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The Worst Run 5K EVER!

ScarletKnight41 Jun 05 2005 01:34 PM

Some of you may recall a race I ran two years ago, The Diana Run. It's a local race in memory of a high school student who died in a car accident, and it benefits a scholarship fund in her honor. It's all good. So I ran this race two years ago, and finished with an amazingly fast time, which made me realize that the course wasn't measured correctly, and it was too short. It was a pain, but I figured that it was their first year, and they'd learn from it. I did the run last year, and it seemed to be fine. My time was consistent with my general 5K range. So yesterday I ran the race again. I wasn't feeling well, and I slogged, but I still finished a good half minute beyond what I figured my outer time limit would be. Guess what - the race coordinator said that the police dept. mismarked the course, so it was 200 meters longer than 5K. Which added well more than a minute to my time. So I'm kind of shaking my head. It's still a local race. It's still a good cause. I still saw a lot of people whom I know there. All of that is still good. But sheesh - doesn't a race director have an independent responsibility to double check that the race course has been set properly? And the final straw is that they only had shirts in Large and XL yesterday. OK, I figured I'd take an XL and sleep in it - no big deal. But when I got ready to wear the shirt and looked at it closely, it has the logo for the 1st annual Diana Run. They didn't even print up new t-shirts. WTF? I'll run it again next year, for all of the reasons that I stated above. But my expectations are for it to be less than professionally run.

metsmarathon Jun 05 2005 02:28 PM

y'know, having set up cross country races for my college, and participated in road races and track meets, it's not all that hard to get one of those little measurey-wheely things and get the distance right. especially when all you've gotta do is walk three miles to do it. i mean, as race setter-uppers, you kinda can control where the start and finish lines are... its pretty much inexcuseable.

Edgy DC Jun 05 2005 02:37 PM

Join the organizing committee. Get laden down with silly responsibilities you don't need. It's fun.

ScarletKnight41 Jun 05 2005 02:39 PM

Once I could excuse. Twice in three years is lameass. When we first heard the news about the extra 200 meters, I told my friend that they were making up for the race two years ago. The two of us could kid about it, because we're not serious runners. But if I was in serious training, and I was relying on the website representation that "This year's course is a certified 5K," I'd be really angry. Instead of being really angry, I'll just mock the organizers. Maroons. Knuckleheads. Other mockable things about this race - 1) I have a son who is amassing community service hours, and he has volunteered at a couple of races so far. I tried contacting the race organizers to offer his help with this race. I never heard back from them, even though I left several messages. What race doesn't need as many people helping out as possible? 2) The water tables ran out of water before all of the runners went by. I got mine, but believe it or not there were participants who are even slower than I am. Slow runners need their hydration too, you know! (Maybe even moreso than the faster runners.)

ScarletKnight41 Jun 05 2005 02:42 PM

To answer Edgy (whose post went up while I was still typing) - I couldn't even get these bozos to accept help from an enthusiastic 12-year-old on race day. I don't think I'd be able to deal with these yutzes on a committee - I doubt that I would have the patience to deal with them.

Nymr83 Jun 05 2005 03:17 PM

committees suck. things run much more smoothly with 1 person taking control, unfortunately that leaves the committee unable to feel important about themselves.

Willets Point Jun 05 2005 08:05 PM

Could be worse. Try running the 27.2 mile marathon: http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/chi-0506030169jun03,0,6675543.column?coll=ny-leadnationalnews-headlines

ScarletKnight41 Jun 05 2005 08:26 PM

Ouch! That's ridiculous!

metsmarathon Jun 06 2005 12:48 AM

wow. that's bad. y'know, all this talk of races and the ruinous efects of poor planning has me worried about the disney marathon weekend coming up in half a year. they've changed the course of the half marathon, and i fear they'll make it suck now. basically, the half marathon, instead of starting at the same time as the full marathon, and running the first three-odd miles independently, through the epcot worlds showcase, all lit up at night (well, at 6 in the morning, so its dark like night) until you meet up with the full marathon, and continue happily along together for another 10 miles until you stop, and they continue on for the boring second half. i had actually gotten to really like the half moreso than the full, because hte last 13 miles are so much more boring. and the lit-up epcot thingy. way cool. well, this year, they've changed things. now, the half will be the day before the full (this also conflicts with our tradition of running in the family fun run, which is now scheduled for an hour or two after the half should finish up. sigh). and the course is basically go straight from the road in front of epcot, along streets to the magic kingdom, run through main street and through the castle (thank goodness they didnt change any of the magic kindom stuff), and then head back to the epcot parking lot. oh yeah, and take about htree steps in epcot so we can claim you still run through that park. they got rid of the coolest part of the friggin course! also, now, unless they widely open up the number of registrants, both races will be thinner. instead of waking up at 2:00 and gathering in a dark parking lot with 15,000 of my most distant strangers, that number gets cut in half, and the atmosphere reduced by at least as much. the only cool thing about the whole deal is that, if you're goofy enough (get it? goofy! har har!), you can run both. and presumably get a goofy medal for your trouble. now, i must admit, that the whole goofy thing does sound tempting, especially if there is indeed a goofy medal to go along with mickey (full) and donald (half). but i'm a ways away from being in that kind of shape. so far, im supposed to be training for NYC (which is going not so well, but its early yet) in november, followed by the disney half in jan. (im curious to see how fresh i'll be for the half, and wether or not i feel like i could possibly manage doing the full the next year - '07 - which of course would then be a set-up for a future goofy 'thon) that course better not suck as much as i fear it might! and i'm really gonna miss the family fun run! i hope i didnt just thread hijack... sorry...

ScarletKnight41 Jun 06 2005 07:18 AM

Hijack away. Good luck with your training, and I hope the new course isn't as bad as you fear.

silverdsl Jun 06 2005 01:26 PM Re: The Worst Run 5K EVER!

