Out too fast!

So it would be…. As the lead pack and I approached the finish line, the race atmosphere turned electric. The crowds cheered with absolute excitement. The other runners looked at me as I stared back at them. The elites were wondering how this unknown had stayed with the pack for this long. As we rounded the final turn I looked up and could see the finish line ahead. The race announcer was nearly screaming our names as we neared the finish. Cameras flashed as I made my last dash leaning forward toward the line. The next thing I knew, I opened my eyes and it had happened – I woke up.

So it was only a dream, and a made up one at that, but if logistical effort alone could win the race, this one was mine. I ran my first of three “tune-up” half marathons on the road the Chicago over the weekend, this one was the “Joker’s Wild” half in St. Louis County.

To start with, who wants to run a race on the 5th of July? My 4th could not have been any lamer. We decided to spend the weekend at my wife’s family farm in the middle of no-where, Missouri to celebrate the holiday and my father-in-law’s 70th birthday. After the 117-mile drive on our nation’s Independence Day, we finally made it to the farm. Arriving via elephant back might have been faster. Me and my wife, my 14 year-old daughter’s teen attitude, my three and five year olds, and my 100-pound dog Tucker. All stuffed in my large SUV like a sausage from a cheap butcher. It seemed like we stopped every ten minutes. How can a five year old really pee every 30 minutes? Its like they have multiple bladders.

Here was my plan: Take it easy on the forth, get up at 3 AM, drive 75 miles back to St. Louis for the 6 AM start of the race. Everything pre-race worked like a charm. I sprang awake exactly at 3 AM. In the shower and out the door by 3:21 AM. After a coffee stop, I arrived at the race site by 5 AM. I checked in, got my chip, and proceed to people watch until the race started.

The gun sounded promptly at the revised 6:15 Am start time. Off I went on the two-loop, six and a half mile course. I had no real race strategy; I just wanted to see how I felt. I thought 2 hours flat would be a nice time for a summer run. I should have picked up on the warning sign as I finished my first mile at an all-too-quick (for me) pace of 7:47. You know what they say about going out too quick? I have done it nearly every time, normally with tragic results.

However, for this half, I did have a bit of stronger than normal motivation! I was a Clydesdale. Obviously, I did not turn into a horse, but rather than the 40-45 age group, I decided to enter the 200+ pound Clydesdale division. At 205 pounds, I legitimately qualify. In this smaller, 500 person race, just me and 17 other “fat boys” in our portly little division. Could this race be the first time I had a chance at an actual award? Time would tell.

So back to the race. I kept clicking off miles faster than I expected to run. Up and down the rolling hills I went – making the turn to finish lap one. Lap two felt like more of a struggle. Sort of like carrying a ton of bricks on my back while I ran on those little clogs like the people from Holland would wear. I was fading, and fading fast. Racers – fat and not so fat, were passing me like I was standing still. I entered the finish chute as the big red clock kept on adding the seconds. My finish time was 2:00:55, not my PR, but not my PW (personal worst) either (I think my PW was this year’s flying pig half in Cincinnati – 2:02 +/-, but this race was up and down a mountain – but a ton of fun).


So what did I learn about my progress toward Chicago? It seems I am running a lot of miles and not getting much better! I have started to make Wednesdays my “speed work” day, but I have not done enough to see the results. I need to learn that I need to start slower to run faster. It makes perfect sense to me. In next month’s Chicago Distance Classic (half), I am going to run a different type of race. I am going to focus on a slower pace for my first three miles, and then I will see how much I have in my tank. Maybe I should not race the clock, but rather choose to enjoy the event! I mean, think about it… a year from now (or even 15 minutes from now) is anyone really going to remember who won the Clydesdale Division in this half? I have my doubts! But I will remember that I finished 6th out of 17 in this group of gentle giants, dare I improve my standing in 2009?!?!?