Philly Race Report

Ok...so the long awaited - mostly by my parents - race report from Philly. I am sure that I am going to leave out a lot of details, but I really needed to get this posted. First of all, thanks to Maggie Mae, first of all for commenting on my blog and second for the picture of the medal that I stole from her blog. Congrats on your first half marathon! I needed a good pic to show to my parents.

So Danny and I drove down on Saturday to Philadelphia. There we met up with Shore Turtle who had been kind enough to pick up our race packets. An early shout-out to the turtle who completed the FULL marathon in the speedy (non-turtle-like) pace of 3:53:02 in his first marathon! We met his mom who has recently taken up running and has won a few races in her age group. This is a pic of me in the lobby of ST's hotel (thanks to Danny for the pics). We met up with Sara and a friend of hers in West Conshohocken where we were staying. We hung out for a little bit and then tried to head to sleep. The beds were really comfortable, I am not sure if it was the excitement of the coming race or the unfamiliar bed but it seems that non of us could sleep. I think I woke up just about every half an hour.

Sunday 6AM - wake up! I had laid out all my gear the night before but I still had to decide what to wear. The weather said that it was already 42 degrees, so I wore running pants on top of my shorts with the intention of ditching the pants before the race started. We took a cab - parking would have been impossible in Center City - and met all our fellow runners in front of the Art Museum. The famous stairs from Rocky! With my kean vision I spotted Shore Turtle and we hung out for a while before the race started.








Before the race






Danny and I were planning on lining up with the 9minute mile pace and Sara was planning on lining up with the 10 minute pace. However, we only lined up a few minutes before the gun time and the place was packed. We ended up lining up together and were over 8 minutes behind clock time. Danny and I stayed together for the first mile or so, but similar to the Poland Spring race a few weeks back I accelerated a little during some of the weaving and lost track of him. I hadn't run that much in the prior couple of weeks and I was feeling it. I felt that the first few miles were much harder than any of the practice long runs - granted I was running faster. I was running between 8:15 and 8:30 miles. I kept on feeling like I was going to need to stop but I kept pushing myself. I was mostly focused on my running but I remember passing the National Constitution Center on Independence Mall, we ran through Chinatown (where the paving was horrible) ran along the Schulykill. At about 2 miles in we passed under a bridge, not sure which one, and all of a sudden I saw people on the side of the road stopped and I was thinking to myself - boy this is early for them to be wiped already. But that was just my naivety since this was my first long race (it was just pit-stop - too much pre-race loading). It was somewhere around this point that my Garmin began to act up. At first it jumped ahead by about 3/4 of a mile. Later on during the race around 6 miles or so it lost mileage and all of a sudden I was half a mile behind the mile markers. Note to self and all future runners of this race - if they keep the mile markers the same - the Mile 3 marker was off by a lot - so don't get worried.

I remember passing a guy in a red dress and red beret - someone told me he said that this was an easy race - he wasn't wearing heels. I kinda stuck to myself mostly, thinking: "Right foot...Left foot...repeat." We ran down UPenn's frat row where the frat guys were offering beers to the runners and it was around that point that I first noticed my right knee beginning to act up. I had left knee problems in the past which had mostly gone away with stretching and I had done a bunch of stretching before the race. Anyway, at about mile 7 or 8 I needed to pull over to stretch it. I adjusted my knee braces and set off again - not sure if the stretching helped, it certainly felt as if my knee was actually worse when I started running again. Between miles 9 and 10 there was a really steep hill - we didn't know about that hill. My knee just totally gave out at that point. I had to stop again and I began walking. I ran a few more steps and needed to stop again. Danny caught up with me at that point and I tried to run with him but I couldn't make it. I sent him off. I was still on pace to finish in sub-2:00 but I knew that I couldn't do much more walking.

Perhaps the most annoying part of the race was between miles 10 and 11. Just after the mile 10 marker the path split - the half marathoners turned to the right and the full marathoners continued straight through a gate - maybe to the zoo? A few hundred feet after that split all of a sudden we met up with the full marathoners again, it was a little confusing. Then to top it all off we hit mile marker 11. I was really afraid that I was on the full marathon trail. I looked around and saw another half marathon bib (the full marathon bibs were light blue, ours were pinkish). I turned to the guy running next to me who was running the full and he confirmed that our trails had joined up and that likely that mile marker was for the full and not for the half. Sure enough just a little over half a mile later we hit another Mile 11 marker. Now get this! The mile markers for the half marathon were on blue boards and the mile markers for the full marathon were on pink boards - wouldn't you have thought that the colors should have matched our bibs?

