NYRR Team Championships - 8/8/09

It felt good to be out racing again. Today was the NYRR Team Championships and this was my first race since the Riverdale Ramble 10K on June 7th due to the fact that my low iodine diet and scans put a big dent into my running during the month of June. After getting back on track over the last month or so, I was excited to go out and run hard.

I was extremely excited to see that after a hard race (hills, hot temps, and quick early pace), I was able to get a 5 mile PR by almost two minutes - overall time of 34:48 and a pace of 6:57. This was the second race in which I averaged a sub 7 minute pace and the second distance in which I did so (the first being the Run As One 4 miler in April 2009).

The weather was pretty good - relatively low humidity and not too hot at the start. It was better than I expected. The temperature was just below 70 degrees when I left my apartment about 45 minutes before the race began. I definitely was glad to have the men's race start at 9AM start instead of 10AM for the women. That extra hour made a considerable difference with regards to the weather. The ladies had to run in slightly higher temperatures and under more direct sunlight.

The Team Championships is always a hard race due to the caliber of the runners. Since only the running clubs compete, everyone is relatively fast and most people feel the need to go out fast right out of the gate. This always worries me since I usually like to build my speed up over the first mile before gradually reaching my top speed. Unfortunately, I got sucked in by the other runners and began to speed up right after I crossed the starting line. I didn't know what time to expect early on, but once I passed the first mile marker, I saw a time of 7:05 and got a little scared. At this point it is very hard to slow down when everyone around you is going fast, so I knew that I would have to try and keep up this already quick pace for the next four miles. There is no turning back at this point. Slowing down just makes things worse and doesn't really help you at all.

After the first mile, I knew I was in for a tough race the rest of the way. The temperature starting creeping up and I felt myself starting to heat up quickly. In addition, I knew that there were several more hills to go on the east side of the Central Park and I needed to conserve my energy a bit for those. Normally I don't stop at water stations for a 5 mile race, but I found myself grabbing water after mile 1 and 2. My mouth was getting very dry and I made sure to drink as much as I could. By mile 3, fatigue was starting to settle in a bit and I tried to focus on the other runners, and possibly latch onto another Flyer to keep me going. After passing mile 4, I knew that the Flyer section was coming up soon and the cheers and encouragement would give me a much needed boost to carry me to the finish line. Unfortunately, they might have given me too much of a boost because I sped up considerably as I passed by their section and I ran out of gas with about 100-15o meters to go. I was pretty much spent and felt like I might throw up (or maybe kind of a dry heave) if I didn't finish the race soon. The finish line was a welcome sight and could not come soon enough. I was very happy when the race was over. This was a really tough run and I was proud of myself for gutting it out.

Thanks to all of the Flyers cheering along the course. It helps a great deal. It is great to be part of a running team that stands out in support and cheers for all of their teammates.

Mile Splits:

Mile 1 - 7:05
Mile 2 - 6:58
Mile 3 - 6:59
Mile 4 - 7:08
Mile 5 - 6:36
Overall time: 34:48
Overall pace: 6:57

Brooklyn Half Marathon - 5/30/09

I guess that the third time is a charm. I have signed up for the Brooklyn Half for the past two years, but unfortunately was unable to run either of them. Finally, I was able to participate in my first Brooklyn Half Marathon this weekend (only the Bronx is left for me) and it was a lot of fun (not as much the race per se, but the activities afterward).

Although the weather was hotter than I usually like for half marathons, it was not unbearable. I knew that I needed to be smart and take the proper precautions during the race. Luckily, Prospect Park had a considerable amount of shade to run in as long as you hugged the curb, and I made sure to take a little more water or Gatorade than I usually would. I know that there were a lot of people out there that did not like the course change, but I was happy with it. Although the beginning part of the race was tougher than in past years due to the two loops of Prospect Park, I was happy that the race ended in Coney Island which allowed us to finish on a less crowded boardwalk (since in previous years the race started there) and gave us the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful day taking in the atmosphere, riding the Cyclone (first time for me) and eating an original Nathan's hot dog and fries.

Since I went into the Long Branch Half several weeks ago with the intent to run a hard race and go for a PR, I decided to take the pressure off of myself this time around and to use this race to practice my pacing a bit. Given the fact that the temperatures were going to be on the hotter side, the goal was to keep a consistent pace during the two loops of Prospect Park (between 7:50 and 8:00) and then to gradually try and pick up the pace for the remaining 6 or 7 miles that ran on the straightaway of Ocean Parkway, allowing for negative splits. I knew from my first venture in Prospect Park during the Cherry Tree 10 miler that the hills were not easy, so I knew that I had to respect the course even if I felt good at the beginning of the race. I needed to keep myself in check and not speed up.

