Top Ten Running Experiences: Number One

1. Boston Marathon 2010

Everyone knows that the Boston Marathon is THE marathon.  One has to qualify to get there (sorry, I'm not a fan of charity runners at Boston), and some people try for years to get to Boston.  The entire city shuts down for Patriots Day, so the crowds are thick.  You get to run through Wellesley and Boston College, which are both insane.  For all these reasons, and many more, simply running my first Boston Marathon would land itself on this list.  However,  I didn't just run the Boston Marathon.

I decided to run Boston with an American Flag...and American Flag shorts...and a stars and stripes singlet...with US knee-high socks.  Once again, Paul Leone, makes his way into the story.  Paul said if I ran with the flag, he would jump in and run 10 miles or so while carrying his American flag.

The day before the marathon, I got a text from my co-worker (and friend) Erika asking if I'd wear a powdered wig and collar in the marathon.  I said no.  When I told Paul about it, he immediately said he would.  What resulted was a patriot/Sam Adams/George Washington/Paul Revere outfit.  We would be quite the pair once we met during the race.

As I waited in line with a couple friends to board the bus out to Hopkinton, several people spied my flag and asked if I was running the entire race with it.  One gentleman even gave me tips for carrying it, as he had carried a flag for a marathon previously.  He also warned me that my arms were going to get very, very tired.  I boarded the bus and tried to nap unsuccessfully.  Eventually we arrived in Hopkinton at the school and milled around for a bit, gradually finding a group of our friends.

As we sat around and chatted, a gentleman approached me and asked if I was running with the flag.  I replied that I was.  He shook my and and produced a picture of his son in fatigues.  He thanked me for himself and for his son, who was serving in Iraq.  It was the first taste of what Paul had told me would happen if I ran the marathon with the flag.  Paul had run the Gasparilla Half Marathon a couple months before with a flag and it said it changed things.  What started as somewhat of a joke turned into something more serious and revered.  I was about to find this out myself.

I made my way down to the start line and waited until the race started to raise the flag and start running with it.  As the mass of runner started moving forward, I raised the flag to cheers of the crowd.  With adrenaline pumping, I cruised quickly through the first couple miles, as the course made its way downhill.  A couple miles in I ran into Chris Solarz.  He took pictures of the two of us while we chatted.  Soon after, I ran into Adam.  He and I talked for a bit as we cruised along.  I came through the 10K mark at around 40 minutes and realized I needed to slow down or I was going to have a LONG, painful day.

As I ran, small crowds chanted "U-S-A, U-S-A" and runner after runner came by and thanked me for carrying the flag.  I high-fived everyone from Santa to Homer Simpson to a very obvious trannie.  A couple runners wearing "I Break for Beer" shirts stopped and chugged a couple longnecks somewhere around mile 7 to the cheers of runners and spectators.

Around mile 9 or so, someone told me that my flag had come untied.  I looked up and the top string holding the flag to the pole had broken.  I stopped to fix it and a soldier came over and held the pole for me as I retied the flag with some spare string that Paul had ingeniously recommended I take along. I retied the flag, thanked the soldier, and continued my run.  Each time I passed a group of soldiers (there were many of them), they paused to salute the flag.

I wasn't sure exactly where Paul was going to meet me along the course, but I knew he couldn't miss me.  I also knew one of my friends was holding a sign for me around the 13 mile mark, but I never saw him.  Somewhere around mile 14 Paul and I spotted each other.  I stopped and waited on him to get ready and he told me about his run out to meet me.  Paul donned the powdered wig, threw on his ruffled collar, and the two of us set out to dominate the rest of the Boston course.  Immediately, the crowd took notice and and we started getting comment.  Wellesley soon came up and we entered the "Scream Tunnel."  It was insanity with all the girls hanging over the railing liberally giving out kisses to runners.

A short time later, Paul and I ran into Solarz again and the three of us ran as a group into Boston.  Along the way, we stopped for pictures with a girl dressed as the Statue of Liberty and another guy dressed as a Patriot.  My energy started running low as we neared Heartbreak Hill.  I'd had an injury a few months back and hadn't been able to put in the training volume I needed.  I was looking forward to Heartbreak Hill though, because I knew that at the top of the dreaded hill was the Nike Cheer Zone.  My co-workers would be there and there would be plenty of rowdy college students to help re-energize me.  I kept looking to my right trying to spot the zone, which is why I didn't realize Paul, Solarz, and were running through the Cheer Zone until I was already in it.

Our flags had given us away long before we spotted the Cheer Zone, so Erika and crew were already waiting for us.  As Erika handed Paul and I personalized water bottles filled with some sort of Gatorade concoction and decorated with bells and ribbons, chants of "U-S-A" greeted us.





With renewed energy, Paul, Solarz, and I continued our dominance of the Boston Marathon course.  We gave out high-fives, smiled, yelled, and posed for pictures.  Eventually I noticed Solarz right behind a random guy and he was taking a lot of pictures of the guy's lower half.  I jogged over to where Solarz was and quickly realized why he was taking pictures.  The guy had crapped himself at some point earlier in the race and it was run down his legs, either due to sweat or from him trying to wash it off with cups of water.  It was quite evident that the guy was in some pain from chaffing due to his awkward gait.  I know its' Boston, but I draw the line at running man miles with crap in my pants and on my legs.  MAYBE if it was for a spot at Kona (see IMFL Poop Guy).

As I spotted the Citgo sign and Fenway, another rowdy group of spectators started doing a "U-S-A" chant, so Paul and I immediately started giving out high-fives to everyone with a hand and a pulse.  I was really dragging at that point, but I knew the finish was within reach, so I dug deep, put a smile on my face and continued running.  By the time we turned onto Boylston for the final stretch, you could knock a smile off either of our faces.  Paul bid me farewell and hopped out of the race about a quarter mile before the finish line.  I used that last stretch as a "victory lap" and soaked everything in.  I was finishing the Boston Marathon.  Something I'd once only dreamed of.  I crossed the finish line and then waited on Solarz to come through a few seconds later.  We snapped a quick picture together and then congratulated each other on the finish.

Top Ten Running Experiences: Number Two

2. Snow Run 2010

Snow Run from Nick Cucci on Vimeo.

The video sums things up nicely, but only covers a very small section of the run. The run was, of course, inspired by the Station Ovation run and my excitement for running in the snow. I looked at the weather forecast and saw that it called for snow...and a lot of it. I quickly composed an email to co-workers:

"I’m preparing for a fun run through the snow tomorrow…the more snow the better. Anyone want to join?"

The first response was the infamous Paul Leone:

"Only if I can wear 2.5 in split legs, no shirt, and an American flag."

And the snow run was born. RSVPs came in and we figured out how ridiculously little clothing we could conceivably wear without frostbite. Paul mapped out a ~10K route. The next day we monitored the weather outside and waited for the optimal moment to depart.

We left from the office and headed toward Union Square with the flag flying high. When we got to Union Square, there was a quick snowball fight with a couple 12-year olds, who immediately started whining after they started said fight. From there, we ran north stopping to pose with a Statue of Liberty.

We made our way up to Grand Central Station and ran a lap through the building while chanting "U-S-A, U-S-A" to the delight, consternation, and puzzlement of the insanely crowded building. From Grand Central, we made our way over to Times Square, while singing the Star Spangled Banner.
 
In Times Square, we once again chanted "U-S-A" and waved Old Glory at people sitting warmly inside restaurants. Cheers continued to pour in from on-lookers and passersby, and we collected countless high-fives. From there, we ran down and looped around Madison Square Garden before heading over to the post office on 8th Avenue.

At the post office, we went inside. We were required by security to walk while in the building, but they were amused by us. We snapped a few pictures on the steps of the post office and then ran back to the office to shower, change, and warm up with some spiked apple cider. We did one more snow run last winter, but it didn't eclipse the original.

