Pajama Run 2017

The Pajama Romp is a tradition for me: run Vermont 100 a week prior, destroy my body, and then run this 6 hour timed race a week later. The course is just over a mile (I think something like 1.27 miles) loop around Astoria Park. There are two hills, nothing crazy, but an opportunity for a walk break at the end. The race is scheduled 5pm-11pm, not my best time for running, but an interesting time for people watching.

I was not feeling that great, and it probably didn't help matters much that I did a tough core yoga class at 730am, and then Deep House Yoga at noon. Oh, and I rode my bike about 18 miles earlier in the day.

My plan was simple: run the first hour hard, and then see what I felt like. The first hour was hard and I ran quite well. I ran with Elliot, and then, he took off after an hour. I felt better at a slower pace.

But then I felt crappy. My plan was to try to catch up to a friend that I had lapped earlier and then walk and run with them....that never happened.

The last hour or so, Alicia caught up to me. She is a tough runner, and we had some nice chats.

The race was ridiculously hot with some random periods of rain. And then, the last few minutes, it began to rain harder.

After we heard the whistle, we headed back to tell our lap splits. I grabbed my stuff to change in the bathroom, and then found Wayne. It was pouring now. This sucked.

I asked Bomina to pick up my trophy and then hopped into the car to go home to take a hot shower and sleep.

Conference House 6 Hour Race Report: Timed Races in the Freezing Cold Are Actually Fun

The Conference House 6 Hour Race was 32 miles of cold, sunshine, and friendship.  

I usually run a BUS race but whenever I can, but this time, I had my favorite yoga class that I teach: my Sunday Flow & Restore at Awakening. I usually include readings, meditation, sometimes pranayama - we open with short meditation, warmup, flow, and then totally melt into restorative poses. And I'll skip the class on occasion, but really didn't want to on this particular week. So I found this random 6 hour and signed up, despite having almost zero info.

I convinced my friend Jill to drive down from Rhode Island and run with me. She was struggling with a return/nonreturn to ultrarunning after a break (and ultimately, decided to take another break). I was worried about my tendon flaring up, and my training has been pretty minimal because of it.

NYC has been pretty mild this autumn. I've been biking everywhere and feeling pretty good about it. Of course, the weather plummets for the start of the race....

I got the start and realized, you idiot, the race is right on the water....which means crazy wind. Jill lent me a stinky windbreaker, which I was grateful for. 

The course was a two-mile loop, primarily easy trails.  The terrain was pretty easy - trails, but nothing technical, one baby hill. There were two port-a-potties next to the course, and we could easily leave drop bags. There were some pretty basic aid stations - they had M&Ms and kisses and pretzels (pretzels, that's all I really ever need) and I think clementines too. But I mainly had eyes for pretzels. They only had water in small bottles, which meant filling up your bottle was rather time-consuming (especially as it wasn't always readily available).

Nearly every time we ran through, the RD and timers would cheer us on. It was a really great feeling. One of the runners had the most amazing wife - she was out there, cheering us on, the entire time, with the kindest of words and a huge smile. The volunteers were great, and I felt like I was running in a small race of neighbors and friends.

The race started and I took off at a decent pace, not pushing too much, but not going too slow. I ended up chatting with this random guy, and we ended up spending the first 10 miles together. The pace was in the 8 minute range the entire time, and I felt good.

But I had decided I was going to run this one slow, for various reasons. I told Jill I'd run with her, and she tried to dissuade me. "I'm too slow. You won't want to run that slow." But I figured I'd run until I caught up with her (lapped) and then finish with her.

After 10 good miles, I passed her. I used the bathroom and then waited at the bottom of the little hill for her to reach me - and then it was like 22 miles of easy fun. 

Ultrarunning is more like hanging out with your friends sometimes than racing. Like, Jill and I could go out and drink wine and talk - but it was also pretty much the same as when we were running (except we complained about Jill's period and my stomach or whatever). Oh, and it was freezing, and I doubt I'd drink wine if I was freezing. Aren't you supposed to drink whiskey in the cold???

We finished. There were no partial loops, and we finished without enough time to go out and do another loop. That was fine. I got my plaque, I got my 50k coin (32 miles), and I got some pizza.

Jill and I headed back, and I questioned my sanity as to why I had avoided heat for the past six hours. But I felt so good - so amazing in that "this is why I love doing it" way.

VERY Belated Pajama Run Race Report

Super delayed, but better late than never! 

Richie and the BUS crew moved the Pajama Run to Fort Totten Park in Queens...a way more inconvenient location, but there was a nice breeze, it was an interesting change, and there were raccoons (I am a bit scared of wildlife, so it made me run faster).