But anyway...at that point I don't know if it was my knee, the pace or deconditioning but even when I could run I was super-tired. I pulled over for a pit-stop between miles 11 and 12. When I was running I was running a good pace - but I needed one more walking stop for about a minute. The last couple miles were along the Schulykill and as soon as the Art Museum came into view I just prayed for the finish. I continued running along - seeing the Amtrak building (which is so cool at night - it has blue lights along each floor that sequentially turn on and off along a diagonal, I am doing a bad job describing it - but it's cool). I ran up the last short hill made the turn and crossed the finish line. I was beat but so happy - I made it in Sub-2:00. Sure I was disappointed that I didn't run the whole way but even so - I made sub 9:00 miles. I know I can do better, but I am happy with this performance.



After the race.











After the race with Shore Turtle.



Afterwards I looked around for Danny but couldn't find him - I knew he would be watching the finishing full marathon runners. Congrats to the USA we took the silver and the bronze in the men's race. As I limped around I finally was spotted by Sara, her dad and her friend who were sitting at our meeting point. Danny shortly after joined us. We were going to wait for Shore Turtle to finish. In the meantime we hung out with Sara and crew and when they left we made our way into the Amex VIP tent where we got massages - which is just what the doctor ordered. ST finished in sub-4:00 we met up with him and his team - which was really cool.

I am out of time now - and not much else exciting happened, so I am basically gonna end here. It was a great race, I was glad we ran it.

Ok - 2 pieces of background information that are tangentially related to my race. 1) I have been having a bunch of trouble with my Garmin 301 of late. When I first got it I was very happy with it, but lately it has been losing mileage (I have tried playing with settings) which is the cause of a lot of frustration. 2) Last week I bought myself the new Ipod Shuffle and it really is tiny. It's so cool and only slightly annoying that you can't see which sound you have chosen to play. It weighs absolutely nothing and is perfect for running. I ran with it on Sunday, it clipped right on to my fuel belt, and didn't feel it. I doubt I could have made it without it.

Woohoo PHILLY!

Quick update - don't really have time to blog - I am exhausted and on call tomorrow. Ran the Philly half today. I have to give a huge thanks to ShoreTurtle who picked up our packets for us. Drove down last night with Danny and Sara. The race was great - except for some knee pain that hobbled me a little - finished in 1:57:14! A PR! and a sub-2:00 - which was a major goal for me!

Got a cool tec shirt and medal, pics to come. Met Shore Turtle's wife and mom and Team Shore Turtle - you guys are so cool! Time to show off my medal in the hospital!

Playing doctor

Been really busy in the hospital of late and been a little injured from Sunday's run - so it's been a slow running (actually no running) and blogging. Hope to get back on the horse over the weekend.

Can't believe no one commented on the new profile pic - that's a doctor doll with the Poland Springs medal around it - I thought that was cute. :)











Thought I would pay tribute to the inspiration behind of this blog...my condolences Lance - I know what you went through. Though...congrats on the marathon - you made it sub-3:00.

And now begins the taper...

Today was marathon Sunday! How could we not run? I would have felt like such a slacker, though I must say that I was tres jealous of all the people who were actually running the marathon. I further firmed my resolved to enter the lottery for the 2007 ING and to run enough NYRR races in 2007 to guarantee 2008. Whether I will be able to properly train either of those years considering my residency - we shall see - but hopefully the opportunity will be available.

We were scheduled to do 11 miles today and 12 next Sunday - but we decided to do the 12 miler today and a 6 miler next Sunday and start tapering a little earlier. Works out well for me because next Sunday I am on call - so I wouldn't be able to do a long run anyway. We got a little bit of a late start because we went to a party this morning - one of the Rabbis in our community had a baby boy - so we didn't leave until a little after 10 and we got to 96th street on the West Side Highway a little before 11. We decided to run north toward the George Washington Bridge and see how far we could go.

The weather was nice - mid 50's - perfect day for a marathon and a run - my only regret was not taking my running gloves with me. Seems that I have poor circulation in my hands - so my hands were freezing the whole time even though the rest of me was warm in my shorts and long sleeve t-shirt. One cool thing about the map - you can just barely make out the tip of central park in the bottom of the picture. (Not sure what's going on with the water - looks really weird).

