lake washington half marathon race report

Lake Washington HM Race Report – Mark D

Race: Lake Washington 1/2 Marathon

Runner: Mark D

Race Date: 11/02/2019

Location: Kirkland, WA

Results: 1:52:38

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/2836056568

lake washington half marathon race report

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

This is one of my top two funnest races I have raced. Running along Lake Washington, taking in the Lake and the mountains in the distance were beautiful. After the hills in the beginning of the race, entering a wide, flat gravel trail that went on for miles… And, last but not least, the people. I am not usually chatty when at races, but for some reason I was this time, before the race I talked with fellow racers and, truly new to me I engaged others in conversations during the race…

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

Some of the aid stations didn’t have enough ppl handing out water and electrolytes. A couple of stations I wanted water, but got the electrolytes instead, cause wasn’t enough ppl with water.

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

This was supposed to be an easy long run, a training run for my Seattle Marathon next month. I only joined TRR a month and a half ago because I had been hurting bad my last HM and Marathon with poor times (all relative). My previous races didn’t have many, if any hills, so this was my first trial of running with hills and it was relaxing and a real confidence booster. To finish only 40 seconds slower than my PB was a bonus! My favorite part was feeling under control and not dying, the ability to chat with others along the way!!!

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

My coach is instilling in me, effort over pace. If I had followed it more closely (not stayed with pacer for first 2 miles), I may have done better…

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

90% of uphills are in the first 6 miles. Long flat on tops and a very fast long downhill about 3 miles from the end.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

Beautiful course, running along Lake Washington, then a long plateau on train above the lake.

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

This is a pretty easy course.

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

The organizers did fantastic, everything went off without a hitch!

Competition – Is there a strong field?

If you want to be competitive you can. A new course record was set this year, by 1 second. The field had a staggered start, competitive and those for fun or walking…

Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?

Standard.

Weather and typical race conditions

This year, it was colder than usual with a start temp 34 degrees.

How’s the Swag?

Nice quarter zip long sleeve top, and clunky medal.

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

9 stars

lake washington half marathon race report

lake washington half marathon

Lake Washington Half Marathon Race Report – Dionne

Race: Lake Washington Half Marathonlake washington half marathon

Runner: Dionne

Date: 11/4/17

Location: Kirkland, WA

Results: 1:51:24

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/1261199297

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

  1. Easy and fast to pick up the BIB in the morning of.
  2. If you know the area very well this could be a very spectators friendly course.
  3. Plenty of space at the start/finish area to meet up with your friends/family.

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

The course has few of a very sharp turns that can slow you down. Especially towards the end right before the finish line when you enter the Juanita Beach area, there’s a very sharp left turn that if you are not careful and trying to run fast could potentially slow you down. It is also a hillier course than I thought. But with that being said there’s CKC where you can have some consistent pace going or gaining more speed on the downhill side.

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

The fact that Matt and Julie live right off the start/finish line was awesome for me. When I was done I just went straight to their place to warm up and change and all that. No need to be changing in cold weather outside.

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

This HM is part of my training of a race in December (CIM). It is indeed a good race for your training as it’s got some hills, flats and downhills to train on.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

The last sharp left turn to the Juanita Beach area. If you are going fast you could potentially miss it and have to stop to turn. I almost did and had to slow down big time so I won’t slip/fall.

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

Yes, it is a well organized race.

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

Very easy to get to from everywhere I supposed. Plenty of parking space throughout.

Weather and typical race conditions

It was 33 degrees this year. Just your typical PNW weather it could be raining, snowing, sunny or anything in between. I was able to warm up for a good 20 minutes with Julie on the course and I peeled off my shell and only wore a long sleeve, short sleeve, a capri, ear covers and gloves on.

Spectators – is this a friendly course for your friends and family?

Super friendly and easy to get to. They did not close any roads and only block the traffic when runners crossed the streets.

How’s the swag?

3/4 zippered-long sleeve technical shirt. Better than regular long sleeve shirts.

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

4 out of 5 only because of how cold it was :-). If the temperature was warmer this is definitely a 5 out of 5 HM.

lake washington half marathon
Julie and Dionne both happy to be finished!
lake washington half marathon

Lake Washington Half Marathon Race Report – Julie Urbanski

Race: Lake Washington Half Marathon

Runner: Julie Urbanski

Date: 11/4/17

Location: Kirkland, WA

Results: 1:40:08

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/1261084623

Happy to be finished with Dionne!

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

  1. Close to home – We live about a 2 minute walk from the start/finish, so this race was a no brainer as a great training run, on a course I’d likely be running on anyway for my long run that day. So awesome to use my own bathroom, not drive anywhere, and to be able to stay inside my warm apartment until it was time to warm up and start the race.
  2. Race organization – I’d heard they had some timing issues last year, the first year of the race, and they must have fixed that, because they started right at 8am. Lots of porta potties at the start, course markings were great, volunteers were great, people stationed at each turn, police stopping cars at crossings. From my perspective it all went smoothly, including the pre-race information emails.
  3. Swag and Aid – I liked the half-zip, long tech shirts. Not your normal race tech tee, so I was happy to get something different. Also, I was surprised by happy to see Clif shots and Bloks given out. I feel like races are moving away from giving these out, and they had them in two spots, which I gladly took. Also a nice post-race setup with hot chocolate, nuun, and some other vendors.

