Race Result: 2012 USATF Minnesota Association Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships

Event: 2012  USATF Minnesota Association Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships
Date: Saturday November 10, 2012
Location: Valleywood Golf Course in Apple Valley, MN
Hotel: Home, sweet home
Weather: 48F, overcast, winds at 10-12 from SSE
Official Results: All Results; Midget Boys Results


Podium Boy Personal Results

Goal: sub-6:20 per mile pace
Actual: 11:59.1 (6:26 per mile pace); note- I had him at 12:09 (6:32 per mile pace) & I think they messed up a time. But we'll take the faster time posted.
Overall: 4th overall (11 total)

Podium Boy wrapped up his 2012 running race season by participating in the USATF Minnesota Association Junior Olympic Championships. Competition was held in six age groups according to birth year.  The top 10 individuals and top team in each gender-age group qualified to register and participate in the National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships to be held at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on December 8, 2012. Athletes were able to participate individually (unattached) or as part of a USATF registered club.

As we have switched over to concentrating on swim team practices and events, he has been running 3-4 times a week since cross country season ended. Nothing stressful. We just wanted to see if he could end up qualifying for Nationals. We have no intention of going....this year. But we all want to visit New Mexico some day so perhaps Nationals will be held there again next year. 

This had light participation. I was very surprised more kids had not signed up. So I don't know if that had to do with Nike Regionals in Sioux Falls, or that most kids were simply done running for the fall/winter season. Too bad, as this was a nice course. 

Our goal had been to run about 6:20 pace. But this was a challenging course with a couple of good hills interspersed throughout. I think that accounts for the slight difference between the final result and his goal. The weather was perfect for cross country. Slight mist, almost 50, wind not bad. Ground was slightly soggy, wet in some low lying spots. But all-in-all a great day for running.

As point of comparison, in his last 3K Cross Country meet held on October 8, he ran a 12:35. So, while every cross country meet is different so we are comparing apples to oranges, Podium Boy did shave off time over a tougher course.

You can see some of the moisture being kicked up at the start.

The golf course and dreary conditions made for nice photos.

Yes, he got chicked. Nothing to be ashamed of. These girls were solid.

Finishing up. He ran a smart race. 

The course was as viewer friendly as possible. They had a nice double loop at the start so you could see them twice within the first 1/2 mile. And a double loop finish so you could again, see them twice. I was able to motor out to several farther points along the course as well, as this video will show:


2012 USATF Minnesota Association Junior Olympic Championships - Midget Boys/Girls & Bantam Boys/Girls from Brian Maas on Vimeo.


Hey, he ended up qualifying for Nationals. That was the main goal. We can't help if there were only eleven kids so that he only had to beat one to qualify. He ran well, and finished his running season strong. We look forward to 2013.

Podium Boy & that fat old man

Awards

They did a nice job with awards. Top 10 got medals and qualified for Nationals. The local USATF body was nice and awarded medals to all 11 participants. 

Midget Division Medalists

A happy Podium Boy

The medal

What Is Next?

Well, it is damn the torpedoes on swim team from now into early March. He will continue to run lightly a couple of times per week but I'm giving him a few weeks off. 

He will continue to hone his pistol shooting and fencing skills as we prepare for a regional Modern Pentathlon to be held on May 18 in River Falls, Wisconsin. He'll be taking a local fencing course in Jan-Feb and then if he decides to march forward, a much more structured fencing course once swimming season ends. If the regional event goes well, then Nationals in Colorado Springs looms large in June.

Race Result: 2012 Hy-Vee Iron Kids National Championship

Event: 2012 Hy-Vee Iron Kids National Championship (USAT)
Date: Saturday, September 1, 2012
Location: Des Moines, IA
Weather: 74F, overcast. humid
Official Results: Male 12 years old Overall Results

Podium Boy's Personal Results Actual: 55:00 for 300 yd swim, 8 mile bike, 2 mile run
Overall: 29th in 12 yo AG (51 total)

Podium Boy the morning of against the back drop of Ntls

And another summer ends. A bad one for me, as I could not race due to the tibial stress fracture. A great one for Podium Boy in doing very well in his first full season of the sport, culminating with earning a trip to Iron Kids Nationals.

Only, he had a bad race by his standards. We'll dwell on this a bit during the race post mortem, but then we are just tossing it away. Lesson learned, stiff upper lip, everyone has a bad race now and then.

Podium Boy was really having great work outs leading into the event. Since we were on vacation the week prior, he and I spent the days tapering and getting in speed. His bikes were in the upper 17 MPH range with out putting forth a race effort. He was running sub 7 minute miles in his XC meets. And he was obliterating me in the pool.



