NYRR Gridiron Classic - Run4 Mile

I really wanted to break 32:00 for this race, because I wanted to prove to myself that I could run sub-8 in a short race. I positioned myself near the front of the 8:00 corrall, and, when the gun went off, I found myself in a sea of much...slower....people. Maybe all of them were starting easy and planning to negative split the race, but more likely, they were just kidding themselves. I spent most of the first mile+ dodging around people, and finished just over 8:00 for the first mile. Mile 2 was the easiest, mostly flat or downhill, and I was in a good position for a long sweeping left turn. There was a water stop, but I passed it up.
Mile 3 was really hilly, and, again, I found myself having to slow up in order to avoid running up people's backs and swerving in and out of people. The hills weren't a problem at all, just the number of runners.
Mile 4 was hilly, too, but I knew I was near the finish and in sight of the goal, so I pushed all the way through, and kicked hard the last 100 yards or so. My Garmin went off with about .25 miles to go, saying I had run the 4 miles in 31:46, but I guess I added .25 miles and 17 seconds of time just weaving in and out of people.
In terms of HR, I spent almost the entire race above my LT, which was cool. I had my HRM on, so I knew I was out of my LT zone, but kept my pace up.

I would have started a little further up, for starters. I also had a gel w/caffeine that I planned to take 5 mintes before the gun, but I forgot to take it. I wonder if it would have sped me up by 3 seconds. Maybe.

Not as cold as last year, but too cold to stand around. I hurried back across the park, had 2 cups of hot chocolate, dressed, and went home.


I think this race told me a lot about what I'm capable of. I haven't trained as much this winter as I could have, and I still reached the goal I set. Big confidence booster going into the season.


This is a really fun race, especially when it isn't bone chillingly cold, like it was last year. Lots of people (almost 5,000 people for a little 4-mile race on a Sunday in February!) great energy, and lots of good-natured pre-superbowl smack, even during the race. I think I've found a Super Bowl Sunday tradition. NYRR really puts on a great event--super organized.