The first loop didn't feel too bad. I made sure to stay in the shade as much as possible, and go out at a pace that felt slightly slower than usual (knowing that if it felt slow, then it was probably a reasonable pace). I went through the first mile at 7:52 and thought that this would be a good pace to try and stay out throughout the loops in the park. With the impending hills coming up, I was surprised to see that I remained on pace at 7:52 for mile 2, and even dipped a little bit at mile 3, coming in at 7:38. I knew that my mile 3 time was a bit too quick, and I tried to slow it down knowing that the Prospect Park hills would be reappearing shortly. I was able to keep myself under control at mile 4 (7:49), but the next couple of miles were definitely slower. This is where my pacing slipped a bit. I felt the effects of the heat and the hills from the first loop, and overcompensated slightly. Thinking I was going a little too fast in the previous miles and not wanting to wear myself out, I slowed down to 8:06 in mile 5 and then 8:12 for mile 6. Not wanting to see my pace go up anymore, I told myself to pick up the pace, which I did, but too much in the other direction (mile 7 was at 7:36). At this point, I knew I was leaving the park pretty soon and I all wanted to do was get out to the flatter terrain of Ocean Parkway and normalize my pace. Ocean Parkway was a 6 or 7 mile straight line to the end of the race and wasn't terribly exciting. In the hopes of getting a negative split for the second half of the race, the plan once I left the park was to keep a pace as close to 7:50 as possible until mile 10, and then slowly pick up the pace each mile until the finish. Miles 8-10 were pretty much right on target (7:50, 7:54, and 8:00 respectively) and I still felt pretty strong going into the last quarter or so of the race. I was thinking back to Long Branch and knew that I had it in me to pull out fast times over the last 3 miles. I was looking forward to ending on the boardwalk (and not falling), and seeing the ocean view as I crossed the finish line. I felt good enough to gradually lower my pace to 7:39 and 7:36 for miles 11 and 12, and then another 7:36 time for the remaining 1.1 miles. For a hot day and a new course, I felt I had a very good race.

Mile Splits:

Mile 1 - 7:52
Mile 2 - 7:52
Mile 3 - 7:38
Mile 4 - 7:49
Mile 5 - 8:06
Mile 6 - 8:12
Mile 7 - 7:36
Mile 8 - 7:50
Mile 9 - 7:54
Mile 10 - 8:00
Mile 11 - 7:39
Mile 12 - 7:36
Last 1.1 miles - 8:22 (7:36 pace)

Overall time: 1:42:29 ; Overall pace: 7:50

This was a good race for me. Without a pace leader, I was able to keep a relatively consistent pace on my own throughout the race (although there were some hiccups along the way), and adjust pretty well if I saw my pace change dramatically from mile to mile (my times got up to 8:06 and 8:12 in mile 5 and 6, but I was able to drop it down to 7:36 for mile 7 before leveling out). Now I just need to build on this experience, and continue to pace well during longer races. I was very happy to see that on a day that I wasn't going for a PR, I was able to run a time that would have been my second fastest half up until three weeks ago.

Healthy Kidney 10K - 5/16/09

This was a rainy one. As I was checking the forecast last night, it did not look like it was going to rain at all during the race, and it seemed like that was going to be the case as the race started. It was cloudy out, but no drizzle or rain of any kind. However, by the time I approached mile 2, the rain came down slowly, and by mile three it was a full fledged rain storm and we were all getting soaking wet. At least the temperature was relatively warm, and we didn't freeze our butts off. The only thing we had to contend with was sloshing around in wet socks and orthotics (as well as spotty glasses for me). I was just making sure not to slip and fall - mission accomplished. By the time mile 4 came around, the rain was over and all of us were able to finish the race without buckets of water falling on our heads.

I was able to get in a leisurely 3.6 mile run in before the race, in an effort to get my longer run in today, instead of doing it tomorrow. I wanted to avoid running a hard race on Saturday, and then still have to get in a 10 mile run in the next day. I usually perform better if I have a chance to squeeze in warm up, rather than starting a race off cold.

While I was able to score a PR today (ironically, my previous 10K PR was in this race last year), the pacing was all over the place and the constant change in speeds wore me out. I started out at a comfortable, but quick pace during the first mile (7:23), but allowed myself to speed up too much during the next two miles. This is what happens when I tell myself that I feel fine after mile one, and then pick up the pace too abruptly. I ran too fast through miles two and three at paces of 6:47 and 6:55, respectively and then realized that the hills on the northern and eastern parts of the parks were still ahead (especially the one at the 5K mark). It was not going to be pretty. I wasn't sure if it was a conscious decision, or hills the decided for me, but I slowed my pace down to about a 7:17 for the next two miles (I'll never know for sure what each mile was since I didn't push my lap button all the way after mile 4). The southern end of the park was a nice site to see, letting me know that this day was going to be over soon. While, I didn't feel that strong through the last 1.2 miles, I was able to run at a consistent stride and end the race feeling pretty good.

Mile Splits:

Mile 1: 7:24
Mile 2: 6:47
Mile 3: 6:55
Mile 4-5: 14:34 (avg of 7:17 - evidently I did not press down all the way after mile 4)
Last 1.2 miles: 8:43 (avg of 7:16)
Overall time: 44:23 ; Overall pace: 7:09

My overall time is based on my watch time (the NYRR listed my gun time on the website as 45:37). After the race, I checked the NYRR website for my "official" time, but saw that it wasn't posted. When I wrote to the NYRR and asked if there was a problem, they emailed me back and said that there were some technical problems at the end of the race that affected several runners. They were able to get my starting and 5K time, but not my finish time (I sent my watch time into them). If my overall time was only a second or two away from a PR, I wouldn't consider it official. However, since my time today was well ahead of my previous PR, I will use the time. Even if my watch was off by 3 or 4 seconds, I still would have had a PR of over 1:45 .

Long Branch Half Marathon - 5/3/03

It took two and half years to beat my PR in the NYC Half but it finally happened. It was my last remaining PR to conquer and it was worth the wait. I was able to beat my previous time by about four minutes and break 1:40 for the first time. The chip time was 1:38:21. The conditions were my favorite for running - overcast, cool (in the 50s) and a slight drizzle (enough to cool you off, but not hard enough to distract you).

Pacing can be such a big determining factor in the outcome of a race. If you go too fast, then you start to crumble at the end of the race. If you go too slow, then you spend the rest of the race trying to make up time and think what might have been. If you fluctuate throughout the race, then you run the risk of exerting too much energy and you tiring yourself out. If it is done right, it has the ability to relax you, lower your stress level and give you something to focus on during the race. In addition, it gives you the opportunity to run negative splits and push out strong miles towards the end of the race. You end with a positive attitude, instead of wishing for the pain of the race to be over.

