My final day of running before the Green Mountain Relay this week, and I decide to order up a double.
This morning, up at 5:15 for a 4-miler. Gosh, it was so nice and cool out. There was the teeniest chill to the air, I felt like I got lucky. Plus, I knew I had the Extra Mile Podcast to listen to, so I was looking forward to that. My 4-milers around Sunnyside are two laps of the same 2-mile loop. The first one took me nearly 22 minutes, the second took me just under 20. When I run my morning runs, I always need to readjust my speed goals, and running negative splits is one way I measure the success of the workout. Total time: 41:48.
Then I got to the office and worked like a fiend until 5:30. I think I got up from my desk once, to get a plastic fork.
At 5:40 I left the office in my running gear, decked out in my company shirt (a nice sleeveless technical tee, with a zippered hip pocket in which I could stash a Gu, or an ipod, or a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup) since I signed up to run the J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge as part of my employer’s team. Dashed uptown to Urban Athletics to buy a new pair of Nike Zoom Elites, except I was reading the article about Gabe Jennings in this month’s Runner’s World and got on the downtown train. Righted myself at 42nd Street and was at UA by 6:20. Ran into an old TNT friend, who is now training for the Ironman in Panama City, FL, as well as two of my old coaches who I lurve. Made it to Bethesda Fountain for the 7 PM start in my new kicks with seven minutes to spare — which meant I started WAY behind most of the walkers in the lineup. Dude, there were 15,000 office drones running this race. And another 15,000 slated to run it tomorrow. I didn’t cross the start until 7 minutes after the gun, and my clock time makes me shudder. My watch time was 33 minutes. Not bad, considering I had to bob and weave past every big-butted secretary in the city the first mile and a half. I ran the last 2 miles in under 18 minutes, just because I felt like it. I know, I know, it’s the corporate challenge for chrissakes, I should just let it go, but my competitive juices kick in and I just want to make my time! and beat that skinny chick! This race marked a first for me: I raced listening to my ipod. But, I had to finish up the Extra Mile ‘cast, and I knew it would keep me calmer amidst all the people walking three abreast and talking with their hands. I can’t say I’d want to run with my ipod in during a real, NYRR, timing-chip race; I still need to concentrate for those.
Oh. Did I mention it rained the entire time we were racing? As soon as I got back to my company’s table for post-race snacks, the rain stopped. Luckily my fahncy technical clothing was half-dry by the time I made it onto the subway, which the MTA chills to meat locker temps, so I don’t think I’ve caught a cold.
Hi. I ran the CC yesterday too, and must’ve started out somewhere near you (plus or minus a couple thousand people), since it took me about 8 minutes to get to the start. I love your description of the BBS’s and the PWTAATWTH’s! I don’t get why the walkers don’t try to keep to the right, or something (I’d like to think that’s what I would do if I was walking). All the best beating the Sprite on 7/10!
There’s something to be said about running in the rain, especially when its warm outside.
Have a great time on your relay this weekend. Dont forget baby wipes and about 200 little-green-tree air fresheners to make the van smell better.
Have a great race this weekend!!