ScarletKnight41 wrote: Guess what - the race coordinator said that the police dept. mismarked the course, so it was 200 meters longer than 5K. Which added well more than a minute to my time. Most turtles move faster than I do but I did "run" (walk) a 5K in Las Vegas in January that was the day before the Las Vegas Marathon. So a lot of the people who were going to be running in the marathon the next day were using the 5K to time themselves in various ways. Unfortunately, the folks putting together the course mismarked a turnaround point horribly and a lot of people ran much, much further than they were supposed to which left a lot of angry runners at the end of the 5K. So I guess it's not that unusual for stuff like that to happen.

ScarletKnight41 Jun 06 2005 01:31 PM

You probably still outrun me - I'm very slow, but I do a lot of 5Ks nonetheless. I would probably laugh off this one more except for the fact that every year the race has been run, they have specifically represented that USATF sanctioned 5K. If you're making that kind of representation to people and taking $20 a person, then you have a responsibility to make sure that the course is a measured 5K. Even though the proceeds go towards a good cause, it still amounts to consumer fraud.

silverdsl Jun 06 2005 03:22 PM

LOL, I was so slow because we walked the entire way that we literally came in last. But that was okay because like with the one you ran I was supporting a very good cause.

ScarletKnight41 Jun 06 2005 03:27 PM

Hey, I have RUN and come in last on a couple of occasions. I hate the races that only draw the real runners and not the casual ones <g>

silverdsl Jun 06 2005 03:34 PM

We were definitely one of the few people there who weren't professional runners. So we felt pretty awkward and embarassed as the entire field took off running without us. But we were determined to support the cause so we walked it and took as long as we needed to finish. I had a great time doing it too except for the embarassment factor - the only other people who finished behind us were those people who decided not to finish at all. The next day we didn't participate in the Las Vegas marathon but we were there to support Michael Waltrip, a Nascar driver who was running it to raise money for charity. So while we were standing there waiting for him to run by we were cheering and clapping for all the others who were participating. Even hours later there were still people who had taken part in the half-marathon who were just coming to the finish line because they had walked the whole thing. There were elderly people, people with obvious handicaps including more than one person who was blind and walking with assistance, young people, old people, everyone. It was pretty neat to see that kind of dedication both to the half and full marathons.

metsmarathon Jun 06 2005 05:17 PM

nothing tires the arms faster than cheering on an entire half (or-full) marathon!

Willets Point Jun 06 2005 05:29 PM

You know it. The best thing to do for the Boston Marathon is set up a lounge chair with a cooler full of beer in reach right near the top of Heartbreak Hill and spend an exhausting day cheering those runners on. I spend all year training for that.

ScarletKnight41 Jun 06 2005 05:32 PM

My 12-year-old needs to amass some community service hours for his Bar Mitzvah, and in April he worked the water table at a 5K I ran. Even before I could see him around the bend, I heard him encouraging the runners and cheering them on. I have to tell you, when you're slogging through a rough race, that kind of thing can really be a needed boost.

ScarletKnight41 Jun 07 2005 08:45 AM

I'll hijack my own thread and make this the All Purpose Bitching About Running Thread. This was the first really hot and humid running day I've had in months, and I ran my long route of the week this morning. Man, that was rough - once I finished the run, I had to sit down on the curb for a minute before walking the rest of the way home, which was only two houses away. It just wiped me out! I'm better now - a little air conditioning and an iced latte are wonderful things.

ScarletKnight41 Jun 10 2005 11:10 AM

Since this is morphing into an all purpose running thread, I have a question for marathon. Tuesday I ran my long route of the week, and as I posted above it was really rough on me. So I wanted to ask your advice. Should I chalk it up as a bad day, or should I cut back a little on my routes when it's that hot and sticky out? Thanks.

metsmarathon Jun 10 2005 11:37 AM

it could be a bit of both... but i'd be more likely to blame it on the hot and sticky. cutting back during these kinds of days is a good idea if they affect you like that. if you don't want to cut back, i suggest (you prolly already do) making sure you're very well hydrated before you go out for the run, and also make sure to not wear cotton, but a technical fiber shirt like coolmax. also, depending on how long the run is, you might want to bring along a beverage - such as gatorade or powerade - in one of those handy waist packs designed for just such a task. the angled ones are supposedly better and less bouncy. i unfortunately have an upright one, but it works fine for me - took a little getting used to at first - the biggest trick is to tighten it a lot so that it doesnt bounce, and then just ignoring the incessant sloshing sound that follows you around. actually, hte gatorade endurance is pretty good, and has a slightly better flavor than regular gatorades of the same flavor. i also recommend amino-vital drinks. they work pretty good - got my wife through the more half-marathon on a whole week's worth of training. (she hadn't really run fr liek 3 months prior, and that was just a two-week trianing period prior to the disney half that marked the end of another three-month period of non-running! so its pretty good, i'd say!) but if that doesnt work - the extra hydration, and coolmax - then cut back on your running. its better to get in the work and still be breathing afterwards, than to suffer heat stroke or exhaustion just trying to go the extra two houses. i should bitch about my own running of late, but there hasnt been enough of it. lately its been feeling more like jogging. i'm just not able to push, y'know what i mean? i'm hoping i can whip myself into shape for NYC...

ScarletKnight41 Jun 10 2005 11:49 AM

Thanks marathon - I appreciate the advice. I did have water with me, and I have one of those handy dandy holders. The distance is about 6K, which is nothing to you but for me is pretty long. But I've run year round before, and this was the first time I had that kind of reaction. I may give the distance another shot next week, though - I had some chest congestion earlier in the week, and that might have been a contributing factor. OTOH, if I wake up on Tuesday and it's 70 degrees and humid, perhaps I'll just wimp out and cut back to 5K. Good luck with your training - I'm sure you'll do fine!

