After three half marathons in the spring (Wilmington, Raleigh, OBX) and my first two Sprint Triathlons in the summer, I was excited for the fall race season this November and December. After miles of training in September and October (~150 miles) with warmer days leading to cooler mornings, November was a great month to run in North Carolina and enjoy all my races.
City of Oaks half marathon
My first race was just a few miles from the house here in Raleigh, starting and finishing at the NC State Belltower. It was a mild morning, the day after the NC State vs Clemson football game. The back half of this hilly course got to me and I’ve decided to not run the half in the future, only the 10k. I had a good 10-year run with this race. I’ll be looking for another fall half marathon to add to the slate next fall.
- 2017 City of Oaks half marathon – 1:43:50 | 7:55 min/mile (Fall)
Outer Banks half marathon
My second race was on Veteran’s Day weekend, the second weekend in November. I love every chance I get to go back to the Outer Banks. The family headed out to the OBX for the Outer Banks half marathon weekend. The weather was perfect, although a bit chilly on Saturday before the race. I came in with my third fastest time on this course. Bonus: I got to run my high school friend, Ryan Heaton, across the finish line with smiles on our faces. It was great for our families to hang out post-race and let the kids play at the park in Manteo.
- 2017 Outer Banks half marathon – 1:42:11 | 7:48 min/mile (Fall)
Trophy Trot 10k
The first annual Trophy Trot 10k was a mile from the house with a beautiful 6.2 mile course on Dix Campus. No more Skinny Turkey half marathon in north Raleigh, this hometown turkey trot was made for people like me. Run 10k, have a beer, get on with your Thanksgiving Day. Highly recommended, great course, awesome runners. This year was a touch chilly, with start time temps in the mid 30’s. No worries, just run faster! I ran with my new sleeves and my calf compression sleeves. Seemed to work out perfectly with a Double Cloud Surfer waiting at the end.
PS – The turkey in this photo was pardoned.
- 2017 Trophy Trot 10k – 47:01.74 | 7:35 min/mile (Fall)
Race 13.1 Durham 10k
My last race of the year was suppose to be on December 9 in Durham. But a huge cold front was coming through and we were getting a rain/sleet mix in Raleigh and the same in Durham. Temps hovered just above freezing throughout the night an into the morning, and race organizers made the tough call to cancel the race. No worries. I wasn’t really looking forward to running in 33º freezing rain. I’m not even sure I have the right gear for that. Wearing my wetsuit, did cross my mind.
- 2017 Race 13.1 Durham 10k – canceled due to snow/ice
Crossing the finish line
Overall, I’d say the 2017 race season was a huge success. Great training, fun races, and injury free. Here’s to a successful 2018. Finish strong.