Oktoberfest Run Green 8K

To say it was hot and humid hardly covers it. I looked at the costumes of some of the running folks: lederhosen, velvet vest covered blouses and waist hugging sashes and knew they would be having regrets after just one block.  Saturday September 19^th was not a pleasant, sit outside, and drink mimosa kind of day – unless one does not mind dripping into one’s drink (OTH, a lemon drop shot – and you might not care!)

But this was Oktoberfest and these are hardy excited folk.  Some were serious about this race, others, like me, just came out for a fun time.  Watching folks in colorful German-Austrian costumes is always fun.  One fellow abandoned his shirt but, fortunately, kept the lederhosen.  There were runners who got their buzz on before the race, hydrating on beer carbs, while most of us searched out and socialized with pals.  I found my Nog Run Club group and yakked. No warming up for a fun race.

early beer ID verification queue -- got much longer

  

I moved to the back of the pack, just in front of some who planned to walk, and, as it turns out, right by a lady in the same 65+ AG as me, who remembered me from last year. 

Not to worry, says, I – I don’t plan on much running, I’ll be taking photos.  What I did not tell her was that I did not feel like running at all.  Earlier in the day, I was quite a mass of ache, but after a few sessions with the roller and an Ibuprofen, my aches were gone.  However, I still lacked energy and therefore enthusiasm.    But then the race started.

I enjoyed shuffling to the mat.  Once beyond the mat, movement picked up as folks surged ahead, opening space behind.

 I trotted down Blount St then followed the pack left around the corner then left again onto Person St.  As I went along, my energy picked up.  I would trot at a decent pace and then, of course, walk for a bit. I saw my pals.  I would pass and then eventually be passed.  I attempted a few photos of the crowd ahead.  Not being as adept at this as Shannon Johnstone (of Landfill Dogs fame) - who can take amazing photos without even  looking at the screen, I got a few of the pavement behind or of the sky when trying for something of interest to the side.   The one good shot I got resulted from running ahead, stopping, and then waiting for my prey  (a running pal) to come into view.  This was not so easy since people were streaming by.  I was afraid I would miss her.  When I did see her, it was hurry up, focus, and snap before she was gone. (turned out to be a terrific photo of her)  The rest of the photos I took while on course were taken while moving but at a slow speed.  

Oakwood cemetery

run fast past here!

on the move -- passing 3-mile marker

I still had energy and now attribute it to listening to music – something I never do.  It perhaps both distracted and motivated.

I stopped at both water stops, gratefully!  I drank about half of the cup and poured the rest down my back.  It helped.  Later, I heard of folks who poured the whole thing on their body.  I felt the heat, but it was tolerable – especially after dousing with water. Oh, yes, the heat: at 3 p.m., race start, was 85°F with a dew point of 63° (a dew point >60 is uncomfortable) and by 4 p.m. it was 87°F with 61°F dew point.)  I expect that many of the folks I saw walking were doing so because the heat got them.  I was feeling the effort when we veered onto Watauga St and ran an uphill incline. Walk time.  A little bit of energy returned on Franklin and when we turned onto Person, I was happy to be on the way back.  When we got close to Moore Square I dragged, because I knew there were still two or three more blocks to go before the turn onto South St and then back onto Blount to the finish.  Truthfully – I flagged on Blount.  Barely above a walk.  Until the ending block where I began to run and ended up in a full out sprint with another lady to the Finish.  Now, that part was glorious!

sweat wet Garmin -- 5.03 miles; 53:45.  official time 53:41.

Winning times for those who want to know: Brian Basilli (23) in 26:52.387 and Dominique Stasulli (24) in 32:02.313. Hey – their last names rhyme! 

I managed to drink the whole gratis Bond Brothers Golden Ale beer while enjoying the costume, beer stein holding, brat eating and limbo contests. (the winner of the male limbo was amazingly flexible!)   You can’t beat the Nog Run Club signature events (Oktoberfest 8K, St. Paddy’s 8K ) for full out fun!

women's costume contest

Allison -- 4X winner of brat eating contest

Oak City Mile

When area runners heard last year that The Magnificent Mile race was to be discontinued after months of wrangling with the folks handling the new Raleigh ordinances governing when and where road races could be held, we were more than disappointed.  Raleigh has made holding road races more difficult, trying to appease residents and reduce road closures.  The Magnficent Mile course, from Second Empire restaurant along Hillsborough St to the Capital and back, crossed both McDowell and Dawson streets. This necessitated a partial closure – one of the reasons cited in denying a continued race permit.

Precision Race stepped into the abyss with an inaugural mile race, Oak City Mile, also on a Sunday afternoon, and also along Hillsborough, but going in the opposite direction.  The Oak City Mile’s route began on Hillsborough near the railroad overpass at Edenton, went slightly up hill, passing St. Mary’s, up to the roundabout at Morgan St and then returned.  The event, unlike The Magnificent Mile, was specific to the two USATF NC one mile championships --  men’s then women’s.  (The Magnificent Mile also included a recreational walk along the mile, as well as a kids’ race.  Hillsborough St in the area of Second Empire remained closed from about 11am until close to 5 p.m.)  Oak City Mile impacts Hillsborough for a much shorter time.  The ALS Foundation was the charity beneficiary.

image by Oak City Mile

The weather was pleasant (73°) and sunny on Sept. 13th.  Parking was not an issue.  Those who had not picked up their race packet on the preceding Friday, could do so right near the start area across from Runlogie, the race host.  Among the Nog Run Club contingent, the pre-race excitement was whether AAA would arrive before the race to open a runner's car to retrieve her keys.  She expected she’d miss the race.   Aaargh!  Despite the substantial prize money to be awarded to first through third Open and Masters winners, there were not as many participants as in the Mag Mile.  It wasn’t until mid-August that word began circulating about this inaugural race.  I'd told the Piedmont Pacers (Greensboro area) about it since some had asked about the Mag Mile in mid August.  Four of the Pacers arrived for the race. (With me, that made five of us.)

