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2019 Clarksburg Country Run Half Marathon race recap – Clarksburg, CA

2019 Clarksburg Country Run Half Marathon race recap – Clarksburg, CA

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We have a two-week respite between the end of regular season cross-country and the championship regional race. This year, nestled in the two-week break was the Clarksburg Half Marathon, a race that’s part of the “road” series in the year-long PA circuit. If you’ve been reading my writing for a long time, you may remember that I ran Clarksburg a few years ago and had a rather horrible day— the kind that involves emergency bathroom stops on empty country roads. Last year’s race was cancelled/postponed due to the fires in Paradise, and for whatever reason — probably low registration fees, the willingness to help field a full women’s team, and the not-to-be-dismissed desire for redemption — I signed-up for the 2019 iteration. 

Again, if you’ve been reading my stuff for a while, you probably remember that historically, half marathons and I don’t really jibe well, typically because I’m more-often-than-not in the thick of marathon training (hello cumulative fatigue!), and/or my stomach falls to pieces. So far in 2019, I ran the Silicon Valley half as a workout (that actually went pretty well, surprisingly), and in late July, I ran the second half marathon at SF for funsies on basically untrained/residual marathon fitness legs. At any rate, going into Clarksburg, I figured I should at least be able to fare better than I did at SF (barely squeaking in with a 1:49), but with no fast running under my belt recently (other than weekly XC races) and very limited time and volume on roads lately, I rightfully had no idea what to expect. 

The tl;dr version: I’m delighted to say it wasn’t terrible. I finished in 1:46 and change, and as much as my record-keeping indicates, it was my longest run on roads since (wait for it)… the SF half in late July, which kinda blows my mind. I haven’t been running super long lately (aside from a couple 16 milers on trails in the past ~month), and my medium-distance LRs have typically topped out around 10-12 miles, almost exclusively on trails. I ain’t mad about it, but it baffles me that I’ve managed to go literal months without posting any significant-distance LRs on roads. Who am I??

seeing Lisa mid-race on an OAB portion of the course and getting really excited. (see how there’s practically no one behind me or in front of me? that’s what it felt like all race) (PC: Lisa)

Logistically speaking, everything about Clarksburg this year was the same as it was a couple years ago when I last ran there: easy race-day pickup, a suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper flat course (like, 9’ of elevation gain flat), desolate country roads, everything. It’s a course that’s obviously conducive to super fast times, though maybe one day my own performance will help verify that claim. 

getting closer! (PC: Lisa)

I’m so grateful that Coach Lisa drove up most of our team the 2-hours-and-change journey northward, and having both a full men’s and women’s team out there made the experience really fun. There aren’t many OAB sections on the course, but the few times there were, it was such a nice pick-me-up to cheer for my fellow harriers. Plus, I got to spend most of my Sunday morning with teammates I rarely get to see, which is awesome. 

yay running (PC: Lisa)

In terms of my actual racing performance, I went out a bit too aggressively, given my relative fitness, faded for a bit, and then rallied at the very end. In these PA races, gun time is what matters most, so it behooves runners to toe the line (or get as close to it as they can, anyway) and get outta dodge FAST. Somewhere in the mix of the race, I swore off this distance and this actual race forever, too, even though I didn’t feel particularly bad at any time, maybe just a little uninspired. (I had a lot of those internal “be so grateful you’re out here!” conversations, and they did a good job of re-centering me appropriately). My teammate, Maria, and I hung together for the first few miles before I bid her adieu (great job, gf!), and I more-or-less ran sola for the near-entirety of the race. My stomach held it together well, though by the race’s end, it was getting pretty uncomfortable and distressed. 

finishing the thing with Sam and Anica cheering me on (PC: Lisa)

A 1:46 isn’t my fastest or slowest half time, and ultimately, averaging a low-8 pace for what was essentially a training run was solidly fine, given my fitness right now. It’s bizarre to me that I haven’t run that far on roads since late July, but then again, when I think about my past few months’ worth of training in big picture terms, it makes a lot of sense; I’ve been spending way more time on trails and chasing elevation than I have been running monster long distances on the rolling roads near home.  

I always say that one of these days, I’ll actually and properly train for a half marathon, but these plans have yet to materialize; there’s just so much other stuff I want to do instead. At any rate, If you’re local and are looking for a fast half in early November, Clarksburg is a pretty solid race choice. Just like I said a couple years ago, however, if you’re into big crowds and lots of fanfare, this race won’t offer you any of that (though you might get lucky and end up on a local news show, like my teammates and I did). It’s charming in the way that small races usually are, but its organization rivals that of its top-tier, significantly larger and more robust competitors. Plus, if you’re into wine country and stuff along those lines, this race may be attractive due to its proximity to all that (and if not, that’s ok, too! The country roads and vineyards are still pretty in their own rite). I don’t know why this race is on the PA circuit, but in a way, I’m glad it is, because I would have never had a reason to venture up that way otherwise.

two full teams, yay!

