Inaugural Helotes Beer Garden 5K review

I don't normally recap 5K's, but I had to make an exception for this one.  This inaugural event was held in Helotes, a small town on the outskirts of San Antonio with an old town vibe. 

Registration: Sign up was on active.com, quick and easy like always!  The race director, Roger Lewis, was very active in communicating updates via e-mail and Facebook.

Packet Pickup:  This was held at Roger Solers Tri Sports in Helotes.  We were in and out in under 5 minutes, Roger Lewis was there personally handing out the bags.

"Swag" Bag: Bags contained the race bib with attached chip timer, an awesome tech t-shirt (see below), and most importantly....Advil.

Event Organization:  What can I say, for a first time event it was damn near perfect.  The only initial concern I had was the 3 porta-potties, but there were never more than 2 or 3 people waiting.  I think some people were going in to Floores Country Store and using theirs.  Everything was very well done, very impressed. 

The Race:  The race itself was a couple of out and backs through old town Helotes.  Luckily they didn't use the normal route that races use here because it has a hill that I don't really care for.  The weather was okay for the most part, a little too humid for my liking as my glasses fogged up a few times.  It wasn't a corral start but most participants started where they should have.

The Breweries:  This was what we were here for!  Most of the major craft breweries in San Antonio and the surrounding area supported the post-race party (beers sampled in parentheses).  The list included Ranger Creek (Lucky Ol' Sun), Alamo (Golden Ale), Pedernales (Lobo Lito), Busted Sandal (Slippery Rock IPA), Karbach (Barn Burner, Weisse Versa), Broken Skull (Seguin Ale), Independence (Pale Ale), Brazos Valley (The Cause IPA), Guadalupe (Rye IPA), and 5 Stones (Manmosa).  The only brewery I had never tried was Brazos Valley and they didn't disappoint.  All of the beers were outstanding!  

Post-race:  Aside from the amazing beer, there were tons of door prizes handed out including Oyster Bake tickets, CD's, brewery tours, and various items donated from the breweries present.  The age group winners were treated to a really nice beer mug.  The party was also in the parking lot of the Helotes Creek Winery, which Amy loved and we spent a few dollars in there.  A lot of small local businesses are within walking distance and this was the perfect time to visit them.  

Results and Photos:  The results and photos were posted to the official Facebook page today.  They also had instant results near the finish just by punching in your bib number.

Final Thoughts:  I really hope they put this race on again.  I've done quite a few over the past few year and this may have been the most fun I've had.  Roger and all of the amazing volunteers made this an race to remember.  Give the event a like on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Helotes-5k-Beer-Garden-Run/1381212208799022, hopefully this grow in the upcoming years.

Lastly, here are some pictures I took during the day.

Army 1/2 Marathon Review

This is my quick review of the Army Half Marathon, the event also included a full marathon and "5klicks" 5K.  My wife and I originally signed up for the full, but a full month of being sick caused us to switch to the half.  The full went from Killeen, TX to Temple, TX.  The half started at the full finish line and was a near out and back, with the turnaround just inside the city of Belton at the Belton Lake Dam.

Registration:  This was done through active.com a few months ago.  When we decided to switch to the half we paid a small transfer fee.  Our names got messed up on the new registration (hers on both), but that was an issue with active, not the race.  I was in touch with race staff and they were very responsive.  The issue was corrected when we picked up our packet.

Packet Pickup:  Packet pickup was held at a Courtyard Marriott in Killeen, TX.  The Marathon was to begin close to here.  It was a small expo in the hotel ballroom.  There were a few local vendors as well as a few sponsors, mainly USAA and Navy Federal.  We walked out of there with a lot of bags and water bottles.  

"Swag" Bag:  The race packet itself was a drawstring camouflage bag with a nice tech t-shirt, bib, disposable timing chip, clif builders bar, quench gum, and the usual flyer's/coupons.

