Tag Archive | 10k

2014 – Looking back and forward

And there goes another year. It was quite full of experiences. There were a lot of great things, lots of love, friends, big family visits, all exciting, but not all sunny and happy, of course. I think it was one of those years when you’re supposed to grow a lot. Running-wise, it was probably my worst year; I lost motivation and failed miserably (but with dignity!) in most races. I don’t see that as a particularly bad thing, it’s a learning process and we can’t always win them all. And off-the-track, it was amazing. We just can’t have it all, can we? 2013 had been a big year. BIG BIG and busy. I met Juan in January, he moved and we got married by September, I changed jobs, PRed at the Half and got a few AG Wins. Then I got an ulcer and it all went downhill, including my 5th NYCM in a row (a blah 3:49). 2014 started weak…

January

You can imagine how weak it started that I didn’t even had resolutions or goals. I wrote tips to run in the winter because I was having issues with it myself! I was signed up for the NYC Half and the Boston Marathon and barely run. The cold just got to me and I lost a lot of will. Then, I fell again for the 3rd time in 5 weeks. A mess. I started to fear running. COLD and SCARY: little running. Total Miles: 77

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February

Juan and I showed up in the Runners World feature: Valentine’s Day “Romance Found on the Run“, and I was Women’s Running Blogger on the Run. But, we moved out of my studio into the penthouse.  I felt like I spent all winter hiding from the cold. I trained little. Very little. Total Miles: 87

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March

I had a slooow NYC Half but it was quite photogenic, fun, and really well run, progressive-splits run all the way! I was still struggling with motivation and goals. I also had a fun trip to SoulcycleTotal Miles: 105

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April

I had an ok Scotland 10K, though I had no interest in racing. Soon enough, we shipped to do the Boston Marathon, here are the Saturday pictures, which are awesome, and the Sunday pics, also awesome. And then there was the race (race report here), slow (3:48) and painful but oh so inspiring and uplifting. Glad I was there for the race (not for my legs or ego!). Total Miles: 80

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May

By now things were looking awful, I hadn’t PRed in a YEAR. A YEAR. So depressing. And I kept struggling with motivation. I decided to stop running completely. I still showed up to the Brooklyn Half Marathon, not knowing if I’ll even run it, and ended up having a great (and slow) time, seems like it’s all about the context for me! Total Miles: 41

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June

This month was also quite running-free and my parents came to visit so I was pretty entertained and didn’t even notice. Still, I did my 100th race, the Mini 10K, as they wanted to see me race in Central Park. This was literally painfully slow. I did run it with 2 friends but it was so slow, I didn’t even run that slow years ago when I started running! And, a fun picture. I took my parents to Bear Mountain and Connecticut and run a bit there, and a bit in the Fort Lauderdale heat, so cute. Stuff gets bad fast when you don’t run, how do non-runners live like that? Total Miles: 30

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July

In July, I saw Daphne, an old friend, running, and basically latched onto her. For Dear Life. I started training again. Good, because I was signed up for a few halfs and the NYC Marathon. Total Miles: 111

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August

Did some wonderful running in the always great Summer Streets, worked and cheered at the NYC Triathlon, then Juan had an awful bike crash in Central Park, which messed up our lives for a couple of months, poor thing. I barely left his side, only to train or work. The running was going fantastic though, fast long runs… who would have thought? Total Miles: 152

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September

I cheered at the 5th avenue mile and took lots of pictures, here and the pros here. The running was going great until we left for our delayed honeymoon in St Croix, there was no running there (but lots of snorkeling!) Total Miles: 116

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October

and we came back straight to racing! First, the, Grete’s Great Gallop, in 1:44. Still, slooow, but getting here. The week after, I did the Staten Island Half, in 1:43 (it’s a bit flatter). Consistency and good predictors for the marathon in 3 weeks. Then the week before the marathon, I did a 5 mile race in Central Park, the Poland Spring Marathon Kickoff, in 37:17, average pace of 7:28. Far from a PR. Still. By then it was a year and a half. But feeling GOOD. Total Miles: 132

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November

November was BUSY. I started it at the NYC Marathon Expo, which was all loads of crazy (even if smaller compared to previous years) and an Under Armour Party. Worked all week and then did the marathon, here is the race report of the #marathornado. I struggled to stay focused (in 3:49) so I just chilled, slowed down and tried to enjoy it. oh, whatever!!!! I ended up in the Asics  homepage, I tried one of those treadmill studios, I kept Juan company at the Rocky Balboa run and got many pictures, and I bought a million of really-cold weather running gear. And I raced some more!! I did the Race to Deliver 4 miler in Central Park, which I enjoyed, and then a 5K on Thanksgiving, where both Juan and I came first on our AG. Winning! November was rock solid! Total Miles: 88

