Race Through Winter – Top SC 5k and 10ks
Ah the holidays. Then come the New Year’s resolutions. THIS year will be different, right? Not unless there’s a goal. For those interested in running in the Greenville/Columbia area, I’ve put together the information you’ll need to kick 2011 off right by signing up for a few races to kick off the year.
Greenville News Downtown 5k
Saturday, January 22nd, 2011 – Greenville, SC 9AM
Registration – $25 (available online)
Race website – http://go-greenevents.com/event/id/89
Summary – I’ve not run this race, but last year I called it the Iceman’s 5k since running in Greenville in the morning during the dead of winter didn’t sound appealing. This year I’ll be bundling up and heading out.
Check out the race map below. It looks to be a moderately difficult race, with some slowly elevating uphills then downhills, plus a couple of steep spots off of main street. Yay.
Reedy River Run 5k and 10k
Saturday, March 5, 2010 – Downtown Greenville, SC
10k – 8:30 am / 5k – 8:50 am
Registration – $25 (available online)
Race Website – http://www.reedyriverrun.com/home
Summary – This was my first 10k ever. It’s a moderately difficult course and covers a lot of different terrain…going through Cleveland Park along the Reedy River and ending at the downtown bridge in Falls Park. Not especially easy or hard, it’s by far the largest race I’ve run in South Carolina. Next to the Cooper River Bridge run, probably the biggest of the year in the state. I haven’t run the 5k version, but it’s very popular and there will be thousands and thousands at the event, don’t miss it.
St. Pat’s Get to the Green Race in Five Points
March 19, 2011 – Columbia, SC Five Points 8:30 am
Registration – $30 (includes St. Pat’s festival wrist band)
Race website – http://stpats5points.com/family-fun/get-to-the-green
Online registration - http://gettothegreen.com/registration.html
Summary – This was my first and still one of my favorite races. Columbia temperatures in mid-March are a welcome break from the upstate for running, and the terrain is nice and flat overall for beginners. The course is very scenic, and the atmosphere is very fun on the heels of the big Five Points St. Patrick’s festival that starts right after. If the other races this winter look too daunting, just plan on training for this and you won’t be disappointed.
Here Comes the Science – Mountain Dew and Running
It didn’t start on purpose. But it has become a hypothesis of mine. I’ve had many naysayers. First off, to them I say this:
Maybe once was a coincidence. But then there was that second time. And now, after my third try I will answer the question: Can Hydrating Before Your Run with Mountain Dew Improve Your performance??
I’m coming at this as a non-professional runner. I do what I can, when I can. I’ve rarely had much frequency or continual improvement. Because of this none of my runs is more than 5% better than any other one near it. Also none more than 5% worse. It’s been pretty consistent aside from about 4 outliers. And 3 of those involved my glorious friend Mountain Dew. Looks like Kryptonite but cuts like Dynamite.
Standardization
Any runner or pseudo runner knows there are some clear factors that affect any run. I’ll describe these factors and total them up for the run that I just completed to show I have considered these things. Below describe tonight’s conditions. Anything not mentioned (shoes, soundtrack, clothing, stretching, eating, iPhone program used, ran alone, running course, did I have a wedgie at some point) were all equal.
All my runs are the same – goal is to do better than my last run in distance and pace without throwing up. 95% of my runs are at the same time of day on the same course. On inconsistent weeks I run, it’s generally 2-3 times.
Positives: Didn’t have to dodge any wandering dogs or children trying to race me, headphones didn’t stop working, didn’t eat buffet for lunch, hadn’t run the day before.
Negatives: 5 hours of sleep, temperature on the chilly side (in shorts), windy, poked myself in my face with keys by accident, no one passed me and made me feel slow so I sped up.
Unknowns: Mountain Dew.
So Here’s My Point – Previous Data and Hypothesis
Based on my experience, I clearly believed after two attempts that Mountain Dew offered a clear improvement in my overall distance and time. Over the recent 8 week period not counting Mountain Dew Sessions, my average run was (my Nike+iPod app seems to read a little low but it is standardized to itself).
3.13 miles / 9’02 pace (MAX 3.77 Miles, MAX pace 8’55″, LOW 2.52 Miles, LOW pace 9’23″)
My first Mountain Dew session (12 Ounces) was 4.04 miles, 9’20″ pace (29% increase in distance, 6 month high)
My second Mountain Dew session, where I halved it (6 ounces) was 3.31 miles, 9’03″ pace (6% increase in distance)
And tonight’s Mountain Dew session (12 Ounces) was 3.63 miles, 8’58″ pace (16% increase in distace)
Conclusions and Notes
Notes: My normal diet for a run is eating relatively healthy and drinking only water all day.
I drink about 1 soft drink every week or two normally, 95% of the time I drink water and coffee. Not including beer 
Mountain Dew was drank exactly 1 hour prior to running each time.
Conclusions:
- With all other factors equal, I can expect to see a statistically significant improvement from 6 ounces of Mountain Dew.
