It been nearly 6 months since I last updated. SIX MONTHS! Where has the time gone? Well, its been a rough last 3 months, as I've been dealing with lingering ankle issues since the Rock n Roll Las Vegas Half in December. An issue that required me to take a DNS (did not start) for the Rock n Roll USA DC Half. Having taken a little over 2 whole months off, its as if I have never run, EVER.
Originally, the injury was in my right ankle. Took x-rays and an MRI and went to the Ortho (the same guy that did my surgery back in 2004). When all was said and done, he didnt' have a diagnosis for it and really didn't and couldn't do anything for me. This is why I dont go to doctors! Anyway, the pain eventually subsided enough where running was not bearable. The only other problem? The LEFT ankle has now been the issue, and is still bothering me. Its been lingering for a while now and there are bad days and worse days. The only thing that has really helped it along is KT tape, so I highly recommend it for any nagging injuries you may have.
So in the past month, I've just been trying to ease my body back into training mode. Starting with short 1.7 mile runs (once around the small southern loop in Central Park), then slowly increasing that to twice around the loop in CP. Yesterday was my first run without taking a break in the middle somewhere, FINALLY. Hoping to finally rebuild the base, so I can get into more focused training, since I have the following events rapidly approaching:
4/28: Run as One (4 miler)
5/30: Wall Street Run (3 miler)
6/1: Ride to Montauk (Century Ride) **(see below!)
6/12: JP Morgan Corp Challenge (3.5 miler)
6/16: Gold Coast Tri (Spring Distance- 750m swim, 11.5 mile bike, 3 mile run)
6/23: Run of Champions (5k)
And all this to be capped with the Olympic distance Tri again in Maine! Happy training.
**I will again be riding to Montauk to help support Team Viscardi! Please click here to find out how you can support!
Showing posts with label race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label race. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Monday, October 1, 2012
September Training Recap
Fall is here and that can only mean one thing....cooler running weather is here! And with that, I am happy to report that Half training is in full swing and going pretty splendidly. Yes, I said "splendidly". For the month, I did 3-4 runs per week. Usually a hill session, long run, and either an easy run, tempo, time trial or race. Long run is up to 7 miles (doing 8 tonight), but the pace is not where I'd like it to be yet. Probably a combination of (a) the weather, though cooler, is still not as cool as I'd like it; and (b) I'm still carrying over some extra poundage that I gained from not training in the summer. Need to work the diet to correct that one.
I've even been to the pool a couple times, since its emptier now that summer is over. Spending only about 30 min each time, going about 1000-1200m, but in the end, I'm glad I got in some cross training. Volleyball has now started as well, so that will cover me (cross training-wise) while the pool is shut down for the next 3 weeks for maintenance.
Two races to report about- The Fitness Magazine Mind, Body, Spirit Games (aka 4-miler in CP) and the ever popular 5th Ave. Mile. Showed some improvement in the 4-miler over the previous Back to NFL run, finishing in 39:10 (9:48 pace). Again, I'm going to chalk it up to the cooler, less humid weather. But happy with the result as I was getting back into the swing of things. The following week was the 5th Ave. Mile. Not really sure what to expect, but was almost certain I wasn't going to match last year's 7:32. After going out SUPER hot, more so than last year I feel, I was almost completely gassed after the first quarter mile! So I pretty much chugged along for the remaining 3/4 of a mile and actually finished 3 seconds better than last year for a time of 7:29! Completely surprised myself, so I was happy with that finish.
The Rock n Roll NY 10k is now less than 2 weeks away and Urbanathlon less than a month away! Those will probably the last 2 races before I head back to Vegas in December to tackle the "Strip at Night" again. And I'm hoping for a MUCH better outcome this time. Also hoping for a better organized race. Time will tell.
I've even been to the pool a couple times, since its emptier now that summer is over. Spending only about 30 min each time, going about 1000-1200m, but in the end, I'm glad I got in some cross training. Volleyball has now started as well, so that will cover me (cross training-wise) while the pool is shut down for the next 3 weeks for maintenance.
Two races to report about- The Fitness Magazine Mind, Body, Spirit Games (aka 4-miler in CP) and the ever popular 5th Ave. Mile. Showed some improvement in the 4-miler over the previous Back to NFL run, finishing in 39:10 (9:48 pace). Again, I'm going to chalk it up to the cooler, less humid weather. But happy with the result as I was getting back into the swing of things. The following week was the 5th Ave. Mile. Not really sure what to expect, but was almost certain I wasn't going to match last year's 7:32. After going out SUPER hot, more so than last year I feel, I was almost completely gassed after the first quarter mile! So I pretty much chugged along for the remaining 3/4 of a mile and actually finished 3 seconds better than last year for a time of 7:29! Completely surprised myself, so I was happy with that finish.
The Rock n Roll NY 10k is now less than 2 weeks away and Urbanathlon less than a month away! Those will probably the last 2 races before I head back to Vegas in December to tackle the "Strip at Night" again. And I'm hoping for a MUCH better outcome this time. Also hoping for a better organized race. Time will tell.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Rev3 Tri, Old Orchard Beach, Maine
Hard to believe it has been over 2 months since my last post which was on the Ride To Montauk. I'm now two triathlons removed and we're almost into September.
Anyway, this past Sunday was the Rev3 Tri in Maine! Overall, it was a great race by a great organizer. As for my performance, thats another story (more on that later). When I registered, I failed to realize that the race date, being at the end of the summer, meant that most of my training would be in the dead heat of summer. And if theres one thing I cannot do, is function in heat and humidity, thus rendering my training for this Tri to almost zero. So much so, that at one point, I had decided (almost officially) that I wasnt going to do the race. So with a little less than a month to go (after watching an episode of "Extreme Makeover: Weight-loss Edition", where the guy does an Olympic distance Tri at 300+ pounds), I again changed my decision, and then crammed what should be at least 3 months of training into 4 weeks. I squeezed in whatever running I could, running on the cooler, less humid days, ignoring the bike (again!), and well, trying to swim (saying the FMCP Aquatic center gets "crowded" during the summer months is a severe understatement). Thankfully, I went on a cruise 2 weeks prior to the race, and was able to run on the ship, and swim at the beach while in port. Let me just say, running on a ship in the middle of the ocean was a unique experience.
So then, how did I do, you ask? Well, to that, I respond with, "Hey, I finished!"....hah! Out of 300 Olympic distance athletes, I came in 290th. At least I wasnt last! Final time was 3:44:42 (40:54 swim, 1:36:47 bike, 1:16:22 run), which is slower than I had anticipated. I was hoping more of the 3:15-3:30 range. But thanks to my lack of training, this is my result.
The swim was actually not too bad, considering its usually the one I am most concerned about, especially this time not having gone the 1500m distance- and yes, I was nervous if I could even make it, and went in having a "lets just survive this" mindset. The waters were chilly, but since I wisely rented a westuit from the good people of Rev3, it was not an issue, and probably even made this portion easier.The most difficult part of this was my inability to swim in a straight line, no matter how frequently I sighted. I felt like I swam double the 1500m distance because I was zig-zagging so much. This definitely added to my time and sapped some energy. It also didnt help that my goggles were completely fogged up, making sighting that much more difficult. Though compared to DC, this was much less chaotic, since it was an ocean swim (read: A LOT more room to swim) so we werent all going in the water one on top of the other.
So after what seemed like an ETERNITY to get to shore, I'm finally out of the water, unzipping the wetsuit, and making the .3 mile jog to transition. T1 actually goes along without a hitch until, after I go my bike shoes on, I realized I forgot to take the cleat covers off, AGAIN (I had also done that the NYRR Tri). So I had to bother with that for a few seconds before I was out on the bike course.
Bike course was not TOO much of an issue, just a little hillier than anticipated. It also wasn't "fast and flat with a couple of rollers" as they had advertised. It actually was mainly all rollers, with a couple flats. Had some aches and soreness during this leg, mainly from not biking since the Montauk ride, but otherwise, I think it went well (asides from being passed by 50 and 60 year old women, doh!).
T2. Off the bike, back into transition, slip on some socks, my running shoes, shorts, visor and off I go! What did I forget? My gels. ARGH. I had gone too far to go back. There would be gatorade on the course, so I was just going to go with that. Otherwise, I think it was a pretty successful T2.
So onto the run I go, temps in the mid 70s at this point, it feels, okay. And just okay. Mile 1 marker came rather fast, and turned out I did it in 9:30 (which was WAY too fast), and it showed the rest of the way. After that first mile, I had to go into a run/walk, as I was pretty much out of gas at this point. Nearing the halfway point, both quads start tightening up big time. I spot a port-o-potty, and since I needed to go since the swim, and the fact that my quads could use a break, I made the pit stop. Back on the road, the quads would tighten up again 2 more times, each one calling for a quick stop and stretch to alleviate. Then once again, on the final stretch, I felt it. Just before returning to the crowds, I stopped to try to stretch them out again, so I could run through the finish strong. I reach the finish chute, and there it was, my legs, seconds from cramping up into big huge knots, all I could do was fight through it. Made the final turn just before the finish arch, found my adoring wife waiting for me, grabbed her hand and trotted through the finish together! All the while, the crowd is cheering you on. The PA announcer shouting out, "Ben-Jammin'!" to acknowledge me. What a rush. What a feeling. Though I didnt come close to breaking any kind of records, it was still a wash of emotion that I just completed an Olympic distance triathlon. OLYMPIC Distance!!
So looking forward, I would LOVE to do this race again, but would need a better training strategy, because training in the summer heat just is not an option for me. Anyone with ideas, I'd love to hear it! 'Till next time!
Anyway, this past Sunday was the Rev3 Tri in Maine! Overall, it was a great race by a great organizer. As for my performance, thats another story (more on that later). When I registered, I failed to realize that the race date, being at the end of the summer, meant that most of my training would be in the dead heat of summer. And if theres one thing I cannot do, is function in heat and humidity, thus rendering my training for this Tri to almost zero. So much so, that at one point, I had decided (almost officially) that I wasnt going to do the race. So with a little less than a month to go (after watching an episode of "Extreme Makeover: Weight-loss Edition", where the guy does an Olympic distance Tri at 300+ pounds), I again changed my decision, and then crammed what should be at least 3 months of training into 4 weeks. I squeezed in whatever running I could, running on the cooler, less humid days, ignoring the bike (again!), and well, trying to swim (saying the FMCP Aquatic center gets "crowded" during the summer months is a severe understatement). Thankfully, I went on a cruise 2 weeks prior to the race, and was able to run on the ship, and swim at the beach while in port. Let me just say, running on a ship in the middle of the ocean was a unique experience.
So then, how did I do, you ask? Well, to that, I respond with, "Hey, I finished!"....hah! Out of 300 Olympic distance athletes, I came in 290th. At least I wasnt last! Final time was 3:44:42 (40:54 swim, 1:36:47 bike, 1:16:22 run), which is slower than I had anticipated. I was hoping more of the 3:15-3:30 range. But thanks to my lack of training, this is my result.
The swim was actually not too bad, considering its usually the one I am most concerned about, especially this time not having gone the 1500m distance- and yes, I was nervous if I could even make it, and went in having a "lets just survive this" mindset. The waters were chilly, but since I wisely rented a westuit from the good people of Rev3, it was not an issue, and probably even made this portion easier.The most difficult part of this was my inability to swim in a straight line, no matter how frequently I sighted. I felt like I swam double the 1500m distance because I was zig-zagging so much. This definitely added to my time and sapped some energy. It also didnt help that my goggles were completely fogged up, making sighting that much more difficult. Though compared to DC, this was much less chaotic, since it was an ocean swim (read: A LOT more room to swim) so we werent all going in the water one on top of the other.
So after what seemed like an ETERNITY to get to shore, I'm finally out of the water, unzipping the wetsuit, and making the .3 mile jog to transition. T1 actually goes along without a hitch until, after I go my bike shoes on, I realized I forgot to take the cleat covers off, AGAIN (I had also done that the NYRR Tri). So I had to bother with that for a few seconds before I was out on the bike course.