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December

Seems like the year just picked up at the end! December was great too. I spent .0005 minutes detoxing from Thanksgiving and 2 weeks eating my way through Buenos Aires. Even though I was a bit overweight and slow, I did ok (21:04) in a hot 5K, where my 67 year old mom joined. What a thrill! As soon as I got back to NYC and got a reminder of what last year’s winter tasted like, I got a bit depressed. Somehow, I’ve been running quite a bit in December, even capping the year of with a holiday pictures themed run, and watching the year close with fireworks at the NYRR Midgnight RunTotal Miles: 87

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And there you have it. Though the running was QUITE blah, the rest was wonderful, so I’d say it’s a win! What awaits in 2015? I have no idea, not signed up for anything, thinking about not signing up for NYC Marathon this year, and maybe focusing on the half marathon. I am turning 40 in a few weeks and I am just trying not to push anything. Whatever will happen, WILL happen. Right?

Race Report: Scotland Run 10K (more like two 5Ks!)

Any other time, I would have hated the results. But I am happy.

There I went, into my race #95, knowing I wouldn’t PR and I was still happy. The weather was finally nice to run and race in and it’d be a great way to do some speedwork. Even if I am two weeks away from Boston with just one long run. Whatever, right? So I went in relaxed, looking for a training run, to get in below 50 minutes (so far from my last 10K at 44 mins last year) and I came back with a lot of happy

THE RACE

Getting there. Juan and I jogged to the start, a simple 1.5 miles Start. Super organized as always. I met my training partner Patricia in the corralqu she said she was shooting for 49, perfect, I though.

Weather. 45! Can it be any better? NO. I always say: over 42 is singlet weather. Booty shorts and singlet does it!

The Course. Is… OY. This is Central Park. A whole loop! CLOCKWISE. Rolling hills 75% of the time. And Harlem hill is WORSE in this direction. Not a PR-friendly course, barely any flat, but nothing also that you can’t do.

The Post Race.  I saw everyone I know there, so fun…! Plus the raffle excitement. I love this race! Oh oh and the main thing: BAGPIPES AND KILTS EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY RACE

Weather was nice, all was calm… but I was a mess… 15 minutes before the gun I felt like I had to go #2… TMI right? But if you’re reading this you quite probably are a runner!!! Well, I didn’t have time to get out of the corral, go to the portapotty and start in my corral, so I decided I’d do my best to hold on to it (somehow..?). Is this too gross? Well, I really didn’t think I’d make it. But I had the same gut feeling in Berlin and it lasted 11 miles… I only had to do 6 here! I hoped it’d go away and lined up.

My goal was to be under 50, which is quite far from my PR but oh well, this is where I am now. Patricia and I started together and literally switched leads for about 3 miles. I was feeling ok but she had a lot more than me and I felt I was starting to burn gas so I decided to let her go early on (smart move!! she’d go on to finish a minute before me!). The whole race went well as usual, I had nothing crazy to say about it, more than my stomach held up, YEY. Going up the hill in the last .1 is always hard but had to get done:

dashing whippets nyrr scotland run 10K 2014 (5)

The race ended fine… I never run out of steam but I don’t I run the best I could have, I just really wasn’t sure how to read my body with whatever was going on in my tummy..! If you look at my laps it looks like I was running two 5Ks instead of a 10k…! Ugh.

scotland laps

Stats Time!  

Finish time: 47:41. Average Pace: 7:42

Previous PR: 44:32. From: May, 2013

Age Grading: 65.37% 

Overall Place: 1559 of  8067

Gender Place: 280 of  3899 (wow, I really can’t complain, can I?)

Age Place: 41 of  xx?

NYRR Race Results, Photos, and Recap here.

Anyway, we had some fun after with my friends, team mates, the guys in kilts, the bagpipers, the raffle and the band there (who were they??? so osom!)

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Juan and I, both of us around 3 or 4 minutes off our PRs and for the first time at the same AG!

nyc scotland parade 2014 (2) dashing whippets

With some more Dashing Whippets wagging our tails after dropping many hammers!

