Race Report – Northstar Running

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Race Report: Maple Grove Half

On May 15, 2021 I (Phil Jonsson) ran my second in person Half Marathon. It was a week after I hit my one year run streak so my conditioning was much greater than my previous attempt at the 2018 St Pete Run Fest Half Marathon in Florida when I did not train at all. My previous long races before I began my run streak never involved proper training or conditioning and the results showed. I have happily learned the errors of my ways now that I have embraced running as a lifestyle. I’ve been working training plans created by Brian that have really been dead on in terms of my comfort level, conditioning, and the goals I’ve set. Interestingly enough I had no intention of running the Half as I had signed up for the 5K and due to Covid restrictions being lifted more spots were added a couple weeks out from the event. Now that I knew it was possible and that I had fellow Northstars running it I decided to make the switch. I had recently been training for the team 10K so I was peaking at 36-38 miles a week with average long runs of 10-12 miles. My goal 10K pace was 8-8:30 and I ended up doing 7:57 with it feeling good so I was confident I could try for a Half PR. Setting on a goal race time was tougher and I discussed the strategy with Brian, Rob, and Missie. Brian’s evaluation from looking at my runs was the results from the Team 10 Mile and Team 10K would put me near a 1:50:00 goal race time. Missie suggested I start out slower the first few miles to not burn out too quick, and Rob was confident about starting around 9:10 for miles 1 & 2 and talked about how to work hills. I felt really good with the input and that I had a good game plan. When I got there an hour before I ran a slow warm up mile with Gavan (Missie’s son). Then Missie ran me through drills and I kept my heart rate up right until it was time to line up. I started out focusing on not going out too fast. My first mile I was right at 9:15. Once mile 2 hit I felt really good and cut half a minute off. From then on I worked around an 8:30 pace until mile 9 and pushed to stay within 8-8:30 through the end. It was definitely a hard effort miles 11-13 as the course was hilly like I had heard. The temp was about 55 so it felt nice and I utilized the water stops slowing down but not stopping. I felt confident and focused on the things I knew worked. Smart pacing, listening to my body, good form and moving my arms. But it was definitely a fun race because I knew I could do it but I also knew I could hit my goal if I dialed into my training and made sure I enjoyed the effort too. I set a PR at 1:51:40. My other in person Half was 3:14:34. I credit a different mindset, a healthier lifestyle, and a supportive running club as the main keys. I look forward to the next race and the one after that. – Phil

Race Report: Deadhorse Ultra 50k

With all the races being cancelled and run virtually in 2020, the chance to actually race was just too hard to pass up. After completing our own 50k this past June while running virtual Grandma’s Marathon and just adding on a few extra miles, Damon and I (Angie) thought we were ready to tackle the real thing. Deadhorse Ultra is run in Gemini Bridges, Moab, UT and is the most breathtaking place we’ve ever run! The course boasts 3,000’ of elevation and with trails mostly on slickrock it was also extremely challenging. Race morning was a perfect 37 degrees. The director had us going off in waves of 10, every 2 minutes to keep us physically distanced. The first 2+ miles were straight up but the view helped to distract from how hard that was. The trail at the start (and end) is very pitted and had many big rocks and lots of loose gravel, making it an extra difficult starting climb. Once to the top you were rewarded with spectacular views of Arches National Park and all the beautiful mountains, canyons, and rock formations along with the morning sunrise. A steep, rocky downhill, flattened out to a couple miles of wider, sandy trails and our first water stop. They did a great job, with signs indicating it was a mask zone, and everything was handed to you upon request. After that first stop, the run pretty much went up, up, up for the next 10 miles and was almost entirely on slickrock and single track. Slickrock, contrary to its name, is not slick at all. It is very uneven, flat-ish rock you run over. It’s pitted, uneven, and starts and stops with out any rhyme or reason. It became the bane of my existence for the next few hours as even in my trail shoes my feet were starting to ache. Just when I thought I could not continue to climb one more minute, we reached the third aid station around mile 15 and were told “it’s all downhill from here”! Well I’ve heard that before, but in this case it wasn’t a lie! For about the next 6-8 miles we ran down, which was heavenly, but still very difficult as it was still slickrock, and big rock studded single track, with the occasional edge to fall over into a deep canyon, if you tripped. We stopped many times to take pictures of all the beautiful views, and it was hard to stop and start so much, but worth it to take it all in! Miles 22-26 were also an adventure, being almost exclusively slickrock, with dry riverbeds to jump over, and so many rock formations, on such a windy trail to follow (painted lines on the slickrock) that you thought you were completely alone out there as you could see no one in front or behind you. A last big 2 mile climb again towards the finish, and a rocky downhill to navigate to the last flat stretch to the finish line and we were done! Finally! 8 hours and 20 minutes to cover 50k, 2,800’ of elevation. This was the hardest race we’ve ever run!