Lining up for the swim

 

Mentally for him, I backed off on making this a very important race for him. Instead I pitched a 'just enjoy it, learn from it, and we'll do even better next year as you'll know the course' mantra. If he was nervous, he didn't show it. We worked on the things to do in each of the five (swim, T1, bike, T2, run) elements as we have all year. I was pretty sure he was going to have his best race of the year.


Almost Go Time

So, lets get into the breakdown.

Swim - 300 yards (lake swim)

Official Time - 4:57 (water temp was 78.8 F); 18th in AG (51 total)

I can sum it up thusly: Best open water swim he has ever had. He nailed it. I wanted sub 5 minutes and he delivered. He stayed right on the buoys and did not stray too far wide. He sighted superbly. When he exited the water I thought he was really going to have a great day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbPvzDapA_M&sns=fb

In the video link above, you will see Podium Boy turn the yellow buoy at 0:45 mark. Those who know his stroke will easily pick him up. At 1:24, you will notice a women in pink. That is 8 time Kona winner Paula Newby-Fraser who was chipping the swimmers all morning. How awesome was that!?!?

Exiting the water at Nationals

T1

Official Time - 2:01; 32 in AG (51 total)

One of the bad things about this event was lack of viewing space for the parents. Granted there were over 1000 athletes so well over 2000 parents watching. For safety sake, they really restricted where you could go. Basically we saw the swim...then nothing as we could not view in transition because of the layout....then watch them leave on the bike and wait for them to return and head into T2 then wait for them to finish.

So, I have no clue how well he did in T1. His time suggest he may have struggled with shoes or helmet or even finding his bike in the sea of bikes. His transitions are better than mine so I have no worries here.

Bike - 8 miles

Official Time - 31:24; 36th in AG (51 total); a butt ugly 15.3 MPH average

From what I can gather, the course was fairly flat. It was a bit windy and they had the wind at their backs going out and then into it on the return. Podium Boy raced at 17.3 MPH in his previous event the week before. And was easily approaching an avg of 18 MPH in the week leading up. He was even starting to make me work on the bike! So what the hell happened? I think two things.

One, he witnessed a crash about half-way out. I believe it is the same spot as a leading contender for AG Elite Nationals crashed at the very next day. I think this shook him up a bit having not witnessed a person taking a hard crash on the bike before.

Two, this was not some back-yard event where wannabes were amongst the top dogs. This was a field of very good athletes. Based on some conversation, he could not believe the speed of some of the bikers. And after getting passed and passed and passed had his mental game affected.

Going in, I had been thinking he should go under 28 minutes pretty easily, so when the watch showed 30 minutes expired on the bike I was just hoping he had not crashed or had a flat. But he did come in eventually.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi2p8RSyeBY

T2

Official Time - 1:02; 23rd in AG (51 total)

Again, have no idea as I could not see him in T2 or exiting to the run.

Run - 2 miles

Official Time - 15:39- 7:49 per mile pace; 27th in AG (51 total)

This from a kid who ran 13:20 for 2-miles the week before. Yes, each course is different and one can be short or long but he has been running consistently in the 6:40-:45pace per mile range all summer. I learned afterwards that he had developed a bad side stitch on the right side and he was unable to work it out. He has had a history of these and I thought we had worked it out by doing side stretches and a set of fast striders prior to each race. Or maybe he knew he was slow off the bike and worked himself into a lather and stressed himself out. We'll never know. In the video below, I could already tell he was way off pace when I saw him approach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7ixyNfqqEs

Watch him bust his next XC race.

The Finish

It is so cool how they treat Iron Kids just like the adults. They really do the finish in style and it is certainly something the kids will remember. In the video below, you will see him holding his right side as he crosses the line. So I know the side ache was real.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84EOBiBxz2M

I was able to greet him afterwards. He was already sort of near tears but kept it in check. I asked about the race, learned about the side ache and we just left it there. I'm not the kind of Dad who will gush about a great performance if the performance was not what he and I had talked about, trained at, and hoped for. I don't believe in the whole concept of an award for just showing up and that "no one is a loser". That is not real life. So, if I seem harsh, it is because I'm doing my job to set him up for the cold hard reality of the dog-eat-dog world he will face once he is on his own.

He and I had a great summer training together. Yeah, I had to bike with him when he ran but it was a great Dad-son and Coach-Athlete relationship. He learned a lot and he made significant strides. I know he listened because of his results and how he conducted himself.

What's next for Podium Boy? A full season of boys cross country (Wayzata team) followed by a winter of swim team (Lifetime Bears). During Christmas break, I'll be setting up his bike on the trainer and start him on a indoor cycling program to get ready for some early spring events such as a du or two. I'm pretty sure I will be throwing him into a few, small, big boy races next year which will also help him in his Iron Kids events.



