Race Reports – Page 15 – BEYOND DEFEAT

RACE REPORT: 026 Disney Marathon: 3:13:13

Posted on January 10, 2010 by admin

Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 9 Comments

Overall Place	Gender Place	Age Place	Finish Time	Pace/ Mile
172 / 16883	165	42	3:13:13	7:22	64.6 %

Every January I try and make a stop down in Florida around my Mom’s birthday to get some one-on-one time with her. This year, I timed it so that I would also be running the Disney World Marathon, my second marathon. My mom has never seen me run a race so I wanted her and to be able to cheer me on for once.

Normally in Florida around this time, the mornings are mid-forties and the high gets upwards of 65. This seemed like perfect running weather. Little did I know that the greatest cold front Florida had ever seen was descending upon the race.

We drove up to Orlando from Tampa Saturday afternoon. We stopped off at the Disney Wide World of Sports Expo to pick up my race number and goodies. It was insanely crowded. We then checked into the Old Key West Resort suite I had booked. I picked it because it seemed to be within walking distance of the start line. It was a great little place that might even be bigger then my manhattan apartment.

At 7PM we went north to a restaurant my mom found called Fresco (by Universal Studios). It was perfect. I had my pasta fix, some red wine and we were off. I think we all got to bed just after 10 with the intention of waking up at 4:15AM. Yikes.

RACE DAY

My iphone alarm calmly woke me up at the slotted time. Was I tired? No. I need roughly 6 hours of sleep to be on my A game and I was on target. Brewed up some Cafe Bustelo that I brought with me (yes, Im that crazy about it and god help me if they ever ban it from racing). Ate a banana. Got geared up in my arctic attire… Track pants, Nike Dry fit top, Adidas track top, gloves and hat. The temperature was 28 degrees + windchill with a predicted high of 35. I mean, I’m from NYC and run in the cold, but not a whole 26 miles in sub freezing! Come on, give me a break Florida!

My stepfather Richard drove me (no way you can get my mom out of bed early- she’s like a college student) to the end of our resort entrance which is where the start was. I hopped out and ran across to the empty corrals.

I made pals with this guy Michael and we decided to hop the gates and get to our start. You’re supposed to go all the way around to the parking lots of Epcot but that takes 20 minutes.

TIME: 4:50AM… 50 minutes to start. Michael and I just bounced around in our corral trying to stay warm BSing about running until the rest of the group came. We were both in Corral A which was the lead group of 500 or so faster runners. It was still cold but now we had some protection from the wind. Seriously, not a fun time. For the first time ever I was upset that my sneakers had ventilation slots. SIDENOTE: Props to the volunteers who were out there since 1:30AM setting up.

A minute or two before gun time they had us scoot up. My right foot was ON the start line! Never before in a race of this caliber (17,000 runners) had I ever been first off! It was quite exciting.

National Anthem, fireworks, a fist bump to all my friends I had made and then we were off!

I started ballin’ down the highway in hot pursuit of the pack. Remember, its 5:40AM, pitch black, 28 degrees plus windchill and 26.2 miles to go. My main concern was to get my blood flowing and my body heat started, I could care less about silly things like ‘pacing’ or ‘taking it easy’ in the beginning. Thats also not my style.

The first 4 miles we looped into Epcot. It was very cool and I was in a line of runners watching the lead man slowly pull away. I had no intention of going after him, there were many more faster runners than me, I just wanted to break my own personal record and qualify for Boston. As the 4 miles finished we came back around to where we started but in a different chute. Now we were running up the highway with the rest of the runners to our right just getting going.

After we made it past the crowds it got real dark, real quiet, and real cold out on the highway. I switched on my ipod to keep me company. The guy in front of me was 40 yards ahead and the guy behind me the same. I started to fall into my rhythm and really get excited just to be there running a marathon. The last big race I had was the Ultra in November so I was itching for some time out on the road. I was in my head and running, just running, nothing else in the world to worry or think about but that moment.

As we hit mile 8 and 9 we started coming up to the Magic Kingdom… you know, Cinderella’s Castle, Frontier Land, Space Mountain. The crowds were back and my spirits soared. I made it a point to throw my hands up at the crowds in either the bull horns gesture or the love sign, instigating them to freak out! I wanted to have as much fun as I could on this and also wanted to show the people standing around in sub-freezing weather that we needed and appreciated them.

This next part may have been the most amazing experience of the whole race. When we think of Disney World we think of crowds, of lines, whiney kids, and chaos. I was now running through the Magic Kingdom BY MYSELF! there was no one around! Occasionally, a Disney character like Dopey or Cinderella would be sidelined, but other than that it was a ghost town. Because it was a winding path you couldn’t see the runner ahead or behind you. It was actually pretty creepy at times, until I ran right through the middle of the Castle! Unreal. I also blew a kiss at Minnie… sorry Mickey.

Departing the Magic Kingdom we were nearing mile 11 and I was looking forward to the Half-Marathon line as I set that to be snack time.

As soon as I crossed over the line I pulled over and ate the 3 Clif Shot Blocks I had in my pocket. I was starving and needed sustenance. During my last race, I had a few mini rice and bean burritos that I ate which worked phenomenally! I didn’t think I would need them on this run and I would later find out I was very wrong.

It was at this point people started catching up and passing me. It was also at this point I noticed that at all the water stations our drinks were more slushy/sno-cone like than liquid.

Back on the move through miles 14 and 15, feeling good but getting hungry again. My knees and toes were also numb from the cold. My timing was on par and at at this rate I would finish in 2:50 which was one of my goals (Sub 3 that is). I stopped and wolfed down another banana. Mmmmm.

Miles 17-19 we went through The Animal Kingdom and once again it was totally cool. It was like running through a man made jungle. Tiki Huts, Reggae Bands, the works.

Of course, as soon as we left the Animal Kingdom and got on to mile 20 I felt horrible. I was hungry again and not interested in bananas for once in my life. My pace was slowing and the cold was taking its toll on my body. I believe ‘bone cold’ would be a good term to describe it.

At mile 21 I realized my pace had slowed enough that in order to make sub 3 I would have to continue with a 6:20 pace. That was not going to happen and now I was just content with finishing as long as I broke my last marathon’s time of 3:15:51.

