Race Report: Manhattan Half

One of the hardest parts of running races is the planning. I'm not a planner by nature, for better or worse, but running demands a fair amount of it. When I picked up my number, I got a very adimant notice from the New York Road Runners: baggage trucks would leave at 8am. This seemed curious for an 8:30am race. After all, the finish was a mere mile away. I'm not sure why the bags weren't just kept between the start on 84th and the finish on 102nd. Anyway, the prospect of freezing my nuts off for a half hour made me just skip the bag and go in running attire. That made for a tough start to the race: a good 50 minutes in 29-degree weather without much in the way of clothing. Ouch.

Once the race started, I settled into a pretty brisk pace. The outside goal was to break 1:30. According to my running books, a 3:00 marathoner should do a 1:25 half. Yikes. I'm not there yet, but I did run what might be my fastest half marathon, despite an absolute lack of strategy. The numbers tell the ugly path to 1:28:10:

Mile 1: 6:46
2: 6:54 (Great Hill)
3: 6:36
4: 6:35
5: 6:29
6: 6:40
7: 6:39
8: 6:53 (Great Hill, Part Deux)
9: 6:59 (forgot to hit my watch for about 10 seconds b/c I was struggling)
10: 6:35
11: 6:44
12: 6:56
13: 7:20 (with the extra .1)

Looking at the numbers and remembering how I felt, it's clear to me that I'm a long way off in terms of stamina. I was fine at the end of the race -- I even jogged home -- but the last couple miles were terrible. Mentally, I got content, thinking I'd break 1:28, and I ended up not doing it, because of the extra .1. Overall, I got 199th out of 4,900 or so. Not so bad. I want to go under 1:27 in the Bronx.

13.1 miles, 1:28:11

Running Cold

There are always reasons not to run. Long day at work. Hangover. Social obligation. Rain. Snow. Hot or cold weather. The truth is, there's a choice. If you look hard enough, you'll find an excuse. Sometimes, people express alarm that I run outside year round. What about when it's really cold? I like it. My body produces a lot of heat, so it's actually much more pleasant than slogging through hot, humid runs. Gina Kolata does a nice job demolishing the myth that running in cold weather is bad for you, particularly the dumb notion that breathing in cold air is bad for your lungs. (I've heard that several times.) So far, it's been a mild winter. I've run in shorts every time but maybe a handful. The weather is supposed to turn much colder this weekend, but I find the Craft second-skin base layer, another long-sleeved shirt, hat and gloves does the trick.

5.2 miles, 34:54

Bad Things About Running in NYC

At the request of TunaTacoGrande, I'm giving equal time to the annoying parts of running in New York. I should say that the good outweighs the bad, although sometimes it doesn't seem that way. In no particular order, the stuff that makes it hard to be a runner here: icy sidewalks, sudden-turning cars, horse shit in Central Park because tourists think it's cool to torture a beast into hauling them a half mile, homeless people who shave in water fountains, the rats that take over Riverside Park in the 70s after dark, petulant cyclists in their Euro garb, people that walk three and four abreast, charity runners, weaving runners, joggers with iPods who don't pay attention, dog owners, unleashed dogs, NY Road Runners Club group runs that hog the travel lanes, bus exhaust, waste treatment plants along the river, raccoons, marauding youths who chase after me, the Parks Dept not plowing all of Riverside Park, people who line up at 7-minute-per-mile pace but really run 9, Team In Training, trying to maneuver by trash-bag mountains on the sidewalk, smokers, vending machines that only take perfect bills, all taxis, vendors who charge $3 for Gatorade, the marathon lottery, the guy with the bullhorn who screams at runners during NYRR races, sucking in helicopter exhaust along the Hudson so a rich person can escape Manhattan traffic, cars that try to intimidate me by acting like they'll really run me over at intersections, the super-long dog leashes that have the effect of creating a six-foot long barricade, cops who speed in Central Park, the bodega owners who don't like sweaty bills, the summer heat and humidity, the East Side Promenade, the dearth of trails, unpredictable small humans wandering into the running path in Riverside, and rollerbladers who think their Anton Apollo Ohno with the swinging-arm style.

