Race Recap: NYRR Queens 10K

After looking at the training plan Abby created for me and seeing my long run of 6 miles this weekend, I decided to sign up for the NYRR Queens 10K.  Six hot, lonely miles vs. six miles with a few thousand motivators, ample water supply and an awesome neon green tee shirt?  Simple decision.  I just had to remember that this was a long run for me...not a race.



Super bright tech tee. Thanks, NYRR.



I love running races in my borough.  I live about 10 minutes away from Flushing Meadows park, so there was no need for a crazy early alarm.   Which was especially nice as I was running on 5 hours of sleep and sore feet from waitressing the night before.  All the more reason to follow my training plan and not "race" this race.

Beth (who is currently rocking her own marathon training) texted me bright and early to wish me luck and reinforce the importance of just running this as my long run.  My goal pace for long runs is somewhere around 10:30 min/miles and having Beth's voice in my head during the run definitely helped me slow it down to that.  Thanks, Beth! :)

So...the race!

I've run several races in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, which mostly all follow the same route, but this one was different!  It almost went in the opposite direction as I was used to running the park, which was a welcome change! Mile 5-6ish included an out-and-back section by Citi Field, which usually I hate, but as there were so many runners, I found myself easily distracted with "people watching".  NYRR made sure there were plenty of fluid stations and sprinklers along the course to help manage the heat.  There was also a good amount of music, DJs and spectators. 

Mile splits (based on Garmin):
1-10:02
2-10:08
3-10:10
4-10:38
5-10:30
6-10:06
0.3-9:32

I have to admit that I sort of hated having to constantly look at my new Garmin to see what pace I was running.  I don't know how some people are so dependant on it!  It did end up being helpful to keep my pace in check, but I definitely don't love it.  Hopefully as I get more used to running with it, I'll get better at feeling out my pace and not have to look at it so much.

My official time was 1:04:43 (10:26 pace).  This is my slowest 10K time ever, but I'm okay with it because I know it's all part of "the plan".  All in all, a nice easy 6 mile run! Oh, and I'm one race closer to guaranteed entry to the 2014 NYC Marathon!

Did you run the Queens 10K?  Are you doing the 5-Borough Challenge?  Training for a race? Let's talk about it!

Race Recap: Peachtree Road Race 2013

This July 4th, I celebrated our nation's independence with nearly 56,000 fellow Americans, running the Peach Tree Road Race in Atlanta, Georgia.  As the largest 10K in the country, this race has been on my bucket list for awhile now, so when I got into the lottery back in February, I immediately booked a flight to Atlanta to run (and have a long weekend visit with friends).

I arrived in Atlanta the day before the race and hit up the expo for packet pick-up.  The weather was miserable (torrential downpours) all day and wasn't expected to be any better for race day.

Stars & Stripes Forever

When I woke up race morning, it was insanely humid and still raining.  I had a quick breakfast of a banana, 1/2 clif bar and  some water before throwing on my garbage bag and heading to the race!

Pre-race garbage bag pic

Luckily, my support team (thanks Hail!) was able to drop me off near the start corrals and I didn't have to worry about public transportation or traffic/parking.  There were a ton of waves for this race (which is also walker-friendly), and I was in F so I crossed the start line around 7:50am!  The rain had stopped and I ditched my garbage bag almost immediately.

Bib on (perfectly) straight: ready to run!

As this is such a huge race, I assumed there would be a lot of congestion, but I ended up having plenty of room the whole race.  Normally, I check out the course map before a race (especially for those not in Central Park or NYC).  Often times, I even read previous years race recaps to see what I'm in for!  I did not do that for Peachtree, so I had no idea what to expect!  I figured this wouldn't be an issue, as I did not run much at all during the month of June and was running this race just for fun! 

See? Running is fun!

 The course covers 6.2 miles along PeachTree Road (duh) from Phipps Plaza to Piedmont Park.  All of this still means nothing to me since I'm not familiar with the area, but checking out the elevation map might have been useful before running.  The first three miles were a steady downhill and I felt like I wasn't even using effort to run.  I (stupidly) thought "Wow, maybe this entire course is downhill! I could totally PR without even training or trying!" and pushed my pace.

Well it turns out, it's not all downhill.  In fact, Mile 3 begins a pretty serious incline and the rest of the race is back uphill until the finish.  Oops. 

