The Wineglass Half Marathon has been on my running bucket list for some time now. My running buds have boasted about this race as have many other runners online. It has also continually been ranked as one of the best in the country. Everything that has been claimed about this event nestled in New York’s Finger Lakes, wine country, and the series of race is true. This race also caps off my racing for 2024.
Those new to running soon discover that they enjoy the sport. They are inquisitive about seemingly everything running related. The most often asked question centers on how they can improve. Whether it’s taking on the challenge of their first 5K or seeking a longer-range target such as running a marathon. They want to know all the “how to’s” to help them reach their goal.
My racing experience dates back to the days of $5 entry fees and as an incentive for runners to sign-up organizers offered runners a free T-Shirt! Well, the shirts are mostly still here and thankfully they are a much-improved product too. In recent years some races recognize that many runners have drawers full of T-shirts and the shirts are no longer the incentive they initially were during the early years. Fast forward to current time and see some organizers offering a different incentive to runners. They offer runners to not receive the shirt and in turn pay a lower entry fee!
So come race morning I wake early and find that the last thing I really wanted to do was run a race, let alone a faster pace 5K race. It’s not unusual for me to have “race entry remorse” on race day anymore.
I am going to go way out on a limb here and assume that you, like most runners, are not a world class runner and therefore will never come close to challenging a world, Olympic, national, regional, or similar record. In the world of running, runners instead celebrate their personal records or PRs. It does not matter how fast one ran a race, what matters is how fast the runner ran for a specific distance relative to that runner’s past performances. Since most runners compete in races of various distances, most runners will accumulate their own best finish time for each distance. Thus, the title PR for that distance.
It took several attempts spanning the past five years but I finally earned my podium finish for the Glass City Half Marathon this past weekend! What follows is the background to this story and the race report of my third try. Thanks in advance for reading my post.
Background
For years I had always heard great things about the Glass City Marathon and Half Marathon hosted by the Toledo Road Runners Club. It’s best known for a relatively flat course that gives the runner few excuses for a poor performance. It’s also known as one of the better organized events. A race’s leadership and organization often go unappreciated by many (but not all) runners. Not by this runner, they know how to do it right in Toledo.
Race swag, sorry, my free beer glass is not in pic.
Back in 2019 I ran my first Glass City Half Marathon. When race day approached in late April of that year, I was a victim of minimal prep required to run any half marathon. Nonetheless I did run, and my results reflected my training that year. I finished in 2:11, well beyond my normal range of 1:45 to 1:55 back then. I also errored on my logistics. Toledo is about an hour’s drive south for me and I made the trip to the expo on Saturday afternoon, returning home after I picked up my race bib. Of course, this meant I needed to get up very early Sunday morning to drive back to Toledo, find a parking space, engage in my usual pre-race routine, and make it to the starting line by 6:30 AM! I somehow managed all of that and I thoroughly enjoyed the race and post-race festivities. I was hooked on Glass City despite my relatively slow performance.
It was a struggle for me to finish in 2019. I since learned from my mistakes.
There was no Glass City in 2020 thanks to Covid of course but the race was one of the very first races to return to real time road racing in 2021! This time I took advantage of my lesson learned in 2019 and booked a hotel stay in Toledo. Many advantages to doing this but frankly, I was still awake very early on race morning and managed to get to the starting line shortly before the 6:30AM start again. My 2020 race time was even a bit faster this time too! There are advantages to knowing the course now. I finished in 2:04 and a few spots off of a podium finish. Not a problem, while I enjoy being competitive. I also understood taking more than 2 hours to finish a half marathon was simply a matter of insufficient training. I have never been a big-time winter runner thus my spring racing results are not my best results. Surely 2021 will be my year to break thru at Glass City!
Well, I had high hopes for 2021 racing year. I was now in a new (older) age group and I knew that my strongest competition of runners were a year younger than me so yes, I was set to win my age group this year in Toledo!
