| Author |
Topic: A personal second best at the Valley Forge Revolutionary 5 mile race |
goofyguy1958
Cool Runner |
 posted Apr-23-2007 12:11 PM
  
As races go, this was one of the more tame runs I have entered in about 9 months; I have become more of a half or full marathon runner with the very odd trail race thrown in every other month. So I will not be as verbose as I usually am in today's race report. Finally, we had some really nice weather, in the mid 50s and sunny, at the start of a race. I met up with a friend, his significant other and her son prior to the race. We boarded the buses – they bussed us to the start because the park commission thought 1500 people would bring too many cars into the parks limited parking areas – and took the about 1 mile ride in the comfort that can only be afforded on those big yellow school busses. Hey driver, I think you missed a bump back there. Can we go back and hit it so I can complete my chiropractic adjustment? I was back in high school. Seriously, the setup was very efficient. Once at the race location we walked around a bit to stay warm and loosen up then I went on my standard 1 mile warm up run and pre race pee and didn’t see my friends until after the race. It is amazing how quickly you can get lost in a crowd of 1500 similarly dressed runners. The race is started with the firing of a very loud cannon and on down the road we go. I mistakenly line up near the middle of the pack and have to bob and weave my way to a place where I can run my pace. After the first mile I am finally able to settle into a good steady pace and am running in the clear. The course opened up going up the longest of the many hills on this course because, being the rock head that I am, I simply never change pace from the flats to running hills. It looks good for a while but boy do I pay as the race goes on. I am maintaining a nice steady uneventful pace through mile 4 when the downhill section of the course arrives. Here you have no choice but to let-er rip and I dropped my pace all the way down to 6 m/m. But the race is not over yet the final 2 tenths of a mile are on a nice uphill immediately after screaming down that very steep hill and making a very hard right turn. Can someone tell me why ALL race directors are evil and sadistic? Anyway, I am determined to push and not be passed on the final uphill and I go into complete oxygen debt but no one is even close to passing me when I cross the line in a second best ever 5 mile time of 35:54. This was a very satisfying race because I was simply shooting for a sub 37 on this very hilly course.
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ksrunr
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 12:27 PM
Nice report and congratulations on meeting your race goal.ksrunr
drinking the wind
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Coastwalker
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 12:42 PM
Hi GoofyGuy,Congratulations on a nice race and a well-earned PR! I may have missed something, but it doesn't seem to me that you suffered at all for having maintained your pace on the uphills. Having the strength to do that, and then still being able to "let er-rip" on the downsides is probably what got you to the clock faster than ever before! Well done!!! Jay
BTW - all race directors have to pass the E&S (Evil & Sadistic) test before they can take control of any race... 
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Spareribs
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 01:01 PM
When someone promises not to be too verbose, I know I am going to read this report. Lately it seems many race reports start with "I was born to poor but honest parents in 1958 in a small town in northern Ohio..." and get worse from there.Yours was very funny, with the school bus bump and other good lines. Nice going on the five-mile time. I think when we get a weird course layout like this, we really do learn some things about ourselves. You learned for example that you are a very fast down hill runner. I run about the same pace you do, but I can't run any six minute mile, even down a hill I bet. I also suspect that despite the hills, you are in pretty good shape. That big marathoner's base helped you. Emil Zatopek used to say, "if you want to run the mile, train like a marathoner." Nice going, and great report. Spareribs
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Dark Horse
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 01:14 PM
Congrats, Goofyguy. It's always satisfying to run a solid race.Dark Horse ------------------
I'm a dark horse, running on a dark race course
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tselbs
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 01:38 PM
Nice job, goofy. You beat the hills, beat your goal, and had your second best 5 miles. Congratulations.TomS ------------------
My Profile
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Canfit
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 01:59 PM
Very nice race, pace and time! I was interested to read you did a mile warm up before the race. Is this your normal practice in half/full marathons as well?
PJ
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Sans Souci
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 04:06 PM
Goofy, to be honest, I don't really care what your times are now, I just like reading your RRs. You rawk.Oh, okay ... so your time was great too. 