Bike course was not TOO much of an issue, just a little hillier than anticipated. It also wasn't "fast and flat with a couple of rollers" as they had advertised. It actually was mainly all rollers, with a couple flats. Had some aches and soreness during this leg, mainly from not biking since the Montauk ride, but otherwise, I think it went well (asides from being passed by 50 and 60 year old women, doh!).
T2. Off the bike, back into transition, slip on some socks, my running shoes, shorts, visor and off I go! What did I forget? My gels. ARGH. I had gone too far to go back. There would be gatorade on the course, so I was just going to go with that. Otherwise, I think it was a pretty successful T2.
So onto the run I go, temps in the mid 70s at this point, it feels, okay. And just okay. Mile 1 marker came rather fast, and turned out I did it in 9:30 (which was WAY too fast), and it showed the rest of the way. After that first mile, I had to go into a run/walk, as I was pretty much out of gas at this point. Nearing the halfway point, both quads start tightening up big time. I spot a port-o-potty, and since I needed to go since the swim, and the fact that my quads could use a break, I made the pit stop. Back on the road, the quads would tighten up again 2 more times, each one calling for a quick stop and stretch to alleviate. Then once again, on the final stretch, I felt it. Just before returning to the crowds, I stopped to try to stretch them out again, so I could run through the finish strong. I reach the finish chute, and there it was, my legs, seconds from cramping up into big huge knots, all I could do was fight through it. Made the final turn just before the finish arch, found my adoring wife waiting for me, grabbed her hand and trotted through the finish together! All the while, the crowd is cheering you on. The PA announcer shouting out, "Ben-Jammin'!" to acknowledge me. What a rush. What a feeling. Though I didnt come close to breaking any kind of records, it was still a wash of emotion that I just completed an Olympic distance triathlon. OLYMPIC Distance!!
So looking forward, I would LOVE to do this race again, but would need a better training strategy, because training in the summer heat just is not an option for me. Anyone with ideas, I'd love to hear it! 'Till next time!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
JPM Corporate Challenge Recap
This post is brought to you by Team Viscardi's Ride to Montauk! We are TWO days away from GAME DAY. You can still support the team. To learn more, click here. I'm going 100 (actually, its 108 now) miles.
So last night was the annual (36th apparently) JP Morgan Corporate Challenge. It was my 4th year doing it, and it seems there are improvements every year. I must say, they finally got it right this year. Not only was it corralled (which they started last year, I believe), but they ENFORCED it. I mean, really enforced it. On top of that, they wave started, so that there was about a minute between corrals being released. This resulted in a well spaced out, not very crowded race. Never did I really feel impeded by runners ahead of me. Dont get me wrong, there was still a little elbowing in the beginning (normal for all races), but the one thing missing this year? WALKERS. Every year, without fail, there would be walkers in front of the runners, no matter how much they tell the walkers to start in the back. Kudos to the organizers this year. And to top it all off- Tech shirts!
So, it was a 7pm start, and we get to the park around 6:20pm. Drop our stuff off, get a quick drink and off to the start corrals. After a very lively 20 minute wait, which included a cheery warm up routine led by some instructors from Equinox, the starting horn went off for the Red and Green corrals (1st and 2nd). I was in the yellow corral, which was next (now, I will shamefully admit I "fibbed" my estimated finish time as to start in a better corral). My pace as of late has been in the mid-9min/mi, so my best guess is that I was mixed in with -8-ish min/mi people, maybe even slightly faster. The horn goes off for my corral and off we go. Immediately I see that this group is pacing faster, obviously. And I said, what the heck, let me pace with them. I'm actually doing pretty well through the first mile, which included the 2 biggest hills (though not big in general) of the course. It was a humid night, so within the first mile, sweat was already starting to pour off of me. Lovely, right? Half way through is where the faster start affected me. There was a water station, so I wisely took some. I back off for about the next mile. I was glad to see that I wasnt the only one who "fibbed"! Others had already started walking. So I'm just pushing myself to just get to Cat Hill (going down!), to regain some energy before the final kick. I've never been so happy to get to the top of Cat hill. Finally go down, allowing gravity to do its thing and reach the boathouse, then the turn back onto the 72nd transverse. I see the finish line, and then a fellow teammate about to pass me. I go into a full out sprint (as does he) and we both dash through the finish line. My final time was 32:56, for a 9:25 pace, improving from my 34:12 (9:46) last year.
Overall, good race, good company, and most of all- well organized. Never thought I'd say that about this race!
Pre-race photo (don't ask me why Matthieu is "hiding" behind the pole)
So last night was the annual (36th apparently) JP Morgan Corporate Challenge. It was my 4th year doing it, and it seems there are improvements every year. I must say, they finally got it right this year. Not only was it corralled (which they started last year, I believe), but they ENFORCED it. I mean, really enforced it. On top of that, they wave started, so that there was about a minute between corrals being released. This resulted in a well spaced out, not very crowded race. Never did I really feel impeded by runners ahead of me. Dont get me wrong, there was still a little elbowing in the beginning (normal for all races), but the one thing missing this year? WALKERS. Every year, without fail, there would be walkers in front of the runners, no matter how much they tell the walkers to start in the back. Kudos to the organizers this year. And to top it all off- Tech shirts!
So, it was a 7pm start, and we get to the park around 6:20pm. Drop our stuff off, get a quick drink and off to the start corrals. After a very lively 20 minute wait, which included a cheery warm up routine led by some instructors from Equinox, the starting horn went off for the Red and Green corrals (1st and 2nd). I was in the yellow corral, which was next (now, I will shamefully admit I "fibbed" my estimated finish time as to start in a better corral). My pace as of late has been in the mid-9min/mi, so my best guess is that I was mixed in with -8-ish min/mi people, maybe even slightly faster. The horn goes off for my corral and off we go. Immediately I see that this group is pacing faster, obviously. And I said, what the heck, let me pace with them. I'm actually doing pretty well through the first mile, which included the 2 biggest hills (though not big in general) of the course. It was a humid night, so within the first mile, sweat was already starting to pour off of me. Lovely, right? Half way through is where the faster start affected me. There was a water station, so I wisely took some. I back off for about the next mile. I was glad to see that I wasnt the only one who "fibbed"! Others had already started walking. So I'm just pushing myself to just get to Cat Hill (going down!), to regain some energy before the final kick. I've never been so happy to get to the top of Cat hill. Finally go down, allowing gravity to do its thing and reach the boathouse, then the turn back onto the 72nd transverse. I see the finish line, and then a fellow teammate about to pass me. I go into a full out sprint (as does he) and we both dash through the finish line. My final time was 32:56, for a 9:25 pace, improving from my 34:12 (9:46) last year.
Overall, good race, good company, and most of all- well organized. Never thought I'd say that about this race!
Pre-race photo (don't ask me why Matthieu is "hiding" behind the pole)
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Celebrate Israel Run Recap
Roughly two days removed from the Wall Street Run, it was time for another one- The Celebrate Israel Run, a 4 miler through Central Park. I did the inaugural race last year and thought I'd do it again, mainly because it was my big PR and what earned me my 9:19 bibs. Was I able to achieve it again?
Another 8am start means up at the crack of dawn at 5am. Completely "unprepared" this time around, I didnt have my bagel, bread anything. Had to settle for 2 nutri-grain bars that were lying around the house as my pre-race nutrition. Seeminly not good already. So I take the 6am train into Penn, and after a lengthy wait for an A train, finally get to the park just before 7am. It was a cool crisp morning, with temps in the upper 50s and plenty of sunshine.
So after waiting about an hour, the race finally is under way. I sort of told myself that since I biked about 20 miles the previous day and did the Wall Street Run on Thur, I was going to take this one easy and not push too hard. But who am I kidding, I dont know the meaning of "taking it easy", plus, this was my PR race last year, I wasn't about to give up the opportunity of trying to do that again! Moving along, all is well, course is not too crowded, and overall uneventful. Approach the water station around the midpoint, and had thought about grabbing some, but ultimately decided against it to save time.
Get to the last mile, and admittedly, I'm lumbering. Definitely feeling the previous day's biking taking its toll, but still, I'm trying to push through. Just trying to pick people to follow and focus on a this point, so I dont slow too much. Made the turn back on to the 72nd transverse, and it was time to kick it up. A swift sprint to the finish and that was it. Did I PR? Sadly, no, final time of 38:11 (9:32 pace). Finished last year in 37:19 (9:19). But the peculiar part? 38:11 is the exact finish time for Japan Day run just 3 weeks ago! Now, if thats not interesting enough, it wasn't until I went to update my Race Results that I noticed: Not only was this result the same as Japan Day, my time for Wall Street this year was IDENTICAL to my finish at last year's! So I guess if anything, I'm consistent. I got a kick out of this, as I dont think anyone could do this if they tried!
So we're only 11 days away from the Ride to Montauk. Theres still time to contribute, go here. 100 miles. I hope I survive. Following that will be the NYRR Sprint Tri on June 30. Then it'll be quiet until the big event, the olympic distance Rev3 Tri in Maine. 'Til next time!
Another 8am start means up at the crack of dawn at 5am. Completely "unprepared" this time around, I didnt have my bagel, bread anything. Had to settle for 2 nutri-grain bars that were lying around the house as my pre-race nutrition. Seeminly not good already. So I take the 6am train into Penn, and after a lengthy wait for an A train, finally get to the park just before 7am. It was a cool crisp morning, with temps in the upper 50s and plenty of sunshine.
So after waiting about an hour, the race finally is under way. I sort of told myself that since I biked about 20 miles the previous day and did the Wall Street Run on Thur, I was going to take this one easy and not push too hard. But who am I kidding, I dont know the meaning of "taking it easy", plus, this was my PR race last year, I wasn't about to give up the opportunity of trying to do that again! Moving along, all is well, course is not too crowded, and overall uneventful. Approach the water station around the midpoint, and had thought about grabbing some, but ultimately decided against it to save time.
Get to the last mile, and admittedly, I'm lumbering. Definitely feeling the previous day's biking taking its toll, but still, I'm trying to push through. Just trying to pick people to follow and focus on a this point, so I dont slow too much. Made the turn back on to the 72nd transverse, and it was time to kick it up. A swift sprint to the finish and that was it. Did I PR? Sadly, no, final time of 38:11 (9:32 pace). Finished last year in 37:19 (9:19). But the peculiar part? 38:11 is the exact finish time for Japan Day run just 3 weeks ago! Now, if thats not interesting enough, it wasn't until I went to update my Race Results that I noticed: Not only was this result the same as Japan Day, my time for Wall Street this year was IDENTICAL to my finish at last year's! So I guess if anything, I'm consistent. I got a kick out of this, as I dont think anyone could do this if they tried!
So we're only 11 days away from the Ride to Montauk. Theres still time to contribute, go here. 100 miles. I hope I survive. Following that will be the NYRR Sprint Tri on June 30. Then it'll be quiet until the big event, the olympic distance Rev3 Tri in Maine. 'Til next time!
Friday, June 1, 2012
Wall Street Run Recap
Last night was the American Heart Association's Wall Street Run. A 3 miler through the financial district in downtown NYC. This was my second time doing this race, and I must say this year seemed to be better than last. Overall, a good, fun race, with picturesque views of the water during twilight. And great weather to boot, 76 degrees and clear, and most importantly, low humidity.
With a 7pm start, we arrived at the starting "corrals" at around 6:30pm. I put corrals in quotes because it was really just a starting area, and does not have the traditional corrals of other races, which separate you by your bib number. But this year (I dont believe they did it last year), they did place signs so that you can line up where your estimated pace is. That worked well, as I noticed I was not impeded as much as last year, and did not seem as chaotic.
The start is delayed a few minutes, I believe they were still clearing the roads. The start of this one is interesting because we make an immediate right turn, and if you get caught on the inside, well, you're slowed to a crawl. I tried to stay near the middle but somehow got caught in the crawl anyway. Out of the jam and was on my way. It was pretty uneventful from there. I was really thirsty though, since we were standing around for about 30 min, and I really did try to curb my water intake an hour or 2 before, so avoid having to go to the port-o-potty! There was only one water station, so I patiently waited for the 1.5 mile marker for that. I'm trying to take in the views of downtown, when I nearly roll my ankle due to the uneven streets. So from then on, as much as I wanted to admire the views, I kept my focus on the road in front of me, to avoid anything that will seriously kill my ankle. Thankfully nothing did for the remainder of the race.
