Disney Wine and Dine Lumiere's Challenge

The Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon has always sounded like a really great event to me.  Of course as a Disney fan and past Disney runner (see Disney Dopey Challenge), it seemed to only make sense to give this event a try in the same year since I was opting for annual park passes.

However, much to my initial disappointment, Disney decided to change the format of the race.  In the past this race has been held at night (a 10pm start time) with a large "after party" at Epcot upon completion until 2am!  You ran through Animal Kingdom park, then through Hollywood Studios through the Osbourne Family lights and ended at Epcot.

While I don't know the real premise for the change, I suspect a few events may have been the catalyst.  First, is the release of the up coming live action Disney Beauty and the Beast movie.  The other is probably the construction going on in Hollywood studios for the new Cars and Star Wars areas.

It didn't take me long to realize that this event was going to be much smaller than the Dopey Challenge I did in January.  Not because I read up on the number of runners for each of the events, but simply by how much smaller the crowds were at the Expo.  Packet pickup was an absolute breeze with hardly any delay. The downside to the event being so much smaller was that the expo itself.  The Run Disney merchandise was also very limited and not all that "special" compared to January.

In short, the event was moved to Disney's fairly standard 5:30am start time and they decided to add a new 10k event over the weekend in addition to the Christmas oriented 5k and Half Marathon they have had in the past.  They also added a "bonus" medal if you did the 10k and the Half Marathon, hence Lumiere's Two Course Challenge.  They still had the after party on Sunday night starting at 9pm and while we had good intentions on going, some feedback from prior years ended up keeping us away as the food and crowds didn't seem worth the trouble.

My wife and I did both the runs together this time, which was a change from our January event since we both ran independently.  The weather was great for both events with relatively cool temperatures in the morning (low 60sF) and highs in the afternoon right around 80F.  With the events starting so early in the morning, the rising sun doesn't become much of an issue except for the last hour or so of the half marathon.

Transportation from our Disney resort started at 3:30am and we managed to get on the 3:45am bus to the starting line at Epcot for the 10k.  The event was well managed and staffed with volunteers, so things ran smoothly as expected.  No issues getting through the port-a-potty line at all, and then made our way to the starting corral perhaps a little early.  Our corral got the go ahead to start at 6am.

Both events had plenty of runner support with water stops about every 1.5 to 2 miles.  The 10k course didn't have any food stops, but the half marathon does have one right around mile 7 or 8.  All stops did have both water and Powerade.

If you have done the 10k during the Walt Disney World (WDW) Marathon weekend in January this new Remy 10k is exactly the same thing.  Basically you make you way West out of the Epcot parking lot and then do a 180 degree turn back onto Epcot world drive.  You then enter the backside of World Showcase behind Mexico and emerge into the park proper between Norway and China.

Disney Remy's 10k Strava Map

Thankfully they do have the bathrooms open through World Showcase so if you need to make a quick stop it is very doable in a timely manner.  After going around the worlds just past France you make your way out of the back of Epcot and then run clockwise around the boardwalk.  You re-enter World Showcase behind England and then make your way to Future World past the large fountain, past Spaceship Earth and then finish in the Epcot parking lot.

Somewhere in World Showcase

There were several photographers on the course around the World Showcase area, the Boardwalk, the pathway from World Showcase to the fountain, and then just past Spaceship Earth.  Unlike past Run Disney events I have done at WDW the photographers this time were Disney PhotoPass photographers and not from Marathon Foto.  The great thing about this was as an annual passholder I had access to all the photos right away for free! (well free as in I didn't have to pay for them outside the annual passholder fee).  I assume photos would have also been included if you had purchased Memory Maker as well.  A great deal to be sure based on the number of photos that had been taken.

My wife and I headed out of Epcot to the Finish Line

Early start, short distance, so back to the resort before 9am and the kids are all still asleep.  So, what do you do?  You shower, change cloths and go to Disney Springs and hit one of the coolest Starbucks you have ever seen.  Lastly, a few short hours in the parks and dinner at Seasons in the Land, but nothing to crazy since there is a half marathon the next day.

Inaugural Remy 10k Medal

Once again, up early and on the bus at 3:45am to head to the starting line.  This time, however, the start is at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.  While I did get to run through this during the marathon leg of my Dopy Challenge back in January, this is the first time I have started here.  Setup is very similar to a start in Epcot, but the coral placements are a little different.  After arrival, did the requisite port-a-potty stop and then made our way to our starting corral.  There were only 3 minutes between corrals for this race so we started at about 6am.

Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Strava Map

As with all Disney races in Florida the route is practically flat with a few minor exceptions over bridges and/or exit ramps so there is really no point talking about elevation gain (or loss).  After exiting the ESPN area, you turn left onto Osceola Parkway and make your way to Animal Kingdom.  This is a great treat for runners as you usually only get to run through this park if you do the Marathon run in January.  So, if you aren't up for that distance yet and want to experience running through Animal Kingdom (AK), keep this event in mind.

Animal Kingdom near Discovery Island

Once you enter the AK park area, the race director builds anticipation by first making you run around the parking lot.  At that point you enter the park (around mile 3.5), head around the rainforest like entrance to the left then get your first glimpse of the incredible Tree of Life.  As you head to the back area of the park you go to the right to Asia and then back towards the park entrance.  Just when you might be thinking that was a short trip through AK, you turn left towards Dinosaur Land and head around the water counter clockwise past Expedition Everest back towards Asia and the Yak and Yeti restaurant before heading out of the back of the park onto Conservation Road.  As with the 10k race all the restrooms are open within AK.

