Ragnar Michigan 2017 Race Report

Last Thursday I made my way to Grand Rapids to run with my team Password Penguin in the 2017 Ragnar Michigan.  It was good to meet up with some of my old friends who have run several of these races with me and the new runners joining us on this adventure.  The weather was perfect when we arrived and after getting the vans, we headed into downtown Grand Rapids to our hotel.  We had planned to explore the city and then have a nice dinner before getting to bed for some rest.

Some of us wanted to walk over and see the Gerald Ford Presidential Library.  When we left the lobby of the hotel and walked towards the library, we noticed a lot of art throughout the downtown area.  Little did we know we had arrived at the beginning of the ArtPrize event.  We learned that ArtPrize lasts for 19 days each fall.  There is art work all over three square miles of downtown Grand Rapids and it’s all free and open to the public.  We got to see some pretty amazing and unique art.

We did make it to the Ford Presidential Library which normally would be closed that late in the day.  But it was open because they were displaying some of the artwork from the ArtPrize event.  We spent about an hour walking through the museum and then headed back to meet the rest of the team for dinner.  We looked at the art along the way.  It was a unexpected pleasant surprise and a nice way to start our adventure in Western Michigan.

After dinner, we all got to our rooms to get some sleep as we knew there would not be much sleep once the race started.  We agreed to be up and out at 7:00 a.m. the next morning.  We had about a 50 minute drive from downtown Grand Rapids to the starting line at Pere Marquette Park.  I got to my room and set my alarm for 6:00 a.m. so I would have plenty of time to get up and ready.

My alarm did not go off.  I woke up with about 20 minutes to get ready to meet the team.  I rushed to get ready.  I made it down right at 7:00 a.m.  The rest of the team was already downstairs and one of the vans had been pulled in front of the hotel.  I got our van and pulled it around to the front of the hotel.  We loaded all of our gear into the van and then headed out to Muskegon.  I was feeling a little stressed but excited about the race.

We got to Pere Marquette Park a few minutes after 8:00 a.m.  Since we were Van 1, we had to check in and go through the safety briefing.  Once we had done all of that we finally had some time to take in the sites.  The starting line is right next to a vast stretch of sandy beach right on Lake Michigan.  The temperature was perfect although a little windy.  Lake Michigan was an amazing site.  One of my teammates even remarked that it was hard not to believe it was the ocean.  We got together for a team photo and then it was time for our first runner to get head to the starting line.

Our wave of the race started right on time at 9:00 a.m.  After cheering on Carrie as she headed out for her 3.5 mile first leg, we loaded up into the van and headed to the exchange.  I would be the next runner.  I wanted to have some time to stretch and warm up before Carrie came into the exchange.   The exchange was at the McGraft Memorial Congregational Church.  Carrie was supposed to be there by 9:30.  She came in right on time and handed off to me at 9:31 a.m.

I took the handoff and headed across Lakeshore Drive to get onto the Lakeshore Trail.  It was 63

degrees with scattered clouds and windy.  I felt like it was the perfect weather for me to have a strong run.  I had to cover 8.1 miles.  When I turned onto the trail, I had a beautiful view of Muskegon Lake.  The entire run provided me some very enjoyable views of Muskegon Lake and Lake Michigan along with several other rivers, creeks, sand dunes, and a lot of other natural and manmade things.  I found a very comfortable pace and locked in.  My goal was to finish in under 72 minutes.

The last mile was through a very nice neighborhood in Muskegon.  I was feeling really strong.  The exchange was at the Laketon Bethel Reformed Church.  When I made my final turn to head to the church I knew I was going to beat my goal time.  Just as I reached the crosswalk to get to the church the light turned red and I had to wait to cross.  I handed off to Randy and he took off for his first leg.  I had covered the 8.1 miles in 1:09:12 and very good 8:34 per mile pace.  My hard training had paid off and the weather was perfect.  I loved the course and the challenge of a long run for my first leg.
 