 

Race Result: 2012 GraniteKids & GraniteMan St. Cloud

Event: 2012 GraniteKids & GraniteMan St. Cloud Triathlons (non-USAT)
Date: Saturday June 23; Sunday June 23, 2012
Location: St. Cloud, MN (Lake George)
Hotel: Home, sweet home
Weather: 80F & sunny for GraniteKids (6PM start); 67 & sunny with wind from NNE at 8-10
Official Results: 2012 GraniteMan St. Cloud Overall results; 2012 GraniteKids Results

Sort of a low-key race report on one hand, super excited on the other. I raced despite the tibial stress fracture which meant I simply jogged the run. On the other hand, the Boy made the podium on his very first open-water chipped event. So this is a 2 fer 1 race recap!

The Boy and the Old Man

The Graniteman race series has expanded to three events this year. The first was held this past weekend in St. Cloud. It combined the kids events on Saturday evening with the adult event on Sunday morning. For a first time event, there are some course kinks to work out, but I highly recommend this race. If you are looking for a alternative to racing the madness of Lake Waconia, scheduled on the same weekend, I would give this event a big thumbs up.

Boy's Results

Goal: IronKids tune-up race
Actual: 23:28
Overall: 6th overall (85 total); 3rd in Boys 9-15 age group (38 total)

Personal Results

Goal: None. With the stress fracture, it was just to get in a good swim and bike
Actual: 01:17:31
Overall: 35th overall (211 total); 3rd in 50-54 AG (8 total)

It truly was joy to see the Boy compete so well in his first official open water swim. He had done one last year that was really a joke as it ran parallel to the shoreline and kids just ended up running thru the water. When we arrived at Lake George, our first thought was this is not a lake but rather a pond. Okay, maybe a boutique lake. Let's call it that.

I was slightly annoyed that when we signed up the age groups were designated as 5-8, 9-12 and 13 & over. When we got to the race we learned that the 9-12 and 13 & over groups had been made into one. I gave the Boy little chance of getting top 3 males after seeing the size of some of the kids. But we were using this race simply as a tune-up for two upcoming IronKids events in July. So it was all about getting in a solid performance and just working out the kinks, if any.

The kids event started at one end of the lake and finished on the other side. Straight 200 yards which was perfectly lined by noodles. Kids were allowed to hang onto the noodles if they needed to. The Boy, being on a swim team, did not require any such comfort. He was off and flying and never looked back.

Boy can be seen along upper most noodle line, leading that line of swimmers

For the adults, because of the size of the boutique lake, we had to do a zig here and a zog there. But it was perfectly fine and was a enjoyable swim. Okay clarity in the lake, a slightly weedy start at the onset, but a really nice swim course. With this size lake, one never need worry about fighting a chop no matter the wind speed.

Adult swim course

Please note that for the kids events they did not have the chip mats set up at transition so the times are approximate based off my own watch and memory.

Swim - Kids 200 yds, Adults 500 yards

Boy Goal - Under 3 minutes
UnOfficial Time - 2:48


Dad Goal - No goal
Official Time - 8:28; 4th in AG (8 total); 42nd overall fastest

T1

Boy Goal - 1:30
UnOfficial Time - 1:29

Dad Goal - None
Official Time - 1:45

The Boy had to hold up on the way to T1 as there was a ppoint where the swimmers exiting had to cross the bike path. So swimmers were held back if bikes were approaching, as was the case here.

For me, it was much better stripping of the wet suit than at Buffalo. However as I went to do my flying mount my leg hit the back of the saddle and I fell. Elbow bloodied, I hopped back on. Day after my arm, shoulder and hip feel pretty beat up. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Bike - Kids 3 miles, Adults 15 miles

Boy Goal - Under 12 minutes
Official Time- 11:20 (16.07 MPH average)

Dad Goal - None
Official Time- 41:58 (21.4 MPH); 4th in AG (8 total); 36th fastest overall

The 5-8 yo kids had a two lap ride and the older kids had a four lap ride all within the confines of the park on the bike path. This did mean there was some congestion to deal with, but it came off without a hitch and also allowed the parents to see their child come around multiple times.

The Boy and I anticipated this congestion and opted to leave his race road bike at home and give him some confort with using his neighborhood bike for mobility sake. We're glad we made this decision as there were little ones on training rules with not a care in the world for where they were positioned on the path and 15 yo kids on regular road bikes.

For me, I enjoyed the rolling bike course. It was a little technical to begin with as we rode thru city streets to eventually hit the country side. And there was a stretch of very bumpy road that was used for the turn-around. But all-in-all a good challenging bike course.

I hate really tight turn-arounds on out-and-back bike courses due to the simple reason that my calf muscles will choose that time to cramp up on me. Something about slowing down, not spinning, and making that tight turn do it to me every time. Such was the case here. Cramped up in my right calf. And about 2 miles from the end of the bike, the left calf cramped up. Hurt my bike split a lot to have those ill timed cramps.

