Come sempre a fine anno è tempo di bilanci.
Sui vari media (internet compreso) impazzano le classifiche del meglio e del peggio dell'anno trascorso; per non essere originale voglio provarci anch'io e definire il meglio ed il peggio della mia stagione podistica.
... metto subito le mani avanti e ci tengo a dire che la valutazione è puramente personale ed alle volte mi sono trovato in difficolta nel riuscire a definire se una particolare gara potesse finire in classifica o meno.
Bando alle ciance, ecco i risultati:
Le 3 gare più belle:
- Baltimore Grand Prix 5k (Baltimore MD, 02 Settembre) - Correre in notturna, su un circuito cittadino usato da auto da corsa, alla fine della giornata di prove e' stato emozionante! Bellissima.
- George Washington Birthday Mile (Alexandria VA, 21 Febbraio) - Nel cuore di Old Town Alexandria lungo il percorso della parata per i festeggiamenti del compleanno di G. Washington, pubblico delle grandi occasioni ed impeccabile organizzazione di Pacers Events.
- Manassas Runway 10k (Manassas VA, 07 Maggio) - Percorso velocissimo lungo le piste ed i raccordi di un aeroporto in occasione dell'Open-Day con velivoli di tutti i tipi.
Le 3 peggiori gare:
- Alexandria Running Festival Half Marathon (Alexandria VA, 29 Maggio) - Il percorso prevedeva 3 giri (di circa 4Km) in un parchetto lungo marciapiedi e stretti vialetti; farci passare piu' di mille persone sperando che non ci siano problemi non e' fisicamente possibile ... ed infatti e' stato un incubo fare lo slalom tra persone che camminavano, corrichiavano e passeggiavano. Attesa di circa 3 ore per le premiazioni che poi non si sono svolte.
- High Cloud Snapple Half Marathon (Carderock MD, 29 Gennaio) - Dopo la nevicata i giorni precedenti il percorso era praticamente impraticabile... sarebbe stato utile almeno battere i 10 cm di neve e spostare i rami che si trovavano lungo il tragitto. Le premiazioni si sono svolte in un pub/ristorante a circa 6 chilometri di distanza (in un certo senso obbligandoti a mangiare...) un paio di ore dopo l'arrivo dell'ultimo corridore ... ed i premi erano ridicoli. Il tutto a prezzi esagerati ($40) considerando che lungo lo stesso percorso e con gli stessi servizi DCRRC organizza una gara analoga a $5 (addirittura gratuita pei i soci).
- Go Forth 8K (Bluemont Park VA, 4 Luglio) - Doveva essere una 8 Km, in verita' e' diventata una 9 Km o qualcosa del genere ... infatti mancava il "turnaround" al quarto chilometro con tanto di ristoro ... i volontari erano andati in un posto diverso... dove nessuno lo sa. Per correttezza devo dire che questa gara entra nella top 3 ma si "piazza" molto distante delle altre due...
Nota: Conosco gli organizzatori di alcuni degli eventi citati e sono conscio che hanno fatto il possibile affinche non sorgessero problemi (e se avessi organizzato io non garantisco che i risultati sarebbero stati migliori); nonostante cio' speriamo che l'anno prossimo vada meglio.
Le 3 piu' belle vittorie:
In questo caso la classifica non va in base a "tempi", vantaggi sul secondo, numero dei partecipanti o pubblico presente. Si tratta esclusivamente di quelle che ricordo con più piacere.
- Crystal City 5K Friday (Arlington VA, 30 Settembre). La mia prima vittoria (ed unica) vittoria in casa. Bello dopo tanti piazzamenti arrivare davanti a tutti.
- Baltimore Grand Prix 5k (Baltimore MD, 02 Settembre) - Peccato non fossero proprio 5km pero' che bello correre e vincere su un circuito del genere.