As we entered mile 24 we were brought full circle back into Epcot and I found myself running ‘Around the World.’ Runners were passing me now and on a normal day I would take offense to this and step it up, but I was a mess.

As I neared the finish line I knew my Mom and stepfather Richard would be watching. I would try and find them but I more importantly needed to get this race done! As I rounded the corner and saw the immense crowds I knew I would never spot them. Then, out of the roar of the crowd I heard this unforgettable sound, it was the sound of my Mother’s voice, “Chris!” I turned and smiled, waving as I went on to the finish line knowing they had seen me.

At my Ultra Marathon I sprinted to the finish giddy with excitement, not today. As soon as I crossed, my body was like “Get me food now or its over buddy!” My time was 3:13:13 which is a bit odd (numerically) I would say. I broke my personal record but did not qualify for Boston. I got my medal (super awesome gold Mickey Mouse head) my aluminum blanket and walked on to the food area. I heard a few other runners saying how they were unhappy with their times too. I grabbed a bagel and blueberry muffin and devoured them in record time.

My Mom and Richard came running over and gave me a big hug. They were really excited by the whole thing which was cool to see.
Back at the Resort my Mom whipped together a delicious breakfast. I took a hot shower and we headed back to Tampa.

I was supposed to be meeting my friend Morgan and 4-5 other run-bloggers who were there running but I just couldn’t stay out in the cold any longer. Sorry guys!

All in all it was a good race and I made great time. Its hard to stay upbeat though when you know what you are capable of and let it fall apart. Like I always tell people, you never whats going to happen on race day!

Congrats to all 17,000 Marathoners!

—

This is what I walk away with…

1- I didn’t train for this race at all. I ran maybe two 5 mile runs since November. I’m running the NJ Marathon and the NYC Marathon and I will train very hard to achieve my goals.

2- If rice and bean burritos work on a race, why leave them out for no logical reason? Bring my burritos to all distance races.

3- Eat a bigger breakfast before a marathon, maybe oatmeal (like I did for the Ultra which worked great).

It’s funny, on the Ultra I learned a great deal about distance running… food, etc. Then, I get to this marathon and I throw it all out the window!

RACE REPORT: 025 NYE Midnight Run: 4M

Posted on January 4, 2010 by admin

Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 3 Comments

I hate 2 holidays in New York City, The 4th of July and New Years Eve. It’s not that I don’t like these holidays in and of themselves, I just hate spending them IN NYC.

Im quite sick of the overly crowded bars with the ticket prices, the house parties with strangers… it’s all so old. Therefore, I had planned to be on a beach somewhere, in the heat, with a pina colada. This plan failed as I jinxed myself by planning a trip to Florida on the 7th to run the Disney Marathon. There would be no way to schedule a NYE trip so close to another vacation based on work etc etc etc. What to do, what to do?

END RANT —

Ed, Jim and Mike of the ‘Dad Posse’ had mentioned that they would be running the NYE Midnight fun run in Central Park. Maybe I would like to join? After an email from Ed’s wife Annelise inviting me over for the pre-run party it was a no brainer and I signed up.

I had a pretty laid back day. I went ice skating with Marissa, shot over to Robin and Ahern’s for our annual Irish Whiskey toast then made my way up to Ed and Annelise’s place.

The party was perfect. Role call: Ed, Annelise, Jim, Lisa, Mike, Kara, Jack, Isabelle, Ben, Josephine, Elizabeth, Kelly, Kevin plus some of Annelise’s family. For our pre-race medicine I made margaritas from scratch (I think it may have took a half hour to juice all the limes). None the less, I think they were a hit and may have improved our race times in the end.

At 11:30, Ed, Jim, Mike, Zack his sister and I hit the road to make it to Central Park in time.

We were a bit late and the race had begun (remember its a fun run and un-timed). We ditched our gear with Zack and his sister (big ups for watching our stuff) and we started the run.

It was like a snow-rain mix but the 4500 runners didn’t seem to care, nor did we. There was a barrage of fireworks going off the whole time which was totally amazing to run under.

We started the race in a group of four, taking turns leading. Really, we all were following the 3 gals running in bikinis. I’m serious, they were and they were totally awesome. I chatted with them briefly, one of the girls was ‘duped’ into running this thing and was clearly not pleased with her run-happy friends.

It was around this point that we all lost sight of one another in the pack. It was then that I decided to start ballin’ down the course. I would occasionally slide out on the snow patches to see how far I could go, then jump right into a sprint. Although entertaining to me, I’m sure no one around me thought it was that cool.

There were lots of people high fiving us on the sidelines and it was really great. Props to anyone who hangs out in bad weather cheering on runners!

I was cruising pretty fast and was soaking wet head-to-toe. In all honesty, it started to become quite hard to race. At mile 3, I was being drafted by a guy who annoyed me. I pulled a ‘Top Gun’ and jammed on the brakes allowing him to fly past me at which point I yelled “your turn to lead buddy!’ He agreed. Remember, I was juiced up with margaritas and positive-crowd vibes. We rounded the corner to the finish and I sprinted it out nearly having heart attack… or maybe that was margarita induced heart burn?

After finishing I turned around to hit the finish and cheer on the guys as they completed the race. Its so hard to see anyone in a dark storm though, FYI.

We all found each other and did a round of high-fives as Ed says “Who wants some refreshments?” and produces 4 Fosters Oil Can beers! Wow!

We all cruised out of the park saluting the New Year and our race.

It was exactly how I imagined myself ringing in the New Year. What better way then to be doing something I love and now live for, running and competing.

RACE REPORT: 024 Knickerbocker 60K: 5:01:01

Posted on November 21, 2009 by admin

Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 6 Comments

Sex/ Age	Bib	Overall Place	Gender Place	Age Place	Net Time	Finish Time	Pace/ Mile
M31	14	12	12		5:01:01	5:01:01	8:05

The Knickerbocker 60K is a mild Ultramarathon (I say that because hard core Ultra Runners only consider a 50 miler and up Ultras) consisting of 9 laps around Central Park totaling 37.2 miles.

