Another day, another 15K.

Less than 6 days after I toed the line at my last 15K, I found myself or my way to another one this Saturday morning. The Ted Corbitt 15K, formerly known as the Hot Chocolate 15K, is usually a freezing cold race with icy water stops, but that was not the case this year. The weather was colder than it has been all season (I think I heard it was the coldest day since March) but temps still hovered in the middle 30's and it felt even warm in the sun.
My same running buddy from last weekend, Charlie, drove me down this time in his toasty car. Seat warmers, people, they're life changing after a race.
I had no real race plan for this one, I knew my knee and ankle were sore so I had no plans to race or shoot for a PR, so I just went out and let the race unfold. The first mile was so crowded that I ran a full minute slower than my second mile. It was okay though, I was happy to warm up slowly. From the first turn I could feel my soleus in each leg start to burn. Ouch, what is up with that? I need to get to the bottom of that pain because it lasted the ENTIRE RACE. Somewhere around mile 6 or 7 I was really hurting in my lower legs and slowed down quite a bit, ~7:50 compared to my earlier miles which averaged around 7:30-7:35. I guess the GU kicked in shortly after and I stopped whining to myself and pushed myself to pick it up a bit. I don't remember where it came from, but I got 1:10 in my head as a sort of unofficial goal (my PR is 1:08) but as many runners know, math doesn't come easy when oxygen deprived. I finished with a strong push, running the final mile in the 7:30's (ouch, my legs still hate me) and the final 0.4 at a 7:03 pace. Yow.
I finished in 1:12 and was happy with the effort. I'll aim for a PR in the spring, but right now is just about seeing where I am and where I need to improve. I definitely need to get back to strength training for my lower extremities and to be more consistent with core work in order to bring myself back to racing shape. We're heading to Canada this week for the holidays and I know it's going to be COLD, but as long as it isn't icy I should be able to get in a handful of good runs at altitude and keep my fitness up. I've been thinking about looking for a yoga studio or a pool while I'm there too, but I don't know if I'll be able to swing either of those, running is so much easier when traveling.
Have a great holiday, whatever you celebrate, and look for my Year in Review post soon. I also need to get myself in gear and put together a 2012 race schedule, there are some exciting events coming up next year!

posted from Bloggeroid

Central Park Challenge Streak continues....

In case you didn't know this about me, I'm a Pediatric Physical Therapist and I work with children with developmental disabilities at a school run by YAI. YAI is an amazing, wonderful organization that provides services to people with disabilities throughout the life span. I really love working for them and am proud to be a part of their annual fundraiser, the Central Park Challenge. They hold a 5K run, a 3K walk and all sorts of other fun family activities every year in CP to raise money for the organization which is a non-profit. I've run 3 years in a row now and walked away with some sort of trophy/plaque every time so there's a little pressure to run well. Luckily we had a great day today with perfect weather and even though I haven't been training for the run, I managed to keep the streak alive!

The course is simple, two loops of the park drive along the bottom of the park. The start is by Tavern and the finish is on the 72nd st transverse. You run counterclockwise. At the start I took off quickly to push ahead of the dopes who hopped in the front but didn't belong and I rode the first downhill at a 6:10 pace until I had some space. I slowed to a surprisingly easy 6:40 pace, shocking myself at how casual it felt. Ahh, the first mile euphoria. I forced myself to stay steady and let a bunch of "sprint and die" folks pass me. We had 2.5 miles ahead and I was going to run a smart race. I stayed steady, clocking mile 1 at 6:51 and mile 2 at 6:49. "Whose Legs are these anyway?" I started to think. It felt really great and I let myself go at the mile 2 marker to start picking people off that had flown by earlier or just looked like a threat to my title. I pushed hard and clocked mile 3 in 6:46 and began sprinting to the finish which was uphill. My watch said 20:59 but the race results have me at 21 flat because the timing mats were past the finish. Either way I was really happy to break my previous PR and redeem myself after a crappy race last year in some evil humidity. I know that if I try a flat 5K in the future I can definitely break 21:00, even on little training.

