NYRR Team Championships Recap
Yesterday morning, I woke up at 7am and started going through my pre-race routine for the NYRR Team Championships: coffee, breakfast (cereal/sliced banana), stretching, water, packing my backpack, etc. By 7:30am, I was out the door jogging over to baggage check. I went through the motions and warmed up, but I still didn’t feel like I was racing. As I mentioned on Friday night, I have a very hard time (mentally and physically) racing when I know it won’t be my best effort. But, I was looking forward to competing as part of a team and getting in a faster workout for the week. How bad could it be?
Overall, it was a modest effort. I didn’t score for the team (I was 20th, in fact) and that was mainly disappointing because I train with many of the girls who were in the top 10 and I should have moved up a few spots. I know I am capable of racing at a faster pace, but I am not currently sharp for racing. I’m just now starting to up my mileage for the marathon in November, and in return my legs feel flat. And that’s okay! (despite how awful I look below…)
Definitely at my most attractive. Is this race over yet?
My final time: 32:56, a 6:36/mile pace.
I’m not dwelling on the fact I could have gone faster or make excuses. I just didn’t. I had no pop or spring or drive to race yesterday morning, but that’s okay. A 5 miler at that pace is actually a pretty good effort for me in training right now, and just serves as a building block towards November 6th. Megan summed it up pretty well by citing a Saucony commercial: “What is strong? Is it your best time? Or your worst day? Maybe strong is just what you have left when you’ve used up all your weak” This certainly wasn’t my best time…wasn’t my worst day, either, but I am stronger for have completing the race and giving it what I had.
Onwards and upwards!
After the race, I spent the rest of the day enjoying a few many beers with my CPTC teammates at the Boat Basin and Gin Mill, which reminded me that despite how ‘sub-par’ my race was, I run because it’s fun! Especially when the people you run with are pretty awesome and also happen to enjoy drinking games.
How do you deal with sub-par races or runs? What was the highlight of your weekend?
Run, Lindsay, Run! 
Love. the. hair. ribbons. I want to join CPTC just for hair ribbons.
I also wasn’t really in the mood to race. I think it was the humidity.
Hmm…sub-par runs? I usually have my 12-24 hr “oh woe is me” moping period and then I’m completely over it. Yesterday, I was like “man, why aren’t I faster?!?” 24 hrs later and looking at all my past races, I realize yday was great for me. I’ll just have to keep working to get to where I want to be. I try to turn that frustration into motivation.
Hmm highlight of my weekend? My friend Katie and I walking from 102nd to 14th yesterday since it was a beautiful day!
nice race! and i dig your attitude. and drinking post-run is always fun – the booze hits you ten times harder!
I was wondering a similar question on my blog. haha! I don’t think it was the greatest race for a lot of people and I am sure that is at least partly because a five mile race is not the focus for a lot of us. We are training for marathons, half marathons, etc and in the middle of our training season.
Still Club Championships is a fun time to hang out with friends. Glad you still had a good time!
onward and upward is one of my favorite mottos for disappointing races or workouts. You are still super speedy in my book 🙂
Also, post-race fun with teammates sounds like an awesome time (and helps you forget about the race). Glad you had a fun time and you look great in that photo, lady!
Your beer pong skillz put the rest of us to shame. For that alone, I’m going to say yesterday was a success for you 🙂
I look forward to many more weeks of practice (and cooler fall temps!!) with you. And as you said, onwards and upwards – there are many more important races to come. 90 days till the NYCM!
what are you talking about that picture is adorable! and thanks for mentioning that saucony quote – even though i’m not fast i still get caught up in the hoopla of trying to get to a better and better pace. you’re right though – running = fun, always 🙂
xo christine
1. I think you look awesome in that photo. Totally hardcore.
2. Can I have your abs, please?
3. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past few months it’s that not every race will be a PR race. Not every race will be awesome. We always learn something, and that’s great, but at the end of the day what really matters is drinking and our skills at drinking games. It seems like you’re really good at beer pong, and that is admirable.
4. Come out for a morning run again soon. Please.
I think you had a pretty good race even if you don’t think so! We all have our off days, and I think we can learn from them and do better in our next race. You’re also not training for a five miler….marathon training is a totally different beast!
Let’s run together soon?
Correction: Not just any drinking games, but drinking games alongside AMAZINGLY FAST RUNNERS!!! Seriously, I felt SO cool playing games with World Champs qualifiers 🙂 #runningdork So fun hanging out, and looking good in that orange and blue uniform! Can’t wait til I live in the UES so I can run across the park and we can meet up for a few morning runs!
i just answered the same question on runningseal’s blog… 🙂
I have been known to beat myself up over subpar races (pretty much all of last summer’s races 🙂 )…I usually take a day or 2 to process things, learn from it and move on…
that said-still an amazing time!! your report sounds like my Club Champs race from last year-tired marathon training legs and I couldn’t crank it up another gear. and of course a lot of my friends had to remind me that a 5-miler in August wasn’t the goal, but the marathon was…
I think you did awesome, Lindsay! I know you’ve said before how difficult it is for you to race well when you don’t feel “into it”, but from every race there is something to learn and doing your best on race day, given whatever circumstances you’re dealt on that day, is the best you can do. I think you look great in that picture – like you’re pushing yourself but not dying! Again, great job!