Quadzilla 15k

It was the race I've been waiting all year for.  I still couldn't get out of bed much after surgery when I initially signed up for the Quadzilla 15k in the spring.  I had not even run a mile at that point.  Not surprisingly, the race director Jill thought I was nuts to try this race.  I can't blame her or anyone else.  Last year, I missed the inaugural event.  I was on the comeback then and thought it was smart not to enter.  This year, I couldn't help myself.  I figured even if I had to walk most of it, I'd enter. 

Me after passing someone on the uphill

I first ran at Trexler Nature Preserve last summer and immediately fell in love with it.  The hilly terrain, the amazing views, the beautiful trails and many different elements make the place unique when compared with anything else around here.  Last year, I was only able to do five miles of the course before my health problems started again.

I really didn't know how I'd be able to run the race this year.  On April 18th, I took my first run since October and ran just over 10 minutes for one mile on a flat trail.  It was a tough road back.  I began to be confident as time went on, but what really gave me a boost was running the T-Rex group run on the course in early June.  I walked a lot of the hills, but knew I could complete the race.  Last week's group run there was big help too.

Yesterday was fun as I helped out with registration.  I'm not working now, so I'm trying to get involved in as much stuff as I can.  Being able to help with such an awesome race was excellent.  I was amazed at how many people showed up early to pick up their bibs.

On to the race itself.  I was kind of hoping to run with my friend Kelley, but I knew she would likely be too strong right now and that just wouldn't be realistic.  I did start out with her, but the race was too fast.  It started on a road, so I understand why everyone ran fast.  At one point, I looked at my watch and we were on a 6:30 something pace.  I'm lucky if I can run two miles that fast on flat terrain.

The best race around

I fell back well behind Kelley and then another friend Sarah came along as well.  I told her there were so many hills and she didn't enjoy that.  I must've let at least 25 people pass me in the early stages.  Some were certainly faster, but I think a lot of them had no idea what they were getting into.  I figured I would catch a lot of them later on.

I was hoping to run up most of the hills, especially early.  That quickly ended when we got to the long climb as we headed toward the road along KidsPeace.  This is a very tough, long climb.  I ran it for awhile and then wisely started walking up it.  Most others around me were too.  I just wanted to save myself for later in the race.  During this stretch I met one of the local trail runners, Ron, whose name I've seen around facebook many times before.  He helped lay out the course yesterday.  We chatted for awhile, but I pulled ahead of him when we got to the dirt road.

The start

I was having so much fun and this point and was really glad I knew the course.  As we approached the Environmental Center, I tried running the big hill for a little, but then decided to walk.  Of course I wasn't alone in this.  It was a common theme.  At the top, it levels off for a bit and then there is a short climb before the water station.  This was an area where it paid to know the course.  I ran up this short hill while quite a few people were walking.  I knew the top was near, so I kept running.  One of my friends, Tim was working this aid station.  Neal, the LVRR President was working the second aid station.

At the first aid station, I passed Angie and her husband Stan.  I originally thought about running with them, but she said they were just running for "fun."  That was pretty damn fast for fun.  They were actually walking uphill and flying on the downhill and flat sections.  Not a bad strategy.

I came across another friend Mel with Angie and Stan on the very steep hill after the Environmental Center.  Of course I walked up it.  I still wanted to hold back.  I played leapfrog with Angie and Stan for awhile.  I'd pass them going uphill (if it wasn't too steep) and they would pass me going downhill.

I passed those two for a final time just past the second aid station, right before the long climb.  I knew I could make this whole gradual climb and figured a lot of people would be falling off at this point.  It was five miles into the race and things were already tough.  I was only partially correct in my prediction.  People were falling off, just not as many as I thought would be.

I don't know if Angie and Stan walked up this whole portion or not, but figured if they did much walking, I'd be long gone.  I definitely wasn't doing any walking.  This part of the course is interesting.  It is a long climb, but the trail is straight and smooth.  You can actually make up a lot of time.  I was going uphill and my pace was going down.  I was surprised by that.

Me before the start

When I got near the top, I passed two young guys with Tough Mudder headbands.  I was going to ask them what was harder, but I figured that since I just saw them walking a few minutes earlier, I already knew the answer.  They had not even come to the really tough point yet either.

After the long climb, there is a lot of downhill.  When I run downhill, even here on these steep hills, I really open up.  I look for good places to put my footing.  I use most of the trail to find some semi solid rock.  This was tough during the race because I was passing people.  I had much less ground to use and I had to be more careful while descending.

Last week, I screwed up on which hill is the big hill in the back part of the course.  I did it again today.  I walked some hills that I probably could've made it up because they were short (even though steep).  They do look so similar.  I even drove through there yesterday, so you would think I would've known better.

I had actually been feeling very strong up to the big hill.  I passed a lot of people on the long climb and several more after that.  My legs were feeling great.  It was just the steepness of some of the hills that was getting to me as well as the humidity.  It was cloudy most of the run, but still very humid.  My shirt was soaked.

