spin / second sole multisport team

This weekend, Aaron Rood took a road trip for a two-fer weekend down south, while Paul Lentini and Rob Reddy both had great races at the Cleveland Spring Classic Half Marathon. Make sure you read through to see Aaron’s great report and some pictures!

The Cleveland Spring Classic is another of Cleveland’s monument races. Paul and Rob both had great times: Rob ran a 1:39 for 10th in his age group, and Paul set a PR with a 1:55 as he prepares for his first Ironman in Wisconsin later this summer. Guess some of those long miles are paying off– Paul is certainly in great shape this year.

Aaron sent this fantastic report about his trip to Virginia to run in two huge races: the Monument Ave. 10k in Richmond, and the Cherry Blossom 10-miler in DC. Read on!

Whoa- Crazy weekend

Saturday morning I ran the monument ave 10k in Richmond VA. (http://www.sportsbackers.org/10krecap_2008.htm). Then mens’ elite field was impressive( Dan Browne, Culpepper etc). The weather was 65 and raining at the start- 70 and sunny by the end

So, I pride myself on working through the field when I race. -didn’t work on this one. After the 5:28 first mile, the highlight reel ended. I became a marked man, and felt like I was playing a game of Atari Combat (remember the little tanks that shot little balls across the screen?). I would get blasted (passed) and spun around, before I could recovery, get back in the game and start firing the gun I would get blasted again ( remember the tanks spinning around).. The first mile was out of my fitness range and left me hurting bad at mile 4. I finished absolutely dreading the pending 10 miler.—

Travel from Richmond Va- to DC on Saturday afternoon. Cherry blossom 10 miler is Sunday morning. Alarm goes of Sunday at 5:00 am so when can take the train to make the 7:50am start on the National Mall. When we leave the place we were staying it is 43 degrees and raining like a cow pissing on a flat rock. We get to the National mall and the short walk from the Smithsonian train stop to the start at the Base of the Washington Monument- the weather is brutal. Everybody getting of the train is rummaging through their gear to find, gloves, hats, garbage bags, anything to try and stay warm and dry. At this point there is absolutely no mystique about 2 races in 2 days. My only thought is – “what hell was I thinking signing up for 2 races the same weekend”. Warm-up goes fine but some how I managed to miss my wave. I started with the second wave ( ~ approximately 8 minute milers). Of course it is chip timed- so the only thing that matters is at 5:55 pace I roaring past everybody around me ( good thing is, not a single person passed me the entire race—much different than then day before). I went through the 5 mile mark at 30:00, at which point I was fairly confident that I could eek under 60:00, BUT and BIG BUT…. the back ˝ of the race was along the Potomac- and was BRUTALLY windy. ( note- I am still passing like mad so there is no one to tuck in on an work together with). I gave back time every mile

I finished up at 61:07, like 130 the overall (of 10k), 24 in my age group – I will take it ( duh- I am 15 weeks post baby J). There is nothing easy about back to back races—my legs are thrashed. I have some awesome strawberries on the inside of my legs from racing two days in row in the rain – I spare you pictures.

I have lots of work to do, to get fit, but hopefully this is a good place to start.

I had a really great trip – the more than “a couple” of beers before noon – 2 days in row .. Great stuff

See all the Cherry Blossom pictures at our Flickr site.

Filed under: 2008 |