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jdmom3
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 04:26 PM
Congratulations on more than hitting your goal Goofy! What a great race on a very hilly course. Hills are tough and certainly not anything I see much of around here, but I do hear that one is supposed to maintain effort on the uphills if not pace. It sounds like you naturally run that way and it paid good dividends in this race. Meg
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dlclark66
Member |
posted Apr-23-2007 04:33 PM
Congrats on the great time GG and thanks for a great entertaining report. You have a good sense of humor making your reports fun to read.
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euphoric
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 04:49 PM
Congratulations on another great time to remember! I still think you were the guy in the shark suit. When I saw him I thought, "He has to be a boomer."
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Fortunate One
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 04:54 PM
Tame or not, you did a great job, Mike. Thanks for the entertaining RR. Your training paid off, and I hope a 5 M PR is there for the taking if you can find a race with fewer hills.------------------
Fortunate--a volleyballer with a running problem
Profile
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Ileneforward
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 05:40 PM
Goofyguy, please make your reports longer, please!! Congratulations, you ran a great race, and I love bus trips like that too.
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FlyingFinn
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 07:23 PM
That is a blazing fast time, with or without hills! Great job, goofy.
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mrpat
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 08:34 PM
GG, that was a great effort and you surpassed your goal.
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Econo
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-23-2007 10:02 PM
Wow! speedyguy, it sounds like you tamed the course; not that it was tame to begin with.
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goofyguy1958
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-24-2007 12:00 PM
Ksrunr, Thank you, I surprised myself.Coastwalker, Thanks, Oh, I suffered on the down hills but didn’t want to complain seeing how good my time was in comparison to my goal. I thought there was an E&S school, but where is it located? Spareribs, Thanks, it was hard for me to do but I did not ramble too much. On those down hills, being a bit overweight probably helped when gravity took hold. Dark Horse, thanks, but I think your pre-marathon training looks like more fun. TomS – Thank you. I truly believe that all the trail racing has made me a better hill runner. That and I hate them so I try and get over them as quickly as possible. Canfit – Thanks! Yes, I always do a real easy mile before all races except the marathon – that one is already too long. Sans Souci - Thank you for the ego boost – Now I just wish I wouldn’t focus so much on time on ALL my runs. jdmom3 – Thank you! Not only do I try and maintain pace but I try to go into complete oxygen debt on each and every hill. Mom always said I was a rock head. dlclark66 – Thank you! If the RR was not fun no one would read it or they would criticize it and hurt my feelings (see reply to Sans above). Euphoric – Thanks but I was in a very bright yellow shirt running from the shark. How could you tell it was a boomer when all you could see where a pair of feet? Fortunate One – Thank you! I do run a 5 miler at the end of July every year with only one or two small hills in it and I may just shoot for that PR in that race – ironically it is called the Run For The Hill Of IT. Ileneforward – Thank you but if I hog the computer any more I would have a mutiny on my hands here.
FlyingFinn – Thanks, that is the first time I have been accused of being blazing fast. Mrpat – Thank you, isn’t that why we set goals? Econo – Thank you. I didn’t tame the course just had a good day with lots of good people around me. The hardest part of this day was the 4.5 hours running around – probably added at least 3 more miles for the day – at our track meet that would never end.
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breger1
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-24-2007 12:48 PM
GoofyGuy, you're just not listening at all are you? (Hands on hips and a big scowl on the face). I keep telling you to slow down and you keep getting faster. Now even Ribs says you run as fast as he does. I am not happy about this.Seriously, your RR's are a riot and I love readig them. The school bus bump comment had me remembering my youth. Nice run as usual! Bill ------------------
Bill's Profile
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hollys4874
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-24-2007 12:51 PM
Here I am, late to the game as usual, but I wanted to add my congratulations on a well-run race and speedy time, in spite of all those hills. Great job!------------------
Holly
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smpankowski
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-25-2007 05:00 AM
Double G, You're ery fastand have a lot to be proud of. Your RR is very enjoyable.------------------
Never regret anything that made you smile, SteveP My User Profile
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euphoric
Cool Runner |
posted Apr-25-2007 06:07 AM
Goofy, I just knew a boomer had to be in that crowd. After all the interesting costumes displayed here, I figured the shark had to be the one. I should have known it was the risk taker in the yellow shirt running in front of the shark. I was wearing the orange shorts while doing my personal best down dog during the yoga warm-up session.
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