#6-hour

27.3 miles completed

I registered for this run knowing I wasn't trained for it, but I wanted to do it and I kind of felt like I needed it. I had really been struggling to stay motivated following my October DNF and as every long distance runner knows: to get back in your head you need to run long.

Race morning was cool and drizzly--just enough to make everything damp without getting completely soaked. The start/finish was at the Alley Pond Park Tennis Center and luckily there's a community building there that we could stash our bags in. They stayed dry the whole day and there were lots of bathrooms! Score on both counts!

The start/finish/aid area was pretty windy, which means our awesome volunteers had to spend the day in the chilly wet breeze. (Thank you, volunteers!) But inside the park it was quite pleasant. The course was a 5k loop through Alley Pond Park, which is very hilly. In fact, there is a hill in mile one that I only saw a few people attempt to run. I ran sections of it and that was a successful way to get past it. 

The course looped around a couple of different ball fields, a few playgrounds, and the Alley Pond Adventure Course. It was scenic enough to be interesting and it felt about the right distance for the terrain. The last half hour we ran a short loop and it took me a couple of passes to understand how the fractions were marked. Then there was some confusion as to when the race ended. I was running near about a dozen other runners and word came back that the race was over, so we all turned back to go to the nearest marker. Only after we stopped running did we hear the horn. All of use were shorted at least one fraction. <shrug> I honestly wasn't sure we'd be able to hear the horn from where we were anyway.

Since I finished 27.3 miles, I got a trophy. I was the 16th place female. This was my second 6-hour race and I didn't run as far as I did the first time, but I was happy to have finished the entire thing. I never stopped moving and that was a real confidence builder for me. I'm not sure I'll do this race again, just because the location was waaaay out of the way compared to where I live, but I'll think about it. 

29.2 Miles Finished

The Staten Island 6-Hour was my first ever timed race. Sponsored by the Richmond Rockets and the Broadway Ultra Society (of which I am now a member), the run took place at Silver Lakes Park. In my head, I divided the 1.67-mile loop into four parts: the downhill, the dirt path, the concrete, and the final stretch.

From the starting line/timing table, there was a big downhill then slight uphill that was about a third of a mile. At the end of that section, the course ran alongside the outside of the park. Next to the asphalt path, there was dirt, so I ran on the dirt through that whole section, which was about three quarters of a mile. Then there was a stretch of concrete sidewalk along Victory Boulevard. It measured .2 miles and was uphill. Then after that the course turned back into the park for the final half mile of the loop.

(During the final half hour, we ran a smaller loop that was .8 miles. That loop crossed the lake and had nice views, although it had no shade and a killer hill at the end.)

I consistently walked the uphill concrete section and ran everything else, so I got regular walk breaks and didn't get bored with the course. In fact, I think the course was just about perfect. The day was mostly overcast, but there was enough shade that I didn't have to put on a hat until late in the race. I was really hoping to squeeze in 30 miles, but I ended up with 29.2 and was pleased with it. They gave trophies to the people who went more than 26.2, so I ended up with 15th place among the women and received a trophy. (It's my first running trophy!) There was a mix up at the end where they didn't call my name to get an award and I thought they didn't have the right distance for me, but it turns out my name was just overlooked on the list of winners.

Overall, I had a fantastic time at this race and would definitely recommend it. I plan to run it next year and/or try another timed race between now and then. It was also the perfect complement to my 50-mile training. I got to push myself a little bit while having a supported training run and good company. I met several people who were super nice and I'll look forward to seeing them in the future, too.

Pre-Race

Starting Line Instructions

Outside Loop (dirt path)