Walk Into the Future

Tag: Orlando OUC Half Marathon

  • 2024 Marathon Training (32 – 0)

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    “You don’t stay undefeated without being a little stubborn”.

    (Andre Ward)

    32 – 0!  Yes, I’m going to claim an undefeated marathon training record at this point of the cycle.

    You may be wondering what the heck I’m talking about—happy to explain! 😊

    I just completed Week #8 of my 2024 Chicago Marathon training cycle:  https://www.instagram.com/chimarathon/?hl=en.  The training schedule has me running multiple distances Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.  8 weeks times 4 days per week = 32 training sessions so far.  32 – 0.

    I am showcasing the 32 – 0 record because I have not missed a training session, projected mileage or hit the snooze button once so far in this training cycle.  I’ve trained for 2 other marathons over the past few seasons but have never displayed this level of consistency and commitment to the process.  I want to see a ton of improvement in how I perform on race day in Chicago and dedicating the proper energy into my training program is my way to build towards the big day.

    Will I remain undefeated?  No idea but I plan to continue to put the effort into this training cycle to build physical and mental strength to guide me in Chicago.  Training is going well as I hit my mileage markers daily but need to incorporate more speed work into the program.  My future Wednesday morning runs are designed to run at 2024 Chicago Marathon pace so this will force me to begin to work on my stride to generate speed.  Excited to start targeting marathon goal paces to mentally prepare for the full grind of 26.2 miles.  I know I can complete the distance, but this year is all about going a bit faster than before.  I’m projecting to have a finish time with a ‘4’ in front of it (4:35, 4:41, 4:59)—I will share my goal time the week of the Chicago Marathon.  Yes, I have a projected goal time I’m targeting.  Melissa—can you guess the time? 😊

    Here’s my weekly progress so far:

    Week 541.67
    Week 633.61
    Week 734.11
    Week 850.26
    Total159.65

    The weekly mileage has gone up from the previous updates.  This will continue through Week #15 before the mileage starts to taper down.  The full marathon taper process will start in Week #17 and continue until marathon race day.  My previous marathon training cycle had me competing in the OUC Half Marathon the week prior.  Not sure if this helped or hurt my race day performance but I will not repeat this process again for the Chicago Marathon.

    Can I stay undefeated and make it to 72 – 0?  Great question!

    Thanks for joining me on this training cycle!

    Irie!

    “I don’t think being undefeated is going to determine my greatness”.

    (Mikey Garcia)

  • 2024 Chicago Marathon Training Week #1

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    “A marathon is hundreds of miles.  The finish is the last 26.2”.

    (Running Quotes)

    The quote above speaks volumes.  Marathon training is a critical part of the overall process, but most people only see or talk about the actual 26.2-mile race.

    Completing a marathon is a major life/personal/physical milestone and I’m happy to say I am a two-time marathoner. 

    I targeted the Palm Beaches Marathon (2022 and 2023) because it was close, and the course was completely flat.  This marathon is in South Florida so that means the weather is unpredictable to include humidity even in December.  I’m happy to have started and completed this race twice but decided I would not attempt this race again because of the South Florida heat and humidity.  FYI—I will run the half marathon this year. 😊

    I leveraged a Hal Higdon marathon training plan to get me ready for my marathon attempts.  This plan provides an 18-week format to prepare for the full marathon process.  I decided to use this same training plan for my 2024 Chicago Marathon preparation.

    I made some weekly modifications for my previous marathon training programs but decided to follow the Hal Higdon plan completely this year.  I want to see improvement in my marathon finish time this year and committing to my training will be a vital part of hitting my race time goals.  I’m not competing to win the 2024 Chicago Marathon, but I need to beat my previous times, enjoy the race and feel good when I cross the finish line.

    My marathon training began in earnest last week (6/10/2024 – 6/16/2024).  I was excited to start my training program, so I added an extra run day to get me up and motivated to start this process.  Proverbs 6:6 states:  Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise.  My 2024 Chicago Marathon training program allows me to work like an ant—one mile, one training session, one week at a time.  Each session is designed to get me closer to my physical and mental peak for race day.  The marathon is a celebration of the months of training and sacrifice needed to complete a marathon.  I’ve made a point to let folks know that I will follow my plan as outlined—no shortcuts will be applied this year.  I will have to miss a few happy hours and Friday night hangouts since my long runs will occur on Saturday mornings.  A missed run is a missed opportunity to get better so I will minimize this process to emergencies only.