- Kensigton 8K (Kensington MD, 24 Settembre) - Settembre e' stato un mese magico, questa gara l'ho gestita benissimo ed ho vinto dopo aver fatto selezione sulla salita al sesto chilometro. Pubblico presente in forze e bellissima giornata.
Le 3 gare piu' "difficili":
Anche in questo caso non ci sono metriche oggettive che definiscono la classifica; sono solo le gare che ricordo come le piu sofferte.
- Friend of W&OD 10k (Vienna VA, 30 Luglio) - E' stata una sofferenza correre alle 18:30 in piena estate con oltre 30 gradi. Mi sono dovuto fermare a camminare due volte.
- Go Forth 8K (Bluemont Park VA, 4 Luglio) - Un chilometro in piu' e l'assenza del ristoro in una calda mattina di luglio mi ha "massacrato" psicologicamente.
- Seneca Slopes Cross Country (Gaithersburg MD, 18 Dicembre) - Dopo un periodo di inattivita' ho affrontato questa 8km con troppa foga ... risultato sono caduto due volte, mi sono fermato a camminare e ho chiuso faticando decisamente troppo.
Le migliori serie di eventi a punti:
- Race Packet Series. Bella, competitiva e con un ricco montepremi finale.
- PR Series Event. Gare organizzate molto bene e molto competitive. Ottimi i premi delle varie "tappe".
Le migliori serie di eventi senza premiazioni finali:
- Crystal City 5K Friday (Aprile). Un must del mese di Aprile. Percorso collaudato ed organizzazione impeccabile, evento da non perdere.
- Lost Dogs 5k (Agosto). Novita' del 2011, nuova serie di Pacers Event e nuovo successo. Diverse categorie per "esseri umani" (in base all'eta') e cani (in base alla taglia).
Infine, una menzione particolare va a tutte le gare a "basso budget" organizzate sia da DC Road Runner Club che da Montgomery County Road Runner Club; costano poco o nulla ma offrono abbondanti ristori, percorsi ben misurati e classifiche precise e dettagliate.
Buon 2012.
mercoledì 28 dicembre 2011
Best and Worst of 2011
At the end of year it is time to revisit what happened and to reflect...
Here I am with the list of best and the worst of my 2011 running season.
Note: This assessment is completely subjective and more than once I found myself in trouble trying to determine whether a particular race could end up or not in the standings.
… enough said, here the results:
Top 3 Races:
- Baltimore Grand Prix 5k (Baltimore MD, September 2) - Running at night, on a street circuit used by race cars, at the end of a practice day was exciting! Outstanding.
- George Washington's Birthday Mile (Alexandria VA, February 21) - In the heart of Old Town Alexandria along the parade route to celebrate the birthday of G. Washington, huge crowd cheering and impeccable organization by Pacers Events.
- Runway 10k Manassas (Manassas VA, May 7) - Fast course along the runways and the taxiways of an airport during the Open-Day. Something different.
Worst 3 Races:
- Running Festival Half Marathon Alexandria (Alexandria VA, May 29) - The course consisted of 3 laps (of approx 2.5 miles each) on narrow sidewalks and driveways; with more than a thousand runners there’s no way to avoid problems …. It was a nightmare to slalom between walker, joggers and strollers. In addition more than 3 hours waiting for the awards ceremony … that never took place.
- High Cloud Snapple Half Marathon (Carderock MD, January 29) – I understand that it snowed the previous day … but it would have being a wise call to press down the few inches of snow and to remove the branches along the path. Moreover, the awards ceremony was held in a pub / restaurant about 4 miles away (thus forcing you to eat there) a couple of hours after the arrival of the last runner ... and by the way the prizes were ridiculous. Registration fee was quite expensive ($ 40) considering that on the same course (and with the same support) DCRRC puts together a similar half marathon for $ 5 (Free for members).
- Go Forth 8K (VA Bluemont Park, July 4) - It was supposed to be 8 km, it turned out 9 km or something like that ... the "turnaround cone" was not placed and the water stop was ... the volunteers went to a different place ... where, no one knows.
