The 2021 (Virtual) Amherst Valentines Day Run
I told myself I wasn't going to pay for another virtual race.
They are fundamentally no different from a high-effort long run or time trial - and I generally don't care much about the swag. In fact, the race I'm proudest had no swag.
Due to the pandemic, the race went virtual (no surprise) - and because the Atlantic Canada bubble was suspended due to high number of Covid-19 cases, I could not even do the run in Amherst with the Striders. What was the point?
Sue Gallant from Sackville, Facebook messaged a few New Brunswickers to see who else was doing the half marathon to see who would run it with her - I thought about it and determined that for only $20, supporting a local race and my running club, there wasn't much harm. Plus, I get to determine the course - unlike last year where the race designer was an "ass".
https://trailbeermiles.blogspot.com/2020/02/amherst-valentine-run-or-intersection.html
I had also signed up for the Fredericton Marathon on mothers day weekend - and this would be a great tune-up race to assess my strengths and weaknesses moving forward with a 12-week program to try and complete a sub-4 hour marathon. [The Fredericton Marathon ended up moving to a September date].
They are fundamentally no different from a high-effort long run or time trial - and I generally don't care much about the swag. In fact, the race I'm proudest had no swag.
Due to the pandemic, the race went virtual (no surprise) - and because the Atlantic Canada bubble was suspended due to high number of Covid-19 cases, I could not even do the run in Amherst with the Striders. What was the point?
Sue Gallant from Sackville, Facebook messaged a few New Brunswickers to see who else was doing the half marathon to see who would run it with her - I thought about it and determined that for only $20, supporting a local race and my running club, there wasn't much harm. Plus, I get to determine the course - unlike last year where the race designer was an "ass".
https://trailbeermiles.blogspot.com/2020/02/amherst-valentine-run-or-intersection.html
I had also signed up for the Fredericton Marathon on mothers day weekend - and this would be a great tune-up race to assess my strengths and weaknesses moving forward with a 12-week program to try and complete a sub-4 hour marathon. [The Fredericton Marathon ended up moving to a September date].
PRE RACE
Sue ended up running her half solo mid-week - so I ended up running mine on the weekend.
Saturday, February 13th the weather is perfect for mid February, it's barely below freezing, and it's sunny outside and as I'm prepping for my half marathon, my wife comes in after shopping in the morning asks me why I don't do it tomorrow, since she is working on Sunday. My plans were scrapped, but we ended up going to Mill Creek Park in Riverview and we snowshoed for the entire afternoon.
Saturday, February 13th the weather is perfect for mid February, it's barely below freezing, and it's sunny outside and as I'm prepping for my half marathon, my wife comes in after shopping in the morning asks me why I don't do it tomorrow, since she is working on Sunday. My plans were scrapped, but we ended up going to Mill Creek Park in Riverview and we snowshoed for the entire afternoon.
(!) Side Note/ If there is one positive thing about virtual races, is that you can really work them around your schedule, and wait until you have ideal conditions. Side Note/(!)
RACE DAY
Sunday, February 14th is the real valentine's day. So it's appropriate that I run on this day. In the back of my mind I was always planning on running in the afternoon because it warms up slightly, and you suffer a tad less. Either way, the 14th was something like -8°C outside, which can be hard on the lungs when going at 100%.
I woke up at around 11:30am, pour myself a glass of water + Nuun, a cup of coffee, and eat a banana, let myself digest for an hour - warm up (indoor) for about 15 minutes - and head out the door and down the street.
Since I'm the Race Designer 😏, I opt for 7-loops of the Pinehurst Perimeter (~3.05km per loop). I'm very familiar with the area, it's flat, and I expect minimal interruptions with traffic.
I'm out the door with my new shoes, the Thicc Boiss, HOKA ONE ONE Clifton 7s, and jump up and down to warm up and pump myself up, and set my watch for a 1:59:00 pace.
3....2....1.....GO! (whenever I was ready)
I have my "A" goal of beating my Half Marathon PB (1:55:27), and a "B" goal of going sub 2:00:00. Given the cold, and the added layers - I have no idea if this is realistic.
To provide context, a 2h half is ~5:39min/km
Loop 1:
I started way (!) too fast, but it might have been the adrenaline and the warm-up.
My first kilometer was a 5:02min/km, and the subsequent kilometers were 5:12min/km and 5:17min/km. I feel like I'm going too fast - but I also feel like this pace might be sustainable. I focus on my breathing, as this is the only thing bothering me at this point, I probably should have started slower and acclimatized my lungs to the cold before speeding up (oh well). My first loop (1 of 7) was completed in around 15:47 and it was done in the counter-clockwise direction.