ScarletKnight41 Jun 11 2005 09:58 AM

I had a better run today. Granted, it was 5K instead of 6K, but I still felt better througout the run. I think what helped most was deliberately pacing myself slowly (since I'm not fast at the best of times, it was a pretty slow pace), and occasionally pouring cold water over my head (something I never did before - it doesn't seem very ladylike, but desperate times call for desperate measutes). I was still pretty tired after the run, but not like I was on Tuesday.

metsmarathon Jun 16 2005 04:18 PM

i really hope i can run the nyc marathon this year. i've been signed up for the previous two, but never was able to get around to training for them (had my wedding to get ready for the first time, and could never get my training partner/wife running for the second one, and wasn't terribly motivated to begin with), and really want to do it this year. problem is, that i've been spending the first half of this year playing too much basketball, and not doing enough running. its gotten to the point where i cannot go more than a mile without having to stop. its not that i'm not fit enough, or strong enough, its just that i seemingly can no longer run. like my body's forgotten, or something. playing all that basketball (4-on-4, half court, with me as the "big man" therefore playing low post) has basically just made my legs so darned heavy-feeling. i feel like i'm lugging around tree trunks out there, and canmot for the life of me feel light on my feet. i lumber. this is new to me. i figure, though, that this is the least of my worries - "once i start getting back into a running groove, my stride will eventually lengthen itself, i'll be lifting my knees, i'll be running higher, i'll be lighter," i tell myself, and it would be true. except that for the past year or two, my flat feet have been catching up to me. when i run now, if i've got my shoes tightened a little too much,that big important tendon that runs the length of your instep will start SCREAMING out at me, "bloody murder" it'll yell, to the point where i cannot take another step. i have to stop, take my weight off of my feet, and loosen my shoelaces almost to the point where its ridiculous how loose they are. then my arches will consider not screaming. and it freaking hurts like a mother. i have a high tolerance for pain - played racquetball with a collapsed lung, blah blah blah - but this just floors me. darned near brings me to tears. and crumbles my willpower. arches. damn. and again, its probably because of the basketball. playing low post i spend a lot of time digging my heels into the ground so i can leverage guys 50 lbs heavier than me, gain position, and be effective on defense. i spend almost no time on my toes, strengthening my arches, getting them used to the stretching they see on the roads (i run on my toes - strike forefoot-first, and when feeling right, don't really make any contact with my heels - so my flat feet have a lot to do, and that tendon has a lot of work to do). so its just plain not used to the work anymore, and i think it got itself overstretched by a pair of running shoes with a tad too much arch and still hasnt recovered... but that's all specualtion. bottom line is, it hurts, and once it starts hurting, it really gets in the way of a good run. but if i slow down, and start heel-striking, it quiets down to the point where i can keep on keeping on, for the most part. and now for the past few months, i've developed a new kind of pain, that i've never before even considered, but which is actually more of a problem than the other things. my big toe has started to scream at me. can't figure out why, but can only assume it has something to do with basketball again (its my pivot toe - only thing i can think of). there's just a sharp pain right in front of the ball of my foot. and it starts bothering me in the first 100 meters of my runs, and is worse when i run fast - again, the running on my toes thing. and of all the things that's screwing up my running, its my toe that's doing the worst. because once it starts hurting, it doesnt get better terribly quickly, and basically causes my runs to end. right then. right there. maybe a little jogging after i've walked for a while. but the wierd thing is, is that i knwo that if i do keep running, the pain will start to go away. the knee pain, im used to. i've had tendonitis in the left one for five years, and, it ebbs and flows, but its pretty much under control. the arch pain, i've figured out how to deal with that by running with looser shoes (tho i'm seriously considering throwing $80 at a pair of Nike Free's, just to see if they help strengthen things down there), and the heavy leg will straighten themselves out. but once my toe starts hurting, i have to stop. everything else has worn down my willpower, my focus, that once my toe starts hurting, its too easy for me to stop. actually, its too easy for me to stop now, in general - i start getting too hot, and i want to stop. i'm having trouble pushing through. we'll see, today, if i have any better luck running. the weather is back down to reasonable temperatures, and so long as there's no thunder in the area, i'll be out on the roads, hoping i figure it out. ... its killing me that my longer runs are easier than my shorter ones. i feel like i can go out and try for a seven-miler, and i'd have a better run than if i were to go out for a three. my pacing is terrible of late, which isnt helpng things either. i need to reign myself in better. right now i'm in a mindset where i want to push push push myself, but i can't (and prolly shouldnt too much while i'm having these foot issues), and that's just getting me frustrated, and making it easeir for me to say "aw screw it" when im running and have the slightest difficulty. i go out for three miles, and i'm thinking in my head "ok, we'll get warmed up, than push it for a half mile, get those legs really stretched out, then cool down for a half, and repeat it a few times till we're done." and by the end of the first push i'm so disappointed with my performance than i have less push for the next one. its a downward spiral. so today, i'll be taking advantage of the nice temperatures, and hopefully dry-enough skies, and go out for an easy three miles just to get my legs healthier, and start taking it from there. stupid basketball. why did i hafta start playing that again? um, and... anybody got good advice on my toe, or arches?

ScarletKnight41 Jun 16 2005 04:56 PM

No advice on the toe or arches - I haven't dealt with those issues. I do leg exercises to build up my quads, and that has cured some knee pain that I've had, which I find to be amazing. And don't underestimate the weather - I had a great run today, largely because the air wasn't friggin' oppressive for a change. Good luck with the pain management, and with the training. It would be really cool if you could complete the NYC marathon - it's such a great route!