Top Ten Running Experiences: Number Three

3. Seventh Place finish at Knickerbocker 60K

The 2008 Knickerbocker 60K was my third Knickerbocker, and the race will always have a special place in my heart since it was also the first ultra I ever did.  The first year I finished in about 6.5 hours.  The second I ran just under 6 hours.  In the four weeks prior to the '08 60K, I had done both the Chicago and New York City marathons, so I knew I was in shape for race.  However, the only goal I had was to try and set a new PR.

The weather forecast called for thunderstorms all day, which, contrary to what most people would prefer, excited me.  I was ready for an epic battle with Mother Nature.  I sent out emails asking friends to come by and run a lap of the course with me, and got a few people to commit.  The morning of the race, the sky was gray with impending rain.  I milled around the start and waiting for the race to begin.  I talked with a few people I knew and then the race started in its usual informal fashion.

The race course consists of a short out-and-back section followed by 9 four-mile loops in Central Park.  As I ran north on the out-and-back, I noticed I could still see the race leader, so when people started making the turn to come back, I counted the number of people in front of me--six.  I laughed knowing I'd probably gone out too fast.  I settled in to what felt like a comfortable pace and waited for people to start passing me, but a funny thing happened.  No one really passed me.  I ran through a short period of heavy rain and had friends join me throughout the race, but the flood of people passing me never happened.

I battled bouts of fatigue with the help of friends and found myself finishing in the top 10 overall.  I blew away my PR, my goal, and snagged my best finish ever in a race.  I managed a sub 8:30 pace for 37.2 miles.  Not bad for a guy who is admittedly not very fast.

For a detailed race report, head over here.

Top Ten Running Experiences: Number Four

4. Qualifying for Boston

After a huge PR in 2008, I found myself back at the Poconos Marathon in 2009 gunning for Boston.  I knew the course, and with good weather, I was confident I could run a sub 3:10 and finally qualify for the Boston Marathon.  I'd tried to qualify in fall of 2008 to qualify in Chicago, but the heat caused me to blow-up at mile 19.

Throughout most of my training, I wasn't feeling like I was hitting the pace I needed to qualify, but my last few long runs felt really good.  The weather on race morning was much like the previous year, except that it was quite windy.  I wasn't too sure how this was going to affect my race.  I went out for a warm-up jog and tried to get myself focused.  After checking in my bag, I chatted with Chris Solarz while we waited on the race to begin.

I had my strategy for the race that Coach Cane had briefed me on--come through the half between 1:34 and 1:35, then pick up the pace if I felt good.  With my ultimate goal being to qualify for Boston, a 3:10 did the same thing as a 3:05, so there was no reason to risk blowing up trying to run a 3:05.  The gun fired and I set out through the rolling hills with Solarz right beside me.  As the wind blew stiffly in our faces, Solarz pointed to a tall guy who was running roughly my pace and said, "tuck behind him."

I jumped in behind the tall guy and drafted off of him until the course turned and I caught a tailwind.  I felt like I was flying with several splits coming in under 7 minutes, including one in the low 6s (nice downhill mile).  When I reached the halfway mark, I hit it at 1:32:26 and some change.  I was faster than the plan, but I was feeling great.  I first got the feeling that I was going to easily qualify for Boston, however, I kept reminding myself that I felt great in Chicago through 19 miles and still fell apart.

The miles continued to come easy through mile 19, but I kept reminding myself that the wheels could come off at any time.  I fought through the rolling hills to mile 24, at which point, I knew I had a BQ time.  I was still pushing it out of my mind and just trying to get through the race.  I didn't want to celebrate too early.  As I entered the high school track for the final .2 miles, a smile crept across my face.  I rounded the second turn and looked across the stadium at the finish line.

I was about to qualify for Boston by well over 5 minutes.  All the emotion and hard work flooded in, and the realization of achieving my goal overtook me.  I started hyper-ventilating.  I panicked.  There was no way I was going to pass out that close to my goal.  I concentrated and steadied my breathing on the back stretch before rounding the last turn and finished strong.

My official time was 3:05:13.  I'd qualified for Boston and run both halves of the marathon within 13 seconds of each other.

To see my splits, click here.

Top Ten Running Experiences: Number Five

5. Station Ovation

The Runners' Station was big part of RUN NYC programming for years, even before I came on board.  Many people in our office had managed or been involved with the Station, and the beloved track house had even been picked up and moved to different locations on the West Side Highway several times.  It was a staple for many NYC runners during the summer and was even home to our 26.2 Training Program last year.


Early January of this year marked the end of the beloved Station.  It was slated to be razed early in the morning on a Friday.  Several of us in the office decided we needed to go say our "goodbyes" to the little shack before it destroyed.  We made plans to meet on the Lower East Side in the morning and run to the Station on the west side to watch it be torn down.  In typical fashion, a simple run turned into a whirlwind of ideas.  Soon, "Station Ovation" shirts were constructed, race bibs were located, and outfits were discussed.


I showed up at our predetermined meeting place on Friday morning, to only find Shaun waiting.  No one else had showed, despite several people living in the neighborhood.



Shaun and I left from the Lower East Side and made our way south.  It was a very cold morning.  As we ran in our matching shirts and race bibs, we started asking people where Central Park was.  We acted confused and said we were trying to find the start of "the race."  Eventually Shaun began stopping people to ask for directions.  One lady even mapped out directions on her iPhone for us.  Who said New Yorkers aren't helpful?  People looked even more confused after they directed us north and then we said "thanks" and headed south.

Eventually, we reached the Station, where destruction had already begun.  Ross and Christina were waiting there.  We took a few pictures, grabbed some souvenirs from the Station, and made a quick champagne toast.  I said my final goodbye to the Station and then we went to a restaurant to grab breakfast before going in to work.

As we were finishing breakfast, Paul Leone (you might remember him from the Honorable Mention post) made his grand entrance.  It was below freezing outside and Paul entered wearing very, very short running shorts and his sleeveless "Station Ovation" shirt.  But what really put an exclamation on his wardrobe was the full-size American flag he was carrying.  Paul also brought along our Derek-head-on-a-stick.



I need to explain a couple things before moving on.  We have a love for America around our office.  GBA (God Bless America) is a common phrase, we once had a column in the office adorned with patriotic pictures that we dubbed "The Pillar of Patriotism," and we pretty much try to bring America into anything and everything.  Mebmerica, anyone?  And look out if the US is playing any country in any sport.  We'll be decked out in red, white, and blue.  There might even be face paint involved.  Its infectious.  My non-work friends are on the America bandwagon.  How can you not love this country?  GBA!  The other thing to explain is that Derek was around and involved with the Runners' Station since its inception.  However, Derek was in LA for work, so we printed his head out (a photoshopped picture, of course) and mounted it on a stick.

Now, back to the morning of January 8th.  Paul finished off all the leftover food on our plates and we ventured outside.  It was now snowing.  With our matching shirts and bibs, Derek-on-a-stick, and the American flag, Paul, Shaun, and I set out to run from downtown Manhattan back to the office in Chelsea.  With the flag waving, passing cars honked, motorists yelled encouragement, and passersby cheered.  The three of us fed off the energy and started yelling "we set the record!"  When people inevitably asked, "what record?" we told them "the RECORD!"  This developed into a story of running cross-country from LA to New York, saying we lost Derek in Missouri to injury, but kept him with us in spirit with the head-on-a-stick.  The tale got taller and taller as people bought each incremental piece of story one of us would fabricate.  We started posing for pictures and even ran through a movie set.  By the end of the run, I could hardly run because I was laughing so hard at times.

This run planted the seed for some future runs, which incorporated the American Flag, snow, and being under-dressed.  And Derek-on-a-stick made a few more appearances at social events until he was lost one night.  Leone posted a craigslist ad asking for his return, but we never recovered him.  Luckily, the read Derek returned from LA safe and sound.

