Hi all,
Race number 7 (5th 2009 marathon-qualifying race) was the Colon Cancer Challenge 15k. The course takes us around the lower 5-mile loop and then the middle 4-mile loop in Central Park. I had 15 miles on my training schedule, so I planned to run the 4-mile loop before the 15k, then the lower 1.7-mile loop after the race.
Goals: to run between water stations, to run under 1:30, and to run each mile under 10-minute/mile pace. I knew it wasn’t likely, given the 4-mile “warm-up,” but I was secretly hoping to run a PR. In order to avoid a foolish attempt that might cause injury, though, I did not look up my 15k PR until I got home from the race (1:26:25).
I got to the Park a little early (the MTA is screwing around with my train-line again, so I left extra time), so I checked out the Colon Cancer booths. There was a giant inflatable colon in one of the booths. You could walk through it, if you wanted (I didn’t). I dropped my bag, then ran the 4-mile warm-up in about 38 minutes (about 9:30 pace). That was probably a little too fast, but it felt comfortable. I only stopped once on the 102nd Street Transverse, for water and a walk break.
I headed to the 15k start line, looking for Roxy and Mark, but didn’t find them. I did see Paul and he crossed over so we could start the race together. Paul is a faster runner than I am, but he hadn’t warmed up yet and I was 4 miles in, so we stayed together for about 3 ½ miles. Mile 2 was pretty comfortable, but turned out to be way too fast (8:22), so I put the brakes on a bit and tried to slow down so I could complete the 15 miles without bonking. At the 3rd water station, I had to stop to walk off some stiffness in my knee, so I told Paul to go on ahead. Throughout the race, I tried to keep an eye on him, but lost him after a couple of water stations. I started feeling tired in the 5th mile (9th overall). I had planned to take a gel after the first loop, but ended up running 6 miles before I could take it. I also needed another hit from my inhaler – it was freezing out! I was wearing 4 shirts (3 of them long-sleeved), but still felt cold. I took a very long walk break there, resulting in a 10+-minute mile. I tried to pick up the pace a bit, but my calf started cramping up and so I had to hold to a steady pace. I made it back around the 102nd Street Transverse and, after hitting the 8-mile marker, I decided to just go for it. Even if I ended up walking part of the final 1.7 mile-loop, I wanted to finish strong. There was no finishing kick, but I got myself across the finish line at 1:27:43, having stopped only at the water stations. Two out of three goals isn’t too bad.
After the race, I picked up my bag and jogged the lower loop in about 20 minutes. I stopped to take a couple of pictures, which slowed me down some. My total mileage for the day is 15 and the total running time was 2:25:43. I did have a couple of breaks in the running (waiting for the race to start and then getting my bag after the finish), but, except for the 5 minutes that I was standing at the start line, I was in constant motion the rest of the time.
Official stats: my official time was 1:27:43 for a 9:25 pace. My splits were 9:27, 8:22, 9:55, 9:09, 9:28, 9:21, 10:14, 9:59, 9:08 and 2:46 for the last three-tenths of a mile. I was 2217 out of 3280 total runners, putting me in the 32nd percentile. It was 30°F, wind-chill of about 20°F, and 20-30 mph winds (gusting to 40 mph).
Consolation treats: Merengue soda, Kopali dried organic pineapple, and Van den Berg Cinnamon Stick cookies.
Next up: Central Park 8k Challenge (3/16), Scotland 10k (3/30)
Pictures are available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157604084744091/
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Coogan's Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5k 3.2.08
Hi all,
Race number 6 (4th 2009 marathon-qualifying race) was the Coogan’s Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5k. This race is in my neighborhood, so I got to sleep in this morning! Well, I woke up early, but stayed in bed longer. We run along Fort Washington Avenue from 168th Street until we enter Fort Tryon Park, skirting a big rock formation until we are in the open again and can see not only the Cloisters, but also the Hudson River and the Palisades on the New Jersey side of the river. The turnaround is in the park and then we run the first half in reverse. This is generally a fun course to run – it’s close to home, there are usually a lot of spectators, and bands and cheerleaders are there to cheer us on.
Goals: to run between water stations, to set a course PR (sub 26:37) and to set a distance PR (sub 25:51).
I prepared for a PR for this race, to the extent I could. When I walked outside, though, I knew the PR was in jeopardy – it was really cold and really windy. The MTA pulled a last minute schedule change, running only a shuttle train at my end of the line (resulting in only 2 trains per hour) so I took the bus down instead. A girl and her mother were going to the bus, too, because the girl’s band (she plays electric bass) was playing at the start/finish of the race. Her mom told me that she used to run, too, and I tried to encourage her to start again. When I got to 168th Street, I was a little early, so I wandered around the Armory until it was time for my two-mile warm-up, which took me about 21 minutes. I had spent the entire week visualizing how I was going to run a PR, but, suddenly, when I was on the start line, I started thinking that I couldn’t remember how to run. Luckily the horn sounded and I had to get going or be run over. I lost the distance PR opportunity in the first quarter mile. First, there was the usual jockeying for position, not to mention dodging the walkers,* and then, suddenly, we’re all veering to the right. Three cars somehow got past the cops and were trying to drive down the course towards the start. I don’t know how they got them off the course, but they were gone when I finished.
It seemed to get colder and windier as we ran and I was struggling to breathe. I hit the first mile marker 20 seconds off pace and hoped I could make up the difference. We’d already hit one hill and had another to tackle before hitting that first one on the way to the finish. I stopped for water at the water station, but tried to keep it short. I felt great running down the hill into the park and then chugged back up, passing Rachel (we’ve run a couple of other races together) and then stopping at the water station when I got to the top of the hill again. I kept losing ground as I headed back to the start, but I did manage a good finishing sprint.
Official stats: my official time was 28:18 for a 9:07 pace. My splits were 8:40, 9:26, 9:32 and :45 for the last tenth of a mile. I was 1704 out of 3259 total runners, putting me in the 48th percentile. It was 30°F with 48% humidity and 21 mph winds (gusting to 38 mph).
Consolation treats: An Orangina and some Dale & Thomas Troy Aikman’s Halftime Chili & Sour Cream Popcorn (which isn’t as good as I expected – tastes too much like sour cream, which I don’t like)
Next up: Colon Cancer Challenge 15k (3/9), Central Park 8k Challenge (3/16), Scotland 10k (3/30)
Pictures are available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157604025144122/ and there’s a video of the cool tea brewer my sister gave me at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LozT9awPvL8
*Starting with the Adidas Run for the Parks on April 20th, all runners will be corralled at the starts, according to their recorded pace times, so walkers will no longer be able to start forward of their estimated pace.
Race number 6 (4th 2009 marathon-qualifying race) was the Coogan’s Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5k. This race is in my neighborhood, so I got to sleep in this morning! Well, I woke up early, but stayed in bed longer. We run along Fort Washington Avenue from 168th Street until we enter Fort Tryon Park, skirting a big rock formation until we are in the open again and can see not only the Cloisters, but also the Hudson River and the Palisades on the New Jersey side of the river. The turnaround is in the park and then we run the first half in reverse. This is generally a fun course to run – it’s close to home, there are usually a lot of spectators, and bands and cheerleaders are there to cheer us on.
Goals: to run between water stations, to set a course PR (sub 26:37) and to set a distance PR (sub 25:51).
I prepared for a PR for this race, to the extent I could. When I walked outside, though, I knew the PR was in jeopardy – it was really cold and really windy. The MTA pulled a last minute schedule change, running only a shuttle train at my end of the line (resulting in only 2 trains per hour) so I took the bus down instead. A girl and her mother were going to the bus, too, because the girl’s band (she plays electric bass) was playing at the start/finish of the race. Her mom told me that she used to run, too, and I tried to encourage her to start again. When I got to 168th Street, I was a little early, so I wandered around the Armory until it was time for my two-mile warm-up, which took me about 21 minutes. I had spent the entire week visualizing how I was going to run a PR, but, suddenly, when I was on the start line, I started thinking that I couldn’t remember how to run. Luckily the horn sounded and I had to get going or be run over. I lost the distance PR opportunity in the first quarter mile. First, there was the usual jockeying for position, not to mention dodging the walkers,* and then, suddenly, we’re all veering to the right. Three cars somehow got past the cops and were trying to drive down the course towards the start. I don’t know how they got them off the course, but they were gone when I finished.
It seemed to get colder and windier as we ran and I was struggling to breathe. I hit the first mile marker 20 seconds off pace and hoped I could make up the difference. We’d already hit one hill and had another to tackle before hitting that first one on the way to the finish. I stopped for water at the water station, but tried to keep it short. I felt great running down the hill into the park and then chugged back up, passing Rachel (we’ve run a couple of other races together) and then stopping at the water station when I got to the top of the hill again. I kept losing ground as I headed back to the start, but I did manage a good finishing sprint.
Official stats: my official time was 28:18 for a 9:07 pace. My splits were 8:40, 9:26, 9:32 and :45 for the last tenth of a mile. I was 1704 out of 3259 total runners, putting me in the 48th percentile. It was 30°F with 48% humidity and 21 mph winds (gusting to 38 mph).
Consolation treats: An Orangina and some Dale & Thomas Troy Aikman’s Halftime Chili & Sour Cream Popcorn (which isn’t as good as I expected – tastes too much like sour cream, which I don’t like)
Next up: Colon Cancer Challenge 15k (3/9), Central Park 8k Challenge (3/16), Scotland 10k (3/30)
Pictures are available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7411850@N04/sets/72157604025144122/ and there’s a video of the cool tea brewer my sister gave me at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LozT9awPvL8
*Starting with the Adidas Run for the Parks on April 20th, all runners will be corralled at the starts, according to their recorded pace times, so walkers will no longer be able to start forward of their estimated pace.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Queens Half Marathon 9.23.07
Hi all,
Race 27 was the Queens Half Marathon. It was a new course for the Queens Half (not to mention a new time of year – it’s usually in April or May) and you know what that means – guaranteed course PR! Instead of twice around a 6+-mile loop, we ran a single, complicated loop around northern Queens (a half hour bus-ride north of the furthest point out on the subway!): http://www.nyrr.org/races/2007/pdf/queens_half_map.pdf - the announcer at the finish was saying that there were 66 turns on the course. I believe it!
Goals: My usual goal of running between water stations; to set a course PR (I didn’t know until I was on the bus to the start that the course had been changed, so I made this goal before I’d even set foot in Queens!); and for my third goal, I was alternating between trying to run a distance PR and trying to maintain marathon pace for the entire distance (my hoped-for marathon pace is 10:00).
In order for me to get to this race, I had to take 2 buses and 2 subway trains, so I split the journey, thanks to my friend Utsuki and her husband, who allowed me to stay at their place in Sunnyside the night before the race. They even went to bed at 10, so I could get enough sleep (I was in the living room, as Utsuki’s mother is visiting and sleeping in the guest room, though she very kindly offered the room to me). Because the race was starting 7:00 am (according to Mary Whittenburg, president of NYRR, this was the earliest official race start in NYRR history), I had to get up at 5, so catch the train that would get me to the bus that would get me to the race before the start! I caught up with Lana in the port-a-potty line and we dropped our bags, then headed to the start. We started together, but got separated at the first water station. I thought she’d run off ahead of me, but I wasn’t able to catch up to her, so I just settled in to run and figure out what my ultimate goal would be. The first couple of miles were in a fairly industrial area and were followed by a “Corporate Park.” We did get to run through some beautiful areas of Queens, including Malba, but there were so many hills and turns that it was difficult to sightsee (I know, I know, I was supposed to be racing). I did think it was a bit strange to see all the new brickwork buildings. There are a lot of large homes there, too, with some incredible ironwork. Some day, I’d love to go through there in a car and take pictures. I was moving along pretty well, but started to feel my knee at the end of the 6th mile. I started doing knee swings at every water station and that helped me get from station to station. As I was running down a hill in the 7th mile, I could hear a bird squawking loudly and people around me were commenting on it. I looked up at a utility pole and saw a large bird’s nest with a large bird standing on a wire next to the nest. It sounded like a parrot and as I got closer, I realized that it was a parrot! A green parrot! Nesting in Queens, New York!! I love this city!! There was an even bigger nest around the corner, but I didn’t see any birds on it. At this point, I ran into Rachel (I met her at the Run to Home Plate race) and we ran together for a little while, but I lost her, too. That always happens to me at water stations. Several more hills and turns later, I came into the 11th mile and stopped at the water station. My knee was getting bad again and I needed to do knee swings and stretch my hamstrings. I checked my watch as I took off and I’d been there for 1:30. The last two miles had the best view – we ran along the Sound and the water was so blue, it was almost surreal. I hit the 11-mile marker at 10:41, which meant that I’d run that mile in about 9:10! I’d heard that the last mile was very hilly and they weren’t kidding! There was one steep hill that wasn’t too long, but then another steep hill that was very long and continued even steeper after a short flat bit! Finally, though, we rounded the corner and were heading back towards the park. I hit the cobblestoned path into the park and, as I passed the 13-mile marker and tried for a finishing kick. Fabian and Roberto were there and they cheered me on, helping me to keep up the “sprint”! When I got to the official photo line, the woman getting her picture taken turned out to be Roxanne! I can’t believe how many people I ran into at this race!
Official stats: I finished in 2:08:10 for an average pace of 9:47 over the 13.1 miles. I was 2406 out of 3589 total finishers, putting me in the 33rd percentile. My official splits from my watch were: 10:25, 9:51, 9:38; 9:19; 9:53; 9:13; 10:13; 9:39; 10:01; 9:30; 11:41; 9:14; 9:44; and :52 for the last tenth of a mile (8:40 pace – not bad for my finishing kick). It was 64° with 60% humidity.
Consolation treats: Utsuki and her mom prepared a feast for me: sushi (rice wrapped in tofu skins), gyoza (pork and scallop, but, because of my shellfish allergy, I ate only the pork dumplings), bok choy, cooked in garlic, and home-made chocolate ice-cream. Delicious! And, because I’m greedy, I also had a slushy Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper and a Chipwich ice-cream sandwich (http://chipwich.com/chipwich/products.htm) when I got home. :D
Next up: The Fifth Avenue Mile (9/29), the 18-mile Tune-up (9/30), the Nike Women’s Half Marathon (10/21) and the Tower of Terror 13k (10/27).
Thank you for all your support!
Yahoo photos is closing down, so I had to switch to another service. I’m on snapfish now. Hopefully, you’ll be able to see the pictures here: http://queenshalfmarathon92307.snapfish.com/snapfish. To view photos on snapfish, you need to have an account with them. Sign in as runnerakalalynx@yahoo.com and use myspace as the password. The password for this group of albums is 092307. Let me know if you have trouble and I’ll see what else I can do.
Here’s a video of a blimp flying over New York from the 42nd floor of 7 World Trade Center: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLCuaSWYx-w
Race 27 was the Queens Half Marathon. It was a new course for the Queens Half (not to mention a new time of year – it’s usually in April or May) and you know what that means – guaranteed course PR! Instead of twice around a 6+-mile loop, we ran a single, complicated loop around northern Queens (a half hour bus-ride north of the furthest point out on the subway!): http://www.nyrr.org/races/2007/pdf/queens_half_map.pdf - the announcer at the finish was saying that there were 66 turns on the course. I believe it!
Goals: My usual goal of running between water stations; to set a course PR (I didn’t know until I was on the bus to the start that the course had been changed, so I made this goal before I’d even set foot in Queens!); and for my third goal, I was alternating between trying to run a distance PR and trying to maintain marathon pace for the entire distance (my hoped-for marathon pace is 10:00).
