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Apple Hill Harvest Run - Run3.5 Mile


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Camino, California
United States
55F / 13C
Sunny
Total Time = 33m 50s
Overall Rank = 209/601
Age Group = 40-49
Age Group Rank = 23/48
Pre-race routine:

Dragged myself out of bed at about 5 am. "Apple Hill" is an area located in the Sierra Foothills east of Placerville in Placer county. Basically, its orchards, wineries, etc. - those type of yuppie 'fru-fru' places that's packed during harvest season with forty gadzillion cars. In other words, its the perfect environment for a yuppie like me. :p

Took a shower, and hopped in Gus and drove out to Shingle Springs, where I car pooled with my friend Nicole to the race site (which was already a madhouse by 7:30 am).
Event warmup:

Hung out with Nicole, who brought her 5 year old son and 3 year old daughter with us, and met another one of her friends - who is a transplanted Kiwi from the North Island of New Zealand. Nicole and I jogged about a 1/4 of a mile after the kids' races were over to warm over... and she is SUCH a run studette (she was one of the top female finishers at Eppie's Great Race in July) - even though she'd taken a few weeks off with a sore back caused by some surgery she'd had, she still considers a brisk 9:00ish jog an 'easy warm up', and, as I suspected after spending all season training at sea level in Sacramento, being at 3000' in hills was going to suck based on the warm-up. But that's OK (at least that's what I kept telling myself). I had no real big expectations as I'm not a short distance racer anyway - and I'd run 16 miles the day before so this was going to be 'recovery' if it was anything, but also a test of my fitness in a very different running environment than I'd ever raced in.
Run
  • 33m 50s
  • 3.5 miles
  • 09m 40s  min/mile
Comments:

Ok, let me qualify this. I'd run 16 the day before and I figured I would run this and let the body do what it wanted to do.

The start line was really, really tight... they had at least 500 people doing the 3.5 miler (there was also an 8.5 mile option) so the start was really slow... I'm sure I lost at minute at the beginning dodging people and trying to find room.

The first mile was pretty difficult, especially considering the entire course was above 3,000 feet and I'd been training at sea level all of this year - or close to it. This is my highest altitude race to date, and getting my breathing under control was the biggest challenge. My legs felt good the entire run, it was getting 0hhhhhhh Two into my lungs that was the issue when I'd step on the gas.

But man, I love running in hills. I drop people like bad dates. What was really cool about this run is I was dropping people going DOWNHILL as well. That's never really happened before. I just let gravity drag me down and I was actually resting on the downhills.

The other cool thing is my conditioning is MUCH, much better than it was in Jackson running on the two hilly courses they have in town - the UMC med campus and the Belhaven market loop. I felt better on this course even though it was far more difficult than either of those courses...

If I'd tried doing this kind of a run a year ago, I'd have ended up walking much of it. I did walk for about 20 seconds on the final 1/2 mile because my heart rate was zooming through the ceiling on the grade.

Oh, and only 3 strollers passed me and the guys that were pushing 'em looked like they were going to croak, rather than me looking like the one that was going to croak.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing really. I wasn't planning on racing this race until I found out about it mid-week, and the whole purpose was to keep a 'race-atmosphere' in mental focus for CIM.
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around, dripping sweat. Watched some finishers. Found my results, and went home.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Marathon training. If it seems worthwhile to blame that. :) I'm really better suited to race longer distances.

Event comments:

I enjoyed the race, the volunteers were great, course was tough. It made for a nice 'tune-up' and 'check on my fitness' race for CIM.




Last updated: 2007-10-31 12:00 AM
Running
00:33:50 | 03.5 miles | 09m 40s  min/mile
Age Group: 23/48
Overall: 209/601
Performance: Good
My heart was beating like a Slipknot concert most of the way. If you listen to Slipknot, you'll know what I'm saying. And if you don't listen to Slipknot, well, your taste in music probably just sucks. ;)
Course: Counterclockwise 3.5 mile loop starting and ending at Primus Vineyard. Oh, even better, sportsfans, the start goes UP a steep hill and makes a sharp left and then winds up a hill before it finally levels off about a mile or so in. Which means you're in great pain. But the downhills were awesome and there were more of them than I'd thought there'd be - at least until the last f'ing 1/2 mile, which is all uphill and painful.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Ok
Evaluation
Course challenge Too hard
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2007-11-04 3:42 PM

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2007-11-04 3:47 PM
in reply to: #1037387

Expert
878
500100100100252525
Tallahassee, FL
Subject: RE: Apple Hill Harvest Run
Nice job!  Got the slipknot reference, but don't like 'em, does that still mean my taste in music sucks?
2007-11-04 4:02 PM
in reply to: #1037387

Melon Presser
52116
50005000500050005000500050005000500050002000100
Subject: RE: Apple Hill Harvest Run

Nice. The report, I mean. There were three laugh-out-louds in there for me. I think "only 3 strollers" passed you was the best.