     Other local runners had come out, including Sandy Roberts, the inspiration and organizer of Sir Walter Miler. 

 He was still recovering from an injury. When the women lined up, I was disappointed at how few there seemed to be.  My competitor pal and I were near the front since there seemed to be so few runners.  (To show how bad perceptions are, when I checked the results later, it seems that though 61 had registered, there were actually 53 women finishers – more than I thought!)  The Nog Run Club member with the locked car was one of the finishers, having been rescued in time from her key dilemma.

Prior to the men’s start, I trotted around the four blocks bounded by Hillsborough, West, and Morgan streets.  I don’t enjoy the warm up pre-race ritual.  I always start off achy and feeling like a slug, then have to work my way up to a decent knee bend, advancing to a more turtle-like pace.  I trotted up Hillsborough for a bit with two others.

Men's lineup - Abie far left in red

Standing on the overpass with pals, we prepared to watch the men.  Sandy Roberts was on the far side, as was Abie Harris, a Sunday Church of the Oval pal, who was near the curb but in the first row (a new tactic for this race.)  He was hoping to do under a 10-minute mile.  (For those who do not know Abie, he is a determined competitor, now in his 80s. This was probably his first race in over a year or so.)  Off they went, crossing over the overpass hump, then disappearing over the subsequent slight rise beyond the RR overpass.   When the RPD car later came into view in the distance, we looked for Sandy’s blue shirt since the leading runners were too far away to distinguish beyond shirt color   Sandy was second, in 4:33.2, behind young Isaac Presson who crossed the Finish in 4:25.6  Benjamin Rachunok was third in 4:38.3.  Abie Harris made his goal, finishing in a spectacular 9:05.  He was not last. 

 

The women’s race was scheduled to start twenty minutes after the men’s. 

I started off, but wasn’t yet beyond the overpass when I heard a racing buddy spectator reminding me to slow down!  I did, once beyond the merge of Edenton and Hillsborough.  With my sensitivity to any type of incline, be it two inches or more, I knew I had best just keep plodding on and conserving energy.  Runners passed.  I looked ahead or at the scenery or just concentrated on keeping acceptable breathing.  Being a quiet Sunday and past brunch time, there were not many people out.  At least, that I noticed. Having trotted along Hillsborough during Capital RunWalk outings, I was used to running out of energy near St. Mary’s.  So I may have slowed even more.  Just don’t walk – I’d walked in past Magnificent Miles.  Just prior to the roundabout, the road dipped.  Relief for a moment..  Don’t run on the sidewalk, we’d been admonished.  I trudged around the roundabout, looking for my main competitor as I came out of it.  I did not see her.  Uh, oh.  She must be right behind me.  (She could have passed while I was looking down at the street!) In front, there was a slight incline and curve, preventing me from seeing all those ahead.  I saw the trailing RPD car coming along the other way.  Not too many folks were behind me.

I was close to empty when I arrived back at the overpass and the Finish.  I managed to finish in under 9, at 08:41.  (I was 36 of 53.)  I gulped water and ate an energy bar plus a banana.  Nothing satisfies like a banana!   The stats: 61 women registered, 53 crossed finish; 108 men registered (one the RD so that was probably a test registration), 99 finished.   Fastest male -- 04:25, last male finisher 10:48; fastest female (Andi Cozzarelli) 04:58, last female 19:11 (the finisher just prior came in at 13:13.)  Beyond cash awards to the overall group, gift cards went to only the first place age group finishers. The last AG was 70, so Abie missed out.  Of the four other Piedmont Pacers, Dixon Cook won his AG and Hollis Oberlies was third female master overall.   

Awesome Hodges, Brutal Humidity: 2015 USATF Masters Outdoor Championships.

Hot, Humid, and Unpredictable  - JAX 2015

Last year was my first Outdoor Nationals (and this year my first Indoor Nationals).  Both were local (in-state) which was why I had decided to participate.  I had nothing to lose. I suspect that new participants, local to the venue, show up each year.  I was not sure I would venture out of state for another meet, but the fun bug had hit and so I put my dog in his luxury accommodations (cabin with windows, patio, and twice daily walks) and took the trip to Jacksonville.

Prior to leaving for the 2015 USATF Masters Outdoor Championships in Jacksonville, Fl. July 23-26, I kept checking the weather forecast. It was pretty consistent: the percentage of rain during our running events went from 50 to 71% during the times of our races.  Angela Staab’s 800m on Thursday was the exception, with a prediction of 17%.  I was prepared for wet shoes.