In order for me to get to this race, I had to take 2 buses and 2 subway trains, so I split the journey, thanks to my friend Utsuki and her husband, who allowed me to stay at their place in Sunnyside the night before the race. They even went to bed at 10, so I could get enough sleep (I was in the living room, as Utsuki’s mother is visiting and sleeping in the guest room, though she very kindly offered the room to me). Because the race was starting 7:00 am (according to Mary Whittenburg, president of NYRR, this was the earliest official race start in NYRR history), I had to get up at 5, so catch the train that would get me to the bus that would get me to the race before the start! I caught up with Lana in the port-a-potty line and we dropped our bags, then headed to the start. We started together, but got separated at the first water station. I thought she’d run off ahead of me, but I wasn’t able to catch up to her, so I just settled in to run and figure out what my ultimate goal would be. The first couple of miles were in a fairly industrial area and were followed by a “Corporate Park.” We did get to run through some beautiful areas of Queens, including Malba, but there were so many hills and turns that it was difficult to sightsee (I know, I know, I was supposed to be racing). I did think it was a bit strange to see all the new brickwork buildings. There are a lot of large homes there, too, with some incredible ironwork. Some day, I’d love to go through there in a car and take pictures. I was moving along pretty well, but started to feel my knee at the end of the 6th mile. I started doing knee swings at every water station and that helped me get from station to station. As I was running down a hill in the 7th mile, I could hear a bird squawking loudly and people around me were commenting on it. I looked up at a utility pole and saw a large bird’s nest with a large bird standing on a wire next to the nest. It sounded like a parrot and as I got closer, I realized that it was a parrot! A green parrot! Nesting in Queens, New York!! I love this city!! There was an even bigger nest around the corner, but I didn’t see any birds on it. At this point, I ran into Rachel (I met her at the Run to Home Plate race) and we ran together for a little while, but I lost her, too. That always happens to me at water stations. Several more hills and turns later, I came into the 11th mile and stopped at the water station. My knee was getting bad again and I needed to do knee swings and stretch my hamstrings. I checked my watch as I took off and I’d been there for 1:30. The last two miles had the best view – we ran along the Sound and the water was so blue, it was almost surreal. I hit the 11-mile marker at 10:41, which meant that I’d run that mile in about 9:10! I’d heard that the last mile was very hilly and they weren’t kidding! There was one steep hill that wasn’t too long, but then another steep hill that was very long and continued even steeper after a short flat bit! Finally, though, we rounded the corner and were heading back towards the park. I hit the cobblestoned path into the park and, as I passed the 13-mile marker and tried for a finishing kick. Fabian and Roberto were there and they cheered me on, helping me to keep up the “sprint”! When I got to the official photo line, the woman getting her picture taken turned out to be Roxanne! I can’t believe how many people I ran into at this race!
Official stats: I finished in 2:08:10 for an average pace of 9:47 over the 13.1 miles. I was 2406 out of 3589 total finishers, putting me in the 33rd percentile. My official splits from my watch were: 10:25, 9:51, 9:38; 9:19; 9:53; 9:13; 10:13; 9:39; 10:01; 9:30; 11:41; 9:14; 9:44; and :52 for the last tenth of a mile (8:40 pace – not bad for my finishing kick). It was 64° with 60% humidity.
Consolation treats: Utsuki and her mom prepared a feast for me: sushi (rice wrapped in tofu skins), gyoza (pork and scallop, but, because of my shellfish allergy, I ate only the pork dumplings), bok choy, cooked in garlic, and home-made chocolate ice-cream. Delicious! And, because I’m greedy, I also had a slushy Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper and a Chipwich ice-cream sandwich (http://chipwich.com/chipwich/products.htm) when I got home. :D
Next up: The Fifth Avenue Mile (9/29), the 18-mile Tune-up (9/30), the Nike Women’s Half Marathon (10/21) and the Tower of Terror 13k (10/27).
Thank you for all your support!
Yahoo photos is closing down, so I had to switch to another service. I’m on snapfish now. Hopefully, you’ll be able to see the pictures here: http://queenshalfmarathon92307.snapfish.com/snapfish. To view photos on snapfish, you need to have an account with them. Sign in as runnerakalalynx@yahoo.com and use myspace as the password. The password for this group of albums is 092307. Let me know if you have trouble and I’ll see what else I can do.
Here’s a video of a blimp flying over New York from the 42nd floor of 7 World Trade Center: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLCuaSWYx-w
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Disneyland Half Marathon 9.03.07
Hi all,
Race 26* was Disneyland Half Marathon. We started in Downtown Disney, ran around the back of California Adventure, then entered and ran through California Adventure, crossed the esplanade and entered Disneyland, ran through Disneyland, came back out onto the streets of Anaheim, ran back and over to Arrowhead Pond (home of the Mighty Ducks), ran along the Santa Ana Trail towards Angels’ Stadium, entered the stadium and circled the bases (not on the field itself, though), came back out onto the streets, and finished up at Downtown Disney.
Expo day: The best thing about the expo this year was Yamaha’s BodiBeat booth. http://www.yamaha.com/bodibeat/consumer.asp I am definitely getting one of these when they come out. The expo wasn’t as good as last year, even though it was bigger. I spent a lot of time trying to find a visor to wear during the race, but no-one had any that were designed for runners. There were a bunch of cotton twill visors and caps, but one of the necessary features for a visor, to me, at least, is a sweat band to keep sweat out of my eyes and contacts! I ended up buying a cap from Race Ready. I went back to the expo on Sunday, because my parents wanted to check it out. I met up with RunJoeRun and Shayna K (who had very kindly taken family photos for us at Alice’s the day before). I stayed at the Radisson Main Gate again this year (thanks, again, Mike and Dan!!), so I could either take a shuttle or walk about a half mile to the start.
Goals: I had a seriously ambitious time goal for this one. I wanted to go sub-2. My half marathon PR was 2:02:49 and beating that would have been good, too. Plus my usual goal of running between water stations.
I took the shuttle to the race (it pulled up right as I was leaving the hotel) and walked through Downtown Disney (DD) to the start. BodiBeat was giving out flashing buttons under Merlin’s Hat, but it fell off about halfway through the race. I was trying to figure out how I was going to find Shayna in the crowds and there she was. With Vanessa, who I’d missed at the expo and hadn’t reached by phone yet! What luck! We hung out a while, then I dropped off my bag and found them again. One of the Toy Story soldiers got on stage and told everyone that it was going to be hot and that everyone should drop any extra gear (wings, tutus, etc., though he did say we could carry our wands). We eventually made our way to the start. I was in Corral B, in the first wave. I stretched and waited and finally the opening ceremony started. With a confirmation of Shayna’s news – there was a 3-flag system: yellow, which meant that we should be careful and not run too hard; red, which meant that it was getting dangerous and we should take it easy and anyone with heat issues should drop out; and black, at which point they were turning off the clocks and it would be a fun run instead. There is nothing fun about a half marathon, even if it is run partly through Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure (DCA)! Then, he told us that we were already in a red flag situation. Yikes! I started reconsidering my goals at that point. The dignitaries were paraded out (including Mickey and Minnie in track suits), the monorail arrived with the special guests (including Goofy and other characters), and then the countdown started. It was really cool – soundless firework stars arced upwards from either side as the countdown hit 3, 2, 1 and then the big bang and the full fireworks display started as the gun sounded (presumably – I couldn’t hear it).
We took off running down and then up under an overpass, heading out of DD, passing the Convention Center and then coming back into DCA. I love running through the Parks!! The surface is great to run on and the characters were out to cheer for us. I remember passing Flik, Koda (or was it Kenai?), Stitch (I flashed the Surf’s Up sign at him as I passed), Lightning McQueen, and Mater. And, like last year, in addition to staff cheering us on along the way, there were wranglers there to take pictures of runners and characters with the runners’ cameras – a very nice touch and one of these years I’m going to take advantage of it! We left DCA and headed across to Disneyland, running behind Main Street, passing Chip (or was it Dale) and Pluto, Alice, the Mad Hatter, Buzz Lightyear, running through Cinderella’s castle, then past Woody and Jessie, Captain Jack Sparrow and the other pirates (he fired a cannon at us, but the ball fell short, splashing into the water instead), we passed the Genie and Jazmin on our way back to Main Street, which we ran down on our way out of the park and onto the streets of Anaheim. I knew that this was where it was going to get tough, because it was blazing hot and there is no shade in Anaheim! I should say, too, that I don’t usually start sweating until the 3rd mile, but I was soaked by the end of the first mile and already knew I wasn’t going to get a PR, much less a sub-2. So, I spent the first couple of miles out of the park trying to figure out what my revised goal should be. I would have been happy with anything under 2:10, but knew from my Bronx Half Marathons in July that 2:15 was more likely, given my recent running times (my fastest July Bronx Half was 2:23:26).
In the 5th mile, the palpitations started and so did my walking. My heart-rate generally stays fairly low when I run, so when it started going crazy, I paid attention and started walking whenever it got a little crazy. There were lots of cheerleaders and high school bands along the way, as well as a Mexican band with dancers (who had just finished a number when I passed, so I didn’t get to see them) and what looked like a Polynesian dance troupe (again, they’d just finished performing when I got there, so I missed them, too). Finally, I saw the hockey stadium coming up and knew that the end was in sight. Well, not in sight, literally, but I knew I was going to make it. I just had to hope that the clocks weren’t turned off until I got to the finish! Outside of the stadium (we don’t get to run inside that one), there were cheerleaders and youth hockey players giving us high fives as we passed. We hit the Santa Ana trail, which was a nice break from the asphalt, and then came up to the Clif gel mile for yet another walk break. Next up is Angels Stadium and on the way there, we passed Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Eagle Scouts, Brownies, Girl Scouts, and more cheerleaders, along with parents and spectators cheering for us. At the end of the gauntlet, we headed into the stadium and ran along the warning track around home plate. This year, the camera was lined up along the 3rd base line, so that the runners could see themselves on the Jumbotron. I waved frantically, hoping my family back at the finish area would be able to see me.** I headed out of the stadium, walked through another water station, then headed, gratefully, back towards the parks.
When I got to mile 12, my heart sank. The clock was off. Twelve miles in and all for nothing. I slowed to a jog and headed over to the clock. As I passed, I asked someone standing there about the clock, but he just told me what time it was. I had already run 12 miles, so I just decided to run it in. About a half mile later, just inside DCA again, there was another water station and a medical tent, which had a red flag! I told someone about the clock being off at the 12-mile marker and that people would think we’d gone to Black Flag and stop racing. She said “Oh Shit” and immediately ran off to get the situation resolved. I was very happy to see her immediate response and that she took it so seriously. I was completely done in by this point and just decided that I was going to enjoy the rest of my run. My favorite modern Disney movie is Monsters, Inc., and, last year, Sully was cheering us on as we headed through DCA in the last mile of the race. He was there again this year and, even though there was a line and I didn’t have a camera, I stopped, waited and gave him a hug, telling him I loved him. ‘Cuz I do! Rejuvenated, I took off running again, zoomed through DD and headed for the finish line. I heard my name called as I ran towards Mickey and Minnie (still in their track suits, but not sweating at all) and turned to wave to my parents and brother. I crossed the finish line in under 2:15 on the official clock, so I made my revised goal – the only goal I hit!
As soon as I crossed, I headed over to someone and reported the 12-mile clock situation and, again, was happy to see him run off to find someone to take care of it. Last year’s race was fairly well organized, but getting the official photo was a nightmare. This year, we passed through another gauntlet, getting our medal, mylar blanket, water, PowerAde, bananas, oranges, bagels, fruitcups and then found the photographers. There was an official photograph station set up outside each baggage tent, so that the lines moved smoothly. After the photograph, I grabbed my bag and passed through the tent into the family reunion area, where I found my family waiting for me (sort of). This year, for the first time in my racing career, I was able to get a post-race massage! My brother waited in that line for me while I got my medal engraved with my name and time and the rest of the group went to the Disneyland Hotel to wait. I was very impressed with Disney’s handling of the post-race crowds, but they’re so used to crowd control that it would have been surprising if they hadn’t improved the situation from last year. I love Disney!
Official stats: I finished in 2:13:00 for an average pace of 10:29 over the 13.1 miles. I was 2163 out of 8763 total finishers, putting me in the 78th percentile!! I was 821 out of 5779 female finishers, putting me in the 86th percentile. I was 143 out of 826 finishers in my age/gender group, putting me in the 83rd percentile. My official splits from my watch were: 9:29, 9:49, 9:24; 9:51; 10:06; 9:36; 10:25; 10:20; 10:20; 11:19; 11:21; 10:21; 9:46; and :57 for the last tenth of a mile. It was 84° by the time we finished with approximately 70% humidity.
Consolation treats: Forget slushy Dr Peppers – I had a Dr Pepper Slurpee!! Thank Heaven for 7-Eleven!! And my brother who found it for me!! After that, we went to Chuao Chocolate Café at the Spectrum and, after a little difficulty explaining that I wanted a drink without coffee, I had the Chuao 73% (I think that’s what it’s called). MMM A few days later, I had some very special treats – the pictures are in the album.
Next up: The Queens Half Marathon (9/23), the Fifth Avenue Mile (9/29) and the 18-mile Tune-up (9/30).
Thank you for all your support!
*What a difference the accident made. Last year, this was my 32nd race of the year. The accident cut me back by 6 races and I added 3 races this year that I didn’t run last year, so I should have been at 33, not 26, given that the race was moved up two weeks this year.
**My parents and brother were waiting right at the finish line, so they couldn’t see the Jumbotron. My sister and brother-in-law were in the finishing area, but only my brother-in-law saw me.
Yahoo photos is closing down, so I had to switch to another service. I’m on snapfish now. Hopefully, you’ll be able to see the pictures here: http://www2.snapfish.com/groupview/groupname=disneylandhalfmarathon07/groupid=1947802/groupownerid=106844724/t_=106844724. You’ll need a password to get in. It’s 90307. Let me know if you have trouble and I’ll see what else I can do.
Race 26* was Disneyland Half Marathon. We started in Downtown Disney, ran around the back of California Adventure, then entered and ran through California Adventure, crossed the esplanade and entered Disneyland, ran through Disneyland, came back out onto the streets of Anaheim, ran back and over to Arrowhead Pond (home of the Mighty Ducks), ran along the Santa Ana Trail towards Angels’ Stadium, entered the stadium and circled the bases (not on the field itself, though), came back out onto the streets, and finished up at Downtown Disney.
Expo day: The best thing about the expo this year was Yamaha’s BodiBeat booth. http://www.yamaha.com/bodibeat/consumer.asp I am definitely getting one of these when they come out. The expo wasn’t as good as last year, even though it was bigger. I spent a lot of time trying to find a visor to wear during the race, but no-one had any that were designed for runners. There were a bunch of cotton twill visors and caps, but one of the necessary features for a visor, to me, at least, is a sweat band to keep sweat out of my eyes and contacts! I ended up buying a cap from Race Ready. I went back to the expo on Sunday, because my parents wanted to check it out. I met up with RunJoeRun and Shayna K (who had very kindly taken family photos for us at Alice’s the day before). I stayed at the Radisson Main Gate again this year (thanks, again, Mike and Dan!!), so I could either take a shuttle or walk about a half mile to the start.
Goals: I had a seriously ambitious time goal for this one. I wanted to go sub-2. My half marathon PR was 2:02:49 and beating that would have been good, too. Plus my usual goal of running between water stations.
I took the shuttle to the race (it pulled up right as I was leaving the hotel) and walked through Downtown Disney (DD) to the start. BodiBeat was giving out flashing buttons under Merlin’s Hat, but it fell off about halfway through the race. I was trying to figure out how I was going to find Shayna in the crowds and there she was. With Vanessa, who I’d missed at the expo and hadn’t reached by phone yet! What luck! We hung out a while, then I dropped off my bag and found them again. One of the Toy Story soldiers got on stage and told everyone that it was going to be hot and that everyone should drop any extra gear (wings, tutus, etc., though he did say we could carry our wands). We eventually made our way to the start. I was in Corral B, in the first wave. I stretched and waited and finally the opening ceremony started. With a confirmation of Shayna’s news – there was a 3-flag system: yellow, which meant that we should be careful and not run too hard; red, which meant that it was getting dangerous and we should take it easy and anyone with heat issues should drop out; and black, at which point they were turning off the clocks and it would be a fun run instead. There is nothing fun about a half marathon, even if it is run partly through Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure (DCA)! Then, he told us that we were already in a red flag situation. Yikes! I started reconsidering my goals at that point. The dignitaries were paraded out (including Mickey and Minnie in track suits), the monorail arrived with the special guests (including Goofy and other characters), and then the countdown started. It was really cool – soundless firework stars arced upwards from either side as the countdown hit 3, 2, 1 and then the big bang and the full fireworks display started as the gun sounded (presumably – I couldn’t hear it).
