Scotland Run 10K Race Recap

Happy Monday! I’m checking in with my usual weekly workouts post, along with a Scotland Run 10K race recap since that took place on Saturday. It wasn’t the “highlight” of my running, considering the light rain that fell throughout the race, but then again, it seemed appropriate for a Scotland-themed event. I was just happy we had a few days with sunny skies and warm breezes this week before the crazy weather kicked in again.

 

 

 

 

Monday: 4.1 miles

Tuesday: 4 miles

Wednesday: Rest day

Thursday: 5 miles

Friday: Rest day

Saturday: Scotland Run 10k + 2.5 miles for 8.7 miles

Sunday: 5.3 VERY WINDY miles

 

 

I did some easy 4-5 mile runs during the week, just like I did last week following up on the New York City Half Marathon and my PR in that race. I still felt a little stiff leading up to the 10K race on Saturday morning. Saturday morning dawned with a drizzle. I jogged to the start line at the bottom of Central Park, about 1.25 miles from my apartment, and I was happy I didn’t need to stand around getting wet. But I was frustrated during the first mile when the initial crowding on the course didn’t seem to thin out, since it turned into a steady light rain and my arms and hands were getting cold without the ability to move them more.

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve never run this NYRR race before. I was only running it this year because after the Fred Lebow Half Marathon was cancelled the weekend of the January blizzard, they offered two options: receiving your 9+1 credit for 2017, or free entry to another spring race, and I completed the 9+1 last year so I could enter this November! I knew that it was a clockwise loop of the park, exactly like the Healthy Kidney 10K and Oakley Mini 10K that I ran in 2015. So I was surprised by how the crowd didn’t spread out more evenly. In an effort to get more space around me and warm up, I ended up really pushing it up the reverse side of Harlem Hill and dropped from a comfortable 10:00/mile pace for the first two miles to around 9:30-9:40/mile for the remainder of the race. I was surprised after by my ability to attack the hills the way I had, since they’re usually what hurts my knee and hip the most, but I guess they were what I needed to shake that off. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My official finish time was 1:01:48 for a pace of 9:57/mile, but due to the tangents, my Garmin watch clocked 6.4 miles at 1:02:23 for a pace of 9:45/mile. I didn’t particularly care about the finish time, either in the moment or afterwards. Actually, when the race ended, even though I was thirsty I skipped getting a water bottle and banana, ducking under the ribbons marking the course and jogging back across the park to get home. I jumped in a hot shower before we ventured out to EJ’s Luncheonette to warm up with an omelet, turkey bacon, and sweet potato fries. Followed up by a sweet trip for some Laduree macarons – Strawberry Marshmallow, Raspberry, and Vanilla Bean were a perfect trio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other than the race, the weekend was nice and low-key, exactly what I wanted before April is in full swing and lots of plans are set in motion. On Saturday afternoon we swung by the Kate Spade store on Madison Avenue to see about getting a necklace shortened. Brett really picked out the perfect gift for me, a pendant with a sparkling ice cream cone – I don’t wear much jewelry but I do love my ice cream! It was a little long since I’m very petite so shortening was in order, and I have to get that taken care of soon so I can wear it all summer long 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

I could have considered Saturday morning my long run for the week because it was 8.7 miles when all was said and done, but I wanted a proper long run so I set out to do that that Sunday. I didn’t exactly succeed. It was very cold with gusty winds, and I ended up walking and stopping and covering my head and hoping I didn’t blow away almost as much as I did running. I’m hoping the April showers (and wind, and gray skies) bring beautiful May flowers, like the ones already in bloom in the park, on some of the dogwood trees and in a few of the flowerbeds, and preferably before it’s actually May. Fingers crossed for the week ahead!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you tried making a shorter race part of a long run?

 

Favorite weekend brunch dish?

 

How do you deal with crowded race courses?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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