- I can expect to see upwards of 15% improvement on average from 12 ounces of Mountain Dew.
- The three biggest factors for the quality of my run have been the outside temperature, if I had run already more than two times during the week, and most importantly – did I drink Mountain Dew.
- If you don’t agree with me, you’re with the terrorists.
Final considerations:
- I do not believe drinking Mountain Dew before each run will continue to see the same results. Max of once per week if that.
- I do not believe drinking Mountain Dew before a morning run will see the same results.
- I do believe eating healthy before a run is fine, but I am certain that each individual can see results from a wide variety of odd running diets, such as people I know that drink a beer or two, soft drinks, and coffee immediately before a run.
- What works for some doesn’t work for others. I do not see drinking beer and being able to run myself. I do see my naysayer friends drinking Mountain Dew and being unable to keep up, but that’s not Mountain Dew’s fault.
I hope we all learned something here. I’m going to head out now and attempt to get a Mountain Dew sponsorship for an upcoming race.
Hydrate Before Your Run With..Mountain Dew??
Thought I’d throw in a few blogs on my mostly unsuccessful try at running this year. Briefly, I half trained for my first 10k in the winter (and successfully finished), took a long break, made it 2 weeks in a row (!!!) this summer, and now trying to get back on the horse before the ever dangerous football and holiday season. We’ll see.
My first post I guess I will discuss the pre-run “meal.” I generally assumed healthy food and lots of water was best for the pre-game. But during a day when I gave up on the run and drank a Mountain Dew after work, I ended up deciding to run from my newfound energy, and …whoa… the best run in 5 months. I ran my normal pace and 25% further.
It is well documented (see here) that people drink coffee before a run, and caffeine has performance benefits, though I didn’t realize it at the time.
I did a second test and decided 12 ounces of sugary liquid goodness may not be ideal, so I went with about 4 ounces before another run. Sure enough, it was about 12% longer than a normal run and the longest since the last Mountain Dew fueled forray.
So was it the Dew? Was it all in my mind? Not sure. I’ll continue to test the pre-run diet and if I come to any amazing conclusions, I’ll be sure to blog about it here. You can explain to me your science and why it’s a bad idea all you want, but I’ll just say “I’ve got your science right here.”
A note – this was 45 minutes drinking regular 12 oz. Mountain Dew before the run or as it is now called “Mtn Dew” and no food or a small granola bar.
Next article: Reviewing iPhone Running Apps
Couch to 5k to 10k
I just completed my first week of a group running program, and wanted to give it a plug for those in the same position as myself. This program and many similar are terrific ways to try to set some goals for yourself when all your other efforts have failed.
For those that work too much, like myself, or just don’t have the motivation to get to the gym enough, also like myself, these motivational running groups are a great way to get on track. While I still have a long way to go, the first week has been more successful than anything I’ve tried in recent years.
For those who do little to no physical activity, a fairly popular and newer program called couch to 5k is terrific. Over 12 weeks you can literally go from watching Seinfeld reruns all night to running a 5k race. Since I have done a small amount of running in the past, I skipped to the next step, but I know many people who have done great on the couch to 5k program that are currently in the one I’m doing, 5k to 10k. Check out the program details for couch to 5k. It involves very little running at first and just builds your endurance. Find a group in your area and check it out.
Sometimes you gotta take it one step at a time.
If you are like me, you make an earnest effort to go to the gym. Unfortunately it varies between 1 and 3 times a week, and involves treadmills and machines and sometimes less than half an hour. Maybe you got off work late, or the weathers bad, or you’re sleepy. And then when you do have that breakout week, you take it as an excuse to eat and drink like like it’s your birthday everyday. Then you’re further back then when you started and it seems too big a task to even bother again. The problem is accountability. If you skip a workout or 5, only you know, and apparently you aren’t going to scold yourself since it was you who skipped it in the first place.
The 5k to 10k program is designed to get you in 10k shape in 12 weeks. They start with 25 to 30 minute jogs , and after a month build to 35 to 45 minute jogs, and 4-5 mile runs on Saturdays. Compared to what you’ve been doing it takes a lot of discipline, but the group offers the encouragement you need.
Winter is the best time to get started since it has the most excuses to not get outside. I got up on a Saturday at 645 am to run 3.5 miles today. No biggie for many people, but for me it was a world away from where my mindset was only two weeks ago. And it was 34 degrees. I don’t do 34 degrees. Well, I didn’t use to.
So for the many people like me who have good intentions, but no time or motivation, check into one of these groups. You’ll thank yourself for it and for the 12 weeks after you’ll have a goal in mind. Crossing the finish line after your 10k (again, if you’re like me) will be a huge accomplishment for you, and you’ll find that running is mostly mental. As an added bonus, you’ll get into great shape and lose weight. That accomplishment will carryover into many other things you do, so there’s no reason not to at least give it a shot.
On to week two.