Event Organization:  There was the option to take a shuttle from our hotel (Hilton Garden Inn) or park a mile from the start and catch a shuttle, we chose to drive.  It was around 68° when we boarded the bus to the start area.  Upon getting off the bus the cold front that was due later in the day had arrived, temperature dropped to 45° in 15 minutes along with heavy winds and a quick downpour.  This pretty much had everyone scrambling to find shelter.  The race director had the awesome idea to hand out the recovery jackets prior to the race, pretty much saving us since we had no cold weather gear.  Almost everyone had one on during the race.  It looked like a nice start area, but I really didn't get a chance to check it out.

The Race:  Weather conditions aside, this was a really good race.  It started a few minutes late so they could be sure lighting wasn't going to be an issue.  It wasn't the most scenic course, but everyone was making the most of a bad situation and enjoying every mile of it.  Water stops were about every mile and a half, they also had sports drinks.  I didn't stop much since I carried my handheld.  The terrain was all asphalt with moderately rolling hills, none steep enough to alter pace.  The wind played a small factor, but the headwinds and tailwinds cancelled each other out.  The best part was near the halfway point at Belton Lake where runners ran around the dam.  There was even a boat on the lake full of supporters cheering us on, props to them for braving that weather!  The last 1/2 mile was directly in to the wind, but I knew it was going to happen so I left just enough in the tank to charge through it plus there were Army soldiers cheering people to the finish.

Post-race:  A volunteer was there immediately to hand me my medal and another handing out bottled water.  There was also a guy handing out a "recovery box" with some pretty good snacks in it.  Finally, chocolate milk, every race should do this.  I didn't stick around after that, the temp had dropped to 35° and I was starting to go numb.  I took the shuttle back to the car, warmed up, and drove to a spot near mile 12 so I could see Amy.  I decided to make a quick sign, toss her the hoodie out of the car, and warn her about that final 1/2 mile.

Results and Photos:  The results were online at http://mychiptime.com/ within hours of the race.  They had a photographer and pictures are still being processed.  I honestly don't know how many they got since most bibs were hidden by the recovery jackets.  I'm sure they'll have finish line pics since they are usually tied in with the timing chip.

Final Thoughts:  I would definitely run this race again.  I would even consider the full just to run the point to point course from Killeen to Temple.  I could tell they put on a hell of an event, just hate that the weather played a huge factor.  Check it out at http://www.thearmymarathon.com.  2 thumbs up!

SMMA Gear Up 10 Miler review

This is my quick review of the 2nd Annual San Marcos Manufacturer's Association (SMMA) Gear Up 10 Mile Run.  I decided on this race because while reviewing my 1/2 Marathon training plan I noticed the 15K race on the schedule.  I decided to search the web for a race that was local that day and this popped up.  Having done a 10 miler before, I was pretty excited to do another.  Here is a quick rundown of the full race details and my thoughts on the event overall.

Registration:  Early online registration was done through www.athleteguild.com and was quick and easy.  Early sign-up fee was a very affordable $40, race-day registration would've been $50.  We received numerous e-mail updates with all of the race day details including course map and profile.  There were only 62 runners signed up when online registration closed and grew to 70 on race day.

Packet Pickup:  Since the race was an hour away, we opted to pick up our packet on race day; there was no line and the volunteers were great.  Most people were hanging out in their vehicles since it was still chilly and foggy out.

"Swag" Bag:  The race bag was a reusable tote bag that included various coupons and flyers.  It also included a long sleeve tech shirt and the race gift, which was a small pad folio.  The race bib also had a small timing chip taped to the back.  It was a good swag bag for a race of this size.

Event Organization:  The start/finish area was held in the parking lot of the Tanger Outlet Center and was very well organized.  They had coffee, doughnuts, and runners were able to use the outlet center restrooms.  That's right, no porta potties!  The only thing they need to consider having is bananas and bagels instead of doughnuts.

The Race:  The race itself was pretty good.  After the national anthem the horn sounded just after 0700.  Start temperature was around 45° with a slight breeze and some fog.  The course immediately went out of the outlet center parking lot and out in to the country.  They had the side of the road coned off, but there wasn't any traffic to deal with.  It was a 5 mile out and back that had 2 water tables, which meant one every two miles.  The course had a good amount of rolling hills, but nothing so steep to dramatically affect pace.  Since it was such a small race, it did get lonely out there around mile 6.  There was probably a 1/4 mile gap in front of and behind me for the final 2.5 miles.  I crossed the finish in 1:21:19, good enough to knock a minute off my PR.

