Race Recap: UAE Healthy Kidney 10K

 A combo of my crazy work schedule and a little IT band situation has kept my weekly mileage under 10-12 miles lately. It makes me feel terrible.  

However, a few months back I signed up for the UAE Healthy Kidney 10K and even if I didn't really prepare for it, I'm glad I ran.  This race is sponsored by the United Arab Emirates and proceeds go to benefit the National Kidney Foundation.  I'm always about supporting a good cause and it was a beautiful day for an easy 6.2 miles.  

It was about 55 degrees and sunny for the 8am race start. Amazing.

My only goal for this race was to stay under 10-minute miles.  The course is one clockwise loop around Central Park, so there's a few rolling hills.  I felt great for the first few miles, keeping a 9:15 pace.  As with most NYRR races, there were a ton of runners so the first few miles were pretty crowded.  Around mile 4, the road thinned out, but my legs started feeling tired so I slowed down a bit.  

Not my best photo...

As usual, there's not many bad things to be said about a race put on by NYRR.  Every mile was clearly marked, there were plenty of water stations and porta-pottys around, and my personal favorite: there were plenty of delicious NYC bagels post-race. 

My official time? 1:00:07 (9:41 pace) 

Not a PR for me, but I'm perfectly content with it given my lack of "training" recently.  I felt great for just getting in 6.2 miles in Central Park with thousands of other New Yorkers.  Oh and with the U.S. Olympic team.  No big.

Up next: Rugged Maniac on June 30.  Hopefully I'll be better prepared for this one!