New Friends XXXI

Monica stayed in our group even though she qualified for a faster one. The three of us lined up with thousands of others and waited for the signal to start. Last year I think it was a full thirty seconds before I was able to take my first step, it's overly crowded while crossing the Verrazano Bridge but once on the other side it's all open. The plan was to speed walk the entire race because the woman I was with couldn't run due to a hip but once it started the plans had to change. I wasn't prepared to run but I wasn't prepared to casually walk either, when she couldn't speed walk I had to pick up my own race and slowly I started to walk faster and faster until I was running...and today I had the legs. Monica was beside me and I continuously looked back for our co-runner but we lost sight of her and that shouldn't have happened if she was on the pace we agreed upon. I felt bad but I have to run my own race and I still need to finish. Eyes forward and we pushed on through Brooklyn running for ten minutes and walking for two, keeping pace with the running group around us.

By the time I hit mile ten I wanted to jump from a bridge, my heart was racing, I could barely catch my breath and my chest was feeling heavy again. I sent Monica ahead because I needed to walk and catch my breath but didn't want to mess with her run time. I kept a great pace, the pace I was going to start with. I was blowing by people and covering the pavement with each step I could walk faster than I could run. It was nice to be done with Staten Island and Brooklyn but once you turn that corner and see the Queensborough Bridge it's almost enough to suck the wind right out of you...it's brutal and intimidating but I know from experience that the half way marker is in the middle of that bridge and then the rest is just finishing. Sounds easy enough...