2013 Race Schedule – as of 1/30/2013
1. Mini Heart Half Marathon – 3/17/2013
This was the first half marathon I ran, back in 2012. It’s basically an out and back on Columbia Parkway, which has more hills than it seems when driving on it. In 2012, it was warmer than usual and crowd support was great in a couple areas. But in most areas, there were no crowds and at the end the water stations seemed very far apart. Also, you run to Covington and back over the river, and bridges are hills in disguise. My 2012 time was 2:25:39, and I’m looking to better that this year. This race is also for a great cause, as heart disease runs in my family. The race distances are 5K, 15K, and 13.1 miles. I think there is a 10K walk, but I’ll be doing the 13.1 route, though the 15K seemed to be very popular. This is not a good 13.1 for anyone, as it’s hilly and boring for new runners and experienced runners alike. But, the date of the race works well with my 2013 schedule.
2. Tough Mudder Ohio – 4/27/2013
This is the “king” of mud obstacle races. This race is 10-12 miles (almost a half marathon) with 25-30 military type obstacles, run in the mud with hills and water crossings. Basically, this is not for the faint of heart. One of the obstacles literally shocks you with electrical cords hanging like strings, that you then have to run through. One obstacle is a large ice bath that you have to move through, complete with a wall in the middle so you have to go under the water to get through it. I think this will be a lot of fun. They have beer and music after for a big party. I am on a team of 7 or 8 so far (if you want to join us, let me know) for the Saturday morning race. This race is very expensive, in my opinion, at around $100 each with early registration. My endurance and strength training should help so I can enjoy the race, instead of “die” suffering through it.
3. Capital City Half Marathon – 5/4/2013
My second 13.1 mile race of 2013, on a new course. I’ve never run this race before, but some friends suggested it and my wife and I decided to do it. The course map shows its route through Columbus, Ohio, and it looks like a pretty flat route. I ran the Columbus Marathon in 2012, and much of the course is the same (flat). This could be a great PR course.
4. Tap n Run 4K – May 2013 sometime
I ran this in 2012 with a group in German beer maid outfit t-shirts, with the team name “Beer Naked Ladies”, as in “Bare Naked Ladies”, the band. It’s a 4k run with a cup of beer to chug at the start and every 1k, so 4 beers by the end. The race was hot, without any shade, but a complete blast. My team was awesome, we drank a lot before the race, and really enjoyed ourselves. I will definitely want to do this again in 2013.
UPDATE: I just found out this year's Tap 'N' Run is June 1st at 2pm. The Spring LMT is June 2nd, so I'm going to have to miss this one. Maybe next year!
UPDATE: I just found out this year's Tap 'N' Run is June 1st at 2pm. The Spring LMT is June 2nd, so I'm going to have to miss this one. Maybe next year!
5. Tri for Joe – 5/25/2013
This could be a great race. It will be my first, real, triathlon! With a pool swim. Being early in the year, the water may be cold, so my wife and are buying wetsuits to wear for the swim part. The swim is 700m, or about 30 laps in the pool. The overall winner in 2012 did the swim in about 8.5 minutes! That’s fast. The second part is a 20K (12.4 miles) bike on closed roads, relatively flat. The top times were fast here too, with guys nearly going 30mph. Then, it finishes with a 5K (3.1 miles) run. There were guys running this in nearly 18 minutes! That is really flying. So, before and after my race I’m sure I’ll be watching the better athletes in awe, as this race seems to attract the good/fast people. I estimate a time of 1:31:00 here, which in 2012 would rank me 200th of 240! Near the end! But I’m very excited about this race.
6. Little Miami Triathlon Spring – 6/2/2013
Ah, the LMT. My favorite race. Spring 2013 will be my 4th time doing the race. It’s a 6 mile canoe with partner or kayak solo down the Little Miami River, which is fast in the spring and slow in the fall. Then, you run 5.5 miles nearly back to the start and then climb “Killer Hill”, the worst part of the race. This hill is about half a mile, and truly awful. I’ve never seen anyone run or jog up it. People are dropping like flies just trying to walk up it. Very brutal! The last part is a bike ride of about 18 miles. Each leg takes about an hour as a goal, my best time is 3:10:35, which had about 10 minutes of transition times. I want to PR this race in the spring, so anything under 3:10:35 is great, but I’d like 3:00:00 or better, and I’d LOVE 2:54:00 or better (the Bistor family record set in 2012 by my youngest brother, Wade). This is a small race, maybe 1,000 athletes, with staggered starts. One guy did it in 2:05:00, though he was a sponsored runner with Brooks. The roads are not closed to traffic, though it’s out in the country and you might see a dozen cars. Police direct traffic for you. My goal for this, besides a good overall time, is to keep up with the “good” bikers. But again, my favorite race. Lots of fun.
