Month: June 2023

Background

Before jumping into this year here’s a little history. From 1979-84 they lined up everyone at the same time, with the elite men going off first, elite women 30 seconds later, the A waves after another 30 seconds, and following waves at 30 second intervals.

Switching things up has been good for spectator viewing, no other race has the mass race go first so runners can go the expo or bask in the huge 45,000 seat CU football stadium until the elites line up and race. The only downside is that it’s a 4 hour wait if you are in an earlier wave. Nevertheless, it’s a great moment when the winners come through the tunnel and into the stadium and some 40,000 spectators roar–doubly loud if the top runner happens to be an American. It is Memorial Day after all.

Going in I knew my 2023 return to the Bolder Boulder might be difficult. I think this was my 11th outing at this event, one that has been a highlight some years but more often a challenge, sometimes a disappointment. This was also my first official running of the event since 2019. 2020 and 2021 were virtual and socially distanced events on different courses, just not the same. Last year I was coming off of covid19 and nowhere near race ready. Instead, I helped with the mile/km marker takedown crew, but I ran an easy 4 or 5 miles beforehand and felt terrible so deferring for another year was a good call.

In the past my best Bolder Boulder was 34:06 in 1985, good enough for 100th in the first edition of the split Citizen’s/Pro Elite race. At the time I was disappointed because I felt I was in better shape than that (did run a 33:09 10K a few weeks later in Loveland). Subsequently, I have had the good fortune of winning my age on five previous occasions 2001, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. So a lot to be thankful for.

In my previous 10 starts (plus the two virtual/socially distanced attempts in 2020 and 2021) I ran under 40 minutes. They give incentive t-shirts for sub 40, and prior to this year only one runner over the age of 63 had run under 40, and that just once. So my goal, deferred from last year, was to be the oldest to finish under 40 and to set a new age group record (40:48 was the mark for 65 and up). Considering that I had 10 miles at 6:07 pace in April, followed by the half marathon (6:26 pace) and 25K (6:29 pace)–although all at sea level–I felt pretty confident that sub 40 could reasonably be attained.

Going In

Nevertheless, there were the caveats heading into Monday’s race. First, I only had 15 days to recover from the all-out effort for that 25K record attempt. I finished that race with practically nothing left in my legs. Second, Bolder Boulder is at 5300 feet elevation. Third it’s a hilly course, with more up than down, that finishes some 70 feet above from where it starts. It’s generally my slowest 10K of the year. For example, in 2017 I ran 35:43 at sea level in Alaska and only 38:40 at Bolder Boulder, and in 2019 I did 36:53 in Colorado Springs but only 38:10 in Boulder. That shows the differential. So I knew I’d need a sub 39 effort (at altitude on a faster course, otherwise sub 38 at sea level) to break 40 this year. Would I be ready?

Recovery and Final Prep

I took the first week following the 25K very easy, running just 15 miles in the first 6 days. On the 7th day I did a moderate tempo workout, running 6:30 pace (Sub 4) for 2X 3K, and the following Tuesday did a set of 3 minute reps over some rolling terrain to simulate Boulder’s course and those also felt pretty good. Recovery to that point was better than expected.

My Friday workout before Monday’s race was a mistake. I had planned on just a set of 6X 45 seconds as a final primer. But instead, I made it more difficult by doing a 6 minute tempo followed by 2 minute CV effort, and 5X 1 minute reps getting progressively faster. The 6 minute part felt a little harder than I’d like but the rest of the workout went fine. Normally, with three days before a race (unless it’s an A+/championship event) I can recover in time and feel fine for race day.

Not this time. I failed to account that I was still recovering from the 25K

I took it easy on Saturday and Sunday, running 6 and then 3.5 mile shakeout at a very comfortable pace, and figured it would be enough of a cutback for Monday morning.

Race Day

The day was perfect for a race, mid 50s at the start, into the 60s by the finish with barely any wind. Can’t ask for better than that.

I started in the A wave, based on my time from the 10 mile at sea level (no way can I run 38:00 for 10K or an equivalent at altitude any more). This might be my last time running the A wave. Although still might get one more sub 38 10K or 62 for 10 mile at sea level in the next year.