But Thursday when I arrived at Univ. of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium to watch the 8 a.m. race, it was sunny.  I was worried that I would be late but got there before race start.  I watched the W70, (Barbara Hensley won in 4:31.51; Angela Staab got 3rd), W55 (Leslie Chaplin, winner in 2:35.43), W40 (Sonja Friend-Uhl won in 2:16.54), then the M65 race (Tim Wigger in 2:35.96.)  Towards the end of one of the men’s 800 races, M70?, a fellow, who was about 40m from the Finish, fell.  He was next to last in the race.  He got up and began trotting again, but fell once more just short of the Finish.   Meanwhile the last runner was almost upon him.  Folks urged the prone man to get across the line and he did, just in time.  That’s putting in the effort!  (On my way out later, I noticed another man in an ambulance, conscious and looking okayI  Perhaps feeling the heat.) I returned later with Becky Simers  (SoCal Striders) who wanted to check out the starting blocks that would be used.  It was still sunny.

 The track itself is beautiful.  The color is similar to UNC-CH but Becky thought that the lanes of the nine-lane Hodges track were wider.  I couldn’t tell.  It is described as a Mondo track SX.  The stadium itself is huge.  I have never been in such a huge venue. It seemed larger than Wake Forest’s stadium. 

  We took a look at the adjacent three-lane practice track.  Nice!  And convenient.  I did not get a chance to check the blocks out as we were shooed away at that point. That was okay since I had not really decided if I would take a chance using them.  I had only done so twice before during competition (the 100m at NC Powerade Games and 100m at Southeastern Masters.)  Not great for building confidence.    

The natural area surrounding UNF’s Eco Road fascinated me.  It was sort of an orderly, yet, not, mix of trees and green stuff; forbidding in the sense that walking through it might leave one bloody from scratches and cuts.  Turns out it is or may be a wetland area harboring wonderful plants, but snakes as well. Had I realized, I might have spent some time Thursday taking one of the walking paths adjacent to Eco and near the track.  It is a photographer’s delight.

My meals on Wednesday had been less than satisfying.  Quite the opposite.  Finding places to eat was not an easy task.  Better put, driving in the area near Salisbury Rd and the whole crazy 202 directional thing was stressful. It took until the last night to get it all straight in my head as to which was the correct exit etc for returning home from some eating place -- in the rain; at night.  And, while on this subject I have never seen such odd left turn lanes.  (I am used to orderly cross roads and highway entrances  such as in NYC or even Raleigh) While stopped at a light in the left turn lane, planning to get on 202 or similar roadway, I would look ahead and see dotted lines curving as if on a track.  But curving to where?  They appeared to curve right into the curb on the other side of the road.  I was lucky that the first time I encountered this, there was a car in front I could follow, discovering that, yes, there was an entrance, sort of diagonal from the stoplight.  This is the state to which old folks flock.  Jacksonville must be mostly populated by young, more mentally nimble, folk!

Back to the food issue.  Thursday, the 23^rd, was hotel convenience fare in the morning, snacks (apple etc) during the day, with soup and salad at Maggiano’s with Becky and Barbara Hensley (SW Ohio TC) at night.  Friday morning two eggs, bacon, and toast (carb and protein loading) at Wafflehouse, race not until 3 p.m.  Soup and salad again at Mimi’s with Becky and Joyce Hodges-Hite (ATC) at night.  Saturday, with a 10:30 100m awaiting, coffee and cereal sufficed until evening with a very tasty, carb loading, penne Ryan dinner at Enza’s, with Becky’s SoCal Strider team.  Sunday morning we barely got in our coffee.

Enza's

The Events

My 400m was scheduled for 3pm.  The forecast was still calling for rain, but when we arrived around noon or so, it was clear.  Neither Becky nor I had slept well.  Becky was disturbed by the TV in the adjacent room and I don’t sleep well normally.  The 400m race kept going through my mind and I kept throwing it out.  Nothing like running a race that never ends all night long.  We toured the USATF tent, surveying the wares.  About an hour before the 400m, I decided it was time to warm up.  This is always a slow process, one that starts off feeling already out of energy.  I did this and that, trying to remember all the various warm up exercises I had researched. I probably did three of them!  Back and forth I trotted, wondering if it was too much or too little.  I did maybe two “strides” – which to me is a partial sprint.  I was still putting on my shoes when the call came for the two oldest age groups to collect near the front of the check-in tent.  My memory is a bit foggy, but I think they combined three age groups, totaling four people, ahead of us.   Rose Green, the speedster, was paired with Hodges-Hite and an 80 and 87 year old. (Daprano having bypassed the Meet, saving her energy for the WMA meet in Lyons.)  87 year old Sumi Onodera-Leonard used starting blocks, then  trotted to the first curve. She began walking on the back stretch. The temperature at this point was close to 97, and the humidity was unbearable, though only 51%.  One could see she was struggling, understandably.  She picked up her pace on and off until getting to the final 100m.  When she came down the home stretch, folks cheered her on.  This made her start to trot again on and off.  I worried that she might over exert in response to the crowd.   But she made it!

  Then it was my turn.  I was in lane 5, Mary Robinson in six I think, Angela behind me in maybe 3.  I did not know the other competitors.

  At the start, I was still wondering if I would go out as planned or not.  Becky tells me I hesitated.  Slow brain reaction.  I got going, followed my plan to just short of the curve, then concentrated on breathing in synch with my left foot, not trying to go hard but probably going faster than I would under normal circumstances.  Who am I kidding?  Under normal circumstances, I would not choose to even do the 400m. It is not a pleasurable experience.