ScarletKnight41 Jun 19 2005 11:32 AM

Since this has morphed into an all purpose running thread, I have a good 5K to relate. It was the third annual Run For Dad, benefitting prostate cancer research (they kept saying how they were there to fight prostate cancer in men. I kept thinking no kidding - you just don't see prostate cancer in women. But I digress....) My 12-year-old worked the water table and cheered on the runners enthusiastically. He now has more than sufficient community service hours for his Bar Mitzvah, but he plans to keep volunteering at races. Especially the ones that have pizza afterward ;) This race only had bagels, but he was happy enough with that. I completed the run in 34:48, which was my fastest 5K of the year so far. That was a pleasant surprise, because I felt like I was laboring during the third mile. I guess I had more in the tank than I thought. But the big story was my 8-year-old. He was supposed to do the 2 mile walk with his dad and sister, but when my daughter wimped out and slept in, he decided to run the 5K. I was shocked - he hadn't trained at all and has never run more than a mile previously. But D-Dad said he'd stay with him on the course. I fully expected that he would wind up walking and call it a day at the 2-mile exit point. I was wrong. Except for stopping at the water station, the little guy finished the race in 38:06! I have taken longer to finish 5Ks in the recent past, and that was with running 3 days per week! Needless to say, I am very proud of him. Oh, extra proud, since he wore a Mets shirt for the run :) So it was a good morning for the Knight family :)

Willets Point Jun 19 2005 11:37 AM

The things you can do when you're a kid. I remember running around all day for no reason. Can't imagine doing that now.

metsmarathon Jun 20 2005 01:08 AM

congratulations! today was an excellent day for running. i, myself started out on a fairly flat 7-8 mile-ish run with a decent hill at midway (it a hybrid of my kinda-hilly 9-mile and super-hilly 7-mile loops, and have no idea how long it actually is) and was feeling pretty good. knee was mostly happy, toe wasnt bothering me, and my arch only needed to be walked a frontyard or two, once a mile. after 3 1/2 miles, i decided to re-hybridize it into a ~6.5-er that was really pretty flat (my arch is aggravated moreso by uphills, and i didnt wanna lose my positive momentum) i ran the whole thing in 1:06 including a traffic light or two while crossing US 46. legs-wise i felt really good, and i needed one of these. i'm tempted to run the same thing tomorrow after work... we'll see how my legs feel. i hate when 8-year olds beat me in races. i also hate seeing 8-year olds just ahead of me coming up on the finish line. makes me feel really bad for wanting to sprint past them for the line. if its a small race, i let them beat me. bigger races, and i hope there are actual adults i can try to catch instead of the tykes. good job, mini-knight! will he, and the rest of the round table be running to home plate this year?

ScarletKnight41 Jun 20 2005 07:18 AM

Congrats on your run marathon - great news :) Unfortunately, the Run to Home Plate conflicts with other plans this year. We'll aim to do it again next year. Now that the little guy has finished his first 5K, he's rarin' to do others (and he'd love to do it at Shea, for sure!).

ScarletKnight41 Jun 29 2005 11:44 AM

I'm supposed to run a 5K this evening, and my son is supposed to work the water table. The forecast is for scattered torrential thunderstorms, however. I'm going to have to track the radar closely this afternoon. On Edit - it's now 3:30, and it's a monsoon out there. I already phoned them to say that my son isn't going to be there, because of the thunder and lightning. I'm likely skipping this race as well - I'll do my regular run in the morning. On Edit at 5:15 - the weather seems to be clearing. It's too late for my son to volunteer (he'd have to be there 90 minutes before race time, and at this point that's cutting things too close), but if things hold for the next hour, I may give it a shot after all. On Edit at 5:45 - There's a storm in the distance. I'm back on the fence about this race - I'm not sure whether it will hit before race time. BTW, tonight's game at Shea is likely going to have a rain delay or two. On Edit at 9:45 - I ran it. 36:30. It was hot and sticky, so I took it very easy on the third mile. But the weather ultimately held, and I completed the race. I may be slow, but I am a runner.

ScarletKnight41 Jul 14 2005 09:29 PM

Tonight was the pizza and water ice run. Well, what we formerly called the pizza and water ice run. Only it's under new management this year - no water ices, and the pizza was NOT as good as last year. However, what made this one special was that MK ran it with D-Dad and me. So I was a bit slower than last year - 39:53 (my slowest 5K ever), as compared to 35:41 last year. But it was worth it - MK had a good time doing the run with his mom and dad. What's more, he was the third fastest runner in his age group, so he won a medal - he was glowing when he went up there to get if after his name was called :) Our 12-year-old was also along - the promise of pizza gave him incentive to volunteer to help out with the race (he's already surpassed the volunteer hours he needs for his Bar Mitzvah, but he's been having fun helping with the races). So while this was my worst run 5K, time wise, it was nonetheless a nice evening for the Diamond Knights :)

ScarletKnight41 Aug 13 2005 12:02 PM

Only a crazy person would run on a day like today. But you all know that I'm crazy. Damn, it is HOT out there! But I did ok. I wasn't shy about pouring water on myself during the run. Still, it was brutal out there!

ScarletKnight41 Aug 17 2005 02:49 PM

MK and I are running a race tonight. It's called the Flying Pig 5K. It's a little bit of a drive, but I can't resist that name. I'll have fun wearing that t-shirt around town.

ScarletKnight41 Aug 17 2005 10:24 PM

The Flying Pig 5K was challenging - it was the first trail run that I've ever done. Difficult, but fun. My friend's daughter finished third in her age category, so that was cool. BTW, the shirts this year are the same color as the vendor shirts at Shea. I think they glow in the dark!

metsmarathon Aug 18 2005 01:20 AM

cool! congrats to all you knights and friends of knights (FOKers?!) how was the terrain? i'd post on my recent runnings, but there ahven't been any. i've been stupid. got my calf all sore from playing basketball last month. tried running on it, calf said "no!" so the next day i played basketball again. viola! pulled calf. on the shelf for about three weeks waiting till i can run on it again. well, if finally started feeling better again. so i played softball today. shoulda stretched and warmed up better. sprinting from second to third, trying to outrun a throw from home to third (bases loaded - squibber to pitcher, throws to catcher for force out, off to third to try to get me out). well, i beat the throw to the bag by about two steps or so. problem is, halfway down the basepath, i had to start slowing down - i pulled my quad. pulled muscles being what they are, you tend to think more abou them than the game you're in, so while trying to slow up for third, i wasnt thinking nearly enough about stopping ON third, but slowing down without any dramatic increases in pain or injury, and effectively took a step or two after i touched hte bag. i was called out, ending what looked like a promising inning in the middle of a bad rout with us on the short side. granted, i was never tagged - so technically, i should not have been called out. but whatever... so what was already looking to be a near-impossible task of coming off hte calf injury, starting from scratch, and trying to build up mileage to a marathon in november, with nary room for a setback, i set myself back before i even start. maybe i'll be able to run again come september... two months is enough time to buiold up to a marathon... right? off of a month of relative inactivity as pertains to distance running? that's not too impossible is it? sigh. waah. i've now pulled every major muscle group in my right leg. jose reyes got nothing on me.

