As you can probably see, the code is ACTFAST. This is the link. Offer ends May 27th, so take advantage, bargain hunters.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
DEALWATCH: Xterra Wetsuit Sale - May 2013
I've noticed that a lot of traffic here comes from people looking for deals on Xterra wetsuits. I used to be a lot better about posting those coupon codes, but I'll admit I haven't paid much attention recently. Anyway, I found one in my email. Here, have a coupon code!
As you can probably see, the code is ACTFAST. This is the link. Offer ends May 27th, so take advantage, bargain hunters.
As you can probably see, the code is ACTFAST. This is the link. Offer ends May 27th, so take advantage, bargain hunters.
Race Report - Brooklyn Half Marathon
Look at me, posting things on time and stuff.
The race was great. Big, but great. I woke up at 4:30, showered, walked Phoebe and got my race bag ready. In retrospect, I didn't really need the bag. I'd originally planned to change into regular clothes but there wasn't much point in the end.
I headed to the subway around 5:20, which should have been plenty of time except for a couple of things. First, I had to wait for a train for 20-30 minutes. Second, I took the F instead of the D, which left me on the wrong corner of the park. I got off the subway around 6:05, a little nervous because I realized I was almost 1.5 miles away from bag check with only 15 minutes before it closed. I ran it and got my bag into the truck just as the doors were closing.
I scrambled to my corral as it closed, around 6:30. It was pretty standard from there. We stood around for the next half hour as various officials spoke to the crowd and a rousing rendition of the national anthem was sung. Finally, the race started and I crossed the mat around 12 minutes in.
I started faster than I anticipated, with my first mile coming in just under 8 minutes. This wouldn't have necessarily been bad, I was just worried that I'd go out too fast too soon. Maybe I shouldn't have worried about it, but hindsight is 20/20. I did the first few miles around 8 minutes. The first 3 miles were around Prospect Park, the next 4 or so inside it. As we exited the park we crossed the 7 mile marker.
Most of the rest of the race was down Ocean Parkway, before finally ending on the Coney Island boardwalk. I struggled a little bit toward the end of the race, but still managed a decent time of 1:47:39. Not my best, but certainly not my worst. Afterward, I met up with Jeremy, Amortya, Giri, Hua and Russ (first half for both of them!) and a few other friends for beer. It was a great morning! Gotta hand it to NYRR for making this a superb race.
Also, Amortya ran a 1:39:53, Jeremy ran 1:41 and Giri 1:19. It's awesome to be in such great company.
Still to come: Long Island Marathon recap and BQ plan. Have a great weekend, and congrats to everyone who finished!
The race was great. Big, but great. I woke up at 4:30, showered, walked Phoebe and got my race bag ready. In retrospect, I didn't really need the bag. I'd originally planned to change into regular clothes but there wasn't much point in the end.
I headed to the subway around 5:20, which should have been plenty of time except for a couple of things. First, I had to wait for a train for 20-30 minutes. Second, I took the F instead of the D, which left me on the wrong corner of the park. I got off the subway around 6:05, a little nervous because I realized I was almost 1.5 miles away from bag check with only 15 minutes before it closed. I ran it and got my bag into the truck just as the doors were closing.
 |
| It was a pretty train ride |
I scrambled to my corral as it closed, around 6:30. It was pretty standard from there. We stood around for the next half hour as various officials spoke to the crowd and a rousing rendition of the national anthem was sung. Finally, the race started and I crossed the mat around 12 minutes in.
 |
| So many people! |
I started faster than I anticipated, with my first mile coming in just under 8 minutes. This wouldn't have necessarily been bad, I was just worried that I'd go out too fast too soon. Maybe I shouldn't have worried about it, but hindsight is 20/20. I did the first few miles around 8 minutes. The first 3 miles were around Prospect Park, the next 4 or so inside it. As we exited the park we crossed the 7 mile marker.
 |
| Post-race boardwalk |
Most of the rest of the race was down Ocean Parkway, before finally ending on the Coney Island boardwalk. I struggled a little bit toward the end of the race, but still managed a decent time of 1:47:39. Not my best, but certainly not my worst. Afterward, I met up with Jeremy, Amortya, Giri, Hua and Russ (first half for both of them!) and a few other friends for beer. It was a great morning! Gotta hand it to NYRR for making this a superb race.
