Tag Archives: Running

March 24, 2014 · 6:22 am

Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh Half Marathon Training Update #2

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Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh Medal
(photo courtesy competitor.com)

Update – March 24, 2014 (21 days to Race Day)
As I sit here writing my this training update fresh off an early five mile run, I am coming to grips with the fact that I am not yet ready for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh half marathon that is just three weeks away. Fortunately I am only doing the half marathon and not the full 26.2, but I am not as prepared as I would like to be by this point. I am not discouraged however. This is not my first half marathon and it will not be my last. I know I will be able to finish in under two hours and run injury free, but I need to let go the notion that a personal record (PR) is not within reach at this race. I’m ok with that. This is my first race of 2014 and I am going to have fun with it and use it to propel me into what I plan to make a great spring and summer of running.

Neuse Greenway

Neuse Greenway

Recent Training
The Triangle weather has been all over the map this winter. One day it is a mild 50 degrees and sunny, the next it is 29 and spewing freezing rain. I am a fair weather runner and I let this affect my training sometimes skipping days when it was just “too cold” to run. I’d get a few miles in on the treadmill, but usually no more than 3 miles at a time.  Now that I am in the home stretch I am committed to running four times a week no matter what the weather and making the regular runs 4 to 6 miles. My most recent long run was 9 miles and I am confident I can build up to 11 miles a week before the race and be able to taper into race day with rested legs. I am excited to race in the inaugeral Rock-n-Roll Raleigh race and think this race is just what I needed to kickstart my weekly running regime, albeit a bit later than I planned in the new year.

Bridge on Neuse Greenway

Bridge on Neuse Greenway

Looking Ahead
It is actually a bit of a relief to  know a PR is out of reach. It provides me the luxury the opportunity to take in the full race day experience. I will be relaxed and can take in the sights and sounds of race day. If there was ever a race to enjoy it is this one with the many cool bands that will be set up along the course. I am also planning to carry a small camera with me as I run and will snap some shots during the race to share in a post race recap here on the blog. I may not be as prepared as I had hoped, but I am still very excited to be participating in this race and am looking forward to warmer weather and a great year of running!

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh Marathon & Half Marathon is Sunday April 13, 2014. Even if you aren’t planning to race it is sure to be a great event to watch and cheer on the racers. For more information about the race and race day entertainment visit the official website here.

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December 31, 2013 · 10:56 am

2013 – My Year of Running in the Triangle

Shelley Lake North Raleigh

Trail at Shelley Lake in North Raleigh

I will always remember 2013 as the year I became a “runner”. Just a year ago the longest distance I had ever run was 5 miles and that was a challenge. Back then the thought of running a full marathon seemed inconceivable to me. Somewhere along the way I was bitten by the run bug and got serious about my training.

Big Boss Beer Run Club

Big Boss Run Club

While I enjoying running solo, I also had a wonderful time this year running with social run clubs like the Big Boss Run Club and River Run Club. Both are excellent free weekly social run clubs that welcome runners of all levels.  I learned so much from running with these groups. It was nice preparing for races with others who were going through the same process and getting advice from more seasoned runners along the way.

City of Oaks Marathon Metal

2013 Race Medals

2013 Race Results 
As year draws to a close I am proud to look back on 2013 and the three races I completed:

Tobacco Road Half Marathon – March 2013
Tobacco Road was my first “real race”. The course was nice and flat with crushed gravel the majority of the way along the Tobacco Road Greenway. My training program capped out at 10 miles and it took everything I had just to finish and I was starting to fade at the end of the race. Afterwards I knew that if I was ever going to run a full marathon I would have to train smarter.

Time: 1 hour 53 minutes 32 seconds

Tar Heel 10 Miler – April 2013
I ran my fastest of all three races in the 10-miler. Not so much because it was the shortest distance of the three, but because I didn’t have a GPS watch yet and ran with a 8:30 min/mile pace group that actually ended up running a faster 8:00 min/mile. I knew it felt fast but I hung with the group and finished with a much better time than I expected. The hills were tough but running through downtown Chapel Hill was beautiful.

Time: 1 hour 21 minutes 20 seconds

City Of Oaks Marathon – November 2013
As my first ever full marathon, the City of Oaks was by far my most challenging race. I took my training seriously and followed a six month training program I cobbled together after researching several popular beginner marathon programs online. I went into the race injury free and excited to take on the challenge. The day of the race was beautiful and I will always remember the sense of accomplishment I felt when I crossed the finish line.