Post-race:  Volunteers were handing out water to finishers just after the finish line.  They had a table set up with granola bars, fruit cups, and various other snacks.  I went for coffee to try and warm up before my wife finished.  Most people were finished for the awards ceremony, which was surprisingly 3 deep in each age category (10 year increments).  Unfortunately, I was in the most competitive AG and finished 6/8.  Overall I was 18/70 and 15/37 males.  There were also plenty of door prizes donated by local businesses, almost enough for every participant.  My wife ended up with a $25 prepaid Visa card.

Results and Photos:  The results were online at athleteguild.com within hours of the race.  They did not use a photography company, but pictures were taken and should be uploaded to their Facebook page soon.

Final Thoughts:  I would definitely run this race again.  It was very well organized and you can't beat the value at $40.  Hopefully it will grow to a bigger field in its 3rd year and continue to grow.  Check out their Facebook page if you are interested in them for next year.  https://www.facebook.com/smmagearup10milerun

USA Fit 1/2 Marathon review

I was going to do this recap in 2 sections, recapping the race and venting about the Houston metro.  I have decided against that for this recap.  I have plenty of other social media outlets to do that on.

        We left San Antonio Saturday morning after dropping the dog off.  Packet pick-up was done during the 4 days prior to the event at 4 different location.  The Saturday pick-up had the shortest hours, 10-4.  I could tell right then that this wasn't a race with a lot of out of towners.  Our pick up spot was in the lobby of the title sponsor's hospital.   The race bag was a tiny reusable drawstring sack that had a bunch of flyers for local events, safety pins, bib, and one of those horrible timings chips that has to be attached with twist ties.  The tech t-shirt was to be picked up after completing the race.  Shortly after that, we headed over to our Hotel in Houston to get settled.  We had the typical pre-race night but didn't fall asleep until after midnight.

        The alarms went off at 0400 and it was time to drive over to the University of Houston at Sugar Land.  They wanted everyone in the parking lot by 0530 so we made sure that happened.  The race didn't start until 0630 so we just sat in the car relaxing until 6.  The temperature was almost perfect, 45 with barely any wind.  The humidity was high but hardly noticeable.  The start area was a little cramped, but it had all of the necessities.  It was around 0615 when a lady started shouting and yelling at people to get to the start line, repeatedly.  Look lady, the people who are serious are going to be at the line on time.  The race is chip timed, no need to run around yelling at people and stressing them out.  Once the national anthem and their "prayer", the horn sounded and we were off.

        The first half a mile was spent doing the usual bobbing and weaving to get around walkers that started near the front and lack etiquette.  The course was nothing spectacular, it ran through a few neighborhoods, cul-de-sacs, and a long stretch of the University Drive.  There were a few spectators out and most were encouraging, but quite a few had signs that weren't funny and bordering on crude.  No, I didn't just fart and no I don't think I will crap my shorts, but thanks for taking interest in my bodily functions.  As far as pace goes, I was partially using this as a training run for the next half on March 2.  The plan called for a 1:45 (3/1) run today and since I knew my time would likely be higher, I just took the first 10 miles at around the same pace and then picked it up for the final 3.1.  As you can see by the splits below, I was pretty consistent for the first 10 and the only reason mile 1 was over 9:00 was because of the logjam start and waiting for the crowd to separate.  The course was almost completely flat, the only elevation changes being a couple of small bridges.  The final 1.5 miles were on a jogging path parallel to the road which made sense when it was time to turn towards the finish.  Racers doing the full did a turnaround prior to the finish timing mat and ran the course a second time.  I crossed the line in 1:55:25, finally under the 2 hour mark!  After receiving what is a really nice medal, I had to stop dead in my tracks so this poor volunteer could try to cut the twist ties off of my shoe to get the timing chip.  This is the my only major gripe about this event.  It's 2014, a race of this distance should not be using these chips when there are so many disposable chip options available.