So we arrive at the esplanade so I know the end is near. Its still fairly crowded at this point as the route narrows and I'm trying to plan my kick to the finish. Unfortunately, with too many people in my way, I was not able to go into a full sprint, so I just cruise through the finish. Final time of 28:50 (9:37 pace), I was hoping for closer to 28:30 (and would have if I could have gone into my kick!), and really WANTED closer to 28:00. But seems my pace has been pretty consistent for these shorter distances. Still trying to come close to my 9:19 PR from last year. Well, I'll have another shot this Sunday at Celebrate Israel. Until then!
A quick post-race photo
With a 7pm start, we arrived at the starting "corrals" at around 6:30pm. I put corrals in quotes because it was really just a starting area, and does not have the traditional corrals of other races, which separate you by your bib number. But this year (I dont believe they did it last year), they did place signs so that you can line up where your estimated pace is. That worked well, as I noticed I was not impeded as much as last year, and did not seem as chaotic.
The start is delayed a few minutes, I believe they were still clearing the roads. The start of this one is interesting because we make an immediate right turn, and if you get caught on the inside, well, you're slowed to a crawl. I tried to stay near the middle but somehow got caught in the crawl anyway. Out of the jam and was on my way. It was pretty uneventful from there. I was really thirsty though, since we were standing around for about 30 min, and I really did try to curb my water intake an hour or 2 before, so avoid having to go to the port-o-potty! There was only one water station, so I patiently waited for the 1.5 mile marker for that. I'm trying to take in the views of downtown, when I nearly roll my ankle due to the uneven streets. So from then on, as much as I wanted to admire the views, I kept my focus on the road in front of me, to avoid anything that will seriously kill my ankle. Thankfully nothing did for the remainder of the race.
So we arrive at the esplanade so I know the end is near. Its still fairly crowded at this point as the route narrows and I'm trying to plan my kick to the finish. Unfortunately, with too many people in my way, I was not able to go into a full sprint, so I just cruise through the finish. Final time of 28:50 (9:37 pace), I was hoping for closer to 28:30 (and would have if I could have gone into my kick!), and really WANTED closer to 28:00. But seems my pace has been pretty consistent for these shorter distances. Still trying to come close to my 9:19 PR from last year. Well, I'll have another shot this Sunday at Celebrate Israel. Until then!
A quick post-race photo
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
A Double Race Weekend
One weekend. Two races. And as of this post, I think I'm still feeling the effects! Not so much the races itself, but because I had to wake up at 5am both Saturday and Sunday, since both started at 8am.
First up was the UAE Healthy Kidney 10k. I was somewhat concerned about this one since I had not put in as much training as I had wanted. Since DC, I wanted to put in a lot more hills and speedwork, and I ended up putting in ZERO. A combination of scheduling and laziness left me with just basic 5 mile training runs in Central Park, with just once doing the full 6 mile loop. Anyway, as mentioned above, it was a 5am wake up call, since the I had to take the 6am LIRR (the 7am would cut it WAY too close for my confort) into the city. Temperature was in the mid 50s, so I went with a basic tech t and shorts.
Got to the park around 6:45am, so had plenty of time to drop off my bag, use the bathroom 50 times, warm up and get to the start. Its been a long time since I've done a 10k (dare I say the last one was this same race last year?), so I went the "safe" route and took a Gu before the start. Another larger race, so its about 7 minutes before I cross the start. Since its been over a week since I last did a training run, my legs feel pretty fresh. Only problem that I noticed was that it was more crowded than other NYRR races. Usually things will thin out within the first mile, but not this time. Nothing close to the Las Vegas debacle, but it was crowded until after mile 2. Since I had arrived to the park fairly early and dropped my bag off, that left me a bit thirsty by the start of the race. So near the midpoint, I decided I needed a drink. So I slowed to a walk, grabbed a cup, downed it, and went on my way. Nothing spectacular from this race and I dont feel like I struggled too bad at any point. I didnt try to push it either, and I figured a PR was pretty much out of the question given my (lack of) training and even more so after how crowded it was at the start. In the end, I finished in 1:01:18 at a 9:53 pace. Turns out, I was only 4 seconds slower than last year! which is actually my 10K PR! DARN! Now the thoughts of, "if I only didnt stop for water!" and "darn the crowd!" start creeping in. But whats done is done, and I'm happy with how I did given the situation.
Later on that day after I got home, I actually went out for an easy bike ride, totalling 16 miles. "Easy". I did push it in some sections, but in general I wanted to keep it easy, as to keep my legs loose and blood flowing. Turned out okay I think.
Next up was the Japan Day Run (4M) on Mother's Day. Same deal, different day, but I was feeling the fatigue from the day before, both the run and just lowered energy. But I didnt let the hold me back. Being in the 5000s (lgiht blue) corral, I cross the start much sooner than normal and I'm cruising. Seems to feel good, and running with presumably faster people has me going a little faster. I soon found out how fast, because before I even hit the mile 2 marker, I felt like I was done! It was warm (lower 60s) and relatively humid, because within the first mile sweat was already flying off of me. In fact, I had a hard time keeping it out of my eyes, I had to keep taking my sunglasses off and wiping the sweat from my eyes. So I trudge through mile 3, which also included a quick water break, and I try to kick it up a bit for the final mile, but can't seem to. I was beat. So I just plodded along, finally made the turn on the 72nd crossover, and I went all out. Sprinted to the finish (nearly crashing into the backs of those that had finished in front of me and decide to just STOP), with a final time of 38:11 for a 9:32 pace. Nowhere near my 9:19 PR for 4 miles, but not bad. And it was better than my last 4 miler, the Run as One a couple weeks ago (38:31).
All in all, good weekend, no PRs, but satisfied with my times. Next up with be Wall Street Run on 5/31, and then Celebrate Israel 4M that Sunday, 6/3. Another 2 race week! Why do I do this to myself? Lastly, if you can take a moment and click the "Support My Ride" link up top. Thanks!
First up was the UAE Healthy Kidney 10k. I was somewhat concerned about this one since I had not put in as much training as I had wanted. Since DC, I wanted to put in a lot more hills and speedwork, and I ended up putting in ZERO. A combination of scheduling and laziness left me with just basic 5 mile training runs in Central Park, with just once doing the full 6 mile loop. Anyway, as mentioned above, it was a 5am wake up call, since the I had to take the 6am LIRR (the 7am would cut it WAY too close for my confort) into the city. Temperature was in the mid 50s, so I went with a basic tech t and shorts.
Got to the park around 6:45am, so had plenty of time to drop off my bag, use the bathroom 50 times, warm up and get to the start. Its been a long time since I've done a 10k (dare I say the last one was this same race last year?), so I went the "safe" route and took a Gu before the start. Another larger race, so its about 7 minutes before I cross the start. Since its been over a week since I last did a training run, my legs feel pretty fresh. Only problem that I noticed was that it was more crowded than other NYRR races. Usually things will thin out within the first mile, but not this time. Nothing close to the Las Vegas debacle, but it was crowded until after mile 2. Since I had arrived to the park fairly early and dropped my bag off, that left me a bit thirsty by the start of the race. So near the midpoint, I decided I needed a drink. So I slowed to a walk, grabbed a cup, downed it, and went on my way. Nothing spectacular from this race and I dont feel like I struggled too bad at any point. I didnt try to push it either, and I figured a PR was pretty much out of the question given my (lack of) training and even more so after how crowded it was at the start. In the end, I finished in 1:01:18 at a 9:53 pace. Turns out, I was only 4 seconds slower than last year! which is actually my 10K PR! DARN! Now the thoughts of, "if I only didnt stop for water!" and "darn the crowd!" start creeping in. But whats done is done, and I'm happy with how I did given the situation.
Later on that day after I got home, I actually went out for an easy bike ride, totalling 16 miles. "Easy". I did push it in some sections, but in general I wanted to keep it easy, as to keep my legs loose and blood flowing. Turned out okay I think.
Next up was the Japan Day Run (4M) on Mother's Day. Same deal, different day, but I was feeling the fatigue from the day before, both the run and just lowered energy. But I didnt let the hold me back. Being in the 5000s (lgiht blue) corral, I cross the start much sooner than normal and I'm cruising. Seems to feel good, and running with presumably faster people has me going a little faster. I soon found out how fast, because before I even hit the mile 2 marker, I felt like I was done! It was warm (lower 60s) and relatively humid, because within the first mile sweat was already flying off of me. In fact, I had a hard time keeping it out of my eyes, I had to keep taking my sunglasses off and wiping the sweat from my eyes. So I trudge through mile 3, which also included a quick water break, and I try to kick it up a bit for the final mile, but can't seem to. I was beat. So I just plodded along, finally made the turn on the 72nd crossover, and I went all out. Sprinted to the finish (nearly crashing into the backs of those that had finished in front of me and decide to just STOP), with a final time of 38:11 for a 9:32 pace. Nowhere near my 9:19 PR for 4 miles, but not bad. And it was better than my last 4 miler, the Run as One a couple weeks ago (38:31).
All in all, good weekend, no PRs, but satisfied with my times. Next up with be Wall Street Run on 5/31, and then Celebrate Israel 4M that Sunday, 6/3. Another 2 race week! Why do I do this to myself? Lastly, if you can take a moment and click the "Support My Ride" link up top. Thanks!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Run As One Recap (and Training update)
This past sunday, April 29, was NYRR's Run as One 4-miler through Central Park. It was a 6AM wake up call, with an 8:30AM start, since I was training it in on this one. A crisp 44 degrees when I woke up, so I went with cold-gear compression, a tech-t over it and shorts. I completely deviated from my normal pre-race nutritional routine this time around. It was a combination of forgetting to buy my bagel and banana, and simply just not worrying too much because "4 miles is so beneath me!". 20oz of water as usual, but I added half of a scoop of protein powder. Then I had a peanut butter sandwich (which was dry as heck to eat!).
So, was out there door at 6:55, caught the 7AM into Penn which arrived around 7:25AM. After a bit of a wait for a subway, finally arrived at the park around 7:50AM. It was actually pretty good timing, because that gave me just enough time to empty my bladder (only once this time, amazing!), drop off my bag and find the start line. Had about 10 minutes to spare, so I did a light warm up and just waiting for the slow march to the start. The temperature only warmed up one degree by this time, but it was a beautiful sunny morning, perfect for a race.
6 minutes and 45 seconds after the starting horn is when I actually cross the start, and it does seem to be slightly more crowded than what I'm used to, but bearable. So about a quarter mile into it is when we hit Cat hill. And I'm quickly slowed down by the crowd, since they naturally slow down with the incline. To avoid using up too much so early in the race, I decided to just fall in with the slow trek up the hill. The race was relatively uneventful, otherwise. I did find someone I could pace for nearly the entire course. And when all was said and done, I finished the 4 miles in 38:31, for a 9:38 pace. Not my best 4-miler, and I admit, I thought I did better, but I will take it. I knew I should have kicked it up sooner, possibly as soon as that last mile marker. But whats good is that I felt pretty fresh afterwards, as if I hadnt run at all! All in all, good race, complete with a tech-t for participating.
A little biking news- on Saturday, April 21, I went out on a training ride with Team Viscardi. The ride was supposed to be for 45 miles, but due to other obligations, I had to turn back early. Even so, I completed 26 miles that day. Not bad for my second ever ride with Scarlett (the second). So far so good with it, still getting used to the riding position and the bike itself, in general.
Running has been pretty uneventful as well. Just trying to prep for the smaller races coming up: Healthy Kidney 10k, Japan Day 4M, and Wall Street Run (3M)- which are all within the next month. Keeping it pretty much to the 5 mile loop in CP, with nothing special or crazy, really just doing time trials with some pushes to challenge myself.