6.2 miles, 42:47

Great Things About NYC Running

During my long run today, I started thinking of all the annoying things about running in NYC. Then, because I had a lot of time on my hands, I turned the thought over to come up with the best things. Here's my partial list: Central Park, Riverside Park, Battery Park, freeze-proof water fountains, the Nike Runner Station, vending machines that take sweaty dollars, the Bridle Path, the cat statue that says you're almost up Cat Hill, the Great Hill, seeing people skate at Wollman and Lasker while doing loops in the winter, running after a snowfall in a near-empty Central Park, passing Dominican families barbecuing in north Riverside Park, reaching the Tubby Hook Cafe, seeing the GW Bridge come into view when coming north along the Hudson, the dirt path near the dog runs in Riverside, the bird sanctuary at 120th Street, that 3,000 people get up at 7am to do 20 miles during the long-training runs, coming off the 59th Street Bridge to the roar during the marathon, pretty girls who run in Central Park, the Broadway Ultra Society, Hash runs, exploring the boroughs 13.1 miles at a time, Los Compadres, the power-walking drill saergent guy urging people on in Central Park races, seeing outdoor movies in Riverside three seconds at a time during the summer, spying the Statue of Liberty during a long run, the Eleanor Roosevelt statue on 72nd Street, the Sri Chinmoy 3,100-mile run, knowing the light at 95th and Riverside has a 7-second delay, making the turn for home at the Staten Island Ferry and knowing there's just another hour more.

10.5 miles, 1:16:37

My Sister vs Pigdog

The incomparable (and mustachioed) Steve Prefontaine owns one of the best running quotes: "A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more." That's what make running so great. But there are tougher challenges I'll never face. I'm proud to say my sister Jean really faced down the Pigdog this week in a 24-hour ordeal. But as the picture shows, the outcome was worth it: my newest nephew, Jack Stamatis. Awesome job. I also expect his genes mean he'll be an endurance athlete.

When Pigs Fly

I made the commitment: I'm running the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. It was hard to decide which Spring marathon to run -- or even whether to do one -- but a few things made the Pig a good place to face down the Internal Pigdog. 1) My friend Tom is running the race with me. After nearly two years of visiting Indiana but not going to see him in Kentucky, I'll see this nirvana that goes by the name of Lexington. 2) The date. The Pig is on May 4, pretty late in the Spring marathon season. Other races I mulled took place in late March. My training is just not there yet. 3) Early start. The race starts at an eye-popping 6:30am. I might have to get up at 4am to eat, but I probably won't crumple that early.

Training is going well. This week, I ran 36+ miles. My back and ITB are both sore. Guess it's inevitable.

4.75 miles, 33:30

Inside Nike Running

I've always been frustrated by running publications and sites. Runner's World seems all about "five ways to great abs" articles, while most of the sites are race databases or training tools. For a little while, I subscribed to "Marathon and Beyond," an ultra-focused magazine/journal that arrived in a brown paper envelope, a la 1950s porn. I was interested by a post today from Twitter friend David Armano, pointing to Inside Nike Running, an attempt by Nike to capitalize on the success of the Nike+ system with some content. Only problem is, as I told David, the content blows. It's still very marketing-like, and there's no easy way for runners to connect. That's too bad. I think Nike's doing some interesting things supporting running through "brand utilities." One of the best is the Nike Runner's Station, a stand along the Hudson, just south of Chelsea Piers. There, runners can stop for water, Gatorade, gels, bandages, whatever. There are Nike products, but it's more about supporting running. This came in very handy over the weekend, when I needed somewhere to get Gatorade during a long run. Since the vending machines tend to be sketchy, the Runner's Station was a very welcome sight. Nike needs to find a way to take that model online.

6.2 miles, 42:44

Why Run Long?

Four years ago, I went to Brooklyn with Stroh of Arabia for a harebrained adventure: The Cirulnick-Inamarato 50k. It turned out to be a great day. Not only did I handily defeat Stroh on the last lap of a very, very long race, but I got my only running trophy, for third place. The day was also notable because we met Ted Corbitt. I didn't know much about him at the time, but he was a legendary runner. He completed in 199 marathons (including the Olympics) and ultras, only dropping out one time, when he was 75. He would run a mind-boggling 200 miles a week and compete in six-day races. Last week, he died at 88. Frank Litsky's got a great obit, including this great summation from Ted of why to run long.

