| The original map we did not follow |
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Spoiler Alert: Never happened...
Fast forward to last year or perhaps the year before - I don't remember. Jamey ran his first 5K. Seems kinda funny as he had already run 50 milers and the like but never a 5K. I don't remember which school did it, it may have been Soloomon Schechter of Long Island, but they did it. He inquired and it was interesting. There's a company out there that puts on a 5K and then sells the race to a few places. Let me try to explain it better. While he was doing the SSLI 5K, at the same time (and same course), there was another name for the same 5K. Basically, the company ran one 5K but branded it in a few different names even tho it was the same race. Talk about double dipping (I think it was quad dipping actually).
This organization charged $3,000 for the first 100 entrants in your 5K and more after that.
During our Sunday runs, we talked about it. Tomsky was thinking about it BUT $3,000 is a lot of money. I told him to contact other timing companies.
I don't remember when it was, but Elizabeth, Jessie, the dogs and I were going somewhere for a mini-vacation and he asked if he could talk. While driving, I spoke to him for about an hour on speakerphone. Gave him lots of ideas. Answered his questions. Addressed his concerns. He was afraid this was gonna be a loss to the school and he didn't want that.
Elitefeets.com charges $1,000 for the first 100 runners. NICE! He fought the good fight trying to get a permit for Cunningham. I continued to advise. Finally Flushing Meadow Park became the venue and the school approved. He really thought only 3 people would show up: Him, Jamey and me. I told him that wasn't the case. I held his hands. I did what I could. Could I have done more, probably. He didn't ask and I don't know the infrastrucure at the school anymore. Turns out that Jamey is a big name and he had to convince Paul but once that happened, he got the blessing.
And so, it was happening...
I donated money. Jamey and family paid for the medals and that was almost a disaster as the school waited so long. Knowing Jamey he probably donated too.
In any case, I registered Elizabeth and me. Saturday, day before the race, we got a text message with our bib numbers and a link to the entrant list. There were 42 people signed up. He only needed 40 people to cover the initial $1,000 so he was ecstatic.
Sunday, race day, Elizabeth and I drove to the park. Jamey was planning on getting there earlier and did but got lost looking for parking (silly...) or as Elizabeth put it "Raina wasn't there so that's why he got lost". Truer words could not have been spoken.
We got there with the dogs. Checked in. No porta-potties and perhaps indoor plumbing far away but I went old school to the port-a-tree.
I wanted to push or try to push but whenever I start running now, my shins hurt a little in the beginning so I actually warmed up a little. Getting old...
Last minute, I found out that there was a course change. Instead of 1 big loop, it was going to be 3 loops. I wasn't neccessarily happy about that but whatever.
Quick jump to the end: The fact that this happened with only 3 weeks planning is amazing. Nothing went wrong but there were some things that need to get tweeked. I won't go into it here tho...
Race started with 50 runners which means that 8 people just showed up out of the blue. Tomsky was beside himself... I wanted to push but I've been running like crap so expected Jamey to catch up. I also expected Tomsky to catch up. He had just run a PR in the NYC Marathon the week before but he has been training well and I knew he wanted a PR here too.
Race had some fast guys so things didn't look good for me. Nonetheless, once we started I went for it. I did slow down to 6th overall and eventually finishing 7th overall. My first mile split was 7:15 while the other 2 loops were in the 8's. Oh well.
The loop started near the unisphere and made a right turn passing the zoo. The kiddie zoo was on the left while the main zoo was on the right. Terrace on the Park was on the left. Some turns later and we circled around the unisphere to finish the loop.
Jamey caught me after the first loop and we ran together. It seemed like we were in no mans land. We did notice someone (perhaps Miriam's daughter) cutting the course. With no route marshalls you get what you get.
It seemed weird that we didn't see Elizabeth as she was with the dogs who like to stop and send P-Mail constantly or get distracted by squirrels. We finally did see her when we approached the end of our 3rd loop.
That being said, I broke away and finished ahead of Jamey by 2 seconds. I think he cold have fought me for it. I don't know. His ankle was complaining and he himself said that he apparently does not like 5Ks as his chest is hurting.
Within a second of Jamey finishing another guy finished and a few otheres including first female. We really thought we were alone but we were being hunted. Jamey loved that his bib number was 8 and he came in 8th overall. The guy who finished after him was bib number 9 and he finished 9th overall. I liked my number, bib number 26. Figure that one out...
I ran with my girls for their last lap tho Elizabeth didn't want me "with them" but rather in front of them so the dogs would follow. I obliged. We did see a female who Elizabeth said cut the course and we chased. Elizabeth passed her to take 2nd for age.
I won't complain too much but will say that I don't like 10 year age groups (I got 3rd for age and Elizabeth got 2nd for age) and worse I don't like it when they only recognize first in age. I should have had 2nd for age as the the first in my age group was 2nd overall. This silliness was suggested by Elitefeets and Tomsky agreed even tho I told him that runners H.A.T.E that!!! Oh well.
All in all a good day but I will put out one more thing here. I was sore about 2 things and I will start with the 2nd. I was really irritated at myself for letting the 1st issue bother me. I have dealt with it since then but still had to document it. The 1st was the fact that my help was not acknowledged. Nothing. The week after, Tomsky thanked Jamey in front of me for all his help. I did something too and that really did not resonate with me. I'm done with it tho.
I am glad my brainchild happened. I truly happened. I am glad it was a success and I'm convinced that next year, even more people will show up.
By the way, Miriam's daughter who came in 3rd for age got a trophy even tho she finished after Elizabeth who did not get anything. Also, I ran another lap as a sweeper with Jamey and Tomsky but decided to stay with a guy who was walking and ended up DFL. His story is interesting and it's worth documenting. He belongs to the elitefeets team and is competing in their grand prix of points. He is in the lead, just edging out an 18 year old kid. The kid informed him that he was doing the Pine Barrens Marathon the day before thsi race. That race is NOT a beginner Marathon. Those trails are not for beginners. If he would not have done it, the kid would have edged him out of first place with the completion points. He did it and finished 13 out of 13. He missed the shuttle and elitefeets had to give him a ride out of the trails. He was hurting but decided on active recovery and well let's face it... A few more points....