I took 10 solid days off from running after the marathon, and then decided to give it a try again. Our coaches told us that it wouldn't feel good right away, and they were right! I felt stiff and tired. The fact that I had just rolled out of bed might have contributed to that. Also, I only ran about 2 miles, and that isn't long enough to get really warmed up. I usually start feeling good after 3 miles.
In order to get a guaranteed entry into the NYC Marathon, you have to :
1. Be a member of NY Road Runners
2. Run in 9 NY Road Runners marathon qualifier races
3. Volunteer at one race
So, I'm a member of NYRR, and I've did 3 races while training for my NJ Marathon. 6 more races + 1 volunteer, and I'm all set.
Elizabeth and I decided to get to volunteering out of the way while we weren't ready to be racing yet. We picked the Healthy Kidney 10K as our volunteering race for 2 reasons. It was on May 17th (beautiful weather), and it was only a 10K - so it wouldn't take up all day. If you volunteer for a really long distance race, you'll be out there forever.
We got to Central Park at 7:00am on a Saturday, and that is a bit earlier than I would have liked! They gave me a megaphone (fun!) and an orange vest to wear. We were in charge of keeping the start line clear before the race, and directing the runners to registration, bag check, start line, etc.
This race was unique, because pro athletes run it it also. These are guys who make a living doing this. They don't wear a number on their shirt. Their race bib has their name on it. You can spot them a mile away. They are lean and solid muscle. The guy on the far right won the NYC Marathon in 2006. He's from Brazil, and he is the first South American to win it.
I actually had a really good time volunteering. It was fun to cheer on the runners doing the race. I really wanted to be doing it myself.
3 days later on May 20th, we did the American Heart Association Wall Street Run & Heart Walk. It was a 3 mile race through the streets of downtown. I admit it, we're looking for a bunch of short races to fulfill the requirement. I am totally doing the 5th Avenue Mile in September!
The race was great, and my time was my best ever. I'm kind of questioning if it was actually a full 3 miles. Maybe the mile markers weren't in the right places? My time was 24:59, which is a pace of 8:19. I did push myself, so maybe it's accurate.
This a race that 17,000 people signed up for, but I don't think that many participated. It's a corporate event also, and a lot of non-runners sign up. Since it was raining earlier that day, that was a good excuse to bail.
Next up:
May 31st - Pawling Triathlon on Saturday - signed up for this before I knew I was going to do a marathon. I'm didn't train too hard, so I just want to finish it.
June 4th - NYRR 50th Anniversary Run - This free race is part of Running Week, NYRR's celebration of its 50th anniversary. Come on out for an early morning run and join the party! This race starts at 5:30 a.m.
This is kind of insane, but I love a bargain! This one is free!
June 7th - NYRR NY Mini 10K - 37 Years of Celebrating Women
The original women-only road race, the "Mini" continues the tradition of celebrating all that is good about women's running. A professional field of the world's fleetest female distance start will lead thousands of women on a 10K course through Central Park. The race started in 1972 with just 78 participants and has been on the NYRR annual calendar ever since!
June 28th - Front Runners New York Lesbian and Gay Pride Run
There better be some drag queens running in that one! If not, I'm going to be disappointed.
So by June 28th, I'll have done 7 races. I just have to pick 2 more to do, and I'm home free!
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