Author: MsThorns

Race for the Arts 5K Run/Walk – 1st Annual

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54 degrees and cloudy,  a perfect day for the inaugural of the Race for The Arts 5K Run/Walk benefiting the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts and Community Center in Decatur, Georgia. The Center sponsors many events from stage plays, musical performances, dance and programs specifically directed towards youth and seniors.  I’ve attended several events there over the last few years and have always been pleased with the programming, facilities and event staff.
 
The Scene
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I arrived at about 7:30 AM for an 8:00 AM start which was perfect for this race.   Upon arrival at the registration area, I was greeted by cheerful volunteers and a DJ who was rocking Justin Timberlake’s Suit and Tie.  Runners and walkers in the registration area mingled, met up with friends, and teammates and of danced to the music.  Shortly before the 8:00 AM start time race participants were rounded up to hear remarks from the Center’s Executive Director David Manuel and Dekalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, whose district the Center resides in. After remarks we had  great warm-up leader by dancer/choreographer Stepp Stewart, who had great energy and got the crowd pumped up. Following the warm-up we queued up in the start chute, got the signal and hit the road.

 
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The Course
The course was an out and back with some long hills.  From the parking lot, we made a right, proceeded downhill on Rainbow Dr with an immediate uphill and made a right onto Columbia Dr.  The course crossed over I-285, passed Exchange Park, with a turnaround (from my guess) near Springside Run.  The good and the bad about an out and back is that you know what to expect, which in this case was the long up and downhills.  The same ones we just ran, we had to run them again on the way back.  My team was spread out along the course and I ended up running with a lady in an orange shirt.  I didn’t get her name but she was a great pacer and helped me to likely my fastest 5K time ever.
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The Finish and After Party
There were 3 individuals responsible for time and placement.  One running the clock and two determining the finishing place by race number.  All finishers received a shirt, assorted fruit and water and all the typical goodie bag stuff you get these races.  The Diabetes Association was one of the vendors on site and was conducting glucose testing, which is really cool.  Of course there was more partying and an award ceremony.
 
Overall
For an inaugural event the Race for the Arts was a success. The event was organized, started in a timely manner, the event volunteers were cheerful and helpful and the warm-up was probably one of the most fun I’ve ever done. It was announced that there would be another Race for the Arts in the fall and I’d definitely recommend it for those who want a bit of a challenge at a shorter distance.  In terms of improvements I only saw two things that could be tightened up: 1)the course – I saw two cars drive through as the race was taking place, which could be remedied with cones, additional officers and or volunteers and; 2) the finish – additional volunteers or one volunteer with a megaphone may be needed to direct people through the finish line chute, to make sure their placement and time is accurate.  With these small adjustments, this could be a top notch event in the area.
 
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Until next time, see you on the trail.
 
For more information about the Center, please visit their website.
 
 

The Turtle

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In the 1970s public school children were subjected to something called the presidential physical fitness test. It was a test mostly of strength.  What I remember of the test were three events “the hang” in which you hung from a chin up bar and were timed (for girls), pull-ups for boys, a timed sit up test and a 50 yard dash.  During my final year of elementary school a one mile run was added to the tests.  It was in this mile back in sixth grade, in which the turtle was born. I don’t remember the time exactly but know that I completed that mile in around 12 minutes.

We had to do timed miles again in high school P.E., I didn’t get any faster I continued that 12 minute pace.  When I started running with my dad to maintain my girlish figure, he never timed me.  He was too busy lapping me and it was fine.  Years after, following undergrad and grad school I always timed how long I ran but never did any calculations on minutes per mile because I really didn’t care about it.  I KNEW I was slow.  I just dug the rush and the scenery on the outdoor runs.  Then a funny thing happened.

After moving to Atlanta and continuing to run I decided to enter my first race in 1995. I’m pretty sure I’ve spoken of it here before but as a refresher, the race was the Peachtree Road Race a 10K slog from Buckhhead that ends at Piedmont Park.  When training for this race, time became important.  I did all the recommended training, long runs, hill repeats, intervals on the track.  I was properly geared up as well, but my time still averaged to around 12 minutes per mile for that first race.  The second one was just under 12 and I’ve run many more races between the 5K and 10K distances since then with a few sub 12 but the majority 12 minute miles or slower, sometimes much slower because by 2004 I was walking.