We took off running down and then up under an overpass, heading out of DD, passing the Convention Center and then coming back into DCA. I love running through the Parks!! The surface is great to run on and the characters were out to cheer for us. I remember passing Flik, Koda (or was it Kenai?), Stitch (I flashed the Surf’s Up sign at him as I passed), Lightning McQueen, and Mater. And, like last year, in addition to staff cheering us on along the way, there were wranglers there to take pictures of runners and characters with the runners’ cameras – a very nice touch and one of these years I’m going to take advantage of it! We left DCA and headed across to Disneyland, running behind Main Street, passing Chip (or was it Dale) and Pluto, Alice, the Mad Hatter, Buzz Lightyear, running through Cinderella’s castle, then past Woody and Jessie, Captain Jack Sparrow and the other pirates (he fired a cannon at us, but the ball fell short, splashing into the water instead), we passed the Genie and Jazmin on our way back to Main Street, which we ran down on our way out of the park and onto the streets of Anaheim. I knew that this was where it was going to get tough, because it was blazing hot and there is no shade in Anaheim! I should say, too, that I don’t usually start sweating until the 3rd mile, but I was soaked by the end of the first mile and already knew I wasn’t going to get a PR, much less a sub-2. So, I spent the first couple of miles out of the park trying to figure out what my revised goal should be. I would have been happy with anything under 2:10, but knew from my Bronx Half Marathons in July that 2:15 was more likely, given my recent running times (my fastest July Bronx Half was 2:23:26).
In the 5th mile, the palpitations started and so did my walking. My heart-rate generally stays fairly low when I run, so when it started going crazy, I paid attention and started walking whenever it got a little crazy. There were lots of cheerleaders and high school bands along the way, as well as a Mexican band with dancers (who had just finished a number when I passed, so I didn’t get to see them) and what looked like a Polynesian dance troupe (again, they’d just finished performing when I got there, so I missed them, too). Finally, I saw the hockey stadium coming up and knew that the end was in sight. Well, not in sight, literally, but I knew I was going to make it. I just had to hope that the clocks weren’t turned off until I got to the finish! Outside of the stadium (we don’t get to run inside that one), there were cheerleaders and youth hockey players giving us high fives as we passed. We hit the Santa Ana trail, which was a nice break from the asphalt, and then came up to the Clif gel mile for yet another walk break. Next up is Angels Stadium and on the way there, we passed Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Eagle Scouts, Brownies, Girl Scouts, and more cheerleaders, along with parents and spectators cheering for us. At the end of the gauntlet, we headed into the stadium and ran along the warning track around home plate. This year, the camera was lined up along the 3rd base line, so that the runners could see themselves on the Jumbotron. I waved frantically, hoping my family back at the finish area would be able to see me.** I headed out of the stadium, walked through another water station, then headed, gratefully, back towards the parks.
When I got to mile 12, my heart sank. The clock was off. Twelve miles in and all for nothing. I slowed to a jog and headed over to the clock. As I passed, I asked someone standing there about the clock, but he just told me what time it was. I had already run 12 miles, so I just decided to run it in. About a half mile later, just inside DCA again, there was another water station and a medical tent, which had a red flag! I told someone about the clock being off at the 12-mile marker and that people would think we’d gone to Black Flag and stop racing. She said “Oh Shit” and immediately ran off to get the situation resolved. I was very happy to see her immediate response and that she took it so seriously. I was completely done in by this point and just decided that I was going to enjoy the rest of my run. My favorite modern Disney movie is Monsters, Inc., and, last year, Sully was cheering us on as we headed through DCA in the last mile of the race. He was there again this year and, even though there was a line and I didn’t have a camera, I stopped, waited and gave him a hug, telling him I loved him. ‘Cuz I do! Rejuvenated, I took off running again, zoomed through DD and headed for the finish line. I heard my name called as I ran towards Mickey and Minnie (still in their track suits, but not sweating at all) and turned to wave to my parents and brother. I crossed the finish line in under 2:15 on the official clock, so I made my revised goal – the only goal I hit!
As soon as I crossed, I headed over to someone and reported the 12-mile clock situation and, again, was happy to see him run off to find someone to take care of it. Last year’s race was fairly well organized, but getting the official photo was a nightmare. This year, we passed through another gauntlet, getting our medal, mylar blanket, water, PowerAde, bananas, oranges, bagels, fruitcups and then found the photographers. There was an official photograph station set up outside each baggage tent, so that the lines moved smoothly. After the photograph, I grabbed my bag and passed through the tent into the family reunion area, where I found my family waiting for me (sort of). This year, for the first time in my racing career, I was able to get a post-race massage! My brother waited in that line for me while I got my medal engraved with my name and time and the rest of the group went to the Disneyland Hotel to wait. I was very impressed with Disney’s handling of the post-race crowds, but they’re so used to crowd control that it would have been surprising if they hadn’t improved the situation from last year. I love Disney!
Official stats: I finished in 2:13:00 for an average pace of 10:29 over the 13.1 miles. I was 2163 out of 8763 total finishers, putting me in the 78th percentile!! I was 821 out of 5779 female finishers, putting me in the 86th percentile. I was 143 out of 826 finishers in my age/gender group, putting me in the 83rd percentile. My official splits from my watch were: 9:29, 9:49, 9:24; 9:51; 10:06; 9:36; 10:25; 10:20; 10:20; 11:19; 11:21; 10:21; 9:46; and :57 for the last tenth of a mile. It was 84° by the time we finished with approximately 70% humidity.
Consolation treats: Forget slushy Dr Peppers – I had a Dr Pepper Slurpee!! Thank Heaven for 7-Eleven!! And my brother who found it for me!! After that, we went to Chuao Chocolate Café at the Spectrum and, after a little difficulty explaining that I wanted a drink without coffee, I had the Chuao 73% (I think that’s what it’s called). MMM A few days later, I had some very special treats – the pictures are in the album.
Next up: The Queens Half Marathon (9/23), the Fifth Avenue Mile (9/29) and the 18-mile Tune-up (9/30).
Thank you for all your support!
*What a difference the accident made. Last year, this was my 32nd race of the year. The accident cut me back by 6 races and I added 3 races this year that I didn’t run last year, so I should have been at 33, not 26, given that the race was moved up two weeks this year.
**My parents and brother were waiting right at the finish line, so they couldn’t see the Jumbotron. My sister and brother-in-law were in the finishing area, but only my brother-in-law saw me.
Yahoo photos is closing down, so I had to switch to another service. I’m on snapfish now. Hopefully, you’ll be able to see the pictures here: http://www2.snapfish.com/groupview/groupname=disneylandhalfmarathon07/groupid=1947802/groupownerid=106844724/t_=106844724. You’ll need a password to get in. It’s 90307. Let me know if you have trouble and I’ll see what else I can do.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
NYC Half Marathon 8.5.07
Hi all,
Race 23 was the NYC Half Marathon. We ran a loop and then some clockwise around Central Park, down 7th Avenue through Times Square, across 42nd Street and down the West Side Highway to Battery Park.
Goals: to run between water stations, to set a course PR (sub 2:08:49) and to set a distance PR (sub 2:02:49).
The event started at the expo on Friday afternoon. I timed my visit to coincide with the appearance of Haile Gebrselassie and Catherine Ndereba, who answered questions from the crowd and then gave autographs and took pictures (except with me, whose camera broke the day before). I had them autograph my bib (picture in the album). I wandered around, had a badge made, got a pace bracelet, picked up some freebies (Vaseline, hair bands, sunblock), then went home for a nice restful evening. Saturday was expo day again. Hendrick Ramaala and Abdi Abdirahman did the appearance and signed my bib. In the general questions session, I asked them about cross-training. Hendrick said he doesn’t do any and Abdi said he does abs after his long runs. The moderator was quick to point out that they’re professional athletes and that running is their job and that it’s good to be physically fit in a variety of ways. I was first in line for the autographs (I learned where to stand at the Friday night appearance) and when I told them my goal, they kidded each other that I was going to be right behind them. They wished me luck and signed my bib. This bib is going to be framed!! I went to work to wait for Elizabeth, who was arriving later. We met back at the expo at around 3. Well, by the time I got there, she and Jenna had finished with the expo (which I know now is tiny and nothing special, expo-wise) and were shopping at Niketown. It was so nice to finally meet Elizabeth in person after getting to know her through her blog. We chatted while Jenna finished shopping, then I went to mass. I can barely kneel before running a half marathon, so I was certainly not going to attempt it after one!
Race day – I had to be in my corral by 6:15, so I was up at 4:30 and out the door by 5. I missed the bus at 86th Street, so I walked across the Park to the starting area (that counts as a warm-up, right?). I got myself ready (inhaler, sunblock, etc.), dropped my bag and headed to the 7000 corral. Elizabeth was already there and while we were chatting, my friend, Paul, with his friend, Mitch, showed up. They are both training for a triathlon and were using this race as a training run. Elizabeth and Paul both decided to use me as a pacer (no pressure there!), because they wanted to run slowly and not race. As we started moving forward, compacting the corrals (we were about a half mile from the start), another friend, LK, found us. He’s on a new training regimen and was supposed to keep his heart rate at or below 145, so he was going slowly, too. We continued to move forward until we started hearing snatches of the national anthem and then the horn. We finally crossed the start line at 4:55. I’m not very good at talking while running, so I limited myself to pointing out landmarks to Elizabeth. I’m apparently not very good at thinking while I’m running, either, because I missed out on some pretty big ones, including the finish of the NYC Marathon. Sorry, Elizabeth!! As always, I stopped at every water station, drinking water and Gatorade and taking a short walk break at each one. There were plenty of spectators and I even saw someone I know in the crowds: Brenn, who is also a member of our corporate running team. We hit the 5k marker at 31:25. The first few miles were a bit of a struggle, especially getting up the hills on the upper west side of the Park. Elizabeth and I ran together for about 5 miles at which point we separated, though Paul and I continued on together. In the 7th mile, my first goal went by the wayside. I had meant to use my inhaler at the last water station, but forgot. My chest was getting tighter and tighter and when I started feeling light-headed and seeing stars, I stopped, puffed, and walked until I felt calmer. It didn’t take long and Paul hung with me until I was running again. We crossed the 10k mats at 1:01:17 (I learned later that the winner had already finished by that time). My total time for the 7th mile was 9:35, so I was clearly running too fast for this kind of humidity. And then, after a short sweeping uphill, we turned left and headed out of the Park onto 7th Avenue. Not only was this an environmental change, from a beautiful green park with trees rising on either side to city streets with skyscrapers rising on either side, but the crowds swelled and the music started (there was no music in the Park). From the brass band at Carnegie Hall to the DJs and dancers along the West Side Highway, you could still hear the band you’d passed fading away as you started hearing the band you approached. The buildings of Times Square are visible as soon as you hit 7th Avenue and I tried to keep my eyes on them to pull me forward. As with last year, I completely forgot about being broadcast on the jumbotron in Times Square until it was too late. I hope someone saw me and recognized me, but I didn’t recognize anyone on the screen when I looked up. As I turned onto 42nd Street, I was gasping for a water station – I needed the walk break and the fluids! Three times, we had to run 2 miles (more or less) between water stations. I don’t know who thought it was a good idea to have one of those long breaks 8 ½ miles into a half marathon in August in NYC! We passed several bands and DJs and then 7-Eleven (no more Kwik-E-Mart) and finally arrived at the water station. There were boxes of Carb-Boom gel for us to take, but I used my own (plain PowerGel). I probably should have taken the Carbo-Boom – it took nearly 2 minutes for me to get the stupid packet open!! Oh well, at least I had a nice long walk break. Paul couldn’t wait and took off, but I caught him before the turn onto the West Side Highway. In contrast to the glorious transition from Park to city streets back at mile 7+, the turn-off onto the West Side Highway was a transition to the most difficult section of the course. As hilly as Central Park is, the trees provide plenty of shade, as do the buildings in midtown. No such feature on the West Side Highway. Not only were we completely exposed to the blazing sun, but we moved from asphalt to concrete! The crowds were still good, though, and there were water stations in every mile. There were also supposed to be misting stations, but I didn’t see any. I crossed the 15k marker at 1:32:04. By the last four miles, I was getting grumpier and grumpier. On a walk break to drink water, I got irritated by a spectator standing in the road and waved him out of my way. Coming into the last water station, someone decided that it didn’t matter that people were running down the Highway; he was going to walk across it by way of my left foot. I called him a not-very-nice name, throwing in a glare for good measure. Bad me – we were all tired by that point and I’m sure he just wasn’t thinking straight. Hopefully, he didn’t hear me. I had gotten separated from Paul by this point and saw him go flying past in the last mile. I was beginning to chase after him when I remembered that his plan called for him to run the last mile fast, so I let him go. I had long ago realized that I couldn’t make my time goals, but thought I’d try to see how close I could get to a course PR. I crossed the 20k marker at 2:02:22. In that last half mile, I passed a downed runner, surrounded by cops, and a little farther along, the EMTS were moving a stretcher onto the course to retrieve him. I didn’t hear anything more about it, so I assume it was dehydration. I hope he’s okay. I also passed Brenn again and he cheered for me a couple of times, which helped push me along to the finish. I missed my revised goal of finishing in under 2:13 on the official clock, but it was close.
Paul was waiting for me at the finish and we picked up our medals, then got our picture taken together. We found Mitch, then Paul and Mitch took off while I headed over to grab my bag. I ran into Fabian, Roberto, Lou and LK (whose heart-rate average was exactly 145 – way to go, LK!) on my way out. I got a little confused and ended up back in the finishing chute, but eventually made it to Andrea and Brady’s place, where I took a quick shower and then we headed back out for dim sum and Divalicious!
Official stats: I finished in 2:08:23 for an average pace of 9:48 over the 13.1 miles – a course PR, by just 26 seconds. According to the Nike+ results, I was 6099 out of 9920 total finishers, putting me in the 39th percentile - the NYRR website has me listed as the 6362nd finisher, which would put me in the 36th percentile. It was 71°F with 61% humidity. My splits from my watch were: 9:59, 10:49, 9:46, 9:49, 9:40, 9:35, 9:38, 9:25, 10:44, 10:03, 9:41, 9:03 and :59 for the final .1 mile (9:50 pace).
Celebration treats: Andrea and Brady are fellow chocophiles, so they provided me immediately with some Valrhona chocolate (Manjari and Araguani), then we walked up to Chinatown for dim sum and then stopped at Divalicious for chocolate-fountain-dipped treats (I had the ice-cream-filled cream puffs – yum!). When I got home, I had my last Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper (don’t worry, Nathalie, I still have yours) – slushed, of course, and (again, provided by Andrea and Brady – thanks, guys!!)*
Next up: Media Challenge #5 (8/8) and the Run for Home Plate (8/11).
Thank you for all your support!
*This may seem like a lot of treats for someone who only hit one goal, I did set a course PR and it's my 3rd fastest half marathon time. Not too bad for someone who ran a marathon a month ago and is still recovering from some pretty painful injuries, not to mention it's a half marathon in NYC in August!
Race day pictures here: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762405076910&pid=&wtok=I5jP.Q1OY04w20jDDxU.tQ--&ts=1186450092&.src=ph
For those of you who missed it, the Anheuser-Busch Libation Loft album is here: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762405067110&pid=&wtok=f6RXDnpfTQuZd9CrAD6qvQ--&ts=1186193758&.src=ph (if you want to see the videos, let me know and I’ll send the links).
Race 23 was the NYC Half Marathon. We ran a loop and then some clockwise around Central Park, down 7th Avenue through Times Square, across 42nd Street and down the West Side Highway to Battery Park.
Goals: to run between water stations, to set a course PR (sub 2:08:49) and to set a distance PR (sub 2:02:49).
