Race Report: Clarksburg Country Run 20-Miler

Clarksburg is a small farming town in northern California, and for the last 46 years it has hosted a large race event in November. There is a 5k, 10k, half-marathon and 20-miler (plus relay) all on the same day. It is cleverly scheduled for three weeks prior to the California International Marathon, so that many runners use it as their final long run before the taper.

That’s what got me out there yesterday morning. It was excellent running weather, although I wasn’t crazy about the 9 a.m. start time, since it promised to get warm around noon.

I didn’t really feel the need to go, but I got in the porta-potty line at 8:40. For some reason, the runners were slow pissers because the gun went off right at 9 and I was still in line. Throwing caution to the wind, I got out of line and bolted to the start.

Mile 1 – 10:10

Mile 2 – 10:02

Mile 3 – 10:19

Mile 4 – 10:21

On my two previous 20-milers I averaged a 10:48 and 10:21 pace. In both cases, my first mile was well over 11 minutes. So I was pretty concerned about the speed I was going, even though it felt really slow.

Mile 5 – 10:04

Mile 6 – 9:43

Mile 7 – 9:23

Mile 8 – 9:40

There was nothing to look at but wine and women – that is, vineyards and the mostly female pack going at my speed. You’d think I’d be able to focus on my pace but I was all over the place. I thought I was going according to plan… if my plan had been to run the half-marathon.

Mile 9 – 9:58

Mile 10 – 9:46

Mile 11 – 9:53

Mile 12 – 9:47

The sun was already beating down around the turnaround point, but fortunately a cold breeze picked up and we entered the shade of the levee trail. So the temperature wasn’t an issue, but the slant of the trail made it feel as though I was running along the side of a hill.

Mile 13 – 9:48

Mile 14 – 10:01

Mile 15 – 10:30

Mile 16 – 10:31

No great trauma or horrible mishap. I was feeling OK and moving along steadily without falter. I just couldn’t maintain that 10-minute pace. The race volunteers were terrific, but they were the only people out there. Could have definitely used some distraction at this point.

Mile 17 – 10:32

Mile 18 – 10:34

Mile 19 – 10:57

Mile 20 – 10:31

Lots of people walking. I latched onto that 10:30 pace pretty well, although the hill at Mile 19 took a lot out of me. I was feeling grim after that, but finally perked up when off in the distance I spotted the 6-mile marker – not our 6-mile marker, but the one for the 10k. I was so focused on that 6, I wanted to cheer when I reached it, but managed to contain myself for the last few hundred yards.

Finish – 3:23:13. 241st out of 455. 39th of 55 in 50-59 age group.

Ended up with a 10:10 average pace, which was a decent improvement over my last 20-miler, but I felt thrashed. They were serving hot pasta, bread and coleslaw in the cafeteria, but the aroma was making me ill at that point, so I grabbed some fruit and lots of water. I was fully recovered in a matter of minutes.

Taper time! I’m running the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay next Sunday, but plan on doing it at marathon pace, which I think should be around 10:20. Then it’s two more weeks before my third, and final, CIM.

Yep, I’ve already made the determination that this will be my last marathon. I know everyone always says that, but 15-16 miles is the absolute max I can enjoy anymore. I want to run one more marathon because I’m finally healthy enough to do so, but I’m strictly half-marathon guy after that.