I had been signed up to run this race for a few months, and during a conversation with Ed from the “Dad Posse” he asked me why I would want to run such a crazy race? After a day or two of introspection it came to me… Fear. Fear was the reason I was running this thing. I was afraid of this race from the get go and wanted to take it on head first.

I was a little nervous as I had only run a distance no greater than 17 miles in the last 4 months, which some would say is poor preparation. Whatever.

2 weeks prior I was actually stressed about it. The week of, not the case. I was actually more excited just to run because I had taken the week off from physical activity, which to any of you who know me personally is like torture.

The night before the race I spent ‘preparing for battle’ as I like to say. I made 3 Powerade Redbull 50-50 mixed drinks for the run. I also made 7 mini burritos made from rice and beans. Why? My hero runner, Scott Jurek, is a naturalist and isnt into Gels and Goos. Quite frankly, neither am I , they are gross. Take yourself back to the 70’s and 80’s when these things didnt exist, what did runners do? Eat burritos? Maybe not, but that is what I had in store for my “Brunch” tomorrow.

Once my bag was packed I made my staple pre-run meal. Pasta with fresh shrimp. Its the perfect meal and Im never hungry when I wake up. I ate this and watched the 2006 Ironman Championships which is a great way to get inspired. Try it. Oh, and try and not shed some tears too, impossible!

I was in bed by 10:30, 11 o’clock and had dreams about the race. I woke up every two hours.

RACE DAY

Woke up at 6AM, had some Bustelo and was out the door by 6:30.

Elizabeth (or Ms Ritz) had been generous enough to offer up holding my bag-o-goodies prior to the race! So nice, thanks Eliz! So after dropping my stuff with her I went over to the Road Runners and geared up. I made a few friends at the start. One of these gals, Jessica, happens to be running the Disney Marathon in January too! Small World! It was cool hanging with someone prior to a race of this magnitude.

Speaking of which, compared to other RR races in New York, this almost seemed like a rogue operation! In comparison, other races have close to 5,000 racers, this had 185!

Mike and Ed popped over to say hi before the start. Ed would be riding his bike around the track and Mike would be running.

After a quick speech by the race coordinator we were off.

I was running without my music on as it was a beautiful morning. Not sure how my pace was but I was in the top ten runners and we were chatting and being silly about the whole 9 laps thing. Its rare in a race that you get this kind of humanity, all of the competitive edge being gone. You’re really testing yourself, not others.

Laps 1 and 2 went by pretty quick and I was right on target with my 1- 1:10 hours per 2 laps time frame. My only morning fuel was a Clif Bar and two bananas, but I wasn’t hungry. Weird. .

At the end of Lap 2 I was pacing a guy I had caught up to. His name was Sebastian and we became friends. We chatted about our runs etc. He was faster than me for sure, but we stayed together until Lap 4 when I had to take a bathroom break.

It was after this that I turned on my headphones and started to get into my zone if you will.

People often ask what I listen to when I run? I listen to Drum n Bass mixes, this one happened to be a very aggressive DJ Hype mix.

Something to take note of…
We were running against the flow of normal running traffic, so we would pass the same people numerous times and they started routing for us! It was so helpful and fun! I saw Ed, Mike, Jim and Patrick (of the “dad Posse”) numerous times, giving me high fives as we passed. Sebastian at one point asked who I was and how I knew so many people, hilarious.

At Lap 5 I removed my white zip-up top and just had my red dry fit on with my track pants. It was getting warmer and I needed to lose some weight. I had made more friends with all the volunteers around the course because you pass them so many times. They were teasing me about changing my outfit calling me the stripper runner!

Lap 6 is when I started to get hungry. I pulled over to where Elizabeth was stationed with my gear and grabbed a burrito. Some of my volunteer pals were astonished at the fact that I was actually eating a rice and bean burrito. “Dude, are you seriously eating a burrito?!” I offered them one on the return loop but they werent hungry. This kind of banter back and forth only solidifying what an insane race this was. As I returned the next lap the gals asked if I was having a margarita (my powerade mix) to wash down my burrito.

Im not going to lie and try and act all macho about this run, at this point my legs were basically on fire. Trying to ignore the sensation, specifically in my quads, was very hard to do. I was using every water station as a chance to have a 15 second walk and drink break which helped and also gave me something to look forward too.

My next lap around I took off my track pants and red top, revealing my staple beater-running shorts combo. This felt great and I could really fly without the pants.

It was at this point I noticed all my friends gathered at the finish! Role call: Todd, Ila, Jeff, Ali, Jon Boy, Danny, Anna, Phyllis, John, Robin, Ahern, Becky, Cottom, Benny!
I yelled as I went by that this was my last lap, Lap 8! Boy was I mistaken.

I cruised around the 3.9 Mile loop ecstatic that this would be my final lap and telling all my volunteer buddies the same, I felt pretty good. It was 55 degrees and sunny in an amazingly colored Autumn Central Park. It was spectacular and I kept telling myself ‘what a day to be alive.’

200 Yards to the finish I saw my brother and his GF Ali yelling to me that I still had a lap to go! What? As I cruised up the race guy said I did indeed have one more. He showed me the race log and it said I had completed 8 laps? No, he said, its a 9 Lap course! WOW. Buzzkill.

I smiled at him and said “Okay, one more lap it is.” and I took off!

It felt like I might have ran that 9th Lap the fastest. What was really weird is that, even though my quads were burning, I was still feeling great, I even had a smile on my face. This is a trait I have picked up from another hero of mine, Natascha Badmann. She is a 7 time Ironman champion and always runs with a smile on her face. When asked why she does it, she simply states that running and racing is what makes her happy. I like that. Me too.

As I made my final turn towards the finish I did get a little choked up thinking about what I was going to complete. I told myself to save those emotions for later, when it would really set in. For now, bathe in the glory of the finish.

As I came down the home stretch I rocked a pretty good sprint into the finish as seen here (thanx benny)

Finish Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG77fgrfzms

I hit my target goal of 5 hours and actually came in 12th Place overall, earning a plaque! Cool man!

I have never felt more relieved to stop running, then after a 37.2 Mile fiasco. Oh, and I now know every inch of Central Park… every turn, tree, shadow, curb, trash can, sign… Im not running in it for like a month.

