The True to the Brew 10k is the original gangsta of the True to the Brew series, which started in 2018. This race is technically a trail event, though it’s held on the remnants of an old railroad bed, so it’s actually flat and fast. It is one of the few point-to-point courses on the Tour de Columbia, and starts at Wilson’s Grocery in Pomaria . The course follows the Peak-to-Pomaria segment of the Palmetto Trail in reverse, ending with the bridge crossing across the Broad River. The trailhead afterparty is known for the free beer and breakfast, so it’s always been a stop on the Tour de Blue Shoes calendar, basically because I’m up for beer at any time of day.
I always sign up for this race way in advance, so of course I’m injured. I am still nursing a bit of a knee issue, so yeah, pounding out a 10k on a rocky trail sounds like a great idea. But no one has FOMO like I have FOMO. I decided to still run it, though maybe at 75 percent. Hopefully it wouldn’t wreck me. My usual taxi for the event, the McGrievys, were out galivanting in California, so luckily Jeff Curran and his wife Nicole were on board to help with transportation. It should be noted that there are a couple of large buses to shuttle people back to the start, and carpooling is completely unnecessary, but at least it makes me feel important. Packet pickup at Craft and Draft is always on point with a free beer with your bib. I even took the CRC first lady emeritus this time, though I might have bribed her with a Mr. Friendly’s date to follow. It’s only fair for her having to deal with runner talk.
We agreed to meet at 7:15 at Peak pharmacy , drop off my car there, and drive to the start. I have a confession to make – I typically blatantly disregard the established race parking (a half mile from the start) and pull up to the Wilson’s grocery parking lot in my typical aura of CRC ex-president/GRIT spokesmodel entitlement. I told Jeff to pull in the start line lot and ACT LIKE YOU BELONG. There were a few hi-vis vest guys directing traffic. Ruh roh. I told Jeff DON’T MAKE EYE CONTACT. We pull into a spot, and dammit hi-vis vest guy is following us. OH NO. He asks Jeff is he’s a runner or volunteer. SAY VOLUNTEER, JEFF. Nope. DOH! We were banished to the distant parking lot with the other commoners. CURSES. Again, there are shuttles to and from the parking area and it’s a half mile downhill walk to the start, so absolutely no reason for being an entitled prick, but hey, that’s kind of my trademark.
Gretchen’s selfie
I warmed up with the walk and a solo gimp jog for about a mile. The knee seemed OK, whispering “maybe this isn’t the best idea” versus screaming at me in obscenities like many of my other injuries. I strolled up to the start and conditions were pretty ideal – 59 degrees and little wind. Pretty big crowd on hand since the race sold out, with a big CRC contingent despite the popular Vertex pump and run going on the same day. Tanner was probably hoping for the win, but Without Limits had some singlet guy that looked pretty fast, and there was some master-ish guy with what looked like a sponsored singlet on, so that’s never a good sign. Shannon looked to be a good bet for the ladies’ podium, but there were some random women there I had never seen before. I still toed the line like I’m fast, but I know very well this is not the case right now.
Credit: JP photography
Sure enough, I’m getting passed left and right at the start as I try to settle into a comfortably hard pace. Knee is whispering again, but I’m hoping it will hush its mouth. The course is flat but you’re always having to maneuver over rocks, so at least every part of my knee is getting equally beat up. I clock mile 1 around 7:22, so not too bad. The knee has loosened up some, and I focus on keeping Frank Seier as a pacer, since he’s just ahead of me. The next mile or so I’m able to settle into that comfortably hard zone. The scenery is pretty much the same throughout the course so I start drifting into the usual dark and twisty things in my mind. Suddenly, this younger dude comes up and tells me “NICE CADENCE” and passes me. I assume this is an alternative version of “NICE JOB” and is superficially a compliment, but I wholeheartedly interpret as a HA HA EFF YOU OLD MAN. OH HELL, I’m getting a “GOOD JOB” from some rando. He keeps going and I decide to latch on. We pass Frank and end up separating out, crossing the 3 mile mark road together.
The next 3 miles are pretty much the same. I’m chasing cadence boy and there’s no one else around. Pace picks up into the 7:15 ish range. Knee is whispering soft nothings by this point. The only real course difference is the underpass and hill back up to the trail at around 5 miles. I can smell the finish by this point, and I seriously consider blasting out a headless chicken to pass this guy. Definitely having fantasies of “HOW’S THS CADENCE??” while blowing by him. But one, that’s probably a really bad idea, especially on a wood slatted bridge, and two, my fitness is trash and I’m pretty beat anyway. There’s no one behind me, so I coast the last quarter of a mile across the bridge and finish in a shade over 45 minutes. Good for 17th overall, and thanks to my newly advanced age, first in the 50-54! I guess getting old is good for something. I drowned out any further protesting by my knee in IPAs and an egg/bacon sandwich. Not a bad morning!
Credit Jp photography
In the overall, WOL singlet dude Jake Skory torched the field by over five minutes in 36:16. Kevin McMullen, who I think was Mr. Fit masters guy at the start, finished second in 41:38, while Tanner was just behind in 41:46 for third.