Up until this point, the race that I consider to be my best was the Queens Half in 2007. It wasn't my fastest time, but it was a complete and consistent effort. I was calm and efficient, and for the first time, I consciously went out with a race plan (and goal pace) and was able to follow through with it. It felt great and I ended up feeling like I could still run more at the end of the race . After it was over, I wondered when or if I would would be able to have that kind of a race again. Well, Sunday at the Long Branch Half was the day and I owe a debt of gratitude to the pace group that I ran with and the energy and support that I extracted from them.

Leading up to the race, I was figuring out what finish times to go after. I have been running strong so far this year, especially in the longer 15K and 10 mile distances, and knew that I would have a good shot at breaking my PR (1:42:22 - NYC Half 2007) if the conditions were right (I couldn't have asked for more favorable weather). My main goal was to go after a new PR, but I was secretly trying to make a run for my first sub 1:40 half marathon as well. My last few races taught me that I was capable of going out at a fast pace and sustaining it. However, I was a bit nervous to go out aggressively in a half all by myself. What if I went out too fast? I would have a lot more distance to cover if I fizzled, and that would make for a miserable day. Pacing is a discipline that I have not yet mastered and I was afraid that if I had to rely on my own skills, that I would go out too quickly and the race would be over before it started. Therefore, for the first time, I decided to run with a pace group. It would allow me to go out at a steady, consistent pace, and it would be fun to run with a group of other runners. It takes the guesswork out of pacing, and puts the burden on someone else, allowing me to concentrate on other things. I was looking on the website a week or so before the race to see if there was a 1:40 pace group. To my disappointment, it was one of the only groups that was not available. The closest times left were 1:35 and 1:45. I was a bit bummed and was afraid that I was have to run the entire race on my own. Luckily, when I got to the starting line, I was so happy to see someone carrying a flag for a 3:20 pace (that was the marathon pace, with the half pace being a 1:40). I spoke with the leader and he said that a bunch of potential leaders canceled, and that he stepped in at the last second. That gave me a renewed sense of excitement and I was ready to get the race underway.

The race was supposed to start at 7:30AM, but the gun didn't go off until almost 8:00AM. I was up since 3:50 in the morning and I was not happy about any delays to the start. I was stretched and ready to go, and everyone was getting antsy and a bit pissed off that we had to spend a half hour standing in the cold and the rain. Once the gun went off, I was ready to go and made sure to keep the orange flag of the pacer in sight. After pacing several of the Long Training Runs in Central Park, I know how hard it is to do, especially having people relying on you to keep a consistent time. It is tough enough to do in a "fun run" atmosphere, but it is a whole different story doing it in a race. Therefore, I was using the first few miles to see if my leader would be able to hit the mile splits he was supposed to or if he would be erratic. As expected, the first mile was a bit congested and I figured that we would need a couple of miles to get on pace. I positioned myself in the middle of the pack and was just concentrating on not tripping and falling. It felt like we were going considerably slower than a 7:37 pace (needed for a 1:40 finish) in the first mile, but I committed to staying with the group and told myself not to go ahead. Before I knew it, the first mile marker was fast approaching and I looked at my watch and to my astonishment, saw a time of 7:45. We were almost right on pace. This is why I still need a lot more practice at pacing. I usually go by how I am feeling (instead of thinking rationally) and unfortunately if it was up to me, I would have sped up and probably tired myself out too quickly. When the adrenaline is pumping at the beginning of a race, it clouds your judgement and tells you to go faster. You need to have the strength to not give into that temptation. We passed mile one with no problem, and I settled in behind the leader, trying to get a feel for his running style. Mile 2 came along - 7:38. Mile 3 came and went - 7:36. So far, through three miles, Bob (the leader) was able to hit our desired pace almost exactly. At this point, I put my trust in him and knew that he was a very capable leader. Wherever he went, I would follow. The plan at this point was to stay with the group through mile 10 and then pick up the pace, if possible, on my own for the remaining three miles.

Our group had about 15 or so people in it and we seemed to get pretty cohesive. I didn't talk with anyone (I had my music on), but I felt so much stronger with other people around and seeing the same faces next to me for a considerable length of time. Bob, was chatting with many of the runners and he let us know what hills, turns, fluid stations, etc., were coming up. It helped alot and put me at ease. For miles 4-10, he was dead on and was able to get us within 2-3 seconds of 7:37 for one mile after another. He was automatic, even on the hills. It was fantastic and made my life a lot easier. The stress of trying to figure out and adjust my own pace was gone, and all I needed to do was concentrate on staying calm and conserving my energy. I was very content to leave all of the heavy lifting to someone else this time around. The miles were just flying by and I felt great and very comfortable. My breathing was calm and steady. I wasn't straining. By about mile 8 or 9, I knew I had a very good shot at running my first sub 1:40 half, barring any unforeseen breakdowns on my part and I was starting to get excited. I just needed to resist the urge to pick up the pace and divert from my original plan. I remained with the group through mile 10, and was getting a bit ansty to try and pick up the pace a little bit. So, just before we hit the marker for mile 11, I left the group to run the remaining 3.1 miles by myself. I immediately felt the difference of running without the group. It was a bit lonely and I felt the strain of relying on myself for pacing. I tried to pick up the pace slowly and not make any sudden changes. I was able to run mile 11 at 7:28, only 8 seconds faster than the previous mile. I still felt quite strong at this point and knew that I was well on pace to go under 1:40. I looked at my watch and saw that I ran 11 miles in 1:23:38, and knew in order to reach my goal, I would have to run a little under 8:30 pace for the remaining miles, almost a minute slowly than what I was running for the previous 11 miles. I was pumped and knew that this was the time to go for it. I picked up the pace considerably running mile 12 in 7:14. Once I saw the ocean, I knew that the finish line was fast approaching. The only thing that I needed to worry about was not slipping on the boardwalk. I made sure to stay on the road as long as possible, avoiding any slip or fall that would derail my race. I gave it everything I had left and was able to bust out a 6:35 mile pace for remaining 1.1 miles. I couldn't believe it. The consistent pacing throughout the beginning parts of the race allowed me to run my fastest 3 miles of the race from mile 11-13.1. It was a great feeling of accomplishment for me when I crossed the finish line. I had done it.

