination running, this is going to wind up high on your list of favourite events. The motto: ‘Once you go, you’ll know’, pretty much sums it up. They back that up with “Come for the Run – Stay for the Fun” (A few seem to think it should be ‘Come for the Run – Stay for the Rum’, but we can leave that to personal taste, so to speak. The Red Stripe is always cold and refreshing!)

I worked with a travel agent to see if there was a ‘deal’ that can be put together to make it all easy, but for reasons to follow, that hasn’t worked out so well. Part of the reason is individual preferences and another part is the actual flight options.

Breakfast time - Rondel Village, Negril

My personal preference is a low cost option using a red-eye flight and booking into mid-range local accommodation with meals not-included. I have enough knowledge of the area that I am comfortable with those choices. Others may prefer a more packaged, even ‘all inclusive’ deal. Those exist and many are pretty spectacular, as long as you are willing to pay the price! The Reggae Marathon web site offers links for travel and accommodation, as well as flight discounts from American Airlines.  The good news is that the Reggae Marathon falls just outside the ‘high season’ so rates are more modest and weather is usually great.

2012 Medal - Half Marathon

I would love to offer myself as the core organizer of a group from the Vancouver area (or for that matter any blog reader who wants to join in) providing unofficial advice and personal perspectives on specific options as I know them, leaving it to each individual to make their own formal arrangements. I am happy to take a lead in organizing a running group both before departure and on the ground in Jamaica. Anyone remotely thinking this could be of interest can e-mail me at dan@runninginthezone.ca or send a PM on my Facebook account or just talk to me. Please feel free to contact me for more information, with no commitment required at this time. I have prepared a brief fact sheet, including what I know about flights and accommodations as well as on-the-ground details and can send that to anyone wanting more on the nitty gritty of it all. It might seem awfully early to be planning re an event in December, but if you are a bargain hunter or need to book time off work, it is certainly time to start thinking about it.

I have collaborated with a travel agent who worked hard at trying to build a specific group package, but airlines now have such strict rules for group fares that we agreed it would be virtually impossible to squeeze a diverse bunch of people into the single format demanded. There are deals and packages to be had at the individual/couple/family level and we agreed that for those wanting professional assistance, I would recommend contacting: greekgoddesspatti@live.com. Patti has worked in the travel industry for many years, and I have confidence in directing anyone to her that feels more comfortable in planning their travel via a professional.

Now for the ‘sales pitch’ on what is so great about the event and why any ‘destination runner’ should give the Reggae Marathon a serious look.

Just one pasta station! Looks pretty - tastes great!

Pasta, reggae, Red Stripe and friends!

Where else are you going to find yourself at what is justly billed as the best pre-race pasta party in the world, able to take over the whole road along a seven mile white sand beach, running to the sounds of sweet reggae music, supported by the most enthusiastic volunteers anywhere, finishing with a fresh coconut and a Red Stripe beer, more reggae music and finally, that refreshing dip in the Caribbean Sea? Oh, and start in the soft warm darkness, between a row of torches, to the sounds of – yes, you’ve got it - SWEET REGGAE MUSIC! Check out this VIDEO from the official Reggae Marathon Blog site and while you are there, make sure you look at some of the other posts! And, if you need any further information about Jamaica, try the Visit Jamaica site.

There are definitely serious runners, but most people are just in a different zone of total enjoyment of the situation and the event. The three distances give great options. Anyone able to run 10K around an hour will finish before sunrise. Two hour half marathoners will be finishing as the sun is just nicely brightening the day. Full marathoners are going to see the tropical sun most years. The hydration systems available from the many aid stations ensure a good run, but do bring that sunscreen, and make it the water-proof sport kind, because there is no question you are going to sweat! The three events make it possible for families to have choices and walkers are definitely welcome.

It is the tropics and while temperatures at that time of year are far from extreme, they are not conducive to PB efforts, but that just doesn’t seem to be the point for most people. Negril is billed as ‘the Capital of Casual’.  That and the fact that the organizers, led by race director Alfred “Frano” Francis, are doing everything they can to make it the best experience you can have, is what makes this event so appealing.

Larry and Karen Savitch in Negril - Photo: Chris Morales

While possible, I do not recommend jetting in and out unless you have no other choice. Don’t forget the race is actually Saturday, and that you DO NOT want to miss the pasta party and package pick-up Friday evening. A couple of days of acclimatization to local conditions isn’t a bad idea  and then you don’t want to miss the post-race beach time where you will surely meet/recognize many other Reggae Marathon participants. And, did I mention the Red Stripe? What about the jerk pork and chicken? Patties (chicken, beef, veggie) on the beach? Soon come, mon! This stuff takes time.

Beach Time

Negril is a place where you can just sit on a beach and watch the clouds and do no more, but Jamaica is a fascinating country and there are many historical and cultural things to see and do. I guess one ‘cultural thing’ could be sunset at Rick’s Café or other nearby watering holes. For reggae fans, there is the option of a pilgrimage to Nine Mile, the birth place and resting place of reggae legend, Bob Marley. The point is, that you may just need a little extra time, and of course there may be other options than spending the whole time in Negril, especially if you were to do what I would always do if I had the time and resources, which is taking about two weeks with the Reggae Marathon smack in the middle. Just one bit of advice on that – stay in Negril for at least one day post-race!

Jamaican Sunset - Negril

So, there you have my non-commercial, commercial message on the Reggae Marathon and my offer to be an informal organizer for a West Coast Canadian contingent! We will absolutely have to have a great name, but we can hold on that until we see how many are interested in becoming ‘Reggae Runners’.

New Ultra Marathon Runner

That is pretty easy. You just run something you’ve never run before!

So, I did.

Now, that isn’t quite as easy as I might have made it sound. I’ve been running for a long time and over the years have run almost every common distance from the mile to the marathon. I’ve even done some uncommon ones like 6K and 7K, a 19K and a couple of similar ones where the object of the exercise was to get from a particular Point A to an equally particular Point B, that just happened to be 19km or some similar but unusual distance apart. Among the fairly common distances I’ve run are the street mile, 5K, 5 mile aka 8K, 10K, 15K, 10 mile, 20K, Half Marathon and the Marathon. All of those were done for PB’s more than 20 years ago.