After a four year hiatus I returned to running in 2008. In the last two years I reached turtle-form clocking in the 12s again.  Having come back from a complete stoppage to where I am now gave me the crazy idea that maybe I could get faster.  I started increasing my training, changing my diet and beating on myself for every 12+ minute mile clocked of which the majority of them are.  Then it hit me.  It’s time to OWN THE TURTLE.  At the age of 46 the chances of me getting faster are NONE. My time is true to my genetics.  I’m not a flyweight and when I was I still wasn’t fast.  Fretting over time began to take away from why I really run now and that’s to ease my mind.

Sure fitness is important, especially at my age and with the health challenges that I already have. Yet the biggest thing I get from running is peace of mind.  The mind that is fuzzy at the beginning of a run, is at peace by the end and that is more important to me at this point of my life than anything else.

Until next time see you on the trail, be sure to wave when you pass me 🙂
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Run The Reagan 2013

My first Run the Reagan was going to be cold. A good thing for runners especially old broads prone to hot flashes at any moment.  Standing and  waiting to start the race is really the only hard part about cold weather racing.  Race volunteers however helped us stay warm by encouraging us to dance to the music. In fact upon arrival, runners and the emcee were doing The Wobble.image

About the Race(s)
There were four races for Run The Reagan, a half Marathon, 10k, 5k and 1 mile fun run.  Here’s how the 10k went down.

Start

As we waited to start a strong wind gust took down the start line sign-age,  bringing audible gasps and laughs from the crowd. Adept and ready volunteers were right on the spot, getting the sign-age back up promptly without interfering with the start time.  At 9:15 am, 15 minutes after the half Marathon, we took off.

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The Course
All four races were out and back with the 10k turnaround at Five Forks Trickum. Reagan Parkway isn’t really steep but on foot the ascents are a long drawn out affair. In spite of that miles 1 through 3 were nice and fairly brisk. Mile 4 marked the end of nice.  In fact, mile 4 to 5 was one long slog uphill. I lost a couple of my pacers in that stretch and was praising God Almighty once I got to the top. The remaining mile or so was mercifully flat with a downhill finish. My friend who was running the 5k cheered me across the finish line which was really cool 🙂

Final Impressions
Run the Reagan is a well oiled machine. The location is great and the course is challenging without being killer.  The time of year is favorable for PRs and the volunteer staff, especially the young folks, were energetic, knowledgeable and efficient. As such, I highly recommend this race as good start to your outdoor running season here in the metro.

For more information on Run the Reagan please visit their website. For more of my photos see this Google+ album.

Until next time, see you on the trail!

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Avoiding Shinpocalpyse

The last two posts here were reviews of Peachtree Ridge Park and Rock Springs Park.  Both of which were quite an experience, both of which had some hills.  Peachtree Ridge had fewer hills but those hills were very steep.  I ran Peachtree Ridge on a Saturday and two days later (Monday) I ran Rock Springs which is very hilly throughout the trail.  Later in the afternoon following the Rock Springs fun I noticed some pain in the front of my lower legs.  Though it had been at least 15 years maybe more, I felt the pain of shin splints coming on.
 
What are shin splints?
According to Webmd.com: 
Shin splints aren’t really a single medical condition. Instead, they’re just a symptom of an underlying problem. They might be caused by:
 
  • Irritated and swollen muscles, often caused by overuse
  • Stress fractures, which are tiny, hairline breaks in the lower leg bones
  • Overpronation or ”flat feet” — when the impact of a step causes the arch of your foot to collapse, stretching the muscles and tendons
For my case the condition was a result of overuse and flat feet.  Though this bout was really just the onset, considering my age I didn’t want to take any chances by continuing to run and felt it best to also see my doctor.  The doctor did concur with my self diagnosis and suggested ice, rest and anti-inflammatory medication.  One of the trainers at the gym suggested an exercise to stretch the muscles surrounding the shin bone.  I opted for a combination, continuing my exercise regimen substituting a stationary bike for cardio and including more stretching every day.  I took the anti-inflammatories for a couple of days and skipped the ice (I loathe using ice and only do it when pain and swelling is significant).  There was no running whatsoever for eight days (it sucked but it as necessary). The running return took place at Camp Creek Greenway, which is a flat fast trail and that run as good.  However following the run I examined my shoes and knew that they they were toast and were no good for this flat-footed runner.