Top Ten Running Experiences: Number Six

6.  Thirty-Three Minute PR

I was in the middle of training for the 2008 Finger Lakes 50 miler.  While screwing around online, as i often do, and stumbled upon a small race in Pennsylvania with a fast course profile and low entry fee.  It was a Wednesday, and I was coming off a 50+ mile weekend--9 miles on Friday, 24 on Saturday, and 20 on Sunday.  The race was four days away, and I didn't have a car, but paid the $45 entry fee anyway.  I started asking around to borrow a car and then ran another 12 miles that night.



At that point, I'd never had a good marathon.  My PR hovered right at 3:48, but I felt like I could run a 3:30 in good conditions.  At the time eight-minute miles felt quick, but sustainable, especially on a fast course.  I set 3:30 as my optimistic goal for the day and decided I would be happy with anything under 3:45.



I didn't want to get breakfast until I was closer to the race because I knew there was a shuttle bus to the start and then a wait for the gun.  When I got close to the registration area, I realized I'd made a poor choice.  There was nowhere to get breakfast with the exception of McDonald's.  I had to eat something, so I grabbed two bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits and quickly ingested both of them.  I drove to the packet pick-up, grabbed my bib, and then climbed aboard a school bus.  Only getting a few hours of sleep, I slipped in and out of consciousness on the bus ride.  It was a cool, foggy morning, which was perfect running weather as far as I was concerned.



I went into the school gym next to the start to pin on my bib, go to the bathroom, and stretch.  Afterward, I checked my bag, warmed up, and found my place among the small group of starters.  The race started and I found a pace that felt pretty easy as I navigated the rolling hills that speckled the first four miles or so of the course.  Just before starting the big downhill section of the race, I caught up with a gentleman and we started chatting.   The miles flew by as we talked and I felt great.  Just before mile 12 the gentlemen said he was going to dial it back and wished me luck on my race.

When I came through the halfway point in just over 1:37, I realized I had just run my fastest half marathon ever.  I laughed to myself thinking I was probably going to blow up at some point even though I was still feeling good.  Around mile 16, I started to feel a rumble in my stomach (McDonalds for breakfast?).  I tried to ignore it, but the sensation grew stronger with each footfall.  Approaching mile 19, I knew I was going to have to stop very soon or I was going to be in trouble.  I was surveying the trees and bushes looking for a discreet area when I noticed a port-a-potty sitting just past the mile marker for 19.  I was able to take care of business and get back on the course.



From Mile 19 on, the course was rolling hills until the last two flat miles.  My pace slowed slightly, but I was feeling strong.  I started doing the math in my head and realized I was likely going to go sub-3:30.  Wait, no, sub-3:20!  I just had to hold on.  As we came into Stroudsburg I found myself running next to a woman who looked strong but fatigued.  Someone shouted that she was the 5th place woman.  She muttered to me that she didn't care she just wanted to be done with the race.  I laughed and said, "I could walk in and still PR."  We didn't say anything else for the rest of the race, but we ran together through to nearly the finish.

As I turned into the parking lot at the school, I saw my watch change from 3:10:59 to 3:11.  I could see the finish line.  It wasn't close, but I could see it.  That's how close I was to qualifying for Boston...by accident.  Once I hit the cinder track for the final .2 miles, I kicked in to another gear and pulled ahead of the woman.  I crossed the finish line in 3:15:42, marking a PR of 32 minutes and 54 seconds!  I was not only ecstatic but completely shocked.  I never dreamt that I would break 3:30, much less break 3:20.

I rode that high right through to the finish of my first 50 miler and beyond.  That almost 33 minute PR was my break-through race.  It completely changed my mentality regarding my running.  Boston was in sight--something I didn't previously think possible.  All the miles have come easier since that day in 2008.  It opened a whole new world of running I never thought possible.

Top Ten Running Experiences: Number Seven

7. 2008 New York City Marathon



I had already registered for the Chicago Marathon, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to run my first NYC Marathon when I was offered guaranteed entry, even if NYC was only two weeks after Chicago.  I was running Chicago to try to qualify for Boston, so I decided NYC would just be for the experience.  After experiencing ridiculous heat for the second year in a row, and forever swearing off the Chicago Marathon, I was looking forward to having fun in New York and no caring one bit about my time.

The day didn't start off too great, as the pre-race logistics for the NYC Marathon aren't exactly fun.  I had to get up at 3:45 am and catch a bus out to Staten Island only to sit on the ground in a tent freezing for several hours before even lining up for the race.

2008 was the first year the NYC Marathon utilized a wave start and I found myself positioned at the beginning of the second wave of runners.  I was also lucky enough to go over the top level of the Verrazano Bridge.  Coming down the bridge, I had already made my way to the very front of the wave, so it was open road ahead of me.  I almost felt like I was one of the race leaders.  Ok, not really.



Running on 4th Ave through Brooklyn, the engine was still burning pure adrenaline.  When that started to wear off, I found myself running down Bedford Avenue with college students, hipsters, and other spectators literally spilling onto the street.  The energy was great and pushed me through to the Pulaski Bridge and into Queens, where I gave a couple high-fives to kids before entering the 59th Street Bridge.  Once ascending the bridge, all the sounds of the city and the race fell silent except the sound of thousands of footfalls echoing from the roof of the bridge.  It was an amazing, yet eerie feeling.  Just after cresting the apex of the bridge, the echoing footfalls gave way to the increasing sound of a distant crowd of thousands cheering.  As I pounded down the bridge, the crowd noise grew to an almost deafening level as I came off the bridge.

First Avenue was lined with thousands upon thousands of people cheering and yelling.  I got an instant shot of adrenaline and a huge smile upon my face.  The brunt of the runners were sticking to the left-hand side of the street, so I moved over to the right-hand side and started giving high-fives to anyone and everyone that would extend a hand.  For sixty blocks I gave out high-fives and exchanged fleeting greetings.  I stopped to hug and chat with several people I knew as I made my way toward the Bronx, where things calmed and the crowd thinned.

Luckily, the Bronx section was short and I re-entered Manhattan stopping in Harlem the talk to Coach Cane, NSQ, and Salim.  Coach Cane basically forced me back onto the course by telling me to get moving.  Once I got south of 110th Street, familiar faces were everywhere as the crowds once again thickened and the roar of cheering returned.  I stopped and chatted with Bridget in the 90s, saw some of the RUN NYC crew at Engineer's Gate, and stopped to talk to Stephen as I went down Cat Hill in Central Park.  The energy surrounding me was amazing and I gave out high-fives liberally--like it was my job and I was on the fast-track to upper management



I exited the park, turned onto 59th Street, and spotted Amy, who I gave a high-five and a smile before finishing off the length of 59th Street.  I re-entered Central Park and cruised toward Tavern on the Green high-fiving every man, woman, and child along the way while yelling loudly with a smile on my face.  When I got to the finish line, I graciously tucked into a ball and somersaulted my way over the finish line.



Two weeks before I gave Chicago my all, blew up in the heat, and ran a 3:22.  I looked at my watch and saw that even with all the celebrating I did on the course, I still ran a 3:32.  Running a marathon through the streets of New York is something that every marathoner should experience if given the opportunity.

Top Ten Running Experiences: Number Eight

8. Keep Austin Weird 5K 2007


It all started with my father making an innocent, off-hand, and probably sarcastic inquiry regarding when I was going to give him shoes in response to me giving a pair to another family member. My response to him was: pick a race, train for it, and I'll not only give you shoes, I'll run the race with you. I was thinking he'd pick a 5K or a 10K, but he dove in head-first and decided on the marathon.

