In my previous update about my races you could read about my winter races.
In this post I am gonna tell you a bit the following ones.
United Airlines NYC Half 2018, New York, March 18, 2018
This was very unexpected race for me a I was not able to sign for this race prior it and couple days before it when I arrived to NYC there were no more spots I was very regretting that I had not signed up for it as it is one of the most popular Half Marathons in NYC!
Few days before the race my last hope was destroyed since special invitation from one of the NYRR coaches was not valid impossible to transfer on me name.
I put this race aside wishing I could do it next year…
But then miracle happened, on Friday evening, at 7 pm (12 hours before the start!) my coach Roberto called me saying that there is one free spot and asked whether I wanted to jump into the race. My answer was ‘YES!’
Straight after phone call I needed to prepare all my racing clothes, breakfast for next day and… go to sleep :D.
The next day I woke up before 5 am, as at 6 am the latest we needed to leave our things in deposit and we were supposed to meet altogether with NYRR crew, apart from me I was racing with Barbara, Jessica, Ali, Roberto, Ann and other runners.
Intentionally I did not want to race this race for real as I still had my PB race from 2 weeks earlier in my legs and my mind did not want to switch on #speedmode this time :D.
My aim was to enjoy this race and have fun among other 22k runners! :O
Especially it was very first time of this half marathon with completely new route that in past years.
Start line was at Brooklyn (Prospect Park) – Manhattan Bridge (they closed one side of the road FOR US! CRAZY RUNNERS! :D) – Chinatown – FDR DRIVE up to 42 street – Times Square – 7 Avenue – Central Park (Finish line)
I took this race quite easy till we got to FDR x 42 street then my mind switched and wanted to cruise this race! The feeling of running through Times Square lighted with countless billboards and neons was incredible. From there I was heading up to Central Park where just before ‘famous’ Cat Hill our amazing NYRR Group Training team was cheering us up. From there there was only 3 miles to go and finish this race.
In total I finished this race in 1h30m36s – improving my last year’s half marathon time from Shape Women’s Half Marathon 2017.
DOZ 5km, Łódź, April 14, 2018
In the beginning of April I came back to Poland for Easter break and my final exams at school.
Checking local newspaper I have encountered the advert about upcoming 5km race within Marathon that would take place on the second weekend of April in my hometown.
I was in! Not in the Marathon 😉 but in the 5km !
I have never raced any short distance and I wanted to check myself if I am able to break 20 minutes… that was my goal!
I picked up my BIP the day before and on Saturday morning I was ready to go.
The race was supposed to start at midday so I had plenty of time to arrive earlier, leave my bag and warm-up.
Luckily my brother came to support me (and what was the most fun was the fact that he even manage to follow me during over 80% of the race along me cycling while I was racing!)
Focused and a bit nervous I started the race in first row of corral. All I knew was only that I should keep my legs on hold and do not let myself fly too early with others… What a surprise I had when I saw on my watch after 1st km pace 3:50.
I did not expect that my 1st km would go that fast already… but I felt good and wanted to keep this pace as long as possible to not get crazy.
After passing 3km in less than 12 minutes I had only 2 km to go, deep in my head I knew that the final result below 20 minutes is possible now everything was only in my legs and mind to keep it strong to the finish line.
After 4km my brother shouted to me ‘Go Ola, Go! No pain! No tireness! Go Go!’ what was actually kinda funny as deep in my head I wanted to kill him at the same time 😀 But I really appreciated my brother’s support ;).
Last 800m after right turn I run to area of Atlas Arena, after 300m SHARP turn-around was awaiting on me and then all the way down to the end, running to Atlas Arena Stadium inside.
The feeling when I saw 19 minutes on watch was awesome. Now everything depended on me how quick would I cross the finish line.
Eventually I accomplished this race with result 19m30s ! YES YES YES! 5 km and sub 20 minutes felt greatttttt 😎
#POLIMIRUN 10km, Milan, May 20, 2018
This is the most random history in racing ever.
I am in Milano now, since the begining of May. When I got my flight ticket to Milano in April, I started to look for by curiosity, any races in Milano.
