Clarksburg Country Run Half-Marathon - 11/14/10

CLARKSBURG WAS A TRAIN-THROUGH RACE, on the way to the California International Marathon (CIM).  That means that I did normal training before and after.  For a goal race, I would generally reduce and adjust training leading into the race to maximize my potential in the race.  This was also my first race in a new age group, but it is a highly competitive Pacific Association/USATF event.  I decided that even in my new group it was unlikely I would finish in the top three.  Consequently, it was not worth interfering with the marathon training.

Eagle Butte High School Talons and
DSE Members Headed to the Bridge



I went to the regular DSE Saturday run the day before.  It was moved to the Golden Gate Bridge, where we met a high school cross-county team visiting THE CITY from Eagle Butte High School near Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.  As one of their experiences in THE CITY, the group wanted to run the bridge with a local running club.   We met at a parking lot that is on top of the bluffs, but a little below the bridge.  I had the privilege of leading the group over the bridge.



Bridge Run at the Turn-Around in Marin


Clarksburg is an unincorporated community in Yolo County, south of Sacramento.  It is about a two hour drive from THE CITY.  The area was settled in the mid-1800's.  It was, and still is, primarily an agricultural area.  Wine grapes must be the crop that pays the best now since that is mostly what I saw planted.  The area had a sugar mill that was built in the 1930's and closed in the 1980's.  It now sits awaiting redevelopment.  The community is on the banks of the Sacramento River.  The population is a few hundred.  Without established borders, estimates vary depending on the area included. 

The race is held at Delta High School, part of the River Delta Joint Unified School District.  It benefits community groups that volunteer for the event: Boy/Cub Scouts, soccer club, schools and fire fighters.  The event includes three races, a 20 mile race (9:00 AM), the half marathon (9:20 AM) and a 5K race (9:35 AM).  There is also a two person relay in the half marathon.

I left THE CITY a little before 6:00 AM and arrived in Clarksburg about 8:00 AM, after the usual confusion with a Google map.  I met a few other Pamakid Runners who had made the trip and went out for a warm-up to the one mile marker and back.  I watched the start of the 20 mile race and then started to prepare for my race.

My goal for this race was to try for a more even pace than I had for either Humboldt or Napa to Sonoma.  Other than pacing, I did not have any experiments for this race. 

The starting announcement was made and we were off.  Like many races, this event used chip timing for both the start and finish.  That means that all of runners must pass over the starting mats and this resulted in an initial crush of runners who had to funnel through the constricted start line.  Within a couple of minutes things opened up and I was able to run the pace I wanted.

Mile 1: There is a right turn at about half a mile.  The only noticeable hill of the race, and it is not much, is about three-quarters of a mile into the run.  I was a little late hitting the watch and it shows 6:17, but it was probably more like 6:09.  Too fast.  Based on how I felt, I decided that a pace between 6:20 and 6:25 would be a good goal.  

Miles 2 - 3: There are three left turns in this stretch.  Mile 2 comes in at 6:06, but that is short.  Between Miles 2 and 3, we start to pass the walkers and slower runners from the 20 Mile race.  Mile 3 was 6:19.  Right about where I want to be. 

Miles 4 - 6: Shortly after Mile 3 there is a right hand turn and there are several right hand curves.  At this point, the 20 Milers ended up changing my approach to the course.  I was with a group of two or three other runners.  I was more to the center of the road.  As we approached a curve I put in a surge to get in front so that I could set my line on the edge of the road inside the curve.  As I pulled into position just before the curve started, I encountered a group of the slower 20 milers who were where I wanted to be.  I had to quickly pull back toward the center of the road to pass them.  This happened again a short time later.  I realized there was no point to trying to run an efficient race on the tangents and insides of the curves.  I would simply be weaving back and forth, using more energy than running a less efficient line in the middle of the lane.  For part of this stretch I also had a group of four 20-something women drafting just behind me.  We went through a water station and I accidentally fumbled the water, which splashed on one or two of them.  They sped up and got in front of me.  I then drafted off of them for half a mile to a mile.  After that, they pulled away.  The lesson for a follower is to be careful when drafting through a water station.  The miles were 6:18, 6:25 and 6:23.

Mile 7: This mile has the 180 degree turn around.  After Humboldt, I was determined not to lose time here.  I pushed going into the turn and attacked it.  The time was 6:23.  Right in the range I wanted. 

Miles 8 - 9: I am starting to get tired and need to push to keep on pace.  Around Mile 8 I pass one of the Pamakid Runners who is a faster runner than I am.  After the race he said that he tried, but could not catch me for the rest of the race.  He is also training for CIM and has been doing a lot of races, of which this is just one.  He could not get up the enthusiasm to focus and to push the pace.  He will do better at CIM.  These miles both come in at 6:20. 

Mile 10: In the half marathon, Mile 10 is always the dividing line for me.  I am having trouble keeping the pace up and I am concerned about my time.  My watch shows 6:27.  My slowest mile so far, but still OK.  

Visualize the Finish Line

Miles 11 - 13: I make or break the race here (after Mile 10).  At Humboldt, my legs were weak and a little non-responsive.  Otherwise, I felt good.  At this race, I am tired all over, starting to ache and do not feel as good.  I keep telling myself to push, push, push.  I think about the uphill in the first mile that will now be a downhill.  I can picture myself using the hill to gain energy for the finish.  After I pass the 12 mile marker I am anticipating it.  What I did not notice outbound was that there was a downhill after the hill.  I am shocked to realize that I have to climb an uphill to get to the top of the hill and head down.  That's life.  I push the uphill as hard as I can.  I start to focus my thoughts on the last tenth of a mile and the finish line.  These miles are 6:32, 6:38 and 6:40.
 

Finish 13.1: The downhill is not as energizing as I had hoped.  I am still thrilled to see the finish line and I push as hard a I can for a strong finish.  I can see that I will be just under 1:24.  Faster than Humboldt. 



Not the even pacing I had hoped, but a much better run race than either Napa to Sonoma or Humboldt.  All my miles through Mile 10 were below 6:30.  My slowest mile of 6:40 was the last one.  I did not have the lapses of concentration that I did in the other races. 

My chip time was 1:23:51.  My gun time was 1:23:56.  I came in 65th overall, out of 601 finishers.  My average pace was 6:24.  I was 4th out of 22 in my age group (55 - 59) and 9 out of 45 among the senior runners (50 -59).  I moved up one place to 8th in the seniors division of the PA/USATF Grand Prix Series.  My age graded score was 82.59.  In that regard, probably my best performance of the year.

My time was close to my fastest half-marathon ever.  In 2006 I ran 1:23:54 in the DSE Lake Merced Half-Marathon, on an uncertified course.  Clarksburg, on a certified course, bookended this with the 1:23:51 chip time and 1:23:56 gun time.  Since I use gun time for my PR's (personal records), I was a couple of seconds off.  Still a great result and a good sign leading into the final weeks before the California International Marathon on December 5. 

After the race, I met up with the Pamakid Runners who were in the half.  Eventually, we went out for a one and a half mile cool-down.  Normally, runners in this event can use the high school locker rooms to take a shower.  Unfortunately, by the time I was ready, the showers were out of order.  In addition to the normal finish line refreshments, the event serves a hot lunch.  Pasta with marinara sauce, roll, salad, etc.  A nice way to end the race and start the trip back to THE CITY.

Three weeks to CIM.  One more week of normal training with the last extended long run.  Then it will be two weeks of reduced training and distance to taper for the race.  CIM is the final event in the Grand Prix Series.  I have seen the start list and figure I have a good chance to gain one more place to seventh.  Good motivation to keep to the plan.