I'm dusting off this blog. I still have an IMNYC race report to retroactively post. I've written it, read it over, and feel that it was far too self-absorbed. Well, enough on that tangent. Let me pen my thoughts about the Brooklyn Half that I just finished recently.
My prep for the race was far from ideal. I was able to fit in no more than two runs per week for the few months leading up to the race. I'm (relatively) fit, but not overall conditioned for any one distance of race. However, I wasn't going to let any excuses preclude me from the opportunity to race through Brooklyn. Two co-workers of mine told me about the Brooklyn Half sometime earlier in the year and I signed up with them on that day. I literally forgot that I was signed up for the race until about three weeks prior to race day. While I have let my overall fitness drop significantly from my training days leading up to IMNYC, I've still been lucky enough to find time to swim about twice a week, run two times a week, and occasionally fit in a bike workout here and there. The hours I spent in the pool training for IMNYC are starting to pay off and I'm noticing some measurable improvement in my swim ability. I've been trying to preserve my run somewhat by running a speed workout per week, coupled with a long run on the weekend.
The week before Brooklyn half, I was invited to race a local 5k the night before the race. It was a cancer benefit and about two miles from my house. I love both of those attributes for a race so I signed up the morning of the race. I was able to run hard (but not so smart) and finished in 20:56, which I was very pleased with considering my lack of conditioning. It was the inaugural race so it wasn't ultra competitive, allowing me to finish 7th overall with my time. Thanks to all you fast runners for not showing up :) I felt this was a good speed workout for my Brooklyn half, but I used the early morning opportunity to fit in two more workouts afterwards. I followed that 5k race with a hard 75 minute computrainer bike (it was raining hard all day), and a 1000 meter swim, which left me with an endorphin high for the rest of the day. On Sunday I went for an aerobic trail run for about eighty minutes just to give myself confidence by getting some miles under me. This was by far the most miles I had logged in all of 2013.
I've only done a few half-marathons-three to be exact. Two were part of Timberman 70.3, and the third was to pace a friend to finish at 1:45 ( I finished at 1:44, and my friend bonked and finished in the 1:50s. I guess I suck as a pacer) at the Fairfield Half. That being said, I had no idea what I could really run for a half marathon. I knew I could run faster than a 1:45, but probably didn't have the speed in me to run a 1:30 (yet). I thought a 1:37 would be a fair goal because one of my Ironman training partners had run a 1:37 at the Fairfield Half.
The night leading up to the race was eventful. I headed over to DUMBO after work to pick up my bib and schwag. NYRR did a fantastic job with the pre-race party. I would have stayed longer if I wasn't so tired from a long week of work. I ended up getting so lost on my way to meet my cousins back in Manhattan. I ended up walking and circumnavigating miles and miles more than I should have. So much for resting the day before:) While I was frustrated from being lost (I have the worst sense of direction), I also made sure to not make it a big deal. I felt really lucky for the opportunity to race the next day.
I wore my Team Continuum race bottoms from IMNYC, but opted for a better fitting Trifitness tri top. This was ideal; I could rep both of the organizations that have been very important to me in my endurance racing exploits. I also opted to wear the same shoes that I wore in IMNYC, an older pair of Sacouny Kinvara 3's. It goes without saying that I wore my compression socks. I need to ween myself off these things. Seriously.
The goal was to negative split, which I thought would be easy considering the course profile. It appeared like the course would be a slight downhill for the second half of the race. Well, come race day it certainly didn't feel like it was downhill. In fact, it felt like a slight false flat. I was able to latch on to a stronger runner than me and we literally ran the entire race together. We pushed each other, talked a bit, and signaled to each other if we were going to utilize the aid stations. I made it a point to thank every volunteer that I could on course. Sometimes I didn't have the breath to do so, but I always try to acknowledge the work that the volunteers do that enable all of us to race. My first three 5k splits were so similar to each other- all in the 23 minute mark. My last 5k was slightly faster. I fell victim to a false finish line twice. With about one mile to go there was a large overpass that became visible, which I automatically assumed was the finish. I started my finish stride only to realize that it was not the finish. A little after the underpass I could see a timing clock and timing mats. I once again mustered enough energy to sprint/stride to the "finish" only to see my fellow racers make a right turn to continue down the boardwalk. Lesson learned; know the course- or at least the finish. I still had a little more to go before the "real" finish line. I tried to muster up a third sprint but it was not to be. In all, I was pleased with my performance. My borrowed stopwatch told me I was definitely under 1:40. While on the train back to Manhattan, my friend in LA (dude you get up early) texted me to tell me that my time was sub 1:36. I was pretty stocked, and surprisingly tight and sore for the next few hours and days. I usually recover quickly, but I think I really wasn't well prepared for this event and my body was subsequently stubborn in recovering. Pics from the day can be found on my twitter
I spent the next day playing in a member-guest tennis tournament (in the rain) at nearby country club, followed by a surprisingly strong swim later that evening with my friends at Trifitness. Man, what a fantastic weekend! Life is good.
