Race Report - 2021 Delano Park 12 Hour

 

This will be the shortest race report in the history of race reports. Over the last month, I have been following a strict low HR training plan to rebuild my endurance base after recovering from Covid and to hopefully manage and resolve my perineal tendinitis issues that I sustained in the aftermath of my bout with Covid.

The last time I followed the Maffetone or MAF HR based training method had been 7 years ago. It basically requires runners to use a simple formula to calculate their heart rare training zone, which is rather low to ensure they're training within the aerobic zone to build your aerobic base (basically your running engine). In general, the recommendation is to do this strictly for 3 months before adding or phasing in any kind of higher intensity workouts.

I had run the Delano Park 12 Hour race seven times before. I've had good runs, great runs and some not so good runs. Today was a not so good run. In fact, for me it was the shortest run to date at this event. I pulled the plug at 21 miles after having walked the last 2 miles/laps. The plan all along hd been to run 50K at MAF pace. While my pace dropped after the first 15 miles, I did stick to the HR zone. However, my motivation to run the planned distance waned rather quickly. 

While I missed my goal, it was fun as always to catch up with the local running community in a real race. We're all largely deprived of in person races, so this was a great way to hang out for a bit, even if socially distanced and masked whenever in close proximity to others.

Race Report - 2020 Delano Park 12 Hour Race

Jumped into this race 3 days prior to race day, because my wife had signed up and because I needed the miles for the final week of my first training block of the year. Sounded like a win-win. Rather than signing up for the 12 hour timed event I opted for the 50 Miler as I had no need or desire to run more than that. After all, I had just run a 100K the previous weekend. It also gave me a chance to test out the camper van again to use as our base camp right next to the looped course. 

I started conservatively as is been my plan for just about every race prior to July. The first few miles ticked by very quickly as I spent time chatting with fellow runner friends. You see, this race is local, a mere 30 minutes from our home, and as such you generally see even more familiar faces than during the average southeastern trail or ultra race. However, as soon as the field stretched and runners settled into their own paces, I started to lose interest in being out there. I quickly decided to settle for 40 miles for the day and to do so at different paces, even including some walking miles as I expected to be doing lots of that later this summer when attempting the various 200 and 300 mile races I had on my calendar.

Truth be told, I was just making excuses as my motivation (i.e. mental game) was just not there. Mental fortitude is the most important characteristic of every ultra runner, but I am also in the camp of athletes that believe that mental fortitude is not available as an unlimited supply. One has to pick and choose when to spent one's motivation balance as not to deplete the account prior to the actual goal race(s). Sometimes, you just gotta suck it up even in a training race to prove to yourself that you can indeed do it, but other times you may just need to recognize that it isn't worth it. I know that sounds like a cop out, but I find it to be true.

This can also come into play when you're deep into an ultra and it's time to decide to keep pushing hard and maybe even pick up the pace or whether just to shuffle or walk it in for a finish. These are the mental battles I often deal with. Generally, I know how it plays out even before an event. I just know. Usually, I am already questioning the "importance" of an event in the days leading up to it. I know, this is gonna be one of those. Other times, I never once question how race day will unfold and no matter how much adversity i deal with on the day, I never once falter or question my resolve. I learned this this past summer and I've accepted it. I consider it a good thing, because if I ever happen to question my resolve prior to a goal event, I know I have to eliminate all doubt prior to ever toeing the starting line.

As is the case every year, Jon Elmore and crew put on a fantastic event. Every year, this race runs like a well oiled machine and the swag is always top notch. Unbeknownst to me, this was my 9th Delano Park event, which means Delano will become only my second race with 10 finishes next year. 

Race Report - 2019 Delano Park 12 Hour

After completing my 50K goal, I completed the Taco Challenge.

AKA "a 50K run with a Taco Challenge chaser". I signed up for this one pretty last minute, 4 days before the race. My training schedule called for 80 miles for the week, so I figured this would be a fun way to accrue some of those miles. Actually, I knew this would be a fun way to do so. After all, this would be my sixth time running this event. My goals this year were much less ambitions than last year, when I got lucky to walk away with the win for the 50 mile event.

The weather forecast for race weekend turned nasty just 3 days out, so I started to scramble to front load the week to try to get the majority of my weekly training mileage ahead of race day, just in case the race got cancelled or delayed due to severe weather.

On Thursday I scrolled across a post on Facebook challenging fellow Delano Park racers to part take in the Taco Challenge, conceived by local ultrarunner and rock painter extraordinaire Youngsu Hoy. Participants would have to eat a Taco of their choice followed by running a mile, rinse, repeat five times. Upon completion,  finishers would get an awesome hand painted rock. Good enough reason and motivation for this guy to jump in on the action. 

