Just like we did before every single race I’ve done in the last two years (link to last one, and the NYC Half guess) it’s time to place your bets again… There is always someone who hits it right in the head! (always unbelievable! look at this one: guesses here, winner here)
Rules:
Pick a finish 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 Saturday November 1st at 7 pm EST.
As usual, there’s gonna be PRIZES… you can 2 pick from these:
a clip-on running metronome
a brooks flat vapur water bottle
a Garmin FR70 watch
BodyGlide minis (set of 5)
SLS3 Compression race sleeves, white, S/M
Craft Compression socks, white, M
Zensah Compression socks, black M
Injinji socks, Lightweight ultra thin performance, mini crew, gray, M
TCKSports socks, Topo and Talus, grayishs, size M
a NYC Marathon rain (knee-length, orange and white) poncho
Ok, the data…
Recent:
Grete’s Great Gallop on October 5th in 1:44. Staten Island Half on October 12th in 1:43.
Marathons:
My PR is from Berlin 2012: 3:27:44, the last marathon I did was Boston 2014 in 3:49 and NYCM 2013 in 3:49.
Running Calculators!
the jackdaniels calculator says the SI half 1:43:39 gives me a 3:36 marathon
the macmillan calculator says the SI half 1:43:39 gives me a 3:38 marathon
the runnersworld calculator says the SI half 1:43:39 gives me a 3:36 marathon
I’d add a few minutes to those as those estimates are for a flat marathon.
My guess:
No PR this year! I am guessing between 3:39 (my A Goal and a course PR) and a 3:46, because I did NYCM last year in 3:49 and I am in a bit better shape this year.
GO ON! Place your bets below!!! Good luck to us!!
Prizes shipped only within the US, but you can have me send it to someone in the US. / Comments with guesses will only count if they are posted here (not on facebook, not on runnersworld.com, HERE) before Saturday Nov 1st 7 pm EST. / If there are two guesses with the exact same time, the first one wins.
You know the “don’t wear anything new on race day” and all the basics… now, let’s do the New York City Marathon as right as we can. I’ve done this race every year since 2008 (minus 2012 of course…!!) and I can see how logistically heavy it is for someone from out of town or doing it as their first marathon. So, here we go! Let me know if you have any specific questions in the comments section below. I promise I will answer.
PRE RACE LOGISTICS
Make a MARATHON PACKING LIST (even if you’re not traveling) and sort it all by stages, here is my Marathon Packing List to start with. Get everything in the list ready as soon as possible.
The EXPO is big, so please bring some patience, money (there WILL be a few things you’ll want), and comfortable shoes. Don’t forget to bring your confirmation form and photo ID. Get to the expo at off hours (avoid the lunch rush or after 5:30 pm if you can) and on the earliest day you can make it, it tends to get crowded later. Check for the course strategy sessions live so you can take a good look at the course (I’ll be doing some of them there, including Spanish and Italian), there is usually one at the top of the hour. Side note: running stores all over the city have amazing gear and discounts too (organized and outdated list HERE)! Also, if you have time for fun, there are tons of events to attend to do on race week (lots of them will be on the app for the Expo/Pavillion, but I’ll put all the 2023 CONTENT here).
Set yourCLOCK back on Saturday night, the night before the race. If you use a smart phone like 99% of the population, you’ll be fine. Sleep! Also, do not stress if you don’t sleep Saturday night (no one does) but make it a point to go to bed early all week, mostly Thursday and Friday. PLEASE.
Download the APP, your confirmation form is in there, your race number, ferry time, and all the info you might need. Also, people tracking you and coming to cheer you on will find it super helpful, tell them to get it. (Apple / Google)
As you might know, in NYC races, and in some parts of the city, the GPS can go highwire and then you’ll think you’re doing 4 minute miles, or 17 minutes per mile!!! GPS can be sporadic in some spots (like in the Verrazanno if you’re in the pink corral, or the Queensboro, or crowded areas like First/Fifth Ave, or Central Park). Be prepared for that. I prefer to set my GPS to manual lapping. Basically, I lap a mile every time every time I see the Mile Marker, and I know exactly how long that last mile took (I just look at “last lap time” instead of last lap pace. You don’t have to do this, but at least keep in mind that some miles might be “shorter/longer” than others (actually, if you set your Garmin to lap a mile at 1.01 that matches the mile markers better, when the GPS is accurate).
The night (or week) before, WATCHRun for your life (full free version) for inspiration. Best movie about the NYC marathon. I weep like a baby every time. Hail to the Fred!!!
Bring a lot of cheap or THROWAWAY CLOTHES to the start, you WILL need them. Find a mylar blanket from your last marathon (and don’t throw away the poncho you’ll get at the finish here!). You will cherish them until the last minute in the corral (I wear one as pants with tape and one as a cape). I wear my throwaway cardigan or a sweater (cut in the front for easy peeling while running, kept it in place with a safety pin!) during the first mile too! Go to the dollar store and get knee-high socks, cut the toes part and you’ll have throwaway arm warmers! I keep half of it on until Mile 3, it can be windy on the bridge, mostly if you are on top (blue or orange waves). Don’t worry about looking like a weirdo, everyone will look like that!!! Or they’ll wish they did. Really: pile it up!!!
WHAT TO WEAR… usually, the marathon is in the 40s or 50s (the average temp historically is 54). If you’re not checking a bag, layer with things you’ll be happy throwing away. My rule is if it’s over 40, I do short sleeve/singlet and shorts. But depending on the wind/humidity/lack of sleep/whatever you can add a hat, arm sleeves, etc. Always wear things you can get rid of easily and won’t miss. Be smart, and make sure you can peel off layers comfortably. Even in 2014, with the marathornado, I didn’t need extra. I had leg warmers and hated them, I was so hot. Make sure you can peel the layers easily WHILE running and throw them out if you are not sure and bring too much, ok? If you don’t carry your phone, at least carry a $20 bill, a metrocard, a credit card, and an ID with you, just in case. Better ready than sorry.
FERRY/BUS transportation to the start, NYRR will assign you a specific transportation or you might have picked one when you claimed your spot (DECIDING ON FERRY OR BUS? GO HERE) There is a reason why you have to get on your bus/ferry a bunch of hours early, I promise it makes sense. Your transportation would usually be 3 or 4 hours before your wave start. This leaves ample time to get everything done, even a long line at the portapotty. NO race before the race: that means don’t be rushing, take your time, and wake up extra early.
This is the breakdown of what would occasionally happen on race morning if you chose the ferry, for example:
7:00 am ferry, takes 25 minutes to get to Staten Island. Get some pictures of the Green Lady, you’ll love the ferry ride.
7:30 am. You are in Staten Island!! When I land on the Staten Island side, I usually like to go to the bathrooms IN the terminal, they’re WARM, then just follow the crowds out of the ferry, you’ll do a right and a left, walk outside, do a block or two, and board the buses to the Athlete’s village, it can be 10 or 20 minutes, let’s assume 30 for traffic so you don’t stress. Sometimes there is a loooong line to get ont he busses, stay patient, we’re all going in the same direction.
8:00 am. You get to the village. There is usually a line or crowd to get through security. Walk to your village area (pink/blue/orange).
8:30 Find a portapotty line in your village, you’ll need at least 30 mins to pee. Lines can be long. if you want to grab a banana, tea, coffee, etc., pick that up before the line and eat in line.
9:00 get to your corral, sometimes they are hard to find so don’t wait until the last minute. Corrals will usually close 45 to 30 minutes before your start. In there you can finish your nutrition, rearrange your gear, all that.
So, my wave is 9:10, my ferry is 6:15, and I’ll probably leave home around 5:30 to get to that ferry, so that’s some math…
ATHLETE’S VILLAGE. It’s HUGE. I like to bring the pocket guide from the expo because it has a map, or finding your start corral can be hard. If you’re planning to meet up with people there, you’ll definitely need a plan. Tell them to wait right off the entrance or maybe at a particular tent, or have a cell phone with you. Did I mention it’s huge? There’s not much cover from the elements but you’ll find food and drinks (bagels and coffee and Gatorade and bananas and tea and stuff!). Head up to your village (your bib color) and camp close to your corral, and pay pretty close attention to the instructions. You do not want to be looking for your corral or getting to it as the wave deadline is done. I’ve been locked out of my corral TWO times just because I was socializing and taking pictures and not paying attention, even though I got there early… If you checked the marathon packing list, you are dressed warmly, have food, water, toilet paper, etc, so set up next to your corral and enjoy the day. If you are going with a friend, and you are in different starts (colors), you might have to separate here; unless you decide to start/run together. If that is the case, you can both start in the corral of the highest bib number, no matter the wave or color, just go to the higher number together.
