The Bronx Half Marathon 2010

The adventure that was this race was not so much the race itself, but GETTING to the race! There is no parking in the Bronx. None. I ended up parking 1.5 miles from the start and began a long hike, all the while needing the bathroom very, very badly, but all the stores were closed because it was 6:00 AM!

While hiking, I suddenly hear my name being called! It's a friend from the neighborhood, heading towards the race. I hop in the car and he gets me to the start, and by now, the need for the facilities is an emergency. I get in the porta-potty line, but it's 25 deep, and I'm not going to make it.

I always have TP with me, and I start looking for cracks in fences around the rail yards, hoping for some luck. Then I spot an apartment building, run over, and beg the doorman to let me use a bathroom. He obliges. Pshew!

Now the race:

My goal for the day was 2:10, or 10:00 per mile. Anything less would be unacceptable. Anything better would be gravy. If I was doing well, my goal would be 2:03:50, or 9:30 per mile. If I was doing really, really well I'd hope for 2:00, and if I was doing really, really REALLY well, I'd gun for 1:57, or 9:00 per mile.

Miles 1-7 I rotated between 8:10s, 8:30s and 8:50s, depending on the duration of the looooooooong uphills and my waterstop breaks.

Miles 8-13 I all kept under 9:47. At mile 9, I looked at the clock and thought to myself, "Hey, I could take a nap on the asphalt right now and still come in WAY under 2:10! I gotta MAKE something of this!" So despite an uphill, I ran mile 10 25 seconds faster than mile 9.

At mile 13 I spotted Mariska Hargitay on the sidelines (Detective Benson on L&O:SVU), which was interesting.Then the music started and the cheering got going and my legs picked up (And I thought "Where you all been till now? It's lonely out there!") and I vroomed over the finish line at 1:58:17, 9:02 per mile. My fastest 1/2 marathon in 3 years. I did the first half in 57 minutes, the second half in 61 minutes. No blisters or physical fatigue. I am becoming the machine I want to be. I'm in good shape, and am going to have a great marathon in November.

P.S. I'm now over 200 miles for the year.