We have one more down week before the regional champs for XC, and I am delighted to say that I won’t be racing this upcoming weekend (shockingly!). Instead, I’ll be celebrating our wedding anniversary and my birthday all week long 🙂  

Local friends, again, open invite to come play at the XC championship race in Golden Gate Park, at Lindley Meadow, two Sundays from now (November 17)! It’s guaranteed to be a good (very hard) and fun time. 🙂    

2019 Matt Yeo Memorial Aggies Cross Country Open race recap – Martinez, CA

2019 Matt Yeo Memorial Aggies Cross Country Open race recap – Martinez, CA

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The Matt Yeo Memorial Aggies cross-country race up in Martinez was one of the only XC races I ran last year. Going into it last weekend, I felt excited that I knew what I was getting myself into (for once this season!), but I also knew that the course’s very, very, veeeeeeeery flat profile could easily lend the race to a level of discomfort that I haven’t really had this season.

In other words: flat running (in theory) means fast racing. And we all know that fast racing — while absolutely exhilarating — can be *quite* uncomfortable, particularly if you haven’t done much of it lately. 

In the absence of CIM training this season, I’ve been running pretty much all of my training runs at really comfortable GA or recovery paces. The only exceptions are the almost-weekly XC races, wherein I try to dial it up as much as I can on the (typically hilly) courses. Each week, I’ve been running on hilly trails more in the past few months than I have in a very long time, so while my endurance is definitely refined, I’m in the dark about any speed in my legs. Racing at Martinez, thanks to the aforementioned super flat nature of the course, would shine a light for me on what’s going on with the stems and hopefully give me a good idea of my fitness right now … in theory, anyway.

Everything about this year’s XC race was virtually the same as it was last year — same type of weather, same racing order, same fielding-two-full-teams aspect — and just like last year, I came into the race with a week’s worth of stroller running under my belt since my preschooler was on fall break. (Read: my already pretty slow-going running has been even slower the past week, thanks to pushing 90+ pounds of kid and stroller!). As the gun went off, my nerves were nowhere to be seen, and the only thought looping on repeat was something along the lines of just show up and work hard. 

somewhere early on (look how flat!) (PC: WRC)

The 4.2 mile, 2 loop-course was just how I remembered it, but the most significant difference from my ‘18 to ‘19 race was in how I felt in the thick of it. By the end of my first loop last year, it was abundantly clear that I had gone out waaaaaaaaay too fast and was going to “run-of-shame” it in to the finish line with hopefully some semblance of my ego in tact. This year, I made a conscious effort to get off the line more comfortably than in ‘18, and I knew that patience would be my best friend. Never once did I look at my watch while I was racing — even when it beeped at each mile marker, I ignored it — and I try my damnest to stay in it and to keep picking off women ahead of me. Lisa and Anica were far ahead, but Janet and Heather were within close range. All of us sporting Wolfpack neon made the visuals fantastically easy. 

a small group of us all working together after miles 1 and 3. (BTW, that official is really nice and was super enthusiastic. We chatted for a while during the men’s open and masters races). (PC: Jeff)

As is always the case, it seemed like the wind had picked up significantly during the race from how it was during the warm-up miles. For a good portion of the first part of the race, I was working with other runners in a pack, each of us taking turns leading and tucking in. One of the very last things Coach Lisa told us on the starting line was to go for a negative split on this course. While I never looked at my watch throughout the race, I stayed as mentally dialed-in as possible, negotiating and renegotiating my pace and effort and wondering if I had enough left to pick it up over the second half. I didn’t remember my piss-poor pacing at last year’s race until I just re-read my recap moments ago, so I can’t help but wonder if something deep in my psyche told me to not race again like an idiot.  

I am almost always racing with the woman behind me (kinda fun little bit about XC). She’s very sweet. (PC: Jeff)

Somewhere in the final 1.5, I began to slowly close the gap between Janet, Heather, and me, and I picked off another 3 or 4 women that were between us. It made for a really fun finish, with Janet, Heather, and me finishing in succession (and with only 19 seconds between us). I’m forever working on that strong finishing kick, and this time I got down to a 5:15 pace and over the last two minutes of the race, I threw down as much as I could. It was work, to be sure, but it was so, so fun.

that pretty pain face strikes again (PC: Alex)

Even with the super flat and super fast course that is Martinez, runners still have the fun challenges to navigate, like a grass starting and finishing area, a couple bridges, a couple sand spots, a scribbly course, and variable terrain throughout. I mean, it is XC, after all. Regardless, if you are looking to get your feet wet in XC but aren’t super comfortable with hills yet, this course is an excellent foray into this fun world. (Mark your calendars for next year!) 

I learned much later that I paced myself in a way that was night and day better than last year’s race, and even though ‘19 was a little less than one minute slower than ‘18, I’m calling ‘19 a huge win. This is one of those times in running and racing where we can pick our outlook; I could be sad or embarrassed or whatever that I ran a little more slowly than I did in ‘18, or I could be elated that I ran as evenly and as well-for-me as I did in the absence of any real fast running or speedwork for several months. I will happily select the latter, and it’s the latter that’s getting me hyped about marathon training in ‘20. I was (and remain) so, so happy with how I ran at Martinez, and it makes me smile when I think about how I felt during the race. It was one of *those* types of mornings, gang.    

keep showing up! (PC: WRC)

We (incredibly) only have one more meet this weekend before the PA regional championship in mid-November, so as usual, local friends, here’s my blanket invitation for everyone to come play XC this week at Excelsior’s meet in Daly City. Hope to see your smiling faces there.