    Happy to report I hit all my training days and milestones for Week #1.  I added an extra session on Monday to energize my training and provide a buffer in case I needed it later in the week.  Rain was forecasted all week, and I completed several miles in a slight rain during two training sessions.  I would have skipped these training sessions in the past but would not allow myself to miss a training opportunity.

    I’m prioritizing weight training sessions this year as well.  Want to ensure I provide myself with the best training foundation possible to improve my performance leading up to the 2024 Chicago Marathon.

    I completed 32.11 training miles last week:

    6/10/20243.134:2511:06mRun
    6/11/20243.3937:5311:11mRun
    6/12/20245.3457:1710:44mRun
    6/13/20242.4225:4910:41mRun
    6/14/20245.82  Planet Fitness bike / rope
    6/15/20243.75  Planet Fitness bike
    6/15/20248.291:36:0011:35mLong run

    I added 4 days of weight training to include full body workouts on 6/14/2024 and 6/15/2024 to help prepare my body for the 18-week training grind.

    The Week #2 training plan is like Week #1 (3, 5, 3, 9) with a slight increase for the long run.  I’m excited to see how my body and mind respond to following the overall training plan for this marathon attempt.  I’m committed to ensuring I do everything necessary to finish faster in Chicago than I did in Palm Beach.  The cooler weather, flat course, cheering crowds and better preparation should help generate a positive outcome.

    Thanks for joining me on the training process—Irie!

    Note:  Most of my long run miles will be done in the George LeStrange Preserve. This allows for consistent miles and a hydration station. 

    https://www.stlucieco.gov/departments-and-services/environmental-resources/county-preserves/george-lestrange-preserve

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  • 2023 OUC Half Marathon

    OUC Track Shack

    “Don’t dream of winning, train for it”.

    (Mo Farah)

    My Walk into the Future continues to seek out new opportunities and challenges to move me forward.

    Distance running and racing have become a huge part of this process.  2023 generated an aggressive running schedule that allowed me to run new half marathons to add to my medal rack.  The 2023 OUC Half Marathon was the 10th time I tackled this race.  I missed the 2018 race to run a smaller half marathon on Amelia Island.  The OUC Half Marathon was also my first half marathon so I guess you can say this race launched my distance running program.

    I love the races put on by Orlando Track Shack so expect to run this race annually until I can’t anymore.

    The 2023 OUC Half Marathon was scheduled 8 days before the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon so viewed this edition as an extension of my marathon training.  My long training runs ended the week prior but never want to feel like I’m missing out on the great vibes at the OUC race.  My training plan called for me to taper my running since I was at the end of my training cycle but decided to toe the line at the OUC half anyway.  The course is flat and friendly so decided to have fun and enjoy the process of racing in downtown Orlando.

    I arrived early this year since I had trouble finding parking last year.  Didn’t want to feel rushed when I arrived so found parking in a downtown parking garage and made my way over to the race village.  I had time to stretch and socialize a bit prior to lining up for the start of the race.

    The temperature was in the low 70s at race time with equal humidity.  The forecast called for a gradual rise in morning temperatures so wanted to get moving to beat the heat.

    I decided to line up further back in the start corral and use that as part of my race strategy.  I tend to go out a lot faster when I’m close to the front so wanted to create a steady pace and stay measured throughout the race.  I didn’t have a set finish time in mind but wanted to test my fitness to gauge how ready I was for the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon.

    Targeted the first 8 miles of the race as my strategic marker to see how long I can run without discomfort and determine my marathon pace for next week.  Eight miles seemed like an appropriate test—my plan was to pull back on the pace once I hit eight miles and then just take in the race day environment and the cheering crowds.

    I wanted to stay in the 9:50 per mile pace for this race to clock miles and work on strategy.  I had to keep reminding myself not to push too hard or fast since I had a full marathon coming up in 8 days.  My normal strategy is to push the pace for this race since the course is flat and I can normally get a fast time.  I set my personal record (PR) on this same course in 2019 and always think I can beat that time.  This was not the day to try for another PR.

    I hit the eight-mile marker without any pain or discomfort.  I was still running high 9-minute miles but decided to race smartly and began the process of pulling back to save my legs for the full marathon.  The rising temperatures and humidity made the decision to pull back a lot easier this year too. 😊

    Completed the race in 2:22 (two hours and 22 minutes) for a 10:50 per mile pace.  Very happy with this pace and effort considering the temperature, humidity and a pending full marathon coming up next week.

