Fifth Ave Smile

Bob C.

Eight years ago, at the end of my first year of running after getting back into shape, I ran a race called the Fifth Avenue Mile. It's a one mile running race starting just south of 80th Street and going down Fifth Avenue to just past 60th Street. I was 47 at the time and I ran it in 6 minutes and 10 seconds. I have wanted to do the race again ever since to see if I could do better but other things always got in the way. This year I finally signed up for it.

My wave was going to start at 11:15, so I was able to have a relaxing morning before the race for a change. I really didn't know if I would be able to beat the old time of 6:10. Worries started to creep in - from an old calf injury acting up, to whether I ate too much the day before. Still, I felt like I was in pretty good shape, and that maybe I could go under 6 minutes. But I am eight years older and maybe I was pushing the limits of optimism to think that. So I really didn't know.

On Sunday I got up at a leisurely time, and I headed out and started to walk up to Fifth Avenue.

I ran into a few friends and Flyers near the start, and watched as their waves left. About a half hour before my wave was to begin I started warming up. Fifth Avenue was closed for the race from a few block north of the start so we had lots of room to run around.

At 11 it was time for me to line up. My wave wasn't very big, and it included both men and women from 50 to 59 years old. I guess I should have lined up before 11, since I was buried about half way into the pack. The start line was on the right hand side of Fifth Avenue, and I was able to get all the way to the left side, which I figured would give me some passing room, as the course opened up to the full width of the avenue pretty quickly.

Running the 5th Ave. Mile!

They gave us a countdown; one minute; thirty seconds; ten seconds. Then the gun went off. We were off! I wanted to control my pace and not blow up in the first hundred yards. I did have to get by quite a few people, though, squeezing in between two at one point. But the field opened up pretty quickly and we were clear to run. I continued to pass people, and only a few runners got by me. I tried to think about keeping my cadence up and think about my running form, but I all I could think about was getting enough air!

Shannon Rowbury (4:23.3) & Andy Baddeley (3:51.8) won the 5th Ave Mile

I felt like my legs could go faster but I just couldn't breathe any harder. After a while I saw a marker on the side of the road: 1/4 mile. That's all? The first quarter mile had a slight downhill to it, the next quarter mile went up. Not much but I could feel it. I kept passing people but could see those in front of me pulling away. Along the side of the road I actually did see some friends cheering me on. I didn't wave though; I just kept running. At the 1/2 mile mark the hill ended and we started going downhill a little. That felt better, but breathing was still hard! I kept remembering to concentrate on my cadence and form, but still all I could think about was breathing.

After the 3/4 mile mark my chest was aching! In fact it ached all the way down to my elbows, I felt like my chest was going to explode! I was thinking that this can't be good, but I kept running. I would speed up to the point of suffocation, then back off a bit. I felt like I was running so slowly. People were getting further and further in front of me. I remembered the race eight years ago very differently - I remember being surprised how few people there were in front of me. Not this time!

Finally I got to the point where I could see the finish line and read the clock. 5:50. I had less than 20 seconds to get to the finish line to beat my old time! I kept alternating between "I can do this", and "no I can't", and I would speed up with the enthusiasm and slow down, discouraged, accordingly. The time was slipping by quickly and I wasn't at the finish line. With only a few yards to go I saw the 6:10 come and go. Rats! I kept going trying to limit my damages and crossed at 6:13.

I was disappointed not to beat my old time, but still pretty happy that I was so close. It took a long time to catch my breath and I was coughing the whole rest of the day. My chest still hurt hours later! I talked to a few friends at the finish line and then headed home.

When the official results were posted later in the day, my actual net time was 6:07! I didn't think that it took me so long to cross the start line, but apparently it did, and I had beaten my old time by three seconds! That's my first PR in years!

I was 15th in my age group. My fastest pace over the mile was 4:48 right at the beginning - I guess I still went out too hard. At my slowest I ran a 7:01 pace, and crossed the finish line at about a 5:45 pace. My heart rate average was 176 with a maximum of 198 right at the end! Probably way more information than you wanted to know but I find it all very interesting!

It was a race I could be happy with. Congrats to everybody who ran! - Bob C.

Famous Fifth Avenue!

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The art of the taper

Dana M.

For Flyers running October marathons, tapering is either in progress or just around the corner. In theory, tapering sounds easy; after all, what’s simpler than just running less?

