Bret

New York City Marathon 2019

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Location:

Milton,GA,USA

Member Since:

Jul 27, 2010

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

PR's -

Mile - 4:38    (High School)

2 Mile - 10:12 (High School) 

3 mile - 15:51 (High School)

10k - 35:19 (High School)

Marathon - 2:59 marathon (London -2013)

Half marathon - 1:25:18 (Deseret News 2013)

Completed all 6 of the World Marathon Majors 2024

Completed each of the 5 majors (NY, Chicago, Boston, London & Berlin) at least twice.

8 x Boston Marathon (1999, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2014, 2020 (virtual due to covid) 2021, 2022)

13 x NYC Marathon (1997, 1998, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)

 

 

Short-Term Running Goals:

Sub 3 hour marathon

Long-Term Running Goals:

Continue to enjoy running and racing as long as my body permits me.  

Personal:

Old guy - (grandfather even) been running for 40+ years.  

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 14.75 Month: 118.75 Year: 511.80
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
94.2026.203.100.00123.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

Off - traveled to NYC for the marathon tomorrow. 

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Race: New York City Marathon 2019 (26.2 Miles) 03:19:58
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.0026.200.000.0026.20

Ran my 10th NYC marathon today, and it was actually in the top 2 of my favorite races at this event.  A friend of Richie's, a guy named Tommy who went to high school with him and whom I have met and run with a few times, was again at the race with a group that Richie assembled for his Team For Kids team.  Richie donates every year to the charity and as a result of the size of his generosity, he is awarded with a handful of race bibs to assign.  He generally tries to get friend, family, and old high school track and cross country teammates to run.   I have been the beneficiary of a few of those race entries.  

Anyway, Tommy asked me before the race this morning, if maybe we could run together as he was hoping to get a Boston Qualifier of 3:25.  His best time was last year at 3:29.   I really had no specific goals for the day, and decided in the moment, to pace him and as the day unfolded, I am so pleased that I did.

He wanted to be conservative and run 7:45's to 7:50's early-on, but the day was really favorable weather-wise, and we found ourselves running closer to 7:30-7:35 pace.   Most of the time, I allowed him to sort of dictate the pace, and I mainly just tried to keep us steady - and encourage him along the way.  The effort was completely manageble for me and my HR was in the mid to high 140's which told me I could have gone faster.  I thought that perhaps if the pace turned out to be too much for him and he dropped or needed to really slow to a walk, I could possibly finish out going faster.   But that never happened.  And as the race went on, I was completely comitted to getting him across the finish line with his goal time or better.

Tommy was a grinder and stayed with it; a very tough runner.  I was so impressed.  He only had a couple of late miles that were closer to 8 mins - but never worse.   When I was doing the math, I thought we had the chance of getting under 3:20 and really insuring that he would get into Boston with more than just the minium qualifying time.   I never said anything to him but knew it was going to be really close at the end.  I ended up crossing the finish line at 3:19:58 and was bit disappointed to find out that his time was 3:20:01.  Nevertheless it was a PB for him of over 9 mins.

The pacing role I had today, really gave me purpose and was quite fulfilling to see how well he ran and that I played a part of it.  

My daughter Riley also ran today - her second marathon - and though her training had some set backs - she had a decent race at least for the first 20 miles or so.  The last 10k was a struggle, but I was equally impressed with her determination and resolve to finish on what turned out to be a tough day for her.

Finally, it was last year that I did this race and had a very difficult time that later likely turned out a couple of weeks later to have been as a result of a significant blockage in one of the key arteries to my heart.   I ran 30 mins faster today and felt great.  As we crossed the Veranzano Bright in the opening miles I really took in the views and reflected on what a difference a year has made and felt very blessed. 

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

Off - travelled to London for business

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.500.000.000.003.50

AM - 3.5 miles around Hyde Park.  Good systems check.  No aches or pains.  Just easy running. 

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.100.000.000.003.10

AM - 5k in Hyde Park - different route from yesterday.  Ran a little faster. 

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.500.000.000.005.50

AM - 5.5 miles through Green Park and past the Palace through Westminster - across the Thames and looped back through Mayfair.  Pleasant run. 

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.500.000.000.003.50

AM- 3.5 miles in Hyde Park - a bit faster than previous days.  Heading back home this afternoon. 

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.100.000.000.003.10

AM - 5k with Finn in the neighborhood this morning.  He pushed the pace in the last mile or so - fun to open up a bit.  Chilly. 

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.500.000.000.003.50

AM - 3.5 miles with Finn before work. 

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.000.000.000.003.00

AM - 3 miles on the treadmill before work as it was raining pretty heavily outside. 

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
4.000.000.000.004.00

AM  - 4 miles with Finn in the morning before work. 

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.000.000.000.005.00

AM - 5 miles on the treadmill before work. 

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
4.000.000.000.004.00

PM - 4 miles with Finn late afternoon, early evening.  

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.000.000.000.003.00

AM - 3 miles with Finn before church. 

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
4.250.000.000.004.25

AM 4.25 miles with Finn in the morning.  

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.000.000.000.005.00

AM - 5 quick miles on the hotel treadmill before an offsite management meeting in Georgia.  

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.250.000.000.005.25

AM - 5.25 miles or slightly less - in a run around the perimeter of a resort in Braselton GA called Chateau Elan.  Cold and hilly. 

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.000.000.000.003.00

AM - 3 easy miles with Finn before work.  

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
4.500.000.000.004.50

PM - 4.5 miles on the treadmill after work. 

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
4.000.000.000.004.00

AM -  4 easy miles in the rain with Dan who finally is back running after an injury.  Good to catch up with him.  

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.000.000.000.006.00

PM - a little over 6 miles with Finn on a blustery afternoon.  

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

PM - in St. Pete for business - got a run in with Richie of just under 8 miles.  Great to run with old friends and catch up.  

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.500.000.000.006.50

AM - doubled down with a second run with Richie in the morning before my business meetings - just under 6.5 miles around downtown St. Pete.  

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Race: Thanksgiving Day 5k (3.107 Miles) 00:20:18, Place overall: 42, Place in age division: 3
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
1.500.003.100.004.60

 

Atlanta Thanksgiving Day 5k- family tradition that my girls started with my family many years ago (and that I had with my parents when I was growing up) continues.   Most years I choose to run with the girls and their spouses/boyfriends and other friends or family who come to town to stay with us.  Every now and then I will take off and give it a go and meet them at the finish.  This year was one of those years.  Riley and Delaney were in town and my nephew and his wife were as well - none of them having run very much with the exception of Riley who is recovering from an injury.  
 

Cold windy and hilly - I had a decent race.  I was hoping to dip under 20 mins but the course was a little to unforgiving with the hills and a technical set of turns entering (and then the slick turf) at the Georgia State stadium - formerly the Braves' stadium now converted.  Splits were 6:24, 6:14 and 6:33.   A flat course may render a quicker time for me.  
 

Thankful for my family and for being able to run as well as I have been running this past year   This was my fastest 5k since 2013 according to Athlinks (shockingly).

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

 

Comments(3)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.000.000.000.005.00

AM - took yesterday off.  5 miles with Dan and Finn in the morning.  

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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
94.2026.203.100.00123.50
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