NYRR Colon Cancer Challenge 15K Race Report

I wrote this for my running club, the Essex Running Club:

I guess everyone was at the Newark Distance Classic today! So I took it upon myself to serve as ERC's lone representative to the NYRR Colon Cancer Challenge 15K in Central Park this morning. The stated purpose of the race is to promote awareness of colorectal cancers and to raise money for cancer research. The staging area hosted several informational booths, and a large inflatable colon, through which runners and spectators were invited to pass (please forgive the awful pun).

Following my current marathon training plan, I arrived at the Park early to run 7 miles before the 15K started. My timing wasn't great, as I finished the first run earlier than expected and found myself waiting, hamstrings growing tighter by the second, in gusting wind and cold. Fortunately I loosened up again once the race started. My goal was to run the first half at the same pace as the early 7 miles, then pick up the pace for the second half. I surprised myself by succeeding, for the most part. After a gel and water stop at mile 5 (more for practice than anything else), I increased my average pace by about 10 seconds a mile until the finish, for a time of 1:21:04. This is a 1:52 improvement over my NYRR Hot Chocolate 15K time from last December (when I did not run 7 miles beforehand, btw), so I'm happy with the race.

Once again, the NYRR put on a professional, well-organized race with a secure baggage check and plenty of post-race bagels and drink. The only thing missing? No hot chocolate today...