Though I wanted to schedule the majority of my New York Road Runners races outside the sweltering summer months, I couldn’t help but be drawn to the Front Runners New York LGBT Pride Run at the end of June. The Front Runners is New York’s LGBT and LGBT-friendly running club, and I’ve always tried to support LGBT causes, plus this race benefited the New York City Anti-Violence Project, which was founded in 1980 in response to hate crimes affecting NYC’s LGBT community.
Also, I had heard from a co-worker who ran this last year that there were rainbow Popsicles at the finish line. I mean, the first reason is a million times more important than the second, but who can deny the sweet allure of a rainbow ice pop?
I managed to get out of work early one night in the days leading up to the race and got to NYRR HQ hoping for some nice race swag in addition to my bib. There were coupons and raffle tickets for JackRabbit, my preferred running store in NYC, and though the shirt was unisex sizes only, I wasn’t too disappointed — it was a singlet (sleeveless!), had a snazzy design and cool orange side panels, and came in extra-small, which is the next best thing to having women’s sizes. (I can usually make a men’s small work, but the men’s small tech shirt for the UAE Healthy Kidney 10K was gigantic. I went running in it once, felt like I was drowning in it, and promptly donated it to my boyfriend once he started running again after his foot surgery. It fits him like it was made for him.)
This was my first five-mile race through NYRR or any organization at all, and the starting line wasn’t in mid- to lower Central Park, like I was used to. It was up on 1o0-and-somethingth street, so I had to ride a train in the morning for a few more stops than I’m used to so I could arrive at a part of the park I was not very familiar with. I fueled at home and on the train ride with Hawaiian Punch.
Hawaiian Punch is probably not the best fuel choice. It’s maybe 1 percent actual juice and it’s sweeter than I remember it being from childhood. But it’s also kinda delicious on a hot summer day. Whatever. Hawaiian Punch™: You Can Do Better.
ANYWAY. I was immediately struck by how much more empty and scenic the park was in these northern corners than the lower parts I’ve been used to. I got there early, so I ran around taking photos as the sun came up.
I walked around the area where there was morning-of packet pickup and booths and announcers. Someone handed me one of those blue and yellow equality stickers, which I slapped to the front of my tank top. I had chosen an aqua-y colored tank for the run and paired it with my most rainbow-y Asics, but all of my running bottoms are black, which is my preferred wardrobe color but felt out of place amongst the glorious multicolored tutu’d other runners participating in the race.
Nicole was running the race as well and I tried to find her as I also tried to find my corral. The setup was strange — the corrals felt far away from the pre- and post-race setup area and I broke out in a light sweat as I tried to get to my corral on time. Nicole joined me a few minutes later and I was so glad to see a familiar face, especially one that would keep me company for nearly the first two mostly uphill miles whilst singing “I Hate Hills” to the tune of “Let It Go.”
I have a goal of running a five-mile race in 45 minutes. Five nine-minute miles don’t seem totally out of reach, especially since I had just PR’d in a 10K with a time of about 9:05 per mile. But I knew after my hilly, sweaty start that a 45-minute race not not likely in the cards for me. It was incredibly hot and humid, and though I am always sweaty during a run, I felt especially, excessively sweaty. During the last few miles, there were some sprinklers set up on the course, and I ran through them with grateful, wide-open Creed arms.
I finished with a time of 46:30 — 9:18 miles, which, while kind of a fair cry from 9:00, seems like a nice even pace for me. Most of my races (save the deathly, ill-advised Central Park half marathon back in April) range between 9:05 and 9:30, so 9:18 seems consistent and respectable, especially with the hills, heat and humidity. And I guess since it was my first five-miler, it’s an automatic PR, right? Though I’m sure I have a slightly faster one in me.
And then there was the Popsicle.
And my stick even had an event-appropriate joke!
And afterward, I stopped at Doughnut Plant and grabbed some specialty Pride doughnuts — a raspberry rainbow triangle, plus a lavender — to share with my boyfriend at home. Yay!
