| Course Map | Randall's Island Map |
This is a fun race. It's short, intense and is a multi-sport event or a brick if you aren't super racing it.
Wednesday I went at 5am to swim my 1,200 but the guy showed up late to open the YMCA. I was about to (unhappily) nix the swim at 5:15 when he showed up but he did so I got a quick 500 in and rushed home. Later that night my workout called for 6,000 (Part 1: 2,700 and Part 2: 3,300). My crew all bailed out after, at most, 1,800 so I got stuck with the brunt of it by myself. At the end, a 500 swim, Hammad said he will also do it so we swam together. I lapped him 3 or 4 times and also crashed into him on a backstroke (oops) and I kept losing count. Not focused. I probably ended up with 6,100 or 6,200.
Thursday, Jessie was invited to Arielle's house for a sleep over for her friends birthday. The next day, Friday, was going to be her last day in 4th grade. She had a half-day and Elizabeth had homecares so we decided that I would stay home (with Jeremy) and my mom would come pick me and Jeremy and we would get Jessie from school and then lunch. But life changes and she was invited for a movie and pizza right after school Friday. I decided not to cancel my day off and I would stay home but again life changed and Jeremy was invited to his buddy's house. His buddy was going away for the whole summer but Jeremy said "no because my Dad was taking off"... Wow! Damn that felt good but I told Jeremy that I appreciate it but he should go meet Josh. So... What to do...? Well, turns out Jim was taking off because of his daughters last day (1/2 day) so we decided to meet up early. Normally I would be on a taper at this point but I decided it can't hurt.
Jim wanted to leave at 6am but I said 7 so I can help get Jessie out of the house. Then I realize she wasn't even home but that's ok. Got an extra hour of sleep. Jim picked me up and we went to the college. We did 4 loops on the bike and 1 loop on the run. To mix it up (AKA annoy), Jim suggested we stop before every uphill and then start effectivly losing any advantage we had coming off a downhill. Wonderful. My legs were tired afterwards but I figured all will be well by Sunday.
Got home to LC, showered then had a picnic lunch on the floor in the living room while he had a snack there too. Then got a hour nap in. Awesome. Eventually everyone was back and all was good.
Saturday actually slept till 7am. That's 9 hours!!! Took Jeremy to the orthadontist and a haircut and then we went to visit Elizabeth's cousin. She's having a garage sale as she closed her Gan down and is planning on moving back home with her daughter and to lease her house with the aim to eventually migrate with her parents to Florida. From there rush-rush-rush to get food and get the activities on. Jessie forgot her goggles at the YMCA and I went back at 8:45 pm for them but they were gone...Oh well.
Adele got there 5 minutes early and we were on our way. Made good time and on Randall's Island in no time. No freaking signs! Argh....We sort of remembered where we parked last year but still drove to make sure. Found a car also lost and a cyclist too. We stopped to ask and couple of guys who work on Randalls Island told us where to park. Nice. There was a close parking lot past the one that we were on, near the stadium. We were the first ones parked. Nice. Walked on the footbridge to the start and finally we saw a NYCSWIM sign. Can't believe there was nothing until then. Kills me everytime the lack of signs.
Went to the check in and we were there 5 minutes early and they weren't ready. People either lieing on the ground or waiting and I decided they were ready and went over and I was the first one. Funny. Checked in and body marked and got my tag and went to dump my bag in transition and immediatly in line to the port-a-pottie. Just like last year, only 2 for 250 athletes and their family. Disgusting.
Lot of down time and it's hot. Kept looking for family but nothing. Line to the porta-potties was huge. I did go to pee (twice) behind some car. I wasn't the only one. Actually heard the meeting this year. Last year I was in the port-a-pottie.
I had a great transition area. My number was 204 and I was one of the first few spots after swim finish. Adele had more of a barefoot run to her stuff than me.
Met my neighbors. Guy named Aaron who was freaking out and wanted to place and Amy who was nice. Turns out NYCSWIM changed the 10 year age group and now they had 5 year age groups with 4 deep in my bracket. Aaron was right.
Lots of down time filled with sitting, relaxing and boiling in the sun and aimless walking and talking. I got video interviewed by an Israelli dude. He asked me what NYCSWIM was all about to me: Without thinking I said that NYCSWIM to me means lining Morty's pockets with Money but then gave another (more friendly) reason. No suprise, I got cut out from the video ;) - That's ok tho.
One of the volunteers was saying that I put the chip on wrong. The strap was so long that I had to go over the chip. He said it won't register - nonsense but ... started to walk over to see about getting a smaller strap when he came over with a smaller strap. Cool - whatever...
Last year, I was in wave 2 and Adele was in wave 3 and I felt like I was being hunted with a target on my back by the whole field. This year, Adele was in wave 2 and I was in wave 3 and I felt like a chaser. I'm not sure which is better.
They lined us up and wave 1 was off. Very soon after wave 2 went off and it was my turn to get in the water. The water was cold. Wuus (per Adele) or not, the water was cold even with the wetsuit. Sat down in the water to try to acclimate myself.
As soon as the gun went off, I went hard to the first buoy. When we got into the water, they had me move left which was not my ideal place so I wanted to get through the rush/crush at the buoy. I did that well but had to hang out for a second to fix my goggles which decided to rebel.
Last year they had to adjust the swim course due to the current. This year they reported a 0.89 current which means we would start and immediatly make a right against the current. Make a left and a left and have the current at our back. Go past the finish line and make a left and again into the current to swim finish.
