On March 24th, Maria went to 13.1 New York and defended her champion title from last year. For second year in a row now, she's the queen of 18 and under female segment! Big congratulations to our rising star runner!
The 13.1 is in Flushing Park, Queens, and if I recall it's an odd race where water stations appear randomly on left or right side, whenever it feels like, asphalt is completely cracked on places, and last year, it was muddy as hell around the Meadow Lake. There's so many tight left and right turns the course is super confusing! I think I got dizzy last year from all the twists and turns, and almost fell on one of the cracked asphalts.
Now 13.1 does have cool shwag. They give you a CRAFT tech shirts. Craft shirts go for about $40 to $80 a pop depending on what type, so it's pretty nice to get one in your race gift bag!
When reached for a comment about her great achievement, the Muscled One shyly replied, "Well, I didn't even race it. I went as a training run". Well if that was a training run, then I'd hate to be in her age segment when she really races! Thank god, I'm waaaaaaaaay older than her!
Monday, March 26, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Spring Speed Class Annoucement
Hello Agonites!!!
Registration is now open for the speed class - spring session.
Session: Spring Speed Class
Day(s): Tuesdays & Thursdays
Dates: Tuesday - 3/27/12 - 5/29/12 (10 weeks)
Thursday - 3/29/12 - 5/31/12 (10 weeks)
Time: 6:30 PM
Where: Central Park Engineer's Gate - Gazebo
Payment: Cash or Check - payable to Alem Kahsay
(NO credit cards, debit cards, food stamps, WIC, discount cards, AARP)
Rates:
Package #1 - Tuesdays only - $105
Package #2 - Thursdays only - $105
Package #3 - Tuesdays and Thursdays - $180 (best deal)
Pay as you go - $20/session
If you are interested, just show up with your payment at the Gazebo at 6:30pm. Our friendly fearless leader will be there to help you every step of the way!
The class is open to any body that's interested in getting faster (not fatter). Agonites, feel free to invite other runners as this is not exclusive to Agonites!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Race Recap: Celebrate Life Half Marathon
On March 11, my training partner and I braved the Day Light Savings time change (Spring Forward, people) and got up at approximately 4AM and drove to Rock Hill, NY to participate in the "Celebrate Life Half Marathon".
Where is Rock Hill, you ask? It's here.
Not that far, right?
It was only $38. It was good timing for our anticipated Boston Marathon. It was a good distance. First 500 participants gets an awesome windbreaker. So in early December we decided this would be a good idea.
Of course, we didn't consider Spring Forward. Neither of us really looked at the course map or the elevation map either.
We also didn't exactly plan to be semi-injured; I have been fighting a tight right quad off and on now for 2 weeks. My training partner has some form of tendinitis. We both limp around the office like sad zombies. My partner ended up not doing the race even though she drove us up there. I then had sudden monthly issues. Nope, we weren't off to a good start.
When we get to the registration/start area, we see that it's a mix of NYC teams (lots of Van Cortland folks, a lone FrontRunner queen, a few different tri-teams) and quite a few hard core runners (singlet, shorts, arm warmers in 32F weather). A few people were showing off their Boston Marathon 2011, 2010, 2007, 2005 (yes, I took note) jackets too.
...you know there's something wrong when there is a severe lack of certain-color coordinated folks. It was definitley foreshadowing what was about to come.
You see, the place's name is Rock HILL. We should have taken this as the first sign. But my training partner and I were blinded by the awesome windbreaker!
So when the gun went off...wait, there was no gun or singing of national anthem or horn or nothing...the race sorta just "started". People were shuffling along past the B-Tag magnets. I almost missed it!
As I was saying, as the race started, I realized this was an incredible mistake. The start was at a basin like bottom, surrounded all four corners by giant hills.
The course is 13.1 miles of constant hills. Giant hills, long hills, steep hills, short hills, easy hills, rolling hills. There's really not much of a descend until the last mile. Even the "flats" were covered in little annoying speed bump-like inclines.
Check THIS out! GIRL, this makes Central Park look FLAT.
Oh, Oh, and incident happened too! See the giant hill at the 4M mark? Well here, two skinny little things decide to draft off me. It was uphill and it was a tad breezy. Not only are they drafting off me, they are heavy breathers. One has iPod so loud, I can hear her tunes. I'm about to punch them in the face. But we all know that's a big no-no. So I suddenly stop. Note the drop in cadence. They crash.
That's right folks, don't draft off with this Diva. NEVAH.
After that incident, it goes much better. I get to run my own race at perceived exertion of 7 or 8. Being semi-injured, I'm not pushing too hard, but kept it at a comfortably challenging level. It's a hard course, but I manage. I come in 10th in my age group, but am the fastest person in my old-ass age.
There was supposedly an awesome afterparty catered by Outback Steakhouse. We skipped it because we decided we were too cool. Truth: we just wanted to go home and sleep.
Now would I do this again? Probably. Would I hate myself for signing up come next year? Probably. That Spring Forward is really annoying. I'm chronically lacking sleep, my quad hurts, I'm cranky, and the awesome windbreaker is too big on me, but we runners know..."THIS TOO SHALL PASS".
PS: Ugly Race photos available upon request.
Where is Rock Hill, you ask? It's here.
Not that far, right?
