I needed that.

NYRR Colon Cancer Challenge 15K Race Report

Today, I laced up for my first real test of the season. My first battle of mind and body brought me to the start line of the NYRR Colon Cancer Challenge 15K this morning. I was not quite sure what to expect of myself outside of matching the lofty 6:50 pace which I registered with and so quickly had forgotten. However, how quickly it came back when I picked up my bib having to confirm said time Friday afternoon at 9 East 89th. To tell you the truth, even that pace was an educated guess, as it had been approximately a year since I had lined up for any mid-distance race, and never a 15K. Hell, even ‘educated guess’ would be a reach! Running is not even a focus of mine this season, and I shattered my nearest shorter comparison 8K time by 57 seconds. Quite simply, today was not only the confirmation I needed to assure myself I am on the right track, but also the supreme motivation to kick some serious ass this year. I’ve got the competitive fire, and am documenting it all here for the tough times that surely lie ahead.

The week started with a pretty big scare on my Wednesday long run. This week found me back in Reston, VA on business, which after a couple of months break was something I was actually pretty excited about. Depending on who reads this however, it was for either the wrong or right reasons. We’ll leave the debate from the words that follow, but in all seriousness it was good for both the professional and personal. I’ll stick to the personal here, and that meant a nice two and a half hour long run on Reston’s beautiful Washington & Old Dominion Trail; a converted and paved rail line of yesteryear, away from traffic, and largely people for that matter. Not bad to have that near by for business travel (as well as a nice community pool)!

Anyway, what all this meant was a nice change of pace. We arrived Tuesday night, and after a quick stop to the local running store for a headlamp which I’ve been meaning to get for nearly a year since I’ve been coming here (no traffic, no people, no lights means near perfect solitude), and some decent carbohydrates across the street courtesy of some vegetable fajitas, I was ready to sleep. That happened a little later than I would’ve liked, but I was on the road by 5AM. So what is this huge digression in the middle of a race report? Well, I hurt myself pretty badly; however it was a completely new spot. I didn’t think it was so bad while running, but that soon changed when I finished, and a tendon in the front of my lower leg (not a shin splint, I know those) was extremely sore, even to the touch.

RICE, and making some schedule changes, the pain completely vanished, today being case and point. I chalk it up to tightness, and/or tweaking something while lifting the day before. Very strange, and originally very worrisome. These things happen, cest la vie.

John gave me the go ahead this week to pass on the long rides usually scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, and focus only on the 15K. This is one of the places where a coach is extremely helpful: reading between the lines from various emails, and knowing I was in need of some motivation, shifted gears and (very) short term focus for me. All the workouts sans the rides took place per normal, however when I came into the weekend I took an easy 40 min run, with approximately a mile pace effort, then brought it home. Rested, ate smartly, and turned in early.

This morning I got going at 7AM, coffee, followed by standard bowl of oatmeal, raisens, walnuts, bananas, mixed with some honey and yogurt at 8AM. Michelle, I, and Melissa (down for the weekend for some wedding shopping) headed out the door at 9AM, arriving at Central Park by 10AM on an overcast day with race temperature of a chilly 41F. I had approximately 25 minutes to warm up once we found the start, then changed to my singlet with arm warmers, which I’m glad I did despite feeling cold, and headed to the corrals. My goal pace started to sink in when I realized my corral was the first. Surrounded by the fast guys and gals the adrenaline surged. I was ready to rock!

11:15AM, and we were off. I had planned to start around a 7 minute mile pace for the first 4 miles or until I found and settled in my rhythm. That soon changed. Simply, I was feeling killer, and I quickly found myself pacing a couple individuals in front of me at approximately 6:45 pace, before finding an individual that I ran shotgun to at 6:20-6:30. I was extremely pleased with my breathing and heart rate, which were both very comfortably under control, neither labored at all even into mile 4, which was my mental go ahead to let loose.

Now, unfortunately I’m not going to be able to break this down to the level of detail I see some of the race reports out there, as it was a mainly a ‘heads-down’ exercise. Largely after I found my rhythm I stopped looking at my Garmin so often, focused on breathing, and split times as I counted down the miles.

I am also no expert when it comes to Central Park geography, the Brooklynite I am, so I had little idea of the course when it was announced to be the 5 mile loop, followed by the 4 mile loop. There were a few steady risers, but I wouldn’t call them hills exactly, more like rollers. I’ve been in Central Park a number of time riding, and work only one block west, but running gives a whole new perspective of roads.

So as the miles ticked, so did my legs, and surprisingly well. I was far surpassing my projected split times, comfortably surging at many times throughout the race for various reasons. And that was the status quo up until I came upon a group of four some 50 feet ahead of me around mile 7. I tried a few times to bridge the gap, but was comfortable with my pace, and did not need to blow up. It was a little tough, as the majority of my race was pretty thin, and after I lost my original pace friend when he surged and I couldn’t match, I ran the majority of my miles solo, gobbling up the field, but never getting passed by this point.

I came into contact with the four ahead of me once on one of the last hills in mile 8, passing one of the women, who returned the favor down the other side, and promptly kicked it a little bit, returning to a gap to approximately 50 feet. Coming into the last mile, as that group held their lead, I managed to pass another coming into the last half mile. However, one of the great things about competitive comradery, is that a few moments later he came up on my left, and said simply ‘Come on.’ And with that, we finished that last couple tenths sub at sub 6 pace, crossed the line, patted each others backs, and went our ways.

1:02:02

Isn’t it amusing, that despite an amazing PR, we always think we could have done better, could have gone faster and harder. I’ll take it though, it’s just more motivation.

I finished 14/191 AG, 51/~1250 Gender, 54/2097 Overall, with a 6:39 pace.

And those two women ahead of me? I don’t feel so bad being humbled; they were number 2 and 3 of the day.