Festival Foods Turkey Trot - Race Report

The Festival Foods Turkey Trot is a race my entire family has participated in since 2009.  The race itself has only been going on since 2008.  Now in its 10th year, I have only missed 2008, 2010, and 2014.  Not to bad actually.  In 2009, there were only 771 finishers, when in 2013 the race saw 2,839 finishers!  This year there was 2,447 finishers.  The race has become not only a tradition for my family and I, but for our entire community.  Its a well organized event on a day in which pretty much everyone is around and has no plans.  The race doesn't have many "frills," with a reasonable entry fee, you get a long sleeve t-shirt, a small pumpkin pie, and a chip timed race bib.  After the race, they offer donut holes, bananas, and water.  You can choose from three different events on race morning, a 5 mile timed run, a 2 mile walk, or a two mile "dog jog," which is (obviously) dog friendly.  This year was Sarah's first year ever doing the 5 mile run, now that she has been consistently running for about the past year.

Training For This Race

I feel like I should just take this paragraph out of my race reports, until I actually run an event in which I follow a specific training plan for. 

Prerace

Sarah and I woke up around 5:45ish with the goal of leaving our house by 6:45.  The race started at 8am and with an expected crowd of over 7,000 total participants, so I wanted to get there early enough for a decent parking spot and ample time to warm up.  We ended up leaving around 6:50 (I can handle that) and were parked by 7:10.  After getting the stroller set up and kids all bundled up, we headed out to the start area to meet up with my parents.  Around 7:30 or so, I was able to break away to start my usual warm up.  I ended up cutting it too close for my liking, but ended up ditching my warmup outfit to my mom, who was in charge of the stroller and the kids while Sarah, my dad, and I all ran.  I made it to the front of the start line literally seconds before the National Anthem was sang.

Nutrition Plan

An hour before the race, I took my usual Anti-Fatigue Caps, Endurance Aminos, and then took my Fully Charged about 10 minutes before the start of the race.

Miles 0-5

With a race this size, the start line can be pretty crowded.  And with that comes the wanna-be sprinters, who are more of a hindrance than anything else.  They usually take off faster than a sprinter at the start of a 100m race, only to fade into a brisk walk after the first 100 yards or so.  Keeping this in mind, I kept to my normal race strategy and just started slow and easy and found my grove by the first mile marker.  I had no real chance of placing overall, nor a chance of winning a Festival Foods gift card, which are awarded to the Top 5 overall males and females, respectively.  So, my goals were pretty simple, set a new Personal Record.  My current best time for a 5 mile race was 29:57.  I wasn't completely sold on the idea of running a sub 30 minute race, especially with how little I've been training.  But, what the heck, lets go for it.  After the first mile, I checked my watch and saw a 5:52 mile, perfect, under 6 minutes and I'm on pace for a PR!  I felt great at that point, so I just tried my best to keep focused and stay comfortable at that pace.  I continued to tick off miles and pass most of the guys who go out unrealistically fast.  By far the toughest part of the race is a steep hill that goes up from the river at about mile 4.  First off, you're already tired and want to be done, but now you still have a mile to go and a steep short hill in front of you.  I took it easy up it, with the hopes that once I was to the top, I would still have a bit in the tank to make a strong push at the final mile.  I felt good once at the top and just continued to focus on making at least one more pass before crossing the finish line.  I ended up passing the guy who was just in front of me doing the final kick within the last 25 yards or so.  I ended up placing 19th overall out of 2, 447 finishers and 2nd in my age group with a final time of 29:40.

Post Race

Immediately after the race, I began to jog the course backwards to find Sarah and maybe run with her during the final mile or so.  I ended up getting to mile marker 4 and never saw her.  I have no idea why or how I missed it, but I did.  I ended up just jogging back to the finish line and found her, along with my parents and kids.  We didn't stick around long at all and just headed home to shower up and start enjoying the holiday!

What's on Tap

I've got some big ambitious goals for next year and and tentatively going to start training for these goals in early January.  So my plan now is to finish running through November and then take it a little easier in December before taking on my 2018 goals.  My plans for December are to run 1-3 days a week with a day of cycling or swimming mixed in and maybe even some strength training....and of course some days off.

Site Makeover

This past week, I put some work into my blog.  For the past 5 years, I have been operating under the name "The Irondad Triathlete."  I liked the name and frankly, still do.  The picture that was on top of my old page was from a race we did as a family in August of 2015.  Harper was only 18 months during that picture.  She now nearly 4.  And as for me, I haven't raced a triathlon since July 2015, and don't know when I will take the plunge again...if ever. 

Don't get me wrong, I love the sport of triathlon.  But, to be honest, it takes a lot of time, and eats up a lot of money.  Triathlon isn't and never will be a cheap sport.  Its one of the only sports where money can make you better.  You can literally buy speed, if you don't believe me, just step foot in your local bike shop.  As a father of 3 daughters, working shift work as a police officer, married to a wife who has recently taken up running, life is just a bit hectic, to say the least.  I just don't have the free time for brick workouts, multiple hour bike rides, and just a half hour swim session can eat up a total of 1.5-2 hours (including travel, showering, etc.)

