Running, Anyone...?

[DrGonzo]

Hey Skis - - Yup, this is #2 for me. I ran San Francisco last year in 3:50:45 so I'm hoping to top that time this year. I had some pretty wicked IT band issues on the previous one but have been very, very careful this time and (knock on wood) haven't had any problems. Without that, I'm hoping for 3:30:00 this time around but we shall see. Because my training basically got tossed out the window for the past 2 months, I'm not 100% positive where I'm at right now. I did my 20 miles in 2:40:00 so that's given me some confidence.

Wishing I could bottle up all this nervous energy and save it for Sunday!!

You crossed the line 12 seconds before me in SF. Maybe I could have done better, but some diet issues from the previous day came back to haunt me...twice in the first half.

I'm hoping for 3:30 on the next one as well, but :45/mile seems like a pretty significant improvement. Let us know how it went!

[Skis]

Oh man, the pain. I have trouble going up stairs, more trouble going down and I walk funny. Great. I ended up running a 3:27. I was on pace for Boston (3:10) for the first half, but after the Queensboro bridge, I just fell apart running up 1st ave. I probably could have run something like a 3:17 if I had paced myself for it...but I'm kind of happy I took the risk by trying for a fast time. After all, I already have the 3:22.

And I'm relieved I didn't qualify for Boston. Now I don't have to train for it and can focus entirely on skiing.

How'd you do, road trip? Everyone else?

[road trip]

That was a tougher run than I thought it was going to be! Don't get me wrong, it was incredible. New York knows how to celebrate a marathon! The entire city - the people, not the government - seems to really (REALLY) take pride in the marathon. The entire way (nearly), it was a wall of people cheering you on. Need water and the next stop is 3/4 miles ahead? Oh, what's this? A church with entire congregation outside handing out water bottles! Need a snack? Let's see, do you want twizlers, raisins, cookies, candy, bananas...

And each borough really tries to outdo the next. If you take 1st Ave out of the picture (because that insanity is all imported), then I might actually give the nod to the Bronx! You are only there a very short period, but they really made you remember it! It's tough to say that though.. I mean Brooklyn really takes their role in the marathon really seriously.

In the end, I was satisfied with my run. I wanted to do better coming in, but going out I'm pleased with my ~3:43:09 (my watch). It was a much tougher race than I thought it would be. The hills weren't *that bad* but they were omnipresent. But what really made it tough was what makes it great: the people! People, people everywhere! I don't think I ever was able to get into a nice comfortable stride for any length of time. Going up 1st was about as close as I got; the rest of the time, I was zigzagging through people, avoiding people who would randomly turn on breaks, ect...

I felt pretty good for most of the run. Nearing the end (say, mile 22 on), my legs started feeling a little tired, but worse was feet. I felt the full marathon on them and probably sacrificed a toenail to the cause (look for the follow-up)! Turning up towards the finish (and it is an "up"), I was contemplating going for something.. but I was well beyond 3:40 and comfortably ahead of 3:45, so I just took it all in.

And you know how the post-ski day beer tastes so good? The post-marathon beer is that x100 !!!

Sorry I missed ya, Court but thank you for the texts!! Their timing was perfect!! I had only realized I was at the mile 18 water station when I was halfway past it. I nearly got whiplash (okay, not really) looking left-right, left-right for ya!

So now that that's done... I'm thinking I might take 2008 off for marathons! (we shall see..).

Now = bed time!

[road trip]

Congrats, Skis! And great simultaneous post!!

A buddy of mine shooting for Boston finished at 3:29 <sad face> but his friend actually ran a 2:47!!

[Skis]

Congratulations, dude. I have to disagree with you about the Bronx. Less crowded than elsewhere. Maybe not as barren as 5th ave around 140th, but still not too crowded. My favorite Bronx sign, "blah blah Bronx. See you again next year." I realized that I hadn't been to the Bronx for the 2.5 years I've lived in NY. I've been through, but never stopped. I liked the Brooklyn crowds best, but maybe that's because I was on pace and feeling great.

[road trip]

I think it was the timing of the gospel choir finishing just as the gansta rap guys started off! Interesting juxtaposition of, um, entertainment!

[mikemcee]

Trip...I gotta vote for Brooklyn...the mi 8 insanity was ridonkulous....

Like skis, I also cant walk too well...had trouble getting from the finish to the meeting area and while my 3:01 was disappointing in that I didnt come away with a 2 hour handle despite being so close, I'll sleep well knowing that I left it out there for the first marathon effort...

Such a cool race...think I might have to come back next year...hopefully I have the toenails back by then....

[road trip]

Hey Skis and Mad Yodler - - - what corrals / colors were you? I was in the green and had a very strict wave start... I crossed the start line about 25 minutes after the gun and when we merged, ended up with runners from blue and orange who had slower goal times / pace which messed me up a bit.

[steve]

Hey running maggots,

I'm looking at the Orange County (California) Marathon on January 6th if anyone's interested..

[mrryde]

i am running a 10k race this weekend, i don't expect to PR or anything, since training has been on and off with the back pain i have been dealing with.

