2018: A Year in Review

2018 was another great year of running. I tied my PR in the marathon, finished second overall and first master out in South Dakota, and ran more miles than ever for a calendar year. I started running to work regularly, which accounts for all of my additional miles. Miles and I ran a lot of miles together: in addition to regular commutes to and from daycare and our favorite loop to the Zoo, we had our first races (2nd stroller at College Park 5K and 1st stroller at Capitol Hill 10K). And, today, we ran to the Smithsonian so he could play at the Air and Space Museum, with a quick visit to my office on the Hill.

A few stats to capture 2018 in running:

Total miles (bicycle and running) = 5,063 which was 691 total hours of exercise. I cut back on bicycling since I switched those bike share commutes to runs which allowed me to increase my total miles by over 600 more than last year.

Running = 4,265 miles (previous high in 2017 was 3614). That is about the distance from Washington, D.C. to Fairbanks, Alaska. I climbed 145,840 feet while running. That's the equivalent of summiting Mount Everest (29,029 feet) just over five times!

New places I ran = Deadwood, South Dakota, St. Michaels, Maryland. It wasn't a banner year for accumulating new cities, but I'm fine with that.

My my training partner Shawn captures my year in running:

"Kenny is getting better with age and he's doing it by working harder. When 2018 ends, he expects to have run about 4,200 miles -- he's currently at 4,050 -- a lifetime high that exceeds his previous best annual mileage tally by about 600 miles.

"He's not only running more. He's running faster. Kenny ran his second fastest marathon ever in March with a 2:59:32 at Rock N Roll DC, placing second in his age group on a very difficult course. The hill at Fort Dupont at mile 23 is a doozy. His PR is on the flat course in Houston in 2016 (2:59:31).

"The following month, he persevered on a rainy, cold day in Boston, setting a course PR of 3:08:36 when many other runners dropped out.

"And at the Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon in the Black Hills of South Dakota in June, Kenny was the first master and second overall. He ran in the lead group of two for most of the race. He led the race outright from miles 12-14 until the winner, a 29 year-old, caught and passed him. He finished in 3:17 on a warm day when the winner crossed in 3:11. That made him the South Dakota State Master's Champion for 2018 and marked the 27th state in which he has completed a marathon.

"In November, Kenny set a course PR at the New York City Marathon in 3:01:06, easily besting his previous two attempts 3:26 (2010) and 3:12 (2015).

"He was third master at the DC Road Runners Club 20-Miler in September, setting a PR for the distance of 2:14:16 (6:43 pace).

"Adjusting to the running life as a father, Kenny placed second in the stroller division in the College Park 5K in May. He was then first stroller at the Capitol Hill Classic 10K later that month.

"He ran a 1-mile time trial in 5:15 during the summer and placed 2nd overall in the DCRRC 3K Track Championship in driving rain in July.

"And in November, Kenny placed 3rd AG/7th overall at the Camp Letts Turkey Trot Not-Quite 10K in 37:22."

It was very satisfying to see him run a personal record number of miles in 2018, improve his marathon time from 3:08:20 (Freedom's Run, 9/30/17) to 3:03:16 (Rock and Rock DC, 3/10/18) to 3:02:37 (New York City Marathon, 11/4/18). He also set many other PRs and win a few races outright and age group. It was great to run with someone who follows a similar routine and keeps pace.

The friendly competition was what was ultimately most rewarding in 2018. As I grow older, I maintain my goal of 50 marathons in 50 states. I am still striving for PRs, but I am narrowing my focus to the marathon. It was neat to train for a track one mile race even if the downpour conditions made a PR impossible. I hope that 2019 brings more PRs, milestones, and quality time running with friends and my son!

My Return to the Turkey Trot

Last year, I didn't race a Turkey Trot, so I was excited to join Shawn at the Camp Letts YMCA Turkey Chase. I signed up a few days ago when I was certain that it would fit into my schedule and that dad would join me. It was too cold for Miles, so he stayed and Mom watched him. Last year, Shawn was third overall and first in our age group so I thought this would be a good race to place high.

My father and I pre-race with the mascots. Three turkeys and a raccoon!

Shawn and I warm up for the race

Shawn stretches to "Y-M-C-A!"

I have to change my expectations when I am sick. I have battled a head cold for the couple of days. And while I was able to place in the top ten, I was barely on track to break 40. The course is not easy: it is run on a gravely road (I bruised the outside of my foot during warm up) and through a grassy field and through a trail in the woods with roots, rocks, and standing water. This is not a PR course. I tried to hang with Shawn early, starting the race on the line, but after the first mile I fell back - I made a strategic decision to try to run slower at first then close the gap later. He was wearing bright red and I could see him through the bucolic scenery. Even when he put 20-30 seconds ahead of me, I figured I could make that up over the last 2-3 miles. But coming back to the finish, I didn't have that finishing gear. I wasn't gassed, but I was stuck at my pace. Shawn finished nearly a minute ahead of me - he out-kicked a 54 year old guy to claim 5th overall.

And we're off!

The race sent me photos (link) and results. It reported that me as 8th and 4th in my age group with a guy besting me by 4 seconds. That didn’t sound right - there was no one in the 10K ahead of me. I emailed the race director about the results, pointing out that a 41 year old male from Laurel, MD, bib 153 finishing four seconds ahead of me did not race the 10K. I attached finishing video my father shot and photos from the race's pictures. And Shawn testified to back up my claim.

Early in the race

They replied, “Hi Kenny; Congratulations on a great race! We will certainly check this out. It certainly makes sense he ran the 5k but was signed up for the 10k; which is what was used for scoring. It happened more than once. Give us a couple days to gather any other anomalies and we will repost results. Thanks; Ron”

Finishing almost a minute behind Shawn

After about a week or so, they concluded that he did, in fact, not race the 10K. They emailed:

"The Race Director has authorized us to make the change moving Warren to 5k. Mark will re-calculate results and will update the posted results.
Thanks for your patience;
Ron"

I appreciate that they got this right. I was moved up to 7th overall and 3rd in my age group. In the grand scheme, it means little, but it is nice to have the record accurately reflect the final results.

NYC Marathon Race Recap

Shawn and I have run hundreds or thousands of miles together. If I had the time, I could check the exact amount on Strava, but suffice to say that between long runs, recovery runs, easy runs, speed such as tempo, fartlek, and track, hill repeats, commutes, and my pushing Miles in the Bob stroller, he's probably the person I have trained with for the most miles (my dog Sammy has definitely ran the most total miles with me). Earlier this year, I pointed out to Shawn that his half marathon time qualified him for the New York City Marathon. He had always wanted to run it so when he signed up, I signed up since I also had a qualifying time. I have entered NY by three different ways (In 2010 I had been rejected three straight times and was guaranteed entry the third year, but this was discontinued. In 2012, I raised money for the charity the Blue Card but since the race was canceled, they allowed me to pay for entry into 2013, 2014, or 2015, and I chose 2015).

Got our bibs

We took the train up early Saturday morning and found seats together where we could stretch out. We talked strategy and expectations for most of the race. As reported earlier this year, we planned to race Rock N Roll together but that fell apart prior to the first 10K. This race, we mapped out and followed a solid strategy. While we plotted strategy and logistics, we ate lunch which consisted of pasta we packed for the ride. The train was easy and when we got to Penn Station, we walked over to the Jacob Javits Center where the expo and packet pick up is held. While walking, I texted my high school friend Nicole was was running her second marathon and first NY. She was a little nervous but I texted her that it was the race that should be nervous since she was going to kick its butt! We breezed through the expo, got our bibs, took a few pictures, and parted ways. I went to meet my coach at his hotel near the finish and handed him my dry clothes. I chose the poncho option, so it was clutch that Ryan took my clothes for me to change into after the race. Everything I was wearing would be tossed and donated.