Soon after we headed home, showered, complained about how tired we went and headed out before noon to walk through the park (again) to go watch some of the Scotland Parade. I really do LOVE bagpipes!!! Here’s a couple of pics!

nyc scotland parade 2014 (2)

Scotland Day Parade #scotweek (2) Scotland Day Parade #scotweek (2) Scotland Day Parade #scotweek (2) Scotland Day Parade #scotweek (2) Scotland Day Parade #scotweek (3)

And then… we were DESTROYED… seriously, a 10K can drain the LIFE out of you! Hot chocolate, gnocchi and bed!

And with my official time of 47:41, the WINNER of my Guess My Finish time contest is… 

winner

Elaine, pick a prize from the list and lmk!

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Fridays Can Be Confusing + some NRD pics

#1 It’s National Donut Day. And there, I have a 10K tomorrow! How many donuts can I eat before I run my race?

#2 I realized I should start marathon training in a couple of weeks, so, I started doing calculations. The same numbers I do before every marathon and they don’t fail. I got a 3:09 to 3:12 marathon. WTF? This seems impossible. Last one was 3:27. ??!?!?! I redid them over and over. Something must be wrong.

#3 I have to start marathon training next week?

#4 It’s Friday: who cares? Also: it’s Summer Fridays! It’s been raining all day, do we not get Summer this year?

And just because I like them, here is a couple of pictures from National Running Day, will probably blog about it at some point…

2013-06-06 21.47.58 2013-06-06 21.48.55 2013-06-06 21.49.03 2013-06-06 21.50.05

all pics stolen from JP. thanks!!

Happy Racing/Weekend!

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Who Will Win a Garmin? Guess my Finish Time at the Mini10k this weekend!!

Just like we did before all my  last races, it’s time to place your bets again… I think this time someone will be right on the time!

Rules: pick a time and write in the comments below. Whoever gets closer, wins, If there’s two identical times, the first poster wins! Make sure if you include seconds in there too, and post before next Saturday, June 8th, 7 am. Whoever gets closer, wins a Garmin FR70, brand new in its unopened box, black and blue. Shipping only to the US (unless you want to pay for the shipping!)

Ok, the data

The race I am doing, Oakley Mini10K, June 8, Central Park, a full loop of the park.

Your Clues/My Previous Times!

10ks
PR: Bronx CC 10K, May 5, 2013: 44:32 Pace 7:11
Last Mini, June 2012: 46:37, Pace: 7:31
Mini10K 2011 (previous PR), 45:30, Pace: 7:20

Other Races this year:
NYC Half, March: 1:37:35 Pace: 7:27
Run as One, 4 miler, April: 28:00 Pace: 7:00
Brooklyn Half, May 18, 2013: 138:29, Pace: 7:32

That’s all I have… plus:
Course: not the fastest, Central Park has a couple of hills
My shape: Been trying to get rid of a few too-much-fun-induced pounds. No such luck yet.
Weather: Can be quite hot and humid, but fingers crossed.

GO ON! Place your bets below!!! (I will probably not look until after!)

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What I am doing this weekend – NOT: NJ Half / YES: Bronx Community College, 35th Annual Hall of Fame 10K

I was sure I’d be doing the NJ Half this weekend but it got really complicated to get on board so late. Needed to get a hotel (all booked up) or stay at my relatives or wake up at 3 am and take the train, plus someone would have to pick my bib up the day before… I say NO to complicated so I decided to give it up!

Also, I went for a run yesterday and 9:30 pace was hard… maybe a half is not such a good idea.

Instead, I’ll be doing a short race! Because I love racing as speedwork… Shooting for a 10K and found this: Bronx Community College, 35th Annual Hall of Fame 10K

Anyone going there? And all these shorter races are the perfect tune up speed I need for the Brooklyn Half coming up, my next goal race!

PS: had a date last night in Central Park’s Loeb’s Boathouse with the bf, but it always just seems crazy to go into the park and not run. Did I mention already how much I love Central Park? 

Happy Weekend and Happy Racing!! Plus Happy Spring!

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NYRR Scotland 10k in Central Park was… well… Scottish!

I really wanted to race this (and get an overdue 10k PR but decided to not be stoopid and to just keep training. Run out of bed to cheer before our long run…

Wake up and scream faces!!

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The leaders

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Then the fun began…

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straight from the race to a nice afternoon beach stroll too outfit

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my favorite! he juggles balls all throughout the race (every race!). Actually, this guy below might be my favorite for this one time…

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hope you all had amazing races!! have a great weekend!

