The ants go marching 2 by 2

Last night a gaggle of Front Runners headed up to the Bronx for Van Cortlandt Track Club's annual Thursday before the 4th of July 2x2 relay. Teams of 2, each person runs 2 miles, including Cemetery Hill. This is a fun event and FRNY made up about a third of the field and took home about 10 AG awards.

Before the race, I ran up to the park. It's a lovely run. I go straight up Broadway. Broadway this far uptown is hilly. It rolls up and down for the 5 miles it takes to get to the Broadway Bridge that goes over into the Bronx. I ran a total of 7 miles total before the race which is perfect, I need a long warm up. A few weeks ago at the Biketown Africa fundraiser, I got a hydration pack/backpack to run with. Though I didn't use the hydration part, it was perfect for carrying my spikes and my singlet along with a smaller fuel belt bottle for the 7 mile trek. When I left my house at 5:30, it was 70 degrees with 70% humidity. When I got to the Bronx, I was totally soaked.

I teamed up with Claudia who I've been running with for the better part of 10 years. This was our old school FRNY team. When I first joined, we were 2 of the only women who came around. So naturally, several of the boys just thought we were the same person. Claudia's getting over a bit of a calf strain so I knew she wasn't going to run all out. I just raced on Sunday and ran 7 miles to get here so this was all for fun.

Claudia went first. I waited with everyone else for the hand offs and watched all the boys fly by. She came through in 15:20. Not bad for nursing an injury. I'm glad I went 2nd so I wouldn't be tempted to go out too fast on the flats, which I did last time I ran up here. I stayed steady and looked to the people in front of me and planned on picking off 4 of them before entering the woods, which I did. Once on the cowpath, we start to go up slightly then there's a somewhat sharp left and the hill starts. Once I was going up I could see the people behind me who have yet to make the turn. I could see Rachel. I was pretty sure she was going to catch me at some point. Up up up the hill to the steepest part which goes about 100 feet in 300 yards. The nice thing, however, is it then just drops. It can be a tricky decent if you dont like to run down hill. Me, I LOVE to run down hill so I just fly. Tricky about this as well is you fly down hill then you have to make a left turn while doing it. It's at this point, I see Loren with Bea. Loren says something, I have no idea what and her and the dog start running with me. That little doggie has some wheels!  

Once back on the flats, Loren said to me "you're going to have to work hard if you want to hold her off" I knew Rachel was coming and that was fine. She passed me early on the last flat section of the course. There's a long straight away that leads to the end and feels, like most finishes do, endless. Wouldn't you know, that doggie was still running after me? Loren said once she saw me she wouldn't stop. 

I cross the line in 14:48. Eh, not too bad for running through the humidity of a swamp.

Rachel wasn't far ahead of me. 

Claudia and I took 2nd in the 70-95 age group (they add your ages together, how they come up with this particular age group is anyone's guess), Rachel and Sandi were first. Our total time was 30:22. The age group prized are muffins and FRNY took home a bakery full. 

We all cooled down together and several other people joined. It was like a group of 50 ducklings running along after the race, Bea included.

10 miles for the day, not bad.

Oh I dont think I mentioned I went for my first bike ride for the sake of riding my bike last week. I actually had a really good time. I think I might do it again today. I'm planning on doing a long run tomorrow so I should have about 40 miles for the week, building up nicely for my NY marathon training cycle.

Also, my beloved Garmin has died.  This is apparently not uncommon (which sucks) but they will replace it for me for $80 which is better than having to buy a new one since I am now addicted to having it. 

oh happy day

Yes I know the NJ marathon was almost 2 months ago. My pal Katrina just posted these pictures to Facebook. They were taken about 10 minutes after I finished and met my cheering team mates inside the race hotel. You can tell by my soaked jacket it was really raining. The bottom one, I'm hugging FRNY's coach and my long time pal Kelsey (who got up at 3:30am to take the train out to watch me and STAND IN THE RAIN, something I am reminded of every time I see him). That's Loren next to us holding all my crap.

These pictures really sum up the day.

Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls

This morning was the 28th running of FRNY's Pride Run. This is my club's 5 mile race. Obviously we get a great turn out from the club (250 running today with tons more working the course!) and we get a lot of fast locals since we hand out the cash.

The men's over all winners came in in a photo finish of 23:05 and 23:06, with third in at 23:08.

My own race was much more on the human scale with a 37:16, a 3+ minute PR. While I am happy with this time, again, I'm not happy with how I ran the race. First mile was maybe a hair too fast at 7:21. I did stick with it and gut it out. Mother Nature also gave us sunshine and some heat, something we haven't seen too much of lately. Oh well. I also got 11th in my AG, being outstepped by  the woman who got 10th. We had the exact same finish time. I dont even remember seeing anyone cross when I did. 

Loren's been working her way back from a calf strain and not running too much so she ran with me. I was holding on for dear life, she was having a casual conversation about how I can gut this out and pick people off in the last mile. We rarely run races together so that was a nice treat even if I did feel like hell.

Thanks for taking such a nice photo of us when all was said and done Bernd! And Congrats Rachel for being the first FRNY woman.

Stats:

Overall: 545/3661

Women: 68/1780

AG 11/277 

1000 miles, it's true,

I hit my 1000th mile for 2009 today.
I am celebrating with 5.7 ounces of love

upside down

45 minutes of hill running.

This is why the NYC Marathon is not hilly to New Yorkers.

You've got to promise not to stop when I say when

Wow, look at me, I actually didn't race this week! AMAZING!

I did run however. And I had FUN, for the most part. On Tues, Les and Sharon took sick days and we ran in brooklyn then soaked our bones at the Russian baths. Now that's my kind of running!

