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Posts tagged as “race”

Qualifying for the New York City Marathon

Published February 6, 2014
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It has happened!

[caption id="attachment_354" align="aligncenter" width="595"]Officially Registered Officially Registered[/caption]

I am running the TCS New York City Marathon on November 2, 2014!

I cannot begin to explain what the New York City Marathon means to me, or even how the process of committing to qualifying affected me (though I will try to in a following post). All I know is that I am literally so excited that I have  found myself teary eyed on several occasions- on the train, during practice runs, at finish lines- thinking about how it would feel to actually be coming down the final mile. It's super embarrassing, but true.

Not only did I decide spontaneously that I would immediately begin fulfilling my 9+1 credits, but I decided in August, which left little more than four months to run nine races.And since I am no speed demon (sub 1:30:00  ½ Marathon Qualifying Time? Wici-What!), I qualified via the New York Road Runner’s 9+1 Program.

(Note: Unbeknownst to me, this year was the last year you spontaneously join NYRR mid-year and qualify for the following year. Now you must be a member from Jan-Dec of the year you complete your 9+1).

[caption id="attachment_353" align="aligncenter" width="324"]Done! Done![/caption]

From August 24th to December 14, I ran 9 races: the Percy Sutton Harlem 5K, Autism Speaks 4M, Bronx 10 Mile , Grete's Great Gallop 1/2 Marathon,  Poland Spring Marathon Kickoff 5M, NYRR Dash to the Finish Line 5K, Join the Voices 5M ,Race to Deliver 4M, and the Ted Corbitt Classic 15K.

[caption id="attachment_384" align="aligncenter" width="480"]Qualifying for the TATA NYC Marathon Qualifying for the TCS NYC Marathon[/caption]

Looking back on those races, two are tied for my favorite: the Bronx 10 Mile (because I had never ran 10 miles before and this race really changed my perspective on running), and the Ted Corbitt 15K (because I finally could breath a sigh of relief, having squeezed in all nine races before the end of the year, and because I had my mom, my aunt, and my mister there to celebrate with me).

Now I just have to learn how to train for a marathon! Then again that is why I found myself signing up for a "practice" marathon this spring... but that is another story. A whole new racing season is coming and I can't wait to get started.

 

 

Fred Lebow Manhattan Half- Race Recap

Published January 26, 2014
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Today was my first race of 2014! And with sub-20 degree temps and 13.1 miles to tackle it was quite a day! The Fred Lebow Manhattan Half is the first of six races in the New York Road Runner's Borough Series (5 Borough's + the NYC Half), and dedicated to the founder of the New York City Marathon.

I first became with Fred Lebow's story (dare I say legacy?) when I stumbled across the documentary, "Run for Your Life" (2008,) on Netflix which centers on his impact on running events with NYRR. However, this December, when I was volunteering at a bib pickup at NYRRs headquarters on 89th Street, the "mandatory" volunteers like myself, had the opportunity to meet many of the older true volunteers who came for reasons other than fulfilling a 9+1 credit. And I will never forget at least two of them -each completely independent of the other- would get a faraway look in their eyes and smile as they recounted a story about Fred's enthusiasm about something as usual as sorting bib numbers. And for that, as fantastic as "Run for Your Life" was, I feel like I learned more about Lebow in the 2 minutes I watched his friends remember him.

It was also for these reasons that amid the threat of a "feels like -1 degree" weather forecast and potentially icy course conditions, that many runner's pressed for NYRRs to continue the race as planned instead of canceling it (as they were considering last night).

It was probably some combination of Fred's spirit prevailing and the cold winds not that culminated in the race continuing. And by 7:55 the mister and I were running from our car to the corrals, where I managed to squeeze in just before the gun.

Let's break it down.

Miles 1-6: Not bad. Feeling strong. The hardest part was chewing super cold Shot Blocks.

Mile 7: Internal monologue: "Hey! I just ran 7 miles in 1 hour. Looks like I might come in under 2:00 hrs on light training after all. Wait, now I should try to shave 3 mins off of that and PR too...." Cue number crunching and minor stress.

Mile 8: Motivated by a high five from someone in a bunny suit, and the idea of a fuel-ingesting walk break reward after my favorite downhill.

Mile 9-12: Better understanding of why people cry might cry when they hit the wall during marathons. Beginning to think I pushed to hard to get to that walk break because my legs are finally feeling shot. Also, I know I am way behind on my water intake, but my stomach has had it today and any more and I know I am risking full blown cramps.

Mile 13: Longest mile of my life? Probably not. Quickest mile of my life? Definitely not.

And at long last, the finish! I lost my mister for the whole race, but found him again (with a huge scarf and an even bigger smile) exactly as they announced my name and a moment later I was crossing the finish. It. Was. Awesome.

1:55:44 - my new 1/2 marathon PR didn't hurt either. 

Oh yeah, and then this happened!

[caption id="attachment_361" align="aligncenter" width="746"]"To a Cold Weather Runner" To: " A Cold Weather Runner!"[/caption]

I saw the High-Five Bunny again.

Me (to the mister)- It's that bunny!
Bunny (comes over for high five)
Me- I already got a high five earlier! It was great!
Bunny- Oh yeah. You want a gift card?
Me (suspicious new york style)- Um, kind of.
Bunny (gives me $20 Jack Rabbit Gift Card)

So I guess that makes him a High-Five Jack Rabbit?