The most important thing to note about this race was I forgot my gymboss. I know. How the hell was I going to run this race?! I spent the entire 1.5 miles to the start contemplating. I thought about using one of the running apps, runkeeper being my favorite, but I didn't feel like setting it up and I didn't really want to use my Iphone. The next best option was to count lampposts. The only time I've ever done that was during speed workouts, which I seriously need to get back into. Anyway. It. Was. Awesome. I decided I'd run 4 and walk 1. I know for a fact I ran more than I ever have before. Even if I was slower, I feel better about it because running more is turning into a goal for me. I want to incorporate more running into my training, I just don't know how! I can't afford to get slower but it would be nice to get faster running somehow. For the past year, I lived and died by the 2 (or 3) minute timer. Even if I was in a good groove, I'd still stop and take my walk break. . . sometimes extending it. Whatever. But with counting lampposts, I convinced myself to keep running all the way down the hill. I'd count only the posts on one side of the road to make it longer. I told myself I could walk all the way up Harlem Hill if I continued this and I did. It was great!
I'm sure the fact that it was a gorgeous 70 degrees helped a lot too! Yet, even with the amazing weather (or because of it) there was a ton of random (read: cray cray) events. A guy in the bathroom line told me I should be getting close to an 18 miler soon (ummm. . .no? I still have 3 months weirdo!) Once in the corrals, a biker told us to "watch our big asses" because he needed to get through, thus confirming why I believe cyclists are d-bags. Then some over eager volunteer tried to pull a woman out of the corral bc she had a faster color corral. What?! Chill out, people. It was a gorgeous day, no need for all that!
It was also the first run I felt happy and good about in a long time. I'm having a ton of doubts about the marathon and this really helped boost my confidence. I even decided to run/walk back to the apt, adding another 1.5 miles on for a complete 9.2 miles! The schedule only called for 7, opps. I also spent the majority of the rest of the day walk around a lot and I think that helped a ton in regards to recovery.
To make up for my lack of race photos, I took some on my run/walk back to the apt. via the Central Park West walk path:
The path along Central Park. Those cute cement cutouts/ cobblestone?
Not so cute when the sidewalk is all warped and old.
Looking into the park.
I remember when I first moved to NYC and was so scared I'd get lost in there.
The Children's Museum.
Humbolt. Have no idea who he is, but there is a street named after him in Brooklyn.
I should google.
The Museum of Natural History.
What's cool on your route?
When my Garmin quit on me, I used songs to keep track of my walk breaks. Two songs, then walk for the count of 60. Those same two songs drove me nuts since I listened to them for about 7km! (I repeated them because I knew they were fast so if I kept to the beat my pace would be alright) Good work on your run!
ReplyDeleteI didn't even think of that! I don't think I could do that though, a lot of my songs are techno and can go for forever.
DeleteI can just imagine repeating the songs that long, but hey! It worked!
My route usually just has the North Umpqua River. That's it. Sometimes a golf course. But the river makes an appearance in 90% of my runs, if not more.
ReplyDeleteBicyclists ARE douche bags. Hard core!!
I like runs that involve water viewing.
DeleteAs the summer goes on, the more I hate cyclists. My god.