What the Athlete’s Village looks like: it’s big -and hard to meet up with someone. And we all look like weirdos! Get a cute orange hat by Dunkin!!
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Write your NAMEon your shirt. If you don’t want your name, write something funny you’ll want people to scream at you all over the course (Speedy? SuperMan? Goodlooking?!). It will make your race 100 times better. If you don’t want to ruin your gear, cut the letters out of duct tape (like I do!) and voila, they’ll peel right off before you wash your shirt.
EARPHONES? If you are used to racing with music, no need to stress about this. I like to keep them around (like in a pocket!) and turn them on only when necessary. Sometimes I need a distraction, and though the crowds will carry you through everything, you might need an extra oomph at some points, like on the quiet Queensboro bridge, though I’ve learned to crave that moment alone in the bridge lately. If you’re in pain or need to recalibrate your pace and need quiet time, you can move to the middle of the street where you won’t be engaging with your fans. Big big big big disclaimer: the spectators ARE the marathon, and if you use your music you will miss out on a lot. A lot, a lot. A LOT. They can push you so much more than your music ever could, so use their free energy up. You’ll have tons more fun than you expected if you get lost in the crowds cheering. And no one will let you slow down or walk!! Disclaimer 2: if the music is on, make sure you can still hear what is happening around you, people might need to pass you or stuff like that. There are athletes with disabilities on the course, and/or any kind of stuff happening so you have to keep all your senses peeled. Be alert, cautious, and really really really careful!!!! Be in the moment, don’t miss out. Every second can be fun.
Place your SPECTATORS in spots where you’ll need them. For ppl who know how to use the local trains and can move easily, I usually set 4 spots. One in Brooklyn around mile 5 or 9, and then really high on First Avenue, past 110 where the crowds thin out, so then they can cross over to 5th Avenue, the third spot, and see you again and then zip over to the finish line (4th spot!)! Know exactly on what side of the street they’ll be so YOU can spot them (they won’t be able to spot you!). Send them with something big: a flag, a sign, balloons, a huge funny hat, etc. Here is the most amazing 2023 tool that estimates where/when they can see you and all the train stops close by! Tell them to get comfy shoes, really warm clothes and to bring food. It will be a long day for them too!
You will need/love the extra push, so ask for help!! FORCE all your friends/family to come watch you. Send an email a week before and ask them “where are you going to be?” or/and use the tool above to see where is easier for them to get to. Then tell them a time you’ll go through there, give or take 10 minutes, and decide if they’ll be runner’s Left or Right. Then make a little-tiny list you can carry in your pocket (Example: 74th st, John, left / 32nd st, Mike, right, etc.) in order of appearance, put clear tape all over it so it won’t get sweaty and basically go from John, to Mike, to etc… Let them pull you along the course and that’ll break the course in parts, instead of think “AH, I gotta go 26.2, ugh” you’ll think: “I am just going to 74th, to see John!” Use the sheet, so your fans can find you easily.
Get yourself a COURSE-SPECIFIC PACE BRACELET, this one is the BEST! It’ll adjust your pace per mile, given the uphills and downhills. And it has way more information than you could ever need. Hill info, spectator info, Plus, you can set it for your particular racing style: negative vs positive splits, big or small fade, etc.
Plan your NUTRITION way ahead. For the race: try to practice in training with what they’ll have at the race: water, yellow Gatorade and Science in Sports energy gels (water and gatorade at every mile (excluding miles 5, 7 and 9) and gels at miles 12 and 18). You can buy gels at the expo if necessary. But for race morning, get bagels/oatmeal and whatever you need the day before as there will not be a lot of delis open at 4/6 am. Here is what I usually do.
If you need to MOVE around the days before the race, go to Central Park. You’ll see many of your race-buddies and get to enjoy the best place in the world as a runner. There’s the Abbott Dash 5K early on Saturday, go watch/cheer if you can. The Parade of Nations and fireworks Friday night are fun too to get in the marathon weekend spirit.
Find a MANTRA, or two, you might really need them. I write them in my hand where I am sure I will see it.
The RACE COURSE WILL BE CROWDED, so PLEASE, if you need to stop for a walk or move over to another lane for water, please please please signal with your arms, and look around behind you before you make any moves. Also, put your hand up when you are slowing down if you have someone slowing down ahead of you. It doesn’t matter how tired you are, DO NOT just stop or go sideways. Be considerate of your fellow runners who trained hard and could trip and lose their dream race! On the other hand, you’ll always have someone to run with, pace off, or follow when you’re tired. Pick them up when you feel strong, encourage them when they need it, and keep your eyes peeled for anyone who might need help!!!!
If you are in the PINK corral and you’re scared you’ll be peed on… don’t! That is just a myth. I’ve been pink many many times before and saw/felt nothing. I’ve also been on top a few times and didn’t see people peeing. The odds that you get peed on are about 0.0000. Okay? If you’re scared, just stay in the middle, with the bridge right over you.
RACE STRATEGY
I am gonna break the race into parts, so you will know how to tackle each segment. DEVICE A PLAN and stick to it no matter what. A smart plan is to aim for even effort. Still, I always go for negative splits, as hard as that seems in this course that has many uphills/bridges in the second half. If you keep it strong and conservative throughout the race, it is possible. I am an average runner and have negative split in all my NYCMs but my first. Ask Bart Yasso and he’ll tell you: “NYC for sure is a 100 % negative split course. Hold back in those early miles and it will pay off later in the race.”
If you are still not sure, check a few of my NYCMs. Again, I am just an average runner! Check how the faster I went through the 13.1 mark, the slower my marathon was! This is quite telling… Check 2009 and 2010 where I only PRed by 3 minutes. Check how in 2010, I started a LOT slower… my first 5K was 1:30 slower! By 13.1 I was FOUR minutes behind… and I still ended up PRing by 3 minutes… Unbelievable, right? YOU can do it (you can also see how this starting-slow works at the end of this post)
Basically: You have to believe in yourself.
Onto the race parts then!
Mile 1-2. The Verrazano: what goes up, must come down
Tricky tricky part if we have to pick just one… the anxiety, fun ahead, the cold, the thousands of runners around you, it’s almost impossible to not let yourself get swept away in this wave of excitement and start too fast!! Well: STOP IT! Force yourself to go slow with everything you have. You will be tempted to match everyone around you, resist with all you can. Let people GO. I promise you: sooner or later, they will come back to you. They will. LET. THEM. GO. Enjoy the excitement of the first 2 miles, and relax. If it feels annoyingly slow, you are doing it right. If it’s crowded, DO NOT WEAVE. They’re doing you a favor by keeping you tied up, relax. The biggest mistake most people make is going too fast on mile one and as soon as they get off the Verrazano, they’re done. Toast. Don’t be one of them! Mile 2, you will be forced to speed down the bridge, you will feel tempted to roll with it (and everyone around you), and pass people. Remember: hold your horses a bit. If you start too fast, your race is ruined. The first two miles should feel easy, on the hard uphill (3% grade for 8/10 of a mile) and easy on the downhill (3.4% grade for a whole mile).
Mile 1 should be about 1:30 over your avg pace, and Mile 2 will be your fastest, 20 seconds under pace.
Just remember this: Bank = Bonk! Mile 3 is when the race starts. The main goal is to get to Mile 17 feeling as if you haven’t started the race yet.
And one more thing that applies to the whole course. It will be crowded and you’ll notice the stream of runners going around obstacles (curbs, signs, markers) in the middle of the road. You’ll really have to pay attention, and look ahead, at least for the whole Brooklyn section (with the curb in the middle of 4th Avenue) and First Avenue, or you can easily hit something and go down. When you run on the sides to be close to the crowds, you are more likely to have gutter/drain cover/footing issues. It’s not lethal but be aware that there’s a trade-off if you want to see the crowds.
