100 Things About Running Entry #2
My First Race
This one actually turned out to be not the one I thought it was going to be. Initially I thought it would be the Race for the Cure (I know...I know better now and will be finding other ways to help fund breast cancer research, but we didn't know SJK would turn out to be so anti-women then.) - I've known a lot of people with breast cancer, and my pseudo-older sister had died from it, so it seemed like a good fit.
But then I heard about the World Trade Center Run to Remember, which was the week before Race.
While I didn't (to my knowledge) know anyone in the towers or planes or ground who was killed on 9/11, the WTC was a part of the two trips to NYC I made in high school, one in particular one of the only times I really felt accepted. And that day is indelibly a part of me - of all of us. This run distributed the funds among several organizations. And it had one big advantage over the Race. This one is held on Governor's Island. Which is flat.
So I chose to sign up.
It was really a nice first race. Not too big, but not too small.
It was the Sunday of Labor Day weekend 2010. I got up and dressed in whatever I chose to run in that day, then headed into lower Manhattan to get on the ferry over to Governor's Island. It was cool - they'd chartered the ferry just for those of us running and those coming with to spectate or volunteer. Once we got there, I had a while to wander through the tents of the organization, tie and re-tie my shoes, hit the porta-potties...numerous times.
There were no real corrals for this race. Those of us running lined up in the front - following the advice in Marathoning for Mortals I lined up towards the back knowing I would be slow - and the walkers behind us. I think the walkers may have even started after we did.
I had my iPod with me with a special playlist for the race. Because I am so musically inclined, I fall into pace with the beat of whatever music I'm listening to, which isn't always a good thing, but I wanted to use it to my advantage so I wouldn't go out too fast. I purposely put slower (not SLOW but slower) songs first and built up, and I had "Die Vampire, Die!" towards the end when I figured I'd be needing it, finishing with "I Run For Life".
Overall it went well, especially for a first race. The only little glitch was that I'd probably overhydrated and had to take a pit stop during the race, thus losing a couple of minutes. Pitstops are (for me and someone at my pace) to be expected in full and possibly even half marathons...but for a 5K? That was a mistake I intended not to make again. But the rest went well. I did a run/walk plan, but I didn't have a regular schedule for it, which I do now. I ran until I needed to walk, and found (as everyone who uses the "run until I need to walk" method finds) that starting back running was hard. I did it, but it was hard.
I finished in around 41 minutes, and I was so proud of myself.
I'd run my first race. And been well and truly bitten by the running bug.
This one actually turned out to be not the one I thought it was going to be. Initially I thought it would be the Race for the Cure (I know...I know better now and will be finding other ways to help fund breast cancer research, but we didn't know SJK would turn out to be so anti-women then.) - I've known a lot of people with breast cancer, and my pseudo-older sister had died from it, so it seemed like a good fit.
But then I heard about the World Trade Center Run to Remember, which was the week before Race.
While I didn't (to my knowledge) know anyone in the towers or planes or ground who was killed on 9/11, the WTC was a part of the two trips to NYC I made in high school, one in particular one of the only times I really felt accepted. And that day is indelibly a part of me - of all of us. This run distributed the funds among several organizations. And it had one big advantage over the Race. This one is held on Governor's Island. Which is flat.
So I chose to sign up.
It was really a nice first race. Not too big, but not too small.
It was the Sunday of Labor Day weekend 2010. I got up and dressed in whatever I chose to run in that day, then headed into lower Manhattan to get on the ferry over to Governor's Island. It was cool - they'd chartered the ferry just for those of us running and those coming with to spectate or volunteer. Once we got there, I had a while to wander through the tents of the organization, tie and re-tie my shoes, hit the porta-potties...numerous times.
There were no real corrals for this race. Those of us running lined up in the front - following the advice in Marathoning for Mortals I lined up towards the back knowing I would be slow - and the walkers behind us. I think the walkers may have even started after we did.
I had my iPod with me with a special playlist for the race. Because I am so musically inclined, I fall into pace with the beat of whatever music I'm listening to, which isn't always a good thing, but I wanted to use it to my advantage so I wouldn't go out too fast. I purposely put slower (not SLOW but slower) songs first and built up, and I had "Die Vampire, Die!" towards the end when I figured I'd be needing it, finishing with "I Run For Life".
Overall it went well, especially for a first race. The only little glitch was that I'd probably overhydrated and had to take a pit stop during the race, thus losing a couple of minutes. Pitstops are (for me and someone at my pace) to be expected in full and possibly even half marathons...but for a 5K? That was a mistake I intended not to make again. But the rest went well. I did a run/walk plan, but I didn't have a regular schedule for it, which I do now. I ran until I needed to walk, and found (as everyone who uses the "run until I need to walk" method finds) that starting back running was hard. I did it, but it was hard.
I finished in around 41 minutes, and I was so proud of myself.
I'd run my first race. And been well and truly bitten by the running bug.