[Tuckerman]

i am running a 10k race this weekend, i don't expect to PR or anything, since training has been on and off with the back pain i have been dealing with.

Good luck man.

[mikemcee]

Hey Skis and Mad Yodler - - - what corrals / colors were you? I was in the green and had a very strict wave start... I crossed the start line about 25 minutes after the gun and when we merged, ended up with runners from blue and orange who had slower goal times / pace which messed me up a bit.

I was in the green group but had a really good start position...only took me about 10 seconds to cross the line when the gun went off. Never had any crowding issues at all.

The problem with the wave start was that they only did it for the green start...they need to do that for everyone to avoid the issue you experienced. Running through some of those narrow aid stations must have sucked.

I don't know about you but I'm worked...almost fell down my stairs carrying my bag into the house last night...uglyness in full effect.

[BeanDip4All]

any nyc area peeps down for this duathlon in prospect park next weekend?

http://www.citytri.com/ppdu.htm

[steve]

any nyc area peeps down for this duathlon in prospect park next weekend?

http://www.citytri.com/ppdu.htm

So I take it that since you're doing the du, you're not in that half-marathon we spoke of?

[road trip]

I was in the green group but had a really good start position...only took me about 10 seconds to cross the line when the gun went off. Never had any crowding issues at all.

The problem with the wave start was that they only did it for the green start...they need to do that for everyone to avoid the issue you experienced. Running through some of those narrow aid stations must have sucked.

I don't know about you but I'm worked...almost fell down my stairs carrying my bag into the house last night...uglyness in full effect.

Oh, good for you! Yeah, I got worked by the masses. I was zigzagging or trying to stay in the "fast lane" whenever I saw it, but was never ever to get into my own stride. The water stations were funny... one of two things happened... either I was in the middle of the street and when I'd see the aid station, I'd use it as an opportunity to run past people OR I'd be running up what was a fast lane on the side and then the entire pack would stop and I'd be like, "okay, I guess I'll have some water now..."

But just to state again... those were minor things in the way the day went. Sure, I'd rather have had a faster time, but I knew going in that these things were going to happen (especially with all the alert e-mails that they sent about the wave start) and I didn't want to miss out on the experience by worrying about a time!

[BeanDip4All]

So I take it that since you're doing the du, you're not in that half-marathon we spoke of?

the duathlon is THIS weekend, the 11th. but I actually have my first swim meet on the 18th in Ossiningingiinging (wherever that is), so I can't do the half anyways.

[steve]

the duathlon is THIS weekend, the 11th. but I actually have my first swim meet on the 18th in Ossiningingiinging (wherever that is), so I can't do the half anyways.

oh, my bad.


ossining is a drive.

-steve

[Skis]

I was in the blue start. There was a huge fuckup to do with baggage for the blue corral. The line to get in to the baggage area didn't move. I ended up adding my bag to a huge pile that people started to make outside. Luckily, they picked it up and I got my (gore-tex!) jacket and other stuff back at the finish. Anyway, after dropping it off, I had to fight through to get where my section of the corral was supposed to be. By a miracle of luck, they were calling up people right when I got there and there was an opening in the fence where someone waved me through. I ended up positioning myself based on other people's bib numbers. Ended up taking 20-30 seconds to cross the start, then running the first mile in about 9 minutes. I weaved more than I'd like for the next 1-1.5 miles, but it wasn't a big problem after that. I imagine that road trip got stuck in a hell of a morass of people.

[The Long Run]

Steve

dryshirt.com

invest.

The new ProwiK for hot days is a better choice. Also anti microbial and 100% nylon. http://www.dryshirt.com

[likwid]

The new ProwiK for hot days is a better choice. Also anti microbial and 100% nylon. http://www.dryshirt.com

If TLR is who I think it is, Scot just sent me one.
We'll see how it works out.

[Kenai]

This weekend I ran in the Rim Rock Run, a 37K in the Colorado National Monument between Grand Junction to Fruita. It was my first long distance race (3:43.17). From start to finish, it was a beautiful & inspiring course. Runners used the right lane, meanwhile traffic was open on the left. Kya has been a terrific supporter. He carefully drove by cheering me on while our daughter showed her approval from the sunroof. I managed to update them along my journey via cell phone. (Training in the BLM, I always carry a cell and wear orange.) It was great to see them at the finish line. I'm stoked on this little accomplishment!

[mrryde]

1:06:40 for my 10K, yuk!!!!!!!

but i did it, non stop and it was friggin cold. I was hoping to < 1hr, but I guess I can't complain since i haven't been running much at all lately

[Viva]

Steve, we may have a solution for you...check out that middle canister thingy:
http://www.leastlikely2breed.net/

ouch

[road trip]

If anybody wants to take a lookie.

Bib #15858

Thankfully, I used proper nipple protection.

[mikemcee]

Dude...there is no way I'm posting my link to pics...every picture they took was in the last 2mi and in every one of them, the wheels are totally off. Ugh..they're trying to spoil my good memories with those.