NYCM - 2013 Race-Day Recap

NYCM 11/03/2013 4:51

Race Day Selfie

After a grueling 2012 of my personal worsts at NYRR races (9+1), I set a marathon PR for myself in NYC!

Spending 6 weeks training to bust my half PR in Brooklyn was an epic fail. After that I completely lost my running mo-jo the rest of the year. Running is 50/50 perspiration and motivation. You can't deal with one if you don't have the other.

2013 was a year of new beginnings and I've hit PRs in every distance - 5K, 10K, 10 miles, 1/2 and full! Thanks go to SRR and the New England running community, which doesn't fool around when it comes to running.

These pictures should give you an idea of how many people (50,000+) were at the NYCM. If you're starting in the last corral, this is not a race to attempt a full-on PR, unless of course, you're as skilled at dodging and darting, as this guy is juggling (1st pic). Way too many people are not running in the back. There's a lot of walkers and photo stops along the way - I don't blame them, this is a great run when it comes to spectators. Brooklyn - you rocked! Manhattan was awesome too but by then, I was ready to be done running.

Unfortunately I seemed to have forgotten there would be 50,000+ other people until about mile 11 when I realized I wasn't hitting any of my miles at race pace. No worries, there is always 2014, and I still beat my old NYCM time by almost an hour.

New York Road Running 9+1

In the winter of 2011, I came up with the bright idea of running the ING NY Marathon again in 2014, but without the burden of fundraising. Plus it would be a reason for multiple trips to NYC throughout the year. I signed up for the NYRR 9+1 program where you run 9 races and volunteer at 1.

My first race of the 9+1 series got completely snowed out in January, switching it to a non-timed run. Being from Georgia, the idea of running a half-marathon in January in pouring snow was a no-go, and I stayed in bed but took credit for the race! I have only run one race in the snow and I have no desire for a repeat.

My favorite race so far has been the Brooklyn half-marathon this May:

At the start

The race started by going through some Brooklyn parks and then headed up Ocean Avenue towards a fantastic Coney Island finish:

Famous Nathan's

Coney Island!

A big thank you to Brandon who hosts all my visits and keeps me entertained!! This is us enjoying a post-run Coney Island brew!!

As of September 15th (tomorrow) I will only have 2 races to go!! 7+1 check!

Reflections

I finished the ING New York Marathon! In 5:54:xx. SIX hours of running in beautiful NYC in sunny/windy/cold weather.

So how was it, you ask? Extremely tough, more emotionally than physically. My soreness was not comparable to the ING Atlanta, where I couldn't walk the next day.

The pre-race staging is very elaborate and I was at the ferry port at 6:45 a.m. and didn't actually cross the start line till 10:47 a.m. That is a lot of time for anxiety! I met a few Lend a Hand India runners and we rode the ferry together. I spent the staging time with a couple, Jessy (LAHI runner) and Brian, so that definitely helped keep me distracted.

Mile 1: Jessy and Brian break away in about 5 minutes after the start. Lose my running buddies.
Miles 2-8: Ran with the 5 hr pacer who kept me occupied by talking and singing. This part was a breeze.
Mile 9: I had to stop and go to the bathroom, where there was a line, and I lost the pacer. I sprinted for the next mile or so before I realized I probably wouldn't catch up with her. This is where panic hits.
Mile 10: Probably one of the worst miles, because I started panicking and then kept getting cramps and had to walk a lot.
Miles 11-18: Decided to take Scott Cohen's advice (LAHI Run for a Dream coach)and just take it easy and enjoy the race. Slow running but I did love seeing all the crowds and the NYC energy.
Miles 18-20: Mentally tough - I think I psyched myself out of running the rest of the race. Why? Because I never made it this far in training, and going from a long run of 15 miles to 20 is hard enough, adding another 6 more? Crazy!
Miles 20-24: I actually did 50/50 walking and running. At this point it was really painful doing either. My feet felt like I wasn't wearing shoes. I could literally feel the white paint on the lane dividers... literally!
Miles 24-26: Decided to just run the last two miles. At this point, I was pretty much over the whole running thing, and it was just as painful to walk as it was to run. Transitioning from one to the other was worse, so it was easier to just pick running and stick with it.
800 yards from the finish line: FINALLY! The relief you feel when you see this sign counting down the end of the race is phenomenal. No energy left for sprinting though. Both Brandon and Laura were at the finish.

