Today was my first race of the year for me – welcome to 2014.
A classic race, the New York Road Runner’s Joe Kleinerman 10K is a full loop around Central Park and today did not let down.
Here’s what’s crazy about running in NYC in January. Last Tuesday it was the coldest day in years. Actually, we set a record. It was 12 degrees with a wind chill of below zero and then this morning, it was 50 degrees with a 65% chance of thunderstorms.
How the hell do you dress for that? I have one word, overdress.
I got to baggage, met my friends to give them their bibs (I’m usually the one picking them up since my schedule is more flexible) and headed to the start. All along the way, I sneered at the people wearing shorts and T-shirts, what did they think, this was summer? As a reminder of the season, the NYRR announced that we should be careful on the first part of the course because of there were patches of ice – this made for some fun times up and down Harlem Hill.
I was wearing a race jacket, a short sleeve tech shirt and knickers. Again, overdressed. It took about three miles before I couldn’t bear it any longer, I stripped off my jacket and wound up carrying it for a little more than half the race. I debated just chucking it, but it was my Boston Marathon jacket and I earned that one and always feel a little badass wearing it so I opted to suck it up. No longer was I sneering at this wearing shorts, I was jealous.
But I wasn’t there to monitor what everyone was wearing, I was there to run. I need to get my race strategy down again. This morning, I went out a touch too fast but was able to maintain my pace until I got to Cat’s Paw on the east side of the park, about 1.5 miles from the finish. I know my body and I know how it reacts. If I push myself too hard and my heart rate stays high, I make myself sick. And I mean sick like I throw up. So when I got to the top of the hill at Cat’s Paw and I felt the nausea creeping up, I backed down. And by that I mean I walked for about 200 feet.
At first I let my ego get to me – it’s 10K what’s this walking? You just PR’d a marathon a few months ago. WTF?
I tried to push that voice as far away as I could and concentrate on how I was feeling. So after about 200 feet, I started running again and was able to get back up to pace.
I crossed the line in 49:19 an average of 7:58/mile. I’m happy with this.
It’s my first race of the year, I haven’t done any speed work yet (last week was cancelled due to the weather) and I was overdressed.
My only regret today is that I didn’t have my GoPro with me. There was a mist in the air that made Central Park seem Medieval that I think would have made for some phenomenal race photos.