Wed. was eh. I wasn't too psyched about my run. It went from hmm, I'll run to the Little Red Lighthouse (yes it's real!) which is 6 miles round trip to oh I guess 4 really slow is fine. So that's what I did.

Yesterday I procrastinated most of the day because it was raining. Late in the afternoon, I finally got out for a 5.5 mile run and I'm so glad I did. It had mostly stopped raining and I felt GREAT!

Today, I went for 13 miles, the longest run since the Brooklyn half. I want to start upping my milage again since training for NYC is just around the corner. I'm also 26 miles away from 1000 miles for the year.

Tomorrow, no running for me. Loren and I are going out to NJ to help raise money for Biketown Africa. Last fall, we went to help build and give away bikes in Swaziland. A trip that was truly amazing (photos here!) I hope to return to Africa again this fall. It is so difficult for people in this country to understand the impact something as simple as a bike can have. Thought your last 10k was tough? Imagine having to walk that to see a Dr or go to school or get water and how much easier it would be on a bike. With funding being cut for everything, we're hoping to raise some much needed funds for the project. Feeling generous? Every little bit counts.

Sunday will be an easy run for me so I can cheer the men of FRNY on in their points race. Look pretty boys!

stroke me stroke me

This weekend, I headed down to Philly for the Strides to Stroke 5k. I blame this entirely on Flo (also known in internet circles as Girl In Motion). I don't remember the last time I ran a flat 5k. Honestly, I may have been 12. In NYC, I run a lot of cross country 5ks which are anything but flat. I do, however, enjoy running through the woods and know the course here very well so even though it's very hilly, I always have fun. So I figured I'd go to Philly, run a flat 5k, and see how fast I could do it.

Here's the thing: I ran a marathon on May 3rd. I ran a half marathon 2 weeks ago, I ran a 10k last week. Adding this 5k makes it 3 races in 3 weeks. And ya know what? That's dumb. It's dumb because I RACED all of them. I'm usually good at pinning on a number and going for a run. I didn't do that here. The Brooklyn have I wanted to run all out and PR. The 10k was a team race and I raced it like a moron and blew up. 

Anyway, on to this one. I dont know how to race a 5k. It's too short. So we walked over to the start from Flo's house and got our numbers. We met up with Judy (a gal from the RWOL Boston girls) and warmed up. My intention was to warm up for 3 miles. I really need to go for a while before something short. Loren and Bea came with me for most of it. I'm so use to NYRR races where there are thousands of people and you need to be in your corral 10 minutes before the start time that I was worried about getting back to the start in time. I ran a bit over 2 miles with some striders. 

The course is flat and out and back. I've run here before, but not since I dropped out of the Philly marathon. That feeling of being hurt and not even being half way done came back to me as I ran behind the art museum.

I lined up with Flo and Judy close to the front. I was really hoping NOT to go out too fast. If last year was any indication to who shows up for this race, I should be up front with only a handful of women.

And we're off. I felt pretty good to start. I knew Flo was going to run a lot faster than me so I intentionally stayed away from her so I wouldn't blow up.  I was figuring my first mile should be between 7-7:10. I hit the marker at 6:58. Ok, maybe a hair too fast. I had 2 women pass me in the first mile and one right in front of me that I was working on catching. When I did catch her, she sped up and passed me back. I let her go. I wasn't going to spend a whole lot of energy going back and forth with her. 

As we got to the turn around, there was water. I went to grab it but the woman holding it didn't let go. Oh well. Oh and the woman who passed me pretty much came to a stand still to drink so I passed her back and never saw her again.

I started running with this boy who looked like he was about 12. He was working hard and I just sorta stuck with him. When I got to the mile 2 marker, I was pissed. 7:38. Are you kidding me? I totally fell asleep at the wheel. I dont know what happened. That's part of the reason I dont like these short races, there's not a whole lot of time to make up for a mistake. 

I left the kid behind. I went into this race with a goal of 22:30. I've wanted to break 23 minutes for years. Earlier this year I came close with a 23:17 on a hilly course when it was 30 degrees out.

I was sorta in no mans land. There were a few guys strung out ahead of me and as far as I could tell, no one too close behind me. Then I heard footsteps. I took a quick look back and it was a woman. 

Crap.

I didn't want to be passed. I knew I was maybe 5th at this point. She passed me. I kept her in my sites. Man, this last mile feels like forever! It shouldn't feel this way! This race is only three miles!

I knew there was a bend in the road and then I'd see the finish line. And there it was. I was also pulling back the chick who passed me. Like usual, I was obsessively looking at my watch.  There were about 10 cones leading up to the finish line, I passed the chick in the cones to finish just ahead of her.

22:36

Ok, so 6 seconds off what I was hoping for. Not bad considering I didn't run the best race. 

The RWOL girls had a nice showing. Flo was 2nd over all and won her age group. I was 5th over all and won my age group. Judy was 2nd in her age group.

My mom, 2 of my nephews, my BFF Tracy and her kid all came out to the race. That was fun. My nephews had never been to one of my races before. I took Bea to do a cool down (which wasn't enough. My legs were sore almost instantly after this race, something that rarely happens. TOO MUCH RACING). As I was jogging along, I hear this little voice behind me "I'm coming with you!!!" and I turn around and there's my 6 year old nephew, Cole, running to catch up with me. He was such a sport. I slowed down so he could run with me and the dog, I bet we did at least a half mile. When we were done, he just sat on the sidewalk and said "Man, I gotta get use to this". SO CUTE!! I hope later in the summer I can go back down and find a race that has a kids race too so he can run.

So the short of it (ok, not so short, it's taken me longer to write this than it did for me to run the race) is I'm happy with my time, I'm happy with winning my age group. I'm not too thrilled with the way I ran the race. Oh well. I dont plan on doing a whole lotta 5ks that aren't XC.