37 Years Strong: Run Your Age, TARC Summer Classic, and the Falmouth Road Race
The past two weeks have a been a little bit of a whirl wind with my training, racing, and fundraising heating up. It all started the week beginning August 7th when I began my first campaign to complete a 110 mile week. It kicked into gear on Friday when I ran 37 miles to celebrate my 37th birthday and then moved into an all new gear the next day when I completed the TARC Summer Classic 40 miler (yes 77 miles in two days). Over the past week I flipped from volume to speed and ran the Falmouth Road Race representing NF Northeast. Below are some details and lessons I learned from these experiences.
This past weekend Amy and had the luxury of running the iconic Falmouth Road Race representing NF Northeast and all those affected by Neurofibromatosis.
If you are familiar with the 70's running boom and road racing in the United States then you probably know about Falmouth. Falmouth is only second to the Boston Marathon for historic races in Massachusetts (and probably the Northeast). The race started 45 years ago in 1973 by runner / bartender Tommy Leonard as way to get more people to come to the Cape. The course is a bar-2-bar (similar to point-2-point) run and starts in Woods Hole at the Captain Kidd and goes to Brothers Four (now closed) in Falmouth Heights. The majority of the course hugs the sea line, has rolling terrain, and generally is quite hot.
The day started with a 4:45am wakeup as we stayed at our friends house in Harwhich (which was a little too far away). We met up with our NF Northeast teammates at 6:30 for some pictures before we caught the bus to Woods Hole.
One of the major highlights of the day was meeting a few others running for NF Northeast and hearing their stories. It really helps to hear NF stories that are not horror stories. The first was a women running for her 17 year old friend that has NF and the second was a mother of an 8 year old who has NF. While both are monitored regularly, neither have any major problems.
The race started just after 9am and while I had pushed most of the way to the front, I still had a good chunk of people to get around (325 over the 1st 5k to be exact). By the 0.2 mile mark I was out of traffic and I even clocked the first mile at 5:58.
The next two miles I backed off closer to goal pace and took in my surroundings. I pushed up the climbs and flew down the descents. There is something about sprinting down a hill running directly at the ocean that makes you feel like you can fly.
By the end of the third mile the honey moon was over and I knew it was time to start focusing on sticking to the plan. It was also getting really hot at this point and you are out in the open sun on a road that has been heating up for hours.
Around mile 4.5, I passed the NF Northeast cheer zone where Laura was hanging out with the kids. It gave me a smile that I was able to hang onto for the next mile.
By the 6th mile I was really starting to hurt. At this point in the race you run around the Falmouth Inner Harbor before heading back to the beach. I really wished they just let us swim across instead.
As I finished mile 6, I knew I could still make my goal if I could just hold strong for one more mile. As I struggled up a minor ascent, a guy passed and yelled / waved come on at me. It was just the push I needed to get me back on pace.
With .2 miles to go you have a nasty climb that leads to a straight downhill finish. I pushed with everything I had (getting my HR up to 191) an then sped up to sub 5 minute pace into the finish.
While not my best time, I was still pleased with the result. Placed 135 / 11,026 overall, 10 / 540 in my age group, and beat my goal time by 3 seconds.
Amy finished a little later successfully completing her longest run ever!
Huge shout out to Diana from NF Northeast for organizing us, taking pictures, and being super supportive, Laura for watching the kids allowing us to both race, the Mullins family for loaning us their Cape house so we had a free place to stay, and all of those of you who have donated and been supportive of our cause this year.
Run Your Age Year 3
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| Stage Fort Park After the Run |
For the third year in a row I successfully ran my age on my birthday. This year I started in Belmont and ran up to Gloucester via Malden, the Northern Strand Bike Path, and Routes 107, 1A, and 127 through Lynn, Salem, Beverly, and Manchester by the Sea (way too long of a name for a town).
All and all the run went really well and I really enjoyed the cool breeze and picturesque landscapes along the ocean. I finished in Stage Fort Park and the cold water felt wonderful on legs.
All and all the run went really well and I really enjoyed the cool breeze and picturesque landscapes along the ocean. I finished in Stage Fort Park and the cold water felt wonderful on legs.
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| The Cold Water of the Atlantic Ocean |
To celebrate Amy picked me up and we stopped at Cape Ann Brewing for seafood and drinks before heading back to reality.