What’s a body to do? Well, I’d never run an Ultra! Until this past Saturday, that is.

I consulted on the matter with my amazing ultra-marathoning friend, Ellie Greenwood. Without going into the same story again, due to a back problem/operation some 23 years ago I have some residual nerve damage and when I get tired my left leg drags. That is not good on steep downhills with rocks and roots and stuff. So, I asked Ellie if she could recommend a relatively flat and uncluttered 50K Ultra. She could. She did. The Elk-Beaver Ultras on Vancouver Island, near Victoria, BC. There are some up-slopes and down-slopes but not a single hill and hardly a root or rock to speak of. Thanks Ellie!

Naturally, the 42.2km marathon being the longest distance I’ve run, racing or training, I was going for the first distance accepted as an ultra-marathon – 50K. Someone described it as a ‘gate-way’ ultra. Not sure I like the sound of that.

Anyway, THAT is how you score a PB at my rapidly increasing age. I’m not even going to tell you the time because it was slow and doesn’t actually matter. It was not embarrassing though and unlike a couple of recent trail runs I was not last. I finished ahead of two other finishers and three DNF’s, making me 21/26.  For me the whole point was the doing of it. The official race report can be found in this link and if you really insist on seeing results, they are at the bottom of the event page.

Just to make it a wee bit more interesting and in keeping with my recent ascendency to Marathon Maniac status, I ran the Elk-Beaver 50K just 13 days after the Eugene Marathon, which would be a major new ‘first’ for me (two long events so close together). For those who don’t know the Marathon Maniac qualifying standards, I had actually achieved the bottom rung, one star or bronze level, back in 2008 by running three full marathons in less than 90 days (85 to be precise). That said, there is another way to meet the base qualifier and that  is to run two marathons (or ultras) in 16 days. I did the original three more or less by accident, just running races I wanted to do and only found out later that those three gave me the qualification I need to join up with the Maniacs. Not that there is any need for it, but this time I was very aware that I would be doing the first level standard again. Although it all remains to be seen, I wanted to try out the technique (intentionally this time) of keeping the races close enough to use the last marathon as the ‘long run’ in training for the next one. So far, so good. I do have another race in mind which is four weeks away. I won’t sign up until I know I’m fully recovered from the 50K, but just a couple of days after Elk-Beaver, I am feeling good.

Now, about the actual first time ultra! I have to admit that having run a marathon as hard as I could go, just two weeks earlier, my goal at Elk-Beaver was just to finish and enjoy it.  The last statement, of course, proves without any doubt that I am a Maniac or at least a little crazy. I wasn’t sure about the format of running 10K loops around the two lakes, but at least up to the point of doing 5 laps, I found it comforting. I’m not sure how doing it 10 times (like the 100K folk) would feel – and I never will. Never having run that trail, the first lap was all new. Happily, I found Ellie was right on with her description. I trust Ellie, but knowing the sorts of races she does both in terms of distance and terrain, I had to see for myself what she thinks ‘flat and easy’ actually means. After finishing the first circuit, the running was fairly steady. By the last lap, I was thrilled I was on a loop course, because I knew at every step just where I was and what was coming. With about a mile to go, I think I felt a bit euphoric even. OK, well maybe I was just getting dizzy.

The 50K had the great advantage that it is really only a bit longer than a marathon. As my gps device confirmed that I was passing the marathon distance shortly after starting lap 5, I had the reassuring feeling that I was less than 8K from home – 5 miles. I won’t tell you it was a lark, or pretty. I had lots of issues, including nagging allergy symptoms which actually made lap four the worst of all of them. I was not running fast by any stretch of the imagination, but I was still going and there were lots of people being supportive, both fellow competitors and local runners/walkers/joggers and equestrians. (Oh yes, I did ask a couple of the latter if I could borrow the horsey for just bit. None were ready to accommodate and now I’m glad.)

At one point I was running with a fellow competitor from Alberta. He was a great guy and fun to talk to, but was insisting on running 10 and 1′s. I have nothing against that method, but I just don’t do it. Well, I did this time – once and a bit. That was about all I could manage. When we got into the second cycle I was not feeling like I was running my own race, so I bade him go ahead and took my own walk break. When I am running long distances and find myself needing to walk, right or wrong, I tend to take shorter breaks and try to do them when there is a hill or challenging section where I will expend even greater energy if I try to run, and where walking likely isn’t going to slow me down all that much anyway. It turned out to be a good idea because we did a couple of backs and forths over lap four and then in lap five, I passed him for good and actually finished some 12 minutes ahead. I doubt he walked more than I did, but I was able to better manage my energy, running faster when I did run. With a set 10/1 schedule you can sometimes wind up walking down a nice easy hill and then running on the up-slope. Elk-Beaver has no hills but it does have lots of slopes.

While we were still running together, a local runner/jogger fell in with us. He was a fairly big fellow running for fitness and wasn’t with us for a long time. Seeing our bibs he asked what we were doing and we told him, also about the other 50 mile and 100K events that were going on simultaneously. He looked at us for a bit, kind of sideways, and said something like: “So you just got up this morning and thought – gee I’ve got nothing else to do, I guess I’ll go run a 50K race.” We looked at each other and said, “Yeah, that’s about it.” I think it was at that point where he veered off on a side-trail and we carried on.

It was great to have a lot of people ask what we were doing and to hear their supportive cheers as I told them (on the fly) of our race. OK, ‘fly’ might not be just the word I’m searching for, but I didn’t stop.

I think the final points to make involve the race and its organizers, Carlos “the Jackal” Castillo (race director) and Carlos “C2″ Castillo (assistant RD, and the Jackal’s son). They work very hard to make this a great and welcoming event. As a race director myself of events large and small, I was most impressed with how hard they work to give everyone a great experience. Carlos the Jackal actually ran the 50K backwards – in reverse direction, that is – to make sure everyone was doing OK. Every time he passed me (and everyone else, I’m sure) he had an encouraging word. It probably sounds like there would have been at least hundreds running with the four events (there was also a ‘my first marathon’ component), but in fact I believe the sum total was 68 starters. The largest field was the 50K.

