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A2A Half

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Location:

San Antonio,TX,

Member Since:

Dec 13, 2009

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

5K PR - 18:01 - Nov '14

10K PR - 38:37 (workout) - Oct '14

Half-marathon - 1:22:43 - Jan '14

Marathon - 2:58:43 in Boston! - Apr '13

50 mile - 7:49:30 (2nd) - Nov '15

Short-Term Running Goals:

- Balance

- Run more trails, volunteer, more social running, run with a team

- Race a lot more. learn.

Race results / possible schedule:

Apr 2 - Hells Hills 25k trail - 4th

Apr 9 - Toughest 'n Texas 20-mile Trail - 2nd

May 7 - Paleface - Trail Marathon - 3rd

May 29 - American Hero road 25k - 2nd

Jun 25 - Pedernales Falls 30k nighttime Trail - 5th (sick)

Jul 16 - Muleshoe Bend 30k nighttime Trail - 3rd

Jul 23-24 - Fossil Valley 9-hour nighttime Trail - 2nd

Aug 6 - Colorado Bend 30k nighttime Trail - 4th

Aug 27 - Reveille Peak 30k nighttime Trail (entered)

Sep 10 - Franklin Mountains 50k (entered - not all-out effort...I hope)

Sep 17 - Lighthouse Hill 20-mile trail (entered)

Sep 24 - J&J 50 mile trail

Long-Term Running Goals:

Compete in a few more ultras without going off course (again)

Sub-18 in a 5k

One. Good. Marathon.

Personal:

I started running at age 30, in late 2009. I have 2 daughters (10 and 8 yrs old).

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	0.00
Saucony A5 Lifetime Miles:						1054.70
Kinvara 2 - Gray/red Lifetime Miles:						1551.08
Kinvara 3 - Gray/red Lifetime Miles:						1244.23
1160s Lifetime Miles:						888.70
Saucony A5 Red Lifetime Miles:						565.10
Saucony A6 - Yellow Lifetime Miles:						214.00
Saucony A6 - Red/blue Lifetime Miles:						61.50
NB MT101 Trail Lifetime Miles:						302.00
Fastwitch 6 Red #1 Lifetime Miles:						286.50
Fastwitch 6 Red #2 Lifetime Miles:						267.00

Sun, Mar 03, 2013

Race: A2A Half (13.109 Miles) 01:28:00, Place overall: 4, Place in age division: 2

Slow miles	Fast miles	Total Distance
2.00	13.14	15.14

45F, S 16-22 mph. 6:42 AP.

So I've never run a point-to-point course before. This one looked good. The first 2 miles drop about 300 feet! From there it's basically a fair course -- goes down another 200', then up about 200' over the last 4 miles, with rolling hills sprinkled in.

Here's the issue - The first 12.3 miles go due south (into a strong wind).

I did a couple miles warmup, then saw April and we ran a little more and then it was time to start. She thought the race went the other way and was excited about the tailwind. I tried to break the news gently...

Anyway, off we went. Obviously an effort-based race. The first 2 superdownhill miles were 6:07, 6:02. I was seemingly locked in 5th place.

Miles 3-9 were 6:34, 6:39, 6:31, 6:32, 6:22, 6:43, 6:51. The 7th mile was where I caught up to Lime Green guy and I sped up to dissuade him. Everyone I talked to after the race agreed that the wind started to really kick hard around mile 8. I agree. It went from just a really bothersome headwind to a comical headwind right around there.

The rest: 7:15, 7:22, 7:24, 6:47, 0:50 for 0.14 (5:52). Now it was time for uphill AND upwind. Lime Green had been hanging close, maybe 100m back. But I must have completely devastated him with my 7:20s because I put several minutes on him here, apparently.

So anyway, the time tells me nothing, but it was still a great workout. Got to hang out with April for a bit afterward (surprise surprise, she won!), then headed home.

Saucony A5 - Blue Miles: 15.14

Weight: 0.00

Comments

From Bam on Sun, Mar 03, 2013 at 12:16:54 from 89.126.28.24

Good workout in that wind. Those final few miles must have been killers.

I was days out with my prediction for you:) I should've heeded your warning about the wind.

