Sunday, April 15, 2012

2012 Cherry Blossom Run

Today's Essex County Cherry Blossom 10k was tough! I think maybe it was the sudden rise in temperature. This week was weird, too. My Crohn's was active and it just kicked the crap out of me ...literally!
Oh well, sh@t happens!
All in all, though, I recovered pretty good. I beat last year's time by 11seconds per mile. And I only fell short of my PR by 1second per mile. The disappointment fell in the trying. I really did try to beat my PR. I pushed. The course was hilly. Nothing major, but enough to make you envy the people who decided to cave in and walk.

The course is very pretty and it meanders through cherry tree groves. The park is pristinely maintained - it's a little gem in the very urban city of Newark, NJ.
Branch Brook Park, Newark, NJ
During the race, I saw Ms Fast-ee Pants. She was all smiles and waving, bright and chipper as ever. I was ...dying, and curious as to why she was on the course - I thought she was racing in Marathon Monday, up in Boston.
"Wow," I thought, 
"I can't believe she is running in this 10K. 
Shouldn't she be home doing gluconeogenesis or something?"

Well, if anyone could run in this 10K, and then do a marathon the next day, it would be Ms Fast-ee Pants ...she is amazing!

The absolute best part of the race was the end. Not because I was gasping for air and wanted the pain and discomfort to end, but because I met up with Ms Fast-ee Pants. I also met another female runner, who apparently is Ms Fast-ee Pants, The First. I don't even want to go there! Anyway, they were both so kind, they didn't laugh when I told them my time, but instead commiserated on how hot it was. That's when Ms Fast-ee Pants told me how the organizers of the Boston Marathon sent out an e-mail warning people of tomorrow's predicted race temperature. It's supposed to hit 85-90*F (29-32*C) up there, tomorrow! They told people they could defer, until 2013, because of the high temperatures. They are trying to avoid people getting hurt - it's serious. I heard people have died running the Boston Marathon - even with normal temps!
That's crazy, right?
Okay, so that's why Ms Fast-ee Pants was schooling everyone in this 10K - she came in first in her age group!
Congratulations, girl!

I, on the other hand, finished 6th in my age group ... these New Jersey ladies can move! Aaaagh ...one day ....
Until then ....
TRAIN SMART TODAY!