As you continue to make your way out of AK and towards the direction of Magic Kingdom (MK) you will of course pass photo opportunities with characters and get to see some of the animal housing.  There is a quick out and back on Western Way before heading north on Bear Island Road back towards MK.  If you have done the WDW Marathon you have been on this road before, just in the opposite direction.

When this road ends, you make a right onto Floridian Way, merging back onto World Drive and heading back to Epcot for the finish.  At this point you have about four miles remaining, so while you are making progress, still have a long way to go and you will see runners around you starting to hit the wall.  At mile 7 we hooked up with one of the volunteer pace groups which really helped us through a couple of miles.  It is nice having the support of others around you during an event like this.

As we worked our way around the on ramp to Epcot Center Drive to head into Epcot the crowds were getting really thick again.  This is a much smaller event than the January run, and yet it was very hard to pass people on these narrower routes.  This can get frustrating at times, so it is important to remember that Disney races are about the journey for sure (and the bling at the end) and less about setting a PR.  Unless you find yourself in corral A, don't even try it.  And even then, depending on the number of runners, that may not help.

Once runners enter the Epcot parking area they are now safe from the sweeper bus, which is why you can see runners with finish times longer than the advertised limit.  I think the imaginary line is about a mile from the finish line.

Once your in Epcot you enter the park behind the bathrooms/camera shop on the West side of Spaceship Earth, turn right to go past the main fountain and head into World Showcase.  Just at the entrance to World Showcase you do a 180 degree turn, head back towards Spaceship Earth, out the park to the right, and then across the finish line in the parking lot.

My wife and I crossing the finish line

As with the 10k, there were lots of great photo opportunities on the course in both AK and Epcot, as well as lots of character stops along the way staffed with Disney PhotoPass photographers.  Always a good idea to take advantage of these if you can.  I probably didn't do a great job in that regard.

2016 Wine and Dine Half Marathon Medal

As with all the Disney races I have done, once you are through the finish line you are greeted with happy volunteers handing out medals, water, sports drinks, bananas, snack boxes and of course the first aide area.  If you are in need of Tylenol, ice or BioFreeze, they will have you covered (literally).

The medals make it worth it!

If you are eligible for a challenge medal you will make your way through the Challenge Tent before getting to bag drop off for proof of eligibility (they compare  your expo photo to you and verifying you ran the required events).  Examples of these medals include the Lumiere medal and the Coast to Coast medal for this event specifically.

Inaugural Lumiere's Two Course Challenge Medal (the flames glow!)

As with the Dopey Challenge in January this was a fun event.  An expensive event for sure, but a fun event.  The flat nature of the course as well as the scenery make these interesting to run.  These events make a great first Half Marathon or Full Marathon event for newer runners attempting a longer distance for the first time.  With the lack of hills and focus on having a good time it takes the pressure off hitting a specific time, which is the best way to run your first longer distance.

Baltimore Marathon

Travel plans required that I miss the Marine Corps Marathon this year, so I quickly deferred to 2017.  That left me one marathon shy of five which I was shooting for after the Marine Corps Marathon so I could purchase a yellow OSAAT Sport band.  The color of the bands signifies the number of marathons you have run, and I figured getting to five would be a nice place to start for my first band.

The solution to this problem?  A last minute sign up for the Baltimore Marathon.  This event was actually my first official Marathon race ever, and it happened only a one year ago in 2015.  You can read all about it in last years blog post.  My marathon PR was captured here and while I knew the time would still be safe from any threat on my part, the challenging nature and location of the course seemed like an easy choice.

The weather was absultely perfect.  Running weather in the Maryland area becomes exceptional in October, but this was a really great race day.  Cool temperature, no humidity, clear skies and absolutely no wind.

Last year I drove up for the race expo and packet pickup on Friday and then drove up again early Saturday morning for race day.  As you can read in my prior post, traffic and parking was very well managed so it wasn't much of an issue, but this year I decided to stay the night Friday night so that I could sleep in a bit more Saturday morning.  Since my wife was running the half marathon we could both benefit from the extra sleep.

View of 5K/Full Marathon start from hotel (Camden Yards to the left)

I got a fairly good price at the Hilton Baltimore via a link/discount code off of the Baltimore Running Festival website.  While it was higher than normal for Friday night, it was a very convenient location as the starting line for the Marathon (and the 5K) is right in front of the hotel, and the Half Marathon starting line is just down the street.  You finish in the parking lot between Ravens Stadium and Camden Yards, so the walk back is short.

Location Map

This year the Expo was in the Baltimore Convention center which you can see in the map above is just down Pratt Street from the hotel as well which even made that a short walk.  Last year it was in Raven's stadium which was actually a longer walk from the parking lot as you wind up the walkways in the stadium to where the Expo was located.  I think this new location worked better.

Starting line view looking back at the Hilton

The Full Marathon course was largely the same as last year with a few minor exceptions around the Wyman Park area and also by the Under Armour headquarters.  Last year we actually ran around the primary building and then back towards the Half Marathon starting line, but this year we stopped short and did a quick 180 degree turn back to the Half Marathon starting line area.