Well, thats it for now. I still need to renew my pool membership. And get back in the pool. Otherwise, until next time.
So, was out there door at 6:55, caught the 7AM into Penn which arrived around 7:25AM. After a bit of a wait for a subway, finally arrived at the park around 7:50AM. It was actually pretty good timing, because that gave me just enough time to empty my bladder (only once this time, amazing!), drop off my bag and find the start line. Had about 10 minutes to spare, so I did a light warm up and just waiting for the slow march to the start. The temperature only warmed up one degree by this time, but it was a beautiful sunny morning, perfect for a race.
6 minutes and 45 seconds after the starting horn is when I actually cross the start, and it does seem to be slightly more crowded than what I'm used to, but bearable. So about a quarter mile into it is when we hit Cat hill. And I'm quickly slowed down by the crowd, since they naturally slow down with the incline. To avoid using up too much so early in the race, I decided to just fall in with the slow trek up the hill. The race was relatively uneventful, otherwise. I did find someone I could pace for nearly the entire course. And when all was said and done, I finished the 4 miles in 38:31, for a 9:38 pace. Not my best 4-miler, and I admit, I thought I did better, but I will take it. I knew I should have kicked it up sooner, possibly as soon as that last mile marker. But whats good is that I felt pretty fresh afterwards, as if I hadnt run at all! All in all, good race, complete with a tech-t for participating.
A little biking news- on Saturday, April 21, I went out on a training ride with Team Viscardi. The ride was supposed to be for 45 miles, but due to other obligations, I had to turn back early. Even so, I completed 26 miles that day. Not bad for my second ever ride with Scarlett (the second). So far so good with it, still getting used to the riding position and the bike itself, in general.
Running has been pretty uneventful as well. Just trying to prep for the smaller races coming up: Healthy Kidney 10k, Japan Day 4M, and Wall Street Run (3M)- which are all within the next month. Keeping it pretty much to the 5 mile loop in CP, with nothing special or crazy, really just doing time trials with some pushes to challenge myself.
Well, thats it for now. I still need to renew my pool membership. And get back in the pool. Otherwise, until next time.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Rock 'n' Roll USA Half Marathon Recap
Gotten a bit lazy with the posts, thus I failed to check in with a recap before the big race. But! here we are with the recap, so here goes! First things first, repeat after me: "PR!!" And for those who are running lingo-challenged, means "Personal Record". Meaning of the three half marathons I have now done, this was my best time yet. Go me! haha....
With an 8am start, and all the warnings that the DC Metro is pretty spotty on weekend mornings, PLUS they were conducting track work, it was a 5am wake up for race morning. It was 53 deg when I woke up, and the high for the day was supposed to get up into the mid 70s. It did cause a bit of a dilemma on what to wear. I mainly didnt want to be too cold at the start. I ultimately went with short-sleeved under armour heat gear, nike tech-t, running sleeves and shorts. I also had both my LunarEclipse and LunarGlide3. I ultimately went with the LunarEclipse since those are the ones I had done the most long runs in, and in the end, turned out to be a great choice.
Met up with my fellow running mates around 6am, and got to the DC Metro station at about 15 min later, only to learn that another train was not arriving for another 15 min. Train finally arrives, PACKED, but we were able to squeeze our way on using our NY subway skills. A handful of stops later, we arrived at the Stadium-Armory stop, where the race started. After a painfully slow and crowded trek out of the station, we finally arrive at the armory and head toward our corral. It is now 7:15am. I down a second banana, use the port-o-potty and arrive at our corral, 15. With a good amount of time to spare, since we guessed we wouldnt cross the start line until 8:15ish, we sat and just enjoyed the ambiance. The sun came up and clouds dissipated, giving way to what would be a beautiful, warm, sunny day.
I actually went into this one with some what of a strategy, aid station wise. Past races, I would just pass by them early on, since I didnt need it. That proved to be bad since by the time I felt like I needed one, it was already too late. So I set out to stop(well, walk through) and drink at every aid station. The ones with water, I took 2 cups. The ones with Gatorade, I would have one water and one Gatorade. I had my phone on me (just for the music, but didnt have it on initially) and my Nike+ GPS watch, which never locked onto a GPS signal the entire race. Another good reason I went with the LunarEclipse, since that was the pair i had the chip in, so the watch was reading the chip the entire time. My plan was the pull out the music in the later miles, when I needed the boost.
So two more port-o-potty trips, a pack of Gu and about 30 min later, we approach the start and off we go! It was a nice site, as you could see the Capitol Building from afar. Start of the race feels good. I'm purposely holding back on my pace, knowing that I can come out too hot. Glancing down at my watch which tells me I'm anywhere between a 10:20 and 10:40 pace, which is right where I wanted to be. Rolling along, the miles just start passing by, 1, 2, 3...etc., just feels good. I'm confident now. Pass mile 4, we make the turn around on Constitution ave, and then the left onto 18th St. NW and what do I see? What seems to be one of the largest hills alive! and I'm used to the Central Park hills! The course was definitely hillier than what they made it seem. And the course elevation chart didnt seem to show any steep hills, but they were a bit of a challenge. Pretty uneventful so far (except for the hill), and I'm following through on my aid station plan- which seems to be working pretty well.
The miles continue to roll by, 6, 7, 8. Here is where I feel the fatigue set in a bit, still strong, but confidence fading a little, as I know I only got up to 10.5 miles in training, and that was quickly approaching. So at mile 8 is where I decided I needed my "boost". Put the headphones on, and flipped on my music. The sun was in full force at this point and it was HOT, at least for me. So cruising along, somewhere between mile 10 and 11, what do I feel? MY SHOELACE BECAME UNTIED!!!! I even double knotted them! Nearly shouting in frustration, I carefully make my way to the sidewalk and tie them. Ugh.
Continuing on, I pass the 11 mile marker, and in the back of my mind I'm still thinking of when I'd hit the wall since now I'm passed my training. But it continues to feel good, and I'm only getting a bit more tired, nothing is in serious pain. During mile 11 is also when I see the pacers for the 2:15 group. This boosts my confidence a little, knowing that I could possibly finish in 2:15? I try my darndest to keep up with them, but ultimately lost them on an incline towards the end. Mile 12 passes, and I think, "this is it, lets go". Crowd support is still strong as it was from mile 1, I try to kick it up, but I'm very cautious. So I just plod along. Right about where the Half and Full course splits, is where fatigue really set in. I'm out of breath and just want this thing to be over! As I approach the armory, and going through what were the starting corrals, guess what, ITS AN INCLINE! Ever so small, yet at this point, it feels like mount everest! Keep pushing, pass the 13 mile mark, and I STILL can't see the finish! One more small bend and there it was, I kick it up, finally, which probably wasn't much faster than I had been going and through the finish, arms in air! 2:19:24!
What am improvement from Vegas! Chicago I finished in 2:38, Vegas was 2:33, and now 2:19. What a great feeling! Which definitely went well with a well organized race. From start to finish, really, no complaints. Great course (hills and all!), plenty of room on the course, crowd support, and even plenty of finish line food and drink. Definitely a race I would consider doing again. Oh, and of course, some bling!
With an 8am start, and all the warnings that the DC Metro is pretty spotty on weekend mornings, PLUS they were conducting track work, it was a 5am wake up for race morning. It was 53 deg when I woke up, and the high for the day was supposed to get up into the mid 70s. It did cause a bit of a dilemma on what to wear. I mainly didnt want to be too cold at the start. I ultimately went with short-sleeved under armour heat gear, nike tech-t, running sleeves and shorts. I also had both my LunarEclipse and LunarGlide3. I ultimately went with the LunarEclipse since those are the ones I had done the most long runs in, and in the end, turned out to be a great choice.
Met up with my fellow running mates around 6am, and got to the DC Metro station at about 15 min later, only to learn that another train was not arriving for another 15 min. Train finally arrives, PACKED, but we were able to squeeze our way on using our NY subway skills. A handful of stops later, we arrived at the Stadium-Armory stop, where the race started. After a painfully slow and crowded trek out of the station, we finally arrive at the armory and head toward our corral. It is now 7:15am. I down a second banana, use the port-o-potty and arrive at our corral, 15. With a good amount of time to spare, since we guessed we wouldnt cross the start line until 8:15ish, we sat and just enjoyed the ambiance. The sun came up and clouds dissipated, giving way to what would be a beautiful, warm, sunny day.
I actually went into this one with some what of a strategy, aid station wise. Past races, I would just pass by them early on, since I didnt need it. That proved to be bad since by the time I felt like I needed one, it was already too late. So I set out to stop(well, walk through) and drink at every aid station. The ones with water, I took 2 cups. The ones with Gatorade, I would have one water and one Gatorade. I had my phone on me (just for the music, but didnt have it on initially) and my Nike+ GPS watch, which never locked onto a GPS signal the entire race. Another good reason I went with the LunarEclipse, since that was the pair i had the chip in, so the watch was reading the chip the entire time. My plan was the pull out the music in the later miles, when I needed the boost.
So two more port-o-potty trips, a pack of Gu and about 30 min later, we approach the start and off we go! It was a nice site, as you could see the Capitol Building from afar. Start of the race feels good. I'm purposely holding back on my pace, knowing that I can come out too hot. Glancing down at my watch which tells me I'm anywhere between a 10:20 and 10:40 pace, which is right where I wanted to be. Rolling along, the miles just start passing by, 1, 2, 3...etc., just feels good. I'm confident now. Pass mile 4, we make the turn around on Constitution ave, and then the left onto 18th St. NW and what do I see? What seems to be one of the largest hills alive! and I'm used to the Central Park hills! The course was definitely hillier than what they made it seem. And the course elevation chart didnt seem to show any steep hills, but they were a bit of a challenge. Pretty uneventful so far (except for the hill), and I'm following through on my aid station plan- which seems to be working pretty well.
The miles continue to roll by, 6, 7, 8. Here is where I feel the fatigue set in a bit, still strong, but confidence fading a little, as I know I only got up to 10.5 miles in training, and that was quickly approaching. So at mile 8 is where I decided I needed my "boost". Put the headphones on, and flipped on my music. The sun was in full force at this point and it was HOT, at least for me. So cruising along, somewhere between mile 10 and 11, what do I feel? MY SHOELACE BECAME UNTIED!!!! I even double knotted them! Nearly shouting in frustration, I carefully make my way to the sidewalk and tie them. Ugh.
Continuing on, I pass the 11 mile marker, and in the back of my mind I'm still thinking of when I'd hit the wall since now I'm passed my training. But it continues to feel good, and I'm only getting a bit more tired, nothing is in serious pain. During mile 11 is also when I see the pacers for the 2:15 group. This boosts my confidence a little, knowing that I could possibly finish in 2:15? I try my darndest to keep up with them, but ultimately lost them on an incline towards the end. Mile 12 passes, and I think, "this is it, lets go". Crowd support is still strong as it was from mile 1, I try to kick it up, but I'm very cautious. So I just plod along. Right about where the Half and Full course splits, is where fatigue really set in. I'm out of breath and just want this thing to be over! As I approach the armory, and going through what were the starting corrals, guess what, ITS AN INCLINE! Ever so small, yet at this point, it feels like mount everest! Keep pushing, pass the 13 mile mark, and I STILL can't see the finish! One more small bend and there it was, I kick it up, finally, which probably wasn't much faster than I had been going and through the finish, arms in air! 2:19:24!
What am improvement from Vegas! Chicago I finished in 2:38, Vegas was 2:33, and now 2:19. What a great feeling! Which definitely went well with a well organized race. From start to finish, really, no complaints. Great course (hills and all!), plenty of room on the course, crowd support, and even plenty of finish line food and drink. Definitely a race I would consider doing again. Oh, and of course, some bling!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Ted Corbitt 15k Recap
This past Saturday with the Ted Corbitt 15k run in Central Park. The race was to honor former NYRR president Ted Corbitt. And 15k, for those who are metric-system challenged, is 9.3 miles.