  I came up on Mary and passed somewhere on the back stretch.  Thoughts raced through my mind that this was not a good idea, maybe I was going too fast and would soon run out of steam.  Nonetheless, I tried to keep whatever pace I had.  At the turn to the final 100m, I felt Mary on my right shoulder. I could have sworn I heard her breathing, or her feet.  I did not know where any one else was, but I knew for sure Mary was closing.  My only objective now was to get to the Finish without going into extreme oxygen deprivation.  I could not go any faster than I was going, despite Mary being right there.  When I crossed the Finish, I wasn’t staggering as I did last year, but I could not catch my breath. 

I got to a side fence and tried to pull in as much oxygen as I could.  Nope.  So I walked a little, ending up by the fence alongside the Medical tent. (Not looking for them.)  Some waiting runners thought I was in distress.  No; just slow to get breathing under control.  Once that was done, I could grab water.  Most runners, after crossing the Finish, still have enough left to be courteous and congratulate the other runners.  I wish that was me. (A long time ago, I was diagnosed with exercise induced asthma and prescribed Albuterol.  It made a difference in my road races, but I stopped using it in 2007. I was glad I had when I saw all the hassle surrounding its use in track.)  So I sometimes wheeze, always gasp, and on occasion go into coughing fits (which I used to attribute to track dust.)    

I was one relieved person after the 400 was done.  The rest of the events would be fun, regardless of how they turned out.  Did I say I groused about the 400m before and then again after?  There is something about doing anything longer than 200m on a track that is worse than doing the same distance on a road.  I think it is because on the road, I don’t try to go any faster than comfortable.  On the track, one is almost forced to go too fast for comfort. Okay – you true track folk would say that what else is the purpose of being on a track than to go fast?

The next day, both Becky and I had the 100m to look forward to.  This time, our sleep had been disturbed by the lady in the adjoining room getting an early call from her mother.  Family dynamics took hold and she began shouting (before 6 a.m.) I could repeat the entire conversation from her end and what I deduced from it, but I won’t.   So not only was Becky tired, but she had a swollen knee that was giving her trouble.  We grabbed coffee (Becky two cups) and got to the track. Once at the track, I went into my warm up, jogging back and forth, trying lunges, my dunking duck dips and whatever I could think of.  I did try a few sprints but not all out and not too far.  I had not yet decided about using blocks.  I made sure that this time I had my shoes on before we were called to queue up.

Infield Fox

 One curious item in the warm up infield, which had intrigued me the day before, was a replica of a fox, with a ribbon around its neck.  I did not have my Canon with me while warming up, so Becky took a phone photo for me.  The fox added a nice touch.  Warm but not fuzzy!  (UNF’s mascot is an Osprey, not a fox.)  Turns out that it was out there purportedly to keep geese away!

I had noticed that Kathy Bergen arrived in the warm up area about a half hour before the race.  I did not watch her but when I commented that that was not much time for a warm up, the response was that she usually just walks!  Well, gee!  World record holder speed demon and she hardly warms up!  Or, does she secretly hide out somewhere, doing magical warm up routines and stretches, getting a massage and chiropractic treatment, before appearing  in public cool and ready?  Yeah, I bet that’s it!

While we waited under the shade of a tent behind the 100m start line, we watched the older runners.   An official asked those preparing to run, who would be using blocks.  Well, Onodera-Leonard had used blocks in the 400m (the only one of us in the senior generations to do so, I think.)  She started to move forward, but another, younger, lady took charge, thinking that she was confused, and that, surely, she did not intend to use blocks.  After a bit, the issue was solved and Onodera-Leonard had her blocks. In fact, when I saw her use blocks during the Indoor Meet, I too was shocked. That’s when I decided I should  again try to learn how to use them.  I can’t say who won that heat but I can say who won the, much anticipated by me, race between Rose Green and Kathy Bergen. Kathy won in 15.70.  She had already broken the world record in an earlier California event with a time of 15.31.  The wind for most of the events here was higher than the legal  limit of 2m/sec applied to the 100m and 200m related events.  Some of the younger runners who had great times had to contend with the disappointment of not getting a legal record.

Magnificent 70s -- the crone; Angela Staab, Mary Robinson, Ann Carter

I had decided not to use starting blocks.  In a 100m, there is not enough recovery time, or distance, after a screw-up.   Alta Rose and Mary Robinson were to my right. I got into my 3-point stance on the SET command, forgot to inhale, and then boom!  Off we went. Wow, Alta and Mary took off.   After the first 10 meters or so, I could not keep up with them. The announcer had said it seemed to be a three person race.  I thought, nope, two person, as I watched the other two scream down the track and I struggled to catch them.  No way!  I have in my mind the image of the two of them quite a bit ahead of me. They were across the line with me maybe 10 steps behind. Mary Robinson won it.  When I saw the video, I was impressed by  Mary’s surge to take that race.  She was determined. 

Mary Robinson won this. Alta Rose still charging forward.

 Now that was a race I enjoyed, though I straggled behind.  I ran as fast as I could, didn’t get rubber or log legs, and did not get serious oxygen deprivation.  I watched the subsequent 100m races with Jane Barnes (W60), who won hers, and the next group with Amanda Scotti and Becky Simers (W55), who, in matching knee wraps, could have been twins.  Neither was feeling 100%.  When they came down the track it was hard to tell who was leading until the end.  Amanda came in second and Becky third. (Daphny Sluys, unattached, won it in 13.97.) 