T2

Boy Goal - 1:00
Official Time - 0:54


Dad Goal - None
Official Time - 1:06

Here I was really proud of the Boy. Parents were allowed in transition to assist. I had the Boy do most everything himself to get him ready for the more strict IronKids events. Here, I grabbed his bike and told him to 'go!' and he said, "but Dad, I need to put on my race number belt". Here I was about to send him off without his race number belt and he had the right frame of mind to not overlook it.

Run - Kids 1 mile, Adults 5K

Boy Goal- Under 7 minutes
Official Time - 6:57

Dad Goal- None
Official Time - 24:17 (7:50 per mile); 3rd in AG (8 total); 43rd fastest overall
 
The Boy is in the best run shape of his life as he is currently in summer training for the fall cross country season. So I knew he could bust one. What was unknown to us is how his legs would respond after a hard swim and bike as he's only done a couple of bricks this summer. We set of goal of going under 7 minutes based off a 6:45 mile test held at school a few weeks earlier. So for him to come under 7 minutes after swimming and biking was real gutsy. And since he made 3rd place by a mere 10-seconds brought home the importance of gutting it out.

Awards

We eached received very nice, and quite heavy, granite plaques for our 3rd place age group finishes.

Hey! A Medal! Hooray!

I received a rather nice surprise in the mail this past Friday. A lovely way to begin the weekend. It was a medal for my second place overall finish (age graded) at the 2012 Treadmill 1 Mile World Championship held this past winter.

A few weeks ago I had been contacted by Dr. Bill Misner who also participated and was third. We exchanged pleasantries and war stories. You could say each of us has a rather high pain threshold. You can read Bill's race recap by clicking on each icon below:



Bill's Recap Page 1



Bill's Recap Page 2

I'd like to thank Bill for being so gracious as to provide these awards for the top three finishers of that event! It certainly was an experience that I won't soon forget.

Race Result: 2012 The Old Deer Park 10K (London)

Event: 2012 The Old Deer Park 10K (April 1, 2012)
Location: Richmond, England
Weather: 44F, sunny
Goal: Finish
Actual: 43:57
Overall: 47th (258 total)
Age Group (50-54): 2nd (13 total)
Results Link: PDF; XLS
Previous Results: First time at this event

I'm a little late with this recap to be sure. But then, I should have never run it. My 2012 race season, while perhaps not a lost cause, is certainly in jeopardy regardless.

Let us backtrack for a moment. I've been having an issue with my inside shin along a line that begins on top of the ankle to just below the mid-calf. No, it is not shin splints. I have a pretty high pain tolerance and can run through that aggravation. I decided it could be Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome and did a little write-up on that in early March.

During March, I was able to swim and bike fine. I just could not run. Could not push off going from the toe. So I took off two weeks from running. At the end of this time, I was walking normally. I did some short runs (less than 1/4 mile) to determine the current state and the pain was still then, albeit much less.

Time came to pack for London. I packed all my running and race gear. I then unpacked it. Literally 30-mins before we departed for the airport, I packed it all again. I figured I could try a short run while there if nothing else. I was pretty sure I would not be racing. But just to be prepared, I brought the gear.

The day before the event, I went out for a short 2-miler. I was able to hold a pretty good pace at easy effort although the pain was still there. I was on the fence. Race. Not race. Race. Not race. I set the alarm as if I was going to race, still not having made up my mind.



I got up the morning of the race. I thought I should just go back to bed. Then I decided to just stay up and start the day early. I found myself going through my typical pre-race routine. I found myself dressing in my race gear. I found myself heading out the door to catch the Underground to the race site. I found myself a fool.

I arrived, checked in and received my chip. It was a weird little thing. The size of a credit card with four holes at the corners that you tied into your shoe-laces using twisties. Haven't seen that before. But the chip didn't hamper me at all. Since it was so rigid I was worried it might be a constant source of irritation while racing. But, no worries.

Yes, they still use port-a-potties across The Pond in case you were wondering. Plenty of them. Annnddd, flushable! You don't have to stare at a bucket full of someone else's meal from the night before. Looks and acts like a regular flusher. After you are 'complete' with your morning nature call, you simply use a foot-action pump to fill the bowl with water and then 'flush'. American port-a-pottie companies.....you are behind (pun intended).

The row of Port-A-Potties

Also cool was the call to the line. We all had to remain outside of the starting chute. The race director then called for any sub-30-minute 10K runners. No one stepped forward. Then called for sub-35 minute runners. Again, no one stepped forward. He then called for sub 40 and a few of us, including myself, stepped forward. He then continued with this progression. It was organized, quick and easy. It certainly eliminated giving a dirty stare to someone pushing a baby jogger toeing the starting line with you. I thought it a wonderful idea.