Unfortunately, I don’t find tapering to be that easy. Instead, my experience generally revolves around my body going wackadoodle for the three weeks between my last long run and marathon day.  With another taper in progress, I'm working against a predefined game plan to overcome some of my less endearing tapering moments.  Here are a few problems I normally experience, plus a few solution ideas that I'm trying this time around.  I hope they work, and I hope you'll find them helpful as well:

Starvation corner
At the best of times, I hardly have what could be termed a delicate appetite.  In the last few weeks before a marathon, however, I'm hungry All. The. Time.  It's not just normal hunger that signals that it's time for a meal, either:  It's ravenous, gnawing hunger pains that actually make me nauseous.  (Sadly, this particular nausea does nothing to depress my appetite.)

My first instinct during these moments is to attack simple carbs, the more, the better.  While the glycemic euphoria is great in the short term, with this approach I generally end up feeling worse and even gaining weight as the marathon draws near.  This time, I've filled my refrigerator with protein-rich foods, including chicken and turkey, eggs, nuts, peanut butter and low-fat cheese, and I'm using those as my main go-to foods.

If you see me scoffing a candy bar during this time, though?

Don't judge.

Sleeplessness

Rest up.

In another one of life's badass little ironies, right during the period in which I should be getting at least eight hours of sleep per night and more if I can, I'm often awake until the wee hours of the morning.  I'm sure there's a major psychological component to my tapering insomnia, and truthfully I know full well that hydrating with coffee doesn't help.  I think there's a physiological aspect beyond excessive caffeine, though, and that's mostly because part of what keeps me awake is that my legs feel jumpy.

According to Runner's World, the aches, pains, and jumpiness that come out of nowhere during tapering represent the body's efforts to heal itself and rebuild damaged tissue, so the leg issues that keep me awake are actually working to my benefit.  This time around, I'm trying to remember that.  I'm also working to combat the sleeplessness through restful practices like extra (but not strenuous) yoga, hot baths with mineral salts, and as much internet TV as my brain can handle.

The urge to surge

Let's face it, tapering feels like slacking. I'm a relatively high-mileage runner when I'm actively training for a marathon, and the prospect of that mileage dwindling for three weeks in a row is scary because I'm worried that I'll lose my edge.  In reality, taking the time to let the body rebuild and rejuvenate itself is the best thing a marathoner can do to increase the likelihood of a superior performance.  I'm tackling this mental block this year with a more detailed tapering schedule than I've used in the past.

Should you hear me muttering about doing more than what I have on the schedule, please tell me I'm stupid and otherwise talk me down. That'd be great.

That's my playbook for surviving the last few weeks before my fall marathon.  What other tapering tips do you recommend? - Dana M.

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How To Frame A Runner




Andreas S., capturing the action!

  Ever wonder how to get a great shot of a fellow Flyer or other runners? It is not as difficult as you might think. Here are some tips.

Finding a Camera:

Start out with a decent camera. Depending on your aspirations invest between $200 to $3,000+. I own a pocket-size advanced “point and shoot”, as well as super-zoom midsize camera, and a much more advanced DSLR (digital single lens reflex camera). I love the portability of the small camera because I can take it out with me on a run. It's great for capturing the race setting as well as group shots afterwards. For race photos of runners and when I don’t want to “schlep”, I take the midsize camera and for “serious pictures” I break out the DSLR.

Bob C. sports a DSLR at the races.

Your camera should have the following features:

- Zoom lens, minimum 300mm, better 500mm

- Image stabilization

- Sports mode or manual aperture and shutter controls

- Auto focus

- Flash (external flash even better)

To find the best camera for your budget, I recommend reading online reviews.

Now let’s head over to the race to get started. Finding the right spot along the course is half the battle. You want to look for an unobstructed view where you can spot runners from afar. I have climbed on guardrails and on inclines to get a better view. If it is sunny, avoid shooting into the sun as well as having too many varied shadows in the picture. I always take a couple of test shots of runners passing by before the race to find the best lighting so that I'm ready when the action begins.

Camera settings:

- Sports mode on your point and shoot

On all other cameras, select aperture mode and open it all the way. This will avoid motion blur and keep the focus just on the runner.

- The picture size should be the largest available. It will allow you to crop pictures later.

- Sequential mode. With this you can simple keep the shutter release pressed as a runner approaches. You get to select the best shots later.

- Flash for darker lighting situations.

A great photo of speedy Julie S.