It was only $38. It was good timing for our anticipated Boston Marathon. It was a good distance. First 500 participants gets an awesome windbreaker. So in early December we decided this would be a good idea.
Of course, we didn't consider Spring Forward. Neither of us really looked at the course map or the elevation map either.
We also didn't exactly plan to be semi-injured; I have been fighting a tight right quad off and on now for 2 weeks. My training partner has some form of tendinitis. We both limp around the office like sad zombies. My partner ended up not doing the race even though she drove us up there. I then had sudden monthly issues. Nope, we weren't off to a good start.
When we get to the registration/start area, we see that it's a mix of NYC teams (lots of Van Cortland folks, a lone FrontRunner queen, a few different tri-teams) and quite a few hard core runners (singlet, shorts, arm warmers in 32F weather). A few people were showing off their Boston Marathon 2011, 2010, 2007, 2005 (yes, I took note) jackets too.
...you know there's something wrong when there is a severe lack of certain-color coordinated folks. It was definitley foreshadowing what was about to come.
You see, the place's name is Rock HILL. We should have taken this as the first sign. But my training partner and I were blinded by the awesome windbreaker!
So when the gun went off...wait, there was no gun or singing of national anthem or horn or nothing...the race sorta just "started". People were shuffling along past the B-Tag magnets. I almost missed it!
As I was saying, as the race started, I realized this was an incredible mistake. The start was at a basin like bottom, surrounded all four corners by giant hills.
The course is 13.1 miles of constant hills. Giant hills, long hills, steep hills, short hills, easy hills, rolling hills. There's really not much of a descend until the last mile. Even the "flats" were covered in little annoying speed bump-like inclines.
Check THIS out! GIRL, this makes Central Park look FLAT.
Oh, Oh, and incident happened too! See the giant hill at the 4M mark? Well here, two skinny little things decide to draft off me. It was uphill and it was a tad breezy. Not only are they drafting off me, they are heavy breathers. One has iPod so loud, I can hear her tunes. I'm about to punch them in the face. But we all know that's a big no-no. So I suddenly stop. Note the drop in cadence. They crash.
That's right folks, don't draft off with this Diva. NEVAH.
After that incident, it goes much better. I get to run my own race at perceived exertion of 7 or 8. Being semi-injured, I'm not pushing too hard, but kept it at a comfortably challenging level. It's a hard course, but I manage. I come in 10th in my age group, but am the fastest person in my old-ass age.
There was supposedly an awesome afterparty catered by Outback Steakhouse. We skipped it because we decided we were too cool. Truth: we just wanted to go home and sleep.
Now would I do this again? Probably. Would I hate myself for signing up come next year? Probably. That Spring Forward is really annoying. I'm chronically lacking sleep, my quad hurts, I'm cranky, and the awesome windbreaker is too big on me, but we runners know..."THIS TOO SHALL PASS".
PS: Ugly Race photos available upon request.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Scotland 10K Runner Needed!
We are currently recruiting fun, fierce, fabulous male runners of all ages!
We need more fearless men to run the Scotland 10K on April 7th.
It's Club Points race, and we need 1 more dude to make this happen for us.
If you know somebody that would like to join us, please let Chris know. He says he'll waive the beauty requirement just this once.
We need more fearless men to run the Scotland 10K on April 7th.
It's Club Points race, and we need 1 more dude to make this happen for us.
If you know somebody that would like to join us, please let Chris know. He says he'll waive the beauty requirement just this once.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Coogan's Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5K
Job well done!
Marco, Tom, Chris, Jennifer & Linda ran the Coogan's Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5K this weekend! Looks like every body did really well too. I'm sure Tom is really proud of his sub-7 minute mile pace! Gread job everyone!
If anyone wants to write a race report, let me know. I hear this race is on a very steep hill yet filled with fine tunes, so I'm sure there will be interesting stories to share.
Marco, Tom, Chris, Jennifer & Linda ran the Coogan's Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5K this weekend! Looks like every body did really well too. I'm sure Tom is really proud of his sub-7 minute mile pace! Gread job everyone!
If anyone wants to write a race report, let me know. I hear this race is on a very steep hill yet filled with fine tunes, so I'm sure there will be interesting stories to share.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Mini 10K is Now Open
I thought NYRR was supposed to announce when Mini 10K was going to open first. But I didn't get any e-mail notices from NYRR. I just randomly visited NYRR site, and found out that Mini 10K is now available & open for registration. It's a bit sneaky, don't you think?
Mini 10K is a Club Points race, so ladies, get registered before it sells out!
Brooklyn Half is not yet available.
I guess we’ll just have to keep on watching to see when BK Half opens.
Now interestingly, they just may change the date for BK Half, since it looks like Prospect Park is already “taken” for some other event on May 19th - 20th. This seems really odd, since BK Half has a longer history…so you’d think they’ll have priority, but guess it doesn’t work that way.
http://googamooga.com/
Mini 10K is a Club Points race, so ladies, get registered before it sells out!
Brooklyn Half is not yet available.
I guess we’ll just have to keep on watching to see when BK Half opens.
Now interestingly, they just may change the date for BK Half, since it looks like Prospect Park is already “taken” for some other event on May 19th - 20th. This seems really odd, since BK Half has a longer history…so you’d think they’ll have priority, but guess it doesn’t work that way.
http://googamooga.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)