My eleventh Half Marathon - Grete's Great Gallop (13.1M) run

In this doodle let us go through Grete's Great Gallop 13.1 Miles run in Central Park, New York on 5th Oct 2014. This run was presented by Memorial Sloan Kettering's Fred's Team captioned as "Imagine A World Without Cancer". The event was a tribute to Grete Waitz, nine-time New York City Marathon champion, as well as to New York City Marathon co-founder Fred Lebow.

It's been few decades humans are suffering from different cancer types and the medical researchers are trying to find cure for each of them. In the meantime world is exploding around with carcinogens introducing more types of cancer. We should also educate people to keep away from carcinogen food habits. My additional caption for this run was "World with No Carcinogen Foods".

This was my fourth consecutive run event weekend. After bumpy runs in the last three events, my legs are hurt with mild shin splint injury, compartment syndrome symptom on right leg and symptom of stress fracture. This was the first time in my running days my body is going through multiple injuries together. At this situation any runner should keep away from running and rest the legs for recovery. I have two more events to close this year's autumn runs. Due to these injuries I am just running in events and not doing any week day training runs. I am just holding my legs to get till my full marathon run in another two weeks.

This run is my 11th Half Marathon run event. Late start time permitted me to stay on bed till 6:30 AM. Crawled out of bed and geared for the day. Reached 33rd street path station at 7:45 AM and slowly walk-jogged for 2 miles and reached the race central (73rd Street East Drive) at 8:20 AM. Collected my Bib 1332 and event shirt and walked around the event central. After relaxing the bladder, checked-in the bag and walked to corral. Today's run weather was 46 degrees, 56% humidity, W 10 mph which made runners in corral look forward for the start air horn.

At 9:00 AM start flag was down with runners stepping over the start line, my legs crossed at 9:03 AM. First mile was steady increasing pace run at 8:20 per mile. I was doing lazy run not focusing on my body. Unusually during my first mile I didn't set my breathing rhythm. Completed first mile with pace set at 8:00 per mile.

Second mile run started with uphill and my breathing was out of synch with my legs. I started correcting the breathing for which slowed the pace to 8:20 per mile. Today I was running on my old shoe as the new trail run shoe was making my past three runs unpleasant. My leg stride style has to be corrected for the trail run shoes so decided to run the remaining events on this old shoe. Legs were doing better and set the pace at 8:00 per mile by the end of third mile.

After running through another hill I have to stop to tie my lace. It was cold and hands were frozen so took almost 40 seconds to tie the lace. Fastened my run to set the pace at 8:00 per mile by end of 4th mile. Decided to cruise the body at this pace but I was running with battling breathing having symptoms of side stretches. Tried deep breathing to take in more oxygen, this helped to recover the cramp by the end of 5th mile.

Sixth mile was gazing run looking around the building on the east side and training runners, walkers , visitors around the central park. On crossing the sixth mile post, legs completed a loop around the park. Today's 13.1-mile course was twice around Central park’s 6-mile loop plus another 1.1 miles.

Now my legs are familiar with the course so became energetic and was trying to pace up. Completed running 7.5 miles in 1 hour. I was deciding to complete the race with average pace of 8:00 per mile.

Cruised the body at the 8:00 per mile and was running steadily handling side stretches and managing the irregular breath rhythm. One of the lesson from today's run is to set and maintain proper breath rhythm since beginning. After 8th mile stopped at all fluid stations for few seconds to catch up breath with deep breathing. Completed 10th mile while my clock was ticking 1 hours and 20 minutes.

I ran the last 3 miles on steady 8:00 per mile pace with two fluid station stops to complete the 13.1 miles at 1:44:51 with average pace at 8:01 per mile.

I was glad today's run was healthy and comfortable finish irrespective all mistakes I did on the course. After run decided to walk 2 miles to reach the 33rd street. While walking back to path station still I was feeling side stitches which alerted me about my lung capacity. Determined to learn and follow exercises and techniques that will improve my lung capacity and deep breathing. I am planning to start my next week run in Staten Island focusing on deep breath pattern.

Grete's Great Gallop Timing