I am a huge Under Armour fan, and have way to many cloths from them, so not getting to go through the entire campus was a bit of a let down, but they still had the DJ and music blaring which is great as you are approaching mile 11 at that point in the course. [footnote: if anyone from UA reads this and wants to sponsor a old, mediocre runner, I am your guy]

Strava Full Marathon Map

With only minor changes to the course I could determine outlined above, the overall elevation challenges of the course didn't change dramatically either. You can get a detailed description of the course in last years post, but according to Strava the elevation gain this year was right on the money at 960 feet.  Nothing to take lightly for sure; hill training is a must if you plan on doing any of the races in Baltimore, but especially the Full Marathon.

Strava Elevation Chart

Last year I ran the race alone and frankly went out of the gate a little too fast, and while I held good split times until 16, my times continued to degrade after that until the finish.  While I didn't think I could beat my PR this year (I have been running slower as of late), I decided to try and stick with the 3:45 pace group if for no other reason than to have better pace management on the course.

I have to say that running with the pace group was really great.  The lead pacer (Marcie) has done this race about 10 times if I remember correctly so her knowledge of the course and challenges was exceptional.  She was great at reminding us to conserve energy on the long down hill runs even though we may want to pick up our pace (which I did last year).

I was sticking with the group fairly well until about mile 11 when I got hung up at a water stop and I was never really able to catch back up.  After that my times continued to fluctuate through the remainder of the course.  I had some good split times at miles 13 and 15 but overall I was degrading on average.  I had run the Via Marathon the month before and I think that not only was I struggling against my lack of training this year, but also had not recovered fully from that event.

So, while I didn't set any time records Strava did point out that this was my second best Marathon time overall, so not a bad day after all.  I can start focusing on speed again through the winter and try and improve my time next year.

As with last year, race support was great.  Lots of volunteers out there cheering you on and working the water stops.  There are plenty of stops throughout the course and I never felt as thought was was "overdue".  My favorite stop is still the snack stop right around mile 20.5 for the full marathon and 7.5 for the half.  They have the standard water and sports drink but also have potato chips, bananas and other snacks.  While I didn't partake of anything last year, I had several potato chips from the bag and really felt a pick me up.

Full Marathon Medal in Closed Position

While I thought the medal last year was really special, this years medal was really unique.  Since the race is in Maryland they went with a full on crab theme.  The 5k medal was a small crab and both the half marathon and full marathon medals were large 3D looking crabs that open up via a magnetic latch.  The primary difference between the half and the full is the color and the total milage carved into the top of the crab shell.

Full Marathon Medal in Open Position

The only negative I experienced is the food at the finish line.  The variety isn't great and certainly not what I normally eat after a long run.  I know my time wasn't great and the 5k runners, several full marathon runners and half marathon runners had all finished, so perhaps they ate all the stuff I would have wanted.  All that was left was a few bananas, some hot and spicy chips and lots of sugar loaded "protein bars".

Unfortunately my wives experience was a little worse.  Not only was there really no real food left at the finish line for her, she didn't get her event medal.  Apparently runners were either taking extra medals because the volunteers said they could, or they were just stolen, but either way they ran out and the last 150 or so runners didn't get one.  As of the first week in November we are still waiting to get her medal in the mail, but according to the event staff it is in process, they have been very communicative on the issue.

UPDATE (11/10/2016): My wife's half marathon medal arrived safely packed in a bubble envelope.

Overall, this was a good event.  A great time of year in MD for a race and nice scenery and great support overall.  I do recommend this race, but let me reiterate that this is a challenging course all around, for all three races, so please keep that in mind and train well.

Adam's County Half Marathon -- Run with the Amish

UPDATE (4 November 2016): It would seem that this event has been cancelled indefinitely.

After running the Bird in Hand Half Marathon in September of 2015, my wife spotted the Adam's County Run with the Amish website.  Although it was going to be a long out and back trip we decided to sign up for 2016.

It was a long 6.5 hour drive from our house in MD to packet pickup in West Union, OH, but I have to say the drive was absolutely beautiful.  The weather was great and the scenery through the Appalachian mountains was stunning.  We left early Friday morning and didn't experience any traffic issues along the route.

Packet pickup was a breeze as the race overall isn't that large (less than 1500 for all three events) and there is plenty to do around the pickup area.  The Miller's bakery had some really great treats including fresh baked bread that we purchased after the race to take home.  They also have a bulk food store and a really nice amish furniture store.  And of course they have a photo opportunity in front of an Amish buggy.

Amish Buggy

After getting our packets we drove the 30 minutes to our hotel in Piketon, OH.  The overall area is actually fairly far from major cities, so finding a place to stay that had some reasonable dinner options wasn't easy.  We ended up at the Comfort Inn which was nice enough, but didn't offer the friendliest of staff.  When we heard the first train go by I couldn't help but think of "My Cousin Vinny".  Surely trains wouldn't be that frequent?  We settled in and then went off to dinner.

We found the Lake White Club online and decided that it seemed to have the best options for a pre-race dinner.  The location started in the late 1930s and has had many owners, the most recent one only 3 months earlier.  The "lake" that this establishment sits on has been drained for about 3 years as they make repairs to the dam.  The owner indicated that this work should be done by the end of the year and then the long process of filling the lake can start again.  There are some beautiful million dollar homes along the lake near the restaurant.  It was odd to see all of the boat piers rising out of the water like a post apocalyptic nightmare.

While the food was pretty good, the service and staff were great.  The food was a little salty, but everything was freshly prepared.  They had a nice selection of wines and cocktails as well if you care to indulge.