 

Healthy Kidney 10K: Is it my kidneys?

I had a busy Friday at work… so busy I forgot to eat and had two cups of coffee instead. Huh? Yes, by the time I ate (too much but too delicious) I was in dire need to get some sleep. Beeeeeep beeeeeep beeeeep 6 am!!! Time to roll down and up for the 10k!
As I was ready to head out to the park… my tummy makes some noise. Some grumbling. Some fast trip back to the bathroom, and lightning, I hushed out wondering how (if) my stomach would hold out through the race, or even til I got to some portapotties on the course. Stoopid way to start the weekend.
As soon as I got to the course, hurried again to the smelly boxes, which were surprisingly empty and cozy. Ah, relief again. Now I was empty and feeling a lot better, but… I have to race like this?
Saw some friends, dropped my bag, and hurried around to the start where I grabbed 2 cups of Gatorade and prayed they didn’t mess me up more than I was. I run by the competitive corral, saw my friend Jeremy (thanks for the pics J!) and Meb, Ryan, Bobby, and Abdi were warming up with a lot of the other locals. Way to line up already feeling really slow!!!!
 
 
 
Got to my corral, looked around for a buddy, saw no one and in a second it was time to go! I AM NOT READY!!!!!! I really needed some fuel in my tummy. I felt depleted from the start. But at least I had nothing on me anymore that would make me stop,oh the silver lining!
 
I had no idea what I would do but I had reasoned this: my 10K PR is from last year, 7:20, but I am NOT in that shape now. My overall pace in the 4 miler two weeks ago was 7:20, and the half I did in 7:52. I thought 7:40 overall was a solid bet.
 
Mile 1 hits me at 7:26. oooopsie. crap.
 
Sidenote: I just screamed!!! Checked out the MOTOACTV page to see the stats for this post and it tells me the steps I took!!!!! This is PHENOMENAL to know your cadence!!! I had an average cadence of 196 (which translates into VERY HIGH. And REALLY GOOD.) INSANE. I am in shock. Please share in this happiness even if you have no clue what I am talking about (I guess really understanding biomechanics and putting it to practice properly really does work!).
 
That is hmmmm, a bit fast, given it was the same pace I did in the 4 miler two weeks ago. Hmmm. I truck along. My friend Patricia catches up to me and we chat. Well, she chats, I tell her to go and make plans to meet at the finish. 
 
Mile 2: 7:18. Patricia had dragged me along for a bit… Saw a lot of friends on the sidelines cheering and was tempted to stop… but didn’t. I figured it was not. Mile 3: 7:27, it starts getting old. I figured I needed to find some comfortable pace and sit there for a bit. I was not gonna give up completely but this race wasn’t happening. I went through my mental shopping catalog of what I could promise myself to get if I did well and found nothing. I really do have everything… That is NOT good! Mile 4: 8:05, oh well, I’ll be doing another 10K in three weeks anyway, so… this one was definitely NOT happening. I searched down and I couldn’t find any fuel, or strength, or anything to push with, I was empty. And mile 4 always sucks. Mile 5: 7:36, this will be all over before I even know it. By then, I had found my comfortable zone, I was ok, but I knew I was gonna have to start pushing a bit soon.. eeeek. Mile 6: 7:32, really nothing left, oh effing well. Mile .2: 1:38, pace of 7:18. I was done. Stopped the clock a few seconds early even. No dry heaving, no sense of IdidallIcould, it was more like, where is the food and why on earth did I wake up today?
 
So, almost two minutes over my PR but a 7:36 overall. NOT bad. And anything over a 65%AG is always fabo for me!!!
  
The Stats:
Finish time: 47:11. Average Pace: 7:36
Previous PR: 45.30. From: June 2011.
Age Grading: 65.41%
Overall Place: 1285 of 7918
Gender Place: 158 of 3737
Age Place: 20 of  599
 
 
Still, it was a gorgeous day in the park and I was glad I was out there. Met with my friends, hang out, took some pics, and watched the awards! Then spent some time in the sun and I was tired and ready to eat, finally, and enjoy the weekend. It’s like this 10 never happened.
 
The awards ceremony!
The top three women!
 
Bobby Curtis coming right up, placed #3 overall! 
 
Korir, #2 overall, who was also graduating that day, the same morning, so his parents had flown in from Kenya and got on stage too. It was very moving, the guy was graduating, seeing his parents he hadn’t seen in three years, and also came in #2 in a race.Someone deserves a boston creme!!!
 