I stuck around the post race and walk festival to collect my trophy because even though I didn't place in my age group, I was the first female YAI staff member to cross the line. Last year I was 2nd in my AG, but the field was definitely larger and more competitive this year, but that is a great thing for the CPC to have more folks running. I'll add this sweet little (ha! ) trophy to my collection now, a collection that is slowly growing as I race more and more outside of NYRR events and outside of the city.

Photos courtesy of YAI.org/cpc

The countdown and the taper are underway this week with the Great Chesapeake Bay Bridge Swim just 6 days away! I've turned a corner and finally feel like I'm getting over my cold and my appetite is back after a week of feeling stuffed up and like my tastebuds were asleep. Time to fill up on lots of good food and hydrate well. The water in the Chesapeake is looking warm and with a heat wave coming this week, I am closer and closer to just wearing my regular swimsuit and not even going with the swimskin. I'd be happy in just my suit, at least it won't chafe my neck!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

Colon Cancer 15K

This is my third year doing the CC 15K in Central Park and it is a cause near and dear to my heart. In 2008 my cousin Ted died after a 5 year battle with Colon Cancer at the age of 39 with no family history and a healthy lifestyle. Raising awareness of the devastating effects of CC is a really worthy cause that can save lives, and I'm not being hyperbolic one bit. So if you're over 50 and reading this- get your ass checked. There is a lot of good info on the Colon Cancer Challenge Foundation website too.

The race Sunday was unusual in a couple of ways as far as NYRR races go, there were 3 events scheduled including a 4 mile run, a 1.7 mile walk and the 15K. Also, the race didn't even start until 11:15 because a biathlon run by NY Tri happened that same morning and the racers needed time to get out of the park. I will admit that the 11:15 start was a mixed blessing, on one hand I enjoyed not waking up in the dark but on the other hand I wasn't sure how to structure my morning. In the end I think it was fun but I'd rather not have NYRR make a habit of late races. I met up with a neighbor and friend @mwaldman for the ride down to Central Park and we left ourselves plenty of time to get there, it being Sunday and all. Of course we arrived in record time and spent nearly an hour freezing our toes off in the park! At least it was sunny and I had good company.

Ahh the race:

On Saturday night I peeked at my old 15K time from 2009 to try to establish a goal for the race and I decided trying to beat my previous record of 1:10 was lofty but I was going to shoot for it anyway. I had no idea if I'd be able to hold a sub-7:35 pace for 9.3 miles, but I was willing to try. I snuck in a pre-race warm up with fellow Inwood Hill Runner Jonathan who was racing for the first time in his shiny new VCTC singlet. We lined up together in the blue corral (the first one, eee!) for my first time in that corral. I assumed this meant there were about 35 people running the race, but the announcer told us that the runners were lined up all the way to the bottom of the park! It was really a bit of a rush to be in the front corral and I took it as a good sign but also as a challenge. I was going to have to step it up and prove that I belong there.

The start was quick and painless and I just left myself go with the flow for the first few minutes, not caring that I might be swept into a faster pace than I intended. I like that initial first rush at the start of a race and I wanted to savor it, so I took off and got right into a groove. A few minutes into the race I did a systems check and all felt good, even that cranky left hamstring that had been irking me all week, so I carried on at a nice fast pace. I cruised through mile 1 in 7:26.

