Friday's run lasted exactly 60 minutes. I once again wasn't able to determine exactly mileage, but based on my pace I would estimate between 6.5 and 7.
My mileage total for this week is a little lower than I would have liked. This is a product of my schedule being extremely busy as well as my running THE BEAR road race in Linville, North Carolina.
Okay, so let's talk about The Bear.
On Monday night, I went out for a few beers at a local Pizza joint called "The Mellow Mushroom" in Boone, right off the ASU campus. Among the six of us that went was a 57 year old man named Franklin. Franklin, a native of Kentucky, was among one of the most pleasant people I've ever met. A very funny and very happy guy. Many weeks ago, the fine folks running this NEH workshop here in Boone sent all of the participants a packet of information. Included in this packet was a list of local events that would be going on during our week here. One of these events was "The Bear 5 mile road race." Franklin is a runner ... I would describe him as more than a casual runner, but not an extremely serious runner. He thought it would be a good idea to sign up for a five miler. Sounds good to me.
When we got to North Carolina, one of our first "field trips" was to the top of Grandfather Mountain. Grandfather Mountain is a local tourist destination. Located a little ways off the Blue Ridge Parkway, it is a mountain with an auto road to the top. Though the road itself is much shorter, I would equate steepness of this road to the auto road that goes to the top of Mount Washington.
Poor Franklin was terrified when he realized that this five miler was actually a road race that ran UP this road to the TOP of this mountain. When he realized that I was a runner, he attempted to persuade me to join him. Basically, he said that he wanted someone to be there to call his wife in case he died.
At first I resisted the idea. After all, a race such as this was not a part of my training program. However, after three beers, it started to sound like more and more fun, and so I decided I would sign up and do it with him.
The race itself:
The race itself started on a major road in the town of Linville. Though we quickly turned off onto a gravel path, I would characterize the first 3 miles as a consistent, steady uphill that was maneagable. Certainly it was much more difficult than flat ground, but I was doing well and I felt good. After two and a half miles we emerged from the gravel path onto a field, our only brief respite from the 5 mile uphill. After choking through the smoke of all the spectators grilling and turning down offers of ice cold beer, the course darted onto the actual mountain auto road. I've come to learn that the last two miles of this race ascends a total elevation of 1000 feet. And it felt like it. I cannot describe the disheartening feeling of rounding a bend and seeing what looks quite literally like a cliff with a road plastered to the side of it (Interesting side note, one of the switchbacks on this road was famously portrayed in the movie "Forrest Gump").
The last two miles were hell on earth, and I don't even want to mention the difference between the pace I went for the first three miles and the last two miles. I will say that I finished the race in 52 minutes, which is a time I was happy with.
Oh, and my buddy Franklin staggered up the hill and across the line in 61 minutes. Impressive.
Finishing this climb left me with a huge sense of accomplishment, and we became celebrities to the rest of our workshop participants, most of whom were overweight women who probably hadn't exercised in at least twenty years.
Onward with my training!
No comments:
Post a Comment