black and yellow (2011 corporate challenge report)

“black and yellow…black and yellow…black and yellow…black and yellow…”

OK, maybe the song isn’t necessarily a favorite, but I felt it went with my race bib for the Corporate Challenge

So.  Compared to last year’s race, there were some logistical improvements.  The biggie?  Everyone got asked for predicted times when they signed up, so…we all got assigned to start corrals based on our pace.  WIN.  This was a huge relief for me, as my yellow bib meant I would be in one of the “seeded” starts and I didn’t have to stress about getting there mad early.  And I could actually leave with my colleagues to go to the race and be in the team picture this year (as I had to miss it last year)

Oh and I have to say, I loved how our shirts came out…cute idea for a market research company, right?  This was the back of the shirt:

before I took a scissors to the sleeves and the bottom of the shirt

So 5 PM rolls around and we’re all getting into our race gear, pinning on our bibs, etc…and as my coworkers had either blue or white bibs (those were the 2 corrals behind yellow) I definitely got a lot of comments on my yellow bib.  Ahhh, the pressure of being the company ringer…though actually, I had to reclaim my title of being first overall for the company   We leave and hit the subway around 5:30…and of course the train is filled with other Corporate Challengers.  And I guess there was some chick giving our crew the stinkeye, though Dr. Insensitive said something to the effect of “yeah show off your bib, we have the power”…until the chick pulled out a red bib with a 3-digit number-meaning first corral.  Ummm yeah.

So we got to the park in plenty of time and found a place to drop our bags-one very nice coworker volunteered to watch our stuff while we were racing…though truth be told, he was rewarded with some, uh, refreshment while he was waiting   Anyway, we took a few pictures, then most of the crew went to get their T-shirts so I said I was going to the start and that I’d see them at the finish line (or after!)  Since there was nothing in the race day instructions that said what time we had to be in the corrals by, I didn’t want to take any chances…

And I got to my yellow corral in plenty of time and found a spot near the front of it.  Looks like red was in front, with green right behind, then us.  And the announcements stated that it was gonna be staggered starts-red and green go at the horn, we go 2 minutes later.  Good idea as well-they do that at the Philly Distance Run and I found it helped the congestion in the beginning.  So we just had to wait for the start…sit through (or actually stand through) the pre-run “aerobics” which a lot of us did not partake in

And the horn sounded and the red and green corrals left.  And we waited a minute or 2 before we were allowed to move up.  And move up I did…and here was where I made a little mistake.  As I was in the front of the corral, I stepped over the first timing mat (the 2nd was at the actual start line), but the officials wouldn’t release us yet.  And I thought to myself “oh sh*t!!  this is gonna add to my race time”  But eventually they did let us go…

So the beginning of the first mile was pretty clean.  But wouldn’t you know it, not even 5 minutes in, I’m passing red and green bibs…that should NOT be happening if they have a 2 minute head start on me.  Guess some peeps were, uh, a little optimistic with their “predicted times?”  First mile was 7:31…hmmm maybe a little slow?  I knew I had to break a 7:30 pace to beat last year’s time…and I think to go under 26 minutes I would have had to run 7:25′s?

During mile 2 was the right turn onto 102nd…and I used some learning from last year.  Last year I had stayed to the inside on this turn, resulting in being quite boxed in and having to slow dramatically on the turn.  This time I stayed to the outside…tangents be damned, but it didn’t break my stride at least.  But damn, why did I feel like we were climbing this entire mile?  2nd mile was 7:38.

Mile 3 was pretty much like mile 4 from the Mini 10k…”The Climb” (apologies for the Miley Cyrus reference)  And I think my legs were still feeling the 10K race, as I took that one pretty hard.  This mile was 7:47 and  was glad it was over.  Last half-mile started with Cat Hill downhill but then we turn onto 72nd to the finish…uphill!!  How the hell did this course feel like we were constantly going uphill (with the exception of Cat Hill)?  I wasn’t looking at my watch and I didn’t know how close I was to a PR…did the best I could at the finish but my legs were spent…last half-mile was 3:40…not my best closing half-mile, not my worst.  Final time 26:36, 7:36 pace according to Mr. Garmin-though the actual results said 26:53…remember my starting mat mishap?  That’s where those 17 seconds went…not that it made much of a difference at the end of the day…