With Coach Ryan Vail. Photobombed by an unfortunate sign.

After meeting with Ryan, I met my cousin at NYU where he teaches. We went back to his place and he found an old blanket I could use to stay warm then toss at the Athlete's Village. I bought bagels to eat in the morning about three hours before the race and some to bring back to DC. We went to dinner at an Italian restaurant near his house in Astoria and I ate two baskets of bread in addition to my pasta and tomato sauce! My cousin's husband's sister is also a runner who has run several halfs. She was very excited that she was visiting during the NYC Marathon and could watch it before her plane left. I gave her my logistics booklet explaining the race, where to watch, and course information. That seemed to make her happy. After dinner, I went to bed. I woke up at 4AM (it was the end of DST so I got an extra hour and felt quite rested) and showered and ate a banana. I left around 4:45AM and his neighbors were still awake and on the balcony. The city that really never sleeps!

Bib 3211 for 2018 NYC, my 44th marathon

I took the subway from Astoria (Steinway stop) to the Midtown bus. Luckily there was a runner on the platform and I could just follow him through the subway and to the bus. We chatted with other runners on our train including a young IT professional named Sebastian from near Warsaw in Poland. On the bus, I tried to get a little more sleep. On the bus, I sat next to a runner from the Boston area who loves to run New York but has no interest in the Boston Marathon. His aversion to Boston is training in the cold. After passing through security, I found the meeting spot, the orange area therapy dog station (the dogs licked our faces as we rested). When I returned from the bathroom, Shawn was there. We rested and I asked a woman to "Share the sun" who was blocking it from warming us. Around 9AM, we got ready and headed into our corral. In the corral, we waited around with other runners. One was taking a selfie, so I offered to take his picture in return for taking our picture and sending it to me.

Shawn and I have a friendly rivalry that makes us both better runners. This race was our tiebreaker for the year since earlier, he won the 1 mile and 3K at the DC Road Runners Club track meet, and I bested him at the Rock N Roll DC Marathon and the DC Road Runners Club 20 miler. But, I would have been thrilled if we finished the race together having paced each other to a sub 3 finish. If that had come to pass, we could have raised our hands together in celebration as we crossed the line.

The weather for the race was perfect. Starting in the 40s and rising into the 50s, we really couldn't have asked for better weather. Thankfully, the heavy wind on Saturday was mostly gone for Sunday, just an easy 5 mph wind that wasn't a factor.  It wasn't too cold that we were shivering in the Athlete's Village and it wasn't too hot on the course. We brought some throwaway clothes and blankets that kept us warm while waiting that we tossed before and during the race. When the race started, it took us about 40 seconds to run over the start line. We ran on the lower section of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Our Garmins had trouble accurately finding our pace, possibly because we were on the lower bridge and also due to so many other Garmin users. I knew not to trust my watch that read an 8:30 pace (when I was less experienced, I would have freaked out thinking I couldn't get into my pace) and sure enough, we clocked a 7:30 first mile even though my watch displayed only 0.9. The next mile had us running a 6:14 mile, which was again off. I assured Shawn that our pace was perfect and not to worry. I don't think he was worried, but sometimes I like to verbalize my inner monologue.

The run through Brooklyn went very much according to plan. We were settling into 6:50 pace, the effort felt easy, and the crowds were amazing. Even though there were so many runners near us, we were able to stay together without dodging other runners or exerting more energy than necessary. We tried to stick to the tangents as much as possible - only I veered to get water as Shawn brought his own. I wore my Red Sox visor through the streets of NYC and occasionally yelled for a fan wearing a Red Sox hat to give me a cheer - 2018 World Series Champions! In Brooklyn, I looked for my friend Chris and his son Alex between miles 8-9, but I didn't spot them. We hit the 10 mile mark right on pace and cruised towards Queens. I would call out the splits for each mile and did some quick, sloppy marathon math to know we were on pace. As we left Brooklyn and entered Queens, we passed the halfway point. 1:29:35 - right on pace to break 3! Before the race, we had talked about running the first half in 88 minutes (he rejected that and stated 89/90 minutes was smarter), so 89 minutes and change was perfect.

Queens was fairly flat and uneventful. In Queens, I looked for my cousin's husband and his sister.  Unfortunately, I didn't spot them, but later they reported they got to watch the leaders. I prepared us mentally for the Queensborough Bridge which is long and slow. As we approached and began our climb, it became quiet as no spectators are allowed. Again, I feared Garmin might be off so we just held our effort and didn't worry about effort. It paid off as we ran a the bridge smartly and entered into Manhattan to huge cheers. Within half a mile, I heard my name and saw my friend Michael cheering for me. That was fun to be spotted by a friend - three years ago my friend from college not only saw me, he took a great picture.

Through Manhattan, we kept our pace and even pulled slightly ahead of the 3 hour pace team. We did not intend to do so, but our pace brought us slightly past them. The miles were adding up, but mentally I remained in a good place. As we climbed the bridge into the Bronx, the pace team overtook us but we kept them in sight. The segment through the Bronx is not that long and soon we were back in Manhattan. The last time I ran NYC, I thought I could break 3:10 and felt my chances were good but I faded. This time, I felt I was on pace to break 3:00 and pushed towards my goal. With about five miles to go, I felt a burst of energy and felt like I had lost Shawn. I don't think I increased my pace as much as he lost the pace, but in any event, I felt I was going to run the final miles alone. That is what happened. I felt strong and kept pace as long as I could, but the climb next to Central Park slowed me by 20 seconds a mile. I thought all I needed to do survive and once in the park, I could lay down the hammer. But, those rolling hills took its toll and I was fortunate not to lose anymore time. As I headed to the finish, I thought I heard footsteps and wondered if Shawn was closing in on me. I don't know if I had anything left to match him if he was going to push me. But I finished then waited a minute or so before I saw him cross. We were both very tired and excited for our effort. It was a PR for him by 39 seconds.

If the end were completely flat, I could have broken 3. Our 3:01/3:02 was a sub 3 on a flatter course. The fitness was there as demonstrated at the 20 miler. If there were no hills in Central Park, I could have broken 3:01. But, I know I gave it my all even though I came up a couple of seconds shy of getting under 3:01. I am so proud of my time and very impressed with how Shawn has continued to get faster in his mid 40s. A 3:01/3:02 in NYC is amazing for a 40 year old, and even more impressive considering my first ever marathon was a 4:10 and my two previous NYC Marathons were 3:26 (2010) and 3:12 (2015). This year, I finished 1275 out of over 52,000 runners, so I definitely beat my bib (3211). This was my fourth fastest time out of my 44 marathons.