Mile Splits:

Mile 1: 7:45
Mile 2: 7:38
Mile 3: 7:36
Mile 4: 7:36
Mile 5: 7:34
Mile 6: 7:39
Mile 7: 7:37
Mile 8: 7:38
Mile 9: 7:34
Mile 10: 7:34
Mile 11: 7:28
Mile 12: 7:14
Last 1.1 miles: 7:14 (6:35 mile pace)

Overall: 1:38:21 (gun time: 1:38:35) , Overall Pace: 7:31

Final thoughts/lessons:

This was a great course and I would definitely run it again, or even consider running the marathon in the future. The course is extremely flat, with only 2 or 3 minor hills that were much less than I am used to while running in Central Park. The race is very well organized, and for a relatively small race it had very enthusiastic crowd support. On a nice day, running along the ocean during the finish would be a great sight.

I felt extremely comfortable throughout the whole race. My breathing was fine (never really strained) and I felt very strong mentally. This is the best I have felt in a long race since the Queens Half in 2007 and the most consistent race I have run since then as well. A consistent and reliable pace(r) helps SO MUCH throughout the duration of a race.

You need to trust your plan and not go by how you feel - I know that this is much easier said than done. I felt great at the beginning of the race and even felt like I was holding back some. Since I felt good and thought I was going slower than I should have, I would have gone faster way too early in the race and probably paid for it dearly at the end. If you come up with a well thought out plan, stick to it!

The next big half or marathon that I do, I will definitely look to use a pace group. The energy is great and you are able to feed and gain strength from the other runners. You are not doing it alone. Running with a pace group, I believe, could allow me to try for a better time than I thought possible. It did this time around. Finally, I know that good fortune in running comes in streaks, and I was just happy to see that this race continued mine for a little while longer. I will ride this one for as long as it lasts, but know that it can't go on forever. Although tough phases are never fun to go through, they allow you to learn new things and make you stronger.

Run as One - TGL Classic 4 Miler

Today was a great day for running. It was a cool and sunny morning, with temperatures in the low 50s when I left my apartment. In an attempt to squeeze in a few miles for the week, I ran about two and half miles before the race and it was a great warm up for me. I had a good feeling about the race ahead.

The Run as One 4 miler has been a very good race for me over the last few years and is where I have usually run my fastest time of the year. It was my breakout race last year, where I got a big 4 mile PR and my fastest overall race pace that I'd ever run up until that point (and the bib time used for my NYRR races over the past year). Well, the race again provided me with good fortune this year and helped me to achieve several personal milestones: fastest overall pace (6:44), 4 mile PR, first time that I averaged faster than a 7 minute/mile pace, highest Age Grade % (63.5%) and my fastest individual (unofficial) mile time (6:22).

I know that four mile races have their complications (crowded start, difficulty in quickly building up to your race pace, very little room for error), but I was looking to take a stab at approaching my PR from last year. While I knew that last year's time was a huge jump for me, my previous two races this year (Cherry Tree 10 miler and the Colon Cancer 15K) gave me the confidence that I could start out and hold a quick pace from the very beginning, especially given the fact that those races were more than double the distance of this one. This is the first time that I consciously was trying for a PR in a race this short. Once I made the decision to do so, I knew that there would be no easy miles. Once you start out fast, you need to keep it up for the entire race and there is no slowing down or "coasting."

I was able to get in an adequate warm up and felt good before the start of the race. I knew that I needed to make a conscious effort to go out much faster than usual, but try and do it in a controlled fashion. I looked down at my watch as I passed Mile 1 and saw a pace of 7:06 (which was only slightly higher than my PR pace from last year - 7:03). At this point, I knew that a PR was possible, but also knew that anything could happen in the next three miles. Since I was going out at a much more aggressive pace than I have attempted in the past, I knew that I could unravel at any time. If I was to get close to a PR, I would have to maintain or go even faster than I did in mile 1. The second mile seemed like a good chance to pick up the pace, since the East Side of the park was relatively flat and had a couple slight downhills. I knew that once I passed the mile sign on the 102nd street transverse that the rolling hills on the West Side would be the toughest part of the race. I felt myself going faster during the second mile, and although I began to feel the strain of an increased effort, I was able to lower my overall pace by running Mile 2 in 6:40. I couldn't believe it. I just ran my fastest mile in a race up until that point and I still had two miles to go. That made me a bit nervous, but I now knew that a PR was within striking distance. The third mile was filled with hills, and I purposely tried to stabilize my pace and get my breathing under control. If I could get through this mile feeling OK, then I planned to give everything I had during the last mile. Although my pace increased slightly from the previous mile, I was still able to achieve a time of 6:49 (the first time I had ever run two consecutive sub-7:00 miles - yeah!). Once the sign for mile 3 had passed, I knew that not only did I have a good chance of breaking my PR from last year, but that I also had the chance to go under a 7:00 average for the first time. I gave the last mile all that I had left and was shocked to see that I ran it in 6:22. I don't how runners can keep up a pace like this for an entire half marathon or marathon. Hats off to all of you.

