Healthy Kidney 10k and Some Random Stuff

Healthy Kidney 10k in 56:29

(For those of you who just wanna get down to the knitty gritty)

It's not like I've never been to Central Park. I've spent many a day walking the streets around the park. I've just never run there. I was kind of nervous about it. People always talk about the hills there. I wasn't sure how I would handle it, especially since South Jersey is not known for it's hilly terrain. I did do a 7mi long run on a hilly route some weeks ago though. I think it helped.

Anyway, I left work early on Friday. Went to NYC to pick up my race packet. Then stayed at my aunt's in Brooklyn. I didn't have to wake up at the crack of dawn. The A train is right outside and stops at the park. It's about a 30min ride. I snapped a picture before I left. Actually, I took a few, but I'm just showing this one.

I'm actually wearing my Healthy Kidney 10k tech shirt

So I made my way to the porta potties. The lines were not ridiculous at all. But then again, there were like 20,000 less people than my first race. I met a nice lady (I think she was French) who told me about her marathon experience. She had started running in August and ran a marathon in November. Good for her. I could never do it. She also told me where in the park I had to worry about the hills. I lost her after walking to the start. But she was kind enough to snap this picture of me.

So the race starts, and I actually got to jog to the start. During Broad Street, it was so packed we creeped to the start. Then it started to pour. They said rain for that night. The weather man was a little off, as usual. I have to say that the run was a blur. I don't remember too much of it. I don't think. I do remember being stuck behind people that I just couldn't get around. Yes, less people, but also, not as much space to run. Somewhere around mile 2.25, there was a significant hill. And again at around mile 3. Then after that, I couldn't tell you what happened. Garmin started acting a fool, so I had to turn the damn thing off. I need to delete old runs. The memory is full. But the thing is, it usually does that on it's own. It kept telling me to hit enter to delete old runs, but it wouldn't. It just kept yelling at me. I was hoping for pretty graphs and such. I especially wanted to see the elevation. Oh well. So I spent the rest of the run not knowing how fast I was going or how far I had left to go. The mile markers aren't helpful to me at all. I don't know why.

So mile 6 comes around and I'm completely forgetting that the distance is 6.2 and not just 6. I speed up just to find that I had more running to do. That last .2 was just the longest ever. It didn't help that there were signs showing 800m left and 400m left. It took forever. Probably because it was going uphill. Okay, so now the race is done and I was hoping for some Gatorade. I guess Broad Street spoiled me. They just had water. I took two cups. I didn't stop for water during the race. We all know from my first experience that I can't run AND drink out of a cup.

Afterward, I met a nice guy, named Michael who was kind enough to take a picture for me. He introduced me to his wife, Diane. They were a cute couple. I should have taken their picture. Anyway, Diane started running at 40. She's been running for almost 20yrs now. She looks like she's been doing it all her life. That's awesome. That just goes to show that it's never too late. I guess I have a lot to look forward to. Also, Diane calmed my nerves about the BK Half. She told me that if I can handle Central Park hills, then I can handle Prospect Park hills. Good to know. But what isn't good is that my right head of fibula injury made an appearance around mile 4. I'm guessing. Garmin was shut down at this point. So I'm resting a bit. It usually goes away as mysteriously as it came. We shall see. Right now, it's up in the air. If I'm not better, I won't run it, but I will still go to NY because I love it.

I had Michael take another picture. I was looking like who did it and ran.

Okay, so on to random stuff about my weekend.

• During the race, I was running behind this guy wearing a shirt saying, "Life begins at 1938." And he looked every bit of his age. Heck, even older. But what got me is that his lower half was in great shape. He probably had the tightest bum in the park. He must have started running when his mama spit him out.
• I'm trying to understand why I always have to pee before AND after a race. Why isn't one potty break ever enough?
  
• I carried my suitcase up and down way too many steps. My arms are sore. Does running up subway steps with a suitcase count as hills training?
  
• Some dude on the subway asked me to treat him to a cup of coffee. If he was a bum, he was decently dressed. He asked for Starbuck's specifically. Starbuck's? Dude, if you're down and out, why are you asking me to buy you some expensive ass coffee? What bum is sipping Starbuck's? I did question him and told him he needed to drink at Dunkin Donuts instead. Anyway, I didn't buy him a cup. I think he was trying to get his hussle on.
• I will travel from Brooklyn to the Village in the middle of the night for good falafel. It's quicker to go there than some place in Brooklyn anyway. Brooklyn is huge.
  
• I was so spoiled by not having to drive anywhere. I got a rude awakening this morning when I realized that I couldn't drive to work and read my book at the same time. Damn.
• I need to throw an old school house party. My aunt and I were dancing around her apartment to some old school jams. Why don't they make music like they used to anymore?
  
• Regular peanut butter disgusts me. I call myself trying to have a lil something to eat before the race. Since I only eat natural peanut butter, it smelled like whatever hydrogenated oil they use. And it hardly tasted peanuty. I took one bite and tossed it out. I couldn't get the taste off my tongue. It was there during the race too.
• When did white folks move to Bed Stuy? I couldn't help but notice. Ain't nothing wrong with it. I'm just sayin'...black folks can't keep cornrows, dreadlocks, big booties, hip hop or Black men. And now, we're losing the hood too. LOL
• Everyone should check out Milon on First Ave for some good Indian. And the service was AWESOME! My glass was never empty.
  

Me and Kim at Milon

• I was really disappointed with The Organic Grill. I treated myself to brunch after the race. The food looked good but was bland. I had tofu scramble, soy sausage and blueberry pancakes with a cup of chai. I make better chai, tofu scramble, pancakes AND I use a better brand of soy sausage. Oh, and they didn't have real maple syrup. It's been so long since I had that fake syrup crap. But that's the chance you take when you're away from home. Or maybe I'm just a food snob.

• I should set my mp3 player to random play all the time. I've got a lot of good stuff stashed that I haven't listened to until yesterday.
  
• Not too many radio stations are worth listening to, but I love me some Kiss FM.
• What happened to all the cuties? I usually see fine men everywhere in the city. I guess they don't like to play in the rain.
  
• I can't wait to come back in two weeks. And then the week after.
• If I could live there, I would. Maybe my aunt would get the message if I refuse to leave her couch.

Alright, that's enough of my randomness. I'm out.