The Marathon Was Cancelled - Read This

As you've probably heard, the New York City Marathon was cancelled. I'm a little over the unnecessary Facebook arguing, but I love this article the Professor wrote about the email NYRR sent out to its members: http://www.maslansky.com/2012/11/language-of-cancellations-an-analysis-of-nyrrs-message-to-runners/

AHA Wall Street Run 2012

On Thursday, May 31 I ran the American Heart Association Wall Street Run. It's a 3 mile race around the Financial District. I ran it last year and was excited to try it again but with an actual time. (Stupid bib and website issues screwed me last year. My watch said my time was 22:00 even in 2011.)

So this year I didn't have the luxury of dicking around my apartment for an hour before the race. I was having the day from hell at work, left to run this thing, and then had to head back to the office. God bless 16 hour days!

T and I met at the Tribeca Equinox to get changed for the race. Conveniently, it is located right near the starting line. We got dressed and met up with the Professor. Then we waited for the race to start.

And we waited some more.

And some more.

The race started 7 minutes late. The announcements were lame and no one could hear. There are also no corrals for this race. I love watching people figure out where they think they should line up.

I finished my itsy bitsy bottle of water waiting for the race. I tried to lighten my load for this 3 mile race (I even ditched the Garmin!) and brought much less water than I normally carry. It was so humid though that I guzzled it while listen to Valerie Bertinelli run her mouth about Weight Watchers.

Finally they shot the gun and we all took off. Five hundred yards in and I had an awful case of dry mouth and was gasping for water. No time to stop though and I just keep trucking. T swears that there was a water station after the first mile, but I don't believe her.

I saw my friend S, who was volunteering for her 9+1. I waved and gave her a holler. Soon after, I decided that that IT band strap was driving me crazy (I forgot how sweaty it can get) and went to pull it off. Oh wait, I forgot how secure the velcro on that bad boy is and actually had to stop (try finding space in a sea of runners to stop) to get the thing off me.

The nice thing about running the same course is having a general idea of where the finish line should be. It couldn't come soon enough though. Something about the heat, the dust, the pollen, and the fact that I had to go back to work, and I felt like complete crap. And I had wicked blisters from my Nike Frees.

Next time I run this race I am going out drinking. Who's with me?

NYRR Run as One

I know I've said that I'm over Sunday races (I just can't stay sober for an entire weekend), but I signed up for the NYRR Run as One 4 mile race because I knew I had the Wendy Walk later that day. If I could haul my ass out of bed for the race, I knew I would definitely make it to the walk.

Obviously I went out the night before (my presence was requested at a going away party, and who am I to say no?) and I woke up and really didn't feel like racing. I was awake with more than enough time to get ready, but I decided to read a few chapters of Fifty Shades of Grey, and as usual found myself sprinting to the starting line. The race had already begun but I was able to hop in with the other yellow bib wearers about 50 feet behind the line.

It was definitely a run that required music. I think I listened to Goyte's "Somebody That I Used To Know" like eight times and some Skrillex. I'm not actually that sure anymore, mostly because I was still a little drunk. This 4 mile race follows the same course as the one I ran in April of 2011. It starts at 68th on the east side, goes up and cuts across the 102nd traverse, heads back down the loop and finishes on the 72nd traverse. I was handling myself pretty well and didn't need to weave much until I got up to the hundreds. I wasn't sure if I was slowing down or not because my Garmin never picked up its signal (this is why I shouldn't show up late to races!) and the distance was too short to bother. Mile 3 felt like a bitch and a half. The hill that normally feels like nothing in comparison to the Harlem Hills suddenly felt like Kilimanjaro and I could taste vodka in my throat. I had flashbacks of chugging vodka over ice while ignoring the people around me the night before. Let's be honest here, what the hell am I going to do at a party of mostly girls that I don't know? I subtle move, I drink, I run, and I passionately fight for ed reform. Drinking was the only activity that made sense. (Actually, later in the evening I found myself discussing the pros and cons of last in first out outside of Sweet and Vicious and it was the best part of the entire night.)