I sent him shoes shortly after and guided him through marathon training. In June, I flew down for a visit and did a long(er) training run with him in the suffocating Texas heat. I also mentioned that the Keep Austin Weird 5K was that weekend and that we should go down and run it. He agreed, so we found ourselves in downtown Austin walking toward the start line. We had some extra time, so we watched the Crit (bicycle) race for a bit that was going on and then went over to the starting line to find our place among all the costumed runners. My dad and I had elected to simply dress as runners, but we were surrounded by superheros, guys in drag, soldiers in full gear, and an assortment of other "weird" costumes. None of it really phased me until I noticed a group of runners that had a chicken...on a leash.

The run started. My dad and I immediately realized how terrible of an idea it was to eat Freebirds burritos earlier in the evening. I felt like I had a cinder block resting very (un)comfortably in the pit of my stomach. Needless to say, it wasn't the fastest run, but it was a run that my dad and I did together.

Unfortunately, knee problems, and eventually surgery, ended my father's marathon career before it ever got off the ground. We weren't able to run that marathon together (otherwise, you'd definitely see it on this list), but at least we were able to run the 5K. It meant a lot to get to share a running experience with him, as running has carved out such a big portion of my life.

Top Ten Running Experiences: Number Nine

9. The First Annual Multi-State Five-Borough Tour de Bridge Challenge 2K7

A few years ago my friend Jené ran together quite often. I can't recall when the last time we ran together was, but its been a long, long time. However, in '07 it was a different story. We started running together to motivate each other through the winter and it carried on even as temperatures warmed up. Neither of us were keen on running the same routes all the time, so we started to get creative with our runs. The Tour de Bridge Challenge was born from the monotany of running in Central Park. I dreamed up a route that took in all 5 Boroughs, 2 States, and a lot of bridges. I got my friend Kelly to design a shirt for us and we had them printed online, but unfortunately weren't delivered in time for the run.

I got off work in the early afternoon on a Saturday and met Jené at JackRabbit (where we both worked part-time). We dropped our stuff at a co-worker's apartment and then hopped on the 1 train up to the Bronx. After a long train ride, we found ourselves on the Broadway Bridge taking some pictures before running back into Manhattan. The route then went down the West Side to the George Washington Bridge where we did a quick out-and-back to nab our second state. On the way back to New York, we encountered a couple of guys riding bikes loaded with gear. Turned out they were cycling west. They had maps to the end of the Pennsylvania and were going to "wing it" from there. Their destination? Vancouver, maybe Alaska.

After leaving the GW Bridge, we followed the West Side Path down to 57th Street and cut across Manhattan to tackle the 59th Street Bridge. A few blocks before arriving at the Bridge, the sky opened up. Rain-soaked, we consulted a map once on the Queens side and ran south. We crossed the Pulaski Bridge and then sought shelter under some scaffolding to once again consult the map and figure out how to get to the Williamsburg Bridge. We wound through Brooklyn, tackled the Billyburg Bridge, and then swung around to conquer the Manhattan Bridge.

By the time we got to the Brooklyn Bridge, we were soaked through, and the rain was pounding us. There was no one else on the bridge and as the wind picked up, the rain stung as it seared our skin. We laughed and yelled out loud to combat the pain. We re-entered Manhattan and trudged south to the Staten Island Ferry. The rain abaited and we eventually boarded the SI Ferry, shivering in the cold air conditioning. Jené and I opted for hot chocolate over the planned celebratory beer while water pooled under out seats, much to the consternation of the fellow passengers. Once at SI, we jogged through the ferry station and made the return trip to Manhattan.

By the time it was all over, we had conquered two states, five boroughs, and seven bridges. We had a great time doing it, and made plans to make the run and annual event. We've never done it again.

Thanks for the great run Jené...and good luck at IMFL.

Top Ten Running Experiences: Number Ten

10. Pacing at Badwater




For some reason, Badwater has intrigued me since I initially heard of it years ago. I first stumbled up a story about the race back in the mid 1990s while watching an adventure sports show one early Saturday morning. The subject of the segment was none other than Dean Karnazes. I remember thinking how far-fetched running a race like that sounded. It couldn't be humanly possible. But for some reason, the race resonated with me. Nevertheless, I eventually forgot about the race.

Fast forward to 2006 and an interview for a job at JackRabbit Sports. I was sitting across the table from Chris Bergland, a two-time Badwater Finisher. It's only a small sample of the amazing things Chris did, but I always seemed to find myself asking Chris about Badwater over the course of my employment at JackRabbit. Maybe Chris was able to see the future ultra runner in me or maybe he just likes to tell everyone to run Badwater, but I can't tell you how many times he told me, "you should do it." When I ran my first ultra, I had a text waiting from Chris wondering how I did. I saw him at the finish line of my third ultra. He definitely fostered my obsession with long-distance running and Badwater.

Shortly after meeting my friend Stephanie through RUN NYC, she mentioned that she had paced Pam Reed at Badwater the previous year. We exchanged stories--hers, first-hand, mine, rehashed stories from Chris. Then early last year when she mentioned that Pam might need another pacer for Badwater '09, I immediately expressed my interest, while trying to suppress my excitement knowing it was probably just a pipe dream. April came along and I found myself in Queens helping crew/pace for Pam Reed during a 6-day run. That event sealed it, and I found myself planning to head out to Death Valley in July.

I had heard stories of the heat, but I don't think I was really prepared for the furnace that is Death Valley. The heat there made the temperatures in Vegas feel cool. When the wind would blow, it would feel like someone turned on a hair dryer. The only thing I can really liken it to is climbing into your car during the summer in Texas, starting the car, and then blasting the heater on your face.

On race morning, we packed up at the hotel before heading down to the start. I think I might have been more excited than Pam. Afterall, she had won this race multiple times, this was nothing new to her.



At the starting line, I found myself in awe surrounded by people like Jack Dennes, Marshall Ulrich, Jorge Pacheco, Dean Karnazes (regardless of my opinion of him), and Jamie Donaldson to name a few. Contestants were weighed in as I milled around the start soaking it all in.

The race started and I found myself setting into a system of running 3-5 miles every hour or so and jumping in and out of a van every 10-15 minutes to keep Pam full of fluids and calories.


The heat was oppressive and still hung in the 90s even during the night as Pam and the support crew navigated narrow roads up and down mountain passes. I felt like I was running out of things to talk about while pacing, but my job was to distract and motivate, so I just kept talking. I was operating on little sleep beginning to understand what Pam meant when she said, "I think crewing for these things is more difficult than running them."

Just before the mile 100 mark, we passed Nickademus Hollon, a 19-year old who was attempting to become the youngest Badwater finisher in history. He was in pretty bad shape, but still moving forward (he ended up finishing 18th).

My final task at Badwater was getting Pam up the final section of the ascent to the Mt. Whitney Portal. The ascent was not easy, and I couldn't imagine attempting it after running 120+ miles. Pam was walking most of it, but as we neared the finish, I was able to get her to muster some strength and jog to the finish. I peeled off and let her run through the finish on her own. She was the 7th finisher and second woman across the line.

Being out at Badwater really gave me perspective on how difficult the race actually is. The conditions and terrain are terrible, even by my standards. Yet, being there somehow made me realize that the race isn't as far-fetched as I once believed. The 60-hour cutoff isn't impossible to make. Even as we drove back to Vegas the next day to fly back, the runners still on the course were ahead of the cutoff. I hope to make it back out to Badwater again one day to pace, but at some point, I wouldn't mind toeing the line.

Read my race updates from July of last year here.

Top Ten Running Experiences: Honorable Mentions

Its time to kick off this list of the top running experiences of my life. Throughout this list, you'll notice a theme. And that theme is Paul Leone. On the surface, I'm not really sure why many of the best running experiences seem to involve Paul. We both love running, but if that was the sole reason, this list would be filled with repeat names. I think it more has to do to the fact that we both reach to the extremities of what most people define as running and embrace those boundaries. Our tendencies for the extremes of running differ drastically--Paul tends to put his life on the line at 2 a.m. darting through Times Square dodging and staring down aggressive cab drivers, not always winning, while I tend to put my life on the line while running as far as I humanly can through terrain and conditions most would consider hostile. Yet somewhere, our fanaticism for the fringe overlaps. Perhaps it's because we crave attention, or maybe its that long hours at work drive us to insanity. I like to think it is because we both simply like to run and have fun doing it.

