What Almost was the Nicest Race Ever

(I think it is only fitting that the weekend before Halloween, the shining star in Philly sports would be Temple football. Go Owls!!!)

Dave, Ted, and I ran (another) 5K this past weekend. It was another local race, with the fun Halloween theme. I almost dressed up, but the pouring rain and wind gusts kind of deterred that option (that, and I couldn't find the bunny ears from a past costume, and figured the cotton tail alone just wouldn't be that cute without the ears helping to explain what I was...lest everyone mistaken me for a Q-tip or something).

It was the first time we ran this particular 5K, so I don't know what average turn-out was normally, but I'm guessing the 35 people who donned the starting line was on the low end, considering the amount of T-shirts left over. I was familiar with the course, since half of it had been my training runs for Broad Street last spring. That made a huge difference, and it was a fun 5K...the rain stopped minutes before the start, and only a few streams covered the roads.

I knew with the weather I wasn't going for any PRs. So I had my safe goal time in mind. As I neared the finish, Dave and Ted were yelling the time--I was 20 seconds under. So I pick it up and race the clock and head into the shoot.

(NOTE: The following events take place in a matter of seconds)

There was orange tape marking the shoot, and straight ahead I saw orange tape across the shoot, with a camera man right behind and to the side of it. What a nice race! I immediately thought. They are thoughtful enough to put finisher tape up for everyone who crosses...what a great way to make each finisher feel special...this is the nicest race ever...

I near the tape, the camera man pulls his camera up to his face and begins to focus. It occurs to me that I have never ran through finishers tape, and I wonder if there is any special way to run through it--do I put my arms in the air? Do I risk embarrassment of not breaking the tape if I don't lean a certain way? I figure to throw caution to the wind, and just run through it.

I am ready to break the tape when I notice about five guys on the other side of the tape. My first thought is that they are the folks who tear my bib number. Then I notice the weird dance they are doing, and they all seem to be pointing in the same direction...to the left of where I am finishing. I look--the finish line is that way. And there is no finishers tape. I am no more special than any other runner. And I probably took a second or two off my time by contemplating how I was going to break the nonexistent finisher tape.

Sunday was an uneventful 10-miler, which in itself is an event. It helped boost the confidence I needed to go ahead and hit the "submit" button on the online registration for the Philly Half...and the best thing is I think I beat my Broad Street time on yesterday's run, which is great considering it was the first time I ran 10 miles since the May 7th race.

A good point to the race Saturday was that I did come in first in my age group, but I guess it's important to point out that there was one other female in my age group and she got first overall...the race could have been upgraded again to the nicest race ever if they had let me take the 2nd and 3rd prizes, too, but apparently, 1st was sufficient.

I am on the look-out for a highly-recommended Thanksgiving Day 5K...Ted and I did one in Abington last year, and may do it again, but only because Ted wants to subject Dave to the hills this one had, to show him not all 5Ks are flat and easy for him to place in. But I'm open to suggestions...not sure how the half is going to go on the 19th, and the easier the 5K on Thanksgiving, the better it probably would be.

Philly Half Course Map

I'm running up 34th Street?

My first apartment was on Powelton and 34th. I know that hill. That was tough to walk up, let alone run up, let alone run up on mile 8.

Although running down South Street could be quite interesting...

New York City

I am up in New York for the next few days on business. Last night I did the treadmill thing. 20 minutes, and a few choice words to the belt of death, later, I swore never, ever to climb on that thing again.

So this morning at 8:00 I found myself outside the hotel, with my trusted route map from RRCA's website clutched in one hand.

I've been to New York many times--both business and personal. Ted and I make a point to come up one weekend every December, catch a show, see the tree, etc. But nothing prepares you for the light show you receve when you turn onto Broadway from W. 53rd. Even at 8:00 AM on a Monday.

This city always amazes me. This morning I ran down Broadway from Central Park, through Greenwich Village, and up Park. It was a modest 6-miler, but I loved it. Times Square is different when viewed doing a 9-minute mile. I loved the grey sweaters at Club Monaco. I loved the new outfits in the Gap (and I loved the way the new outfits looked on the manequins at the Gap). Even the Gap is different here.

