Ok this is really old, but I'm trying to load a video is too big, so will try again.
Race day we sat around as we watched the weather get warmer and warmer. Nice day for the beach like the rest of the people in this town were doing. However we were the nutty ones that decided a 8k race sounded great. Race started out ok felt good and was in the mix. 1 of 4 laps done. Then it was a slog home for the next 3 laps. Made it to the finish finally, but not what I was hoping for.
Here are pics of the team
After we survived the race we joined the rest of Spain and jumped into the water. Behind the camera man was some very entertaining sunbathers. Here are some action shots Start of the race All of us lined up, NZ to the right Going from the team room out to the start of the race Thanks Saucony for these cool Spikes! warm up - though not sure how much I really needed to warm up. I was sweating way before the start You can never be upset when you get to represent your country, but you always hope that you can represent your country with pride. We all battled out there today, but with the heat of the day and training in a brutal winter I think I was unable to go into this race completely prepared. Things to think about for the following year. But for now time to actually enjoy Spain.
Week building up to race, did not entail a whole bunch. The best part was that Nat joined us at the village, which was very exciting to see him again and so glad he made the effort to see. He had managed to fly to London a few days early and then made the trip to Seville and down to Punta Umbria via the Spanish transport system and I was very impressed. He arrived pretty much when I thought he would! Thank goodness, didn't know what I would have done if he hadn't turned up!
So after arriving to a wet Spain, we had beautiful days and they got hotter and hotter each day. We were pretty much stuck in our village and the few blocks surrounding. We had the beach just across the street, which we really couldn't enjoy that much. We tried to get a rental car, but the only other people in a beach resort in the early spring were senior citizens and had booked them already, from all the nearby towns! So we were stuck to enjoy the sights and sounds of Punta Umbria. Which was not a lot, across the street was a small shopping center, a little supermarket, a Burger King - could not be somewhere without one. Plus a few other little stores, which I don't know where ever open while we where there, oh except the tourist shops!
All the team members finally arrived and slowly over the days the village filled up with all the other countries team arriving.
The NZ team played plenty of cards, ran and eat most of the days away! The Course was about 800meters from the village so we could just run down there to check it out. Mike got the Sayville Running Shirt on a tree with the perfectly manicured grass for the course in the background
This was an over bridge which you could see the rest of the complex in which we were staying This was a view from our hotel room looking towards the beach. The room on the opposite side of the court yard was were we all dined for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is the course coming towards the finish, so got a few good runs on it, and the course drained well, looked like this all week long. From the Village we could walk down to the beach, which during the week was deserted, however come the weekend and it was packed with people and a lot of topless women! Every night we pretty much were fed the same stuff, only when we first got there, we could take our time, no waits, got what we wanted, but then when ever one else arrived they couldn't make the pasta and sauce fast enough. And there was always plenty of deserts! So Punta Umbria, is pretty much a beach town which people come to on the weekends, and in the summer when they have all sorts of attractions available. The area is also a fishing town, when you got of the touristy area you found very little Spanish towns.
Sunday 13th Mike and I got onto our flight and headed to Seville, Spain. Via Madrid. It was a night flight and I managed to get a little sleep, though the seats as usual were very uncomfortable.
The Flight was on time and we got to Madrid, and had to get through the airport to our connecting flight. Once on the plane we had to wait an hour for technical trouble to be fixed. Then it was off to Seville. We were meet by one of the LOC members who picked us up with the sweet BMW ride below.
We drove through the rain to Punta Umbria, which took us about an hour. Once there we were checked into our hotel and had a little nap. The we did some checking out of the hotel, though it was still raining a little. It was deserted. its out of season for tourist and all the rain we saw very few people, just the officials for the Cross Country. Here are some pics of the hotel and pool. We found ourselves a little shopping center, which was all closed except the supermarket, so we checked that out, came back and had dinner in the hotel, all by ourselves.
Now that the team has been announced I have made a few changes to the season, instead of doing more indoor races, will focus on getting some hard solid work outs in and race a 5k on the road closer to the championships.
So I had a good month of solid training, long runs on the hills at River Road and long solid work outs as best I could with the winter we were having.
I found the race that I wanted to do for the last hard effort. New York Road Runners have a race in the City, Coogans Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks 5k
The weather has slowly been warming up, but unfortunately this morning of the race was windy and raining, though at least it wasn't too cold. It was also a little hilly, out and back loop.
The competition in this race was kinda tough, the guys is pretty tight one and the girls is also won in a pretty decent time. So I started out and picked my way through the guys and girls, until I realized I was the girl in the lead. From then on I was working with the guys that were around me. I had a group to keep pulling me through and pushing me over the final hill. With a nice long downhill finish I came away with the win in 16.34, equalling my Road PB, but this was by far a harder course then when I ran this time in the pass.
