I am seriously thinking that I want another longer race before the weather really gets wintry here in PA. This is the race I am looking at:
http://nvrun.com/index.php/racing/club-sponsored/nittany-valley-half-marathon
It is the Nittany Valley Half-Marathon. This course is part of the 50 mile Ultra that I looked into doing before I got pregnant with my littlest and got long distance side-tracked.
I am interested in your thoughts concerning the grades in this half. You can see them if you click the above link and scroll down. Some of what is said about this race is a bit intimidating. With only 2 weeks to "get ready" I don't know how much training I would get in aside from a long run on the up coming weekend. Of course, if I do this race I would have to go into it knowing that I would NOT be looking at a great pace or PR. It would have to be more about finishing and seeing how I felt about the course and looking forward to the possiblity of doing the Tussey mOUnTaiN BACK 50 mile ultra marathon.
So, thoughts?
On my running front, I only got 6.5 in today. My middle one had two friends sleep over. Ugh! That was a hand full. My run was a a super pace tonight with my nephew on his bike. 44:57/6:55. He had bike trouble at first...flat tires!! But we stopped at a friends house and got them pumped up and they held. After that problem was solved, I think he was worried that he had held me up in the beginning and he really pushed me to move it!! It was a busy but great day. Where does the weekend go???
Congrats to all those race finishers this past weekend! So many of you did such amazing things!!!
It's Just One Foot in Front of the Other ~ on The Trail of My Life
This was my first half a little over a year ago and would definitely be running it this year if I still lived in State College. I'll be honest. It's not an easy one. It's also not part of the Tussey mOUTaiNBACK course. That's mostly on secluded dirt roads, but the half is on pavement. It's very hilly, so if you train on hills, you'll be ready. It has none of the bells and whistles of other half marathons (no finishers medal or post-race celebration) although their are age group awards and sometimes door prizes of extra swag the Nittany Valley Running Club has accumulated throughout the year. It's a very pretty course though, nice and scenic. The worst parts are the first couple of miles that loop twice around an Ag field on the Penn State campus (It's not hilly, just boring), and then about the last mile that seems to be a never-ending hill. It's definitely a race for the true runner. But I've also found, that by making it my first half, I have never again been intimidated by that distance. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI also ran the NVHM as my first half. It's not an easy course, but if you train on hills and run it smart, there's no reason to feel intimidated by it. There is a fairly steep downhill a little after the halfway point, and then the last mile is uphill. It's not part of the Mountainback course, but the grade and length of that last hill are similar to what you'd encounter out there. It's definitely a runner's race. I like the beginning loops around the ag field - you get to see the whole race for quite a while that way, and it spreads everyone out before you hit the road.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on WHERE DOES THE WEEKEND GO? Monday always comes too soon.
ReplyDeleteNice job on the speedy 6.5!
Good luck deciding about that race - definitely tempting to take advantage of decent weather while we have it.
Kate & Tara -
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info on the Nittany Half. Sad to hear that it is not on the OutNBack course. Bad intel from others, I guess. Kate too bad your not still local and Tara if you want to run let me know, I could benefit from someone with experince on those hills!!
I won't be running the half this year because I'm recovering from a marathon, but I'll probably be volunteering so let me know what you look like and I'll cheer for you!
ReplyDeleteThere is a series of free races ("Tussey Teasers") on the Mountainback course starting in March - they're a good way to get familiar with the terrain. The Nittany Valley Running Club also does a lot of weekend group runs on the course - I can't tell from your blog how close you live to State College, but you'd be more than welcome to join any of them.
wow amazing job on the speeeedy run!!! i cant imagine seeing the numbr 6 at the beginning of my avg pace :) someday!
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