race report: Frostbite 10 Mile



D

Donovan Rebbech

Guest
Conditions: 15 degrees, 49% humidity, 12mph

Conditions were fairly cold, typically only January races are this cold in NY. This was OK with me,
I went into the race expecting/hoping for a run in tough conditions. The main goals ... nothing
clearly defined. My recent race times predicted about a 6:24 pace, but I didn't fully believe I had
a chance at this.

Training: I'd been just base-building. Working on getting a steady 50mpw. My "speed work" for the
last several weeks has consisted only of strides. Just a couple of days ago, I had run a fairly
difficult 12 miles over the same area at a 7:30 pace. So I wasn't feeling all that well prepared.

So I decided to shoot for steady 6:30 splits at the start and ad-lib from there. Saw Global at the
start didn't recognise him because he had one of those balaclava things (haven't been robbing any
banks, have you ? ;-) and he gave me some gel-carrying tips -- suggested I put the gels inside my
glove. I did this and it actually worked well. Chatted with team mates for a while, to pass the time
in the cold.

So the horn went off. I noticed one of the club runners who is about 12 seconds per mile faster than
me was behind me after about 400m, so I dropped back behind him, and eventually, he surged ahead.
First mile which was a down-then-up came up after 6:33. I was pleased with this. Keeping a steady
rhythm, a hilly mile 2 came up in 6:32. Mile 3 had a big downhill, so I ran a 6:19. At the end of
mile 3, some of the runners were already sounding tired and dropping back. Ouch! Through mile 4,
which has a short but steep hill, I was passing several people -- but the marker came up in 6:41
inspite of this. Not sure if the marker was misplaced or if it was the course or what. Spurred on by
the slowness of mile 4, plus a downhill stretch, I picked up some more places for a 6:16.

Second half of the race came up. At this stage, my goal was to make a few places but do so without
wearing myself down-- still holding a 3-3-2 breathing pattern. This mile was the same as the hilly
second mile, and they were dropping like flies. Made several places, with a 6:38 split. THe next
downhill mile came in 6:14. At this stage, the runners ahead were more spread out, so I hit the gas
for 6:19 and 6:21 in 8 and 9. Another negative splitter kept me company, surged ahead, then dropped
behind me, took off at mile 9. Then another guy shot through, too fast for me to catch. I kept
trying to reel them in on the final mile, but they were a long way ahead, so I had to charge in. The
last guy I caught held on, so I went into top gear and as it turns out barely stayed ahead for a
6:05 final split. The end time was 1:04:03, AG% of 69.7, just off the earlier effort (69.8 I think)
in the 4 mile.

Time: 1:04:03 Splits: 6:33/6:32/6:19/6:41/6:16 / 6:38/6:14/6:19/6:21/6:05 Half splits: 32:23/31:40,
8.6 seconds per mile negative. AG%: 69.7 Place: 32 overall, 14th in age group Highlights: my running
club came third, so I won a little medal. First time I've won something at one of these races.

Thanks for reading, and happy running,
--
Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/
 
"Donovan Rebbechi" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Conditions: 15 degrees, 49% humidity, 12mph
>

<an excelent race report, snipped>

> Time: 1:04:03 Splits: 6:33/6:32/6:19/6:41/6:16 / 6:38/6:14/6:19/6:21/6:05 Half splits:
> 32:23/31:40, 8.6 seconds per mile negative. AG%: 69.7 Place: 32 overall, 14th in age group
> Highlights: my running club came third, so I won a little medal. First
time
> I've won something at one of these races.
>

Looks like you were able to average 6:24 a mile, which is exactly what you said you planned on
doing. Your last mile showed you were well prepared both mentally and in your training for a good
finish. Good running!

-Aaron TheYAM.net
 
Nicely run Donovan.

It looks like you've worked out your best race pacing and strategy.

What are your race-goals?

Any 1/2Marathons coming up?

Anthony.
 
