On the run Till we're caught in New York

I'm slowly hitting all the milestone I've set for myself on my road to recovery. The latest being the Manhattan Half. I ran this last year while I was training for NJ. Last year, it was 14 degrees and felt like 5. Temps that low do not stop me from sweating like mad and my hair got soaking wet then froze. It's funny to go back and read my blog entry about this race. (Look Rachel, you were the new girl!). It was much warmer this year, 35ish.
I had some concern before the run. After my speed workout on Friday, my bad spot on my foot was starting to hurt a bit. I've been doing all my stretching and icing and everything. I taped it up with kineseo tape the night before. I was waffling about running at all. I really dont want to go back into the land of the hurt. Plus I have this cold which is not helping with the cranky factor. So my plan as of the morning of the race was start and see what happens. If after one loop of the race (6ish miles) it hurt, I'd stop.
I was approaching this as a long run, not a race. No really time goal other than under 2 hours.
My splits:
1: 9:05 ok, not a bad way to start. If I can stick around here, I'm good with that
2: 8:52 with cat hill.
3: 8:20 well ok then,
4: 8:47 feel like I'm settling into this even with Harlem HIll
5: 8:46
6: 8:24
7: 8:44 take (chew) clif shot
8: 9:00 Cat hill again
9: 8:19
10:9:09 Harlem hill again. And look, I'm not just trying to run home.
11: 8:48 I'm starting to stiffen up a bit. I haven't run this far since Oct and I'm feeling it a little
12: 8:26 but clearly not slowing down
13: 8:21
.1: .46
finish: 1:53:42.
Not bad, not bad at all, esp since last year I was TRYING to race this and ran a 1:50:51. No pain in my foot while running, and none after. I'm thinking maybe the pain after speed was caused by doing a little too much or doing it in pretty much brand new shoes. I ran yesterday in my older shoes. I do admit to being a hair sore and stiff today.
Onward with my cautious progress. I ran 27 miles last week (I know, not breaking any records here). I'm thinking of cutting back a wee bit this week and thing pushing on the week after.
People. Boston is in 12 weeks.
This is serious.

Fire and Ice

Ok, today was...oh man, there are no words. Insane? Crazy? Stupid? Frozen? I do not think I have ever raced in such cold. When I lined up at the start, the clock over Central Park said 14 degrees. The windchill made it feel like 5.

People, that is not right. On so many levels. 

Today was the Manhattan Half marathon, the first in the series of 5 halfs in NYC. One in each borough. I've run all of them though never in the same year. NYRR capped this race at 5000 people and it filled. I though, ok,this weather is stupid maybe 3000 will show up. Well, NYers have a reputation for a reason. Even with this weather, 4506 people came out to run.

I got up a little after 6 this morning. Ate and met up with Rachel, a new woman in my club who lives 2 blocks away. So convenient. We split a cab to the start. I did a 1.5 mile warm up and to get a bit closer to my 15 miles for the day. I ended up running 14.5 today which puts me more miles than degrees. I think I've done that maybe once before a few years ago when I ran when it was 3 out.

Anyway, because my body has a sense of humor (those who have been reading along at home for a while know this) I have my period. This is very common for me when I have a race that I'm actually TRYING to race. Today, I was TRYING to race. Even in these crappy conditions.

Somehow, I sweat like mad even when it's below freezing. Mile one, off with the gloves, some where in mile 3, off with the hat. Even though I couldn't feel my face, I could tell sweat was freezing in my hair. By the time I was done, I have an icicle hanging from my head where once was a ponytail.

I thought the course was going to be the same course they used at Grete's. I was wrong. It went counterclockwise and ended on the east side in the transverse. I've run countless races in CP, and several halfs. I've never run this course. I didn't like it.

I started off with an ok mile 8:31, figured I'd ease into it. Mile 2 was the same with Cat hill. After that, I was hoping to pick it up. I would from time to time but never felt like my motor would really go. I think it was a combination of things. 

I finished in a time of 1:50:51, a PR by about 90 seconds. My goal was to run closer to 1:48. I know that is well within what I'm capable of but we have to run with what we've got on race day. I do think I'm on track for a good spring marathon and I'm happy about that.

A few other notes, Rachel ran a 1:42! 11 minute PR!!!! And I met internet superstar, Squirrel at the start. 

Race 2 of the series is n 2 weeks in Da Bronx. We'll see what I have on that day.