PR at Pineland

"Teamwork is the quintessential contradiction of a society grounded in individual achievement." - Marvin Weisbord.

New Gloucester, MAINE -- Regular readers of this site will understand the importance of today's event at the Pineland Farms 25k Trail Challenge. I had circled this race on my calendar back in November. The '08 version was a disappointing performance highlighted by a humbling walk up several of the last hills in the final 5k. From that race I took away a valuable lesson...never again arrive at Pineland under prepared. This course is too demanding to simply show-up and put up a fast number. My preparation prior to today had been right on schedule with a great confidence booster two weeks ago at Big Lake. The plan today was to continue to ride that confident vibe to a PR and perhaps a Top 10 overall finish. In true Scotty G-style I arrived 2+ hours prior, registered, and began my pre-race prep. My teammates (Steve S., Nick L., Brent & Amy) arrived within an hour of the start. When Brent finally made it to the starting area he and I quickly formulated a gameplan. Knowing he was racing and that our fitness levels are pretty compatible I was hoping he would be willing to work together. During my pre-race prep I calculated several pace splits to keep me (us) on PR pace target (22:30-5k, 45:00-10k, 90:00-20k). The thinking was simple...stay patient and on pace for the first 20k and then hang on during the final (and arguably toughest) 5k on the course. This being Brent's first time at Pineland he was more than willing to work with my plan. Today's weather was really ideal for this race on this course...overcast in the 70's with scattered showers and the cooler temps played a very meaningful role in today's performance. Brent and I attempted to find a groove in the first 5k which is always a challenge considering the excitement of any race start. At the 5k mark our split was perfect...22:15ish. The next 5k is a rolling combination of nordic trails and cow pastures. No hill too long or too steep to significantly affect our pacing. We hit the 10k split again, right on target just shy of 45:00. At this point the chatting back and forth became less and less as we knuckled down and began the purposeful move forward. Although I hadn't determined a 15k split I quickly figured it during the third 5k and we again hit the mark almost dead square. At this point we were consistently pulling 22:30 5k's and picking up places. Brent and I took turns pulling and were never more than a meter apart. His energy was palpable and I fed off of it the entire race. Repeating the mantra's, "patience" and "rhythm" the first 15k was a blur. We passed by the START/FINISH area just shy of 17k and began the assault of the final, and most challenging, 9k of the race. Staying focused on 5k at a time was incredibly helpful as it forced us to stay in the moment. We hit the 20k right at 90:00 and it was then that I began to feel very confident that our teamwork and pace may result in something special. Last year I walked several of the killer hills in the final 5k. This time around was a very different story as my legs felt strong as we hammered the final climbs. It was here that the true definition of teamwork was illustrated. I felt Brent pick up the pace slightly during these final km's as he ferociously attacked the climbs. And truth be told, he probably could have run away from me at any point. But like a true warrior he stuck with his brother and we finished together (14th & 15th overall) in an unofficial time of 1:54:19. Assuming the "official" results are close, this would set a PR for me on this course by 22 seconds. And if that weren't sweet enough the guy we passed at 23k was in our age group...and I finished on the podium (2nd) in the 35-44 division (behind Brent). No doubt my physical preparation, race plan, and weather were key factors in today's performance, but if not for Brent and his willingness to work together there's no way I PR two years after setting the mark. Thank you Brent, you are an incredible athlete and teammate.

Next up: Bow Lake Dam 15k

Big Lake 1/2 Marathon

Alton, NEW HAMPSHIRE -- Sometimes expectations can be a burden. The Big Lake 1/2 Marathon this morning along beautiful Lake Winni was not only a last minute addition to the racing calendar, but it was one of a very few distances I've never raced. As I tune for the Pineland Farms 25k Trail Challenge in two weeks today's objectives were simple if not but a little vague...1.) run relaxed and 2.) try to maintain sub 7:00's. Truth be told, I had no intentions of racing today. Karen had circled this on her calendar months ago and I was simply going to go along, take pictures, and cheer wildly for her when she finished. Unfortunately, Scott Graham seemed to have other ideas for me. His cajoling resulted in my laying out $45 and actually racing this morning, not just spectating. Scotty, Karen, and I weren't the only teammates in attendance today. As happens at most of the "big" events we had a very impressive turnout. Austin, Liz, Gary, and Joe all raced and all raced very well (more on that in a moment). Coming off his nearly sub 3:00 Boston Marathon performance, Scotty G. is running very well. Despite his urging, I had no plans to run with him today in his pursuit of a sub 1:25 finish. When the go command was given a sizable pack (including Scotty) took it out very hard and very fast. I was content to settle into a rhythm and get to the first mile split. As I approached the 1 mile clock I was a little surprised to see a 6:20 first mile. A quick assessment of my faculties and I decided that I felt pretty comfortable and decided to stay in the groove I had found. Big Lake travels up Route 11 along Lake Winni for approximately 6.5 miles before turning back toward the finish on a rollercoaster lake road. Due to the terrain and highway I could see most of the runners ahead of me including Scotty who had approximately 200 meters on me for most of the first 4 miles. As we climbed near the 4 mile maker I finally came up to his shoulder. I'm not sure if he was pleased to see me or not but as a very supportive teammate he utter a few words of encouragement as we plodded up the hill. I was hoping we'd run together and feed off of each other's energy, but once over the hill I felt the gap between us widen just a bit. Before the race started I had decided to break the distance down into three 4 mile races plus a 1.1 mile "overtime" leg. The approached worked perfectly as it forced me to stay in the moment and focus on the challenge immediately in front of me. No question that the third 4 mile rollercoaster was the most challenging but I still felt relaxed and strong. By the last mile I could feel my distance-specific fitness become exposed as I reached down for another gear that didn't exist. A quick peek over my shoulder and I was assured that my place finish was secure. I crossed the finish in 1:27:01 (officially 6:39's) good enough for 20th overall, 2nd in my age category (male 40-44), and the third overall masters finisher (40+). Needless to say I was quite pleased. Pineland Farms is one of the toughest challenges on my racing calendar but I really feel like I've put the work in over the past 5 months to put forth a good performance in two weeks. A number of other teammates took home podium age group finishes including Liz (1st), Scotty (3rd), and Gary (2nd).

[Photo credit: finish photo courtesy of Kristin, The "Big Lake", NH Maple Syrup prize & finisher medal]