OK, I did it. I signed up for Grandfather Mountain Marathon. Here is the link:
http://www.hopeformarrow.org/gmminfo.htm[/URL" target="_blank">

I'm going to slingshot my training for Umstead Marathon into training for Grandfather. Anyone else going to run Grandfather?

Bob

I'm doing Buffalo over Memorial Day, so I'll be at Umstead on the weekends.

Grandfather Mountain? Are you crazy? I heard that's a hilly one.

And finally, yes, we're really big dorks. But we're OK with it, and that's the important thing, right?

P.S. Congrats on completing your marathon! And it sounds like it couldn't have been too bad, or you wouldn't be planning the next one.

I've heard some very positive things about the FIRST program, Bob. They've gotten a lot more folks on the bandwagon after the program appeared in RW a few months back. In fact, the new issue has a FIRST half marathon plan, if anyone is interested - same basic 3 key run principle.

I'm with Amy on the yikes factor of running Grandfather. Bet it's a scenic one if you aren't too focused on time, though.

whats up Raleigh, i've lived here since '92, ran XC at Leesville in north Raleigh and now go to NC State and just ran my first marathon, the Thunder Road Marathon in Charlotte, in December which qualified me for the boston marathon in April.

So I was wondering if there was anyone out there who has run boston and could recommend a route here that would simulate the types of hills i'm gonna see in April??

Since the school year started in August, I've been running exclusively at lake johnson due to proximity and the few hills it has, but it is starting to get a little boring.

Roadrunner83, congratulations on Boston. Our hills in many spots around the triangle are worse than Boston. I would recommend doing some training on the bridle trails in Umstead State Park, but I would also do some on the pavement to get use to the pace. The training in Umstead would have tougher hills and a slower pace due to the softer surface.

Bob

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There will come a point in the race, when you alone will need to decide. You will need to make a choice. Do you really want it? You will need to decide."
Rolf Arands
My User Profile[/URL" target="_blank">

Roadrunner83, try North Turkey Creek Trail in Umstead. Run this near the end of your long run and you can run through anything.

Bob

BCBS will accept your claim, but down rate the payment to $15 saying that this is a normal and customary charge.

Last 20 mile run last Saturday--very nice morning before the weather went bad. I found second half of the run pretty tough. I was in way too much pain. I'm a little worried about how my marathon March 11th will go, but I'm pretty confident I will do well. My new goal is to beat 4:20--twenty-one minutes faster than last year.

Dealing with a stomach issue right now, so I hope to be in good health here soon.

Bob

Bit, welcome. Well I do most of my running on bridle trails in Umstead and the American Tobacco Trail (very flat trail). I have done some research on how much Umstead effects my pace compared to a flat trail or a road surface. For me Umstead slows me down my about one minute per mile in a marathon compared to running a race on a road with mild hills. I have found that the faster runners have less detriment to their pace-- 3:00-3:30 runners seem to have a 15-30 second slower pace (I did this my looking up races other runners did on the road and what they did in the 2004 Umstead Marathon).

Much will depend on your training, your health and weight. I have improved since my last marathon in Umstead. I did 4:40 in the Umstead Marathon last year (I did 4:25 with a cold on November 2004 Richmond marathon). My goal for this Umstead 2006 is 4:20--so I think I could break four hours in Richmond if I ran it this year.

Umstead is a very tough course. If you go out too fast, you will have some slow guy like me pass you at mile 17-22 saying something like keep up the pace, and you don't want that.

Bob

P.S. I suggest running the 3.15 miles of hiking trails shown on the course map before the race so you can be better prepared for pacing. These hiking trails are tough and since they are done at the beginning, they could have you use too much energy getting through them.
http://www.carolinagodiva.org/umsteadmarathon/umstead2006map.jpg[/URL" target="_blank">

------------------
There will come a point in the race, when you alone will need to decide. You will need to make a choice. Do you really want it? You will need to decide."
Rolf Arands
My User Profile[/URL" target="_blank">

http://This message has been edited by RunBobaluRun (edited Feb-23-2006).