2011 Highlights

According to Athlinks, I ran 13 races in 2011 (it was 14, the Bauer results aren't showing up). Oddly the first race of the year was my best numerical finish, but probably my worst performance. Also contradictory--the Marathon was a highlight but two races I ran in the two weeks following that race had the best time results. I will mention a few of the notable races, highs and lows.

MCVET 10k
The Cylburn 5k was first, but the MCVET 10k was supposed to be my real return. I had trained up in April and May and picked a 10k to challenge myself. It was probably too soon for a race of that distance. I had run 7 miles the previous week, but running and racing are different animals. It's also an odd race logistically, with a 5k prior to the 10k on the same course. I got there early to register and then warmed up for what seemed like an hour as I waited for everyone to finish in the 5k. Unknown at the time, a bunch of my future running mates were there claiming the top spots in everything. Perhaps because of all the warming up I went out too fast (just under 7:30 pace, seems funny now that it would be too fast) and doomed myself from the start. It was also approaching 10 am on a hot morning in late May, and shade was not a feature of this course. I made the turn on the simple out-and-back course and wasn't able to hold it together. I walked a lot in the last two miles and came home in 54:00 flat. Pretty terrible time, terrible experience. But you have to, er, run before you run so it was a start.

Quadzilla 15k
I was still in the 'trail races would be fun' mode when I found this race. Also, it has the extra benefit of being near Allentown where a friend from college lives (and who I hadn't seen a while). This race has a disclaimer (and a twitter account) that was warning about the hills. And there were hills. Long, painful ones at first and then short steep ones that defied gravity. The kind of hills that one would struggle to climb using all fours. Again, went out too fast and it was a warm morning and before long I was taking walk breaks. But so were a lot of people. It became not a race, but an exercise in survival. The last 3 miles were arduous. I finished in a time that was longer than the half a ran later in the year 1:46.55.

Baltimore Grand Prix 5k
A nice little race that followed the course of the Baltimore Grand Prix. A full loop, plus some extra, this race was not able to be certified for a couple of reasons. After spending all day at the race (walking over from my office in the morning and returning home around 4 to walk the dogs) I was not expecting the best performance. Furthermore I was hanging with my brother before the start and was near the back of the pack as they waved the green flag. I passed an insane amount of people (probably a thousand) and probably ran the full 3.1 because I was on the outside of all the turns. Came home in a respectable 21:10 on the nearly flat course. I don't know if this race has a future because the Grand Prix might not have a future. But I hope it does as it was neat race.