Race Result: 2013 Yukon Mile Run

Event: 2013 Yukon Mile Run
Date: Saturday January 19, 2013
Location: White Bear Lake, Minnesota
Hotel: Home, sweet home
Weather: 31F, moderate winds at10 MPH from W
Official Results: 2013 Overall Results for Yukon One Mile; for Yukon 3-Mile Snowshoe; for Yukon 3-Mile

Personal Results

Goal: Win Age Group
Actual: 6:42
Overall: 2nd (41 total); 1st in 50-59 AG (4 total)


Well Kept Wife Results

Actual: 8:45
Overall: 15th (41 total); 2nd overall Females (19 total); 1st in 40-49 AG (6 total)

Well Kept Wife and Myself Post Event

Garmin: Garmin Site Summary Link

Splits

Elevation and Heart Rate

GoPro Video

Here is a video of the race that I hope you enjoy. You can see the icy conditions very well. And check out who flew in for the start of the race, as if on cue.


2013 Yukon Mile from Brian Maas on Vimeo.

Race Recap

This was another very nice race event by FrontRunner. Race Director Randy Fulton does a very nice job and makes everyone feel welcome and appreciated. The Yukon Mile was the first even in the 10-event White Bear Grand Prix.  A runner may compete in as few or as many as they choose. Results from up to 7 races will count. Anyone running in seven or fewer races will have all his/her scores included. Anyone running every race will be scored on the best seven places.

Scores are tallied by overall men's and women's finishers and within age group division for each sex. Runners do not change age group divisions during the year. A runner’s division is set according to his division on the day of his/her first Grand Prix score.

Age Groups for both males and females are 15 – under, 16 – 19, 20 – 29, 30 – 39, 40 – 49, 50 – 59, 60 – 69 and 70 – over. In order for an age group to exist, it must have at least 3 participants..

Grand Prix standing information will be available at www.frontrunnerusa.com. In addition, if you would like a copy of the standings, please send a self addressed, stamped envelop to the address below. Standings will be sent as soon as they are available.

Awards for the top 3 in each age group and for overall winners in both men and womens divisions. Age group awards are:

• 1st place – 5 free grand prix races for 2013
• 2nd place – 3 free grand prix races for 2013
• 3rd place – 1 free grand prix race for 2013

Awards will be presented after the Great Pumpkin Chase in October. 

My goal was to start off with an age group win, which I was able to accomplish. While I won't be racing on all ten of the grand prix events, I have already signed up for seven of them. It is one of my year goals to finish in the top three of the male 50-59 age group.

I knew going in that the footing would be a big issue, and it was. There was very minimal snow cover, as you can see in the video. Even with Yaktrax on the racing flats, it was very tricky going. Let's break down the two half-mile segments.

First Half Mile (3:04.9)

While I would have liked to have gone sub-6 minutes, the footing conditions just wasn't going to allow that. Even with the Yaktrax, my foot slid on each foot plant. For the first 200 yards, I was basically trying to find the right foot plant to use, have minimal slippage, and good push off. Front toe was not doing it, so I settled in by having more of a mid-foot plant. Almost flat-footed.

I was surprised to find myself in the lead for the start of the race, and I kept it well past the halfway mark. I was happy to be as close to 3 minutes at the turn as I was, considering I had roughly 50% traction. I almost went down at the turn but was able to catch myself. The Well Kept Wife was not as lucky, and fell at the turn as did a few other people.

A quick glance told me I had about a 5-second advantage. The question now became, could I keep the overall lead.

Second Half Mile & Finish (3:26.1/6:31)

It seemed the bare ice was worse on the return, but I was also tiring. Let's face facts: I'm still way overweight and still massively out-of-shape as I get back into the swing of things post my tibial stress fracture from last year. 2013 will be a building year to get back into national quality shape and have a much better race season in 2014. 2013 will have very slow times to begin with and my expectations are lowered. I'm just happy to be back racing. 10-months away from the trace circuit in 2012 was not very enjoyable.

I was not surprised to hear footsteps about 200-300 yards from the finish. I was finally passed and it didn't bother me a bit as it was totally down to fatigue at that point. With my low run mileage thus far, I just was not able to respond. Hopefully by mid-year, I will have my typical closing speed back in form. I was happy to see that my speed didn't fall off all that much compared to the first half-mile split. So, all in all, a good race.

And the Well Kept Wife, who had no expectations, ran to second place overall for the females. She has been having a very good winter training season on the treadmill while Podium Boy (who was away on a Boy Scout ski outing) practices for the Life Time Swim Team. This will give her some additional confidence for the upcoming race season.

Awards

Awards were given for top 3 in each age group, 10 year increments. Nice sized medals. Top 2 finishers overall for men and women also received coffee mugs.

