The Women's Mini

This weekend I ran the Women's Mini, which is a pretty big women's only (duh) race. It was cool, because lots of famous runners were also participating (first prize was $10,000) including Deena Kastor, Rose Kosgei, Serena Burla, Hirut Mandefro, Catherine “the Great” Ndereba, and USA Half-Marathon champion Magdalena Lewy Boulet. Actually, Runner's World wrote all about this race in last month's issue.

My big goal was to get under an 8 minute pace.

But when I woke up to take my dog out, I realized it was a hot day. There was absolutely no chill in the air, like there usually is in the morning and not a cloud in the sky.

I didn't revise my goal.

The plan was to take out the first two miles at around an 8:30 and to drop from there.

I realized in the first mile that this was going to be impossible. The race was SO CROWDED. I was in the green coral even though my friends were in the red because NYRR had my best pace for a race over 2 miles listed as an 8:45 (not true). So I was stepping all over people and it was too crowded to really pass anyone. I felt like I wasted a lot of time zigzagging. But surprisingly, when I hit the turn into the park (the first mile) I found that I had clocked an 8:29. Awesome. Right on pace.

Me in the background (Hey! I didn't even realize that I was running RIGHT by my friend, Shawnessy...she's in the foreground in the pink)

I decided to keep the same pace for the next mile.

It was still pretty crowded and I think I was annoying people because I was clipping their heels. I really didn't mean to, but it was just because I couldn't get around anyone and I was in the wrong pace category.
My next mile was a 7:58 and I felt really good...breathing steady, still had a lot of energy.

Good thing, because we were now going up the back of Harlem Hill, right by the Lasker Pool. I realized as I was running this hill that we hadn't really trained Harlem Hill AT ALL yet this season. I could definitely feel it. I hate running this hill clockwise. I feel like it is so much harder than counterclockwise. My next mile was 8:14.

This is when it fell apart.

I was DYING. I was sweating like crazy and I desperately needed water. (Too bad I had just passed up some...that meant that there wasn't going to be any for AT LEAST a mile). I didn't feel sore or anything, just hot and tired. I didn't really understand it, because I felt like my Tuesday night runs had been more humid than this, and really, they were only 1 mile less. Now I was throwing up in my mouth (sorry, I know that is gross.) My stomach was in horrible knots.

I had to slow down a lot.

In my head I realized that I was NOT going to get my time goal. This was when I decided to take it easy and just pretend it was a practice run (and not a Tuesday night speed session). It was no use in running my body down when I felt like I would have to pass out in order to make my time goal.

Yes, this felt a lot better.

I even walked through the water stop. Like walked really slowly. This was mostly because I couldn't keep the water down. I had to keep spitting it out and then trying to drink more slowly. By the time I pass the water stop there were no longer any garbage cans (that should tell you how long I was walking...I would say at LEAST 30 seconds). I think my split was 8:14 though, which was pretty amazing. I felt like I was running a nice, easy 10 minute mile.

That actually made me feel better about slowing it down and I REALLY started to slow it down, and just tried to enjoy the run (even though the heat still sucked). Luckily they had a spray station somewhere right before Cleopatra's needle.

I saw Bill! Yay!

One mile to go!

I shouted to him "Did I say sub-8? I totally meant sub-9!" which I think made us both laugh a little.

Did I ever mention that I hate the lower loop in Central Park? Oh, I did? Like in every post where I write about the lower loop? Well, unfortunately this was the end of the race. And they had it marked out in meters (agonizing!!!) And the guy standing by the "800 m to go" sign felt the need to translate that into miles for us ("Just a half mile to go, ladies!"). I was thinking, "No! Don't tell me that. I KNOW that, but translating it makes seem it so much longer."

200 m to go. Are you kidding? I can't run any more.

I finished with a 53:02, which is an 8:33 pace. I do have to say, I was happy with that time. ESPECIALLY after I found all of my friends at the end of the race and talked to them. EVERYONE fell off pace because EVERYONE felt it was the most horrible, hot, disgustingly humid race ever. :)

We got a medal at the end. And when I walked into my building afterwards with Bill, my doorman was like "Hey! You won!"

I just laughed. :)