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Kings Park 15k - Run15k


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Kings Park, New York
United States
Greater Long Island Running Club
46F / 8C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 19m 59s
Overall Rank = 285/664
Age Group = M 185-200 lbs
Age Group Rank = 12/24
Pre-race routine:

Got up at 6 am,and ate 2 mini bagels with PB and drank a small cup of coffee. Left the house at 7, stopped at Starbucks and drove to KP. Arrived at the race sight at 7:40am and walked down to register. (Note to self for the future: always print out the form and fill it out before going to this race. It saved me so much time). I ran into Bobby where I parked and we chatted a while. And said we would meet up again at the start area.
Event warmup:

Ran about .5 miles with Austin who I ran into by chance. He took 4th in the 60-64 age group... I can only hope I am half the athlete he is in 25 years.
Run
  • 1h 19m 59s
  • 9.32 miles
  • 08m 35s  min/mile
Comments:

WOW!!!

That is about all I can say right now... but for the sake of having a real RR, I'll elaborate.

This was a HUGE breakthrough race for me today and probably the first time I can honestly say that I RACED an entire event. I put it all out there from beginning to end, staying with the plan to simply do as best as I could at any given moment. All of the base building I have been doing for the past few months, make that years payed off in a huge way today.

The first two miles were relatively flat and very fast. I did them both at about an 8:30 pace. I settled in pretty easily, got out of the crowds and focused on keeping good form. I payed very little attention to my HR and just ran how I felt. This is probably something that I have to do more of in the future.

MIle 3 was hard, very hard. There is huge hill that we had to climb and I just kept telling myself that I could run the entire hill. I tried something different. I looked down at the ground foe 20 paces and looked up at the top of the hill. I repeated that until I got to the end and that seemed to make the climb much easier.

In past years, I would have taken it easy after this hill, thinking I deserved a break but I didn't today. Today, I went for it and pushed harder than ever. running mile 4 and 5 in 8:13 and 8:03. That was huge, especially because I ran that hard and fast at the mid point of the race.

MIle 7 was tough. My pace here slowed a bit and I was starting to worry that I went to hard and fast during the first 2/3 of the race. Bobby said that would happen, he said I would enter the "pain cave" and I would just have to hang on and push through. Again, the MIke Hall of 2 years ago would have relented at this point. I would have folded up the tent and just mailed it in and I would have been happy with 10:00 pace miles for the last two. But not today. I gave everything I had and kept an 8:34 pace for miles 8 and 9.

With about 1/4 mile to go, I saw Bobby and he was cheering me on. I reached deep inside and found one last kick and pushed past some guy I had been running behind for the previous 3 miles (I beat him by 1 second).

This was truly a breakout run for me, and a PR that I can be really proud of. I have finally learned how to race and how to push.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing
Post race
Warm down:

Walked up the hill to my car to get some dry, warm clothes and walked back down to see Bobby and meet up with Kev.

Event comments:

There is something that I think is pretty profound that I was thinking of on the way home. In the book, "Born to Run", the author writes that we race, not to beat each other but to be with each other... that truly resonated with me today because of three different things that happened/people I saw.

During my warm up, I ran into (almost literally, and by chance) Austin. There are very few people in my life that have taught me more about life that him, not to mention he has taught me more about teaching than anyone I know. I got the opportunity to run with him a little while and it really helped relax me before the race. Usually, I'm pretty relaxed before an event, almost stoic, but for some reason this morning, I was antsy, and just being around him was very reassuring... he reminds me that this is a life-long deal, not just one event or one day or even one season. He's over 60 years old and he ran a 1:15 (4th in his AG) truly amazing.

At about mile 7.5, I saw Kev as I was coming in from an out and back. I was about a mile ahead of him and he was yelling my name and waving... I could almost see the pride he has in me emanating from him. He has been in my life since I was just a chubby 11 year old. He is the first person I called 6 years ago when I decided I wanted to do a triathlon (he did IMLP 3 times and countless marathons). Kev is the first person that took me to buy a wetsuit and the first person I did an open-water swim with, the first person I rode over 75 miles with and the first person I ran a half-marathon with. Through all of this, he has been there... teaching, cheering me on and keeping things all in perspective. He always says that, "triathlons are like life, you need to manage your expectations and know your limitations." It's fitting that I saw him when I was feeling my worst on the course.

I simply cannot say enough about Bobby! Of these three people, he has known me for the least amount of time. He is my "tri-wife". He expects more from me and demands more out of me than I do myself. Without him, I would have never unlocked the athlete that is inside me and the athlete that came out today. He will always be faster than me, but he never lets that temper the enthusiasm he has when I do well. He also had a huge race and a PR. Great job!!

Next race: Suffolk Co. Half Marathon and if I fell the way I did today on that day, I can almost guarantee another PR.




Last updated: 2011-01-10 12:00 AM
Running
01:19:59 | 9.32 miles | 08m 35s  min/mile
Age Group: 12/24
Overall: 24/664
Performance: Good
I didn't hit the start button until I was about .23 into the race!!! Lap Time Distance Pace/Speed AHR MHR 1 05m 54s 0.74 miles 07m 59s /mile 159 169 2 08m 21s 1.00 miles 08m 21s /mile 164 171 3 09m 29s 1.00 miles 09m 29s /mile 167 173 4 08m 13s 1.00 miles 08m 13s /mile 165 169 5 08m 03s 1.00 miles 08m 03s /mile 162 168 6 08m 35s 1.00 miles 08m 35s /mile 163 167 7 09m 17s 1.00 miles 09m 17s /mile 166 168 8 08m 37s 1.00 miles 08m 37s /mile 165 167 9 08m 31s 1.00 miles 08m 31s /mile 164 169 10 03m 11s 0.37 miles 08m 33s /mile 170 175
Course: Easily the toughest run course I have ever done. Lots of hills, lots of wind.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? No
Plenty of drinks? No
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 3

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2011-03-19 6:53 PM

Expert
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Miller Place, Long Island
Subject: Kings Park 15k


2011-03-19 10:31 PM
in reply to: #3404970

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Expert
770
5001001002525
Long Island, NY
Subject: RE: Kings Park 15k
Well done, Mike.

Considering you're almost half the athlete you were a few years ago (literally), you're well on your way to being like Austin.

2011-03-20 10:27 AM
in reply to: #3404970

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Subject: RE: Kings Park 15k

With my enthusiasn and Kev & Austin's humble wisdom, you've single-handedly gone from a 250+pound lump of a human to a 189 pound in-shape, racing machine.  But besides the physical differences, it's how this journey has transformed you on the inside.  Transformed your soul .   

Kev says it nicely: "Triathlons are like life, you need to manage your expectations and know your limitations."

Or Autin's insight: "...this is a life-long deal, not just one event or one day or even one season."

Congratulations on FINALLY, FINALLY having a Breakout Race and Breakout Performance!! 

2011-03-21 11:34 AM
in reply to: #3404970

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Pro
4528
2000200050025
Norwalk, Connecticut
Subject: RE: Kings Park 15k

dood, sooper job!!!  congrats on it all!!!

 

Maybe some day i will see ya down in Montauk again, as you go by me!!!!

 

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