Miles 3-15. Brooklyn: the 4th Avenue Party
Your goal for the first half of the race is to get to the Queensboro in one piece, feeling strong enough to climb over the bridge and to get yourself in the city in fighting shape. Exercise all your patience here and keep yourself in good check to not let yourself go. If you are running comfortably, you are doing it right.
Miles 3 to 8 will be easy and flat, this is when you save your energy, you are definitely going to need it later. There is a little hill at 8.5 and then the Pulaski Bridge right at the halfway mark which might seem like a mountain if this is your first time. The climb is a 4.3% grade for about a quarter mile. Slow down and go for even effort and not even pace on the bridges for now. It’s not the time to break out your sword.
There will be water/Gatorade every mile, so if you miss one, don’t stress. Don’t go for the first table as everyone will do that. There are many many tables, go to the last one. Portapotties are also at every mile so keep an eye out and don’t dart sideways!
Mile 3 to 15, should be at your avg goal pace or maybe 5 to 10 seconds faster than avg goal pace. Remember bank = bonk
Mile 16. THE Almighty Queensboro/Ed Koch Bridge: this part is for YOU
The Queensboro is quiet. Savor this you-time while doing a whole body systems check. Focus on the sound of the footsteps or take out the music out of the pocket if you prefer. This will be the quietest time of the whole race and it’s a long bridge… I like to embrace the solitude of this mile, savor it, and prepare for what’s ahead. Back down on the pace a bit so you can get to the top of the bridge with enough strength to take on the downhill! The climb (3.4% grade for a mile) is way longer than the downhill, which is steeper (half a mile at 4.3% grade). Rolling down the 59th st bridge onto First Avenue is surely the most exciting moment in the whole race (well, at least to a lot of us), and maybe, in all marathoning. Get ready.
Mile 16: around 20 seconds over avg goal pace
Mile 17 to 19. First Avenue: Hello New York City
First Avenue is where a win is made or lost. Many elite runners broke their strategy here and paid hard for it. Don’t get taken by the really loud crowds. Keep in mind there are still a few bridges and long uphills ahead of you. The marathon will start taking its toll on you at mile 20 and we are not there yet. AT ALL!!
Plan to set on a steady pace here so you can start making up some time. Do not force a lot of speed, and if the crowds are getting you too excited, make sure you hold back. Move to the sides if you need cheering or to the middle of the road if you have to focus. Cautiously break out your fourth gear and start focusing on the goal. If you have followed a smart strategy up to here, you should be right on goal pace by Mile 20, or maybe 30 seconds behind (which is always a LOT better than 2 minutes fast!). Gels will be around Mile 12 and 18, so check if you need an extra one for the last miles, and think what color/flavor you like so you’ll be ready to grab it!
Mile 17 will be about 30 seconds under avg goal pace, M18 will be a bit slower, about 10 seconds over avg goal pace and by M19 you should be back on avg goal pace
Mile 20 to 23. The Bronx/Harlem Experience: there is NO Wall (without graffiti!)
This is when you will use up your training and start working hard… and it will get REALLY HARD fast. Not only you hit twenty, but there will be a two bridges there. Dig deep and stay focused on your pace, ease up on the uphills and bridges but make sure you don’t get too distracted or discouraged. This is a really nice stretch to start pushing the pace. Just focus on getting back into the city in one piece to face mile 23. Once over the Madison Av Bridge, you’ll be right on Fifth Avenue. If you see trees ahead, keep in mind the Marcus Garvey Memorial Park will intersect the course on 125th, and then you’ll be back on 5th Ave. Now, just get to 110th st, where Central Park starts! This is the tricky part.
Mile 20 to 23 should be right on avg goal pace or maybe about 5 seconds under
Mile 24. Fifth Avenue, the ninja hill.
You’ll be coasting the east side of the park from 110th to 90th, right on Fifth Ave. This will be a long straight stretch, so rare in this race, but it’s all UPHILL… It is going to hurt, the climb is 0.90 of a mile at about 2.5% grade (you won’t even see it coming!), and you’ll be tired. Use your mantra here. There will be enough spectators to help but this is when you have to start digging deep and see how many gears you have left. Keep in mind you might not notice the uphill at first so don’t go all out crazy just yet but keep focusing on the finish line pulling you. Don’t let it win!
Just let the street numbers trick you to the entrance to the park, just one mile away at 90th st. Fred Lebow won’t be there to salute you as always, so all you can do is catch up to ALL those people who went out too fast at mile one and two, you’ll spot them easily. Sad but sure. Pick a bright target 20 feet ahead and don’t let them go. One at a time!
Mile 24 will be slow: about 20/30 seconds slower than average goal pace
Mile 25 to 26.2 Central Park
Once you make that right at Engineers Gate into Central Park, you just have just about 2.2 miles to go, all undulating with steep/short ups and downs.
If you did things right, you will pick up a LOT of people in this stretch. A LOT. A LOT LOT. Undulating hills all the way to the uphill finish, you’ll be able to change biomechanics so often that you won’t be too set on one form, which is great. Find your fifth gear and ram it home. Enjoy those last two miles, they go by fast and you’ll be stopping soon so USE ALL YOU HAVE LEFT!
There is a looong 3-avenue stretch up Central Park South (5th ave to 8th ave with 3.3% uphill grade) that seems to last forever though it’s just a half mile…. focus on the Columbus Circle towers at the far end. Make sure your bib is visible, very important here. Once you get to Columbus Circle, you make a right an enter Central Park for the 2nd and last time. The hill at the finish line is the steepest of the whole race (very short, but almost 5.5% grade!) so just ride it as hard you can, as long as you can still finish with a smile!
Mile 25 should be a few seconds under average goal pace and M26 maybe 5 seconds over average goal pace. The last point2 will be slower, about 20/30 seconds slower than average goal pace.
Pose for the finish picture!!! Smile, arms up, you got this. DO NOT HAVE A FINISH LINE PICTURE OF YOU PAUSING A WATCH, I warn you!!!!! We have official results, ok? Stop your watch a few seconds before or after the finish, just not there.
That’s it, you’re home. The most famous finish line in the world. Cry if you want (I always do!). You can stop now. Just make sure you don’t stop right at the clock, or there’ll be a human pile on top of you 😉
Plan on it taking a LONG time between finishing and exiting to find your friends/family -about 30-60 minutes. It’s crowded, and you will be moving slowly even if your body is capable of moving more quickly.
then…
Walk, get your medal, take pictures, get your stuff and/or your poncho, meet your friends, get drinks and clothes on, eat, enjoy, celebrate, stretch, ice bath, rest, eat more, sleeeeeep! Go to the finish line store early Monday morning at the Pavillion, tell everyone about your race, eat some more, walk around, get your medal engraved, buy get some finisher’s gear, wear the medal on Monday if you are a tourist or if this is your first mary, go downstairs backwards, have a congratulatory donut, look for your name in the NY Times on Monday, tell people you won’t act crazy anymore and won’t be doing another one of these ever. Sign up for another marathon right away and celebrate some more. Celebrate the whole week if you want. You earned it. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve done this race, or any, finishing NYCM is always amazing. I dare you to not cry once. This marathon is our victory lap through the city, after all our training. ENJOY YOURSELF.
Questions?? Anything to add? Anything you want to go over? Comment below (it’s a lot faster than me replying to an email, trust me!)
My Race Reports with tons of pictures and more info:
I always knew I run my easy runs too slow, my long runs too too slow and I do my tempos and intervals with very little enthusiasm. I realized this morning, when a friend was dragging me through a fast half mile (which was probably at 9mm) that I just don’t like pushing! Ever!!!
Two weeks ago, when I was in Florida, I run with two coworkers that were, as they said, slower than me. Compared recent times, and I felt safe, it’d be a fun easy run… and then they took off at a “can’t talk” pace for what was an easy run for them. I run with Kettia often, and even years before when there was a gap in our race times, she’d make me cry in training runs. Even this past winter, I run with her group in training for the NYC Half, and even though I ended up racing faster than them, I was crying and dragging during the long runs… Kettia says I show up for race day. I know I don’t like pushing hard, so I limit myself to the races for that.
