Seven Deadly Shins
Stats and Splits
14th marathon, first NYC
Target time: 3:17
Actual time: 3:20:03 (BQ - 4:57)
Overall:Men:AG:
2482 / 50433 (4.9%)
2198 / 30097 (7.3%)314 / 4622 (6.8%)
Mark
Elapsed Time
Split Time
Split Pace
Avg Pace
Projected Time
5K
23:31
7:34
3:18:23
10K
46:13
22:42
7:18
7:26
3:15:00
15K
1:09:11
22:58
7:23
7:25
3:14:37
20K
1:32:21
23:10
7:27
3:14:50
Half
1:37:26
3:14:52
25K
1:56:38
24:17
7:49
7:30
3:16:51
30K
2:19:19
22:41
7:28
3:15:57
35K
2:43:15
23:56
7:42
3:16:48
40K
3:08:41
25:26
8:11
7:35
3:19:02
Finish
3:20:03
1:42:37
7:38
Positive split by 5:11
The Race
Goal A was 3:17, Goal B was 3:20.
As you are aware, the wind was brutal. I expected as much but did not know how bad it would be once I stepped out of the hotel. Stuff was flying all over the place. It was the windiest weather I ever had to run in, not to mention race. The city had issued a wind warning. NYRR did not set up some of the runners tents in the village, and moved wheelchair start to the Brooklyn end of the bridge, cutting their course by 3 miles. That's how bad it was.
Anyway, I've had a decent night's sleep, about 6 hours - got up at 3:40 for a 5:30 bus to the start. Had my pre-race food, about 500 cal, and two cups of coffee around 4:30 am. Was at the start by 6:00 am. I was well-dressed and bundled up for the wait. A few people were so terribly underdressed I thought they'd get hypothermia right there and then. I even gave my spare garbage bag and hoodie to some guy who was shivering in shorts and T-shirt. I've had Gatorade Prime carb drink, a gel and a banana while waiting. I don't drink much before a race in the best of times.... and the combo of coffee and cold weather always make me go pee like crazy. But I managed to use the porta-pots twice before getting into the corrals, and thought that was OK. Problem is, there was another hour of waiting in the corrals. By the time we were ready to go, I needed to pee again but there was just no way. I started with Blue Wave 1 Corral D, people running about 3:20 - 3:25 pace.
Official NYCM site listed weather at the start as 43°F (6C), 48% humidity, sustained NW / NNW wind 31 mph (50 kmh), gusts to 45 mph (72 kmh), wind chill 32°F (0C).
That was about right. The wind was blowing people off the Verrazzano bridge, though at that point it was mostly crosswind. I was on the top right side, and it was like somebody clipping your heels... you lift your left foot, and it gets tangled with the right. There was not much room to run in the first mile, and a number of people bumped into me because of the wind. So I went up the bridge conservatively at 7:55 pace and ran downhill a bit too fast at 7:13 pace. I wasn't admiring the sights.. just wanted to get the hell off that bridge.
I ran the next mile on pace, but then it was time to ditch an overshirt, and I accidentally hit the lap button on my Garmin while pulling it off. That screwed up my mile splits, plus Brooklyn crowd was phenomenal. So I got carried away and ran the next 10K too fast (see official 5K splits above; not posting mile splits because of GPS issues). There was not much headwind on 4th Ave, just gusts of crosswind at intersections. I was hydrating well with Gatorade and was carrying 4 gels which I planned to take in miles 8 / 13 / 18 / 23.
Having my old UnderArmour Superman longsleeve on was a lucky decision.. you won't believe how many people yelled "Hey Superman! Go Superman!" It really helped.
I still needed to pee, so made a conscious decision to bank about a minute for a pit stop. That was likely Mistake #1. By 15K (9.3 miles) I was ahead by about 1:20 min. By the half point, I was ahead by a minute. A small hill on Lafayette Ave was not a problem. The course turned north in Williamsburg, so it was more of a headwind, and I tried drafting off people. The road surface was not very even, you really had to watch every step. I really needed a pit stop at that time and was looking for porta-pots.
I finally made a stop in mile 15, just before Queensboro bridge. Had to wait for a free one, and lost about a minute. This, and uphill on the bridge, are responsible for a slower 25K split. The bridge itself was not a problem; I was feeling good after the stop, and passed quite a few people.
Got carried away again on 1st Ave (Mistake #2). I've heard so many times the crowd would make you want to surge, and I did. Besides, my family was there cheering. There were a few small rollers and a stiff headwind, so probably used up too much energy.
This was closing in on mile 20, and I was getting tired. It wasn't a wall, just a gradual fade. I liked the Bronx and the gospel choir; also liked the fact that it was so short. By the time I was in and out of the Bronx, pace slowed to about 7:42. Then there was Harlem and an uphill on 5th Ave. I was hoping for a tailwind, but it did not materialize. Instead, it was swirling wind, bouncing off buildings and coming from all directions. The uphill did me in, I had to walk for the first time in this race. There was no pop in the legs. Got a bit of a side stitch there too, which I massaged out.
Coming into Central Park, there were downhills and I saw my family again, so picked up the pace but not for long. Had to walk on another uphill, and then on Central Park South in the last mile (wind in the face again). Took three walk breaks in total. Managed to run in from Columbus Circle, even with a little kick at the end, so was pleased with that.
Overall, tough race, and I did not achieve negative splits as planned. Had enough confidence but made pacing mistakes, and endurance was again an issue, although at a faster pace overall. Being on pace for 3:15 at the half may have been a little too optimistic, and likely caused bigger fade later in the race. Also the unfortunate pit stop cost me a minute or more. Need to work on all that.