Back to the hotel...yes the train does come that often.  But thankfully I had the air conditioning and my white noise machine cranking so I actually wasn't that bothered by the noise.  However, if you are a light sleeper keep this in mind, they do run all night and the tracks are less than a 10th of a mile from the hotel.

The next morning the weather was a little humid but was suppose to be cloudy and not too hot; should be great for a half marathon.  We arrive just over an hour before the start time so we could get settled, use the facilities and walk a little to prepare.  The sunrise over the farms was a great start to the day.

Sunrise over Miller's farm

All three events start at the same time (5k, half marathon and full marathon) and we all started right on time.  The event is chip timed and was extremely well organized.  There were plenty of announcement and helpful volunteers milling around prior to the start.  They also had numerous prizes as well as the medals out to see.

The race started on time at 8AM local time.  The 5k run does an out and back, while the half marathon does a lollipop like shape and the full marathon does the half marathon twice.  Of all the races I have done, this had the best race support I have ever experienced.  There were water and food stops every single mile.  Each station had water, Powerade, Honey Stinger Gu and other options like pretzels, chips, etc.  There were portable restrooms at least every other water stop.

Strava Course Map

The Strava course map show the start as you being the race on a slight downhill trajectory.  The course stays relatively flat until you make the right turn around the lollipop shape at mile 3.3.  At that point you do a few up hill climbs but overall the course is net downhill until mile 6 where you start to make your way up the steepest climb on the course (about 12%).  Right before this climb you will pass a section of trees where signs for each and every half marathon and marathon runner are posted.  This was a very unique and inspirational surprise.  While I looked for my sign, I didn't find it.  I did see one that had fallen off the tree and joked that it was probably mine; I guess it was after all.  We did manage to find my wife's sign.

Signs of inspiration for each and every runner

The photo of the steepest climb on the course does not do it justice at all.  While it was only a half mile climb it was challenging, and of course the marathon runners got to do it twice!

Half mile 12% climb

Overall the entire half marathon course had a climb of 512ft according to Strava.  It was packed full of small up and down rolling hills with some challenging downhill and uphill climbs.

Strava elevation map

The small detour out and back you can see at mile 11.4 is the same detour that the 5k runners took after starting.  Basically we all started in the same direction but they turned left here as we proceeded straight and then they went back to the starting line for their finish.

While the race support was fantastic and the overall course was very beautiful, the only complaint I would have is the traffic.  The roads are not closed during the race and while most motorists were easy going and polite there were a few vehicles that were obviously in a hurry and less concerned with our safety.  Things got particularly sketchy as the marathon runners started their second lap and there were runners on both sides of the road as well as cars trying to go in both directions.  These are small country roads and that didn't always provide a safe feeling.  However, in between all the cars were sights like this horse drawn buggy to put a smile on your face.

Horse drawn buggy traffic

After crossing the finish line there was plenty of water, Powerade, cake and pie for all the runners.  For those that managed to win the race or place in their age group there were a variety of hand made items given out including picnic baskets, bird houses, lanterns and baskets.  Incredibly even the finisher medals were hand made little 2D baskets.  The name of the person that made the medal and their address were written on the back.

Certainly one of the more unique finishers medals I have even received.  The other unique one was for the Biltmore Half Marathon and Marathon as those are made out of wood from the estate.

So, a 13 hour round trip car ride.  A hotel that sat on train tracks.  A restaurant on a drained lake with salty food.  Would I do this again?  Yes, I think I would, and I suggest that you check it out as well.

2016 Via Marathon

On September 11, 2016 I participated in my first Via Marathon.  The goal of this race when I had signed up many months prior, was to establish a baseline Marathon time so that I could work towards and Boston Qualifying time.  I had read that this was the 2nd or 3rd fastest race in the country, was net downhill, and was designed by a fellow runner, so I figured, this is the the one!  Alas, this was my worst marathon time to date, but those things happen and I shall be working towards the next event.

A lot got in the way even before the race happened.  As you can see from previous blog posts, I had already done two full marathons and several other races in 2016.  I spent most of 2015 preparing for those races and focusing on distances and back to back races instead of speed.  In early Summer I started a new Marathon training program from Runner's World to work on my time.  In July the company I worked for bought another software company in Nottingham, UK and I travelled back and forth three times in the following ten weeks.  This put a crimp in my ability to stay on top of my training plan and really do the speed workout and the long distances runs that I needed to get done.

Race bib and supplies for the run

The race is located North/West of Philly in PA which was about a 3 hour drive from my house.  I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn off Airport Road which was really nice.  It was close to several different locations for food options, and they provided both late checkout for runners (2pm) as well as a shuttle server to/from the starting line.  The weather was warmer than I would have expected for Allentown, PA in September, but it wasn't horrible.  The temperature was about 72F at 6:15am when I caught the shuttle from the hotel to the starting line with some humidity in the air.  There was a nice breeze and it was cloudy as the race start approached.

My TomTom Spark watch didn't cooperate at all and after the first 1.6 miles, I lost my GPS signal and ended up just turning off the watch all together (it did manage to calculate over 44,000 steps).  So unfortunately I don't have a map or elevation information to share.  The course is advertised as a point to point net descent course with a drop of 240 feet, but I tell you, with the trails and the steady inclines in some areas, it was a lot more challenging than I had imagined.  You can see an overview of the Map on Page 6 of the Athlete Guide.  Clearly part of this was due to my lack of training, but the Biltmore runs I had done in March were fair more challenging, and my overall time was significantly better.