    Got a chance to catch up with some of my Orlando running friends at the race after party.  Nothing like a 13.1-mile race, donuts, and beer all before 10 am in Central Florida.

    Next stop?  The 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon!

    Irie!

    “I’ll be happy if running and I grow old together”.

    (Haruki Murakami)

  • 2023 WordPress Stats

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    Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

    “I made a decision to write for my readers, not try to find more readers for my writing”.

    (Seth Godin)

    Love this quote as it reflects my original thoughts when I started the Walk into The Future blog back in 2018.

    My intent has always been to create content others would want to read but not seek out followers for the blog.  Some of you are stuck with me because we grew up together, so happy to have you along for this journey.  Others have found my writing via WordPress based on my content and/or topics presented.

    I’m happy to have you here regardless of how/why you read my thoughts—appreciate the company on this life I live.

    WordPress provides authors with daily, monthly, and yearly statistics directly on my dashboard.  I’m able to identify when my work is viewed in another country and my reach continues to expand.  Again, not driven by this but it is nice to see someone in Spain or India has read my latest blog post.  Not sure how I attract folks so far away, but it feels great and inspired me to write a bit more and with more substance.

    My 2023 stats can be viewed here:  https://wordpress.com/annual-report/walkintothefuture.blog/2023

    I’m back in the writing lab working on new topics and adventures I will begin sharing next week.  I am also entering the busy portion of my racing schedule so there will be race recaps to include my 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon experience and the next BIG race on my 2024 schedule.  Hint—I got accepted into the Chicago Marathon.  This is exciting news for me and will be the largest run event I will participate in.  Thanks to Orlando Track Shack and the global running impact of this organization—it helped me get into the Chicago Marathon.

    Big things coming in 2024—stay tune! LOL.

    Irie!

    “Do or do not.  There is no try”.

    (Yoda)

  • Marathon Training Update #2

    Medal Palm Beach

    My Walk into the Future is closing in on the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon.  I am heading down south on Saturday for my big race on Sunday.

    The training this year went by smoother than last year.  I chalk this up to having a better mental and physical understanding of the training program and what is required each week.  I also view my hydration and nutrition planning as much improved from this time last year.

    It is amazing how quickly you learn the things not to do to get prepared for a 26.2-mile race.  Excited and terrified at the same time.  Runners are a unique group of people with an adventurous mindset.

    I didn’t have my friend Lauren training for a marathon with me this year, but she was always available to listen to me share about my progress.  Hoping we will both get into the 2024 Chicago Marathon and enjoy this process together again next year. We both signed up for the marathon lottery system and will find out today if we get in.  I will focus on the 2024 Chicago Marathon as my big race next year if I get in—fingers crossed!

    The 18-week training plan has allowed me to increase my mileage safety as I built up my base miles.  I added hill and speed training this year to increase my endurance towards the full marathon distance.

    Here are my total weekly miles so far this year:

    • Week #10: 38 miles
    • Week #11: 23 miles
    • Week #12: 32 miles
    • Week #13: 34 miles
    • Week #14: 22 miles
    • Week #15: 39 miles
    • Week #16: 28 miles
    • Week #17: 29 miles
    • Week #18: 33 miles 

     

    I have logged 465 total miles during this journey to include multiple 5k and half marathon races.  The process of racing brings me a level of enjoyment to my training program and is a lot more exciting (for me) than simply going out for long runs on my own.  I got spoiled a bit in Oviedo by having an active running environment with all the Orlando Track Shack events to choose from.  There are multiple running clubs in Orlando so finding a running club to get a few miles in with was an easy process there. 

    This week is dedicated to carb loading, extra stretching and getting a lot of rest.  The full marathon beat me down last year so I’m adjusting my daily routine this year to conserve as much energy as possible.

    Still have not decided my race strategy—will look to listen to my body and go out with a comfortable pace that I can maintain throughout the race.  I started to struggle at the 18-mile marker last year so want to extend my progress beyond this point in 2023.

    My goal is to beat my time from last year and set a new PR for myself.  I’ve got a race goal time in my head but will not reveal it here just now.  I will brag later if I hit my preset goal. 😊

    Wish me luck!

    Irie!

  • 2023 Marathon Training update

    “Every marathon I ran, I knew I had a faster one in me”.

    (Dick Beardsley)

    My Walk into the Future allowed me to take the deep dive to sign up, train and complete a full marathon in 2022.  The concept of running a full marathon had been with me for a while but I never committed to the process prior to 2022. 

