Hobby Jogging: 7/3/10 - Raleigh, NC - Great Raleigh Road Race

I had a great time running this race last year and decided last minute to hop in again this year in lieu of a scheduled tempo run because the weather was so nice. This year proved to be a good one again. The race got out pretty quick and my legs weren't ready to hammer too hard after racing the mile on Tuesday and doing a fast workout on Thursday. No matter, that wasn't the goal. Let the first group go and tucked in with a guy to roll together through the mile in 5:41-5:42 up Hillsborough.

Lots of turns in the second mile as we wove through the neighborhood between NC State and Cameron Village. Passed one guy about 1.5 miles and ran the tangents of the course really well. Hit the 2 mile around 11:36 and kept trucking up Peace toward the big uphill on West Park. My legs were pretty beat up at this point, but I held serve and went through the 3 mile in 17:35-36. The last mile hurt more than it should have. It started up the hill on West Park and then up the last hill before the finish on Hillsborough. Couldn't really get the legs turning over until the last 400 which I ran in 80 or so to finish in 23:34. This was 36 seconds faster than last year and I felt I didn't have quite as good of race. Nice weather and a well run race. If I'm in Raleigh over the 4th, I'll be doing this one again.

More info available at: http://patprice.com/running/races/reports/20100703GRRR2010.htm

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Hobby Jogging: June '10 - Charlotte, NC - CTTC Summer Track Series

After dealing with some hamstrings that have been very slow to heal after Boston, I have been taking it slow working my mileage back up and haven't done a lot of speedwork. I used to run these track meets as a kid all the way up through high school and luckily I was able to make it over after work a few days and hop in. Here's my recap of each night:

6/22: I decided to go hop in the mile this day about an hour and a half before the race. Sped over to Myers Park after work to get in a 3/4 mile jog and 4 strides right before the race. Had no idea what to expect after doing no real speedwork of late. I also didn't expect to see the old Myers Park coach, Richard Prince and Charlotte running legend Alex Coffin hanging out as well like it was 1995. Was good to catch up with those guys as they were always around in the old days! The race got out a little slow and I was about mid pack out of 30 or so competitors. It started to spread out after a lap of 77 or so. I begin to pick off 1 at a time until there was just me looking at a small pack a ways up. Ran strong 2nd & 3rd laps and then a kid passed me with 400 to go. I tucked in and tried to shake and bake him with 150 to go, but I kicked too early. The 14 year old passed the 31 year old with about 30 to go. Good kick, but it couldn't hold off youth. 5:08.30 for the full mile. Super hot day, I'll take it. Managed 5th overall amongst a competitive crowd.

6/29 Championship Mile: When I arrived, I wasn't supposed to be in the Championship Mile, which was reserved for the top 10 qualifiers from the first 4 meets. I was ranked around #15 or so going in, but snuck in due to some folks opting to run the 5k that evening that had qualified. I went in ranked #1 in the 30-39 age group and didn't want to relinquish that! The race went out a little faster this week, but I still only went through the 400 in 76 or so and then 2:32 at the 800. Once again, I had a small pack pacing off me as I was in no mans land behind a pack of 3 a good distance ahead of me. A very strong 3rd lap ensured that no one pacing off me would catch me. Went through the 1200 around 3:49-50 and ran an average last lap + 9 meters to finish in 5:05.93 with no real pressure behind me. Another very hot day and I ran tough enough to finish 4th overall, my best finish in a CTTC Championship Mile (even though my times were faster in the mid-90's). Ran into an old friend from high school who is getting the running itch again as well and we did a nice 4 mile cool down on the grass inside the track and watched the 5k once the weather cooled a shade. Fun night. Fun series!

More info available at: http://patprice.com/running/races/reports/20100622&29CTTC.htm

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Hobby Jogging: 4/19/10 - Boston, MA - Boston Marathon

Qualifying for the Boston Marathon has always been a big goal for anyone who competes in running and making the trip to Boston for the race is quite like the pilgrimage in the religion of distance running. I have watched the Boston Marathon all my running life and this would be the first year I didn't get to watch, because I would be competing. I flew up Saturday and was greeted by many others wearing their Boston Marathon jackets at the Raleigh-Durham Airport. Just grabbed some pasta at the restaurant beside my hotel Saturday night and watched the Red Sox game on TV before calling it a night. Sunday I headed in town for the expo to get my race packet and coveted Boston Marathon jacket. I refused to wear it until I finished the race. To wear prematurely felt like wearing the shirt of the band you are going to see. Don't be that guy. Had a great dinner Sunday night at Puritan Pizza across from my hotel in Dorchester. Spaghetti with Italian sausage, Greek Salad, Garlic Bread and a Grape G2 for only $10. Watched a little TV and then went to bed at 10pm. 5am didn't come as early as usual as I slept great! Grabbed a bagel with PB & honey and hopped on the shuttle to the T. Rode that to Park St where the buses picked us up to take us to Hopkinton. The Athletes Village was much more subdued than that at the NYC Marathon & I brought the right stuff to relax (a poncho to lay on). Walked over to the start and got great position at the front of the 3rd corral.