A big reason I signed up for this distance race was because it was 2 weeks from the Vegas Half, meaning I was going to be well prepared for it. I did find its challenges though, mainly how I was going to maintain in those 2 weeks. I really wanted to do another training run of 9 miles before this race, but I didnt like the timing of it. After the half, I took the next 4 days off to rest and recover. On that Friday, I did a 5 mile tempo run. Didnt want to do 9 miles that day, after having a 4 day lay off. The following monday, I did hills, totaling 5.5 miles. And Wed. was another 5 mile tempo. So going into the race, knowing how quickly I can lose my fitness, I was a little concerned that I'd have trouble covering the 15k distance.
Saturday morning arrives, I wake up before the sun even comes up, check the weather and its in the mid 30s. So I went with thermal long sleeve compression shirt, long sleeve tech-T, and a running vest on top. And it was the standard running tights with shorts over it on the bottom. Arrive at the park around 7:25am, giving me ample time to check my bag and empty my bladder. Its 7:40 once I've done that, and head to the corrals, which was actually a bit of a walk from bag check and the port-o-potties. I get to my corral, and realize, I NEED TO PEE AGAIN......there wasn't enough time for me to go back to the port-o-potties and back to the start line, so I decided to forget it. Race starts....and all I can think about is that I need to empty my bladder. So here was the debate, since the course took me back right to where the port-o-potties are, do I take the hit on time and go? Or do I hold it for 9.3 miles? I went for the former, and lost a grand total of a minute!
Ok, now that I can concentrate on something other than my bladder, I'm on my way. It was a touch crowded in the beginning, but since my last race was Vegas, this couldnt even be considered crowded. Fall into a nice pace and all was well. Crowd started to thin about just enough after mile 2, and it looked like i was doing about a 10- 10:10 min mile (other than mile 1, which came out to 11:16 after potty break). With the sunny, cool, crisp morning on my side, I was doing well, took a Gu at around 4.8 miles and going strong and with little aches/pain as I approached mile 5. Pace was pretty consistent, even having to "conquer" Cat hill, twice! My splits seemed pretty consistent, with each passing mile. I see the mile 9 marker, and know we're in the final .3! I tried not to kick it too early, knowing how long that .2 is on a 10k. But I couldnt help myself, and kicked it in a little early. Fortunate for me, I was able to sustain it until the end, crossing the finish in 1:35:57 (for a 10:19 pace). I instantly thought back of losing that minute!! But whats done is done, and I was very happy with that time for this distance. Extrapolate that out to 13.1 miles, and I would have done VERY well....compared to my Vegas time, at least. One thing in my favor though, was course knowledge. There is just something about having a race in Central Park, and knowing every bend and every change in elevation, so you know just exactly when to give a little and when to pull back. All in all, a great way to end my 2011 races.
I'll be back in the next week or so to wrap up 2011 and preview what's in store for 2012!
A big reason I signed up for this distance race was because it was 2 weeks from the Vegas Half, meaning I was going to be well prepared for it. I did find its challenges though, mainly how I was going to maintain in those 2 weeks. I really wanted to do another training run of 9 miles before this race, but I didnt like the timing of it. After the half, I took the next 4 days off to rest and recover. On that Friday, I did a 5 mile tempo run. Didnt want to do 9 miles that day, after having a 4 day lay off. The following monday, I did hills, totaling 5.5 miles. And Wed. was another 5 mile tempo. So going into the race, knowing how quickly I can lose my fitness, I was a little concerned that I'd have trouble covering the 15k distance.
Saturday morning arrives, I wake up before the sun even comes up, check the weather and its in the mid 30s. So I went with thermal long sleeve compression shirt, long sleeve tech-T, and a running vest on top. And it was the standard running tights with shorts over it on the bottom. Arrive at the park around 7:25am, giving me ample time to check my bag and empty my bladder. Its 7:40 once I've done that, and head to the corrals, which was actually a bit of a walk from bag check and the port-o-potties. I get to my corral, and realize, I NEED TO PEE AGAIN......there wasn't enough time for me to go back to the port-o-potties and back to the start line, so I decided to forget it. Race starts....and all I can think about is that I need to empty my bladder. So here was the debate, since the course took me back right to where the port-o-potties are, do I take the hit on time and go? Or do I hold it for 9.3 miles? I went for the former, and lost a grand total of a minute!
Ok, now that I can concentrate on something other than my bladder, I'm on my way. It was a touch crowded in the beginning, but since my last race was Vegas, this couldnt even be considered crowded. Fall into a nice pace and all was well. Crowd started to thin about just enough after mile 2, and it looked like i was doing about a 10- 10:10 min mile (other than mile 1, which came out to 11:16 after potty break). With the sunny, cool, crisp morning on my side, I was doing well, took a Gu at around 4.8 miles and going strong and with little aches/pain as I approached mile 5. Pace was pretty consistent, even having to "conquer" Cat hill, twice! My splits seemed pretty consistent, with each passing mile. I see the mile 9 marker, and know we're in the final .3! I tried not to kick it too early, knowing how long that .2 is on a 10k. But I couldnt help myself, and kicked it in a little early. Fortunate for me, I was able to sustain it until the end, crossing the finish in 1:35:57 (for a 10:19 pace). I instantly thought back of losing that minute!! But whats done is done, and I was very happy with that time for this distance. Extrapolate that out to 13.1 miles, and I would have done VERY well....compared to my Vegas time, at least. One thing in my favor though, was course knowledge. There is just something about having a race in Central Park, and knowing every bend and every change in elevation, so you know just exactly when to give a little and when to pull back. All in all, a great way to end my 2011 races.
I'll be back in the next week or so to wrap up 2011 and preview what's in store for 2012!
Friday, December 9, 2011
Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon Recap!
It's amazing how time flies. Not only has Dec 4th come and gone, its almost been a week since the Half!
We arrived in Vegas Thursday night (12/1) and of course had to make my customary stop at In-n-Out (this counts as carb-loading, right?). Friday was Expo day, as we stood in a tremendous line (a theme of the weekend...) to get in. Though once they actually opened the expo, we moved fairly quickly inside. Picked up our bibs, t-shirts and swag bag, and it was time to open up our wallets! Haha....I went in knowing I wanted the buy "The Stick", a self massager tool, those that arent aware. I have been using a rolling pin this whole time. As useful as that was, it was limited. Also on my wish list was another pair of sunglasses and I did make that purchase as well. So now I'll have separate specs for running and biking. Yay!
A pretty uneventful next couple days, and Sunday is upon us. Being my first evening race, it was going to be a little tricky getting nutrition down, even though I do almost all of my runs in the evening. I didnt have my usually long-run lunch available to me! So buffet brunch at 10am and a snack around 3pm is how I approached it, with a 5:30pm start time, and it seemed to work fine, hunger-wise.
So we met up at 4pm to meet up and shuttle it down to the start line....
This is where the "fun" began. Due to the congestion getting to the start, as a result of road closures, the shuttles provided by our hotel, Wynn/Encore, were delayed coming to pick us up. In fact, we were waiting until 4:40ish until we even boarded a bus. Now on the shuttle and on our way, and we were not going anywhere quick. It was bumper to bumper traffic, and we must have been moving 1 foot per minute. We could have gone out and walked to the start quicker, but of course that would have added an additional 2.5 miles to our legs/feet. Then to do 13.1 on top of that? No thanks.
We arrive to the start area shortly before 6pm- the race started at 5:30! Lucky for me, my corral hadnt left yet. Of course a pre-race potty break was in order. We couldnt locate the port-o-johns, so we decided to use the ones in the Panda Express nearby. There were TOTALLY cool about it. Line wasn't very long either. So, finally, with bladder emptied, we were able to join the march to the start line, with more "fun" to be had...
After handing off the bag I was originally going to check-in to my wife, I finally crossed the start. This is where my fears were realized. Knowing this race was going to be 44,000 people strong, I feared it would be somewhat crowded. And by somewhat crowded, I mean like JP Morgan Corporate Challenge crowded. And guess what? IT WAS. For about 12 out of the 13.1 miles!! The lack of crowd control and signage was a huge problem for this race. Crowds everywhere- before, during, and after the race. I'll just leave it at that and continue the actual recap of the run....
So I spend much of the first mile dodging walkers and slower runners, but my legs feel good. Having not run in 3 plus days, and doing a bit of walking the previous 2 days, did a decent job priming my legs for the run. I finished the first mile in 10:20, which was actually right where I wanted to be. Second mile did not prove to be the same, as I came in in 10:50. It just seemed to get more crowded from there, and the next few miles were 11+ minute miles. It actually fluctuated, as the Strip would go from 3 lanes, to 5 lanes, back down to 3 in certain areas. We break off the Strip a little after the 4 mile marker, and head toward downtown. Though at the time it didnt seem TOO bad, looking back, it was a VERY sketchy part of town. I downed my first pack of Gu at this point. Still feeling very good, legs strong, not breathing hard yet. As we make our way through downtown and Freemont Street, and approach the Strip again, is where I first start to struggle. Got to mile 9, near the Stratosphere, and I told myself to at least get to mile 10, then I'd pull back a little. The constant weaving and dodging was starting to catch up to me. Finally got to 10, and there was an aid station, so I slowed down to grab a cup of water. Downed what I could and resumed my pace. I got to about 11.5 miles, and was pretty much gassed. From there until about a half mile remaining, I went into somewhat of a run-walk. 1 minute on, 1 minute off. Half mile to go, and I told myself I had to run to the end, except there was a problem- my quad (right above the right knee) started to REALLY tighten up on me, like, about to cramp tight. I tried to push through, but couldnt. Stopped real quick to stretch it out, and continued on. That final tenth of a mile was so nerve wracking because I feared my quad would just seize up. Lucky for me, it didnt, and I crossed the finish with a time of 2:33:47. Nearly 14 minutes later than my goal of 2:20! I was pretty disappointed with the time, but I also know there was not much I could do about it, given the crowds. Regardless, I had my second Half Marathon under my belt, and another medal to add to my collection:
So what's next from here? I have the Rock 'n' Roll USA Half Marathon in DC in my sights. Its on March 17th, so I'll have another 3 months exactly to fine tune my fitness. Until next time!
We arrived in Vegas Thursday night (12/1) and of course had to make my customary stop at In-n-Out (this counts as carb-loading, right?). Friday was Expo day, as we stood in a tremendous line (a theme of the weekend...) to get in. Though once they actually opened the expo, we moved fairly quickly inside. Picked up our bibs, t-shirts and swag bag, and it was time to open up our wallets! Haha....I went in knowing I wanted the buy "The Stick", a self massager tool, those that arent aware. I have been using a rolling pin this whole time. As useful as that was, it was limited. Also on my wish list was another pair of sunglasses and I did make that purchase as well. So now I'll have separate specs for running and biking. Yay!
A pretty uneventful next couple days, and Sunday is upon us. Being my first evening race, it was going to be a little tricky getting nutrition down, even though I do almost all of my runs in the evening. I didnt have my usually long-run lunch available to me! So buffet brunch at 10am and a snack around 3pm is how I approached it, with a 5:30pm start time, and it seemed to work fine, hunger-wise.
So we met up at 4pm to meet up and shuttle it down to the start line....
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| Pre-race smiles! |
This is where the "fun" began. Due to the congestion getting to the start, as a result of road closures, the shuttles provided by our hotel, Wynn/Encore, were delayed coming to pick us up. In fact, we were waiting until 4:40ish until we even boarded a bus. Now on the shuttle and on our way, and we were not going anywhere quick. It was bumper to bumper traffic, and we must have been moving 1 foot per minute. We could have gone out and walked to the start quicker, but of course that would have added an additional 2.5 miles to our legs/feet. Then to do 13.1 on top of that? No thanks.
We arrive to the start area shortly before 6pm- the race started at 5:30! Lucky for me, my corral hadnt left yet. Of course a pre-race potty break was in order. We couldnt locate the port-o-johns, so we decided to use the ones in the Panda Express nearby. There were TOTALLY cool about it. Line wasn't very long either. So, finally, with bladder emptied, we were able to join the march to the start line, with more "fun" to be had...