Mile Splits

Mile 1 - 7:06
Mile 2 - 6:40
Mile 3 - 6:49
Mile 4 - 6:22

Overall Time - 26:56 ; Overall pace - 6:44

This race continues a good stretch for me that began at this time last year and it has made me realize that with hard work and dedication, I am able to achieve times that I didn't think were possible a few years ago. This was a fantastic race for me, to say the least. I don't know how long these times will last (they always end eventually), but I will savor this one for a long time, and enjoy the ride.

New Sneakers - New Balance 769

As with most runners, I dread having to get a new pair of running sneakers. I have a very hard time finding a pair that fits me correctly, and then when I finally find one, New Balance usually comes out with a new model very quickly and then the whole process starts all over again. Last year, I bought three pairs of the New Balance 767s so I wouldn't have to worry about searching for sneakers during my marathon training. My third pair of 767s has finally reached the end of its line. So much time has passed since I bought my last pair of sneakers that I skipped over the 768 model entirely, and now the 769s are available. I was getting nervous since I heard from several of the stores that this model was narrower than in the past. Since Urban Athletics was having a sale last week, I ordered a pair of the 769s in my size, without the luxury of trying them on since they didn't have them in the store. They just came today (they hand delivered them to my apartment) and luckily they fit pretty well. I went for a 5 mile run in them today and felt good. Now I will just wait until they go down in price, and buy several pairs of them on the internet.

After talking with the Laminator, I decided to sign up tomorrow for the Long Branch Half Marathon on May 3rd. I wanted to put a half marathon on the calendar to get me focused a bit. It fits my criteria of a local race that is outside of Central Park, and relatively easy to get to. My running has been going well so far during the first quarter of the year, and I felt I was ready to gear up for a half marathon.

The weather was great on Friday and Saturday and I took full advantage of it. Yesterday was in the mid 50s and sunny, so I decided to do my usual 10 mile on the Westside Highway and back. I felt in a good groove and was able to do the run in about 1hr 25min, which averages out to about 8:30 per mile. Today, instead of a 6 mile run, I cut it down to 5. I had my new shoes on and they felt lighter than my last pair and more cushioned (that could just be because my last pair was worn down pretty extensively). I felt good right from the start and keep up a steady pace throughout. I thought my pace felt a bit on the quicker side and saw afterwards that I was going at an 8:00 pace. I didn't feel strained or tired, so this turned out to be a very good run for me.

Looking back on the first quarter of the year, I started out rather sluggish and then picked things up considerably during the last month and a half. I was still in recovery mode during January and the first part of February, and wasn't too concerned with my running. I felt lethargic and somewhat uninterested, and kept up my running purely as maintenance. Once I signed up for and ran the Cherry Tree 10 miler, I started to get more focused on my running and began to enjoy it again. My race times definitely reflected this, as evidenced by my PRs in the 10 miler and 15K last weekend. This is the second year in a row that I have done my "build up" (3 days per week running, and one day per week of spinning and strength) during the winter months and it seems to be working very well for me. This regimen allows my body and mind to stay fresh and strong during the beginning part of the year and lessens the time I need to get back into form.

Colon Cancer 15K Challenge - 3/22/09

I can't believe it, but I scored another PR, this time in the Colon Cancer 15K Challenge this past weekend. In addition, this is the second time ever that I achieved an Age Graded Performance of over 60%. It was a good day all around :) This continues to be a very good running streak for me and I just want to enjoy it for as long as it lasts. Usually, it takes me until later in the year to get "back up to speed", but I've had two great races so far this year in both the 10 mile and 15K distance. I've made sure not to overdo it at the beginning of the year, especially after running the Philadelphia Marathon in November, and it seems to be working for me. I continue to run 3 days per week (including a 10 mile run), spinning one day, and strength training one day.

The 15K is not one that is run too often, so it is hard to have an opportunity to get accustomed to it, let alone try for a PR. Therefore, I get excited when there is a 15K race, since there are only two or three of them per year in Central Park. My previous PR at this distance was in 2006, and I knew that it would be very tough to better my time from that day. I ran a 7:31 pace that day and just felt "on" - never really felt tired and was strong throughout. It would take perfect conditions to try and beat that time.

On Sunday, I ended up running a PR of 2:24, for an overall time of 1:07:37 and pace of 7:16. This was the second fastest race (based on mile pace) that I have ever run, regardless of the distance (fastest being the Run As One 4M race last year at 7:03 pace). The weather was perfect for me. It was very cool and the start of the race had temperatures that were in the low 40s. I was looking to have a strong race, but was in no way looking to go out and beat my previous best time. The first few miles I went out strong, trying not to go out too fast, and was able to keep up a pace of around 7:30. At that point, I felt good and thought I should give it a go to keep up this pace for the rest of the race. If I was able to do so, I knew that a PR was in the realm of possibility.

The strong miles kept on coming one after the other, even on the hills where I made sure to conserve my energy a bit. If I could continue this pace through six miles, I knew that I would have enough left to go faster in the remaining three miles, since I was able to accomplish that in the Cherry Tree 10 miler the month before. The sun was coming out more towards the end of the race and warmed me up a bit, and gave me some renewed energy. I picked it up towards the end and was able to run the last three miles in 7:04, 7:14, and 6:54 (for the last 1.3 miles). I couldn't believe how strong I felt at the end and that I bettered my best time in this distance by a considerable margin.


