1

A win + 10 down, 2 to go (Read 343 times)


ultramarathon/triathlete

    Great running weekend for me!

     

    We've had nice cool weather in NYC lately.  Saturday I raced the Miles for Midwives 5k.  I won this race 2 years ago and forgot to race it last year. I was hoping for another good showing this year.

     

    While on the line, a kid (he looked like he was 18) asked me how fast I was planning to go.  I could tell he was sizing me up and it made me smile inside... I used to ask people that when I first started racing.  I casually said maybe 18 something but that I'd been training for long stuff this year so I'd probably be a lot slower.  He went on to say he won last year and was going to run hard again this year.  I smiled and told him good luck and shook his hand.  When the gun went off, he barrelled off.  

     

    The first half mile is all downhill and I ran back behind him a bit, thinking he was going out way too fast. There were a few others close to me, I could hear heavy breaking and foot strikes.  It was fun.  Toward the bottom of the hill my watch showed a 4:50 pace so I slowed down. The kid had pulled about 10 or 20 yards ahead as he continued to barrel onward.  I decided to slow a bit more.  He'd fade.

     

    I caught him just before mile 1.  I pulled up and then he sped off, so I slowed and let him run harder for a bit more.  Psychological games I guess, ha.   I caught him again, surged past and hit mile 1 at 5:20.  My mile PR from a few years ago is 5:17, but this was pretty much downhill so I expected to go fast, but I was pleased.  

     

    Then we were on the false flats that lead into Mile 2 ending with a good .3 mile uphill, so I just held a steady effort and imagined him fading away. 

     

    Up the hill, I didn't hear his or anyone's foot strikes anymore, so I figured he was gone and I was on my own.   Mile two was a full minute slower, which I expected given the hill and false flats, but I was a good 20 seconds faster on mile one AND two than the last time I raced this, so I was feeling good.  I was feeling the pressure of being in the lead though, which I personally dislike.  

     

    I was hoping to drop the pace down again for mile three, to creep under 6 min since I did that last time, but it was getting hard.  Mile 3 ended up at 6:06.  I was still well ahead of my last race and on toward a 5k PR.  

     

    With about a quarter mile to go I could hear people cheering and shouts that the first guy was coming in.  I listened for anyone yelling words of encouragement to anyone on my heels, that they could still catch me, but nothing, so I knew there must be a good gap.  I finished in 18:17 very pleased and a sub six minute pace overall.  

     

    The kid ended up coming in somewhere in the mid 19s, in third place; clearly he went out too hard.  I think second place was around 19 flat but they haven't posted results yet. 

     

    After the awards, I showered and went off with my wife and some friends for brunch and stiff cocktails, then to a bar for more.  Great recovery and a nice afternoon :-)

     

    Saturday night my wife reminded me I was supposed to get up early and run my monthly solo marathon on Sunday, since the next few weekends would be inconvenient and I wanted to have some recovery time before the NYC marathon in November, so it was pretty much get up early and see how I felt.  When I went to bed, the last thing I wanted to think about was getting up and running 26+ miles.  And, it was supposed to rain.

     

    But, the alarm went off at 7, I woke up well rested, overcast sky but no rain yet.  I dressed, ate half an english muffin with peanut butter, glass of water, hit the bathroom and was out the door by 7:30.

     

    I figured I'd run a loop or two of the park (3.4 miles per loop, same park as the 5k race) and I'd see if I wanted to continue or call it a day. Two loops down and I was feelin' good -didn't feel like I raced the day before.  So I went for 4 loops, which turned to 6 and around mile 21, I left the park to run into Manhattan to TriBeCa to meet my wife and sister-in-law, so I could meet my new niece and have brunch.  My legs felt great as I went up the very steep Manhattan Bridge and down the other side into Chinatown.  Then it was about mile to her place, and I cooked it up a bit.  My final two miles (which included the bridge) were so comfortable, it was freaky.  Mile 25 was 7:33 and 26 was 6:46. I finished a block past her apartment with my second ever negative marathon split (first was 2 weeks ago when I ran my September monthly solo marathon).

     

    I'm starting to think I might have figured this whole marathon thing out.  Now we'll see what happens when I actually race the NYCM  next month.  Just two more marathons this year and I'll hit my goal of one per month in 2012!

    HTFU?  Why not!

    USATF Coach

    Empire Tri Club Coach
    Gatorade Endurance Team

    stadjak


    Interval Junkie --Nobby

      Wow, this was a great read.  Congrats on the victory!

       

      Solo marathon per month?  Check.

      HTFU?  Check.

       

      Have a great time in the NYCM.  Maybe I'll see you there . . . you know, among the 50,000 other people.

      2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do