        The finish area was really nice and that is where finisher shirt pickup was.  They also had bottled water, coffee, kolaches, BurgerFi, Muscle Milk, and a My Fit Foods stand,.  They didn't have beer, but I wasn't surprised considering the town we were in.  After grabbing a coffee I walked back towards the turn at mile 13 to give Amy a final push to the finish.  Once she got her medal and shirt we went to check out the food vendors, but most had run out.  We ended up with a smoked sausage in a tortilla, it is Texas after all.  The results were finalized today and I was 134 of 750 overall and 34 of 76 in my age group .  It was a decent race and a good training run for the next race in a month where I hope to finish in 1:45.  If it was in any other city we would consider doing it again, but our personal experience with the attitude and arrogance of the locals will keep us from returning. 

       

Surf-n-Santa 10 Miler Recap

It's been a few days since the race, so I've had time to reflect enough to recap it properly. I signed up for this race because I was returning from my deployment to Africa and upon learning my return date, I had to stay in the Hampton Roads a few extra days to handle some personal matters and visit family. The race was scheduled the day after our flight landed in Norfolk and having done one other J&A race in the past, it was a no-brainer to sign up.

I started following a Hal Higdon training plan in conjunction with a marathon plan back in October after signing up, never done a 10-miler before so I was pretty excited. The training conditions were no where near what race day would feel like, Djibouti was always over 85° and the heat index put it near 100° up until mid-November. Everything with the return trip went smoothly, the flight left Djibouti early Thursday morning East Africa Time and arrived in Norfolk at 0200 on Friday EST. That day was the first since July 1^st that I didn't get to run at least a mile, which turned out to be a good thing. After getting through customs and getting to the airport, I waited around until Hertz opened and got out of there. I needed to take care a few things after getting the rental: a haircut, holiday shopping, lunch, and a real beer were all in order.

The expo was at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, it was small but very well organized. They handed out the customized bibs with built in timer, a reusable tote bag, a santa hat, and a long-sleeved hooded shirt for the 10-milers, 5Kers got a short sleeve tech T. I didn't stick around long, the hotel was right next to the convention center and I needed to get a shower. Afterwards, I just relaxed, had a few beers, got everything race ready, and went to bed around 10:30.

That was best night of sleep in 6 months, was up around 0630 to have a bite to eat and get ready. Here's the fun part, the day before it was around 75° and all I had as far a running gear was meant for hot weather, this race wasn't on my radar when packing for Africa. Needless to say, the race day temperature was 45°, rainy, and winds gusting up to 25 mph. I did have the foresight to order some arm warmers before leaving Africa, but they were useless with the rain. The race kicked off in front of the convention center and headed down 19^th street towards the Oceanfront. The course turned on Atlantic Ave with a brief stint on the Boardwalk. The course headed back towards the convention center where the 10 mile and 5K course split off, we headed back down 19^th towards the beach again, but this time we ran Atlantic Ave all the way down to Rudee Inlet. This was at the 5.25 mile point and where the suck began. The next 2.5+ miles were on the Boardwalk in the rain with a 20 mph head wind, which you can see reflected in the lap splits below. I was having abdominal cramps a good portion of the race and this didn't help. The route turned back to Atlantic shortly after passing the King Neptune statue on the beach then turned back down Atlantic until finally running back to 19^th towards the convention center, where the finish line was inside.

I finished in 1:22:18, which is by far the best pace I've had for a longer distance, it's amazing how much easier it was to run after training in horrid conditions for months. Unfortunately, my entire body was numb when I stopped, could barely open the bottle of Gatorade they handed me. They also had water, fruit, and some other snacks. My first goal was to find a place to sit and thaw out a little. They had Sam Adams as the beer sponsor and we were allowed three, barely got one down because it was so cold. After that, back in to the cold to head back to the hotel and get cleaned up and ready for lunch with family. The results were posted in real time and I finished 232 out of 1893. No complaints from me, looking forward to getting even faster for the next one. It was a great race, just wish the weather had been a little nicer. Now it's time to get ready for the ½ Marathon on January 26^th!