YAY Finish Line!!!

I am also officially done fund-raising for LAHI as well, with a few more donations trickling in. I will have reached my $2,620 goal with some to spare. THANK YOU to everyone who donated and supported the race and this runner!

Reflections on the race: While Laura (my running buddy) had an equally tough race, we came out of it with two different realizations. She said she is done marathoning unless she is able to BQ. (Running is an addiction, we'll see how this goes :-) ) I realized this is a very do-able distance for me if I could actually commit to the training. So no more marathons until I have the time to train so it won't feel like a death march.

Until then... see you at Atlanta's Thanksgiving Half-Marathon (11/25).

p.s. Pictures will be here soon I hope.

If it hurts so much, why do you do it?

I read this recently in Runner's World... and I definitely cannot give you an answer! Following my 15 mile run yesterday (11 miles at Chattahoochee River State Park with Laura Kittle - and 4 miles on my treadmill) I was fairly sore all Sunday but it wasn't too bad today. Which is probably a good thing because on race day I'll have to run an additional 11 miles! Yikes!

Since my training hasn't been going so great this summer - Atlanta's super heat wave mixed with LA Fitness not using enough A/C (south locations only) - I am pretty much following a last ditch training regimen. During the upcoming weekend I will aim for 18 (or 20?) miles, and then just taper for the last two weeks. I think if you trained hard all summer a month long taper would be essential, but in my case, I'm not so sure. Regardless, I will be completing the race, whether I have to mix in a lot of walking at the end or won't be able to walk the next day. Why? Good question!

On another note, fundraising is going really well. Waiting for some last minute pledges and sponsorships to come through so I can get a final tally. Thanks to everyone for pitching in!

Volunteering

From the Queen Bee of volunteerism, a report from the frontlines.

Last Saturday instead of running in the Lake Spivey 15K, I volunteered as a course monitor. In races, volunteers are key! Especially in a small neighborhood race like this, where everybody was spread out, making sure people didn't take a wrong turn in the twists and turns through all the subdivisions was pretty important.

It was fun watching the 'front of the pack' runners coming through. #1 was so far ahead, nobody trailed him for awhile. #7 was a woman with a stroller - always fun to see, probably less fun if you're being passed by.

I am signed up to help out at the Expo and starting aid station during the Thanksgiving half. Mostly for the fleece and sweatshirt, but whatever gets you out there. It's a good place to talk to other runners and should help with distracting me from any pre-race jitters. I always get anxiety before running - which shows I care I guess.

Goals for the weekend: Run 19 miles Saturday!!

Having such a busy schedule equals being very tired always and finding it hard to fit in a lot of runs... so I may potentially scale back to half-marathons for awhile... but you just never know.

Looking Ahead

A few races that I am looking forward to running this fall:

Lake Spivey 15K (10/02)
www.lakespiveyroadrace.org
$25 by 09/18
5K option
-- I did this last year through some beautiful neighborhoods. Support your local community!

Atlanta Thanksgiving Half-Marathon (11/25)
www.atlantatrackclub.org/Atlanta_Half_Marathon/htm
$55 by 10/31
5K option
-- This was my first half-marathon last year -- sticking with tradition.

Join me for a run?

Halfway there...

... both in miles and money!

This blog post is overdue by about two weeks. On Saturday (Sept. 4th) I made it to the 13 mile mark in my long run. Now to double that!

I also have passed the halfway point in raising money- almost at $1,600. Thanks to Sanjiv (my cousin in Seattle) and Sunil (my dad's college friend). You guys rock!

If you still haven't donated, now's the time!