Asst, please

I recently signed up with Team in Training, so that I can

1. Raise money for a good cause
2. Get actual coaching while training for the New York Marathon
3. Have people to run with during long runs

I trained with TNT last year for the New York Half, and had a good time. I met a lot of good people, including Dawn and Luis (and probably lots of other people whose blogs I don't know about yet).

Recently I got the running schedules for May, and I'd just like to say that if I ever appear somewhere as an "assistant" something-or-other, I truly, deeply, and with all my heart, hope that they abbreviate it "asst."

All I'm saying is that it would be very easy for someone to misinterpret the title "Ass. Coach".

Although it would make for a really great business card.



Edit: I just realized that the other type of coach on the schedule is "Head Coach." There are also some other parts listed, but I can't make heads or tails of them.

Half marathon #10

This weekend was the Brooklyn Half. I'd been looking forward to it for awhile. I'm hoping to run half marathons in all 5 boroughs this year, and I live in Brooklyn, so it was especially important to me.

I'm gonna divide this post into a few sections, figuring that the folks who ran Brooklyn don't need to hear about seeded corrals. :-)

Sections are:

• Stats
• Getting There
  
• The Race
• Random Thoughts
• You Call This a Finish Line?
  

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Stats

Brooklyn Half, May 3rd, 2008

Chip: 1:58:08
Pace/mile: 9:01

For me, that's really good. 2nd best time. I'm pretty sure the splits were very even, but I'm afraid I don't pay as close attention to this as a lot of people. It just seemed like every time I got to a mile marker, exactly 9 minutes had gone by.

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Getting There

The nice thing about getting to Coney Island for me is that it's waaaaay easier than getting to Central Park. All I have to do is take the Q train, which arrived shortly after I got to the station. And then. went. very. slowly. I ignored this for most of the ride, but towards the end there I think a lot of us were feeling a wee bit nervous. But we got there with time to spare.

It's actually fun getting on a subway on race day, when half of the people are wearing race bibs. There was a guy who was struggling with his chip, so I helped him out. A little over a year and a half ago I ran my first half (and first ever road race), and was lucky to run into a friend who could help me. It's really simple to attach them when you know how, but it's nervewracking when you don't.

Anyway, NYRR is starting to use seeded corrals. Starting. All of our race bibs had colors on them (mine was a dainty sky blue), and we were supposed to line up in the section that matched our color. That kind of worked. Speaking as a life-long liberal, this is one situation where I think we could use some fascism. Still, I felt like I had to dodge around fewer people than usual, so it's a step in the right direction.

I was positioned perfectly: there were nice warm bodies around me (on a slightly cool day), and I couldn't really hear what they were saying over the loudspeakers. Hopefully I can do that again in the future.

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The Race

We started by running down the boardwalk, reaching a turn-around point, and running back along the boardwalk. The first race I've ever done where you have to watch out for sand as you run.

Two Team-in-Training coaches – Ramon and Steve – were out there cheering for people. By the time we were looping back they'd gotten a bit silly. Ramon, who is – and I mean this in the nicest possible way – completely insane, was yelling out the following helpful advice: "Keep running forward! Keep running forward! Keep going until you get to the point that says 'Finish Line'". Gee, thanks Ramon!

Most of the race is along Ocean Parkway, which is moderately flat, lined with trees, and... this is just my opinion... really boring Still, there was a nice feeling of camaraderie in my speed group, so it was nice. One woman slipped between me and another gent, and said, "'scuse me guys". Being a gentleman, I said, "have a nice run!" which got a smile.

I also got to chat for a bit with a nice woman who said she hadn't run in awhile, but had run most of the boroughs in previous years. Her introductory comment was a heart-felt, wordless exclamation along the lines of "phew!" and then chuckling when I turned around at that. (I also saw her again at mile 9 or so and said a friendly "still here!" but she seemed a bit out of breath, so I stopped talking.)

My friend M was hanging from a lamppost probably somewhere around Avenue T, yelling out encouragement and advice, and I got to high-five her as I ran by.

At mile 9 things stopped being boring because we entered Prospect Park. Then they became difficult. Prospect Park is nicely hilly, which is great if you're out for a 45 minute jog and feel like working on hills for a bit, but is less enjoyable if you've just done 9 miles and still have 4 to go.

So we ran up... and up... and up more; then down, then up, then down... then down more, then up, then down, then up, and then a final bit of up to get to the finish line.

My mother was nice enough to come out from Manhattan to cheer for me. She meant to catch me at mile 10, but somehow we missed each other. Still, she made it to the finish line and was able to cheer for me as I approached it.

