The Dash to the Finish 5K was a great first race back-- as a kickoff to marathon weekend, it lessened the sting of not being able to run this year while still making me feel like I was a part of the marathon. The timing and weather couldn't have been more perfect-- I left my apartment at 7:40, was at the start by 8:10, found a coworker who was also running 5 minutes later, and then jumped into my corral right before the start. NYRR runs races like a well-oiled machine, and the race was perfectly executed. The only downside was that it was PACKED.
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| See you next year, marathon. |
The course started on 45th and 1st avenue, and we turned right pretty immediately onto 42nd street. We stayed on 42nd street until 6th avenue, and from there we headed to Central Park. It was pretty cool to run past my old office building (hi Nat Geo!) and 30 Rock, but it got more and more congested as we neared 59th street. There was a pretty tight turn on 59th street, and then another tight turn into the park at the 59th/5th avenue intersection. Once we were into the park, it was nearly impossible to run without veering around people... but it was pretty incredible to round the bottom of the lower loop and meet up with the marathon finish line. And as I finished the announcer yelled, 'Look at this girl! She loves sweat! Great shirt!'
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| An amazing feeling |
I told myself I would run based on how I felt, because the worst thing that could happen would be to be overzealous and injure myself... again. I positive-split the hell out of the race, which I blame 80% on my lack of endurance and my enthusiasm at the start, and 20% on the congestion in the last 1/2 of the race. Overall, though, I was thrilled with my time-- according to NYRR, my official time was 25:19, which averages to a 8:10 pace for 3.1 miles. Since I overran my course, my pace for 3.18 miles was actually a 7:58.
I'll take it! :)
The best feeling was after the race-- nothing more than feeling out of shape (which I expected) and feeling tight in my hip and glutes, which has been a constant since my injury. I'm taking two days off of running (Sunday and Monday) to focus on stretching and cross-training. And plus, I had a marathon to watch on Sunday!
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| Our 'cheerzone' with the best sign on the course |
... and I was too busy watching the marathon to take any other pictures. I did snap a video of the elite women and men, but I decided to just soak in the marathon rather than try to take a million pictures. In as few words as possible, marathon Sunday is the best day in NYC. The energy is incredible, and the entire city is buzzing. I cannot WAIT to FINALLY be on the other side, RUNNING, next year.
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