 
Daniel Meucci, from Italy, who WON the race in a 28:28, 4:36 pace, Korir came in at 28:30, and Bobby at 28:37. Love Italians (gotta say that or my parents will kick me!)
 
 
 
The rest of the placing (top 15):
 
MeucciDanieleM267NIKE  ITA1110:28:280:14:1704:360:28:28394.32 %KorirLeonardM258 New RochelleNYKEN2220:28:300:14:1704:360:28:30494.25 %CurtisBobbyM275REEBArdmorePAUSA3330:28:370:14:1804:370:28:37793.87 %GirmaTesfayeM2967WSXBRONXNYETH4440:28:380:14:0604:370:28:36693.89 %AbdirahmanAbdiM353NIKETucsonAZUSA5510:28:560:14:1704:400:28:19294.85 %St. LawrenceBenM306NEWBCentennial Park AUS6610:28:590:14:1704:400:28:55992.89 %KeflezighiMebM371NYACMammoth LakesCAUSA7720:29:080:14:1804:420:28:09195.43 %OkariGilbert KengabiM33669UATHJACKSON HEIGHTSNYKEN8820:29:150:14:1704:430:28:551092.86 %Tabor NebsiMengstiM34932WSXNEW YORKNYETH9930:29:230:14:3104:440:28:54892.91 %RuttoHenry KiplagatM29763UATHJACKSON HEIGHTSNYKEN101050:29:310:14:2004:460:29:291191.09 %Assefa DubeTesfayeM28134WSXBronxNYETH111160:29:320:14:1904:460:29:321290.93 %BayleyMattM23160New RochelleNYAUS121210:29:350:14:4604:460:29:351390.76 %YigezeZembabaM28969WSXBRONXNYUSA131370:30:080:14:4304:520:30:081489.12 %CastilleKevinM4010JRWSNicholasvilleKYUSA141410:30:100:14:5604:520:28:31594.20 %HallRyanM292ASICReddingCAUSA151580:30:150:14:4304:530:30:141588.85 %
Now the celebrities!!!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NYC loves Meb and Ryan!! Great morning to be out there… it was 80 degrees… Now hoping my kidneys, or whatever it was, decide not to drive me crazy next week for the Brooklyn Half. I have very HIGH expectations for the half. (Ok, at LEAST 65% AG?!?!). Fingers crosses. And no more sugar and junk food. Okay, WHO are we kidding!?!?!?

Healthy Kidney 10K: Is it my kidneys?

Mini 10K RR

Everybody I know was wondering why I’d be racing while Argentina was playing. I was questioning it too: I never do well in this race, it was hot, humid, and… the World Cup was on.
Still, I’d rather be the main character in my life before being a spectator of anyone else’s, so off I went to the park with my white chocolate mocha… A PR wasn’t the goal, but just to do this race justice. My 10k PR was three weeks old: a 46:43 (average pace of 7:32); but weather yesterday was not cooperating… I wasn’t expecting much, just to start slow and pick it up later.
Mary Wittenberg (President and CEO of NYRR), Paula Radcliffe, and Kara Goucher wished us luck and we were off. I was in the first corral, and that always spells disaster for me; I went out way too fast. (My first mile in the last 10k was 7:40.) Mile 1 and 2 got merged together as I was too hyped up to press the lap button. They averaged 6:59. Ooooops, crap. I am in big trouble. Then I heard/felt a bunch of people surrounding me: a huge group passes me with Mary and Paula. Pretty cool.
We then go into Central Park and I saw pretty much everybody I know there cheering (even Pottbott, remember him?). This race is just bigger than life and everyone comes out to watch!
Mile 3: 7:24, still going too fast, and I was definitely feeling the effects of the heat and humidity. That’s when I started to fall apart. Mile 4: 8:01. But when I saw the 4 mile mark I decided to step it up, though my mind kept wandering… The extra effort felt ok but I was so unfocused. Mile 5: 7:21. Until I started chasing this tall woman until the finish. I’ve noticed I’ve been doing that more and more, just chase someone… Mile 6: 7:28. The final .2 was done in 7:16 pace. I clocked in at 46:05. That’s a 38 seconds PR.
How?
How?
I have no idea…
Weather was yucky, Blaise wasn’t there to pace me, I went out too fast, I had the same shoes, the same coffee… Someone figure this one out please. It’s making me mental…
Off to find everybody. Now, about the outfit: I have a couple of running skirts that I NEVER wear. I figured it I didn’t wear a skirt to the Mini10k, then I’d just have to recycle them. And the pink… it’s a all women’s race, I had to! Right?
I saw Kara, who looks OSOM as you can see, and I don’t have to tell you how sweet she is!

kara goucher mini 10k nyrr mary wittenberg kara goucher mini 10k nyrr mary wittenberg

There’s Mary too. You all know she is “The Most Amazing Woman In The Whole Wide World”, right?