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Random Thoughts

It's so cute when little kids hold up their hands for high-fives as runners go by.

I feel sorry for people in cars who get stuck at an intersection with 8,000 people running by at different paces. Especially in Noo Yawk, where patience is not our strong suit.

Cloudy days are really nice for us bald guys. Yeah, yeah, I've heard that some high percentage of ultra-violet gets through clouds, but it's still easier to run without a hat.

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You Call This a Finish Line?

The end of the race had some nice points and some frustrations. I'll write about the frustrations first.

The New York Road Runners are in general really great at organizing a road race. I think they're amazing, and that we're lucky to have them. I'm sure it's really difficult organizing an event for thousands of runners, but they get water, port-o-potties, etc., etc.

The one area that could use some work is the end of the race. This tends to get really crowded and frustrating. In particular:

1. It would be great if we didn't have to walk in a single line after finishing the race. It would be great if we could spread out in several directions each of which had some food, some places to get water, and places to get our chips clipped. Instead, we're all funneled into this long thin area, waiting in long, confusing lines, and generally grumpy.
   
2. We're hungry. We just want to get a bagel and an apple and go stretch. There were two people at the bagel table who were yelling at people to get in line on one side, and to not approach the table from the other side. Now, first of all, I'd like to say that I'm a very rules-bound person, and I did as they told me: I went to the other side, and waited in line, as directed. The second thing I'd like to say is that it doesn't matter. Really: they were focusing on the wrong thing. The important thing after a race is to give bagels to as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. I wish they'd let people approach the tables from both directions, get a bagel, and leave. Really, that's all that's important.
   

On a more positive note, once I actually got my bagel, I got to stretch for a bit, and ran into my friend J who was volunteering. So I got to gab for a bit, and see a friendly face afterwards.

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It's definitely a fun run, and I was happy with my time. I'd do it again. Hopefully next time they'll let us get bagels faster.

Akes and Paynes

I've reached that point again. The point that I always reach a few days before a half marathon. The point where I notice every little twinge in my legs.

Of course, the mature, sensible runner will recognize these twinges as a normal part of every day life, and just get on with things. Why worry about anything? It's perfectly normal for different parts of your body to give off little signals.

Hence my reaction....

Ohmygahd, my legs are falling apart! My knees are killing me, and I'm only walking uphill! Is that a hint of strain in my thigh? Must be IT Band Syndrome! Will I have to stop running? Get surgery? Need a leg brace?

... Really, it gets a bit out of hand.

This time I think I'm handling it pretty well. I'm only worried about my right hip, and only panicked about my knees briefly this morning, and I doubt anybody on the street even noticed. Of course, I've got a few days to go until the Brooklyn Half, so there's still a chance to build some real momentum.

The least helpful article I ever read said that it's imperative to run relaxed; that if you aren't relaxed, you can really injure your knees. This leads to a little voice in my head that say, "Relax, dammit! If you don't relax NOW you'll injure yourself SEVERELY, and will screw up your body for the rest of your LIFE! So RELAX IMMEDIATELY you fool!"

This doesn't help.

Despite all of this, I'm really looking forward to the Brooklyn Half. I hear it's really fun, and I live close to the Q train in Brooklyn, so I'm already most of the way there. What's a little case of nerves?

Qualifying for NY, Part 2: long distances

(Edited on July 6th, 2008: I just found out that the "ING NYC Marathon Tune-Up" is also a qualifier, and was 18 miles last year. I'm editing this post to update the distances.)

Following up on my last post, the next logical question is, "what's the longest distance I could run to qualify?"

This is a bit trickier, because it depends on your gender. (Please take a moment to check this.) There are a couple of long qualifier races that only women are allowed to run. So, if you're a woman who enjoys running, achievement, distance, and (presumably) pain, you could run

[1] 26.2 miles More Magazine Marathon – Women only
[2] 26.2 miles NY Marathon (which is also a qualifier)
[3] 18.0 miles ING NYC Marathon Tune-Up
[4] 13.1 miles Manhattan half 1/2
[5] 13.1 miles Bronx half 1/2
[6] 13.1 miles Brooklyn half 1/2
[7] 13.1 miles Queens half 1/2
[8] 13.1 miles Staten Island half 1/2
[9] 13.1 miles New York 1/2 Marathon

for a total of 149 miles. "Weaker sex" my a__.