Mile 2 is that nice flat portion on the east side of the park where life is good and I clocked a 7:15, hmm. I was feeling really great, but that little voice reminded me that the east side is the EASY side and I should save a little for the west side hills. "okay, okay" I told myself. I literally felt like I had to pull in my own reins to slow myself down but I knew it was a good move. Mile 3 came in at 7:29 and I was happy. That mile FLEW by, I couldn't believe when I turned the corner and saw the mile 3 sign. As we made our way down the west side I set my sights on a woman that I'd left pass me in mile 3, she was wearing a Hell Gate singlet and I wanted to let her go ahead but I had plans to catch her later. I just got the sense that she was going out too hard and I wanted to run a smarter race than that. I let myself enjoy the downhills of mile 4 and brought it in at 7:12. Oops, that was probably too fast but it felt really good. I couldn't believe how easy and steady the sub-7:30's were feeling. I knew I had to really keep holding back until at least mile 6 or so, so I clocked mile 5 at 7:26 and mile 6 at a 7:33. I took a GU at the water stop before the mile 6 marker, right at the top of Cat Hill, and I spotted my friend in the Hell Gate singlet again. Ahhh, I'd caught her without even trying. For the next half mile or so we actually ran shoulder to shoulder (ok, shoulder to tricep because she was pretty tall) and as we made our way towards the 102nd St transverse again I looked over at her and said "deja vu, huh?" All I got in return was a confused look mixed with some strain. I knew that if I was able to chat at that pace I could totally beat her, my new nemesis. I pulled away slowly at first, not wanting to blow it too early in the race, but I could tell that she was fading quickly. I peeked back at one point as we made the turn back to the West Drive and she wasn't in sight. Excellent. Mile 7 in 7:20. I needed a little motivation to stay strong as we hit the hills again and I noticed a guy in a fleece vest next to me who I'd seen back when Hell Gate and I were side by side. We pushed each other up the west side hills as I thought more and more about Ted. At some point I felt a blister on my left foot swell up like a water balloon, ouch. It could have slowed me down as I finished mile 8 (7:31) but I kept telling myself "you may have a blister, but Ted had chemo. Many, many rounds of chemo and he NEVER slowed down." It worked, I let myself pick it up and pick off a few runners around me as I reeled in mile 9 in 7:08. Many thanks to the guys around me who decided they wanted to race that last mile. Booya, that was for you Ted.

I pushed the final 0.3 at a 6:33 pace to catch a woman ahead of me (every place counts, right?)

I had a big smile on my face as I crossed the line Sunday, not just because I killed my PR by 2+ minutes, but because I knew Ted would have been proud. He was such a passionate guy when it came to everything and while he thought my running was a little nutty, just like the rest of my family, he was always happy to support someone's passion. 2 weeks before Ted died I ran my first marathon and I sent him my medal, he deserved it more than I did for his marathon fight against Colon Cancer. Even though he couldn't outrun it, I'm just glad that I can run this race every year in his memory. He'd have been proud of these numbers too, I know I am:

9.3 miles in 1:08:30, a 7:21 pace

Overall 256/ 2768

Gender place 23/1486

Age Place 7/ 494

I've never made the top 10 list in a non-XC NYRR race before! Woohoo!

Good enough for 67.4% AG

I'm stoked with the results, especially because this race was the last race I trained for before making the switch over to swim training for the Great Bay swim in June. Way to go out with a bang! Of course in the back of my mind now is a voice saying "think how fast you could run a half marathon at that pace...." Someday legs, someday.

Tuesday night speed

I did it to myself again.. I subjected myself to one of "SpeedySasquatch"'s speed workouts last night. The last time I did that was the week before the half when he was kind of nice to us, we did 4x1 mile repeats which were speedy but lovely. I recovered from that in day or so. I'm certain that when you talk to me tomorrow, I won't be recovered from last night!

to start it off we did 2x15 walking lunges and 2x20 sumo squats (if you don't know what that is, just imagine the most painful squats you can). The point of this was to do the workout "dead-legged". Well after those lunges and squats, I was already hurting! Lunges get me every time. Yow. We ran a nice easy 1 mile warm-up on the ever-familiar lower loop of the park before we hit "Cat Hill"which normally barely registers with me as a hill when I run in the park. For a point of reference, most of the other, bigger hills on that list in the Cat Hill link are in my neighborhood and I run them every week. We ran Cat Hill 6x, doing 10 pushups between each rep.

