Moving right along...This race was actually scheduled for a different day but got resecheduled. Not the best date at all. It's the day after Yom Kippur. Don't know if a) will have any energy at all and b) if my stomach will be able to handle it at all.
Still, I know the kids enjoy it and it's short so my stomach should be able to deal with...At least I hope.
This year, the fast started Friday night and that day is always crazy. Everyone get in car, drive to cemetary for my Dad, then have dinner at his favorite restaurant. That usually starts the fast. This year to complicate things, Lee is now in the Bronx. Jessie and I were off and we did a bunch of errands without the car. Lee left the Bronx early and picked up Jeremy and flew to us. We got on the highway and headed East bound. Of course there was an accident on the road but we made it to the cemetary before they closed the gates. Unfortunatly due to some improper planning, dinner became an issue so they hopped on the LIRR to go home. We ate with my mom. Since Yom Kippur is early this year, the fast started early and we had to start the fast in the car. I'd rather start it at home safe and sound after chomping on my watermellon but oh well.
LC was antsy at 5am so instead of sleeping late, I let Lee sleep late and I went to walk him. The fast went easy enough. Jessie who isn't supposed to fast yet, was going to do some but ended doing the whole 25 hours of no food/drink right with us. I did take a little nap later but all in all, things went ok.
I did feel tired and lethargic and was wondering what the next day would hold but first had to deal with a major decision... How do you break the fast? Lee and the kids immediatly decided on pizza (for them) and then it was a decision of from where and when should we order. They settled on Bellerose Famous Pizza and ordered early so that it sat in our house smelling awesome 30 minutes before the fast was over. They still enjoyed it tho. For me, I decided on white rice and egg drop soup. The thought process was rice is good to settle a stomach and the egg drop soup is liquid protein for fast absorption. Lee and I did also chase it down with a watermellon which was awesome. We made sure or tried to make sure to eat slow. Eat too fast and you're in trouble...
Went up to sleep early as it was an early wakeup.
Left the house and we got there with no problem. Got a decent parking spot too. Best part was the unused yet port-a-pottie, after we checked in.
Saturday it rained badly and was gone. No rain on Sunday but it would be a "muddy" mud run.
Major difference this year from last year was the temperature. Last year it was a beautiful warm day. This time it was 48. I wore my singlet, sleevies and a long sleeve tech shirt and my sweater. Also, I used sweatpants. Jeremy of course just took shorts and was cold. Gave him my sweatpants.
After we checked-in and I used the port-a-pottie, we warmed up in the car. Still, eventually it was my turn so my guys escorted me. I took the sweater off and the long sleeve and all I had on was a singlet, sleevies, compression pants and my old running shorts. I didn't want to get my new shorts all muddy. I should have brought light gloves. I didn't. That sucked!
Military went off followed by the brick division. These guys are awesome. My wave started and I stayed in the right again. Last year Jeremy fell a little over there. That section is worse this year. We started and it's an immediate left followed by a right onto the uneven boardwalk.
I was cold. I was very cold. I started shivering and of course my hands got in bad shape. Still, I was running. I recognized parts of the course from where TGNY ran through. Awesome. Got to the obstacles and that's when things become fun.
Over stuff and no big deal. New obstacle this year: Heavy Hoist. Grab a rope and pull thereby lifting a heavy weight of the ground. Get it all the way to the top and let it down slowly. Later people were just letting it drop. From there eventually to a cargo net and a nice slide and my butt is all wet. Awesome. Run some more and got to this thing where you climb up on ropes to the first level, go across, climb again, go across, go down and across and down again. I saw Lee and the kids and that was great.
Meanwhile, just want to point out the female race. Soon as we started, first female took off. Never saw her again. Second female passed me and eventually disappeared as well. Third female, Emily - 16 years old, came up and I told her her status. She was great and we ran together. She would do really well on the obstacles but lose a little on the running. We leap frogged a little. Eventually 4th female did pass her and she became 5th female. I think she ended up being 2nd for age.
Another new obstacle: Jungle Gym. Metal pole with things on the side. You are supposed to climb it by itself without help from other poles. I saw some people use both but I had no issue. That one was fun.