While I had trained hard, ultimately I found I was slightly unprepared for the numerous  hills along the marathon course – don’t ever let anybody tell you Raleigh is not hilly! After feeling good for the first 3 hours of the race I hit “the wall” around mile 21. I needed to take a few walking breaks by mile 23 but was able to punch through and finish strong with a time I am very proud of.

Looking back, I learned several valuable lessons about training and nutrition from the experience of preparing and running in my first marathon. With the benefit this experience I have a new perspective and look forward to coming back even stronger in 2014 with the goal of finishing the marathon in under 4 hours.

Time: 4 hours 9 minutes 6 seconds

Raleigh Krispy Kreme Challenge

Running in the Krispy Kreme Challenge on Hillsborough Street

Looking Ahead 
I took it relatively easy during the months of November and December following the City of Oaks Marathon, but now I am looking ahead to the Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon in Raleigh on April 13, 2014. There is a full marathon option too, but I plan on running 2-3 halfs in 2014 followed by a return to the City of Oaks full marathon in the fall of 2014. By the way, if your new year’s resolutions include plans for signing up for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh race you can save $10 off registration by using the discount code “TRIEXPLORERAL10”. This code will work as long as you register before April 6, 2014 and is good for both the full and half marathon.

My 2014 Running Goals
1. Earn my Big Boss Run Club t-shirt! (Need to run 15 times with the club)
2. Run 1,000 miles by December 31, 2014
3. Complete a Half Marathon in under 1 hour 50 minutes
4. Return to the City of Oaks Marathon and finish in under 4 hours.

Running at Big Boss Run Club

Running at Big Boss Run Club

Thank You
As I turn the page on my 2013 running experience and look forward to 2014 I’d like to give a special thanks to Jon Odgers of the Big Boss Run Club for the many helpful training tips he shared over the year. If you are a runner and enjoy craft beer I highly recommend following his blog and posts on twitter at @beerandracing. I would also like to thank the great people at the River Run Club in North Raleigh @riverrunclub. They are a fantastic group of fun people to run with. I look forward to many runs with both groups in the new year. Happy running in 2014!

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October 30, 2013 · 12:55 pm

Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh Marathon & 1/2 Course Announcement & October 31st Price Increase

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I wanted to post a quick reminder that the registration price for both the Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh marathon and half marathon will go up at 11:59pm PDT on October 31st. So if you have been sitting on the fence about signing up now is a great time to make the commitment and save a few bucks in the process. You can register for the race on their website here http://bit.ly/YPQ2hD

Discount Code for Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh
Don’t forget, you can continue to use the unique discount code I’ve been given to share with my Triangle Explorer readers. Save $10 by using the discount code “TRIEXPLORERAL10” when you Register online at the Rock’n’Roll Marathon website. This code will work as long as you register before April 6, 2014 and is good for both the full and half marathon.

Official Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh Course Has Been Announced!
You may have also heard last week that official course has been announced. I’ve shared a picture of the course below but you can also view the official course map on their website here and zoom in and out of the various areas of the course to get more details. The course looks great and features tons of sights throughout downtown Raleigh!

RRroute

More Information about Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh
Date of Race: Sunday April 13, 2014
Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh website: http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/raleigh
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RnRRaleighNC
Twitter: @RunRocknRoll

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October 13, 2013 · 10:14 am

Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh Marathon & Half Training Update #1 and Discount Code!

RNR2

Training for my upcoming races has been going well. I was just out on the Neuse Greenway trail yesterday and completed my longest training run to date at 21 miles! It took me a little over 3 hours to complete but I felt strong and injury free. I do have a few races before the Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh Marathon and Half-Marathon on April 13, 2013, but I have my mind set on this particular race as I work towards my goal of a new personal record for the half marathon distance. I really want to beat my previous half marathon time of 1:53:52 and plan to make this happen at the Rock ‘n’ Roll race.

Training Update #1

Race Training Update #1
Over the past few months I have settled into a nice manageable training program to build a nice base and increase my endurance on longer distances. I typically run 3 times during the week followed by a long run on Saturday. My weekday runs are usually something along the lines of a 5 miler on Tuesday, an 8-9 miler on Wednesday, and then 5 miles on Thursday. I do the majority of my training runs on the Neuse Greenway Trail since I live so close to it and it provides a scenic course to run along the river. I take Friday off to rest then Saturday I do my long run which I slowly increase by 1 mile each week. I’ve also started riding a bike on Mondays to work out the kinks from my weekend long run and it has been doing wonders for my legs. I also have continued my strength training at my local gym, O2 Fitness, by attending at least one or two group exercise classes each week (typically BodyPump).