When you're thinking about throwing up at mile 3 of a 4 mile race, the only thing left to do is truck it. You're going to boot or your not, but there's no reason to lose time over it. I channeled the beast and started hauling ass towards the finish line.

the beast in action

My coworker said he saw me passing people like woah. He beat me anyway.

Look at those legs muscles! Does anyone else's form drastically change when running sub 7 minute miles? I propel myself forward and I actually feel a lot better, but I feel like I'm wasting a lot of energy if I use the same form when running slower. It feels awkward.

My original plan was to keep running until the Wendy Walk but it was a little chilly and I wanted to read porn about Christian and Ana so I headed on home. I also took the bus. Super lazy.

I finished in 30:10 with an average of 7:32 minute miles. Definitely not as good as last April's 29:21 (7:20 minute miles) but it could have been worse.

Scotland 10K

Saturday was the Scotland 10K. I woke up, I got dressed, drastically miscalculated the weather, and headed for the M79.

Don't talk to me. I'm jamming to One Direction.

I ate a peanut butter and honey on Ezekiel 4:9 toast sandwich on the way. My coffee machine is broken, yes broken!, so I had to do without before the race.

I took the bus over to Central Park West, couldn't figure out why I couldn't see any runners, and then started calling the Professor. Oh wait, we're not starting in the middle of the street like in the Mini 10K? You're in the park? By 59th Street? And I'm on 79th? Yeah, I love starting a race with a nice sprint to the starting line.

I knew I'd be cold on the way to the race, so I wore the Professor's Ted Corbitt 15K long-sleeved shirt. He didn't run it, so he couldn't have it, and I've been wearing it around my apartment as a shress (shirt + dress = shress) since I picked it up from NYRR. I figured I could drop it at the beginning of the race and not care about it because I have my own that fits. I got one block away from my apartment when I realized I should've worn a long-sleeved tech shirt. It was too late to turn back, but in the end I was fine. I made myself run faster to warm up.

"Take a Xanax." Thought about it...

While I didn't PR, I ran a solid 48:13, which comes out to 7:46 minute miles. I didn't try to weave (for once) and I'm not sure how that affected my time. The hills were harder than I remember. T and I run clockwise around the loop from time to time, but we don't do it very fast. I always run counterclockwise if I'm by myself. The Harlem Hills feel so much worse when running clockwise but at least you get to avoid ascending Cat Hill.

This hill could have been more pleasant.

I ran this race with music. I used to feel very strongly against this, but lately I have needed a little pep in my step. I don't feel that competitive (maybe because there's absolutely no little chance I'll win an NYRR race?) and I listening to Cut Copy makes me feel badass and floaty. Yeah, I can't really describe how Cut Copy equals badass and floaty, but it does.

As a Choate and Trinity graduate, I am a big fan of this bib's color scheme.

I pushed myself but not that hard. I kept thinking that I should have slept more, gone out less, and avoided the five beers I had had the night before. My quads were screaming from kettle bell class but I was trucking along. I spent 48 minutes and 13 seconds thinking about sex. Really great sex. The kind of sex that moves your furniture and annoys your neighbors. There were times when I was running sub 6:30s but I had a smile on my face because I had Cut Copy and my dirty imagination.

I'll be honest, I'm super jealous of the Ridiculously Photogenic Guy and all that smiling was a ploy to get myself a sick NYRR photo. I was also very happy though.

I finished the race, made sure the Professor hadn't beaten me, and then went in search of Gatorade. I found my friend from work. I couldn't find the Professor with a cell phone, GPS, and a few identifying landmarks, but I was able to find my work friend. Then we both found my old boss. Ed reformers - it's like we're drawn together by some magnetic force field that we can't escape if we tried.

I wore my C9 by Champion for Target shorts in neon yellow with the matching sports bra, neon yellow Hidden Comfort Balega socks, a Brooks Equilibrium Racer Back tank, and my old blue Adrenaline 11s. I really wish I had white sneakers with neon yellow accents. Hint hint.