My year started out good too! About a month ahead of Glass City I won my age group in the Rock CF Half Marathon in Grosse Ile (MI). Then a week later it happened! While on an early morning midweek run, I stumbled along the walk, fell and ended up with a broken foot. No running, in fact, no movement of any kind for the next 8 weeks at least! So, no Glass City for me in 2022. The good news here is that I was able to resume running in June and recovered to run well in my fall events.
Glass City Half Marathon 2023
I was looking forward to returning to Toledo and taking on the half marathon again, especially following a strong fall racing season. But then, as usual, winter happens, and my training is just not the same as in the summer and fall. I was able to work up to a couple of decent long runs in the weeks preceding Glass City but, nowhere near the extent of tempo and similar training runs needed to run a strong half marathon. So, I tempered my expectations accordingly and simply looked to be happy if I could run a bit better than my 2:15 finish at the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon seven weeks prior.
Logistics also played a part in my race experience. I paid a nominal extra fee to be able to pick up my bib on race morning thereby not needing to pay for a hotel or make two back to back trips to Toledo. Great! Except I needed to leave home not later than 4:30 AM to make this work. I managed, it worked, but barely.
It’s 4:00 AM and Zeus is saying, let me go back to bed!
The real anxiety for me this year was the weather. Pre-race temps were in the low 30’s and the mild breeze made it feel like the high 20’s. I really prefer to race in shorts and a singlet. Given the temps, I was definitely wearing a long sleeve shirt under my singlet. But my legs? I had raced in similar conditions in tights and regretted every step of that race. So I fell back on an old trick I learned in my high school cross country days, use Vaseline over my exposed skin to keep the air off. This combined with knee high compression socks did the trick. For the wind, I wore a clear garbage bag over my body and kept it on until mile ten. I was glad too as with every turn in the course it seemed as if there was a new head wind there to greet me.
The Early Miles 1-3
There was a slight change in the course route this year. A new starting line location that I thought frankly was much better than previous years. But, the first 3 miles ran along much the same roads as previous years but in the reverse direction. So what? Well, the reverse direction meant we were running a bit more uphill rather than downhill. Still, the inclines were not that terrible and it was early enough so as not to impact performance.
And they are off! Except it’ll be another 5 minutes before I get to the start line.
The first three miles were simply a warm up for me. I purposely ran slow like I would on any normal Saturday long run. Going into the race I thought if I could average a 9:45 pace for 13.1 miles I would be happy. My early miles were at 9:45, so I figured it was simply a matter of holding onto this pace. It felt easy. Maybe a bit too easy as I was constantly passing people, even this early in the race, was this a good omen or would it lead to my downfall in the later miles? Ugh!
The Middle Miles 4-10
Shortly after hitting the 3 mile mark runners were back on the old course and passed by the long starting corrals where this all started nearly a half hour ago. I suddenly felt the beginnings of a cramp in my hamstring. This is not unusual for me, my only concern was whether or not it would cease or cause my early demise in the race. I frankly forgot about it and it never bothered me again. I just kept running. I was looking for the actual 3 mile mark when I suddenly noticed that I had just past the 4 mile mark! Wow, that seemed to pass by quick. Another slight turn ahead and we were into the scenic part of the course. I was remembering previous years here, running through some beautiful neighborhoods, people out on their lawns ring cow bells and cheering us on.
Miles 4 thru 10 include some moderate hills or more accurately, slopes. Still, experience has taught me to run with my head up, look towards the runners ahead so I can run the tangents (a running term meaning to run the shortest distance around a curve). Despite these “hills” I was still slowly passing most people. My pace had slowly but steadily increased from the 9:45 range to 9:10 and still feeling just as easy. No need to push it any harder as I certainly did not have the training to support anything more.
Then as we approached the end of mile 9 there was a dreaded actual hill. Well, at least after 9 miles this certainly felt like a hill. I remember in previous years this “hill” caused me to stop and walk it. Not this year. I did slow a bit but not for long. There was one more turn ahead and then it would be onto the 10 mile mark!
Approaching mile 12 and I still am feeling strong. Continue to pass runners and anxious to get to the finish line!
