the first run! (but not at practice)

so yesterday morning, practice began...but i had a different run to tackle.

in order to automatically qualify for the nyc marathon next year, as a member of ny road runners, i have to complete 9 nyrr races this year. being somewhat of...well, frankly, a last minute sally when it comes to things in my own life, i waited until the end of october to check to see if my nyrr membership was still valid. it was...and i had 5 more races to run. oh, and look, there were only 5 races of doable distance that would work. grrr. they were:

Poland Spring™ Marathon Kickoff - Sunday, October 28 / 5 miles • 8:00 a.m
Race to Deliver / Kids Races - Sunday, November 18 / 4M • 10:00 a.m.
NYRR Hot Chocolate 15K - Saturday, December 1 / 15K • 9:30 a.m.
NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K - Sunday, December 9 / 10K (6.2M) • 9:30 a.m.
NYRR Holiday 4-Mile / Kids Play Party - Saturday, December 15 / 4M • 9:30 a.m.


i ran the first two with little issue, but i was really very nervous about yesterday. 15k is 9.3 miles. the longest i've run of late was 5, and that was a while ago. i had promised myself i'd get up to at least 7 before this race and suffer out the other two, but i've had a number of distractions lately, some more enjoyable than others, that managed to cut into my running time, so i was going to have to suffer through.

it doesn't matter what time you get in these races, just so long as you finish in the official time. so i bribed my sister to run with me. yes, she took that bribe for a measly brunch, the silly one. in hindsight, what i should have done was have her meet me after i ran the first 5...but yeah. as it worked out she was with me for the whole thing.

friday night was a friend's birthday and it went later than i like to be out when i have to run significant mileage, so i wasn't really feeling all that great about it. in fact i was downright nervous and the nerves were making me cranky. my boy...hmm, he's gonna need a nick name, isn't he?...i guess we'll go with one of his, sweder, well, he was a doll and got me cliff bars and water and let me be a cranky brat for a bit before getting me to bed.

i got up at 7:45, threw on the clothes and shuddered at the sound of the wind rattling everything around outside. it was cold, and i was not as equipped as i should be for running in that weather. when i was gathering my things, i couldn't find my hat...or my running gloves...sigh.

i headed over to roadrunners where there was a line of people at least 40 deep waiting to pick up their numbers. after being cattled in and out, i headed to the park to meet my sis, who looked much warmer and grouchier than myself.

i opted for wearing my sweatshirt over my two running layers because it was so cold, so i got all situated with my numbers and bags and we lined up with the other 4000 + people.

to make a long time short...my sister and i ended up running the first 5 miles, then we walked for two, then i run walked the last two. it was not so painful while it was going on...of course, my sister's grousing definitely distracted from my own aches and pains. while it took an awful long time, and i walked a good amount of it, i had a definite sense of accomplishment at the end of it all, despite the freezing cold.

and the my sister and i stuffed our faces on mac 'n' cheese and omelettes afterwards...as promised.

today's miles:: 9.3
miles to date:: 9.3