Race Report - Indian Trails 15k

The Indian Trails 15K Road Race has always been one of my favorite races.

If not for the challenging hills, it is my favorite because it is one of the most beautiful courses in NJ for a road race. The Middletown/Atlantic Highlands area of NJ provide some great scenery, including horse farms, rustic dirt roads, and, of course, a great view of Staten Island and Manhattan from across the New York Harbor and the Raritan Bay.

You'll only get that view AFTER you climb the 3 big hills on the course though.

Picture of the first hill from the Sandy Hookers Website

But it's definitely worth the pain. And yesterday was no exception. The day was sunny and clear with temps in the 40s at the start. Which means there is nothing hindering that magnificent view over the water at mile 8.5 of the race.

I was coming off a recovery week in my training regimen, so my legs definitely felt like coiled springs ready to jump into action. I was part of a 9 person Staten Island contingent ready to invade New Jersey and tangle with the best of the runners they have to offer. That's because this race is a USATF-NJ State Championship race for Open Men and Women.

Our nine person group arrived at Croyden Hall, the start/finish of the race, comfortably more than an hour before the start. The temps were slightly chilly, but this week I chose to dress in just the singlet and the shorts. It was just last week when temps were only in the 20s for the Chimney Rock Run; the weather here is very bipolar in the spring. We have to constantly watch the weather predictions here to determine what to dress for our runs.

After meeting some old friends from NJ and doing a small warm-up, we lined up for the start of this race. I was situated next to CC, who will be crewing/pacing me at the  Leadville 100 later this year and a runner of similar ability as me.

The race started smoothly and both of us went out together. The first 2 miles were not bad at all. There is a small hill at about mile 1, but the downhill at mile 2 was a real treat. As soon as we got to the mile 2 marker, I shout to CC, "here comes the first hill!"

And true to form, there it was. I was hoping that 5 years of erosion would whittle it down a couple of feet, but alas, I had no such luck. The hill was just as steep as I had remembered it before.

Once we topped the first part of this hill and started to climb the second part of it, I felt my "gears" kicking in and was settling in for a good run. The downhill at miles 3 and 4 were nice on the legs too. Both CC and I were still together when I saw the right turn into the second hill. Again, I shouted to him, "hill 2 coming!"

The second hill at mile 5-6 was a steep, but very short hill. Once at the top we were back to going downhill for a bit again. CC asked if that was it and I told him yes.

The relative downhill section between the second and last hill was the last I saw of CC until after the race. I managed to barely pull ahead of him, but was too tired to turn my head to see where he was. 

All I remember about the third and last hill was it was a real bitch to climb, especially at the end. It was also very twisty so that you cannot see the top until you were almost upon it. What I forgot about the hill was that it was really a series of two hills. The first hill basically tires the runner and sets him up for the second, more steep hill. It was the one-two punch that can fell a runner in this race.

Topping the first part of the hill, I kept focus on the last part of the the hill at mile 7.5. There were several spectators cheering at the top as I was struggling the last few feet up the hill and back onto the paved road on the top. 

At the top, the view of the New York Harbor were stunning. We had the fortune of a nice, sunny, clear day and it made the painful climbs worth it. I almost regretted descending the screamer downhill section at mile 8.5.

The beginning of this downhill section is so steep that it just jars your insides if careful steps are not taken. It levels out at the lower section enough to get back into smooth cruise control as I hit the main road back to the finish line.

The last section was a little uphill, but it didn't bother me as will power and the desire to finish took over. I finished the race in 1:09:48, a 7:29 min/mile pace. I was satisfied; I couldn't have asked for any better performance here.

As for CC, he finished the race only about 40 seconds behind me. He was coming off a viral bout I think and he raced the day before, so he was on tired legs. Had he been healthy and rested, I think he could have finished ahead of me.

Everyone from Staten Island raved about this race. Enough to come back next year? You bet.

As for me, my recovery week is over. I've suffered no adverse effects from the race and was fine for my run this morning (10 miles). I might not have the speed anymore, but I do have staying power. So even though I ran this race hard, it was only 9.3 miles and probably could have gone out for a second loop at the same pace as the first had a second loop existed.

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This SUNDAY (note the day) April 10 is the Greenbelt Group Run at High Rock Park. Same place as always (High Rock Parking Lot, end of Nevada Ave. off of Rockland Ave.). But remember it's Sunday at 8AM this time, not Saturday. I will be in the Greenbelt on Saturday, but unless you're willing to run 20 miles with me on the Greenbelt White Trail, you won't see me. If you ARE willing to run 20 miles, or maybe even part of it, let me know, I can definitely use the company.