Loop 1:
I started way (!) too fast, but it might have been the adrenaline and the warm-up.
My first kilometer was a 5:02min/km, and the subsequent kilometers were 5:12min/km and 5:17min/km. I feel like I'm going too fast - but I also feel like this pace might be sustainable. I focus on my breathing, as this is the only thing bothering me at this point, I probably should have started slower and acclimatized my lungs to the cold before speeding up (oh well). My first loop (1 of 7) was completed in around 15:47 and it was done in the counter-clockwise direction.
Loop 2:
I continue to maintain the pace at approximately 5:15min/km, wave to a few pedestrians, and this pace feels too fast, but again - it also feels like it might be "just right". I look at my Garmin, and it tells me that I'm about 1 minute ahead of goal pace.
I normally run at night, so running during daylight made it apparent that the back half of this loop was a slight, long incline. This is where I started hurting during the loops. I would go down Worthington (easily), and then turn around and up Ayer, and by the end of Ayer I would be out of breath. By the end of loop 2, I convince myself that the clockwise version of this loop is easier than the counterclockwise version.
By the end of loop 2, I see my in-laws who are on a walk - I do not stop to talk to them. I am on a mission. I finish this loop at the 31:40 mark, making this loop 15:53
I continue to maintain the pace at approximately 5:15min/km, wave to a few pedestrians, and this pace feels too fast, but again - it also feels like it might be "just right". I look at my Garmin, and it tells me that I'm about 1 minute ahead of goal pace.
I normally run at night, so running during daylight made it apparent that the back half of this loop was a slight, long incline. This is where I started hurting during the loops. I would go down Worthington (easily), and then turn around and up Ayer, and by the end of Ayer I would be out of breath. By the end of loop 2, I convince myself that the clockwise version of this loop is easier than the counterclockwise version.
By the end of loop 2, I see my in-laws who are on a walk - I do not stop to talk to them. I am on a mission. I finish this loop at the 31:40 mark, making this loop 15:53
Loop 3:
Back down Worthington Avenue, in 5:15min/km, my body is feeling the pain, but I'm maintaining proper speed. I think of Kate (mojo) and for some reason the chorus of the song "A La Claire Fontaine" pops into my head and stays there for the next hour and a half.
(!) Side note/ I did some digging as to why this random children's song from my youth popped into my head mid-race. It was featured in The Devil Next Door, as documentary series about the trial of John Demjanjuk and establishing whether he was "Ivan the Terrible" who served for the Nazis in WWII Side Note/(!)
When I start getting to the turnaround point this is when I start struggling - my legs are not turning over as well as they had on the previous inclines. Either consciously or unconsciously, my body decided that if we're going to do a half marathon, we need to slow down. The next two kilometers are 5:24min/km, and 5:28min/km - at this point I take in my first Salt/Caramel GU.
At some point, I start thinking "Am I going to DNF a half marathon??"
Finish this loop at 48:05 mark, making the loop in 16:25.
Loop 4:
This was the first time I struggled down Worthington Ave, not even halfway there, and I'm slipping to 5:38min/km pace. Oh no.
Back down Worthington Avenue, in 5:15min/km, my body is feeling the pain, but I'm maintaining proper speed. I think of Kate (mojo) and for some reason the chorus of the song "A La Claire Fontaine" pops into my head and stays there for the next hour and a half.
"Il ya longtemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai."
(!) Side note/ I did some digging as to why this random children's song from my youth popped into my head mid-race. It was featured in The Devil Next Door, as documentary series about the trial of John Demjanjuk and establishing whether he was "Ivan the Terrible" who served for the Nazis in WWII Side Note/(!)
When I start getting to the turnaround point this is when I start struggling - my legs are not turning over as well as they had on the previous inclines. Either consciously or unconsciously, my body decided that if we're going to do a half marathon, we need to slow down. The next two kilometers are 5:24min/km, and 5:28min/km - at this point I take in my first Salt/Caramel GU.
At some point, I start thinking "Am I going to DNF a half marathon??"
Finish this loop at 48:05 mark, making the loop in 16:25.
Loop 4:
This was the first time I struggled down Worthington Ave, not even halfway there, and I'm slipping to 5:38min/km pace. Oh no.