Now its just a matter of getting through the next two weeks healthy and safe and arrive in Spain to have some relaxing running before the race March 20th!
Track season is starting. Well Indoor track so I decided to jump in and get a 3k done and see how the training was going. I knew I wasn't going to have the track speed that some people at this stage of the year would have, but I had the strength from the long work out and tempos that I have been doing.
So once again I headed to boston, stayed with a friend and ran the Boston Terrier Meet
The race was a good one, they set a quick pace at the start and I just sat in behind while they pulled me along, when the break was made I tried to go with it, but this was were the little track work I had done was now affecting me. I was unable to make the change in gear and go with the move.
This was also the first race under the new contract with Saucony, and my new uniform - I am in the bright orange
Bluepoint has its own beer - A must have when you come to visit this area. They have been putting on a race for a few years now and this year Sayville Running Co joined in. The race was set for the weekend prior, unfortunately we had a lot of snow in the forecast and the police postponed the event. The snow came down, but not to the extent they have called for. The race was now set for the 15th, before this day we had more snow and the roads were still a little dodgy, but they held the event and hundreds of people turned up for a cold morning.
I planned to just tempo the run. Warm up, pick up the pace and cool down in the 10miles. It ended up being a good solid run and ended up being the first women. which won me a sweet beer mug.
I am feeling like I have recovered from the cold I had earlier and was happy that I was started to get back into shape.
Once Again I decided to run the Midnight run in NYC, unfortunately I fell sick with a some sort of cold a few days before the race. I took it easy and decided that I would still go out and run the race. It was a nice night, they had a tent for the elite athletes to try and stay warm in even though the night was pretty mild.
I went for a warm up and felt ok, I had a bad cough though which was hard for the lungs. The race started and I was ok, going along with the field, it was a tough field this year. I got through the first half ok, and then the cold I had got the better of me. The breathing and the lungs were burning and the legs where not getting enough oxygen it was a tough 2miles back to the finish.
But I cant complain to much the time was ok for the way I had been feeling. Now a few easy days to recover completely
Mike's Sister had recently moved to Sth Carolina to teach. The national club cross country champs where being held in North Carolina, an hour from Michelles place, so Mike decided he would give the cross country a go again, and we would stay with Michelle and check out the area.
Unfortunately Mike was unable to compete at the champs, but we were all booked and wanted to visit his sister so we went down.
The flight to South Carolina should have been about 3hrs, with a stop over in Philadelphia. So we got a ride to the airport for our midmorning flight to sit and wait for some time before our plane came in. Then we got to Philly ran through the airport to find they had closed the gates 10min early - the only flight we would have traveled on that left early! because our flight had been delayed they had moved our tickets to the next flight in case we didn't make it. Or as it looks to us, so they don't have to hold the connecting flight for us to get there. So now the trip is not off to a good start and we have to wait 3hrs for the next flight. Of course this one doesn't leave on time either - why would they!
Eventually we made it to North Carolina, got our rental car and drove an hr south to Michelle in our sweet little cube
Finally we arrived at Michelles place. The next day I needed to get a run in, so Michelle knew a few parks so we went and checked one of them out. Pics below of the State park we went to, which had a nice lake and and few trails around the lake. For dinner we had to have some southern food so tried Bojangles - Southern fried chicken - delicious.
While in South Carolina we visited the class that Michelle teaches and the half a dozen kids she looks after.
We Made our way up North on Saturday to Watch Mikes team run at the Club champs in North Carolina. It was a beautiful day and lots good quality races to watch. I did my run over the course once the races were done. One of the guys on the team had Family who the team was staying with so we went round there for so quality home cook Southern food! it was amazing Good Fried food! I would have liked to checked North Carolina more, but limited time.
Sunday Michelle took us into the town of where Columbia, which is the capital of South Carolina. We checked out the state building With all the christmas stuff set up for the season In Columbia the football team is the one of the biggest games you can go to, so we checked out that stadium - The Stadium of the Gamecocks.
Monday Mike and I headed back up North for our trip back home to Long Island. just hoping that our day of travel was not going to be as long as on the way there.
One more race popped up before the year was done. Patchogue Kiwanis Toy Run. This is in the town next door to me, 2miles away from the start line. Best thing was that they decided to put on some prize money, $100 for the win and $100 for under 18mins. So of course I had to go down there and race.
It was a cold morning, but a good crowd turned out and the little pub in Patchogue was hopping at 9am in the morning, of course there was a free beer for all competitors at the end to warm the insides with a local brew.
