Dulles Day 5K on The Runway

I ran the Dulles Airport Runway 5K this morning, which was my 3rd 5K in six weeks. I ran the Leesburg 5K on August 18 and the Great American Labor Day 5K on September 2. Each of these races was faster than the one before it, and I am now done with the 5K until my Turkey Trot.

Before the Race
The race started at 7:30, and is only 4 miles from our house. I expected it would take no longer than 10 minutes to get there so I planned to leave the house at 6:35. We ended leaving at 6:40, which I thought was still okay, since I already had my bib. All I needed to do when I got there was to warm up for 20 minutes.

Unfortunately, there was crazy traffic as we approached the Air and Space Museum parking lot. This Dulles Day race has both a 5K and a 10K, which were sold out at 2,500 runners. That's a lot of cars all trying to get to the same place at the same time.

At 6:50, I started to get nervous because we were still stuck in traffic. At 7:00, I hopped out of the car, and ran to the race start while Greg (who wasn't running the race) parked. We were only half a mile from the parking lot, but I wanted to start my warm up at 7:00, so it was a good opportunity to run. One of the traffic cops said "it's better running than it is driving!"

I was wearing my Brooks Ghost shoes and carrying my Nike Vapofly shoes in a bag. To get through security faster, I took the shoes out of the bag, scrunched up the bag in my hand, and went through the "no bags" line. After security, we had to walk through the Air and Space Museum to get out to the race course. I continued to jog slowly, but a museum official told me I needed to walk. Bummer! Oh well, it wasn't long before I was outside again and I continued my warm up.

I didn't know when I would see Greg, especially since he would have to wait in the longer bag line.

He had a cooler with ice and my Energice pop. After about a mile, I waited in a porta potty line as I changed into my Nike Vaporflys. Then, I warmed up for a mile in them. I heard the announcer say that they were delaying the start by 10 minutes. I'm pretty sure this was because of all the traffic.

Based on my last 5K, I determined that I prefer the Adidas Adios Boost for the 5K distance. However, the runway is concrete, so I figured the bounce of the Nike Vaporfly would be advantageous. I plan to return to my Adidas for the Turkey Trot.

I still hadn't seen Greg, so I hid my Brooks shoes behind a car parked on a grassy area and lined up. Just a few minutes before the start, I saw Greg and he offered me the Energice pop, which had since melted. I drank about half of it. I lined up in the second row, and I heard the man in front of me say, "my plan is to walk, and then run, and then walk." (He's not shown in the picture).

My goal for this race was to beat my Labor Day time by 20 seconds, which meant sub-20:50. I thought that was reasonable, given that I'd have two extra weeks of training under my belt, and the runway is flatter than the Labor Day course. The reason why I haven't been trying to come close to my 19:58 PR is primarily the weather. All of these races have been very humid, which equates to slower times. This morning, it was 67 degrees with 90% humidity.

Mile 1: 6:43

Mile 1, photo by Cheryl Young

The race started and the man in front of me, who was in the first row, literally walked off the start line. I bumped into him a little bit. I knew he would be slower, but I didn't think he would actually start off with the walking! Anyway, once I got going, I focused on the number or women ahead of me. There were four of them. At first, it seemed like maybe I would be in a position to win the race, but towards the end of the mile, the first two women had pulled ahead quite a bit. I passed the two other women, putting me in third, but then another woman passed me, leaving me in 4th place at mile marker 1.

My plan was to run this mile in 6:40. Based on my race report from 2015, and my Strava data, I knew that the first mile had an incline with a gain of 25 feet. My goal pace was around 6:37, so I planned to run negative splits, speeding up during the last "down hill" mile. My actual split was 6:43 and it felt really hard. I didn't have a lot of "pep" and I wasn't sure if that was because of the concrete, the humidity, or if I was just having a blah day. I pushed on.

Mile 2: 6:48
I really struggled here. I ran this mile next to a kid who looked to be about 10 or 11 years old. He was strong and he pulled me along. I had been planning to run this mile at goal pace of 6:37, but that was not happening. I just did my best to stay strong and not let any women pass me.

I think this course is mentally exhausting. There is not much to look and you can see almost the entire course. There is no variation to keep you engaged, so it's easy to coast. I don't consider myself a particularly strong hill runner, but I think I got some power from those hills two weeks ago that I wasn't finding today.

