Race Result: 2012 Lake Agassiz Pacers Trick or Treat 5K Run

Event: 2012 Lake Agassiz Pacers Trick or Treat 5K Run
Date: Saturday October 27, 2012
Location: Oak Grove Lutheran School north campus in north Fargo
Hotel: Courtyard by Marriott-Moorhead
Weather: 27F, sunny, light winds at 4 from SSW making it feel like 24F
Official Results: 2012 Overall Results; Male Age Group Results

Personal Results

Goal: none, recovering from tibial stress fracture (March 2012)
Actual: 21:26 (6:54 per mile pace)
Overall: 7th overall (108 total); 1st in 50-59 Age Group (8 total)

Podium Boy Personal Results

Goal: sub-21 minutes
Actual: 21:14 (6:50 per mile pace)
Overall: 6th overall (108 total); 1st in 14 & Under Age Group (6 total)

Garmin 

Elevation Map

Podium Boy's Splits

Fat Old Man's Splits

I was not expecting to get in another race in 2012 after suffering the tibial stress fracture in March while running a 10K in London. But, there are two reasons I attempted this race.

One, I needed to have a nice little race in order to become mentally strong that perhaps, perhaps, the injury is behind me and I can start training in earnest. For the last three weeks, I've run about two to three times a week. Never more than two days in a row. And I have been keeping it to two miles or less save for a couple of three+ mile runs. Twenty-four hours post race, the leg seems fine. No pain, no aches save for the usual stuff one experiences after running hard. Granted, I used four strips of K-Tape, used compression socks, and took Advil prior to the race.

Two, I was running as a rabbit for my son who had just finished up cross country season. I wanted to see what kind of 5K this 12-year old could turn in after a good couple of months of training.

rab·bit (rbt)

n. pl. rab·bits or rabbit

1. Any of various long-eared, short-tailed, burrowing mammals of the family Leporidae, as the commonly domesticated Old World species Oryctolagus cuniculus or the cottontail.

2. A hare.

3. The fur of a rabbit or hare.

4. Sports A runner who intentionally sets a fast pace for a teammate during a long-distance race.

My goal was to set a 6:40ish pace and then hang on for as long as possible to take him under the goal of sub-21 minutes. So, let's go to the race summary and see how we did.

Podium Boy is in yellow at far right

Mile One (6:44)

We lined up amongst the small group of runners. Graham and I found ourselves near the from immediately and almost as immediately I dialed us back in as we were running at 6:10 pace after the first two blocks. So, I eased us of the gas until we were eventually sitting at 6:35ish pace and then started talking to him. "Nice and easy." "Stay relaxed." "Let's pick off that person ahead." And so forth.

It was a bit nippy but the wind was very low and we found ourselves heating up after being slightly chilled at the start. We went thru the first mile comfortable.

Mile Two (6:54)

To be honest, around the 1.5 mile mark I could have left Graham behind but that was not my objective. We were working as a team so I had to urge him to stay up with me. Most of his cross country races were of the 1.5 mile variety so I was a wee bit worried about his stamina once we reached this mark. But after a slight fade he did recover well and we were able to open it up again through the remainder of mile 2. But I figured at this point that sub-21 would not be possible.

As for me, I was very surprised to see that I was still able to hang with him at this point. I have had very minimal mileage over these past three weeks. Probably in the neighborhood of 20+ total miles. So, this was doing my psyche some good to be still with him through two miles.

Mile Three (6:56)

At this point I was talking to Graham the entire time. I asked him after the race if this continual encouragement was irritating but he stated he didn't even notice. Ah, the mind of a 12-yo. After the race he stated he was having trouble breathing during the third mile. Cold air seems to aggravate the slight exercise induced asthma he has. He did use his inhaler prior to the start.

We were gaining on the person in fifth place and I used that to convey a goal for Graham. With about a 1/4 mile to go Graham was starting to fade and I slowed to get in his ear and he picked it up again.

Podium Boy running with Some Fat Old Man

Finish

I was spent with about two blocks to go. So I told him he needed to open it up and leave me if he wanted sub-21. So, leave me he did. Just missing out on sub-21.

Awards

Awards were given for top 3 in each age group. I was shocked to win the 50-59 with my pitiful time, but also pleased that we each took home first place AG medals.

AG First Place Medals

Young Man & Old Man - Same Result

 

Modern Pentathlon Training Update

As you all know (I think, but I'm so damn old now I think Truman is still President) Podium Boy has been doing some early investigation into the world of Modern Pentathlon. He has been doing some air pistol shooting on Sunday's at Bill's Gun Shop. This past Sunday (Oct 14) he went to the Minnesota Sword Club to get his 101 on fencing.

This was his first foray into the world of fencing. I think he found it very interesting on the one hand and very frustrating on the other. Podium Boy likes to immediately grasp something and then excel at it. And that is simply not possible with fencing. It can take someone a year just to become acclimated, let alone competitive.

But he got right into it and didn't shy back. He was aggressive, and listened well. He didn't come out of it saying, "No, hated it. Done with it. Let's move on." Rather he knows it will take some time so we'll do a few more Sunday sessions with Great Prairie Sports before we make the jump into formal fencing training.

Here is some video from our Sunday fencing and pistol practice.


Modern Pentathlon Training - Fencing & Shooting from Brian Maas on Vimeo.

GoPro HD Water Test with the Life Time Minnesota Bears Swim Team

This past Saturday, October 6 2012, I finally had the nerve to try the water-proof case with the GoPro HD Camera. I took it to the pool at the Life Time Fitness complex in Plymouth, MN where Podium Boy and his fellow swimmers train on the Life Time Minnesota Bears Swim Team under the astute tutelage Tom Frank (aka Captain America).

Coach Tom Franke - Captain America to You!

 

Captain America is also U.S. Paralympic Swimming team coach. So, he knows what he is doing.....not that you would be sure of that by seeing photos of himself along with his very famous, and Olympic medaled athletes.

But let's get to the GoPro results. I was able to take enough footage to whittle down to four videos. I was very pleased by the results of the clarity. I had worried that the camera might fog over, or not be quite in focus, etc. Not to worry. It did a great job on a day that was cloudy outside which equated to little light inside.

Note - Podium Boy can be seen throughout in his hot pink trunks and bright neon green cap. One thing I immediately learned when viewing him from under the water.....he over rotates his hips. This camera could be very valuable by being able to identify, and correct, those little things you can't pick up from the surface.

First up, this video was all from the pool deck. I wanted to establish each swim stroke from the surface first:


Life Time Minnesota Bears Swim Team Plymouth Location Video One from Brian Maas on Vimeo.

In the second video, I jumped in and went to work. Little jumpy at first as I figured out how I would approach it. I had some fun by swimming under some people and just got use to trying to take video without seeing anything through a lens. I wish I would have set my camera angle a bit lower, but now I know what to do after seeing the footage.

At about the 6:00 minute mark you will hear Captain America give practice instructions. As the camera is in a water-proof housing, you will need to adjust your volume:


Life Time Minnesota Bears Swim Team Plymouth Location Video Two from Brian Maas on Vimeo.

In the third video, I think the best of the bunch, I travel to the center of the pool for some side angle views:


Life Time Minnesota Swim Team Video Three from Brian Maas on Vimeo.

Fourth video is flip turns on the deep end:


Life Time Minnesota Bears Swim Team Plymouth Location Video Four from Brian Maas on Vimeo.