The race started and I headed out with the few top guys from the Island who showed up, I tried to keep them in my sights as long as possible, as they pulled me through the course in a personal best road 5k time of 16.34
I felt good, but was hurting a little as Mike and I had gone out the night before to a Bah Mitzvah. I had never gone to one before. One of the Drs I work for, it was his youngest daughter. I didn't have the rest that I would normally have before a race, but a little local race like this I can get away with and still pick up some cash. So it was a good day.
The year 2010 was a successful one for me and the running. I started on a good note, had a little niggle and got right back into it for the summer months where I pounded the road and the track with personals bests all around and a little bit of cash to go in hand.
All of this with the help from the Saucony Hurricanes program.
But most of all thanks to the Boys and Girls from Sayville Running Co who helped keep me going on Tuesday nights and to the boys including Mike who hammered out work outs with me and long runs through river road. In the cold of the winter and the heat and humidity of the summer. This group of runners coming back week after week has such an encouragement and support for each other and helps get me going on those rough days.
Also the person who gets the biggest thanks is Mike, day after day going for runs and pushing me out the door to be the best I can be. The support he has provided in the races and training has been wonderful.
I also can not forget the support I get from back home in NZ and all of Mikes family.
I hope everyone had a successful and enjoyable 2010 and hope 2011 is even better yet!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
I am back to give you a update on my races.
October 16th; Oyster Bay 5k
I had taken a little down time with the running - had completely stopped running for a week, I had so much time after work I didn't know what to do with myself! But that was short lived and I was soon back into the swing of things. This raced popped up and had a prize purse of $500 all for the winner. So I had to race it.
I headed up to the hilly town of Oyster Bay on a cold and windy day, the course 1.5miles uphill, 1.5miles downhill!
Since I had taken the break I wasn't sure of my fitness levels and this was the first work out and would be the longest run in a while.
I headed out and had a girl sit on my shoulder, now Long Island running community is large, but you know most of the runners up front, this one I had no idea who she was, so the battle was on. It was ok in the end I ended with the win in a time of 17.14
Another race was put on with a little bit of prize money, $100 for the win and then another $100 for the record. Unfortunately last year I ran to fast and put a pretty quick time on the course. So I am still getting back into shape after the time off and not that fast just yet, but I figure $100 is still not a bad day at the office. So I head to Massapequa to run around the little lake, half the run is on smooth trails, the other half paved footpath.
I win the race in 17.09, running solo most of the way, the guy winner was too far in front.
Turkey Day. You could be anywhere in the country and find a race nearby to do on this day and then go home and stuff yourself like a turkey. I go and find one that is not on the Island, one Mike and I have to travel for, but its not just any Turkey Trot, this is one of the oldest race in the USA. This was the 74th running of the event, held in Manchester, CT. With the year selling out at the Max 15,000 people, it was going to be a good year. The Elite fields for the men and women were looking fast.
Mike and I headed up to Manchester on Wednesday 24th to the hotel in which we were being put up in, with a little confusion with the check in we final got our room and headed out on the course for a run over it. slight downhill 1st mile, uphill 2nd mile, downhill 3rd mile flat 4th and flat and downhill till the end for a 4.748 miles, starting and ending at the same place.
The elite athletes and VIP (Mike) along with alot of the volunteers then had a nice pasta dinner put on for us, then it was back to the hotel for a good night rest before the start in the morning.
Thursday 25th my driver Mike (Big Thanks) got me to the start of the course and we had our elite quarters to hang out in while we watched the thousands of others make their way in the cold to the start. It was a cold, crisp morning, but it was warming up a little.
I lined up and got ready to see how the training had been going, against a tough field. I headed out at a quick pace and I was still behind at the first mile, but all those hills in NZ were good for something, as I made my way up to the leaders, the downhill they got a little gap and then I was chasing them without closing on them for the rest of the race.
With the last straight coming I was in 5th, but the girl in front was fading, could I get her? I was trying, but she saw me and she kicked, only to stop 10mtrs in front of the finish, I had my chance for an extra $500 I was still moving forward and I passed her before she realised the mistake she had made. - Lesson to you all out there, always run through the finishing line!
I was very pleased how the race had gone against some tough athletes and first major race since my break.
After we survived the race we joined the rest of Spain and jumped into the water. Behind the camera man was some very entertaining sunbathers.
Here are some action shots
Start of the race
All of us lined up, NZ to the right
Going from the team room out to the start of the race
Thanks Saucony for these cool Spikes!
warm up - though not sure how much I really needed to warm up. I was sweating way before the start
You can never be upset when you get to represent your country, but you always hope that you can represent your country with pride. We all battled out there today, but with the heat of the day and training in a brutal winter I think I was unable to go into this race completely prepared. Things to think about for the following year. But for now time to actually enjoy Spain.