Ready, set go! Here comes your first Flyer: Catch him/her in your view finder and press the shutter release as soon as he/she fills the screen. With your camera clicking away, follow the movement and pan the camera. This takes a bit of practice but you will get the hang of it. Try getting their attention; a big smile makes for nicer photos.

I easily take several hundred photos in a race but only a small portion actually make it onto the website.

Which brings me to the next subject:

Editing your shots:

After you get home, you can quickly weed out the many blurry and poorly exposed photos. In a photo editing program, crop and adjust your best ones for color and exposure. Now contact Richard B. to get them posted.

All sound too complicated? You can always try hooking up with some of our team photographers like Bob C., Brian H. or Richard B. to watch them in action and ask them for advice.

Happy Framing! - Andreas S.

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Healthy Breakfasts When You’re On the Go

“Oh, I never eat breakfast. No time”! As most of you know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it’s your initial fuel for your body. As you sleep, you are burning calories, so the moment you wake up you are already depleted and need to refuel.

Me, well, I’m a keen breakfast lover. Coupled with the fact that I enjoy the early morning, the quiet moments, beautiful sunrises and smell of brewing coffee, I’ve always enjoyed the practice of having breakfast. However, since we’re working (and working out) five out of the seven days of the week, its hard to maintain the schedule of having a healthy breakfast, and sometimes it’s easier to give in to the jelly donut when you’re buying your deliciously large Dunkin’ Donuts coffee.

Here’s a few ideas (of course some of them are my fav’s).

Oatmeal – even in the summer months this is a very fulfilling breakfast, few calories and extremely healthy. I buy the one minute Quaker Oats and it takes exactly that to make. Pour some oats in a bowl, and cover the oats with water (or milk if you prefer) but don’t douse it. Hit 60 seconds on the microwave and voila. Add nuts, raisins and your breakfast is prepared as you’re getting ready for work. Sometimes I even add a scoop of nut butter to it when I’m particularly hungry. Optional: add the granola mix from the recipe in this month’s newsletter.

Egg Soufflé – another quick prep and easy to make. Scramble two eggs (two egg whites or include the yolks), add a bit of milk, add a few cubes of cheese, and anything else you have handy. Put it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes (but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t cook over). This results in a fluffy egg soufflé and no mess to clean up.

Fruity Yogurt Smoothie – Blenderize! A few scoops of your favorite yogurt, (plain or vanilla), a bit of fruit juice, some fresh fruit (if you don’t have this you can add frozen fruit which is perfectly fine), a few ice cubes and you’re on your way to an energy booster filled with antioxidants and calcium. If you prefer, add a scoop of your favorite protein powder.

Hope you all enjoy these ideas, please share with us any other fast and healthy breakfasts! - Anne H.

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Don't Try This At Home

Brian H.

I never knew how crazy I was until yesterday...

What seemed like a great plan turned ugly...It made me realize that I pushed my body to its very limits through running (“...and what is wrong with that?”, you might ask.)

As many of you know, I am one of the coaches for Team for Kids (part of the NYRR Youth Services) for the New York City Marathon, and today was our first 20-mile training run.  The course was to start in Brooklyn and run up the West Side Highway to the Little Red Lighthouse and back down to 72nd Street.  Pretty simple, right?
Since today was the Fitness 4 mile race and it was a points race, I decided to do both the 20 miler and the race, which meant pacing a group and then racing up to the race and then coming back to make sure everyone was OK at the end of their 20 miler...

The Race:

It was an absolutely perfect day to run, as the fall weather seems to be right around the corner, with cool mornings and sunny afternoons ahead.  Perfect for any runner!

Unfortunately, I didn't arrive on time. In fact, I was at least 5 or 10 minutes late to the race. I crossed the starting line by dragging my D-Tag across the starting mat by hand and then putting it on my shoe, while Mr. G, the weatherman and a very good friend of mine, remarked: "Next time you should remember when the start time of the race is!” I yelled back that I was busy coaching. He didn’t know I had already ran 12 miles and raced to get up to the starting line, let alone the race itself!  But I thought it was very funny!

I was the very last person to start and tried to catch up slowly. Person by person, I managed to wiggle my way around, closer to the front of the pack. One thing I did notice while running was that there were a few women running in the men's race? What was the deal with that? Did they have somewhere to go so they had the option of running with the males?  It would be worse if guys ran with the ladies, right?

Anthony P., running the Fitness 4 Mile!

When I finished the race, I saw that there were not many Flyers out on the course. Later, I found that ONLY 23 of our guys ran the race! Fortunately, there was a good turnout for the women, with 41 Flyers in that group. It's a points race guys! Let's go!