    The 2022 Palm Beaches Garden of Life Marathon was the targeted race, and I am proud of my training efforts and completing the race.  I did not think I would want to run another one but was surprised with my recovery and the impact the marathon had on me completing shorter races.  I learned how to manage the pain and continue to press forward during races.

    I leveraged an 18-week training program last year and decided this got me prepared for my first marathon and it will be the training program for 2023 as well. 

    I am currently finishing week 9 of the training program so I am halfway through with a lot more miles to come.  I thought all miles were equal and incorporated too many miles on my exercise bike last year.  I quickly discovered the error in my thinking and training process during the 2022 Game On Treasure Coast Half Marathon.  This race was part of my training, but I did not perform as well as I should have—the miles on the bike did not translate to running in the Florida humidity.  I completed the race in decent shape but could not find another gear to go faster which was disappointing. 

    Fast forward to 2023 and I made a concerted effort to ensure my training miles were outside.  This meant I had to set a consistent bedtime so I could get up earlier in the morning to get my Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday runs in before work.  My bedtime during the week is 8:45 pm with an alarm time of 4:45 am.  Never thought I would go to bed this early, but it is necessary for my training program.  Getting proper rest is a key component to quality training sessions.

    I also invested in my nutrition plan more than I did in 2022.  The proper use of carbohydrates and hydration are two of the improvements I’ve made so far.  The carbs allow me to perform better during my early morning runs.  My increased water intake provides a solid foundation for my training and keeps me fresh.  I have increased my form roller use as well to negate muscle soreness throughout the week.

    All of this is designed to help me arrive at the 2023 Palm Beaches Garden of Life Marathon ready to perform and run faster than last year.  This race is flat and provides an opportunity for runners to go fast—I did not leverage this fact last year and will look to improve my time and enjoyment of the race day atmosphere.

    Last year I identified I was excited and terrified to complete a full marathon but now I’m looking forward to each training session and getting closer to race day.  Yep, my mindset is completely different this year.  LOL.

    MAIN

    The 18-week training plan starts out with lower mileage and slowly builds up each week.  Here are my total weekly miles so far this year:

    • Week #1: 16 miles
    • Week #2:  20 miles
    • Week #3:  26 miles
    • Week #4:  30 miles
    • Week #5:  29 miles
    • Week #6:  27 miles
    • Week #7:  30 miles
    • Week #8:  18 miles
    • Week #9:  37 miles 

    My miles during the work week are completed in my new neighborhood.  I have an area in the neighborhood that does not have traffic since construction has not started there yet.  This gives me a convenient place to run in the mornings safely.  I bring my own water or Gatorade and leave it on my route so I can stop and get fuel during the run.  This is a new feature of my running.  Last year I utilized a hydration backpack, but it seemed to impact my running because it moved around a lot.  Ditched the hydration backpack and decided to place my drinks in strategic spots—seems to be working for me so far. 

    My long runs are still done on Hutchinson Island—this allows me more options to get double digits miles completed safely.

    I am happy with my progress so far and look forward to additional miles on this journey.

    My next training update will be the week prior to the marathon.

    Thanks for following me on this journey!

    Irie!

    “The marathon never ceases to be a race of joy, a race of wonder”.

    (Hal Higdon)

  • 2023 Celebration of Running 5k

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    The 2023 running season kicked off with the 2023 Celebration of Running 5k in Winter Park.

    I have run this race three years in a row and love the experience.  It’s August in Florida so the heat and humidity are high, so this adds to the challenge.  I don’t run a lot of 5ks but this one remains on my list because it is flat and provides a training gauge for the year.

    I never set out to run a PR here but want to test my physical and mental stamina.  The race crowd is not too large, so this helps when trying to avoid other runners at the start.

    Decided to line up closer to the front pack of runners to give myself room to operate without having to dodge folks.  Still amazing that I know runners from when I lived in Oviedo.  It’s almost like they don’t know I’ve been gone 9 years now.

    My race goal was to go out and find an even pace.  The secondary goal was to run faster than last year.  I met both of my goals and enjoyed the race from start to finish.

    I found a couple of runners with great paces and decided to hitch a ride with them to challenge myself.  This was a fun activity since I train by myself.  It was great having others around to inspire me to find another gear.  Felt good enough at the end to leave my running companions and put in a good kick to complete the 5k.  Crossed the finish line in 28:50. 

    Collected my medal, water, and banana before making my way to the beer garden.  Yes, we drink beer at 8:30 am after races.  We eat donuts too!  LOL.

