NYRRC Race to Deliver 4 miler -11/16

Susan finishing the 4 miler..


Art and I at finish of 4 miler --two old people:)
I woke up on Saturday a.m. to pouring rain. I had to get my 14 year old son down to the scout house for a 2 day hike, and the weather forecast for Sat-sun was horrendous -rain, fog, and then cold. Sat was the Knickerbocker 60K, which I opted out of since I have to 'run' JFK 50 miler this Saturday (last ultra til March!!!??-well, maybe a fatass in Jan). I turns out that both Frank and Rob, who were entered in the 60K, skipped the race due to heavy rain and to work -so as I stayed home all day Sat, I wondered about the 60K runners,the javelina 100 runners (Anthony, Chris and Susan from GAC and Bob G), an of course my son on his hike!!! Sunday a.m. dawned cold and blustery and on a whim, decided to run the central Park 4 miler . The 50 miler -as it was slow an on trails --did not beat me up as much as NYC. And all the boys were gone Sunday (my teenager came home and was in NYC) so decided to go in --I had a good race,breaking 27 minutes (just)...I think in part by the fact that i ran little this week, and because it was so crowded, started slowly , and then chased Susan!--however, I was overheated -I had tights and long sleeves, and she had shorts and singlet!!! She pulled way ahead and ran bautifully for age 51:) Saw Art and Susan and Frank took photos -he came in but decided not to pay the $25 but wait til the afternoon and run the Hastings-on-Hudson 10K (which he did with Rob and both came in 3rd in their age groups!). I ran the 10K as a cool-down-workout and it was one of the tougher 10Ks I have run (Pam,. this is YOUR kind of course). Now, rest this week before the 50 miler on Saturday -arghh ---need to get mentally prepared for drive down, the cold and maybe the snow, the AT and slippery switchback, the 2 mile uphill at start...
and the long drive home. Frank says to only focus on getting through the AT portion in one piece, no matter how slow...

Stone Cat Trail races -Nov. 8, 2008 -short report

When I entered the Stone Cat Trail 50 miler knowing that it was 6 days after the marathon, wasn't sure how much of it I'd complete...but did finish! Ran the full 50 miles in 10:23 (fairly even splits of 2:24;2:35;2:50, and 2:30 for 4 12.5 loops).
It was definately a team effort --I got by with help from Carrie, Barbara, Frank, Hiro, Nick, Christine, Kim and Wayne! Frank ran the marathon in 4:04 --an hour faster than last year!! He came in 24th overall. The race director told us at the start that the loops were really .5 or so long, so the marathon was 27-plus miles, and 50 miler 52-plus miles.
We drove up on Friday (Wayne could haver ridden with me but drove up the morning of -insane:))and discussed dropping down to the marathon as we were both tired from New York (in a manner of speaking) -- Frank said he'd be happy to run a faster trail marathon and my unofficial goal was to run at least 3 of the 4 12.5 -13 mile loops, for 37.5 miles. Last year, we quit after the marathon, and this year, if I had spent 4 hours in the car, paid for hotel room, and gotton up at 4:45, I wanted to make the most of the day. On the other hand, would be happy with 27 miles!! We had so many friends running the 50-Yuki, Christine, Kim, carrie, Scott and his friend Mark, Wayne, Barbara and Nick (as all mentioned above)!! We all chitchatted in the gym at 5:45 after getting our number. I planned to do the first loop as slow as possible!! Frank, Wayne and Yuki took off --I ran with Carrie and Kim..the first 4 miles are hilly single track,and the leaves were slick!! But the weather was mild and perfect -60 degrees (it was pouring here) and cloudy. The middle portion of the loop is beautiful double track trail but with huge puddles --we all got soaking wet:( I walked alot. I did feel tight in the quads and hamstrings...but the first loop was suddenly over (3 fun aid stations) and Hiro was waiting to cheer us on. I went out on the second and felt alittle better. Stayed with Barbara, Nick and Carrie and Christine --I probably walked alittle more.
Got back and Frank had finished!! Since we had driven together, I thought he might be mad if I continued, but I wanted to try, and he encouraged me, saying that he was perfectly happy with burgers and beer but for 5 hours??). So, out I went with Carrie ---we stayed together the whole loop, walking up the single track and on the flats alittle --we even ran right through the mud and water. I discussed with Barbara stopping, and she said it was a crime to do the third loop and not the fourth --you have to go try, she said...so with walking, I started to feel better and decided to go for that last 12.5 miles...Carrie was moving really well, so I told her to go ahead. I didn't walk at all, though, just tried to count down the miles. When I got to mile 9 (47), I had passed a bunch of people and it was about 4:15 p.m. and starting to get dark --at mile 10, I put on my headlamp since didn't want to kill myself in the last mile. I finished about 4:50 as darkness was closing in -it was the best feeling to be pushing along the grass field and to be seeing the finish line!! After I went through the finish line and got my jacket, talked to Wayne, Kim and carrie --they had all finished already!!! Frank really was OK and had had a great time! He saw Yuki finish her first 50 miler...we hopped in the car and our reward on way home was a stop to buy coffee and beer for me and my brothers and beer for Frank --Stone cat ale. See Frank's blog for race photos:
More race report tomm...