ScarletKnight41 Aug 18 2005 10:04 AM

marathon - I'm sorry to hear about your injuries. You know more about training for marathons than I do (10K is my upper limit), but I hope your recovery is a quick one and that you do get to run the marathon! As for the terrain, it was pretty interesting. In the past I've done races with an odd 100 yeards across grass, but this was more rugged than that. It started out on mowed grass, but went into a woody area, and there were stretches of woods and stretches of unmowed grass. There was this little stream we had to cross over with a very, very narrow footpath. The terrain was very uneven in places. Most of the course was flat, but there were a few inclines that really made you work. I'd say it was a pretty challenging course, at least for someone who had never run cross country before.

metsmarathon Aug 18 2005 04:59 PM

those are the best courses! well, ok, i've never had to ford even a small stream in my brief collegiate XC career, but i always loved when the course turned woodsy. it always made me faster. or i felt faster... one of them... at least you didnt trip. when i first started XC i was very good at tripping, rolling, and popping back up in stride!

ScarletKnight41 Aug 18 2005 05:17 PM

metsmarathon wrote: at least you didnt trip. Trust me, I'm very proud of that. And I'm a tripper. I still have a scar on my knee from where I fell last December :( As for MK, this was his third 5K, and the first one where he didn't get a stitch in his side, so that's definite progress. This was a rough course - it didn't make me feel any faster. But I definitely feel like I accomplished something. And where else can you get a Pigasus shirt? <g>

ScarletKnight41 Oct 01 2005 11:30 AM

Today's 5K wasn't bad at all. In fact, it was really nice. The weather was gorgeous, the course was lovely, the race organizer is one of the best around here (if you ever see a race organized by the Fennelly group, know that it's going to be top notch). MK ran with me - not only was his 37:35 a personal best, but he won third place in his age group! Here he is with his plaque - He's playing it cool here, but he's REALLY proud of himself (and I'm proud of him too <g>).

metsmarathon Oct 01 2005 12:43 PM

nice work! i ran a 5k today as well - the 2nd annual academy of the holy angels "Run for Angels: 5K Stride For Education" in demarest. it's my wifey's high school, and we ran it last year as well. it is a very hilly course through a very wealthy section of bergen county, with about 150 participants. i came in at 25:10, which is pretty good for me right about now. of course, my pride is severly wounded by the race - there was a little rugrat, whose size L shirt came down at least to his knees, and he almost beat me to the mile mark at 8:00, but not for a well placed hill that i was better prepared to push up. as it is, he finished in about 30 minutes, which is pretty darned impressive, especially given the hills on this thing. he also beat mrs marathon, and the marathon-in-laws. i have no idea how old he was, but it wasn't very. and now, i'm somewhat enjoying my interlude, as i've got a 12-miler to run this afternoon. my ill-conceived marathon training is coming along rather surprisingly, despite the rocky start. i mean, if i were on my original schedule, i'd be going about 20 this weekend, on what should be my last, or next to last really long run, but instead i'm considering the 5k and the 12miler to be the equivalent of a 14-miler in my training plan. coming off my injuries, i've had to escalate hte mileage pretty aggressively. 6 miles wasn't easy at all, but the next week, i had to up it to 8 just top barely keep up. as i got to 7miles in, i was feeling good, so i deicded to try and tack on another 2 miles, brinig it up to 10 for the day. as good as i felt at 7, i didnt feel that good b the end, and was a bit worried about stretching to 12 the following week - well, that would be last week. as it turns out, last week, i had perhaps my best long run in a LONG time. teh 12 miles was pretty easy in fact. if i didnt have someplace to go that night, i would have extended it to 14. i was very tempted. so today, i'm running a total of 15 miles. or 17, if i feel that good - who knows! but its really wierd that as i increase the mileage, the mileage feels easier. 12 was easier than 10 was easier than 6. if this keeps up, i can't wait for the marathon - it'll be a breeze!

ScarletKnight41 Oct 01 2005 03:49 PM

WTG marathon man! Do you want to do the Race for the Cure in Princeton on the 16th?

metsmarathon Oct 09 2005 09:28 PM

18 miles today. (did a total of 17 last week, and it kicked my ass!) felt really good out there, i must say. next week - 19 miles, with a BIG ASS hill. i do mean big. i thik its a total of 3-400 vertical climb. i must be stupid.

ScarletKnight41 Oct 09 2005 09:31 PM

Very cool - best of luck to you! I'm in awe - the two times I did 10K it took all that I had! For a post-marathon run, are you interested in a 5K at Freakin' Rutgers in December?

metsmarathon Oct 09 2005 11:45 PM

sorry, but probably not.. i've got to run a bunch of races with new york road runners club to maintain an entry in next years marathon (i actually want to do well next year - this year, my only concern is finishing after all my stupid injuries) and there are three in december that i will probably need to do to do so. on top of that, i'm training for a really really really really stupid thing in january. you see, when we used to do the walt disney world marathon, the marathon and half marathon were on the same day, and started at the same time, and ran along pretty much the same course for the first 13 miles, with the full marathoners continuing on for another 13 miles. actually the half marathon had the better course as they ran through epcot in the wee hourse of the morning, through all the countries, with it all lit up and such, and its really beautiful, while the marathoners just run along highways and such. well, this year, they've changed it up a bit. you see, they decided to have the half marathon on a different day from the full marathon. i've no idea why, really, and they also changed the course - omitting the really nice running through epcot in teh dark with it all lit up thing. the half marathon is the day before the full marathon. and, well, they addded an event. you see, if you run the half marathon, you get a donald duck medal. if you run the full marathon, you get a mickey mouse medal. and, well, now, since there's nothing stopping you from running both, if you choose to do so, you get a goofy medal. its really rather appropriate, i must say. and yeah, me and my wife are planning on running the goofy race - a half marathon on saturday, and the full marathon on sunday - a total of 39.3 miles. very goofy. and i think that while i'll be running all those nyrrc races, i'll also be needing to tack on gobs of extra miles to train for the goofy thing. needless to say, this goes far beyond a marathon. i'll, um, let y'all know if we survive. we've got pretty much no training plan, aside from to try and just do what we do for a regular marathon, run the half, run the first half the next day, and not take too long for the last half of the marathon that they scoop us off the course with a spatula. don't ever let me tell you that i do smart things. i don't. and this is the proof.