Among the ladies, Shannon Godby crushed a 43:46 for first with Leah Austin 2nd and JK Sipes 3rd. In male masters, Brian Mincel took the win with Brett Martin 2ndand John O’Brien 3rd. Jessica Weems took 1st masters among the women, with Carol Anne Wright 2nd and Marian Nanny 3rd.
Women’s Age group honor roll: Hayden Hall was 3rd in the 14 and under. Lauren Duck was 2nd in the 40-44. Kristin Wallace won the 45-49. Jennifer McLeod, Angie Thames and Deanna Rennick swept the 50-54. Dawn Fellers was second in the 55-59. Lisa Powell was 1st and Teresa Harrington 3rd in the 60-64. Meldoy Kreiling won the 65-69 by a mere 13 minutes.
Men’s Age group honor roll: Bruce Edmonds took first in the 25-29. Trey McCain was second in the 35-39. Micah Simonen was champ of the 45-49. Frank Seier and Ed Aufuldish went 1-2 in the 55-59. Joe Roof was champion of the 60-64. Jerry Rich, Leeds Barroll and Harry Strick rounded out an all CRC 70-74 podium.
Other notable finishers: Thomas Outlaw, Jeff Curran, Daniel Mosher, Marty Wentzel, Nicole Matros, Ken Walker, Son Nguyen, Missy Caughman, Michael and Clara Beaudet, Gretchen Lambert, Kelly Danias, Rick Gibbons, Sara Kozar, Loids Leaburn, Pam Griffin, Patrick Hall, Stevie Dee Dukes, Traci Smith, Pete Poore, Karen Vidra-Zug, Jamie Zug and Margie Shelburg. Sorry for the people I missed – please let me know if you’re not mentioned! drachtungbaby@yahoo.com
Montage: Tracy Tisdale/CRC newsletter pics by JP photography
The Lexington Race Against Hunger is now in its 13th year and has grown to be one of the largest 10ks in the Columbia area. Proceeds go to benefit five different charities that serve the homeless and the needy. Last years event drew over 1300 people, 400+ in the 0k and 700+ in the 5k. The 10k has really nice awards, so the race usually attracts a pretty competitive field. The 5k is actually an timed fun run/walk and not a real race, per se.
I have a confession to make.
I hate 10ks.
With a passion, really. I have no sense of pace running the 6.2. I’ve gone out too fast and suffered death marches to the finish, and I’ve also phoned in the first few miles only to find out I can’t sprint fast enough to make up the lost time. But I’ve never hit that sweet spot where I’ve actually run the race as fast as possible. The McMillan calculator, using my most recent 5k (19:00) says I can do a 39:23. My PR is exactly two minutes slower than that. I’ve wanted to break 40 forever in the 10k but I’ve wound up breaking 19 in the 5k first. Funny thing is, this race is actually where my PR was set a year ago.
And its hardly a PR course. I’m sure Lexingtonians are great people, and most I’ve met are nice (except maybe for that Jen Hill character). But I hate running in that God forsaken town. It may call itself part of the Midlands, but there are mountains there. Case in point: Main Street. The LRAH course runs right up the thing, and man, does it suck. Could be part of the Blue Ridge Relay. Brutal.
What’s even more fun than running up mountains in Lexington is if it was also really cold…and raining…hard….for the second weekend in a row. 41 degrees and a downpour. Needless to say, when I got to the race this morning the “Race Day Registration” desk was a ghost town. No one was getting out of their nice, warm, dry bed to run this thing unless they had already plunked down the cash to do so. From the looks of it, a lot of people woke up, said “F#% it” and went back to bed. One of those people was almost me. But if I dont get my weekly racing fix I’m one grumpy bastard – just ask my wife.
After waiting inside until the last second, the Code , Trophy and I did a “warmup”, aka freezing our collective asses off for about 10 minutes and making sure there was no part of ourselves that wasn’t completely and utterly soaked. Luckily the rain let up just before the start, and hey – no portapotty line!
There were a lot of fast people at the start. Returning champ Justin Bishop and the Plex were on hand to compete for the win. Amy was there with practically no competition for the women’s race. Drew Williams was helping guide her and unfortunately (for me) was also wearing a bib. That left me, Flicker, Code and Trophy to pick up the rest of the 35-39 scraps. Paul Reardon semed prime to pick up the masters win. Geary and Billy were there, which I hoped would help me pace. James Hicks was back from a prolonged work and newborn baby induced sabbatical. Ponamarev, Gasque, Valerie, Henry Holt and Cheryl Outlaw probably run as many races as me and of course were on hand for this one. CRC presidential alumnus Steve Rudnicki continued his comeback. Blue Ridge Relay teammate Winston Holliday was back again after crushing the Make my Day a week ago. Kristin Schmitz was there to test the bikram yoga as training for running theory. Both Diesels were hiding behind their children instead of racing.