The event started at the expo on Friday afternoon. I timed my visit to coincide with the appearance of Haile Gebrselassie and Catherine Ndereba, who answered questions from the crowd and then gave autographs and took pictures (except with me, whose camera broke the day before). I had them autograph my bib (picture in the album). I wandered around, had a badge made, got a pace bracelet, picked up some freebies (Vaseline, hair bands, sunblock), then went home for a nice restful evening. Saturday was expo day again. Hendrick Ramaala and Abdi Abdirahman did the appearance and signed my bib. In the general questions session, I asked them about cross-training. Hendrick said he doesn’t do any and Abdi said he does abs after his long runs. The moderator was quick to point out that they’re professional athletes and that running is their job and that it’s good to be physically fit in a variety of ways. I was first in line for the autographs (I learned where to stand at the Friday night appearance) and when I told them my goal, they kidded each other that I was going to be right behind them. They wished me luck and signed my bib. This bib is going to be framed!! I went to work to wait for Elizabeth, who was arriving later. We met back at the expo at around 3. Well, by the time I got there, she and Jenna had finished with the expo (which I know now is tiny and nothing special, expo-wise) and were shopping at Niketown. It was so nice to finally meet Elizabeth in person after getting to know her through her blog. We chatted while Jenna finished shopping, then I went to mass. I can barely kneel before running a half marathon, so I was certainly not going to attempt it after one!
Race day – I had to be in my corral by 6:15, so I was up at 4:30 and out the door by 5. I missed the bus at 86th Street, so I walked across the Park to the starting area (that counts as a warm-up, right?). I got myself ready (inhaler, sunblock, etc.), dropped my bag and headed to the 7000 corral. Elizabeth was already there and while we were chatting, my friend, Paul, with his friend, Mitch, showed up. They are both training for a triathlon and were using this race as a training run. Elizabeth and Paul both decided to use me as a pacer (no pressure there!), because they wanted to run slowly and not race. As we started moving forward, compacting the corrals (we were about a half mile from the start), another friend, LK, found us. He’s on a new training regimen and was supposed to keep his heart rate at or below 145, so he was going slowly, too. We continued to move forward until we started hearing snatches of the national anthem and then the horn. We finally crossed the start line at 4:55. I’m not very good at talking while running, so I limited myself to pointing out landmarks to Elizabeth. I’m apparently not very good at thinking while I’m running, either, because I missed out on some pretty big ones, including the finish of the NYC Marathon. Sorry, Elizabeth!! As always, I stopped at every water station, drinking water and Gatorade and taking a short walk break at each one. There were plenty of spectators and I even saw someone I know in the crowds: Brenn, who is also a member of our corporate running team. We hit the 5k marker at 31:25. The first few miles were a bit of a struggle, especially getting up the hills on the upper west side of the Park. Elizabeth and I ran together for about 5 miles at which point we separated, though Paul and I continued on together. In the 7th mile, my first goal went by the wayside. I had meant to use my inhaler at the last water station, but forgot. My chest was getting tighter and tighter and when I started feeling light-headed and seeing stars, I stopped, puffed, and walked until I felt calmer. It didn’t take long and Paul hung with me until I was running again. We crossed the 10k mats at 1:01:17 (I learned later that the winner had already finished by that time). My total time for the 7th mile was 9:35, so I was clearly running too fast for this kind of humidity. And then, after a short sweeping uphill, we turned left and headed out of the Park onto 7th Avenue. Not only was this an environmental change, from a beautiful green park with trees rising on either side to city streets with skyscrapers rising on either side, but the crowds swelled and the music started (there was no music in the Park). From the brass band at Carnegie Hall to the DJs and dancers along the West Side Highway, you could still hear the band you’d passed fading away as you started hearing the band you approached. The buildings of Times Square are visible as soon as you hit 7th Avenue and I tried to keep my eyes on them to pull me forward. As with last year, I completely forgot about being broadcast on the jumbotron in Times Square until it was too late. I hope someone saw me and recognized me, but I didn’t recognize anyone on the screen when I looked up. As I turned onto 42nd Street, I was gasping for a water station – I needed the walk break and the fluids! Three times, we had to run 2 miles (more or less) between water stations. I don’t know who thought it was a good idea to have one of those long breaks 8 ½ miles into a half marathon in August in NYC! We passed several bands and DJs and then 7-Eleven (no more Kwik-E-Mart) and finally arrived at the water station. There were boxes of Carb-Boom gel for us to take, but I used my own (plain PowerGel). I probably should have taken the Carbo-Boom – it took nearly 2 minutes for me to get the stupid packet open!! Oh well, at least I had a nice long walk break. Paul couldn’t wait and took off, but I caught him before the turn onto the West Side Highway. In contrast to the glorious transition from Park to city streets back at mile 7+, the turn-off onto the West Side Highway was a transition to the most difficult section of the course. As hilly as Central Park is, the trees provide plenty of shade, as do the buildings in midtown. No such feature on the West Side Highway. Not only were we completely exposed to the blazing sun, but we moved from asphalt to concrete! The crowds were still good, though, and there were water stations in every mile. There were also supposed to be misting stations, but I didn’t see any. I crossed the 15k marker at 1:32:04. By the last four miles, I was getting grumpier and grumpier. On a walk break to drink water, I got irritated by a spectator standing in the road and waved him out of my way. Coming into the last water station, someone decided that it didn’t matter that people were running down the Highway; he was going to walk across it by way of my left foot. I called him a not-very-nice name, throwing in a glare for good measure. Bad me – we were all tired by that point and I’m sure he just wasn’t thinking straight. Hopefully, he didn’t hear me. I had gotten separated from Paul by this point and saw him go flying past in the last mile. I was beginning to chase after him when I remembered that his plan called for him to run the last mile fast, so I let him go. I had long ago realized that I couldn’t make my time goals, but thought I’d try to see how close I could get to a course PR. I crossed the 20k marker at 2:02:22. In that last half mile, I passed a downed runner, surrounded by cops, and a little farther along, the EMTS were moving a stretcher onto the course to retrieve him. I didn’t hear anything more about it, so I assume it was dehydration. I hope he’s okay. I also passed Brenn again and he cheered for me a couple of times, which helped push me along to the finish. I missed my revised goal of finishing in under 2:13 on the official clock, but it was close.
Paul was waiting for me at the finish and we picked up our medals, then got our picture taken together. We found Mitch, then Paul and Mitch took off while I headed over to grab my bag. I ran into Fabian, Roberto, Lou and LK (whose heart-rate average was exactly 145 – way to go, LK!) on my way out. I got a little confused and ended up back in the finishing chute, but eventually made it to Andrea and Brady’s place, where I took a quick shower and then we headed back out for dim sum and Divalicious!
Official stats: I finished in 2:08:23 for an average pace of 9:48 over the 13.1 miles – a course PR, by just 26 seconds. According to the Nike+ results, I was 6099 out of 9920 total finishers, putting me in the 39th percentile - the NYRR website has me listed as the 6362nd finisher, which would put me in the 36th percentile. It was 71°F with 61% humidity. My splits from my watch were: 9:59, 10:49, 9:46, 9:49, 9:40, 9:35, 9:38, 9:25, 10:44, 10:03, 9:41, 9:03 and :59 for the final .1 mile (9:50 pace).
Celebration treats: Andrea and Brady are fellow chocophiles, so they provided me immediately with some Valrhona chocolate (Manjari and Araguani), then we walked up to Chinatown for dim sum and then stopped at Divalicious for chocolate-fountain-dipped treats (I had the ice-cream-filled cream puffs – yum!). When I got home, I had my last Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper (don’t worry, Nathalie, I still have yours) – slushed, of course, and (again, provided by Andrea and Brady – thanks, guys!!)*
Next up: Media Challenge #5 (8/8) and the Run for Home Plate (8/11).
Thank you for all your support!
*This may seem like a lot of treats for someone who only hit one goal, I did set a course PR and it's my 3rd fastest half marathon time. Not too bad for someone who ran a marathon a month ago and is still recovering from some pretty painful injuries, not to mention it's a half marathon in NYC in August!
Race day pictures here: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762405076910&pid=&wtok=I5jP.Q1OY04w20jDDxU.tQ--&ts=1186450092&.src=ph
For those of you who missed it, the Anheuser-Busch Libation Loft album is here: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762405067110&pid=&wtok=f6RXDnpfTQuZd9CrAD6qvQ--&ts=1186193758&.src=ph (if you want to see the videos, let me know and I’ll send the links).
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Naples Park to Park 10k 7.14.06
Hi all,
Race 20 was the Naples Park to Park 10k – we ran the 6-mile loop of Central Park, starting on the East Drive, just south of the 102nd Street Transverse, continuing around the Park and finishing on the 102nd Street Transverse. The NYRR has “twinned” itself with the Napoli Road Runners and the first race of the Park of the Park event took place in June at the Royal Woods of Capodimonte in Naples.
Goals: To run between water stations and to finish with 10-minute miles. The tendonitis in my left leg was still bothering me, but one of the PTs who works on my leg suggested that I wrap my foot. I bought an Ace bandage and it really seemed to help. Rather than take the chance, I wrapped my foot for the race, too.
I’m still in recovery from the marathon, so I decided against a warm-up, but I did do some strides. As I lined up by the 9-minute marker, I saw Mark on the other side of the road and gradually worked my way over to him. We chatted a bit, but I knew I was going to go slow and told him to go on ahead. He very nicely ran with me a little longer, then went off to run his race. I struggled up the Harlem Hill, but managed to get to the top without stopping. The rolling downhills on the West Side were a welcome relief, especially because I knew that I’d have to run up Cat Hill on the other side of the park. I walked through the water stations (the first of which didn’t appear until the 3rd mile – not good in this heat, NYRR), but did have to make one extra stop. My top of my left foot was bothering me, so I stopped at just about the 5k point to retie my laces. I needn’t have bothered – it made no difference. I think it was the tendonitis acting up a bit. I thought about stopping quite a bit, but tried to keep myself going to the water stations. At one point, the water station wasn’t quite where I expected and I realized that it was only my perception that made it seem out-of-place. Running through the winter months, I could see quite clearly where the water stations were because the trees and bushes were mostly bare. Now, though, the Park is lush and full and the water stations are hidden around corners. I can’t say which I prefer, but it certainly is prettier now. I made it to Cat Hill and fully expected to have to stop and walk a bit, but I was able to climb the hill at a run, saluting Cat as I passed. As I came up to the flat section of the East Drive, I was able to salute Fred (LeBow – the man who made the NYC Marathon what it is today) and then count down the blocks as I neared the finish. The first 5 miles were really tough, but this last mile seemed to be much easier. I felt like I was flying (and, compared to the pace of the first 5 miles, I almost was) and I tried to push it towards the finish. After the race, I wandered over to the awards area to wait to not win the raffle and Mark found me holding down the fort at the Naples table (no-one was there, so I sat down). We directed a number of runners to the raffle bowl at the next table, then listened to an Italian guitarist sing along to his guitar. A number of runners were given medals, though it wasn’t clear why they were singled out. It’s possible that they ran both events (this one and the one in Naples). We walked back to the subway together and then I headed out to LI to visit my folks.
Official stats: I finished in 1:01:16 for an average pace of 9:52 over the 6.2 miles. I was 3122 out of 4556 total finishers, putting me in the 31st percentile. It was 67°F with 61% humidity. My splits from my watch were: 10:03, 9:40, 9:55, 10:49, 9:40, 9:22, and the final .2 mile split was 1:50 (9:10 pace).
Consolation treats: Dark chocolate mint Cadbury Fingers, which my friend, Lisa, sent me from the UK, and a Blue Woo Hoo Vanilla Squishee from 7-Eleven.
Next up: Run for Central Park (7/21) [the Run to Home Plate, originally scheduled for 7/22, has been postponed]
Thank you for all your support!
Pictures from the race, and from a very special shop here in New York, are available here (these pictures are pretty self-explanatory, so, contrary to my usual practice, the only commentary in the slideshow is a description of the last picture: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762404944364&pid=&wtok=fkVZwJ1F8RXiLnfkHToH8Q--&ts=1184724813&.src=ph
Race 20 was the Naples Park to Park 10k – we ran the 6-mile loop of Central Park, starting on the East Drive, just south of the 102nd Street Transverse, continuing around the Park and finishing on the 102nd Street Transverse. The NYRR has “twinned” itself with the Napoli Road Runners and the first race of the Park of the Park event took place in June at the Royal Woods of Capodimonte in Naples.
Goals: To run between water stations and to finish with 10-minute miles. The tendonitis in my left leg was still bothering me, but one of the PTs who works on my leg suggested that I wrap my foot. I bought an Ace bandage and it really seemed to help. Rather than take the chance, I wrapped my foot for the race, too.
I’m still in recovery from the marathon, so I decided against a warm-up, but I did do some strides. As I lined up by the 9-minute marker, I saw Mark on the other side of the road and gradually worked my way over to him. We chatted a bit, but I knew I was going to go slow and told him to go on ahead. He very nicely ran with me a little longer, then went off to run his race. I struggled up the Harlem Hill, but managed to get to the top without stopping. The rolling downhills on the West Side were a welcome relief, especially because I knew that I’d have to run up Cat Hill on the other side of the park. I walked through the water stations (the first of which didn’t appear until the 3rd mile – not good in this heat, NYRR), but did have to make one extra stop. My top of my left foot was bothering me, so I stopped at just about the 5k point to retie my laces. I needn’t have bothered – it made no difference. I think it was the tendonitis acting up a bit. I thought about stopping quite a bit, but tried to keep myself going to the water stations. At one point, the water station wasn’t quite where I expected and I realized that it was only my perception that made it seem out-of-place. Running through the winter months, I could see quite clearly where the water stations were because the trees and bushes were mostly bare. Now, though, the Park is lush and full and the water stations are hidden around corners. I can’t say which I prefer, but it certainly is prettier now. I made it to Cat Hill and fully expected to have to stop and walk a bit, but I was able to climb the hill at a run, saluting Cat as I passed. As I came up to the flat section of the East Drive, I was able to salute Fred (LeBow – the man who made the NYC Marathon what it is today) and then count down the blocks as I neared the finish. The first 5 miles were really tough, but this last mile seemed to be much easier. I felt like I was flying (and, compared to the pace of the first 5 miles, I almost was) and I tried to push it towards the finish. After the race, I wandered over to the awards area to wait to not win the raffle and Mark found me holding down the fort at the Naples table (no-one was there, so I sat down). We directed a number of runners to the raffle bowl at the next table, then listened to an Italian guitarist sing along to his guitar. A number of runners were given medals, though it wasn’t clear why they were singled out. It’s possible that they ran both events (this one and the one in Naples). We walked back to the subway together and then I headed out to LI to visit my folks.
Official stats: I finished in 1:01:16 for an average pace of 9:52 over the 6.2 miles. I was 3122 out of 4556 total finishers, putting me in the 31st percentile. It was 67°F with 61% humidity. My splits from my watch were: 10:03, 9:40, 9:55, 10:49, 9:40, 9:22, and the final .2 mile split was 1:50 (9:10 pace).
Consolation treats: Dark chocolate mint Cadbury Fingers, which my friend, Lisa, sent me from the UK, and a Blue Woo Hoo Vanilla Squishee from 7-Eleven.
Next up: Run for Central Park (7/21) [the Run to Home Plate, originally scheduled for 7/22, has been postponed]
Thank you for all your support!
Pictures from the race, and from a very special shop here in New York, are available here (these pictures are pretty self-explanatory, so, contrary to my usual practice, the only commentary in the slideshow is a description of the last picture: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762404944364&pid=&wtok=fkVZwJ1F8RXiLnfkHToH8Q--&ts=1184724813&.src=ph
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Brooklyn Half Marathon 4.14.07
Hi all,
Race 12 was the Brooklyn Half Marathon. The course starts on the boardwalk at Coney Island near Ocean Parkway, heading west to the end of the boardwalk, where we turn around, run back along the boardwalk, turn off onto the street, just before the 3-mile marker, head east to Ocean Parkway, run north along Ocean Parkway to Prospect Park, which we loop before heading into the middle to finish on Center Drive. Along the boardwalk and up Ocean Parkway, the course is relatively flat, but Prospect Park is hilly, somehow, mostly uphill – especially the finish. This was my fourth running of the Brooklyn Half Marathon and my 21st half marathon, just shy of my 3rd anniversary of racing (I missed noting my 3rd anniversary of running, which was back in February).