Mile Splits:

Some of the mile times look a little too fast to me, so there was probably a couple mile markers that were in the wrong place

Mile 1 - 7:40
Mile 2 - 6:50 (mile was probably too short)
Mile 3 - 7:54 (mile was probably too long)
Mile 4 - 7:19
Mile 5 - 7:21
Mile 6 - 7:17
Mile 7 - 7:04
Mile 8 - 7:14
Last 1.3 miles - 8:58 (6:54 pace)

Total time - 1:07:37 ; Overall pace - 7:16

This race, along with the 10 miler from last month, has started to give me the confidence that I have the ability to go out strong in a longer race, and be able to sustain it throughout. In the longer races, I usually feel the need to start out slower and build up throughout the race for fear that I would fall apart at the end. The fact that I was able to run a pace of 7:30 and 7:16 for my past two 10 mile and 15K races, on tough, hilly courses, let's me know that I have the ability to handle a fast pace in a longer race - maybe I should experiment with a slightly more agressive strategy when running a half marathon and see if I can handle it.

Cherry Tree 10 Miler - First Race of 2009

This was my first race since the Joe Kleinerman 10K in the beginning of December and my first race of 2009. It was good to finally get back out there again. I signed up for several races in January/beginning of February but passed on them either due to the weather or lack of desire.

Although I felt good physically after the Philadelphia Marathon, I think it took me a little while to get into a post marathon "funk". I thought I could avoid it this time around but I think it is inevitable. After the 10K in December, I became a bit sluggish and didn't have the drive to run for a little while. I was running about 15 miles a week for a month and a half or so just to keep myself in a maintenance mode. After a marathon, you can't force yourself to get the "itch" again, it has to come naturally.

By the beginning of February, I was ready to start my longer runs again and get back on a schedule. My off-season strategy from last year seemed to work very well for me, so I was looking to repeat it again this year. By the beginning of February, I was back to running about 20-22 miles a week, and including a longer run of 9-10 miles each weekend, in addition to a day of spinning and strength training. This gives me plenty of rest at the same time I am able to slowly build myself back up.

When I heard about the Cherry Tree 10 miler in Prospect Park, it seemed to be a good first race back. I was finally back to feeling comfortable and running well on my own at the 10 mile distance again and it was a close race out of Central Park. As I did last year, I am looking to mix things up a bit and run some races outside of Central Park. This was my first race in Prospect Park and my first race in Brooklyn. I was excited about and I even managed a 10 mile PR! I didn't think I would get down this low again in a 10 miler - I did my previous PR in 2006 when I ran the NYC marathon. This was definitely a very good start to the year for me and gives me a good idea where I am at.

I was a little worried about the weather given the fact that Accuweather.com and Weather.com were both predicting rain all morning. However, the weather turned out great - very good running weather in the low 40s, cloudy, cool, and very light rain, which was very refreshing.

It is a three loop course that has a "Central Park" feel to it. I usually don't like doing three loop races (due to the usual tough second loop) but I liked this one alot. Since I didn't know the course at all, I tried to maintain a steady pace for the first loop to get a feel for the course. For a park that is only a little over three miles, there are two pretty big hills that I knew I had to watch out on the second and third time around. I tried to be smart and take the hills somewhat conservatively. It took me about the length of the first loop to feel comfortable out there, but I seemed to feel better and stronger as the race went on. I think the weather definitely had something to do with. I felt very good during the last loop and picked up the pace a bit and was even able to attack the hill located on the middle mile. My last mile was my fastest one, with a time of 7:00.

There were no chip times, only a gun time. Therefore, my overall "net" time of 1:15:02 is the time that I had on my watch (the "official" time on the PPTC website is 1:15:09). There was no starting line so it was hard to figure out when to start my watch. Either way, I beat my previous 10 mile PR by more than a minute and 40 seconds (previous best was 1:16:51).

Mile Splits

Mile 1 - 7:27 (might be off by several seconds since there was no starting line)
Mile 2 - 7:49
Mile 3 - 7:24
Mile 4 - 7:20
Mile 5 - 7:56
Mile 6 - 7:53
Mile 7 - 7:14
Mile 8 - 7:21
Mile 9 - 7:37
Mile 10 - 7:00

Total - 1:15:02 (my watch); 1:15:09 (official time on PPTC website)
Avg - 7:30

Back On the Road - Joe Kleinerman 10K

I've definitely had a bit of a lull/lack of motivation since the marathon. I allowed myself to cave into some of the excuses not to run - too cold, too tired, etc. It has only been two weeks so far, so this is not unexpected. After my last two marathons, it takes several weeks or a couple months to get back in the swing of things and feel back to your old self. I took it very easy the week after the marathon only running once (4 miles) and doing one day of light legwork in the gym. In order to not pressure myself to come back too quickly, I gave myself the license to take it easy for the rest of the year. That doesn't mean no running, merely getting outside several times a week at a comfortable pace and beginning to slowly build my body back up and give myself an overdue mental break. I am hoping to get back to my 9-10 mile "long" run every weekend which I want to begin by the end of December.

This week started off sluggish as well. I went out for a 4 miler on Monday, which was cut down from a scheduled five or six mile run. I was out there by myself which was a bit tough. On Thursday I had the group run which luckily made me get outside. I stayed at the back of the pack with one of my fellow Philly marathoners at a 9:05 pace. That 6 mile run was the longest I ran over the past two weeks and it felt tough. As for the Kleinerman 10K, I signed up for it a while back hoping to used it as a bounce back race after the marathon. It was scheduled to possibly rain or snow, which would have derailed my plans. Luckily the weather cooperated and I was able to roll out of bed and head on over to the starting line. I was not looking to go out fast, but merely to have an enjoyable race. Luckily, I met up with Runner26 and we ran the entire race together and it was just what I needed. We both wanted to go out at about an 8:30 pace, and after running an up and down first three miles, we settled into our goal pace. Having her there to chat with allowed me to not concentrate on my time, but just to go out there and have a good time. Thanks so much AG! This race definitely boosted my morale and will hopefully kick start my post marathon running. With the colder temperatures and less daylight, the winter is a tough period to get motivated to run. The goal is to have fun for the rest of the year/beginning of January and get in my runs without regard for pace.