Comparing my three NYC Marathons:

Course profile

2010 NYC Marathon (Bib 7702 / Age 33) = 3:26:01
Pace = 07:52
Place Overall = 4,047 of 44,976, Place Gender = 3,565 of 28,849, Place Age Group = 3,566 of 3,857
Place Age-Graded 6,023 of 28,850
Time Age-Graded 3:26:01
Percentile Age-Graded 60.6%
Splits: 5K 23:11 (23:11 = 7:29) / 10K 46:10 (22:59 = 7:25) / 15K 1:09:44 (22:34 = 7:17) / 20K 1:33:23 (22:39 = 7:18) / 25K 1:57:50 (24:27 = 7:53) / 30K 2:21:54 (24:04 = 7:46) / 35K 2:47:25 (25:31 = 8:14) / 40K 3:14:47 (27:22 = 8:50) / Half 1:38:43 = 7:32 / 26.2 full 3:26:01 = 7:52 (8:09 2nd Hal)

2015 NYC Marathon (Bib 5011 / Age 38) = 3:12:47
Pace = 07:22
Place Overall = 1,709 of 49,461, Place Gender = 1,558 of 28,788, Place Age Group = 302 of 4,562
Place Age-Graded 2,498 of 28,788
Time Age-Graded 3:09:38
Percentile Age-Graded 64.84%
Splits: 5K = 21:19; 10K = 42:42; 15K = 1:04:20; 20K = 1:26:13; Half = 1:31:10; 25K = 1:49:10; 30K = 2:12:20; 35K = 2:36:33; 40K = 3:02:13

My 5K splits

2018 NYC Marathon (Bib 3211 / Age 41) = 3:01:06
Pace = 6:55
Place Overall 1,275 of 52,700, Place Gender = 1,183 of 30,580, Place Age Group = 228 of 5,109
Place Age-Graded = 1,453 of 30,580
Time Age-Graded = 2:54:55
Percentile Age-Graded = 70.3%
Splits: 5K = 21:25; 10K = 42:25; 15K = 1:03:33; 20K = 1:24:52' Half = 1:29:35; 25K = 1:46:33; 30K = 2:07:34; 35K; 2:29:07; 40K; 2:51:13

Running more overall miles and more miles at tempo pace during training has made me a better marathon runner. Having to run-commute with a backpack and running my son into daycare in a Bob's Blaze jogging stroller has had no negative effect on my training - perhaps it even helped by adding a level of resistance. Adding doubles has helped me in distance racing. And, switching from a set long run on the weekends to more total mileage but no traditional long run has not impacted my training. I hope to be able to use this method to keep improving my marathon and other race times. As documented in previous blogs, since the birth of my son, my training has changed. I have had to move my runs, run/commute with a backpack, run my son to daycare in a stroller, and completely ditch large group runs. While I miss running with my club every Saturday morning and doing track with them every Wednesday night, I’ve found ways to not only continue to train, but to actually increase my mileage and effort. 

This New York City Marathon was the race I hoped Rock N Roll DC earlier this year could have been. Having trained with Shawn for several years now, we planned to race New York together, pacing and pushing ourselves to break 3. It has been tremendously rewarding to witness his transformation into such a strong and smart runner in just a couple of years. By committing himself to doing the mileage and adding in speed, hills, and tempos, he not only dropped his times and qualified both for Boston and New York, he also inspired and challenged me. Plus, selfishly, having a friend and rival to push me and motivate me benefits me. He keeps me from getting complacent. I look forward to training runs where we can talk running, Red Sox and Patriots, politics, or the day's news while testing our VO2 Max or running at recovery pace. Running alone is not as rewarding to me as having a good friend and training partner to keep myself honest.

We're not quite as fast and accomplished as Des and Shalane, but we have pushed each other to achieve results.

Taper Time for NYC Marathon

One year ago today I ran a negative split at the Hartford Marathon, good for a 3:01. Today marks three weeks to the day of the New York City Marathon. During this blog, I am sharing photos from my last NYC Marathon race in 2015 (2015 recap). In 2015, I ran 3:12 on a warm day, better than the 3:26 from 2010, my first time racing NYC. Now that I think about it, all three of my entries have come in a different way: 2010 was the old "get rejected three times and get in the fourth," 2015 I raised money for a charity in 2012 but that race was canceled due to Hurricane Sandy so I took the guaranteed entry offered for 2015, and 2018 I qualified with my half marathon time.

View of Central Park - the finish line is down there somewhere

It is officially taper time! I've written about the anxiety of the taper before, and with fewer miles to run I have to be judicious about deploying them. I will try to replicate my taper from before the Rock N Roll Marathon where I ran a strong race. Based on how I tapered and adjusting for my tolerance for increased mileage, I'm going to try to stick to the following plan:

Bib and packet pickup at the expo

Week 1 = not to exceed 80 miles, fartlek midweek, and long run with 3,2,1 MP tempo
Week 2 = not to exceed 55 miles, fartlek midweek, and long run with a 20 minute MP tempo
Week 3 = not to exceed 25 miles, 5 x 4 minutes at MP midweek, then Sunday race day!

Pre race waiting to board the bus from Brooklyn to the start at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island

This week started as a rough one for me. Last weekend on Friday night, I came down with a fever and body aches. I've heard the rule for running when sick is if it is above the head (sniffling, congestion, runny nose) it is okay to run and below the head (body aches) then to skip the run. I ended up canceling Saturday and Sunday's run and on Saturday night decided I would also give myself Monday off (Columbus Day) as well. I thought I was feeling better so I ran on Tuesday, but by Tuesday night my fever had returned and I had a nasty headache. Dayquil got me through the weekend so we could go to activities with my son like attending the pumpkin festival, but I relied on Advil Sinus to make it through my workday (it was pretty effective).

Waiting at the start line

I was able to run again on Friday and on Saturday I ran my son to the National Zoo and back. And earlier today, I ran during Miles' nap - 17.4 miles in 2 hours and 4 minutes with the middle 11 miles at marathon pace (6:45-50). The first four were a struggle but then I found my comfortable pace.

Running mile 17

The Red Sox playoff run is a threat to my taper. In 2013, their last time in the ALCS, their clinching game was the night before the Detroit Marathon. I did okay with a 3:09, but late games are not good for my rest. It is hard to be disciplined when your favorite team makes a deep playoff run.

Snot rocket?

I also have been helping my brother raise money towards his goal of $10K for his charity Dreamfar High School Marathon to get his bib for the Boston Marathon. I solicited 50 of my past donors with the email at the end of this post.

Post race celebration

Dear Friend,

As you may know, this will be my seventh Boston Marathon and while each time I’ve qualified is a truly special accomplishment, this year has added significance. My younger brother Matthew joins me on April 15, 2019, in the Athlete's Village in Hopkinton for his first Boston Marathon!

Not only am I coaching Matthew, we are also working together to raise funds for the charity called Dreamfar High School Marathon (DHSM), an organization that challenges high school students to reach their full potential—physically, socially, emotionally, and academically—through a mentor-supported marathon-training program. Over the years they have served students struggling due to gender identity issues; autism, learning disabilities, and social phobias; severe depression; homelessness, as well as the overwhelming stress to achieve success in the classroom.

We are deeply moved by Dreamfar's mission and want to help them with their goal of reaching every student in New England. If you are able, would you consider making a donation to support our team, please?

You can donate at: https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/dhsm2019/matthewames2

Thank you for your support!

Kenny Ames

Running with my brother and our sons in the Bob's Ironman Double Stroller at the National Zoo

Link to Kenny's Running Blog

Video Updates on Matthew’s training:

October 10, 2018 Training and Fundraising Update: Part 1

October 10, 2018 Training and Fundraising Update: Part 2

DC Road Runners Club National Capital 20 Miler Result

Today was a test of my running shape. This summer, I had a lot of time to run but that ends tomorrow as I start a new job. I decided not to do a traditional taper for the 20 Miler yet try to hold marathon pace for the race. I still ran 100 miles this week by front-loading my mile: Monday and Wednesday I went over 20 miles, Tuesday I ran 12 easy with Shawn, Thursday Shawn and I ran our pre-race workout (5x4 minutes with a 1 minute standing rest), Friday was an easy run with Miles to daycare and ran myself home, and 2 miles easy to the playground yesterday. Last week, I ran 24 miles on Thursday (did a double and 10 of those miles were pushing Miles in my Bob's Ironman stroller - what a phenomenal stroller by the way! I just upgraded to the new Bob's Blaze and cannot wait to take Miles out for a run) and Friday,Shawn and I did 21 miles with the middle 10 at marathon pace. Since I could handle that, I thought I would do it again for the race this morning. Some in our group of friends predicted that I would suffer, which was fair. That partly motivated me to prove them wrong.