Stripped off my sweats and before you know it, we were off. The first few miles were straight down and really loosened me up. Probably went a shade too fast, but it felt easy and after some fatigue in the past month, I wasn't planning on trying to save anything as I knew the last part was going to be tough no matter what as I was only able to get one 20-miler in for this training cycle. The first landmark I remember was the biker bar on the left side of the road at about mile 2. Those folks were having some fun. Looked like the party you'd want to be at if you weren't running. Went through 5k in just over 19 and kept rolling along. Started to go uphill a little and hit the 10k in mid-38. Kept rolling along at 3:50 per K for a bit until we hit some hills around 10 miles. Wellesley was so loud. I had to move over a bit because it was deafening. Still put a huge smile on my face. Suburban Boston is really cool because it is so old. Every little town you would run through had it's own feel. Hit the half faster than planned at 1:22:16 and knew the hills were coming.

Top of Heartbreak (courtesy of Jim Rhoades)

Immediately hit a long slow uphill at the half and could tell it was going to be tough when I got to Newton. Continued on and right about mile 15, the first of the Newton Hills was upon us. This one was long and slow and hurt! Leveled out for a second before the next one, which wasn't as bad. The 3rd hill came and went and I knew Heartbreak was coming. My quads were shot at this point from all the up and down, but I slugged up it without walking (as many were). Cemetery (down)hill was next and I got my legs back under me a little before the next hill that they don't tell you about. There were a few of these and I was just getting from water stop to water stop at this point. It wasn't the death march, but my lack of long runs and hills in Greenville certainly hurt me a little in this stage of the race. Passing the Citgo sign at mile 25 was great as I knew I was almost there. Chugged through the last mile and through the finish in 2:55:04, a new PR by 9:25. A great day and it gave me a lot of hope that I can really bust one when I truly train for a marathon and get better at the distance. Had to walk down some stairs to get a massage and that hurt, but then got to put on my well earned Boston Marathon jacket. A hard days work and it felt great to slip on! Also great were the kind folks at the Ramada Inn, who let me back into my room after checkout to take a shower and relax for 4 hours before my flight. Headed back to Logan International in fresh clothes, except for my jacket. Can't wait to get back next year with more of my friends in tow!

Now I can wear the jacket!

More info available at: http://patprice.com/running/races/reports/20100419BostonMarathon.htm

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Hobby Jogging: 3/13/10 - Jacksonville, FL - Gate River Run 15k

The Gate River Run is an awesome race. I had heard a lot about it and luckily it fell on my spring break this year. Even more convenient, my good friend Payton Rogers lives in Jacksonville, so I was able to stay with he and his fiance Courtney. Flew in Friday and picked up my packet at the expo. Cool Adidas tech shirt and cool number with my name on it (see below), which was quite popular with the locals being that most folks were celebrating St. Patty's along the course and liked yelling "Patrick." Went to a cool restaurant called Bistro AIX on Friday and saw Antonio Vega (who came in 3rd overall) and my friend Jon Swope from Charlotte.

Got up early Saturday and headed over to the course. 20,000 entrants and luckily I was seeded in the top corral with the elites (top 300). It was cool warming up by people like Jen Rhines, Tim Nelson, Vega, etc. They took off like a cannon when the gun went off! Went out a little too fast in 5:32 as I got a little caught up in the moment. Ran mile 2 in about 6 and then hit 3 miles around 17:40 before rolling through the 5k in 18:22. Had been sick all week and felt a little dead legged, so really focused on my form and tried to work to my strengths over the rolling course. It was hot too. Wow. I practiced taking water, which will hopefully help at Boston and really worked the hills well. After slogging through the second 5k to get to 10k in 37:32, I really started to turn it on shortly thereafter.

My last 5k was only 19:12, but lots of people were coming back to me as it was the toughest 5k of the 3 by far. The first mile and a quarter (of the last 5k) were up through a neighborhood before you got to the highway overpass and stared down what they call "the green monster," which was a half mile 7% grade hill (the Hart Bridge). Passed a few folks on the highway, a few on the bridge, and a bunch in the last 600 after the 9 mile mark. Really wanted to break 57 and just hammered it home passing 5 guys in the last 0.3 miles (including a guy that ran 2:44 at the City of Oaks Marathon 2 years ago where I "ran" 3:56 before starting to train). Finished in 56:44, grabbed a free massage, some free Coors Lights at the post race celebration and saw my name on the jumbotron just a few spots back from Bolota Asmerom and a ways ahead of Matt Gabrielson (ok, they had off days). The heat that was tough during the race felt great afterwards. Fun race, fun weekend. Highly recommended as the folks from Jacksonville and 1st Place Sports put on an awesome event.