Sunday morning arrived without an evening disturbance.  Well, there was a party going on on a lower floor. Tolerable. Our 200m race was early in the day.  It was a little cloudy which was good.  This time, I cut down on my warm up.  I did not really feel energetic.  Why waste what little I had on excessive warm ups.  But I did practice a simulated starting block start, three or four times. I was in my spikes before they called us to queue up.  Again, I watched the match up of Rose Green and Kathy Bergen. Kathy led all the way.  It came time for our group to line up. There were eight of us, including Angela Staab who never runs a 200m but was doing so at the request of her daughter, who was in attendance. ( I think Jane Simpson was out there in lane 9, Ann Carter in 8, Mary Robinson in 7, me in 6, Alta to my right was in 5, JoAnn Sampson in 4, Angela in 3 then Barbara Hensley in 2.) When they asked who was going to use starting blocks, I decided I had nothing to lose.  Alta and Mary had whooped me substantially in the 100m.  I expected the same in the 200m.  All I would be risking was a potential chance at 3^rd. I figured this would be my last chance to use blocks in a National event, and why not. 

I don’t think I thought about all the things I should be doing when the gun went off, I was so concerned with getting out of the blocks without face planting.  Mary was way ahead of me.  As we approached the turn, I think I came up on the others to my right except for Mary, but Alta went blasting by on my left. She was moving!  As we rounded the bend, it was Mary and Alta again.  Once again, I heard it was a three person race. I was lagging, thinking again, that, no, it was a two person race.  With about 50m to go, I began running as fast as I could.  Maybe my legs would lock up, maybe not.  I got up to Alta with not much track left and sensed her fading.  When I got to Mary it was as close to the Finish line as one could get.  We crossed together and I was as surprised as everyone else when I heard my name mentioned.  Another squeaker between Mary and me. (and was that Peter Taylor announcing?)

Right after the 200m, we all had to rush over to the Javelin area, which was scheduled concurrent with the 200m.  Angela had checked with them before the 200m and said we would be okay.  Well, not quite.  We did get to throw some, due to the courtesy of the other throwers and officials and then four of us had to rush off to do the 4x100 non club relay.(Mary Robinson won the AG  javelin with a 16.35m throw.)  Mary Robinson was our lead off (superb job). She handed off to Angela who ran her 100m well and handed off to Barbara Hensley who passed to me . I ran the last 100m, not feeling too swift.

I walked back to get my gear (I’d had no time to change into spikes before the relay but had dropped my stuff by the back fence.) While in the warm up area, I saw some of the SoCal Strider’s 55-59 relay group through the clutter of folks in the check in area. I was able to see anchor Jane Barnes fly down the track.  They ran it fast enough to break the Club record: 58.53.

Amanda Scotti, Karen Maxwell, Becky Simers, Jane Barnes

One of the most exciting events I watched on Sunday was the W60-W69 300m hurdles.  I was interested in this one because Betty Schaeffer (66), SoCal Striders, had decided to compete, though she had only done hurdles once before.  Boom!  Right off the bat she ran into the first hurdle, knocking it over.  I cringed but then, delightedly, watched her pick the hurdle back up, go back around it and start again, hurdling it and proceeding on down the track, hurdling all the rest of the hurdles effortlessly. Such spirit and gumption!  Her reward? She won the event in 1:15.81. That’s the joy of Masters!

The videos

(if you click the red diagonal arrow on lower right, you get full screen)

400m
  http://www.usatf.tv/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=45365&mgroup_event_id=6668&year=2015&do=videos&video_id=152646

100m
  http://www.usatf.tv/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=45365&mgroup_event_id=6668&year=2015&do=videos&video_id=152684


200m
 http://www.usatf.tv/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=45365&mgroup_event_id=6668&year=2015&do=videos&video_id=152767

Betty Schaeffer's 300m hurdles (whtish hair, inner lane, red top, dark shorts)
http://www.usatf.tv/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=45365&mgroup_event_id=6668&year=2015&do=videos&video_id=152765

Small Town Four on the Fourth

Though I have been avoiding "distance" events until after USATF Masters Outdoor Nationals, the 4th of July is an exception.  One always has to go out and celebrate properly.  This year, I returned to one I'd run a few times in the past: Carrboro’s Four on the Fourth, presented by the Cardinal Track Club.  The race starts and ends at McDougle Middle School on Old Fayetteville Rd.  Always a nice event, with a good turnout, it did not disappoint.  I was disappointed that I did not see as many patriotic costumes as in the past.  Perhaps it was the headgear that was lacking.  A few had bumble-bee-like stalks with stars, but no Uncle Sam hats were evident. 

I got there a little late for a decent warm-up, but I intended this to be a casual outing any way. I picked up my race number, along with the jar of Little Red Wagon cinnamon-raisin granola given to all entrants.  Nice, huh;  another unique aspect to the Cardinal Track Club Four on the Fourth.  There are two other Le Tour de Carrboro signature races: Carrboro 10K (October) and  Thanksgiving day’s Gallop and Gorge 8K.  I may have to try these this year just to see what goodies are given out. 