The Professor Runs the NYC Half

While I was enjoying my last morning in Florida, the Professor took on the NYC Half Marathon. Please enjoy In Shape Out of Mind's very first guest post.


This Sunday I ran the NYC Half Marathon and I shattered my PR. I ran a 1:51:23, which is 8:00 minutes and change faster than my previous half marathon PR. Woot. Maybe it was worth not going out on St. Patrick's Day. Although seeing through sober eyes those Long Island and New Jersey animals stumble around Manhattan during this day is enough to make me question the holliday altogether, and I use that term loosely.

This year I am trying to only run Saturday races because Sunday races kill your weekend. But I hadn’t ever run the NYC half so I made an exception when I was lucky enough to make the lottery.

I woke from anxious dreams at about 6:15 am. I already had my outfit laid out because I am a sick tool.  I wore my Dylan Murphy's shirt (my standard racing shirt and favorite bar in NYC – ISOOM would agree) on top of a teck shirt from last December's Jingle Bell jog that I did not run in because I stayed out the night before. It's a bit of a sacrilege to wear a race shirt from a race you slept through but I am not going to turn down a teck shirt and especially one that is cool and white. So whatever.

I live only a couple of blocks from where most NYRR races start, so I can’t complain. This race was no exception. My neighbor just happened to be running this race as well, so we bumped into each in the hallway. This is the only situation where bumping into my neighbor at 6:30 am would be a positive thing.
The corrals were awful and it was cold. This is a huge race with tons of people, which just makes everything more annoying. And there is soemthing about running that makes people dress like Europeans. Don’t get me wrong, many of the girls on the North Brooklyn running team wear really hot outfits. But there are also many runners – especially male – who fail to meet basic wardrobe standards. Tights shall not replace shorts, unless you are rowing or biking.  Long tshirts are for girls.  Shaving your legs is for girls.  Being a premadonna at 6:30 am while everyone else is waking up is not acceptable.

I am the creepshow lurking in the back with sunglasses on. Maybe the sun will come out later. 

Before I continue I should note that the race photos in this post are taken stolen from Brightroom. Before I continue my story, here is the easiest way to steal these photos and keep them high-ish quality:
1. Take a screeen shot of the Brightroom dashboard that shows your photos
2. Paste into PPT
3. Crop around your photo and expand
4. Right click and save as JPEG

To continue, they tell you that they close down the corrals at 7:00 am but they are liars. You could definitely show up at 7:30 and walk right in. There was a lot of waiting around, and I did not cross the start line until 7:50 even though I had a half-way decent corral.

Can you tell which green bump is Harlem Hill?

The first 6+ miles was the standard central park loop. This is my home field so I was really able to attack it.  I know all the hills and bumps that feel like hills when you start to get tired. I also knew that this was the only part of the race with any hills so I might as well leave it all in the park.

Crossing the 10k mark right before 7th ave. Still not sunny out. 

After the park I slowed down. The course shoots you out onto 7th avenue and you run through Times Square.  I was underwhelmed. When you are on the street in New York you are typically in a cab zooming, and so to pass the street signs at a running pace is a bit deflating. Plus I was at the half-way mark and that is when I start to get inside my head and convince myself I won’t finish or will finish with a bad time. For me those middle miles are the hardest.

On 42nd we turned right and headed for the West River Drive. I know this terrain extremely well, as I work in the West Village and frequently run home up the West River. We were on the actual drive though so it wasn't nearly as sexy as when you run through the actual park and over all the weird foot bridges. ISOOM has a past post on this. I am featured so it’s probably one of her better ones.

I realize I am about to complain again but whatever. They stationed a bunch of bands along the course and they were all awful – with TWO exceptions. The first was a Beasty Boys cover band who was awesome and entertaining. They dressed like they did from Paul's Boutique. That said, I was running with headphones on because none of my friends wanted to do this one, so the added music of the live bands just created an annoying discord.