The Start

We started on turf. This was not good. My ankle was already starting to roll. We then hit a sidewalk (complete with morning pedestrians) which then had some cobblestone. My ankle was rolling all over. About the 2-mile mark we hit gravel. The gravel had chunks of concrete and such. Not good.

Even with all that my first 2 miles was fine. I was hanging in the top 10 and running with the eventual female overall winner. This is typically where I find myself. I should have been a chick! But I was well under 40-minute pace and very happy. Breathing easy. Pace felt easy. The only question was would the leg hold up long enough to let me finish at that pace. A little before the 5K mark, I had my answer.

Shortly after the start

I was essentially running on one leg, hobbling along at the 5K mark. I went through it at 20:10 and then really started to fade. I was looking for a way to just quit and get a ride back but the course was circular. I figured I had come this far, I might as well limp it in and gather my finishers medal. My first international event.

So, I sucked it up and limped along. I finished in 43:57 so the second 5K took me 23:47. Walking pace. When I signed up for this event all those months ago, I was targeting a sub-39. So, that hurts mentally. But I did finish.

My 1st international finish

A view of the finish area

The Garmin Info

Elevation, 28 feet of gain and 30 feet loss

The splits tell the story when the leg gave out

After finishing I received my finishers medal which was cool. There were no Age Group awards so I was very happy to receive the medal as a token to remember the race by.

The finisher's medal

So, while my first international experience was sort of a downer, I would like to try another international race again some day. Hell, the Brits even have a triathlon series that circulates around some of their finest castles. We even visited one (Hever) last year. That would be ÜBER cool.

When we returned stateside, I made an appointment to see the doc. We took an Xray and it showed no breaks. He stated my ankle joints look 'spectacular' as usually he sees arthritis brewing by my age. That was nice to hear. He thinks it is tendon/ligament and even if one had popped he would not consider surgery. He thinks worse case is there could be a stress fracture in which the tendon might have pulled away some of the bone but he doubts that. So we are:

• Going to give it 4-6 weeks to heal. I can bike/swim if it doesn't bother me
• If it is not progressing during that time or at the end, he has an ankle ortho guy in mind and would hook me up. He would let them decide on a MRI at that time and suggest to do a MRI as last recourse

It is slightly improved two weeks removed from the race. Just not as much pain but no where near walking normally. I have not biked or swam during this time either. I'm getting fat. I am hoping to get back into the pool and cycle by this coming weekend (4/21). And then it will be some more weeks (months?) before I can slowly start running again. Hopefully. I do not want to go through a surgery. I have accepted that 2012 will boil down to a lost race season and not be too depressed. There are bigger issues in the world than not being able to run. Then come back stronger than ever in 2013.

Next Events:

Just what the next event will be is a guess. Hopefully, it is yet in 2012.

Apr 28 (signed up) - Falls Duathlon - Cannon Falls, MN 2mi run, 14mi bike, 3mi run
May 19 (signed up) - Fargo Half-Marathon - Fargo, ND
June 3 (signed up) - Buffalo Triathlon - Buffalo, MN 1/4mi swim, 12mi bike, 3mi run
Jun 24 (signed up) - Graniteman Triathlon - St. Cloud, MN 1/3mi swim, 15mi bike, 5K run

I will be skipping the April 28 Du I had already signed up for. I have already cancelled the Fargo hotel for the May 19 half marathon. So the next one that I just might be able to compete in is the June 3 Buffalo Tri and I would skip that if needed as well as that would only be 7 weeks away. I just want to be ready to at least race by June 24 for the 1st Graniteman Tri. The Graniteman is a 3-race series. One in June, one in July, one in August. Sort of a big deal. If I can be running by June I should be able to be in OK run shape for that one.

Everything But Kitchen Sink

This blog entry is just a stream of stream of consciousness to get some items covered. First up, the injury update.

The left calf/ankle issue continues to be bothersome. I am swimming and biking but simply cannot run. I can't push off without having pain. There is limited, bearable, pain when climbing while on the bike. So I continue to rest it. Ice it. Compress. If it has not sufficiently healed by the time I return from London, I'll be heading into the doctors office.

Because of the injury, I skipped the St. Patrick's Day 5K in Fargo on March 17. This was tough to swallow as I had that event circled as a A-Event. Sometimes, life just rains on your parade. For the curious, the results for this race are here. Congrats to Fargo Running Company owner (and fellow Fargo Running Company race team member) Cley Twigg for taking first overall. By the looks of things, it looked like quite the event.

The 5K lead off the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Fargo

Also because of the injury, it is all but certain that I will not be competing in London for the second year in a row after signing up for an event. This also hurts. I'm starting to wonder if I will ever get the chance to compete internationally or if I'm somehow cursed in this regard.