I lined up on Old Fayetteville Rd near some other Carolina Godiva Track Club runners. (Many live in the surrounding area.)  Next to me was a legitimate fireman, in all of his gear, including tank on the back. (Only the young and slightly wacky would dare run so swaddled in the heat of the summer.  But then, these guys fight hot fires in the hottest weather, don’t they!)  I later heard that, prior to race start, a whiny runner complained about the heat – until this fireman walked by! At 8 a.m. race start, it was 72°, dew point at 67°, and a wonderfully drippy humidity of 84%.  Winds varied from over 3 to 5 miles during the next hour.

Off we went. 

I lost sight of the fireman as I tried to take photos off to the side, ahead of me, and behind (hold camera up, point back, and hope for a surprise!) As I said, I was not planning to really race. To my right was farmland-like looking land (turned out to be a park).  Carrboro retains a small town feel (population about 21,000) with  homes varying from modest size to classical old Victorian style, on nice slices of land.  (Some small farms  are hidden in outlying areas.)  This is an art hub, with an independent streak, not surprising as many folk are affiliated with UNC Chapel Hill. 

 We ran a little ways along Old Fayetteville Rd before turning left onto tree shaded residential Carol St.  A few people watched us go by.  The runners streamed out ahead, along a long downhill dip followed by a short uphill.

  With a slight left then short trot to a right onto Hillsborough St, we entered a mostly flat route.  Older, larger, homes lined this road. While on Carol St, I had already passed one lady I knew was in my age group.  (Though I was not really in competitive mode, I thought that she had previously beaten me in some race, so I wanted to, well, beat her!) This flat area was welcome because I knew it would not last.  Where Hillsborough St converged with W. Main St, we made a sharp right onto W. Main. 

I was beginning to feel an energy drain. I did not run this course last year, so did not recall exactly how much farther we had, but it felt as if we’d gone at least three miles.  To say I was disappointed when we came upon the two mile sign does not cover it!  My remaining energy sapped away in a hurry.  That's the mental give up and just finish point. (Just like in track, specifically the 400m, when you know you can not possibly get to the Finish!) And of course, at this point, there was a slight uphill incline to the roadway. Ugh.  We came to another right, onto James St.  More homes and now few runners ahead of me.--one way to tell one is either lagging behind – or way in front!  In my case, lagging! Only one fellow, in patriotic shorts, ahead.  I used some reserves to catch up long enough to take a photo and then backed off.

With a left back onto Carol St, now facing the uphill aspect of the earlier downhill, I walked and slow jogged.  To my left, some folks partied with music pouring forth from a home set downhill and back from the road.  It was still before 9 a.m., so I wondered if they were drinking plain coffee, or coffee spiked with some historical alcoholic additive, or morning beer (a John Adams blend for the 4^th?) 

Finally, back onto Old Fayetteville Rd.  Slogging at this point.  It was still a long way to the school from my perspective. 

croaking, struggling to get to end

Once there, I passed through areas of relaxing runners, walking around with their after race goodies.  Down the steps and onto the track for the ending 300m or so.  Responding to the calls from a running pal to run, I began sprinting – and got maybe 200m before running out of oxygen and gasping to a walk! I rounded the last curve and made the effort for the finish, racing another lady to the line.  Done!  Dripping wet now.  The track area was crowded with runners, eating watermelon, drinking water, and talking.  I ate several slices of watermelon, of which there was plenty.  I also managed to get one of the last boxes of Bitsy’s Brain Food’s orange, chocolate, and beet “smart cookies”!  (Told you Carrboro was a brainy, artsy, place!)  Yes, they were yummy!  I also found the coffee, but, alas, there were no cups left, only lids, so I added a little to my bottle of water.  (Not very tasty.)

The awards were presented.  Victor Omelas (29) ran the four miles in 21:49.84 and Meredith Hale (28) did it in 24:55.35.  756 folks participated in the event with times from 21:49 to 01:16:05. By the way, the fireman finished in 44:49.  Incredible.  Surely, he lost five to eight pounds of sweat. Ah, yes. True story.  One young girl, 15, while running along one of the residential streets, was surprised by a deer that popped out from between homes. The deer, startled at the encounter, jumped onto her back, knocking her down before running off.  Despite this  – she got third in her age group!  I could see two smudged hoof prints on her back as she turned after accepting her award.

Each age group winner got a bag of Carrboro Coffee Roasters freshly roasted Open Eye Awards blend Four on the Fourth coffee beans (something to race very hard for!) and a small, handle less,  Janet Resmik made pottery cup, which one could use to consume the coffee.  

illswborough converged with W Main St, we made a sh HHHH

HOT Southeastern Masters Championships

  

Southeastern Masters Championships at NCSU in Raleigh, NC, fell on June 19^th and 20^th this year.  Right in the midst of an incredible hot spell.  There is temperature and then there is “heat index”.  The temperature got to 96 (98 according to a pal) and the heat index … 103!  Standing around had to be hell for the officials out in the field.  The athletes had some respite beneath their tent (if they had one) or in small shaded areas alongside the track.  Two misting tents were available, providing a very light mist which, if one walked beneath it several times, helped. 

I went to the event on Friday to watch some of the pentathlon and for the throws clinic (hoping to hear how to throw the javelin.)  I met Joyce Hodges-Hite (79) who was there to do the 10,000m and maybe break the meet record she previously set.   A few Piedmont Pacer teammates were there, to do the 3000m, 5000m, and 10,000m races.  They can have them!  Ugh. 