The hills felt good but tough, mainly because I feared my legs were going to cramp at any moment when I stopped moving for the pushups! Deadlegs hills hurt, there's no denying that. I do most of my runs in my 'hood and often have big hills at the end so I feel like in a way, I do a lot of deadlegs runs! Lunges are a different beast though.

Well here are the numbers I got:

Total mileage 6.25 miles

Warmup 9:58

Random 0.64mi 10:02 pace

1- 1:49

2- 1:48

3- (missed this one)oops

4- 1:48

5- 1:52 (stopped it late, this was a quicker one for me)

6-1:48

Cool-down 10:05

Heading back to the gym 9:33 pace until we started walking :)

Yay for consistency! I'm not so good with using the Garmin for speedwork, I need to work on my timing and the like. I'll get it down eventually.

All in all it was a good workout and I'm sore as can be. I actually poked myself in the piriformis this morning while I was sleeping (it hurt! ow) and started to blame my husband until I realized he was fast asleep and it was MY hand on my ass. Awesome. It could have been the cat walking on me, but he was curled up under my chin so I think I'm the culprit. I took a nice rest day today and will foam roll before bed, even though I know its going to burn.

Sure enough, I'll be back out there next week for more pain and torture, all for the promise of a spring PR!

Frosty 10 mile run

I couldn't make it back to the city today in time to join my running group (Inwood Hill Park Running Club) for a "Fat Ass Run" planned by our neighborhood Ultra-Runner. I was bummed because it would have been fun, we were going to hit the old rail trails of Van Cortlandt Park and do parts of the Old Croton Aqueduct trail which my group has been trying to find for months!

Oh well, it wasn't meant to be, so I ventured out on my own with lots of layers, my iPod shuffle and a little bag with a warm jacket, dry hat and Competitor mag inside. I ventured up through Fort Tryon Park so I could start the southward journey at a place that would have me at Columbus Circle in 10miles. It worked perfectly, except much of the Greenway was icy from Dyckman St down to the GWB. Oh well, I took my time but still managed a 9:00 pace for the icy bits. Whew it was windy and cold by the river!! I stopped around 137th St-ish to snap a picture of myself by the Wastewater treatment plant to qualify me as a real "Dump Runner" for the Dump Runner's Club podcast. I continued on my way southward from 127th right along the river, but quickly turned around and realized if I wanted to save myself from frostbite I would need to head inland away from the water. It was a great idea. I thought about heading back uptown and ending my run at home,but after 1/4 of a block heading North I remembered why I was running South- the wind! So I altered my route a bit, running down to 120th St and over to Morningside Drive which is a street I love to run on. Shielded from the wind by the massive buildings of Columbia, I ran along in peace, beginning to listen to "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. I decided I wanted to see how far Manhattan Ave would take me (100th St) and finally cut into the park around 96th St. I finished just past Columbus Circle in 1:24 with a total of 10.07 miles.

I quickly ventured into the Time Warner Center and up to NY Running Co. because they always have water for runners. I asked the man at the counter for a cup and he told me they were out. I must have given him a very sad look because he said "Actually, wait right here and we'll start the year off right." He came back with a freebie Asics water bottle for me. Thanks man!! That was nice of him. I love his attitude too. I've never really loved the people in that store, they're often stuffy, but he was friendly.

In the end I grabbed a hot chocolate and cinnamon chip scone from Whole Foods and hopped on the A train for a cozy ride home. I feel great too, I'm heading to the couch for a little nap when I send this post, but just so I don't fall asleep at the movies tonight.

Silly picture of my new (and Free!) water bottle with Matisse checking it out.

Running full force into 2010...

2009 Year in Racing Review

People are always saying things like "Can you believe how fast this year went?" when the year comes to a close, but I think that saying is totally lost on me. Life always feels this fast, grad school felt slow at times when it was beating the crap out of me but the years went by quickly, wedding planning went fast, the wedding went fast, the rest of the year went fast. I don't feel like this year went any faster than the last and a ton of "stuff" happened.