When I found #POLIMIRUN I was positively oriented as it was supposed to 10km race and I wanted to check myself on this distance because I have not done any of them since May 2016 – my very first 10 km race in London!
I tried to reach the organizer through email and facebook to get BIP for the race but it was fully booked since last month and 2 weeks before the event seemed to be too late :(.
I really regretted as I wanted to make it not only for training purposes but also to get another city to my list of cities I have raced in ;).
But I had nothing to do and needed to accept that, shortly after I forgot about this.
Then, believe me or not, on Saturday evening 9.30 pm when my and my roommates were so lazy to do anything and we decided to spend the evening on sofa and ice-creams, I checked my inbox on facebook and I saw the message from some man texting me that he can give me his BIP as he would not be able to race it.
It was so, so random! I had only 12 hours to go for the race and I was not prepared for this at all :O
I as not sure whether to do it or not, as that day I did some interval training and I did not know if I would be sharp on Sunday morning to race, but I decided to go for if as nothing ventured, nothing gained 😉
I was also lucky as the start of the race was not far from the place there I stay now in Milano, on top of that its course was passing by my place.
The start was planned at 9.30 AM, I met before that with friend of my facebook’s runner friend (:D) to get my number. I got some advise and tips about the course as I completely did not know what to expect and its profile, hills etc.
Before 9.30 I went to corral to get into my position as there were over 12 000 runners that day! :O
I managed to jump to the 3rd wave as the 1st was reserved for who had signed as competitive runners, 2nd wave for only for #addidasrunners and then finally I could line up myself in the 3rd wave that was the 1st corral of non-competitive runners at the same time.
We needed to wait for the first two waves to start running before as so eventually around 9.40 AM I have started to run! It started to get very hot on top of this, it was high time to crush these 10 kms.
It was very crowded and tight in the beginning of course, needed to jump through many people. My watch showed me pace around 4:10 at 1st kilometer, I thought it would not be able to make 10kms under 40 minutes as I wanted to make that day. But I decided to not be focused on my watch especially it was not working properly for last couple of days.
Following only my feelings and strength of my legs on that day I wanted to make the best out of it.
Suddenly after 2-3 kilometers my watch showed me pace below 4:00 km/min… I was curious ‘what the hell is going on’.. ‘maybe my pace is actually below 4:00’…
I really felt that the watch must be wrong and its records cannot be taken seriously so I just kept my pace, trying to keep it strong and slowly passing by other runners (who made it too quickly at the beginning of race). * This is actually one of the best feeling during races, when you are chasing all other people who fired up too much*
At point of 8th kilometer I was thinking deep in my head ‘what am I doing here? It is not easy… Damn.. still 2 more kilometers’.
Luckily, at this moment some very fast guy passed me and I started to chase him “If he is still going, I can do it too!” so I kept my pace in hope of gradual acceleration.
After 9km I really wanted to have this finish line but I did not know when and where is gonna happen, I was running just as fast as possible to get it finally.
Turn after turn, we run into Campus of Polytechnic University of Leonardo da Vinci the finish line was still not seen…!
I was so surprised when after my 3rd right turn the finish line was in less then 100meters away from me.
‘Here you are! I am coming.!!’ That was my thought.
I passed the finish line, looked at my watch and it showed me time below 39m:30s ! :O
I was amazed, wow! Still did not trust it especially my watch worked funky recently. However deep in my head I got a feeling that could be possible.
Shortly after I saw the official time 39m26s I was astonished and proud as never before :D!
All I can say that bananas I ate after my race tasted like never before 😀
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Overall I am so, so happy about my recent races and results.
I hope that my fitness level will stay on that level for long time.
I think during summer time I would not be participating in any races as hot temperatures are not not my favorite and I am keep on learning to not struggle with them. But… who knows… never say never… Maybe I will get a chance for some crazy race last minute and then I will jump into it ;D
For sure, I will do my best to keep on working on my technique of running and enjoying it and being grateful for every kilometer that I run <3 just to keep it simple and happy as long as possible.
Happy weekend! <3