Apart from it being my first try at any ‘ultra’ distance, it seems I was the oldest competitor. Interestingly, this was not a first. It is happening more often now. Not in the big events like the Eugene Marathon where there were 19 just in my M65-69 category. Maybe my plan to hang in until I start bringing home the hardware is on the verge of paying off! Oh, and while writing this piece and listing all the distances where I established insurmountable PB’s many years ago, I realized that one distance I have not done is 30K. That is not a common distance, but there is one race that happens not very far from here, each Spring – the Birch Bay 30K. That one is already finished for 2013, but I think I may just see another PB looming in 2014!

Bart Yasso, Lynn Kanuka and Dan Cumming - BMO Vancouver Marathon

Wow! Could things be looking much better for a great race weekend. Some 17,000 runners will hit the pavement in the four events scheduled for Sunday May 5th, and if the weather lives up to the prediction there are going to be some amazed people out there.

I was pleased to be able to attend the BMO Vancouver Marathon VIP/Media luncheon and meet up with key players in the Full and Half Marathon events. It is going to be a stellar field to say the least. More on that later.

I do have to point out that much of my interest is in covering things related to ‘seasoned athletes’ so was pleased to see a number of our Canadian Olympians recognized, mostly seasoned ones. Dylan Wykes (Canada’s top active marathoner) doesn’t really fit the description I suppose, but Lynn Kanuka (Elite Athlete Coordinator), Carey Nelson, Doug and Diane Clement and Miki Gorman certainly do. I hadn’t realized that was happening when I sat down at our table, so was a little surprised when, Dylan and Carey rose on either side of me to accept the congratulations of the room. It sort of left me feeling like I was part of a real-life episode of ‘Wayne’s World’ – I’m not worthy, I’m not worthy!

The other exciting thing was having four contributors to Running in the Zone: A Handbook for Seasoned Athletes in the room at the same time. The photo above includes Bart Yasso (Runners’ World), Lynn Kanuka (BMO Vancouver Marathon) and yours truly. Unfortunately, when that photo-op came Steve King was elsewhere. Sorry Steve!  Maybe Sunday. Unless, of course, Steve is too busy doing what he does so well, announcing the arrival and victory of all those who have worked so hard to reach that magic finish line – some for the first time, and others once again.

In addition to all these folk, Tom Howard was there, a former winner of the Vancouver Marathon as far back as 1972 when, as he said “some 50 or 52 ran around Stanley Park five times”.  Tom is still going and plans to run the Half Marathon come Sunday.

An interesting part of the media session was a Q&A with the elites and stage personalities.  It seems that everyone has role models and our Kenyan and Ethiopian elite visitors are no different. Not surprisingly the names Paul Tergat and Kip Keino popped right up. Natasha Fraser gave a very nice nod to Lynn Kanuka as her personal role model for excellence. One of the people named is never thought of in terms of elite running, but has moved so many around the world, and that was Terry Fox mentioned by one of the Kenyan contingent.

Both the Full and Half Marathon events promise to provide some exciting racing with both defending champions returning to contest the marathon. A new (well, new to the current format) 8K is going to give participants a spectacular run through Stanley Park, borrowing the last 8K of the Half Marathon course for their run.

As to the field we will see on Sunday, we have returning champions in both the Marathon – Gezahgn Eshetu and Ellie Greenwood, and Half Marathon – Natasha Fraser and Kip Kangogo. These fine athletes are NOT going to be left alone to reclaim their first place status, at least not if a significant list of men and women from Canada, Kenya and Ethiopia have anything to say in the matter, with the likes of Omwenga, Kimigul, Kiptoo and Pedereski toeing the various lines.

During the media briefing section of the gathering, one of the major bits of advice coming from the elites seemed to ring true for any runner at any level. Kip Kangogo was the first to say it, but others including Thomas Omwenga quickly backed him up. In essence, the message was ‘trust your training’. It gives you confidence to actually run your race. When asked how a runner can get through the always hard last few kilometers, Dylan Wykes offered that you have to embrace what you feel and use it. I think he was talking about the pain! Benard Onsare said something that every runner can definitely use – ‘don’t think tired’.  How many times do we all seem to get to that stage in a long race, where everything is telling you it is just too much?  Apparently almost every runner, at whatever level deals with that. Our paces differ widely, but maybe what is happening to our bodies and in our heads is not so very different.  What just might be different is how deep our elites, and here I refer to all the top runners right up through the age groupings, seem to be able to go into that store of confidence and inner will, in order to get the job done.

All the best to every runner who will do any of the events at whatever pace it is going to take to do the job. For my part, while I will surely be taking note of everything, I will be concentrating on one runner in particular – our daughter Janna, who is running her first marathon since Boston – 2009. I was there to watch that one and will be closely following her tomorrow.

Go Janna!  Go Runners!

Running in the Zone: A Handbook for Seasoned Athletes is now available from Trafford Publishing in e-book format.

Vancouver Marathon - May 5

Eugene Marathon - April 28

Two big events in just a week, the Eugene Marathon (which your intrepid blogger ran) and the BMO Vancouver Marathon, which said same intrepid blogger will be attending, watching and commenting upon in due course.

Speaking of courses, these two events rival each other for attractiveness, that is if you like green trees and grass, blossoms and water views. So far, I have not had the experience of running the new Vancouver Marathon route. I did do the Half Marathon in 2012, but these are almost two totally separate courses (the Full and the Half). The start and finish  are in the same places but the two courses separate within a few hundred metres of the start and only come together again with a couple of K’s to go.  That said, being from Vancouver and having participated in a training clinic specifically geared to the BMO Vancouver events, I have run most of the route at one point or another, just not all at once and in a race.

The weather in Eugene was almost perfect for running a marathon and with the organization and the attraction of Hayward Field and the whole “running in the footsteps of legends” thing it would be hard to beat. But, Vancouver is promising spectacular weather for May 5th and with clear skies and sunshine, views from that course are going to be unrivaled. Participants better dig out the high potency sun-block, hats and sun-glasses! Usually we Vancouverites are looking for water-proofing compounds, but not this weekend!