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

  1. Definitely not a PR course or a fast course by any means – Hilly with lots of 90 degree turns, and several 90+ degree turns. I knew this going in with living here, so that was helpful, but definitely good to know if you’re looking for a fast time!
  2. Several 90+ degree turns, including 2 in the last mile, 1 of which was at the bottom of a huge hill, and the other just .1 from the finish line. Seriously hard to make these turns, and it’s not like I was going blazing fast coming in at 1:40. The last hairpin turn was especially frustrating because about 10 feet before the turn, there was a gradual turn that could have worked just as well and if they needed the extra 10 feet on the course, move the starting line or finishing line by 10 feet. I approached the turn and thought to myself, “No way they are making us take this turn at this point!” But yep, they did, and it really sucked, especially on slick concrete on already tired legs. The turn at the bottom of the hill also sucked because you’re moving so fast on the downhill and then lose all momentum hitting that turn.
  3. Course was mainly in the bike lane or on the sidewalk – Not really a closed course, as about 95%+ of the road stuff was in the bike lane or sidewalk, which meant you were either running on a fairly angled bike lane (not comfortable) or on the sidewalk, which had lots of uneven spots (hence my fall, see the highlights), and the non-road on the CKC (Cross Kirkland Corridor) was of course awesome.

Weird factor – what’s the weirdest thing about this race

The fact that it wasn’t really a closed course was a bit odd to me, as I haven’t run many road races where they have you run in bike lanes or sidewalks. I get why it happens, but still a bit odd and something I think is important to know ahead of time.

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

  1. Managing my effort level – I knew ahead of time that this would be a fairly hilly route, and yet I wanted to run similar to marathon effort in preparation for CIM in about a month, so I went out conservative an tried to keep it chill the whole time. On each hill I let up on the effort and just tried to get up without using too much mental or physical energy, and then really tried to work the flats and the downs. I knew the Cross Kirkland Corridor miles (~6-10) would be flat, so I focused on getting a rhythm on there and getting ready for the final hilly miles.
  2. I was also stoked to beat a few people who I let get ahead at the beginning and then gradually caught over the course of the race. Not that they had any idea I was trying to beat them, but I’m always happy when I’m patient at the beginning and people come back to me over the last several miles.
  3. It placed 8th female and 3rd in my age group, and the 4th person in my age group I passed in the last .5 mile. Not that my time would fly in any sort of competitive race, but all the same, I’ll take a top 10 female finish!
  4. My fall! More of a lowlight than a highlight, it was on the sidewalk along Lake Washington Blvd, around mile 3-4, and I was looking ahead for the next aid station, and BAM! I must have clipped my toe on a raised part of the sidewalk and went flying. I fell off the side into a raised planter and scraped up my hand and wrist, and my jaw narrowly missed hitting concrete. Not my best moment! Thankfully I was able to pop right up and continue, but I was definitely shaken, and kinda hating the sidewalk after that.

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

  1. Watch your step on the uneven sidewalk portions!
  2. Don’t expend too much energy on the hills – several of them are short and steep, so just get them over with and you’ll get back on track
  3. Bring warm clothes for afterwards! It’s likely to be cold and windy, and possibly wet, on race day, so if you hang around at all after the finish, bring something to stay warm.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

  1. Be prepared for hills throughout. There are flat sections, but there are enough hills to slow your overall time and make for a bit more tiring experience
  2. You can get a great rhythm going on the CKC portion, so enjoy it!
  3. Watch your step on the sidewalks, and if you’re going up and down, off and on the sidewalks
  4. Lots of 90 degree + turns along the way

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. Helpful pre-race emails, packet pickup morning of was easy, started on time, course markings and volunteers were great, and swag was good.

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

The race did sell out and they had ~525 finishers, so it’s not a huge race. Be sure you register with plenty of time if you really want to run this. Plenty of parking at Juanita Beach or the grass lot right across the street. The little shopping center at Juanita Beach has Starbucks, along with a few little restaurants if you want to get food or some hot coffee afterwards (or coffee before, a must for me!).

Weather and typical race conditions

Cold, wet, windy, typical Seattle. Some of the beginning miles along Lake Washington Blvd could get nasty if it’s really windy or rainy, but thankfully we just had cold weather.

Spectators – is this a friendly course for your friends and family?

More than I would have thought! I saw 2 different families at 3 different spots along the way, which surprised me. Since it’s not a closed course, it’s easy for spectators to drive, and since it’s one big loop, it’s easy for them to pick 2-3 spots and see you along the way. Or they can hang at the start/finish.

How’s the swag?

I liked it! Half-zip technical long sleeve, so a little different from the norm, and a medal. I also like that they did a virtual swag bag so I don’t get a bunch of stuff that I just feel bad about throwing away. My kind of swag. And as I mentioned, I was happy they had Nuun, water, and Clif products at aid stations (Clif at 2 aid stations).