Tomorrow I'll be posting my Vermont 100 Mile Ultra Race Report here from another blog. Some people are interested to see what I've felt throughout the race and how the heck I was able to finish this undertaking. So be it. :-)

Thoughts - April 1 - Someone Wake Mother Nature, Please!

Today is the first day of April. Baseball season has started, people are gearing up for the running and triathlon season, the ice cream trucks are out, and the landscapers seem to be coming out of the woodwork.

Seems like someone forgot to tell Mother Nature it's April.

A Winter Storm Watch for parts of this area this morning? C'mon.

I'm not a particularly happy camper when I'm still using my full winter gear when running. I start getting particularly mean tempered when I'm still using my Computrainer full-time when cycling. April should be time to put those things away, right?

I still had a nice 5 mile run this morning despite putting on my mid-winter gear. It's great to set the watch aside for one week out of the month and just run for the heck of it.

I scratched out only 15 miles of running so far this recovery week. Another 5 tomorrow at the Greenbelt Group Run and 10 miles at Indian Trails on Sunday and I have my easy 30 for the week.

Next week is back to high mileage again. I better enjoy the lull now!

The next 4 week set is the last full cycle before the Massanutten 100 race. It'll be an interesting test to put together some good high mileage weeks in before the race.

Hopefully by the end of the 4 weeks I'll be ready.

And of course hopefully wearing only a singlet and shorts!

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This weekend activities include the Greenbelt Group Run (pdf) for the High Rock Challenge. 8AM at the High Rock Parking Lot for all those interested in running some trails before the race.

Sunday is the trip to NJ to race the Indian Trails 15k in Middletown NJ. Carpools will be organized at 7:15AM Sunday morning at the Eltingville Park & Ride, and we'll head out to NJ from there.

Thoughts - March 30 - Recovery Week, Very Important!!!

Last week was the capper of a very good vigorous 3 week schedule. I ran 65 miles last week. Included was a 15 mile road run, a 20 mile trail run, and a 5 mile trail race.

The 4th week on my schedule is always a recovery week. And one that is well deserved.

The last 20 mile run on Sunday showed why a built in week of recovery is needed in any endurance training schedule. 3 weeks of accumulated fatigue was setting in on that run, and I had to struggle with mental focus as well as physical lethargy.

In other words, it was time for the body to recover for a week.

Two days into the week and I only ran 4 easy miles so far. I'm only doing 30 miles this week.

This also gives me the extra time I need to tackle other things that I've had to put off for a couple of weeks. In other words, the recovery week provides a bit of balance in my life as well. And the balance between work, play, family, etc. is absolutely critical for a full life.

The bottom line is that it is absolutely critical to build in rest periods into your schedule to give your mind and body time to heal up as well as focus on other things in your life. Without this you are at higher risk of mental burnout and physical injury, especially in long distance events like Ironman and ultra-marathons.

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Next Saturday I continue with the Greenbelt group trail run of the High Rock Challenge. We meet at 8AM in the High Rock Parking Lot at the end of Nevada Ave. (off of Rockland Ave.).

Sunday I will be in Middletown, NJ for the Indian Trails 15k Road Race. This is a real challenging course with 4 significant climbs. Once done with those climbs one is rewarded with a nice view of Lower New York Harbor with the silhouette of NYC in the distance as you run down the last hill of the course on mile 9.

Members of the SIAC will be providing carpools from the Eltingville Park & Ride at 7:15AM. If interested, let me know and I'll relay it to the group.

Race Report - Chimney Rock 5 Mile Trail Run

I had the privilege of coming back to NJ to run in a small but growing race, the Chimney Rock 5 Mile Run in NJ. The race is touted as a very challenging short distance trail race with over 2000 ft of climbing.

Unique "Rock" Awards from a nearby quarry in the area.

The Raritan Valley Road Runners organized this race and the after-race festivities. Although their primary focus is on, of course, road racing, they often make forays into other aspects of running also, including triathlon and trail running. Organizing this race shows how far they have expanded outside of their normal scope. In my opinion, it's a big plus for the club.

Early spring, like so many times in previous years, turned out to be as cold as a mid-February day. It seems that Spring tends to hit the snooze button every year in the NJ area. When it finally does wake up, it just passes the torch to Summer then goes back to sleep. I cannot count how many times temperatures went from freezing on one day to sweltering on the next.

Race morning was no exception. Temps were about 25 degrees and quite windy the morning of the race. I entertained the thought of shedding my outer heavy jacket for the race, but decided to keep it on instead (me at left in photo, all bundled up like one in a cocoon). Comfort over performance today. Today wasn't as important a race as the Holiday Lake 50k a month ago, when I shed my jacket for a thin long-sleeved shirt and shorts in 24 degree weather. Holiday Lake was the first ultra of 2011 and a key race for me, so I opted for performance over comfort.