My NYC marathon history -collected from cyberspace

On left --A call to drink after the 2008 marathon --my 19th NYC...
Just out of curiosity, I checked the New York City marathon archives...I have finished 19 NYCMs ---raced some; jogged some ---in my first race, 1982, my name is misspelled --I will never forget running this on little training on a casual basis and in those days you simply lined up on the bridge -no chips -so it probably took me a few minutes to cross the start line. I remember staying in the night before and eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, as my father told me to stay in, eat bland carbos and not go out partying! Next year, will run my 20th and that will be it for awhile --will volunteer!! Too many other races to run near the marathon. Which was my favorite you ask?? Any of the ones where I felt good. Some I want to forget. Oh, my ultra friend Adamas has run 24!! Good job Adamas!! Will she keep going til 25????????
Minutes
per Mile
1982 ELSA KELLSTRON F24 NYAC NY 7825 608 242 3:47:59 (thanks, Roy, for finding this).
1983 ELSA KELLSTROM F25 D90 85 NY 2976 155 78 3:15:36 7:27
1984 ELSA KELLSTROM F26 F314 NY 2778 185 78 3:37:48 8:18
1986 ELSA KELLSTROM F28 F299 NY 5246 326 117 3:36:52 8:16
1988 ELSA KELLSTROM F30 F326 NY 6110 424 193 3:42:36 8:29
1989 ELSA STOCKER F31 F318 NY 6610 447 194 3:36:17 8:15
1996 ELSA STOCKER F38 F146 TRR CT 2335 142 71 3:21:58 7:42
1998 ELSA STOCKER F40 F369 TRR CT 1833 97 17 3:14:19 7:25

Minutes
per Mile
1991 EMMY STOCKER F33 F348 CT 2863 137 66 3:18:33 7:34
1999 EMMY STOCKER F41 F168 CT 1293 46 9 3:11:05 3:10:52 45:04 1:34:18 2:24:45 7:17
2000 EMMY STOCKER F42 F329 WOLF CT 6150 709 121 3:46:32 3:46:06 54:50 1:52:04 2:52:50 8:37
2001 EMMY STOCKER F43 F628 WOLF CT 6557 1060 186 3:57:18 3:57:01 54:09 1:56:59 3:00:22 9:02
2002 EMMY STOCKER F44 F1610 WOLF CT 5735 808 138 3:46:28 3:46:09 51:58 1:50:23 2:50:19 8:37
2003 EMMY STOCKER F45 F2136 CT 2829 358 15 3:33:36 3:33:22 48:15 1:43:15 2:41:14 8:08
2004 EMMY STOCKER F46 F1355 TRR CT 3058 400 27 3:34:37 3:34:23 48:28 1:43:49 2:41:38 8:10
2005 EMMY STOCKER F47 F718 TRR CT 4542 676 39 3:42:28 3:42:20 46:25 1:41:49 8:29
2006 EMMY STOCKER F48 F943 TRR CT 4987 623 47 3:34:11 3:34:01 0:23:53 0:47:11 1:11:12 1:36:25 1:42:22 2:03:25 2:29:31 2:56:12 3:22:58 8:10
2007 EMMY STOCKER F49 F711 TRR CT United States 5543 855 67 3:38:02 3:37:35 0:24:46 0:49:01 1:15:20 1:41:11 1:46:48 2:07:56 2:34:51 3:00:56 3:27:09 8:18