In taking a look back at the Treadmill 1 Mile World Championship, held at Gear West Ski & Run the first weekend of March, I can share a bit more with you. If you missed the race recap, you can find it here.  And results are listed here.

Carrie Tollefson was at the event and taped a feature for her weekly video blog. She is an American middle distance runner who was on the US 2004 Summer Olympic team. At the US Olympic Trials in 2004, she won the 1500 meters. She competed in the 2004 Olympic Summer Games, making it to the semis in the 1500 meters. She now holds a distance camp at St.Kates, for teens. You can see how it looked at the treadmill event by watching her video below.



Have you seen this poster? I really like it. Some people might think I'm ripping on slow runners but my point is that a running race should be just that: Run as fast as you can.

A 7-hr marathon equates to a 16-minute mile. An average fitness walking pace is close to a 15 minute mile. So if you are basically walking a marathon....is that something to be respected? I fall on the side of the fence where this is not an accomplishment.

Two events come to mind: Kona and Leadville. Both have time cutoffs during the event. If you are not at Point A by a designated time, you are pulled out of the race. Is it time for marathons to instigate a time cutoff? I think so.

Finally, in other race results my southern Minnesota racing buddy, Mario Minelli got chicked. Yes, we fellows get chicked now and then. Nothing to be ashamed of. However, Mr. Minelli is not your weekend warrior that takes 7-hours to complete a marathon. He's one of the top Masters triathletes in the state and a very, very fast runner. So, who chicked him (results)?

That honor went to Ruth Brennan Morrey. Ruth has an amazing year in 2011 and is a chick to watch in 2012. She ended last year winning the Female 35-39 AG at the 2011 Henderson ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships. So, if Ruth chicks you this year....be honored. Be very honored.

Race Result: 2012 Chase a Leprechaun 5K

Event: 2012 Chase a Leprechaun 5K (March 10, 2012)
Location: Becker Community Center, Becker MN
Weather:  46F, sunny, wind from SW at 12-16 MPH
Goal: sub-20 minutes
Actual: 18:51
Overall: 4th (138 total)
Age Group (50-59): 1st (6 total)
Results Link: Becker AG Breakdown
Previous Results: 19:36 (2011)

Last year (2011) at this event, the weather line looked like this: 16F, winds 30-35 MPH, windchill at -4. What a difference a year can make. I ran in shorts and on top I opted for a long-sleeved UnderArmor with my Fargo Running Company race team singlet over that. And I was probably a tad warm.

Shortly before the race started I turned to the Boy and the Well Kept Wife and said, "I've got nothing." The legs felt dead, I'm still nursing that suspected Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome in the left shin, and I was already looking ahead to the St. Patricks Day 5K in Fargo. That is a key race for me this early spring season and I was using the Becker race as a report card to see how I stood.

I need not worry so much.

After the gun went off I had purposely shot to be up near the front as we started out on a bike path. That meant I didn't want to be blocked in. This also meant that my early pace was in the 5:20 range. After I found myself with plenty of room I started to dial it back. Hit 5:40ish pace and kept dialing it back finally settling in the low 6:05 territory. I was in eighth as we went thru the first mile (6:07).

Shortly before we hit the first mile I was passed by a young lady, Chelsea Schlegel wearing Vibrams. I would run with her for the rest of the race. She was exactly what I needed to keep up a sub-6:20 pace. One or the other would fall off but then come back to rest on either runners shoulder.

She and I started to pick off the pretenders and before we hit mile 2 we found ourselves in 3rd/4th place. I was very happy to go through mile 2 at 6:18 pace. I wanted to maintain 6:20 or better pace as my Fargo tune-up and it was going well. Despite my pre-race doubts, the legs seemed to have some snap to them and were holding up well.

As we turned for the finish, my race partner surged and I was content to let her go. I didn't need to sprint home for this race. That's next weekend. My pace of 6:20 for the final mile, and overall average of 6:15 was better than hoped for.

The course was about 0.09 miles short per the Garmin. So I calculate my 18:51 overall time was a true 5K time of 19:25. I was hoping to be around 19:40. This is the perfect tonic for any mental doubts for the 5K in Fargo. And the weather looks to be even better for next weekend!

Of note: The Boy® set a new PR with a 5K equivalent (once I converted to a true 5K) of a 24:10. And this was with a slight cold. Good stuff.