The race was about 2 loops of rocks, roots, and hills. The major uphill to the Hawk Watch starts out each of the loops, then meanders along the top of Chimney Rock Mountain until it comes down a rocky descent back to the start of the loop. The second loop is basically the same, but with a small modification that forced us to climb a bit higher up the mountain before descending.

We started promptly at 9AM. I decided to take it easy and mingle in with the middle of the group. It only took about 2 minutes before we hit the real technical hilly section on the first loop.

The only time hills really bother me is right at the start of a short distance race, when I haven't established a rhythm to my running yet. This first hill was no exception as I huffed and puffed up it. A couple of walk breaks near the top enabled me to settle down for the rest of the run.

The descent was technical, but nice for me. I passed several people on the way down the rocky slope to the bottom.

When people ask me how to best get down a rocky hill, I always tell them that they have to lose their fear first. This is very important as fear can put one at a major disadvantage on a difficult downhill. Each step *has* to be sure and true to minimize injury and that can only happen if one doesn't let fear take control of his/her actions.

Believe me, it's tough to swallow fear. It took me a couple of years before I was confident enough to go down difficult hills at a quick pace, but it can be done.

And this led me to gain several places on the downhill section in the first loop.

At the beginning of the second loop I was a bit more ready for the uphill section. Again, some walking was involved, but I was a bit quicker getting up to the top section. I wasn't affected much by the added uphill on the second lap and before I knew it, I was on my way downhill. Again, I passed about 3-4 people coming on down the hill. I did manage to get a bit confused at the end of the second loop and didn't know where the turnoff to the finish was, so I waited for a bit until other runners showed up. After a bit of confusion with the group, we decided to choose what we thought was the best path back. It turned out to be the correct one. I lost about 45 seconds and a place on that confusion, but I finished below the hour mark. 

Official time was 57:53. Good for 25th place out of 64 people (pdf).

Post-race festivities was at Chimney Rock Inn. Their thin-crust pizza was free and the beer hit the spot!

It's a great race that is sure to grow in the coming years as more people take to the trails. It is a great race for all those new to trails as well, since one gets to actually see the added challenges of a trail race over a road race. Hopefully I will be back next year to do this race again.

Thoughts - March 23 - Spring Snow; Touring Setup for Triple Ironman

What a BEE_YOOTIFUL spring day.

Yeah, right. That is if you're a polar bear that is.

Or a Canadian.

Last week, we saw the last of winter. That was accompanied by 70 degree temperatures, running in a singlet and shorts, and a great feeling to be outside again.

Monday was the first day of spring. And we get...sleet and ice.

Today? Snow. Enough to cover the cars.

Nature can be a cruel joker sometimes.

Monday's run was a surprise as I braved the cold wind and the sleet for 5 miles. And  I luckily saw the weather predictions for this morning, or else I was going to have to run for 15 miles in this muck. No thanks.

Instead, I moved that run up to yesterday morning instead, and it was a great choice indeed. I had a nice clear day in the mid 40s, which is perfect for a long run. 

It also allowed me to stay indoors in the pool and the bike today, leaving nature and its cruel jokes outside, where I am not.

Still, tomorrow morning is still supposed to be cold and perhaps snowy. I do have a run tomorrow, so maybe I might have to venture out in this wintry crud again.

If so, I'll gut it out like I've been doing all winter.

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I think I had some nightmares last night about the Triple Ironman. It was about the 336 miles on the bike.

That's a lot of mileage. That's more mileage than going from New York City to Washington DC. That's about as much mileage as going to Montreal from New York City.

The nightmare included huge back spasms and nasty saddle sores as I finished the bike, not to mention other things.

Well, whatever this nightmare was, it definitely gave me a warning. If I am ever to even think about attempting this, I'm going to have to refit my bike in more a touring setup than a racing setup. That means a nice, cushy saddle for a comfortable ride, a different angle of my handlebars so that I'm a bit more upright (and thus comfortable) when I ride.

The overall theme is sacrificing a little aerodynamics for comfort.

The most I ever did was 130 miles on a bike and I found it very uncomfortable on a triathlon racing setup. For me to endure 336 miles on a bike, my bike had better be comfortable!

I'll be looking at some of the touring bikes and their setups for pointers in the near future.

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The Greenbelt Trail Runs will be on at 8AM this Saturday, although I will not be leading this weekend (I'll be at the Chimney Rock 5 Mile Trail Race). There is also a Trail Maintenance Workshop from 10am to 3pm offered in the Greenbelt by the NY/NJ Trail Conference.

