nyrr achilles and possibility 4 miler

(super quick recap because I am sooooooper behind, ooops)

Not a lot to tell other than I have stopped looking at the weather. I have. It doesn’t help me to know how hot or humid it will be (as I run by effort anyway) and it won’t change what I wear anyway. What could I change in my outfit really? So I went out, it felt a bit cold actually and wished I was wearing a singlet… and got to the start quickly. Legs were already feeling a bit tired.

So, you might notice I race pretty much every weekend on the summer (twice a week sometimes) so it’s impossible to “taper” for ANY race or I wouldn’t be doing any significant training… I am ok with being a bit tired (but of course then it bothers me when I NEVER PR!).

Race started at 9, a bit on the late (read: hot) side and I got moving. Mile 1 was HARD. Ooooops, I was slow. Mile 1 was 7:23. So there you have it. Half a mile in I was burning up in flames. I had no idea why I was so hot.

that was Juan cheering at Engineers Gate. Always out there ❤

Mile 2 is always fast (7:oo) and the third one is always a hot mess (7:30). I was so hot.

So happy I had Juan there. I was a bit hot and really wanted to go home.

I told myself that I could place. For some reason, I couldn’t see any (ANY) women around me and that the heat would scare people off. So I had that to keep me going. I actually felt a bit nauseous. And I was wondering how hot was it that I felt cold in the morning when I stepped outside. Isn’t it amazing how a nice day can turn into awful when you pin the number on?

Whatever, I had a mile to go and EVERYTHING IS A WORKOUT. Right?? My time might suck. I might fall apart at the end. I might end up throwing up. But, everything makes you fitter. Right? It’s all about showing up and getting it done some days. Some days, you just battle your head!

I met Juan and some friends by the finish line:

From left: Binu, Alberto, Nick, me and Carl. I am always the slowest 😉

Anyway, I checked my time and OMG. I was like 30 to 40 seconds off my usual time, which is a lot in a 4 miler… but everyone seemed to have a similar experience so that made me feel a bit better. Also, my stomach didn’t give me trouble so I was VERY happy with that. More water please.

Here’s the kick, I got first in my AG. With my slowest time in a while. Funny how that works out, right?

Stats Time:

Finish time: 28:48 Average Pace: 7:12

Previous PR: 28:00 From: April, 2013

Age Grading: 69.26%

Overall Place: 344 of 5,603

Gender Place: 26 of 2,699

Age Place: 1 of 337

That sort of turned it all around for me. The race was sold out, it’s not like it was a small race or anything… Weird right? Anyway, that made me quite happy! Onto the next one!

Well, I’ve written about this race SO many times, I am sure you’re sick of it. It’s AWESOME. Take my word. Or go see the NYRR photo galleries here

From their website: “more than 5,600 runners, walkers, handcyclists, and wheelchair athletes arrived in Central Park to take part in one of the most powerful events on the New York Road Runners race calendar. Many participants in today’s race were part of Achilles’ Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, a program that provides athletic training and specialized adaptive devices, like hand-crank wheelchairs, to wounded members of the U.S. military. The long-term goal for these athletes is to complete a marathon; along the way, they hit smaller milestones, like today’s Hope & Possibility four-miler.”

anyway,you get a great idea of what race looks like in those pictures right?

My race was quite uneventful. I run there with Carolina, IT WAS SO HOT. I was ready to run back home after 1 mile… Race also starts at 9 am. I wish it started at 6! which was also hot but at least I would be back home in the shower earlier…!

NYRR Achilles hope and possibility 4 mile race Central Park (4)

gosh we were so hot, we stopped at the boathouse to throw water on ourselves!

I saw Dan and Phillip on the corral and they were going out faster than me, and I, at the point, was still so hot I was wondering if I should even “bother”. You know? Can I dial it down a bit and just take it easy? UGH. I started conservatively and decide I didn’t want to die at the end. Mile 1: 7:13. it’s funny because I NOT even once looked at my watch during the race. I just totally forgot about it. Weird, right? Christine found me going up Cat Hill and then Dan and her took off. I felt so lonely! Then luckily I saw Juan on the course!

He had finished his run and was just cheering me on. So happy he was there! Mile 2: 7:01. Mile 2 is always the fastest. If I had looked at my watch I would have known there how slow I was going. Glad I didn’t look. I just tried to keep going. I felt thirsty since I started but at the water stations I just threw water in my head. It really helped. Back on the west side, and there was Juan again!

He was right by Mile 3: 7:19. that’s not so bad… Mile 3 is when things go down to hell. Then I just wait a bit and by the last 800s I start to push out whatever I got left.

Mile 4: 7:03. Last few meters: 6:44 pace

well, it wasn’t a PR by a LOT. final time was 28:43 but I finished in one piece without feeling like i’d throw up. That’s a LOT in that weather!