10k

oiselle tenacious 10 race report

Oiselle Tenacious 10k Race Report – Elizabeth Carey

oiselle tenacious 10 race reportRace: Oiselle Tenacious 10k

Runner: Elizabeth Carey

Date: 4/21/2018

Location: Gas Works Park, Seattle, WA

Results: 42:24, 41st overall out of 678 runners

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/1522752599

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

  1. High-energy running crowd with lots of cowbell-ringing spectators and fun pace-group leaders, including shero Lauren Fleshman.
  2. Mostly flat, this course runs fast.
  3. Popular Seattle loop route starts and finishes at Gas Works Park, with stellar views of the city.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

As someone who’s converted to trail racing, it was awkward to run on a slanted road again (especially when dealing with sciatica); but the road provided a decent berth and is obviously wider than the bike path (an alternative), which was frequented by other joggers and cyclists on a nice Saturday morning.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

I only ran the 10k, but it seemed the 10-mile course — which adds on to the Lake Union loop with an out-and-back along the canal — featured several hairpin turns which confused some racers.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

I ran this race for fun — not gunning for a good time but cruising (a training compromise as it was a week out from a goal 50k). I ran a few miles to the race for a warm up (perk for any Seattlites who want to run-commute to the central start/finish) and used the race as a portion of my last long run before my big upcoming race. I was able to tuck in with the 7-minute-per-mile pace group led by Lauren Fleshman for the first portion of the race. It was a great event to see good running buddies and meet new ones!

Lessons Learned – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner or yourself on the next time around

While a handful of pros and elites show up, the race isn’t very crowded at the fast end of the spectrum — but with the flat and fast course would be a great place to shoot for a PR!

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

The only hills include two on-ramps to bridges (University and Fremont). With one downhill mile along Eastlake, the rest is flat.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

This race had a laid-back feel and went off just fine; the only potential hitch may’ve been a confusing portion of the 10-mile course.

Logistics – Anything special regarding getting to/from the race, hotels around the course, registration…?

Registration was a breeze; packet pickup and other race-week events with Oiselle pros Lauren Fleshman and Kara Goucher among others took place in the University district. For locals, the race is easy to get to — either by running, Uber/Lyfting, bike-sharing and, if you arrived early for street parking, car.

Weather and typical race conditions

While the week leading up to the race had been gray and rainy, we lucked out with sunny weather! The wind made the morning feel a bit brisk but it was beautiful with spring-like conditions.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Yes! They can easily access the route at any point around Lake Union, as well as at the Gas Works Park start/finish area.

How’s the swag?

Awesome! Oiselle hooked it up with a great Flyte tank, hat, and killer cowbell-finisher-medal. There were donuts and other goodies at the finish-line festival, too.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

4 stars for a fun, convenient event that’s great for anyone looking for a flat/fast 10k!

yeti nightmare race report

Georgia Yeti Nightmare 6 mile Race Report – Jeff N

yeti nightmare race reportRace: The Georgia Yeti Nightmare

Runner: Jeff N

Race Date: 3/02/2018

Location: Sweetwater Creek State Park – Atlanta GA

Results: 1:04:53, 6 mile race

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/1433318273

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

It felt like more of a party than a race! It was at night. It was well-organized.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

Overall the course was marked very well but there were a couple places where I had to stop running and hunt around a bit to pick the course back up.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

That it’s mostly a party. There was a DJ playing music while dressed as a yeti at the finish line and a Michael Jackson impersonator who performed a couple songs for each wave of runners to pump them up before the start of each race.

yeti nightmare race report

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

I was happy with my speed given my short time in running, and the fact that it was at night with a lot of tree roots and rocks. There were some awesome views of the full moon above the city skyline which you could see at one point in the race. The people were all really friendly.

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

Make sure you have a bright headlamp and bring a friend to run with you for fun. Also bring a designated driver since the finish line party is so awesome.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

There was one long steep hill at about the one mile mark and I need to do more hill work. It gassed me and I wasn’t as fast on the rest of the course as I wanted to be after getting to the top of that hill.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

It changes every year, and they have three different courses for three different races. Friday is a 6 mile race, and Saturday features a 5 mile and a 10 mile course.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

It is but of course, it is at night so you can’t see much. You are running along the side of a lake for the last mile or so and can see the brightly lit club-house where the finish line is across the lake which was cool to see.

yeti nightmare race report

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

For me it was because I have not spent much time training on hills. I think total elevation gain was 811 feet. That’s laughable for ultra runners used to climbing 30k feet but for a new runner who doesn’t run a lot of hills, it’s a fair amount. I tripped a number of times on roots and rocks but never fell – plenty of people did fall though but no serious injuries.
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
It was very well-run and there were more volunteers there than positions to volunteer in!

Competition – Is there a strong field?