I DO NO LIKE RUNNING HARD.
I DO LIKE WHEN MY “EASY” IS “FAST”, that’s what I would call a good performance. But that, obviously, takes a lot of work to achieve… I’d even say that my fastest times were easy, and I was completely relaxed. It felt nice.
Right now I am at SLOW AND EASY, meh. And I know that I need to run hard to get fast… it’s gonna be tough. Or slow.
I know some of you go hard (at “can’t chit chat” pace) even for easy runs. My husband, for example, doesn’t even know what slow or easy mean. He goes all out in every run. I call him “one-speed-Juan”. He’d go out at the same hard pace whether he was doing 7 miles or 18, to end up just walking back (suicide pace works?). I’d measure my effort by heart rate, or by the talk test… I can go fast, only when it feels easy… Most of the people I know are the opposite though, they take off, always, like it’s a race. Ugh.
Am I alone here? Or do you also prefer to go out hard, have a better workout, train like an animal, get stronger/faster; if so, did you always enjoyed it or is it something that you learned to like over time?
I just like to do a running tour and watch people and birds and trees and bop to my music! I wonder if there is a way to wake up the beast in me or the competitive in me? I have ZERO of that!
As I had declared last week, I am done with running for now, I needed a mental break after 10 years and I wasn’t going to run anymore. But… I was signed up for the Brooklyn Half and the Mini 10K (in 3 weeks)… what to do? Well, I’m gonna pick the bib and tshirt and decide later. Maybe I would feel like running by Saturday…?
Pre-Race Party/ Bib Pick Up Bib Pick Up is more like a party, hence the renaming… It’s a nice place, by the water, with a GREAT view of the city, many food and drink options, a lot of space to hang out and see your friends, and the truth is we were running into people we knew every inch we walked. It was bit crowded, there was music, things to shop for, fun atmosphere. Too bad the weather didn’t help much but we got there, got our bibs, took some pictures, looked at the new balance stuff (nice!), went outside, got some food (there was a truck with melted cheese deliciousnesses) and stayed on the “lawn” to hear the band, then it started raining so we left soon. The trek from the Upper East Side where we live took about 1 hour each way, mostly because the 4/5 leaves you like almost a mile away. It’s a super nice walk though, and that street Lululemon or something off the Borough Hall stop is so super super nice!! I am planning to go back to the area.. on a nicer day. It’s a really nice park and you can’t top the views (says the Manhattan girl: if there is no view of the city, there’s no reason to leave the city!!!). Now, if you want to get in and out fast like this was midtown, won’t happen! I liked this place, though I liked the place they had last year too…
Walking to the expo on the Promenade or whatever that’s called
We have been bibbed!
Something I like about leaving the city, the perspective when you look at the city…
Friday: D (decision) day So, come Friday I hadn’t made a decision yet (Title should be more like INdecision day). Should I eat some carbs? Should I prep running clothes or should I just find something to do? If this was just a race in Central Park, it’d be easy to decide to skip it. But… the Brooklyn Half is more like an event… or a trip out of town with hot dogs and beach… AY, I couldn’t make up my mind, and by 4 pm I was stressing a bit. Juan was going to race it, so I’d be up at 3:30 am no matter what. If I could stay and sleep it’d be a different thing. BUT, if I had to get up and get out anyway (I am not just not going to not go cheer or meet him at the finish, can’t just stay home, what type of wife would Ii be??) then I might as well put some running clothes on…? So, staying in bed and sleep through it was not an option. I determined I’d go, try to run and enjoy it and if I didn’t, I’d just take the train… I had two exit strategies, my friend Tessa at mile 1.5 and my friend Flor at the 5 mile water stop. I’d just go with them to the finish and whatever! Flor even had a shirt for me. Then… I had the idea to wear the tutu to amuse myself: tutu power ON! You know my tutu, right? The BIG ONE!!!!
Then… I had the idea to ask on Facebook… because it seemed everyone I knew would be running Brooklyn to see if anyone would want company at my slow chatty pace! I wanted to make sure I had fun, and I was not going to do it alone for sure! I was looking for someone to chat through 13.1 in around 1:50 to 2 hours… I got offers to pace people but, pacing wouldn’t work, the other person would be working hard and who was I was going to have fun with?? Still a few people offered and we planned to meet in the corral! If all else failed and I got bored, I had my metrocard with me and would hop on the train to the finish! I had no issues giving up fast if I am not having fun. No guilt!
RACE MORNING!!! It was cruel how early we got up, and we went to sleep late because we got sucked into watching the Barbara Walters special…beeeeep beeeeep beeeeep 3:40 am alarm!!!! We figured we’d leave by 4:20 to get to the start by 5:40. It’s a long way from the Upper East side and I didn’t want to stress being late. I was going to be miserably sleepy and tired anyway! Luckily, it had just stopped raining, wohooo. We got ready, bundled up and got on the 4 to switch to the 2 in Fulton with another 10 thousand other runners. It was quite simple but I am always scared some train might not be running, we got there quite early. And sleepy. As it would turn out, we were quite right to get there early…
Look AWAKE!!
Bagagge and Start As soon as we got out of the 2 in Franklin Avenue, wow, there were high fences all over the place and only one way to go. Note: always check the NYRR website and use the train exit they tell you to use (if you go with the one you think is closest you might end up walking miles because of the fences!). That way then security and metal detectors then security again and IN! We then walked towards the corrals (starting from the back), where we saw the portapotties inside!! Wohooo, we rushed into those, as they were all empty, took care of business, then kept walking to drop our bags and back to the corrals. It must have been like a half mile walk, we got to the trucks and deadline was 6:20 am, we had 10 minutes! We had to rush and change as they were NOT waiting one second!!!! We dropped our stuff quickly (it seemed like a liiiitle bit chaotic) and headed back to the corral. Yey, portapotties in the corral again!! For a change, the first wave started late, this is never the case in NYRR races. I was a 4 corrals back so I am not sure what was going on in the front, but the first runners were 7 or 8 minutes late to start. Wave 2 seems to have started on time.
Race Atmosphere This race was huge, you could tell right away. I wasn’t sure how many people would be there… 20,000? 30,000? It seemed super ultra mega organized: like they were expecting Obama… there was a LOT of people, but still I never felt more crowded than usual. I saw so many people… many from out of town (sometimes you can tell by their t-shirts!). It really felt like something big was about to happen. By the afternoon, it’d be confirmed that this was to be the biggest half marathon in the US with over 25K finishers… craziness.
Weather. It was coldish waiting at the start, glad I had brought an old turtleneck I wanted to get rid of. It was 58 at the start, but with the little clothes and wind, we were freezing! Of course as soon as it started, it was perfect (and I was wearing as little as I could!) but then the sun hits you on Ocean Parkway, and oh uh, hottish! It was totally fine though.
The CorralsI was corral 3, Juan was 4, so we had told everyone to meet us at 4. We got there early and met up with Patricia, a lot of my team mates, Elyssa, Lara, and so many more people. Apparently Blaise was right there too and I missed him. It gets crowded quickly so if you’re going to meet someone in the corral, always pick a corner!
Elyssa, from this Bridges Runner blog, orange shirt, had volunteered the day before to run with me. I shyly asked “I like to talk when I run, is that ok? do you like to chat when you run?” I know some people hate it but as I said, I needed to have fun, and I needed help! But also, I don’t want to ruin anyone’s day! She said YES. I was so happy. Now let’s see if we’re both comfortable and happy at the same speed…! The Courseis…GREAT! There are a couple of little hills in the first 10K, and then flat or downhill past mile 6. You REALLY have to negative split here or you did something wrong. Good course to PR in, though for some reason, I never seemed to PR here… There is the one hill in prospect park, which is not that steep but seems to last foreeeever (elevation profile is here) because it bends so much you have no idea where it ends. There can be way too much sun after you leave the park, but luckily there’s a few trees. MY RACEWell, I really I had no idea what to expect. Having felt so slow and tired lately and with my crappy attitude… we started slow, we chatted… we cheered, we screamed, we talked about how we both didn’t feel like running but we were still running because, by talking, it didn’t feel like running. We stayed on the side and made sure we didn’t bother anyone, mostly in the first couple of minutes when it seemed like all 20 corrals were passing us. Soon, everybody’s speed matched our non-speed and we were seriously cheering people around us. I am sure we bothered some people, as the people who talk sometimes bother ME when I am racing hard and unable to focus, sorry. We tried to not be obnoxious but most people were happy to have us cheer for them. We checked on each other and made sure we were going slow enough to not push ourselves, to make sure we were relaxed and having fun. We somehow managed to have a lot of fun the whole way!