As the day progressed, the weather didn't really seem to be a factor. It was warm, but was cooler than my training had been all Summer.  The majority of the course is actually shaded so even thought the sun came out after the first hour or so, the sun never really became and an issue.  I think what took the toll on me personally was a combination of not having my watch, so I couldn't race against my own goals, and the trails.  As bad as my times where, some of my splits according to the results page were actually faster in later sections of the course that weren't trail.

I don't run a lot of trails and I am not used to the extra punishment that can cause on your muscles and joints as well as the amount of mental fatigue paying that much attention to your footing.  While I hope no one was injured on the trail sections, I did have a runner in front of me tumble over a tree root.  He managed to get back up quickly and was on his way.  While the event staff actually did try to mark larger roots and rocks with blue spray paint, some of those marks were faded and of course some were missed.

The trail quality varied a lot throughout the course.  In some sections it was a combination of small gravel/dirt with medium sized rocks and roots in areas occasionally.  In some cases it was a really fine bluish colored powder, and in other sections it was as narrow as a car tire track.  As I indicated earlier, you really had to pay attention to your foot falls to ensure good footing and to prevent injury.

Powdered trail surface

The overall course was very scenic as it followed the river and canal mostly between Allentown and Bethlehem and then again between Bethlehem and Easton (where the race finished).  There is a slight out and back in Bethlehem across some train tracks and around a few historic buildings which actually provided a nice backdrop for race photographers.

Out and back in Bethlehem, PA

Race support throughout the marathon course was very nice.  Great volunteers were directing runners on which way to go, police officers and other folks were watching over traffic, and there were water stations about every 2 miles or so. There were two or three sections of course where it was over 3 miles between water stops.  I actually did feel myself slowing down here and I think that was really the only time I noticed the heat.  These sections were primarily on trail parts where getting volunteers into those areas with an ability to hand out water in the available space as well as deal with cups could have been a challenge.  So for future reference, it may be a good idea for some runners to have some fluids with them on the course.

The final mile of the course was really nice along the river into Easton with a slight hill near the end as you run a "fish hook" off the water and up into the town streets, back over the water via a bridge and into the finish chute.  Since I came in so late in the day, the party at the finish line was well underway with live music, runners relaxing in the park, and a half mile long "free beer" line.

Finish line

There was plenty of medical help at the finish for those that may have needed anything, lots to drink and a fast line to grab a pack of food before you headed into the beer line, if that is your thing, or just wanted to walk around and relax.

Since this is a point to point race, there were buses standing by to take the Marathons back to Allentown or the Half Marathons back to their starting line.  It did take a while for my bus to fill up and get underway for the 20 minute ride back to the starting line, but having someone pick me up at the finish line would have been challenging given the number of runners, spectators, volunteers and road closures.

Panoramic of the Steel Stacks

The race was very well run, from packet pick-up at the Steel Stacks in Bethlehem, PA to the actual event.  The Marathon and Half Marathon both start at the same time which is great since it allows first time half marathoners some extra time to finish.  The course was very scenic even though it ended up being more challenging than I had imagined.  Knowing what I know now about the course, I would certainly train a little differently in terms of the kinds of surfaces I use for training.

2016 Frederick Nut Job (5K and Half Marathon)

For the third year in a row I completed the Frederick Running Festival Nut Job challenge.  I really enjoy this event.  For one reason, it is really close to my house so the travel part is really easy and I don't have to get up obscenely early like many races.  But overall the race is very well run, the course offers a lot to look at, the volunteers are amazing, and there is always really great crowd support.

Each year, I do see some small incremental improvements in how the event is run.  For example, the food in the finishers village and other small changes.  Clearly they are listening to the feedback each year which is always nice to see.  Additionally, there were some changes made to the Half Marathon course, but more on that later.

Days before the event started, and even on the Saturday of the 5K, the area had been experiencing lots and lots of rain.  Fortunately the rains parted for both races which made parking in the grassy areas and the event more enjoyable for most folks.

The Frederick Run Fest provides packet pick-up at several area Dick's sporting goods stores which allows runners from areas outside of Frederick to get their packets fairly easily.  For those that live near the area you can get your packet when the Expo starts on Saturday starting at Noon until 5pm.  The 5K race is that Saturday evening at 6pm.  If your running the Nut Job this is your best bet.  Get your packet between 4pm and 5pm, hang around for the 6pm 5K, then head out for a nice healthy dinner before the Half Marathon on Sunday at 7am.

Runners doing the Nut Job challenge will use the same bib for both races.  You also get the shirt for the 5K (usually short sleeve) as well as the Half Marathon (usually long sleeve).  Both of these shirts are comfortable and high quality.  What you don't get, thankfully, is a bag full of stuff (brochures, cards, coupons, etc.) that you end up throwing away.  You will get an email for your virtual event bag which is the direction races seem to be headed, which is great.

If you think the 5k isn't challenging enough, and you aren't ready for a Half Marathon, the Frederick Running Festival does offer a Half Marathon Relay.  This isn't exactly split in half, so you may have to negotiate with your running buddy to see who gets the longer part of the race.

The 5K course is an out and back that starts at the Frederick Fair Grounds on the horse race track, heads down Hughes Ford Road, which is fairly flat), then you make a left onto Monocacy Blvd and head downhill towards the intersection at East Church Street.  After a 180 degree turn around you head back up the hill, right on Hughes Ford Road, turn right back into the fairgrounds and across the finish line.