With the start, my goal was to hit mile 1 in 6:30 and see if I could hold this for the first few miles. The first mile is pretty flat on highway 378. The wind and cold definitely sucked but I felt pretty good at the mile marker, which was unfortunately 6:39. OK, not too bad. The Code was running slow apparently, because I stuck right behind him. Billy was pretty far ahead already. Mile 2 is pretty rolling but probably more downhill than up until…right turn into hell. Just before the mile 2 marker comes Mt. Main street. I try and power up it hard, but when youre carrying a liter of water in your shoes, this tends to slow you down a bit. I feel like a champ because I’m catching up with Code…then he pulls off to the side and starts trying to stretch or something. I thought I picked up the pace in the second mile but apparently the 200 meters rapelling up the main street monster leaves me over pace again at 6:35. I was under the impression the worst is over by the time you reach the top of Main. Comlpetely delusional. The next mile is actually more rollercoaster-esque. It gives you a tour of roads haunted by Lexington races like Jailbreak and the now defunct Kiwanis 5k , reminding you of how much misery they’ve brought. Speaking of delusional, I’m under the distinct impression I’m holding this 6:30ish pace pretty well. Mile 3: 6:54. WTF? Apparently I’m just destined to suck today. (Remember this is relative suck. I’ve heard Bishop and Plex complain about how bad 5:40 pace sucks. ..Cry me a river dudes.) Anyway, running a 6:54 pretty much crashes any grandiose thoughts I had about sub 40’s and PRs. Add that to my numb, freezing feet and having no one to pace off , and my motivation is crap. I do hear someone tracking me down, and I’m pretty sure its Geary. Turns out it was Travis Moran, who I met after the race. He was using ME to pace off. Sorry I let you down, man.
I’m nearing the mile 4 mark and I figure I need to start kicking it in to save some pride and to make absolutely, positively sure I don’t get Trophied. That shame would be too much for my fragile ego to bear. Just as I pick up the pace, I realize all my debbie downer self talk has given me a 6:57 fourth mile. Nice half marathon pace, bro. You do realize this is a 10K, right? I look ahead and I can still see Flicker and Billy, so I try to use them as motivation to go faster. I am picking it up some, but damned if I just can’t kick it into another gear. And I’m actually making up ground…but apparently I’m not willing to suffer like I usually do. Last year Code and then Flicker were in the crosshairs in mile 6 which led me to a 6:09 last mile. Not this time. I do hit mile 5 in 6:35, but I had planned to have dropped it down to 6:20 by now. The last mile is the same pretty flat stretch on 378. I’m tracking down Flicker as best I can, and I’m slowly reeling him in, but not before he kicks it in himself. Somehow I know thats my precious age group placement going down the toilet too. Finally after the mile 6 mark I do break into something resembling a kick. I make out the clock in the 41’s and throw in enough of a burst to make sure I’m under 42 minutes. Finish is 41:51. 16th overall, and sure enough 4TH IN AGE GROUP. Damn that Flicker.
Justin set the “A” Standard again, winning the race in 34:56. A guy from Boiling Springs , Matt Henderson, finished a surprising second ahead of the Plex , who had an “off day” with 36:02. I hate when I have off days and run 5:40 pace. Drew Williams finished 4th overall (1st in 35-39). Amy finished first in the women’s race by over 4 minutes, rocking a 39:23. Where are all the other elite women these days? Paul Reardon finished 6th overall in a really close masters race..just edging a Charlotte Running Club guy (the other, less cool CRC) Jonathan Halter, by six seconds. Winston Holliday continued to run strong and finished in tenth place at 40:49, second in AG. Billy Tisdale and Geary McAlister finished 1-2 in the grandmaster division on either side of me. I saw Tim Reese and Scott Brewer challenge Billy with a sprint to the end, and both got a taste of the brutal Tisdale kick, though Tim did edge him out. To Billy’s credit, he’s got 25 years on him. Sadly I was just a little too far back to give them all a blue shoes blast. I don’t know Kenneth Ebener, but I saw the dude ran like a 3:07 marathon last week and comes right back and does 42 minutes at this race. Impressive. Travis Moran, who was pacing off me, won second in AG behind Tim. Just wait to these guys age up to the real competition! Trophy ran a strong race in 43:33, and then announces he’s going to run the 3rd race of my triple dip next week in an effort to break the 4 year Blue Shoes 5k losing streak. Bring it, dude. The shame will be all yours. Kristin Schmitz ran an easy 48 minutes and still placed 2nd in AG. Brady Ward continued his under 14 world domination tour by winning 1st, even his dad tried to outkick him in the end. Rudnicki made the real CRC proud with a 3rd in AG, as Larry Bates did as well with 1st in his. Cheryl Outlaw and Valerie Selby rocked the 55 -59. And Henry Holt, 77, not only won his age group but was the only person over age 63 to brave the brutal conditions. Take that all you youngster slackers. Speaking of youngster non-slackers, Brooke Ward , age 10, completed her first 10k in 1:26 , outkicking Jennifer and taking the AG win after an official coaches challenge by the Diesel.
Tour de Blue Shoes 