7. Loveland’s Amazing Race – 6/15/2013
This race may be completely different for 2013, as it’s moving from Loveland to Milford because of political BS. But the last two times I’ve done this, it’s been a blast. Teams of two (my wife and I) run about 3 miles and bike about 8 miles with events like those on the TV show ‘The Amazing Race’ scattered throughout. This is completely for fun, though my wife and I were in the top 20% last year of finishers and I hope to get in the 10% or 5%. In 2011, we were about 50%. Some events are puzzles, which I’m good at, and others are physical. The 2012 race sold out in 20 hours, and the 2013 race sold out in 4 hours! Only 500-600 teams are allowed.
8. Muncie 70.3 Half Ironman – 7/13/2013
This is my “A” race, or top priority race, of 2013. The full Ironman is a beast (2.4 miles swim, 112 mile bike, then 26.2 mile run), and this half is ONLY 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run. Muncie, Indiana, is about an hour or two north of Indianapolis, and that makes this the closest 70.3 event to Cincinnati. Total event mileage covered is 70.3, 140.6 is the full Ironman – in case you notice my 26.2 sticker is replaced with a 70.3 sticker July 14th! The half has been about 2.5 years in the making, I can’t imagine how long I would need to get ready for the full 140.6 race. But, the Ironman is special to me. When I was out of shape and nearly 270 pounds, it was the October 2010 Kona Ironman World Championship race that got me into this world. It planted a seed, and by June 2011 I was racing with my wife in Loveland. I watch the Kona races now and it’s amazing that the pros are finishing this 140.6 mile race in about 8 hours. It’s just crazy!
But I’ve been running since April 2011, and by race time I will have covered 13.1 miles many times. My swim has come along and I swam over 1.2 miles last week without much trouble. But, the longest bike ride I’ve ever done is only 59 miles, and that was just one time. I think I’ve done 25-30 miles a couple times, but the bike is the biggest part of the race (time wise – 4:20:00 cutoff) and it’s my biggest concern now. I hope to focus on biking this season so I can enjoy this race and have enough gas for a 13.1 mile run after I hop off the bike.
9. Warrior Dash Ohio 2 – 8/10/2013
This is the best mud obstacle race for first timers. My wife and I (and brother and sister-in-law) ran this in August of 2012 and had a blast. It’s a 5K (3.1 mile) run with mud and military style obstacles. My wife and I actually did very well and she might be able to get top 3 in her age group in 2013. My dad is going to join us this time, and I will enjoy seeing him do this, as he never does this type of thing. But there is live music and beer after, and a big party. Lots of fun. I would suggest to anyone doing this, and probably the Tough Mudder, to register for an early time. We were very early and there was plenty of parking and the course wasn’t a giant mud pit by the time we went through (though it was very muddy). I imagine by the end of Sunday, after 10,000 people have run the race, it’s very muddy and hard to walk – much less run.
10. Little Miami Triathlon Fall – 10/6/2013
Same race as run in the spring, see above, but this time it’s cooler out. In 2011, the weather was perfect. About 60 degrees and clear skies, dry. In 2012, it was very cold and rainy. Maybe it was 40 degrees? I froze on the bike, even crashing at about 20mph at one point. Though I just somehow slid on my shoe cleat and didn’t get hurt or damage my bike. The same guy that passed me on the bike in Spring 2012, passed me here in the Fall 2012 race. My goal is to keep up with him (him being anyone on a top level, carbon fiber, triathlon bike with giant legs – you know, the guys that know how to ride!) Also in the fall, the river is much lower and slower, so times aren’t as fast as in the spring. Still my favorite race, just dress accordingly and it’s fine!
Ten races might seem high, but there are no marathons here like in 2012. So, the training volume will be lower, which I’m looking forward to. Also, I’m only halfway worried about the 70.3 race, the rest I’ve done and will be fun or I’m chasing a faster time. Like studying for a test in college, you need to put in the time training so these are enjoyable. Otherwise, like my first Fall 2011 LMT, it is miserable (physically).
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