Back to the issue at hand--My Top Ten Running Experiences. There are two honorable mentions here, so I'll start with those today:

Brooklyn Half Marathon - '09 & '10

"Its an island on an island that's not an island on an island." I'm pretty sure that's how the conversation between the aforementioned Paul Leone and myself started when discussing a post-Brooklyn Half Marathon celebration. Beer Island was the topic of discussion, which is located on Coney Island, which is technically on Long Island. We discussed and debated the definitions of the word "island," which inevitably devolved into some sort of nonsensical conversation, although it was fairly absurd to begin with (if you could hear half the conversations Paul is involved in, you'd either laugh until you cried or your head would explode as a result of trying to comprehend). The result of the conversation was a call to Beer Island to find out how early they opened. A Facebook invite went out and the confirmations poured in. Everyone ran the half and then met at Beer Island for a full day of socialization. The beer was cold and somewhat cheap ($5 for any beer) and the weather was perfect.

Year two found us fretting and searching for a new post-race venue, as NYRR moved the start of the race back an hour. Initial reports were coming back that Beer Island would not be opening until 11 a.m. Luckily, after several calls and emails, they relented and decided to open at 9 a.m. Although a smaller group turned out, it was another day of socialization.

This entry was relegated to the honorable mention list, because most of the experience was due to the post-race festivities. However, running is what brought the whole thing together.

Solo Circumnavigation of Manhattan

The second honorable mention is the result of a long solo training run. The run took place on a 97-degree day in early July '07. I was training for the Jay Mountain Marathon (now extinct), which at the time was touted as the toughest trail race of its distance (after finishing, I can attest it definitely has reason to make that claim). I had read an account of someone circumnavigating Manhattan on their birthday, so I figured, "why not do it for a long training run?"

Armed with a Camelbak, some gels, and a few dollars in cash, I set out from the PATH station at the WTC and started around the bottom of Manhattan. Almost 6.5 hours later, I climbed back on the PATH. Over the course of the run, I got lost, fell and bloodied by knee, gave wrong directions to some tourists, found myself into an almost trance-like state, and forged my way through an abandoned section of Highbridge Park that eerily conjured images of an 80's horror movie. Through it all, I watched neighborhoods change and ventured into parts of the city I'd never been as I made my counter-clockwise journey around the island. It was the first time I had pushed myself that far, especially in those kinds of conditions. I experienced highs and lows, strangely experiencing both at one time during my "trance" state that is too difficult to put into words. The entire run experience was mine and mine alone, not that many people would want to share the experience.

Top Running Experiences of My Life

Over the next 10-12 days, I'm going to count down the top running experiences thus far in my life. I've pounded out many miles on concrete and trails around the the country and even abroad in the past 20 or so years of my life, but every one of the top experiences have happened since I moved to New York City.

Some people say their first marathon will always be their top experience. Mine was one of my worst. I was severely under-trained (my fault) and foolishly pushed through 26.2 miles, putting my health at risk. It was such a terrible experience that after I crossed the finish line, I turned to my sister and remarked, "I will never do this again." Well time passed, and I turned out to be a liar.

Some of my top experiences were races where I achieved a personal goal. Some were just runs with friends. Its a pretty good mixed bag. There were definitely a few runs I would have liked to include, but there's only room for ten (and two honorable mentions). I wish I had room for my first ultra, my first 50 miler, that 42 mile training run with Jim where I hallucinated and then we got caught in a terrible thunderstorm (yes, it was a positive experience regardless of how it sounds), or even one of the two Texas Independence Relays or Reach the Beach Relay. However, those and others were all edged out in favor of the forthcoming list, which I will begin unveiling beginning tomorrow.

I'd love to hear feedback or know if I was involved in any of your favorite experiences. Maybe I somehow forgot about a run that is worthy of the list. If so, I apologize and I will acknowledge it. Be on the lookout for the list...

Ironman not difficult enough? Try it Old School

Want a challenge? Try the Ironman Old School Style. Personally, I say, "No Thanks."

Another night at Red Hook

Back to the track last night. Though I'm definitely feeling stronger and more comfortable on the track, last night shows that I'm still trying to figure out where my fitness and speed are exactly.

First, Coach Cane had us line up and bang out 8 400s, all of which felt easy.

8 x 400, 200 recovery
1:28, 1:28, 1:27, 1:28, 1:27, 1:27, 1:26, 1:26

Then it was time to move on to a single 2000.

1:33, 1:34, 1:34...blew up half way through lap 5. Toughed it out, but didn't get my last 2 splits.

We discussed afterward and I need to dial back the 400s (even though they felt easy). Once I can get through the workouts without falling off at the end, I can start pushing it a little more.

My legs feel a little trashed today, but I only need to knock out and easy run, so all should be good. I did get up this morning and hit the gym. I did a quick circuit and then did some core work.

Dallas White Rock Marathon

Its officially official.

I registered yesterday. I hope to see 2:59:xx on the clock when I cross the finish line on December 5th.

Firing off a rant

I haven't done a road race in quite some time. Well, I suppose the Boston Marathon counts, but when you are decked out in stars and stripes carrying an American Flag while chanting U-S-A! U-S-A!, it doesn't really count as a serious race.

Anyway, a couple recent discussions have brought up a few pet peeves I have regarding people's etiquette on the race course. This time around its all about water stations. And to solve both of these issues, all one really has to do it be aware of their surroundings.

- person #1 that I would shoot before Hitler is the person who comes in to the water station, grabs a cup of water, and then immediately stops and walks while drinking (it's not that hard, I can describe it if need be). Grab you cup and get the hell out of the way! There are plenty of us out there that can drink while running. I swear one of these times, I'm going to throw up and elbow and run over the person who stops in front of me. Grab a cup, run past the tables, move off to the side, glance behind you, and then start walking. Drink until your heart is content.

- person #2 that I would assassinate in lieu of Hitler. The people who dispose of a partially full cup of water with no regard for where other people are. I'm sorry, but nothing sucks more than having to run in a wet shoe for 23 miles due to some jackass throwing their cup of water or Gatorade into your shoe. Just look around before tossing the cup. Be aware of your surroundings! Note: this also applies to people spitting or blowing snot rockets. No one wants to be hit by your bodily fluids!

I don't understand how simple common sense escapes so many people.

The humidity returns

Katie met me at the office for an easy 6 miler last night. The easy 6 turned into a very slow trudge in the heat and humidity, mostly b/c of the humidity. I felt like I couldn't breath. Regardless the miles were logged.

I'm obviously running a bit more consistently, but its really tough to tell if I've made any gains. The weather has really made it tough to get in quality runs. I know I'm a long way from December 5th, but I'm American. And like all Americans, I'm all about instant gratification.

I'm putting my trust in Coach Cane and following his plan. I may or may not break 3 hours on December 5th, but I have full faith that he'll do everything possible to get me there.

A few things to fill my time

I seem to waste at least 30 seconds every day looking at the IMTX website to see if they have posted course information. Alas, every day I am disappointed. So, every time I see a thread on a forum talking about IMTX, I click on it thinking that it'll have some insider info. Usually its a waste of time, but occasionally I get a little insight. Anyway, while researching (wasting time) today, I found this interesting little fact:

WTC media relations stated last week that there are 1508 Texans registered for the race (it sold out at around 2500 entries).

Currently the record for most residents of one state to complete a single race was 2009 IM Wisconsin, with 655 Wisconsin residents finishing. Unless there some sort of catastrophic number of DNFs at IMTX, this meaningless record stands to be absolutely shattered. Everything is bigger in Texas.