Strava Map of Frederick 5K

For those of you bare foot runners, I should point out that the horse race track is small gravel.  While it isn't very deep and loose, it does move a little under your feet, so I would say it clearly does impact your pace, and anyone running without shoes is going to notice it for sure.

Overall the elevation gain on the course isn't bad.  According to Strava it is only about 50 feet.  There is one water stop as you started to head down the hill on Monocacy Blvd at about mile marker 1.2 and then you hit that one again on your way back at close to the top around mile marker 2.4.

If you read the other blog posts on my site you will see that for about the last year I have been primarily training for new distances as well as back to back races.  This has been a lot of fun, but the switch to longer consecutive distances has actually seen me slow down some.  Just recently I started to work on pace again so that I can hopefully one day qualify for the Boston Marathon.  My "baseline" attempt will be this September at the Via Marathon.

Anyway, the purpose of that backstory was that I did push a little harder for the 5k to see how I was doing.  Came in a little faster than the year before with a chip time of 23:27.  That put me 5th in my age group and 80th overall out of 1,221 runners.  So, this isn't necessarily a small event, but it doesn't feel crowded at all.

I had a traditional pre-long race dinner of some good roasted veggies, salmon and a white potato.  I wasn't feel great that night but hoped things would be looking up the next morning.  Unfortunately that didn't happen, but I was still excited to get to the course, stretch a little and hit the pavement.

I set my half marathon PR of 1:44:36 at this event the previous year, and while I knew I was running slower, I still wanted to try and get close, perhaps around 1:50:00.  So I put myself with the 1:45:00 pace group.

The weather was cool, but was going to warm up, so I knew I would probably get warm, but the weather was amazing and I was ready to go.  At 7am they let the runners go, right on time, which I love.

I started off fairly strong and did slightly negative splits for the first 3 miles of 7:53, 7: 51 and 7:46.  I skipped the first water stop, but walked through the second water stop, so mile 4 came in at 8:03. I backed off on my pace a little, but I was staying close to the 1:45:00 pace group.  However, at about mile 5.5 I started to get some upper GI issues and had to walk off and on twice between miles 5 and 8 which slowed me down and I lost my pace group.  I started to feel a little better for the next few miles and got my average time back to 8:20s.  But again near mile 11.5 I had to walk for a short stint again which brought my average down to about 8:25/mile for the distance.

At this point I knew I was getting close to I kept pushing, and crossed the finish line with a chip time of 1:53:15 which was a average pace of 8:39/min.  I placed 46th in my age group and 646th out of 3,592 runners.  Not exactly what I had hoped for as I start to work on pace again, but given how I felt, it wasn't horrible.  Now I know where I am and can focus on my speed again until the September Marathon.

Overall the course is very enjoyable to run.  You spend a good part of the run in the "downtown" area of Frederick on both Market and Bentz Streets as well as a loop around Baker Park.  There are some great houses here, and if you aren't familiar with Frederick, the amazing shops and restaurants are all on Market Street.  Water stops on average are about every 2 miles which is close enough, especially with the temps usually in the high 50s to low/mid 60s this time of year.

Strava Map of Frederick Half Marathon

As I mentioned earlier there were some new changes for the route this year.  In prior years the course always finished with runners coming up a somewhat steep, but short, hill on Highland Street before you turn right into the fairgrounds horse racing track.  Some runners tended to complain about this finish and so the Race Director (and I assume others) decided to take this hill out of play.  What I find funny is that the new course actually adds 50ft of elevation gain over prior years bringing this years total elevation gain to 244 feet.  Still relatively flat if you normally run a lot of hills.

For those that may have run this race in the past, but missed this year, the changes are as follows:

• Instead of turning right on Market street past Costco, we proceeded straight to Stadium Drive, turn right and went around Harry Grove Stadium.  Then turned left onto Market and proceeded as usual.
• The next change is after getting to Dill Ave, instead of turning right to avoid Hood College, we actually proceed straight and go into Hood College, then turn right on Brodbeck Drive and head out of the college and onto Park Ave as in prior years to go around Frederick Memorial Hospital
• The next change is turning right onto 16th Ave to Schifferstadt Blvd instead of staying on Market Street until the intersection of Schifferstadt Blvd.
• The last major change is instead of turning right off Schifferstadt back into the communities and then up East street to Highland Street, we stayed on Schifferstadt, did a quick out and back on East Church Street, then right on Monocacy Blvd and returned to the Fairgrounds pretty much like the 5k course.

After you cross the finish line you are greeted with some water just before you enter the finisher's village.  You are presented your medal (or medals if you did the Nut Job) upon entering where you will find Gatorade, pretzels, chips, bananas, orange quarters and a few other items to help you refuel, and if you are so inclined, and over 21, you can turn in your two beer tickets from your bib for an adult beverage.  The village has some areas for photographs, getting your race time, meeting up with your family and listen to some live music.

As only one event in the Corrigan Sports Enterprises series in the Maryland Area, you have the opportunity to run additional events and earn extra "bonus" challenge bling.  Take a look at the Baltimore 10 Miler race, as well as the Baltimore Running Festival.  Running all these races with the Frederick race can qualify you for the King Crab Challenge.  Also this year is a new challenge at the Baltimore Running Festival called the Baltimoron if you run both the 5k and the Half Marathon.  If all of this sounds like too much, just run the Frederick Half and then the Baltimore Half and you can qualify for the Maryland Double.