The TARC Summer Classic
Location: Medfield, MA
Date: 8/12/2017
Distance: 40 mile
Distance: 40 mile
Goal: 7 hours / Finish
Actual: 7:02:23
As I lay in bed the night of my birthday, I began to stress a little bit about the next day's race. Was this really a good idea? I had never attempted back to back 30 milers before, forget a 37 and a 40.
I arrived at the race around 6:30 the next morning. I wasn't feeling particularly great, but I wasn't feeling awful either. While my legs didn't feel like they had a lot of pop, they also weren't sore. I figured after a 37 mile run, mostly on roads, that is pretty damn good.
The race was located at the Shattuck Reservation in Medfield, MA. The course consisted of 10 miles with a number of small loops with lots of switchbacks. The terrain was mostly rolling with one good climb around mile 8. The total course had about 1000' climbing and for the 40 mile race you traversed the course 4 times.
I started off around 10 minute pace and was able to speed up a little after the first mile, but my legs just didn't have any energy to go faster than that. I finished the first lap in just over 1 hour and 40 minutes (10:07 / mile) and intentionally slowed down knowing I still had a lot to go.
For the next lap and a half I ran with another runner whose name also happened to be Scott (but with two t's). We just chugged along biding our time knowing at some point the race would begin to wear on us.
Around the mid point of the third lap I found a second wind and began to pick the pace back up. This also coincidently happened when my GPS lost its mind and told me I was running 14 minute pace. Around mile 28 I caught up to my friend Chris who I did the Pemi loop with two weeks earlier. Unfortunately he was suffering from sharp quad pain so his pace was falling off (He went on to finish in 7:32 for his 1st 40 miler).
As I finished the third lap, I knew I still had something in me. Coupled with passing two runners at the aid station (my TARC race trademark) and moving into 3rd place gave me the motivation to push harder.
The longest I have ever run in a day is 62 miles, but that involved a set of hiking. The longest I have "run" without walking at all is 31 miles. With 30 miles run under my belt on the day (and 67 over the last 28 hours), I decided it was time to see how deep that I could dig.
I was able to finish the final lap in just under 1 hour 50 minutes and ran every bit of it. I finished the race in 7:02:23, 10:33 / mile, 3rd overall.
While this definitely wasn't the hardest race I have ever run, it did teach me a great deal.
Huge shout out to everyone at TARC for putting on another great race. This was my 4th TARC race and I have never had a bad experience.
Splits
1:41:17
3:28:51 (1:47:34)
5:12:55 (1:44:04)
7:02:23 (1:49:28)
I started off around 10 minute pace and was able to speed up a little after the first mile, but my legs just didn't have any energy to go faster than that. I finished the first lap in just over 1 hour and 40 minutes (10:07 / mile) and intentionally slowed down knowing I still had a lot to go.
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| Pic compliments of Edith Dixon |
Around the mid point of the third lap I found a second wind and began to pick the pace back up. This also coincidently happened when my GPS lost its mind and told me I was running 14 minute pace. Around mile 28 I caught up to my friend Chris who I did the Pemi loop with two weeks earlier. Unfortunately he was suffering from sharp quad pain so his pace was falling off (He went on to finish in 7:32 for his 1st 40 miler).
As I finished the third lap, I knew I still had something in me. Coupled with passing two runners at the aid station (my TARC race trademark) and moving into 3rd place gave me the motivation to push harder.
The longest I have ever run in a day is 62 miles, but that involved a set of hiking. The longest I have "run" without walking at all is 31 miles. With 30 miles run under my belt on the day (and 67 over the last 28 hours), I decided it was time to see how deep that I could dig.
I was able to finish the final lap in just under 1 hour 50 minutes and ran every bit of it. I finished the race in 7:02:23, 10:33 / mile, 3rd overall.
While this definitely wasn't the hardest race I have ever run, it did teach me a great deal.
Huge shout out to everyone at TARC for putting on another great race. This was my 4th TARC race and I have never had a bad experience.