Mile 3: 6:42
I kept pushing on, just trying as best as I could to maintain the hard effort level. The kid I was with

Mile 3, photo by Greg Clor

dropped back so I was on my own. With about a quarter mile to go, I saw Greg taking photos. That coincided with the downward slope of the runway, so I was able to pick up the pace. I knew I had secured 4th place female, so now it was just a matter of what my finish time would be. I had originally envisioned this mile being sub-6:35, but that didn't happen.

The last 0.13: 6:02 pace
I saw the clock and I thought I could get under 21:00, so I sprinted as hard as possible.

I ended up with an official time of 21:02.

Although this race was faster than my Labor Day race, I wasn't as happy with it. I know I gave all I had to give, so I'm not disappointed in my performance. It was simply a "meh" day with "meh" energy levels on a "meh" course. I don't think it's an indication of my fitness level, and I'm still confident in my ability to run a 10K at a faster pace than I ran today in early October.

After the Race
I reunited with Greg, we chatted for a bit, and then I ran 1.4 miles to cool down. The awards were wonky. Instead of age groups of 20-29, 30-29, etc. they were 21-30, 31-40, 41-50. Since I'm 40, this meant I was one of the oldest women in my age group, instead of the youngest like I have been for the past year.

I had read my 2015 blog post a few days before the race, and as a 36 year old, I missed getting an age group award because a 40-year old beat me. I was annoyed by that. This year, I was that 40 year old who took first place in the 31-40 category. And, one of three women who beat me was 42! So if they had done normal age group brackets, I would have placed second. So this age group thing screwed me over in 2015, but worked to my advantage this year. Also, I was inspired by a 55-year old woman

who beat me. She ran 20:30 and was the third female. When I am 55, I hope to be running that fast!

I won a $25 gift certificate to the Dulles Airport Marriott restaurant. Yay! Thankfully, we live close to the airport so it will be easy for us to use this.

Official results:

• I placed 1 out of 232 women in my age group, 31-40.
• I placed 4 out of 772 total women
• I placed 22 out of 1,446 total runners

Final Thoughts

• I ran 4 5K races this summer: Firecracker, Leesburg, Labor Day, and Dulles Runway. Of those races, I think I ran to my full potential at Firecracker (21:26) and Labor Day (21:09). Leesburg was a total bonk, and today was "meh". It's a good reminder that you can't always feel 100% at every race.
• My average heart rate today was 168. For my previous three 5K races, it had been 172. I am not sure if the hills in those races forced me to a higher heart rate, or if today I simply didn't have the energy needed to run at that effort level.
• To the above point, my heart rate suggests that if I had been feeling more peppy, my fitness supports a faster time. . . probably in the realm of my original goal of sub-20:50.
• I've now run this race twice and I don't think I like it that much. The concrete is hard on the legs and the lack of variation makes it difficult to stay engaged. 
• In 2015, I ran 21:35, which I think was a much better performance given my fitness level at the time. You can read the full 2015 report here.

Great American Labor Day 5K Report

This morning I ran the Great American Labor Day 5K in Fairfax Corner, VA. This course is used for several races throughout the year, and I have run it about five times in the past. Last year, I ran this exact race as a tempo run in 22:25. I was just coming back from mono at that time, so I didn't want to push it too hard. It's not known for being a fast course with its constant hills, but since I've run it so much, I find it to be a good benchmark.

This year, I decided to run it because I wanted to get a few 5Ks under my belt right before marathon training started. My last 5K, Leesburg, was one of my slowest 5Ks in a long time (22:08). Partially due to the weather, and partially due to the fact that I hadn't regained all the fitness I lost from taking time off post bike accident. And I went out too fast. I came into today's race looking for some redemption. 

My goals for this race were as follows:

Photo by Cheryl Young

• Run hard, get a good workout in on the hills
• Test out the Nike Vaporfly
• Set a course PR

Before the Race

I didn't sleep all that well last night. I attribute that partially to taking an hour-long nap yesterday. That wasn't really planned; I just fell asleep on the couch and didn't wake up for an hour. My sleep was restless, but I got a solid 6 hours, so I wasn't really worried.

Before leaving the house, I ate an English muffin with peanut butter and mixed up a serving of Generation UCAN with some water to take with me. Greg did not run this race-- he was playing the role of photographer and cheerleader. We arrived about an hour before the race started and picked up my bib. After pinning it on, I used the porta potty and then warmed up wearing my Brooks Ghost.