The second though was a cheer…I want to say squad? from some local high school. Of course I assume they are from some impoverished district and worked real hard to get to where they are and overcame adversity and stuff, but who am I kidding I bet they were probably a bunch of Chapin Spence girls.  Regardless of my charmingly patrician stereotyping, they were cool and gave everyone a nice boost as we crossed 14th street with 3.1 miles to go.

At this point I knew that if I even ran 10:00 miles I would beat my PR, and that was the best feeling I had in the race. I could dial it in. I didn’t though and kept up a fastish pace.

Until the Battery Park tunnel. That you run through. On mile 12. People were hooting and hollering like 12 year olds do when you pass under bridges on boats, which was cute. But the air quality was horrible and the lingering exhaust stung my eyes and shortened my breath. Lame. There was also a slight hill at the end. But then we veered left and right onto Water Street to meet extremely encouraging cheers and applause. That was cool.

After crossing the finish they gave you a medal and foodstuffs. I believe medals should only be given for full marathons, so I told myself I wouldn’t wear it unless I did something great. A time of 1:51 far exceeded my expectations though so I threw it on. The care package contained Gatorade Replenish. DO NOT DRINK THIS. It's crab juice. It tastes like chalky cough syrup.

The finishers shoot looped you more than THREE BLOCKS before you could leave. And they forced you in to the Poland Spring expo which I thought was a cheap move. At that point I was cold and wanted to go home.

ISOOM asked me what my favorite part of the race was and I don’t have one other than the accomplishment itself.  I hear a lot of people talk about the joys of running and I have to believe that most people who say that are idiots or liars or both. Running is hard work. It is painful. Long distance running is hard, painful work stretched out over several hours.

I shattered my PR. I was very unsure I could do that. I trained hard to give myself the opportunity to do so, and it paid off. That is something awesome.

Calling in the PR. Still cloudy.
Also see the bandit in the background getting stopped. 

NYRR Ted Corbitt 15K

My alarm went off for the Ted Corbitt 15K at 6:25 AM and I just felt blah. I think that's happened to all of us, when we are supposed to get up for an important event, either for fitness or work or something personal, and we'd rather just ignore the alarm and stay in bed. I had to get up because not only was the Ted Corbitt my last race of 2011, but I also needed it as my ninth New York Road Runners race. Two of my races have been cancelled this year (the Bronx Half and the Poland Spring Kick-off) and I decided to use the credit for those races. I just don't feel right paying for a race, not being able to run it, and then getting a complete race on my record. I pay because I want to run... even when I don't end up wanting to run.

The weather report supported my desire to stay in bed.

I made a peanut butter and honey sandwich on a slice of toast that I struggled to choke down. I ended up saving half to eat during the race. I then skidaddled up to 86th and caught the M86 bus. I am willing to jog to the park OR up to the hundreds, but not both.

I had a lot of trouble deciding what to wear for this race because I had never raced in December. I wore a pair of running tights, the white long-sleeved seamless athletic tee C9 by Champion for Target gave me, a navy/light blue reversible L.L. Bean puffy vest I bought in high school, and a George Bush '88 pin. Obviously I was dressed to win.

Jealous?

This is a photo of the shirt from the Target website. Um yeah. So, I definitely thought it was the compression shirt they also sell because it was pretty snug, (I requested small tops - my bad) but then I saw that the C9 logo is on the wrist and not the waist. That's a detail I particularly liked and noticed while I was running.

It looks so baggy online!

We all lined up and I realized that my red bib put me in the second wave. I could claim I'm getting faster (I'm not), but it's actually because fewer people sign up to run races in cold weather.

My bib inspired my patriotic outfit. Patriotism is always appropriate.

So the gun goes off without much fanfare and we are trundling along, and I'm like, "Eff! It's cold and I am running marathon pace." I was pissed. I ran the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler last April at a 7.35 mile pace. I ran this race (9.3 miles) in 1:17:13 - 8:18 miles. Not cool.

