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Posts tagged as “Central Park”

The Coldest Mile….er, The Coldest FOUR Miles: Race to Deliver 4M

Published December 1, 2013
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[caption id="attachment_283" align="aligncenter" width="576"]Cold Runners Cold Runners and I, in my subtle neon orange hat- courtesy of the mister.[/caption]

Sunday before Thanksgiving, 4,689 poor souls gathered in  Central Park to be tortured to run 4 miles. I, for better or worse, was one of them. All week I had my eye on the weather and all week I knew it was going to be a cold one.

[caption id="attachment_288" align="alignleft" width="246"]Wind Chill Factor: feels like 11 degrees. Wind Chill Factor: feels like 11 degrees.[/caption]

23 degrees cold. As we stood in the corral, the announcer then added: with the wind chill, it really felt more like 11 degrees. 11 degrees. And I was still sick.

The race began, and from the first step to the last my calves were so cold I felt like from the knee down I was running on glass vases. It was so cold, that at the first water station, the runner immediately in front of me picked up a cup, only to throw it away in disgust. As I discovered a moment later, there was about a half inch of ice on the cup, sealing the water beneath it. Nothing a good crack couldn’t clear up, but still! Come ‘on!

The finish line, in fact, featured a volunteer proclaiming like a circus barker: “Ice cold, hot water up ahead! Get your ice cold, hot water up ahead.”

The finish line also featured a cheer squad! And they were awesome, cheering for every single runner as we came across the finish line. And as brutal as this race was, it was a for a great charity called God’s Love We Deliver which provides and delivers meals to New Yorkers living wither serious illness.

I finished in 00:32:25. Not a race for the record books, but an interesting experience nonetheless. Even last winter when I was running outside, I always curtailed my outdoor running in sub 30 degree weather.

This past year I’ve run on Mountains, all over my hometown, in torrential downpours, in 98 degree heat, in 80% humidity, at the first hint of daybreak, and in the dying glow of twilight… And now I can add “in eskimo weather” to that list. And even though these were-by far- the most painful 4 miles I’ve run all year, it’s fun to face new environmental challenges and figure out how to adapt accordingly.

Worst Case Scenario: Join the Voices 5M

Published November 22, 2013
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The past two weeks I been wrestling with an annoying cough that creeps up at inopportune times and sends me into a fit of hacks and wheezes. Usually, a solid day or two off gives my body a chance to catch up and get better. Unfortunately a particularly crazy work week not only made that impossible, but left me more burnt out on top of everything else. After a careful examination of the nuances of my malady, I decided this isn't something I should run through as I was already feeling exhausted (and not "long day" exhausted, but sore body, frail exhausted). So I waited. And waited. And waited... No change.

The next thing I know is it is Sunday morning and I am laying in bed knowing that there was a good chance this would happen- that I would have to run one of my qualifying races feeling like, well, shit. It could have been sleep deprivation from work,  it could have been my knee flaring up, or any number of slight injuries. It happened to be this weird cough situation I haven't been able to shake.

It's not until I am bib-ed up and sitting on the train next to my Mister that I realize I forgot my watch. I have never forgotten my watch for running, not for short jogs, not for long runs, not for any race.

When I found my corral, I found myself up a closer corral than usual.

So just to summarize the weirdness:

Sick.
Forgot watch for the first time ever.
Closest corral yet. Why not.

[caption id="attachment_267" align="aligncenter" width="576"]This photo just about sums up my feelings: This photo just about sums up my feelings:[/caption]

 

My miles broke down like this:

Mile 1: I felt like pretty stilted. Like I was lumbering back and forth. Like a polar bear.

Miles 2, and 3: Felt amazing- in my groove, stoked to be running again. So distracted, I missed the MET (one of my usual mental markers during Central Park runs). Visually, mentally, did not register it at all.

Mile 4: Hurting. So much that I saw a random volunteer and my first thought was "Where does this thing end?" Note: I knew exactly where the end was. Perhaps I meant "Make this thing end."

Mile 5: I can hear the crowds! I can count the blocks (via lampposts) on one hand! This thing is going to end and I am going to be alive when it does!

When I finish I have no idea what time it is and when I do find out my results I'm shocked:

0:41:03

wait, what? No PR of course, but only 20 seconds slower than my race three weeks ago? Awesome time for feeling sick and under-trained, but the obvious questions becomes "What the @*#& was I doing three weeks ago?'

In my head, the day had begun as a perfect storm of Worst Case Scenarios, but sick, healthy, PR, no PR, at least I'm certainly consistent. And I realized it could always be worse. I mean, at least it wasn't raining.