At the pushups, almost lost Emily but she caught up. Almost done with the first 5K. Another new obstacle. This was really fun and unfortunatly just like the Jungle gym, only the 10Kers had it. You had to traverse across these bands by stepping on them. You can use ropes on the top. I started going and I realized the top just made things harder so I let the top go and ran across and eventually dropped off. One of the volunteers saw me and was shocked/amazed. She yelled out "Oh my!". Crossing the park to the second part and Emily started lagging. Before you knew it, I lost her or maybe rather she lost me. Oh well. Started talking to a big guy who I think his name was Sean. He was a tall guy who weighed 230 lbs. Wasn't fat but he was big and he ran well. Ran together and talked and it was cool. Eventually into the water and it wasn't a big deal either. Came out and the 2 people ahead of us went the wrong way. It didn't make sense to me and I said something and then a volunteer saw us and yelled to us. Ran to the inclined soap wall and I grabbed the rope. I didn't expect it to stretch so I landed on stomach but pulled up anyway.
Right there I lost Sean and the other 2. Sucks. I could have left them all behind. No matter. It's all good. Got to the last mudpit and I threw my sunglasses out of the pit for later. Unfortunatly it landed right in the mud. I tried to find it but to no avail. Sucks. Ok - finished, got my medal and Sean came over thanking me for the help. Dude is a good guy. Emily came out a minute later as well and gave me a hug. Her quads started tightening up and she had to drop a step. Still, she was trying to beat some guy and she was happy.
I forgot to mention that before heading to the water, we had to climb a rock wall. Cool but there was a regular size and a short size for the woman. Since when do they do that? I thought it was a little insulting to the woman. Whatever.
Went around and back to the mudpit. Found my glasses! People were shocked I hopped a fence to back into the mud but then realized what happened. Actually they didn't understand what I threw (badly) in the first place.
At this point, I really started shivering. Shaking uncontrollably. Found Matt Resnick and started talking to him. In the sun, I was ok. In the shade, I was in trouble. Eventually, Jeremy, Matt and I lined up again. I was banditing the 5K with Jeremy. The corrals are in the shade. Great. I'm shaking out of control. People looking at me not realizing why but then saw all the mud and I can see on their faces that they understood.
We start. They change the course a little making sure these guys only do 5K. We get to the cargo net climb to the slide and someone screams that they someone got hurt. I direct Jeremy to a small line and I go look. A woman landed wrong. She hurt her ankle. I moved her a little so no one will land on her. Her friend yelled at me not to move her but I explained to her that I don't want anyone landing on her. Hope she's ok. I leave with Jeremy. Everything else went fine. No real issues. Nothing real important to document. I'm stlll cold.
Jessie is with Julia and Lee and I try to take care of Jeremy as he is cold. He had fun, lots of it, but he is cold. Rinse him off a little and then take him to the changing tent to change. It's like 20 degrees warmer in there and he lets out a sigh. Everyone going in there did the same thing. There's no point in me changing. Gonna run with Jessie for the 1 mile. Still, I get even colder. It was so bad that Jeremy actually asked me if we should go to medical. Wow...
I decide I had enough. I change clothes near the car. Feel so much better.
Lee decides to run with Jessie, Julia and perhaps Myles. Awesome. Again, maybe one day the kids will appreciate their parents. I ran with running clothes. Again, Lee escorted one of her children with Jeans! Oi.
Kids run starts the same and goes through a tire obstacle. Then they have a sand run on the beach followed up with crawling under a cargo net. There might be another obstacle but from there they climb a cargo net to a slide. There was a little girl up there who was scared and started crying and that delayed things. The girls caught up with Myles coming off the beach by the way...
From there, they went to the mudpit and finished together. Myles was so happy he finished with them. I didn't have the heart to tell him that they beat him again since he started in a wave before them. The girls realized it. He didn't. Whatever.
Took the girls to the "people wash". It's like a carwash but for people. Rinsed them off and then to their individual cars to change and to go home. It was a good day.
All in all a good day. No Krav Maga that night as Elizabeth and I went to Oren's movie premier. That's ok...