The weather this morning was almost perfect for race day. The temperature started in the 50s and hit the 60s. It was overcast. The only complaint was it was humid. The race started at Carderock and ran into the city. The race director announced two diversions due to construction on the C&O Canal Trail: a detour over the canal before the 2 mile marker and a detour into the canal. Both would slow us down and were narrow, so he advised to adjust accordingly. Plus there was mud and standing water. I started the race slow and caught up to a pack of runners in a couple of miles, including Shawn. The five of us stayed pretty tight through the next 10-12 miles. There was a lot of chatting, swapping stories, sharing race results, and talk of our upcoming fall marathons. The camaraderie kept my spirits high and any negative thoughts out of my mind. There is something encouraging about running with a pack.

As we approached the turnaround near the Key Bridge, a half marathon was beginning in waves. The path only accommodates maybe three runners abreast so there was a traffic jam where the leaders of our race were leaving Georgetown while we were approaching the turnaround and that half marathon was sandwiched in-between. We did our best to announce as we were passing. Only one runner made a snide comment - she said that she was passing too. I'm surprised that the Park Services granted both races permits to run into each other at the same time.

On the run back, the group started to break apart. I rarely raced with my phone, but I did today as a precaution. One runner offered to hold it and of course he was the one that took off. I tried to stay near him, but he ended up pulling away. I stayed with one of the runners for most of the race. He was 29 years old and raced a 5K in just over 17 minutes yesterday, good for 3rd place. I thought he would eventually pull ahead. With a mile to go, he did start to put space between us, but then I decided to try to match and with half a mile left I began my kick, passing him, and he chose not to match. Three bicycles then overtook me and one said to try to keep up with her until the finish. I did try that which probably helped me cross the finish line with a time of 2:14:16 (6:43 pace). I've never raced that distance, so it is a personal record, but more importantly, I proved that I am in really solid shape and peaking at the right time for New York City.

I am very pleased with my result at the National Capital 20-miler = 15th place out of 180; 15th male out of 84; 4th masters (over 40); 3rd place age group 40-49 good for a $5 Starbucks gift card that goes to my wife as I hate coffee. It was a really strong field. Last year's master's winner ran a 7 minute pace; this year's ran a 6:12. Shawn finished a minute behind me - we both ran very strong and are well-positioned for New York City Marathon. The few muddy patches and puddles may have slowed us, but I doubt by much. First half 1:07:58 (6:48 pace); second half 1:06:19 (6:38 pace); negative split by 1:39. Again, I am very happy with my result and confident in my training. Plus I feel a sense of accomplishment that I ran 100 miles this week and still put up such a strong race.

Next race: The New York City Marathon on November 4! Time to recover and then taper...

P.S. Some of you may know my brother, Matthew, got a bib for Boston to raise money for the Dreamfar High School Marathon. They challenge high school students to reach their full potential—physically, socially, emotionally, and academically—through a mentor-supported marathon-training program. If you can, please support my brother's cause with a small donation.

My Brother Got a Bib for Boston!

My younger brother, Matthew, received a bib for Boston! He has finished two marathons and is tapering for his third in a few weeks. Here is his Facebook announcement:

"Today I am pleased to share with the world that I will be running the 123rd Boston Marathon in 2019! I was recently accepted through the Boston Marathon's charity program, specifically on the Dreamfar High School Marathon (DHSM) Team.

"To donate to my fundraising page and learn more about DHSM, click this link:

"To say that I am excited is an understatement. As many of you know, my older brother Kenny is an avid runner and has ran the Boston Marathon six times. To be able to run the same prestigious race as him while also raising funds for a very worthy charity makes me feel very humbled, excited, and many other emotions I'm still processing as I write this.

"One of my main reasons for supporting this charity is that DHSM is the only high school marathon program in New England and welcomes students of all abilities and backgrounds. Over the years they have served students struggling due to gender identity issues; autism, learning disabilities, and social phobias; severe depression; homelessness, as well as the overwhelming stress to achieve success in the classroom. DHSM offers students a judgment-free, non-competitive environment in which they can test their physical, social, and emotional limits. DHSM stresses completion not competition encouraging all students to do their personal best.

"There will be a lot of work ahead, both mentally, and physically, and this will be the first time I have ever fundraised for a race or on this scale.

"I will share much more about my training, fundraising and special events to reach my goal, but in the meantime, please consider supporting my effort by donating to my individual fundraising page and/or sharing with any family/friends who may be interested in supporting the cause as well.

"Thank you family and friends for your support, and see you at Boston in 2019! #Ames2RunBoston"

Below is an excerpt of his racing resume beginning with the marathons:

• Earth Rock Run, 26.2M, 4/27/14, 04:07:55

• Bay State Marathon, 26.2 Miles, 10/19/14, 04:05:05

• Bay State Marathon, 26.2 Miles, 10/21/18, TBD

• Black Cat 10M and 20M, 20M, 3/1/14, 02:45:40

• Green Stride Newburyport Half Marathon, 13.1M, 10/20/13, 01:42:49

• Happy Holidays Half Merrython, 13.1M, 12/8/13, 01:41:38

• Parker River Half Marathon, 13.1M, 7/8/18, 02:11:16

• Yankee Homecoming 10M, 7/30/13, 01:30:53

• Bourque Family Foundation 7.7K, 7.7K, 6/9/18, 00:50:02

Summer 2018 Training Recap

On Sunday, I'm registered to run the DC Road Runners Club 20 Miler. The race starts in Carderock and runs towards Georgetown and then back to the start. I've run on the C&O Canal both for training and races and feel pretty comfortable on the path and surface. I have never raced this distance, but it is a good tune up for the New York City Marathon on November 4. Plus it has a solid field of fast runners. If I can place top 3 in the masters division, I'll be pleased.

What makes this race different is that I am trying out a theory. I want to test to see if I can break 100 miles in a training week once more this summer while still giving a solid effort at the race. Depending upon the weather, I feel I am in 2:15-2:20 shape. This summer, I've registered some seriously high mileage weeks. I have had the time to up my mileage and train my body accordingly. Over the last 15 weeks, I have run over 80 miles 13 times, over 90 miles 10 times, and over 100 miles 5 times. I'm front-loading the miles as I ran 25 total miles Monday, 12 this morning, and plan to run 20 tomorrow, 8-10 Thursday with a pre race tune-up of 5 repeats of 4 minutes at slightly faster than race pace, 10 Friday, and 5-6 stroller miles on Saturday (just enough to get Miles to and from soccer practice). Including the race and warm up on Sunday, that should top 100 miles if my math is correct.

My training partner might think I am nuts. He is capping his mileage and tapering "properly." But I think I can do it due to the fact that I have run a lot of miles this summer - in fact, many of the long mileage days have been followed by speed work. In fact, last Thursday I put down 24 miles total (10 were stroller miles and it was a double) and Friday we ran 21 total miles with the middle 10 at marathon race pace around 6:50 (the last three miles I ran especially well and felt like I either picked up the pace or he slowed). We are both running New York City so this will be an excellent gage to see where we are. If I bonk, it will be okay since my goal is to run strong on November 4.

I know that this summer I have had a good training cycle. Through the heat, humidity, and rain, I think my body has responded well. A lot of stroller miles have proven to add to my endurance. I ran my son into daycare and home on quite a few days and ran him to and from the Zoo multiple times. Those days were typically doubles. I didn't abandon speed training in all these miles. I aimed to go fast twice a week: usually one tempo and one fartlek. The exception occurred near around my track mile attempt and my vacation. Some of my key workouts have included the mile training laps, fartlek, a fast finish tempo in St. Michaels, and a marathon pace workout with the middle ten miles at 6:50 pace on the C&O Canal.

