Summerfest Rock 'n Sole Half Marathon - Run


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Milwaukee, Wisconsin
United States
Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.
70F / 21C
Precipitation
 		Total Time = 1h 58m 55s
Overall Rank = 1336/3590
Age Group = M 40 - 44
Age Group Rank = 97/173
Pre-race routine:

It began with checking the radar. I woke up to a pouring rain so I was concerned the race may be a long wet slog. The radar showed patches of light rain with the possibility of thunderstorms, so I applied extra Body Glide, put Band-Aids over the nips (for the first time ever) and grabbed my rain jacket. There was no telling what conditions the race would bring.
Event warmup:

My warm-up consisted of standing under a tree trying to remain dry. I got in a little light stretching but no running. Still, I felt ready.
Run
  • 1h 58m 55s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 09m 05s  min/mile
Comments:

First, I'll get my whining out of the way. This course is long... by .12 miles, according to my Garmin. The mile markers check out for the first third of the race, then they get progressively longer to the end. It's kind of demoralizing when you're trying to hit marks along the way to meet a goal time.

OK, enough bitching. I really like this course but the Hoan Bridge just kills me. It's not that hard to climb (though it is looooong), but it comes right at the beginning of the race and it gets my heartrate up for so long that I can never recover it. I don't think I run it too hard, it's just that it takes effort to drag 190 pounds up an incline for so long two ways. No matter how much I focus on trying to keep my HR low so I can ramp up my effort for the second half of the race, it just doesn't happen and I don't think it's possible unless I want to lose significant weight.

Other than that, the course is really nice and it's really a well-run event. I'm so glad I gave this race another shot after that brutal first year.

It rained lightly throughout the race but it never played a significant factor beyond cooling me off a bit. Wearing a rain jacket, I did heat up quite a bit on the Hoan section, so I ditched the jacket at the Art Museum, where I saw others also shedding their jackets. Over all, it turned out to be a great day to run.

What would you do differently?:

I'm not sure there's any way I can handle that opening bridge portion any better and still stay on pace for my goal time. For me, that bridge sectiuon is the whole key to the race. i'm just not sure there's an answer beyond losing weight/mass.
Post race
Warm down:

I don't warm down. I collapse.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

190 pounds of ass. Did I say "ass"? I meant mass.

Event comments:

I would recommend this race to everyone. It's really a top-notch event.




Last updated: 2013-05-17 12:00 AM
Running
01:58:55 | 13.1 miles | 09m 05s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/173
Overall: 0/3590
Performance: Good
Course: The same overly long course as always... over the Hoan Bridge and back, then along the lakefront to the brutal Lafayette Hill climb, then through Lake Park up to UWM and back along the lakeside path out onto the Island and around the Marcus Center to the finish.
Keeping cool Average Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5