I haven’t been inside of an actual running store in forever, but this time wanted to get the fit right and get my running mechanics checked.  The associate at Fleet Feet Sports in Decatur measured my feet in a neutral shoe and had me run on a treadmill and outside.  His diagnosis, mild over-pronation that could be addressed with a stability shoe (which I had been wearing already, again though, they were toast) .  I was thanking God almighty for this recommendation because motion control shoes, which are usually recommended for flat-footed runners are the most uncomfortable shoes (in my opinion of course) on earth.

Having run in Nike, Saucony, Asics, Brooks, Adidas and for the last several years New Balance, I ended up with these:


I broke them in with 5 miles at Bethesda Park on Saturday and they were fantastic.  Also keeping in mind my form, I allowed the hill to carry me down instead of “putting on brakes”  I recall specifically at Peachtree Ridge “braking hard” and letting my feet pound on the pavement, which was especially jarring to my legs and my lower back.  I found a great post on active.com that addresses form for downhill running.  A web search will provide video demos for downhill running form as well.


What I Learned
Ego is a dangerous thing at times and it can lead to all sorts of problems, in this case injury.  The most important thing when it comes to any sort of physical exercise or even going about your daily existence is to listen to the body and give it what it needs. If you’re experiencing chronic pain or a brand new pain, go see your doctor and get a referral if you need to so that you can get on the road to recovery as soon as possible.


Until next time, see you on the road.

Takes Your Breath Away, Rock Springs Park

After the running FAIL at Peachtree Ridge Park, I didn’t rest until I had an opportunity to try another park.  The destination this time, Rock Springs Park in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

The Park
Per the Gwinnett Parks and Recreation website, Rock Springs Park features the following: 113 acres, football field with lighted walking track, six lighted tennis courts, playground, pavilion, restrooms, 2-mile paved, multi-purpose trail and grill.
One thing of note that I’ve not seen at other parks is that there is a recycling bin in the lot near the pavilion and playground for bottles and cans, which is fantastic and I hope will get implemented in other county parks.

The Trail
Before heading down into the the trail I stopped a couple of ladies and asked them how hard the trail was. Here’s the conversation:

Lady 1: “oh you’ll love it it’s beautiful.” 
Lady 2: “no you didn’t hear her, she said how hard is it?”
Lady 1: “are you walking or running?”
Me: “running”
Lady 1: “oh it’s pretty hard then there are some hills”
Lady 2: “it may be okay for you just hard for somebody who hasn’t worked out in a while”

Lady 2 proceeded to ask me if I wanted to leave a number just in case I had problems. I told her, no thank since my shoe is tagged with emergency information.  I should have known after this conversation that this run would challenging, but the hard-headed runner had a score to settle.  I wasn’t about to let another trail beat me.

So I did my warm up (always a quarter mile walk) and headed straight uphill. Upon reaching the top I ran out of trail but ended up by the football field. Heading back was only a brief respite as the steepness going up meant I would be “putting on brakes” on the way down.  Continuing on the downhill to my original starting point and beyond, was more of a downhill, back towards some water.  There was plenty to view on the trail but not enough to make me forget about how hard it was.  After few rough downhills it was time to make the ascent out. I don’t remember any normal breathing at all during the entire run which ended up at 3.25 miles.  The website indicates the trail is 2 miles, it’s actually 2.25 starting from the football field entrance.

Impressions
Rock Springs Park is a great place for four things, children’s play (they have a really nice playground), tennis, football and of course the trail.  Though this trail is really challenging, it’s a good test of fitness, that I’d recommend in anyone’s running or walking program.  However to prevent entry I wouldn’t recommend it more than once a week.
 

Fore more information on Rock Springs Park or other parks in Gwinnett County Georgia, please be sure to visit the Parks and Recreation website.
Until next time see you on the trail.

