Club News: 3

Are you guys enjoying this weather?  It’s finally warm!  Which is a good thing for Xena and not so good thing for LisaLisa.  Looks like LisaLisa got to enjoy last bit of the cold weather this past weekend and placed in her age group, along with Louise.  Congrats, ladies!

Since the Scotland 10K was a Club Points Race, a 11 people earned a raffle ticket toward the awesome gift raffle at the Holiday Party.  (All this warm weather is already making us wish it was the Holidays…)  Here’s the ticket tally so far.  Martin, Miller and “G-Man” Masi had earned tickets in a previous race.

Name	Raffle Ticket Count
Caine	1
Finn	1
Gormanly	1
Laytham	1
Liriano	1
Lubin	1
Martin	2
Masi	1
Miller	1
Montagna	1
Pathak	1
Silvestro	1
Tanaka	1
Grand Total	14

As of April 9, 2013

Just to go back and refresh your memory, Agony now has “Captain’s Raffle” going on.  Every Club Points race you enter, you earn a raffle ticket at our Holiday Party.  At party, we’ll draw one winner who will win a fabulous gift.  The gift, we’re told, will be worth at least 3-digits!  OMG!  So the more you race, the more changes you will have to win!

This weekend is the famous, notorious, Boston Marathon Weekend.  We hear the Maharaja has the honor of joining the fabled Red-Bib Crew.  We wish all Agonites running the race a fabulous race!!  Run smart, relax, and have fun on the course, everybody!

Club News: 2

Race Results. 
Even thought it’s not reaaaaaaally spring until the water fountains in Central Park goes back on, spring racing season has officially begun for many Agonites.  3, in particular had an awesome run this weekend in Virginia.  Linda and VeggieRachana (who subsist on three peas and three romaine leaves) PR’ed in Virginia Marathon (both BQ’ed – not to be confused with BBQ’ed), and Kathy came in second in her under 20 age group for the VA Half.  Many more Agnoites took to the road in NYC with NYC Half as well.  For some (like Xena), NYC Half was just a warm up for bigger “A” race (aka Boston) and for others, this was their real deal and totally ACED it.  Either way, we are all super proud of ourselves!

Speaking of NYC Half, Ms. Mary Wittenberg was seen personally congratulating and thanking the NYC Half Marathon finishers at the finish line.  She stayed there for a long time, shaking hands and patting backs of as many finishers as she could.  It’s been tough for Ms. Wittenberg lately, but her efforts at the finish line didn’t go unnoticed. 

Club Points Race Raffle.
To get you to come out and try your hand (or legs, or feet) at NYRR’s Club Points Race more, Capt Crunch Chris has come up with a great plan. 

Every Club Point Race you run this year, you will receive ONE raffle ticket at our annual Holiday Party.  At the party, we’ll draw for one winning ticket for an AMAZING gift.  And we’re not talking coupons to McDonald’s here.  Something that will make you go, “OMG, I can’t believe my team just gave me this!!!!!”  So the more races you run, the more raffle tickets you get, which means you’ll have a better chance of winning the AWESOME gift.  Oh, and the best part?  You don’t have to be at the Holiday Party – you can always proxy a team mate to go and get the raffle tickets for you.  …just ah, make sure you got witnesses so your proxy won’t skip town with the GORGEOUS gift.

So far, Capt Chris, Ron, and G-Man has already earned 1 raffle ticket each from running the Coogan’s 5K.  There are 10 Club Point Races – which means, if you run all 10, you have 10 chances to win the FABULOUS gift!

Now that there is more motivation to run these races, what are you waiting for??  Go sign up for a Club Point Race already!!

Club News

Hey guys, make sure you mark your calendars for the following NYRR Club Points Races.  These races are fun way to compete against other teams AND get your 9+1 races in.  It's two birds with one stone! Some of these races even benefits different charity groups, so we highly recommend that you try to get at least a handful in!

March 3 – Coogan’s Salsa, Blues & Shamrock 5K

This race takes place uptown…waaaay uptown in Washington Heights.  It’s short but it’s steep.  Think of it as a intense hill repeat session.

April 5 – Scotland Run 10K

You know the drill.  One loop of Central Park, where you know every slight incline and decline of the course.  Scotland Run has traditionally had pretty cool swag, not to mention sexxxxy men in kilts.