Picture by Ben Ko – thanks BEN!! Still had my start turtleneck as a scarf on the first half mile, just because even if it doesn’t match, I need to make a fashion statement!!!!!
I got hot soon, even though I wasn’t racing and I was wearing less clothes than EVERYONE around me. The tutu was great though… it got SO many cheers and shoutouts that all I was doing sometimes was say thank-yous nonstop!! I love my tutu! The park was bit more crowded than the rest of the race but it really wasn’t so bad. We were having fluids every 2 miles, and one gel as we left the park. I saw so many people cheering, at the water stations, passing me in the race, really you felt like everyone was there! Pace-wise, I have to admit, I barely looked at my watch once or twice… I had no idea. Elyssa shouted mile splits sometimes, just because our only thing was to check not to go over 2 hours, but as I can’t do any math, I figured I’d look at mile 10… I like to hit the pedal when I leave the park but Elyssa had an irish soccer game -or something- to play that afternoon and wanted to save some energy, and I was comfortably having a good time that I was not chancing it by taking off! By mile 9 we decided we’d finish together and we did just that! Easy peasy, half done! We got to Coney Island, we put our hands together and crossed the finish line. 1:57 and something.
Done, we had fun, and now we have some more fun. In Coney Island!!!
The Finish Line The best part! You have around 300 meters to run on the boardwalk and it gets loud and crowded, even before 9 am! They had medals, bagels, powerbars (chocolate and mint, yuk!!!) and gatorade+water. It is just such a happy place and by 9 am you are free to just go do whatever you want!!! I had told Juan to wait there for me so I caught him as soon as I got my medal! There were a few blocks walk until we got to baggage but it was super organized and easy. Really nice medal too. And we got more pictures of course! The Post Race/Getting my bag back fiasco! Well.. we had to walk a bit to get our bags and holy molly it was a MESS. Seems like just a few bags where there, there was no line, everyone was against the fence holding their number and shouting their number and if the volunteers found it, they’d bring over the bag. My bib was on my skirt and I just didn’t feel like unpinning it so I asked someone (taller!) ahead of me to shout my number and SOMEHOW I got my bag super fast… Everyone else was just standing there… Apparently, I was one of the lucky few people who got to bag check in time! I learned a LOT of people didn’t get to the bag deadline early on, so they dropped their bags in the “late” truck, so those bags where being brought there in bunches… and/or there were not enough volunteers. I offered to jump in to help to organize the bags by numbers but they didn’t let me. It really was a mess all around. Stats time Oy, this might be painful… or whatever! Finish time: 1:57:32. Average Pace: 8:59. 20 minutes off my PR, ha.
Previous PR: 1:37:35. From: March, 2013Age Grading: 57.55% OuchOverall Place: 10,758 of 25,587Gender Place: 3,831 of 13, 678Age Place: 523 of 2,105 (still top 25% which is fine… I guess!) To note looking at the stats, not only this is now the biggest half marathon in the US, but also, there were more women finishers (13,678 ) than men (11,909), insane! Total was 25,587 . Also sad, one runner died at the finish. This always makes me so sad.
Splitsville!
Seems like I lost satellite in the last mile I think. I kept looking and it said 12.47 for a whiiiile for a long time.
The Result I am VERY HAPPY with the race I run. I was not in shape, I wasn’t into it, actually, I had no interest in even showing up, but I managed my goal, to have fun, to not suffer… This doesn’t mean that I am back. I am not feeling like running still and for what I see, I probably won’t for a while. I am back to not running. But I managed to get to my beach party, the way everyone did: by running 13.1 first.
The Post Race Well, I skipped the MCU park as I had already been there last year for a NYC Runs 5k and my team, the Dashing Whippets, always has a beach party!!! YEY, beach weather. FINALLY! So we scooted over to the beach after we got our bearings and omg, the FUN
I am done running. I am HAPPY.
Happy Birthday Whippets (5 years!!) and Matthew Wong (a few more!)
Cute Speech by Rich. Everybody cried, no, not really. Then there was a chase to plaster a cupcake on Matt’s face but I think Matt had been training to avoid that…
cupcake boy (I am donut girl)
Boys will be boys??
My girl Kirby and I showing off or matching shorts!
He’s not normal. (It was the Gatorade!!!)
So Many Whippets!! (Apparently I am menopausal as I am the only one without a shirt..!?!??!)
It’s done. I am not sure when I’ll post again, if I have anything else to say… but, my parents are coming to visit (after 5 years!) and they’re too excited to see me race, and the Mini10k happens, so, we shall see.
The Brooklyn Half Marathon is already next weekend and I wanted to let you all know about the Brooklyn ½ Pre-Party Fun Run, Presented By New Balance taking place on Thursday, May 15th at 10:30am. This free event gives runners an opportunity to get in a fun 4 miles and pick up their race packets before the big day!
Wondering how to get to the Brooklyn Half Pre-Party Presented by New Balance? Why not run? Join New Balance for a 4 mile fun run and you’ll gain early access to the Pre-Party so you can skip the lines to packet pickup, shirt pickup and the official merchandise. The run will start from the New Balance Experience Store @ 150 5th Avenue at 10:30am. They’ll even take your dry gear over from the store to the party for you and give you a subway card so you can get back home after the party. RSVPs are limited.
Full run details are here, with more details on the elevation profile. Just select Elevation in the menu on the left where it says Select Metric. Let’s see if you can figure out where I took my gel! 😉
2013 Race Report, with a lot of the race details and review is here.
Also, as I just prepped this year’s course mile splits, here is what I have: Green is DOWNHILL (fast); PINK is UPHILL (slow!), and Yellow is FLAT (you got this!). So you won’t be surprised!
and how I structured my miles… obvs this will be determined by the race day weather, but so you get an idea:
Just like we did before every single race I’ve done in the last two years (link to last one, and the NYC Half guess) it’s time to place your bets again… There is always someone who hits it right in the head! (always unbelievable! look at this one: guesses here, winner here)
Rules:
Pick a finish time and write in the comments below. Whoever gets closer, wins, If there’s two identical times, the first poster wins! All guesses have to be in this post. Make sure if you include seconds in there too, and post before next Sunday at 7 pm EST.
As usual, there’s gonna be PRIZES… you can pick from:
Scotland 10K, April 2014, in 47:41, average pace of 7:42
Marathons:
My PR is from Berlin 2012: 3:27:44, the last marathon I did was NYCM 2013 in 3:49:34. My last Boston was in 2010: 3:51: 21
Running Calculators!
Mc Millan says… Based on the 1:50:10 half: 3:51 – 8:51 pace. Based on the Scotland 10k: 3:43 – 8:32 pace
RunnersWorld says… based on the 1:50:10 half: 3:49 – 8:44 – . Based on the Scotland 10k: 3:39 – 8:22 pace
My guess:
I am sure I won’t PR, get that out of your heads!! Goal A is to stay under 4 hours (never gone over 4 hours and don’t want to start now!) or, Goal B, break the course PR (3:51). I would love to shoot for 3:50 but I did 3:49 in NYCM and I was better trained there. I am just hoping I can stay within 4: anything between 3:50 and 3:59 is more realistic if the weather cooperates!
GO ON! Place your bets below!!! Good luck to us!!
Prizes shipped only within the US, but you can have me send it to someone in the US. / Comments with guesses will only count if they are posted here (not on facebook, not on runnersworld.com, HERE) before Sunday 7 pm EST. / If there are two guesses with the exact same time, the first one wins.
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:
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.
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?)
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!)
Juan and I, both of us around 3 or 4 minutes off our PRs and for the first time at the same AG!
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!
And then… we were DESTROYED… seriously, a 10K can drain the LIFE out of you! Hot chocolate, gnocchi and bed!
