NYRR Half-Marathon Grand Prix - Manhattan - RunHalf Marathon

START - Managed to pick the pace that felt right without being influenced like last time at the NYC 1/2.

5mi - Started feeling that pain on Rt foot, where chin meets foot (shin splints?)

7mi - Starting to feel hungry. That banana was used up by now. Took a Carboom. Starting to feel cold again.

8mi - Stopped right after water station to stretch a bit. Almost pulled the Rt achilles too much. Had to start running to keep warm & to make pains go away.

10mi - Staring to feel Lft ITB bugging but still fine (I know it's going to be a bear for the next 24hr).

9mi - Cat hill almost did me in. Started walking just before the summit so I can keep energy for what was left.
Some poor guy was using me as a marker. He would run (literally dragging his feet), for about 20', then walk another 20. This sight of torture went on for about 1/2mi until he would not run anymore (he was wheezing heavily). Very surprised since he looked like he is in far better shape than I am. He's actually ripped & lean.

12mi - Ran more than I thought I would at this point. Learning more about digging deep. Let's see if I can pick up the pace for the last mile.

12.5mi - Slowed down from about 8.5min/mi I started at 12 cause my Lft. calf wanted to cramp up.

13mi - I feel like a battled-beaten airplane coming in on one wing & puffing smoke from it's engines (am I in pain here). WHERE THE HELL IS THAT FINISH LINE??

FINISH - Was so out of it, I gave the chip collector the wrong foot and looked at him while wondering "Gee, is this guy really lazy" DOH!! :(
We had a laugh & I proceeded to shrink at bit.

Train like I should & eat better pre-race.

Ate an apple & drank gatorade. Started stretching just before making my way out the park on the West side to catch the A on 97th. Stretched while waiting for the train.
By the time I took a shower (about 2hr later), I was still below my normal 230, at 296. This after I had an apple & gatorade at the finish, hot chocolate at the garage & a slice of pizza as soon as I got home. I wonder if the cold kept me from thinking I was not that thirsty. However, after my system warmed up & took a shower, my thirst exploded & was craving for a hearty meal.


- Not running as consistent as I need to
- Need to keep mileage up with more volume
- Lack of feeling thirsty when my system needed more water (should've drank gatorade that I was avoiding). Was probably more thirsty than I thought since it really didn't hit me until 2hr after I got home with lots of weight loss.
- Need to eat better before a race. A banana can only go so far.


I still had fun here, even found myself talking with some people at around mile 10. I guess I have more cardio in me that I thought. Physically, I need to take better care or risk long term injury again.
I'm not in as bad shape as I was for the last 1/2 but certainly need to improve more. I'm anxious to see what happens for the Bronx 1/2, even more for the NYC 1/2 on Aug 5. It can only get better from here. :)