So I run the first loop (4 miles) and I'm questioning if taking up running more regularly has actually hindered my abilities. I'm missing my running partners and a little bored by the whole deal. Like I said, I was just feeling blah. But then I heard drumming and this made me think of the NYC Marathon. I was able to pick up the pace up the hill towards the hundreds. Thank you Mr. Drummer for raising my spirits.

I've gotten pretty used to running with T and the Professor, or at least having them running the same courses as me. I missed them. I had no one to look out for and no pretty Professor's wife to bring me snacks. Instead I was forced to take photos of myself.

Look at those sick shades.

What do you mean there's a whole other loop?!

I made it through the race. I'm not ashamed of my time but I'm also not too psyched about it. My legs hurt and my back was achy, but I wasn't falling in the street or anything. I headed over to the 34 year-old's straight from the race. When I walked in I found the 34 year-old, fully dressed with shoes, asleep on the couch next to a bottle of vodka, with Cookie sitting on his chest. I immediately assumed they had been that way since the night before, promptly put her in her harness, and dragged her around the Upper Eastside for 45 minutes. Yeah, turns out that they hadn't fallen asleep on the couch after walking me home - they had been up at 6 AM going on a walk together and had both been exhausted afterwards. Oops. Sorry sweetheart - I don't mean to assume the worst.

C9's Hooded Soft Shell Jacket

C9 by Champion for Target gave me some awesome gear when I attended their event at Flywheel on December 13th. This hooded soft shell jacket is one of them.

This is a picture of the hooded soft shell jacket from the Target.com website

I worked from home today (hello pajamas!) but needed to put on some real clothing to take Cookie for a walk over to New York Road Runners. Packet pick-up for Saturday races is a killer. It wasn't a problem when I was teaching, but now the 1 - 7 PM window is cramping my work style. I try to wear workout gear when I walk Cookie because she likes to run, but choosing the right hear to stay warm can be tough. One minute I'm sweating while running down the street and the next I'm shivering while she's introducing herself to a new dog. She has fur, but I have C9.

I like the hood.

I wasn't sure what to make of this jacket at first but now I really like it. It's made of a thick material that holds its shape, but it's not too big or boxy. The hood adequately covers my head and stays in place, which is important if you're going to be running, jogging, or chasing after a pit pull puppy in it. When the jacket is completely zippered, it is fastened securely under your neck to keep out the cold. I don't really like things that high up on my neck, but I'd appreciate it in really cold weather. The only things I would change about this jacket are the pockets. They are a convenient, rounded shape located at the midsection but without zippers or snaps, I wouldn't trust leaving valuables in them.

Does anyone know if there's a timer function
for the camera on the iPhone?

I wasn't sure if it was going to be able to keep me warm so I layered a long-sleeved and short-sleeved shirt underneath it. I wasn't chilly and would probably drop a layer if I were running or cycling in it.

Yeah. We let her in my bed.

At $33, this jacket is both attractive and affordable. I think it's more suitable for traveling to and from the gym, but others might enjoying running in it. Get yours here.

C9 by Champion for Target gave me this hooded soft shell jacket. They did not ask for anything in return. All the opinions in this post are mine. It's no secret I like C9 by Champion for Target apparel. 

Fifth Avenue Mile

Last Saturday I ran the Fifth Avenue Mile. I had never raced a mile. I wasn't sure what to expect.

I had actually been out the night before, but it was a relatively tame evening. A bacon cheeseburger and a beer downtown before meeting a friend for a nightcap. I was home by 1 and in bed by 1:30. It was actually very weird waking up for a race at 8 AM. I jogged over to 80th and Madison to meet T before walking over to 5th.

T and I lined up towards the back of our heat. When it was time to start, I realized that we were behind an Achilles runner. I am very impressed by that entire organization but I think there are safety risks involved during this race. I didn't even realize there was a special needs runner in my direct path until I saw her holding the rope that connects her to her partner. I almost ran her down. I tried not to, like really tried not to, but there wasn't much I could do. This is all before I cross the starting line.