------------------

Here's another story that caught my attention. Kelly Williamson recently won the Steelhead 70.3, but stopped about 10 meters from the finish and waited for a couple minutes before claiming her victory. Why? To allow the 3rd and 4th place women to finish within 8% of her finishing time, ensuring they get paid.

Which brings me to the finish...let me flash back to pre-race on the beach.

Karen had jokingly said as the 4 of us stood there, "So, ladies, lets all get paid today! No super hero's out there today, are there?" (To which I thought, "Well, hell, I hope I am a super hero today! I want to win!") There is currently a rule intact which states that to take home any prize money, a professional must finish within 8% of the winners time. While I can respect the rule in that it is aiming to 'raise the bar' for us professionals, I would also like to see those who show up get paid, especially when the field consists of only 4 women. After Karen said this, the idea kept creeping back into my head throughout the race. So, as I approached the finish line, I figured why not take this opportunity to at least try to allow us to all get a paycheck. I did not know the exact spread, but when I came to the line, the clock said "4:15" (which was 4:13 as we had gone 2 minutes back) and upon a quick calculation, I realized this was going to mean they would need to be within about 18 minutes. I slowed down, high fived a few spectators, then about 5 meters from the finish line, stopped and waited. People looked around, a bit confused, but I knew what I was doing and simply held there for 2 minutes or so. Not knowing the exact spread, and knowing that Heather was likely not too far behind, I decided not to push my luck too much and crossed. While a bit anti-climactic for my first 70.3 win, it still felt incredible to break the tape, while also showing some respect to my fellow competitors.

Admirable move by Kelly. Read the rest of her account of the race here.

Back at Red Hook

I joined Coach Cane's group out at the Red Hook track last night for what was the start of my structured training for my attempt at going sub-3 in the marathon. It looks like I've finally settled on the race: Dallas White Rock Marathon on December 5th. The weather in Dallas in December can be a crapshoot, but then again, no one expected it to be 92 degrees in Chicago in October of '07.

The track workout was definitely easier than a couple weeks ago, but I don't feel strong or comfortable out there yet. Its going to take a while to get that back. I haven't done speed work with any consistency in a long, long time and its showing. I dropped all speed work when I went into IM training last year and then didn't need speed work training for Bear Mountain 50 this past spring. My form is terrible, my body is rebelling at the notion of moving quickly, and my mental toughness isn't where it needs to be.

That being said, I suffered.

2400 warm up
1200 @ ~6:20 pace (1:35, 1:35, 1:35)
400 recovery
1200 @ ~6:17 pace (1:30, 1:34, 1:35)
400 recovery
800 @ ~6:04 pace (1:30, 1:32)
400 recovery
800 @ ~6:06 pace (1:32, 1:34)
400 recovery
400 @ 1:23
200 recovery
400 @ 1:28
200 recovery
400 @ 1:30
200 recovery
400 @ 1:27

800 cool down

Its august, time to start training

What a difference a few days and 20 degrees makes. After spending a week in the Texas heat, my "easy" run tonight felt almost effortless and was noticeably faster than any run while I was in Texas.

I think I've finally settled on a fall marathon. White Rock Marathon in Dallas on December 5th. I was looking at Tuscon, but for several reasons I've sort of shied away from it. 18 weeks out, its time to get serious and get back in real shape.

Wednesday News

Well, its wednesday, why not a little news?

I'm REALLY glad I did IMAZ last year and not this year. Its starting to look like a duathlon. Why? Well, no water.

I've had a man-crush on Jens Voigt for awhile, but I think now its a full-blown obsession. The guy crashed yesterday in the TdF doing 70 km/h. End result: 5 stitches in his elbow, possible broken ribs, covered in road rash, and a trashed bike. He then told the SAG Wagon, "no thanks" and hopped on a loaner bike that was WAY too small for him and finished the stage.

Read about how Jens is the man!



and a post race interview:

Yesterday's Run

I decided to run home from work yesterday. Mother Nature decided that it was a good time to stir up a thunderstorm to the north. Although I never felt a drop of rain, I ran against probably the worst sustained headwind I've ever dealt with. It was close to eight miles that felt like uphill the entire way.

Tonight, I'm headed out to Red Hook to get owned at the track.

And for those contemplating barefoot running, my prediction is already starting to come true. Read.

Headwind? No Problem

Just got back from a 5 miler along the west side highway. On the way south, I ran into a headwind. It didn't seem to slow me down much, but when I turned to come back north it was tough to keep my pace up. Strange.

Long(er) Run

Katie and I went up to Rockefeller State Park yesterday with Cane and the City Coach Crew. I'm in love with Rockefeller, but I'm sure not in the kind of shape I need to be in to bang out a solid hour and a half in the heat up there. I suffered. Katie had a pretty decent run that made me look bad. Especially when she was leaving me behind to go uphill.

It wasn't fun, but I'm glad I did it. It'll get better with more miles.

I forgot to mention...

I signed up for this race a couple weeks ago:

= terrible

3 sets of 4x400m. 200 recover and 3 min rest between sets. I felt ok (other than being slow) for the first 9, but the last 3 really kicked my ass.

Gotta start somewhere I suppose.

I rode my bike in to work today...just under 8 miles and it was already over 90 degrees. The pool might be a good idea tonight.

Speed + Heat = ???

I'll let you know tonight. I'm headed to Red Hook tonight to do some track work. I've not done speed work of any kind/substance since last year before IM training. Its going to be brutal, especially taking in the 100 degree heat. Guess I'm jumping back in head first.

I feel like I've been all over the place recently. I spent some time in Wisconsin where I ran and got in some open-water swims, and most recently I was just out in Eugene, OR for Nike Track Nationals and the Pre Classic. Here's a few shots from the Legendary Hayward Field and my visit to Pre's Rock.

No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn

Last night was the annual City Coach "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn" Century Ride in Prospect Park. This was my third year dong the ride, which consists of 30 laps of the 3.3 mile loop.

I ended up doing 111 miles last night, including the ride to the park and my post ride mileage. I finished sometime around 12:30, averaging somewhere just over 19 mph for the ride. Unfortunately, I completely bonked around mile 80 and had to suffer severely through the last 30 miles or so. I got dropped and had to ride solo for that last section. I tried to catch back up to the group, but just couldn't manage it solo.

My legs feel completely dead today, but I'm still glad I got the ride in last night.

Race Across the Window II

Tomorrow marks the start of year 2. You may remember last year's event. We're riding 24/7 on a computrainer in the window of JackRabbit until we hit 3,000 miles. Its once again a team of 8, with each person riding a 3 hours shift.

I'll be on from 6a-9a every morning. We start at noon tomorrow, so my first shift will be friday morning.

This year's ride benefits the Challenged Athlete Foundation. We'll have live webcams, guest riders, celebrity appearances, etc. I'll post more info as I have it, but here are some relevant links:

Facebook Group

Website/Blog

Twitter

and most importantly, the donation link.

live webcam


Broadcasting Live with Ustream.TV

Biggest Loser

I have to rant a bit. I watch this show on a somewhat regular basis and constantly find myself frustrated by things in the show, but last night really got to me.

Before I get to my rant, let me first preface this. I think this show has some great aspects. It has motivated a lot of people to change their lives, and it has spawned many contests at companies for weight loss. These things are sorely needed with the state of our country's collective health. We're getting fatter by the day. Serving sizes are getting bigger, and people are frying anything and everything. I'm not trying to preach, I love fried food as much as the next guy, but I eat it in moderation (usually) and I exercise. The show has done a lot of good.

However, there are things that really bother me. Its been documented that some "weeks" on the show are, in reality, longer than an actual week, which allows contestants to lose more weight. The huge numbers seen on the scale are attainable for two reasons. One, a week isn't always a week. Two, all these contestants do is work out--its their life. No one can sustain that in real life. Additionally, the contestants are given nutrition advice and access to nutritious food without the temptation of milk dudes and ice cream. It gives viewers a false reality of weight loss. So when they try on their own and don't see the same results, people get frustrated and quit. This has always bothered me.

