Talk Cancer

Question:

My wife and I had a chance to run this year’s Revlon Run/Walk for Women, a charity event for cancer research. I approached the event with some trepidation and lowered expectation, having heard that 60-70,000 would participate. My wife and I managed to line up close to the front of the crowd, and though we still hit some congestion in the first .25 mile or so, the run wasn’t too bad. This also afforded us some opportunity to feast on the various inane comments celebrities made in the minutes prior to the start. Among them, Courtney Cox took first price for "wispy" wit (I’ll leave it at this, as I don’t wish to be any meaner than that). The run wound through the area surrounding USC and the LA Coliseum, and concluded inside the Coliseum, where the Olympic torch burned just for this event. A band started playing minutes after my wife and I crossed the finish, and even Kenny Lodgins showed up 40 minutes later. Oh, and the goody bag–well, it contained some nail polish, so my wife received a double dose . Here are the splits: 9:32.60(1) 8:33.69(2) 7:57.64(3) 1:15.50(3.1) = 27:19.43, average 8:47.68 min/mile I didn’t feel as if I was taxing my system too much, and I was barely winded at the end (I decided to keep pace with my wife for fear of never finding her again in that crows), but that 3rd split left me wondering whether the course was shorter than advertised. I really want to believe that my speed work has paid off so quickly, but I haven’t run in under 8 minutes since I was in College. Hmm. Oh, yeah, I think I tweaked my left knee on the way into the Coliseum, going down a steep shoot. Will take today off and try to return to running on Wednesday. — Eduardo Suastegui "Test everything. Hold on to the good." (remove ‘701′ when replying via e-mail)

Response:

Here are the splits: 9:32.60(1) 8:33.69(2) 7:57.64(3) 1:15.50(3.1) = 27:19.43, average 8:47.68 min/mile I didn’t feel as if I was taxing my system too much, and I was barely winded at the end (I decided to keep pace with my wife for fear of never finding her again in that crows), but that 3rd split left me wondering whether the course was shorter than advertised.

Okay, I think I just figured out that the 3rd mile marker must have been misplaced. If you add the 7:57.64 and 1:15.50 times, that gives an average pace of 8:22.85 min/mile over the last 1.1 mile which makes a LOT more sense . Nice negative splits, too 8). — Eduardo Suastegui "Test everything. Hold on to the good." (remove ‘701′ when replying via e-mail)

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -My wife and I had a chance to run this year’s Revlon Run/Walk for Women, a charity event for cancer research. I approached the event with some trepidation and lowered expectation, having heard that 60-70,000 would participate. My wife and I managed to line up close to the front of the I didn’t feel as if I was taxing my system too much, and I was barely winded at the end (I decided to keep pace with my wife for fear of never finding her again in that crows), but that 3rd split left me wondering whether the course was shorter than advertised. I really want to believe that my speed work has paid off so quickly, but I haven’t run in under 8 minutes since I was in College. Hmm. Oh, yeah, I think I tweaked my left knee on the way into the Coliseum, going down a steep shoot. Will take today off and try to return to running on Wednesday. Eduardo Suastegui "Test everything. Hold on to the good." (remove ‘701′ when replying via e-mail)

Good race, Eduardo! Was there really 60-70k there! Egads! But yes, your speed work probably has paid off…..Thanks for the great report and for supporting a good cause. Sounds like it was fun! Teresa in AZ See you in July in SF!

Response:

Good race, Eduardo! Was there really 60-70k there! Egads! But yes, your speed work probably has paid off…..Thanks for the great report and for supporting a good cause. Sounds like it was fun!

At the beginning, they said there were about 60K people. From the looks of it, the majority (40K?) were walkers. A multitude was still coming in over an hour after my wife and I finished (the walk portion started 15 minutes after the run, but there were still a few "advanced" walkers congesting the run from the beginning). As for the cause, it’s bitter-sweet to participate in these races. My wife was wearing a sign listing 3 cancer survivors, including her mom. It’s hard to look at the "in memory of" signs and T-shirts, though. — Eduardo Suastegui "Test everything. Hold on to the good." (remove ‘701′ when replying via e-mail)

Response:

run from the beginning). As for the cause, it’s bitter-sweet to participate in these races. My wife was wearing a sign listing 3 cancer survivors, including her mom. It’s hard to look at the "in memory of" signs and T-shirts, though. Eduardo Suastegui

Yes, that’s true. But maybe if we raise enough money, do enough research, then most of the shirts will be "survivors" rather than "in memory of". At least I hope so! Glad your wife’s mom was in the former catagory! Teresa in AZ (My mom is too….)

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At the beginning, they said there were about 60K people. From the looks of it, the majority (40K?) were walkers.

This is crazy. I can’t begin to imagine so many people in a race. How wide was the course!? Good race, Eduardo. Sounds like you had fun – and for a good cause. I think there might be a Revlon Run&Walk 5k in NYC as well, the title sounds familiar. I’ve never run it, tho. Keeping my fingers crossed for the doc appointment. nina

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At the beginning, they said there were about 60K people. From the looks of it, the majority (40K?) were walkers. This is crazy. I can’t begin to imagine so many people in a race. How wide was the course!?

In a 5K even?  I bet the leaders hit the finishline before the back of the field crossed the start

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – At the beginning, they said there were about 60K people. From the looks of it, the majority (40K?) were walkers. This is crazy. I can’t begin to imagine so many people in a race. How wide was the course!? In a 5K even?  I bet the leaders hit the finishline before the back of the field crossed the start

Yup. The running portion started 15 minutes ahead of the walk crowd. The winner crossed the finish line in 14 + change. So the walkers hadn’t started when the leaders were drying off the sweat. — Eduardo Suastegui "Test everything. Hold on to the good." (remove ‘701′ when replying via e-mail)

Response:

At the beginning, they said there were about 60K people. From the looks of it, the majority (40K?) were walkers. This is crazy. I can’t begin to imagine so many people in a race. How wide was the course!?

It was wide enough, and as I indicated, my wife and I were toward the front, so we didn’t have too much of the slalom effect . Rounding corners did become interesting a couple of times. — Eduardo Suastegui "Test everything. Hold on to the good." (remove ‘701′ when replying via e-mail)

Response:

Hi, Eduardo, My wife and I had a chance to run this year’s Revlon Run/Walk for Women, a charity event for cancer research. I approached the event with some trepidation and lowered expectation, having heard that 60-70,000 would participate.

[report snipped but appreciated] Wow, that’s a bunch of people <G. Ya’ll did a great job of getting away from them. Your times have really come down a bunch. Congratulations! Love those splits. Please congratulate your wife, too – she did a good job pacing you <G. Thanks, Layne The rec.running report archives may be found at http://kinder.cis.unf.edu/rec.running

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