ScarletKnight41 Oct 10 2005 09:04 AM

That sounds cool, and it's the kind of thing that you and Mrs. marathon probably won't have the time to train for once you start having little 5K runners of your own. Best of luck with it!

ScarletKnight41 Oct 15 2005 09:29 AM

[url=http://www.newjerseyraceforthecure.org/]The Race for the Cure[/url] that was supposed to take place in Princeton tomorrow has been cancelled. It's disappointing, but you have to figure that they wouldn't cancel a race this large unless the conditions were truly terrible at the race site.

metsmarathon Oct 15 2005 05:25 PM

that's too bad! about two hours ago, i finished my last long run in preparing for the new york marathon - 20.3 miles, measured according to google earth (earth.google.com) - the greatest thingy ever to be introduced to my computer, just edging out www.topozone.com this was a hell of a run. basically, my apartment sits at about 180 feet above sea level. at mile 11, i reached the highest point of the run, at 765 feet above sea level, for a total climb of 585 feet. actually, if i count the other 200 foot hill at 4.5 miles, i climbed a total of almost 800 feet. for a true picture of just how dumb this run was... here are the elveations at each mile: 0 180 1 230 2 200 3 195 4 320 4.5 380 5 300 6 210 7 220 8 315 9 520 10 650 11 765 12 600 13 400 14 240 15 180 16 210 17 200 18 220 19 240 20 180 20.3 180 the downhill actually hurt more than the up, and as the data shows, it was steeper too. and so, the worlds' worst marathon training plan has concluded, with something of a success! i ran these 20 miles in just under 4 hours - 3:59:32!! which is prolly better than i was expecting. especially with the hill. the last two miles were pure hell, as with every step, my quads were screaming at me, and threatening to do very bad things to me. the last mile was covered in something like 16 minutes. and i think i'm going to have problems with stairs for the rest of the day.... and of course, my dumbness knows no limits, as i'm thinking of running the paramus run 5k (or whatever its called) tomorrow at the paramus park mall in bergen county. whee!

ScarletKnight41 Oct 15 2005 06:14 PM

Very cool about the training. I'm in awe of you! Seriously - 10K wears me out. The thought of 20 miles beyond that impresses me beyond words. Not to mention the elevations! Best of luck - I'm sure you'll kick ass in the Marathon :)

ScarletKnight41 Oct 30 2005 04:19 PM

MK and I ran a 5K today, along with MK's godmother's son. MK came in third in his age category. MK's godbrother came in third in the entire race! :) As for a timing is everything issue, I signed up this morning, online, for the five-miler in Westfield the Saturday after Thanksgiving. So what do I see at the race today? A flier for a 10K IN MY TOWNSHIP for that same morning. Oy - I think I'll have to eat the donation to Westfield - how do I NOT run the race on the roads that I run every week? There's a 2-miler attached to the 10K - I'm sure MK will want to run that with his dad (I don't think he's ready for 10K yet. It's a distance I've only done twice, and it kills me. But I'll do it if it's that local a race). Marathon - I was thinking about you earlier. Best of luck next week!

metsmarathon Oct 30 2005 04:50 PM

thanks! (and good job runningknights!) i myself ran the poland spring marathon kickoff today - it was a pretty nice day that warmed up rather quickly - and surprisingly. went over to the city wearing running pants over my shorts, a warmup jacket over a t-shirt over my technical long sleeve shirt over my technical "run disney 26.2" t-shirt. i finished the race in shorts and a t-shirt, having left everything else in my bag, save teh long sleeve t-shirt that came off at 3 miles. after the finish, the t-shirt came off as well. sexy. unexpectedly, they were giving out medals at the race. i had no idea. its pretty nice. maybe i'll eventually scan it or find a pic online somewhere. after the race, i made my way back to the finish line, and saw mrs mm just after she had finished. as she was getting lin line (well, in mob) for her medal, a videographer came over and asked to take my picture. he closed in on the medal on my bare sweaty chest, and pulled away to take in the fullness of my beauty. i'm so proud. i'm famous now. granted i have no idea where teh heck the video is... maybe it'll make it to teh ctting room floor when tehy piece together the officail marathon DVD... who knows. but it was flippin' cool. to me at least... i'm getting nervous about the marthon... it'll be my first where i'll be responsible for my pace, instead of having the mrs to reel me in. i don't think i'll find myself racing along too much - i've been locked into a nice 10-minute cruise for all of my training - but i've been known to start racing at the drop of a hat. i'm all on my own this time! and the race today reminded my of the nasty hills at the close of the marathon. those'll be fun. i'l be sure to post my mile-splits once i'm done with the thing.

ScarletKnight41 Oct 30 2005 05:27 PM

LOL - I'm sure you're video was worthy of People Magazines Sexiest Mets Fans Who Run Marathons issue. And scan the medal NOW!!!!! I'm sure you'll do great next week. Definitely post those splits!

ScarletKnight41 Oct 30 2005 06:41 PM

MK, preparing to run the 2025 Marathon - [URL=http://img404.imageshack.us/my.php?image=trailstails5k28qo.jpg][/URL]

metsmarathon Oct 31 2005 12:41 AM

i'm sure he'll be ready for 2020!

metsmarathon Nov 05 2005 12:53 PM

why is it so hot today? i mean, really. its freaking november, and its a hair below 80 degrees out, and sunny. who came up with this crap?

