Monday, April 7, 2008

Road Racing with My Buddy

Last week 4 runs- 38 miles
Sunday- off
Monday- 6 easy treadmill

The last two Saturdays I have participated in the areas big road races. My wife and I completed the Charlottesville 10 Miler and Richmonds Ukrops Monument avenue 10K. The former had 2,000+ finishers and this weekends had over 24,000!!!! I believe it may even have been the biggest race I have ever participated in.

Both races were very well done and showcased their cities greatest streets and sights. The huge crowd in the 10k was incredibly well organized at the start with a multiple wave start via seeded corrals. This allowed the super elites competing in the USATF national championships (won by Abdi Abdiraham) to start unimpeded at 8:30, my D corral to start at 8:44 and so on back to walkers going off nearly an hour later. A pretty neat system indeed. I both of our races we managed to beat the majority of the folks AND enjoy ourselves.

The Charlottesville race had cool but clear weather which brought out a good number of fans while this Saturday's race was in the midst of the 8 straight days of rain we have endured. So the cheering sections were down from what I hear is common, but the hearty souls that were out there made it fun.

Pinning a number on for a road race always brings me back to my first ones....some 23 years (and 560-some races) ago when I was a little runt of an 11 year old. Many kids were out running in each race and I can only hope they will end up loving and competing in running races as much as I have over the years.

I also have a small pang of .....hhmmmmmmm you should get some speed workouts going and get competitive again..... playing in my ear.

Next up Bull Run Run 50 Miler!!!! nothing but easy 6 mile runs this week to come in rested and ready.

3 comments:

Bryon Powell said...

Loomdog,
Thanks for getting me to think about my early road races light the Hopewell Challenge and Pennington Day 5 miler. Awesome memories! Oh, to be 15 again!

Bedrock said...

Good luck at Bull Run. Hopefully, the weather will be cooperative. Look forward to hearing/reading about it.

I am a runner. "We are what we repeatedly do" said...

Good stuff G Powell. I hope to see you ot this weekend.

BB: Thanks. I am assuming BRR will be 95 and humid since we have had such a cool spring thus far. Probably muddy as all get out aswell! I just hope I can hang in the top 10. But, reading Godale, and Anton's, and Others blogs makes me think I really don't train at all, so shouldn't expect much. I bet I get half way in and realize I am not a force up front, relax and enjoy the day and the beautiful area finishing in 7:50-8:10