Race #6

Name: Japan Run

Date/Time: Sunday, May 13 at 8am

Location: Central Park

Length: 4.0 miles

Bib Number: 7325

Official Time: 50:12

Average Time per Mile: 12:33

Well...I made it and even 2 seconds per mile faster than yesterday.  That in itself is a small miracle considering how painful it was for me to run those first three miles. The first mile was ok, but I knew it was going to be a long race when I hit that mile marker just after my 12 min timer expired on the iPhone.  Knowing the second mile is the most flat on the course, I attempted to pick up my pace, but was only able to maintain it with my timer going off again just prior to the mile marker.  I braced myself for a very long and hilly third mile.  It lived up to my expectations.  I'd say I likely hit that mile marker at somewhere around 13 minutes.  I really wanted to improve on my mile time from yesterday, but at that point I wasn't sure it was going to be possible.  Fortunately, God answered my prayers to help me get to the end of the race and my body finally kicked into gear.  I picked up my pace considerably in Mile 4.  Maybe I just needed to get warmed up.  There were portions of that mile where I was truly amazed that I could be moving so quickly at that point.  I couldn't have been happier or more relieved when I saw the turn to the finish.  I also actually saw my co-worker, Jennifer, just prior to the finish.  I believe she must have been doing her +1 volunteer experience.  She gave me an encouraging high five before my last few strides to the finish.  My friend, Reba, had waited for me at the finish so it was nice to see another familiar face there after such an exhausting race.  Overall, I learned a valuable lesson for myself today - back to back race days are not for me!  Not only was I sore, but I was exhausted from getting up at 6:30am on back to back days.  The getting up early might have been the worst part actually.  I did not want to get out of bed this morning....at all!!  It did help that it seemed cooler today.  The weather was officially 63 degrees, but the sun was hiding behind clouds or something because it did not feel very hot at all.  There was actually a bit of a breeze at various points on the course.

Check back next week to see how the Brooklyn Half Marathon goes for me.  I know I can survive the race, but I hope to maintain a consistent pace.  Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer for me on this one!!  I'm mostly looking forward to moving one race closer to the end.  Stay tuned... 


Andrea :)