After handing off the bag I was originally going to check-in to my wife, I finally crossed the start. This is where my fears were realized. Knowing this race was going to be 44,000 people strong, I feared it would be somewhat crowded. And by somewhat crowded, I mean like JP Morgan Corporate Challenge crowded. And guess what? IT WAS. For about 12 out of the 13.1 miles!! The lack of crowd control and signage was a huge problem for this race. Crowds everywhere- before, during, and after the race. I'll just leave it at that and continue the actual recap of the run....
So I spend much of the first mile dodging walkers and slower runners, but my legs feel good. Having not run in 3 plus days, and doing a bit of walking the previous 2 days, did a decent job priming my legs for the run. I finished the first mile in 10:20, which was actually right where I wanted to be. Second mile did not prove to be the same, as I came in in 10:50. It just seemed to get more crowded from there, and the next few miles were 11+ minute miles. It actually fluctuated, as the Strip would go from 3 lanes, to 5 lanes, back down to 3 in certain areas. We break off the Strip a little after the 4 mile marker, and head toward downtown. Though at the time it didnt seem TOO bad, looking back, it was a VERY sketchy part of town. I downed my first pack of Gu at this point. Still feeling very good, legs strong, not breathing hard yet. As we make our way through downtown and Freemont Street, and approach the Strip again, is where I first start to struggle. Got to mile 9, near the Stratosphere, and I told myself to at least get to mile 10, then I'd pull back a little. The constant weaving and dodging was starting to catch up to me. Finally got to 10, and there was an aid station, so I slowed down to grab a cup of water. Downed what I could and resumed my pace. I got to about 11.5 miles, and was pretty much gassed. From there until about a half mile remaining, I went into somewhat of a run-walk. 1 minute on, 1 minute off. Half mile to go, and I told myself I had to run to the end, except there was a problem- my quad (right above the right knee) started to REALLY tighten up on me, like, about to cramp tight. I tried to push through, but couldnt. Stopped real quick to stretch it out, and continued on. That final tenth of a mile was so nerve wracking because I feared my quad would just seize up. Lucky for me, it didnt, and I crossed the finish with a time of 2:33:47. Nearly 14 minutes later than my goal of 2:20! I was pretty disappointed with the time, but I also know there was not much I could do about it, given the crowds. Regardless, I had my second Half Marathon under my belt, and another medal to add to my collection:
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| And it glows in the dark! |
So what's next from here? I have the Rock 'n' Roll USA Half Marathon in DC in my sights. Its on March 17th, so I'll have another 3 months exactly to fine tune my fitness. Until next time!
Monday, November 7, 2011
Urbanathlon Recap
Well it seems I'm a little past due on my Urbanathlon update...but of course it had to be the coldest, wettest and windiest days so far this fall, and not to mention the same day that somewhat of a "blizzard" went through the Northeast in October! The morning started around 6:30am, woke up and went through my usual pre-race routine. I knew it was going to be a cold one, but was just not sure HOW cold, but I went with long sleeve cold gear, a long sleeve T, leggings and shorts over them, running gloves (with lifting gloves underneath, for some of the obstacles), and a skull cap. I wore a hoodie to stay warm pre-race and eventually decided to check it at baggage. So with the 30 or so minutes between when I checked my bags and when the race started, I stood there freezing my butt off!! I dont think I've ever been that cold. And anyone that knows me is that I dont get cold very easily.
Being in the last wave (signed up as a Clydesdale, "naayyyy!"-- is that the sound a horse makes??...anyway....), I didnt get started until around 8:20am. The rain had started to come down pretty steadily at this point, but surprisingly, my sneakers were in decent shape. And thankfully, I warmed up pretty quickly once we got going. So, after almost 2 miles of an easy jog, I reach the first obstacle: the police and traffic barricades. Go over the traffic barricade and under the police ones. This one was not very difficult, but did require me to get on my hands and knees to get under, so therefore, I got muddied up real quick. As we got to the second obstacle about a 1.5 miles later, I realized things werent going to be in the order that was detailed on the website. So along we go, and despite the rain and cold, its going well, and I dont hit my first real challenge of an obstacle until I reached the Marine hurdles. I underestimated how high they were. For a 6' guy, they were about chin high!! Though a challenge, I found myself getting over them without much trouble. the only issue would be that i ripped one corner of my bib. oops. I saw a lot of the females have trouble here, and actually were being helped by other competitors. What a nice showing camaraderie! Next obstacle would be the monkey bars and parallel bars, the monkey bars which were one of two obstacles that worried me. Got over the parallel bars pretty easily, and off to the monkey bars. and to my surprise, I did them pretty cleanly! Having the lifting gloves helped a ton, as many were slipping off them due to the weather conditions.
From here, it was a long run before we reached the next obstacle, which was the Aurthur Ashe Stadium stair climb. But to my surprise, it was only a climb to the top deck, then back down. So after that would be the "real" stairclimb in CitiField. Entered the stadium and had to get up to Promonade level. Once there, it was up and down the stairs of the Promonade level through about 6 or 7 sections. Since I was in the back of the pack, a lot of people were walking it. At this point, I didnt mind too much. So after the last stair climb, it was back down the stadium, all the way down to the clubhouse, into the visitor dugout, and get this: ON TO THE FIELD ITSELF!! I was a little "star" struck! Of course we had to stay on the dirt, from foul territory on the 3B side, onto the warning track, and onto the 1st base side. Back into the stands, up another flight of stairs, and back out of the stadium through the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. Only a little bit left to go.
So it was over a couple taxis, which was actually a lot of fun, under some jeeps (which should have been earlier- and really hurt my knees, since we were crawling on artificial turf which was laid out on the parking lot!), over a schoolbus on a cargo net, and finally, over an 8' wall and through the finish. I will sadly admit right now, at this point, I could not get over the wall. But from what I could tell, not many did or could. On my first attempt, I jump up, as able to get my elbows on top of the wall, tried to pull myself up, but slipped and dropped back down, nearly landing on one of the volunteers. On my second attempt, nearly the same, but as i hung there for a second, the volunteer pretty much took my legs and threw me over. Thank God for that! Otherwise I think I would still be there trying to get over.
All in all, it was a good, fun and challenging event, despite the weather. And I am totally in next year if it happens again. I will definitely strength train more for it so I can get over the wall on my own. And hopefully get some buddies on board so I wont have to do it alone again.
Being in the last wave (signed up as a Clydesdale, "naayyyy!"-- is that the sound a horse makes??...anyway....), I didnt get started until around 8:20am. The rain had started to come down pretty steadily at this point, but surprisingly, my sneakers were in decent shape. And thankfully, I warmed up pretty quickly once we got going. So, after almost 2 miles of an easy jog, I reach the first obstacle: the police and traffic barricades. Go over the traffic barricade and under the police ones. This one was not very difficult, but did require me to get on my hands and knees to get under, so therefore, I got muddied up real quick. As we got to the second obstacle about a 1.5 miles later, I realized things werent going to be in the order that was detailed on the website. So along we go, and despite the rain and cold, its going well, and I dont hit my first real challenge of an obstacle until I reached the Marine hurdles. I underestimated how high they were. For a 6' guy, they were about chin high!! Though a challenge, I found myself getting over them without much trouble. the only issue would be that i ripped one corner of my bib. oops. I saw a lot of the females have trouble here, and actually were being helped by other competitors. What a nice showing camaraderie! Next obstacle would be the monkey bars and parallel bars, the monkey bars which were one of two obstacles that worried me. Got over the parallel bars pretty easily, and off to the monkey bars. and to my surprise, I did them pretty cleanly! Having the lifting gloves helped a ton, as many were slipping off them due to the weather conditions.
From here, it was a long run before we reached the next obstacle, which was the Aurthur Ashe Stadium stair climb. But to my surprise, it was only a climb to the top deck, then back down. So after that would be the "real" stairclimb in CitiField. Entered the stadium and had to get up to Promonade level. Once there, it was up and down the stairs of the Promonade level through about 6 or 7 sections. Since I was in the back of the pack, a lot of people were walking it. At this point, I didnt mind too much. So after the last stair climb, it was back down the stadium, all the way down to the clubhouse, into the visitor dugout, and get this: ON TO THE FIELD ITSELF!! I was a little "star" struck! Of course we had to stay on the dirt, from foul territory on the 3B side, onto the warning track, and onto the 1st base side. Back into the stands, up another flight of stairs, and back out of the stadium through the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. Only a little bit left to go.
So it was over a couple taxis, which was actually a lot of fun, under some jeeps (which should have been earlier- and really hurt my knees, since we were crawling on artificial turf which was laid out on the parking lot!), over a schoolbus on a cargo net, and finally, over an 8' wall and through the finish. I will sadly admit right now, at this point, I could not get over the wall. But from what I could tell, not many did or could. On my first attempt, I jump up, as able to get my elbows on top of the wall, tried to pull myself up, but slipped and dropped back down, nearly landing on one of the volunteers. On my second attempt, nearly the same, but as i hung there for a second, the volunteer pretty much took my legs and threw me over. Thank God for that! Otherwise I think I would still be there trying to get over.
All in all, it was a good, fun and challenging event, despite the weather. And I am totally in next year if it happens again. I will definitely strength train more for it so I can get over the wall on my own. And hopefully get some buddies on board so I wont have to do it alone again.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Training Recap (Weeks of 9/12 and 9/19)
So here we are, half marathon training once again in full swing. It seems to be off to a rather slow start, but I think I'm doing okay. I just wish the weather would start getting cooler and LESS HUMID. Been steadily building the weekly mileage and long runs, and have been on track there. Also being consistent in doing hills. Was up to 6x the Cat Hill, with no bonus up to 90th street. Last week I also included one short run (once around the small southern loop), but in the middle, I did the stairs near Bathesda Fountain. This of course is preparing for Urbanathlon, which I've registered for. My original plan was just to do 5 reps, but after the 5th one, it was still rather easy and I was nowhere near exhausted, so I did a few more for a total of 9. I'm not really sure why I ended at 9, but I did.
This past saturday (9/24) was the 5th Avenue Mile. A one mile sprint from 80th (the Met) to 60th (Grand Army Plaza) streets. My "swift" sprint took 7:32. That was actually better than I thought I'd do, especially considering the humidity. I was really shooting for around 8 minutes, since my best mile to date, ever, was 8:11. I must admit that I came out too hot out of the gate, and lost a bit of steam about half way through. But lucky for me, the last 800m was more downhill than anything, and was able to coast to the finish. They even called out my name as I approached the finish line!
So after that was over, since it was only a mile, I attempted to do a long run. Now about 10:45, temps starting to get into the mid to upper 70s, with humidity north of 75%, I knew it was going to be a struggle. My goal was around 5.5 miles (in addition to the 1 mile race earlier). Since the end of the race was close to where I normally enter the park, I started from the same spot. Was going to go clock-wise around the park, crossover at 104th and come down the east side, completing the loop and ending at 72nd on the West side.
Sadly, I only made it to about 4.4 miles, ending at 72nd on the East side, meaning I didnt even complete the loop. It was just TOO humid.
So, with about a month left until Urbanathlon, i should really start getting back into some resistance training again. Have definitely slacked off on that end. Looking for an 8 mile long run this week (as this weekend looks to be MUCH cooler and MUCH less humid!). We'll see how that goes. Until next time!
This past saturday (9/24) was the 5th Avenue Mile. A one mile sprint from 80th (the Met) to 60th (Grand Army Plaza) streets. My "swift" sprint took 7:32. That was actually better than I thought I'd do, especially considering the humidity. I was really shooting for around 8 minutes, since my best mile to date, ever, was 8:11. I must admit that I came out too hot out of the gate, and lost a bit of steam about half way through. But lucky for me, the last 800m was more downhill than anything, and was able to coast to the finish. They even called out my name as I approached the finish line!
So after that was over, since it was only a mile, I attempted to do a long run. Now about 10:45, temps starting to get into the mid to upper 70s, with humidity north of 75%, I knew it was going to be a struggle. My goal was around 5.5 miles (in addition to the 1 mile race earlier). Since the end of the race was close to where I normally enter the park, I started from the same spot. Was going to go clock-wise around the park, crossover at 104th and come down the east side, completing the loop and ending at 72nd on the West side.
