Hi all,
Race number 4 (3rd 2009 marathon-qualifying race and 2nd Grand Prix Half Marathon) was the BronxHalf Marathon. The course is an odd cloverleaf shape. The first loop goes out to the Moshulu Parkway from the Jerome Reservoir and back (about 6 miles). We turn just before we would cross the finish line from the wrong direction, looping around to the Grand Concourse, on which we run a 4-mile out-and-back, returning to the loop around the Moshulu Parkway, then back to the reservoir for the finish.
Goals: Because this was my 3rd half marathon in a 2-week period (well, 15 days, to be exact), I wanted to take it easy and avoid injury. I lost 3 minutes between the Manhattan Half Marathon and Surf City Half Marathon, so I hoped to not lose more than that again, which would be a 2:15 finish, but anything under 2:18:55 would be a course PR. My usual race “strategy” is to run between the water stations, but, under the circumstances, I had decided to just let my legs set the pace and try to get through the first half before taking additional walk breaks.
The forecast earlier this week was for the low to mid 20s, so I was happy to see that it was in the upper 30s when I got up. The windchill would still be in the 20s, but at least we weren’t starting from there. Instead of taking a car service, I decided to try public transportation. I am kicking myself! It took about a half hour. If I do this again, I will definitely go with public transportation. Hopstop.com had indicated that it was a 45-minute trip, but I made every connection, so I ended up arriving an hour before the race. In that hour, the temperature must have dropped 5-10 degrees. The wind was not going to be fun. I ran into Lou and he commented on how tired I looked. I’m sure he was right, because I have been very tired lately. I just needed to get through another 2+ hours and I could rest (hopefully). I thought I saw Mark before the race, too, but when I called his name, he didn’t respond.
The race started with a lame joke by a Continental Airlines representative, who wished us all an “on-time arrival.” Bleah. Continental Airlines has become the official sponsor of the Grand Prix, so I’m hoping that means something besides a patch (for finishing at least 4) and a t-shirt (for finishing all 5) for the runners who complete it, especially because we are no longer guaranteed entry to the NYC Half Marathon, thanks to runners who complained. If you don’t want to put in the time and effort to finish the Grand Prix, don’t, but don’t take away the rewards from those who do!! And, I say that as someone who did not complete it last year, so I wouldn’t have been eligible this year, anyway.
Enough ranting – back to the race. As we headed out from the start, we passed a woman walking back towards us. I thought she was in the race, until I got closer and saw that she was wearing boots, jeans and a jacket. She was also gaping at the runners, so I don’t think she realized that a race was scheduled for that morning. It was over 2 miles to the first water station, which is a little long for me. I made it, but my legs were tired and needed the break. The front runners were running back towards me in the 3rd mile. It’s crazy and inspiring to see them moving so fast, seemingly effortlessly. I made it to the 5th mile before I needed an additional break. I knew there was still another mile before the next water station, so I just stopped and walked for a minute. I picked it up again, heading towards one of the few major hills on the course. The hills on this course tend to be steep uphills and long sloping downhills in one direction and long sloping uphills with steep downhills in the other. I prefer steep uphills and steep downhills, frankly. It was in the 6th mile that I saw the dead rat. I’ve run this race 4 years in a row now and each time, there’s been a dead rat on the course somewhere. As we came back to the initial straightaway on our way to the turn before the finish line, that same woman was still walking on the street, but had lost her jacket and was now wearing only a camisole top with her jeans and boots. She must have been freezing. This time, she was unfazed by our streaming past her.
After a loop around Bronx High School for Science, we hit the Grand Concourse. This is the worst part of the course. The wind was blowing in our faces the entire time and I had to stop and use my inhaler again. I cannot breathe at all when a cold wind is blowing in my face, whether or not I’m running. The best part of this section was seeing my friend, L.K., as he was running back towards me (he’s much faster than I am). I made it to the turn-back at the 9th mile and then had the wind at my back. My legs were so tired by this point that I was walking twice every mile. I took a Powergel at the 10-mile water station and calculated that I could still hit my goal if I ran 10-minute miles to the finish, which meant no more extraneous walk breaks. So, I sucked it up, hit the pavement and ran from water station to water station. When I left the 12-mile water station, my mantra was “Less than a mile.” I repeated that over and over until I passed a spectator telling us that we only had a half-mile to go. So, I changed my mantra to “Just a half a mile.” At last, I saw the 13-mile marker and then the clock at the finish line. I had nothing left for a sprint, but tried to maintain my pace. My calves were cramping the whole last mile, so I had also promised my legs that if they just got me to the finish in under 2:15, I would go straight to the medical tent, which I did. They stretched my calves and iced my knee and then I left, running into Mark and Athina. We took pictures, then went our separate ways.
Official stats: my official time was 2:13:55 for a 10:13 pace and a course PR by over 4 minutes. My splits were 9:53, 9:34, 10:19, 10:30, 10:22, 10:20, 10:12, 10:36, 10:14, 10:29: 10:15, 10:00, 10:16, and 1:01 for the last tenth of a mile. I was 3652 out of 4989 total runners, putting me in the 19th percentile (up 5% from last year and up 17% from my first attempt at this race). It was 41°F with 67% humidity and 23 mph winds (gusting to 38 mph).
Celebratory treats: Garrett’s CheeseCorn, Dancing Deer Molasses and Clove cookies and the last of my Peeps Peppermint Stars (which I saved for today)
Next up: I haven’t signed up for anything yet, but the Al Gordon Snowflake 4-miler is scheduled for February 23rd.
