Wow 6 months...

It's been quite awhile since I've ran any races. That's going change soon. Although I missed the cap on the next Saturday's Pride Run, I think I might run it anyway. We will see.

I've gained 10 lbs since December and my new shoes are very tight. I've soaked them hoping to help break them in. I don't know it that's a normal thing, but last year I ran through a storm in new shoes and they felt great afterward.

See Christi Jog

NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K December 5, 2010. Time: 1:08:13
Last year, NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K December 6, 2009. Time: 1:08:09.

If I had known that 5 seconds separated me from a Personal Record I would have hustled through the side stitch and sick stomach.

I didn't expect much after battling shin splints for 6 weeks. If it wasn't already paid for I wouldn't have gone. So I made the race about getting out there and running again... and to prove that my shin splints were not a stress fracture. Surprisingly, my leg felt great from the start. And because I assumed I'd end up walking at some point, I didn't hold back on the first mile which included the Great Hill. The hardest part of Central Park. After that, I would very well PR if could keep a steady pace. Mile 2 good, mile 3 better. Then at mile four I threw up a little in my mouth. Yes. It was awful. It tasted like wine or apple.

The night before I went to Cynthea's Hanukkah party. Normally I don't drink before a race, but since I wasn't planning on trying I had a beer, two glasses of wine and a hard apple cider. This was over the course of 6 hours and with food. Lots of food. Laktas, cheeses, squash kugel, cookies, hummus, hmmm.

Anyway, at that point I felt like the time Rebecca and I ate Taco Bell then tried to run a mile around the middle school track. Rebecca threw up her chalupa. I really didn't want to throw up my bagel or what ever else might follow. Plus, according to my watch, if I ran mile 5 in under 10 minutes I would beat 1:05 which I thought was my best 10k time. The determine look you might see in my photo is me determined not to puke.

On the last quarter of mile 5 I caught a side stitch probably from holding my breathe. My watch said 1:06. Well, its still going to be a good time I thought. And tried to coast in at a non-vomiting pace. It was only after I looked at my time on the nyrr website that I found my 10k PR has never been 1:05, but maybe its good I aim for it. I don't know. There's always next time.

Narcissism :)

Have I ever denied it? These are a few of my favorite pics from the NYC Marathon.

NYC MARATHON 05:39:43

I came in 11 minutes slower than my Rome Marathon time last year. There is so much I want to write about...but I will have to do it later. In a nutshell, my shin splints loosen up (or whatever they do to not hurt while running). I ran the first half faster than the second (not good), there were lots of bridges. It felt like the hardest thing I've ever done and the most important day in my life so far. Oh yeah I think i cried just a little before crossing the finish line...from happiness. I didn't cry from the wall of unbelievable pain that came after, but I wanted to. Ok, that didn't sound brief, but will continue later about all the wonderful people who came out to cheer me on and Jose who even ran mile 23 with me.

Sunday Nov 7th. 10:40am...I start the NYC Marathon

If you want to stalk me via text/iphone my bib number is:

61932

Here is the TEXT sign up. Here is the iPHONE app. You will probably get your moneys worth as I plan to be out there for a very, very long time.

I picture the iphone app being a blinking dot crawling its way up the map for 5 1/2 hours. I hope it won't burn your screen. Meanwhile, the other runners are like magnetic shavings on a Fuzzy Face zipping along the path.

My shin splints are feeling better...at least I'm just going to believe that's the truth. My wonky math tells me that I might PR but my aim is to run a good race, finish strong and not injury myself.

Estimated times in Brooklyn- revised
click to enlarge

Estimated times in queens, manhattan, and bronx