Sadly, I only made it to about 4.4 miles, ending at 72nd on the East side, meaning I didnt even complete the loop. It was just TOO humid.
So, with about a month left until Urbanathlon, i should really start getting back into some resistance training again. Have definitely slacked off on that end. Looking for an 8 mile long run this week (as this weekend looks to be MUCH cooler and MUCH less humid!). We'll see how that goes. Until next time!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
This is it!! (and JPMCC Recap)
Last night I ran the annual JP Morgan Corporate Challenge and I was fully intent on giving a more detailed recap, but I think all I'll say is: It was hot. It was CROWDED. And I should have worn a different shirt. If I get into more detail, I fear I'll start whining too much about all the walkers that somehow started in front of me, thus being in my way when I had to go around them. I finished the 3.5 miles in 34:12 at a 9:46 pace. Expected better, but decent given the conditions. Now onto more important matters....
Less than 3 days remain until the Tri! I head out for DC tomorrow afternoon, so the anxiety is starting to creep in! (not like it hasn't been, as I numbingly stare at the course map that I printed and pinned to my cube wall all day long). I did some last minute stuff for the bike, like take off the kickstand (for some weight reduction, haha), and install my second bottle cage and prepared my emergency kit. I should also probably do a couple "dry" runs of the transitions some time. I keep trying to go over it in my head, and though I feel like its not much of an issue, I should really rehearse it to know what order I'm putting things on or taking them off, and how to lay it out on race morning. Main concern at this point is the bib and when/how I should pin it on. If I just relax and take my time, I should be okay. Dont' want to be like a rabid dog in transition....
So thats it. I'll be back probably Monday or Tuesday with a full report of the Tri. This should be exciting, wish me luck!
Less than 3 days remain until the Tri! I head out for DC tomorrow afternoon, so the anxiety is starting to creep in! (not like it hasn't been, as I numbingly stare at the course map that I printed and pinned to my cube wall all day long). I did some last minute stuff for the bike, like take off the kickstand (for some weight reduction, haha), and install my second bottle cage and prepared my emergency kit. I should also probably do a couple "dry" runs of the transitions some time. I keep trying to go over it in my head, and though I feel like its not much of an issue, I should really rehearse it to know what order I'm putting things on or taking them off, and how to lay it out on race morning. Main concern at this point is the bib and when/how I should pin it on. If I just relax and take my time, I should be okay. Dont' want to be like a rabid dog in transition....
So thats it. I'll be back probably Monday or Tuesday with a full report of the Tri. This should be exciting, wish me luck!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Celebrate Israel Recap (with a BIG PR!)
Sunday (June 5) I ran the inaugural Celebrate Israel 4M race, a familiar 4-miler through Central Park. Since I didn't have too much trouble driving in for the last couple races, I did so again for this one. This turned out to be a rough one, since I failed to realize there was a parade to Celebrate Israel as well, which shut down a bunch of streets near where I had been parking, which was also near the start of the race. After circling a bit and running into a handful of detours due to the parade, I decided to just garage it, and took the $25 hit.
I get to the start line around 8:30am, do my usual warm ups and stretches and down a pack of Gu energy gel at around 8:45. Honestly, for a 4-miler, I probably didn't need one, but it has been working well for me in the previous races so I figured, why mess with a good thing?
After "enjoying" both the Israeli national anthem and the Star Spangled Banner, the starting horn finally goes off. Though a smaller field this time, it was still a little more than 5 minutes to get to the start line. A good start, legs felt good and strong, and I fall into what feels like my normal pace. Get to the mile 1 marker (which happened to sync up very well with Nike+), I realize I'm going at a pretty good pace, and Nike+ confirmed it saying I just did the first mile in 9:10. Whoa! My usual pace is never that fast, let along the first mile! But I'm confident at this point, and it still feels good, so I just plug along. A little after the 2 marker, I started to feel the faster pace start to catch up a bit. This part of the course also contains a couple rolling hills, so I backed off a little. Saw the mile 3 marker, and knew the end was near. It was also a bit of downhill. So I got back to what my pace was, and when I saw the turn onto 72nd, I kicked it up and finished strong. My time turned out to be 37:19, at a 9:20 pace! That was a pretty sizable PR! My best 4-miler was the NYRR-4, in which I finished in 38:48 at a 9:42 pace. About a 1.5 minute improvement! Of course it was raining buckets that day, but still, I was very satisfied with my finish.
Onward from here, the Tri is in LESS THAN TWO WEEKS! Still deciding how/when I should taper, or if I even really need it, since I haven't really been training THAT intensely. May try to get 2 swims and 2 runs in again this week (though the weather may be something to contend with this week). And try to do an extended training session (aka- run/bike/run) on Sunday (my only available day). Then 1 easy swim, bike and run the week of the 13th. I will probably just use the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge as my easy run. Should be an exciting next 2 weeks!
I get to the start line around 8:30am, do my usual warm ups and stretches and down a pack of Gu energy gel at around 8:45. Honestly, for a 4-miler, I probably didn't need one, but it has been working well for me in the previous races so I figured, why mess with a good thing?
After "enjoying" both the Israeli national anthem and the Star Spangled Banner, the starting horn finally goes off. Though a smaller field this time, it was still a little more than 5 minutes to get to the start line. A good start, legs felt good and strong, and I fall into what feels like my normal pace. Get to the mile 1 marker (which happened to sync up very well with Nike+), I realize I'm going at a pretty good pace, and Nike+ confirmed it saying I just did the first mile in 9:10. Whoa! My usual pace is never that fast, let along the first mile! But I'm confident at this point, and it still feels good, so I just plug along. A little after the 2 marker, I started to feel the faster pace start to catch up a bit. This part of the course also contains a couple rolling hills, so I backed off a little. Saw the mile 3 marker, and knew the end was near. It was also a bit of downhill. So I got back to what my pace was, and when I saw the turn onto 72nd, I kicked it up and finished strong. My time turned out to be 37:19, at a 9:20 pace! That was a pretty sizable PR! My best 4-miler was the NYRR-4, in which I finished in 38:48 at a 9:42 pace. About a 1.5 minute improvement! Of course it was raining buckets that day, but still, I was very satisfied with my finish.
Onward from here, the Tri is in LESS THAN TWO WEEKS! Still deciding how/when I should taper, or if I even really need it, since I haven't really been training THAT intensely. May try to get 2 swims and 2 runs in again this week (though the weather may be something to contend with this week). And try to do an extended training session (aka- run/bike/run) on Sunday (my only available day). Then 1 easy swim, bike and run the week of the 13th. I will probably just use the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge as my easy run. Should be an exciting next 2 weeks!
Monday, May 16, 2011
UAE Healthy Kidney 10k Recap
Just a quick background for those wondering what the UAE and Healthy kidneys have to do with one another. The race itself was to support the National Kidney Foundation, and was sponsored by the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and in honor of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, who was a beneficiary of a kidney transplant. With that, onward to the recap....
First thing first, another PR! Finishing about 34 seconds faster than the Scotland Run 10k, with a final time of 1:01:14, translating to a 9:52 minute mile pace. It was a nice 60 degrees (though 78% humidity), mostly cloudy, and winds were calm, making it a pretty nice running day. This was a fairly crowded race, with over 7500 runners. Again, being in the last corral, it took nearly 14 minutes to reach the start line. To think, the winner (who also set a new course and world record) had already completed 3 miles, since his splits were: 4:17, 4:23, 4:17 for the first 3 miles. Crazy. Anyway, its such a slow march to the start, I actually darted over to the port-a-potty for a quick potty break before the start! Jumped back into the march and finally got on my way.
First half of the race felt good. Legs were strong and was keeping a decent pace. Only problem, as stated earlier, was the crowd. I expended a lot of energy trying to get around people. This most likely caused by many who do not line up in the correct corrals. Its quite irritating! I was trying to find someone to pace with, but sadly could not. I usually am able to find someone to pace with at least for a while, but not this time I guess. Get to mile 4, back on the east side and I'm really starting to lumber a bit, the only thing keeping going at this point is knowing that I have Cat Hill (going DOWN!) coming up and that I'd get to recover there. Turns out it didnt help too much, and I had to push through the last stretch on the east side, south of 72nd. I reach the south end and see the "800m to go" sign. I kick it up a little. Then the "400m to go". I kick it up a little more. "200m to go" and I turn it up more. I feared that I may have turned it up too early and am really running on fumes at this point, had to really dig deep to keep it up until the finish. Looking back though, this is probably where I gained most of the 34 seconds when compared to the Scotland Run, so I'm glad I kicked it up where I did.
So tomorrow will be the Wall Street Run (3 Mile), and it looks like it'll be another rainy one. I'm not looking for any kind of PR, since all that I've heard and read says its ultra crowded. Then again, whatever time I finish with will technically be a PR, since I've never done a 3 mile race before, HAH! Will catch a couple week break [from racing] after that, then the Celebrate Israel Run on June 5th. Will be back Wed. for a recap of the Wall Street Run.
Here is a map of the course (same course as the Scotland Run 10k, which is why it says "Scotland Run")
First thing first, another PR! Finishing about 34 seconds faster than the Scotland Run 10k, with a final time of 1:01:14, translating to a 9:52 minute mile pace. It was a nice 60 degrees (though 78% humidity), mostly cloudy, and winds were calm, making it a pretty nice running day. This was a fairly crowded race, with over 7500 runners. Again, being in the last corral, it took nearly 14 minutes to reach the start line. To think, the winner (who also set a new course and world record) had already completed 3 miles, since his splits were: 4:17, 4:23, 4:17 for the first 3 miles. Crazy. Anyway, its such a slow march to the start, I actually darted over to the port-a-potty for a quick potty break before the start! Jumped back into the march and finally got on my way.
First half of the race felt good. Legs were strong and was keeping a decent pace. Only problem, as stated earlier, was the crowd. I expended a lot of energy trying to get around people. This most likely caused by many who do not line up in the correct corrals. Its quite irritating! I was trying to find someone to pace with, but sadly could not. I usually am able to find someone to pace with at least for a while, but not this time I guess. Get to mile 4, back on the east side and I'm really starting to lumber a bit, the only thing keeping going at this point is knowing that I have Cat Hill (going DOWN!) coming up and that I'd get to recover there. Turns out it didnt help too much, and I had to push through the last stretch on the east side, south of 72nd. I reach the south end and see the "800m to go" sign. I kick it up a little. Then the "400m to go". I kick it up a little more. "200m to go" and I turn it up more. I feared that I may have turned it up too early and am really running on fumes at this point, had to really dig deep to keep it up until the finish. Looking back though, this is probably where I gained most of the 34 seconds when compared to the Scotland Run, so I'm glad I kicked it up where I did.
So tomorrow will be the Wall Street Run (3 Mile), and it looks like it'll be another rainy one. I'm not looking for any kind of PR, since all that I've heard and read says its ultra crowded. Then again, whatever time I finish with will technically be a PR, since I've never done a 3 mile race before, HAH! Will catch a couple week break [from racing] after that, then the Celebrate Israel Run on June 5th. Will be back Wed. for a recap of the Wall Street Run.
Here is a map of the course (same course as the Scotland Run 10k, which is why it says "Scotland Run")
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
3+1 Down, 6 To Go, and another PR!
I awoke Saturday morning, around 6:45am, to the sound of raindrops. Thats how quickly my hopes were dashed that the weather people were wrong about rain that day. I proceeded to get ready for the race, somewhere in the back of my mind hoping that the rain would stop by 9am. But just in case it didnt, I decided I would run in my Bar Harbor wind breaker and left the house. I drove out to the race this time, rather than take the train, and it was a pretty good decision, otherwise, I would have been hanging out in Central Park for over an hour in the rain. I arrived at the start line around 8:30am and the rain was coming down pretty steadily. My shoes were doing pretty well given the conditions, until of course, I decided to step in a pretty deep puddle.