Pictures are available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603884490564/. And I’ve fixed the Surf City album, so you should be able to view the pictures now http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603861918768/
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Surf City Half Marathon 2.3.08
Hi all,
Race number 4 was the Surf City Half Marathon. It was an out-and-back course along the Pacific Coast Highway with a 3-mile loop back into the hills.
Goals: I’d just run the Manhattan Half Marathon the weekend before, so I wasn’t sure how my legs would feel, not to mention jet-lag, so I set the usual goal of running between the water stations and hoped I could manage a 2:10. This was the inaugural running (it used to be called the Pacific Shoreline, but the name and the course changed this year), so everyone set a course PR.
Expo day: Shayna had suggested that I run this event and when I decided to run it (to support my brother in his first half marathon), I thought I would surprise her by showing up at the expo. I arranged for her to meet my brother at the expo to introduce him to some Big Cats. As we were walking towards the expo, Shayna sent a message that she wasn’t going to make it, so I had to call her to tell her I was there. We arranged to meet before the race the next morning. Next time, I’ll do a better job setting up the surprise. I didn’t get to meet any of the other Big Cats, either, unfortunately.
Race day: It was raining, cold, and windy. On the way to race, I decided to reset my 2:10 goal to 2:15. We donned our black garbage bags, then dropped my sister off at the 5k start (she was walking it with a friend from work) and headed over to the marathon start to find Shayna and company. We huddled together for a while and then headed off to the start. My brother had planned to start at the back, because this was his first half marathon, but I’ve been following his training and knew that he was going to run faster than he expected, so I made him start in the third wave with me. We headed out together and I stayed to the left of the course, so I could find my sister in her 5k. As we passed the start area for the 5k, the announcer asked who was supporting the Giants. I cheered loudly, of course! Then, he asked who was supporting the Patriots. There were some boos, but not as many cheers as for the Giants. Then, he asked who would rather be sitting in a warm, dry living room watching the game and we all cheered!!
I missed the first mile marker while I was looking for my sister. I saw the second one and thought that would help me find them along the way. I was wrong. They were only on the right side of the course and the ones which didn’t get knocked down by the wind were barely head-high. Most of the clocks weren’t even working. In the third mile, we turned off the PCH and headed up into a hill for a brief break from the wind. The front runners were coming down out off the hill, so I stayed to the left in hopes of seeing some Big Cats. No luck! Coming down off the hill myself, I stayed to the left to see if I could find Shayna or Jenn, who I thought was jogging with a stroller (she wasn’t). No luck! Back onto the PCH, we passed oil pumps chugging away. I’m sure the scenery would have been lovely had the weather cooperated, but, as it was, I spent most of my time avoiding looking at the surf and trying to keep the water from washing the contact lenses out of my eyes. There were two chip mats along the course – one at 5k and one in the 8th mile. I wasn’t sure of the significance of that one, but I made sure to hit them both. Clif Shot Blox were supposed to be available along the PCH, but I didn’t get any until the 11th mile station. I took a long walk-break there, eating my Black Cherry Shot Blox (yum!), walking off the stiffness in my knee, and finally getting rid of the big black garbage bag, which was more of a hindrance at this point. There was never a moment when I didn’t feel cold and I had been soaked through before the start, so I might as well have not had it on!! Anyway, I was desperate to get off the course and try to get warm again, so I pushed as hard as I could to get to the finish. I couldn’t find anyone in the finishing chute, but finally caught up with my brother at the expo tents. We called my sister and she came over so we could all take pictures together.
Official stats: my official time was 2:12:19 for a 10:06 pace and a course PR. My splits were 20:28 (1&2), 10:20, 9:59, 10:09, 9:43, 20:51 (7&8), 20:30 (9&10), 10:12: 10:54, 9:42, 8:58, and :58 for the last tenth of a mile (pace). I was out of total runners, putting me in the percentile. It was 30°F with 75% humidity and 6 mph winds.
Celebratory treats: On the way home, we stopped at In and Out Burger for fries and exchanged congratulations with a lot of other Surf City runners who had the same idea. Then, we stopped at Rubio’s for a yummy fish taco. At home, I had a slushy Dr Pepper, lots of yummy SuperBowl snacks, a chocolate peppermint brownie, and a Chokolit truffle (thank you, Lisa!)
Next up: Bronx Half Marathon (2/10)
Thanks for all your support!!
Pictures are available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603861918768/.
Race number 4 was the Surf City Half Marathon. It was an out-and-back course along the Pacific Coast Highway with a 3-mile loop back into the hills.
Goals: I’d just run the Manhattan Half Marathon the weekend before, so I wasn’t sure how my legs would feel, not to mention jet-lag, so I set the usual goal of running between the water stations and hoped I could manage a 2:10. This was the inaugural running (it used to be called the Pacific Shoreline, but the name and the course changed this year), so everyone set a course PR.
Expo day: Shayna had suggested that I run this event and when I decided to run it (to support my brother in his first half marathon), I thought I would surprise her by showing up at the expo. I arranged for her to meet my brother at the expo to introduce him to some Big Cats. As we were walking towards the expo, Shayna sent a message that she wasn’t going to make it, so I had to call her to tell her I was there. We arranged to meet before the race the next morning. Next time, I’ll do a better job setting up the surprise. I didn’t get to meet any of the other Big Cats, either, unfortunately.