It’s Not You Peachtree Ridge Park, It’s Me

With a week that was packed to the gills with stuff, I decided that a change of scenery would be good for the Saturday outdoor run.  Having checked the Gwinnett Parks website, Peachtree Ridge Park in Suwanee, Georgia looked to be a prime candidate for this week’s run.
The Backstory
I had a number of annoyances occur on Friday during the day job and a few more after leaving job two last night.  Once I finally made it to bed, there was no real sleep, just moments of sleep in between some very bizarre dreams.  By the time morning came I was relieved to see daylight and was looking forward to getting to the park.  Getting there was quick an easy, traffic was on my side.  It was cool out with a bit of dew on the grass, another plus. I thought, this is going to be a good one.
The Park
Peachtree Ridge Park has most of the standard features of the larger parks I’ve been to in Gwinnett.  The parks website lists the following:
Amenities: ∙ 156 acres ∙ Handicap accessible ball field and playground for children with special needs ∙ Three baseball/softball fields ∙ Football field with lighted walking track ∙ Two soccer fields ∙ Outdoor basketball courts ∙ Playground ∙ Pavilion ∙ Restrooms ∙ 1-mile paved multi-purpose trail

On this morning run I managed to see it all, because I didn’t exactly follow the paved trail.
The Trail
The paved trail was clean (goose-poop or trash) only the first few fallen leaves of the season were on the ground.  I started at a pavilion next to a small playground and followed the curve towards what I thought was the back of the park.  What I noticed was how far out some of the brush hovered over the trail, it was clearly in need of some cutting back. I took a trail the left, which made a small loop into a nice wooded area in which there was a small covered picnic area, which was really cute.  During my second pass I saw a lady doing what looked to be Tai Chi with another lady and a dog that started yapping as I passed by (the dog was messing with my chi).  Following the small loop I made another left and immediately regretted it.  There was a steep downhill, on which I “put on brakes” to make sure I didn’t go to fast (yes even I’m fast on a downhill), which followed a manageable climb out.  The trail leads to the football field and the walking track which surrounds it, but it’s not really a track.  It’s a loop around the football field, paved and marked, like the trail.  There was a pee-wee game going on with cheerleaders and everything (didn’t know they had cheerleaders at the little bitty kids games).  As I wound my way through I was uncomfortable and it wasn’t just the brush or that hill, which I would have to climb on the way back.  There was something urgent pressing… my bladder.
I NEVER have to pee when I’m on a run.  Well not never but almost.  I’ve probably had to go twice in the last 15 years or so.  Well today was that day.  I made it around that football field.  Ran up that hill that scared me and going up it I’d say it was at least 45 degrees, I mean I was learning forward so far, I felt nearly horizontal.  Made it back around to the front near the car and high-tailed it to the restroom…
which was clean had toilet paper and soap, thank GOD! I resumed my run, this time running through a small tunnel instead of the loop and followed the trail, again to the left and a funny thing happened, the trail ended in a parking lot, followed by more parking lots.  This was fine because on this portion of the run I got to see a rabbit, the basketball courts, a large playground and the baseball and soccer fields.  I made a loop through the parking lots and headed back to the trail.  I said to myself, pick your feet up and watch the curb and I did , except all of my body went up.  I FELL.
My bracelet flew off and I landed on my tail facing the other direction.  A passerby asked if I was alright and handed me my bracelet.  I had a small cut scrape on my palm that was bleeding, but otherwise I was fine, a bit heated but fine.  I’d planned to run for a certain amount of time, but by then, my mind was made up to run back to the car.  I was out of there.  Stopping 20 minutes short of my scheduled time for today, I decided to cut my losses.
Impressions
Peachtree Ridge Park is a great park for families, as there are numerous fields, play areas and open stretches of land that are conducive to play.  The trail on the back side near the football field is a BEAST!  If you like challenging yourself on steep hills this is a great place to do it.  As for me, I’ve been there and done it.  I won’t be going back to this park, though it’s fairly close, the experience unfortunately soured me on it.
Until next time see you on the trail! (I promise to remain upright.)
For more information on Peachtree Ridge Park, please visit the Gwinnett County Parks website.

Dekalb Police Alliance Beat the Badge 5K 9/15/12

Not exactly crisp, but comfortable were the conditions for the Dekalb Police Alliance Beat the Badge 5K in Tucker Georgia on Saturday. Temperatures in the 60s were a welcome relief for this runner who struggles mightily with heat and humidity that can run well into September.  Even if it had been one a hot one, all participants were in good hands.  