After the race a bunch of us went to Brother Jimmy’s which seems to be my staple race ending meal. We had some beers and loaded up on food. I had blackened catfish, mac and cheese and collared greens. At 3 we all left as I was in dire need of a shower and a nap.

I am now an Ultramarathoner!

Special thanks to all my friends who made it out to support me, it means a lot! Also special thanks to the volunteers and all the runners who saw me and cheered me on!

SIDESTORY: Sunday I was watching football at our local bar, Black Sheep, with my brother Jeff. This gal in a booth is staring at me and as I caught her glace she holds up her arms like “Well?” I was like “Um, hi?” Then she says, “Yea hi, Burrito Man! How did the race finish for you?” Wow what a small world, she was one of the spectators that joked about the margaritas!

NYC Marathon: Commentary

Posted on November 1, 2009 by admin

Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 3 Comments

I did not run the 2009 NYC Marathon, BUT, in honor of my 3 friends who ran it I wanted to do a write up.

—

A common question I hear in the weeks up to, and during the Marathon was “Baker, are you running this year?”
I wanted to, believe me. As a runner and someone who has run NYC, to be a spectator definitely feels like you missed the bus. But, to be part of the cheering committee, especially when you know people running is great!

There are a few ways to run the NYC Marathon, and I did not get in using any of these tactics.

– Charity. Raise upwards of $2500-$3000 for any given team and you can run. Here’s the catch, if you don’t raise 3K, they take the difference out of your bank account. Last year this was how I got in. I wasn’t a runner at the time and never figured on doing multiple Marathons. In fact, I am quoted as saying at the finish to my friend Ila “I will never do this again!”

– Grandfather clause. Run 15 or more NYC Marathons and you’re in. No comment.

– Qualify. My time would need to be 2:55 in any marathon or 1:23 in a Half, which I just missed by 2 minutes at Grete’s Gallop.

– Lottery. 100,000 entries, roughly 40,000 accepted. Its like the Ivy League of running. I did not get in using this tactic this year.

– Lottery rejections. If you apply and are denied 3 years in a row, you get automatic entry the next year.

– Running! What better way to secure a spot? Run 9+ Road Runner Qualifying Races, volunteer once and you are locked in for the following year. So, with my 13+ races I am in for 2010! I will also run these races next season and ‘snowball’ myself into the marathon every year from here on out. Had I known this last year I might have done it, but remember, I wasn’t a runner at that point.

—

I went up to Bar Coastal on 78th and 1st around 11AM. Anyone who lives in NYC and hasn’t been a spectator at the world’s greatest spectator event really needs to get in gear. It was my little brother Jeff’s birthday so we had a dual purpose. Actually, our middle brother Phil, and his wife Naomi, had a child the night before. Cayden Charles Baker, so Jeff and I were also celebrating his birth and calling each other Uncles all day!

I would be lying if I didn’t say it was crowded. Any of you who know me well, understand I don’t do well in packed bars, but today is different. Today, you just accept it, mainly because every place you go is teeming with cheering New Yorkers.

Aside from partying, I was up there to cheer on my 3 runners…

Roll Call.

Becky!
Becky is my new roommate and friend. She is a runner and has done a marathon before, just not NY. Her leg has been bothering her, but after a visit to her doctor she said it was a green light for the race. I signed up for athlete tracker (which is cool) but beware, after 10K I didn’t receive any more updates for her and was a bit worried thinking she might have been injured. Jim and Elizabeth’s updates were streaming in fine. At around 4PM I got the message though, Becky had indeed finished strong! She’s a trooper and had to fly out on business that very night!

Elizabeth!
Elizabeth, or Ms Ritz, I met because we both write about running. Our friends Robert and Antonio (who I run with) introduced us. Her leg had also been bothering her 3 weeks prior to the race. She really wanted to run… anyone who knows a serious runner understands that once a goal is set, its hard to get around it even with doctors orders. I was getting all my updates for Elizabeth and man, she was cookin! 8:30s or less all day long! I owed Elizabeth a high-five as she was cheering me on at the Poland Spring race. I missed her and Becky at my post on 78th street as its so crowded and crazy. Its really hard to find your people. She finished and made her qualifying Boston time! Nice work Elizabeth, hopefully after my Disney marathon I will get a BQ and see you there!

Jim!
Jim is a member of the notorious “Dad Posse” also consisting of Ed, and Mike. Jim’s main goal was a Sub 4 marathon. Jim is pretty funny in the fact that he is real humble about racing. I mean, the guy has done an Ironman! There is no higher power than an IM. I was at the sidelines with Ed and Annelise, their 3 children Jack, Isabelle, and Ben Skywalker along with Jim’s wife Lisa and their 2 children Elizabeth, Josephine (and Louey!) We were anxiously awaiting Jim’s approach, the kids even had signs made up! Very cute. He cruised up looking pretty good for having run 17 miles, eating some gels his wife had and posing for some PR photo shoots. He bid us farewell after his 60 second stop and continued on.

I left the gang and headed indoors to continue Jeff’s birthday celebration. So many friends came out, it was great. We were maybe 20 deep having a blast when I get an email from Athlete Tracker saying Jim had finished in 3:58 and change. I threw my arm up in a fist pump and screamed, everyone around me wondering what the hell I was doing. I looked around and yelled “Jim ran a Sub 4! Hell Yea!” and still, people looked around at each other, “Who is Jim?”

It didn’t matter, my 2 worlds of racing and recreation were smashed together in a funny juxtaposition.

All 3 of my friends, new friends, who I met this year from running and am proud to call friends, were Beyond Defeat. They all accomplished their goals, and each one of them, as I have said in entry 1 of this blog, got to be King for a Day. Congratulations.

RACE REPORT: 023 Poland Spring 5M: 30:28

Posted on October 25, 2009 by admin

Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 3 Comments

Sex/ Age	Bib	Overall Place	Gender Place	Age Place	Finish Time	Pace/ Mile	AG Time	AG Gender Place
M31	40	54	51	13	30:28	6:05	30:19	124

After Saturday’s poor performance I was ready for battle out in Central Park. The Poland Spring 5 Mile Marathon Kick-off is an exciting race as it marks the last event before the marathon!

Saturday night I made my Shrimp Fra Di Avlo again and again it rocked! I as in bed by Midnight.