Goals: As you know, my knees have been a bit cranky. I took a lot of time off to give them some rest, running fewer than 12 miles in the week before the race and none at all the prior weekend. I wanted to run between all water stations, not blow out my knees, and possibly set a course PR. A distance PR and a sub-2 half marathon were distant goals, but I didn’t think I could manage either without further damage to my knees.
My friend, Laura, was kind enough to let me stay at her apartment in Park Slope Friday night, so I was able to get sleep a little longer than if I’d stayed at home. In fact, I was so tired that I went to bed at 9 and stayed in bed until 6. I met up with Bonnie (who also lives in Park Slope) and we took the train to Coney Island together. We got there a little early, so I took some pictures on the boardwalk and showed Bonnie the treacherousness of the boardwalk (in the forms of broken boards, bolts sticking up, uneven planking . . .). We lined up at the 9-minute marker, where I was supposed to meet up with Fabian, but I didn’t see him anywhere. I knew that if I didn’t see him before the race, I wouldn’t see him at all. He finished much faster than I did! Bonnie and I ran together for the first 5 miles. We both rolled our ankles on the boardwalk while cheering on the front runners as they sped past us. That’s why I always try to pay attention to the boardwalk – it’s scary! We managed to keep from falling, but I heard later about a woman who completely wiped out – I hope she’s okay. We looped around the end of the boardwalk and on our way to the turn-off onto the road (yay!), we saw a guy completely wipe out because he ran into a garbage can. He must have really been in the zone, because this was not a little desk garbage can. It was an oil-barrel-sized garbage can! I saw him later on the course and then after the race and he seemed to be fine. We continued on, running a little too fast, but I wasn’t feeling uncomfortable and knew that if I ran with Bonnie, I could keep myself from trying to go all out. At a certain point, though, I kept finding myself several feet ahead of her and knew I would have to focus a lot more to pull back than to just let my legs go, so we agreed to meet up at the finish, wished each other luck, and I gave control over to my legs. I was moving pretty well, but the longer I ran, the more I felt my knees. It started at about mile 4.5 (which is about where it started in my two training runs this week) – nothing too bad, but a definite sensation of pressure. Coming up Ocean Parkway, we were running straight into the Nor’easter, which was blowing pretty fiercely at times. I stopped for Gatorade and water at most of the stations, but I did skip a couple in the beginning. I also took a PowerGel at the water station in the 8th mile. I also did a lot of stretching to see if I could get my knees to calm down a bit. I wanted to get into the park in under 1:30 and I managed it in 1:27:20. With all the calculations I was doing in my head, I knew that I couldn’t set a distance PR at this point, but I thought I might manage a course PR. The difficulty would be the hills, but, at least, we weren’t facing the wind anymore. There is a long curving hill up the East side of the park that leads to rolling hills along the north. There are several more hills as we circle the park and the finish is almost entirely uphill. When I got to the water station at the 10-mile marker, my left knee hurt so badly that I could barely walk. I drank as much as I could, thinking that I wouldn’t be able to stop again until the finish. I didn’t think my knees could manage another walk break. My hips were aching by this point, too, and, when I did get to the next water station, I couldn’t not stop, because my hips needed the break. My knees were both screaming as I walked through that station, but I kept it short and got myself running again as quickly as I could. I don’t know why, but my knees didn’t really hurt while I was running. As I rounded the turn onto Center Drive, I couldn’t see the 13-mile marker and wasn’t sure that I could keep running. It felt like the mile was going on forever and I would still have another tenth of a mile when I got there. All of a sudden, I hear people screaming my name and it’s my friend, Emily, who had come to cheer on her boyfriend. They were already leaving (I think he probably finished in 1:30 or so), but their cheers gave me the final push I needed. There was no finishing sprint, but I did run to the finish (I have a personal rule that I do not walk in the final mile of a race). I don’t know why, but my knees did not hurt after I finished, except when I had to walk uphill to get out of the park.+ I tried to cheer Bonnie at her finish, but I got cold and had to get my coat. I missed her by about 2 minutes. She did a great job on her first half marathon in years!!
Official stats: I finished in 2:06:56 for a 9:41 pace over the 13.1 miles, setting a course PR by almost 4 minutes! I was 3358 out of 4847 finishers, putting me in the 31st percentile. It was 41°F (5°C) with 49% humidity and 17 mph winds for a wind chill of 31°F (-1°C). My mile splits from my watch were: 9:47, 9:48, 10:33, 9:42, 9:55, 9:42, 8:54, 9:59, 9:00, 10:02, 9:34, 9:44, 9:18, and :59 for the final tenth of a mile (9:50 pace).
Celebratory treats: I stopped at the Cocoa Bar (www.cocoabarnyc.com) on my way to the subway and picked up a slice of red velvet cake (a particular favorite – theirs is made with a cinnamon buttercream frosting mmm). It was a bit squashed and stuck to the paper by the time I got it home, so I don’t have a picture, but you can see their cakes at www.cocoabarnyc.com/menupopupcakes.htm. I’m glad they had the red velvet cake, because the rest of their cakes look delicious, too, and I would have had a tough time picking an alternate.* I also had a Cassia from DeBrand (www.debrand.com) and a slushy Dr Pepper.
Next up: I’m taking next weekend off to give my knees more time to heal, but I’m seriously considering the Giants Stadium Draft Day 5k on April 28th.
Thank you for all your support!
Here is a link to some random pictures, including pictures from the race: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762398089332&pid=&wtok=IrwIT2nrJdPXVeKImIJOhg--&ts=1176683712&.src=ph (as always, there’s commentary in the slideshow).
*I also bought myself a mint hot chocolate to drink on the way home, a chocolate cloud cookie, a homemade marshmallow, a chocolate caramel, a chocolate mint caramel, and a Tall, Dark & Nutty bar (dark chocolate with almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios). I haven’t tried the chocolate bar yet, but everything else was delicious.
+Post-race update – I crashed as soon as I got home. I’ve been fighting something all week (I think that’s why I was so tired Friday night). I felt fine during the race, but gave in when I got home. My hips ached the rest of the day, but were fine when I got up this morning (Sunday). My knees were okay, too, but they kneeling in church was a bit painful. My quads, however, are very sore. I’m feeling a little better today, but my throat is still sore and I’ve got a slight fever. I think a wisdom tooth might be coming in. No inflammation in my knees, as far as I can tell.
Race 12 was the Brooklyn Half Marathon. The course starts on the boardwalk at Coney Island near Ocean Parkway, heading west to the end of the boardwalk, where we turn around, run back along the boardwalk, turn off onto the street, just before the 3-mile marker, head east to Ocean Parkway, run north along Ocean Parkway to Prospect Park, which we loop before heading into the middle to finish on Center Drive. Along the boardwalk and up Ocean Parkway, the course is relatively flat, but Prospect Park is hilly, somehow, mostly uphill – especially the finish. This was my fourth running of the Brooklyn Half Marathon and my 21st half marathon, just shy of my 3rd anniversary of racing (I missed noting my 3rd anniversary of running, which was back in February).
Goals: As you know, my knees have been a bit cranky. I took a lot of time off to give them some rest, running fewer than 12 miles in the week before the race and none at all the prior weekend. I wanted to run between all water stations, not blow out my knees, and possibly set a course PR. A distance PR and a sub-2 half marathon were distant goals, but I didn’t think I could manage either without further damage to my knees.
My friend, Laura, was kind enough to let me stay at her apartment in Park Slope Friday night, so I was able to get sleep a little longer than if I’d stayed at home. In fact, I was so tired that I went to bed at 9 and stayed in bed until 6. I met up with Bonnie (who also lives in Park Slope) and we took the train to Coney Island together. We got there a little early, so I took some pictures on the boardwalk and showed Bonnie the treacherousness of the boardwalk (in the forms of broken boards, bolts sticking up, uneven planking . . .). We lined up at the 9-minute marker, where I was supposed to meet up with Fabian, but I didn’t see him anywhere. I knew that if I didn’t see him before the race, I wouldn’t see him at all. He finished much faster than I did! Bonnie and I ran together for the first 5 miles. We both rolled our ankles on the boardwalk while cheering on the front runners as they sped past us. That’s why I always try to pay attention to the boardwalk – it’s scary! We managed to keep from falling, but I heard later about a woman who completely wiped out – I hope she’s okay. We looped around the end of the boardwalk and on our way to the turn-off onto the road (yay!), we saw a guy completely wipe out because he ran into a garbage can. He must have really been in the zone, because this was not a little desk garbage can. It was an oil-barrel-sized garbage can! I saw him later on the course and then after the race and he seemed to be fine. We continued on, running a little too fast, but I wasn’t feeling uncomfortable and knew that if I ran with Bonnie, I could keep myself from trying to go all out. At a certain point, though, I kept finding myself several feet ahead of her and knew I would have to focus a lot more to pull back than to just let my legs go, so we agreed to meet up at the finish, wished each other luck, and I gave control over to my legs. I was moving pretty well, but the longer I ran, the more I felt my knees. It started at about mile 4.5 (which is about where it started in my two training runs this week) – nothing too bad, but a definite sensation of pressure. Coming up Ocean Parkway, we were running straight into the Nor’easter, which was blowing pretty fiercely at times. I stopped for Gatorade and water at most of the stations, but I did skip a couple in the beginning. I also took a PowerGel at the water station in the 8th mile. I also did a lot of stretching to see if I could get my knees to calm down a bit. I wanted to get into the park in under 1:30 and I managed it in 1:27:20. With all the calculations I was doing in my head, I knew that I couldn’t set a distance PR at this point, but I thought I might manage a course PR. The difficulty would be the hills, but, at least, we weren’t facing the wind anymore. There is a long curving hill up the East side of the park that leads to rolling hills along the north. There are several more hills as we circle the park and the finish is almost entirely uphill. When I got to the water station at the 10-mile marker, my left knee hurt so badly that I could barely walk. I drank as much as I could, thinking that I wouldn’t be able to stop again until the finish. I didn’t think my knees could manage another walk break. My hips were aching by this point, too, and, when I did get to the next water station, I couldn’t not stop, because my hips needed the break. My knees were both screaming as I walked through that station, but I kept it short and got myself running again as quickly as I could. I don’t know why, but my knees didn’t really hurt while I was running. As I rounded the turn onto Center Drive, I couldn’t see the 13-mile marker and wasn’t sure that I could keep running. It felt like the mile was going on forever and I would still have another tenth of a mile when I got there. All of a sudden, I hear people screaming my name and it’s my friend, Emily, who had come to cheer on her boyfriend. They were already leaving (I think he probably finished in 1:30 or so), but their cheers gave me the final push I needed. There was no finishing sprint, but I did run to the finish (I have a personal rule that I do not walk in the final mile of a race). I don’t know why, but my knees did not hurt after I finished, except when I had to walk uphill to get out of the park.+ I tried to cheer Bonnie at her finish, but I got cold and had to get my coat. I missed her by about 2 minutes. She did a great job on her first half marathon in years!!
Official stats: I finished in 2:06:56 for a 9:41 pace over the 13.1 miles, setting a course PR by almost 4 minutes! I was 3358 out of 4847 finishers, putting me in the 31st percentile. It was 41°F (5°C) with 49% humidity and 17 mph winds for a wind chill of 31°F (-1°C). My mile splits from my watch were: 9:47, 9:48, 10:33, 9:42, 9:55, 9:42, 8:54, 9:59, 9:00, 10:02, 9:34, 9:44, 9:18, and :59 for the final tenth of a mile (9:50 pace).
Celebratory treats: I stopped at the Cocoa Bar (www.cocoabarnyc.com) on my way to the subway and picked up a slice of red velvet cake (a particular favorite – theirs is made with a cinnamon buttercream frosting mmm). It was a bit squashed and stuck to the paper by the time I got it home, so I don’t have a picture, but you can see their cakes at www.cocoabarnyc.com/menupopupcakes.htm. I’m glad they had the red velvet cake, because the rest of their cakes look delicious, too, and I would have had a tough time picking an alternate.* I also had a Cassia from DeBrand (www.debrand.com) and a slushy Dr Pepper.
Next up: I’m taking next weekend off to give my knees more time to heal, but I’m seriously considering the Giants Stadium Draft Day 5k on April 28th.
Thank you for all your support!
Here is a link to some random pictures, including pictures from the race: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762398089332&pid=&wtok=IrwIT2nrJdPXVeKImIJOhg--&ts=1176683712&.src=ph (as always, there’s commentary in the slideshow).
*I also bought myself a mint hot chocolate to drink on the way home, a chocolate cloud cookie, a homemade marshmallow, a chocolate caramel, a chocolate mint caramel, and a Tall, Dark & Nutty bar (dark chocolate with almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios). I haven’t tried the chocolate bar yet, but everything else was delicious.
+Post-race update – I crashed as soon as I got home. I’ve been fighting something all week (I think that’s why I was so tired Friday night). I felt fine during the race, but gave in when I got home. My hips ached the rest of the day, but were fine when I got up this morning (Sunday). My knees were okay, too, but they kneeling in church was a bit painful. My quads, however, are very sore. I’m feeling a little better today, but my throat is still sore and I’ve got a slight fever. I think a wisdom tooth might be coming in. No inflammation in my knees, as far as I can tell.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Scotland 10k 4.01.07 Recap
Hi all,
Race 11 was the Scotland 10k. The course was once around the big loop clockwise and then some to finish at Tavern on the Green.
Goals: As you know, my knees are in bad shape. In addition to the bursitis, I have patellar tendonitis in both knees after last week’s half marathon. In addition to running between water stations, I was hoping to run each mile at sub-10 pace. I had a distance PR goal of 58:06 to beat, but would have to run really smart, if I wanted to make that happen. I’d already decided not to go out strong and just run comfortably, with no finishing sprint. I spent most of the weekend calculating where I’d have to be at certain points to make this happen.
