How do I even start telling you all about this weekend??? SOOOO much to write about:Β Divide and Conquer, right?
Let’s start with the Fifth Avenue Mile!!
Last week was insanely busy and Friday I got very little sleep. I lef work early and and spent the day out, hanging out with one of the other coaches who was in town for the weekend running barefoot festival thing; by the time I got to sleep, it was reaaaally late! Still, I had to wake up early for an interview with the Daily News (more on this later) so I was a total mess. I was tired, cranky,Β dehydrated and my legsΒ were mush.
I got to the Fifth Avenue Mile start around 9:50, which was perfect because my heat wasn’t on until 10:30. I texted Greg as I had read in facebook thatΒ he was cheering,Β come run the mile with me!!Β Then at 10:00, when the next group of women is set to go, I realizeΒ THATΒ is MY heat! HOLYΒ FUDGE! I get on the start, everyone goes, I call Greg, wait a bit, I start, I am telling him I am already running and…Β police opensΒ up the crosstown traffic!!!!!
… I had waited too long to two and I was stuck now, clock ticking and all! I felt SO stupid. I wasn’t gonna PR but this was gonna be a joke… Oh well, only in world!
So we run, all the way in the back, and I kinda loved it!!! First of all, the person ahead of me wasn’t going to be the last one… Then, it was so chill… we got to catch up and I got to see all my friends on the course, take pictures, even text!! I was due at the running clinics downtown at 10:30 so I could update them in my progress, DURING the mile! A team mate even screamed “pick it up Elizabeth’, ha, if only she knew what a mess I was making there!
The whole thing was sooo ridiculous! I had aviators on, my phone in my hand and I looked like a fool who had no clue this was supposed to be a fast and hard race: I run it slower than marathon pace!
Why show up when I knew I was going to be so tired and slow? Well… it’s Fifth Avenue people!Β When do I get to run on Fifth Avenue???Just once a year! 97% of my friends were there, I get a t-shirt.. enough, right? Now I’ll have a 9 minute mile (or something!)Β in my record forever, oooooh yeah!
I tried not to go crazy as I was going to spend the rest of the day out (at the clinics, then lunch, then expo/panels and what not) in the same clothes… and it was damp out. IΒ didn’t get to stay and catch up with the elites and watch them race, but I’ve done thatΒ enough times… So, a way-below-effort but worth for a fun mile. And it’s all about the fun, right!
PS: I’ve started to feel like a headless chicken!




Leave a comment