The race starts and as customary, being in one of the last few corrals, it takes some time to actually get to the start line. This one, though less crowded than the Scotland Run, seemed to take longer than normal. So much so that I forgot to glance up at the clock as I crossed the start line (it ended up being about 5-6 minutes only). So the race is under way and the rain actually was not feeling too bad. Other than my sneakers, it wasn't bad at all. My hat helped a lot as well, to keep the rain out of my face and eyes.
I get to the first mile marker and see the clock at around 16:00. At this point I'm hoping it was 6:00 when I crossed the start meaning I just did the first mile in 10 minutes. I had no idea how I was pacing, as I wasnt using Nike+ due to the rain. But I get to mile 2 and see that I'm doing sub 10min-mile. Feeling pretty decently despite my now sloshing shoes, I decide to kick it up a little as I reach the west side. At this point, I know there are a couple mini-uphills, and then its pretty much downhill from there. I get near the finish line, and want to sprint to the end as I normally do, but it was pretty crowded! It was hard to do so. What made it even more difficult were the people who stop as SOON as they cross the finish line! I was trying to hard not to mow someone over that I again forgot to look up at the clock. I quickly glanced back and lucky for me, they had a clock facing that way, and it was 44 minutes and change. Without knowing what the time was when I crossed the start, I had no idea if I PR-ed or not, but I knew it was close.
So it turns out, I did PR! Whoo-hoo! Final time was 38:48 (9:42 pace), meaning I PR-ed by barely 20 seconds, but hey, a PR is a PR! My previous PR at 4 miles was the Gridiron 4M in February with 39:05 (9:46 pace). And this same race last year I finished in 42:10. So pretty nice progress all around. To think how I would have done had it not been raining.
So with this, I've now completed 3 of the 9 races towards my guaranteed entry into the 2012 NYC Marathon. Next up will be the UAE Healthy Kidney 10k on May 14th.
The race starts and as customary, being in one of the last few corrals, it takes some time to actually get to the start line. This one, though less crowded than the Scotland Run, seemed to take longer than normal. So much so that I forgot to glance up at the clock as I crossed the start line (it ended up being about 5-6 minutes only). So the race is under way and the rain actually was not feeling too bad. Other than my sneakers, it wasn't bad at all. My hat helped a lot as well, to keep the rain out of my face and eyes.
I get to the first mile marker and see the clock at around 16:00. At this point I'm hoping it was 6:00 when I crossed the start meaning I just did the first mile in 10 minutes. I had no idea how I was pacing, as I wasnt using Nike+ due to the rain. But I get to mile 2 and see that I'm doing sub 10min-mile. Feeling pretty decently despite my now sloshing shoes, I decide to kick it up a little as I reach the west side. At this point, I know there are a couple mini-uphills, and then its pretty much downhill from there. I get near the finish line, and want to sprint to the end as I normally do, but it was pretty crowded! It was hard to do so. What made it even more difficult were the people who stop as SOON as they cross the finish line! I was trying to hard not to mow someone over that I again forgot to look up at the clock. I quickly glanced back and lucky for me, they had a clock facing that way, and it was 44 minutes and change. Without knowing what the time was when I crossed the start, I had no idea if I PR-ed or not, but I knew it was close.
So it turns out, I did PR! Whoo-hoo! Final time was 38:48 (9:42 pace), meaning I PR-ed by barely 20 seconds, but hey, a PR is a PR! My previous PR at 4 miles was the Gridiron 4M in February with 39:05 (9:46 pace). And this same race last year I finished in 42:10. So pretty nice progress all around. To think how I would have done had it not been raining.
So with this, I've now completed 3 of the 9 races towards my guaranteed entry into the 2012 NYC Marathon. Next up will be the UAE Healthy Kidney 10k on May 14th.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Scotland Run Recap (another PR!)
It was a calm, clear 52 deg in Central Park for this race. Pretty good conditions for me. The race reached capacity, so it was no surprise that it was going to be a crowded race. Not to mention my 10041 race number! I checked my bag and trotted all the way to the back of the corrals, and to my amusement, they technically didnt even have a corral for my number! So in full celebration of Scotland, they had guys playing bagpipes at each mile marker, and a handful of runners wore kilts! Still wondering if the guys who wore them were wearing them the "proper" way (read: nothing on underneath!).
Anyway, another big PR for me! Finishing in 1:01:48 with a pace of 9:58. Which was also about 2.5 minutes faster than my race simulation the other night. The race felt good overall, and I probably could have done just a touch better had it not been so crowded. There were definitely several instances where I felt a little slowed down by the runner in front of me, and I had trouble trying to get around them. I'm glad I did those hills in the northern loop a few time in the past couple of weeks, so I knew exactly what to expect, and exactly how much to push and when. Its interesting to note that I could feel myself hitting a wall right around the 5 mile mark, since thats where the bulk of my training has been. That final .2 miles was probably the worst after you pass the 6 mile marker. Must be longest .2 mile, ever.
So not much time before the next one, the NYRR 4 miler on 4/23, which is now in just under 2 weeks. Will try to better my time from the Gridiron, for another PR. Should be good.
Anyway, another big PR for me! Finishing in 1:01:48 with a pace of 9:58. Which was also about 2.5 minutes faster than my race simulation the other night. The race felt good overall, and I probably could have done just a touch better had it not been so crowded. There were definitely several instances where I felt a little slowed down by the runner in front of me, and I had trouble trying to get around them. I'm glad I did those hills in the northern loop a few time in the past couple of weeks, so I knew exactly what to expect, and exactly how much to push and when. Its interesting to note that I could feel myself hitting a wall right around the 5 mile mark, since thats where the bulk of my training has been. That final .2 miles was probably the worst after you pass the 6 mile marker. Must be longest .2 mile, ever.
So not much time before the next one, the NYRR 4 miler on 4/23, which is now in just under 2 weeks. Will try to better my time from the Gridiron, for another PR. Should be good.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
And just like that...
Another month has gone by! Its been cold...blah, blah, blah....its been snowy, I can't believe I let a month go by....etc...blah, blah....
In any case, the running has been sporadic, but somehow going well. The NYRR Gridiron Classic (4M) was this past Sunday (2/6). That went pretty well, finished in 39:05 (9:46 pace)- which would be a PR for me! Since April is quickly sneaking up on me, I think I may have to opt for the LI Half-Marathon in May, rather than the 13.1 NY Half on April 2. That will still give me enough time to train for the DC Tri, which I'm still on the fence about.
So good news is that I've been running a sub 10 min/mile pace for the past several runs, except for when I do hills, of course. Bad news also is that I've developed a case of plantar fasciitis in my right foot. It was really painful the day after the race. But last night I fashioned a splint for it and today, I'm almost pain free, which is super-encouraging. I've ordered an actual night splint for it, which I'm hoping will help with the pain.
So, this is it for now. Hoping to get another run in (plantar fasciitis permitting) on friday. An hoping to get some yoga in there too, to stay stretched out an limber.
In any case, the running has been sporadic, but somehow going well. The NYRR Gridiron Classic (4M) was this past Sunday (2/6). That went pretty well, finished in 39:05 (9:46 pace)- which would be a PR for me! Since April is quickly sneaking up on me, I think I may have to opt for the LI Half-Marathon in May, rather than the 13.1 NY Half on April 2. That will still give me enough time to train for the DC Tri, which I'm still on the fence about.
So good news is that I've been running a sub 10 min/mile pace for the past several runs, except for when I do hills, of course. Bad news also is that I've developed a case of plantar fasciitis in my right foot. It was really painful the day after the race. But last night I fashioned a splint for it and today, I'm almost pain free, which is super-encouraging. I've ordered an actual night splint for it, which I'm hoping will help with the pain.
So, this is it for now. Hoping to get another run in (plantar fasciitis permitting) on friday. An hoping to get some yoga in there too, to stay stretched out an limber.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thanksgiving Recap
Yesterday was the Garden City Turkey Trot and it was a great way to justify the overeating that would ensue that night...haha. Anyway, it was a cold morning (38 deg at start time), but I'll take that over an 80 deg, 80% humidity day! Actually finished almost a minute slower than the NYRR5, with a time of 52:49 which translates into a 10:34 pace. But according to Nike+, my split times werent too bad. The first mile was what killed my average, due to the slow start, which took over 11 min. I was around 10:10 miles for the remainder, and actually pulled out a sub 10min final mile. This run didnt feel as good as the NYRR5 though and was also super crowded at the start, reminicent of the Cow Harbor run. Also didnt help that it was an unfamiliar course, so I wasn't sure when I could or couldnt push a little. In the end, it was nice to have another run under my belt, and a free t-shirt. Its why I do all these runs right? for the free stuff!
The schedule has been a little off since the last post, and it was supposed to be a recovery week, which is slowly turning into a recovery 2 weeks.. VBall in fact didnt happen that day, and I ended up NOT doing yoga as I wanted to. Friday was another off day, and Saturday I did a run at the Cross Island path. Did a few repeats in an attempt to improve my pace. Did 3 x 800m then 3x 400m, at around an 8-8:30min pace, since my race paces have been around 10:15-30 as of late. I did pretty well with them, considering the state I was in (had just stuffed myself with dim sum 1.5 hrs prior....talk about a stitch...), but I was pretty winded.
Monday was vball again, and Tue I did Core again. Tried to not spin myself silly by "spotting" my spins. That did help the headache situation a bit. The workout otherwise went well, though I felt like I was a bit more winded than the previous time. I should note I worked out THEN had dinner. I usually do it the other way around.
On a gear note, I've pulled the trigger on a new pair of running shoes: the Mizuno Wave Creation 11. Of everything I read, its geared to heavier runners (of which I am), and admittedly, the LunarGlides were just the WRONG shoe for me. The LunarGlides were for overpronators (to which I am not) and is more of a stability shoe- which turns out to be the kind of shoe I needed to AVOID. May explain all the calf issues I had in the beginning. I did find them to be more soft and spongy than I prefer. So the Creation 11 is supposed to be a neutral-cushioned shoe, with minimal mechanics correction. Also supposed to be very "springy" and cushiony too, which is what makes it ideal for heavier runners. AND, I did try these on in a store this time (but ordered online). Can you believe I'm over 300 miles on the LunarGlides? Crazy. Will probably run in them a little while longer (as I adjust to the Creations), and then keep them for one last hurrah at Warrior Dash, then officially retire them (aka- throw them in the trash!....ok fine, recycle).
The schedule has been a little off since the last post, and it was supposed to be a recovery week, which is slowly turning into a recovery 2 weeks.. VBall in fact didnt happen that day, and I ended up NOT doing yoga as I wanted to. Friday was another off day, and Saturday I did a run at the Cross Island path. Did a few repeats in an attempt to improve my pace. Did 3 x 800m then 3x 400m, at around an 8-8:30min pace, since my race paces have been around 10:15-30 as of late. I did pretty well with them, considering the state I was in (had just stuffed myself with dim sum 1.5 hrs prior....talk about a stitch...), but I was pretty winded.
Monday was vball again, and Tue I did Core again. Tried to not spin myself silly by "spotting" my spins. That did help the headache situation a bit. The workout otherwise went well, though I felt like I was a bit more winded than the previous time. I should note I worked out THEN had dinner. I usually do it the other way around.
On a gear note, I've pulled the trigger on a new pair of running shoes: the Mizuno Wave Creation 11. Of everything I read, its geared to heavier runners (of which I am), and admittedly, the LunarGlides were just the WRONG shoe for me. The LunarGlides were for overpronators (to which I am not) and is more of a stability shoe- which turns out to be the kind of shoe I needed to AVOID. May explain all the calf issues I had in the beginning. I did find them to be more soft and spongy than I prefer. So the Creation 11 is supposed to be a neutral-cushioned shoe, with minimal mechanics correction. Also supposed to be very "springy" and cushiony too, which is what makes it ideal for heavier runners. AND, I did try these on in a store this time (but ordered online). Can you believe I'm over 300 miles on the LunarGlides? Crazy. Will probably run in them a little while longer (as I adjust to the Creations), and then keep them for one last hurrah at Warrior Dash, then officially retire them (aka- throw them in the trash!....ok fine, recycle).
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