In fairness, although this race enters the top 3 it fell far away from the other two ...
Note: I know the organizers of the mentioned events and I’m aware that they tried hard to avoid issues and problems, let's hope next year it will work better.
Top 3 wins:
In this case the ranking is not based on "time", on fastest, on number of participants or on spectators. These are the ones that I like to remember the most.
- Crystal City 5K Friday (Arlington VA, September 30). My first (and only) win at home. It feels nice to finish in front of everyone.
- Baltimore Grand Prix 5k (Baltimore MD, 02 September) - Too bad it was less than 5km but it was great to run and win on a race car circuit.
- Kensington 8K (Kensington MD, September 24) - September was a magic month and this race was perfect. I ran it well and I won it after making selection on the uphill at mile six. A beautiful day, with a lot of people cheering.
Top 3 "difficult" races:
There are no objective metrics that define the ranking, it’s just me remembering how “suffered” during the races.
- Friend of W & OD 10K (Vienna, VA, July 30) - It was truly painful to run at 6:30 PM in summer with more than 90F… I had to stop and walk twice.
- Go Forth 8K (VA Bluemont Park, July 4) – an additional mile to run and the lack of water stops (… it was July…) made this one of more difficult races of the year.
- Seneca Slopes Cross Country (Gaithersburg MD, 18 December) - After a period of inactivity I started out this 8km too fast ... as a results I fell twice and I struggled till the end.
The best series of events (with final awards):
- Race Packet Series. Fun, competitive, and with a rich prize money.
- PR Series Event. Very well organized series of races, and very competitive. Great prizes during the various "stages".
The best series of events (without final awards):
- Crystal City 5K Friday (April). A “MUST DO” in April. Course tested more than once, and flawless organization, an event not to be missed.
- Lost Dogs 5k (August). Brand new event in 2011 for Pacers and new success. Several categories for "human beings" (based on age ') and dogs (depending on size).
Last but not least, a special mention goes to all the low-key races organized by DC Road Runner Club and Montgomery County Road Runner Club, they’re relatively cheap and they offer abundant refreshment, well-measured courses, and accurate timings.
Happy 2012.
Here I am with the list of best and the worst of my 2011 running season.
Note: This assessment is completely subjective and more than once I found myself in trouble trying to determine whether a particular race could end up or not in the standings.
… enough said, here the results:
Top 3 Races:
- Baltimore Grand Prix 5k (Baltimore MD, September 2) - Running at night, on a street circuit used by race cars, at the end of a practice day was exciting! Outstanding.
- George Washington's Birthday Mile (Alexandria VA, February 21) - In the heart of Old Town Alexandria along the parade route to celebrate the birthday of G. Washington, huge crowd cheering and impeccable organization by Pacers Events.
- Runway 10k Manassas (Manassas VA, May 7) - Fast course along the runways and the taxiways of an airport during the Open-Day. Something different.
Worst 3 Races:
- Running Festival Half Marathon Alexandria (Alexandria VA, May 29) - The course consisted of 3 laps (of approx 2.5 miles each) on narrow sidewalks and driveways; with more than a thousand runners there’s no way to avoid problems …. It was a nightmare to slalom between walker, joggers and strollers. In addition more than 3 hours waiting for the awards ceremony … that never took place.
- High Cloud Snapple Half Marathon (Carderock MD, January 29) – I understand that it snowed the previous day … but it would have being a wise call to press down the few inches of snow and to remove the branches along the path. Moreover, the awards ceremony was held in a pub / restaurant about 4 miles away (thus forcing you to eat there) a couple of hours after the arrival of the last runner ... and by the way the prizes were ridiculous. Registration fee was quite expensive ($ 40) considering that on the same course (and with the same support) DCRRC puts together a similar half marathon for $ 5 (Free for members).
- Go Forth 8K (VA Bluemont Park, July 4) - It was supposed to be 8 km, it turned out 9 km or something like that ... the "turnaround cone" was not placed and the water stop was ... the volunteers went to a different place ... where, no one knows.