When Brook finished her first leg, we headed into Whitehall, MI to grab dinner.  We got to see the World's Largest Weathervane which was built by Whitehall employees in their factory in Montague. It is a fully functioning weathervane 48 feet tall with an arrow 26 feet long.  Pretty cool!  I was really hungry because I didn't have any time to eat anything before we had headed over Muskegon.  We went to Pub 111.  Pub 111 is a cool little local bar & grill. Some of us (not me) had a beer to celebrate finishing our first leg.  The food was really good and it was a great atmosphere.  After eating, we headed over to the next big exchange in Mears, MI.

The exchange was actually at a little local ice cream joint.  There was really nowhere to lay down and get in a catnap.  I decided to lay down in the back of the van to try and get some rest before Van 2 would arrive at the exchange.  I did get a little bit of shut eye before we heard from Van 2 that they were on their way.  I got out of the van to welcome them in and to see Carrie off on her 2nd leg.  She only had to run 5.9 miles which meant I wouldn't have a lot of time to get ready for my next leg.

Carrie took off and we jumped back in the van to head over to my exchange at the First Baptist Church in Hart, MI.  Carrie arrived and I headed out at 6:56 p.m.  It was 57 degrees which was perfect for a long run.  I was feeling a little stiff for the first couple of miles.  I finally found a good pace I felt I could hold for the entire 7.9 miles.  It was a really beautiful route and I was running as the sun was setting making it even more unique.  The route took me through the Pentwater Game Reserve at dusk.  I was really loving the scenery as I ran.

With about 3 miles to go, I turned onto US 31 Business which runs along Pentwater Lake.  The sun was in the final minutes of setting and it was so peaceful.  I ran past the docks on the lake in downtown Pentwater.  I dug deep and pushed myself to finish strong.  The exchange was at Mears State Park right on the shore of Lake Michigan.  I handed off to Randy and then took a few minutes to appreciate the beauty of nightfall on Lake Michigan.  I had covered the 7.9 miles in 1:09:15 almost the same as my first run.  It was an 8:50 per mile pace which still beat my goal time.

The good news was that when Brook finished her 2nd leg, we would have a lot of time before having to get up and run our final legs.  The overnight run for Van 2 was going to cover over 40 miles.  This would be the first time we would have a chance to get in 4-5 hours of sleep.  So we headed over to the next major exchange at the Manistee County Fairgrounds.

When we got there we were disappointed.  We thought the fairgrounds might have a lot of  grassy areas where we could stretch out and sleep.  I had brought my sleeping bag in hopes of doing just that.  The area was basically a dirt race track and due to the rain they had had that day it was pretty muddy.  We all ended up sleeping in the van.  I was able to get more sleep than usual before we got the word that Van 2 was on their way.

When we got out of the van we were surprised at how cold it had become since we arrived.  It was 34 degrees.  Carrie headed out in the dark.  We got into the van and headed off to my final exchange area in Pierpoint, MI.  The exchange was at a local farm which was really unique.  As I waited for Carrie to arrive we watched the sun start to rise.  It was still dark when I took the handoff at 6:51 a.m. and headed out for my final leg.  I felt fortunate to have brought my cold weather gear I used when I was running in Boston during the winter because it was really cold for this Arizonan.

Maybe because of the cold or the excitement of being on my last leg, I took off at a sub-8:30 per mile pace.  There was one hill that slowed me down a bit.  But the sun was just coming up over the farms on each side of the road.  It was absolutely beautiful.  When I reached the downhill that would take me to the final turn to head over to Arcadia Sunset Station, I really pushed the pace.  I handed off to Randy and then basked in the knowledge that I was done.  I had covered the 5.1 miles in 43:56 which was an 8:33 per mile pace.  I had rocked that last leg.   It is now my favorite 3rd relay leg beating out my last leg in the Bourbon Chase.

