I’m back!
As you may know, I spent the past five days working in New York City. I was concerned about what being away from home and without my normal routine would do to my training. I was also concerned about the many ways that travel can provide an excuse for not running.
“It’s too cold!”
“I don’t know the routes!”
“The meetings start too early!”
Fortunately, the temperature was just right, and all of the other excuses were just that, excuses.
I will start with Thursday, although I have already logged that day’s run here. Thursday was a four mile run, but my first meeting wasn’t until 10 AM, giving me more than enough time to get my run in. I think the small added motivation was that I would be running here:
Central Park, my 4 day personal running grounds!
The thing I noticed the most was that, despite how Cetral Park looks in that picture, it is very hilly.
Friday was supposed to be a rest day, but due to travel on Wednesday, I rearranged my schedule to rest on Wednesday, and run on Friday. This was a “simple” three mile day. The route I ended up running was about 3.2 miles. There is a slight incline for the first half of the run, so I still had to battle with some terrain issues I am not used to.
But one thing that was unexpected was the support I got from running with so many people. When I run at home, I may pass one or two other runners in a single day. In Central Park, I was literally passing hundreds, if not thousands on this day. (Well, not passing, most of them were passing me, but you see my point) Anyway, having that many people around you running really helps to keep the pace up.
Then, I was greeted with another cool surprise; the finish line for the New york City Marathon! They had been constructing the bleachers on Thursday, but I did not put two and two together. Friday morning, I ran right through the finish line of the world’s largest marathon. I looked at the empty stands and imagined what it would be like to finish that race with those stands full. That is not the reason that I decided to run the Outback Steakhouse Distance Classic half-marathon on Thanksgiving Day, but the thought of finishing such an accomplishment with all of those people encouraging you really made me understand how some people are able to run marathons.
In the end, I finished in great time: 29:43. That’s a 9:23 mile, which is the fastest mile time I have had on any run during my training.
Saturday morning, however, was a completely different story.
First things first. I was up late at dinner, with a couple glasses of wine and spirits, Friday night. Saturday morning, we had to be at our meeting no later than 7AM. To top it off, when I awoke, it was raining outside. I hesitated for a long time, and very nearly talked myself out of running, but then I thought of you all, and how I would be letting some down if I shirked my responsibility.
So, I put on my running gear and headed out into the New York City rain. Fortunately, it was not a driving rain, and the temperatures were still in the high 50’s. That having been said, it was certainly not great running weather.
The contrast between the Friday 3 mile run and the Saturday 3 mile run didn’t end there. Whereas Friday I saw literally thousands of people, Saturday, I only saw six. Three were homeless people, two were walking their dogs, and the third was AACE Past President and founder of Power of Prevention, Dr. Donald Bergman.
The rain, the lack of people, and probably the garbage in my blood stream slowed my pace down a little bit. All things considered, however, I was relatively happy with my 30:42 time, which is a 9:42 pace.
The other remarkable thing about this Saturday morning run is that as I came back to my hotel at 6 AM and saw that they were filming a movie right outside the doors of my hotel. I stopped inside the food tent to ask the guys what was going on. They said they are filming “The Other Guys.” I was not familiar with the title, but thanked them and went inside to check on IMDB. Turns out, this is the upcoming film project for Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Let’s be honest, I would be seeing that movie opening weekend anyway, but now there’s extra incentive!
(Editor’s note: it turns out there was no need for a sweaty fat guy in running clothes, so I was unable to score a part as an extra)
And that effectively brings us to Sunday. This was the key day.
If you have been following my Training Schedule, you know that Sunday was to be my longest run yet; 7 miles. Turns out, the entire perimeter of the park on the road is just over 6 miles. So I made my route to the park, around the loop, and back to the hotel. the resulting route was 7.49 miles.
My 7.49 Mile route to and around Central Park
This was by far one of the most challenging things I have ever done. First of all, kudos to the engineer who designed Central Park on an infinite upward spiral. I don’t know how it was accomplished, but the fact that this road was uphill the whole time was an amazing feat of work!
It was early in the morning when I had to run, because I had to catch a flight at 10AM. So I hit the pavement at 5AM. The temperature was nice, but again, the park was almost barren. The only exception were people setting up for the New York City Marathon kickoff race.
In the end, I just kept my head up and kept my feet moving. At one point on the opposite end of the park from where I began, I encountered one of those never ending uphill slopes. As I turned around a bend and saw that there was no end to the incline in sight, I almost stopped. I don’t know what kept me going, but I never did stop.
The way back in is always easier. Once I hit some of the familiar landmarks and knew that I was less than 2 miles… now less than one mile… from being done, it literally became just one foot in front of the other.
In the end, my time was a respectable, in my opinion, 1:12. that’s a 9:37 mile! If I can come anywhere near that pace for the half-marathon, I will destroy my goal time of 2:30:00! So now it’s back home, back to North Florida and the heat an humidity.
Monday was a rest day, but important nonetheless because it is the first time I weighed in in about a week. Turns out that the running offset the overeating and imbibing, because I’m at 240 right now.
That’s about all I can pack into one update. Again, I apologize for slacking on the writing, but at least I was not slacking on the running!
Vital Statistics:
Date: Friday, October 23
Workout: 3.17 Miles
Time: 29:43
Pace: 9:23
Weight: N/A
Playlist:
Cowboys From Hell – Pantera
A New Level – Pantera
The Girl is Mine – Michael Jackson
I Want a New Drug – Huey Lewis and the News
F#%^ The Police – N.W.A.
Parents Just Don’t Understand – D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
This Love – Pantera
Vital Statistics:
Date: Saturday, October 24
Workout: 3.17 Miles
Time: 30:42
Pace: 9:42
Weight: N/A
Playlist:
Black Velveteen – Lenny Kravitz
Better Than you – Metallica
Jane Says – Jane’s Addiction
Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz
I Just Can’t Stop Loving You – Michael Jackson
Stop! – Jane’s Addiction
Holier Than Thou – Metallica
Vital Statistics:
Workout: 7.49 Miles
Date: Sunday, October 25
Time: 1:12:00
Pace: 9:37
Weight: N/A
Playlist:
Devil’s Haircut – Beck
Be Aggressive – Faith No More
Paradise City – Guns N Roses
Especially in Michigan – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Last Night on Earth – Green Day
Breathe Into Me – RED
Walk – Pantera
There Is No God – Extreme
Cemetery Gates – Pantera
On Point – House of Pain
Kiss From a Rose – Seal
5 Minutes Alone – Pantera
Simple Man – Shinedown
Hit the Lights – Metallica
Hammer To Fall – Queen