I planned on 6:30+/- for the first mile and 6:30-35 for the uphill mile 2. If you can get through the first 2 or 3 in reasonable shape, the rest of the race is usually a lot of fun. Felt decent on the first mile, splitting 6:25 which was within range although maybe a few tics too fast. Mile 2 also went decently, and I stayed just about on pace with 6:31 (12:56). However, by then I did feel I was working for it. But with less than a mile before the course becomes more rolling through 5+ miles (with a net downhill) I felt confident I’d get through that and have some breathing room.

That’s not what happened. About 2.7 miles I could feel myself struggling to catch a breath and I was slowing down. There is a nice downhill starting just before 3 mile/5K but rather than picking it up as I usually do, all I could manage was to hold onto about 6:30 pace–on the downhill. I crossed 3 miles in 19:37 and 5K in about 20:15 and knew my primary goal for sub 40 was in jeopardy. Normally I could make up those 15 seconds and then some on the 4th and 5th miles but my breathing wasn’t right.

Hit the firehouse hill at 4 in 26:10 or so, and would need a 6:10 on the flying 5th mile and 6:20 on the final mile, followed by a strong kick on the grueling final 0.2 (the last mile of the race is all up until you get into the stadium).

I did try to pick it up on mile 5, but could only do 6:27, so I knew sub 40 was out of the question. Runners from the AA and AB waves were streaming past (I probably finished in the bottom 5% or 10% of the A wave), so these were runners who had started 1 and 2 minutes behind. I tried not to give that too much thought, but knew what was happening. I just couldn’t get on track and lost focus.

I just worked to maintain the flow at a pace I could finish (mustering 6:40 for the tough mile 6). Into the stadium I put in what kick I could. It was faster than race pace but not terribly quick as yet another flurry of runners pulled away or passed by.

I crossed in 40:46. The silver lining is I did break the existing single age record of 40:48 by a scant two seconds, and won my age by nearly two minutes.

However, the effort was well short of what I considered a fairly reasonable goal, even considering the short recovery. Some runners who I normally beat by a minute or two finished ahead. More power to them, they deserve the kudos! Nevertheless, it just wasn’t my day.

Post-script

I took it pretty easy for three days, and then did a set of 4X1400 meters tempo reps at 6,000 feet. These were faster than on Monday. I just didn’t have my day. Next time, I’ll take recovery a bit more seriously and go light on Friday, Saturday rest, Sunday shakeout. Bolder Boulder is by far the biggest and most important road race in the state. People build their year around it, not just try to fit it in. I do plan to run the 25K again and will have a better roadmap to enter Bolder Boulder.

I started this post three weeks ago but got sidetracked.

Background

After a lifetime of being something of a journeyrunner, average in college but after that locally then regionally competitive, I made some breakthroughs in my 50s, and then nationally about when I turned 60. With several US road titles (none in XC as of yet) and a world masters championship I have had one more big goal. An American record. It has been achievement that has proven difficult to attain!

I came close in 2018, my age group debut was at the Gasparilla 15K in Florida. I was 23 seconds short of the late and great Norm Green’s record (still standing) and feel that if it had been 5 or 10 degrees cooler I could have broken through.

A few weeks later later I just missed the Green’s record by a few seconds. Had I lined up a bit further at the start and kicked just a tiny bit harder it’s one that I could have held for four years (since broken). A few months after that I unofficially broke the existing 1 mile road record by a few seconds. However, even though this was at a championship event there was a timing glitch and the time was never ratified.

Bummer for me.

Into the new age group, the bar became actually higher at most distances. As a couple of very strong runners swept past the old marks by minutes, not seconds, in 2021 and 2022. In fact, the times they posted would be among the best ever for the 60-64 age group prior to 2021. There are now just a few remaining road marks that were still within my reach, one being the 25K road race.

Rather than running at World Masters in Poland, I prioritized the home USATF Grand Prix masters races (5K, 10 mile, and half marathon) this year, but also made the Amway River Bank Run 25K as a major event to peak for this spring. Being the last on plate I could do a proper taper.

