Racing post mortem

As an extension of yesterday’s post, I thought I’d recap my 2009 racing year. It was difficult to put together a challenging, diverse group of races, mostly due to my isolated location. (Ah, the downside to living in the middle of nowhere.) In chronological order, my thoughts on a year of racing:

March 14, Shamrock Shuffle, Presho
I participated in this three-miler because it was relatively close to Mission (~70 miles) and I was itching to race after a winter of outrunning rez dogs. Otherwise, why torture myself with such a short distance? The course was a square around town. I finished in 20:06, good enough for 8th out of 135. And it was a beautiful afternoon for a run.

April 4, Spring Thaw, Sioux City
I pre-registered for this 10-mile race; however, I skipped the trip due to an approaching blizzard. I would have made it to Sioux City and run the race without a problem; getting home would have been another story. When there’s bad weather, I’d rather hunker down at home than be stuck someplace. I may try to make it to next year’s race.

May 16, Brookings Half Marathon
This was the highlight of the year. It was a chilly start (35 degrees with a light breeze). The course was a good one, winding through the streets of Brookings, home to South Dakota State University. My time was a personal-best 1:32:14. I placed 9th out of 233. And I wear the tech shirt I received all the time. I definitely want to run this one again next year.

June 7, Mickelson Trail Marathon, Deadwood
After three years, I was finally mentally ready for another marathon. Although I was in much better shape than when I ran my first marathon in 2006, I could have used one more long run. The first half of the race was uphill; the second half was downhill. The weather was gray and damp, misty conditions prevailing during the middle portion of the race. With about three miles to go, I knew I had a chance to finish in less than four hours. And I did it! I somehow managed to place reasonably well: 97th overall out of 409, and 10th out of 35 in my age group. I’m still no marathon runner though.

June 20, Oahe Days 10K, Pierre
I hated this race. The course was two loops on LaFramboise Island, located in the Missouri River. It was more of a cross country course, with about half of the running surface being grass (not my fave). And the bugs were terrible thanks to the close proximity to the water. But the tech shirt was nice. The results were not posted online, but I think I finished around the 45-minute mark. Who knows where I placed. I won’t be returning.

June 27, Inaugural Racin’ on the Rosebud 5K, Mission
This was my fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. I had to put out some fires, but everything came together nicely. We had a total of 45 runners and walkers – not bad for a first-time event. I wanted to make sure the morning went smoothly, so I didn’t run. I kind of wish I had though. I picked a tough course. An ultra-marathoner from Ashland, Nebraska, took home the first-place trophy.

July 4, Scar Top Mountain Top 12K, Coal Creek Canyon
Fun and difficult! The elevation wasn’t an issue; the big-ass hill was, however. I finished in 1:02:44. The race was part of an awesome holiday weekend in Colorado, visiting fellow ex-Juneauites in Fort Collins and Denver.

July 25, Spearfish Canyon Half Marathon, Spearfish
Here’s another one I never want to run again. One would think an all-downhill race on a beautiful morning along a scenic canyon road would be a treat. Well, I got a reality check about five miles in. The course was brutal for a guy who runs on his toes. My time of 1:35:20 was decent, but having folks pass me at the end was not a good feeling. And my quads felt like lead afterward.

August 8, Todd County Fair 5K, Mission
Yeah, it was a 5K, but I wanted to support the 4-H community. And it was free! Down and back along Highway 83, this was a low-key race, so I have no idea what my time was. I finished just ahead of the 2008 South Dakota girls cross country champion. I netted a nice t-shirt and a gift certificate to Stadium Sports.

September 13, Sioux Falls Half Marathon
Whereas I was pissed off after Spearfish Canyon, I was disappointed with my performance in Sioux Falls. My time was fine and I placed well, but I thought I had a chance at 1:30. Yes, I wasn’t feeling well and I lost an entire minute in the first mile alone trying to separate from the pack at Howard Wood Field. But those are just lame excuses. The course was decent and the fan support was the best I’ve ever witnessed.

October 10, Silent Trails Run, Laramie
???

In retrospect, I did fairly well with my race selections. Looking ahead to the first half of 2010, I have my eye on a couple races already. There may be trips to Minnesota and North Dakota. I’d love a mid-winter race in a warm, sunny location too. We’ll see how far I can stretch my VISTA stipend.