Race Reports

SacTown 10-Miler Race Report

Ran the inaugural SacTown 10-Miler this morning. It was in the mid-40s and windy at the start, which was unfortunate because despite calling us to line up at 8 a.m., the race didn’t begin until 8:25.

The start/finish line was directly in front of the Capitol, and the route was mostly an out-and-back through downtown Sacramento. Actually, it was two out-and-backs, since the route had us recrossing the starting line prior to mile 2.

Nonetheless, the course was flat and fast, the volunteers helpful, and the sparse crowd enthusiastic. There were 529 participants.

I had only one double-digit training run to prepare for this race (actually, my only double-digit run in 18 months) and covered the distance at a 10:16 pace. So my goal was to finish sub-100. The organizers had special T-shirts for anyone who finished sub-80 or better.

After covering the first mile in 10:03, I knew I would either have an easy time of the remaining 9 miles, or crash and burn for starting too fast. Fortunately, it was the former. I finished in 1:35:13, with a two-minute negative split and an 8:57 final mile. That was good enough for 301st of 529, and 23/30 in the 50-54 age group.

The finish line spread consisted of Oreos, bananas and Corn Thins, which, if you’ve never had them, are like rice cakes made of corn. I ate them anyway.

I’m extremely happy with my performance, but it also signals the end of my “BQ or Bust” blog category, which must be designated “bust.” I’m highly unlikely to return to my former speed, and the new qualifying times make it moot even if I do. My training exploits will now appear sporadically under the title “Junk Miles,” since I’ve determined that from now on all my miles are junk miles.

All in all, an encouraging day and since I met my time goal, I’ll increase my Sunday long run to 12 miles.

Running Is as Serious as a Heart Attack

I’ve avoided telling this story for a long time because I didn’t know how it would turn out.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010, wasn’t so different from any other day. I had run a decent 5k a few days earlier, and swam my morning laps without incident. After I got home, I needed to move some furniture and felt a sharp pain along my left triceps. “Crap, I’ve pulled something,” I thought. Later, in the shower, I had that “pulled muscle” feeling across my collar bone and up into my neck.

I already know what you’re thinking, and I thought it, too. But my blood pressure and heart rate were normal, and I had no chest symptoms at all. No shortness of breath. No physical difficulty whatsoever. It just couldn’t be a heart attack, but at the same time, it was weird, so I couldn’t just ignore it. So I split the difference. I took some aspirin instead of Advil and made an appointment with my doctor for the next day – for arm pain.

I slept well but the now-dull pain hadn’t gone away in the morning. And did I feel some chest pressure or was I freaking out? Blood pressure and heart rate still normal. OK, so I go to see my doctor. I told her my symptoms. She looked at me kind of funny. Took me through a series of arm motion tests, one of which provoked a sharp pain in my clavicle. She was pretty sure I had hurt myself while swimming, but we both agreed that an electrocardiogram was in order, just to be sure.

I got the ECG and a few minutes later she returned and said, “You need to go to the emergency room right now.” All she would add is that my ECG was “abnormal.”

My wife drove me across the street to the ER. I sauntered in with a copy of my ECG, handed it to the nurse, and told her what my doctor said.

Then all hell broke loose.

I was escorted into a room where four or five people simultaneusly began removing my shirt, x-raying my chest, sticking multiple IVs in my arm and putting nitroglycerine under my tongue.

Now I may be a bit slow on the uptake, but I finally figured out that this was way serious. The ER staff was absolutely frantic, and I was as calm as can be because I felt fine. A doctor entered the room. I have since referred to him as Dr. Jargon because I understood one out of every five words he used. He told me I was having an “MI.” I’m having a Michigan? A mobile infantry? A moment of inertia? A Mission Impossible? What?

Oh, a heart attack.

This wasn’t like any heart attack I’d ever heard of. No passing out. No white light. No paddles. I was mostly worried that they were scaring the Lovely Mrs. A. out of her wits. You might think I was in denial, but how would you feel if I told you, right now, that you were having a heart attack?