Race day: It was raining, cold, and windy. On the way to race, I decided to reset my 2:10 goal to 2:15. We donned our black garbage bags, then dropped my sister off at the 5k start (she was walking it with a friend from work) and headed over to the marathon start to find Shayna and company. We huddled together for a while and then headed off to the start. My brother had planned to start at the back, because this was his first half marathon, but I’ve been following his training and knew that he was going to run faster than he expected, so I made him start in the third wave with me. We headed out together and I stayed to the left of the course, so I could find my sister in her 5k. As we passed the start area for the 5k, the announcer asked who was supporting the Giants. I cheered loudly, of course! Then, he asked who was supporting the Patriots. There were some boos, but not as many cheers as for the Giants. Then, he asked who would rather be sitting in a warm, dry living room watching the game and we all cheered!!
I missed the first mile marker while I was looking for my sister. I saw the second one and thought that would help me find them along the way. I was wrong. They were only on the right side of the course and the ones which didn’t get knocked down by the wind were barely head-high. Most of the clocks weren’t even working. In the third mile, we turned off the PCH and headed up into a hill for a brief break from the wind. The front runners were coming down out off the hill, so I stayed to the left in hopes of seeing some Big Cats. No luck! Coming down off the hill myself, I stayed to the left to see if I could find Shayna or Jenn, who I thought was jogging with a stroller (she wasn’t). No luck! Back onto the PCH, we passed oil pumps chugging away. I’m sure the scenery would have been lovely had the weather cooperated, but, as it was, I spent most of my time avoiding looking at the surf and trying to keep the water from washing the contact lenses out of my eyes. There were two chip mats along the course – one at 5k and one in the 8th mile. I wasn’t sure of the significance of that one, but I made sure to hit them both. Clif Shot Blox were supposed to be available along the PCH, but I didn’t get any until the 11th mile station. I took a long walk-break there, eating my Black Cherry Shot Blox (yum!), walking off the stiffness in my knee, and finally getting rid of the big black garbage bag, which was more of a hindrance at this point. There was never a moment when I didn’t feel cold and I had been soaked through before the start, so I might as well have not had it on!! Anyway, I was desperate to get off the course and try to get warm again, so I pushed as hard as I could to get to the finish. I couldn’t find anyone in the finishing chute, but finally caught up with my brother at the expo tents. We called my sister and she came over so we could all take pictures together.
Official stats: my official time was 2:12:19 for a 10:06 pace and a course PR. My splits were 20:28 (1&2), 10:20, 9:59, 10:09, 9:43, 20:51 (7&8), 20:30 (9&10), 10:12: 10:54, 9:42, 8:58, and :58 for the last tenth of a mile (pace). I was out of total runners, putting me in the percentile. It was 30°F with 75% humidity and 6 mph winds.
Celebratory treats: On the way home, we stopped at In and Out Burger for fries and exchanged congratulations with a lot of other Surf City runners who had the same idea. Then, we stopped at Rubio’s for a yummy fish taco. At home, I had a slushy Dr Pepper, lots of yummy SuperBowl snacks, a chocolate peppermint brownie, and a Chokolit truffle (thank you, Lisa!)
Next up: Bronx Half Marathon (2/10)
Thanks for all your support!!
Pictures are available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603861918768/.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Manhattan Half Marathon 1.27.08
Hi all,
Race number 3 (2nd 2009 marathon-qualifying race and 1st Grand Prix Half Marathon) was the Manhattan Half Marathon. We ran 2 counter-clockwise loops of Central Park, plus another mile or so to make up the half marathon distance.
Goals: to run between the water stations, to set a course PR, and to see if I could run at 9:40 pace (2:06:38) for the entire run (I ran a 15k at 9:40 pace last weekend and wondered if I could stretch that to a half marathon). *Spoiler Alert* – I only managed one of my goals.
Sue gave me a ride downtown so I could be sure to make it there by 8 am. NYRR, in its infinite lack of wisdom, decided that all bags had to be dropped off by 8 am, for an 8:30 am start in sub-freezing weather, a quarter of a mile away from the start. In addition, there weren’t enough port-a-potties and the lines were curving back around on themselves. I was in line for over a half hour, missing the start before I even made it to the front of the line! I had told everyone that I was going to be at the 9-minute-mile marker at the start and I never made it. I’m sorry I missed you all!! As I was trying to get to the start line, some of the NYRR staff tried to make me go to the back of the line to join the race. I ignored them and ran through to the start and managed to join the 11-minute-milers. In another clever move, they’ve scheduled the second of the Grand Prix races for February 10th, giving us just 2 weeks between half marathons, so I wanted to take it a bit easy so I could participate – the Bronx half course is probably the worst of the 5 and takes a lot of energy.
Anyway, I had hoped to run each loop in under an hour and managed it for the first loop. The lead runner passed me just as I was getting to the 6th mile marker and had a comfortable lead over the second place runner (he retained that lead, winning by just under 4 minutes!!). The second loop did me in and I ended up walking quite a bit after the 8th mile. My first walk break was in the 9th mile and I still ended up with a 9:42 split, so I’m considering attempting Galloway’s walk/run method for the Bronx Half. I just read about someone completing a 3:30 marathon using the Galloway method, so it doesn’t necessarily have to slow me down and if it helps me hurt less, it’s all good! I also think that the shoes I was wearing (Asics 2110) are just not good for me for long distances. It’s back to Nikes for me! By the time I hit Cat Hill, I was all for preserving energy and walked most of the way up, making a deal with myself. If I took that walk break, then I had to run the entire distance from the end of my last water station walk break to the finish and I had to make it a good one. So I gave it all I had when I hit the 12-mile marker. As I was passing the 13-mile marker, I saw my friend, Paul, and called his name twice, but I don’t think he heard me.