That was a great part of this race. There were some really fast runners there, and there were a lot of low-key runners who used this race as their first trail-running experience. In the 10-mile race, the fastest finisher finished in 1:13 and the slowest finished in a little over three hours. So you have a really good spread.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

Very convenient from Atlanta and the Atlanta Airport. No secret handshake but it sells out very quickly each year. I would advise taking a taxi, uber, or having a designated driver so you can partake in the party at the end.

Aid Stations

Only the 10-mile run had an aid station and it was around mile 6 or 7 I believe.

Weather and typical race conditions

March is very unpredictable in GA. In past years, it has snowed, rained, and been warm. This year, we were treated to 48 degrees and clear skies. Perfect weather for running.

Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?

Trail running shoes of course! And a really bright, reliable head-lamp.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Not on the course, but at the start/finish absolutely. Lots of friendly people, dogs, drinks and snacks.

How’s the Swag?

Nice t-shirt is provided with entry, and they usually have a small Yeti swag table too. Trophies looked awesome too.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

5 stars and I’d recommend to anyone who loves a fun party-style trail run, and for people who also want an introduction intro trail running.

love em or leave em valentines race report

Love’em or Leave’em Valentines Day Dash 10K Race Report – Andrew K

Race: Love’em or Leave’em Valentines Day Dash 10K

Runner: Andrew K

Date: 2/10/2018

Location: Green Lake – Seattle, WA

Results: 37:57, New 10 PR and 11th Overall

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/1403042810

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

  1. Super flat and well marked. Running the path allows nice speed.
  2. Well organized. Smaller races can mean poor organization but this one was great with some vendor booths, a beer garden and prizes.
  3. Ease of parking and access. Literally parked 50yds from the start on a Sunday morning which made it easy.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

  1. Course remains open to public use so you find yourself at times dodging pedestrians, dogs, etc.
  2. 10K and 5K are blended starts so on the 2nd loop you starting getting into the walkers from the 5K adding into normal pedestrian traffic.
  3. Similar theme but the ‘back’ of the loop runs along the road on gravel path. Because it becomes more crowded to keep pace you have to work hard with ‘on your left!’ or run in the bike lane.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

Nothing to odd except for the funny costumes you’ll see. Nothing beats a grown man in a ‘He-Man’ muscle suit, orange wig and baby stroller next to his Viking inspired Opera singing wife.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

5K and 10K PRs were really nice. I liked the steady pacing I was able to sustain mostly throughout the course. I run solo a lot so being next to runners to pace was nice for me.

Lessons Learned – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner or yourself on the next time around

My biggest lesson is pacing and pushing myself for a 10K. I could have run 6min/mi whole race but once I wasn’t next to anyone, I just settled in w/out pushing myself.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

Very flat, one ‘rise’ into a curve about 1.2 miles in is tricky with oncoming traffic. Course twists at mile 2+ to gravel path more traffic.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

Organized and well run.

Logistics – Anything special regarding getting to/from the race, hotels around the course, registration…?

Parking seemed abundant on a Sunday am near the Lake and park across the street. I drove from Carnation and was there fast and straight to the finish.

Weather and typical race conditions

It was a glorious day, sunny, crisp but not cold. No wind.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Yes, friends/fam have loads of place to cheer you on.

How’s the swag?

One t-shirt, red with a heart of course. Quality is lower grade as opposed to premium brand tee. Registration is under $50 so I didn’t expect much but I am funny where I’d pay bit more knowing I’d wear it vs use a t-shirt to paint , cut the grass in. 🙂

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

3 of 5 and yes, I think it’s a great spring 10K. Lower score is for pedestrian traffic and lower grade swag.

St. Louis Go! Halloween 10k Race Report – Ayu

Race: St. Louis Go! Halloween 10k
Runner: Ayu
Date: 10/22/17
Location: St. Louis, MO
Results: 1:03:46
3 Bests – what aspects of the race did you like the most
Close from home, super fun since the majority of runners are in costumes, they switch up the routes from year to year so we get to see a lot of cool places in downtown area.
Not so much – aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
The medal is only meh!
Weird factor – what’s the weirdest thing about this race
Nothing is too weird
Highlights of your race – what did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular
I thought I did better this time running on the hills
Lessons Learned – share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner or yourself on the next time around
Pretty basic race, no surprises
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
If you do the half marathon you get a chance to run through the Anheuser Busch brewery, it is pretty cool.
Organized and well run – did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
Organized well
Logistics – Anything special regarding getting to/from the race, hotels around the course, registration…?
There are tons of restaurants around downtown area, so it is kinda fun to grab lunch or brunch after the race with friends, and plenty of parking spaces.
Weather and typical race conditions
The usual fall weather, although it was raining pretty hard in the beginning but it was quickly turning into drizzling throughout the race. I don’t mind running in the rain.
Spectators – is this a friendly course for your friends and family?
Plenty spectators and easily for friends and family to get around.
How’s the swag?
Plenty of free candies and other snacks, free local coffee, and beers, nice material long sleeve running sleeve this year (although it’s not always been the case)
The Overall Score – how many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it
4 stars if you like fun, not too crowded race.

