Short version:

1:54:08 chip time.  Anticipated time: 1:53:00.  Miles run: 13.36…my how I did a poor job running the angles!

 

 

I Get Paid by the Word version:

This wasn’t even on my radar for the year, but my high school friend connected with me via Facebook, and we ran together while she was here on vacation.  We had a nice time together, so she suggested that I come up for the race. My family and I toyed around with making it a whole weekend excursion to Phila., but I decided that was just too much hoo-ha for a non-key race.

 

 

So, I woke at 3:30 a.m. and got ready to go.  It took me about 1.5 hours to get to Center City Philadelphia.  Found parking and a Starbucks across the street.  Had a coffee, used their facilities, and then started to walk across town towards the Art Museum. My, the looks you get walking through Philadelphia at 6:15 a.m. wearing a floor length pink skirt with matching pink and purple striped jacket that is 3 sizes too big! (I raided my Mom’s donation pile to find something to wear to keep me warm as it was a chilly morning).  Every other runner I saw looked like they just stepped off the cover of Runner’s Fashion Weekly.  So, this was either the stingiest or most generous group I’ve ever run with…

 

 

Got to the general area and HOLY CRAP, they have breakfast out for people.   Nice! Bag check was simple.  Volunteers working steadily with smiles, seeming to know exactly what needed to be done.  Getting to and in the corrals was simple.  For a big race, this was not difficult!

 

The runners around me seemed relieved when I pulled off my donation gear to reveal my Nike Border skirt and customized Running Banana singlet.  I had chosen to wear my Adidas Adizero CSs.  The National Anthem played.  I was half-expecting God Bless America (being Phila and all that).  The PA system was actually good, and the announcer explained how the corrals would be let out at 1 ½ min. intervals or when the course cleared.  I was assigned to #7 and ended up choosing #8, because I wasn’t going all out to race.  Very soon we were underway.

 

WOW!  Running down the Parkway is pretty, and w-i-d-e!  People went out at a reasonable clip – a bit under a 10 min mi pace…and that was great.  If I had wanted to tear out of there, I could have with just a little weaving.  I have absolutely no idea where we went next!  Somewhere in the first ¾ mi, my friend suddenly appears next to me and says, “Hi.”  We spent the next 8 miles chit-chatting away…so I have no recollection of what streets we were on as we went through Old City.  I remember several turns. No cobblestones, though, like I think happens in the Philadelphia Marathon. 

 

 

We went back up the Parkway, then out onto the West River Drive (I found out is now MLK Drive – which is weird ‘cause Phila already had a MLK Blvd., so when I have time I need to figure this all out!).   WRD or MLKD has a pretty decent crown to it, and we all started feeling it a bit in my ITB.  Not that it shut me or my buddy up.  Nope. Not one bit!  When you haven’t seen each other for 20+ years, there’s plenty to talk about! 

 

Suddenly at about mi 8.5, there’s a small incline leading up to the bridge that crosses the Schuylkill River.  I live on the flat pancake sand island.  This was not a big hill.  Everyone in front of us lost about :30 pace.  I figured screw this – I’m going for even pacing…and took off around some folks.  My girlfriend, wearing copious amounts of Kinesio tape on both her achilles, decided it was time for her to take it easy.  I ran across the bridge and took the momentum of the slight downhill and just kept going.  The bands on that side of the river were playing music at a 7:45 pace – and who were my feet to argue?  I had to run on beat or I probably would have tripped myself!

 

 

Only after passing the 12 mi marker did I have the “Why do I race? --I don’t need to do this” thoughts that normally creep into my consciousness several times in a race when I’m uncomfortable.  I think it was a residual bummer feeling from not stopping at the free beer stand at the Rock Tunnel a little ways back!   Anyway, then something goofy happened – I got completely hemmed in by slow runners, and I acquiesced.  I said to myself, “OK, just run it in at their pace.”  I slowed down.  Within less then ¼ mi, I was no longer boxed in.  Went to put my rear in gear and OH NO!  My gears are stripped.  I had nothing left.  I also didn’t realize there was a U-turn to the finish and with the extra .10s I ran, I’m sure that was a part of it.  Anyway, it was a pretty unceremonious finish. You can watch it here: I’m in the white shirt with the sunglasses towards the left of the screen. My green running skirt isn’t apparent until after I cross the line.  http://philadelphia.competitor.com/features/finishlinereplay/  Bib 7460.

 

 

So how does this stack up against my former halves?  Last year’s Atlantic City Half was 1:54:04.  My spring Princess at Disney was 1:53:45.  So, I’d say if I ran the angles better and/or didn’t quit when I got boxed in near the end, I may have PRed.  BUT WHO CARES???  They had a lovely medal, good spread of food through the chute, and most of all, free beer afterwards!  My girlfriend quickly found me, and along with another colleague of hers, we walked through town, and had a great lunch at the Reading Terminal Market.  Such fun!  Walking back to the parking garage, I even had a couple people randomly shout “Congratulations” when they spotted my medal. 

 

 

It was an awesome day.  I was really impressed with how well this race was organized and how easily it went off.  I would definitely do this race again, and it is worth it for people from out of the area to participate, for sure.

 

Funniest moment of the race: A driver honking at one of the cross-streets as we run down Market St. during the first mile or two of the race.   Like that’s going to make the cop suddenly release him and the other cars to mow us down. 

 

 

Thanks for reading.  Now to buckle down and get ready for my first 18 mile race ever…in 3 weeks!

Very entertaining RR!  I loved the mental image I got of you in your too-big floor length pink skirt and jacket!  West River Drive (or MLK) is such a pretty place to run.  I hadn't started running when I lived in Philly but I used to ride my bike there.  Nice that you got to run with your friend.  I'm not sure if your measured distance of 13.36 was due to not running the angles, or just due to the usual Garmin inaccuracy. Anyway, nice job!

There could be no better way to spend the day. Thanks for the enjoyable RR

Good job, nono.  It sounds like you and your friend had a great time.

 

TomS

Well done Nono and it was clear that you had a great time throughout. Meeting up with an old friend and chatting through most of the race---awesome! I loved the pre-race fashion too. I always do that----my son's cast offs, my granny's old coat all sorts of get-ups. Sounds like you were stylin'

Good Luck with the upcoming run and you seem strong and ready to tackle it with great results.

Nice Job !

 

I loved the "Why do I race" question.........Something I've asked myself before.

 

What a thoroughly enjoyable RR.  Great insight and approach to running, nono.

It'd be a joy to run with you sometime.

COngrats on having a grand day.

grins,

A

  Nice finish time (you're very consistent!). 

 

Yeah...it's kinda making me wonder why I train more. If you go back and look at my log for last year, before Oct's race, I wasn't running so much or doing any real speedwork.  Same for March. Guess I am a pretty good coach of myself? But, I have to keep in mind that this wasn't THE race, and I'm training to fry much bigger fish.

 

My 18 miler is Oct. 11 in LBI, NJ, and then my first marathon will be Nov. 21 in Rehoboth, DE.  Both are coastal and should be windy, just the way I like it.  

 

Thanks for all the kind comments.  I'm so glad none of you fell asleep reading it! LOL