2011 New York City Marathon spectating - 5:35:24

My 3rd slowest marathon ever, but among the top 3 in terms of sheer enjoyment.  My big audacious goals for this race were to have fun, take lots of photos, and meet and talk to people along the way, which was probably the most difficult.  It certainly helped to have left the Garmin at home.

Here's a quick rundown of highlights that come to mind right away...

• Briefly chatted up Mario Lopez and his 2 running partners if this was their first marathon without recognizing them. Didn't realize it until a half mile into Brooklyn when so many women were screaming his name.
• Met an older gentleman whose fastest time was 2:25, but was now running in the 6hr range in his 70's
• Ran for a while with the NYRR in-race videographer photographer, who I ended up giving a pair of my change socks because he was blistering
• Walked with a friend from about miles 16-18 who just couldn't run anymore and decided to pull off the course.
• The fandom throughout this marathon is utterly spectacular.  Best marathon strips have to be awarded to 1st Ave. Manhattan and Brooklyn's Greenpoint.  I give Brooklyn the edge.
• I soaked in the atmosphere approaching the finish, and stood about 100m from the finish taking photos and congratulating people.  All the while, people were imploring, "DON'T STOP!  YOU'RE ALMOST THERE!"  I smiled at them and took their photo.  When I resumed, I couldn't help but have a huge grin on my face.  I resumed my run with a jump and a heel click to screaming cheers and high-fived everyone I could the rest of the way.  
• No gels or gu on this marathon, and I don't miss it.
• And lastly, jog/walking a marathon still hurts at the end of the distance, although not quite as much.

If there's any gripe about today, it's the same I've had year after year - why don't they let runners with no bags to pick up on 72?


Now to the photos.  I have to work tomorrow so I didn't get a chance to export a lot, so I'll continue tomorrow.  Here's a few for starters....

I've always caught the bus from midtown.  This was a first for me this year.

 

Goodbye Manhattan.  See you in a few.

 Mario Lopez and his running partner

One of my favorite shots today

New York City Marathon Photos - Packet Pickup

As I wrote in my previous post, my only intention for tomorrow is to have fun with the camera.  It started this afternoon with the packet pickup.  More to follow....after the race  :-)

Jacob Javits Conference Center.  Usual packet pickup location. 

High-end marathon charms, anyone?

The Off-Season

Thanks to my wife and a friend, I briefly considered racing the NYC Marathon because it's only four weeks after Chicago and I'd still be in pretty decent shape to retry for 3:10.  But with NYCM only 1.5 weeks away, I think I'm just going to stick with my original plan and make it a jog/walk and start enjoying my off-season with a camera.

Speaking of which, with my photo-a-day project done, I've missed taking photos.  Luckily, I've found something to keep me motivated this off-season - submitting photos to stock sites.  Starting to build up a library  at Fotolia.com, Dreamstime.com, and upon acceptance, IStockPhoto.com and Shutterstock.com.  My goal in all this?  To see if I can get a few hundred photos on each site.  This is not a race so there's no time frame.  It's just another layer of enjoyment and motivation for a hobby that's become incredibly addicting, much like running.

2011 Chicago Marathon recap

I had only one goal for this race:  run a 3:10.  You see, I've grown tired of training for and running marathons, and I just want to do end this year with a bang with plans on taking off next year.  That said, I carried a 24oz water bottle as opposed to 16oz, and filled it with ~2tsp salt.  Also carried 6 Roctane's and picked up an additional clif shot at mile 17.   I logged the most training miles I've ever done for this race.  I missed out on tempo and speed mileage until the last month of training because of a twisted ankle, but I thought the additional miles and the multiple Tabata sprints addressed that.  So come the day of the marathon, I was ready for battle.

The gun went off with Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run on the loudspeakers to amp up the runners, myself included.  My goal was to run the first 10k feeling easy.  It felt easy even though I may have gone out a little faster than planned.  After 10k, I planned on running at about 7:00 - 7:10.  My next checkpoint was 13.1 @ about 1:35:xx to have a shot at my goal.  Check.  Next was mile 20 @ 2:25, which would leave me with ~45 mins for the last 10k.  Check.  I had still planned on gutting out at least 1 or 2 sub-7 miles in the 20's.  Then the wheels started to fall off.

I felt the initial cramp twinge around mile 17-18, but shrugged it off and drank more water and gatorade.  I didn't want to pay it any respect because I had a very specific goal that wouldn't accomodate cramps.  I tried to pick up the pace to get the sub-7 miles as planned, but both legs now were telling me to stop or they'd lock up.  Still didn't listen.  By mile 24, the twinges started to become knots and I had to take walk breaks.  At about mile 25, I was reduced to a stiff legged walk for several hundred meters.  My entire right hind leg just locked up.  Attempts to stretch the hind muscles caused the quads to cramp up.  I hadn't experienced that since my first marathon.  Gracious spectators rooted me on with looks of pity and encouragement.  I almost felt bad for making them feel bad for me.  Some of them offered me a beer for comfort.  I was almost tempted. 

In the end, I could only smile and be thankful for the battle as countless runners passed me by on the final 800.  I armed myself well and gave it my best shot, but it wasn't meant to be.  I was also very happy and excited for my friend and colleague and long run training partner Craig who passed me at about mile 26.  He set a PR by 10 minutes.  How awesome is that?

Note:  Prayers and thoughts to the family of the North Carolina fireman who collapsed 500m from the finish and  died 2 hrs later in the hospital.  I saw at least a couple of runners in the last 3 miles being treated with IV drips and it reminded me of how tough this event really is. 


Mileage splits:
1- 7:17
2 - 7:01
3- 7:08
4 -7:04
5 - 7:17
6 - 7:21
7 - 7:06
8 - 6:55
9 - 7:05
10 - 7:02
11 - 7:01
12 - 7:02
13 - 6:52
14 - 6:38
15 - 7:12
16 - 7:07
17 - 7:12
18 - 7:19
19 - 7:24
20 - 7:32
21 - 7:42
22 - 7:57
23 - 8:15
24 - 9:11
25 - 12:35
26 - 9:11  (.73 miles)

11 pure miles...back to basics

In the span of 6 hrs and, all because of running, I experienced:

- GUILT because I missed a lunch run
- ANGER because I had to make it up
- BARGAINING because I didn't want to
- DEPRESSION because I had to
- ACCEPTANCE because I needed to

In the end, acceptance made me realize the only cure for my afternoon anguish was the sickness itself. I just needed to go out and enjoy a run. So I did. And I was treated to a vibrant magenta sunset along the reservoir, cool breezes throughout the park, and on the way home, I stopped to enjoy Andrea Bocelli's performance at the Great Lawn from a distance. What an evening.

2011 Portland Maine - Operation Escape Irene

2011 Portland Maine - Operation Escape Irene, a set on Flickr.

Short weekend trip to Portland, Maine, coincidentally to escape Irene. Topped off the week to 60+ miles while on the trip :-)

Heal!

It's not like I've been inactive, but starting to feel like a marshmallow just because I haven't been running consistently. Also starting to reconsider my Chicago expectations. Approaching 3rd week of ankle healing and it feels like an eternity.