Run as One 4M Race Recap

Let’s start with the important stuff.

I made Keith cupcakes as a study buddy for his law school finals that start this week (I always found that infinite amounts of Chex Mix and Cherry Coke helped get me through finals in college. Sugar helps you concentrate, it’s been proven). After helping Erin make them last week, I was dying to give them a whirl.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Butter

Sugar

Oreos

Oreo crumbs

Cream cheese frosting (also with butter, sugar, and Oreos)

Oreo half to garnish

Let me know if you need any further instruction on this recipe.

I hit the road early this morning for some mileage before the Run as One 4M Race in Central Park (is this starting to sound familiar?). My alarm went off at 6:35AM, and I shuffled around my apartment until the last possible second. I wasn’t excited for this race, since my favorite running buddies weren’t in attendance, and I knew I’d be doing 10ish miles before brunch was even being served in Brooklyn.

So I begrudgingly did the same route I did last week, childishly groaning during the first mile.

Are you tired of me complaining about my self-imposed early morning miles? I am too!

The run ended up being great. I left my iPod off until the race, and I realized I'm becoming more and more familiar with the route's little quirks (the unforgiving smell by Columbus Circle… the bum who hangs out at 60^th and 3^rd Ave with beverages from Au Bon Pain… where was he today??).

Look at all the cute dogs!!

I got to the race at a little under a 9:00 pace, with just enough time to hit the porta potties and get to the start. I tried to take a picture of myself in the corral, albeit unsuccessfully. I’ll spare you the weird angle and the other runners who are creeping in it, and trust that you can create a mental image yourself.

While I was stomping around my apartment this morning, I was not eager to run the same exact course as last weekend’s Run for the Parks. But after my 6-miles runners’ high, I realized I could use it to my advantage. For the first time ever, I made a race plan. I was most tired during the hills in miles 1 and 3 of last week’s race, so I decided to warm-up a bit during mile 1, pick up the pace during the flat course in mile 2, conserve energy in mile 3, and step on the gas in mile 4.

I surprised myself by the amount of energy for the race. I didn’t need the emergency granola bar I packed in my amphipod, and I was mentally ready to take on the course. So I followed my plan:

Mile 1 was the most tiring – I spent most of my time bobbing and weaving, trying to get into a groove and set my sites on people I could try and race past. I picked up the pace at mile 2 as planned, feeling really good. I dialed it back slightly at mile 3, and booked it during the last mile.

Mile 1: 8:07

Mile 2: 7:27

Mile 3: 7:50

Mile 4: 7:17

Total: 30:41

Avg Pace: 7:41

32 second PR!

I came home, showered, and celebrated by making an egg, cheese and bacon sandwich.

I was dreading the race this morning, and I surprised myself by having a really great run. The 6ish miles I did before the race went by crazy fast, and without an audio book or playlist to distract me. I was totally aware of every muscle ache and incline, and I didn’t feel like keeling over at the finish line. In fact, I felt like I could have kept on going.

These all feel like great omens going into the Broad Street Run next weekend. I'll leave my complaints at home, and enjoy every step of the 10 miles of early morning Philadelphia pavement.