Cold Weather Racing

I've decided to qualify for the NYC Marathon in 2013 by running 9 races.   To do this, I'm going to have to run a bunch of races in the winter and early Spring.  This should be interesting, because I'm not used to racing in what is usually the "off season."  I think it's going to hurt.

It's February, though, and I already have two races under my belt.

The first was the Manhattan Half Marathon.  I'm not sure whether this counts as a race, or just as one of those crazy things runners do from time to time. The race was on January 21, and started well into a blizzard.  Actually, the race was cancelled, sort of.  They turned off the timing mats, and deemed it a "fun run."  By the time the race started, there was already an inch or so of snow on the ground, and things only got worse as the race continued.  This was probably one of the hardest races I've ever run.  The footing was lousy the whole way.  Climbing the hills of central park was arduous, running down was treacherous.  Of course, I'd do it again in a heart beat.

The second was a 4-miler in Prospect Park.  I almost never run short races.  Now I remember why.  It takes me a while to warm up, so, even though I went for a warm up jog, the first mile of a hard fast run is really uncomfortable as my heart rate comes up, particularly when, as this one did, the biggest hill is in the first mile.  This time, the second and third miles were fine, but the fourth, I really began to feel my legs.  My time was respectable, but not where I thought it should be.  On the whole, I finished feeling a bit grouchy.  Next week there's a 5K in Washington Heights.  I think I'll have another go at speed work.