I was personally thrilled to have made my third appearance at the Eugene Marathon and to have a lot of running friends there too, including my very own wife, Judi, who has not been a runner in a good many years, but is an avid walker. She decided a year or two ago that if she has to hang around waiting for me to finish my race, she might as well be doing something productive, so where the logistics work out she is now officially walking the half marathon events. In Eugene, she found out the meaning of ‘flat and fast’, setting more than a 10 minute PB on previous half marathon walks. One of our happy group and a contributor to this blog, Rod Waterlow, again won his age category (M75-120). Rod is at the low end of that pretty extended age spectrum!

Eugene has a personal pull for me, starting with the ‘running in the footsteps of legends’, plus my first trip there was, in terms of my modest running abilities and achievements, a spectacular success back in 2010. It was also the scene of a spectacular failure in 2011 when I foolishly ran injured, then didn’t have the sense to quit at either of the easy opportunities to basically step off the course and call it a day. Eugene 2013 was sort of the rubber match and I had several goals, not the least of which was to use it as a decision point for my continued running. This time I started well trained and un-injured. The run itself had its ups and downs, mostly ‘ups’ (and I don’t mean the elevation kind), yet my time tells me that one decision point is clear. Unless something totally unexpected happens in the next year or two, this blogger will only be attending Boston as a spectator – surprisingly, that feels OK. My time was not exactly pleasing relative to what I had hoped to do, but thank goodness for age grading, it actually turned out to be my seventh best out of 17.  Quite a few marathons run faster, but at younger ages, wound up behind this one. So, in a best two out of three series, I guess it is Dan – 2, Eugene – 1. There might be more on this, in a general way, at some later date.  For now, let’s just say it is all good.

I should add, by way of recognizing Eugene legends, our little travel group took a moment on Sunday afternoon to make a runner’s pilgrimage

"Pre's Rock" - Eugene, OR

to ”Pre’s Rock”. It was sad in one way to be at the actual physical place where the spirit and brilliance of Steve Prefontaine came to a sudden end. It was also very inspiring. And, in truth, I guess it was only the physical being and brilliant career that ended so tragically that night, since his spirit has lived on to inspire countless others.

That brings us back to the present though and a look ahead at the BMO Vancouver Marathon. I have run Vancouver (the marathon) four times, but never on the new course. I did the new Half Marathon course in 2012 and we had much the same weather. As already noted, the route is very different from that of the Full. It was so amazing that I encountered a few visitors who were having trouble concentrating on their running in the face of the beauty of that course.  As I write this, I am still debating whether my recovery is good enough to let my newly minted Marathon Maniac self take over and see if I can sign up for a very slow (camera in hand) run at the marathon.  Stay tuned.

Things kick off on Friday with a media lunch to introduce the contenders and some key-note speakers, including our very own (Running in the Zone: A Handbook for Seasoned Athletes) Bart Yasso and defending women’s champ from 2012, Ellie Greenwood. What I will be on the watch for is masters and better runners. I believe that the ever amazing BJ McHugh will be taking on the Half Marathon and likely setting yet another world record for her age.  I am always interested to see how the Masters runners will make out trying to take the event record from another contributor, Roger Robinson. Roger’s mark at 2:18:42 has stood for over 30 years.  It was good enough for Third OA back when he did it and would likely be at least that good even now.  The new course looks like it should be fast, but it has some testing bits that if not run strategically, can easily jump up and get an unsuspecting runner.  We will see what we will see. At this moment, I do not know exactly who among the remarkable (Masters) locals will be running and then there are the out of towners that may show up.  Guess you will need to stay tuned on this one too.

What I do know is that our daughter will be running and I will be very interested to see how she does, even if she hasn’t yet reached the ’masters’ age level. While she has done a few marathons, including New York and Boston, this will be her first time for Vancouver. Like me, she trained with the Forerunners marathon clinic and has seen almost all the parts of the course, just not all at once or in race mode.

So, I guess that is the preview.  I expect to have more to say, maybe after the media luncheon, but certainly once the whole thing is officially in the record books. For the quicker runners, the weather could be ideal. It should be in the range of 12-18C, with not but a breeze of wind, and as already noted, sunshine and blue skies from start to finish.

Here’s to great running for everyone involved, from the newly introduced 8K to the Full Marathon!

Eugene Marathon Logo in Boston Colours

Well OK, the next big thing for me, and a few thousand of my friends.

With the horror, disbelief, sadness and emotional turmoil resulting from the Boston Marathon bombing, it seems like almost everyone has been side-tracked the last few days – to put it mildly. And, rightly so. However, and without forgetting any of that, it is time to move on with things. In fact, to some extent, that ‘moving on’ is actually inspired by Boston and not in spite of it.

It is Spring. It is marathon time. The list of large, middling and small marathons through April and May is extensive. My choice for this Spring has been the Eugene Marathon. (And I should point out that the logo to the left has been altered by Eugene organizers to respect and honour the Boston Marathon.)  It is just 10 days away now. In the Forerunners clinic in which I run and lead a pace group we had people go to Boston, a couple or three on their way right now to London and (most) getting ready for the BMO Vancouver Marathon and Half Marathon. Add to that about a dozen of us who will be heading for Track Town USA (aka Eugene). All I’m covering here are events involving our clinic. There are more, many more!

On Monday my personal energy was just sapped by the events. I spent the morning having nothing but fun watching the live stream of the elite runners at Boston (congratulations to Rob Watson who ran bravely and finished 11th) and then turned to tracking friends who weren’t quite up to being covered in the elite races. As we all know, that fun suddenly changed to something quite different. I’ve already talked about that. If you need to know more, just check my previous post. By Tuesday, like many others I donned a race shirt and went for a run to remember those injured and to offer some kind of virtual support along with many others doing the same. Having never run the big show, thus not having a Boston Marathon shirt, I wore my Boston 5k souvenir shirt (inaugural running in 2009). As had also been suggested, I spent the rest of the day in a running shirt. It seemed fitting that it be my brand new, never race-worn, Marathon Maniac shirt.

Today I got back to some of the things I normally do, making permit applications for a run this summer, the 4th Annual Run For Change 5K Fun Run/Walk, and starting to do some hard planning for Eugene.