The year started out a a slower pace, literally. I still had a nagging knee pain that started post-marathon which kept me off my feet until early Jan and I didn't feel like I was back up to speed until the first week in Feb when we had a warm day in the 50's. One good thing came of that though, I began swimming with a friend as an outlet for not being able to run and now we're the best of friends and swim together every week.

I didn't realize it but I was being held back by some ugly exercise and cold-induced asthma which was making me hack and wheeze after every run and even had me feeling lightheaded more often than not. I was starting to think I was crazy (or worse yet, pregnant) for feeling dizzy when I finally left the gym early one day and hopped on the train back home and marched right over to the Dr's office. She listened to my lungs and had this shocked look on her face. She told me that I most certainly had asthma and promptly gave me a nebulizer treatment and it wasn't until that was over that I realized what breathing was supposed to feel like. Wow, that was a shocker. How could I have asthma? I was a marathon runner, dammit! One dorky inhaler later, I was on my way, but it just wasn't doing the trick. Long story short, I found a fantastic asthma/allergy Doc who is also a triathlete who hooked me up with the right asthma meds, told me I was allergic to my cats (oops. "take some OTC allergy meds, you'llbe fine") and I've been coasting ever since. What a lifesaver.

So this late winter/spring I decided I was going to give speedwork a real try and guess what? It really worked. I kicked things up to a notch I didn't know I had and it was so liberating. Wow did it feel good to work that hard and move that fast. I never looked back. I found a runner's high like never before hidden in interval workouts in the park, on the track, wherever. I was definitely setting up for a heck of a racing season.

Great runs of 2009:

3/22: Colon Cancer Challenge in CP, 15K/9.3mi

This was the first run where I really let it all hang out. My cousin died from colon cancer last November so this race was 100% for him. Every time I felt tired or wanted to slow down I thought "Ted never gave up, he never slowed down when it hurt" and I dropped 21 minutes from my 2007 time, finishing in 1:10:40 at a 7:35 pace and the 63rd female! I nearly died when I saw that.

4/19:Run As One for Lung Cancer research in CP, 4 mi

I can still remember the burn during this race as I turned onto the west drive from the 102 transverse when a nice older guy from CPTC standing on the sidelines told me "you're looking great, now lean forward and go for it" I didn't know him, but I listened and I cranked out a 28:42, a 7:10 pace which got me into the RED corral where I still stand proudly. In 2008 I ran a 30:01 which felt brutal at the time.

5/18: Just a solo training run down the west side from 181st to 14th St

I did an interval run that day and really left it out on the pavement, I ran 11 miles in 1:26. Unheard of.

5/30:Brooklyn 1/2 marathon, 13.1 mi

I ran this one with a good friend and even though it was hot, hot, hot and my stomach was crampy at about mile 8, I managed a new 1/2 PR. I rocked Brooklyn in 1:46, blowing my previous PR of 1:52 out of the water.

6/6: Central Park Challenge 5K for YAI/National Institute for People with Disabilities

This race was to raise money for the organization I work for. Lots of people at work got excited about it and trained to run it, I was really thrilled that I motivated some people to get running! In the end, my brother, SIL and nieces even came for the walk and spent the day here in the city with me. It was especially awesome that I won 1st place YAI Female Staff Member! I hit a new PR at 21:30 and got a GIANT trophy (embarrassing how big it was really). My co workers made me bring it in and show it off, which in the end was really kind of fun. Next year- 1st place female overall!!

