What a weekend! On Saturday, April 18, 2026, I took on the Tar Heel Double Down once again. It’s a beast of a challenge, but one I always look forward to. Let’s break down how it all went down.

The race expo felt familiar, set up in the same spot as previous years with plenty of parking. It was a smooth process to go in and pick up my bibs for the Double Down. For those who don’t know, this event has three options: a four-miler, the famous Tar Heel Ten Miler, and the Double Down challenge. The Double Down means you run the four-miler first, making sure you finish fast enough (at least an 11-minute mile pace) to get back to the start before they close the corral for the ten-miler. Then, you head right back out to run the ten-mile course. Complete both, and you get three medals: one for each race and a special one for the challenge.

My morning routine started as usual with coffee, but I’ve been making a switch lately. Instead of hot cereal, I’m finding a simple piece of toast and an energy gel right before the start to see if that works better for me for future events. I have tried that on training runs, but not for an event just yet.

After driving to the venue, there’s a long walk from the parking area to the start/finish line by the UNC football stadium. I always use this as my warm-up, turning it into an easy jog to get the legs moving. At the staging area, I met up with my friends from the Insane Running Club. My buddy Kaleel and Venu joined me for the end of my warm-up. We were all wearing our Umstead100 race shirts proudly. Kaleel was amped and ready to push his pace after a very successful Umstead 100 earlier in the year.

One small hiccup was the bathroom situation. While there were plenty of facilities open for the women (which is great!), the men’s lines were long as most of the stadium’s restrooms were closed and unavailable for the male runners. The race crew could have definitely add at least one more open section.

The biggest annoyance, though, was the delayed start. For the second year in a row, big delay to the start of the event. It was a cool morning, hovering in the high fifties, but with a clear sky, I knew it was going to warm up fast. The nearly 20-minute delay meant we’d be running in much warmer temperatures, and I don’t perform my best in the heat.

Miles 1-4: Once we finally got going, the first four miles went by quickly. The crowd support was fantastic, and I settled into my happy zone, holding a steady pace between 9:45 and 10:00 per mile. My legs felt strong, I was handling the early hills well, and had no issues grabbing water at the aid stations. Unlike last year, the course didn’t feel overly crowded, and I found my rhythm without much zigzagging.

Miles 5-7 (or Tar Heel 10 1-3 miles?): After crossing the start/finish line to begin the ten-mile portion, I managed to hold that same pace for about the next three miles. I was feeling pretty good and on track.

Miles 6-Finish (or 4-Finish): Around mile seven, things changed. The temperature started climbing, and so did my heart rate. It became a much bigger effort to maintain a decent pace. At this point, I realized my initial time goals were slipping away. I made a conscious decision to switch gears from racing the clock to just enjoying the experience. I soaked in the atmosphere and cheered on other runners as they passed on their return toward the finish line.

The aid stations were a huge improvement over last year; they were well-stocked and I didn’t see anyone running out much of fluids. It was great seeing friends on the U-turn sections, trading encouragement as we passed each other.

Then came the infamous Laurel Hill. It’s a steep, winding climb that fools you into thinking you’re done when there’s still more to go. It hits right when your legs are most tired. I started with a slow jog, but the heat and effort got to me, and I ended up walking a good portion of it. Once over the top, though, I put in a solid running effort on the downhill and the final small uphill to cross the finish line with a smile. My legs still felt strong, which was a plus, but the heat was just too much for me. It’s a constant battle for me to stay hydrated in warm weather, a stark contrast to my successful race in Tokyo where cooler temps helped me maintain a great pace.

I didn’t have much time to hang around after finishing. I snapped a few pictures and said a quick hi to some friends before I had to jump in the car. I was rushing to another event: my daughter was competing in the Beaver Dam Triathlon championship.

I’m incredibly proud to say she took first place overall for the women! It was an amazing achievement. I felt bad that I missed her actual race, arriving just in time to hopefully catch the awards ceremony. It was a whirlwind of a day.

Overall, it was another great experience at the Tar Heel Ten Miler. Here’s hoping that next year, the race dates don’t clash, and I’ll be able to watch my daughter compete her event next year. We’ll see what the rest of the year holds

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Month/Year	Event	Location	Type	Time
Apr-26	Tarheel 4 & 10 miler: Double Down	NC	Misc	2:37:37

Highlights:

Course: 1st 4-mile loop course. It is a very popular event that, even with the ample multilane roads, could feel crowded at times. Very hilly, although challenging, not necessarily too extreme.

Then, a 10-mile loop with similar characteristics. However, there is a pesky long hill around mile 9.

Venue: At Start/finish, excellent variety and availability of food, plenty to drink, and amazing volunteers.

Expo: Packet pick-ups are run very efficiently. Multiple vendors, offering the usual items and sales.

Weather: Lots of clouds at the start, followed by somewhat overcast skies, a tad warm upper 70sº with just over 75% humidity.

T1D: Sugars remained high throughout the event.

Fueling:

1 Maurten, Tailwind and water

Learning Points:

• Quick recovery from previous events is critical to having a decent follow-up event.
• Having fun with the crowd and spectators makes the miles go by fast.