I can fairly say that at no time did the events in Boston make me feel I didn’t want to bother with another marathon (or any other race distance). Almost from the beginning it did quite the opposite. I vowed that if it is in my capacity to do, I WILL qualify for and run Boston. Eugene is the first step. I have felt that my present BQ is out of reach, but that may not be so. I can’t start trying for the next age group qualifier until the Fall. I don’t think I’m trained to do my present BQ time, but I’m not 100% sure. It isn’t that I can’t run fast enough, more that I don’t truly run smart enough. I can’t count the number of times I’ve started too fast and then faded.  OK, that isn’t really true; I can count the times.  I’ve done 16 marathons to date. About fifteen times I’ve gone out too fast. Some more than others, but except my very first marathon I have gone anywhere from a little too fast to way too fast.

Eugene Marathon 2010

I love the Eugene Marathon for so many reasons. I’ve done well there, coming third in category in 2010 (and yes there were more than three runners – there were 16 of us). I have also done terribly as a result of foolishly running injured. As I already stated in an earlier post I have set a goal to achieve a time and performance that will indicate my potential to achieve the M70-74 BQ sometime after Sept 22. I am inspired to a better performance, but know that despite being well trained and healthy, I did not train to achieve a time fast enough for my current BQ. That said, if I run well and manage my pace carefully, I may be able to do better than expected.

Oh, oh, that sounds like trouble!

Hopefully not. What I have decided to do is run at a ‘slow’ and even pace more in tune with the original plan. At some point, assuming all is going well, I would pick up the pace. What? Are we talking about the mythical “negative split”? Possibly. I almost did it in my last half marathon!  I know how. It is the doing that is the challenge. But, if it is going to become a reality, Eugene is definitely the place to give it a go. The result will set up the racing that will follow. That was discussed a few weeks back. No need to return to that topic.

The main thing is that as a result of the happenings of this week in Boston I am just that much more determined to try first to qualify for and then to actually run the Boston Marathon. Seems like I’m not the only one. If the bombs actually had anything to do with the marathon per se, as anything other than an opportunity to strike, the purpose was not achieved. I can’t tell you how many people I have heard/seen, saying that while they had been and done Boston before, they now feel that they MUST return to show that the spirit of the marathoner will not bow to terror. I particularly liked the statement I saw that said: “If you are trying to defeat the human spirit, marathoners are the wrong group to target!”

It has been an interesting few days for me personally. I was not in Boston and do not pretend to have been impacted by those events in the same way as the people who ran or attended as supporters. I am not just talking about those injured or killed, or who were relatively close, but lucky to escape without physical harm. I think many of those people may still wake up some morning sooner or later and be hit with the immensity of it all. I am not one of those people. I know that. Much is yet to be determined regarding who did it and why, and to bring the person or persons to justice. In the meantime, most people are returning to normal lives and activities, in some cases a new normal, perhaps.

My new normal is something I am feeling quite tangibly as I count down the days to April 28, look at routes and drive time and check weather forecasts in order to plan wardrobe and even hydration strategy. I sure don’t intend to repeat my Winthrop Marathon brain cramp when I just let that totally get away from me! This is a feeling of determination that I have not felt in some years. And yet, I also have a sense of calm in my resolve to do better and perform to a higher standard. Again, I think I’m not the only person feeling this. I hear people setting goals of higher achievement as a way to honour this Boston 2013 tragedy.   What will actually happen with me in Eugene is, as with all marathons, going to be a function of the day and circumstances, but I do know that with regard to whatever may be within my control, I am prepared to run and pumped to exceed my expectations!

May all of us do the same.

Running in the Zone: A Handbook For Seasoned Athletes is now available in e-Book format from Trafford Publishing.

APRIL 16, 2013 – Updated comment.

I decided to update rather than create a new post following the horrible event yesterday at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The sentiments expressed in the original piece mesh closely with what I believe will be the perspective of many, most of whom weren’t even in Boston this time.

I spent most of the morning of April 15 watching the elites on streaming video and then following friends on the athlete tracker. Once I was fairly sure most of those I knew had finished, I set off to do some domestic chores. It was only then that news started coming of the horror unfolding in downtown Boston. Much of the rest of the day was spent trying to learn what had actually happened and in a kind of profound sadness.

Many are stunned, angered, saddened by what has been done to the spirit of this iconic event. Many such people, like me, weren’t even there physically, but are always there in our hearts. As the ’fog’ lifted this morning I began to process things a bit more clearly, at least for myself. The first reaction tended to be related to the race, the Boston Marathon and naturally the people running. There is no doubt harm was done to some runners and the event itself is now permanently marred. Those physically harmed by this cowardly act deserve every thought, prayer and sympathy being sent their way, along with their families. What I feel is less obvious is the harm done to all those who should have had a wonderful triumphant experience and fabulous life-lasting memories of a great day in Boston. I heard one fellow comment on how his medal no longer represented that ‘victory’ but now something rather different and awful. But then, this is what terrorist acts are about regardless of the perpetrator(s).

Then, I got thinking about who most of the victims really were. They are our loved ones who so often stand in less than perfect conditions to cheer us runners on in our personal pursuit of excellence. The partners, parents, children, relatives and friends that are there to make our ‘victories’ special and important. Those were the people targeted by the cowards who perpetrated this act of terror. It seems (and like most everyone else, I am only going by what has been reported) the bombs were placed to harm spectators first and for the most part. Not that any such thing can make sense but for me, this just makes it all the more offensive.

Late yesterday I had heard through one form of communication or another that everyone I knew personally who was in Boston, was physically unharmed. I say physically, because it was also clear that everyone had been impacted. Some friends had actually been quite near in time and space when the bombs exploded. Some of those were family/spectators who had accompanied loved ones to cheer and celebrate.

I was personally moved by the number of people who know how much I love running and how much I WANT to do Boston, that contacted me to see a) if I was in Boston and b) if I was OK. One of those was literally on the other side of the world, in Perth, Australia! Pretty sure I’m not unique. The same thing was happening everywhere. That is one of the positives, if there can be such a thing – we have suddenly and sharply learned how many care about us and how much we care for others.