Mary Szymkowski, Pacer, did the 3000m, with one knee wrapped after encounter with her exuberant young dog the day before.  Terry Ozell, Atlanta Track Club, ran with Mary since this was a mixed age-group heat. Mary and Terry ran most of the race together until the end with Mary crossing the Finish in 13.44.01 and Terry in 14:04.03.  (Also running this event, along with Mary, was another former NU Wildcat: Cynthia Lucking - the NU howls must have been drowned out by the wolfs roaming the NCSU grounds.)

3000m women's lineup

Terry Ozell & Mary Szymkowski

I spent some time in the hottest part of the day practicing block starts.  I read my cheat sheet (and as it turned out – mis-read it!) indicating that my right foot would be the “quick” foot and therefore in the back block, and my left foot the power foot and forward.  That was okay with me since it’s my right knee that does not like to bend acutely.  So, there I am, in the blazing sun, trying to pop out of the blocks after awkwardly folding myself into position. I can get out of them but can’t tell if this is any better than switching back to what I had previously been practicing (right foot forward).  I did try one with right foot forward.  Cr-e-a-k, the knee gets into position but I have to raise butt to ease angle of bend.  No better than left foot forward.  And is either any better (or slower!) than my three point stance?  I packed up the blocks and went back to watching the running events.

blocks on a soggy April field

Anne Sluder ran the 800m of the pentathlon all alone.  Not a soul to chase or keep ahead of.  Nonetheless, she ran it fast enough to have it mentioned that she set a record – what kind of record?  Don’t know.  (I have not been able to verify or correlate the time with records). She ran  2:36, and that is fast, regardless!  

I did not get to watch the 10,000m as the throws clinic was moved to the same start time.  As it turned out, the clinic was populated by discus and weight throwers and so the focus was on that discipline.  Meanwhile, Dixon Cook (Pacer) and Mary Hodges-Hite trotted their 10,000m in the oppressive heat.  The race was over before the clinic ended. Cook ran it in 47:02.15 and Hodges-Hite in 1:41:02.46 (not eclipsing her meet record of last year.)

I spent the night worrying and doing more research about the blocks.  One expert said to cross your arms and the hand that goes underneath is the quick side.  Hmmpf, that’s the left for me.  Another said, well, it is the foot you would kick a ball with. Yeah? That’s the right side.  Tick tock, the night moves on and no decisive answer. I gave up.

Saturday, the 20^th was even hotter than the day before.  My first event was at 11 a.m.  I got there early and watched some high jumping.  I don’t know how the jumpers get that lift.  Especially those of us who are in the older brackets.    An official took some of the early arrivals out on the field so we could practice throwing.  That was great for me since this was my first attempt at javelin.  Angela Staab had let me try her golden 500g javelin at the May Powerade State games.  Most of the throws ended up skidding across the grass where I was practicing. She told me that as long as the point hit the ground first, it was probably a valid throw.  (I’d been thinking that unless the javelin stuck upright in the ground as one sees during Olympic events, it was no good.) The javelin throws event was to begin at 11 but was delayed while many of the women were still doing other field events. Shot put? Many athletes stood in the shade near the back end of the check in building or alongside the railing in a thin strip of shade.  By the time the event started, I had already consumed a bottle of water.  Imagine the officials!  Some wore wide brimmed straw-type hats, others caps, and some nothing!

During the wait time, the 1500m event was contested.  Mary Szymkowski (52) ran this, knee still wrapped but better, as did Terry Ozell (61), and now 80-years-old Martha Klopfer.  I managed to take some photos of these sweltering distance folk while waiting.  Mary and Terry stuck close to each other until the end when Terry pushed ahead in the last 100m. 

Terry Ozell

Mary Szymkowski

Terry crossed in 6:34.37, Mary in 6:43.51.  Martha finished in 9:42.28.

Martha Klopfer

 Omar Wiggan (36),  local runner, ran the same event in 4:33.26 and three Piedmont Pacer men – all in the 65-69 AG - competed: Dixon Cook, 5:47.23; Russell Smith 5:48.21; and Jay Smith 6:17.67.

Timothy Higgins and a Pacer Russell and Jay Snith

Dixon Cook

Women went first in Javelin.  We all had six attempts.  Several of the women not only showed good form, starting way back and gliding forward, but threw some arcing throws that landed point first, sticking up!  Not me.  I varied my throws from mid-way back, to short, to stutter-shuffle step.  Of my six throws, one was a skidder, not counting, and the other five landed point first but none stayed upright.  Needs work.  Ann Carter had the best throw of the three of us in my age group: 11.33m.  The longest throw for women was by Nicole Kelly (34) with a distance of 35.13m.  For men it was Edward Hearn (65) with a throw of 43.8m.

I had been worried about running out of warm up time for the 1 p.m. 100m.  I had a good half hour to warm up before my race.  I had used some of my wait time during the javelin event to start some warm up routines, but did not really feel that I had done enough or was ready to go all out and not look turtle-like.  Only six women were there for the 100m, so age groups were mixed.  We ranged from 55-59 AG to the 70-74 group.  I think I ended up in lane 4 (or was it 5?) Becky Simers (55-59) was somewhere to my left and Ann Carter was on my other side.   I had decided to go with right foot back.  Waiting for the gun, I tried to recall what I should be doing.  I did at least one of them!  Bang – off we went.  The folks to my left flew out in front of me.  I ran as fast as I could down the straight away. (Don’t we all say that?)  It felt good, but not super. Becky Simers (SC Striders) ran 14.74.  I managed to get back in the stands to watch Eric Johnson (47) run his 100m heat and win (11.89).

