My running journey

I was never a serious runner. At least not before I ran my first race last year. The 2015 Queens 10k was my first race experience, happening almost immediately after severe Achilles tendinitis (NOT a running-related injury!)sidelined me a full four months. After receiving custom orthotics and buying brand new running shoes (Mizuno Wave Creation 16s), I found myself running a big loop through Flushing Meadows Corona Park with about 10,000 other runners. It went badly. I wasn't ready.

​As you can see by the numbers posted just below, it was tough. I hadn't trained properly and had only started running again one week before the race. Worse still, the weather crushed me. After a delayed start due to the threat of severe thunderstorms (that never happened), the weather at the time of the race was 80*, 80% humidity and 80 dew point. The evil weather trifecta.

Every step I took convinced me I was dying. I was overheating and could barely handle putting one foot in front of the other. After I finished, the crushing headache I had from the heat remained with me the rest of the day.

It should've made me want to quit, but it didn't. My resolve grew stronger as I committed to becoming a better runner. This time I'd follow a plan and set some real goals.

​My goal: The Staten Island Half Marathon set for October 11th. In the meantime, my short term goals included registering for more (smaller) races to get experience and develop a training plan. The races I chose were the France 8k in Central Park on 8/29/15 (52:27) and the Bronx 10 Mile race on 9/27/15 (1:43:20). 

After I received my training plan (personalized by the Run S.M.A.R.T. people), I was on my way.

​On half marathon day, race conditions were just about perfect, if not maybe slightly warm. Unfortunately for me, this was when I discovered I had seasonal asthma. I discovered it precisely​ after cresting the tallest climb of the race at 9.79 miles and started on the downhill cruise. I couldn't take a breath without uncontrollable coughing. Luckily, since I'd been previously diagnosed as having exercise-induced asthma, I always carried my Ventolin when racing. It wasn't enough though...I was forced to slow down considerably and finished with a disappointing 2:24:00 - although I was happy to finish on two feet.

​My next race after that was the Ted Corbitt 15k in Central Park (1:35:59). It was during this race I first experienced shin splints. OW.

​The early part of 2016 was spent doing some physical therapy and reconfiguring my training plan to set me up for a string of races. I'd already decided I wanted to qualify for the NYC Marathon in 2017 by taking advantage of the New York Road Runners requirement of running 9 of their races and volunteering for one (all in 2016) to get myself there.

​My races this year (details per my Garmin Forerunner 25): 
3/20/16 NYC Half Marathon 13.56 mi @ 10:28, 2:21:53 finish
​4/2/16 Scotland 10k (Central Park), 6.35 mi @ 9:54, 1:02:47 finish
​4/10/16 Scranton Half Marathon, 13.13 mi @ 10:23, 2:16:25 finish
​5/14/16 UAE Healthy Kidney 10k (Central Park), 6.21 mi @ 10:51, 1:07:22 finish
5/21/16 Brooklyn Half Marathon, 13.10 mi @ 10:40, 2:19:44 finish
6/11/16 NYRR New York Mini 10k (Central Park), 6.33 mi @ 10:57, 1:09:22 (pacing my niece)
​6/18/16 Queens 10k, 6.3 mi @ 10:41, 1:07:19 finish (once again, the weather tortured me. Still, I had a decent PR - even if it wasn't the one I hoped for).

Racing for the first half of this year is complete. Now I'm preparing to run my first full marathon this October: The Steamtown Marathon (Scranton, PA). I'm registered...and...training begins tomorrow.

Picture from this year's Queens 10k, 6/18/16. Still ridiculously HOT.