The Sentara Colonial Half-Marathon and 5K take place on the William and Mary campus in beautiful Williamsburg, Virginia. 2016 was their 37th year, and I was glad I had an opportunity to participate. With a field of about 1,000 runners, this race winds through residential streets, running paths, wooden bridges, and even a couple sections of dirt trail. I think there is one variable that sets this race apart from other local races; prize money. With $2k up for grabs, many elite runners, local and travelers, flock to this event. I’m not an “elite” runner, so the only affect this had on me was my overall placings.
I must admit this was my first time running an afternoon event. Don’t get me wrong, I have run many events that eventually went into the afternoon, but the Sentara Colonial Half Marathon doesn’t start until 1pm. This added a bit more challenge to the race itself. Any previous nutrition plan would not apply since I could not starve myself all day. I opted to wait and have a late breakfast, followed by cup of coffee a couple hours before the event (probably not the best idea). The benefit of running in the afternoon was the awesome weather. With the temperatures in the low 70s, this was a great break from the winter chills we had been training in all winter. But, after running in 30’s for months, 70 degrees feels REALLY hot!
My usual sidekick, Dewey, had decided to join me for the race. Not only do we do most of our training together, but about 90% of our 2016 race calendar looks identical. My wife, Jenn, had also opted to come along; she is the best race support crew a runner could ask for! We arrived at the William and Mary Hall (their large athletic event center) to pick up our bibs and check out the expo. There were only a handful of vendors on site, so we were in and out in about 10 minutes. As race time drew near, we walked from the W&M Hall to the start.
The race itself is a basic out and back, with a few variations. The start is about ½ mile from the finish, which is strange, but doesn’t really change the dynamics of the race. Once you start, you weave through some residential streets, and eventually find your way onto some wide recreation paths. Although the course doesn’t look too daunting on paper, it is littered with steep hills. Having completed the majority of my training in mostly flat areas, I was in for a challenge! The runners complete a small loop near the halfway point, and then eventually join the original path they set out on. There are a couple of dirt sections near the middle, but nothing that would require trail shoes. Once you get back onto the W&M campus, you go past the start, and the route takes you back to the event center, up the ramp and into the hall for an indoor finish line (another first for me).
As we waited for the race to start, we heard the drummers coming down the road. Members in colonial period garb were leading a group of runners from the event center to the start, playing their drums as they marched. We had a quick opening ceremony and the 5K runners lined up to start. Colonial reenactors started the race by shooting their long rifles into the air, which was fitting for the event. Once they were cleared, the half-marathon runners lined up. Since there were lots of elite runners, I stayed about 8 or 10 rows back. In no time at all, the next round of shots were fired and we were off and running.
I didn’t have a game plan for this race, but I knew I would be happy with anything between 1:32 and 1:35. Another friend of mine, Carter, had a goal of 1:30 so I opted to pace with him for the first 4 or 5 miles, then peel back and run my marathon pace. As we departed the start line, we immediately came into a few turns which caused a bit of bumping and elbowing while runners tried to jockey for a good position. It only took about two minutes to get tired of the close quarters, so I put on a bit of speed and found an open spot to run comfortably. We hit our first steep climb within the first half mile, and I knew it was only the first of many. Although these hills aren’t long, most of them were very steep, and can cause your heart rate to skyrocket as your do your best to hold a pace going up.
Right about the 1 mile marker, Carter caught up to me. I told him I would run with him for a bit, but I didn’t want to destroy myself with my next event two weeks away (plus I wasn’t fully recovered from the Austin Marathon). We stayed together, offering the occasion words of encouragement. Trucking along at a 6:30 pace, I felt good, but knew it was only temporary. It was hot, and I was getting thirsty. I kept hoping to see an aid station around each corner so I could grab a sip, but the corners came and went with no aid stations. Finally, around mile 3, we had our first opportunity to get some water. I had actually hoped for some Gatorade, but only water was available. I gulped down a cup, while Carter drank one and gave himself a shower with the other. Did I mention it was hot… and getting hotter?
One after another, the hills kept coming; up, down, up, down, up, down. I remember looking forward to some flat running, but not finding any. It’s hard to settle into a stride when it is constantly changing. Around mile 5, I told carter to press on and wished him the best; it was time for me to slow down so I didn’t destroy myself. My PR is about 1:32, and going for a new PR two weeks after, and two weeks before a marathon isn’t a great idea! I kept him within sight for the next few miles, but he eventually faded off in the distance (he finished just over 1:30… great job, Carter!). Once we neared the halfway point, we departed the paved surface and did some trail running. Unfortunately, it was as if someone had freshly rototilled the trail, so it was soft, deep, and not great for running. Before I could come to a conclusion of why someone would intentionally do that, we were back on to the paved surface. Within a mile or so, it was back onto the trail, but like the first section, it was short lived.
My mouth was dry, my face was salty, and all I wanted was some water. I was surprised how far apart the aid stations were, but then again, it’s usually not this hot. When I did come across a station, I made sure to get in as much water as possible without slowing my pace. We found our way back onto the original route and ran against the tail end of the field. It’s nice to exchange words of encouragement when encountering other runners; it’s amazing the effect it can have.
As we back-tracked the hills we already conquered once, they seem to grow in the time we were away. Instead of up and down, it seemed more like up, up, up, and down. I was still trucking along around a 7:20 pace, but could no knock the thirst from my brain. All I could think of was finishing the race so I could have some cold Gatorade. I knew we were getting close when I started recognizing some of the houses we had passed earlier in the race. We had made it to the residential area, which was only a short run from the start. Since I had plenty of room, I made sure to take the tangent on all of the corners, something I try to do every chance I get. We finally made it back to the start line, and then weaved through the W&M campus streets. I had forgotten how much higher the event center was compared to the start; it sure made finishing strong a difficult task! We made it to the top of the hill, ran up the loading ramp into the event center, and crossed the finish line. Another race in the books, and I lived to run another day.
The event had a great area for runners to recover and congratulate each other. They had a dozen tables with Gatorade, water, and bananas. Plus, since this was also a basketball court, there were plenty of seats for friends and family to watch the runners finish. On the opposite side of the room, they had a beer garden and runners could enjoy two beverages as they mingled. Also, they had a local artist singing and playing the guitar, which was different, but pretty cool.
Would I do the event again? Not sure. My running schedule is pretty packed this time of year; I have to pick and choose wisely. Here are my overall thoughts on this year’s event:
Pros
- Price point ($60 for last minute registration)
- Scenic course
- Very challenging hills
- Chip timed
- Great time of year to race in this region
- Plenty of free parking
- Small field