I got to the Park early and lined up to get the Scottish flag painted on my face. There was only one face painter, so it was slow going. There was a serious set-back when a photographer for the Daily News saw a little boy in line and decided to take him to the front of the line to take the pictures. I objected to the wrangler, but she didn’t care. None of the racers were very impressed. His face painting took 3 times as long as anyone else’s, too, because the photographer kept taking pictures. Finally someone at the front of the line said something strong (I didn’t hear it) and the photographer stepped back and apologized. I waited an extra 5 minutes (which was less than it otherwise might have been because several people stepped out of line when the photographer started screwing everything up) and was finally successful. I ran into Paul, who cautioned me about the bursitis (thank you, Paul), and I promised I was going to take it easy. I dropped my bag and headed to the start with less than 5 minutes to spare. I wasn’t planning to do a warm-up, to save my knees, just in case, but I realized that I’d forgotten my inhaler and had to run back to get it out of my bag. Then, I had to run to the start, which was good, because it let me get a feel for how my knee was doing. I lined up on the side behind the 9-minute marker (ever optimistic) and took off at a nice easy pace. I allowed myself to get boxed in and generally did what I could to keep my pace back. I decided to try to run evenly. I’d calculated that 9:20 pace would get me through to a PR, but wouldn’t leave me any room for error. I skipped the first water station. I knew that I wouldn’t have many extra seconds to spare and also, for some reason, I tend to run faster coming out of the water stations, so I hoped this would keep my pace more even and protect my knee. I didn’t feel any pain in the first few miles. It wasn’t until I was coming up to the 3rd mile marker in the Harlem Hills that my knee started to bother me. The uphills were a little wearing, but nothing I couldn’t handle. The flats and downhills were great – no pain at all. I skipped the next water station, too. As we came around the top of the Park, two girls were talking about the lack of spectators cheering us and exclaiming about the hill coming up. I told them it wasn’t as difficult as it appeared and one of them said that the last hill had nearly killed her. I told her this one wasn’t as bad and to keep her arms low to save energy. As I ran off ahead, I heard her saying that I was their cheerleader. That made me smile, but did not hold me back. I left them to find other cheerleaders and made my way up the curve to finish off the top of the Park. At the 102nd Street Transverse, the New York Flyer bagpiper was there, playing us along. I kept moving easily along, no effort at all, and was soon passing Fred. Coming down the East Side was wonderful! The dogwoods and/or cherry trees were in bud and some were even in bloom. The trees were white and pink and red. No matter how nice the weeks have been, the weekends have been so cold. It even rained a bit today. So, the promise of Spring really made me happy! As with the last race, I spent a lot of time doing math in my head. I had calculated that if I hit the 4-mile marker with 22 minutes to spare, I could slow to a 10-minute mile pace and still set a PR. That didn’t happen. I passed the next water station and pushed it a little coming down Cat Hill. On the way to the 5-miler marker, I calculated that if I hit it with 12 minutes to spare, I’d be able to slow at that point to a 10-minute mile pace and still set a PR. I made it with half a minute to spare, so I felt like I could relax and pay more attention to my knee, which, while not painful, was feeling a bit of pressure. As we passed the carousel, there was a whole group of men shouting and cheering and high-fiving runners, which really helped me along. I moved easily around the bottom of the Park and saved some energy for the slight uphill before the finish. I tried not to sprint, but couldn’t help putting on a little push, hoping to finish in under 56 minutes. Didn’t happen. After I finished, I got my picture taken by Brightroom and, as I was heading over to get my bag, I heard someone call out, “La Lynx!” I turned around and there was Fabian. We chatted for a bit and went over to meet his brother Roberto. They had finished faster than I had, but had run 12 miles before the race and were running another 2 after! I went over to the stage and watched the winners get their prizes. Then the raffle happened. I have yet to win anything at a raffle, but I keep trying! I didn’t win this time, either, but Mark did and he gave me his prize! It was so nice of him!! He headed off – it was quite cold and he didn’t have a coat – but I stuck around to watch the crowd “strip the willow.”
Official stats: I finished in 56:14 for a 9:03 pace over the 6.2 miles, setting a distance PR by over almost 2 minutes! I was 3075 out of 5717 runners, putting me in the 46th percentile. It was 45°F (7°C) with 60% humidity and 5 mph winds. My mile splits from my watch were: 9:59, 9:04, 8:57, 9:03, 8:36, 8:51 and 1:47 for the final two-tenths of a mile (8:55 pace).
Celebratory treats: I had already set aside my non-chocolate treats: TastyKake Butterscotch Krimpets, which I’d saved for this occasion, some Churro-flavored Bugles (mmm . . . Churros), and, in case I did manage a distance PR, two dark-chocolate Magnum candies, which my cousin sent me from Italy. Those Magnum are unbelievably good – I wish I could find them here. Anyway, yesterday, I realized that if I did manage to set a distance PR today, that I’d have set distance PRs in every race I ran during Lent and that would need something special. Whole Foods let me down again, but I did find chocolate walnut cookies, so I’m having one of those. The clerk at Whole Foods commented that they looked really good, so I offered one to her, but she wouldn’t take one until I explained that I’d given chocolate up for Lent and would only be eating one of the cookies, anyway. She snuck it into her apron and I hope she’s enjoying it!
Next up: The Brooklyn Half Marathon on April 14th.
Thank you for all your support!
Here is a link to some random pictures, including pictures from the race, and some food shots: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762396026889&pid=&wtok=OwJbH6Adsfe3pYFtrFvlVw--&ts=1175469491&.src=ph (as always, there’s commentary in the slideshow). Here’s a video I took of the Strip of the Willow dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrV6VeowSr0.
Race 11 was the Scotland 10k. The course was once around the big loop clockwise and then some to finish at Tavern on the Green.
Goals: As you know, my knees are in bad shape. In addition to the bursitis, I have patellar tendonitis in both knees after last week’s half marathon. In addition to running between water stations, I was hoping to run each mile at sub-10 pace. I had a distance PR goal of 58:06 to beat, but would have to run really smart, if I wanted to make that happen. I’d already decided not to go out strong and just run comfortably, with no finishing sprint. I spent most of the weekend calculating where I’d have to be at certain points to make this happen.
I got to the Park early and lined up to get the Scottish flag painted on my face. There was only one face painter, so it was slow going. There was a serious set-back when a photographer for the Daily News saw a little boy in line and decided to take him to the front of the line to take the pictures. I objected to the wrangler, but she didn’t care. None of the racers were very impressed. His face painting took 3 times as long as anyone else’s, too, because the photographer kept taking pictures. Finally someone at the front of the line said something strong (I didn’t hear it) and the photographer stepped back and apologized. I waited an extra 5 minutes (which was less than it otherwise might have been because several people stepped out of line when the photographer started screwing everything up) and was finally successful. I ran into Paul, who cautioned me about the bursitis (thank you, Paul), and I promised I was going to take it easy. I dropped my bag and headed to the start with less than 5 minutes to spare. I wasn’t planning to do a warm-up, to save my knees, just in case, but I realized that I’d forgotten my inhaler and had to run back to get it out of my bag. Then, I had to run to the start, which was good, because it let me get a feel for how my knee was doing. I lined up on the side behind the 9-minute marker (ever optimistic) and took off at a nice easy pace. I allowed myself to get boxed in and generally did what I could to keep my pace back. I decided to try to run evenly. I’d calculated that 9:20 pace would get me through to a PR, but wouldn’t leave me any room for error. I skipped the first water station. I knew that I wouldn’t have many extra seconds to spare and also, for some reason, I tend to run faster coming out of the water stations, so I hoped this would keep my pace more even and protect my knee. I didn’t feel any pain in the first few miles. It wasn’t until I was coming up to the 3rd mile marker in the Harlem Hills that my knee started to bother me. The uphills were a little wearing, but nothing I couldn’t handle. The flats and downhills were great – no pain at all. I skipped the next water station, too. As we came around the top of the Park, two girls were talking about the lack of spectators cheering us and exclaiming about the hill coming up. I told them it wasn’t as difficult as it appeared and one of them said that the last hill had nearly killed her. I told her this one wasn’t as bad and to keep her arms low to save energy. As I ran off ahead, I heard her saying that I was their cheerleader. That made me smile, but did not hold me back. I left them to find other cheerleaders and made my way up the curve to finish off the top of the Park. At the 102nd Street Transverse, the New York Flyer bagpiper was there, playing us along. I kept moving easily along, no effort at all, and was soon passing Fred. Coming down the East Side was wonderful! The dogwoods and/or cherry trees were in bud and some were even in bloom. The trees were white and pink and red. No matter how nice the weeks have been, the weekends have been so cold. It even rained a bit today. So, the promise of Spring really made me happy! As with the last race, I spent a lot of time doing math in my head. I had calculated that if I hit the 4-mile marker with 22 minutes to spare, I could slow to a 10-minute mile pace and still set a PR. That didn’t happen. I passed the next water station and pushed it a little coming down Cat Hill. On the way to the 5-miler marker, I calculated that if I hit it with 12 minutes to spare, I’d be able to slow at that point to a 10-minute mile pace and still set a PR. I made it with half a minute to spare, so I felt like I could relax and pay more attention to my knee, which, while not painful, was feeling a bit of pressure. As we passed the carousel, there was a whole group of men shouting and cheering and high-fiving runners, which really helped me along. I moved easily around the bottom of the Park and saved some energy for the slight uphill before the finish. I tried not to sprint, but couldn’t help putting on a little push, hoping to finish in under 56 minutes. Didn’t happen. After I finished, I got my picture taken by Brightroom and, as I was heading over to get my bag, I heard someone call out, “La Lynx!” I turned around and there was Fabian. We chatted for a bit and went over to meet his brother Roberto. They had finished faster than I had, but had run 12 miles before the race and were running another 2 after! I went over to the stage and watched the winners get their prizes. Then the raffle happened. I have yet to win anything at a raffle, but I keep trying! I didn’t win this time, either, but Mark did and he gave me his prize! It was so nice of him!! He headed off – it was quite cold and he didn’t have a coat – but I stuck around to watch the crowd “strip the willow.”
Official stats: I finished in 56:14 for a 9:03 pace over the 6.2 miles, setting a distance PR by over almost 2 minutes! I was 3075 out of 5717 runners, putting me in the 46th percentile. It was 45°F (7°C) with 60% humidity and 5 mph winds. My mile splits from my watch were: 9:59, 9:04, 8:57, 9:03, 8:36, 8:51 and 1:47 for the final two-tenths of a mile (8:55 pace).
Celebratory treats: I had already set aside my non-chocolate treats: TastyKake Butterscotch Krimpets, which I’d saved for this occasion, some Churro-flavored Bugles (mmm . . . Churros), and, in case I did manage a distance PR, two dark-chocolate Magnum candies, which my cousin sent me from Italy. Those Magnum are unbelievably good – I wish I could find them here. Anyway, yesterday, I realized that if I did manage to set a distance PR today, that I’d have set distance PRs in every race I ran during Lent and that would need something special. Whole Foods let me down again, but I did find chocolate walnut cookies, so I’m having one of those. The clerk at Whole Foods commented that they looked really good, so I offered one to her, but she wouldn’t take one until I explained that I’d given chocolate up for Lent and would only be eating one of the cookies, anyway. She snuck it into her apron and I hope she’s enjoying it!
Next up: The Brooklyn Half Marathon on April 14th.
Thank you for all your support!
Here is a link to some random pictures, including pictures from the race, and some food shots: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762396026889&pid=&wtok=OwJbH6Adsfe3pYFtrFvlVw--&ts=1175469491&.src=ph (as always, there’s commentary in the slideshow). Here’s a video I took of the Strip of the Willow dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrV6VeowSr0.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
More Half Marathon 3.25.07
Hi all,
Race 10 was the More Half Marathon (my 9th marathon qualifier – I’m now guaranteed entry to the 2008 NYC Marathon). The Half Marathon and the Marathon both started at the same time. The Half Marathon was twice around the big loop clockwise, plus a mile or so to finish at Tavern on the Green. The Marathon Course was a bit of a nightmare (the half marathon course but continuing on to the 102nd Transverse, then twice the middle loop, then down around the bottom of the Park to finish at Tavern on the Green), so I’m glad I was only running the Half! The races were sponsored by More magazine, which is geared towards women 40 years of age or older, so this was a women’s only race and, in order to run the marathon, you had to be at least 40, and to run the half marathon, you had to be at least 40 or teamed with someone who is at least 40.
Goals: I wanted to run between water stations and not further damage my knee (I was diagnosed with bursitis this week and am limited to running 3 days a week with only swimming as a possible cross-training option). I deliberately did not look up my previous Grand Prix half marathon times to keep myself from working too hard, but I know that my distance PR is 2:03:55 from the Disneyland Half Marathon in flat-as-a-pancake Anaheim and that my New York PR is 2:08:49 (the NYC Half).
This event started, for me, at the expo. I went down at lunchtime on Friday, making sure to get there for the Meet-and-Greet with Katherine Switzer, Lynn Jennings, and Grete Waitz. I made my way around the expo, gathering the essentials (my race gear) and the goodies, then found myself at the More magazine booth. I got a 5-minute head, neck and shoulder massage (nice) and then met Katherine Switzer. She was sooooo nice!!! I told her that I wanted to thank her for what she did, because if she hadn’t, then we wouldn’t be here now and she hugged me and signed my bib. Then she called over Lynn Jennings to sign my bib and the three of us stood around chatting about the relative difficulties of the course, including which direction is more difficult. Then she introduced me to Grete Waitz and had her sign my bib as well. What a great experience!!
On race morning, it had been 2 days since I’d run or done any sort of exercise and I was worried about my legs. I got to the race about a half hour early and wandered around the booths. There was a stretch booth, but I decided to wait until after the race. I dropped my bag and headed over to the start. I stretched a little, then lined up by the 9-minute-mile marker. After some initial chatter and the National Anthem, we were off. Despite Peter Ciacia (sp?) announcing that walkers were to stay to the right to allow runners to pass on the left and to avoid walking two abreast, I was passing groups of walkers well into the first mile. I wasn’t sure what to expect from my knee, so I wanted to take it easy, especially knowing that we were going to be going up the rolling hills of the West Side within a couple of miles. The park is still pretty barren, but the difference between last week and this was incredible. Aside from a few patches of old snow up in the North hills, the snow and ice were all gone. Coming down the East side, I was happy to see that the cherry trees were budding, even blossoming, giving me hope that next week (if I run the Scotland 10k), the trees would be in full bloom and we’d have even lovelier scenery to run through. After the first couple of miles, I started to feel a bit better, though my legs were still a bit cranky. When I hit the rolling hills, I decided to give them all I have and take it all back on the downhill at the top of the Park. And that’s exactly what I did. When I came around to the East Side, I ran strong all the way down, stopping at the water station in the 6th mile to stretch a pinging Achilles tendon in my right heel. The stretching did a world of good – I didn’t feel my Achilles again for the rest of the race. I did a lot of math in my head this race, trying to figure out about what my time could be. When I hit the 6-mile marker, I was beginning to believe that I might actually set not only a course PR, but a New York half marathon PR as well. I swooped (9:05 pace) down around the bottom of the Park and headed back up past the finish-line, where I saw Katherine Switzer cheering us on. I called her name and she mid-fived me as I ran past. There were crowds of people cheering us on at almost every point along the course. It was really encouraging and I even saw my favorite cheerleader, the ex-Marine power-walker 3 times, getting a mid-five from him on my first loop around. At the water station in the 7th mile, my knee started screaming. It didn’t hurt at all while I was running, but when I stopped to walk through the water stations, the pain was unbelievable. Regardless, it didn’t hurt when I ran, so I just shortened my walk breaks. Coming up the West Side again, I decided to stick with my original plan, giving the hills all I had and taking back again on the way down. I tore down Harlem Hill, stopping for water and a caramel PowerBar gel on my way back up to the East side. I continued calculating in my head and when I hit the 10-mile marker, I knew that I had an excellent chance of breaking my New York PR and a faint chance of actually hitting a distance PR, which really surprised me. It was going to be a hard slog, though, if I was going to manage it. And lapping the walkers became a real problem here. Even though the volunteers were telling them to walk single file so the runners could pass, they were walking in groups of 3 and 4 abreast, forcing runners to pass them outside the rec. lane. The rest of the course was mostly flat and downhill, with just a few small hills (including the final hill up to Tavern on the Green), so I could push it a bit if I wanted. I hit the 11-mile marker in 8:34 and calculated that even if I slowed to a 10-minute mile, I could probably still break the distance PR. I hit the 12-mile marker in 8:53, and realized that running at my current pace would probably get me there in time, if I could get around the walkers. There were several points along this final mile where the walkers were taking up the entire rec. lane and the runners were either boxed in behind them or running outside the rec. lane to get around them. I ran around them, trying to maintain my pace. As I came up to the 13-mile marker, I realized that I was going to do it. I was beside myself! I had nothing left for a final sprint, but I didn’t need it. All I wanted to do was finish in under 2:05:55 on the official clock (I had started about 2 minutes after the race did, so if I finished in under 2:05:55, then my net time would be a PR) and I finished in 2:04:48. YAY!!!! I had to go to the medical tent afterwards, because my knee was completely wonky after the finish, but it was worth it!
Random Quotes (I’m putting the statements in quotes, but they’re almost definitely just the gist of what I heard):
“Walkers! Stay to the right and let runners pass on the left. Do not walk two abreast!” - Peter Ciacia (sp?) starting off the race
“Less gabbing and more running!” – one of the volunteers helping us stay within the rec. lane and cheering us on
“Enjoy the hill, ladies!” – the volunteer at the 102nd Street Transverse, which marks the start of the long, steep Harlem Hill
“You’re the best cheerleader!” – one of the racers to the ex-Marine on our third sighting of him along the course
Official stats: I finished in 2:02:42 for a 9:21 pace over the 13.1 miles, setting a distance PR by over a minute, an NYC PR by over 6 minutes, and a course PR by over 13 minutes!!!!! I was 700 out of 4200 runners, all female, putting me in the 83rd percentile (this isn’t as impressive as it looks – there were thousands of walkers) and 195th in my age group, putting me in the 80th percentile (or in the 74th percentile of the runners who finished in under 3 hours). It was 48°F (3°C) with 56% humidity and 7 mph winds. My mile splits from my watch were: 10:13, 10:01, 9:46, 9:28, 9:28, 9:43, 9:05, 9:41, 9:12, 9:19, 8:34, 8:53, 8:26, and :58 for the final tenth of a mile (9:40 pace).
