Somewhat Late: Nick Russo Halloween Classic 8k

Newbie

Since I just joined a day or two ago, I think I'll show off the fantastic pictures I recieved back from this race and blab a little bit about it, because it was one of the most difficult but most gratifying races I've had.

Unfortunately this meet held for various colleges around the New Jersey-New York area has a reputation for not being too well organized, and this was true yet again. During the women's 5k another organization was attempting to do some sort of middle-school relay (with very tiny runners) and the two organizers were getting into a shouting match while a few of my teammates and I were trying to cheer on our women's team. Not too fun, but thankfully they had finished by the time of the men's race.

This is a rather small meet as well - around ten Division 3 schools with varying numbers of runners. It was probably 70 men in total. Our coach actually intended us to run the race tired - we had done (in my opinion) our hardest interval workout two days before.

The course for this meet is Van Cortland Park. The first mile is a very flat loop around a bunch of soccer fields that exist in the park, and unfortunately I think I went a little bit fast trying to keep up with my faster two teammates who were trying to keep up with the leader. As we went past the timers and started up the hill into the trail, I heard one call out 5:30 for the mile. It didn't feel like it though.

However, once I got on the hilly trail, I began to both feel the pain of that first mile and the workout on Friday. Quads just began burning with every hill. I think this was the mentally toughest race I've ever run. Both I and Carlos, a teammate, agreed on it - we both actually felt like stopping almost the entire way (which is something I have really not experienced before). My teammate Joe caught up with me around the end of the 2nd mile and we ran together for the rest of the way. The most difficult part of the course is a place aptly entitled Cemetary Hill but for once I didn't feel completely horrible coming off it. It was only a mile or so to the finish, but the day was also extremely hot - easily 70 degrees on Halloween. It's quite possible I was dehydrated as well. At the end of the downhill, Joe and I just started slowly pushing faster and faster. Last time we ran this course, he had beaten me in the last 400 meters, but I had no wish for a repeat of that. So we sprinted for a good 800 meters to the finish, and I don't think I've ever pushed that hard.

I finished in a personal place best of 6th with a respectable 30:45, which could've been significantly faster - I think I just went out way too quickly. Plus, ow. That workout hurt.

Our team (Stevens Institute of Technology) won the meet with 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, and 11th place.

Picture Proof!

http://web.njit.edu/~alonso/halloween_web/pictures04/30700005.JPG
http://web.njit.edu/~alonso/halloween_web/pictures04/30700006.JPG

The meet was actually a lot of fun, despite one or two problems and massive pain during it. Plus, I raced with bobby pumpkins on top of my head the entire way! Comments on the pictures welcome, haha.

Member

Glad you had such a good time, and got a personal place best. Great job! Shame about the organization problems.

Member

Great race! cheers

Excelent

Great first race report, and excellent times and placing

Gone Fishin

Did you photoshop the pumpkin ears?!
That's a riot.

Good racing! College cross-country is a blast. Enjoy the season thumbs up

Newbie

Oh no! My friend and I (other friend not pictured) wore them the entire time, haha. They were supposed to enhance my speed. Or make me look like an idiot. I think I achieved both.

The Pinball

very nice run and very nice pumpkin bobble thingys on your head.

great job!

PRESIDENT

Excellent! Dancing Banana

Member

Member

Somewhat Late: Nick Russo Halloween Classic 8k

LIFEFORM SOCIAL COMMUNITY NETWORK