The marathon demands patience and a willingness to stay with it. You must be willing to suffer and keep on suffering. Running is something you just do. You don’t need a goal. You don’t need a race. You don’t need the hype of a so-called fitness craze. All you need is a cheap pair of shoes and some time. The rest will follow.

5.2 miles, 35:43

Central Park

The hardest part of running a fast marathon is training hard. The temptation is always there to take it easy some days. Central Park can cure that. Maybe it's because there are always people ahead of me that I want to reel in, but I end up running harder there. Not too fast, but at a good pace. I went back there tonight during a 5-mile run at 7:04 pace. Not bad. My near-term goal is to start adding in a long run, with the idea of doing the Manhattan Half Marathon on Jan. 27. Goal: sub-1:30.

5.2 miles, 36:49

Facing Down Unleashed Dogs

I don't hate dogs, but I do dislike dog owners in NYC. Oh, I'm sure most are considerate, but there are so many of them that the minority -- the ones that leave crap all over the UES -- kinda stand out. As a runner, I have a particular uneasiness around the canines. They're dumb and friendly, or they could be amped up and dangerous. I have no clue, but it's impossible to tell when a big down comes lunging at you. Tonight, two big dogs were with their owner -- not pet parent, owner -- and of course they were unleashed. Now, I work, which sadly requires several hours a day. This leaves me evening/night hours to run. All signs in the Riverside Park say "dogs on leash at all times," yet dog owners continue to believe in this myth they can ignore the law when it's dark or early. It's crap. I have a right to run in the park without having unleashed dogs lunge at me. It seems like simple courtesy. What's worse, the owner tonight seemed to find it amusing that I'd be forced to stop to avoid her/him (it was one of those bundled-up androgynous types the UWS specializes in). That made an annoyance into a full-on scrap. The good part is the extra adrenaline helped the final part of the run.

5 miles, 37:20

Not So Slow

I dig my regular Riverside Park running route, but it's bad for telling how fast I'm running. The lights throw me off, and I'm not even sure of the exact distance. Central Park is a great way to tell pace because it has set mileage. My post-marathon plan has been relatively short runs (5 miles) at a pretty good pace. Tonight, I went to Central Park to see how fast I'm going. Because I have to run to the park, I only got an accurate read during the four-mile loop: 28:24, about 7:06 per mile. Not so bad. Of course, to run a 2:59 marathon, I'd need to run over 15 seconds faster per mile for 22 extra miles. Whatever. It's early.

5.25, 36:50

Running for President

Which of the presidential candidates is fittest? Judging by the White House's current occupant, an impressive athletic resume shouldn't exactly be a deciding factor. Still, I can't stand when people like NYT's Gail Collins writes op-ed articles that equate pursuing exercise to wasting time. Anyway, of the current crop of contenders, the most accomplished Republican runner appears to be Mike Huckabee, who turned to running after becoming utterly gargantuan and diabetic. He has three marathons under his belt and is oddly enough planning to run Boston in April. (I can't imagine running for president and training for a marathon at the same time.) The other Republicans are a sorry lot. Giuliani spent his time in NY hurtling through the city in an SUV, not pounding out miles. Romney probably plays squash. McCain has too many injuries from being in a cage for years, so I'll give him a pass. Fred Thompson seems to have a very low resting heart rate, but not from running. Ron Paul's strange enough to be an ultra guy. For the Democrats, John Edwards is by far the most Pre-like. He's a longtime runner and self-described 'addict" who has done five marathons, including one in the respectable neighborhood of 3:30. Probably something about keeping the hair looking nice. I would think Obama would be a runner because of his lanky physique. It turns out he's a smoker. Hillary takes walks. Richardson doesn't look like he's doing many miles.

It might do some good for Transatlantic relations if we do have a runner in the White House. French president Nicholas Sarkozy is fond of going for runs, and so too is Italian prime minister Romano Prodi.

5 miles, 36:40