As I took a few minutes to look at the gorgeous view of Lake Michigan, I reflected on how well I had done in this race.  I had trained hard and it paid off.   I ran 21.1 miles over 3 legs in 3:02:23 and at an 8:38 per mile pace.  I had run one of my best relays ever.  But the race wasn't over for my team.  So we headed to the van and we covered our last legs at a good pace for each of our runners.  We handed off to Van 2 around 11:00 a.m. and headed to Traverse City to check into our hotel and clean up before grabbing breakfast.

After breakfast, we hung out in downtown Traverse City as we waited for Van 2 to finish.  What a cool downtown area.  We spent a lot of time on Front Street looking at the brick sidewalks and 19th-century Victorian storefronts.  There were pear trees all around us.  The trees had not started to change color.  But it was still a beautiful fall day.  After a couple of hours, we walked over to the finish line area at the park on the West Arm of Traverse Bay.  It was sunny and we stretched out on the grass and waited for Gordon to come in to the finish line.

Van 2 arrived and we waited for Gordon to come in.  He came in feeling strong and smiling.  We joined up with him an ran across the finish line together.  We had completed 195.4 miles in 31:07:15.7 which was 9:33 per mile pace.  We had finished 111th place overall out of  238 teams.  We were in the Mixed Division and had finished 30th out of 50 teams.  The power of the penguin had helped us finish in a very respectable time.

Now that I have had a few days to reflect on the race, I am so glad that we chose this particular Ragnar.  It was well organized.  The course and legs ran through beautiful scenery at every turn.  Everyone on the team felt that it was one of their top 3 races and would highly recommend it to other runners.  Personally I had one of my best relay races out of the 13 I have run so far.  I am not sure what the next race our team will choose to run but I will always remember this one as one of the most enjoyable races I have ever run.

Sept 25 – 3.20 miles (35:02, 10:57 pace) - Hill Repeats
Sept 26 – 3.10 miles (26:21, 8:30 pace)
Sept 27 – 3.10 miles (26:42, 8:37 pace)
Sept 29 – 8.10 miles (1:09:12, 8:34 pace) - Ragnar Michigan Leg 1
Sept 29 – 7.90 miles (1:09:15, 8:50 pace) - Ragnar Michigan Leg 2
Sept 30 – 5.10 miles (43:56, 8:33 pace) - Ragnar Michigan Leg 3
Oct 2 – 4.10 miles (42:23, 10:20 pace) - Ragnar 7 Summit Challenge 1
Oct 3 – 3.60 miles (35:34, 9:52 pace) - Ragnar 7 Summit Challenge 2
Oct 4 – 4.10 miles (42:47, 10:26 pace) - Ragnar 7 Summit Challenge 3
Oct 5 – 4.30 miles (45:30, 10:35 pace) - Ragnar 7 Summit Challenge 4
Oct 6 – 4.10 miles (42:58, 10:29 pace) - Ragnar 7 Summit Challenge 5
Oct 7 – 8.50 miles (1:25:05, 10:01 pace) - Ragnar 7 Summit Challenge 6
Oct 8 – 5.10 miles (56:12, 11:01 pace) - - Ragnar 7 Summit Challenge 7

Total Miles:  64.3 miles
2017 Total Miles:  1,448.2 miles

On to the Reebok Ragnar Michigan Relay - Sept. 29 - 30

It is time for my next great running adventure.  I will be flying to Grand Rapids, MI on Thursday with a couple of my Ragnar teammates to meet the rest of the team.  We are headed up to the Wolverine State to participate in the Reebok Ragnar Michigan relay race.  The team will start the 200-ish mile relay on Friday morning in Muskegon where we will run past historic ships and lighthouses. The course will take us past apple orchards, cherry blossoms and rolling hills where the trees will be turning red, yellow and gold.  We run continuously until we reach the finish line in Traverse City.