So as always, followed the masses to get water, once again skipped the nasty shit known as coconut water, got my t-shirt, and cooled down around the lower loop.  And even with sneaking in a cooldown, I was the first to make it back to our meeting spot   But soon enough the others started to arrive, all seeming very happy with themselves and they should be…we all brought it!   (and oh yeah, I reclaimed my title of finishing first for the company…yay )  After everyone was present and accounted for, we all trekked up and down Amsterdam Avenue in search of someplace, anyplace what wasn’t mobbed with Corporate Challengers, so we could get some definitely-needed eats and “recovery beverages”   Took us a while, but we did find a place, so we all sat, ate, drank, chatted and had fun (and I didnt even get charged for my 2nd drink, cool!)

As for my race…I honestly didn’t have much expectations, but I thought sub-26 could have been doable.  I guess I underestimated how much a hard 10K can take out of you and that this isn’t the easiest double.  I don’t know how those elites who double in the 10K/5K do it! (then again, they are creatures unlike any other…)  All in all, I just chalked it up as my tempo workout for the week.  But on a positive note, I have to say having the seeded corrals was a HUGE improvement over previous years.  I just need to remember to stay away from the starting mats til they let us go…oh crap, I have to do this again next year?

obviously i'm smiling because this is post-race

maybe i should mentally write off races more often (2011 mini 10k report)

Hi again!!  Yep, I know this race report is 2 weeks delinquent.  Ya think life has gotten in the way or something?

Soooo…the Mini 10K.  It’s a race that, for me, was a “must run” for several reasons.

1. It was my first race as a New York Flyer…way back in 2004!!
2. It’s the only NYRR race that I have run every single year, without fail…so this year would be #8!
3. Club points race for the ladies.  Even if I don’t score, I still wanted to be out there in some shape or form…
4. Ladies-only race=blue race bib (yay for first corral!)
5. Ladies-only race=lotsa men on the sidelines cheering
6. Plus this year’s race had a coupla special aspects-the 40th anniversary of the race and was dedicated to Grete Waitz.

As for how I was gonna run…I seriously did not know.  I was having a conversation with Coach T a week or so beforehand and he asked me if I had any time goal in mind…I said “you know, I’m honestly afraid to make any goals.”  Between last year’s Mini, and the disaster that was the Brooklyn Half, may have been better for the psyche to not have any numbers pre-define my race day.

So what does the post title have to do with things?  Glad you asked…

So the nite before the race, I had gone out with some coworkers to celebrate a a birthday of someone in our group.  Original plan was to have 1 glass of wine, maybe 2 tops, and then go home early and rest.  Said original plan did not happen.  With the conditions for the race supposed to be crappy (either almost 100% humidity or raining), I thought “f*ck it, whatever happens tomorrow happens, I’m gonna have fun tonite.”  Hence me tipping back a few pints of Blue Moon and staying out later than planned (though I did carbo-load properly at home.)

So the next morning…no rain, but the humidity was indeed close to 100%-thank god it was cooler than normal.  Did feel it though during my warmup (boy did it feel different, warming up for this race by running up 8th Ave instead of down CPW!)  I headed to the blue corral and lined up with Flyers JS, EG and CK…within striking distance of the elites too!  cool!  Though when we are all supposed to move forward, me (and CK too) made sure we stayed behind the mats…for reason that we both forgot a few days later   but also I knew there were others who deserved to be in front of me, and I didn’t want to take the chance of getting caught up in a too-fast first mile.  Anyway, after a few speeches, some tributes to Grete, and one of the Harriers singing the National Anthem (and doing a great job too!) it was go time…

Mile 1 (7:28)-Similar to 2 years ago, I tried to hold back just a little…being a little cautious with both the conditions and knowing the hills were up ahead but also just knowing that a 10K is more of an endurance race than some give it credit for.  Others were flying past and I’d let them go…I sorta tried to keep JS in my sights, who was a strong runner making her first comeback race after injury.  I figured if I could stick with her I’d have a good day.  One treat for today was some of the men (and women not racing) from the local clubs cheering at the mile markers.  Looks like mile 1 was CPTC’s, as I saw a coupla familiar faces   Thanks for cheering, guys!  And I was pretty happy with this mile split (and I think it may have actually been a second or 2 faster-was a little distracted at the mile marker )

