Weekend of Pain - Episode 1

I knew this weekend wasn't going to be easy. I was coming from two weeks of rest with almost no running due to shin splints and heading into a double race weekend with the Fifth Avenue Mile on Saturday and the NYC Marathon Tune-Up on Sunday. To make matters worse previous week's chilly PR weather had gone away, leaving us to deal with a beautiful 90% humidity.

I didn't have a target for the Mile. I haven't done speedwork in a while and running fast is not really helpful when you are suffering from shin splints. I did some speed tests during the week and I was thinking I could take it easy, protect my shins with shin braces and enjoy the straight course in a 7-7:30 min/mile pace.

The first shock came when I lined up for the start. You know how you can see for miles each way when you are standing in the middle of a Manhattan Avenue? Not so much the Fifth. Looking from the 80th all you see is a hill going all the way up to the 72nd. I guess you don't notice this on a regular day, because it is hard to stand in the middle of the Fifth Avenue and look South in the traffic.

Anyhow. Fine, a hill is a hill and is usually followed by a downhill. If you go at the right speed, you are fine. So, when I got into the corral, I moved to the back of the pack. Figuring that is where my fellow easy-takers would be. Think again!

Unlike other races, in the Fifth Avenue Mile you run with your age group and no one else. In a mixed group there is always someone you can follow if you want to go slow. Not among the 15-29 year old male NY runners. Off went the gun and the pack. I was hurting pretty bad after a few blocks. I looked at my Garmin and my Garmin gave me a look as if to say: "Dude! What's happening!" You see, I was following the pack at 5:30 min/mile pace.

If you know me, you know 5:30 is not my pace. I am a slow-mid-pack long distance runner. I hurt when I get below 8 min/mile. My situation was very similar to that of a classic car driven on a highway. At some point I considered stopping and walking for a while, but then I thought how ridiculous that would look on a 1 mile race. I somehow scaled the hill, got behind another straggler and got through the finish. It was painful, but it was a 6:46 PR.

I never thought a 1 mile race could be this draining. I felt tired for the rest of the day, but fortunately pain-free. I adjusted my plan for Sunday from going for a half-marathon PR to surviving and finishing under the 4 hour cut-off time.

Did I do that? Read on Episode 2 of this epic series.