This morning social media is starting show people moving to the next phase. From sadness, attitudes seem to be moving to strength and defiance. People are not prepared to be intimidated. There is a global movement to wear a run shirt today, to do some kind of run in a virtual event. Of course we are all still thinking about and praying for those directly impacted. Some had their lives ended and a good many had them altered forever. Nobody has moved on to forget any of them, but the spirit of determination and resilience in the global running community is strong and will prevail.

My own personal determination to qualify for Boston (part of the reason for making this an update rather than a new piece) is well documented and undiminished. If anything, it is perhaps stronger now than before. I am inspired by the spirit of all those in Boston who selflessly rushed to help and by those who have picked themselves up already. I am inspired by global actions of solidarity. And, if that wasn’t enough for me on a personal basis, my friend who texted me from Perth as soon as he heard what had happened, has said if I qualify to run – he will come to Boston to cheer! My response: “Start saving your money, old chap!”

It is this sort of thing that will make this cowardly act futile in the greater scheme of things and that will ultimately raise all our spirits.

Run On!

Cheer On!

————————————————————————

Begin original post.

Well, OK, for regular readers that title is hardly breaking news. So, what’s the point?

Firstly, I am not alone. Secondly, this is the time of year when those of us still holding the unfulfilled aspiration are reminded repeatedly that a) the Boston Marathon is happening just days from now, and b) that we are NOT qualified. Non-runner friends generally have a somewhat quizzical look on their faces when I share this thought, to the point that I mostly do not share this thought with non-running friends. Marathon’s a marathon, right? You’ve done a bunch, right?  Uuh, yeah, yeah, OK.

This being a blog for ‘seasoned athletes’, many of whom are marathoners, I will skip the explanations I usually give to the uninitiated. But, when you get right down to it, why do we want to run Boston?

While I’ve never run Boston, I have been there to cheer on our daughter. If I didn’t already aspire to qualify and run, I surely would have after that. I know all kinds of people who have run this legendary event. That adds to it, too. Once again, there are a bunch of friends who will run in 2013 and I will be avidly following their progress.

I guess one of the reasons so many want to run Boston is the same reason people want to climb big mountains like Everest. Because it is there. If you are a runner and marathoner, particularly from North America, Boston is just something you must do (if you can). And, there is another of the big reasons – the ‘if you can part’. If I ever do qualify and can actually gain an entry under the new registration system, I will go and run if it is in any way possible. That said, almost as important as the doing is the qualifying. It is a standard of relative excellence that brings certain bragging rights. In a way it is like running your first marathon. Once you cross the finish line, you ARE a marathoner. If you never run another one, you will still be a marathoner for ever and ever. More than bragging rights though (because that is really for others to appreciate), there is the personal satisfaction and affirmation. I figure being ‘Boston Qualified’ is a high and worthy standard for any serious marathoner.

Going back to the 2009 experience of accompanying my daughter, the atmosphere and energy of Boston is like no other. I have done small events with only about 100 participants and I have done the New York City Marathon. I’ve done marathons near to home and as far away as Jamaica and Hawaii. They are all wonderful and have a marathon vibe that keeps me wanting to do marathons as long as my rapidly aging body will allow. While in Boston for the 2009 edition, I could (sadly) stand back and just observe. In my opinion, the difference seemed to be that while there are veterans and first-timers, they all had to meet a standard to be picking up a bib and chip. I love the feel of any marathon because it is a relatively momentous thing for any runner, but particularly the Boston newbies. Boston Marathoners are not running their first marathon, maybe first Boston, but not their first ever. They have run at least one just to qualify. The energy each is bringing to this event is different. Expectations are different. While many are there to do a kind of victory lap of celebration, most openly or secretly want to do well – probably as well as they did to qualify.

The thing is, everyone also knows that Boston itself is NOT an event you would choose to attempt a qualifying time for this very same event. Some will tell you that the route itself is reasonably favourable to a good run, the Boston Marathon is not. It is a hard race to run, especially the first time. Too many people are just too excited. Too many people are too eager to do well. The first almost half of the race is downhill. Wait, how can that last part be a problem? Well, combined with the first two, it seduces many into starting just waaaaay too fast, for which one almost inevitably pays the price later.

The Newton Hills, and particularly the infamous ‘Heartbreak Hill’, are still ahead after you pass the half-way point. In and of themselves, while not to be diminished, the Newton Hills are not insurmountable. They are to be respected, no doubt. However, if a person has run too aggressively in the beginning, he/she will learn just why Heartbreak Hill is so famous in running lore. Since this is about why someone would be so eager to run Boston, I guess it is fair to say that among other things we maybe all secretly want to prove that Heartbreak Hill will not break our hearts.

Inaugural Boston 5K - 2009

When I was in Boston in 2009 I got to run the inaugural 5K race held the day previous to the main event. They kindly let us borrow the marathon finish on Boyleston. Even though I was pretty aware of what was really happening, just for maybe an instant I had the epic feel of passing over that permanent finish strip painted onto the street. That, in addition to the whole feel of the event, was another reason I just have a drive to try to get back with a qualified time and do it for real.

I suppose everyone has personal perspectives and reasons for wanting to ‘do Boston’. I don’t claim to speak for everyone, but hope maybe I am hitting on some of the magic of the thing.

There are other ways to get to the start line and I do not denigrate those people (well, other than the ‘pirates’ or as we call them around here, ‘turkeys’), but most serious runners just need to qualify in order to feel right and then claim that personal victory.

I know some have been upset with the change to the qualifying standards and then the registration process that makes it even harder to actually get into the race. I was probably hit harder than most since my old standard was still out of reach and now the new one is essentially 6 minutes faster. When you add in the ‘fastest first’ registration policy my goal is that much more testing.  After consideration, I am OK with that. It is the same for everyone. If I qualify but don’t get in, I will surely be disappointed, but as I said earlier, the first level of achievement is meeting the standard. Should I do it, nobody can take that away. I see this as a major part of the charm and magic. Getting there is my first goal. Doing so in light of my personal challenges (already well documented on this blog) would already be a big personal victory. Earlier I described the BQ time as a “standard of relative excellence”. What the heck does that mean? Well, it means that there isn’t just one standard, but rather a whole bunch based on age and gender.  That said, each and every one of those individual qualifying times is just about as hard for everyone trying to achieve them. In other words the BQ is demanding, but doable if you are a decent and dedicated runner. You will never get it as an attendance prize!