I have been to Michigan numerous times over the years.  But never to the western part of the state.  Western Michigan is roughly the westernmost third of the "palm" of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.  The exciting part is that this section of the state includes most of the Lake Michigan shoreline.  According to the reviews of this race, we will be running along the lake and getting some beautiful sunsets and sunrises during the race.  It will be a big change from the "fall colors" here in Scottsdale.  I am looking forward to the crisp fall air and the fall colors.

I have been given Runner #2 for this race.  I will be covering the most mileage of all the runners on my team.  I start out in Muskegon and run a total of 8.1 miles.  The route is along the Muskegon Lakeshore Trail.  Muskegon's Lakeshore Trail is said to provide scenic views of Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake, while also passing among beautiful sand dunes, lively parks and the city of Muskegon itself.  The trail follows part of the old corridor of a railroad that once served the former Sappi paper mill.  It sounds like a really nice way to start my race.

My second leg starts in Hart and finishes in Pentwater, MI.  The route will cover 7.9 miles.  The finish is located in the village where there is supposed to be numerous boutique shops, art galleries, outdoor restaurants, and a mast filled marina.  It is said that it will remind me of a New England coastal village. The actual exchange is in Mears State Park right on the edge of Lake Michigan.  It should be a really nice run as most of it will be along Pentwater Lake.  I am hopeful there will be some light so I can see the sights.

My final leg starts near Pierpoint and runs straight north crossing over Arcadia Lake.  The leg is 5.1 miles and finishes at Arcadia Lookout.  I will be running this leg in the very early morning hours.  This will allow me to watch the sunrise as I run along the route.  I am looking forward to a very peaceful and beautiful morning run.  I believe it will be like my favorite 3rd relay leg from the Bourbon Chase.  I hope this route will top that one.

The weather is a little dicey right now.  They are predicting rain on both days.  It is a low chance at this point but rain is in the forecast.  I am not worried as I ran in all sorts of weather when I lived in New England.  The good news is that the temperatures will be perfect for the race being in the mid-60s.  Overnight will only be in the mid-40s.  This should allow me to have a quick pace.  My goal is to average right around 9 minutes per mile for the entire 21.1 miles.  I want to have a good race as this will be my last big race this year.

What I do know is that I will have a fantastic time in Van 1 with 5 of my best friends, cheering for each other and running through gorgeous scenery in Michigan.  I know there will be a lot of laughter, lack of sleep, a few drinks and even some running in between.  I think this will be one of the best relays I will have had the chance to participate in out of the 13 I have run.  I'll post a race report when I get back.  On to Michigan!

Sept 4 – 5.20 miles (58:14, 11:12 pace) - Hill Repeats
Sept 5 – 7.60 miles (1:07:35, 8:54 pace) - Mile Repeats
Sept 7 – 8.20 miles (1:13:26, 8:57 pace) - Tempo Run
Sept 8 – 5.10 miles (46:10, 9:04 pace)
Sept 9 – 9.20 miles (1:36:34, 10:29 pace) - Trail Run
Sept 10 – 8.20 miles (1:16:02, 9:16 pace)
Sept 11 – 5.50 miles (1:05:53, 11:59 pace) - Hill Repeats
Sept 12 – 5.20 miles (44:49, 8:37 pace) - Speed Work
Sept 14 – 5.10 miles (48:06, 9:26 pace)
Sept 15 – 8.20 miles (1:13:15, 8:56 pace) - Tempo Run
Sept 16 – 8.30 miles (1:41:18, 12:20 pace) - Trail Run
Sept 17 – 8.30 miles (1:19:02, 9:31 pace)
Sept 18 – 3.10 miles (33:57, 10:57 pace) - Hill Repeats
Sept 19 – 3.10 miles (26:07, 8:26 pace) - Speed Work
Sept 21 – 8.20 miles (1:17:27, 9:26 pace) - Tempo Run
Sept 22 – 5.10 miles (46:10, 9:03 pace)
Sept 23 – 8.10 miles (1:12:29, 8:57 pace)
Sept 24 – 7.30 miles (1:07:08, 9:12 pace)