6/27: Save Barnegat Bay 8K, Lavallette, NJ

This race is close to my heart, it raises money for the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation which is what my brother Eric died from. It's always fun because my Mom and Aunt usually walk the 5K so I pass them when I'm running. This year, I decided to run my ass off for Eric. I placed 5th female overall and #1 in my age group! I started out too fast at a 6:34 pace, but evened out and finished in 36:43, a 7:23 pace in the blistering heat. In 2007 I did that same race in 40:22 but had a 1/2 Mary the next day so I took it easy. I won a Dunkin gift card for my 1st place win. Sweet, I've never won anything at a race before!

Getting my gift card

8/8: Lavallette 1 mile Ocean Swim

Not a run, but equally fun and challenging, I finally was able to join my cousins for the annual 1 mile ocean swim and show them that I'm not JUST a runner! It was a windy day and the waves were a little choppy but I pulled off a respectable 24minutes. Not bad considering I hadn't done an open water swim in years! I'll be ready next year...

10/4: Bay Head, NJ Shark run 5K

Just weeks from our wedding in Bay Head, I decided to show that little beach town what I was made of. On an unmarked course through the streets, I clocked a 22:23, not nearly a PR, but I raced hard and placed 3rd overall female! My mom was so excited for me and that meant the world! She's always worrying that running will "ruin my knees" but she finally got to see why I was working so hard! I got a great little plaque too!

The races always stick out because they come with things like tshirts and if you're lucky a trophy, but there were so many miles in between that made them all possible. I'm so lucky to have a career that allows me the freedom to keep up my running as well as pass the joys of it on to others. This past year I coached about 50 elementary school kids on my Young Runners team which is infinitely rewarding. Many of my 9 races this year were with one kid or another from the team who needed a "race buddy". I hope that I'm passing on a lifetime love of running to at least some of these kids. This was my first year as "head coach" and it was tough, its time consuming and exhausting at times, but the rewards come at the most surprising times. There's nothing sweeter than an 8 year old beating their mile time from last month and beaming about it to their friends and parents.

It was a big year for me in many ways and I met so many fun new people. I took up soccer again which was fun and challenging and definitely helped me increase my speed, I started swimming a ton and its been wonderful to get back into the water where I feel even more at home sometimes than I do when running, I learned to SCUBA dive which was amazing and its great to have a hobby in common with my hubby now, oh and biggest of all- I got married!! :) As a result I got to spend lots of time with close family and friends as well as friends and family who live far, far away. What a blessing.

Well I should have stopped typing a while ago, we're having dinner at a friends before all heading out for the Midnight Run in CP tonight!

Happy New Year everyone, have a fun night. I hope you're close to those you love tonight and that you're ready to kick some butt in 2010.

Ted Corbitt 15K, My "+1" for the 2010 Marathon

Brrr Ninja Volunteer!

Getting ready to start

He may have started out a bit too quick, he was not in front after the first lap anymore..

chilly running!

wow lots of people out on a frosty morning!

Well, I've done it again- I'm qualified for next year's marathon! Woohoo. I did the 2008 marathon by doing my nine NYRR races and I finished up my 9 races last weekend in Brooklyn but still had to do my 1 volunteering duty for the year. Okay, normally yes I'd have taken care of that in the summer or fall, but with a fall wedding I really just didn't have the time this year. But alas, there I was on the sidelines in my orange vest freezing my toes off but having a TON of fun cheering everyone on!!

I dragged myself out of bed at the ungodly hour of 5:40 on Saturday morning into the cold world, forgot my breakfast (toast with PB and nutella) and waited ages for the subway (so much for the early am schedule!) and finally arrived around 7am at the park. I have to say, I expected it to be organized and fast moving, but we spent much of the morning shuffling around in a large herd while jobs were given out one by one. Ugh, getting cold already and it was like 7:30. I finally got a job just directing people and cheering very close to the finish line, which was fun because the runners passed the finish just after the start, after their first loop and of course at the end so I got to see everyone go by a ton! It was fun, there were a few full Santas, some reindeer, a few silly hats and just generally a fun time. I was cheering my heart out in an attempt to stay warm and have a good time. I really enjoyed that part. It was the people who turned rude and ignorant post-race who ruined the fun. After the vast majority of people were finished we were asked to make sure people didn't turn around and walk back along the course because there were still people finishing their first lap ( we cheered hard for them!) and we didn't want them to have to fight against the crowd while running! Our "leader" was threatening to DQ people who didn't want to listen (a bit harsh I thought, but it was working) but many people just got instantly aggressive and angry when we asked them to walk the other way back to the start. Wow, it was unreal to see people turn like that and get nasty. It was really unfortunate and bummed me out.