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

3 out of 5. I wouldn’t go out of my way to run this but since it was a supported run in my backyard, it fit well in my training and in our schedule. Mainly less stars because of the many hairpin turns along the way and the fact that most of the course was on the sidewalk or bike lane. If the course can be modified in any way, even if those turns are just 90 degrees, that would be a huge improvement.

Lake Washington Half Marathon – Mark P

Race: Lake Washington Half Marathon – http://lakewashingtonhalf.com/

Runner: Mark P

Date: 11/5/2016

Location: Start/finish at Juanita Beach Park (Kirkland, WA).  Course goes south along Lake Washington and back north on the Cross Kirkland Corridor (CKC)

Results – 5th, 1:20:08, https://results.chronotrack.com/m/ctlive/#25059

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

I liked that it was near me, and running along Lake Washington and on the CKC is usually nice.

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

The race started over a half hour late.  Apparently they announced that the police had said it was too dark, but I had talked to a policeman who said they hadn’t set up the cones so the course didn’t pass inspection.  I think the latter explanation is more likely.

The course markings were poor.  Although they had announced lots of lane closures and delays (and there were car backups at some crossings), they only coned off shoulders or bike lanes, which even disappeared a few times.  There was a short early stretch in downtown Kirkland in a narrow door zone bike lane.  The cones were along a steep dropoff on Forbes Creek Drive.  It was unclear when road crossings were supposed to happen – the police seemed to be expecting right turns, but there usually weren’t cones marking the turn itself.

It was wet.  Really wet.

Weird factor – what’s the weirdest thing about this race

A 7:30 am (scheduled) start in November seemed a little odd given the weather and darkness.

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

I got an easy and quick first mile tagging along with some others.  I thought I executed well on the various hilly, rolling, and flat portions.

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

With the various hilly, rolling, and flat portions, I think having a plan or at least knowing what to expect is a little more important than usual on this one.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

I had a disappointing race, time-wise, though it didn’t matter for placing with how big the gaps were between the places.  I think I mainly learned that a race exposes a busy schedule (and not enough sleep) more than workouts do.  I also ran a bit much the day before, but I have a hard time resisting the chance to (literally) run errands.  I probably would have been better about that if I had considered this an “A” race, but it was just one that I did because I could fit it in.

With all the stuff going on at the start (and me arriving late if the race had actually started on time), I didn’t go through a good pre-race routine.  I think the warm-up worked out, but I had a shoelace come untied mid-race (twice), which is pretty inexcusable.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

There’s a moderate length hill near the beginning, and then short but somewhat steep climbs around miles 5 and 12.  The CKC is railroad-flat.

Aesthetics – is it a pretty course

It should be with the lake and the CKC, but if it’s raining hard enough you won’t really see anything.

Difficulty – is it a tough course

I think it might be deceptively tough.  It doesn’t have a lot of climbing, and it has flat stretches, but it just seemed slow.  I don’t know if the rain was all of that or just part of it, though.

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

This was strange.  They have lots of experience and lined up lots of sponsors and stuff like that.  But the course markings and the delay made it seem like they had no clue.  The group that organized this typically does trail runs (and the Lake Sammamish Half, which has minimal road interaction too), so it’s possible they didn’t.  Hopefully next year will be better.

Competition – is there a strong field?

There were a handful of strong runners, but it wasn’t very deep.  (4 under 1:18 but then only only 2 more under 1:26)  The companion 5k did not have a strong field.

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.

I got my bib the day before at packet pickup.  I think it was at about 80% of capacity.  The only weird thing was that race swag was only available at packet pickup the day before the race in Bellevue.

The race start was on Juanita Drive, not in the park itself.  I had been on one side of the park and actually had to ask where it was.  I don’t think others had much trouble with this though.

Aid Stations

I think there were 6 – water only.  (And to the volunteers at 52nd, if I splashed you with my fail of a cup pickup, I’m really sorry.)

Weather and typical race conditions –

It managed to stay dry through the pre-race delay, and then it started pouring shortly after the race started for hours.  50s and drizzle would be more likely.  Dry is possible but not likely.  It’s the northwest in November, after all.

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

The race was the day before the time change.  If it had actually started at 7:30, it still would have been dark.  There was ambient light around, but when I was warming up, it was really hard to see at the south end of the boardwalk (about a half mile into the race) because of headlights on the road.  I guess a headlamp would help for the first mile or two, but then it wouldn’t be needed.  The race might move after the time change too.

Be ready for rain.

Spectators – is this a friendly course for your friends

There is certainly access along Lake Washington and the CKC.  The CKC is nicely away from roads but is mostly narrow.  Since it’s a loop (and has a mini-loop-ish start and finish), the more energetic spectator could see the race in multiple points.

Awards –

They said awards were 3 deep overall and in the age groups.

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

I don’t recommend this one.  It has course elements that I like, but I can’t excuse the poor markings and the delay.  It also had stronger runners to take up the podium without the depth to give me someone to run with.  2/5