My prep for the race was far from ideal. I was able to fit in no more than two runs per week for the few months leading up to the race. I'm (relatively) fit, but not overall conditioned for any one distance of race. However, I wasn't going to let any excuses preclude me from the opportunity to race through Brooklyn. Two co-workers of mine told me about the Brooklyn Half sometime earlier in the year and I signed up with them on that day. I literally forgot that I was signed up for the race until about three weeks prior to race day. While I have let my overall fitness drop significantly from my training days leading up to IMNYC, I've still been lucky enough to find time to swim about twice a week, run two times a week, and occasionally fit in a bike workout here and there. The hours I spent in the pool training for IMNYC are starting to pay off and I'm noticing some measurable improvement in my swim ability. I've been trying to preserve my run somewhat by running a speed workout per week, coupled with a long run on the weekend.
The week before Brooklyn half, I was invited to race a local 5k the night before the race. It was a cancer benefit and about two miles from my house. I love both of those attributes for a race so I signed up the morning of the race. I was able to run hard (but not so smart) and finished in 20:56, which I was very pleased with considering my lack of conditioning. It was the inaugural race so it wasn't ultra competitive, allowing me to finish 7th overall with my time. Thanks to all you fast runners for not showing up :) I felt this was a good speed workout for my Brooklyn half, but I used the early morning opportunity to fit in two more workouts afterwards. I followed that 5k race with a hard 75 minute computrainer bike (it was raining hard all day), and a 1000 meter swim, which left me with an endorphin high for the rest of the day. On Sunday I went for an aerobic trail run for about eighty minutes just to give myself confidence by getting some miles under me. This was by far the most miles I had logged in all of 2013.
I've only done a few half-marathons-three to be exact. Two were part of Timberman 70.3, and the third was to pace a friend to finish at 1:45 ( I finished at 1:44, and my friend bonked and finished in the 1:50s. I guess I suck as a pacer) at the Fairfield Half. That being said, I had no idea what I could really run for a half marathon. I knew I could run faster than a 1:45, but probably didn't have the speed in me to run a 1:30 (yet). I thought a 1:37 would be a fair goal because one of my Ironman training partners had run a 1:37 at the Fairfield Half.
The night leading up to the race was eventful. I headed over to DUMBO after work to pick up my bib and schwag. NYRR did a fantastic job with the pre-race party. I would have stayed longer if I wasn't so tired from a long week of work. I ended up getting so lost on my way to meet my cousins back in Manhattan. I ended up walking and circumnavigating miles and miles more than I should have. So much for resting the day before:) While I was frustrated from being lost (I have the worst sense of direction), I also made sure to not make it a big deal. I felt really lucky for the opportunity to race the next day.
I wore my Team Continuum race bottoms from IMNYC, but opted for a better fitting Trifitness tri top. This was ideal; I could rep both of the organizations that have been very important to me in my endurance racing exploits. I also opted to wear the same shoes that I wore in IMNYC, an older pair of Sacouny Kinvara 3's. It goes without saying that I wore my compression socks. I need to ween myself off these things. Seriously.
The goal was to negative split, which I thought would be easy considering the course profile. It appeared like the course would be a slight downhill for the second half of the race. Well, come race day it certainly didn't feel like it was downhill. In fact, it felt like a slight false flat. I was able to latch on to a stronger runner than me and we literally ran the entire race together. We pushed each other, talked a bit, and signaled to each other if we were going to utilize the aid stations. I made it a point to thank every volunteer that I could on course. Sometimes I didn't have the breath to do so, but I always try to acknowledge the work that the volunteers do that enable all of us to race. My first three 5k splits were so similar to each other- all in the 23 minute mark. My last 5k was slightly faster. I fell victim to a false finish line twice. With about one mile to go there was a large overpass that became visible, which I automatically assumed was the finish. I started my finish stride only to realize that it was not the finish. A little after the underpass I could see a timing clock and timing mats. I once again mustered enough energy to sprint/stride to the "finish" only to see my fellow racers make a right turn to continue down the boardwalk. Lesson learned; know the course- or at least the finish. I still had a little more to go before the "real" finish line. I tried to muster up a third sprint but it was not to be. In all, I was pleased with my performance. My borrowed stopwatch told me I was definitely under 1:40. While on the train back to Manhattan, my friend in LA (dude you get up early) texted me to tell me that my time was sub 1:36. I was pretty stocked, and surprisingly tight and sore for the next few hours and days. I usually recover quickly, but I think I really wasn't well prepared for this event and my body was subsequently stubborn in recovering. Pics from the day can be found on my twitter
I spent the next day playing in a member-guest tennis tournament (in the rain) at nearby country club, followed by a surprisingly strong swim later that evening with my friends at Trifitness. Man, what a fantastic weekend! Life is good.
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