Newport 10k, May 9, 2009

Heh heh heh we have to run in only a minute or two...
Originally uploaded by moosicalmath

"I hate math" was a constant declaration of mine as a child. Then I became a math major.

"I hate running" was another frequent statement of mine. Then I went and ran a 10k. And smiled. Most of the way.

After spending about two years "training" for a 5k (3.1 miles), I finally ran one. Then I thought, "hmmm, that's not so bad. I could do more!" So, I started training for a 10k (6.2 miles). As I love to do stuff with people, I convinced Luc to train for his first 10k, too! Audrey, our marathoner friend, needed very little convincing to join us, and Meg, our amazing in general friend, offered to drive, cheer, photograph, and sherpa for us!

We drove up to Jersey City, NJ, for the Newport 10k bright and early (6am early). We got nervous. Really nervous. We signed in, got our numbers and free (sweet long-sleeve tech) tshirts, jogged a bit to warm up, and bopped around with nervous energy.

Finally, it was almost time!! Time for a pre-race cheer, that is:
GOOOOO...

...TEEEEAAAMMMM!!!!


Finally, soon after 8:30am, we were OFF!


This is right after Audrey ditched us, and right before Luc ditched me:


I set into my rhythm, once the crowd thinned out, pleased that there were in fact a lot of people staying behind me. There was so much excitement and so much to watch, that I didn't even get a little bored. I kept pace with mostly the same group of runners the whole way, and enjoyed passing people who started out too fast and had to stop to walk. :P I didn't have to walk at all!

My first mile was 9:19, and three miles 28:52--the fastest I've timed myself. :)

Meg staked out the 3 mile marker, but sadly only Luc noticed her there. She did get each of us going by!




We ran through sketchy, run-down neighborhoods with dirty mechanics leering at us on the corner and pretty, flowered neighborhoods with father and babies smiling at us from porches; we ran over the highway and industrial buildings; we ran by rows of cars held back by police officers until the 650ish runners made it through the intersections.

The best view though, was on the last 1.5 miles. [Thankfully. One needs a good view then. Then one is only running because one WILL NOT STOP. (One wants to blog about how one didn't stop.)] We ran along the pier and looked across the water to Manhattan. It was just gorgeous.

Meg set up camp at the finish line...and watched Audrey breeze in with 43:38:


Luc fist pump in at 50:54:


And me stroll in at 1:00:39:


YAAAY WE DID IT!!!


THANKS MEG!


One reason to love races: there's FREE FOOD afterward. We munched on the best bagels and bananas ever, drank water, and sipped...beer. Strange drink for post-race, but they only served it in 1/5 cup sizes, and that was even too much. Water's the way to go.

Then, there were the prizes. The top male ran it in 28:53, 4:39 min/mile pace. He was from Kenya. The top female ran it in 32:19, 5:12 min/mile pace. She was from Ukraine. Crazy people.

The big surprise and excitement of the day: AUDREY GOT 3RD PLACE IN HER AGE GROUP!!! (In the open level section--the registered 'elite' runners didn't count. She was 7th overall in her age group.) YAAAY!!!


Whew. We had a TERRIFIC time, and are pumped for our next adventure!


I guess the moral of the story is, if I hate something, give me a few years--then I will passionately embrace it.