Also, Amortya ran a 1:39:53, Jeremy ran 1:41 and Giri 1:19. It's awesome to be in such great company.
 |
| Hardware |
Still to come: Long Island Marathon recap and BQ plan. Have a great weekend, and congrats to everyone who finished!
Friday, May 17, 2013
On the Eve of the Brooklyn Half
2013 Edition
As usual, I'm behind on my posts. I decided to stay ahead of the curve with this one, though. Tomorrow is the Brooklyn Half Marathon, which is one of my very favorite races. This will be the third time I've run it, after 2009 and last year.
I'm little bit uncertain about how I'd feel about the whole affair this year because the race is enormous. I think there are almost 40,000 people running it. It truly seems like most every runner in New York City is running this race. Normally I have no problem with large races, but something about the explosive growth of this one made me uncomfortable.
My fears were slightly assuaged on Wednesday, when I went to pick up my bib. The "Pre-Race Party" (aka race expo) was in a neighborhood called Dumbo that's underneath the Brooklyn side of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges. I have to give NYRR a lot of credit, it was a great event. The expo itself had a number of cool activities and displays, not to mention the usual collection of gear for sale. Outside of that, though, they set up a legitimate beer garden, complete with food, live music, and of course, beer.
I ran there after work and met Amortya. Hua and Russ rode their bikes and met us there not too long after. I saw three or four other people I know, which only served as further confirmation that this really is a very small community, numbers aside.
So I suppose, until tomorrow, the jury is still out on whether or not this race can maintain its charm while accommodating tens of thousands of runners more than usual. If Wednesday was any indication, it might be a little bigger, but perhaps no less charming, intimate and enjoyable than ever.
 |
| My view from the Pre-Race Party |
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Runners Are The Best Company
This weekend brought two occasions in which I had the pleasure of meeting and enjoying the fine company of several runners. I'll recount one here and save one as part of my Long Island Marathon race report.
Saturday, I attended the last JackRabbit long run in preparation for the Brooklyn Half coming up in a couple of weeks. The last two weekends, I've done (read: tried to do) these runs at a faster pace than I typically do long runs (8:00, 8:30 mins/mile).
For better or worse, my MO is to commit to as many non-conflicting events as possible in order to ensure that I'm motivated to get out and be productive. This life strategy can backfire sometimes (read: often). For example, this weekend, I knew I had the Long Island Marathon on Sunday. I think most people would avoid doing a long run prior to a marathon. I could be wrong, but I can also see how someone would make the case that it's common sense.
But you know what? I signed up for that long run and I intended to follow through. Plus, attendance at all three runs resulted in a free tech shirt. So whether because of principles or the allure of free crap, I saddled myself with two days of heavy running.
BUT...I did strategize a little bit and planned to run the 12 miles in Prospect Park at a 10 minute pace instead of 8:30 hoping it would have little or no impact on Sunday's marathon. I'll talk about that more in my Long Island Marathon race report. For now, I'll focus on my experience during the training run.
First, it was nice running at a slower pace because it's much easier to socialize. Before the group separated a bit, I was able to talk about races, marathons, people's experiences, hear what running clubs they belonged to. It was great.
After awhile, the group did spread out and I spent most of the run with two other women in the pace group. One was a pace group leader and the other was actually from a slower pace group who just caught up with us. The pace group leader (marathon PR: 3:17) regaled us with stories of her time running high school track and cross country. I can say from experience that the best pace group leaders are entertaining AND precise with their timing. This was no exception.
Only on rare occasions do I remember 12 miles going as quickly as it did Saturday. Simply put, running with those two was a pleasure. We all had things to say and conversation flowed freely and in all directions. We talked about a broad spectrum of topics from running to traveling abroad and some as complex as cultural identity.
At the end of the run, I didn't get their contact information and I only vaguely remember their names. But even as I left and acknowledged this oversight, I wasn't too fazed. As a runner, I keep faith that I'll run into the friends I've made (no pun intended) somewhere along the way.
Saturday, I attended the last JackRabbit long run in preparation for the Brooklyn Half coming up in a couple of weeks. The last two weekends, I've done (read: tried to do) these runs at a faster pace than I typically do long runs (8:00, 8:30 mins/mile).