Katherine Switzer Kara!

Katherine Switzer, who I had met in Boston earlier this year. You know her: a true pioneer of women’s running. She created this race, along with Fred Lebow, and was the first woman to run NYCM (won it twice) and the first winner of Boston (after they established the women’s category). She was also the one who pushed for adding the women’s marathon to the Olympics.

Where would we be without her?? Well, I’ll tell you: we’d still be holding our uterus so it wouldn’t fall out when we run; and running anything but marathons!

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Adam Goucher wasn’t getting as much attention as super-rockstar Kara, so we chatted for a while. He’s super nice and was telling me about his training and how much he suffered while injured. I get moody and grumpy when I can’t run, but I couldn’t even imagine how the elites would deal with it, it’s gotta be 500 times harder (he said he put on 15 pounds!!!); and he’s targeting the Olympic trials (for the marathon) so he’ll do the half in January instead. And… it’s confirmed, it’s a BOY!!!! Seems like they were all expecting a girl, but he’s happy as it took them so long to get pregnant. He’s super nice, that boy’s gonna be fast and OSOM with those genes!!

And, the myth, the woman, THE Paulinator! Not sure if Paula is a soccer fan but she didn’t say a peep about the Argentinian shirt. I was not about to bring it up.

She was SO nice!

kara goucher mini 10k nyrr mary wittenberg adam goucher paula radcliffe

The winner, Linet Masai, on the left by Katherine, with a yellow shirt. The race story is here.
DSCN9029 The winner, who was super super shy, and the rest of the top three!
go here for pictures and video.
Then was the turn of the two running Gods/hot mammas!
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They stand there like they are normal. Do they not realize how amazing they are?? Seriously????
Then they heard about my race, and they couldn’t hide it…
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So, it’s ok that I didn’t miss this for (the first half of) a soccer game. Right? 😉

Mini 10k: WOMEN ARE AWESOME!

First of all, I wanted to thank you all for the support, as always. I loved Fargo Lion’s “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast” motto, it helped!! And I also followed dave.schultz’s advice to warm up, which I only do in shorter races.

I case you don’t know, this is the biggest women-only race. The Mini started women’s running and has become a great tradition since its creation in 1972, and has amazing elite field every year; but here’s some inspirational words from Mary Wittenberg, NYRR’s Director: “We line up each year to run because we can. We’re following in the footsteps of the women who ran before us and paved the way.”

My pacing strategy did not work at all, but I am more than happy with how this race unfolded. Main note: there is a reason why the corrals are there. I was placed in the first corral, because of my pace before I got injured and stopped running for 6 months. Well, people were passing me for 2 miles: not only it messed up my pace, but I didn’t like feeling like I was in the way. I’ll probably move back in the next races.

My pace in the last 10k (in December) was 7:51, but in my 4 and 5 milers in training in the last weeks I was doing 8:50s and 8:40s, so I decided I’d stick to 8:50 for the first 3 miles and then see what happened… Well, being up-front fired me up a bit but I was proud that I could focus and scale back. First mile was 7:32. Ooooops. The good thing is that I was able to keep up a constant pace, which I didn’t think I could, mostly in Central Park, famous for its rolling crazy hills. My pace average at the end of the race was 8:13, which is a LOT better than the same race last year where I clocked an average of 8:25 miles.

That means there’s hope for 2009; that, even if I had to hold back for 6 months, I am in better shape now than last year at the same time… I can’t wait to start training, the sky is the limit!

Of course, I should still have followed the plan or I wouldn’t be in pain today, and on ice yesterday; but oh well, it was just SO MUCH FUN to be back out there racing.. and to think I had dreaded this race so much! This was one of the funnest races ever, you’ll see proof soon, but for now here’s a little teaser: a picture NYRR posted in their Race Report, that’s me in the middle!

mini 10K elaine roberta elizabeth central park

Run On!