I have more background to this race than a race report really: I signed up at the last possible minute and until 2 hours before the race, I wasn’t sure if I’d race it..

Monday, I felt horrible. Horrible. Like I-hate-everyone-horrible. I had slept very little and was in a foul mood. When I got home, I was in such fury, I put my lightest minimalists on (the A5s) and went out. Soon enough I was doing mile reps, because. A bit after I joined the BostonStrong run, did 3 more miles and headed home. While I stretched,  I noticed I was stiff. I bent my foot as I always do, and CRACK. Something.

I kept my foul mood all night and said nothing hoping it’d go away.

Tuesday, it did not go away. I finally told Juan it was hurting.  I always think that if you don’t say it outloud, it’s not happening. I ❤ denial. So he bent it around, nothing’s broken. Then he went to town on my foot. I screamed, cried, bit socks, made a huge raucous, kicked, and felt like I was dying. He had said it would hurt. He also said he’d make it better. And for some reason, I believe him. No running. I still decided to sign up for the 4 miler on Sunday. Should I sign up? oh well, I’ll sign up!

Wednesday it hurt. No running.

Thursday it hurt. Little 6 sloooow miles with pain. I shouldn’t race.

Friday it hurt. No running.

Saturday, it hurt a little less. Should I even get up on Sunday? Will I make it worse? Ugh.

Sunday. No pain.

What? Yeah. No pain. Okay… maybe I’ll go, take it easy, and drop if it starts hurting.

Race Day.

Five blocks away from home, I realized I left my motoactv. No GPS, no mile splits and no music, UGH. I panicked for a second. Then I decided I’d be ok. I can pace fine but I’d miss the music and wondered if I’d get bored. Also, I breathe really loud and it’s annoying. Oh, well. On On. I was mostly excited to try out my new Mizunos Sayonara; I had loved them on Thursday’s run and didn’t even think twice about racing in them!

Security in NYRR races now is a big deal. You need to put your stuff in a clear bag to leave it at baggage. You need to show your bib to get into the race area. You need to show your bib to get into the portapotties area. Lots of security.

I understand it, 100%, but it takes a bit away from the experience. I always felt safe in the park, even with the assaults and other stuff that has always happened. This makes it a bit more real, but no complains!

Met my team, pretended to warm up (I don’t warm up!), and headed to the corral.

Weather was nice, 53 and sunny. I wondered if I should have dropped the singlet and race in my bra, I knew it’d hot soon.

The gun goes off, I count the seconds until I pass the start mat, just in case that’d help with the clocks. Approximately 25 seconds. I felt like everyone and their mother was passing me. No watch, I was going blind… I had no idea if I was going too slow. I DO love to start slow (on races!).

Clock on Mile 1 read 7:35. Uhm, was that a 7:10? Who knows.

No watch, no music, I felt I had more control on my speed. Mile 2 said 14:45. Or something like that.

I did get hot soon. There is two kinds of weather for me: Winter/Cold, and sports bra weather.

The whole way I felt super comfortable. Easy and Controlled. The foot wasn’t hurting and I was happy. I never felt out of breath, or like I was going too hard. I wondered if I was going too slow. I smashed all my doubts and kept at it. Legs were moving fine. Mile 3 came and went, and by the time I reached the top of the last hill I started sprinting. For the first time in a while in a short race I felt like I had a sprint. I passed a lot of people in that last half mile. I was running all out in my last 300 meters. Fierce face and all.

Ben Ko: thanks for the photos! You’re always everywhere! PS: keep in mind these were in the last half mile.

Finished, with no clock to stop, with a 28 something. Yey, I thought! PR was 28:09 so I knew I wasn’t too far. Good.

Foot doesn’t hurt: I am HAPPY. That’s all I cared about.

Then I saw it…

Uhm

–        A PR

–        An Age Group placing

–        And a AG over 70%

 I just love how every run and every race always have such unexpected results. CRAZY.

Stats!

Finish time: 28:00. Average Pace: 7:00

Previous PR: 28:09. From: September 2010, OMFG!

Age Grading: 70:23%

Overall Place: 568 of 6,998

Gender Place: 50 of  3,457

Age Place: 3 of 500

We hung out a bit at the finish, it was such a nice day to stay out in the park all day…

Well, it was huge surprise, breaking a PR that was over two years old, placing, foot not hurting (thanks J) and yes, mostly excited for the month ahead… I am still not sure if I am doing the NJ Half this weekend or the Japan 4 miler. We shall see. And… Brooklyn Half in two weeks!