Passing the guy uphill

The long climb was such a beast.  Everyone was walking up it.  It is so difficult to even walk up it.  I was hurting for sure, but some people were even worse off than me.  I was just relieved to get to the top.

There is a second, slightly less killer hill in this section too.  We were all walking that one as well.  For some reason, I seemed to think that was the end of the hills.  I forgot about the last one.  Before that we crossed the creek.  It was nice and low and I passed a women there.  I started running up the long hill after that.  I knew I was near the finish, but probably didn't push as hard as I should've on this one.  Once I got toward the top and could here the crowd and I ran again like everyone else.  At some point on the hill, this lady would won the 55-59 category passed me.  That was a little embarrassing, but I had to be impressed with how strong she was.

After this climb was the most frustrating part of the course.  We did an out and back through the grass section.  I hate running in grass.  The bigger problem though is that I didn't know how long until the turnaround.  Not only is it grassy, but it goes uphill.  I ran for most of it, but eventually walked at the top.  The only relief was knowing it would be back downhill to the finish.

The one  cool thing about the out and back was that I could see a lot of friends.  On the way out, I passed Kelley and Sarah (who were a few minutes ahead).  On the way back, I saw Angie and Stan and slapped hands with Mel.  They were obviously a few minutes behind.

Sprint finish as always

I cruised through the downhill portion of the grass.  I was tiring some, but still relatively strong.  One issue was that my goal time was under 1:40 and I was well under.  That caused me to not push as hard as I would've if it was close.

I came up on another guy at the finish.  As always, I went into my usual sprint.  For a minute, I thought that I'd actually lose a sprint since he came back on me.  I was just commenting to someone the other day that I never lose a sprint finish.  At least I've never lost one that I can recall.  I did manage to beat him in though as I kept going hard right to the finish.  It might be pointless it the grand scheme of things, but I still just always have to finish strong.

I was thrilled with my time.  It was close to my time for the training run last week.  That was pretty impressive considering that it was almost a mile longer today.  I figured I might be able to run that fast, but I just wanted to break 1:40.  I did just that, by nearly five minutes.  I ended up finishing with a 10:15 pace.

I took some pictures after the finish and wanted to cheer on friends coming in, but I was just so exhausted and soaking wet.  I only crossed the creek with water up to my ankles, but my clothes made it seemed like I fell in.  I needed to change and dry off, so I wasn't involved as much after I finished as I would've liked.

I saw most of my friends at the finish.  It was fun.  By my count before the race there were 15 people that I knew doing the race.  I never ran with anyone I knew before.  It was great to have plenty of company.  That is the fun of group runs and getting to know others.  Even though I didn't run with any of them for long stretches, it was just good to see them.

Some of my excellent training partners

The group won a few awards too.  Flo, who said she wasn't going really run the race, ended up third overall.  I think if she trained for it, she could probably win the women's division.  She a good road runner, but I bet she'd be an amazing ultrarunner.  Angie and Sarah also got age group awards.  Two of the guys I know as well picked up some awards, Tim and James.

It was a great time and I was very happy to crush my goal.  I ran just how I wanted to.  I would've liked to have run up more of the hills, but I wasn't willing to kill myself to do so.  I knew the course pretty well and that was a huge help.  I was pretty steady and consistent until the crazy hills at the end.  One day I will run up all of them.

I'm not sure how I would've run the course differently.  Maybe I could've attacked the flats and downhills more and then just let all the big uphills kill me like they did anyway.  I made up a lot of ground on the people that passed me early, but by the end we were just too strung out for it to matter.  I might've been catching them, but they were so far ahead at that point.

I'm so thrilled I was able to finish this race.  It is hard to believe that it was about seven months ago that I was in a hospital bed for a week after having major surgery.  It was about another three months after that that I was still in bed at home nearly 24/7.  Only in mid April did I get back to running.  Now, I have to keep pushing forward.

I really want to finish at least in the Top 25 next year, hopefully Top 15 overall.  I was somewhere in the 80s this year (out of almost 400).  I'm going to attack those hills so much over the next year.  If I decide to run a 50 mile training race, that will be an excellent training ground.  I'd really like to break 1:20 next year as well.  I think I can do it as long as I keep improving and working hard.  All my great training partners have been a huge help getting me to where I am now and they will help me get where I need to go too.  Time can't go by fast enough as I am eager to get better and attain all my goals.

Tomorrow will be a much deserved off day.  On Tuesday, I'll get back at it with an easy day.  I might run with my friend Michele at Jacobsburg.  She wants to get faster too and I'm glad to help.  My slow paced day should be fairly tough for her.  It would be good for both of us.  Wednesday, I'll be back to doing some speedwork as I prepare for the Blue Eagle 5k in early August.  I might run steps at Lafayette with Michele too.

9.3 miles - 1:35:23 (10:15 pace)