This past Sunday I got to run one of my favorite races. I think its my favorite mainly because its in the Bronx, and I’m from the Bronx! I think this is my 3rd or 4th Bronx 10 mile. I try to do it every year, but it always falls on my anniversary weekend. Luckily this year I didn’t have a trip planned, so the Bronx 10 mile it was!
Looking back on previous years, this years time was really the pits! Granted I am certainly not as fast as I use to be, so my times have really taken a dive, but I hadn’t realized that it had gotten this bad! Another granted, I really wasn’t attempting to run this race fast, but was instead treating it like another marathon training run. I did a 3:1 run walk miles 2-9. Run walking has really helped me to stay healthy, and get through my double digit runs without feeling like death warmed over. So while I was 16 minutes slower than the last time, I’m happy with this time because I did what I needed to do, and finished in under 2 hrs.
This years splits
Oh, another goodie about this race is we run by my Alma mater Dewitt Clinton High School. Every-time I have the opportunity to see my old High School in person, it brings a smile to my face because I had so many good memories there. Fun fact: Stan Lee, the creator of X-Men, Ralph Lauren, and even Tracy Morgan all graduated from Clinton High School, and so did I! lol.
Of course I had to get a selfie in front of the school!
All in all, still one of my favs, and I hope I can do it again next year. This weekend I am off to Atlanta to run The Race, it should be a jam packed weekend. I’ll be documenting the entire weekend on video, and will have my full race report next week.
Well its been a busy start to the year. I haven’t been racing as much because it is frigid out of course, but I did complete 2 races in January:
NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K January 10, 2015
Call me crazy, but I am doing NYRR’s 9+1 program again. Just in case I have soooo much fun doing the NYC Marathon this year. I’m keeping my options open for 2016. Plus there are at least 7 of their races that are must runs for me, so I may as well add another 2 and volunteer to get guaranteed entry for 2016.
This had to be one of the coldest days of the year. I really don’t know how I survived it! I mean everything on me was frozen. I literally could not move my face and my fingers, forget about it. They felt like I had frostbite (not like I know what frostbite feels like!) I did manage to clock a pretty decent time, and am feeling as though that sub 60 10k is within my reach.
Sayville Running Company 10 Mile Run to the Brewery January 17, 2015
Now this one was a doosey! The course was mostly flat, and ran through local neighborhoods. Why I got up at the crack of dawn to drive an hour for a brewery run when I don’t drink beer, I have no idea, but it was actually super fun.
Mandatory Selfie
Start-line Pic
It was freezing this day too, not as cold as the 10th but cold none the less, but I did manage to stay in the 10min range for the whole race. That’s an accomplishment for me at this distance.
The after race festivities were off the chain! There were two huge heated tents set up with food galore! I mean this was a fat kid that loves cake dream race. I’m not much for sweets but they were flowing.
Since I’m eating healthy I just grabbed a grilled chicken sandwich and a bottle of water. It was so tasty I went back for a 2nd sandwich, and a 3rd and 4th to take home.
The beer was flowing heavily. If you are a beer drinker this is your race. There were all types, and all you can drink. I don’t like the stuff but did bring a cup home for hubby and he said it was really good.
This race sells out in like 40 minutes, so if you like beer, like to run 10 miles in the cold, then this one is for you. Have your finger on the trigger to register when it opens.
I am in week 2 of my Iron Man Triathlon training, and it is fun!! I’m learning a lot, especially on the bike which I desperately need. Also improving my swimming. I thought I was good, but I thought wrong! I still have a ways to go, but I’ll get there. I think I’ll start a weekly post on my training chronicles….they are a doosey…..until next time!
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Last Sunday I completed my 4th of 9 races to get guaranteed entry into the 2015 NYC Marathon, and it was in my hometown of the Bronx so I was super excited! NYRR shut down the Grand Concourse which is a major street that runs through the Bronx and part of Mosholu Parkway , and we had free reign of both which was very cool. The weather was perfect for running, but the 10 miles I was certainly not prepared for. Having only been running for a few weeks full-time and my maximum mileage to date being 4 miles, I knew it would be challenging. I always say yes running is physical and you should be in some kind of good shape to do it, but a lot of it is mental. I knew if I could run 4 miles straight, I could probably run 6 miles, and what the heck I can do 10 miles. Trust me if I had other options I would have chosen a shorter race, but being that I registered so late in the game it was slim pickings. I started off at a pretty good pace. I don’t recommend you try this at home!
I wanted to take it easy and maintain a 12:00-12:30 pace per mile but it never works out that way. When all the adrenaline starts pumping, and you see everyone around you flying by, it is hard not to try and keep up. As you can see my pace was way too fast in the beginning and I paid for it in the end. Even walking the water stations my pace was still too fast for the fitness level that I am at at this point in time. Somehow someway I’ll learn how to pace my self better in races. I had to use the restroom at the beginning of the race, but with a race of this magnitude the lines to use the port-a-pottys (ewwwwww) are super long, so I decided to hold it and go along the way. As the miles started adding on every stop had lines so I kept trekking along. It wasn’t until I was on my way back that I spotted a port-a-potty with no line….this had to be somewhere between mile 6-8 I can’t remember which. You can see even with stopping for a bathroom break I was still going way too fast!!! I did though run into my buddy Deb who was getting her +1 (volunteering) in, and she took this pic of me. I always throw up my peace signs. If I don’t then I’m probably not having a good time! As you can see I’m sweating like a beast….wish I would have worn a tank top that day. You see a good view of the Grand Concourse here, and this is only half the street so you can get an idea of how massive it is. This was on the way back, but before that around mile 5 or 6 I ran by my old alma mater Dewitt Clinton High School. I haven’t been back there since I graduated in 1999, so it was a bit nostalgic seeing the school I spent 4 years of my life at….it brought back many great memories, and had me thinking, wow time does really fly.
I would say mile 8-10 were the toughest for me, and that is where that mental comes in. I just had to tell myself to keep going. You can see the times on my miles really started to increase at this point. By now the bottom of my feet are hurting, I’m sweating profusely, and just want the race over with, but I’m still trucking along because I know I have an end goal and I have to accomplish it. Going in I wanted to finish in under 2hrs. I think I could have attained that goal if I didn’t stop for a bathroom break, and my constant picture taking, but what can I say, I love to take pics! Time never really matters to me, but it is sometimes nice to set a time goal and make or break it, and obtain a PR…oh well next time.
Overall I think I can say that this was the best race I ever participated in. I don’t know if it was because it was in the Bronx, the camaraderie with my BGR gals, or just the overall event put on by NYRR, but it was awesome, and definitely one I plan to do next year. Here are some pics with the gals pre race:
Stephanie, Me, & Janet
Super D…isn’t she cute!
Me & Super D
Me, Tarnia, & Vernell
Me Pre-Race
Throwing my 4 up!
And the post race pic with bling! like my tights?
I have a busy weekend coming up….hopefully I don’t kill myself and have a good time. Those post race re-caps coming soon…happy Monday! The saga continues!
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