Anyway, I needed a cardiac catheterization so they could identify the blockage and get rid of it. But I had to be taken to another hospital for the procedure, so they bundled me into an ambulance and off we went through rush hour traffic. During the ride I chatted with the EMT. After about 15 minutes of small talk, I asked her if she had ever had a conversation with a patient in the back of the ambulance. “Not during a Code 3,” she said.

For those of you unfamiliar with the catheterization procedure, they punch a hole in your femoral artery and snake a tube through it all the way up to your heart. In my case, they found two blood clots blocking my coronary artery. These were dissolved and two stents were put in. I spent the weekend in the cardiac care unit while they tried to figure out what the hell had happened.

Most heart attacks are caused by arterial plaque, which eventually erupts. Blood clots around it, causing a blockage. This might be what happened to me, but the cardiologist team had some doubts, because my cholesterol was 170 and they couldn’t find any other plaque. They checked for an embolism and a hole in my heart, but both were negative. During morning rounds, my attending physician introduced me to the interns as “the healthiest man to ever have a heart attack.”

On one thing there was general agreement: Running saved my life.

While my experience bordered on the comical, it’s clear that my good health got me through it with far less pain than I had with my herniated disk. I was released from the hospital on Sunday and was back at work on Monday. I’ll leave my rehab tales for another time, but it wasn’t long before I was on the road again. Here we are – less than six months later – and yesterday I completed my first race. It was a 10k, and I ran a 55:22. I’m pretty sure that’s a personal worst, but it’s never felt so sweet.

My cardiologist tells me the running is good for my recovery and as long as I feel no ill effects, “there are no restrictions.” In fact, he told me not to place any restrictions on myself. I’m on a bunch of meds, and I’ve improved my diet. My cholesterol is now 137 (LDL 61).

I’ve done a lot of research in the past few months, and it turns out I’m far from the only runner who has had a similar experience. Stacie Rubin’s story was very close to my own. I decided to tell my story because we, as runners, are people who have paid attention to the best health advice. We (usually) eat right, we’re aware of what our bodies tell us, and we perform an exercise that strengthens our hearts and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

But it’s not a bulletproof vest. So don’t do what I did. If you have the traditional symptoms of a heart attack, even if that seems impossible and you feel you can attribute them to some other cause – go to the emergency room. They’ll know within minutes whether you are or not. If you’re not, then you’ve wasted an afternoon, but that’s all.

What happened to me was bad luck, but I am definitely a lucky man. Lucky to have found running and to love it so much. It will carry me through the rest of my life – as well as next week’s 10-mile race.

Urban Cow 5k Race Report

This won’t be much of a race report, since nothing startling happened. The weather was absolutely perfect for running. I ran a pretty steady pace, slightly faster than my training.

Mile 1 – 8:10

Mile 2 – 8:19

Mile 3 – 8:12

.1 – 1:04 (?)

The course might have been a little long, but no worries. Official results were:

Finish – 25:45

72nd of 894

8th of 48 in 50-59 age group

The post-race spread was awesome – beer, soft tacos, every kind of fruit and baked good, and hot coffee. My favorite was the jalapeño bagels. As a No Boundaries participant, I even got a medal. For a 5k!

So while I’m still waaaaaay off my peak form, I’m officially back to normal running, instead of rehabilitation. The Next Steps program starts right away – Tuesday night – and culminates in a 10k on Thanksgiving Day. I guess a good goal for that would be sub-50.

Pamplona Running of the Bulls Race Report

Guest post by “Ferdinand”

I was super-jacked about finally making it to greatest race in bull running – Pamplona. I got my “PQ” last year at Cuellar and have been training very hard.

I brought some extra cud gels (“cudgels,” get it? LOL!) to keep me going through the most difficult parts of the race – the bashing into the barricades. The race doesn’t start until 8, but they herded us into the starting corrals before 7:30 – and not a porta potty in sight. The stink was incredible. This is bullshit.