For better or worse, my MO is to commit to as many non-conflicting events as possible in order to ensure that I'm motivated to get out and be productive. This life strategy can backfire sometimes (read: often). For example, this weekend, I knew I had the Long Island Marathon on Sunday. I think most people would avoid doing a long run prior to a marathon. I could be wrong, but I can also see how someone would make the case that it's common sense.
But you know what? I signed up for that long run and I intended to follow through. Plus, attendance at all three runs resulted in a free tech shirt. So whether because of principles or the allure of free crap, I saddled myself with two days of heavy running.
BUT...I did strategize a little bit and planned to run the 12 miles in Prospect Park at a 10 minute pace instead of 8:30 hoping it would have little or no impact on Sunday's marathon. I'll talk about that more in my Long Island Marathon race report. For now, I'll focus on my experience during the training run.
First, it was nice running at a slower pace because it's much easier to socialize. Before the group separated a bit, I was able to talk about races, marathons, people's experiences, hear what running clubs they belonged to. It was great.
After awhile, the group did spread out and I spent most of the run with two other women in the pace group. One was a pace group leader and the other was actually from a slower pace group who just caught up with us. The pace group leader (marathon PR: 3:17) regaled us with stories of her time running high school track and cross country. I can say from experience that the best pace group leaders are entertaining AND precise with their timing. This was no exception.
Only on rare occasions do I remember 12 miles going as quickly as it did Saturday. Simply put, running with those two was a pleasure. We all had things to say and conversation flowed freely and in all directions. We talked about a broad spectrum of topics from running to traveling abroad and some as complex as cultural identity.
At the end of the run, I didn't get their contact information and I only vaguely remember their names. But even as I left and acknowledged this oversight, I wasn't too fazed. As a runner, I keep faith that I'll run into the friends I've made (no pun intended) somewhere along the way.
Friday, April 26, 2013
The Spirit of the (Boston) Marathon
"If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon."
-Kathrine Switzer
Of all the things I've read and seen in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings, this quote stands out a bit. For all the truth it conveyed before the horror that took place on April 15, Kathrine Switzer's message seems ever more meaningful and true now, as Boston and the rest of the world heal from this tragedy.
It's hard to even find words that adequately describe the impact the bombings have had. First and foremost, the memory of those lives lost in the tragedy, Martin Richard, Lingzi Lu, Sean Collier and Krystle Campbell will be forever mourned and cherished not only by their immediate family and friends, but by an entire nation. In addition, we hope and pray that those who were injured heal quickly, and we have faith that they'll recover better and stronger than ever before.
We've also seen incredible resilience, grace, and generosity in the city of Boston, the running community and humanity at large. From bystanders who rushed to help the injured to residents across Massachusetts offering all they could to help displaced runners in the aftermath, it's clear that the good in this world heavily outweighs the evil perpetrated by a few individuals and it always will.
Now, nearly two weeks later, Boston has begun picking up the pieces of a reality that was shattered by two cowards with little regard for human life. The pieces already coming together beautifully, into something new that's brilliant and strong, if more somber than before. Boston has opened up Boylston Avenue and a makeshift memorial has been erected. From what I can tell, it's a beautiful tribute to the victims of the attack and the city itself.
 |
| The cover of Boston Magazine's May issue |
Next year's Boston Marathon will be the most beautiful, stirring display of human nature I can imagine. I get choked up over any marathon, so I can only surmise that one so filled with heart and meaning will not be something to be missed. Whether I participate by running or cheering, I don't intend to miss it.
#BostonStrong
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Introspection on the Runner's Code
Jeremy and I once debated a philosophy of Ayn Rand which is called “rational self-interest.” From a Wikipedia article (refrain from judging my source), “According to Rand, a rational man holds his own life as his highest value, rationality as his highest virtue, and his happiness as the final purpose of his life.” She speaks out relatively vehemently about the concept of altruism for its own sake, believing that its practice, selflessness, belies an actual lack of self.
I was not onboard with this at all when we first discussed it. I suppose I refused to reason through the philosophy and stubbornly viewed it in different terms, as a condemnation of selflessness. I was brought up Catholic and this seemed absolutely antithetical to everything I believed about human beings and their obligations to each other. Admittedly, the jury is still out on my Catholic upbringing versus this intellectual view on morality. They’re not mutually exclusive of one another but they’re also not completely compatible.