After about fifteen minutes of warming up in the Ghost, I switched to the Nike Vaporfly. I ran about half a mile in those, just to get a feel for them pre-race. They felt loose. I didn't want to tie them too tightly, though, because I did that on Saturday and my feet hurt afterwards. So I made sure they were secure but not too tight. My heel was slipping in them, but a lot of people said that was an issue with this shoe, so I accepted it as normal and didn't try to fix it.

After the second warm up, I returned to my car and had an Energice ice pop, and put a few ice cubes in my sports bra. I then headed for the start line with about five minutes to go.

It was 71 degrees with a dew point of 70. Thankfully it was overcast, unlike Leesburg. This weather wasn't abnormally warm for this time of year, but we had been treated to a full week of cooler weather leading up to the race. I had been spoiled. 

I thought that I could still get a course PR, beating my time of 21:31 from November 2016, when the weather was ideal. Since Leesburg two weeks ago, I had executed a number of really strong track workouts, all focused on speed. I even noticed my heart rate being lower in general, both during runs and my resting heart rate. I was in good shape, so it would all come down to execution and the impact of the humidity.

Mile 1: 6:39

Mile 1, photo by Greg Clor

The race started and swarms of runners shot out ahead of me. I remained patient, as I prefer to ease into a race instead of gunning it at the start. I wanted to keep my eye on how many women were ahead of me, and there seemed to be about 6 right from the beginning. I started to pass people at the bottom of the first hill, which was about 3/4 of the way into the first mile. 

I had planned for this mile to be around 6:40, if not slightly faster, so I was right on track. I didn't look at my watch too much, but this was naturally the pace I ran. I knew from past experience not to go out too fast on the first downhill. I also had fears of bonking like I did in Leesburg, so I was more cautious.

Mile 2: 6:46

The rolling hills continued throughout this mile, creating a net even elevation. I continued to pass the people who had taken that first down hill quicker than me. As I passed one man, who looked to be in his late 50's or early 60's, he said to me, "You are the one who was screaming. That's really annoying." I was shocked. I know I make loud noises when racing, but no one has ever complained to me about it. If anything, people ask me if I'm okay, or they encourage me along with "you got this" or other such phrases.

I let it sink in for a few seconds and then I looked at him and muttered, "that's really rude." And then I passed him. I took one last quick glance behind me to catch a glimpse of him, so I could make sure he didn't pass me later in the race. I was really surprised that someone would waste their energy in a 5K to tell someone else that they were annoying. It's pretty much impossible to talk when running 5K effort, so you really have to be obnoxious to expend the energy to make such a comment. 

Mile 3: 6:50

Mile 3, photo by Greg Clor

More rolling hills, with the final hill being super long. I was starting to get really tired, but I stayed strong. I did not want anyone passing me at this point, particularly not the guy who insulted me. The shoes were super bouncy. Even though I was low on energy and I felt like I was slowing down, my watch indicated otherwise. This final mile was all about staying strong mentally and continuing to push up the long hill.

Last 0.14: 6:00 pace

I gunned it to the finish and was elated when I saw the clock. That course PR was mine!

I finished in an official time of 21:09, which is a course PR by 22 seconds. It's 0:59 faster than my time at Leesburg two weeks ago! I was thrilled.

I re-united with Greg and changed back into my Brooks Ghost for a short cool down. During the cool down, I ran into my friends Hannah and Alex, who were run-walking the race. Hannah is 36 weeks pregnant, and Alex ran a marathon last weekend. Kudos to them for showing up and getting it done!

I ended up winning first place in my age group, and coming in 4th overall. I was very happy with this.

After the Race

Once I finished cooling down, I spotted the guy who had told me my noises were annoying. I had beaten him by 12 seconds.

Me: "Hello. Were you the person who told me I was annoying?"

Him: "Yes. It was so loud. It was like this:" screams right into Greg's face

Greg: "Don't scream in my face."

Him: "You were so loud the first half, but you were ok for the second half.  I was running with you during the second half and you weren't doing it then. It was so loud in the beginning that it affected my race. I actually pulled a hamstring."

Greg: "You're saying her screaming made you pull a hamstring?"

Him: "This conversation isn't going anywhere. Good luck in your future races."

