Charlestown, RI
Sunday, November 17, 2024
The 34rd annual Li'l Rhody Runaround Trail Races. My 20th time running in the race, although unfortunately not consecutively, as last year I had to sit out due to a broken rib. So the only two consecutive streaks I still have going are Blessing of the Fleet 10-Mile race and Stavros Memorial On the Beach run, both at 22 consecutive years.
As Race Director I had already gotten in my pre-race remarks, for whoever listened to them, when I headed to the start. At the start line, I was asked by the timing company to give any additional remarks now that I had a captive audience lined up, but I declined, as I really wanted to have the race start on time (we had a late start at Grills).
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| Start of the 2024 Li'l Rhody |
Race start and first half: On the first 3/4 mile heading down the dirt road (Sanctuary Road), as expected, my younger WTAC teammates Jared and Matt were both pretty much even with me. Jared pulled ahead of me at the course split as we entered the single-track, but I wasn't far behind him as we went through the campground. The rest of the first half was pretty uneventful with no changes in position, but I could sense at least one runner and probably more directly behind me the whole way. At the water stop, I was surprised to see retired WTAC runner John Hammett handing out water, which was much appreciated on this very warm November day approaching 60°F.
(Sidenote: we were in a drought where for the first time in my 20+ years of participation no outdoor fires were allowed in the state, and if there were a silver lining, it was that the warm temperatures didn't warrant the fires that have become a trademark part of this event.)
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| Fire from 2022 Li'l Rhody (hopefully the fires and at least slightly colder temps will return next year) |
Back half: After going through the water stop and onto the short section of Buckeye Brook Road, Matt Sweeney went past me. He and I go back and forth in many races, so maybe I would see him again and maybe not. Re-entering the woods a short time later, I became aware of soreness in my legs. I shouldn't have soreness during this race, and certainly not four miles in! But this must all be due to having run Indianapolis Marathon the previous weekend and not being fully recovered.
Just after the short rock scramble, Mitchell went past me. He is a young guy I had just met a few weeks earlier at a Kelley's Pace run, and incidentally is from Indianapolis. After a few turns, Mitchell was completely out of sight and I was running "as an island", not a position I want to be in, as I just naturally tend to slow down when not being pushed or having anyone in sight.
As we got towards the end of the trail portion of the race (about a mile to go), I was surprised to once again see a runner of me. It was Matt, so Mitchell must've gone past him as well. I exited the trail onto my least favorite section of the race, the final 3/4 mile all on pavement where I just try to hang on and hope that I don't get passed by too many runners.
As I made the right turn off Kings Factory Road onto Prosser Trail, I glanced back and saw Tommy 5K behind me. While he's not in my age group, it did give me incentive to pickup or at least not slow down at all for the final 1/2 mile of road. Averaged 5:54 pace on this final section, but it wasn't enough to salvage my slower than normal Li'l Rhody.
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| Within sight of the finish line |
Final result: 53:03, 8th out of 177 overall, 1st in age group. Full results here
Not the result I was looking for, and I think a lesson learned on racing hard a week post-marathon. Not only was my time off, but my legs were sore during the race and even more sore that evening. Live and learn? A great race from a participant perspective, as it was our biggest overall field (4M and 8M) in ten years.
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| Some of the WTAC crew today |