The day was saved however when I spotted Nicole from The Biggest loser at the finish snatching some leftover apples! I was like HEY shes from TBL!! and I went over and chatted with her!! She was SO nice and really sweet and friendly, we chatted like old friends :) I always loved her on the show and it was so fun to meet her! She looks fantastic, too! That was the highlight of my day! (possibly my week!)

Photo from people magazine

Joe K 10K

So let me start by saying the long sleeve tees from the Joe Kleinerman 10K are great! I always love it when they have a non-white tee to spice up my collection and the logo is cool and its not a huge picture of his face like it has been before... very cool. I don't understand why NYRR doesn't order enough size SMALL though...seeing as how running is a sport of many many fit people... anyway, I digress.

So sunday morning was a crisp and sunny 33 degree gallop around the park. I know a lot of people train in CP and talk about the hills there, but I mostly train in Fort Tryon Park, Inwood Hill Park, Riverside Park, Riverdale and VCP where the hills are rolling and could kick the butt of Harlem Hill or Cat Hill anyday :) I'm going to say it... central park hills are wimpy :) Yeah, they sneak up on you when you think you're nearing the home stretch on the east side around 72nd st when you're feeling good, but they're not game changers. That said, I had what I consider a great race. I forced myself to keep it easy and do the first mile at an 8:05 pace which felt easy but I knew I needed to hold back. I tried to pull in the reins for the first 3 miles and then let myself go, and it seems to have worked! According to Garmin I clocked a 47:59 for 6.23miles.... but sadly according to NYRR it was 48:01. Hmmmmm. Oh well. I got there that morning and re-assessed my original goals of under 46/47:00 and realized that was perhaps a bit lofty since I haven't really been training that hard and it was damn cold. I set myself the goal of under or around 48:00 and I'm very happy with my results.

Here is the NYRR spread:

Finish time: 48:01

Pace: 7:44

Overall Place: 1049

Gender Place: 219

Age Place: 60

AG: 63.1%

AG Gender place: 331

Not bad!

Garmy says my laps were:

8:05

7:53

7:34

7:45

7:42

7:19

1:38(for the .2)

I do wish my 4th and 5th miles had been a bit faster. Live and learn. It was my first race with the garmin.. boy do I love that thing.

Well, time to make a few updates to the blogroll... check back for more updates soon.

Next week- NYRR Holiday 4miler in Prospect Park, but I'll be running with one of my kids on my Young Runners team who is in 3rd grade. She's a rockstar.

NYC Triathlon

Today was the big day for lots of city athletes, the 9th annual NYC Triathlon. It's an Olympic distance Tri which means its a 1500m swim (nearly a mile), 40K bike and a 10K run. Whew. I was a volunteer on the early, early shift- 4am to 9am handing out timing chips and making sure they put them in the right place (ankle). It was brutal getting there at 3:45 but I had a great time and met some really great people. As a volunteer you get guaranteed entry to next year's race which is a big deal because the race usually sells out in under 10 seconds once online reg opens! Insane. Anyhow since chip distribution was located right along the rivers edge, I got some great shots and had a front row "seat" to the swimming portion. It was intense and somewhat gross (we saw the trash floating around early in the morning after a few minutes of rain) but definitely inspiring. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the day, gotta love old George posing upriver. Check out my flickr page for more.

Swim.Bike.Run.

Congrats to everyone who gave it their all today. It was really inspiring.