The splits for the race are:

Mile 1 - 8:40
Mile 2 - 8:21
Mile 3 - 8:15
Mile 4 - 8:30
Mile 5 - 8:32
Last 1.2 miles - 9:51 (8:13 pace)

Total time: 52:12
Overall pace: 8:25

Philadelphia Marathon - Mission Accomplished!

My third marathon is now complete. I finished the Philadelphia Marathon in 3:48:03, a PR by nearly nine minutes - woo hoo! While my first goal was to merely get a PR (previous best was 3:56:56), I was really hoping to go under 3:50. Training was going very well and I wanted to have a big PR to show for all of the hard work I was putting in. The last few weeks before the marathon, I was calculating what I thought was possible, but realistic: 3:50 was definitely doable and 3:45, while I would need to push myself hard, was attainable. So in my head, I was planning to try and get in between 3:45 and 3:50 which is almost exactly what happened. Mission accomplished!

Traveling - I was glad that I chose a relatively local marathon. It was very easy to travel back and forth to Philadelphia, which eliminated most of the stress surrounding the race. In addition, by running in a local race, a large number of my teammates ran as well. It helps a great deal to have people to hang out with the night before the race and to swap war stories with afterwards, as well as having the chance to see a familiar face on the course when you might need a quick pick me up. There were over 10 Flyers in all doing either the full marathon or the half and it was extremely helpful to have that support.


Weather- I was checking the weather report all week and unfortunately it was getting worse instead of better. Each day it seemed as if the forecast was getting colder and colder. Based on all of the weather reports, we were expecting the start of the race to be at about 25-26 degrees with the high for the day not going up above 35 degrees. I definitely do not like running in the heat, so I would take a cold marathon over a hot one any day. However this was pushing it a bit. I get hot very quickly in a race, so staying warm wasn't really the problem, as opposed to staying dry. I was able to get away with only a long sleeve base layer and my Nike long sleeve hand warmer top, running pants, and my new lightweight Nike Skullcap (this was perfect since my hair usually gets very wet). The start of the race was about 27 degrees, but the temps did not really bother me at all. I was fine after only the first few miles, when I even began to think to myself how comfortable I felt. It was as if it was 45 degrees outside for me. I think that the weather bothered some of the other Flyers alot more. The only problem for me came towards the end of the race when I began to slow down and my clothes were now soaking wet. The last few miles I was really feeling the cold.


Course - I thought the course was great. Except for a couple significant hills (mile 8 or 9 and at about mile 15 or so if I remember correctly), the course lived up to its flat reputation. After being used to the throngs of spectators at the NYC marathon, I was afraid that there was not going to be a lot of spectators lining the course to help give me a boost. Since the race started at 7AM, the first 10 miles of the course was pretty empty as expected. However, by the time I reached the halfway point, the number of spectators grew considerably and they were a fun and lively bunch. By the end of the race, there were so many people lining the narrow streets, that we all had to run single file from mile 26 to the finish line. I was pleasantly surprised by the crowds.

The race - I have been ready and waiting for this race for several months now and I was getting very excited for it to begin. I knew the training went well and I was ready and anxious to have a great race. The cold temperatures were not bothering me and I was ready to go. The first wave went off at about 7:08 or so and after they took off, I was pretty close to the starting line. At around 7:16AM, my day began. While at the starting line, I debated whether or not to join one of the pace groups, but I decided against it. I knew there was a chance I would regret it later on but, oh well.

I felt great right from the beginning. My original plan was to run at 8:40s and then adjust my pace accordingly at the halfway mark. I guess through all of the excitement, I went out faster than expected for the first 3 or 4 miles. I was running at around 8:20 and I knew that that was way too fast. I didn't want to derail my race after only a few miles, so I needed to slow down. I relaxed as much as possible after that, however, I was still running at around an 8:30 pace. Since I felt good, I didn't fight it and kept going as long as I could - exactly the same thought rationale I had at the Staten Island Half last month. The miles kept flying by and I felt strong and relaxed. There was only one big hill so far, at around mile 8 or 9, but I adjusted accordingly and ran my slowest mile up until that point (but still only an 8:52). I was able to cross the halfway point in an astonishing (for me) time of 1:50 and then was still be able to run an 8:30 pace up through mile 20 (I couldn't believe it), before starting to deteriorate after mile 22 for the remainder of the race.

Through 5 miles - 8:20 pace
Through 10 miles - 8:26 pace
Half marathon - 8:26 pace


I try not to get ahead of myself too early, but sometimes it is impossible not to with all of the excitement of a marathon. After hitting the halfway point feeling great, there was a small part of me that was wondering if I can actually finish at or around 3:40, but I came down to earth right away after that. I knew that I would not be able to keep this pace up for the rest of the race, but I allowed myself to dream for just a little bit. By mile 16 or 17, I was thinking that if I can just get to mile 20 feeling good, then maybe I had a shot at the low 3:40s. As we all know, fortunes can take a turn for the worse in a marathon in the course of a mile or two. By mile 21, I was starting to decline, and my thoughts went from low 3:40s, to 3:45, to under 3:50, to "please let this race be over as soon as possible". The end of the race could not come soon enough. As with any race, there many things to learn from to use moving forward, I was very satisfied that I set a tough but attainable goal for myself and I achieved it.