My friend Susan on New York city marathon

Oh my, these 50 year old women are tough. Pictured above are Susan and I at the NY mini last June. I am proud of my friend Susan for running the new york city marathon (totally untrained for distance, as she put it, and with feet problems that make distance tough). She ran a PR 3:36. She is a speedster, having run last weekend a 33:46 5 miler in the Poland Spring race. She and I ran the Martha's Vineyard 20 miler and she blew away the womens' 50s record with a 7:25 per mile paced race. She will post a guest report (hopefully I will get my act together to write something --God Bless the man who gave me coke at mile 20!!!)-in the meantime, here is her e-mail o me from after the race:

Hi - Congrats on completing a successful marathon. How are you feeling? You must be high up there in the 50s as well if I was 26 out of 1,023 or something. I saw that Sharon came in 2nd and Marie 3rd. Marie whizzed by me on the bridge to 1st ave. I had to do the opposite strategy one is supposed to in order to beat my 3 prior marathon times of 3:49/50 and remembered in MV saying if I had just jogged a slow 10+ paced----10K for 66 minutes after I would still have a better marathon time than previously. My feet give out early on so just went for it and by mile 21 or so was jogging between 9 and 10+ but my 3:36:27 was faster than the others I'd done and 8:16 for me was a pleasant surprise. You'd be horrified with a PR at that time but I am happy- that should give you a laugh. (smile) Had to go to the medic tent and get my toenails and feet worked on. Lisa was a volunteer and saved me literally. My feet were burning so bad I was light headed. Realized no amount of training or pacing early on would have allowed my feet to go much more than 20 miles at anything but a slow pace. Oh the admiration I have for you ultra marathoners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and my reply:
Hi ---have been meaning to write --I am so proud of you!!! yesterday was, i think, my worst race in a season of good races --I went through the half very conservatively --1:41:30? --saw you, Marie, Yuki, and Beth M!!!! all whiz by my at the start like I was standing still...Frank caught up with me and God bless him, he ran with me for the first half at even 7:40s but I was just tired!!! I even lost him n the Pulaski bridge as needed to slow down. I had to walk alittle on the Queensboro bridge and wanted to drop out -my foot started hurting and my quad was killing me!! I started to do 7:45s again on first -caught up with Frank, and saw that he was chilled.
Stayed ahead of him but at same pace but then lost it at mile 20 -that was like a 9 min pace..but thankfully a man was handing out COKE. Mile 23 was slow --another 8:50. I then was in pain -my foot and quad hurt.
I think that I need better cushioned shoes -it was the top of my left foot and I was in agony!!
I then decided I was not going to break 3:30 so cranked it in in 8 min pace for 3:30:30??
Now, after those 5K last Sunday I could barely walk my quads hurt so much -so DUH..I made alot of mistakes before this race. After the 100 miler, I felt great --but pushed too hard with racing. I think I wasn't recovered, and went way below my lactic acid level (7 min)...I just was fatigued. excuses.........??
Marie did awesome --was so happy she came in 3rd. Sharon e-mailed me that the wind and cold got to her -also she was undertrained having had that injury...so she ran 1:31 for the first half and slowed considerably -she said her last mile was a 10 min pace....but what a great time. beth ran 3:21!! she turns 50 next week, i think, so she was really 50 (like you and Scarsdale last year)...
I am just so pleased that you set a PR at age 50..3:36 is so great!!!!! I am very proud that you stepped up to the plate and ran so well..
Hope you do alot of swimming this week to recover those feet --