The Final Miles 11- 13.1
I knew that once I made this final turn to head towards the 10 mile mark that the relatively mild winds would now finally be at my back. Per my race plan, when I did cross the 10 mile mark I yanked off my garbage bag and was ready to push this final 5K to the finish line.
Except for another mild turn and the final leg into the Toledo Rocket Stadium and finish line, most of the final miles are along a straight road. There’s also one more decent hill that challenges runners just before the 12 mile mark too. Despite these challenges that lay ahead, I started to push my pace a bit. I was running in the 8:50’s nearly a full minute per mile faster than I was just 10 miles ago. Yes, I was still passing even more people. Of those that I passed, I gave a critical eye to see if they even might be in my age group too. Nope, not a one, so I thought maybe, just maybe I could do this podium finish thing! I was going to give it everything I had.
When I came to that last challenging uphill just before the 12 mile mark I again remembered walking this hill in previous years but not this time. I held steady and thought only about the final turn and the inviting long downhill to the finish line. It was now only two traffic signals ahead of me. Just take down one traffic signal at a time I told myself then the downhill.
Well before I knew it, I was at the final big turn and that nice inviting downhill. Despite being downhill it still is not easy to keep pushing, but push I did. Now I was really passing runners too! 800 yards to go, 400 yards to go, 13 miles and now only a tenth of a mile! Now is the time to also get in the clear for the photographers at the finish line! I was determined not to let that last runner ahead of me get in my picture so it was an all out spring as I entered the stadium for the final 40 yards or so, and there I was, running alone in space as I crossed the finish line!
Finish
Somewhere along the 11th mile I had passed the 2:05 half marathon pacer and I knew if I ran strong enough there might be a chance to break the magical 2 hour mark. I did run as strong as I could and as I approached the finish I saw the time clock reading about 2:06. Not to be disappointed because it took me at least a few minutes to get to the actual starting line, so it might be close to the 2-hour mark.
YES! Finally! The finish line, time to celebrate!
No, following the post-race goodies line, beer line, and pizza line, I had a chance to see the results. I had finished in 2:01.23.9, my fastest Glass City Half Marathon and a First Place finish in the 70-74 age group! Not to shabby for someone who only has been running about 20-25 miles a week recently, and most of those miles were very slow-paced miles. So, I am quite happy with my results and intend to step up my training for the rest of the spring and into summer racing season.
If it’s on the internet, it must be true! Overall: 862 of 2,187 runners.
Next up, The Bayshore 10K, Traverse City, MI. May 27. Stay tuned.
Thanks again for taking the time and interest in reading my post, I hope that it may inspire you to run and race a bit more. Please post your comments below, I look forward to seeing. Thanks.
Coach Lee, aka, “The Running Architect”
Race swag and awards. As a first place finisher a special and very appropriate Rock is a part of each winners prize.
For some, the first sign of spring is seeing a robin, for others, it’s opening day and the start of the baseball season, for runners it’s running the first race of the new year! The first race of the year also represents the end to wearing layers of clothing, no more running through snow or icy conditions, the wind can now be your friend and not your enemy. Here in southeast Michigan that means it’s time to run the Rock CF Half Marathon/5K.
For me this first race of this new year represents a unique opportunity for my competitive spirit. I recently moved into the next 5 year age group of competition and for a short while, most of my toughest competition remains in my previous age group. So until they join me in my new division, I am determined to make the most of this short lived opportunity. My plan for this year is to run many of my usual favorite races, return to several I have not ran for some time, and take on the challenges of a new race, perhaps even travel to a new race destination in 2022. The Rock CF event fits my plan perfectly.
I took advantage of a special entry fee rate they offered late last fall. It was only for that early entry that I ran the race this year. Despite my plans to train better and more often over the winter I frankly wimped out too many times and stayed indoors with my favorite foods and drinks. This is not the way to train for any event! As 2022 arrived I decided to return to two of my previous successful methods. I re-enlisted with a 30 Day Jump Start weight loss program with Triad Performance Training and returned to run indoors with speed once a week at EMU with the Ann Arbor Track Club. Each of these strategies proved to be extremely helpful. However, I was not able to get my mileage up to where it should be to run a half marathon. My long runs where not long and they remained much slower than my usual training pace. By the end of February I was barely averaging 20 miles a week and often even less than that. I did manage a 10 miler or two in March but they were a struggle to complete. So needless to say, my confidence level was not great as race day drew near. I was even hoping a late winter snow storm might come along perhaps cancelling the race!