Thoughts - March 22 - A Triple Ironman?!!

So yesterday, I was sending in some payments to races in the near future like the Chimney Rock Trail Run and the Indian Trails 15k race. Since the Virginia Double Ironman this fall is now a definite, I was ready to send in payment to that too.

Then I paused.

Their information webpage has their double ironman as $425. Their TRIPLE ironman costs $575.

Only $150 more to tack on another Ironman. Hmmm...

So here I am. Should I just throw caution into the wind and sign up for the triple, knowing full well that I actually have to DO it this October?

I mean, what would it feel like finishing a 336 mile bike ride only to have 78 miles of running staring me in the face?

One person I know said that the only way to play is on the edge. He could be right. But how far is the edge now?

I thought at one time that the edge was doing the Ironman. I was wrong. I then thought by going beyond the marathon into ultras that I'd find the edge.

I've completed my first 100 miler and believe me, it definitely felt like playing on the edge. But is this really true?

A Triple Ironman: 336 miles on the bike. Jeez, that is about 20+ hours in the saddle. Wow. Then topping off with 78.6 miles of running? 

This is just too rich.

Yet it beckons. Just like the Ironman did 15 years ago. Just like the 100 mile ultra did 2 years ago. And I heeded the call.

I guess if I am to ever truly find out what my physical and mental limits are, then the only way to play IS on the edge.

Still, I have to temper it with rationale. After two 100 mile races this year, would it be practical to aim high this year? Or should I stay with the Double Ironman this year and upgrade to the triple next year when I can probably train more properly for it?

These are the questions I have to answer. Either way, I'll be there in Virginia this October testing my limits.

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Saturday is my participation in the Chimney Rock 5 Mile Trail Run. Anyone who wants to carpool to NJ to do this race can notify me. It's supposed to be a real challenging race, so leave your excuses at home.

Sunday I'll be doing a long run in the beautiful Cheesequake State Park (Green Trail shown). I haven't been there since last fall, so it's high time I pay the park a little visit. Anyone who wants to run long (15-20 miles) can come on down. Let me know if you're interested and I'll give you the details and the exact times.

April 3 is the challenging Indian Trails 15k race. I will be attending. I know some people on Staten Island who are coming down to the race. Those runners on Staten Island will be further treated to the fact that some of the best runners in NJ will be attending the race since it is a USATF-NJ championship to them. So competition will definitely be high. Again, carpools are welcome.. Let me know if interested.

As for the Greenbelt group runs (High Rock challenge), there will be a group at 8AM this Saturday. I won't be there but another person will lead the group into the woods. Come on down to the parking lot at High Rock (end of Nevada Ave.).

Last thing. It's a beautiful day today. Get out there and enjoy a nice run today. Because tomorrow it'll be really lousy.

Thoughts - March 17 - SI Advance Interview, Warm Weather!!!

To be honest, I'm not very good when it comes to interviews, especially over the phone.

The Staten Island Advance interviewed me at noon today about the group trail runs for the High Rock Challenge on April 30. While I think most of it went OK, my mind did draw a blank on a good part of it.

Although I can blame the fact that I was away doing some work at the time of the phone call, I think I can really pin it on my Italian heritage. When I talk, it's not my mouth that does the talking, it's my whole body.

The typical Italian always uses his eyes, arms, and body movement to convey what he means. These gestures always seem to drive the point home for me when I talk. 

Although I love the practice of the gesture, it doesn't really work over the phone. It can only be limited to the voice. No gestures allowed.

The person who invented the phone really didn't have Italians in mind, didn't he?

When it came to how to properly run the trails, my words just...stopped. How can I describe how to properly run up a steep hill on so many words without my showing it to people? Pictures are worth more than a thousand words, right?

The poor journalist who interviewed me has her work cut out for her. She's going to have to really pull out my stammering and the useless phrases out to get to the gist of what I was saying. I definitely apologize to her for that.

We'll just see how the final article comes out tomorrow.

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It is a beautiful day for a run. If you haven't done so, get out there. NOW! The shorts and the singlets are back in style again, baby!

I ran 15 glorious miles this morning for the first time in a singlet and shorts and I'm aching for more!

I'm ready to put the winter running clothes away. Even if only for a few days (the weather does cool back down in several days).

And tomorrow promises milder temperatures. I might go out for a long run tomorrow like I did today.

Saturday will be the group trail run at the Greenbelt. Hopefully the weather will bring a lot of people out this week.

Until then, get outside while you can. You won't regret it.