Red Rose Run recap

My goal is to add a few smaller races through the summer in order to help me with my speed. This past weekend I decided to run the Red Rose Run- a 5 mile race in Lancaster, PA. My running club was offering a discount so I signed up with them. This small race has been around for 38 years and had about 500 participants (or so I heard).

Expo:
Very small. With such a small race, the organizers had a table before the race at a plaza right in front of the starting line. There were a few tables of vendors. 

Race Day:
The race started at 8 am, but my alarm was set for 4:45 (ugh). My running club and I wanted enough time to get there, park, and get out packets. This meant I was eating breakfast and having my ritual pre-run drink three hours before the start. Not ideal. We ended up parking in the Prince Street parking garage which was right next to the starting and finishing line. It cost us $6 to park there for over 3 hours. There were 6 or 7 porta potties which had a huge line. We debated looking around for a store or mini market to go to, but at that hour nothing was open. It was predicted to be 62 at the start and 68 by the finish. A touch warm for my liking, but the course would be mostly shaded due to the tree lined streets and the park. 

Shortly before 8 am everyone finished up their warm ups and started to gather around the starting line.

My race:
I came into this race really only wanting to improve on my Hibiscus 5 miler time. The conditions were a little better- less humid, in the 60s, not as large of a hill to climb. Unfortunately I did not realize that this course was all hills. A minute before 8 am, my running club went up front and I went to the back. There are no corrals for a race of this size. You line up wherever you want, but since I knew I would be slow I made sure to stick to the back. It is really annoying when people who are slower are at the front clogging up the course for faster runners. 

ready to go!

The first mile and some was through downtown Lancaster. It was actually scenic going through tree lined streets with cute little shops.

About a mile and a half in we hit our first water station. The cups were filled really high. I had to actually stop to drink it and even then I couldn't finish. I never thought I'd actually complain about too much water.... Right before the 2 mile marker, we entered into the Lancaster County Park. 

Sadly this part did not last long and we were out back on a road around mile 3. We passed the same water station and hit mile 4. I heard there was a large hill around mile 4, but I never noticed it. The whole course was up and down so it was hard to narrow in on one hill being the 'big one.' I was excited since the clock at mile 4 read 44 minutes. I knew I was going to beat my Hibiscus time! Unfortunately my high did not last long. While going up a hill, an older guy on the course ran up next to me and said he was following me the whole race. He said I was slowing down and I guess tried to offer words of encouragement. 1) I was going up a hill. I tend to go slower up hills and faster down hills. 2) my mile 4 was faster than my average and my second fastest mile. So thanks old guy! Shortly before the last turn before the home stretch I saw my running club cheering me on. They sort of knew my situation so they understood I would be finishing a solid 20 minutes after them. The last part I had a nice talk with a 64 lady who was running. She was saying how she did half marathons and ever since she retired loves to do races. Hopefully I'll be able to keep running and racing into my 60s (and beyond). Crossed the line around 54 minutes and changed. Official time was posted: 53:55.8! Pace of 10:48 seconds which was a huge improvement on my 11:27 pace of the Hibiscus 5 miler. 

My Garmin and Nike Plus app were not too far off the official time.

oh Garmin how I missed you!

The finish area was in the same plaza. It included bananas, oranges, chips, water, green tea, and some juices. They were spread out in boxes in crates.

A band played the whole time and after the 5 milers were finished a kids mile (I think) run was done. Overall I was on a nice runners high from doing well and making good progress. 

The course:
Rolling hills. Like much of Pennsylvania, it was full of gently rolling hills. There were any bad hills but it felt like a constant roller coaster. I am not sure which I prefer- constant rolling hills or one large hill like the Hibiscus 5 miler. The course took you through downtown Lancaster then through Lancaster County Park.

There were clocks at each mile marker. Even though I had my Garmin (yea!), it was really helpful knowing about where I was and my time. There was one water station which you passed by twice. It was spread out enough that I felt the need to take water both times.

Final thoughts:
I probably would not do the race again unless I was really looking for a race to do. Maybe it's materialistic of me, but I like a finishers medal or at least something at the end. I like having something concrete to say hey you finished! The course however probably good training for races in the Mid Atlantic. It also was not too expensive- $25 which included a shirt. The race itself was pretty well run especially for being such a small race.


Next up: Maryland Women's Sprint Duathlon 

New Jersey half marathon recap

I originally had signed up for the New Jersey half marathon (Long Branch Half Marathon), but since my accident there was no chance I was going to be able to run or walk it. My friend, who was to run the half as well, and I decided to downgrade to the half marathon relay. She would run her half and I would walk my half. Leading up to the race I started adding distance to my long walks and worked up to 4.6 miles the Thursday before the race. The half marathon relay is split into 6.7 miles and 6.4 miles segments. I decided to walk the shorter of the two distances. I was extremely nervous about this race since I was not sure how my hip, leg, or knees would hold up. I also did not know if we would be able to run under the minimum time requirement. I had been walking around a 20 minute mile with a couple of 17:30 minute mile walks. 

