Let me start off by saying that I now realize how spoiled I
am! Most of the time I race in Central Park and can get away with leaving the
house 45 minutes before starting time. No so today. such luck today!!! I woke
up this morning at 4:45, went over my checklist for the millionth time, did my
usual race morning routine, grabbed my bagel with pb and out the door to Penn
Station by 5:30. I was on the 6:07 Jersey Coastline and let me tell you, there
were some fun faces--tons of kids who had clearly spent the night partying in
the City and were still going strong. After a scenic ride of about an hour, I
got off the train and found Betina--very easy to spot in her red MCM jacket,
with her fire engine red car!
It always great to go to race with someone. We chatted it up
on our way to the race after we picked up Bet’s friend who was a half-marathon
neophyte. On the way we scoped out the Dunkin’ Donuts situation for the way
back--it pays to think ahead. We got to the race about an hour early which was
great because we all had to use the bathroom and the lines were long. It was
windy too, so we stayed in our warm clothes as long as possible, but when 8:45
rolled around, it was time to strip. I wasn’t sure a singlet and split shorts
had been the best idea, but there was no going back.
The starting area had no corrals or anything, it was just a
mass of people sorting themselves out. The three of us split up at this point
and I head towards the front. There were some speedy looking people, but it was
way less intimidating than the average NYRR race where I know on any given day
there are at least a dozen sub-elites racing. After the national anthem, performed
by a trumpet and drum--crowd sing-a-long encouraged, we were off.
I tried to start our conservative--the race was a double
out-and-back (with the first out-and-back being 7.1 and the second being
6)--and I wanted to save myself for the second half. I was a ways from the
leaders and for a while was running behind a couple people, and the first mile
went by in 6:22. Mile 2 was about the same at 6:23, but then I started to edge
up. I realized I was just following the pace of the people around me instead of
setting my own pace. Mile 3 went by in 6:15 and I was running by myself, the
leaders were far ahead, but there was no one right behind me. I knew the first
turn around was coming and that definitely helped my speed. At this point we
went by some barracks (there’s an army base on Sandy Hook) which were pretty
cool to look at.
At the turn around the 15 mile-an-hour wind that had been in
my face was not at my back which meant I stopped noticing it as I cruised
through Mile 4 in 6:10 (I think this is where I first saw Bettina and we yelled
to each other) and Mile 5 in 6:03 where I met up with a couple guys who were
running together. They seemed to be going at the perfect pace so I stuck with
them. We had a nice chat and they told me they ran together a lot because only
one of them had a Garmin. The best was when the younger one said to me, “Your
breathing too easy, the least you could do is fake it.” Ha!
At this point, either there were some mile markers missing,
or I just got sloppy because I have no more splits on my watch. We got to the
turn-around for the second mile and I was still feeling great but my two new
friends started going a little faster and with 6 miles to go I stayed back a
little. The second half seemed to go by in a blur though around Mile 10 I
caught with a guy in a red beanie who’d been out ahead for quite a while. We
each complemented the other but he was starting to slow so I didn’t talk to him
for too long. As mile 11 passed I knew I was in the home stretch and that a PR
was possible and more importantly that a guaranteed entry into next year’s NYCM
was possible (sub-1:23 for my age group). Around this point a guy passed me who
had been behind me the whole race. I was ready to go all out yet but I
complemented him on his kick and kept at it. At Mile 12 I started counting down
the minutes. Once I realized that I was within 800 yards of the finish I
started to pick it up and when someone yelled 400 I started my kick. I felt
great as I crossed the finish line--the guy who passed me between 11 and 12? He
threw up right in front of me!!! Oops. I’m still smiling from ear to ear with
my 1:22:12.28 (13th place, no vomit).
After some water, and I bagel I head back to wait for
Betina. When I saw her approaching I let out my loudest “GO BET!” and scared
the people around me. She had a really strong finish. I would not want to mess
with Bet on the race course--super tough! I’m just grateful she let me cross
the finish line ahead of her. Next time she might not be so courteous! We then
got to watch her friend finish her first half! She did a phenomenal job too,
though she said there were definitely no marathons in her future. All in all,
it was a wonderful day at the Jersey Shore.
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