Finally! Another race report. While just a 4-miles, it was nonetheless so nice to compete again and to try to improve my times. While I've really enjoyed the run training I've been doing lately, after suffering through it for so long, and have even to grow to appreciate going nice and easy, keeping the heart rate down.
Although the marathon schedule called for 2x2miles as my speed work for this week, I've had the Race to Deliver on my calendar for quite some time now. Aside from the fact that I haven't yet completed the nine races necessary to qualify for the 2012 NYC marathon, the money raised goes to God's Love We Deliver, a lovely charity that provides meals to people with the AIDS virus. It's a really nice cause that I would have supported even had I completed my qualifying races.
Then about a week before the race I got an email from NYRR saying that the first 500 people picking up their race numbers would get a nun costume, and those who raced with it could sign up for free tickets to Sister Act. Of course I had to get one of those, and race in it as well! So I was at the NYRR offices at 1 PM on Thursday prior to the race, as that was when packet pickup started.
After trying on the costume at home, I realized that I'd need to trim a couple of inches to even be able to walk in it, but still wanted to maintain as much length as possible for future halloween costuming needs. Jogging over to race start, however, I quickly realized that I'd have to bring it up a little, both to minimize the trip factor and to maximize cooling as well.
And let me say, being a nun on the run is hard work! At least in polyester. There was no way to let heat escape from my head, which made for uncomfortable conditions, ironic when the air temperature was in the 40's.
As for the race... Well, after all that build up, there isn't that much to say. I felt good, and figured that after all the distance I've been doing, I could hold out longer on the fast and hard. My first mile came in at 8:42. Okay, cool, I thought. Let's turn it up a notch. Mile 2 was 7:59. I was starting to feel it though, and thought it wouldn't be the worst thing to dial it back a bit. Mile 3 (with more up hills, coming down on the west loop from 102nd traverse) was a disappointing 8:30. I tried to dig deep for mile 4 (which seemed to go on and on and on...) and came in at 33:34 official time, averaging 8:23 per mile. A PR for me in the 4 milers, and faster average pace than any race thus far, which pleases me to no end. But clearly pacing work and speed work are still necessary parts of my weekly training.
Although the marathon schedule called for 2x2miles as my speed work for this week, I've had the Race to Deliver on my calendar for quite some time now. Aside from the fact that I haven't yet completed the nine races necessary to qualify for the 2012 NYC marathon, the money raised goes to God's Love We Deliver, a lovely charity that provides meals to people with the AIDS virus. It's a really nice cause that I would have supported even had I completed my qualifying races.
Then about a week before the race I got an email from NYRR saying that the first 500 people picking up their race numbers would get a nun costume, and those who raced with it could sign up for free tickets to Sister Act. Of course I had to get one of those, and race in it as well! So I was at the NYRR offices at 1 PM on Thursday prior to the race, as that was when packet pickup started.
After trying on the costume at home, I realized that I'd need to trim a couple of inches to even be able to walk in it, but still wanted to maintain as much length as possible for future halloween costuming needs. Jogging over to race start, however, I quickly realized that I'd have to bring it up a little, both to minimize the trip factor and to maximize cooling as well.
And let me say, being a nun on the run is hard work! At least in polyester. There was no way to let heat escape from my head, which made for uncomfortable conditions, ironic when the air temperature was in the 40's.
As for the race... Well, after all that build up, there isn't that much to say. I felt good, and figured that after all the distance I've been doing, I could hold out longer on the fast and hard. My first mile came in at 8:42. Okay, cool, I thought. Let's turn it up a notch. Mile 2 was 7:59. I was starting to feel it though, and thought it wouldn't be the worst thing to dial it back a bit. Mile 3 (with more up hills, coming down on the west loop from 102nd traverse) was a disappointing 8:30. I tried to dig deep for mile 4 (which seemed to go on and on and on...) and came in at 33:34 official time, averaging 8:23 per mile. A PR for me in the 4 milers, and faster average pace than any race thus far, which pleases me to no end. But clearly pacing work and speed work are still necessary parts of my weekly training.
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| Showing some Thanksgiving gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving!!! |
1 comment:
You're fast. To be able to complain about miles in the 8 min range, I think, is awesome!!
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