This is why I have taken so much to running...its cheap.  Really, all you need are shoes.  Its also convenient.  I can run literally any time of the day, in any weather, and from anywhere.  Cycling on the other hand is very restrictive.  You really can't ride during the winter, its not safe to ride at night or before the sun comes up.  And nothing is worse the riding in the cold.  I can also run with all three kids.  Maya is able to ride along on her bike, while I push the other two in our stroller.  And now that we have a treadmill in our basement, there is literally no excuse for me not to get a run in.

I have also grown to really love the sport.  Its never boring and always challenging.  You can always improve on something.  Regardless of what place you may take, you are always truly racing the clock and the clock never lies.

So, when I decided to update my photo header, I wanted to change the appearance of my site.  I also wanted a new name.  Something that fit, something that was catchy.  In fantasy football, most of my team names are The IronPigs (see inset photo).  Iron from when I finished my first and only Ironman (2013) and Pigs from my profession.  I thought about a name and came up with The Endurance Pig.  Not the Running Pig, not the Triathlon Pig, but Endurance....it fits regardless if I get back into triathlon.  It fits me...who I am.

But Matt, isn't pig a derogatory name for cops?  Well, yea, I guess.  But it is only derogatory if I let it.  I actually kind of embrace the name, I mean why not.  Just because I say its mean and hurtful, doesn't mean people will stop using it...yea right!  Instead, why not like it?  Actually, back in the 16th century in England, pig was slang for a bad person in general...not just police.  But it wasn't until the 1800's when pickpockets began referring the the police at pigs for confiscating their pick locks.

To be honest I haven't really minded the term pig.  Hell, if I did, them my family wouldn't be able to say, "Hey, Tom, do you smell bacon?" when I show up to family functions...  Plus, I have a couple hats with pig logos.  Its who I am, and no stupid name is going to ruin my day.

So, here we are, the end of 2017 and the start of The Endurance Pig.  I have big plans for my blog this upcoming year, on top of big plans and goals for the 2018 race season.  But, I'm going to save that for another day!   

Freaky 5k - Race Report



Its that time of year again...late fall.  I enjoy this time of year, the fall colors, the cool crisp temperatures, football, and generally our crazy hectic life slows down a bit.  It also means I get a break from my usual high volume, high intensity training.  It also means that its time for my two traditional races, The Freaky 5k and the Turkey Trot.  Each October, I try to participate in the YMCA of the Fox Cities' Freaky 5k.  Other than missing a few due to other obligations, I have pretty much done this race every year since I started really running competitively.  This year was my 7th year.  It was also the first year that Maya is registered to do her first ever 5k by herself!

Training for This Race

As usual and with most of the races this past year, I hadn't done any specific training leading up to this race.

Prerace

The weather leading up to race day had been actually quite warm, but that ended abruptly a few days before the race.  The weather for the race was chilly and wet, but the rain showers actually ended just before the sun came up.  We all got up and got the kids ready and loaded up the car and left only a few minutes after our predetermined time, which is actually really good for us.  Once there, I was able to get in a small warm up before the Mini-Monster Dash started at 8:00am, which is a kids run that takes place before the 5k.  Both Delaney and Harper did the race and each got their own medal which they loved.  I was then able to get in a better more thorough warm up just before the race started at 8:30.

Nutrition Plan

An hour before the race, I took my usual Anti-Fatigue Caps, Endurance Aminos, and then took my Fully Charged about 10 minutes before the start of the race.

Miles 0-3.1

As soon as the race started I knew I had a chance to win the race outright.   But did my best to just stick to my usual race strategy of maintaining a solid pace and allowing the "sprinters" to fade and at that point I try to figure what type of pace I'm going to have to hold.  The Freaky 5k is a challenging course as it starts with a downhill path down to the river and about a quarter to half mile section by the river before having to run back uphill.  This year, however, they changed the course slightly and forced you to run those hills twice.  So, knowing this, I tried to conserve my pace in the event I needed a bit of energy at the end.  After the first 800 meters or so, most of the "sprinters" had faded and I was just behind another guy, roughly my age.  I passed him just before having to go back up the initial part of the hills.  Although, I quickly passed him after getting back into the neighborhood section of the race.  I was able to hold him off and maintain a pretty even pace throughout the race.  I finished the race in 17:51, which I was happy with, considering the hills and my lack of training.  I took 1st overall, which is always a nice bonus.

Post Race

After I finished, I hung around the finish line to cheer on the initial wave of runners, but I had other obligations that I not only had to do, I was excited to do.  As I mentioned earlier, Maya was running her first ever full 5k by herself.  She was nervous, so she was walk/running the initial part with my mom who was pushing our other two kids in the stroller, while Sarah and my dad ran the race.  So, I started running the course backwards until I found Maya and my mom.  I ran back about a mile or so and found her.  We then got to run the final mile of the race together, which was awesome!   Maya was excited and had a good time finishing the race by herself.  She finished the race in 43:31, which is very good considering she walked about 2/3's of the race.  After all family members finished the race, we hung around for the awards ceremony and the costume contests, which is always entertaining.

What's on Tap

Up next is the Festival Food Turkey Trot, which is a 5 mile, highly competitive race on Thanksgiving morning.  I will probably just continue to run low mileage with a few longer days sprinkled in just to stay in some sort of running shape, but not really train.  Honestly, I am already looking to next year, as I usually do this time of year.  The way I have been going the past 4-5 years, is I usually have a big race season followed by a low volume, easy race season.  This year would qualify as a low volume easy race season.  So, we'll just have to wait and see what's in store for 2018!