The good news is I didn't care about my pace or my finish time.  I totally negative split this race, but it didn't matter!  I really enjoyed just running and soaking in the energy from the incredible crowds that were out to cheer!  There were a ton of characters out to support the race along with live music, DJs and even bars handing out free beer!  It was disgustingly hot and humid, but the course was well equipped with water and plenty of people had sprinklers or fire hydrants open to cool runners down.  It was awesome.  

The finish area in Piedmont Park ended up being a total swamp due to the week long downpours, but the rain held off the entire time I was running.  Honestly, I wouldn't have minded if it did rain, as I was throwing water on myself and jumping into sprinklers anyway!

I finished with an official time of 59:17 (9:32 pace), which is a respectable pace for me given my l recent lack of training and rookie mistake of going out too fast on the downhill.

On top of an awesome race, the t-shirt (although cotton) and medal are both pretty sweet!

Yet another race checked off my running "bucket list"! 

Have you ever run the Peach Tree Road Race?  Do you have a running bucket list?  Tell me about it!

Race Recap: NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K

This past Saturday I kicked off the 2013 running season with the Joe Kleinerman 10K race in Central Park.  Despite the chilly 32 degree windy weather, I was excited to run my first race of the year with a few thousand of my fellow runners.  Best of all, my cousin Steph and some of her TNT members were doing the race and I was able to cheer them on as well!  Steph is training for the NYC Half with Team in Training and this was her PDR and her first 10K race ever!


Steph & I pre-race

Shortly after arriving in Central Park, I parted ways with Steph so she could meet up with her TNT group and I could do a quick warmup.  As we got settled into the corrals, listening to Mary Wittenberg talk about Joe Kleinerman and all of the people behind-the-scenes that help make NYRR events happen, it felt cold and windy and I couldn't wait to get moving! 

The course was one counter-clockwise loop of the park, starting on East Drive and ending on the 72nd Street Transverse.  I tried not to let the cold get to me and kept my pace slow for the first miles, knowing those Harlem Hills were in the near future.  I had forgotten my watch and my Nike+ app GPS is always inaccurate, so I wasn't really sure what pace I was keeping during the race.  Mile 1 & 2 ended up being around 9:45 pace.  I felt super strong going into the Harlem Hills and pushed through knowing I'd be rewarded with some sweet downhills in the second half of the race.  I stopped paying attention to what my intended pace was and just really enjoyed running.  I once again found myself in awe of the beauty of Central Park and got lost in my head.  I started thinking about how thankful I am to be a runner.  I just love running races surrounded by people who appreciate and love this sport as much as I do.  It wasn't until about Mile 5 that I snapped back to reality and remembered I was "racing".  I wasn't trying to PR but started thinking it was a possibility, given how strong I was feeling.  When I hit the 6 mile mark I sprinted my little heart out and had some terrible photos taken of me in the process.  Okay, there was one decent one:

My official finish time was 59:28 (9:36 pace), but I have to admit that my time does not reflect how I felt during the race at all.  I felt strong and definitely thought I had run faster!  As I said earlier, I wasn't trying to PR, so I'm not disappointed.  I'm just happy to have 1 race down for 9+1.  Eight more to go! :)

After I finished, I grabbed my apple and jogged backwards to find Steph and her teammates.  They clearly had been keeping a good pace because it didn't take long for me to find them just before the 6-mile marker. 

I am so impressed by their performance and so inspired by their training and fundraising progress.   If you can, please visit Steph's Team in Training page to cheer her on and donate!  GO TEAM!

Race Recap: NYC Runs Hot Chocolate 10K

This past Sunday, almost 1500 runners including myself took part in the NYC Runs Hot Chocolate 5K and 10K races on Roosevelt Island.  Running followed by hot chocolate might sound strange, but it's actually a fantastic combination!  This was my 4th NYC Runs event and I'm a big fan. The races are always very well organized and have a small-town race feel...although the popularity of their events is definitely growing!

My cousins Sam and Steph (who in case you didn't know is training for the NYC Half through Team in Training) both ran the 5K race while I opted for the longer 10K distance, which makes sense as I'm supposed to be training for the WDW Half Marathon in a few weeks!

One major plus to this race is the proximity of Roosevelt Island to my home base of Astoria!  After a super quick drive and fairly easy parking, we strolled over to the 5K starting area to find a lot of fellow runners!  The weather was crappy, 40ish and drizzling, but it never full out rained on us which was great.  NYC Runs event do not yet have assigned corrals, so runners organized themselves by pace as able.  I spotted Beth in the crowd with her neon shirt and only had time for a quick "hi" before the 5K runners were off!  The 10K didn't start until 10am so I was able to dart across the island and cheer for everyone during the first mile before I started.


