Sunday, April 5, 2009

Come fly with me

Today's installment takes us to the Run for the Parks 4 miler. This year NYRR has instituted a cap on most of it's races of 5000. Last year, they started a corral system to properly line up people by pace. I am a fan of both of these things as Central Park is a very busy place and while the runners would like to take up the entire park, that's just not possible or fair. This race, since it was a benefit for the parks, was not capped. Read: CROWDED.
It has been a long goal of mine to break 30 minutes in 4 miles. I was a bit unsure about today. I've had tired legs. My 17 miler on Sunday was a sludgefest. Yesterday's recovery run, not much better. 
The race started at 8am. I got to the park about a half hour early and warmed up for a few miles. With shorter races, I need a long warm up. There just isn't much distance to make up a mistake in 4 miles so I wanna be ready to go from the gun. I was hoping to start with Hilary and just hang on, though she was looking to go sub 29 (and did 28:27 a whopping 72.2% age grade!) I knew with in the first half mile that wasn't going to happen. I was already throwing elbows. 
Mile 1 has Cat Hill about half way through it. I want to run it smart, but not too easy that I fall off my overall pace goal. 7:22 good, maybe a bit fast but I feel good.
Mile 2 brings us  gradually back down hill. Why is it STILL so crowded? Once we turn into the 102nd st transverse, I know I'll see the mile 2 marker. I also know at some point I'll see Loren and Ms. Bea. Ms. Bea is working up her milage. 7:13. Ok, still pretty fast but I'm banking a bit of time cause mile 3 brings ALL the hills. I just want to keep the same effort through them. Nice and steady. There hasn't been any water yet which is odd. I can go with out, but I'd rather have.
There is it, right before the mile 3 marker. I dont even slow down as I grab a cup and take a quick gulp. 7:31. Not bad for the hills. 
Now I know I just have a mile to go and it's a fairly fast mile. It's mostly down hill then at the end, there's a left turn into the 72nd st transverse and a little rise to the finish. The same finish as the 15k. I let the hills take me. When I make the turn, I push, but really there isn't much there. I can usually find a kick but not today, I think my whole last mile was a kick. 7:02. I didn't know I was going that fast! Wow if would have been cool to run that last mile in sub 7!
I finished in 29:09, shattering my previous PR of 31:20!
I am totally pooped and totally thrilled! 
Stats for the day:
679 outa 5739
66th woman outa 2818
8th in AG outa 436
67.5% age grade
Oh and the icing on the cake, the Front Runners men AND women both placed 3rd in the team events.
I have one more week of heavy training for the NJ marathon then I go into the taper. I'm looking forward to letting my legs recover before the big dance.

4 comments:

Girl In Motion said...

Amazing job, my little Doggie Woman! You're like the girl at the fair at one of those duck hunting stalls, shooting PRs instead of ducks - bang, bang, bang. You deserve a stuffed bear for all those bullseyes the last couple months. NJ awaits...woohoo!!

L.A. Runner said...

Wow, wow, wow! Great job, as usual. Pretty soon and SOMEONE should be tapering, right? Congrats on a new PR, a big one at that!

DogPound said...

YES! One more week then the taper starts! I sure hope I dont start climbing the walls.

TiredMamaRunning said...

Excellent doglb! Can't wait to see you BQ in Jersey-you are SO there.

And running my little Wayne's World races out here-I'm totally impressed that you can run these times when you have to fight crowds and throw elbows.