Well Kept Wife & I both won our AG's and both took 2nd overall for the sexes

Very good quality heavy hooded sweatshirts were part of sign-up

Next Race

Feb 3 - 10th Annual Super Bowl Freeze Your Buns 5K in Hamel

Race Result: 2013 Sasquatch Shuffle 5K Snowshoe Race

Event: 2013 Sasquatch Shuffle 5K & 10K
Date: Sunday January 13, 2013
Location: Afton State Park in Hastings, MN
Hotel: Home, sweet home
Weather: 4F, moderate winds at 10 MPH from WSW making it feel like -7F
Official Results: 2013 Overall Results (updated 1/16 from race director as below)

5k

1. Quie, David 23:10.0
2. Graupner, Jim 25:06.0
3. Maas, Brian 26:17.0
4. Sukow, Jody 27:43.0
5. McGraw, Dennis 28:03.0
6. Sukow, Fay 32:03.0
7. Dabelstein, Alex 32:19.0
8. Rechtzigel, Jacob 32:53.0
9. McCaffrey, Elizabeth 33:38.0
10. Marthaler, Summer 35:38.0
11. Given, Lisa 39:35.0
12. Given, Jeff 39:36.0
13. LORENZEN, LISA 40:50.0
14. Lorenzen, Aaron 42:26.0

10k

1. McDonell, Jim 50:10.0
2. Trainor, Lisa 52:42.0
3. Segar, Tom 55:48.0
4. Canham, Brad 1:05:39
5. Kozak, Darryn 1:06:34
6. Grund, Michael 1:07:34
7. Nelson, Wayne 1:10:22
8. Ogden, Pam 1:11:49
9. Plummer, Laura 1:13:20
10. Smith, Phillip Gary 1:18:37

Personal Results

Actual:  26:17
Overall: 3rd (14 total)

Start of the 5K

Garmin

Elevation and Heart Rate

Splits

GoPro Video

In order to view the entire course, you will find the speed at 3x normal speed save for a few sections where the speed is normal or in semi-slow motion.


2013 Sasquatch Shuffle 5K from Brian Maas on Vimeo.


Race Summary

Yup, I did it for the T-shirt. We've been watching Finding Bigfoot all winter and had to have the shirt. All three of us signed up, however only I made it to the race given the weather and course conditions.

The race was held in Afton State Park, which was easy enough to find. The location of the race was a bit more challenging. Luckily, I allowed myself an extra 30-minutes otherwise I would not have made the start line.

The weather, while cold, was not that bad. Once we descended down into the valley and were out of the wind it was quite comfortable. The course was pretty bad, however. There had been a January thaw all preceding week which had reduced the snow to crunchy slog or just pure ice. I'm sure you can pick it up in the video.

There was a lot of pre-race discussion over using snow-shoe, or running shoe. I eventually opted to use just a running shoe. I had though about getting some Yaktrax earlier in the week, but never got the chance. Most of the runners used this method in the race, including the two runners who finished ahead of me. They were much more stable on the ice and much more sure-footed going downhill. I was limited to running on the side of the trail where I could bite into the crunchy snow and resorted to walking down the steep hills, often reaching out to a tree for support.

This would be a very nice snowshoe course, when snow is available. If the conditions are ripe, I would consider doing this low-key event next year as a chance of pace from the normal races I do.

Next Race

Jan 19 - Yukon Days One Mile Run on White Bear Lake

Race Result: 2013 Resolution Solution 5K Run

Event: 2013 Resolution Solution 5K
Date: Tuesday January 1, 2013
Location: White Bear, Minnesota
Hotel: Home, sweet home
Weather: -4F, moderate winds at 4-6 MPH from WSW making it feel like -12F
Official Results: 2013 Overall Results

Personal Results

Goal: Sub-21 minutes
Actual: 19:46 (note: course was 2.98 miles equivalent to a 20:36 true 5K)
Overall: 7th (140 total); 1st in 50-59 AG (22 total)

Yep, it was cold.

Garmin
 

The Splits

Flat course

GoPro Video

I'm going to try to use the GoPro as much as I can during the race season. I think it will add a neat perspective. I toyed with the speed on this one, perhaps making it a bit too fast, but who wants to watch a 20-minute video of someone running!?!? I'd appreciate all feedback, positive and negative, on this new feature.


2013 Resolution Solution 5K from Brian Maas on Vimeo.



Mile One (6:29)

We started the race quickly, not a lot of standing around waiting on instructions. Which was appreciated. Heck, I didn't even bother to warm-up too much, other than some striders.

The road was not closed so we were instructed to hit the paved trail ASAP. Footing was decent, just a few icy areas. Since there were only 140 people, crowding was not an issue.

The runners at the front started out super quick. As I've only been running a few weeks now that the tibial stress fracture appears healed, I just took it out a bit too fast. After about 1/4 mile I noticed I was running at approx 6:10 per mile clip, so I dialed it back. Way back. The 6 flat pace for a 5K that I should be running can wait. It will come.

Mile Two (6:38)

After a little lollipop loop at the end of the out-and-back course, we started back along the same path. I was breathing pretty hard but was able to pick off two runners to move into 7th overall. I just kept it loose and happy.

I was pleased with how well the legs were holding up. I still have to drop 12 pounds of excess weight before the multi-sport race season really gets serious in April.

Mile Three (6:39)

The course was a bit short, per the Garmin. But I was pretty frozen over and happy to see the finish. Run flats are not very good cold protection when the temps are this low! I was pleased for my first official race back since the stress fracture on April 1 of 2012. It will only get better from here.

Finish

I was able to hold off a few late charges and immediately headed for the warmth of the VFW center. FrontRunner does a great job with their race series. Check them out for future races.

Awards

Awards were given for top 3 in each age group, 10 year increments. Nice sized medals. Top 2 finishers overall for men & women also received coffee mugs.

1st in Men's 50-50 AG

Next Race

Sasquatch Shuffle Snowshoe 5K