As usual, I digress. The longer I’ve been part of the endurance sport community, the more strongly I’ve come to believe that we do have obligations to one another as members of the community. But these obligations don’t represent a lack or absence of self, they enhance self. They are an extension of ourselves. Cheering people on at races, running with them, helping someone avoid all the mistakes I’ve made in my own amateur career. Doing those things makes me happy and maximizes my joy. And those that might benefit from that, in turn, put their own joy back into the community. Maybe, depending on the context, selfless and selfish actions can be the same things.
I thought about all this after last weekend, when a number of my friends ran their first races. Being able to watch them (and people I didn’t even know) run was the best thing about the whole weekend, even though I ran my own PR. I mentioned this to my own friend and running mentor, Sharon, who I’m sure had her own running mentor and she said something like “we all pass it along.”
Maybe that’s the endurance athlete’s moral code. It’s some hybrid of rational selfishness and self-sacrifice. It’s an elevation of self that comes from giving back at least as much as we’ve been given along the road.
I was not onboard with this at all when we first discussed it. I suppose I refused to reason through the philosophy and stubbornly viewed it in different terms, as a condemnation of selflessness. I was brought up Catholic and this seemed absolutely antithetical to everything I believed about human beings and their obligations to each other. Admittedly, the jury is still out on my Catholic upbringing versus this intellectual view on morality. They’re not mutually exclusive of one another but they’re also not completely compatible.
As usual, I digress. The longer I’ve been part of the endurance sport community, the more strongly I’ve come to believe that we do have obligations to one another as members of the community. But these obligations don’t represent a lack or absence of self, they enhance self. They are an extension of ourselves. Cheering people on at races, running with them, helping someone avoid all the mistakes I’ve made in my own amateur career. Doing those things makes me happy and maximizes my joy. And those that might benefit from that, in turn, put their own joy back into the community. Maybe, depending on the context, selfless and selfish actions can be the same things.
I thought about all this after last weekend, when a number of my friends ran their first races. Being able to watch them (and people I didn’t even know) run was the best thing about the whole weekend, even though I ran my own PR. I mentioned this to my own friend and running mentor, Sharon, who I’m sure had her own running mentor and she said something like “we all pass it along.”
Maybe that’s the endurance athlete’s moral code. It’s some hybrid of rational selfishness and self-sacrifice. It’s an elevation of self that comes from giving back at least as much as we’ve been given along the road.
Monday, March 18, 2013
My First Sub-4 Marathon
In the days before Rock 'n' Roll USA, I came to the full realization that it's been almost a year and a half since I last ran a proper marathon. I momentarily wondered if it was possible that I'd forgotten what running a marathon entailed, but I quickly came to the conclusion that I hadn't. If anything, I'd supplanted that knowledge and experience with a better, broader spectrum of each.
I think I proved myself mostly right. And I'm sure it didn't hurt that this was my seventh marathon. At this point in my endurance career, marathons are, well, fun. I went into this one with a sort of serenity that I've never had before a marathon. My goal was to run a sub-4 hour marathon. Normally, it takes a lot of mental discipline not to let the weight of my goals bring down my psyche. Not this time. I went into it knowing I could run a sub-4. I had no qualms about my ability to do it and understood that all I had to do was make it happen.
As usual, I didn't get much sleep the night before and I kept Amortya and our gracious friend Shivani from getting any either because I arrived in DC at almost 2am. We woke up at 5, got ready, and headed for the start around 6. Upon arrival, I used the restroom (glad I did it when I did because the lines grew obscenely long very quickly), we checked a bag, and headed to the corrals. My corral was 15 and Amortya's was 19 but I really wanted to find the 4:00 pace group. After unsuccessfully trying to locate my friend Eric, we milled about the corral area trying to locate the pace leader. Finally, just as the gun was about to go off, we spotted the sign in the corral behind us.
The 4:00 marathon pace group and the 2:00 half marathon pace group started the race together, so it was nice to have a big group to stick with. Around mile 7 (I think), Amortya split off to use the bathroom and I continued on. Not long after, I pulled ahead of the pace group against my better judgment. I balanced my fear of going out too fast by remembering my Baltimore Marathon experience and trusting in my ability to run my own race.