New York, new york -The Marathon

what a long but rewarding day. Congrats to all my friends who finished this course -as I get older and slower, I realize that this course isn't flat like I used to think it was. Will write a race report tommorrow...before the start, we got off the WRR bus and ran into Todd J. -what a coincidence! Saw Hugo, Susan B., and many others...missed Kate, Susan W. and Mike!! but talked to the first 2 on the phone. The start was great with the new 9:40 wave!!! The summary: I was disappointed with my time of 3:30:10??? --on the other hand, it was a good time considering I slowed by 6 minutes the second half with the bridge and hills and fatigue of over-racing:((( ---some would say I do it to myself. Proud of Frank for running 3:38, despite the anemia, and for Kate with her 4:05 --a BIG PR. How did Dawn and Michael do?
I had a good first half --ran with Frank (he started right behind me in the green corral)--we ran steady 7:40s and passed through the 1/2 in 1:42 ---then he pulled ahead and I slowed over the Queensboro bridge (bouyed by the Taconic people cheering though!!!...my left foot and quad were bothering me --amazingly my achilles felt fine! First avenue was cold and windy --caught up with Frank and he was slowing with the wind --never saw my friend Lynn:(((( but the crowds were amazing, just amazing.
My mile 20 split was so slow, it was discouraging...the hardest part of the courseas far I am concerned is mile 23 with the 5th ave. hill --that was slow too. Mile 24 showed 3:13.. I had 17 minutes to break 3:30 and knew it would be close. I crossed the finish just over :30, passing Susan B.(enroute to a PR) ---after the long walk to baggage, the best part of the day was a stop for coffee and a Pumpkin Ale --I soenjoy walking on the West side, and it was a treat to sit at a warm bar. hard to get out into the cold and get to the WRR bus. Well, this was my 19t NYCM -maybe for my 20th could finally rest, taper and break 3:30??? Special ongrats to Kate on shattering her PR with a 4:05.

Trick or treating!

This will probably be my last year out trick or treating....my 10 year old wants to go with his friends. My 14 year old is too old, and doesn't want any candy -or rather he'd rather steal it from his brother. But we did enjoy the 60 degree weather ! and did get to socialize on the streets. My constant trick or treating friend Lynn abandoned me and went to the movies --smart move for next year, or village parade.
But I did walk around the village today after the fact and had so much fun. Just can't focus on the marathon just yet...

Happy Halloween!!! Happy Birthday Rob!

Pam cancelling at NYCM expo:(



Wow --had to believe it's Friday on Halloween --the very last day of October. Although an unusual birthday date, I have 2 running friends who are born on Halloween -Rob and Meredith!! Rob is not joining the ranks of masters yet, but think Meredith changes age groups (30 -so young! arghh). I went to the NYCM expo yesterday and had a great time walking over with Pam, meeting Frank and his buddy Michael, talking to Michael (check out his funny blog --this will be his 15th NYC Marathon. One year, he started LAST and passed 5,000 runners. So it was fun to hear his stories. I first met Michael at the Prospect park Cherry Tree 10 miler...a tough race. Good luck with your 15t, Mchael -then you'll be grandfathered in:)
The expo was not too exciting. Got some free samples of power bars and cherry juice.
Saw some fun items to maybe buy later --orange turtleneck and NYCM fanny ack, and orange Nike t-shirt. Forgot to check out the new NYCM Asics gel-kayano shoes for Kate...she will check them out today. I saw Barbara and Ted from TRR, and Marie and Corrina from 'Moving comfort' (now running divas)...and Sharon --sadly, Pam had to defer!!! She turned in her number pick up card and still got her shirt and goody bag.
She was sidelined with a stress fracture and looks forward to running a spring marathon. You are brave, Pam, to make the right decision!! Check out Frank's expo photos..