Go go gadget legs!

(Isn't the picture cool? I love how you can almost see the entire Manhattan and the park in the middle. Somehow it seems like our run was so much longer than if we had done a couple 5 mile loops in the Park - but I guess that's just an optical illusion).

Yesterday - the highlight of my running career - my first time breaking 10 miles. For me I felt as if I jumped over a huge hurdle. I was nervous going into the run because my prior long run was 7.2 miles and I had to stretch in the middle of that run. I wasn't sure if I would be able to make a 10-miler, even though my shorter distances had gone well last week. We debated between running in Central Park or down the West Side Highway and the clincher was that we found parking at Riverside park - which is 96th street on the water. After some stretching we were off...

The first couple miles weren't bad - but then my knee started aching a little - I ran through it. It was cool running down the West Side Highway as you can count blocks watch the goings on - it is more exciting than running in the Park. There were all these sports games going on - there was a bunch of little kids having soccer practice. I think that it would be nice to live in that area and be able to go for runs and walks on the water - it seems so pretty (cute?). The only hitch was that at the end of the 2nd mile we ran under the highway for a good 3/10ths of a mile, longer on the way back and both of our Garmins stopped picking up a signal which messed everything up. Up to that point Danny and I had similar distances after that point mine was behind by about 0.1-0.15 miles, which was annoying.

Around the Lincoln Tunnel we passed under the watchful gaze of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Z"L - smiling at us as we continued our run. At 34th street/near the Javits Center we passed a procession of police cars with their sirens on - not sure what it was but I liked to imagine they were there to cheer me on as we were now a quarter of the way done. (Hmmm...did the procession have to do with the billboard?) We passed Chelsea Piers where we planned a quick stop for the restrooms on the way back (I think it was just leaving ourselves an option for a stop to prod us on). At some point between the Piers and the halfway point Danny's Garmin fell behind mine. We got down to Clarkson avenue which was a drop over 5 miles on my Garmin and turned back.

The first 5 miles were tough - I don't think I was physically drained but mentally, I am not sure why, I felt that I really had to push myself. Something clicked, though, in those last 4-5 miles. Danny and I had been running together with Sara consistently a few paces behind us. I am not sure if it was me or Danny who picked up the pace and we cut all our miles to below 10:00. The 5 mile pace was 10:04, the 2nd 5 miles were 9:30, with a negative split (50:22/47:34). I think it just took the first six miles or so to really get into it. Once we hit that 6 mile mark I felt like I was just cruising, looking forward to the end - but I knew that we could make it. 7.2 miles came and I thought to myself - woohoo! longest run every without a stop!

Danny's Garmin fell even further behind mine, we knew that the first leg was more than 5 miles - we discussed stopping at 10 miles and walking back to the tennis courts at 96th. In fact, if I was alone I think I would have done that. They are doing some construction around 86th on the water so the running path that normally runs straight is closed and you have to cut a little bit east and there was a significant uphill. It didn't seem so bad on the way down - but at the end of the run it seemed downright daunting. I turned to Danny and asked him if we were stopping at the 10 mile marker and he said no! I wanted to kill him. That uphill, even though it was short, really took a lot out of me and I was a little out of breath - both from the uphill and the pace. The last mile we did at 9:07 pace, our fastest mile. But I am glad Danny forced me to keep on going, once we flattened out it was much easier and then I saw those beloved tennis courts - I sprinted the last bit to cross the finish line where I was showered in flowers and champagne. A great run!

Splits:
1 - 10:12
2 - 10:18
3 - 10:07
4 - 9:47
5 - 9:57
6 - 9:49
7 - 9:40
8 - 9:34
9 - 9:24
10 - 9:07
10.5 - 4:06

Follow-up: got home, iced, showered and went to friends' wedding. It was a really lovely wedding - mazel tov to them. Danced up a storm and the knee held up. Today everything is sore but in that good way where you feel you did it! Think tonight will hopefully be a pig out night! I am really hungry!

In more running news I signed up to be a member of NYRR today and signed up for the Poland Spring Marathon Kickoff next sunday - only 5 miles, I think I am aiming for 45:00, I think that's attainable - need to figure out a playlist. It would be cool to meet some more RBF peeps at the race, we'll see - Danny and Sara are running it. The NYC marathon is in 2 weeks and we are scheduled for 11 miles that day and Danny wanted to make it to the marathon - hopefully we will.

Good luck to all those training for NYC 2006 and 2007 :)