Bluegrass Half Marathon – Lexington KY – Recap

 

Sorry, I am little late in getting this one published. Work has been super busy lately, and this has caused my 2^nd job/hobby running to get pushed in to the background.

Anyway, let’s move on to the talking about the race.

On Friday, I drove up to Lexington, KY for a couple of reasons. The primary one was to visit with my daughter who attends UK. Family time is always important to me, and seeing a friendly face always helps. Besides, she doesn’t mind that I take her and friends out to dinner either.

Then my secondary reason was running the Bluegrass Half Marathon which starts and finishes Keeneland Horse Race Park. Friday evening, I went by to check out the Expo and pick up my bib number. Surprisingly, they have a rather nice Expo. Way more vendors than I expected. Also good was the opportunity to check the race start and find a good place to park for race morning.

In my preparation for the race, I spent quite some time reading about the race. When I am unfamiliar with a race course, reading several people’s reviews give me a lot insight to what the course is really like. Based on my experience, runners will describe a course as it pertains to the strengths. So if they are hill runners, they tend to play down the hills. If they are flat landers, the course is pretty much considered by Everest standards. Most reviews said this was Everest type of course.

Race morning arrived with a drizzling rain, gusting wind, and a 40 degree temperate. With the wind chill, my body told me it must be in the 30s. My arms and hands were shaking at the start.

The Yearling race heads off at 8:55 and the 7 miler and ½ head off at 9 AM.

But before we can start, they play the Star Spangle Banner. Okay, I am up for this one. Then, they play “My Old Kentucky Home”. Alright, I am cold, and I am from North Carolina, let’s get this show on the road.

Within a quarter mile of the start, the course kicks up into a monster hill, and my legs have nothing for it. I’d been sick up until Thursday so may be this took something out of me. Or possibly, it was the 6 and half drive. Or maybe, I just wasn’t ready for the hills. Whatever it was; I was struggling.

And, this course has a lot of hills. Over the 13.1 miles, there are approximate 43 hills. Some hills were short but most were a long and steep climb. Still others are rollers. They busted your lungs going up, and then, beat the crap out of your quads going down.

For first 5 miles, I tucked in to a small group of about 5 runners. The wind was stinging at times, and pushed back with each step forward.

By 6 miles, they were putting a gap on me. I didn’t have anything in the tank. My legs felt totally dead.

Between miles 6 and 8 the hills were beating me up. At 9 miles, my climbing was reduced to the lowest gear above walking.

We merged with the 7 miler around 9.5, and this helped. They yelled in encouragement as I ran past. I needed it.

10, 11, and 12 miles hurt. Mile 13 was on along steady climb. This happens when the course is a loop course.

Pretty much the only flat on the course was the last tenth into the finish.

The Hickory Half Marathon in June is tough race but mainly because it hilly and hot. The Badin ½ Marathon in September has tough climb to the top of Morrow Mt. but still neither of these courses can hold a candle to this Bluegrass Half Marathon. I can vouch for all 43 hills on the course and “but” kicking that it gave me.

However, this wasn’t the only “but” kicking that I took. As tough as the course was, I still finished 10^th overall in 1:25:20. In the Master’s division, I finished 6^th. There were 3 Masters’ runners between 40 and 49, and 2 faster than me in the 50-54 age group. So out of the top 10, 3 were Masters, and 3 were Grand Master. Not something that is seen too often.

My award for the race was 6’in bourbon barrel. I have to say this was rather nice and unique race award.

My overall assessment for the race – they did a nice job. The course while tough was well marked with plenty of course monitors and water stops. A nice little spread of food and beer were provided after the race. The Expo was up and running on Thursday and Friday as well as on Saturday before and after the race. Overall awards were given on the stage while the age group awards could be picked up at a side tent. The race shirt was a thin hoodie.

So Two Thumbs up.

 

The Cool Down Runner