My schedule changes next week as I start a new job and will have to figure out my new routine. This week is likely my last chance to break 100 miles in a week for the rest of the year and maybe foreseeable future. I wanted to see if I could do it. If I can, I'll have run over 100 miles a week 8 times. I'm on track to break 4000 miles for the year (last year I cracked 3600 and that was my personal record). I'm averaging 11.25 miles a day. I know this isn't sustainable, but it has been a neat experiment. Aside from the regular muscle soreness and a ganglion cyst on top of my left foot (which is not painful but I am treating), I've felt pretty good.

A new chapter of my life starts on Monday. Reflecting on this high mileage summer, I'm glad I was able to do it, but I am looking forward to a new routine and new challenges. And, I am hopeful that I can race strong in New York!

Project Breaking 5: The Race

July 21, 2018 - Race Day

The day of the race was a wet day. It rained. A lot. All day. And it got worse later into the day. I had planned to run to Shawn's house and then we would run to Dunbar High School. But, it was pouring so he picked me up and then we ran from his house. We were soaked within two minutes. If it weren't the night of our big race we trained hard for the last month, I would have enjoyed the 60 degree temperature day in July and listening to the steady to heavy rain. Instead, I cursed my luck.

It was less than three miles to the track. The meet was still on, but there were very few participants. Almost everyone was crowded under an awning attached to the school. Those that had to use the bathroom had to brave the elements. Only racers left the dry confines - the rest watched the action. No one was in the bleachers. The race director consolidated many of the heats. The master's mile still went on at the scheduled time. Shawn and I ran a few striders and reported to the line when called.

Foolishly, I thought the rain and wind wouldn't be a factor. I went out and hit 200 meters in 36 seconds, right on track to break 5. By 400 meters, my legs were really heavy and I had slowed. The eventual winner kept his pace and the lead throughout the race. I was in second through 200, but was in fourth by 400, behind Shawn who was battling for second. I would remain in fourth for the next three laps, not really able to get my legs under me or pick up the pace. The wet track and heavy rain were factors that slowed me down considerably. I could not keep my projected pace as I sloshed along the drenched track that was otherwise in great condition.

The results

Mixed Masters Mile (only top four listed since the results have not been corrected):

Place Bib Time First Last Gender Age City State
1 59 04:50.8 Scott Anderson M 44 Washington DC
2 44 04:50.9 Andrew Oxendine M 44 Harpers Ferry WV
3 51 05:29.7 Shawn Zeller M 43 Washington DC
4 50 05:52.4 Kenny Ames M 41 Washington DC

The other two times I attempted the mile, I ran 5:24 and 5:13. I felt I was capable of at least a 5:10 if I fell off sub 5 pace. In my mind, 4:57 was the time. But I tried to race as if it were perfect conditions and paid the price. At least I broke 6.

Twenty minutes later, I raced the 3K on a whim. I held the same pace for the 3K as I had for mile. Shawn took the lead with Andrew in second. I eventually caught and passed Andrew. With 600 to go, I thought if Shawn were to fade, I had a chance at winning. With 400 to go, I was giving it all I had. With 200 to go, I was getting close - and then he began his kick. I couldn't match. With no chance of catching him and no one near me, I let up and cruised in. I didn't even realize a small push could have broken 11 - my mind was already at the finish line.

Mixed 3K
Place	Bib	Time	First	Last	Gender	Age	City	State
1	51	10:53.9	Shawn	Zeller	M	43	Washington	DC
2	50	11:01.3	Kenny	Ames	M	41	Washington	DC
3	44	11:41.8	Andrew	Oxendine	M	44	Harpers Ferry	WV
4	36	13:01.0	John	Way	M	53	Rockville	MD
5	54	13:54.7	Ted	Poulos	M	56	McLean	VA
6	49	14:21.3	Doug	Kelly	M	52	Washington	DC
7	57	14:21.4	Cindy	Cohen	F	50	WASHINGTON	DC
8	43	22:03.3	Jeanette A	Novak	F	74	Damascus	MD

Instead of a cool down run home, we took a ride from Alex. After two wet races, I was sopping wet and ready for a warm shower. It was disappointing that the weather didn't cooperate, but that was out of my control.

Post Script:

On August 1, I decided to try a time trial to see if I could break 5. I went to the McKinley Tech track, warmed-up, and then set my sights on a fast mile. There were two runners who agreed to time me. There was no taper, no other runners to push me, and a mud patch in lane 1 right around 300 meters, I ran 5:17. I don't know my splits as it seemed I was on pace to break 5 but the laps that the timers announced were inaccurate apparently. I'm okay with this effort even though it is slower than my PR for the distance. It was hot and humid - no excuses - but it was a solid result given the disappointment of the one mile race. I would like to try again, either on a flat one mile stretch or another track, but I won't have the chance and it is time to begin focusing on marathon training for New York City. Maybe next year Shawn and I will achieve our goal.

Stroller no death knell to fast times for D.C. dad

Posted on RunWashington by Charlie Ban  August 1, 2018 at 11:03 am0 Comments

Kenny Ames with son, Miles. Photo: Courtesy of Ames

The College Park 5k didn’t feel like any race I had run before. Sure there were cones, a course, other runners and a starting line, but right behind that starting line, my son Miles was sitting in our running stroller.

It wasn’t that long ago that Saturday mornings meant an early wake up for long runs with my club, followed by brunch, a nap, then hitting the bars at night. Now, I ‘m up just as early but it is to turn on Elmo and Sesame Street for Miles, while my wife and I get a little more sleep. Then we hit the road for a run, me pushing him.

For years, running was the center of my world, the activity by which all others were planned. But now there is a new balance in my life as a father to a toddler. I still need my daily run, my “me time.” At 41, I still have some PRs left in me, but the trick is carving out time for training that doesn’t include me using half a day each weekend. These last two years have challenged my creativity, deal-making, and compromising skills. Stroller racing is one of these compromises.

In a running career that has spanned 43 marathons in 27 different states and scores of races of shorter distances, it had come to this: my first stroller race, a low-key 5K that I only decided to run a few days earlier. If it went well, I would sign up for the Capitol Hill Classic 10K. What made the College Park 5K appealing was its separate stroller division and a 30-second head start on the untethered runners.

On race morning, Miles woke up at his normal time, right around 6 a.m. I had packed his bag with a spare outfit, made sure there were plenty of diapers, a sippy cup, some crackers, sunscreen and a hat to protect the fair skin of my redheaded child and a few toys. At the start line, my entire running career flashed through my mind as I remembered:

• My first marathon, the 2004 Marine Corps, and how I was fortunate to even finish on such little training.
• Countless long runs starting at Iwo Jima on Saturday mornings.
• My trip to Pocatello, Idaho, where I finally qualified for Boston after seven years and 16 marathons
• My first Boston Marathon –  nearly 90 degrees
• My first sub-3 marathon in Houston 
• The long run I took all by myself along the Capital Crescent Trail, wondering all the while about my wife’s pregnancy test
• The birth of my son and what that would mean for my training and racing going forward

I couldn’t throw up my hands and not find the time to run. I believe that you make time for the things that are important, no exceptions. To me, family, work and running are my constants. It would just take planning.

I’ve had to give up parts of my training regimen I enjoyed: Saturday long runs with the D.C. Road Runners, early morning weekday workouts, but I’ve found that I am still able to log 80-90 miles a week pushing Miles to his daycare in the stroller and then running to work in Bethesda from home in Brookland. On the weekends, I can get out for 90-120 minutes during his nap.

