Weekend Racing Roundup

• Megan Haberle sets another record at a competitive Jingle All the Way 8k, coming in 9th overall and third in her age group with a 30:17. Rachel Clattenburg runs a great race as well, 31:46 for 17th place for women.
• Also at the Jingle All the Way 8k, Jeff Redfern (27:45 - 18th overall), Ben Stutts (28:16 - 24th overall), Drew Killian (29:38 - 48th overall) all run some great times.
• Henry Wigglesworth, only a few months removed from surgery on his Achilles, runs the Janney 5k in under 18 minutes, coming in 4th overall and first master. 

 

MCM Awards Reception - 2013

Last night, the Marine Corps Marathon hosted its first ever Age Group Awards Reception at Tony & Joe's in Georgetown.  The Dojo had plenty of folks in attendance for this momentous occasion. Here are a few photos from the festivities...

Alan Pemberton holding court at the MCM Awards Gala

 Chris Pruitt receiving his plaque from Rick Nealis for winning the 30-34 year age group.

MUCH more after the jump:

And for Setting the 5 MIle Record...

Congrats AGAIN to Megan Haberle for setting the club women's 5 mile record at the Alexandria Turkey Trot, running 30:35 (6:07 per mile), fast enough for 7th place in a very competitive field.

Congrats to Megan for a New 10K Club Record

Congrats to Megan Haberle for setting a new club record in the 10k. Yesterday at the Run for Shelter 10k in Alexandria, Megan ran a 38:41 (6:14 avg pace), good for first woman and third overall out of 447 finishers.

Radiolab Story on Kenyan Distance Running

An entertaining story theorizing about why Kalenjin distance runners have been so successful:

2013 Woodrow Wilson Half Marathon

Megan Haberle made her club debut at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon today in spectacular fashion, clocking a 1:26:21 (6:36 pace), finishing 9th out of 959 women. Megan also won her age group and makes her debut in the club records, with the second-fastest women's time in a half marathon. Congrats Megan!

Q&A: Chris Pruitt

Editor's Note: In a new feature for Dojo News, we'll be publishing post-race Q&As with team members following particularly notable performances.  First up is Chris Pruitt, a member who has spent all of 2013 rewriting the Dojo record books, setting all-time best performances in six different events (mile, 5k, Pi, 10k, 10 mile, marathon). He capped off the year in spectacular fashion at the Marine Corps Marathon, finishing 8th overall with a time of 2:29.  Now he shares the secrets that will surely allow any schlub to knock out a sub-2:30 marathon:


* You had a pretty big 2013 in terms of race performances. How did you manage to maintain a peak for so much of the year?  

I did three 12-14 week training cycles this year, with two weeks of rest (easy running every other day or so) between them.  The first cycle was geared toward the Cherry Blossom 10 miler, the second was focused on 5k/10k training, and the final one was for the marathon.  I think the variety in training approaches helped keep things fresh.  

* Going into MCM, what was your mindset for the race?  

I knew I was capable of a big PR if I stuck to my gameplan, which was to go out slowly and focus on hydration and nutrition during the race.

* Any surprises during the race? What were the hardest parts?  

My biggest surprise came at mile 23.  I used up my sixth and final gel right before getting to what I thought was a water station.  When I grabbed the cup and took a gulp, I found that it was actually filled with donut holes.  (Apparently, that was the “junk food station.”)  I think the volunteers got a kick out of that.  (I laughed too, after some expletives.)  I was probably one of many to make the same mistake. The hardest part might have been the beginning and trying to resist the temptation to go out hard.  The final hill, of course, was very tough.


* Looking back at your build-up for MCM, what did you feel like were your key workouts? 

I would say that the 3 x 3 mile at HMP, 12 mile tempo at PMP, and the 9 x 1 mile at 10 mile/HMP pace were the key workouts.  I also did 4 long runs over 20 miles, including a 24 miler about five weeks out. 
 
* What was the key to turning around the late-race leg cramps in the marathon?  

Nutrition and hydration.  I carbo-loaded the week before, doing the two days of carb depletion followed by three days of carb loading.  During the race I took six gels, drank water and Gatorade at every station, and drank a bottle of GU electrolyte brew at mile 17.  I felt strong until the end and had no cramps until I finished.

* How satisfied are you with your performance? Anything you would change about either your pre-race buildup or your race plan?  

Very satisfied.  Breaking 2:30 was my “stretch” goal.  I wouldn’t change anything about the pre-race buildup, though in the future I might try to work up to a higher mileage plan.  I topped out at 76 miles per week this cycle. 


* In terms of racing, what's next for you? Any plans for 2014?  

Two months of rest and easy running to close out 2013.  I’ll plan to go for a PR at Cherry Blossom in April next year, run some good 5ks and 10ks during the summer, and aim for a PR in a fall marathon.  I’d like to do Boston in 2015.

