2015 BALD PEAK HALF MARATHON RACE RECAP

Me (back center) with some of my peeps before the start of the 2015 Bald Peak Half Marathon.

Saturday morning I woke up at 6:45am for the Bald Peak Half Marathon. I was actually excited for this race, which was a bit odd. I like going to races, but rarely am I really excited to run them. The whole night before I just couldn't wait to get out and run up a giant hill... it's weird. Anyways, I think that tells you something about how unique and enjoyable this race is even if it is the most difficult race I do.

Another one of the big advantages of this race is that it is so close to my house. Just a short 20 minute drive through the country and I was there. Bib pickup was a breeze and I was able to chat with friends and mentally prepare for the race for a good twenty minutes before the race started. I was pretty calm, no freaking out, just ready to try my best. There was no pressure really to get any time or do anything crazy, which I guess is why I was so loose and ready to go. When you aren't laser focused on some goal the race can be a lot more enjoyable!

THE FIRST HILL (9:42, 10:18)

Runners start up the first of many hills.

After a short countdown the race was on! I chatted with Glenn a little bit before that first hill but he was taking it easier than I was so I quickly was on my own. This first hill is not gentle but not steep... it is just relentless. It's really just the perfect amount of incline that kicks your ass but doesn't give you an excuse to walk. I didn't feel like I was running too fast, I knew it was a long race and I shouldn't tucker myself out. I was aware of my mile times from last year and didn't expect to really even come close to those again.

I was pretty shocked when my watch beeped 9:42. Really? I felt like I was working the same as last year. I was very sweaty and hot but I didn't feel like I was blowing myself up for the rest of the race. Just in case I slowed down a little, but it was a nice shot of confidence, something I've been needing lately. Maybe I am closer to last year's fitness than I thought?

The second mile was pretty uneventful. Just continuing to chug up the hill. While the first mile is pretty relentlessly uphill, the second mile does have a few breaks where it almost flattens out. It seemed like an easier mile than the first, but both years I've had a much slower mile time on it so maybe this mile is deceiving. Whatever the case, I greeted the water station and mile two sign with great relief, as I knew the bulk of my climbing was over.

THE MIDDLE ROLLERCOASTER (7:39, 8:38, 7:55, 7:37, 8:27, 8:01, 7:57)

This came black and white, I'm not trying to be fancy. :P

My mile times in this portion of the race were not unlike the course itself... up and down. I was prepared for the hill that comes shortly after a brief respite at mile two. After that long climb to start my legs were feeling pretty good and my lungs recovered as well. I was ready to go. My mile time for mile three was not much different than last year. So far I was ahead of pace compared to last year. Who would have thought?

For a decent chunk of time I was thinking I might actually PR. I didn't quite understand it and I didn't make it my goal, but I knew I ran up the hill faster than last year and despite being over eight minutes in mile four (like last year) I was going sub eight in my miles. What I didn't realize is that after the fairly similar start I just didn't have the top end speed that I had from last year. What was a 7:20 last year was a 7:40 this year. I didn't quite remember that detail so for a while I was feeling pretty dang good about myself. Certainly put a little extra pep in my step.

Eventually I figured out that I wasn't going PR speed. I remember my average mile time on my watch slipping below 8:00/mile last year and as I was getting toward the end of this portion of the course my watch was nowhere close to that. More like an 8:25/mile average. I finally came to the realization that my overall pace was probably going to be 15-20 seconds slower than last year, exactly what I predicted. So when this finally dawned on me I actually wasn't too disappointed. I was still doing very well.

There were quite a few more hills than I remember. The overall gain in this race is something like 1800 feet, and with that first hill being only 800 of that, I guess it makes sense. I began to actually look forward to the uphill though as the downhill on gravel was really challenging. Footing was an issue and I just wasn't able to attack it quite like I wanted. I remember that from last year too, so that was nothing new. The hills were also quite steep in a few places so it wasn't a gentle downhill that would lead to amazing mile times.

CHANNELING MY INNER RACE WALKER (7:31, 7:28, 7:42, 10:57)

Mile time comparison, 2014 vs. 2015.

Miles ten through twelve are pretty nicely downhill, the first chance to really let your legs fly and make up some time. They are also mostly on pavement after the middle portion was mostly gravel. This lead to times in the "low 7s" last year. This year it was the "mid 7s." There just wasn't quite the giddy up in my legs like I had last year. I went to summon some energy and push the pace and they responded with a yawn. Guess I wasn't going to match those low 7s from last year.

Overall I still felt pretty good at this point but my legs did feel a little trashed. The hills had done their work. They didn't have much spring in them, but they weren't in pain. My cardio still was feeling pretty strong, so I just pushed the pace as much as I could with what my legs were giving me. I didn't go quite all out because I knew I still had to climb the final hill and needed something in the tank for that, even if I power walked it.

When I hit the hill I channeled my inner 70-year-old-in-a-track-suit and started up the hill, arms a flyin'. If you need a reminder, the hill is a 300 foot gain in half a mile. I just put my head down and power walked as fast as I could. This felt like the hardest I worked all day, even more so than the first two miles maybe. I was sweating hard and breathing deeply and I'm sure my heart rate was spiking. So this wasn't a casual stroll up that hill, it was an effort to get up it as fast as I could.

My decision to walk instead of try and run it was justified by the woman in front of me. I had been chasing this middle aged gal all race but couldn't quite pass her. She was probably about a minute ahead of me. At the hill, she continued to run. I give her all the credit in the world... she ran that entire fucking thing. Here's the interesting part though... I power walked the whole thing and she didn't gain hardly any distance, if any on me. This made me feel good about my decision to power walk. That, plus, I couldn't have ran it even if I wanted to.

LIMP TO THE FINISH AND THE AFTER PARTY

Crossing the finish line!

Last year I remember cresting the top of the hill and sprinting to the finish to beat a guy who was breathing down my neck. I didn't hear anyone behind me this year, and, in fact, there wasn't another finisher for almost three minutes after me. Regardless, I didn't want to look back but I also didn't want to chance it, so I tried to transition to that sprint once more.

Sprinted for a few steps and then went back to walking, except limping this time. Yeah, my legs were like "fuck that." The difference in fitness between this year and last year was pretty apparent right there. There would be no more sprinting. I had some onlookers and was already a little embarrassed at my start/stop, so I quickly shifted from my walk into a jog to shake my legs back into running mode. Once they re-adjusted I was able to roll into the finish at a decent clip.

Luckily I was able to get my "A" goal time by a mere 10 seconds. After my PR visions went out the window I figured I was safe and would get a 1:48 or so. At the top of the hill when I went to sprint my watch had just rolled over to 1:49. The finish line didn't look that far away but I knew it always takes longer than you think, so that's why I did my best to get back into gear and finish strong. I was very pleased to come in with the time I did. Technically a PW, but far from my worst half marathon performance. This was one to be proud of.

I hung around for a good hour and a half after, eating my pancakes and bacon and cheering on the other finishers. It was a fun time and the race just has a great atmosphere of encouragement and camaraderie. Unfortunately I did not place in my age group this year, finishing fifth. Even if I ran my time from last year I would have only finished fourth, so oh well. One more shot next year at 29 before I get into the more competitive age groups.

Overall it was a jolly good time. One of my favorite races!

Official Chip Time: 1:49:49, 8:22/mile. 19/174 overall, 14/80 male. 5/9 M20-29.