It hasn’t affected my speed. In March at the Rock ‘n’ Roll DC. .Marathon, I led a group of three friends, all parents. I broke 3:00 for the second time, surprising even my wife. It was extremely gratifying to run such a steady race at even pace.

In College Park, two guys with strollers ran out ahead and I settled into third. Soon, I caught up to one of the strollers and passed him. The rest of the race, I ran steady, but mostly alone. I placed second in the stroller division and 7th out of 101 overall. And, Miles had a great time, even yelling “yay” as we finished.

I felt torn – I enjoyed the race with Miles but also wanted to see how much speed I still have left, now that I am in my 40s. How much longer will it last before my eventual decline?

I decided to run the Capitol Hill Classic where the stroller racers start behind all of the runners. I couldn’t recall ever being so far back at a race other than Boston or New York Marathon. The first mile was slow. I was very cautious not to run over anyone. The second mile, we were dodging quite a few runners. We would surge when we saw an opening then slow if our path was blocked or go to the side of the road to find a lane. I heard quite a few comments of encouragement or amazement that we were passing so many runners. The spectators were great and pointing out that I was a dad running with a stroller.

Before the race, we practiced saying “beep beep.” I thought it was cute for Miles to say as we passed people to politely let them know. One guy said as I was passing him that I was a hero to Miles. I am guessing that between the crowded start, the dodging, and the added weight of a diaper bag, it slowed me at least a minute a mile. We finished in 45:15, 93rd place out of 1,897 runners. I think I was the first stroller to finish. I’ll claim first (unofficially).

While I ran 7 minutes slower than my PR for the 10K, it was still quite rewarding. I didn’t feel any pressure to set a personal best or push myself. I only wanted to finish ahead of all the other strollers – that competitive spirit is still alive and well.

Going forward, I look forward to more chances to race without my son, to test my limits again as a runner. But there will be more stroller races too. Given the time constraints of parenthood, I will only be able to get the time to run them if I bring Miles. And that’s ok. I expect that years from now a personal or age group record won’t mean as much to me as the miles I raced with Miles.

Kenny and Miles Ames at the College Park 5k

Project Breaking 5: Part 4 - the final speed work

Shawn and I hit the track one last time this morning prior to our attempt to break the 5 minute barrier for the mile Saturday night. We ran ladders in the sun and humidity, probably 80s felt 90s or worse. Shawn commented it was the worst weather he has experienced during our training. Of course, he was in New England during the week of July Fourth so he missed the last time it was sticky and soul-sapping like this morning. We hit some pretty impressive times regardless.

On the warm up to the track, I felt quite sluggish. Shawn was fresh since he ran only 4 miles Saturday night with his kids at the Bastille Day Four Miler and took off Sunday. My soreness was likely from the 10 on Saturday at midday in the heat in New Jersey and 8 on Sunday in New Jersey, but early in the morning and cooler. Oh, and the 17 yesterday which included 5 to daycare and 7 home in the morning and another 5 in the evening running Miles home. On the run home, there was a slight drizzle that cooled us off. And, a woman on a bicycle encouraged me as she passed on the MBT. I was singing the ABCs with Miles and she said, "Parenting, it's a marathon!" I responded, "It's not a sprint!" I got the thumbs up as she rode away.

At the track, we ran our initial lap of striders. Then we hit the ladder: 100/200/300/400/400/300/200/100 with jog rest. The jog rest varied so that it was long enough to recover but lined up so that we started and finished either at the start line, 100, or 200 (the 300 mark was unclear so I tried to have us avoid using it as a start/finish marker).

Our results: 16.6, 33.7, 53.9, 70.0, 69.9, 51.7, 33.9, 16.6. Shawn can take a second off for the middle times since he stayed out ahead of me. I figured we didn't need to hit anything faster than my pace. In fact, 73-74 seconds per lap will accomplish our goal Saturday night. Tomorrow is an easy one hour run, Thursday will be a double getting Miles to and from daycare, and Friday will be an hour run. Then, rest Saturday morning (actually going to brunch for a friend's birthday) and maybe the pool in the afternoon after Miles' nap.

Then it will be showtime! I suspect I will run to and from the track as my warm up and cool down since it is at Dunbar. A friend in my club agreed to time us and shout out 200 meter splits. I figure we need 36-37 for every 200 to make this work. Even if we come in a few seconds over 5, we will be happy. But, I'm not going to start thinking of excuses now - not when all of our workouts show us capable of getting in under 5.

If you want to come watch, the meet is hosted by our club, DC Road Runners Club, and will be a lot of fun. Our heat is scheduled for 6:15, the Masters Mile Men (must run under 10:00).

Project Breaking 5: Part 3 - Birthday Edition

How does a normal person celebrate their birthday? Probably with a big lunch and dinner, hopefully with some cake and ice cream, and drinks. While that all sounds good, I celebrate my birthday by running. Specifically, running tough workouts. Last year I ran 12 total miles and for the workout did 40 reps of 40 seconds on and 40 seconds off. The year before, I ran 11 miles (not sure why I didn't run 12 for the 12th) and did the 5,4,3,4,3,2,3,2,1 fartlek. In 2015, I raced a marathon on my birthday.

Today I ran 12 total miles. For the workout, I ran 12 reps of 200 meters with 600 meters slow jog. Shawn joined me and we really kept up a solid pace. It was helpful that the weather wasn't as humid - a cool breeze kept us feeling fresh. It probably also helped that we were pacing each other. At times, we weren't sure which one of us was pushing the pace. But, we very pleased with our effort.

Workout: Warm up, 1 lap of striders, 12x200 meters with 600 easy jog, cool down.

Pace = 34.8/36.3/35.3/35.6/35.6/35.2/35.3/34.8/34.5/34.9/34.8/31.5

We really sprinted that last repeat. Shawn said he was trying to keep up with me. I thought he was pushing the pace. Either way, we were winded - close to a 4:20 mile if we could hold that (we can't).

This was on the heels of Monday's fartlek. I ran Miles to daycare then ran home, extending it from the usual 5 miles to 7 to get in the work. It was 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 minutes on with equal rest of jogging. The paces were closer to half marathon and 10K pace than the mile, which was fine since I was mostly running up hill as I came home the MBT trail. There were two reps where I had to stop due to traffic, giving me extra rest.

With just over a week until the race, it feels like our sub 5 goal remains on pace. Next week we may do either 20 repeats of 100 meters or a ladder consisting of 100, 200, 300, 400, 400, 300, 200, 100 meters. I'm not sure of the rest on either yet.

For the rest of today, I hope there is cake somewhere. My wonderful and supportive wife gave me a Snickers this morning - my favorite candy bar that I never eat!

Project Breaking 5: Part 2

This week, I decided to run two speed workouts. Initially, I thought I should try to race a 5K on July 4 since there are so many races. But, it didn't fit into my scheduled plans for the rest of the day. Then, I thought I would run 12.5 laps around the track and call it a time trial 5K - see if I could get under 18 minutes. I would then run a second workout on Friday. However, I received advice from friends and a coach that shorter and faster workouts were better for my mile training. I decided to do two workouts - one on Tuesday and another on Friday.

On Tuesday, July 3, it was another hot day = 80s but it felt 90s with sun which made for a hazy, hot, and humid day! I warmed up with a run to the track then did one lap of striders. I took a moment after the striders to get my heart rate close to resting before diving into the meat of the workout:

12 x 200 meters with slow 200 meter jog. I needed the full 400 meters after the 8th rep. For the 9th rep and on, I ran clockwise. Time in seconds: 34.56 (4:48); 35.66 (4:57); 34.51 (4:48); 34.66 (4:49); 35.42 (4:55); 34.75 (4:50); 35:07 (4:30); 36:26 (5:02); 36:73 (4:43); 36:72 (4:22); 35.43 (4:33); 35:01 (4:29). The time in parenthesis are what my Garmin had for pace, but it was off so unreliable. The times are what matter and I felt I hit my times. I was planning to run 16 reps, but I shortened the reps to reflect the effort on the hot, tough day. It was the right call. I ran home as my cool down.