But I'm not sure I could do this every day. A few good blocks of running, then a forced break--either due to light changes or a slow walker. But it was one of the funnest 6-mile runs I've done in a long time.

I didn't exactly expect to run outside this week while I was up here, so my attire is a simple long-sleeved shirt and pants, and it's supposed to get cold. So this morning may have been it. But what a beautiful run.

May I see a map, please!?

To say I am a nervous runner would be an understatement. It's been four and a half years since my first 5K and I am just now able to go to a 5K race without butterflies or jitters. But the nerves continue for anything larger than a 5K, especially for races where I am running the distance for the first time, competitively--take the Philadelphia Half in almost a month, for example.

I still have not registered for the event. I still find myself on the fence about it, and while Ted tells me I can do it, and I believe I can do it, I am not 100% convinced enough, even to register. One of the calming features I find with races nowadays is the online course map. The half marathon still has yet to post their map, and while I'm sure it will be along the same route as the full 26 miler, that map is going to be the making or breaking point for me, I'm afraid.

I told myself a month ago I would wait to see the map and then think about registering. The pre-registration date came and went, and the map is still not posted. I even emailed the race and pleaded for the map.

Common sense tells me it will be either the course of the distance run, or half the marathon, neither of which should be intimidating. Philly doesn't exactly have hills to climb and the city is not unknown to me.

But as a nervous runner, every little bit of knowledge I can gain prior to the event helps calm my poor nerves. And this is one little BIG piece of knowledge that I can't get my hands on!

On another four and a half year anniversary note, it also happens to be four and a half years since I started using porta-potties again...Coincidence???

A personal record and a medallion to boot

There is one downfall to introducing Ted's brother to the world of racing...my weekends from now until eternity will consist of 5K's. Dave is hooked. He loves it and I think lives only for the next race.

The three of us ran in a local 5K this past weekend for the National MPS Society. It was a flat course, and a light turn-out, but all three of us got PRs for the race. Times?

• Dave: 23 minutes and something and first in his age group
• Ted: 26 flat and second in his age group
• Maggie: 28 and something...and first in my group!

And when I say first, I mean there were other people that I beat! I got a medallion and couldn't be any prouder. Friends of ours who were there got pictures, and I'm hoping I'll be able to share them shortly. Stay tuned.

As for Dave's time, who honestly shaves four minutes off a 5K race from week to week? Good for him. And afterwards, he shyly admitted to considering Broad Street with me next spring and if I thought he could do it.

Dave, if I can run Broad Street, ANYONE can run Broad Street. So who knows? Maybe there will be another face in that crowd come May!

My Weekend in Miles...and Passing on the Love

It's not very often I run enough in a weekend to be able to judge it by how much I run...usually it's how much I should've run (I do much better on weekday mornings than weekends, for some reason).

Saturday morning was a 5K race. Lately, Ted and I have been playing chauffeur for Ted's younger brother, Dave. Dave is the one who "taught" me how to surf last June. Rather, he tried to...I thought it was much better to just sit on the board and look cute than actually try to do much. Anyway, so on one of the rides after picking him up from hockey practice, the subject of running and races came up, and by the time we were dropping him off, he had all but committed to running the 5K with us. Long story short, Saturday morning, there he was at the start, all pumped up, and less than half an hour later, there he is at the finish, yelling at Ted as he crossed "I am SO doing this again!"

As if the sense of self-accomplishment at finishing his first 5K (first road race) wasn't enough, Dave went on to clinch third in his age group, and spent all morning hugging his trophy and beaming.

This coming Saturday is another 5K...which Dave is now planning on doing. "This was the greatest thing," he said. "I feel like I've just done so much." I think I have returned the favor of him showing me how to surf...and unleashed a monster like myself in the process.

Sunday was scheduled for a long run. I originally wanted to get up Sunday morning and go, but we visited with friends Saturday night, and a Mexican dinner and three glasses of fruity sparking zifandel kept me in bed until half an hour before our Sunday School. The weather Sunday was beautiful, and Ted had a boatload of yardwork to do. I took this as my opportunity, and chalked the 7 mile run off my to-do list...and played the overachiever by seeing that 7-miler and raising it a half mile.

I'll let you know how the 5K goes this Saturday, and how Dave lives up to his inaugural race.