The expo:

The expo had maybe a dozen vendors including two other races (Bermuda and Miami). Not going to lie, as soon as I got home I started looking up the Bermuda races. I loved Bermuda! January would not be warm enough to lay out (average high of 69, although I thought it felt warmer than the temperature), but a heck of a lot warmer than back in PA in January. The expo had one vendor selling Thorlo socks 3 for $36 (cheaper than Amazon!). I also snagged two new sock brands (made in the USA as well)-Wrightsock and Swiftwick. Can't wait to try them out. 

Another expo purchase- bondi bands. I have never tried them but have heard so much about them. 

I swear I'm not a lush! 

Pre-race:
To save a few bucks, my friend and I stayed in Belmar about twenty minutes away. The Tandem Bike Inn was adorable and the owners were so friendly. They even set out breakfast for us since we were going to be up well before they were to serve. The nice part was we were right near the beach. Not quite as warm as the Dominican, but I'll take it.

Our pre-race meal was at La Dolce Vita which overlooked the boardwalk and beach. The restaurant was packed and required reservations. However, they found two seats for us at the bar.  I enjoyed some lovely peach sangria and a carb loading pasta dish. I laid out my clothes and attached my relay bib. 5:15 am was going to come too soon...

Race Day:
We purchased a $5 parking pass at the expo. If you don't, it will cost $10 which they collect as you leave. We did not hit too much traffic and got to the Monmouth Race Track in good time. The race track has plenty of parking and is where the start of the race is. There is a shuttle to the transition and to the finish line. Just check which school buses are going where. The buses left after the race started and we got to the transition area about half an hour before the first races started going through. The transition area is by a park where there are a few porta potties, but the buses drop you off in the parking lot of a Catholic school. Luckily the doors were open and a few of us went in to use the toilets. Soon enough my friend arrived and I was off.

My "race":
I think their 6.7 mile segment was slightly off because I was hitting the mile markers before I should have been. Just after the transition area I was at mile marker 7. The first couple of miles (mile 7, 8, 9) were through neighborhoods. It was easy to take pictures since I was walking, but these miles looked all the same. 

I estimated going out around 19 - 20 minute mile so I would save my leg strength. Naturally, I didn't listen to my plan and went out around a 17 minute mile. I felt good so I just kept chugging along. The first mile of my segment I had a couple of runners try to encourage me to run. I wish I had a big sign saying that I could not run and was planning on walking. I really would run if I could! Mile 10 is about when you start going through a little town. There was a band playing and there were some more people around this area. I was still holding steady just under 17 minute mile pace. 

Mile 11 is where I started getting excited. I had not walked more than 4.63 so I was getting to my walking record. This is also where the marathon leader passed us. It was one guy and he had a police escort. Shortly after that is where the half marathon and marathon split. The half marathoners turned towards the shore while the marathoners kept going south. 

The beach was oh so close. My time starting picking up and I was at 16 1/2 minute mile.

We went up on the road/walking path and ran (or walked) along the shore the rest of the half. I love, love, love the beach so I had a smile on my face the rest of the way. I also knew I was so close and was going to finish the race with no problem. Mile 12 I really picked up the pace and was 16:10 minute mile. We eventually got onto the boardwalk. I started hearing music and seeing boardwalk shops. Not sure if they were rebuilt after Sandy, but they looked really new. 

By mile 13 we were hitting a large crowd. The runners who were walking started running again to finish the race strong. I so wish I could have joined them, but I was a good girl and didn't run. I finished the last .38 miles strong and my split was 15 1/2 minute mile!

love the medal. the star spins!

Team Double Trouble finished in 2:42:34. My Garmin and RunKeeper not surprisingly didn't agree. According to my Garmin I walked 6.22 miles in 1:45:41. According to RunKeeper I did it in the same time (ok 2 seconds slower), but 6.38 miles. Not sure which is correct. Anyone know which is more accurate???

The course:

Flat. There is no other way to describe it other than flat as a pancake. I do not recall even a hint of a hill. Between mile 11 and 12 you start going towards the shore which is where the wind picks up. It was pushes us back which was not ideal towards the end of a race. However, I was not affected by this since I was walking and not tired. I actually really liked this course. It felt fast and easy. I loved being by the beach and seeing the various coastal area of New Jersey. In my half of the half marathon, there were a bunch of people out cheering you on. 

Final thoughts:

The race seemed well organized. There were 10,000 runners between the New Jersey Marathon and the Long Branch Half Marathon, but it never felt overwhelming. I am a big fan of the couple of thousand to 10,000 runner races. My only negative thoughts on the race were the lack of goodies. No goodie bag and the food afterwards was pretty weak- small piece of bread, banana, and a powerbar (and only for the last person in the relay). However, I definitely want to come back and do the half marathon or marathon here. It was tough not to think about how I should be running the half. Trying to focus on the fact that I was even able to walk as far as I did. 6 weeks before the race I was finally able to put two feet down on the ground and 5 weeks before the race I finally started walking unassisted. Small victories.... Next race: Hibiscus 5 miler in Honolulu. Previously was the 15k, but downgraded to the 5 miler. Hoping to be able to run most of that one.