As I was waiting in line to get my picture taken, I saw Roxy already getting hers taken and I called to her. We hung out, got our picture taken together, then picked up our bags and waited for Mark. I was so glad to see her, because I’d missed them at the last race and at the start of this one. We found Mark, got our pictures taken together again, then walked over to the subway together.
Official stats: my official time was 2:09:24 for a 9:52 pace and a course PR. My splits were 9:26, 10:20, 9:18, 9:43, 9:59, 10:00, 9:30, 10:22, 9:43, 9:50: 10:43, 10:44, 8:48, and 1:06 for the last tenth of a mile (I fumbled a little at the finish, so that’s probably not quite right). I was 3652 out of 4989 total runners, putting me in the 27th percentile (up 5% from last year and up 17% from my first attempt at this race). It was 30°F with 75% humidity and 6 mph winds.
Consolation treats: I had a slushy Dr Pepper, a Chipwich, and some Hotel Chocolat Chocolate Buttons with delicious Italian hot chocolate.
Pictures are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603805054614/. There are some pretty cool pictures from the recent sailing of the Queen Elizabeth 2, the Queen Mary 2, and the Queen Victoria 2 in my flickr account, too, if you're interested.
P.S. There’s a chance I may have to give up the longer distances. My latest test results show that my lung capacity has diminished over the past year and, if it doesn’t improve with my new inhaler, I’m going to run the races I’ve already signed up for, but, otherwise, focus more on the shorter distances (maybe up to 10 miles).
Race number 3 (2nd 2009 marathon-qualifying race and 1st Grand Prix Half Marathon) was the Manhattan Half Marathon. We ran 2 counter-clockwise loops of Central Park, plus another mile or so to make up the half marathon distance.
Goals: to run between the water stations, to set a course PR, and to see if I could run at 9:40 pace (2:06:38) for the entire run (I ran a 15k at 9:40 pace last weekend and wondered if I could stretch that to a half marathon). *Spoiler Alert* – I only managed one of my goals.
Sue gave me a ride downtown so I could be sure to make it there by 8 am. NYRR, in its infinite lack of wisdom, decided that all bags had to be dropped off by 8 am, for an 8:30 am start in sub-freezing weather, a quarter of a mile away from the start. In addition, there weren’t enough port-a-potties and the lines were curving back around on themselves. I was in line for over a half hour, missing the start before I even made it to the front of the line! I had told everyone that I was going to be at the 9-minute-mile marker at the start and I never made it. I’m sorry I missed you all!! As I was trying to get to the start line, some of the NYRR staff tried to make me go to the back of the line to join the race. I ignored them and ran through to the start and managed to join the 11-minute-milers. In another clever move, they’ve scheduled the second of the Grand Prix races for February 10th, giving us just 2 weeks between half marathons, so I wanted to take it a bit easy so I could participate – the Bronx half course is probably the worst of the 5 and takes a lot of energy.
Anyway, I had hoped to run each loop in under an hour and managed it for the first loop. The lead runner passed me just as I was getting to the 6th mile marker and had a comfortable lead over the second place runner (he retained that lead, winning by just under 4 minutes!!). The second loop did me in and I ended up walking quite a bit after the 8th mile. My first walk break was in the 9th mile and I still ended up with a 9:42 split, so I’m considering attempting Galloway’s walk/run method for the Bronx Half. I just read about someone completing a 3:30 marathon using the Galloway method, so it doesn’t necessarily have to slow me down and if it helps me hurt less, it’s all good! I also think that the shoes I was wearing (Asics 2110) are just not good for me for long distances. It’s back to Nikes for me! By the time I hit Cat Hill, I was all for preserving energy and walked most of the way up, making a deal with myself. If I took that walk break, then I had to run the entire distance from the end of my last water station walk break to the finish and I had to make it a good one. So I gave it all I had when I hit the 12-mile marker. As I was passing the 13-mile marker, I saw my friend, Paul, and called his name twice, but I don’t think he heard me.
As I was waiting in line to get my picture taken, I saw Roxy already getting hers taken and I called to her. We hung out, got our picture taken together, then picked up our bags and waited for Mark. I was so glad to see her, because I’d missed them at the last race and at the start of this one. We found Mark, got our pictures taken together again, then walked over to the subway together.
Official stats: my official time was 2:09:24 for a 9:52 pace and a course PR. My splits were 9:26, 10:20, 9:18, 9:43, 9:59, 10:00, 9:30, 10:22, 9:43, 9:50: 10:43, 10:44, 8:48, and 1:06 for the last tenth of a mile (I fumbled a little at the finish, so that’s probably not quite right). I was 3652 out of 4989 total runners, putting me in the 27th percentile (up 5% from last year and up 17% from my first attempt at this race). It was 30°F with 75% humidity and 6 mph winds.
Consolation treats: I had a slushy Dr Pepper, a Chipwich, and some Hotel Chocolat Chocolate Buttons with delicious Italian hot chocolate.
Pictures are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603805054614/. There are some pretty cool pictures from the recent sailing of the Queen Elizabeth 2, the Queen Mary 2, and the Queen Victoria 2 in my flickr account, too, if you're interested.
P.S. There’s a chance I may have to give up the longer distances. My latest test results show that my lung capacity has diminished over the past year and, if it doesn’t improve with my new inhaler, I’m going to run the races I’ve already signed up for, but, otherwise, focus more on the shorter distances (maybe up to 10 miles).