Celebratory treats: I was caught unprepared for this one! I had no expectation of doing anything close to this time. I went to Whole Foods after the race, but, again, the treats I had eyed previously were not available. So, I decided to put something together from my (considerable) stash of chocolate at home. I drank Lorina Orangeade with lunch (yes, I tried to slush it up, but it wasn’t a particularly successful endeavor). My chocolate treats were my Cinnamon Kit Kat, which I’ve been hoarding since my friend Lisa gave it to m, and some dark-chocolate-covered hazelnut English toffee.
Next up: The Brooklyn Half Marathon on April 14th. I’m considering the Scotland 10k on April 1st, but haven’t committed yet. I’ll see how I feel after the next couple of days. It’ll depend on how well my knee has recovered. ‘Cuz you know I’ll be gunning for that 58:06 PR that I set in Irvine last year – another flat course!
Thank you for all your support!
Here is a link to some random pictures, including my race picture, some pictures from the expo and some food shots: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762394981700&pid=&wtok=T7myU8YpnZ_vS1mNpgzZ6A--&ts=1174862742&.src=ph (as always, there’s commentary in the slideshow).
Race 10 was the More Half Marathon (my 9th marathon qualifier – I’m now guaranteed entry to the 2008 NYC Marathon). The Half Marathon and the Marathon both started at the same time. The Half Marathon was twice around the big loop clockwise, plus a mile or so to finish at Tavern on the Green. The Marathon Course was a bit of a nightmare (the half marathon course but continuing on to the 102nd Transverse, then twice the middle loop, then down around the bottom of the Park to finish at Tavern on the Green), so I’m glad I was only running the Half! The races were sponsored by More magazine, which is geared towards women 40 years of age or older, so this was a women’s only race and, in order to run the marathon, you had to be at least 40, and to run the half marathon, you had to be at least 40 or teamed with someone who is at least 40.
Goals: I wanted to run between water stations and not further damage my knee (I was diagnosed with bursitis this week and am limited to running 3 days a week with only swimming as a possible cross-training option). I deliberately did not look up my previous Grand Prix half marathon times to keep myself from working too hard, but I know that my distance PR is 2:03:55 from the Disneyland Half Marathon in flat-as-a-pancake Anaheim and that my New York PR is 2:08:49 (the NYC Half).
This event started, for me, at the expo. I went down at lunchtime on Friday, making sure to get there for the Meet-and-Greet with Katherine Switzer, Lynn Jennings, and Grete Waitz. I made my way around the expo, gathering the essentials (my race gear) and the goodies, then found myself at the More magazine booth. I got a 5-minute head, neck and shoulder massage (nice) and then met Katherine Switzer. She was sooooo nice!!! I told her that I wanted to thank her for what she did, because if she hadn’t, then we wouldn’t be here now and she hugged me and signed my bib. Then she called over Lynn Jennings to sign my bib and the three of us stood around chatting about the relative difficulties of the course, including which direction is more difficult. Then she introduced me to Grete Waitz and had her sign my bib as well. What a great experience!!
On race morning, it had been 2 days since I’d run or done any sort of exercise and I was worried about my legs. I got to the race about a half hour early and wandered around the booths. There was a stretch booth, but I decided to wait until after the race. I dropped my bag and headed over to the start. I stretched a little, then lined up by the 9-minute-mile marker. After some initial chatter and the National Anthem, we were off. Despite Peter Ciacia (sp?) announcing that walkers were to stay to the right to allow runners to pass on the left and to avoid walking two abreast, I was passing groups of walkers well into the first mile. I wasn’t sure what to expect from my knee, so I wanted to take it easy, especially knowing that we were going to be going up the rolling hills of the West Side within a couple of miles. The park is still pretty barren, but the difference between last week and this was incredible. Aside from a few patches of old snow up in the North hills, the snow and ice were all gone. Coming down the East side, I was happy to see that the cherry trees were budding, even blossoming, giving me hope that next week (if I run the Scotland 10k), the trees would be in full bloom and we’d have even lovelier scenery to run through. After the first couple of miles, I started to feel a bit better, though my legs were still a bit cranky. When I hit the rolling hills, I decided to give them all I have and take it all back on the downhill at the top of the Park. And that’s exactly what I did. When I came around to the East Side, I ran strong all the way down, stopping at the water station in the 6th mile to stretch a pinging Achilles tendon in my right heel. The stretching did a world of good – I didn’t feel my Achilles again for the rest of the race. I did a lot of math in my head this race, trying to figure out about what my time could be. When I hit the 6-mile marker, I was beginning to believe that I might actually set not only a course PR, but a New York half marathon PR as well. I swooped (9:05 pace) down around the bottom of the Park and headed back up past the finish-line, where I saw Katherine Switzer cheering us on. I called her name and she mid-fived me as I ran past. There were crowds of people cheering us on at almost every point along the course. It was really encouraging and I even saw my favorite cheerleader, the ex-Marine power-walker 3 times, getting a mid-five from him on my first loop around. At the water station in the 7th mile, my knee started screaming. It didn’t hurt at all while I was running, but when I stopped to walk through the water stations, the pain was unbelievable. Regardless, it didn’t hurt when I ran, so I just shortened my walk breaks. Coming up the West Side again, I decided to stick with my original plan, giving the hills all I had and taking back again on the way down. I tore down Harlem Hill, stopping for water and a caramel PowerBar gel on my way back up to the East side. I continued calculating in my head and when I hit the 10-mile marker, I knew that I had an excellent chance of breaking my New York PR and a faint chance of actually hitting a distance PR, which really surprised me. It was going to be a hard slog, though, if I was going to manage it. And lapping the walkers became a real problem here. Even though the volunteers were telling them to walk single file so the runners could pass, they were walking in groups of 3 and 4 abreast, forcing runners to pass them outside the rec. lane. The rest of the course was mostly flat and downhill, with just a few small hills (including the final hill up to Tavern on the Green), so I could push it a bit if I wanted. I hit the 11-mile marker in 8:34 and calculated that even if I slowed to a 10-minute mile, I could probably still break the distance PR. I hit the 12-mile marker in 8:53, and realized that running at my current pace would probably get me there in time, if I could get around the walkers. There were several points along this final mile where the walkers were taking up the entire rec. lane and the runners were either boxed in behind them or running outside the rec. lane to get around them. I ran around them, trying to maintain my pace. As I came up to the 13-mile marker, I realized that I was going to do it. I was beside myself! I had nothing left for a final sprint, but I didn’t need it. All I wanted to do was finish in under 2:05:55 on the official clock (I had started about 2 minutes after the race did, so if I finished in under 2:05:55, then my net time would be a PR) and I finished in 2:04:48. YAY!!!! I had to go to the medical tent afterwards, because my knee was completely wonky after the finish, but it was worth it!
Random Quotes (I’m putting the statements in quotes, but they’re almost definitely just the gist of what I heard):
“Walkers! Stay to the right and let runners pass on the left. Do not walk two abreast!” - Peter Ciacia (sp?) starting off the race
“Less gabbing and more running!” – one of the volunteers helping us stay within the rec. lane and cheering us on
“Enjoy the hill, ladies!” – the volunteer at the 102nd Street Transverse, which marks the start of the long, steep Harlem Hill
“You’re the best cheerleader!” – one of the racers to the ex-Marine on our third sighting of him along the course
Official stats: I finished in 2:02:42 for a 9:21 pace over the 13.1 miles, setting a distance PR by over a minute, an NYC PR by over 6 minutes, and a course PR by over 13 minutes!!!!! I was 700 out of 4200 runners, all female, putting me in the 83rd percentile (this isn’t as impressive as it looks – there were thousands of walkers) and 195th in my age group, putting me in the 80th percentile (or in the 74th percentile of the runners who finished in under 3 hours). It was 48°F (3°C) with 56% humidity and 7 mph winds. My mile splits from my watch were: 10:13, 10:01, 9:46, 9:28, 9:28, 9:43, 9:05, 9:41, 9:12, 9:19, 8:34, 8:53, 8:26, and :58 for the final tenth of a mile (9:40 pace).
Celebratory treats: I was caught unprepared for this one! I had no expectation of doing anything close to this time. I went to Whole Foods after the race, but, again, the treats I had eyed previously were not available. So, I decided to put something together from my (considerable) stash of chocolate at home. I drank Lorina Orangeade with lunch (yes, I tried to slush it up, but it wasn’t a particularly successful endeavor). My chocolate treats were my Cinnamon Kit Kat, which I’ve been hoarding since my friend Lisa gave it to m, and some dark-chocolate-covered hazelnut English toffee.
Next up: The Brooklyn Half Marathon on April 14th. I’m considering the Scotland 10k on April 1st, but haven’t committed yet. I’ll see how I feel after the next couple of days. It’ll depend on how well my knee has recovered. ‘Cuz you know I’ll be gunning for that 58:06 PR that I set in Irvine last year – another flat course!
Thank you for all your support!
Here is a link to some random pictures, including my race picture, some pictures from the expo and some food shots: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762394981700&pid=&wtok=T7myU8YpnZ_vS1mNpgzZ6A--&ts=1174862742&.src=ph (as always, there’s commentary in the slideshow).
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Al Gordon Snowflake 4-miler 2.24.07
Hi all,
Race 6 was the Al Gordon Snowflake 4-Miler (my 5th marathon qualifier). We started on the East Drive at about 99th Street and completed the inner loop of Central Park. This race is segregated by gender, so the men ran at 8 and the women at 9. This made for an interesting start for the women, who had to line up in the same area where the men were finishing.
Goals: to keep running between water stations, to run 4 sub-9 miles, and to set a new PR (under 35:02). This was my first Lenten race. I’ve given up chocolate, caffeine (including Dr Pepper), and reading fiction; however, if I set a distance PR (course PRs don’t count), then I can have chocolate on the race day, if it’s a Sunday, or the first Sunday after the race. Last year, I only earned chocolate twice during Lent. Having just killed my 4-mile PR (should have planned that one out a little better, huh?), I’m going to work on it, but not expect any chocolates this year.
I don’t know what I was thinking, but I did everything wrong for this race. Maybe I was subconsciously trying to sabotage my PR attempt. Part of it wasn’t my fault. I waited for over an hour and a half at the doctor’s office and left with 4 people still ahead of me. So, I didn’t get to have lunch until nearly 3pm (I usually eat every 3 hours and lunch time is noon). When I got home, I couldn’t decide what to eat, so I ended up eating pretzel crisps with chipotle lime sour cream dip (from Whole Foods). I usually avoid dairy prior to a race. Then, for dessert, I had Garrett’s cheese popcorn (www.garrettpopcorn.com) It’s delicious, made from liquid, not powder, cheese, but, again, popcorn isn’t something I normally eat at all, much less before a race. Saturday is usually my recovery (from the week at work) and rest (from running) day, but today I had to get up and race. My neck and head were killing me when I got up and I couldn’t even bring myself to drink my usual cup of tea or eat my energy bar. I’d worn a ThermaCare lower back patch around my quad overnight and it was still warm, so I wrapped it around my neck to try to loosen it up and ease my headache. I also took an Aleve. I got a ride to the race from Sue, so I was there in plenty of time. I’d already decided to try something new this time – a warm-up, which Sue has been suggesting I try for a long time. I’d felt so bad when I got up and it was soooo cold, that I almost decided to skip the warm-up. But when we got there, I decided to go for it. The men were just beginning to come in to the finish, so I was able to run back to the 3-mile marker and cheer them on as they came towards me. I looked for Lou, but couldn’t find him. I got back to the start with about 15 minutes to go and felt pretty good. I looked around for my boss, but didn’t find her until after the race (she set a PR – Congratulations, Bonnie!!) Even though the number of runners was basically cut in half, there were still enough women running that we got caught up in “traffic” on the 102nd Street transverse. I was able to meet my first goal, though I had a longer stop at the second water station (in the 3rd mile). When I got there, a woman had removed her glove and was poking her finger into the cups, presumably looking for one that wasn’t frozen over (it was 20° - what did she expect?). I probably should have handled it better, but I said (very sharply, I’m afraid), “Quit sticking your finger into other people’s water. It’s disgusting.” She started and apologized and from her tone, I could tell that it hadn’t even occurred to her what she was effectively doing (i.e., sticking her finger into other people’s water). I should have shown her how to get the ice out of the cup (as my friend pointed out to me later), but I was so busy trying to find a cup she hadn’t poked her finger into, that it didn’t even occur to me. In any event, I doubt very much that she’ll do that again. Sue wants me to stop taking water breaks, but I think they’re helping me. In fact, after the first water break, I had to immediately head uphill and I just charged up – my legs felt soooo good. I paid for it later, when they tired, but I just told them (my legs, that is) that they’re not the boss of me and made them go faster. After scooting up Cat, I hit the 3-mile marker and had the satisfaction of knowing I’d already run that segment easily, but I also checked the time and realized that I couldn’t set a PR. I didn’t want to give up, so I just decided to see how close I could come. There wouldn’t be any chocolate treat, but I always have consolation treats when I don’t meet my goals. And, I’ll tell you right now, that I didn’t make the second goal. My first and third miles were both over 9 minutes. Back to mile 4 – I just kept going faster and faster and started thinking about my ability to run a sub-8 mile. I’ve run some low 8 miles during races, but my only sub-8s have been in the 2 1-mile races, when I ran all-out to get there. As I approached the finish, I took off, sprinting as hard as I could. I even had to angle myself between two women who were blocking me. I could see the 35 on the official clock, and I really wanted to try to get in before it turned over. I didn’t make it, but when I stopped my watch as I finished, I saw that I’d run the final mile (my 6th of the day) in 7:57!!!! My eyes were watering from the cold and the wind, but I don’t mind admitting that a few tears welled up, too. I got my chip clipped and headed back along the course to do my 2-mile cool-down (I’d decided to make this my long run) and tried to find Bonnie again, to run in with her, but didn’t see her. I took my tired legs back to the 3-mile marker and then came back to the finish again. I took two walk breaks, but only the distance between two of the marker cones.
Official stats: my net time was 34:59 for an 8:44 pace over the 4 miles – I set a new PR by 3 seconds, which means chocolate tomorrow! I was 755 out of 2249 female runners, putting me in the 66th percentile! It was 20°F (-7°C) with 44% humidity and windy. My mile splits from my watch were: 9:26, 8:35, 9:04, and 7:57 (!!). I’m still so excited about that sub-8!!
Celebratory treats: Today, for instant gratification, I stopped at Disc-o-Rama to buy FlyLeaf by Flyleaf, but it was out-of-stock, so I picked up Evanescence’s The Open Door, instead, and Chinese New Year peanut dumplings (thanks, Jolene!). Tomorrow, I will be having a Chocolate Peppermint Briquette from Hotel Chocolat. MMM It was only a 3-second PR, so I decided not to have solid chocolate this time.
Next up: Coogan’s Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5k on March 4th and the New York Colon Cancer Challenge 15k on March 11th.
Thank you for all your support!
Here is a link to some random pictures, including my Merchant’s House Museum visit, the last chocolate I ate before Lent, and today’s pictures: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762391076242&pid=&wtok=uxvujVkn.kb7.rENv_c7.A--&ts=1172376098&.src=ph (as always, there’s commentary in the slideshow)
Race 6 was the Al Gordon Snowflake 4-Miler (my 5th marathon qualifier). We started on the East Drive at about 99th Street and completed the inner loop of Central Park. This race is segregated by gender, so the men ran at 8 and the women at 9. This made for an interesting start for the women, who had to line up in the same area where the men were finishing.
