Barbecued

Today was a really good day. I slept like the dead again last night, woke up at 7:00 and was out the door at 8:00 for a race in Central Park. It was the women's-only New York Mini 10K, a race of 4,104 women that has been run since 1972. It was incredible to be surrounded by female athletes of all ages and types. There was a more civilized atmosphere and despite the sweltering heat and humidity, the start corral definitely smelled better than your average 10K. The oppressive heat actually reminded me of last year's Chicago Marathon.

The race started on Central Park West at 61st so we got to run on the street for a bit before entering the park. My first mile was strong, but the second and third were all uphill so I had to push hard. I have been battling stitches since I haven't run for a few months so I had to fight through some terrible spasms, particularly after the water stations. I need to get back into the groove of eating and drinking while running.

I maintained a pretty consistent pace throughout and even though my legs, and arms from swimming, felt like lead around mile four, I pushed on and finished strong in 864th place in 54:08, an average of 8:43 per mile. I'm slowly making my way back to where I was last winter and again, it was a pain-free run.

I took my time getting home from the race, then immediately hopped on my bike on the trainer for a quick ride. I was really hungry and tired from the race, but didn't want to waste a minute, so I ate an Eggo and drank a coffee while I biked. I figured it would save me at least 10 minutes. There's nothing like drinking a nice, hot Mud Truck coffee while doing cardiovascular activity. I rode for an hour and watched the coverage of the 2007 Kona Ironman yet again to pass the time. I have a confession to make. I have watched this at least eight times and I never get tired of the incredible human interest stories, of Scott Rigsby being the first double amputee to complete an Ironman, or Charlie Plaskon, the blind grandfather that defied odds and finished the race. I just love it. And I watch it all the time. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

After an active morning, I rewarded myself at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party. I had pulled pork shoulder from Big Bob Gibson's, said to be the best pulled pork in the U.S., and two servings of the whole hog. I stood in the hot sun for about an hour total waiting for my delicious pig and it was totally worth it. I finished it off with banana bourbon Nilla Wafer pudding and smores. If that doesn't undo a morning of physical activity, I don't know what does. I'll be heading back there tomorrow for more pork shoulder and some Texas brisket. The BBQ festival is definitely in my Top 5 favorite days of the year.

I'm so tired at this point that I can barely stay awake. On a Saturday night, that's generally not a good thing, but we are doing time trials tomorrow for our bike training so I need the rest. At least I'll have another active morning to justify an afternoon at the pork festival. What a great weekend.

Sport - Running (NYRRC Mini 10K)
Distance - 10K (6.2 miles)
Time - 54:08

Sport - Biking (on trainer)
Distance - 12 miles
Time - 1:02:45