Big Boss Run Club

Big Boss Run Club

Run Clubs – A fun way to keep motivated!
A big part of my weekday training is participating in local run clubs. These aren’t training clubs in the traditional sense. They are actually social run clubs filled with runners of all levels who are looking to run with likeminded people and socilaize. Two of my favorite social run clubs are the Tuesday night Big Boss Run Club which meets at the Big Boss Brewery just outside of downtown and the Thursday night River Run Club which meets at DeMarco’s Restaurant & Bar in North Raleigh. I’ve met a lot of great people at both clubs and enjoy having people to run with and learning from some of the more experienced runners who are always ready to share their race experiences and training tips. It is also nice to support the great local businesses like Big Boss and DeMarco’s, both of which are awesome hosts to the runners.

Save $13 on Registration October 13th

Save $13 by Registering Today! (October 13th)
If you haven’t singed up for the race yet, you can take advantage of a special discount code when you register on the 13th of the month. Register today (October 13th) with the online code LUCKY13 to receive $13 off your next race entry. Visit the registration page here. In addition to saving $13 keep in mind that you’ll want to register soon to beat the 10/31 price increase.

Rock 'n' Roll Raleigh T-shirt

Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh T-shirt

Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh T-Shirt Giveaway!
The nice people behind Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh were nice enough to send me a few free t-shirts to giveaway on my blog. If you would like one drop me a line at TriangleExplorer at gmail dot com and I will try and coordinate a way to get one to you (possibly by catching up at one of the local run clubs!). Supplies are limited and shirts will be given away in the order I receive requests. If I get any additional shirts or swag items to giveaway I will announce it in future updates.

About the Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh Marathon & 1/2
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series is a little different from your typical marathon. This race combines a musically themed marathon and half-marathon with live entertainment. It has been described by some as “a 26.2-mile block party.”

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh marathon takes place April 13, 2014 and will feature bands positioned on stages along every mile of the scenic course throughout Raleigh, interspersed with cheerleaders & themed water stations. The running experience is topped off with a finish-line concert downtown featuring a major headline act.The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series has raised more than $283 million for charity in the last 16 years.

Discount Code for Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh Marathon & Half Marathon
Reminder: If you don’t take adavantage of the October 13th discount, you can continue to use the unique discount code I’ve been given to share with my Triangle Explorer readers. Save $10 by using the discount code “TRIEXPLORERAL10” when you Register online at the Rock’n’Roll Marathon website. This code will work as long as you register before April 6, 2014 and is good for both the full and half marathon.

More Information about Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh
Date of Race: Sunday April 13, 2014
Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh website: http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/raleigh
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RnRRaleighNC
Twitter: @RunRocknRoll

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August 13, 2013 · 1:13 pm

North Wake Landfill Park in North Raleigh – An Unexpected Green Space

Top of the Hill Trail

Top of the Hill Trail

As I prepare to run in my first marathon this fall I find myself constantly looking for new places to avoid getting bored using the same old route. Since the race I am running, the City of Oaks Marathon, is right here in Raleigh it is also important that I incorporate some hill work into my routine so I am ready for of the topography on race day. Fortunately I live just down the road from the relatively new North Wake Landfill Park located off Durant Road in North Raleigh which provides a short hill perfect for hill training

View from the Top

As the name implies this the North Wake Landfill District Park is in built on top of a now closed landfill. The landfill was capped a few years ago and is now used as a park with fantastic open green space with a small playground, walking and mountain biking trails, picnic shelter, and great views from the the top of the “Big Hill”.

North Wake Landfill Park

Park Map

I pulled the map above from the park’s official website. It shows the location of the trails, parking and various recreational areas. It is a small park, but I find it to be a great place to do short runs and work on hill repeats. If you are looking for longer runs you can take one of the trails that connects to the the much longer Neuse Greenway trail that stretches on for miles

landfill3

Top of the Hill Trail

I need to give a “tip of the hat” to the River Run Club for the idea of using this park for “hill repeat” runs.  This place is so convient to my neck of the woods and the hill is challenging but not impossible so it makes for a good training spot. The “Top of the Hill Trail”  is only .07 miles long with an elevation climbing to 469 feet above sea level. Once up top you your efforts are rewarded with a nice view of the surrounding area including downtown Raleigh. I enjoy running up and down 5-6 times then doing a quick loop around the park.

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Another View from the Top

The park is open from dawn to dusk. Signs currently posted at the entrance indicate exactly what time the gates will close at night. Right now the park is ope from 8am to 9pm. It’s definitely worth checking out if you are looking for a new place to run, walk, or just get some nice views from the hill. Park brochure with addition information.

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