Monday, January 14, 2008
Fred LeBow 5-Miler 1.12.08
Hi all,
Race number 2 (1st 2009 marathon-qualifying race) was the Fred LeBow 5-miler. This was the first race of a very important year for NYRR. This is their 50th year and I’m hoping for some really fun events in celebration. The bib itself commemorates the years and the t-shirt is a special tribute to Fred LeBow, who was instrumental in taking the marathon out of Central Park and across the 5 boroughs of New York City. There is a statue of him timing us all as we pass the Engineers Gate.
Goals: to run between the water stations and to run 47:30 or better (45:06 is my 5-mile PR).
Because I’d done so well without a warm-up at the 5k, I wanted to see what I could do with a warm-up, so I got to Central Park early, but not early enough to manage the changes. I guess there’s construction going on or something because the race start was shifted back along the East Drive. I dropped my bag and had time for a 20-minute warm-up. I bumped into Mark – well, he bumped into me – and we chatted a minute, then I took off, very slowly. I just couldn’t seem to get my legs to move. I turned around about 8 minutes into the run and took only 7 minutes to get back to where I’d started, so I thought things might be okay. I ducked under the tape at the 9-minute-mile marker, but didn’t see anyone I knew there.
The horn sounded and we were off, but very slowly. We were hemmed in by the tape and then by the narrowness of the 102nd Street Transverse. It took a lot of effort to get out and around so that I could run comfortably. Well, there was really nothing comfortable about my running. My legs felt dead, as if I’d been running for 10 miles, not less than 2. Every step was a real struggle and the “stop” switch in my head was really looking appealing. I made it to the first water station and walked through it, wheezing slightly, but pretty sure I could get into stride once I’d had this brief rest. I was wrong. I felt even more dead heading towards the second water station. And it took forever to get there! It was about 2 miles after the first one. About halfway through the race, it dawned on me why I was having so much trouble. I’d completely forgotten that I’d given blood on Monday and that, of course, was affecting my performance. It also explained why I’d been so dehydrated, tired and lethargic all week.* At that point, I knew that it didn’t matter how badly I wanted it, my body would not be able to overcome the loss of a pint of fluid. I quit racing. I kept running, but started taking walk breaks and, when I hit Cat Hill, I walked all the way up it. My focus right now is the Manhattan Half and I didn’t want to jeopardize that race by knocking my body out of training. I did promise to myself that I would run from the water station to the finish and I was able to keep going for that last mile or so. Somehow, I even managed to put on a finishing sprint, though it wasn’t very fast (but still faster than I’d been running). I looked for Mark and Roxy at the finish, but was told by a volunteer that the hot chocolate was on the Transverse and it wasn’t. I was too tired to walk back to the finish, so I just went home.
Lesson learned: When setting goals, be sure to factor in all elements that might affect your race!
Official stats: my official time was 48:10 for a 9:38 pace. My splits were 9:25, 9:17, 9:13, 11:21, and 8:59. I was 3030 out of 4409 total runners, putting me in the 31st percentile. It was 44°F with 53% humidity.
Consolation treats: I passed out when I got home, sleeping for an hour and a half, without even realizing I’d fallen asleep. I had my slushy Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper, of course, but I saved my treat for this morning, when I had peppermint hot chocolate with peppermint marshmallows and a chocolate walnut bun from Fay Da Bakery.
Next up: The Manhattan Half Marathon on January 27th.
Pictures are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603703635198/.
*I usually give platelets, which don’t have much effect at all on me, because I get back my blood volume and the platelets are regenerated in 3 days.
Race number 2 (1st 2009 marathon-qualifying race) was the Fred LeBow 5-miler. This was the first race of a very important year for NYRR. This is their 50th year and I’m hoping for some really fun events in celebration. The bib itself commemorates the years and the t-shirt is a special tribute to Fred LeBow, who was instrumental in taking the marathon out of Central Park and across the 5 boroughs of New York City. There is a statue of him timing us all as we pass the Engineers Gate.
Goals: to run between the water stations and to run 47:30 or better (45:06 is my 5-mile PR).
Because I’d done so well without a warm-up at the 5k, I wanted to see what I could do with a warm-up, so I got to Central Park early, but not early enough to manage the changes. I guess there’s construction going on or something because the race start was shifted back along the East Drive. I dropped my bag and had time for a 20-minute warm-up. I bumped into Mark – well, he bumped into me – and we chatted a minute, then I took off, very slowly. I just couldn’t seem to get my legs to move. I turned around about 8 minutes into the run and took only 7 minutes to get back to where I’d started, so I thought things might be okay. I ducked under the tape at the 9-minute-mile marker, but didn’t see anyone I knew there.
The horn sounded and we were off, but very slowly. We were hemmed in by the tape and then by the narrowness of the 102nd Street Transverse. It took a lot of effort to get out and around so that I could run comfortably. Well, there was really nothing comfortable about my running. My legs felt dead, as if I’d been running for 10 miles, not less than 2. Every step was a real struggle and the “stop” switch in my head was really looking appealing. I made it to the first water station and walked through it, wheezing slightly, but pretty sure I could get into stride once I’d had this brief rest. I was wrong. I felt even more dead heading towards the second water station. And it took forever to get there! It was about 2 miles after the first one. About halfway through the race, it dawned on me why I was having so much trouble. I’d completely forgotten that I’d given blood on Monday and that, of course, was affecting my performance. It also explained why I’d been so dehydrated, tired and lethargic all week.* At that point, I knew that it didn’t matter how badly I wanted it, my body would not be able to overcome the loss of a pint of fluid. I quit racing. I kept running, but started taking walk breaks and, when I hit Cat Hill, I walked all the way up it. My focus right now is the Manhattan Half and I didn’t want to jeopardize that race by knocking my body out of training. I did promise to myself that I would run from the water station to the finish and I was able to keep going for that last mile or so. Somehow, I even managed to put on a finishing sprint, though it wasn’t very fast (but still faster than I’d been running). I looked for Mark and Roxy at the finish, but was told by a volunteer that the hot chocolate was on the Transverse and it wasn’t. I was too tired to walk back to the finish, so I just went home.