The Participants
Sponsored by the Dekalb Police Alliance there was a good presence of public safety persons (police, fire and civilian) as well as a few current and former elected officials.  On the course there were lots of running pairs, moms and daughter, dads and daughter and fair amount of teens and tweens in the race.  What was atypical of this race was that there were not many of the “gung-ho running for a PR” racers, you know the ones who do all that running before during and after the race. These folks just were not there, which is suprising because the race is an official Peachtree Road Race qualifier.  In terms of sheer numbers, I’m not really sure how many persons participated in the race but I’d guess in the low hundreds, which is really ideal as there was no congestion in the race start and finish areas, nor were there there any issues exiting the parking areas.

The Course
The course started and ended on West Exchange Place in front of the Dekalb Police/Fire Rescue Headquarters.  The course wound past LA Fitness and turned left on Northlake Parkway, which meant the beginning was pretty much uphill.  Proceeding uphill and crossing over LaVista Road,  the course turned left onto the continuation of Northlake Parkway which was nice and flat.  Crossing I-285 the runners and walkers proceeded downhill to Henderson Mill, made a U-Turn at Henderson Mill and Northlake Parkway and headed back, hitting both the 1 and two mile marks behind Northlake Mall.  Making the climb from behind the mall back to the topside at Northlake Parkway and LaVista, it really was “downhill from here” as spectators and volunteers always tell you.  For an out and back course, this one was nice.  The hills were manageable and again, the mild temperatures, friendly officers and sprinkling of volunteers along the route made the running the course pleasurable.

The Scene
Centered at the Dekalb Police/Fire Rescue headquarters, there were plenty of shiny vehicles with flashing lights to view, which were interesting for both children and adults alike. Of particular note in front of the headquarters was a really beautiful 9/11 Memorial.  Both before and after the race many participants spent time viewing and photographing the memorial. Post race festivities included activities for children, sponsor booths to pick up additional goodies for your goodie bag and music.  The really big deal for me was that they had COLD water and sports drinks.  Many races I’ve participated in give you a bottled water straight from the case.  In GA in September, it’s still warm so that cold water was much appreciated.  There was also plenty of food for hungry finishers. 

The Dekalb Police Alliance Beat the Badge 5K is a perfect fall running event.  The size is comfortable, the course is just challenging enough and the race is family friendly.  If you’re looking for a good September race, that is convenient, smaller and fun, this is a good race to enter.

Until next time, see you on the trail.

Rhodes Jordan Park, A Little Something for Everyone

For the last few years, it’s been a tradition to go check out a new park following the Peachtree Road Race.  The purpose of which is two-fold, 1)finding a new spot to enjoy and to run in and 2)to exhale from Peachtree.  This year’s exhale took place at Gwinnett County’s Rhodes Jordan Park in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Features

Rhodes Jordan Park at 100 East Crogan Street is nestled in downtown Lawrenceville and is built around Lawrenceville City Lake.  At a large 162 acres, nearly any activity you’d like to enjoy can be accommodated there. The park features: a community recreation center, community room with catering kitchen, classrooms, dance/aerobics room, fishing lake, pavilions, playgrounds, seven baseball/softball fields, football field overlay, outdoor leisure play pool, double gym, tennis center with eight lighted courts, outdoor baseball court, outdoor horseshoe court (the first I’ve seen at any of the parks visited thus far in the county) and a 1.9-mile paved multi-purpose trail. 

Aesthetics

The beauty of the park is the lake and how everything is nestled around it. There is a an abundance of water fowl and in the early morning they pretty much have the run of the place, with their numbers decreasing as the morning heats up.  There are several boardwalks bordering and crossing over the lake as well as a secure railing on the low lying areas of the park.  There’s also a variety of wildflowers, and especially lovely to see, butterflies.  I visited the park in July and September and the visuals were spectacular in both cases, which is especially enjoyable while putting in the miles.  

The Trail

According to the park master plan there’s a network of trails totaling 3.8 miles.  What’s actually paved, connecting and usable is closer to the 1.9 miles listed on the website and it is a fairly easy 1.9.  Taking the paved areas around the lake, behind the picnic area and near the horseshoe courts, will give you a nice crossing loop with minimal hills.  The trail is not marked, which is fine.  Those who keep track of such things as mileage (which obsessive runners like me do) can just do a timed run and do the math to arrive at mileage.

