Wish I was at the Pool

Did not go to the pool this Sunday. I had an appointment with 13.1miles of asphalts in the Bronx.

I was for some reason anxious about this race. I did not goes to the race course and have a look of the course before the race. I have never been in that part of the Bronx before but I know it would be a challenge. For one thing, running on city streets is very my favorite part of any any race. The Bronx Half-Marathon called for going down a large parkway, 3 time, back up and around a small reservoir twice, and down a very large street in the Bronx called the Grand Concourse. The weatherman predict bad weather and high wind. I don't know what to expect when I wake up at 4 on Sunday Morning, but I know it would not be a relaxing run.

I get my sick sister, and my mother to drive with me up to the Bronx. I stopped by my parents place at 5:30AM, and my sister drove. No traffic at all that early in the morning so we get there by 6:20AM. Number and chip picks up was not till 7AM, and the race at 8AM so we are a bit early. After driving around the general area for a good 30minutes we find a place that is not off limit because of the race. We end up parking very close to the race start and finished.

We walked around to the starting line, and then back to the car. While we were siting in the car I putted ignition of accessory(this is important later) to listen to the radio. It was on for 15minutes when some passerby/runners walk by and told us that the car headlights are on. I turned off the ignition, but was afraid that there may be problem. Since I can't do anything about it at the time, I did not brought it up.

Anyway. We sate in the car for a good 30 minutes waiting for the race to start, with my sister, who may be coming down with a bad case of the flu. Probably not wise on my part or my sister.

I started the race off strong. The sun was out, and the wind were light. I actually manage a 7.4minute mile for the first mile, and a 14 minutes at my second miles. Since I have never walk the course before, every turn was a surprise. I feel fine till I come down the Grand Concourse. There is no wind protection at all come down the broad avenue. I started to feel pain on my right hip and knee. I was surprised because usually it my left knee that take me out of the race.

The wind as blowing very strong as we come down a sturdy incline. The wind make come down the hill difficult, so I was not looking forward going back up hill. At we bottom out and come back up hill, the wind was blowing so hard that at time I thought I was not moving at all, or adjusting my steps to prevent my self from being blow side way. At the 8Miles, I realized that I may have problem with my right leg. I try to pick up speed at the Grand Concourse turnaround, and feel a shape pain on my hip, and my knee not bending as much as I run. I know at that moment that the best I can do is make the finish line, even if it would take longer then I like.

The last 3 miles were painful. I did not feel this much burns on my legs for a while. I manage to come in at 1 hours and 44 minutes. 5 Minutes longer the my last half marathon, and 15 minutes off my best half marathon time of 1h29miutes.

I did not find my sister and my mother at the finish line so I find my way to the car. The car was parked at on side of a four side open field, and I know that the car is not on two of those side because I just ran it to get to the finish line but I still follow the crowded to the wrong end. When I finally get to the car, my sister get out of the car and told me that the car won't start. I was afraid of that - oop. The headlights that I have left on while using the radio runned down the battery. We were lucky that one of the other runner one car away from us have a jumper cable. All we have to do is push the car out so that we can be engine to engine so that we can hook it up. I try to pushed the car by myself, but there is a bit of a down slope into the curb so it was hard. A couple of other runners saw us trying to push the car, and over to help. They make quick work of the car, and the I get a jumped. We were on our way to getting lost on the way home. GPS do not walk under elevated railway track.

I thought I can just goes on with my day like my last half-marathon but I was just out of it. Instead hanging out with my parents, I drove home, and take a hot bath. I get into bed by 3PM, planning on a short nap, but I end up not getting up till 8AM on Monday.

Should have spend Sunday rolling in a heated pool.