Lesson learned: When setting goals, be sure to factor in all elements that might affect your race!
Official stats: my official time was 48:10 for a 9:38 pace. My splits were 9:25, 9:17, 9:13, 11:21, and 8:59. I was 3030 out of 4409 total runners, putting me in the 31st percentile. It was 44°F with 53% humidity.
Consolation treats: I passed out when I got home, sleeping for an hour and a half, without even realizing I’d fallen asleep. I had my slushy Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper, of course, but I saved my treat for this morning, when I had peppermint hot chocolate with peppermint marshmallows and a chocolate walnut bun from Fay Da Bakery.
Next up: The Manhattan Half Marathon on January 27th.
Pictures are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603703635198/.
*I usually give platelets, which don’t have much effect at all on me, because I get back my blood volume and the platelets are regenerated in 3 days.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
New Year's Resolution 5k 1.1.08
Hi all,
Race number 1 was the New Year’s Day Resolution 5k. It was partly on the runway of Republic Airport in Farmingdale on Long Island.
Goals: to run between the water stations, if any, and to break 27 minutes (or, at least, my pace in the Holiday 4-miler – 9:07).
My sister and brother joined me for this race. It was a first race for both of them and they decided to run it together. I told them I would run my race and then jog back along the course to meet them and run in with them. My dad drove us to the airport and stayed to watch and take pictures. I had pre-registered, so I got a t-shirt, but my sister and brother registered on site (paying less than I had) and didn’t get the t-shirt, but they did get Clif Shot Blox and Bear Naked granola, which I didn’t get. We all got beanies, though. There were only about 150 people in the race and it was very informal. We stood around on the tarmac waiting for the course instructions and then lining up behind two cones. The horn sounded and we were off. We ran up and down the runway, then up and down the taxiway, then hit the roads around the airport to complete the 5k, finishing right outside the airport doors. The race was billed as flat and fast and it was. It was a bit difficult to figure out the course, but I just followed the advice of the volunteer at the check-in desk. She told someone that unless he was planning to be first, he should just follow the other runners. There were no mile markers, so I wasn’t sure how fast I was going. This was my first time wearing an ankle-strap chip and I don’t think I like it. My right leg felt funny almost the entire race and I ended up with just one chafing wound – can you guess where? The course description indicated that the first mile and a half were on the tarmac, but I was somewhere between 12 and 13 minutes when I got to the first water station (just off the tarmac near the finish), so I was sure that it wasn’t quite that long. The road section was an out and back, but it was fairly curvy, so I wasn’t exactly sure where I was on the course. I did start counting the females coming back towards me from the turnaround and was pretty sure I was in the top 20. I got mixed up about the finish and thought I was supposed to make a loop around the parking lot, so I missed my chance for final push, but I did have a good sprint finish. I drank some water and then went back out on the course to find my brother and sister. They were about a half mile back and we ran up to the final turn together (with me telling my sister to try to sprint to the finish). I peeled off to let them finish on their own and yelled at my sister to sprint and finish ahead of my brother, but he crossed the chip mat first. Congrats to both of them on their first race!! I’m hoping to get the two of them to join me for the Disneyland Half Marathon (yes, I’ve already signed up!).
Official stats: my net time was 25:27 for an 8:11 pace. I don’t have any splits, because there were no mile markers. I was 77 out of 151 total runners, putting me in the 49th percentile. I was also the 20th female finisher and the 4th in my age group. It was 47°F (8°C) with a wind chill of 41°F (5°C), 80% humidity and 13 mph winds.
Celebratory treats: It was New Year’s Day, so, of course, the big treat was black-eyed peas and ham hocks. Yum!! I had to rush off to catch my train home, but my mom made a batch of her home-made hot fudge sauce, so I had a delicious hot fudge sundae, too! MMM
Next up: The Fred LeBow Classic 5-miler on January 12th and the Manhattan Half Marathon on January 27th.
Pictures are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603612494208/.
P.S. I just realized that this is a PR! My previous PR was 25:51! I wish I'd had my head on straight - I might have run this race differently. It's only a PR by 24 seconds, but I'll take it!! I love that I've started this year with a PR!!! :D
P.P.S. I just learned that I was right about the course seeming short. It was only 3 miles, so my pace was actually 8:29.
Race number 1 was the New Year’s Day Resolution 5k. It was partly on the runway of Republic Airport in Farmingdale on Long Island.
Goals: to run between the water stations, if any, and to break 27 minutes (or, at least, my pace in the Holiday 4-miler – 9:07).