ScarletKnight41 Nov 05 2005 01:45 PM

Good luck tomorrow! The Diamond Knights are sending good wishes your way!

metsmarathon Nov 05 2005 01:59 PM

thanks! i think i bought too much stuff in the expo yesterday. between me and the wife we spent almost 300. granted a buddy of mine who'll also be running spent 300 all on himself.... and we caught a glimpse of the goofy medal, for the Walt Disney World marathon and half marathon. so cool. i still gotta scan that kickoff medal. i'll do that on monday - its at work right now. i'll scan that and the 'thon medal. i also plan on bringing along a disposable camera, so i should have some good pics to post eventually...

ScarletKnight41 Nov 05 2005 02:16 PM

Looking forward to seeing the pix :) Wave to the cameras - those of us tailgating at Giants Stadium tomorrow will be looking for you on the portable tv!

SI Metman Nov 05 2005 05:24 PM

good luck metsmarathon and whatever it is they say to runners. I don't think "Break a leg" is appropriate when it comes to running.

metsmarathon Nov 09 2005 12:24 AM

so, i ran the marathon thing on sunday. i'm a little bit torn regarding my performance. its my third marathon, so i'm not satisfied with just having finished it, but given the trouble i had training for it, both in terms of scheduling and injury, i probably should be happy that at least i did. all in all, i'm just very much disappointed. to make what will likely be a long story short, i hoped (but didnt really expect) to be able to run it in closer to 4:30, with an upper limit of 5 hours even. as it turns out, i guess i was lucky to finish in 5:29 (5:21 net time). i started in teh orange start - basically where teh rabble starts. the better women start in the green corral, the better men in teh blue. the most elite women also get to start a smidgen early, so that they do not have to fight a crowd to run their fastest times. the staging area occupies fort wadsworth on staten island, with each start segregated from teh others. ultimately, when it comes time to start the race, the colors tehmselves are further graduated in terms of expected finish time, with the slower runners starting behind the faster ones. trust me, there's nothing worse than trying to run a fast race and having a slow runner clogging the path ahead of you. granted, that day, i was to be a slow runner. i just didnt know how slow. maybe the first sign that it was not to be my day was at about 9:05, when i started looking for a portajohn. i found the lineup in the ornage start area, and then found the exceedingly long line of people waiting patiently for the same portajohns. by 9:30, i was frustrated, and my bladder was no happier. by 9:45, i could finally count fewer than a dozen people separating me from sweet relief in the three eligible johns afore my line. in all, there was a long array of portajohns, but typically lines form up for three apiece. i've never known if this happens intentionally, or if it is simply a strange circumstance of human nature. some few minutes later, i was finally able to pee, and no longer was pondering why, for the walt disney world marathon, where a half as many people race, there are seemingly twice as many portajohns. the rest of the starting procedure went much smoother. my bag was loaded onto the back of a UPS truck, and i headed for the corral. i lined up in the 39000-39999 grouping and, with announcements over the PA system offering instructions in english, german, french and others, started the slow march to teh starting line. i was still in the fort when teh trademark cannon was fired, somewhere off to my left. i hurriedly clicked on my watch, and awaited my fate, stil not able to glimpse the bridge. after a long slog, we made a collective left turn, and the high, graceful arches were before us. well, sortof. we still had to wind along the path to get on the highway, and then, finally, could we begin our task of crossing the span, and continuing through the remaining four boros of the big apple. from the time i started my watch, to the time i crossed the official start line, 8 minues and 4 second had passed. surprisingly, the crowd was thin enough at this point to allow actual running! as we approached hte first support structure about a half-mile into teh race, one of the more familiar, and amusing, sights of teh marathon made its initial appearance. at this first bulkhead, the first few males stood off to the side, doing what else, but the most manly of manly things - peeing standing up. more were doing the same on the downleg, at the second support. at the bulkhead just before stepping onto brooklyn proper, i felt an urge to join them, and i did. let me just say, its fun to pee off a bridge. the streets of brooklyn were filled with spectators - part of the magic of the race. tens of thousands of people lining every street cheering you on as you run by, offering shouts of encouragement, kind words, and high fives. some even had lollipops, orange slices, paper towels and cups of water to give out. the four colored starts take separate but parallel paths to the 8 mile mark where they all merge. at the halfway point, you exit brooklyn over the pulaski bridge, and spend two miles in queens. and tehn there's teh queensboro bridge. oh how i hate that bridge. i never before thought i could so hate an engineered pile of steel and concrete. but i can. and i do. more on taht later. from the queensboro, the course takes you up the hard concrete of first ave past tremendous crowds, into the bronx, and then back down through manhattan and into the park and the merciful finish. i was doing fine for teh first 11 miles of the race. my family was there at about 8 miles to cheer me on, and when tehy saw me, i was running strong. but it would not last. the day was hot. very hot, or so it felt. and i was tiring. also, the road surface, slickened at the water stops from spilled refreshments and disintegrating poland spring water cups, and thoroughly oil-impregnated from so much traffic, were serving to greatly magnify the pounding transmitted to my feet, up my legs, and into my knees and thighs. by the halfway mark, i was already beaten. by fifteen miles and teh queensboro bridge, i had hit the wall. entirely too early. that bridge was such a steep, long hill, that whatever i had left in me when i arrived at its foot, was gone by the time i reached the other side. i tried to run up it, but could not. i walked mostly the whole way. the other side, first ave, did not offer the salvation i had hoped for. while it was mostly flat, it was also hard brutal concrete - the remainder of the course being primarliy asphalt. at eighteen miles, i again saw my family waiting on the side to cheer me on. having already been passed up by the 4:45 pace group, i knew i was in for a rough time, and as of that meeting, i still felt like i could slog through the remainder, still running most of the way. then came 20 miles and the willis avenue bridge into the bronx. the next four miles felt as if they were entirely uphill, although i know they were not. i walked most of mile 20, and much of mile 21. coming out of the bronx, i tried to regain my stride, but my body would not allow it. as early as 13 miles into the race, i already had started to feel my inner thighs start to twitch, and that was a bad sign. they usually will hold off until 18 miles, even waiting 'til there were two miles reminaing in my killer 20-miler a few weeks ago. by 15 miles in, and the queensboro, every step was accompanied by a quick protesting spasm. it slows you down, but you can still jog through it. well, at 21 miles, i found a new sensation. the top of my quadricep began to burn, and tried to spasm fiercly midstride. luckily, i was able to stop and shake it off before it locked up my leg or forced me to entertain dropping out. i walked the next mile in its entireity. and then the last hill presented itself. from 22.5 miles to 23.5 miles was a steady uphill, and it semed like it stetched a mile farther. i was able to briefly entertain a running stride halfway up, but again my quadricep barked. i walked almost until i saw my family again at 24 miles. that was five hours in. i was able to run the final two miles in to the finish, at the most painful 15-minute pace i've ever slogged. but i was determined to not surpass 5:30 on the clock. at least that goal was met. i've never been so beaten by a race. it abused me. i felt great for the start, and that all went away so quickly. honeslty, i'm a bit pissed that i did so poorly - a full 35 minutes worse than my first marathon. the best i can figure is that my brief training buildup was too brief. the endurance never soaked in. combine that with being just too darned busy at work teh past three weeks to get my midweek mileage in, and i guess i should've seen it coming. but again, i felt so darned good. i could be happy that i finished, or, honestly, amazed that i remained uninjured - i was asking for it - but instead, i'm majorly disappointed. it is a much more challenging course than the disney race with which i have experience, but on that alone i cannot lay the blame. no, i just sucked. or at least that's what i'm telling myself, to get me better motivated for the next time. oh, and my buddy - my best man - ran his first marathon ever in nyc. he beat me by 2 hours. damn. my splits, if ya wonder: start: 8:04 1 : 11:33 2 : 10:26 3 & 4 : 20:41 5 : 10:25 6 : 10:12 7 : 10:10 8 : 10:30 9 : 10:59 10 : 10:43 11 : 10:27 12 : 11:16 13 : 11:28 14 : 11:52 15 : 12:19 16 : 15:38 - cursed queensboro! 17 : 11:47 18 : 12:59 19 : 13:04 20 : 14:11 21 : 13:03 22 : 16:14 - the end! 23 : 17:09 24 : 17:44 25 : 11:48 26 : 12:09 26.2 : 2:22 should be able to get pics up next weekend. in case you're wondering, this evening, i discovered that i can descend stairs relatively pain free. about time!

