Covered Bridges Half Marathon was my first half marathon, was *this-close* to being my half marathon PR, and in the 10 times I’ve run it, I don’t ever remember having a bad time. (Well, there was that one year it poured the entire way, but I even have fond memories of that event.) So, here we go again, better late than never, my race recap for Covered Bridges Half Marathon 2019 – a decade of fun and all the reasons this is my favorite race of the year.
GETTING TO THE START
The start is at Suicide Six, the ski mountain of The Woodstock Inn (which moonlights as a downhill mountain biking area in the summer season). This is not an out-and-back race, and there is no parking permitted at the start, so you have to use the CBHM resources, or find your own transport. Start time is 8:15am, but drop-offs to the starting area are closed to private vehicles at 7:15am. Originally my partner Michael was going to drop me off and then park at the finish area to watch me coming in the final stretch. A last-minute sleepover party for our oldest with a mid-morning pick-up time meant that idea wasn’t going to work, so I ended up driving to the finish area in Quechee, where there is a runners’ parking area set up, with loads of buses taking runners to the starting area. It’s well-organized and seamless.
There is no pre-race-day bib pick up, so you need to factor in that time before starting. There are buses heading out to the finish line that you can load baggage onto as well. But with a field of around 2,000 runners? There’s no long wait for bibs or baggage. My friend Marie was handing out bibs for my section, because that’s what happens when you run a small town race in your own small town! 🙂
This course is not what you’d expect from a half marathon in Vermont…usually hills and mountains come to mind when you think of this state. The whole race is surprisingly flat, with only two short hills. That makes it easy to go out too fast at the start (made that mistake in 2014!) but if you can pace yourself and remember how many miles are ahead of you, this course is very forgiving. I decided to run by feel again this year, since my training consisted only of making sure I got in my long run each week, hopefully getting a second hard run in, and then participating in most of the group fitness classes I teach.
All my runs these days have been sans watch. I put Runkeeper on, tuck it in my FlipBelt, and look at it when I’m done. I haven’t had the push to train properly, or to choose a goal and go after it in years, but the upside is I feel like I’ve really figured out the running by feel technique.
FIRST FIVE MILES
The first five miles take you on paved roads from Suicide Six located in South Pomfret toward Woodstock, Vermont. Lilacs are in full bloom, and in the first quarter mile my two littles, Roman and Tanner, were there cheering at their dad and grandma’s house. Tanner was standing on the back of his dad’s truck, I ran in for a hug and he just wanted to show me his yogurt instead! Tanner, according to his dad, and from several messages from friends who ran, was quite the supportive and adorable cheer section for all the racers.
There are pace groups available, but no corralling at the start, so the pacers are a good way of having an idea of the right place to situate yourself at the start. If, like me, you’re running by feel, they can also be a good way of gauging your pace. I lined up near the 2:00 pacers – yes, I definitely wanted a sub 2:00…there were weeks I would have a strong long run and think it would be a shoe-in, and there were times my training was not stellar and I thought it was way out of my grasp. I figured by having that group nearby, I could see how it felt to keep up with them and take off if I thought I had it in me in the last couple of miles.
These first miles are great for crowd support, with lots of people lining the short hill that wraps around the Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Park, hanging out on their porches, and of course screaming and cheering at the covered bridge you get to run through (the same one we ran through with ultra-runner SallyMcRae at Rise Run Retreat) and in the village of Woodstock itself.
Last year I had lived here long enough to see a few familiar faces…this year it felt like a hometown race. I saw so many people I knew, I heard my name yelled before I recognized some, and oh did it make me happy!
MILES SIX – TEN
This is where the beautiful scenery carries you through a long stretch with not too many spectators (unless you count cows). From the turn at mile five past Billings Farm, you are running through beautiful countryside, then the course starts hugging the Ottaquechee River on your right. Somewhere around mile six the road shifts from paved to packed dirt, which is a nice change for your legs. This Old River Road stretch is one of my favorite out-and-back runs when I want to get a road run in and get a feel for my pace, without too many hills, so it’s a familiar part of the race for me. At mile eight you get to the Taftsville Covered Bridge, take a sharp turn to your left, and head up the worst (but thankfully short) hill of the race. Spectators scream and cheer, as well as hand out ice to help you through it. Rather than a downhill when you reach the top, almost all of the rest of the race is gently rolling elevation – nothing resembling a real hill, and you should be able to keep your planned pace once you get through that mile eight elevation.
