Race to Deliver: 4M Race

I ran a 4M race today with colleagues to help raising funds and promote awareness for God's Love We Deliver (GLWD)! The orgniazation prepare and deliver nutritious meals to people who are sick and unable to prepare meals for themselves.  For more information about GLWD, please visit their website.

It was a cold morning with temperature below 40F (4.4C), wind was pretty gusty and it felt like 32F. I had two layers and long sleeves all the way, but the temp was cold enough that my joint felt too cold to move. I could hardly wiggle my fingers when we were waiting to start. 

I ran a decent first mile passing through the Cat Hill on the start. I was starting to feel a little warmer but my hands were still frozen cold. The second mile was pretty flat and steady.  At the end of the 2nd mile I came across someone who dressed the same as me - our jacket, pants, and even ear warmer were the same colors.  Usually it's quite easy to notice and remember the person who dresses like you, or running as the same pace as you.  Needless to say she took notice of me as well.  

Incidents like this in races usually leads to competition.  Somehow she decided that I am her competition and she started racing with me.  I knew this because I saw her passing me, falling back behind me, and passing me again repeatedly in the next 2 miles, literally from the initial encounter to the finish line. It was funny as the third mile was 3 rolling hills and we 'battled' through the hills one after another. We had different approach to ascends and descends so we exchanged lead a few times.  Every single time when I passed her at a steady pace, I could see her passing me again within 10 seconds. 

At 3.5 miles I was getting a little tired and her lead widened.  Towards the end everyone started to speed up so I did my best to follow the pace as well. She looked around and saw me coming and she pushed through as well.  My shoe laces were loose suddenly but I ignored it. (If it were earlier in the race I would have stopped).  We sprinted the last 200-300 meters at almost 2'00" quicker than our race pace!  She ended up beating me by about 2 seconds "at the finish line" (I have no idea what corral she was in and what time she crossed the starting line). I was "beat", but my results and pace were much better than I expected so I was happy.  

The advantage of joining a race instead of practicing by yourself is all about motivation, whether it's keeping up with the people running next to you, or even starting a little healthy competition, it only helps pushing your physical and mental limits and letting you realize how much more you're capable of. 

Finally I met up with colleagues and enjoyed a delicious brunch on the Upper East Side. 

First Half Marathon Race!

I finished my first Half Marathon!

It was an impromptu decision.  I was not trained for it.  Even though I have done 13 miles during training (with many stops), I definitely didn't train regularly for endurance and strength.  I just thought maybe I could finish it.

Then comes to the week of preparation.  I thought I had built good mileage recent, but I started with bad foot pain from training too much (40+ miles in 7 days) and caught a flu on Tuesday with fever.  Weather forecast was pointing to a very rainy day.  I was worried about not making it at all, maybe too much that I couldn't even fall asleep the night before.  But everything worked out somehow! My foot pain improved by midweek and I felt a lot better towards the weekend, and the sky cleared up!

On the race day, I woke up early to eat a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.  Got to the starting line and did some stretches.  By 8am off I went!

I ran some easy miles, but my running app was telling me that I was running at a slightly faster pace than I anticipated for. I slowed down a bit and ignored all the faster pacers passing me.  The rolling hills came between mile 3.5 to 4.5.  I did ok.  After the first loop I emptied a GU gel did not feel hurt at all.  Then it comes the second loop - another round of rolling hills and endurance challenge.   I was still catching breaths as my heart rate wasn't close to max at all, but my legs started to feel the pain - tiring out, ball of foot pain on the left came back, and the old ligament injury on the right resurfaced.  My head started debating whether I should slow to a walk but my conscious mind refused.  I told myself just one more round of rolling hills and do not regret after the race for not trying my best.  I tried to look at the surrounding and landmark to ease my mind.  

Mile 7 - this is also Mile 13, where I will be finishing, it's gonna be soon!

Mile 8 - MET museum, Guggenheim Museum...how gorgeous!

Mile 9 - take advantage of the downhill, get ready for the climb!

Mile 10 - I did the hilliest part already! Enjoy the greens and breathe!

Mile 11 - I can't believe I just finished all the uphills! Now eat another GU gel!

Mile 12 - Home stretch...this is it!

Mile 13 (.1) - Sprint to the finish line!!!

This is it! I finished!! I looked at my time and realized that I came in slightly under my goal time!!