Cherry Tree 10 Miler

Had a couple of good strong sessions the past week. Last Sunday I did 16M with the last 12M around marathon pace which meant various loops in and around Prospect Park as the other sidewalks were still a little slippy in places.

Tuesday's speed sessions are still going well and I am feeling strong at the end, this week was 3 x 1Mile with 800m jog rec, the last two I did on 6minutes. Thursday we had another snowfall, this was my view of Manhattan as I headed over the bridge on my midweek run to work.

But all that fresh snow meant I could get back on my trail shoes and I managed a whole 7M jumping around the trails the park.

The next day was the Prospect Park Track Club Cherry Tree 10 Miler.
I've never really run that much the day before a race but it wasn't a main goal race and with the (cold!) time of year I didn't think my time would be that great.

This was the rescheduled date as it was way too cold (for volunteers) the last time.
Is it a coincidence that the clocks changed here on Saturday night to Spring time and we woke up to amazing sunshine, 8 degrees & no wind. Despite wearing calf supports and a thermal top I dug out my new SHORTS!

Again, my kind of race. 10am start, leave the house just after 9.40am, jog over, straight into the coral and get racing 5 minutes later. As I've said before it helps that the NYCRuns races are a lot lower key than Road Runner's events. When the guy called out was the lead biker ready and didn't get a response he was like "whatever", let's go!

It was three laps of the park, I took the first one relatively easy as I couldn't decide how hard I was going to race it. Then picked it up as I tried to pull back a few people I could see up ahead such as a couple of guys with their PPTC kit and one of the leading women. Third lap I went for it on the last couple of miles after I crested the hill.

I didn't really think about the time I was aiming for, I'd done it in 1.08.30-something the year before but with my new found marathon strength I knocked nearly two minutes off!

1.06.47, 6.39 pace for 23rd place out of 457 AND as I found out afterwards 3rd place in my age group!

Onto this week, the last indoor speed session before we move to an outdoor track! Then a 14M midweek run, hopefully in the predicted 14 degree midweek weather, an 11M with 7M at 1/2 Mar pace and another 20M on Sunday. Hmmm, tough week.

The Cherry Tree 10 Miler

One of the best races in the year I think. It's 10M early in the year, so it forces you into some good training to kick start the years racing and more importantly it's cheap and registration and the start are 10 minutes away. Nothing better than going to your own toilet less than 30 minutes before hitting the start line, all runners will appreciate that!

It had snowed the night before but they had plowed the park drive apart from a few patches of slush, probably the most slush I've ever ran through... for a road race! -5 degrees Celsius but not too windy.

© NYC Running Source

Look! There I am on the right.

So, three laps, steady, felt good. Park was cold for half the course and a bit warmer in the sunnier half. Decided to take a sip of water on the second lap, first time I've done a race where I could feel and hear the ice rattling in the bottom of the paper cup!
Ended up on my own-ish for a little while, then halfway round lap two you start encountering some of the slower runners and some of the relay participants. You get a boost when you go past the finish line turn-off as they have all the relay runners lined up waiting as well as the majority of the spectators.

Finished strong and ended up just over a minute faster than last year, albeit it wasn't quite as windy this year. 1.08.34 for 6.51 pace. 46th from 512 finishers and 7th out of 62 in the 40-49 age group. The overall winner was 52.33 by the way!

Then enjoyed some of the valentine's red velvet cake I made the day before.... after my chicken fingers and pizza were delivered.

Due to another snowfall during the week, later work hours and icy conditions I didn't get up to too much this week but another Prospect Park race on Saturday, a nice 4M.
Hopefully the weather is going to turn soon. Snow is all well and good but the trails are just too icy and hard packed to get any decent running in and I'm avoiding the road for as long as I can.