Oscar Peyton (62) ran the 100m in 11.99 and 70-year-old Ty Brown ran it in 13.09.  Aren’t these guys something!

Next up was the 400m.  I was not looking forward to it.  Instead of running two age groups together (with 2 competitors in each) they ran just two of us, Angela Staab and me. I was in lane 4 again, I think and Angela was two over from me.  I ran out fast and then eased up a little so I could breathe as I went down the back stretch.  I tried to focus on footstep rather than the dwindling energy.  By the time I got to the final turn, I was feeling stressed.  Just get to the finish is all I  could think – that and keep moving the legs; ignore the screaming mind and pump those arms.  It wasn’t pretty but I got there without walking.  But I was feeling it.  I felt dizzy and after catching breath went right to the mister and then the water.  I walked a little and then decided what would work is cold water on the head so I went over to the infield side (after the next 400m heat came through with Becky Simers and Leandra Funk pushing each other.  Leandra 1:13.43; Becky 1:13.45.)  The water cooler was near the weight throwing pit.  One official stood outside of the ring, close to track edge and he glanced over as I walked by.  I took a look at the throw area.  Another official was sitting in a chair a little to the outside of the ring-pit.  The big guys were up, swinging that weight around and around.  Anyone who officiates that event deserves extra pay.  If the weighted ball slips out of a competitor’s hand, an official has no time to clear away.  Certainly not the guy sitting in the chair.  And this being a Master’s event, anything is possible!  Damn scary.  I got my cold water and poured it over my head. It helped.  Later, I did that a few more times.  Leandra Funk, here from Indiana, asked if NC was always this hot at this time of year.  Yep, it happens.  She was going on to St. Paul to compete in the National Senior Games (as were others at this Meet.) A notable men's run was that of Leon Bullard (41) who completed the 400m in 51:45.

Leon Bullard

I watched Cynthia Lucking run the 2000m steeplechase.  She needed to ice one leg after the event.  Some of the younger men just hopped over the hurdles and the water barrier (which, earlier in the day, I swore I saw Anne Sluder walking through to cool off!)

The 200m was next up for me and I went without blocks.  I was in lane 1 – a first for me.  Becky Simers was in lane 4 maybe and she was using the blocks.  Ann Carter did not run this one.  With all the field events she had done, in the heat, she chose the wiser course of cooling off.  I ran what seemed to be a good race but based on my times (yes, I did come in last of the group), I need improvement here, too.  Now I could watch the 40-somethings and the men run this fast sprint.  The mixed age group that included Oscar Peyton (62) ran a tight race.  From my vantage point on the other side of the field, I thought Oscar had taken it but 55-year-old Don McGee took it 24:02 to 24:14.  To put this fast time in better perspective, 19-year-old Marlon Allen ran it in 23 flat. One second difference;  yet a 35 and more year age differential!

Mary Syzmkowski ran the 800, as did many of the Piedmont Pacer men.  I was thrilled to see that Erika Charles (26)  was here to compete in the 800m.  As she did at the Powerade State Games, she blasted off, finishing this tortuous race in 2:11.95. The last group to go off got hit with a beginning rainfall that turned into a downpour just after they finished.  Everything I had in the stands got soaked (I was on the infield queuing up to do a relay, which got delayed.)

The last events were the relays.  It seemed only the Piedmont Pacers fielded teams, so in the 4x100, it was three men Pacers vs the women Pacers (Hollis Oberlies, Shawn Greer, Lori Stresemann, and the crone).  Our lead off Pacer was fast and got a great lead on the men.  By the time the baton got to me, the oldest anchor, I had an unbreakable lead to the Finish.  I wimped out of the 4x400 so the rest of the women who had just run as well as Mary Szymkowski ran it and then the 4x800 which followed.   

I’m watching USATF.TV’s USATF Outdoor Championships from Eugene Oregon as I write this.  (watch and learn, crone!) 91 degrees and they are saying after the athletes ran the 800m that they want to get out of the sun and into the cool. A little windy. (Several of the sprints with fast times were not “legal” in sense of records because the wind kept going over 2 meters per second, up to 4.5m/s at one point.)  And they expect temps up to 100 during the weekend.  Welcome to our world!

Becky Simers was awarded the Southeastern Masters Phil Raschker plaque for best female combined age graded 100m and 200m as well as the Timothy Dickens award for best age graded 400m. The women's team award went to Atlanta Track Club 

ATC Women, including Terry Ozell, accepting award

Piedmont Pacer men (Jay Smith, Kevin Gobble) accepting award

and the men's to Piedmont Pacers.   The highly anticipated award by those who regularly attend these award dinners was the Ed Barron award for the person contributing the most to the sport.  A most deserving person, acknowledged by all, was event announcer Peter Taylor.

Peter Taylor accepting Ed Barron awatd

Peter demonstrating his virtual unlock of memory bank

  I don’t know all the stats but he has announced at 32 Nationals, one international, the Penn Relays, and others.  All I know is that this man has a phenomenal memory. He says all he has to do is associate the athlete with a place and the data comes pouring forth.  Yes, it does!  When one thinks of how many events he has announced, it is incredible how he keeps it all straight.  Not only that, he knows faces!  He has set the bar very high for all announcers.  Announcing is a harder task than running a race.