To pass the time, we had a bull session. Finally we had the invocation of Saint Fermin, the rockets were fired, and we were off like a bull at a gate. We were all caught in traffic near the first turn, right by the china shop. I headed for a likely looking Aussie. I thought he was going to have a cow. I nailed him on my first try. Bullseye!

There was one competitor in front of me, and since the race is only 826 meters long, I decided to take the bull by the horns and go for it. He had a slight lead, but I was bullish about my chances. I bulled my way past and entered the bullpen first. Victory!

While I could write about my win until the cows come home, but I don’t want to overdo my cock-and-bull story.

Sacramento Zoo Zoom 5k Race Report

They forecast heavy rain, 20 mph winds and general mayhem for race time this morning, but it all held off until this afternoon, so we ran in pristine conditions.

My training has been going well, so while I’m not in top form I knew my time would be respectable. The only downside was no timing mat at the start, so gun time is your only time. I started my Garmin at the line, so these splits are chip time equivalents. My Garmin is also set on auto-pause, so it stops whenever I come to a full stop (which came in handy, as you’ll see).

Mile 1 – 7:41

Mile 2 – 7:47

Mile 3 – 7:53

.1 – 0:45

Finish – 24:06

My official time was 24:31.5, the difference being due to the 30 seconds or so I (and several others) spent checking on the young woman lying face down in the grass about a mile and three-quarters into the race. Fortunately there was a police officer nearby and the ambulance was immediately dispatched. So congratulations to those who PR’ed while running past her prone body. Good job!

I finished 139th in a field of 1,350, and 11th of 56 in the 50-59 age group.

This was my first race since last October and it was good to get back at it. And we got a free entry to the zoo, which is a nice treat.

I won’t be racing again until Memorial Day, and I’ll spend the interim increasing distance at target marathon pace (8:12) and getting some longer long runs in.

Apocalypse Now: Global Warming, My Ass! 6.66 Mile Run

I went forth from my home to compete in the virtual Global Warming, My Ass! 6.66 Mile Run at a place called in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon.

There were arrayed the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man. The number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.

Behind me, someone spoke, and I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.

His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as though they burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters.

He said unto me, “Razz causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to run the distance of the Beast. Here is wisdom: Let him that hath understanding count the distance of the Beast, for it is the number of six hundred threescore and six.”

He continued, “If any man fail to complete the distance of the Beast, he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, and have no rest day or night.”

The trumpets of heaven sounded, and the race commenced.

Mile 1 – 9:08

I began last, though I said unto the runners of the earth to beware: “I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”

Mile 2 – 8:48

I came upon the hindmost group, and they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots with many horses running to battle.

And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stingers in their tails; and their power was to hurt men five months.

Mile 3 – 8:38

Though they were swift of foot, I swept pass them, and they shall bewail and lament when they shall see the smoke of their burning.

One woe is past; and behold, there come two more woes hereafter.

Mile 4 – 8:37

Then past the next slowest racers I ran. The first being was like a lion, and the second being like a calf, and the third being had the face of a man, and the fourth being was like a flying eagle. And each of the four living beings had six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within; and they rested not day and night.

Mile 5 – 8:35

As I overtook them they gnawed their tongues from pain. They were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God.

Mile 6 – 8:39

The second woe is past: and behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

I swept into the lead. I was weary, and I looked behind, and behold, a pale horse, and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.

Mile 6.66 – 5:25 (8:13 pace)

And lo! I recalled the Word: “Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”

They could not overtake me, and they blasphemed because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

Finish: 57:54 (8:42 pace)

And the Beast was taken, and cast alive into a lake of fire, burning with brimstone.

I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps.