Garmin

Splits

Elevation

Next Event:

March 17 - St. Patrick's Day 5K Run - Fargo, ND

This one is important for a few reasons. One, I've been on the Fargo Running Company Race Team since last year. So obviously, I hope to have a good showing for the home team. Two, this will kick off the 2012 LAP (Lake Agassiz Pacers) Race Series under the following guidelines:


- runner does not need to be a LAP member
- runner must compete in 3 of 5 races in 2012 (best 3 times used for performance rating)
- results based on age-grade performance
- awards given out 10 deep, gender neutral


I'd like to end the year within that Top Ten category. Again, this is based on Age Grade performance which I have written about plenty of times. Most recently in my recap of the Treadmill 1-Mile World Championship.

Race Result: 2012 Treadmill 1 Mile World Championship

Event: Treadmill 1 Mile World Championship
Location: Gear West Ski & Run in Long Lake, MN
Weather: Indoors
Goal: under 5:20
Actual: 5:19.7
Overall: 8th (15 total)
Age Group (50-59): 2nd (3 total)
Age Grade: 79.6 (2nd out of 15)
Results Link: preliminary results
Previous Results: First time at this event

"The art of running the mile consists, in essence, of reaching the threshold of unconsciousness at the instant of breasting the tape." Paul O'Neil

Jim Ryun, enough said

This unique event was held over Friday & Saturday (March 2-3th, 2012). There was even a New Balance Age-Graded Challenge. I started looking for age-graded events in 2011 and was successful running those, so that is what really brought me to the race. The Treadmill World Championships, along with New Balance, offered a FREE pair of New Balance running shoes to the winner of the Age-Graded Challenge. The AG Calculator is found HERE.

The AG calculator is intended to provide you with an age-graded race time and an achievement percentile for a recent performance at a specific race distance. Age-graded information allows you to: Judge your performance, using an achievement percentile, without bias for gender or the aging process (in other words, you are measured against a specific standard for your age and sex). These percentiles can be interpreted as follows:

• Over 90% --- World Class
• Over 80% --- National Class
• Over 70% --- Regional Class
• Over 60% --- Local Class

My goal of going under 5:20 was to try and achieve a 80% (National Class) ranking. My 5:19 equated to a age grade of 79.6 which means had I been in my 'prime' I would have run a 4:39 mile. So, I fell just short of National Class ranking. If I want to be picky, I could calculate my age as 50.88 (I turn 51 in April) and with that factored in my ranking comes out to 80.35 and a 4:37 mile. So I have that personal satisfaction, if you will.

My lone mistake was not factoring in the time it took for the treadmill to get up to speed. I had calculated that if I ran with the treadmill speed set to 11.3 that would equate to a 5:18 mile. I probably lost those very few valuable seconds during the time I started and the treadmill actually was running at that speed. In retrospect, I should have started out at the speed of 11.4 for the first 1/4 mile and then cut back to 11.3. But in some ways I am glad I didn't, since I was running on empty at the end.

Let's talk fuel for a moment. Since my slotted time was 1:30 PM on Saturday, I followed this menu:

Breakfast (6 hours before) -

• Single slice of toast with Nutella and honey
• Serving of yogurt with blueberries, blackberries, honey and Chia seeds (1 tsp)
• Serving of Interphase protein mix with low-fat milk
• 2 cups of half-decaffeinated coffee

Lunch (2 1/2 hours before) -

• Serving of Carbo-Pro

I was introduced to Interphase and Carbo-Pro by Kevin O'Connor last race season and I have used these two products exclusively ever since. Kevin was 2009 USAT Duathlete of the Year and just received a honorable mention for the 2011 USA Triathlon Masters Duathlete of the Year.

When I arrived at Gear West Ski & Run I opted to warm up inside on one of the treadmills since there were some empty ones available. Much better than warming up outside as we received some rain and sleet recently and the streets are a bit slippery to say the least.

I ran comfy for about five minutes and then broke into a series of striders, increasing up to my race pace goal. My timer was Derek 'Rusty' Lindstrom and he became a valuable ally. He spoke to me about the first half seeming easy and once 0.6 miles came around the real work would set in.

The rules were easy. We would set the speed, hit enter and go. During this time I could not hold onto any part of the treadmill or I would be DQ'd. I would be allowed to alter the speed during the event. Little did I know I would not have the energy to even make that effort of changing speeds.

Derek was correct, the first part of the race was pretty smooth. There was a 1/4-mile lap indicator on the treadmill face and I was surprised how quickly the first 1/2-mile went. I was hearing things like, "You are looking smooth,"...."Looking strong,"...."Time for some cow bell."

On that third lap the legs were beginning to falter. This is what scared me about racing this kind of speed on the treadmill. One misstep, one ill-timed catch of the toe on the churning treadmill and I would have gone down hard and flying off the back end. It was probably this fear that also saved me.