A couple of recent Friday morning runs helped to turn my training around and build my confidence back to at least close to where it should be. The biggest boost was the Friday morning just two days ahead of the race! I ran what felt like a very easy pace but was actually at least 30 seconds per mile faster than I had been training! So instead of fearing the race I set my sites to running a bit faster than I did about a year ago at the Glass City Half Marathon. I would be happy to run approximately 9:00 minute pace at Rock CF and finish in 2 hours and 5 minutes. So a 2:05 HM time became my target. I also knew that if a few “certain” runners failed to show to race that a 2:05 HM time for my age group may land me on the podium too!
Rock CF race founder Emily. Emily founded this race as a means to help support people battling cystic fibrosis which she battles too.
On race morning I was reasonably optimistic. I was simply planning to run relaxed, no need to run hard, just simply run for fun and see how far I could go until I hit the proverbial wall. And that’s just how I started too! The first few miles were chilly but the sun was out and we could see the skyline of Detroit beyond the view of the Detroit River ahead. I felt like I was running very slow but I looked at my watch and saw I was at 9:05 pace! This was well below my typical training pace of 9:30 to 9:45 or even slower. Yet, I felt good, felt relaxed and thought if I could just hold this pace I would certainly hit my goal of 2 hrs. 5 mins. In fact, during the early miles I was looking forward to a strong finishing kick and maybe have a chance at breaking the 2 hour mark!
Most of the race course is a welcoming flat route. There are a few undulating slopes along the way but nothing approaching what a race director might describe as “gently rolling” hills! The toughest part of the route was the wind. Grosse Ile is an island community set within the Detroit River. Most of the 13.1 mile route is along the edge of the island too, so there is little to no wind block as the winds pick up chills from the near icy temps of the Detroit River. Because of the winds, coming from the west that morning, I elected to run in tights versus regular shorts. This would prove to be a mistake late in the race.
The early miles flowed by and I still was feeling like I was running easy but my watch told be otherwise. My pace had picked up to the 8:35 to 8:45 range! This is a pace that I would typically feel very comfortable running had I logged more miles in training, but likely not sustainable given my training this winter! I continued to run this pace and see how long I could hang on.
The mile markers were very obvious but seemed to me to take forever to see the next one. This was particularly true as the route turned at the north end of the island and we ran along a mostly straight route along the westerly side of the island. I have become very familiar with the various landmarks along the island’s and riverside banks. For a number of years we have had the pleasure of being treated to many wonderful summer days on a friend’s boat. I had also had several architectural projects on the island in my career as an architect. The most notable was saving the local parish church from near structural collapse a few years ago. These landmarks helped me to segment the long route which in turn helped me to keep my unusual faster than recent pace in line.
As I approached the 8 mile marker I saw I had been averaging 8:40 pace! I also related the 8 mile mark to running “a loop” at Kensington Metro Park, my home to my long runs. I really wanted to stop and take a break, after all, I had 5 long more miles to go! But instead I broke the remaining 5 miles into 2 + 3. Another 2 miles would be to me, like running the Crim 10 Miler Race. I thought just get me to the Crim mark then I can run a 5K to the finish!
Well, I did make it to the 10 mile mark but not before making a turn to where the wind was now at my back and I was starting to get a bit too warm in the bright but still cool morning sunshine. I had wished I kept my running shorts on in lieu of changing into my tights just prior to the start of the race. But, nothing I could do about it now, just keep on keeping on as they say.
Thanks to Mami for being on the course offering her encouragement and photo skills. I really appreciated Mami’s support as I made the turn into the airplane hanger and onto the 10 Mile mark.