I began the race freaked out since apparently an email I had not fully read (I heart Richie, but his emails are like 10000 paragraphs long) said don't go topless. I had no shirt. Luckily I was fine w my sports bra and a mini-running skirt. We were basically running for 6 hours on what was the hottest and most humid day so far.

My legs still felt tired after VT100, and I ran well/crappy on and off. Some laps I was slower, others faster. 

I ran with good friends: Stephanie, Matt, Zandy, Karen, and others. There was a super dark section and I had no headlamp so I kept slowing down.

At one point, a runner I vaguely know said, "Oh, just doing a training run?" I said, "Excuse me?" and he said, "Well, you usually run way faster. So you must be taking it easy and just doing a training run." I swallowed all the profanity in the world and simply said, "I ran Vermont 100 last week. THIS IS hard. I am racing, trying to."

Really bummed me out to hear that negative comment. (Also similar: "I can't believe I'm keeping up with you. What's going on today?" "Wow. I caught the great Cherie Yanek. You must be really struggling." Thanks, maybe you're just rocking it?!)

I ended up with a decent amount of miles, and wiped down with baby wipes during the awards ceremony. I slathered some glitter on, shimmied into some sequins, and went out dancing at the House of Yes to the Kostume Kult Party with my Pink Lightning campmates! Great night!

Pajama Run 6 Hour Race Report

A bit delayed of a race report, but better late than never, right?

I ran the BUS Pajama Run for fun only; a week after VT100, it's hard to put in big miles here. So I mainly run to have fun, hang out w friends, and enjoy running loops for 6 hours in Astoria Park. I did have some competitive friends, but I was there for the watermelon and miles.

The race has a real awesome old-school feel. The race fee is fairly low, there's pizza at the finish, and everyone who runs over an ultra gets a trophy. Instead of a shirt, you get pajama shorts (because the run is 5pm-11pm.....get it, PAJAMA RUN????).

You run loops of around a mile in Astoria Park in Queens. The park is on the water, so lovely views, with some hills. Because it's NYC, the people that are in the park make things interesting....great people watching while running!

I ran a bit in the beginning with Menachem and Mary, but they both had issues, and I ran into my old friend Hiroshi. We ran together until around 28 or 29 miles. I also got a surprise visit by my friend Caroline, who ran a few laps with me with was great.

I was feeling tired and sweaty at the end, when Wayne showed up. I was so happy to see him, it really boosted my spirits. 

Then I finished, I think I was 4th or 5th or 6th woman, and I ate pizza. Wonderful night.

Pajama Run

Thus called the Pajama Run because it is run from 5pm-11pm, I've always wanted to wear pajamas to this six hour run put on by the awesome Broadway Ultra Society. But I end up not, to avoid harassment, because it's in a very popular public park, Astoria Park. On the way, with lovely views, the Triboro Bridge above us, some mini-hills, Christian karaoke, a pool, people playing tug-o-war, wedding parties taking photos...it's an interesting place for a six hour race.

go triboro

menachem now has running clothes

feeling good, early on

run w a view

It was Menachem's first ever race, and he was asking questions about the bibs, including my fave, "What do I do with this bib now that I'm done running? Do I get to keep it?" He ended up completing just over a marathon - not bad, considering his longest run was 15 miles.

I went out okay, and realized chatting with certain people was not going to be an option - they were going out too fast for me. I slowed down, feeling Vermont 100 in my legs. Yes, I'm an idiot who runs 100 miles the week before she does a six hour. Ow. Ow. 

I had been dealing with a foot numbness issue, that luckily wasn't so much of a problem, but I was tired. My legs felt like they had run 100 miles the week prior.

I ended up with over 33 miles. Was happy, scarfed down two slices of pizza, and then Mary and I slogged on the bike ride home.

Six Hour Pajama Romp Race Report: Tired Legs from VT100, a Beer Break, and FUN!

Why not run a 6 hour race a week after running 100 miles?

Well, for starters, it is a very dumb idea. But I like dumb ideas, sometimes.

I decided I'd see what I felt like at the Six Hour Pajama Romp. Maybe I'd just run a few miles here and there, and then chill out, hang out on the sidelines. When Tony said he was going to come and crew Aaron Heath (who later won, yay), I was in. I packed up a cooler with some beer (Petrus Pale Ale) for Tony and hopped a ride w Ray to the ride.