NYRR Queens 10k – Tian

Race: NYRR Queens 10k

Runner: Tian

Date: 6/17/17

Location: Corona, NY

Results – 51:45

3 Bests – what aspects of the race did you like the most
First I think the race was very popular. There were many people coming to this race with 10874 finishers. Running with so many people is pretty enjoyable. Another thing I like is that the race was well organized by NYRR and amazing volunteers. Even though it was just a 10k race, it has all kinds of service runners need – water, energy drink, medical etc. The race is also very close to Flushing, where I got a lot of delicious Chinese food after the race.

Not so much – aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
I wasn’t comfortable with the hot and humid weather right before a thunderstorm on that day, and the feeling made my leg heavier and heavier.

Weird factor – what’s the weirdest thing about this race
There are few spectators, but you can see some people playing guitar/ singing along the route.

Highlights of your race – what did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular
I remembered to do some warmup before the race, which helps a lot at the beginning of the race. I also controlled my pace at the first couple miles into the race. I used to have the problem of running fast at the beginning and out of power at the end.

Lessons for others – share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
Get hydrated before the race and be prepared for the hot weather.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
Keep hydrated.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
It is pretty similar to the course you would encounter in big city parks.

Aesthetics – is it a pretty course
It’s a so-so course in the city park, so don’t expect too much 🙂

Difficulty – is it a tough course
It is a flat loop around Flushing Meadows park except one uphill on bridge to cross the highway.

Organized and well run – did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
It was definitely well organized and well run.

Competition – is there a strong field?
I would say yes. Everyone was seious about the time and speeding up during the last half mile.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
It is in Queens, so you will need take 30-40 mins subway to get there if you live in Manhattan. NYRR usually opens registration around February every year.

Aid Stations
Aid stations are placed every mile.

Weather and typical race conditions –
It really depends on your luck. Hot and humid weather most likely, but you can also have rain/ breezy weather.

Gear – did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?
Nothing special. Regular road race.

Spectators – is this a friendly course for your friends
Yes, the course is in the park, so the spectator can have some place to explore while you are racing.

Awards –
NYRR has several hundred bucks for top finishers. http://www.nyrr.org/prizemoney

The Overall Score – how many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it
I will give it four out of five stars. One star is missing because it’s not that convenient to get to this course. If you happen to be in NYC, definitely check out this race.

Beat the Bridge 8k – Milah F

Race: Beat the Bridge 8k

Runner: Milah

Date: 5/21/17

Location: Seattle, WA

Results – 33:06, 1st in age group, 15th female and 120th overall out of 4113

3 Bests – what aspects of the race did you like the most
Flat and fast with fun finish at Husky Stadium; post-race yoga; inspiring cause.

Not so much – aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
Started in 3 waves without reference to time (ended up in wave 2 and had to pass a lot of people along the course); at times, the course was crowded along narrow residential streets; mile markers were not well displayed (the first one that I saw was at mile 4).

Weird factor – what’s the weirdest thing about this race
Beat the Bridge…an iconic challenge in the Northwest!

Highlights of your race – what did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular
Maintained a consistent pace even on the slight incline over the bridge; and it was fun to run on Montlake (as opposed to the usual, sitting in traffic)!

Lessons for others – share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
There are a couple of broad downhills where you can really gain some speed.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
Will try to start closer to the front!

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
I think that you can push an aggressive pace with how flat it is.

Aesthetics – is it a pretty course
Residential, through part of the sports complex, and along the water: pretty!

Difficulty – is it a tough course
Not really.

Organized and well run – did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
Organized and well run.

Competition – is there a strong field?
Yes.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
The registration process can be a little confusing.

Aid Stations: plenty with water.

Weather and typical race conditions – Beautiful.

Gear – did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy? Nope.

Spectators – is this a friendly course for your friends: Super, well attended and plenty of places to meet with family/friends along the course (my husband had no trouble finding me).

The Overall Score – how many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it: 5.

520 10k – Mark P

Race: 520 Go Long 10k – http://promotionevents.com/520/index.php

Runner: Mark P

Date: 4/2/2016

Results: 10th overall, 34:30

3 Bests – what aspects of the race did you like the most:

– The bridge – runners taking over a highway!

– Strong and deep field

– No lines at bag drop, even pretty close to race time (my schedule was tight, so this was a huge relief)

Not so much – aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you:

– The field was too large.  This was fair because it’s a one-time event and the goal was to get a huge number of people on the bridge, but it took away from the running.  The outbound pack took up almost the entire road, so coming back we had a single file.  Sometimes there were even people on the curb to our right, and people often used our lane to pass!  I heard that people in the main pack were boxed in during the entire 10k.