Goals: to keep running between water stations, to run 4 sub-9 miles, and to set a new PR (under 35:02). This was my first Lenten race. I’ve given up chocolate, caffeine (including Dr Pepper), and reading fiction; however, if I set a distance PR (course PRs don’t count), then I can have chocolate on the race day, if it’s a Sunday, or the first Sunday after the race. Last year, I only earned chocolate twice during Lent. Having just killed my 4-mile PR (should have planned that one out a little better, huh?), I’m going to work on it, but not expect any chocolates this year.
I don’t know what I was thinking, but I did everything wrong for this race. Maybe I was subconsciously trying to sabotage my PR attempt. Part of it wasn’t my fault. I waited for over an hour and a half at the doctor’s office and left with 4 people still ahead of me. So, I didn’t get to have lunch until nearly 3pm (I usually eat every 3 hours and lunch time is noon). When I got home, I couldn’t decide what to eat, so I ended up eating pretzel crisps with chipotle lime sour cream dip (from Whole Foods). I usually avoid dairy prior to a race. Then, for dessert, I had Garrett’s cheese popcorn (www.garrettpopcorn.com) It’s delicious, made from liquid, not powder, cheese, but, again, popcorn isn’t something I normally eat at all, much less before a race. Saturday is usually my recovery (from the week at work) and rest (from running) day, but today I had to get up and race. My neck and head were killing me when I got up and I couldn’t even bring myself to drink my usual cup of tea or eat my energy bar. I’d worn a ThermaCare lower back patch around my quad overnight and it was still warm, so I wrapped it around my neck to try to loosen it up and ease my headache. I also took an Aleve. I got a ride to the race from Sue, so I was there in plenty of time. I’d already decided to try something new this time – a warm-up, which Sue has been suggesting I try for a long time. I’d felt so bad when I got up and it was soooo cold, that I almost decided to skip the warm-up. But when we got there, I decided to go for it. The men were just beginning to come in to the finish, so I was able to run back to the 3-mile marker and cheer them on as they came towards me. I looked for Lou, but couldn’t find him. I got back to the start with about 15 minutes to go and felt pretty good. I looked around for my boss, but didn’t find her until after the race (she set a PR – Congratulations, Bonnie!!) Even though the number of runners was basically cut in half, there were still enough women running that we got caught up in “traffic” on the 102nd Street transverse. I was able to meet my first goal, though I had a longer stop at the second water station (in the 3rd mile). When I got there, a woman had removed her glove and was poking her finger into the cups, presumably looking for one that wasn’t frozen over (it was 20° - what did she expect?). I probably should have handled it better, but I said (very sharply, I’m afraid), “Quit sticking your finger into other people’s water. It’s disgusting.” She started and apologized and from her tone, I could tell that it hadn’t even occurred to her what she was effectively doing (i.e., sticking her finger into other people’s water). I should have shown her how to get the ice out of the cup (as my friend pointed out to me later), but I was so busy trying to find a cup she hadn’t poked her finger into, that it didn’t even occur to me. In any event, I doubt very much that she’ll do that again. Sue wants me to stop taking water breaks, but I think they’re helping me. In fact, after the first water break, I had to immediately head uphill and I just charged up – my legs felt soooo good. I paid for it later, when they tired, but I just told them (my legs, that is) that they’re not the boss of me and made them go faster. After scooting up Cat, I hit the 3-mile marker and had the satisfaction of knowing I’d already run that segment easily, but I also checked the time and realized that I couldn’t set a PR. I didn’t want to give up, so I just decided to see how close I could come. There wouldn’t be any chocolate treat, but I always have consolation treats when I don’t meet my goals. And, I’ll tell you right now, that I didn’t make the second goal. My first and third miles were both over 9 minutes. Back to mile 4 – I just kept going faster and faster and started thinking about my ability to run a sub-8 mile. I’ve run some low 8 miles during races, but my only sub-8s have been in the 2 1-mile races, when I ran all-out to get there. As I approached the finish, I took off, sprinting as hard as I could. I even had to angle myself between two women who were blocking me. I could see the 35 on the official clock, and I really wanted to try to get in before it turned over. I didn’t make it, but when I stopped my watch as I finished, I saw that I’d run the final mile (my 6th of the day) in 7:57!!!! My eyes were watering from the cold and the wind, but I don’t mind admitting that a few tears welled up, too. I got my chip clipped and headed back along the course to do my 2-mile cool-down (I’d decided to make this my long run) and tried to find Bonnie again, to run in with her, but didn’t see her. I took my tired legs back to the 3-mile marker and then came back to the finish again. I took two walk breaks, but only the distance between two of the marker cones.
Official stats: my net time was 34:59 for an 8:44 pace over the 4 miles – I set a new PR by 3 seconds, which means chocolate tomorrow! I was 755 out of 2249 female runners, putting me in the 66th percentile! It was 20°F (-7°C) with 44% humidity and windy. My mile splits from my watch were: 9:26, 8:35, 9:04, and 7:57 (!!). I’m still so excited about that sub-8!!
Celebratory treats: Today, for instant gratification, I stopped at Disc-o-Rama to buy FlyLeaf by Flyleaf, but it was out-of-stock, so I picked up Evanescence’s The Open Door, instead, and Chinese New Year peanut dumplings (thanks, Jolene!). Tomorrow, I will be having a Chocolate Peppermint Briquette from Hotel Chocolat. MMM It was only a 3-second PR, so I decided not to have solid chocolate this time.
Next up: Coogan’s Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5k on March 4th and the New York Colon Cancer Challenge 15k on March 11th.
Thank you for all your support!
Here is a link to some random pictures, including my Merchant’s House Museum visit, the last chocolate I ate before Lent, and today’s pictures: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762391076242&pid=&wtok=uxvujVkn.kb7.rENv_c7.A--&ts=1172376098&.src=ph (as always, there’s commentary in the slideshow)
Monday, January 22, 2007
Manhattan Half Marathon Recap
Hi all,
This was qualifying race number 2 (and race 3 for the year). We ran a double counter-clockwise loop (and then some) of Central Park (the loop is about 6 miles).
This was my first half marathon of the year (the first in the NYC Grand Prix) and my longest race/run since the marathon. It was so cold this morning when I woke up (20°F/-7°C) that I decided not to worry about time. I just decided to run between the water stations and hope that I didn’t hurt myself – it’s hard to feel what’s going on with your body when the temperature is so low.
I missed the train I’d meant to catch, but still got to the race with over a half hour to kill. I huddled in the lines for the portable toilets, then huddled next to the Met, trying to decide if I should put on the extra shirt I’d packed. I was shivering in my wool coat, so I decided to make the change. It involved taking off both the coat and my overshirt, which already had my number pinned to the front, but those few seconds bare-armed were worth the extra layer against the cold. My hands, though, were freezing. I waited an unbelievably long time to get my bag in to the truck. There was a lot of grumbling – the reason for the long lines was the volunteers’ insistence on organizing the bags in the truck, even though they’d be driving them up to the finish and unloading them into a separate baggage area. It took so long to get through the line that I had to jog up to the start (not complaining about that – I was freezing!!) and heard the start as I went. I ducked under the tape and joined my fellow runners as we shuffled to the start. We zoomed up the East Side and climbed Harlem Hill. Our first water station was on 110th Street and not only was the water frozen to the table and iced over, but the Gatorade was slushy!! And frozen to the table. After a couple of miles of running, I warmed up just about everywhere except my hands. My hands were so cold that they hurt! It was so bad that I didn’t think they’d warm up and after the first water station, I pulled my fingers out of my gloves and into the palms. After about 4 miles, though, my hands did start to feel better. When I took my gloves off after the race, my fingers were bright red! I tried not to run too hard and to just let my legs go at the pace they wanted. It wasn’t too difficult, because I couldn’t really feel them. The hardest part was the breathing. As some of you know, I run in winter against doctor’s orders. I had bundled up, wearing a hat, ear muffs, and a gaiter for my neck, plus 3 layers to cover my chest, but I still had trouble breathing. While I was able to make my goal of running between water stations, the water stations themselves hurt my breathing. I had to drink very cold liquids which made my chest cold, which made it more difficult to breathe. I ended up using my inhaler 3 times, including the pre-race puff. I made it through the first loop by telling myself it was only one more loop after that one. I made it through the second loop by telling myself that it was the last time around. That’s not really a lot to go on when the loop is 6+ miles, but it worked for me. I also went over the course (which I’ve run many times by now) in my head, reminding myself of the uphill, downhill or flat bit coming up. My favorite water station stop was the last one before the finish – there was a 2-inch block of ice in the cup!! I’d learned through the past 7 water stops to gently squeeze the bottom of the cup to break through the ice on top. This time, I was turning back to get another cup when the ice popped out of the cup, dropping to the ground which was littered with the usual cups and the disks of ice of varying sizes. It was pretty cool. That last water station was also the start of my final mile (and then some). When I started running again, I just let my legs go. I knew I was going to set a course PR, so I decided to set myself a goal of breaking my course PR (2:17:31) on the official clock and by finishing the 1.1 miles in less than 10 minutes. I’m happy to say that I crossed the finish line at 2:16 on the official clock and finished the last 1.1 miles in 9:52.
And now, a little word for the sponsors – in this case, the volunteers on the course. I spent a good part of the race marveling at the support we were getting – from the volunteers at the water stations to the volunteers along the course cheering us along and helping us stay on course. From the silent, seemingly sullen volunteers to the wildly enthusiastic volunteers who could be heard cheering before you could see them and long after you’ve passed them. We runners were able to stay somewhat warm as we ran, but they were staying in the same place throughout the race. The volunteers at the water stations were not only standing out there in the freezing cold, but they were getting their hands and feet wet while they did it. So, here’s a big THANK YOU to all of the volunteers who really showed their mettle today!!
And extra kudos for the man who was finishing the half marathon at 3:20 as I walked back across the Park to the subway home. Yes, he walked 13.1 miles in 3 hours and 20 minutes in sub-zero temperatures. That’s quite an accomplishment!!
Official stats: my race time was 2:12:33 (a course PR by 4:58) for a 10:07 pace over the 13.1 miles. I was 3426 out of 4391 total runners, putting me in the 22nd percentile. It was 21°F (-6°C) with a wind chill of 14°F (-10°C) and 32% humidity. My splits were: 9:25, 11:34, 9:26, 10:18, 10:16, 9:58, 10:22, 10:48, 9:35, 10:21, 10:34, 10:07, 8:55 and :57 for the last tenth of a mile.
Thanks for all your support!
P.S. Celebratory treats – a 7-Eleven Santa Fe Chicken Caesar Salad, apples with caramel dipping sauce (or dipping toss as my niece used to call it) and Italian hot chocolate, plus various treats from my Christmas stocking and some dark-chocolate-covered Ginger Altoids.
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Emerald Nuts Midnight Run 2006-07
Hi all,
Race number 1 (or race number 42 of 2006) was the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run. The party started at 10, but the race started on the stroke of midnight, so you decide. It was a fun run, so it doesn’t count towards my 2008 marathon qualifying races.
Goals: to have fun and take some pictures and run well.
I got there at about 10:45. The party was in full swing and there was a much bigger crowd this year. Probably because it was in the mid-40s, I think. The announcer claimed there were over 5000 runners and there were loads of friends and family partying, too. I picked up my New Year’s tiara and glow sticks and headed over to the costume party contest. I couldn’t really see anything, but there are pictures on the New York Road Runner website: http://www.nyrrc.org/race/2006/photosa61231.html. I dropped my bag and headed over to the start and stretched. By some miracle, Ernesto found me – he hadn’t been sure about running, but decided at the last minute that he might as well. So, we lined up, counted down, watched fireworks and then took off. This was a fun run, so no chips, but I used my watch to keep track of my splits. The first mile took us up past the 72nd Street Transverse and up Cat Hill along the East Drive. It was very crowded and the mile went fairly slowly. But, I reminded myself that I wasn’t being timed, so it didn’t matter. The second mile took us to all the way up to the 102nd Street Transverse and went by much quicker. I’d decided before the race that I was going to stop on the Transverse to take some pictures of the Champagne stop. Ernesto waited for me and we took off again after a bit of a drink (mine was champagne, but I think it was non-alcoholic). That stop cost us quite a bit of time, so our 3rd mile was even slower than the first. When we hit the 3rd mile marker, I started trash-talking, warning Ernesto that I was going to take off in the final mile and that, if he could keep up, we’d sprint as soon as we hit the 72nd Street Transverse. I did everything I said I would and Ernesto very kindly held back so that we could cross the finish line together. It was especially nice of him, because I really gave it my all! We hung out a bit after the finish, grabbing bagels and packages of Emerald Nuts Trail Mix (I took away loads of each – the volunteers told us to!) and then I headed home to try to get some sleep before having to get up early to take a train to LI.
Unofficial stats: my net time was 38:02 for a 9:31 pace. My mile splits from my watch were: 10:14, 9:02, 10:42 and 8:07.
Celebratory treats: Well, it was 1 am, so I had my treats the next day. I went to my parents’ house on Long Island and had the traditional New Year’s Day meal of black-eyed peas with rice and ham hocks. MMM Plus, a Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper and yummy Christmas cookies.
Next up: The Fred LeBow Classic 5-miler on January 7th and the Manhattan Half Marathon on January 21st.
Pictures are available at http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762381922672&pid=&wtok=PqA6guSCip7QlQJobuQNGQ--&ts=1167696951&.src=ph (view the slideshow for the commentary).
Race number 1 (or race number 42 of 2006) was the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run. The party started at 10, but the race started on the stroke of midnight, so you decide. It was a fun run, so it doesn’t count towards my 2008 marathon qualifying races.
Goals: to have fun and take some pictures and run well.
I got there at about 10:45. The party was in full swing and there was a much bigger crowd this year. Probably because it was in the mid-40s, I think. The announcer claimed there were over 5000 runners and there were loads of friends and family partying, too. I picked up my New Year’s tiara and glow sticks and headed over to the costume party contest. I couldn’t really see anything, but there are pictures on the New York Road Runner website: http://www.nyrrc.org/race/2006/photosa61231.html. I dropped my bag and headed over to the start and stretched. By some miracle, Ernesto found me – he hadn’t been sure about running, but decided at the last minute that he might as well. So, we lined up, counted down, watched fireworks and then took off. This was a fun run, so no chips, but I used my watch to keep track of my splits. The first mile took us up past the 72nd Street Transverse and up Cat Hill along the East Drive. It was very crowded and the mile went fairly slowly. But, I reminded myself that I wasn’t being timed, so it didn’t matter. The second mile took us to all the way up to the 102nd Street Transverse and went by much quicker. I’d decided before the race that I was going to stop on the Transverse to take some pictures of the Champagne stop. Ernesto waited for me and we took off again after a bit of a drink (mine was champagne, but I think it was non-alcoholic). That stop cost us quite a bit of time, so our 3rd mile was even slower than the first. When we hit the 3rd mile marker, I started trash-talking, warning Ernesto that I was going to take off in the final mile and that, if he could keep up, we’d sprint as soon as we hit the 72nd Street Transverse. I did everything I said I would and Ernesto very kindly held back so that we could cross the finish line together. It was especially nice of him, because I really gave it my all! We hung out a bit after the finish, grabbing bagels and packages of Emerald Nuts Trail Mix (I took away loads of each – the volunteers told us to!) and then I headed home to try to get some sleep before having to get up early to take a train to LI.
Unofficial stats: my net time was 38:02 for a 9:31 pace. My mile splits from my watch were: 10:14, 9:02, 10:42 and 8:07.
Celebratory treats: Well, it was 1 am, so I had my treats the next day. I went to my parents’ house on Long Island and had the traditional New Year’s Day meal of black-eyed peas with rice and ham hocks. MMM Plus, a Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper and yummy Christmas cookies.
Next up: The Fred LeBow Classic 5-miler on January 7th and the Manhattan Half Marathon on January 21st.
Pictures are available at http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=mytripsandraces&aid=576460762381922672&pid=&wtok=PqA6guSCip7QlQJobuQNGQ--&ts=1167696951&.src=ph (view the slideshow for the commentary).
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