This section is where I lost those 2:00 pacers. I had a bit of a panic as I watched them recede further toward the horizon, but I brought myself back to my race and started focusing on picking up my cadence, taking shorter strides and more footfalls. Focusing on something I had control of as I raced gave me back some confidence.
MILES ELEVEN TO THIRTEEN
I am happy to report the best spectator on the face of the earth is still there around mile 11 and change, screaming her support with everything you want to hear in just the right tone of support, encouragement and motivation. This woman rocks. If you have ever run this race, or if you run in the future you’ll know exactly who I’m talking about. She got a big high five from me and I told her she was the highlight of my race every year!
And then…guess who I saw just after I high fived the support angel? The 2:00 group, baby! I had picked up my pace and I felt so strong. As I approached them, I took it up just a notch with my cadence technique and ran on by. They must have noticed me running near the group throughout the race, because the two pace leaders yelled encouragement at me as I took off.
All I knew now was that if I could keep that momentum going, I was going to at least eke out a sub 2:00 and it felt so good.
0.1 – THE FINISH
Once I saw that 13 mile marker, I went for it. I ran so hard and was so determined, I didn’t even turn my head when I heard my partner Michael screaming in his very effective outside voice near the finish line.
Thank you to my friend Rebecca, one of Sarah’s co-hosts from Rise Run Retreat, who took what may be one of my favorite race photos ever! I didn’t even know she was at that stretch, that’s how in the zone I was at that point.
I nailed this race. It was my fastest time in a half marathon since I got pregnant with Tanner in 2014. I made my goal with time to spare, clocking 1:58:12. I crossed the line, doubled over, cried a bit, drank some water, and made my way through to the polo fields.
I saw Michael and fell into a hug sobbing – I surprised myself with how emotional I felt about making this goal. It felt a little like I was returning to the runner I used to be. I spent the rest of the after-party telling people not to hug me because I was so gross…it took until the next day to realize poor Michael had not been so lucky.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I’ve had some time to think about my race, given I’m publishing this recap weeks later! This was a great race day for me – perfect conditions, low stress, and I felt good all the way through. I was a little disappointed during the training cycle with my lackluster efforts, which was partially just life getting in the way, but let’s face it, most of that is excuses. You can always find a way to get the training done if it’s hugely important. I managed to get what I wanted done, and even I am surprised with how much my base fitness from my lifestyle and job carried me through the day.
My proudest take aways from this race were how I was able to get past the mental setback of watching that pace group disappear and not let it ruin my focus, as well as the way I was able to push as hard as I did in the final stretch.
WHY YOU NEED TO RUN THIS RACE!
There are so many reasons to try to beat the less-than-ten-minutes sign up window for this race! (Sign up for 2020 is December 2nd at 7pm. 2019 was full within 6 – 7 minutes). First up – this course is beautiful. You’re running from a gorgeous ski area, through one of the prettiest, most New-England villages in the state, then alongside the lovely Ottaquechee River, through farmland and finishing up in Quechee, home of the Simon Pearce store and restaurant, with the finish at the Quechee Polo fields.
The race is small, which makes for a relaxed race day and not too much crowding at any point. It’s capped at 2,300 and with the inevitable DNS’s 2019 had around 1,900 finishers.
If you don’t get in within that tight window, you can run for one of the local charities associated with the race. CBHM donates all profits, over $60,000 from each race to local charities and non-profits in the area.
It’s a total destination race – you can splurge and stay at The Woodstock Inn (disclaimer: I’m a Woodstock Inn employee!), or any of the many B&B’s, Inns, or AirBnB’s in the area. There is so much to do in the area! Woodstock has fabulous hiking and running trails, great local shopping and restaurants and is the perfect weekend getaway.
I have never taken advantage of this, but there is a pasta supper the night before the race, held in the Lodge at Suicide Six and hosted by the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce. The food is cooked by the Woodstock Inn’s head chef, there are three different seatings available, and it’s all offered at a price per head ($20 for adults and $10 for kids), so if you reserve space early enough your friends and family can carb load alongside you!
Once you cross that finish line….wow. Such a great finish party! The food spread is great – fresh fruit, amazing cookies, bagels, pretzels, yogurt, candy. There is a beer tent with a free beer for each runner (and your over-21 cheering squad can buy a beer as well). There is an amazing ice-cream truck every year, a band playing, and local wellness businesses set up tents as well.
If you have the chance to run this race, don’t hesitate! Check out the faq’s on the CBHM site for more info and let me know if I’ll see you in 2020! 🙂
