Race Report: 2013 Peavine Falls Fun: Not Just a Run: Another Adventure

I contemplated naming this post Just a Run. I was motivated by my egocentric need to assert that as a triathlete I was lowering myself to completing a fun without swimming and cycling first. Clearly, I would be competing with inferior, single-focused athletes. Let's ignore that many, if not most will finish in front of me. Surely, they would do far worse if they had to swim and cycle first. But, such silly, self-talk has no business being on public display. Further, is not a true reflection of my nature. But, it was fun contemplating none the less.

I did complete the Peavine Falls Fun of July 4, 2013 and it was another adventure. This is my fourth time to run it and the first time in the rain. The rain added to the adventure. So, did the white shorts that looked like Fruit-of-the-Loom underwear on an older, tall man that anyone that runs with Al DiMicco on Sunday can likely correctly name with a good guess. This fellow should really get some new running shorts. I saw and chatted with a few friends including Vanessa Stroud who just completed Western States™ 100-Mile Endurance Run, a hundred miles! I knew 2 runners in it and there were 5 from Birmingham. Our ultrarunning community is growing here in Birmingham. I am not joining their numbers.

Back to the race. Today was my slowest of the four that I have run. In fact, I have gotten slower each year, much to my chagrin. But, I felt good and with Chattanooga Olympic Triathlon coming up next week, my participation was nearly spur of the moment, and I am thinking of it as a training run. But, I was mentally pushing myself like I would in any race. I reckon at my age, I did fine. I took the climb (see Elevation Chart below) slow and steady paying attention to my RPE (perceived exertion rate) to hold it steady throughout the race. Effectively take the climb slow and pushing the pace on the decline. My splits as reported by via Garmin Connect and my Garmin 910XT suggest I actually kept my pace pretty steady. It sure didn't feel that way.

The Details

Results

July 4, 2013: Birmingham, AL Oak Mountain State Park, 8.2 Miles Peavine Falls Run
	Distance:	8.2 Miles
	Time:	1:22:04
	Heart Rate:	158
	Pace:	10:00
	Weather:	Light Rain Temperature-72° Humidity-94%

History

Year	Time	Pace
2007	1:08:32	8:21
2008	1:09:29	8:25
2012	1:18:42	9:36
2013	1:22:04	10:00

Pictures

Overcast and Wet

Dressed and Ready (I look too old for my liking)

Most Patriotically Dressed Runner

Been There, Done That, Got the T-Shirt!

Official Race Pictures

Saw the Camera

Thought picture taking was done