Run As One (4M) By JP Morgan Chase
Part One: The Prep
So ... this thing.
Packet Pickup: (and the aftermath)
I went up to the NYRR RUNCENTER after work on Wednesday to pick up my bib and t-shirt. T-shirt pickup is upstairs in the NB RunHub, so while I was there, I wanted to buy the new 880v8.
Turns out, all the color debating we had here was moot - they didn't have the Blue Iris. So I asked for Guava, but said I wasn't sure about size (my current ones are a 7.5, but I thought I might need an 8).
The first thing they did was put me on a fancy machine to measure my arch and shoe size:
As you can see, I'm between sizes (also, my feet are different slightly different sizes, my right arch is abnormally high, and my right foot pronates a bit ... but my insoles correct the pronation), but they recommended that I size up to an 8.
I tried on the 8, which they only had in Black, and it felt a little big. Because it's a new shoe, they were offering test runs of the 880, and they brought me a 7.5 test run shoe to try (the test runs were in particular pairs of shoes, not the pair you were going to buy). They seemed okay. I tried on one 7.5 and one 8, and the 7.5 definitely felt better, so I decided I was going to take those for a test run (also, they didn't have the size 8 test run shoes).
To backtrack a bit ... at some point during this shoe process, my friend Tzippy, who is also a local runner (that's not how I know her, though - I know her from college), stopped by to pick up her race stuff and saw me trying on shoes. She is also in the market for new shoes, having had some trouble with the new model of her old shoes, so she also decided to test run the 880s. So my solo test run was now a group test run ... which I wouldn't have minded, except that Tzippy's a lot faster than me. And she didn't listen to me when I said slow. So what I had originally planned as a nice, easy, 1-2 mile test run turned into this ...
The GPS was drunk and I didn't pause for traffic lights or water breaks (although I did pause for Tzippy's pee break), so the stats here are a little off, but we ran about 2.5 miles in just over 23 minutes ... which comes out to about a 9:15 pace.
Eek!
After Tzippy tried on another few shoes, I ended up asking for the 7.5 in Guava, which they didn't have in stock, so they ordered it for me. They'll call me when it comes in and I'll just swing by after work one day to pick up the shoes.
Anyway ...
The original plan was rest day Wednesday and 2.5 easy miles Thursday, but based on what had happened, I knew I needed to modify.
I decided to scrap Thursday's planned easy run, but I also asked Billy if he thought there was anything I needed to do to "make up" for this unexpected tempo run. For some strange reason, Coach seemed a little more interested in the run itself than in any potential modifications. Apparently running at that pace for 2.5 miles without wanting to die at the end means I'm underselling my fitness ... which means faster paces. (Although there was some discussion about whether I was underselling my fitness or I just don't care).
So that was Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Last week (or the week before, I can't remember anymore), as we discussed future races, I threw out a goal time of 1:45 for my 10 mile race in September. Coach Billy said that it was ambitious but might be possible. In light of this possible new pace information, I asked Billy if his thoughts on the 1:45 goal had changed. Apparently ... with a 9:15ish 5K pace, a 1:45 10 miler is very achievable. But first we had to see what happened at the race to see where the paces should be.
That got the wheels turning. My traitorous imagination came up with a finish time that started with 39 (I think it was 39:45), and then ... I spiraled. I'm not going to go into all the details, because you guys lived through some of it, but I had reached a point where I was 100% sure that if I attempted this race I was going to disappoint myself, my friend Tzippy, and Coach Billy (yes,
@DopeyBadger, I know that you wouldn't have been disappointed, even if I had done terribly, because you would have understood that it just wasn't my day ... I never said any of this was rational) and I was strongly considering just skipping the race.
Against my better instincts, I decided to post here about my mental struggle. Turns out, my better instincts were wrong. I got a lot of really helpful encouragement and advice from you guys, and that plus tea, fresh air, and perspective (I walked to Washington Square Park and saw a National School Walkout protest going on) helped me understand that I don't have to fail.
By Saturday night, I was a lot calmer, but I still made myself a cup of Earl Gray to keep that calm and packed my bag check bag (which included a change of clothes (which I didn't use), my belt, water bottle, and bib (which I would put on at the race), and an extra water bottle and snack). I went to bed around 11:15 but had trouble falling asleep. The alarm was set for 5:28 ... so yay, I got to sleep in a bit!
Coming Next: Race Day!
I will try to get the race day recap up tonight, but I don't know if I will get to it, because I have a few other things to do. I'm going to a baseball game tomorrow night, so if I don't get it up tonight, it will have to wait until Tuesday.