RACE DAY

I awoke at what seemed to be 6:30AM, but the light didn’t seem right. (I work for a watch company so I wear wristwatches) so I checked one and found that it was in fact 7:30AM! My ‘smart’ clock turned back the Fall Time a week early. Robots. I was meeting Ed, Jim and Ed’s neice Amanda at the bandshell at 8 so I had to hustle.

I rode my bike up to CP and found Jim at the spot. We locked our bikes up and he took off. SIDENOTE: Jim is running the marathon next week, so he was doing a training run on his own. He was trying to time his run to coincide with our finishes and as you will see, he did a pretty good job. I found Amanda and Ed down by the start and we gave the usual fist-pound of good luck.

I jumped in my corral kind of late so I was at the very back of the Blue Bibs.

As the gun went off it took me easily 7 seconds to cross the start line, meaning, I was stuck in the pack and had work to do. For some reason I like this. Similarly to when I used to drive and had to ‘bob-n-weave’ through traffic.

I took the left flank and started cruising just as I noticed this jacked-up guy with a tribal necklace and red shirt running at my pace. I decided to run with him. Our first mile was like 6:30! No good. We started to pick up the pace as the crowd thinned.

As we hit mile 3 I was just getting into the groove and feeling it. I also had my brand new racing flats on and was in heaven! (They have no heel really, so it keeps you pushed forward on your toes and mid foot, which is a run philosophy I believe in strongly. Ask me about it one day.) I had passed my pace buddy by this point and was trying to make up for lost time on mile 1.

Around mile 4 I was coming up the hill past the Boathouse when I heard “Yeah, go Baker!” It was Elizabeth (or Ms Ritz as many of you runners know her as) and I ran over and we high fived! Thanks Elizabeth. I actually really needed a push at that point and having people cheer you on boosts your energy.

Then, at mile 5 as Im rounding the south end to start gearing up for my finish who do I see? Robert, who was volunteering, yells “Go Baker!” Awesome, another running buddy! But then, the jacked guy I was pacing earlier passed me! Now, I would like to say that I am non competitive at times, but its so hard to control. How could I let this guy pass me after I passed him, illogical. Pushing on, he had an easy 20 yards on me and I was hurting.

As we started our approach to the finish by Tavern on the Green I saw Jim sidelined yelling at me! By this point there were 3 people between me and the jacked guy. I leaned forward on my tippy toes and started my sprint. (the feeling is similar to watching football drills where they are running through the tires with knees high, toes pointed down) I was cruising and I felt no pain, I was passing eveyone picking up speed along the way, with 2 meters to go I passed my guy!

The end sprint is by far my favorite part of racing. The problem is, saving up a little steam at the end for that kind of a finish… it doesn’t always work out as planned. I finished in 30:28 which was fine by me considering my previous day’s race disaster!

Jim ran down and gave me a high five, he was going to do anther lap and meet up with us around the time when Ed was finishing (like I said, he had the math down!)

After the race I was looking for the Medals that Jim said we get after this particular race… no dice.

I grabbed a water and headed to the finish to wait for the gang. Ed had not run a race in around 3-4 weeks (since the Grete’s Half Marathon) because his knee was being problematic, so I wasn’t sure at what time he would finish. He had said earlier that he was going to complete it, even if he had to crawl! Nice.

Around 54 minutes he came cruising through looking like everything was okay. He had said that it took 7 minutes to get to the start and sure enough his real time came back as 46:52! This is a record for him and not bad considering as he was coming off an injury. Amanda was right behind him with a time of 47:03.

Amanda, Jim, Ed and I shared some good stories about the race. In general, we were all pretty excited that we beat the guy in the banana suit. It was a great day for a run.

RACE REPORT: 022 Nike Human Race 10K: 43:16

Posted on October 24, 2009 by admin

Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 2 Comments

Sex/ Age	Bib	Finish Time	Pace/ Mile
M31	216	43:15	6:59

The Nike Human Race’s concept is that everyone around the world runs together at the same time. Very conformist, but I like it.

Friday night I spent being a homebody. A few friends called and invited me out- but it sounded potentially dangerous. Dangerous, like, I would oversleep. Instead I decided to make some Shrimp Fra Di Avlo from scratch! My buddy Ahern has cooked it for me a few times and it really has some power in it the next day during a race… therefore it has become my ritual. It turned out really well and I saved enough to make some for Saturday night, as I had another race Sunday.

RACE DAY

The race started at 8AM in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. I was to run it with my friend Soo Young, Soo Kueng (they are twins) and 3 of their friends. We had said that if it was raining we would bail.

I woke at 630AM and was pretty excited to maybe sleep in, so I texted Soo Young “It’s raining, guess its off.” She replied with something like “Really, you’re not running? We are leaving soon.” Damn. Last time I didnt run because of weather conditions I never heard the end of it, so I texted back “see you in 30!”

I jumped on the Q which was running very late, so late in fact that the 1 hour ten minutes I gave myself to get to the start would dwindle down to 5 minutes by the time I got to the race.

Sitting on the train headed to BK I could make out lots of other runners because we had to wear the stupid Nike dry fit shirts. (They never make them aerodynamic and it feels like youre running with a sail on). At Canal, this gal got on and sat next to me. She had on ‘the gear’ and I knew she was part of the movement. She kept glancing over at me and I took it to mean maybe she wasnt sure what stop we were to get off at. As Prospect Park approached she looked my way and said “Is this our stop?” “No, one more.” I told her. She smiled and said, “Youre Jeff Baker’s older brother arent you. I grew up in the same town in Virginia as you and went to your High School. My name is Amira.” Holy cow small world! I knew her brother! Gotta love NYC for stuff like that. We chatted and walked to the start, gathering her pal Alan along the way. I bid farewell and made my way to baggage drop.

As I got there I saw that it was mayhem! A school bus with crowds around it, you had to actually enter the bus to drop gear off. Do I wait? Just then the announcer says “2 minutes to the start!” Oh really? I ran (with my backpack) up to the 6 minute miler area and ducked into an area 50 yards back from the start. The gun went off right after and we started the run.

I was trying to break free of the crowds but I was way back in the thick of it all. It wasnt until mile 2 or 3 I was able to get some breathing room and open up.

