Friday, May 25, 2007

Baby Steppin to the Big One

I have been accepted to run at the Nike NYC Half Marathon! Like the ING NYC Marathon, this race used a lottery system to determine who would be invited to run. Unlike the marathon, the odds were better than 50/50. I believe they chose 13,000 out of 17,000 entrants.

The race will begin in Central Park. After a one-a-round in the park it will go down Times Square and down the West Side Highway to Battery Park. I'm sure if there was a bridge, they would run us down to the Statue of Liberty.

I signed up for this race to keep myself on track. Knowing that I have to run 13.1 miles at the beginning of August will keep me on pace for 26.2 in November.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

The AHA Wall Street Run & Heart Walk

Being a former stockbroker and analyst, this course took me through my old stomping grounds, and what a great day for stomping through them it was. The race started on Murray and West street. There were approximately 7,000 participants, it was the largest turnout I've seen at a race so far. The Merrill Lynchers, the main sponsors of the race, all donned black t-shirts marked with their race slogan, "Running With The Bulls", a reference to the investment firm's mascot.

The race was delayed about ten minutes. In the meantime, my brother-in-law Steve, his first race, and I went to meet my buddy Valentin, who was walking it because of an injury he sustained a week ago. We walked past the corrals and found him near the front of the crowd. I noticed that though runners were lined up according to their pace, volunteers were herding as many people to the front to fill in space, regardless of their speed. I knew that was going to piss quite a few people off later in the race because they would be running behind joggers and walkers. We were lined up incorrectly ourselves, apparent by the fact that we were very near the front at the start of the race while planning on running a 10 min/mi.

The race started at about 6:45 in the evening. The weather and temperature were ideal, sunny and in the low seventies. The course was exhilarating. The spectators – not very happy that a herd of people were blocking their path home after a day of work. From the start, one felt the energy race had. If one looked around it looked like a Nike commercial. Seeing so many people running through these narrow colonial streets, dense crowds swarming through our financial district was absolutely surreal. You could tell that there were quite a few beginners by their initial burst of speed, the kind that punished them later in the race as they walked the rest of the course but that was to be expected since many of the sponsor firms asked their employees to participate.

The course started on the corner of Murray Street and West Street (the West Side Highway) and weaved through the lower Manhattan. It took us down Church, past Moody's Investor Serviecs and the World Trace Center where we cut a left on Liberty and zigzagged through Pine, Wall, Broad, Pearl and Water Streets on our way to Battery Park.

A moment that I'm sure most participants will never forget was when we made our u-turn from Pearl to Water street. Running north on Pearl the course made a right on Fletcher, a street so narrow that it was completely enveloped in its buildings' shadows. As we made the turn the first thing we noticed was the extreme change in illumination. Then you notice how narrow it is and consider how everyone is going to fit. Then to compound the space issue, the water station tables were set up right there making the one-block stretch even narrower. And finally, due to the water stations, the street was flooded. As my eyes adjusted, and I stomped through puddles of discarded water I turned around and took a good look, it was cinematic. At the next corner we would turn south on Water Street, one of lower Manhattan's widest streets.

The last leg was along the river in Battery Park City and fairly congested. Finally we had some cheering from spectators. I dipped between park benches down the promenade to the finish line. Steve and I crossed the finish line simultaneously, at 29:17, a 9:45 pace. Definitely not a PR setter but it was a leisurely run, focused more on the sights and the experience than time. Not next year though. I can't wait until next year's race.

Friday, May 18, 2007

On Not Taking the Bus

Yesterday I had to escort my little sister to school (don't ask). So, instead of hopping on the bus to Fordham Road and then to Marble Hill, I ran it. It took 37:18 to run 3.92 miles. When I consider the wait for the bus, transfers and traffic it takes much less time running.

Running up Fordham Road can be very exhilarating. Apart from its steep hills and the thousands of people that shop in its hundreds of stores, the traffic can be intense. Since I don't run on concrete, I run on the streets, against traffic. Weaving in and out of bus lanes and making sure that I'm noticed by drivers will force me to keep my eyes focused way ahead of me, which seems to intensify my concentration.

After I dropped her off I found myself, habitually, trying to figure out what would be the best bus route to take back home. I'm standing on a sunny Mosholu Parkway, one of the prettiest esplanades in the Bronx, and I'm taking a bus? No way.

I ran down the parkway, on its great running path enjoying the greenery and the wonderful scents of spring, only to come to its end and continue my run along the New York Botanical Garden. Anyone can tell from outside the garden that its flowers are in full bloom inside by just inhaling the aroma that surrounds it. At the end of my mile+ garden stretch I reach my stomping grounds, Pelham Parkway, which is no chopped liver with respect to routes to run in all of New York City.

It took me 28:30 to run those lovely 3.1 miles to my place. It was well worth it. From now I will think twice about getting on a bus, especially if I'm going to mommies, who will always love me, even when I'm stinky.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Pelham Parkway in Spring

Lovely morning. I ran with my sweatshirt in spite of the fact that it was sunny and warm. First time that I run Pelham in true spring weather. Much different than usual. The air is sweeter and the trees provide better shade from the rays.

I ran to White Plains Road twice and then took off to Stillman. My splits were 9:50, 9:25, 8:27, 9:51, 3:12 (8:25/mi)

Deadlines

Two big registration deadlines are coming up.

1) The NYC Nike Half-Marathon which closes today.

2) The ING New York City Marathon 2007 on June 1st at 11:59pm.