Where was Mami? Mami Kato is one of the better runners and active cheer leaders w the 5K! to cheer on our club members running the HM. Mami is one of the better runners within our 501 Running Club and she ran the 5K event. In fact she was the overall women finisher in the 5K! Mami had announced that she planned to run the route in reverse after finishing her 5K and I thought I should have seen her somewhere after mile 8 but did not. Well, soon after I wondered there she was, stationed just outside of the Grosse Ile Naval Air Hanger, taking pictures of each of us.
I just ran my best half marathon in recent years, feels good too !
Detroiters appear to have a “thing” about racing in strange places. Apparently the course needed to add a little distance to running around the island and meet the 13;1 mile mark so why not take runners through an airplane hanger, run them out on the runway a bit and let them run back through the hanger again? Detroit area runners love to run a mile under the Detroit River through a tunnel as part of the Detroit Marathon, so yes, make them run through the hanger and on a runway! Well, ok, the hanger part was ok, the runway part not so much. But there was Mami snapping pictures of the 501’rs and cheering us on. I especially needed a boost at this point and she provided the boost I needed. Thanks Mami.
So onto the final 5K, I was going to “kick this in” right? Well, not so fast, literally! My average pace for the race was now at 8:45 while very happy with this pace I was not sure how much longer I could keep it up. It seemed like mile marker 11 was never going to happen. I decided that I would begin my kick at mile 11. Not to bore you any further, let me just say that I decided to begin my “kick” at mile 12 instead! So mile marker 12 eventually came along and I was nowhere near ready to begin any kind of a kick. Instead, I reminded myself I was running much better than anticipated for this race and I just needed to keep on keeping on as they say. I resisted the urge to walk primarily because I thought there may be someone behind me that was my age and I was not going to let that imaginary runner pass me at this late stage of the race!
My “kick” finally came just as we turned off the street and into a long winding chute to the finish. I passed a couple of runners, thought that dang finish line was never going to get here and saw the race clock tick off at 1 hour 55 minutes! I also knew that I probably took nearly a minute to cross the actual start line so my chip time would actually be a little faster! Done!
Finished in 1:55:09, average pace, 8:48, one of my fastest half marathon times in recent years. I also finished two minutes ahead of my nearest competition. Not too shabby for this newbie to the 70-74 age group! Now onto improving my training as Mother Nature promises to be more accommodating in the weeks and months ahead.
Thanks for taking time to read my race report and I look forward to your comments and feedback.
Run Happy !!
Coach Lee
Even though it’s mid-August it felt like the re-scheduled Dexter / Ann Arbor 10K was the beginning of the fall racing season here in Michigan. Since the return of local races in our area late this past fall many runners have been aiming for now. This 10K represented a “tune-up” race for me to allow me to judge how my summer training thus far. My major races are The Crim 10 Mile in two weeks, followed by The Brooksie Way at the end of September, and the Detroit Half Marathon in mid-October. My goal is to finish near the top of my five year age group in each of these races with the peak race being Detroit.
Typically you will hear people say they need to start running to lose weight. Well, leave it to this architect to think differently. I knew I needed to lose weight in order to run!
A bit of background here. My friends and running buds know that I have been running in some form or another for more than 50+ years, and over the years my weight as gone up and down, so why now? Well, the short version is that I had several non-running injuries and two different surgeries during the past four years. This along with the lack of any motivation to race is how I gained unwanted pounds. Just when I was starting to recover from most recent surgery along came Covid and the end of racing.
I have never feared the number 13 as being an unlucky number. Not even a world wide pandemic could stop the 13th annual running of The Brooksie Way Half Marathon this weekend!. What’s so special about The Brooksie Way Half Marathon? Well you need to understand how it began and how it has evolved from the very first race in 2008.
It’s the first day of summer. With all the various fun possibilities that lie ahead this summer, what better way to kick off the start of summer but to go for a run? It can be any run, it does not need to be a tough grueling training run, just a simple run. Run easy, run to enjoy, run to celebrate that you are simply able to run!
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