Total Miles:  119.0 miles
2017 Total Miles:  1,383.9 miles

Non-violence is the Right Way - Give Peace a Chance

On September 1st, I turned 56.  As a child of the 60's and 70's  I feel that I need to comment on what is happening in our country.  When I look back on my childhood it feels like it was a slower time.  Things seemed so much simpler.  When I played with my siblings or neighborhood kids we played outside.  The only screen we were addicted to was the T.V. screen.  But most of us preferred playing outside and we disappeared for hours without telling our Moms where we were headed.  The only rule was that we had to be home by dinner time.  I thought that after the turbulent era of my childhood, we were finally living in a country that accepted all people regardless of race, creed, religion or sexual orientation.  Unfortunately recent events made me realize I was totally wrong.  Tolerance is under siege.

I used to think of myself as a Hippie despite the fact that I was a pre-teen in the years 1968-1972.  When I reflect on how we protested back in my youth, I remember protests being more peaceful (with some exceptions) and not filled with vitriol and violence.   We were demanding an end to the unfair treatment of black citizens; an end to the war in Vietnam; and to equal rights for women and gay people.  We marched in unison carrying signs that simply said things such as, “Make Love, Not War” or “U.S. Troops Get Out Of Vietnam” or just hand drawn peace signs.  The protestors would sing songs, chant or just play music to promote peace and tolerance for everyone in the world.  Unfortunately the world we live in today is not promoting peace or love.  Instead global and now national politics are growing more violent every day.  The worst part of it is that our President is doing nothing to change the tone of the protests and seek reign in the hostility.  Instead he promotes it.

Ghandi and King both believed that the way to change the world was through non-violent resistance.  Gene Sharp, a leading researcher in the field, writes: “Nonviolent action refers to those methods of protest, resistance, and intervention without physical violence in which the members of the nonviolent group do, or refuse to do, certain things. They may commit acts of omission – refuse to perform acts which they usually perform, are expected by custom to perform, or are required by law or regulation to perform; or acts of commission – perform acts which they usually do not perform, are not expected by custom to perform, or are forbidden by law or regulation from performing; or a combination of both.”  It is my firm belief that violence is never the answer to any confrontation between competing ideals.

What we are seeing in the country now and promoted by Trump is violence, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, antisemitism and Islamophobia.  The pro-Trump demonstrators come armed and prepared for violence.  Unfortunately the counter-protesters meet their aggressive stances with equal violence.  This leads to escalation and ultimately people being injured and killed.  Now the police are having to try and come between the two sides and they too can cause an escalation of violence.  But the real issue is that both sides are being intolerant to the extreme creating an environment of violence against those they think are wrong.

I would posit that the correct action is to not to scream at, physically attack or otherwise harm other people who hold beliefs you disagree with.  Instead, I think the better way to discover the truth is through debate, reflection, and investigation.  What we are seeing today is that when people disagree on something, they take it as a personal affront and believing the other person is saying something unkind and insensitive about them.  No one likes to feel that they are being personally attacked for something that they hold true.  What we all need to do is to find ways to debate competing ideas and visions openly and respectfully and avoid violence.

I vehemently disagree with the alt-right and their tenets of intolerance.  They are clearly adherents to white identity politics.  What I dislike about them is their ability to mix some kernels of truth within a greater set of lies making it seem that they are being reasonable.  The actions and comments of Trump after Charlottesville has us arguing about whether or not Nazis are bad.  Really?!?  Some even believe that Trumps comments after the event meant that their actions were acceptable.  I fear that there will be more and widespread violence at the alt-right rallies planned in coming weeks across the US.  How we who oppose their beliefs react will determine if violence or non-violence is the best way.