From Matt Schreiber on Sun, Mar 03, 2013 at 12:41:44 from 66.17.102.185

Awesome race Joe. One heck of a headwind for you. I love that your 7:20's put your lead on that green dude. That was a great tempo workout into that wind. Nice job!

From Tom K on Sun, Mar 03, 2013 at 13:14:54 from 108.9.33.153

Way to beat Lime Green, Joe! Nice race!

From Jason D on Sun, Mar 03, 2013 at 13:24:55 from 24.1.80.94

Bam predicted 1:21:37, which is about what I predicted. One of these days you will get some decent weather. Hopefully Boston is like it was in 2011 (and not 2012). Sounds like you got to compete a bit today, which is an added bonus you don't always get on a regular run. Those 7:20s uphill into a headwind must have been tough.

From Jake K on Sun, Mar 03, 2013 at 13:40:55 from 174.235.192.207

The headwind is always the danger of p2p courses. I'd say a very good effort, and like Jason said - being able to compete in a race is great experience.

From SlowJoe on Sun, Mar 03, 2013 at 14:01:27 from 69.131.141.92

Bam - I appreciate the 1:21. With a north wind I think I'd have had it.

Matt - thanks, definitely some good resistance training if nothing else.

Thanks Tom!

Jason - yeah I was thinking about how Boston could have a nor'easter and then the pain would be doubled. The crazy thing is I was cautious and saved up a good amount of energy for those 7:20s.

Jake - Usually I lose those kinds of duels (not that it ended up being much of one), so the racing part was definitely the bright spot.

From seeaprilrun on Sun, Mar 03, 2013 at 19:21:02 from 68.102.189.33

Yes Joe...you kindly burst my bubble about 5 minutes before gun time. Major bummer. The headwind was just wicked at the end, like you said, comical!! Way to kill it and race though--definitely a good training run and I think your time was awesome--I know how hard that uphill 20mph ^$&* was!! Great placing, and way to take down lime green dude.

From Janz on Sun, Mar 03, 2013 at 21:17:19 from 71.219.81.179

Well done! very good race with wind. if it was me racing, i'd've just run the race backwards :)

From Bam on Mon, Mar 04, 2013 at 06:26:29 from 89.126.28.24

Janz - you should take up coaching; a few people on here a penchant for running backwards:)

From SlowJoe on Mon, Mar 04, 2013 at 07:57:22 from 155.219.241.10

April - it was character building at least - we can pull some kind of positives out of it

Janz - why didn't I think about that? Bam is right, you need to be a coach.

From allie on Mon, Mar 04, 2013 at 12:44:51 from 161.38.221.168

nice job, joe. racing in wind can be brutal. solid workout in tough conditions -- the reward will come next month.

From Burt on Mon, Mar 04, 2013 at 13:15:05 from 71.216.109.214

So let me get this right. You beat April? April has run a sub 3-hour marathon, and you haven't. What's wrong with you man?

From JG on Mon, Mar 04, 2013 at 17:56:34 from 174.49.78.66

Great job racing Joe, paces are irrelevant in those conditions! Hard to get that kind of effort in on your own without being in a race ... heck, it would have been hard for me get out the door ... race or no race! :)

From SlowJoe on Mon, Mar 04, 2013 at 19:03:19 from 69.131.141.92

allie - thanks. yeah, you're right - next month Cadbury creme eggs go on sale.

Burt - I'm the 3-hour guy. It's what I do.

JG - I know, I would never set up a workout into the wind, probably not even an easy run.

From Tracy on Tue, Mar 05, 2013 at 04:31:29 from 50.103.236.137

Not too shabby yourself, Joe! Great effort on the uphill part! Maybe a win in your future?

From derhammer on Wed, Mar 06, 2013 at 14:16:04 from 64.245.52.2

Just catching up after vacation... I have this cool little spreadsheet that will calculate your effort pace based on a head wind. It's pretty cool. I'll email it to you to play around with. Anyway, tough race in those conditions.

From RileyCook on Wed, Mar 06, 2013 at 16:51:08 from 132.3.57.78

Nice effort on a tough day. There's nothing worse that a strong headwind on race day.

From baldnspicy on Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 16:34:47 from 167.164.3.140

Great job, Joe. Congrats on a fantastic finish and placement!

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