And I saw, as it were, a sea of glass mingled with fire, and them that had gotten the victory over the beast standing on the sea of glass and having the harps of God, along with the merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls; and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet; all scented wood, all manner of vessels of ivory and most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble; and cinnamon, and perfumes, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat; and cattle, and sheep, and horses, and chariots; and slaves, and the souls of men.

And the voice from heaven said unto me: “Write the things which thou hast seen. Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

Sacramento Cowtown Half-Marathon Race Report

I really had no business running a half-marathon yesterday. I’ve run a total of 7 pain-filled miles over the last two weeks. But I’m a stubborn bastard, and after stupidly registering for a bunch of races in advance, I simply forced myself to run them. I toyed with the idea of running the 5k, but I figured it would hurt just as bad for less payoff. So I went for it.

The Lovely Mrs. A. and I got to William Land Park in plenty of time (she ran the 5k – without a chip, because she just likes running. I should learn from her.) and sat in the car until about 15 minutes before start time. Except as we approached the start, I realized I really, really needed to use the latrine. So I got in the humongous line. People in front of me started to freak and bail out of the line because the race was about to start, and I was fruitlessly trying to explain to them that there was a timing mat at the start, so it didn’t much matter when the race started. There were more than 3,300 half- and full marathoners, so it was going to take awhile anyway.

I finish my business, trot out to the start area, and guess what? I’m by myself! I begin my run, and as I cross the timing mat, my friend, race director Rich Hanna, announces over the loudspeaker, “And there goes Mike Antonucci, giving the rest of the field a head start.” Awesome.

So, here I am, absolutely dead last, running behind 2,863 other half-marathoners. It was a weird and wonderful experience. If you’ve never done it, you should try it, but not in a race in which you hope to PR. It’s a whole different scene back there. For one thing, there’s a LOT of chatter going on. It’s more like a party than a race. People spread out and there isn’t much jockeying for position. I tried not to waste energy dodging people, but when they’re strolling nine abreast, having a great old time, well, you’ve got to work around them.

In the first mile I passed people right and left, and since the race had pace leaders, I soon caught up to the 2:30 leader, then the 2:20 leader. At mile 2 I caught the 2:15 group. It was great fun speeding by everyone but I realized I was eventually going to find my peers and then run an actual race.

Mile 1 – 9:13
Mile 2 – 8:52
Mile 3-5 – 26:34 (8:51 avg.)

I found a pretty steady pace, and things were going much better than I had anticipated.

Mile 6 – 8:44
Mile 7 – 8:50
Mile 8 – 8:52

The best part of the day was hitting the turnaround point and while running the next stretch, seeing a LONG, LONG line of people, all of whom I had passed to get to where I was. It made me feel terrific even though I was running a very sub-par race.

Mile 9 – 8:51
Mile 10 – 9:09

All good things must come to an end, and while my leg held up pretty well throughout, my poor conditioning began to take a toll. I took two three-minute walk breaks on the home stretch.

Mile 11 – 10:45
Mile 12 – 10:32
Mile 13 – 9:23
.1 – 1:03

I thought I had an outside chance at breaking two hours, but I couldn’t move them any faster. I was struggling at the finish, but got a good laugh when the race announcer called my name over the PA system, then added, “That’s the guy who gave everyone the head start. He must have passed a lot of people.”

Finish – 2:00:50
986th out of 2,864
53rd of 111 in 50-54 age group

They loaded us down with food, then gave us the coveted Cowtown cowbell medal (my fourth one). I located the Lovely Mrs. A. and she led me over to the Fleet Feet tent, where I sat and chowed down. After about a half-hour, I had some trouble getting up, then I limped my way back to the car. I iced the leg for a long time, but this morning it hurts to put any weight on it.

So I’ve managed to go more than a month and run four races in three weeks on a bad leg, but the silliness must stop. I’m out of commission until this gets better. It puts my targeted marathon in the extremely unlikely category, but I’m used to that. In the meantime, I can soothe myself with thoughts of those 1,879 people I passed.