On the positive side, there was never any significant cramping, and no major soreness afterwards. Was able to walk normally almost immediately. Learned quite a lot in this training cycle, and I believe that was a great foundation and a confidence builder for the future. I'm in better shape now than in the past 5 years, all thanks to the training program I was on. Plus, got another BQ and toughed out the wind.
Thanks for reading.
Still looking OK in Central Park:
At Mile 26 marker:
At the finish line:
Nice job! The winds were brutal indeed! I think you would have gotten your goal or being much closer to your goal had it not been this windy.
Congrats!
Damaris
As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.
Fundraising Page
Great job in really tough conditions. Especially considering your pit stop. I am sure you could have run a 3:15 in better weather.
What happened to the people who were blown off the bridge? Did they survive?
Barking Mad To Run
Wow, you beat the heck outta your required BQ time. Dang, you are speedy!
Congrats on your mararthon!
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt
delicate flower
Nice job, T.O.! Missing your goal by three minutes in that crap was a darn showing. It really had to suck to be looking forward to a tailwind for all those miles only to not get one.
<3
Replace the NY course with something like the Toronto Waterfront course, but keep the same crowd. Then take the crazy wind out of the equation. No pee stop that day (wasn't it your first stop of that kind?). You'd have finished in 3:15... You are definitely in great running shape and another training cycle similar to the one you've just done may very well bring you a sub-3:15 in the spring. You did awesome, TO. Congratulations! It's fantastic that your family got to see you run during the race. Did your SO take those first two pics of you or are they from the race photographer? You have perfect form, really impressive considering that you were in your last minutes. I look like I'm shuffling miserably in my last mile (and I was!). Great RR, I really loved re-living the day through your words. I'm really glad that my bus was at 7:15 am and not 5:30. I was still asleep at 5:30 am!
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
Refurbished Hip
Awesome job, TO! It makes me really happy to hear that you didn't have any cramping, considering your history and that ambulance ride in CLE. Better weather and conditions and you've got yourself a PR!
Running is dumb.
Healed Hammy
Thanks for the nice RR, its helpful to read how others succeed and their little mistakes, we all learn. Question:
Did you wear the calf compressions for warmth or for use, and if so do you think that helps your performance?
Drinking in the corals, was that for nerves, habit, pre-race ritual or something new? (I've read others do not drink in the last 2 hours pre-race)
What program did you follow?
BTW, you do look good in your CP picture, nice upright stride and relaxed shoulders.
I could not imagine having to pee for so long in a race as big as this, that would suck!
From what I understand NYC is not an easy course, so to throw up a time as close to your goal as you did in those conditions is commendable. Nice job!
And 14 marathons? Dayum, I am not sure I will do half that number! When was your first?
thanks all!
onemile: Dunno.. didn't have time to look.. guess Coast Guard had to fish them out
Baboon: Yeah, the elites ran about 5 minutes slower than their normal time.. Lame excuse, I know.
happylily: thanks!
too bad I missed you on 4th Ave, you would have been on the other side of the road. Wasn't Brooklyn awesome, or what? 3:15 sounds daunting, but 3:17 should be doable under better conditions, on a flat course and with smarter pacing. The Central Park photos were taken by my SO's brother; they all came to cheer even with their two small babies! I was quite surprised to see them twice, on 1st Av and in Central Park, amidst all the crowds.. No, not the first stop in a race; I've done that before, once even in a 10K. The problem in NYC, there's just no place to go because people are everywhere! and I have plenty of pics where I'm slumped and miserable, I'm just not posting them here but I tend not to smile during races. By the way, nobody checked my assigned bus time at the Public Library - they were barely checking bibs at all - so could have slept a little longer.
Mandy: Thanks! makes me happy too! Now just to learn not to go out too fast..
fourouta5: The calf sleeves are functional. I've been wearing them the past few years, and have not experienced calf cramps which used to be a regular occurrence. Maybe it's psychological, I dunno Used to race in split shorts... Switched to compression shorts this fall, after hamstring cramps in Boston and London.
I didn't drink in the corrals, but during the long wait in the start village. It was about 3 hrs prior to the start, so was kind of unavoidable. Thought would be enough time to empty it all out, but apparently not.
My program was custom designed by the coach - It was my first time with a professionally coached group, Marathon Dynamics, Coach Kevin Smith - would highly recommend them to anybody. It was 4 runs a week, maxing out at about 45 mpw, with one track intervals or hills session, one easy/recovery, one tempo/steady state, and one long run. A good chunk of long runs was done at or just below race pace. Routes alternated between flat and hilly. I've never done so much speedwork in my life.
LRB: Yeah that part sucked, when I finally got to the Long Island City water station and realized there was only one porta-potty, and it was occupied. Seriously thought about peeing on a pile of garbage next to the tables but then thought the better of it. Would not have been nice to the volunteers, who were awesome throughout. I wish there were some bushes... not that many bushes in NYC, unfortunately. Have not seen anybody urinating on the bridge; would have been some major backsplash with that wind.
First marathon was Toronto Waterfront in 2008. Aimed for 3:20, cramped like hell and finished in 3:31. Came back for more next year. Have run 15 actually, but DNFed one near Cleveland, the one that Mandy mentioned. Ran all World Marathon Majors except Tokyo, so was interesting to compare.
Sounds like a tough race in tough conditions. Congrats on sticking it out.
Finally getting around to reading this. Super impressive (SWIDT?) to hit your B goal under those conditions. Under any reasonable conditions, you would've smashed your A. Great job.
Dave
Nice recap, Superman. I see you wore the matching Elixirs too. You were able to hang tough in crappy conditions. The next one will be 3:15 or better.
I missed this. Nice RR and congrats on a great race under difficult conditions.
I missed this one too. Great job in windy, cold conditions, and the pictures are awesome. WTG Superman!
Life is good.