"Il y a longtemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai"
It's totally fitting for Valentines day, and a very cute song - but it's not 180bpms that I need.
Finish this loop at 1:05:00 mark, making the loop 16:55 - yup I'm definitely trending slower.
Loop 5:
First loop in the clockwise direction, and as you might have predicted, direction doesn't help - because this is a super flat course (aside from mental aspect, why would it??).
First kilometer, with the benefit of a "slight downhill" is 5:38min/km, then 5:27min/km, and it was at around this time that I .. started walking.
I just need to catch my breath again.
For 500 meters.
I walk briskly.
Try to catch my breath again.
I start to feel how tired my legs are.
Huff Puff
"Il y a longtemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai.
Open up a frozen honey stinger (fruit punch) to try and rally. I check my watch, and yeah - my "A" goal is probably out of reach. I need to re-motivate myself and rally if I want to get that sub-2. I just want this to be DONE, I need this to be DONE! Come on Legs!
I wish I would have stashed a water stop somewhere on the course (but it probably would have frozen) - the Gu doesn't wash down great without water.
I complete this loop at 1:24:21, making this a much slower 19:16 loop time.
Loop 6:
I just need to catch my breath again.
For 500 meters.
I walk briskly.
Try to catch my breath again.
I start to feel how tired my legs are.
Huff Puff
"Il y a longtemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai.
Open up a frozen honey stinger (fruit punch) to try and rally. I check my watch, and yeah - my "A" goal is probably out of reach. I need to re-motivate myself and rally if I want to get that sub-2. I just want this to be DONE, I need this to be DONE! Come on Legs!
I wish I would have stashed a water stop somewhere on the course (but it probably would have frozen) - the Gu doesn't wash down great without water.
I complete this loop at 1:24:21, making this a much slower 19:16 loop time.
Loop 6:
At the start of the loop, I see two runners with a dog, I think nothing of it until I recognize one of the two runners as one of my childhood best friends, Alex.
"Hey man!"
I did not know he lived in the area.
For some reason, this took my mind completely off the stiffness and the pain, and my mind wandered a bit, "what's he doing here", "I wonder where he lives", "that must be his girlfriend", "Il y a longtemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai", "cute dog", "I wonder what he's up to".
I see him again as I am completing the loop, and I'm averaging a solid ~5:30 pace.
Return at the checkpoint at 1:41:45, which made this loop a 17:24 - by this point, my watch was showing 18.4km ran.
Loop 7:
I knew I would be done before a complete loop, so I put my best effort for the final 2.6km (I did not have this blog in mind), and it started well, but the last kilometer was TOUGH!. I was out of energy, and my legs felt heavy. As soon as I hit the 21.1km mark, I stopped and walked home.
Final time 1:56:37
"Hey man!"
I did not know he lived in the area.
For some reason, this took my mind completely off the stiffness and the pain, and my mind wandered a bit, "what's he doing here", "I wonder where he lives", "that must be his girlfriend", "Il y a longtemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai", "cute dog", "I wonder what he's up to".
I see him again as I am completing the loop, and I'm averaging a solid ~5:30 pace.
Return at the checkpoint at 1:41:45, which made this loop a 17:24 - by this point, my watch was showing 18.4km ran.
Loop 7:
I knew I would be done before a complete loop, so I put my best effort for the final 2.6km (I did not have this blog in mind), and it started well, but the last kilometer was TOUGH!. I was out of energy, and my legs felt heavy. As soon as I hit the 21.1km mark, I stopped and walked home.
Final time 1:56:37
This was truly man versus self event.
Other factors were minor and irrelevant
At the 15km mark, when I started to walk, I thought the only way to go sub 2 would be if it were barely sub 2, but this result was much closer to my "A" goal, than to my "B" goal.
I have to say, I'm quite happy with it overall given that it was in frozen conditions, but if I'm honest, the pacing was horrible, and the RD picked a boring, and repetitive, and (opposite of) scenic course. Back to the asshole hill next year.
Next time I need to get myself a photographer, because this is all I got.
At the 15km mark, when I started to walk, I thought the only way to go sub 2 would be if it were barely sub 2, but this result was much closer to my "A" goal, than to my "B" goal.
I have to say, I'm quite happy with it overall given that it was in frozen conditions, but if I'm honest, the pacing was horrible, and the RD picked a boring, and repetitive, and (opposite of) scenic course. Back to the asshole hill next year.
Next time I need to get myself a photographer, because this is all I got.
