The True to the Brew race is one of two events put on by Palmetto Conservation Foundation to help promote the Palmetto trail. It was founded in 2018 and features one of the few point-to-point courses on the Tour. More importantly, it involves the nexus of a few of my favorite things – running, beer, breakfast sandwiches and 80s music. If only I could find a suitable costume to wear for this one, then it would be complete. Hmm.
On top of the race itself, packet pickup is at Craft and Draft with a free beer of your choice by showing your bib. Not a hard arm twist to get me to C&D for free beer on a Friday night during March Madness. I apologize in advance for my sudden highly vocal and unexplained Yale Bulldogs fandom. It was probably the double IPAs talking. Good turnout on Friday with a strong CRC carb loading contingent.
However, I was a little nervous about this race on multiple fronts. One, I had Covid two weeks ago for the first time and it legit kicked my ass. Randy said he had trouble running for a couple of months afterward, so I was scared what effect it might have on me. Two, my fitness is still garbage in comparison to the glory of 2022. A year’s worth of Achilles problems and eating like I’m still doing 40 miles a week may be to blame. Third, this is a 10k, really closer to 6.5 miles. I haven’t raced anything longer than a 5k in months. Lastly, the weather looked terrible and who knew what slop I might encounter. I packed my car like I was going away on a weekend camping trip with multiple layers, towels, etc. Fortunately, this is a trail race in name only. The path is completely flat and straight, with only a very brief underpass section providing any incline. I actually wore my old vapors instead of trail shoes.
On race morning, it appeared the race gods had smiled upon us, in that the projected rain was completely out of the picture. A little on the warmish side, but all in all not too bad. There was a potential disaster though, as the portapotties for the race did not show up. Fortunately, Wilson’s grocery let us all destroy their toilets, and GRIT first husband Joe Roof was buying TP like it was March 2020, so that helped. I got there early enough to avoid the lines anyway and said a little colonic prayer the poopsies would not return.
I did a couple of solo slog jog miles and generally felt like I usually do, as in why do I do this to myself every week. I had no clear plan, just try to run comfortably hard and see what happens. The race was sold out again so there was a big crowd on hand. A good CRC group, though there were three otherpotential trophy hunts in play that Saturday. Lots of F3/FiA and some trail/ultra types. Dr. Kushinka and Jen Davis were the obvious choices for the win, though I figured I might be able to place in masters. A few fit graybeards were at the start, making me a little nervous. We would see.
With the start, I did my awkward don’t eff up your Achilles lurch forward and still managed to feel a twinge. Awesome. I felt like I was getting smoked by half the field off the bat, so I had to swallow my pride and wait until my heel decided to calm down. Luckily everything smoothed out in the first half mile and I was able to take back a couple of spots. I could see Kushinka was already trashing the field with maybe one follower. Jen was up ahead with maybe 4-5 dudes in her vicinity. I went through mile 1 in 6:47 which felt like a good sustainable pace. We went over a couple of bridges that were definitely a little dicey with all the recent rain, and possibly due to my completely tractionless road racers I decided to wear. Nice choice, dude. I decided to mitigate a potential disaster by engaging my inner Joyce Welch and taking tiny steps on all the wooden bridges. A sasquatch taking ballet steps surely wasn’t pretty but it got the job done. Mile 2 came back around the same in 6:54 and I now had my sights on a shirtless gray-haired dude. Surely masters because of the gray and definitely in better shape if he was going sans shirt. But I’m an expert in modifying Selwyn’s famous phrase to “FAT AND FAST”. I may have a shirted dad bod ready to chafe at a moment’s notice, but I was ready to kick some superfit middle aged ass. And hey, I was shocked at how good I was feeling. No apparent post-COVID problems, and I felt strong. I made a surge and passed the silver fox, who even gave me a “good job”. LET’S GO. Or not. I was just going to hold on to this pace as long as I can. Way too afraid to start kicking it in. There’s still a pic of me online from the 2010 Dam Run doing a full “surrender cobra” after bonking out a 10k by going too hard, too early. Never again.
Mile 3 in another 6:47 and I was cruising. Hope Station Rd (the first paved road crossing) is a good landmark in this race, and signals roughly the halfway mark. My tennis buddy Jay Cleary was out supporting his wife Pillaur and graciously indulged my camera mugging at this 5k point.
The rest of the race I was essentially solo. I could see Jen and one other dude in the distance on the straightaways, but no way I was catching them. Miles came through in almost perfect high 6:40 splits. The underpass section at just over 5 miles gave me a little punch in the lungs, but you can almost feel the finish by then. I tried to muster a bit of a kick near the finish but by then I was pretty much toast. Did manage a 6:24 kicker on the bridge and crossed in 43:22 / 6:49 pace. Garmin distance was 6.37, so a little long as always. Fifth overall, fourth male, and most importantly, first masters! Very happy with the result.
Finish line was awesome as usual with breakfast sandwiches and Craft and Draft beer, along with a 360-degree photo booth experience (Picture This 360 photos) that enabled me to bask in my attention whoredom. Camelbak was a surprise sponsor this year and gave out hydration packs to the first overall and masters winners, along with a palmetto trail mug. Awesome!
Overall: Marc Kushinka cruised to the overall win in 36:47, about 4 minutes clear of the field. Kyle Logue and Benjamin Laprise were 2nd and 3rd. Jen Davis was top female and third across the line, eight minutes faster than her nearest competitor. Darby Samargo and Jessica Weems were 2nd and 3rd. In masters, Marian Nanney, Melody Kreiling and Heather Hugg took the female podium. Male masters was topped by an albino sasquatch, James Lefever and Craig Wiltshire.
Age group honor roll (female): Shannon Livezey captured 1st female 25-29. Meredith Frye was 1st in the 30-34. Olesya Gelfond and Marjorie Cleary were 1-2 in the 35-39.Fiona Martin was 3rd in the 40-44. Kristin Wallace and Brie McGrievy went 1-2 in the 45-49. Pillaure Cleary and Sara Wilcox were top 2 in the 50-54. Bertha Woehl was 2nd in the 55-59. Colleen Towery won the 60-64. Margie Shelburg was 3rd in the 65-69.
Age group honor roll (men): Hudson white won the 30-34. Jimi Adams was a close 4th in the 45-49. Frank Seier and Joe Roof were 2nd and 4th in the 55-59. Harry Strick was 4th in the 65-69. Charlie Palmieri and Ed McCall went 1-2 in the 75+.
Other notable finishers: James Reap, Ken Walker, Jeff Curran, Mary Kate Korpita, Kana Rahman, Korinne Collins, Lisa Powell, Michael Beaudet, Teresa Shelton, Missy Caughman, Teresa Harrington, Gretchen Lambert, Deanna Rennick. Nicki Charlton, Zach Charlton, Pam Griffin, Bridgette Honor, Maria Pray, Kara Blaisure, Margie Shelburg and Pete Poore.
https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/53330#resultSetId-444396;perpage:10
Tour de Blue Shoes 