Spring Training

I have already written up some on my spring training, and it was a mix of mostly running (about 50 miles per week on average, with a high of 64 in April), supplemented with 2-3 hours a week of xc skiing through March and about another hour or so each week on the spin bike. Per usual my weeks include a couple recover days, tempo training (20-45 minutes), some 10K/CV work, and just a little at 5K or under. And of course weekly long runs (usually 13-17 miles).

Had no issues with injury or illness during the winter/spring block and was able to maintain a very consistent training schedule. My races went really well (18:24 for 5K, 1:01 for 10 mile and 1:24 at that half on a hilly course on warm, almost hot, day. I felt that Alex Ratelle’s 32 year old mark of 1:01:39 was well within reach, depending on the day I had and the weather.

Travel

I like to arrive two days ahead when we go to Eastern time and we had an evening flight. I think next time I’ll plan to leave earlier in the day. After some delays we didn’t arrive to Grand Rapids until after midnight, a couple hours late and didn’t get to the hotel until 1 AM. So I was off and quite tired on Friday. Did a short shakeout run along part of the course and drove the other sections, while taking a side trip to the sand dunes along Lake Michigan.

Race Day

The goal was to run under 6:32 per mile pace to run under Ratelle’s record. I had emailed the race director beforehand and they were kind enough to provide me with an elite corral start position so I could get off the line quickly. That was an unexpected bonus.

At the start I sprinted out for about 100 m so as not to get trampled by the faster non-elite runners lined up behind me, and got swallowed up by a few waves of them over the first mile (6:27).

Was getting into a rhythm, but at 1.4 I passed a guy and few strides later he clipped my heel and I went tumbling down and hit hard on my right hip and elbow. I swore up a storm, and a couple guys other actually stopped to see if I was okay, I sat on the ground for a second or two before getting up, my hip was sore and elbow was bleeding, and I was pretty shaken up.

One guys who had slowed down, started talking and said he was doing the run as a progression and he’d run my pace for the first 5 or 6 miles. His name was Jack and he was a college runner for a team in the state. That was so nice. So we clipped along at about 6:30 pace and kept up a conversation, and soon I forgot about my hip and elbow as we talked about training and such. That probably made my race, and I am really grateful.

5K split was about 20:15, and Jack took off at his own pace after about 5 miles. My 10K split was 40:20. The pace didn’t vary much, as most of my mile splits for the day (13 of the 15) were between 6:26 and 6:32 pace. After half way I got into a good group of four or five runners, including the third non-elite woman. Although I didn’t get into the low 6:20s groove I had hoped for, I was able to run within myself and to keep pushing at an effort I could sustain. 15K was 1:00:30 or so (+/-10) and 10 miles in 1:04:50.

After about 10 or 11 miles the rain kicked up, making the roads a little slick (I had heard these shoes are a little slippery on wet pavement so I made sure I didn’t step on the crossing lines or delineators). I crossed the half in just under 1:25 and by then the pack had increased in size to maybe six or eight runners so I picked up the effort and pace. I didn’t want to tuck into a group more and wanted to keep running 6:30 pace or faster to ensure that record. Things got a little fuzzy in the stretch, with a lot turns a few gradual hills as we got into the downtown area. I kept pressing. The 15th mile was the toughest of the day with the hills. The wind also picked up and it kept raining. That was a 6:38, my slowest of the day.

It looked like I had about 4 minutes with 0.56 to go, and I tried to pick it up using 10K form, picking my knees up a little and driving through. But my calves would have none of that, and I got a string of spasms in my right leg. So instead of 10K mode I went into survival, with short choppy strides but higher tempo. As soon as I tried a normal stride I’d get another cramp. Took the last few turns and I thought it’d be harrowingly close! I kicked it in over the final block, the best I could.

I don’t know if the clock was off by a minute or my brain wasn’t functional (probably the latter), but I thought I saw 1:41:20 with just bit to go, and 1:41:41 as I crossed. I felt a bit crestfallen, that I had seemed to have just missed the record by seconds. However, I knew I had expended all I could for this day and was happy of the effort.

Aftermath

After getting patched up at the med tent, we walked (slowly) back to our hotel across the river. I scanned my bib QR code for the preliminary official result, and lo! I officially recorded 1:40:41, nearly a minute under the existing record.

I submitted the paper work the other week, and the race committee returned it within 10 days, so not it has been officially submitted and the record now stands as “pending.”