In fairness, although this race enters the top 3 it fell far away from the other two ...
Note: I know the organizers of the mentioned events and I’m aware that they tried hard to avoid issues and problems, let's hope next year it will work better.
Top 3 wins:
In this case the ranking is not based on "time", on fastest, on number of participants or on spectators. These are the ones that I like to remember the most.
- Crystal City 5K Friday (Arlington VA, September 30). My first (and only) win at home. It feels nice to finish in front of everyone.
- Baltimore Grand Prix 5k (Baltimore MD, 02 September) - Too bad it was less than 5km but it was great to run and win on a race car circuit.
- Kensington 8K (Kensington MD, September 24) - September was a magic month and this race was perfect. I ran it well and I won it after making selection on the uphill at mile six. A beautiful day, with a lot of people cheering.
Top 3 "difficult" races:
There are no objective metrics that define the ranking, it’s just me remembering how “suffered” during the races.
- Friend of W & OD 10K (Vienna, VA, July 30) - It was truly painful to run at 6:30 PM in summer with more than 90F… I had to stop and walk twice.
- Go Forth 8K (VA Bluemont Park, July 4) – an additional mile to run and the lack of water stops (… it was July…) made this one of more difficult races of the year.
- Seneca Slopes Cross Country (Gaithersburg MD, 18 December) - After a period of inactivity I started out this 8km too fast ... as a results I fell twice and I struggled till the end.
The best series of events (with final awards):
- Race Packet Series. Fun, competitive, and with a rich prize money.
- PR Series Event. Very well organized series of races, and very competitive. Great prizes during the various "stages".
The best series of events (without final awards):
- Crystal City 5K Friday (April). A “MUST DO” in April. Course tested more than once, and flawless organization, an event not to be missed.
- Lost Dogs 5k (August). Brand new event in 2011 for Pacers and new success. Several categories for "human beings" (based on age ') and dogs (depending on size).
Last but not least, a special mention goes to all the low-key races organized by DC Road Runner Club and Montgomery County Road Runner Club, they’re relatively cheap and they offer abundant refreshment, well-measured courses, and accurate timings.
Happy 2012.
sabato 24 dicembre 2011
lunedì 19 dicembre 2011
Seneca Slopes 8K - Gaithersburg MD
E' stato tutto un susseguirsi di salite ripide e discese scorrevoli, foglie, rami, pietre, prati ed un pò di asfalto il tutto per una gara a metà tra la campestre e la trail.
Dopo la gara di ieri, ed il periodo di inattività degli ultimi 20 giorni, sentivo le gambe un pò pesanti e la mancanza di lucidità dovuta alla stanchezza mi ha fatto scivolare un paio di volte mentre ero in testa.
A quel punto non me la sono sentita di rischiare ulteriormente ed ho tirato i remi in barca (espressione quanto più che valida visto che eravamo in riva al lago...).
Nonostante tutto però mi sono divertito, amo alla follia questo tipo di gare e devo dire che alla fine mi dispiace un pò essere arrivato solo quinto ... pazienza ...
La gara era l'ultimo evento della serie 2011 MCRRC Cross Country.
Qui il link ai risultati di oggi.
Seneca Slopes 8K - Gaithersburg MD
It was supposed to be an 8k Cross-Country race, it turned out as an outstanding 8.5 km Trail run !
Seneca Park, near Gaithersburg (Maryland), is always a beautiful place to run in and Michele and Chuck (the race directors of this MCRRC Event) were able to raised it a notch to make it memorable.
The brand new course was one of the best I've raced recently; hills, leaves, roots, rocks, grass, and asphalt all blended together for a challenging 8.5K.
The race was the last event of the 2011 MCRRC Cross Country Series.
Here the link to the final results.
Seneca Park, near Gaithersburg (Maryland), is always a beautiful place to run in and Michele and Chuck (the race directors of this MCRRC Event) were able to raised it a notch to make it memorable.
