Manhattan Half Marathon
Quick stats in case you don't want to read the whole write-up:
Time: 1:46:54
Pace: 8:09
Race time temperature: 37 degrees
VFF sightings: 2
Conversations with strangers about VFF's: 3
Brendan Snodgrass walking his dog sightings: 1
Food consumed post-race: way too much
Yesterday I participated in the first of five half-marathon races as part of the New York Road Runners Grand Prix. The racing series consists of a half-marathon in each borough throughout the year, and this first one was the Manhattan Half, taking place in Central Park. In training I hadn't run more than six miles, but my last run was a six-miler on Wednesday, and I felt that the 90 days of P90X improved my cardio greatly.
I loaded up on carbs on Saturday, especially with a big Italian dinner, and then ate a banana and 3/4ths of a bagel before the race, at around 7:15am. It was chilly out in the morning, and my toes were starting to go numb as the 8am race start drew nigh, but I knew once I started moving I'd be fine. My biggest worry was hitting the wall after the first lap, since that was as far as I trained for, but I knew that as long as I stuck to my game plan of breathing through my nose and regulating the pace that way, I shouldn't burn out.
I saw a girl wearing army camouflage Vibram FiveFingers at the starting gates, but wasn't able to get over to her to say hello. The first lap went by smoothly, as I was still half asleep for it, and my body stayed in cruise control. I think I ran about 8 minute miles for most of it, but I lost track of my pace after the third mile. Since I know every little hill and turn of the park, I was able to set mini-goals that definitely helped me out mentally, instead of just thinking, "how much further is the finish already!" The second lap was pretty good too, and I paced myself with a group of three friends, who were going a bit faster than I was. Their pace didn't tire me out, so I knew it was a good way to push myself and stay on track for a finish under two hours. I actually ended up talking to one of the guys for a minute when he asked me about my VFF's, and found that I wasn't breathing hard at all and was able to speak quite normally. Whenever I ran through my mouth in the past I always felt out of breath.
I felt myself slowing down mentally for the last mile, but I forced myself to pick up the pace a bit and probably ran about an eight minute mile for it. The last tenth of a mile I sprinted, as I still had plenty of energy and just wanted it to be over with anyways. My final time bested my first half marathon back in August 2009 by seven minutes, for a time of 1:46:54, a 8:09 minute pace! That made me really happy, and was probably due to the colder weather, as well as the P90X shape I was in. I didn't have any blisters on my feet like after the first race, but my second toes on both feet were quite sensitive and sore afterward, though I didn't get the dreaded "purple toenail." My calves were very sore, as were my feet, but that's nothing a day or two of rest can't heal.
The next half marathon isn't for another couple of months, but I'm definitely looking forward to it!
Time: 1:46:54
Pace: 8:09
Race time temperature: 37 degrees
VFF sightings: 2
Conversations with strangers about VFF's: 3
Brendan Snodgrass walking his dog sightings: 1
Food consumed post-race: way too much
Yesterday I participated in the first of five half-marathon races as part of the New York Road Runners Grand Prix. The racing series consists of a half-marathon in each borough throughout the year, and this first one was the Manhattan Half, taking place in Central Park. In training I hadn't run more than six miles, but my last run was a six-miler on Wednesday, and I felt that the 90 days of P90X improved my cardio greatly.
I loaded up on carbs on Saturday, especially with a big Italian dinner, and then ate a banana and 3/4ths of a bagel before the race, at around 7:15am. It was chilly out in the morning, and my toes were starting to go numb as the 8am race start drew nigh, but I knew once I started moving I'd be fine. My biggest worry was hitting the wall after the first lap, since that was as far as I trained for, but I knew that as long as I stuck to my game plan of breathing through my nose and regulating the pace that way, I shouldn't burn out.
I saw a girl wearing army camouflage Vibram FiveFingers at the starting gates, but wasn't able to get over to her to say hello. The first lap went by smoothly, as I was still half asleep for it, and my body stayed in cruise control. I think I ran about 8 minute miles for most of it, but I lost track of my pace after the third mile. Since I know every little hill and turn of the park, I was able to set mini-goals that definitely helped me out mentally, instead of just thinking, "how much further is the finish already!" The second lap was pretty good too, and I paced myself with a group of three friends, who were going a bit faster than I was. Their pace didn't tire me out, so I knew it was a good way to push myself and stay on track for a finish under two hours. I actually ended up talking to one of the guys for a minute when he asked me about my VFF's, and found that I wasn't breathing hard at all and was able to speak quite normally. Whenever I ran through my mouth in the past I always felt out of breath.
I felt myself slowing down mentally for the last mile, but I forced myself to pick up the pace a bit and probably ran about an eight minute mile for it. The last tenth of a mile I sprinted, as I still had plenty of energy and just wanted it to be over with anyways. My final time bested my first half marathon back in August 2009 by seven minutes, for a time of 1:46:54, a 8:09 minute pace! That made me really happy, and was probably due to the colder weather, as well as the P90X shape I was in. I didn't have any blisters on my feet like after the first race, but my second toes on both feet were quite sensitive and sore afterward, though I didn't get the dreaded "purple toenail." My calves were very sore, as were my feet, but that's nothing a day or two of rest can't heal.
The next half marathon isn't for another couple of months, but I'm definitely looking forward to it!
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