I choose to oppose those who spew bigotry and hate with non-violence.  I cannot condone any violence against another human being no matter how terrible their ideals and beliefs.  Simply put violence will only instigate the alt-right to be more violent.  The era I grew up in saw major change through non-violent protests.  King, Ghandi, Chavez and later Mandela brought about change through the practice of peaceful civil disobedience.  We who oppose the alt-right need to realize that if we take a swing at them then we are sinking to their level and are no less violent.  This then gives them the right and justification to fight back.  As Tevye said in Fiddler on the Roof when told that the Good Book says an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, "Very good. That way the whole world will be blind and toothless."

I am begging you to protest through nonviolent actions.  Violence is never the right answer except in those rare cases like World War II when the Allied Powers had to use violent means to defeat the Nazi and fascist regimes of the Axis.  The alt right is a far cry from the Axis.  It is the tradition here in the United States that political change should be peaceful.  Those on the losing end or in opposition must be allowed to retain their dignity and not be hindered in espousing their beliefs.  That is the way our democracy must operate.

As John Lennon said, “If you want peace, you won’t get it with violence.”  I wish you peace my friends.

July 24 – 5.20 miles (57:11, 11:00 pace) - Hill Repeats
July 25 – 6.30 miles (55:33, 8:49 pace) - Speed Work
July 27 – 8.30 miles (1:13:11, 8:49 pace) - Tempo Run
July 28 – 4.10 miles (36:25, 8:53 pace)
July 29– 10.10 miles (1:43:12, 10:13 pace)
July 30 – 8.30 miles (1:16:53, 9:16 pace)
July 31 – 5.20 miles (1:00:05, 11:33 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug 1 – 6.30 miles (55:30, 8:49 pace) - Speed Work
Aug 3 – 8.30 miles (1:13:15, 8:50 pace) - Tempo Run
Aug 4 – 5.10 miles (46:27, 9:07 pace)
Aug 5 – 10.10 miles (1:39:29, 9:51 pace)
Aug 6 – 8.50 miles (1:18:54, 9:17 pace)
Aug 7 – 5.20 miles (58:56, 11:20 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug 8 – 6.30 miles (54:39, 8:40 pace) - Speed Work
Aug 10 – 5.10 miles (47:20, 9:16 pace)
Aug 11 – 5.10 miles (46:51, 9:11 pace)
Aug 12 – 8.20 miles (1:47:14, 13:05 pace) - Trail Run
Aug 13 – 8.30 miles (1:17:36, 9:21 pace)
Aug 14 – 5.10 miles (1:17:58, 11:33 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug 15 – 3.10 miles (24:27, 8:00 pace) - Speed Work
Aug 19 – 8.10 miles (1:16:50, 9:29 pace)
Aug 20 – 7.50 miles (1:07:54, 9:03 pace)
Aug 21 – 6.50 miles (57:39, 8:52 pace)
Aug 22 – 6.50 miles (58:44, 9:02 pace)
Aug 24 – 6.20 miles (52:38, 8:29 pace)
Aug 25 – 4.10 miles (35:49, 8:44 pace)
Aug 26 – 10.10 miles (1:31:21, 9:03 pace)
Aug 27 – 8.30 miles (1:17:46, 9:22 pace)
Aug 28 – 5.20 miles (56:45, 10:55 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug 29 – 7.60 miles (1:07:35, 8:54 pace) - Mile Repeats
Aug 31 – 8.20 miles (1:13:15, 8:56 pace) - Tempo Run
Sept 1 – 5.10 miles (47:19, 9:17 pace)
Sept 2 – 9.20 miles (1:29:20, 9:43 pace)
Sept 3 – 8.30 miles (1:17:35, 9:21 pace)

Total Miles:  233.1 miles
2017 Total Miles:  1,264.9 miles

The 10K

Back in 1989, I was a novice runner.  I had run several 5K races and was starting to really enjoy running.  After one of the races, I found a flyer on my windshield for a 10K race that would run partly through the Miami Zoo.  I think it was called the Miami Zoo Run.  While I hadn't run any further than 3.1 miles at the time, the race sounded like fun.  So on a whim, I signed up for the race.  Shortly after mailing my registration in (yes, I am that old), I started to think about what running 6.2 miles might be like.  Since this was pre-internet days, I created a very novice running schedule to help me build up to running 6 miles.

