A cough and a PR

I am back from Mexico.  I cried when I left.  It was an amazing birthday celebration with even more amazing friends and the vacation high still lingers several days later...

I owe pictures, but first - I have exciting news (for me).

I ran my first NYC road race this morning - the "City Parks Foundation Run for the Parks".  I joined the New York Road Runners club a couple of weeks ago and this was the first road race I could register for.  I haven't entered a race since I left Wisconsin last fall so it was time to get back in the game.  This was a 4 miles race in Central Park on a path I know very well.

It was also my first race in my new age bracket...F40-44.  (gulp)

The course was PACKED.  Someone said there were 20,000 runners.  The results show 7,000 finishers.  It took 8 minutes to actually cross the start line.  Central Park is not really as big as a lot of people might think, so honestly, it was hard to get going and even harder to find space to run.

In addition, I have bronchitis as a result of a sinus infection, so despite the fact that I have been training for speed this winter...I knew this race would be a crap shoot.  I am on day 5 of a z-pack and yet the nagging cough lingers on.  I popped a Halls before the race and hoped for the best.

I PR'ed.

Average Pace: 8:40

Total Time: 34:38

There are a lot of people faster than me.  But 8:40?  That is fast FOR me.  My goal is sub-8's.  Anything in the 7 minute range would make me ecstatic...but given that I struggled to breathe for most of the race, I will take this as a sign the training is working.

I'm back at it next Sunday for another 4 mile race.  I am hoping I am feeling a lot closer to 100% so I can really test my training.

In the meantime, I have never seen 8:40s in my entire life.  This is a happy day!

I think it may have something to do with how coincidentally my nail polish color matched my arm sleeves (necessary for this chilly morning run)

At any rate, it feels so incredibly good to work so hard and actually see progress!

I really didn't plan this...

That's right -  a PR!