May 18 (or 19) – Brooklyn Half Marathon

It’s part of the NYRR 5-Borough Series (although Queens is still missing).  A nice 13.1 race with tech shirt swag.  Starts pretty early, but that means you’re done pretty early as well.  Enjoy the rest of the day lazily watching some HGTV.

June 8 – Mini 10K.

It’s not “Mini” as in small, but Mini because the ladies wore mini skirts at the inaugural race (or something like that).  It’s almost always hot and humid during this race, but with a slightly different course and it being girls only, there’s lots of room to run.

June 16 – Portugal Day 5M

Ladies may run, but only dudes are scored.  And it’s shorter than the ladies’ 10K...does this mean something?  Either way, we expect lots of testosterone filled elbowing along the course. 

June 29 – Frontrunners Pride Run 5M

A different 5M course that includes the Harlem Hills.  It’s literally a prom for our brothers and sisters and everybody else in Frontrunners.  GREAT swag, popsicles at the finish line, and cheer leading boys that wants to be girls, girls that wants to be boys, and boys that like boys and girls that like girls.  Captain Crunch comes dressed to the nines with perfect hair for this race.

August 3 – Club Championship 5M

Double Points for Double Races.  Men and women run separately in this heat and humidity filled race.  Last year we had a picnic afterwards – who knows what we will do this year! 

September 7 – Fitness 4M

With heat finally dissipating away, this early September race is also a Men & Women separate race.  It’s short and it has a great flat finish.  A really good race to time trial right before you head into fall marathon training.

October 6 – Greta’s Great Gallop Half Marathon

An unusual clock-wise 2 loop of Central Park race, and a perfect workout if you are doing the NYC Marathon.  It’s timed perfectly for your training schedule.  Last year, we all got tech shirts, so another awesome swag race.

November 3 - ING NYC Marathon

Do we really need an explanation on this one??  If you want to be in the Local Competitive Team Corral, make sure to run either a full marathon or a half marathon prior to October 2013 at paces faster than these:

Men	Marathon	Half Marathon		Women	Marathon	Half Marathon
18-34	2:53	1:22		18-34	3:16	1:35
35-39	2:55	1:24		35-39	3:22	1:38
40-44	3:02	1:27		40-44	3:30	1:41
45-49	3:08	1:32		45-49	3:40	1:46
50-54	3:16	1:39		50-54	3:48	1:49
55-59	3:26	1:39		55-59	3:56	1:52
60+	3:32	1:42		60+	4:06	1:57

December 14 – Ted Corbitt 15K

It’s cold, but it’s the last race and here we shall see the power of our Nordic runners.  Easy 15K that doesn’t involve the Harlem Hills.  This one sells out fast, so make sure you register quick.

NYRR Team Championship 2012

How about that weather this Saturday?  80F, 87% humidity!  A buddy of mine declared that she lost 8lbs in water after a 12 mile long run.  That beats my 7lbs weight loss during 2012 Boston Marathon.  So, Tom, you were wondering which was worse?  Saturday’s Team Championship or Boston?  I’d say it came close! 

Hey NYRR, can you please fix Marco Polo’s race record?  He got a bad D-Tag and his race didn’t register.  And he’s one of our finest (and tallest)!  What gives?  We actually had 10 men kick butt this Saturday!  He's even on your website, you know!  (from left to right Gio, Capt Chirs, Victor, Hiro, Marco Polo)

2 brand new Lady Agonites braved the heat and took on the Team Championship this race.  We are so proud of you ladies!  Thank you for joining our weird Team!

It was fun to cheer fellow Team mates run, and I loved the expressions on everybody.  I should’ve brought my camera to capture everyone’s “Brightroom Moment”.  Hey, we need to do a collage of mid-race funny expression photos.  

I had to bow out of the Team Championship, due to a bad shin splints that started about 2 weeks ago.  Maharaja proceeded to scare me by saying that if I don’t rest it, my shin well fall off the bone a la Osso Buco.  I'm never running again.

