After having to create the D-Robo 5K run last year to meet this bucket list objective, yours truly actually entered and ran a course which happened to be somewhere other than my favorite treadmill at my gym. Yes, after a few years of doubt, and motivation to prove some doctors wrong, I entered the Runyon 5K at Yankee Stadium.
After learning how to strengthen my legs and somewhat prepare myself for activities to hide my disabilities, I felt the time was indeed right to run a 5K. And what better place to do so than running a course designed inside one of my favorite places on earth, Yankee Stadium!
I began training for the event a month out with not much time for strength building and having to take a rapid approach to enhance my endurance. With only four weeks to prepare for 3.10 miles, yours truly used some of the education I learned in graduate school to come up with a training regimen. For those interested, or for those in a similar position with limited training time before a 5K, here is a brief version of the notes kept from my training:
Week 1 - July 16th to July 22nd
Monday 7/16 - Run 2.0 Miles. Extensive core and ab work.
Tuesday 7/17 - Elliptical Machine for 30 minutes. Weightlifting - Legs.
Wednesday 7/18 - Run 2.0 Miles. Extensive core and ab work.
Thursday 7/19 - Elliptical Machine for 30 Minutes. Plyometrics and Stretching.
Friday 7/20 - Rest
Saturday 7/21 - Run 2.0 Miles.
Sunday 7/22 - Rest
Week 2 - July 23rd to July 29th
Monday 7/23 - Run 2.5 Miles. Extensive core and ab work.
Tuesday 7/24 - Elliptical Machine for 30 minutes. Weightlifting - Legs.
Wednesday 7/25 - Run 2.5 Miles. Extensive core and ab work.
Thursday 7/26 - Elliptical Machine for 30 minutes. Plyometrics and stretching.
Friday 7/27 - Rest
Saturday 7/28 - Run 2.5 Miles.
Sunday 7/29 - Rest
Week 3 - July 30th to August 5th
Monday 7/30 - Run 3.1 Miles. Limited core and ab work.
Tuesday 7/31 - Elliptical 30 minutes. Plyometrics and stretching.
Wednesday 8/1 - Rainstorm did not allow me to go the gym.
Thursday 8/2 - Rest
Friday 8/3 - Rest
Saturday 8/4 - Run 3.1 Miles. Limited core and ab work.
Sundays 8/5 - Rest
Week 4 - August 6th to August 12th
Monday 8/6 - Run 3.1 Miles.
Tuesday 8/7 - Elliptical 20 minutes. Light Plyometrics.
Wednesday 8/8 - Ended up getting sick.
Thursdays 8/9 - Still sick...
Friday - Still not 100%
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Race Day!
Although I didn't finish my training as strong as I wanted to, I still felt I was prepared as I toed the starting line waiting to hit the spacious stadium concourse. And quite honestly, I did alright, finishing at a time of 38:36.
Not my greatest time, as I was consistently between thirty two and thirty four minutes in training. But keep in mind, a section of the course requires you to run the warning track of the field twice. After the first time going around it, I finally realized, hey idiot, you are on the field at Yankee Stadium. Yankee Stadium! Enjoy it a little bit! So I did. The second time around I walked beginning at home plate, up the first base side, and around the field until I exited out by Monument Park.
Another minor factor I didn't train for were the (insane!) large amount of stairs involved in the course. Toward the end of the course, you must take the stairs from the ground level all the way up to the 400 section (the entire height of the stadium), just to run down the ramps (which is much harder than you think as it kills your quads), and then yes, do it one more time up and then down, before finishing. On the second time up, I pretty much walked up the steps.
Either way, I'm definitely satisfied with my first 5K performance. Especially when I finished well above the average time for those who participated.
And despite the race, the best part of this event was indeed the cause - cancer research. Overall, the event managed to raise over $730,000 towards cancer research. That is just awesome. Despite the overall feeling of personal satisfaction on my physical effort, the thought of contributing to such a good cause is the true reason for joy.
And with that said, I'd like to thank those that contributed in the fundraiser through my involvement. A special thanks to Nate P, Steve T, Susan T, Amanda C, Tim M, Christine M, and of course, my Mom and Dad.
All in all, my first 5K (Not counting the D-Robo Invitational) was an awesome experience full of self-actualization and giving, all in the spirit for a good cause.
So much so, that yours truly is continuing this trend. Yes folks, I will be participating in a mud-run challenge in October, and of course, walking as part of a team in the Annual Making Strides Breast Cancer Walk here in Brooklyn. Annnnnd yes, the event that started it all of, the D-Robo Invitational.
Why the heck not?