The trail is mostly shaded with only small sections bordering the lake open and you’ll feel the heat, only momentarily. The trail is really enjoyable because there’s a lot to look at and keep your mind off of how long you plan to be there, the relative ease of it is also good, for any distance or type of run (repeats, tempo).  In fact yesterday I saw a young man doing hill repeats up a grassy hill to the trail.  With all the beauty there is one drawback of the trail at Rhodes Jordan Park and that is the poop.  Waterfowl, especially the gigantic geese (and there are several varieties) we have here make poop that’s as big as dog poop and it is everywhere on the loop directly surrounding the lake, so watch your step.

Rhodes Jordan Park is a park for everyone, there’s really no outdoor or indoor activity that one could not enjoy.  The easy, breezy trail is great for runners and walkers, and the park’s accessibility and aesthetic appeal make it great for days when you don’t want to do anything at all other than sit under a tree.  If you’re in Lawrenceville, take a little time to enjoy this spot right in the heart of the city.

Until next time, see you on the trail.

The end of the affair… with the Peachtree Road Race (maybe)

Greetings and salutations to every one on this very American Holiday.  As I have done for the last 14 of 17 years, I spent my morning running down Peachtree with a bunch of hotties.  My 14th Peachtree Road Race started off pretty well and ended, not so well (that may be relative though).


All the training and hydration was done, the best I’ve done since my return to Peachtree in 2008.  I slept well, I had none of the usual angst and in fact I was pretty chilled. I made my departure time, saw the remains of the full moon from the interstate and thought, oh this is going to be a good day.  Upon arrival at the Doraville Marta station, there was none of the usual jam of folks at the Breeze card machine.  Things were looking mighty fine at this point and once on the platform, I met some nice folks.


This couple (my assumption), was running their second Peachtree together.


This family whom I will call the New Balance family (they all wore New Balance running shoes), are multiple Peachtree veterans.

 
The wait for the train was not long, maybe 5 minutes and we were off.

At the next stop, Chamblee Station, we were packed in.



Then we arrived at Lenox, and that’s where things got a little bit funky.  The runners and walkers are routed up the side streets leading up to Peachtree Road. This year, was the same but my start wave was routed much further down then we had to back track to get to the wave (L in my case).  Once queued up I got my usual case of the bubble guts. Everything settled down once we hit the start line. 


The run was pretty good, mile one started at usual pace, mile 2 a bit faster.  Unlike last year every time there was a water station, I drank, not that warm water they serve but the Powerade that I was carrying with me (as I’m a sweaty diabetic runner).  Mile 3 I was feeling good my pace was good, enough for me to post a better time than last year.  Then just after the 3 mile mark, it hit me.  I started feeling dizzy.  I slowed down and then walked.  Caught my breath and got my bearings back.  I stopped, drank and walk after every mile thereafter and was not at all pleased.  Especially considering that the weather (though humid) was nowhere near as bad as last year because it was overcast during the time I was out there.  I ran about 5.5 of the 6.2 miles.


I did get the shirt.



I didn’t hang around and take any of those finisher photos this year, but I did manage to get this guy to take a photo of me.


I stopped at the medical tent for good measure.  I thought I could make it home fine but stopped anyway to get my blood sugar checked and it was SKY HIGH.  Honestly I think it was a meter problem.  I could eat cookies and cake all day and not hit 198, I’d just had labs done last week and had an A1C of 4.8 so this was really flukey to me.  When I got home, I was in the 70s. At any rate by the time I got home I had an additional problem, one that I felt approaching while in the medical tent.   

That didn’t keep me from eating though and getting my traditional post race nap.


Overall Peachtree is the same as it ever was, hot, crowded, but fun.  It’s unfortunate that I spent a half of it not feeling well, hence the title of this post. For two years in a row, I didn’t feel well, even after all the training and doing everything right (I did do something wrong yesterday, yeah that spinach salad).  I’m thinking at least right now, that this might be the end of me running in races of this size in the summertime.  The jury is out on this decision until March, that’s when registration for the 2013 race takes place.


If you ran in the Peachtree Road Race or another race for this 4th of July, let me know how you fared in the comments.


Until next time, see you on the trail.