On the other hand, I can hardly blame them. Fall Marathons are in the mix, and everyone is busy running their 18-20 milers, depending on which marathon you are running and where you are in your training schedule.

I snapped a few pictures of a few good men that I saw at the finish line and moved on and went back to the west side highway to do my coaching duties...

Amy M. takes advantage of great racing weather!

I'll spare you the rest of the details as I saw many of the TFK members roll on by finishing their 20 milers (some of them - their first!).  All of them smiling, giddy, and happy that they all got back to home base, running a ton of miles.

Take your own trip down memory lane and remember your first 20-mile training run and your very first marathon. Quite an accomplishment!

Good luck to all you Fall marathoners and let's see all of you people out during the remaining points races (3 left in the year!). Thanks, and congrats to all who did run today! - Brian H.

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Flyers Networking Event

Ray S., Events Coordinator

BM: This in from Ray S., Events Coordinator Extraordinaire -- sounds like a great opportunity to get to know fellow Flyers outside of their running lives!:

Professional Flyers Networking Event

Come meet and greet your fellow Flyers and in the process expand your professional network as well as your social circle.

Build a referral base: Do you need a referral for a specific type of service that you provide? Are you looking for somebody to help your business?

Strategic partnerships: You may have a service to offer that complements someone else's.

Recognition: Some folks go to networking meetings exactly for that. They are not looking for business at the meeting. They just want to be visible and recognized in the community.

Build your list: If you are there just to build your list, networking is a great way to do that.

Learning opportunity: Perhaps you have an interest in a particular field but would like to gather more information from people working in it.

We're trying to provide a casual setting so that everyone feel comfortable yet not too distracted from creating personal connections on a more professional level.

Date: Tuesday, September 28th

Time: 6:30-8:30pm

Where: 3 Guys Restaurant, upper room - 1232 Madison Ave b/w 88th & 89th St. (map)

Agenda:

1) Please be prepared with the following:

* Your intro / pitch

* contact info (i.e. - an e-mail address and/or phone #)

* list of any industries you are particularly well-connected in.

2) 30-60 min (depending on # people attending)

* Everyone gets to give a "one-minute pitch"

* Introduce yourself, say what you do / have been doing professionally

* State what types of people you're looking to meet (e.g. - the hiring manager at a PR firm, the Chief Technology Officer at a financial institution, etc.)

* State why you are here (just to network, find new clients, learn about a field of interest or a job)

* Target with whom you want to network.

3) 30 minutes of open networking so that people can follow up with others based on the pitches given

If you would like to be informed, be heard, then be there! Sign up here!

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Running Jokes

WARNING: The jokes that follow are awful. My excuse is I needed to submit something quickly before heading off on vacation, so this is what you get from me this month. At least my posts can only get better in future months, right?

(Blogmaster's Note: He's right.)

Anyone who may read these (and remember, you've been warned), please submit better jokes as comments to this post!



NYC Marathon

Last year, my friend entered the New York City Marathon. The race started and immediately my friend was the last of the runners. It was embarrassing. The guy who was in front of him, second to last, was making fun of him. He said, "Hey buddy, how does it feel to be last?" My friend replied: "You're about to find out" and that's when he dropped out leaving the mean guy in last place.

Running in School

A school teacher asked a student, "Johnny, will you please conjugate the verb 'to go' for the class?"

The kid began, "I go... er, um... you go... eh, mm... he goes..."

"How about a little faster?" asks the teacher.

And the kid says, "Sure! -- I run, you run, she runs..."

Running Blondes

A beautiful blonde is running along a river.

She [Blogger's privilege: since I stole this and the others from the Internet, and in order to reduce the likelihood of my getting beaten up by NY Flyer women, I'll change the "she" to a "he" in this "joke"] decides that he'd like to cross over to the other side, but sees no bridge.

Then he spots another beautiful blonde running along on the other side.
He calls over, yoo-hoo, how do I get to the other side?
The other beauty looks around, then eventually replies with a quizzical look:
"But you already are on the other side!"

T-Shirt Humor

This next one doesn't qualify as a joke I suppose, but it's Diane Z's favorite Iron Man t-shirt that she's seen, available online at zazzle, so here you go:

The front -

 And the punchline, the back -

What's your favorite running joke? -Dave K.

