Pre-Race Update: NYRR 1 For You 1 For Youth 5K
Wednesday June 5th, 7:00 AM
Getting My Stuff:
So … this saga.
Packet pickup started last Thursday (like a week and a half before the race). The giveaway for this race was announced as a pair of the New Balance Fresh Foam Zante Pursuit (this race is called “1 For You 1 For Youth” because it’s an extension of the NYRR/NB program where if you buy a pair of shoes at the NB Run Hub, New Balance donates a pair of shoes to NYRR youth programs, so for this race, not only did participants get shoes, but for each participant, NB donated a shoe to the youth program).
Thursday afternoon I got an email that due to inventory issues, my giveaway would be fulfilled with either the Zante Pursuit or the Zante Solas. Knowing my luck, I figured I’d end up with not the shoe I wanted. Sigh.
My plan was to run down to the Run Center on Friday morning. Plan was for a 3 mile run, and since it’s pretty much a straight shot down Columbus/9th Ave from me to the Run Center, that seemed like the perfect way to get my run in.
… Except it’s like a mile and a half from my apartment to the Run Center (you'd think I'd have remembered this, since I stopped in there like 2 days before to refill my water bottle). And I wasn’t planning on running back with my shoes. So I ended up modifying, randomly running crosstown through Central Park, stopping for a Breakfast Run To Tiffany’s photoshoot, and then heading to the Run Center. I got my (shoe-shaped) bib and they gave me my shoes. I took a look, and lo and behold, it was the Zante Solas (also, they were black, and if you guys know me at all, you know I’m not a black shoes kind of person). I was tired and they were busy, so I didn’t want to raise a stink then and there, but when I got home, I sent an email to NYRR expressing my displeasure.
Fast forward a few days … I finally hear back from them on Wednesday afternoon. The response is basically a canned email of “sorry, this is what happened.” I was not happy, so I wrote an email expressing that, reminding them that I had already said I wouldn’t have registered had I known I wouldn’t be getting the Zante Pursuit (and also that $60 for a 5K is ridiculous), and asked for a refund. That got their attention, and the person I was emailing with said that she would try to find a pair of the Zante Pursuit in my size, and if not, they would refund me when I returned the Zante Solas. She then emailed that she was able to find a pair of the Pursuit in my size, and I could go in to the run center to exchange the shoes. I had somewhere I needed to be on Wednesday night, so I stopped in at the Run Center and made the exchange. Super easy.
And the Zante Pursuit are gray and purple … still not quite as loud as some of my other shoes but I do tend to wear gray with accent colors.
Outfit:
Current forecast is for high 50’s and mostly sunny. So I could go long sleeves or short sleeves. I don’t want to check a bag and it’ll be a drop chilly walking over, so I could go long sleeves, but that’ll be hotter during the race. Hmm.
This will probably be a last-minute decision.
Shoes will be the old Zantes (the ones I wore for the WDW 5K). Not sure yet when I’m going to start wearing the new ones. May have to do with when I retire the 880s. But more on that in a different post.
Getting To The Race:
This is an exciting one. First time I get to say this.
I’m gonna walk to the race.
It’s about a mile, I think? I could take the M86 bus, but that’s more hassle than it’s worth.
Planning to leave the house around 6:15-6:30ish to get there 6:30-6:45ish.
Race Plan & Goals:
No idea. I’ve been inconsistent with training lately (I know it probably doesn’t seem like that from Strava, but I feel like I’ve been inconsistent … some of you may have also noticed that I’m not so much posting on my running insta because it just doesn’t feel right while I’m so inconsistent). Smart money is probably on taking it easy - running the race at EC or Easy/LR. Especially because hills (including Harlem Hill, which is probably my least favorite). But I also kinda just want to go for it. I dunno. It’ll probably be a game day decision.
Goal is to finish. I think. It’s not a good day or a good course to go for sub-30.
May use my “High Energy High Efficiency” playlist (which was originally created for work), if only because I just put this gem on it:
Is it just me, or did Snow age very badly? (Listen to the whole song, but if you don’t know what I’m talking about and don’t have time to listen through, go to about 2:30)
For those of you who have no clue what I’m talking about, here’s a fun throwback to 1992:
Post-Race:
I’ll grab a bagel and either eat it on my way back to the apartment, or bring it home in one piece, put some cream cheese on it, and eat it at home.
Or I could be fancy and go to the new gluten-free bagel place (which is not far from the finish), but that costs money, so I think I’ll take the free bagel.
Most important topic: Coffee will be cold brew at the apartment. It may be race day, but it’s also Wednesday, so I’ll be busy doing boring life stuff.
Track Me:
Note: Since there’s a race between now and this race, tracking is not yet available.
Bib Number is
439.
Tracking Website:
https://liveresults.nyrr.org/ (if you go there now it will say Italy Run … that will change after the Italy Run)
Remember that the only timing mats will likely be start and finish, and it’s gonna use my predicted time for the finish, so it’ll probably say I’m at 3.0 miles like 30 minutes after I start and then will just stay there until I finish.
And ... that's all I got. I have not so much been thinking about this race outside the shoe drama. I have to remember to set an early alarm next Wednesday.