The cool thing about the mile is that you can read the street signs and know exactly where you are. For my readers unfamiliar with New York, each block is one tenth of a mile. We started on 80th Street and finished on 60th. I made it to the low 70s without even realizing it, and once I saw 66th Street I knew I could throw out everything I had.

My official time is 6:15.

NYRR Queens Half Marathon

Mile 13.

You should really read those emails you receive from New York Road Runners very carefully. I don't, which is why I'm always freaking out race day morning. Somehow I got myself convinced that half marathon started at 7:30 AM instead of 7 AM (maybe it was the date July 30th or 7/30?) and I realized this at 6:46 AM stuck behind the slowest moving station wagon of all time. I started having a conniption. I actually rummaged around in my glove compartment until I found an ancient pack of cigarettes and lit one up. Yeah, not so proud of that one.

I need to lay off the beer.

Luckily my mom was with me and she was able to save the day. I was pulling off at the exit for Flushing Meadows Corona Park when I realized it was blocked off by a police cruiser. This nice elderly man from NYRR (I really should learn his name since I see him all the time) was there and explained that this entrance was closed but that I had time to get to the starting line. I whipped off my shirt (it was way too hot to run in anything but shorts and a sports bra) and ran up the exit ramp into the park, leaving my mom to find parking for Petunia. As luck would have it, many cars were still roaming the park so the race was delayed by ten minutes while volunteers cleared the roadways.

My hair is SOAKED with sweat.

The race began a little after schedule, but the energy was high as we circled the Unisphere. A DJ had been hired to provide music for the event, which was pretty awesome if you ask me. I don't like to race with headphones because I think people who do are menaces to the running community, but I definitely value a pump up song or two. Speaking of headphone wearing menaces, while plodding along near mile 6, this guy, oblivious to his surroundings because of his earbuds, shuffled into the course of another (much faster) runner. They had a minor collision which I somehow got into when I was accidentally kicked in the leg as they flailed about. Don't worry about my thunder thighs - they can withstand almost anything, but I would've found myself in a much worse predicament if I hadn't been alert and ready to jump away from them. Please, take off the damn headphones!

Thankfully some parts of the race had shade.

At one point while running by the Van Wyck, I swore I saw Lady Gaga sitting on a guardrail watching the race. Obviously everyone around me had never heard of Lady Gaga, so I, alone, was the witness. I tried to tell my mother that I saw her but she accused me of mistaking a realistic trannie for the real thing. (UPDATE: Lady Gaga was on The View and said she went to watch a running race in Queens! So hah! I was right!)

Both feet off the ground means you are running.

The duration of the race was hot but doable. I was very sweaty and very thirsty. Luckily NYRR volunteers had hoses to mist us with. The Unisphere also gave off some spray as we circled it again.

This was my first half-marathon since the one I ran in high-school at the Island School. While I knew I was fully capable of running the thing, I wasn't exactly sure what my pacing would look like. I definitely felt myself fading by mile 10, but I just focused on my turnover, shortening my stride and keeping my feet moving.

Just keep moving.

After I reached mile 13 (see rainbow, Unisphere photo above), I just through myself into the last tenth of a mile. I started hollering and encouraging the crowd to cheer for me. Everyone loves my sunglasses, so it's really not that hard. I would like to call special attention to my muscular calves as I power my way towards to finish line. Anything to call your attention away from my way-to-tight running shorts...

NYRR Sprint Triathlon

I volunteered at Saturday's NYRR Spring Triathlon in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. I woke up at 4 (yes, 4 AM) and got myself ready to go. I had to bring the things I would need for my trip up to New Rochelle, and thinking logically that early in the morning is pretty difficult for me. I managed to get myself organized and into the car. I made it to Flushing with time to spare, only to get lost outside of the park. I drove around in circles, getting increasingly more frantic for close to forty minutes. It was miserable. I angrily shouted, "They should have effing volunteers directing traffic!" only to realize that I was said volunteer. Oops.