This was my first ‘crappy’ race in a long time. Here is why… picture this… I have on an oversized red shirt, a backpack full of various items (extra sneakers, extra track pants, extra jacket, extra shirts, iphone, change) in case of rain? I also didn’t have time to change out of my track pants so I was wearing them, and underneath were my running shorts. I was a mess.

To shed some positive light on the situation, it turned out to be a beautiful morning in Prospect Park, the trees changing color… it was the epitomy of Autumn.

Miles 4 and 5 I had my usual “I should just walk the rest of the way” feeling I get during a bad run. I did not, however, succumb to these ideas. I finished the race with a sprint and as I neared the line I heard taunts from the announcer regarding me running with a backpack. Whatever… I love attention, anyway you cut it.

I walked up to the finish to wait for my friends. Soo Young and Saemi were first out of the group. This was Soo Young’s first official race and she did great! The other 3 gals met up with us then we went in search of food! We found a cute diner and had a fun breakfast together, parting ways after.

I attempted to enter the closest subway I could find to make my way back to Manhattan, BUT, all the subways were messed up today. So I had to walk 20 blocks to GAP (Grand Army Plaza)! Thank you iPhone for your guidance; Brooklyn, lets get it together will ya?

RACE REPORT: 021 Little Silver 5K: 17:40 – 3rd Place

Posted on October 11, 2009 by admin

Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 4 Comments

Sex/ Age	Bib	Overall Place	Gender Place	Age Place	Finish Time	Pace/ Mile
M31	7	3	3	2	17:40	5:40

The Little Silver 5K Classic takes place in the Red Bank area of NJ. Mike (of the ‘Dad Posse’) and his family moved there recently and had invited us (‘Dad Posse’ and their respective families + baker) out for the race and a BBQ.

Ed was picking me up in the early afternoon Saturday to head out so I used the morning to go for a 30 mile bike ride around the city. It was a beautiful day and for once, i wasn’t anxious about leaving the city as I normally get, I was genuinely excited to get out for the weekend!

Ed and his wife Annelise picked me up around 3 to head south. I sat in the way back with their eldest son Jack, who is also a runner. We chatted about our race strategies for the next day, also having a deep discussion regarding LEGOS and which theme set was best. The younger two, Isabelle and Ben, were sound asleep for most of the trip.

Mike and Kara live on a very cute street with their two children Kelly and Kevin. As we pulled up, droves of neighborhood kids were running and playing in the yard. We exchanged ‘hellos’ and then immediately got a tour of the new house, which is quite a beautiful place. Jim and Lisa arrived shortly after with their two daughters Josephine and Elizabeth.

They have a big backyard with a deck (and had a cooler of Coronas), so we planted ourselves there. The kids were down in the basement playing and having a blast. All the kids range in age from 4 to 9 and I must say, are very well behaved and quite an adorable little bunch.

Mike and Kara have a fire-pit (which rules) so we helped all the kids make s’mores. After the kids ate, the adults sat down to an amazing meal prepared by Mike and Kara. Later in the night I found myself sitting at the kitchen bar with the guys as we ‘Carbo-loaded’ on beer for the race. SIDE NOTE: why is it at every gathering people always gravitate to the kitchen? I’ve seen this many a time. Around 1-1:30AM we decided it best to get some sleep.

RACE DAY

At 6AM the kids started stirring, and therefore so did we. We had coffee and a big breakfast spread of bagels, bananas, muffins and yes, my Chia Seeds. We got the kids ready, tagging them with their race numbers, and then heading out for the local High School.

It was brisk with a fall chill in the air. The first race was the kid’s 1 Mile. Jack and Kelly ran this one and did great! In fact they were probably top 10! We had 30 minutes before the 5K and we were all hanging out chatting. I spent most of the time fake ‘Star Wars’ fighting Ben (the 4 year old) which was a workout in itself.

By now it had warmed up to 60-65 degrees and the sun was out. Perfect running conditions. We all made our way to the start. Jim, Lisa, Annelise, Mike and myself were the adult runners. Ed still has a sore knee from the Half-Marathon the weekend prior so he sat this one out.

At the front of the pack I was hanging out with a group of 3, 6th graders who were really funny. Some jerk behind me told them “You kids better watch out, if you’re not fast you’ll get trampled.” They looked worried so I leaned in and said “Don’t listen to that fool, you will be totally fine!” I mean c’mon buddy, it’s a local race, not Olympic Time Trials.

As the gun went off I immediately jumped in behind a guy who I pegged for some serious competition. We were flying down the road, I was flanking him to his right side. This guy was very fast and had a serious stride. Nearing the first turn (the course was one big block, and ended on the track at the HS) he sped up and I thought “No way can I keep this up.” I backed off and caught my pace. As we took the turn I glanced to my left and saw that we had put some distance on the rest of the pack.

I ran the first mile at 5:24… whoa momma.

It was right around this time I heard footsteps coming from behind, coming fast. This kid in a Tri-suit passed me, blazing down the course. On the back stretch the lead man had 1 minute on me and then the 2nd guy had 30 seconds on me, a serious distance in a 5K. I always kept my eyes locked on the number 2 guy, pressing forward.

As we neared the High School I could hear cheering and got pumped! I was very tired and was seriously looking to end this race.

I hit the track and started around my final 300 meters, people screaming. I knew there was a guy behind me, but I wasn’t sure how far back. It was then, that a spectator yelled, “He is like 30 yards behind you, you got this!” I thought “Thank you helpful spectator.” As I took the top curve I could see him in my peripheral, I also knew, if he was going to make his move, it would be now. I picked my pace up to a sprint as I entered the straight away. To my right were all the kids… Jack, Kevin, Kelly, Ben, Elizabeth, Josephine and Isabelle (Kara and Ed too) yelling and cheering me on! I waved and got a burst of crowd energy, finishing in 17:40, a personal record.
I grabbed a water and headed up to the finish to cheer on the rest of the gang.

The first one we spotted was Mike. He cruised by in great form and also finished with a PR!
Next Annelise, Lisa and Jim came running around. They all made it in under 30:00 which was a PR for the gals. Jim had run a serious 20 miles the day before so he wasn’t out to set any land speed records.