Normally everyone I meet at races is so nice and exhibits good sportsmanship. This was certainly different.

I'll be the first to admit that I make loud noises when I race. They are like mini screams that kind of just come out when I am working hard. Particularly when I am going up hill. As I said above, nobody has ever insulted me for it, although they have sometimes expressed concern.

Vaporfly Thoughts

I had a really good race this morning. Was it because of the shoes? I don't think so. Even though the weather was crappy, I think I had built up a good amount of fitness post bike accident. I had been going to the track twice a week and really hammering it. I also executed the race well by not going out too fast and staying strong on the final hill.

Many runners were wearing the Vaporfly today. I looked down at the start line and probably one in every three runners had a pair. I liked the shoes but I didn't love them. I think I might love them for a 10K or longer. 

My biggest issue with them, aside from the loose fit, was that I didn't feel as engaged with the ground. When I'm running fast, I like to get feedback from the ground beneath me and derive power from that. In this race, I felt like I was getting power from the shoe and not from the road. I'm undecided if I will wear them in my next 5K. I will likely wear them in my next 10K. 

I'm glad I did this race. I think it's good to work on speed before entering marathon training and this race was a chance to do just that. Plus, it's also nice to have a top 5 overall finish and to win the age group.

Keeping up with the times: Nike Vaporfly thoughts

If you could run just a little faster without having to train any harder, would you? The Nike Vaporfly 4% shoes had me asking serious questions about why I run.

For those of you who have never heard of the Nike Vaporfly 4%, they are supposed to make you run faster. They were introduced in 2017 at a price of $250. When they first launched, they were nearly impossible to find because retailers would sell out of them immediately. There was a ton of hype around them and runners everywhere were trying to get their hands (or feet) on these shoes! A few months ago, Nike released the Vaporfly Next %, which is supposed to make you even faster.

Nike Vaporfly 4% 

Does the Nike Vaporfly actually make you faster? Many runners have supported this claim, saying that they believe the shoes helped them shave some time off of their PRs. My friends who wore them told me that they were really bouncy and had a lot of cushion. Supposedly, you also recover faster from long runs due to the extra cushion in the shoe. Normally a highly cushioned shoe does not equal fast, so I was intrigued. One major caveat about the shoes: they wear out faster than a normal trainer. If you normally get 300 miles on your shoes, you might only get 200 on your Vaporflys (Vaporflies?). They are not recommended for daily use and are mainly intended for the marathon and half marathon.

When they first came out, I decided they weren’t for me. If I set a PR, I didn’t want it to be because of the shoes. I didn’t think I would get as much satisfaction. It’s not cheating, but it’s an advantage that I wouldn’t have had previously. What motivates me most in running is setting goals and accomplishing them. Could I really feel accomplished if I thought that a special shoe was the reason I PR’ed?

So I didn’t go near the Nike Vaporfly and continued to race in the same shoes I had been racing in. But each time I showed up to a race, more and more runners were wearing the Nike Vaporfly! At Sugarloaf, for example, I looked down at the start line into a sea of Nike Vaporfly. And then another footwear brand released a shoe with similar technology: a carbon plate. I realized that this was the future of racing shoes, and they were only going to become more popular. Soon, each running shoe brand would have their own version.

At the same time, more and more runners are qualifying for Boston, which made the B. A. A. lower their qualifying times by five minutes last year. Runners are generally much faster than they were five years ago, and I do think the Vaporfly has played a role.

With this realization, I figured I should hop on board and give the shoes a try! After all, running is a competitive sport, and I started to feel like I was at a disadvantage for NOT wearing the Vaporfly. How would I feel if someone in my division beat me wearing the Vaporfly? Annoyed! So I bought a pair and will race a 5K in them tomorrow. Watch this space for a race report and more thorough review.

I took them out yesterday for a test run and I liked them. Very springy and cushioned. I just wish the heel was more snug. The latest model, the “Vaporfly Next %” has a snugger heel, but it comes with a lower drop and that’s not good for my Achilles. If they work in the 5K, I’ll try them in a 10k, and all the way up. If they aren’t going to work for me, better to find out now.

Back to my original dilemma: will I feel less satisfaction from setting a new PR by wearing these shoes? No. I’ve accepted that the Nike Vaporfly 4% is one of the most popular racing shoes today, and I’m keeping up with the times. Literally.