My plan was simple, run a 50K at a decent pace, then do the Taco Challenge for good measure. My wife was kind enough to get some vegan tacos for me from Taco Bell on her way to Delano Park to join me for a couple of miles, so I could complete the Taco Challenge. By the time she arrived, I was just heading out for the final lap of my 50K goal. I had started off the day and my first few one mile laps at a 9 min per mile pace chatting and catching up with other runners and friends I hadn't seen in quite a while. After the first few laps, I continued to lower the pace ever so slightly to inch closer to a 8 min per mile pace.

The plan worked as I managed to run my second fastest 50K ever. I used a total of 5 prepared bottles of fluids and 5 gels. During the Taco challenge, I did chug a few small cups of Coke.

However, once I completed the 50K, I was ready to take it easy for the remaining miles. My goal was 30-40 miles for the day, so when my wife came out to join me to walk a few miles (she hasn't been able to run due to injury), it was a very welcome change of pace. We logged another 8 miles before I finally called it a day at 39 miles. And the best part, we managed to beat the worst of the storms. My fellow runners who stayed out there for the full 12 hours were not as lucky. In fact, the race had to be suspended for about 45 minutes while lightning and severe weather hovered above the race course.

Big thanks to Jon Elmore and his awesome crew of volunteers. This race is as much a social event and hangout to catch up with your running family as it is a top notch ultra running event. State records are surely going to continue to fall as this race continues to be a local favorite year after year.

The traditional finisher mileage plaque for the Delano Park 12 Hour and the awesome hand-painted rock finisher award for the Taco Challenge.

Race Report - 2014 Delano Park 12 Hour Race

Cool race swag NEVER gets old!

 The Delano Park 12 Hour Race has become an annual tradition for my wife and I. While neither of our most recent training regimens had really prepared us to run for 12 hours, we do go every year to have fun, meet up with friends and get in some miles along the way. As always RD Jon Elmore and his wife along with a great team of River City Runners volunteers put on another fantastic event. Special props to the weather as well, it was perfect.

I had decided earlier in the week that I would treat Delano as a 50K training race. It was only my third ultra since coming back from some health issues and while I had been having some solid training runs, my base wasn't what it needed to be for me to run for 12 hours without risking injury or having to take off from training for a week after the event. I figured a solid 50K would be a great goal, especially as my prime event for this year is going to be my third attempt at the Pinhoti 100 in November. I plan to treat every race until that date as a training run and there was really no reason to push distance at this stage of my training.

So while I had set a distance for this day, I was still wrangling with a time goal, not for any purposes other than keep me motivated and focused while out there running laps. So the day before, I started playing with the pace calculator at coolrunning.com and after plugging in different times, I decided to shoot for an average pace of sub 10 min miles. I wasn't confident that I could hold it, but why set goals if you know they're easy.

My wife and I got to the race start around 5:15AM and the place was already packed with runners jockeying for parking spots close to the "track". I managed to grab the last "good" spot where I was able to back up our SUV to the track and set up a canopy right next to the track. After greeting some fellow runners, Anya and I huddled up in the car for a few more minutes before the start of the race. The race started as planned and we all got going.

I was trying to decide whether I would try to run with my wife or Jerry or Cary or Benj or Greg, but after just one loop I quickly realized that everyone was going to be running very different races. Some of us were running the 50 mile distance, others were going for 12 hours, yet others were going for 50K.

On that note, a huge congratulations to Benj's dad for completing his first 50K ultra marathon! Freakin' awesome!!! While I am congratulating folks, a special congrats goes out to my wife, who has now completed at least 50K at each of the last three Delano events. Not too shabby, baby!

So I set out to get settled in my target pace, just under 10 minutes. While I did go closer to 9 min miles, I slowly adjusted my pace to hit the goal pace. I decided to run 10 miles, then eat a honey stinger gel and drink a bottle of fluids ad then continue, and then rinse and repeat. I did that and my pace stayed consistently on target, until just after mile 26 or 27. I started to slow down because I required more water breaks as the day was heating up. That meant longer walks to stop the slushing in my stomach after guzzling down and entire bottle of Gatorade. But I kept my eyes on the prize, whenever my overall pace started to click closer to 9:50 pace, I started running again, always with the goal to get back to that target pace and for the most part, I succeeded on every lap. When I finally crossed the finish line, The clock showed 5 hours 7 minutes for the 50K distance, which is likely an all-time unofficial PR for me, since I never raced that distance before on a flat course. Considering my current situation fitness wise, I consider this great progress! Goal reached!