    This was week 2 of marathon training so needed to get additional miles in after the race.  Headed back over to the Seminole Cross Trail to complete my training with 6 miles there.  Got a total of 10 miles completed on the day.

    Made my way back to the hotel to shower and find some real food.  Wanted breakfast so went by First Watch close to UCF for a huge pancake, eggs, and bacon.  Favorite meal when I eat there.

    Feeling good about my training so far and look forward to a fantastic running season.  Heading to Virginia Beach again for the 2023 Virginia Beach 10-miler over the Labor Day weekend.  Should be fun getting back up to Virgina.

    Will ramp up my marathon training when I return from Virginia.  Time to lock in mentally and physically to prep for my 26.2-mile challenge in December.  😊

    What are you looking forward to?

  • Why do I run?

    VB 10 Miler

    “Running is my private time, my therapy, my religion”.

    (Gail W. Kislevitz)

    The Walk into the Future blog continues to roll along and provides me space to share a small portion of my world with readers.  Yes, this is a simple concept but one I take seriously to find new content to share with others.

    Running is a huge part of my life and I am happy to be at this point of the journey.  I started running as a small hobby to get in more cardio, but it has morphed into a lifestyle that energizes me daily.  Who knew I would enjoy going to bed early so I could wake up before the sun comes up for a run?  Well, that’s what I do now, and love every minute of it—even in the south Florida humidity. 

    So, why do I run?  That’s a great question and I will provide some context to why with this post.

    Solitude

    The ability to go out for a run without having to coordinate or schedule the activity is appealing to me.  There is a level of peace for me when I’m out for a run.  I lace up my running shoes and just put one foot in front of the other until I hit my mileage goal for the session.  The solitude comes in handy on days where I don’t feel like running faster—I can just move forward at my own pace without worrying about slowing someone else down.  Also, I can enjoy my music and sing out loud when I want to.  Not many folks come out at 5 am to hear my bad singing but it helps me when the miles get tough.  The solitude of my run is a highlight for me and one of the main reasons I’m still out putting in the work.

    Time to think

    The solitude of my runs is great, and it provides me with a lot of free time to think and change the world—hyperbole here!  LOL.  The space and time to think are enjoyable aspects while I’m out training.  This time has helped me come up with solutions to work problems, generate new ideas for the Walk into the Future blog and new topics for my leadership consulting side hustle.  There are times when I just run without thinking about ways to change the world but running provides me with a platform to simply think and be me.  Sounds simple but this keeps me lacing up my running shoes and logging the weekly miles.  Who knows, there may be another blog article coming from my next running session. 

    Physical wellbeing

    An obvious outcome of my running program is the physical wellbeing it brings.  I leverage running to help me maintain my weight without having to count calories.  I practice intermittent fasting daily but can eat whatever I want because of my running program.  Running is also a great way to build up leg strength and muscles.  The development I have in my legs rivals muscle growth I saw when I was more active lifting weights (squats, leg presses, etc.).  Again, the physical aspects of running leads to a better mental outlook as well.

    So, there you have it—I run for solitude, time to think and physical wellbeing.

    Why do you run?

    Irie

  • Race Medals

    Medal Rack

    “Racing is the fun part; it’s the reward for all the hard work”.

    (Kara Goucher)

    Runners sign up for races for multiple reasons.  Some are there for the competition, others are chasing a specific time, and then you have the running tourists who are looking to see new places while testing their mental and physical stamina during the race.

    There are other reasons to toe the start line and cross another finish line but we all happily collect race medals when it is all said and done.  Larger races have bigger budgets to invest in the hardware they provide to runners, but each race looks to create a unique medal experience for runners. 

    My medal collection continues to grow as I enlarge my running tourist program as I add more yearly races.  Extremely proud to have crossed the threshold to become a full marathoner. 

    Decided to highlight a few of my most recent medals in this post and provide a better view on the design of each of them.  Please note, I plan to run these races again next year so will collect a new medal design and will share those in the future.  😊

    Palm Beaches Marathon

    Medal Palm Beach

    Ran the 2022 Palm Beaches Marathon in December 2022 and chronicled my training that led up to the race.  This is my favorite medal in the collection since it is the first and only full marathon medal I have collected to date.  I have already signed up for the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon and begin my training cycle again the first week in August.

