Dec 22, 2007 7:41 PM
Caesar Rodney half marathon, a race report.
I have often been told what a good, fun and well run race the Caesar Rodney half marathon is. Today I found out that yes, it is a good and well run race ? except for only having 8 port-o-pots for 1400+ runners ? but fun is a very relative thing. If it is not relative to you that you will be running up hill for oh, say, 2 to 2 and ½ miles after mile 5, then this was indeed a fun race. Click here to view the elevation profile: http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=3022[/URL" target="_blank">
I went into the race with one specific goal; to complete the entire course with zero stops and I accomplished this. However, along the way I learned a few things about myself. Number one: I am actually a pretty good hill runner ? on all of the uphill portions I was not passed once and I passed, I estimate, over 500 fellow runners. Number two: it really is a good thing to start at the back of the pack ? much more fun to be the passer than the passie. And number three: I do believe that, come October, I will be making a real effort to hit that coveted BQ time.
The day was perfect for racing, mid 40s, little wind and lots of sun to thaw us Oh-so-tired-of winter runners. My two fellow running club members and I were standing around talking and waiting for the start when we were interrupted by a very loud and startling cannon shot and we were off. One of our band of three was going to run actually had a goal time so we bid him adieu and settled into our 8+ mpm pace. The course would wind its way around Farley Stadium (double a, I think, baseball stadium), along the Brandywine river, through Wilmington, DE and eventually ? after about 5 miles - to the aforementioned hill sections.
We had settled into a nice consistent pace and were cruising along together until the first hill. On the upgrade I was almost forced off the road by some road hog who wanted the side of the road all to himself. So, I did what any red blooded runner would and surged cutting Mr. Hog off and leaving him struggling the rest of the way up the hill. Unfortunately, my encounter with Mr. Hog caused me to loose contact with my running buddy Stuart and I did not see him again until after the finish. In hind sight I wish I could thank Mr. Hog for the push to surge because I hit a pace and never altered it for the remainder of the hills. This was by no means an easy effort but something clicked and I hit a completely focused groove that did not falter until 2 blocks before the finish ? we will get to that in a bit.
I don?t want to give the impression that we were in the mountains ? this is after all Delaware not Colorado ? but the uphill portion of this race just went on and on until you started questioning your sanity in entering the race. I know, I know, I am the same knuckle head who had a blast butt-skiing through the frozen hills of the Ugly Mudder a few weeks back so sanity is not an issue here. All the way to the turn around I continued passing large groups of runners, wishing for the end of the climb and looking forward to the relative ease of the downhill return to Wilmington.
There it is, the turn around and now the legs can relax and the HR will slow and? OOPS, some fly weight (again, relative as I am pushing 180) bounces off me in her haste to make a turn and almost goes tumbling into the oncoming runners. She politely apologizes and I reply no harm no foul. She steadies herself and I go by her again on the uphill 100 yards down the road.
The really good thing about the out and back portion of this course is that once you have reached the out portion you have only about 3 miles to go back and most of that is downhill. I glide though mile 11 in 7:40 then mile 12 in 8:30 (a bit of uphill again) and mile 13 goes by in 7:23 (can you tell I want to get to the end) then there is the final turn. I really do not know why I continually run races designed by sadists ? unless I would be considered a masochist that is ? but this race director fits the bill. The final 4 or 5 ? I am too tired at this point to remember ? blocks leading to the finish are up a nice steep hill. I huff and I puff all the way to the top, cross the finish line ? in 1:45:15, under 8 mpm pace - and thank God that that is over with. Where do I sign up for next year?
A post script: this race has one excellent post race grub line with really good cookies, bagels, bananas, pears, and loads of pizza.
http://This message has been edited by goofyguy1958 (edited Mar-11-2007).
I went into the race with one specific goal; to complete the entire course with zero stops and I accomplished this. However, along the way I learned a few things about myself. Number one: I am actually a pretty good hill runner ? on all of the uphill portions I was not passed once and I passed, I estimate, over 500 fellow runners. Number two: it really is a good thing to start at the back of the pack ? much more fun to be the passer than the passie. And number three: I do believe that, come October, I will be making a real effort to hit that coveted BQ time.
The day was perfect for racing, mid 40s, little wind and lots of sun to thaw us Oh-so-tired-of winter runners. My two fellow running club members and I were standing around talking and waiting for the start when we were interrupted by a very loud and startling cannon shot and we were off. One of our band of three was going to run actually had a goal time so we bid him adieu and settled into our 8+ mpm pace. The course would wind its way around Farley Stadium (double a, I think, baseball stadium), along the Brandywine river, through Wilmington, DE and eventually ? after about 5 miles - to the aforementioned hill sections.
We had settled into a nice consistent pace and were cruising along together until the first hill. On the upgrade I was almost forced off the road by some road hog who wanted the side of the road all to himself. So, I did what any red blooded runner would and surged cutting Mr. Hog off and leaving him struggling the rest of the way up the hill. Unfortunately, my encounter with Mr. Hog caused me to loose contact with my running buddy Stuart and I did not see him again until after the finish. In hind sight I wish I could thank Mr. Hog for the push to surge because I hit a pace and never altered it for the remainder of the hills. This was by no means an easy effort but something clicked and I hit a completely focused groove that did not falter until 2 blocks before the finish ? we will get to that in a bit.
I don?t want to give the impression that we were in the mountains ? this is after all Delaware not Colorado ? but the uphill portion of this race just went on and on until you started questioning your sanity in entering the race. I know, I know, I am the same knuckle head who had a blast butt-skiing through the frozen hills of the Ugly Mudder a few weeks back so sanity is not an issue here. All the way to the turn around I continued passing large groups of runners, wishing for the end of the climb and looking forward to the relative ease of the downhill return to Wilmington.
There it is, the turn around and now the legs can relax and the HR will slow and? OOPS, some fly weight (again, relative as I am pushing 180) bounces off me in her haste to make a turn and almost goes tumbling into the oncoming runners. She politely apologizes and I reply no harm no foul. She steadies herself and I go by her again on the uphill 100 yards down the road.
The really good thing about the out and back portion of this course is that once you have reached the out portion you have only about 3 miles to go back and most of that is downhill. I glide though mile 11 in 7:40 then mile 12 in 8:30 (a bit of uphill again) and mile 13 goes by in 7:23 (can you tell I want to get to the end) then there is the final turn. I really do not know why I continually run races designed by sadists ? unless I would be considered a masochist that is ? but this race director fits the bill. The final 4 or 5 ? I am too tired at this point to remember ? blocks leading to the finish are up a nice steep hill. I huff and I puff all the way to the top, cross the finish line ? in 1:45:15, under 8 mpm pace - and thank God that that is over with. Where do I sign up for next year?
A post script: this race has one excellent post race grub line with really good cookies, bagels, bananas, pears, and loads of pizza.
http://This message has been edited by goofyguy1958 (edited Mar-11-2007).