On a final note, congrats to my buddy Cary Long, who dealt with some serious knee issues and still managed to reach his 50 mile goal for the day. I can't wait to crew you to your first 100 mile finish at the Thunder Rock 100, buddy! Congrats to my training buddy Jerry Abbott, who also finished the 50 mile distance just like he planned. Again, looking forward to crewing and pacing you at the Double Tap 100 next weekend! It's gonna be awesome! Congratulations to Gregg Ellis for hitting his target. He's been coming back from a serious injury as well and he's been running like nothing ever happened, just amazing! Finally, congratulations to all the top performers, especially Rob Youngren, DeWayne Satterfield and Beth McCurdy. You guys are what many of us runners aspire to and I fell pretty lucky to have been introduced to ultrarunning being able to sharing the trails with you.  

As my bother captioned this photo on FB "The Beauty and the Beast"

Don't forget, March is Blood Clot Awareness Month. Hit me up if you'd like more information on how to recognize this often silent killer or if you'd like to find out how to do more to raise awareness of this cause. I never tire of talking about it, so if you see me at a race, please ask me about it. I work with the National Blood Clot Alliance as part of their team of NAThletes (endurance athletes that participate in various running, cycling and swimming events) in their campaign to "Stop The Clot". I'd like to make as many people as possible aware of the risks of DVTs and PEs. Believe it or not, but endurance athletes in particular are in a high risk group, especially immediately following a big endurance event. Shoot me a message or comment and I will gladly provide more information. See you on the trails!

My wife completing her 50K threepeat!

Race Report - 2012 Delano Park 12 Hour Race

This year´s Delano swag;-)

I really had no plan for the Delano Park 12 Hour Race this year other than showing up and hanging out with friends. This would be my third ultra within 4 weeks, having just completed two of my goal races for the year (Fuego y Agua 100K and Double Top 100M). As a result, I really didn´t want to set any goals for this one. Instead, I wanted to treat it like a bonus mile run and a party. I admit, I did set a very small goal when I lined up race morning (complete an easy 50K by lunch), but other than that, I just wanted to hang out, eat good food and help my fiancee Anya accomplish her longest running distance to date. Suffice it to say, we both met our goals. While I barely met mine, she blew hers away by running 50k for the day. Until Saturday, her longest run had been a 15 miles training run a few months back in preparation for her second half marathon. Now, she actually has an ultra marathon distance under her belt. That´s another reason I like timed events. Folks can just go out there, aim high and more often than not, actually accomplish it.

Richard came by my house at 4:30AM Saturday morning to give me time to find a spot to set up my canopy at Delano Park. I had sent RD Eric an email asking about spots for tents and he had no objections. He only advised us to show up by 5AM or else we might find ourselves without a convenient parking spot behind our tent. Sure enough, when we rolled up at the park, people were already busy setting up shop and getting ready for the race. I was smart enough to let Anya sleep in just a little, so she would be well rested for the day;-)

Anya showed up shortly after Richard and I finished setting up our spot right across from the bathroom just after the starting line. As you can see in the pic below, both Anya and Richard had a hard time waking up for this one.

Race morning started off a bit on the chilly side.

I remembered that there were about 5 or 6 tents last year and maybe even less the previous year, so imagine my surprise when I took the snapshot below just minutes before race start. The Park had developed into tent city with around 15 tents and canopies lining one side of the course around the start/finish area. If I hadn´t known better, I would have thought I was at a tailgating party. Aside from folks running a few laps, some running a few more than others, the atmosphere was the same. Folks were cooking out burgers and enjoying a cold beverage of choice (beer? Gatorade? who can be sure).

Tents and canopies lined one side of the course.

The race started shortly after 6AM and I took off like I was being chased. I decided to run hard until I would fold. After all, I was running on empty after last weekend´s DT100, so this was to be a run to see how I was feeling. Sure enough, after 15 miles of decent running, I started to run out of gas...and motivation to push. Instead, I took a looong break. After a little less than an hour, I decided to pick it up again to log the 50k I promised myself before lunch. Richard had packed in his stuff earlier after getting his own recovery run in. Anya was still sticking to her plan, run 5 miles, take a break, run 5 miles, take a break, and so on. By lunchtime, I had completed my mini mission and Anya had accomplished her goal of 20 miles. We still had 6 hours left. What to do? Well, first I went to a fellow local runner´s tent (thanks Cary Long and crew!) to enjoy a freshly grilled burger (meat for me, vegetarian for Anya, yum yum!). Next, I put an idea in Anya´s head.