Again, this is a great event and I highly recommend it.  Weather you run the 5k, the Half Relay, the Half Marathon or both the Half and 5k and tackle the Nut Job challenge I think you will enjoy it.  For those of you that like extra medals and race "series" style events, the Frederick event fits nicely in with the Baltimore events and provides for many challenging options based on your level.

Frederick Half Marathon and Nut Job 2016 Medals

Feel free to read posts about last years Baltimore Marathon and Baltimore 10 Miler if you think you are interested.

2016 Biltmore Backyard to Vineyard Challenge

March 12th and 13th was the first ever Biltmore Backyard to Vineyard Challenge.  Being a huge fan of the Biltmore Estate, and having run the Half Marathon in 2015 (last years post), I had to sign up.  This was the first time that the Half and Full Marathons were run on different days, and this gave us the opportunity to run both races back to back for the first time.  One hundred runners were given this opportunity for 2016 (yes, I signed up again for 2017 already).

Since I only live about 8 hours away my wife and I drove down on Thursday.  This gave us time to enjoy the Antler Hill Village, have dinner at Cedric's Tavern and relax.  The race expo and packet pick-up would start at Noon on Friday at the host hotel, the Double Tree hotel in the Biltmore Village area.  Several area hotels, including the host hotel, have special rates during the race weekend and offer shuttle services to/from the starting area on the Biltmore Estate.  Signing up for the race will get you on the grounds for the event, but spectators have to purchase Estate tickets, and if you want to visit the house on race day you will need to purchase a separate ticket as well.

Personally I love to stay at the Inn on Biltmore Estate.  It is a short downhill walk to the starting area the morning of the events, so there is no worry about catching a shuttle, and you can sleep in longer than anyone else on race morning; advantage yours!  Another option is to stay at the new Village Hotel which is right next to the Biltmore Winery and a very short walk to the start/finish area.

While the Village Hotel is nice, the luxury and amenities of the Inn are my favorite. Nothing like having a glass of wine or a martini on the patio overlooking Antler Hill Village and the French Broad River.  Service is always impeccable, and given the age of the hotel it still looks new.  A real credit to the staff that maintains the facilities and grounds.

The Expo isn't large, but there are some good venders offering clothing, shoes, nutrition, local artisanal items, equipment and other stuff.  I don't spend a lot of time in this expo, but instead get my bib, look around quickly and head back to the Inn to drop everything off and take advantage of the grounds and the Biltmore House.

Waiting for the Half Marathon to Start

The race is well organized and always starts on time.  Both the Half Marathon and Full Marathon started and ended at the same spot, and both races start promptly at 7:30am.  Weather for the Half Marathon was perfect.  Knowing I would be running the full marathon the next day, I started off with an easy pace, and tried to stay steady the entire time.  I planned on getting water at each of the stops and walking through them to make sure I didn't get carried away.

Strava Map of the Biltmore Half Marathon

As you can see from the Strava map, the first 6 or so miles are relatively uphill.  After leaving the Antler Hill Village area, you work your way uphill to the Deer Park Inn and Horse Barn.  The first water stop is here as well, at approximately mile 2.  After this you get a nice downhill break for just over a mile before turning right and heading up the famous Approach Road to the Biltmore House.  George Vanderbilt designed this road to take his guests on a windy, custom planted grove of trees and shrubs to build anticipation and to start the relaxation process.  Additionally, this gave time for their luggage and servants to take a more direct route to the house.  In this way the guests would be unpacked even before they arrived at the house.

Even as a runner, you are building anticipation. Maybe not at seeing the house just yet, but certainly all about getting to the top of this 2 mile climb.  If you have visited the house before, just as you know you are about to come into the view of the house, you take a turn to the right into the parking lot area.  Sure it's downhill, and that feel great and all, but you also know you will have to come back up again to get to the house.  The parking lot is where the next water stop is situated around mile 5.  The distance between the first two stops is the longest of the race and with the hill can be a challenge depending on the humidity and temperature on race day.

All that climbing is worth it as you turn right at around mile 6 to see the Biltmore House.  Depending on your pace you are most likely seeing it as the sun comes up from the East hitting the front of the house.  A beautiful site for sure.  Of course this is also your first photo opportunity as there are usually cameras positioned close to the house and again as you turn right into the gardens, so make sure you are smiling.

Close to the House

Leaving Biltmore House about to turn right into Gardens

As you turn to the gardens you get a downhill break for just short of a mile and a half.  Since you are able to catch your breath be sure to look around you.  Even though the spring flowers haven't all started to bloom yet, there is still a lot to see, including the Conservatory on your left.  As you head out of the gardens you will go around the Bass Pond, over the brick bridge used in the film "The Last of the Mohicans" and then past the water fall.

After passing by a sheep farm around mile marker 7.6 you will find another water stop with food items before heading into the Equestrian Center for a quick out and back on gravel.  Last year this wasn't an out and back, but there was some construction along the French Broad river this time, so the route was slightly different.  The nice thing was getting to hit the water station again after only a half mile.

At this point we were back on pavement heading towards the winery again.  We took a left to go around the Lagoon where there is another photo opportunity with the back of the house over your right shoulder.  This part is trail again but turns to pavement after a relatively short distance.