Splits
1:41:17
3:28:51 (1:47:34)
5:12:55 (1:44:04)
7:02:23 (1:49:28)
The 45th Falmouth Road Race
Location: Falmouth, MA
Date: 8/20/2017
Distance: 7 mile
Distance: 7 mile
Goal: 43:45 (6:15 / mile)
Actual: 43:42
This past weekend Amy and had the luxury of running the iconic Falmouth Road Race representing NF Northeast and all those affected by Neurofibromatosis.
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| The family before the Race Pic compliments of Diana Flahive |
The day started with a 4:45am wakeup as we stayed at our friends house in Harwhich (which was a little too far away). We met up with our NF Northeast teammates at 6:30 for some pictures before we caught the bus to Woods Hole.
One of the major highlights of the day was meeting a few others running for NF Northeast and hearing their stories. It really helps to hear NF stories that are not horror stories. The first was a women running for her 17 year old friend that has NF and the second was a mother of an 8 year old who has NF. While both are monitored regularly, neither have any major problems.
The race started just after 9am and while I had pushed most of the way to the front, I still had a good chunk of people to get around (325 over the 1st 5k to be exact). By the 0.2 mile mark I was out of traffic and I even clocked the first mile at 5:58.
The next two miles I backed off closer to goal pace and took in my surroundings. I pushed up the climbs and flew down the descents. There is something about sprinting down a hill running directly at the ocean that makes you feel like you can fly.
 |
| Nat and Laura cheering on the NF Northeast Runners. Pic compliments of Diana Flahive |
By the end of the third mile the honey moon was over and I knew it was time to start focusing on sticking to the plan. It was also getting really hot at this point and you are out in the open sun on a road that has been heating up for hours.
Around mile 4.5, I passed the NF Northeast cheer zone where Laura was hanging out with the kids. It gave me a smile that I was able to hang onto for the next mile.
By the 6th mile I was really starting to hurt. At this point in the race you run around the Falmouth Inner Harbor before heading back to the beach. I really wished they just let us swim across instead.
As I finished mile 6, I knew I could still make my goal if I could just hold strong for one more mile. As I struggled up a minor ascent, a guy passed and yelled / waved come on at me. It was just the push I needed to get me back on pace.
With .2 miles to go you have a nasty climb that leads to a straight downhill finish. I pushed with everything I had (getting my HR up to 191) an then sped up to sub 5 minute pace into the finish.
While not my best time, I was still pleased with the result. Placed 135 / 11,026 overall, 10 / 540 in my age group, and beat my goal time by 3 seconds.
 |
| Neil greeting Amy Pic compliments of Diana Flahive |
Huge shout out to Diana from NF Northeast for organizing us, taking pictures, and being super supportive, Laura for watching the kids allowing us to both race, the Mullins family for loaning us their Cape house so we had a free place to stay, and all of those of you who have donated and been supportive of our cause this year.
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| My Splits |
Lessons Learned
Over the past two weeks I have learned a lot.
Over the past two weeks I have learned a lot.
- My training is paying off
- I know I can simply just keep running.
- 40 miles of rocky rooty switchbacks is not that easy to navigate
- It convinced me that I am ready to run 100 miles
- When I put on the NF singlet, I am invincible.
Next
On September 9th I will be back Stage Fort Park for Coast to Cure NF where I will be running the 66 mile option. This will be my longest run ever and only the second time I have taken on anything over 50 miles.
To be successful in this event, I am going to need your help. Below is a tentative schedule of where I expect to be when. You are all invited to come run a portion with me, bike the event yourself, or meet us at the BBQ.
My Estimated Schedule
Sign up for the ride (24, 66, and 100 mile options)
Sign up for the BBQ (Click register and select BBQ -- Did I mention there is Beer :)
Additional support is always welcome as well.
Thank you
Year 37 is looking to be a great one.
- Scot
To be successful in this event, I am going to need your help. Below is a tentative schedule of where I expect to be when. You are all invited to come run a portion with me, bike the event yourself, or meet us at the BBQ.
My Estimated Schedule
- Add your name to run with me
- We will work out the logistics
- We will have cold beer waiting at the finish
Sign up for the ride (24, 66, and 100 mile options)
Sign up for the BBQ (Click register and select BBQ -- Did I mention there is Beer :)
Additional support is always welcome as well.
Thank you
Year 37 is looking to be a great one.
- Scot
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| Racing through the NF Northeast Cheer Zone Pic Compliments of Diana Flahive |
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