In article <[email protected]>, Aaron wrote:
> "Donovan Rebbechi" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> Conditions: 15 degrees, 49% humidity, 12mph
>>
>
><an excelent race report, snipped>
>
>> Time: 1:04:03 Splits: 6:33/6:32/6:19/6:41/6:16 / 6:38/6:14/6:19/6:21/6:05 Half splits:
>> 32:23/31:40, 8.6 seconds per mile negative. AG%: 69.7 Place: 32 overall, 14th in age group
>> Highlights: my running club came third, so I won a little medal. First time I've won something at
>> one of these races.
>
> Looks like you were able to average 6:24 a mile, which is exactly what you said you planned
> on doing.

That was what the race predictor said I could do. It was more of a "wish" than a "plan" though. The
4 milers that predicted that time were "breakthrough" races. You know, these breakthroughs always
bring doubts. The first doubt is, "can I repeat this performance" ? And when that's put to rest, the
next one is, "will it carry through to other distances ?" So breaking through this sort of disbelief
barrier is very satisfying.

> Your last mile showed you were well prepared both mentally and in your training for a good finish.
> Good running!

Thanks. It wasn't always this way. After doing a very painful 5 miler in October via splits of
6:15/6:10/6:31/6:34/6:42, and watching everyone zoom past in the last mile, I swore to myself that I
would run more conservatively in future. Haven't run a positive splits race since then. A strong
finish on the last mile is mostly a matter of careful pacing early on. This will make you feel
stronger physically and mentally at the end of the race.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/
 
Tim Downie wrote:

> Donovan Rebbechi wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> Great run Donovan! Thanks for the report.
>
> I'm intrigued though, did you use your gel and if so, do you think it makes any differnce in a
> race of that distance?

Good question. If a person is falling apart, takes one and feels better then it clearly makes a
difference. If you just take it and there is only mental comfort how can you tell? FWIW and my view
in general, as long as they agree with you, take them. Even if they don't help specifically for the
race, it will help with recovery.

What are you planning to use in your upcoming 50k. Maybe a better question, what do they offer at
the aid stations. Is there a web page for this race? Now you get to address salt, sport drink, food,
real pace(all run or run/walk), etc. etc. For long races I don't like gels since most of them are
simple sugar plus sufficient water and prefer hard food or matodextrin(slower burning, less insulin
generating) premixed drinks.

--
Doug Freese "Caveat Lector" [email protected]
 
In article <[email protected]>, Tim Downie wrote:
> Donovan Rebbechi wrote:
>
><snip>
>
> Great run Donovan! Thanks for the report.
>
> I'm intrigued though, did you use your gel and if so, do you think it makes any differnce in a
> race of that distance?

I used one of the gel packs at about mile 3. I don't know whether it makes much of a difference in a
race this long -- it's only a 1 hour race (for me).

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/
 
In article <[email protected]>, Anthony wrote:
> Nicely run Donovan.
>
> It looks like you've worked out your best race pacing and strategy.
>
> What are your race-goals?

I want to be in shape for the upcoming "club points" races. The way I've worked out my schedule, I'm
aiming to peak for a half-marathon in May.

> Any 1/2Marathons coming up?

Next two road-races are a 4 miler on 2/23 and a half marathon on 3/8.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/
 
In article <[email protected]>, Doug Freese wrote:

> real pace(all run or run/walk), etc. etc. For long races I don't
> like gels since most of them are simple sugar plus sufficient water

The gels that I had were maltodextrin. One is "PowerGel", the other is "GU". Both have 20gm
maltodextrin.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/
 
Donovan Rebbechi wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, Doug Freese wrote:
>
>
>> real pace(all run or run/walk), etc. etc. For long races I don't
>> like gels since most of them are simple sugar plus sufficient water
>
>
> The gels that I had were maltodextrin. One is "PowerGel", the other is "GU". Both have 20gm
> maltodextrin.

That's not bad although Vin P-gell has 26 grams so 6 of it is fructose/dextrose/etc. I don't like
the fact that it has equal Na and K but for a short race it will not make a difference. As long at
it agrees with you.

--
Doug Freese "Caveat Lector" [email protected]
 
Donovan Rebbechi <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>> The gels that I had were maltodextrin. One is "PowerGel", the other is
> "GU". Both have 20gm maltodextrin.

Don't those get sticky on your dainty treadmill?