Speaking of Osso Buco, fantastic tasty food was served at weekend’s first annual Agony Picnic.  Hey, we might not have scored highest points at the Team Championship, but we certainly had the winning spread amongst all the Teams!  We aren’t talking about mere doughnuts and coffee here.  We’re talking 5 star quality food, complete with delicious cheesecake desert and Mimosas!  Melissa’s “Cowboy Caviar” was quite the hit, as well as Marco Polo’s Summer Rice Salad.  Rachana’s giant container of fresh Mangos cooled us down big time.  Everything was major deliciousness!

We all had fun Saturday despite the sticky-icky weather.  It’s not about team points or silly bragging rights.  It’s about having a good time through running.  It’s not about coming in first or second, but beating that random targeted stranger.  I know Lisa was a major winner at Team Championship, as she beat out both of her two targets running ahead of her.  It’s moments like this that makes running fun.  Let’s try to remember why we started this running adventure before we get too wrapped up in points business!

Update on Xena.  The Warrior Princess is recovering well, but still having difficulty moving around.  It must be super frustrating for her.  I have a mere Osso Buco leg, and I’m about to pull my hair out.  So everybody, let’s send her photos of cute puppies.  She especially loves Border Collie puppies.

One last thing:  Not everybody has registered with our Team Forum.  It’s important that you do, so we don’t have to keep on sending out hundreds of e-mails to each other.  Also, the forum is a great place to post your questions and concerns.  We will always make the effort to respond to you as soon as possible.

Race Recap: Central Park Conservancy Run

I normally don’t recap short races because everything is a blur, but this race was not a blur.  First, it was the largest Agony turn out ever!  Second, this little 4-miler is always harder than it seems because it’s in middle of July. Third, I got a blessing from the Princess Warrior!

Sorry, but I complain like a child told to eat her peas when it comes to summer runs.  So naturally, I had complained to just about every one that would listen about my Saturday workout.  I declared it a 3H training day:  Hot, Humid, Horrible.  The morning started out at with an “easy” 5M run.  By the time I had finished, my stupid-ass Garmin was already freaking out from the sweat.  Ugh.  “Jean Paul” (my Garmin Virtual Partner has a name, Garmin is French, right??) is such a wuss. 

I make my way to the corral, and I stand near the red-yellow border because I just don’t want to be in the red-red or blue-red.  This is a Team Points race and there are lots of mean people here.  It’s safer in the corner…  I see bunch of Agony folks, Lunch Lady, Maharaja, Capt. Chris, Xena and her Fans.  Xena is pumped because this weather is perfect for her.  I start to complain again while I tie up my singlet into a mid-drift tank.  At this point, I don’t give a crap about my gut.  I just want to be comfortable.  As the corrals are mushed into one big bulk, Xena comes over and gives my drum (aka tummy) a slap.  I take that as her blessing, she’s sharing me her hot-weather mojo.  It's called Kiai in Japanese, by the way.  OK.  I can do this. I've got Xena Mojo in me!

As I speed down the start and up the Cat Hill, I see Capt. Chris take off.  Dude runs fast when he wants to.  I should remind him that messes with his perfectly styled hair…maybe that’ll slow him down so I can pass him.  hehehe

I power through mile 1, recording 7:17.  I tell myself to slow down because I know I’m going to die over the “First Hill”.  This is the first hill after Harlem Hills going south bound on West Drive, right off the 102^nd Transverse.  It’s long, it’s pretty steep and it’s a twofer.  It starts at 102^nd with a mild incline, then after a few feet of flat, it takes a sharp up turn.  You’re not given sufficient downhill recovery and boom!  You’re in hill #2.  I hate this First Hill.

Sure, enough, by the time I hit First Hill, I’ve become that annoying runner.  I’m breathing loudly.  I’m annoying people left and right!  Then I notice some other chick breathing loudly.  Louder than me!  Ha!  So now I try to out-breathe her because she’s screwing with my rhythm.  We annoy each other and every body around us through the Second Hill, and after that, I decide to put my booster on the go.  Good bye Annoying Lady!

After the Third Hill, I almost lose focus on the big, long, comfortable down hill by Delacorte Theater.  This down hill always gets me.  Sometimes I forget to breathe and I end up with a stitch.  Sometimes I let my effort down and end up paying for it.  Had it not been for Capt Chris and his glowing white counterfeit Chinatown singlet and his now disheveled hair in front of me, I probably would have lost concentration!  I snap back in, and tell myself it’s about 800m from here.  800m!  It’s a simple 800m repeat you do in track!  You’ve done it in hotter weather!  I count my cadence and finally finish.