However, last night's episode really bothered me. They had the final 4 contestant "run" the Biggest Loser Marathon. They were informed of this 30 days prior to the event, and only one of the contestants really ran on a regular basis. First, thirty days is nowhere near enough time to properly train for a marathon, especially to RUN a marathon. Thirty days to run a marathon for people who are still quite a bit overweight is just asking for injury. I was immediately curious to see the finish times.

The one contestant considered "the runner" focused almost solely on running for the 30 days, while the others continued mixed workout (one did walk a lot). The course record for the BL Marathon was 4:55:xx. All the contestants were show during the marathon. "The Runner" was highlighted as running the entire marathon and looked like he was running fairly strong. He finished smashed the course record in about 4:02. I was quite surprised, but was happy to see a contestant actually RUN the marathon. My first marathon time was 4:52. I walked A LOT of it, so I know how much running is involved in slow marathon times and how much of it is actually walking. The second contestant was shown running and struggling through the marathon, but it was made to look like he was toughing it out and running the entire thing. He was REALLY struggling early, even at mile 5. His finish time? About 6 hours. He barely ran anything. He walked the majority of the course, even though he was shown running. The two "walkers" were show walking almost the entire course. Their finish time? About 6:30. The magic of Hollywood editing.

I know this makes me an elitist and maybe an asshole, but a 6:00 marathon is nothing to be happy about. This whole thing completely trivializes the marathon. I'm not saying that they shouldn't be happy about completing 26.2 miles, especially coming from where they started, but it was said many times that they were "running a marathon." There was only one guy who ran the marathon. He's the one who was a "runner" before training and who concentrated on running during the training period. He should be proud of his time. He should brag that he RAN a marathon in 4:02. Is it blazing fast? No, but its respectable for someone of his size and history. He actually worked for it.

The thing that really set me off though were comments made during the weigh-in. The contestant that focused on running actually gained 2 pounds over 30 days. He made the comment that he focused on training for the marathon and that's not going to result in much weight loss. I remarked that this was probably one of the smartest statements ever made on the show. Immediately after, both trainers tore into him and said that his statement was completely wrong and that he should have been losing weight. I lost it. The contestant was right. A person properly training for a marathon might lose some weight, but probably won't. The person should be balancing caloric intake with calories burned during runs, as to not run on a deficit. For proper training/running, one needs proper fueling. Not to mention, running that much, he probably built muscle in his legs.

I really hate seeing the marathon trivialized. I don't like people getting false expectations and incorrect information. The last thing the sport needs is more people attempting the marathon poorly prepared. I'm tired of hearing people brag about running a marathon, only to find out they logged 5+ hours on a course. With that kind of time, you didn't run and you likely weren't properly prepared. The show is only perpetuating these problems and giving people false information and hopes.

Recovering

I'm recovering from the 50 miler. More mentally than physically. I ran last night and my legs felt a little dead, but I feel like I'm recovered to a point where I feel mostly normal.

The mental recovery is taking much longer. The race really beat me up. It took much longer than I had expected, and for the first time that I can remember, I was below average. I'm not fast, but I generally finish in the top 25-30% of participants. I wasn't even in the top 50% of runners at Bear Mountain. When I finished, I didn't get the high from finishing the event...I just felt like crap and was bummed out. Then to find out Vermont was full, I felt like I did it all for nothing.

I'm starting to accept the race and move on, but its been a weird week. For now I'm just trying to focus on moving forward and having fun at the Brooklyn Half this weekend. After that, its time for Race Across the Window again. More details to follow on RATW.

Bear Mountain 50 Miler tomorrow

at 5 am EST, I set out for my second 50 mile race. Supposedly there's a service that will update my facebook status with splits. However, I read the reviews of the application, and I hold no faith that it will actually update.

I know I owe Boston and Tough Mudder race reports, but for now, I'll throw in a couple pictures from Tough Mudder.

Boston Marathon 2010 - Patriots

I've been busy

The lack of updates has been directly related to my workload. I was in Boston, both working and running, and then went directly to Philly for Penn Relays.

Here are the recap videos from each day:

Boston

I've been having some issues with logging in to my blog from my phone, but looks like things are finally working.

I'm on day 3 in Boston and there's definitely an element of excitement here that you don't get at other marathons. The expo is massive and dwarfs any I've seen before.

I've been treated to really good food and I'm surrounded by good people. Paul has decided to run alongside me dressed as george washington. We'll both be carrying American flags, of course. It is patriot's day and all.

I'm starting to get excited, but everything has yet to really hit me. I can't wait for tomorrow. This is THE marathon.

If you get universal sports, they are airing the marathon live tomorrow.

Boston Bib #3717

I'm not racing, just running for fun, but if you care to track me, that's my bib number.

Alberto Arroyo

I've only been in NYC for about 4.5 years, but this man has been a stable here for longer my parents have even been alive. I use to high-five "The Mayor of Central Park" when I would pass him on the reservoir. Albert Arroyo passed away a couple weeks ago. Tonight was a dedication of the running path to him. The running world lost a legend. To read more about The Mayor, click here.

LONG run

Made it out for a 5 hour and 15 minute run today. My original plan was to go for a 4 hour run, but I felt good at the 2 hour mark and decided to keep going. I didn't take enough fuel with me, so I was fading later in the run. I should know better. Anyway, I started on the NYC side of the GW Bridge and then headed up the Long Path. I refilled water once I reached the park headquarters and then continued north. I pretty much ran to the NY state line and then retraced my path. Around the 4:30 mark, I completely bonked. With it being an out and back, I had not choice but to keep going, so I slogged out a slow last 45 minutes back to the subway.

When I got back I ate an entire medium pizza and two slices of a second pizza!

Back in the swing...

Its been a pretty good few days...

Mon - got in an easy 3.1 mile run and then hit up the gym to swim for 30 minutes.

Tues - met up with Katie at Run Club and knocked out close to 7.5 miles.

Wed - rode my bike to work and then did "speed" work with Run Club that evening. Its pretty sad when I'm now doing speed work at my marathon pace, but I guess speed will return sooner or later.

Trails and Mud

I got out for a 3 hour and 20 minute trail run today. I ran up to the GW Bridge and then jumped on the Long Path for a nice trail run. The weather was a little warm, but it was nice to be off pavement. There were some great sections of mud/water that I got to tear through. I was a bit tired toward the end, but it was good training for Bear Mountain to tackle some trails.

First time back on the bike

Today I jumped in the car with JC and NSQ and went up to Harriman to mount my bike for the first time since Nov 22, 2009. It was my first experience at Harriman, and I quite enjoyed it. Since it was early season, the bathrooms weren't open, so we had to descend 2 miles to another parking area only to find a port-a-john. The 2 mile climb back was a rough start to the day, but the weather was great and the scenery really could be beat. I made it through 2 loops for 40 miles. JC and NSQ added on some more mileage while I enjoyed the sun.

I'm definitely not in any sort of riding shape, but its still fun.

Trucking along

I've been running a bit more consistently and seem to be getting back on track. More mileage means I'm getting back in shape. Then endurance seems to be returning, so I'm sure speed will eventually come as well.

13.5 miles

Gloriously slow, but I got in 13.5 miles yesterday. I was going to do my long run on saturday, but 40 mph wind gusts and pouring rain did not sound like conducive conditions. I went out yesterday and slowly knocked out a long run. I'm pretty sore today, but it's a good sore. I'm feeling a slight tightness in my leg, but as long as it doesn't turn out to be anything, I'm on track for being able to run Boston.

I'm getting excited to actually be running a race again. I only did 4 races last year, and 3 of those were in the spring. I can't wait to do a bunch this year.