– The Montlake Bridge is terrible to run on.  It’s very coarse grating and uncomfortable.  There are holes in it that are large enough to trip someone, though I didn’t witness any falls.

– It was hard to find things.  The porta-potties, even though there were a ton of them, were way in the back.  The water and bag check were right there but not obvious.  Some big signs would have helped a lot.

– Stressful transportation logistics (for details, see my blog post: https://fromthecrosswalk.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/more-transportation-logistics-from-520-go-long-grand-opening/)

Highlights of your race – what did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular:

– Good pacing – I moved up in the second half but also didn’t go out too slowly

– Very strong finish – got two places near the end

– PR!

Lessons for others – share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner:

– Learn about problematic spots on the course ahead of time.  I was glad to have warmed up over the Montlake grates to have advance warning.

– Don’t expect strong thinking late in a race.  I tried to remember too many details about the locations of the worst parts of the Montlake Bridge.  They ended up jumbled.  I should have just remembered a simple, safe path.

– Get in the right position before the race starts and the early part of the race – it is hard to move around in a huge field

Aesthetics – is it a pretty course:

Yes, running on bridges without cars is great!

Difficulty – is it a tough course:

It was a fairly easy course.  It was mostly flat, but there were minor climbs on the ends of the bridge and back up to Montlake.

Organized and well run – did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

Yes and no. It had to be organized to get the reported 13500 runners through a course.  There were lots of small things though.  They closed the Eastside packet pickup early due to “unforeseen circumstances”.  I got mine but would not have been happy with a Green Lake pickup or a race day one.  Letting everyone line themselves up doesn’t scale to this size of race.  The field was too big for the course.  I described the problems that we had on the return leg, but if they had controlled the road better for us, then the pack would have been even more squished.  There was water but no bagels/fruit/etc at the finish.  Thank goodness Kind had a booth!

Competition – is there a strong field:

Yes – There weren’t any 30s or 31s, but there were 12 under 35 minutes, and 50th was 38:30.

Weather and typical race conditions:

Since this race is not intended to happen again, I guess upper 40s and dry are typical.  April is certainly no guarantee of avoiding rain in general though.  We also got lucky with minimal wind on the bridge.

Spectators – is this a friendly course for your friends:

Since most of the race was on the bridge, it was a difficult one to watch.  The first and last half mile were viewable on Montlake.  I don’t know if the bridge turnaround point could be accessed from the east side; I’m guessing not.

The Overall Score – how many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it:

5/5 – It wasn’t perfect, but the unique experience of the 520 bridge wins out.  If they did this yearly, I would be less enthusiastic about scoring for return trips, probably 4/5 since the bridge would still be neat, especially if the competition remained strong.

Austin 10/20 – Dana W

Race: Austin 10/20 – http://www.austin1020.com/

Runner: Dana W

Date: 4/3/2016

Location Austin, Texas

Results – 316th out of 1962 females 1:32:06

3 Bests – Running with my brother, nice cool 50 degree start, cool race packet:  cute 5th anniversary tech tee and beer ticket.

Not so much – This was only my second road race, ever.  I did not enjoy running on the road.

Weird factor – The idea of the 10/20 is 10 miles, 20 bands with a headliner.  The headlining band was scheduled to start 2 hours after the race start, well after I was ready to go home and get some food.  The bands weren’t musically amazing, but to be fair they had to rally at 8am in the morning for the crowd of runners, so props to them for that.

Highlights of your race – I did a good job of pacing myself.  I had negative splits for all, but miles 7 and 8.  Then I kicked it into (my) high gear.

Lessons for others – The finish line is only .1 away from the starting line and the port-a-potty lines were non-existent at the finish compared to 50 people deep at the start.  Walk the extra distance as part of your warmup.

Aesthetics – It’s okay.  The course goes through a commercial and residential area of Austin called the Domain.  It’s landscaped, but it’s suburbia.

Difficulty – Mostly flat.

Organized and well run – did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?  Well organized.

Competition – No, I am not a top 16% runner in most races. The winners pack was limited to about 15 runners.

Logistics – A parking map is provided on the website in advance. It did not sell out.

Aid Stations –  There were many.  Port-o-potties at every band site. Water and Gatorade at 5 of stations.  One cold towel station around mile 6.

Weather and typical race conditions – Very sunny. Cool to start, but in the 90 minutes I ran it warmed up by 10 degrees.

Gear – did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy? Nada

Spectators – My sister, her boyfriend, and our nephew were our 3 spectators.  We got to see them 3 times as the course snakes back on itself a few different times.

Awards – Top 3 in most of the usual categories.

The Overall Score – how many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it  4 stars out of 5.