Post race beers with my friend Payton

I also found out shortly after the event that I placed in the USATF National Championship. It was quite a thrill seeing my name on that page considering how hard I have worked in the past year!

More info available at: http://patprice.com/running/races/
reports/20100313GateRiverRun.htm

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Hobby Jogging: 3/6/10 - Raleigh, NC - Get Your Rear in Gear 5k

This was the race I opened with last year (that was my first 5k since returning to competitive running). It was also my first race in Raleigh this year. This is a nice event that is well put on. After a few good races lately and some great training, I was hoping for a good one. This course is tough as you have the big hill up Peace by Cameron Village on the first mile and some rolling hills on Clark before you head back down the big hill.

Got out good and tucked into a pack. Felt pretty controlled going up the hill and hit the mile in 5:42 or so. Picked it up a little over the rolling hills and made a conscious effort to really hammer the second half of the race and let go down the hill. Hit the 2 mile in 11:26 and really started to push. Gained good ground on the 2nd place guy and ran the 3rd mile in the 5:20's. Charged home hard in 17:29. A nice negative split and a strong race. Felt great as the weather was awesome. Hoping to hold onto this fitness through Boston!

More info available at: http://patprice.com/running/races/reports/
20100306RearinGear.htm

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Hobby Jogging: 2/20/10 - Greenville, NC - Kappa Delta 5k for Kids

Decided to do this race last minute as I needed a tempo run this week and it was only $15. Was a chilly day, but sunny. Wore my toboggan, gloves, and shades, but no compression shorts today. Got out behind my buddy Nic Boerio again and he was killing the first mile (4:56). Had to go into my own pace early, which was still a shade too fast. Hit the mile in 5:28 before the all uphill second mile. I was once again in no mans land as I had opened up a gap on the 3rd runner. Running up the hill on 5th street was tough and once I hit the 2 mile in about 11:27-8, I started to pick it up. Got faster and faster on the last mile before hitting the last hill with 400 to go at 16:30. Sprinted the last hill then cruised through the last 250 meters or so to hit 17:53. First time under 18 since 1997!

For more info, check out: http://patprice.com/running/races/reports/20100220KD5k.htm

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Hobby Jogging: 2/7/10 - Washington, NC - Polio Plus "10K" Road Race

This was my first race of 2010 and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Training had been going great and I was excited to see what I had in me after some good workouts and tempo runs. Drove down to little Washington the day of and the race started right by the NC Estuarium on the water. It was 30-ish degrees and a little windy so I wore my compression shorts with Nike Running Warehouse compression shirt, shades and my Remington toboggan (which was fitting as there was a Duck Call competition at the other end of the water). Ran into my buddy Nic Boerio at the start and knew he'd get out to a good start, so decided to follow him.

The gun went off and I hung with Nic for the first half mile or so at a good clip before easing into a good pace. Hit the mile at 5:32, maybe a little fast, but I felt good. This is where I encountered my first problem. At about 1.5 miles there was a road crossing. I see Nic go across chaperoned then I see the 2 volunteers just talking to each other as I approached. I said "little help" to get their attention 3 times and they awe shucks'd me and said I'd have to wait on the traffic. Screw that. I screamed at them "come on MF-ers, it's a road race. Do it right" before darting into traffic and entering the cemetery portion of the race (on a Sunday mind you). Classy, I know, but I was pissed. Shook it off and cruised by the 2 mile mark at 11:23. Gathered myself on a tough mile 3 before I started rolling again. Hit the 3 mile mark at 17:29 before rolling through a neighborhood and putting down a nice 5:46 4th mile (23:15) and then a 5:40 5th mile (28:55). Nic was way up and there was no one in sight behind me, so I just followed where the volunteers told me to go.

As I approached the waterfront, I realized I was getting closer to the finish than I thought. Damn, short course I thought. Sure enough, cruised through the finish in 33:44 and was very happy with my "36:27 10k effort" (as someone's GPS watch said 5.76 miles) but had a lot left because I didn't kick because the race ended before I thought to pick it up. I guess a race is a race, and I got 2nd overall and got some nice hardware to put on my fridge. Strong start to the year. If they tie the loose ends up, this will be a nice race as it is a beautiful course and had a great post race party on the water at Pirate's Pub.

More information available at: http://patprice.com/running/races/reports/20100207Washingon10k.htm

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