We arrived later than we'd have liked, due to some transit issues of friends we were picking up at the train station, so I barely had enough time to pee, kind of organize my stuff and go. I started out faster than I expected; I was running w Shannon and we were running 7:30s, 7:40s. We were chatting, catching up, so it didn't feel awful. After an hour and a half, though, my legs felt tired. I decided to take my time and slow down. I ran some more, a little slower, enjoying the day, chatting with the other runners.

After a few hours, I was tired. Running a 6 hour a week after running a very hilly hundred is so dumb. I stopped, sat on the cooler next to Tony, had a little beer, and caught up with Tony. After 10 or 15 minutes or maybe more, I got up and ran again. Oh, drinking Petrus was much better....argh my legs.

I ran most of the rest, taking it easy on the hills instead of hammering. My stomach gave me grief, but luckily there were bathrooms (though the hunt for toilet paper was a concern multiple times) which I did use.

I finished, just under 34 miles. Not bad considering I ran 100 miles the week before...

With tired legs, I took a baby wipe bath - and then pulled on a dress and headed out to a bar for my friend's goodbye party.

6 Hour Birthday Run: 34.88 miles (and 3rd woman)

Look at me, last year claiming I hate timed runs and here I am doing another! The original plan was to run 42 miles - or that's what Ray K wanted the two of us to do. Hey, you gotta set audacious goals - if you don't have them, how can you even get there?

First things first: THIS COURSE HAS HILLS.

The GLIRC 6 Hour Birthday Run gives a discount to those who are celebrating their 60th birthday. They have their own special age group (just 60 - not 60-65 but exactly those born in 1952). It's a lot of fun. It's friendly volunteers, great organizers, well-stocked aid stations (that unfortunately didn't suit my temperamental tummy), medals for all ultra finishers, and a wonderful spread of food at the end - pasta, salads, heroes, beers, sodas, cupcakes, etc.

The loop is at Sunken Meadow, where I used to run in high school. Fortunately, we don't have to run the brutal Cardiac and Snake Hills. But don't worry, they threw in a bunch of hills for us. HILLY. I seemed to have blanked out that there are hills and that was rather unpleasant to realize.

It's a 2.1 mile loop with dirt, a little bit of pavement, some sand. It's pretty, you get to see people on little out-and-backs, and if you squint real hard, you see the Long Island Sound.

I started with Wayne, who decided he would run 20 miles as a training run for the marathon (and then he left me to go kite surfing and eat olive-and-cheese sandwiches) so that was nice because I had someone to run faster with - though it probably would've been better if he ran the last 20 to push me. But alas, he listened to me whine when things got bad.

We ran 8s and 9s and told stories and ate gus and I felt pretty crummy. My feet started this numbness/painful ache in the bottom of my feet - I went to the doctor yesterday and he prescribed anti-inflammatories. I literally had tears in my eyes but I pushed on.

My parents stopped by. I was grateful to see their smiling faces, and to get the ibuprofin my mom inevitably had in her bag. It definitely helped and my feet did feel less horrendous.

My parents left and so did Wayne. I felt a little lonely. I ended up running with a really nice woman, who turned out to be married to someone I know. We chatted. I ran with Erin for a little while who was worried because of having rhabdo at the last six hour she did.

I ate my jellybeans. My stomach hurt. I tried to push but the pace felt sluggish. And then - 50k. A new PR: 5:15:40. Not bad, considering I felt like hell. Yes another loop please.

I tried to push the pace, but I just felt like such crap. I was all out of sorts - not eating enough because my stomach hurt, then I'd get dizzy because I wasn't getting enough nutrition, but then I'd need to eat and try and feel queasy and - it was a wretched cycle.

I finished the final 2.1 mile loop with 12 minutes left. I headed off on the mini-loop, which has a stupid hill. Luckily, when they rang the bell to stop, I was right about to hit it. Yay, relief.

At the Awards Ceremony, I was so pleased to learn that I was 3rd woman - despite my problems. Wooohooo. And 34.88 miles was very respectable, considering I felt like utter crap.

After, my stomach was a wreck and I could barely eat. Erin was feeling horrendous. Our lips were turning blue as we shivered in the cold. Erin and I wore our medals around our necks. Wayne told us we had to leave because we were getting hypothermic. We listlessly followed him to the car, where, like insane people, we drove in a crowded pickup truck, did extensive shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond, followed by grocery shopping at Trader Joe's. We tried to hydrate and eat, but really, the only thing I wanted was the chocolate peppermint bark that Wayne made fun of me for buying but ate half of anyway. And that's how it is.

Another day, another 6 hours, and oh my god, another batch of annoying hills. But it was yes, another great day. Happy Birthday, 1952.