Total Time: 5:30:00 Total Distance: 29.5 miles Average Pace: 11:11/ mile
8:00 AM - Amherst Bike Path, Amherst, NY - This was the second time I made the journey to Buffalo for BPAC 6 Hour put on by the Buffalo Philharmonic Athletic Club. Last year was pretty crazy with 30 or 40 mph winds, hail, rain, and snow. I can only speculate, but I am pretty thankful that Susan Devlin changed the race date to the last weekend in April. My friend Shelley said that this was the fourth time that she has run the race. She has experienced rain, wind, snow, and now sun. She said she hates the 3.25 mile "P" shaped loop course, but that for some reason she keeps coming back for more every year.
While I most certainly prefer the .49 mile loop at Mind the Ducks so that I have access to anything I need at all times, I do like the 3.25 mile course. My goal going into the race this year was to minimize walking breaks and make a cognizant effort to push myself. This was the last long run before Mind the Ducks and I was unsure of what to expect, as I have only got a couple 10+ milers in since the double marathon in February.
I got up early on Saturday and drove to Rochester for a lunch date with Su and Alcie. That was a nice little break. After lunch I said goodbye and got to Buffalo by 3pm. Went and checked out the parking area. Amazing how much easier it was to find it from the hotel. It seriously is only a 2 minute drive. Last year we spent over an hour in the dark trying to find this place! I got changed and hit up the BPAC loop for a quick run to see what it looked like so I knew what to expect for the next day. Ran it nice and relaxed in about 32 minutes, 10:00 pace. Then grabbed some pizza for dinner and settled in to watch LOTR and a new Tom Hanks movie in the hotel. There was a lot of noise from some kind of party.
Woke up at 6 and started to get ready. Took a bath to soak my legs and changed into my running clothes. Low was 32, and projected high for the day was 54. Got my number and scoped out a place to set up shop about .1 miles after the start of the loop on the right. While many people set their aid at the end of loops, I like putting my aid at the start, so that it keeps me moving through the finish/start area so I can start the next lap. This is of critical importance on a multi-loop course to minimize breaks and keep relentless forward progress happening. It was nice to leave the hotel at 7:20 and make it to the starting line with half an hour to get ready.
Opted just for my blue Livestrong wind jacket, shorts, and Komodo sports. New this year were ankle bracelets which was great!
LAP 1: Settled in at the back of the pack. I like starting in the back to make sure I don't go out too fast. Goal was to run 10-11 minute pace for as long as possible with minimal walking breaks. Talked with Shelley a little bit. Was nice to check in.
LAP 2: Caught back up to Shelley and ran with a couple of her running friends for a lap. Was nice to have some company. Legs were heavy at the start, but felt great now! At the end of the lap, they stopped to refuel; I made my way to my chair, grabbed a bottle and gloves and kept moving.
LAPS 3-4: Passed two or three people each lap. Leaders lapped me for the second time already! Some of them were really flying! A lot of people out on the path today enjoying the weather, and I was getting a little annoyed that I had to keep swinging out wide to the right, adding a little distance. My question was, if I was already having to swing wide and/or running on the outside to avoid pavement, wasn't I entitled to pass via the inside grass? I saw a couple other runners doing it, but was too chicken to do it myself.
LAPS 5-6: Running strong continued. I hit 19.5 miles in 3:20:00, well ahead of last year. Bottom of the feet started to feel it though. This was going to be the longest Vibram run on pavement I've done. Goal was to get to 4 hours and then ease on to the finish. No sense putting anything in jeopardy with MTD so close!
LAPS 7-9: Continued to drink 1 bottle per lap, 2 per hour and take 3 pretzel sticks each lap. Did not stop at the aid station once at the end of the laps. This allowed me to make up some significant time. I think at one point I might have been a mile or mile and a half ahead of the group I started the day with. In any event, the wheels started to come off on lap 9, and I found myself running .5 and walking .25 or .3. I decided that 29.5 miles was long enough for me. I finished in 5:30:00 - 52 minutes faster than I had finished lap 9 last year! I felt so great! Next year I am confident I can do 10 laps and get the 50k. Took home a nice silver medal for running more than 26 miles and under 40 on the course. Can't wait to see overall results. I am hoping I finished top 50, but I don't know. We will see!