The race was very large from the beginning to about mile 12, which is where the half marathon runners split off to their finish. I thought it would be helpful when the crowd thinned out but found that I actually lost my sense of pace a little bit. Being surrounded by runners turned out to be easier for me to deal with than the comparative desolation of my new, sparse surroundings.
After a couple miles, though, I found my way again and was happy to reach mile 16, at which point it became a countdown from 10. By 20, the race was taking its toll and I felt myself slowing down. But never did it occur to me to stop or ease up. I was taking it one mile at a time and calculating what time I could expect to see on my watch at the next mile marker by doing 9 minute miles. 3:00, 3:09, 3:18, 3:27, 3:36, 3:45, 3:54 were my last milestones. Though I knew I was slowing, I'd built up a couple minutes' lead before that last hour and just kept telling myself I needed to go fast enough to still hit those times. I hit all of them and sailed in at 3:55:26. I even managed a good kick.
It showed me how much tougher I've become mentally since the last time I ran a marathon. Between 2012 in 2012, training for and completing the Ironman, it was probably inevitable. Still, this might have been the first time I fully appreciated how far I've come. From beginning to end, I approached this marathon differently than any other, as a significantly better and stronger runner.
Amortya also ran a sub-4 and it was his first marathon! This is only the beginning for him and I expect that he's got many, faster marathons in him. Kudos, good sir!
After the race we met up with Shivani for post-race, pre-St. Patrick's Day shenanigans before catching the bus back to NYC in the evening. Great day!
I think I proved myself mostly right. And I'm sure it didn't hurt that this was my seventh marathon. At this point in my endurance career, marathons are, well, fun. I went into this one with a sort of serenity that I've never had before a marathon. My goal was to run a sub-4 hour marathon. Normally, it takes a lot of mental discipline not to let the weight of my goals bring down my psyche. Not this time. I went into it knowing I could run a sub-4. I had no qualms about my ability to do it and understood that all I had to do was make it happen.
As usual, I didn't get much sleep the night before and I kept Amortya and our gracious friend Shivani from getting any either because I arrived in DC at almost 2am. We woke up at 5, got ready, and headed for the start around 6. Upon arrival, I used the restroom (glad I did it when I did because the lines grew obscenely long very quickly), we checked a bag, and headed to the corrals. My corral was 15 and Amortya's was 19 but I really wanted to find the 4:00 pace group. After unsuccessfully trying to locate my friend Eric, we milled about the corral area trying to locate the pace leader. Finally, just as the gun was about to go off, we spotted the sign in the corral behind us.
 |
| Thank you, pace group leader! |
The race was very large from the beginning to about mile 12, which is where the half marathon runners split off to their finish. I thought it would be helpful when the crowd thinned out but found that I actually lost my sense of pace a little bit. Being surrounded by runners turned out to be easier for me to deal with than the comparative desolation of my new, sparse surroundings.
After a couple miles, though, I found my way again and was happy to reach mile 16, at which point it became a countdown from 10. By 20, the race was taking its toll and I felt myself slowing down. But never did it occur to me to stop or ease up. I was taking it one mile at a time and calculating what time I could expect to see on my watch at the next mile marker by doing 9 minute miles. 3:00, 3:09, 3:18, 3:27, 3:36, 3:45, 3:54 were my last milestones. Though I knew I was slowing, I'd built up a couple minutes' lead before that last hour and just kept telling myself I needed to go fast enough to still hit those times. I hit all of them and sailed in at 3:55:26. I even managed a good kick.
It showed me how much tougher I've become mentally since the last time I ran a marathon. Between 2012 in 2012, training for and completing the Ironman, it was probably inevitable. Still, this might have been the first time I fully appreciated how far I've come. From beginning to end, I approached this marathon differently than any other, as a significantly better and stronger runner.
Amortya also ran a sub-4 and it was his first marathon! This is only the beginning for him and I expect that he's got many, faster marathons in him. Kudos, good sir!
After the race we met up with Shivani for post-race, pre-St. Patrick's Day shenanigans before catching the bus back to NYC in the evening. Great day!
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