Beautiful Day

Friday night, on the way home from work, a co-worker invited me to have a drink. I knew I shouldn't.  I knew I would regret it come the next morning, as it would make exponentially greater the odds I would blow off the race.  Or, if I actually did it, run poorly.  But, it was Friday, after a long week...Ok what the heck?  But I knew I was going to regret it.

Saturday morning rolled around, and at 6 a.m., I really, really did not feel like running.  But I slogged out of bed, got geared up (which thankfully I had fully laid out all the clothes and gear the night before), and got out the door.

And what a morning it was!  Crystal clear blue sky, about 50 degrees, sunny.  Absolutely gorgeous weather.  When we moved last year, we also bought another car, and since it was my car, the one I drive on weekends, I bought a sports car I always wanted. (Its a convertible, and about 15 years old, but still really fun.  And incredibly impractical but that is another subject.) And that was the car I hopped into to drive to Central Park for the race.  Driving down the Hudson river, top down, U2's Beautiful Day came on.  And you know what?  Bono was right: it really was a beautiful day.

This race was huge (almost 8000 people finished).  As we were lined up, I saw the big CNN sign on Central Park South:  55 degrees.  Wow, and the field was absolutely world class, but I never saw them -- I was in the second corral, and lets just say the leaders went out a little faster than me.

At any rate, I finished with a 48:40, with an average pace of 7:51, Age Grade of 60.17%. (Yeah for 60%+AG!)  I was extraordinarily pleased.  I wanted to vomit a couple times, and really regretted those drinks with a co-worker.  And the bottle of wine with dinner.  I so wanted to stop, but was doing ok.  Finally, at mile 5, I walked through a water stop, and that was only time I stopped.  I needed the break, the water, everything.  My heart rate was OK, but sheesh my stomach and head sure were spinning.  (even that mile ended up at 8:12, so was basically ok.)  I was very, very happy at the end. 

Overall Place:  1702
Gender Place:   1443
Age Place:   183
AG:               60.17%

As I was walking back to my car -- parked down the street, about 50 yards from my first NYC apartment that I moved into 20 years ago -- I saw a woman with a T shirt that said "Smile.  Breathe Deeply.  Enjoy the Moment."

Indeed, exactly.