Through 20 miles - 8:32 pace
Through 23 miles - 8:36 pace
Through 25 miles - 8:40 pace
Full marathon - 8:42 pace

It was a substantial risk to deviate from my original plan so quickly, but a calculated one. Should I have slowed down for a larger portion of the race, and then hoped that I had enough left to pick it up in the final miles? That is always the million dollar question. No matter how meticulously you plan prior to a race, there are no guarantees so I decided to go for it. In order to run a negative split and run faster as the race goes on, you need a lot of confidence in your pacing ability and energy management throughout the race. Even if I stayed with my original plan and ran at an 8:40 pace, would have I been able to keep that up for the entire 26 miles - who knows, but the answer is probably not. Even if I did, my overall time would only have been less than a minute faster than what I ended up running. Therefore, taking a risk in this case did not hurt me. As they say, that is why you play the game. There is no way to know what will happen to you in a race until you go out and do it.

The only reason I stayed at the 8:30 pace for so long was because of how good I felt. I was calm and relaxed and knocking off one mile after another. I hit the halfway point at 1:50 (which was considerably faster than what I had planned), but I did not drop off that much at all for the next several miles. Even though I hit the half going at a 8:26 pace, I wasn't struggling and was even able to hit between 8:34-8:37 for the next five miles. I was still going at an overall 8:30 pace up until mile 20. I was even able to hang on for an 8:45 and 9:02 for miles 21 and 22 respectively. It wasn't until mile 23 that my pace began to plummet quickly. My last 4.2 miles were a struggle. At this point, I needed to take the race one mile at a time. Mentally I was pretty spent. Even though I wanted to, I couldn't move my legs any faster. I contemplated walking for a little bit, but knew myself and if I started to walk, I would not be able to get going again. Also, I felt that I didn't work so hard for these last several months, to let my race unravel with only a few miles to go after I did so well up until that point. My last miles were 9:10, 9:19, 9:29, and 9:29 (last 1.2). Even though I was definitely hurting the last few miles, they were not nearly as bad as they were in 2006 when I hit the wall. Back then, my "wall" miles were approaching nearly 9:45-10:00 minutes and my only saving grace was the fact was that I was able to pick up the last couple miles in Central Park.

Although in my mind it seems as if I went out too fast and then crumbled at the end, I was proud of the fact that I was able to keep up a brisk pace for nearly the entire race. Looking back now with a clear head, my second half struggles (even though they seemed to last a long time) were only limited to the last 3 or 4 miles. My mile paces didn't really start to substantially decline until mile 23-24. As with any of my marathons, I knew that I would slow down towards the end, but my goal was to try and have my slowest miles not go above 9:00 or 9:05 - which nearly happened. In addition, another silver lining was the fact that the second half of this marathon was the fastest of my three so far.

First Half: 1:50:34
Second Half: 1:57:29

Mile 15: 8:32
Mile 16: 8:34
Mile 17: 8:34
Mile 18: 8:37
Mile 19: 8:58
Mile 20: 8:55
Mile 21 - 8:45
Mile 22 - 9:02
Mile 23 - 9:10
Mile 24 - 9:19
Mile 25 - 9:29
Last 1.2 miles - 11:23 (9:29 mile pace)


Post Race - There was quad soreness hours after the marathon, but very minimal soreness or discomfort the day after and beyond. This is much different than after my previous two marathons in which I was in pain for several days and it was very difficult to walk down stairs. I pretty much felt back to normal only 2 days later. I guess I can attribute this to my strengthening throughout the year. I will go for a light jog probably on Wednesday and get back into a running routine again next week. Hopefully my post marathon lull won't be too bad this time around. To try and avoid or lessen it, I need to keep my running light and fun through at least the end of the year. I won't push anything too hard.

Training - Looking back on the last few months and my time for this race, my training went very well. This was the first time out of my three marathons so far in which I felt very good throughout the entire training cycle. I never felt exhausted physically or mentally, no burnout, and I was able to recover very quickly from hard races and long runs. I even avoided getting sick or injured for the entire 4 month cycle. My weekly schedule worked very well for me - four days of running and switching off spinning and weights every other week. This allowed me to get two days of rest per week, while the cross training gave me a day off from the pounding on the roads while keeping up my leg strength. I will definitely keep up my "off peak" schedule that I did this past year in order to keep up my maintenance mileage in the winter months - including a long run of 8-10 miles per week and a weekly mileage of about 20-22.

Thoughts - As this is only my third marathon, I am still in the process of learning all of the nuances of the race. Each time I've run, I pick up several key learnings that help me in my next marathon. I'm excited to see that my time dropped over 12 minutes from my first marathon (4:00:09) to my third (3:48:03). It shows how much you can improve yourself if you put in the time and effort. Pacing is still the biggest thing that I need to work on. Although my overall time probably would not have been substantially different if I ran a consistent pace throughout, I probably would have been able to finish stronger and felt better in the later miles. I should definitely consider joining a pace group for the next marathon I do. From what I hear, the Clif Bar teams at Philly were almost dead on for every pace group. I wouldn't have to worry about my pace fluctuating early on, and it would probably give me a chance at at time in the low 3:40s. I can't believe that I am now a sub 3:50 marathoner - awesome!

Looking past my health issues for the year, it was a great year running wise for me. I got PRs in 4 distances (4 mile, 5 mile, 10K (twice) and the marathon). Things just clicked. I kept up my cross training, strengthened my legs, recovered well after hard runs and got faster. I will savor this year for a while and think about it when my running hits a rough spot or lull in the future (it always does)