Why?
Coming into the finish.
1. It is an outstanding race and I just plain had fun. Yes, for me it's a local race but I think it can be fun no matter what. The crowd support is unreal throughout most of the race. The city comes out to support you. People in the neighborhoods you run through provide water, food, watermelon, FREEZER POPS and more. They have bands, signs and just plain hoot and holler to cheer you on. The crowds line the start and Church Street. The finish area is packed. I can't say enough about the feeling in the city when this race is going on.
Darlene and I meeting Deena Kastor at the Expo!
The morning of the race...... at Battery Park.
3. I am slow these days. Truthfully slow. Perhaps when I am all recovered I will put in some harder training but for now it's how it is.
Darlene did the first half and is on her way.
4. As mentioned my knee isn't what it could be.
I waited at Oakledge Park for the Darlene.
5. Any day you race (pretty much) is a good day. I try really hard to be happy about each race I do. I love racing and I try to find the good parts of the races I do. I think I do a fairly good job at this.
Yep, it's a pretty one.
6. There were so many people running this race to be celebrated. I saw a woman with a prosthetic. I saw mentally challenged racers. I saw an older woman being wildly cheered by her daughters. There are people who do the 5 person relay with shorter legs who ordinarily wouldn't be involved in a marathon. The cyclists/wheelchair athletes are highly celebrated on a hard course. Quite simply so many people are so happy.
Coming into the finish at the Waterfront.
7. The course is beautiful. The bike path is one of my happy places and here I was racing on it.
8. Maybe I'll see one of you here next year.
13 comments:
I read Darlene's recap and it looks like this was a great race for both of you! Wish I lived closer so I could do it with you!
Not every race can be a PB but if we didn't have other reasons why we do it we'd never do any. You've got so many reasons. I'm glad you did it and had such a great time. And two half marathons in consecutive weeks is pretty impressive.
I agree with Char - there are so many good reasons to run a race, besides getting faster every time. So glad you had such an awesome time!
Enjoying the run is the most important part by far.I think the slower we are/get the more enjoyment we get out of our sport.
I have learned to enjoy every single run and if I am slow I can see better the scenery. Glad you had awesome time. Beautiful pics.
Somebody said something to me this weekend about always smiling, and I said something much like you did...I appreciate that I'm able to be out doing these crazy things I never imagined doing. Even if I'd like to do better, getting upset about that seems kind of ungrateful in the big scheme of things.
Looks to me you and Darlene had a lot of fun which is more important than a PB if you ask me.
VCM is at the top of my list. If Chicago goes well, I'd like to do a late spring race and it just might be VCM next year!
My PW was at Madrid...I had trained so hard to go sub 4 and ended up running my worst race after hitting the wall at Mile 20...but I was in Spain! And I was running! So it all worked out ok!
I'm sorry you had a PW but great job on another race under your belt! Your attitude about the race is awesome too!
Loved the race. Thanks for the lodging. Hope you'll invite me back so I can experience the 2nd leg.
I am a long way away from my PBs at the moment, but being slower is definitely a chance to rediscover running for the fun of it.
Congrats to both of you! It's great to hear you ran 33 half marathons. I can understand how hard is this achievement.
Beautiful race report!
33! Wow, that's amazing! And great job! That looks like a really pretty race. I have not run Vermont yet. Is it just the pics - cause I thought VT was mountainous? I'd love to run less hills when doing VT - esp after suffering months of hammy pain!
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