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Rock The Creek Relay Race

September 27, 2015 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: Grey, mild, 60s?

Comments:
I'm writing this log over two weeks later, but I generally enjoyed this race. In the final 36 hours before the race, it became clear that we'd likely be shorthanded unless I worked hard to recruit someone. I did not work hard, and I was pleased to have an excuse to run two legs instead of one in this inaugural relay.

Team was Berenson on the lead off 4.35 miles (first mile had some downhill) from Lake Needwood southwards. (24:49 I ran second (5.45 mi 34:54)and sixth (4.35mi) legs. Jim Ehrenhaft ran third (4.6 mi 30:22) down to a school on Jones Bridge RD, near the Crescent. Matt Eddy ran back up from there (Jim's leg but upstream 29:59). David Panushe ran fifth reversing my earlier leg (34:47 -no wrong turns, but a few delays at intersections). I reversed Mark's leg (27:48). We were the third place team overall running 3:02:42 (about a minute behind The Dojo (Team of Jen M and Dan Yi) and 2:30 behind the first place team of two guys and a girl from G-Town Running Co.

First leg had one mild uphill followed by an equal downhill. It was generally a slight drop overall, although I did take one wrong turn near the end which took me on a spur trail up a hard hill. About a 1:10 lost on that detour! :( I also had to stop at two different road crossings which annoyed me (about 40 sec at one and 15 seconds lost at the other.) I suspect I slowed as this leg went on, but I was satisfied with my effort. Not much of a cooldown and I admit I wasn't very good about warming up either. Just felt lazy and kind of went through the motions.

My final leg was a bit anxious as I knew I had a fair bit of climb in the final mile, plus a general trend upwards most of the way. I passed a few people on this leg, but no one who was moving fast or could motivate me. the winning team had gotten the baton about a minute ahead and wasn't going to be caught. Still, I stayed pretty focused and worked the final hills despite a race official telling me I had a quarter mile to go, when in fact there was at least 800-1000m of mostly uphills. I was plenty sore afterwards, especially the still tight right hamstring/glute merger, nasty blisters from wearing the Yellow and Grey racing flats on the first leg )and Adidas trainers on the second leg.) Nice to be part of a team, even if most of them were even less enthusiastic than I was. As for pace, if I factor in the extra .1mile or so I ran on my wrong turn and the time I lost at lights, my pace on the first leg was much more like sub 6:15, and that feels about right. The pace on the second leg was actually to 6:23, but some of that drop in time came from the final hills. All in all, I am very satisfied with those splits which were only run 90 minutes apart.