On Friday, I returned to the track. This time, I decided not to repeat Tuesday's workout, but instead I lengthened it to 400 meters with 6 reps (counterclockwise) and 3 laps easy jog (clockwise for the rest interval). The weather was much cooler as it started out with a brief drizzle and stayed overcast throughout the workout. The temperature was still in the 80s. Again, my warm up was run to the track then a lap of striders followed by resting to get my heart rate down. For the workout, I nailed my laps: 72.6, 71.6, 71.2, 73.9, 72.8, and 71.7. The 71.2 is my PR for one lap around the track! I ran my cool down home.

Shawn raced a 4.5 miler down the Cape on the Fourth. I noticed on Saturday he ran half mile repeats near mile pace. Maybe he saw that I did two workouts this week and didn't want to fall behind!

On Monday, I ran Miles to and from daycare in my Bob's Ironman stroller (love that stroller!), and Wednesday I also ran with him in the stroller on the Sligo Loop as I call it. Thursday I ran 12 on the Northeast Branch - I probably went further than desired. And this weekend, I took Miles out twice in the Bob's - once on the Sligo Loop again and this morning on the Klingle Zoo Loop. We hadn't visited the animals in the zoo for awhile. But, I am interested to see if all the running with Miles in the Bob's stroller has made me stronger and faster. So far, the results seem to show that it is helping.

Project Breaking 5; Part 1

Can I run a sub 5 minute mile? As a distance runner, I have never trained for a race less than 10K. That's not to say I don't race shorter distances, but when I do target races like a 5K or 5 miler, I never have done intervals to get my body ready for those distances. Instead, it is always incorporated as speed workout with the goal race usually a marathon a few weeks or longer after the race. But, I posed the challenge to myself - can I get my body in shape to break 5 minutes in a track race? As a long distance runner, I don't often run under 6 minutes a mile. For any race under 10K, I'm close to that 6 minute pace. I focus more on the marathon distance where my average pace is close to 7 minutes. If I'm having a great marathon, it's near 6:50.

I have two previous mile races as an adult: July 30, 3008, at the DC Road Runners Club track meet, I ran a respectable 5:24; and July 24, 2014, I shaved 11 seconds for a 5:13. I probably cost myself a few seconds by looking at my watch. To tackle this goal, I recruited my fellow running partner, Shawn. We both have run strong races this fall. And, the timing works out well as we both train for the New York City Marathon. Shawn is coming off a string of 5K races where he is setting personal records. I have raced three marathons so far this year and two stroller races and have been pleased with my results. A few weeks ago, we decided to try to break 5 minutes for the mile at the next DC Road Runners Club track meet, July 21 at Dunbar High School in D.C.

We devised a training plan: with about a month to train, we figured we needed to build up our speed by working on a track. McKinley Tech is just off the MBT and has a nice track. If we could train in high speed with long rest intervals, that could put us in shape to accomplish our goal. We started training on June 21; we ran to the track as our warm up; ran one lap broken up into four striders with equal rest. Then we ran 8 repeats of .2 according to Shawn's Garmin with half a mile slow jog. Our cool down was our run home. Our results were encouraging: 

4:52, 4:51, 4:47, 4:48, 4:53, 4:49, 4:45, and 4:27.

We were really pleased that each interval was under our target. That gave us the confidence that maybe we actually could pull off this feat. On Monday, we ran tempo since Shawn is trying to run 7.5 miles a week at speed (about 10% of his total mileage). On a day where I ran 12 total miles and he then ran to work after, we ran our infamous 3, 2, 1 = warm up, 3 miles marathon pace; 3 minutes standing rest; 2 miles marathon pace; 2 minutes standing rest; 1 mile marathon pace; 1 mile standing rest; cool down. Our results:

3 miles (6:48/45/40), 2 miles (6:49/35), 1 mile (6:40)

Yesterday, we did our second mile specific training session. We ran our warm up from our meeting spot by the Brookland Metro to McKinley Tech, then ran our 1 lap of four striders. This time, we ran longer with longer rest: 2 minutes at mile race pace and 1 mile of easy jog. Again, we were pleased with our effort:

4:53 (.42 miles), 4:53 (.42 miles), 4:53 (.42 miles), 5:00 (.40 miles)

Shawn's Garmin had us at 4:48, 4:49, 4:57, 4:43; .42/.42/.40/.42

The discrepancy could be for a number of reasons. Garmin isn't 100% accurate. He tended to run a step to my right possibly giving him a longer distance to travel. Yet, in the final lap, I passed and held him off, which was a good thing because he stated that he might have slowed had I not pushed the pace. I had decided with a lap to go I would make my move and try to hold on to mimic the final lap of the mile attempt. I felt it was the fastest mile which is why I was confused to see 5:00 on my watch but 4:43 on Shawn's. Either way, we're still on target.

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Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon - First Master, Second Overall

I continued my quest to run a marathon in every state by checking off South Dakota. Who would have thought I would finish both Dakotas before even starting the Carolinas?

I shared the lead for most of the race with Aaron Epps.

My friend Ken Swab convinced me to run this race a few months ago. I think it was in late fall that he dangled the idea to me and some of his other running friends. While they all were unable to make the trek, Ken had told me he was planning to go with his wife. So I talked to my wife and she had always wanted to visit Mount Rushmore. I was able to book our flight using my AmEx points, saving us roughly $1100 on airfare. And since Miles is still under 2, he can travel free as a lap child. We booked our hotel at the Lodge at Deadwood, the host hotel and where the expo is held. And soon after we booked, Ken had to back out.

Racing the Mickelson Trail

But my wife and I were looking forward to our first real vacation since our son was born: five days and four nights in South Dakota. When we landed, we went into Rapid City for a quick lunch. Then, we drove through the Badlands. We hit up Wall Drug and stopped for ice cream and the kitschiness. Then, we drove to Deadwood and checked into our hotel. Friday morning we found a small diner in town for breakfast. We toured Mount Rushmore, viewed Crazy Horse from the road, and drove Custer State Park, seeing bison along the road. We drove back to Deadwood through the Needles Highway. I picked up my packet Friday at the expo. I brought Miles and he loved running around the expo hall. Laura met us there then we went into town for dinner. I returned to the expo to look around before it closed, and met Jerry Dunn, "America's Marathon Man." He founded the race and has run more marathons in one year than I probably will run in my lifetime (200 in 2000)! He sold the race and no longer is race director, but he greets each runner as they finish in Deadwood.

Saturday we drove to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. When we returned, we took Miles to the indoor water park. For dinner, they didn’t really have great pasta options. The pasta dinner was expensive and the only sauce they had was meat sauce. The restaurant had a pasta special, but it had pork in it. They made me penne but their first try put cream sauce on it. They eventually got it right with the marinara sauce I wanted.

Waiting for the race to start

Moments before gun time

It was cold at the start, so some runners climbed the small hill next to the staging area to find the sun to stay warm. I dressed and lathered up for the race, did my warm-ups, and found the starting line. As a small race, I had time to research the competition. I was able to look up each male runner under the age of 45. Only one had a PR better than mine, Aaron Epps, and I quickly found him. I got it in my head that I should finish in the top five and even had a chance to win. Knowing the course was a gradual uphill for the first half and then a steep decline to the finish, I was prepared for a challenge. I thought a 7 minute pace would be fine, but I would realize that going up, 7:30s were more appropriate.