Just like we did before every single race I’ve done in the last two years (link to last one, the NYC Half guess) it’s time to place your bets again… There is always someone who hits it right in the head! (always unbelievable! look the one I did a few weeks ago! guesses here, winner here)
Rules:
Pick a finish time and write in the comments below. Whoever gets closer, wins, If there’s two identical times, the first poster wins! All guesses have to be in this post. Make sure if you include seconds in there too, and post before next Saturday at 7 am EST.
As usual, there’s gonna be PRIZES… you can pick from:
Mc Millan says… based on the 1:50:10 half: 49:25 – 7:57 pace
RunnersWorld says… based on the 1:50:10 half: 49:56 – 8:03
My guess:
I am sure I won’t PR, get that out of your heads!! I would love to do sub 8 pace, so I’d be happy with that! So that would be close to what Mc Millan predicts, I think I’ll be between 49 and 50 minutes… if all goes well!
GO ON! Place your bets below!!! (I will probably not look until after!) but I will add more prizes (after I hear back from my sponsors!)
Prizes shipped only within the US, but you can have me send it to someone in the US. / Comments with guesses will only count if they are posted here (not on facebook, not on runnersworld.com, HERE) before Saturday 7 am. / If there are two guesses with the exact same time, the first one wins.
Central Park Turns Blue and Tartan for 11th Annual Scotland Run
Are you doing the Scotland Run 10K?? Are you? It’s sold out so I hope you signed up on time… I am and I hope to see you there racing or spectating. The race is quite fun… here are some pictures from last year. And I have a fabulous giveaway, all Scottish themed for you to be ready! Okay, if you are not racing you can participate anyway!
Participate by posting in the comments section why you’d like to visit Scotland, by Thursday, April 3rd at 12 pm. One reader will be randomly selected to win a Scottish-themed goody bag that will be mailed in advance of the race.
An all special Scottish-themed goody bag to get you in the spirit that includes: Paolo Nutini CD / Snow Patrol CD / Fine Scottish Soaps / Saltire Beanie Hat / Scotland baseball cap / USBs / Shoelaces / Tote Bag
just got mine!
Ready? Comment below now!
About Scotland Week – #ScotWeek
Scotland Week 2014 is built around the Tartan Day celebrations in the USA on April 5. Scotland Week incorporates a program of business, political engagements aimed at the promotion of Scotland as a great place to live, visit, do business, study and invest. Highlights for 2014 include the 11th year anniversary of the 10k Scotland Run and Festival in New York’s Central Park and the Tartan Day parade down Sixth Avenue http://www.scotland.org/scotlandweek
—————-
And the WINNER IS…
Gabrielle, we’ll be in contact ASAP! Congratulations!
Well, the NYCHalf happened. Again. For the 6th time for me. And I am VERY happy about it. I hadn’t trained, I was 13 minutes slower than last year, but this was such a different story from the NYC Marathon a few months ago…!
The truth is, since July my training has been a disaster for one reason or another (and there were many!!), and I knew I wasn’t going to PR, so I just wanted to use it as a training run, maybe to see if I can muster Boston in a month, maybe to see if I had lost all my running mojo. But it was horrible going into it, I had done so well last year in this race so coming back with no expectations was hard. And the NYC Marathon 5 months ago was just so painful on my untrained legs that I was really dreading this. I had assumed I was going to suffer for 13.1 and there was no way around it, turns out, there was one.
Race Morning: It was really cold, and I was getting to the start 1 hour early. Brrrr. Walked into a brand new clean portapotty with no line and I just wanted to stay warm in there… I had extra clothes on, two mylar blankets, hand warmers, you name it, I could barely move with that many layers on, but my feet were not having it: they froze! They had security checking our checked-bags and then we all went through metal detectors going into the park (yey!), and then a walk to the corral where I met up with a few friends (Rose, Ilana, Julie, Marie, Jason!). We huddled and waited. Rose and I determined we’d take it easy and to try to go together. We talked about how we both had so gotten off the wagon, I said training starts here. This would be a long run, and I would take if from there. Soon enough we were moving…
Race ON: The first miles felt ok. My feet were still frozen but we were determined to take it easy, have fun, run it as a longish run and that’s what we did. We held our horses.
Miles 1, 2, and 3 were quite conservative.
On my post where everyone guessed my finish time, I had assumed I’d do around 1:50, which is 8:30 pace, so I started thinking that maybe I am more in shape for a 2 hour marathon, which I haven’t done in a looong time. Oh well, it is what it is. I felt GOOD, and that is all that mattered, I was not going to push it.
At Mile 2 I saw Juan and his phone froze so he got no pictures. I am sure he was as frozen as the phone… I always feel so bad for the spectators! Then I just started seeing everyone pass me, everyone. People I know did slower than me in the NYC Marathon. I knew I hadn’t trained since so I know I was in way worse shape but it made me feel good that I could hold my pace back as much as I wanted. You can all go!!! I felt so relaxed and in control. Being in control in the early miles of a race is tots HARD people!
Soon we were up in the Harlem out and back and hello Harlem Hill x2. I love out and backs! You get to see everyone! It was wild to be out of the park and everyone sped up a little. Rose and I held it in place.
Miles 4 and 5: a bit faster and settling up in a rhythm.
After we crested the hill and went to the 90s, I saw Juan again. I stopped for a roadside kiss. I was feeling good now that I was feeling my feet again (it really took 4 miles!!) and was warming up. Then I started losing Rose, she told me to go, I told her I’d get Gatorade and wait for her there but never saw her (I’d end up losing her and she’d come in a few minutes behind me). But, I just wanted to hit the gas. I wanted to get to Times Square, make that turn and see what I had. I turns out, I didn’t wait until Times Square…
Miles 6 and 7: need for speed already!!!
Going through Times Square is ALWAYS exhilarating, even the 6th time you do this race. And it widens up SO much, you feel like you can fly… I spotted a Team Up runner and we introduced! It was pretty cool!!
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww: F U N!!!! Then we turn onto 42nd st, the street narrows a bit and the wind….!!!!!! well, we pushed through and kept rolling down. Luckily, my Dashing Whippets team was there to cheer us all up, handing out gels and water. I got so excited, I grabbed a 2X caffeine gel which would probably kill me if I tried it, so I put it right back. And forgot the water. Cheering stations can really make you lose it.
Seems like I was having a fun time, right? I was. I have a slow time to prove it 😉 (don’t scream, slow compared to last year’s!!!)But… with fun comes responsibility and since mile 5 I was feeling good: I was on a roll and kept tearing at it little by little.
As soon as I hit the westside highway and found NO WIND (WTF?!???! It was colder in the park!!! I was dreading the wind and cold here for no reason!?!), I opened my lungs, I let the Hudson nasty air sip in, and sped up. UP UP. From there on, I was picking up runners 10 at a time. You know, if you were there, this is quite probably where 9 out of ten people started to slow down: I WAS FLYING!
Miles 8 and on: Time to Fly!
I lapped the tunnel part up there (“mile 12”) as there’d be no GPS there, and the last bit (“mile 13”) I am sure is wrong because in the seconds it took to locate satellite it made it look quite slow. I know I was sprinting for my donuts…!!!
Yes, I probably did start too slow, but whatever. What matters is that I was strong at the end and had a lot too push. Quite a difference from last year‘s pace, but still another great pacing example.
The last mile includes over a half a mile in the tunnel, which I didn’t hate as much as last year (because I knew there was an exit somewhere!!) but then you get out, you make a left and OMG, I was SOOOOO EXCITED to be there. I had to hold the tears back (yes, I cry all the time when I race) and all the flags and the finish and it felt SO GOOD to be back, and to be on the road again and to feel strong and to be able to finish with a kick and to know that even if unprepared it doesn’t have to be as bad as the NYC Marathon was if you can pace yourself… It was amazing.
Then it was over. I was so happy. I wanted to hug all those sweaty runners. Then I wanted to punch a few of them who stopped right at the finish for a selfie (seriously people!!! there’s 15K runners behind you!!!! WTF!). I was back to happy in two seconds. I am moody like that 😉
Got a few pics and with two steps I found friends and team mates… I was just back to frozen in a few seconds!!!
I love this race.