The swim itself was very physical and there was a lot of banging, punching, kicking and colliding. First buoy was supposed to be on our right but I took it on the left. Yes - I broke the rules but it didn't really change anything. Finally got to the next buoy and made a left. Lots of swimmers didn't go around that buoy. Sucks. I got tangled in that damn buoy. Other people, who for the purpose of clarification I will call "cheaters", had it easy by NOT going around it. The next left also had some of these cheaters. Straight shot to the next buoy and the next left. At that point, things really got physical as EVERYONE was jockying for position. We were told to stay away from shore but the "inside" was the best play and that's what I did fighting for position with every stroke. I pushed back like everyone else did and beat out a lot of people coming out of the water. Grabbed a hand of the volunteer to come out which was good as I sorta lost my balance a little.
As I got out, I saw Jeremy and Jessie and they ran with me to transition. They had got there just a few minutes earlier. They had parked very far and it took a little while to get there. I don't remember who but just like last year one of them offered to help me with the wetsuit and before I could reply that I can't accept help, the other chirped in about that. Nice!
I was hoping to beat Aaron on the swim as he was in my wave and he rubbed Adele the wrong way and I thought I did but I saw him on the run course and he was ahead of me. Oh well - sorry Adele, I tried. Amy came out after me on the swim - she was still cool.
Rinsed my wife and changed and took my gum and decided to rinse mouth again and the gum flew out. Argh...
Started my run and yelled at Adele to get a move on. Turns out she had a race belt malfunction of some sort and lost time there. Had to carry it in her hands tho I didn't understand what she was telling my during the run.
Last year I didn't understand the run course. I thought it was long and then short and I kept expecting the turnaround to appear but it took a while before it did. Why can't NYCSWIM put out mile markers anyway?!? So, as I now understand it, it's like this...You come out of transition and run 1.22 miles to the turnaround. This includes 1 short and a little steep incline. You turn around and run past transition 1.57 miles past the footbridge. Turn again and you have 0.31 to the finish.
I was running well (I think). Last year, being chased, there weren't that many people in front of me. This year, as a chaser, I had people to chase and I did. I just ran after people, making ground on the field. I would set my eye on someone and reel them in. Moving through the field like that. The turn around came and I was chasing a FrontRunner guy who, of course, knows Tomer. From there, I left him to chase a woman and ran with her until she was passed and I went ahead to that woman. Close to the second turnaround, Amy appeared out of no where and I ran with her, knowing that I would get chicked. That's cool. Still, I hung with her as best I could and actually managed to surge at the end to beat her by 3 seconds. Big hug and congrats.
As I made the first turn around, a guy was approaching. He was wearing a speedo and a white wife beater. Dude was smoking the field. I knew he would pass but I was gonna make it hard for him. Passing transition I saw Elizabeth with LC. Guess she wasn't running with Adele as I hoped. Right after the second turnaround I saw speedo guy again and I knew I would get passed. Just a little more and I would have held him off. Later, I found out he is 52 years old.
Got some food and more importantly food for the kids and lee and packed up my stuff. I was considering a shower or at least a rinse but decided to skip it as it was almost 11 and the Dentist asked me, on Friday, if I could try to make it by 11:45 instead. Oi...
Walked to the car and saw that the parking lot where Adele was parked was locked in with cars. Crap...I texted her to hang out as she usually does anyway. Turns out that there was some event at the stadium. She managed to get out with her little car by driving on the grass. Whew...I was worried.
Drove (raced) to the Dentist getting stuck in traffic. I was hoping to get there early and I called them to say that the GPS says so but trafic on Rockaway Turnpike is always a mess and I ended up getting there at 12:03. Very annoyed but I did brush and floss in the car so as soon as I got there, we were cooking.
Anyway, last year I got 3rd for age in 10 year age groups. This year 6th in 5 year age groups. And no finisher medal. And they reused bags from other races. Annoying...
Probably retire this race. I enjoyed myself but between the no signs in Randalls Island, only 2 porta-potties and no mile markers, the cons are starting to out weigh the pros. It's also on the expensive side so...
On a different note - I beat Adele by 26 seconds. I'm not trying to be an ass about it but I gotta wonder (obsess) why. Yes, I was wearing a wetsuit and she wasn't but she beat me last year like usual. Was she off or am I doing better in my training? She did report it being very physical and getting beat up and the water was cold. I started doing swim doubles (swimming twice a week at 5 am besides my normal evening swim) and doing more at night anyway and I wonder if it's having a positive effect. I am feeling stronger in the pool but sometimes also more tired or having heavy arms. I don't wanna over do it but I need the yardage so I really am obsessing... I hope that I beat her due to something that I am purposefully doing. That would mean that there is actually hope for me ;) - I'm sure that I am not done thinking (obsessing) over it.
| 2012 Time | 2013 Time | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Run | 23:24 | 23:49 | 25 seconds slower |
| T1 | 2:54 | 3:02 | 08 seconds slower |
| Swim | 29:24 | 26:53 | 2 minutes and 31 seconds faster |
| Total | 55:41 | 53:46 | 1 minute and 55 seconds faster |
I thought I ran better but I didn't. I wish I would have written my run splits last year but I didn't. I only have this years. My T1 was a little slower but that's ok. The huge news was the swim and I thought this year was tougher... So either it was easier or I actually improved... I'm going with improved since I truly thought this years swim was tougher.