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Running Etiquette, Part 2

(On Talking, Lining Up, and the Movement of Bodies Through Space)

Hello! It’s the Ranting Runner again and, feeling more relaxed than ranty today – must be this stupefying heat we're experiencing.  Again. --

I’m here to talk about flow.  No, not the gross kinds like before (though I still maintain, and everyone who bothered to comment on my inaugural post agreed with me on this point, that there are certain, well, bodily fluids that should be kept to oneself.  Or at least out of the water fountain.)

No, the flow of which I write today is the flow of traffic.  Human traffic. Specifically, the flow of runners making their way along a racecourse.  The bottom line? Go with that flow. Now, of course, this doesn’t mean you should force yourself to run beyond your capabilities or let yourself get carried away by a faster runner’s current. In fact, just forget the chaos of Central Park on race morning for a moment and picture a mountain stream. The water does not flow straight from its source, as through a pipe, but rather has to negotiate obstacles that nature or humankind may have put in its way – boulders, fallen trees, a fledgling kayaker... Still, the water keeps going, not stopping, but efficiently working its way downstream around or over the obstacles in a graceful, continuous flow.

This flow is not random in its artistry, though, but is governed by laws of physics, or at least I’m fairly certain it is. (Having failed high school physics, I am uniquely unqualified to elaborate on this.)  In a similar fashion, there are rules that can keep runners moving efficiently and continuously (and maybe even gracefully) to the finish line.  So think babbling brook, not stagnant pond, and remember the following Rules of the Flow:

Flow is important in any race.

1. Lining Up for races. This is Flow 101.  If you’re a walker or a slower runner and you line up at the front of the race, well, people will pass you.  Is that what you want?  Really??  Line up at the pace you can legitimately expect to run, and you won’t be an obstacle to the runners behind you.  And if you end up being faster, great – you’ve managed to pass others and that usually feels good. (Of course, the NYRRC has somewhat resolved this issue by imposing its extra strict – though practical – corral system at the start.  There’s still a lot of lining-up leeway within your particular corral though, so while it's good to reach, be realistic.)

 No need to be embarrassed about lining up with the 10- (or 11- or 12-) minute milers, by the way; between you and me, the runners in the back of the pack have more fun.  (Kind of like the back of the bus in high school.  That could be why I failed physics...)  Or at least they have more time to enjoy the scenery.  But remember that racing is serious business, and that many people have trained long and hard to be there on the road with you and may have specific goals in mind.  So don’t line up in a way that makes you an impediment to someone else’s PR.

 2. This is not to say that a race is all about the finish.  A running event can be a great opportunity to meet up with friends or an excuse to hang out with them over mimosas later; surely no one knows that better than the Flyers.  But during a race at least, don’t let your socialization get in the way of others.  I’m sure some of you have had this experience: there you are, race morning in Central Park in all its verdant splendor.... the birds are singing, the tourists gawking at the mass of runners going by... Your hamstring pain recedes as you feel yourself being hypnotized by the cadence of determined footfalls scaling Cat Hill.  And then it happens.  A shrill, “Oh my GAWD!!” and that’s it – your reverie is shattered, your concentration: crushed, as you are forced to listen to a loud recounting of a fellow runner’s failed romantic escapade. Or stock loss. Or digestive ill. (You can talk about THAT after you cross the finish line.)  Chat if you have to during a race,* but don’t force everyone around you to have to pick up their own pace to avoid being your audience.

 3. As you’re running, and possibly conversing – quietly – with the person next to you, be aware of the runners around you. Is it a narrow course? Running two abreast might force a passing runner into the path of an oncoming horse-drawn carriage, or worse. Even on a wider roadway, avoid lining up with your friends and forming a rolling roadblock that keeps others from getting around you.  That’s impeding the Flow.

 There are other racing “rules” that are good to follow of course, and they usually mirror basic traffic rules (indeed, “act like a car,”  I advised in my last post – don’t come to a sudden stop, look around and signal your intent before passing or moving over to the side, and don’t use your cell phone while driving, er, running.  And if you're a dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker who never had to learn to drive, just exercise some common sense and a little consideration of the people around you and you’ll master the Art of Flow.

He may not finish running, but at least Brian H. doesn't come to a sudden stop!

* What? There's no talking in running? I'm sure there are some of you who think so, nay – insist so!  Let's hear from you: is it O.K. to talk during a run?  During a race? Ever??  Husband-who-spits-in-the-fountain-though-of-course-I-still-love-him-dearly agrees with me on this one.

What do you think?? - The Ranting Runner

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