Now I know that, not only I can set the tone for a race and pace as I please (without pushing myself into pain for no reason!) but that I can also enjoy a race and finish it without ANY training… in a decent time too, plus have fun, AND not FALL!! I felt very happy about the results…
see how happy I was???
Juan knew I wanted donuts. Juan got me donuts. Juan is a keeper. I ate almost all of that.
Right after the race ended we got on the 1 train uptown to Finish Line, we had some food, chatted, celebrated, all that. The platform and the train was crowded… and a bit smelly ;-P
Finish Line was fun, but soon I couldn’t wait any longer for the 3 hour shower I was looking to do at home… plus the nap. Then burgers… ah, I love how doing a 13.1 makes me think I can go on some sort of food bender. I do have 5 weeks until the Boston Marathon and I know I am not in shape to run 26.2 comfortably, but I can’t seem to be able to make a decision about going or skipping it… I just counted the weeks back. If I manage a long run the next two weekends, I’ll let myself participate in the marathon. If not, then I am not going to Boston.
One week until my birthday, the next craziness. One thing at a time here.
I’ve calculated what time I have to be there (at least an hour before the start), I have affixed the sticker to the bag, I have set my alarm. The rest will be decided at the last minute!
If you’re cheering, tell me where you will be so I can scream at you!
Just because we are on NYC Half Marathon week and it seems to be all we can think about around here… some pics from my SIX NYC Half Marathons! it’s crazy how things change… NYC Half was my first half marathon AND my first race ever… so here we go!
2014 – A race run for fun (race report), finished in 1:50:10, with great splits and smiles 😉
2013 – got a PR of 1:37:35! (race report) my fifth NYC Half! fun day!
at the expo
rocking the park
PR!
but wait, there’s more!
2012 – 1:43:04 was fun to be back to the race after 3 years! (race report)
but wait, there’s more!
2009 – 1:49:12 it was still in the summer and I think this was the hottest one ever (race report)
but wait, there’s more!
2007 – 1:51:29 my second!!
2006: 2:06:11 my first race ever, my first half ever and my first NYC Half ever… I was so overwhelmed I cried during the last two miles (I could barely see with all the tears!!!!). There’s no pictures of me running during this race (I had no idea how to even get pictures!) but now you can see why I love this race right?
Just like I did for pretty much every race in the last 18 months, it’s time to place your bets again… I love how there is always someone who nails it right in the head!
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 Sunday, March 16th.
Prizes… you can pick from:
– a biomechanics session (in NYC)
– a clip-on running metronome
– a brooks flat vapur water bottle
– a NYC Marathon rain (knee-length, orange and white) poncho
My Half PR:
– NYC Half, March, 2013: 1:37:35 Pace: 7:27
Last Halfs/Marathons:
– Brooklyn Half Marathon: May, 2013: 1:38:29
– Grete’s Gallop, October 2013: 1:44:33
– New York City Marathon, November 2013: 3:49:33
My guess: I am sure I will NOT PR. Not only I am not in good shape, but since I stopped running for most of July and August last year (because of an ulcer) I really haven’t gotten back on track. The Marathon was super slow and the winter weather laziness slowed me down a lot more. I haven’t done a run over 14 miles since, not more than 50 miles a month, and 10 milers pace is around 9:30. I am guessing around 1:50.
GO ON! Place your bets below!!! (I will probably not look until after!) but I will add more prizes (after I hear back from my sponsors!)
Prizes shipped only within the US, but you can pick it up when you’re in NYC if you are abroad! Or have me send to someone in the US. / Comments with guesses will only count if they are posted before Saturday 9 pm, EST. / If there are two guesses with the exact same time, the first one wins.
It was December 31st, 2013 and at around 9 pm we started the whole process of getting dressed to go out. This wasn’t a “I am gonna wear my most fabulous”-getting-dressed -frenzy all over the apartment as it usually happens right before the end of the year. This was a “how many more layers can I manage to move to put on and still be able to bend my legs to run?” hour long debacle. We wore it all. We were going to be out there for 2 or 3 hours, and this is what the electronics spit out:
If I am going for a run, I will wear layers of dri-fit. If I am not going to run, well, warm clothes…. but this would be both… I decided to skip all running clothes and go with the warmest stuff I could think of, that would still let me move. Two pairs of tights, an underarmour heat layer, more layers, a goose feather jacket and all the night lights I had. Plus my new Brooks Pure Flow 3. We had even bought night sticks and finger leds… We looked ridiculous. Luckily, we love that.
As we’re a bit over a mile away from the start, we run to the park to get there. What a surprise to see Fred Lebow all dressed up of the occasion! Festive Fred!
So cute. I tried running. My lungs were frozen… It hurt. Then we did this little jog so we wouldn’t sweat and then had to be out there all wet. Got there soon enough. The music was SO loud! there were TONS of people…. Tons! There were lights and people dressed up… a very festively event!
We put our over jackets in baggage and went to meet up with Elaine and Tom. Meeting people there is NOT easy. Note for next year, meet people BEFORE you go into the park… We took some pictures so we wouldn’t freeze. It was like 10:30 when we got there and we still had an hour and a half to start running… let’s not freeze, let’s not freeze…
oh yes, I also had a pink tiara, which would prove to be not so aerodynamiky to run with!
Midnight Glowy Runners!
Elaine and I had decided to wear our tutus. Because there was no time (or intention!!) to figure out costumes but this is better than nothing!
Tom, Elaine, me and Juan. Glowing in the dark!
We met up with other friends, Michelle, Kat, and Joe, and here is just a few shots!
Soon ehought it was 11:50 and we HAD to rush to the corrals! I am also not sure how we forgot we had to head over there… At 12, the race started, and there were FIREWORKS!!!!
OMG I LOVE FIREWORKS!
and. OMG. FIREWORKS IN CENTRAL PARK… that’s just the most amazing thing in the most amazing place.
and. OMG. FIREWORKS IN CENTRAL PARK while I am RUNNING. emmm; PERFECTION
Photo Credit: Ben Ko.
I lost all excitement to run and wanted to stay there and STARE. mouth open and all. If there’s fireworks, I AM A CHILD.
Oh well. We run. It was fun. A lot of runners were wearing costumes. There was a LOT of people in the park spectating and cheering looking at the fireworks so it felt more crowded than a regular race. We had a very easy pace so it was just fun really, I wish I could all races like that…. HA
Soon, we had done a mile (in like 12 minutes or something!) and we went by Fred again. We attempted a shot but it was CROWDED and I was scared for my life while taking the shot so it came out like CRAP:
Tom, Elaine, Juan, Kat, Michelle, and Joe. And Frrrrred behind!
Kay, ours came out nice… thanks Tom!
We kept running, slowly, and by Mile 2 we were starting to warm up. There was a PARTY on the transverse!!!! It was crazy, at least for me, as I haven’t gone to a club in like… 5 years? They were handing out cider, which I grabbed, though I didn’t like it, and then there was this tunnel of lights and sound and smoke… Like when you are 14 and going dancing is fun. Now, I see smoke and I freak out. I am OLD. Sorry. But I tried to pretend I was young again for those 10 seconds!
Nice shot by Ben Ko! I saw him on the side taking pics and went to hug him and he got this shot. Here you can appreciate the awesome tights I had bought the previous week and used to go out the night before… and then for a run. I am getting my bucks worth! HI BEN!
Of course then everyone stopped and we JUMPED. Photo Credit: Ben Ko
Soon, very soon, we were back in the 72nd transverse and it was over. I thought about running past it, but our friends were going to stay. We had to recover our jackets, run home… so we just zipped to the finish!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We didn’t even come close to a PR. I think I actually doubled my time!!! But… we know that is not what matters, right? 50 minutes!
A few more shots by the finish, some ate some bagels, I couldn’t even think of putting anything cold close to me. Water was frozen so we just kissed everyone, a few more pics, and we loved starting the year like this: outside, cold, with fireworks, 5000 friends, photos, tutus, runners, fred Lebow, and in the middle of the dark Central Park. I had wanted to do that for a few years, and as I am always in Argentina for the holidays, I hadn’t been able to. All worth the wait.
We zipped up, and walked home on Fifth Avenue. It was like 1:30 am. People were coming back from their parties, with their little party hats on, some were too drunk to walk, a lot were peeing in the streets, and many more were wearing cute clothes that made them freeze. One girl had a short skirt on, no tights and a bleeding knee.
