Took the two weeks off after Philly. Didn't have anything planned but someone posted some info about a trail race in Staten Island, a 10K, 25K and 50K, 99% on proper forestry trails!
SO I couldn't miss that, once I'd secured a lift, as it was also only a 30min drive.... albeit in a direction that nobody normally goes due to some aversion with Staten Island having some kind of Essex-like connotations.
I reckoned if my legs could recover enough then my leftover marathon fitness could get me round the 25K at a decent pace albeit not knowing the course and how hilly it was, it was kind of difficult to see a lot of previous race info for this event.
I researched previous years results and it was normally a smaller field of sub 100 runners in each event. Then they said this year that the 25K was a USATF championship trail event and members were eligible for the cash prizes on offer for the overall and age groups. So after much though, I gambled and paid the $30 annual membership with the hope of at least 3rd in my age group which would net me $50.
They clubmate I ran it with is a fast runner (2.53 NYC marathon) but inexperienced on the trails. Within the first few hundred metres we were leading! There was a group of 4 of us for the first few miles. I thought either we've gone of too fast, not knowing what lay ahead or because it was a smaller (non-roadie) field I would indeed have a good chance at an award.
After about 5 miles Shan and I were on our own. I led the whole way with him happy to follow on my heels. Apart from going the wrong way a couple of times, banging my knee of a log and waiting for 2 secs as Shan picked himself up after falling, we raced round averaging 7.46 pace and finishing together in 1.53.03. Shan was gallant enough to let me cross the line first mainly as he said I'd done all the work and he said he wouldn't have run that hard on that type of course without following someone.
We were a good 7 mins ahead of 3rd place and despite now having to wait for the USATF to get the results etc, I'm pretty confident of a $150 cheque arriving in the mail, ha ha.
The other funny moment was when we were waiting for the awards I overheard a couple of Scottish sounding voices and then when they went up for the 10K awards realised I knew a couple of the girls from the Aberdeen running scene. Then it turned out they were visiting the winner of the 50K who moved here earlier this year and is hill/ultra runner from Scotland.
In terms of 'it's a small world' that is right up there with the previous weekends Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot that I volunteered at and while taking entries met a couple from Elgin, she came from Inverness and he came from Aberdeen!!
Great last race of the year. I had three vastly different top 3 races, Bear Mountain Marathon, Philly Marathon and this more relaxed one. Along with PB's in the 5K, Half Marathon and Marathon.
SO I couldn't miss that, once I'd secured a lift, as it was also only a 30min drive.... albeit in a direction that nobody normally goes due to some aversion with Staten Island having some kind of Essex-like connotations.
I reckoned if my legs could recover enough then my leftover marathon fitness could get me round the 25K at a decent pace albeit not knowing the course and how hilly it was, it was kind of difficult to see a lot of previous race info for this event.
I researched previous years results and it was normally a smaller field of sub 100 runners in each event. Then they said this year that the 25K was a USATF championship trail event and members were eligible for the cash prizes on offer for the overall and age groups. So after much though, I gambled and paid the $30 annual membership with the hope of at least 3rd in my age group which would net me $50.
They clubmate I ran it with is a fast runner (2.53 NYC marathon) but inexperienced on the trails. Within the first few hundred metres we were leading! There was a group of 4 of us for the first few miles. I thought either we've gone of too fast, not knowing what lay ahead or because it was a smaller (non-roadie) field I would indeed have a good chance at an award.
After about 5 miles Shan and I were on our own. I led the whole way with him happy to follow on my heels. Apart from going the wrong way a couple of times, banging my knee of a log and waiting for 2 secs as Shan picked himself up after falling, we raced round averaging 7.46 pace and finishing together in 1.53.03. Shan was gallant enough to let me cross the line first mainly as he said I'd done all the work and he said he wouldn't have run that hard on that type of course without following someone.
We were a good 7 mins ahead of 3rd place and despite now having to wait for the USATF to get the results etc, I'm pretty confident of a $150 cheque arriving in the mail, ha ha.
The other funny moment was when we were waiting for the awards I overheard a couple of Scottish sounding voices and then when they went up for the 10K awards realised I knew a couple of the girls from the Aberdeen running scene. Then it turned out they were visiting the winner of the 50K who moved here earlier this year and is hill/ultra runner from Scotland.
In terms of 'it's a small world' that is right up there with the previous weekends Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot that I volunteered at and while taking entries met a couple from Elgin, she came from Inverness and he came from Aberdeen!!
Great last race of the year. I had three vastly different top 3 races, Bear Mountain Marathon, Philly Marathon and this more relaxed one. Along with PB's in the 5K, Half Marathon and Marathon.