The brand new course was one of the best I've raced recently; hills, leaves, roots, rocks, grass, and asphalt all blended together for a challenging 8.5K.
Overall my race went pretty well considering that I slipped and I fell down to the ground twice while I was in the lead (at that point I decided to slow down and to avoid taking more risks).
The race was the last event of the 2011 MCRRC Cross Country Series.
Here the link to the final results.
domenica 18 dicembre 2011
Christmas Caper 10K - East Potomac Park, Washington (DC)
Eccomi tornare dove avevo lasciato circa 20 giorni fa, con una 10K a Hans Point.
Il rientro ha portato più o meno lo stesso risultato dal punto di vista cronometrico (di poco sotto i 37'), certamente però si sono fatti sentire i quasi 4 Kg di grasso che ho aggiunto alla mia zavorra ed il fatto che non ho fatto più di 20Km di cosa nelle ultime tre settimane.
La gara era la quinta ed ultima della serie Potomac Valley Track Club's 2011 Ed Barron Memorial.
Ora il mio piano è di usare le prossime gare come allenamento, mettere giù un paio di salite e dimagrire un pò prima del 2012.
Dimenticavo ... qui il link ai risultati.
Il rientro ha portato più o meno lo stesso risultato dal punto di vista cronometrico (di poco sotto i 37'), certamente però si sono fatti sentire i quasi 4 Kg di grasso che ho aggiunto alla mia zavorra ed il fatto che non ho fatto più di 20Km di cosa nelle ultime tre settimane.
La gara era la quinta ed ultima della serie Potomac Valley Track Club's 2011 Ed Barron Memorial.
Ora il mio piano è di usare le prossime gare come allenamento, mettere giù un paio di salite e dimagrire un pò prima del 2012.
Dimenticavo ... qui il link ai risultati.
Christmas Caper 10K - East Potomac Park, Washington (DC)
I went back where I left almost 20 days ago ... Hans Point for a 10K.
I covered the 10k in a sub-37', same result as 3 weeks ago, but in between there are almost 8 additional pounds of fat, and no more than 20 km of running in three weeks ...
This was the fifth race of Potomac Valley Track Club's 2011 Ed Barron Memorial Series, ending the year-long series.
My plan now is taking the next couple of races as training sessions without expecting too much.
In the meantime, click here for the results.
I covered the 10k in a sub-37', same result as 3 weeks ago, but in between there are almost 8 additional pounds of fat, and no more than 20 km of running in three weeks ...
This was the fifth race of Potomac Valley Track Club's 2011 Ed Barron Memorial Series, ending the year-long series.
My plan now is taking the next couple of races as training sessions without expecting too much.
In the meantime, click here for the results.
mercoledì 7 dicembre 2011
Un po' di riposo
Questa settimana non ho scritto alcun commento riguardo gare o allenamenti in quanto mi sto prendendo un periodo di riposo.
Secondo i miei piani avrei dovuto fare del riposo attivo (andando in palestra per un po' di rafforzamento), in verita' non riesco a trovare la "voglia"...
Riprendero' le gare il 17 dicembre.
Secondo i miei piani avrei dovuto fare del riposo attivo (andando in palestra per un po' di rafforzamento), in verita' non riesco a trovare la "voglia"...
Riprendero' le gare il 17 dicembre.
Some rest...
I'm not writing about races this week simply because I'm taking some time off.
After long months of training and racing, I needed some rest (and the fact that I'm out of town for work is helping things out).
I must admit that my original plan was to spend some time at the gym ... what is happening though is that I'm just relaxing by avoiding any type of physical activity.
I'll be back racing on December 17.
After long months of training and racing, I needed some rest (and the fact that I'm out of town for work is helping things out).
I must admit that my original plan was to spend some time at the gym ... what is happening though is that I'm just relaxing by avoiding any type of physical activity.
I'll be back racing on December 17.
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