I really wanted to hang with the team after the race, but I just couldn’t.  I had more workout to do that day, and Jean Paul was just being an annoying prick.  He kept on telling me to keep on moving…”Go Faster!” for my second half of the training.  Ugh. 

We did really well in this race, with a strong showing and a strong finish.  The ladies ranked in top 10 for the team and we all look sexy here!! 

Next up is our Team Championship race on August 4.  We still need ONE MORE girl to run.  If you haven’t ran with us before, this is your chance.  Join us and make history! Contact Mr. Tom right away!!!  Just like how Capt Chris pulled me through a rough patch, let your fellow Agonite take you through this amazing race!  This is what a team is for, guys!

Proud and Pretty (Pride Run)

This race is a can’t-miss race because the FrontRunners have the best taste in swag.  This year, they didn’t disappoint.  Tech shirts in TWO colors to chose from!  (I got the coveted BLUE SMALL hehehehe!)  Popsicles at the end of the race!  Drag Queens!  Hot Cheerleaders!  Rainbow flags!  Now if all the hot FrontRunner men ran topless, it would make it the PERFECT race, but hey, we can’t have it all.

But even with thier singlets on, it was enough to make Captain Chris pay extra attention to his shiny locks. Oh yea.  He made sure his hair was perfect and pretty - the right amount of product to ensure the best style even in high hummidity.  As Xena, Lisa and I huddled around him at the start line, we could feel the excitement in the air.  Lots of people smiling, lots of people in costumes.  Lisa noted several Tootoos and kindly pointed them out to us…we both made sure we beat all but one or two with Blue Bibs.

This Pride Run is like a big prom ball party for my favorite anonymous rivals, the FrontRunners!  I try to run this race, as it’s a chance to thank them for involuntarily “pulling” me through hard patches of numerous races.  There’s ALWAYS at least one Frontrunner queen in front of me, you see.  Well this race, there were a TON of them (naturally)!

Most noticeable this time was a guy in a one of these...  Queen, I get it.  I used to wear them too when I was 19, at Roxy or Limelight or Tunnel.  I get you, girl.  We’re all trying to reclaim our youth a little.  …or at least that’s what I thought to myself as the Propeller Cap Queen sped by me.  But I caught up to him towards the finish, and I decided to pass him.  See, FrontRunners ALWAYS helps me go faster and further.  I don’t know what to do without them!

Now Xena, with her broken toe and respiratory condition came in THIRD in this race!  She won $25 bucks!!  CONGRATULATIONS!

This Week's Housekeeping:

Xena’s Annual Van Cortlandt Park Invasion (Saturday, July 7, 8AM)

A great change to run with your favorite Warrior Princess, Xena.  You don’t know who Xena is?  Well, you better show up, then.  The course will be 7.5M out and back on a path next to an old railroad, then 3.75M on trail for some hill workout.  First half of the trail is slight uphill, then it’s flat and downhill.  It should be a fun change of pace for those looking for something different to do.  If you would like to come, please e-mail Xena.  We will also send out reminder e-mails as well.

How to get there:  Take the 1 Train to the last stop in the Bronx.  We will meet at the Burger King 2 minutes from the stop. You can’t miss it.  We won’t wait for stragglers, so please be prompt. 

Team Survey

Please take a quick moment to answer simple 6 question survey about the Team, commissioned by our Captain Chris.  We want to make sure that you are happy with us, so we are looking for more ways to make the Team fun, fab, and fantastic!

Next Team Race

Central Park Conservancy Run is on July 14.  If you are running and haven’t responded to Race Director Mr. Tom, please do so soon.  We need FIVE brave men, and FIVE awesome women.  We always seem to have issues getting the men to run…Dudes, step it up!

Friday Night Run

This Friday, we’ll do a Fast-Tempo Negative Split run on West Drive (yea, the side with the hills).  We’ll start at 6:15pm meeting at Columbus Circle Central Park Entrance.  If attending, please respond to reminder e-mail which will go out on Wednesday.

New York City Marathon

Jenny From the Block reminded everybody that the Bus/Boat reservation for NYC Marathon has opened.  If you haven’t signed up for one yet, don’t forget to do so!