We got up to about 125th street at which point the path kind of took a detour through the streets for few blocks until we got back on the path. It was a really nice path - quiet, a little secluded (but not in that "Oh no! someone is going to mug me way") but rather more in the calm and serene way. We ran alongside the tracks - who knew that there were tracks there? Of course there have to be tracks how else does Amtrak and the other trains run north? But now subways run there. Saw a cardinal or a robin? Kind of late in the season for them - I thought.

We ran up toward the George Washington Bridge that looms ahead and then overhead. Right after the bridge we hit the first of two really hard uphills - they totally killed me. About a mile later we hit the second one - and this was only about 4 or so miles in! They were killer. We continued North passed the area that collapsed in 2005. We were almost in Riverdale when we basically had to abandon the running path - though I am sure it continued - and turn around. We were just under 6 miles - but far enough that when we returned to 96th street the extra bit we would have to do wouldn't take us to the cobblestone part in the high 80's. It was hard going back - the 2 steep downhills wreaked havoc on my knees. We had been going at a pretty slow pace - around 10 minute miles. Not too much exciting on the return trip other than nice weather, relaxing run - pain in my knees - and a feeling that I was going to die. I picked up the pace the last coupel of miles and finished by myself - rounding out my last 2 miles in 8:38 and 8:17. Total time 1:55:18, for an average pace of 9:36.

Note to self: the fluid bottles from my fluid belt leak - so when I filled them with red Powerade - they leaked on my shirt. Remember to fill with something clear - or to not wear a white shirt. Cheap fluid belt!

We then walked over to the 5th Avenue to cheer on the marathoners. I remember watching the marathon last year as I tried to find Danny and being awed by the sheer number of people who were pushing their body to 26.2 miles. I remember thinking: "I could never do that" and here I am - just about halfway there - with plans for a marathon in the spring. I am still in awe of these guys - it's an amazing accomplishment - and I will be very happy when I can join their ranks. Besides, the medal that I got from the Poland Spring Warmup race - looks kinda cheesy and lonely - it need neighbors.

I felt particularly bad watching the people who had bleeding nipples run by during the race - I knew the pain they were going through (from that aspect) and how much pain it was going to be later. Sara said to me: "That looks like it must hurt" and I was like: "YAH! A lot!" I asked Danny to take a picture - I was going to post it as a profile picture in their honor.

Coolest part of my day: We met the wife of a friend of Danny's (the friend was running the marathon) and in the course of the conversation she says to me: "Are you bleedingnipples?" and I was like yes I am! I am famous - my first recognition - twas so cool!!!

Anyway, to wrap this up - went to see Borat tonight. Was very funny - though the humor is disturbing in that it clearly illustrates how uneducated many of the people in the country are. It has been said that anti-semitism results from a lack of education - it couldn't be any truer.

Tomorrow to the hospital!!!!

Today brought another 5 miles with Danny. We were supposed to run it at race pace. We finished the 5 miles in just under race pace, but we picked it up the last couple miles (8:24, 8:01). It's really hard to know how much further I could have gone - I doubt I could have finished another 8 miles at that pace, but I think I could have slowed down and finished. Pacing is going to be a real issue for me come race day - I am going to have to struggle to not blow it too early. I think I will need to get myself into a good pace group and run with the group.

Sunday is the long run - 12 miles along the West Side Highway. Last time we ran there we passed Flygirl - but I guess this time she will will be running up 1st Avenue and then into the park. Can't wait until I run a marathon - I am so jealous of you guys - it must be such an amazing feeling to finish a marathon - to know that you have done something that very few othes can do - that you pushed your body to the limit and succeeded.

In preparation for the winter running I bought a pair of running gloves - Brooks. I ran in them this morning - they match my shoes. I had a cheap pair of gloves that my hands had a tendency to overheat in - I am sure these new gloves are overkill - but they were comfortable to run in. But the best part is that instead of having a little clasp that holds the two gloves together it has magnets. I am such a science geek! I love the magnets it's such a cool feature!

In other news got the pictures from Sunday's race - not the best pictures that I have ever taken, if only I new how baggy that silly shirt was going to look.
Good luck to everyone running NYC - can't wait to read some race reports.