My sister and brother joined me for this race. It was a first race for both of them and they decided to run it together. I told them I would run my race and then jog back along the course to meet them and run in with them. My dad drove us to the airport and stayed to watch and take pictures. I had pre-registered, so I got a t-shirt, but my sister and brother registered on site (paying less than I had) and didn’t get the t-shirt, but they did get Clif Shot Blox and Bear Naked granola, which I didn’t get. We all got beanies, though. There were only about 150 people in the race and it was very informal. We stood around on the tarmac waiting for the course instructions and then lining up behind two cones. The horn sounded and we were off. We ran up and down the runway, then up and down the taxiway, then hit the roads around the airport to complete the 5k, finishing right outside the airport doors. The race was billed as flat and fast and it was. It was a bit difficult to figure out the course, but I just followed the advice of the volunteer at the check-in desk. She told someone that unless he was planning to be first, he should just follow the other runners. There were no mile markers, so I wasn’t sure how fast I was going. This was my first time wearing an ankle-strap chip and I don’t think I like it. My right leg felt funny almost the entire race and I ended up with just one chafing wound – can you guess where? The course description indicated that the first mile and a half were on the tarmac, but I was somewhere between 12 and 13 minutes when I got to the first water station (just off the tarmac near the finish), so I was sure that it wasn’t quite that long. The road section was an out and back, but it was fairly curvy, so I wasn’t exactly sure where I was on the course. I did start counting the females coming back towards me from the turnaround and was pretty sure I was in the top 20. I got mixed up about the finish and thought I was supposed to make a loop around the parking lot, so I missed my chance for final push, but I did have a good sprint finish. I drank some water and then went back out on the course to find my brother and sister. They were about a half mile back and we ran up to the final turn together (with me telling my sister to try to sprint to the finish). I peeled off to let them finish on their own and yelled at my sister to sprint and finish ahead of my brother, but he crossed the chip mat first. Congrats to both of them on their first race!! I’m hoping to get the two of them to join me for the Disneyland Half Marathon (yes, I’ve already signed up!).
Official stats: my net time was 25:27 for an 8:11 pace. I don’t have any splits, because there were no mile markers. I was 77 out of 151 total runners, putting me in the 49th percentile. I was also the 20th female finisher and the 4th in my age group. It was 47°F (8°C) with a wind chill of 41°F (5°C), 80% humidity and 13 mph winds.
Celebratory treats: It was New Year’s Day, so, of course, the big treat was black-eyed peas and ham hocks. Yum!! I had to rush off to catch my train home, but my mom made a batch of her home-made hot fudge sauce, so I had a delicious hot fudge sundae, too! MMM
Next up: The Fred LeBow Classic 5-miler on January 12th and the Manhattan Half Marathon on January 27th.
Pictures are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603612494208/.
P.S. I just realized that this is a PR! My previous PR was 25:51! I wish I'd had my head on straight - I might have run this race differently. It's only a PR by 24 seconds, but I'll take it!! I love that I've started this year with a PR!!! :D
P.P.S. I just learned that I was right about the course seeming short. It was only 3 miles, so my pace was actually 8:29.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Hi all,
I started out 2007 with a “resolution” to run only 2 races a month. I finished with 34 races on my schedule, so I overshot a little and, with only two races in November and just one in December, I really missed the mark earlier in the year. September was my heaviest month with 4 total races, including 2 races on one weekend (1 mile and 18 miles – PRs in both). I did a lot of speedwork in training, but not as much endurance training as I should have.
Happily, the speedwork paid off. I set distance PRs from the mile to the marathon – some of them just barely, but pushing it at the finish is what I do best, apparently.
I won a trophy for 2nd Fastest Masters Female in a 3.5 mile race, but only because my friend (and team captain) took 2nd overall.
Overall, it was a pretty good year. I ran two marathons, including one at the Arctic Circle. I traveled for six races – the Draft Day 5k at Giants Stadium, the Broad Street Run in Philadelphia, the Arctic Circle Marathon in Rovaniemi, Finland, the Disneyland Half Marathon in Anaheim, the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco, and the Tower of Terror 13k in Orlando. I’m going to try to combine racing with all or most of my future travel.
Next up: New Year's Day Resolution 5k (1/1/08)
Thank you for all your support this year!!
Happy New Year!!
I started out 2007 with a “resolution” to run only 2 races a month. I finished with 34 races on my schedule, so I overshot a little and, with only two races in November and just one in December, I really missed the mark earlier in the year. September was my heaviest month with 4 total races, including 2 races on one weekend (1 mile and 18 miles – PRs in both). I did a lot of speedwork in training, but not as much endurance training as I should have.
Happily, the speedwork paid off. I set distance PRs from the mile to the marathon – some of them just barely, but pushing it at the finish is what I do best, apparently.
I won a trophy for 2nd Fastest Masters Female in a 3.5 mile race, but only because my friend (and team captain) took 2nd overall.
Overall, it was a pretty good year. I ran two marathons, including one at the Arctic Circle. I traveled for six races – the Draft Day 5k at Giants Stadium, the Broad Street Run in Philadelphia, the Arctic Circle Marathon in Rovaniemi, Finland, the Disneyland Half Marathon in Anaheim, the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco, and the Tower of Terror 13k in Orlando. I’m going to try to combine racing with all or most of my future travel.
Next up: New Year's Day Resolution 5k (1/1/08)
Thank you for all your support this year!!
Happy New Year!!
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Holiday 4-miler 12.15.07
Hi all,
The Holiday 4-miler was my 34th and final race of the year. We ran counterclockwise around the 4-mile course of Central Park, starting and finishing on the 102nd Street Transverse.
Goals: To run between water stations and to finish with a 10:00 pace (40:00).
As some of you know, I’ve been sick off and on since the end of October. This was my first race since the NYC marathon (recap to come) and I’ve barely run 20 miles since then. So, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Every run has been a struggle. But, there was no way I was going to miss the last race of the year and certainly not the Holiday 4-miler!! I want my hot chocolate!! Not to mention, Freaky and Crazy Legs were going to be running it, too!