Johnny Dickshot Nov 09 2005 12:37 AM

Nothing to be ashamed of!

ScarletKnight41 Nov 09 2005 07:12 AM

marathon - as time passes, I think you'll come to appreciate just how well you did despite less than optimal conditions (your injury, the weather, etc.). I'm in awe of you. Think of this. A lot of people who see ME run say, "Oh, I can never do that!" You're talking about 38 minute 5Ks here. And yet, most people won't even give that a try. I have a 10K coming up in two weeks, and I'm worried about getting through that. You did that plus 20 miles - I can't begin to imagine getting through that kind of distance. Be proud of completing one of the most famous running courses in the world. That's special, and nobody can take that away from you.

metsmarathon Nov 10 2005 06:30 PM

the official pictures are up. my big head looks freakishly tiny in these... i also look entirely too happy. my personal fave is teh one in which i am recieving an orange wedge from a kindly spectator, and am thanking him/her as the picture was snapped. http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=7803&PWD=&BIB=39454

ScarletKnight41 Nov 26 2005 11:35 AM

marathon - great pix. I'm still in awe of you. I just ran a 10K - my third ever, and my first in about a year and a half. It was rough - I generally don't exceed 3.75 miles in my normal runs. Plus I didn't have a chance to do yoga this week, so my legs were pretty tight. That said, I finished in 1:17:25, which was right in the middle of my pre-run estimate of 75 to 80 minutes. It was a local race, so when the police car was behind me, at least I knew who was driving it (seriously). marathon did what I did today, plus 20 miles. Don't ever let him talk trash about his performance - just completing that kind of course is awesome! BTW, MK didn't do the 10K, but he and D-Dad ran the 2-mile run associated with the race. Our older son was a course marshall, so he helped direct us all and cheer us on :) Plus D-Dad won a $25 gift certificate to a local Italian restaurant as a door prize. I know where the family is having dinner tonight! (Hey! I earned the right to have some carbs! <g>).

ScarletKnight41 Jan 01 2006 02:27 PM

For the third consecutive year I ran a 5-mile race on New Year's Day. I finished in just over an hour - two and a half minutes longer than last year's run. But I was going back and forth on whether I was going to run this one at all, and I'm glad that I did it - it's a nice way to start off the year right. Besides, this race gives out the funniest race shirts, going with the hangover theme. The shirts make up for the hard-as-rocks bagels that sufficed as the post-race spread.

metsmarathon Jan 01 2006 04:14 PM

a few years ago we did the midnight run in central park. it was damned cold, but fun. i'd do it again someday if a) it wouldnt be so damned cold, b) there wasn't such a long wait from checkin time to race start - some 2-3 hours iirc, and c) if it wouldnt be such a pain in the arse to get back home afterwards. i'm right now wrestling with the idea of running at all today. the extra darkness in teh winter really does bad things for my motivation!

ScarletKnight41 Jan 01 2006 09:32 PM

I definitely want to do the Central Park run one day. The logistics suck, but it's something I want to work out one day.

ScarletKnight41 Jan 20 2006 05:39 PM

[url=http://www.oymp.net/Raceinfo/draftday5k.htm]Check out the Draft Day 5K - April 29[/url] I ran this last year, and it was a lot of fun. Running around the Giants Stadium parking lot is kind of generic, but finishing up by running the length of the football field is a lot of fun. I definitely plan to do it again, even if the event is sponsored by the wrong team ;)

metsmarathon Jan 21 2006 10:18 AM

ok, that looks sweet. i would love to add giants stadium to the list of major professional sports fields that i've legally traversed. right now, that list stands at one.