The first mile

Aaron and I chatted for much of the first half. A couple of other runners took off ahead of us. I fought the urge to catch them, knowing that they would likely come back to us. Since there was also a relay, I was careful not to be drawn into their pace. While the incline was never more than 3% (according to other runners and race officials), it was definitely something I noticed, so I ran on feel. If I could stay within myself and get close to the red line without going over, I would be in a good position. Aaron seemed to be quite relaxed. He said due to his job as a teacher on a reservation, he was only able to log 30 miles a week. I thought he might hit the wall, but when I learned his 2:58 was in 80 degree weather, I was decided his fade was highly unlikely. As we ran, one butterfly flew just ahead of us. We made a joke about being paced by a butterfly and not a rabbit.

Leading the race with Aaron

Around mile 10, Aaron announced he was going to stop at some point to relieve himself. I offered to wait, citing Des Linden, but he told me to go and that he hoped he would see me again. Around mile 12, he stopped and I kept going. For the next few miles, I felt great and concerned. I was feeling great because I had never led a marathon all by myself before, but I was concerned because I kept thinking I heard footsteps. I wasn’t sure if it was him or someone in the relay race. Just after the half, the uphills flattened and the downhill portion of the race began. Around mile 15, he caught me, taking advantage of gravity. We ran together for another couple of miles, but then my inner right groin started to ache. I got really worried and after a few minutes of discomfort, I announced I had to back off the pace and let him go. Worried that I might not be able to keep second place and first master’s, I slowed to a comfortable pace. I was starting to worry that I might not finish at all or would walk it in. Thankfully, as quickly as the pain hit, it was gone after a few minutes never to return. I think the switch from up to down hill aggravated it and am thankful that I was able to correct and it went away. However, I couldn’t find that early pace anymore - that gear was gone. With temperatures rising and less than eight miles to go, I was starting to stiffen.

Racing through the beautiful Black Hills

While I came through the first half in 1:38:15, I still hoped I could negative split. However, even with the downhill, it was going to be close. I would need a 1:36:44 in order to BQ again and keep my streak alive. Through the final miles, I passed several runners and walkers competing in the half. They were all very nice and encouraging. I tried not to show my discomfort as I shuffled on by and tried to finish strong. I’ve finished so many marathons. I really hoped I had a chance to catch Aaron. But, the only way that would happen was if he really hit a wall and would have to walk. I felt bad hoping for that since he is a nice guy and a good runner. But, I kept on at the pace I could handle just in case there was a chance.

Relying on an aid station

As I went through the aid station near mile 14, the volunteers handing out the water were adolescents. I appreciate all volunteers, but they were confused as I approached because they didn't hold the cups out so I could grab and go. I started to panic and just grabbed a cup on the table - but it wasn't water or Gatorade, it was full of M&Ms! Normally, that would be an awesome surprise, but since I wasn't going to stop and go back, it meant I went without liquid for four miles since the aid stations were about two miles apart.

Finished!

Even if I didn’t have to slow down and let him go with about nine miles remaining, I am not sure how much longer I could have stayed with him. Maybe I would have come in under 3:15, but I am pretty certain he would have out kicked me. He’s 28, a solid 12 years younger. It would have been fun to get to the final few miles with him and challenge each other. It also would have been fun to lead the race the last few miles and hear the roar of the crowd had I been in position to win the race outright.

As I cross the finish 

As I approached the finish line, the crowd was great in cheering me on as I was announced as second place overall. I shook Jerry’s hand and bent on my knees to catch my breath. I hadn’t been this tired after a marathon in quite a while.

Thanks, Jerry, let me catch my breath!

I’m thrilled to have placed second overall. For my efforts, I received my finisher’s medal, a fleece blanket, and a subscription to Trail Runner. As I was looking to leave, I was called back to the awards tent. I had also won the Road Runners Club of America State Championship Master Division for South Dakota! That was a pleasant surprise and I received another medal - two for one race. That has me looking at the calendar for future opportunities to collect state championships. I think I will aim for some smaller races in states I haven’t run. While I do like a good big race, I also love the feeling of finishing at the top and in a position to claim a prize, or perhaps finally win a marathon!

A proper finishing photo with Jerry Dunn, "America's Marathon Man" and Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon founder

Receiving my award for winning the master's division - with race director, Emily Schulz-Wheeler

Spilts: 6:43/7:15/7:19/7:23/7:36/7:29/7:31/7:32/7:41/7:35/7:51/7:49/7:46/ 7:09/6:51/7:09/7:20/7:17/7:54/8:06/7:37/7:45/7:44/7:51/8:16/7:46/ 6:36 (1:35 final .24)
Positive split of about 90 seconds - I hoped with such a downhill second half that I could have run a negative split.

Race results

It was also fun to make it into the local newspapers. From the Rapid City Journal:

On the men's side, Aaron Epps from St. Francis won the marathon in 3:11:28. Kenny Ames finished second in 3:17:47, Chris Riley was third (3:20:27), Michael Immer was fourth (3:20:33) and James Mullen (3:20:54 took fifth in what was a competitive race for third.

Race results

Deadwood/Mickelson - Marathon Female RRCA Awards List ============================================================================= FEMALE RRCA OPEN ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Time ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 43 Elise Durgin Saint Paul MN 26 F US 3:33:10 ============================================================================= FEMALE RRCA MASTER (AGE 40 - 99) ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Net Tim ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 146 Tracy Meyerson Wilmington NC 54 F US 4:10:29 ============================================================================= FEMALE RRCA GRAND MASTER (AGE 50 - 99) ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Net Tim ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 203 Robin Schrempp Box Elder SD 53 F US 4:22:14 ============================================================================= FEMALE RRCA SENIOR GRAND MASTER (AGE 60 - 99) ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Net Tim ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 222 Susan Talon Berwick ME 60 F US 5:06:58 Deadwood/Mickelson - Marathon Male RRCA Awards List ============================================================================= MALE RRCA OPEN ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Time ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 49 Aaron Epps Saint Francis SD 28 M US 3:11:29 ============================================================================= MALE RRCA MASTER (AGE 40 - 99) ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Net Tim ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 8 Kenny Ames Washington DC 40 M US 3:17:47 ============================================================================= MALE RRCA GRAND MASTER (AGE 50 - 99) ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Net Tim ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 168 Bill Owens Springfield IL 56 M US 3:31:09 ============================================================================= MALE RRCA SENIOR GRAND MASTER (AGE 60 - 99) ============================================================================= Place No. Name Town Sta Age Sex Cou Net Tim ===== ====== ======================== ============== === === === === ======= 1 154 Douglas Muellner Long Beach CA 60 M US 3:55:29



Deadwood Mickeleson Trail Marathon

Congratulations on finishing the 2018 Deadwood Marathon

Below are your individual results.

NAME:                            Kenny Ames 
OVERALL PLACE:                     2 
AGE GROUP:                       M4044 
AGE GROUP PLACE:                 1 /   20 
FINISH TIME:                     3:17:47 
HALF MARATHON SPLIT:             1:38:25 
PER MILE PACE:                    7:33 
For complete event results, please visit:
http://onlineraceresults.com/event/view_event.php?event_id=20721

A celebratory beer!

27 down and 23 to go!

I don't know what my next state will be. For 2018, I have already raced three marathons and only the New York City Marathon is on my calendar right now. I am planning to shift gears (no, really) and train for short distance races, a one miler and 5K, for the summer. In August, I plan to start NYC Marathon training. I look forward to checking off my next state - whatever it may be!