The Humanitarian Side of the Dojo

A wandering cat was saved today. As the CEO of the Humane Society recounts:

I wasn’t expecting to see many people out at 5:30 a.m. I thought I might see a few rats in the alleys, but no dogs on a walk quite that early.

It turned out that a dazzling-looking cat was walking behind a pedestrian, and keeping pace with him. I’ve seen a lot of unusual relationships that people have with animals and I figured this was one of those – a guy with his cat off-leash on a walk.

But when I circled back, a very nice young woman, who was out for a jog, was trying to coax the kitty to come to her. The pedestrian I saw earlier was nowhere to be found, and it was clear that this cat, at least for the moment, was on her own. It didn’t take much coaxing, and the cat was in the jogger’s arms.

The cat is now enjoying a comfortable life as Wayne Paccelle's new animal companion. That mystery runner was none other than the Dojo's own Amanda Hamilton! Congratulations to Amanda for saving the day.

Big Results at MCM for the Dojo

Well, let's start with the big one and dive right in.  Chris Pruitt finished EIGHTH OVERALL at MCM this morning, running a mind-blowing 2:29, averaging 5:42 miles.

Perhaps most impressive was the way he did it. He lurked outside of the top ten until the 40k mark, and over the last 2k, reeled in two more runners. His first K's were his slowest, as he got his bearings, and then he poured it on over the final miles.

Chris finished as the fourth fastest local finisher behind Patrick Fernandez, Michael Wardian, and Richard Morris. Also finished second in his age group, behind overall winner Girma Bedada.

Bigger than any of that, though, Chris now tops me atop the Dojo all-time performance list. Grrr! I happily welcomed him into Club Sub-2:35, but then he kept on walking past me and got into the sub-2:30 VIP lounge.

Congrats to Chris! I'm sure he'd like to respond, but I think he is off at an awards ceremony or being interviewed on the local news right about now.

***

So I paced Alan this morning (joining me on Team Pembie at various points was Brian, Janet, and Chris Hamley). Around the 6 mile point, Alan already say that this was going to be a rough day. At the halfway point, we went through in about 1:31, and we went through some serious rough patches. Most would have gone in the tank. But Alan just kept grinding on, churning out mile after mile in the 6:50s. Incredible that despite the early struggles, Alan ran nearly even splits at finished in 3:03, DOMINATING the 60-64 age group by 12 minutes over the next competitor, finishing 291st overall! Rack up yet another age group win at a prestigious race for Alan.

***

On top of this, Ryan Johnson had a spectacular marathon debut (if not debut, than 2nd marathon?). I saw him at Mile 20, when he flew by looking like he had just finished his warmup. He ended up finishing in 2:47, 80th overall! Fantastic race, and a sign of big things to come from Ryan.

***

Newcomer Frank Fung ran great today, also saw him at Mile 20 when he was really cranking. Frank ran a 3:00:28, tantalizingly close to the 3 hr mark, and fast enough to be way way up in the field at 229th overall! Great job Frank!.

***

Gareth Coville took a step down in distance today, deciding that he'd take it easy after taking on the ultra and ironman scene. GC ran an impressive 3:09:35, running some of his fastest miles between the 30-40K mark and doing the Dojo singlet proud. Gareth finished way up in the standings, at 444th overall.

***

Great job today, and one of the best single days in our brief club history. We had some great support out there, with Jen, Brian, Janet, Nick, Henry, Megan, and Miriam (Alan's wife and honorary member) all coming out to lend a hand.

Dan

Club Records Updated

Head on over to the Club Records page to see the updated fastest performers in club history.

Race Recap: Brussels 20K

Dojo Racing's Europe-based team was in action this weekend at the Brussels 20k. Here is Matthew's recap:

I was one of 37,000 people who participated in the 20 kilometers of Brussels. I finished in 1:26:41, which is a bit slower than my personal best of 1:25:23 in 2009. I finished a half hour before the future king of the Belgians, Prince Philippe, who crossed the finish line in 1:55.

We started in the Cinquantenaire Park. There were six waves of departures from the Cinquantenaire Park so they tried to limit the crowds. We were packed in large stalls and I had to wait a few minutes before starting the race. It was rather chilly for late May – about 11 degrees – but good race weather. The canon sounded after the Belgian national anthem (La Brabaconne). We started down a small hill, and I began with a good pace. I cruised down Rue de la loi, passing my office, the European Commission headquarters and modern glass EU buildings. The huge number of people made it a difficult race at times. I had to constantly watch out for fellow runners. Indeed, I almost got tripped at Place Royale! I also had to watch out for treacherous cobblestones in front of the Royal Palace. It had rained the night before so I didn’t want to slip on them. Cobblestones are nice when you're looking at them, but try to avoid running on wet ones.

