NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10k

This weekend I ran my 2nd 10k with my friends Brad and Jillian.  I was super excited for two reasons: 1) it was my first 9+1 race for the 2013 NYC Marathon, and 2) it was the same course as my upcoming half marathon in Central Park.

So excited.

I'm pretty new to running, so I'm always surprised to see how many runners show up at a race.  Who are these people?  And why did I join the cool wake up early and run club so late?

So many runners.

I had a great race.  I ran with Jill the whole time, and we beasted Central Park's hills.  Jill sprinted up a hill around mile 4 and I got really nervous that I was going to fall behind and have to finish alone.  We finished together though, PRing with a time of 1:00:25, 9:45 miles. 

After the race, I was so thirsty that I drank some of this weirdly brown water they were handing out. 

Gross

We felt so great that we planned to run another 6 to make 12 for our long run.  A mile in, our legs were dragging and our stomachs rumbling, so we ditched that plan and headed over to peacefood.

Me and my sweaty friends.

This race was really well organized, and I'm pumped to do the same course in 2 weeks for the Manhattan half!

Looking back on 2011

2011 was a big year. I started my first full time job, moved to a new town, and ran my first races. In January, I signed up for Philly's Broad Street Run, and soon my goal was to run 5 races in 2011. Mission accomplished.

Here's my 2011 race recap:

Cupid's Chase 5k Stone Harbor - 2/12/11
PR 30:31 - 9:49 pace
My friend Jill and I wanted to run a shorter race before Broad Street, and no, we didn't have other plans for Valentine's Day Weekend. After zealous carb loading Saturday, we ran a respectable first race and more importantly, got our new favorite long sleeve shirts.

Jill says we look awkward but I don't care.

Dash for Organ & Tissue Donor Awareness 10k - 4/17/11
PR 1:02:25 - 10:02 pace
Hey another PR! Being a beginner is fun.

Broad Street Run - 5/1/11
PR 1:47:45 - 10:46 pace
This was the race that turned my friends and I into runners. I learned a lot of painful lessons that day - don't go out too fast, don't eat a fiber bar the morning of a race... I hit a wall around mile 7, but it was a good lesson in pacing.

Where's the bathroom?

Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon - 9/18/11
2:36:50 - 11:58 pace
Yeah, I know, I got slow. Over the summer, I was moving and starting a new job. I avoided running by telling myself it was too hot. My pace was slow for me but hey, it's easier to improve upon a slow time, right? The race was still a lot of fun, partly because I convinced my friends to wear neon animal print bandanas.

We're about to run 13.1 miles!

SunTrust Richmond Half Marathon - 11/12/11
PR 2:18:56 - 10:36 pace
Richmond really is the friendliest half marathon. The spectators and volunteers were so encouraging. I felt like I got my pacing right and finished the race strong - maybe because I actually stuck to my training plan this time. I felt so great, in fact, that I thought, "Hey you should run a marathon!"

Brad and I glowing from PRing.

I never thought that I would love running this much. A year ago, I literally couldn't finish my 4 mile long run. Now I'm training for a marathon. My first year of racing was a success - here's to another great year!