If you're one of us Y-Chromosome types, you have to get by with shorter mileage. Here's what it looks like:

[1] 26.2 NY Marathon (which is also a qualifier)
[2] 18.0 miles ING NYC Marathon Tune-Up
[3] 13.1 Manhattan 1/2
[4] 13.1 Bronx 1/2
[5] 13.1 Brooklyn 1/2
[6] 13.1 Queens 1/2
[7] 13.1 Staten Island 1/2
[8] 13.1 New York 1/2 Marathon
[9] 13.1 Grete's Great Gallop

Which is a total of 135.9 miles. With a bunch of women on the sidelines calling you a wimp.

Mind you, I'm not sure that Grete's Great Gallop is happening this year. The NYRR website lists the Norwegian Festival (which in the past has had Grete's), but they don't list the half marathon.

If Grete's doesn't happen, you'd have to do a shorter race. The next one down for men is the 15K (9.3 mile) NYRR Hot Chocolate 15K. This brings us down even further to a mere 132.1 miles. I mean, really, why bother?

Qualifying for NY, Part 1: short distances

This November I'm going to run my first marathon: New York City. I was born and raised here in New York, so I'm pretty excited about it.

There are a number of ways to get into the New York Marathon. One of them (the way I did it) is to run 9 "qualifying races" with the New York Road Runners. This sounds pretty impressive, but there are a lot of races that count as qualifiers, and they vary in distance.

Recently, I started to wonder what the shortest amount of distance is that a person can run, and still qualify for New York. Here's are some races:

[1] 1 mile Fifth Avenue Mile
[2] 3.1 miles Coogan's Salsa, Blues, and Shamrocks
[3] 3.1 miles Amer. Heart Assoc. Wall St. Run
[4] 4.0 miles NYRR Gridiron Classic
[5] 4.0 miles NYRR Al Gordon Snowflake
[6] 4.0 miles Run as One, TGL Classic
[7] 4.0 miles NY Colon Cancer Challenge
[8] 4.0 miles Run as One
[9] 4.0 miles Run for the Parks

(I think there are also various other 4 mile races.)

So that's 31.2 miles, which is only 5 miles more than a single marathon. Not that much distance.

Lincoln Tunnel

The Lincoln Tunnel is one of two tunnels that connects Manhattan with the great (and often maligned) state of New Jersey.

According to The Encyclopedia of New York City, it took more than 2 decades to build the tunnel. It has a main central tube, and two smaller tubes to the north and south.

This morning, I ran through the southern one.

The event is called The Lincoln Tunnel Challenge and is a fundraiser for New Jersey's Special Olympics. They clean out the tube the night before, and keep air constantly circulating. So it's easier to breath than you'd expect if you know the tunnel. And you probably get through more quickly than when you're in a car. :-)

As an event, it could use some better planning. I'm sure the organizers have their hands full, but... It would really help if

1. There were more frequent shuttle buses to/from NYC.
2. The walkers started 15 minutes behind the runners (or at least further back). We runners had to constantly dodge the walkers, which couldn't have been fun for them either.
   
3. The location of the baggage area was clearer.
4. There were any sort of clear instructions on where to get the bus back to NYC.
   

Despite that, I had a really good time. I ran into a friend of mine from work and her husband. She's suffering from back problems and had to walk rather than run, which is a shame because it's always fun to run with a friend.

It's a 5k race. You start by running away from New Jersey, are really excited to arrive in New York; then you finally find yourself back in New Jersey.

Hmm. I've known some people who'd describe their life's story like that.

The contours of the course are really simple: you start by running downhill for the first 1/4, then you run uphill to make it to Manhattan. On the way back you do the same: start downhill, and end going uphill.

A number of people stopped midway, to get their picture taken in the tunnel at the point that marks "New Jersey" on one side, and "New York" on the other. I wish I'd brought a camera and done the same, even if I accidentally almost bowled over one person who stopped to take a picture.

Half marathon #9

Last weekend's race:

Capital City half marathon (Columbus, OH), April 18, 2008

Clock: 2:00:22
Chip: 1:59:04
Pace/mile: 9:05

My second best time ever. On the other hand, the Thunder Road 1/2 in Charlotte was my 3rd best time, and was much, much hillier, so that was probably more of an achievement.

The temperature was great – in the 50s – but it was windy as heck. It was a big loop, and yet it felt as if the wind was against us more than half of the time.

The course was great. It went through some of the more interesting parts of Columbus: past shops and coffee houses, into the historic German Village section. Very cool.

It was also a pretty flat course. Central Ohio is pretty flat (although not as flat as Northern Ohio), so it was pretty easy going.

Very enjoyable.