We headed toward the Palais de Justice and into tunnels along Avenue Louise. This sounds nicer than it was because we were funneled along rather narrow, two-lane tunnels. However, the crowds along the bridges were encouraging. At the 8K mark, we looped around the bois de la cambre, which I know very well because I run there every weekend. It was nice to get some fresh air. I completed the first 10K in 42 minutes, which was probably too fast. After a short climb at the 11K mark, we leveled off and then headed down into Boisfort. I thought I was doing well in the second half because no one passed me and I was able to get around a few runners. But there is a two-kilometer hill at the 16K mark and I must have slowed down. As I crested the hill, I saw the arcades of the Cinquantenaire Park and tried to pick up the pace for the final 2K. You can probably see in the photo that I was in a bit of pain during the final sprint! Overall, the race was fun and there was a good atmosphere. It's nice to take part in a race that is just down the street. 

Pruitt Wins Again

Chris runs a very impressive 15:37 at the Save the Trail 5k on May 25th. In the process, Pruitt wins the race and sets the club 5k record. Way to go Chris!

http://www.dcroadrunners.org/races/race-results/2013-results/2053-2013-save-the-trail-5k.html

Racing Roundup

It has been a while since I posted a racing roundup, but we've had some fantastic Dojo performances lately.

 

Chris Pruitt continues to enjoy his finest post-collegiate racing season. Following up on a blazing Cherry Blossom 10 Miler performance, Chris came in second to the venerable Wilson Komen at the Race of the Cure 5k.  Chris ran a quick 16 flat (and reportedly crossed the finish line before a couple of my friends even made it across the start).

 

Shawn Rumery ran a controlled "cruise-effort" race at the Delaware Marathon. Of course, a controlled effort for Shawn means coming in 5th overall, in 2:45.

 

Ben Stutts, Amanda Hamilton, Christine Hackman, and I all ran the Capitol Hill Classic 10K on Saturday.  For reasons mostly having to do with cheapness (having entered over a month ago), I decided that it was a good idea to do a 10k after putting in a 30-mile Comrades prep run the day before. Pleasantly surprised by what I had left in the legs, running 37:07 for 16th place. Most of my miles were at 5:50 pace (about all I could muster), with one true "power-down" moment from mile 4 to 5 where I crawled along in 6:30 or so, before pepping back up for the finish.

 

And last but far from least, Brian Savitch finishes in the money again at the Run for Animals 5k on Sunday, a favorite race and cause of his. Brian was nipped by a mere 12 seconds.

 

Congrats to all on the great results, keep them coming!

Dojo featured in Run Washington

Run Washington was on the scene to photograph the Dojo's Boston run last Saturday morning.

Read all about it and see the action shot here.

Congrats to Matthew Newman - Antwerp Marathon

And now a dispatch from Matthew Newman, head of Dojo Europe.  Matthew ran a great race at the Antwerp marathon this past week, racking up a new PR. And now from Matthew:

Congrats to Rob Wolfe - Blue Ridge Marathon

A big congratulations to Dojo runner Rob Wolfe for a great performance at the Blue Ridge Marathon in Roanoke this past weekend. On a challenging course, Rob finished 6th overall (out of over 1700 runners) and 1st master by 25 minutes (!!!), in 2:54. Great job Rob!

http://www.marathonguide.com/results/browse.cfm?MIDD=3360130420&Gen=B&Begin=1&End=100&Max=424

Run for Boston this Saturday

Come on out this Saturday at 8 AM to TR Island, Alan is organizing a Run for Boston. Wear something blue or yellow.

Boston Marathon results

Alan Pemberton wins his age group by over 7 minutes, in 2:58! Congrats Alan!

Boston Marathon

Good luck to Alan Pemberton, Brian Savitch, and all other Dojo runners
toeing the line Monday morning. Make sure to send in an update once
you finish!

Cherry Blossom Preliminary Results

Some GREAT races today by Dojo runners at the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler.

Here are just some of the highlights:

Alan Pemberton runs a very impressive 63.51, winning his age group by nearly 2 minutes (and finished 282 overall).

Chris Pruitt runs one of his best post-collegiate races, and continues a string of really good running, with a blazing 53.32, good for 5th in the 30-34s and 32nd overall.

Occasional member (and always recruited) Kirk Masterson likewise keeps his impressive year going, with a 57.13, 5th in the 35-39s and 85th overall.

Shawn Rumery had a very strong race, with a 55.57, 59th overall.

Ben Stutts come out of nowhere to run a 58.44, for 102nd overall.

Geoff King gets stuck behind the 7 minute pace group, plays frogger for the first mile, and still runs 58.53, for 105th overall.

Chris Angell decides to skip the biking and swimming today, and runs 64.23, for 310th overall.