Mile 2 (7:41)-just kept going up CPW…smiled to myself as I passed my old block on the UWS, and all the buildings I used to walk or run by every day.  Entered the park at 90th and got to work on the hills.  Not time to make my move yet…maintain, maintain, maintain.  Even though this split was a little slow, I wasn’t really getting passed, and I had something left for the 2 biggest climbs of the race ahead.  (And thanks to North Brooklyn Runners for their great cheering at the mile 2 marker! )

Mile 3 (7:37)-first climb.  Attack the hill, don’t look at the watch.  If I get passed here, catch ‘em on the downhill.  And that was exactly what I did.  While running downhill, I actually heard JS chatting with Mary Wittenberg…and Mary passed me on the second uphill-she was running the race with Grete’s husband   I said something about how great the race was, the cheering stations were a fun touch…or something like that because seriously, who’s mind works well while running a 10K race in conditions resembling a swimming pool?  And speaking of cheering stations, Front Runners sure brought it at the mile 3 marker!!  Fun!!

Climbed a little more to the 5K point…which was 23:39.  Hmmm, pretty good!!  I know I’d have to run a major negative split to PR (and mile 4 always makes it hard to negative split), but maybe I could get close to my course PR from 2009 of 47:27.  That said, 2009′s race had much better conditions…and briefly, 2008′s race flashed into my mind.  Where I kept it together through the first 5K in bad conditions, only to lose it during the second 5K.

Mile 4 (8:06)-So I just kept climbing.  Up to 102nd, and up the sneaky incline to Engineer’s Gate and the mile 4 marker, where I saw Flyer SC and a coupla other clubs cheering.  I sorta breathed a sigh of relief here.  I’d still love to be able to get this mile under 8 minutes, but the fact that I was still keeping it together said a lot.

Mile 5 (7:32)-the same thought as every year…worst is over, all downhill from here.  And maybe not killing myself on the hills was a good thing, as I was able to pick up the pace more than usual this time around.  CPTC was back at mile 5 cheering, along with some others…I passed by CK at the end of this mile and was hoping she’d stick with me for the final stretch…

Mile 6 (7:28)-just keep on working hard…think of all those intervals at the track.  I’m still passing people, guess my strategy of holding back on mile 1 pays off again.  Hit the 800m to go sign and I think of running 800′s at the track, and Coach T telling me to “hit the pace”, and indeedy, hitting the pace.  Don’t think I’m gonna be throwing down any 3:20 half-miles as I have been doing during track workouts, considering I had 5.5 hard miles already on my legs, but it could help me close strong.  Finally, I see my team at a cheering station-yayyyyy!!!

Last .2 mile (1:32)-again, not looking at my watch, even though I hit the split button.  No idea if I’m near a real PR or a course PR or way off.  400m to go sign-I think “just a lap of the track”…though of course the track doesn’t include an annoying uphill to Tavern on the Green   I see Flyer DM up ahead and try and finish as close to her as possible…passed by just before the finish…gave it everything I had!!  (and gave it so much, I almost ran into someone who stopped short just after the finish line…)

Final time-47:24, 7:38 pace. 5K splits of 23:39/23:45-most evenly I have run this race in a very long time (with the exception of 2004, where I negative split by 1 second)…and 3 second course PR…not too shabby!  Not bad for a race I had mentally written off the night before…lol.

Got our medals (really nice ones this year!) and pink carnations, and did the usual posing for pics and mingling…thankfully everything was before the rains came

And I do not endorse getting wasted the night before a race…but maybe, occasionally, some Blue Moons won’t hurt…LOL.

Some piccys from the day!

Me and JS cruising up CPW in mile 1

mile 6-i totally look i'm walking but i swear i'm running

finish line!

near collision past the finish!

cute runner guy, will you accept this carnation?

running shoes, medals and flowers. guess which shoe is mine?

more flowers! with flyers in the background