Cons
- Aid stations spread too far out
- Very challenging hills
- Finish line clock stopped working at some point
- Footing was a bit sketchy on some of the bridges and dirt trails
- Family members over 21 were not allowed in the beer garden unless they were drinking
- Directions from the expo/parking to the start line could be better
- Not enough bathrooms at the start (line was 100+ people long)

The first part of this race is quite difficult with lots of elevation changes and loose footing on rocky single track. But, after 16 miles, you pop out onto the canal pathway and run a marathon distance in fairly flat dirt road. The last 8 miles bring you out onto paved roads with rolling hills. Great race with an amazing history.

Read more at my blog here:
http://www.runridelife.com/?p=6

I have completed this race a few times, and I always underestimate the challenges it presents. First, there are a few fairly steep hills. The first comes within the first mile, so you need to be sure you are warmed up before you push up the hill. The second challenge comes around Mile 15 when you come out onto the flight line. There isn't much to stop the wind, so ansteady breeze can really make that part of the race difficult. Check out my race report here:
http://www.runridelife.com/?p=345

For a single track trail offering half a dozen distances all at the same time, this is a very well run event! The 50k is filled with single track trail that follows some of the most amazing scenery the DC area has to offer. The weather this time of year can be sporty, and it can be very cold and wet during this event. When the ground is wet, the mud is super slippery.

Read more at my blog here:
http://www.runridelife.com/?p=207

This is by far one of my favorite races to date. There is so much I love about small races, I couldn't include it all in this review. It's a point to point race, and we chose to park at the start and have family pick us up at the finish. This was the first year they put the race on, and it was better run than other races that have been at it for years. The expo isn't really much of an expo, but the great race support makes up for it. I loved seeing people come out of their houses to cheer on the runners.