I do not presume to speak for anyone but myself. However, having talked to a lot of people who aspire to, and who have achieved first the BQ time and then run the big event, I think this covers some of the key points. For sure, some make it a life goal, or the now popular ‘bucket list’ goal, but except for the difficulty of actually getting to that start line, I’m not sure it rises above other similar ‘life’ type personal achievements. While I cannot realistically hope to achieve my current BQ, within a few months I may have hope of hitting the time for my next age grouping. In the next couple of weeks, courtesy of the Eugene Marathon, I will test my ability to realistically aspire to meeting my Qualifying time later this year. I have already talked about that so won’t go there again right now.

For the moment, I will just close this post with a heartfelt wish that all those heading, as I write, for Boston and the Grandaddy of all marathons will realize their every hope, dream and expectation. Just two things: if it is sunny, don’t forget the sun-block and take it easy on that start!

Running in the Zone: A Handbook for Seasoned Athletes is now available as an e-Book at Trafford Publishing.

Start of 2013 'First Half'

What is a ‘motivated post’?

Actually, I wasn’t going to say anything about the First Half because sometimes I feel I may just write too much about events in which I am directly involved. This was another great First Half and I thought maybe I would just let it stand on its own. Then I started reading other blog posts and FaceBook posts and Tweets from people who did this race and that was where the ‘Motivation‘ came upon me.

I’ve always known the “First Half” has a great reputation in the running community and have in my time been pleased to have been a part of the club and team that brings the race to life each year (well, except 2010 when we wound up head to head with that other athletic event going on in Vancouver in mid-February – but Hey, the First Half is still here and that other event has turned out to be a ‘one-hit’ wonder, at least in Vancouver). To just stop for a serious moment on the 2010 situation with the Winter Olympics in town, we were concerned about what would happen in 2011, after having to skip a year. As many know, I was race director of the First Half for four years (if you count 2010) and while it would never be obvious, I think that as RD, I worked harder NOT putting on that race than I had for the three previous versions that did go as planned. We had nothing to worry about for 2011. The running community was back in force and here we are in 2013 with another great race nicely tucked into the books. And, speaking of ‘books’, Variety – the Children’s Charity has tucked another $50,000 into their books, bringing the total First Half donations to $550,000 since the race started supporting Variety. There are a number of reasons why this is possible, but prime among them is that this is a 100% volunteer operation with the main organization provided by Pacific Road Runners (under the leadership of RD, Nicki Decloux and a very experienced and dedicated main race committee), and the rest by a group of long-term friends who come back year after year to support the race. The other two major components are the super generous sponsors and the faithful and enthusiastic runners who (virtually) line up every year to register for the race way back in November.

Anyway, much of that has been said before, including by me, and while ever so true and important, was not my reason for writing.

I started reading the various messages and blogs about the individual races of specific people. As organizers, it is easy to think of any race as some consolidated thing called THE EVENT. However, from the perspective of the runners there were 1919 ’First Halfs’ run out there on February 10th. 1919 was the official finisher count according to the results page. As I read the various accounts it became clear in a kind of new way, just how personal the race is. Not just this race, either. And, I mean, I should know this very well because when I am not being the MC for the First Half (my new post race director retirement job on the race team), I myself am a runner and boy do I know the inside perspective of running as an individual competitor. It was a suprise to me nonetheless just how striking the impression was of the individual efforts put in by individual runners when expressed at some length in their own words.

I was going to post links to the specific comments I have seen, but then realized that wouldn’t do much justice to the others out there I missed. Actually, much of what I saw came off the First Half Facebook page, so here is the link to that page, where not only the specific comments I have seen can be found, but likely ones that are still to come as I write this.

The First Half is a very strange race. It is a relatively long race for so early in the season and it is run in February when a good day is still pretty cool. All that said, the First Half produces more than its fair share of PB performances. I guess it is pretty easy to have a PB if it is the first time you have run a given distance. Lord knows, it is the only way I get a PB these days! But, a lot of seasoned runners (both in the meaning of this blog and in terms of just being experienced) report PB’s from the First Half.  This year was certainly no different, and if anything there may have been more than usual. Maybe it is the spectacular route. Keeps everyone totally distracted from what they are doing. Maybe it is the fact that, as several bloggers commented, it is a runnerly race, so maybe people just get pulled along by the subtle competition going on right from the front, all the way to the back. It really is a great running course, being mostly flat. That could help.

It was so much fun up on the stage with co-host Anjulie Latta, watching people return and seeing how ‘up’ they were after their races. I was doing a little walk-about just before we got really going with post-race business and ran into three different people I knew who had just scored a PB. They were all pretty pleased, to say the least.

Guess I shouldn’t be so homed in on the PB performances. One of the bloggers mentioned something we said from the stage about ‘everybody who is out here running is a winner’. That is true. As mentioned early on, every runner is having his or her own very personal race experience. One of the bloggers I read, and who inspired me to go ahead with this post, did not have a PB. That said, it may have been an even better/stronger performance than some of the PB’s because she was working back from serious injury – the can’t run for six months kind of injury. One of my favorite members of the running community did not have a PB, yet set a single age world record. Yes, of course, BJ McHugh. Her time of 2:32 was pretty sparkling for someone who is truly a ‘seasoned athlete’. For those that don’t know, BJ is 85 years old.

I want to keep this short, so will not go on and on about all the individuals that I know had great races. It is only fitting because this post is a celebration and recognition of all those who got out there and did their best. And, because of the things I read in those other postings in this social media world, not just in this one race, the First Half, but in all the races we put ourselves on the line for, with the intention of giving it everything we’ve got. When you toe the line with that in mind, the absolute finish time doesn’t matter. It is truly the ‘doing’ that is remarkable. 

Congratulations to all, and thanks to all you who inspired me to think about this and write this particular posting.

First Half - 2013

How time flies when you’re having fun! It seems just a couple of weeks ago that everyone was talking about the registration date for the “First Half“. (Clue: It wasn’t. It was more like three months.) Now, here we are as the Pacific Road Runners ‘race machine’ stirs to life and race-day preparations begin. The actual race is still 10 days away as I write, but for a lot of the insider committee folk, that isn’t going to seem long enough.