      OUC

    Medal OUC

    My first half marathon was the 2013 OUC Half Marathon.  This race launched my running program and got me invested in distance running.  I planned to run one half marathon just to say I did it but have not stopped competing yet.  Running has become a huge part of my daily life and I can’t imagine what I would be doing without my running program (training and racing).  The 2022 OUC Half Marathon was used as a training run to gauge my progress for the Palm Beaches Marathon—enjoyed the race and happy with my efforts.  The OUC medals are always colorful and depict the Lake Eola area in downtown Orlando.

    Vero Beach

    Medal Vero

    The Vero Beach Half Marathon is a small race with only about 250 runners.  The race takes runners through multiple neighborhoods and the famed beach.  The medal highlights the beach and turtles which gives it a unique look and feel.  Lots of color and surprisingly heavy.

    Town of Celebration

    Medal Celebration

    Ran the Town of Celebration Half Marathon for the first time in January.  I ran the fastest time in the past 3 years during this race.  The town of Celebration really comes out to welcome runners, and they throw a great after race party with lots of food and drinks.  I plan to run this race yearly since I enjoyed the entire experience so much.  The medal is a homage to the movies with the 2023 theme:  Take 10.  This was the tenth running of this half marathon so next year will be Take 11—get it? 😊

    Nashville

    Medal Nashville

    The 2023 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon medal continues the trend of highlighting the great music in Nashville.  The Honky Tonk Wings were a new addition to the Nashville medal and provide a fantastic back drop for this medal.  I love Nashville and will run this race every year until they tell me to stop coming—won’t be anytime soon.

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    Can’t wait to collect more medals in 2023 and beyond.

    Which one is your favorite?

    Irie!

  • 2023 Winter Park 10k

    WP 1

    “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you”.

    (Fred Devito)

    Ventured back to the Orlando area for the Track Shack 2023 Winter Park 10k.

    This was my 5th time toeing the start line for the race but the first time I did not enter with a set finish time in mind.  I spent the past 4 weeks recovering from Piriformis Syndrome and my training was limited prior to the race.  Yes, this sounds like an excuse, but I was excited to race pain free again.  Decided this race would be my test to determine how well I recovered and make a final decision on the 2023 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon in April.  Pain in this race would have eliminated me from traveling to Nashville to tackle the hills up there.

    Made my way to Track Shack on Friday before the 10k to pick up my race packet and do some shopping.  I’m always looking to get new Track Shack gear and wanted to make sure I had time to check out the new selections and colors.  It appears a lot of runners had the same idea—the line was out the door when I arrived.  This is the first time I’ve experienced a long line at Track Shack, but this was an indication race capacity was full this year.

    I didn’t do a major carb load process for the 10k but made my way to the UCF Buffalo Wild Wings to indulge in wings, potato wedges and beer.  This is the meal I leveraged to launch me into the 10k.  Made sure to get to bed early so I could make my way over to Winter Park with enough time to warm up, stretch and test out my legs prior to race time.  I wanted to get a two-mile warm up before the race to ensure I was ready to complete the 6.2 miles with minimum leg issues.  There’s a lot of activity around the Winter Park race village—vendors, runners and the Saturday Farmers Market are all in the same area.  Great place to watch people.

    Made my way to the 10-minute per mile section of the starting corral.  I didn’t want to be too close to the front because my competitive nature would have taken over and I would have pressed the pace.  Figured limiting my starting position would keep me from going out too fast and possibly aggravating my leg again. 

    The race was crowded, and the first mile was slow not necessarily by choice but because there were so many runners.  This worked in my favor since I couldn’t go fast even if I wanted too at this point of the race.

    The runners started to thin out a bit around mile 2 and again after mile 3.  I did not experience any pain through this point of the race and settled into a nice clip and started to enjoy the process of racing again.  I leveraged a couple of runners for pacing to help me keep a consistent pace through the middle portion of the race.  Mentally processed the concept of speeding up but decided to just enjoy the course, great weather and being around other runners.  There was no need to push the pace or myself at this point and didn’t want to create a situation where the piriformis became irritated.

    I increased my cadence at mile 6 when we made our way back onto Park Avenue.  There were a ton of spectators at this juncture, and I pressed the pace a bit to see what I had available for the end of the race.  I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face and no pain in my legs.

    Finished in 1:02:39 and made my way over to the race village to get my beer and take a few pictures while there.  Got a chance to catch up with a few runners I know from the Track Shack circuit and did some light shopping at the Farmers Market.

    Happy with my performance and not aggravating my running injury.  Looks like I’m clear to travel to Nashville and tackle the Music City hills.

    Of course, I will get in some line dancing and country music while I’m there.  😊

    Irie!