RACE REPORT: ING NYC Tune Up (18 Miler)

Date: 9/27/2009
Type: Race
Course: NYRR ING NYC Marathon Tune Up
Distance: 18 miles
Duration: 2:41:21.85
Pace: 8:58 / mile
Equipment: Brooks Infiniti 2 (Copper/Silver/Bl)
Weight: 158 lb
Statistics: Calories: 2151
VO2 Max: 38.2
Misc: Quality: 7/10, Effort: 7/10
Field Placement: 1267 / 3534 (35.9%)
Age group: 40 – 44
Group Placement: 189 / 353 (53.5%)
Gender Placement: 967 / 1970 (49.1%)
Statistics: Calories: 2151
VO2 Max: 38.2
Weather: 61 F Humidity: 100% Rain.

Mile …… Time… ……. Accum ………. notes……
01 ………. 09:53.1 ……….. 09:53.1 ……….. best 8:00
02 ………. 10:18.1 ……….. 20:11.2 ……….. best 7:31
03 ………. 09:43.7 ……….. 29:55.0 ……….. best 8:07
04 ………. 08:54.9 ……….. 38:49.8 ……….. best 7:15
05 ………. 09:20.5 ……….. 48:10.4 ……….. best 7:28
06 ………. 08:31.4 ……….. 56:41.7 ……….. best 7:11
07 ………. 09:07.5 ……….. 05:49.2 ……….. best 7:33
08 ………. 09:06.9 ……….. 14:56.1 ……….. best 7:32
09 ………. 09:06.1 ……….. 24:02.2 ……….. best 7:26
10 ………. 09:04.6 ……….. 33:06.9 ……….. best 7:27
11 ………. 08:34.9 ……….. 41:41.8 ……….. best 7:26
12 ………. 08:16.1 ……….. 49:57.8 ……….. best 6:48
13 ………. 08:46.4 ……….. 58:44.3 ……….. best 6:24
14 ………. 08:39.1 ……….. 07:23.4 ……….. best 6:35
15 ………. 08:04.2 ……….. 15:27.6 ……….. best 6:32
16 ………. 08:35.0 ……….. 24:02.6 ……….. best 6:59
17 ………. 08:30.0 ……….. 32:32.5 ……….. best 6:23
18 ………. 07:40.4 ……….. 40:13.0 ……….. best 6:11
0.15 ………. 01:08.9 ……….. 41:21.9 ……….. pace 7:35 best 6:46

Okay, so now that you have all the stats above, here is the story behind it below.

Excluding the training runs of 20 miles each, this was the first race of over 13.1 miles. It was raining and nasty, and frankly, I really wasn't looking to push it, simply because I was tendering a still sore calf. In fact, I wasn't even sure if I was going to even finish this race, especially since I heard "pop" in my calf at yesterday's race. And yes, this is the second time ever that I've had back to back races. Last year it was the Manhattan 14.2 training and the Nike race in Randalls Island.

I started off by running with Karen, my leg was so sore that I was trying to keep pace with her for a bit. Eventually, I settled in, but not before breaking a 9 minute barrier in the 4th mile. I wasn't sure how long my leg would last out, but something important happened, and that was that my leg actually began feeling better....as I was running.

I ran very consistent between miles 7 through 10, between 9:04 and 9:07 and all under a sub-4 pace. But something amazing happened during the back end of the race that I can't explain. It seemed that as I kept running, I kept going faster and faster to the point that I think I paced in at around 8:20 for the last 8 miles. In short, this was a negative split, and by far the most radical negative split. My first 9 miles I ran in 1:24:02 and the last 9 in 1:17:19, for the grand total of 2:41:21 or a sub-9 pace. The second half split was nearly 7 minutes faster than the first half. That's an average of 40 seconds or so faster per mile!

We ran three loops around Central Park, and for me, each loop was faster than the last.As you can see, I love statistics. Anyway, we were drenched! Waterlogged! Swimming with the fishes? Well, not quite. Because our day was not over yet. My sister, Vanessa and her husband Kerry, were in New York this whole week. In fact, I had taken some time off to be with them during the week. I actually forgot to mention earlier (I think) that I introduced Karen to Vanessa & Kerry right after we finished up our Queens Half Marathon, where we later met up with Jeff & Mindy and their daughter for an early dinner at the Cheesecake Factory in the Huntington Mall.

So, as they were in town, Vanessa and I had gotten tickets for the four of us to go see the Broadway production of Hair. I didn't expect to be 'wowed', but the music was sensational, the acting was top notch, and the energy was incredible!

That's Karen and I.....Hey isn't that Berger behind us? It looks like he is about smash me over my head with his fists or something! About the best part of the play, was when we were all asked to come up on stage, which we did, and began dancing. I've never done that in my life before. Very cool. And the funniest? Believe it or not it had nothing to do with the play, but of a frantic woman in the audience. After the show finally let out, and all of us stepped off the stage to get our coats from our seats and leave, this woman yelled out to her friends, "Oh My God! I just touched Berger's ass!!!!" LOL.

We went afterwards to an Italian restaurant near the theatre district, and afterwards Kerry was nice enough to drop us both home.