We? We had 5 miles in, a drop of cider, a lot of smiles, shiny warm outfits, and a midnight run high. Way to start the year.
363 days ago, I went to sign up for an 8k race, in Buenos Aires, and met a guy at registration. The race, San Silvestre, Buenos Aires, 8K is on the 31st and I always found it fitting to close the year with a race! A few months later, the same guy was all up and moved to NYC and we got married a couple of months later, probably a wedding PR! (Single ladies, this means: enjoy your time alone TODAY because you never know what(/who!) is around the corner!!)
This 31st, I am not going to Argentina as I always do, so we are running the NYRR Midnight Run Presented by Emerald Nuts 4M. I think it can be some kind of tradition that we do a race on the 31st. I would really like it.
Hope you have a wonderful start to 2014 and an amazing year! And make sure you create at least one little tiny tradition today or tomorrow of doing something you like!
And, no. Before you even ask. I would never ever ever even consider go watch that ball drop in Times Square. Hell No.
Well, I am not going to get anyone riled about this one. If something, this is a testament that I can sometimes control my pace… I was NOT racing, I barely showed up to get my last NYC marathon qualifier in and I had one hundred other things I had preferred to be doing. Actually, snow was in the forecast so I spent most of the day before and the night checking to see if they would make it a fun run (you get credit towards the marathon but you don’t even have to show up!) but they didn’t. I was exhausted. I had just come back from Buenos Aires two days before and my husband was super sick with a bronchitis (fever, coughing, the works) so there was no sleep and I really didn’t want to leave him alone at all. I was going to be back in less than two hours and it was early, and the start was less than a mile from the apartment so I knew he’d be okay, but he had a horrible night and neither of us slept. I got up to this:
Oy.
It was not supermotivating. Because, mostly, I am in really crappy shape. I haven’t trained in months. I was tired. I had overeaten in my Buenos Aires vacation until I food-poisoned myself… I was coming off a rough week. Plus, coming back from the nice early summer runs in 70 degrees to this frigid cold… I really didn’t want to go!!!!!
But, alas. I HAD to. I really had no choice.
My plan was to get there as close to the start time as possible so I wouldn’t freeze waiting around, not check a bag, run as easy as I could without freezing, and run straight home after I finished. Does that sound like a race strategy? No, I know. But it’s because I wasn’t racing. I was just completing the course and going home without even stopping. Lame, but it’s all I had.
So far from last year’s NYRR’s Ted Corbitt Classic 15K!!! I had a fantastic race, did a 7:27 average and loved the distance… this time, I would be happy to keep it smart and finish without dying or slowing down (ha, like my last race, the NYC Marathon!)
My race, time, and pacing was quite uneventful, as we could all expect, see some veeery conservative (though NOT dying at the end) pace here:
Nothing to write home about… 11 minutes slower than last year and I barely cracked any effort zone… 8:37 average pace (1:20:10 official finish time) in 9 miles is not even a tempo…!
But… WOW.
It started snowing AS soon as we got moving. I am not kidding. It was freezing cold, we were all shivering and dreading it. Then as soon as the horn blew, SNOW showers… Em, gladly I was covered up like a maniac and I had clear sunglasses to protect my vision (I’ve fallen with clear weather, so why make it riskier?) so I was prepped for it! It was gorgeous. I am not sure I would have loved it if I was racing. People were slipping left and right and I saw a lot of people struggling to see, the snow was coming from everywhere!!! But… it was gorgeous! I don’t have many pictures as I left the hubs locked in, but there’s a few amazing pictures in the NYRR race gallery. I felt awful for the volunteers and spectators, I am sure they were frozen. But 9 miles are over soon and in a bit, with two loops the park, I crossed the finish and kept going home, covered in snow and ice, and ready for a hot chocolate. What a race to cap off the year. Winter is here.
Just don’t call me from a blocked number… Well, I know I haven’t blogged in a couple of weeks… lots happened and not a lot happened.
In the Running sense, I seem to be at a standpoint. I am always slow past the marathon, I am tired, it was freezing a few days, so it all amounted to a big whole of not running much. I didn’t run for 10 days after the marathon, then I went on a 5 mile run with my friend Kettia last week, then I did around 8 miles during the Knickerbocker 60K in the park and then I run last night, a crazy almost 6 miles at 10:40 pace. See? nothing exciting at all.
What’s exciting is all the other stuff. So much stuff that I barely thought about running. I had my Naturalization Oath two weeks ago, and became a US Citizen
With that, they took my green card and I went on a frazzle as I am going overseas in two weeks! Emmm, I need to get a US passport ASAP to be able to come back in! Expedite and Run around I did, passports get done in one day!!!
Now, get ready for my trip, start packing, get a new iphone, get all set up at work, get excited about Thanksgiving sign up for races for when I am back, and oh, cheer for my hubby doing his first ultra, the Knickerbocker 60K.
Juan ready to run his first ultra!
And they are off, Ken, in yellow and blue, also doing his first! And Lisa, a super ultra veteran!! wohoooo!!
Guess who! ok, 1 lap done, 8 more to go!
more fun, well, it was like 6 or 7 hours of fun actually…
Juan on the west side
Tommy was flying!!!
And flew to an Overal Third Place. AMAZING. 60K is like over 37 miles people!!!!
That’s a LOT of salt/sweat… oh oh
Sky, on the left, got Second Woman, amazing job!! and Tommy. Both in my running team!! Congrats guys!
Top three Women: 1. Gordon Bakoulis (in the middle) a BEAST, seriously. Serious. 2. Sky Canaves, on the right, love her! and 3. Julie Kheyfets, didn’t know her but CONGRATS ALL!
AND, HE’S DONE!!! Congrats Ironman/UltraRunner!!!
we all love our BLING
I never thought I’d see this: he smiled through the whole race, and he looked so strong. NOT normal for a first ultra… I think!
I love these people!
I had to let him hug me as sweaty as he was… I had no choice 😉 Congrats Juan!!!!!!
It’s a been a fun and busy two weeks and I promise I will get my act together. After the delish and long-awaited Thanksgiving. And after my trip. And maybe after the Holidays. So, someday. You’ll be there, right???
Well, so I woke up Monday morning early, sore, and tired. I am sure by now you know that your body needs SO much more sleep the week after the marathon… but somehow, you can’t sleep for a few nights. You’re sore, you can’t get comfortable, you’re hyper, the sheets hurt, turning hurts, your toes are swollen…
Monday, early, I ALWAYS go to the NYRR Charity Breakfast. I seem to always be there with a different charity but I am always there. After all, I can’t sleep, the clocks have changed I and I wake up early, there’s food, friends, a walk in Central Park to clear some lactic acid, and always some celebrity.
Juan came with me, and the walk to the park was slow but comforting. As well as the cold weather. I met a lot friends, colleagues, ex-coworkers, and more friends. A friend told me to sit at his table, right there, and we ended up sitting by Ethan Zhon, american soccer player, Survivor winner and he also has his own charity! We are chit-chatting with everyone and two seconds later, I look up and Ed Norton was sitting on my table. Crazy world.
I figured he’d be the guest speaker, as he had done it once before, but no… it was someone I didn’t know, Sarah Reinertsen, and all of a sudden Juan is flapping and flipping “she’s the reason I got into Triathlon!!!“, “Sorry honey, I love you but I have huge crush on HER!!“… unstoppable stuff like that… so funny. And I was like… who??? I admit I don’t know much about triathletes… he set me straight right away. Wikipedia: She’s an American triathlete and former Paralympic track athlete. Reinertsen was the first female leg amputee to complete the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. Reinertsen has broken the women’s above-knee amputee marathon record several times.
Plus these:
I doubt you’ll forget now…
Anyway, I had no idea. And OMG she has a story… it was so amazing to hear her talk. You might have to get her book but this girl is INCREDIBLE. I was so moved, in seconds, I suddenly had a crush on her too! Instantly! Once it was all said and done, Juan and I went to say hello. emmmm, she also speaks Spanish. She’s amazing, period!!!
Well, he was giddy for a bit. An hour. Or two. I loved hearing her story and meeting. Inspiration Maximus Activated!
runningandthecity 