¨You know, even if you walked for a few hours, you could easily log 31 miles and still feel alright.¨ ¨Really?¨ she replied and that was that. After a nice long lunch break, we went for a speed walk in the park. Three or so hours later, Anya had completed her first ultra marathon distance of 50 kilometers. This was quite a rewarding experience for me. After having had two amazing ultra experiences over the last 4 weeks, I actually  was lucky enough to pace Anya to her first ultra. It had been a great 4 weeks for sure.

Her smile gracefully hid the pain her first 50k finish had to had left her with. 

During the course of the day, I met lots of runners, but I also failed to meet a few others I had planned to introduce myself to. Hopefully, I am more successful in doing so the next time around. Thanks again to Eric, Jon and their tireless crew of volunteers for putting on yet another fantastic Delano Park 12 Hour event. Every year it turns into more of a party and people continue to break course records and put on amazing performances. This year was no different with Kathy Youngren as the overall winner of the 50 mile race in under 7 hours and the Fleet Feet Huntsville relay team ¨destroying¨ the old course record with 117 completed miles. Very impressive and awe inspiring!

Race Report - 2011 Delano Park 12 Hour Race

Pre-Race
What can I say, I really didn't feel well prepared for this one, or maybe I just didn't uberprepare like I normally do. It had been a very busy week at work and I didn't get to bed until late both Thursday and Friday night. As a result, I wasn't as well rested as I usually am nor was I properly hydrated. I got up at 4AM, got dressed, had my coffee and headed to Decatur. I wanted to arrive in time to set up at a convenient location near the start of the race to place a chair with my gels and other race gear. I also still needed to pick up my race packet.

Race Report - 2010 Delano Park 12 Hour Race

Pre-race dinner and packet pick-up

I went to Decatur the night before the race to pick up my race packet, enjoy the free pre-race pasta dinner and to check out the actual race course. I knew the location of the park, but I had never actually been there. Luckily, I only lived 45 minutes from the race location. I got to the park around 6 PM and a few other runners and race volunteers were already busy setting up for the start of the race the next morning at 6 AM. I assume some of the work involved trying to clear the 10 foot wide trail from some of the water puddles that had formed as a result of the extensive rain that had fallen all week. I quickly realized that this trail would not require actual trail shoes but that road shoes would suffice. I also noticed that while the course did consist of a one mile loop, it had somewhat natural curves into both directions so it would not feel like I was running in a circle. After putting my mind at ease and deciding where to park the next day, I made my way to the location of the race packet pick-up and carb dinner that was being held at a local church two blocks from the race start. Since I got there relatively early, there were only about 20 people at the dinner and I ended up sitting with a couple of runners from Georgia, who were both accomplished ultra runners, unlike me. Still being a novice ultra runner, I was eager to ask some questions about strategies for a 12 hour ultra race. There were two things I distinctly remember from this conversation. First, never sit down during an ultra unless you are finished. Second, run a steady pace for the entire race. In other words, don't go out hard early only to fold later in the race. Instead, keep the same pace for the entire race. I took both of those tips to heart and integrated them into my race plan, if you can call it that. After dinner, I went back home to pack my gear and call it an early night. However, my mind kept thinking about the race and that led to me worrying about the amount of sleep I would get, since I would have to get up at 4 AM. One thing I had learned was to get plenty of sleep two nights before a race in anticipation of a short pre-race night, so I had that part covered.

Pre-Race Report - 2010 Delano Park 12 Hour Run

The Delano Park 12 Hour Race in Decatur, Alabama is just a little over a month away and I figured I'd provide a quick update. While I initially mainly registered for this race out of curiosity, I now have multiple other reasons to participate and to try to do well, personally and mileage-wise. First, shortly after I registered for this race, I was "invited" to participate in a really cool ultra marathon, the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal (Kiel Canal) 108K Run. I figured a 12 hour race would be great preparation for this type of event. Also, I decided to associate myself with a worthy cause for the 12 hour race, Team ACS (American Cancer Society) in honor of my grandmother, a two-time cancer survivor herself. I hope to raise awareness as well as funds to further the research to find a cure for cancer. So far, a lot of friends and family have already stepped up and graciously donated money upfront. Some brave folks decided to take me up on my challenge to match every lap (1 mile) I finish during these 12 hours with a 1 dollar donation. It is my goal to run 50 miles for this worthy cause. Please feel free to participate and support this cause by visiting my personal Team ACS page.