Oh, okay, nice run, too. No, not commensurate with your abilities, but it wasn't meant to be. Right now, you're a marathoner and this was spozed to be a training run, and it was a GRRRREAT training run! You did awesome and placed really well.

2007-11-04 4:41 PM
in reply to: #1037416

Champion
23360
5000500050005000200010001001001002525
Taser-World
Subject: RE: Apple Hill Harvest Run
I agree with Yanti, the 3 strollers part was good. Since i hadn't expected that, I went "Huh?" And reread it again. LOL

Um, I don't know Slipknot. Guess I'll have to listen to them before we decide whether my taste in music $ucks, or whether I just need to get off BT and get a life.

As for the race itself, well, it sounds like it accomplished what you wanted. And it was interesting to see the effects of the elevation. Of course, you could always move to Colorado. Imagine how great it would feel when you ran at sea level then.

Good run!
2007-11-04 4:59 PM
in reply to: #1037387

Subject: ...
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2007-11-04 5:02 PM
in reply to: #1037481

TinkerBeth
23096
500050005000500020001000252525
Liverpool, New York
Subject: RE: Apple Hill Harvest Run
spokes - 2007-11-04 4:59 PM

I should have hills and altitude for breakfast more often.

Capital Road Race posted the results... best AG finish in a run so far, and highest finish in a short run of this ever.

AG: 23/48

Overall: 209/601 

Awesome race  You Rock!



2007-11-04 5:28 PM
in reply to: #1037387

Expert
823
500100100100
Stafford, Ks
Subject: RE: Apple Hill Harvest Run
Great race! I Love Slipknot, used to be about the only thing I wanted to listen to. Sounds like you are becoming quite the runner.  Darn dude your bikes gotta be bummed.  You can get some quality time with them after the CIM, right? Awesome RR
2007-11-04 8:06 PM
in reply to: #1037387

Master
2429
200010010010010025
Falls Church, Virginia
Subject: RE: Apple Hill Harvest Run
Great race! I'm glad you had a good time, what with your pace booty and all that. Your running has improved so much this past year, its really incredible. Your marathon is going to rock.
2007-11-05 12:25 PM
in reply to: #1037395

Subject: ...
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2007-11-05 1:17 PM
in reply to: #1037387

Champion
5345
500010010010025
Carlsbad, California
Subject: RE: Apple Hill Harvest Run

Hey, for going into this race with no taper, no race specific training and a bunch of fatigue, your run puts you well into the Mid-Pack.

I don't care what anyone else says, Passing folks on the run, especially in the latter stages of a race when they are broken down and gassed from starting too fast, is just some of the most rewarding race running. (Racing a Worthy Opponent is more fun)

Sounds like an excellent time out there in the sticks.

CIM Baby

2007-11-05 9:29 PM
in reply to: #1037387

Pro
4292
20002000100100252525
Evanston,
Subject: RE: Apple Hill Harvest Run
Great job spokes!  "dropping people like bad dates" - snerK!


2007-11-06 8:57 AM
in reply to: #1037387

Master
1946
100050010010010010025
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Apple Hill Harvest Run
"my conditioning is much better..."..Y'know all around sounds like this race was a real positive,  Congrats!
2007-11-06 9:10 AM
in reply to: #1037387

Champion
6786
50001000500100100252525
Two seat rocket plane
Subject: RE: Apple Hill Harvest Run
Good job, good attitude.......just good
2007-11-06 6:22 PM
in reply to: #1037387

Champion
8903
500020001000500100100100100
Subject: RE: Apple Hill Harvest Run

Good job maintaining a positive outlook even when the stroller-pushers went by you.  Next time, you could try pushing a stroller yourself, that way you have it to fall back on as an excuse if your time doesn't measure up.  Put a doll in it and cover it with a blanket...who would ever know? 

 

2007-11-08 10:16 AM
in reply to: #1037387

Veteran
200
100100
Charleston, SC
Subject: RE: Apple Hill Harvest Run
i see you're still at it.  so, a little different geography out there near placerville than back in mississippi, eh?  i once went white water rafting there on all three forks of the american river, snow ski'ed around the area during a one year stay in vacaville back in 1994.  i really liked the area.  not as much as we did hawaii, but much better than here in louisville.  take care.
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