For on the last lap, a mere 1/4 mile to go, I was toast. In my mind I was thinking, "Its only a 1/4 mile, you can gut this out". But my legs were telling me that they were in severe danger of faltering badly. I was starting to waver a bit. I was making these audible grunting noises. My form had gone from smooth to shot-to-hell. At 0.8 miles, I kept envisioning that was nothing more than two blocks. I was running those two blocks back to my house. That's all it was. Just hold pace.

At 0.85 miles I was looking at lowering the speed control. At this point had this been a road race I would have let up. There is no doubt in my mind. Now I'm thinking I need to slow down the speed of the treadmill otherwise I'm going to stumble.

At 0.9 miles, the legs have nothing left. At 0.95 miles I have serious doubts I'm going to make it. Derek is yelling in my ear. 0.97. My arms are doing some sort of movement that I'm not familiar with. 0.98, yes, I can do it. 0.99, why is the treadmill stuck on 0.99? Why is it not moving? I cannot hold on another second. 1.00, I stumble.....audible "Hey, hey, hey....watch him" from the people watching. I somehow step to the side without falling. Upper body hanging on the treadmill and head down. Holy crap.

And yet, here's the deal. I ran a 5:19 mile and am rather proud of that at the age of 50. But the boys who just made the USA Olympic marathon team averaged 4:55 per mile. Perspective can be a wicked sock to the stomach sometimes.

My hats off to those who competed as those are great times. Thanks to Gear West Ski & Run for hosting the event.

Next Event:

March 10 - Becker Community Center Chase a Leprechaun 5K Fun Run/Walk

2012 Sweetheart Run 5K Photos

Here are some photos of myself, the Well Kept Wife, and the Boy from the 5K on 2/18. Race result summary can be read here. Photos from Minnefota Moments.

The Family Maas during warmups

One day, he'll be ahead of me for real

Shortly after the start. Look who is hanging in 2nd!

Go Boy, Go!

Out on the course



Boy still hanging tough. Not bad for zero training.

The Well Kept Wife distances from the wannabes.

The Old Geezer takes 1st overall.

The Boy nears the finish

The Well Kept Wife nears the finish

Race Result: 2012 Sweetheart Run 5K

Event: Sweetheart Runs (5K, 10K, 10 miler)
Weather: 24F, winds light out of NNW at 5mph
Goal: Just have a good speed workout
Actual: Officially 19:50 (6:23 per mile pace); Garmin 19:01 (for 2.93 miles).
Overall: 1st (54 total)
Age Group (50-59): 1st (7 total)
Results Link: 5K, 10K, 10-miler
Previous Results: First time at this event

This event was put on by FrontRunner and was a very organized event. Everything ran on time. Communication was great. Results were posted online by the time we returned home. It is so nice when you participate in an event when the race director knows what he/she is doing. There are some local race organizers that over a week later, still haven't posted results. Or check-in is a royal pain-in-the-ass. Not the case here. Only issue was measurement of the course, but we'll cover that later.

Like the Hamel 5K, I was using this event to simply have a nice speed workout as I work myself back into shape after a winter of limited training due to the recent osteoarthritis diagnosis in my left hip. Nothing more, nothing less. I was winding down my first solid week of training (11+ hours) and this was a nice way to cap it all off. Not to mention try and drop those extra 10-lbs I somehow gained over the holidays.

There were three events all told. Most of the Big Dawgs ran the 10K or 10-milers which lead the Boy to utter as we lined up for the 5K, "Dad, you're going to win this easy." My little Nostradamus.

The 5K started and I was left to myself almost immediately. The Boy indicated he tried to hang with me for "about 30-seconds" and then I heard no more footsteps. And if you look at the results, you'll see another young lad (of 12 years of age!!) took 2nd overall. So I had no one to pursue or to push me and was left to push myself into a good effort.

But the purpose was really just to try and get the legs back underneath me so I can be racing low 18's in the 5K by the time the multi-sport season opens. Unlike Hamel where I went out too fast for the shape I'm in, I tried to keep the per mile pace more consistent. And I think I did that. I didn't nearly have the fade I had two weeks prior. And the legs felt much more solid.

The course itself was short by about two tenths of a mile. My Garmin read 19:01 as I crossed the finish line. Once results were posted, I think the race director attempted to correct for the distance shortfall and so the result read 19:50 for me. Using the per mile pace, my time correction would be more accurate at 20:10, but who cares. Low key event. In talking with the 10K overall winner, their race was also a bit short and time corrections were also made.

More consistent splits were the goal

Fairly flat course with some mild rollers

The Well Kept Wife and Boy also had a good showing with each taking home 3rd place in their respective age groups. So the Maas family took home its fair share of winnings.

Nice sized age group medals

Overall win award, an oversized coffee mug

Next Event:

March 10: Becker Community Center Chase a Leprechaun 5K Fun Run/Walk, scene of the pelvic stress fracture from 2011. Lets hope there is no such injury this year.