Lagoon view of the Biltmore House

There are plenty of water/food stops at this point on the course which is great since you are more than half way through the journey.  At approximately mile 9.7 you get back on trails for the majority of the remaining run.  You maintain your trek along the French Broad river before doing a 180 degree turn around mile 11.8 to head back to Antler Hill Village.

At mile 12.6 you turn left and climb up a shallow hill, and eventually end back on pavement, before turning right for a short downhill run over the finish line where it all began just a short while ago.  You will find volunteers waiting to give you a cozy blanket, water and your coveted woodallion.   Yes, that isn't a typo.  Instead of a medal, the Biltmore Marathon event presents you with a wooden medallion with a medal inlay.  The wood is reclaimed from the estate, so you get to take some of the Biltmore home with you.

Crossing the Finish Line

I managed to stay in control of pace, not over do it, and still came in at just under 2 hours.  My PR for a Half Marathon is right around 1:44:00 so I was happy with this outcome.  All in all, the total elevation gain according to my TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio and Strava was about 540 feet.

All three medals from the Backyard to Vineyard Challenge

The nice thing about staying at the Inn during the event, and the fact that the race starts at 7:30am is that you can make it back to the hotel quickly to change and then hit the breakfast buffet at the restaurant.  Nothing like a fresh made to order omelette and coffee after a run,

I made sure I ate a reasonable lunch even though I wasn't really hungry yet, because I knew I had the Marathon the next morning.  I also had Salmon at Cedric's for dinner in preparation.

Weather on marathon day wasn't going to cooperate as it did for the Half Marathon.  The temperature was great, but it was drizzling already at the starting line with hard rain predicted off and on during the race.

The race started on time again, promptly at 7:30am.  I wasn't really sore, but I was tight, so made sure I started off with a reasonable pace.  I figured I should try and stay slightly slower than the half marathon pace I maintained given I had to do twice the distance.

Strava Map of the Biltmore Marathon

As you can see from the Strava Marathon map, the first 10.2 miles are identical to the Half Marathon.  Everything is exactly the same, so you know what to expect.  As you can see from the photos of me pulling away from the Biltmore House, it was raining.

Close to the Biltmore House

Leaving the Biltmore House

As with the Half Marathon, getting the mile and a half downhill break through the gardens was welcome after the 2+ mile climb.  I crossed the 10k timing mat just 10 minutes slower than the prior day, so far so good at controlling my pace  As I turned left into the Equestrian center I got my first look into what the trail portions of this event were going to be like in the rain.  At this point it was pouring and puddles were forming everywhere.  While I had never run the Marathon at the Biltmore Estate before I knew that the "back half" was all trail.

Lagoon View on Marathon Day

After going the first 10.2 miles on the same course, we turn left, over the new service bridge to the West side of the estate.  This is an area that most visitors don't get to see unless you do one of the extra outdoor activities like skeet shooting, Segway tour, or other activities. This side of the estate is primarily where all of the cattle are raised, and also contain the local North Carolina vineyards for their wine production.

As expected this was extremely muddy.  While the trails on the East side of the estate had a fair amount of what I would call medium sized gravel, this side was mostly clay, and therefore mostly bright red mud.  After the water stop at mile 11, we turned right and headed up the second large climb on the run, for a total gain of about 220 feet.  This is in addition to the over 400 feet we already did on the first half.  If you haven't done a lot of trail running (especially in the mud), or perhaps on the beech, your calves really start to feel it.

At the top of the climb was another water stop with some food options, and then we did a quick out and back and crossed over a 13.1 timing mat.  At this point we got a downhill break for about a mile or so, before doing a short but steep climb near the vineyards.  This was an amazing view.  I don't normally run with a phone, but I had mine with me in case I could capture a shot of the vineyards around the lake, but since it was raining so hard I didn't take it out of the zip lock bag.

The last water/food stop on the West side of the estate was after the top of the climb just around mile 15.8 or so.  We then went the last mile and a half on the muddy trails making our way back to the service bridge before turn left along the French Broad river just as we had run for the Half Marathon.

After doing the out and back along the river like the Half Marathon we worked our way on pavement back to the Equestrian Center where we had been at mile 7.6.  These last 6 miles are two way running paths, so you get the opportunity to encourage fellow runners for the last 25% of the event.  We did the out and back on the gravel section of the Equestrian Center, and then made our way back towards Antler Hill Village, and the last 3 miles.

This time you finish slightly uphill across the finish line in the opposite direction that you started.  Again, volunteers are waiting for you with warm blankets, water, and your woodallion.  Since I had done the backyard to vineyard challenge I then made my way over to the gazebo in Antler Hill Village to pickup my jacket and third medal.

Crossing the Marathon Finish Line

All in all, according to my TomTom and Strava, the total elevation gain for the Marathon was 794 feet.  Not the most I have done in a Marathon (the Baltimore Marathon holds that record for me and my Marathon PR), but certainly not trivial.  Especially with all the rain and mud.

What a fun event, rain and all.  As I mentioned at the start of this post, I already signed up for this challenge again in 2017, and highly recommend it.  Not sure if it will be limited to 100 runners again, but encourage runners of all abilities to sign up for at least the Half or Full Marathon.

Side Note: During the first 4 or 5 miles of the run I had the honor of running near a blind runner (and his partner).  Turns out that he qualified for the Boston Marathon at this event.  I can't even imagine what it was like for him running without sight, in all the rain and mud.  Here is his story: http://wlos.com/news/local/blind-marathoner-qualifies-for-boston-marathon-at-biltmore