I finally figured out where I was supposed to park my car, and headed into the park. Since I was late, my friend T had already been assigned to a group, and I had to join the rest of the stragglers. I was put on Run Zone 1 duty. My partner Miguel and I took to our station and waited for the race to begin. We were lucky to be placed close to the bike route, and we soon realized that the bike volunteers needed our help. I directed the cyclists to turn left and stay to the right of the cones.

At about 7:45am, I headed back to my official post to direct the first runners. The run portion was 3 miles and I was stationed at about the half mile mark. I soon became bored with merely telling the runners to run this way and stay on their right, so I decided to cheer them on. It was brutally hot, and most of the athletes looked pretty tired after their half-mile swim and thirteen mile bike ride. I remembered the group of Boy Scouts who cheered for me during my ultramarathon. No matter how many times they saw me trekking along, they yelled out my bib number and told me I could do it. I decided to bring this enthusiasm to this race. And let's be honest, the fast triathloners didn't need much encouragement - they knew they could do it. It's the runners in the back, who are tired and thinking about giving up, who need to be cheered for. They know they're not going to win, and maybe they think their efforts don't matter, but they most certainly do. So I cheered, and I jumped, and I even ran about 100 feet with one guy. I complimented runners on their apparel - I especially liked the Tri Latino tri-suits - and their sneakers. I wanted them to know that finishing made them winners. They were so close to the finish line, I didn't want anyone to give up. Miguel and I stayed at our posts longer than required because we could see runners still coming towards us. We didn't want anyone to miss out even if they might not get an official time. I think our efforts paid off as a lot of competitors thanked us when we headed over to the finish to hand in our vests and lanyards.

I really enjoyed myself, almost more than when I'm competing. I definitely recommend volunteering because you get to help other athletes reach their goals.

Miguel and me after the NYRR Spring Triathlon

The NYRR Website

The New York Road Runners registration website drives me nuts. It seems very simple to use, until you realize that accurately signing up for a race is near to impossible. Maybe it's just me. Between my annoyingly long first and last names, the different billing addresses I use for different credit cards, and the fact that I sign up for races when I should be doing something else - I never seem to get my information right. The first time I ended up with a bib claiming I run 11:21 minute miles. Yeah, that's right: RUN. This time I ended up with a bib claiming I'm an eighteen-year-old walking a 3 mile race.

NYRR claims there is nothing they can do to fix this and that the race is closed. If I'm allowed to walk it, I think I should be allowed to run it. I think I'm just going to run it anyway and time it myself.

My First NYRR Race

I ran my first NYRR race. After putting it off and putting it off, I finally became a member of the New York Road Runners. It's worth it, because you make back the cost of your membership after two races. I also want to run the New York City Marathon, and the 9+1 system is tough to beat. Basically if you register, run nine races, and then volunteer at one race, you are guaranteed entry into the next year's marathon.

The NYRR 4 Mile (really creative name, huh?) was held on Saturday, April 23th in Central Park. T, the Professor, and I all signed up at the beginning of the month and had many plans for our inaugural race. The Professor decided we should wear tennis whites. T didn't get the memo. So on race day, after waking up at 1:30, 2:30, 4:45, and 5:30, I got out of bed at 6:38 am to eat breakfast and clean my apartment. Of course it was pouring rain, which obviously only happens when I wear white. I had to forgo the cute white tank, but kept the white skort. Although I had collected my bib the day before, it was only at this ungodly hour did I notice that my bib was brown... and my pace was listed as 11:21. "11:21?" I gasped. Surely they couldn't mean 11:21 minutes per mile?  They did.

To spite the obnoxious NYRR volunteers, I went to the back of the line. The way back of the back of the line. And then I smoked them. I finished in 29:21, with a 7:21 pace... only four minutes faster than my bib's claim. Take that NYRR and your typos!