I took it easy this week and even waited to pick up my gear on race day, which I usually do in winter, anyway, because it’s very inconvenient to go to the NYRR office for pick-up during the week. The races start much later in winter (9:30 in this case), so I was able to sleep in and take my time getting there. Imagine my surprise when there was a line around the block for number pick-up! I hurried to the end and kept my eye out for Freaky and Crazy Legs. They got there shortly after I did. The line moved pretty quickly, but it was really cold and Freaky was shivering pretty badly by the time we got inside. After getting ourselves sorted, chipped and bibbed, we headed over to the start together. We passed Lou Just Lou warming up on our way over, so I just called hello. I decided to skip the warm-up myself. I dropped off my bag and went over to the start, looking for Lana and Bonnie, but finding Freaky and Crazy Legs instead. We started together, but they both quickly passed out of sight. The first couple of miles were a real struggle. I felt like I was pushing myself forward, dragging my body through a thick fog, and was already wheezing within the first mile. I made it to the first water station, just past the first mile marker, and was grateful for the walk break. I tricked myself through the next mile, but telling myself that the next water station would be just after the 72nd Street Transverse. It wasn’t, but by then, I was already more than halfway through the race and all I had to do was talk myself up Cat Hill to get to the next water station. One of the benefits of running so many of these races is that I know where they usually put the water stations. This time, I got it right - the water station was right across from the Met. I walked my way through the water station and used my inhaler to stop the wheezing. I started running again and the retching started right before the third mile marker. It wasn’t totally unexpected, but I’d made it through the first 3 miles and thought I might make it all the way. I kept to the side, but it stopped and I turned the corner onto the flat final mile and was able to pick it up a bit. At this point, I was finally feeling comfortable. I didn’t understand what had changed, but I went with it, finishing the final mile in 8:16!! I should have done that warm-up, after all! I had my first hot chocolate of the season and then Freaky, Crazy Legs and I headed off downtown together.
Official stats: I finished in 36:31 for an average pace of 9:07 over the 4 miles. I was 2618 out of 4951 total finishers, putting me in the 47th percentile. It was 29°F with 36% humidity and 6 mph winds. My splits from my watch were: 9:33, 9:14, 9:29, and 8:16.
Consolation treats: Freaky, Crazy Legs and I met up after the race for bubble tea, dim sum, followed by a food tour along Broome Street. When I got home, I had a chocolate brownie from Pret a Manger and my usual slushy Dr Pepper.
Thank you for all your support!
Pictures from the race and random pictures are available here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603472609848/ and here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603476592217/
The Holiday 4-miler was my 34th and final race of the year. We ran counterclockwise around the 4-mile course of Central Park, starting and finishing on the 102nd Street Transverse.
Goals: To run between water stations and to finish with a 10:00 pace (40:00).
As some of you know, I’ve been sick off and on since the end of October. This was my first race since the NYC marathon (recap to come) and I’ve barely run 20 miles since then. So, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Every run has been a struggle. But, there was no way I was going to miss the last race of the year and certainly not the Holiday 4-miler!! I want my hot chocolate!! Not to mention, Freaky and Crazy Legs were going to be running it, too!
I took it easy this week and even waited to pick up my gear on race day, which I usually do in winter, anyway, because it’s very inconvenient to go to the NYRR office for pick-up during the week. The races start much later in winter (9:30 in this case), so I was able to sleep in and take my time getting there. Imagine my surprise when there was a line around the block for number pick-up! I hurried to the end and kept my eye out for Freaky and Crazy Legs. They got there shortly after I did. The line moved pretty quickly, but it was really cold and Freaky was shivering pretty badly by the time we got inside. After getting ourselves sorted, chipped and bibbed, we headed over to the start together. We passed Lou Just Lou warming up on our way over, so I just called hello. I decided to skip the warm-up myself. I dropped off my bag and went over to the start, looking for Lana and Bonnie, but finding Freaky and Crazy Legs instead. We started together, but they both quickly passed out of sight. The first couple of miles were a real struggle. I felt like I was pushing myself forward, dragging my body through a thick fog, and was already wheezing within the first mile. I made it to the first water station, just past the first mile marker, and was grateful for the walk break. I tricked myself through the next mile, but telling myself that the next water station would be just after the 72nd Street Transverse. It wasn’t, but by then, I was already more than halfway through the race and all I had to do was talk myself up Cat Hill to get to the next water station. One of the benefits of running so many of these races is that I know where they usually put the water stations. This time, I got it right - the water station was right across from the Met. I walked my way through the water station and used my inhaler to stop the wheezing. I started running again and the retching started right before the third mile marker. It wasn’t totally unexpected, but I’d made it through the first 3 miles and thought I might make it all the way. I kept to the side, but it stopped and I turned the corner onto the flat final mile and was able to pick it up a bit. At this point, I was finally feeling comfortable. I didn’t understand what had changed, but I went with it, finishing the final mile in 8:16!! I should have done that warm-up, after all! I had my first hot chocolate of the season and then Freaky, Crazy Legs and I headed off downtown together.
Official stats: I finished in 36:31 for an average pace of 9:07 over the 4 miles. I was 2618 out of 4951 total finishers, putting me in the 47th percentile. It was 29°F with 36% humidity and 6 mph winds. My splits from my watch were: 9:33, 9:14, 9:29, and 8:16.
Consolation treats: Freaky, Crazy Legs and I met up after the race for bubble tea, dim sum, followed by a food tour along Broome Street. When I got home, I had a chocolate brownie from Pret a Manger and my usual slushy Dr Pepper.
Thank you for all your support!
Pictures from the race and random pictures are available here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603472609848/ and here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157603476592217/
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