Go ladies! Sorry I'm not the best race photographer...

 Despite getting minimal sleep and having a few glasses of wine at a Christmas party Saturday night, they had an awesome race! I am loving watching them both get into running and supporting them along the way.  Definitely check out Steph's story at both her Team in Training page and here on PB&P and join me in supporting her!

Congrats Cousins!


Not only did they run their 3.1 miles and get the well-deserved hot chocolate, but they stuck around in the chilly rain to cheer me on and watch me finish! 

So...how did my race go?  I guess well, considering I went into this race without any goals or expectations.  I'm supposed to be training for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon that I'm running with Dad on January 12th, 2013.  But with my recent focus on strengthening, I really haven't been doing much running and have been taking CrossFit classes twice a week.  I decided to run the first half of the race comfortably and see what my pace was like and how I felt. 

After warming up in the first mile, I settled into a 9:30ish pace which felt hard.  The course was basically two loops around Roosevelt Island, except for a small modification due to damages from Hurricane Sandy.  There was a mix of pavement, sidewalk, dirt paths and puddles to navigate around which included a few small inclines.  As I was finishing up the first loop I was so excited to see my cousins, Steph's boyfriend and their dog Kirra cheering me on!  I checked my watch and realized I had finished the first half in just about 30 minutes and I was still feeling good.  I decided to push through and was hoping to negative split.  The second loop felt even more difficult, like I was pushing harder but not going any faster.  From mile 4-6 I ended up next to a woman from my hood wearing a Hell Gate Running Club shirt and we pushed each other those last two miles.  It wasn't exactly like fishing, but I made sure she did not pass me.  I "sprinted" the last 0.2 miles and finished with an official time of 58:46 (9:29 pace). 

Kirra's too cool for a finisher photo.

This was definitely not my best race and certainly not a 10K PR for me, but I felt strong the entire time and got to enjoy some hot chocolate at the finish...so I'm happy.  I'm so proud of my cousins for running the 5K and am looking forward to many more races with them in the future! :)

Firecracker 10K: Race Recap

Happy 4th of July!


I started the day with a nice ridiculously hot 6.2 miles on Roosevelt Island.  When I woke up, it was 75 degrees and raining...and I was thrilled.  I put on the only blue shirt I own and of course my Sparkly Soul thin red headband and I was ready to go!

Unfortunately the weather did not continue to cooperate.  During the amazingly fast and easy drive from my apartment to Roosevelt Island, the rain cleared up, sun came out and it was insanely hot and humid.  

Looking up at the Queensboro Bridge

The first annual Firecracker 10K was hosted by NYCRuns.  It took place on Roosevelt Island, which is definitely some new and different scenery for me.  I've run two other NYCRuns races and have been pleased with their cheaper pricing, well-organized races and smaller crowds.  For the most part, they lived up to my expectations again.  My only complaints about the race are that there were very few portapottys, not so great race markings, and that they ran out of cups on the second lap water station.  Especially on a day like today, those water stops are essential!

Little lighthouse!

Okay, so how'd I do? Eh. The race was 2 loops around the island, with some cool views of Manhattan and Queens.  There was not much shade but it was a flat and easy course.  I haven't been great about sticking to a running schedule lately, so I haven't done any distances longer than 4 or 5 miles in weeks.  Since I haven't been running, my body was certainly not ready for the heat and humidity.  As such, my goals for this race included 1) surviving and 2) crossing the finish line.  And guess what? I did just that.  

Finisher photo!

I was not fast and I did not care.  My final time was 1:04:34, so a 10:25 pace.  Definitely not a PR for me, but I have to remember that running in the heat slows your pace considerably.  And that's okay! I'm just glad I finished and got my ice pop!

Sweet success!

After my hot morning run, I headed upstate to my parents for a BBQ where I continued to sweat like crazy! I spent a great afternoon with my family and lots of yummy food!

Thanks to my SIL for this tasty treat!

Now it's time to relax and cool down in the AC.  How did you spend your 4th of July? Any fun and sweaty plans?

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!

Race Recap: M-M-Manhattan Hot Chocolate 10K

This morning I ran the NYC Runs M-M-Manhattan Hot Chocolate 10K in Riverside Park.  I am completely exhausted from this past week, so I was happy the race started at 10am.  It took me about an hour to get from Astoria all the way over to Riverside Park for the start.  There were a lot of people in the park for both the 5k and 10k races.  

pre-race warm-ups!

