On Saturday I ran the NYRR Scotland Run 10K in Central Park. This was the third race I completed toward the 9+1 program. Even though there were 8,000 runners, the race did not feel congested at all. I was able to get into a rhythm early on (within the first half mile). The weather was great for the race considering the weather I have had for my past few races. You can’t really complain with 47 degrees and sunny, even if it was a little windy! My last three races were half marathons so I was actually happy to scale back the distance to a 10K.
I’ve done a few NYRR races and they have always been very organized. There were plenty of volunteers, water stations, port-a-potties, post-race food, etc. Since this was the Scotland Run, there were people running in kilts and also playing bagpipes every mile. As with all the races in Central Park, this race was very hilly. Basically there is one really steep hill and then the rest are more “moderate” hills. I do wish that I could run in Central Park more often because the hills are great for training. Plus there really is no better feeling than hitting the downhill after running up those Harlem hills!
Elevation profile for the race |
Overall I was not happy with my time for this race because I know I can shave off at least 6 minutes off of my time. I’m sure I lost some time running up the hills but I was very focused on running the hills and not walking the hills. A lot of people tend to run fast on the downhills but I can’t do that – it absolutely kills my legs! I wish I could because it would be a great way to make up some of that lost time. I have another 10K in June and hopefully I can keep a more consistent per mile pace (hoping for 10:00/mile). Side note – My watch actually measured 6.3 miles which was weird because I didn’t have to weave in and out of runners too much – but I did run primarily on the outside of the course so maybe that is why I ran an extra .10 of a mile.
Splits according to Nike+ |
I felt really good during the race. I was able to run without stopping for a walk break (even up the hills) and my ankle felt surprisingly good during the run. I gave it a rest from running last week so that may have helped. Or maybe it was the KT Tape. I’m just happy it is starting to feel a little better. As you can see from the Nike+ chart above, I ran negative splits for the first 5K the the last 5K wasn’t as consistent. I actually did not look at my watch during the whole run so that’s probably why the last 5K was off. Had I seen my pace slowing down, I would have tried to push a little harder.
KT Tape doing its job! PRO Compression pants and socks to #keepittight |
After the race I went in search of the post-race bagel. If you have read my three previous race recaps, you know that I love bagels and am disappointed when they are not available after a race. Imagine my surprise when I found this after grabbing water and an apple:
Hooray!!!! |
I was so happy to find my friend, a cinnamon raisin bagel, after the race. New York bagels are seriously the best! I really enjoyed this race and would do it again next year. My next race is the Greenwich Half Marathon on April 12th. This is a local race for me and it will literally take me 20 mins to get the race from my home. Hooray for local races!
Reminder – Today is the LAST day to enter my #RaceDots giveaway! Come back to the blog tomorrow to enter a brand new giveaway! Hint – It’s all about staying hydrated 🙂
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets says
Congrats on your race! I have run through Central Park and it's so nice! Glad the KT tape is working for you.
kookyrunner says
Love Central Park! I really wish I had taken advantage of the park more when I lived in NYC.