I decided to sign up for the race on a whim because I had a few friends that were also running. Additionally, the group that I train with was timing the race, so I figured there would be a bunch of familiar faces in the crowd. Because I spent the summer recovering from a stress fracture, I only started real run training 10 weeks ago, leaving me suspicious of my fitness prior to this race. Regardless, it was a race, so I had to put it all on the line to test myself. After thinking about some of the runs and workouts I did since then, I decided on a goal time between 61 and 62 minutes, an average pace between 6:30/mi and 6:37/mi.
Race Morning:
I woke up at 5:30am to eat my standard race morning breakfast - oatmeal with peanut butter, almonds, and raisins with a strong cup of coffee and a glass of water. Race start was 9:00am so I got to the site around 8:00am with plenty of time to get my bib, warm up, and stretch.
The highlight of the morning was my VIP access to the Brooks Sponsored Port-O-Potties. Brooks Running had purchased 4 Port-O-Potties for exclusive use to runners wearing Brooks apparel, fortunately I was wearing my fantastic MSU Triathlon Brooks Tech Tee and I was granted access to this exclusive right of passage (...get it?).
Race Start:
The race start was packed with over 1300 runners crowding their way to the start line. They separated the men from the women so that the elite women would have just as clear a start as the elite men. I made my way into the ranks right by my friend Tom from the Albany Running Exchange, we were about a dozen rows from the start line and I was lamenting about how skeptical I was.
 |
| I never saw these guys again. Wicked fast! |
My plan was to run the first 5k conservative and then hold that pace through 10k, then pick up the pace for the last 5k.
5k Split: 20:45 = 6:40/mi
I went through the 5k still feeling unsure about my fitness, even though the split was perfectly paced with my goal. I matched paces well with a few kids from the Niskayuna HS Cross Country team. I ended up running with these kids throughout the rest of the race. It was helpful because their coach was on a bike and would check in with them every few miles to give support and encouragement.
 |
| I'm back there in the green shirt. I'm also the only one in this picture with facial hair and the ability to drive myself home after the race. |
At the 10k I was struggling a bit because miles 5-7 on the course were uphill. The hills were not steep, but after a few miles I definitely felt my quads aching a bit. My pace slowed to 6:45/mi but my average was still right where I wanted it to be. I was still with the Niskayuna HS runners and their coach was still there for support. I knew he wasn't talking to me, but I still heeded his advice to "relax your shoulders, keep your head up, and lean into the hill."
 |
| Around mile 6 one lady from the Willow Street Athletic Club told me I had nice form as I passed her. A rare but exceptional mid-race compliment. |
The HS runners and I had an interesting dynamic; they would take the lead on the uphill stretches and I would pass them back on the flats. This likely had a lot to do with me being 20lbs heavier than them. Nevertheless, we worked well together and once we hit mile 7, it was all flat/downhill to the finish. I knew I was going to suffer, but I was ready to push hard to the finish.
Finish: 1:01:47 = 6:38/mi
My final 5k was tough and felt longer than it should have been even though it was my fastest 5k split of the day at 20:24 = 6:33/mi. I had my Garmin set to total time, pace, and lap time, so once I hit the 1hr mark in the run I couldn't see seconds on the total time screen. I knew I was going to be close to 62 minutes so I surged around the last .25mi. I forced myself to stay relaxed and focus on my form because if I thought too much about how fast I was running, I was going to lose it mentally. I turned into the finish chute and saw the clock read 1:01:30. Only 100yds to go and plenty of time to finish under 1:02:00. I was absolutely ecstatic but I kept my pace and didn't sprint to the finish (a pet peeve of mine for runners/triathletes, unless you're racing the person next to you.)
 |
| My face is starting to contort and my left elbow is hitching out...a sign I am near the end of a race. Not from the finish though because there wasn't anybody taking finish line pictures! |
 |
| You can see where the uphill miles were based on avg pace. But I quickly returned to goal pace and finished with a nice kick. |
Overall, I could not have been more pleased with the race. If I compare this race to the other races I did this year, I should not be nearly as happy. I placed 136th overall and 18th in my age group, appalling numbers compared to being in the Top 4 overall for every race I did this summer, including a win at the Delmar Duathlon back in April. However, sometimes it simply does not matter how well you place or where you finish compared to others. This race was a test of my resolve. I pushed the limits of what I thought I was capable and finished with a new understanding of myself and my abilities. This will serve as motivation to get through the long winter months.