It was about 40 degrees with a little wind in NYC this morning, aka PERFECT race weather!     I was a little worried about "racing" this, because my hip and feet have been hurting lately.  Although for me racing is not that fast.  So I set out to just finish the race at a comfortable pace.  The race director called for everyone to head to the start line, and announced that the 5K would be one loop inside the park, and that the "crazy" 10K runners would be doing 2 loops on the "hilly course".  What? Who knew Riverside Park was hilly? Not this girl.  

Sparkly & Smiling before I learned about these hills...

The course was a mix of rolling hills with a few bigger inclines and some flat stretches.  Each loop had 2 significant hills and 1 smaller one.  I guess my strength training/spinning is working, because I was able to power up those hills no problem despite the fact that most of my training is on flat roadways.  Although both the 5K and 10K races were started at the same time, the runner packs quickly thinned out and at a few points I was running on my own.  The entire course was clearly marked with volunteers directing along the way.  Water was available after one loop for 10K runners and at the end for both races.

Like I always do, around mile 2 I picked out someone who was a good distance ahead of me and decided that I would beat them to the finish line.  I know that I'm only racing myself and my watch, but "fishing" definitely motivates me through every race I do.  And I guess it worked! Because despite those hills, I crushed my first 10K race time (58:25) with a finishing time of 56:30 (9:06 pace).  I actually didn't stop my watch right away, so the time might even be less! :)  If the bib-tags worked, when I receive the final results, I will of course update my official time.  

New 10K PR :) 

After chugging down 2 cups of water, I headed over to the hot chocolate table!  I'm a big fan of hot chocolate and I wouldn't complain if it was offered at every fall/winter race! :)

chocolately & delicious.

Overall, I was really impressed with this race!  Kudos to the folks at NYCRUNS.COM for putting hosting a great race.  It had the feel of a small-town race, which is a welcome change in the "big city", but it was still very well organized.  And only a $20 registration fee! Oh, and I forgot to mention the sweet souvenir mug.

tea in my new hot chocolate mug=happiness.

The remainder of the day will be spent doing errands and work for my internship so I can enjoy the big Giants Superbowl win tomorrow! GO GMEN! 

Happy PR to me and happy weekend to you all! :)

Rock N' Roll New York 10K

Yesterday I ran the Inaugural Rock N' Roll New York 10K race in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.  It was my first official 10K and my finishing time was 58:25, averaging a 9:25 min/mile pace, so I'm very happy! I just wanted to be at or under 1 hour, so that was successful! 



Sweet sparkly finisher's medal! :)



The Rock 'N' Roll crew by Competitor is a well established company, so I was expecting a smooth operation.  This was not necessarily the case.  From checking out their facebook page, many other runners are angry and seeking refunds.  I didn't have that bad of an experience, but for the price of the entry fee, I can completely understand why so many are enraged.  The first complaint I would have is with the big claim to fame that this race is filled with "Rock and Roll" music along the course.  There were 3 DJ's along the 6.2 miles, each playing some version of pop/dance music.  As a 25-year old girl, I listen to some of this and don't mind it as I run, but I definitely wouldn't classify ANYTHING I heard as Rock and Roll.  The other major complaint I have is with bag check.  They required you to use their "swag bag" to check your items, which were seemingly efficiently organized in large moving trucks according to runner's last names.  However, fast forward to the finish line and the bag pick-up was a nightmare.  Bags had been tossed on the ground outside of the trucks and there was absolutely no organization to finding your bag.  Not to mention no security as anyone could have walked off with anyone else's bag.  A few participants quickly took charge and started calling out bib numbers to distribute bags.  I was lucky enough to be called quickly and got out of there ASAP.



Nice & Sweaty post-race!





On a more positive note, I personally had a good run!  The nice thing about running a certain distance for the first time is that it is automatically your PR!  :)  I felt strong through the first 5k, but mile 4 was not fun.  My legs suddenly felt tired and I had to force one foot in front of the next.  For whatever reason, I picked back up at mile 5 and finished strong!  The course was 2 loops through the park, with small rolling hills.  I had to laugh at anyone I heard complaining about these "hills"...I guess they haven't actually run a real hill.  Most of the course was downhill and the hill inclines were almost not noticeable!





So, would I run this race again? Maybe. I enjoy runs in Prospect Park, but I'm not sure the lure of the "Rock N' Roll" name (or pricetag) was worth it!  In the end it was a beautiful fall day and the sucess of my first 10k! :)