I was reminded of all this by an e-mail this morning from Race Director, Nicki Decloux, in which she outlined for PRR members exactly what will unfold over the next week or so.  In many ways, every race is the same in this regard. As runners I think we sometimes forget what it takes to have a nice neat, well marked course, with plenty of support along the way, with toilets at the start and where we (damn it, there goes my PB!) may need them along the way. And, of course, there is all the timing stuff and post-race fun and food. In a great race all of that is so seamless that it can be hard to recognize how much went into making it seem like ‘nothing’.

According to the e-mail, and not counting all the admin stuff like arranging sponsors and service contracts, finding and assigning volunteers and doing registration, the work starts today. Start being the operative word, because things just keep ramping up from here and don’t really stop until the post-race  ’break-down’ on Sunday afternoon, notwithstanding that for most participants the race ‘begins’ a week from today at the package pick-up at Forerunners. It always amazes me how it takes several days of fairly intense work to put everything in place and then in about three hours, after happy tired runners head for home, everything is cleaned up, put away, returned or delivered to where it must go.

Lead Pack at 1 Mile

One of the main reasons that the First Half is such a popular event, is exactly what I have been describing. Having had the privilege of being the race director before Nicki, I can tell you that the most common positive feedback comments relate to the fabulous organization and wonderful volunteers. This is not necessarily unique to the First Half. The best events, as appreciated by the participants, all know this is what makes the big impression. Oh sure, the First Half has a great course and features some of Canada’s best runners (always fun for those of us who follow well behind them), and has great post-race food and festivities, but when the rubber (on our shoes) hits the road, it is the net impact of all that preparation and support that we notice and appreciate.

Pacific Road Runners provides the core group of volunteers but it takes so many more people to really make it happen come race weekend. The other key component is the generosity of sponsors, and again this is not necessarily unique to the First Half, but that makes it no less important. The net result of all the volunteer support and sponsorship is a major donation to the First Half charity, Variety, which to date and not counting the 2013 donation has received more than a half a million dollars via the First Half. 

A little aside that may or may not be well known is that most PRR members have not run the First Half, at least not since they joined the club. Why? Because members are expected to be there to make this event happen. In recent years a small internal lottery has allowed a few each year to give it a go, but the bulk of members past and present have not run this race.  I personally, am one of those people. One of these days I’ll have to see if I can rectify that. It won’t be this year though, as I will once again being MC’ing from the stage with trusty co-host, Anjulie Latta. We will be looking forward to welcoming everyone pre-race and to helping with the victory celebration of all our finishers. While I don’t know at this point what the 2013 situation is going to look like, I can say that the First Half will be in it’s 24th running this year and yet it has only ever had seven race directors. It is normal that of the seven, you will find five somewhere around the operation come race day, in active volunteer mode. The other two are kind of excused since they don’t actually live here anymore. It is true of other key players as well, with some of the core volunteers no longer being active club runners, yet showing up year after year to make this event happen.

Needless to say that with a sell-out registration three months ago, a post like this is not about drawing more last minute runners to the event. No, it is really about shining a light on the background of preparation that goes into the First Half. It is about thanking all the selfless people who come along year after year to make this event happen as it does. And, not to put too fine a point on it, to remind those reading this and who will be running the First Half (and for that matter, all the races we enjoy) to give a shout out to those volunteers who will be out there on the route and at the Roundhouse on February 10th making this a great experience for all the participants.

See you bright and early Sunday, February 10!

Although it may be more of a personal impression than reality, I have been wondering if the 10K road race was becoming an endangered species – just doesn’t seem like there are all that many around anymore. Well, fear not! Canada Running Series has just launched Vancouver’s newest 10K, the Vancouver EastSide 10K. The launch party earlier this week, laid out the basics, including the race route, which really is in the East Side of Vancouver.

CRS Western Race Director, Clifton Cunningham and his team introduced the new event on January29, complete with background and aspirations for the future of his ‘new baby’. The Eastside 10K will join West Coast CRS events, the Scotiabank Half Marathon and Spring Run-Off 8K. As most will know the Canada Running Series has an Eastern component that includes the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Harry’s Spring Run-Off, as well as several other events in Ontario and Quebec. According to stats supplied by Clif at the East Side 10K launch, some 60,000 people participated in CRS events in 2012, raising more than $6 Million for associated, mostly local, charities.

The Series attracts the widest possible range of participants from national and international elite runners to the eager albeit less swift local recreational runners.  Race presenters will build on a proven track record to deliver a well organized and exciting event, with aspirations to become the premier Canadian 10K event and Vancouver’s premier Fall running event, kicking off the active Fall running season. If history is a good teacher, a betting person would be right with them on achieving their goals.

The Vancouver Eastside 10K will fire the starting gun for its first running on Saturday, September 14, 2013 on a route through the East Side of the city. The start will be on the Dunsmuir Viaduct and the race will finish there as well, after first heading East through the Vancouver Downtown Eastside, then back for a quick whip through Gastown, finally retracing the early stages back to the finish. We who might care, were excited to learn it is a fast, essentially flat, looped course. The inaugural race is expected to draw some 2000 participants, but we were assured that was anticipated to just be the beginning. The Canada Running Series under the leadership of CRS Race Director, Alan Brookes, has a reputation for attracting world level elite athletes, and I am personally expecting no less for the Vancouver Eastside 10K. And by way of a personal side comment, as a seasoned athlete and editor of a blog dedicated to ‘seasoned athletes’, I can’t help but recall that it was at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon that Ed Whitlock has impressed his running skills upon the world. Now if Ed isn’t a highly successful seasoned athlete, I’m not sure who is.

Participants of all abilities are expected and welcomed. While there is much information to be found at the web site of the Vancouver Eastside 10K, more detail is coming soon, including and particularly announcements regarding specific Eastside oriented charities which will be a focus of the event. We will be watching with interest for those announcements.

Having participated in other CRS events here in Vancouver, I know I am very much looking forward to the Vancouver Eastside 10K. As a seasoned athlete, ‘flat and fast’ is a relative term, but one that is certainly attractive!