After we finished there were lot of high fives and excitement. As they announced the winners I heard my name “Christopher Baker, hailing from New York City! Third Place overall!” They gave me a trophy and some gift certificates! SIDE NOTE: Why was this important to me? This was the first trophy I had ever won. To much disbelief, no, I had never run Track in High School, nor played on any sports teams. I was an artist (still am) and only in the last year or two have become interested in competing. Just ask my brothers… they will say something like ‘Yeah, he’s bad at sports’.

The younger kids had races after us. You have never seen anything cuter than 25, 4 year olds running a 50 yard dash with smiles on their faces! All of them ran in their respective age groups. Jack really did well in the 220, which is 1/2 of a lap. I think he came in second or third and was really cooking! He has real potential to be a serious runner as he gets older! In fact, all the kids looked really good out there so we might have a young running team on our hands. All the kids get medals and a cookie (I unfortunately, did not get a cookie).

What was so great about this dynamic was that all of us were feeding off of each others accomplishments. The adults ch
eering the kids and vice versa. No 1 race took precedence over another, all were of importance. Everyone came out feeling great and having a really fun time. Its so crucial to have a group of people that supports you, especially in a competitive environment like that.

Before leaving, we spent the early part of the afternoon at Mike and Kara’s having a delicious lunch (I had Kara’s chili which was superb!) and playing in the backyard with the kids. Thanks for having us over Mike and Kara!

RACE REPORT: 020 Grete’s Half Marathon: 1:25:00

Posted on October 3, 2009 by admin

Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 4 Comments

Sex/
Age

Bib

Overall

Place

Gender

Place

Age
Place

Finish
Time

Pace/
Mile

AG
Gender
Place

AG %

M31

1:25:00

6:29

154

69.6 %

Friday night was my friend Brian’s birthday party at Bowery Electric where he and his band were scheduled to play. I brought my friends Robin and Cathy, and as were casually hanging out at the bar a woman came up to us. She looked vaguely familiar. She looked at me and said “Hi. You swam under the Brooklyn Bridge didnt you?” “Um holy crap yes I did!” She was like “You’re the goggles guy.” Anyone who hasnt read my recap of the Brooklyn Bridge Swim should know this, she is the only person I talked to the while event took place, and the conversation took place treading water under the Brooklyn Bridge. So if I didnt have friends around me witnessing this coincidence I wouldnt bother telling anyone as it’s too freakin crazy!

I was home by 11, in bed by 11:30. My vegetarian diet is still in effect and I ate some rice and beans for dinner. So far so good.

RACE DAY

the next morning I had a healthy serving of Cafe Bustelo (as usual) and some irish oatmeal. My roommate Becky was doing the race as well so she hit the Bustelo too. Its addictive, just ask her.

I rode my bike up to Marissa’s apartment and we walked over together to meet Jim and Ed of my “Dad Posse”.

Today at the Half-Marathon many people were Beyond Defeat.

“Beyond Defeat represents the will and drive to never give up, no matter what challenges you face. It is the acceptance of the challenge. All of us are Beyond Defeat, we just need to rise to the occasion.”

Ed was going to do the 1.7 Mile run earlier, but decided he would be up to the challenge of a Half-Marathon (13.1 wholesome and tasty Miles). Ed has never run a a Half, in fact he may have only run 5 or 6 miles max in a race (Ed excuse me if I’m mistaken) so this was a big milestone, a milestone that earned him bragging rights.

Marissa had never run a Half either (aside from our early morning pre-work 14 miler in June) so this was a big race for her also. I think its funny that she told all her friends she would be finished in 3 hours as she runs like a 7:30-8 minute mile.

The beauty of a Half-Marathon (or one of the many at least) is that the next time you run a race that is, oh, lets say 3 Miles, it seems like nothing!

We all gave a fist pound and then made our way to our respective corrals.

Up in my area I found Robert, Antonio and Rick. We were chatting and got pumped about the race. Antonio had done a 7 Mile warm up! Insane! Once again, a fist pound and then the gun. We were off.

The first few miles are always hardest for me. I think Im just built for the distance or something, I dont get into the swing of things until the pain wears away. I kept thinking to myself, “Wow, I have to do this route 2 times. Seriously?”

As we hit mile 5 and were roughly back at the Start line I was in my groove feeling the enjoyment of the run. My mind was constantly on Ed and Marissa though, always wondering where on the course they might be and how they were doing.

I was now in a thin group of runners, most of them representing the various teams like The Harriers, Front Runners, Urban Athletics etc. It kept me wondering why our group doesnt form a team. One stand out I would like to give props to is a girl that blazed past me who was named Kate. She killed it and I could not keep up.

As we cruised over the finish line I thought to myself… “One more lap, that’s all.” I was also very happy once I was done my second round on the Harlem Hills at the top of Central Park. From that point on I knew there were no more crazy inclines to worry about.

When I hit Mile 11 I saw that the clock said 1:11! This excited me as it meant I was on target to hit my 1:25 finish time. Who knew? (SIDENOTE: that’s also a lot of elevens, good luck perhaps?) I had set this goal as my last Half (the Brooklyn Half) I completed in 1:28 and change.

It was right at this point that this gal who had been flanking me the last 3 miles blew past me. I tried my best to keep up, but she always had 30 yards on me… until the end. As we rounded Columbus Circle and started approaching the finish I mustered up my strength for a sprint. How? No idea as the last mile my legs were burning. Everything gets a bit blurry and surreal when I sprint, you almost forget you’re running. I managed to pass that gal and 2 others on my finish, clocking a 1:25 flat. I love the competition for some reason. I congratulated her with a “Nice run Speedy.” She returned the compliment, all of us being totally winded and red-faced.

I went to the finish and cheered on Robert, Antonio, Jim, Elizabeth (my new friend by way of Robert), Becky and Marissa. Lots of high-fives were exchanged.

Marissa, Jim and I stayed and waited for Ed. We watched as in the distance we saw his trademark orange running hat. His head was down and he was pounding out the last 200 yards of his 13.1 Mile run. We were pretty excited for him to say the least and as he cruised over the finish we made some serious noise! Ed, his head still down, turned at us with the funniest look, as if to say without words “This sucks!” After a drink of water and some cool down time his attitude turned to excitement at his accomplishment. I remember (or Ila can recount my similar attitude after my Marathon “I will never do this again!”) Fat chance.

