General Discussion Race Reports! » Lake Arrowhead Loop the Lake 15K Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply

Lake Arrowhead Loop the Lake 15K - Run15k


View Member's Race Log
Lake Arrowhead, CA
United States
60F / 16C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 17m 12s
Overall Rank = 32/144
Age Group = M 35-39
Age Group Rank = 6/12
Pre-race routine:

Up at 5:00. Coffee and toast. One and a half hours in the car with the new Roots CD thumping most of the way. Great sunrise, with a beautiful look down through the clouds blanketing San Bernardino.
Event warmup:

Chilly (49 F) on arrival. Quick line for packet pick-up and then a good fifteen minute stretching routine. Ditched my sweatshirt with ten minutes to go and hit the bathroom before lining up for the start.
Run
  • 1h 17m 17s
  • 15 kms
  • 05m 09s  min/km
Comments:

A smart run for me with building speed on the second half. The key was a slow, controlled start. I vowed not to do anything stupid in the first 5 miles, and kept true to my pledge. Struggling on the run at the LA Tri two weeks ago chastened me, I guess. My mantra throughout today's event was simple: "Don't end up walking this thing." That worked. I started passing folks on the hills after four miles. Nothing really flat, but a few downhill sections allowed for recovery. Kept sliding by more folks on the steeper climbs at a steady, consistent clip that started to feel pretty good on the back half. At one hour in I was feeling strong and felt I had a good shot at breaking 1:20. Better than I knew, it turns out. With no mile markers on the course, I was going on "feel." The finish snuck up on me sooner than I expected. Passed two more in the last half mile, and made a good charge for the tape. Nice long, strides with good cadence all the way through. Passed by ZERO runners.
What would you do differently?:

Could probably have given a bit more in the last two miles, but I wasn't sure how far I had to go. All in all, though, no complaints. Very comfortable, very "life affirming" run. Minimal suffering, even on the HILL THAT WOULD NOT END halfway through.
Post race
Warm down:

Streched for a few minutes and drank a bottle of water. Reg fees for this race included a free pancake breakfast! Short stack with coffee while waiting for results to post. Nice drive back down the mountain.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I was determined not to overdo it in the mountains. Had hypoxia flashbacks to a few hikes in the Rockies this summer. A wee bit paranoid, it turns out. I had more to give at the end, though finishing without major pain is a nice way to race, too. All said and done, I'm pleased that I kept the focuse on enjoyment rather than speed. Still managed to beat my target time in the end.

Event comments:

Enjoyed the pancakes, but 15K with no mile markers is a drag.




Last updated: 2006-09-23 12:00 AM
Running
01:17:17 | 15 kms | 05m 09s  min/km
Age Group: 6/12
Overall: 31/144
Performance: Good
Course: HILLS. Lots of 'em. And thin air. 5000 feet elevation. The 15K course loops Lake Arrowhead. For those who know the road, it's nothing but up and down. Long climbs and steep descents. Makes for a technical and fun bike course in August when they host the Lake Arrowhead Sprint Tri. A good challenge for any runner.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
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: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

{postbutton}
2006-09-23 8:15 PM

User image

Expert
660
5001002525
Central New York
Subject: Lake Arrowhead Loop the Lake 15K
General Discussion-> Race Reports!
{postbutton}
General Discussion Race Reports! » Lake Arrowhead Loop the Lake 15K Rss Feed