Fast forward 28 years and I have now run more 10Ks than I can count.  What is interesting is that back in the 90s 10Ks were run almost as often as the 5K.  Today it seems almost hard to find a 10K race.  What a shame or maybe I need to look harder.  I have always enjoyed the 10K distance.  I have always found that the 10K will challenge you while giving your body a break from the seemingly all consuming pursuit of those more difficult training routines to get ready for a half or full marathon.  Sometimes during my marathon training have run a 10K to check in on my comfortable race pace.

When I am talking with friends who have just started running and completed a few 5K races, I tell them that they should try running a 10K because I believe it is the perfect next step in anyone's racing career.  It seems that all runners think about running a half or full marathon because it seems so epically challenging.   It is.  But for a novice runner, the 10K is the perfect distance to teach good training techniques and how to race longer distances.  It is a good stepping stone distance if you are contemplating running a half or full marathon.

As I am sure you know, the 10K is simply twice as long as a 5K.  It covers 6.2 miles.  The good news is that if you have already been using a training regimen for a 5K your new training routine is simply a gradual build up of your weekly long run.   Most people follow the 10% rule.  The 10% Rule simply is to not increase your weekly mileage by more than 10%.   When I decided to step up and try the 10K the first time, I just added half a mile per week to my long run until I reached 6 miles.  Once I knew that I could complete 6 miles comfortably, I felt prepared to run the race.

Like the 5K, you can run a 10K race every few weeks without much toll on your body.  One of the benefits of being able to race more often is that it allows you to train your body and brain on racing strategy.  The 10K involves a bit more strategy than a 5k.  So you have to race in a more controlled manner so that you can finish strong and not crash and burn before you reach the finish line.  To successfully race the 10K you have to have a plan which will force you to stay focused for the entire race.

I must admit here that I have not run a 10K race in several years.  I have run the distance as part of the many adventure relays I have participated in recently.  But as I sat down to write this, I started to think about finding a 10K race to run in this year.  I know that the 10K is a challenging distance but not as challenging as a half or full marathon.  Plus it allows me to have a great race experience without "hitting the wall" or  running out of gas.  And best of all, it will motivate me and help me avoid the burn out I have been feeling by all the long runs and heavy mileage in my training.  Maybe I will see you out there once I choose my race.

July 3 – 5.20 miles (55:38, 10:42 pace) - Hill Repeats
July 4 – 7.60 miles (1:07:48, 8:55 pace) - Mile Repeats
July 6 – 8.20 miles (1:13:15, 8:56 pace) - Tempo Run
July 7 – 5.10 miles (47:02, 9:13 pace)
July 8 – 7.50 miles (1:10:33, 9:24 pace)
July 13 – 5.10 miles (47:21, 9:17 pace)
July 14 – 4.20 miles (39:03, 9:18 pace)
July 15 – 10.10 miles (1:39:08, 9:49 pace)
July 16 – 8.30 miles (1:17:58, 9:23 pace)
July 17 – 4.20 miles (38:31, 9:10 pace) - Hill Repeats
July 18 – 3.10 miles (25:07, 8:06 pace) - Speed Work
July 20 – 4.20 miles (35:36, 8:28 pace) - Tempo Run
July 21 – 5.10 miles (46:21, 9:07 pace)
July 22 – 10.10 miles (1:36:41, 9:34 pace)
July 23 – 9.50 miles (1:09:25, 11:31 pace)

Total Miles:  97.5 miles
2017 Total Miles:  1,031.8 miles