Race Week Update
* I’m writing this in Pages on the MacBook on the way home from Philly (and just copying it over to the DIS when I get home), so I apologize for literally everything. Also, I was planning on stopping for coffee at Trenton but my SEPTA train came in late and I had to hustle to make my NJT train, so I’m now undercaffeinated and slightly unhappy.
* Also, sorry for the lack of pictures, but I didn't take any this weekend and I'm too lazy to track down fun pictures.
Training Update: Last long run went decently, especially considering the fact that I was still dealing with some residual snow. This week’s training will kinda be played by ear - the plan is 5 miles Tuesday, 19 minutes varied speed intervals Wednesday, and 3 miles Thursday, but we’ll see if that changes.
Packet Pickup: I have plans in the city on both Wednesday and Thursday. I will do packet pickup on one of those two days. Not sure which yet … probably depends where I end up going on Wednesday. If I’m in the area on Wednesday, I’ll do it then, if not, I’ll do it Thursday when I have my big backpack with me.
Race Outfit: As of when I last checked, Sunday’s forecasted high is 51. For most people, that means no layers (in fact, most of you probably run in short sleeves in that weather). For me … lots of layers. Okay, maybe not lots, but some. I haven’t made a final decision, but I’m thinking maybe the blue and white outfit with my blue Raw Threads hoodie underneath the white shirt (assuming it fits ... I haven't tried that combo yet). But we’ll see … I’ll probably decide on Friday or Saturday.
Transportation Plan: Expecting the subways to run close to normal on a weekend is like expecting runDisney to lower race prices … it ain’t gonna happen. Looking at the weekender … F trains are running on the local track in Queens (which adds 20-30 minutes to the commute), and nothing is running uptown on the local track along CPW. Which means I’m going up the east side. I’ll probably take the F to the Q and walk from 96th St. I have to look at the map again, but I think the race starts closer to the west side, so … yay, I get to walk crosstown before the race starts. I’ll double check Trip Planner closer to the race to see when I should leave, but … right now I’m thinking no later than 6. Yuck.
Race Nutrition: I tried the GU Caramel Macchiato on Thursday’s long run. That’s a no - the texture doesn’t work for me, and I didn’t find it to have much of a taste. I’ll be going with a Chocolate Cherry Clif Shot Gel (unless I can get my hands on a Mocha before Sunday). I haven’t refilled the jelly beans since my last long run, so I have to do that. If I wear a skirt with pockets, I’ll bring another bag of jelly beans to keep in my pocket, but if not, I’ll just make sure I have a full pack of Sport Beans (I usually eat half a pack at a time) in case I need extra nutrition.
Race Plan: Intervals of 4 minutes running/1 minute walking for as long as I can handle it (hopefully the whole race). I’m hoping for a pace faster than my current NYRR best pace (12:01), which means faster than ~2:37. I’d like to get closer to 2:30 if I can, but I don’t want to push myself too hard on the hills. I’ll be carrying my 32-oz water bottle, but will still probably stop at all of the water stops.
If I’m feeling really good, then I will try to keep the 2:30 pacer either in my sights or behind me at all times (I can’t run with the pacer because I do run/walk, and I can’t imagine the NYRR pacers do that). But that’s only if I’m feeling really good … I don’t want to try to pressure myself into running 2:30 if it’s just not the day for it.
Post-Race: No idea. Giant (ie Venti) Starbucks, but that’s all I know. I think the C is running downtown on the local track, so I could take that, or I could go East Side. Not sure what I'm going to do about breakfast either ... I may still have an uncrustable in the freezer, but I'm not sure.
There’s free medal engraving at the NYRR RUNCenter (for NYRR members) on Sunday and Monday, so I’ll either go post-race or on Monday to get my medal engraved. Because if it’s free, why not go?
ETA: Just remembered that if I take the C, then it's super easy to get off at Columbus Circle, go get my medal engraved, and then walk to the F at 57th. The only problem is ... not sure I want to wait in the long medal-engraving line post-race.
So … that’s the plan. I want coffee.
Speaking of coffee …
Coffee Update:
Beth and I had dinner by friends of hers on Friday night, and the husband makes cold brew, We talked about it a bit. I had heard that he steeped his cold brew significantly longer than I do, so I was originally planning to just be fairly condescending, but I decided to go into the conversation with an open mind. It turns out, he grinds his own beans and uses a very course grind … hence the longer steeping period. So in the end, it was a good thing that I went into there asking about his process instead of just criticizing.
Also … now I’m kind of thinking about buying a grinder. But really, I’m just going to get annoyed if I start buying beans and end up having to grind them every time I make coffee.
Final Thoughts: I'm sure almost everything in this post will change between now and Sunday. I will try to post the changes when they happen. I'll also post tracking info closer to the race for those of you who want to follow along.
If you're looking to give me mid-race encouragement, I usually post a picture on Instagram pre-race, so people will often comment on that with encouragement. Or you could post here. I'm equally unlikely to look at both (occasionally I check my phone mid-race, but I don't always look at alerts, I just like seeing that they're there). If you're in NYC and want to come cheer me on ... please do! The race is in Central Park, and anywhere in the park should be a decent spectating area (I can post a map if anyone is interested in the exact course).