Rob Gillanders finishes first among DC area sports physios, with a 65.53, for 414th overall.

Our favorite ultramarathoner Gareth Coville runs 69.57, for 1013rd overall.

And I checked in with a 59.03, for 109th.

If I missed anyone's results, shoot me an email and I'll update.

USA Masters Indoor Nationals

The Dojo's own Alan Pemberton and Henry Wigglesworth competed at the USA Masters Indoor Nationals this weekend. Largely because Alan is a nut, his performances were as follows:

 

4th: 60-64 1 Mile Run (5:31)

4th: 60-64 3K (11:10)

3rd: 60-69 4X200M Relay (Anchor Leg)

2nd: 60-69 4X400 Relay (Leadoff)

3rd: 60-69 4X800 Relay (Leadoff)

8th: 60-64 200M (30)

6th: 60-64 400M (67)

 

Henry was reportedly looking really good in his 3000M heat when he pulled up with an achilles issue. Hoping the best for Henry's recovery.

 

Results here:

 

http://www.usatf.org/Events-/Events-/-Calendar/2013/USA-Masters-Indoor-Track---Field-Championships/Results.aspx

Racing Roundup

LA Marathon, Los Angeles, CA

Brian Savitch, by way of a hardcore tune-up for Boston, cruised the LA Marathon this weekend. Of course, for him, "cruise" means running a 2:56, good for 101st place overall.

Caesar Rodney Half Marathon - Delaware, MD

Congrats to Emily Buzzell for a 1:27 and 9th woman overall at the Caesar Rodney Half Marathon in Delaware. Great tune up performance for Boston, and a solid follow-up to her blistering season-opening performance at the GW Birthday Marathon Relay.

Kerryman Pub 5k - Saco, ME

Shawn Rumery blitzed the Kerryman Pub 5k back in his home state of Maine this weekend, putting up a 16:06 (5:11 pace), good for 4th overall, 1st in his age group, and 1st among non-Mainers.

TJHSST Pi-Miler - Alexandria, VA

Last but not least, the Dojo swept the top spots at this weekend's TJHSST Pi-Miler. Defending champ Dan (me) came in second (16:55) to the new and future king of nerds, Chris Pruitt (15:29). Me trying to catch Pruitt was like a curve trying to reach its asymptote. Jen Maranzano was the asymptote in the women's race, winning in 18:54, so all three of us took home pies as a result. Instead of going with the traditional Dojo podium shirts, two pie winners sported commemorative Pi t-shirts for the awards ceremony.

3 X 2.5 Mi Workout

3 X 2.5 mi, 6:50 AM, leaving 12th and Penn @ 6:50, Hains Point @ 7 AM.

Congratulations to Rob Wolfe!

Too modest to tout himself, I heard through the grapevine that our own Rob Wolfe was named DC Roadrunners' Outstanding Master Runner of the Year!

 

Congrats Rob!

 

Fwd: GW Birthday Marathon Relay

Congrats and a big thanks to everyone who came out and made the Dojo effort at the GW Birthday Marathon Relay such a success. Some fantastic early season performances, highlighted by the Dojo taking the top two open men's spots, and sweeping the top three co-ed spots. Afterwards, we took a photo at the Greenbelt Youth Center's Wall of Dojo (or Fame).

Congrats to Kirk Masterson and Ben Stutts

A hearty congratulations to Dojoists Kirk Masterson and Ben Stutts. This past weekend, Kirk was named Washington Running Club's Runner of the Year, thanks to some fantastic performances in 2012. Stuttsy was named WRC's "Up and Comer" of the year, with some great races in 2012. 

 

Way to go, guys!

 

 

Dojo: GW Birthday Marathon Relay - Carpooling and Team Assignments - Feb 17

Team Assignments

At long last, here are the team assignments for the GW Birthday Marathon Relay:

Dojo Co-ed A: Ben Stutts, Emily Buzzell, and David Buzzell

Dojo Co-ed B: Brian Savitch, Janet Whittaker, Alan Pemberton

Dojo Co-ed C: Chris Angell, Photine Tsoukalas, Gareth Coville

Dojo Co-ed D: Dave Pittman, Bill Hamblet, Liz Lambert

Dojo Masters Men: Robert Gillanders, Rob Wolfe, Nick Haffenreffer

Dojo Open Men A: Shawn Rumery, Ryan Johnson, PJ Martinez

Dojo Open Men B: Geoff King, Daniel Yi, Chris Pruitt

Carpooling:

The race starts at 10:30 AM (Feb. 17), so my suggestion is that we leave by at least 8:30 AM to get set up and out to the exchange point. If you need a ride, reply to this email with your neighborhood and we'll set up a carpool!

Also, don't forget to bring $15 for me for the registration fee.

Good luck and thanks for running!

Dan