We all parted ways and Marissa and I headed to her apartment. Once there Colette and Dan gave us a warm welcome. Colette made us some “life saving” pasta which was so refreshing. We hung out with young Grant for a little while as well but I had to leave as I had to get to Jason and Mary’s wedding by 3.

I stayed out dancing til maybe 11 when my mind and body told me it was system shut-down time. What an amazing wedding, Jason and Mary are quite the couple.

What a day. Like I said, a lot of people were beyond defeat today.

RACE REPORT: 019 5th Avenue Mile – 1 Mile: 5:01

Posted on September 26, 2009 by admin

Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 4 Comments

Sex/ Age	Bib	Overall Place	Gender Place	Age Place	Net Time	Finish Time	Pace/ Mile
M31	263	113	112	21	0:05:01	0:05:01	05:01

This weekend was to mark another double-header. Saturday was the 5th Avenue Mile followed by Sunday’s 18 Mile Marathon Tune-up.

Friday after work I met Robin, Benny, Tess and some of Tess’s German friends who were visiting at Bravest Bar for happy hour. We had a great time catching up and throwing back some beers… I decided to take off around 8 to have dinner at home. I have been on a vegetarian diet now for 4 days (based on the diet of one of my hero’s, Scott Jurek, 7-time winner of the Western States 100 Ultra-marathon) and had made an amazing 3 bean salad I was looking forward to eating. In bed by 11:30, up at 7.

RACE DAY

The 5th Avenue Mile is a legendary race that starts on 5th and 80th and goes south to finish at 60th. I wanted to finish in under 6 minutes. That would make me happy I told myself. They were to set off heats based on age groups, mine being at 10:15. I had plenty of time to spare and had some Bustelo and Irish Oatmeal to fuel up. Seeing an opportunity to bike ride before the race (as it was a beautiful day) I packed my race gear and headed out, planning to end my bike ride at the start of the race.

It all started so perfectly…

Then, at 6th Avenue and Spring Street (following one of my normal street routes) the chain on my track bike popped off. Those of you who understand the logistics behind track bikes know this is a rare occurrence as there are no gears and the chain is tightly secured around only one sprocket. The other issue when dealing with this is that, now, I have zero control over the bike aside from steering. The drive train is inoperable and there are no brakes. What to do? In an instant I am reminded of Fred Flintstone – I lean over and slam my left sneaker down on the pavement, eventually screeching to a stop. This drew the attention of a few early morning dog walkers, one of whom attempted to help me. As I popped the chain back on I missed the back cog and now the chain was jammed, making it so the tire wont turn. Great. It’s 9:35, I have 40 minutes to gun time. I remembered that Bicycle Habitat was around the corner so I picked up my bike and started running. Luckily, they were open and I immediately expressed my need to fix the chain. The owner handed my a wrench and I went at it BUT the bolts were too tight. As I asked for more assistance the owner said that maybe I should leave it for service instead, implying I pay for their services. I told everyone I had a race to get to and then things changed. A real cool tech helped me out and in 5 I was on my way, everyone in the store wishing me luck in the race!

I was definitely riding too fast up to Central Park, but I was in a tight spot. I made it from soHo to 80th Street and 5th Ave in 10 minutes and had 15 to spare! I geared up and jumped into the crowd. I caught a glimpse of my pals Robert and Sarah who had just ran in their heat.

The gun fired and we were off.

I happened to be way back in my heat so I started picking off people and blazing down the right side of 5th. What was remarkable about this race was how quickly it was over. Next thing I know Im crossing the half way mark and Im really getting into the groove. Soon after, myself and a few others were pacing each other and really cooking down 5th. I had a lot of steam in me but wasn’t sure if I was going to run short at the end.

200 Yards to go mark, still flying. Then I see it- the finish clock… it says 4:45! What!? Was I really going that fast? Something must be wrong ith the clock? All of a sudden I was in the position to finish in a sub-5 category which is unreal! I fired up the legs and really pushed hard those last few hundred yards. I think I crossed at 5:04 with a huge SEG on my face! (Shit-Eating-Grin) My actual time was 5:01 and next year Im going sub-5!

I grabbed some water, my ‘commemorative metal water bottle’ that I will never use and headed up toward my bike maybe hoping to run into Sarah and Robert. Once I was home I grabbed some food and thought ‘Wow, tomorrow I have to run 18 miles. yikes.’

RACE REPORT: 018 Run for the Cure – 5K

Posted on September 13, 2009 by admin

Posted in All, Race Reports, Running 1 Comment

On Friday at work, as I pondered the upcoming Brooklyn Bridge Swim, I saw an Ad in the POST for a Breast Cancer charity run taking place on Sunday, the day after the swim. AND, the registration was a block away at the Hyatt on 6th Avenue. Destiny? Perhaps.

Sunday was a beautiful day, especially compared to Saturday’s rainy mess.

I ran up 7th Avenue and into Columbus Circle to get to the start of the race. It was a charity run so it wouldn’t be timed. Normally this would deter me, but it was a great cause and I had raced enough this season to keep me satisfied.

Everyone was in pink and getting pepped up. SIDENOTE: to any single males, 95% of the runners were female!

I had mentally prepared myself earlier for a crowded ‘mayhem’ of a scene and knew getting to the start line would be borderline impossible.

As I made my way through the crowd I heard “Baker!” It was Anna Silva! I stopped and said hi to the gals.

When the start gun went off it wasn’t as bad as expected. We were headed up CP West which is very wide. As soon as it opened up I picked up my pace and started blazing up the left side of the crowd. It was very fun. My headphones are busted so I was running Sans-music.

Once we entered Central Park the crowd had thinned and everyone was moving at a good speed. I kept telling myself, “Charity, this is for charity, not to win.” It was a beautiful morning for a run so I was taking in the beautiful Central Park morning scenery.

I sprinted through the finish and kept going on to the water stations. I felt great (which is the whole purpose of all of this anyway). I hit a Starbuckers, grabbed a regular coffee and walked home, enjoying the quiet Manhattan morning.

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