Another 4 miles

I visited Niketown Run Club tonight for the first time in a long time. It was nice to see some people I hadn't seen in a while. I got in a fairly easy 4 miler. I felt some "twinges" in my achilles, but its really hard to tell if they are real or just in my head because I'm paranoid. I'm taking tomorrow off and I'll get back on the running on thursday. Halfway through the week and so far so good...

This week determines my future.

I could be back on track for Boston (and Bear Mountain). We'll soon know. If I can make it through this week pain-free, then I'm good to go. So far, I've not had any issues.

I got in a few decent runs last week and ended with a 9 miler on sunday. I followed that up with a 6 miler last night at around 7:50 pace. I've got a few solid runs planned for this week culminating with a 12-14 miler on sunday. If I make it through that, I'll be much more optimistic.

I hit the pool last night too, which was nice. I got in 30 minutes of easy swimming after my run.

Crossing my fingers for this to be a good week.

Chicago Marathon '07 - RR

Chicago Marathon Race Report

Chicago experienced the hottest temperatures ever for the marathon this year. It was absolutely brutal. Here's a detailed report:



I got up at 5:30 a.m. and got ready for the race. When we headed outside, it actually felt pretty good outside, so I was hoping that perhaps the heat wouldn't be as bad as predicted. We took the train down to the start and by the time we got there it was already hot enough outside that I was sweating just walking to the bustling starting area. I bid farewell to my friend Jene, who had a position in one of the starting corrals. The corrals are for people who have run certain times in their age and gender so that they don't have to be in the massive open starting area. I went and checked my bag and then entered the open starting area at the back. I spend the next thirty minutes working my way up toward the 3:30 pace area, but I was only able to make it up to around the 4 hour pace area before the crowd of anxious runners was too thick to naviagate through. As we waited on the start of the race, I chatted with an older gentleman who was from Kerrville, Texas. Finally the start of the race was signalled. I waited as the thousands of people in front of me began the race before I was able to actually start forward progress. When I finally crossed the starting line, over eight minutes had already elapsed on the official race clock. Its a good thing someone invented chip timing, which doesn't start an individual runner's time until he/she actually crosses the starting line. Just walking to the starting line caused me to sweat quite a bit. I was already drinking water from the bottle I had planned to carry for the first five miles or so in order to skip the initial crowded water stations.



I was afraid my first mile would be ridiculously slow due to the mass start, but I found it somewhat easy to navigate through the crowd, as the streets for the first mile were quite wide allowing me to pass people on the edge of the street. The crowd cheering us on was five and six people deep for much of the first mile. When I crossed the first mile marker, I was right on pace as my watch showed 8:00. Unfortunately, the streets narrowed after the first mile and I was blocked by the slower runners. Several times I was run into by inconsiderate or inexperienced runners who decided they would cut in front of me and stop to say hello to family and friends who were cheering them on. When I crossed the second mile clock, I had logged an 8:20 second mile, which was putting me at a deficit I knew I'd have to make up if I were to reach my goal of a sub-3:30 time. As I went into miles three and four, I logged sub 8 minute miles, slowly chipping away at the twenty seconds added in mile two. The heat was getting worse as time ticked by and by mile four I was completely soaked with sweat. I finished off my bottle of water before mile five and had already taken the first of the electrolyte tablets I brought along to help ward off muscle cramps. Feeling sluggish just before mile five, I took the first of my power gels to try and give me a little boost. The energy kicked in and I continued to chip away at the extra time, but I started to wonder how long I could hold the pace due to the heat. At mile eight, the course made a turn onto a road where the buildings shaded much of the street. With the slight breeze, I felt a bit rejuvinated and continued my assault. As I glanced around, I realized two things. There were already people walking, struggling in the heat. The other was that that crowd had not dissapated. The people were no longer six deep, but there wasn't an inch of the course that wasn't occupied by people cheering. I hit the 15K mark a little slower than my projected pace, but I was still whittling away at the twenty seconds I lost on mile two.



Passing the halfway mark, I was only about two minutes off my overall projected pace, but reality was quickly sinking in. Looking around, there were people going down everywhere. Multitudes were walking. Everywhere I looked people were trying to stretch out muscle cramps. Paramedics were treating those who had succumbed to the intense heat. Just after the halfway point, I spotted a marquee outside of a bank. Flashing before me was "10:02 a.m." immediately followed by "92 degrees." It was somewhere around this juncture that I realized that there was no way I was coming in under 3:30, so I readjusted my goal to run a sub 3:40. I continued to put one foot in front of the other, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. Even the crowds cheering couldn't help motivate me, and as I looked around my fellow runners all I saw was suffering. By the time I reached mile 15, I decided to throw time goals out the window and just get myself across the finish line. I started noticing people with pace cards on their backs that read "3:10" and "3:20" running with those of us who had fallen to a 3:50 pace. I reached into my pocked to grab another electrolyte tablet and only found loose salt in my pocket. I had sweat so much that the gel caplets had dissolved in my pocket leaving behind the salt they once contained. Wiping the salt granules from my hand, I looked over and saw that one of the official pacers for the race had removed his pacing sign and had succumbed to the heat. At this time, I also realized that I had stopped sweating, which was an obvious sign of dehydration. I knew I was going to be in trouble if I were to keep exerting myself, but I didn't want to stop. Luckily I was approaching a water station. I jogged to the water station and picked up two cups of Gatorade Endurance. I downed both full cups and moved on to the water station where I drank a glass of water and then dumped another cup over my head. I slowed my pace quite a bit and added in sections of walking to minimize exertion, while I repeated my massive intake of water for the next few miles until I felt sweat carving its way down my face once again.



As I continued my slow pace through the later miles of the race, I noticed the steady stream of runners crowding to the side of the street into a small strip of shadow cast by the buildings seeking any refuge from the blistering heat. I ran through the Mexican neighborhood and took advantage of a couple water stations that were run by spectators. Through the neighborhoods, spectators were spraying down runners with their water hoses and businesses were handing out ice to the overheated runners. I noticed a runner strapped to a stretcher being attended to by medical staff. As we neared mile 18, we entered Chinatown. There is no worse smell at mile 18 in an inferno than the thick smell of chinese food. I struggled through Chinatown and passed mile 20. The water stations in the later part of the race were stocked with bananas, which I devoured. Bananas are a great source of energy and help to hydrate due to their high water content. I had to keep telling myself to just get the next mile marker. It was difficult to push through and times and my body wanted to quit. I took a few short walking breaks to extend the little energy I had on reserve.



Once I crossed the 25 mile marker, I increased my pace just wanting to end the hell I was enduring. I came upon the second to last turn in the race, less than a half mile from the finish when I heard someone yell out, "stop running, the race has been cancelled. just walk." Thinking it was some sort of sick joke, I continued running. A short time later before I made my final turn to the last stretch, cops and medics were all yelling to stop running. The race had been cancelled. There was no way I was going to give it up only a quarter mile from the finish. As I continued to run, a cop stepped out into the stream of runners with his hand up telling me to stop running. I looked at him and said "I've run 26 miles, there's no way I'm stopping now." I sidestepped him, made my final turn and took the finish line. It was a slow 4:04:xx finish, but I felt fortunate just to cross the finish line.



In the hours after the race, I began to learn just how brutal the sun had been. Over 10,000 entrants didn't even show up for the race. Of the 35,000 that ran, only 24,000 finished. They ran out of ambulances as over 300 people were taken to hospitals. Several people were in critical condition. One man died due to a heart condition, but I'm sure the heat only exacerbated his condition. Runners still on the course were re-routed or bussed back to the starting line. They were not allowed to finish due to the extreme conditions. The race was absolutely brutal, and I was lucky enough to finish. Had I not readjusted my goals during the race and listened to my body, I could have very easily been on of the people who were hospitalized.