Sunday, November 01, 2009

2009 NYC Marathon 3:08:00 / 7:11


Net Time: 3:08:00 (Course PR)
Pace: 7:11
Rank: 1613
AG: 66.4%


Nothing compares to the NYC marathon. I came into the race without any time goals. However, I think after the culmination of the expo, the athletes around the village, and the adrenaline, threw away my plans to make it a fun run out of the window. By then, my plan is to race "well" and probably try my best to hit another sub 3:10. Although I personally felt I was in shape for a sub 3:20, I think with the crowd pulling me along, I could probably nab a sub 3:10? But shaaaa riiggght...thats a lofty goal! At the start, met up with my TRD mates and within a few hours and the usual routines, we went right up to the start. Before heading over to the bridge, I happened to lose all my teammates when I made a pit stop to the bushes.


The start was very congested as usual, however I didnt get a good rhythm till mile 3. I expended a good amount of energy weaving through the crowds. Personally, if there's a way to accurately place a runner in their accurate bib position, it would've relieve the congestion. Part of me knows I should be worrying about the race, however, me and few others felt out of place in terms of bib position. Unfortunately, what's done is done, and have to focus on your race and throw all the complaints out the door. As such, maybe NYRR should seed/verify the runners in their real net times rather than their "expected" finish times.






Miles 4 through 10 were a blur. Brooklyn felt really "fast" this year and with the crowds, is one of my favorite parts of the race. After mile 10, that is when everything started to fall apart. Both my hamstrings were extremely sore and my right knee started to bother me. That was when I knew I had to slow it down a bit, but try clocking 7:15s to be on pace for 3:10. Slowing down helped a lot, as I began to feel better and stride well. Upon the Q-boro bridge, it got a lot easier because I've done some training in that bridge before. I was able to pass a bunch of runners at that stage and I knew after seeing the "riverwalk" building in roosevelt island, it is all downhill to Manhattan. I made sure that i focused on that goal by breaking it in to segments and have the crowd pull me through.








Entering Manhattan is another hightlight of the marathon. Thats where you cheer on with all the drunken people from the pubs and knowing the fact that my friends and team were aligned on 66/72/76/83/86/96/119 streets made it even better to break the race into pieces. What a rush to see all of them! Once entering into Bronx, there was a minor detour from the course last year and thats when I started seeing other runners struggling, hurling and cramping. At the same time, they still soldier-ed on...a testament of the human spirit to finish this monster! I knew right after Bronx, I asked myself how long could my hamstrings hold on till? So rather than thinking about the pain, i shunned it and thought of my parents waiting for me on 96th and 5th. That was next goal- to see them asap. I do admit that I "felt" it when I saw my parents and stopped to thank them for everything. For them to be out there, cheering their hearts out, meant the world to me. After resuming my race, I knew I was in good shape for another sub 3:10 if I clock under 26 minutes for the next 5K. I felt it was very doable and thats when I sped up a bit.




On the last mile, I knew I was going at a good pace and it was a better feeling than last year. I came into the race with no goal expectations, then changed it at the start line, struggled through rough patches, hung on and was able to hit my new goal. I knew I wasn't 100% coming into the race, hence I knew I didn't have any goal time. Personally, a 3:10 was unrealistic 2 weeks after my PR at Kansas. However, somehow I just gutted it out with the incredible support out there and by dividing the race into segments. The last 200 meters transformed me into my alter-ego, acting like any college basketball mascots out there...just fist pumping and pointing to the crowds. Entering the finish line, I was in disbelief because I had a string of badly executed marathons in the beginning of 2009. Yes, it was disappointing, but I made sure that I moved onto another race and voila, sometimes things take time. A PR at the Staten Island Half, Kansas and a course PR for NYC, 2009 is a really good racing year for me. I've done back to back marathons before, but I've never done it with a pair of sub 3:10s. I hope I can rest up for this year (after Las Vegas) and carry over to 2010.



Ok Ok, I can confirmed that in the Las Vegas Marathon, I promise not to have a goal time. I'm going to run depending on feel and enjoy the race :)

More importantly, I'm MOST proud of my friends Ace (4:29) and Ghetto (5:06) for their first time in the NYC marathon. Also a big credit to Chicopea on her 3rd marathon right after Chi-town



Checkpoints:
5K: 22:42
10K: 44:14
15K: 1:06:02
20K: 1:28:01
Half: 1:32:51
Mile 14: 1:39:13
Mile 15: 1:46:31
25K: 1:50:31
Mile 16: 1:53:44
Mile 17: 2:00:53
Mile 18: 2:08:02
30K: 2:12:41
Mile 19: 2:15:08
Mile 20: 2:22:27
Mile 21: 2:29:56
35K: 2:35:39
Mile 22: 2:37:20
Mile 23: 2:44:37
Mile 24: 2:52:01
40K: 2:58:14
Mile 25: 2:59:18
Mile 26: 3:06:30









Splits:
Mile 01: 7:55:72
Mile 02: 6:56:29
Mile 03: 7:02:40
Mile 04: 6:57:96
Mile 05: 6:57:47
Mile 06: 6:53:53
Mile 07: 6:55:78
Mile 08: 7:02:35
Mile 09: 7:07:44
Mile 10: 6:56:07
Mile 11: 7:08:20
Mile 12: 7:01:52
Mile 13: 7:04:95
Mile 14: 7:13:94
Mile 15: 7:16:82
Mile 16: 7:13:68
Mile 17: 7:08:87
Mile 18: 7:17:92
Mile 19: 6:57:20
Mile 20: 7:16:70
Mile 21: 7:30:70
Mile 22: 7:24:11
Mile 23: 7:17:01
Mile 24: 7:23:88
Mile 25: 7:17:02
Mile 26: 7:12:74
Mile .2: 1:35:57

Cheers,
Moz

6 Comments:

Blogger DawnB said...

Outstanding as always, Ken you rock congratulations !!

3:56 PM  
Blogger jbetanoff21 said...

Congrats Ken on an awesome time 2 weeks after Kansas. You are super consistent and you making it seems that BQing is easy!
I wish I had registered. I remember how much the NYCM was fun last year and regret not being there today. For sure, I'm going next year. I'll register on January 25th when auto-qualifiers can start registering.

7:47 PM  
Anonymous Rich said...

The Mozzer Machine! 2 sub 3:10s... Seriously!?! lol What a rockstar. Now rest up!

7:12 PM  
Blogger chicopea said...

Hey my parents were on 95th and 5th, just a block away how funny. I bet when you get to vegas you're going to hit sub 3:10 again! When are you leaving for Asia? Have a blast man you really earned it!

When you get back I want to talk with you about joining a running club - I just don't know which one, but they would have to take slow pokes =P

12:28 PM  
Blogger Lindsay said...

you are a marathoning beast!! how do you do it all?! congrats on an awesome race, and in nyc to boot. it was an excellent run, no doubt!

4:58 PM  
Blogger Billy said...

Hot damn dude - smokin' marathon time! Great report + pics, thanks for sharing...NYC is a must for me one of these years for sure.

Speaking of, read that you're thinking about LA in March...come out man!

11:41 PM  

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